Volume 3 Chapter 27 General Thomas
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The request for reinforcements from the Polotsk Principality weighed heavily on my mind, and before long I found myself riding toward Cain in a carriage to meet Thomas.
At first, I had planned to travel on horseback with my house steward and a small escort. That idea did not survive contact with reality. Leaving two hostile mages unsupervised was risky enough, and one of them happened to possess a disturbingly strong affinity for golems1. The Lord had made his opinion on the matter clear. In the end, Pia and Manuela came with me, as did my maid, Katri. I also had my own reasons for wanting Katri nearby. For additional security, I stationed Panu and Samuri, both expert archers, beside the driver.
As the carriage rattled into motion, I sat across from Rolandas while Pia, Manuela, and Katri occupied the opposite bench. Comparing them felt a little unfair, yet the difference was impossible to ignore. Katri’s maid uniform looked plain beside the other two women’s clothing.
Pia wore a long-skirted outfit that resembled a magic academy uniform, complete with a silk blouse and a hooded robe. Although the robe appeared to be fleece from the outside, its inner lining was made from fine silk. Manuela had chosen something more practical for travel, abandoning the stiff dresses favored by noblewomen in favor of a simple one-piece outfit made from linen and silk, with a wool-lined coat draped over it.
By contrast, Katri’s uniform had been made purely for utility. The fabric was linen and cotton, while her coat had been pieced together from animal hides. Back in Japan, such a coat might have been considered expensive, but here it was ordinary frontier wear. Pia was a mage, and Manuela had once been married to a man trusted with restoring House Haritz, so neither woman’s clothing was surprising. Even so, I could not shake the feeling that the gap between them and Katri reflected more than simple differences in status.
”Is something wrong?” Katri asked, tilting her head.
”Where was that outfit made?”
A faint blush touched her cheeks.
”It was provided by the maid school. I believe it was made in Moscow, within Rus territory, sir.”
”This is the frontier,” Rolandas said in his usual precise tone. “Industry is not nearly as advanced here as it is in your homeland.”
He was right. The difference was obvious even at a glance. The dyes used here lacked the richness and consistency I was accustomed to seeing, giving many clothes a faded appearance. The more I looked around, the more clearly I understood why these lands remained dependent on the Rus despite the language barrier between them.
In both Yoghess and Cain, I had seen elf mages, but not a single dwarf. Dwarves tended to devote themselves to mining, prospecting, metallurgy, and smithing. Their absence suggested that this region lacked significant mineral wealth, and the evidence was everywhere. Most farming tools were still made from bronze. It was easy to work because of its low melting point, but it was hardly ideal. Without skilled dwarven craftsmen, metalworking lagged behind, and that weakness extended directly to military production.
The conclusion was hard to ignore. We were dangerously short on weapons for the coming war against the Prooton Order. Without support from the Rus, fighting them would be an uphill battle from the start.
”Is fur the only thing this region exports?” I asked.
”Not at all, sir,” Rolandas replied. “Fur is our most valuable product, but whale oil is profitable as well. We turn it into soap and moisturizer. Those sell quite well. Beyond that, there is dried fish.”
”Soap? The odorless kind?”
”Exactly. There was some at the guest house. It cannot compete with the olive oil soap made in the south, but we produce a great deal of it. As for the moisturizer, it is a byproduct, and while the supply is limited, the price is excellent. In another month or so, the whales will begin following the herring. When that happens, you will be able to try some truly exceptional meat.”
According to Katri, whalebone whips produced in the region were highly regarded among enthusiasts. They were flexible, produced a distinctive crack, and left surprisingly little physical damage behind.
Interesting.
”Of course,” Rolandas continued, “Cain’s whaling industry is far larger.”
The Volbets Strait connected the Arctic Sea and the Saihites Sea, creating a natural migration route. Although the strait itself was broad, reefs clogged most of it, forcing whales through a narrow passage near Cain.
”About a day’s travel west along the coast is a town called Voorstadt,” Rolandas said. “The entire settlement survives on whaling and processing. If time permits, you should visit it.”
That was probably the most industrialized settlement in the area.
