I will be crowned king

Grand Duchy of Thun, White Tower City.

A month later, Anson and Stormtrooper returned to the castle again - the only difference was that they were guests who watched indifferently last time, but this time they were her masters.

The entire castle rises next to the lake. To the south is the crystal clear Mirror Lake, which serves as a moat. The east and west wings are surrounded by rolling hills and densely forested. To the north is the open wilderness, with large and small villages, manors, orchards, windmills... just like The earth is decorated like stars.

The pure white White Tower City looks like a huge knight's sword standing in the center, facing the icy peaks of the morning sun in the distance.

As the territory closest to the south of the Grand Duchy of Thun, although the White Tower City is far smaller than the Golden Stone City, the population - or the Yser elves - is not dense, and it is not as prosperous as the surrounding Golden Stone City. There are splendid buildings in the city. Palaces, solemn cathedrals, magnificent mansions built by nobles and wealthy businessmen...

However, the annual vassal tax paid by White Tower City to Archduke Claude Francois reached one-half of the total.

The Brand family who rules here and the Yser elves who live here have been frugally developing the fertile land under their feet over the past hundred years, regardless of the cost, trying to thrive and turn this place into the Kingdom of Yser. An enclave south of the Dawn Mountains.

Now, all their centuries of accumulation have turned into the spoils of the Stormtroopers; the royal flag of Clovis is flying on the top of the castle tower; tens of thousands of elves are forced to leave their homes again, abandoning their new home and returning to the Kingdom of Yser.

Although there had been a turmoil, apart from the looting and looting of the countryside outside the city by Thun soldiers, the entire castle itself was still very well preserved - the turrets on the city wall were still intact, and the streets were set on fire except for a few places. Even though the door was burned and forcibly broken open, various facilities could still be used normally, allowing the stormtroopers to enter calmly without spending much effort on repairs.

Of course, there is no need to think about the property - the treasury and all important warehouses in the castle were emptied by Claude Francois. Even the curtains, chandeliers and other furniture were removed, leaving Anson with basically only a "rough house" .

The manor outside the city was also very thoroughly looted by Thun soldiers. The pig pens and chicken coops were clean enough for people to live in. There were only starved rats in the granaries. Apart from crows and wild dogs, not a single living thing was left in the fields and villages.

According to the little secretary's estimation, if the entire Earldom of White Tower City is to be re-operated, a large amount of manpower and material resources will need to be invested in leasing tenant farmers, restoring communities, and cultivating fields... The initial investment will be at least 200,000 gold coins.

Now if Anson wants to come up with such a sum of money, he can only borrow money from usury - the little clerk very tactfully said that he is not familiar with the local church, but if Anson really insists, he can only make sure to borrow as much money as possible For a full loan, interest is not guaranteed.

It can be seen that the Grand Duke of Thun is really worried that Clovis and the Yser Elf are playing the same trick... carve out a piece of land in the Grand Duke of Thun, and then occupy the magpie's nest.

And compared with the Yser elves of different races, it is not easy for the Clovis people to take over this enclave; as long as they are willing to spend money to rebuild, force a group of people to move in, and then recruit some from the land. Refugees serve as sharecroppers and the lower class of the population...

In just a dozen or even a few years, the fertile White Tower City will be able to have tens of thousands of people, stable agriculture and a sizable army, reaching the level that the Ysel elves took hundreds of years to achieve.

By then, as long as it waits for a few more decades and allows White Tower City to complete the transition of a generation, the Kingdom of Clovis will be able to launch an invasion of Thun by claiming that "White Tower City has been a sacred and indivisible territory since ancient times." ——This kind of thing has never happened.

However, Claude Francois was obviously overly worried. Anson was now eager to discount some of his assets. How could he invest in such real estate that was destined to have nothing to do with him?

If he dares to stay in Thun, there is no need for the François family to take action. Sophia Franz, whose investment was in vain, and Thalia Rune, who was promised a bad check, will kill him alive with their own hands. .

Of course, understanding is one thing, accepting is another. Young Leon, who personally accompanied Anson, saw the messy scene in White Tower City. He immediately expressed his shame and asked his father to remove all the original buildings in the castle. Return all the belongings and utensils, and send more manpower to rebuild the White Tower City, and will never let Ansen suffer any injustice!

