Ch.9898. With the Feeling of a Cheerleading Captain.

“Young Master, what kind of hellish labor is this?”

“Luna’s doing it without complaint, so why are you whining again?”

“We’ve already built defenses in anticipation of monster incursions into the village, but this is like preparing for war against noble houses!”

“Well, we might end up at war with a noble house, you know?”

Jawil Wilson, who had been constructing the defensive formation, flinched in surprise and whispered cautiously while scanning the surroundings.

“W-wait, have you had some conflict with another house at the Imperial Court?”

“Conflict? Yes, I suppose I did.”

“You did?! What house has the gall to challenge our Young Master… Which house is it?!”

“House Strom, I believe?”

“Strom… Strom… S-STROM?!”

Jawil Wilson shouted “Strom” with an incredulous expression before quickly covering his mouth.

I tilted my head curiously at his reaction.

“You know that house well?”

“They’re known as one of the most powerful houses in the Eastern Continent! Did you really not know?”

“I knew the basics.”

“And you still had a conflict with them? So we’re building these defenses in preparation for an attack from House Strom?”

I stuck my shovel deep into the sand with a ‘thunk’ and let out a short sigh.

“Do you think wars break out suddenly like the Korean War?”

“What’s the Korean War?”

“Anyway, that’s not how it works. When noble houses go to war, they have to send formal notices and get Imperial permission first.”

“B-but what if they ignore all that and attack without warning?”

“House Strom is favored by the Imperial family. They’d never do anything to fall out of favor.”

After hearing my explanation, Jawil Wilson began hopping up and down excitedly, raising his voice.

“How could you get into a conflict with a house favored by the Imperial family?!”

“I resolved it cleanly, so don’t worry.”

“…If it was truly resolved cleanly, why are we rebuilding the defensive formations?”

“It’s called being prepared. Lake is a small territory with weak defenses. If a monster wave occurs, the damage would be catastrophic.”

Jawil Wilson placed his shovel on the ground and made an exasperated expression.

“So we’re building defenses against a monster wave?”

“That, and just in case war breaks out, you know.”

“Haah… Even so, building defenses of this scale seems like a hasty decision…”

From Jawil Wilson’s perspective, his reaction was understandable.

We had moved a large number of oak trees to prepare for an extremely unlikely monster wave.

Oak was the best material for building defensive formations due to its hardness.

However, with the blazing sun beating down, the knights were on the verge of collapse, so it was natural for complaints to arise when I ordered them to immediately start construction.

“A hasty decision?”

I twitched my eyebrow, causing Jawil Wilson to flinch.

“N-no, that’s not what I meant… It’s just that the knights are exhausted in this heat. Perhaps when the weather cools down—”

“What if a monster wave occurs before then? Will you take responsibility?”

“…I apologize. The heat must be affecting my judgment and making me talk nonsense.”

Jawil Wilson was likely speaking on behalf of the other knights who had complaints.

The Knight Commander and Rio Sergan were the type to follow orders without question, so they wouldn’t have said anything to me directly. Among the knights here, Jawil Wilson was the closest to me.

Well, I had anticipated this situation anyway.

To quell the discontent, I called out loudly to the knights constructing the defensive formation.

“Everyone, gather around!”

With the knights assembled before me, I clasped my hands behind my back and spoke.

“I know everyone is struggling. However, this too is a form of training. Understood?”

The knights responded in dragging voices.

I curled up the corners of my mouth and continued.

“By the way, during the construction period, your wages will be doubled. Anyone who is tired or has complaints may rest now. The more people rest, the greater the reward for those who remain.”

The knights began to murmur among themselves.

How many would follow out of loyalty alone?

In times like these, money is always the best card to play.

“If we finish the defensive formation in a month and a half, what happens to our wages?”

One of the knights asked.

I folded my arms firmly and answered in a louder voice.

“Even if you finish in a month and a day, wages will be doubled for two months. You all know I’m not someone who goes back on my word, so consider your choice carefully.”

And then.

From a distance, I could hear young women from the village whispering among themselves.

-Wow! Those are knights from House Alphonse!

-Look at those muscles! They’re incredible!!

