Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 564

The group of thieves known as the "Golden Dawn" attempted to smuggle out the hidden funds of the wealthy families.

Some time has passed since their capture.

Based on interrogations of the mercenaries who belonged to the Golden Dawn, it has been confirmed that aside from those present at the scene and those remaining at the Santos family mansion, the thieves' forces have been completely neutralized.

Therefore, it is safe to say that the "Golden Dawn" has been eradicated.

However, the leader of the Golden Dawn, Marvellous—or rather, Gabriel, the eldest son of the Santos family—was taken away by an unidentified bird tribe and is now missing.

Additionally, just before the arrival of the audit team led by Amon, an explosion occurred at the Santos family mansion, resulting in a massive fire.

The fire was eventually extinguished after desperate efforts by the children of the Second Knight Order, who could use water-attribute magic, and Amon's subordinates.

However, the mansion was completely burned down, and all records of the illegal transactions conducted by the Santos family were lost in the flames.

The head of the family, Remos Santos, is also believed to have perished in the fire.

The reason for concluding that Remos died in the fire is based on testimony from the Santos family butler, who was rescued from the blaze. He stated, "After swallowing an emerald-colored orb, Lord Remos grotesquely swelled up and exploded. That was the cause of the fire."

At the time, I had just recovered the hidden funds and hurried to join Amon and the others at the Santos mansion.

From a distance, I saw the smoke and had a bad feeling, but when I actually witnessed the completely burned-down mansion, I was utterly stunned.

Amon and I quickly shared information about what had happened and began our investigation.

In parallel, given the high  posibility that the unidentified bird tribe who took Gabriel were connected to the Padgley family, Amon sent a handwritten letter of protest to Horst Padgley, the tribal chief of the bird tribe.

The response came quickly, but it was, as expected, along the lines of, "Unfortunately, we do not know of such individuals. We regret that we cannot be of assistance."

From this incident, Amon and I both came to the shared understanding that the Padgley family, like the former Grandork family, is undoubtedly a highly suspicious entity, and we have heightened our vigilance.

The investigation continued, but the complete destruction of the Santos mansion and the loss of all documents significantly hindered progress.

Even Rafa did not have copies of the ledgers that the Santos family had independently managed, and the investigation reached a dead end.

Around the same time, a series of incidents occurred where the "disgraced noble families" being monitored by the intelligence agency and Amon's subordinates, along with their families, suddenly began disappearing one after another.

It should be noted that the disgraced nobles, if they left the fox tribe's territory, would face severe punishment.

While the punishment might seem harsh, it was a necessary warning to prevent the leakage of information about the fox tribe's territory to other nations.

How they managed to evade surveillance remains a mystery, but it is hard to believe that these self-serving nobles, who had enriched themselves at the expense of others, would have the courage to leave the fox tribe's territory knowing the severe consequences.

It is highly likely that someone was aiding them behind the scenes.

After informing the imprisoned nobles of Remos' death and Gabriel's disappearance, we left the re-interrogation to Dynas and Capella, but no significant information was obtained.

Since no new information emerged from their interrogations, it is likely that the nobles truly knew nothing.

Some of the nobles even broke down in tears, crying, "I don't know anything. Where has my family gone?"

The investigation into the unidentified bird tribe and the missing nobles will continue, but it will likely take a considerable amount of time to resolve.

As a result, Amon and I have decided to focus our efforts on the reconstruction of the fox tribe's territory, leaving the resolution of this case to the intelligence agency and Amon's subordinates.

The series of events is concerning.

However, the top priority for Amon and me at the moment is the "Reconstruction of the Fox Tribe's Territory."

The more we focus on the investigation, the more it delays the reconstruction plan, so we had to draw a line somewhere.

Of course, we have ordered regular progress reports on the case.

With that, Amon and I have stepped back from this matter.

On the other hand, the successful recovery of the vast hidden funds collected by the Santos family from various noble families has ensured the budget for the "Five-Year Fox Tribe Reconstruction Plan."

One after another, the plans have been put into action.

As initially planned, the construction of an industrial zone began at the midpoint of the road connecting the fox tribe's capital, Forneu, to Baldia.

Some of the residences and workshops have already been completed.

Amon and the other fox tribe members, along with the nobles and citizens, were amazed at the speed of the construction, but the mechanism behind it was surprisingly simple.

In Baldia, wood-attribute magic was used to mass-produce timber, and then the workshops created building materials in large quantities according to pre-established standards.

These materials were then transported by the Christie Trading Company using charcoal-powered vehicles to the fox tribe's territory.

On-site, "earth-attribute magic" was used to level the construction sites in advance.

After that, it was just a matter of assembling the materials according to the blueprints using the tools provided. No special skills were required.

