The Devil Is Evolution Catalog - Chapter 838: Matters of the Territory (11)

I wasn’t dumb enough to go against the conventions of society all alone. At least, not now, while I still did not have the strength to fight the world.

Thus, I had the slaves work for me under a five year contract, after which they would be automatically given back their freedom. Honestly, this was a form of protection for them as well. After all, I was now their master, and hurting them would be akin to hurting my interests. In this day and age, slaves were property, so any potential offender had better think twice about hurting them.

Maybe they might even start queuing up to be my slave now, haha…

As for the refugees, Otto had prepared a large number of jobs for them. For the refugees to truly feel safe, basic necessities such as food and shelter had to be met. And providing these for over a million refugees would cost an unimaginable amount of resources; the best solution would be for them to work for their own keep.

All that was done under my name. Technically. All those jobs were provided by the vacant positions left by the merchant guilds he seized. And those were all seized in my name… I gave the order, so it’s fair game. After all, Otto wouldn’t have even bothered if I didn’t tell him to.

Not only did Otto punish the corrupt officials for me, he even raked in a fortune for me in the process. Not only did Otto punish those profiteering merchant guilds for me, he even raked in a bigger fortune for me. Thanks to his actions, my assets had been skyrocketing of late, coupled with an explosive growth in my reputation.

Tell me. Where does one find such a good subordinate?

Because of his excellent work, he had offended a good number of noble houses. I had considered dispatching a couple of bodyguards to him, only to be met with the harsh reality of how understaffed we were as well. There were a few somewhat capable fighters and mages who came over to my side, but they were at most at the level of seven-star.

Teeth clenched, I finally pulled out two seven-star warriors to guard him, only to have him flatly refuse me. Apparently, he already had a trustworthy bodyguard to guard him.

I knew who he was referring to as well. Over ten years ago, Otto once helped a mercenary who had fallen down on his luck. When that mercenary later became an eight-star, he came under Otto’s wings, becoming his household’s strongest fighter, and personal bodyguard.

I was trying to show the world how much I valued Otto with that gesture -as a form of deterrence. However, since Otto had his own plans, and that bodyguard of his was stronger than those I offered, I gave up on the plan in the end.

After a month of staying in the royal capital of Seeth, the Ertalonese delegation returned to my territory once more. Perhaps they thought my teleportation gate was now their de facto means of travel?

To my surprise, however, Old Adam came to me with a missive from the delegation, stating that they had to have an audience with me, no matter what.

I flatly refused them. Meeting with a foreign delegation would never end well, so I nipped that bud right from the start.

But to my even greater surprise, the delegation had no intention of giving up at all, choosing instead to squat in my territory till I met them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t just send the soldiers after a diplomatic mission, so after three days, I finally agreed to meeting their leader.

The meeting was set at my office. Roughly ten in the morning, Old Adam brought the delegate over and left quietly.

He was a handsome man. Approximately thirty years of age, in prime physical shape with fitting clothes to match. His golden hair was combed neatly, and his skin was immaculate. The kind of person that seemed popular wherever he went.

Upon stepping through the door, Crondo was greeted by the sight of a desk stacked to the ceiling with documents, in the center was me, accompanied by a very unfriendly Ansom at my side.

He was stunned at first glance, but he quickly came back to his senses. “Greetings, my lord, I am the leader of the Ertalonese diplomatic mission, Crondo Jarnold Pueri…”

Even though Ansom was giving the man the death stare right now, Crondo gracefully ignored the boy and bowed at me in a noble’s fashion. “I bear a greeting from my liege, His Majesty, the honorable Ertalon the Ninth…”

“Just state what you came for.” I cut him off.

“Right. O beautiful and bountiful Lord Mo Na.” The delegate leader did not seem at all bothered that I interrupted him, instead continuing on smoothly. “I have with me His Majesty’s…”

“Yes, yes, I’ve received your greetings and met you. You may leave now.”

A firm cut-off. In other words, get him out of my sight.

“But, my lord… There is much I have left…”

“Have I not granted your request for an audience? Or is this not an audience?”

Having been my adjutant for four months now, Ansom more or less knew of my temper. Naturally, he understood what I wanted.

Ansom walked around my desk and stepped in front of the delegate leader. Flashing him a stiff smile, he managed a respectful half-bow, “Sir Crondo, if you will. My lord wishes to rest now.”

“Lord Mo Na, there’s something of great importance I have to speak with you about…”

“I apologize, but my lord has been busy of late and is tired.”

“But it’s still ten…”

“It was an all-nighter…”

“It won’t take long, just a moment will do…”

“Sir Crondo, please do not forget your position as a noble. Your insistence on overstaying your welcome makes you no better than a common hoodlum… You should leave.”