Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 26 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue

While Ryoma Mikoshiba battled to the death against the allied forces of Brittantia and Tarja, a mountain of documents surrounded an old man embroiled in his own struggle far to the north in the demon-infested Wortenia Peninsula.

A gentle, warm ray of sun shone through the window from outside. Just how nice would it be, dozing under the shade of a tree, facing up toward the sky? It was the essence of the perfect day. There was no better way to pass the time than to lie in a park and nap on the grass.

Such a peaceful life was unknown to this old man, though. The man’s tied-back white hair and the wrinkles on his face showed he was around eighty. It was safe to say he was old. But he sat straight, and his skin was still plump and resilient. Moreover, his intense, sharp gaze indicated he was no ordinary person. He was a veteran. His clothes were rather odd for the western continent.

Few people dressed like him on the western continent. To put it simply, he was wearing Japanese-style clothing. It wasn’t a casual kimono or a hakama with his family crest on it like one would see in period dramas on TV. He had clothes similar to what monks wore, ones that he had custom-made. The man looked good in the tailored clothes, woven from pure silk dyed deep blue. That said, his attire was a little odd when contrasted with the room, with its chandelier and red velvet rug.

Japanese and Western styles somehow appeared to work in harmony due to the strong aura the man emanated, leaving no room for questioning. The work in front of the old man, the owner of the room, was more important to him than anything else. In the room, the second hand of the clock on the wall ticked with a steady rhythm, accompanied by the sound of the old man’s quill dancing across the paper. How long had he been working? He had been doing so since morning, and midafternoon was fast approaching.

Finally, the old man’s hand stopped. The documents that had been piled high in a box labeled “pending” were now all transferred to one labeled “completed.” The old man had seemingly reached a stopping point in his work.

“Hmm... That should do it,” muttered the old man, rubbing his chin as he nodded. He then pressed his fingers to the corner of his eyes to rub them as he slowly moved his neck around. The sound of a sharp crack reverberated in the room. “Looks like I’ve got stiff shoulders.”

Even a human being who had reached a level of transcendence was prone to stiff shoulders after working on documents for a long time. It showed that although he was incredibly skilled in battle, he was still human and thus was held back by some inherent restraints. If he were a monster or something otherworldly, he wouldn’t be bogged down by such trifling human matters.

The old man was Koichiro Mikoshiba.

He was the grandfather of the young ruler who controlled the city of Sirius, the demon-infested Wortenia Peninsula, and the region formerly known as the northern part of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. Koichiro was the man who had been left the unfortunate task of overseeing everything while the young ruler was absent on a foreign campaign. Yet Koichiro believed it wasn’t such a bad job.

“Well, time to take a break,” he said as he opened a drawer in the desk, pulling out his beloved tobacco container and smoking pipe.

The Japanese smoking pipe, just like his monk clothing, was made by the Christoph Company and was one of his most beloved possessions. He probably held them in the same esteem as his two beloved swords, Ouka and Kikka. That was how special the tobacco container and smoking pipe were to Koichiro.

He had been a heavy smoker back on Rearth. Since being summoned to Earth, he rarely got to indulge the habit, which made it even more special to him.

People view tobacco as a high-value commodity here on Earth, and there’s not really a smoking culture to promote things like enjoying a smoking pipe.

The western continent had never cultivated tobacco because imports from the central or southern continents satisfied existing demand. In fact, out of the goods the Kristof Company imported from the central continent, tobacco was one of the most popular luxury goods alongside tea. Tobacco imports also served as an important source of revenue for the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. The need for ships to cross stormy seas and reach other continents justified a high retail price. As a result, tobacco was only accessible to the wealthy. It wasn’t nearly as accessible here as it was in modern Japan, where one could get tobacco from a vending machine or a convenience store with relative ease.

Paper cigarettes and cigars were the most common ways of consuming tobacco on Earth, although pipes, chewing tobacco, and hookah also existed. But on the western continent, when people referred to tobacco, they usually meant cigarettes or cigars. Smoking tobacco in any other way was typically reserved for true connoisseurs with refined tastes. This would have been impossible without having a lot of money or strong connections with powerful merchants. Koichiro particularly enjoyed an unusual type of finely chopped tobacco leaves known as “fine-cut tobacco.” It was generally smoked through a pipe, which was a unique form of enjoying tobacco characteristic to Japan.

