Chapter 9: Borrowing Troops
Komer also knew that Hoffman and Lenta would surely have other demands this time they came to the Caucasus. With the offer of a viscountship and their verbal willingness to help him become a direct vassal of the kingdom, they would naturally expect him to do something in return. He had been mentally prepared for this, but he had been considering in what ways the Caucasus and Leon could still assist the kingdom. He had already done everything he could—surely they wouldn’t expect him to donate money or goods as well?
“Your Highness, please speak plainly. The Caucasus and Leon will obey any command if they are able to fulfill it.”
Komer’s straightforward reply brought joy to Hoffman and Lenta. The task they had been assigned this time was already quite tricky, so they had been struggling to figure out how to approach the matter. At present, the kingdom’s three main armies were in a desperate situation. Although the Golden Oak and Iron Cross armies had nominally announced their reconstruction, it was clear that rebuilding an army wasn’t something that could be accomplished in a day or two. Moreover, the orcs’ movements were too unpredictable—no one could tell when they might launch another attack. What the kingdom needed most now was not money or weapons, but actual armies and soldiers. Hoffman and Lenta came this time hoping that Komer would set an example by allowing the Caucasus and Leon to lend some of their troops to help the kingdom defend Jazair.
“Lord Viscount, we know that the strength of your self-defense forces is considerable. Their ability to repel Homer’s Storm Infantry Regiment is proof of their prowess. The kingdom is in a critical moment right now. As you know, the Golden Oak and Iron Cross armies have completely collapsed, and the Blue Dove Army is also in great danger. The reason for my and Lenta’s visit is simple: we hope to urge you to lend your self-defense forces to help the kingdom resist the orcs’ attacks. If you wish to become a direct vassal of His Majesty the King, I believe this act will best demonstrate your loyalty to the kingdom.”
Hoffman fixed his gaze intently on Comer, whose expression was unpredictable. In fact, when Comer mentioned the combat strength of the Self-Defense Forces, Hoffman had already realized he might be plotting against them. The Caucasus-Leon Self-Defense Forces numbered only about three thousand, and their combat capability could barely be described as satisfactory. The retreat of the Storm Infantry Regiment was not due to their fighting skills, but Comer couldn’t explain that. Saying such things now would only make Hoffman and Lenta think he was shirking responsibility. Besides, Comer was right—the kingdom needed real soldiers now, not money or weapons. And the Caucasus-Leon Self-Defense Forces, capable of defeating Homer’s armies repeatedly, were undoubtedly the most eye-catching option.
Lenta was also observing this increasingly cunning lower-ranking noble. He could no longer be called a minor noble—this viscount was far from it. Although the Caucasus and Leon were remote, they covered a large area. However, years of ingrained prejudice had led everyone in the kingdom to look down on them.
Their journey from Matdan to Ugru once again shocked them. The canal project, said to stretch from Matdan to Santiago all the way to central Leon, was in full swing. This project, intended to cross the entire Volt Mountains, had reportedly drawn ridicule and mockery in Jazair and throughout the kingdom. No one believed building such an expensive canal in the Caucasus would be worthwhile, nor were they willing to invest in such a vague project. Yet now, it was happening right before their eyes. Despite all the mockery, the construction continued at full pace. Looking at the laborers sweating profusely on the site, half-orcs, humans, and dwarves were all working hard under the stimulus of the Golden Shield. What surprised Lenta the most was that a large number of the workers were barbarians from the Southern Cordillera Wastelands! This made Lenta feel an even greater sense of mystery about this noble of humble origins. Half-orcs were already at his feet, and now even those arrogant barbarians were under his control. What was happening in this world?
The road from Matdan to Ugru was wide and smooth, quite impressive even by the standards of the kingdom. Carriages and draft animals traveled back and forth constantly on it, and the rows of houses along the road showed that the Caucasus region was undergoing unprecedented development. Immigrants from Melen, Main, and Susor were using their hard work to transform this once neglected remote area. It was now the most prosperous region in the Caucasus. Although it still lagged behind the richer areas of the kingdom, one had to remember that this used to be a desolate and uninhabited land. Such dramatic changes in just two years were all thanks to that minor noble who, two years ago, was in Cyprus and wouldn’t even deign to speak to his own companions.
Now, she and Hoffman had to humble themselves and come here to ask him for help to save the crumbling kingdom. Such a contrast was truly humiliating for a descendant of the noble Romanov family. Lenta didn’t have much fondness for this man, but reason told her that among the minor nobles supporting the kingdom, no one else could replace him. On the way here, Hoffman had revealed to her that Teyz even hoped the king would consider arranging a marriage alliance between a member of the royal family and this man, so as to gain better control over the region and make the Caucasus and Leon serve the kingdom.
This news chilled Lenta to the core. Among the royal family, only she, Katiya, and her younger sister Biki were still unmarried. But Katiya already had a fiancé, leaving only her and Biki. Biki was only sixteen, and her maternal family background wasn’t good, making her the most likely candidate. She had never imagined herself ending up married to a minor noble of lower status—it was simply unacceptable to her. Although her experiences during this trip had changed her perspective somewhat, it wasn’t enough to make her change her mind. She would never marry such a lowly noble. Her ideal husband should at least be the heir to a lord with vast lands. It would be perfect if she could win the heart of the heir to a duchy or kingdom on the continent. But now, that dream seemed to be fading slowly, especially given the kingdom’s current dire situation. The only hope was that the kingdom could stand again—only then would her marriage have a chance.
