The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

This place was guaranteed to be exciting on this day.

It's because not only did Airi and Yulin had come, even Vivian's group had also come along to visit.

"You're really going to move in here?"

Vivian just stared at the residence before her with a disbelieving expression on her face.

"… Those nobles are definitely going to make a ruckus again."

Diere was quiet for a moment before she said something like that.

As for Lumia and Melika, they were already completely stunned by the magnificent mansion before them.

Although they already heard about it from Shien, they still never imagined that Shien is really going to move into the very center of the noble district, into the former side residence of the Hero Mitra.

This is something that not even the marquis and dukes can do. There were a few Kings throughout history who had stayed here for a while, and then it was given to Lucy. They never expected for it to then fall into Shien's hands.

Just thinking about the fact that they're going to be staying here from now on, the girls were naturally both awed and very nervous.

After all, it's no small matter to live here.

"Have you already started building a knight order or private army?"

Vivian whispered the question into Shien's ear.

Shien found that question rather strange though.

"Why would I need to build a knight order or private army?" Shien spoke in a somewhat disinterested manner, "Wouldn't retaining that many people cost a lot of money?"

Viscounts do supposedly have the right to build a knight order numbering up to a thousand and an army numbering up to ten thousand. That said, ever mind viscounts, even marquis and dukes need to first properly consider things before they build a knight order or an army.

That's because doing so also means having to spend huge amounts of money to keep those people fed and paid. It's also necessary to train and raise them up, so this is no small burden.

This is especially true for honorary nobles.

Honorary nobles generally have more freedom, but compared to territorial nobles, their personal wealth tend to be far lower.

After all, territorial nobles have actual land. So long as there aren't issues with the development, they'd be able to get huge amounts of money every day just from taxes, never mind all the other possible businesses and investments.

Therefore, generally speaking, only territorial nobles have enough wealth to support their own knights and private army. Honorary nobles have to first consider their financial capabilities, the fact that they don't have a territory to barrack those men, and various other issues. At most, they might raise up a hundred or so personal guards for personal protection.

Therefore, Shien doesn't want to spend the money to build a knight order, army, or whatever.

Truth be told, a lot of honorary nobles similarly don't want to spend the money. Add in the fact that most of them live in the Capital or are wandering about freely, few of them even considers the idea of building their own knights or armies.

However…

"Are you sure that you don't need it?" Diere came up to him and spoke to Shien with a frown, "Maybe at least hire some people to maintain security over this place? Or do you plan on making Yulin personally take over even the night patrols?"

Don't even joke about that. Does Yulin not need to rest as well?

Dragons are lazy demonic beasts after all. They'd often snore away whenever they feel like it, and every nap might take several days. History does not lack for cases where people would steal away a dragon's treasures while it's asleep, or even directly killing it while it's sleeping. Trying to make Yulin keep guard over such a huge mansion all day every day is completely unrealistic.

Therefore, it's quite necessary to hire at least a few people.

This is especially true for Shien. For a viscount to move into the absolute center of the noble district like that, it's only obvious that a lot of incidents are likely to happen in the future.

In that case then, Shien has even more need for people to keep guard here.

However…

"Why bother wasting all that money and resources though?" Shien shrugged, "Did you not notice that I've set up barriers around the resident since a while ago?"

When he said that, putting aside Vivian, Diere, and Lumia for the moment, Melika who had been looking around the whole time showed an enlightened expression.

"No wonder I felt like the flow of magic power was a bit strange. So there were actually that many barriers set up around here, huh?"

That's right, there were a lot of barriers set up all around here.

"Warning, banishment, alarm, resistance, various automatic defenses, etc. So long as it's an effect that can be imagined, I've already caste it as a barrier enveloping the residence. I even enchanted the surrounding walls and fencing with various hardening and solidification magic effects. Normal people won't e able to intrude even if they want to, and even if they manage, there are still magic traps that will automatically attack them. And if they can even get past all of those, Yulin still await them in the end."

The information that Shien leaked with a grin gave the girls chills.

Vivian and the others could already see in their minds the tragic ending for those people who plan on intruding and making a mess.

That said…

"W-with all those barriers, then it definitely needs a powerful magic power source, right?" Melika spoke somewhat hesitantly, "Did Mister Shien already prepare a magic power source for it then?"

That's something absolutely necessary.

Otherwise, when all the magic power invested in those barriers run out, the barriers themselves will naturally automatically fall.

This is true even for all the enchantments that Shien had set up. The moment the magic invested in the enchantments run out, the effect will also naturally disappear.

Therefore, all barriers require a magic power source to provide magic power for them to maintain their effects.

It can be some kind of magic item that provides magic power, or it could be a magic crystal.

Magic crystals are from the start necessary materials for making various magic potions, tools, or weapons. They are solidified magic power in and of themselves, in a form very similar to the spring water from Magic springs. It's just that the spring water is liquid while magic crystals are solid, so the latter tends to have far more magic power than the former. Also, since the crystals are solids, they won't evaporate so easily, unlike the magic spring water that will end up disappearing after a while if left unused.