I’ll just have to make do with what I can get my hands on... 

Koichiro knew this. Aside from using a smoking pipe, he didn’t like the other ways of smoking tobacco. This might not have made much sense to those who didn’t smoke. But to Koichiro, who had been smoking with pipes for a long time, it was something he wasn’t willing to compromise on.

I’ve tried ordinary pipes, but the taste is different. The only way I can smoke tobacco is by using fine-cut tobacco in a Japanese smoking pipe.

Koichiro reached into the drawer of the tobacco tray and took out a handful of finely cut tobacco leaves, which had been brought from the southern continent. He rolled them into a small ball using his fingertips before packing them into the small sphere-shaped holder on his smoking pipe. Then he lit the pipe using verbal thaumaturgy he had stored in his index finger, brought the pipe up to his mouth, and lightly inhaled.

He cast the verbal thaumaturgy without any chant; it was a completely silent cast where even the final incantation was left out. Of course, the amount of flame produced was the same as a lighter. It wasn’t very powerful, but the fact that Koichiro could produce even that much so easily was a testament to his abilities as a thaumaturgist. Although using such an advanced technique just to light his smoking pipe might have seemed like a waste, Koichiro didn’t mind it in the least.

“I’d heard that tobacco from Basrabad was satisfying to smoke, and it is rather nice... I can see why Lord Nelcius so fervently recommended it,” noted Koichiro as he held the smoke in his mouth, savoring the taste. He nodded with satisfaction. It was worth all the trouble. 

In a world where cigarettes and cigars were the norm, if one wanted to enjoy a kiseru—a Japanese smoking pipe—they would have to craft it. The only other option would have been to hope that someone had a smoking pipe with them when they were summoned to Earth and that he could somehow obtain it. But that would depend on sheer luck.

Regardless, it feels a little awkward to worry about making Japanese smoking pipes when we don’t even know if Asuka is safe.

Even if Koichiro had gone to great lengths to obtain a smoking pipe, no one would have criticized him for it. Surviving in this world required one to enjoy their hobbies for the sake of their mental health. Minds and bodies were unable to stay fit and healthy after witnessing battle after battle, carnage upon more carnage. It wouldn’t make sense for someone who had experienced the pleasures of a modern, comfortable, and affluent life in Japan to endure without such comforts, unlike a native of this world who didn’t know how to enjoy life properly.

If there is no other option, man can endure... Well, I could have also asked Chuken too...

Koichiro had plenty of excuses he could make. With his position, it wouldn’t be that difficult for him to get his hands on a Japanese smoking pipe. Although they weren’t common, getting one at a store wasn’t the only way. It would have been difficult for an ordinary person to obtain, but Koichiro was one of the leaders of the Organization. Liu Da Ren, also known as Liu Chuken, was one of the elders of the Organization who secretly managed the region from their base in the city of Lentencia in the southwestern part of the western continent. He also had a close relationship with Koichiro.

Had Koichiro asked him for help, he would have used all of the Organization’s power across the entire continent to look for a smoking pipe. If that proved fruitless, he would have asked a skilled craftsman to make one. However, Koichiro couldn’t allow that. After all, Asuka Kiryu had only recently been rescued from the clutches of the Church of Meneos. Before then, although the Organization’s spies had confirmed she was still alive, Koichiro had no way of determining if Asuka was safe with his own eyes.

For Koichiro, who deeply understood the true nature and the danger of the Church of Meneos, he could not remain calm knowing that a group resembling a terrorist organization or a mafia was holding Asuka captive. Of course, Koichiro knew that in a bizarre twist of fate, Rodney McKenna, a man of import in the Church of Meneos, and his half sister Menea Norberg had taken Asuka into their care and were looking after her.

However, Koichiro knew all too well that he couldn’t say Asuka was one hundred percent safe; he recognized the true nature of this world. Thus, he was not motivated to fully enjoy his hobbies. He knew he was the cause behind it all. The situation had changed entirely with the rescue of Asuka from the Church of Meneos and Koichiro being left in charge of Sirius. To put it simply, he had a newfound lease to enjoy his hobbies.

Lady Simone has introduced me to a good craftsman, it would seem, thought Koichiro. Monks’ clothing and a Japanese smoking pipe were essential items to Koichiro. He needed them in his daily life. The craftsman did a real good job on these.

