124 Successor problem
"--So, it might be a good idea to strengthen the security patrols around the workshop. It's not just the thieves, there might be some sort of revenge."
“Marquis Broderick?”
The next day. When I went to his workshop and told him about last night's incident, Alfred folded his arms and smiled bitterly.
“Even though the decline in mine output cannot be helped, I should have been told to put more effort into developing mines as a source of income in the future...6 years ago...the damage was done. There are some places where there was a lack of support, which has been put on the back burner."
...The sleeping king?
That guy wandered around and spread the plague. There must have been considerable damage not only in the Gartner Earldom and the Barony of Siln, but also in the neighboring countries.
The reason why the marquis' territory escaped the trouble...is probably because my mother stopped it in the earl's territory.
“But I don’t think there was any improvement in that aspect at all.”
I wonder what the Marquis was thinking when he gave instructions to Kathryn as part of his plan to rebuild his finances. He may have failed at cultivating farmland, or he may have done so because it was slow to take shape.
"I think so. The fact that I'm so desperate that I'm going to ask you for a loan...I don't care about how it looks."
“Not at all.”
It's definitely not a grandfather-grandson relationship, but... it's close to that. I can't help but hear about grandfathers who apply loans to their grandchildren because of their extravagant lifestyle.
``My father is also quite nervous due to a lot of things.This country was peaceful until the King of Death came, and even after that has passed, there will be no troubles with the surrounding countries, right? ”
“There was less damage in the central area, so I guess that's why there were so many people sitting peacefully with their crosses crossed.”
It also has a long history. As a country matures, it is inevitable that corruption will increase. King Melvin was focusing on rebuilding the damaged regions, so the central government may have been neglected to some extent.
However, this is such a shameless scandal at this time of year. If this gets through to King Melvin's ears, I'm sure the marquis will be treated very harshly.
The Earldom of Gartner and the Barony of Shirn are both being rebuilt, and the Marquisage, which had no problems, had been given an improvement plan once before, and it seems like it's working.
“Of course... but if the story of his failure to repay his debt comes to light, I don't think the Marquis will be blamed.”
Alfred says.
“It seems likely that he will hand over the headship of the family and retire.”
"I guess."
In that case, Dad's economic sanctions may have been in anticipation of that. Control Kathryn and cut off influence from the Marquis family and information leakage. The best thing that could be considered would be to make a deal once the head of the family has been replaced, and actively cooperate with the unstable new head of the marquis's family to create a loan and settle the matter peacefully... .
He was just trying not to cause any trouble for me. The fact that the Marquis came to me was probably an unexpected case for my father. Actually, applying for a loan was beyond my expectations.
Economic sanctions measures are already underway, but... the Marquis' financial circumstances -- in other words, the period until he steps down as head of the family -- are somewhat unclear, so my father is looking at measures ranging from short-term to medium- to long-term. They are making many plans.
That's why it started from a place where it was difficult to pinpoint who was responsible for destroying the road under the guise of a natural winter phenomenon.
However, when you think about it, it was a good thing that the Marquis came to see me this time. If the scandal gets out that he called out to people all over the place for debts and eventually came to me... that would definitely shorten the time it takes for the Marquis to step down as head of the family.
The Marquis is almost at his wit's end. If that's the case, what I'm concerned about is the Marquis' successor.
“What about the heir to the marquis family?”
"My eldest son has a good reputation. However, I also heard that he is on very bad terms with the Marquis."
"ah……"
I can imagine many reasons for the rift. If it were true, that alone would make him run out of affection.
Even so...if he retires due to a scandal and is succeeded by his eldest son with whom he has a bad relationship, there is a possibility that the marquis' fate will be more than just a cold meal. ...Maybe that's why he was so desperate?
“If I leave it alone, it seems possible that my eldest son will be skipped and my second son will take over.The second son is the kind of person who is loved by his father.Of course, you should know his popularity.”
"He chose his second son as his successor to protect himself. That's quite possible for that marquis."
If that happens, there will be a faction that takes charge of the eldest son, which could lead to a commotion at home.
"I guess there's no way I won't report it to my father. The sooner the information gets across, the better."
Alfred shook his head slightly and let out a sigh.
……HM. Is this the story about the Marquis? I'll contact my father later, but for now, let's talk about the materials that were collected in the previous Guardian's room.
“By the way, what’s the condition of Nautilus’ shell and Archelon’s shell?”
The Nautilus shell is lightweight and fairly sturdy. It has the property of being able to store magical power, and has the ability to regenerate that amount on its own.
It can be regenerated with healing magic for a while after being crushed. By using this, you can put the fragments into a mold and cast healing magic on them, allowing you to shape them to a certain extent and patch them together. For this reason, it seems like it could be applied to a variety of processing methods, so we are currently looking into ways to use it.
"I thought about a lot of things, but I think the Nautilus shell is a form of armor. It can store a lot of magical power, so I think if you incorporate protection into it, it will become a considerable defensive power."
The pearl cutlass that Nautilus had had similar properties... but since it was lightweight, Sheila decided to take over as is.
The swordbore dagger that I was originally using had a chain attached to it like Grace's axe, making it easier to use for throwing.
"I wanted to strengthen Miss Irmhild's armor. How about incorporating it into the skirt-like chainmail as armor...?"
"I think it's good. I think it would be a good idea to put a slit in the front so it doesn't get in the way of movement."
"Okay. Let's try making it in that direction. Archelon's shell will be completed soon. I'll contact you when it's finished."
"roger that"
Archelon's shell was processed into a saucer. By embedding a magic stone, holding it in the air with a shield, and rotating it with an air blast, it can be used for both defense and attack. Marlene is best suited to control these things, so she will serve as her armor and medium-range weapon.
The quality of the magic stones extracted from the leftover parts of Dead Shark and Nautilus was quite high. This will go to Grace and Ashley. The only thing left to do is decide what to incorporate into the surgical procedure.
“Is the military reinforcement going well?”
“Well, quite a bit.”
When you create new equipment, you have to become proficient with it. I would like to create something that suits their characteristics, weaknesses, and processing abilities.
"yeah……"
"What's wrong?"
After returning home and relaxing for a while, when the sun went down and it became dark, Sheila, who was cleaning her weapon, suddenly looked up.
It's not just Sheila. Irmhild and Lavine are also reacting.
They all seemed to be sensing a presence towards the doorway. After a short pause, the sound of a knock echoes. There is no doubt that someone came to visit. I don't think it has anything to do with the Marquis.
"Who are you?"
When Grace called out, there was an immediate response.
"It's Claudia."
……Let me see.
I had given him the address, but will he come to visit me normally through the front entrance? It's true, but it's so true that when you consider her state of being, it feels strange.
Invite Claudia into the house. Grace soon brought over a tea set.
The figure of him sitting on a chair with the correct fold and holding a tea cup. That dress doesn't look out of place compared to inside the labyrinth.
"I woke up this morning. I apologize for being late at night. I didn't want to be seen by people."
……I see. Next time I'll organize the storage room in the basement and have it transferred directly there.
In that case, with the materials in the basement... should I make a storage room in the garden?
“I came today to let you know that I woke up and to thank you for the other day.”
"Have I done anything to earn your gratitude?"
"...Since Irmhild has returned, the village has become very bright."
Claudia tilts her head and smiles, and Irmhild's expression brightens.
……I see. It must have been a difficult decision for them to have to expel their child. The fact that Irmhild appeared to be in such good spirits――it seems to have had a better influence on them than I expected.
However, Claudia must be polite to come visit me as soon as she wakes up.
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