Charles reported that the well had poison thrown into it as expected.
The pantry was partially burned, but about 70% of it was safe and no poison had been found so far.
This was a relief.
Thanks to Dorius’s politics of fear, the beastmen were saved from robbing the scene of the fire.
You never really know which way things are going to turn out.
Prytanis informed us that the house was safe and that the maps were safe.
This is the best thing we could have hoped for.
I will ask them to bring the maps to us.
I will send a carriage to transport them.
If the well is poisoned, we can’t live there.
Now we have a much better plan of attack.
This is much more valuable to me than the treasure.
In the late Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang’s army was the first to reach Guanzhong.
The generals searched with all their might for the treasure, but Xiao He entered the Qin Palace of Documents first and brought back all the books, saying, “This is the treasure trove”.
That is exactly how I felt.
It is understandable that Huang Yu did not pay attention to it, but it is strange that Fan Zhao did not pay attention to it.
Maybe it’s fiction.
Was he going to build everything from scratch?
Too bad we will never know again, even if the research is done.
I always get caught up in the past.
The information obtained should not be relied upon.
But I can formulate a plan much faster than if I had to gather information from scratch.
I am surrounded by soldiers, silently thinking with my arms folded.
From the outside, it is an odd sight.
But since it is well known that this is what happens when I ponder, no one interrupts me.
How will I settle things with Dorius?
At this stage, it’s hard to say.
But I have decided not to follow the usual rules of war this time.
We are not crossing the Rubicon River until the war is over.
There have been many cases where they were on the verge of victory, only to have it reversed.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the carriage.
Prytanis had returned.
I looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the carriage was coming toward us.
The carriage stopped, and as I expected, Prytanis got off.
His face was smiling.
He seemed to be very happy.
“Lord Alfred! It remained in one piece!”
It made me smile too.
“I’m glad to hear that. May I see the map as soon as possible?”
“Then I’ll bring it to you.”
I motioned to a nearby soldier to set the table.
He must have been expecting a request.
It came immediately.
When Prytanis came running back, he hurriedly unfolded the map.
It’s a very careful and detailed map.
If we could use it as is, it would be a great accomplishment.
“First, Sir Rossi and the engineering department’s…”
Oh, man, I forgot his name.
The Dwarven… uh.
“Please call for Mister Ivan Rosin.”
One of the soldiers replied and rode away.
Ivan Rosin is a dwarf, an assistant to Onyxim, the Minister of Architecture, Science and Technology.
He is a stubborn craftsman type, not quite the same type as Onyxim who loves invention.
He was recommended for the job because of his passion for building a sturdy infrastructure.
I looked at the map to find a suitable castle for a siege, and I soon found it.
It is built in a basin surrounded by hills along the river.
This basin is probably wetlands.
It is indeed a suitable castle for defense.
The method of attacks is quite limited.
When this castle is attacked, the rear castle is just over the hill?
The upper reaches of the river are narrow valleys.
There are many hills downstream, and it is easy to dam up.
Only one place needs to be dammed up.
It would be possible to copy the water attack on Bitchu Takamatsu Castle.
If a water attack was to be made, that would be the key point.
However, to do so, we would have to defeat the rear line.
If we can attack by water, it will save us the trouble of dragging them out of the castle.
Furthermore, it would also stop the demons from taking advantage of the fishermen.
Prytanis’ voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Lord Alfred, there is not enough water in the river for a water invasion. My grandfather built the castle with this in mind. He also told me that even if the water were to rise, it would be difficult to defend a place that would hold back the water.”
He predicted the possibility of a water invasion, huh.
My aim is a little different.
What matters is the size of the long rainfall of elf information.
Even if the water rises, it doesn’t look like it’s going to flood.
What happens if we dam it up and release it all at once?
It would be worth a try.
But more importantly, how do we handle the backlog?
I’ll have to think about that.
I’ll give him a different answer from what I have in mind here.
“Anyway, it has been decided that we will march up to that point. We’ll figure out the rest on the spot.”
Prytanis looked a little surprised.
“That’s unusual. I have an image of you as an easy chair commander.”
I am not usually on the front lines.
This time, I have to be there.
“No, I’ll leave the actual command to Sir Rossi. If I am in a place where security is unstable, I will have to assign a larger force to protect myself, after all.”
