The Overlord of Blood and Iron (WN)
chapter-26

“Yes, please speak.”

Kang Chul-In answered Lee Chae-Rin’s phone call.

If she had not been a Lord, he would not have answered, but since she was someone who had become a Lord, he could answer her phone call at any time. A Lord’s enemy was a Lord, and a Lord’s ally was also a Lord.

[Mr. Chul-In.]

[It doesn’t matter what you call me. I got fired from the company.]

“Did you return just now?”

[Yes.]

It was understandable why she was fired.

For any company, they do not fire accountants without due consideration. There are situations where they mostly quit on their own. The cause would 100% have been because she did not go to work for a long time due to the Grand Summoning.

[Mr. Chul-In.]

[You know something, right? That’s why you can be that calm? Right?]

Lee Chae-Rin blurted out a series of questions. It seemed like she did not really understand the reality of things.

“I have nothing to say regarding that.”

Kang Chul-In drew the line.

If he were to advise Lee Chae-Rin, he did not know how he would change the future. He had to try and eliminate any external variables, so he could not give her any advice even if he wanted to.

[Mr. Chul-In]

It was obvious that she was hurt by the cold response.

[I-I am so scared…] [I have never seen such things before… There are dwarves and crows that I can’t understand or accept…. So could you please just hear me out? Please?]

Lee Chae-Rin’s quivering voice was moist with fear.

She is only half-sane.

Kang Chul-In could perceive her psychological state right away.

Fear of the unknown, the gap between reality, the responsibility that came from the suddenly bestowed position of Lord, the monster quests, and more honestly, if you were any normal person, it would be difficult to escape from the shock of the Grand Summoning for a while.

Especially if you were not crazy like Hecate and just a plain woman like Lee Chae-Rin. She would be even more confused. It would not be strange for her to die at any time with that sort of mental state, whether through suicide or murder.

Hmm…. should I exchange some information just in case?

Kang Chul-In’s mind began to spin.

If Lee Chae-Rin’s territory is near that of Rothschild, then I would be able to get some intel.

He then thought that he might gain something just by helping her just enough to not affect the future.

“Ms. Chae-Rin.”

Kang Chul-In made up his mind and spoke.

[Yes, Mr. Chul-In.]

“I might not be of much help, but let’s talk face to face. There might be some things we can help each other with. Where are you right now?”

[You can meet right now?]

“Yes.”

[Then I will send you the location right now, so please contact me when you arrive. Ah, also… thank you for meeting me.]

“I’m hanging up.”

Kang Chul-In did not know how to respond to those words, so he just hung up. He was not used to someone depending on him.

“Are you here?”

He could meet Lee Chae-Rin at a cafe near the train station located in front of Seoul University.

“What is the name of your territory?”

Kang Chul-In asked the question right away.

“It’s.. Dorado.”

Lee Chae-Rin answered, taken aback.

Dorado… Doesn’t sound familiar.

He did not know the name of every territory, but he did recall any territory that had an influence on the “big picture” of things. If it was a territory that he did not know, that meant that it was insignificant and did not have any influence on the future.

“What is your specialty?”

“Specialty… I can’t remember.”

“Repeat after me. Open ‘My information’.”

“Open ‘My information’.”

Lee Chae-Rin repeated the words, and a semi-opaque window popped up, showing her the information.

“T-this is possible too…”

Lee Chae-Rin was surprised. Pangaea was understandable because it was a different world, but she did not think she could use it in real life.

“Because it is reality.”

Kang Chul-In answered bluntly.

“Anyways, a Lord’s information is made so that other people cannot look at it. I can see the window, but I can’t see the contents. So, you need to read it out to me.”

“Did you ask about the specialty?”

“Yes.”

“It is called abundance.”

At that moment, Kang Chul-In’s eyes widened.

Hmm… Abundance, is it…? Wait a minute… abundance?!

It was really something surprising.

Abundance.

It was a specialty that amplified the territory’s economy.

The cost of building facilities decreased, and when you developed a gold mine and extracted resources, the yield increased exponentially. It is also the same for diamonds and rubies.

In purchasing units using the Lord Store and in collecting bounties when hunting monsters, this specialty is useful. Small input, large output. That is the key to this abundance specialty.

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

Lee Chae-Rin asked, but Kang Chul-In did not answer.

She has the abundance specialty, but her name is unknown? This does not make sense. What did she do in the past? Lee Chae-Rin? I have never seen you before.

Abundance was almost a cheat specialty that makes the economy of your territory boom even with one not doing anything. A woman with such a specialty was unknown? It did not make logical sense.

Let’s think back. It is fair to say that it was not fated for me to meet her at Akan’s hall in the past. It is very possible for me to not recognize even a familiar face.

It was not strange for him to not have run into Lee Chae-Rin in the past. It was very possible.

But not the first Lord Meeting. Whether I wanted to or not, I would have seen her at least once. In the first Lord Meeting, Lee Chae-Rin was definitely not there.

He was sure.

