The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 123

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Strongest in Our Neighborhood (123)
“I beg your pardon? If it’s the former Tower Master’s Subspace… Ah! Now that I think about it, the former Tower Master must have had a Subspace.”
“Right. It was in the Tower Master’s Subspace. But how did you figure out that I’d taken the Tower Master’s Subspace?”
“You wouldn’t have if you hadn’t pulled out that Mandrake. Mandrake is a material for creating Death Mages, but it’s also a material for creating Death Knights, isn’t it?”
“Ah! You deduced it by connecting the Death Knight materials with the Mandrake. I was wondering how you knew.”
“But where did you find the former Tower Master’s Subspace? I looked for it and couldn’t find anything.”
“I found this lying on the floor while I was searching through the Tower Master’s thirteenth-level laboratory.”
Noxscasarsis held up a necklace with a broken string.
“Ah! A necklace. It must have snapped during our fight.”
“Probably.”
“But you’re not thinking of keeping the former Tower Master’s Subspace all to yourself, are you?”
“Huh? I found it, so it’s mine, isn’t it?”
“It’s not like you found it lying on the road. It was on the floor of the former Tower Master’s laboratory—you can’t just claim it as yours because you picked it up.”
After hearing Jang Gain’s words, Noxscasarsis twirled the necklace holding the former Tower Master’s Subspace on his finger before continuing.
“I thought it was naturally mine since I found it, but hearing what you say makes me think I should split it with you.”
“Exactly. The thing is, if this were a Magic Tower Master, there should be an enormous amount of wealth and magical items, yet it was strange that there were no secret vaults or storerooms. Even the two Mages I appointed as Vice Tower Masters said they didn’t know about any, and when I gathered all the Seven-Star Grade and higher Mages to ask, they all said they didn’t know either. So I even deployed my Aura Sense to search thoroughly. But since I couldn’t find anything, I figured the Tower Master must have created a Subspace somewhere to hide things, and you found it.”
“If I’d known you were searching like that, I should’ve told you sooner. You’re right—there’s definitely a lot of stuff packed in here. But even if we’re going to split it, my share should be higher, don’t you think?”
“Why?”
“For one thing, I found it first, and the lock on this Subspace necklace is so difficult that even another Seven-Star Grade Mage would need several days to crack it. So I think I deserve a higher percentage.”
“Fair enough, I’ll acknowledge that part. So what ratio are you thinking?”
“I think eight to two would be reasonable.”
“If your greed gets out of hand, there might be cracks in the friendship between us. Think it over carefully and tell me again.”
“Wait, am I being threatened right now?”
“You’re being threatened. So think it over.”
When Jang Gain glared at him, Noxscasarsis let out a small chuckle.
“Then let’s go with seven to three.”
“I said think it over carefully, didn’t I?”
“You’re not thinking of a six-to-four split, are you?”
“I am.”
“Are you some kind of bandit?”
“You’re the bandit here. What did you do to bring this Magic Tower under the Crerarion Territory? So it’s six to four.”
“Ugh, I should’ve never called you in the first place and just stayed home napping. Fine. Six to four it is.”
“Then now that we’re splitting it six to four, take out everything in the Subspace.”
“All right. I’ll take out everything I’ve moved into my Subspace.”
A moment later, as Noxscasarsis emptied out jewels, Gold Coins, Chimera Bees, magical scrolls, and magical materials, Jang Gain tilted his head in confusion.
“Wait, is that all?”
“Yeah. You don’t think I held back some of it because I didn’t want to split it according to the ratio, do you?”
“No, that’s not it, but I don’t see something that should obviously be here.”
“Something that should obviously be here? What is it?”
“Spell Tomes. A mage should naturally have Spell Tomes, but there’s not a single one here.”
“Ah! Spell Tomes. Why would I bother taking out trash like that? Obviously it’s not here if I didn’t take it.”
“Did you throw them away?”
“No, I left them as they were inside this Subspace necklace.”
Noxscasarsis shook the necklace to show it, and Jang Gain extended his hand.
“What you call trash is a treasure to a mage like Aleingde Mir. So take them all out for me.”
“All right.”
When Noxscasarsis opened the Subspace of the necklace, ten Spell Tomes came pouring out.
Jang Gain picked up the Spell Tomes and handed them to Aleingde Mir.
“Aleingde, take these Spell Tomes.”
“Thank you. Ho! These are all Seven-Star Grade Spell Tomes. But these would be more necessary for Laila, who has become the master of this Magic Tower, than for me.”
When Aleingde Mir yielded the Spell Tomes to his disciple, Jang Gain was inwardly somewhat surprised.
His disciple had overnight become a higher-level mage than himself and had even become the Tower Master commanding over a hundred mages—it would be natural for him to be bitter and claim the Spell Tomes, but he was yielding them instead.
“You’re going to yield all the Spell Tomes to your disciple?”
“Yes. Laila has reached Seven-Star Grade, but her magical power is Seven-Star Grade—she cannot yet wield Seven-Star Grade magic, can she? If she masters these Spell Tomes, she will become a true Seven-Star Grade Mage.”
Jang Gain blinked for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“Aleingde, are you perhaps a Bodhisattva?”
“I beg your pardon? A Bodhisattva? What is that?”
“It’s an expression sometimes used for foolish people who renounce their own interests even when they have them right in front of them. Anyway, that’s not really important—are you truly going to yield these Spell Tomes to your disciple?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll regret it later, won’t you?”
