Chapter 259. Can I Do This Well? (2)
Chirp chirp…. chirp….
The morning sun shining through the curtains and the chirping of birds.
At that sound, Patrick slowly opened his eyes.
“Uuugh…. I slept well.”
It was the sight of Patrick Schneider, who had just entered the sweet honeymoon period a week after his wedding.
With a refreshed expression, Patrick spoke to his lovely wife, Isabella, who was lying next to him.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Did I sleep…. well?”
“……”
“If you’re going to say that….”
Isabella struggled to sit up and continued to speak, her eyes flashing at Patrick.
“Shouldn’t you, in all conscience, say that after letting
sleep?”
“……”
Well, there was no excuse for this.
The past week.
It had been a week of frantic nights.
April on the first day.
Isabella on the second day.
Elione on the third day.
Patrick Schneider, who had spent a dreamlike, ecstatic ti with his beautiful wives.
But the joy of the honeymoon had only just begun.
On the fourth day….
“So who will it be today….”
Before Patrick could finish his words, April said.
“The princess! The princess said she would do it.”
At that, Isabella hurriedly said.
“No, when did I.”
“That….”
“If you look at the order, it’s a full circle, so it’s your turn, April, isn’t it?”
“No. No. I’m fine. Really.”
“Then Elione will….”
“Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. Absolutely impossible.”
Elione said with her eyes glazed over.
“If I go through that again, I’ll beco like the elf captured by the orc in the stories.”
Their reactions were quite refreshing.
In fact, though they wouldn't know, Patrick Schneider was not just good with a sword.
He was a true master of the night.
Why? The reason can be found in his wife from his past life, a wife from the Sichuan Dang Clan.
The Divine Doctor Saintess, Dang Suryeon.
Her existence.
In Jianghu, the Sichuan Dang Clan has been famous for three things since ancient tis.
Poison, hidden weapons, and the beautiful won of the Dang Clan.
The won of the Dang Clan carry poison and thorns, but they are fatally beautiful and fragrant.
If a man removes their thorns and endures their poison, he will possess the most beautiful flower in the world.
Why did such a saying co about?
It is because the daughters of the Sichuan Dang Clan are thoroughly educated from a young age for political marriages.
The daughters of the Dang Clan are taught the family’s secret arts of the bedchamber and boudoir techniques that surpass even those of the emperor’s concubines from a young age.
Why?
For the Dang Clan to reign as the rulers of Sichuan, they must maintain strong marital ties.
To do so, it was not just about getting married; the married life that followed was also very important.
As they say, if the wife is pretty, one will bow even to the posts of the in-laws' house, right?
If you go to Sichuan, you would have to line up to bow to the Dang Clan’s posts.
That’s how many n were infatuated with the won of the Dang Clan.
And Patrick had married the treasured daughter of that Sichuan Dang Clan and lived with her, sharing a blanket and skin.
In other words, his level of experience was different from these fresh new brides.
“April, now is the ti to show your valor as a knight.”
“No, but Your Highness, aren’t you the top graduate of the Academy’s Knight Faculty?”
“I am no match for you, who have pioneered the ultimate realm.”
“Then… then Elione. You are the one who has been with the Young Master the longest….”
“No. If I go through that again…. I will be corrupted. I will be darkened by pleasure.”
In the midst of their hesitation.
Patrick’s hand landed on April’s shoulder.
“April wins.”
“Yo…. Young Master.”
“It’s fine if you don’t want to, but….”
“It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s not, but….”
“Then that’s settled.”
Before any other words could co out, Patrick took April’s hand and led her away.
And April, in a daze, was led to the bedroom, and a mont later….
“## ## ####.”
What on earth could make a knightess who has pioneered the ultimate realm make such a sound?
And so, a frantic week passed.
***
A week after spending ti entirely with his wives, without being disturbed by anyone.
Patrick headed to the dining hall for the first ti in a while to have a al with his family.
Waiting for Patrick there was the Count, no, the now Grand Duke and Duchess Schneider.
“Ahem, welco… back.”
“Have you been… well? It’s been a long ti.”
Wow, it’s awkward.
There was sothing they wanted to ask, but they were hesitating, too embarrassed to ask outright, and seeing his parents like that, a sigh escaped Patrick.
“The girls will wake up later.”
Or they’ve already woken up.
At Patrick’s words, Grand Duke and Duchess Schneider laughed awkwardly and said.
“Yes. Let them rest well.”
“They should rest well. Indeed.”
Can’t we be a little less awkward?
Seeing their eyes avoiding his, yet their lips itching to tease him, a sigh escaped Patrick on its own.
‘Co to think of it, it was like this in my past life too.’
[Ahem…. Why don’t you sleep in a little more?]
[Why did you wake up so early? Senior Brother. I thought you would wake up much later.]
