Chapter 121

Chapter 121

The city changed. Outwardly nothing changed, but something more fundamental changed.

Currently, the citizens of Adelibari had a daily routine. People tending to small vegetable gardens, people taking livestock far away to graze on grass, people melting iron, people cutting and transporting wood, people building watchtowers at strategic points near the city, people carrying stones, people stockpiling food and checking inventory......

Markwin's job was to oversee all of this following Rickart's instructions.

Because it was different from the work he had been doing until now, he too encountered small difficulties, overcame them, and gradually adapted.

Originally, it was the king's resort town. Because of that, the jobs or roles of all the citizens of Adelibari were close to being servants for the king.

Providing everything they could to ensure the king was comfortable and didn't feel inconvenienced was their essence.

But not anymore. Because the person who could be called the king of this city now didn't want such things.

What he wanted wasn't comfortable relaxation, but fighting against the enemies.

Markwin headed to the detached palace holding a scroll. Passing through a short corridor and reaching the room used as an office, the door was already open. It meant anyone could enter.

Taking a peek inside, he saw Bori classifying and reviewing documents.

"General."

Bori raised his head while reading a document. After confirming who it was, he let out a chuckle and lowered his gaze back to the document.

"What do you mean General. I'm just a wandering swordsman. Please call me Bori, just Bori. It's fine."

"Um...... Some people in the world are unaccustomed to etiquette, but there are also those who have become too accustomed to it. It's uncomfortable for me to just call you by your name."

"Then please do as you feel comfortable."

Bori just said with a smile.

In Markwin's eyes, they were all fascinating people. Including Rickart, the people around him. Somehow, they felt different from ordinary people.

It felt as though they were detached from the things ordinary people hung themselves on; usually anyone with even a little power tended to act arrogant or crush others, but they didn't have that.

Markwin approached him and slid the scroll he brought onto the desk.

"What is this?"

"It's the property ledger Sir Hero requested. It's a list containing the entire property of the citizens of this city."

"Ah."

Bori broke the seal and spread the scroll. A list of livestock like cows, chickens, sheep, to real estate and personal property was written out at length.

As with any city, the top wealthy people owned most of the property, so not many pages of documents were needed.

"Mm, but this might be a bit insufficient."

"Pardon?"

"To get through the winter. We don't know how long the fight will last, but shouldn't we at least get through this winter safely?"

"Is that so."

"Yes, that's why Ricky is planning to cross the pass too."

Rickart was currently planning to take soldiers and cross the pass toward the city's back gate. Not for any other reason, but to transport food from the outside.

As with any city in the world, if food supply wasn't smooth, they could plunge into starvation in an instant.

Cities with large farmlands attached were somewhat better, but otherwise, they had to buy it from rural areas.

Adelibari had a small population, and by buying food from the Beringen region, they had managed to hold out somehow during the past four years of civil war.

So if they couldn't securely establish a food supply route, they were in a situation where they could just sit and starve to death.

"He said Grantz will divide his army largely into two. One will bypass far away to block the food supply route, and the main force will prepare siege towers and push in? It's a sort of pincer movement."

Bori casually spoke of a tremendous matter. Markwin was dumbfounded for a moment. Because attacking from the front and back meant they would just be ruined. That's how it sounded to someone who didn't know well.

"......Is it reliable intelligence?"

"According to Ricky, it's not even intelligence. If the troop strength is 10,000, they can't hide it even if they try, and they end up fighting in a state where they both know everything. The important thing is choosing which of the numerous pieces of information to accept."

"Is that so...... Then, isn't it a big problem anyway? Even if you divide 10,000 into two, it's 5,000 each, which is far more than us."

"But instead, we don't need to fight all 10,000 at once. It's been reduced by half, hasn't it? We can defeat them individually. Ricky said this too."

While looking at the document, Bori briefly raised his head, looked at Markwin with a smiling face, and said.

At this point, Markwin wondered if Bori was being overly positive. Did this person not have any worries or concerns? Or did he have no thoughts at all?

However, he could roughly guess why. It was a composure stemming entirely from trusting Rickart.

This was a kind of absolute trust, different from loyalty. Markwin was curious about that.

"If it's not impolite, may I ask what kind of person Sir Hero is?"

It was a somewhat sudden question, but Bori briefly stopped reading the document and pondered quite seriously. No, rather than pondering, he was tracing back his memories by recalling the past.

Then a smile spread across Bori's lips once more. Because they were memories like the most beautiful jewels in the world, making him smile just by looking at them.

"He's a hero, right. At least to me. Ricky is more precious to me than the entire world. If I'm with Ricky, I'm not afraid of dying at all."

"How can you trust him to that extent?"

"I was bullied when I was young. The one who saved me then was Ricky. To adults' eyes it might seem like nothing special, but at that time, I think I only had two choices. Give up on the world, or destroy the world. But thanks to Ricky, look, I'm living well like this now, right? I'm even writing a book."

The reason Bori took charge of organizing documents was partly because of the book he was writing. A Mana Drive named Black Stone. Meaning, he was concurrently studying and researching while working.

Markwin quietly looked at Bori and said.

"Things that happened when young are not nothing special. Because one's lifelong destiny is determined then. If so, Sir Hero has already saved the world once. From General almost destroying the world."

