Chapter43
Before explaining why new troops should not be conscripted, Heinshtangl watched Leonardo’s expression.
‘…I must speak in a way that doesn’t displease His Highness as much as possible. If I get on his bad side, there’s no telling what he might do.’
To contradict the words of an absolute ruler.
It was an imnse burden for Heinshtangl.
But he couldn’t keep Leonardo waiting, so Heinshtangl, while continuously watching Leonardo's expression, carefully began to state his opinion.
“First, Your Highness, there are several reasons why we should not conscript new troops. Firstly, it is because this is a ti when it is very difficult for the people to live. As Your Highness is well aware, the Plank Kingdom is currently very poor. Farming is not being done properly, and comrce is in ruins. In such a situation, if we conscript young people into the army, there will be a shortage of people to work.”
“Hmm… I see. Please continue.”
“Yes. Not only that, but even if we gather soldiers, there is a shortage of knights to manage, supervise, and train them.”
“Are you saying that the capabilities of the 3rd Knight Order are insufficient?”
When Leonardo asked back as if asking Jereuth, Heinshtangl glanced at Jereuth and hurriedly corrected his words.
“I am not saying that the capabilities of the 3rd Knight Order are insufficient, or anything of that sort! It’s just… Your Highness said you would send the 3rd Knight Order to eradicate the thugs and wicked rchants in other cities, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“In that situation, I thought it would be too much of a burden to entrust the 3rd Knight Order with the managent and training of new recruits as well. O-of course, this is just my opinion, soone who knows nothing about military affairs, so if Commander Jereuth says it’s possible, then of course it’s possi—.”
As Heinshtangl was speaking, Jereuth smiled lightly and nodded.
“Heinshtangl is right. If it is Your Highness’s command, I will do anything, but to be honest, it is sowhat difficult to proceed with new recruit recruitnt and the ‘war on cri’ at the sa ti. Realistically, the number of knights is insufficient.”
With Jereuth backing up his words, Heinshtangl felt truly relieved. Since Jereuth, known as the ‘Tyrant’s Sword,’ agreed with him, he thought that at least the crown prince would not kill him.
After hearing Jereuth's explanation, Leonardo nodded and asked Heinshtangl.
“I understand. Besides that, is there any other reason why we shouldn't conscript troops now?”
“There is one more reason. Our kingdom’s people have not yet escaped the horror of the war with the demons. It has only been about five years since the war ended.”
“Yes.”
“If we raise an army again at a ti like this, many of the people will be afraid. They might worry about being dragged to the battlefield again. Of course, the people of the royal capital support Your Highness because of the ‘war on cri,’ but… still, the fear of war is great for the people, so various problems may arise when we conscript an army.”
The more Heinshtangl spoke to Leonardo, the more his voice gradually found stability.
However, that didn't an Heinshtangl was completely at ease. After all, he was now speaking against the ‘conscription’ that the crown prince wanted.
“Hmm… I see. There could be such problems.”
The tyrant stroked his chin. He also crossed his legs. It might have been a trivial action.
But Heinshtangl couldn't help but react to every little action of the crown prince.
‘…I didn't make a slip of the tongue, did I?’
This short mont of Leonardo's contemplation felt as long and heavy as an eternity to Heinshtangl.
Then, Leonardo offered chairs to Jereuth and Heinshtangl and said.
“Ah, I’ve kept you two standing. It seems this conversation will be long, so you may sit.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Uh… ah, yes! Thank you, Your Highness!”
As Jereuth sat in a chair, Heinshtangl hurriedly followed suit.
“First, Sir Heinshtangl. Thank you for your good opinion. That is the role I expect from ‘officials’ like you, Sir Heinshtangl. The role of putting a tackle on my words.”
“Putting a ‘tackle’ on your words, what does that an…?”
“Ah, it ans to offer a counter-argunt.”
He wanted soone to counter his own opinion.
That tyrant?
‘…I don't understand at all. How should I take it when an absolute ruler asks soone to counter his own words.’
Not only that, there was sothing else strange. It was that the crown prince had just used the word ‘tackle.’
‘The word ‘tackle’ seems to be from the Angla Empire’s language… Does Prince Leonardo also know the Angla Empire’s language? To the point of speaking it so naturally? When did he learn it?’
