Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi-Novel

Chapter 88: Springtime Grand Training Exercise

–Aegir POV–

Each squad in the central army and all the gathered commanders of each of the lords are shouting.

「2nd Division Cavalry Company to the front!!」

「Divide into your respective units and advance.」

「Follow Knight Arnaf.1」

「Heavy knights of Maroff, demonstrate your power!!」

「......」

「This is terrible......」

Celia, who lines up beside me, and Leopolt have a discouraged look on their faces. The central army is organized in a style similar to the Federation...... adopting a method with 200 people per group divided into companies, splitting and merging based on necessity. My private army and the eastern independent army will be used together so I had them follow their methods too. In addition, I have the absolutely incompatible bow cavalry do as much as they can to participate in the training and reorganization of troops.

「But if everybody is doing their own thing to this degree, it’s conversely a good thing.」

「......If you mean for the others, then yes.」

Even when Leopolt smiles, he’s dripping with sarcasm.

The lords’ armies were that free to do as they pleased. Since they’re small-time lords, they personally lead the troops, and the cavalry, archers and spearmen are all mixed into a dumpling-like formation as they march forward. There are also instances where a 500-man army is divided into two groups, but depending on the standing of the commanders, the groups are split into a 100-man group and a 400-man group. Of course, the composition of their troops are all over the place.

There are no limits to the number of problematic points I can speak of, but there is one thing that bothers me to no end.

「Heeey, why if it isn’t Viscount Hardlett! You have a large army as expected, huh? But still, my troops won’t lose to yours.」

I feel like I’ve seen this middle-aged man before in a past ball.

According to Nonna, he should be one of the traditional nobles that ‘understand’ the new nobles and he also had the mark that indicated he was only staring at her breasts.

「Behold! The ones like demons that have participated actively in the Arkland war campaign, the gale lightning strike phoenix heavy spear knights.」

「......They look amazing in a lot of ways, don’t you think?」

「............」

Celia becomes expressionless. Leopolt, you would have snickered to yourself, right?

I don’t know in which way they appear to be like a lightning strike or a gale, but for the time being, I can tell what they are trying to represent with a phoenix on their armor and their fluttering red capes.

「Well, well, isn’t that just light armor? My gold lightning knights won’t lose to that!」

The knights that arrive are nothing like golden knights, much less lightning. It seems that most of the nobles participating in this training exercise have brought their self-made groups of knights, with more or less long and meaningless names attached to them.

「As I thought, rather than a military exercise, this is closer to a show-off exhibition for the nobles that have gathered here.」

「That might be the case. Which means there might have been some meaning to bringing a large army. The influence that we have in our territory tends to fade when we’re in the central area. It will work positively in our favor if we moderately show off our existence.」

As I converse with Leopolt, a large cloud-shaped army splits into several positions, pushing through and surging forward, as if shoving aside the lords’ armies that scattered about on the training grounds. It is the primary force of Goldonia – the troops under Erich’s command and the main force of central army.

Having been brushed aside like that, the nobles who have been happily showing off their own armies now have unpleasant expressions.

「I see, contrasting the disorderly lords’ armies with the well-commanded central army; their aim is probably to display the king’s overwhelming power.」

Leopolt whispers and Celia nods in agreement.

「But while those guys may look irritated, they don’t appear to be overwhelmed at all.」

「A fool that doesn’t even understand the differences between himself and others won’t become a problem from the start.」

Fumu, is that how it is?

「S-so many warriors are here......the chiefs of the plains are awesome......」

The accompanying Luna stares in wonder at the central army. Even with all the mountain nation gathered, they amount to only 10 000, but if we just count the central army, there are already close to 70 000 troops. Not all of them have gathered, but it is still an overwhelming sight.

「Lord Hardlett, have you caused any accidents?」

Once the army finishes lining up, Erich comes over. His face looks somewhat tired after seeing the lords’ distinctive armies are out on display.

「No problems here.」

「-!!」

Luna, seeing how I slightly bowed my head, was shocked and froze in place. Maybe I shouldn’t be showing this to her too much.

