A Single Person's Infinite Wonderful Life

The new nobles do not have land, but they can possess more wealth beyond their land. Moreover, by owning shares in industrial enterprises, they can enjoy the dividends from their shares without having to lift a finger. In some ways, this is much more lucrative than painstakingly managing their own land.

Although landed nobles possess land, to put it bluntly, nobles with the talent to manage their land are extremely rare in this era. Most nobles have become corrupt, and even military nobles cannot escape the temptation of decadence, inevitably becoming corrupt after a few generations.

Therefore, the royal family urgently needs to bring the territories back into royal hands. The nobles only need titles and wealth; as for the strategic existence of land, it is safest to keep it in the hands of the royal family.

Chapter 1. A Seaside Village

Lisia sighed and said, "This generation's queen seems really ambitious. If she really accomplishes such a great thing, the kingdom might not be able to contend with Hobra, but at least it won't be as controlled as it is now."

Lisia was born into a noble family. Although her family had declined by the time she was born, its heritage was still there. As a result, she received a very rigorous elite education. In addition, she had a long period of adventure experience afterward. Her knowledge and vision were far beyond what other noble families' pretty daughters could compare to.

Through Li Wei's description, she already knew what the current queen wanted to do, but the chances of the queen's actions backfiring were quite high, unless she had some special trump card.

At this moment, Lisia was unaware that the kingdom's noble queen had become a forbidden descendant of Liwei. If it weren't for the powerful Liwei behind her, the queen wouldn't have dared to start industrialization now that the war had ended. The biggest variable in this world was Liwei, an outsider.

Li Wei said, "Everyone has worked hard today. We won't be setting up stalls tomorrow. We'll just relax in this small town for the day and then head to the next town."

Quite a few things happened during the day. Li Wei and his group did more than just set up a stall. The reason why Li Wei became famous so quickly, and even the people in the hotel showed him kind smiles, was because he helped the locals.

For those suffering from strange illnesses with no cure, Li Wei simply concocted a bottle of panacea and sent it out. This medicine, rich in life energy, could perform the exaggerated feat of reviving the dead and restoring flesh to bones. Ordinary diseases were completely defenseless against such a medicine.

When Li Wei encounters someone who has become disabled due to an accident, he immediately uses his healing abilities to restore their missing limbs.

When Li Wei encountered an orphan who had lost both parents, he gave him a complete guide to carpentry and stonemasonry. He said that as long as the child could thoroughly understand the contents, becoming a qualified carpenter or stonemason was only a matter of time.

It was precisely because of these messy things that Li Wei managed to raise his reputation in the town to "Respected".

Human merchants are always viewed with suspicion by the local demi-humans in the demi-human autonomous territories. After all, it is quite difficult for merchants who are only interested in making money to gain the trust of others.

Not all merchants are bad people, but because so many people in the merchant body do all sorts of shady things, the reputation of the entire body has become infamous. The wariness of merchants is not only felt by demi-humans, but also by humans themselves. People always have to be careful when doing business.

The next day, they strolled around the town, picking up some interesting little things as souvenirs. Although the economy of the autonomous territory wasn't advanced, the handicrafts of the demi-humans were quite interesting. The three of them, like ordinary tourists, collected the little things they found fascinating.

Because the style of the autonomous territory is different from that of the kingdom, some tourists also come here to visit. If the main architectural style of the kingdom is similar to Gothic, then the architectural style here is more like Rococo, which is less solemn and grand, but more down-to-earth.

From a modern perspective, Li Wei felt that the scenery on the autonomous territory side was more welcoming and more suitable for living compared to the main style of the kingdom side.

The pedestrians did not linger there and soon resumed their journey. Over the next few days, Li Wei traveled and did business, helping those in need whenever he encountered them. His reputation gradually spread throughout the entire Demi-human Autonomous Territory.

A few days later, Li Wei arrived at Raphtalia's hometown, Raphheim, a village located on the very edge of the entire demi-human autonomous territory, closest to the sea.

Unlike other places that have been largely rebuilt, the buildings here, except for a few relatively intact ones near the inland, are mostly dilapidated, while those near the sea have not been rebuilt at all.

