Every day, the smoke rising from the castle is lessening.
Prytanis, watching next door, is probably praying for a quick surrender.
If we attacked by force, they would fall easily.
But there is no need.
But if they think we’ll never attack, they may take extra measures.
He may escape at the cost of many lives and flee to another castle.
I’ll ask them to call Charles.
After a while, Charles came over to us.
“My lord, what are your instructions?”
“There is no need to reassure the enemy that there will be no attack. Besides, it’s hard to keep up the morale of the soldiers if they’re just waiting for Dorius. We have come all this way. Please pretend to attack the castle. Also, there is a possibility that the enemy will take advantage of the night to escape. If they were to flee, it would only be in the direction from which the rearguard came. Please light a bonfire and strengthen surveillance.”
“Will he run in any other direction?”
“It is useless to flee in a direction where there are no food reserves. Even now, they probably don’t have enough food. They will be stuck in a state of starvation. However, it will be troublesome if they are forced into another castle and are then besieged.”
""
A healthy body can survive.
That is difficult in the current unsanitary and undernourished conditions.
Wetlands, which are easy to defend, will be a hindrance in an escape.
It is nothing more than a desperate attempt.
Unless, of course, he plans to survive on his own…
Normally, the standard practice would be to surround the castle and open it up on one side only.
But we don’t have the manpower to do that.
To begin with, with only about 600 men, a castle siege itself is essentially impossible.
That is probably why Dorius chose to stay in the castle.
“I see, I understand.”
There is a possibility that he is waiting for me to let my guard down as a last chance.
There is a mood of optimism in the entire army.
Now would be a good time to tighten things up.
Prytanis looked at me with an astonished expression.
“I have never seen Lord Alfred let his guard down. You really are ageless…”
Don’t talk about my age.
“I’m 17. What will the other party do to get out of this? I just keep thinking about it until it’s settled.”
I would appreciate it if this would break your heart.
I’m not the one who decides.
Then we made an attack in looks only.
But I just positioned myself at the very edge of the bow’s reach and sounded the trumpet call.
As expected, the response from the castle was sluggish.
The forces have been almost completely destroyed.
They may be pretending to be dead, but it doesn’t matter either way.
That night, a bonfire was lit brightly.
Since there was no turn for me, I went to bed quietly.
The next day, I wake up with an itchy body.
The bath was not yet ready for us.
My head is itchy because I haven’t taken a bath yet.
As I went outside, scratching my head, a messenger came to me.
“I have something to report! A messenger came from Dorius to surrender. Sir Rossi and Mr. Prytanis are handling it as you instructed.”
I nodded mechanically.
“I understood. I’ll wait for the next report.”
I have told them what we are negotiating.
The general manager is not in charge when negotiating terms with the enemy.
I only appear when everything has been decided.
If I show up, caught off guard by the victory, it will seem like an opportunity for the other side.
There will be fierce retaliation, but if they are hungry and giddy, they will eat poisoned steamed bun.
Let’s at least give them a shot.
It is even possible.
I may be overthinking it, but I am in a position to be cautious.
Let’s leave the negotiations to them and think about the future.
I kept staring at the map until I got the report.
While I was scratching my head and looking at the map, I felt the presence of someone.
I looked up and saw Charles and Prytanis.
Charles gave me an astonished look.
“─ My lord, are you planning what you will do after you win? I would like your approval to decide on the premise of a victory.”
“Then let’s hear the details.”
“They’re going to offer Dorius’ head. They will also lower his claim to human supremacy. Instead, they want you to protect them as a citizen.”
You’re missing a point.
“They’re probably bringing in treasure as well. Who has the right to it?”
It’s not that I want it.
But there is one problem, you see.
If they think they can take it all away and hide it, or if they throw themselves down a well with the treasure, it will be troublesome.
“I understand. Let’s check on that. What about their personal property?”
“I have no intention of taking it from them if it belongs to them. We have heard from Prytanis that there are no extremely wealthy people. If it does not belong to him, we will keep it.”
“Do you want to sell it and use the money?”
No, no, no, it’s the other way around.
I waved my hand.
“That’s what I don’t want you to do. What happens if the treasure goes to the outside world? Adventurers will come rushing in, thinking there are still others. And to make matters worse… the royal family could take notice.”
Charles looked impressed.
“I see… it would certainly be tricky if they thought there was treasure.”
