episode_0091
by fnovelpia
91. Harvest
It’s time to gradually wrap up the construction site.
We barred entry while the bridge was being built to prevent ordinary people from getting hurt.
But now, we begin cleaning up meticulously, retrieving everything one by one.
Worried there might be overlooked parts, I personally ran across the bridge to inspect it.
“Perfect.”
No matter how many times I check, the imposing bridge stands firm and safe.
A satisfied smile spread across my face.
Not only that, but I even landscaped the area around the bridge like a park.
Benches where multiple people can sit.
A breathtaking view where the beautiful bridge and the wide river can be seen at a glance.
“I should whisper to Adele noona later—tell her to open a café here.”
A café with a Han River view?
She’d surely rake in a fortune.
Feeling thoroughly satisfied, I sat on a bench and took in the fruits of my labor.
A 15-story apartment building.
Vast golden fields ripe with crops.
A city alive with laughter and cheerful songs.
The scent of chicken meat supplied to the market thanks to the poultry farm made mouths water all across the city.
Leaning back against the bench, I gently closed my eyes.
“September is coming soon.”
Time to taste the sweet fruits blossomed from guano fertilizer.
Weather neither too cold nor too hot, accompanied by a pleasant breeze.
As I sat on the bench, sticky sleep tempted my eyelids shut.
Just as I was about to succumb to that pleasant temptation and drift away….
A voice pulled me back from sleep.
“Here you are. Muldae?”
It was Adela, who had suddenly dropped by today.
She plopped her pert buttocks right next to where I was sitting with a cheerful ease.
Then, she quietly smoked a cigarette beside me, passing the time in silence.
She’s a brilliant strategist.
So carefully, I posed a question.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Not really.”
Adela exhaled a puff of smoke and answered bluntly.
Leaning against the bench like me, she muttered something to herself.
“Nice city. It’s much better than when I last saw it.”
“Last time?”
Come to think of it, wasn’t she Erica’s first strategist?
A senior who joined before me….
Noticing my puzzled expression, Adela grinned mischievously with evident amusement.
“What? That delinquent never told you about me?”
“This is my first time hearing it.”
“Hmm~♪”
Adela hummed happily, for some reason.
Then, she slid off her glasses and flashed a sly smile before asking:
“Do you know why Erica was demoted to Count?”
Come to think of it, I’ve never heard about it?
Everyone just calls her the former Duchess….
Seeing my reaction, Adela giggled with mischief dancing in her eyes.
“Back then… Well, when that delinquent was 18. Four years ago.”
“Yes.”
“She beat Oh Yeong-je’s cousin to death with a club.”
What?!
She killed him *directly*, not by giving orders?
Of course, I know Erica is as strong as an A-rank adventurer, but still….
That cold-bloodedness….
Wait, now that I think about it, it makes sense.
She has a cold personality, but at the same time, she’s highly emotional.
Come to think of it, after living with her, she’s more of a mood-driven type….
“At the time, she became an imperial criminal and was put on a bounty. Then she got caught by me…”
“Caught?”
“I helped her escape.”
So that’s how it was.
That’s why she calls her a delinquent.
Adela giggled as if reminiscing about a mischievous past and continued.
“The sight back then was downright hilarious… If you were facing a 100% execution scenario, what would you do?”
“I’d probably weep and bang my head.”
“Right! That’s the normal reaction! But that shameless bastard didn’t even beg for an honorable death or cry her eyes out.”
Then, Adela grabbed my hand and pulled it up.
She told me to imagine my wrist was a prison bar and lifted it vertically.
Leaning her head against my forearm, she smirked slyly.
“Hey! I’ll cut you a deal, ‘kay? How ‘bout I split your bounty three ways?”
She really said that?
That’s some impressive guts.
Seeing my stunned face, she laughed heartily, enjoying my reaction.
Then, as the story reached its end….
“Keuk…! Even though she took my help… Really, she went back to her family and swallowed House Grace whole.”
“But you said she was sentenced to death?”
“As if! You think they’d actually execute a titled noble? Especially a ducal house?”
Ah….
Erica only faced the death sentence when she *wasn’t* a titled noble.
Back then, she was just another noble family’s daughter.
Heirs could always be replaced—if Erica died, Vivian, Adele, or Luna would’ve taken over.
But once she became the head of House Grace, execution became impossible.
After all, it was a great house ruling over the colossal territory of Redmain.