With enough manpower, large-scale construction could be completed in a short time.

In my previous life, construction had to consider water, electricity, gas, and other infrastructure, but since such facilities are not yet in place here, this method works for now.

Of course, I do plan to address infrastructure development in the future.

In the workshops of the newly built industrial zone, the production of simple parts and household items has already begun.

The general process is as follows: Baldia purchases raw materials, which are then delivered to the fox tribe's territory by the Christie Trading Company, where fox tribe craftsmen process them.

The finished parts and household items are then inspected and counted by the Christie Trading Company. The parts are shipped to Baldia's workshops for delivery, while the household items are sold directly by the Christie Trading Company, with profits shared between the Baldia family and the trading company.

This allows Baldia to reallocate the manpower previously dedicated to parts and household item production to more technical assembly tasks and new product development.

By increasing Baldia's development and production capabilities, we have also strengthened our sales potential to imperial nobles and the aristocracy of Renarute.

In the future, once production processes, including the assembly of pocket watches, are established, we plan to entrust the fox tribe with these tasks, allowing Baldia's workshops to focus on new product development and various research projects.

With this future in mind, "terakoya" (temple schools) have been established in towns and villages across the fox tribe's territory to improve literacy rates.

For now, it has been announced that children aged six to fifteen must attend, and adults are welcome to participate at any time while the schools are open.

Initially, the response to this initiative was not very positive.

The reason is that, in this world, "children" are considered valuable labor.

The general sentiment among the fox tribe's citizens was, "Being able to read won't put food on the table or earn money. It's much more meaningful to work than to study such things."

However, when we announced that "those who attend the terakoya in the morning will receive meals," the response changed dramatically.

Due to the harsh tax collection under the former Grandork regime and some of the noble families, the food situation in the fox tribe's territory had deteriorated significantly, making solving the food crisis an urgent priority.

However, simply distributing food would not lead to a fundamental improvement.

To ensure that the distribution of food would contribute to the future in some way, we decided to provide meals to those who attended the terakoya.

Of course, we took the utmost care to ensure that those who were truly in need and had no food were immediately provided for, to prevent starvation.

Thanks to this initiative, the people of the fox tribe's territory, from young children to adults, began attending the terakoya to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The "meals" provided to adults will likely be phased out eventually, but by then, literacy and numeracy rates should have significantly improved.

Once that happens, it will likely have a positive impact on productivity in various fields.

When everyone can read, write, and do basic math, individuals who can think about "efficient movements" will naturally emerge.

As part of the efforts to address the food crisis, another initiative that has begun in the fox tribe's territory is "carp farming."

In my previous life, there was a strong belief that "carp caught in rivers are too smelly to eat." However, the reason carp meat can be smelly is largely due to the polluted rivers they live in and their habit of eating mud along with their food.

Carp raised in controlled environments with clean water and proper feed are actually nutritious and delicious.

The reason I know this is that, in my previous life, when I was on a business trip to Kyushu, I met someone who ran a carp farm, and they treated me to a variety of dishes made from fresh carp.

"Carp sashimi"... The fish's flesh is washed in cold water to remove any unpleasant odor, resulting in a firm texture with a pleasant chewiness.

"Carp sashimi"... Only possible with fresh carp, offering a richer, more flavorful experience than the washed version.

"Carp stew"... Made from the remaining parts after sashimi, cooked with ginger and miso for a slightly stronger flavor.

The meat is tender and flaky, with some parts being fatty and delicious.

Although there are bones in the stew, they are manageable if eaten carefully.

"Grilled carp"... Exactly what it sounds like.

Carp meat is fatty and plentiful, providing a satisfying meal.

"Simmered carp"... Also delicious.

Carp has a delicate flavor that absorbs the soy sauce and mirin used in simmering, resulting in a rich and distinct taste.

Since all these dishes were served at once, it was a bit overwhelming, but I kept that to myself.

Returning to the topic, following the example of the carp farmer I met, we built fish ponds lined with natural lime-based concrete to prevent the carp from eating mud.

After that, using earth-attribute magic, we diverted clean river water into the ponds, creating a proper carp farming facility.

Nature in this world is cleaner than in my previous life, and the river water is clear, so water quality is not an issue.

The reason we are putting so much effort into carp farming is not solely to address the food crisis in the fox tribe's territory.

Looking slightly beyond the fox tribe's territory, the imperial capital and Renarute are inland, making it difficult to obtain fresh fish.

Now, thanks to the combination of the Christie Trading Company, charcoal-powered vehicles, and ice-attribute magic, long-distance transportation of "fresh sea fish" has become somewhat possible. However, due to the associated costs, prices tend to be high.

