LIGHTNOVELSTORY chapter 9
9 – Territory Development (1) (Revised)
“Hmm-“
Lord Malice of the Sertova territory touched his attire, listening with a very interesting expression to the servant’s words.
“In conclusion, the Lord of Laritania suddenly returned, and the Hallansia territory was destroyed by the Red Eyes alone. Is that what you’re saying?”
“I can’t believe it, but yes.”
“…You don’t believe it-“
Lord Malice muttered along with the servant’s words, then laughed with a smirk.
“Well, it’s possible.”
“What do you mean by ‘possible’?”
“I mean, if it’s just the Red Eyes, I could destroy the Hallansia territory alone.”
As the Lord of the Sertova territory and the former 4-star hero Lord Malice, he remembered the strength of the Red Eyes—
No, to be precise, he remembered the power he had shown ten years ago when he was still called the ‘King of Beasts’ in Laritania.
But at the same time, with a strange smile, Lord Malice said,
“Besides, that place wasn’t properly fortified in the first place.”
Lord Malice knew well how the Hallansia territory was being run.
No, it was strange not to know in the first place.
In fact, Lord Malice was practically managing the Hallansia territory, and similarly, it was his intention to maintain the agricultural industry that the Lord of Hallansia had hoped to escape from.
“In the first place, with about 500 guards placed to deal with monsters flowing out of the labyrinth, you can’t stop that monster. The heroes are just guys who couldn’t even eat properly.”
“Those castle walls aren’t even that high, nor are they built with premium materials. There’s no way those Crimson Eyes could break through or overpower them.”
Lord Mallis murmured each reason why the Hallanshire territory fell so swiftly, speaking softly to a servant.
“So, what’s the current state of the territory?”
“Initially, one of the baron’s officials took the position of lord hastily to stabilize the territory with the chosen Stone of the Realm. However—”
“However?”
“It’s said that many residents who fled when the Crimson Eyes completely ravaged the territory are also quite numerous.”
Upon the servant’s words, Lord Mallis fell into silent contemplation.
Of course, he wasn’t pondering the departed residents of the Hallanshire territory.
What he mulled over was precisely why the Crimson Eyes had attacked the Hallanshire territory.
Naturally, some pieces of the puzzle had fallen into place within his mind.
‘The Hallanshire Lord must have sent knights to acquire the Stone of the Realm, and after the Crimson Eyes defended the Lartania territory at the Mysterious Break, they must have taken down the Hallanshire Lord… That seems the most plausible.’
Despite piecing together most of the puzzle, there was one reason why Lord Mallis was troubled.
‘Why is he helping the Lartania Lord?’
As far as Lord Mallis knew, the Crimson Eyes were no longer affiliated with Lartania.
Likewise, it was evident that the Lord of Lartania neither had the funds nor the capacity to recruit the Crimson Eyes.
So, why did the Crimson Eyes aid Lartania in the first place?
After pondering for a while, Lord Mallis soon shrugged.
In truth, from Lord Mallis’s perspective, it didn’t matter at all.
What mattered to him was that the Lord of Lartania had returned, providing him with a pretext, a justification.
Perhaps a justification to expand his colonies by another one.
‘Gotta be cautious of the Crimson Eyes, but—’
Originally, if everything went according to his plan, the colonization of Lartania would seamlessly proceed.
Even if the Crimson Eyes were attached to the Lord of Lartania, it would be done so discreetly that they wouldn’t even realize.
Hence, instead of his usual sly grin, Lord Mallis spoke with a greedy smirk.
“Send people to Lartania along with gifts.”
Five days after the influx of settlers began in the Lartania territory.
—-
The territory of Lartania.
Territory Development: Day 5
Territorian
[Population: 518]
Owned Buildings
[Lord’s Castle LV1]
[City Wall LV0 [Under Construction] 0%]
[Residential Zone LV0 [Under Repair] 22%]
[Barracks LV0 [Under Construction] 0%]
Owned Forces
– None –
Heroes in the Territory
Kim Hyun-woo (Lord)
—-
In just five days, the population of the Larthania Territory reached 518, led by its lord.
While the influx rate had dropped back to 5% after yesterday’s modest 450 population, from Lord Kim Hyun-woo’s perspective, it was still quite satisfactory.
Just five days ago, Kim Hyun-woo was deeply contemplating how to fill the territory with inhabitants. However, even with 518 residents and an additional 300-plus workers available for immediate construction labor, Kim Hyun-woo found himself in a state of irritation, rather than contemplation.
No, to be more precise, it was more of an annoyance.
[Work Efficiency: 54%]
‘Look at these people…’
The territorians were half-heartedly performing their duties, to say the least.
In other words, they were slacking off.
Of course, Kim Hyun-woo wasn’t providing room and board to the territorians for free. He was adequately compensating them for their labor and had even arranged homes (albeit currently dilapidated) for them to live in.
