Reborn with A Simulation Coin!

It had been an entire year since Baron Ethan left.

In a world where wars can drag on for years, even decades, a year might not seem extraordinary. But for Baron Ethan's absence, it was far too long. Something was off, this was anything but normal.

At first, the Baron had made a habit of sending regular letters, updating Madam Glenda and the rest of the household about his whereabouts and safety. The messages came frequently, offering reassurance. However, as time went on, the letters stopped. First, they slowed, then disappeared entirely. Now, there was nothing; no news, no reports, not even whispers of his name. It was as if Baron Ethan and the warriors who had accompanied him had vanished into thin air.

For months, the manor carried on in quiet denial. Harry, for one, remained unaware of the true depth of the situation. It wasn't until recently, after speaking with the servants and housekeepers, that he pieced the truth together: there had been no word from Baron Ethan for months. This could mean only two things; either something catastrophic had prevented him from sending news, or he had fallen on the battlefield.

Harry leaned toward the latter. To him, it seemed the only reasonable conclusion. Under normal circumstances, Baron Ethan should have returned long ago. The lords of this world, after all, were like independent armies. They fulfilled their obligations to the kingdom, yes, but they were not bound to perpetual service. Ethan had every right to return after a reasonable amount of time, there was no need to fight endlessly.

And yet, he hadn't.

It seemed likely that something had happened, something final. Madam Glenda, in her wisdom, had tried to mask the truth. To prevent attracting the attention of potential rivals like Reggie, she had spread the illusion that Ethan was still alive, still communicating, still leading from afar. But in reality, there had been no letters, no news, no sign of the Baron for months.

Harry only became fully aware of this once he took control of the manor. He saw through Madam Glenda's ruse and understood the precarious position the estate was in. However, the situation that Marina feared, the collapse of their household; didn't trouble Harry. To him, it was unlikely to happen. And even if it did? He had a plan. If worse came to worst, he thought grimly, they could simply eliminate anyone who posed a threat.

After a brief conversation with Marina, Harry retreated to his room.

The world energy glowed before him; Simulation Energy: 134. A faint display hovered in the mind, revealing over a hundred points of energy. These points had been earned in the most brutal way possible, through death.

Harry had gained this energy after killing Reggie, Madam Glenda, and several others who had once stood in his way. Their noble status and influence meant that their deaths caused ripples far greater than those of ordinary individuals. The more significant their role, the more energy their deaths produced.

But that wasn't all. Over the past two weeks, Harry had made sweeping changes across Ethan's territory. His actions had shaken the region, altering the lives of everyone within it. The energy he gained from these disruptions had grown steadily, and now, the reserves were rising again.

This was why Harry sought control of Ethan's lands so fervently. Simulation energy, after all, stemmed from influencing the lives of others. A lone wanderer could only affect so many, but a lord ruling over a territory? That was power. Every command he gave, every policy he enacted, reverberated through the lives of thousands. It was a constant, reliable source of energy.

The only downside was the population. Ethan's territory was relatively small; tens of thousands at most, even after factoring in the demihumen Harry had recruited. While this was a substantial number, the boundary energy it produced would always have limits.

But that didn't bother Harry. Where one territory fell short, another could be taken. If Ethan's lands weren't enough, then the solution was simple: expand. Take more land, subjugate more people, and build an empire where energy flowed endlessly.

Harry sat alone in his chamber, fingers drumming on the edge of his chair. His thoughts raced with plans; expansion was his goal, and Baron Senda's territory was his next target.

"Baron Senda," Harry murmured to himself, a sly grin curling at the corners of his mouth. "A weak little lord sitting on a fat, tempting piece of land."

Senda's territory was small compared to Ethan's, but its population was half that of Ethan's lands; dense, prosperous, and ripe for the taking. Better still, the lord's defenses were laughable. The only real threat, a man named Mousse, who could barely qualify as an elite knight apprentice, had already been taken care of by Harry himself long ago. Without him, Senda's forces were little more than farmers with swords. A single decisive move, a band of well-trained men, and the territory would be his.

