Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Alensia's Request
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After Gibson's coming-of-age ceremony,
on the road back to River Village.
Clop clop. Clop clop.
Clop clop. Clop clop.
I recalled what had happened with Alensia.
Touching Alensia's forehead.
The faint warmth felt from her skin.
Her face slightly flushed red.
I quickly shook my head.
Now wasn't the time for such thoughts.
The important thing was her request.
The Duke family's territorial expansion.
The Vampire Viscounty was blocked on three sides.
East coast.
South coast.
West Frontier Viscounty.
Even the northwest had three baronies positioned there.
If they were expanding, it would be toward the northeast.
'This will be a tough battle.'
Demonic Energy from the island flows from north to south.
The distribution of monsters is influenced by it.
Stronger monsters inhabit areas the farther north you go.
'At least we have time to prepare.'
Alensia had said they would march out in two months.
"Halt! We're holding an emergency meeting."
I gathered my subordinates.
I assigned each of them their tasks.
"Did I hear that right? Is that really training..."
"Do as I say. That's how they'll be able to fight."
Large monsters.
Not just trolls, but ogres.
And even stronger monsters.
To fight them, they needed to change their mindset.
"Understood."
"We're building the fourth city, Yuran. Handle the nomads who will live there and the construction materials."
"Understood, my lord."
Even before receiving Alensia's request,
the Island Merchant Group had made contact with nomads on the continent.
Some had accepted the offer and were already heading to the Frontier Viscounty.
"Isaac, you'll focus on city construction with me."
"Yes, my lord."
The villages for the nomads to live in and the farmlands for them to work were essential.
After finishing the explanations, I stood up.
"Disperse from here. Use the shortest routes since time is short."
"Understood."
"Understood."
Hans led the slave soldiers toward River Village.
For the special training I had ordered.
Russell departed to join the nearest merchant group.
The mercenary bands moved out as well.
And I headed to the outpost with Isaac.
To the site where Yuran Village would be built.
.
.
Second Outpost.
The second outpost we had built,
located north of Terra
and west of Alp.
Since this was the fourth city, Isaac could handle it well on his own.
He laid out roads,
and separated residential and commercial districts.
He erected sturdy outer walls,
and created farmlands beyond them.
I left the city construction to Isaac
and focused on what only I could do.
'Demonic Energy Removal.'
At Earth Restoration (Lv 1), it had been unimaginable speed, but now the farmlands' Demonic Energy vanished rapidly.
'Still too slow.'
We had two months.
There was much to prepare in that short time.
'We have to fight large monsters with our current forces.'
Thorough preparation was needed.
As I pondered, my magic power recovered,
and I used the skill again.
'Demonic Energy Removal.'
.
.
It took over a month just to remove the Demonic Energy from the farmlands.
"If the skill level hadn't risen, it would have taken even longer."
I went to find Isaac, who was directing the construction.
"My lord!"
"I've finished removing the Demonic Energy. The rest is yours."
"Don't worry about this place."
"When the nomads arrive, don't forget to put them to farming."
"Yes, my lord."
There was a reason I had squeezed out time to remove the Demonic Energy.
To benefit from the skill's effect.
That way, fewer problems would arise.
I left the remaining work to Isaac
and moved to Iron Village.
"The ballistae?"
The first thing I did was check the ballistae.
For ordinary people without mana to face large monsters,
they needed weapons suited to the task.
And that weapon was the ballista.
In an open field near the village,
we conducted a ballista demonstration shoot.
'The performance has improved again.'
Design completion: 71.
As the artisans' proficiency rose, it was advancing toward that figure.
"Load the ballistae onto carts."
"All of them?"
"Yes, all."
"Then how will we defend Iron Village?"
The original plan had been to mass-produce ballistae to build our own defense capabilities.
"The situation has changed. The Salamander Mercenary Band will handle village defenses. Hire additional mercenaries if needed."
"Got it. We'll load them onto carts right away."
Taking all the ballistae in the village, we departed for River Village.
River Village.
Once the border of the Frontier Viscounty.
Now, monsters were hard to find not just in the village,
but throughout the surrounding area where people were active.
Among them were the slave soldiers and Innocent Mercenary Band.
Open field near the village.
