Ch.6Rights and Obligations

Generally, all nations in this world were city-states.

The reason was simple: the first and foremost reason was that the protection range of the Earth Core wasn’t very extensive.

It could cover about one city, but beyond that, the Earth Core’s range didn’t reach. Areas without the Earth Core’s protection had terrible conditions for establishing communities the size of cities, though small villages might manage.

Therefore, in this world, cities with Earth Cores were truly the pillars of human civilization. Even now, wanderers roaming the wilderness were burning through their lives searching for buried Earth Cores somewhere, hoping to become rulers.

However, just because safe zones were limited to the Earth Core’s domain didn’t mean territorial importance was diminished. On the contrary, every city needed vast forests for fuel and building materials, plains for agriculture, and mountain ranges for metal mining.

As a result, each city-state reacted very sensitively to encroachments on their territory, wanting their own lands to expand while others’ shrank.

And I was one of those rulers.

In this recent trade, merchants entered Amurtat through the now-safe forest path without suffering any harm. Naturally, merchants coming and going would want the path to remain safe.

And as always, people’s hearts lean toward what benefits them. I had implanted in the minds of twenty merchants the idea that I was a capable ruler who could make an entire forest safe.

In truth, it didn’t matter whether they thought about it or not, because they were commoners and I was a ruler.

What mattered was that by leading my army to exterminate the forest monsters, I had made it possible for merchants to travel safely, and I didn’t need to concern myself with anything else.

I protect the area I want, and people pass through it.

As this pattern repeats, everyone will come to see that forest as part of Amurtat’s territory.

Those who object can simply be branded as traitors and killed. My logic was flawless, if I do say so myself.

*

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Crack! Splinter!

“It’s falling!!!”

Boom!

Amid the woodcutters’ shouts, a large tree crashed down.

Though bone-chilling cold enveloped the entire forest, the woodcutters continued logging without concern—naturally because I had directly ordered it.

Watching the timber inventory increase in real-time, I smiled slightly.

I had to consider that there were more hands available during the agricultural off-season, but still, seeing things progress so smoothly brought a smile to my face.

I also had to consider that there were no forces in the vicinity that would grab us by the collar and fight, but hey, at least there were no raids or blizzard events popping up.

Of course, I couldn’t use this timber immediately.

Raw logs had limited uses.

Therefore, building a sawmill to process logs into “lumber” was essential.

But I had already built a sawmill near the logging camp, so lumber was smoothly filling my warehouses without any bottlenecks.

This is something beginners often overlook—simply reducing or eliminating these minor bottlenecks can easily increase warehouse inventory.

If inventory wasn’t accumulating despite the absence of bottlenecks, then production capacity was insufficient, and all I needed to do was expand production facilities.

“But my lord, why are you suddenly building such facilities to secure lumber? We still have plenty of firewood…”

“Tsk tsk… This is why you knights are hopeless…”

“My lord?”

“Think about it, Ignatz. Who does this forest belong to?”

“Well… to our Amurtat, isn’t it?”

“That’s what we think. But if we just cut trees without building anything, what will others think?”

“…Ah!”

Such a muscle-brain, only now catching on.

“Are you planning to build a fortress?”

“That would be nice, but it’s premature. I’m thinking of just building a fence and a checkpoint for now.”

“A fence and checkpoint…”

If I put up fences marking the path and built a checkpoint at the forest entrance, even the most ignorant people would recognize this forest as mine.

And with the remaining lumber, I would surround the city with a palisade.

Not just any palisade, but a proper wattle and daub wall with a frame made of well-dried lumber, covered with clay mixed with straw.

The urban area was still expanding, so we’d need to build quite extensively, but it would still be much easier than constructing a full stone fortress.

However, there was something more important at the moment.

Namely, expanding residential areas and farmland.

Because soon, 10,000 immigrants would arrive, and I couldn’t let them start with nothing but bare ground.

Moreover, it was winter, and sleeping on bare ground would result in more than just facial paralysis.

Actually, housing was a lower priority than one might think, as houses could be built quickly enough. The reason was that creating farmland was unexpectedly complicated.

First, suitable land had to be selected, then the seeds of weeds living there dried out. Next, the land had to be turned over to remove stones and pebbles that would hinder crop roots. Finally, fertilizer made from human or animal excrement had to be mixed with soil to supplement lacking nutrients.

Fortunately, having played the game for 1,000 hours, I had experienced this process many times. So while setting up a brewery, I ordered the lowly commoners to greatly expand the farmland. The farmers worked 16 hours a day and barely managed to expand the farmland before the ground froze.

A few feverish farmers raised an adorable little uprising, demanding a portion of land for their hard work, but they were torn limb from limb by knights and armed soldiers, so there wouldn’t be any voices of opposition for a while.

If there were, I would use corpses instead of excrement to make fertilizer.

Of course, the families of the dead would do it themselves.

*

And as time passed, by mid-January of the following year…

“Your Majesty! About 10,000 people are coming through the forest path!”

Breathing heavily, Ignatz burst into my office.

I was somewhat surprised by the large group of 10,000 entering, but soon guessed their identity and ordered Ignatz to explain in detail.

“Calm down, Ignatz. Were they armed?”

“N-no, Your Majesty. Far from being armed, they were poorly dressed, likely refugees, and were being led by merchants in carriages.”

“I see? Then Ebenholz has kept his contract.”

“Ebenholz? Contract? What are you talking about?”

Ignatz asked me with a stupid expression.

Ah, that’s right, Ignatz wasn’t by my side when I made the contract.

I briefly explained about Ebenholz and the contract I had made with him, then ordered Ignatz to take some troops and bring those people safely.

“To think you made such a contract… Well, it’s not my place to interfere… I’ll depart immediately.”

“Good.”

Ignatz soon left the castle with his soldiers, and I sat in my chair, absorbing the ointment Michaela was applying to my skin while thinking.

“What remarkable timing, though.”

“Is it?”

“Well, we’ve already expanded all the farmland, but the residential complex has just been completed, and immigrants are arriving right when we need extra hands.”

“Hmm… This humble one doesn’t really understand.”

“What would someone like you understand even if I told you? If you’re done with the ointment, remove your hands.”

“Ah… yes…”

For me, with memories of the modern world, this world was extraordinary.

Me, once a basement-dwelling NEET, becoming the king of a country? What an incredible coincidence, like something from the beginning of a cheap web novel.

Those lowly beings who have never been in a position to abuse power will never understand how pleasurable it is, even if they die and come back to life.

I can say this with certainty. Even I didn’t know how good it felt until after I possessed this body!

In this city, I was literally the king, and everything happened according to my will.

I could understand a hundred times over why other rulers intoxicated with this omnipotent power degenerate into tyrants or dark rulers.

The conquering feeling of having 1,000,000 lives precariously balanced on your single word, and the omnipotent sensation of roads being built and urban districts being formed at your command!

This was literally a drug.

A drug that satisfies humanity’s most primal desires through the most peripheral means.

And I will continue to suck on this drug until I die.

Well, not that this body ages anyway.