Chapter 73. Isabella
A few days later, a Dragon Spawn from Iorga arrived.
“Greetings. My name is Isabella Iorga. I have been sent here to work as an administrator at Valdrova Castle starting today.”
As a descendant of Iorga, she had a pair of horns on her forehead, but they were round and not intimidating. Her sharp eyes and precise movements made her look like a strict teacher.
Ferda had heard that a Spawn would arrive, but there was a mistake in the documents.
“I heard that someone named Yuria was supposed to come.”
“I volunteered instead of Yuria. You can rest assured—I am far more capable than her. I was the chief secretary of Leader Erika, and in the Tower, they call me the ‘Cold-Blooded Secretary.’”
Isabella adjusted her glasses with a serious expression. She seemed full of confidence, but Ferda wasn’t sure if she was really that skilled. He already knew that Dragon Spawns tended to be arrogant.
“Well, alright.”
“The alliance declaration will take place in a week. It will be based on the document signed by Lord Blancaros and will be announced across the entire Serdes Continent. Do you have any questions?”
“I already received a written report from Erika, so I have no major concerns.”
“Understood. Please review the alliance agreement and place your seal on it.”
Since it was an important document, Ferda carefully checked every word before stamping his seal.
He thought it was over, but another document was placed in front of him.
“This is an authorization form necessary for my role as an administrator. This document grants me judicial and tax collection authority. It also gives me the power to hire subcontractors for administrative tasks…”
The summary was simple. Ferda would still handle major duties like tax collection, law enforcement, and diplomacy. However, Isabella wanted to manage minor tasks like handling disputes and overseeing tax collectors herself.
“All authorization documents are complete.”
“Is that all?”
“This is just the beginning. We need to thoroughly examine the security levels within the castle. Except for the permanent workers, all laborers and unauthorized personnel should be removed. Also—”
They discussed various administrative matters related to the castle. As they talked, Isabella reviewed the changes Ferda had made with Mori and evaluated their practicality. She explained everything clearly, convincing Ferda with logical reasoning.
As their conversation neared its end, Isabella glanced out the window. Below, a silent forest stretched out—no sounds of beasts could be heard.
“I heard about it, but it’s true—Valdrova Castle really doesn’t have a city below it.”
“Ordinary people would struggle to live here.”
“Where do you plan to accommodate adventurers?”
“They can stay in Count Consilus’s territory.”
“That is not a good idea.” Isabella answered coldly.
“To build national power, population is more important than wealth or food. We need to start designing a city in this area to house adventurers.”
“I heard that it’s too difficult for ordinary people to live near here. Aren’t you ignoring that fact?”
“That’s only true if there are no experts in magic. I will request a Blue-Eyed magician to manage the magic formations. This will be a hiring process, so I will prepare a budget proposal to establish a magic division. If we eliminate the fear caused by Dragon Fear, this city could even become a capital.”
A capital… That was what Olivia Arken had once said. She wanted this place to become a second capital. It would happen someday, but wasn’t it too early?
“What about the Empire’s interference?”
“That’s like being afraid of worms and refusing to make soy sauce. They won’t dare interfere. Adventurers will naturally gather in the Land of Magic, forming a city. The Eastward Conquest is an official mission—if the Empire tries to stop it, Iorga will strongly oppose them.”
To the Empire, Valdrova was nothing more than a guard dog. However, Iorga was a powerful mage group that influenced the entire continent. Since they had promised to provide support, Ferda was satisfied.
“We also need to bring in more trading firms. You have already secured Pascal Trading Company, correct?”
“Yes.”
“One large firm is not enough. We need trade routes not just from the west but also from the north and south.”
“I’ll discuss it with Stephan.”
“I will handle it as the administrator. I will also negotiate further agreements with Pascal Trading Company.”
“Alright, do as you see fit.”
Their conversation continued without pause. They discussed road improvements, investment funds, donation policies, and city planning strategies. Ferda had studied these things, but compared to Isabella, his knowledge was insignificant. She effortlessly came up with new ideas and structured detailed strategies, making full use of the resources Ferda had.
“She truly is worthy of being a chief secretary.”
She didn’t play with words—she delivered only the key points. She was firm on important matters and flexible on smaller ones, always focusing on practical results.
“I thought we were getting a substitute, but instead, a phoenix has arrived.”
She was an incredibly capable person. In fact, she was so competent that it was almost scary.
“Why did someone like her come here?”
Ferda was curious. If Yuria had come, he would’ve assumed that Erika had sent her. But Isabella volunteered.
The descendants of Iorga were Dragon Spawns. They had a strong sense of superiority, believing they were different from others. They also had immense pride in the Blue Eyes created by Iorga. They hated leaving the Magic Tower. Coming to Valdrova Castle was basically exile.
Why would such a talented secretary choose to come here?
As Ferda thought about this, Isabella finished organizing her papers.
“For now, this is a rough outline. We will work on the roadmap together later. Let’s end today’s meeting here. Thank you for your time.”
“Alright. Good work.”
“May I ask one question?” Isabella asked with a serious expression.
“Do you drink alcohol?”
“I don’t drink at all.”
When Ferda gave a firm answer, Isabella flinched slightly. The woman who had spoken so confidently now seemed momentarily flustered.
“I should have checked earlier… There is no prohibition on alcohol in this castle, is there?”
“No. I just don’t drink.”
