Regressor of the Fallen Family

Episode 50: A Week Later.

“Town? A large pioneer settlement? Master, what are you talking about?”

After the water gate opening ceremony, Hammer was called up immediately as his short vacation ended, and his expression was naturally not a happy one.

“You’re planning to cultivate that vast plain and farm it, how would the peasants living near the castle at both ends go back and forth every day? Even if it’s possible, it’s a waste of time. We need to create a new village right in the middle of the plain.”

“So, you want me to take charge of that…?”

“Hmm. Are you not confident in construction? Well, I haven’t heard that dwarves are good at building as well…. “

“What are you talking about! We dwarves are best at construction after weapon-making….”

“Ah. Really? I knew it!”

“Oh…this damned mouth….”

Hammer, who blurted out in a moment of anger, soon realized what he had said and plopped down in resignation.

Hammer looked as pitiful as he could in the hopes of some final sympathy, but his counterpart had no intention of taking pity.

“The town will be laid out in a cross shape with roads, divided into four sections with houses of the same type constructed at regular intervals. The more permanent residents, the better, but for now, the goal is half the population of the territory.”

Logan smiled, remembering the efficiency of a planned imperial city he had seen in his previous life.

“We will build several communal wells in each district, create communal toilets for use, and construct a separate sewage system that will dispose of waste outside the town.”

Logan’s orders were very detailed, from the overall form to specific facilities.

However, as Logan explained enthusiastically, Hammer could only grind his teeth.

“Where have you seen such absurd ideas?!”

“Ah, Tina?”

“What in the world! Who keeps giving these useless inspirations to the Master? I thought you’ve only lived here!”

Well, that would have been the people from the empire of the future, but since that wasn’t something he could actually say, he had to casually gloss over it as he had done before.

“Not exactly, but I’ve seen it for sure….”

“Augh! Damn it! I’m going mad with all this plausible talk.”

“Right? It really seems so? I’ve seen it. With better sanitation, infectious disease prevention….”

As he spoke, Logan quickly added with a glance at Hammer’s increasingly distorted face.

“Just prepare the designs for now, and if you build a few wooden houses as a trial, once the mining work is done, I’ll give you a long vacation. As long as you want. How about it?”

“Ugh. How many times have I been tricked….”

Hammer, almost trembling with clenched fists, gave a half-hearted consent, and Logan’s bright smile twisted his expression even more.

“Ah, but with that scale, the amount of timber alone will be no joke, did you consider how to import that much timber? It won’t be easy even in Tritan…”

Hammer, deep in thought, launched what he thought was a counter attack.

“Timber? It’s down south, where we don’t need processed raw material like a crossbow.”

“Down south?”

At that, Logan pointed out through the window of McLean Castle at the lush mountain range below, covered in dense trees.

“You can’t mean… the monster forest?”

Logan nodded nonchalantly at Hammer’s incredulous voice.

Hammer tried to argue, but knowing his plea would fall on deaf ears…

“We’ll just do the groundwork for now, set up a basic model house, and then slowly start construction with the available timber. We’ll get new recruits to cut down that forest in winter for timber supply, so there won’t be any issues in the future. You can rest until then, as soon as the mining is over.”

Hammer could only sigh as it was clear that nothing he would say would be heeded.

“Hehe… And then join the town construction again?”

“Ey, I promised you a long vacation once the mine is over. The development’s almost finished, isn’t it? You should be able to take at least a month off. How’s that? Perfect plan, right?”

“Ugh…”

Hammer didn’t want to admit it, but even to him, it sounded like a solid plan.

What’s more, he wasn’t a slave, so if he was forced to work against his will, he had no place to complain.

“McLean Town. That village will now become the heart of the McLean territory. It might even become busier than the castle since half of the territory’s population will live there. You’ll be creating the future of this territory.”

“So why do I have to do that…”

“The magicians will help you too. You’ll do it, right? Give it your best.”

“Demon…”

Though he lamented, Hammer had no choice but to nod reluctantly.

And just three weeks later.

“As expected from Hammer.”

Logan nodded with satisfaction as he was informed that Hammer had completed the design for the massive pioneer village, known as McLean Town, and the model houses.

The news he had been waiting for also arrived at the same time.

“Young Master!”

Bang!

The door to the office opened as if it was about to break, and Dwayne burst in.

“What? Why?”

“Hammer, no! Master Hammer sent a message that mining can now begin in the gold mine!”

