Chapter 121

"Then we will now begin the strategy meeting on how to persuade the residents of Glico village."

In the guestroom shared by him and Leandros.

The meeting participants were him, Leandros, Amelia, and the utterly useless observer, the snowman.

Amelia had come over to this room early in the morning.

He pressed his temples firmly as he spoke.

"Leandros, please summarize the situation."

"Yes. According to the report submitted earlier, Glico village is large in size, with an estimated population of approximately four hundred fifty to five hundred. As when I visited before, the rate of demonic beast intrusions is quite low. Overall, the village appears highly satisfied with being classified as a royal direct territory, and there is also less resistance toward outsiders."

"Amelia. Information about the past of Glico village."

"In the p-past, as the Knight s-said, it was a s-small village, so there w-wasn't anything p-particular about it. Other than the f-fact that the farmland a-adjacent to the village w-was large compared to the v-village itself. There w-were demonic beast intrusions, b-but it seems there w-weren't any e-especially noteworthy incidents."

"Ahhhh."

He couldn't help but sigh.

So it was a peaceful, ordinary village where nothing happened.

A situation where he couldn't even shamelessly bring up the topic of incorporation into the ducal territory.

Amelia, watching him tearing at his hair, cautiously asked.

"What k-kind of territory d-do you want to c-cultivate, Your Grace?"

"What kind of territory? What do you mean?"

"W-well, though a territory is a t-territory, people w-won't return to a territory w-where the same r-regulations as before are a-applied. So ch-changes will be n-necessary. What k-kind of territory do you w-want?"

"That... seems like too abstract a question."

He had never placed deep meaning in the territory to begin with.

He had only thought of it as a good level-up opportunity for Leandros to build his reputation.

He didn't think there needed to be any special sentiment for the territory beyond that.

After all, this was merely the work of custom-making a quest.

Once the quest he'd created was completed, Leandros would receive a reward.

And that would be the end. It might generate some minor profits, but he wasn't interested.

"Is that necessary? Isn't it enough to manage it well?"

"Th-that's not w-wrong, but my question is, h-how should I p-put it."

As Amelia stammered, Leandros chimed in.

"Your Grace, if you ask the people of this village whether they are willing to be reincorporated into the former Hartmann territory, they will certainly say no. This is because the benefits they receive from the current royal direct territory are significant, and it's better for their livelihood."

"Right. Amelia mentioned that."

"Then change is necessary. You need a territory of your own that is different from both the royal direct territory and the way Hartmann managed territories in the past. What differences are there between these two systems I just mentioned and Your Grace's system?"

"Ah."

What kind of territory did he want?

Ultimately, in what direction would he operate the territory for that purpose?

He hadn't particularly thought about these points either.

"...A land where people can freely do what they want?"

"That's excessively idealistic, but for now, let's set it as the ultimate goal to achieve. Then what do you think is necessary to achieve that?"

"T-tax reduction? Since e-everyone said it was d-difficult?"

"Taxes aren't necessarily bad, and there are places where they're needed. What else?"

"Do I have to say everything now?"

"Worshipper. Create a city that worships the great me. Cold humans, display them on the streets."

"Would that work?"

That snowman fellow, he'd have to terminate the contract someday.

But by this point, he was having his own realizations.

After living an ordinary office job for his entire life, suddenly determining the operational policy of a massive organization was too difficult.

Amelia, watching him struggle, smiled slightly.

"You d-don't need to s-say it now. But I h-hope you'll k-keep thinking about it u-until this journey e-ends."

"Yeah."

"When we r-return to the ducal r-residence. I'll g-give you lectures on t-territory management then."

"I'll need to study a lot, huh."

"Of c-course. All d-decisions rest with Y-Your Grace, but the c-consequences affect o-others too. Do y-your best not to m-make bad decisions!"

Damn it.

It would have been better if he had been possessing Arndt instead of Arenheit.

If only someone would roll him along, he could just roll without using his brain!

At least that would be mentally easier!

While he was silently screaming inside, the head of Aphoom-Zhah's avatar, the snowman, turned toward the window.

"Snowman?"

"Air. Unpleasant."

"Suddenly unpleasant? What smell is it? No, you don't have a nose. Sorry."

"Cut off impious worshipper's nose. Transplant to me."

He pushed aside the snowman, who was wildly swinging its arms, and opened the window.

Only fresh morning air rushed into the room,

And he couldn't sense anything unusual.

The same was true for Amelia, but Leandros was different.

He hesitated and then cast a peculiar gaze out the window.

"What's wrong with everyone?"

"There is certainly something strange."

"See that. Worshipper's sense. Worse than human male. Awaken."

"Don't use that kind of term. Leandros, can you tell what's strange about it?"

"I can't pinpoint just one thing, but it seems different from yesterday morning. But I don't know if it's threatening or simply different."

The snowman plus Leandros.

It meant the protagonist's spidey-sense was reacting to something.

In this case, it wouldn't hurt to be careful.

"For now... let's all go down for breakfast. And let's wander around to gather information about the village. We might discover any unusual matters."

"We'll do that."

He sent Leandros and Amelia down first.

Once only the snowman and he remained in the room, the snowman was already awkwardly climbing up onto the windowsill with its short legs.

He asked the snowman directly.

"Unpleasant, you say. Can a god also find things unpleasant?"