Li Wei had Filo park the car on the edge of the village, and then walked with the others to the cliff by the sea, where there was a cemetery. The villagers who were killed in the wave, whose bodies could be found, were buried here, while those whose bodies could not be found were given cenotaphs with only tombstones.

Raphtalia knelt down in front of the cenotaph, gently placed her hand on the tombstone, and whispered, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."

··· ·Requesting flowers···· ·

Neither Levi nor Lysia approached, and even the usually naive and optimistic Philo noticed that Raphtalia was somewhat downcast.

After a short while, Raphtalia stood up and said with a smile, "We should be happy to be back in our hometown. Rebuilding our hometown is something to be happy about."

Just then, several demi-humans arrived not far from Li Wei and the others: a spirited little girl with animal ears who looked a few years old, a huge bear-man, and a tall female centaur.

"Raphtalia?! You're still alive?!" The female centaur's expression lit up with surprise. She charged towards Raphtalia on all fours and lifted her high into the air.

.....

“Long time no see, Miss Doria. Could you put me down? I’m a bit too high,” Raphtalia said with a smile.

The female centaur known as Doria set Raphtalia down and said, "We searched for you for a long time after you disappeared. I thought you were gone. There's even a cenotaph for you on the very edge of the field."

Raphtalia was both amused and exasperated, never expecting that she would be killed.

The bear-man beside him said, "It's good that you're back. The tide is getting stronger and stronger. I went out to do business with a caravan, and now the tide has caused damage to many regions. This world is getting more and more difficult."

The bear-man looked at Levi and said to Raphtalia, "Raphtalia, is this your companion?"

Raphtalia came to Levi's side, took his hand, and ran to the three demi-humans, saying excitedly, "This is the Shield Hero! He's here to help us rebuild our home!"

Upon hearing the name of the Shield Hero, all three showed excited expressions. To the demi-human race, the Shield Hero was like a god, a savior who allowed all demi-humans to live with dignity.

All three knelt down immediately, using the highest level of etiquette of their respective tribes.

Li Wei said, "I am this year's Shield Hero, everyone stand up. I've come to this territory to help with the reconstruction and to help the people here live better lives. Stand up, no kneeling."

Chapter 1. Lords of Autonomous Domains

The burly bear-man looked up and said, "This is our heartfelt respect. For the Shield Hero, this is all we can do now."

Although the bear-man was large and looked like a brown bear standing upright, his voice sounded somewhat childish, giving the impression of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy, which contrasted sharply with his rugged appearance.

Li Wei grabbed the bear-man's arm and gently lifted him up. The bear-man felt a huge yet gentle force lifting him up.

Li Wei said, "Instead of kneeling before me here, you should put in more effort when rebuilding our homes. This village is in such a state of disrepair, it's outrageous. I will never allow such a situation to continue under my rule."

Raphtalia, standing nearby, said, "Everyone, the Queen has handed over the administration of the autonomous territory to you, sir. Now, the autonomous territory will be protected by you, sir, and we no longer need to worry about the waves and other dangers!"

Upon hearing Raphtalia's words, the three demi-humans' eyes lit up. The Shield Hero could be considered the demi-humans' protector. If the Shield Hero were here, their lives would definitely be much better than they are now.

Li Wei nodded and said, "I have obtained the management rights of this territory from the Queen. I plan to develop it into the most prosperous place in the kingdom, and I want the people here to live a happy life."

It is said that love extends to everything connected to the beloved. Because of Raphtalia, Li Wei had an innate goodwill towards the demi-human autonomous territory. In addition, his trade journey over the past few days had allowed Li Wei to witness the simple and hospitable nature of the demi-humans here. Li Wei had a good impression of the demi-humans living on this land, and it was precisely because of this that he was willing to help the people here restore the territory to its former appearance.

The three demi-humans had no objections to Li Wei's words. If Li Wei was indeed the Shield Hero, then most demi-humans would not object to the Shield Hero becoming the ruler of the territory. At most, the vested interests would have other ideas. However, when faced with the will of the majority of demi-humans, the voices of a few vested interests could not stop such an overwhelming trend.

