AWDC Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Southern Invasion

The meeting with Duke Gregg gave me a different perspective. I had been belittling myself as a poor, rural noble, but others saw the Robertson family differently. Those with political savvy viewed the Robertson family as already having joined the ranks of the great nobles. Perhaps I was being too self-deprecating. Not being assertive when I should be would only attract unnecessary trouble. Therefore, I decided to proceed with Ricardo’s engagement to Duke Gregg’s youngest daughter without hesitation. Just that alone made meeting Duke Gregg worthwhile.

Returning to Toriholi Village, I formally announced the engagement between the two families. Of course, I had spoken to Ricardo about this beforehand.

With this, Ricardo gained the backing of not only Lord Midland but also Duke Gregg. Although his title was only Baron, the Robertson family had shown the entire country that they were a first-class noble family.

He’s finally graduating from the Bachelor’s Alliance. Incidentally, the name Bachelor’s Alliance has been discontinued, and the Toriholi Village Youth Association is now the official organization.

Jim Keene had already married and left the group, leaving Labos and Peck as the only veteran members. New members, such as Tom’s son, joined, leading to significant turnover, and most of the members were students I taught in elementary school, who also joined the defense force.

By the way, Jim Keene had been adamant about only marrying a woman more beautiful than my wife, but in my opinion, Margarita was still more beautiful. Well, that’s just my opinion, and the assessment of beauty varies from person to person, so it’s hard to say.

Meanwhile, I immediately started taking measures to strengthen our military power. Seeing the devastation in the capital, I judged that a flood of refugees could descend upon Toriholi Village at any time.

Wheat production had increased, making Toriholi Village the best granary in the country. It was clear that starving refugees would aim for this village. However, this village alone could not supply food for all the refugees. If that happened, it was obvious that some refugees would turn into rioters and rampage through the village. I was determined to protect the village at all costs.

First, I decided to create a mercenary unit. Earl Milona had fallen, making it difficult for him to maintain a large number of soldiers, and many soldiers were coming to Toriholi Village.

I asked them to invite their comrades to the village, and the number swelled to nearly 200 soldiers.

And Waomou’s enthronement further fueled the flow into the village. First, farmers near the capital, feeling uneasy about the king’s methods, began to head for the Datar Plateau. The people knew from the previous King Michael’s visit to Toriholi Village that the Datar Desert was about to be transformed into fertile farmland. They couldn’t live under the new king, who was repeating acts of plunder. So they decided to move to the Datar Plateau, which King Michael had praised.

Soldiers of the Royal Army joined this flow.

Aside from the soldiers who had converted to the Bawa Roma religion, many soldiers felt a sense of helplessness and left the palace. Some of them headed for the Midland family in the east or the Gregg family in the west, but some soldiers also aimed for Toriholi Village.

They entered our village as if escorting the farmers heading for the Datar Plateau.

Combined with the soldiers from the Earl’s family, we had a total force of over 1,000 soldiers.

Compared to the previous defense force of about 300, most of whom were temporary soldiers with other occupations, this was an enormous force.

I promised to add them to the official Robertson family retainers if they didn’t cause any trouble.

Only a Duke’s family could afford to have this many retainers. It could be said that the Robertson family already had the economic power to do so.

I asked Roy Keene to be the commander-in-chief of the mercenary unit. Roy Keene was already in his mid-50s, but he was the only one in the Robertson family with battlefield experience, and no one else could be entrusted with the experience of being by the side of the hero, Mil Robertson. John Keene was appointed as the vice-commander.

We formed 100-man units, and unit leaders were selected from those with experience in the Royal Army or the Earl’s family.

We built a military training facility in the desert, and John Keene took command.

The lord also attended the opening of this facility.

“You all know from experience that the Bawa Roma are heretics.

If we silently watch their lawlessness, our families and others will be harmed.

If we defeat the Bawa Roma, we can save the people suffering in agony. We can also save the families captured by the Bawa Roma.

Defeat the Bawa Roma! Kill Waomou!”

The lord’s words were uncharacteristically extreme. I took it as a statement stemming from the fact that his eldest son, Samuel Robertson, had been taken by the cult.

Meanwhile, the Waomou regime had begun to expose its inexperience in administration after only half a year.

Until a year ago, the corruption of the Royal Palace office had been cleared away by the late King Michael, and the office administration was being carried out correctly. However, as a result of Waomou firing almost all of the previous officials, people who had never even handled documents entered the office. It was clear that they could not do the work.

Looting was rampant in the capital. Originally, it was necessary to restore order as soon as possible so that the common people could live a normal life. However, the incompetent officials left this unattended. Inevitably, most of the merchants closed their stores and either left the capital or hid in the back of their houses. The common people of the capital could no longer obtain the goods necessary for daily life.

The most serious problem was that food no longer flowed into the capital.

If the security was good, farmers in the suburbs would carry their crops to the market by wagon, but the farmers stopped coming to the capital because looting was rampant. Naturally, food became scarce.

The common people, who had praised Waomou, obtained food by looting from stores and nobles, but there was nothing left to loot. Before they knew it, the mountains of wheat that had been there had disappeared.

“What, aren’t you giving us bread anymore?” Such complaints arose.

The new government had done nothing to procure food. They hurriedly went to the nearby villages to procure food, but the farmers had no food either.

“If this continues, the dissatisfaction of the common people will turn against us.”

“That’s bad, we have to do something.”

A sense of unease ran through the Bawa Roma cult executives. A conference was held in the presence of King Waomou.

“Isn’t the southern region rich in food? But they haven’t sent us a single grain of wheat. Let’s show them our great power and make them submit.”

Such voices were raised. And the king said gravely:

“Invade the south, Toriholi Village.”

With Waomou’s one word, the invasion of the south was decided.

“Your Majesty, Toriholi Village is my hometown. My parents, younger brother, and younger sister are in the village. Please reconsider.”

That night, Samuel Robertson pleaded while sharing a bed with Waomou.

“I understand your concern. I promise not to invade the village where you were born.”

Relieved, Samuel fell asleep thinking of his hometown.