Chapter 329 - Episode 321: The Final Stage
Late June. While proceeding with inspections of various areas and discussions with those responsible for practical operations, the place Noein visited on this day was the building of the Grand Ducal Noeina Hospital, which would soon officially begin operations.
"Welcome, Your Excellency Arqvist. How has your wife's condition been since we last spoke?"
"Thank you for greeting me, Selfers-sensei. Clara is doing well, both mother and child. Liris has been taking good care of her."
In front of the two-story hospital, which had grown significantly in scale compared to the previous clinic, Noein was greeted by the physician Selfers. As words of concern for the pregnant Clara's health came along with the greeting, Noein answered while thinking that he was truly a doctor.
Selfers, who had migrated to this land at ninety and initially flourished as the sole physician, was now in his late nineties. Although he was a quarter-elf who maintained a youthfulness beyond that of an ordinary human, he did give the impression of having aged since the time they first met. Even so, in terms of appearance, he looked to be about seventy in human years.
And even among the people of the territory, Noein still could not drop the polite speech specifically for him. To a lord, a skilled physician who remains within the territory is special. When considering how much he had looked after himself, his family, his vassals, and his people, he could not help but show respect.
"That is the best possible news. As the teacher who taught her medicine, it is a joy to see Liris's achievements... Now then, let us proceed inside the hospital."
"Yes, please."
Led by Selfers, Noein entered the hospital.
Inside, where preparations for the opening were underway, several doctors, including Liris, were giving instructions to assisting nuns and laborer slaves who were busily working—carrying desks, shelves, and beds, or storing surgical tools and medicines in the already installed shelves.
"As per the prior plan, this hospital will be able to perform most medical acts, including surgeries, on multiple people simultaneously. Furthermore, we have facilities capable of admitting up to thirty patients. Our ability to respond to wars or epidemics will also be greatly improved. This is only possible because of Your Excellency's understanding and support. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"I am glad. As the head of a nation, preparing an environment where the people can receive good medical care is an important duty. I will continue to provide as much support as possible so that you doctors can exert your full potential."
In order to maintain independence as a nation over the long term, Noein considered medical care to be as important as military and education.
If the medical system could not be completed within a single nation, the Grand Duchy of Arqvist would be fragile. It would become a gap for other countries to exploit. That was exactly why Noein, while incorporating Selfers's opinions, had gathered as much equipment as possible.
"I have worked as a physician in several noble territories until now, but I have never had such an understanding of medical care. In terms of the fact that anyone can receive medical treatment regardless of the difference between rich and poor, it could be said that the Grand Duchy of Arqvist is the best country in the world."
"The health of the people eventually leads to the strength of the nation. This is also one of my own efforts to protect the Grand Duchy."
In the future, he intended to subsidize a percentage of the hospital's medical expenses from the Grand Duchy's budget, and once the transit trade got on track and vast income began to flow in, he planned to make medical expenses completely free for the citizens.
Besides showing benevolence to the people, there was also the merit of population maintenance; if the people could visit the hospital casually, diseases would be discovered at an early stage, reducing the number of those who die young from illness.
"Now then, I shall explain the various facilities and the operational system in detail."
"Yes, please do."
Afterward, while touring the interior of the hospital with Selfers, Noein received an explanation regarding the establishment and operation of the medical system from peacetime to emergency situations.
...
"You lot, work briskly! Your Excellency Arqvist is visiting for an inspection today!"
Mid-July. Visiting to inspect the improvement work of the Bezel Road, further west of the Aspida Fortress, Noein watched Alain, who was shouting vigorously, and the puppet mages, territorial army soldiers, and day laborers working according to his voice.
The Bezel Road was a path where weeds and stones had been removed, soil piled up, and then trampled flat, but currently, work was being carried out to further expand the road width and clear the forests to the left and right of the road more than before to increase visibility and safety.
"...I am sorry. Alain-san has gotten strangely fired up just because Noein-sama is coming for an inspection."
"Hahaha, don't worry about it. Rather, if my coming increases their motivation, then the inspection was worth it."
Noein answered with a light laugh to Cecilia, the guide, who had a sorry expression on her face.
"Looking at this, does it mean things are progressing a bit faster than the original plan?"
"Yes. We will be able to finish the planned improvements with plenty of time to spare before the independence of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist. Thanks to everyone getting used to the work, efficiency has improved considerably compared to the beginning."
