Ch.162Military Nation (2)

“…What the hell is this quota?”

The worker at the handicraft factory is momentarily stunned by the enormous production quota.

Well, he would do it since they’re paying him, but isn’t this going too far?

“What are they planning to do with all these spears?”

They’re demanding 3,000 spears, each about twice the height of an adult man.

There’s been talk of war lately—could that be the reason?

“…But even so, this is way too many.”

Some might say it’s just 3,000, but this is the quota for only this factory and only for this quarter. Moreover, just because there are 3,000 more spears doesn’t mean there will be exactly that many more soldiers.

The auxiliary troops supporting those spearmen would also increase, meaning the number of soldiers would clearly exceed 3,000.

It’s hard to guess how far His Majesty plans to expand the army.

“Just shut up and do it. At least they’re not swords, right?”

“Well, that’s true.”

If they had to make swords instead of spears, most of the factory workers might have resigned today.

Unlike spears, which are easily completed by casting a spearhead and attaching it to a pole, swords require attention to many details—the long blade, the complex tang, the handle, and more. Above all, while spears primarily thrust, swords have various attack methods like thrusting and slashing, making them extremely difficult to produce in a factory where casting is the main method.

Cast items inevitably have poor toughness, and wielding such brittle weapons would lead to disaster.

“Come to think of it, spears are convenient both to make and to use.”

“To use? Ah… yes, that’s right. Unlike swords, which require years of training, spears can be given to freshly conscripted serfs and still be somewhat effective.”

Weapons like swords and bows require users to have sufficient understanding to be effective, but spears are less demanding. Even newly conscripted serfs can form a reasonably durable barrier if supervisors force them to maintain formation and hold their spears upright—quite efficient assuming professionally trained soldiers of other types do their part.

“Wow, from every angle, spears are truly superior weapons… Wait.”

“What now?”

“Could it be… these spears are being made for that purpose? To put in the hands of serfs and commoners…”

“…”

The same thought crosses the minds of both the worker and the technician simultaneously.

Any weapon requires someone to use it. No matter how many weapons you have, they’re just garbage if there’s no one to wield them.

Conversely, no matter how many soldiers you have, if they don’t have weapons, they’re not soldiers but merely civilians or meat shields.

Come to think of it, it’s suspicious to mass-produce spears, weapons that can be used even by those with low skill, on such a scale.

Our making these spears is clearly work to turn those meat shields into soldiers.

“Right, it was strange to make so many spears in the first place. Rotaring already has plenty of soldiers and no shortage of weapons, yet they’re making 3,000 more spears, not auxiliary weapons but primary ones.”

War is generally the privilege of nobles. Of course, commoners and serfs can be conscripted at the monarch’s discretion, but not in such large numbers. After all, they need to farm and pay taxes.

However, making 3,000 spears in just one quarter suggests similar quotas might come in the next quarter, meaning war—once the privilege of nobles—could spread to commoners and serfs.

“This is clearly to indiscriminately conscript commoners and serfs—”

“Enough, shut up and make them.”

“But…”

“Even if you refuse, we have to make the spears as ordered. Understand? Focus only on making spears, not on other thoughts. Don’t you know that many neighboring countries like the Empire and Albion are targeting His Majesty?”

The technician also doesn’t like the idea of putting weapons in the hands of ordinary people, but as someone who must fulfill the king’s quota, he can’t openly show resistance like the worker.

Of course, not being a psychopath, he feels constrained by his reluctance, but he tries to maintain his composure by harshly criticizing the frightened worker.

Until recently, the workers and technicians had participated in movements to fight against Albion and the Empire, but now those feelings have completely vanished.

……….

“So, they’re saying we’ll be conscripted?”

“What does that even mean…”

If workers and technicians who are officially exempt from conscription feel resistance, those who are the targets of conscription feel the same.

The citizens of provincial towns who were still burning with hostility toward the Empire and Albion just hours ago are greatly shocked to realize they will be going to the battlefield.

“Conscription? That’s great!”

“For honor and glory!”

Of course, not everyone feels this way.

In the medieval worldview where war means combat, combat means honor and glory, and honor and glory mean advancement, many commoners are delighted at the possibility of social mobility.

Throughout history, there have always been plenty of people willing to risk their lives for advancement rather than crawling on the ground as commoners forever.

“Please calm down, everyone. This is not conscription but military training.”

“…? Isn’t it the same thing?”

“No, it’s different. From now on, those who meet the physical requirements will receive military training for a few days each year. Farmers and serfs will come during the agricultural off-season, and non-farming commoners will come on designated dates to the barracks. If you live too far from any barracks, trainers will be sent to rural villages during the off-season to educate rural residents all at once.”

However, regardless of their attitude toward military training, all commoners fail to properly understand the official’s explanation.

If it’s conscription, why call it military training?

“Of course, it’s just called military training, so there’s no need to be so afraid.”

“What?”

“During the training period, you’ll learn how to use weapons, march, and form ranks, and then spend the remaining time learning useful things for daily life—laws, standard language, how to pay taxes, useful farming information, and various other necessary skills.”

Despite receiving a detailed explanation from the official, the soldiers become even more confused.

Didn’t he say it was military training? Why include all those other things?

No matter how they think about it, they can’t figure out why the authorities would train commoners. Information useful for farming is one thing, but laws and tax payment methods? Wouldn’t the authorities normally want to hide such things to make exploitation easier?

“Also, meals will be provided during the military training period, and a small compensation is prepared, so it is not recommended for designated trainees to flee without receiving training. Please check the imperial decree for details.”

After finishing his explanation, speaking politely despite addressing commoners of lower status, the official leaves, and the commoners are all bewildered by the abrupt and absurd end to the explanation, unable to say anything.

……….

“The resistance is surprisingly minimal.”

If a modern country that hadn’t previously conscripted citizens suddenly implemented military training for its people, it would face massive resistance.

But this is the medieval era, where the honor and glory of war remain in many legends, and commoners who can’t really grasp the horrors of war don’t strongly oppose military training.

Some were even clamoring to be properly enlisted rather than just trained, which says it all.

“Training targets… about 100,000 people.”

Thanks to the churches loyal to me cooperating well by using their membership registers, the survey was very easy. I should reward Jeanne and Armand separately.

Anyway, if I train those 100,000 people as planned, when war breaks out later, 100,000 soldiers will suddenly become available. It feels like looking at East Asian mobilization scales.

In an era where 10,000 soldiers are classified as a large army, a force of 100,000 is literally enough for Rotaring alone to turn the tide of war.

Of course, that’s theoretical—those 100,000 are all conscripts, incomparably weaker than mercenaries or knights who eat, sleep, and wield weapons for a living. And preparing weapons to arm them all would clearly cost an enormous amount.

I can’t just have them walk into battle without weapons and pick up the weapons of those who die in front of them, like some Soviet army.

‘No, maybe I don’t need that many weapons?’

This isn’t just military training for war. It’s a socialization policy for the people that includes public education.

From the beginning, those 100,000 are all healthy young men, and I can’t waste such men on the battlefield. They need to farm, raise cattle, and pay taxes.

No matter what happens, I don’t think there will ever be a day when all 100,000 need to be armed and sent to battle… so making just 3,000 training spears and rotating them among the trainees should be sufficient.

Training 100,000 people with just 3,000 spears might sound a bit strange, but since the training period is a year, they can easily take turns.

100,000 people in a year means about 270 people per day on average, meaning approximately 270 people need to be trained each day, and 3,000 spears should be more than enough for that.