Later that night...

Adrian was seated outside the mansion, close to the small pond near the garden.

He had just finished speaking to his mother about the guest he was going to have over, and to his surprise, she was very much fine with it.

As such, Valentina was made to stay in the Vane household.

Adrian made sure to put Liora in charge of her, since he could not fully say he trusted the daughter of a baron so easily.

That said, despite his plans, there were some things he needed to clear up before he could proceed with them.

’System. Territory core.’

He uttered calmly in his mind while seated on the small bench right outside.

And before him, the system displayed.

[Territory: Ashmere County]

Population: 2,138 | Morale: 30%

Treasury: 50,468 gold | Monthly Income: -12 gold

Military: 18 soldiers | Average Level: D-Rank

Infrastructure: Crumbling

Resources: Iron Deposits (Undiscovered), Aether Wellspring (Dormant)

[Active Quests Available: 3]

[Upgrade Paths: Locked until Population reaches 3,000]

Looking at the information, he could see the county’s income had risen from the single wager he had won.

Still, that was not his main focus.

’Show me the active quests under the territory core.’

[As you wish.]

[Quest 1 - Build Your Territory.

Description: Your territory lacks the facilities needed to generate income. Discover a way to create reliable earnings for your people.

Reward: 20,000 SP.]

’Hm...’

[Quest 2 - A Strong Army to Rule.

Description: Due to your lack of funds, you have lost willing soldiers, leaving you with no real force should war break out. Gather more than 100 men under the Vane name.

Reward: Discounted price to purchase the Horns of Nation artifact.]

And then came the last one.

[Quest 3 - Morale is Important.

Description: The people of Ashmere are exhausted. The county has not given them a single reason for hope. Increase your people’s morale to 50% or higher.

Reward: Continuous SP awarded each time a percentage is gained.]

Adrian stared at the screen for a long while.

’Figures as much.’

He had expected something along these lines. Just as he suspected, the system quests were all tied to making him a better leader, or a better person in general.

It was precisely because he had sensed this that he took Valentina in without hesitation.

Someone like her was someone he needed.

Even though she did not know it herself, Valentina was a person Adrian could tell had a natural instinct for turning profit.

She was financially sharp as well, as evidenced by the way she had offered the lowest possible sum without drawing attention to herself during their exchange.

She was exactly the kind of person he needed as a secretary.

’Not to mention the system handed me a summoning scroll I cannot even use without a summoning class. Tsk. Completely useless for now.’

He sighed.

’Either way, tomorrow should go smoothly. I have a strong feeling I know where the natural spring and iron ore deposits are.’

...

The next day, the group headed out toward the location Adrian had directed them to.

Regardless of his standing as the county’s soon-to-be ruler, there were still many things he could not accomplish alone.

For that, he needed help from an outside source.

In this case, Alfred himself.

Waiting outside the mansion was a carriage, with Adrian, Valentina, and Alfred all seated inside.

Emilya had also arranged for five soldiers to accompany them as a precaution for her son’s safety.

As for Liora, she had not been left idle.

Adrian had assigned her a task of her own, with a small guard detail to keep her safe while she carried it out.

Several hours passed before the group finally reached their destination.

The Forest of Jahad.

Adrian stood at the front of the group, with Valentina positioned just slightly behind him, wearing a look she was doing a poor job of hiding.

"Is this the place?" she asked, quietly slipping further behind his shoulder.

To which Adrian replied...

"The Forest of Jahad. One of the last unexplored areas in the entirety of this county."

"And for a good reason too, if I may add."

The leader of the soldier escort spoke up immediately.

"The forest is known to hold demons and evil spirits. Most people avoided coming here because none of the previous counts had the funds to hire adventurers to clear it out."

An irritated look settled over Adrian’s face before he could stop it.

’My ancestors were real pieces of work. Just how deep did the rot go.’

He exhaled slowly, then turned his gaze back toward the treeline, already working through his next move.

"Are you saying we do not stand a chance if we go in as we are?" he asked.

The soldier leader regarded the child for a moment, scratching the back of his head before he responded.

"Considering the sum you are paying us, we cannot exactly refuse what you ask. But I do have a question..."

He paused.

"What exactly are you hoping to accomplish inside a forest like this?"

"I cannot tell you that," Adrian replied, almost instantly.

"I see."

"But I understand your concern. Should the situation feel like your life is genuinely on the line, feel free to pull back. I will not hold it against you."

The leader was quiet for a moment, glancing over at Alfred, who simply smiled in return.

Both men understood the same thing without saying it aloud. The young lord simply did not speak like a child.

"We understand."

"Good. Then let us proceed."

Adrian took a single step forward, and without hesitation, the rest of the group followed behind him.

..

[A\N] Please don’t forget to leave comments so I can know your thoughts.