Chapter 204
Chapter 204: ‘A Territory Like Family’ (1)
“…… Our territory is the kingdom’s best source of food and iron ore…… we are developing the best cosmetics in the kingdom…… we have runestone resources…… and even during this drought, not a single territory resident has gone hungry, all praised…… our military strength boasts over 400 knights……”
Each and every one of these claims was utterly absurd.
Food, iron ore, cosmetics, runestone. Even just one of these would make a territory wealthy, but if they all came from one territory, it was hard to imagine how much money would flow in.
I heard they were raking in an astounding amount of money even now.
They had so much food that no one was starving, and they had so much money that they hardly collected taxes.
It truly was a paradise among paradises.
A place everyone wished for and dreamed of. If one were to take a government position there, life would be nothing short of a smooth ride.
Malron’s expression darkened further. He knew they were frauds, but their bragging was simply over the top.
‘Are they really expecting us to believe that? Even in these dire circumstances, aren’t they underestimating us too much? Even first-year students who’ve studied a little politics wouldn’t fall for such nonsense…’
The other students shared similar sentiments. All wore unpleasant expressions, and just then, one student raised his hand and shouted.
“I can’t believe it! Where in the world is there such a territory?”
Malron turned to that student. He was a friend who consistently got excellent grades.
He liked to show off and argue, making him someone you didn’t really want to be around.
‘Still, at least he’s stepping up now. That guy will surely make a fool of them. I’ll enjoy watching that and head back satisfied.’
The other students felt the same way as Malron. If it weren’t for the desperate situation, they wouldn’t have been present at such a ridiculous meeting in the first place.
As the atmosphere turned heavy, Claude spoke with a bored expression.
“Do you not believe what I’m saying? I have no reason to lie, do I? I’m just here as a senior to help out my juniors.”
Claude wasn’t outright lying. He merely exaggerated the good points a bit and concealed the bad ones.
Even in response to Claude’s shamelessness, the student didn’t back down.
“The northern part of Ruthania, I know a bit about it! I’ve heard that it’s barren with poor food conditions and suffers from barbarian invasions! I can’t believe the situation is so good in the Territory of Penris!”
‘That guy? A well-read person, perhaps?’
Though the student spoke for different reasons, it was indeed hard to argue that Penris was doing particularly well.
The Territory of Penris was dealing with issues due to a lack of management personnel.
But how was that to be verified? That’s why I came here to entice you all! What can you do about it? What can you achieve?
Claude arrogantly raised his chin and asked.
“Have you been there?”
“Yes?”
“Isn’t that just a rumor? I’m asking if you’ve been there and seen for yourself.”
“No, I haven’t, but…”
“Tsk tsk tsk, someone who claims to study should blindly trust what they’ve only heard? How can you call yourself a scholar trying to explore truth and reason to create a better world with such credulity!”
The student who had posed the question looked aggrieved at Claude’s harsh words. Honestly, how could he be expected to believe that it was good without verification?
As he was about to argue again, Claude got in first.
“You saw the food we brought, right? That’s proof. Even after donating to the academy, there’s still plenty left. It’s to share with others. Is there anyone among the Great Lords of Seiron Kingdom who can casually hand out that much?”
The students murmured in agreement with Claude’s words. Malron also recalled the towering piles of food and felt his resolve waver slightly.
‘That’s right, unless it’s a major famine, it’s unusual to hand out such quantities so easily at a time like this. Could it really be… a wealthy territory?’
The student who had nothing more to say shifted his stance, arguing instead about another point.
“Fine! I’ll believe that you have a lot of money! But 400 knights? That’s simply unbelievable!”
The other students began to murmur again.
They all knew how many knights even typical nobles commanded. No matter how strong Ruthania was, there was a limit to how many men a lord could command.
Besides, it was said the Lord of Penris was just a Baron before expanding his territory.
Having 400 knights would be a feat even for the most powerful nobles of the kingdom. This was not a number that a young lord should have.
But Claude only chuckled at the rebuttal.
“I have 50 guard knights with me. All are formal knights capable of using mana.”
“What! I can’t believe it!”
High-ranking nobles like Counts in Seiron Kingdom commanded at most 20 knights.
Even among the more knight-rich Ruthania, average counts had about 50 knights, and it took a duke-level property to command over 100.
Particularly in the barren north, territories reportedly had fewer knights.
Yet there were supposedly 50 knights serving a Chief Officer, not even a high-ranking noble? That was utterly nonsensical.
Doubt began to creep back into Malron’s mind, as well as in the minds of the other students.
Noticing the skeptical glances, Claude snapped his fingers and called out to Wendy.
“Have all the knights come in.”
Soon, with Gillian, 50 knights entered.
Malron gulped nervously at the sight of the knights.
‘Are they… really knights?’
The other students reacted no differently than Malron.
‘No matter how you look at it, they seem more like mercenaries or bandits…’
‘Did they just dress like knights?’
‘I’ve never seen knights behave in such a shameless manner before.’
Judging by their attire, they certainly looked like knights. But the vibe they gave off was entirely different.
Some were fidgeting with their legs crossed or shaking their legs, some were just nodding their heads lazily, others squatted as soon as they entered, and some were glaring around for no reason.
‘There’s even one spitting on the floor! What the heck are they doing in this sacred academy!’
‘Disgusting! Vulgar! What kind of knights are those!’
Those who didn’t give off any semblance of knightly dignity made the students cast suspicious glances once again.
