Survival Strategy for Weak Territories! ~ My Territory Will Be Destroyed No Matter How Many Times It Is Repeated. How Can This Be Saved? ~ - Chapter 47

“So, as a result of our investigation. It seems that the Hermes Trading Company is acting suspiciously.”

“Specifically?”

“They’ve purchased a large amount of grain and are heading east. Most of the grain has been brought to Baron Heimdall’s territory… well, they are transporting more than just wheat.”

The barony is located northeast of Klein’s territory and is adjacent to the Asgard family.

It is an ordinary small to medium-sized territory with no significant industry and not a very strong economic base.

Since they are not so far from each other, trade is possible.

However, it is also a territory where there is no benefit to exchange with others.

The barons have made no moves, so the negotiations have been closed.

“I see. I knew it.”

“You gave very precise instructions to the secret agents. Were you aware of this movement?”

“Ah, yes, I did. Sort of.”

Klein sent a spy to a different area each time.

Starting from the Eastern Count’s stronghold, he sent them westward each time.

It was almost certain that supplies were flowing from Asgard to the enemy.

Finally, he reaches the adjacent territory, but the result is still black.

We were already convinced of the treachery of the Hermes Trading Company by our investigations up to this point.

“How long have you been aware of this?”

“That, I can’t tell you… No, it’s a trade secret.”

“…You don’t have to force yourself to say something nice.”

The Hermes Trading Company has been cleverly cheating the Asgard family out of food and other goods they have purchased from Southern Count to sell to the Asgard family.

The Hermes family claims that it is not illegal because they did not originally sign a contract of monopoly but only changed the destination of their sales.

But when did Trek, a professional businessman, realize this?

Trek was more surprised than Klein, who was not so surprised at all.

But, well, he said it was a trade secret, so there was no need to go into the details.

So he changed the subject a little.

“So, Klein-sama, how well do you know Baron Heimdall?”

“I don’t know anything about him. Do you know him?”

“No, not at all. The Hermes Trading Company has completely taken over the east.”

For the Asgard family, which has no sales channels to the east, its main business is in the center and south.

They have been neglecting the barony because trading with the barony would not bring them much profit, and they would not be able to go beyond the barony anyway.

They are estranged not only in their original history but also in their current state of development.

They have kept non-interference because there are no mutually beneficial agreements.

But when he thinks about it for a moment. From the perspective of the Hermes Trading Company, it is easy to see that there are no commercial interests at stake.

“I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble selling all the goods you bring from the south in Asgard.”

“Well, I guess I don’t mind a little deficit.”

They are passing through the Asgard household, where there is plenty of demand, and taking the trouble to bring the goods to the barony, where they don’t even know if there are any buyers.

It takes four or five days to reach the barony by horse-drawn wagon, so it is a waste of transportation costs.

Then why do they transport them so far away to the baron’s territory, even at the expense of profit?

“Well, it’s to help them with the interference, isn’t it?”

“I guess so. At the same time, increasing their supplies and decreasing ours.”

Supplies are accumulating in the barony.

The reason for this is, of course, to support Eastern Count.

The enemy is planning to attack quickly.

They must have already begun to prepare for battle.

Klein guessed so and mobilized all his secret reconnaissance teams to the east.

As a result, a large number of supplies were purchased.

The flow of supplies confirmed that preparations for the battle had already begun.

Although they have not yet announced their engagement in this life, it is said that the information is already known.

From this stage, Eastern Count was already in motion.

“Well, if they have taken such concrete measures, it’s only natural that they have already probing us…”

The Asgard family has been rapidly approaching the Southern Count in recent months.

They have been very aggressive in their purge of former rulers who have been hiding in their territory.

The Hermes Trading Company is also carrying out the ongoing construction of the fortress and the excessive supply of goods.

This, too, must have been tipped off by the Hermes Trading Company.

In the big picture, all of these should be considered preparations for the Eastern Count.

Klein looks bitter, thinking that the Hermes Society, which would want to cause an upheaval, would definitely back up Eastern Count.

“We are starting to work with Southern Count to blockade the eastern side. I think there’s some kind of connection… that would make them suspicious.”

