90. Penalty Fee (3)
Corinth Duke was furious, his anger boiling over. But he wasn't the fool who would move his forces in a heated rage.
"Squadron Commander Holber, compare the number of Gigants we can currently mobilize with their forces!"
"Based on the intelligence gathered by our officers so far, Wayne's forces are estimated at four 2nd-class Gigants and around 55 including 3rd-class Gigants and golems."
"What? That's mid-territory level."
Corinth Duke stroked his chin, his expression slightly surprised.
"And the forces we can mobilize... four 2nd-class Gigants and about 35 3rd-class Gigants."
"What? We have fewer?"
"Yes... We have to leave one squadron to defend Wear Castle and the city, and the Gigants stationed in the Sailon Occupation Zone must stay as well. We could conscript from neighboring territories, but..."
Corinth chuckled dryly.
"If we had the southern garrison's forces, it would have been even or slightly in our favor."
"That's correct."
"Striking first... that cunning bastard."
"Rather than moving our forces now, it might be better to wait for Marquis Atlev and the Estel frontline troops to return, then punish them properly at that time."
The other knights and nobles nodded in agreement with Count Holber's words.
At that moment, Viscount Erwin stepped forward.
"There is another way to hold them accountable."
"What method?"
"Cut off all food supplies to Lorenne completely. Since they took all the refugees—who could have been used as farm labor—they'll soon be struggling with food shortages. Then they'll come crawling back, begging for help."
"Won't that cause food issues in Lorenne Territory as well?"
"True, but Baron Frederick received a lot of aid from Wayne and cooperated with him in the Great Forest, from what I hear. So if we supply food to Lorenne, it will inevitably reach Wayne."
"Using food as leverage..."
As Corinth Duke nodded, a young man quietly sitting in the corner raised his hand.
Corinth turned his head.
"Hm? Who is that?"
"He's As Erickson, son of Baron Erik Erickson. He just came of age and is attending the knight conference."
Corinth's brow furrowed at his aide's explanation. He truly resembled his father, Baron Erik, in his youth.
As kept his hand raised, but for some reason, Corinth did not grant him permission to speak.
"My lord! I believe we should seek reconciliation!"
As Erickson suddenly stepped forward, shouting loudly.
Count Holber scowled.
"How dare you!"
"Let him be."
Corinth held back Count Holber.
"Did you just say reconciliation?"
"Yes!"
"I'll give you a chance. Speak."
"Instead of provoking Wayne now, it would be better to send more food, as much gold as possible, and appease him."
"But that bastard already entered my territory, stole my Gigants and Gigant pilots, and took all the refugees who could have worked the fields. You're saying we should reconcile with such a villain?"
"I'm not arguing fault, but we were the first to break our promise with him. If you reprimand Viscount Erwin for that unreasonable negotiation, then send an envoy with proper compensation, we can soothe Wayne's anger."
Viscount Erwin Tokin's face twisted at the suggestion to reprimand him, his direct superior.
"My lord, you know the situation in our territory at the time. With the Tarun Kingdom army at our doorstep, we had no choice but to make that agreement."
Corinth raised his hand, silencing him.
"The past is the past. Viscount Erwin acted for the territory, so reprimanding him for it would be unjust. Do not bring this up again."
Viscount Erwin Tokin was Corinth Duke's brother-in-law. The Tokin family had served the Taylor family for four generations as their closest allies and had produced many Gigant pilots.
'As expected of a rice bowl family...'
As Erickson smiled bitterly to himself.
"Then send an envoy again to appease Wayne, fulfill the negotiation, and get back our Gigant pilots and Gigants. Maintain good relations with him to handle surrounding matters, and there will be many opportunities for cooperation in the future. Now is the time for my lord's magnanimity."
"Foolish!"
Erwin bellowed, stepping forward again.
"If our lord bows to that insolent cur, how will the other territories view Kallung Grand Territory—as a joke!"
