Unbending Tasks And Inviolable Principles (8)

I heard that it was a distance of a little over 20 days by fast carriage from our domain to the battlefield. While that meant war was breaking out at a very close location, conversely, it also meant the war was happening at a place that far away.

Perhaps that was why?

Although it felt a bit distant, I was able to prepare the supplies more calmly thanks to that, and by viewing only the Imperial Army sent to the capital of Atoon—where the power struggle between Atoon and the Empire was current—and the regions previously managed by Atoon as serious situations, I could prepare to distribute the supplies appropriately between those two locations.

Furthermore, the merchants who were to play the most important role in this matter had also accepted my proposal.

“To the merchant companies that deliver the goods and bring back a record showing they were received by the local officials, I will grant a one-time opportunity to freely purchase goods. Furthermore, considering the service fee and the portion that can be called hazard pay, I will provide the items 10% cheaper, so please consider it carefully.”

This became the tool I used to command the Continent’s Seven Great Merchant Companies, and because the content stated there was no limit on quantity—even if it was only once—the merchants were so focused that mobilizing all the carriages they brought was not enough, and some even went as far as custom-ordering carts and wagons from the domain’s workshops.

I could be certain that with the volume of medicine delivered through them, we would not be pushed back unless that lofty Demon King invaded.

As all preparations were being made, I left the Lord’s Manor alone to embark on the fortress production, and when all the fortresses were completed, I watched the last group of merchants depart while desperately hoping the work would proceed according to plan, having moved near the Forest of the Demon Dragon with 5,000 selected beastkin with superior combat abilities.

“Seeing everyone gathered like this, there truly are many different beastkin tribes, aren’t there?”

Upon hearing my words, Demina spoke as if there used to be even more in the past. However, I hadn’t gathered them for small talk today, and since the purpose was to educate and train them on the objects called firearms, I intended to devote myself to them seriously for a while.

Everyone watched me as I stood upon the platform. They were personnel I had gathered by saying there would be education and training for the purpose of a defense force in the event a war broke out, and since beastkin of both genders were combat personnel, I had gathered them based only on ability regardless of sex.

“Now, the reason I have gathered you all like this is to ensure you do not have to stand as the vanguard of a dangerous battlefield.”

They stirred. Since it would be a story they couldn’t understand from their perspective, I immediately took a firearm from Richard, who had come along, held it up, and spoke.

“I intend to arm you with these new weapons. However, since these weapons require training, I have brought you out here, and from today until the moment war might break out, you will train with these all day long. Do you understand?”

They were stirring once again, but when Wijel roared to focus everyone, silence descended as the beastkin looked at me.

To put it bluntly, if they did not become accustomed to the weapons, they would have to directly face the invading enemies, and if that happened, severe loss of life would inevitably occur.

I did not wish for that. Since there were such good weapons, I had no intention of making them handle it with their bodies.

“I want everyone to live. I want us to be free from the enemies that threaten us. The moment you are able to handle these weapons perfectly, you and I will be able to obtain significant freedom from external factors. Therefore, I want you to focus from today and build the strength to protect everyone. Please…. This is my request and command as the Divine Messenger. Do you understand?”

Why was it so embarrassing to say the words ‘Divine Messenger’ with my own mouth… Right when a sigh was about to escape, the beastkin knelt down and bowed their heads simultaneously. Wondering what was going on, I glanced around and then turned back as I felt something strange, and what do you know?

“….Ha, are you exercising your influence in this way?”

I could see the Goddess floating in the air while emitting light, and after curling the corners of her mouth at my words, I could only shake my head as I watched the Goddess Artemisia disappear.

Thereafter, the beastkin began to engage in training so passionately that they would even pretend to die if I told them to, and the key figures who witnessed the miracle—especially Richard—harbored something beyond admiration in their eyes. It made me feel an immense burden.

But that was only for a few days.

Richard, who couldn’t be away for long due to firearm production, returned to the domain, and Linda and Matilda took turns visiting me for reports and supplies, informing me of the world’s flow; however, I had to receive terrible news from Matilda, who happened to visit today.

“….Is that really true?”

“….It is news that the Demon King has begun to move. News has arrived that the war situation is being rapidly pushed back.”

The fortunate part was the news that he seemed to be heading toward the Mirkas Federation and the Dradnos Empire rather than our Imperial Army side, but the problem was that I couldn’t understand why the Demon King had to personally take the field at such a time.

“What is the reason or purpose?”

“No one knows. There is a story that it is the first time in 10 years that the Demon King has moved.”

I couldn’t understand what change of heart caused it, but Matilda added that because of that single Demon King, two Masters of the Mirkas Federation had already died, and the Empire was currently organizing and operating a Master group specifically to deal with only the Demon King.

