I am the Monarch Chapter 192 : Lancephil County (2)

Six young man looked at the Count Lancephil House's enormous visitors reception room and shook their heads.
The reception room was, even from a glance, full of an incredible wave of people, but not a single small disturbance arose despite so.
When there occasionally were those who raised their voices, guards with neatly made uniforms came up and escorted them out with courteous manner.
An exceedingly mannerly reception.
At that moment.

“Welcome, sirs. I am Darren of Lancephil Division of Human Resources. May I ask your purpose in visiting our lord's castle?”

A middle-aged man wearing a uniform approached and bowed his head.

“Ah, we heard that Sir Count Lancephil widely employs talented individuals, so we have lowered our heads and came to visit.”

One amongst the young men quickly answered.

“I see.”

Darren bightly smiled and opened up a thick visitor's log.
Incredibly many names were already written down on the visitor's log.
Although most people would had instantly lost their spirits the moment they saw that visitor's log, the six young men had absolutely no such look.

“You may have to wait a little long, sirs.”

Darren apologized first.
Because although there were no one who acted thoughtlessly or cause trouble thanks to Roan's fame, it was possible for dissatisfaction and complaints to explode out.
The six young men, with pleased expressions, nodded their heads.

“Yes. We can wait for however long.”
“It's our fault for being later than others.”

Brightly smiling looks.
It was a sight that even made Darren pleasant.

“Thank you for your understanding, sirs. Then please tell me your names one by one.”

At those words, one of the young man pushed his head out.

“I'm Swift, sir.”

Following that, the other young men revealed their names one by one.

“Buro, sir.” (t/n note: the name “Beulo” in ch. 133 & 134 have been changed to “Buro”.)
“I'm Raitler.”
“I'm Rotner, sir.”
“My name is Griffin.”
“Nunse, sir.”

It was the moment Darren nodded his head and was just about to write down their names.

“Eh?”

Together with a surprised voice, a middle aged man with a neatly worn uniform approached from a side.
Although it was a face truly without any distinct character, he was a man of an impression that strangely made people comfortable.

“Director Onil.”

Darren slightly lowered his head towards the middle-aged man.

The middle aged man was the head manager of the Lancephil Division of Human Resources he was in as well as his immediate superior, Onil.
Onil lowered his head towards Darren too, then stood in front of the six young men.

“All six sirs, it has been a while.”

A greeting passed with welcoming expression.
The six young men made surprised expressions.

“Do you remember us, sir?”

Seemingly having difficulty in believing, they widely opened their eyes.
On the other hand, Onil faintly smiled and nodded his head as if to say of course.

“Of course, sirs. You were descendants of noble houses and graduates of Tron Academy. Have you not visited the temporary mansion at the capital, Miller, in the past then left saying you've realized something and will come back after learning more about the world?”
“That is exactly correct, sir.”

Amongst the six young men, Swift nodded his head with a slightly dazed expression.

'Even though hundreds of people should be coming and going each day……'
'Even though it was just a moment-long meeting a few years ago……'
'To think he would remember that……'

The young men couldn't stop their exclamations.
The six young men.
Swift, Buro, Raitler, Rotner, Griffin, Nunse.
They were the graduates who had received Tron Academy's Principal Fred Brown's recommendation and visited Roan.
They, who were pompous at the time, met Viscount Reil Baker at a reception room and received a big realization.
They realized their narrow-mindedness and their deficiencies on their own and greatly felt ashamed.
They went out on a study of the world in order to fill the parts they lacked and had came to visit Roan after finally gaining desired results.

'Their faces are all good.'

Onil looked at the six young men's faces and inwardly made proud smiles.
The day the six young men realized their shamefulness on their own and left.
Onil met Clay in front of the visitors reception room.

'At the time, President Clay……'

Said greatly arrogant words while looking at the backs of the young men who left.

'He said what kind of big things could they possibly do without certainty and trust in their own abilities and that there wasn't anyone that can compare to his talents even though there were so many people coming to visit.'

At the time, Onil couldn't agree to Clay's words.
He believed and didn't doubt that the six young men who realized their deficiencies on their own and left to the world outside would one day return as great men.
And.

'I resolved to personally write down their names on the visitor's log myself like the last time at the time when they return……'

Onil extended his hand towards Darren.

