Fun Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord (Novel) - Chapter 83 - Supplying Weapons and Armor

Chapter 83 – Supplying Weapons and Armor

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Espa Town branch of the Bell-Rango Company: Medici’s Shop.

Purchasing materials was the specialty of the main store in Seat Village, but otherwise this branch had the same lineup of goods.

Which meant it was extremely busy.

If anything, because it stood closest to the highway, the branch might even be busier in sales than the main store.

When I peeked inside, it was packed with shoppers even though it had been built fairly spaciously.

No, this customer volume was definitely greater than at the main store.

As expected, is this the power of a beautiful proprietress?

“So there really aren’t any spears left?”

“I’m sorry. The spears sold out the other day…”

“I’d like a shield too.”

“Ah, we still have small shields!”

“No, one around this size. A big one.”

“I’m sorry. That size of shield…”

A young employee near the entrance was being run ragged dealing with customers.

Then the employee noticed me and made a startled face.

“M-Manager! Lord Van! Lord Van is…!”

The employee called for the manager through near-sobs. At that voice, the adventurers and villagers shopping there turned this way as well.

And then Medici appeared from the back, looking exhausted.

“Ah, Lord Van! Welcome, welcome! Um, today, perhaps you’ve come to deliver weapons or armor…?”

Asked so cautiously, I ended up answering honestly without thinking.

“No, not really, but…”

“A-Aaah!”

The instant she heard my words, Medici collapsed to the floor sobbing. It was too pitiful.

“N-No, it’s fine. I’ll make them right away! Come on, give me the materials! I’ll make them one after another!”

When I hurriedly said that to reassure her, Medici lifted her tear-filled eyes and clasped her hands in prayer.

“Th-Thank you very much! Lord Van…!”

“You’re welcome…”

Once I replied, Medici rose to her feet and immediately called out to the employees.

“Materials! Bring wood, iron, and mithril!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Watching those desperate figures and voices, I found myself thinking that this too was a kind of war.

Before long, I ended up making weapons and armor at full power for the first time in a while. The adventurers lined up eagerly, so I made a box and a price list, and had them place the money in there.

“A dagger! Iron, please!”

“Straight? Curved blade? Single edge?”

“Ah, um… straight and double-edged!”

“…All right, maybe like this?”

“Woooah!? That was fast! Amazing! Thank you!”

And so, simply riding the momentum, I dealt with customer after customer.

The goal was within five minutes per person.

In that way, after only two hours, every customer had gotten what they wanted.

“I worked so hard… I’m not some factory line worker. What was a baron again? Another name for a factory manager?”

“I-I’m terribly sorry. I couldn’t say…”

I ended up bullying Till out of exhaustion. Then, perhaps because heaven was watching, divine punishment arrived with swift efficiency.

“Lord Van! I brought them!”

Along with that voice, Orto appeared leading the adventurers behind him.

“For me, a greatsword and a full set of armor! Ah, and I’d like a large shield with a bit of a curve!”

At the sight and sound of his delighted face and voice, I bowed my head while still sitting in my chair.

Ash.

I’ve turned to ash.

I’ve burned out pure white.

From now on, please call me High Baron Van.

Driven into self-destructive mode, Van-kun ended up spending that entire day doing nothing but producing weapons and armor.

No, it’s not as though I wanted to rush off and join a war, so it was fine, but by no stretch of the imagination was this baron work.

Still grumbling, I spent the next day holding interviews with the members of the Seat Knight Order.

I gathered everyone in the empty lot in Seat Village and stood atop a platform.

Including the later additions from the neighboring village’s former residents and the slaves, the knight order had now reached a hundred people. That was still nowhere near enough, but considering the village’s population, it was already too many.

With everyone’s attention on me, I opened my mouth.

“Well then, members of the knight order. This will be the Seat Knight Order’s first expedition. Our destination is Scudetto, the largest fortress city in the surrounding area. A place that, most likely, is currently in the middle of a defensive battle.”

The instant I said that, everyone’s expressions grew stiff.

Especially those of the villagers and former slaves who had no experience in battle.

Well, even I didn’t want this. They naturally wanted it even less.

“Our opponents will most likely be knight orders from the Kingdom of Yerinetta. Unlike us, they have repeated skirmishes with our country many times and are likely far more experienced.”

As I continued, everyone drew in a breath.

Looking around at those faces, I deliberately smiled.

“However, there is not enough reason to fear.”

At that, the whole group started murmuring and looking at one another. Even Dee was watching me with interest.

Conscious of those looks, I smiled and lifted my right index finger in front of my face.

“Because we absolutely will not go to the front line.”

At my words, the gathered knights looked among themselves once more.

Then someone raised a hand.

It was Bora, the vice-captain of the much-anticipated Ultra-Strong Repeating Mechanical Bow Corps.

“Yes, Ms. Bora.”

When I pointed and called her by name, Bora opened her mouth.

“Um, Lord Van only just received his new title, right? If so, then wouldn’t that make us more likely to be assigned to the front line…?”

“A good question! An excellent question, Ms. Bora!”

“!?”

At my energy, Bora’s shoulders jumped. But since it gave me a chance to explain a reason that would satisfy everyone, I felt like rewarding her with a Hyper Takeshi-kun.

I nodded with a smile and answered.

“Because King Dino is interested in the weapons and fortress city I made! There are other reasons as well, but for the moment, a newly formed knight order of only two or three hundred would have too high a chance of being wiped out if sent to the very front, so we’ll be placed in the rear… or at least we should be!”

At that, Orto, now fully equipped in new gear, spoke up.

“That’d be appreciated, sure, but even if we do get placed on the front line, with this bunch we should manage. After all, there are more than fifty of those mechanical bows Lord Van made, right?”

“Well, that’s true. But if we go to the front line, there will definitely be dead. So our objective is to bring everyone back without a scratch.”

As I spoke, I signaled to Till and Kamushin, who began opening the wooden boxes lined up in front of them.

The knight order members in the front row were even rising onto their toes to peer inside.

Watching that with a wry smile, I looked to Kamushin and pointed to the box on the far right.

Kamushin nodded, moved there, and lifted the contents up before his face.

“For this occasion, I have prepared a new piece of equipment to protect you. A large shield that is light yet sturdy. If you plant it into the ground and brace your shoulder against the back, it is made so that your entire body can fit behind it. Even while holding it that way, it has a small barred window at the top, so you can still check the front.”
As I explained, I had the shields distributed to the members in the front rows.
“Oooh, it’s light!”
Watching everyone raise a fuss over the shields, I added some explanation.
“It’s made from the same material as your armor. Light, but like iron. Incidentally, the surface has a thin mithril plate attached, so even if it takes fire magic, it should hold up once or twice… probably!”
“Ohhh, amazing!”
“…Though I haven’t actually tested that.”
I muttered the last part quietly.
There was no need to make everyone uneasy.
Well, since the plan was to stick to long-range support with bolts and the like as much as possible, it should be fine.
“After that, I guess it’s the wagons. I’ll try making them. Judging by the king’s and Panamera’s travel schedule, we should have at least a little time.”
Muttering that, I dismissed everyone for the day and had Dee conduct training with the knight order.
And so, beginning the next day, I set to work making wagons, and finished them in three days.
There were all sorts of comments made at me about it, but I just laughed them off.
Hahahaha.
Van-kun does not choose his methods when it comes to safety.
As if I’d ever restrain myself.