“I regret it even now. But still, Laila needs this spell tome more than I do. And just a moment ago, I received a Mandrake from Noxscasarsis, so I’m satisfied with that.”
“Hmm! I’m thinking it was quite wise not to appoint Aleingde Mir as Tower Master of the Magic Tower.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“I’ve realized that Aleingde Mir is truly someone I need. In that case, I’ll give these books to Laila.”
Jang Gain gathered up the spell tomes and found himself reassessing Aleingde Mir.
‘This old man has quite the presence.’
* * *
After returning to his territory, Jang Gain delegated most administrative duties to his staff, but he personally handled—alongside Noxscasarsis—the matter of hunting down mercenaries and hunters who preyed upon non-human races and minority tribes in the Crerarion Mountain Range.
He also summoned the nobles and minor nobles from the three territories under his duchy—Gorgovan, Hairong, and Daiaran—and issued an order that they pay monthly wages to all those they kept as slaves, treating them as servants.
The nobles protested his decree, and one of them stepped forward as their representative.
“Pardon? Your Grace, I am Albern, the Baron of Gorgovan. Might I be permitted to speak?”
“Albern. Yes, go ahead.”
“When we purchased these slaves, we already paid the slave merchants in full. Why should we then give money to the slaves themselves? It’s as if you’re telling us to buy cattle with our coin, then pay the cattle again every time it works.”
“Why would you place non-human races and minority tribes on the same footing as cattle?”
“Because they are on the same footing. Both slaves and livestock can be bought and sold for money—what’s the difference?”
“Cattle cannot speak, but non-human races and minority tribes think and speak and act just as you do. How, then, can they be on the same footing?”
“If they can be bought and sold for money, they are on the same footing.”
“Listening to you, I see that I shouldn’t merely ban the hunting of non-human races and minority tribes—I must forbid buying and selling them altogether.”
“Since the founding of the Smed Kingdom until now, there has been no law forbidding the buying and selling of slaves.”
“Nor was there a law forbidding their hunting. But in my territory, henceforth, I will not only ban the hunting of non-human races and minority tribes, but also prohibit buying and selling those you call slaves. And should you wish to employ non-human races and minority tribes going forward, you will pay them fair compensation. Johansen, advisor.”
“Yes, Duke Jang Gain.”
“I intend to proclaim what I’ve just said as law throughout the duchy. Prepare a draft and present it to me.”
“Drafting the law itself is not difficult, but I fear we must address their resistance first.”
Former Count Johansen, observing the flushed, seething faces of the assembled nobles and minor nobles, wore an expression of deep concern.
As Jang Gain turned his gaze upon them, Albern spoke again.
“Duke Jang Gain. These slaves are our private property. How can you fashion a law to seize our private property at your whim? What you’re attempting now is to enact an unlawful decree that directly violates the kingdom’s statutes.”
“They speak, think, act, and even engage in relations that produce children—exactly as you do. How can you call non-human races and minority tribes mere livestock or private property? They became slaves because they lacked the strength to resist the hunters, and not every kingdom law is righteous simply because it is law.”
“Even if the kingdom law is unjust, we must obey the law. And among all of us here, there is no one who believes the slave laws are unjust.”
“You just said that even if kingdom law is unjust, we must obey it, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“The Crerarion Territory that I received from the King is part of the Smed Kingdom, but it is an Autonomous Territory that receives no interference from the central government. Therefore, I have the authority to enact law here, and I can punish those who fail to obey it. This is a privilege granted to me by His Majesty.”
“…….”
“As Duke Jang Gain, master of this Autonomous Territory, I will create legislation abolishing what you call slavery within three days. Those of you who refuse to abide by the laws I create and wish to avoid punishment should leave my territory. After three days, when I enact and proclaim the new law, those who violate it will face severe consequences. You have that time to settle your affairs and depart.”
“Your Grace! How can you conduct such autocratic governance without hearing the opinions of us nobles at all? Surely you don’t believe this territory can function properly even if we all leave?”
“Whether the territory functions or not, we’ll see in time. My resolve will not change. Those unwilling to obey the laws I create should liquidate their assets and go live in another territory.”
As Jang Gain spoke with the authority of a Grand Master, the nobles and minor nobles felt their anger surge to the tips of their tongues, yet none dared speak further. They could only exchange wary glances.
Jang Gain continued.
“Johansen.”
“Yes, Duke Jang Gain, lord of the Crerarion Territory and First Sword of the Smed Kingdom. What are your orders?”
Advisor Johansen rose from his seat and performed the bow of a subject to his sovereign, prostrating himself fully.
“Prepare a draft of the slavery abolition law I just described, and have it ready so we can enact the final version within three days.”
“I receive the command of the great lord.”
“Noxscasarsis.”
Jang Gain called out to Noxscasarsis, though he was not present in the hall.
From a distance came his reply.
“What?”
“Lend me some of your Chimera Bees.”
“What do you need the Chimera Bees for?”
“I’ve told the nobles here that those unwilling to obey the slavery abolition law must leave the territory. But before they go, they might try to harm those they consider slaves. I want to keep watch.”
“Hmm, forty-four people. Understood. I’ll attach one Chimera Bee to each of them and keep watch on what they do.”
“Thank you.”
“If you’re grateful, treat me better.”
“I’m treating you well already.”
“Doesn’t feel like you treat me that well.”
Wheeeeee…….
At that moment, forty-four bees flew in through the window and began circling above the heads of the nobles and minor nobles.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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