The smoke had cleared, and the sounds of battle were a fading echo. Kutsilyo was quiet, a scarred but undeniably free village. With Grimo and Valerius gone, the power vacuum was immense, and it was a void I intended to fill. My immediate concern, however, was the remaining bandit groups, particularly Feron's 'Silver Foxes' and the remnants of the others that had fought alongside Grimo.
I found Feron amidst his men, overseeing the collection of their dead and wounded near the old mill. He looked haggard, but his eyes, sharp and calculating, immediately locked onto me. He knew. He knew that the 'unseen power' that had manipulated him, that had so ruthlessly obliterated the Shadow Scales, was now the dominant force.
"Feron," I called, my voice even. Miles, Asuna, and Lindsy flanked me, their presence a silent assertion of authority. Feron's men tensed, their hands instinctively going to their weapons. Feron, however, raised a hand, stopping them. He was a survivor, and he knew a losing battle when he saw one.
"Shouyo," he replied, his voice raspy, a hint of wary respect in his tone. "A clean sweep. Impressive." He looked around at the absence of mercenaries and Grimo's dead. "You played them perfectly."
I didn't dignify his comment with a smile. "Your cooperation was… noted. Now, it's time to formalize things."
Feron's eyes narrowed. "Formalize?"
"This village," I swept my hand across the ravaged landscape, "is no longer a battleground for others. It is ours. And you, Feron, have a choice. You can resist and join the ghosts of Grimo and Valerius. Or you can pledge your full, undivided loyalty to me, and secure your place in the new Kutsilyo."
Feron's jaw tightened. He was a proud man, but he was also pragmatic. He had seen the terrifying efficiency of the Kutsilyo Shadows. He knew he couldn't stand against us. And he was ambitious enough to see the opportunity I was offering. This wasn't just about survival; it was about elevating his position, wielding a new kind of power.
"My loyalty, then," he finally said, his voice clipped, but firm. He dropped to one knee, a gesture I hadn't expected, but one that sent a clear message to his men and any lurking eyes. "Feron and the Silver Foxes pledge their allegiance to you, Shouyo. We will follow your lead. This village… it's yours."
A ripple of shock went through Feron's men, then a grudging acceptance. They knew their leader. He only bent his knee to power. This was it. The last lingering threat within the village walls had been brought under my influence.
That evening, I called a meeting unlike any Kutsilyo had ever seen. In our newly expanded hidden base, now cleaner and more organized thanks to Elara and the new recruits, I gathered my inner circle: Miles, Lindsy, Asuna, Stanley, and Elara. I also included Borin, Thorn, and Roric, now trusted generals, and Feron, my newest, most volatile, but crucial acquisition. And finally, I had asked my father, Kirito, and his two most trusted retainers, to join us. They looked uneasy, sitting among former bandits and hardened fighters, but their loyalty to me and the village was absolute.
"Father," I began, my voice resonating with a calm authority that seemed to surprise even myself. Kirito looked at me, his eyes wide with a mix of trepidation and anticipation. "You spoke to me of our history. Of the Contis family, of a forgotten viscounty, of Kutsilyo's true strategic importance and its hidden wealth." I paused, letting my words sink in, especially for Feron, whose eyes gleamed with greed and understanding. "You spoke of mana stone, special-grade materials, its connection to thirteen kingdoms, its potential as a trading hub."
Kirito nodded slowly, his gaze steady on mine. "Yes, Shouyo. It is our birthright. Our burden."
"And our future," I corrected, my gaze sweeping across the faces in the room. "Father, you have carried this burden for too long. You have protected this village, kept the flame of our family alive through impossible odds. For that, I am eternally grateful." I took a deep breath. "But the world has changed. Our enemies are not mere bandits or mercenaries. They are powerful nobles, reaching from afar. To fight them, to reclaim what is truly ours, we need more than a village chief. We need a nation."
A stunned silence fell over the room. Even Stanley, ever composed, raised an eyebrow. Feron, however, leaned forward, a hungry look in his eyes.
"I ask you, Father, to transfer the leadership of Kutsilyo to me," I continued, my voice unwavering. "I will not simply be a chief. I will found a city-state. An independent city nation. A haven that no one rules but the family of Morisaki." I paused, letting the name settle. It was a clean slate, a symbol of our new beginning. "This city-state will be called Rimuru City. And its King… will be Shouyo Morisaki."
