The second batch of supplies is quite large. 40% lumber, 20% preserved food, 20% scrap metal, and a few other things, so it’ll take up some space. I’ll tell Lord Holtzdeppe and the officer who was checking to see if we’ve received anything where to store it.
Food and weapons are certainly important in a siege, but you’ll need wood and metal more than you think. If the gates are about to be breached, they need to be reinforced from the inside with timber and nails, and they are also used to repair weapons, armor, and harness. Arrowheads are often made in the castle, and spear shafts are sometimes re-made. Wood is also needed for cooking and melting iron. Bonfires are important, of course.
There are unexpected cases of castles that have fallen even though they had enough food and soldiers, because they ran out of timber and couldn’t maintain the facilities and equipment any longer. This time, though, there’s another use for it.
As I was thinking this, Lord Holtzdeppe approached me.
“The scheduled delivery arrived safely this time, but even though it’s small, what is it used for, such as a siege weapon projectile catapult?”
You can use it for all kinds of things.
There’s a story that the besiegers launched boxes of gravel from inside the castle and rained stones down on the heads of the besiegers. If they were human, they’d be thrilled. The way I’m planning to use them will be irregular too. I can’t fight a battle with just my troops against a horde of demons and a demon general. I’ll have to get the support squad to use pitchforks too.
But unlike bows and swords, stone throwers aren’t something you use everyday, so there aren’t many people who are familiar with them. Of course, I’ve never seen one in action, apart from the ones I saw on TV in my previous life. Maybe I should try it in battle.
“I’m sure more lumber will be coming in, so make sure you have a place for it…”
Yes, sir. And that one over there…
Just shove it in the basement. I’ll be back.
I understand.
I’ll give him some instructions for the time being and then head for the Lords’ Hall. I’ll have to talk to the head of the Woodworkers’ Guild. And the metalworkers’ guild leader. I’ll tell them we’re building a fortress to guard the border. I’m not lying about the need for a watch. I’d like to come visit him myself… but then Lord Behnke would say I’m being too easy on him. It’s difficult.
The Lords’ Hall will be my private residence. Private guests usually meet here. By the way, it’s a custom in this world that even a deputy is called a lord’s house. I guess it’s enough for ordinary people to understand that it’s a building where important people live. I don’t mind it for now because that’s the way it is.
It’s too big for me. I managed to fill some of the rooms with Neurath and Schünzel and some servants I hired from the refugees. Some people said they felt depressed when the windows of the lord’s house were dark.
It’s not unusual for aristocrats to keep the light bright even if there’s no one around, and as a matter of fact it’s useful for crime prevention, but I don’t feel comfortable wasting my time like that, so I’d rather have people around in brightly-lit places.
Some of the jobs of servants are easy to understand even with the knowledge of the previous life, such as a safekeeper or a cook, but some of them are a little difficult to understand, such as a candlestick keeper or a brewer.
Candleholders don’t light and extinguish candles but are professionals who keep track of the number and types of candles. He manages to distinguish between cheap candles that emit smoke and are used outside, and candles that emit less smoke and are brighter for guests and so on. There are so many kinds of candles that they need specialists. The smell of tallow candles is so strong that if you use them in the wrong place, you’ll be in trouble. On the other hand, if it’s a super high class candle made from the fat of a famous magical beast, it’s too expensive for common people to afford, so thieves sometimes target them.
You might think that there are magic lamps in this world, but candles which are cheaper than magic stones of magic lamps are necessities to light the servants’ lamps, and it’s a part of the nobility’s appeal to use expensive candles which go out after one use with a fine silver candlestick. I won’t argue if you say that they are props for the stage direction, but we shouldn’t forget that one such prop can feed a commoner’s family for several days.
A winemaker is a specialist in the wine cellar, but to give you a rough idea of what it’s all about, glass is expensive in this world. So, the majority of wines are stored in barrels, but wooden barrels tend to have too much barrel-derived aroma. It’s not just a matter of controlling temperature and humidity, but also of controlling the aging and aroma, and transferring the wine to glass bottles when the time is right. In a previous life, you were a sommelier plus a brewer. In this world, I don’t think they do a secondary fermentation inside the bottle. Maybe they do it somewhere else I don’t know about.
Incidentally, the glass bottles are not only old, but often recycled wine bottles from other regions. Any bottle will do for preservation purposes only. That’s why you need a winemaker who knows what he’s doing.