Prytanis looks impressed.
“I see, you are indeed very cautious. You are much calmer and collected than those old generals.”
The old general part is unnecessary.
Some old men are too hot-blooded and not thoughtful enough.
“The first thing to do is to stay out of the way of the field commander. And the beastmen are getting away from the influence of Dorius, but I don’t think they are completely out of it. We are taking steps to deflect their influence, though.”
Prytanis seems to question my cautiousness, and he made a puzzled face.
“Then why did you accept them. If that’s the case, I think it would be better if we could put them somewhere and monitor them.”
Unfortunately, that’s a no.
I shook my head.
“The problem of the beastmen is also a political one. Unlike war, politics sometimes requires you to show a pose of trust to your enemies and gray partners. If you pose as not trusting them, you’ll drive the beastmen to Dorius’ side.”
I looked at Prytanis with a sarcastic smile.
I continued talking.
“Keeping an eye on beastmen is exactly the kind of behavior Dorius would expect. People would rather improve their status in a society they are accustomed to than in an unknown society that is said to be better… even if it is worse. They will rise up as Dorius expects. Of course, I can think of a case where he will accept it like a good-natured person. In that case, too, they will make us let our guard down, make the beastmen happy, and then oppress them. The beasts will have experienced this, so they will easily believe this as well.”
I look at Prytanis and he seems to be examining my words.
“It seems that you also can read the mind of the beastmen very well… No one under my father’s command can read that well.”
I only see it from the dominant point of view.
If I act from the same perspective, we’ll lose our footing.
“Either way, it would be better if they were to become so suspicious that they could not march.”
Prytanis looked impressed.
“I see that you have put Mister Oracio in charge of the beastmen, in order to weaken my father’s influence.”
“It must be a surprise for them to hear that a beastman is a minister. It is impossible to open their hearts and minds to human beings out of the blue. It is the quickest way to show them the concrete differences from their original society. Besides, they will feel more familiar with Mister Oracio.”
“Then, we will disperse the beastmen so that their grudges will not flare up amongst themselves. This will make it a false hope even if they wish for a rebellion among the beastmen.”
I nod in satisfaction at how quickly Prytanis understood.
“Yes, this case is too much for the military chief of staff to handle alone. I’m leaving it to him because it’s more efficient that way. If it would be less efficient to leave it to him, I would come out like I did this time.”
As we were talking about this, Charles and Ivan came over.
Charles came up to me and looked at the map.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I heard you found the map.”
Ivan looked at the map, using a crate he had brought out of nowhere as a platform.
“Is this map correct?”
Prytanis’ attempt to protest was stopped by a hand.
“Basically, we’re working on the premise that it is correct. But please check the details, etc., and rewrite the map in the official Ravenna format. Make three copies of this map for Sir Rossi, Mister Oracio, and Mister Rosin. Sir Rossi, please use this as the basis for the construction of a fort that will serve as a defensive stronghold.”
Charles nodded silently.
He must have been thinking about the location of the installation from the moment he saw the map.
“Mister Rosin, please use this map as the basis for building the second city. As for the labor force, please coordinate with Mister Oracio about the beastmen.”
“Leave it to me. By the way, are we on the right track with the canal construction?”
“Yes, I won’t move that.”
Ivan gleefully trimmed his mustache.
It was a rare kaiser mustache for a dwarf.
“I can’t wait to see how much fun it will be to build such a long canal. I’ll never be bored if I follow my lord.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Then, you can start your work. The food will be stored at the fort. The construction crew should consult with Mister Oracio. Sir Rossi, after the fort is completed, well will go and greet Dorius.”
Charles grinned.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what you’re going to do this time. I feel a little sorry for Dorius. They don’t know what you will do, yet you are so careful in your warfare that it’s a nightmare for the enemy.”
Prytanis gave a drawn-out laugh.
“I too, when I heard about the first battle, thought we were definitely going to lose if we didn’t do something about it… I met him to see what kind of person he was, but he was so plain… I got more and more scared. And yet, he had so many nicknames that I really didn’t understand.”
They all laughed, and I was a little grumpy.
My bad, I’m a plain guy anyway.
And the nickname wasn’t my fault!
