The time goes back just a little.

　The meeting to send an envoy to the Equus passed surprisingly easily.
　The reason is that Rigal Dibel didn't object to it that much.

　From his point of view, there was no point in trading with the barbarians, but there was no point in interfering with it either.
　In short, he was not interested in them.

　After it was confirmed that he would send the first envoy to the Equus tribe, Almus hurriedly returned to his territory and began to prepare for the war.

　In this war, in addition to the eight hundred he had gathered through recruitment, he would gather about one thousand two hundred through conscription.
　Two thousand in total.

　That's six to seven percent of the population.

　Although the plan is not to linger for more than twenty days, it is still a heavy burden.
　The inhabitants of the As territory are aware that they live near the border of King Domorgal's country, and since the lord of this time, Almus, is conducting good government, there won't be any major opposition.

　The finances of the As territory are also stable with both salt and paper.

　The problem is one of quality.
　So, as soon as he returned, Almus made it compulsory for the people of the territory to participate in military training.

　Once a week, each of the ten to twenty villages would gather together for training.
　That's about it.

　Once a week wouldn't cause any damage to the farmland.
　Besides, one of the purposes is to make the territorial people aware of the danger.


　Now, there's still more things to do besides procuring troops.
　First, I ordered Ismea, Qingming and Lulu to further reinforce and inspect the fortress.
　This is in order to strengthen the defense.

　In short, they're told to set up wards and make it even stronger than it is now.
　In addition, Almus and Tetra began to develop a new defensive weapon.

　He has So-yeon survey the topography of King Domorgal's country with a sorcerer affiliated with King Rosais.
　It's not so easy to find them since they use owls in the middle of the night.

　Well, they've probably done the same thing to King Rosais' country in this regard.

　Ron, Rosward and Gram are training their troops.



　Now, last but not least, Ial.....
　Ial was in the Dibel territory after leaving the As territory.

　Along with a few of his men, he was in the guise of a peddler.

　About ten years ago, when Ron and the others were children, there was little money in circulation.
　But in the last ten years or so, the Adelian peninsula had been rapidly becoming a money economy.

　Cilician merchants had become more active, and rock salt had been found throughout the Adelian Peninsula.
　This was mainly due to the fact that the kings, princes, and powerful families of the Adelian peninsula sought foreign luxuries and began to learn the Cilician language because they admired the Cilician culture.

　So peddlers are not that rare.
　Even in the Dibel territory.

　All merchants these days are heading to the As territory, but there are a few merchants who go to the Dibel territory as well.

　First of all, Ial started doing business normally.
　Then he focused on gathering information.

　It's not anything suspicious for a merchant to gather information.
　Ial gathered a little bit of information about the Dibel territory from other merchants and the peasants of the Dibel territory.

　It was worth it, but he found out the power structure of the Dibel family.

　The composition was still relatives vs. non-relatives.
　Gilberto was the first relative, and Vermette was the first non-relative.


　Apparently, Belmet has spent a long time gathering excellent people.
　The Dibel family, for what it's worth, was the most powerful family in King Rosais' country (before the As family was restored).

　The Rosais family has no future as long as the head of the family, King Rosais, is ill.
　A lot of talent had come to the Dibel territory.

　And Belmet had picked them up and given them jobs.

　Even though the Digel family has a monopoly on important jobs, it doesn't mean that there are no gaps at all to enter.
　Besides, if Rigal Dibel becomes king, there is a good chance that the bowl will be turned around.

　It's not like he has many relatives.
　Besides, if Vermette wins the power struggle, he can get an important position in King Rosais' country or even become a lord.


　However, that doesn't mean that there are no complaints.
　And not all personnel feel a great debt of gratitude to Belmet.

　If they don't appreciate it at all, there are many people who would be willing to saddle up with another lord.
　Ial took aim at such a person.





　The time was March.

　Ial asked one man from the Dibel territory.

　''Oh, Mr. Ial, I see. Come up.'
　One of the soldiers of the Dibel territory, ten captains, Josef, raised the peddler Ial to his home.

　Josef lives on a stipend of wheat from the House of Dibel.
　Naturally, a man should not be able to eat on wheat alone.

　So Josef sells the wheat and turns it into vegetables, meat, and liquor... but somehow the price of wheat is low these days.
　The yield should be the same as usual, though.

　Josef has no way of knowing, but it is Almus who is to blame.
　The wheat that Almus is paying him as compensation has caused the market price of dibel territory to drop.

　Let's get back to the story.
　Due to the low price of wheat, Josef's life became difficult.

　It was at this time that Ial appeared.
　Ial sold vegetables and other goods at very low prices.
　Soon Ial and Josef became friends with each other.



　'I can't do this~'
　Josef complains to Ial over a drink.

　The content is one thing: his abilities are not appreciated.

　Josef's sword and spear skills are top-notch, and he defeated several enemies during the battle of King Ferrum.
　On the whole, he was defeated in a situation where he was defeated.

　This ability caught the attention of Velmet and Josef joined the army.
　As a ten-man captain, he is very good and highly respected.

　But he can't be a centurion.
　This is because the position of centurion is entirely monopolized by Rigal Dibel's relatives and relatives.

　Naturally, I'm grateful to Vermette.
　But gratitude doesn't make a meal.

　He wondered why he, who is excellent, had to struggle to make a living.

　Seeing Josef like that, Ial thought it was about time and started to cut him off.

　''Then why don't you serve in the As territory?　I guarantee the position of centurion. I will pay you ten times your current salary. We'll even provide you with a house.
　Ha, that's great... what?

　Josef couldn't help but ask back.
　Ial smiled smugly.