[Hehehe…. What…? Ah, what is it? I was just laughing, aak! Don’t hit !]
Rotten bastards….
The Master was one thing, but if the junior and nephew disciples teased their great senior brother, they deserved to be beaten.
To escape this awkward and annoying atmosphere….
“How will you manage the affairs of the state from now on?”
Talking about work is the best.
At Patrick’s words, Grand Duke Schneider paused for a mont and then spoke.
“To be honest, I’m not sure myself. Even if we’ve beco a duchy, the territory I rule hasn’t expanded, nor has the population increased….”
Grand Duke Schneider continued with a bitter expression.
“For now, I think it would be best to maintain the status quo as we have been doing and gradually make changes.”
Even as he said it, Grand Duke Schneider wondered if he was being too passive.
But Patrick, who heard his words, actually nodded and said.
“I think that’s a good idea too.”
Although it was a sowhat passive approach, it was much better than recklessly starting things, intoxicated by the suddenly increased power and status.
‘Well, my father is not that kind of person.’
However, now that the frawork had changed from a fiefdom to a nation, change was essential.
And if his father couldn’t lead that change himself, he just needed to attach a competent person in that field to him.
Patrick spoke while eating the salad in front of him.
“To be honest, I don’t have a detailed plan either. But in cases like this, they say personnel is everything.”
“…What does that an?”
“It ans that it’s better to place the right people in the right places than for you to personally step forward and take care of everything.”
“Then I’ll have to grant titles to my vassals and divide the work to manage it.”
“Yes. And there is one person I would like to introduce to you, Father.”
“An introduction?”
“Yes. I’ll bring him in a little later.”
After the al.
Patrick introduced a middle-aged man to Grand Duke Schneider.
“It is a pleasure to et you for the first ti. Your Grace. My na is Alexander Krupa.”
“Ah, then you are the one who….”
Grand Duke Schneider was montarily flustered.
The renowned pri minister of the Harbor Kingdom, Duke Alexander Krupa.
Just as the nas of skilled knights spread among knights, for soone like Grand Duke Schneider, who had once aspired to be a legal scholar, Duke Krupa was an object of admiration.
“It is a pleasure to et you… for the first ti. Duke.”
“I am no longer a duke.”
“Hahaha….”
Grand Duke Schneider just laughed it off.
After all, the main reason this man was no longer a duke was his own son.
Alexander Krupa spoke to Grand Duke Schneider.
“Even if I held the status of a duke, Your Grace is no longer in a position to bow your head so carelessly.”
A calm but strict and firm voice.
Grand Duke Schneider readily nodded and said.
“I am not yet accustod to it, so I ask for your understanding.”
“……”
Alexander Krupa slowly nodded.
But at the sa ti, he glanced at Patrick out of the corner of his eye. Then, looking at Grand Duke Schneider in front of him again, he thought to himself.
‘He does not seem to be a particularly outstanding individual.’
He had left the Harbor Kingdom because he had recognized Patrick as an outstanding monarch.
Of course, Patrick’s current status was that of an heir, and the official head of the Schneider family was Grand Duke Schneider.
But still.
‘I wasn’t expecting much, but this is a bit….’
Having been disappointed by the dependent attitude of his forr lord, King Derius, he couldn’t help but hesitate.
Even seeing the blatant disappointnt on Alexander Krupa’s face, Grand Duke Schneider said nothing.
“Hey. Mister.”
It was then.
Patrick’s defiant voice was heard….
Turning his head to look, there was Patrick with his arms crossed, speaking to Alexander Krupa.
“You’d better watch your eyes.”
“Uh…. Yes. Ah….”
“I usually do respect people who use their heads.”
[Since when, you bastard!]
It felt like he could hear the voice of soone ugly, but he just let it pass.
And he continued to speak….
“But you know. There’s a line. There’s a line for everything in the world, right?”
“……”
“If you cross that line….”
“……”
“There’s nothing.”
There was no subject, but it wasn’t difficult to understand.
The intelligent Alexander Krupa quickly bowed his head and apologized to Grand Duke Schneider.
“I apologize. Your Grace. I was rude.”
“Ahem, not at all. We are still in a relationship where we are not yet accustod to each other.”
“Ah…, yes.”
“Let us slowly get used to each other.”
Watching Grand Duke Schneider speak with a good-natured, smiling impression, Alexander Krupa realized.
‘The father and son are truly very different.’
It seems that intelligent people are indeed quick-witted.
A mont later.
Alexander Krupa explained his circumstances and expressed his intention to join the Schneider fiefdom.
“So, you are saying that you wish to formally establish a position in our Schneider Duchy… sir?”
“Yes. That is correct. Your Grace.”
Grand Duke Schneider’s heart pounded.