Practically a king in all but name….
“Did Count Erica’s father intervene? To save his daughter?”
“Yeah, right~. He’s not a bad guy, but if a state criminal child shows up and goes, ‘Hey! Give me the family so I can live!’ who’d oblige?”
That’s insane.
It’s both audacious and brilliantly calculated.
“So, she avoided execution but got demoted to a measly Count. Keke… Should’ve seen the looks on Oh Yeong-je and his dogs!”
Adela chuckled as if reliving a particularly amusing past.
She flicked away her cigarette, now smoked down to the filter.
“That’s when I thought: Ah~ This woman’s no ordinary person!
No common noble destined to die as just another interchangeable number!”
She stood up and brushed imaginary dust off her pert backside.
With a smirk, she shared her final assessment of Erica with me.
“In peaceful times, she’s a capable servant; in chaotic times, a cunning hero!
In peacetime, she’d loaf around under competent nobles and die comfortably.
But in turbulent eras? She’d carve her name into history.
Why *wouldn’t* I follow her?”
In peaceful times (治世), a capable servant.
In chaotic times (亂世), a cunning hero.
Adela grinned and declared—
“That’s why I like that delinquent.”
Then, she offered me a hand up.
I smiled faintly and replied—
“I like the Count too.”
I took Adela’s outstretched hand.
She tugged lightly, and I rose without resistance.
Then, I added one last thing—
“Except when she piles on too much work.”
“Hahaha! Same here!”
Somehow, I feel like she and I would get along well.
────────────────────
That night.
Everyone was summoned to Erica’s office.
The martial officers—Vivian, Adele, Luna, Jet, and Penrose.
The civil officers—Aris, Isobel, Adela, Lucarion, and even me.
In the gathered assembly,
Erica, seated at the head, declared—
“War begins now.”
The strategists nodded, but the martial officers looked puzzled.
Understandable, since mobilizing for war so suddenly was abrupt.
Yet, no one panicked or spoke out of turn—proof of their deep loyalty.
Erica waited for the room to settle.
After a brief silence, her briefing began.
Why the war was necessary and what justification they had.
“Damn it… That senile old man embezzled our guano?”
“I’ll scrape together as much war funding as I can.”
“I’ll focus on training.”
“Hahaha! Never thought I’d go to war with all my sisters!”
Vivian, Adele, Luna, and Jet.
Each began preparing for war in their own capacity.
“Currently, no one will aid Ternova.
Intel suggests that provoking our lord is just… well…
They’re scrambling to seize Zarmark and Silvania—land above and below us.
Naturally, their honor and reputation are in the gutter, so reinforcements won’t be an issue.”
“Hmm… The terrain here is mostly flat. Fitting for the Empire’s ‘breadbasket.’
Lacking mountainous defenses, and the enemy’s military is even weaker…
Siege warfare will be key.”
“Still, if we take this land, future food worries vanish.”
“Hahaha! With you youngsters working hard, this old man can rest easy!”
Aris considered the war on a broader scale.
Isobel analyzed the immediate battlefield.
Adela contemplated future maneuvers.
Each strategist fulfilled their role as Erica’s eyes.
“This war will be total. Remember that.”
Total war.
Past conflicts were child’s play in comparison.
Leading 8,000 in a surprise attack or joining an allied force of 2,000.
This was on a whole different level.
Understanding the weight of the order, everyone’s expressions turned grave.
Vivian, the logistics officer, cautiously raised her hand.
“How many troops are we mobilizing?”
Erika answered in a solemn tone—
“2.2 million soldiers. 20,000 knights.”
“So, about three-fourths.”
A world where both men and women wield magic equally.
And a population boosted by land six times larger than China.
Numbers like these were feasible.
As if sensing the room’s unspoken questions, Isobel raised her hand next.
“Where will our liege advance, milady?”
“Zarmark.”
“Why start… there…?”
The military specialist’s doubt spilled out, but…
Aris, her relative, cut in and explained in simpler terms.
“We currently have two casus belli.”
“Two?”
“One is political—retaliating against Zarmark, now part of Erica Grace’s domain.”
“Right. That’s our core justification. Though everyone in the Empire sees through it.”
Aris nodded and continued—
“The second is to display our loyalty—that Erica Grace doesn’t abandon allies.”
“Ah! So, it’s propaganda? Telling the whole Empire, ‘Erica Grace stands by her friends!’?”