"Our pride may sting for a moment, but think long-term. Embracing a talent like Wayne and riding the same boat would be like giving wings to a tiger."
"Tsk tsk. Wayne is Marquis Frank Stein's son. He has no reason to entangle with us Kallung."
"No! Dresden's heir is already the eldest son, Adam Stein. That's why Wayne leads his own faction to carve out a territory in barren lands. It's barely a territory yet, still in the early settlement phase, so they need everything. If we aid them materially and morally now, he will surely repay the favor."
"That's why you're naive. People change like going into and out of the bathroom. After feasting on our aid, if he sides with Dresden later, what's the difference from having a Dresden forward base right next to our territory?"
"Not necessarily. From Westline, Wayne..."
"Enough!"
Corinth raised his hand.
"I understand both opinions. Let's hear from the others."
"I agree with Viscount Erwin. Even if we have faults, invading the territory and abducting Gigants and pilots is excessive. If we don't punish Wayne, the surrounding territories won't listen to us."
"Same here. If our forces were intact, they wouldn't dare glance our way. No need to wait for reinforcements—cut off the food supply now."
As Erickson's face soured. Cutting food supplies now, with forces already short, no one could predict how Wayne would react next.
As raised his hand again, but Corinth ignored him once more.
"How about summoning Marquis Atlev?"
Larita Taylor spoke up. Corinth Duke's second son.
"What do you mean?"
"Cutting food is fine, but it won't restore our territory's prestige. The Estel frontline is stalled anyway, no more land to gain. Pulling too many troops risks losing hard-won ground, so discreetly recall just Marquis Atlev and one squadron. Conscript Gigants from neighboring territories, secure numerical superiority, and with a 1st-class Gigant, we can overwhelm them."
"Oh!"
"Right, we have a 1st-class Gigant!"
The knights and nobles exclaimed in admiration.
"And to lull them, resume food supplies immediately and send gold to get back the pilots and Gigants. Once Marquis Atlev crushes them, we'll reclaim the gold anyway."
Corinth's face brightened considerably. On the Estel frontline, his eldest son, Dane Taylor, was commanding as a superb 2nd-class Gigant pilot, but his second son, Larita Taylor, had the sharper mind.
"What do you all think of Larita's plan?"
"Excellent! We should proceed just like that."
"I agree—Young Lord Larita's method is superior."
Viscount Erica also endorsed Larita.
Larita Taylor raised his hand.
"And I'll go as the envoy myself. Entrust this matter to me."
"Very well. I permit it."
If he handled this well, Larita could solidify his position in the territory. At minimum, like Baron Frederick, he could develop his own land with Kallung's support—or seize a neighboring minor territory by force to become a lord.
As the mood shifted toward confrontation with Wayne, As Erickson bit his lip and shook his head.
"I want to go too."
All eyes turned to As Erickson, hand raised.
"I'd like to accompany Young Lord Larita to scout their weaknesses."
Corinth looked displeased.
"Larita is leading the envoy—decide for yourself!"
"Father, I want to bring him along."
"Then it's permitted."
Thus, the Kallung Grand Territory's envoy was formed.
An escort of Gigants and dozens of wagons snaked through the barren lands. Then, a massive canal blocked their path.
'The canal is deep, current strong. This isn't just a canal—it's a moat to block Gigants!'
As Erickson jotted notes, scanning the surroundings meticulously.
"Head a bit west from here, and there's a large bridge."
"Got it. Everyone, move west!"
Guiding them now was Squadron Commander Bowga from Lorenne. Hearing Kallung sought reconciliation with Wayne, Baron Frederick couldn't sit idle and sent a guide.
After crossing the bridge and heading west another 20 minutes, a city came into view.
And then.
"What? What's with these massive fields?"
"Huh? They weren't here last time...?"
Viscount Erwin, the deputy envoy, looked stunned too.
Vast farmlands stretched endlessly south, hundreds of people planting crops in empty fields. Dozens of waterwheels, based on the noria principle, spun tirelessly, pumping water from a canal 30 meters up, irrigating the entire expanse.
