It doesn’t feel like an army.
The right out of the oven Tsige army that was drilled the way of battling by the veteran mercenaries of PRG.
They are currently fighting Aion with ace adventurer parties that surpass them in individual strength, but this is a necessary factor in order for Tsige to become a country with a proper army.
Even if they were to manage to obtain independence miraculously through outstanding ingenuity, in order to maintain their form as a country, there’s the need for military power.
No matter how good your relationship, there’s no assurance that adventurers will actively cooperate in a war after all.
As long as they are not wiped out, Aion will continue to stay close by. Even if they plan on improving their relationship little by little in the future, their friction will continue for a good time.
And so, the formation of an army is an urgent matter for the direction of the city, and I decided it should be fine to check out their training for a bit.
There’s still no uniform and unified equipment currently, and it is a mix of adventurers, hoodlums, mercenaries, and bodyguards learning group tactics, marching, and understanding formations and their roles.
“Heya, Raidou-kun. Long time.” (Vivi)
“Vivi-san, long time no see.” (Makoto)
“Thank you for the stimulating, fresh, and rewarding job, Raidou-san.” (Ryoma)
“Uhm…Ryoma-san, it has been a while.” (Makoto)
“…Ryoma did also say that it was like a job where a treasure is being hung from a precipice though.” (Noma)
“…Noma-san, right? Thanks for taking that tough job.” (Makoto)
A number of the higher-ups of PRG talk to me.
They were fast in noticing me despite just arriving.
Vivi-san, who is the leader of the mercenary group; Ryoma-san, who was really into the job; and Noma-san who is taking the job of strategist.
Being able to get guidance from this well-known mercenary group is most likely quite lucky for these people that will be becoming the army of Tsige.
“How are the coming soldiers of Tsige doing? I think they have the bare minimum basics, but they seem to be heavily divided and feel uneasy though.” (Makoto)
“Hmm, if given a careful analysis, they can manage coordination. They still have some way to go, but it is true that they are competent. It is a lot better than shaping youngsters without any experience.” (Vivi)
Looks like Vivi-san evaluates them decently high.
Coordination is something that you gain while training and living as a soldier, so it isn’t something you simply get in one go.
This time around, overcoming the war is of the highest priority, so there’s obviously points that are jumped over.
I would be happy if they were to do a follow-up postwar training in those areas as well.
“A specialized person like me is more fit towards former adventurers. Leaving aside whether they will have a turn in this time’s war or not, in terms of information gathering and stealth jobs, do look forward to it.” (Ryoma)
Ryoma-san.
It seems like he is guiding a squad that’s centered on information gathering and maneuvering.
Coordination is of course an important factor, but their individual ability and the skills and experiences they have obtained as adventurers might be able to show their value there as well.
“Regarding the important defensive battle, sadly to say, there’s still ways to go. At the worst, we might have to prioritize the training in a way that they can obey orders in the battlefield at the very least. I have already explained to the central figures of the Merchant Guild, but I want you to know as well.” (Noma)
Noma-san has taken the job of guiding the defensive unit that has the most expectations placed on this time’s war.
Leaving aside the adventurers, I feel like bodyguards and mercenaries should be specialized in that area…but it just won’t go smoothly, huh.
“Is everyone thinking of plans in the off-chance of a battle in an urban area and giving out orders in the actual battlefield?” (Makoto)
It would be nice if they managed to successfully defend at the outer wall, but that’s way too optimistic.
How is the evacuation plan for the citizens going to be dealt with?
There were a variety of things that I was interested in and, for now, tried asking in the case it turns into an urban area battle.
“Battle in an urban area?” (Noma)
But Noma-san reacted as if he had heard an unexpected question.
“…Ah! Could it be that you think we are going to have a defensive battle at that rampart there, Raidou-kun?” (Vivi)
“Eh? …Well, yeah.” (Makoto)
“I see, the difference in the walls, huh.” (Noma)
Noma-san nodded at what Vivi-san pointed out.
But I still don’t understand.
Difference in the walls?
Tsige only has one outer wall though.
The one at the wasteland’s side can’t be considered one.
“Raidou-san, Rembrandt-san has no intentions of letting the army reach these walls.” (Ryoma)
“Wa?” (Makoto)
“It can’t be seen from here, but it is about time that the outer wall of the Neo Tsige will be made far in the horizon. “ (Ryoma)
Ryoma-san told me kindly.
Made a new wall?
A new outer wall for war?!
