55 – Diane de Balboa – 1
The Crudia Mountaineer Mercenary Corps makes a very good profit. When there was a request, 2 ducats a month could be seen as earning twice as much as regular manual laborers. In addition, it was famous for its high trust, so it could be seen that it made a lot of money compared to other mercenaries.
But the real problem was that there was nowhere to spend the money even if it was broken to the bone. What’s in the valley of Krudia? There were only sheep and goats.
However, if Dunyeong is moved to the outskirts of Arcadia, a situation is created in which money can be spent in the world’s best city. Besides, the Khrudians are located around Swadia and Arcadia, so there are many people who can speak both Swadian and Arcadian, so how good is it?
So, in Manfred’s case, Charles didn’t go over, but his men had already passed over.
“Captain~ Can’t we just sell our mercenaries? They give you 5,000 ducats! Isn’t it good that the captain can play and eat for the rest of his life if he has 5,000 ducats?”
“It’s not enough money to get a count. I didn’t start as a mercenary just to play and eat for the rest of my life.”
“Hey~ Our captain is cool. I would sell it for half that money.”
“It’s cool! It’s cool, but the kids want to stay in the capital. That friend is a war hero, so he must have the ability to command, and I have a hunch that our mercenary corps will grow enormously if we go under that friend? Anyway, I’m in favor of the sale. Don’t feel too sad, Captain.”
“I agree too.”
“me too! Is the boss the opposite? Because I need to get a title.”
“Who said no? I said hold off.”
“That means… Are you saying you can agree?”
Manfred looked into the distance for a while.
“If you want him to be a real thing, there’s nothing he can’t do.”
Manfred’s dream is to win the title of nobility he didn’t inherit, with his own hands, rather than being the eldest son. And if Charles is a true genius as expected, receiving a noble title under Charles is not a dream either.
However, it only took a little time to confirm whether or not Charles was really that human.
—–
Meanwhile, Manfred and his men return to Crudia.
Charles Jean Rochepole was conversing in Isabel’s villa.
“As you said, we treated the mercenaries with utmost care. But what is the meaning of this action?”
“Because I intend to take over the mercenary. In order to do that, I just thought it would be good to make a good impression as much as possible.”
“There are many mercenary groups in Arcadia, so is there any reason to take over a mercenary group from a distant place like Crudia?”
Isabel de Poitiers, ignorant of the circumstances, asked as if wondering, and Charles only smiled and smiled.
“You will understand in time.”
It was a vague answer, but Isabelle somehow felt that Charles’ words were not bluffing. That would be the case, because all of Charles’ actions so far were actions he could not understand, but as a result, Charles was becoming a big player.
“Isabelle.”
“Yes, Charles.”
“You are Her Highness’s right-hand man.”
At that, Isabel nodded quietly.
“But do you have the confidence to keep the position?”
“… ”
“The current Her Highness the Princess has no talent. That’s why we need people who excel in many fields. However, as time goes on, many talented people will be subordinated to Her Highness, and rather than a person with multiple abilities, a person with one definite skill will be needed. There will come a time when those who are the best in one field will be treated better than those who are all-rounders. It’s because the skills that are lacking should be subordinated.”
Isabelle swallowed. This was something that he himself had intuition as well.
“Isabel, winter will come to you. And winter is hard to bear alone. If you continue to help me like today, I will continue to stand by Isabelle’s side.”
“… ”
Charles knew Isabel very well. In [The Age of Gunpowder and Magic], Princess Leonia was the main character, and the main characters of the main character faction were very familiar to users.
That’s why Isabel, Yuria, and Professor Diane de Balboa, who would later come under the princess’s tutelage, were fully aware of their abilities and human nature.
And, in Charles’ eyes, Isabel was excellent in her ability to read the big currents of the situation, even though she lacked one special ability. That is why they endure turbulent times and survive until natural death.
Charles was convinced. Isabel will hold her hand.
However, Isabelle acted completely different from what Charles expected.
“Charles Jean Rochepole.”
Saying that, Isabel rose from her seat. And then…
“You have proven your talents in the North. And now you are revealing your own ambitions. You are not a criminal. In the future, I will spread my big wings and fly high.”
“What if?”
“Since I have already pledged my allegiance to Her Highness Princess Leonia, I will put Her Highness first, but I will not refuse your request as long as it does not conflict with Her Highness’s orders or my own interests.”
