Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master

Chapter 72.1

The Northern Plague (1)

When I served tea brewed personally in the celadon I had made myself, Gard and Entir’s expressions softened visibly.

Even their obsession with the magic stones embedded in the ceiling seemed to have faded away.

“Wow...! To think we’re drinking tea personally brewed by Count Jin himself.”

“On top of that, isn’t this celadon also made by President Jin himself? It was definitely worth the long journey to get here. Hahaha!”

The two of them continued to savor the tea I had brewed, marveling over its taste repeatedly.

“Whoa...! It’s hard to believe this is the same kind of tea. How can it have such a deep flavor? I don’t think I’ll ever forget this, even when I return to the merchant guild.”

“They don’t call him the best chef in the North and the developer of Arad Salt for nothing.”

Thanks to that, the awkward atmosphere from earlier had eased considerably.

“This color looks just like real skin. Should I touch it once?”

“Did he grind up human skin to make this?”

“Don’t touch that!”

“Man, you’re being way too strict. I can just buy it, right?”

“It’s not for sale! Absolutely not!”

“Ah, come on! What’s this? Is it enchanted or something?”

I could still hear the rowdy chatter of Carpe and the mercenaries outside my office, along with Theo’s voice trying to mediate.

“To be able to drink tea from the southernmost tip while in the North... this is a rare experience.”

Entir deliberately ignored the commotion outside and continued our conversation.

“I’m glad it suits your taste. I only serve it to very important guests.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“It’s truly an honor to be treated as a valued guest by Count Jin. Hahaha!”

Starting the conversation with casual small talk was customary.

Of course, in the North, where pragmatism ruled, it was perfectly acceptable to get straight to the point. However, since Entir was an imperial citizen, it was natural to follow this approach.

“Hayas tea comes from Scania, one of the island nations in the Kingdoms’ Union, right?”

Since the situation wasn’t particularly urgent, nor was I especially busy, I decided to indulge in this non-Northern style of conversation.

“By the way, Hayas tea was always expensive, but it’s gotten even pricier these days.”

We started our conversation while sipping on Hayas tea, a specialty product from Scania, an island country located at the southernmost end of the Kingdoms’ Union.

“It seems Bardenheim has been causing a lot of trouble for the Empire lately?”

I fixed my gaze on Entir.

It was frustrating that I couldn’t do anything because of the colossal presence of the Empire blocking the way.

‘If I could establish a direct connection with the Kingdoms’ Union, I could halt the Empire’s growth far more effectively.’

In the original timeline, the Empire experienced its golden age under Emperor Canbraman, also known as the “Brilliant Emperor.”

After effortlessly annexing the North, the Empire achieved unprecedented growth in magic engineering, enabling it to centralize its power.

With unified administration and military might, they crushed the Noble Assembly and the Church, ultimately subjugating the Kingdoms’ Union as well.

Having laid this foundation, Canbraman’s son, the Benevolent Emperor Julian, solidified the “Thousand-Year Empire” into an unshakeable force.

‘The current North is in a far better position than it was in the original timeline. But... it’s still not enough. It’s still too unstable.’

My gaze shifted to the map hanging on the wall of my office.

It depicted not only the entire continent of Arcadia but also a detailed map of the North.

My eyes locked onto a spot on the map—a coastal area to the northwest of the North, Jin County.

‘The plan to create an ice-free port using the barrier magic of the greenhouse farms... I will make it happen within the next few years, no matter the cost.’

I had already conceived the plan back when I was appointed as a Count.

But to expand the greenhouse barrier over the frozen seas to reach the southern warm waters would require an astronomical amount of money.

Not to mention, there were the monsters and barbarians inhabiting the frozen sea to deal with.

“If the Empire ever makes a serious attempt to swallow the North, the Kingdoms’ Union will respond with a large-scale offensive—not just these slightly larger skirmishes but a near-full-scale war.”

Even as I stared at the map, recalling the events of the original history, Entir continued speaking.

“Will it really go that far?”

“Yes. The only ones who don’t realize it are the Northerners themselves. The Renslet name is currently the most closely watched in all of Arcadia.”

“I’m happy that our North is being recognized this much. But at the same time, it’s unsettling.”

“Indeed, Count Jin.”

The moment I expressed my unease, Gard, who had been quietly sitting across from me, responded as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“The Empire... to be precise, the Imperial Family... is up to something.”

As expected, he had recently returned after leading a delegation to the Imperial Palace.

As the head of the Rune Merchant Guild, which served as an official merchant group, he had naturally conducted business in the capital during his visit.

“Did you notice anything unusual during your time at the capital?”

I asked Gard with a serious gaze.

“There was no specific information.”