Survival Strategy for Weak Territories! ~ My Territory Will Be Destroyed No Matter How Many Times It Is Repeated. How Can This Be Saved? ~ - Chapter 46

The security forces are on the way to recovery after eliminating the hostile forces hiding in the new territories.

Seeing that he can increase the number of troops as planned, Klein has begun preparing for the next phase in the east.

“Construction seems to be going well.”

“Ah, yes. The garrison is ready, and we are starting to bring in supplies.”

A defensive fort is being built at the end of the road leading east from the Asgard territory.

It is built to block the road, and the south side is an impassable area with deep forests and cliffs.

Steep mountains also border the northern side.

It is not very big because of the rush construction, but it was a key point of contention.

“Okay, we can get supplies from the Asgard side. Bring enough food to feed the whole army for three months. And plenty of oil to keep them warm.”

“…yes.”

Klein has already failed to defend the fort ten times and is improving on each failure.

The enemies sometimes avoid the fortress and force their way through the forest to surprise the stronghold.

Sometimes, they were able to see through the plan that was set up at the fort.

Even so, he felt they were more formidable than those in the field.

While he is sure that the basic policy is not wrong.

He is implementing the best he can from the mistakes he has made.

But from the perspective of the uninformed Trek, they are overprepared.

“…Klein-sama, is this the extent of your precaution?”

In any normal situation, there is no way that the Eastern Count would send such a large army.

Trek, a man of common sense, was appalled by Klein’s concern.

“Trek… you still don’t know who Eastern Count is.”

“I certainly don’t know much about him. But I don’t think we need to spend so much on materials for a fort that we don’t even know if we will use.”

“What are you talking about? This is not enough.”

Trek, who had decided to follow Klein, was working hard on constructing the fort at his own expense.

Well, he paid for it upfront.

He was told that he could claim all the costs later.

However, when he heard that “the jealous Eastern Count is going to attack,” he thought Klein was joking.

At least, that’s what he thought at first.

The more he looked at the excessive plans brought in, the more he exclaimed.

“That being said. Who would send in the cavalry just because one of the marriage offers went bad?”

“That estimate is a bit naive, Trek.”

Klein broke off and became more serious. He assured him with certainty.

“If I’m not wrong, I’m sure Eastern Count himself will take the lead.”

“No, no, that’s impossible.”

But Trek does not believe him.

Or rather, it’s weird if he believes the lord’s story.

A 40-year-old count falls in love at first sight with a kid who’s only 7 or 8 at the time.

He courted her for five years.

He threatened to crush the kingdom’s largest trading company if they didn’t marry.

As soon as he hears that she’s marrying another man, he sends out an army to destroy his rival.

And at the head of the army is the Count himself.

―So the story goes.

One can only laugh at such a thing and say, “What nonsense!”

The fact that Klein had a serious expression on his face was also a point of laughter.

“Well, in this day and age, I think it’s good to be prepared. I think even Klein-sama, who is a great young lord, might be thinking too much this time.”

“Then what do you want to bet on? Whether Eastern Count will attack by next spring.”

Predicting cold damage or discovering silver mines.

Or get close to the prince, or find a lot of new recruits.

Or detecting an assassination or winning a war.

Recently, he was secretly engaged to the daughter of a frontier count and even won an alliance.

At the young age of sixteen, Klein has already succeeded in many great deeds.

There is no guarantee that all of his operations will be successful.

So he definitely had prepared several strategies in mind.

It just so happens that some of them hit the jackpot―many of them must have missed the mark and never saw the light of day.

Trek thought so. This time the plan “will probably miss the mark,” he nodded his head and smiled.

“Good. What do you want to bet?”

“How about a three-year supply of stomach pills?”

“… it’s a very poor bet, isn’t it?”

From Trek’s point of view, Klein is a big worrywart.

He is generous but has a strange nervousness.

He may have a weak stomach, though, since he uses lots of stomach medicine at such a young age.

Well, in that case, he thinks he should bet on something that looks like a bet, and he thinks of a few candidates.

“Oh, yes. If I win, can I have some wine?”

“Yes, you may. What brand?”

“The one offered by the Hermos family the other day.”

“…Don’t try to snatch people’s gifts.”

Klein wanted to ask him how he knew the brand name of the gift he had received at his good-morning wake-up call.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. If I’m wrong, I’ll get you a couple more bottles from the cellar.”

Anyway, he decided to take the bet because he was sure he could win.

At this point, both of them were sure they would win.

“Are you sure? I appreciate that. I’m actually quite fond of wine myself, so if you could give me some from Klein-sama’s collection――”

“I’ll only give it to you if Eastern Count doesn’t show up.”

One of the carpenters walks past Trek, who already feels he’s a winner.

――As they passed each other, he slipped a piece of paper into his pocket.

They do not make eye contact, and their movements are so natural that even Klein, who is watching from the side, almost misses them.

Klein, who knows the faces of the secret reconnaissance agents, is not surprised at such a natural behavior.

Upon receiving the information, Trek immediately begins to open the package.

“Yes, yes. Well, enough of this nonsense. Let’s check out the building materials.”

“…you can’t talk about the lord as if he’s a fool.”

Trek pulls out a document from his bag and smuggles in a note from the secret agent.

He pretends to read it and checks the contents.

He looks as if he has failed and then mutters in a quiet voice.

“Oh no, I guess I lost the bet. I wish this news had arrived a little earlier.”

“No, it’s more like… you’re getting used to it.”

“It’s true that I’m getting used to it.”

Indeed, Klein often had Marius work with him on espionage.

It seems that Trek had become a full-fledged spy before he knew it.

After reading the investigation results, he let out a deep sigh and was convinced that he had lost the bet.