Extra Chapter: The Secrets of Doneiks City

There have been a number of Rolmundians who have left their mark on Meraldia’s history. One is Woroy Bolshevik Doneiks Rolmund, the second son of Lord Doneiks, the ruler of North Rolmund. He was once an imperial prince with a claim to the throne, but because of his brother’s rebellion, he was branded a traitor and exiled from his home. He went to Meraldia and became a councilor on the Commonwealth Council. To the people of Meraldia, he is known by many names.

The Exiled Prince. The White Tiger. The Spear Knight. The Black Werewolf King’s Sworn Friend. The Lord of Expansion. But now there is one title that has become much more popular than the rest: The Viceroy of Doneiks, the Battleball City.

After the civil war in Rolmund, Woroy was exiled along with his nephew, Ryuunie. This is a story from his early days in Meraldia...

Woroy crossed his arms and looked up at the sky above Ryunheit. I’ve visited all the cities in Meraldia, but they’re all vastly different from Rolmund’s. The climate, culture, laws, technology, and economy of Meraldia was completely contrary to Rolmund’s. But Woroy had been tasked with the monumental duty of building a new city in this new land. It would have been hard enough to construct a new city in his homeland, but it was nigh impossible to do it in a foreign country. However, Woroy was brimming with eagerness despite the difficulties that lay ahead. I can’t allow the Doneiks name to remain tarnished forever.

Back in Rolmund, the Doneiks family name was synonymous with rebellion. From now on, Woroy, Ryuunie, and all of their descendants would have to live in Meraldia. But in Meraldia, the Doneiks name meant nothing. In the public eye, Woroy was just a freeloader living off of the goodwill of the Commonwealth Council. However, if he succeeded in building a city, it and the surrounding land would belong to the Doneiks family. He would be able to regain his status as a noble, albeit in Meraldia. Failure is not an option. But I’ve already lost fights I couldn’t afford to lose. Will I finally be able to succeed this time?

Just then, the Black Werewolf King walked over to Woroy. Everyone in Meraldia knew Veight to be a master general who’d served three generations of Demon Lords, as well as being the legendary Hero slayer. He was also the only man who’d ever defeated Woroy in a battle.

“Why do you look so glum, Woroy?”

Veight had succeeded in putting the pro-Meraldia Eleora on Rolmund’s throne. Originally, Eleora had been dispatched to Meraldia to conquer it. But after defeating her, Veight had won Eleora over to his side, and ultimately made her empress. Veight’s the most terrifying man I know. The only reason Woroy and Ryuunie were still alive was because Veight disliked needless bloodshed. But not only had Veight spared Woroy, he respected the exiled prince as well.

I don’t think I’m worth half as much as Veight seems to believe though. He’s a weird one. While they may have started out as enemies, Veight and Woroy were now good friends.

Woroy gave Veight a wan smile and said, “I was just thinking about how I’m going to make my city.”

“You don’t have to worry about funding. I’ll negotiate with the council to make sure you have as big a budget as you need.”

While that was reassuring to hear, it wasn’t what was weighing on Woroy’s mind. “I’m not even at the part where I’m worrying about money yet,” he said with a shake of his head.

Veight sat down on the chair next to Woroy, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Then what is it?”

“Well...” Woroy sat down as well. “I’m a former prince of Rolmund. I’m sure all of northern Meraldia’s viceroys are wary of me.”

“They are, yes.”

Veight didn’t bother sugar-coating his words and gave Woroy the unvarnished truth. Woroy really liked that about Veight.

Veight let out a small sigh and added, “The people of northern Meraldia are descended from slaves who escaped from the Rolmund Republic, after all. Many of them are worried if Rolmund’s influence grows they’ll end up as slaves, just like their ancestors.”

“It doesn’t help that our tomboy princess Eleora is hard at work revitalizing the empire,” Woroy joked, which got a smile out of Veight. The one who was responsible for that was none other than himself. But he didn’t seem proud of the fact that he’d managed to put a captured princess on the throne.

Woroy also liked how humble Veight was about his achievements. Spending time with him was relaxing.

“Anyway, the point is I’m going to have to be very careful about what I say and do, especially if I’m going to be the leader of a new city. If I’m not careful about the layout, people will start to suspect I harbor a secret desire to conquer northern Meraldia.”

Veight didn’t respond immediately, taking some time to think about what Woroy had said. After he’d thought things through he muttered, “If you make your city too fortified, it could be used as a military base...”

“Exactly. If I build high walls and a fortified castle, the northern viceroys will feel as though there’s a blade poised to strike at their throats.”

But at the same time, Woroy had to make his city defensible. Bandits, beasts, and rogue demons would raid it endlessly if it wasn’t. No one would want to live in a city that wasn’t well-protected. Yet, if he made his city as fortified as the average Rolmund settlement, people would think he was plotting rebellion. A well-planned, well-fortified city could withstand a siege for years.

Veight folded his arms and said, “Your city is going to be built in the buffer zone between northern and southern Meraldia. If you ended up allying yourself with Rolmund, northern Meraldia would be caught in a pincer attack.”

“Yep. Of course, I have no plans of doing that, and an exiled prince like me doesn’t even have the authority to command Rolmund’s armies. I doubt Eleora has any desire to invade again either. It’s highly unlikely that northern Meraldia’s going to get attacked, but...”

“It’s human nature to be suspicious, right?”