-I heard they’re building defensive formations to protect the village from danger?

-As expected… Only Young Master Alphonse and his knights care about our safety.

-But didn’t the Young Master just say that anyone who’s tired or has complaints can leave?

-Come on! As if knights of House Alphonse would give up so easily!

The knights looked troubled.

At that moment, Jawil Wilson stepped forward and, with his characteristic arrogant expression, pounded his chest forcefully and shouted.

“We are knights of House Alphonse!! We pledge our loyalty to the Young Master’s commands!!”

*

“Padericks, good work.”

“I paid the women as promised for their performance.”

“They were quite convincing earlier. Hire them again whenever the knights start to tire. Like cheerleaders, you know.”

“Understood. But… even though we’ve made tremendous profits from the Fail Fruit, is it alright to spend money so freely?”

“What’s wrong with paying knights who work hard?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Don’t worry, I’m not being careless about our finances.”

At my words, Padericks tilted his head as if remembering something.

“By the way, I noticed Jawil Wilson stepped forward and pledged his loyalty to you. Did you arrange that too?”

“No, he was actually the one with the most complaints earlier.”

“R-really?”

“You know he’s crazy about women. You should have expected that.”

Padericks gave a bitter smile and then raised his head.

“You really believe a monster wave will occur in Lake territory, don’t you?”

“Shouldn’t we always be prepared?”

“For preparation, this seems excessively costly.”

“It’s fine. The magic stones I earn from hunting are nothing to scoff at.”

Padericks sighed as if he couldn’t argue anymore.

“Actually, it’s not all bad. The villagers have heard about the new defensive formations, and your approval rating has skyrocketed.”

“Of course. Who wouldn’t appreciate someone working for their safety without any cost to them?”

“Haha, when you put it that way, you’re absolutely right.”

I adjusted my posture in my chair at Padericks’ words.

“By the way, look for capable men in the village. We’re genuinely short on manpower.”

“Should I focus on recruiting younger men?”

“Older people can contribute too. They might not be able to carry the lumber for the defensive formations, but they can dig with shovels. The village is already facing a labor shortage, so we need to help each other.”

I slammed my palm on the desk and raised my voice, causing Padericks to tilt his head again.

“You seem to be in a hurry?”

“My exile period is almost over, and I need to properly construct the defenses before then, don’t I?”

“Ah… I see. Then I’ll recruit as much manpower as possible, as you instructed.”

“Yes, and as I said before, don’t worry about the finances.”

“Understood.”

Shortly after Padericks left the study, there was another knock on the door.

Knock knock-!

“May I come in?”

A male voice that sounded both familiar and unfamiliar reached my ears.

I maintained a slight vigilance as I responded.

“Come in.”

Creeeeak-!

A man slowly opened the study door and entered.

The emblem on his armor clearly indicated House Alphonse, but why couldn’t I recognize him?

However.

His face wasn’t completely unfamiliar.

I definitely felt like I had seen him somewhere before.

I tilted my head and spoke.

“Who were you again…?”

The unidentified knight bowed slightly with a subtle smile before straightening up.

“I’m hurt. I always think about our duel, Young Master.”

I tilted my head again.

Suddenly, a memory flashed in my mind, and my eyes widened.

“…Lightner?!”

“Haha! That’s right. I’m honored that you even remember my name.”

When Baron Byron first visited Lake territory, he had told Jawil Wilson to “retire” after he lost to me.

Well, at that time, “Selden Alphonse” had a strong reputation as a good-for-nothing who never trained, so it was a reasonable statement for the head of the house to make.

Therefore.

This knight had dueled me to prove himself.

Looking at him now, he seemed to have grown a bit more muscular.

“Have you been training consistently? You seem less arrogant too.”

“Yes, all thanks to your guidance, Young Master.”

“But why are you here?”

“Ah! I’ve come to escort you back to the house. Young Master Selden has been ordered to return.”

I narrowed my brow slightly at Lightner’s words.

“Huh? I clearly told Father I wouldn’t return until my exile period was over.”

“It’s not a complete return.”

“Then?”

Lightner continued with a meaningful smile.

“It’s because the date for Young Master Leonard Alphonse’s wedding has been set.”