Episode 56: Dream in the game becomes reality

17. Level up again (3)

Catherine's face turned white at the relentless swearing at the second prince.

And I looked around, worried that someone had heard me.

Fortunately, except for the three of us, there was no one around the refreshment table temporarily set up in the training hall.

"Adrian, what are you going to do if something goes wrong?"

Catherine was so embarrassed that she just called me by my first name, even though she had been calling me "Excellent."

However, Arcia's subsequent reaction was more than mine, not less.

"I don't like Prince 2's eyes because they look perverted. "I don't want to get involved, so tell me to get out of here."

Arcia's cool reaction made me feel better for a moment, but only for a moment. The situation was so absurd that I couldn't control my facial expression.

Does the 2nd prince want to fight with me?

"Well, even my lord… … ."

It's only been three days since Catherine became Arcia's dedicated maid, but it seems like the second prince has sensed the feelings she has for Arcia.

Seeing her perplexed appearance and Arsia's stubborn expression of dislike for the second prince, I thought I couldn't leave it like this.

"Bring it."

"yes?"

"Bring that errand boy here."

"Oh, I understand."

Catherine hesitated, as if asking me what I was thinking, but then she said she understood and went back the way she came.

And after a while.

"I meet His Excellency Count Klein. and… … Huh! "His Excellency the Marquis Laurens?"

Perhaps because he had gained a lot of notoriety through this territory war, the guy who was approaching Arcia while greeting her with a sly smile froze as soon as he saw me.

Judging by the unit emblem engraved on his uniform, he looked like a royal knight.

I can't believe a person who was a knight of the royal family would run an errand like this.

Naturally, my face was filled with displeasure, and the messenger fidgeted and gave Arcia a helping look.

However, Arcia was not interested in him.

I was just craving the cheesecake I had special ordered.

He's a funny guy.

Since when did you start treating Arcia like that just because you knew?

"What brought you here? "Tell me your business."

If you put it in writing, it seems like a soft word.

However, if you listen to it in person, it is colder than the ice and snow of the Brigham Empire and contains anticipation as sharp as a razor blade.

He hesitated for a moment, then when I slammed my finger on the table, he flinched loudly and responded.

"His Royal Highness Prince Luke Wynne Reinharts invited His Excellency Count Klein to a meal and sent these flowers."

At the same time, he took out a bouquet of flowers that were so extravagant and dazzling that a low-ranking noble could not even see them.

It was a bouquet made of gold and precious stones.

"please."

I snatched up the bouquet and handed it to Arcia, and while she was enjoying the cake, she received a piece of precious metal, tilted her head and reflexively returned it to me.

This is the result of repetitive learning.

I had a habit of storing my luggage in my subspace.

I packed the bouquet she handed me into subspace.

I will have to go to the capital later and sell it.

And very noticeably.

"Well, that's for His Excellency Count Klein…" … ."

"You told me, right? But the Count gave it to me again. "What's the problem?"

"no. "Excuse me."

He swallowed dryly and continued to look intensely at Arcia.

With no change in her expression, she gestured with her chin, asking what was going on.

"I want you to give me an answer about the meal."

"What about Adrian?"

"The Prince invited only His Excellency Count Klein."

"Then I don't like it."

"Uh, um. "Your Excellency, please don't do that."

Is he a loyal subordinate of the second prince?

Surprisingly persistent.

I snapped my fingers on the table again and caught his gaze.

"What family are you from? "I heard that to become a knight of the royal guard, you have to have some kind of background."

"Why is my family… … ?"

He was very nervous about my question and asked me carefully, and I answered with a grin.

"I like taking the sky fortress and destroying the family. "Did you see the news?"

"… … ."

"Still, since I can't blow off the head of His Highness Prince Luke's messenger, I wonder if I could blow off the heads of your parents instead."

A pad lip that came out of nowhere.

However, it seems that he thought of me as someone who could carry out his threats.

His complexion was so pale that he looked like a corpse.

"If anyone makes an unpleasant suggestion to Arcia in the future, I will not remain silent."

"However, under the instructions of His Highness the Prince… … ."

"I'm offended, but do I need to know your position?"

It doesn't matter whether you die or not because you are stuck in the middle, it means that you will take care of yourself.

I walked up to him and patted his shoulder.

Because I was so scared, he naturally flinched, then swallowed dryly and avoided my gaze.

"Go back and tell His Majesty the Prince exactly."

And I spoke in a very low voice so that only he could hear.

"I hope we can continue our good relationship like this. But if you stimulate me any more than this, I might go crazy. "I assure you, she is mine."

It was only a little polite, but the content was a threat itself.