“Correct. The best war is won without bloodshed. Surrenders may be frequent.”
Now I understood.
But Erica smirked, as if there was one more reason.
She posed a question to Aris, the most politically astute among them.
“One more thing. Zarmark’s nobles—magicians. What are they like?”
“From what I heard in my youth, they’re erudite but… elderly.”
“Stubborn old fools!”
Adela folded her arms and snorted, cigarette still dangling.
Despite her crass words, Erica nodded in deep agreement.
“Right. Stubborn, war-ignorant old bastards.”
“So then….”
“Answer me this. Would those geeks see me as their master?”
Aris fell silent.
Would those stubborn elders accept Erica as their ruler?
If asked, I’d guess no.
Why are they stubborn in the first place?
Though I’ve never met them, to stubborn elders, their own beliefs are absolute.
They wouldn’t easily change… much less genuinely follow a young ruler.
Why do they bow to Erica now?
Because Ternova threatens them. They bend out of necessity.
In their minds, they’d probably praise themselves as pragmatic for yielding temporarily.
But if Ternova’s crisis passed…?
“They’d sooner betray me than not.”
“Astute observation.”
Aris bowed at Erica’s sharp remark.
The silence that followed suggested everyone shared the same thought.
“Hence, Zarmark must be dealt with first.”
“To demonstrate military might?”
“Half-right.”
Erica smirked cryptically. Moments later, she revealed the truth—
“Once I lop off the heads of roughly 300,000 Ternova soldiers and deliver them,
don’t you think those geezers will kneel on their own?”
…Well, that’s terrifying.
Even the most stubborn old men would learn to fear Erica after that.
A bit brutal, but it’s not like she’s threatening Zarmark’s elders directly….
The strategists accepted it as both a warning and assurance that the old men wouldn’t interfere.
They would wage total war, marching 2.2 million toward Zarmark.
Phase one: apply pressure by skirmishing along Zarmark’s borders and wiping out their forces.
With the basic framework set, the meeting progressed… Mostly delegating tasks under Erica’s direction.
“Vivian.”
“I know. Stockpile rations and supplies.”
“Good. Prioritize equipment upkeep and supply troop training.
With over a million troops, field kitchens are a must.”
The logistics officer now had clear duties.
“Adele.”
“How much funding?”
“8,400 gold.”
Roughly 84 billion in modern value.
A staggering sum, but Adele shrugged casually.
“Sorry to burden you.”
“I already told you—I’m all in for you. My money *is* yours.”
“Right. Love you, Adele.”
“Hehe, me too~♡”
Their definitions of ‘love’ might differ, but…
Adele, the defensive general and treasurer.
“Jet. Drill the cavalry thoroughly.”
“Understood, my liege.”
“You’re Grace’s spear. Don’t break.”
“As you command.”
The usually boyish Jet now spoke with solemn gravity.
Erica added one more task for him.
“Ah, right. Lien? That kid’s got potential.”
“Oh?”
“Marked her as a future general candidate.
While training cavalry, evaluate her command skills too.”
Wow… Seems like Lien left quite an impression on Erica.
Hard to believe she was my training camp batchmate.
Just as I felt a pang of pride, Erica turned to me.
Huh? Shouldn’t Luna be next?
“My fox.”
“Yes?”
“And Luna.”
“Here.”
Erica called both of us, then laid out our roles.
“Luna will naturally command the central forces.”
“Understood.”
“And work alongside my fox here—put her to use.”
Me?
She clarified before I could misunderstand.
“Strategists can scheme all they want, but field execution falls to generals, no?”
“True.”
“So, if you need hot-air balloons, cannons… or anything new, roll my fox into it.
Devise tactics for mass troop deployment.
Even beyond that, mingling with soldiers and inspecting barracks might spark ideas.”
“By your will.”
My role was assigned.
Now, I’d be grinding alongside troops.
With Luna, no less….
I peeked at her subtly.
Boyish short hair and an aloof face.
Her stiff, doll-like speech didn’t make friendship seem easy.
After nine months in Grace’s army, we’re still awkward….
Honestly, I’d rather stick with Vivian or Adele….
*Chomp.*
The two women licked their lips while staring at me like wolves eyeing meat behind bars.
Upon reflection, Luna doesn’t seem so bad.
At least I’ll sleep soundly.
Even if all women are beasts, Luna’s different.
Mhm.
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