Li Wei said, "I plan to go to the local administrator and explain the situation to him. The recovery speed in the autonomous territory is still too slow. If this continues, it will take several more years to complete the repairs. I don't want to wait that long."

Hearing that Li Wei wanted to restore the place to its former appearance, the three demi-humans perked up. Because of the wave, their houses and savings were destroyed, and it would not be easy to restore it to its former state.

Doria the centaur said, "Leave this to me. I know where the lord is. At my speed, it will only take me a day to go back and forth!"

Doria patted her own full headlights and revealed a hearty smile.

Li Wei said, "If I send you, the local lord might not believe me. I'm prepared to go myself."

Doria may have many connections in the area, but the lord is unlikely to listen to her family's opinions on such an important matter, so he has to make the trip himself.

Doria said, "No problem, leave it to me! I'm the lord's cousin, and she's a very reasonable person. If she knows the Shield Hero is here, you can watch, my lord, he'll come with me!"

Li Wei was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected that this dashing centaur woman had such a family relationship. If that was the case, it would save him a lot of trouble.

Li Wei nodded and said, "In that case, I'll leave this matter to you. As for me, I'll stay here to help everyone rebuild their homes. I have a good understanding of construction, and I have a way to help the village rebuild quickly. However, I need enough manpower, so I hope you can gather all the available local people."

The bear-man said, "Alright, sir, leave this to me. Let me introduce myself, my name is Ohm, and I am the acting village chief here."

Li Wei said, "Ohm, right? You've become the acting village chief at such a young age, so you must have some ability. I'll leave the task of organizing the manpower to you. I don't plan to take over all the power from the lord right now. I'll only ask the lord for the management of Lafheim first, and then rebuild this village. Once everyone sees the results, they will naturally want to rebuild their own homes."

Ohm said, "Sir, isn't this a bit too cautious? Once everyone knows you are the Shield Hero, they will all be willing to cooperate with you..."

Li Wei smiled and said, "Ohm, people's hearts are very complicated, and we can't be too optimistic about some things. Rebuilding Laphheim first will dispel some people's concerns and make them believe in me from the bottom of their hearts, rather than believing in me just because I am the Shield Hero."

Ohm was no fool to become the acting village chief at such a young age, and he understood Li Wei's concerns, so he nodded.

Li Wei and the others settled down in the small village. A few days later, Doria returned with her cousin.

Li Wei was strolling leisurely through the village, his mind racing with plans, when he looked up and saw a strong centaur woman, taller than Doria, standing beside her. The woman's lower body was clad in chainmail, her hooves protected by close-fitting armor, while her upper body was covered in more flexible plate armor, making her look quite formidable. Like Doria, she possessed a beautiful face, but due to her long-standing position of power, she exuded a superior air that Doria lacked.

The other person also saw Li Wei and quickened their pace, arriving in front of him in no time. Li Wei's stature was already considered tall for an ordinary person, but it was still somewhat insignificant compared to the centaur-like woman who was over two meters tall.

"Hello, Lord Hero of the Shield, I am Heda Stosius, the local lord, and also this impetuous fellow's cousin. I have seen Her Majesty the Queen's letter of appointment. Effective immediately, I will resign from my position as lord of the Demi-human Autonomous Territory, and you will rule the Demi-human Autonomous Territory." Lord Heda said calmly.

Heda did not doubt that the letter of appointment that Doria showed her was fake, because nobles throughout the kingdom had a special detection device and corresponding magic that could detect the authenticity of the queen's orders. The one Doria showed her was genuine. The moment she saw Li Wei, she immediately confirmed Li Wei's identity as a hero by relying on her special perception ability.

That's why Heda willingly relinquished her position as lord, because she felt that it was better for the Shield Hero to manage the place than for a rough person like herself to do so.

Chapter 1. The Humble Centaur Girl

Li Wei said, "I will not take away your position as lord. Heda, you will still be the lord here. After all, I will not be here all the time, so there must be someone who can keep things in order. After I have done what I need to do, I will leave here. And at that time, this place will be handed over to you to continue to manage."

