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“Uhmm…*ehem*, *ehem*. We are currently recruiting for the military!”
Roswald announces as he gathers the villagers. The villagers look at each other.
“They’re taking in soldiers?” (In a conscription context)
“As expected, this lord also…….”
“Well, this isn’t a place without conscription after all…”
“Please don’t let me be picked…”
The villagers rustle into commotion.
Roswald dispels it by coughing loudly.
“This is military recruitment. We will not be taking soldiers compulsorily. I will now state the terms! Lia, please give me the paper.” (Roswald)
Roswald reads the recruitment terms.
“Let’s see…We are looking for male recruits, aged 15 to 40. The salary would be paid in wheat. Bring your own weapons. Prospective candidates without weapons can still apply as you will be lent weapons by the Ars Clan. Should you be commissioned, you will be required to reside in the vicinity of the palace. Every day you will be subjected to training. You will also be assigned to rotational border protection duties. Should you be commissioned, you will not be subjected to dismissal except in cases of traumatic amputation or illness. Furthermore, in case that it has become necessary for you to retire due to old age, injury, or illness you will be provided with severance pay. Applicants must state their intent to the village chief within two weeks. We are looking to fill 530 slots. Should the applicants exceed that number, then we will conduct examinations. That is all!”
The villagers rustle again into commotion as soon as they heard Roswald’s words.
“This means it’s not compulsory!?”
“Yahoo!!”
“Hmmm, what should I do. They’ll pay me a salary so should I try joining?”
“It’s bothersome to do farming after all…but they’ll need you to change residence….”
“I’m scared to die so…”
Roswald coughs loudly again.
Thus, the villagers’ fixed their attention at him once more.
“We have another announcement different from the military recruitment!”
Roswald receives another paper from Lia. He reads the announcement loudly.
“Should there be orphans in the village…children without parents aged 15 below…they are hereby required to be brought to the palace!” (Roswald)
“Uhm…why would that be?” (Random villager)
“I also don’t know (In other words, it’s not something you need to know!)” (Roswald)
“….The official stance and the real motive might get reversed you know?” (Lia)
Roswald closes his mouth in confusion as he heard Lia say that. He then glares at the villagers.
“In any case!!! It’s ordered by the lord after all!!” (Roswald)
Roswald disperses the crowd as if to evade the topic.
At a certain mountain somewhere in the Ars Territory…A certain beast exists.
It has skin that can’t be pierced by normal arrows.
It has fangs and nails as sharp as razor.
It has a sense of smell superior to that of a dog.
Furthermore, it has strength that can beat down even a tree.
This beast…is the brown bear, currently busy looking for honey.
No matter how determined the honey bees sting the bear with their stingers, the beast remains unaffected.
The bear finishes eating the honey. It raises its head to return to its nest.
At that moment, an arrow pierces its face. It strikes the eye, penetrating its head. It falls as it releases a deafening sound.
“We cannot thank you enough, Sir Gram.” (Random village chief)
“Please. I’m just doing my duty. A bear that has tasted human flesh is dangerous after all and needs to be killed.”
Gram answers with a grin.
He passed by the village in order to proclaim the recruitment and orphan orders. Upon arriving, he learned about the bear and was requested to eliminate it.
Since he was on duty, he immediately went back to eliminate the bear after receiving permission from Almis.
“As for the rewards…” (chief)
“Ah, just give me the bear’s pelt. Please keep everything else.” (Gram)
The villagers let out voices of surprise as they heard Gram’s reply.
From the very beginning, the bear and its pelt were Gram’s since it was him who killed it. Taking it for himself was only natural. Furthermore, rewards in the form of grain, liquor, or women are usually demanded.
“Is that so?….By the way Sir Gram, how many servants do you have in your estate?” (chief)
“Huh? No…I don’t have any…” (Gram)
Gram bewilderedly replies. The village chief laughs with a broad grin.
“Then by all means, won’t you please receive my fourth daughter as your humble servant?” (chief)
“Huh? Uhmm…” (Gram)
Lulu cuts in the conversation as Gram was troubled how to reply.
“No, thank you.” (Lulu)
“Eh? Ah, no…I was asking Sir Gram but…”
“Hah?” (TL Note: Female Death Stare)
“Ah, no. I didn’t say anything!” (chief)
The village chief retreats from Lulu’s vigor.