“Correct.”

Despite being a werewolf, Veight had a very good grasp of what humans were like. That was part of what made him such a terrifying man to fight. Woroy had that lesson beaten into him when he’d faced Veight on the battlefield. I wonder if he can tell what I’m thinking about right now... Well, he can probably tell and is just pretending not to have noticed, knowing him.

“Seeing as you’ve already given this quite a bit of thought, I imagine you’ve come up with a solution,” Veight said nonchalantly.

You can see right through me, huh? Woroy’s problem wasn’t that he hadn’t been able to come up with a solution. He just wasn’t sure his solution was a good one. He scratched his head awkwardly and came clean to Veight.

“Yeah. I was thinking of making the city garrison as small as possible and focusing on commerce.”

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“The more fortified I make the city’s defenses, the harder it will be for merchants to come and go. In which case, it might be better to just forgo defense entirely and go all-in on trade.”

Veight smiled and said, “If you establish yourself as a major trade center, the northern viceroys will be forced to do business with you or miss out on profits.”

“Exactly. But I’m pretty sure the number of trade routes in Meraldia will increase with time. If all I have going for me is that I’m the midpoint between one of them, my city won’t stay relevant for long.”

The addition of even a single highway radically changed the trade landscape of a nation.

“There’s no denying that.” Veight nodded, acknowledging Woroy’s concern. “The council’s going to be embarking on a major infrastructure overhaul in the near future too.”

“Yeah, and that’s why I’m worried about how to plan out my city.”

“You always ask for advice on the toughest problems,” Veight grumbled, running his hand through his hair. “If you really want advice, I recommend asking the southern viceroys. They all managed to find unique solutions to the roadblocks the Senate placed in their way.” Veight folded his arms. “Actually, I know the exact person you should go to. Forne managed to make Veira into an economic powerhouse despite his city being in the middle of nowhere.”

“Forne is the one who wears those funny outfits, right?”

And talks in a high-pitched voice, and wears jewelry, yes, Veight thought. But he also knew that Forne had continued to expand Veira, even under the immense pressure the Senate put on him. In fact, part of the reason he dressed himself up so flamboyantly was to advertise Veira’s wares. He’d once told Veight, “If these clothes and accessories can even look good on men, they’ll definitely look good on women.”

“Despite his outward appearance, Forne is a man among men. I think you’ll learn a lot from him,” Veight said firmly.

And so, Woroy ended up traveling to the city of craftsmen, Veira. Back when the Senate controlled Meraldia, Veira and the other southern cities were put under a lot of unfair restrictions. The southerners came from different ancestry than the northern ones, and the Senate was primarily made up of northern Meraldians. However, despite the restrictions, Veira had managed to build two sets of walls and numerous forts. It was the most well-defended city in the south.

“Those are some impressive walls, Lord Forne.”

“Oh, please. These aren’t walls, they’re art. A massive mural depicting Meraldia’s history,” Forne said with a chuckle, causing Woroy to grin.

“So that’s how you got the Senate to approve their construction?”

“Indeed. Those buildings scattered outside the city are open-air theaters, not forts or lookout towers.”

“I saw them on my way here and I must say, it’s a sturdy defensive line. If anyone tried to invade, I imagine Veira would be able to give them a rousing performance.”

Any potential invader would need to capture all of the “open-air theaters” around the city or they’d be constantly harassed from the rear. But if they focused their efforts on the forts one at a time, soldiers from the city and from the other forts could incessantly raid the invading army. It was a cleverly designed layout.

Forne stared at Woroy for a few seconds, then asked, “Is something on your mind, Prince Woroy?”

“Please, drop the title and just call me Woroy. I’m no prince anymore.”

“Heh, all right. So what’s on your mind, Woroy?”

Woroy went on to explain his worries regarding the city he’d been tasked to build, trying not to get distracted by the scent of Forne’s perfume.

“I see, that is quite a difficult position you’re in,” Forne mused, crossing his arms. “There are two ways to make a city prosper. One is through the trade of tangible goods, while the other relies on selling an abstract concept.”

“Veira does both, correct? You sell high-quality craftwork as well as immaterial things like plays.”

“Yes. Though it’s mostly thanks to Veight that our plays took off.” Forne awkwardly scratched his cheek. “That being said, I’m not sure what industry you can kick-start in the Fetid Wastes. Part of it’s going to depend on the location you choose, but the demands of the region and the personnel you manage to recruit matter as well.”

“That’s a good point. I still haven’t thought about who I want on my staff.”

Woroy had no idea what the demands of the region were. He’d done a fair amount of research on the hobbies and interests of people in Meraldia, but the country was evolving so fast that there was no telling what the next big thing was going to be.

“Well, as it is now, there’s a decent demand for entertainment in Meraldia. Furthermore, since that’s an immaterial product, you can work something out just by recruiting the right people. If you ask me, that’s your safest bet,” Forne said after giving it some thought.

“Hmm, entertainment, huh? I figure there’s a demand for food, lumber, and ore as well, but starting up a mine or logging operation from scratch won’t be easy.”

Creating farms required first inspecting the soil and cultivating arable land. With mines and lumber mills, you had to worry about how you were going to transport the raw resources you extracted to actually sell them. Moreover, if there was low demand for the resource you chose to harvest, it wouldn’t be very profitable. No matter how efficient you were, it would take at least a few years to get established in the resource trade. But entertainment was something you could sell to all of Meraldia in the span of a few months. Veight and Forne’s little experiment with the Black Werewolf King plays had proved that.

