episode_0029

A bright Wednesday morning after finishing my writing work.

‘Hmm, even if the national finances are collapsing, the international shipping network seems to be working properly.’

I unfolded today’s morning newspaper and checked the main articles on the front page.

The newsprint, printed with pre-modern, crude quality, was written in the common language of the continent as follows:

[New World merchant fleet returns to Barbina Port two weeks ago. Cargo loaded includes slaves, sugar, and cotton, etc.]

The merchant fleet is a large-scale merchant fleet operated by the Hispana Empire.

A system where dozens of merchant ships belonging to guilds or individuals gather and regularly trade with colonies.

It moves along ocean currents and trade winds, so I think they said they set sail twice a year?

‘As expected, a great empire that dominates the sea. Any other country would have completely collapsed.’

Since it was a newspaper published in the Elaine Kingdom, no further detailed information was included.

At best, it was all criticism of the slave trade or opinion pieces ranting about colonial exploitation, with absolutely no sincerity.

‘Shameless.’

They lock up the Mazoku in labor camps and have been expanding their territory by subjugating other ethnic groups for hundreds of years. Who are they to criticize?

If they really want to argue, they should enact a law banning the distribution of slaves first.

But apart from that.

There was quite a lot of information that could be gleaned from this short passage.

‘Just bringing in goods is meaningless. You have to be able to process and sell them. So, internal distribution is going reasonably well….’

The merchant fleet is a massive fleet whose total displacement rivals that of the entire navy of a moderate-sized country.

If you add the escort ships that accompany them to fight off pirates and prevent the Alcyone Federation’s sabotage, it’s almost a small fleet.

Of course, maintaining, repairing, and feeding this behemoth is no easy task.

The moment it docks at any port, it needs to be supplied with astronomical amounts of supplies every day.

Timber, preserved food, rum, repair materials, etc.

The distribution network connecting each production site and port must be intact, and the merchants in charge of the trade must have an environment in which to do business without problems.

“Ms. Kalia. Hispana Empire was the country that sold the most sugar in the continent, right?”

“Yes. I-I mean, Instructor. I heard that the international trading market is also concentrated there.”

Is that all?

The goods imported by the fleet are mainly luxury goods.

The overall demand is high, but not all of it is consumed within Hispana.

Once they’re brought in, they have to be transported to major customers again to make a proper profit.

“Slaves and plantation-produced goods will mostly be traded in Hispana.”

“Because they own all the New World farms?”

“Yes. And there’s no other country on this continent that can produce such things on its own.”

The fact that they imported such things from the New World as in previous years, and that there was no change in the scale of trade…

Is an indirect signal that the commercial and distribution base is intact.

It’s like a declaration that the national economy has been screwed by floods and the people’s livelihoods have been ruined, but the national structure hasn’t collapsed.

‘At this rate, the mercenary dispatch will be soon. There won’t be any hindrance to selling them off as soon as their training is complete.’

If distribution is safe, the army can be supported properly.

It is well known that Hispana’s army, though small in number, is thoroughly trained and well-equipped.

As new recruits are trained, they will be equipped and the organization will be completed.

It’s possible that they might deliberately mistreat them because they’re creating a unit to die fighting… but aren’t they supposed to be for supporting friendly nations?

Even if they’re just pawns, they’ll take care of them to some extent.

The only variable is if the Alcyone Federation joins the war and destroys the empire’s shipping network.

“Has there been any report that other countries are planning to join the war?”

“Nothing has come in yet. It takes time for regular contact from other countries, so I can’t give you a definite answer, but…”

Judging by Kalia’s whisper that she doesn’t know, I think it’s okay.

Even if those guys intervene, I have countermeasures, so I don’t need to worry too much.

No matter who intervenes, there are plenty of subversive ideologies to spread accordingly.

‘Ah, right. After the war, I need to encourage colonial independence.’

Come to think of it, the dismantling of the New World colonial system will be necessary after the war.

Should I spread Bolivarianism and Maoism?

* * * * *

Anyway, the fact that the Hispana, a key player in the Great War, is in normal condition was quite good news. Especially for the Kram Empire and the Navre Kingdom.

Especially in the current situation, where a country that had been reluctant to participate in the war has begun to act in earnest.

[The Artium Empire Army launches a massive offensive in the northeastern region of the Navre Kingdom.]

Finally, the bear from the East, who had been lifting its heavy buttocks,投入 troops to the front line.

