Ch.85Population Movement

“Grrrr…!!!”

Crunch!

“Kyaaaaaang…”

The last wolf that bared its teeth finally ascended to the angels’ court.

When hunting humans, the most important thing is, of course, hunting humans, but equally important is eliminating enemies who literally view humans as prey.

No matter how many people there were, it would be meaningless if they couldn’t be protected from beasts, monsters, and demons.

“Cleanup complete!”

“Confirmed! Sending in the refugees!”

It had been a month since the human hunt began. Already tens of thousands of refugees were heading toward Amurtat along the roads, while tens of thousands of soldiers were thoroughly clearing hostile forces around the roads to ensure the refugees could safely reach Amurtat.

Armies from neighboring countries were also mobilized for this cleanup operation. It wasn’t exactly forced mobilization; they were just getting an easy meal, playing a supporting role alongside or behind Amurtat’s army as it conducted its major sweep.

“Thank you for your assistance.”

“Not at all. Safe roads benefit us as well.”

But that was enough.

The numerically disadvantaged Amurtat army was already short-staffed in controlling refugees, which inevitably made road protection extremely vulnerable. The soldiers dispatched from various countries helped ease this burden, increasing reserves and allowing for more organic military movement.

So far, about 100,000 refugees had arrived in Amurtat, and Amurtat welcomed the new population with open arms.

*

“Have you ever learned to read?”

“No…”

“Have you learned any specialized skills?”

“I worked in a cheese workshop for four years.”

“A cheese workshop for four years… Very good. Take this and show it to the people sitting over there. You’ll be able to get a meal and a bath.”

“Th-thank you!”

In the western forest of Amurtat, at the border between Amurtat and the outside world, tens of thousands of refugees stood in line, which was shrinking at an extremely slow pace.

At the checkpoint, hundreds of officials and thousands of soldiers were rigorously examining the refugees’ personal information. This thorough examination was necessary to properly assign people to industrial facilities based on their backgrounds.

From the refugees’ perspective, it was better to make a living through honest labor than to survive on handouts, so despite the slower admission rate, this detailed preliminary investigation couldn’t be skipped.

“Next!”

“Move in an orderly fashion!”

As explained before, the refugee population was diverse.

Some were in such a pitiful state that calling them beggars would be a compliment, while others were dressed so well it was hard to tell if they were refugees or tourists.

“Were you a nobleman?”

“It means nothing now… but I worked in administration, having received the lord’s favor.”

“Welcome, Mr. Esher. Amurtat needs your strength.”

Among the refugees were occasionally talents that made Amurtat salivate.

Highly educated individuals, those with specialized skills, and artists like musicians and novelists were entering Amurtat. By accepting them, Amurtat could step up as an even more prosperous city.

*

“We need more food and blankets!”

“They’re loaded on the cart, so hurry and take them!”

“It’s ready already? That’s fast! Thanks!”

The patience of tens of thousands of refugees was not infinite.

There were many who would soon meet the angels’ court if they didn’t get something—gruel or rice—in their mouths immediately. Inside the walls, even ordinary housewives were mobilized to cook porridge, taking responsibility for feeding tens of thousands.

Despite the preparations, things were this chaotic. It was an indirect lesson in how unprepared nations could be completely overwhelmed when receiving refugees.

“Refugees who have showered and changed clothes will be coming in soon. Where on earth is the housing guidance officer?”

“Uh… they were definitely here until just now… Has anyone seen the officer?”

“Well… they suddenly said they had something to do at home and ran off…”

“Damn it! Running home at such a critical time!”

Even with all the preparations, some people were overwhelmed by the sheer number of refugees and failed to fulfill their duties properly.

One could blame them for their dereliction, but it was impossible for people who normally dealt with dozens or hundreds to suddenly handle tens or hundreds of thousands—especially people who would certainly die without immediate aid. So they couldn’t be entirely blamed.

“What do we do now?”

“Damn… the list is still here, so we’ll just have to somehow cut more personnel from somewhere else.”

“Damn it… we don’t have any more people to spare…”

“Well, we’ll just have to make do somehow… That’s the only way, isn’t it?”

“Let me see that list. I’ll contact the guards first.”

But even so, the refugees’ settlement wasn’t denied.

As the saying goes, if you don’t have teeth, use your gums. There were plenty of people in Amurtat who could somehow substitute for specific duties.

“Draft people from wall maintenance too! The security personnel aren’t enough! And run through the city to gather volunteers!”

“Understood!”

“Alex! Parker! Hayden! You’re coming with me to escort the refugees! Got it?!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Then move out!”

Although Amurtat had only ten years of history, the people living within it didn’t necessarily have such short histories themselves.

For those who had been struggling through life for decades, this incident was merely an annoying disturbance.

Clatter!

Soon the city gates opened, and a crowd of intimidated refugees poured in.

They were still disciplined due to the instructions given upon entry, but judging by their demeanor, it was a foregone conclusion that they would scatter if not quickly transported to their residences.

Gulp!

The soldiers who suddenly found themselves conducting civil operations approached the crowd of refugees with their hands on their scabbards.

*

“The accommodation of refugees is proceeding according to plan.”

Although there were minor hiccups along the way, like officers going AWOL, everything was well managed in the end, so what did it matter?

As they say, let bygones be bygones. I won’t make a big issue out of this incident.

That’s not to say I’ll ignore the problems.

The officers who fled will be punished, albeit lightly, and the soldiers who resolved the situation will receive rewards and medals.

Who was it that said the rise and fall of an organization depends on how thoroughly the principle of rewarding good and punishing evil is upheld?

Having belonged to a large organization where this principle was poorly observed, I had developed an almost obsessive attachment to proper reward and punishment.

At least as long as I am the ruler of this country, those who do wrong must be punished, and those who achieve merit must be rewarded.

“How many refugees have been accommodated so far?”

“About 150,000. Judging by the continuing stream of refugees, it’s a foregone conclusion that Amurtat’s population will exceed one million. Congratulations in advance, Your Majesty.”

“Haha. I thank you in advance as well.”

800,000 plus 150,000 equals 950,000.

Even from this palace, the tallest building in Amurtat, one could see the campfires lit by refugees lined up outside the walls. Once all those refugees are accepted, the population might exceed one million, perhaps reaching 1.1 or 1.2 million.

“Though I jest, imagine if all those refugees became unemployed. What do you think would happen?”

“The collapse of the country would be a foregone conclusion. People of different cultures, without any capital, income, or housing, left to their own devices… You’d get the same answer anywhere.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Sad to say, there won’t be many more opportunities for Amurtat to take in such large populations in the future.

As the population grows and industry advances, we inevitably become more sensitive to external intrusions.

Eventually, even insiders will fall behind in competition and become low-income workers or adventurers. By then, Amurtat’s population will have exceeded at least 5 million.

But that was fine.

Although the capital of Amurtat is Amurtat City, Amurtat isn’t just Amurtat City.

With the western forest and eastern coast firmly supporting the left and right sides of Amurtat, those who couldn’t find their place in Amurtat would receive their second or third chance in the forest or by the sea.

And for those who missed or couldn’t grasp those opportunities, there remained the final option of becoming an adventurer.

No matter how insignificant a person may be, they are alive because they maintain their life. Blessings upon those who burn their last possession to earn money.