37-103

EP.103 The Shaking Balkan Empire (1) 

Emperor Heinrich mobilized the western imperial corps to retake Streve and fight back against the Teseito army that had invaded the Zenon Plains, but failed to achieve any significant results. 

Count Radan, whom Heinrich had appointed as Imperial Army Supreme Commander, temporarily withdrew the 1st and 2nd Corps, gathered the remnants of the defeated 5th Corps from Streve, and assembled a large army by bringing in the 6th and 7th Corps from the central front to launch a full-scale attack. 

However, the results were far from satisfactory. This was largely because, in the initial clash, even with both Marquis Amin and Count Kashu (masters) attacking Tiruene, the Teseito supreme commander, they were unable to defeat him. 

Count Kashu, originally the second strongest master in the empire after Lichtenauer, had not fully recovered from the chronic illness that led to his recent convalescence, so he could not freely control his mana. Even with Amin’s cooperation, they were pushed back by Duke Tiruene. 

Seeing their own masters losing in a two-on-one fight, the imperial soldiers lost heart, which led to the empire’s defeat in the early battle. 

Naturally, the Teseito army used its specialty cavalry to pursue and press the retreating Balkan Imperial Army, but the imperial troops maintained strict discipline as they withdrew, inflicting enough damage on the Teseito cavalry that they had to give up the chase. 

In the end, the imperial army retreated slightly and reformed their lines, and the front stabilized. However, as the harvest season began, it became difficult to reap the wheat from the Zenon Plains, putting the Balkan Empire’s food supply in jeopardy. 

Although the territory captured was not large, the fact that it damaged the empire’s food situation satisfied Duke Tiruene, who began slowly but surely consolidating the captured territory as their own. 

While Heinrich was floundering in the west, Yuno’s territory continued to develop. 

On Yuno’s orders, the troll Ajin moved his tribe’s base to the border of Yuno’s territory and, in exchange for food, faithfully performed the role of mercenary border guards. 

At first, some tribe members resisted the idea of serving under humans, whom they considered inferior, but with stable food supplies and safe living conditions, they could raise more offspring, and the young could grow up safely. As a result, even the other trolls began to express satisfaction with coexistence with humans. 

Ajin led his troll unit through the edge of the Monster Mountains, hunting down all threatening monsters. His subordinates, influenced by Ajin, directly hunted small and medium monsters, and worked with the rangers to hunt larger threats, gradually blending into coexistence with humans. 

The rangers, too, had no complaints, as the troll unit’s efforts allowed them to eliminate monsters safely. Occasionally, when they had alcohol, they would share it with the trolls, and the two groups grew closer. 

But not everything was good for the rangers. 

“Hmm... Since we have more manpower now... I guess I can work them harder as His Lordship ordered.” 

Noticing that the rangers had more free time, William began training them even more harshly than Mayer did with the regular troops. 

At first, there were many complaints, but when a regular guard from Kiese Castle, sent by Mayer as an instructor, outperformed them in stamina, the rangers’ pride was wounded, and they began to follow William’s tough training in earnest. 

With the strengthened rangers and the troll mercenary unit’s efforts, the lands along the Monster Mountains became free of monster threats. The mild climate, advanced farming methods, and improved seeds provided by the elves (and further enhanced by Rachel) led to bountiful harvests. 

With food abundant, thousands of refugees from the civil war and Teseito’s invasion flowed into Yuno’s territory, and many young people who couldn’t find other work volunteered for Yuno’s army. 

“Your Lordship! This round of recruitment brought in 500 new volunteers.” 

Hearing Mayer’s report, Yuno felt a headache coming on. 

His territory’s military already exceeded 2,000, and counting the rangers and Cordelia’s cavalry, the total was about 2,700 a sizable force. Now, supplying weapons to the soldiers was the main problem. 

“Baron Kimberly, what’s the status of weapon supplies through Diane’s alchemist merchant group?” 

“No news yet... It seems Count Graim, our neighboring lord, has declared support for Heinrich and blocked weapons shipments to us.” 

“Whew~ Mayer, run a physical test and only recruit about 300; send the rest back... Our territory is great, but we don’t have any mines...” 

“But then the remaining 200 will be left jobless... If we leave them like that, they could riot or turn to crime, which would be even more troublesome.” 

Baron Kimberly asked carefully, and Yuno held his head in his hands. 

“But we can’t just keep increasing soldiers. Does money grow on trees? We don’t even have enough weapons for the 300, and you know we have to give them the reserve arms for training.” 

Thinking the three of them wouldn’t find a solution, Yuno called in Rachel, Diane, and Hiriya for a discussion. 

Yuno was reluctant to call his increasingly seductive big sister and sister-in-law, knowing that after the meeting he’d have to spend “quality time” with them, but there was no other choice in this situation. 

“This is the situation... Is there any way? Hiriya, could you create jobs through agriculture?” 

“Hmm... That’s tough If you ask me suddenly... My shoulders are stiff and my head isn’t working If you promise to give me a massage later, maybe I’ll think of something.” 

Seeing Hiriya’s seductive look and request for a massage, Yuno smiled wryly and agreed. 

“Haha, I think I can take about 50 for my side. I’m working on irrigation at the Fairy Lake, and we need more hands, so I’ll put them there.” 

“Thank you, sister-in-law.” 

“Oh, it’s nothing between us. Just don’t forget the massage after the meeting.” 

“Ah... okay. So what about the other 150... Diane, do you need people for commerce?” 

“Well~ I’d like a massage from my little brother too... Can you do it?” 

“Alright!! I’ll do it with sister-in-law. So what will you do?” 

“I need salespeople to promote coffee tea on Poligal Island. But that requires some experience and a bit of sense. Of course, we also need warehouse managers and sales assistants... I’ll hold interviews and pick about 20 for each, so about 60 total.” 

“Okay! Thanks.” 

Diane also made a show of it, seductively licking her lips out of sight of the others, trying to tempt Yuno. 

Yuno, feeling his body react but barely holding back, turned to Rachel. 

“Lady Rachel, thank you for always helping our territory... Could we ask for your wisdom with this problem?” 

“Haha, I should thank you for trusting such an important task to a princess from a former enemy nation. Since we’re not sending taxes to the capital, the territory is fine financially. So why not use the remaining 90 people for a large-scale construction project?” 

“Huh? What kind of project?” 

When Yuno looked puzzled, Rachel smiled beautifully and brought out a map. 

“The only territory connected to ours is Count Graim’s, linked by a single bridge over the Fairy River. But the bridge is so narrow that only one wagon can pass at a time, making logistics and troop movements difficult.” 

“Hm~ Not bad. If we build two or three more bridges...?” 

“We could smuggle in weapons in bulk, move troops more freely, and someday...” 

The three women traced a line on the map from the military training camp in Yuno’s territory to Graim’s, and then on to the imperial capital, Adria. 

Watching their hands draw on the map, Yuno’s heart, which had always only raced with lust, now beat with ambition for the first time in his life.