“Entertainment...” Woroy muttered.

The only hobbies Woroy had dabbled in were those of the nobility. But hunting and horseback riding weren’t exactly activities you could market to the common people. I could start selling shougo boards and pieces, but I’m not sure I can really turn that into a business. No other ideas came to him, and he let out a long sigh.

“The only thing I can think of that commoners might enjoy is gambling.”

“There’s no way our straight-laced friend is going to let you open a gambling den.”

Veight didn’t crack down on small, private-run gambling operations, but he didn’t want the practice to spread, and he almost certainly wouldn’t allow a state-run casino.

“He’s definitely one of those no-fun-allowed types of scholars.”

“The guy takes everything way too seriously. I’d be making a killing right now if he wasn’t such a hard-ass.”

Neither of them had said Veight’s name out loud, but everyone on the council knew how much of a stickler he was for the rules.

“So, what should I do?”

“Come up with some plays of your own?”

Woroy shook his head and replied, “No, that would cut into your profits. There’s a limit to how much the average person is willing to spend to go see plays. It’s not worth trying to compete for the same market.”

“My, you’re so considerate.”

“Besides, I have no way of recruiting top-class actors and playwrights.”

“Hehe, that is quite true.” Smiling, Forne added in a suggestive tone, “Meraldia’s southern citizens love plays and music. But the people of the north have a slightly different culture. I’m sure you must have noticed.”

“Yeah, I have. Jousting tournaments and other contests of strength are pretty popular in the north.” Woroy knew this because he’d signed up for Vongang’s jousting tournament and won the whole thing. “That reminds me, Rolmund used to have gladiators back when it was a republic. People loved watching duels at the arenas.”

Rolmundians loved duels even now. That was why when Veight had taken the dueling world by storm, the nobles had actually been excited, despite their outward displays of annoyance. Northern Meraldians shared cultural roots with Rolmundians, so it wasn’t surprising they also loved watching fights. Instead of a theater, I could build a coliseum... That way I wouldn’t be overlapping with Veira. But at the same time, I need to come up with something that won’t overlap with Vongang’s jousting tournament either. Woroy started mulling over the options in his head.

“Thank you, Forne, for pointing me in the right direction. I’ll let you know what I come up with.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Forne said with a smile.

Woroy now had an inkling of what he wanted to do, but there were still a lot of details he needed to hash out. On Veight’s recommendation, he had now come to Zaria to ask its viceroy for advice.

“G-Good afternoon, Prince Woroy. It’s an honor to have you in our city,” Shatina said, her nervousness written all over her face. After her father had been assassinated by the Senate, she had no choice but to become a viceroy, despite how young she was. Fortunately, Veight agreed to teach her, and she had received a lot of helpful tips from him.

“Thank you for letting me in despite the suddenness of my visit. Sorry I came on such short notice, by the way. I figure since Veight told you to talk to me, you couldn’t refuse him?”

“O-Oh, no, I really do think it’s an honor you’re here! I’ve just never hosted a prince before so I’m a little nervous.”

“I’m no prince anymore, Shatina. Just a wandering exile living in disgrace.” The reason Woroy had come to Zaria was to learn from how the city had structured its defenses. “By the way, I heard from Veight that Zaria suffered the most under the Senate’s rule?”

“Indeed so. We weren’t allowed to build walls, which is why we had to design such an intricate and complicated city layout to keep it safe from beasts and bandits.”

Zaria, the labyrinth city, was a collection of tall, multistory buildings that crowded together. The upper floors of each building were made of sun-dried bricks, while the lower floors were sturdy stone. As they walked through the city, Shatina pointed out various parts of it to Woroy.

“The streets on the ground level are built like a maze to confuse intruders. The residents rarely use them. The upper levels of the buildings are connected by bridges, like the one we’re walking on right now.”

The ground below looked like the depths of the abyss. It was too dark to make anything out.

“There aren’t any regular entrances on the ground floor, only hidden ones and rope ladders leading up to the higher floors. The hidden entrances are all disguised so that only the citizens know about them, and there are numerous traps in place to repel invaders.”

Shatina puffed her chest out as she said that last bit. She was clearly proud of her home city.

Smiling, Woroy asked, “It sounds rather inconvenient. Doesn’t it get in the way of people’s daily lives?”

“It does, but it’s a necessary evil. With no walls and a very small garrison, this is the only way we can defend ourselves.”

“I see. Sorry for asking such a rude question, I was simply curious.”

As he looked around at Zaria’s labyrinthine layout, Woroy thought, The city itself is one big fortress, of a sort. Luring enemies within and using the lay of the land to exterminate them is a solid strategy. But this also restricts people from coming and going too frequently. It’s going to hurt growth in the long term. There was no point in constructing a city like Zaria now. It had only been made because of the Senate’s tyranny. With Meraldia the way it was now, building regular walls made more sense. But then Woroy thought back to what he’d seen in Veira.

Wait, I don’t need to make all the buildings serve a defensive purpose. All I need is a single structure that works the same way as Veira’s “open-air theaters.” As long as it’s big enough to house all the residents in times of crisis... Wait, I’ve got it! I just have to make the coliseum I’ll build into a proper fortress! Woroy didn’t want to surround his city with walls. That way, he could expand as necessary. He wouldn’t have the development problems other fortress cities did. The coliseum would serve as an entertainment hub in times of peace, bringing wealth to the city. But in wartime, it would be a castle that could protect the citizens until reinforcements arrived.

