Chapter 20: Nicosia (1)
The cool winds of late autumn carried a hint of chill. In half a month, autumn would pass, giving way to the harsh winter. The winds from the Arctic tundras seemed like gloomy winds from the depths of hell. Without permanent structures, just a few dilapidated tents were hardly enough to protect against them. This was why the representatives of the three cities were eager to get these refugees on their way—no one wanted to bear the responsibility for their deaths from cold and hunger. If these refugees could reach their destination safely, all subsequent consequences would no longer concern the three cities, allowing them to shirk both moral and legal obligations.
The kingdom also hoped to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Every extra day they stayed there increased uncertainty, especially since many refugees who didn’t want to go to the distant and desolate Caucasus tried to flood into the kingdom’s territory. Some even began to flee, attempting to sneak into the kingdom, putting the kingdom’s border patrols in a difficult position. The only way to end this was to get these people on their way as soon as possible.
Of course, the vast majority of refugees were simple and kind-hearted. In their eyes, as long as they could escape the threat of orcs, anywhere was better than staying put. There was a big difference between slaves and free people, and all the refugees understood this well.
After about ten days of preparation, the refugee group finally completed its counting and assembly, then set off in seven groups. Fran’s appearance brought joy to the refugees from the Fran Duchy. It was said that the senior infantry officer who had died in the battle of Messenia now appeared before his fellow countrymen who had become refugees, which naturally piqued everyone’s curiosity. As Fran recounted his experiences, the refugees from the Mellen Duchy were lost in sad memories of their former capital. With Fran’s help, Komer quickly won the respect and loyalty of the Mellen refugees. Of course, this was just the first step, but a good start laid a solid foundation for future development, much to Komer’s satisfaction. As for news from Duke Tez, both Duke Zelin’s territory, Duke Philip’s territory, and the Poninsky territory had reluctantly agreed to allow these refugees to pass through—of course, at a hefty toll.
Almost everyone was waiting to see the joke of Comer—a remote area with fewer than five thousand natives suddenly taking in 150,000 refugees without any preparation. Who would believe that a spoiled young man with no experience in governance could handle all this properly? Many even predicted that the Royal Court would strip Comer of his rights, freedom, and even his life on charges of dereliction of duty as a lord.
In the small reception room, several potted plants from the south brought a lush greenery that instantly brightened and relaxed the otherwise dull and somber room. An old man in casual robes sat casually in the leather armchair at the head of the table, but his gaze was fixed on a portrait on the wall opposite. The portrait showed a stern middle-aged man in military attire, a dazzling crown atop his head, his magnificent marshal’s uniform adorned with royal insignias and patterns. A nine-section bamboo staff rested in his clasped hands, and a slender sword was sheathed in sharkskin scabbards. Even in the painting, the golden-wrapped hilt exuded an air of supreme dignity.
The late autumn weather was somewhat cold, adding to the room’s gloom. Three wooden chairs arranged in a semicircle were already occupied. On the glass table in the center sat a thick newspaper, seemingly untouched. After a long while, the old man finally took his gaze off the portrait, sighed softly, and glanced at the overweight man sitting awkwardly in the chair on the right. The man’s long robe, edged with gold embroidery, featured irregular diamond patterns around the cuffs. A dark-rimmed ring was worn on his thumb. His bulky frame made it difficult for him to move in the chair. He moved his lips for a while but ultimately said nothing.
“Parker, if you have something to say, just say it. Don’t stutter around. I’m in a good mood today—there’s no need to be cautious.” The old man showed signs of impatience, his domineering attitude making it clear who was in charge and who was a servant.
“Your Majesty, I have bad news to report. After paying the salaries of the military officers, our finances are completely exhausted. Some officials have not received their salaries for three months already. Additionally, the repairs to the palace and the construction of new buildings for next year’s celebration of Your Majesty’s thirtieth reign require a large sum of money, and work must start immediately, otherwise we will miss the celebration. Moreover, it’s time to pay the pensions for the soldiers, but there isn’t a single penny left in the treasury.” He rubbed his forehead awkwardly, as if a cut had been made there, his lips twisting in pain like scars.
As the Finance Minister of the Kingdom of Nicomia, Park considered himself probably the worst among all past finance ministers. The annual revenue was always insufficient, and they had to patch things up with makeshift solutions, with the situation becoming increasingly difficult year by year. Paying off the salaries owed to officials and soldiers had become routine, which led to complaints from them. But what could be done? It was all because of those damned orcs. Their increasingly frequent invasions forced the kingdom’s army to spend huge amounts each year on building and maintaining fortresses, and the army size had to keep expanding, exceeding twice that of the kingdom’s most peaceful times. This placed enormous pressure on the kingdom’s finances. Moreover, the pensions for soldiers who died or were injured in battles against the orc armies each year amounted to a staggering figure.
