Chapter 93: Plucking the Kernels

It took some time for the merchant groups to be processed and for everything to begin functioning properly again.

However, it was winter. Even merchant groups could not avoid the influence of the weather. Since it was a period of low activity, the losses were not significant.

On the contrary.

‘Now that things are running properly, we have even more funds.’

The income flowing into the family had increased.

“I didn’t know our Spiritual Land was this wealthy,” an administrative officer remarked.

“It was like this until recently. Honestly, it makes no sense for us to be poor when we have so many people.”

The population of our Spiritual Land alone was close to 1,000,000. If one included the people in the subordinate Viscount and Baron territories, the number was even higher.

‘The numbers are quite high. Is it because the land is so vast? Hmm…’

It was almost ironic that such a population existed despite constant threats from monsters, bandits everywhere, and rampant exploitation.

‘Looking at the Kingdom as a whole, it might be tens of millions.’

The Kingdom alone had tens of millions of people. The Empire, said to be far to the north, likely had even more.

The fact that they could not develop despite having such a massive workforce was telling.

‘It is partly because of the monsters… and likely because there are too many bastards out there.’

It was truly ironic.

If they were constantly at war, combat-related technologies should have advanced, yet they had not.

Their Auran Yeongongbeop was inferior to Mugong, and their social structures were significantly behind those of Earth. Science was, of course, out of the question.

‘The only thing they have is Magic.’

Even Magic, a defining characteristic of this world, was slow to develop. Dragons, known as the progenitors of Magic, were difficult to even find. Naturally, the center of Magic had become the Magic Towers.

‘The problem is that they can’t even properly digest what they already have.’

They burned through millions of gold coins for their so-called experiments, yet there was no progress.

This world was a malformed place.

Because of that, the methods I used were producing immediate results.

I, who was overworking—no, supervising—the administrative officers, asked about their progress.

“Is the situation being properly assessed?”

“It is difficult, Lord Heon.”

“The taxes are currently being collected as a Poll Tax. Even so, why is it so hard to track the population?”

“The records are a mess. Every village Bailiff has a different way of passing down information, so their recording methods differ as well.”

“Unify them.”

I immediately ordered a fresh assessment of the population in the Spiritual Land.

The administrative officers, the nobles, and even the nearby merchant groups had not been properly understood. I felt it was impossible for the population to have been accurately recorded.

‘It’s a census of sorts.’

I had been making them do it from the start, but the administrative officers were finding it difficult.

It was not a lack of ability. Since tracking the population was a fundamental task, they had the skill to do it. The problem was the lack of manpower.

“Is the recruitment of administrative officers still not going well?”

“We are bringing in those who graduated from the Administrative Academy… but there are very few applicants.”

“Our Spiritual Land is a bit remote.”

“It seems so. Still, since we offered higher salaries than other places, applicants are appearing every now and then.”

“Try harder.”

“I am doing my best. Only when the number of administrative officers increases will our workload decrease, will it not?”

The number of administrative officers needed to grow, but the pace was incredibly slow. Consequently, the progress of the work itself was bound to be sluggish.

“Should I establish an Administrative Academy in the Spiritual Land?”

“Let’s do that later. Even if we build an Administrative Academy now, there is no one to train the students!”

People were the problem here, and people were the problem there. Essential personnel were scarce.

‘I wish I could increase the number of residents too.’

In my eyes, the number of residents was also insufficient. Since food productivity had improved, we were in a position where we could support a large population.

I wanted to take this chance to increase the population of the Spiritual Land itself.

‘Unlike monsters, humans don’t just spawn rapidly. What should I do?’

It took time for humans to be born and grow.

“Is there a place where I can bring people in from the outside… wait?”

Thinking about it for a moment.

‘There is, isn’t there?’

There was a place to bring them from.

‘Once I think of it, I have to execute it.’

I needed people. Only when people came in and worked would the amount of work I had to do in the Spiritual Land drastically decrease. Because then there would be people to whom I could delegate tasks.

‘It will make things easier.’

I was the type to command, not the type to be buried in practical affairs.

‘I have plenty to do as it is.’

Therefore, the important conclusion was that I needed people. And I immediately thought of a way to obtain them.

After a long time, I summoned someone to the administrative office.

“It’s been a while, Ident.”

“Do you have any idea how hard I’ve been training thanks to you?”

“Why? Were you put under house arrest or something?”

“I was under house arrest, and the Count personally oversaw my training.”

“Oh, dear…”

“The others were jealous, but you are the only one who understands my heart, Young Master. *Ugh*… I almost died.”

“But you’ve become stronger.”

Ident spoke with a thick skin.

‘Look at him exaggerating.’

In the time since I last saw him, he had learned to manage his momentum. He had certainly become stronger after his personal training with my Father. Not only had he mastered the Auran Yeongongbeop, but also…

‘His Stealth Technique has become even more powerful.’

The Stealth Technique I had taught him had reached a level of maturity.

*Swoosh.*

When he first revealed himself inside this administrative office using the Stealth Technique.

“Ack!”

Both Pling and Esty clutched their hearts in shock. Of course, he couldn’t escape my Gigan and was caught immediately.

“Anyway, what is the reason you called for me?”

“You have some free time these days, don’t you?”

“I do. That part is definitely thanks to you, Young Master.”

The Marquis of Owen had died suddenly.

The information that he was involved with a Black Mage had also been passed to the royal family.

‘No response.’

