276th Episode
The situation should have been much worse originally, but thanks to Ray’s efforts, the refugees were spared from worrying about freezing or starving to death. After being assigned accommodations over several days, the refugees managed to live in order without much chaos.
Maintaining order was partly due to the relatively high average awareness level among the refugees, but the Jimy Family’s efforts played a significant role as well. Although serious issues were somehow resolved, the refugees still led difficult lives. Due to the insufficient number of accommodations, they had to crowd together in small spaces, with no private space to speak of—barely enough room to toss and turn while lying down.
The food supplied to the refugees was far from abundant. With war looming, the Osiris Countdom itself wasn’t in great shape, so the food they could allocate to the refugees was limited. Even though Philip Count used his own wealth to support the refugees, there were still limits.
Living in cramped quarters, eating meager meals, and constantly worrying about how others perceived them took a toll on the refugees’ mental health. Small conflicts often escalated into arguments, and there were concerns about the spread of disease. However, there was nothing that could be done—after all, the refugees hadn’t come here expecting a life of luxury. They would just have to endure until the war ended.
Even if Ray stepped in, there was little more he could do, and the refugees understood that they should be grateful for what they had received.
However, an unexpected change occurred.
Large quantities of supplies began arriving in the Osiris Countdom from surrounding regions.
At first, the Osiris Count thought that a major merchant guild had come to trade supplies for a premium price. But his assumption turned out to be completely wrong.
“Hello.”
Arpa, representing the group that brought the supplies, greeted the Osiris Count.
Arpa stood confidently as she exchanged pleasantries with the Osiris Count.
“Duke Matthias has sent these greetings.”
Arpa handed the Osiris Count a letter from Duke Matthias. The letter expressed admiration for the Osiris Count’s decision to accommodate the suffering citizens of Phillip’s County and praised him for stepping up during such hardship.
Arpa reiterated the content verbally, emphasizing Duke Matthias’ intentions.
“As a noble serving His Majesty the Emperor, Duke Matthias wishes to fulfill his duties.”
Arpa continued speaking. Ray, seated to the side of the Osiris Count, stared intently at Arpa, but she ignored him, acting as if she didn’t notice.
Ray chuckled inwardly upon seeing this.
‘Duke Matthias must be in a hurry.’
The Matthias Dukedom, despite its recent struggles, still retained substantial assets. Duke Matthias himself was not incompetent in managing affairs.
Duke Matthias realized that if Ray harbored strong hostility towards the Matthias Dukedom, it could negatively impact their future. No one could predict how Ray’s resentment might affect the Matthias family later on.
In light of this, there was a need to resolve Ray’s animosity swiftly when the opportunity arose. During this time, the Matthias Dukedom learned that Ray held deep affection for his hometown.
Known for taking in orphans regardless of their background, Ray loved his hometown and its people deeply. While some within the Matthias family criticized Ray’s humble origins behind closed doors…
Nonetheless, anything useful had to be utilized.
For this reason, Duke Matthias ultimately approved the “supply offensive plan.”
If Ray truly loved his hometown, he wouldn’t refuse the Matthias Dukedom’s aid due to personal grievances while his fellow townsfolk suffered from lack of supplies.
This was the premise under which the plan was carried out.
Of course, this plan was nothing short of extravagant spending.
With war driving up prices indiscriminately, acquiring and pouring in these resources was a massive financial strain even for the Matthias Dukedom.
Nevertheless, Duke Matthias proceeded with the plan. He ordered the purchase of supplies from areas surrounding the Osiris Countdom and directed them to flood in.
If Ray accepted the assistance willingly, it would inevitably reduce his hostility toward the Matthias family. Given that he couldn’t ignore the help once received, it would open the door for discussions about ‘family ties’ in the future.
This alone justified the investment.
“Hmm…”
When Arpa saw that Ray showed no intention of rejecting the Matthias Dukedom’s aid, she let out a sly smile. Despite the significant cost, confirming that things were going according to plan filled her with excitement.
Ray muttered internally upon seeing this.
‘They’re losing money on this deal.’
Long-term, Duke Matthias’ judgment was correct—if Ray lived long enough, that is.
But even with a great miracle, Ray wouldn’t live much longer.
Thus, the Matthias Dukedom was unnecessarily spending large sums when simply doing nothing would suffice.
“Haha…”
Ray laughed quietly at the absurdity of the situation.
It seemed like the Matthias family, trying to uphold their noble pride, had inadvertently caused themselves a massive financial loss by skimming a bit of money from Bella.
