Hey, Julia. Tetra. Do you think we should grow marijuana and poppy?

　I called them both up and asked.
　They're wizards.　
　They're experts in narcotics.

　You can ask the cake maker for help.

　It's a good idea.　I'm all for it, okay?　It's profitable, and it's good for what we export out of the country.
　"...it's bad to use that kind of grass that makes you stupid in your head.

　Julia seems to be positively in favor of it and Tetra seems to be reluctantly in favor of it.

　Hmmm....
　In fact, there's nothing detrimental about the drug monopoly.

　The cultivation and resale of drugs in the country is thoroughly forbidden, and as a result, the drug epidemic can be stopped.
　It has the advantage of providing a steady, high quality supply of drugs to spellcasters, and the state can restrict the movement of spellcasters.

　And most importantly, it's profitable.

　Cannabis, in particular, is extremely useful.
　It grows fast and is resistant to disease.
　It grows easily without pesticides and fertilizers.

　In fact, it is rich in nutrients, the leaves become fiber and the roots help to improve the soil.

　In fact, cultivation of marijuana was encouraged in Japan after World War II, before the Marijuana Control Law was enacted.
　The cultivation of marijuana was especially popular in Hokkaido, where wild cannabis still grows even today.

　Cannabis has a low level of toxicity to begin with.

　That's why there was a tendency to lift the prohibition in the earth.

　Incidentally, cannabis consumes a lot of carbon dioxide as it grows, so it helps to prevent global warming. It doesn't matter in this world.


　There are only benefits.

　And yet, the reason I'm having all this trouble with it...
　I suppose it's a matter of ethics in a previous life.

　...It's too late for that now.
　The Japanese ethic has no place in today's world.


　Let's have a monopoly on it. From now on, the cultivation of marijuana and poppy will be banned in Japan, except by the royal family.

　Cannabis and poppy are grown in a ratio of about five to one.
　Marijuana and poppy are sold only to foreign traders with permission from the state and to domestic spellcasters.

　Resale within the country is strictly prohibited.

　In addition to drugs, cannabis also has an important use: fiber.
　Eighty percent of the marijuana grown goes to the textile industry.

　This could be done by wholesaling marijuana to artisans at a fixed price.


　'We could make a lot of money from this...'

　Something about it makes me feel like a bad human being.
　






　'Ron, Rosward, Gram. I'm glad you're here.

　After deciding on a monopoly on marijuana and poppy, I called out to the three of them.
　The three of them kneeled and bowed their heads.

　''Your Majesty!!!!''
　People are saying that nowadays, Your Majesty, Your Majesty.

　I gave a wry smile.
　The three of them are laughing too.

　They are happy to know that my authority is now firmly established.

　'So, what can I do for you?　The "Leader
　Ron asked.

　'Well, let me put it to you straight in charge I will dismantle the heavy infantry and light infantry of the Kingsguard. From now on the Kingsguard will be cavalry only in essence Rosward will be the Knight Commander of the Kingsguard.

　It is the cavalry that will decide the future of war.
　Heavy infantry and light infantry can be handled by conscripted soldiers, but cavalry is impossible.

　And maintaining cavalry is expensive.
　We don't have money to spend on maintaining heavy infantry and light infantry.

　Does that mean we're fired?

　I nod and answer Gram's question.

　'I'm thinking of firing you or rather having you take on a different role.

　Until now, our country's monopoly products have been salt, spirits and paper.
　Of these, salt only comes from the rock salt mines, and I'm the only one who knows how to make distilled spirits and paper (now that I've passed the process on to the great families, that's not the case).

　So it was impossible to traffick them.
　But marijuana and poppy are different.

　All you have to do is get the seeds and grow them.
　Then you can ask a sorcerer to process it into a drug.

　It's easy to sell them.
　Drug trafficking can be a source of revenue for anti-social organizations, and there is no point in having it as a monopoly.

　We must prevent it at all costs.

　In order to do so, a strict crackdown will be necessary.

　At the same time, we need to expose domestic spies.
　The police it's more like the public security police.

　'It's an important, if unsophisticated, job behind the scenes. This is a job that can only be done by people I trust. That's why we want to leave it to you guys. Rosward will be leading the cavalry, so it'll be either Ron or Gram....

