Ch.8Establishing Control

“Already March, huh.”

“Time really flies.”

It’s already March, when the spring birds begin to chirp their trilling songs.

Having spent over 300 soldiers on an expedition, I was diligently developing my city while waiting for their return.

“Hmm… this spot and that one would be good.”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

As I dropped construction sites at suitable locations, the construction crews who had been standing by rushed in and began building.

What I was constructing were taverns, commonly translated as “drinking houses.”

There were already taverns before, but now with the population more than doubled and more merchants expected to visit, it made sense to increase the number of taverns accordingly.

Besides, now that we had built a brewery, the supply of the most important commodity—alcohol—would flow smoothly.

Though I’m no farmer myself, isn’t it one of life’s pleasures to stop by a tavern on the way home after a hard day’s work in the fields, enjoying a simple meal with some drinks?

Anyway, with this, the city would have a total of five taverns—the two that were originally here plus the three I just ordered to be built.

Considering the city’s size, three would have been appropriate, but I deliberately placed the other two near the castle entrance for merchants and adventurers to use.

“It’s certainly satisfying to build when there are more people around.”

While it was nice to see the city grow so rapidly in such a short time, it was now time to contemplate the challenging problem that makes every Polistory player pull their hair out.

Namely, how to navigate this transition from early to mid-game.

Unlike the transition from mid to late game, the early to mid-game transition didn’t require specific resources. The main strategy was simply to increase population and grow the city’s size as much as possible, but…

Let’s not forget. The core’s defenses only protect against beasts, monsters, and demons. They don’t protect against humans who act like beasts, humans who act like monsters, and humans who act like demons.

Increasing the population is good, but no one could guarantee that those people would actually benefit the city.

Even the murderous bandits being swept away right now probably justify their actions by telling themselves they’re just trying to survive.

Sighing at that thought, I watched the procession of woodcutters leaving the city boundaries.

Just as they cut wood to show their loyalty to me, most people pay taxes and follow my orders as a display of their allegiance.

But someday, when I order someone’s head to be cut off, instead of obediently dying, some will choose rebellion, and from that point on, I’ll have to seriously manage state affairs.

“Well, that’s still far off.”

“What did you say, my lord?”

“Nothing. Bring me something to drink. My mouth feels dry.”

“Yes, master.”

*

Thwack! Thwack-thwack-thwack!

A rain of arrows descended.

Fortunately, everyone was carrying shields, so there were no casualties. Realizing the punitive force had suffered no damage, the bandits hastily began to flee.

“Everyone draw swords! Pursue and annihilate them!”

“Uwaaaaaaah!!!!”

Though the bandits were more numerous than expected, they were no match for proper regular troops.

Living hidden in the forest had left them malnourished with poor physical condition, and those wearing anything that could be called armor could be counted on one hand.

Still, their experience from robbing people wasn’t for nothing, as already twenty valuable soldiers had been sent into the arms of angels.

“Argh! Get away, you fucking bastards!”

“Capture them! We must punish these rebels who dare disturb His Majesty’s land!”

“His Majesty can go fuck himself!”

Twang! Thud!

“Guhk!”

An arrow shot while riding horseback severed the spine directly.

Honestly, even Ignatz who shot it didn’t know if it would hit, but it seems his mounted archery skills haven’t rusted yet.

Clippity-clop! Clippity-clop!

“Capture some of them alive! We need to find their hideout!”

“Take them alive!”

“Bring ropes! Ropes!”

Thanks to the previous punitive expedition, the soldiers’ actions were more efficient than before.

Whirling lassos were thrown, and while most missed, a few caught the bandits’ bodies.

…Thinking about it, hunting dogs would have been more efficient, but I hadn’t thought of that.

I should suggest it to Tiberius next time.

“Let go! Let me go!”

“You bastard! Stay still!”

“Hurry and bind him! Quick!”

While pairs of soldiers captured the fallen bandits, Ignatz led the remaining troops in pursuit of the frantically fleeing bandits.

Clippity-clop! Clippity-clop!

Twang!

Thud!

“Aaaagh!! My leeeeg!!!!”

“Tsk… I was aiming for the head, but hit the leg.”

