Fun Territory Defense Chapter 214 (Patreon)

[Another Viewpoint] The Work of the Lord of a Fortress

[Murcia]

It was early in the morning and the call of the knights was echoing outside. I took that familiar voice as a cue to get up and get out of bed. Approaching the window, I looked out and saw the Knights running in a mass; Dee was more energetic than anyone else, chasing after the armored members of the Order.

The scary thing is that Dee is more heavily armed than anyone else. As usual, he is running with full-body armor, a large shield, and a large sword as tall as he is.

He is chasing after the group members running in front of him in that state, laughing.

Incidentally, the initial concerns about the lack of food and manpower are being addressed thanks to the regular supplies sent from Van and the adventurers who carry them.

The only problem was that the adventurers were coming back with many magic beasts that they had hunted while on their way to patrol the area. The castle did not have the funds to purchase the materials. Some of the materials were brought back on horse-drawn wagons, but the rest were left behind.

The adventurers, however, seem to have been commissioned by Van to cut up materials for cash, and dried meats that would otherwise rot. They also gathered wood, ore, and other materials from the surrounding area and stored them in a storage area under a small castle on the Jiernetta Kingdom side.

Perhaps the Mary Chamber of Commerce will be able to send a caravan of merchants to this location as well.

Even now, the Bellrango Chamber of Commerce from Seat Village sends us back and forth by peddling wagons, but it is not enough to buy and sell materials, armors, and daily necessities. Considering the future increase in population, they will not be able to cope with the situation in time.

A large merchant would be able to do so.

While thinking about this, I think it would be difficult to build a road that would allow merchants to come and go freely in the Wolfsburg Mountains.

After all, the magic beasts that inhabit the Wolfsburg Mountains are all large ones. It would be common for a carriage to be destroyed just by being a little careless at night. When passing by cliffs, there was a risk of slipping and falling if a fight broke out nearby.

When weighing the risks and benefits, I would consider not sending the troopers.

"...Is this thinking not good?"

I muttered to myself after changing my clothes.

It is my nature to be blunt, but I tend to think in terms of what might happen if things turn out badly. This is a shortcoming that my father has pointed out to me many times.

In contrast, my father and Van do not seem to have this tendency; Gallardo and Sesto also tend to trust their own judgment and go forward, but that was only because they were shallow thinkers.

In my father's case, he assumes the worst and builds his strategy based on that.

And the same goes for Van. When he was put in charge of this castle, I asked him how he thought it should be defended. Van replied, looking down on the citadel from the top floor,

"For me, I think about what I would do if the enemy were me. One is a hard-line strategy that ignores some damage while keeping an eye out for ballistas. I would deploy thinly and widely to the left and right and break through the walls with my mass. The other is to develop a route of invasion that will not be exposed until the very last minute. We can pass through dangerous mountains and attack from either the left or right. This would be possible with wyverns. The last step is to attack with troops. The opponent has already invaded deep into Count Ferdinand's territory. We could invade from there and cut off their supply."

Van said, as if he were a general or something. When I was stunned, Van opened his mouth again with a wry smile.

"Of course, there is a possibility that they will use various strange tactics, such as digging a hole, setting something up from the river, or making a night raid. So either way, we have to be flexible...Brother Murcia is cautious, so I think he is suited for defensive battles or field battles with a small number of people...Dee is there, too, so you can do what you want."

With that, Van easily returned to Seat Village.

He seems to be enjoying himself in an easygoing manner, but the more I speak with Van, the more I am surprised by his deep thoughts and consideration for us.

I had heard that Espada and Dee had been working hard to educate him, but I still couldn't believe it.

It would have been more believable if Van had been told that he had been adopted by an elf and was in fact already fifty years old.

While I was thinking about this, I heard a voice calling me from far away. I went outside to see what was wrong, and saw Arv, who had been climbing the tower, calling out to me. Normally, he would have come up inside the castle, but he must have been in a great hurry.

I wondered if the enemy had attacked us. Thinking so, I immediately replied from the spot.

"What's going on!"

When I asked back, Arv pointed to the rear and opened his mouth.

"It's the royal flag! The Royal Army seems to have arrived!"

Hearing this report, two emotions instantly took over my heart.

The first was relief that the arrival of so many allies had completed the task of defending the citadel. The other was nervousness at the arrival of the senior nobles, led by His Majesty.

"...! Hurry up and prepare to welcome them!"

Arv nodded broadly as he hurriedly gave his instructions.

"Ha!"

Hearing Arv's reply, I turned on my heel and ran down the stairs inside the castle. In the corner of my head, I could picture my father's face, and I felt my stomach ache.