Chapter 113
(Kyle
Calendar Year 507: Age 14)
Records of
Things Seen and Heard in the South
Translator : PolterGlast
The day after the
King's party departed from Teigun, Bart's group, who had been on
intelligence-gathering duty in the Gryphonia Empire, returned.
"I
apologize!" Bart was the first to kneel down and apologize, which
surprised me. Apparently, there had been a large-scale sugar hoarding in the
southern part of the Empire, and their attempt to purchase it had failed.
However, they had brought back a fair amount of sugarcane itself, so I
considered that acceptable.
Sugarcane is basically
a tropical and subtropical crop, but I've heard that if the climate is similar
to Japan's Kanto region, it can be cultivated with some ingenuity during
winter. In fact, there seems to be a precedent for its cultivation. As I've
mentioned before, "Nishida" had experience living in a
near-subtropical region of northern Australia in the past. Sugarcane
cultivation was thriving in that area, and vast sugarcane fields stretching as
far as the eye could see were a familiar sight. Because of that, I vaguely
remember the cultivation methods.
Could it possibly work
in Teigun, the southernmost frontier of Kyle Kingdom?
I decided to start
cultivation near the fort under construction on the Demon Realm side, which met
the conditions of rich soil, sunny locations, and abundant water.
If successful, both
sugar and honey would become valuable sources of sweetness in Kyle Kingdom. If
we could control the production of these luxury goods and establish them as
industries in the Teigun area, they would become a valuable source of income.
My chest swelled with anticipation.
"Is this the rice
you were referring to?"
I was overjoyed by the
results they brought back. The contents looked a little different from the
familiar rice, but the rice stalks were identical.
"Masrur's
contribution was huge in acquiring this. Having him with us made it very smooth
to obtain it from farmers and confirm cultivation methods."
Yes, on this journey,
Bart and Raphael were accompanied by Masrur as a local guide. He was from the
southern border region of the Empire and was familiar with the geography.
Indeed, even though he accompanied the caravan, his contribution to traveling
through unfamiliar Imperial territory was apparently very significant.
Rice cultivation, like
sugarcane, is planned to take place near the fort on the Demon Realm side.
There, there is sufficient water and ample sunlight.
In addition to the
cultivation methods Masrur gathered, "Nishida" also has a vague
knowledge of rice cultivation from a program he enjoyed watching every Sunday.
If the climate is right, it might just work. My long-held wish might come true.
My heart was pounding with excitement at the prospect of rice for meals.
※
Afterward, the key
members (department heads) gathered at the administrative office, and the
collected information was shared. Bart took the lead in the discussion.
"First and
foremost, seeing the Empire for the first time, I truly felt the difference in
national power. Several central cities are far larger and presumably more
populous than the Royal Capital Kyle. Also, their territory is vast, and I felt
a renewed sense of crisis at the sheer difference in national strength."
Of course, there were
no accurate maps or surveying techniques, but based on merchant information, by
reverse calculation from travel times, the Empire was understood to have nearly
twice the land area of Kyle Kingdom.
"However, the
Empire does not have a Demon Realm. I don't think that's the only reason, but
Mages are extremely rare there, and I felt they are almost never utilized on
the battlefield. Outside the cities, there are many vast grasslands, where many
horses are raised. Just seeing that made it clear that the Empire's cavalry and
Iron Cavalry are robust."
"What's the
situation in Margrave Goth's territory?"
"Raphael has
investigated that in detail, so he will report instead."
Raphael began his
report. "Margrave Goth's territory, in a word, is devastated. It lost many
soldiers in two campaigns and was thought to be in a situation where it
couldn't recover for the time being. However, for some reason, it became a
direct imperial territory, and now a small force of about 5,000 troops from the
Third Imperial Prince's army is stationed there. It's a rumor within the
Empire, but the Third Imperial Prince's army is said to be strong, even
superior to the First Imperial Prince's Imperial Guard, so their strength
cannot be judged by numbers alone."
For me, the mere
presence of the Third Imperial Prince's army on the border was unsettling news.
The nightmare of the previous timeline flashed through my mind.
"Even more
concerning is the presence of the man commanding this army, who has been
entrusted by the Third Imperial Prince to govern as his deputy. He seems to be
the one who led the army that helped the First Imperial Prince retreat with
only 2,000 troops in the final phase of last year's war. Since his appointment,
the internal security of the territory has rapidly stabilized, and the strength
of the populace seems to be recovering."
