Marato’s stronghold was a town named Ribek.

  After a long time of being controlled by Marato’s military power, it was now reaching the end of its rope.

  「Akito-san!」


  The one who called out to me was Gerashim.

  From behind him I saw the rest of the townspeople from Magatan, all armed.

  「So you came Gerashim?」


  「Yes!」


  「Then that’s Agafon over there?」


  「That’s right. Moreover from Akito……there are also people from Akito-san’s town.」


  「Huh? Those guys came too?」


  「Yes, it seems as though they went searching for you in the direction of the town of Bisk. Then they ended up coming here together.」


  「Is that so?」


  I was surprised.

  I could hear the sounds of sporadic fighting coming here in Ribek.

  Bisk, Magatan,……and Akito(temporary).

  Ribek was under attack from three different towns. Now that they’d lost their leader, the town was completely dropped into a panicked state.

  After the news of Marato’s death spread around, his remaining subordinates surrendered within a short amount of time.

  *************************

  Nighttime, Marato’s residence.

  We had gathered in the shiny mansion’s most resplendent room.

  Me, Madway, Agafon, and Gerashim.

  The representatives of the three towns were all here.

  The first one to open their mouth was Madway.

  「That Marato guy’s subordinates all surrendered. It seems like most of them were made to serve using his strength. Now that he’s dead they’re feeling half relieved and half 『helpless』 apparently.」


  Next Agafon spoke up.

  「The residents Ribek are thankful to you Akito-san. Marato did similar things in this town and they are well experienced with his tyranny. The mayor said that they wanted to express their thanks.」


  Last Gerashim opened his mouth.

  「However, they are worried about what they will do from now on. The town itself has a Fountain of Ilia so monsters won’t usually attack, but they can’t just stay cooped up in the town forever.」


  「That’s for sure.」


  「Like hunting or something…」


  「If there was someone to replace Marato it’d be good…」


  The three of them said and furtively glanced at me.

  It seems like they want me to take Marato’s place…


  「……there just has to be patrols and guards right?」


  I had thought that it was the perfect time because I had just increased to a silver card. If I used it then patrols and guarding would be easy.

  However, they replied somewhat unexpectedly.

  「Could you govern these four towns?」


  It seems that instead of maintaining sovereignty, they wanted me to rule their towns.

  *********************************

  I was relaxing in another room of the golden mansion.

  Next to me were Risha and Mira who were taking it easy and serving me.

  The two engaged me in some small talk.

  「Master, what do you intend to do?」


  「I intend to accept.」


  I replied readily.

  「The plan was originally to someday gather these towns and create a country right?」


  I said. Risha was there when I met the goddess so she understood and nodded.

  「Yes.」


  「Then I need to accept.」


  「Yes indeed!」


  「Then Master……what do you think you will become?」


  Mira tilted her head in curiosity.

  「I think it’d be good to be called King!」


  「I think that’s a bit too early. The population of the four towns is barely 1,000 people. It’s a bit soon to be calling it a country. I want to have at least 10,000 people.」


  「Is that so?」


  「Then let’s hurry up and get to 10,000!」


  「Sooner or later…」


  I answered and looked at the two of them once more.

  The golden haired, elf eared race.

  Eternal Slave, my slaves.

  I wanted to show them my appreciation.

  「You two have really worked hard.」


  「I am unworthy of such words.」


  「We’re Master’s slaves, so we’re doing what’s expected.」


  「I see. Then please continue to do as you have been.」


  「Ok!」


  「I understand.」


  The two of them had smiles across their faces.

  —Magic has been charged by 5,000—


  —Magic has been charged by 5,000—


  ‘Please continue to work for my sake’ just by saying those words I received a charge of 10,000 magic.

  ***************************************************

  The four towns were placed under my rule in the blink of an eye.

  Three of the towns had received my help and been rebuilt, so there was no real dissent.

  Because I defeated Marato I ended up obtaining the town of Ribek for better or worse.

  And just like that I controlled four towns.

  「This is sudden, but would we be able to take in one more town?」


  Gerashim had come to ask me.

  「One more you say?」


  「That’s right. To the southeast of this town, Ribek, there is a small town of 20 people. They don’t have a Fountain of Iris (Ilia) or any way to defend themselves. They have come seeking protection.」


  「I see.」


  I thought for a bit, then nodded.

  At this point we’d wouldn’t be any worse off if we accepted 20 more.

  「I understand.」


  Gerashim nodded.

  I started thinking.

  That town gave me the feeling of when I just started out. I built a town of about 30 people where I found Madway.

  There were quite a few things I needed to do.

  I had to make sure that my people had food, clothing, and shelter. Then I needed to make sure they had the tools to do things for themselves.

  This work came with the territory.

  Those people had come all this way for help so I thought they should have various circumstances.

  「The representative is here now. Do you want to meet him Akito-san?」


  「I’ll meet him.」


  I stood and left the room with Gerashim.

  「So, what kind of guy is this?」


  「It’s a young man. He has a good looking face and looks like he’d be popular.」


  「A handsome guy (Ikemen) huh?」


  「But his attitude is a bit……he came to request help but he’s acting awfully high and mighty.」


  「Oh.」


  Kinda like this one guy I know.

  「That’s right. He came here with a slave. An Eternal Slave just like the ones you have Akito-san.」


  「………huh」


  There’s no one else it could be.

  As I made a quick guess I followed Gerashim.

  We arrived at the reception chamber and entered.

  Then,

  「Seiya…」


  「You are——」


  Seiya was sitting, but when he saw me he jumped up from his seat.

  The man who was summoned to this world at the same time as me, the man who was given an Eternal Slave by the goddess, and the man who had the same power to create.

  Though to make things you need to charge magic, and his method was completely different from mine. I feel like he’ll have a really difficult time.

  「Why are you here!?」


  「That’s my line. You’re Seiya right? You’re the one who came here asking to join me right?」


  「Join you? Wait…it can’t be…」


  Seiya looked at Gerashim in shock.

  「That’s right. Akito-san is our leader. He rules four towns so far.」


  「You, what did you do?」


  「Nothing much.」


  It’d be a pain to explain everything, so let’s move on to the main issue.

  「Are you going to join Seiya?」


  「Who would join under you!」


  That’s what I expected.

  The last time I’d seen him, Seiya had already begun to think of me as a sort of enemy.

  Well from the start he had looked down on me.

  Be that as it may, he was not the kind of man who would join me.

  「Is that really alright? Your place is-

  「Shut up! That has nothing to do with you!」


  Seiya yelled in response to Gerashim’s concern. Gerashim frowned and knit his eyebrows.

  「Ch! Who’d join such a place? Let’s go home idiot!」


  Seiya said and kicked his slave hard. He then left by himself as fast as he could.

  His slave had been kicked and hit her head. She got up unsteadily and slowly followed Seiya.

  「Akito-san that is…?」


  「We’ve got a bit of a history. Don’t worry about it.」


  「Ok……but…」


  「But?」


  「I’d feel bad if we just left those 20 people to live under him.」


  「…………」


  I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t find the right words to say.

  20 people huh……


  「That’s right. How many citizens do we have now?」


  「Umm, as of today we have 1,037 people. Most of them are from this town, Ribek, and the one that provided the least number was your new town.」


  「I see.」


  1,037 people…


  That’s quite a difference from before.