”I would love to go,” Katri said, her earlier embarrassment forgotten. Looking directly at me, she added, “I hear they produce many whale-derived goods besides whips.”
Katri-san, I am impressed.
Still, my thoughts soon returned to the Polotsk Principality. If it fell to the Prooton Order, the outcome was easy to imagine. The Valfin and Sami tribes would be forced to convert, tied to the land, and squeezed for taxes. That was the optimistic scenario. Rumors claimed the Universal Church did not even regard non-believers as human.
Marque, Manuela’s former husband, provided a convenient example. The man currently rotting in a cell at Cain had raped a girl from Bizan before either selling her into slavery or killing her. Whether he had acted from faith, cruelty, or both hardly mattered. His actions demonstrated exactly how such beliefs could be used in practice.
That was the reality of defeat. Once someone conquered you, your fate rested entirely in their hands. If they decided your life had no value, there would be no court to appeal to and no one willing to listen.
The only answer was to crush the invaders before they could establish themselves.
The sky remained clear beneath a bright full moon, allowing us to travel through the night. We reached Cain shortly before noon the following day. As our carriage stopped before the square building that served as the Viscount’s Palace, several town guards approached. After I introduced myself, they snapped off crisp salutes.
Why?
And when had they learned to do that?
Inside the palace, a Type 20 Golem sat in the foyer. We climbed the stairs and immediately encountered a crowd of local notables. Pamela and Iri were among them.
Was Iri here because of the golem?
”Lord Fee.”
The unfamiliar title immediately put me on edge. Combined with the salute, it left a bad taste in my mouth. Pamela’s smirk behind the crowd only deepened my suspicion. She was definitely involved in whatever was happening.
Suppressing my irritation, I explained to the guard captain and a middle-aged fishing magnate that I had come to discuss the Polotsk Principality’s request for aid with Thomas.
”My sincerest apologies, sir,” the captain replied. “General Thomas Gotch is currently conducting training exercises in Pusta village. We expect him to return tomorrow evening.”
General?
Since when had Thomas become a general, and what was with everyone calling me Lord Fee?
With little choice, I requested a room and began discussing the situation with Cain’s influential citizens. As soon as I shared Rolandas’s assessment, the mood darkened. Several men began muttering that they had expected the Empire of Rus to protect them. It was exactly that sort of complacency that allowed enemies to gain ground in the first place. Cain might have been larger than Yoghess, but in terms of initiative and awareness, the gap between them felt enormous.
”Where exactly is Pusta village?” I asked.
”It is the second village upstream along the Cain River, sir.”
”The river running through the city?”
The captain nodded reluctantly.
I had flown over the area before and remembered passing the village, though I had never examined it closely. Roads stretched east and west, but none seemed to connect directly to the place.
”The river is still frozen, isn’t it?”
”Lord Fee,” the captain said, “the General will return tomorrow. Why not wait here?”
For some reason, the local leaders seemed determined to keep me away from Pusta.
”Is there a problem with me going there?”
”No, no. Nothing like that. We merely thought you might be tired after traveling all night.”
”I appreciate the concern, but speed is critical in military affairs. Once you lose the initiative, recovering it becomes extremely difficult. I need to speak with Thomas immediately.”
I swallowed the urge to say You people are annoying and replaced it with professional language.
”I understand, but…”
The excuses continued.
”Are you certain? If the Polotsk Principality falls, the Prooton Order will eventually march through this land as well.”
”Well…” one man muttered. “We heard that converting to the Universal Church would be enough to keep us safe.”
”Did the Haritz family tell you that?”
Several men lowered their eyes and nodded.
”I see. Then are you familiar with the church tax?”
They shook their heads.
”The Universal Church demands ten percent of all income.”
Silence filled the room.
”And although I have never visited Larland, I know that Kiridal, a Universal Church nation, is filled with enormous cathedrals. When one is built, wealthy locals are expected to make generous donations. In other words, you pay taxes to your lord, taxes to the church, donations for construction, and then provide labor as well.”
The color drained from several faces.
”That is not all. Do you know about the Fourth Martyr Army’s attack on Byzantium?”
”It was a disaster, sir,” a younger man replied. “When the Emperor of Rus demanded food and manpower for the campaign to retake Byzantium, it nearly ruined us.”
