Chapter : 22

Just as I was frantically managing internal affairs, the news I had been waiting for finally arrived.

“My Lord, a city council member from the city of Markel has arrived.”

‘Oh! Finally.’

I was getting anxious because no one had tried to contact me. I was worried that things had gone wrong.

But thankfully, it seemed that wasn't the case, as a visitor had come from the city of Markel, which had resisted the most fiercely.

However, the words that came out of the council member's mouth were different from what I had expected.

“Greetings, Your Excellency the Margrave. I am Hopfen of the Hopfen Merchant Guild, a council member of the city of Markel. For your information, today's visit is not as a city council member, but a personal visit from Hopfen, the head of the merchant guild.”

Hearing Hopfen's words, I furrowed my brow.

'He didn't come in his capacity as a city council member?'

What did that mean? It meant he had come with intentions different from the city council... Did this mean the city council had rebelled against me?

Sure enough, the head of the Hopfen Merchant Guild drove the nail into the coffin of my thoughts.

“The Markel Council is crazy right now. The city council intends to rebel against Your Excellency the Margrave.”

“Rebel?”

“Yes. Under the leadership of the chairman, the Markel Council has resolved to oppose Your Excellency the Margrave. They are seeking allies and will soon close the city and hire soldiers.”

At those words, my head throbbed.

I was planning to push them just enough and then open a way for them to survive, but it seemed I had pushed them too far into a corner.

To think they would consider starting a war with me. I wondered if that was even possible when their internal affairs were so chaotic.

“Who is the ringleader?”

“The chairman of the Markel Council.”

“Are the other cities of the same mind as the city of Markel?”

At that, the head of the Hopfen Merchant Guild shook his head.

“Not yet. It is the decision of the city of Markel alone. But if this continues, the other cities might make the same decision as the city of Markel.”

“Hmm. I see.”

I stroked my chin and fell into thought.

Those words meant that there was still a chance. A chance to win the city council over to my side.

After roughly organizing my thoughts, I looked at the head of the Hopfen Merchant Guild and opened my mouth.

“The fact that you are here means that you think differently from them, right? Is that correct?”

“That is correct, Your Excellency the Margrave.”

“Then could you do something for me?”

“Just give me the word.”

The head of the Hopfen Merchant Guild said with a resolute expression. Having come this far, he had no other choice.

If I didn't win, the Hopfen Merchant Guild would lose all its assets and be kicked out of the city.

“I will allow the city council members to invest in the factories. I will create share certificates for the factories and allow them to be bought and sold. For your information, I will pay out a portion of the profits from the factories as dividends according to the proportion of shares held.”

It was a kind of joint-stock company.

It was still an unfamiliar concept, but it wasn't entirely nonexistent. The concept of investment existed even in this era.

“So, can you meet with the city council members on my behalf, persuade them, and draw out this investment?”

“What? What does that...?”

At my words, a look of bewilderment appeared on the face of the head of the Hopfen Merchant Guild.

Currently, the factory was a goose that laid golden eggs.

But now, I was saying that I would share that goose that laid golden eggs for money. It was an act that a greedy, ordinary noble would never do. But I was different.

'I have to open a way for them to survive.'

This was the original plan.

To keep pushing them and then open a way for them to survive one by one.

At the very least, they needed a justification to bow their heads, right?

It was unexpected that the city of Markel would rebel against me so soon, but I had to win over the remaining cities.

Of course, there was another reason.

'I'm going to take this opportunity to pull in a large amount of investment money.'

No matter how high the profits from the factories were, I couldn't build more than a few on my own.

It was because the cost of building a factory was enormous. That's why I needed to draw in the money of those rich city council members.

“How about it? Will you do it for me? I want you to win over the city council members. If you succeed, I promise you a great reward.”

* * *

In retrospect, my plan was a success.

The head of the Hopfen Merchant Guild met with countless city council members as I intended and succeeded in persuading them.

The city council members each toured the factories being built and bought share certificates on the spot.

And this was tantamount to the city's declaration of surrender.

Before, it was mine, the lord's, but now, wasn't it ours? No one wanted to cut open the belly of the goose that laid golden eggs.

Except for one city.

The city of Markel.

“The Margrave is a tyrant-! We will gain our freedom from him! Citizens, take up your swords.”

The city of Markel, where the hawks had gained power, finally decided to fight.

They refused to pay taxes, armed their citizens, and recruited mercenaries. And they began to send envoys to the neighboring domains to form an alliance.

A situation where I might have to fight a war with several domains over one city.

It was a relief that the surrounding lords were not giving the city of Markel a definite answer and were dragging their feet, saying it was a fight without justification.

'Tsk. Did the stratagem go in too strongly because of the Meticulous Planner effect?'

I didn't intend to go to such an extreme, but the crisis felt by the city of Markel must have been terror. That's why they even rebelled.

But that didn't mean I was going to back down.

I immediately called for Chamberlain Hamil and Captain Konrad.

If words didn't work, it was something that had to be done eventually, it was time to use force.

“You called for us, my Lord.”

The expressions of Chamberlain Hamil and Captain Konrad who entered the office were stiff. They also had eyes and ears.

They had known about the rebellious act of the city of Markel for a long time.

“I'll be direct. I'm thinking of subjugating the city of Markel.

I hear those insolent fellows are requesting an alliance with the neighboring lords. How many available troops do we have?”

