Fun Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord (Novel) - Chapter 94 - My Response and Preparations

Chapter 94 – My Response and Preparations

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Translated by Sylph

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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At my words, His Majesty opened his mouth with a grave expression.

“…To attack many bases at the same time, and to send troops even against small towns and villages. That does not sound realistic. Every nation is the same: great numbers of soldiers, supplies, and expenses are required to defend oneself from neighboring countries. That is why even when fighting a neighboring nation in earnest, it does not become total war.”

His Majesty explained that politely, taking into account that I was still a child. Thank you, Your Majesty. I nodded once in gratitude, but offered a polite rebuttal.

“That may certainly have been true until now, but the nature of war changed this time. If the Kingdom of Yerinetta possesses dozens of wyverns and dozens of Puppet Magicians, then they will send out groups of ten to twenty to each base. Even Scudetto fell. Thinking of that, I believe it is entirely possible that multiple places may be targeted at the same time.”

When I answered that, His Majesty tucked in his chin and leaned his weight back into the backrest.

Maybe he had judged it worth considering.

Then Count Ferdinand spoke for the first time.

“…As for what we just heard, I feel there is more than enough room to examine it. However, if that is the case, then I think there is one point in Baron Van’s argument that is somewhat concerning. It sounded almost as if Baron Van himself would be able to respond to this new style of war by the Kingdom of Yerinetta…”

“I think I can deal with it. I can handle both wyverns and black spheres.”

When I answered that clearly, Count Ferdinand fell silent as well.

Then Count Ventury, visibly irritated, could bear it no longer and slammed the table.

“Ridiculous! I cannot sit here listening to the nonsense of a child! There is no way there are multiple armies like that, ones so fearsome that not only the Border Knight Order but even Marquis Fertio’s knight order was forced to retreat! More than that, what difference could it possibly make for a child like you to go back alone!?”

Count Ventury was speaking nothing but solid common sense. Well, there was not a shred of persuasiveness in a child laying out his own theory at a war council like this.

That said, I had no intention of backing down.

“If I go back, the odds of victory will rise. That much is certain. Besides, I have no intention of going home without doing anything.”

When I told him that, Count Ventury glared at me. Yeah, scary. Those were the eyes of a murderer, all right.

Thinking that, I turned my whole body back toward His Majesty.

“I will set out for home immediately. In exchange, I will leave behind my trump-card new-model ballista and my new weapon, the Super-Ultimate-Strong Catapult. Naturally, I will also leave the strongest Repeating Mechanical Bow unit to Viscount Panamera, so it should provide more than enough combat power.”

When I said that, His Majesty and Panamera both cried out, “Oh!” in delight.

But naturally Count Ventury looked unconvinced.

It couldn’t be helped, so I rose from my chair and addressed Count Ventury.

“In order to convince you, permit me to say something extremely rude. Please lend me your sword, or your shield.”

When I said that, I expected him to get angry, but surprisingly he merely looked quietly toward the man seated next to him. The large man in armor then lifted a thick shield without a word. It looked incredibly heavy, and yet he raised it with one hand.

There were people among Dee and the other adventurers who used game-like greatswords as well, but this was a world where physical laws were casually ignored even without magic.

Looking at the face of the man holding up the shield and staring at me, a question somehow came to mind. He was probably Count Ventury’s knight commander, but why were they both such rugged, powerful-looking men?

Ah, maybe that was his son? Once I thought that, they seemed to resemble each other.

“…What am I to do with this?”

“Ah, sorry. Then please just hold it like that… your hand is in the middle, right? Okay…”

As I stood there woolgathering, the man, somewhat perplexed, said that, so I checked the state of the shield while confirming various things.

“Then please don’t move for a moment.”

Saying only that, I quickly reached to my waist, drew my sword, and in the same motion cut the shield down.

I sliced off about thirty percent of the large shield vertically, and the momentum even carried through into the wooden table, splitting that as well. Fortunately I stopped short of cutting into the floor, but everyone around us stared, stunned.

Part of the shield rolled noisily across the floor, making a harsh clattering sound, and everyone’s eyes followed it.

“…It feels as though it has become even sharper than before.”

Panamera muttered that quietly while looking at me, and as if pulled by his words, everyone turned back.

Bathed in their stares, I smiled and raised my sword before my face.

It was, if I said so myself, a beautifully decorated blade. A sword of orichalcum, shining beautifully without impurities.

“This sword is one first-rate blade, but the iron swords I sell are nearly this sharp.”

After saying that, I looked around at all their faces once more and spoke again.

“And what my ballistas fire are arrows with blades on them of equal sharpness to this. I used those ballistas to subjugate the Forest Dragon. And incidentally, I also subjugated the wyverns that invaded my village with the old-model catapult.”

“A dragon with a ballista?”

Count Ventury asked that back in a low voice, but before I could answer, His Majesty spoke.

“Indeed. I saw him bring down a wyvern in one shot.”

Once His Majesty had said that single sentence, even the Count had no choice but to fall silent. Then, to drive the point home, Panamera added his own words.

“I took part in the dragon subjugation. All magic managed was to hold it in place, but the Baron’s ballista pierced the dragon’s scales and slew it in the blink of an eye. I will vouch for its power.”

At those words, Count Ventury, my dear daddy, and Arte’s daddy all ended up exchanging looks with no one in particular.

It was content that could not easily be believed, certainly, but they also could not say anything that openly doubted His Majesty’s word. That was the feeling I got.

Well, there was no point dwelling on it. They would not be convinced by words alone, so I would just do what I could do and hurry home.

“…In that case, I will build mobile ballistas and catapults, then return home. The arrows and the barrels packed with shuriken for the catapults are already prepared, so please make use of those.”

“…You mean to make them now?”

“Van. I have held my tongue until now, but you still do not understand the gravity of the situation… every moment matters.”

“Yes, let’s head outside!”

Cutting off the lines of the stubborn old men whose anger was beginning to flare up again, I got up and quickly left the room.

Once outside, the knights turned their entire bodies toward me, and the knight standing in front of the entrance looked at me.

“Baron Van-dono, has the meeting ended?”

Asked that, I lightly nodded and put out my hand.

“Yep. I need to prepare a little, so could you clear that main street for me?”

“Sir! Understood! Split left and right!”

The knight uncle gave an immediate reply and quickly issued the order. Mm, as expected of His Majesty’s own knights. There was no wasted motion in them, and above all they were fast.

While sensing from behind me that His Majesty and the others were coming out in a noisy mass, I raised my voice toward my unit waiting at the far end of the main street.

“Sorry! Can you bring the materials over!?”

“Yes! Understood!”

Kamushin answered at once, and the wagons loaded with materials began to move.

All right, then. Let’s whip up the ballistas and catapults and head home.