He inhaled and savored the smoke again, looking at the pipe. It was a high-quality piece of craftsmanship. The bowl and the mouthpiece were made of pure silver, and the connecting pipe, also known as the rau, was crafted from ebony rather than the usual bamboo. From those materials alone, it could be regarded as a high-quality item. In addition to that, the pipe itself reflected the craftsman’s aesthetic sensibility, giving it a distinct flavor and making it a unique piece. Koichiro also liked the lively shape of a dragon carved into the gooseneck of the pipe.

Of course, a Japanese smoking pipe made by a craftsman here on Earth would be a notch or two below one of the highest quality pipes Koichiro owned back in Japan. Despite the decline in the production of Japanese smoking pipes in recent years, there was still some presence as people carried on the craft and tradition passed down all the way from Japan’s Edo period. It had become difficult for craftsmen to hone their skills when there were few manufacturing locations. Since this was the first item that Koichiro had commissioned, it was only natural that he was attached to it.

I’ll try recommending this to Lord Nelcius when I see him next. If I commission the craftsman who made it, they’ll probably be able to make something nice for him. 

The scenario was similar to an otaku recommending their favorite anime to a friend. Hobbyists were all the same, regardless of age, race, or gender. One could argue it was a case of spreading the gospel of one’s passion.

Nelcius and Koichiro had become drinking buddies, and after the war in Rhoadseria, they enjoyed drinking together in the Wortenia Peninsula. As it turned out, military men had a lot in common.

Koichiro thought to himself as he reached for the stack of documents in the “completed” box. He felt relaxed after a few puffs of his pipe and was ready to work again. He quickly glanced over his own signature on the document and sighed deeply.

“But Ryoma, he asks too much of me... I understand it’s difficult to order the people of this world around. He has me, an amateur, doing things like urban development, taking command of troops in battles, organizing funds and supplies for reinforcements and the like... I’d much rather be told to lead a full army into war and annihilate our enemies.”

Most people would probably laugh at the idea that a man his age would find destroying an enemy nation an easier job than paperwork. They might even put it down to him muttering nonsense in his old age. If they were to hear the truth about this old man, with his white hair tied behind his head as well as his history and achievements, they would be shamed into silence.

No other general in the entire continent could match up to Koichiro Mikoshiba’s past and experience on the battlefield. If one were to look for a suitable candidate in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, one might suggest Helena Steiner, the Ivory Goddess of War, as a suitable comparison. Koichiro was precisely the kind of person who deserved the title God of War.

Hence, it felt unnatural for Koichiro to be stuck in Sirius, in a manor built by Ryoma Mikoshiba, trapped at a table and working through documents. It wouldn’t be strange if he complained about the situation he was in. Whether such complaints reflected Koichiro’s innermost feelings was indefinite, making the situation somewhat complicated. The words Koichiro muttered before were more accurately understood as grumbling toward those close to him rather than an actual expression of dissatisfaction or complaints.

Koichiro apparently had his own thoughts and feelings about the situation, but there was a certain hint of joy on his face due to his beloved granddaughter’s reliance on him. Such was a showcase of the mysterious subtleties of the human heart.

At the same time, he had mixed feelings about his own work. While he took pride in handling matters appropriately, there remained a conflicting feeling that he wasn’t doing his best, something he couldn’t completely erase from his mind. When Koichiro really didn’t want to do something, he wouldn’t take a roundabout approach and complain about it. If he said no to a request, then there was little that would change his mind.

That was the essence of Kochiro Mikoshiba—he would even draw his sword from his sheath to assert his will. He was a man with the power to stubbornly impose his will. The only way to make a man of such strength change his mind would be to persuade him with sincerity.

Well, as Ryoma puts it, I understand that there is no one else available for these jobs besides me...

Koichiro understood that, which was why he reluctantly took on the role of administrator. In fact, most of the retainers who served the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy were military types. They weren’t all muscleheads, but there were very few who could handle supporting the army or urban development within the dukedom. Not to mention, those who could handle it weren’t currently available.

For personnel skilled in internal affairs within the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, one would first think of the names Count Bergstone and his brother-in-law, Count Zeleph.

Both men had extensive experience as lords and were among the few involved with internal affairs within the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. Although they had only begun serving the Mikoshiba family fairly recently, their relationship with Ryoma Mikoshiba went back a long way. They had known Ryoma since the civil war started by the late Viscount Gelhart, making them some of his longest known associates after the Malfist twins and Lione. Ryoma trusted the two men a lot.

