Episode 71 Movement (2)
The battlefield is where you can die even if you are behind, and you can survive even if you are in the lead.
It was natural. Who takes pride in being safe going out to the battlefield?
“Umm…”
“Hmm…”
The nobles also cleared their throats at those words, but they didn’t have anything to say either.
If all the priests died on the battlefield, wouldn’t it be like the power of the Holy Kingdom being cut?
In addition, if the priests, who are not high-level manpower but who are of intermediate level, died while fighting mercenaries, it would be a big loss for them.
Ray, who knew what they were thinking, continued.
“Of course, I have no intention of just letting the priests die. I plan to separately recruit paladins to protect them and send them to the battlefield together. If the paladin is by their side, the priests will be safe unless they have a tolerable force.”
“But…”
“We gain even greater strength from it. First of all, funds are met and it is possible to pressure neighboring countries with ‘mercenary priests’. In addition, Seongguk’s position in the Sanggye area will be solid.”
“….”
“And in the southern region of the Holy Kingdom there is the sea. If you take the lead in trade with neighboring countries, you will be able to earn a lot of income from trade.”
Ray knocked on the podium.
Now it’s the judge’s board. If words could no longer be coaxed out, I also thought of pushing forward with force.
He said, holding up a wad of paper that he had handed out to the nobles.
“If anyone has a plan to develop the Holy Kingdom further than this, please let me know.”
Of course there is no chin.
I wouldn’t have even thought about it in the first place.
If they had seriously thought about it, the surplus resources of the Holy Kingdom would have been actively moving even now.
As expected, no one can speak out like a dumb who has eaten honey.
“The priest’s mercenary transformation is literally a force. Whether it goes to the battlefield or not, it is an element that will give strength to the kingdom.”
Despite his words, the reaction around him did not change much.
Everyone is looking at each other and saving words.
Neither the Marquis Harold nor the Earl of Grain showed any noticeable reaction.
There is no end to this. It would have been better to talk again at another time than to waste time.
They also needed time to think.
Ray sighed and waved his hand.
“Whoa… I’ll stop here for today. Tomorrow, too, please.”
After saying that he would hold a meeting tomorrow, he left the lecture hall with the intention of revising his half-successful plan.
* * *
Returning to the mansion, he shut himself in the study.
There was no time to rest in order for the Seongguk to stand at the forefront of the continent.
This was because the Lessian Empire, the strongest on the continent, was already in good health.
It took a lot of effort and development to surpass him.
Seongguk was not a weak country, but it was not in the ranks of the strongest.
Iriel, who at first asked for permission, but now goes in and out of the mansion as if it were his own, looked at Ray and shook his head.
‘Ugh. It’s still like that.’
I heard that a meeting was called in the morning, but as soon as it was over, I didn’t even think about moving from the study.
It would have been an obvious choice from Ray’s point of view because of the lack of information, but it was an incomprehensible action for her.
I just feel that it’s pretty good to see them working hard for something.
She sighed as she looked at the meal that had cooled and remained on the table.
‘Still, let’s do it while eating.’
No matter what you do, wouldn’t it be better to fill your stomach?
Iriel naturally sat next to Ray.
At that, Ray stopped reading and looked at her.
“what?”
“What books are all these? On the map… on the soil…”
She clicked her tongue as she looked at the books Ray had been reading.
I read a lot too. How did I read all these books without getting bored?
Ray glanced at Iriel and soon started to read the books he was reading.
However, Iriel knew roughly what he was going to do.
One of the items that was brought up at today’s meeting was the priests’ mercenary plan.
She ignored her words and spat out words to herself as if to listen to Ray, who was coldly reading the book.
“The priests are becoming mercenaries… I might be able to help.”
Ray’s ears perked up.
He probably wasn’t even a beastman, but his ears were moving fiercely at Iriel’s words.
Ray quietly turned over the book he was reading.
“…really?”
Iriel said as if it was unfair.
“You’ve been ignoring me just now, but you seem to be listening to yourself.”
“My ears are a bit dark.”
He said that thanks to the high density of mana, his five senses are beyond human level.
At that, she glanced at Ray.
I don’t know how many layers of iron plates were put on my face, but the way I wiped my cold expression like a lie and rubbed my hands together was exactly that of a merchant.
Iriel said calmly.
“…Anyway, I’ll help you where I can.”
“thank you! As expected, you are a saint!”
This is one of the most bizarre compliments I’ve ever heard.
The reason she wanted to help Ray was because of her friendship with him, but there were other reasons as well.
First of all, he had a plan that clearly benefited the kingdom.
