Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Bayolaf's Whimsical Demand
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Spring passed, summer arrived, and that summer gave way to autumn.
By this time, the Caliper Kingdom was grappling with food shortages.
It was due to the previous war with Albad and Madon.
During that conflict, Madon's forces had pushed up from the south, paralyzing Caliper's granary region in the south. A month's disruption to farming during the busy season was a massive blow.
On top of that, guerrilla raids in the west had devastated territories, creating hordes of refugees and partially crippling the west's function as farmland.
With insufficient stores to last the winter, Caliper had no choice but to import food from foreign lands.
And Reinpol was no exception.
"Are we still short?"
"Ugh... I'm afraid so."
Max wore a pained expression. They had quickly relocated to Reinpol and started farming, but beginning from clearing the land meant they hadn't achieved satisfactory results.
Moreover, Reinpol in the northeast had a different climate from Libel in the southwest, giving farmers trouble and yielding poor agricultural efficiency.
"We can probably hold out until January... but February looks tough. Als, any ideas?"
"Crossing doesn't have any surplus either. It's not a nation strong in agriculture to begin with. We might manage with fishing, but not enough to send aid."
They were already bringing in citizens from Kurabel, leaving food reserves tight.
"Sigh! If only we had land bordering the sea. No helping it—we'll have to buy food."
"Where from?"
"Hmm. Crossing can't export crops easily, so no. Albad, Bekavia, and Madon have bad relations with us. That leaves Vulran, I suppose?"
The southern powerhouse Vulran. It was also the protagonist's nation.
"Vulran's an agricultural giant, so they should have plenty of food."
"True, but they'll jack up the prices."
"Why?"
"High demand. Albad and Madon will be importing from Vulran for the same reasons we are. Vulran will pit us against each other and sell at the highest price possible."
"Ugh, we don't have the funds for that..."
"Exactly. So let's look west instead."
The west was represented by the great power Svenner and mid-tier nations like Europia and Tunkai.
"Then Europia's our best bet. It's the only place with proper trade routes to Caliper."
"But Europia might hike prices too. We need to move fast."
"Mm, I'd love to go myself, but territory affairs are keeping me swamped. Maybe ask Father?"
"No... I'll go."
"You, Als? You sure?"
"Yeah. I had business there anyway."
This was the perfect chance to pursue recruiting one key figure.
One of the Seven Retainers.
The Crouching Dragon, Bayolaf.
*
*
*
Bayolaf Dresden.
He was Europia's promising young talent, whom the nation believed without doubt would become a great noble or grand general to uphold the country.
But at age 23, he went into indefinite seclusion for unknown reasons.
Even the game revealed nothing about why.
It was Als who had recruited this Bayolaf.
To the protagonist,悩悩 over talent shortages, Als said this:
—There's an outstanding figure in seclusion in Europia. You're busy, so I'll go meet him.
This wasn't even a side event—it was main story. Meaning Bayolaf was a crucial character tied to the main plot.
Following the story naturally led to meeting him, but Als's status could alter things, so he decided to attempt recruitment now.
"But Crouching Dragon, huh..."
The term evoked Zhuge Liang first and foremost.
The legendary strategist of the Three Kingdoms era. Well, in the official histories, he was more politician than schemer, but anyway.
In the game, Bayolaf bore that moniker. Though it related more to his recruitment than his abilities.
'Als had to make three visits and bows to bring Bayolaf.'
Als crossed to Europia three times. The recruitment took about six months. The game didn't specify why.
'The event went like this...'
When Als found Bayolaf, he griped endlessly: "What a formidable foe." "What an eccentric." And so on.
Then, for some reason, he consulted the playboy character Ash.
After that advice, Als made aggressive moves on random female characters, leading to comedic fallout from the backlash.
'What on earth was Als thinking?'
Whatever it was, it tied to why Bayolaf secluded himself.
Als figured meeting him would be tough, but it wasn't.
Declaring himself Wade and requesting a discreet meeting brought an invitation to the mansion immediately.
With Ymir in tow, he headed to the Dresden count's estate.
"You're Wade?"
The man who greeted him looked utterly haggard. Thick dark circles under his eyes, greasy and disheveled hair.
"Pleased to meet you. Bayolaf Dresden."
"You're joking, right? You expect me to believe that's you?"
"Haha, sorry for receiving you in this state, but you're wearing a helmet too, so we're even."
The mansion had only five servants besides Bayolaf—all beastkin.
They moved to the parlor, where the beastkin servants brought tea.
Ymir sniffed it for poison and took the first sip. Bayolaf burst into hearty laughter.
"Well, well. Treated like royalty. Haha!"
"Sorry. My retainer can be overzealous."
"No, it's admirable. That beastkin maid—it's clear she's served you loyally for years."
"Can't be helped. She's cared for me since I was a babe. She's family to me."
"Oho! Impressive. We could get along."
For some reason, his gaze on Ymir held affection.
Unusual, considering how continentals typically scorned beastkin.