“I'll personally write them.”
“Yes. Understood, sir.”

Darren handed over the visitor's log and a pen.
Onil meticulously wrote down the six young men's names and their details.

“Should I bring out the refreshments”?

A question he asked while brightly smiling.
It was the same conversation like the time they first met.
Swift, unlike the last time, brightly smiled and nodded his head.

“Since it looks like we'll have to wait a long time, please give us a lot if possible.”

They now had peace in their hearts.

“Yes, sirs. I'll prepare plenty.”

Onil slightly lowered his head, then moved his feet.

'They're good individuals.'

At the least, he was confident that his eyes for people were good.
It was a part even others acknowledged.
Because so, he was able to climb up to the position of the Division of Human Resources' director.

'They are people who will do great things for our fief.'

He felt such certainty.
And as expected, the six young men would henceforth be called within few years as Lancephil's Six Brains by the world.

< If Lancephil's Six Brains all gather, even the God Brain Clay cannot act as he wish. >

A rumor that shook the world.
But a rumor even more famous than that was,

< The one who breathed life into the Lancephil Fief isn't the God Brain, the God Spear, or the Light, but the Gentle Breeze Onil. >

Of course, these two rumors were still something that would be talked about by the people much later.

******

Roan quietly returned.
It was because he didn't wish to once again raise an uproar when the Crimson Legion had already received a grand welcome.
From the day he arrived at the Mediasis Castle, he didn't rest for even a single moment.
He rapidly processed the various and incredibly many pending issues that were backed up until now.

'Chris knows this better than me. And Keep is an expert on this. Pichio is also excellent.'

Besides the issues Roan himself had to make decision on, he respected his retainers' opinions as much as possible.
Because the retainers weren't simply servants but were recognized as experts in each fields.
Thanks to that, the processing speed of the pending issues were blindingly fast.
It was a level even Clay would shake his head at.

'Since the fief's size has expanded by more than twice, I will also have to reset the overall field.'

Roan placed the talented individuals that swarmed up from every side at right places for the right individuals.
Simultaneously, he once again reorganized the county's organization system.
With the various memories that newly awoke from the hexers' assault as the basis and with Clay and the administrators' help, he set up a much more fine and efficient advancement system.

'I can't neglect the academy and magic tower constructions, and expansion and aid to the mercenary guild either.'

It wasn't a work that had results that would immediately show up.
But.

'Although recruiting outside talents is also important, strengthening the internal stability by ourselves too is important.'

Roan planned to strengthen from the fief's base and roots.
As much as the fief had increased, the number of fief's citizens had also sharply rose.
Naturally, the number of individuals with outstanding talents amongst them also drastically rose higher than before.
Roan planned to give a chance at education to them and let them freely show off the abilities they have.
Each and every day, mindlessly busy days passed.
And finally, the first official event since Roan returned to the fief opened.
That was neither a merit ceremony, an inheritance ceremony, nor a nobility investment ceremony.

Ppabam! Ppababam! Ppabam!

Milta Military Band's grand performance.
The commanders of thousand-man rank and higher, while wearing newly fitted crimson uniforms, lowered their heads.
Behind them, more than thousands of Crimson Legion's soldiers soundlessly saluted.
Together with heated gazes, hotter tears welled.
At the place where everyone's gazes met.
At the top of a giant gate that brought a triumphal arc to mind, a stone plate carved with powerful calligraphy was hanged.

< Lancephil Hall of Heroes. >

The first building, no, a symbol made and raised from spending Lancephil Fief's finance.
On the giant field of green that spread inside of it, the graves of the comrades who forever entered sleep while fighting for the Lancephil Fief were built.

Ppabam! Ppababam! Ppabam!

The Milta Military Band's performance reached climax.
The commanders of thousand-man and above rank raised their heads and looked at the front.
The young man standing in front of a grand altar.
The young man who was wearing a crimson uniform and a crimson mantle was Roan Lancephil.
Taking off his military hat and carrying it under an arm, he made a salute.

“I will not let your deaths be in vain.”

The small voice powerfully echoed out.
The Crimson Legion's soldiers tightly clenched their fists.
Their hearts fiercely burned up.
Looking at the stone surface where the names of the fallen were written fully, Roan added on.