I went in and found a group of adventurers drinking tea with familiar faces. Five members of the Iron Hammer. I’m glad to see you’re all right.
Hey, it’s been a long time.
Congratulations on your new position, Viscount.
Stop it, you idiot.
I couldn’t help but respond, and we took a beat and laughed at each other. I really appreciate this kind of light-hearted exchange. How is Mazel?
“But he has a bad reputation in King’s Landing. A spendthrift viscount, a debt collector…”
Because it’s true.
I’d have to say it’s true, wouldn’t I? You can’t say that.
They say there’s no smoke without fire, but we’ve got a small fire going because we’re actually borrowing money to hire Mr. Goecke and the others. All we have to do is let it grow on its own.
Even if the Dauphin and General Seyfert are supporting us behind our backs… there will always be rumors that we’re being favored.
But even if the gold came from debt, there’s nothing wrong if the goods I buy are shipped to the lands under my charge. I’d be proud to ship them. Even if I’m getting the supplies I need because I’m owed money by someone else. Ostensibly the only thing that would be damaged is my reputation. I’d rather have a bad reputation in King’s Landing than not win for lack of supplies.
I’m not sure if I should feel ashamed when I think that my parents might say that I have a son who spends too much money. I’ll have to take good care of my parents one of these days.
We’ve got a lot of stuff here, but let’s start with this.
He gave me a magic bag and a letter. The letter was from my father.
What’s in the bag?
I’m told it’s a required document.
Oh, I see. The sign came from the general via the countess. That explains why he sent it with such an expensive magic bag. I skimmed through the letter and was surprised.
“Has Mazel come to King’s Landing?”
Yeah, apparently. We never met.
He came back to King’s Landing after defeating the first of the Four Heavenly Kings and visited the Zehrfeldt residence. The day after I left King’s Landing. What a pity. It’s a good thing Mazel and his family haven’t seen each other in a while.
What’s this? I’m accompanied by old Uwe who’s already joined us when we defeated the Four Heavenly Kings, just like in the game… but what do you mean he wanted to meet me? Did I do something wrong? I don’t remember.
I can’t help but giggle as I read the letter and overhear the Iron Hammer members saying how they wish they could have met you now……. That Mazel guy is as popular as ever…
“The Count asked me to bring you this letter from Mademoiselle Mazel and this… I’ve also brought a package that includes this…”
I received a bag of flying shoes called “skywalks”. Five or six of them, thank goodness. I don’t need them for now, but I’m sure I’ll use them later. They’d be more useful if it weren’t for the fact that they reach the outskirts of town, but that’s a luxury I can’t really afford.
As a matter of fact, His Highness the Dauphin has entrusted me with a pair of skywalkers. In case of emergency, he’ll send a messenger to King’s Landing and we’ll use one for that purpose.
But if the leaders of the group are unaware of its existence and effectiveness, they might suspect that only the leaders will escape. And there’ll be people who’ll want you and your family to get away with it. I don’t mean to, but it’s harder than you think. I think we should talk to him.
That’s what you said… and you look at what’s on the wall. A brand-new spear. That looks pretty good too. I guess it’s the Warrior’s Spear if you can buy it after you kill the first of the Four Heavenly Kings. The game didn’t have graphics back then, so I don’t know.
I remember that in the game, it’s around that time when you need to buy new equipment. Not to level up, but to level up while you’re trying to buy new gear. I appreciate that, but we need to focus on our gear.
I’ll check in with you later. By the way, I need you to stay in town for a while.
Is this some kind of trouble?
“That’s part of it, but I’d also appreciate it if you could ask around town about my reputation as an adventurer.”
That’s all right.
I’m sure we’ll have to bring in some troublesome requests through the Adventurers’ Guild later, but there’s no need to tell them now. I’ll write a letter of introduction to the inn and give it to them. I’ll read Mazel’s letter later.
Mazel has a strange habit of trying to convey important things by messages instead of letters or memos. Maybe it’s because paper was so precious in the village of Aare. So a letter isn’t much of a letter. He’s easy to understand.
Well, as long as we beat the first Four Heavenly Kings and they’re okay… I’d have liked to have seen their faces.
If Mazel and the others are doing so well, then I guess I’ll just have to keep going.