I see, just as I
thought... So, the commander from that time has appeared. This was the
worst-case scenario among my predictions.
"A person with
such command ability, leading a force of 5,000, is not to be underestimated.
Even the total number of Frontier Knights doesn't reach the strength of his
army..." The Commander also revealed his sense of crisis.
"Do you know the
commander's name?"
"He is Baron
Sieghart von Kämpfer. Originally, he was from the Astray Count family, and he
was apparently famous for being very eccentric. His reputation in the Count's
territory was not very good either; he was reportedly called a prodigal son.
Earlier this year, for some reason, he was imprisoned for being held
responsible for the defeat, but he was reportedly rescued by the Third Imperial
Prince. He has gained the Third Imperial Prince's trust and is now wielding his
skills as a front-line commander who also serves as staff."
This is bad. I
seriously held my head in my hands. If he were to lead a large army to attack
Teigun, it could repeat the disaster of the previous timeline. I desperately
wanted time to prepare countermeasures.
"What's the
situation in Marquis Bradley's territory?"
"The situation
there is similar to Margrave Goth's territory. Having lost its lord and
suffered near-annihilation of its army, the Marquisate was abolished. The
Marquisate was incorporated into a direct imperial territory, but the
difference from Margrave Goth's territory is that there are fewer stationed
troops, and no particularly capable individual seems to be governing it. I
believe the prisoners are also distressed about the safety of their remaining
families."
"Did the letters
and remittances safely reach them?"
"Yes, although we
couldn't enter directly, it can be assumed that this recent delivery reached
almost everyone."
I felt a little
relieved. In the future, if the truce agreement with the Empire becomes a
reality, I wanted to fulfill the wishes of those who hoped to call their
families here.
"So, was there
any information obtained regarding the situation near the southern border and
the imperial succession?"
"Yes, I'll take
over from Raphael for this."
Bart began speaking
again.
"Entry and exit
from the southern city were strictly controlled, so much so that only merchants
with connections could pass through; it was under extremely tight security. I
imagine they are more wary of domestic spies than foreign ones like us.
Although this is based on hearsay, military discipline was strictly maintained,
and the city seemed relatively vibrant. The Third Imperial Prince also seems
popular there, suggesting a strong power base has been formed. Masrur, who was
the only one able to infiltrate the city, also confirmed this. An estimated
30,000 troops seem to be concentrated in the southern city. They are still
fiercely fighting the Principality of Sura in the cities beyond the border, but
the Third Imperial Prince's army seems to have a slight advantage in the
overall situation."
"So, can we
assume that the fighting with the Principality of Sura won't end anytime
soon?"
"Yes, at one
point they were quite dominant, but now they've been pushed back a bit, or
rather, the Third Imperial Prince seems to have shortened his front lines.
Perhaps he's more wary of enemies behind him than those in front.
Unfortunately, regarding the imperial succession, we only managed to obtain
fragmented information, mostly merchant rumors. The First Imperial Prince has
reportedly returned to the capital temporarily and is pushing for military
reorganization. There are rumors that he is making the Third Imperial Prince
pick chestnuts from the fire, while he himself is eyeing his back. Merchants
also seemed to be agonizing over which side to support."
I see, the fact that
the Empire is internally divided is fortunate for Kyle Kingdom. I sincerely
wished for them to maintain this dangerous balance within the Empire for a
little longer.
"And, this is
unrelated to the current investigation, but may I ask something?"
"Bart, please,
without hesitation."
"During this
journey, I spent time with Masrur, and I learned a few things. First, he is
capable. Although he had the advantage of local knowledge, his quick thinking
helped us many times. And he is trustworthy. If he had been disloyal in enemy
territory, we would have been captured immediately. He believes in repaying
kindness with kindness. I could strongly sense that about him. And finally, I
believe he has an aptitude for Earth Magic, or something similar. He mentioned
that since he was young, he often heard the voice of the earth, the voice of
the mountains. He said that he climbed the Demon Realm cliff face by following
the voice of the mountain, which prevented him from falling. I felt that if he
could become a Mage, he would be a strong asset. I apologize for
overstepping..."
Miseri had also said
something about his character before, hadn't she?
Perhaps I should talk
to him once and have him undergo the Mage aptitude ritual. Father Grace has
been fidgeting a lot lately, too, since I haven't used the church in a while.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Geral Aponso
MaxKne
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
Nepheos
ShitaiNoKootoRyuu
[Silver]
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Matthew Fraser
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Joe Smith
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