Well, it’s fine as long as it hit, right?

Left like that, he’ll die soon enough from secondary infection or blood loss anyway.

Thwack-thwack-thwack!

“Kuhk!”

“Ugh!”

The mounted archers who had been galloping stopped briefly, formed a line, and fired in an arc, causing several bandits to fall with their backs turned into porcupines.

Some bandits remained, but pursuing fewer than ten people wasn’t very efficient.

Besides… once they found the hideout, they could round them all up at once.

“How many did we capture?”

“Seven, sir. Two of them look like they might be important.”

“Is that so? Then tie them up and set up camp. We need to treat the wounded and collect the remains of the dead.”

“Understood, Sir Ignatz.”

If it were up to Ignatz, he would have liked to lead the troops in another thorough search, but it was already getting late, and there were quite a few injured men, so it was better to wrap things up for today.

The punitive force created a field base using tents and wagons brought from the city. First, they dug drainage ditches around the tents in case of rain, then drove logs into the ground and tied the seven criminals to them.

“Kuk..! Kill me!”

“Later.”

*

“Sir Ignatz. It’s time to wake up.”

“Ugh… how long did I sleep?”

“About 7-8 hours? The sun is just starting to rise.”

“I see… yaaawn….”

When killing beasts, fatigue didn’t pile up like this, but perhaps facing fellow humans unconsciously created tension in the body.

Ignatz had fallen asleep instantly the previous night.

Flap!

As the standard-bearer opened the tent flap, sunlight was just beginning to filter through the densely grown tree leaves.

“Shall I bring you breakfast?”

“No. I’ll eat after interrogating the criminals.”

“Understood. This way then…”

Ignatz made his way to where the criminals had been tied up the night before.

The criminals seemed to be asleep, and despite having their hands tied to logs, they were even snoring, using the logs as support. Ignatz had no intention of waking them gently.

“Bring water and pour it on them.”

“Yes!”

How much time had passed?

As the sunlight gradually moved toward the standard-bearer’s eyes, seven soldiers stood before Ignatz, each holding a basin.

“Shall we wake them?”

“Yes.”

“Wake them up!”

Splash!

As the sergeant’s order fell, the soldiers poured the water from their basins, and the bandits who were doused with ice-cold water—as spring had just begun—woke with a start.

“Aaaagh! Cold!”

“Wha…what?!”

The bandits tried to wipe the wet hair from their eyes, but soon realizing their hands were tied, they began shaking their heads vigorously to get the hair out of their eyes.

“Get up, you wretches. Sir Ignatz has questions for you.”

“Ignatz…? Bullshit. If you have questions, give us food first.”

Ignatz silently looked at the sergeant, who promptly took out a club.

When he nodded, the club came down on the head of the bandit who had made the insolent remark to the standard-bearer, cracking it open.

Crack!

“Aaaaargh!!!”

“It seems you don’t quite grasp your situation yet. When I ask, you answer. Is that so difficult?”

It’s not incomprehensible why these criminals are being so uncooperative.

Whatever their circumstances, they were criminals who had plundered innocent people, and in this world, the only verdict for bandits was death.

If they were going to die either way, human psychology dictates they might as well say whatever they want before dying.

Of course, knights had special measures prepared for such situations.

Thud!

“Aaaagh…!!!”

Crunch! Crunch!

“Uwaaaa!!!”

Ignatz stomped on the criminal’s ankle with his iron-studded boot and twisted it, causing the criminal to writhe in pain.

An ancient technique for extracting secret information: “torture.”

“Listen well, you human garbage. You’re all going to die anyway. It would be better to abandon any hope of survival right now.”

“You fucking bastard! Who’s going to talk when you act like this?! You son of a—”

Whack!

Once again, the sergeant’s club came down, and this time it didn’t stop.

After precisely thirty blows to the head, the criminal’s skull was visibly caved in, and the sergeant’s club was covered in blood along with yellow matter—the identity of which everyone could easily guess.

The standard-bearer spoke again.

“Tell us where your hideout is.”

The terrified criminals looked up at him.

“I’m giving you a choice. Whether you die by having your head cut off or by having it smashed in.”