After saying that, Isabel bowed her head toward Charles. Although it was not an oath of allegiance, it was an act of acknowledging that he was subordinate in rank.
“like. I will do my best so that Isabel can continue to earn the trust of Her Highness.”
I was just about to need a line from Princess Leonia. In terms of ability, Yuria Russell is the best, but because Yuria is a slave to chivalry, her values conflict. A moderate realist like Isabel would make a good partner.
Charles held out his hand to Isabel, and Isabel grabbed it. The two strengthened their friendly relationship.
—–
When two weeks passed, Charles formed a new mercenary corps. And the name of the mercenary corps was named the Rochepole Mercenary Corps. It was a mercenary group derived from the surname of Charles Jean Rochepole.
After that, Charles couldn’t go to the academy for a while. That’s because it’s been a very busy period.
The first thing Charles did was to acquire an abandoned monastery near the capital for 500 ducats. After acquiring 500 muskets for 300 ducats, he hired 300 new recruits with no combat experience.
He hired some mercenary officers and some musketeers from the East and gave them basic military training and training in musket shooting.
Doing this series of procedures alone was truly to die for. Charles desperately felt the need for a mercenary commander to work under him.
“I wish Manfred would do it… ”
Manfred Bietsch. It’s a named NPC. He’s a playable character, and he’s quite capable when it comes to mercenary work. He hired a few mercenaries with only 50 ducats he had inherited and created a mercenary group of 500 units.
If such a Manfred would come under Charles, he would have no more wishes, but now the matter was out of Charles’ hands. Whether or not Manfred would accept to be under Charles depended entirely on luck.
All Charles could do was pray. He wanted Manfred to agree to take over from Charles, and to work for him instead of retiring after receiving the money.
A month passed, and after a series of courses, Charles returned to the academy again. It was none other than Professor Diane de Balboa who welcomed Charles back.
“Charles, long time no see. Thank you for the day before. Thanks to that, I was able to preserve my family.”
“No, I just reciprocated the trust you gave me.”
“Crotea Castle was a castle that came down from our great-grandfathers. My great-grandfather was a nobleman of the southern Kingdom of Silonia, but he was defeated in a political battle and fled to the north. If I had lost the estate, I would not have been able to lift my face to all the members of my family, let alone my great-grandfather.”
It would have been. It was because the lives of nobles who had estates and those who did not were completely different. You don’t have to go far to know that just by looking at the life of Charles Jean Rochepole. The story would have been easier if Charles Jean Rochepole had been a real nobleman with a land rather than a fallen nobleman without a land.
“Then are you back now? Professor Dian is taking over instead of Professor Merkatz, right?”
“no. I just came to hand in my resignation today.”
“A letter of resignation? why?”
“What I taught at the academy was tactics and swordsmanship. However, I am not qualified to teach tactics to me who refused your offer to secure a retreat, nor must I be qualified to teach swordsmanship to me who was defeated by swordsmanship by Emilia, who was only a cadet. I was not qualified as a professor from the beginning.”
“… ”
Read at noblemtl
Not necessarily. It was not only Dian who failed to think of securing a retreat route, but everyone in the camp of the prince. Most tacticians would have thought that securing a retreat was unnecessary.
Moreover, losing to Emilia was also half-fouling. It was because Emilia had borrowed the power of ‘another being’.
“From my point of view, I feel that Professor Dian has sufficient qualifications as a professor.”
“Thank you for the greeting. It was truly comforting. I hope to have a relationship somewhere other than the academy someday, Charles.”
Dian, who was about to leave after saying that, stopped walking for a moment.
“Charles Jean Rochepole.”
Professor Dian looked back and said.
“yes?”
“I have one concern. Can you listen?”
“What are you worried about?”
“In fact, I was dismissed from the vanguard by His Highness the Crown Prince due to the defeat in the Battle of Imor River the previous day.”
Upon hearing that, Charles was speechless.
Although Dian was defeated at the Battle of the Immor River, it was not because of Dian. To be precise, it was because of the prince who made the wrong strategy.
But you took responsibility for the defeat and dismissed Dian? Dian, the second-class swordsman in the world and a competent assault leader? I knew that the crown prince was incompetent, but he is more incompetent in real life than in the game?
Recruit Dian right now