Return of The Martial King

Chapter 253

Repenhardt straightened his shoulders with a grin. As he finished chewing and swallowing his sandwich, he thought to himself.  

‘I need to find the Four Guardian Gods’ relics as soon as possible. Teslon knows their locations too.’  

Until now, Repenhardt had lacked the mana necessary to retrieve the relics of the Four Guardian Gods. He hadn’t been too concerned, assuming Teslon was in the same situation.  

However, after hearing about the Sacred Radiance Sword, Messiah, he couldn’t help but worry.  

Thanks to Karl, urgent matters within the duchy had significantly decreased, giving him some breathing room. Swallowing the croquette he had been chewing, Repenhardt made up his mind.  

‘As soon as I finish inspecting the Aranan Grad construction site, I need to set a date and move immediately.’  

*         *         *  

To the west of the Gloten Mountain Range, which stretches across the eastern continent, lay the Arend Mountain Range, one of its western branches.  

Eroded over countless years, this gentle mountain range bordered a vast plain with a river running alongside it. This terrain, shaped by the Serin River flowing from the mountains, was located approximately 100 kilometers from the Duchy of Antares’ royal castle. It had once been the Barony of Chetas but was incorporated into the duchy through a territorial war. Positioned between the Thermania Highway and the Serin River, it served as a major trade route leading to the City of Zarud and the Vasily Kingdom.  

In the central region of the Arend Plains, along the Serin River, a massive city was under construction.  

Aranan Grad.  

Its name, derived from runes, meant "The City of Five Colors." This was to be the new capital of the Duchy of Antares.  

Repenhardt marveled as he gazed at the city's scenery.  

“Oh, it’s finally starting to look like a proper city. Last time I was here, it was just an empty field.”  

The outer walls were nearly complete, and the royal palace, along with the public buildings designated for the representatives of various races, had already been constructed.  

With Dwarven craftsmanship involved, the structures were not only massive but also incredibly sturdy. The docks along the Serin River had been completed, and although the city gates still lacked some decorative statues and embellishments, they were otherwise finished.  

Karl smiled in satisfaction as he responded.  

“There were plenty of talented people and manpower available, so progress was faster than expected.”  

While reorganizing and stabilizing the duchy, as well as devising strategies against Zeppelin, Karl had also been heavily involved in the construction of the new capital.  

The current royal castle of the Duchy of Antares was, in truth, nothing more than the refurbished former castle of Viscount Gelfide. It had originally been a small-scale fortress used by a provincial noble of the kingdom. Now that the duchy had expanded in size, this castle was far from suitable as a royal seat.  

Its location was also inconvenient, being too close to the mountain range, which made transportation difficult. Moreover, the surrounding terrain was too narrow to serve as the capital of an entire nation.  

A large-scale construction project was necessary, not only to address these issues but also to provide jobs for the newly arrived refugees and various non-human races. Thus, construction had begun gradually two years ago. Initially, progress was slow due to a lack of manpower, but as the duchy's population grew, the pace accelerated. Now, with a large number of former slaves rescued from Zeppelin contributing to the effort, the city was nearly functional.  

Repenhardt continued to express his amazement.  

“You were always complaining about a lack of funds, yet you somehow managed to secure enough budget for this.”  

Karl replied with a weary smile.  

“It’s precisely because of this project that we were short on money. In fact, we even took on some debt from the Kingdom of Crovence. We had no choice. If we delayed important matters just because of money, the nation wouldn’t be able to function properly.”  

At the mention of finances, Karl’s shoulders slumped, and dark circles under his eyes became more pronounced. It was clear he had been under a great deal of stress.  

Repenhardt chuckled and reassured him.  

“Now that the rescued people have settled in and started contributing to production, the budget situation should improve soon.”  

The specialty goods of each race were considered luxury items in other countries. Beyond their high quality, their rarity allowed for significant profit margins over production costs. Since the Duchy of Antares effectively had a monopoly on these goods, they could control the market.  

By partnering with the Taoban Trading Company, which had relocated its operations to the Kingdom of Crovence, the Duchy of Antares was currently exporting Elven Silk, Orcrish Leather, Troll-made Glass and Ceramics across the continent. Although Dwarven weapons and armor had to be kept within the duchy for wartime preparations, luxury goods like these could be freely sold.  

