Chapter 09Ā
**Military Training**
The Elimeas territory.
It truly had nothing. Not just resources, but talent as well. In such a territory, Nigel was a precious resource.
“Ahā¦ā¦.”
The old man’s eyes reddened at Cliff’s words.
He bowed his head.
Through the previous events, he had admired Cliff’s greatness. He possessed wisdom so high that Nigel could not even fathom it.
And now, he admired his broad heart.
*’To meet a master who acknowledges me like thisā¦’*
He had found a true master far too late.
Thinking this, Nigel bowed his head.
“This humble servant cannot help but be deeply moved and astonished by the Acting Lord’s broad heart and high wisdom.”
He expressed his current emotion in eloquent words.
Cliff listened silently.
“Please forgive me for having judged you, Acting Lord, with my own narrow and small mind. From now on, I will dedicate this old life solely to you, Acting Lord.”
Cliff smiled.
*’Good.’*
Nigel was clearly a rigid and principled person.
The fact that he was moved, that he bowed his head like this, held great meaning. At the very least, he was not someone who would easily betray or change.
*’He might still stubbornly challenge me in the future, but at least his loyalty won’t waver.’*
An upright person.
Along with his straight character, he was the intellectual of this territory.
In this territory, already lacking in talent, such a person was needed. He intended to raise Nigel from ‘old man’ to ‘headmaster’.
Of course, that was for later.
For now, it was the military.
“It’s time to organize the territory’s military. Please gather them.”
“I will follow your orders, Acting Lord.”
Cliff was beginning to understand the mechanics of the quests.
When he first clicked the Economy category, a quest related to economy appeared. It was the same this time.
—
**<Lord’s Dignity>**
**Content:** Through your proof, the commoners now trust and expect things from you. But a ruler needs to make the people think that he will protect them.
The territory still only has a shabby military force.
Bandits do not fear the territory’s guards, and the commoners do not trust the guard force.
Change their perception and train an army that will display the lord’s dignity.
**Conditions:**
– Train 50 private soldiers
– Eliminate a criminal organization
**Rewards:**
– Lord Experience: 50
– Territory Experience: 100
—
Looking at the quest, he could see.
*’It seems even this shabby territory has a criminal organization.’*
Perhaps such organizations thrive precisely because of poverty.
Also, a territory isolated from the outside.
There is no better condition for wanted criminals who committed crimes outside to gather.
He would have to root them out someday, but for now, inspecting the territorial army came first.
“Hmm.”
Cliff surveyed the able-bodied men gathered at the training ground as ordered.
He roughly knew the level of this territory’s soldiers.
But seeing them in person, they were even more shoddy than he thought.
*’Formation is a mess, attire is inconsistent, postures are sloppy.’*
They should at least have good physical strength, but that didn’t seem likely either.
He understood the description in the quest. Soldiers whom the commoners didn’t trust and criminals didn’t fear.
That fit perfectly.
About thirty such men were here.
Cliff climbed onto the platform at the training ground and declared.
“Is this all the military force?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“The number is too small. This won’t do. We will recruit over 100 soldiers. And for a while, our territorial soldiers will dine with me.”
“Eh?”
Increasing the military force to over 100 was something Nigel easily accepted.
But the idea of that many people eating at the same table as Cliff.
That was something even Nigel’s mind couldn’t comprehend.
“You mean to invite all the soldiers to the Acting Lord’s meal?”
That’s too grand an affair.
To the flustered Nigel, Cliff spoke.
“Surely you don’t think I meant that literally? Just prepare their meals a little more generously than usual. Have the meals set up at this training ground. I will also come to the training ground to eat.”
“Hmph!”
A noble eating at a commoner’s table.
It was beyond Nigel’s common sense. But Nigel was gradually coming to understand Cliff.
*’If the Acting Lord, who is wiser than me, says so, he must have a reason. More than that, even if it is commoner’s food, preparing meals for that many people will be a significant expense.’*
This territory still struggled with self-sufficiency.
For now, thanks to the supplies Tom’s trading company brought, it was manageable, but they couldn’t rely on that forever.
However, Nigel, having seen the soldiers’ emaciated state, couldn’t raise a negative opinion against Cliff’s words.
*’First, we need to feed these men. How can they exert strength without eating properly?’*
There was a reason the territorial army looked weak.
First of all, they were all skin and bones themselves.
Strength couldn’t possibly come from those frail bodies. And if Cliff ate with them, even if a luxurious noble’s diet was impossible, he couldn’t prepare substandard food.
“Dismissed. From tomorrow, we will begin additional recruitment.”
Thus, the news spread throughout the territory: the lord was recruiting, and those soldiers would be able to eat their fill.
And indeed, from the next morning, the breakfast prepared for the gathered territorial army was ready.
*Sizzle, sizzle.*
*Bubble, bubble.*
About a hundred people had already gathered.
The smell of cooking food for that many people spread in all directions.
This, too, was part of Cliff’s plan. It didn’t take long for practically every man in the territory to gather at the training ground.
