The Matter of How Only a Political Rival Duke, Not My Own Family, Recognized My Worth After I Was Disowned ~When I Turned a Remote Frontier Territory Into the World’s Greatest City, the Noble Lady Assigned to Supervise Me Became the Best Fiancée~ - Episode 12: The Road to the Royal Capital and the Three Weapons

Episode 12: The Road to the Royal Capital and the Three Weapons

On the morning of our departure for the royal capital

The village of Grindel was filled with a quiet sense of excitement.

Almost all the villagers had gathered to see off me, Isabella, and the selected guards—Duncan and the elite members of the security corps.

“Lord, please, take care…”

“Please come back safely. We’ll protect this village while waiting for your return.”

There was no longer any trace of despair in their eyes.

Instead, a strong light of determination—of those ready to seize their future with their own hands—shone there.

I gave my final instructions to those who would stay behind.

“Dwarf masters, continue the mine expansion according to the blueprint. But never neglect safety management. While Duncan is away, the vice-captain will command the guards. Stay alert at all times for both village defense and mine security.”

“Yes, sir!” 

They replied with vigor.

Even in my absence, the system that allowed this land to develop autonomously—

That was what I had devoted most of my energy to building over the past month.

With the cheers of the villagers at our backs, our carriage slowly began moving eastward toward the royal capital.

◇

During the several days of travel, Isabella gave me detailed briefings on the current state of the royal capital.

“The ones you must be most cautious of in the capital are, of course, your father Duke Silford… and your eldest brother Lord Alphonse.”

Rocked by the carriage, Isabella spoke in a calm voice.

“With Lord Bertrand’s downfall, Lord Alphonse’s position as heir has become unshakable. Unlike the emotional Bertrand, Alphonse is always calm and never hesitates to use any means necessary to achieve his goals… He is, quite literally, a man of ice.”

“Cold, cunning, and never wastes effort. That’s what you mean, right?”

“…Indeed. You speak as if you’ve seen him yourself.”

“No, just a guess. A capable eldest son, a jealous second son, and a good-for-nothing third—pretty common in noble families, isn’t it?”

I shrugged. Though inwardly I braced myself.

Obvious enemies like my second brother were easy to deal with.

The truly dangerous ones were those like my eldest brother—whose true intentions could never be read.

Isabella went on to share everything she knew: the structure of factions in the capital, the personalities of key nobles, and even the character of the king himself.

Her information would become an irreplaceable weapon.

“…Thank you, Lady Isabella. Without you, I’d be walking into enemy territory completely unarmed.”

“It’s only natural. I’ve invested in you as a business venture, after all. I expect the highest return possible.”

When she said that with a teasing smile, there was no longer a trace of the so-called “Ice Rose.”

◇

“We have three weapons we can use in the capital,” 

I said, raising three fingers toward Isabella.

“First, you—and the powerful backing of House Valenstein.

Second, the fact that I’m known as the ‘disowned noble who performed a miracle in the frontier.’ To the nobles in the capital, that’s prime gossip material. Their curiosity and condescension—depending on how we use them—can become weapons.”

“…And the third?”

“This.”

From among our travel luggage, I took out an iron ingot. It was tightly wrapped in cloth.

Unfolding the cloth revealed a dull gleam of black metal that faintly reflected the sunlight filtering into the carriage.

It was a high-quality steel block—the dwarves’ prototype refined from Grindel ore. It had impurities removed to the utmost limit.

“The nobles in the capital will likely mock me as an upstart from the frontier. They might not even take me seriously in the political arena. But once they see this iron, the story changes.”

I flicked the ingot with my finger. A clear, resonant metallic *kinnn* echoed.

“They’ll understand—merchants, craftsmen, even His Majesty the King—just how much value metal of this quality holds. I’m not going there to fight my father and brothers in a muddy political struggle. I’m going to give a presentation—of Grindel, a grand enterprise brimming with potential.”

Not war, but business.

That was my way of fighting.

◇

After two weeks of travel, we finally reached our destination.

A massive wall stretching beyond the horizon.

Countless spires piercing the sky.

A city gate where the flow of people never ceased. It was like a river of life itself.

The royal capital—Asteria. The very heart of the kingdom.

Looking out the carriage window at the magnificent view, I quietly smiled.

Amazing. The energy, the wealth—and the human greed—everything was on another level.

“The perfect market, isn’t it?”

—Well then.

Let’s make a spectacular entrance.