Volume 4 2

Volume 4 Chapter 2

Translator: HASUTSUKI, Editor:

Night, Day 6th, 10th Month, the Year 2813, Western Continent Calendar.

“There is some movement within the kingdom of Ernestgora. Soon, tens of thousands of soldiers would move toward the kingdom of Zalda…”

Having finished reading the letter sent by Simone, Ryouma crushed the letters while clicking his tongue.

The food and weapon prices were rising. Several knights that usually fighting in the western province near Kirtantia began to appear in the eastern region, so they might make a move in less than a month.

“It seems like she has formed quite a good intelligence organization…”

Simone’s role was to trade and perform intelligence activity.

While Genou responsible for defense against uninvited guest entering the peninsula, and assassination of adversaries, Simone job was to gather day to day information within the continent one by one.

Famine, pestilence, war, rebellion.

There was always some movement in the market before and after those incidents happen.

In case of famine, food prices would usually rise, and medicine prices would rise when plague happened.

Economy activity within a country can be said as a mirror which projected the information within the country itself.

It was easy to predict military movement just by looking at the movement of weapons and foods like this.

In that regard, it can be said that Simone had played her role quite well.

“Indeed, she seems to have done her best.”

Hearing Sara’s words, Ryouma nodded his head in silence.

However, his expression was sharp contrary to his behavior. -

“The timing is really bad…”

“Well, even if we complain, nothing going to change…”

Having Sara said those words to him made Ryouma relaxed his expression.

War was something equal to a big rock being thrown into a calm water surface.

Just like the thrown rock shake the water surface violently, warfare had various influences on the neighboring countries just like water ripples spread toward every direction.

Whether or not such influence was good to one’s country, but there was one thing that was clearly true.

That no matter how small, there must have been some influence happens.

And the problem was that one cannot predict where the impact would’ve come from.

Not only ended with food prices rising, depending on the situation Rozeria might have to deploy a reinforcement to the kingdom of Zalda. -

Right now, Bolts was the one who responsible for the territory security. Currently, he was in charge of building a fort in the Tilt mountain range foot, together with 50 elite soldiers.

This fort was being built under Earl Salzberg permission he got during the other day’s meeting, it was being built under the pretext of defense against monsters invasion toward Epiroz direction.

But the real purpose for this fort was to eliminate adventurers and spy who tried to enter Wortenia peninsula from Epiroz.

Monsters were mostly harmful to an industrial city but currently, those monsters were an important product of Wortenia peninsula.

There was also the problem with the demi-humans.

In order to build a trusted relationship with the demi-humans, it was necessary for them to trust the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma, but it would have been impossible if those adventurers entered the peninsula and screw things up.

Since there was also the possibility that those humans would try to make them slaves just like how the pirates treat them.

It would be fatal for their situation where trust was almost non-existence in their relationship. -

Right now, it was impossible for Ryouma to let adventurers entered his territory on their own initiative.

And just like Ryouma had predicted, after Bolts started to perform his duty, the intrusions of adventurers entered his territory started to decline.

Some people were tried to enter the territory without using the highway, but the disposal of those people was left to Genou and his clan.

And the result of that policy was not bad.

However, the war on the neighboring country may spread during this important times.

No rather, the war would without a doubt spread over. -

Such situation was something that Ryouma could never afford since he wanted to focus on the development of the peninsula.

“But still, the main battlefield is in the kingdom of Zalda. There should not be much of direct impact on us…”

Indeed, Sara’s word was right.

There was indeed no doubt that there would be some impact due to the war, but even if Rozeria were to send some reinforcement to the Zalda Kingdom, if Ryouma was not involved in such troublesome things, he should not felt too much of an impact caused by the war.

However, Ryouma could not agree with Sara.

Ryouma felt some ominous premonition, that something that could affect them would happen. -

Currently, Ryouma had a few soldiers.

Although recently, Genou’s clan had joined, his fighting strength was still fewer than four hundreds men.

It takes some time for the slaves delivered by Simone to become something.

Besides, even if their training was over, Ryouma ability to mobilize his armed force would still not exceed 1,000.

He might only be able to mobilize 800 to 900 men at a time. And if everything did not proceed according to plan, he might only be able to mobilize around 600 men.

Since an ordinary knights group consist of 2,500 men, Ryouma could only mobilize half of that.

