NOVEL NEXT Amaranth troop entered the HQ with Roan at the front.
‘THe battle is a victory.’
Roan raised his head and looked at the sky.
The sky was filled with black clouds and was dark.
“Whew.”
He let out a long sigh.
Roan’s feelings right now was just like that dark and black sky.
He turned his head to look at Amaranth troop.
The battle was certainly a victory.
However.
‘The more the battle continues, more injured soldiers appear and some even die.’
The soldiers were completely exhausted at the continued battles.
‘The size of the troop is too small.’
In the first place, Amaranth troop absorbed Sollum troop and started with 800 people.
Thinking about the scale of the monsters in the region of Tale, it was a level where it lacked too much.
He wanted to massively increase the numbers of the troop members.
But.
‘The number of residents in Tale is too little.’
It wasn’t a situation that he could increase the number of soldiers himself.
‘Although I can dispatch the soldiers of the Lancephil family….’
But in that case, another troop would get place in a region.
A situation that a stifling problem could occur.
‘I have to find other methods.’
Roan looked at the faces of the centurions.
“The centurions are to grasp the number of injured ones and dead ones and gather to the conference room.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Austin, Semi and the other centurions replied in one voice and then they each their own squads and disappeared.
Roan just looked at that.
‘Mm.’
He saw the looks of the injured soldiers.
A bitter feeling.
‘If we just had a shaman, it could have been of help in healing them.’
But there was no way a shaman would be dispatched in this barren land.
‘I have to at least set the weight of healing clearly.’
It was a problem concerning the lives of the soldiers.
Roan thought of several stifling things and then moved.
The place he was moving to was the office of the agency.
There was something he had to check before the conference.
‘It would be nice if we had a bit more time before Poskein exodus.’
His steps became faster.
An earnest flame appeared in his two eyes.
*****
“There aren’t as many fallen soldiers as we thought.”
“And the injuries ones are mostly ordinary.”
The reports of the centurions followed.
The battles were certainly complete victory and there were small dead ones.
But the expressions of Roan and the centurions were dark.
Austin hesitated a moment and then opened his mouth.
“We are certainly winning several battles and the number of dead soldiers and injured ones is low. But at most there are two or three battles occurring in a day. The injuries are getting accumulated while not knowing that they are getting wet by the drizzle.”
Semi followed.
“And the exhaustion of the soldiers is at a dangerous level. If we keep this, the morale will dive down.”
Roan just nodded.
He also had the same thoughts as them.
“Isn’t there a good method?”
At Roan’s question, everyone shut their mouths.
However it wasn’t because they didn’t have any methods to propose.
It was because they were all difficult methods so they couldn’t say it.
Roan looked at the faces of the centurions and said.
“What about bringing residents of other regions?”
With no need of going far, there were quite a lot of residents wandering about in the territory of count Chase.
On top of that, most of the wandering people moved in families.
If they were provided with a land to farm and a house, they would be able to bring at least one adult son to the troop.
‘After Poskein exodus concludes, we will have to increase the number of residents anyways.’
Taking that into account, brining residents of other territories was the most effective.
But.
“We don’t know if it’s a small scaled one, but a huge scaled one won’t be even worth talking about.”
“The nobles and lords won’t just watch them leave.”
Several skeptical voices were heard.
Even so, as Roan started by saying his thoughts, the other centurions also started to say what they had thought.
Semi scratched the tip of the table and said.
“How about buying slaves? If we tell them that they can become normal residents they will fight quite valiantly.”
Tane, that was listening to it, shook his head.
“We don’t have the leisure to do that right now.”
Most of the troop’s income was being invested in Ford’s mining business.
Then, Pete said with a rough voice.
“How about making a deal with mercenaries? After war ends, they won’t have a lot of jobs so we will be able to use them with quite the small amount of money.”
At those words several centurions nodded.
But Austin had his doubts.
“Anyways, we still need quite the money for the mercenaries. On top of that, if we bring them to our troop the morale will drop and there’s a high chance for the balance to become a mess.”
It was the truth.
It was frequent for the rough and free mercenaries to make everything messy.
‘Mercenaries are just like double edged blades.’
Roan took in a deep breath.
‘If you used them well they become a big weapon, but if you make a mistake they can cut your hand.’
And really deeply at that.
The conference continued but a clear method couldn’t be thought of.
And the pondering deepened like that.
Then.
“Um……..”
The one that talked hardly was Harrison.
The youngest centurion and with the least experience.
