Reborn as the Failed Lord with my Resource Gathering System. - Chapter 200

Chapter 200: I need your help, duke.
“Lady Maria is pregnant,” Ravina spoke right after, a small smile tugging at the side of her lips.

Dorian stared at her for a while. He couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong.

However, before he could utter anything, Maria had spoken from right beside him.

“What are the chances of me giving birth to this child Lord Dorian is talking about? I intend to have this child regardless.”

Dorian sighed, his jaw resting underneath his chin.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If I see even the faintest sign that is going to happen, we are doing everything to get rid of the child.”

Maria immediately turned to look at Dorian.

“My lord…”

“No ifs or buts. That is my final decision.”

Maria took a step back. “M-my apologies.”

“Now then…”

Dorian stood up from the chair and slowly began to walk towards Ravina, who was simply still standing there, observing them having their back and forth.

After he arrived in front of her, the first thing he did was cup the side of her cheeks, searching her eyes as though he was looking at an injured lamb.

Ravina was quick to react to his touch.

Her cheeks turned red as she found it unexpected for Dorian to suddenly touch her like that.

She could feel his soft yet strangely hard hand pressing at the side of her cheeks. It made her feel warm, and she could swear she was leaning her face even closer to his touch.

‘Raphael…’

[As you wish.]

[The target seems to be mentally and physically exhausted. There is no underlying sickness that could risk her life.]

‘Okay, that’s good then. So she is just tired, probably from having to deal with the paperwork since Alex is not around.’

He sighed out loud.

“Is something the matter, Dragon Monarch?”

Ravina had a worried look on her face after she noticed him sighing. Though it was hard to notice due to the blush glowing on her face.

“Nothing. You’re exhausted. Go get some rest.” Dorian turned around and began heading towards the throne.

“Get some rest?” Ravina leaned forward, her hand cupped near her chest. “I can’t do that, Dragon Monarch. There are still a lot of work to do—”

“I’ll be in the capital for a while. I’ll handle matters until you are well enough to take them back.” Dorian sat down on the throne, flapping his hand at her.

“Now shoo, go to your room and sleep. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Ravina was short of words. Dorian was really being serious; he truly wanted to help out with her duties.

She glanced at Maria and Ciel’s faces, noticing they both had the same look on their faces, knowing Dorian was indeed serious.

Then she sighed, accepting her defeat.

“As you wish.”

She bowed her head.

Then turning around slowly, she began to walk away, the sound of her heels hitting the ground echoed for a while, until the thud of the throne doors closing followed.

As soon as she was gone, Dorian looked at Maria.

“Has there been any word from Seraphina?” he asked.

Maria shook her head.

“The last message she sent was her meeting with the prince. She hasn’t sent anything after that.”

Dorian rested his back fully on the chair.

“That woman really knows how to make me worry.”

For starters, after Dorian had built multiple grids around the capital, he further went on to do the same in his new Dukedom after he established three main cities, each ruled by his wives, the very moment he got married to them.

Other Dukedoms requested for a chance to have the same grid working for them, but Dorian refused them all, mainly because he wanted to try it with a foreign country first, and that was the best way he could get a price out of it.

The country of Sualan, a country known to have the biggest production of gold in the entire nation.

Located over the seas, east of the Lumberg Kingdom, it was the closest and most strategic location for Dorian to start his first foreign trade.

To finalize the deal, Dorian sent Seraphina to speak with the prince of Sualan, but for the past four days, he had not heard anything from her.

‘I guess I really have no choice.’

“Ciel. Send a few dragons to find my wife and make sure they protect her.”

Alongside the other growth happening in Dorian’s new Dukedom, the raising of dragons was also the bigger part of the growth.

The eggs Dorian had been nurturing for weeks hatched one fateful day, about thirty-five of them, all of whom turned into their adult years in less than a week.

From the thirty-five, twenty-four were lizard men who joined the Aurelian army, and the rest were all drakon kins of different attributes and prowess.

That alone already made his Dukedom the strongest in the entire country.

Ciel gave her master the side-eye.

“Are you sure, Master? I assumed you wanted to lay low with the dragons for a while in order not to attract the other dragon masters.”

“I’m aware. I have kept my dragons hidden long enough. Besides…” Dorian leaned to the other side. “I doubt they haven’t already found us by now. So it’s probably no problem.”

Ciel seemed worried for a while, but she quickly overlooked it.

“Very well. I’ll get to it.”

With that, she disappeared from sight.

“My lord. There is someone here.” Maria uttered, her eyes glued to the entrance of the throne room.

To think Dorian was about to speak to Maria more about her pregnancy, and now someone is here to interrupt that.

He figured it had to be one of Ravina’s workers looking for her help with something.

So, he sat upright, ready to welcome the person in.

The guards from outside opened the door, and in walked Duke Salviana.

Dorian and Maria were immediately shocked to see him.

He was dressed in a long dark robe, wearing a fur around his neck while his long black hair fell behind his back.

With slow, steady steps, Duke Salviana began to close the distance.

‘The hell is this dude doing here? I haven’t seen him since the incident with the former Duke Valerie, when he came to pay his respects. Does he visit Ravina often?’

Dorian had a suspicious look on his face, eyeing the duke with every step he took.

“It’s an honor to see you here, Lord Dorian. I must say, I didn’t expect to see you sitting on the king’s throne. But I already heard rumors about it, so I am not too surprised.”

Dorian managed to form a fake smile.

“Duke Sal, what are you doing all the way in the capital? Your Dukedom is quite far away from here, is it not?”

Salviana bowed to Maria before he turned to Dorian and responded.

“Indeed. When I heard a dragon was spotted heading to the royal capital, I just knew it had to be you, and it was the perfect opportunity to speak to you.”

“Speak to me? About what?” Dorian raised a brow.

Duke Salviana let out a soft chuckle. “Lord Dorian, I’ve come to discuss an alliance, or perhaps, a partnership. One that would bring my family closer to yours—the burgeoning Aurelian power.”

Dorian leaned back on the throne, his eyes narrowing slightly. “A partnership? Be direct, Duke.”

“Very well,” the Duke said, taking another measured step forward. “It concerns my daughter, Lady Elara. She is a fine young woman, highly skilled, and currently attends the Imperial Academy, the same prestigious institution as your younger sister, Lady Yelena.”

Dorian felt a flicker of surprise. He had been so preoccupied with his wives, the Dukedom, and the capital, he often forgot about Yelena’s schooling. ‘Yelena… wait, this is unexpected.’

Salviana continued, sensing Dorian’s reaction. “I recently spoke with Lady Ishtar, and she spoke highly of your… expanding ambitions. She, in fact, suggested I approach you directly regarding this matter.”

Maria, standing beside the throne, gasped softly. Dorian shot her a quick, silencing look. The fact that Ishtar, his most cautious wife, had sent another noble to him was truly shocking.

“Lady Ishtar suggested this?” Dorian asked, his voice neutral yet laced with suspicion. “And what exactly is the role you envision for your ‘highly skilled’ daughter?”

“A simple, yet deeply symbolic role,” Duke Salviana declared, a hopeful gleam in his dark eyes.

“I wish for my daughter, Elara, to act as Lady Yelena’s personal knight and protector while she is at the Academy. A dedicated guardian. In doing so, I hope to demonstrate my unreserved loyalty to the Aurelian family and foster a stronger, more lasting connection between our Dukedoms.”

“A knight?” Maria chimed in with a glaring look. “I mean no disrespect, but why would a duke such as yourself want to subject your daughter to doing something that might tarnish your name as a duke?”

….’

Thank you for reading. I’ll increase the chapter rate next week.