Charles reported that the well had poison thrown into it as expected.
The pantry was partially burned, but about 70% of it was safe and no poison had been found so far.
This was a relief.
Thanks to Dorius’s politics of fear, the beastmen were saved from robbing the scene of the fire.
You never really know which way things are going to turn out.
Prytanis informed us that the house was safe and that the maps were safe.
This is the best thing we could have hoped for.
I will ask them to bring the maps to us.
I will send a carriage to transport them.
If the well is poisoned, we can’t live there.
Now we have a much better plan of attack.
This is much more valuable to me than the treasure.
In the late Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang’s army was the first to reach Guanzhong.
The generals searched with all their might for the treasure, but Xiao He entered the Qin Palace of Documents first and brought back all the books, saying, “This is the treasure trove”.
That is exactly how I felt.
It is understandable that Huang Yu did not pay attention to it, but it is strange that Fan Zhao did not pay attention to it.
Maybe it’s fiction.
Was he going to build everything from scratch?
Too bad we will never know again, even if the research is done.
I always get caught up in the past.
The information obtained should not be relied upon.
But I can formulate a plan much faster than if I had to gather information from scratch.
I am surrounded by soldiers, silently thinking with my arms folded.
From the outside, it is an odd sight.
But since it is well known that this is what happens when I ponder, no one interrupts me.
How will I settle things with Dorius?
At this stage, it’s hard to say.
But I have decided not to follow the usual rules of war this time.
We are not crossing the Rubicon River until the war is over.
There have been many cases where they were on the verge of victory, only to have it reversed.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the carriage.
Prytanis had returned.
I looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the carriage was coming toward us.
The carriage stopped, and as I expected, Prytanis got off.
His face was smiling.
He seemed to be very happy.
“Lord Alfred! It remained in one piece!”
It made me smile too.
“I’m glad to hear that. May I see the map as soon as possible?”
“Then I’ll bring it to you.”
I motioned to a nearby soldier to set the table.
He must have been expecting a request.
It came immediately.
When Prytanis came running back, he hurriedly unfolded the map.
It’s a very careful and detailed map.
If we could use it as is, it would be a great accomplishment.
“First, Sir Rossi and the engineering department’s…”
Oh, man, I forgot his name.
The Dwarven… uh.
“Please call for Mister Ivan Rosin.”
One of the soldiers replied and rode away.
Ivan Rosin is a dwarf, an assistant to Onyxim, the Minister of Architecture, Science and Technology.
He is a stubborn craftsman type, not quite the same type as Onyxim who loves invention.
He was recommended for the job because of his passion for building a sturdy infrastructure.
I looked at the map to find a suitable castle for a siege, and I soon found it.
It is built in a basin surrounded by hills along the river.
This basin is probably wetlands.
It is indeed a suitable castle for defense.
The method of attacks is quite limited.
When this castle is attacked, the rear castle is just over the hill?
The upper reaches of the river are narrow valleys.
There are many hills downstream, and it is easy to dam up.
Only one place needs to be dammed up.
It would be possible to copy the water attack on Bitchu Takamatsu Castle.
If a water attack was to be made, that would be the key point.
However, to do so, we would have to defeat the rear line.
If we can attack by water, it will save us the trouble of dragging them out of the castle.
Furthermore, it would also stop the demons from taking advantage of the fishermen.
Prytanis’ voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Lord Alfred, there is not enough water in the river for a water invasion. My grandfather built the castle with this in mind. He also told me that even if the water were to rise, it would be difficult to defend a place that would hold back the water.”
He predicted the possibility of a water invasion, huh.
My aim is a little different.
What matters is the size of the long rainfall of elf information.
Even if the water rises, it doesn’t look like it’s going to flood.
What happens if we dam it up and release it all at once?
It would be worth a try.
But more importantly, how do we handle the backlog?
I’ll have to think about that.
I’ll give him a different answer from what I have in mind here.
“Anyway, it has been decided that we will march up to that point. We’ll figure out the rest on the spot.”
Prytanis looked a little surprised.
“That’s unusual. I have an image of you as an easy chair commander.”
I am not usually on the front lines.
This time, I have to be there.
“No, I’ll leave the actual command to Sir Rossi. If I am in a place where security is unstable, I will have to assign a larger force to protect myself, after all.”