A new farming method from the first meeting. Even looking at it, it was absolutely not something the criminal could have thought of.
If you grow several crops on top of each other, you will certainly be able to get more crops from the same plot of land.
Of course, she also hesitated at the point of turning the priest into a mercenary, but it was a clear benefit when viewed as a whole rather than the priests.
Because of that, I didn’t really want to oppose it.
The second was the synergy she could get when she herself supported the saint.
If he, rather than the saint alone, takes the lead in promoting this plan, the gaze of the nobles around him will surely change.
‘The saint and I will think that we are the same force.’
If that happens, you will be able to check the forces of the political world or the 3rd forces that are aiming for the saint.
A series of disturbing movements can be prevented in advance.
Ray was satisfied that his plan came true according to Lay, and Iriel was satisfied with her idea as Iriel did.
Indeed, a good sister and a good brother-in-law… No, a good son and a good woman, isn’t that a good idea!
I was already looking forward to the convening meeting to be held tomorrow.
* * *
As the morning dawned, the nobles who had been summoned each entered the meeting room.
After exchanging greetings once or twice, they sat down and waited for the saint to enter.
Soon after, the door opened and someone came in.
Of course they must be saints, and they watched with their heads bowed. They put on a puzzled expression when the two of them walked in together from the door.
They were Ray and Iriel.
The nobles bowed to the sight of the two entering together.
“Meet the saint and the saintess.”
“Meet the saint and the saintess.”
Rey stood on the podium, waving his hand in return for the now-familiar courtesy.
Iriel sits in the same lecture chair as the aristocrats and blinks one eye while looking at Ray.
It will be a sign that you are ready.
Ray smiled and opened his mouth.
“Then let’s talk about what we couldn’t finish yesterday.”
It’s probably going to be a one-sided story, though.
He really had the heart to accomplish his plan by force.
Receiving Iriel’s help didn’t really sting my conscience.
Far from being stabbed, a tinge of guilt disappears before it even reaches conscience.
Ray took the rush and listened.
“It’s about the mercenary conversion of priests that we talked about yesterday, but if you oppose it, please tell us your opinion.”
As if they had waited for him, the nobles suddenly spoke out.
“You said you would send priests and paladins together, but if that happens, there is a risk that their training will be disrupted.”
It is possible to neglect the so-called faith.
Ray shook his head at his words.
“It will also be a good practice for them to see and experience the suffering of many people up close while moving around the battlefield.”
It sounds really plausible.
To the extent that even the nobles who were talking became silent.
Besides, if the target of the talk was a saint, I had no choice but to move on, thinking that everyone else was like that.
How can anyone present a counterargument when a saint who is called the representative of God said that he was the closest to God, not anyone else.
Iriel also nodded, and the icing on the cake is a child alone.
Marquis Harold pondered for a while before asking a question.
“…I know how much priests are needed on the battlefield. However, aren’t there many other ways to simply get money and fame?”
Ray shook his head again.
“The mercenary priests gain more than just money and fame. Rather, they are additive elements.”
Many of the nobles who thought they were driving priests to the battlefield because of funds became puzzled.
This part definitely needs to be addressed.
As much as they thought, the things they gained from the mercenary priests weren’t light.
It seems that only Iriel noticed to some extent, but the main ulterior motive was different.
Ray looked around at them once and opened his mouth.
“We lend priests and gain national power.”
“What do you mean by national power…?”
I asked again with a different expression from before, whether it was a little tempting.
“At least the countries that need our help are prevented from doing anything that threatens them. Besides, since it is purely a ‘lending’ of troops, we can hold some responsibility if our priests die.”
Only then did the aristocrats murmur as if they had noticed some usefulness.
“Ah, if that happens…”
“From the moment you borrow troops, the Seongguk will naturally have the upper hand
.
”
The side that shows a good reaction in its own way and the side that still looks at it with a negative gaze.
It was the opinion that although the national power would be strengthened, it would not be possible to see the priests, the servants of God, being sent to the battlefield.
At that time, Iriel, who had been silently watching, stepped out.
“That sounds like a good idea. I agree with your opinion.”
“Lady Seo.”
“…”
Her words changed the game.
If two adults are arguing together, the opinions of the nobles should be considered to be mostly unified.
Moreover, Iriel’s share in politics was by no means small.
No, on the contrary, it could be seen as very influential.
Her faction was mostly central nobles, and there were many of them.
Since Iriel stood by the saint’s opinion, he couldn’t raise a counterargument if he didn’t want to fall outside the eyes of the two saints.