“Excluding the troops for defense, we have about 3,000 to spare. If we summon the vassals, we should be able to create a force of 5,000.”

“Is that so? Then hire more mercenaries with the money that came in this time.”

Since we were raising an army anyway, it was better to show an overwhelming number of troops.

Although hiring mercenaries was very expensive, it was a manageable expense with the money that came in from selling the factory share certificates.

“If we recruit from the vicinity, I think we can hire about 2,000 more, my Lord. Then we can operate a force of about 7,000.”

Chamberlain Hamil replied in a bright voice. He was a knight among knights, a being who would not shy away from war to fulfill his sacred contractual obligations.

No, rather, he seemed to be in a good mood at the prospect of war after a long time.

But Captain Konrad was a little different. Being a former mercenary, he was a little more realistic.

“Human Lord. This could be a bit dangerous. We could be attacked from both sides by the surrounding lords. Then the damage would be quite significant.”

Right now, the surrounding lords were just watching because there was no justification, but if I carelessly moved my army to attack them, the surrounding lords who were waiting for an opportunity would surely pounce like wolves.

That's why Captain Konrad's point was valid.

“I know. But if I just back down and show a weak side, wouldn't the other lords pounce even more?”

“Kruung.”

At my words, Captain Konrad snorted.

Although the domain's army had recently been increased to a level that could overwhelm the surroundings, that was just in numbers.

The main force of my army was infantry.

On the other hand, the other lords' main force was cavalry. And heavy cavalry at that.

“Infantry is vulnerable to cavalry, especially heavy cavalry, Human Lord! Besides, we also have to prepare for a siege, so fighting a war on two fronts is disadvantageous! If we were to do it, we would have to quickly defeat each domain's army individually... but with infantry, not cavalry....”

Captain Konrad calmly stated the reality. And I knew that fact well.

But there was always a way.

“Captain Konrad. Don't worry. I will fight the city of Markel, I have no intention of going to war with the surrounding lords.”

“??”

“What do you mean by that, my Lord.”

Literally, I had no intention of going to war. I knew well that going to war with my current military strength was a crazy thing to do.

However, I planned to use force.

In a slightly unusual way.

* * *

-Dung, dung.

“Advance-! Advance-!”

The sound of drums echoed.

The commander's loud cry burst out.

The soldiers slowly walked forward in response to the command.

The march of the soldiers in their dense formation was like a giant fortress wall.

'The feeling of pressure from 7,000 people is no joke.'

Watching silently, I was filled with admiration.

Chamberlain Hamil, who was appointed as the commander-in-chief, divided the army into three units.

My directly commanded troops consisting of 3,000 shield-bearers, who would act as the anvil, and Captain Konrad's Blackrock Mercenary Company on the left and right, who would act as the hammer.

And behind them, the troops brought by the vassals and the newly hired mercenaries were placed in reserve in case of an emergency.

It was a magnificent display of the traditional infantry phalanx that had been passed down since ancient times.

But even as I watched this impressive sight, I felt frustrated.

'It's not nearly enough to stop cavalry.'

The spears held by the soldiers are too short. No matter how much they close ranks with their shields, it didn't seem like they could block a lance charge from heavy cavalry.

As the kingdom's military power developed around cavalry, especially heavy cavalry, infantry had become a supporting role at some point.

They still hadn't developed beyond the old-fashioned ancient infantry tactical doctrine.

'After this is over, I'll have to do a major overhaul.'

A picture was roughly forming in my head.

Long spears and sturdy square phalanxes. And halberdiers and musketeers who would mercilessly slaughter the armored knights.

It was the Spanish Tercio pike infantry that had once held hegemony in real history.

'I haven't been able to make muskets yet, but there's no reason I can't.'

In the current world of [Pangea Universalise], gunpowder was not completely absent.

There weren't even guns. It was just that they were still in the primitive hand cannon stage.

However, since it was a new technology, it was not yet widely used.

'Now that I have plenty of money, I can start preparing.'

Even if I couldn't get up to muskets right away, I could just substitute them with steel crossbows if need be, so it wasn't a bad thing.

Thinking so, I called for Chamberlain Hamil.

“Chamberlain Hamil!”

He had extensive practical experience and was a war expert, so he would easily understand my words.

“You called for me, my Lord.”

Chamberlain Hamil, who had rushed over, bowed his head. I looked at him and slowly opened my mouth.

“The discipline of the troops you lead is excellent. I thank you for your efforts in training them.”

“Haha, I have only done what I must, my Lord.”

Chamberlain Hamil smiled broadly and thumped his chest. I decided to add a few more words of praise while I was at it.

It was necessary to lighten the mood a little before getting to the main point. And when the mood was right, I cautiously brought it up.

“So, I was thinking that we need to reorganize the army. What do you think, Chamberlain Hamil?”

“Reorganize the army, you say?”

At my words, Chamberlain Hamil let out a deep sigh.

“I was wondering when you would bring it up, and now you finally have.”

Huh? Did he already know that I was going to reform the army?

How did he know? Then, as if he had read my thoughts, Chamberlain Hamil replied.

“Think about the policies you have implemented so far, my Lord. You increased the directly-managed lands and did not give fiefs to the knights, did you? That means you want to centralize power like the king... I naturally expected it. Hahaha.”

“Hah….”

As I had felt before, Chamberlain Hamil was a man with a hundred levels of perceptiveness.