Ch.150150. The Pinnacle

“I don’t have much time left.”

The Empire’s strongest knight, Lufus Waynelight, muttered suddenly on his way to the imperial capital.

He was returning from a rare vacation.

The vacation was merely ten days or so. All he did was gather with his clan at a resort city in the direct territory and soak in hot springs.

Even that wasn’t a vacation taken for rest, but rather requested to be away from the imperial capital during the “Blood Banquet.”

It would have been awkward for the captain of the Royal Order to sit blankly in his office while a massacre unfolded in the imperial capital.

‘…If Erick hadn’t advised me, I would have been there. Like an idiot.’

Thanks to the Hero’s advance warning, he was leisurely reflecting on the passage of time.

This might seem pointless at first glance. After all, he was a master who had even overcome aging to a limited extent.

Just by appearance, he looked about twenty years younger than his actual age, and these days he was giving retirement counseling to juniors who could be his nephews. With the Demon Lord dead, there were almost no beings that could threaten Waynelight’s life.

Unless he suddenly lost his mind and decided to hunt dragons, he could live for quite a long time.

The reason why Waynelight, who knew this fact better than anyone, was lamenting the harshness of time was simple.

He had newly realized his family members’ aging.

Just looking at his younger brother riding a horse on his right made this clear.

The fellow who had been governing the territory as a viscount for over 20 years. He hadn’t paid much attention before, but spending vacation together made him realize how aged his brother had become.

“How old are you now… fifty what?”

“Fifty-six, as I’ve told you several times.”

His brother had become a grandfather before he knew it.

Skin sagging without elasticity, significantly thinned hair. He felt guilty, wondering if he had overworked him all this time.

“Do you have a lot of administrative duties? You look rather…”

“No, not particularly. The vassals have been complaining about dying from the Cordana aftermath since last year, so it’s not without effect, but it’s not difficult. I have fifty administrators handling practical matters for me anyway.”

“Then…?”

“…No, isn’t it natural that things break down here and there as you age? Not everyone can be like you, brother.”

“……”

That’s right. It was a natural phenomenon.

Captain Waynelight wasn’t asking because he didn’t know. He just wanted to take care of his brother who had aged before him.

He felt similar emotions about his wife following in the carriage. Living together, he hadn’t fully realized her aging, but strangers would probably not believe they were a couple.

‘Everyone has grown old before I noticed.’

It seemed he didn’t have much time left with them.

Even if he tried to take care of them now, he couldn’t compensate for the past years.

To be honest, he wasn’t exactly sure what “life spent with family” meant. Should he just go hunting occasionally and teach swordsmanship to his grandchildren? In any case, if he didn’t make up his mind soon, he would truly run out of time.

Unaware of Lufus Waynelight’s noble plans, his brother sighed with a worried expression.

“By the way, brother. Is this really alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know. The Hero. Everyone is trembling in fear. I even heard he’s annexing the kingdoms of Microssia. And probably…?”

“It’s Erick’s will.”

“Maybe I think this way because I’ve been stuck in my territory, but isn’t killing everyone too extreme? I wonder if they wouldn’t have listened if he had just reasoned with them properly. Even if it was necessary, why do this right after defeating the Demon Lord?”

“……”

Waynelight couldn’t immediately refute his brother’s words.

Of course, he had a vague idea of why Erick had gone this far.

However, he lacked the ability to clearly explain what Erick’s exact plan was. He had simply followed along because it was led by Erick and backed by the imperial family.

It would be difficult for his brother, busy governing his territory, to immediately cheer for the Hero. He completely understood the sentiment.

Moreover…

“And we’re not just staying silent, we’re actually going to support the Hero. Honestly, I’m a bit afraid.”

In fact, Waynelight and his family were collectively moving after finishing their vacation to publicly support the Hero.

The captain himself, his viscount brother, his eldest son serving in the Black Iron Knights, and his late-born youngest attending the Academy.

The entire clan was traveling to attend the Hero’s title conferment ceremony at the imperial palace.

They weren’t gathering out of gratitude for being spared. The Hero probably never even considered harming the family of the Royal Order captain. To be honest, they were moving simply because Waynelight, the head of the family, had ordered it.

‘Come to think of it, I’m curious too.’

He thought he should ask Erick about his plans when they met. What goals he aimed to achieve with that tremendous power.

…Though he doubted he could understand everything even if told, it was still proper to ask.