"Isn't that corn?"
"Damn! Already waist-high."
At this rate, harvest in one or two months seemed possible. Fast-growing vegetables blanketed the fields in green, and on one side, Gigants dug trenches to channel water into the fields.
"Good lord! Using Gigants for farming?!"
"They're insane!"
Even the lowliest Gigant pilot was quasi-noble; Gigants were a territory's ultimate strategic weapon. Using them for menial farm work was a shock.
"If we'd pressured them with food as Uncle said, it would've been impossible."
The tone carried a subtle reprimand.
"Ahem! We need to plant some spies anyway."
Viscount Erwin, who also handled external intelligence, couldn't lift his head properly.
The Kallung envoy entered the city, walled by enormous fortifications.
"Wh-what is this?!"
"Gasp! My god!"
Larita Taylor suddenly glared at Erwin as if to kill him.
"You...!"
"My apologies."
"Sir Erwin, we'll settle this later."
Larita ground his teeth in fury; Erwin wanted to crawl into a hole.
Then Wayne and soldiers swarmed out.
"Oh, if it isn't Viscount Erwin!"
Erwin swallowed dryly, tense.
"Long time no see, Lord Wayne."
"Come on, no need for 'lord.' Call me like before, casually."
"I couldn't possibly. And this is Young Lord Larita, second son of Duke Corinth."
Larita bowed his head.
"Pleased to meet you. Larita Taylor."
"You must be tired from the long journey. Come inside."
Wayne personally led the envoy to his office.
Then Viscount Erwin slipped to the wagons, secretly dashing to a Gigant in the fortress parade ground.
'Damn! They're all real!'
Touching them confirmed it; Erwin was aghast. Over 150 Gigants lined the vast fortress parade ground. In the center, a dozen 2nd-class and 3rd-class Gigants drilled tactics, hundreds of soldiers jogging laps around the grounds. To the left, 40 Steel Golems and dwarves expanded the fortress further.
'No bluff! Over 200 3rd-class Gigants—that's grand territory level!'
Viscount Erwin clutched his head.
Now he understood why Wayne dared provoke Kallung Grand Territory.
Kallung had 285 3rd-class Gigants. Some destroyed in war, others garrisoned in Sailon, more needed for Great Forest monster hunts. Plus, guarding the vast territory and new Estel lands.
'Grand territories have so much to defend, but here it's just one small city!'
By that logic, Wayne's city was top priority—untouchable. If these Gigants attacked Kallung, the whole territory would be razed in no time.
Wayne had shown great restraint so far.
'And with his ghostly tactics too...! Fuck! I'm done for!'
Erwin's vision darkened.
"What are you doing here? The envoy's already inside."
A approaching soldier's words made Erwin feign casualness, looking around.
"Where's the bathroom...?"
Like lambs before a tiger? The envoy facing Wayne sat on pins and needles.
Still, Larita Taylor, as envoy leader, steadied his breath and spoke.
"We've brought two extra months' food beyond the promised amount."
"Oh? Then we still have one month left."
"Ah! Of course, we'll send even more with the next shipment."
Wayne nodded.
"Thanks to Kallung, our food self-sufficiency is way up."
"Pardon?"
"Kallung broke the promise and withheld food, so our Gigant pilots plowed the fields hard with Gigants. Soon we'll be self-sufficient—no, exporting even. All thanks to Kallung Territory. Haha!"
Larita couldn't respond to Wayne's barbed words.
"At least now we can keep the promise."
Larita gestured back; Erwin handed over the ledger.
"Ten thousand gold per wagon. Use this to quell your anger and return our pilots and Gigants. This ledger lists the appraised value per Gigant."
The ledger detailed market values for the seized Gigants and separate ransoms for pilots.
Wayne closed it without looking.
"There! That's the penalty fee. Now, shall we negotiate the real price?"
"P-Penalty fee?"