Thanks to that, a fortress that has a barrier set up over it will likely have a very high grade magic crystal within it to act as a magic power source to maintain the barrier.

Take the barrier for the Capital. Its magic power source is under the palace.

As for Shien's situation…

"I have it right here."

As Shien said that, he led the group to one of the rooms on the highest floor of the mansion.

There, a magic staff was floating in midair, constantly releasing magic power into the environment.

"Isn't that the magic staff that Lord Jacinta granted you?"

Vivian paused for a moment after seeing it before speaking up in surprise.

"What that idiot gave you?"

Airi also raised an eyebrow.

"That's right." Shien smiled, "This magic staff had a very high grade magic crystal embedded in it from the start. It also has alarm, detection, and even dispelling effects. Setting it here to act as the magic power source for the barriers would not only guarantee the supply of magic power, it would also strengthen the effect of the barriers. It's two birds with one stone."

Afterwards, Shien will have Yulin pay special attention to this location. He will even be setting up a spell here to immediately send out a wave of magic power to alert Yulin and call her over at any signs of intrusion.

With all the barriers and this magic staff here, then even in the case where neither Shien nor Yulin are in and thus the mansion is empty, it should still be unlikely for anything to happen here.

"In that case, you indeed won't be needing any knights or soldiers then."

Diere looked like she finally relaxed.

"Or rather, with so many high class barriers around along with Yulin here, it's likely that only the palace can compare to this place when it comes to security."

Vivian kind of didn't know if she should laugh or cry at this.

Either way though, this is a good thing in the end.

With such heavy protections, rather than worrying over someone intruding, it might be more appropriate to worry about the intruders themselves or over the possibility that a guest might accidentally trip over a trap or something, leading to them getting erased by the defense systems here.

"Don't worry, I've already set it up ahead of time. For anyone that comes in straightforward through the front gate, basically 70% of the defenses here will leave them be."

Shien showed a teasing smile like he realized what the girls were worried over.

"Of course, if they end up intruding into somewhere they shouldn't be, then that's another matter entirely."

Obviously the remaining 30% is for dealing with people like that.

Vivian and the others can only show a moment of pity for those foolish individuals.

"Anyways, we don't have to worry about the safety here."

Shien clapped his hands and then looked toward Lumia.

"This way, you shouldn't need to worry about anything happening to your little sisters anymore, right?"

In response, Lumia showed a relieved yet also somewhat embarrassed expression.

One thing needs to be said at this point. Lumia had already decided to stay in the Capital.

And just like they've already decided, her seven little sisters will also be brought to the Capital where they'll be moving in here.

The time is decided to be three months from now.

Three months from now, Leili will also have finished handing over all her responsibilities and be returning to the Capital in a trial management position over the headquarters of the adventurers guild.

It originally wouldn't have been this soon, but Vivian had already written a letter to Leili saying that she will be staying in the Capital, that the members of Vivain's party will also be staying, and even the fact that Shien had become a noble here. Thus, that guildmaster immediately signaled that she'll be returning to the Capital ahead of time as well.

At that time, Leili will be bringing Lumia's seven little sisters along with her.

As for the three months in the meanwhile, Leili will continue to take care of Lumia's sisters for her.

In other words, after Shien is officially conferred his noble title, the members of Vivian's party will also be able to move in.

As an aside, Vivian will also be moving in.

Diere, Lumia, and Melika are all here after all. There's no reason for her to stay over in the Latrard home on her own.

Thus, after Diere and the others especially convinced Vivian, she finally agreed to also move in.

Add in Airi who also followed along like it's only natural, everyone who had been living in the Latrard home will all be moving here.

"All that's left is Lasha's side."

Shien make such a statement.

And just at that very moment…

"Please do not worry. Everything had already been prepared."

Lasha appeared here out of nowhere, giving everyone quite a start.

"Please follow me everyone."

Lasha ignored the fact that everyone jumped in fright and simply spoke with an emotionless face. Then she brought everyone to the main hall on the first floor of the mansion.

And that unbelievably roomy main hall was somehow filled with people at some unknown point in time.

""""Welcome, master!""""

Two full rows of pretty and cute maids with above average appearances were lined up on the two sides of the hall, bowing at Shien's group who just came down from the top floor.

Shien was stunned.

Everyone in Vivian's party was also dumbfounded.

Even Airi showed an expression of shock.

Everyone then looked over at Lasha.

"These are the maids and servants that I hired. I hope everyone is satisfied with them."

Lasha spoke with an extremely calm voice like she did something utterly insignificant and unworthy of note.

Everyone continued to stay silent.

As for Shien, he only had two things that he wanted to say.

"This maid really is as untouchable as always."

That was the first thing.

The second thing was even simpler.

"Beautifully done."

That's an absolutely necessary praise.

Thus, Shien's new home has finally basically ready.

His own ennobling ceremony had also quietly arrived in the meanwhile.

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