Ever since we wiped out the bandit gang and recruited Barzak into the army, Baha Balm has been peaceful.

With security settled, all our work can proceed smoothly.

This operation should keep the territory quiet for a long time.

I sipped tea comfortably in my castle office, finally able to relax for a moment.

But leaving administration to Doria doesn’t seem right.

Huh, capable Doria will handle it fine. I’ll just enjoy this brief leisure.

Of the thirty thousand surrendered soldiers, twenty thousand joined the army. The other ten thousand, tired of risking their lives, took farmland to live quietly.

So Baha Balm now has twenty-three thousand troops. Not enough to attack others, but no one dares attack us.

With so many soldiers, Chining’s elite training plan started. He’s been busy selecting troops lately.

Mentu, meanwhile, has been hanging out with Barzak. This pairing is surprising—a loud, boisterous man and a silent one getting along so well.

I assigned Barzak six thousand soldiers to lead his own unit. His insane strength and leadership make him a perfect general.

But our army lacks cavalry. Baha Balm has no pasture for warhorses.

In this southern region, only Leahdon excels at animal husbandry. Other areas rely on farming.

I sipped tea, half-closing my eyes, and started calculating finances.

Baha Balm’s commerce is weak. Due to severe disasters, merchants come but never stay long. Our trade tax isn’t lower than others’, so there’s no profit. Few merchants visit.

To develop commerce, irrigation will solve disasters. Next, we need a hook to attract merchants.

Huh, basking in the warm afternoon sun, I pondered again.

“Hey, Mentu, this wine is great!”

“Of course.”

“Where’d you get it?”

“Rice wine from Bas.”

“Huh, it must be expensive… here, take it back.”

“You’ve had it; I don’t share drinks.”

So Barzak tilted his head back and chugged the rice wine.

These two are training soldiers in the barracks. Drinking isn’t appropriate!

Mentu stroked his beard, squinting at the energetic troops.

Barzak’s soldiers always have high morale.

Though not the smartest, his leadership and combat skills are top-notch.

After spending time with Barzak, Mentu grew fond of his straightforward personality. It reminded him of his distant hometown’s customs.

His hometown was in the western frontier, part of a nomadic tribe. The Uler Empire used to welcome minorities, but over time, discrimination grew. Mentu was furious. Believing in his skills, he left home to make his tribe’s name, so they’d no longer be looked down on.

But after arriving, Mentu faced constant setbacks… largely due to his arrogance. He demanded a military position upfront without proving his worth. So he struggled, barely getting one meal a day.

When he saw Baha Balm’s announcement, the “no regard for status” part attracted him. He traveled far to join.

At first, Mentu was disappointed; it felt like his previous attempts.

But then Baha Balm’s Strategist gave him a deputy general position. He was overjoyed, thinking, “There are truly people who recognize talent!”

So he showed his skills on the battlefield, determined not to disappoint the Strategist!

After some time here, besides the Strategist he admired, he was satisfied with Lord Alto. Alto’s benevolence suited him. He decided to settle here.

Should I bring my tribe here… Baha Balm needs people, but my tribe are nomads. Will the Strategist agree?

Nomads aren’t good at farming and aren’t willing. Plus, Baha Balm has no pastureland.

Mentu was troubled.

“Hey, Mentu, why the gloomy face? I’ll buy you more wine later.”

“It’s not about the wine.”

“Then why the sour look?”

“I want to bring my tribe here. It’s a good place.”

“Yeah, it’s great! I’m well-fed and happy here! Just bring them!”

“But my tribe are nomads. They might not be useful to the territory.”

“You gotta try! Ask the Strategist!”

“Makes sense.”

Mentu was startled by Barzak’s words. Could this guy be wise in his simplicity?

“Hey, you! Stand straight! No slacking! This is training!”

Nah, probably not.

“You handle the training; I’m not good at it. I’ll go find the Strategist.”

Mentu said all that, his tongue almost tied. For someone so taciturn, it was quite a speech.

Leaving the barracks, Mentu mounted his horse and galloped to the castle.

“Is the Strategist in?”

A knock startled me awake at my office door.

I quickly tidied up and sat straight!

I sat in my chair, hands folded under my chin, putting on a serious expression. (Not the girlish way—the proper, back-of-hands supporting chin pose.)

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Mentu.”

“Door’s unlocked; come in.”

Mentu opened the door gently, seeing me in that pose. When he paused, I knew it worked—he thought I looked composed and busy!

“What’s the matter?”

“I want to bring my tribe here.”

“Your tribe? Are you from a minority?”

“Yes.”

“How many people?”

“About ten thousand.”

“Nomadic?”

“Yes.”

“You can bring them. Our territory lacks population. Compared to Leahdon and Tren, Baha Balm is sparsely populated. Even after absorbing the wild army, we only have seventy thousand. Others have hundreds of thousands.”

“But my tribe only knows herding.”

“No problem. They can join the army or help with irrigation projects. More hands speed up construction. Besides, we might have pastureland later.”

“Here.”

“How do you plan to bring them?”

“I’ll write a letter myself.”

“Alright. Anything else?”

“No, sorry to bother you.”

Mentu’s eyebrows lifted slightly, a hint of joy on his face.

Seeing me seemingly busy, he left.

The Strategist must be busy with the whole territory.

Actually, I wasn’t busy at all. After Mentu left, I immediately lay down to sip tea and bask in the sun.

So many good things today. Will Baha Balm’s population finally exceed one hundred thousand?

Hehe, happy, I took a sip of tea first.