Chapter 311
(Kyle Calendar Year 514: Age 21)
The One Who Carries Out Their Will, Their Name Is..
Translator : PolterGlast
At long last, the
day I had been waiting for arrived! Six years had already passed since I led
the returning prisoners and left Teigoon behind.
At that time, I had
hoped to catch one last glimpse of her... and to say my farewells, but even
that wish went unfulfilled. Faced with a parting that might have been eternal,
I was drowning in sorrow. By not saying "goodbye," I believe she was
surely encouraging me to stay strong.
『I
see... as long as our feelings are connected, a temporary parting is nothing...
Someday, I will become a man worthy of receiving her, and I shall reunite with
her in this very land!』 Telling myself this, I returned to the Empire.
◇◇◇ Kyle Year 508, at
the Northern Frontier of the Empire Territory
『This
is a trial bestowed upon me by the heavens. In that case, I merely need to
attain a standing higher than her lord and go receive her.』 With
this thought in mind, I used what I had learned in that land as my foundation
and began to put it into practice every day within the Empire.
Naturally, there was
a great deal of backlash and friction at first.
「There
is no budget? What is the meaning of this!」
I cannot remember
how many times I raised my voice in anger. Fortunately, while my territory had
been confiscated, my private wealth remained.
As a reward for my
involvement in the return of the prisoners, His Highness Grat entrusted
me with the peerage that had been confiscated due to my guilt by association
with the Bradley clan, along with a portion of their private wealth.
Although I had no territory, the restoration of my Baron title meant I was in a
position to receive an appropriate annual stipend from the Empire (the
Third Prince's faction).
Therefore, the first
thing I did was sell off all my private assets. To truly understand the
feelings of the soldiers, one simply had to eat the same meals and sleep in the
same beds. Holding such beliefs, I had no need for a mansion or servants who
had already dispersed anyway...
Using those funds as
capital, I commenced my operations. I had new barracks constructed on the land
that had previously served as a drill ground. I sharply rebuked a military
official who protested, 『Your Excellency, this is too unreasonable...』
「Unreasonable
or not! Are you telling the soldiers to live in barracks that are no better
than pigsties? The Kingdom's internment camps were far more comfortable.
Lord Army Commander (Sieghart) stated that I am free to do as I please
with whatever is funded by my own private wealth!」
Next, I hired new
cooks and improved the meal situation in the barracks. I once again bellowed at
a civil official who argued, 『Your Excellency, meals fall under the
jurisdiction of the quartermaster department...』
「Do you
bastards intend to feed the soldiers such repulsive swill every single day? I
am not telling you to provide them with luxury. Know that with a little
ingenuity in cooking methods, even turnips—which are considered livestock
feed—can be eaten deliciously!」
The barracks were
still under construction, so the soldiers could not immediately reap the
benefits, but the meals were improved right away. The troops were overjoyed,
and they came to look forward to their daily meals.
Following that, I
began distributing multiple sets of clean secondhand clothes to the soldiers. 『Your
Excellency... to go this far for the soldiers... we are saved.』 Eventually,
no one voiced any complaints.
Furthermore, I set
up a shop in a corner of the barracks to sell daily necessities and alcohol,
entrusting its operation to newly hired young women. Naturally, in accordance
with predetermined regulations, I also permitted drinking within the barracks.
And what do you
know? Even the soldiers other than those who had shared our hardships in Teigoon,
the men who knew nothing of the Matsuyama System, clearly began to
change their expressions!
Their spirits
soared. Eager to show off their good sides to the women at the shop, their
morale improved, and in tandem with this, their discipline ironically
tightened.
◇◇◇ Kyle Year 508, at
the Southern Frontier of the Empire Territory
I then presented my
proposal to His Highness Grat in order to implement the same measures at
my subsequent posting on the southern battlefield.
「Certainly,
as you say, the morale of the troops has risen, and discipline has been
tightened. However, is there truly a need to provide preferential treatment
even to enemy prisoners?」
His Highness's
doubts were entirely reasonable.