Yet, despite all this, they were still performing their tasks lackadaisically.
“…”
Kim Hyun-woo knew why the territorians’ work efficiency was barely reaching the 50% mark.
Initially, the basic work efficiency of territorians was influenced by various factors in the territory. However, to maintain a work efficiency of 80% or higher, it required a high territory development level or a practical hero capable of managing work efficiency.
Alternatively, a high level of territorian loyalty to the lord would suffice.
However, the problem for Kim Hyun-woo was that he lacked all three of those.
And the reason Kim Hyun-woo is currently irritated.
[Thieves have invaded.]
“How many?”
[It seems to be around 30.]
In an already inefficient territory, where labor efficiency is low, thieves have appeared, further reducing the efficiency and forcibly expelling the residents to the outside.
All this happening at a time when there are no basic soldiers to defend the territory.
“Sigh-“
Of course, this part was not entirely unexpected.
Kim Hyun-woo knew that most of the events happening now are issues he encountered when he first played Arteil.
The problem, however, was that the situation in Larthania’s territory was worse than when he first started the game.
No, on top of that.
“30?”
[Yes.]
“…”
The territory development is disgustingly low, but the territory level is high, raising the overall difficulty significantly.
However, knowing that even if he tries to act tough on Hell mode, there’s no one to help.
“They’re entering the residential area now and looting.”
Listening to Loria’s words, Kim Hyun-woo continued to think for a while.
“Ah.”
As if a good idea had struck him, he let out a strange sigh and stood up from his seat.
####
The girl, Roji, who had moved from the Harencia territory to the Larthania territory with her parents, didn’t like this place at all.
Of course, aside from that, the girl, who already received many compliments for being somewhat smart and clever, knew why her parents came to the Larthania territory.
Originally, they had no choice other than the Larthania territory.
Even the Serutova territory, which was relatively close to Harencia, had a considerable distance, and more importantly, there was no work there.
And above all, Serutova territory doesn’t accept territory residents randomly.
In other words, if they went to the Serutova territory and were not accepted, they would have to stay in the makeshift village outside the territory.
So, the residents of Harencia, including Roji, came to the rumored Larthania territory, where the lord was said to return and start functioning properly as a territory.
‘Is this really a territory?’
The Larthania domain was truly an expanse of desolation.
There was only the dilapidated village where one could stay momentarily. The absence of fortified walls begged the question: could this truly be considered a domain? It seemed doubtful.
Larthania, devoid even of proper soldiers and defenses, was susceptible to raids by bandits.
The villagers watched from fearful eyes, having just settled in the decrepit village, witnessing thieves looting the belongings left in the village with apprehension etched on their faces.
“Wow, there’s so much here! There’s an abundance of food!”
“This is amazing, let’s take it all!”
“I thought we’d find something, but to haul this much…”
Though the villagers seethed at the sight of thieves rummaging through the village, none dared to intervene due to the weapons strapped to the thieves’ belts.
Silence reigned.
However…
“…?”
At a sudden uproar among the villagers, Roji found himself instinctively looking up, facing forward.
Or rather…
“Isn’t that… the lord?”
“The lord?”
The lord of Larthania stood before them.
“…Ah.”
As someone sighed, similar sighs echoed around.
The murmurs of anticipation, once rising, now silently dissipated alongside the collective sighs.
And to Roji, too, the villagers’ sighs seemed natural.
For even though he was seeing the lord for the first time, the lord’s appearance was nothing extraordinary, neither surpassing nor falling short of normalcy.
Yet, despite not bringing soldiers along, the villagers sighed overtly with disappointment and visible regret.
Strangely, the lord’s expression remained serene.
No, not just serene; it exuded a sense of self-assurance.
And then…
“Do you all know what that means?”
Kim Hyun-woo, with a face that resembled asphalt, gazed at the thieves, each portraying ‘my life isn’t easy’ through their attire, seemingly transformed from refugees or peasants into bandits.
Their clothing lacked uniformity, but the real concern lay in the weapons at their waists.
Certainly, Kim Hyun-woo, who was not a hero, couldn’t stop the bandits with force.
However, the reason Kim Hyun-woo confidently stood in front of the bandits was because there was a way to deal with them without resorting to violence.
[Would you like to purchase logs using 1000 ‘Blue Stones’? Y/N]
Even without resorting to force, there was a way to handle the bandits.
“What? What is this guy saying?”
As the bandit with a menacing expression looked at the lord,
“When a person is laid on logs, they die.”
Without hesitation, Kim Hyun-woo’s finger moved towards ‘Y.’
“Uh, what the hell?”
“Ugh! Aaaah!”
Logs suddenly appeared above the bandits as Kim Hyun-woo designated, and they fell.
Thunk! Crash!
The logs began to crush the bandits.
And, as the bandits were swept away like that,
“…”
The disappointed expressions of the residents of the territory who had watched in silence without closing their mouths were all the same, staring blankly at the scene.