Chapter 245 A Crime Without Malice and a Call to Arms
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The fleet sent to search the Sakura Empire has returned to its home port. News of this spread quickly.
Because the steel ships had braved the dangerous open sea and sailed to the edge of the world, many new regions and nations were discovered. As a result, lords and nobles across the country began to take a keen interest in Keldan-built ships and the newly found lands.
The exploration party had made contact with the Han Nation in the Silver Empire and with the Sakura Empire, and they managed to trade for gold and silver in both places. They also brought back many rare plants and goods, just as they were ordered to collect: bamboo, soybeans, ordinary rice and glutinous rice, plums, buckwheat, shiitake mushrooms, miso and soy sauce and other fermented and processed foods, silk, chestnuts, mulberries, tea plants, ginger, myoga, taro, yams, Japanese pepper, peaches and apricots, lotus leaves, ginkgo nuts, akebi fruit, yuzu, kabosu, hassaku, mikan, buntan, bamboo shoots, bagworms, pyrethrum, red spider lilies, and other unusual flora.
Hearing that these iron ships had opened up new worlds, many nobles grew excited and greedy. “Wonderful!” some said, and then reminded themselves of past principles.
Yugan had declared opposition to slavery before, but that rule applied to peoples already known — it did not automatically cover newly discovered nations. So, they argued, a chance had opened.
”First we trade, and while we watch their strengths and weaknesses we plant a false flag. Then we win a settlement,” one noble proposed, thinking like a strategist. “Depending on the civilization we meet, this is our chance to get in first and claim a new colony,” another added.
Not only local nobles heard the rumors; some foreign powers learned of the new continent too, and their reactions were much the same.
”What? The Kingdom of Elandric has found new territory?” one court whispered, hoping this could finally close the gap with Yugan. “We might harry rival fleets in nearby seas and weaken our enemies while we wait for the right moment.”
The Rostic Kingdom was blunt and hungry: “New nations? We’ll test them by trade, and if they are weak we will invade and add their lands to our kingdom.”
Even the Nelrearia Saint Kingdom smelled opportunity: “New souls to bring into the faith.
We will send missionaries to learn their ways and, if convenient, use force to secure settlements. Those who refuse to convert can be sold — we can both curb slave trading by doctrine and profit from captives.”
And so the world’s reaction had a common thread: what was discovered with no malice at all was quickly seen as a candidate for colonization. The explorers themselves were blissfully unaware; they were at a newly opened Lusrith-style bar, casually standing at the counter and sipping mango lassi, when the news and the schemes swirled around them.
At that moment, a ragged man approached Ayumu and called out, “Special Honorary Count Sanai—Your Excellency, please, I beg you, hear my plea!”
Ayumu turned when someone spoke from behind, and a shabby figure peeled back a hood to show his face. The man looked poor and begged to present a petition.
Naturally, Ayumu’s knights and infantry tried to push him away. “Step back at once, you miserable wretch! How dare you approach a noble!” Yuvus, Yahaha, Yuri and the others shouted, ready to drive him off.
But the man would not give up. “I will not move, even if your guards kill me,” he insisted, and he planted himself there.
”I must speak with Your Excellency. Please—no matter what happens, let me tell you my story.”
Ayumu raised a hand to stop his men and said, “Wait. If you do not come closer than you must, I will hear you.” The man brightened and bowed, saying, “Thank you so much, Your Excellency!” and then he began.
He said that his village, on the far southwest edge of the region, had been attacked again and again.
The attackers were goblins, monstrous beasts, and single, huge wolf-demons that had grown strong enough to act alone. Lately, the attacks had become unusually frequent, and just when the villagers’ spirits and strength were lowest, a band of thieves had come and taken the village for themselves.
”We have endured the heavy taxes the local lords imposed on us for years,” the man said, voice trembling. “Please, save us, Count Keldan.”
Ayumu frowned and replied, “Hmmm.
Cleaning up that kind of mess is usually the job of the lesser nobles. Even if the story is true—what exactly are these thieves doing?”
The man answered, “We asked the local baron and viscount, the very ones we pay taxes to, to send troops.
The village heads begged them to send soldiers. But the baron and viscount—”
He then pulled out a letter and showed Ayumu the actual parchment that had been delivered in reply. The words on it were cruel and shocking. The reply read, in effect: ‘Fool! Do you think you know how much it costs to send an army?
