Chapter 73 - Isabella

A few days later, a dragon spawn from Iorga's side arrived.

"Hello. My name is Isabella Iorga, and I have been dispatched here. I have come to take on the duties of an administrator at Valdrova Castle starting today."

True to a descendant of Iorga, the pair of horns on her forehead were rounded and non-threatening.

Her eyes were sharp, and her movements were disciplined, making her feel like a strict dorm matron just by looking at her.

He had heard that a spawn would arrive, but there was one thing wrong with the paperwork.

"I heard the news, but I was told the spawn coming was named Yuria."

"I volunteered in Yuria's place. Rest assured, as Leader Erica's chief secretary, I pride myself on having task execution abilities vastly superior to Yuria's. Within the tower, I am called the cold-hearted secretary."

Isabella adjusted her glasses with a solemn expression.

He could tell she was full of pride, but there was no way to know if she was genuinely outstanding.

He was already well aware of the arrogance of dragon spawns.

"Anyway, I understand."

"The alliance declaration ceremony is scheduled to take place in a week. It will be based on a document personally signed by Blancaros and will be announced throughout the Serdes Continent. Do you have any questions?"

"I already heard about that in writing from Leader Erica, so I don't have many questions."

"Understood. Please review the details of the alliance agreement to be given to the Leader and stamp your seal on it."

As it was an important document, Ferda checked every single letter before stamping the official seal.

He thought that was the end of it, but another document flew over and stopped in front of him.

"This document is a consent form for the authority required as an administrator. This is a letter of attorney delegating judicial and collection authority to me, and also the authority to make decisions when subcontracting is necessary for administrative tasks..."

To summarize the document's contents, it was simple.

Ferda would directly approve major tasks like tax collection, law enforcement, and diplomacy, while smaller tasks, private disputes, or the tax collector management system would be handled directly by her, the administrator.

"All delegation-related documents are finished."

"Is that it?"

"This is only the beginning. We need to meticulously review the security clearance levels within the castle. Aside from resident staff, I will have all laborers and unclassified personnel sent outside. And—"

After that, they discussed matters related to the castle's administrative duties.

She fluently spoke about how the parts he had changed while talking with Mori held up realistically, persuading Ferda with reasons based on efficiency and appearances.

By the time their discussion on the castle's administrative issues concluded, Isabella briefly glanced out the window.

Spread out below was a forest devoid of animal sounds.

"I heard the rumors, but it seems there truly is no castle town at Valdrova Castle."

"They say it's too much for ordinary people to live here."

"Where do you plan to house the adventurers?"

"Wouldn't Count Concillus's territory suffice?"

"That is not a good idea."

Isabella replied coldly.

"To build national power, population takes priority over capital and food. We must begin designing a city in this vicinity to accommodate the adventurers."

"I heard it's difficult for ordinary people to live near here. I feel like you're overlooking that."

"That would be true if we lacked experts capable of utilizing magic. I will request the Blue Eye to dispatch mages to take charge of magic circle management. Of course, since this operates on the concept of employment, I will prepare a budget proposal to organize one magic platoon and get it approved. If we only relieve the anxiety caused by the Dragon Fear, this city will be just as good as a capital."

A capital...

The one who had said that was Olivia Arken.

She had hoped this place would become a second capital.

It was planned to become one someday, but wasn't it too early?

"What about the Empire's checks?"

"That's like saying you won't make soybean paste because you're afraid of maggots. They won't be able to act rashly. Adventurers will gather in the Land of Demons, and it stands to reason that this gathering will naturally form a city. Since we hold the justification of an eastern conquest, if they dare to stand in our way, Iorga will show its willingness to push back."

The Empire might have viewed Valdrova as nothing more than a guard dog until now, but Iorga was a group of mages that exerted influence across the entire continent.

Ferda was satisfied with the promise that they would properly take care of things.

"We need to recruit a merchant company, but it seems you, Regent, have already drawn one in. The Pascal trading company, is that right?"

"That's right."