It’s cheaper to build a single castle than it is to erect miles of walls too. Plus, walls don’t make any money whereas a coliseum will pay for itself. Best of all, a coliseum wouldn’t make the northern viceroys wary. Woroy took in the view from Zaria’s rooftops, glad that he’d found an elegant solution to all of his problems.

“I’m happy I came here today. Thank you for your advice, Shatina.”

“U-Umm, I didn’t really do much...” Shatina muttered, still a bit overwhelmed by how intimidating Woroy naturally looked. Still smiling, Woroy abruptly changed the subject.

“By the way, how’s the Black Werewolf King, as a teacher?”

“Umm, I feel like he’s strict and lenient at the same time. It’s kind of hard to describe.”

“Hahaha, looks like he’s already mastered the art of teaching!”

The two of them continued talking about the things they liked about Veight, as well as all the complaints they had about him.

After leaving Zaria, Woroy prepared to go to Wa at the behest of Lotz’s viceroy, Petore. He was taking his loyal retainer, the Sword Saint Barnack, with him.

“My lord, is it really necessary to go all the way to this country on the other end of the world?” he grumbled.

“Yes, it is,” Woroy replied, packing as quickly as he could. “Meraldia’s climate is very different from North Rolmund’s. My city is going to be built in a pretty warm area where there won’t be much snow. I need to learn how cities in that climate are planned and built.”

“But surely visiting Meraldia’s southern cities should be enough for that?”

“That’s what I thought at first, but Veight said that Wa’s architecture is amazing.”

“You put too much stock in Lord Veight’s opinions, sir,” Barnack said with a sigh, but Woroy brushed him off.

“Of course I do. Men like him only show up once every hundred—no, every thousand years.”

“I will admit that he’s brave, intelligent, and kind, but...” Barnack trailed off and gave Woroy a wan smile.

Some time after Veight had been in Wa, Woroy departed as well. The land of Wa was full of novelties for Woroy. First, he helped some farmers plant rice, then after washing the mud off his clothes, he visited a local lord’s manor with Veight. It was the largest building in the town, and after the two had eaten lunch they went out together to the front porch.

“It’s been a long time since I planted rice. It’s more tiring than I remember.”

I didn’t know Veight had experience growing rice, Woroy thought. Actually, wait, he did mention he tried growing some in Meraldia, didn’t he? It’s amazing how he knows so much about these mundane things despite being a skilled warrior.

“I spent all my time training and never once thought to learn about farming. Now that’s coming back to bite me. It was a valuable experience, going down and planting seeds, feeling the dirt for myself.”

“You really take everything you do seriously, huh?” Veight said with a chuckle.

“Like you’re one to talk.”

Woroy sat down on the floor and looked up at Wa’s blue sky. When he’d first come here, he’d been unwilling to sit on the floors, but he’d since learned that the people of Wa took their shoes off indoors and kept their floors clean.

“This is a very fertile land. Southern Meraldia is as well, but Wa has even more water than it does. Wouldn’t you agree, Veight?”

“Yeah. You can tell the architects took that into account when planning their cities too. Look at this wall over here, Woroy,” Veight said, beckoning to him. “This mud wall looks crude at first glance, but it’s what keeps the rooms inside at a comfortable temperature.”

“How so?”

“In summer, it rains a lot, making it humid. However, the mud wall absorbs a lot of the moisture, and when it’s drier in the winter, that same moisture comes out to regulate the cold.”

Veight made it sound like casual trivia, but Woroy found it fascinating. “I see. So there’s a meaning to everything here.”

“Well, probably. I’m sure the local residents spent years figuring out what works and what doesn’t, after all. That being said, these designs can probably be optimized even further.”

“It’s so like you to immediately think about how to improve something.”

Veight valued traditional solutions to old problems, but he saw them as things to learn from and build on. He didn’t let himself be bound by the past or the present. He was always looking forward to the future. It was why Woroy was so drawn to him.

“Meraldia is a good deal warmer than Rolmund. Moreover, we get seasonal wind storms and lots of rain in the summer. You’ll need to design your city with all of that in mind,” Veight added.

He talks like a scholar... Well, I guess he is a scholar. Woroy mused while Veight kept talking.

“But at the same time, all the nobles who fled from Rolmund will be living there as well. I imagine you’ll want to make it look as Rolmundian as possible. I hope you can turn your city into one where everyone can be proud they live there.”

“Veight...” Woroy couldn’t believe that Veight had already thought that far ahead. Having been exiled from his homeland, Woroy was happy just to have a place to live, regardless of what it looked like. But Veight was considering whether or not Rolmundian architecture would make them feel less homesick. He really does think of everything. This reminds me of the discussions I used to have with my dad. Woroy’s heart was in the right place, but he had a tendency to overlook important things, which was why he valued Veight’s insight so much.

Seemingly realizing something else, Veight went on to say, “You know how roofs in Rolmund are sloped to keep snow from piling up on them? That’s something I’d like Meraldian architecture to adopt. So if you bring Rolmund styles over, that’ll be a boon for us too.”

“Will it really?”

