Translator: Cinder Translations
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In the conference room of the lord's mansion in Alden Town, senior officials from the administration and military gathered together.
The atmosphere in the conference room was rather dull, as everyone was deep in thought about the war in Horns Bay.
Old Ford closed his eyes, lightly tapping his right hand on the table. Cecil and Hansel stared blankly at the teacups in front of them.
Schroder puffed on his pipe, lost in thought as he watched the rising smoke rings. Bryce furrowed his brows, wanting to say something but unable to open his mouth.
Ladia wore a worried expression, likely concerned about the future of her hometown.
Paul glanced to his left and then to his right.
"Everyone, sitting here in silence isn't going to help. Does anyone have good strategies for mitigating risk?"
Undoubtedly, the outbreak of war would threaten trade in the Northwest Bay.
Countermeasures? Upon hearing Paul's words, Hansel felt a bit speechless.
In fact, due to Horns Bay's crucial position as a trade hub between East and West, the Intelligence Department had been paying close attention to the situation there.
The tense situation in Horns Bay was well known to every official in Alden Town; one could glean a thing or two just from the number of weapons purchased by the Horns Bay Alliance.
The ducks swimming in the water would be the first to know whether the river was cold or warm.
As early as half a year ago, merchants from the Northwest Bay who had important business dealings in Horns Bay jointly petitioned the lord's mansion, requesting that the lord purchase or lease a small piece of land in Horns Bay. In the event of war, this could serve as a refuge for Northwest Bay merchants, allowing them to maintain a supply point for their trade routes to the East.
However, at that time, the Earl refused, citing the high costs involved.
Three months ago, the administration brought the merchants' petition back to the table for discussion, and everyone unanimously agreed that now was not the time to be stingy with money. They decided to halt construction on the chemical plant, reservoir, and schools, and prioritize buying land in Horns Bay, preferably an island.
Earl Grayman was displeased, declaring that no one was allowed to siphon funds from the predetermined projects.
Now that the fighting in Horns Bay was about to begin, the Earl started seeking opinions from everyone.
But nobody brought up the issue of purchasing land.
"Ahem!"
Ford felt that everyone's continued silence would make Paul uncomfortable, so he broke the silence by saying:
"Our trade activities are mainly concentrated along the coast, and the Horns Bay Church's power isn't going to reach the coast that quickly, so there's still some time to buffer. However, one thing is clear: while currency and people can be easily withdrawn, some real estate there—including private businesses and government properties—will be difficult to take away. When the war breaks out, it's inevitable that some unscrupulous individuals will try to take advantage of the chaos, so…"
He slightly raised his eyebrows, seemingly glancing casually at Chief of Staff Schroder.
"It would be best for us to have an armed force in Horns Bay that can deter those with ill intentions."
"Ah?" Hearing the administrator mention armed forces, Schroder, who had been puffing out clouds of smoke, froze for a moment.
To be honest, Schroder had thought he was just there to listen today, since how could the army of Alden, which could only dominate the Northwest Bay, possibly have any connection to the Horns Bay situation so far away?
The only military strength Alden could send to Horns Bay was its navy, but those inland countries didn't even have a single boat. What would their ships do there? Just stare?
"This is indeed a problem, Schroder!"
Paul looked at him, "Can we send a military force to Horns Bay? For example... a battalion?"
"Ahem! Lord Grayman."
Schroder placed his beloved pipe on the table, then stood up to speak.
"I'm sorry, but our forces currently do not have that capability."
He initially doused Paul with cold water before listing his reasons one by one.
"First, while sending one or two battalions might be easy, our army is heavily reliant on unique equipment such as gunpowder, firearms, and cannons, all of which can only be produced in the Northwest Bay. These are consumables, and supplying them from thousands of miles away to Horns Bay would be very problematic."
"Second, even if our army had sufficient capacity to transport these items to Horns Bay on time, we still lack… I should say, a series of stable bases there. We can't store, transfer, or distribute our supplies."
"Lastly, we are unfamiliar with the climate and environment there. Our soldiers are all from the Northwest Bay, and most have never left their hometown. If they suddenly go to the hot and humid Horns Bay, they might suffer from acclimatization issues."
"Gentlemen!"
Schroder emphasized his words, looking around the room before saying seriously: "Don't underestimate this last reason. Acclimatization can be deadly, and it may lead to horrible infections. Certain diseases might have very mild symptoms for the locals but can be deadly for outsiders. This is far more terrifying than any tangible enemy."
A nostalgic look appeared in his eyes.
"Thirty years ago, when I first served in the Watcher Legion, the Neron Corridor, where the Legion was stationed, was part of the northern region of the kingdom, just like the Northwest Bay. But when I first arrived there, I suffered from a week-long bout of diarrhea; I was a strong young man back then."
"In summary…"
Schroder looked at Paul and concluded: "I firmly oppose sending troops to Horns Bay now; it would be sending soldiers to their deaths."
"However…" he shifted his tone, "if the lord is inclined, we could start preparations now—sending intelligence officers to survey the terrain, collect information on various vegetation and animals, dispatch doctors to learn about local diseases and herbs, and…"
"Send envoys to negotiate with the local rulers to see if we can secure a piece of land as a refuge."
"If we start doing these things now, I estimate that in six months, we'll be able to initially establish the capability to project force into Horns Bay."
Paul did not respond, and the conference room fell into silence.
"Uh…"
At this moment, Hansel timidly stood up and said cautiously, "Lord Grayman, if an Aldorian army appears in a war that the kingdom is not involved in, His Majesty the King will find it awkward."
"Alright!"
Paul wore a troubled expression.
"You all make valid points. We can't let the lads go to their deaths, nor can we make His Majesty feel awkward."
"Lord Grayman!"
Schroder spoke up again.
As the Chief of Staff and the most important military advisor to Paul, he remained proactive, trying to come up with solutions.
"If it's just to deter wrongdoers, why not consider hiring mercenaries?"
(End of the Chapter)
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