"A single large merchant company won't be enough. Even if we don't bring in merchant companies from the west, we must actively trade with the north and the south."

"I should speak with Stephan about that."

"As the administrator, I will handle it. I will certainly be able to find a point of agreement with the Pascal trading company."

"Do that."

Even beyond that, things poured out endlessly.

Talks about road reorganization, investments and donations, urban planning strategies.

Ferda thought he had studied a fair amount himself, but in front of Isabella, it was a drop in the bucket.

She fluently spouted new ideas, stringing together strategies one by one, and utilized everything Ferda had in the right places at the right times.

'She certainly deserves the title of chief secretary.'

Rather than relying on rhetorical wordplay, she summarized only the core points and conveyed exactly what was needed.

By dealing with important matters firmly and trivial matters flexibly, she emphasized practicality.

'I thought I was getting a chicken instead of a pheasant, but a phoenix descended instead.'

She was definitely a reliable talent.

She was so reliable that it was almost scary.

'Why did such a talent come to this castle?'

Ferda was curious about that.

If the spawn named Yuria had come, he would have assumed Erica ordered her to, but Isabella had volunteered.

The descendants of Iorga were dragon spawns.

At their core, they possessed an unrivaled pride that they were fundamentally different.

In particular, their pride in the Blue Eye created by Iorga was immense, so they thoroughly hated leaving the Magic Tower.

Being dispatched to Valdrova Castle was practically no different from being sent into exile.

Was there any reason for such a competent secretary to willingly come to a place of exile?

While he was thinking that, Isabella organized the scattered documents.

"Let us leave the brief overview at this for now, and we can draft the roadmap together later. We will lightly wrap up today's work with this. Good work."

"Right, good work to you too."

"May I ask just one question?"

Isabella asked with a solemn expression.

"Do you happen to enjoy alcohol, Regent?"

"I don't touch the stuff."

When Ferda gave a flat refusal, Isabella's body flinched slightly.

The woman who had been speaking so fluently showed signs of fluster.

"I should have addressed this beforehand, but by any chance, is there a prohibition on alcohol declared in this castle or anything like that?"

"Nothing like that. I simply don't drink."

"I see. Understood."

She immediately showed signs of relief.

For some reason, that sight bothered Ferda, so he threw a question back at her.

"Do you enjoy alcohol?"

"I only drink a little. A drink after work is simply exceptional, you see."

"Hmm, I see."

Even if they were of a different race, a mage was a mage.

A mage's friends were alcohol and women.

He wouldn't have said anything even if she indulged in both, so he could naturally tolerate at least one.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

Someone knocked and entered the office.

It was Luri, the girl in a maid outfit.

"Lord Ferda, in front of the castle gates... Huh?"

She had come for some business but found her gaze snatched away by Isabella upon noticing her.

"So you're the one who was dispatched for Lady Valdrova this time."

Luri furrowed her brow and walked toward Isabella.

When she stopped about three paces away, the difference in their heights was visibly apparent.

However, Luri did not cower and initiated a battle of nerves.

"Since this is your first day, I will speak clearly. I am the one who has served the most in this castle. If you remove or replace any items without my consent, you will not be able to avoid friction."

The atmosphere was truly serious.

It was forged with a firm resolve that she would start a war if anyone so much as touched her things.

To Ferda, it looked a bit different.

'She looks like a dog marking its territory.'

Preconceptions were truly a terrifying thing.

To Ferda, she only looked like a chihuahua yapping away.

Isabella looked down at Luri.

Her rational eyes glinted as she opened her mouth.

"Small and petite..."

"Pardon?"

She pushed up her glasses with her middle finger and spoke.

She spoke coldly, as if the words she had just uttered were merely misheard.

"I heard that you, Luri Silverwind, handle all duties regarding the management of this place."

"That is correct."

"I will call you Miss Luri from now on. I have confirmed that in terms of cleanliness, this place is at a higher level than our Magic Tower. However, the administrative work is a complete mess. There are many things that do not align with efficiency and practicality."

"Quibbling over such things does not suit the dignity of a dragon."

