Chapter 190 - Episode 184: After the Victory
"The Lancel Kingdom army has crossed the Bezel Great Forest and invaded the northwestern part of the kingdom."
That fact was spread throughout the entire kingdom using the "Far-Talk" communication network of the royal court mages' dialogue magic users.
The royal family and the nobles who received the news were enveloped in shock. They trembled, realizing that things had become catastrophic.
For the Lordberg Kingdom, it was a completely unexpected surprise attack. There was no telling how much damage would occur in the northwest. For that matter, it was unclear if the damage would even be contained within the northwest. If things went poorly, it was a crisis for the very survival of the kingdom.
Not only the nobles of the northwestern faction, but those from the northeast, southwest, and even some from the southeast began to prepare their military forces in great haste. They panicked, feeling that they must send as many reinforcements as possible to fulfill their duties as kingdom nobles.
Of course, the royal family also hurried the dispatch of the kingdom army, sending reinforcements for the time being from the Ninth Legion stationed in the ducal territory at the northern tip of the kingdom.
And then, approximately one week later. Even more shocking news raced across the entire kingdom.
"The Baronet Arqvist territory, which was in the position to be first exposed to the enemy invasion, repelled the invasion single-handedly. Furthermore, they inflicted a severe wound upon the enemy nation's king, Cadne Lancel I."
Speaking of Baronet Arqvist, he was somewhat known as a promising young noble who had been promoted after showing decent activity in the previous great war. However, no matter how you looked at it, there was no way a lower-ranking noble could repel the invasion of a nation single-handedly.
Many of the nobles who heard the news initially thought it was a false report.
Next, they suspected the possibility of disinformation spread by the enemy. They thought that the Baronet Arqvist territory had long since been destroyed, the surrounding noble territories trampled, and the entire northwestern region had fallen under the influence of the Lancel Kingdom, and that the enemy might be spreading lies to throw them into confusion.
Some nobles ignored this and headed for the kingdom's northwest with their troops. Thinking that the war situation was that bad since disinformation was circulating, they hurried their march.
And when they reached the northwest—they learned that the news was neither a false report nor disinformation.
"Baronet Arqvist truly repelled the enemy on his own, and the allied forces of the northwestern nobles and the kingdom army are currently gathering and strengthening the defenses along the enemy's invasion route. The military strength is currently sufficient, so there is no problem with you returning home."
When told this face-to-face by a messenger of the kingdom army, they had no choice but to believe it and return to their territories. It was a complete waste of a trip.
After that, new information regarding the enemy invasion continued to circulate within the country, and the details of the matter gradually became clear.
...
"Ah, geez, I'm just so busy every single day. The fighting is over, so I wish they'd give me a break, seriously."
Noeina, the capital of the Baronet Arqvist territory. In the office of the lord's manor located at its southern edge, Noein was grumbling while sipping tea brewed by his beloved Matilda.
Matilda sat beside him, and Noein leaned against her without reservation, acting spoiled while she stroked his head. He even had Matilda wipe away a spill of tea from the corner of his mouth with her finger. He was like a five-year-old.
It was the height of sloppiness for an office, but since he had been buried in work recently and had only been able to take minimal rests, he hoped for some leniency.
"It can't be helped. This territory suddenly became the front line bordering the enemy nation, after all."
The one forced to accompany the lord's tea break and complaints while delivering work reports was the Chief Attendant, Yuri. Since it was already well-understood that Noein's dignity vanished completely whenever he entered rest mode and let his guard down, Yuri didn't bother pointing it out.
"I know that, but... ahh, and here I was, having done so well as a peaceful frontier territory until now."
Approximately one month had passed since the fierce battle that repelled the invasion of the Lancel Kingdom army's expeditionary force. The situation in the Arqvist territory had changed significantly. As Yuri said, this place was now the front line against the Lancel Kingdom.
"...The Lancel Kingdom, or rather, King Cadne and the military faction nobles. I wonder what will happen from here on."
"Who knows... As for King Cadne, he failed his expedition and can no longer even stand on his own two feet, so I don't think he can maintain his power."
The expedition intended as a one-shot reversal, attempted while tilting the nation, had ended in a disappointing result. On top of that, having taken the raw essence of "Angel's Nectar" directly, he would likely never be able to stand on a battlefield as a warrior again. Cadne's centripetal force must have fallen to the ground, and the momentum of the military faction nobles must have been greatly diminished.
"Right? If things go poorly, he might even be assassinated. Even if not, the military faction and other nobles will probably split, leading straight to a civil war. I can't imagine they have the leeway to launch another invasion."