According to the newspaper, the size is a whopping 80,000 or more.

A considerable force by the standards of this era.

[Our trustworthy allied forces are rushing in like a raging wave, destroying dozens of border fortresses! They are advancing like a storm towards the enemy’s capital!

Armed with a righteous cause and a steadfast friendship for the alliance, their blades are unstoppable, and they overcome any obstacle without hesitation–]

They haven’t even formally formed an alliance, but they’re making such a fuss.

The newspaper is full of propaganda and publicity to increase support for the war.

Apart from that, it seems that they are making some progress.

Perhaps it’s a natural development since they’re so large?

‘80,000 is enough to influence the war situation.’

According to intelligence passed on by the organization, they have occupied a considerable number of defensive facilities and achieved results.

It’s just that the number of enemy soldiers annihilated, main units, and secured strongholds is not that great.

Because the Navre army is conducting a strategic retreat, destroying abandoned facilities and rear guard units.

In other words, it’s like burglarizing an empty house.

“I wonder if these guys have follow-up troops.”

“Why do you ask?”

“No, I’m just worried about whether these guys will fight properly.”

I’ve said it before, but the Artium Empire is a country that sucks at fighting. Not because its military is weak, but because its natural environment is terribly bad.

When spring comes, the ground melts and turns into mud, and the supply lines become incredibly long due to the vast territory.

Thanks to this, they have a pretty high win rate in defensive battles, but in expeditions, they become the biggest idiots in the world…

They’ve mobilized a whopping 100,000 troops?

Do these guys really have the capacity to feed and support an expeditionary force?

“The food will probably be supported, right?”

“Wouldn’t it be, Instructor? Or they could buy it from friendly countries with money.”

Supplies will be taken care of somehow.

Even if the home country can’t send enough, the Elaine Kingdom next door will help.

They won’t leave a meat shield that reduces their own sacrifices to starve to death.

“It’s not enough to just feed them properly.”

“They’re an empire, so let’s trust them for once.”

“I wish I could.”

But I honestly don’t trust the replenishment of casualties or the proper command and management of the upper echelons.

I have a feeling that the moment they lose once in the field and the local headquarters collapses, the expeditionary force will undergo a phase transition into an expeditionary force (that once was).

It’s common sense in the pre-modern era that an uncontrolled army evolves into a quantum mechanical Schrödinger science army.

‘I’ll have to keep an eye on it for now.’

Of course, it’s a problem that won’t arise if they keep winning.

The problem is that the probability of that happening is as low as the probability of that damned goddess being a very benevolent being after all.

For now, I have no choice but to continue observing future trends.

“Is it almost time?”

Checking the hands of the clock on the wall, I stopped reading and folded the newspaper. Then, I rang the bell on the desk.

“Okay, everyone, it’s time for the exam. Please submit your answer sheets in order from the back.”

“Huh? Already?”

“Instructor, please give us just five more minutes!! I almost finished….”

The students grabbed their heads and screamed at the shocking news.

Today was the day for the quiz in the Financial Studies course. It’s been over a month since I started teaching, so it’s to test what they’ve learned so far.

“No exceptions. Put down your pens and pass them forward quickly.”

Unfortunately, I didn’t show mercy no matter how much they begged.

I gave them an hour and a half to solve problems at the level of a high school freshman midterm exam, that’s a lot, you guys. Even economic freshmen solve this kind of thing in their heads.

“The grading results will be posted on the bulletin board next Monday. In the lecture the day after tomorrow, we’ll learn about graphs and simple probability theory, so please study the handout beforehand.”

“Understood…”

“I screwed up my grades this semester again.”

The students packed their belongings and left the classroom one by one, grumbling. Amid the murmur, I suddenly heard an interesting story.

“Come to think of it, isn’t the Saintess coming next week?”

“Already? I heard it was next month.”

“She’s visiting a little earlier while touring the capital diocese.”

Saintess.

I think they said she’s like a symbol of the Goddess’s Order?

A sublime earthly agent who has been directly granted divine power from that damned goddess.

Well, it has nothing to do with me.

After all, we’re in a position where we’ll never have any contact. If she comes to the academy, I’ll have to watch the welcoming ceremony.

* * * * *

–That’s what I thought for sure.

I had to welcome an unexpected uninvited guest.

“Nice to meet you, Instructor. I’m Saintess Joan. Please take care of me for a while?”

…..We don’t accept transfer students for the Political Science course.