Gacha Kingdom Building

The Dukedom Of Evretis has around 2500 troops besides their city guards and garrisons as their standing army.

They can call levies or ask other nobles for reinforcements if necessary, which Isabella expects to be enough to at the very least double our numbers. Surprisingly, Isabella's reputation and standing work in our favor as her vassals either respect or fear her, which makes them more agreeable, at least initially.

However, while this works in our favor, that goodwill could quickly diminish if she suffers heavy losses in battle.

Financially, it's also not a wise move. Even with my Gift accounted for, preparing equipment for so many new soldiers would take time and money.

They would also be essentially removed from their workplace, hurting most if not all production in Evretis.

As for Terith, we expect to face an army of about 4 to 5 thousand...

During the Maides Island invasion, Hamperlon's troops numbered between 6 to 7 thousand.

It's been almost a decade since then in this world, and Hamperlon was recovering from another war they had just won at the time so...

Our estimates put their army to be around 10 thousand without levies.

As we had already discussed in this three-way war Evretis was the definite underdog.

However, that also brought a few advantages.

If we could secure a few early victories against Hamperlon with our smaller army, we can expect an increase in troop morale and willingness on the nobles' part to invest more into the war.

Since I explained to Isabella that she should focus most of her defenses on Hamperlon and that I would deal with Terith when the time came, we eagerly awaited any movements on our border with them.

Even during her father's rule a war with Hamperlon was already expected, so the towns on the border were fairly defended.

A few days after the war declaration and the Saint's kidnapping, we received the news of movement from Hamperlon.

Marin told us that, as we predicted, their main army moved in the north and started a siege in a fortress in Terith.

She was asked to patrol the sea around that area and asked me for permission to follow Terith's orders, which I obliged as decreasing their navy power would also facilitate Elizabeth's job in blocking the channel.

Isabella's network also informed us of a smaller army moving against us. It was probably an army composed of mercenaries and levies created by an eager noble from Hamperlon looking to snatch as much territory as possible from Evretis.

The group I sent to protect our borders against Terith had already gone to their positions since they didn't need to wait, but for me, it was necessary to wait until we could deal a significant blow to Hamperlon's forces.

And so, after we had confirmed Hamperlon's raid into Evretis territory, we finally started moving as Elizabeth and I took to the skies with her pet for a small voyage above Hamperlon's territory.

Liz: "Miwen... I believe we have reached your destination. What would you like to do?"

Miwen: "Hmm... To be honest, I think I'd like to hug you a little more. It's so rare for you to let me do it."

Liz: "I thought you had accepted my perspective regarding this little one. Will it take long until this punishment satisfies you? Surely you must have grown tired of a body as boring as mine by now..."

Miwen: "No way. If I hadn't already employed you as my secretary, I'd definitely hire you as my personal pillow."

Liz: "...Then, were I to agree to the same conditions again in the future, would you be willing to release your hands now? I feel like your right hand has moved to touch me somewhere improper for a while, which goes beyond what I agreed to."

To be honest, I was surprised that she even agreed to allow me to hug her in the first place.

It was under the guise of punishment for defying my intentions during her mission and tricking my girls into doing the same, however, I had already forgiven her for that after we talked about the situation they met hunting the dragon.

I underestimated Angelica's loyalty and desire to do well for my sake as well as Skuld's and the other Valkyries' desire to achieve good results and prove their usefulness.

In any case, I feel like Liz has become a little more willing and trusting of me, which makes me want to tease her even harder...

Miwen: "Your new mission will be the key if being promoted to my pillow interests you. I'm expecting good results."

Liz: "Haha... That's a promotion? What an interesting career path."

Miwen: "...Be careful, Liz. I won't try to restrain you this time, but I don't want you to risk your life. If it's too hard, retreat. No one will blame you or think less of you for it and you don't have to prove your strength any more than you have already done."

Liz: "To think you would worry for me... Rest assured, Your Majesty. I wouldn't want to incur the wrath of your wolf by recruiting our enemies."

Oh...