Using that opportunity, Lulu pulls on Gram’s ear and drags him away from the village.
“Understand? It’s the chief’s plan to make his daughter close to you under the guise of a servant in order to have you get her pregnant when given the chance! Don’t ever fall for it!” (Lulu)
“But….I kind of think it’s about time I get a servant……look, I just received recently…..” (Gram) (TL Note: I couldn’t understand the last part so I winged it. “最近貰ったばっかだし”, Correct me if I’m wrong but I think he’s implying to a mansion he recently received.)
“Then I’ll live with you and do the household chores for you. We sorcerers are free in peaceful times after all! Isn’t it fine this way?” (Lulu)
“Eh!…But….” (Gram)
As Gram hesitates, Lulu glares angrily at him.
“You have a problem with that?” (Lulu)
“No, Ma’m!” (Gram)
While this exchange was happening, about 10 kids ran towards Gram and Lulu.
“Uhm, Excuse us! Please, we also want to become soldiers!” (Kid)
“I’m sorry, but no matter how you look at it, you guys are less than 15 years old.” (Gram)
Gram smiles bitterly. No matter how you look at it, everyone here are below 15 years old. Furthermore, there are even girls.
“But!…” (Kid)
“Right now, all you can do is eat properly so you can become big and strong. Once you turn 15, by all means, come and join us.” (Gram)
Gram strokes the children’s heads as he declares.
He then mutters as he looks at the children taking their leave.
“If children like that increased and our army becomes larger in size, then Almis-san too can succeed further.” (Gram)
“Yes. But the sorcerers, not just the army, are important too, okay?” (Lulu)
The two looks at each other and laughs.
The orphans are gathered before me. No, I had them gathered before me. Everyone is looking uneasy.
Now then…
I look at them and raise my voice.
“I have two choices for everyone gathered here. First, you can come live here in this mansion. Here you will study martial arts, arithmetic, and the Cretian Language. In the future, we will have you work as knights. The other, you can come back home to your villages. We won’t mind whichever you choose. We will not criticize you.” (Almis)
I dispatched tax collectors throughout my territory to collect the taxes. I also have them organize various official documents. In other words, petty bureaucracy.
However, you always need excellent people for the bureaucracy. It might be alright for now, but after several years, Ron and the guys would become weak old grandpa’s and grandma’s and then tax collection would be out of the question.
You always need new talented people.
The problem is how to gather them. To start with, the first method is to hold examinations then gather up the excellent.
But this method is rejected on the spot. Why? Because the only people who could take exams are those who could read and write. Problem is, there are no such people.
The second method, is to gather children who want to learn. I was deeply troubled with this. But I ended up rejecting it anyway.
In the first place, few parents understand the value of scholarship so I won’t be able to gather the children. I can only gather those who understand scholarship to some extent, and those who can manage to lose some labor…In other words, only the sons and daughters of village chiefs.
The natural enemy of the village chief is the tax collector. What kind of village chief would send his sons and daughters to become his own tax collector enemy?
And from there, I thought about gathering orphans and making them into bureaucrats. You would be able to save orphans while gathering personnel at the same time. It’s an operation hitting two birds with one stone.
Nevertheless, there are also dirty little reasons for this.
First, there’s no risk of external influences since they don’t have family anymore. Second, there is little risk they would betray me, the person who would raise them, the person who they embrace with gratitude.
Although they don’t have any proof of superior ability…It’s not like I’m making them do work the same level as what the modern era’s Japanese bureaucrats would do.
So long as they could read and write Cretian as well as do arithmetic then they’re good enough.
If I narrow the subjects down to only these two, then the children should be able to master them by the time they turn 15.
“How about it?” (Almis)
I ask them once more.
“Those who want to return to their hometowns, raise your hands. I will respect your decision.” (Almis)
Hands are raised, scattered among the children.
About a third of the children raised their hands. A lot less than I expected.
Well, even if they came back at their villages, they would be nothing but dependents. If you stayed, you are assured of a great social status. So I guess it’s hardly surprising that a lot of children chose to stay here.
“Then can I leave them under the care of Lulu and Soyon? Although me and Tetra will also look after them from time to time. Is that okay? (Almis)
“That’s okay, you know!”
“Well, if it’s just housework in our sparetime.”
