Building A Human Empire By Creating A Clan [EN]: Chapter 119

Creating a Vassal to Build a Human Empire 121

Human Ranch (3)

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‘The god of humans, is it.’

I looked down at the woman holding my hand.

She lowered her head and trembled.

Her emotions were overflowing, and she was sobbing.

‘It’s only natural, I suppose.’

Didn’t Dragon Lord, Aylettrione, say it?

That I had just become a godlike being.

‘Godlike, as in, not an omnipotent god, but an existence that imitates a god. But the World Tree of the Elves and the Ancestor God of the Dwarves are the same.’

By this world’s standards, I am worthy of being called a god. So, it’s only natural that the woman before me considers me a god after witnessing the light emanating from my soul and the miracles it wrought.

Whether I wanted it or not didn’t matter. This was like a destiny, given regardless of my will.

“Your Majesty… if you have pity on us, please do not overlook our suffering and help us so that we may serve you.”

I listened to her story and closed my eyes.

Anger surged within me, and I felt like I would burst out yelling if I didn’t close my eyes and suppress my rage.

The fact that human ranches actually existed and her pitiful appearance as she sought my help stirred up the hatred for other races that I had temporarily forgotten.

‘Humans cannot coexist with other races.’

I don’t like war.

I wasn’t fighting non-stop because I liked war.

If I could achieve my goals through negotiation and peace, if human survival and prosperity could be achieved through coexistence with other races, I would have tried it, even if there was only a small chance.

But look.

How do other races regard humans?

‘To the other races, humans are nothing more than detestable livestock. This isn’t a socially or acquired prejudice, but an instinct. Unless there are genetic changes, like how they have been modifying the ruling class of humans for ten thousand years, it’s an emotion that can never be erased.’

Coexistence between humans and other races is impossible.

They must either become livestock or be exterminated; one must be chosen.

And I said I would not keep humans as livestock.

‘There is only one way for humanity to achieve survival and prosperity. That is the extermination of other races, and if no one but me can do it, then I will.’

I opened my eyes and looked down at her.

“What is your name?”

“Huana, Your Majesty.”

“Huana.”

I released her hand and placed it on her shoulder.

“How would you like me to help you?”

“Please allow us to live under your guidance.”

“Very well. So be it.”

I straightened my back and looked at the ministers in the council chamber.

“I will start the next war. Does anyone have anything to say?”

The ministers were silent.

“Not even a month has passed since one war ended. But I want to embark on the next war again. If you feel that I am committing an unjust act, speak now.”

“Your Majesty.”

Gehardt rose from his seat.

“Your Majesty is the Emperor of Humanity. As the one who represents humanity, you seek to protect humans oppressed by other races. Who would dare consider it unjust for you to fulfill your duty?”

“Do you all think so too?”

The ministers expressed their agreement with telepathy instead of words.

I read the loyalty and hatred for other races intertwined in their thoughts.

“Then I will conclude the cabinet meeting and hold a staff meeting. Gehardt, summon the General Staff.”

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The staff meeting was held immediately in the council chamber.

The only difference was that the members had changed from cabinet members to military personnel.

Just as the Imperial Chancellor Skadi, who had been concurrently serving as the Minister of Finance and Minister of Justice, had those positions separated and cabinet ministers appointed as the number of vassals increased, the General Staff also subdivided the various positions that the Minister of Military Affairs Gehardt had been concurrently holding and appointed staff.

The manpower shortage was still severe, so Gehardt had to move as a field commander, but it was a huge change compared to when Gehardt was all alone in the Ministry of Military Affairs.

Minister of Military Affairs Gehardt.

Army Chief of Staff Zekt.

Navy Chief of Staff Horatio.

Quartermaster General Valenstein.

Imperial Chancellor Skadi.

Zekt and Valenstein, two vassals, were appointed to the positions of Army Chief of Staff and Quartermaster General, which Gehardt had been concurrently holding.

