After several years of travelling with his father teaching local villagers how to read, and to a lesser degree how to write, the literacy throughout Salleria had grown exponentially. An approximate total of 40% of the country could for the most part read, though significantly less could write, knowing how to read was of significantly greater importance, especially for Landyn's goal of the upheaval of the world.
By this point Landyn is 14 years of age, however, things have taken a turn, in that the neighbouring Grand Duchy, Kotesh, with the same basic principal as a monarchy, though with greater privelages to the wealthy, had recently been the target of a war declaration by Lord Oswin of Salleria. The reason for the war was, officially, for the attack on several merchant caravans that hailed from Salleria through the Grand Duchy. The reason was of course false, the true reason was due to Oswin receiving word of rising discontent in the populace, seeing the war as a way of cutting down or silencing possible dissenters, and strengthening his own position.
Upon defeat of the Demon Kingdom, many nations returned to feuding with each other over petty squabbles. Those who were allies against the Demon King, were now enemies on the field of battle, puppets to be toyed with by their kings and masters. Oswin had intended on siezing the port city of Revel and some of the outlying villages from Kotesh, as a victory prize over them, and as a further instrument in strengthening his rule.
Ornelle: "Arny you can't! what will we do if you die?!"
Arnold: "I have no choice, if I don't go, they'll make Landyn go, or worse execute us as traitors! We can't afford to try and flee to another nation dear!"
Landyn's family, like many others was required to send at least 1 adult male from their household to contribute to Salleria's military in the war against Kotesh. Families were often given the choice of allowing the father/husband or their eldest to fulfill the role, whereas refusal to send anyone would result in increased taxes at best, and execution for the entire household at worst. Landyn of course knew this, and while he knew his parents would absolutely refuse, he'd made the arrangements for his own service when news of potential conflict with Kotesh had reached him.
Arnold: "Enough! the lord's emmisary has already come to our village, he'll be here any moment to receive me. I'll do what I can to return to you and Landyn, I promise."
Landyn: "Father."
Arnold: "Landyn, I can't let you go in my place, your mother would ki-"
*knock* *knock* *knock*
???: "Is this the Raye residence? we're here for your military tribute!"
Arnold: "Yes, be right there!"
Upon opening the door, a weathered man in fanciful armor stood before Arnold.
"Good day, I'm captain Becket Almere, of the lord's army, you must be Landyn!"
Arnold: "Ah! No, Landyn would be my son, sir. I am his father Arnold, Arnold Raye."
Becket: "Hm? Then I am not here for you. Bring me Landyn immediately."
Arnold: "Sir, i-it may be out of place to say this to someone of higher status than I, but were we not permitted to allow one household member of our choosing for the military tribute?"
Becket: "Aye it is out of place, now bring me the boy. Do not make me repeat myself."
Landyn: "I'm here sir."
Arnold/Ornelle: "Landyn, no!"
Landyn: "Mother, father you bith said you knew the consequences of refusing the military tribute, I won't let you both die for my sake."
Arnold: "Landyn, they're supposed to give us a choice in who we send!"
Becket: "And now we are not. Do not tell me you've wish to go against his lordship's orders."
Arnold: "No, I-"
Landyn: "Father, I'll come back, I promise you, besides, mother would kill you, and then find a way to kill me a second time were I to die."
Becket: "Enough theatre, fall in line Landyn!"
Landyn: "Yes sir!"
Armed with cheap leather armor and a cheap spear, Landyn had made his way into the conscripted army's ranks. Though there are risks involved in this, risks that may well cost him his life, Landyn knowingly took these risks in hopes of the reward. The reward being the politicization of Salleria's army, as well as the possibility of name recognition. Though only a factory worker, Landyn's modern knowledge from his world would be a devastating weapon against this medieval fantasy world he now resided in.
As the Lord's army and the Sallerian conscripts marched toward the Kotesh army, they'd gain additional conscripts along the way, some of these conscripts were even students who'd learned to read with Landyn's aid. Every now and then the army stopped for rest, each time, Landyn wood take the time to teach some of the conscripts to read, and in greater secrecy, he'd tell them the real reasons for this war.
Landyn: "Power, greed, and fear. Fear of their own people, fear of losing their power, and fear of losing the mountain of dead he sits upon, that's why Oswin's declared this war."
???: "I thought they said this was because our caravans and people were getting attacked when they went through Kotesh. Are you saying Oswin is lying?"
The young man who'd asked this was Kendall Smith, son if one the craftsmen in Traer, he was about 2 years older than Landyn, though he'd heard some of his teachings from some of the other villagers. Kendall was somewhat of a skeptic to Landyn's belief that the nobles, kings, and so on had only their own interests in mind, part of Kendall's belief stemmed from his family being somewhat well-off, thus they'd never had to face the hardships of those of lower status than them.
Landyn: "Perhaps, Kotesh is known to house a somewhat larger monster population, and the people of the nation have a harder time dealing with them due to the sheer number of monsters. However, very few Sallerian merchants travel through Kotesh for that very reason, opting instead to travel through Rorvik."
Kendall: "And just how would you know that?"
Landyn: "A merchant must know the risks and reward of travel, where to travel, and what to travel with. A merchant cannot sell his goods if his goods are stolen, or if he is dead."
Kendall: "Ah, so you're a merchant, or from a merchant household, so then you mean to say that no merchant would be fool enough to risk death for their own profits?"
Landyn: "Of course not, profit is the primary motivator for most merchants. However, is they were to choose between their own life or money, they'd first attempt to save both their life and the money. should the first attempt fail, they then turn to save their own life. Thus, the knowledge that this war is a farce."
Kendall: "That's quite the claim, may I ask where you learned such knowledge, besides possible merchant connections, it seems unlikely for a merchant, especially one as young as yourself to know such."
Landyn: "The people of the land grow restless, and to those with power and wealth, be they king or noble, restless people can lead to their loss of power and status. Thus, a distraction must be made. The sacrifice of others' lives to silence some dissenters, as well as the potential victory to strengthen their positions."
Kendall: "If we are to lose though, would that not habe the adverse affect though?"
Landyn: "Aye, that is why as much as gambling is looked down upon by Oswin and the nobles, they very much indulge themself in it, with land and people being the primary currency for the gamble."