I didn't consider this, but it seems like Liz, thanks to her friendliness towards Mia, sees Hamperlon as her enemy just as much.

Miwen: "I'll leave it to you then. Good luck."

As we had agreed, Liz and the North Dragon went towards the channel where they would block Hamperlon's allies from crossing over to aid Hamperlon.

I got a ride up until the border, and then I took a dive from the skies, still hidden by the night and the height the dragon was flying at.

Using air magic, I was able to control my falling speed and landed silently behind a small hill.

I then entered the Kingdom where my army was waiting for me.

Miwen: "I believe that for more than a year now I have fulfilled my promise to all of you. I treated your diseases and injuries. I sheltered you. I fed you. I trained you. I employed you. And I armed you. In the lands of my kingdom, you were able to hunt, rest, and live. Free and unbothered, however you saw fit. Your traditions, your culture. I did my best to allow you to preserve them. After everything I've given you, I never asked for anything in return. However, I did ask for your patience, as there was still one last gift meant for you..."

In front of me there were reunited all the 300 or so Snow White Wolves I was able to retrieve from Terith, Evretis, and the neighboring territories.

Most of them were women and children sold as slaves or found in extreme despairing conditions in the streets.

Each of them required treatment.

They were scared and traumatized. They couldn't take a single step forward without help.

Because of the time dilation, we had to treat and train them outside the Kingdom, and only when they were ready, they were accepted inside, completely prepared for the fight that was to come.

During this year and a half, thanks to the efforts of the girls, we were able to build this small army.

Number-wise, they are inferior to the standing army Melissa had during the invasion of their home. About half the numbers they had them, to be more exact.

Most of them not being males also hurt their strength a little, but...

They shared the experience gained by all other citizens thanks to the effects of [Gacha Kingdom Building].

This included the experience gained by my family, high rankers who were hunting inside a Dungeon.

Again, the time dilation hurt a little since for them just a few days had passed, but it was more than enough.

The levels of the Snow White Wolves residing in the Kingdom grew dramatically.

Quite a few of them were about as powerful as Mia was when she first joined us, and the others didn't fall behind too much.

Around level 60... Almost all of the Snow White Wolves are at the level of a knight, and due to their better physical condition compared to a human, they can actually go toe to toe with a human knight commander or a royal knight.

Especially after being trained in swordsmanship and magic by some of the best we had to offer and receiving the absolute best equipment I could afford to give them.

Miwen: "What I brought to you today is an opportunity. The opportunity to take revenge for all that you have lost. Your home. Friends. Family. And the life you had. If you accept, together, we will make them pay for all the suffering they have caused you. Let me clear the way. All I ask of you... Is the courage to move forward. If you are willing. Raise your heads and show me your pride..."

I still don't believe I have the skills of a great ruler.

I know what should be done, but looking at the eyes of so many people as their faith converges on me...

It's quite heavy...

It's a weight I wasn't prepared to carry, and I'd be lying if it didn't make me flinch for a second.

However, in that instant, seeing their heads rise after my words...

Miwen: "Raise your weapons and show them your power!"

The scenery started to change. The houses and fields of the kingdom were no more, and in their place, all we could see was the dark of the night and the grey of the fortress wall standing before us.

As always, it was just a second to transition from the Kingdom to this world.

However, this time was so different...

It was like everything had slowed down.

And then, I thought to myself that... Perhaps the greats of my world were so much bigger and stronger than me, even without any special abilities, that they were never bothered by the weight of the hopes of the people they led.

Perhaps for great men, this weight is so meager that they don't even notice or feel it, carrying their lives and that of the people they rule over without paying it any notice...

But the fact that I felt it... The responsibility for every single one of my kingdom's citizens...

I was wondering what that meant.

Maybe... It wasn't a bad thing...

Miwen: "Claire... It's a bit too dark for me to watch."

Claire: "On it!"

True to her words, Claire had already prepared a spell while I spoke to the Snow White Wolves.

I couldn't tell how many lines she chanted.

Nor how many spells were actually activated.

All that was obvious to me was the power behind the two small fireballs she launched.