”For centuries, Byzantium was governed by the East Room Empire and the Orthodox Pope. You all know the Universal Church and the Orthodox Church worship the same prophet, correct?”
They nodded.
”There were Universal Church believers and cathedrals in Byzantium as well.”
The room stared back at me in disbelief.
”Many of those believers were merchants. They were wealthy. When the Martyr Army arrived, they looted and killed them anyway.”
It was not entirely accurate, but it was close enough.
”So, Lord Fee,” someone asked cautiously, “does that mean you support war?”
”I would rather avoid one if possible. However, I have ties to both the Empire of Rus and the Kingdom of Schuberitz, so I intend to negotiate first.”
Surely they knew my forces had destroyed the enemy’s heavy cavalry at Cesar. Whether they were blind or simply desperate to believe otherwise, I could not tell.
The Prooton Order was not merely targeting the Polotsk Principality. It was building a bridgehead for future invasions. If we failed to stop them now, there would be little left to negotiate later.
”Which is why I need to speak with Thomas immediately.”
After that, the open resistance disappeared.
”My Lord,” Pamela said with practiced elegance, “how much longer do you intend to keep the Haritz family alive?”
”You are right,” I said. “Other than Marque, they serve no purpose.”
Three local leaders exchanged uneasy glances.
”Captain,” I said, turning back toward the guard. “I apologize for the inconvenience, but could you have the remaining prisoners executed immediately? Marque is the only one I still need.”
”Shouldn’t General Thomas be consulted first?”
”Forget it,” I replied. “Marque was nothing more than a figurehead—a2 mikoshi carried by others. Even the Prooton Order only found him useful while people continued supporting him. Once those people disappear, he stops being an asset and becomes a liability. If the Order learns their convenient pawn is dead, they lose one of their strongest excuses for intervening here.”
I paused briefly.
”Unless, of course, we choose to keep him alive…”
”No,” Pamela said, her tone cold and clipped. “We should nip such sources of future trouble in the bud immediately.”
”Very well. Iri, clear out the Golems.”
I hadn’t realized what Pamela was up to, but she had blocked the door to the dungeon using the Golems.
Right there, I executed the three men: Werner von Haritz, who had been handling the finances; Fabian von Rota, who wore the clothes of a clerk but acted as the liaison to the Order of Knights; and Adam von Riemenschneider, who had been serving as the military strategist. I also executed the five remaining soldiers.
With this, there was no one left to prop up the wretched Marque. The three men I’d seen exchanging glances earlier would be able to do nothing but report this to the Knights. My only remaining task was to take Marque back to Schweilitz and force him to testify about the folly committed in this land.
I confirmed the deaths of the eight men and, ignoring the cowering Marque, walked out of the dungeon.
I entrusted the women to Pamela, left the elderly and exhausted Rolandas behind, and boarded a carriage. We traveled up the frozen Cain River, reaching the village of Puszta shortly after dusk.
The village—or rather, the farmland—had been transformed into a military training ground. Numerous carriages were parked nearby, surrounded by a sea of tents.
At the entrance, fenced off from the village, a soldier on guard duty stopped us. I gave him my name, and he ran off into the heart of the camp.
”Come, this way.”
Guided by a young soldier, I entered a massive tent pitched in the center of the village square.
”Did something major happen?” I asked.
”Yeah. A friend of mine apparently became a general,” I answered.
At my words, Thomas, who had been in the middle of drinking, spat his ale out.
”That’s just a bit of playful whimsy. Not a bad thing, is it?” Thomas chuckled.
”On top of that, I’m ‘Duke Fee’ now,” I muttered. “It sounds like a dog’s name. I’m not fond of it.”
”Now that you mention it, it does sound like a dog’s name,” Thomas agreed.
”I’m really begging you, cut it out.”
I took the drink he offered and let out a sigh.
”So, tell me. Why did you really come?” Thomas asked, his voice sharpening.
”A request for reinforcements came from the Polotsk Principality. The Proton Order has launched an invasion.”
”That came faster than expected.”
It seemed Thomas had already anticipated this. He told me he had been gathering two hundred youths from the Valfin and Sami tribes to drill them.