「Hm? Over there...... you’ve increased them again? You’re free to increase the number of women you have, but I won’t praise you for bringing them along with you to the army.」

「Luna is an excellent commander. I didn’t have her accompany me as a woman.」

Luna gets off her horse in a hurry seeing how his gaze was concentrated on her. She probably doesn’t know how to react to a person of a higher standing than me, her chief.

「We’re in the middle of training, you can remain on your horse.」

After being urged by Erich, she once again jumped on her horse.

「Hooh, to be able to jump on a warhorse like that, she must not be your ordinary woman. So she isn’t just your lover?」

That’s what I’ve been saying. However, the only man by my side on the battlefield is Leopolt, while I have Celia, Irijina and Luna for a total of three women. If this continues, it will be harder to deny the rumors that I’m a womanizer.

While I was thinking, Erich mentions something to his subordinate, then speaks to me again when he finished.

「Lord Hardlett, your men also look like they’re bored with various things. This isn’t a venting of frustration, but don’t you want to try doing some actual combat training?」

What Erich suggested is actual combat training with a baron, another new noble who received territory.

「Your troops will be the same number as the opponent – 600 – and they will only be infantry. From what I can see, you have many cavalry, but as expected we can’t have the cavalry participate in actual combat after all.」

Even if the cavalry don’t have weapons, their existence is threatening enough. More so, if the training horses charge against the war horses, the smaller horses who jump out in front first will just get trampled.

If it’s only 600 infantry, Leopolt may be discontent...... I could always do it, but I might get too heated. If that’s the case, then.......

「Celia, you take command.」

「Eeh!?」

Celia’s eyes open wide in amazement, but I think it’s fine to let her command a number as small as this. Irijina already has experience commanding a similar-sized group, so it won’t be new to her. Plus, this is just training, so even if she makes a mistake, it doesn’t mean much.

「You’re competent enough. Do you not want to do it?」

「No!! Please allow me! Please let me do it!!」

「Get ready right away.」

When I take a look, Erich is the one who is staring in amazement.

「Lord Hardlett...... the opponent isn’t someone like you, but he’s still a somewhat capable soldier. He isn’t senile enough that you can put a woman as his opponent.」

It’s fine, isn’t it? It seems interesting. Rather, I honestly think Celia can go pretty far with this. I’ll give her one more push to increase her winning percentage even more.

「Celia, if you win, I’ll make lots of love to you one-on-one tonight.」

The cute girl’s face turns red as she jumps forward as fast as an arrow.

「Let the training begin!!」

We oversee the grounds on top of the watchtower as the 600-infantry squad advances on both sides. When they reach a certain point, the archers start shooting and both sides receive a rain of arrows from above.

The tips of the arrows and spears are covered in thick cloth to limit their lethality, but they will still hurt if they hit, and it is possible to die if you trip and fall onto them. It is training to simulate actual combat after all, so determination to prepare for this degree of danger is needed.

「They still didn’t come out from that?」

「Appears so.」

If my head gets hit by a spear, then I’d feel like beating the opponent to death. Not to brag, but with my strength, I could kill people if I threw it at them, wrapped in cloth or not.

「Ooh, they moved.」

Erich shouts with an excited voice. Amongst the volley of arrows, the first one to crumble was Celia. The center portion of the soldiers, receiving concentrated fire from the arrows, wasn’t able to endure and started to retreat backwards ever-so-slightly, causing both wings to cave in. Naturally, the opponent didn’t miss this chance to focus their attacks on the center portion, divide them up and try to defeat them instantly.

「「This is......」」

Leopolt’s and Erich’s voices overlap. It seems unnatural to me too. No matter what happened, it is too quick for them to collapse, and the way they’re collapsing is too forced.

Sure enough, the opponent instantly concentrate their attacks in the center, but as if the collapse never happened, Celia’s central portion didn’t take any additional steps backward. Then, the right and left wings quickly commence their attacks from the flanks.

「It’s a half envelopment!」

Erich shouts loudly. Somehow, this guy is enjoying himself the most.

If there are enemies besides the ones in front and you also attack from the flank, you force yourself to fight a hard battle. But if you use a half envelopment, you can receive the attacks from both flanks. In this kind of situation, the enemy squad will rapidly exhaust themselves, and they will be unable to bulldoze their way through. If they fall into a half envelopment, they will have to decide whether to reinforce the flanks or retreat, or else their squad will collapse in the blink of an eye.