“In Rolmund it’s done for practical purposes, but in Meraldia it’ll probably look like a stylish design choice. I think, anyway.”

“You’re not sure?”

Looking a little embarrassed, Veight replied, “I don’t know anything about art. I’m one of those people who only cares about functionality.”

“Hahahahaha!”

“Hey, don’t laugh. Everyone’s got things they’re not good at.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Sorry about that.” Woroy stifled his laughter and turned to Veight. “You know, that’s what makes you truly strong. You’re willing to admit your weaknesses and listen to the advice of others. Honestly, it’s amazing how open-minded you are. Even if I reincarnate after death, I don’t think I’ll ever hold a candle to you.”

Veight awkwardly scratched his head and replied, “That’s my line, Woroy.”

He’s good at most everything else, but he’s awful at telling jokes, Woroy thought to himself.

As Woroy ran around the continent trying to learn as much as he could, he became keenly aware that his status as a foreigner would be a big obstacle.

“I’m terribly sorry, Sir Woroy, but we won’t be able to dispatch our architects to your city.”

“All of our construction workers are busy with other plans, so we have none to spare. My dearest apologies.”

After a council meeting, Woroy asked the northern viceroys for help in recruiting personnel, but they all turned him away.

“I do want to help, but it’s just not possible.”

“It’s fine, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to lend me your personal architects. There’s no need to feel bad.”

Though Woroy was all smiles during the meetings, he was getting more and more depressed on the inside. They’re all wary of me. The northern viceroys were terrified Rolmund would invade them again. Though Woroy had been exiled, he still had contacts within the imperial family. The viceroys were all worried he might end up leaking their intel to Rolmund. Architects capable of large-scale urban planning tended to work directly under their respective viceroys for high salaries. They were important because they knew all of the structural weaknesses of their cities.

Fortunately, Woroy was able to order raw materials with ease, even if he was having trouble securing personnel. The viceroys weren’t so petty that they’d begrudge him material resources. Besides, as long as they were part of the Commonwealth Council, they couldn’t go against the council’s decisions. There are independent architects who I could hire to build houses and shops and such, but I’m going to need someone with a lot of expertise to handle the bigger buildings like the coliseum, or general urban planning. Only architects who had a deep understanding of economics and military affairs had the know-how necessary to plan city layouts.

Back in Rolmund Woroy could have easily found a dozen such people, but here in this foreign land, he didn’t have the connections he needed. Veight and the others in the demon army had never built a city, so they had no urban planning specialists on hand either. Judging by their expressions, the northern viceroys did feel guilty about refusing to help, but they had their reasons.

“If you didn’t need someone who also had an understanding of military affairs, I might have been able to find someone. But I’m afraid I can’t dispatch anyone who meets your specifications.”

“It’s fine, I understand. If I was in your position I would do the same. There’s no need to be sorry,” Woroy replied with a sad smile. Just then Kurst, the viceroy of the agricultural city of Welheim, walked over. He was known to be a fair man, and was good friends with Forne.

“What seems to be the problem, Lord Woroy?”

“Oh, I’m just looking for architects to help me plan my new city. I’ve searched everywhere, but as expected, they’re quite hard to find.”

Kurst smiled and said, “In that case, why don’t you take Welheim’s architects?”

“You don’t mind?” Woroy asked, surprised.

Kurst was a northern viceroy as well, and he wasn’t particularly close to Woroy. In fact, Welheim was one of the cities that suffered the most when Eleora had invaded. Kurst had more reason to be wary of Woroy than most of the others.

But he just smiled and said, “I’ve heard that you’re a close friend of Lord Veight’s. If our Black Werewolf King trusts you, then so do I.”

So that’s why. Kurst didn’t necessarily trust Woroy personally, but he had faith in his guarantor, Veight. There was no one in Meraldia as famous as Veight. Moreover, everyone knew he was trustworthy.

“Thank you so much, Lord Kurst.”

“Don’t mention it. I owe Lord Veight a large debt, and this is just one way of repaying it.”

“Oh, you too?”

“Yes. When Empress Eleora invaded Meraldia, Welheim was caught between the Empire and the Senate. Both sides were pressuring us to support them, but...”

“That must have been awful. Allow me to apologize in Eleora’s stead.”

Goddammit, Eleora, why did you have to be so good at your job?

“At the time, Lord Veight sympathized with our plight and advised me to join Rolmund’s side.”

“Oh?”

Normally, it was a foolish move to tell a neutral party to capitulate to the opposing side. Woroy knew a bit about negotiations from his upbringing. The only way you’d make a concession that big would be if you were getting something huge in return. But according to Kurst, Veight hadn’t made any demands of either Rolmund or Welheim.

“That guy’s unbelievable,” Woroy muttered when he heard that.

“Hahaha, I know, right? I was surprised at first too. But...” Kurst gave Woroy a smile. “It was his generosity that moved me. That event was what convinced me he really is trying to look out for all of us.”

“That’s for sure. He has a knack for understanding other people’s problems and working with them.”

“I see you understand as well.”

Woroy nodded in response. “Of course. By all rights, I should have been executed and my corpse paraded around the capital as an example of what happens to rebels. It was Veight who saved me, using methods I didn’t even think were possible.”

Woroy knew Veight had gone out on a limb to save him. At that point, it would have been convenient for everyone but him if he’d just been executed for abetting his older brother. But Veight had gone out of his way to convince Eleora, Ashley, and his own council back in Meraldia that letting Woroy live was for the best.