“Uh, yeah. And both families have a man and a woman close in age.

Klein claims that the main motive for the attack was a “love affair.

Trek can’t help but look at him with disappointment and dismay.

“Well, can we stop with the grudge match theory?”

“Well, let me ask you the opposite. Is there any reason for the march other than grudge?”

Klein also inquired, but he could not find any political or military reasons for the Eastern Count to attack the Viscount’s territory.

So he decided to consider the situation.

“If Eastern Count marches toward the capital, there is a fear of being stabbed in the back by a different foreign ethnic group.”

Since the city borders other countries, a large-scale military operation is risky.

“And the people they attack are Viscount who has nothing to do with their area, and they don’t even know us. Even if they win, they will not only gain anything but also lose money.

“That’s for sure.”

“Right? There’s no advantage to going to war.”

Since the royal family forbids attacking the noble families in the country, they will be punished whether they win or lose.

Once again, there are many disadvantages everywhere.

“… Well, I don’t know what the nobles are thinking. I’m just a merchant.

“You have a great way of running away.”

Trek also thought about it, but he couldn’t think of any reason other than marriage.

He didn’t understand it either.

“No, no, I don’t really understand… the Southern Count’s daughter is so beautiful that the Eastern Count is jealous of you?”

“Yes, she is. Well, I’ll invite you to the wedding so you can see for yourself.”

If we succeed in defeating them, we can have a big wedding.

If they do, Eastern Count’s reputation will be disgraced, along with the l*licon label.

On the other hand, Klein is safe for the time being.

“Oh, but Klein-sama. If he’s really jealous. Wouldn’t a big wedding also going to provoke Eastern Count again?”

That’s a concern that Klein had also considered.

But it is impossible to marry a count’s daughter and not have a big wedding ceremony.

If he’s going to have a ceremony, he has to have the right kind of dignity.

“We can’t afford not to do it… we’ll cover it with the postwar settlement if the Eastern Count resents us.”

“I don’t know anything about that, so I’ll just carry the load.”

As for the postwar situation, he is a bit of an outsider.

First of all, he is sure to be stared at by the royal family.

And it is not hard to imagine that the families of the seconded officials will not like him either.

“I’m sure he can’t make any moves… from that point on. Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Even this time is irregular. What if they come back next time with no rules?”

“If that happens, we’ll think about it again then.”

If they take some time to cool down, Eastern Count will refrain from a reckless invasion.

Since a second attack is unlikely, they will be more or less secure if they can survive this attack.

So, the two must first look at the present, putting off the possibility of another attack.

“That’s also true. I’ve told the shopkeepers that we’re keeping emergency rations and such to build the fort.”

The people are told that we will build a warehouse named after the fort.

There are plans to open it as a rest area, so we are spreading the word along with the possibility of more peddling routes in the future.

The general instructions came from Klein, but Trek has rearranged them and is spreading the word.

It’s not so much to maintain security as it is to prevent insurgency.

“It will help. It would appear that food prices have gone up because of unnecessary preparedness, and it’s imperative to prevent… rebellion.”

“No-no, no one revolts that easily.”

So far, no one is starving, and incomes are on the rise.

Prices are low because of the big trading houses’ influx of goods.

In a territory where the wealthy are growing, a few missteps are unlikely to cause a rebellion.

“You never know what will happen in this world. We must be prepared.”

“You worry too much, really.”

“I’ll tell you trek… Watch me. I’m going to beat Eastern Count, and I’m going to marry her.”

Trek is stunned.

Each time, Klein has used his accumulated information to find the least labor-intensive and most efficient path.

He has failed ten times in defending his fortress.

I think it’s time to settle this, and if it doesn’t work, he may have to rethink his strategy next time.

So before Klein concentrates his thoughts on “First of all, this battle―”.

Suddenly, Trek says

“It’s a common pattern in heroic tales. Talking about happiness to his best friend before going to his last war ―or something like that.”

“Did I jinx myself to die? Well, I’m never going to die.”

If I die, I’ll come back to life soon.

With these thoughts in his head, Klein stares at the fort that is being built.