64 – Diplomacy (2)
A few days later.
As the completion of the castle walls was rapidly progressing day by day,
“My lord! It’s lunchtime!”
“Oh, thank you as always, Lani.”
“hehehe, it’s nothing, my lord.”
Kim Hyun-woo expressed his gratitude to Lani, who brought the food as if she had been eagerly waiting, and had a satisfying meal with her.
—–
Meat curry.
It’s a thickly sliced meat curry.
[Buff Effect]
Random Ability Score +7 (8 hours)
Defense +5
[Permanent Effect]
If you consume food on an empty stomach 40 or more times, your Strength ability score permanently increases by +2. [Limited to one time]
※ This dish contains Lani’s sincere feelings for Kim Hyunwoo! When ‘Kim Hyunwoo’ consumes the food, the 40 consumption requirement is removed and the Strength ability score immediately increases by +1. [Limited to one time] [Completed]
—–
Kim Hyunwoo, while pushing the curry into his mouth along with the notification window that appeared with a sound, suddenly opened his information window.
—–
Hero
Name: Kim Hyunwoo
Title: King of Logs
Star Rating: ?? Stars
Ability Scores
Strength: 23↑ Agility: 21↑
Intellect: 8↑ Luck: 10
Magic: 10↑
-Special Abilities-
Unwavering Heart: Quickly restores peace of mind in any situation.
법멉몄긔뒷룩뚝겡:벨곕겨눋뜸렸걷걍베깸띈귁띱뢍뭄걍법멉몄긔뒷뢍뎐꽹뒵대겨늉등렷뭐걍법멉껌꽹뢨뉠륌볍궁띕머럼벴까때벋륫띕렌볍궉뢍벗꾀뚠넝륑닷궉렉노꾀뚠뉠뭏능궉롼딕걍벨뎨땍귀룡렷뤠꽥딩땡밉흐
—–
(Note: The last portion consists of garbled characters and does not have a clear translation.)
“Wow, your stats have really gone up a lot.”
Compared to before, Kim Hyun-woo couldn’t help but admire the incredible increase in his abilities.
These days, his rapper stats weren’t increasing as steadily as before, but it was unbelievable that he could achieve this level of ability by just eating good food.
With a satisfied expression, Kim Hyun-woo watched Rani happily eat curry for both lunch and dinner.
“Oh, is the taste a bit off?”
Although Rani’s expression had certainly brightened compared to before when Kim Hyun-woo looked at her directly, she quickly showed a hint of unease. Kim Hyun-woo waved his hand and spoke, noticing her discomfort.
“No, it’s not that. I’m just grateful that you always cook like this.”
“hehehe, it’s my job, so…”
Rani felt embarrassed.
“If it’s okay, I can cook for you sometime.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. I may not be good at it, but I can do it as a token of gratitude.”
As he conversed with her, Kim Hyun-woo finished his lunch and then, as usual, started to focus on his work. Soon, as he was checking his information window, thinking about raising Yeongjuseong to the next level after completing the fortress wall, Elena, as usual, came to report to him.
“Um…”
“Yes?”
Elena started to speak.
“Oh, this is not related to the report, but I’m just a little curious. Can I ask you something?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll answer anything that I can.”
“Last time, after the envoy of the Landaron Duchy left, you wrote a letter, didn’t you? I was curious about what it was about…”
Elena spoke discreetly, stealing glances.
“Ah.”
Although he didn’t show it, Hyunwoo could tell by Elena’s demeanor that she was worried. He chuckled.
“If you’re worried, there’s no need to be. The King of Norba will handle it well.”
“Really…?”
That’s how the conversation went.
####
Among the three dukes in the Kingdom of Norba, the Landaron Duchy, held by Duke Landaron, boasted an immensely vast territory befitting his power.
Moreover, as if to demonstrate its military strength, the Landaron Duchy’s territory was filled with numerous soldiers who were dedicated to training in several military camps.
“Hmm-“
The lord of the vast Landaron Duchy, who was gazing intently at the soldiers training in his territory, which far surpassed the lordship of the Rartania territory.
“-What about the Wyvern’s assault?”
In response to Duke Landaron’s question, the secretary deeply bowed, as if afraid of touching his nerve.
“It’s expected to be over by the end of this week, my lord.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Duke Landaron smiled as he looked at the bowed secretary approvingly.
Clang-!
Thunk-!
He swiftly kicked the head that lay beneath his feet.
As the man’s head was struck, blood scattered over it, instantly splashing around and dirtying the ground.
Lord Randalon, who gazed at the man who was now motionless after that final blow, clicked his tongue and, as soon as he withdrew his tongue, the attendants waiting on both sides quickly moved, dragging away the man who would no longer breathe.
All that remained were the bloodstains on the carpet.
Despite the maids trying to wipe away the bloodstains with lowered heads, the blood was already deeply soaked, as if such incidents had occurred several times before.
The secretary, who had been staring at it for a while, involuntarily swallowed his breath.
Of course, the person who had just been killed like a bug by Lord Randalon was none other than his senior secretary.
