[Yard]
He was able to take command of three thousand members of the marquisate’s knight corps. As he gathered the weapons and supplies needed for the campaign, Sest joined him.
“Sest! It’s been a while!”
“…It has, hasn’t it, Brother Yard.”
Right after the greeting, Yard noticed the dark expression on Sest’s face. His voice seemed unusually heavy.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Sest furrowed his brow and let out a sigh. He seemed a little taller than before, but his slightly hunched posture made him look smaller.
“…Father scolded me. I thought I could play around since there was so much money at my disposal, but he said that even doubling the city’s tax revenue wouldn’t cover it…”
“Hahaha! That’s foolish. Any trading company would give special treatment just for being part of the Fertio Marquisate. If you held a banquet, even viscounts and lower-ranking nobles would bring you business deals on their own. Well, what’s done is done. Just raise taxes by fifty percent and have the trading companies find the profits.”
Laughing at Sest’s mistake, Yard gently instructed him on how to handle it. To Yard, his older brother Murcia was a strong rival for the position of heir, but he considered Sest as someone who could become his right-hand man in the future and cherished him.
Sest’s weak resolve and indecisive personality made him unthreatening as a rival, which Yard found favorable.
Amused by Sest’s sulking, Yard’s eyes drifted down to the map spread before him.
Earlier, Yard had gathered the commanders of the knight corps and held a meeting in the office. Most of the discussion centered on geography and enemy forces, but Yard felt like a seasoned veteran as he pointed at the map.
“Sest, this is Scudeto. And here, this is the Yerinetta fortress we captured in the previous battle. There’s another stronghold along the coast, but it won’t be easily attacked from here. We have the geographical advantage. Above all, capturing this fortress clearly reversed the balance of offense and defense.”
When Yard shared what he had learned, Sest gave a vague nod.
“…Because this fortress fell?”
Seeing Sest’s confused expression, Yard shook his shoulders and laughed.
“You don’t understand? Think from Yerinetta’s perspective. What happens if they are further attacked?”
Yard slid his finger horizontally across the map as he spoke. Sest followed with his eyes and suddenly understood.
“Ah… they’d be isolated. So, they’d be trapped, unable to receive supplies.”
“Exactly.”
Yard nodded, satisfied with Sest’s response. Even though he had just heard it moments ago, Yard spoke as if he were the teacher.
“In other words, Yerinetta can’t launch an attack unless they retake this fortress. It’s that important. Conversely, we should use it as a base for our attacks, but if left unchecked, Yerinetta will keep sending troops. After all, they have cities and fortresses in three directions, making supply lines easier.”
“I see… So that means we’ll be attacking Yerinetta again soon, right?”
Sest grasped the implication, and Yard grinned.
“That’s right. That’s why we must be ready to go to battle at any time. Equip our knights with the best gear and ample logistics. And if there’s spare capacity, hire mercenary groups or adventurers to bolster our forces.”
Yard crossed his arms and spoke firmly. Sest lowered his head with a helpless look.
“I… I ran out of money, so I can’t prepare…”
Sest muttered, changing color. Yard smiled broadly, showing his teeth.
“Hahaha! Don’t worry! After a victorious battle, we can borrow as much money as we need! Borrow from the trading companies and get ready! This next battle is a prime opportunity to earn great military merit. Don’t hold back and retreat in fear.”
“R-right…”
Sest nodded resolutely in response to Yard’s words.
A battle to gain new territory was a perfect chance to gain merit. Every noble treated it as a chance to rise in rank, causing prices and mercenary fees to soar. Soon, some things couldn’t even be purchased, no matter how much money one offered.
Even for the Fertio Marquisate, the expenditures would far exceed expectations, no matter how accommodating the trading companies or mercenary groups were.
But Yard, confident of victory, spared no expense. He not only spent all his available money but also took on significant debt to prepare for the war.
[Van]
“Alright, here’s the latest mechanical bow!”
“Lord Van! We’ve already prepared enough for everyone!”
Kamshin piled mechanical bows and arrows onto the new armored war wagon, clattering as he went. Van sat in a chair at the back, continuing to work on the weapons. Meanwhile, Lou was endlessly supplied with weapons and growing frustrated.
The knight corps, witnessing this unusual chaos, couldn’t help but smile as they checked the equipment.
“So Van made another new mechanical bow.”
“The poor enemy doesn’t stand a chance.”
The knights laughed, but their eyes clearly held trust in Van. All armor had already been upgraded to a hybrid type, combining wood blocks and mithril. Van’s recently developed armor was lightweight, flexible, and reinforced with mithril at critical points, boasting exceptional defense.
Moreover, previously used armor could be repurposed, so materials were abundant. Thus, Van continually crafted new weapons and wagons, experimenting whenever he had free time. The wagons now had suspensions, and the wheels used the hide of magical beasts for optimal performance, making them among the most comfortable rides in the world.
The knight corps also hunted magical beasts for training, while villagers with spare time helped prepare preserved food for expeditions. In this way, Van readied for war without incurring significant expenses.
“Lord Van! There are people hoping to immigrate here!”
“Alright! How’s their health? If they’re hungry, show them food and a bath first.”
“Understood!”
When the sentry reported visitors to Ceat Village, Van responded with practiced ease. The soldiers nodded and returned to the castle gate. In Ceat Village, where hopeful immigrants arrived almost weekly, this was a familiar scene.
Yet, newly arrived former slaves, adventurers, and traveling merchants were astonished.
“…This village really is strange.”
“Yeah. Even when outsiders suddenly arrive, you won’t find any knight corps or nobles so sincerely helpful elsewhere.”
“Van is just… special.”
Van overheard this conversation and turned slightly.
“‘Special’? That word sounds misleading…”
The lord of the village, which immigrants hailed as a paradise on earth, disliked being labeled merely as “special.”
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