The tolerant and generous deputy commander declined very politely in the eyes of his adjutant, but the more he declined, the more insistent little Leon became, and the two sides eventually quarreled.

The ashamed and annoyed Leon even asked Anson aggrievedly, did he not regard himself as a friend and family member, and did he feel that the two parties only had a cold interest relationship?

Nonsense, who would be willing to travel so far to fight without money? Wouldn't it be better to stay in Clovis City and be an office worker who clocks in on time and gets a subsidy?

So Anson could only "helplessly" accept it, and even under Little Leon's questioning, he came up with the White Tower City reconstruction plan that he "happened" to carry with him.

In this plan, the entire Earldom of White Tower City was thoroughly planned as a pure military base - with the castle as the core, there are core military camps, large warehouses for the storage of supplies and weapons, and dedicated warehouses for heavy baggage vehicles. Roads, there are training places for new recruits...

The entire plan is expected to cost 50,000 gold coins, and can be constructed in phases. It is expected to be fully operational in three months.

Leon, who was "completely victorious", picked up the plan drawing and immediately said excitedly that he would return to Jinshi City immediately, and the Francois family would fund the construction, striving to be operational in two months and complete within half a year.

The moved Anson immediately held young Leon's hands and solemnly promised him that there would always be a place for Leon Francois in the military meetings of the Storm Division.

In the evening, the two reluctantly said goodbye in front of the Mirror Lake, which was dyed golden red by the setting sun. Anson personally helped Leon onto the saddle and waved to the lonely figure until the other person's figure turned into a phantom, rising from the horizon. Lost traces...

"I think you've been going too far lately."

Looking at Leon Francois's retreating back, Carl Bain couldn't help but speak.

"Do you have it?" Anson raised his head, took out the cigarette case from his coat pocket and handed it over:

"I think it's good. It's all of his own free will. If I don't agree, he'll fall out!"

"Did he do it voluntarily?" Karl, who resisted rolling his eyes, twitched his temples, took the cigarette case directly, bit out one and held it in his mouth:

"I remember you don't smoke?"

"I am a colonel officer and deputy commander of the regiment. Does the presence of cigarettes in my pocket have anything to do with whether I smoke or not?" Anson took out a matchbox:

"And it's not voluntary. I'm just making a suggestion. Can I still force the Francois family to pay?"

"Can Grand Duke Thun agree?"

"He will definitely agree."

Anson chuckled: "The purpose of moving the blank tower city is to prevent Clovis doves from occupying the magpie's nest, so as long as he sees the drawings, he will know that we really have no intention of living here for a long time, and naturally he will not mind spending money to eliminate disasters. .”

"What's more, this military base is not completely useless to Thun; with it, the Francois family can take the opportunity to master some of the basic tactics and military skills of the Clovis Army without spending an extra copper. This is not enough. ?”

Carl Bain bit his cigarette holder and took a deep puff silently.

"You...actually just don't want Grand Duke Thun to get the one-tenth discount on the arms trade in vain, right?"

"That's right."

Anson admitted very simply: "I've been taken advantage of so much. If I don't get something back, I'd be a bit unwilling."

According to the agreement reached at the Golden Stone City banquet, the François family leased White Tower City to the Storm Division for one year free of charge, on the condition that all Augustus arsenals—actually the Rune family— The arms sold by the Sowa family must have a 10% discount.

This money certainly cannot be paid by the Luen family, so it can only be deducted from Anson's own profits; it is equivalent to Claude Francois mortgaging an empty city and eating up one-third of Anson's arms purchase. income.

How can I bear this? !

Considering the future cooperation between the two parties, this advantage may have to be taken advantage of - after all, the other party is a major customer of at least 100,000 rifles, and now Thun and Clovis have formed an alliance; really, Claude Francois If the situation is desperate, it is not completely impossible to find another arms dealer.

If you lose the order, you will lose more than one-third of your income; by then, Mr. Erich, who regarded you as your savior, will probably look at you like the enemy who killed your father.