When it came to advancing the development of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy’s main base, the Wortenia Peninsula, there were no two better fit for the job than Bergstone and Zeleph. Naturally, Ryoma and Koichiro preferred entrusting the task to those two if possible.

However, the recently annexed northern region of Rhoadseria is under the administration of Count Bergstone. Count Zeleph is occupied with monitoring noble society within Rhoadseria.

Considering both their aptitude and experience, entrusting the development of the whole Mikoshiba domain to either of them would have been ideal. Since the northern part of Rhoadseria had only recently become a formal part of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, it was best to have Count Bergstone, who had the most experience in territorial management among Ryoma’s retainers, take charge.

Count Zeleph had been tasked with the important job of monitoring the nobles within the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.

After all, the Rhoadserian nobles who managed to keep their family lines alive—such as Charlotte Halcyon—were rather cunning. They seem to have sworn loyalty to Ryoma, but if the tides were to change, who knows what they might do? One must be wary of those quick to seize opportunities. 

Still, Koichiro didn’t see Charlotte and the others as traitors. Despite the strong presence of male chauvinism in the Kingdom of Rhoadseria, Charlotte and the others had maintained their influence within the royal court for many years, even while others whispered behind their back about them being women.

While Charlotte and the others learned martial arts to the extent expected of noblewomen, they were by no means warriors. On the contrary, they were skilled in internal affairs, strategy, logistics, and administrative tasks.

Indeed, they could be considered key assets for future development of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy. At least Ryoma’s assessment of them is accurate. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any issues at all.

The answer to whether Charlotte and her group were as trustworthy as the Malfist sisters or Lione would most likely be no. Ultimately, trust was built on the accumulation of past achievements and the ability to predict the future based on those past outcomes. Trusting Charlotte and her group unconditionally would be nothing short of foolish without that foundation of past achievements.

Even if Charlotte and the others kept the Rhoadserian nobles in line, it was necessary to have an overseer to ensure proper conduct. Within the unique class system of noble society, proper intelligence gathering couldn’t rely solely on forces like the Igasaki clan.

Information from someone within nobility itself was essential.

There was only one suitable candidate among those in the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy: Count Zeleph. He had a wide range of connections and relationships. Regardless of how skilled Koichiro was in intelligence work, or how extensive his experience was, Count Zeleph remained the better man for this job.

Even taking all of this into account, Ryoma Mikoshiba’s decision to assign his grandfather, Koichiro, the role of administrator was a difficult one. But it was also the best choice to make at the time being.

That said, just because that was the best option at the moment didn’t mean that it would always be the best option. And the person who understood that the most right now was Koichiro Mikoshiba.

Bringing the mouthpiece of the pipe to his lips, Koichiro took a light draw, slowly exhaling the smoke toward the ceiling.

“Well, as long as there aren’t any other suitable candidates, I suppose I’ll look after things for a while... Having an amateur like me handle government affairs indefinitely is not without its problems... While I’m managing for now, it won’t be long before flaws in this setup begin to show. Especially considering that whether Ryoma likes it or not, the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy will be bound to expand in the future...”

Deciding if it was appropriate for Koichiro to be involved in the administration of the city of Sirius was a delicate matter. Given the current options, it could be considered as a wise decision. Even with Koichiro’s military strength and ability to command troops, placing him in a position in the shadows might have felt like a bit of a waste.

His involvement was akin to using a universal cure that could treat any disease or a simple cold. Or hiring a Michelin-star chef to work as a part-timer in a family restaurant. The final outcome wouldn’t be bad in either case. In the former case, the cold symptoms would be cured. But the latter scenario wouldn’t require extensive training for the chef, meaning they’d be a valuable asset from the get-go.

If Koichiro were asked whether the potential and rarity of each asset in those scenarios were fully utilized, the answer would be no. While it wouldn’t be appropriate to call the outcomes of those scenarios a complete waste, it would be fitting to say that it was a case of being “underutilized.”

And that was similar to the decision to not place Koichiro Mikoshiba at the forefront of the battlefield.

Koichiro Mikoshiba was a rare individual, someone who not only was a master of martial arts but could also serve as a general leading an army. This extraordinary combination was uncommon among modern people.

