The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 123

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“We will never forget the grace of the Governor!”

Even as they stepped out of the room, the envoys were bowing deeply as they left the office.

Clack!

However, as soon as the door closed and they stepped into the hallway:

“Isn’t this a bit too much?”

“Exactly. As the Governor of a direct territory, shouldn’t he at least consider the conditions of the borderlands?”

“Does he think he doesn’t need to care about his reputation just because he’s the Governor?”

A man, who had been tiptoeing to the bathroom after slightly wetting his underwear, resolved his urgent situation thanks to the goodwill of a local café owner, who had kindly opened the restroom door for him.

But unfortunately, the café had just opened, and the bathroom was out of toilet paper.

In the end, the man had to use his own Clvin Klein underwear to clean up.

Although he had to sacrifice a pair of his cherished underwear, he had managed to survive the emergency.

What should someone like him do as soon as he steps out of the café’s bathroom?

A sensible person would, if not prostrating in gratitude, at least bow respectfully to the café owner who saved him, explaining the situation about the discarded underwear, offering an apology, and maybe even ordering a mid-priced drink.

It would also be basic courtesy to post on Instagram: “The local café in my neighborhood, Burgos Café! Super kind service! ㅠㅠb.”

However, the envoys sent by the northern lords, just because they had to use their underwear due to the lack of toilet paper, were about to immediately leave the café and give it a poor review online: “Burgos Café is great, but the bathroom needs workㅠㅠ.”

It was a prime example of how a person’s attitude could drastically change before and after using the restroom.

“Why don’t we step back for now and raise objections later, depending on the situation?”

“That’s a reasonable idea. I’ll suggest it to our lord.”

“We’ll join you.”

“How about inviting the lords you met with yesterday as well? I heard they haven’t left yet.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea. If all the northern territories unite, the Governor might reconsider our conditions.”

“Hmm. I think I’ll sit this one out. I’ll simply report today’s events to my lord.”

The envoy from the Volphart Estate, who had already experienced Sir Salen’s meticulousness twice, discreetly distanced himself from the group.

Though the remaining five envoys glared at him with displeasure, the envoy from Volphart avoided their gazes and walked ahead down the corridor.

“Tsk! Just because he won against the Jetman Estate once, he thinks he’s above us all.”

“Let it go. It’s not like the absence of Volphart will throw off our plans.”

“Haha, true enough.”

Even with just the five remaining estates united, they were large enough to rival any grand territory.

With that kind of size, not only would the Burgos Governor have to take them seriously, but perhaps even the King might not easily dismiss them.

* * *

Once the six people had left, the office returned to silence.

“Is everything settled?”

When Si-on turned around, Sirvan, who had been diligently working at the desk, put down his pen.

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Sirvan, who had accompanied Si-on as his secretary in place of Piotr, who remained in the duchy to continue his training under Blaho, cautiously spoke up.

“But aren’t the conditions a bit harsh? Could they later use this as an excuse to complain?”

“That’s possible.”

Recalling the absurd complaints of the five envoys he’d just heard, Si-on nodded.

The feelings one has going into the bathroom and coming out are never the same.

Though today they had groveled, once the monster threat was largely resolved and the northern territories regained stability, it was highly likely they would grumble behind his back, something Si-on had already anticipated.

If they could change the agreed-upon terms from a 3:7 ratio to even a 2:8 ratio, they’d be making a killing.

After all, monster by-products held immense value.

“They might even accuse me of using their people’s lives as leverage to do business.”

“What? How could they say something so ridiculous…?”

Younger than Piotr, Sirvan couldn’t yet fully control his emotions and nearly cursed before quickly shutting his mouth.

“S-sorry. I got too angry…”

“No need to apologize. You’re not swearing at me, and besides, you don’t need to be upset.”

“Huh?”

“From the perspective of the northern lords, I am using their people’s lives as leverage to do business.”

“That’s absurd! If it weren’t for you, Grandfather, their lands might have been destroyed by monsters!”

“That’s one thing, but the fact that I’m using their people as leverage is another. I don’t feel the need to deny it, because it’s true.”

“Grandfather…?”

Sirvan looked confused.

Si-on could understand his great-grandson’s feelings.

He must have grown up hearing endless stories about him.

The legend of Duke Jang Si-on, the hero of heroes, one of the six Heroes, who rose to fight for world peace, the embodiment of justice.

And now that same hero was admitting to using people’s lives to do business? It was no wonder Sirvan felt confused and disappointed.

“Why do you think I visited the Lagos Estate first when I arrived in the northern region?”

“Uh… isn’t it because Lord Lagos is your grandson?”

“Exactly. My grandson and his estate are my top priority. The rest doesn’t matter to me.”

“Oh…”

It seemed his great-grandson’s disappointment had deepened. He didn’t say it out loud, but his expression gave it away.

Si-on chuckled softly.

“Did I cause this crisis?”

“Of course not.”

“Then who do you think is responsible?”

“Uh… well, I’m not sure?”

Monsters growing and rampaging were akin to a natural disaster. To the people of this world, it seemed like something beyond anyone’s control.

Since Sirvan was from this world, he likely thought the same.

But Si-on, who hailed from 21st-century Korea, thought differently.

“This is the lords’ responsibility.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Think about it. What if nothing like this had happened in our duchy, and the legitimate Duke was properly managing it?”

“…Yes.”

Sirvan’s expression darkened again, no doubt recalling memories of his father, Gede.