Back then, no one could have foreseen the current situation, so from the Matthias family’s perspective, it could be considered bad luck.
Seeing Ray’s pleased expression gave Arpa confidence.
This time, she wouldn’t hear the sound of furniture breaking in the Duke’s office when reporting back.
Thus, amidst a seemingly amicable atmosphere, the transfer of supplies was completed.
Thanks to this, the refugees from Phillip’s County found relief.
Before leaving the Osiris Countdom, Arpa secretly gifted Ray a carriage filled with expensive goods.
Ray now had to think about who to distribute these items to.
That way, everyone seemed satisfied, and the matter appeared resolved.
But there was one problem.
The matter wasn’t over yet.
*
Though the Matthias Dukedom may currently be struggling,
they remained a prestigious family in the Empire, wielding significant influence across vast regions.
Naturally, many kept close tabs on their activities.
Recently, the Matthias Dukedom incurred massive expenses to supply enormous amounts of resources to the Osiris Countdom.
Since the Osiris Countdom wasn’t even at the frontlines, it was hard to see this as a gesture of loyalty to the Emperor.
As a result, many scrambled to uncover the Matthias Dukedom’s true intentions.
During this process, many identified Ray and learned that he cherished his fellow townsfolk deeply.
Why, then, did the Matthias Dukedom endure such losses to win Ray’s favor?
The answer wasn’t difficult to find.
Ray hadn’t yet been granted a title.
Despite receiving the rare Imperial Guardian Medal, awarded perhaps once every hundred years, he lacked an official title—a truly absurd situation on the surface.
Why did the Emperor make such a decision?
There were two possibilities:
Either the Emperor planned to discard Ray after using him, or intended to incorporate him into the royal family.
Excluding the possibility of Ray being discarded, there was a high chance he would join the royal family within ten years.
Testimonies that the Emperor allowed Ray to wield Moros added credibility to this speculation.
Thus, points had to be scored.
The Matthias Dukedom was the first to act.
Realizing they had been outmaneuvered, other powerful noble families within the Empire grew anxious.
Until now, they had hesitated due to mutual suspicion and concern over the Emperor’s intentions, refraining from approaching Ray. However, since the Matthias Dukedom had moved first, they could no longer delay.
Empire noble families who knew Ray’s identity began competitively flooding the Osiris Countdom with supplies in an effort to gain his favor.
This was less humanitarian aid and more akin to tribute.
Amidst fierce competition and urgency, most noble families opted to purchase nearby supplies rather than send them from afar, causing skyrocketing prices and shortages in regions surrounding the Osiris Countdom.
Eventually, some areas ran out of essential supplies altogether, leading to the bizarre situation where the Osiris Countdom resold their excess supplies back to neighboring regions at inflated prices.
Watching this unfold in real-time, Ray leaned his chin on his hand and muttered.
“…It’s gotten out of control.”
The small ball set in motion by the Matthias Dukedom had spiraled into this chaotic mess.
Had Ray been in perfect health, the Emperor would likely have felt quite troubled witnessing this spectacle.
Regardless, supplies and gifts continued to pour in.
Ray couldn’t fully rejoice in the situation.
The more this continued, the harder it would be to keep Ray’s identity concealed.
This meant an increase in variables and risks Ray would have to bear.
“Haa…”
Ray sighed deeply.
Although his head ached slightly, the immediate situation was positive.
The refugees from Phillip’s County no longer had to endure hunger. In fact, they were living better than when they were in Phillip’s County.
Meanwhile,
Phillip Count couldn’t hide his bright smile as he enjoyed tea with the Osiris Count.
Even though Phillip Count had sought refuge in another territory, he was experiencing the peculiar fortune of his wealth continuously growing.
Other noble families were showering him with bribes disguised as gifts, asking him to put in a good word for them with Ray.
Since Ray had told him to accept them, Phillip Count was happily collecting everything offered.
Unable to contain his irritation any longer upon seeing Phillip Count’s glowing demeanor, the Osiris Count finally spoke.
“You’ve certainly struck it lucky.”
“Not really… You’ve benefited greatly too, Osiris Count.”
Indeed, thanks to the influx of supplies, the Osiris Count escaped financial difficulties.
Lacking a counterargument, the Osiris Count coughed awkwardly just as a knock sounded.
After granting permission, a knight hurriedly entered, bowed, and delivered the report.
“His Majesty the Emperor has ordered the advance.”
The war had begun.
Target (1)
