CH 188

Isabeau arrived here unexpectedly early.

I had a list of requests, so I handed it over to Isabeau.

Kiara was reluctant, but she couldn’t stop the desire of the men and approved the establishment of the brothel.

She asked Ardelheid to check the health of the prostitutes.

Ardelheid came to visit me in my office.

“I’m talking about the women who have lost their looks or are unable to continue working. Can you help them to live an independent life?”

She gave me an unexpected request.

I couldn’t help but think about it.

Originally, Ardelheid’s mission is also to use her body.

I guess she thinks of it as something personal.

“The person’s decision comes first, though. We can help them learn to read and write …… and help them find a way to live.”

Ardelheid’s face lit up with happiness.

“Yes! Thank you very much!”

“The ownership of the prostitute remains with the brothel. And we need a budget to take care of them when they retire.”

Ardelheid pondered.

I continued.

“Can the ladies figure that out? I don’t mind paying for the budget after their retirement, but …… I would be problematic if they just say goodbye after they become free, you know.”

“Is that so?”

“If they want to settle down in this town when they finish their work as a prostitute …… that’s fine. The people who have been working for the citizens will settle down. That will be the pretense to help them do so. There is no such thing as a high and low profession. If there was a demand for it, it would be a job for the citizens. “Doing that to a prostitute is…” …… I would not tolerate the idea of something like that.”

Ardelheid nodded.

“Thank goodness …… Even prostitutes are allowed to work. It must be for the benefit of the citizens. Not for the benefit of the person.”

“Yes, taxes are used for the benefit of the citizens. That’s the purpose of collecting them. I think it’s okay to use it for the benefit of those who work for the citizens.”

“I’ll talk to everyone about your idea. Do you mind if I consult with Lord Alfred from time to time?”

“Of course.”

Ardelheid bowed happily.

“Thank you !”

I watched as Ardelheid left and pondered.

She was too good to be a woman who offered her body.

If she became the woman of an influential man, she would probably end up in misery.

I still don’t know whether it was fortunate that she came here or not ……

◆◇◆◇◆

I’d been thinking about this for a while, and then Charles came back.

“Thank you for the hard work. It’s thoughtless to ask this, but how was the result?”

Charles grinned.

“Of course, the extermination was a success. I think it will calm things down a lot.”

“Yes, it will stabilize as long as we thin it out periodically.”

It will take a few years for the ecosystem to return to normal, though. ……

I was silent, so Charles continued.

“So, about the main objective with our partner. The one-eyed general is quite good. His use of cavalry was skillful. He mainly used spears, and almost no bows.”

“So that how it is. What about the rest of the cavalry?”

“The infantry consisted only of beastmen. They were disposable pawns.”

I figured.

“Who was in charge of the infantry?”

“A demon woman, I think. She was pretty good.”

Are they working with the demon tribe in the back regions ……

“Good grief, so it’s demon this time. Were there any demons among the infantry?”

Charles said in astonishment.

“No, only beastmen with no armor and only weapons. It was terrible.”

“I guess the cavalry were heavily armed.”

“Yes, the horses were lightly armed.”

If they were too heavily armed, they would lose their mobility, after all.

“How many cavalrymen did they have?”

“About five hundred. That’s quite a lot of cavalry. But since it was a wild boar extermination, I don’t think they were all out in force.”

“I’m sure they are serious to some extent. I’d say they’ve got 60 to 70 percent of the force out there.”

Charles looks at me with slightly sharper eyes.

“What is the basis for this?”

He’s standing in a field where lives are at stake, after all.

It’s natural to ask for evidence.

“I’m sure they see us as a danger, but they’re only looking at the number of knights in the force. So I think they intend to threaten us by showing their power. If we are overwhelmingly outnumbered, there will be people who will become weak. We can expect an internal split.”

It’s a warning not to mess with them.

Charles nodded his head in agreement.

“I see, so they don’t consider the beastmen to be a force to be reckoned with.”

“The beastmen hit the beastmen. So they only look at them as numbers.”

Charles winked meaningfully at me.

“So how do we fight them? I’m expecting another ridiculous strategy.”

I explained the strategy I had in mind.

Well, what does he think of it from a military professional’s point of view?

Charles said, folding his arms.

“It all depends on the setting of the battlefield. I feel sorry for them.”

“The other side will probably expand the plains by cutting down trees. Please make preparations for the construction of the fort, too.”

Charles nodded.

He leaned forward as if he really wanted to know something.

“So how long will it take them to ask for a fight with us?”

It’s a rough calculation, but ……

“Not today, not tomorrow, but probably within a year.”