Thanks to this, the errand boy, a guard knight, swallowed his frustration.

"Are you really telling me to tell it as it is?"

"Yes, Toshi, make sure you don't make a single mistake."

No matter how powerful I was with the title of marquess, it could not help but seem dangerous to do something like this to the second prince, who was considered powerful for the throne.

Maybe he will think this way about me.

It's called a 'dwarf' or a 'rabid dog'.

And this will become a notoriety that will further strengthen my image.

With a smile on my face, I ordered the errand boy to congratulate him.

"Aren't you going?"

"yes?"

"Why, please tell me your family name? No, I can find out for myself... … ."

"It was an honor to meet you! "Your Excellency, then I'll leave!"

He disappeared as if running away from the second prince's messenger.

"Have you always been like that?"

Catherine looked at me with a surprised expression.

"I'm usually cold towards my enemies."

"An enemy? Are you really talking about His Royal Highness the Prince?"

I laughed and wondered what was surprising to Arcia, her eyes wide and her cheeks red.

* * *

"Did you really say that?"

"Yes, that's right. "More than anything, the look in his eyes seemed serious, not a joke."

"Tsk, Marquis Lawrence, I haven't seen it like that, but I don't understand the topic. "Why don't you just leave?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Luke, the second prince of the Kingdom of Reinharts, frowned as he sent the royal guard knight he often used as an errand boy out of his office.

In response, the Marquess of Hammington, Chairman of the House of Noble Auditors, a close associate of the Second Prince and a key figure within the force, cautiously opened his mouth.

"Your Majesty, I think it is time to step down. "It would be bad not to provoke the Marquis Lawrence any further."

"what?"

"If you really want her, couldn't you take her after you take the throne?"

The second prince's expression, which was tinged with displeasure, hardened.

And the Second Prince turned his head and looked at the Marquis of Hammington.

"Marquis of Hammington."

"yes?"

"That's a good idea."

"Oh, yes."

The Marquis of Hammington, who had been scared for no reason, sighed in relief.

Even a fool could not have known why the Second Prince was hanging himself by Count Klein.

Isn't she an Aura Master like him, but also young and beautiful?

It was natural for the Second Prince to have his eyes set on this person.

However, now was not a good time to have an emotional fight.

This is because internal rifts may arise before the struggle for royal authority begins in earnest.

After all, the person sitting next to her was the Marquis Laurence, a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

I was worried that Marquis Lawrence might explode due to the actions of the second prince, but I thought it was fortunate that it ended like this.

The Marquess of Hammington thought that as long as the second prince became king, it didn't matter what he did afterwards.

"My eyes rolled back in a way that wasn't like me."

"I think it would be best to apologize for the past."

"First of all, let's appease the Marquis Lawrence."

"Yes, the spoiled Marquis Lawrence must be educated, but it is not time yet."

"I can't help it."

The second prince did not think that the situation so far was a big problem.

In any case, Adrian and Arcia had not yet gotten married, and even after marriage, they often became entangled in issues related to the opposite sex in the aristocratic world.

Prince 2 decided to hold out for a while for real fun.

"There is one more reason to become king."

"Your Majesty will be king."

If you are a subject, you must be prepared to even sacrifice your life for your leader.

But he is obsessed with women and growls at his master?

Prince Luke thought that all of this happened because he was not yet king.

Of course, to Adrian, who did not understand his way of thinking, the Second Prince's actions only seemed 'crazy'.

"Your Highness the Second Prince heard those outrageous remarks and still tolerated them?"

"okay!"

For reference, the Royal Guard knight who acted as an errand boy reported the fact to his colleagues when nothing happened between the 2nd Prince and the Marquis Laurence despite conveying the threatening message.

And this became a rumor and spread rapidly.

Marquis Laurence is said to have a fiery personality that can make even the second prince give up.

* * *

I think I need to make a brief summary here and move on.

The intermediate organizing I am talking about means checking my current abilities and the assets I have acquired so far.

First, let's look at my abilities.

- Occupation: Archmage

-Level: 7 Circle

-Horsepower: 14,750

The description of the job and level is obvious, so I'll skip it, and what catches my eye is the magical power value of 14,750, which I can't tell if it's a lot or a little.

Magic power can be said to be the fuel for using magic.

Since the average 7th circle value is around 10,000, I have 1.5 times more magical power than a typical 7th circle wizard.

Just because you have a lot of magic power doesn't mean your attack power is particularly strong.

Instead, the battle duration becomes longer.

Even if the power was the same, magic could be used longer and more times, so this was an ability that could never be ignored.

