Chapter 16 - The Nakanohara Basin
Margrave Mortimer, who held territory in the northern part of the Kingdom of Engrio near the Sertoria border, was in a good mood for the first time in a long while.
The previous war had been disastrous. It was fine up until he marched into the neighboring country of Sertoria. The problem was after that. While proceeding along a single path through the border forest, they were simultaneously attacked from both flanks by several small enemy units that had been lying in wait. They were divided and surrounded in various places and suffered a crushing defeat.
They were unable to break through the border forest for years after that.
When he finally thought they had broken through, they were surrounded at the exit and held up, and their supply lines were repeatedly targeted. He sent out small-scale detached units to bypass through the forest several times, but they couldn't even establish a bridgehead and all of them retreated.
In the end, it was a truce after they had only struggled to attack and ended up in skirmishes.
Thanks to that, he was almost treated as a war criminal. He gave bribes in all directions and somehow managed to avoid trouble, but due to the influence of the war reparations, the war expenses became his own responsibility, which was a great loss.
Although his own territory was not reduced, he had to raise the tax amount to recover the losses. At this rate, a certain number of serfs might flee from his territory. This was despite the fact that his territory, which bordered Sertoria, was always at risk of serfs escaping.
Apparently, Sertoria has no serfs.
They call them contract farmers or something, and they say that if they join the reclamation work for which the state provides money, they get the right to use the land for free. Fortunately, they publicly state that they will not accept but will repatriate fleeing serfs from other countries, so there is no large-scale flight, but there's no way a territory can be maintained with such a stupid method.
In the first place, Sertoria is a troublesome country because it has no nobles. There's probably no one to properly oppose anything. They make stupid people of lowly origin into close aides through something called a selection exam. If they like them, they pay them rewards in money and apparently don't give them land. What can people who don't even know how to run their own territory know about national management?
On top of that, they had the audacity to request reinforcements from our country, which had been an enemy until just three years ago, saying that the Demon Lord had been resurrected. Thanks to that, the soldiers from my territory, which is the closest, ended up going out as reinforcements. Five thousand of them.
The King provided the funds for the expedition, but even if we won against the Demon Lord's army, there was no way the territory would increase. Fortunately, like the reinforcements from other countries, they were devoted to defense so as not to break the formation and didn't fight much, so the damage was slight.
It would have been better to just leave Sertoria alone until it was destroyed. After a tiny country that can only gather at most ten thousand regular soldiers even if it collects soldiers from all over the country is destroyed, other countries can just cooperate and take it back later.
His complaints in recent years had been endless, but this morning, a scout he had left alone for a long time brought good news.
The setup is complete.
That was all, but he understood everything.
He had reluctantly gone to Sertoria as part of the Demon Lord army subjugation relief force, but at that time, he had taken one man with him. He was an old man wearing a black robe, a man whose expression couldn't be seen because he always wore his hood deep over his eyes.
Mortimer remembered the conversation he had with that man in his tent on the eve of the decisive battle with the main body of the Demon Lord's army.
"How about it? It is time for your decision."
"I don't think you can lure those two out so easily."
"If we can't lure them out, we just have to stop. There will be no loss for you, Margrave."
"What will happen after your so-called soldiers occupy the town?"
"Once we hand it over to you, our soldiers will hide in the darkness and protect the town. However, since you'll have to hold out for a while, wouldn't it be good to call in soldiers from your home country as well?"
"Isn't there another Archbishop in the church?"
Hearing that, the man in the robe let out a cramped-like laugh.
Mortimer disliked that man's laugh. He was an unpleasant man. He had felt that way many times since meeting this man.
"Don't you know the Archbishop of that town? The only magic he can use is biological sensing magic. He's a fellow who can't even use [Holy] and can't even protect himself."
"Do you think we can win?"
"At least you will not lose, Margrave. If our soldiers are annihilated, you just have to pass by with an indifferent face. Whether you advance your troops or not is for you to decide, Margrave."
The Sertoria Kingdom Army is almost entirely facing the Demon Lord's army. They can't leave the battlefield so easily. If it can be settled in at most three days, or probably two days...
"What reward do you want?"
"If you could leave the church in that land to us. The rest as you see fit, Margrave."
"Why the church?"
"It is because of religious conflict. I believe it would be unpleasant for your ears, Margrave."
"Is there treasure?"
"Nothing of the sort. We will hand everything over to you, Margrave."
These fellows' so-called soldiers will occupy the town and we will maintain it. The military strength is sufficient.
We can win... can we?
"For us, it is merely a matter of showing you the results of our years of research, Margrave. If the town falls into our hands as a result of the experiment, it will be a windfall. We only ask for the provision of a few weapons."
"You mean there's no problem even if it fails?"
"That is correct. It will certainly not be a loss for you."
If it won't be a loss for us even if we lose, it might be a lucky find.
"Very well. Let's join hands. However, we won't make a move until the town is occupied."
"As you wish. If we fail, you may abandon us."
The man in the robe looked up and laughed directly at the face of the man in armor.
An unpleasant man.
And now, he is on the way back after the dissolution of the Demon Lord subjugation army. It is within Sertoria territory, where he himself had been unable to step during the previous war.
The Sertoria soldiers are pinned down in the forest where the Demon Lord lives. Because the foolish King gathered soldiers from all over the country, it seems various towns are empty. Nakanohara, which is close to my territory, is also one of them. As a Margrave, I have a certain amount of discretion in diplomacy and war with the surroundings of my own territory. In other words, whenever I invade, there's no problem as long as I win.
When fighting the Demon Lord's army, each country cooperates, but that's only while the request for reinforcements continues. Now that reinforcements are no longer needed, the dispatched armies of each country are each on their way home. In other words, our army has already crossed the detestable forest at the border and can go to Nakanohara Town without being hindered by anyone.
It has become like a custom that the reinforcements of the Demon Lord subjugation army do not lay hands on each other until they return home, but such things are nothing more than the nonsense of civil officials who only say quibbles. There have been many examples in history of starting a war without a declaration of war.
According to the scout's information, the military strength of Nakanohara is fifty people in a subordinate organization of the national army they call the Town Guard.
Only fifty people. It's like a speck of dust. Of course, those remaining in the town will resist. However, there's no need to fear four thousand people like a riot, including women, children, and the elderly. The men who can fight properly are probably at most about fifteen hundred.
After all, we have five thousand people. Sufficient equipment and battle-hardened veterans. If things go well, the town will be ours without a fight.
Originally, he had started setting things up during the war, but while it was taking time, it became a truce and was useless. However, thinking about it now, that too is probably a good turn of events that is useful for today.
It took quite a bit of effort to tame the greedy priests of [the Lost Capital], but if it pays off this time, it's enough. I now understand the reason why my King chose me as the reinforcement for the Demon Lord army subjugation.
If things go well, land that can support fifty thousand people in the entire Nakanohara area will be newly acquired without effort in at most about three days of combat. He'll have to present half to the King, but he'll probably be able to keep the other half for himself.
The season is June, the wheat harvest. He smirked as he saw the golden waves undulating in the wind on both sides of the highway.