The very moment Dwayne shouted, Logan darted out of the office like the wind.

The cornerstone of the family’s leap, the source of funds had finally been completed.

‘Now all the plans can take off.’

His heartbeat accelerated as his body raced faster and faster.

“Ma, My Lord! I’ll come too…!”

He couldn’t afford to care for the desperate voice echoing from behind.

* * *

“This is a rare gold nugget from the mine. Normally, gold is sparsely distributed among the minerals and requires extraction, but this one has already appeared.”

As Hammer presented a nail-sized piece of gold, Dwayne’s mouth hung open in amazement.

Logan too, with a proud look on his face, patted the tired Hammer on the shoulder.

“You’ve worked hard! You have truly done so much for this territory to come back to life!”

It was sincere praise, but Hammer responded with nothing but a vacant expression.

“Now that the mining operation is set up, I’m taking my break?”

“Ah… Hahaha. But how much can you mine from now?”

Avoiding Hammer’s eyes suspiciously, Logan inquired further, but Hammer gave him an answer anyway.

“As predicted, we can mine up to 1 ton of gold each month. I can’t make an estimation on the reserves yet, but conservatively, it should last at least 10 years. That’s my estimation. So now, I’m taking my break?”

“1 ton… then that’s….”

Once again, Logan awkwardly changed the topic.

“Hey, Master? Hey! What about my vacation? Don’t avoid my eyes!”

“Cough. But there’s construction in town to begin with, and more crossbows to make, and knights’ weapons too….”

“…Just kill me! Put me to death! People are supposed to have some conscience! I can’t! I won’t! Just kill me!”

Flushing red with rage, Hammer threw himself on the floor and started whining like a child.

‘I’ve seen this scene before…’

Feeling an odd sense of déjà vu, Logan held his head.

‘Argh. There’s still so much to do….’

Logan knew there were endless things for the dwarf Hammer to do, especially with the ongoing preparations for war.

But now he really had no more excuses to keep him busy.

‘Maybe I should look for another dwarf in the future…’

Hammer had already done dozens of times more than originally expected.

He really had no choice but to allow him to rest.

Not to mention that if things kept going this way, there might be another accidental incident as before.

“Alright. I’ll keep my promise and give you a break. A month is….”

“Wahhh! Master! Don’t look for me! I’ll sleep for a month!”

Before Logan could finish speaking, Hammer screamed in protest.

‘I was only going to let him rest for two weeks.’

But faced with Hammer’s bloodshot eyes and the shadow beneath them, Logan thought he would genuinely draw a sword if he said that.

‘Well, I have other things to do anyway. I’ll set things in motion, and Hammer will have to tidy up when he comes back after a month.’

As Logan was swallowing his words with dread, Hammer disappeared down the mountain with a speed that made him invisible.

He was determined to rest with a will stronger than steel, and his lightning-fast movement reflected it as Logan watched with a snicker.

“Wah!”

Another shriek suddenly erupted right behind him.

“What, what?!”

“100 million gold!”

“What?”

“Can’t believe it was true! With 1 ton of gold per month, 1 billion gold would be feasibly possible in a year!”

Dwayne’s triumphant shout came after completing his calculations while squatted down.

“Now our territory is saved! We don’t have to look at anyone’s faces anymore!”

The exhilaration in Dwayne’s eyes was almost maniacal as he shook Logan with all his strength.

“That happy about it?”

“Of course! Whether it’s equipment or food or any problem, we no longer have to worry about anything. Puhahahaha!”

Remembering how overjoyed Dwayne had been just at the news of the gold mine, Logan understood his current intense reaction, but thought it best to cool his enthusiasm before it got out of hand.

“There’s a lot that needs doing. Money isn’t the solution to everything. Directly….”

“Nonsense! There’s nothing that money can’t solve! That’s only if you’re short on cash!”

“….”

Dwayne seemed to be completely beside himself.

It looked like normal persuasion wasn’t going to work to bring the beguiled administrator back to reality.

Logan was left without any other choice but to pull out his last card.

“But you know this gold mine isn’t owned by the family; it’s mine.”

“…Yes?”

“I mean, I own the mine, not the family.”

“What? What’s that? Eh, My Lord. You jest.”

Surely he knew, but maybe played dumb.

‘That’s a card to be played.’

This was a moment when Logan had to remind him very clearly.

“I received it as a personal reward after the previous reward. You forgot?”

“…Is that the reward you received? Eh, I don’t remember. Why joke on such a fine day.”