"Worshipper's possessions are also possessions of me, the great Aphoom-Zhah. This village is the object of Aphoom-Zhah's mercy. But, disrespectful. Foreign object invading space. Arrogant."

"You don't know what it is?"

"If main body manifests here, will know. But now, I am Aphoom-Zhah's fragmented authority. Worshipper, summon Aphoom-Zhah here? Then can know everything."

"What do you need to manifest yourself?"

The snowman's head tilted to one side.

"Magic needed. Price for summoning the great Aphoom-Zhah. If price paid, Aphoom-Zhah does not ignore worshipper."

"Where can magic be procured?"

"Magic is in everything. But moving creatures have more magic. Humans have magic. Ancient ores also have magic."

"Human magic?"

"Think of explanation suitable for worshipper. Assume ordinary human has magic, 10."

"What. That's more than I thought. How much magic is needed for manifestation?"

"Two hundred humans needed."

"...Two hundred?"

"Two hundred humans. But perfect manifestation of Aphoom-Zhah, difficult. Summon temporarily."

To bring forth a god, two hundred people must be sacrificed.

But even that wouldn't be perfect and would only be temporary.

What kind of beings were these so-called gods?

"Prepare for manifestation? Worshipper, didn't seem that devout. When will you prepare?"

"Who said I'd prepare? I was just asking! I won't do it, I won't! If I summon you, I'll be stirring up trouble for myself."

"Worshipper, irreverent. But human's resistance. Understanding and insight. God proposes to worshipper. More convenient method. More efficient method."

"Efficiency?"

"That is-"

Just as the snowman was about to speak, there was a knock at the door.

"Ah, yes. Come in!"

Hastily hiding the snowman and closing the window, the door opened.

A familiar face peeked through the gap in the door.

"Jen. What brings you here?"

"Ah! I'm sorry if I disturbed you. It's nothing much, but your companions came down for breakfast and only our young master was missing. It seems like you haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

Inside the small basket Jen was holding were bread and what appeared to be homemade jam.

"Your cousin sister and the mercenary fellow are worried too."

"I'm sorry. The food really looked delicious, but I just had no appetite."

"That can happen. Consider this as just an extra. I came out of concern, so don't feel burdened. But the jam is delicious, so be sure to try it."

How could a person be so kind?

Approaching the door and taking the basket, he felt a lukewarm warmth.

It seemed like freshly baked bread had been placed inside.

"Thank you. I'll definitely eat it."

"I can't help but feel like you're my younger brother. I heard you were having a hard time during your travels. Do you have any plans for today?"

"I haven't made plans yet. I came along with Ameli— I mean, my cousin sister."

"Then today you can tour the village! Our village doesn't have special products, but there are many interesting things in every nook and cranny. If you have time today, would you like to go out together?"

"Together? What about your inn duties?"

"I can speak to my aunt about it. Our inn isn't that strict. Today there are few guests too."

"When do you want to go?"

"Hmm, now?"

What should he do?

Amelia and Leandros would be in the middle of their meal, so it seemed a bit awkward to ask them to come along.

If it was just a light tour of the village, it should be fine.

Also, he could investigate the unpleasant air that Aphoom-Zhah had mentioned earlier.

Having made his decision, he told Jen.

"Then I'll just grab my cloak. You can go down first."

"Take your time."

As soon as the door closed, he pulled back the blanket.

He had stuffed the snowman into the bed haphazardly, but the snowman, seemingly displeased with this, was melting and dampening the sheets.

"Worshipper. Irreverent. Angry. Someday cut off only nose and execute."

"Do as you please. More importantly, do you want to come outside with me?"

"Outside? Is there meaning?"

"You said you were bothered by the outside earlier. I feel a bit awkward going alone, so let's go together. You wouldn't like it if I go far away anyway, right?"

Hiding the resistant snowman in his arms wasn't such a difficult task.

His clothes seemed to be getting a bit wet, but who cared?

He could wash or dry them when they returned.

He went downstairs, explained the situation to the two who were eating, received numerous admonitions not to go far, and then went to Jen who was waiting.

Jen called out in an exaggeratedly playful manner.

"Well then, young master. Let me guide you to all the interesting places in Glico!"

Somehow it sounded like the tone of a part-time worker at a kids' playground trying to appease a sulky child, but he decided not to delve into it.

In fact, the act of wandering around the village wasn't anything special.

Introducing the locations of shops, showing how to haggle at stalls.

Taking him through various alleys and suddenly bringing him to a place with a wide-open view.

It was literally just roaming here and there.

But Jen's eloquence made the entire process interesting.

He transformed even a common well into a hot spot where people gathered, and a small general store into a charming antique shop filled with all sorts of relics.

If Jen had been born in modern times, he would have easily surpassed a YouTube creator with a million subscribers.

Thus, they wandered around for quite some time, and when his poor stamina was about to give out, they returned to the inn.

Upon arrival at the inn, he saw the innkeeper, Amelia, and Leandros standing in front of the door.

What was going on?

"Sis, why are you outside?"

"Ah, uh. Well."

Amelia and the innkeeper seemed perplexed.

What kind of matter would make them hesitate like this?

Leandros let out a short sigh and then told him.

"Young master. Our horse, which was in the stable behind the inn, has disappeared."