You expect us to use our private wealth to fund troops for the pittance your servants pay in taxes? Know your place. If you cannot manage it yourselves, let the thieves burn you alive. Insolent wretches!’
Ayumu stared in silence when he saw the letter, struck speechless by the brutality of the response.
It is true that war costs money. Still, nobles govern in the emperor’s stead as magistrates, and their duties include ruling under broad laws set by the higher-ups.
For that reason, nobles enjoy great privileges. In peace time they manage estates, enforce laws, and keep the economy running smoothly by working with people at every level. Then, in times of crisis, they must lead knights and private soldiers into battle on the front lines.
A wealthy village might pay a thousand gold coins in tax, and even a poor one would usually yield about a hundred. Anyone who had been involved in this country’s economic life had a rough sense of these amounts.
That is one reason nobles act with authority: it keeps command clear and prevents being underestimated. Because of this structure, they are expected to keep order and fight when danger comes.
Even the poorest village could usually spare ten gold coins out of a hundred to form at least a small, inexpensive spear unit. Yet the viscount and baron mentioned in that cruel letter had refused to do even that.
They lived off the people’s taxes, yet turned their backs when those same people were in danger. Ayumu frowned.
He was no saint himself—he had once been rough and reckless with girls—but this kind of neglect from the other lords was simply beyond tolerance. No wonder no one trusted the nobility enough to revolt; the system itself had drained them of the will to rise.
”…Fine,” Ayumu said at last. “Given the circumstances, we can’t ignore this. Besides, I’ve been meaning to test the readiness and equipment of my Domain Army. This will be a good opportunity—and good training for the soldiers as well.”
The ragged man’s eyes widened. “Then—you’ll move your Domain Army for us? Truly?
Everyone who tried to flee the village was killed! You are a blessing from the heavens, Your Excellency! Thank you!”
Ayumu sighed quietly. The man’s relief only meant more work for him.
”So,” he asked, turning to his knight, “how many troops can we mobilize under the guise of a field exercise, Yuvus? Ever since that dispute with the Minor Nobles’ League, the Security Division’s been watching us closely…”
Yuvus blinked.
”Wait, you actually intend to move the Domain Army for these villagers? I’ll need to consult Lord Yoluminette about this.”
Bringing the man along as a guide, Ayumu returned to his manor.
There, he instructed Alma of the Sky Runner unit to deliver a sealed message explaining the situation and requesting official permission to deploy. Once approval from the emperor arrived, the Domain Army began to move without delay.
This operation required swift movement. Ayumu sent about two hundred and fifty soldiers under Captain Alize as an advance unit, accompanied by the ragged guide.
Their goal was to locate the village and secure a landing point along the southwest coast. Once that was done, five hundred reinforcements and two hundred and fifty supply troops waiting offshore would land and join them.
Since the enemy’s numbers and movements were unknown, Ayumu could not afford to make a tactical mistake.
The Domain Army’s equipment and vehicles required frequent resupply, but with only two hundred and fifty logistics personnel, rapid supply was uncertain. They would need to move with more caution than usual.
(Still, this is more of a training exercise than a real war, he thought. It’s not like the American army, where you’d need three or more continuous supply lines.)
He didn’t even have an accurate map of the region, so he discussed possible supply points with his subordinates and decided to establish two routes—a main supply line and a backup—after scouting the area.
Once the decision was made, preparations began immediately. The Domain Army’s response was swift: in less than half a day, a thousand-strong force was ready and marching toward their destination.
Of course, the sudden mobilization of Keldan’s Domain Army sent the local nobles into panic.
Spies and envoys rushed to ask what was happening. For a while, reports and inquiries flooded in, but as time passed, the chaos gradually subsided.
By the time they reached the southwestern coast for landing, a spark-telegraph signal arrived from Alize’s unit, confirming their arrival near the village. Using that signal as a beacon, the main force advanced north while securing the supply line, guided by radio direction finders that tracked Alize’s transmission.
Their convoy of light and medium military vehicles—four-wheel drives and bonneted six-wheel carriers—moved in tight formation, at a pace no ordinary army could match. It looked almost exactly like Ayumu’s other homeland—the United States Army.
Well, almost. The jeep-like vehicles had horizontal slits on their grills instead of vertical ones.
The gun trucks carried ballistae instead of heavy machine guns. And the soldiers themselves wore leather or plate armor instead of bulletproof vests. Wait—Ayumu blinked—maybe they weren’t so similar after all.
