Volume 3 Chapter 5 Part1 (1/2)

Translator Corner

Minasan oideyasu. This is Yukkuri demasu!

Hopefully the schedule this month is not

that busy, so that is good news for everyone!

Also thank you for the readers RS and Z for

the donations, your money is used to buy Takarakuji Volume 6 and still

undetermined LN (suggestion please, will Meido Kara Haha ni Narimas.h.i.+ta (From

Maid to Mother) be alright? – I will provide the digitalized RAW for any

interested translator).

Takarakuji also got a manga…… Perhaps I

should do a translation for it?

DISCLAIMER: There is no

guarantee that my translation is 100% correct. Please correct me if I was

wrong.

Author:

Dozeumaru(どぜう丸)

Translator:

Yukkuri Oniisan

Editor:

So-Chintzy

Postwar Arc

Chapter 5: As a Ruler A - Reward

「………」

「………」

It was the morning after a whole week

(eight days) since our return to Capital Parnam. Inside the government affairs office

at Parnam Castle, the only sounds that could be heard was those of me moving

the pen and Liscia presenting the doc.u.ments.

◇　◇　◇

I had worked in the Dukedom Capital

Van, but this workload, ever since my return to Parnam, wasn’t that much

different either…… Not at all, or rather, it had multiplied. Since the system of

the Three Dukes had been dismantled, I need to reform the military immediately.

Then, in order to have an equal relations.h.i.+p with the Empire, I need to expand

the military, so I can oppose the threat from the Demon Lord’s Territory

together with them…… so to speak, I have to『strengthen

the military』[1]. And that “Strengthen the Military” plan is, for sure,

the 『United Army Plan』 that I had declared during the Final Counsel with the Three Dukes.

Looking at humanity’s history, a “strong

soldier (in this case, it has the meaning of an army)” might be a mobile army

corps. In short, whether or not we have the ability to send essential military

forces to important positions quickly.[2]

In practice, our complete victory in the battle against Amidonia was also

because we were able to take up positions on the predicted battlefield earlier

than our enemy. Since we arrived earlier, we would have had plenty of rest and were

able to battle with the totally exhausted enemy. If we had arrived at the same

time instead, then our fatigue levels would be similar and although the Amidonian

Army’s numbers were a bit inferior, it would result in a battle with no retreat

for them, so they would have held out considerably longer. If this happened, then

the Kingdom Army would have surely had a harder fight.

Then, so that we are able to gain

this mobility, together with the road improvements, I need to remove the fence between

the Royal Army, the Kingdom Army, the Navy, and the Air Force; unite them under

the same command; and create a structure that is able to move the whole army

immediately. This is the 『United Army Plan』. The Royal Army with the Kingdom Army, Navy, and Air

Force, together with the disa.s.sembled n.o.bles’ Army, the n.o.bles’ private soldiers

attached to Royal Army, will be reorganized to create the 『Elfrieden

Kingdom Defense Force』 (or EDF for short)[3].

Well, the abbreviation does give “that” sort of impression[4],

but for the people of this world, my complex feelings about the name wouldn’t

be able to be transmitted to them. By the way, it seems that this world has giant

ants.

Now, let’s return to the previous

topic. Of course there is a worry that by establis.h.i.+ng the EDF, it could draw resistance

from each army, but by conducting rebellions, the Kingdom Army and the Air

Force have lost their voices, so there weren’t any problem in this area anymore.

Even so, since Glaive and Tormann, the people that I entrusted to take charge

for both of their armies were also cooperating in this endeavor. Then, the

Navy, that made no mistakes for choosing our side, also wouldn’t resist too

much, since I decided to appoint the Navy Admiral, Excel, as the EDF’s Commander

in Chief[5]

(the person herself dislikes to be put in such a high position, but since I

said to her that it was only until Ludwin gains enough experience, she

reluctantly accepted it).

The troublesome one was the

n.o.bles’ Army. They are attached to the Royal Army, but the right to command

them rested on the n.o.bles’ side, a very troublesome army corps to handle. In

this world where dangerous wild creatures, monsters (although before the Demon

Lord Army appeared, they only existed inside dungeons), bandits, pirates, and brigands

exist, it was necessary for each territory to gather some forces to police the

land. That’s why, the n.o.bles, who held territories, trained a private army that

have the duty of guarding the safety of the territory. It was just that, at

this present point in time in this country, that their numbers were too

excessive.