Of course, for a local lord, the number of soldiers reflected on their strength.

All the more if all of the soldiers could use magic arts.

Although the current number Ryouma had were already considerable enough for a defense force.

But…

(Should we lower the training method, for the sake of increasing the soldier numbers ASAP? I should ask Simone to prepare another 1,000 people… After that, I can rush their training…)

For Ryouma’s intuition, the current numbers of his soldiers were something critical.

After being summoned to this world, Ryouma had experienced many things in life.

And one of them was that if he did not prepare everything in advance, it might cause him or his friend’s death.

“Fumu… This city has quite a stiff structure. Is that drains beside the road? I guess that was for preventing the escaped rainwater?”

While looking at the scene outside the window, Jinouchi Ginai muttered those words.

The moonlight illuminates the cityscape.

This place was one section of the city which Ryouma had given it to the Iga clan.

In one room of the mansion that was being built in the center, five men and women sitting surrounding the table.

They were the elders who decided the future policy of the Iga clan.

“That is right. That was Master idea. Such method also being put in practice along the highway.”

“He seems to have thought it well, in a various way…”

Answering Genou, Jinouchi nodded his head in admiration.

“Although it lacks artistry, it is quite a functional city. Also, the rate of the development surprisingly fast…”

Ryuusai also began to spoke some words of admiration.

The scenery outside of the window changed every day.

This city was a city that was still expanding.

And it was not being developed without thought too.

Under careful calculation, the city land arrangement was made.

“Still, it really lacks elegance.”

Osae then began to speak as if she was in disagreement.

According to Osae, the Sirius city was well thought in term of functionality, but in term of artistic aesthetic, it was completely ignored.

Somehow, the city gives off an artificial feeling.

If they had used the way Japanese built their house using timber, it might be different, but Ryouma who was feeling cautious in case fire broke out decided to use stone as the main material for the building.

That alone shows how rough this city was.

“Well, we’re currently in the middle of a war against time after all. There’s no time to think of such thing as elegance.”

“Don’t say that Jinouchi-san. Just like capital city Kyoto, it has such elegance no? Anyway, it would be troublesome if I ended up being a lord of a frontier place…”

Oume lightly rebuked Jinouchi’s words as if neglecting the important part.

Elegance.

It might be better to express that sophisticated artistry as a culture.

Being practically functional was not wrong, but that alone was not enough.

Culture is power.

It had different power compared to violence, and it was also important for a country to have them.

It was an important element alongside the armed force. One can steal a country just by using the power of culture.

“Well, we can think about that in the future. Right now, we have no time to worry about elegance.”

Culture might be an important element for a country, but some country ended up getting destroyed because they were overwhelmed by their own culture. Ryuusai words was reasonable. -

“Our Lord seems to have some interest in the demi-humans cultures. Well, we can start thinking about various things after we win over those guys first. Which mean, we still have a long way to go…”

A subtle frightened expression of demi-humans appeared within Genou’s mind.

Although compared to their first meeting, they had already able to talk normally with each other, but if one were to ask whether or not they shared a relationship where they opened their heart, it was something hard to answer.

The only salvation was that at least the humans on our side did not show any disgust toward the demi-humans.

The majority of people living in the Sirius city were still in early teenage, and the mercenaries also seemed not holding any fanatical belief.

If Ryouma had chosen to be hostile to the demi-humans, they would mercilessly remove them, but it was considerably lucky that Ryouma did not have any intention to be hostile just because of religious value.

Time should fill the gap in their hearts.

“I, as expected, I think Mikoshiba Ryouma as someone whom the first generation had waited for, but what about you guys?”

Toward Genou’s question, everyone was silent.

They had wished for a Lord.

For that reason alone, the family had continued to refine their ability and moving from one place to another for the past 500 years.

They wandered around in search of a lord.

Sometimes they were despised and persecuted as a foreigner by other people.

And finally, now they had found it. And the name of that man was Mikoshiba Ryouma.

“The time to talk with the branch family might come sooner… Afterwards whether or not Mikoshiba manages to control that…”

A murmuring leaked from Oume’s mouth.

The eyes of five people were poured into a sword that was being held in front of a shrine.

The sword named Tsubaki was being kept sleeping inside its white sheath.

Waiting for a lord that deserved to hold it.