Chapter 76

The former Kleinserdt territory, still unstable, was named the Sora Territory by its residents in memory of Sora, who was executed in secret despite numerous petitions. A young man stepped into this Sora Territory, accompanied by a girl about eight years younger than him.

A few days earlier, this man had been suddenly ennobled to the rank of count, with no known background and a mysterious habit of never removing his mask. However, he was in the good graces of the king. Due to his appointment as a count, he was given this Sora Territory as his fief, and thus he was called Count Sora.

"Well, I didn't expect a sister rather than a brother. This is what you were hiding all along, huh?"

Count Sora turned his gaze to the girl walking beside him. The girl puffed out her soft cheeks.

"I was surprised too. I didn't know men had such... such strange things attached to them. That's rude!"

"That's a rude comment, my sister."

"Shut up, you fool."

Count Sora grabbed the girl's cheeks, which were repeating "fool, fool," and kneaded them.

"Stop it!"

"You really are a rotten apple, raised by that swine of a father. Lazette is going to be swamped with work."

"Stop it, p-pervert."

Sighing at the girl's foul mouth, Count Sora looked around and spotted a path through the woods, stepping into it. The girl, looking extremely displeased, grabbed Count Sora's arm.

"My clothes will get dirty!"

"You'll be eaten by sharks if you stay here."

"Huh? ...Fine, let's go then!"

There were no sharks on land, but the girl seemed quite naive. As they walked through the path, they came upon a small village. Seeing the monster-faced man, the girl jumped back and hid behind Count Sora.

"Guests are rare here."

The monster-faced man, scratching his chin, narrowed his eyes at the masked man.

"You don't flinch at the sight of this face?"

"I've heard that before. Is there a reason to flinch?"

Count Sora smiled faintly under his mask. The monster-faced man, Gorge, froze at the unexpected exchange. Seizing the opportunity, Count Sora slipped past Gorge and ran into the village. A beautiful woman with red-tinted blonde hair, who was startled, nearly knocked over a device made of metal sheets.

"Ah, a solar cooker. Improving it to a parabolic shape, I see. Clever."

Count Sora glanced at the device, identified its design, and complimented the woman.

"That voice, could it be...?"

"Sorry, I'm busy now."

Leaving that, Count Sora immediately ran off. A burly man taking fish out of a net and a timid-looking man gutting fish one after another were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the masked man. It was understandable; anyone would be stunned if a man with a strange mask, breathing heavily, ran in looking for something. However, Count Sora, without a care, focused on the fish he saw.

"It's a mackerel! Mackerel from Meguro is the best, don't you think, Cole?"

"Huh, ah, yes. ...Huh?"

The timid man, called by Count Sora, was flustered.

"Zez, catch my share too. We'll make grilled mackerel with the solar cooker. But this isn't the time for that. Sorry, I can't talk now, I need to catch them off guard!"

Count Sora spoke quickly and ran off before the two could say anything.

"Cole, was that...?"

"Do you think so, Zez?"

The two looked at each other. Moments later, a bratty girl came running, half-crying. After seeing her off, Luly, with a changed expression, rushed in and chased after the girl. At the same time, Gorge, leading the Flame Squad with a warden-like expression, ran past, chasing after an escapee from the fiery hell. The two looked at each other again, and a scream was heard a moment later...

"What's all the commotion?"

Lazette, with a cold gaze, looked around and then covered her daughter's eyes.

The scene was chaotic. The bear beastman, Sanya, was being forcibly petted by the masked man, while the Flame Squad, led by Gorge, was crying nearby. Zez was laughing loudly, and Luly, who should have been calming the situation, was yelling at an unknown girl about the solar cooker. The unknown girl, crying, kept apologizing, "I'm sorry for breaking it," while Cole was running around trying to mediate.

Just as Lazette was about to turn away and pretend she hadn't seen anything, the masked man noticed her.

"Ah, Lazette, I'm back. By the way, I'm rehiring all of you, so come with me."

"More work?"

"Count Sora?"

Lazette turned around, recognizing the masked man.

"Count Sora?"

"Yes. By the way, the girl over there is my former brother's sister, Salon Kleinserdt."

"I don't understand..."

The vassals, one after another, said it was the same old thing, and laughter echoed.

Later, the Kleinserdt County, now the Sora County, achieved unprecedented reconstruction and development. Everyone quickly identified the masked count, who had brought his vassals, who were thought to be serving two masters, but it was tacitly accepted and quietly spoken of. Thus, the land of miracles was born.

Thank you for reading this far.

I appreciate your support and patience throughout. No amount of gratitude can express how much I appreciate it.

Thank you very much.

February 20, text revised.