”A hundred of them are artillerymen, mind you.”
”Artillery?”
We didn’t have any cannons here.
”Catapults,” Thomas explained. “We’ve built about a hundred and fifty, big and small, plus a hundred dummies. Getting the hang of them—hitting a target precisely—is a monumental task, so half the time has been spent on that training.”
”And that’s enough to handle heavy cavalry?”
Thomas began his lecture. “To defeat heavy cavalry, there are five main ways.”
”First,” he ticked off, “drown them in deep water. Second, use high-powered arrows. Longbows or composite bows, though they require a master’s touch. Third, blunt force. Rocks, logs, massive swords—bash them. Even if the shell is tough, the person inside is fragile. Fourth, fire. Once a full suit of plate armor heats up, the rider can’t take it anymore and strips it off just to escape. Fifth, knives. Stab and gouge the gaps in the armor’s joints. That includes using polearms to hook them, knock them off their horses, and then striking the gaps.”
”Besides,” Thomas continued, “between the Polotsk Principality and our lands lies a marshland. It’s March already. Heavy cavalry, weighing over a ton with their gear, will meet a fatal end if they fall through the ice into the water.”
Well, I couldn’t argue with that.
”By the way,” I said, “how do you think the Proton Order will attack? Will they beat the Polotsk Principality into submission before coming here, or will they split their force—half to attack the Principality, and half to march on us?”
”Or will they just attack with everything at once?” Thomas countered.
”Their leader is Heinrich Jungingen. An eccentric who came from the Empire of Charle and turned from a mercenary into a monk. Rumor has it he’s a ‘head-first’ type, but some say he’s surprisingly cautious.”
”When we fought last time, he placed scouts and sentries everywhere. It was surprisingly cautious. Perhaps the army itself is built on the foundation of intelligence gathering.”
”What a pain.”
It truly was a pain. That night, despite my exhaustion, my mind was sharp, and I drew up a battle plan against the Proton Order.
The next day, without returning to Cain, I headed for Yoghess with fifty artillerymen. Once there, I was reinforced by twenty men drilled by Thomas’s militia, along with Golems and additional supplies, before heading toward the city of the Lord of Mustobe, who was supposedly on bad terms with the Lord of Yoghess.
This town lay along the road from the Port of Bryachislavichi to Yoghess. It sat at the deepest point of a large, shallow inlet, but it wasn’t particularly known for fishing or trade—it was an agricultural hub.
Thomas and I suspected there was a high probability it had already been occupied.
Soon, the inlet came into view. I launched a drone, and two horseback figures, presumably scouts, were visible in the shadow of a small grove.
As expected, the town of Mustobe had been occupied. Or rather, brought under their control. I felt bad for the Lord, but with our limited numbers, our mission was to contain the Knights’ movements.
If they engaged us, the forces of the Duke of Bryachislavichi—albeit far to the rear—would mean a pincer attack was a distinct possibility. I figured if we showed them our high morale, they wouldn’t dare attack.
In the meantime, Thomas and I had divided our roles; he would annihilate the Knights coming in from the northern route. With that, I flattened the carriage seat and laid down, finally succumbing to my sleep deprivation.
I was reaching out to extinguish the Magic Lamps when I drifted off to sleep.
”Lord Fee, please wake up.”
The sound of knocking on the carriage door roused me.
”The enemy is attacking.”
”Ugh, what a pain,” I groaned. “Just let me sleep a little longer.”
—
Summary:
The protagonist travels to the city of Cain to discuss urgent military reinforcements with General Thomas. Upon arrival, he encounters bureaucratic obstruction from the city’s nervous leadership regarding his intent to visit the General at Pusta village. Frustrated by their passivity and ignorance of the Prooton Order’s true nature, he asserts his authority and commands the execution of his political prisoners. The tension remains as the protagonist prepares to force the issue to ensure the safety of his territory.
Fee executes Marque’s political handlers in a dungeon and travels to a military camp to regroup with General Thomas. He learns of a new threat from the Proton Order and the Polotsk Principality, prompting a strategic shift toward containing the knights in Mustobe. The scene concludes with Fee being abruptly awoken by news of an imminent enemy attack.