Standing on a hill, I watched the training.
The soldiers sweated profusely, moving without rest.
The unusual part was that they held no weapons.
Many had even removed their armor.
"They're doing well."
This training was at my instruction.
So there was no need to scold them for setting down weapons or removing armor.
While observing the training,
I calculated the dates in my mind.
It seemed we could rest for two days before departing.
"Hans!"
"Heir! You've arrived!"
"Let the soldiers rest today and tomorrow. We depart for the Vampire Duchy the day after."
"Understood!"
Vampire Duchy, northern region.
7,000 troops had assembled there.
Sixty Vampire knights were participating as well.
Clan Kent had joined with his barony's forces.
The Gray Mage Tower had provided mage support too.
Alensia had to lead these forces to subjugate the northern monsters.
It wasn't mere subjugation.
They had to occupy the territory.
'Such reckless competition.'
The missions from the Vampire Duke were growing ever harder.
It had already surpassed heir training levels.
'It's not growth—it's consuming them.'
How many would die in this war?
Not just soldiers, but knights and mages would suffer casualties too.
All of them supporters of hers.
"Sister."
Elena Frontier approached.
True to Frontier blood, she had exceptional magic talent.
She already knew most 3rd Circle spells.
"Sister, these are my classmates."
She introduced her friends who had come along.
Classmates from the Gray Mage Tower, no doubt.
1st to 2nd Circle.
Not helpful in actual war.
Still, no intention of dismissing them.
"Thank you for coming all this way."
"No, Lady!"
"We'll do our best, Lady!"
"Entrust anything to us!"
Their spirit was good, but...
"Your job is to learn combat. Don't step forward. Focus on rear support."
A few students looked disappointed.
"Sister, see you later then."
"Yes. Rest up."
They were talents for the future.
Couldn't afford to expend them here.
They wouldn't help much anyway.
In a war against large monsters,
low-circle mages had next to nothing they could do.
"Hm..."
Her thoughts drifted to Elwin.
It happened often lately.
Whenever she thought of something, it inevitably led to Elwin.
"Did I call him needlessly?"
She worried about Elwin fighting large monsters.
Elwin lacked personal martial prowess.
His strength lay in his forces.
Were those forces strong?
Not really.
Slave soldiers were irregulars.
Even so, they couldn't use mana.
Mercenaries?
Weaker than knights.
Hard to control on the battlefield too.
The ballistae were somewhat useful, but...
The ballistae's limits were clear.
Hard to move,
and not high accuracy.
Ultimately, just a mage's inferior substitute.
'Rear guard it is, then.'
"Lady."
"What is it?"
"Frontier Heir's unit will arrive soon."
"I see. Prepare a welcome."
"Yes!"
Alensia stood from her seat.
To greet Elwin.
Vampire northern region.
Alensia Unit.
She stood at the outskirts, waiting for Elwin.
'Will he bring all the forces I saw at South Castle? That would be about a thousand.'
From the dense forest,
Elwin appeared.
'Elwin...'
Behind him, the mercenary band was visible.
'He brought the Innocent Mercenary Band.'
The largest mercenary band active on the island.
Behind them, slave soldiers appeared.
Elite forces, well-trained.
'A shame.'
If the enemy weren't just large monsters, they could expect great feats.
But the numbers were unusual.
A thousand emerged from the forest, yet
more slave soldiers followed.
1000.
2000.
3000.
'Three thousand?'
Even if Elwin's forces were mostly slaves, three thousand was excessive.
It meant abandoning some defenses to bring them.
'Left the rear to mercenaries?'
No wonder the Salamander Mercenary Band wasn't visible.
Behind the three thousand slave soldiers, ballistae appeared.
10.
20.
...
50.
'He produced more in the meantime?'
Elwin's total forces.
Slave Soldiers: 3000.
Mercenaries: 150.
Hunters: 300.
Ballistae: 50.
In sheer numbers, they didn't fall short of her own forces.
'Placing them in the rear?'
Alensia's mind raced.
Elwin's forces were impressive enough to warrant changing the overall strategy.
"Lady."
"Lady."
"What is it?"
"Lord Elwin has arrived."
Elwin, having dismounted, knelt on one knee.
"You've come well. My... friend."