　'My name is Ial, and I work for Master Almus As. Well, I'm a peddler now.
　Ha, you cheated.
　I had to do this to find out how you feel. So what are you going to do about it?

　Josef's mind is greatly disturbed.
　But .....

　'Rigal Dibel is the first choice for the King. There's no way I'm getting off a winning horse. And I'm in debt to Master Vermette...
　A favor?　Do you have one of those?　Now you are forced to live a life of poverty. This is partly because of Lord Vermette, isn't it?　Has that man helped you in your life?　You even said that if I hadn't been there, Josef-san would have been forced to go into debt. Besides, Rigal Dibel-sama's succession to the throne has not yet been decided. Besides, it's suspicious these days, isn't it?

　Ial folded to Josef.
　Currently, there were two rumors led by King Rosais' relatives.

　One was the rumor that Raimondo would be the next king.
　It's not a funny story, as he is most deserving in terms of bloodline.

　The second one is that Almus As will be chosen as the general in a battle with King Domorgal.
　In other words, it's true.
　It was only recently that Dibel's army suffered a miserable defeat to As's army.

　That's a big part of it.......and it's very believable. Credibility and nothing but the truth, though.

　'My Lord, Lord Almus, is young. He still has a long way to go. And rumor has it that he will be made general at the next battle. He is very close to King Rosais. Besides, Lord Almus is suffering from a shortage of personnel. And Lord Almus has no family. There are plenty of opportunities for you to rise up.

　As a matter of fact, the As Army was short of commanders on the battlefield.
　The thirty tax collectors are all-around civil servants who can fight and account, but they can't take them all to the battlefield.
　It's because they can't manage the territory.

　Some of them have to be assigned as direct guards for Almus.
　When you think about it, I'd like to have four or five centurion-class men.

　Josef, after much thought, asked Ial.

　'Could you give me three days?'
　'Good. Well, I'll be waiting for you at the Ath estate.

　Ial left with a smile on his face.






　Now, Ial visited the next house.
　The owner of the house welcomes Ial.

　'Come on up, please.'

　The householder's name is Dora.
　She is a sorcerer and is very good at using dogs.

　'Your usual drink, sir. And some herbs.
　Thank you. It helps.

　Dora pays for Ial's goods with wheat.

　After chatting for a while, Dora cut to Ial.

　'Actually, there's something I'd like you to discuss with me.
　What's going on?
　'Actually, I'm being courted by one of the Dibel's.

　Naturally, Ial knew about it. Because it was a well-known story among the spellcasters who served the Dibel family.
　Or rather, that's why Ial had approached him.

　And I know why he's troubled.
　But he pretends not to know and says.

　'Good for you, isn't it? It's a ball game.'
　That's not good at all!

　Dora raised her voice.

　'That man, his appearance is that ... well ... thing. He's also a fifty year old...thing. At least it's not my kind of thing. And he already has five wives and ten s*x slaves.

　Sorceresses' women have a lot of pride.
　This is because, thanks to the unique power of witchcraft, they are much more privileged than ordinary male vassals.

　They are paid well and have no trouble making ends meet.

　Therefore, there is no need to desperately chase rich men. There is no need to be a s*x maniac who has several wives.

　You can't stand being treated as the same kind of wife as a woman who is not a sorceress.
　That is what Dora is feeling.

　It's not a bad idea to have a good-looking man or a man of a very high status.
　But the man who proposed to marry her was not very flattering.

　The name value of being a relative of the Dibel family is only understood within the territory of the Dibelite lords of King Rosais' country.
　I'm not so hungry for a man as to marry a medaka in such a cup.


　''But within this Dibel territory, if you go against the Dibel family, your job is.......and Mr. Vermette is unreliable. Isn't there a good place to find a job?　Mr. Ial is a peddler, so I thought you might know him.
　Yes, I know.





　Ial visited the third house.

　The owner of this house is a Cilician quarter.
　He can speak the Cilician language, is good at math, and is a very good person.


　'Mr. Ial. I'm sorry, could you wait another month?　I'll pay you back, I promise.

　Amerigo lived a very impoverished life.
　Many of the great families admire Cilician culture, and many of them are aware of the importance of the written word.

　But there are also many Australians who do not realize the importance of the written word.
　In Adelunia, where wars, including many skirmishes, and the danger of being attacked by dangerous bears and wolves, prowess is paramount.

　On the other hand, achievements are hard to see, and studies are often neglected.
　This was especially true of the Dibel family.

　The only one who was aware of it, Velmet, gave Amerigo a job, but life was hard.
　The pay was not very high.

　Well, it's also largely due to the fact that the Amerigo family is a large family of nine, with a grandmother who is too old to work and a wife and six children.

　It's tough to support eight people on Amerigo's salary.
　The children are still very young, so it's not safe to send them out to work.

　Then you might think I should go to a territory other than the Dibel territory, but there are no jobs outside the Dibel territory.

　To begin with, there's no other territory other than the As territory that does the tedious work of making a certificate of residence, conducting land inspections, and collecting taxes accurately.

　Even the great families who are aware of the importance of the written word think that it is good to have one or two people who can speak Cilician.

　There are few people who would even think of hiring someone away from the Dibel family in the first place.
　They are afraid of incurring the wrath of the Dibel family.


　'No, it's troubling. I'm not lending it to you out of the goodness of my heart either.''
　Ial makes a troubled sound.

　Amerigo asks such an Ial to cling to him.
　''Please!
　'No.' I would say...

　Ial says with a smile on the corner of his mouth.
　'Now you have a big chance to clear your debts and multiply your salary several times over. What do you think?　Do you want to hear it?



　At this rate, Ial managed to pull off three personnel.