“Yes, I don’t want to be disturbed unnecessarily just yet. Even if we were to sell the treasure, we would need to time it right.”
“I am so worried that I want to burst out laughing. I wouldn’t want to do my lord’s work even if you asked me to.”
I totally agree…
I sighed as I watched Charles go about his negotiations again.
After some back and forth, we were presented with the final terms of surrender.
They will offer Dorius’ life, and they want their people to spare his life.
Those that solely refuse to live with the beastmen will not be killed, but wish to be banished.
Half of the treasures are to remain with Prytanis.
And they want Prytanis to take care of the people who accept the change.
The treasure will be used for that purpose.
And they want permission for Prytanis to beget offspring, and in addition, they want me to be his guardian.
All other treasures will be offered to the winner.
I accepted these terms.
Surely there is a way to eradicate the bloodline of the enemy leader.
There are softer means, such as ostensibly protecting them, but not allowing them to produce offspring.
There is no need for that, since Dorius’ society is symbolized by the prophet rather than the bloodline.
The first condition, Dorius’ life, must be a punishment.
The most obvious thing when it comes to a new society is the head of the leader.
Even if they don’t like it, they are confronted with reality.
Prytanis, who had been negotiating for some time, looked terribly tired.
“I will be responsible for Prytanis. I have no intention of forbidding him to leave offspring. And all those who will become citizens will have a last name. There is no distinction by position, and without a last name, it would feel strange. You must make a final agreement on these terms.”
Prytanis hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“If the surrender is successful, may I give them food, since they were all starving? In addition, we would like your permission to mourn for the deceased.”
“I understand. Then, I will be present at Dorius’ decapitation. If I am not present, it will not be considered official recognition. I know it will be hard for you, but please confirm it.”
Prytanis laughed emphatically.
“I know. I think I understand a little of the weight that Lord Alfred is carrying right now. Their fate depends on me…”
After that, a head was placed on a plate, though I couldn’t see it.
The soldiers almost cheered when they saw the head, but I made them stop.
I have no taste for desecrating the dead.
Besides, it would only have a negative impact on the future situation.
Now that Prytanis has confirmed that it is him, I asked him to put it in the box as soon as possible.
I wanted to bury him, but there was a chance that the garrison commander might resist in another fortress.
I promised Prytanis that I would bury him after all the disarmament.
Unless we took his head and asked him to disarm the various forts.
That’s what I thought, but I was told that since they had people entrenched in two places, the others were unoccupied.
So, if we open the one remaining castle, that would be the end of it.
To deal with the surrenderers first, I sent an escort to Prytanis to head for the castle.
The soldiers looked uniformly relieved.
It had been about two months since their departure.
It was a quick attack for a war, but it was the longest military deployment.
From now on, the period of military service will become longer and longer.
We have to think about taking care of them.
I want to send the soldiers home as soon as possible, but we need to be prepared for the demon tribe.
It is imperative that we establish a defense system for our new territory.
And we need to deal with the other tribes that have been indifferent to us.
At the very least, I want to establish mutual non-aggression.
We cannot ignore them.
There is a possibility that they will target our backsides during the battle with the demons.
Just because they are indifferent doesn’t mean they will always be indifferent.
I can’t just leave the defense system to Charles.
He would need my permission, too.
I was looking at the map when I looked up and saw that the sun was beginning to set.
I need the soldiers to be tense for a little while longer.
It’s war until they return safely.
Then Prytanis returned.
He looks tired, but more than that, he looks like he’s had an incident.
“Prytanis, is something wrong?”
“It was Gyurippos who decapitated my father. After reporting this to me, he chose to commit suicide…”
Then Prytanis’s shoulders slumped.
Maybe they were close.
I had a feeling that would happen when he entrusted me with Prytanis.
Normally, he would have wanted to entrust his son’s future to his best friend.
But Gyurippos could not choose to live only by himself.
Others would never be able to measure the weight of the friendship they had formed over the years.
I have no intention of saying that he should live even if he has to live in disgrace.
Pushing beautiful things without considering the other person’s situation.
And then, you puff out your chest that you did a good thing.
If a problem arises afterwards, they evade it by saying that it’s not their fault.
Or they ignore it.
When the grade goes up, they begin to say that they are the victim of a betrayal of their good intentions.
To me, this is nothing short of an abomination.
I’ve seen it all before my reincarnation and I’m sick of it.
Thus ended my battle with Dorius.
