Survival Strategy for Weak Territories! ~ My Territory Will Be Destroyed No Matter How Many Times It Is Repeated. How Can This Be Saved? ~ - Chapter 32

“Viscount Asgard’s house is this way, isn’t it? ! ! ! “

At sunrise, someone comes to the door of Klein’s house.

A man stands at the gate and calls out loudly.

―This annoying man is the one who is the winner of the proposal contest that Klein held in his third life.

―Randolph the Stout Spear, the winner of the martial arts tournament held as a bonus.

He is a fearless-looking man with a laceration running from his right eyebrow to his chin.

He is a big man, about two meters tall.

He has broad shoulders and a muscular chest covered with thick muscles.

“Who the heck are you? “

“Wait! I thought you said Klein-sama was going to invite a guest.”

“Indeed! I’m here at Viscount Asgard’s invitation! Let’s see what you have to say! ! “

The man, who looked like a man who had fought many battles in the past, came with only a red spear in his left hand and a furoshiki on his back.

(Furoshiki is a square-shaped traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, mostly used for wrapping a gift or carrying goods.)

However, the speed of their arrival was surprising even to Klein, who was woken up early in the morning by Marie.

Klein had sent a letter to the address he had confirmed at the convention.

Fortunately, he had not changed his address and was still living in a town a little further north of the capital.

However, the Hermos Society official to whom he entrusted the letter told him that he would need about two weeks. Even if he had accepted the invitation immediately, he had thought that his arrival would still be some time away.

“You’re very early, aren’t you?”

“I took a horse and came as fast as I could. Randolph’s bravery will be put to good use! “

As soon as the letter arrived, he prepared himself immediately and prepared to travel.

It would take a month by wagon.

Or two weeks by express mail courier.

It took him about ten days to complete the journey, which would have taken a little longer, depending on the weather.

Klein knew what Randolph was looking for in an officer, so he thought there was a good chance that Randolph would agree to the headhunt.

But he didn’t think he’d be coming that fast, so he rolled his eyes.

“Well… um, I’m about to have breakfast,”

“In that case, I’ll wait for you on the doorstep! “

“No, come inside.”

You’re bothering the neighbours. He swallowed his words.

Klein had Marie, who came out of the house after him, to prepare the tea.

“…Sigh. Well, I’m happy.”

Of course, he is happy because the top draft pick is here.

Klein, however, looks tired from the morning and wakes up two hours earlier than usual, looking lazy.

Since he couldn’t sleep again after meeting the visitors, he went to have breakfast anyway.

* * *

“Well, Randolph. Are you sure you want to serve me?”

“Of course. I’d like to start working for you today!!!”

Randolph seems to be running on a hot streak of enthusiasm.

He’s already leaning forward over the table to shake Klein’s hand.

“No, wait, wait. We have a contract.”

“Mm, ah, yeah. Yes, we will.”

He wants two things.

First, a steady wage.

Despite his mercenary get-rich-quick appearance, he was looking for a solid job.

“I’m planning to add a new guard, but I haven’t established it yet. I’ll start with an assistant captain.”

“Well, that’s what I’m looking for. Where do I sign―”

“First, Just hear me out…”

He has no education and no connections.

His boast of strength was not enough to get him an official position, and even during the last uprising, he was smouldering because he did not know where to get a job.

If one were to see him fight, it would be easy to see that he is a man of ability who could easily defeat the most experienced martial artists of his time.

But he never had the chance.

He seems to have spent his days in depression as a construction labourer.

Klein would have been slightly surprised if he had known such a situation.

Klein smiles at this gutsy attitude toward a nobleman whom he has never met before, even if he has some connections.

“We’ll start by negotiating wages.”

“Uh, um.”

“As for wages, I plan on a monthly stipend of eight gold coins. Plus, hazard pay. If we have to kill bandits, we’ll give you a bonus for every job you do.”

Although not an exceptional treatment, the family can earn enough money to survive.

Considering that the average monthly wage for a peasant farmer is 5 or 6 gold coins, it is not so bad for a ronin with no experience or achievements.