「Do you
recall how exceedingly surprised you were when I first had the honor of meeting
Your Highness here and spoke of the methods used in that land?」
「Yes,
the hearts of my officers and men had been splendidly captivated.」
「By
utilizing that Matsuyama System, I intend to lower the hostility of the
enemy soldiers while simultaneously raising the reputation of our own army.」
「And
what will that accomplish?」
「There
are four advantages. Under conventional wisdom, surrendered soldiers are either
executed or worked to death through forced labor in places like mines. Under
such conditions, enemy soldiers will become death squads and fight with
desperate ferocity.」
「Well...
that is only natural.」
「The
first point is... If the enemy soldiers realize they will not be treated
callously, they will be more likely to surrender when driven into a corner. By
doing so, we can reduce the casualties our own forces sustain from enemies
resisting frantically to the bitter end.」
「But...
to allow prisoners to live a life of luxury?」
「It is
not a life of luxury. It is a proper life fit for a human being. Should that
come to pass, the second point is that we can diminish the hostility of the
enemy forces. Naturally, in order to let these rumors permeate, we will
implement measures such as permitting them to exchange letters with their
homeland and returning certain model soldiers.」
「During
this time of war?」
「It is
precisely because it is wartime. Since we are returning them, let us have the
enemy forces return ours as well. Even in the battles thus far, while we have maintained
an overall advantage, there have been minor defeats and retreats. The third
point is that if a prisoner exchange is established, we can reclaim the
military forces we had once lost. Furthermore, if they know that prisoner
exchanges occur, the enemy nation will not treat our soldiers callously either.」
「Hmm...」
Saying this, His
Highness Grat fell deep into thought. Would it really... go as
smoothly as those words suggest? That is surely what he was thinking.
「May I
state the fourth point as well?」
「Ah,
yes. Please continue.」
「In
fact, even among our own ranks, there are those who have abandoned the Empire
and set the guideposts for their future toward a life in the Kingdom.
Could the same not be said for the Sura Principality? We have no
obligation to recruit soldiers solely from our allies (the Empire).
After all, our enemies are not limited to the Principality. Enemies exist within
our own borders as well.」
「However,
might there not be those who feign defection to harbor treacherous schemes?」
「Therefore,
we shall have the prisoners monitor the prisoners. We will establish an
Internment Camp Autonomy Committee comprised of the captives. We simply need to
promote the obedient ones and assign them to that role.」
「Hahaha,
you are an interesting fellow! Very well, I shall grant you the authority and
entrust the management to you. Show them this 'State of the New Empire'
you speak of.」
「Yes,
Your Highness!」
From that day
forward, Baron Duroul began to move with tremendous energy.
◇◇◇ Kyle Year 510
Onward, at the Occupied Territories of the Southern Frontier of the Empire
Territory
The words exchanged
between the Third Prince and Baron Duroul returned to them a few years
later bearing magnificent fruit.
The soldiers of the Sura
Principality, who had previously resisted with desperate ferocity,
eventually began to cry out 『Matsuyama, Matsuyama』 in
unison whenever they fell into a predicament, willingly surrendering.
Furthermore, some of
the Sura Principality soldiers, deeply moved by the treatment in the
internment camps and the methods of the Third Prince, began to align themselves
with his faction. They willingly started to lend a hand in governing the
occupied territories.
The deadlocked front
lines surged into motion all at once, and the Third Prince's army deeply
encroached into the territory of the Sura Principality.
And before long,
soldiers who switched allegiances, along with those who achieved merits to
become model prisoners hoping to return to their homeland, became the majority among
the captives. As a result, the Third Prince acquired an infantry force of 5,000
made up of these men, as well as an even greater number of new settlers.