This was the influence of the territorial

expansion focus of the King from two generations ago. At that time, obtaining

military exploits in the battlefield was the shortest and quickest way to fame,

so the n.o.bles even conscripted their fiefs’ population to a.s.semble private

armies. Military power would increase even if it was through conscripting

amateurs, but won’t it have zero meaning if the productivity falls down

as a result……? Eventually, even though the previous ruler, King Albert, s.h.i.+fted away from the expansion focus, the enlarged n.o.bles’ Army had been left as

it was.

That is why, right now, I am working

to break up the n.o.bles’ Army, leaving only the minimum number sufficient enough

to police the territory. For the people who were conscripted, although they

have occupations, they will be released and receive a severance payment upon

discharge. For the people who showed any interest in joining the EDF, then if they

show good promise by pa.s.sing the exams then they would be enlisted. After that,

I will work to appoint talented people to suitable positions (the personnel

composition had been decided by the military authorities of Excel, Glaive and

Ludwin, my job was just looking at the plans they made and giving my seal of approval).

◇　◇　◇

「………」

「………」

During the work, Liscia and I didn’t

exchange even one word.

What an unpleasant situation…… No,

this unpleasantness might only be felt by me one-sidedly. Liscia was behaving

normally.

That day, even after I told her

that Georg Carmine had committed suicide inside the prison, Liscia didn’t make

any changes in her expression. While being expressionless, she only muttered a

tiny 「I see……」.

It didn’t mean that I expected

her to lose her composure. It also didn’t mean that I expected her to blame me

either. My relations.h.i.+p with her is not that shallow to the extent where I

don’t know that she isn’t that kind of person. However, I never expected that

she would still behave normally even until now. I thought that at least her

expression would become gloomy to some degree. Not only did she not feel any

anguish or any sadness, Liscia was acting as if nothing ever happened. This put

me at lost for words.

If it like this, then it will be

better if she at least said even one complaint……

『Why

didn’t you do anything to help Duke Carmine!』

……Yeah. This hypothetical

situation wasn’t any better. Just imagining the scene of Liscia scorning me was

depressing for me. Then, if she just hit me to finally wipe the slate clean…… But

in this case, the one who should be worried will be me instead, right? Really……

What am I doing? I had boasted to Georg, 「No matter what happens, I will protect my family」, but

in the first place I couldn’t protect the girl closest to me.

「Souma.」(Liscia)

「Eh,

ah, what is it?」(Souma)

I looked at the one who called

me. It was Liscia, who slightly tilted her head.

「Your

pen stopped.」(Liscia)

「……Ah,

sorry.」(Souma)

Not good…… I need to pull myself

together. I once again returned to my work. Let’s finish the things in front of

me right now. Perhaps, one day, time will fix this. While thinking like this

and working, someone knocked on the door. 「Come

in」 I called out to the door, 「Excuse

me」, Serina-san the grand chambermaid entered.

「I

came to inform Your Majesty that the preparations have been finished.」(Serina)

「I

understand.」(Souma)

After stopping our work, I put on

the kingly mantle and then we headed to the audience room together.

This day was the Commendation Day

for the people that had performed distinguished services in the war against Amidonia.

◇　◇　◇

「Glaive

Magna. I commend you for your loyalty and the great deeds that we have been

indebted to. To reward that loyalty, I confer to you the territory of Randell

and its surroundings.」(Souma)

「Yes,

Your Majesty. I am grateful for this blessing.」(Glaive)

「Yes.

This is just temporary, but I bestow to you a part of Former Supreme Army

General Georg’s authority to you. Until the time comes for the Elfrieden

Defense Force’s reorganization, please adeptly unite the Kingdom Army.」(Souma)

「Yes,

Your Majesty. These old bones will certainly strive to meet Your Majesty’s

expectations.」(Glaive)

In front of me, who stood out

from the throne and granted an award with a pompous tone, was Hal’s father, Glaive,

prostrating himself. Since it’s not being deliberately broadcasted, I actually disliked

this formal ambience. However, since the State Secretary was recording my each

and every word and action, I needed to act “Kingly” like this. So that the

people in the future wouldn’t belittle me when they read the historical records,

that was what my retainer, Marcus, had been telling me repeatedly. Honestly, I

don’t really care about the posthumous evaluation.

◇　◇　◇

In the battle with the Amidonia

Dukedom, Elfrieden Kingdom didn’t obtain any territory, but the Kingdom succeed

in obtaining a large sum of indemnity money. Furthermore, the Kingdom collected