Chapter 54
Chapter 54
The Iron Emperor — Chapter 54
In practical terms, Gauri's military strength situated at the Central Lake amounted to fifteen hundred core troops, excluding five hundred sailors, plus roughly two thousand conscripted males aged seventeen to forty drawn from the ten thousand civilians.
Of course, a force exceeding three thousand out of a population of roughly twelve thousand was an excessive ratio, but in the current situation even that fell short. Originally, Gauri's military system had relied on fixed-term conscription as Silla or Baekje did, but here on the Haien Continent they conscripted only during wartime or on a temporary basis.
"Next."
"It is again the supply of iron. We have been sweeping through the orcs and recovering iron in quantity, but it barely suffices for basic armaments. On that point, we must make preparations as swiftly as possible."
"Hm."
At Yeon Hwi-garam's report, Gerard, seated at the far end, grimaced. It was no different from prodding him in the back and saying, "Go strip some iron." Fortunately, however, Jin-cheon merely nodded and waited for the next report.
"And as for the food supply, we have already achieved self-sufficiency, but we must also prepare to expand the defensive works."
"I see."
"We can manage the shortage of daily necessities somehow, but we lack even the silk undergarments worn beneath armor, and we must devise a substitute."
The reason for wearing silk beneath armor was simple. When struck by an arrow, the greatest problem was ordinarily the removal of the arrowhead. Lacking proper surgical techniques, extracting an arrowhead embedded in the body was exceedingly difficult, and in the process of pulling it out the wound would often tear further.
But if one wore silk, even when struck by an arrow the silk would be drawn in together with the head, making extraction far easier. Thus it had been one of the essential pieces of defensive equipment. Yet when even the clothes on their backs were all in tatters, supplying silk was difficult—and the very existence of silk itself was in question.
"It will be difficult, Risel."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Consult with Hwi and take responsibility for determining whether a similar material exists."
"Yes."
In the end, Risel's responsibilities grew heavier. But Gerard, from one side, voiced a question tinged with doubt.
"Your Majesty, why do you amass only war materiel without improving the quality of life for the people? Our present situation makes waging war difficult."
"Gerard."
"Yes."
Gerard bowed his head and waited for Jin-cheon's answer.
"Do you think I do this because I wish to wage war?"
"Pardon?"
"If it is easy, that is when war occurs. If the neighbor's wall is flimsy, anyone will want to climb over it—and if there is delicious fruit, all the more so. Such is man."
At Jin-cheon's low voice, the commanders in the Imperial Hall held their breath and listened.
"In the end, war arises not because of the strong, but because of the weak. If we grow strong, war can of course be waged. But more than that, nations that weaken all on their own are beyond counting—and who fails to take notice of them?"
"......."
"The only way to avoid war is to prepare for war. And those preparations, as a rule, must be made in the most peaceful of times. Bear in mind that while an era of peace and prosperity may bring tranquility to the people, it brings indolence and corruption to the command. Remember that this is a prime directive to be upheld not only now but even in the distant future."
"We shall preserve His Majesty's will for ten thousand generations!"
"May it be done according to your will!"
"May it be done according to your will!"
At Dae Mu-deok's lead, all the commanders bowed their heads and shouted. And among them was Gerard, who had posed the question.
Amid the horses running across the grasslands and the Pukel herd, Gangsoe and Gangnyeo were always at the center. Six months into her pregnancy, she was visibly larger now. While Go Jin-cheon made his rounds to inspect the condition of the war horses, he approached to see his beloved mount Gangsoe. Perhaps because it had been a long time since he'd seen his master, Gangsoe whinnied joyfully.
"Puhihing!"
"......."
...But to Jin-cheon's ears, it sounded less like "Good to see you" and more like "Say there, master. Even I've gotten myself a wife—and what about you?"
"Keum."
"Among the war horse mares, four are now reaching six months, and thirty-two local mares have each conceived foals. And roughly one hundred twenty of the Pukel are with young."
"There are many Pukel."
"Yes."
At first they had avoided crossbreeding because the horses of the Haien Continent were too frail to wear horse armor, but a proposal had emerged to make use of all the archers as mounted archers. Jin-cheon too had approved sending the new recruits out as archers and employing them as mounted archers stripped of barding, and since then, thanks to the efforts of the stallions, results were gradually bearing fruit.
But with the Pukel herd separately carrying young, it was only natural that the commanders' attention was quietly fixed on the outcome. It was equally natural that Jin-cheon, as a warrior, came to see them in person. In truth, even without such a reason, Gauri had always treated war horses as so precious that the state itself managed them directly, constantly breeding the finest stock. In such matters, Jin-cheon was more thorough than most—never less.
