How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: Volume 1

This country had originally been born through many races working together. As a result, a member of the race with the largest population, a human, became the king, but in order to protect the rights of the other races, the commanders of the army, navy, and air forces would be chosen from the other races.

So, if a tyrant took the throne and began oppressing the other races, the system had been set up so that the armies of the Three Dukedoms, being larger than the Forbidden Army, could remove him. Turning that around, if one of the Three Dukedoms was plotting to usurp the throne, the system was set up in a way that if even one of the armies were to side with the king, the rebellion could be put down.

In a peaceful era, this might have been a good setup. However, now the Demon Lord’s Domain had appeared, and these were troubled times with every country looking for openings to take advantage of. With this sort of divided command structure, it was possible that we might not be able to respond quickly enough to a sudden crisis. As a matter of fact, I was trying to move forward with reforms, but the Three Dukedoms were giving me the silent treatment.

Now, let’s get back to how I released the mercenaries from their employment contracts.

“Hold on, what do you mean you released the Zemish mercenaries from their contracts?!” Liscia shouted.

“Oh, yeah, I hadn’t told you about that yet, had I?” I smiled wryly at the fact that, rather than Halbert, it was Liscia who voiced her surprise this time. “It means exactly what it sounds like. Mercenaries are useless and just eat up money, you know.”

Machiavelli had said, “Mercenaries and mixed armies are not to be trusted.” According to him, “Mercenaries are tied to you only by their own profit; if presented with greater profit, they will easily betray you. Yet even when they fight, they protect their employer only for their own benefit, and so their loyalty is not to be expected. There is no reason to hire incapable mercenaries, and yet capable ones will always use their wits to seize their employer’s position.”

In fantasy novels and RPGs, protagonists with the mercenary job often appear, but the way the mercenary business actually worked was wildly different from the image you’ll have seen there.

Basically, they were people who made their money on the battlefield. They held no loyalty to country or prince, quickly changing sides when the balance of benefits shifted.

In a losing battle, they fled immediately. Even when victorious, they would run wild. Compared to standing armies of the same size, their upkeep might cost less, but they were a negative in the long term.

“We don’t have the money to pay useless people like that,” I explained.

“Even so, the mercenary contract was also proof of our friendly relations with Zem, you realize?!” Liscia shouted.

“True, things have become tense with them since then, but you yourself said, ‘Spend always on defense, never on tribute,’ didn’t you, Liscia? Unlike the empire, they can’t afford to invade us themselves. Paying them tribute to bide our time is pointless with them.”

The country was getting back at me by dispatching mercenaries to the Three Dukedoms, though.

I looked straight at Halbert. “Those blood-thirsty mercenaries are on the side of the Three Dukedoms. Do you think they’ll leave a girl in the defeated army like Kaede alone? While Kaede is being tormented by the mercenaries, and they’re about to kill her because they’re done with her, where will you be, and what will you be doing?”

“That’s…” Halbert hesitated.

That indecisive attitude of his got me steaming mad. “Will you be lifting my head aloft in joy?! Singing songs to celebrate your victory?! Meanwhile, your childhood friend may have been made their plaything, then left dead at the side of the road!”

“Urkh…”

When I shouted at him, Halbert’s legs seemed to give out and he had to put his hands on the table for support. He had no comeback to that, and his mouth was closed tightly. Kaede watched him worriedly.

When I saw them like that… I calmed down a little. “Halbert Magna. The path you were about to choose is a dead end. If I win, you will be executed. If the Three Dukedoms win, Kaede will… Well, she may not come out of it all right. If you’re going to make the gamble of a lifetime, at least make sure the future you want is on the betting table.”

He said nothing.

“Before you do anything rash, always think back,” I told him. “Think about what is it that you wanted, what for, and for whom? Look around you, and think about it.”

“What for… And for whom…” Halbert looked around.

His eyes met with Kaede’s, who was looking at him with concern. There were no words between them, but Halbert looked like a man released from whatever had been possessing him.

…What happens from here on is for them to decide, I thought.

“Sorry, Juna. We were getting in the way of your business, weren’t we?” I asked. “We’ll be leaving now.”