Having achieved his
intended objectives, the Third Prince moved on to concluding a ceasefire agreement
and negotiating the cession of territory with the Principality. By that time, Baron Duroul,
who had made massive contributions to the Third Prince's faction, was promoted
to Viscount. As a man who had earned the trust of the Third Prince, he had become
a presence that could not be ignored even within the faction.
Then, passing
through the Great War with the Kyle Kingdom, we arrive at the present.
◇◇◇ Return to the Current
Timeline
And now, leading
4,000 former Sura Principality soldiers, 500 various craftsmen, and 500
auxiliary personnel as manual laborers, I had arrived at the planned
construction site of the new city they called Kusanagi.
Many of the
auxiliary personnel were drafted from families of soldiers who had died in the
previous war, or destitute individuals struggling to survive, whom we had taken
into our territory. While most were women or youths not yet capable of taking
on jobs sufficient to support a family, they should be more than capable of
handling light labor and meal preparations, as well as essential but often
neglected chores like cleaning and odd jobs.
「In
accordance with the contract, we have arrived from the Durouza Trading
Company with a workforce of 5,000. Could you please notify the person in
charge?」
「Thank
you very much for leading them all this way. We will guide Your Excellency the
Viscount to our master shortly, but may we take charge of the personnel you
have brought with you from this point forward?」
The group that had
been awaiting our arrival due to our herald... The somewhat familiar-looking
woman standing at their forefront smiled upon seeing my face and simultaneously
welcomed me with a courteous greeting adhering to noble etiquette.
Or rather... how did
she know it was me? I was certain I hadn't mentioned the name Duroul at
all...
「Your
master... could it be... the Archduke of Westlights?」
「Yes.
He has been saying for quite some time that he 『wishes to meet you
once to properly express his gratitude.』」
Gratitude? I had no
recollection of doing anything to warrant such gratitude; if anything, I was
the one who wished to express my thanks for what happened back then...
「Your
Excellency, may I begin guiding you?」
「A-Ah,
my apologies. Please do.」
The moment I
replied, a woman who appeared to be her subordinate raised her voice to a
disproportionately loud volume in front of a mysterious tool. My initial worry
about whether her voice would reach an audience of 5,000 ended up being
needless anxiety.
「Welcome,
everyone, and thank you for traveling such a long distance. The facilities for
your stay are fully prepared. First, we will conduct an orientation for
everyone. We will divide you by your duties and guide you in groups of 50, so
please line up 50 at a time in front of the staff members holding the boards.」
It must have been
some kind of magic. Her voice echoed all the way to the back of the ranks, and
in response, 100 women raised large boards with handles and lined up
horizontally all at once.
I see! Even with
5,000 people, dividing them into groups of 50 would make them easy to guide and
easy to explain things to. I was astounded by the sight of them briskly sorting
the personnel and guiding them in such an orderly fashion.
Even so... what on
earth is an 'orientation'?
「Your
Excellency, we have met a few times before when I was the officer in charge of
the reception desk, but please allow me to greet you anew. My name is Claire
von Solis, and I have been ordered to act as your guide this time.」
「My
word! Then, are you a relative of the Archduke?」
「Yes, I
am permitted to serve him as one of his wives.」
Startled, I bowed to
her once again. Wait... I am quite certain she just said, 『one
of his wives.』 Feeling a surge of anxiety at this, I couldn't help but seek
confirmation.
「Please
forgive my rudeness. Does the Archduke have other wives as well?」
「Yes,
aside from the one who became his formal consort, there are about four of us,
myself included...」
「By any
chance, is the Mage (Rosa) included among them...?」
「You
are quite well-informed. I cannot say who specifically, but indeed, those who
served as Mages (Claire) and such (and Yoltia) are also
included...」
「I... I
see... is that so...」
Hearing those words,
I was left utterly dumbfounded by the shock. She had already married the Archduke...
It was no wonder. I
had returned to the Empire without a word, and six years had already
passed. It was an incredibly natural outcome.
Staggering, I subsequently followed Lady Claire's guidance and walked onward.
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