Chapter 201: Operation Rockfall

I received the second letter from Vice President Xavier.

This time, it looked like the Sierre Noble Faction had resorted to underhanded schemes. Since nothing else had worked, they had apparently decided to become outright robbers. Still, they were nobles. Wasn’t that label a bit harsh?

What else would you call people who blocked roads and extorted others with threats?

Just a band of robbers.

In any case, thanks to Vice President Xavier and President Kishon, the matter had been resolved smoothly. From now on, the Dapan Trading Company would deliver high-quality goods all the way to the empire’s frontiers and bring back local specialties to the central regions in return.

“I wanted to leave some of the pie for other trading companies if I could,” I muttered.

Monopolizing everything would only invite every kind of interference. Even a cornered mouse would bite a cat. But now my thinking had changed.

What’s the point of holding back when they’ll pick a fight anyway?

I had already made concessions, yet they kept demanding more by force. So be it. Part of me wanted to crush them completely, but without evidence I couldn’t. The only option left was to ignore them entirely. It was time to show everyone what would happen once the Dapan Group cut them off for good.

“The other side has nothing to worry about.”

Vice President Xavier had handled everything perfectly. He hadn’t expanded the Dapan Trading Company’s mercenary recruitment. Instead, he had requested troops directly from the Emperor as compensation for presenting the Royal Road as an achievement. This way he avoided suspicion while giving the Emperor exactly what he wanted.

He probably reached the same conclusion I would have.

He had weighed the political implications before deciding. As expected of someone who understood how these things worked.

I folded the letter and set it aside, then rose from my seat and looked out the window.

The Eastern Allied Army was in excellent condition. Training results were outstanding, and the knights’ morale was sky-high. The aura cultivation of the newly selected apprentice knights was also progressing smoothly.

“Normally there would have been heavy discrimination.”

Apprentice knights with no useful connections? There had never been any reason to accept them in the first place. Even if forced in, they would have received no guidance, only cold treatment. Yet now they had become a blessing. The prize for winning the swordsmanship tournament was personal instruction from me. Since I had also promised benefits to the winner’s master, of course they were burning with ambition.

The tournament is still far off. What should I focus on until then?

Feltron’s systematic training. The Dapan Group’s overwhelming logistics. The insane momentum built from several victories. The Eastern Allied Army was in peak form.

What if we pushed straight in and struck the Mandus tribe’s main base?

“Roughly an 80 percent chance of defeat, sir.”

Zyler Spencer’s voice broke the silence. Naten Henderson nodded beside him.

“Even so, we’ve come a long way. Before, our win rate wasn’t even 1 percent.”

The two brigade commanders stared at the map with grave expressions. I had asked them to calculate an objective assessment of our chances, and this was the result.

Even after everything, only 20 percent?

If this were a gacha banner, people would have called it generous. But this was real war, where blood and flesh flew. Admiral Yi Sun-sin had only ever fought battles he could win decisively. Who was I to gamble tens of thousands of lives on a 20 percent chance? I had no intention of doing anything that reckless.

“There are still many areas that need reinforcement.”

“But time is on our side,” Naten Henderson said. “If we simply endure through this winter, they will destroy themselves.”

The Mandus tribe depended entirely on plunder for food. There were no more countries left in the eastern continent for them to leech from. If they failed to break Yates Fortress, starvation was the only future left to them.

In that case, our immediate priority was obvious.

“Repairing the walls comes first.”

“We’re already working at maximum speed,” Henderson replied confidently. “In about two months we should have it fully restored.”

My thoughts differed. By then it would be deep winter. The Mandus would almost certainly launch an all-out offensive before that. They wouldn’t retreat just because the odds were against them anymore.

“If they charge without regard for their lives, even victory will cost us dearly.”

Rebuilding Yates Fortress would require enormous money and time. Collapsed buildings could be reconstructed somehow. But the soldiers who died in battle could not be brought back.

“We must consider not only the immediate crisis but the future as well. The real problem is their birth rate and growth speed.”

Both brigade commanders nodded heavily. Five months of pregnancy and only nine years to reach adulthood. The Mandus population growth rate was twice that of humans, and their basic physical abilities were already superior. If our casualties kept accumulating, the Yates Earldom would eventually fall, and the shockwaves would reach deep inside the Empire.

“We’ll need to accelerate the repairs and expand the walls as well.”

“No matter how abundant our resources are, we cannot shorten physical time,” Zyler Spencer cautioned. “Rushing too much will only increase the risk of accidents.”

“It’s fine. We’ll only use the soldiers to the absolute minimum.”

The two men looked bewildered. They had been trapped inside Yates Fortress this whole time, constantly clashing with the Mandus. They had no idea what I was capable of.

Still, to pull this off I’ll need to borrow Shugl’s and Adam’s powers.

That pitch-black sugar glider was lazing around anyway. If I suggested civil engineering work he would probably jump at the chance for pure spirit energy. Adam, on the other hand, was quite busy.

It can’t be helped. He’s the only one who can make the pottery.