The Angla Empire was a great empire on the continent, located north of the Plank Kingdom, beyond the ‘Wasteland of Ruin,’ the territory of the Giants, and the ‘Foothill's Rest,’ the territory of the Elves.
That empire, with its vast territory, had such strong national power that in the past, the Plank Kingdom had even revered the Angla Empire as the ‘fatherland.’
After the war with the demons, as the Angla Empire's national power weakened, that relationship was greatly diluted, but it was an undeniable fact that it was still a powerful empire.
Before the war with the demons, the Plank Kingdom would send diplomat nobles once every few years to pay respects to the emperor of the Angla Empire. And Heinshtangl, as a rchant family and a mber of the delegation, had been to the Angla Empire three tis.
At that ti, Heinshtangl had learned the Angla Empire's language superficially, which was why the word ‘tackle’ spoken by Leonardo just a mont ago was familiar.
‘Foreign languages are only learned by rchants and diplomat nobles, or vassals who work as interpreters… It’s surprising that His Highness also knows it. Did he study the Angla Empire’s language on his own because he likes books?’
While Heinshtangl was lost in various thoughts, the crown prince continued to speak.
“I understand Sir Heinshtangl’s words. But still, I cannot give up on conscripting troops. It would be a relief if it’s just my useless worry, but… it seems a great chaos will arise in the kingdom within a few years.”
As Leonardo muttered, Jereuth asked cautiously.
“By ‘great chaos,’ do you an that the surviving nobles might start a rebellion?”
Surviving nobles starting a rebellion.
The content was quite dangerous, so Heinshtangl stealthily avoided Leonardo's gaze to avoid getting involved as much as possible.
“So of the forr nobles might cause a rebellion. But more than that, I am concerned about the bandits.”
“The bandits, you say?”
“Yes. The bandits who grew in power while the nobles neglected their fiefs’ people and chipped away at the kingdom’s wealth. I don't know how strong they are yet, but I believe that one day they will bring great chaos to the kingdom.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Jereuth nodded for now, but he honestly couldn't empathize with Leonardo's great concern for the bandits.
As Leonardo said, bandits were rampant in various parts of the kingdom, but it wasn't to the extent that it would shake the kingdom itself.
But Jereuth did not raise an objection to that.
‘If His Highness said it, there must be a reason.’
After a mont of thought, Jereuth told Leonardo what he had understood.
“In other words, Your Highness wants to gather and train troops in advance because you believe the bandits will beco a problem soday. To subjugate them when they start to run rampant.”
Jereuth thought he had perfectly understood Leonardo’s words.
But it seed that was not the case, as Leonardo shook his head.
“That’s not it. I have no intention of subjugating them.”
***
I took a deep breath and continued speaking to Jereuth and Heinshtangl.
“That’s not it. I have no intention of subjugating them. The reason I want to gather and train troops in advance is not to subjugate the bandits. It is to ‘prevent’ them.”
“Prevent bandits…?”
“What do you an by that…”
At my words, Jereuth and Heinshtangl tilted their heads similarly. It was a reaction as if they didn't understand well, so I decided to explain further.
“You ntioned it before at the banquet, Sir Heinshtangl, didn't you? That rchants hire many escorts to block bandits' attacks at the source.”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s why wealthy rchant groups take more escorts than necessary so that the bandits don't even think about attacking the convoy in the first place.”
“Yes. In the sa way, I want to prevent the bandits from rising up in the first place. Because, the mont they rise up and attack the kingdom, no matter how effectively the kingdom’s army subjugates them, there will be damage, big or small. For that reason, I want to increase the size of the kingdom's army in advance.”
“Ah…”
“So that’s what you ant…”
Heinshtangl and Jereuth nodded as if they understood.
“But as Sir Heinshtangl ntioned, we cannot overlook the problems that arise when we conscript troops now.”
“Th-that's right. If we conscript troops now, we might lack the manpower to put into the ‘reconstruction of the royal capital’s market’ that I had planned. If manpower is lacking, the ti required to rebuild the market will naturally increase… and to add one more thing, the kingdom’s treasury is currently empty, so there is no budget to recruit new soldiers.”