Every day, the smoke rising from the castle is lessening.
Prytanis, watching next door, is probably praying for a quick surrender.
If we attacked by force, they would fall easily.
But there is no need.
But if they think we’ll never attack, they may take extra measures.
He may escape at the cost of many lives and flee to another castle.
I’ll ask them to call Charles.
After a while, Charles came over to us.
“My lord, what are your instructions?”
“There is no need to reassure the enemy that there will be no attack. Besides, it’s hard to keep up the morale of the soldiers if they’re just waiting for Dorius. We have come all this way. Please pretend to attack the castle. Also, there is a possibility that the enemy will take advantage of the night to escape. If they were to flee, it would only be in the direction from which the rearguard came. Please light a bonfire and strengthen surveillance.”
“Will he run in any other direction?”
“It is useless to flee in a direction where there are no food reserves. Even now, they probably don’t have enough food. They will be stuck in a state of starvation. However, it will be troublesome if they are forced into another castle and are then besieged.”
""
A healthy body can survive.
That is difficult in the current unsanitary and undernourished conditions.
Wetlands, which are easy to defend, will be a hindrance in an escape.
It is nothing more than a desperate attempt.
Unless, of course, he plans to survive on his own…
Normally, the standard practice would be to surround the castle and open it up on one side only.
But we don’t have the manpower to do that.
To begin with, with only about 600 men, a castle siege itself is essentially impossible.
That is probably why Dorius chose to stay in the castle.
“I see, I understand.”
There is a possibility that he is waiting for me to let my guard down as a last chance.
There is a mood of optimism in the entire army.
Now would be a good time to tighten things up.
Prytanis looked at me with an astonished expression.
“I have never seen Lord Alfred let his guard down. You really are ageless…”
Don’t talk about my age.
“I’m 17. What will the other party do to get out of this? I just keep thinking about it until it’s settled.”
I would appreciate it if this would break your heart.
I’m not the one who decides.
Then we made an attack in looks only.
But I just positioned myself at the very edge of the bow’s reach and sounded the trumpet call.
As expected, the response from the castle was sluggish.
The forces have been almost completely destroyed.
They may be pretending to be dead, but it doesn’t matter either way.
That night, a bonfire was lit brightly.
Since there was no turn for me, I went to bed quietly.
The next day, I wake up with an itchy body.
The bath was not yet ready for us.
My head is itchy because I haven’t taken a bath yet.
As I went outside, scratching my head, a messenger came to me.
“I have something to report! A messenger came from Dorius to surrender. Sir Rossi and Mr. Prytanis are handling it as you instructed.”
I nodded mechanically.
“I understood. I’ll wait for the next report.”
I have told them what we are negotiating.
The general manager is not in charge when negotiating terms with the enemy.
I only appear when everything has been decided.
If I show up, caught off guard by the victory, it will seem like an opportunity for the other side.
There will be fierce retaliation, but if they are hungry and giddy, they will eat poisoned steamed bun.
Let’s at least give them a shot.
It is even possible.
I may be overthinking it, but I am in a position to be cautious.
Let’s leave the negotiations to them and think about the future.
I kept staring at the map until I got the report.
While I was scratching my head and looking at the map, I felt the presence of someone.
I looked up and saw Charles and Prytanis.
Charles gave me an astonished look.
“─ My lord, are you planning what you will do after you win? I would like your approval to decide on the premise of a victory.”
“Then let’s hear the details.”
“They’re going to offer Dorius’ head. They will also lower his claim to human supremacy. Instead, they want you to protect them as a citizen.”
You’re missing a point.
“They’re probably bringing in treasure as well. Who has the right to it?”
It’s not that I want it.
But there is one problem, you see.
If they think they can take it all away and hide it, or if they throw themselves down a well with the treasure, it will be troublesome.
“I understand. Let’s check on that. What about their personal property?”
“I have no intention of taking it from them if it belongs to them. We have heard from Prytanis that there are no extremely wealthy people. If it does not belong to him, we will keep it.”
“Do you want to sell it and use the money?”
No, no, no, it’s the other way around.
I waved my hand.
“That’s what I don’t want you to do. What happens if the treasure goes to the outside world? Adventurers will come rushing in, thinking there are still others. And to make matters worse… the royal family could take notice.”
Charles looked impressed.
“I see… it would certainly be tricky if they thought there was treasure.”