No matter how much he dug through his memory, he had no recollection of seeing her during the first Lord Meeting. Then, there could only be two logical explanations.

The future changed? No, no, that can’t be. There is nothing that I have interfered with or changed for that to have happened. It is either God or Akan that chose Lee Chae-Rin, not me. There was no external factor before the Great Summoning. Then…

Kang Chul-In thought hard.

Before the first Lord meeting, it must mean that she was stripped of her status or had died. Or she gave up on going to Pangaea completely.

The solution came.

“Ms. Chae-Rin.”

“Yes?”

“Can you by chance tell me where your territory is located?”

“Ah, that’s not difficult. My territory’s location…”

Lee Chae-Rin looked at the information window briefly and then spoke.

“It is in the South.”

Pandemonium?!

Lee Chae-Rin’s words answered all of Kang Chul-In’s questions at once.

I get it now.

He understood why Lee Chae-Rin did not appear in the first Lord Meeting even with a specialty like abundance.

Pandemonium.

A land of hell, filled with the war-crazed.

It was too cruel of a place for someone like Lee Chae-Rin, who was so delicate. It would not be strange for her to have left early from the ranking competition.

Abundance… she could be quite the useful partner.

Kang Chul-In was lost in thought as he looked towards Lee Chae-Rin.

Pandemonium does not have an impact on the bigger picture anyways. I can intervene however I want. I can help Lee Chae-Rin survive, and if she supplies me with gold, then we both benefit.

It was quite a good idea.

For Kang Chul-In who would be struggling financially, no, who would continue to struggle, Lee Chae-Rin would be a good source of money.

“Sigh, Mr. Chul-In.”

Lee Chae-Rin let out a heavy sigh as Kang Chul-In was thinking about the deal.

“I am so confused. I don’t know what is what, and I am scared. But there is no one I can talk to, and it seems like the citizens of the territory all look to me, so what can I do? I barely completed the monster subjugation, but I am not confident I can do it again.”

It seemed like Lee Chae-Rin was struggling quite a bit. It was obvious that she wanted to depend on Kang Chul-In. But…

“There is nothing I can do,” Kang Chul-In answered coldly.

“Ms. Chae-Rin, you are an adult. Do not ask others how to live your life. Aren’t you going to do whatever you want anyways regardless of what I am going to say?”

“That…”

“If I were to give you any advice, don’t you just need to decide whether you will ever return to Pangaea again or faithfully carry out your role as a Lord?”

No matter how hard she thought about it, the answer would be black or white. Would she live as a Lord, or would she live a normal life? No matter what she chose, that was Lee Chae-Rin’s own life and not his.

“But, if you are willing to live as one’s Lord with dignity, I will help you.”

“Mr. Chul-In, you?”

“I will not spoon-feed you, but yes, to an extent.”

“Yes.”

“You need to remember only one thing. There is risk in living as a Lord, but there are also great rewards. With your specialty, you will have a building within the year here.”

“I don’t even want that much. Money isn’t everything. But…”

Lee Chae-Rin said something quite impressive.

“I am so afraid…”

“But you aren’t alone?”

“Ah?”

“If you were not a Lord, I would have advised you not to ever return to Pangaea ever again. However, you are a Lord. You have a loyal Secretary and people of the territory who trust you and are loyal to you. What is the problem? Even with the monster subjugation, you probably just sat back and watched. Am I wrong?”

“I will end it here. If after a lot of thought, you decide to live as a Lord, then you can contact me then. Then, I will treat you like a Lord then.”

“Yes.”

Lee Chae-Rin lowered her eyes as if she was confused.

“Let’s end it here and talk next time.”

“Are, are you leaving?”

“There is nothing else I have left to say.”

“But…”

“?”

“How can you be so nonchalant about everything? As if you have been going to Pangaea even in the past, you are so level-headed and calm. It seems like you changed as well. How much do you know about Pangaea?”

“No comment. I don’t want or need to tell you anything regarding that. Well, then.”

Kang Chul-In, with those words, left the cafe. He had shown all the kindness he could muster.

No matter how much I babble on, it is no use. The choice is yours, Lee Chae-Rin. You can give up. But if you decide you want to live as a Lord, we will be great partners.

It would be a wonderful alliance if Kang Chul-In and Lee Chae-Rin were to join hands because it would be a union of military and economic powers. Of course, the current Lee Chae-Rin did not know that.

With Kang Chul-In’s void, Laputa’s governing body was busy establishing the territory’s internal affairs. Timothy, as designated by Kang Chul-In, was working into the night trying to establish the territory’s administration system and was buried underneath paperwork.

Director-General Podolski searched all over the territory for Kimura, while Commander James pushed the Royal Guard into intense training.

Lucia was busy training the four servants that she had chosen for Kang Chul-In’s comfort as well as performing interim duties out in the fields.

But a problem arose.

The problem happened in the construction site that was working to dig the land’s moat deeper.

“Ah!!!”

A laborer who was working hard amongst the ants shot up into the air.

“Help me!”

Along with a scream…

Splurt!

Blood spurt into the sky.

It was an ambush.