Alexander Krupa was the capable administrator who had established a strong centralized system in the Harbor Kingdom, which had been fragnted by the proliferation of warlord nobles.
He was precisely the kind of talent that the Schneider Duchy, which was trying to establish its foundation as a nation, needed most.
“If you wish, I would like to appoint you as the pri minister of our Schneider Duchy.”
“If you entrust it to , I will do my best.”
Alexander Krupa.
The new career of the man once called the renowned pri minister of the Harbor Kingdom began in the Schneider Duchy.
***
A short ti later.
It was officially announced that Alexander Krupa had been granted the title of Count in the Schneider Duchy and was simultaneously appointed as the pri minister in charge of internal affairs.
Whether this should be called a parachute appointnt or preferential treatnt for an experienced professional was ambiguous, but….
What was clear was that he was the stone that had rolled in.
‘First, I must establish my own position.’
Alexander Krupa knew.
What was most important to him now was how well he could embed himself in his new position.
Would he approach them cordially, blend in well, and seep in?
Or would he oust the existing figures and snatch their positions?
Either way, Count Krupa was confident. But….
“You’ve arrived. Count.”
“Ah…. It is a pleasure to et you. Baron.”
“The honor is all mine. Shall we proceed with the handover of duties imdiately?”
“Of course.”
“First, here are the docunts related to the fiefdom’s finances. And this is the transaction history with the Elbador rchant Guild, and this is the knightly order’s expense reports and salaries, and….”
What is this? This compliant cooperation?
Chandler, who had been serving as both the administrator of the fiefdom and the butler of the Schneider mansion, and had recently been promoted to baron, readily provided all the materials.
No, this was more than just compliance….
“Thank you, thank you so much for coming to our country. Count.”
Chandler, who had handed over all the materials, held Count Krupa’s hand tightly and said with tears in his eyes.
Count Krupa was rather taken aback by his burdenso appearance.
“Ahem…. Sir. Baron.”
“Finally. Finally, I can sleep more than four hours a day. I will truly never forget this grace for the rest of my life.”
“……”
“Well then, I shall be on my way….”
And watching Chandler flee as if running away, Count Krupa felt a strange chill.
It took less than three days for him to realize the true nature of that feeling.
***
Three days later.
Patrick was drilling the knightly order, soldiers, and orc warriors in the fiefdom’s training ground.
“I can see your feet, you bastards! Is that running? That’s walking!”
“Uwaaaaaaaak!”
“Please go back to the demonic realm. Young Master!”
“I’m the Grand Young Master now.”
“Just get loooost!”
“Or die!”
Hearing the anguished screams, Patrick smiled with satisfaction.
It had been a while since he had overseen the kids’ training.
Hearing the wails echoing throughout the training ground….
“Ah, this is so healing.”
Truly a demon.
A haggard and emaciated soone approached Patrick.
“Grand Young Master.”
“Huh? Oh, oh…. Mister. Why are you here? Aren’t you busy?”
At Patrick’s words, the skeleton, no, the middle-aged man grinding his teeth was Count Krupa, who had been inaugurated as the pri minister of the Schneider Duchy only three days ago.
“I have sothing to say to you.”
“What is it? Go on.”
“Please hire more people for the administration!”
“Huh? Why?”
At Patrick’s question, Count Krupa ground his teeth and said.
“Either hire more people. Or accept my resignation. Or better yet, just kill .”
“Co on, you’ve only been in office for a short ti, why are you making such a fuss?”
“A fuss?”
At that mont, for the first ti in his life, Count Krupa felt the urge to punch soone in the face.
For the past three days, he had been living buried in a mountain of docunts.
He had handled work while eating, and even took docunts with him when he went to the bathroom.
But no matter how much he processed and processed, the speed at which work piled up was much faster than the speed at which he could handle it.
It wasn't that he was incompetent and processed work slowly.
The problem was that there were simply too few people in the Schneider fiefdom who could handle administrative work.
And the inefficient way of handling work, given the small workforce, also played a part.
“Look at this.”
“What is it?”
Count Krupa unfolded the docunt and read it.
“A friend borrowed 5 silver at a drinking party a month ago and hasn’t paid it back, so what should I do?”
“What a bad guy.”
“That’s not the point!”
My, what a booming voice.
For a mont, I thought it was a lion’s roar.
Count Krupa glared at Patrick with bloodshot eyes and said.
“Why is a petition like this coming all the way up to the pri minister of a nation?”
“Ahem, one must work hard on both small and large matters. Isn’t that what a true official does?”
“……”
“Tsk tsk tsk, this is all because you lack the spirit of loving the people and serving them. Tsk, so spoiled….”
Count Krupa’s jaw dropped.
And a little late, but he, too, ca to have the thought that most people who et Patrick Schneider have.
‘What kind of person is this?’
Yes. This is normal.
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