Certainly, it could be said that it was his fault that his senior secretary ended up in such a situation, as he had twisted his body in an attempt to show off a little more to Lord Randalon. This was because, in order to appear more favorable to Lord Randalon, he had intended to offer one of the beautiful girls from the Malia Territory, who had a master-servant relationship with the Randalon Territory, as a gift to the lord. However, things went awry, leading to the current situation.
In other words, even though Lord Randalon had not yet brought the girl to him, the secretary had twisted his body in advance to make a joke, and it had turned out like this.
However, even considering that, he didn’t think it was a matter serious enough to be killed so miserably. But no one dared to speak of it in front of the lord.
Apart from having a violent temperament, he had raised the Malia Territory much larger than his father had, so there was no one who dared to oppose him.
Therefore, the secretary, who had been bowing deeply for a long time to avoid crossing him, spoke up as soon as he heard Lord Randalon’s question.
“What about Lartania?”
As soon as he heard Lord Randalon’s question, he answered immediately, still bowing deeply.
“We have sent diplomats. It is estimated that she will meet and return in due time…!”
Watching the secretary who spoke with his head bowed, Lord Randalon nodded satisfactorily and thought about the Lartania Territory.
It was undoubtedly a vast territory to the extent that there was no one who did not know about it ten years ago, but now there was nothing left but ruins.
However, now, just a few months later, the territory was growing so rapidly that the news reached even his ears.
…Actually, up to that point, Lord Randalon would have had some curiosity, but he wouldn’t have sent diplomats like now.
In the end, no matter how much Larutania Territory developed, its essence was that of a small territory.
Moreover, Larutania was located far from Ramayu Territory, and it didn’t have any good resources or specialties in the vicinity.
In fact, looking at it this way, I wanted to applaud the lord who rebuilt the territory from scratch in such a short time, even if he expanded the territory more than his father did.
…Even if ‘he’ helped.
“…”
Anyway, Larutania Territory was nothing more than a subject of curiosity for the Landron Marquis.
Yes, originally.
“But if a Mana Stone is found, the story will change.”
Mana Stones are indeed rare resources.
However, a territory that can constantly mine such stones was arousing great greed in him, and in all the lords, including him.
Getting a territory that can constantly mine Mana Stones would make his current plans much easier to accomplish.
Therefore, unlike other territories that were taking immediate action to assess the situation, Landron Territory was sending an envoy to force his choice.
Using force in this way wasn’t a clean diplomatic move, but in the case of Larutania Territory, he judged that taking the territory this way was the cleanest way to handle the situation.
As time passed, whether strong or weak, more territories would take an interest in Larutania Territory.
The Landron Marquis already felt good just thinking that Larutania Territory was almost his own.
From Noble mtl dot com
Regardless of what choice the lord of Larutania made at this point, his territory would eventually fall into his hands.
“…If I get Larutania, I can advance my plans by at least a year.”
With that thought, the Landron Marquis smiled.
And so, a day later.
Slowly, as the word of the diplomat’s arrival reached him, Duke Landon, who had been waiting, stood up.
“D-Duke!”
“What’s the matter?”
“The king has contacted us…!”
“The king?”
“Y-yes…!”
At the following words of the secretary, he frowned in displeasure.
The king of Norba Kingdom.
Thinking about the face of the king who, ever since Duke Landon ascended to power, persistently increased military power, he grimaced as if annoyed but soon rose from his seat.
No matter how successful he was in Norba Kingdom, he couldn’t afford to ignore the king.
“The Sword of Norba Kingdom wishes to meet the master.”
With such thoughts, Duke Landon immediately headed to the communication room. As soon as he entered, he bowed to the king’s face on the screen and greeted.
[Duke Landon, ascend to the throne immediately.]
“Yes…? What is this about…?”
The moment Duke Landon raised his head at those words, he realized something was wrong.
[Right now! It’s an order to come to the kingdom immediately!!]
It wasn’t surprising, considering the king of Norba Kingdom was shouting with an extremely angry expression in his eyes.
…
Listening to that, Duke Landon inwardly frowned.
####
In the midst of the Four Kings with crimson eyes, one of them, Liyu, sat on a hill, swaying his tail, and gazing towards the direction of the Castle of Lords where Merilda was sitting. Intrigued, he asked a question.
“Leader.”
“Why?”
“Why are you watching from such a distance?”
“…If I get closer, I might be noticed.”
“Ah.”
In response to Merilda’s words, Liyu nodded.
Certainly, as far as she knew, the Lords could sense the powerful ones entering their domain.
Thinking about this while looking at Merilda, Liyu suddenly seemed to have a good idea and, with a sigh, spoke.
“Leader, can I borrow something good?”
Soon, he took out a brooch he had on his own head and handed it to Merilda.
“…What is this?”
Looking at the brooch with a puzzled expression, Merilda asked, and Liyu replied.
“It’s an artifact. As far as I know, if you wear this, you can enter the domain without being noticed. With this, can’t you get closer to the Lords?”
Obtained at some point, Liyu handed the artifact, which she had only used as an accessory, to Merilda with a smile.
“…!”
Merilda’s eyes widened, emitting a faint light.