They’ve accepted.
There are also reasons why the two girls were chosen as the children’s attendants. First, the girls’ ability to help people. Second, they are sorcerers so they’re basically free in times of peace. Furthermore, the two are not officially tax collectors. Though they do help once in a while, their main occupation is sorcerer.
If bureaucrat training is done by bureaucrats, then that would be a problem. Once they develop a teacher-student relationship, covering up for the mistakes of the superior or of the subordinate tend to happen. This is a big problem for an organization.
Therefore, I chose the two who are sorcerers and not official bureaucrats.
I’ve also become a rotten being. (TL Note: I feel you bro. I’m feeling strange vibes reading this, you know.)
Alright, now that the matter is taken care of, I need to entertain a guest.
“Good day, Lord Almis Ars. My name is Ismere.”
“I am Yang Qingming.” (TL Note: Author did not give katakana for this name so it’s either Yang Qingming (Chinese) or You Senmei (Japanese). It’s probably the latter, but I’m gonna stand with the previous translator cause the character comes from the Scarlet Empire a.k.a. China)
The man-woman pair bow their heads and greet me.
A woman calling herself Ismere is without doubt a Cretian. But this man named Yang Qingming, what could be his nationality? Though the name sounds Asian…
Yang Qingming laughs and answers as he understood the strange face I made.
“I come from the far-east, from the Scarlet Empire which everyone calls the Silk Kingdom. Yang is my last name while Qingming is my first name.” (Qingming)
Silk Kingdom…..Never heard of it huh.
Am I just a country bumpkin?
“If I’m not mistaken, you want employment. Is that what you wished?” (Almis)
The two bow deeply as I asked.
“I went on a journey aiming for the farthest sea and…I accomplished that goal just a month ago. Thus, I thought I should make my writings into a book. I got to know about the thing called paper that would make that possible. I possess the Divine Protection of Language so I can speak any language. I’m also proud of my skill at mathematics. I guarantee I’ll be of much use.” (Qingming)
“I see. In exchange for working for me, you want paper. You’ll also want necessities until you finish your writing your book. Is that correct?”
Qingming grins as he bows.
“That is correct. As expected of the hero rumored to be raised by Griffon-sama.” (Qingming)
Hey, don’t believe those rumors.
Right now, they’re being rapidly and ridiculously embellished! To the level of breathing fire while flying and growing dorsal fins on the back!
“And then you?” (Almis)
Ismere hands me a parchment as she explains her expertise.
“I am an architect. I can plan and invent several defensive devices and facilities. I can also plan comfortable residences.” (Ismere)
In that parchment, she drew plans of various structures as well as their finished illustrations.
Hmm, this is good, huh.
Our fort at the De Morgal Kingdom border is made of wood. I think it’s quite undependable.
However…
“We only match a little in technological strength so why have you come to me? There are other places more fitting, like King Rosyth or King De Morgal.”
Of all places, would you normally have come to mine?
“No, I thought that the you, the hero who is son of the great Griffon, would be able to master my architecture.” (Ismere)
“You’re lying.” (Almis)
Ismere begins to shake in fear, surprised by my assertion.
“See, as I thought, it’s better to tell him the truth.” (Qingming)
As she hears this, Ismere begins to tell the truth with teary eyes.
“Actually….”
If I were to summarize what she said….
It seems she was rejected by all the others besides me.
She got rejected because she’s a woman. They also have enough architects. (TL Note: I wish I knew this before I trained as one.) Furthermore, they couldn’t understand what she was saying in the Cretian language.
Well, surely there already are architects in the courts of prominent kings. Furthermore, they’re Adernian.
It’s not like I don’t understand the kings of each kingdom who think they don’t understand the necessity of intentionally hiring a woman, especially a woman who couldn’t understand them.
Though it was unexpected that King Rosyth would reject her. I thought that if it was King Rosyth, then he’d happily welcome her since he’s able to speak Cretian after all.
When I asked about that….
“I was told by King Rosyth that it would be better if I went to you….” (Ismere)
What curious turn of events is that? I don’t understand.
However….
“Then that would be fine. I understand. I’ll hire you.” (Almis)
“Really!?” (Ismere)
“Yes. We’ll negotiate about the salary later. Also give me designs that correspond to reality, okay?”
Ismere bows deeply as I declared so.