Paul

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Paul Greiman (保罗) 3
Alias(es)	Earl Paul Greiman; Marquis Greiman; Lord of Arda; Lord of the Northwest Bay 30 707 939
Species/Race	Human / Aldo person 756
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Greiman Family; Arda; Auldo Kingdom; Northwest Legion 3 787
Occupation/Role	Noble lord, territorial reformer, military commander, and industrial patron 6 88 985
Status	Alive 985
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Paul awakens with memories of a previous life after being injured in a pirate ambush that kills his father, the Earl. Although regarded as a useless playboy before this turning point, he accepts his position as the Greiman Family's lawful heir, resolves to confront the pirate threat, and begins planning to bring industrial civilization to his territory. Butler Philip and military commander Bryce Alder support his succession. 3

As Earl of Arda, Paul finds his forces disorganized and poorly trained. He replaces their ad hoc structure with a standing army organized by ranks, companies, battalions, and regiments, while establishing a separate Internal Guard Unit for the Lord's Manor. 6 7

He introduces black powder to Arda and begins developing firearms, grenades, artillery, and weapon-production controls. His technological agenda expands beyond war into papermaking, literacy, agriculture, manufacturing, finance, and trade. 9 20 52 88 312

Personality

Paul is driven by responsibility, ambition, and a strong belief that his territory must become organized enough to survive external threats. In crises, he stresses unity and expects subordinates to act with discipline. 3 6

He is meticulous to an obsessive degree, particularly when structuring military units and investing in systems he considers important. His tendency to pursue perfection extends to military training, technology, and administration. 7 726

Paul is pragmatic and often manipulative when pursuing Arda's interests. He uses incentives, secrecy, political bargains, and personal leverage to secure labor, information, or technological progress. 9 31 580

Despite this ruthlessness, he is not indifferent to civilian suffering or the consequences of his decisions. He hesitates to punish rebels’ innocent relatives and struggles with the conflict between mercy, deterrence, and his duty to those who depend on him. 572 573

He remains deeply wary of magic as the foundation of society. Paul considers spellcasters too scarce and unpredictable to support broad development, fearing that dependence on them could create an entrenched ruling class over ordinary people. 216 603

Abilities & Skills

Military Reform and Command

Paul transforms Arda's military from a poorly organized feudal force into a disciplined army built around standardized organization, training, artillery, firearms, and combined-arms tactics. 6 7 985

• Introduced a formal rank system and company–battalion–regiment hierarchy. 6 7
• Established standing forces and compensation for soldiers’ households. 6
• Employs musketeers, spearmen, mortars, artillery, Hollow Squares, and Phalanx formations. 68 701 985
• Personally directs major operations, including the Bairdin campaign and the war against the Orcish. 68 72 985
• Integrated regional forces into the Northwest Legion under a unified command. 787

Industrial and Weapons Development

Paul applies knowledge from his previous life to create and improve industries that give Arda a technological advantage. 9 312

• Identified sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter as the components of black powder. 9
• Ordered the development of tubular firearms, grenades, matchlock guns, cannons, and later explosive shells. 9 20 777
• Promoted safety regulations and guarded weapon-production areas to protect secrecy. 9
• Encourages engineers and craftsmen to improve existing weapons, including breech-loading rifles and primer-cap ammunition. 939
• Supports chemical and metallurgical research, including efforts toward mass production of high-quality steel. 580 671

Governance and Institution Building

Paul establishes institutions intended to make Arda economically productive, administratively capable, and less dependent on inherited privilege. 52 88 390

• Founded Ves Institute to address literacy shortages and train administrators, craftsmen, and clerks. 52
• Separated the Lord's Manor finances into an inner treasury managed by Philip and an outer treasury managed by the Government Affairs Council. 88
• Supports factories, merchant authorization, technology licensing, and profit-sharing arrangements. 88
• Proposed a Customs Union to remove internal tariffs among member territories while protecting local industry from external goods. 312
• Established the Technology Review Committee and Patent Protection Alliance to manage technological sharing. 390
• Plans to record the life histories of every person in Arda. 681

Political and Diplomatic Acumen

Paul is adept at weighing alliances against risks, though he often treats politics as another means of securing Arda's development and independence. 51 757

• Aligns with the royal family against Giles’ rebellion in exchange for protection and political support. 51 52
• Extracts information through controlled displays of surprise and pointed questioning. 757
• Maintains cooperation with the Auldo royal family while increasingly acting as an independent power in the Northwest Bay. 707 882
• Considers the long-term security of the kingdom through proactive campaigns against the Grassland Orcs. 921