Heda was somewhat surprised. She had already made preparations for stepping down and even her retirement plan, but now Li Wei was telling her that she couldn't rest yet, and that the position of lord was still hers.

Doria asked in surprise, "My lady, you're leaving here?"

Li Wei nodded and said, "I still have many things to do, so I can't stay here all the time. What I can do is help complete the reconstruction here, and at the same time teach some livelihood skills to the local residents so that they can make a living. Moreover, the kingdom has now changed its hostility towards demi-humans, and in the future, demi-humans will be able to go out to do business and travel all over the kingdom without worrying about their safety. At that time, the lives of demi-humans will be better."

Li Wei already had a complete plan in mind; he would gradually help the demi-human autonomous territory achieve its revival.

After the kingdom promulgates new laws, the social status of demi-humans will be improved. At that time, demi-humans who can travel freely throughout the kingdom will naturally be able to earn more income, improve their lives, and even make their entire families wealthy. It's only a matter of time.

What Li Wei wanted to do was simply to accelerate this process, which would also sever Raphtalia's hopes in this world and prevent her from having any regrets.

As for Lisia, she doesn't have many ties left in this world. Lisia had written a letter to her family explaining the situation, and Li Wei had seen their reply through his senses. Her family supports her choice. Whether she chooses to leave with Li Wei or stay in this world, her family won't say anything; they will only support her decision.

Hearing Li Wei's words, Heda said, "Actually, I think the hero is more suitable for the position of lord than I am. I am a rough man, and although I want to do something for everyone, my ability is limited and I can never do things perfectly."

Li Weixian noticed that Heda seemed rather reserved, not at all like a lord, but rather like an inexperienced ordinary young man.

However, what Li Wei didn't know was that Heda's appointment as lord was actually forced upon her. She herself had no desire for power. At the beginning, she was just the town's sheriff. Unlike the other candidates, Heda had no intention of running for lord. Because she was fair and upright in her dealings, she was elected as lord by a large number of demi-humans and was unwittingly elevated to the position of lord.

As a lord, her abilities were insufficient, which is why the reconstruction of the autonomous territory had never been very fast. However, as a former sheriff, she was most adept at handling various internal conflicts fairly.

The Demi-human Autonomous Territory, as the gathering place for Demi-humans in the kingdom, is a place where various Demi-humans live together. Due to differences in their work and rest schedules and living habits, there are some minor conflicts among the Demi-humans. Heda, who is good at mediating disputes, has a very high status in the hearts of ordinary Demi-humans.

That is why, although her ability to handle political affairs was only so-so and her skills in developing the territory were not very good, everyone respected her for sitting in that position, including the previous candidates for the lord's position.

When Li Wei speaks, he always has a habit of patting people on the shoulder. It's a little habit of his as a person in a superior position. However, the centaur in front of him is too tall. Before he can even raise his hand, he has to forcefully press it back down.

Li Wei said, "Heda, I've been around the autonomous territory. As a place where many subspecies live together, the security here is quite good, which is rare."

Heda said somewhat embarrassedly, "Before being elected lord by everyone, I was a sheriff, mediating all sorts of conflicts every day. I'm very familiar with this kind of thing. The only thing I can barely mention about the autonomous territory is its security."

Li Wei laughed and said, "Actually, you are very capable, but you just don't realize it. The ability to make multiple subspecies coexist harmoniously in such a small place is truly remarkable. I will only be a temporary manager here. After I have completed the reconstruction of the city and taught the residents how to make a living, I will leave. They will still need you to coordinate everything here."

Heda blushed slightly. She felt that Li Wei's praise was far too exaggerated. She had only handled trivial matters, and compared to the previous candidates, she felt she was the weakest in ability, if not the most capable. Having been fortunate enough to remain in the position of lord for a few years, she felt she had done enough.

Li Wei has considerable experience in deceiving people. After all, when he turns others into puppet clones, he also reads the original's memories. Whether it's Geese, Krauser, or Judal, they are all typical superiors, and all have amazing management abilities.