"Being taken advantage of?" Carl, who was holding a cigarette, looked at Anson in surprise:

"The price of one of the 20,000 rifles you sold to Thun is enough to buy four or five on the second-hand market! And each gun also comes with at least thirty rounds of ammunition, and it's free after packaging. send over!"

"Cough cough cough! Cough cough...what are you talking about?!" Anson glared at him fiercely:

"Also, that's the domestic price in Clovis. Is this... can it be the same in international trade? Moreover, these are all new guns that have just left the factory. Isn't it excessive to earn a little more agency fees, freight and storage fees? "

"That's just a little bit...well, just pretend I didn't say it."

Karl raised his hands to express surrender, turned his head and snorted disdainfully.

Anson sighed helplessly: "After smoking this, remember to go to the conference room. There is a military meeting in the afternoon. Remember not to be late - remember not to smoke."

"Can I not go?"

"cannot."

"Why?"

"Because you are my staff officer and attending military meetings is your job."

Anson patted him on the shoulder, turned around and walked towards White Tower City: "It's half past five, don't be late."

"Staff officer, I didn't do that because...what did you say?!"

Carl Bain was startled for a moment, then turned around suddenly and found that there was a parchment scroll in Anson's hand. He showed a very proud smile to him.

The next second, the deputy commander suddenly opened the scroll and read loudly to the stunned adjutant:

"According to my king Jun's decree——

Granted the rank of Major Carl Bain, an army officer and staff officer of the Southern Corps, and the temporary chief of staff; this appointment will take effect upon the issuance of the order - Privy Council of the Kingdom of Clovis! "

The sonorous and powerful voicing sound echoed under the White Tower City.

Carl was shocked.

Completely shocked.

His eyes were wide open, but there was no focus in his pupils. He stood there blankly like a puppet sculpture, motionless.

Anson, who suppressed his smile, suddenly stood upright. Behind his left hand, he hit his left chest with his right hand with a "bang!" and his fist pointed inwards:

"Colonel Anson Bach, Major Carl Bain - salute!"

Karl, who was shocked all over, instinctively responded to Anson and then woke up.

"How is it?" Anson couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth:

"How does it feel?"

Karl, who had come back to his senses, pursed his lips tightly, his eyes fixed on the title order in Anson's hand, and then he raised his gaze cautiously:

"……really?"

"How can it be!"

"No...then...where did you...come from?"

"ah?"

"I'm talking about who approved it!"

"This... Privy Council, didn't you hear clearly just now?"

"Nonsense, I also know it's the Privy Council. Who has the right to confer titles on others besides the Privy Council?!" Karl suddenly became excited:

"I'm asking who is coming here, the Archbishop's own son?!"

"Yes." Anson nodded matter-of-factly:

"Who else could it be but him?"

"Are you crazy?" Karl asked impatiently: "What did you promise him again?!"

"I didn't promise anything - this is the agreement I made with him before I came here. If I catch Louis Bernard, I will let you become my staff officer."

"……That's it?"

"Of course it's not just this - there are also the Stormtrooper's weapon changes and independent supply lines... Why do you think I had to capture Louis Bernard alive and almost be hacked to death by him?"

"……you like him?"

"Because he is really that valuable!" Anson rolled his eyes:

"Anyway, you are now the chief of staff of the Storm Division, and you are also the only staff officer I have, so map surveying, munitions inspection, personnel management, intelligence collection... all of these are now your responsibility for the time being. If you want more people, you can figure it out yourself. Anyway, remember to come to the meeting at 5:30 – don’t be late!”

Without waiting for Karl to respond, Anson directly stuffed the title order into his arms and left quickly.

Carl Bain, who was holding a cigarette in his mouth, held the delicate parchment scroll in his hand, stared blankly at his name on it, and continued to stand there motionless like a sculpture.

"Snapped!"

The dripping water fell on the cigarette butt, and the ashes of the extinguished cigarette were scattered on the parchment.

Carl Bain didn't notice.

"Pah! Pah, pah, pah..."

The water drops were getting more and more dense... It wasn't until Karl, who was completely wet by the water after being ordered to do so, and his shoulders kept shaking, that he came back to his senses, holding a long-extinguished cigarette butt in his mouth, and stood under the gate of White Tower City.

The sky behind him was already dim, but in front of him was the dazzling sunlight.