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Magic-detection amulet — A blessed stone given by Abbot Leonard; turns black when magical fluctuations are nearby. It forces Paul to acknowledge that magic is real when it reacts to Barnett. 138
• Firearms and armed guard escort — Following Barnett's assassination attempt, Paul increases the firearms carried by his guards, including carbines for mounted escorts. 139 535
• Artillery and industrial armaments — Paul commands access to Arda's cannon production, explosive research, muskets, mortars, and later demolition shells. 20 68 777

Relationships

• Philip — Greiman Family butler and chief steward; supports Paul’s succession, executes his reforms, and manages the inner treasury. 3 6 88
• Bryce Alder — Military commander, later Artillery Director; initially underestimates Paul but becomes a fiercely loyal officer. 3 704
• Schroeder — Chief of Staff and one of Paul’s most capable military advisers; helps professionalize the Arda Army and advises him during major wars. 16 373
• Laddie Setia / La Di — Paul’s female advisor and a Witch; protects him from magical attacks, advises him on spellcasters, and openly challenges his views on magic. 139 603
• Hansel Abbott — Royal representative, political adviser, and later an important administrator; frequently challenges Paul to consider the practical consequences of leadership. 51 573
• Mellon Garnard — Childhood friend and sworn brother; Paul aids him against his rebellious vassals and later entrusts him with important political tasks. 57 60 390
• Catherine Greiman — Princess of Auldo and Paul’s wife; their marriage links the Greiman and royal families, and she later participates in his military and technical discussions. 621 777
• Mariana — Paul’s mother and a Secret Art Society member; she repeatedly urges him to avoid conflict with the Society, while Paul refuses to abandon Aldo. 662 768
• Nathan — Paul’s younger brother, a spellcaster associated with the Secret Art Society; their relationship remains strained but includes moments of mutual assistance. 913 965
• Derson — Former Secret Art Society mage who attempts to pry into Paul’s memories, then pledges loyalty after glimpsing knowledge from Paul’s mind. 664 900
• Rhodesney XVIII — King of Auldo; values Paul’s reforms and military strength, but their relationship is complicated by Paul’s growing autonomy and ambition. 608 921

Story Role / Major Arcs

Succession and Pirate Suppression

After inheriting Arda amid a pirate crisis, Paul consolidates authority, reforms his army, and begins introducing black-powder weapons. His victories over pirate forces establish his reputation as the Northwest frontier’s defender. 3 9 19 30

Industrialization of Arda

Paul turns Arda into an emerging industrial center through military manufacturing, literacy programs, merchant partnerships, factories, agricultural machinery, and institutional reforms. 52 88 312 390

Bairdin and the Usurper Wars

Paul intervenes in Bairdin to rescue Mellon Garnard and secure access to coal and iron resources. His forces defeat traditional feudal armies, later help Henry Ferdinand reclaim power, and establish Paul as a decisive force in Northwest Bay politics. 60 72 302 308

Conflict with Magic and the Secret Art Society

Barnett's assassination attempt shatters Paul’s disbelief in magic. Although he accepts spellcasters such as Laddie and Derson as valuable allies, he rejects reliance on magic and repeatedly opposes the Secret Art Society's designs for Aldo. 138 142 216 768

Rebellion and the Burden of Rule

Following unrest in Arda, Paul confronts the moral cost of suppressing rebellion. Hansel presses him to recognize that leniency toward enemies may endanger the loyal residents, soldiers, and officials under his protection. 572 573

Defense of Auldo and Rise to Marquis

Paul expands the Arda Army and deploys troops, artillery, and logistics personnel to resist the Orcish invasion. His forces hold against Orcish cavalry, help reverse the northern war, and contribute to his promotion to Marquis. 682 704 711 716

Grassland Campaign and Northwest Independence

As commander of the Northwest Legion, Paul pursues the defeat of the Orcish Royal Tent, studies Orcish society for military purposes, and develops plans for the long-term control of the Grassland. His growing strength makes the Northwest Bay increasingly comparable to an ally rather than a conventional Auldo vassal. 813 919 985 993

Notable Quotes

“Only by standing united can we overcome the crisis before us.” 3

“The people, and only the people, are the driving force behind the creation of world history.” 282

“If the Secret Art Society's plan comes at the expense of Aldo, then I will have no choice but to oppose the Secret Art Society.” 671

Trivia

• Paul is a transmigrator whose previous-life knowledge gives him an advantage in firearms, industry, agriculture, administration, and military organization. 3 316
• He considers black powder an “ultimate weapon” for civilizing the world he entered. 9
• Paul’s stated historical outlook favors the role of unnamed farmers, craftsmen, and soldiers over the idea that history is created primarily by heroes and wise rulers. 282
• He regards the Northwest Bay's industrial system as more durable and broadly accessible than a society dependent on a small spellcaster class. 603 768