The foals born here would receive riding education alongside the children, while also undergoing training in carrying riders. These were people who believed that, at the very least, a soldier of the Gauri army had no business being unable to ride a horse. More than that, every citizen ought to know how to handle a horse, and they ought to be able to shoot a bow at least, before the level Jin-cheon desired could be said to have been reached.
Thus, piece by piece, the foundation for Gauri to emerge into the world was being laid.
Chapter 15 — Ung-sam's Other World Travelogue
The sky was high, and clouds as white as cotton drifted lazily, like pleasure boats sailing across the blue sea. Birds playing about the trees sang of peace, and anyone who heard their beautiful calls might well have smiled.
"Hwaaahm!"
"Eugggeuk!"
Sounds resonating other than the birdsong...
What met the eye was the sight of Gye Ung-sam and his party sprawled out, basking in the warm sunlight.
"Mmnyah."
With birdsong as their lullaby, warm sunlight as their blanket, and the thighs of women cradling their heads for company, they were savoring the greatest abundance of life since arriving here.
The six robust men were all lying with their heads pillowed on the servant girls' thighs.
One month earlier...
"Kryaaap!"
SLASH!
"Kkuiiik!"
"Huuu."
With the last orc cut down, no more monsters could be found blocking the path of Gye Ung-sam and his party. Originally, no monsters would have barred their way, but they had deliberately suppressed their killing intent. They needed to put on a show of making an adequate effort—and of fighting with their lives on the line—so as not to arouse Baron Gowin's suspicion.
Despite Ung-sam having traded on Gerard's name, Baron Gowin did not seem to trust them easily, owing to their unfamiliar faces. Or rather, the baron proved to be more cautious than expected, and not the sort of fool that Baron Alvin had been.
Moreover, the way he unhesitatingly abandoned his soldiers while diligently looking after his knights—his main fighting strength—told them he was a seasoned old fox.
As Ung-sam observed him while moving through the mountain range, he found that Baron Gowin's swordsmanship was also at a considerable level. Of course, he was far below Gerard, but in the composure with which he faced monsters and in other respects, he displayed considerable veteran skill.
"Hoo, let us rest here for now and then continue."
Ung-sam spoke to Baron Gowin behind him, pretending to wipe away sweat that wasn't even flowing. As if still on guard, the knights remained right beside Ung-sam's party, and even when confronting monsters, they fought the monsters on the front line—but never, under any circumstances, showed their backs to Ung-sam's group.
"Understood. Everyone, take a short rest."
"Yes!"
At Ung-sam's suggestion, Baron Gowin took a position to one side and relayed the order to Rainman. Then the remaining knights also took their positions, still occupying defensive stations as if protecting the baron.
Hm, the first proper commander I've seen since coming here.
Ung-sam muttered inwardly as he observed Rainman and Baron Gowin. Whatever their actual skill, the disciplined conduct that seemed ingrained in their very bodies struck him as impressive.
"You said you were Sir Gerard?"
"Ah, yes."
The two groups had fought alongside each other, yet somehow they remained ill-suited company. Still, after battling together for half a day, it would be a lie to say no goodwill had formed at all.
"You said you are sworn brothers with Sir Gerard of the Lightning?"
"That is correct."
"Hmm."
He was plainly half in doubt. How could he be expected to believe such a thing on those words alone? To put it bluntly, if someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere, swung a sword once, and declared himself a friend of some famous figure—would anyone believe it?
It would be difficult to believe.
Yet the lightning-swift skill with which Ung-sam had cut down the twinhead ogre, and the prowess his party had displayed in fighting this far, all appeared to approach the level of Baron Gowin and his knights. Ung-sam, of course, was by far the finest. In that respect, the baron had come to the conclusion—having watched them all this while thinking they could already have killed him had they wished—that they were not his enemies.
"Your swordsmanship is extraordinary."
"You flatter me."
Baron Gowin's words carried a measure of sincerity, not mere courtesy. Was he not, after all, a man who polished the sword himself?
"What business brings you to such a deep place as this?"
"To be truthful, my sworn brother Gerard lost contact after entering the Reganza Mountains, and so I came searching for him."
Baron Gowin's eyes widened with a questioning look. Was this place not dangerous even for a Sword Master traveling alone?
"But why here, of all places!"
"He said he was going to explore an unknown dragon lair...."
"Heugh!"
A sound of disbelief escaped Baron Gowin's lips.
What manner of race are dragons?
The mightiest race on the face of the earth, supreme beings whose power could not be measured. For anyone, no matter how renowned among the continent's ten greatest swordsmen, to enter a dragon's lair alone was an act of suicide. As if reading Baron Gowin's thoughts, Ung-sam smiled bitterly. At that, Baron Gowin's eyes wavered.
"Could it be... the monsters?"
"No. How could mere monsters harm one of the continent's ten greatest swordsmen?"