Unlike Theo, Adam’s technique could not be taught to others. It relied on condensing clay through his authority. Even after coming to Yates Fortress he had no choice but to keep working busily every day. At least we only needed high-end pieces. Theo’s workshop pottery had become popular in the capital region, especially among the middle class and below who could no longer afford the real thing.

“Well then, shall we go?”

I left the office at once. There was no real need for the brigade commanders to follow, but I didn’t stop them when they said they wanted to watch. It would have been too cold to turn them away.

“Adam!”

—Why’d you call?

“Let’s begin.”

—What thing?

Ah, that. Perfect timing. He hadn’t had anything else to do anyway.

“Have you already finished everything?”

—I completed the delivery through the Dapan Trading Company. Prices will probably rise even more.

“That can’t be helped.”

It was as if the pottery workshop had suddenly relocated to the border. Added shipping costs meant higher prices, but sales volume would barely be affected. People who bought such luxury goods never looked at the price tag anyway.

I called for Shugl next. The sugar glider who had been roaming the fortress with Feltron approached hesitantly.

“Why are you acting like that?”

—Human Duke, weren’t you still pissed?

He clearly expected a serious scolding. I had only been angry in the moment. Right now I genuinely didn’t care.

“What do you take me for? It’s fine, brat.”

—Weren’t you just putting on airs because those bastards were watching?

“No.”

—Really? For real?

“Hey, you little shit!!!”

I finally snapped. This rotten bastard always pushed my patience to its limit.

Thud-thud-thud!

Shugl darted left and right, throwing in fake movements. But I was already serious. Last time the space had been cramped and he could escape. This time there was nowhere to run.

Whoosh! Grab!

—Kuek! Save me!

“You should have listened when I told you nicely the first time.”

—No, what did I even do?

“How many times did I say no?”

—Twice. That’s too much. Don’t you know three times is the national rule?

I lowered my fist wrapped in red energy. Maybe my patience really was that short. For Koreans, three chances was the national rule. I could acknowledge that.

“Fine. I’ll let it slide this time.”

—Kuh! As expected, talking with the Human Duke always works out!

“Your people skills suddenly improved. So this method is effective after all?”

—Hehe!

When I raised my fist again for show, Shugl grinned stupidly.

We moved to the southern wall together. I immediately activated the all-purpose holographic function.

[Spirit Energy Required for Latest-Style Wall Design: 500,000]

Oh? That’s quite expensive.

Pioneering the eastern waterway had cost roughly one million spirit energy. Creating the commercial district in Machini Barony had been on a far larger scale. Yet this defensive structure required half a million. Yates Fortress was hundreds of years old, its defense system outdated, and it had been patched so many times it was falling apart. Rebuilding it from scratch explained the cost.

Still, it’s no burden at all.

[Current Spirit Energy: 1,571,355,890]

I had that much. In just half a year my reserves had grown by a hundred million despite constant spending. The reason was simple. Tremendous achievements had earned me the respect of countless people, so the spirit energy kept flowing in.

“All right. Let’s begin.”

—How much are you giving me this time?

“Why ask? You’ve been managing it well on your own until now.”

Even so, knowing the number made him happier.

“Seven thousand points?”

—Uwooo! With that much my motivation is overflowing!

Shugl bounced around in delight, convinced the negotiation had succeeded. If he ever learned how much spirit energy I actually held, he would probably explode in outrage. I saw no reason to ruin his good mood by telling him.

I turned to Adam standing nearby. He needed a reward too.

“Adam, for you……”

—New clothes.

“Ah, right.”

No further explanation was necessary. Anything luxurious in clothing or accessories would satisfy him. I focused on the holographic screen. Detailed blueprints could wait. Right now the priority was the foundation work for the walls.

“Let’s go.”

—Ung!

—Don’t worry about a thing.

Chuuuuu!

Brilliant light and black energy intertwined. I shaped the image from the holographic display while maintaining that state. The wall remnants began to melt. The rocky fluid moved as though alive.

Swoooosh!

Yates Fortress rapidly took form.

“Huuuuhk!”

“W-What in the world……”

Startled gasps came from behind. The brigade commanders’ reactions, no doubt. But the work was far from finished.

It’s far too early to be surprised by this.

I thrust both hands forward. The massive gray fluid surged across the eastern plains in an instant.

Kuuuuuurrrr!

With a thunderous roar, new walls rose. Before long, Yates Fortress had expanded all the way to the hill the Mandus tribe had previously occupied.

“Commander, I understand repairing the fortress, but I’m not sure we need to expand it this much,” Naten Henderson said carefully.

I turned with a smile.

“What makes you say that?”

“Because defending such a wide area will be difficult.”

“Ah. You’re wondering why we’re giving up such advantageous terrain.”

“Yes. Fighting while holding the canyon would be far more favorable.”

“It’s fine. That outer area is only an outpost anyway. Inside here is essentially a giant trap.”

“Pardon?”

No further explanation was needed. Instead of answering, I pointed toward the facility installed on the mountainside.

“Let me introduce it. The operation name is Rockfall.”