bookpower Chapter 190: King’s Order (2)
Chapter 190: King’s Order (2)
Chapter 190: King’s Order (2)
[Territory Inspection]
Difficulty: B+
Aquaria, known as the City of Water, has recently undergone rapid development.
King Beoruk of the Kingdom of Rashion is considering promoting Baron Bariton, who governs Aquaria.
Your task is to inspect his territory and assess whether he is a suitable candidate to be a Viscount.
Quest Reward: +15,000 to Kingdom of Rashion Contribution, Count Hind’s affinity increases.
Failure Penalties: Count Hind’s affinity decreases, Reputation Plummets, Decrease in XP.
Aquaria?
Kai blinked in surprise at the sight of the city's name, which he hadn't seen in a long time.
That’s where Crawford used to live, right?
If his memory served him right, Baron Bariton was also the one who kidnapped Crawford’s lover, Helene.
A guy like that getting promoted to viscount? That’s irritating.
As a faint smirk formed on Kai’s lips, Count Hind continued explaining, "The title of Archlord doesn’t come with just rights; it carries responsibilities too. I’ve earned the trust of His Majesty, King Beoruk, and it’s my duty to live up to that trust. That’s why I serve as his eyes, ears, and hands when he can’t act himself."
"So, basically you handle the tasks King Beoruk wishes in his place."
"Exactly. That’s the reason he entrusted me with power in the first place."
Indeed, it made sense why he was called the left hand of the king. The transformation of this war veteran, who once swept across battlefields, into a skilled politician was a result of such a hidden story.
"But when you say inspection, what exactly should I be looking for?"
"It’s largely a formality, so don’t worry too much. Just gather a thorough understanding of the city's overall condition and report it to His Majesty. Normally, I would send my knights, but as you know, they’re all occupied with rebuilding the territory and preparing for potential monster attacks."
"Of course. You can certainly leave such tasks to me."
Kai grabbed the inspector’s badge from the desk, his eyes gleaming.
"Aquaria. I’ll make sure to inspect it thoroughly."
***
"Well, look who it is," Tardal, who Kai hadn’t seen in a while, gave him a sidelong glance and muttered under his breath. "Seems like your busy work has wrapped up."
"I’m still busy, but I finally have the time to pay my respects," Kai responded with a calm voice as he took a seat.
Tardal observed him, then smirked. "You’ve grown stronger. That youthful scent of inexperience is completely gone."
"Haha, I still have a long way to go. I need to keep improving."
As Kai sipped his tea, an invisible aura of power radiated from his entire being. It wasn’t just because his Dignity stat had risen. In fact, his Dignity stat had significantly dropped after using the Descent skill.
It must be my confidence.
The confidence that came from single-handedly defeating one of the top ten guilds granted Kai the composure of a truly powerful person. Moreover, there was something else that had changed when his swordsmanship skill reached Advanced level 3, something he hadn't noticed before.
I didn’t think it would have such an effect...
Kai pondered deeply why he could cut through things he previously couldn’t. He believed that understanding the level he had reached was crucial to moving on to the next step. After much thought, the conclusion he arrived at was surprisingly simple.
My body's balance has become incredibly precise.
No human has perfect balance. As people grow, they naturally develop habits that disturb the balance of their bodies. Imbalances in the left-right alignment cause the body to tilt slightly, even during simple movements like walking.
However, Kai's body was currently balanced as perfectly as a finely tuned piano.
My spine is straight, and my shoulders and neck have aligned properly.
It felt as though he had grown a bit taller. His hunched shoulders, which had slumped out of habit, were now straightened, and his neck, once like a turtle’s, now rose tall like a giraffe.
His appearance instilled great trust and reassurance in those who saw him, just as it did for Tardal now.
"There happens to be an issue that the hunters are struggling with at the moment, and I think you might be the right person to handle it."
"Alright. I came just to pay my respects today, but I’ll return after completing my current mission. What sort of task is troubling the hunters though?"
