Hmm-

Lord Roadmalis of the Sertoa territory adjusted his suit, listening intently to his servants’ words before speaking.

“So, to conclude, the Lord of Lartania has suddenly returned, and the Harlancia territory was single-handedly destroyed by Red Eyes. Is that what you’re saying?”

“It’s unbelievable, but yes.”

Unbelievable

Following the servants’ words, Lord Roadmalis muttered and then chuckled before speaking.

“Well, that’s possible.”

“What do you mean by, ‘that’s possible’?”

“I mean, someone like Red Eyes could indeed destroy a place like the Harlancia territory on their own.”

As the Lord of Sertoa and someone who had previously operated as a 4-star hero, Lord Roadmalis knew the strength of Red Eyes.

“No, to be precise, he remembered the power shown by Red Eyes ten years ago, when they were still known as the Beast King in Lartania.”

However, Lord Roadmalis also spoke with a peculiar smirk.

“After all, that place wasn’t properly defended to begin with.”

Lord Roadmalis knew well how the Harlancia territory was run.

In fact, it would have been strange if he didn’t know.

In reality, Lord Roadmalis was the one managing the Harlancia territory, and it was his will that maintained the agricultural industry that the Lord of Harlancia so desperately wanted to escape from.

The 500 guards deployed to handle monsters coming from the Labyrinth were not enough to stop that monster. Not to mention, the heroes were all worthless.

Not to mention, the walls, neither high nor made of quality materials, were something Red Eyes could easily break through or climb over.

Muttering the reasons why the Harlancia territory was destroyed so quickly, Lord Roadmalis spoke to his servant.

“So, what’s the current state of the territory?”

“First off, one of the hastily assessed Barons’ clerks was chosen by the Territory Stone to become the Lord and is now hastily stabilizing the territory. However-”

“However?”

“Many residents have also fled after Red Eyes completely destroyed the territory.”

At his servant’s words, Lord Roadmalis fell into deep thought.

Of course, he wasn’t thinking about the residents who had fled the Harlancia territory.

He was pondering why Red Eyes had attacked the Harlancia territory.

Naturally, he had pieced together some of the puzzle in his mind.

The Lord of Harlancia must have sent a knight to obtain the Territory Stone, and Red Eyes, after defending Lartania during the Labyrinth Break, must have killed the Lord of Harlancia—that seems to be the most likely scenario.

Despite fitting most of the puzzle pieces, there was one reason Lord Roadmalis was still pondering.

“Why is Red Eyes helping the Lord of Lartania?”

As far as Lord Roadmalis knew, Red Eyes was no longer affiliated with Lartania.

Likewise, the Lord of Lartania surely lacked the funds and ability to recruit Red Eyes.

So, why did Red Eyes help Lartania?

After pondering for a while, Lord Roadmalis eventually shrugged.

“Frankly speaking, from Roadmalis’ perspective, such matters were of no concern to him.”

What mattered to him was that the Lord of Lartania had returned, giving him a pretext.

Perhaps a pretext to expand his territory by acquiring a new colony.

Red Eyes must be handled with caution, but-

If everything went according to his plan, the colonization of Lartania would naturally occur.

Even if Red Eyes was attached to the Lord of Lartania, it would be done so covertly that it would go unnoticed.

Therefore, instead of the common smile he had been wearing,

“Send someone to Lartania with a gift.”

He said, a greedy smile on his lips.

Five days after the residents began to officially enter the Lartania territory.

Territory: Lartania.

Territory Development: 5

Territory Residents:

[Humans: 518]

Owned Buildings:

[Lord’s Castle LV1]

[Walls LV0 (Under Construction) 0%]

[Residential Area LV0 (Under Repair) 22%]

[Barracks LV0 (Under Construction) 0%]

Owned Forces:

-None-

Heroes in the Territory:

Kim Hyunwoo (Lord)

The residents of the Lartania territory reached 518 in just five days.

Of course, even though the number of territory residents had dropped to only 450 as of yesterday, and the influx rate to the territory had decreased back to 5%, Kim Hyunwoo was quite satisfied with the situation.

After all, even just five days ago, Kim Hyunwoo had been earnestly pondering how he could possibly fill his territory with residents.

However, even though the number of territory residents had already been replenished to 518, and on top of that, the number of workers who could be employed as construction labor immediately exceeded 300, Kim Hyunwoo was still worried.

No, to be more precise, it would be more accurate to say he was slightly annoyed rather than worried.

And with good reason.

[Labor Efficiency: 54%]

Look at these guys?

The territory residents were slacking off in their work.

In other words, they were loafing around.

Of course, Kim Hyunwoo wasn’t exploiting the territory residents for free.

He had provided sufficient resources to the territory residents who supplied labor, and of course, he had even arranged for houses (though they were dilapidated for the time being) where the territory residents could live.

Yet, the territory residents were still doing their work half-heartedly.

Kim Hyunwoo knew why the labor efficiency of the territory residents was only in the 50% range.