Horatio belonged to the General Staff, but considering that he resided in Tissiredon, Navy Chief of Staff Fisher resided in Ollimuth and attended the General Staff in his place.

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Siege Technician

Zekt

Lv. 76

Grade: A

Battleship Mania

Fisher

Lv. 68

Grade: B

Quartermaster Staff

Valenstein

Lv. 71

Grade: A

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The levels of the three vassals were not high from the time of their creation.

Their levels rose as they fought in several battles.

For reference, Gehardt, who was also the Chief of Staff, had reached level 86. Considering that his level at the time of creation was 73, it was a remarkable development.

If I raise it by only 4 more levels, wouldn’t it be comparable to S-class?

Of course, there is an invisible wall between 89 and 90.

“According to Huana’s testimony, the location of the human ranch is here.”

Quartermaster General Valenstein unfolded a world map seized from Tissiredon on the central table in the council chamber and marked the Lizardmen’s territory.

“This is…”

Gehardt frowned as he looked at the markings.

It was because the markings were scattered throughout the Lizardmen’s territory.

“If we are not going to liberate humans through negotiation, then we have to stir up the entire Lizardmen’s territory. How many humans are in each ranch?”

“I don’t know. Huana’s village is less than 20,000, but other villages have as few as a thousand, and some have more than Huana’s village. Humans cannot leave the village without permission, and each kingdom has a different ranch operation method, so accurate statistics are not available.”

“Each kingdom? Are the Lizardmen not a single nation?”

“Yes.”

There were three Lizardmen countries.

With two kingdoms in the north and one in the south in an inverted triangle shape, it was similar to how Wei, Shu, and Wu divided the world into three in the Three Kingdoms period [referring to a period of Chinese history].

However, the power gap was more balanced than those three countries.

“The Lizardmen have never had a unified nation. Although they have the same race and language, they are at odds with each other due to differences in skin color, culture, and religion.”

“So, the Empire has to fight three kingdoms to save the humans scattered throughout the Lizardmen’s territory. How many troops can the Empire mobilize for the expedition?”

“Three divisions of the Imperial Army and three companies of vassals.”

The force had only increased slightly from the war with the Republic.

Based on my experience, I believe that each of the Lizardmen’s kingdoms has equal or greater national power than the Empire, but is it possible to win against the Lizardmen head-on with a force of less than 20,000?

“Hmm…”

Gehardt made a troubled sound.

He must know that it is an unwinnable battle.

But he can’t say it out loud.

“Can’t we mobilize more?”

“We can draw reserves from the west, south, and north. Then we can add a similar scale. However, the burden after the reserves disappear will be on each front.”

“That can’t be helped. Considering that this war is not a defensive war but an expedition, we have to think about the supply unit as well.”

Gehardt tapped the Nerup Plains between the Great Plains and the Lizardmen’s territory with his baton.

“It took Huana more than three months to come to the Empire. Even if we assume that she moved in hiding and it wasn’t a straight line, the expeditionary force has to march for more than a month. Since this interval is completely enemy territory, we must deploy a supply unit of the same size as the main force.”

“Shouldn’t we rather reduce the size of the expeditionary force? If we are fighting other races, a large number of ordinary soldiers is meaningless. You know the exchange ratio at the border.”

Gehardt nodded.

The Imperial Army deployed on the three borders of the west, south, and north had become a relatively strong army through actual combat, but it was not at a level to withstand a full-scale war with other races.

The proof is the exchange ratio in local warfare.

In the case of the Southern Front, which directly engages with other races called human hunters, the exchange ratio was more than 10:1. Ten human soldiers were fighting against one other race.

Even though the other races participating in the human hunt were relatively low-level because the war with Vlad was in full swing, and military operations were being carried out including vassals, this exchange ratio was occurring.

To fight a full-scale war with the Lizardmen with those people?

“There is no other choice. We have 6 divisions that can be mobilized, but only 1 division is composed of musketeers. If we fight purely with them, the damage to the vassals will be enormous. We can’t handle that.”