Kirito stared at me, then at the Kutsilyo Shadows. He saw the cold conviction in my eyes, the unwavering loyalty in my team's faces, the very real power they had wielded to clear the village. He saw the fire of ambition that had been snuffed out in his own family generations ago, now blazing in his son. He sighed, a tremor running through him, then a look of quiet acceptance settled on his face. "If… if that is what you believe is necessary, my son," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Then I pass the torch. May you succeed where our ancestors could not."
It was done. A new era had begun.
"Now," I said, turning to my team, my voice firm, "we build." I laid out my vision, assigning roles and responsibilities that would shock them with their ambition.
"Miles, you have been my oldest friend, my loyal shadow. You will be my Prime Minister, and for your unwavering loyalty and ingenuity, I bestow upon you the noble title of Duke." Miles gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief and pride.
"Lindsy, your stealth, your intelligence gathering, your ability to melt into the unseen… you will be the Minister of Shadows, overseeing all covert operations and intelligence for Rimuru City. You will command the Kutsilyo Shadows, strengthening our unseen hand." Lindsy's usually guarded expression flickered with a raw sense of purpose.
"Asuna, your strength, your loyalty, your unwavering resolve… you will be our Minister of Defense, commanding Rimuru City's armed forces. And you will be granted the noble title of Marquis." Asuna simply nodded, his eyes burning with quiet determination.
"Stanley, your knowledge of the outside world, your diplomatic prowess, and your hidden talents will be invaluable. You will be our Minister of Foreign Affairs, forging alliances and gathering intelligence beyond our borders." Stanley gave a small, approving smile.
"Elara, your healing hands, your compassion, your knowledge of remedies… you will be the Minister of Health, ensuring the well-being of our citizens and researching new medical advancements." Elara's gentle face softened, a tear escaping her eye.
"Feron, your pragmatism, your knowledge of the criminal underworld, and your willingness to adapt… you will be our Minister of War, leading the reformed military forces of Rimuru City. And you will be granted the noble title of Baron." Feron's eyes widened, a mixture of shock and unconcealed pleasure. A Baron! From a bandit leader!
"Borin, Thorn, and Roric," I continued, addressing the three powerful warriors, "you will be Generals, each commanding a vital unit within our new army." They saluted, their faces beaming with pride.
I then spoke of the city itself. "Our first priority: defense. We will fortify Rimuru City, building walls inspired by the legendary Theodosian Walls—a double-layered defense, massive outer walls, inner walls, formidable towers, and a deep, uncrossable moat. It will be a bastion, impenetrable to any noble or mercenary who dares to challenge us."
As I outlined the plans for resource extraction, for a new marketplace, for trade routes that would circumvent the nobles, a commotion at the entrance drew my attention. Miles's gaze flickered to the two figures being led in by Rai.
"Shouyo," Rai began, "we found these two during the cleanup of Grimo's camp. They claim they were just merchants caught in the crossfire, but Lindsy's intel suggests otherwise. They were working for Grimo, handling his illicit trades and some… discreet information gathering."
My eyes, now seeing with a greater clarity, settled on them. The first was a middle-aged man, with a shrewd glint in his eye and hands that looked more accustomed to counting coin than wielding a sword. This was Steve. He was, as Lindsy's intelligence hinted, a master of negotiation, able to talk his way into or out of any situation. He had operated as a merchant within Grimo's ranks, but also discreetly managed a network of informants and facilitated sabotage against rival traders. He was a survivor, a man who always knew where the money and the power lay.
Beside him stood a younger man, perhaps in his early twenties, his face open and seemingly innocent, but his eyes held a quick intelligence that mirrored Steve's. This was Marlow, Steve's apprentice. He had learned the art of negotiation and subtle espionage from his master, possessing a remarkable memory for details and a knack for blending in. He was less jaded than Steve, with a quiet ambition, but equally dangerous when it came to information gathering and subtle manipulation.
"Shouyo," Steve said, his voice surprisingly calm despite being a captive. "We mean no harm. Just honest merchants trying to survive. We have information. Useful information, if you're willing to listen."
I looked at them, a new wave of ideas already forming in my mind. Merchants. Spies. My vision for Rimuru City was grand, but it would need more than just soldiers and strategists. It would need economy, information, and people who understood the subtle currents of the outside world. Steve and Marlow might just be the missing pieces to my burgeoning empire.