"Then what became of him?"
As though deliberately stoking Baron Gowin's curiosity, Ung-sam's words deliberately avoided revealing what had happened.
"Hoo."
Abruptly, he let out a deep sigh. A sigh following a forlorn smile. Baron Gowin began to have increasingly strange thoughts. Then something was drawn from within Ung-sam's coat.
"......."
Baron Gowin's eyes were drawn of their own accord to the golden badge shining brightly in Ung-sam's hand. Then he felt his own pupils slowly expanding. He himself possessed a badge like that one. Of course, his was not gold like the one in Ung-sam's hand, but a silver field harmonized with a golden border.
"Th-that is!"
"Huk!"
"That's...!"
Baron Gowin's reaction and the other knights' reactions were not much different. It was a Sword Master Certification Badge—only ten of them existed on the entire continent.
"You are correct. It is Gerard's certification badge."
"Why do you have it!"
Rainman, the guard knight at one side, burst out. He demanded an answer from Ung-sam, forgetting entirely that he was addressing a man in conversation with his own liege.
"How is it that you possess that!"
Perhaps because the shock had been too great, Rainman's tone bordered on an interrogation. The one who grew needlessly offended at this was Samdopyo, standing behind Ung-sam.
"What, are you doubting our brother now?!"
THUD!
When Dupyo, who stood a full head taller than the slender Ung-sam, rose from his seat and hefted his iron staff, the knights reached for their scabbards and went on guard.
"He merely asked a question—why behave this way? Nay, you look to be commoners at a glance—do you not realize this warrants summary judgment when done to a noble!"
"Hmph! It seems saving your lives has left nothing visible before your eyes."
"What!"
A strange tension simmered between Rainman and Dupyo. But the confrontation did not last long.
"Dupyo, step back."
"Brother!"
Dupyo looked back at Ung-sam, who was restraining him, and gave a hint of defiance—but upon seeing the movement of Ung-sam's lips, he had no choice but to slowly return to his place. What he read from the shape those lips had formed was...
Do you want to die?
...exactly that. Once Dupyo had returned to his seat and sat down, Rainman concealed his tension and withdrew to his own place. Rainman was no fool either. But Dupyo's mouth was the problem.
"Tch! What, do they actually think we killed Gerard and robbed him or something?"
"......!"
Dupyo had tossed it off as though speaking in passing, but the remark was enough to harden the expressions of Baron Gowin and the rest of the knights. The sharpened glint in Baron Gowin's eyes already declared that he was racing headlong toward misunderstanding. From one side came Rainman's question, as though interrogating a criminal.
"I understand that the number of people who would dare address Sir Gerard as simply 'Gerard' is few...."
"......."
Dupyo could feel the killing intent of his comrades boring into the back of his skull. But Ung-sam's gift for improvisation was superb.
"When I swore brotherhood with Gerard, my younger brothers here were also present. Being of similar age, Gerard became a younger brother to me, and with the rest he associated as friends."
"What! You are saying you made Sir Gerard your younger brother!"
"Yes."
In an instant, Gerard had been transformed into Ung-sam's junior brother. Seeing Baron Gowin and his party's reaction, Dupyo let out a breath of relief, then, to make amends for his blunder, chuckled and tossed out a remark.
"Heh heh heh, that's right. Well, Gerard and we are friends, are we not? Ain't that so?"
"Sure is!"
"Never imagined a man of Gerard's caliber would ask to be friends with the likes of us."
Thanks to his comrades chiming in on cue, Dupyo was able to shake off his recent mistake. He sat back down and added smugly:
"Sure, who's Gerard that we'd ever harm him? Steal from him, maybe, but...."
"......!"
The atmosphere shifted again.
Once again, it was Ung-sam who restored the mood that had grown prickly. Abruptly, he began to sob, tears streaming down.
"Ukk! Keuheuheuk."
"What—why suddenly...."
By this point, it was Baron Gowin's party, including Rainman, who were flustered. Watching Ung-sam weep sorrowfully, Baron Gowin felt an inward pang of guilt. After all, he himself knew better than anyone that without these men, they would never have survived to reach this place.
Hoo, perhaps I have been overly sensitive.
Thinking that he had grown touchy after losing his soldiers, he peeled away one layer of suspicion toward Ung-sam's party. The weeping Ung-sam sprang to his feet and shouted at the empty air.
"You damned dragon! Someday I shall avenge my brother Gerard!"
FLAP-FLAP-FLAP-FLAP.
At Ung-sam's cry, birds startled into flight and the forest trembled. Ung-sam's wretched shout shook the hearts of Baron Gowin and his party, while Dupyo and the rest of his comrades were filled with admiration.
That man was born to lie.
From this moment onward, by Ung-sam's single word, Gerard became the deceased.