The opponent is receiving the attacks from both wings and trying to break free somehow, but they eventually give up and begin to retreat. But Celia wouldn’t be satisfied with that.

「Umu, to be able to turn that situation around and counterattack in no time at all, you wouldn’t think a woman is leading the army.」

Rather than calling it the ability to lead, it might be related to her personality. Celia has an offensive personality in the first place anyways. Since she doesn’t have to turn around and defend any longer, she can step forward to attack.

Celia’s squad is leaning towards the right wing and are rotating around the opponent while continuing their fierce attacks. The opposing soldiers appear to be moving to the rear guard, unable to deal with the continuous attacks following their failed offensive maneuver. Most of all, the majority of Celia’s soldiers are engaging the opponent, while many of the other party’s soldiers on the opposite side of the rotating attacks have no clue what is going on, turning into toy soldiers.

「However, this is an oversight. If she switches the most fatigued soldiers from the center portion with the soldiers on the left wing and continues her attack, she would be able to instantly crush them.」

If Leopolt says so, then she still has a ways to go, but even so, Celia’s squad is overwhelming the opponent. As the commander, Celia is the only one on a horse and is wielding her sword while shouting. The formation instantly changes to form a clean convex shape.

「It’s a charge! She intends to settle things quickly!!」

Erich is really enjoying himself. He asked one of his men to take command of the central army so he can enjoy himself here, right?

The opponent is responding with a box formation, but Celia’s order to charge was one step faster. Having the entire army charge to follow up with the rain of arrows which collapsed the enemy formation – I know it’s just training, but when I see the soldiers shouting like this, it gets me excited. With by-the-book tactics, the enemy unit is torn apart and everything falls into chaos as the opponent allows Celia’s army to penetrate through to the center. At Erich’s orders, an arrow with a cloth attached to it is shot up and the training is finished. It is Celia’s victory.

「I thought you surrounded yourself with young girls to relieve your sexual urges, but it turns out she’s quite the female wolf.」

Erich saw something interesting so he has a satisfied smile on his face.

「For the final charge, you didn’t need to form such a neat formation in that situation. Rather than managing your own allies, you should take advantage of the enemy’s confusion and start charging as soon as possible.」

「......」

After the battle, Celia is talking to Leopolt about something. She’s looking a little discouraged but she writes down everything in her Celia-notepad. In the past, I took a peek when she was asleep, and in that notebook, there are things ranging from analysis of diplomatic information, considered to be national secrets, to the locations of the most delicious confectionaries. By the way, Celia also noted the day she suffered diarrhea, but the page was splattered in ink and turned pitch black.

「Celia, well done.」

Unlike Leopolt, I’ll openly praise her. Although it was just training, it was still a fight, and everything will be fine if she wins. It might be fine to entrust Celia with soldiers from now on.

「Thank you very much! S-so now......」

「Let’s make tomorrow a day off, since I’ll be so affectionate with you that you won’t even be able to stand. How do you want it?」

「......」

Celia hugs me without saying anything. When she’s like this, it’s ridiculous to consider her as a commander; she’s just my cute Celia.

Night

「Aaaah!! It feels good!! I’ll cum!!」

Inside the tent, Celia is lying flat on her back on the bed while I’m in between her spread-open legs, burying my face in her crotch and thoroughly licking her vagina. Celia gets embarrassed and hugs a pillow, hiding half her face.

But I don’t hold back. I grab the tight and slender thigh, hold it firmly and lick her intensely, making loud sloshing noises, spreading my saliva inside her hole with my tongue and also sticking my tongue in her ass when an opportunity presents itself.

「My ass is dirty! Please stop!」

I remove my mouth since she was desperately struggling, but honey-like fluid is overflowing from her hole, and even her asshole is opening up, although just slightly. Her body is clearly not disliking it.

「You don’t want it? Even though you’ve become this wet?」

「It’s embarrassing......plus to have you lick such a dirty part is a little......」

I put fingers in both of her holes as I bring my face closer to her.