Some fishermen and nobles with coastal territories have even taken advantage of this, driving up the price of fresh fish beyond what supply and demand would dictate.

The price of fresh sea fish has been skyrocketing, causing even Chris to worry.

This is where the "carp" farmed in the fox tribe's territory comes into play.

The various dishes we have introduced so far have been well-received not only by imperial nobles but also by commoners and even people from other nations.

If Baldia were to introduce "carp dishes," both nobles and commoners would undoubtedly be eager to try them.

Of course, if we were to present them to the emperor and empress, the response would be even greater.

With "carp" available, the price of fresh sea fish, which had been rising due to lack of competition, should stabilize to some extent.

If anyone still tries to take advantage of the situation, Chris's dark smile will surely strike fear into their hearts.

In any case, if the fox tribe's territory becomes known for its "carp dishes," it would be a tremendous success.

With the implementation of various plans, the perception of the new Grandork family and the Baldia family among the fox tribe's citizens has significantly improved.

Initially, due to baseless rumors spread by the former regime's nobles and the recent battle at the Narrow Fortress, everything we did was met with suspicion.

Even when we announced a five-year tax exemption, many citizens were skeptical, and when we recruited residents for the industrial zone, rumors spread that "if you go, you'll be sold into slavery."

However, as some of the nobles were stripped of their titles due to corruption, these fears quickly dissipated, and the future of the fox tribe finally began to look brighter.

Given this situation, while the nobles were informed, we kept it hidden from the citizens to avoid confusion.

We publicly announced the engagement of Tribal Chief Amon Grandork and Tis Baldia, the adopted daughter of the Baldia family, both within and outside the territory.

At first, the fox tribe's citizens were surprised, but when they learned that Tis's biological father was Cross, who had played a significant role in the battle at the Narrow Fortress, and that it was thanks to him that I was able to defeat Elba (with a bit of exaggeration), the engagement was quickly celebrated by the citizens.

This outcome was also greatly influenced by some nobles and citizens spreading the opinion that "an alliance with the Baldia family is the best possible match under the current circumstances."

As Amon and I exchanged ideas and implemented policies one after another, the vitality of the fox tribe's territory improved rapidly.

It feels like we can finally catch our breath.

With that in mind, I proposed to Amon that we take the sons and daughters of the nobles and future executive candidates working in the industrial zone to Baldia for a training program to broaden their horizons.

"Of course, I agree. The current Baldia territory is also the future of the fox tribe's territory. It will surely be a good stimulus for us ," he readily agreed.

And now, at this moment.

Leaving Dynas, Capella, the members of the First Knight Order, and the children of the Second Knight Order's squad leaders in the fox tribe's territory, I am on my way back to Baldia with Diana and our escort knights.

As usual, our mode of transportation is a residence-style trailer pulled by a charcoal-powered vehicle.

Following behind us are the sons and daughters of the nobles and the executive candidates from the industrial zone.

To give them a taste of Baldia's technological prowess, we deliberately prepared the same type of vehicle for them this time.

However, for their return trip, we plan to use regular carriages and wagons.

This is also to let them experience the "gap" in technological advancement.

It is absolutely not because I want them to understand even a little of the hardships I endured during long-distance travel.

Definitely not... probably.

As usual, I rolled a motion-sickness candy in my mouth while gazing out the window at the passing scenery.

Even though it feels like I just arrived in the fox tribe's territory, the gradually appearing scenery of Baldia feels incredibly nostalgic.

Mother, Father, Mel, Fara, Tis, and everyone who serves the Baldia family.

I know through communication magic that everyone is doing well, but I still want to see their faces soon.

As for Kiel... well, he can come along with Mel.

"Lord Ridd, you seem quite happy," Diana said with a gentle smile, sitting across from me in the carriage.

"Ah, do I?"

I scratched my cheek, trying to hide my embarrassment.

It's been a while since I've seen my family.

It would be a lie to say I'm not happy, but being pointed out directly is a bit embarrassing.

"But Diana, you must be happy to see Rubens too, right? And you haven't told him about that matter yet, have you?"

"Well... it would be a lie to say I'm not happy," she said, her face slightly red as she pouted in embarrassment.

She's kind of cute.

"And about that matter, I want to tell Rubens myself, so please keep it a secret from everyone, including him."

"Understood. Then, when we arrive in Baldia, let's go see Father together first."

"Yes, thank you very much."

Diana nodded lightly.

That matter will surely surprise Father.

It might be a bit irreverent, but I'm curious to see his reaction.

I'm looking forward to it.

As we continued to chat, I glanced out the window and saw the walls of the Narrow Fortress.

Baldia is just around the corner.

The thought of seeing everyone soon made my heart race.