The budget allocated for soldier pensions at the beginning of each year was always greatly exceeded, forcing the finance minister to borrow shamefully from lords, merchants, and even usurers at the end of the year. This had become a routine practice for the kingdom’s finance department. The negative effects of these loans were becoming increasingly apparent. Both lords and merchants were eager to lend money to the kingdom, offering various favorable terms. Every year at this time, most of the merchants gathered at the Vansel Hunting Estate hoped to join in lending money to the kingdom, scrambling to take advantage of the various benefits that came with such loans.
This year, the financial shortfall was even greater. Although the kingdom managed to collect some war taxes from several lords, it was still a drop in the bucket. The orcians’ fierce attacks caused tremendous damage to the kingdom. Due to a shortage of troops for border defense, the kingdom had to spend a huge amount to form a second infantry regiment directly under the royal authority—the Iron Cross Infantry Regiment. It was an enormous expense, but one that had to be incurred. As a result, the financial deficit grew larger and larger, pushing the kingdom to the brink of collapse.
Every year at this time, Park felt utterly exhausted. To cover various expenses, he had to be extremely frugal. The military complained that he delayed and deducted pensions and salaries, officials accused him of cutting benefits to enrich himself, and the lords hated him for constantly suggesting to His Majesty the King that more taxes be imposed. This kept him in a state of constant tension. Before reaching fifty, his hair had already thinned out, forcing him to wear wigs to cover it.
“Park, I recall that a sum of money was transferred to your treasury a few days ago, wasn’t it?” interjected the Minister of the Interior. Though he wasn’t very familiar with financial matters, he knew the kingdom’s finances were indeed in dire straits. To ease His Majesty’s worries, he had to do everything possible to reduce the kingdom’s financial burden, and refugee funds were naturally one of his priorities.
“Which sum are you referring to? The eight hundred thousand gold shields? Hmph, Lord Teyz, you overvalue that money. What can eight hundred thousand gold shields do? This year alone, pensions for the soldiers will cost four million gold shields. Repairing the palace will require at least two million gold shields, and the ruined fortresses and castles in the north also need repairs, which will cost another two million gold shields. With such huge expenses, what can those mere eight hundred thousand do?” the Minister of Finance said slowly, looking down on his colleague with disdain.
“Then where exactly is the problem?” asked another tall, thin officer in a magnificent military uniform impatiently. “We can’t let the families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the kingdom and the disabled watch us helplessly. The New Year is approaching, and if this news spreads, it could undermine morale. Whether our soldiers can fight bravely against the orc invasions next year depends on whether we can keep our promises to them!”
Seeing His Majesty’s gaze also on him, the obese man forced a wry smile. “Your Majesty, as you know, the problem is simple. The taxes from the several great lords have not been collected. The two in the north are somewhat better, but the two in the south haven’t even paid half of what’s due. Their vassal lords follow suit. From what I’ve heard privately, they’ve strictly ordered their subordinates not to enforce the Utrecht Edict, which gives these minor lords an excuse to delay payment.”
The other two were stunned and turned their attention to the old man. A flash of anger crossed his face, and his piercing eyes shone with intensity. It was only at this moment that the old man truly showed his difference.
“Parker, do you have any evidence for what you say?” That glimmer of light vanished in an instant, and the old man reverted to his usual calm demeanor.
“Regrettably, Your Majesty, it’s likely that we’ll never obtain conclusive evidence in such matters. Those minor lords are still under the control of the greater lords, so it’s hardly possible to get anything out of them. But our tax collectors encounter almost identical excuses whenever they go there—either the harvest in their territories was poor, or the greater lords collected excessive war taxes to send to the kingdom, or they simply claim that all taxes have already been handed over to the greater lords, who agreed to collect them collectively.” The finance minister shrugged helplessly.
After some deliberation, the old man nodded slightly and said, “Very well, Parker. First, go and allocate two million gold shields from my private treasury. You’ll have to find another way to cover the remaining amount. The soldiers’ pensions must be paid on time and in full; otherwise, I’ll hold you accountable. As for the celebrations, they can be postponed. For the funds needed to repair the fortresses along the northern border, have those two men from the north contribute some. Tell them the kingdom cannot afford to cover everything right now. If they refuse to pay, if the orcs launch another major invasion next year, it won’t just be the kingdom that suffers. Ask them to consider the bigger picture. You’ll have to find a way to cover the rest yourself. This matter cannot be delayed—it must be completed swiftly during the winter lull.”
The finance minister was stunned. Allocating funds from the private treasury to pay soldiers’ pensions was something unprecedented. The money in that treasury was the royal family’s private funds, and control over it didn’t lie solely with the king; usually, the queen was the main one in charge of such funds.
“Your Majesty, …”
Seeing the finance minister standing there hesitantly, the old man waved his hand impatiently. “Enough. You don’t need to worry about anything else. Just focus on your tasks. If you delay things, I won’t spare you.”
Only then did the finance minister reluctantly stand up, bow, and leave slowly.
Another silence filled the room. The old man’s face remained expressionless, as if lost in thought, while the minister of internal affairs and the officer in fine clothes exchanged glances. Since the king had even drawn on his own private treasury, it was clear just how strained the kingdom’s finances were.