Karl’s expression relaxed as he smiled again.  

“Thanks to that, we’ve managed to patch up quite a bit of our budget deficit.”  

The specialty goods of the non-human races were becoming extremely popular across the continent. Outside of the Holy Basutalon Empire, noble circles in other nations had embraced the trend of wearing clothing made from Antares Elven Silk, donning Orc leather coats, and decorating their estates with Troll glass and ceramics. It had grown into a major fashion statement.  

Thanks to the Duchy of Antares presenting non-human specialty goods as gifts to various nations across the continent, their products gained significant exposure. While this was done primarily for political reasons, it also served as an effective advertisement to the nobility of each country.  

Repenhardt clicked his tongue and asked,  

“Don’t tell me you anticipated this effect as well?”  

Karl responded nonchalantly,  

“A competent administrator should always aim for multiple outcomes with a single action.”  

As he spoke, Karl led Repenhardt and his group through the city. They passed through the gates, inspected the outskirts of Aranan Grad, and then moved toward the central district.  

Siris looked around in admiration.  

“This is incredible. It doesn’t seem any less developed than Zeppelin.”  

Though still unfinished, Aranan Grad was already a magnificent city.  

The streets were well-sectioned, and stone stairways had been built on steeper inclines. The entire city was laid out in an orderly manner. Wells and public baths were under construction in several locations, and green spaces had been carefully planned.  

“I was worried that, with Dwarves building everything, it might not be very accommodating for Elves…”  

However, all facilities were designed for the convenience of not just Dwarves but every race.  

In the past, Dwarven architecture had been constructed strictly to suit their own stature, often making it inconvenient for other races. However, after centuries of enslavement, modern Dwarves had adapted to human building standards, learning how to create structures suitable for a wider range of species.  

At that moment, Iniya asked curiously,  

“Oh, will you be planting a World Tree here as well, Repenhardt-nim?”  

Elven settlements were traditionally built around World Trees.  

“That would make the city stand out too much to other nations. For now, I plan to plant the third World Tree within the Arend Mountains, keeping it within our sphere of influence.”  

“That should be enough to make things comfortable for the Elves.”  

As they neared the city center, they came upon temporary huts and numerous tents nestled between towering buildings. While the key structures had been completed, many general buildings were still under construction, requiring makeshift housing for the workers.  

Countless Dwarves and Orcs were hard at work, chiseling stone and carrying bricks, sweating under the effort. When they noticed Repenhardt’s group, they froze for a moment before hurriedly bowing.  

“Oh! It’s the Grand Duke!”  

“The Chancellor is here again.”  

Both Repenhardt and Karl had such distinctive appearances that they were easily recognizable, prompting greetings from all around. Some workers even recognized Attila and Iniya among them.    

“Oh, that must be Attila, the Great Guru of the Trolls. Just like they say, those teeth are something else.”  

“That’s Elf Aura User Iniya, isn’t it? As expected, her chest is…”  

Both Attila and Iniya had such distinct physiques that their descriptions alone made them instantly recognizable.  

Siris and Sillan, on the other hand, weren’t as easily identified by the general populace. Sillan, at first glance, looked like nothing more than a handsome young priest, and Siris resembled an ordinary Elf girl.  

However, since they were with Repenhardt, people still recognized them.  

“That must be the Swordsman of the New Moon.”  

“Then… is that the Young Saint?”  

“Yes, it seems so. That’s definitely the Young Saint.”  

The way they emphasized “the” was incredibly irritating… but Sillan forced himself to ignore it and kept walking with a determined stride.  

‘I’ve got muscles now! Why do they still react like that?! Tch!’  

Sadly, not a single person recognized Titima.  

“Oh, a Troll.”  

“It’s a Troll girl.”  

“Who is she?”  

Of course, Titima didn’t care in the slightest.  

As they exchanged greetings with the townspeople, the group continued through the city streets.  

Currently accompanying Repenhardt were Siris, Iniya, Attila, Sillan, and Titima.  

