Chapter 201 - Episode 195: Days of Rapid Development ①
Early September. Today as well, Noein was diligently attending to paperwork in the lord's office.
In preparation for welcoming new immigrants from the royal territory, there were many things to be done: advancing urban development, coordinating with various departments to provide jobs for the immigrants, and purchasing necessary goods from outside the territory to prepare for the population increase.
In addition to that, there were many instances where he had to receive reports and make decisions regarding the construction of forts and the expansion of the territorial army's scale. It seemed Noein's busy days would continue for a while longer.
And right now, he was receiving a report from the financial officer, Anna.
"—The items that sold for the highest price were, as expected, the plate armor. There seemed to be many high-quality pieces among the weapons as well, but the majority of the sales from the enemy's equipment came from the armor."
"I see, it turned out that way after all. To think we could get that much plate armor... It helped that the enemy came showing off."
What Anna was reporting was the profit from the spoils of war stripped from the corpses of the Lancel Kingdom's soldiers and monsters during the Battle of Bezel.
It seemed that among the dead of the enemy's invasion force, there were many small-to-medium nobles and skilled mercenaries who had hoped to achieve military merit and profit through looting. Many of the armaments obtained from those corpses were of high quality, and they were entrusted to the court merchant Philip to be sold outside the territory and converted into gold.
Among them, the items that fetched particularly high prices were the thirty or so sets of plate armor. Some sets of full-body plate armor are so expensive that a single set could build a house. Therefore, even though they were used goods, the profit from selling them was enormous.
Since the main force of the Arqvist territorial army consisted of light infantry wearing leather armor, and they were provided with equipment of a unified design from the start, one-of-a-kind plate armor was a useless luxury. The profit gained from selling the enemy's armaments would be allocated to the cost of increasing equipment production accompanying the expansion of the territorial army's scale.
"Furthermore, the items harvested from the monsters also fetched quite high prices. Materials such as horns, fangs, and hearts were valuable, but the profit from magic stones was particularly large."
"Well, we obtained a large quantity of high-quality, large magic stones. None of them are things you'd easily come across in other parts of the kingdom."
"Indeed. We obtained so many monster materials that are normally rarely seen that it would have been faster to weigh them rather than count them... I heard that Daphne-san, who received a portion of the magic stones as a reward for her contribution with magic items, was jumping for joy."
"That Daphne... I might have liked to see that."
Magic item crafters often require magic stones for their work. Having been given piles of high-grade magic stones as a reward just for making a few 'Wind Raising' and 'Voice Mimicry' magic items at the lord's request, she must have been incredibly happy.
"So, the result of calculating the profit from the spoils, the costs for food procurement and house construction to accept the new immigrants, the additional budget for army expansion, and the condolence money for the bereaved families of the war dead and the seriously injured is in those documents... it's a surplus again. As expected of Noein-sama."
"That's the best part, but... I feel conflicted that I seem to have a talent for profiting from war."
Noein muttered with a subtle expression, as if unable to decide whether he should be happy or disgusted.
If you win a war, you profit. Like Noein this time, you get the spoils taken from the enemy, and normally, reparations and the like would be added to this, making it even more profitable.
However, war is something where the risks are equally great, and on top of that, there are sacrifices. Therefore, while Noein desires peace, he is excessively dragged into battles, and moreover, he ends up with a solid surplus every single time. It is an unwanted talent.
"It may be so for Noein-sama... but as the person in charge of finances, it helps that we can avoid using the vault's reserve funds. You can never have too much money, and for the sake of your own territory and people, wouldn't it be fine to use that precious talent to your heart's content?"
"When you put it that way, I suppose so."
Noein nodded with a wry smile at Anna, who gave him an extremely realistic opinion befitting a financial officer.
.....
Late September. The first group of immigrants was sent from the royal territory to the Arqvist territory.
From among the residents of the royal territory's slums, only those with no criminal record and no apparent personality problems were screened. Furthermore, from there, approximately 100 people—the first wave of immigrants—were selected based on conditions such as age (single persons up to thirty, families with minor children).
"Haa—I didn't think it would be this fast."
"They've already arrived, so it can't be helped," Pence replied to Noein, who grumbled while putting on his ceremonial coat and accessories with Matilda's help to welcome the immigrants. Around the time after the Battle of Bezel, Pence had come to hold a position like the captain of the lord's Guard.
The reason Noein was muttering was that the arrival of the immigrants was far earlier than expected.
He had requested the King to screen and escort immigrants from the royal territory in mid-July. Considering that the Ministry of Internal Affairs would have to organize a screening body, announce the recruitment in the slums, gather applicants, screen them, organize the immigrant group, hand them over to the Ministry of Military Affairs to prepare for escort, and actually send them out... he thought the first group would arrive in October at the earliest.