“With your blood, the Crimson Legion has been colored much redder.”

From his entire body, a presence that couldn't be reached, yet endlessly gentle, flowed out.

“Rest comfortably there. You have the right to do so. And in your instead……”

Roan shouted as if to proclaim.

“We will embrace your blood on our chests and right the continent.”

He spun right around and looked at the Crimson Legion's soldiers.

“Are you all ready?”

Ready to freely roam the continent together with the fallen comrades.
Without even having to say it, that meaning was delivered.
The Crimson Legion's soldiers, in a perfect order, kneeled down on one knee.
A perfect sight without a single strand of hesitation or dislocation.

“Yes sir! We shall follow our lord's order, sir!”

A grand sight.
In front of the incredible pressure and bravery that stormed around his entire body, Roan slightly trembled.

'Together with them, I can achieve anything.'

His own resolve and certainty increased.
Roan wore the military hat he had held under his arm.
Below the hat, a sharp light flashed from his eyes.
The Crimson Legion's soldiers, with one knee still kneeled, did not move thoughtlessly.
Seeing Roan taking care of the fallen the foremost, their loyalties had deepen much further.
Furthermore, Roan's steps weren't finished with this.
Opening up the fief's finance, he had provided an incredible compensation and recompense to the families of the fallen.
The dead were dead, and the living were living.
Because majority of places didn't gave out even a few pieces of coins to the fief's citizens saying how much could they be to those who lost their loved ones, Roan's action was something that deserved to receive applause from many people.
In fact, the number of people amongst the fallens' families who were greatly moved by Roan's careful considerations and interest wasn't small.

“Huu.”

Roan, who finished the Fallen Memorial Ceremony, returned to his office and checked the next schedule.
At that moment.

'Hmm.'

Roan's sharp and sensitive senses picked up an unpleasant presence.

'He really is busy.'

Tips of his mouth slightly went up.
Roan' put down the bundle of papers he was checking, then moved his steps towards a window.
Through the slightly open gap in the window, two small chattering birds were visible.

Paat.

Roan's hand weirdly moved and quickly snatched one of them.
A fast hand movement that it couldn't quite escape from.

Chirp. Chirp.

The small bird struggled and tragically cried.
Roan, so that he doesn't accidentally hurt it, gently grasp the small bird and looked straight at it.
For a moment, an awkward staring contest between a human and a bird continued on.

Chiiiirp.

The small bird now didn't even cry and instead turned its head this way and that as if to avoid Roan's gaze.
Finally, Roan made a faint smile.

“Rather than doing this, it'll be better to directly see faces and talk.”

Words passed to the bird.
It was a sight that one would definitely think that Roan had gone mad if he saw it.
However, Roan was greatly serious.

“Come to my office right now.”

HIs voice was calm.

“Clay.”

Roan brushed the bird's head once, then released him out of the window.
The small bird circled around the window, then soon flew towards the end of east.
And a moment later.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A sound of knocking on the office's door.

“Come in.”

As soon as Roan's words fell, the tightly closed door cautiously opened.
The one who appeared together with a faint smile was Clay.
He lowered his head towards Roan.

“I have received your summon and came, my lord.”

Clay's voice was greatly composed.
His expression too was greatly composed.
He didn't unnecessarily laid out excuses or justifications.
Tips of Roan's mouth gently went up.

'Clay.'

The two people's eyes flashed and shone lights.
As if passing an ordinary greeting, Roan lightly threw his words.

“Did you think I wouldn't know?'

At those words, Clay faintly smiled and shook his head.

“Would I really have thought so complacently, my lord?”

Answer that asks instead.
The smile that hang Roan's mouth became much deeper.

“And the reason?”

As expected, words that calmly ask.
Clay stayed silent for a moment and looked at Roan's eyes.
An awkward and heavy silence.
Finally.

“It was for myself.”

Clay.
He did not unnecessarily said a lie.

“At the same time, it was also for my lord.”

A bold expression and voice.
Roan quietly stared at Clay's eyes.
The two people's gazes chaotically tangled and tangled again.
The time flowed slowly and the space shrank.
Like that, the conversation continued on.

< Lancephil County (2) > End.

Chapter end