There were about thirty people in the room, all administrators, delegates, or captains of some kind. They were all subordinates of Edmund in some way or form, regional mayors, or just officers in the army. In a typical feudal system, like this game that Edmund was in, each noble had their own army, in addition to the imperial army that the king himself maintains.

 

“The heroes are moving rather slowly.” One of the mayors said. “What’s taking him so long?”

 

Edmund paused. It was a regular monthly meeting. Every month all the delegates would come to meet him. He would also then report to the King, once every few months. 

 

“He’s a young boy, expected.” Edmund knew for a fact that this entire political and bureaucratic process was only implied from the game, so he didn’t know much about it. 

 

There was a murmur among them, and Edmund Natar sighed. “So. I wanted some investments into the House of Kenarias.” Kenarias was the family of Kiara Kenarias, the knight that currently served the hero. “Reports.”

 

“I recommend against it, Count.” One of the mayors said. “The Kenarias family is notoriously money-minded and difficult to work with. We’d just be throwing away money.” 

 

“I see.” Edmund didn’t know this, of course. He had just presumed her family was in hard times. “Why are there in trouble, really? Remind me.”

 

The mayor was more than happy to. “Merchants tell me that Lord Kenarias is addicted to some kind of powder and as such he’s been demanding huge sums of money to pay for his addiction. So, the entry and trading fees are steep, taxes are high, and resources are often confiscated. But, it is a rumor, and no one knows for sure.”

 

“I see.” Edmund wondered whether a visit to the Domain of Lord Kenarias would allow him to uncover the truth. 

 

“How about the Lady?”

 

“Lady Erenia Kenarias has not been seen for some time.” The mayor said, and Edmund wondered whether something else was happening. He couldn’t recall any plot from the story about Kiara’s backstory, other than her trying to hook up with the hero because it would help her family. 

 

“Why the interest, Count?” A captain asked. “Should we plan for... something?”

 

“If the Lord is behaving as it is, there should be a rebellion soon?” Edmund wondered, and everyone gasped. Or perhaps there was a way to remove the Lord. “Alright. I want a small team. I plan to visit them. Perhaps we can do something, and if done well, it will work extremely well for us.”

 

“Certainly!”

 

-

 

Edmund made the trip to the lands of Lord Kenarias the next few days. The land of Lord Kenarias, is not that big, as a Lord, he ruled over about 200,000 people, so the returns and taxes his domain generated is lower than a Count like Edmund. In truth, Edmund was richer and more powerful than some higher ranked nobles. 

 

He was escorted by twenty of his best soldiers and knights, and he noted how tired all their citizens looked. There was absolutely no traffic on the road, and they hardly encountered any merchants. The few they met spoke with them only briefly, and they relayed similar concerns about the heavy taxes of Lord Kenarias. 

 

They are poor because of mismanagement. Nothing a marriage or alliance with the hero would fix. No one wanted to do business with the family because Lord Kenarias was greedy and wanted all of the profit.

 

Still, he had to visit. If he could solve their condition, he could pry Kiara away from the hero. Kiara was a knight, and one of the mid-ranked companions that the heroes would acquire. At the very least, he could weaken the hero without Kiara by his side. 

 

Soon, Edmund arrived at their family mansion. It was large and extremely opulent, much more than what he expected of a Lord. Yet, there were few staff. 

 

“Announcing the arrival of Count Edmund Natar.” A haggard butler announced when he walked into the mansion. 

 

A butler quickly greeted Edmund. “Count Edmund, we’re very surprised by your sudden decision to pay us a visit... Lord Kenarias is... busy at the moment.”

 

“Busy?” Edmund paused. He was one of the great demons after all, and he had extremely good senses. “Ah, I shall not bother him then. But can I get some space to rest?”

 

“Certainly, certainly.” The butler led him to one of the guestrooms, and it was just Edmund and the butler. Edmund smiled, and used [hypnotism]. “Tell me, butler. What really ails the Lord Kenarias?”

 

“The Lord is addicted to Night-pure Leaves and Maddreams powder, Count.” The butler said under the influence. “He spends all of the domain’s money to feed his constant addiction, with just a skeleton crew to maintain everything else. The madam, Lady Erenia had tried to sway him, but instead he just imprisoned her away.”

 

“Does the young lady know?”

 

“No. Every time she returns, the Lord would free Lady Erenia, and Lady Erenia, not wanting her daughter to know the truth, would pretend and put on a show just not to worry the young lady. But the young lady Kiara knows that all is not well in the domain, but she doesn’t know anyone who would tell her truly why things are so. ”

 

“So that’s why she went with the hero.”

 

“Yes.” The butler said.

 

“Thank you. You may leave.” The butler bowed and left. Edmund dispelled the effects of hypnotism a while later. 

 

That night, he transformed into a shadow, and spied on Lord Kenarias. Well... the reason why Lord Kenarias didn’t want to see him, was because he was high and intoxicated by his addiction. He turned skinny, his eyes bulging and pale, and the addiction amplified all his negative traits. He shouted, screamed and scolded, his aggression made worse by his constant use of the mind-altering substance. 

 

Edmund smiled. There were many ways he could use this, and he had to find out who was supplying him with the substance. Was it another demon lord? Or just a regular crime cartel that saw an easy lord?

 

He snuck into the Lord's room, and took the form of a shadow, and used [hypnotism] on him. 

 

Edmund's shadow form smiled at Lord Kenarias. And he smiled back. "Tell me, Lord Kenarias, who's been supplying all these things?"

 

Lord Kenarias was an accomplished warrior and fighter, but the drugs had made him weak. It wasn't difficult to extract that it was some merchants affiliated with some of the criminal gangs that sold him these things. These same criminals continue to feed the Lord's addiction and used his power and authority to further extort the populace. They ran various kidnapping and human trafficking rings. 

 

It would be extremely difficult to maintain [hypnotism] for long, but looking at it, it may almost be possible to manipulate Lord Kenarias. 

 

"Where is your wife?"

 

"She's in her room. I've locked her in there because she's too annoying." The Lord answered. Edmund paused, and nodded. The Lord went on to reveal all the other plots he had hatched, such as the plan to sponsor thieves and robbers. 

 

He smiled, as all of the Lord's deepest and darkest secrets were revealed. A warrior like him would have had strong mental defenses against [hypnotism], but under the influence of drugs, it wasn’t effective. He tapped the Lord on the head, and the Lord fell back on his bed, asleep. 

 

Edmund decided to talk to the wife, next.