But he shook his head.
”Ah, details. Forget it!”
When the Domain Army finally linked up with Alize’s Pegasus Knight squad, they were ready to strike the bandits occupying the village. Ayumu wanted to attack right away—but with evening falling and darkness approaching, he decided to camp nearby for safety.
The ragged man begged him to attack immediately, desperate to save his home. Ayumu explained that a night battle might put the villagers in danger, and after some persuasion, the man reluctantly agreed.
He ordered the infantry to pitch tents, eat in rotation, and use the shower tents to clean off the day’s sweat and grime.
Since they had landed before noon and marched straight from the beach, all they had eaten were emergency rations—pocket sandwiches, mixed nuts, drink packs, and beer-yeast jerky made by steam compression, developed for rapid-response units. It was the so-called “First Strike Ration” or FSR.
Ayumu vaguely recalled from U.S. military training that infantrymen needed about 3,000 to 3,500 calories per day in peacetime, and at least 5,000 to 6,000 during wartime.
Still, living only on dry, salty, and oily food would wear down morale fast. So he ordered the baking unit to distribute freshly baked bread and reheated canned stew to give the soldiers a warm meal and a sense of comfort.
To prevent illness or fatigue, he made sure they had proper sleeping tents and access to showers to wash off blood and sweat. (Water was drawn from nearby sources and purified through filters and chlorine tablets to remove bacteria, microbes, and impurities, ensuring clean drinking and washing water.)
That night, the soldiers assigned to night watch were given fried chicken and coffee-cherry tea as an extra treat. A good meal, Ayumu believed, could lift anyone’s spirits during a long and dull night shift.
Meanwhile, inside a towed trailer-house, Ayumu gathered his senior officers to discuss the next day’s assault plan. Yet, instead of focusing on the strategy, his subordinates’ eyes kept drifting toward the refrigerator in the corner.
”Wait—what? That’s the new milk matcha ice cream that just came out!” one exclaimed, practically leaping from her seat.
”There’s chilled cola and ramune too! How come only you get these, my lord?” another protested.
”…And look, a whole pint of luxury ice cream, fancy custard pudding, and cream puffs… all for one person,” a third said accusingly.
Ayumu blinked. “Huh? Why are you all so angry?
I’m the commanding officer of this entire force. My responsibilities—and stress—are far heavier than yours! You only have to worry about your own squads!”
One of the captains shot back, “We carry heavy responsibility too, my lord! We’re in charge of our soldiers’ lives!”
”That’s right!” another added. “It’s unfair if you’re the only one with desserts!”
”Hey, hold on!” Ayumu argued. “That’s why you get two desserts and snacks with every meal—more than the regular troops! Hierarchy needs visible rewards; it’s how armies function! Don’t start saying nonsense—hey! Put that spoon down! Don’t you dare eat that!”
But it was too late.
”We just hate how you try to keep all the good stuff for yourself!” his subordinates declared in unison. “Don’t you ever think of sharing your hardships—or your sweets—with us?”
”No, wait! Those are my personal snacks—paid for with my own money!” Ayumu protested helplessly. (Here I am, on a mission to drive out bandits, and my own female officers are looting my fridge. How ironic—they’re acting like bandits themselves…)
By the end of the night, his refrigerator was completely empty. Poor Ayumu sat in silence, betrayed and dessertless.
A few days later—
”Huh? Lord Ayumu, why is there a lock on the refrigerator?”
”This is cruel! Why did you chain it shut?”
”Where’s the key?!”
Ayumu grinned to himself. “Serves you right!” he declared triumphantly.
He had attached a padlock to the refrigerator. After all, there were plenty of rogues around—inside and outside the camp.
The next day, reconnaissance began.
Using Pegasus Knights equipped with silver-halide aerial cameras, along with telescoping masts fitted with camera systems, they identified the bandits’ positions. The operation to reclaim the village was ready.
Long-range targets were annihilated by vehicle-mounted ballistae, while those who charged recklessly were cut down by explosive arrows and rapid volleys from compound bows and crossbows. Those who tried to flee were quickly hunted down by cavalry and Pegasus Knights, leaving only silent corpses in their wake.
Once the main resistance was crushed, Ayumu ordered the assault units to clear the village house by house.