“Going that far just for the sake of war…?” (Makoto)
“? That’s not it, Raidou-kun. It is the outer wall of the Neo Tsige.” (Vivi)
“Neo?” (Makoto)
“Right right. It seems like Patrick Rembrandt had no intentions of stating that the current Tsige is a country. From the newly made wall all the way to here is the ‘city’ of Tsige. They intend to seize quite a good plot of land from Aion too. Isn’t that right, Noma?” (Vivi)
“…Yeah. With our strategies and military drills, the work of the adventurers, and depending on the movements of Raidou-dono…the Aion army might be defeated without even being able to see the city of Tsige.” (Noma)
…
If we are talking about the direction far-off here…there’s slight hills and basins, but it is basically a plain that stretches a fair distance.
The Golden Highway has gentle curves and straights in that area.
They are making a wall somewhere around there?
Everything all the way till there is Tsige?
That sounds like children fighting.
Eeeh?
Will that logic even work?
Or more like, what exactly do they mean by ‘everything is Tsige’?
“Ahahaha, of course you would be confused being suddenly told this.” (Vivi)
That’s right, Vivi-san.
I am really confused right now.
What is Rembrandt-san thinking?
“No, that’s weird, Vivi. Rembrandt-san said that this idea was something Raidou-dono gave to him. There’s no need to deceive us as well, Raidou-dono.” (Noma)
?
What is he talking about?
What did Rembrandt-san say?
“Uhm…I didn’t say a single word to Rembrandt-san in regards to an outrageous plan like that, or at least, I don’t think I did.” (Makoto)
“But you apparently told him something like ‘Might as well bring Koran and Tsige together to make one giant city. That would be interesting’…” (Noma)
“Koran and Tsige…” (Makoto)
I…did say some time in the past that, if they were to connect two cities together, it would benefit both cities, I think…maybe?
But surrounding everything in an outer wall and saying everything inside it is Tsige is like a territory game kinda thinking.
Does that even work in real life?
“You seem to have an inkling of it. Heeh, so Raidou-kun can have those kinds of ideas… That’s unexpected.” (Vivi)
“The mamonos and demonic beasts that live around the area inside the outer wall are currently being subjugated by the adventurers, and it seems like he seriously intends to create a gigantic city inside of those walls. The problems of the lands that had way too high of a jump in price, the securing of enough agricultural land, the acquisition of manual labourers for the absorption of the villages and towns in the area, a city plan that has no need for division of sectors…if this is made possible, this will be a world changing move. That’s one truly outrageous man. I can’t believe he is just a mere merchant.” (Noma)
I was at a loss of words at what Noma-san said.
…Partition.
There is one.
It is decently far away, but there’s walls expanded at both sides of the Golden Highway.
Making a wall like that in such a fashion is possible?
Is it something like ‘no one has done it before, but you win by doing it first’?
Eeh…from there, all the way to here…manage it as one city?
I turn around.
The current outer wall of Tsige is there.
There’s a number of paths stretching from there, there’s houses and fields, stores…and you are telling me that it will be going all the way to that wall?
‘All the paths lead to Rome’, I suddenly remember those words.
Unbelievable.
This really is unbelievable.
“Raidou-kun?” (Vivi)
“The…walls that are spread at both sides of the Golden Highway all the way over here…will all be Tsige? They are going to be doing a defensive battle over there, huh… Seriously? That’s seriously happening…?” (Makoto)
““…””
“The merchants of Tsige are impressive.” (Makoto)
I am left in admiration at the flexibility and inventiveness of the merchants.
“Raidou-kun…?” (Vivi)
“Yes?” (Makoto)
“How can you so confidently nail the form of the outer walls?” (Vivi)
“Uh? With detection magic…kinda. It works.” (Makoto)
Everyone from PRG looks at me with complicated gazes.
“…Uhm, it is Raidou-kun who is saying it, so it is most likely not a joke.” (Vivi)
“Not only does he have the fighting power, he could change the very shape of a war with just that one ability alone.” (Noma)
“If something like that were to be done at a distance like this, scouts and spies could be rendered powerless.” (Ryoma)
It is an ability that was given to me by Tsukuyomi-sama after all.
“Leaving that aside, the walls are done, so the adventurer expedition unit is moving at the other side of it, huh.” (Makoto)
They have gone further than I thought.
…I thought they would move with more ease compared to the wasteland, but there’s the chance that they won’t be able to return if they make one mistake.
I thought that, if it is Toa’s group, most problems would be nothing though… I haven’t heard anything from Tomoe, so they are probably alive…right?
“Speaking of that, I heard that Ginebia-san has gone missing.” (Makoto)
“Aah, Sis Bia, huh. She probably couldn’t take the bossing around of Rembrandt-san anymore. It was clear at a glance that they weren’t compatible.”
“Bia-san, huh. True, their affinity to each other was catastrophic.”
Catastrophic affinity?
I haven’t had a calm talk with her, but…I think she is the same as Aznoval, a muscle brain.
We may be on a slightly different vector, but I feel like she is a bit similar to me.
‘Alright, got it. I will think about it once I turn it into dust’, kinda thinking.
Also, it is impressive that, even though she has gone missing, no one is worried a single bit.