After all, Erick was about to wield power exceeding the Emperor’s.

Although it was power delegated by the imperial family, it wasn’t structured in a way that the Emperor could reclaim whenever he wanted. Moreover, Erick was still so young.

Knowing his plans might allow him to step down from his position as captain of the Royal Order with a slightly easier mind.

Soon, the imperial capital came into his view.

Though he had lived there for decades, it somehow felt a bit unfamiliar, perhaps due to his mood.

***

Several people came to see me before the title conferment ceremony.

People suddenly kneeling and begging for mercy, people with frightened faces forcing smiles while offering congratulations, and so on.

It was inevitable since only a few days had passed since I killed so many people. Even the smell of blood in the banquet hall hadn’t faded yet.

Amidst all this, there was one person who calmly asked, “What do you intend to do?” It was the captain.

‘How should I explain this?’

Should I honestly explain that under my supervision, I would gradually increase the proportion of direct territories, centralize power, and slowly change the current economic structure where most of the population has to be engaged in farming just to barely maintain national power?

Even if I did, the captain would likely not readily understand.

Instead, he might ask, “Wouldn’t that increase the number of people gambling?” which would be difficult to refute since it was true.

‘But I can’t just placate him and move on…’

Facing the captain’s stern expression, a method suddenly occurred to me. I decided to explain by emphasizing only part of my plan.

“…Captain. You must remember what I told you when I left the Order. That four of us once shared a single sprouted potato. It wasn’t that we were suffering from extreme exploitation and starvation, but the soil in our village was just that poor.”

“Sprouted potato? I remember that.”

“The village chief once tried to make money by forcibly planting a magical plant called Stanias, which irreversibly degraded part of the farmland, starting a vicious cycle. I only realized this later while doing ‘Futures Transaction.'”

“…I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

The captain looked apologetic, but that was exactly the response I wanted.

“If even you don’t understand, how much worse must it be for farmers? They worked until their backs broke without even having time to wonder why food was scarce despite their hard work. With no one to look after them, they had no means to escape poverty.”

“……”

“I was lucky enough to learn swordsmanship from childhood, but otherwise, I would have died just farming. At best, I might have become a guard, or died trying to become an adventurer, struck by a blind blade.”

“Erick. So what are you trying to say…?”

“We need to somehow raise the productivity of the entire Empire to reduce the number of people dying in vain. Isn’t it too empty to die after struggling all your life just to avoid starvation?”

After pondering briefly, the captain nodded.

“Yes. It seems like a necessary task.”

The captain I knew was likely thinking of talented individuals wasting away and dying in nameless villages. Of course, I didn’t seize power just to train knights, but this was the best way to persuade him.

‘Fortunately, it seems to have worked.’

The captain’s expression relaxed, and he hinted at his intention to ‘retire,’ apologizing for mentioning retirement in front of me who was about to receive a new title.

“I wonder if I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

“Not at all. If you wish, you should retire.”

I was willing to let him go gladly. After all, even as a lord, he could still be my helper. Perhaps he might be of even greater help than when guarding the imperial capital.

Of course, it would be a lie to say I felt nothing watching the captain announce his retirement… but now was not the time to dwell on those feelings.

“Come to think of it, today will be the last time I address you casually, Erick. After the ceremony, I’ll show proper respect.”

As the captain said, I was about to receive a new title.

Shortly after.

“His Majesty is arriving! Everyone, show your respect!”

The ceremony began with the appearance of the Emperor, whose complexion had worsened in just a few days. This was already the fourth ceremony I was attending.

The difference from before was the weight of the title I was about to receive.

Moreover, it wasn’t just one.

…

“We highly commend your merit in defeating humanity’s archenemy and stabilizing the borders, as well as executing the traitors who threatened the imperial family, and issue this imperial decree.”

“The Kingdom of Microssia, whose rule has been severed, is annexed to the Empire. Henceforth, this land shall be called the Grand Duchy of Microssia, and we bestow ownership of said territory to Erick Wellesley. You are permitted to be called Grand Duke.”

“…Additionally, as a subsidiary title, we enfeoff you as Duke Wellesley. We further bestow all taxation and military rights of the former Barony of Enekia.”

Grand Duke of Microssia, and Duke Wellesley as a subsidiary title under the peculiar pretext.

Though not received out of simple greed, it was clearly an exceptional honor. There wasn’t even a similar case throughout the Empire’s history.

I could imagine how people would view me, but it was already irreversible.