Claude also grimaced at the sight of those knights.
‘These bastards are no help, no help at all. You uncultured fools, what are you trying to pull here?’
Gillian, sharing a similar sentiment, glared at the knights.
Maybe they were used to being beaten down, as no matter how much they were hit, they would only act sprightly for a moment; their bad habits wouldn’t change.
But they couldn’t afford to start hitting them here, so Gillian had no choice but to threaten them with a glare.
Fortunately, the knights, while looking somewhat sullen, straightened their posture.
Claude clicked his tongue at this scene and said to Gillian,
“Gillian, show the students the knights’ mana. What are you doing? Hurry up!”
Gillian bit his lips a few times and then gestured to the knights. A blue mana soon began to surge from the knights’ swords.
Seeing this spectacle, all the students gasped in admiration.
“Th-they’re real. They’re all knights. But why are they acting like that…?”
“Is this possible…? Not even the lord himself, but the chief officer has 50 knights as support…?”
“There must be even more knights left in the territory than here! This really is a territory with impressive military strength?”
Watching the students’ reactions, Claude hastily instructed the knights.
“Okay, that’s enough! Stop! Stop! You’ll scare the juniors! You can stop now. Quickly put that away!”
If they bled out and collapsed, they would truly be startled. They must not push themselves too far.
“What do you think? Can you believe it now?”
If they didn’t believe after seeing such military strength, they’d be fools. The student who had been questioning fell silent.
What is the biggest dream of scholars?
It is to become a high official in the royal family or great nobility to pursue their dreams and ideals.
An unbelievable opportunity had come before them.
Having confirmed the knights in front of them, Malron could no longer hold back his excitement.
To maintain that number of knights would require not only funds but also proper treatment.
All doubts were thrown aside. With so much evidence, there was nothing left to not believe.
‘It’s true! It’s undeniable that they’re knights! Even if other things might be lies, just the food and knights alone are a big deal! This really is an amazing territory! I want to go! I want to work in that paradise-like territory! I want to show my abilities! I want to unfold my dreams!’
But the more faith he felt, the greater the unease grew. In such times, there shouldn’t be much hiring, meaning competition would be fierce.
‘What should I do? Almost everyone will apply like this. Everybody’s at the brink of starving, so going to other kingdoms won’t even cross their minds.’
With the rising anxiety that if he missed this opportunity, there would be no more dreams or hope, he scanned the surroundings and saw that all the students were looking at Claude with excited faces. It was clear they all wanted to go to the Territory of Penris.
Malron felt he lacked the confidence to win against the other students in this competition. So, timidly raising his hand, he asked.
“Um… how many people are you planning to hire?”
The other students’ eyes gleamed in response.
From now on, everyone was more or less a competitor. To get selected, they had to do whatever it took to show themselves to him favorably.
Noticing the atmosphere becoming tense as they gauged each other, Claude arrogantly raised his chin and stated,
“All who want to come.”
“Excuse me?!”
Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief. Malron wondered if he had misheard and asked again.
“Are you serious? Is it true anyone who wants can go there?”
“Yes, as I said earlier, our Territory of Penris has a decent area and a considerable population. The more management, the better.”
“Why do you want to hire us? We lack experience, and our abilities have yet to be verified. Surely, there must be excellent talents throughout the Ruthania Kingdom…”
With a timid voice, Malron spoke, and Claude responded with a gentle smile.
“Didn’t I mention? I’m also from Seiron Academy. I hope my juniors succeed more than those from other academies. If we help each other out like that, being from our academy will become a strength itself. You all understand what I mean, right?”
“Ohhh….”
The students were impressed. This was the network and connections they had only heard about. It was no wonder people talked about connections.
Having never ranked among the top, Malron still spoke hesitantly.
“Still, I’m lacking in abilities…”
“Ah! Abilities are entirely unimportant! What you don’t know, just go and get beaten down while rolling about… no, just go earnestly learn and cultivate yourself. The true experience comes from the field. Grades are not what matters!”
“Then what is important?”
“What’s important is an unyielding spirit and passion! That’s all I look for! Without that, you’re just as good as a dead person!”
In the Territory of Penris, if you lose your spirit, you die, and if you lack passion, you still die. Claude finally revealed the ultimate truth.
And the naive students once again uttered their admiration.
“The Chief Officer is right! One must verify their abilities by trying firsthand!”
“What a fantastic policy to give opportunities to all without discrimination! Truly remarkable!”
“Is this what makes the Chief Officer of a great territory different?”
The hall was instantly filled with an enthusiastic atmosphere. Seizing the chance, Claude swiftly handed out the contracts to the students.
“Here, read this and decide. The terms will surely please you.”
As the students scanned the contract, they were once again taken aback.
“The compensation is truly enormous?”
“And they’re responsible for the residency and livelihood of our families as well?”
“Indeed, the great territory is something else entirely.”
They all looked as though they couldn’t believe their eyes, unsure if they were dreaming or awake. Malron found himself mumbling towards Claude without realizing it.
“Why… would you go this far for new managers… I’ve never heard of a territory with such generous treatment before…”
The other students all nodded quietly in agreement.
To be able to work in a great territory in times like these was nothing short of a miracle.
Yet, the treatment was astounding. Just the compensation alone was better than that of middle managers in the royal family of Seiron.
Looking at Malron, who was stunned, Claude answered in a soft voice.
“Our territory’s motto is ‘A Territory Like Family.’”
The students’ faces turned filled with emotion.
