Pioneer Lord: I Have Conquering System

If you were to rank all the armies in the world by their belligerence, High Cliff Castle would definitely be T1, thanks to the System’s blessing. But this didn’t mean they were emotionless killing machines. They had all the same emotions as any normal person.

They weren’t foolish enough to smash an egg against a stone, but facing the Southern Territory was worse than that. It was like a scrawny mantis trying to fend off an adult Giant Dragon.

And yet, they still followed him without a moment’s hesitation, which made their loyalty all the more precious.

"What are our supply levels?" Levi snapped his fingers, ready to officially begin preparations for war.

"Miss Tina just restocked from Bailiu City. It’s enough to sustain our Warriors for half a year," Leiden answered without a moment’s hesitation.

He calculated these figures every day, so he knew the data by heart.

Levi had initially thought this Giant Goblin was just a throw-in that came with Gus joining High Cliff Castle, but his performance since then had been nothing short of astounding.

This Giant Goblin was so smart he wasn’t like a human... no, wait, he wasn’t like a Goblin. His ability to learn was astonishingly fast, and he had unique insights into problems.

This made Levi realize he’d found a real treasure!

He then, without hesitation, appointed him as High Cliff Castle’s military commander, in charge of all logistics and of commanding the army in his absence.

His talent shouldn’t go to waste.

"I brought you back the writings of the famous military strategist, Deke Shi, from my trip to Kolon. Come find me later, and I’ll give them to you."

This world was a strange place. Things like Knightly Novels weren’t banned but were, in fact, widely promoted. In contrast, books on military or political matters circulated only among the nobility. Commoners had virtually no chance of ever getting their hands on one.

Military books, in particular, were practically clutched like family heirlooms by the great military noble families.

Levi had only managed to get it by asking Fujero for a favor. But it was only a loan; he would have to return it afterward.

He had mostly finished it over the last few days. Now he was giving it to Leiden so the Giant Goblin could systematically study military knowledge.

Then, Leiden could explain it all to the other illiterates in High Cliff Castle.

"The blacksmiths," Levi said, looking over at Mier. "Can you guarantee a full set of armor for everyone before the war starts?"

Although High Cliff Castle sat on an iron mine and could produce weapons quickly, when it came to more complex armor and devastatingly powerful Bed Crossbows, production was appallingly slow.

He might sell ironware, but he absolutely never sold armor. It was all for their own use. The importance of armor was comparable to the nuclear bombs of his past life; it was a strictly prohibited item for trade.

"No problem. But the armor for you big folks will have to be custom-made. When you have a moment, you can head over to the blacksmith shop to get your measurements taken."

Mier wore a fine set of Leather Armor with a Longsword at his waist. A closer look would reveal that his getup was a close match to the Lord’s, giving him a rather knightly air.

The physiques of the High Cliff Castle Warriors were largely uniform, so they could simply select an average body type for mass production. However, everyone present was an expert whose build far surpassed that of their kin, so they had to be measured individually.

"Alright, all of you head over later. And don’t slack on the Bed Crossbows. After you’ve guaranteed the armor quota is met first, build as many of them as you possibly can in the time you have."

What lay ahead wasn’t more field battles against small-fry bandits. They would be facing elite human legions, engaging in sieges, and coming under fire from the enemy’s heavy weaponry.

Thus, the importance of the Bed Crossbows was self-evident.

As for catapults, those were typically built on-site. However, the three disassemblable ones they had captured last time could be brought along to the battlefield.

With the order coming from both his brother-in-law and his direct superior, Mier shoveled rice into his mouth, planning to head back and work overtime as soon as he was done eating.

Still, that Pigman named Tikli was a master smith, no doubt about it. He alone could do the work of several Giants.

Heather rested her chin in her hand, watching Levi. His figure was reflected in her liquid eyes, seemingly glowing.

’For any group, having an absolute core is a great blessing. Even if he just sat there doing nothing, he could naturally draw everyone to revolve around him.’