Initially, the basic labor efficiency of the territory residents was influenced by various factors of the territory, but to maintain labor efficiency above 80%, there basically needed to be either a high level of territorial development or a practical hero capable of managing labor efficiency.

Otherwise, it would suffice if just the loyalty of the territory residents to their Lord was high.

However, the problem for Kim Hyunwoo was that he lacked all three of these conditions.

And the reason Kim Hyunwoo was even angry now was because.

[Thieves have invaded.]

How many?

[There seem to be about 30.]

It was that thieves had appeared who not only further reduced the already low labor efficiency of the territory but were also forcing the territory residents out.

And this was happening at a time when there were no basic soldiers to protect the territory.

Huh-

Of course, this was not entirely unexpected.

According to Kim Hyunwoo, most of the events happening now were issues faced when first playing Arteil.

However, the problem was that the situation of Lartania’s territory was even worse than when the game was first started.

Not only that.

30?

[Yes.]

The level of territorial development was disgustingly low, but the territory level was high, which meant that the inherent difficulty was very high.

But he knew that no one would help him just because he complained about the difficulty being in hell mode.

[It seems they are now entering the residential district and looting.]

Kim Hyunwoo, who had been thinking for a while upon hearing Loria’s words,

“Ah.”

Let out a strange exclamation as if he had a good idea, then rose from his seat.

Rosie, a girl who had come to Lartania’s territory with her parents from Harlancia’s territory, did not like this place very much.

Of course, aside from that, the girl, who was already somewhat mature and had received much praise for being intelligent or clever from those around her, knew why her parents had come to Lartania.

Initially, they had no other choice but Lartania.

Even Sertoa, which was relatively close to Harlancia, was quite far away, and above all, it was certain there would be no work there.

And most importantly, Sertoa did not indiscriminately accept territory residents.

This meant that if they went to Sertoa and were not accepted, they would have no choice but to stay in the shantytowns outside the territory.

Therefore, including Rosie, the residents of Harlancia had come to Lartania this time because of rumors that the Lord had returned and started to function properly as a territory.

“Is this a territory?”

Lartania was truly a barren wasteland.

The only place to live was a village of dilapidated houses, and there were no walls built; it was to the extent that one might wonder if this could actually be called a territory.

And, as befits a territory without proper soldiers or defenses, Lartania was vulnerable to the invasion of thieves.

The territory residents could only watch in fear as the thieves looted the belongings they had put in the newly settled village of dilapidated houses, emerging from their homes with frightened looks.

“Wow, what’s with all this stuff? There’s so much food too?!”

“Jackpot, jackpot, grab everything!”

“I came just in case, but who knew we could make such a solid haul!”

The territory residents gritted their teeth as they watched the thieves, who seemed very excited, rummaging through the dilapidated houses and taking out their belongings, but no one dared to step forward because of the weapons at the thieves’ waists.

Just silence.

However.

?

At some point, Rosie inadvertently raised her gaze and looked ahead at the sound of the territory residents murmuring.

Rosie looked at a man who had appeared in front of the thieves who were dumping their loot in the middle.

“No.

Isn’t that the Lord?”

“The Lord?”

They could see the Lord of Lartania.

“Ah.”

As someone let out a sigh, similar sighs could be heard from here and there.

The quiet sighs that followed the murmuring quickly dissipated the strange sense of expectation that had arisen.

And Rosie also felt the territory residents’ sighs were just low sighs.

And with good reason, for Rosie, even though it was her first time seeing him, the Lord looked nothing more than ordinary.

And since he hadn’t brought any soldiers with him, the territory residents sighed with overt disappointment and regret.

Interestingly, the Lord’s expression remained calm.

No, rather than calm, he appeared confident.

And then.

“Do you guys know this?”

Kim Hyunwoo looked at the thieves, who, even at a glance, had faces that looked like they’d been ground against asphalt, expressing “my life hasn’t been easy” with their entire being.

At a glance, it was clear that the thieves, possibly refugees or slash-and-burn farmers, wore mismatched clothing.

The problem, however, was the weapons at their waists.

Naturally, Kim Hyunwoo, not being a hero, couldn’t stop those thieves by force.

However, the reason Kim Hyunwoo confidently stood in front of the thieves was because

[Would you like to use 1000 ‘Blue Stones’ to purchase logs? Y/N]

He had a way of dealing with the thieves without needing to resort to force.

“Huh? What’s this guy saying?”

The moment a thug with a fierce expression looked at the Lord.

“People die when they get crushed by logs.”

Kim Hyunwoo’s finger moved without hesitation towards Y.

“Wha, what!? Shit!”

“Uh! Ughhhhh!”

Logs suddenly appeared above the thieves, as designated by Kim Hyunwoo, and fell.

Bang! Crash!

Starting to crush the thieves.

And then, as the thieves were swept away.

The territory residents, who had been wearing disappointed expressions, all watched in stunned silence, unable to close their mouths.