He looked at his surroundings and carefully said.
“How about asking a favor to the Lancephil family?”
At those words, Semi shook his head with a stiff face.
“If the soldiers of count Lancephil come, then the weight of commanding is shifted to him and it rather becomes more comp……”
“No, what I mean……”
Harrison shook his hands and interrupted him.
He looked at Roan and said.
“How about bringing residents of count Lancephil’s territory?”
“Ah……”
The centurions let out low exclamations.
And that was the same for Roan.
‘As it’s a migration inside his territory, there won’t be any problems.’
In the territory of Lancephil, there weren’t as many wandering people compared to other places.
Because of that, they had to migrate residents taking place in several regions.
But even so, it was a much easier method than bringing wandering people of other territories.
Only, they needed Io’s permission.
‘For now, I will have to send him a letter.’
If there was even a little bit of success probabilities, they had to try it.
‘I’m also trying the other methods.’
Buying slaves, migration of people from other territories, contract with mercenaries.
Although you couldn’t know if it would succeed or not, it was better to try many things.
His head spun.
“The centurions are to combine all the opinions and proceed to do it.”
Roan looked at the faces of the centurions.
“Centurions, take care on the health and the morale of your members.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Austin, Semi and the others all bowed.
Roan clenched his fists.
“It will be a difficult time. But our Amaranth troop…….”
Strength was put in his voice.
“Never gives up.”
The centurions gulped dry saliva and bowed.
There was a resolute look in their faces.
‘Let’s trust on troop commander.’
Their loyalty and the loyalty of the troop members were absolute.
‘Whatever trial comes, if we have troop commander Roan we will be able to overcome it all.’
A strange heat roamed in the conference room.
And that was the hot military discipline.
*****
First, Roan wrote a letter for Io.
Contents about the migration of residents and the increase in the number of his troop members was written in it.
At the same time he ordered the staff of the agency, working in the eastern region, to buy slaves, form a contract with mercenaries and push forward the migration of other regions the most secretly possible.
As they still didn’t have financial leisure, the speed of it wasn’t that fast.
But Roan was still satisfied just with that.
Because the situation was improving and getting better even if it was by a little bit.
Puk!
Roan’s fist crushed the trunk of a tree.
“Whew.”
A long sigh came out.
The surrounding was a real mess.
The trees composing the wood couldn’t stand the hits and kicks and collapsed.
Roan focused on training in Reid’s battling techniques in a forest near the troop.
‘Troop training is important, but I can’t slack in personal training.’
He was taking care of many things at once, so he didn’t have time for personal training.
Although he still was training on Flamdor mana technique, Roan’s spearmanship and the several techniques he remembered in his head, he had kind of neglected in the technique that made Reid as the strongest person in earth.
It was partly because he had never encountered the technique itself, but also because the level of the technique was too high that with Roan’s current level, there were several parts that were difficult to understand.
‘Although it’s still impossible to execute a perfect technique……..’
Even when he had just learned the basics of the movements, flow, operation of the mana technique, he had gotten a lot stronger than before.
The movements transformed to have no unnecessary movements, and the mana in his body became smoother and he was able to operate it much faster.
‘The level of the operation is at the level of a knight?’
The level of Roan’s mana grew exponentially after the past overflow of mana.
He passed the level of an apprentice or a basic knight and became at the level of an intermediate knight.
But the strength of his actual mana was at the level of a superior knight.
Flamdor mana technique was that amazing.
‘If I can train a bit more in it, I can emanate an aura.’
It wouldn’t just be covering mana in his spear, but he would be able to condense his mana to emanate aura.
If he could only do that, there wouldn’t be anyone able to match Roan in level of mana excluding the knights of the royal palace.
Only.
‘There’s no spear technique able to bring the strength of this aura properly.’
Roan’s original spear technique was Pierce’s spearmanship used by normal soldiers that didn’t have mana.
Because of that, he had a regret that it couldn’t maximize the strength of an aura.
‘This is the reason why I have to focus on training in Reid’s battle techniques.’
It was the only martial art that could let him display the real strength of his mana.
Roan took in a deep breath and clenched his fists.
Pubububuk!
Five fists were followed.
Boom!
The tree that was holding in finally collapsed.
As he shook his hands, pieces of wood fell.
Then, something entered Roan’s sight.
‘Mm?’
As he focused on his sight, he saw the scenery that was far away as if it was in front of his eyes.
‘Troop?’
A troop was approaching the HQ.
He could see the symbol in the flag that was at the front.