「What am I to you today?」

「Uhm, well...... my daddy......」

「Then you don’t have to hold back. I will lick you anywhere and everywhere. You just have to feel good.」

I remove my finger and I lick around her loose and open asshole and vagina, but this time she doesn’t resist at all.

「Daddy! It feels good, I can’t hold it anymore, I’m gonna squirt!!」

The inside of her hole starts to twitch so I fix my mouth to her crotch and also rub my nose against her clitoris as well.

「Ah!! Aah—-!!」

Celia tosses away the pillow and presses against my head with both hands as she convulses. At the same time, a large amount of her love juices flows into my mouth.

「Haa, haa, ......I’m sorry. I sprayed my juices in daddy’s mouth......in return, this time I’ll-」

Celia and I are already naked. She gets on all fours while still breathing roughly, approaches me and brings the already hard member to her open mouth.

「Celia’s mouth is small after all. It’s fine if you don’t swallow it, just lick the entire thing.」

「Hhahmo, I undesthan.」

Celia sticks out her tongue and gently licks my meat rod. At first, she services me in between my legs while I was sitting on the bed, but as I gradually got more and more aroused and my dick got more erect, she is slowly moving further out.

「It’s getting larger and harder. ......Can I get on your lap?」

When I pet her head and smile, she straddles my thigh and drops her bum on my lap, continuing to lick and suck my meat rod. While she was licking me, love juices were dripping endlessly onto my thigh and she was also slowly grinding her clitoris against me. The slippery feeling also increases my pleasure, and right when Celia had to gulp the pre-cum leaking from the tip, I push her shoulder and separate our bodies.

「Stand in front and show me your entire body.」

「Yes!」

Celia stands by the side of the bed, spreads her legs shoulder-width apart and exposes everything to me. Her hands are clasped behind her head, and she didn’t hide any part of her body. Celia slowly turns her body around so that I can see the front and the back, and my dick pulses, getting even larger.

「How is it? ......Are there any weird areas? Is it better for me to shave all the hair from my crotch area?」

「It’s fine if you don’t. Your silver hair is pretty. Your body has also matured quite nicely......your breasts have become more like a woman’s and your posture is getting erotic.」

「Aegir-sama......It is so that I can give everything to Aegir-sama. It’s for that reason that I became this naughty.」

Celia also gets turned on from showing me everything and seems to have forgotten the setting. Her gaze is completely drawn to my meat rod.

When I stroke my rod slowly in front of her, Celia couldn’t bear it and lowers her hands from her head, spreading her own hole open for me. If she shows me this much, I’ll have no choice but to put it in her. I jump up from the bed to close the distance between us instantly and lift her up by hugging her hips.

「I’m just gonna skewer you like this, ‘kay?」

「Yes, please thrust it in me while holding me like this.」

As I hold Celia, the two of us adjust our bodies to match each other and she positions my shaft at the entrance of her hole.

「Here I go............It’s going to pierce me!!!」

It was almost as if Celia fell down on me when we connect with each other, and the momentum instantly causes half my meat rod to shove into her. The current length buried into her is Celia’s limit. My rod is already pushing against Celia’s womb and she’s moaning like crazy.

「More! I want more of Aegir-sama’s penis to be deeper inside me! I want to take it in all the way to the root!!」

「If I put any more in you, you’ll break. If you just rock your body, you’ll feel good.」

「Uuu, it’s fine even if my body breaks, and even if I can’t bear children......as long as Aegir-sama is by my side and is willing to make love to me, I’ll be happy no matter what you do......」

「Don’t say that, because having you bear my children one day is a pleasure for me too.」

I say this while rocking Celia up and down and granting her pleasure. She responds to my actions by gasping and spraying her love juices.

After that, we didn’t just do it hugging while standing, but also hugging while sitting, with her pushed up against the wall, and lying together on our sides. While watching my cute Celia distort her expressions, I prepare myself to climax.

「Please pardon me.」

Feeling that I’m about to cum, Celia wants to get me even more turned on by biting the nape of my neck.

「Hey, the last time you did it, something terrible happened.」

「My hole has expanded since that time, so it should be fine this time.」

I touch Celia’s face and brush my hand over her nape and mouth.