From Klein’s point of view, Randolph’s ability is at least the level of a captain of a thousand men held by a count.

He could kick out at least two or three opponents of the same level as Hans.

He would take it in stages to avoid any hatred from those around him, but eventually, he was thinking of making him Klein’s SS captain or General.

“If you seem trustworthy, I’m thinking of making you my personal guard or a commander in the army I’m planning to create.”

“Am I to be the general of an army?”

Apart from his desire to have his weak army thoroughly trained, Klein has other plans.

There is also a faint hope that he might be able to compete with Brynhildr.

Speaking of Brynhildr. Until now, she has been a being who gives death as a penalty for any failure.

However, in the future, there may be a situation where he needs to temporarily stop her or make her think twice about killing.

I was hoping that he could be a stopper in such a case.

As I checked again just the other day, at least Hans and his team could not stop her for five seconds.

So Klein was hoping for him to be able to do that.

“…Well, that depends on your work ethic. We can’t rely on your skills alone, so you may have to learn a few things.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll work on it.”

Nodding his head, Randolph was about to sign the employment contract.

Klein, who had heard his wishes in the past, reached for the pills on the table’s edge.

“And then there’s this,”

“What’s this?”

“Wife, she’s sick, isn’t she? I don’t know if it will help, but I got some medicine from a merchant I know.”

“Eh…?”

Medicines are more expensive than people might think.

The ones that work well are sold at eye-watering prices.

In fact, the medicine he bought from Trek is also reasonably priced.

A month’s supply of one bottle costs three gold coins, which is not something that an average family can easily afford.

“This is in lieu of a contract. If this medicine works, I will stock it regularly.”

“Why do you know my wife is sick…?”

Klein is the only one who knows that Randolph, the martial arts tournament winner, tearfully explained his desire to serve.

Or perhaps it is more correct to say that I don’t remember Randolph telling him but only knowing the information.

But Klein smiled, not letting it go unnoticed.

“It’s just a rumour, that’s all. So what do you think?”

“Well, my wife does have an incurable disease…”

In the first place, you can’t buy medicine unless you have a connection with an apothecary or a merchant who does business with an apothecary.

Since Randolph had told him about the symptoms of the disease, he consulted Trek based on the information.

Klein had prepared some medicines in advance that might be effective.

And the name of the medicine in front of him was one of the medicines Randolph had wanted to try. He was amazed at his lord’s insight.

“Well, that’s good… it’s not a bad deal, is it?”

“Even so, you haven’t even started working yet, and this is―”

Access to medicines for sick family members that’s the second requirement.

Since life was tight, Randolph’s first priority was to find a job.

He did not offer the second condition this time, perhaps because he did not want to be extravagant if he could serve in the military. Klein knew what he wanted.

“Just take it. I’ll be in trouble if you can’t work hard because you’re worried about your family.”

So this is an up-front investment.

Klein smiles and offers the pill as if loyalty can be bought with a single pill.

“It’s not a cure-all, but I’ve heard it works reasonably well for everything. If you’re not sick, I was thinking of having it as a regular prescription.”

Since the medicine is available from Trek, the supply is not a problem.

And now they have a plan in place to train apprentice pharmacists and treat them like civil servants.

With stable jobs, Asgard is not a bad place for medical treatment.

And since the lord is so considerate of a commoner, there is no reason for them to betray him.

“I’m buying your skill. I wish you all the best.”

The more loyal Randolph is to Klein, the safer Klein will be.

So, not wanting to die any longer, the lord would do everything in his power to capture the fierce general.

Not knowing what is going on behind the scenes, Randolph begins to cry with a bottle of medicine in his hand.

“Guu-, guuuohhh! ! I never thought you’d pay much attention to me! ! “

“Whoa! ?”

“I will serve you with all my hearttt and souuullllll! !”

“Uh, ah…”

(TN : Maybe caps would be better to portray a screaming person, but I don’t like it, lmk in the comments if you want me to change it)

It’s too enthusiastic, but he’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Klein has acquired one of the most formidable generals in the country.

The ramifications of this are, of course ―unimaginable at this point in time.