Kurst’s smile grew wider and he said, “I see that Veight’s eye for people is as sharp as always. I’m afraid my architects are better at planning irrigation ditches and farmland than they are city walls, but I’m sure they’ll be of some use to you at least. Feel free to borrow them for as long as necessary.”

“Thank you so much,” Woroy said, bowing. His thanks was meant as much for Kurst as it was for Veight, who was off on another adventure.

Slowly but surely, materials and personnel started flowing Woroy’s way. He also decided on a site, allowing the building to start in earnest. First, the ground needed to be leveled and all the materials brought to the worksite. But as always, Woroy kept running into problem after problem. As a member of the Commonwealth Council, Woroy was granted a salary, just like all the other council members. That also technically made him a Meraldian noble, giving him the right to hire his own retainers and personal employees. Unfortunately, the retainers he’d chosen to employ were the problem.

“Wanna take this outside, ya bastard?!”

“You want a fight? You got one!”

Two heavily scarred men glared at each other, and the crowd—which was also made up primarily of rugged, scarred men—cheered. They were all former criminals or broke mercenaries—men who’d been shunned by Meraldian society. Woroy had met all of them while touring Meraldia. Some of them were even bandits who’d thought Woroy was an easy mark, only to have the tables turned on them. They were now Woroy’s sworn disciples. But the whole reason they hadn’t been able to fit in normal society was their belligerence, and working for Woroy hadn’t changed that. Woroy, who’d been inspecting the latest shipment of raw goods, ran over to mediate when he heard the two men’s yelling.

“Hey, cut it out.”

The two men calmed down at once.

“Oh, hey, boss. Look, this son of a bi—”

“Wait, boss, hear me out!”

Before the two of them could start arguing again, Woroy grabbed them both by the shoulders.

“Listen up, I’m not your bandit leader, and I’m not running a gambling den here either. But I am your employer. I’ll hear you both out, but if either of you draws your weapons, you’re both dead.”

Woroy said those last words with such force that the room fell silent. To these men, violence had always been the first resort, not the last—that was why they’d been shunned from proper society. Woroy’s retainers knew better than anyone just how strong he was. Some of them had personally had their asses handed to them after trying to rob him, and many others had learned after sparring with him.

The two men meekly explained their situation, taking care not to raise their voices. Woroy patiently heard them out, and when they were done he sighed.

“So it’s a problem of honor.”

“Y-Yeah,” one of the men said, bowing his head. Honor had more value than gold to people who lived on the fringes of society. These men’s honor determined how they would be treated by their peers, and it also served as a form of emotional support. If they lost their honor, they were worse than dead. Still, that wasn’t a good enough reason for Woroy to allow a fight. He clapped both men on the shoulder.

“A man’s honor is important. Gelan.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Back when you were a bandit, maybe you could have resolved this with a fight, but now you’re working for me, a member of the council.”

“Yeah, and that’s a real honor too, but...”

“Precisely. And if you start a fight with your comrades now, you’ll besmirch that honor. Now that you’ve become a proper warrior, patience and grace are what will uphold your honor, not violence. You’re not a bandit anymore.”

A military officer protected his honor in a very different way than a bandit. Woroy needed to drill that into everyone’s heads.

“And Parthis.”

“Yes, boss?”

“In a gambling den, seniority confers authority. But for a noble’s retainer, the pecking order is different.”

“I-I didn’t know that.”

Woroy brought his face closer to Parthis’s. The man had handled a gambling den’s accounts before coming to work for him.

“Gelan is a platoon sergeant, and you’re a paymaster. As far as rank is concerned, you’re both equal. In other words, you need to afford each other an equal amount of respect. Don’t embarrass yourself in front of your men. Prove that you deserve your title by showing deference.”

“O-O-Okay!”

These men had all lived in extremely restrictive hierarchies up until now. But here, they had to work under a common system, instead of the narrow confines of whatever illegal group they’d been a part of. It was Woroy’s job as their leader to rehabilitate them.

After both men apologized, Woroy grinned and said, “Good. I knew you’d live up to my expectations! Once work’s done for the night, let’s drink! I’ll give you a taste of Rolmund’s famous booze!”

With that, Woroy hurried back to finish inspecting the latest shipment. In Rolmund, when someone was building a city, they had the building materials laid out like a temporary fort. Woroy needed to make sure everything got put in its proper place to protect both his people and his lumber.

As Barnack followed behind him, the Sword Saint sighed and said, “None of your old retainers would have caused such an unsightly scene.”

“Don’t be too hard on them. They’re still rough around the edges, but they’re good, loyal men. They just don’t know how to integrate into society properly.”

Woroy hadn’t just gone and recruited every outlaw he ran across. He’d only selected the men he believed were truly good inside, and could potentially be rehabilitated.

“If you only recruit people who are easy to boss around, you won’t make for a good leader. A good general knows how to unite people with different mindsets and backgrounds.”

“It’s as you say, My Lord. You sound more like your father every day.”

“Hahaha, you think so?”

I wonder if dad went through these kinds of trials too? Woroy thought as he looked up at the sky. It was the same clear blue sky he’d grown up seeing in Rolmund.

Unfortunately for Woroy, his troubles were never-ending. Just as he’d gotten a handle on his men, calamity struck.

“An army of undead?!” Woroy exclaimed.