　Ron nodded quietly.

　'Then I'll do it. 'Your Majesty,'
　Thank you. Feel free to let me know what you need in terms of budget and personnel. I'll be as flexible as I can be.

　I look at Gram.
　Gram looks straight at me and asks.

　'What do you want me to do}
　I want you to help me clear the forest in Romalia.

　I explain to Gram about the plan to settle the Romarian Forest.

　''I still think the person in charge of the Romarian Forest should be someone who is acquainted and close to Master Gryphon. That's why I want to ask you to help me.
　'I understand. You're going to build a village and connect them by road?
　Yeah. ...Feel free to let me know if there's anything you need.

　This would put him in charge of the drug interdiction and counter-espionage, and the Romalian forest settlement program.

　''Your Majesty. How much more cavalry are you going to increase?''

　Rosward raised his hand and questioned me.

　'Well, I'm going to increase it as much as I can, but...'

　A standing army costs money.
　Especially the cavalry is a money-grabber.

　A thousand is the limit?
　That will depend on the growth of the country's strength.

　'For now, I'm thinking of doubling it to six hundred. I intend to get the horses from the Equus.

　Barter for ironware.
　It's more profitable and convenient than buying from the Cilician.

　'I understand. I'll crush you to powder and train your cavalry!

　Rosward rolled up his arms.
　'If you get too worked up, you'll be spinning your wheels, so be moderate.





　'Your Majesty, how are you doing?
　'Well, not bad, I guess. Fiscal reform is on the way. ...which is why it's so rare that you ask for a meeting.

　It was only yesterday that Bartolo came over and wanted to talk to me.
　I was busy yesterday, talking to Ron and the others, so I asked him to stay the day....

　''Your Majesty. How do you intend to proceed with the confiscation of the lands of the great families?
　'I'm pretty sure I didn't explain that one word to you but you have good instincts.
　You smelled it on the battlefield.

　Well, that's true, too.
　Bartolo is a great clan, not the Rosais clan, the As clan, or the Dibel clan.

　He thought that he would not talk about the plan until after he had convinced the Lossies clan.

　Right now we are in the middle of negotiations with the Lossies. After that, we will try to break up the Dibel clan. Many of the Dibel clans are economically distressed, so that should be easy. And then there are the big families that don't even belong to a clan such as yours.

　And finally, the As clan.
　The As Clan is the winner of the last civil war, so they are financially well off.

　Persuading the As Clan will be extremely difficult.
　You might as well prepare for a civil war.

　''How much time do you plan to spend on this?''
　'Roughly three years?　I think that's enough to do it. By the way, are you here to talk about that?

　Bartolo shook his head.

　'No, sir. I was actually thinking of reforming the military system.'

　Military reform?
　For that matter, I called Ron and the others yesterday to strengthen the cavalry....

　'It's a more fundamental reform. Please read this for now.

　Bartolo presented me with an opinion piece on paper.
　It's well put together.
　That's not just an alcoholic father.

　Bartolo proposed three things.

　First, to divide the population into six equal parts by property, occupation and age, and to define their role in the draft.

　Commercial men and landowners, children of wealthy families and cavalrymen.

　Self-made farmers (young men) - the front line of the heavily armed infantry.

　Self-made farmers (middle-aged, skilled) - middle line of heavily armed infantry.

　Self-made farmers (old soldiers) - the rear of the heavily armed infantry.

　

　Unproductive citizens, unemployed ... scouts, stone throwers.

　The army in King Rosais' country is based on conscription.
　Weapons are to be purchased on their own, as a rule.
　So it's in our interest to divide the people by property.

　I like the idea of creating a cavalry quota.


　Two, conscription is done regionally. Four times a month, they will be trained.

　Until now, small and medium-sized powerful families ruled feudally over the various regions, so conscription should be left to them.
　However, as a result of the extension of royal power, the great tribes had dwindled in number.
　A new conscription system was urgently needed.

　It would be good to have them train four times a month.
　That way we can keep up the quality.



　I see.
　I'm going to make some changes.

　I don't think I'm cut out for military work.
　It's just that I wasn't sold on the military until Bartolo suggested it.

