Return of the Bastard (4)
Return of the Bastard (4)
While Piel was riding Hildea to the count, Luna departed with part of the airborne unit.
'Colonel-nim, please permit me to scout for plunder.'
'Permission granted, Captain Luna. There must be no casualties among your troops.'
'Understood.'
Luna's airborne unit did not know that Count Anbelrum's household was Piel's main family.
Though the unit moving with Piel now would soon find out.
Before Luna joined, Piel was already a Marshall, and no one spoke of his past.
It wasn't deliberately hidden, just a topic not worth raising.
Even in this support operation, Piel dealt with the count's territory as if it were a total stranger's.
If Luna had only known a little earlier.
Or at least if she had stayed with Piel.
This kind of happening would never have occurred.
"Hey, over there. Isn't that Elenoa Anvelrum?"
At Luna's question through her binoculars, the knights quickly checked the direction.
"Looks like her."
"No doubt. That's the next Count Anbelrum, Elenoa."
"The bitch who blocked our way in the capital."
Elenoa's unit was moving on horseback.
"Why are those guys riding horses?"
"Because they don't carry glucose biscuits around like we do. If they moved by themselves, they'd run out of energy fast."
Luna smirked.
"Perfect. Let's capture that bitch and offer her to Colonel-nim as a handmaiden."
"What?"
"Pretty face, big chest, perfect for a handmaiden. A war hero should have at least one busty sex slave."
"But isn't the Colonel-nim in that kind of relationship with the two commanders? We thought it was going well."
"Idiot. The two of them are so clueless that the Colonel-nim can't actually relieve his needs."
"Is that so?"
"Think about it. He's a Colonel, can he comfortably ask a General superior to relieve his needs?"
"Ooh. You're right."
"Both of them are so busy with war that they've neglected their studies on men. That's the problem."
"As expected, Captain Luna knows everything."
"She never lets go of a book, anywhere, anytime. A mage, truly...!"
The knights from the penal unit quickly chimed in and egged Luna on.
In their eyes, 'as a woman', Hildea, Rebecca, and Luna were all blank beginners.
But still, Luna was a beginner whose theory was sharp.
As expected of a mage, she had indiscriminately devoured all sorts of books across every field.
"Let's catch that bitch. Move out."
"Yes, Captain-nim."
The knights muttered among themselves so Luna couldn't hear.
"But what about our Captain Luna, no chance with the Colonel-nim?"
"Among the three, she looks the youngest, so it might be tough."
"Come on, a war hero has diverse tastes. She's 24 and a 7th-class wind mage, you know?"
"Someone get some war romance books and leave them where Captain Luna can spot them."
***
I was explaining 'Marshall Plan Central-Southern Part ver1.0' to Hildea.
"Up until now, Ainshuvan was the frontline and supplies were pushed in from the rear. But now that's changed.
From now on, the entire western coastal zone of the kingdom is the frontline, and it'll be a war where Ainshuvan supplies combat power as the rear."
"Just hearing that makes my heart feel rich, Piel Colonel."
A place with just the two of us.
Hildea addressed me by my original rank.
"The central-southern nobles will now be realizing it after the 1st and 2nd Elf Legion landings. That they cannot block the elves with their own strength."
"Our standing will naturally rise."
"Yes. From now on, we can hold the reins of the Noble Council from the 'rear' through 'combat power supply' and do as we please."
Hildea, Rebecca, and I combined, the total population is 900,000.
That's soldiers, babies, women, the elderly, and new territory residents all counted together.
'No matter what, I will absolutely, definitely hit 2 million troops with the Supply Cheat.'
The minimum budget needed to sustain one soldier is less than 50, but the incoming budget is 5,000 as a colonel.
Unlike other armies that can't handle maintenance as they scale, my army has a magical structure where the larger it grows, the cheaper the maintenance and the more the supply increases.
'The entire kingdom as a Marshall Army... damn, the bloodline of that Lee guy is squirming again.'
"I will take my noona away. Because from now on, this place will become a dangerous frontline."
"And the count?"
"Considering his crime of shaking the kingdom's security, I'd like to see him finished...."
"Don't dirty your hands."
Hildea gently took my hand.
"Even if you severed ties, you are still of the count's bloodline. A person who harms their birth father is not welcomed in high society."
"I don't really mind. Those kinds of stares."
"Even if such stares follow the children you'll have someday?"
"...."
"Those cold stares will follow them for generations."
When I hesitated for a moment, Hildea smiled and said.
"So if you're going to dirty something, dirty my hands instead. Then your bloodline can be spared from disgrace."
"...But I never said anything about executing the count."
I have absolutely no personal resentment.
It's just about how to hold him accountable for disturbing the kingdom's security, roughly that level.
But my noona worries me.
'If the count dies because of me, my noona won't be able to see me face-to-face anyway.'
The past offense of sabotaging supplies was compensated with the subspace necklace, and I think I've squeezed him dry enough.
I'll just snatch my noona and leave.
Living a blood-draining frontline life fighting off elf invasions from now on will serve as mirror therapy.
I never even considered completely cutting off the count's political limbs and installing my noona as lord.
Because being together with me is the safest thing for my noona too.
"Just a moment. Let me see what's inside the subspace necklace now."
"I'm looking forward to it too."
We examined the inside of the subspace necklace together.
"Oh, Piel Colonel. There are so many Extinguishing Soul Torches...!"
'What a pile of trash.'
Those Extinguishing Soul Torches are just inferior versions of white phosphorus shells.
Of course, white phosphorus shells aren't being supplied right now, but I can receive them once I get a star later.