Siris and Attila were here as representatives of the Elves and Trolls, respectively. Since the primary workforce behind the construction consisted of Dwarves and Orcs, Makelin and Tassid frequently traveled between here and the duchy, so they hadn’t needed to join this visit. Instead, Makelin had returned to Grand Forge, while Tassid remained at the royal castle with Russ.  

Iniya had no real business here, she had simply insisted on accompanying Repenhardt again.  

One might expect the Stiria Tribe to be furious that their chieftess had abandoned her people to follow a man, but in reality, they were enthusiastically cheering her on.  

“You got this, Chieftess!”

“Make sure to catch that man!”  

“And please, for the love of the spirits, stop taking out your single-life frustrations on us…”

Fortunately, with Serpel, her second-in-command, being exceptionally competent, there were no real issues back home.  

As for Titima, she had simply followed along because Sillan was coming.  

However, Sillan actually did have important business in Aranan Grad.  

“This way, Priest Sillan.”  

After crossing another district, Karl gestured toward a particular building. Sillan’s face lit up.  

“Ooh! It’s huge!”  

What stood before them was a massive three-story temple, niquely painted pink on the exterior.  

From the color alone, it was obvious who this temple was dedicated to.  

The newly established Philanence Grand Temple of the Antares Diocese stood before them.  

Watching Sillan grinning from ear to ear, Repenhardt clicked his tongue.  

“Are you really that happy?”  

“Of course! I’m officially an Archbishop now! Ahem!”  

Sillan’s achievements during the Crovence Civil War and within the Duchy of Antares were by no means insignificant.  

Though he often ruined his own image by obsessing over muscles whenever he spoke, the truth was that Sillan was one of the founding heroes of the duchy. He had spread the teachings of Philanence to countless non-human races and gained great renown on the battlefield.  

With such accomplishments, there was no way the Philanence Order would let him remain a mere priest.  

Thus, the order officially decreed the establishment of a diocese in Antares, appointing Sillan as its diocesan head and Archbishop.  

Given his age, this was an unprecedented rise in rank. However, his achievements were undeniable, his relationship with the Fist King was strong, and his divine power was more than enough to meet the standards of an archbishop. There was no one who opposed his appointment.  

Now that the temple was complete and the capital’s relocation was officially underway, the Vasily Kingdom had agreed to send a large number of priests to assist Sillan in his duties.  

Just as he had dreamed when he first met Repenhardt, Sillan had carved his name into the history of the order.  

“Ah, following Repen-nim was the best decision I ever made.”  

A broad, satisfied smile spread across Sillan’s face. The others gladly congratulated him.  

“Congratulations, Archbishop Sillan.”  

“Congrats.”  

As they gazed upon Aranan Grad, the entire group wore expressions of deep emotion. None of them had expected the city to turn out this magnificent.  

Feeling greatly satisfied, Repenhardt offered words of commendation.  

“This is truly a perfect city, Karl. You’ve done an incredible job.”  

However, Karl still seemed dissatisfied.  

“It’s not quite perfect. The name of the capital still lacks authority… Repenheim would have been such a fine name…”  

Repenhardt frowned, his expression sour.  

“No, I already told you, I hate that name.”  

In his past life, the capital of the Antares Empire had been Repenheim, which literally meant “the City of Repenhardt.”  

It was a long-standing tradition on the continent for a nation’s name to be taken from the founding king’s surname and the capital’s name from the king’s given name.  

By pure coincidence, Karl also believed Repenheim should be the name of the duchy’s capital.  

However, Repenhardt flatly refused.  

“How could I give it such an embarrassing name?”

In his past life, he hadn’t thought much about it. But after returning to this era and reflecting on it, he found the name unbearably cringeworthy.  

Seriously, naming a city after himself? That was the kind of thing a power-hungry dictator would do.  

Moreover, Repenhardt no longer intended to rule over the non-human races as a sovereign. What he sought was not domination, but guidance.  

So, instead of the self-glorifying name "Repenheim," he insisted on naming the city Aranan Grad, meaning "The City of Five Colors," to symbolize his vision of a capital where all five races could live together in harmony.  

Repenhardt was so adamant that Karl ultimately had no choice but to accept the decision, though he still seemed a bit attached to the idea.