"Well, you're aware that the northern part of our kingdom borders the Kingdom of Havier, right?"
"Yes, Havier is well known as the desert kingdom."
“Pardon...? But I’ve heard that inspections typically take anywhere from a week to even a month and are quite thorough...”
“For adventurers, the motto is quick, quick. Especially where I’m from.”
Land that was limited with a population densely packed, made everyone around a competitor. If two people had the same product, the one who offered it first had the advantage.
Of course, Baron Bariton had no way of knowing this, and a hint of unease crept onto his face.
“Well... are you sure you will end the inspection like this? There won’t be any disadvantages in the report, will there...?”
“Absolutely none. Trust me.”
Kai had no intention of rotting away in this territory for a month.
If I don’t get back in a week, I’ll miss the dragon quest. And you expect me to sit here and leisurely conduct an inspection?
Had this been a territory where Kai didn’t know the lord, he would have taken more care. But fortunately, he was quite familiar with this one.
“I will report back to His Majesty in two days, so please be at the royal palace by morning.”
“O-oh...! Thank you. Thank you!”
Whether it was his cheeks, or simply fat, something on Bariton’s face seemed to rise like it was ascending to heaven.
Watching him, Kai silently smiled.
***
In the morning, two days later, Kai smiled at the tension that filled the royal palace, which he hadn’t been to in a while.
I really like the atmosphere of the royal palace. It feels noble, in a way.
It was different from the bustling city markets or the uneventful hunting grounds. The royal palace was full of people, and the mesmerizing architecture and countless works of art were breathtaking, yet it remained quiet. That was the true dignity of a king's residence.
“Kai, His Majesty King Beoruk has granted you an audience.”
“Let us go in then.” Kai gestured with his eyes at Bariton, who looked frozen. “Follow me.”
“Y-yes... but who is that with you?”
“My attendant. Pay no mind and enter the audience chamber.”
Kai patted the shoulder of the robed figure standing beside him as they entered the chamber.
As always, he bowed deeply and walked forward to kneel.
“Raise your head.” The deep, commanding voice of Beoruk echoed in the chamber. His voice rang out again in Kai’s ears, “I ask the inspector, Kai. Did you find any falsehood in Aquaria’s remarkable development?”
The king’s all-seeing eyes gleamed.
“No. There was no manipulation in Aquaria’s growth. Its remarkable progress is real.”
“Did the people’s faces show signs of joy?”
“From what I observed, yes.”
“I see.”
It was merely the matter of promoting a baron to a viscount. King Beoruk had far more significant matters piled up like mountains before him. Thus, the moment he confirmed that Kai's words were not false, he waved his hand dismissively.
"From this moment forth, I promote Bariton from the rank of Baron to Viscount."
It was a swift and sharp decision that matched the king’s character perfectly!
Bariton's smile stretched so wide, it seemed like it could reach his ears.
"Th-thank you, Your Majesty! I, Bariton, swear to devote myself fully to serving Your Majesty...!"
At the emotional moment when Baron Bariton was promoted to a Viscount, Kai interrupted his speech and said, "However, Your Majesty, there is something I am curious about."
Intrigued, King Beoruk turned his attention to Kai and asked, "Hm. What is it that you are curious about?"
"As far as I know, it is illegal to enslave demi-humans in the Kingdom of Rashion. Is that correct?"
"Of course. The demi-humans are our grateful comrades who have helped humanity during times of crisis on the continent. Enslaving them because of their beauty is a violation of our kingdom’s laws. Why do you ask this now?"
Having received a satisfactory answer from Beoruk, Kai turned his head with a big smile across his face. "Please remove your robe and reveal your face."
At his words, the figure Kai had brought as his attendant slowly removed their robe. What was revealed beneath the robe was an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
"I am pleased to meet you, King of the human kingdom."
Her voice, as smooth as rolling jade, flowed from her lips—it was none other than Helene.