“Your Majesty, this can only solve the problem temporarily—it’s not a long-term solution,” the minister of internal affairs couldn’t help but say.
“But you two have also seen that the situation in the north is tense, and we cannot slacken in army building; otherwise, the country will be lost soon. Matthew, how is the formation of the Iron Cross Corps progressing?” The old man shook his head tiredly and asked with a sigh, “Are there any other movements among the orcs recently?”
“Your Majesty, the Iron Cross Corps is fully staffed, but we are still far short of weapons and armor. The finances cannot cover the cost of such equipment, so the soldiers can only train with their bare hands and wooden spears. To develop basic combat capabilities, we urgently need more weapons and armor, and it will take at least half a year to train them properly.” The officer in fine clothes looked worried. He knew the core issue was financial, and the king was in a difficult position as well. But since the king had asked, he had to answer truthfully. “The orcs are still wreaking havoc in the Duchy of Mellen and the territories of the City-States of Main, but not as fiercely as before. Perhaps due to the colder weather, their activity has slowed down significantly. But it doesn’t matter much now—Mycenae has been completely destroyed, and most of the important fortresses in these three regions have been ruined. Mellen, Main, and Susor have essentially become wastelands at the mercy of the orcs. These regions cannot provide any defense in the short term. Perhaps next year, the central region will face an even more severe threat from the orcs.”
“How do the orcs have battering rams? Have we figured that out? How did they obtain such weapons?” The old man sighed deeply, a rare look of concern appearing on his weathered face. “Tez, don’t you have any clues?”
“Sorry, Your Majesty. We still don’t have much useful information about how the orcs obtained the battering rams. But one thing is certain: they didn’t develop them on their own. According to reports from our agents in the orc fox tribe’s territory, it seems they have disassembled some of the damaged battering rams to study them carefully. If they had made them themselves, I don’t think they would need to take them apart and study them.” Duke Tez spoke in a low voice, his gaze shifting, as if filled with doubts.
“Could it be that the orcs are trying to improve these battering rams?” the officer in fine clothes asked.
“It can’t be. It seems the orcs still don’t even understand how to use battering rams—how could they talk about improving them? From what our soldiers report from the battlefield, these orcs still aren’t very good at using such advanced offensive weapons; otherwise, they would have caused us even greater casualties. If they developed them on their own, first, there probably wouldn’t be just a dozen of them, and second, their soldiers should already be familiar with these weapons. From these two aspects, the possibility of the orcs developing them on their own is minimal.” Teyz dismissed his colleague’s doubts after some thought.
“If the orcs have more battering rams next year, we’ll be in trouble. The Duchy of Mellen is already doomed. We lack a strong ally in the west, and the orcs can enter and exit freely from there. Our defensive fortresses in the west aren’t tight enough or strong enough. If the orcs launch an attack from the west, we’ll be in serious trouble.” The officer in fine clothes grew even more worried, his brows furrowed deeply.
“I’m afraid the countries and city-states in the central region will be in even greater trouble. Without the Duchy of Mellen, as well as Mein and Susor as barriers, the orcs can use those three places as a springboard to advance southward unchecked next year. The countries and city-states in the central region, which weren’t prepared at all, are now terrified and don’t know what to do. A few days ago, envoys from Naples, the Netherlands, and Media already asked me for advice on whether our country could send troops to help defend their northern borders. They’re worried that their own armies and mercenaries can’t withstand the fierce orc soldiers and are willing to pay any cost for it.” The Minister of Internal Affairs smiled bitterly. With the second infantry regiment still not fully formed, three allied countries were already showing interest. Who else could understand the hardships involved?
“Oh? That’s actually a good idea. If those three countries are willing to cover all costs, including weapons, armor, and other logistical supplies, I’m not opposed to sending the Iron Cross Regiment to the central region as mercenaries. After all, they need to train and hone their skills through war—only then can they become a true army. It can serve as a practical exercise.” The officer in fine clothes’s eyes lit up; he seemed quite interested in this suggestion.
“Enough, Matthew. Don’t we need an army to defend the north?” the Minister of Internal Affairs retorted.
“No, Taze, there’s a reason for such a major setback this year. No one expected the orcs to have battering rams, which caused panic and chaos among our soldiers. In reality, just a dozen or so battering rams have limited effectiveness, but their sudden appearance threw our soldiers into disarray. No one saw such a thing happening before, but it won’t have much impact the second time around. Additionally, I suggest sending more magi and wizards to the key castles and fortresses in the north, as this can greatly reduce the orcs’ effectiveness in using their siege equipment. If the orcs want to cause trouble in our north next year, they’ll have to pay a heavy price. What worries me is our west side—now that the Duchy of Mellen is ruined, the orcs control most of its territory as well as Main and Susor. They could invade us from the west next year. So I think we shouldn’t wait passively for the orcs to attack; instead, we should take the initiative.” The officer in fine robes carefully chose his words as he explained his thoughts.