They started so small, almost the size of a golf ball.

There weren't even flames pouring out of them... They just looked like pure, concentrated fire and heat...

Without any of the chaos, just... A surreal order to it...

They were slow.

They traveled in a straight line.

The most predictable and easy-to-dodge attack...

As they traveled, they started to increase in size.

Their speed remained the same, but once they were about the size of a human's body...

They encountered an invisible barrier in their wall.

In that instant, they exploded with so much power that I could be tricked into believing it was actually Elizabeth who had launched the spell.

Suffice it to say, the barrier stood no chance.

The combined efforts of several different mages... It crumbled in a second.

There was a hole in the wall from bricks that had evaporated, crumbled, or fallen.

The gate and the guards guarding it were nowhere to be seen anymore, giving the Snow White Wolves the opportunity they needed to invade the fortress.

I could see a lot of soldiers desperately running everywhere in the walls.

They would soon be able to reconstruct the barrier, but by then it would be too late.

I had also prepared for that and brought a bunch of potions.

With them, Claire was able to contest their mages the entire night.

Unlike during the invasion of their island, this time, no magic barrier was going to stay in their way.

Miwen: "They are all yours~"

Mia: "...Charge!"

The Snow White Wolves have a few advantages against humans.

For starters, their race has a tendency for [Ice Magic] unlike humans, who tend to be evenly distributed.

This means that they can focus their spells and work from each other's magic.

It's not something easy to do, but they received pretty good training in magic control from a certain witch.

They also possess better physiques compared to humans. Equipped with stronger weapons and good armor, they are basically unstoppable.

The cherry on top of this siege was Mia though.

She's extremely quick and strong.

She's able to break through any formation and cause immense chaos.

Her courage and movement make her a challenging and fearsome opponent...

She's at the level where she could probably take one of Hamperlon's Generals now.

All things considered, while they lack a little in ranged firepower, the Snow White Wolves are incredible once we get them to fight directly.

Licia: "...Are you sure it's fine to not go with them? What if they get hurt?"

Miwen: "It's meaningful that they win by themselves..."

It wasn't riskless, but I believed in the strength they had cultivated.

All the training they did was for this moment, after all.

And with Mia by their side, as well as Claire keeping the mages occupied...

The chances of any of them dying were low.

Miwen: "Besides... If they get hurt, we have quite a few saints to treat them. The wound in their hearts is the only thing we can't do anything about. It's up to them whether or not they will succumb to it."

This made the risk worth it.

If they could overcome their trauma by defeating their enemy...

They would truly become an army worthy of my leadership.

Or at least, I wanted to think of myself as a mighty leader followed by a ridiculously powerful army that feared nothing and was battle-proven.

For that, I needed to see with my own two eyes that I could send them to battle without worrying about their mind, soul, or body crumbling.

I also wouldn't send them if I didn't believe in their victory.

Mia chose well when she decided that we should attack this fortress first.

It stood in the middle between the other two, and she predicted that because of this, the lord of the south would claim the coastline territory, meaning he would be as eager to attack, while the northmost lord would wait for both Terith's and Evretis' reactions before choosing his course of action.

Sandwiched between the two other lords, this one was the most likely to try to snatch territory, as the other vassals could easily lock him out of any.

Thanks to her read, we found the city in a fairly deplorable state.

Most of the troops meant to guard it had left together with some levies and mercenaries to invade Evretis.

According to our intelligence, the invaders numbered around a thousand at least.

With such an outrageous force for such a small city, it was obvious that they had cut corners.

Out of the expected 200 men that should be left as a garrison, only about 100 should still remain.

There was the matter of the citizens taking arms during an attack though, but... untrained peasants, even by the hundreds, couldn't offer much resistance to our soldiers.

With the power of the Snow White Wolves... Even if each met two or three opponents, they should be able to win.

Miwen: "In any case, you stay here and protect our artillery. If she lacks the firepower, you cover for her, alright?"

Claire: "I won't need it though..."