"We will have to quibble. Among the confirmed dragons, Lady Valdrova's wealth is the smallest. It's to the point where the budget I originally intended to set was frustrated."

"Are you dissatisfied with that?"

"Rather than dissatisfaction, I'm saying that appropriate financial management is necessary."

Luri felt offended by the remark about having little wealth, but she couldn't bring herself to refute it.

Because in reality, Valdrova had always lived without an interest in rare treasures.

"There will be changes within the castle for administrative reorganization, but I will seek your understanding, Miss Luri, before implementing them. Will it be fine to proceed with the work like that?"

"If you only do that much, I don't mind."

"Understood. Then I will be on my way now. I will see you tomorrow, Regent Ferda."

"Alright."

The sound of her dress shoes echoed across the marble.

She withdrew with an elegant gait befitting the chief secretary of Iorga, the highly formal Magic Tower.

Luri put on an expression mixed with disgust as she watched her retreat.

"That woman gives me a bad feeling."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, why would I be jealous of those water lizards? It's just a bad feeling."

Luri felt a strange sensation when Isabella looked at her.

This feeling of clearly having won, yet not feeling like a victor.

It stemmed from a bizarre displeasure brought on by the gaze behind those glasses.

Of course, Ferda had no interest in that.

He merely thought she was being jealous.

"So, did you just come to mark your territory?"

"Please don't speak of me like a wild dog prowling the neighborhood. The Chancellor of Escolaia has come to visit."

The Chancellor of Escolaia.

In exchange for saving his life, he was supposed to receive the blueprints for the Demon appearance prediction equipment.

Ferda hadn't rushed him on purpose because there were major events going on, but it seemed he hadn't forgotten.

"He must have traveled a long way, so treat him properly first. Tell him I will see him in two hours."

"Understood."

Luri withdrew with that.

Part of it was to have a brief moment of respite, but he also had other business to attend to.

The crystal ball resting on Ferda's desk.

That crystal ball, engraved with communication magic, was blinking.

It meant someone was trying to contact him.

Ferda placed his hand on the crystal and accepted the transmission.

"Hello, Regent Ferda."

It was Erica Iorga.

"Yes, Leader Iorga."

"You aren't going to cut off the transmission this time, are you?"

"I will cut it off right now if you wish."

"Let's not be so cold. We'll be allies soon, won't we? I received the document confirming you reviewed the alliance agreement."

"Is that why you're sending a transmission like this?"

"It's a bit of both. Did a different child go instead of Yuria?"

"Yes. She introduced herself as Isabella."

"Yes, that's her. How is she? If you happen to dislike her or anything, I can send Yuria as originally planned."

It felt as though she was trying to take back her chief secretary, which gave him a reflexive sense of reluctance.

"There's no need for that. She's sharp, and I think she's exactly the talent we need."

"That's true, she is excellent at her job. Say what you will, but she is my chief secretary. She's so interested in practical work that she even hid her identity and secretly went to Escolaia to earn her doctorate. But..."

A long sigh.

"Is there a problem?"

"No. Let's not talk about it. It's better to find out slowly. It's not like that child is a bad person or anything."

"Because she is perfect when it comes to work."

Muttering like that only made him care about it more.

Just what problem did that woman have for her to act like this?

It was undoubtedly the kind of annoyance that didn't particularly cause any issues with work.

"As I said, the declaration will be in a week. You've been given that much time, so please prepare well."

"Understood."

"Well then. For our alliance, I'll contact you frequently from now on."

Erica spoke in a voice that sounded like she was smiling before cutting off the transmission.

'The declaration is in a week...'

They say well begun is half done.

Ferda foresaw a mountain of paperwork.

It was a headache, but it wasn't bad.

Since this, too, was all for Valdrova.

Ferda looked outside.

Right now, it was just a dense, wildly overgrown forest covered in trees.

That place would be filled with buildings, and filled with people.

People and carriages would bustle about the streets, and they would sing Valdrova's name and praise her.

And so, Ferda would endure this pain.

For his one and only fiancée.