“Yes, I don’t want to be disturbed unnecessarily just yet. Even if we were to sell the treasure, we would need to time it right.”
“I am so worried that I want to burst out laughing. I wouldn’t want to do my lord’s work even if you asked me to.”
I totally agree…
I sighed as I watched Charles go about his negotiations again.
After some back and forth, we were presented with the final terms of surrender.
They will offer Dorius’ life, and they want their people to spare his life.
Those that solely refuse to live with the beastmen will not be killed, but wish to be banished.
Half of the treasures are to remain with Prytanis.
And they want Prytanis to take care of the people who accept the change.
The treasure will be used for that purpose.
And they want permission for Prytanis to beget offspring, and in addition, they want me to be his guardian.
All other treasures will be offered to the winner.
I accepted these terms.
Surely there is a way to eradicate the bloodline of the enemy leader.
There are softer means, such as ostensibly protecting them, but not allowing them to produce offspring.
There is no need for that, since Dorius’ society is symbolized by the prophet rather than the bloodline.
The first condition, Dorius’ life, must be a punishment.
The most obvious thing when it comes to a new society is the head of the leader.
Even if they don’t like it, they are confronted with reality.
Prytanis, who had been negotiating for some time, looked terribly tired.
“I will be responsible for Prytanis. I have no intention of forbidding him to leave offspring. And all those who will become citizens will have a last name. There is no distinction by position, and without a last name, it would feel strange. You must make a final agreement on these terms.”
Prytanis hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“If the surrender is successful, may I give them food, since they were all starving? In addition, we would like your permission to mourn for the deceased.”
“I understand. Then, I will be present at Dorius’ decapitation. If I am not present, it will not be considered official recognition. I know it will be hard for you, but please confirm it.”
Prytanis laughed emphatically.
“I know. I think I understand a little of the weight that Lord Alfred is carrying right now. Their fate depends on me…”
After that, a head was placed on a plate, though I couldn’t see it.
The soldiers almost cheered when they saw the head, but I made them stop.
I have no taste for desecrating the dead.
Besides, it would only have a negative impact on the future situation.
Now that Prytanis has confirmed that it is him, I asked him to put it in the box as soon as possible.
I wanted to bury him, but there was a chance that the garrison commander might resist in another fortress.
I promised Prytanis that I would bury him after all the disarmament.
Unless we took his head and asked him to disarm the various forts.
That’s what I thought, but I was told that since they had people entrenched in two places, the others were unoccupied.
So, if we open the one remaining castle, that would be the end of it.
To deal with the surrenderers first, I sent an escort to Prytanis to head for the castle.
The soldiers looked uniformly relieved.
It had been about two months since their departure.
It was a quick attack for a war, but it was the longest military deployment.
From now on, the period of military service will become longer and longer.
We have to think about taking care of them.
I want to send the soldiers home as soon as possible, but we need to be prepared for the demon tribe.
It is imperative that we establish a defense system for our new territory.
And we need to deal with the other tribes that have been indifferent to us.
At the very least, I want to establish mutual non-aggression.
We cannot ignore them.
There is a possibility that they will target our backsides during the battle with the demons.
Just because they are indifferent doesn’t mean they will always be indifferent.
I can’t just leave the defense system to Charles.
He would need my permission, too.
I was looking at the map when I looked up and saw that the sun was beginning to set.
I need the soldiers to be tense for a little while longer.
It’s war until they return safely.
Then Prytanis returned.
He looks tired, but more than that, he looks like he’s had an incident.
“Prytanis, is something wrong?”
“It was Gyurippos who decapitated my father. After reporting this to me, he chose to commit suicide…”
Then Prytanis’s shoulders slumped.
Maybe they were close.
I had a feeling that would happen when he entrusted me with Prytanis.
Normally, he would have wanted to entrust his son’s future to his best friend.
But Gyurippos could not choose to live only by himself.
Others would never be able to measure the weight of the friendship they had formed over the years.
I have no intention of saying that he should live even if he has to live in disgrace.
Pushing beautiful things without considering the other person’s situation.
And then, you puff out your chest that you did a good thing.
If a problem arises afterwards, they evade it by saying that it’s not their fault.
Or they ignore it.
When the grade goes up, they begin to say that they are the victim of a betrayal of their good intentions.
To me, this is nothing short of an abomination.
I’ve seen it all before my reincarnation and I’m sick of it.
Thus ended my battle with Dorius.
