Night of October 6, 2813 in the Western Continental Calendar


The Kingdom of Elnesgulla is on the move. It appears that an army of tens of thousands of new troops will be dispatched to the Kingdom of Zaruda in the near future... hey...

　After reading the letter delivered by Simone to the end, Ryoma crushed the letter as he clicked his tongue sharply.
The letter states that the price of armor and food, such as swords and armor, is rising. Several knights who are preparing for the Kirtantiantian Empire in the west have moved to the east, so there should be some kind of movement within a month at the latest, and it ended with the words that they will continue to try to gather information.

''It looks like it's starting to take shape quite well as an intelligence organization.

　Simone's role is twofold: to trade and procure goods, and to conduct espionage.
　While Geno and his men were responsible for counter-espionage and assassination of opponents, Simone's job was to keep the general situation on the continent informed.
　Famine, pestilence, war and rebellion.
　Before and after each of these events, there is always a movement in the market economy.
　When there was a famine, the price of food would rise, and when an epidemic broke out, the price of medicines would rise.
　Economic activity could be said to be a mirror that reflected the full range of information about a country or territory.
　It was easy to predict military plans from the purchase of armaments and food, as in this case.
　In that sense, it can be said that Simone has fulfilled her role well.

''Ah, it looks like you're doing your best.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
　But his expression was grim despite his words.　

''It's not the right time........''

Well, you can't blame me for complaining, though.

Ryoma's expression loosened when he heard Saara's words, and he cowered his shoulders and laughed.
　War is equal to a large rock thrown into the quiet water.
　Just as the rock thrown in violently waves the surface of the water, causing the ripples to spread everywhere, war affects neighboring countries in many ways.
　For better or worse, depending on your position, one thing is clear: it will affect you in one way or another.
　One thing is clear: it will have some effect.
　And the problem is that there is no way to know where the effects will be.
　It could be that the price of goods will only go up, or depending on the situation, we may have to send reinforcements from Roselia to Zarda.　

　Bolz is now in charge of the security of the territory and is going with fifty of his elite soldiers to a fort built at the foot of the Tilt Mountains.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of good reasons to be excited about it.
　In reality, however, the opposite is true; it was designed to keep out adventurers and spies from Ipyros who were attempting to enter the Woltenia peninsula.
　Monsters are usually vermin, but today they are an important part of the Woltenia peninsula's industry.
　Furthermore, there is also the problem of sub-humans.
　In order to build a relationship of trust with sub-humans, they need to trust Mikoshiba Ryoma, but it's impossible to predict how adventurers will behave in the Wortenian Peninsula.
　That was the possibility that there were people who would come to the peninsula to enslave the sub-humans, just like pirates.
　This could be a fatal wound in the current situation where they hadn't been able to establish a trusting relationship with them.　
　I can't allow these adventurers to act on their own now.
　And just as Ryoma wanted, the invasion of the adventurers was visibly decreasing due to the work of the bolts.
　There are people who try to invade without using the roads, but we have left the disposal of those to Gen O and his family, and that too is on track.
　It's not a bad start.
　But the war in the neighbouring country may spread at that crucial time.
　No, the war will certainly spread.　
　And that was a situation that the current Ryoma, who wanted to focus his efforts on the development of the Woltenia Peninsula, could never welcome.

''But the main battlefield is the Kingdom of Zaruda. It shouldn't have much of a direct impact on us...''

　Indeed, Saara's words were correct.
　I'm sure it will have an effect on you, but even if you were to send a reinforcement to Zarouda, you would not be directly affected by it, as long as you didn't become a follower of Ryojin's army.
　But Ryoma didn't nod at Saara's words.
　A vague and ominous feeling of foreboding crossed Ryoma's mind.　

　The number of troops Liangzhen currently possesses is small.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what to expect when you're ready to fight.
　It will still take some time for the slaves to be delivered from Simone and become property.
　And even if we assume that their training is over, even if we calculate it, the number of troops Ryojin can move will not exceed a thousand.
　If you do well, it will be eight hundred to nine hundred. If it is not good, it will be around six hundred.
　A normal knightly order is made up of about two thousand five hundred men, so it's less than half the force.
　Of course, it's an unparalleled number of standing troops for a regional lord to have.
　If all of them can use law enforcement, it's even more so.
　As a defense force for the territory, it can be said to be quite impressive.
　But.........
(We'll have to hire more people, even if we have to lower the bar a bit. Let's tell Simone to add about a thousand more people and then we'll have to hurry up and get that thing ready.)
　Ryouma's instincts constantly told him that the current number of troops was dangerous.
　After being summoned to this "Earth" world and experiencing the exchange of lives, Ryouma followed that which he had honed through the experience.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the best use of your time.