This rare combination was a result of him being summoned to this world, and by a strange twist of fate, forced to survive countless battlefields. During his time with the Organization, he was involved in everything from solo assassinations of high-profile targets to commanding guerrilla operations with small units and even leading thousands of troops. And in each of those instances, he achieved victory.

No one knew the full extent of his battle history. And that probably wouldn’t change, even if one were to ask Koichiro Mikoshiba himself.

Unlike modern society, the means of communication in this world are extremely limited.

If one were an important merchant or a noble, they might have the option of sending messages via specially trained birds, but people usually transmitted information by hand.

However, that came with its own dangers.

Outside of the cities, monsters roamed, and bandits preyed on travelers. The world wasn’t very safe.

Knights regularly patrolled areas near the royal capital or around powerful lords’ strongholds, making them somewhat safe. But this was only true for a limited number of regions. Generally speaking, sending a letter from one town to the other was an ordeal in this world.

The only exception might be using thaumaturgy to tap into the ley lines that crisscross the western continent to communicate. However, it’s unlike the internet in that anyone can use it as long as it’s paid for.

If a highly skilled thaumaturgist made even a slight mistake, the flow of the ley lines could sweep away their consciousness, leading to their disintegration. They could end up either as shells of their former selves, or even dead. The ley lines weren’t something that couldn’t be used casually on a daily basis.

In a world with limited methods, recounting every minor skirmish involving dozens of people or guerrilla warfare aimed at disrupting an army’s rear would have been impractical. Doing so might have been worth it for battles involving thousands, but not for smaller battles.

Because of the unique circumstances of this world, even Koichiro didn’t have an accurate count, but he was almost certain that the number of his victories didn’t fall below a hundred.

In that sense, he could have been considered as a versatile commander, skilled in leading small-scale battles and commanding large-scale engagements.

Although he was a versatile general, he lacked experience as a politician or a bureaucrat. He also had no experience in logistics, such as procuring supplies and sending them to the front lines, or any experience in military administration. The elders who ruled the Organization way back in the day must have thought it would be a waste to assign someone with Koichiro’s level of combat and command to do simple paperwork. Compared to the locals of this world who lacked knowledge, Koichiro was still able to manage the tasks adequately.

For example, Simone Christoph and her company led the merchant guild alliance in the northern region of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria that was solely responsible for providing the duchy’s food supplies. Dark elf artisans and verbal thaumaturgists residing in the Wortenia Peninsula produced weapons and medicines, so there were no issues with those supplies either.

What was crucial was having a clear, overarching view of the whole situation and ensuring that supply lines were not disrupted.

As long as one understands that much, this job is manageable. 

Moreover, Koichiro Mikoshiba didn’t lack the aptitude or talent for such logistical support or behind-the-scenes work. The real issue lay more in his practical experience and his own motivation for such tasks.

If it’s a short-term infiltration mission, I have experience with that.

But that experience was from missions aimed at assassination and sabotage, not intelligence gathering. During some of those missions, he had temporarily served as a soldier of the Kingdom of Helnesgoula.

Although infiltrating enemy territory was the same, the purpose was entirely different. Besides, Koichiro had only enlisted as a foot soldier. Naturally, assigning such a recruit any paperwork was out of the question.

Maintaining close relations with key figures in a country while setting up schemes, like Akitake Sudou does, is a highly exceptional ability. It’s incredibly dangerous, and above all, it heavily depends on the individual’s skill and qualities.

Not all people from Rearth summoned to this world were as accustomed to rough work or intelligence operations as Koichiro. In fact, those who were used to it were exceedingly rare.

Most were ordinary people who had never even butchered livestock, let alone killed anyone with their own hands.

Well, the exception might occur when the Organization secretly removes the control seals from Rearth’s dominated people and use them as sleeper agents.

Some of the people who were summoned had actually worked in intelligence, and there were also individuals whose talents or personality made them suited for such covert work. Given that the summoning to this world involved people from Rearth who hailed from all walks of life, this was only natural.

However, summoning such exceptional individuals was admittedly an unlikely event. To be frank, infiltrating enemy territory to conduct intelligence gathering or espionage was an exceedingly dangerous job.

This type of intelligence gathering involved assuming a false identity and revealing oneself to those around, which would be classified as yojutsu in ninjutsu terms.