"I agree with that... however, that doesn't mean we can afford not to strengthen our defenses."
"As a lord, it's not very pleasant to have many foreign armies stationed in my territory... but I guess it's unavoidable for now."
The Arqvist territory had military power considering its population size, but it was still unreliable as a front line facing an enemy nation. Inevitably, they had to accept and station the kingdom army and the armies of the northwestern faction noble territories as reinforcements.
If he wanted to resolve this situation, he had no choice but to acquire sufficient defensive power on his own.
The campsites the enemy had used during the invasion were borrowed as they were to serve as temporary front-line bases. Soldiers in the hundreds entered and exited there from outside the territory. Logistics units and purveyors who brought in the food and supplies they consumed followed. The population around the capital had temporarily surged.
Amidst this, there was much work for a lord to do: discussing matters with the commanders of the kingdom army and various noble armies who came as reinforcements, maintaining public order within the capital where the flow of people had increased, and reporting the details of this battle to the royal family. Therefore, Noein was currently very, very busy.
Since Cadne had threatened the peace of his own territory and caused such a huge commotion, his resentment toward Cadne only deepened.
"That said, it's not all bad. In fact, while the counter-invasion into the Lancel Kingdom is being carried out, we can stay within the capital."
"Well, that's true, but—"
Currently, the Lordberg Kingdom army was in the middle of a counter-invasion into the Lancel Kingdom, utilizing the invasion route Cadne had created. This was because Oscar Lordberg III judged that since they had been unilaterally attacked and were seen as weak, it was necessary to launch a counter-invasion, even if only for appearance, to show a strong posture.
However, the counter-invasion force consisted of the kingdom army and the Northwestern Noble Allied Army commanded by Count Marcel, who had rushed over from afar. The only ones accompanying from the Arqvist territory were Jeremy, who volunteered because he wanted to be helpful as someone familiar with the enemy's geography, and Radley, who accompanied them as the representative of the Arqvist territory army.
The reason Noein was able to avoid sending his own army for the invasion operation into the enemy nation was precisely because he permitted the stationing of the kingdom army and the allied army within his territory. For now, it was better to honestly accept reinforcements from outside.
"...How much military strength would we need to be able to handle the border defense with our territory alone?"
"...In terms of simple troop numbers, wouldn't we need one legion of 1,000 men? To support that... we'd need a population of at least ten thousand."
"Uwah, how many years will that take?"
Noein's face became crestfallen. The current population of the Arqvist territory was just over 1,500 people. The goal was far too distant.
"But, for example, if we build a fort at the current front-line base position and deploy a large number of Ballistas, or gather and train more golem users to increase the number of Claymores, we can compensate for the lack of troop numbers. It would be more realistic to expand our military strength in that direction."
"Ah, that's an option. If so, it seems like we could get it ready within a few years."
As Noein nodded, looking slightly relieved by Yuri's realistic proposal, there was a modest knock on the door of the lord's office.
"Dear, do you have a moment right now?"
"Clara. Yes, come in."
Hearing Noein's reply, Clara opened the door and entered the room. Seeing the sight of Noein leaning against Matilda and acting spoiled, a smile appeared on her face. Noticing this, Matilda smiled back at Clara.
Yuri, witnessing this scene, made a subtle face. A head of a noble house who acts completely spoiled toward a slave, and a wife who smiles while watching it, was quite strange from the perspective of the kingdom's social common sense. These three were likely satisfied with it, and it was too late to point it out now, though.
"Clara, did something happen?"
"Actually, a messenger from the royal family arrived a moment ago. They said they came to deliver a letter from His Majesty the King... For the time being, I have attended to them and shown them into the drawing room."
"I see, thank you... They've already come, huh."
Hearing it was a messenger from the royal family, Noein muttered. Yuri also wore a face that suggested he understood the situation.
Reports regarding the battle with the Lancel Kingdom army were being made through the "Far-Talk" communication network of the dialogue magic users employed by the royal family, so there was no need for an exchange of letters. In such a situation, the fact that a messenger specifically brought a letter meant it was almost certainly that.
Talk of a reward for his military achievements.
"It'll be a problem if we keep the royal messenger waiting too long. Let's all go right away."
The lord and his wife, the adjutant in the role of guard, and the chief attendant. As a lineup to meet a messenger from the royal family, the people present here were more than sufficient.
Noein, wearing a slightly reluctant expression, lifted his body from where he had been leaning on Matilda, stood up, and headed toward the drawing room.