As expected, the royal family did not react. Instead, the reaction occurred within the Marquis Owen’s House.

As I predicted, the Marquis Owen’s House was fractured in four or five different ways.

The commander of the Bauer Knights tried to install the eldest son as the new Marquis of Owen, but he failed.

‘That’s what happens when you put a lecher in a high position.’

The new Marquis of Owen, who was obsessed with women, was decapitated as soon as he took the seat. I heard his throat was slit while he was pursuing a woman at a brothel he frequently visited.

Since a man who had just become a Marquis lost his head in such a place, it was only natural that chaos ensued.

The brothel, of course, was burned down.

The problem was that the assassin who killed him had long since disappeared. The Bauer Knights sent a pursuit team, but there had been no results yet.

To begin with, the Marquis Owen’s House was a place where the Marquis’s control had to be absolute.

Unlike our Count’s House, which had a solid foundation, the subordinate nobles there were greedy Foxes.

The previous Marquis of Owen had only maintained order through constant schemes. As soon as the controller disappeared, the little Foxes broke free from their reins.

Some pushed the surviving second or third sons as the new Marquis, some chose to remain neutral, and the last one, the sixth son, fled to where the royal family resided.

At this point, it was impossible to know who killed the eldest son. No one even cared.

They were all claiming that others had done it while moving to seize the title of Marquis for themselves.

“These days, I can just slip in and pull out information. Ah, it’s also thanks to the Stealth Technique you taught me, Young Master.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I heard the guys underneath me are busy slitting the throats of those Foxes lately. It’s revenge.”

“That’s good. Revenge.”

“Hehe. Even if a new Marquis is appointed now, it will be difficult. Because we will stop them.”

As their arch-rival, the Marquis’s House, fell into chaos, the Crows were having the time of their lives. Feeling that this was their chance, they began to act openly.

They went around slitting the throats of the intelligence organizations that had tormented them, gathered information, and began planting informants everywhere.

The chaos of the Marquis’s House became an opportunity for us.

“It’s not good to drag it out for too long, though. If the Marquis Owen’s House collapses entirely, Duke Jisert might step in.”

“…Ah. I didn’t think of that.”

“The balance was created while our Count’s House, the Marquis’s House, and the Duke’s House kept each other in check. It would be difficult if one completely collapsed. Our strength isn’t absolute yet. Not yet.”

“So it’s not time yet.”

I nodded at Ident’s words and spoke again.

‘His eyes have finally turned serious.’

The Marquis’s House is an arch-enemy, but we must not forget the Duke’s Household of Jisert.

When the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. I didn’t like the Marquis’s House, but they needed to remain. Though he was quiet now, there was no telling when Duke Jisert might move.

‘I still need to build more strength.’

The balance had to be created and maintained. Of course, it was natural that things would run according to my way. That was diplomacy—the way to manipulate the opponent.

When I reminded Ident of the reality he had forgotten, he became serious again.

“Then what should we do?”

“We should pluck the kernels out of the Marquis’s House.”

“By kernels, you mean…”

“No matter how many resources the Marquis’s House has, it’s nothing without one thing. Do you know what it is? It’s people.”

“Which means…”

“I noticed we’ve been lacking people in our Spiritual Land lately. What do you think? About plucking them out together.”

The core of a Spiritual Land is ultimately its people. Without people, no matter how the divided Marquis’s House reunites, it will inevitably be weakened.

“Oh, that sounds great.”

Ident was very excited at the thought of stealing people.

Since he had suffered much at the hands of the Marquis’s House, he was thrilled whenever we discussed how to torment them.

‘He’ll enjoy it if I just leave it to him.’

One should always entrust a task to the person who enjoys it, not just the one who works hard.

I smiled broadly and asked.

“Right? Then what should you do?”

“…”

“Wait?”

“Don’t just stand there dazed! Get moving! Ideally, focus on bringing back administrative officers!”

“…”

“Oh, man. *Sigh*…”

Since I came up with the plan, the one who had to move was Ident!

Realizing the reality of the situation, Ident’s face scrunched up for a moment.

‘This is why good talent is so great. Yes, yes.’

From the moment he first made a deal with me, he had long been placed in the talent box in my heart.

“Go and bring back the talent. Forget about Knights or Mages.”

“…”

“Understood.”

“Oh, and…”

I calmly looked at Pling and Esty, who were praying for Ident’s soul.

“Hmm.”

Did they both have a gut feeling? As soon as they made eye contact with me, they slowly lowered their heads to avoid my gaze. But my reach was not something that could be avoided by just turning one’s head.

“Which of you two will go?”

“Pardon?”

“I have work to do at the Refinery! And the census too!”

This time, Pling was the one with the quick wits.

‘As expected of a noble!’

Pling, who had to master the art of self-preservation from a young age, was faster.

“Then Esty, you’ll have to go this time.”

“Do I… have something to do with people like them?”

“Yes. When the Crows bring the talent, what should you do?”

“…I suppose I’ll have to classify them.”

“Exactly!”

Bringing them in isn’t everything. To put them to work properly, someone needed to look at them and classify them. That was Esty’s job.

‘Once Esty filters them all, I just have to do a final check.’

The top only finds comfort when the working-level staff are grinding away.

I looked at Pling, who was laughing along with me for some reason.

“Hehe. Good luck, Esty.”

“And Pling.”

“Yes?”

“You go too. You go and bring back the refugees created by the civil war!”

“…I thought I wasn’t going?”

“No, you are.”