「When my cock expands and I see your look of suffering, it makes my heart wilt. Please let me make you feel good and then ejaculate.」

「......alright. But I’ll one day make it more gaping wide and show you that I can take Aegir-sama’s thing all the way to the root.」

Conversely, I suck on the nape of the motivated Celia and bite lightly. It wasn’t hard enough to draw, but it was just enough to leave mark behind, letting me feel a sense of complete dominance over her.

「Ah!? Don’t tell me!」

Celia hugs me in a panic.

「Sorry, cumming!!」

「Aaaah!! Daddy! Your seed is coming outtt!!」

My hips remain still, but the feeling of dominating her incite my ejaculation and the suddenly expanding cock starts to pulse strongly. Celia wraps her legs around me so as to not let me escape and squeezes me to brace for what was coming. If it was a man with a weak dick, he would have felt pain from the tight clenching, but my cock pushes back with strong pulses as it injects my seed juices deep into her.

「Daddy...... Daddy......」

Celia remembers the setting she was in and starts whispering in my ear, as my long ejaculation continues and she remains in ecstasy. The seed that enters her womb causes her belly to inflate, while the stuff that couldn’t fit spills out of the entrance with a considerable amount of momentum.

「Aaah......it feels good. Celia, you were really good.」

While still cumming, I scoop some of the semen that spilled out with my finger and when I brought it to Celia’s mouth, she lovingly licks all of it.

「Daddy, I love you ......more than anything in this world......and more than anyone......」

It felt like a spike pierced my heart a little but the thoughts melt away after the passionate kissing and the tangling of tongues.

Guards were standing outside our tent, so when Celia realizes that, she’ll turn bright red. Although that’ll probably be tomorrow.

–Third Person POV–

Treia, Outskirts of Roleil

「The construction seems to be progressing steadily.」

Amongst the sounds of work, a noble wearing a fancy-colored cloak is overlooking everything on horseback. That was the person who rarely left the capital, the prime minister of Treia – Marquess Dunois.

「Of course it is, prime minister, Your Excellency. It is advancing even further than your initial plans.」

The noble conversing with the prime minister isn’t a youngster full of vigor, but rather an elderly noble who is stroking his long white beard. He is an old general and also the commander of the fortress planned to be built on the northern boundaries.

「Hooh, so the twist in the story about the famine, was that true?」

「Yes, there was a famine causing a lack of food, though having said that, the revolt that we are still severely careful about can no longer happen anymore. Then, at least the daily food alone will be supplied for the construction of the fortress and the occupied citizens will have no choice but to work for us. Not only the prisoners, but also the poor will come running to work for us.」

The old noble uses the name ‘residents of the occupied land’. The nation of Treia is already permanently dominating the former Arkland territory, and has given up on gaining any profits. Now the area is a so-called buffer in place for the coming battle with Goldonia and only has value as a supply base for the labor force.

「Though imperfect, if there is a way for them to live without rebelling, then the cowardly people will choose our side.」

「............」

The two of them stop talking for some time. Even though you give them enough food to not to starve to death, constructing a fortress is a gruelling work cruel enough to grind the rebels to death. The both of them knew that eventually most of them will die of illness or overwork. The two of them change the subject.

「As far as I can see, the fortress is already pretty complete, don’t you think?」

「It’s nothing really, I just added some minor improvements to the northern fortress line that was already built up over several decades.」

「With this, even if Goldonia sends an army of 10 000 troops over here, they shouldn’t be able to breakthrough that easily.」

「Of course, prime minister. Although I’m old, I have considerable confidence in the construction of a fortress. Even with the thick fortress walls, a moat and fence will also be surrounding the building. So it isn’t something that can be brought down with some ballista or catapult, and if they were to capture our camps one by one, it would take an enormous amount of time and sacrifices on their part.」

The prime minister agrees and nods. Conscription is already occurring within the nation and several tens of thousands of new troops can be reinvested. Those inexperienced guys may not be useful in a field battle, but if it’s a fortress siege, then they should be able to produce results just through their numbers. According to the information from the spies, Goldonia’s military strength is about 80 000 compared to 40 000 on Treia’s side, but if they hole up in the fortress, they will definitely not be at a disadvantage.