Si-on patted his great-grandson’s shoulder lightly.

“I’m not bringing up your father’s sins again. That’s all in the past. Unless, of course, you still hold some grudge against me.”

“I absolutely do not!”

So startled that he shouted without realizing it, Sirvan quickly bowed his head in apology.

“I-I’m sorry, Grandfather. I was just so shocked…”

“It’s fine. It’s fine.”

Si-on patted Sirvan’s shoulder again.

This boy was mentally tough.

Even though Si-on had killed his own father, Sirvan could react like this.

Well, it made sense.

In this world, particularly among the nobility who value their house above their parents, most people would probably think the same way as Sirvan.

In other words, Sirvan wasn’t particularly cold-hearted or unfilial—it was simply the way things were.

“Anyway, think about what I just said.”

“Yes.”

“Now, imagine a situation like this breaking out in our duchy under normal circumstances. What do you think would have happened? Of course, assuming I wasn’t here.”

“Hmm….”

After pondering for a moment, Sirvan’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“Oh?”

“Yes, go ahead and say what you’re thinking,” Si-on said, smiling as if he had already guessed what Sirvan was about to say.

“Uh… I’m not sure if this is right, but I think that if it were the Si-on Duchy, we would have somehow managed without facing a major crisis.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Well, because our duchy has a well-equipped standing army that’s highly trained, and we also have the Rangers of the Three Mountains of the elves, right?”

“Exactly.”

Si-on grinned as he continued speaking.

“It might have been a bit chaotic at first, but within two or three months, we would have driven them out. We probably wouldn’t even have needed to mobilize the entire standing army of the duchy.

We’d gather around a thousand men from each of the Eagle Regiments, including the Black Eagle Regiment, evacuate the villagers and small town residents to nearby counties, and then have the militia and guards defend each county.

In the meantime, the Si-on Lord Rangers and the Elven Rangers of the Three Mountains would track the movements of the monster hordes and work with the regiments to push them back towards the mountains.

In my estimation, it would have taken at most two months, or three months at the latest, to get everything under control.”

“Yes! I think the same.”

“Exactly. But what about the other territories? How do you think the lords you saw on your way here, and the ones from this northeastern region, fared?”

“…Ah!”

It seemed the young great-grandson had finally grasped the situation.

“Aside from Lord of Lagos, none of the other lords have properly maintained a standing army. Is it because of their small populations? Or because their production levels are low? Those are all just excuses.

If the lords and their families had managed their estates properly, even a small estate with a population of around 20,000 should have been able to maintain a well-equipped standing army of 200 soldiers, or at the very least, 100. But none of them did that.

So, tell me, can you still say that the current situation isn’t the lords’ fault?”

“……!”

“What I’m saying is that I’m not responsible for any of this. Why should I, or the Si-on Duchy, take care of the lands of these incompetent and extravagant lords and protect their people?

Lives are at stake, you say? Well, I came to help, didn’t I? But did you expect me to do it for free without asking for anything in return?”

“No, absolutely not!”

“Right, of course not. But the ones who just left, and the ones I met with yesterday, don’t see it that way. They need someone to blame and take responsibility.”

Long ago, when Si-on had still been in Korea, people used to call such individuals by a certain name:

Blame-shifters.

The lords of the northeastern region—no, almost all the lords and nobles of this world—were ‘blame-shifters,’ selfish and egocentric to the core.

“How dare they… So, are you saying those lords will blame you and our duchy for everything?”

“Nine times out of ten, they will. But you don’t need to worry.”

“Huh?”

Sirvan, who had been glaring at the door, his fists trembling in rage as if he was ready to rush out, turned his wide eyes toward Si-on.

“Wh-why not?”

“What could they possibly do?”

“……?”

“If we stop supplying them, they’re helpless. Even if we provide only the supplies we promised today and then cut off their access to weapons, what could those lords possibly do?”

“Oh!”

They would be powerless.

Weapons are consumables.

Especially in times like this, when fighting monsters frequently, even well-maintained and high-quality weapons from the Si-on Duchy would wear out within a year—if they managed to last that long, which they wouldn’t.

Not with the conscripted peasants who weren’t exactly diligent about taking care of them.

And what would happen if they were suddenly cut off from new weapons?

“They’d be finished. They might try to buy more expensive weapons from the central region, but that’s highly unlikely to succeed. So, the only thing those lords can do is whisper like rats behind our backs. But.”

Si-on gave a meaningful smile to his great-grandson, who was eagerly nodding along.

“I don’t even want to hear such nonsense. And neither do you, right?”

“Absolutely not!”

“That’s why the next person we meet with is important.”

“Uh… next person…?”

Sirvan quickly scanned the list of waiting appointments and widened his eyes.

“Whoa, are you talking about His Highness the Crown Prince and Earl Rundel?”

“Yes. They’ll act as our shield—or rather, our sacrificial lamb.”

Si-on had a promise to keep with Duke Lloyd.

A promise to “get rid of” the Crown Prince, the strongest rival.

Where to?

Right here, in Burgos.

Oh? But the Crown Prince had come all the way here on his own?

This situation seemed awfully familiar…

Ah!

Still holding on to his identity and memories as a Korean, the moment the old monster heard that Crown Prince Philon had arrived in Burgos, a fitting line popped into his head for their eventual meeting:

“You’ve been kidnapped.”

Though, whether he’d actually say it out loud was another matter entirely.