“What was she asked to do?” (Makoto)
“Hm? Bia-san? Uhm, if I remember correctly, she was given the job from Rokuya-san to keep the Alpine party safe if anything dangerous were to happen, right?” (Vivi)
“Yeah.” (Noma)
“Alpine?!” (Makoto)
Hearing a word I couldn’t let slip by from the confirmation of Vivi-san and Noma-san, I ask again.
That’s Toa and her amusing comrades!
“Well, if that person is with them, they should be okay no matter the opponent. She sometimes communicates with her fists, but she is a serious person. Alpine should be okay okay… Don’t know though.” (Vivi)
How irresponsible!
Vivi-san is friendly and cheerful, and seems to have good communication ability, but…I feel like she sometimes shows the dry sense of a mercenary.
I am beginning to think that she is quite the halfhearted person in anything aside from her main occupation that relates to war.
Hmm, I see. Rokuya-san isn’t with Alpine right now, huh.
Was he satisfied with giving her the celebratory equipment?
The Adventurers of Origin are harder to read than PRG.
“I may not be the best person to say this, but Toa’s party is on the side that has bad luck…so I am a bit worried.” (Makoto)
“…Hey, Noma, isn’t it okay to ask about it already?” (Ryoma)
“I guess it is. It seems like Raidou-dono won’t be telling us himself after all.” (Noma)
“?”
Ryoma-san seemed to be restless.
“Uhm, Raidou-kun, what’s with that luggage you are carrying that’s towering at your back?” (Vivi)
Ah, I forgot.
Ryoma-san nodded several times at the question of Vivi-san.
The conversation I intended to just be a greeting of sorts ended up with quite the long talk.
My mistake.
“It was bothering me a whole lot, but you were talking as if it were nothing ,so I didn’t know how to break it out.” (Vivi)
“We are all in the shadow of that after all -in a field with a good view.” (Noma)
I forgot my original objective for coming here.
I came here to bring provisions to everyone that’s training.
Even though I luckily managed to meet the PRG members doing the guidance. What am I doing?
“Sorry, I completely forgot about it. I’ve brought food for everyone.” (Makoto)
I let down the luggage as silently as possible.
It is food, so I must be careful with it.
It is already at a rate where we can’t eat it all ourselves after all.
“That’s…thanks. Is it a light meal?” (Vivi)
Vivi-san says this slightly uneasily as she looks up.
As expected of her, that’s right.
“Yeah, it is karaage. Fried bird.” (Makoto)
“…All of it?” (Vivi)
“Ah, I think the alcohol and the tea will be coming any time now. When the training is done, go ahead and enjoy it with everyone.” (Makoto)
“Why only deep-fried food…?” (Vivi)
“Mio has been getting into that kinda cooking lately, you see. If it goes on like this, I am seriously thinking about putting it on our store as well…and maybe come here everyday to offer it to you guys.” (Makoto)
It doesn’t run out.
It just doesn’t.
At this rate, not only Asora, even all the residents of Tsige will end up eating her karaage. If people who like the karaage of Mio were to show up, it would be quite the bad thing.
When Mio gets hooked into her next menu…she won’t be making much karaage anymore after all.
Let’s tell the kitchen team to record the recipe properly.
“The Kuzunoha Company is really peaceful.” (Ryoma)
“…Really? Just thinking about the mass production of these deep-fried foods is giving me a heartburn.” (Vivi)
“By the way, how are we going to bring the stuff out?” (Noma)
“Aah, this is actually a masterpiece of the dwarves, the karaage server 4L size. If you open this here and press the switch at the side…” (Makoto)
Piping hot karaages roll out along with a delicious smell.
Yeah, technology that everyone would agree is a waste.
Saying they wanted to preserve them in their best state, as per usual, the craftsmen went wild and created this.
By the way, the S size can properly be placed on a table.
Why didn’t the elder dwarves get satisfied with that much?
If we think about the utility, you can just use a magic bag if there’s a lot.
But they said stuff like ‘with that, you can’t adjust the minute environment details and make the pass of time completely zero’. It was already gibberish for me.
What they added at the end was ‘also, making it look big would be more awesome’, which I can’t help but think that’s the actual reason.
The liquor server of the same vein was also a similar case after all!
““…*Gulp*.””
The three, who weren’t familiar with this scent, seem to have had their appetites stirred. That’s a relief.
I want them to like it, eat it with joy, and eat a whole lot.
“Well then, I will be taking my leave. If there’s signs of anything else, please tell us as well, even if it is after the fact.” (Makoto)
Saying this, I leave.
!!
Ah, right!
Let’s bring it to the orphanage too.
There’s a whole lot of growing children with hearty appetites there!
Alright, my pretext of ‘checking whether they are properly doing their something-something training’ to share the food has been successfully accomplished!