"So? Mercenary Wade. Why did you want to see me?"
"First—do you doubt I'm real?"
"No. A fake wouldn't bother coming. Awkward to say to your face, but many claim I'm Wade."
Bayolaf was unwittingly linked to him.
Europia's genius suddenly in seclusion. And around then, the mercenary Wade appears.
Speculators strongly guessed Wade was Bayolaf.
His silence was taken as tacit affirmation.
While Kasper impersonating him only worked inside Caliper, Bayolaf was different. If he claimed to be Wade, it might become accepted fact.
Of course, with Master Iliya and Eonia under him, the lie would unravel fast.
"So a fake wouldn't come to me. They'd stay away. Thus, anyone approaching with interest must be the real deal. Right?"
"Spot on. Then you can guess my purpose."
"Not scolding me for impersonation, hmm. Recruiting me to your service?"
"..."
"Bingo. Heh, intriguing. I'm curious about you too, Wade—the supernova mercenary."
"You're easy to read yourself."
This guy had a sly fox vibe like Juras. Thankfully, without Juras's malice.
"Indeed. Bayolaf Dresden. I hold your skills in high regard. That talent dubbed Europia's future—don't waste it here. Serve under me and shine."
"Europia's future... huh."
"Offended by the phrase?"
"Just ironic. You demand loyalty while praising my ties to Europia."
He smiled faintly and said,
"Fine. I'll work for you."
"...!?"
Even Als hadn't expected instant agreement. Then why the three visits in the game? Why let him seclude in Europia?
The reason came quickly.
"But I have a condition."
Of course.
'Money? Land? After years in hiding, it'll be substantial.'
His demand shattered expectations.
"Write me an erotic novel that satisfies me."
"...What?"
He wasn't joking.
"Erotic novel. Sensual fiction. Or smut, crudely put."
"You've got a sense of humor. But the real condition..."
"No joke. This is what I require for my loyalty. I told every faction coveting my talents the same. None have met it."
Madman.
'Smut? Written by me personally?'
No wonder no one succeeded.
"C-Can I at least hear why?"
"Oho, unlike those who raged immediately."
"I'm just as baffled. If it's mockery, we're done here."
"There's a proper reason."
He recounted his first campaign.
"Two years after graduating Pensilon Academy, the king tasked me with 30,000 troops. It was the western front against Tunkai."
The war was easy—just standoff, no engagements.
"I did that for half a year. Thought it simple; it was. But problems arose unexpectedly."
A long war's issue.
Soldiers' sexual frustration.
"Scouts raped village women; others mounted mares and got kicked dead. Soon, they targeted weaker comrades for rape and murder. STDs spread too."
"..."
"I didn't know what to do. Threats of military law didn't curb it. Then my father, campaigning with me, suggested using female slaves to calm them."
"That's..."
"Yes, horrific. The slaves, servicing men day and night, mostly died. And they were all... beastkin."
"Ugh!"
"Inevitable. Using fellow humans that way stains noble honor. But despised beastkin? Disposable."
"Use and discard without hesitation?"
"Revolting, right? Especially to someone like me, raised by a beastkin nanny. You seem to understand."
"I do... but your father's choice makes sense. Left unchecked, discipline would've collapsed."
"I accepted it. Armies demand such measures. So I devised a solution: provide another outlet for their urges."
"Erotic novels?"
"Yes. Supply that, and we can strictly enforce law on violators."
No outlet means low morale when invoking law; provide one, and it gains legitimacy.
"Let soldiers handle it themselves..."
Not crazy. Modern militaries do similar.
Though here, lacking modern content.
"So I need a captivating work! Immersive, steamy enough to banish other thoughts and deter violations! Sadly, I lack the writing skill."
Bayolaf aimed to create such content—like circuses, bands, dancers for morale. Smut was one.
To shatter army vices.
"So you asked others?"
"Yes. Everything else was easy, but erotic novels stumped me. No matter how I toiled, nothing good emerged."
Hence his disheveled state.
Weird, but the backstory checked out.
One fact emerged.
'Als's three visits... were smut reviews?!'
Headache. He wanted to bolt.
"Can't ghostwrite? If it's the quality, no need for me to pen it."
"Not demanding instant masterpiece. I want someone who truly gets my idea. Show that sincerity. After, ghostwriting's fine."
"I-I'll think it over. I'll take my leave."
"Bring a volume next time. I look forward to it, Wade."
Leaving the mansion, strength drained from him.
'What a formidable foe beyond imagination...'
On the bright side, clear: deliver smut, recruitment succeeds.
'So that's why Als did it!'
He consulted playboy Ash for smut-writing advice; Ash, teasing, urged hits on women for "inspiration."
Crucially, Als succeeded, bringing Bayolaf to the protagonist's camp.
Later, branded traitor, Bayolaf followed Als—not the protagonist—for understanding him.
Bayolaf was Als's retainer from the start.
Success here would yield massive gain.
'I have to. Write an erotic novel...'
Darkness closed in. Him, a smut author!