My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 15

§ 15. Grinding, Grinding, and More Grinding! (1)

Sian counted the gold coins that had spilled onto the floor, one by one.

A total of 5,600 gold.

Potion costs: 300 gold.

Costs for various foodstuffs and daily necessities for the territory residents: 100 gold.

It was still a lot of money even after deducting all that.

Adding the original 400 gold, Sian now had exactly 6,000 gold in his possession.

“That’s pretty good, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t just good; it was amazing.

An income of about 6,000 gold from a single transaction.

6,000 gold was enough for a family of four to live comfortably for almost 16 years.

It wasn’t often that you could make this kind of profit.

Of course, it wasn’t easy money.

The result of a fierce war with the Goblin Legion.

Spoils of war obtained by risking his life.

“Still, if it’s this much, it’s worth it, right?”

Sian smiled contentedly at the heavy money pouch.

But.

“It’s not enough.”

It wasn’t enough.

『[Lord Exclusive] – Beginner Growth Support Intermediate Package (10,000 G)

Contents: Arnaize’s Martial Arts』

-This product can only be purchased once.

-This product is a special discount item and is non-refundable upon purchase.

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Beginner Growth Support Intermediate Package.

There wasn’t enough money to buy ‘Arnaize’s Martial Arts,’ which was included in the package.

In fact, Sian didn’t know the exact meaning of the word ‘Martial Arts.’

However, he could easily tell that it referred to the swordsmanship or magic that Arnaize used.

Therefore.

“…Is this for real?”

Sian honestly couldn’t believe it.

Arnaize’s swordsmanship and magic.

Its value couldn’t be expressed even with the word ‘treasure.’

But the price was only 10,000 gold?

It was a steal, the likes of which he’d never seen.

But.

“It’s probably the real Arnaize’s Martial Arts, right?”

Sian knew that it wasn’t a scam.

The smartphone in Sian’s hand right now.

The smartphone with Mobile Lord installed.

This thing, whether it was a magic tool or an artifact, was presumed to have been left behind by Arnaize in the past.

That’s why Sian was thinking of paying for the Intermediate Package.

However.

“The question is where to get the remaining 4,000 gold.”

He just didn’t have enough money to pay.

He had earned 6,000 gold at once,

But that was only thanks to the victory in the war against the goblins.

4,000 gold was not an easy amount to earn from scratch.

Sian was lost in thought for a moment.

First of all.

There were various ways to make money in Ruben, or rather, in the territory of Ruben.

You could sell monsters like now,

Produce and sell agricultural products,

Or develop mines and sell minerals.

To do that, you needed fertile land and mineral veins,

But Ruben was located in the Forest of Darkness.

A land that had not been touched by people for the past thousands of years, a land that could not be reached.

Without knowing it, the resources sleeping in Ruben would be enormous.

“But right now, there are no basic facilities. Above all, the surrounding area is still infested with monsters.”

The problem was that even if there were such resources, there was nothing he could do right now.

The territory of the dead, Ruben, was no different from ruins.

It was gradually taking the form of a territory, but that was it.

Even if there was a legendary mine nearby,

There was no manpower or facilities to mine it.

Also, to farm, you had to settle on the land for several years and cultivate it.

However, Ruben was too busy dealing with monsters that were constantly invading.

“Hmm…”

I wonder what’s in Mobile Lord?

Namely, the [Territory Facilities] section.

Territory facilities did not only mean defense facilities.

Sian immediately took out his smartphone.

Then, he rummaged through the territory facilities section.

And.

“There it is!”

He could find other facilities.

There it was.

There was no way that there would only be such defense facilities in the territory facilities.

Sian checked each of the listed items one by one.

『《Soldier Training Camp Lv.1》 (4,000G)

▶Hey you over there!

You’re not resting easy just because you’ve completed the defense facilities in your territory, are you!

No matter how strong the defense facilities are.

What good are they if there are no soldiers to defend them!

Now, here’s something that’s not that great, but it’s amazing!

Soldier Training Camp Lv.1!

No way~ Why build an expensive training camp just to train soldiers!

Did you think that?

If so, you’re dead wrong!

This soldier training camp is not just any training camp!

A training camp where transcendents [beings who have surpassed normal human limits] have gathered all the experience and know-how they’ve gained from training!