“Then does the Mirkas Federation have no Masters now?”

“All official Masters are dead, except for one or two who are expected to exist unofficially… Other than that, it seems the Empire has dispatched six Masters to deal exclusively with the Demon King.”

“Will this be an opportunity for us? Or a crisis?”

“Wouldn’t it be both?”

I thought that might certainly be the case. While thinking it was a great relief that he was heading toward the Dradnos Empire instead of here, I also felt a bit of regret on the other hand.

It was because if he had come toward the Terakan Empire, it was certain the Empress wouldn’t have had the leisure to pressure me.

However, if things turned out this way, there were two predictable movements.

One was trying to win me over, or if not that, acting more quickly. It was certain she would take action regardless of which one it was, and I thought if I were the Empress, I would try to stabilize the battlefield by moving up the timeline somehow.

To share a border with the Demon King?

I thought it would be horrific. On the other hand, the part where Atoon was holding out so well was also on my mind.

“By the way, why isn’t Atoon being settled?”

“It seems to be difficult because a Sword Saint, who can handle two of the Empire’s Masters alone, is protecting them.”

“A Sword Saint… are they that strong?”

“I heard one can only obtain the title of Sword Saint if they can handle three Masters alone.”

“But the two are holding out well?”

“It is because the two people dispatched from the Empire are remarkable. Though they are lacking compared to the Sword Saint, they are people who vie for the top ranks among general Masters.”

I was someone who only knew Sir Agnes and Viscount Muriel when it came to Imperial Army Masters.

“Did you say Sir Agnes was the commander?”

“Yes, and it seemed the other person was Marquis Giltian.”

“Marquis Giltian, ah, Viscount Muriel’s father?”

“Yes, he is said to be a skilled person whose prowess does not fall behind in a duel with Sir Agnes.”

A Sword Saint that those two could barely handle… Couldn’t those three somehow manage against the Demon King instead?

It was right when I was thinking all sorts of things.

“Woooooooh!!”

At the sudden cheer, I looked over, and it was the cheer let out by the beastkin watching one beastkin practice shooting.

Wondering what was going on, I approached, and he was a good shot.

He was shooting so well it was too good, and I thought the world was truly interesting. It was Mr. Jorban, who had 17 children. He was of the Birdfolk tribe; while their physical ability itself wasn’t that great, they were stronger than humans and were a race that could fly in the sky.

Furthermore, it seemed his eyesight was good. Even though he shot from a moderate posture, every shot hit the mark.

I couldn’t help but be impressed by the way he hit the target accurately, and watching him for about 20 shots without a single one missing the target, I drew a certain picture in my mind.

Then I approached Mr. Jorban and called him, and I asked Mr. Jorban, who bowed his head with a gentle smile upon seeing me.

“Were you originally this good at shooting?”

“Most of the Birdfolk are shooting well.”

“As expected… By any chance, may I ask a favor?”

“What is it?”

“I was wondering if you could shoot while flying in the sky.”

“In the sky… Well, I will try it first. I don’t know if it will go well.”

When I told him it was fine even if he couldn’t shoot, Mr. Jorban beastkin-transformed his hidden wings and soared into the sky.

Then he began to shoot the gun with his feet instead of his arms, and what do you know?

It didn’t take long until I found myself admiring this absurd and funny scene.

‘This is crazy, hitting everything while shooting with his feet… what kind of case is this?’

I had expected that if I delved into beastkin transformation, their arms would become wings anyway. However, I thought there would be some other method, and it was shooting with his feet; Mr. Jorban was showing the miracle of hitting everything even when shooting with his feet as a joke.

Furthermore, he was now hitting the targets while moving here and there. He was quite fast and accurate, and I could shout ‘Eureka’ as I saw that there was no significant difference in accuracy even as he gradually increased altitude and distance.

Thereafter, I called only the Birdfolk separately and began to make them practice shooting with their feet in the air after beastkin-transformation, and that was how the Birdfolk Ranger unit could be born.

To be honest, not everyone was perfectly good at shooting, but the sight of a 100-man Birdfolk unit simultaneously flying in the sky and focusing their strikes on one location was cool and grim enough to give me goosebumps.

I wondered if there was a being who could do anything against this unit.

I liked it to that extent, and eventually, I had them formally found a unit, and after appointing them as ‘Rangers’ and appointing Mr. Jorban as the Captain, I was able to accept them as a formal domain army.

‘The tribes of the beastkin are very diverse. If only I can find a way to make good use of their unique characteristics… wouldn’t I be able to create special forces like the Ranger unit?’

I suddenly had such a thought, and as a result, I just slightly thought that this might be the catalyst for exponentially increasing the domain’s combat power.