Fun Territory Defense Chapter 209 (Patreon)

[Another Viewpoint] Sibling Reunion 2

[Sesto]

I have no money. I never worried about that before, but as a deputy, I became aware of it even if I didn't want to.

At first, I looked at the huge budget and was delighted to see how much we could spend, but then I wondered why they didn't tell us before it was gone.

I found myself needing more money than I could raise in taxes to make ends meet. As acting Lord, I sold off the goods I managed in the town, repeatedly went on expeditions with the knighthood as training, and earned money by defeating bandit groups and magic beasts.

But even so, I could never make up the difference.

It was while he was wondering what to do that the offer to invade the Jiernetta Kingdom came to him.

"Even if you have to borrow money, you need to have the strength to fight."

When Gallardo told me this, I nodded my head in agreement. At the same time, I thought to myself, "This will save my neck".

He immediately contacted his aide and instructed him to falsify the books to make it look like all the losses and debts had been for this day. Just as well, there were also records of the Knights' expeditions.

Since Gallardo seems to have hired many mercenaries, it would not be discovered if they were always working together.

We decided to join the fight that way, despite various uncertainties.

There were no great hardships along the way. Since they were used to living a self-indulgent life, it was hard for them to eat frugal meals and sleep in the wagons.

Gallardo is eager to achieve military success, but it will not be that easy.

Even against a bandit group, a number of knights would die. Even a medium-sized magic beast would do the same.

And yet, they say that you can't reach the Jiernetta Kingdom unless you first step through the Wolfsburg Mountains.

Are they idiots? Why would we go through these magical mountains inhabited only by large magic beasts?

I would probably be beheaded for disrespect if I said it, so I won't actually say it, but I can't help but think it's insane.

We spent our time on the road thinking about such things while listening to Gallardo's boastful talk.

Finally, we arrived at our first destination, Van's territory. We had heard that it was an impoverished village that would blow away, but how bad could it be?

Van being a baron must be a bad joke. I thought so, but the first thing I felt when I saw Van's estate was incredulity.

"...Brother Gallardo, what is that? No way...is that Van's territory?"

Could there be a mistake? I asked, but Gallardo's eyes widened in surprise.

"...Walls? You don't think they built that many walls in just over a year?"

At his words, I took another look at the castle walls rising before my eyes. It is a magnificent wall, as if it were the picture of solidity. The gates are graceful, and every detail of the decoration is meticulously done.

Thinking that we must have taken a wrong turn, we passed through the gate while chatting with Gallardo. As the story goes, it used to be a small village in the middle of nowhere, and I was relieved to compare it to the town where I had served as a deputy.

"...Why are you trying to get out of town?"

But for some reason, he and Gallardo protested, as if they were leaving the town.

"Maybe you're not trying to get rid of us, are you?"

We both said this, but the guiding soldier opened his mouth as if it were nothing.

"Oh, I apologize for not explaining myself better. This is not Seat Village yet. Too many adventurers have been visiting Seat Village, so Van-sama is a newly created town exclusively for adventurers."

"...is?"

Gallardo makes a dumb sound at the soldier's words. What in the world is he talking about? While he was thinking this, the castle gate was opened.

And when a new fortress city appeared beyond the gates, we were finally at a loss for words.

A city of more than 10,000 inhabitants. On either side of the neatly laid out streets, soldiers who looked like the royal capital's knights were encamped.

We made our way to the fortress city, feeling the eyes of thousands of elite soldiers. Feeling as if I were being taken away by the knights, I finally arrived at the gate of the fortress city.

It looks like a sheer mountain. I felt that way as I looked up at the tall walls and gates. However, there was a stream flowing in front of us, and we were not yet close to the gates of the fortress.

"Open the gate! Lower the bridge!"

A soldier called out, and the bridge came down immediately. Apparently, the rectangular plank that, we thought, was the castle gate was a drawbridge. It was supposed to be the back side of the bridge, but it was elaborately carved and looked like a castle gate from a distance.

The bridge descends, and the gate is opened.

"Welcome to Seat Village, Van-sama awaits you."

A maid with a knight appears as soon as the gate is opened and says something like that. Gallardo frowns at her.

"What? You let me walk in without being welcomed by my brother?"

He complained with annoyance, but his voice was so low that I could barely hear him even though I was standing right next to him. Even if it was his brother, I was told that Van had become a baron, so it was difficult to criticize him in public.

We had no choice but to follow the maid who led us both silently.

I have seen this maid somewhere before. As we walked along, the maid pointed to the buildings on either side of us and opened her mouth.

"Gallardo-sama, Sesto-sama is visiting Seat Village for the first time, so I will give you a brief tour of the village."

With that preface, the maid told us about the village.

According to her, not only the Adventurers' Guild and Mary Chamber of Commerce, but even the Commerce Guild does business. In addition, a dungeon is found in the forest at the foot of the Wolfsburg Mountains, where more than a thousand adventurers stay at any given time, making it easy to obtain materials from rare magic beasts. Even more surprisingly, the village is inhabited by Dwarfs and there is even a dwarven furnace.

At this information, even Gallardo raised his voice.

"But, that's ridiculous...! How is that possible in just a year and a few months?"

I reluctantly agree with Gallardo, who yells at me.

"...I was thinking that he was kicked out to a remote village, but it doesn't seem that way. Maybe they found out that Dwarves lived here, so they developed it with the full force of the kingdom. That's why they also made the commercial guilds a target of their trade."

Gallardo nodded deeply when I told him this.

"Yes, that must be it. You must be right, Van, you are incredibly lucky, even I have never seen a dwarf."

Gallardo laughed, and the maid's eyes sharpened. No, the surrounding knights do the same.

"What? Are you trying to tell me you didn't know?"

When Gallardo stares back, the thin maid timidly speaks without hesitation.

"...When Van-sama first arrived in this village, it was under attack by a band of thieves. He had to fight with his own sword to defend his territory. When the dragons attacked, he did the same, risking his life to bring back Espada-sama, who was at the tail end of the line to stop the dragons. It was never luck, etc., but because of Van-sama, the village became bigger and stronger."

The maid even has tears in her eyes as she recounts Van's efforts. She must have understood that we represent the Marquis. If you look closely, you can see that her fingertips are trembling finely.

"Don't be rude! You're a maid...!"

Gallardo shouted at her and tried to close in, but the maid cowered her shoulders, frightened, but did not step back.

Then the child's voice rang out.

"Whoa! Brother Gallardo and Brother Sesto! It's been a long time! How are you?"