Dragon Knight Chronicles ~ From a mere mercenary, rise to success through tactics! A small harem with the princess and the lord's daughter!? I'll also develop my territory! ~ - Chapter 72

Chapter 72   Kim’s Report

After the capture of Net Castle, I didn’t rush to follow Her Majesty’s main forces. Instead, I stayed in this area. I appointed Nataraja as the chief of security for the surrounding region and Adelheid as my assistant in governance.

“Adelheid!”

“Yes?”

“Seize all the maps from the castle’s library and arrange for them to be sent to Lebe Castle. Then, summon Eclair.”

“Understood.”

To secure a solid victory in war, knowing the geography is crucial, or so I believe. I also made sure to collect records that documented the local specialties and mineral veins.

As Adelheid left the room, the assassin Eclair entered.

“What do you need?”

She knelt respectfully, waiting for my command.

“Relax a bit. Now, I want to increase our number of intelligence agents. Can you find about thirty capable recruits?”

“What kind of people are you looking for?”

“I’ll leave that to you.”

“…Excuse me? What did you just say?”

“From now on, I’m entrusting the intelligence division to you. Handle it as you see fit. I’ll cover the salaries.”

“Even if I hire people with… questionable pasts?”

“I don’t mind.”

“I am eternally grateful for this favor… I will never forget it.”

With those words, she disappeared without a sound. Some might think I’m giving her too much favor.

But I pride myself on my skills as a mercenary, and I was almost killed just recently. Having her as an ally is worth the investment, in my opinion.

Two days later, Kim arrived from Lebe.

“Hey, how are you? Sorry for the long journey. Here, have a drink.”

I handed Kim a cup filled with wine.

“Thank you.”

“…So, without delay, how did the investigation go?”

I had sent a messenger from the camp to ask Kim to investigate the Gale region, which had not yet been explored. I was hoping to find valuable resources that could provide funding for expanding our fields and hiring talent.

“Marshal, the pearls and furs from that area have excellent potential as specialty products. We should select processors and make them exclusive to the Rillburn family.”

“I see. Also, make sure to deal with that fellow Hop as well.”

“Understood.”

Kim then spread out a map on the table.

“Additionally, there are silver mines in the mountains of Gale.”

“…Hmm.”

Honestly, silver is cheaper compared to gold. Many silver veins often don’t turn a profit.

“Don’t be surprised. According to the calculations from the engineers, the revenue from these mines could be three times that of our current mines.”

“…Huh?”

I accidentally spat out the wine in surprise. Some of it splashed onto Kim’s face, and I quickly handed him a cloth.

“Sorry, sorry. Does that include the mithril mines as well?”

“Of course. Moreover, this threefold estimate is a conservative one. Please keep this information confidential within the palace…”

“Uh, yeah.”

This news was extremely encouraging. Forty percent of our income comes from mining.

…And it’s going to triple?

I was trembling with excitement.

“Also, Arias investigated and found that there are also magical stone veins in the mountains of Gale.”

“Really?”

Magical stones, if of low quality, are useful for high-grade fuel. If of high quality, they can be used as weapons in sieges.

However, due to their high energy, mining and processing them requires extreme caution, and entering this field comes with significant technical challenges.

“…So, will it be safe to mine them?”

“Not sure.”

“Well, it’s too valuable to ignore. Let’s allocate some budget and leave it to old man Arias.”

“That seems appropriate.”

Magical stone mines can be very lucrative if successful. Ignoring them is not an option. However, development costs are high, so we’ll start cautiously and gradually.

“Also, about the distillery…”

“Was there such a thing?”

“Yes, a high-quality whiskey has been put up for sale. It would be great if it becomes a specialty of Lebe.”

“I see, I see.”

Afterwards, I received detailed reports about the territory from Kim. Generally, it seemed that the development within the domain was progressing well.

“Kim, you’ve given me great news. There are some excellent shops in the town. Would you like to go together?”

“Of course.”

To reward Kim for his efforts, I headed to the largest restaurant in the town of Net. Being in a war zone, I wore a splendid outfit to avoid being underestimated and brought along some guards.

“We’re here!”

“Welcome, Marquis.”

The restaurant owner greeted us respectfully. We were shown to a VIP room on the third floor. From the window, we had a panoramic view of the streets of Net, and the night view was beautiful.

First, I warmed up my stomach with a bowl of hot goat milk soup and enjoyed a colorful assortment of vegetables, a specialty of the Atago Plains.

Next, I indulged in cheese fondue.

For the next course, they prepared grilled river fish right in front of us.

The main dish was a stew made with bone-in lamb.

To fully enjoy this lavish meal, I had ordered two servings of the main course. Kim and I, with glasses of local fine wine in hand, soaked white bread in the stew and devoured it to our hearts’ content.

“Did the taste meet your expectations?”

The man who introduced himself as the head chef asked respectfully.

“Yes. It was delicious!”

“Then, I’ll bring out the dessert for you!”

…Huh?

There’s still more?

I’m already full.