　Well, so far, so good.

　There was a third problem.


　Three, a change in tactics.

　I want you to elaborate on this.

　"Your Majesty. Until now, my troops' tactics have been a phalanx assault. But with my oblique formation and Your Majesty's cavalry flanking attack, our tactics are changing. Instead of an assault, it's a way of fighting with a mobile force to flank and defeat the enemy.

　The weakness of the phalanx is its flanks.
　Phalanxes are very fragile when their flanks are attacked, and they collapse in a flash.

　We've always been able to exploit that weakness, but...

　'The phalanx that we've been using doesn't fit our tactics. The phalanx is not flexible. Also, there is no guarantee that we won't be able to exploit the enemy's weaknesses. I'm sure the nations recognized the importance of cavalry in the last battle.

　Hmmm ... continue.

　"The Phalanx's weaknesses were also highlighted in the war against the Kingdom of Roselle. Once it was disrupted, it was impossible to rebuild. On the contrary, Roselle's army did not crumble easily. They had great flexibility.

　It's true that the army of the Roselle Kingdom was very different from our country.
　Their weapons were long swords, and there was a great distance between the troops.

　The resistance to flank attacks also seemed to be stronger.
　I had clearly thought it was because of General Liu's command, but I guess it was a difference in tactics.


　''What exactly are we going to do?''

　When I asked him that, Bartolo smiled as if to say he was waiting for me.

　''Until now, our army was divided into ten-man units, hundred-man units, and thousand-man units. But this is not flexible enough. Therefore, we will divide it into a ten-man unit, a hundred-man unit, a five-hundred-man unit, and a thousand and five hundred-man unit, with the five-hundred-man unit being the basic unit.
　It leaves a wide gap between the five hundred and five hundred troops. This will give the troops flexibility. The problem is that the troops will be in a hole in the ground, but that can be dealt with by flexibility of movement.
　If a unit is damaged, it can be quickly replaced with a rear unit. This will allow for continuous combat.
　The question is whether the soldier will perform as tactically as he does, and this will be solved by training four times a month. On top of that, we will strengthen the authority of the centurion.

　That's very specific.
　Maybe not too bad.

　 That's why I'm switching my armament to a sword. The main armament is a throwing spear, shield and sword. The sword will be based on the sword of the Roselle Kingdom.

　Main Armament to Swords.........

　This is a famous story, but in war, the longer the reach of the weapon, the better the advantage.
　It is a famous story that Oda Nobunaga made his soldiers carry a long spear.

　The spear is the leading role in war.

　However, Bartolo must be well aware of this fact.
　On top of that, he is proposing to use a long sword.

　Will he be able to do so?
　Do the shields prevent the enemy's spears from being a surprise?

　........is it safe to change so much?

　But I know something needs to change.

　Well......

　Well, I'll tell you what. You had some Southern lands reaped in the last war, didn't you?　I'll put you in those lots over there and over there. The population is going to be around 20,000. I could use up to 3,000 men at most. Give these men free reign. Then you can have a few skirmishes with them and see if your theory is correct.

　Bartolo's eyes widened at my suggestion.

　''Are you sure you want to give me such a vast territory and army?
　The territory is scheduled to be confiscated in the end, so it doesn't really hurt.　
　'Ha, that's what it was, too. Well, I'm good enough to have a war. I don't want to do politics because it's too much trouble.

　Bartolo gave a bitter smile.

　'As for the soldiers, I trust you. Just ... keep me informed as to the number and condition of your soldiers.
　''Your Majesty I thank you for that. I don't want to do that and I don't want to play politics, so please send a deputy. I want to devote my energies only to the training of the army.

　Well, if that's the case.
　I'll just pick a couple of guys from the Lossies clan and send them over.

　They're just about to lose their jobs.

　"If you have to do it, make sure it's perfect. Is that clear?
　I know, Your Majesty. I know, Your Majesty. I'll build you the greatest army in the world.



　The tactics that Bartolo later developed would be a winning strategy for the Romarian Empire for about five hundred years, though the details would change, and the Romarian army would overwhelm the western world with these tactics....

　That was a little further down the line.