-Physical abilities

Strength: 2.5

Health: 2.5

Quickness: 2.5

However, this may be the most unexpected part of my quantified abilities.

'Physical ability' figures.

If the average value of a healthy adult male is 1, it means that I have a physical ability that is 2.5 times greater than that of the average adult male.

This means that despite being a wizard, he is stronger than most knights.

Of course, this figure will be overturned if the knight strengthens his body with auras, but since I can buff myself with magic, I can confidently say that my simple physical ability is at the knight level.

So, wouldn't it be possible to fight as an evasion wizard even in battles with Vanguard?

'It looks like a mixed breed even to me.'

The reason he was able to possess such extraordinary abilities was because he actively utilized his talent.

Archduke Lucas' skills are reflected in real life through his abilities in the game.

This means that if you strengthen your body in the game, it will also apply in real life.

So, he absorbed various elixirs and steadily improved his physical abilities.

Thanks to this, not only his physical ability but also his magical power has become higher than average.

The amount of money invested in the game to reach this level is probably well over 10 billion.

'It feels like a bit of abusing the system, but in order to grow easily, you have to take every advantage possible.'

In order to utilize his increasing physical ability, he learned swordsmanship from Weiss, his former guard and current vice-captain of Viscount Lawrence's knights, but he was too busy to continue training.

I don't even have time to log into the game, so how can I have time to train my swordsmanship?

However, whenever I have time, I plan to learn swordsmanship again.

And if your understanding of swordsmanship increases, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try making a magic staff in the shape of a sword.

Given my abilities, I could easily imitate a magic swordsman if I enchanted a sword instead of an auror.

Of course, I don't know if it's actually possible, but I'm just imagining it.

'The next thing to look at is my assets.'

First of all, the biggest asset I own is my territory.

The Marinkov region granted by the king was one of the largest in the Reinharts Kingdom.

[Marquis of Lawrence]-Owned Cities

Marinkov: population 5.21 million, annual gross product KRW 130 trillion

Wells: population 1.04 million, annual gross product KRW 25 trillion

Rickport: population 520,000, annual gross product KRW 11 trillion

Stockton: population 350,000, annual gross product 9 trillion

-Total population: approximately 7.12 million

-Total annual production: 175 trillion won

-Annual tax revenue: 62 trillion won

This is last year's data, and you can see that the tax rate is about 40%, which is the average of the King's Decree.

Just by looking at the numbers, you can clearly feel that it is large.

The annual tax revenue was a whopping seven times that of Viscount Lawrence.

However, I plan to lower this tax rate to the low 30% range.

Then, immediate tax revenue will decrease, but I believe that if the estate business is expanded to increase jobs and wages, tax revenue will also increase as a result.

For reference, 30% of tax revenue may seem like a lot, but it is by no means a lot.

This tax revenue does not only refer to 'income tax', but also refers to the percentage of all types of taxes such as 'resident tax, property tax, consumption tax, gift tax, inheritance tax, acquisition tax, license tax, etc.'

'If we had to compare it, wouldn't it be similar to or cheaper than Korea?'

Korea's GDP is about 1,600 trillion won, and considering that the annual national budget is more than 450 trillion won, you can see that they are similar at first glance.

Of course, calculating the actual total tax rate may not be that simple, but this was a rough estimate.

Anyway, about 30% of this annual tax revenue is paid to the royal family, and the remainder becomes my fiefdom budget.

Based on last year's tax revenue of 62 trillion won, it is approximately 43 trillion won.

It's definitely the equivalent of a marquis, so the amount is enormous.

'But there was one problem.'

That's right.

The budget was overexerted to buy weapons for a territory war, and the balance was empty.

If things continue like this, not only will the soldiers' wages be delayed, not to mention the weapons installments due next month due to the extra money being spent on purchasing weapons.

however.

[Deposit balance: KRW 42.625 trillion]No need to worry anymore.

Actually, I was looking for money.

For reference, the source of this fund is money obtained from the disposal of loot (weapons, property) obtained while winning the war against the four vassals.

There was a law that the new lord (me) could not expand the territory for one year, so the territory was subordinated to the king's decree, but the personal assets and weapons held by the four vassals were completely subordinated to me.

In fact, the reason I waged a territorial war was revenge, but the goal was also to replenish the treasury, so it could be said to be a natural result.

Isn't it wonderful to enjoy wealth by stealing your enemy's property?

'Next is possessions.'

Currently, the companies I own that are worth a total of 5 trillion won have not changed because their management systems are in the midst of being integrated.

So, I thought of the list of rewards I got while clearing Giyeon and the special items from the four self-author's safes.