Then, unexpectedly, they arrived in September. It seemed the Royal Family was in a great hurry to strengthen the Viscount Arqvist house.
Having been notified of the immigrant group's arrival by a herald knight a few days ago, Noein had hurriedly completed the acceptance preparations and had been dressed in formal attire since morning for the speech to the immigrants.
"That's true, but... now, how is it? Do I look like a proper, dignified lord?"
"Yes, your bearing conveys Noein-sama's greatness."
"Isn't it great?"
When Noein asked while spreading his arms and twisting his body, Matilda, who was already wearing her ceremonial military uniform, praised him, and Pence answered similarly.
"Then it's fine. Well, shall we go?"
Having confirmed there were no problems with his appearance, Noein left the mansion and headed toward the plaza where the immigrants were gathered. Because the manner of the first appearance is also important, he went the short distance from the mansion to the plaza specifically in the lord's carriage.
In the plaza, as usual, a platform for speeches had been set up, and in front of it were the immigrants sent from the royal territory and the territorial residents who had come to watch.
The carriage driven by the attendant Henrik was pulled up beside the platform, and Pence, who had been leading on horseback, opened the carriage door, and Noein stepped out. Matilda followed behind him.
As Noein ascended the platform, the Chief Attendant Yuri, who had been supervising the immigrants and commanding the soldiers in the plaza, raised his voice.
"Silence! We shall now receive the words of His Excellency, Viscount Noein Arqvist, the Lord!"
At those words, the immigrants, who had been buzzing slightly, became quiet. Confirming this, Noein opened his mouth in front of the Voice Amplification magic item.
"...Everyone. I am Noein Arqvist, the one who governs this Arqvist territory. I know the circumstances that brought you here. Many of you have experienced a poverty-stricken life and likely still harbor anxieties."
The expressions of the immigrants looking up at Noein lacked spirit. Compared to the usually energetic Arqvist residents he was used to, they looked very unreliable.
Among the approximately 100 immigrants, eighty percent were ordinary humans. Slightly less than the remaining twenty percent were beastmen, with a few demi-human dwarves. Since they had come to a frontier territory they didn't even know the name of on a gamble to change their lives, they likely felt uneasy about how they would be treated from here on.
"However, there is nothing to worry about. In this territory, everyone can obtain happiness commensurate with their work. Neither origin nor race is questioned. If you work hard and live honestly without harming the happiness of others, you can obtain a certain hope in this land. I guarantee it. The assets you obtain here, your families, your lives—I will protect them!"
When Noein spoke powerfully, applause broke out from the direction of the territorial residents gathered in the plaza to watch.
The first impression is crucial to gaining the trust of new immigrants who don't know their way around. If the existing residents gave a wonderful reaction like this, the persuasiveness of Noein's words would increase.
Therefore, among the spectators, many "model residents" with high loyalty, such as off-duty territorial army soldiers and veteran residents, were mixed in. He hadn't planted shills. He had simply spread the word that "there's a speech in the plaza today, so if you go see it, you might make a good impression on the lord."
Swept up in the atmosphere of the crowd praising Noein, the expressions of the new immigrants also brightened.
"A territory is its people. Together with the people, hand in hand, I have built a new home in this land. From the moment you stepped foot here as immigrants, you are members of the Arqvist territory. This place is already your home. From today, I shall protect you. Under my care, I want you to lead new, happy lives here... That is all."
As Noein concluded his speech, applause erupted again. This time, not only the resident spectators but also the new immigrants sent applause to Noein.
Wrapped in that sound, Noein descended from the platform—and gently patted the heads of the small children who had stood in the front row of the immigrants so they could see the lord's speech better. With a gentle expression, he patted all the children, about twenty of them. He touched them without minding that the children's hair was dirty and sticky due to the long journey.
At such a merciful action, some of the children's parents had tears in their eyes. They must have felt that coming to this territory was the right choice.
Amidst the moving atmosphere, Noein boarded the carriage again and returned to the mansion.
The subsequent care of the immigrants would be handled by the territorial army led by Yuri and the civil officials. Whether they would live in the most developed territorial capital, Noeina, and become tenant farmers or simple laborers, or become residents of a pioneering village where life is hard but they could eventually become independent farmers, or become mine workers where the work is tough but they could earn money quickly. The immigrants would witness their first hope: the "freedom to choose their work."
Inside the carriage returning to the mansion, Noein asked Matilda beside him.
"Matilda, how was it?"
"It was wonderful, Noein-sama. The immigrants were touched by your words and behavior full of affection. I believe almost everyone, without exception, showed a favorable reaction."
"That's good... then, let's go with this production for the remaining speeches as well."
Immigrants would continue to arrive in units of a hundred. Noein would likely have to perform speeches like today's many times in the future.