Chapter 23.2 - Lucifer’s Warfare Plan Part 2 (1/2)
Ximengsi Continent’s southern region, the center area of Steinbeck Fief, Stanley City
After Clyde discussed with Lucifer in a clandestine meeting, he decided to send troops to attack the nearby Barbarian Race as well as several neutral cities and towns to increase the population of his fief. Although this method was rather crude, it was more effective than Princess Saras’s recruitment methods.
To send a punitive expedition, they needed troops. Although Lucifer’s bloodkin familiars could fight and move about in the daytime, their bloodthirsty natures were hard to control, not suitable for subjugative warfare. One careless moment and the opposite side would be completely annihilated, leaving no one alive. This was one of the natural instincts of the Blood Race, so Lucifer had no effective methods to restrain it.
Therefore, Clyde intended to recruit an army. In Ximengsi Continent, there were many mercenary groups that accepted warfare missions. Usually, the price matched the mission’s difficult. The mission to guard a city cost five silver coins per person per day and could reach ten silver coins per day. In the case of offensive warfare, it cost one gold coin per person per day. If a person died in action, a commission equivalent to his predicted pay through the entirety of the mission had to be transferred to the Mercenary Guild that very day. All matters concerning the aftermath would then have nothing to do with the employer.
Nevertheless, although Clyde had a lot of gold coins, he didn’t wish to hire a human army. There were less expensive methods that didn’t need any commission. After all, he had to set aside those funds to build two cathedrals.
“Eh, what… What instructions does my lord have?”
The ancient Demon King immediately sensed the arrivals of Clyde and Lucifer and respectfully greeted them. One was a Great Old One, and the other was a supreme Bloodkin: their ranks were much higher than her own, a mere ancient demon king. Clyde planned to borrow this ancient demon king’s power to recruit an army just like former Suzerain Duke Andrew had. Since Clyde’s blood lineage was of a Great Old One, he would be able to control them much better than the foolish Duke Andrew.
He, a Great Old One, could summon far more terrifying demonic creatures, but they were even more uncontrollable than Lucifer’s bloodkin familiars. In a war of subjugation, Clyde couldn’t use those extremely bloodthirsty demonic creatures. Thus, an undead army was his first choice. Unless absolutely vital, Clyde didn’t want to use his or Lucifer’s forces.
Now, there were even Light Church saintesses in Steinbeck Fief. If there were an undead calamity nearby, the other party was very unlikely to suspect Steinbeck Fief. After all, that would be equivalent to openly questioning Light Church’s ability. As long as he covered any signs, Clyde could conceal himself by being a too obvious target.
“Big brother Clyde, you can resurrect the ancient demon king and let her directly teach you how to do it!”
“Okay. Eh, Lucifer, you are…”