Ch.284Return (2)

After a reunion marked by sorrow and wailing, my father showed himself weeping uncontrollably for quite some time, disregarding his dignity. Yet no one actually looked down on him for displaying such emotions.

In an era where death was even closer to people than in modern times, losing someone unexpectedly was something almost everyone had experienced at least once. Thus, more people could empathize with this than not.

Additionally, it was quite advantageous that after this bout of crying, my father managed to handle matters in an orderly fashion.

He granted exemptions from supply purchase costs to the vassals who had brought troops, along with appropriate rewards based on their military achievements. Other retainers and subjects also received various compensations distributed according to their contributions.

Of course, our budget was certainly not unlimited, and many wondered how we could afford such rewards…

In fact, the answer came from this ruined city itself.

Right after my mother used part of her divine power to purify the traces of corruption rooted in the city, the buildings naturally collapsed as the biologically altered remnants disappeared due to the purification. In an instant, a perfectly intact city turned into ruins.

However, even though the city buildings crumbled into ruins and all the demons inside were annihilated, various physical assets still remained within the city.

Since most owners were dead and material assets were in disarray, it would be difficult to verify and distribute to rightful heirs. Ultimately, acquiring the assets inside the city was an enormous advantage.

Particularly, the Adventurers’ Guild of Colland had such unique independence and political capability among its leadership that taxes couldn’t be collected, and simultaneously, the city itself had a strange atmosphere that prevented proper control.

In short, most assets within the city belonged to those who hadn’t properly fulfilled their tax obligations. By isolating the interior and recovering the spoils, we could not only cover the deficit from this expedition but have plenty left over.

Gold, silver, and copper coins with corrupted parts removed. Jewelry and accessories made of gems and precious metals. Even just the iron alone was worth considerable money, and the adventuring equipment salvaged from the city was incredibly valuable.

A single plate armor, essential for mid-rank vanguard adventurers, was worth more than a soldier’s monthly salary. By excavating all these items, we could easily provide rewards to the soldiers.

Of course, people who loved money wouldn’t miss such a windfall. Despite the domain’s control over the situation, people attempting to pull tricks kept emerging.

Mercenaries and adventurers would sneak into the city or bribe guards on patrol duty to get in. Those engaged in search operations sometimes couldn’t resist temptation and would pilfer something.

While large equipment might be difficult to steal, hiding small gems or silver and gold coins on one’s person would be easy enough.

Ah, but naturally, those in power wouldn’t leave such a situation unaddressed.

A policy was implemented where reporting someone taking items from inside without permission would result in a reward of about half the value of what was actually taken. This clearly improved the situation afterward.

No matter how desperate for money, people became much less likely to risk it when the consequences were clear. Now we’ve reached the point where false reports are the main concern.

Anyway, amid these various money-related incidents unfolding within the city…

“This part should be handled this way. Next…”

My father, who had set up a temporary office using materials taken from the city and settled in Colland, was busy dealing with the aftermath of this incident.

The destruction of the largest city in the domain could cause serious security problems, particularly in suppressing monsters from the unexplored territories.

Politically, the Adventurers’ Guild of Colland had certainly created this situation through serious conflicts with the lord, but separately, they had been the optimal personnel for blocking monsters from the unexplored territories.

A city with considerable autonomy could certainly attract outlaws who despised control, and typically such sword-for-hire outlaws worked as adventurers or mercenaries.

But now that the city that served as their base and as a logistics hub before my pioneer village had disappeared… it meant one of humanity’s shields was gone.

Frankly speaking, there was definitely a clear reason to hurry with reconstruction.

If there was anything fortunate, it was that the foundation for reclaiming the city still existed.

Of the city’s 20,000 residents, about 11,000 had fled before the incident broke out, and many of them hoped to return and reside in the city after the situation was resolved.

Additionally, there were quite a few people who wanted a fresh start in the newly rebuilt city. With all of them combined, the reclamation of the city was progressing very smoothly.

A workforce of 10,000 people was certainly not something to be ignored, especially when guided directly by my father, a top-tier administrator. How could there be any problems?

He quickly brought in a dwarf craftsman who worked as an architectural consultant in the domain to complete the city redesign. Then, mobilizing the 10,000-strong workforce to clear debris, repair what could be fixed, and transform the ruins into a new city.

Of course, since the city’s sewers had collapsed, making it impossible to follow the old design, the city naturally began to be rebuilt from scratch according to a thoroughly planned form.

Specifically, unlike the previous city designed for adventurers, this one was designed as a kind of fortress city that could serve as a base for military options.

And so, as the completely destroyed city began to be rebuilt step by step starting with the sewage system, we… or more precisely, our family, had to address issues we had temporarily put aside for a brief escape from reality.

That is… matters concerning my mother who had suddenly returned, and other family issues.

※ ※ ※

First, regarding my mother and the circumstances surrounding her… despite the potential aftermath of revealing the whole truth, we made a general announcement after consulting with the pantheon who knew the truth.

We announced that she had been held hostage by the Demon Lord of “Gluttony,” then her soul was rescued by my strike, and somehow she ascended to become a divine being.

Of course, even I think this explanation sounds somewhat strange, and I wonder how many people would seriously believe it. Yet, this matter was surprisingly accepted as plausible among people accustomed to bizarre incidents.

All sorts of mysterious phenomena are actually experienced at least once by ordinary people in this world, and since I had previously been publicly known as someone who had “experienced miracles,” the situation itself was easy to accept.

However, apart from these practical issues, I couldn’t possibly hide everything due to basic human decency and propriety. So I at least confessed all the truth to my father.

The secret of my birth, my mother’s secret, and the reason why the current situation had unfolded this way—everything.

Perhaps keeping it secret wouldn’t have caused major problems, but even if that were the case, if we were to maintain a family relationship, it had to be said.

A relationship built on lies might seem fine at first, but eventually various accidents tend to happen. In such situations, it’s better to confess the truth to at least reduce the sense of betrayal my father might feel.

And this judgment ultimately proved to be very effective.

“…Sigh. Yes, I suppose that’s how it is.”

My father, who somehow seemed enlightened and laughed softly, graciously accepted our revelation. Rather than grieving over immediate pain, he chose to acknowledge the situation and be happy about it.

Well, since he was known for his devoted love, he declared that he still loved my mother despite all these facts. From my father’s perspective, this could honestly be considered a happy ending.

But at this very point, when personal matters have been somehow resolved, there are still some very large and beautiful bombs remaining here.

Namely, “Zweiherz” and my ascension to a higher rank, along with the divine power my mother newly acquired upon her return.