No money to recruit soldiers… the more we talked, the more reasons why we couldn't reinforce the troops were added, rather than problems being solved.
‘…This is a headache.’
“I understand for now. I will think about it a little more, so you two may return.”
“Understood.”
“Then we shall take our leave.”
Heinshtangl and Jereuth stood up from their seats and left the room. Elly saw them off and returned to the room.
***
After Heinshtangl and Jereuth left the room.
I leaned my head back on the chair's headrest and sighed as I pondered.
Phew—.
‘What should I do? Should I just develop agriculture and comrce for the ti being as Heinshtangl said, and then increase the troops when we have so leeway?’
That thought crossed my mind for a mont, but for so reason, I felt I shouldn't. Because that was the strategy my future self had used, and it was a failed strategy.
My future self had also tried to develop the economy first and then reinforce the troops. But in the end, he failed to strengthen the military power by the ti it was needed, and ended up just watching as the bandits started a war.
It was written so in the .
‘Then what should I do? How can I develop the economy and military power together?’
As I was contemplating, Elly approached nearby and spoke cautiously. The unique flower scent that ca from Elly—the scent of the flowers planted in the garden—brushed past the tip of my nose.
“Your Highness, I know you have many worries, but why don't you rest for a bit first? You really… really need to rest.”
Elly gestured subtly as if telling to look at the mirror on the wall. I looked at the mirror.
‘…I really look a ss.’
My face reflected in the mirror was truly in ‘pathetic’ shape. My blond hair had lost its luster and was disheveled, and the dark circles under my eyes were long.
Even so, ‘Leonardo’s’ face was still shining, but in any case, my body seed to be at its limit right now.
‘Alright, let's rest a little and then think again.’
“You’re right. I should get so rest.”
I gave Elly a light smile, replied, and then roughly took off my top and threw myself onto the bed.
Just that small action sent a wave of happiness through my body.
‘…This feels like living.’
I buried my face in the pillow and took a deep breath. The refreshing scent of flowers that had been on my pillow for so ti cleared my head. Although I was still tired.
anwhile, Elly must have brought a blanket from sowhere, as she covered with it. It was warm.
A thought ca to before I fell asleep.
‘Hmm… since I had a eting with Jereuth and Heinshtangl about troop conscription, sothing new must have been written in the . My future self would have co up with so answer after the eting. And then he would have gone through various trials and errors.’
So I needed to check the before thinking too deeply. Since my future self had gone through the trials and errors I would face, I could just base my strategy on that.
‘Alright. 30 minutes, no, just an hour… let’s just sleep that much. After that, I’ll look at the , get an answer about troop conscription, and then call Jereuth and Heinshtangl again to talk.’
I felt myself sinking into sleep as if falling into a swamp.
Just as I was about to fall asleep.
—Knock knock….
—Your Highness. A commoner nad ‘Yoanna’ has co, asking to see you….
A woman’s voice ca from the door. Listening to the voice, it seed to be a different maid than Elly. I had never spoken to that maid, but I had occasionally passed by her.
‘Yoanna… right, there was that girl too.’
Before my ending in the changed, Yoanna was originally the person who led the kingdom's people's rebellion, and was called the ‘Sword of the People, Feared by Even Knights’ in the diary.
But in the new ending this ti, it was written that Yoanna fought for as a knight of the kingdom until the very end, alongside Jereuth and the other knights.
‘In other words, Yoanna is a skinny and weak girl now, but if she grows up well, she can beco a great knight. So I need to support Yoanna’s growth as well.’
One might think, how can a woman beco a knight who can be active in war, but looking back at history, there were many won who were as active on the battlefield as n.
For example, knight orders like the ‘Order of the Hatchet,’ which served in the Crusades, or the ‘Order of Tortosa,’ which fought against the great Islamic army, had female knights as their main force and their performance was outstanding.
‘For now, let’s think about Yoanna later. At this rate, my ending will change to death from stress-related overwork.’
I refuse such an ending.
As I tried to clear my thoughts, I slowly fell asleep.
In the midst of that, Elly's voice from outside the door faintly brushed past my ears.
—His Highness is resting, so tell Miss Yoanna to co back later….
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