TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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Lucy gave Kira an official position.
This simple fact made a clear statent:
A new alliance between nobility and wizardry.
"I hear the Countess of Talian got herself another wizard."
"Well now. Our Countess has good fortune. How'd she get two wizards in a rural domain like this?"
"Must be the Countess's grace!"
Even peasant farrs ntioned Kira's na over drinks.
The presence of wizards always inspired both fear and awe among commoners.
When foreign invaders attacked, wizards were reassuring allies.
But when they wandered around acting crazy, people could only tremble in fear.
The initial reaction to Ian had been mostly fear too.
But since Ian never harassed the people and got involved in major incidents affecting the domain, he naturally beca a respected wizard.
"Everyone be careful! They say the new wizard's a fire wizard!"
"Fire magic!"
"One wrong move and you'll burn alive!"
The farrs shuddered and hurriedly gulped down their beer.
Even talking about wizards wasn't easy.
Soone quickly changed the subject.
"B-but how amazing is our ruler to bring such a fire wizard here!"
"O-of course! Even other nobles tremble before the Countess!"
Ti to praise Lucy Talian, Countess of Talian.
Great Lu-cy!
Divine Lu-cy!
As if trying to forget their irreverence in gossiping about the wizard, the farrs rushed to praise their ruler.
As if that would erase their disrespect.
"The ruler's quite popular."
"Well, she got plenty of gold from slaying that dragon."
The more shrewd rchants quietly drank while glancing at the people's reactions.
A ruler having the people's trust was quite aningful.
For one thing, there wouldn't be any rebellions, right?
rchants naturally preferred stable lands under strong rulers over chaotic areas.
That way they could get help quickly if anything happened.
Moreover, the taxes on Talian's farmland were significantly lower compared to other regions.
"It's a strategy to draw in farrs from other domains."
"Looks weak but quite cunning, this Countess of Talian."
After the black dragon Predius ravaged the Araz region.
Araz could hardly be called a good place to live, even as empty words.
Most nobles who got involved in fighting the dragon took losses, while those who quietly hid gained indirect benefits.
Only the Countess of Talian grew wealthy by directly slaying the dragon and claiming the spoils.
But the Countess didn't stop at slaying the dragon.
She announced a tax reduction policy limited to the Talian region, declaring she wouldn't hold back support until the people's lives stabilized.
After her announcent, many people ca to Talian.
To receive the tax benefits.
The benevolent Countess boldly declared she wouldn't tax newly cultivated farmland at all-
Even now with most refugees returned ho, Talian's population kept growing rapidly.
As population grew, craftsn and rchants gathered.
Even wandering knights seeking to hunt monsters knocked on Talian Hall's doors almost daily.
"They say the Countess of Talian is quite clever."
"Just look at how she outmaneuvered rebels and reclaid her domain alone."
The rchants shared what information they knew.
Their common assessnt of the Countess was:
'Cute as a rabbit but cunning as a fox!'
'A great noble with power to slay dragons yet peacefully commanding other barons' loyalty!'
'Always showing a beautiful smile but never revealing her thoughts - a perfectionist!'
"If the Countess got a new wizard..."
"She might be preparing for war."
The rchants nodded.
They knew the south was unstable. The flas of war could spread north anyti.
The wise Countess must have prepared wizards in advance for that mont!
"Wizard Ian and Wizard Kira..."
"Having two wizards makes Talian hard to ss with."
"She brought in wizards at just the right ti, the Countess..."
"Haha! No wonder they call her the wise fox-like Countess!"
Though the conversation was more sophisticated than the farrs',
The rchants too ended up praising Lucy.
...Sister Mionia of Talian, drinking alone.
Was so dumbfounded she forgot to drink her beer.
'...Aren't they too biased?!'
The Countess was a good person but...
She definitely wasn't so mastermind manipulating everyone with brilliant intellect?!
"Sister. Want so at?"
"Ah. Please help yourself, Brother Jubal always eats well."
"Hehe. at good."
Mionia pondered while giving her at to Jubal.
The chances of those rumors being true were... honestly very low.
Then, were they just randomly spread rumors?
Or... did soone deliberately spread them?
'Surely not Ian?'
Ian's face ca to mind first.
