Game's Opportunity in Reality Chapter 174
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Game's Opportunity in Reality Chapter 174
41. The King of the Duchy's Eccentricity (5)
Only Arcia, Gregory, and I know about the agitation operation, so nothing will leak to the outside.
"Anyway, so the current situation is going rather smoothly."
"At this rate, it looks like over half of the Croysen people will complete resident registration soon."
"Then the hardliners' argument will lose even more ground."
"Yes, that's right."
All the data proved things were going smoothly, and just like Marquis Walker, the duchy's key ministers kept giving thumbs-ups in admiration, but I didn't easily show satisfaction.
That was because I'd promised to marry Arcia within this month, and settling everything before then didn't look easy.
I stroked my smooth chin and let out a remark.
"How about we speed things up a bit?"
"Pardon?"
"Let's hold a large-scale administrator recruitment exam. Naturally, anyone with resident registration in the duchy will be accepted regardless of ethnicity."
"So you're showing a fair image through the state exam. That's a good idea."
And that's not all.
It's very easy to pour out policies that seem generous.
"Single out about three people from among Croysen Empire citizens who are suitable to serve as ministers. And make it known that if they show proper work capability, they can even be appointed as Lords."
"Recruit probationary knights from among Croysen Empire citizens. Once they build up a certain level of skill and seniority, let them also become Vanguards."
"Operate a consultation center for Croysen Empire citizens for a while. Don't make it about political or ethnic issues just lean toward accommodating them as much as possible."
The ministers who heard my orders were all taken aback.
"Isn't that too dangerous? Giving them power."
"It won't be much power right away, so don't worry."
After all, the final selection of people is my job.
If someone has foolish ideas, I can just cut them off in advance with the Myriad Mirror.
And even without the Myriad Mirror, if the audit team is run properly, there shouldn't be much of a problem.
"U-Understood. We'll proceed with things as Your Highness has ordered."
The capabilities I'd shown so far left no room for doubt, and since it was the early days of the nation's founding, the king's power was absolute, so no one dared add unnecessary objections to my words.
"And as for the Croysen people outside the walls, who've ended up in a shantytown let's leave them for about a week more, then extend a hand of relief."
The Duchy of Lawrence is a nation centered on the Croysen people.
How we tame them will decide the future of the country.
* * *
It had been half a month since Croysen Empire citizens were cast out of the city for refusing the resident registration law enacted by the Duchy of Lawrence.
The duchy had been steadily hunting down monsters and doing its moral duty by providing drinking water and food in its own way, but the faces of the Croysen Empire citizens only grew more haggard.
Uncomfortable sleeping arrangements and being unable to properly enjoy civilization were big reasons, but the existence of lawless men who extorted their own kin and lorded over them made things even worse.
Because of that, many people couldn't help but think:
'It'd be better to just bow our heads to Rhinehearts. We're not in a position to hold our heads high right now.'
And so, many people unable to endure the hardship, or having come to realize reality approached the city gatekeepers and said they wanted to register as residents.
"You've made a wise choice. You've been through a lot."
Every time, the gatekeepers offered words of comfort with the most kind expressions.
Hearing those words, tears welled up involuntarily.
The Rhinehearts people comforting them, and the same Croysen people looting them.
With things like this, it was only natural to be confused about who the enemy was.
The gatekeepers' reception was thoroughly manufactured by orders from above, but to those who had endured and endured before defecting, it was a great comfort.
"Did you hear the news?"
"What news?"
"They say the number of our Empire citizens who've registered as residents in the duchy has passed the majority."
"What? Isn't that just a rumor spread by the Duchy of Lawrence?"
"It's not just a rumor."
"What do you mean?"
"Can't you tell, looking at this situation?"
And rumors began to spread that the number of Croysen Empire citizens who had registered as residents in the duchy had surpassed 50%.
Even those who had held out due to their own convictions could only sigh deeply.
Honestly, the reality was that even they were thinking about defecting several times a day.
Still, many held on stubbornly.
"Did you hear? The Duchy of Lawrence is holding a large-scale administrator examination."
"Obviously it's a Rhinehearts setup."
"They say Croysen people registered in the duchy can take it without restrictions too?"
"Really?"
"I'm telling you. And do you know Paulo, the former head professor at the Croysen Imperial Academy?"
"Paulo? Of course. He's a famous literary figure even among commoners."
"Word is Paulo has become the director of the Croysen People's Cultural Preservation Bureau."
"Cultural Preservation Bureau? What's that?"
"They say it's a royal institution created by the Duchy of Lawrence to preserve the culture of us Croysen people. They even gave Paulo a ducal title?"
"Hmm... Is that so?"
As if to mock their endurance, the Duchy of Lawrence's actions overflowed with consideration.
They had been extremely cold toward them, but that was only a penalty for not following the Duchy of Lawrence's rules as long as one followed the rules, even Croysen Empire citizens were not discriminated against.
That was enough to shake even those who had held out and endured.
-Rumble!
"Wh-what?"
"Why are there soldiers!?"
"Those Rhinehearts bastards! They're finally showing their true colors!"
On the 20th day after the expulsion, armed forces pouring out of the city proved just how rigid their thinking had become.
"Arrest the criminals!"
"Wha?! Hey!"
The Duchy of Lawrence's soldiers wiped out the trash who had been leeching off their own people's backs.
"From now on, meals will be distributed through free soup kitchens on a ration system!"
And instead of scattering food from the sky like throwing bread, they set up soup kitchens and began serving warm soup with meals.
"Enjoy your meal."
"You've been through a lot."