—
Trivia:
The regional lack of dwarven smiths explains the inferior quality of local bronze farm tools.
Cain’s geography is defined by the Volbets Strait, which acts as a bottleneck for whale migration.
The Universal Church’s influence extends to labor exploitation and the systemic looting of other religious groups.
The protagonist has established diplomatic ties with the Empire of Rus and the Kingdom of Schuberitz.
Type 20 Golems are utilized as security and presence markers in the Viscount’s Palace.
Fee is officially designated “Duke Fee,” a title he dislikes due to its resemblance to a common dog’s name.
Thomas has been training two hundred youths, half of whom are specifically drilled in operating catapults.
The Proton Order’s leader, Heinrich Jungingen, is a former mercenary turned monk, noted for a blend of recklessness and caution.
The strategy against heavy cavalry hinges on environmental factors like frozen marshlands and specialized anti-armor tactics.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Principal – The mother of Line and the administrative head of the institution. She exercises authoritative control over research assignments and seeks to trade Larry for Ilse Klein due to interpersonal conflicts in her laboratories. The mother of Sabrina and Rhein who intervenes during Rhein’s violent corridor assault to break up the confrontation.
• Thomas – Thomas Bauer is a hulking, middle-aged Schweilitz Major (called General) with a wrestler build, red face, scalp burns, and a brash, intrusive confidence. A pragmatic, food-stealing local companion and confidant to Fee and the protagonist, he advises on nation-building, logistics, and tribal dynamics. An associate of Earnest with a Prooton Order history, he secretly plans to build his own lordship.
• Cain – The enemy’s home base and the town where the protagonist previously dealt with Marque’s supporters.
• Manuela – An associate of the protagonist, this long-black-haired mage at Bizan Magic School failed Nurnhügel’s exams. Formerly married to a man restoring the Haritz house, she became a Marquis’s wife but was recently caught up in a wartime distribution of women. Now staying in the household after arriving with the maids, she wears a practical linen and silk one-piece with a wool-lined coat.
• Samuri – A young guard and archer with soft boyish features who serves as an escort under the protagonist’s command. Though he possesses a blunt, often unrefined way of speaking, he is highly skilled with a bow and arrows, frequently hunting white foxes alongside his uncle.
• Katri – A multilingual, composed maid and guard from the Moscow Maid School separated from her academy group. Bound to Sanna and Larry, she lives with the protagonist as a disciplinarian, forward romantic partner, and co-caregiver for war orphans. A skilled, sadistic professional adept in shibari bondage and verbal discipline, she hides a nurturing core and has a mysterious, intimate link with Earnest.
• Panu – A slight, dark-haired youth who serves as an escort and wagon coachman under the protagonist, and previously served under Earnest. With razor-sharp reflexes, he manages horses and steering during intense combat, participates in local whaling operations, and acts as a bodyguard. He is an archer highly skilled with bows and arrows, an asset he occasionally uses for fishing.
• Pia – A naive, buxom Nurnhügel mage with a curvaceous figure and heavy, sagging breasts, recently returned from Cain. Larry’s mistress and Thomas’s companion, she lives with the protagonist, exhibiting deep submissiveness and telepathic abilities. Wearing a long-skirted ensemble, silk blouse, and hooded robe, her overactive imagination and perverted fantasies contrast with her lack of confidence.
• Rolandas – The high steward of Yoghess and the Lord’s eldest son is an articulate, cautious elderly bureaucrat who manages regional trade, industry, and frontier diplomacy. Driven by political ambitions, he seeks to marry off his daughter, Tiele. Though later left behind looking exhausted, he previously guided the protagonist and mobilized town guards to rescue his daughter after her abduction.
• Roland – he younger brother of Queen Cecile and the heir apparent to the Canaria throne. Clean, golden-blonde hair, same color as the Queen, innocent, beautiful face that could be mistaken for a girl but dressed in a boy’s formal wear.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
• Haritz – A town associated with a specific type of guard Golem used during a rebellion led by a now-deceased figure, whose remnants recently attempted to hijack the Cain estate.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• Yoghess – A frontier town of about one thousand residents, named after its ruling lineage. Its current lord, who shares the family name with his third son Darius, is a local ruler in the region. He maintains a strained relationship and is currently on bad terms with both Cresare and Mustobe.