Prytanis looks impressed.
“I see, you are indeed very cautious. You are much calmer and collected than those old generals.”
The old general part is unnecessary.
Some old men are too hot-blooded and not thoughtful enough.
“The first thing to do is to stay out of the way of the field commander. And the beastmen are getting away from the influence of Dorius, but I don’t think they are completely out of it. We are taking steps to deflect their influence, though.”
Prytanis seems to question my cautiousness, and he made a puzzled face.
“Then why did you accept them. If that’s the case, I think it would be better if we could put them somewhere and monitor them.”
Unfortunately, that’s a no.
I shook my head.
“The problem of the beastmen is also a political one. Unlike war, politics sometimes requires you to show a pose of trust to your enemies and gray partners. If you pose as not trusting them, you’ll drive the beastmen to Dorius’ side.”
I looked at Prytanis with a sarcastic smile.
I continued talking.
“Keeping an eye on beastmen is exactly the kind of behavior Dorius would expect. People would rather improve their status in a society they are accustomed to than in an unknown society that is said to be better… even if it is worse. They will rise up as Dorius expects. Of course, I can think of a case where he will accept it like a good-natured person. In that case, too, they will make us let our guard down, make the beastmen happy, and then oppress them. The beasts will have experienced this, so they will easily believe this as well.”
I look at Prytanis and he seems to be examining my words.
“It seems that you also can read the mind of the beastmen very well… No one under my father’s command can read that well.”
I only see it from the dominant point of view.
If I act from the same perspective, we’ll lose our footing.
“Either way, it would be better if they were to become so suspicious that they could not march.”
Prytanis looked impressed.
“I see that you have put Mister Oracio in charge of the beastmen, in order to weaken my father’s influence.”
“It must be a surprise for them to hear that a beastman is a minister. It is impossible to open their hearts and minds to human beings out of the blue. It is the quickest way to show them the concrete differences from their original society. Besides, they will feel more familiar with Mister Oracio.”
“Then, we will disperse the beastmen so that their grudges will not flare up amongst themselves. This will make it a false hope even if they wish for a rebellion among the beastmen.”
I nod in satisfaction at how quickly Prytanis understood.
“Yes, this case is too much for the military chief of staff to handle alone. I’m leaving it to him because it’s more efficient that way. If it would be less efficient to leave it to him, I would come out like I did this time.”
As we were talking about this, Charles and Ivan came over.
Charles came up to me and looked at the map.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. I heard you found the map.”
Ivan looked at the map, using a crate he had brought out of nowhere as a platform.
“Is this map correct?”
Prytanis’ attempt to protest was stopped by a hand.
“Basically, we’re working on the premise that it is correct. But please check the details, etc., and rewrite the map in the official Ravenna format. Make three copies of this map for Sir Rossi, Mister Oracio, and Mister Rosin. Sir Rossi, please use this as the basis for the construction of a fort that will serve as a defensive stronghold.”
Charles nodded silently.
He must have been thinking about the location of the installation from the moment he saw the map.
“Mister Rosin, please use this map as the basis for building the second city. As for the labor force, please coordinate with Mister Oracio about the beastmen.”
“Leave it to me. By the way, are we on the right track with the canal construction?”
“Yes, I won’t move that.”
Ivan gleefully trimmed his mustache.
It was a rare kaiser mustache for a dwarf.
“I can’t wait to see how much fun it will be to build such a long canal. I’ll never be bored if I follow my lord.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Then, you can start your work. The food will be stored at the fort. The construction crew should consult with Mister Oracio. Sir Rossi, after the fort is completed, well will go and greet Dorius.”
Charles grinned.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what you’re going to do this time. I feel a little sorry for Dorius. They don’t know what you will do, yet you are so careful in your warfare that it’s a nightmare for the enemy.”
Prytanis gave a drawn-out laugh.
“I too, when I heard about the first battle, thought we were definitely going to lose if we didn’t do something about it… I met him to see what kind of person he was, but he was so plain… I got more and more scared. And yet, he had so many nicknames that I really didn’t understand.”
They all laughed, and I was a little grumpy.
My bad, I’m a plain guy anyway.
And the nickname wasn’t my fault!