Honestly, I don't even need white phosphorus shells against elves.
'Just having Machete Knights, glucose biscuits, mandrake roots, priests, mortars and howitzers alone makes the Plant Legion no match.'
Thousands of Ancient Tree individuals that fled in shock from Hildea's direct-fire bombardment are now scattered across the central-south, grinding the lords into destitution.
We are waiting for the lords who will soon come running here with bags of money, begging to be saved.
"As expected, the real assets are the gold bars. No wonder there were only gold coins in the central warehouse."
The truly valuable assets are the large gold bars made by smelting.
Just looking at them fills my belly.
"There really is a lot of wine."
"True. At this level, the count's territory could drink their fill for a hundred years, huh?"
Most of the subspace necklace was wine.
"Come to think of it, I think I heard that the original purpose for creating subspace magic tools was to preserve wine long-term so it wouldn't spoil."
Now that I think about it, wine isn't just a simple luxury beverage.
By modern Earth standards, it's equivalent to ultra-high-priced art pieces.
It's a consumable luxury and at the same time becomes the concealed wealth of nobles.
Because nobles can't live without wine.
'Since their sealing technology is so poor, wine is treated as an art asset.'
Just releasing cheap whiskey like Jim Beam would cause market chaos.
'Actually, regardless of what I release from the supplies, the kingdom's market will just get smashed. Flour, no, everything gets cut off by corn soup.'
"Shall we go meet the count now?"
"Yes, Hildea-nim."
We left the count's castle guest quarters.
Here and there, our Northern knights and soldiers stood guard.
The count's castle knights and servants looked at us with eyes full of fear.
Man, the position of an occupying force has such a sweet and thrilling taste.
The old butler who had blocked the central warehouse earlier came rushing over and bowed his waist.
"I will escort you, Your Excellency Count Balckenhardt."
"Sir Hildea plans to meet with Count Anbelrum."
"Understood, Second Lieutenant Piel-nim."
I had properly corrected him not to call me young master.
Like that, we strode confidently into the office.
In the very place where I received my posting orders, I stood facing the count again with positions completely overturned.
The count's gaze at me was full of fatigue.
He seemed to be having trouble managing his expression now.
"Count, has Elenoa not yet arrived?"
"...I sent a messenger to my maternal family. She will return as soon as contact is made."
"You're not secretly spiriting her away so you don't lose your brightest talented successor, are you?"
"...After seeing that magic tool of Sir's, I am not so foolish as to make that choice. I want to live, and I want to preserve my family."
This is the hopeful side of gunboat diplomacy.
Once we showed him the Giant Rock Golem melted by a 105mm howitzer and thousands of Ancient Tree individuals fleeing, the count completely surrendered.
'If he couldn't give up even after seeing that, I would've doubted the count's intelligence level.'
Hildea, sitting arrogantly with arms crossed, asked.
"The monsters have scattered, is there any damage to the territory?"
"...I was told there is almost none. The monsters fled without causing damage, as if trying to get as far away from Sir as possible."
"That worked out well for the count. Though the surrounding lords will be a tragedy."
"...The Northern Army is stationed here, and the fact that Sir personally visited has become known, so rescue requests will soon flood in."
"Tell them to prepare a sufficiently satisfying offer and sit at the negotiation table."
"I will do so."
It's nice that he's become so compliant.
The count glanced alternately between me and Hildea's moods, then asked.
"What will happen from now on?"
It was a question laden with many meanings.
The North's support, the future of the central-south, the war with the elves, etc.
"The Noble Council played tricks with supplies, but we won't do such underhanded things. However, the price will be quite expensive."
"...I can only be grateful for your generosity."
If he knew the aim of 'Marshall Plan Central-Southern Part ver1.0', he wouldn't feel that way.
I intend to make the inland destitute under long-term war stress.
To induce the inlanders, sick of endless war, to evacuate to the North on their own.
'After a year or two of tasting the Elf Army, they'll all pick up their bundles and line up for refuge.'
What's important is thoroughly monitoring the nobles so they can't suppress the refugees.
I don't need land. The North is wide anyway.
All I need is population.
And the inlanders need to suffer a good thrashing from the Elf Legion to get that compliant taste ingrained.
Only then will they become meek sheep who listen well.
Once territory residents start leaving in large numbers, the territory will collapse in an instant as a chain reaction.
A lord without territory residents, could such a thing even be possible?
"If a sufficient price is given, the knights of the North will draw their swords."
Under the image of a hungry army blinded by local plunder and extortion, I hid my real objective.
The northward migration of the entire kingdom's population, that's my plan.
***
That night.
-Knock knock.
"This is Airborne Unit Commander Luna. Could you please grant permission to ask if I may enter?"
"...Come in."
Luna entered, dressed in field uniform.
Every time I see her, I can't believe she's older than Hildea and Rebecca. She looks like a girl in her early teens.
"I have spoils of war to present to Colonel-nim."
"Spoils of war?"
"Yes, but it's a little awkward to show you here. Hildea mustn't see it."
"Why?"
"I'm certain it's the best spoils I've personally verified to be flawless. The moment you see it, won't you shower me with mint choco cake?"
At Luna's confident expression, I grew curious too.
"Aren't you going to tell me what it is?"
"I washed and prepared it with great care. You should enjoy the pleasure of confirming it yourself."
She's making me anticipate it this much?
"Fine, let's go."
"Yes, Colonel-nim!"
Seeing her bounce up and down happily as if imagining the cake, I felt a soft, fuzzy feeling too.
And when I arrived at the secret chamber Luna guided me to....
"Luna... that's my noona...."
"Kyaaaak!"