“I see. That’s good to know.” She looked relieved.
For some reason, that reaction annoyed Ferda, so he asked her a question.
“Do you like alcohol?”
“I drink occasionally. A drink after work is always special.”
“Hmm, I see.” Magicians were the same everywhere. Their two best friends were alcohol and women. No one would criticize her for enjoying one of them.
Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door and entered the office. It was a young girl in a maid’s uniform—Ruri.
“Lord Ferda, there is someone at the castle gate… Huh?”
She had come with a message, but upon seeing Isabella, her attention shifted.
“You must be the one sent to serve Lord Valdrova.”
Ruri frowned and walked toward Isabella. When she stopped three steps away, their height difference was clear. But Ruri did not back down. Instead, she stared intensely at Isabella.
“This is your first day here, so let me make this clear. I have served this castle more than anyone else. If you remove or replace anything without my approval, you will face serious trouble.”
She was completely serious. If Isabella touched her belongings, she would declare war.
However, to Ferda, the scene looked different.
“She looks like a small dog marking its territory.”
Prejudice was a scary thing. To Ferda, it only looked like a tiny Chihuahua barking loudly.
Isabella looked down at Ruri. Her sharp, intelligent eyes shone as she spoke.
“You are small and delicate…”
“…Excuse me?”
She adjusted her glasses with her finger. Her voice was cold, as if she had just said something by mistake.
“I heard that you, Ruri Silverwind, are in charge of managing everything here.”
“That is correct.”
“From now on, I will call you Miss Ruri. I have checked that the cleanliness here is even better than our Magic Tower’s standards. However, the administrative work is a complete mess. There are many things that are not efficient or practical.”
“Such things do not suit a dragon’s dignity.”
“You must care about them. Among all the dragons we have checked, Lady Valdrova had the least money. It was so little that they had to change the original budget plan.”
“Are you complaining?”
“It’s not a complaint. I’m saying we need better financial management.”
Hearing that Valdrova had little wealth made Ruri feel bad. But she couldn’t argue. After all, Valdrova had never been interested in collecting treasures.
“There will be changes inside the castle to improve administration. But first, I will visit you, Miss Ruri, and get your approval. Will that be acceptable?”
“As long as you do that, I have no complaints.”
“Understood. Then, I will take my leave. See you tomorrow, Regent Ferda.”
“Alright.”
The sound of her footsteps echoed on the marble floor. She left gracefully, fitting her role as the chief secretary of Iorga’s Magic Tower.
Ruri made a disgusted face as she watched Isabella leave.
“That woman… She makes me feel bad.”
“Are you jealous?”
“What? Why would I be jealous of that water lizard? I just don’t like her.”
Ruri felt something strange when Isabella looked at her. She had won the conversation, yet it didn’t feel like she had won. Something about the gaze behind those glasses made her uncomfortable.
But Ferda didn’t care. He just thought Ruri was being jealous.
“So, are you here to mark your territory?”
“Please don’t talk as if I’m some stray dog walking around the neighborhood. The headmaster of Escolleia has arrived.”
The headmaster of Escolleia. Ferda had saved his life and, in return, was supposed to receive the blueprint for a demon appearance prediction device. Since there had been urgent matters, he hadn’t asked for it yet. But it seemed the headmaster hadn’t forgotten.
“He must have traveled far. Treat him properly first. I will meet him in two hours.”
“Understood.” Ruri left.
Ferda leaned back, taking a short moment of rest. Then, he noticed something blinking on his desk. A magic crystal ball for communication. Someone was trying to contact him.
Ferda placed his hand on the crystal and accepted the call.
— “Hello, Regent Ferda.”
It was Erika Iorga.
“Yes, Lady Iorga.”
— “You won’t hang up on me this time, right?”
“If you want, I can hang up right now.”
— “Don’t be so cold. We’ll be allies soon, remember? I received the document confirming the alliance agreement.”
“Is that why you contacted me?”
— “That’s part of it. Also, you didn’t receive Yuria. Someone else went, right?”
“Yes. Her name is Isabella.”
— “That’s right. How is she? If you don’t like her, I can send Yuria instead.”
Ferda felt an instinctive rejection at that suggestion, as if Erica wanted to take Isabella back.
“There’s no need. She is precise and efficient—exactly the kind of person we need.”
— “Yes, she’s very good at her job. After all, she is my chief secretary. She’s so dedicated to her work that she even secretly went to Escolleia and got a doctorate degree. But…”
Erica let out a long sigh.
“Is there a problem?”
— “No, it’s nothing. It’s better if you find out slowly. That child isn’t a bad person. She is… perfect at work.”
Her words only made Ferda more curious. What was the problem with Isabella? Still, as long as it didn’t affect work, he didn’t care.
— “As we discussed, the announcement will be made in one week. Use the time to prepare well.”
“I understand.”
— “Then, let’s keep in touch. For the future of our alliance.”
Erica spoke with a slight laugh and ended the call.
“One week until the announcement…”
Ferda could already see a mountain of paperwork waiting for him. It was going to be troublesome. But he didn’t mind. Because this was for Valdrova.
Ferda looked out the window. Right now, all he could see was a forest full of trees. But soon, this place would be filled with buildings and people. The streets would be crowded with people and carriages. And everyone would sing Valdrova’s name and praise her.
So, Ferda would endure this burden. For his one and only fiancée.