It was a harsh assessment, but the value of one vassal was higher than that of a hundred ordinary soldiers.

Valenstein shook his head.

“No. It’s better to do that.”

“Why?”

“Have you forgotten that this expedition is the first expedition?”

The vassals blinked, and Valenstein sighed.

“This is the first expedition in which human power is projected outward. The first thing is bound to attract attention. Moreover, the Empire has extremely hostile forces to the point of engaging in local warfare. What if the Empire shows a weak side here?”

“A weak side, you mean if we lose or suffer great damage?”

“Yes. If it’s only one division of musketeers and a few hundred vassals, it’s at most a small force of less than 7,000. No one will care if a few hundred of them die. But what if we mobilize more than 40,000 troops and thousands die? Or if we lose half of the ordinary soldiers? What would the enemies think?”

“···They would think they can handle us.”

Valenstein was right.

What was important to the expeditionary force was not just victory.

An overwhelming victory was needed, and minimal damage was needed.

If news spread that the expeditionary force had suffered great damage or even defeat in the middle, the overestimation, that is, the bubble, that the Councilors had of me would burst.

The reason why the Councilors are focusing on the war with Vlad is because the threat that they would take one other race with them worked, but it would be a problem if they felt that it wouldn’t hurt as much as they thought.

“But an expedition is impossible with a force of less than 7,000. You know that too, don’t you?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m saying this.”

Gehardt narrowed his eyes.

“You’re not against the expedition, are you?”

“Of course. I am in favor of the expedition. However, I propose that the timing be postponed to at least next year. The expedition should be carried out after the newly installed conscripted soldiers in Germania and Wallachia are fully operational, and at least 4 divisions of musketeers are fully formed, or when transportation by sea is possible. Otherwise, if we embark on the expedition now, we will surely lose.”

“Hmm…”

The staff made uncomfortable noises at the firm words.

The people in this place are among the best combat-type vassals, and their strategic and tactical judgment was even better than that.

Even if Valenstein hadn’t suggested it, they would have internally made the same judgment.

The problem is how many humans will be left in the ranch in a year or two. Looking at the way they are focusing on extraction to the point of not maintaining the ranch, there may be no ranches left in a year.

Hasn’t it already been several months since Huana came this far?

I opened my mouth in the subdued atmosphere.

“Mobilize the entire Northern Front.”

“Yes?”

The staff gasped.

“Are you talking about the entire Northern Front?”

I raised my hand to stop them from saying anything.

“How many will there be if we add the Northern Front to the expeditionary force?”

“It will be almost 60,000.”

“Put them all in the main force. The supply unit will be newly formed, centered on prisoners of the Republic, and the escort will be kept to a minimum.”

“That is…”

Valenstein hesitated.

He seemed to be about to say that it was excessive.

If the entire Northern Front is mobilized for the expedition, who will guard the border? He must be thinking such common sense.

Moreover, the forces of orcs and goblins were gathering, centered on the Black Sun Tribe in recent years. Aren’t we on edge about where they are heading?

What if they know that the border is empty and come down?

“I know what you are worried about. You are thinking that we should avoid a full-scale war with the orcs and Lizardmen because the Empire’s capabilities cannot handle it right now, aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“There will be no full-scale war.”

Valenstein blinked.

“What do you mean?”

I chuckled.

“Listening to what you are saying, I see a misunderstanding. We are not going to conquer the Lizardmen’s kingdom. We are not forming an expeditionary force to fight the Lizardmen head-on, like thinning out monsters in the Nerup Plains. The purpose of the expedition is to save humans from human ranches.”

Therefore, shouldn’t we avoid conflict if possible?

“First, we will deal with the orcs. Zinnoric of the Black Sun Tribe. I need to meet him. Gehardt, gather the expeditionary force with Valenstein. As many as possible. Enough for the opponent to overestimate me.”