Compared to injutsu, where one infiltrated enemy territory in a stereotypical ninja outfit as people generally imagined, this method was somewhat less dangerous. But it didn’t mean there was no danger at all.

Intelligence gathering activities were such that if one’s cover was blown, there was a high probability of either death or torture. To put it bluntly, those who engaged in espionage were essentially expendable, akin to sacrificial pawns.

That being said, it’s a job that someone has to do.

The real issue was whether someone as skilled as Koichiro needed to take on such a dangerous job himself.

After all, Koichiro was a formidable warrior who had reached a realm beyond that of a mere master. He had stepped into the domain of a transcendent being, pushing the limits of human capability in this world.

Using such a valuable person for rear support or intelligence work rather than on the front lines was akin to using a butcher’s knife to cut a chicken.

It was a sheer waste of talent.

For these reasons, Koichiro had never acquired any experience with clerical work like logistical support.

Considering the current situation of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, there was little room for taking Koichiro’s personal feelings into account.

Moreover, if there were no more suitable knives available, using a butcher’s knife to cut a chicken might be unavoidable. One could even use it to cut fish or vegetables if necessary.

Back in the day, Chuken handled all these kinds of tasks. That guy was exceptionally good at managing people.

Liu Zhongjian—also known as Master Liu—served as an elder of the Organization and operated out of the city of Lentencia in the southwestern part of the western continent. Even back in the day, he was a figure highly regarded within the Organization as a warrior comparable to Koichiro. At the same time, he had also accumulated experience in logistical support, such as procuring supplies for the front lines and raising operational funds for the Organization.

Additionally, he was skilled in intelligence work. Without Master Liu’s support, about half of Koichiro’s victories might have ended in a stalemate. This was likely related to the fact that Master Liu’s family was a wealthy merchant house that ran a trading business in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China. No other type of person was more conscious of human connections and more understanding of the power of money than a merchant.

While family environment greatly influenced a person’s character and abilities, one couldn’t ignore individual temperament and disposition. Nevertheless, this was a path that Koichiro deliberately chose to avoid in his younger days. At over eighty years old, the bill for avoiding that path had come due in an unexpected way.

Maybe it’s pointless to say this now, but if things were going to turn out like this, should I have involved myself a bit more in the Organization’s operations? Chuken and Kuze would have taught me as much as I wanted if I had asked.

Yet that was nothing more than the grumbling of an old man who could do nothing about it now. No matter how much Koichiro had surpassed human limits to become a transcendent being, he couldn’t reverse the flow of time.

It seems I’ve become rather soft... No, maybe it’s just that I’ve gotten old.

With such thoughts, Koichiro took a light drag from his Japanese smoking pipe, finished his smoke, tapped the bowl against the edge of the ashtray to clear it of ash, and lightly blew into the mouthpiece to remove any remaining ash. Then he checked the position of the clock hands on the wall. It was already approaching 1 p.m.

Today, there’s a meeting with Nelcius in the third-floor conference room starting at 2 p.m. I suppose lunch will have to wait until after that... Nothing I can do about it.

For the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy, the demi-human races living in the Wortenia Peninsula were of great importance. Among them, the Dark Elf tribe held the key to the prosperity of House Mikoshiba. Therefore, a meeting with Nelcius, the leader of the Dark Elf tribe, was as important as Koichiro’s clerical work. Naturally, that work took precedence over Koichiro’s need to eat lunch.

Having been working since early in the morning, Koichiro had no choice but to attend the meeting with an empty stomach. That said, if he had given up his smoke break, he could have at least eaten a sandwich. In this case, it was fair to say this was a consequence of Koichiro’s choices.

Don’t I need to find someone I can delegate at least the clerical work to?

This was an impossible wish for the moment, a hope that seems unlikely. There was no chance that a capable and trustworthy person would just fall from the sky out of nowhere. And yet, it remained a lingering desire and an unshakable hope.

I suppose it’s just a lingering regret, thought Koichiro, sighing deeply.

After returning the smoking set to the drawer, Koichiro rose from his chair and left his office.

However, a few days later, a single report delivered to Koichiro would change everything.

The trading fleet of the Christoph Trading Company, which had been conducting trade on the northern continent, had captured a pirate ship. Soon, the fate of the Mikoshiba Grand Duchy would reach a new turning point thanks to one person who had been chained as a slave.