Lord of Rot

”A new selection for the security team?”

After dinner, Leech was sitting in his study as usual when he saw the new project proposal Gelan had brought him.

He skimmed through it and already felt a headache coming on.

Porcupine Territory had grown prosperous and populous, and with more people came more friction.

When drunks caused trouble, the security team would usually just arrest them and give them a beating. That was the end of it, and the person on the receiving end would probably learn their lesson.

But inevitably, thieves had also started to appear.

Since Porcupine Territory had almost no contact with the outside world, the thieves had to be locals.

Some residents believed the thieves were the serfs who were allowed to move about freely, and they hoped the Lord would keep them away from the commercial and residential districts.

The pecking order of the social classes.

Commoners looked down on serfs.

The security team also assumed the thieves must be serfs. They had even arrested a dozen of them, preparing to beat confessions out of them.

Serfs had no rights, and just like that, the theft case was considered solved.

Reading this, Leech was genuinely furious. ’I’m out there advertising, establishing trade routes, and raising our profile, and you lot are pulling this crap behind my back, stabbing me in the back.’

’There are always troublesome subjects holding me back.’

”Then let’s hold a new selection.”

Leech thought for a moment before saying, ”This time, when we select the new security team, we’ll also add clerks. Have the clerks accompany them on operations to keep detailed records.”

Previously, the security team would just grab their clubs and start swinging. Even after implementing a system of collective punishment, the situation hadn’t improved much.

”Once the town hall is established, it’ll be the perfect time to create a new department to handle all sorts of territorial conflicts and disputes. I’ll write up a detailed charter and regulations for you.”

”Yes,” Gelan nodded. He thought it was an excellent method.

’Excellent? It’s more than that. It’s just my simple adaptation of a police force.’

In other territories, a lord was responsible for handling every single issue, from petty theft to casualties of war. Leech didn’t have time for all that, so he delegated it to his subordinates.

But injustice at the hands of his subordinates was unavoidable. The only way to prevent them from lining their own pockets was to conduct occasional private investigations.

This wasn’t just an issue on the Lu Leiyi Continent with its underdeveloped legal system; even on Earth, graft and extortion were all too common.

After Gelan took his leave, Leech let out a long sigh.

’Looks like I’ll be working overtime again tonight.’

At the same time, he contacted Aina and told her to set out for Longship Castle that very night to prepare for the arrival of 200 elite Soldiers.

Then he buried his head in his work, writing up the rules, operational procedures, and so on.

KNOCK KNOCK.

”Come in.” Leech put down his pen.

”My Lord,” a male servant said, holding a letter. ”It’s from Roaring Castle.”

”Roaring Castle? Alright, I understand. You may leave.”

Leech took the letter.

The two Soldiers he had sent to East Port hadn’t returned yet. Porcupine Territory was a great distance from East Port, so he figured it would be another two days before they got back. As a result, he had no idea what the situation was.

”Sir Leech Clarence, thank you so much for the Porcupine Brand soap.”

’So, it’s a letter from Miss Red Rose,’ he thought.

He continued reading. ”I adore this soap, and it has become a great favorite among my friends. I was thinking, if you have more of it, perhaps I could purchase some? I look forward to your reply so that we might discuss a price.”

The letter’s message was simple.

She wanted to buy soap.

’Is my soap that good? No, no, no, this is all your influence, Miss Red Rose.’

Leech’s mood, which had been soured by the mountain of problems in his territory, finally brightened considerably.

This was the celebrity endorsement effect in action.

Among the noble ladies and wives of the East Gorge, Miss Red Rose was the undisputed top influencer.

He quickly began to write. ”A reply for the beautiful Miss Evangelina.”

The epistolary style was better for conveying romance and formality. Of course, Leech also simply thought it was a nice touch.

”Thank you so much for helping to promote Porcupine Brand soap. The success of this venture will help the residents of my territory survive the cold winter.” ’Right,’ he thought, ’start with some flattery.’

He had only interacted with Miss Red Rose once—not counting the time before he transmigrated.

But from the way she had helped marry off his wicked stepmother, he could tell she had a certain ”righteous” streak. Everyone wants to be an ally of justice—not the kind that toils on the front lines to save lives, but the kind where you do something small and incidentally end up being celebrated for it.

That kind of incidentally obtained ”righteousness” only serves to reinforce the belief that one’s actions are correct.

Of course, this tactic would only work on someone like Miss Red Rose, the sheltered ”ivory tower” type. Lady Jie Lin wouldn’t fall for it, and ’Charming’ Becky probably wouldn’t even bat an eye.

”The process for making Porcupine Brand soap is complex and its ingredients are precious. My public selling price is 30 Silver Moons, but you are my friend. I feel that only by offering it to you at the cost price of 25 Silver Moons can I soothe my conscience.”

Leech paused his pen, thinking, ’Soothe my conscience? Shouldn’t I make it 29 Silver Moons then? Giving a 5 Silver Moon discount all at once... my conscience is truly in agony!’

But after thinking it over, Leech decided to give Miss Red Rose the preferential treatment. She was a top-tier influencer, after all; it was worth earning a little less from her.

”I eagerly await your reply. Your knight, Leech Clarence.”

He took the letter and went straight to Pitz.

Pitz cawed a few words to the raven, telling it to deliver the letter as quickly as possible.

”Phew, done.”

’Now I can get a good night’s sleep tonight.’

「East Port, Roaring Castle.」

Evangelina Leopold received the letter from Porcupine Castle as soon as she woke up in the morning.

She finished the letter quickly and, without even freshening up, called out, ”Xiaona, bring me a pen and paper. I need to write a reply.”

”Yes, miss.”

Xiaona hurried out and returned a moment later with paper, a pen, and ink. She couldn’t read, so she watched her lady write with curiosity, her heart filled with surprise. ’Does that Baron Porcupine really have so much charm that he can make the miss skip her morning routine just to reply to him at the first possible moment?’