The improvement of the Bezel Road was being carried out from the edges of both the Arqvist territory and the Kingdom of Lancel, and separately, the Kingdom of Lancel was said to be constructing lodging facilities for trade merchants at the midpoint of the road—one of the campsites created when Cadne carried out his personal expedition.
For the ceremony accompanying independence, Queen Henrietta would visit as a guest from the Kingdom of Lancel. At that time, their current national power would likely be measured by how many kilometers of the road from the Aspida Fortress to the west had been improved.
Therefore, this work handled by the puppet mages and laborers had a meaning beyond mere road improvement. And they were showing performance that exceeded Noein's expectations.
"I see, that's for the best... The fortification of Noeina and the improvement of the roads connecting to Kilde and the pioneer villages—I've been relying entirely on the Claymore for the major development work. I've put you all through a lot of hardship."
Toward independence, Noein was also proceeding with the fortification of Noeina, which would become the capital.
Renovating the stone walls to be higher and more robust, installing watchtowers and scaffolding so that arrows could be fired from atop the walls, and creating new embrasures beside each gate so that ballistas could fire outward. Since these tasks were not things that could be finished in less than a year, the work was expected to be carried out over the next few years, prioritizing the areas around the East and West gates where the possibility of battle was high.
Even in such work, the members of the Claymore were exerting the strength of a hundred men in tasks such as transporting stone materials.
"That's not the case at all. Rather, we are grateful to be given the opportunity to show that the Claymore are useful entities even in peacetime. We often talk among ourselves that it's important not only to be a deterrent to neighboring countries or a combat force for patrolling the forests, but also to achieve results that are visible to the eyes of the territorial people like this."
Noein raised an eyebrow in slight surprise at Cecilia's words, and then smiled.
"As a lord, it makes me happy that you all think about things to that extent on your own."
"Thank you. It was Gustav-san who first called on us to have that kind of awareness."
"Was that so. As expected of the captain."
Gustav, the captain of the Claymore who would become an honorary knight upon the independence of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist, was not only skilled in golem operation but was also serious and intelligent by nature. He did not have a flashy personality, but he possessed the leadership to carefully call upon his surrounding comrades to have an ambition for improvement.
That was why Noein entrusted him with the position of captain of the Claymore, and was currently entrusting him as the responsible instructor dispatched to Lichthagen in response to the request of the Rhodeberg royal family.
"If things go according to plan, Gustav and the others' work in the royal capital will be finished in about three more months, right?"
"I want them to come back quickly. It seems the role of acting captain was a bit too heavy for me after all... I can't do it as well as Gustav-san."
"Do you think so? Cecilia, you've been doing more than enough. You're good at observing the state of those around you. I think you have a talent in a different way than Gustav."
"I'm saved by you saying that, Noein-sama... Ah, Radley-san and the others have returned."
Looking in the direction Cecilia pointed, Radley's squad, who had gone out to patrol the forests around the road, had just returned and were walking this way while calling out to Alain, who was at the forefront of the improvement site.
Noticing that their lord had come for an inspection, Radley and the others stopped in front of Noein and saluted. Noein also returned the salute lightly and told them to relax.
Jeremy, whose position as Radley's adjutant had now become established, locked eyes with Cecilia, and they both averted their gazes somewhat unnaturally. Noein pretended not to notice this and spoke to Radley.
"Good work. Any change in the state of the forest?"
"Yep. It's quiet since we've hunted them all out near the road. At this rate, the guests from the Kingdom of Lancel next month should be able to pass through without any problems."
"That's good. If the king of the neighboring country can feel the safety of the roads within the territory, the prospects for trade will also improve."
Ensuring the safety of the roads within the territory was strictly a duty of effort, and since she was the queen of a nation, she would likely be surrounded by carefully selected guards, so there was no worry even in the unlikely event of trouble, but still, it was best for her to come without encountering monsters.
If no dangerous monsters appeared on the road, it would be thought of as a safe land where management is thorough.
"The intensive patrols will end within this month. I don't think the monsters' territories will change by several kilometers in the half-month or so after August begins, so I think we'll return to the usual periodic patrols."
"That's no problem... One more month, huh. It felt long, yet it passed in the blink of an eye."
The minimum necessary preparations for the founding of the nation were nearly complete, and all that remained was to wait for the day of independence.
And then, about one month later, in mid-August. As planned, the time for the founding of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist arrived.