“Yes, sir! It appears something has happened in the Boltz Mines to the northwest!” the messenger knight said. He was one of many that had been dispatched by the council to tell everyone of the undead threat. Along with the messenger was Kite, Veight’s trusted vice-commander.

Woroy mentally compared his command of a few hundred men to the army of undead that would be at his doorstep in a few hours.

“How many skeletons are there?”

Kite looked up at Woroy. He’d never ridden a warhorse before, and the journey had left him pale and clammy. But it wasn’t just motion sickness that was making him pale.

“I saw thousands when I was fleeing, but there are probably more. They were pouring out of every single mine shaft in there. I’d say there are probably hundreds of thousands of them now.”

We’re doomed. There was no suitable location to hole up in. Woroy could build a makeshift fort with the raw materials lying around, but it wouldn’t last long in a siege. Besides, holing up only worked if reinforcements were coming. There was no guarantee anyone would be coming to save him. Every city was under attack.

“Kite, what can you tell me about these skeletons? What’s their marching speed like? Do they need rest?”

Kite answered immediately. “Skeletons only run while in battle, but they need no rest. They can march for days or weeks on end since they don’t tire.”

“So once they reach us, there’s no escape. If we want to retreat, now’s the only time we can.”

However, Woroy’s men refused to abandon their half-built city once they learned someone from the Senate was behind the skeleton horde. It was the Senate’s draconian policies that had driven them out of society, and they still harbored a deep resentment over that. Once they get like this they won’t listen to reason... As their commander, Woroy could have forcefully ordered them all to retreat, but instead, he started thinking of tactics he might be able to use. Hopefully, his men had some good ideas there.

Before he could go around and ask, Barnack walked over and said, “Everyone’s tired from the day’s labor. If we attempted to flee now, we’d be forced to make camp before long.”

“Yeah, there’s no guarantee we’d be able to get away.”

It was entirely possible that they’d collapse from exhaustion in the middle of nowhere, and then be overrun by skeletons. Honestly, it seemed like weathering the storm here gave everyone a better chance for survival. The question is, are reinforcements coming? With the resources he had on hand, Woroy could only hold out for a day or two. It was unlikely that reinforcements would be able to reach them in that time.

Am I going to fail my men for a second time? Memories of his bitter defeat at Rolmund floated to the surface of his mind. He’d faced off against Eleora’s troops, led by Veight, and had attempted a do-or-die charge to take Veight down. But in the end, he’d lost to Veight in single combat. His men had died for nothing. Even a seasoned war veteran was bound to lose some battles, but Woroy still felt guilty about leading his men to their deaths.

This is no time for a pity party. I need to make a decision—and fast. These men are looking to me for leadership. Woroy knew that delaying a decision was the worst thing he could do. He pushed down his misgivings and made up his mind.

Picking up his cross-spear—the one he’d learned to wield in Wa—Woroy turned to his men and shouted, “We’re in luck, boys! This is our chance to go down in history! Make it through this fight, and you can brag to all the women in Meraldia that you’re real men who protected a half-built city from an army of a hundred thousand skeletons!”

“YEEEEEAH!” Woroy’s ruffians rallied, picking up their axes and warhammers.

You guys better not die on me. Thanks to Woroy’s efficient leadership, they got the makeshift fort built in no time. Stone and lumber were used to create walls, while food and other less sturdy materials were secured inside. So long as they protected the few entrances, Woroy and his men would be able to hold out for a day or two.

“No way I’m dying here to a bunch of skeletons summoned by those damned Senators! Ain’t that right, Gelan?!”

“You bet, Parthis! Guess you’ve got some balls after all! We’ll show them the mettle of Woroy’s warriors!”

It was a few hours later that the army of undead arrived.

After a long, fierce battle, dawn finally broke. The light of the sun bathed Meraldia’s flat plains with a warm glow. Thanks to an unbelievable display of power by Veight, Woroy and the others had been saved.

“Don’t slack off on your watch! Everyone who’s free, look after the injured! The council’s healers will be here later today; keep everyone alive until then!”

The skeletons had inflicted heavy losses on Woroy’s band of a few hundred misfits. Close to fifty were dead and more than double that number were injured. Veight had given emergency first aid to the most heavily wounded so things weren’t too bad, but now that the threat had passed, Woroy was determined to keep the list of dead from growing.

“All the materials we bought are ruined now,” Barnack said jokingly as he patted a block of stone. He’d made it through the battle no worse for the wear. But the stones they’d used as walls were nicked and dented from arrows and spear thrusts.

Woroy sat down on the block next to Barnack and said with a smile, “Come now, scars are a warrior’s pride. If Veight were here, he’d say future generations would see these stones as historical artifacts.”

“Hah! He certainly would.”

Woroy broke the silence that followed with a long sigh. “I let so many of my men die again... And once more, I needed Veight to save me.”

“It’s thanks to your capable leadership that so many of us survived, my lord. It’s only because you kept morale high and gave such precise orders that we were able to hold out until reinforcements arrived.”

Those reinforcements had been just a single man. But that one man had been the Black Werewolf King, and he was stronger than an army.

“Reinforcements, huh? All Veight did was let out a howl, and most of the skeletons crumbled to dust.”

“I had an opportunity to see Lord Veight’s fighting up close when he saved me back in Rolmund. He’s far stronger than us mortals.”