"Don't be like that let's get along."
The kind words from the soup kitchen staff moved those who were exhausted to the breaking point.
Thanks to that, the number of Empire citizens registering as residents in the duchy exploded.
The atmosphere had completely turned around.
"Hmph, those traitor bastards."
"They'll soon realize they've been fooled. You should trust what's trustworthy how can you trust the Rhinehearts' words?"
But there are always stubborn people everywhere.
Adrian didn't put much effort into them either.
[If you do not register as a resident within the next 3 days, you will never be able to register for the rest of your lives. This is your final ultimatum and warning know this.]
He simply issued a calm threat.
* * *
"On the 25th day, 92%?"
At this point, that could be considered the final result.
I was satisfied with absorbing 92% of the Croysen people.
The population of our Duchy of Lawrence, thus formed, ultimately totaled 75 million (5 million Rhinehearts prospective migrants, 70 million Croysen).
Not bad.
At this level, not just territory, but population rivaled that of most kingdoms.
"The remaining 8% seem unlikely to ever come over."
At Prime Minister Walker Marquis's report, I held no lingering attachment.
"How shall we handle them?"
It's only 8%, they say but that number is a staggering 5.6 million.
That alone was enough to build two major cities.
I couldn't leave them to keep forming shantytowns outside the city, so I answered simply.
"Send them to the southern part of the Viscounty of Hilton. I will permit them to form a village there. As long as they pay tribute every year, I will not interfere in however they choose to live."
Hearing that, it sounds like a generous gesture.
But the problem was the location of the Viscounty of Hilton.
"You mean... pushing them to the Dragonlands border?"
"Yes. But do provide them with minimum rations and necessities."
The Viscounty of Hilton was an exclave of our Duchy of Lawrence, obtained through a request to Emperor Mikhail.
It was a city located at the border of Dragon Land.
The southern part of that Viscounty of Hilton had unclear borders, so it could hardly be considered our territory whatever they did there was none of our concern.
"It's not as dangerous there as you think. Wyverns and ogres only appear occasionally."
"Isn't 'not dangerous' by Your Highness the King's standards? By an ordinary person's standards, that's hell."
"What can I do? I gave them plenty of chances. I can't keep those who rejected me to the very end on my land, so there's no help for it."
By Croysen Empire standards, it would be strange if they hadn't been reduced to slavery.
Dangerous as it is, it's a place where you can survive well enough if you just use your head.
Wouldn't you say this counts as consideration on my part?
"True... Understood. I'll handle it as instructed."
She had no intention of spending any more time on unproductive talk.
"Is the wedding preparation going well?"
It was time to discuss something productive.
"Yes, we're preparing it to be as lavish and grand as possible."
"The future Duchess has a lot of fantasies about marriage. I'd like it done to a level that doesn't pale in comparison to the Empire Emperor's wedding. Don't worry about the funds."
"Understood."
Arcia loves dramas.
Especially soap operas and romance dramas.
So she was very interested in this wedding.
If he didn't want to be criticized later, he needed to prepare thoroughly.
* * *
It's a world where heavy metal masses fly through the sky and knights in iron-man suits fire off destructive beams, but fundamentally, this Rondel is a fantasy world filled with various mysteries and miracles.
There are still more secrets hidden from the world than revealed ones, and no matter how advanced military technology gets, dangerous forbidden lands that refuse human footsteps exist all over the world.
But I can guarantee that if you asked which single place is the world's most dangerous forbidden land, steeped in mysteries, everyone would point to this place.
That is, the 'Dragonlands.'
"I'm a king, you know... My status is far removed from adventure like this."
"Can't be helped, can it? Among the mages I know, you're the finest being that guy's disciple and all."
"Our wedding is in five days, though."
"It'll probably be over by then. I'll make sure to prepare you a generous gift."
The reason I suddenly brought up the Dragonlands and the mysteries of Rondel was simple.
Because right now, I was traversing that land of mystery with the Dark Elf Blake.
Blake in the lead, me in the middle, Arcia in the rear.
The three of us stretched out in a line, walking through the breathtakingly beautiful Dragonlands.
I had plenty of work to do, yet I was out enjoying an adventure out of nowhere all because of Blake's request, which bordered on a threat.
'I've discovered a ruin that appears to be from the Mythic Era. The scale is unlike anything I've ever seen. If we're lucky, we might be able to retrieve a trove of Mythic Era relics.'
'So I'd like you to come along. Of course, I never said it'd be for free. I'll distribute compensation fairly based on contributions.'
'If you refuse, then you refuse. You'd still like to stay on good terms with me in the future, right?'
Just like that.
When Lordmaster Blake says something like that, who could refuse?
I had no choice but to join in, swallowing my tears.
"Oh, look at that, that one. It has three snake heads. Do you think it's a baby hydra?"
"Oh? That's a three-headed white serpent. It's a rare one, so hurry and collect it. It's venomous, so don't forget to wrap your hands in Aura so they don't get bitten. Its fangs pierce right through steel, you know. And if you get bitten, a single treatment of 8th Circle recovery magic won't heal it at all."
"Ah!? Look at that. Light's coming out of those grass leaves."
"That's light-bloom herb. That one's rare too, so collect it. Of course, don't forget to wrap your hands in Aura. If you grab it bare-handed, you could catch a virus. It's something that won't easily heal even with 7th Circle recovery magic but mixed with the venom from that three-headed white serpent, it makes for an excellent elixir."
I have no idea why 7th Circle and 8th Circle keep coming up.
And all for a mere snake and grass at that.
"The Dragonlands are terrifying."