Chapter 196: The Birth of a Special Organization
“My lord.” Anna rose to her feet, a stack of parchment held in her arms. “Before we proceed with all the plans, there is one more matter that must be reported.”
With the arrangements for battle and strategy fully settled, the woman who oversaw the entire territory’s finances finally spoke. She stepped forward and placed a thick financial report at the center of the table.
“We also need to address our funds.”
Her tone was calm, but the numbers in the report were anything but.
“With the current level of tax exemptions and subsidies, the assets left behind by Haus have already been reduced by about half. On the military side, most of the revenue from the iron mines and the rich silver mines is being used internally, with only a small portion sold. If we do not open up new sources of income, even maintaining civilian welfare alone will place us under tremendous strain.” She paused briefly before continuing, “At the current rate of expenditure, including the upkeep of a three-thousand-strong army, pensions, and the costs of the Dragon Blood’s Oath potions and Raven Type equipment… at most, in three to four weeks, our treasury will be completely drained.”
Anna spoke the truth in a slightly weary voice, and it made everyone in the room draw a sharp breath.
Three weeks.
The number hung over them like the Sword of Damocles.
War was, at its core, a matter of money. Without it, let alone launching a counterattack against Demont, they would not even be able to maintain their current forces.
Hank grew anxious and immediately asked in a low voice, “What about expanding the army? The Black Armored Legion must be reinforced. That takes priority above all else.”
Anna shot her father an irritated look. “If there’s no money, don’t even think about it. If you want rapid expansion, then go find the funds yourself.”
Hank was left speechless by his daughter’s retort. He could only frown and smoke in silence, racking his brain for solutions.
On the battlefield he was a fierce general, but when it came to making money, he was completely at a loss. He had served as captain of the guard in Rosenberg for years, living on a fixed salary without saving much, often helping the poor along the way. If not for Anna’s tavern keeping things afloat, he would have long since fallen into poverty.
The others were no different. Leus had once been a shopkeeper on the verge of bankruptcy and had no experience to offer. Little Donnie was too young, a village boy who would have lived an ordinary life if not for the undead invasion. Kayan had grown up in the temple, his needs provided for, with little understanding of money and even less experience earning it.
The men were of no help.
Vivi was familiar with money, but she operated in the gray world, and most of the ways she knew to make it were far from legitimate. Rehanna and Renee had managed the largest mercenary group in Demont, the Fire Fox, and had some experience in operations, but running a two-hundred-strong mercenary band was one thing. Managing the finances of an entire territory was another matter entirely.
For a moment, no one had a solution, and the atmosphere grew heavy.
Nolan, too, felt the pressure.
Noticing the faint dark circles under Anna’s eyes, he knew how much effort this strong young woman had poured into her work without a word of complaint. He felt a pang of sympathy and said, “Anna, you’ve worked hard these past days managing everything in the territory.”
Anna was the daughter of a soldier, independent from a young age, gentle on the outside but resolute within. Yet for some reason, hearing Nolan’s gentle words made her feel as if she might cry. It was the feeling of having one’s efforts acknowledged, of exhaustion finally met with comfort, like a child who holds back tears after a fall only to break down when someone shows concern.
“Cough… it’s nothing. I’m fine.”
Anna rarely cried, and she did not understand her own reaction. She quickly pretended to cough and lowered her head, wiping the corner of her eye.
Nolan, who could notice the slightest twitch of muscle in combat, was astonishingly oblivious to a girl’s emotions and failed to catch her change. He simply continued, “Money is indeed a problem, but as long as we can resolve the Wood Elf crisis smoothly, finances will no longer be a concern.”
His composure eased the group’s anxiety somewhat, and they looked at him expectantly.
Nolan smiled instead. “That is also why I chose this moment to go to the Borderlands.”
“My lord, what do you mean?” Anna asked, puzzled.
“The Borderlands, that vast stretch of primeval forest, is an enormous treasure trove. For us, it is an undeveloped mountain of gold, and we hold a unique advantage there.”
He tapped lightly on the large green region on the map.
“Rare magical herbs, high-value alchemical materials, and valuable parts from magical beasts… these are all hard currency in the royal capital and the major provinces. After our last contact, the Wood Elves have shown us goodwill. Captain Romina holds influence within her people. I believe that even if they are reclusive, as long as we approach them sincerely and offer mutual support, they will not reject outsiders. This trip will not take long, at most one to two weeks. By then, we will have opened an unprecedented trade route and resource channel. Not only will it sustain the territory and the three-thousand-strong Black Armored Legion, even doubling its size will be well within our means. So, Anna, while I am away, you do not need to worry about money. Buy what you need and act boldly. Keep the accounts, and when I return, I will settle everything at once.”
His words landed with firm certainty, as if he were not heading into a perilous forest but simply retrieving gold from his own treasury.
Hearing this, the tension in the room eased. If the lord said it could be done, then it would be done. He had always found a way before, and everyone believed he would again.
Anna nodded, somewhat reassured, though her gaze lingered on Nolan. His unwavering confidence and calm in the face of crisis held a fatal charm for her.
Hank looked at his daughter, then at Nolan, and sighed, smoking his cigar in silence. It was unclear whether he felt more troubled for his daughter or exasperated by his lord’s obliviousness.
With the greatest concern addressed, Nolan turned his attention to Kayan. “Kayan.”
“My lord.” Kayan responded immediately.
“Earlier, I asked you to identify those within the Black Armored Legion who are devout in their faith to the Mother Goddess and show talent in sacred speech. How has that progressed?”
At the mention of his responsibility, a trace of pride appeared on Kayan’s face. He straightened and bowed respectfully. “My lord, after selection and preliminary instruction, we now have a reserve force of fifty. They are all fine young men from the Black Armored Legion, steadfast in faith and strong in will. With the help of your Fountain of Potential, most of them can now proficiently chant hymns of the second circle and below.”
Fifty soldiers capable of using divine arts.
The number stunned everyone present.
Within the temple system, training an apprentice priest capable of second-circle divine spells typically took about a year. Yet Kayan had assembled a force of fifty in just one or two months.
“Excellent.”
Nolan was clearly pleased. This force would be his trump card against the undead and the cultists.
“From this day forward, with you at its core, these fifty, along with future recruits, will be formally reorganized into a special unit of the Black Armored Legion, operating under independent command.”
His voice grew solemn.
“It shall be called the ‘Inquisition of the Cross.’ And you, Kayan, will be its first High Inquisitor.”