Having listened to my unusual request, Marquis Harpen kindly carried out the order. It was because I had promised him an appropriate reward.
How can someone of lower rank like me compared to Marquis Cockfield…
“If you capture Harris Cockfield halfway, the title of Marquis Cockfield will be yours, and I will give it to you.”
…Really?
When I suggested passing the Marquis Cockfield title to him, Marquis Harpen’s expression changed.
‘There’s nothing that can’t be done.’
In a capitalist society, money is supreme, and in a feudal society, social status elevation is the highest law.
As far as I knew, the knights of the Harpen Territory were not bad. Moreover, the tax revenue from the Cockfield Territory was different due to its fertility and prosperity compared to the Harpen Territory.
So, Marquis Harpen had no reason to refuse this opportunity.
I understand. I will handle it according to your orders, Duke.
“Please finish it as soon as possible. Everyone decided to face the zombies willingly despite the danger, and he tried to escape alone. People like him should be caught and set as an example, shouldn’t they?”
I will not disappoint you.
Without hesitation, Marquis Harpen, who received the order, promptly executed the command.
In just a few days, he succeeded in capturing Harris Cockfield with the knights from his territory.
P-please spare me. Duke! Please!
Harris Cockfield, who had tried to escape alone, came to Marquis Harpen, now a filthy potato, held by Marquis Harpen’s hands.
Seeing him begging, I calmly cut him off.
“As of today, I strip Harris Cockfield of the title of Marquis Cockfield. All crimes committed while fleeing in a situation equivalent to a state of emergency. Lock him up in the underground prison and put him to hard labor.”
No! Duke, I made a mistake!
‘You’re fired, you bastard.’
Harris Cockfield, who voluntarily ruined his honor, or now just Harris, muttered something.
“From now on, you are Wigen Harpen, the Marquis Cockfield. The situation is not favorable, so I entrust you with the management of both the Harpen and Cockfield territories. After resolving the zombie crisis, I will officially appoint you as Marquis Cockfield.”
Thank you, Duke.
Wigen Harpen, who obtained what he wanted, pledged allegiance to me.
After removing the troublesome wart, the rest of the work flowed smoothly.
Help from the local lords who had promised support began to arrive.
“Duke! Food and medical supplies have been sent to us through the demon gate!”
“Pockets with armor and weapons have arrived. They are small but seem to be made of sturdy iron!”
“Oh my. Sugar and tea leaves were sent as well. Is this a separate gift for you, Duke?”
Since the capital was blockaded by zombies, local lords sent the promised support materials through the demon gate.
Unable to send people directly to the capital, using magic to send supplies was the only option.
Using a magician like a delivery person was unprecedented, but given the circumstances, the demon gate actively delivered goods to us.
〈I shall receive this debt on the day the Duke saves the empire from the zombies.〉
Well, I didn’t expect it to be free, of course.
‘Using a demon gate as a delivery person, it’s something like this…’
I suspected that the people who offered to help had finished their calculations and responded accordingly.
If we clear out the zombies, and peaceful days return, the position of the ‘Marquis Kitten’ will become prominent.
‘Aston will become the emperor, and once I complete the quest, I’ll be treated as a hero of the nation… There’s a good chance it will work out.’
Since a new emperor without a support base would ascend, wouldn’t he demand assistance to become his confidant to repay the debt? Most nobles based in the capital had either died or turned into zombies.
I didn’t care much about the local nobles aiming to enter the capital. After all, I was going back anyway, and I hadn’t thought about what would happen afterward.
“Elizabeth Kitten will be really busy when she returns.”
Zero murmured casually as he passed by.
“That’s right. She’s confident in dressing up and decorating herself, but she has never imagined being a Marquis.”
While meticulously examining the list of relief supplies in the office, I responded grimly.
I was naturally thankful for the weapons and provisions sent to help us survive. However, my eyebrows furrowed because some of them subtly showed their ‘courtesy’ toward me.
‘Rather than sending this kind of stuff, they should send more medication.’
Although the survivors were somewhat relieved after reclaiming the Duo 1 area, I wasn’t.
“Why don’t you like it?”
Zero looked at me with a twisted expression and tapped his staff on the material list.
“I’m working. Go away.”
“Hmm! Giving a little break to a tired doppelganger is also part of the duties of the Doppelganger Management Office!”
‘Where is he giving me a break.’
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