A really familiar symbol.
‘Lancephil family?’
It was an unexpected entrance.
‘It should be before the letter reached him.’
Roan tilted his head and moved.
The HQ was right in front of him.
The guard, that confirmed the flag of the Lancephil family rang the bell.
Deng! Deng! Deng!
Right before he entered the HQ, Austin and Semi came running.
Austin made a short salute and opened his mouth.
“It’s the flag of Lancephil family.”
Roan nodded slowly instead of replying.
“What will it be so suddenly?”
Semi asked back with an expression full of curiousness.
But even Roan had nothing to say.
He took in a deep breath and then laid the order.
“Let’s prepare to welcome the guests.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Austin and Semi answered in one voice.
The two people moved busily with the soldiers.
Thanks to that, the preparations finished faster than thought.
The centurions and troop members arrived behind Roan.
An overwhelming sight.
He saw the flag of Lancephil family through the open gates.
‘Ah………’
At that moment, Roan let out a low exclamation.
Below the flag.
The person at the front leading the group.
He was really familiar.
Roan let out a short sigh.
‘Count Lancephil.’
A smile appeared in his face.
The person appearing with the flag of the Lancephil family.
It was none other than Io Lancephil.
*****
“The setting sun in the region of Tale has a different feeling.”
Io looked at the west sky while holding his luggage in his back.
A red sunset was spread following the mountains.
He was amazed while looking at the solid and high fences and watchtower surrounding the HQ.
“It’s a really solid and well made camp.”
At those words, Roan that was one step back, bowed.
“It’s an excessive compliment.”
“It’s not. It’s really, really amazing.”
Io put strength in his eyes as if it was true.
ROan just smiled faintly instead of replying.
‘To have reached this point in only 7 months………’
Io looked at Roan and got amazed.
‘I did well on sending him here.’
He had brought the knights and soldiers and touring the eastern region.
Because the movements of the monsters in the region that was close to the lake got fiercer.
They had visited the region of Tale after thinking of subjugating the monsters.
‘I thought that the situation would be worse……..’
Monster heaven.
Because of that, he judged that the movement of the monsters would be severe.
And even if that didn’t happen, he thought that the impoverished and shallow land would be a mess.
But Io’s thoughts completely slipped off the mark.
The region of Tale was much safer and peaceful than any other region of the east.
When Io entered with his group, he hadn’t seen even one monster in the region of Tale.
‘I wondered if it was really the region of Tale.’
Io smiled.
He looked at ROan’s eyes fixedly.
‘This is all thanks to Roan. Roan did something that couldn’t be done for several years in only 7 months.’
Io grabbed Roan’s shoulders.
“Roan.”
“Yes. Sir count.”
“Really thank you.”
At the sudden words, Roan got a bit perplexed.
“Wha, what are you thankful of……”
At the staggering words, Io put a bright smile.
“For confirming me that my eyes of looking at people wasn’t wrong.”
“Ah……..”
Roan let out a low exclamation.
Io hit Roan’s shoulders and continued saying.
“While I was coming here, I received a letter.”
He took out an envelope from his chest.
It was the letter Roan had sent him through the agency.
‘Ah, they met in the middle.’
Roan had a nervous expression.
He was worried about the reaction Io would show.
But in the other hand, Io’s expression was really bright.
He smiled brightly without thinking much and nodded.
“I will migrate a group of residents to the region of Tale just like you wanted.”
Io looked at his surroundings and said.
“There won’t be a safer place than this, even inside my territory.”
On top of that, the exemption of taxes and providing of houses.
In the place of the residents, it was a condition that could pull them in.
“Real thanks.”
Roan bowed at the clear decision of Io.
It was a moment that a big problem was solved.
Io looked at that Roan and put a faint smile.
‘Migrate people to the region of Tale……..?’
His smile became even denser.
‘That was just what I wanted. And if perhaps Roan perfectly subjugates the monster of this region…………’
His eyes shone.
‘I will take Roan to the royal palace.’
Roan wasn’t an existence that could be left as a troop commander anymore.
Although he did commit violence against a noble and was a big sin, perfectly subjugating the monsters in the region of Tale was a big merit enough to completely pardon his sins and not be enough with that.
‘Roan.’
Io’s eyes became soft.
His eyes stayed in Roan’s face.
‘I will show you a completely new world. No…………’
A feeling that his chest beat and his blood circulated faster.
‘I will open a completely new world in front of you.’
< Poskein Exodus (2) > End