Looking at his expression, Logan thought he might really not remember, and so he pushed forward indisputable evidence.

“It’s true. Here are the documents.”

Pulling out a piece of paper from his chest pocket, Dwayne’s eyes began to find focus as he looked at the flapping document.

“Ah, ah… ah…”

Coming out of his happy daydream, tears began to form in Dwayne’s now lucid eyes.

“Sa, say it isn’t so. My Lord, you’re not planning to manage all that wealth all by yourself, right? Surely not…”

“Aye, I wouldn’t do that. It’ll be used for the benefit of the family.”

He felt like joking a bit, but if he did, he feared he might actually see Dwayne bawl.

“True? You’re sure?!”

“Yes. But at my discretion.”

Dwayne’s returning smile complicated at Logan’s words.

“Then, at least three percent will go to the family as tax….”

Before he could appease the deeply loyal finance administrator to keep him from falling into despair.

“Ah… Whatever. As you wish, My Lord.”

Suddenly content with everything, Dwayne simply nodded.

“…Huh?”

“If it was that dam project and the mining, everything has gone well so far.… After all, there’s never been anything that’s gone worse when you insisted, My Lord. I trust you.”

Logan couldn’t feel entirely good even at his words.

Clayton and now Dwayne; they were all excessively positive about him.

It felt somewhat discomforting that they had such a heightened and perhaps unrealistic view of him.

‘Well, a good thing’s a good thing, I guess.’

So he took the current positive mood to push his luck a bit.

“Alright then. With the mine construction successfully completed, continue with the pioneer town project. As soon as Hammer returns from his break, we can drive it forward.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare.”

Booking hard labor expected to continue through winter even before his top talent’s vacation was over.

“We’ll give priority to those who are willing to live there for the town cultivation rights. The announcement’s ready, right?”

“Yes. I’ll get on it right away.”

He forced through the settlement rights details without a single conversation with his father or the retainers.

“We’ll start recruiting soldiers to begin training around winter.”

Charging on, he even laid out plans to supplement not just the main force but regular troops as well…

“Yes. I am aware.”

“…Ah. Really.”

Logan was surprised by Dwayne’s prompt responses only to be hit by his sharp gaze.

“What’s with that all of a sudden?”

“Why are you so obedient all of a sudden?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you complying so easily now?”

“Because it’s worth doing.”

Dwayne’s eyes gleamed with resolve.

But it nevertheless unsettled Logan.

‘Why is this making me uneasy…’

Despite his concern, since Dwayne was responding openly, Logan felt no need to further challenge him.

He moved on with the conversation.

“Ah, and needless to say, we must keep this a secret, understood?”

“Of course. If Bifrost, Kalia, or the border lords find out, it will be chaos.”

“Right. Over time, rumors will spread, but the later, the better.”

Once the gold began to come in earnest, even the miners, who had been cluelessly digging up ore until now, would realize they were working in a gold mine.

Given that there were only four known gold mines in the kingdom, the sudden appearance of a fifth would be a momentous event, and it would be impossible to silence thousands of mouths.

“Yes. I’ll take care of it. It’s obvious.”

‘Not adjusting to it…’

Logan forced a smile as he watched Dwayne’s unexpectedly agreeable attitude.

“Alright. Let’s just start everything and see how it goes.”

Even if his father finished his training and came back to oppose it, by the time he did, it would be too late. The dice had been rolled.

Over the past three months, Logan’s daring as the lord substitute had grown boundless.

But a week later…

“My father is out of meditation?”

In the midst of planning and preparing announcements, Logan might have to vacate his acting lord position sooner than expected.

He couldn’t help but frown.

“Yes. After tidying up, he’ll head to the office. He wishes to receive a report from you personally, Young Master.”

“Argh. If only he had stayed in meditation for another week.”

“…What worries you?”

“Would’ve been better if he returned after the soldier recruitment and announcement of the start of the pioneering town and tax reductions.”

“Hmm. You’re concerned he’ll oppose it?”

“Isn’t that obvious? He’ll say it was all unnecessary.”

“Huh…”

“Why do you look at me like that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. We’ll wait and see.”

Having gotten used to Dwayne’s odd reactions following the successful dam and mine constructions, Logan ignored it.

His father’s reaction was more troubling.

‘I’ll just have to insist. The current response from the territory’s citizens is also good.’

In the past three months, without the family head due to his absence, Logan had been acting as lord…

[The translation is truncated due to length limitations.]

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