'Hmm. It's a very elaborately built city. There are ditches on the side of the road, but is that for the purpose of releasing rainwater?

　Jinai muttered as she squinted at the scene spreading outside the window.
　The moonlight illuminates the cityscape.
　The plot given to the Igazaki clan by Ryoma the other day.
　In one room of the mansion built in the center of it, five men and women are sitting around a table.
　They are members of the elders who decide the will of the Igazaki clan.

That's right. It was the Lord's idea. "Yes, it was the Lord's idea.

I see you've used a lot of ingenuity in your work.　

　Jinai nodded as if impressed by Gen'o's answer.

''It's a rugged but quite functional city. And it's surprisingly fast.''

　Ryusai let out an exclamation of admiration.
　The cityscape outside the window was changing with each passing day.
　A city that is expanding.
　It's not a messy development either.
　It is developing with careful calculations and careful compartmentalization.

But it's not elegant, is it?

　Osae returns to Ryusai's words with a teasing tone.
　As Osae said, the city of Seirios is well thought out in terms of functionality, but it is completely ignored when it comes to artistic aesthetics.
　It has an artificial, inorganic feel to it.
　If it were a Japanese house made mainly of wood, it would have a different impression, but Ryoma, wary of fire, had built the building mainly of stone.
　That would make the city look even more rugged.

We are in a war-torn world now. Well, we live in a war-torn world now, so elegance doesn't serve any purpose.

But, Jinai-san. But, Jinnai-san, don't we need to be as elegant as the capital of Kyoto?　After all, we don't want you to end up as a lord in a remote area.

　Oume lightly tasted Jinai's words as if he was ignoring the importance of elegance.
　Elegance.
　It might be better to describe it in terms of the aroma of culture, or refined artistry.
　Martialism is not bad, but it's not enough.
　Culture is power.
　It's different from violence, which is an important national power.
　This is one of the most important factors, along with military force, in nation-stealing.

Well, that's something to be discussed in the future. Well, that's something to be discussed in the future. I'm not sure that we have the right mind to pursue elegance at this stage.

　Culture is one of the most important elements of a country, but there are many people who have been so devoted to it that it has destroyed their country. Ryusai has a valid point.　

It seems that the Lord is interested in the culture of these sub-humans. It's all about stealing their hearts. It will be a long time before that happens.

　The hard, frightened expressions of the sub-people come into the mind of Gen O.
　Although it's much easier to talk to them than when they first met, it can't be said to be an open-ended relationship.
　The only redeeming feature is that we humans don't show any dislike for the sub-humans.
　Most of the humans living in the city of Seirios were in their early teens, and the mercenaries didn't have a fanatical faith in the Light God Meneoce.
　If the sub-humans chose to antagonize them, they would eliminate them mercilessly, but it was quite fortunate for Ryouma that they didn't have any intentions of antagonizing him just because he was a sub-human for religious reasons.
　The rest of the time should bridge the gap that lay between the two sides.

'I still think that Mikoshiba Ryoma-sama is the one the First Lord sought, but what about you all?

　Everyone was silent and silent at Gen O's words.
　The first Igazaki chieftain's wish.
　For that reason, the family had been refining the karma of their own family for five hundred years.
　They have been wandering around without a master and they have been searching for one.
　They searched for it, sometimes despised as Gentiles, sometimes persecuted.
　And finally, they found it. The man was named Mikoshiba Ryoma.

It may be time to talk to the other members of your family, but the only thing left to do now is to see if Mikoshiba-sama can stop wailing.　

　A thin, muttering voice escaped Ome's mouth.
　The five gazes were focused on a sword enshrined in front of the altar.
　It is the only way to get to the top of the mountain.
　They are silent, waiting for the Lord who is worthy to use them.