Are you worried about a clueless soldier?

When are you going to raise soldiers and use them?

If you have this soldier training camp, don’t worry!

Install it right now!』

– (Basic Effect) Training Efficiency +200%

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! A clumsy recruit like me is an elite soldier here?!” The training efficiency of soldiers is increased by an additional +100%!

– Of course, only when an excellent instructor is assigned!

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“Hmm…”

Sian stared at the smartphone screen.

《Soldier Training Camp Lv.1》

A training camp to train soldiers.

It was a facility that played a direct role in defending the territory, as much as a wooden fence.

Ruben, which was located in the Forest of Darkness and was visited by monsters almost every day.

Considering the monsters he would have to fight beyond the Goblin Legion, it was a necessary facility.

Even if Sian learned Arnaize’s martial arts.

He also had to build up the power to defend the territory.

“Hmm…”

Sian was troubled.

That’s because the price of Soldier Training Camp Lv.1 was 4,000 gold.

Considering the effectiveness of the wooden fence, it could be considered a cheap price, but Sian didn’t have much money right now.

“Should I look at something else?”

Sian continued to check.

『《Feeding Station Lv.1》 (3,000G)

▶Do you know what is the most important thing in war?

Excellent strategy and tactics?

A powerful force that overwhelms the enemy?

Or well-trained soldiers?

Wrong!

The most important thing in war!

That’s right~!

Food!

What do you need in your head to come up with excellent strategies and tactics!

Where does the power to overwhelm the enemy come from!

How were well-trained soldiers well-trained!

Isn’t it all about food!

With this feeding station, the morale of the soldiers in training will soar!

The loyalty of the territory residents is pounding [increasing rapidly]!

Everyone!

Let’s eat and do it!』

– (Basic Effect) Soldier Training Efficiency +150%

– (Basic Effect) Territory Food Efficiency +150%

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! Such delicious food is provided every day?!” The loyalty of the soldiers increases dramatically!

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! There’s such a great restaurant in our territory?!” The satisfaction of the territory residents increases dramatically!

– Of course, if there is a skilled cook!

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“What the…”

It’s not like they’re forcing a sale.

Of course, it’s a necessary facility for running a territory, but…

It was then.

Ding!

Suddenly, a notification window started popping up on the screen.

『《Fertile Farmland Lv.1》 (4,000G)

▶Are the ingredients that go into the feeding station given by some ancestor?

Self-sufficiency is the basis of a territory!』

– (Basic Effect) Crop Production +300%

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! Such fertile land for a crop like me?!” The growth rate of crops increases!

– Of course, if appropriate farming methods are applied!

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“…What is it?”

Why is the notification window popping up on its own…

It didn’t end there.

Ding!

『《Blacksmith Lv.1》 (9,000G)

▶Okay, you’ve eaten a warm meal!

You’ve trained hard!

So what do you need now!

What else! It’s equipment!』

– (Basic Effect) Blacksmith Efficiency +400%

– (Basic Effect) Soldier Combat Power +250%

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! Such high-quality equipment is provided to mere soldiers like us?!” The loyalty of the soldiers increases like crazy!

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! There’s such a great blacksmith in our territory?!” The life satisfaction of the territory residents greatly increases!

– Of course… there must be a skilled blacksmith!

Ding!

『《Mine Lv.1》 (7,000G)

▶Right? You’ve noticed now, haven’t you?

Are the ingredients that go into the blacksmith given by some ancestor?

Of course, you have to supply them yourself!』

– (Basic Effect) Mine Mining Volume +300%

– (Additional Effect) “Huh?! Such a comfortable mine exists?!” The safety and efficiency of the workers are maximized!

– Of course… there must be a mine in the territory!

Ding!

『《Ore Vein Detection Facility Lv.1》 (2,000 G)

▶In that sense, you can detect ore veins…』

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Click.

Sian pressed the X button without hesitation.

Ding.

Even so, the notification window continued to pop up.

Click, click, click, click.

And Sian kept pressing the X button on the pop-up notification window.

But as if not giving in to that.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The notification window kept popping up!

“This is crazy!”

Thud!

Sian threw his smartphone down on the floor.

It was crazy.

It was crazy.

It was a living hell!

“This is pay-to-win! That is pay-to-win!”