But Senda's land wasn't the only prize. Nearby, other weak noble lords clung to their modest holdings like desperate scavengers. Taking them all would cement Harry's rule in the region and bolster his ever-growing influence.

Of course, such ambitions were not without risk. Under normal circumstances, the kingdom's leaders would never allow such brazen conquests. The balance of power between lords was something they fiercely protected, and they would move quickly to punish any who disrupted the fragile peace. But these were not normal times. The kingdom's attention was fixated on the war raging just beyond the region. Harry knew this was his window of opportunity. While the king and his court were preoccupied, he could strike quickly, seizing lands before anyone realized what had happened. And even if the kingdom noticed later? He'd deal with the consequences when they came.

Harry leaned back, a satisfied smirk on his face. "By the time they notice, it'll be too late. I'll already own it all."

But even the most carefully laid plans have a way of going sideways.

Just as Harry was preparing to launch his move against Baron Senda, a messenger arrived with news that turned his world upside down.

"What?" Harry shot to his feet, his voice sharp enough to make the young man before him flinch. "Baron Senda is 'dead'?"

The messenger shifted nervously, sweat beading on his forehead. "Yes, my lord. It... it seems his territory has fallen to an attack by unknown monsters."

Harry froze, disbelief written all over his face. "'Monsters?'" He leaned forward, his voice lowering into a dangerous growl. "Explain. What exactly happened?"

The young man hesitated, clearly shaken by what he was about to recount. "It started about a month ago, my lord. A plague broke out in Baron Senda's lands; sudden and without warning. It spread rapidly, consuming entire villages in days. Tens of thousands were infected, and many died within hours of showing symptoms. The death toll was… catastrophic."

Harry frowned, rubbing his temples. Plagues were tragic but hardly uncommon. Diseases swept through the land from time to time, leaving devastation in their wake. It was a harsh reality of life in this world. "And? Plagues alone don't destroy territories. What happened next?"

The messenger's face paled. He took a deep breath before continuing. "It wasn't just the plague, my lord. After the dead were buried, they… they began to rise. They came out of their graves, twisted and unnatural. Monsters. They attacked the living without mercy, slaughtering anyone who crossed their path. Entire villages were wiped out overnight. Baron Senda tried to rally his forces, but the creatures overwhelmed them. He was killed in the chaos."

Harry sat back heavily, stunned into silence. He hadn't even had the chance to act, and Senda's territory was already lost. Worse still, it wasn't some rival lord or rebellious uprising that had taken it, it was something far darker.

"A plague that turns the dead into monsters…" he muttered, his mind racing. "What in the hell is going on?"

The messenger added, "My lord, reports say the monsters are spreading further. Some survivors have fled to nearby territories, bringing warnings of what's happening. They say the creatures are relentless, killing everything in their path."

Harry clenched his fists, his earlier confidence replaced by a growing sense of unease. This wasn't part of the plan. Senda's territory was supposed to be an easy conquest, a stepping stone on his path to power. Instead, it had become a cursed land overrun by abominations.

"Do we know the source of the plague?" he demanded, his voice sharp. "Where did it come from?"

The messenger shook his head. "No one knows, my lord. It appeared without warning, and no one has been able to contain it."

Harry's mind worked furiously. The situation was far more complicated than he had anticipated. He had to tread carefully; an outbreak like this could easily spread to Ethan's lands, threatening everything he had worked so hard to build.

But there was opportunity here, too. If he could find a way to deal with these monsters, to reclaim Senda's territory and bring it under his control, his power and reputation would grow even further.

For now, however, one thing was clear.

"Prepare my men," Harry ordered, his voice cold and decisive. "We need to investigate this plague and these monsters. If we leave it unchecked, it won't stop at Senda's lands. And I'll be damned if I let my territory fall to a bunch of undead freaks."

The messenger bowed quickly and scurried out of the hall, leaving Harry alone once more. He leaned forward, steepling his fingers as he stared into the middle distance.

The game had changed. What had once been a simple power grab was now a far more dangerous and far more rewarding; challenge.

"Baron Senda," Harry muttered with a grim smirk. "You may have been weak, but you've given me an interesting problem to solve. Let's see how this plays out."