I don't doubt Claire's ability to both defend herself and pressure the enemy, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

The comment about her lacking firepower was definitely a tease though.

Rather than struggling, she was clearly having fun.

Licia: "Hm... And where might you be going, sir?"

Miwen: "Ah, you know... I'll take a stroll."

It was a bit of a bet.

If the lord inside the city was smart, he should be able to notice the deteriorating situation of this battle.

He could also be a coward and try to flee it at the first sight of trouble.

We had researched him a bit, and either option was possible, so I decided to make a move first.

Miwen: "Yo."

??????: "Out of the way!"

Miwen: "I am afraid I cannot do that."

A few hours after the siege had begun, I finally came face to face with him.

I had allowed a few caravans to pass through, but I checked everyone's level and clothes, just in case.

If the lord had managed to slip past me, frankly, he would have earned my respect.

However, the cavalry in front of me clearly denounced the man's identity.

A few were knights, that's for sure, but some were definitely not even trained soldiers...

For such men to be given a horse... It was a clear sign of desperation.

Miwen: "See, this is an important day for me and my friends, so I would rather avoid any regrets or disappointments. This includes allowing you to survive, Lord Baltgus. The civilians and the messengers are free to go. But you... Either you die there, or you die here. Frankly, I'd rather you die there since It will be too much work for me to-"

Baltgus: "Do not stop! Stomp him if you need to!"

Miwen: "...Drag your body back."

About thirty cavalrymen charged towards me.

A few were riding horses, but most were riding monsters or other animals.

I felt a little bad for the innocent creatures, but...

Being stomped to death wasn't on my to-do list.

Thus, I took Cassandra out of her sheath.

She was practically hidden by the darkness of the night due to the black metal of her sword form.

With her pointed at the man charging at me, I noticed a combination of multiple types of attacks.

Some men had readied lances and swords, some had cast spells, and a few even tried shooting at me with arrows.

The long-range attacks weren't very dangerous. Their aim was extremely bad as a result of riding while shooting, as well as... Being less than professionals.
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I chose not to bother with them too much.

However, to be fair, I didn't have to bother with anything.

Not even the men approaching with their swords ready to draw blood were any danger to me.

Cassandra used her [Sword Magic] to prepare a volley of swords before we made contact. Using my [Wind Magic] I enhanced them, and no one soldier was able to defend themselves against our combined attack.

Every man and mount fell before me, not even the dust dirtying my clothes.

The only exception was the lord himself.

Although his ride had been killed, he stood tall, having been able to defend himself against one of Cassandra's swords.

His own had broken in doing so, but... He quickly grabbed a replacement from one of the corpses on the ground.

I was fairly impressed by it.

He looked ready to give his life to kill me.

From what I had heard, this man was a traitor.

His nation was taken over by Hamperlon a few decades ago, and he started bootlicking to rise to the position of lord he now has.

Before that, he was said to have been a competent knight...

I was looking forward to seeing his swordplay in action since I heard it was decent, but...

That never came to be.

All I saw was him readying himself and preparing his stance.

The moment he raised his sword and directed his bloodlust at me... The life in his eyes disappeared.

Blood started pouring out of his body, hiding the weapon that had killed him.

It was almost like his own shadow had betrayed him...

Miwen: "And you didn't want to take the cat out for a walk..."

Cassandra: "I'm going to get rusty if you don't let me play too..."

Miwen: "I'm sure you'll have plenty of chances."

We accepted anyone who wanted to surrender after that, and we also allowed anyone who wanted to flee to do so.

I didn't want to hide what happened in this city today, as I believed it would be important for our future plans to instill a bit of fear and hesitation in Hamperlon's nobles as well as their king.

A little after our battle, the dawn finally came, and the light started pouring in, bringing an end to the bloodbath.

The Kingdom's first siege against another nation ended in an absolute victory.

There were a few wounded on our side, but their treatment wouldn't be too difficult.

We were also able to rescue a dozen or so Snow White Wolves who were living in the city as beggars or slaves.

The hope to rescue even more of their kind made Mia and her tribe even more excited to fight and conquer other cities.