*’Now we have enough numbersā¦’*
Cliff’s eyes sparkled.
The quest demanded 50 soldiers.
Not just anyone who filled the headcount like this. Looking at the people who had gathered again to eat breakfast, Cliff spoke.
“The people who come here are soldiers who will fight for me and the territory, and for my people. So, starting today, training will begin.”
Three days.
During that period, Cliff only gathered people and gave no training instructions at all.
“What you will do is simple. You will run with me in the morning.”
Country people generally had good physical strength.
Running might not be difficult for them. Thinking that, he set a long course.
Cliff had also learned swordsmanship in the Ducal family.
He lacked talent, but he was confident here in this countryside.
“Huff, huff.”
“Hah, huh.”
“Ugh.”
Groans were heard.
Among those who thought it would be easy, some started to fall behind. Cliff declared to those who stopped, saying they absolutely couldn’t run anymore.
“You are not qualified to be soldiers.”
Dropped.
“If you are not a soldier of me and this territory, you are not qualified to eat your fill either.”
Excluded from meals as well.
The expressions of the soldiers gradually changed.
They were starting to feel it.
“Those who complete the run may catch their breath and eat. Tomorrow morning, the training will be harder than today. Those who think it will be too difficult may not come tomorrow.”
The next morning, the bell rang.
Some of the previously numerous men were already missing.
Still, plenty of people came, wanting to eat.
*’I need to drop more.’*
After looking them over, Cliff spoke.
“We will begin the morning run.”
The morning run also served as a patrol of the territory.
A way to show the commoners that these men were the territory’s soldiers, that the soldiers were watching over the territory.
“One, two, three, four.”
He also taught them to march in step with the cadence he had learned somewhere.
“Left foot, left foot, left foot.”
It was a shame he had no drill instructors to oversee them all.
And one thing surprised him a little.
*’More people remain than I thought.’*
Still, over a hundred people had gathered.
So, he deliberately made them run an extra lap around the training ground. Even so, no one fell behind.
To be precise, there were tired people, but none who gave up.
Everyone ran.
Or at least made the motion of running.
*’This isn’t bad.’*
As he trained them, he felt it.
**Maintain Morale** was truly cheating.
The effect of preventing morale from dropping even in the most difficult situations.
The fact that those who had gathered wanting to be soldiers endured this much was highly likely due to that effect.
Thus, more people remained than expected.
*’Physical strength will naturally increase by running anyway.’*
He knew because he had experienced military service in his past life and had exercised in this life too.
Physical strength is meant to increase.
If they only had the grit not to give up easily, they could achieve the level he required.
“Still, I only need about fifty people.”
Looking around, over a hundred remained.
*’Can I overachieve this time too?’*
He was hopeful.
But just increasing the headcount would only increase maintenance costs.
Next, Cliff came out wearing prepared clothes.
A black uniform and even a cape.
“The outfit I am wearing now is the basic uniform of our future soldiers.”
An appearance that commoners could look up to and trust.
Just like when he had dressed splendidly with Priscilla and stood before the commoners.
One might ask what a soldier needs such a thing for.
*’Soldiers actually need to present themselves well.’*
Especially in this world.
He had felt this when he saw the mismatched group gathered not long ago.
They looked truly like a ragtag bunch.
*’Even if you just match the uniforms to some extent and have them stand at attention properlyā¦’*
They could look like elite soldiers rather than a ragtag bunch.
He realized this now that he was living as a lord here.
“But only fifty of you can receive this uniform and cape.”
Even now, the soldiers looked at him with anticipation and desire.
It was the moment when those who had trained wanting to be soldiers began to harbor a goal other than simply eating their fill. The words he threw out to them created tension.
*’Fifty.’*
About a hundred had gathered.
Only fifty would be selected from them.
From now on, just being among the top fifty was a great honor.
As their eyes sparkled, Cliff spoke again.
“Furthermore, the children of soldiers will be taught to read and write.”
Reading and writing.
A privilege that had been the exclusive domain of the high-born.
The age of marriage in this world was younger than in his past life. The men gathered here as soldiers were either already married or preparing to be.
*’If they’re still bachelors, being a soldier alone makes them top-tier marriage prospects. If they’re married, it’s a chance to become the best head of a household.’*
Those were the privileges he offered.
From now on, it was a competition.
He just needed to fan the flames.
—
* * *
Beluman frowned.
The territory’s atmosphere had been strange lately. These were changes brought about by the Acting Lord who came from outside.
*’I don’t know about other things, but the look in the guards’ eyes has changed.’*
A change that hadn’t existed before.
If the guard force’s intimidation continued to grow like this, he didn’t know how the Acting Lord would deal with the organization he had built.
“So what should we do?”
“What do you mean, what should we do? We need to hit him hard so he can’t strut around anymore.”
“No, boss. But if we attack a nobleā¦?”
“Of course we can’t attack the noble directly. But there’s a way to give him a clear warning.”
Beluman declared loudly.
He was confident.
“I have a very good idea.”