"Mr. Mayor, you speak very elegantly. To the point I'd like to learn it too. Really."

"Hahaha...... Unfortunately, this is the only talent I have right now."

Markwin said with a bitter smile.

But on the other hand, he also felt unburdened. Because discussing things open-heartedly like this was a first in itself.

Markwin chatted a few more words with Bori before leaving the detached palace. And this time, he went looking for Rickart.

Exiting the city and following the river downwards, Rickart surrounded by soldiers could be seen from afar. Wearing a red cape, he sat on a rock eating something.

He wondered if he was explaining an operation, but it was just everyday talk. Talk about wives, children, life before military service, things like that.

Once in a while, the sound of soldiers roaring with laughter could be heard. It was a natural laugh, not a forced one.

As Markwin approached, Rickart was dipping thinly baked bread in honey and eating it.

"What's the matter, Mayor."

Rickart looked back and called Markwin. Hazel eyes, sparkling blond hair, and even teeth. Looking just at his appearance, he did look like a noble.

Just looking at his eyes, nose, and mouth he looked like a boy, but his facial lines were thick so he looked manly too. The appearance of the person named Rickart was an impression where two contradictory feelings coexisted.

But perhaps it wasn't his appearance, but feeling that way because of some mysterious atmosphere exuding from his inner self.

"I heard you are conducting food transport."

"Ah, you just met Bori? That's right. I was discussing with the soldiers whether to go to the capital of Beringen, or to Torveil. We just finished the discussion, so we'll probably depart sometime tomorrow."

"But Sir Hero, pardon me, but couldn't you stop stepping forward personally now?"

"What do you mean?"

"For five days, you stirred up the enemy camp alone and took their flags. Now that we all know Sir Hero's heart, wouldn't it be better to stop volunteering for danger? If by chance anything goes wrong with Sir Hero, the people's will be broken as well. How about entrusting the food transport to a competent person and Sir Hero keeping the weight of your position?"

"Hahaha...... I'm grateful for your concern, but I cannot do that. It's not because I don't trust the people, but because I need to see and grasp things with my own eyes. Perhaps the next fight will be on the back path."

"How do you know so well? Have you commanded troops in the past?"

"Let's say I have. No, doesn't common sense dictate so? They say they will pressure us from front and back, so wouldn't they send troops to block our rear first? Arriving early is better than being late, so the enemies will try to occupy our rear. We must smash them, transport the food safely, and we might have to see about hiring mercenaries too."

"Mercenaries, you say?"

"I know the Mayor has a bad perception of mercenaries. But anyway, to reach a conclusion, we'll have to fight a pitched battle, so shouldn't we replenish our troops. With a hundred men, we can't do more than defending."

"But...... we have no money to hire mercenaries."

"We'll have to bet on loyalty. Or do it on credit."

"Pardon?"

"Though you may ask what loyalty mercenaries have, I have quite a few connections in Beringen. I'll check it out while transporting food."

Having spoken this far, even Markwin could no longer dissuade Rickart from stepping forward personally. However, Rickart always seemed to have a plan and a vision.

Not only was he simply strong, but his heart was deep and broad, and his mind was outstanding. It was truly fascinating.

Not for any other reason, but normally if a person's mind is outstanding they lack courage, and if their guts are too thick they lack intelligence, but Rickart possessed both.

Rickart was a truly multifaceted character. He was that kind of person where contradictory things coexisted. In Markwin's view.

Markwin stared intently at such Rickart. Rickart wondered if there was something on his face.

Then Markwin suddenly asked.

"What do Sir Hero think a king is?"

"Mm, well, I haven't really thought about it. However, I don't think it's a position merely meant for the person who reached the pinnacle to enjoy."

Markwin thought for a moment as if chewing over Rickart's words, and stepped back.

"I see. Understood. I apologize for disturbing your leisure. I shall take my leave."

"No. Come anytime. I have nothing to hide."

At that time, one of the soldiers raised his hand high and said.

"Shouldn't you hide a little when you are with your wife?"

Then the other soldiers laughed out loud, "Wahaha", and Rickart simply laughed too. Markwin was also unfamiliar with seeing him get along so unreservedly with the soldiers.

A true pinnacle resides in low places, he thought. Not swaggering, boasting, and enjoying.

The next day came, and Rickart led 60 soldiers out through the city's back gate. The surcoat worn over his chainmail was a white cross on a red background. The crest of the Kaldebern family.

He had always been like this since the past, but including his cape, Rickart always favored colors that stood out anywhere.

That wasn't to show off. It meant attack me. It meant I will bear the danger, so in the meantime, friends and allies, counterattack.

Must one be at least at this level to pacify chaos and become a true king. Are spears and swords, being cut and stabbed to death truly not fearful.

Watching departing Rickart from the window of his room, Markwin fiddled with something.

It was an iron crown that looked crude. The Adelorn Kingdom's most precious treasure, the 'Adelorn Iron Crown' symbolizing the king passed down for a thousand years.

Fiddling with the crown, Markwin sincerely wished Rickart martial luck.

Oh God, without him, this country is no more either. He is our final hope. So please, do not extinguish our final flame.