’This human Lord was clearly such a person, which meant his prestige had reached an unimaginable level.’

’This was something Heather had never seen among the Zor.’

’Those Zor paid lip service to their loyalty to the matriarchs, but every one of them was a self-serving egoist, full of their own schemes and calculations.’

’From a young age, she had read in books about all the wonderful things on the surface world. She refused to continue wasting away in the sunless underground, so when she saw a chance to break free from the Zor, she had chosen to join High Cliff Castle without a second thought.’

’As it turned out, her choice had not been wrong.’

’The only thing is, this human Lord is a bit too heartless.’ At this thought, an expression of faint resentment crossed her face.

"And so, everyone, our stage is set! History will surely remember us and the mark we make!"

"Let us march onward to a brighter future!"

Levi spread his arms wide, his voice firm and resonant.

"FORWARD!!!"

A perfectly synchronized roar echoed through the hall.

"Eat."

At his command, everyone went back to eating, their heads bowed. The only sounds were the clatter of cutlery and the chewing of food.

After the meal, Levi stopped the Silver Dragon Maiden, who was trying to sneak away.

"What is it, Levi?" She didn’t quite dare to look at the Lord, her eyes darting about.

"What are your thoughts on this war?" Levi asked, getting straight to the point.

"Well, I think it would be great if everyone just got along peacefully and made money, wouldn’t it? Why does there have to be all this fighting and killing?"

Sophia wasn’t one to hold back, so she just said what was on her mind.

She counted on her fingers. "I’ve already earned eleven Gold Coins in this time! If things keep going like this, it won’t be long before I’ve earned enough to buy a Dragon Cave on Dragon Island."

"So why do we have to go to war, anyway?"

She looked up, blinking her deep, beautiful eyes that shone like stars, attempting to melt the heart of a certain stone-hearted man.

To a Giant Dragon, a member of a long-lived species, a few decades were nothing. So, earning over ten Gold Coins in just two months was already a delightful outcome for her.

This was especially true considering she was currently under an indenture contract.

’I’ll have to talk to Tina when I get back,’ Levi silently decided. ’We need to lower this girl’s wages. Say, five Gold Coins a month. That’s sixty a year, six hundred in ten years.’

’At this rate, she’ll have earned enough Gold Coins in less than fifty years.’

"Sophia, sometimes war isn’t a choice. If we don’t fight this war, it won’t be long before they declare war on us."

"When that happens, everyone in High Cliff Castle will die."

"We are simply trying to save ourselves."

Levi said, his voice full of sorrow for the state of the world as he tried to sway the incredibly cowardly Giant Dragon before him.

’This war to the south is a gamble, and both sides will be putting all their chips on the table.’

’And in a game like this, a Giant Dragon is a chip that absolutely cannot be ignored.’

’At a critical moment, she could even decide the outcome of a minor battle.’

’No matter what, I have to trick this Silver Dragon into marching south with me.’

"But that doesn’t mean I have to partici—" Sophia said weakly, making a feeble attempt to resist, but she was cut off by Levi’s deadpan expression before she could finish.

"Sophia, let me be blunt. You have to march south with me for this war."

Without waiting for her to reply, Levi continued, "Everything you’ve eaten, drunk, and all the lodging you’ve used in High Cliff Castle during this time—I’ve paid for it all. Do you think any of that is free?"

"I’d say the cost of your food alone is enough to warrant you signing a contract to work for me for another twenty years."

"So, tell me. How are you going to repay me?"

"Huh? I thought that was all free."

Sophia leaped up in shock, her face a mask of disbelief.

It was precisely because she had subconsciously assumed everything was free that she had been eating to her heart’s content this entire time.

"Tell me, when you eat at someone else’s house, do you not offer payment?" The Lord crossed his arms, a cold smirk on his face as he looked at the ridiculously naive girl.

These words of his might not have scared Baisitina, Liya, or Fulina, but they were more than enough to handle this Silver Dragon Maiden.

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