That exceptional wizard might have shown so strange talent.
Mionia kept imagining possibilities, forgetting even to drink.
---
"The Countess of Talian's popularity has grown trendously in such a short ti."
Ian had just gone for a walk with Belenka.
Lucy was busy showing Kira her clothes and jewelry, supposedly teaching her duties.
...She probably just wanted to show off her jewelry.
If no one else, Ian could tell.
"Ah. Lucy told about that."
"Is it true the Countess wants to expand her domain?"
Belenka asked out of pure curiosity.
Lucy implented tax reductions to increase Talian's population.
At this rate, becoming a regional power was just a matter of ti.
"If the Countess is preparing for conquest, I'd like to help."
A typical wandering knight's mindset.
Join the war, achieve rit, and get granted land along the way!
Belenka held so expectations.
Since Lucy had a personal friendship with her, wouldn't she give generous rewards for accomplishnts!
But Ian snorted.
"You think Lucy would wage war?"
"She might?"
"Do you seriously think that?"
"...Thinking about it again, no."
Ian and Belenka laughed at the sa ti.
Given Lucy's personality, she'd never attack neighboring domains to beco a conqueror.
"Then why implent tax reductions?"
"Just because."
"..."
Belenka wore an expression of disbelief.
No way, just because?!
Is that really true???
But it was true.
Lucy really did reduce taxes 'just because'.
Of course, the exact reason was to help people who suffered from the dragon.
'I have lots of money, so no need to collect much tax!'
'...That money. I gave it to you.'
'Thank you~ Ian! Love you!'
'...'
"Then what about the tax exemption policy for newly cultivated land?"
"She forgot to send tax collectors."
"No. How could..."
Belenka shot sothing like curses with her eyes.
...Honestly Ian understood.
How could soone who forgets to send tax collectors to their own land be a noble?
Tax collection was a ruler's powerful right, one nobles never gave up no matter what.
Natural since it directly affected their livelihood.
"What does Lucy do with all that ti?"
So annoyed she directly used the Countess of Talian's na.
It felt similar to how people in our country use politicians' real nas when angry.
"These days I hear she's learning needlework from Sister Mionia?"
"..."
"Soon I'll probably get a handkerchief Lucy made herself."
Belenka shook her head as if dizzy.
"Damn. Talian will collapse soon."
"But isn't the fact that Talian's developing?"
"..."
That's right.
Though Lucy spent ti doing needlework(...) in her room.
Talian was becoming an increasingly bustling domain.
"No. Why is the domain doing well!"
"Well. Maybe she's just lucky?"
Life is? Like Lucy.
Whether your individual ability is good or not.
If you're born with good timing and luck, you can easily rise to a certain level.
Lucy was proof of this fact.
Actually, Lucy was doing fairly decent domain managent.
Because she did 'nothing'.
Better than foolish rulers who ss things up trying to do sothing.
Similar to how a rock is better than soone who loses money in stocks.
"You're so lucky."
"Why?"
"Your bride's dowry is growing by itself."
The Talian domain was actually Ian's too.
Since Lucy was Ian's, Talian was also Ian's(?).
The domain developing by itself. Had to feel good.
"Well. The wealthier the better if your second bride's living there too."
"That's true."
Belenka gave Ian an interesting look.
"Honestly. I thought you were the type not interested in won."
"Why. Disappointed?"
"No. Just surprised. Thought it would end with Kira's one-sided love."
Belenka had noticed Kira's subtle glances toward Ian.
But she hadn't expected Ian to accept Kira's feelings.
Ian wasn't the type to chase won, and his spot wasn't empty either.
But Kira succeeded.
Maybe Ian... didn't want to watch Kira leave hurt.
"Hm. Surprisingly the type who falls when pushed?"
"What are you talking about suddenly."
"No. Just..."
Just then, familiar faces appeared in the distance.
Lucy and Kira. And Maria.
"Ian!"
Lucy naturally linked arms with Ian.
Watching that, Kira carefully hugged Ian's other arm.
Suddenly Ian had won on both arms.
Belenka couldn't help comnting:
"What a player."
"..."
Though Ian felt wronged, he didn't argue.
Whatever the case, having two wives was a fact.
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