At this moment, Komer also noticed that the attention of both princes was focused on him. Ask for troops in loan? This request seemed somewhat absurd—how could the kingdom turn to a minor lord like him, who couldn’t even secure his own vassals, for military support? Komer weighed the pros and cons. To be honest, the 3,000 self-defense troops had limited combat capabilities; they had been trained for too short a time and had no experience in truly brutal wars. In fact, they hadn’t played much of a role in the battles against the Homers. This might be an opportunity for training, but their forces were far too weak. If the kingdom borrowed these troops, who would defend Leon and the Caucasus?
“Your Highnesses, of course I should obey the kingdom’s request to send troops, but please also consider for me how to ensure the safety of the Caucasus and Leon. The threat from the Homers is real. If this issue can be resolved, the Caucasus-Leon Self-Defense Forces are certainly willing to serve the kingdom.” Komer adopted a strategy of retreat as a way to advance, but he was also aware that since Hoffman and Lenta dared to make such a request, they must have already thought through the problem with the Homers.
“Please rest assured, Viscount. Before coming to the Caucasus, we went to Cyprus and obtained a guarantee from Duke Philip. He promised not to harm the Caucasus or Leon until the orc invaders were dealt with, and he was willing to make this commitment publicly. Moreover, you can keep a portion of the self-defense troops to safeguard your own territory. Isn’t this request excessive?” Hoffman wore a triumphant smile. It was only after hearing about Komer’s battle against the Homers that he understood why Philip agreed to this so readily—this guy had suffered heavy losses in the Caucasus and needed time to recover; he couldn’t afford to launch an attack recklessly in the short term.
It was then that Komer realized these two princes had clearly decided to borrow his weak-looking half-orc forces. As for the route, they must have also gotten Philip’s approval. He had no reason to refuse. Well, let these troops experience a real battlefield and let the half-orcs and orcs face each other directly. Didn’t Fran always want these troops to experience actual warfare? Perfect—let him take 2,000 self-defense troops and give it a try.
“Your Highnesses, since you’ve thought of everything so thoroughly, what more do I have to say? I only have 3,000 self-defense troops in the Caucasus. What do you think if I send half of them to assist the kingdom?” Komer stopped hesitating.
“Lord Viscount, could you give a little more? One thousand five hundred is far too few.”
Hoffman always wore a smile, while Princess Lenta seemed somewhat restless, for some reason unknown. Komer pretended to hesitate before saying, “How about this? I’ll add another five hundred men—my finest half-orc soldiers and elf archers. They will absolutely obey your orders. I believe they can serve you well. I’ll also train more half-orc warriors. If you need them in the future, I’ll fully support you.”
Komer’s insinuating words made a glint appear in Hoffman’s eyes. Staring at Komer’s smiling face, Hoffman nodded and patted his shoulder before saying, “Very good. I’ll remember your kindness, Lord Viscount.”
“Hehe, I’m already satisfied that Your Highness remembers me, a humble lord from a remote area. Though we people of Caucasus and Leon are rough and uncivilized, we don’t play tricks. If you value us, please give orders. To date, only Your Highnesses have deigned to visit Caucasus and Leon; others wouldn’t even spare us a glance. I’m deeply grateful for your concern. No matter how circumstances change, Caucasus and Leon will always welcome you.”
Komer’s feigned generosity pleased Hoffman greatly. His goal had been achieved, even beyond expectations. It seemed this minor noble was eager to ally himself with the kingdom. He might as well make use of this guy. It appeared this man had some skills in dealing with those half-orcs and barbarians, and he could utilize these fierce barbarian warriors under his command. After this crisis passed, this guy might even play a more important role for him.
After sending the two back to the backyard of his mansion, Komer returned to his study with a cold expression. Mahagumi was already waiting there.
“Immediately investigate Hoffman and Lenta thoroughly. It seems Hoffman’s request for troops isn’t as simple as it seems. This guy is ambitious—he might want to use our army to achieve his own goals.” After briefly recounting his conversation with Hoffman, Komer declared firmly, “Send someone to check on the King’s health as well. It seems the turmoil caused by the orc invasion may be coming to an end soon, but things will likely get more complicated afterward. We can’t be careless.”
“My lord, since you agree to transfer our two thousand self-defense troops, will Homer take advantage of this…?” Mahagumi was somewhat worried.
“You needn’t worry about that. If Philip dares to make a public commitment, there’s no need to fear it. Those hypocrites would never want to disappoint the people. They can do whatever evil things in secret, but they want to present a flawless image in public,” Komer said in a mocking tone, curling his lips.
“Hmm, then I’m relieved. Does my lord have any suspicions or other plans regarding Princess Lenta?” Mahagumi wasn’t sure what his master intended regarding that proud princess.
Glancing at his serious expression, Komer realized he hadn’t made his intentions clear. He then said thoughtfully, “Hmm, it seems Princess Lenta has some concerns this time—she’s different from when she came last time. You need to figure out what she’s thinking. Hehe, as for other plans… well, Princess Lenta seems to be getting more beautiful by the day. Maybe something really might happen between her and me.”
Accompanying his master’s laughter, Mahagumi could only laugh awkwardly, confused.