The night the Doneiks manor fell, Barnack had fled with Ryuunie and tried to bring him to safety. But he’d been surrounded by a score of assassins, and it was Veight’s timely arrival that had saved his life.

Barnack looked off into the distance as he reminisced about his past.

“My lord, sometimes I think...” He straightened his back, eyes glowing in the early dawn light. “This world is simply unfair. The longer you live, the more you’ll run into hopeless situations with no good way out. You cannot expect providence from God, yet your own power isn’t enough. However...” Barnack smiled awkwardly, aware that what he was about to say would sound extremely cheesy. “If there is such a thing as divine providence, then it is in the form of Lord Veight. If God truly is real, then Veight is undoubtedly his messenger. None of the horrors of this world can hope to match him and his benevolence.”

“I never imagined I’d hear those words from the mouth of Barnack, the Sword Saint who even the emperor feared.”

Woroy turned and went to patrol the perimeter. As he continued listening to a stream of reports from his men, he confirmed that there were no skeletons in the vicinity. Thanks to Veight, this region was safe for now.

“All right, we still have enough food and water. All that’s left is to find bedding.”

“We probably won’t need that just yet. The men are in high spirits and raring to strike back at the Senator who sent this army.”

The undead were pouring out of the Boltz Mine to the northwest. Everyone who could still fight wanted to march there.

“Yeesh, these guys are way too hot-blooded.”

“They get it from you, my lord,” Barnack said with a smile. Woroy smiled back, but after a few seconds, his expression turned grim.

“We need to make this city the best it can be, for those who died protecting it.”

“Of course, my lord.”

Back when northern and southern Meraldia had been at odds with each other, a buffer zone had been created called the Fetid Wastes. Contrary to what the name implied, the Fetid Wastes were a fertile plain. And it was in the center of this plain that Woroy was building his city. First, he leveled the ground the city would be built on. It was long, boring work, and a number of temporary houses were built for the people doing it. Despite being temporary, they were quite sturdy, so they would be defensible if another crisis like the undead invasion occurred.

Soon after merchants came to sell their wares to the construction workers, and a miniature town began to form. Some time after that, farmers from other cities started to trickle in with their wagons. They’d heard rumors of the new city, and sensed an opportunity. Upon reaching Woroy’s city, they dismantled their wagons and built huts out of the wood.

“Lord Woroy, shouldn’t we be chasing away these squatters?”

“We certainly can’t ignore them. Tell them the city’s fields are going to be to the south, so if they want to plant something, they should do it there.”

“Wait, you’re going to take them in?!”

“I can understand wanting a fresh start in a new land. So long as they follow the city’s laws, I see no reason to turn them away. It’s no different from how I hired all of you guys.”

“Hahaha, fair enough.”

Woroy accepted any and all immigrants, and granted them land to use. He even had some of his builders help them get their farms started. Slowly but surely, the city began to grow. Thanks to Veight’s advice, designing the coliseum was going smoothly as well. Though rare, people did occasionally die during jousting tournaments or melees, so Woroy had decided to make his city’s main spectator sport battleball, which was much safer.

After he solidified the rules for the sport, he was able to finalize the coliseum’s design, and soon after, construction began. Woroy and his retainers were all hardcore battleball fans, and whenever they had time they came to watch matches. Sometimes, Veight even came to play.

“This is an amazing sport, Veight! It’s great for training soldiers too!”

“I just gave you the idea, you’re the one who actually designed it. The credit belongs to you. Here, pass!”

“Got it! All right then, I guess that means I deserve half the credit for this sport, then!”

“No, all of it belongs to you...”

As the seasons passed, the city continued to grow. One of the larger houses the construction workers had been using was expanded and turned into Woroy’s manor. Other mansions were built nearby to house his highest ranking retainers. The entire area became the administrative district of the city. Once the coliseum was completed, stalls and shops appeared around it almost overnight. Battleball became the subject of a number of plays, and soon everyone in Meraldia had heard about the sport. The battleball committee that had initially been formed to spread awareness of the sport evolved into a fully-fledged association. It became a massive organization that had representatives from every city in Meraldia. Matches between cities began, and the citizens started getting attached to their home teams.

Battleball was a form of entertainment that couldn’t be found anywhere else, and Woroy was known to be a fair and generous viceroy. Many Meraldians moved to the city in the hopes of finding new opportunities. The Doneiks faction nobles that had been exiled also started flocking to the city, since Woroy was the man they’d served before. They got absorbed into Woroy’s staff, and lent their expertise to the city’s development. What had started as a small town in the middle of an empty plain was now a bustling city.

Ten more years passed, and now Doneiks, the battleball city, was an established part of Meraldia. Not only was it the birthplace of battleball, but it was also a key relay point for traders going along the north-south highway. Today, too, travelers were making their way to the famous battleball city.

“Is it true the city has no walls?” a young girl riding in a carriage asked.

In an exasperated voice, a boy replied, “Are you seriously asking that? We learned it doesn’t in geography class, remember?”

“I know, but I can’t imagine a city without walls.”

Another girl said in a calm tone, “Well, you won’t have to imagine it since we’ll see it soon enough.”

“I can’t wait! I want to try playing battleball!”

“You know we’re not going there to play, right?”

“B-Battleball is an important cultural artifact that we need to experience!”

The carriage slowly wound its way north. Doneiks could just barely be seen on the horizon, a small speck on the endless plains.