How could everything be pay-to-win!

“Haa…”

Sian unknowingly let out a deep sigh.

His head was throbbing.

That’s because all of those things! All of them!

Were facilities needed in Ruben!

Sian glanced at the screen of his smartphone.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The smartphone was still spewing out notification windows.

Introducing various facilities that could make Ruben a territory.

And next to it, the prices were reflected.

4,000 gold. 6,000 gold. 8,000 gold.

9,000 gold. 4,000 gold. 10,000 gold.

And Sian had 6,000 gold.

Barely earned through hard work.

Where on earth could he earn all that money?

And when would he earn 10,000 gold to learn Arnaize’s martial arts?

Of course.

There was one way.

“Now that it’s come to this, there’s no choice.”

Thud!

“Hans! Grayson! Where are you!”

Sian shouted loudly.

#

“You’re… better than I thought.”

Grayson looked slightly surprised as he watched Hans’ dismantling work.

Almost perfect work.

No joke, he handled corpses better than Grayson himself.

“I wandered around as a mercenary when I was young. Mercenaries don’t miss out on things that make money.”

Hans continued, skillfully working on the goblin corpses.

“I’ve become dull since I’ve been with the young lord, but the old man’s experience doesn’t go anywhere.”

Soon, Hans carefully piled up the dismantled goblin corpses.

As expected, it was a perfect job without any unnecessary movements.

Just looking at that, you could tell how skilled Hans was when he was young.

Well, in fact.

He knew Hans’ skills from the battle with the Goblin Legion.

If it hadn’t been for Hans at the time, the defense line would have been breached and collapsed long ago.

Sian led the battle to victory,

But it was thanks to Hans that there were no casualties.

That’s why Grayson couldn’t help but wonder.

Why Hans was with Sian.

If it was Hans, he would be a talent who would be used quite importantly even in Elantur.

Grayson asked carefully.

“What kind of person is the lord?”

Hans didn’t show any particular reaction.

He just silently dismantled the new goblin corpses and answered.

“He’s not the scoundrel that the rumors say he is.”

Grayson nodded.

Until recently, it was a story he couldn’t relate to at all,

But now he was relating to it more than anyone else.

But sometimes.

Really sometimes, he wondered if he was a bit of a scoundrel…? He also had that thought.

Especially, the deal with Amelia that happened recently.

Honestly, Grayson wondered if this was right…

“Is that all?”

“What do you want to ask?”

Grayson had nothing to say to Hans’ question.

That’s because, like Hans said, he didn’t know what he wanted to ask himself.

Whether Hans knew Grayson’s feelings or not.

“Actually, I don’t know either.”

Hans slowly opened his mouth.

“I haven’t been with the young lord for long. I’ve been with him since he was born.”

At that moment, Hans’ working hand stopped.

Hans’ eyes stared into the air.

“That’s why I thought I knew everything about the young lord…”

In Hans’ vision, Sian’s childhood figure flickered like an afterimage.

‘Hans. The river doesn’t drink water for itself.’

Sian was very cheerful in his childhood.

Perhaps he was not aware of his situation.

The innocence that young children commonly have,

Not knowing the adults’ circumstances.

‘The tree doesn’t eat its own fruit, the sun doesn’t shine for itself, and! The flower doesn’t spread its fragrance for itself.’

To Sian too.

‘Hans! I want to be like these people!’

There was such a pure time.

However, with the death of Sian’s mother, Cecil, that smile disappeared.

And never again.

It never came back.

Hans calmly lowered his gaze.

‘Ruben will no longer run away!’

In the meantime, Sian’s figure that he had seen a while ago flickered again.

‘I will fight against all impossibilities that I face in the future!’

‘I am Sian Elantur! The lord of Ruben!’

Why is that?

“Maybe… I may have had prejudices against the young lord.”

A faint smile spread across Hans’ wrinkled mouth.

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing.”

Hans started dismantling the goblin corpses again as if nothing had happened.

Right then.

“Excuse me…”

A voice was heard as if someone was calling Hans and Grayson.

He raised his head and looked at that place.

“Ellie?”

There, Grayson’s daughter, Ellie, was standing awkwardly.

Ellie smiled awkwardly and opened her mouth.

“Um… the lord is looking for you two.”