• Marque – A figurehead leader and pawn carried like a portable shrine, Manuela’s ex-husband previously committed atrocities and was imprisoned in Cain. Fearful and easily intimidated by his former supporters, this criminal has now escaped from prison to stir up further trouble.
• Bizan – The Bizan family name, held by the Viscount. He is the lord of the territory and owner of the castle built within the Danube River.
• Mar – A battle‑hardened veteran, clad in worn armor, uses door panels as shields and captures enemy crossbows; Larry’s comrade who teases him about his sister‑in‑law’s pampering, known as Martin to his companion Edmond.
• Pamela – An arrogant, petite Elf mage, logistics head, and Larry’s possessive Primary Wife who recently returned from Cain. Hiding her ears and a slave crest under elegant white Gothic Lolita fashion, she is an associate of Thomas and Earnest. Pragmatic yet weary of Larry’s impulses, she protects the group’s children with a grumbling, elderly demeanor while using mind-reading for interrogation and tactical supply management.
• Iri – An associate of the protagonist, this thirteen-year-old, soft-featured Yoghess girl was abducted and sold to Larry, who envisions a seaside future with her. Based with him, she stays by his side, managing awakening desires and Level 4 mana. At the palace, she serves as a fisherman, steward’s daughter, and a mage tasked with the physical clearance, operation, and piloting of golems.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Fee – Larry Fee Getys, a fifteen-year-old reincarnated youth and titular Duke, heads the Getys household governing Strock Village alongside Hans and Iffens. This pragmatic, telepathic protagonist navigates feudal intrigue and founds a new nation. Supported by family, including Teressa and maid Nico, his high status earns prime whale meat. Connected to Adolf and underworld structures, his lineage name aligns with the protagonist.
• Pusta – A village containing an underground dungeon where high-level mages were once held.
• Larland – A fallen kingdom with a royal lineage of eight princesses.
• Fourth – An enigmatic and cunning figure also known as the Fourth Sage. This mysterious entity actively seeks advice from Larry while simultaneously insisting on Larry’s crucial participation in the upcoming New Continent mission.
• Riemenschneider – A rebel leader from the Haritz remnants who surrenders unconditionally once his elite heavy infantry and golem support are destroyed.
• Fabian – Short, blonde, and disguised in clerical robes, this Haritz clerk serves as an administrative figure within his faction and a liaison to the Order of Knights.
• Werner – The bald, obese, dark-haired financier with sideburns was the Marquis’s cousin and the financial officer of the Haritz faction. Having served under the local administration to manage financial matters for the previous political order, he was ultimately executed for his role and allegiance.
• Adam – Tall, muscular, and silver-haired with a facial scar, this military advisor and strategist for the Haritz faction was stationed in Celsal village, where he set traps for Larry’s forces and clashed with the Cain family steward before his execution.
• von – The noble particle ‘von’ indicates high social standing and ancestral roots connected to territorial estates within the Sabaski lineage. It marks the noble bloodline and full names of Annerose von Bülow, Walter von Riedel, and Marc von Harritz, establishing their shared aristocratic identity and familial relationship within the Kingdom.
• Schweilitz – A kingdom possessing an advanced magic academy and military arsenal. A person or entity whose current situation is deemed unfavorable by the protagonist, leading to fears of execution.
• Marc – Marc von Harritz, the curly-haired, medium-built second son of a noble family and grandson of a former Marquis, retains his lineage despite being reduced to a slave. Infamous for a masked dogeza apology at the Magic School, he now leads a village and protects orphaned children after a recent conflict. Currently held as a prisoner awaiting transport, he is pragmatic, slightly weary, and protective.
• Heinrich – A former mercenary turned monk and leader of the Proton Order. He is rumored to be both reckless and cautious in his military planning.
• Mustobe – A local lord in the region who maintains a negative relationship with Yoghess. A local lord in the region who supports the marriage arrangement.
• Bryachislavichi – The family name associated with Prince Igor.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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