「Anyways, in the east......how should we deal with ’that’ guy?」

The elder noble continues to speak.

「He doesn’t have such a large army, but has defeated our kingdom’s army several times, and his ability to instantly invade into the central area cannot be underestimated. With him running around, he will hinder us in our battle in the north too.」

「We will be taking countermeasures. It is simple, but I plan to construct a moat and fence surrounding our encampments at the border zone in the east. We won’t be able to protect the adjacent occupied territory, but if there is an attack, the guards will immediately burn the food and poison the wells before retreating.」

On the eastern side, there is a newly appointed commander with plenty of experience. There shouldn’t be any big screwups.

「His main force consists mainly of cavalry. If we just set up moats and fences, he will lose his superiority, and water and fodder will just pile up. He can’t bring enough portions for everybody after all, so if we burn each and every village and prevent him from getting any supplies, he’ll stop advancing eventually.」

Most of it was from second-hand opinions from soldiers, but that’s enough. Someone like the prime minister doesn’t need to know the details of the army.

「It’s fine if the eastern area – the worst area – gets roughed up. If the surrounding nations get involved too, that guy won’t be able to move at all, even in the remote regions.」

Just in case, when the time for war comes, an army will need to be placed at the eastern border. If there is an anti-cavalry unit and the encampments are used defensively, it won’t be so easy to invade like the previous incident. The top priority in the prime minister’s mind is definitely that the main forces of Goldonia will come down south to the northern border. Everything depends on whether the fortress is able to withstand or not.

「It may be a redundant check, but how long will it hold up against the entire army of Goldonia?」

The old noble puffs out his chest.

「Excluding the forces in the east, if we concentrate the rest of the troops in this fortress, we can easily hold out for one year at this moment...... if we have until autumn, even if they attack continuously for five years, I’ll show you that this fortress won’t crumble.」

The prime minister estimates that it would take half a year to get the surrounding nations to act. If the fortress can hold out that long, he can convince each nation and Goldonia will start to feel uneasy as well. One year is plenty of time.

「Wonderful! But just to be really sure, make some finishing touches to make the fortress even stronger. I will provide you with the materials and funds with top priority.」

「That is much appreciated. Since we were stuck inside the castle during the times Arkland was doing well, and considering the times we kept saying we disliked being on the defensive, this is pretty much a dream...... By the way, prime minister, Your Excellency, this fortress has names for each castle, but the entirety is still unnamed. With such a large fortress as this, it would be sad to leave its name as ‘the northern fortress’, don’t you think?」

The prime minister, who has many faces even in political situations, has a rare smile on his face.

「Count, this fortress is basically the same as your child. In that case, I shall give it a name befitting that significance...... the impenetrable fortress that protects our Treia will be named the Majino Fortress.」

「Oooh......! To use my name on a fortress that will remain guarding our country for all eternity...... there is no greater honor than this!!」

The prime minister and the elder noble, Count Majino, give each other a toast with the glasses that their men brought them. There was nobody who doubts the majestic appearance of this endlessly continuing wall of stone will protect them from any and all threats.

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett. 21 years old. Spring.

(Traditional age reckoning)

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Viscount. Feudal Lord of Arkland Southeast Area. King of the Mountains

Troops Commanded: Eastern Independent Army 2000, Private Army 3000, Bow Cavalry 3000 At most 6000

Assets: 9350 gold (6600) (Internal Affairs Materials -200) (Labor Cost -400) (Nonna -30)

Weapons: Dual Crater (large sword), Large spear

Family: Nonna (wife), Rita (maid?), Catherine (lewd), Melissa, Maria, Sebastian (butler), Ruby (Luna’s follower), Miti, Alma, Kroll

Children: Sue, Miu, Ekaterina (daughter), Antonio (son), Kuu, Ruu, Rose (foster)

Territory: Carla (concubine), Mel (concubine), Yoguri (just eating meals)

Subordinates: Celia (adjutant), Irijina (commander), Luna (commander), Pipi (follower), Leopolt (staff officer), Adolph (domestic affairs official), Claire (official merchant), Schwartz (horse)

Sexual Partners: 51, children who have been born: 9