“The young lord?”

Ellie nodded slightly.

“Okay. I’ll go right away.”

Hans and Grayson immediately got up from their seats.

The place they arrived at like that.

“Young lord. You were looking for us… huh?”

“Huh?”

Hans and Grayson’s expressions froze at the same time.

There was a building they hadn’t seen before.

“?”

“?”

Hans and Grayson really wondered what it was.

It was a natural reaction since a building had appeared overnight, no, not even overnight.

It was a similar situation to when the wooden fence was created.

Right then.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Sian’s voice was heard from inside the building.

Soon, Sian appeared.

Hans and Grayson asked as if they had been waiting.

“Y-Young lord? What is this…?”

“W-What is this…?”

“Oh, this.”

Sian said nonchalantly.

“Soldier training camp.”

Soldier training camp…?

Hans and Grayson tilted their heads at the same time.

In the meantime, Sian continued to speak.

“Hans. Can you train people here for a while?”

“Me…?”

Sian nodded his head greatly.

Hans was a skilled person comparable to the knights of Elantur in the past.

Although he was old now, the old man’s experience and know-how did not go anywhere.

“I think Hans is the most suitable. Not continuously. Just until the system is in place.”

“That’s not difficult, but…”

Sian smiled contentedly.

“And Grayson.”

Soon, Sian looked at Grayson and said.

“The goblin group that ran away last time. Can you track where they ran away to?”

Grayson was a very skilled hunter even among the hunters living in the Forest of Darkness.

He could track the traces of monsters with his eyes closed.

“Yes. That’s not difficult, but…”

Sian nodded very satisfactorily.

“Good! Then I’ll ask you.”

But Hans and Grayson couldn’t do that at all.

“Why all of a sudden…?”

“Why all of a sudden…?”

Hans and Grayson asked at the same time.

Sian looked at the two of them and shouted confidently.

“From now on, we’re going on a grinding spree!”

Grinding?

“Yes?”

“Yes?”

Hans and Grayson’s expressions froze at the same time.

Sian nodded his head once again and continued to speak.

“We’re going on a gold grinding spree from now on! The first one is goblin hunting!”

Gold grinding? Goblin hunting?

“What do you mean by goblin hunting…?”

“S-Surely you’re not talking about the goblin legions that ran away last time?”

“That’s right.”

Sian nodded his head without hesitation.

“…”

“…”

And Hans and Grayson’s expressions froze again at Sian’s appearance.

That’s because of the last goblin legion’s attack.

Ruben was able to block the last goblin legion’s attack.

But it was just blocked.

It didn’t annihilate the goblin legion.

Honestly, there were more goblins that ran away than those that were defeated.

That’s why it was more appropriate to say ‘drove them away’ rather than ‘blocked them’.

So, you’re going to go hunting for the goblin legions that you worked so hard to drive away?

Without knowing it, there would be quite a few goblins who had not joined the group.

Perhaps they would be more numerous than last time.

But why are you going to find death?

“Why… why are you doing this…?”

Then Sian answered confidently as if asking what he was talking about.

“Why else? Of course, it’s because of money.”

Money?

“Are you talking about money?”

“But if it’s money, you earned a lot a while ago…?”

S-Surely!

In an instant, Hans and Grayson’s expressions hardened.

And the gazes looking at each other.

In the meantime, Sian’s voice was heard.

“That’s all gone.”

Saying that, Sian took out the money pouch from his pocket.

The price of Soldier Training Camp Lv.1 was 4,000 gold.

And the instant completion ticket was 1,500 gold.

Total of 5,500 gold.

Thus, the money left to Sian.

Clang.

5 platinum coins [a high-value currency], worth 100 gold each.

500 gold.

“…”

“…”

Hans and Grayson’s absurdity had left [they were speechless].

And Sian was watching the two of them.

Sian was also dumbfounded.

Overnight… no, it wasn’t even overnight.

About 6,000 gold had disappeared with just two clicks.

Because of that, he was far away from 10,000 gold, but there was no choice.

The only way to make money right now was through grinding by hunting monsters.

So… investment.

Yes, it was an investment.

“So, let’s grind as much as possible before the Truth Merchant Guild comes again! Tell everyone to gather!”

The look in Sian’s eyes was fierce.