Chapter 69 (1/2)
Siege Warfare
The operation to invade Cordova began.
According to the plan, they would first attack the fort at the southern end of the border.
Their number was truly 150,000.
Even so, it was not an attack that relied on numbers. It was a long-ranged a.s.sault left to magic and catapults, with things such as combat engineers securing sources of water. The fight began in a sober fas.h.i.+on.
On a nearby hill, Ria was watching the attack without particularly paying attention to it and was currently grappling with law-related doc.u.ments.
The Ogress Archduchy was a union of countries. Laws that would become its const.i.tutional model were needed.
Although Guinevere had demonstrated that she had more than enough ability for things concerning the technical and trade side of things, she also didn’t have much expertise in the creation of laws.
Therefore, while seeing that their attack on this front was one-sided, Ria went over discussions related to postwar legislation with her staff.
And for their model, Cordova would have to be overthrown. This was a vital point.
“Fio, that one next. Serge, look at this.”
With the knowledge of his previous life in j.a.pan, Serge was helpful.
Although he didn’t come from something like a law school, as he had received the usual history lessons, he knew about transitional law reasonably well.
“Nee-chan, this here, no matter how you look at it, isn’t it too soft?”
Nowadays, Even in the army Serge’s name for Ria was fixed as [Nee-chan].
“Ah, the people of Cordova have suffered tyranny for years. If they experience even one bit of kindness, they’ll never try to revolt.”
“Hmmm, I’m sure that laws are better being severe than gentle, read that in some book…”
“That’s the Chinese tradition for raising children. What you’re thinking of is governments under a benevolent ruler should be as amicable and gentle as water, but it’s best to use strict policies for a populace used to a ruler lacking benevolence.” [1]
Since Ria liked historical novels, she read them here and there.
She didn’t notice she was being looked at by queer eyes.
“… Nee-chan… are you benevolent?”
“Nah.”
But she had dignity. She had overwhelmingly distinguished herself in fame and renown.
Even Serge, who had taken such a nonchalant att.i.tude towards his ruler, acknowledged her superiority at some point, the person herself didn’t notice.
Va.s.sals that could insinuate that their ruler lacked benevolence probably didn’t even exist in their opponent’s camp.
“By the way, your majesty.”
“Nn?”
“The castle wall will be destroyed soon, I think we should charge in…”
To her general’s advice, Ria simply took a glance at him before once again returning her focus on the doc.u.ments.
“There’s still more to go.”
“However, if we destroy it any further, it will become impossible to be used by us.”
“That’s fine. I planned on destroying it from the start and build it anew.”
The general’s mouth opened gapingly.
“I mean, it’s such a small fort, they’d take it back immediately yeah? We even brought along 150,000 soldiers to construct it.”
The general said nothing further.
After that, the defending soldiers raised the flag of surrender from the continuous boulders launched at them.
“Aah, I’m tired.”
On a cloth spread out inside her tent, Ria lied down still holding doc.u.ments.
Although her body could stay for however long was needed on horseback, her brain was tired.
To begin with, these kinds of things were probably better for scholars to have done, but currently what she needed was not a system of law with universality in mind.
Ria would have an autocracy, but this was necessary for the Millennium.
“Fio, Fiiiooo~”
“What is it?”
“Give me a lap pillow~”
“A-a lap pillow…”
Ria put her head on Fio’s knees after she’d obediently sat on the floor.
“Maal~, be my hug pillow~”
“Kay~”
As though accustomed to it, Maal snugly entered into Ria’s embrace.
“Ah, unfair~”
Irina hugged Maal from the other side.
“The heck are you doing…”
With an amazed, yet slightly envious voice, s.h.i.+zuna entered the tent and looked at Ria.
“It’s to heal me… here, s.h.i.+zuna, come.”
“Eeh~?”
Though she looked like she was pouting, s.h.i.+zuna sat down next to Fio. It was cute that she so obviously wanted to join.
Ria, who took hold s.h.i.+zuna’s waist and pulled, began to caress s.h.i.+zuna’s bottom with her left hand.
“Wai—… that’s…”
“Feels so soft~”
Since Ria was speaking honestly, even though s.h.i.+zuna’s face blushed, she concentrated on Ria’s fingers. Ria wasn’t just caressing her, she was absolutely looking for a reaction from her.
It was vexing. But all the same, she thoroughly experienced it.
“What are you doing?”