The heavy infantry advanced with large shields, their polished plate armor gleaming as they covered each other’s blind spots just as in training. It was a small village—the sweep ended quickly, and the villagers were finally freed.
”Your Excellency… thank you,” the village head said, his voice trembling with emotion. The ragged man who had first begged for help bowed deeply beside him. People like them rarely had a chance to thank a noble—they were more used to being ignored or exploited. For once, Ayumu felt that doing the right thing wasn’t so bad.
”We wish we could offer something in return,” the village head said. “Please accept this, a small token of our gratitude.” He presented a wheel of cheese and a few food items from their meager store. Ayumu shook his head.
”I can’t take food from a hungry village. You need it more than I do. Keep it.” He smiled faintly. (Besides, in this world, I can eat cheese anytime I want.)
”Count Keldan… you’re a saint,” the man whispered, tears in his eyes.
Ayumu accepted the words with quiet embarrassment, then told them he would station his forces nearby for a while, as the recent increase in monstrous beast activity still concerned him. To make it official, he decided to visit the local baron and viscount to inform them directly.
＊＊＊
He reached the baron’s residence easily—it was just another lord’s manor.
But gaining entry to the viscount’s wooden fortress took far longer. The viscount had refused to open the gate, claiming absence through his guards.
”Count Keldan,” one of them said nervously, “forgive us, but the viscount is not present. We must ask you to leave.”
Ayumu sighed, pulled out a soul-orb magic rod he had developed with Sheris, and pointed it at the gate.
”Your Excellency, please, no violence!” the guards cried. But Ayumu simply drove the rod into the lifting gate, blowing it open and walking right in.
As expected—the viscount was there, pretending to be away. “Oh?
So you are home,” Ayumu said dryly, glaring at him. (For the record, he’d entered the baron’s manor earlier by ramming the iron gate with a truck.)
Both nobles turned pale. “Hiii—!” they shrieked, trembling as they scrambled for excuses.
Ignoring their babbling, Ayumu announced flatly, “I’ll be borrowing this fortress for a while. I’m investigating the rise in monstrous beast activity in the region.”
He stationed the Domain Army there immediately.
Compared to the baron’s gaudy, gold-trimmed mansion, the viscount’s fortress was much simpler—plain wood and warm tones. Ayumu found it rather pleasant.
And so, for the time being, both the baron and viscount were confined to their own homes, while their servants and the local infantry enjoyed a rare, peaceful break under the Domain Army’s protection.
After ensuring the devastated village had enough food and seed rice for the immediate future, Ayumu began his investigation into the increased monstrous beast activity. What awaited him?
He had no idea that his greatest crisis was about to strike. To be continued…
Notes:
• Kingdom of Elandric – Northern kingdom, ex-Yugan vassal turned buffer state vs Caesar. Known for Viking-like culture, magic-stone wealth, and harsh living. Royal family: High King Karl Ewan Bellnah, wasteful heir Prince Erik, illegitimate scholar Prince Senelio, and Princess Lana. Key ally: merchant Baldric.
• Nelrearia Saint Kingdom – Northern country mentioned in the map.
• Yahaha – Ex-mercenary turned bodyguard (Ch.175). Cold, lethal in combat; when Caesar sailors attacked, she cut them down with mercenary precision. Ayumu relies on her as frontline protector, a contrast to greener knights like Yuvus. Her calm brutality anchors his personal defense.
• Yuri – Appears earlier as one of Ayumu’s circle (clerical/retinue role). Unlike fighters, he handles softer duties in support and household management.
• Yuvus – Human from Domain Army, handsome and disciplined; first in Ch.163; skilled knight swordsman; no family mentioned; rose quickly and was made Ayumu’s young knight; clashes with Half-Elves, especially Myucel, but loyal to Ayumu; cold pride hides strict loyalty.
• Yoluminette – Elandric warrior from Keldan, tall and sharp-eyed; first in Ch.146; master swordswoman using Ten-Man Slash; no family known; fought and slew bandits before Ayumu arrived, then joined his forces; stoic yet prideful, often escalates fights over petty things like cream puffs. takes “senpai” pride very seriously
• Alize – Nelrearian knight from Keldan, dark bronze skin with wavy chestnut hair | First in Ch.163 | Agile swordfighter and quick thinker | Family unknown | Rival toward Whitney despite working alongside her | Fiercely fought her over cream puffs at the welcome party | Unique note: normally composed but loses all restraint when sweets are involved
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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