Regressor of the Fallen Family Novel - Chapter 330

Chapter 330: The Trade Route Strategy

To pinpoint a reliable path for a massive merchant guild to utilize, the list of potential trails was winnowed down to just a few dozen. However, when considering routes capable of supporting the passage of thousands—or even tens of thousands—of combatants without bottlenecking, the choices dwindled to a mere handful.

In reality, three specific paths were identified.

The “Trader’s Path” which bridged the mercantile hubs of Kyle and Luspelheim,

the “Tracker’s Route” that veered south around the northern demonic woods to link the northern hunting communities, and

the “Explorer’s Trail” which skirted the northern peaks to connect with the southern municipalities.

“Strictly speaking, every one of these can be categorized as a trade route, given they were originally carved for commercial gain,” Logan remarked.

Hearing this, Damian tilted his head, looking perplexed.

“Are you suggesting that all three paths will serve as conduits for an invasion?”

“Precisely.”

“…Even the Main Street could barely fit a hundred thousand soldiers simultaneously. Are you now claiming the north-south commercial roads will face the same scale of mobilization…?”

“The military might of the Empire exceeds those figures.”

In truth, during the initial Imperial incursion in his previous life, the combined strength of the Sword Saint and the Esperanza territory defenders managed to stall an Imperial host of over 100,000 for more than a week at the frontier. Because the Kingdom’s most potent aura user and its premier knight order bought that precious time, the Grandia Royal Family was able to mobilize their forces with haste.

However, by the time they engaged the Imperial battalions along Main Street, the waves of soldiers flooding through the north-south trade arteries had already begun to plunge the nation into total disarray.

“Even if they had anticipated it back then, the Kingdom’s defense wouldn’t have been enough to stop the Empire regardless.”

Yet, the current situation had changed. And more importantly.

“We might lack the means to fully seal off Main Street, but the north-south paths offer ideal terrain for defensive structures. If we can just barricade those two specific locations, the war will become far more manageable.”

“Think of these routes as primary highways, but in truth, they are bustling corridors woven with countless side paths. I find myself wondering if it is even possible to truly block them with stationary defenses…”

“It is entirely possible.”

“…What makes you so certain?”

“Well, that is—”

In his past life, you were the one who said those words.

—If we had done that, the Kingdom wouldn’t have crumbled so easily.

Stifling a pang of regret, Logan continued.

“As you noted, the Tracker’s Route and Explorer’s Trail are intricate trade networks with many offshoots. However, there are a few vital bottlenecks where all those branches converge. This holds true both within the Empire and our own borders.”

“Ah… How do you possess such specific knowledge? You haven’t personally traveled to those locations, have you?”

“I was briefed by a reliable source.”

“I beg your pardon?”

By you.

“So, while my memory of the exact coordinates might be slightly fuzzy, I am recommending we mark one specific point in the north and one in the south where fortifications can be built. Elements from the 2nd and 3rd Battalions will be permanently stationed there.”

Damian, unable to hide his skepticism at such a bold proclamation, wore a look of utter confusion, prompting Logan to give a comforting smile.

“Naturally, we will also implement the Grand Magic Circles.”

Logan spoke with absolute conviction, but Damian remained unconvinced. It appeared as though massive strategic decisions involving enormous costs were being made based on hearsay alone. Nevertheless, faced with the King’s grave and steady presence, Damian felt the weight of duty.

“Well, since the busy planting season starts in a few months, we must finalize the sites and organize the laborers immediately. We should aim to finish the primary construction within two or three months, and refine them further after the harvest.”

“Finishing in three months won’t be a problem.”

“Excuse me?”

“We have access to the world’s most talented specialists.”

“Ah…”

With a strained smile at Logan’s unwavering confidence, Damian offered a silent prayer for his colleagues, who were undoubtedly about to face a grueling ordeal.

“This feels very strange…”

Rolling around on his mattress, Hamal sat up, extending his stout arms and letting out a massive yawn. Rubbing his round belly, he saw fresh bread and steaming tea set out on the table. A bowl of water for washing waited just beyond the threshold.

“Nothing is technically wrong, but…”

Is everything actually okay? Ten years prior, he could never have imagined this kind of luxury, back when he was a discarded dwarven slave suffering under a failed master. Now, as the head of the Taren Magic Workshop, a prominent figure in national defense and a confidant to the king, he was even used to having personal bodyguards.

Yet, he felt unsettled.

“Why am I so incredibly bored?”

Was it because the workshop was running too efficiently?

‘I can’t exactly go around breaking things on purpose just to fix them.’

Munching on bread while lost in thought, Hamal suddenly went rigid.

“Now that I think about it, I have this sudden urge to build something… Wait!”

Panicked, he covered his mouth and peered around the room as if a ghost had spoken.

—Are your kin not naturally gifted in the arts of creation?

The memory of a long-gone demon’s whisper surfaced, and Hamal shook his head violently to dispel it.

“Ugh, no, no. I’m just letting my imagination run wild. Come on! Doing nothing and just enjoying life is infinitely better!”

He shook his fist in a hollow gesture of self-encouragement. However, the deep-seated dwarven instinct to forge and build was surging after six months of inactivity.

“What if I just did a little bit of carving?”

His thoughts drifted to his first love, remembering the dwarves who had hidden away in the high mountains to avoid human contact. Among them was a girl whose striking gaze had brought him genuine happiness.

“…Nuar.”

Nostalgia hit him like a wave as he remembered his failed attempts to capture the beauty of her eyes in stone.

“Ah, every time I look back on that…”

It seemed he had buried her memory deep within his mind lately.

“I haven’t honored your legacy, Nuar. Please forgive me.”

In that moment, the itch to hold a hammer and chisel became a burning flame. Though he’d deny it to his dying day, the joy of the craft was in his blood.

“Fine. A bit of sculpting is just a hobby.”

As he made excuses to himself and moved to leave his quarters, he was suddenly stopped.

“Hamal!?”

BANG!

“Oof!”

Taking the door directly to the bridge of his nose, Hamal went sprawling.

“Huh? Haha… Why were you standing right there?”

Tamer, a one-armed dwarf, stepped through the doorway with a nervous, awkward grin.

“Ugh… What? Why was I there? You little rascal, is it a crime to stand in my own room?”

With a nosebleed starting to drip, Hamal stood up threateningly, causing Tamer to back away.

“Wh-why are you looking at me like that?!”

“Because I was just about to start my vacation!”

“N-no! Absolutely not! Now is not the time!”

“But it’s exactly the time!”

“There are direct orders from the King!”

At Tamer’s frantic shout, Hamal froze in his tracks.

“What?”

His face went pale as a sense of impending doom took hold.

“They… they want two massive fortresses constructed within ninety days!”

“You’re telling me what?! Two fortresses? In three months?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of lunacy is this? I’m certain they meant castles!”

“I believe they did mean castles!”

“Have they lost their minds? That last castle was huge!”

“But they said you should use the same methods we used when we built the Aegis Fortress!”

“That was a different situation! I was stuck in a hole! Can’t they just leave me alone?”

In total shock, Hamal stood with his mouth agape, but Tamer’s grim expression confirmed the nightmare was real.

“They specified it must be built with stone… and there are two of them!”

Suddenly, Hamal felt crushed by the weight of his own destiny.

THUNK.

“Ugh… Damn it… Why did I have to say I was bored?”

As he wailed in silent frustration, genuine tears of regret rolled down Hamal’s face.

“So, to be clear: instead of just placing magic circles in the existing structures, we are to build entirely new fortifications and then install the circles there? And the deadline is three months?”

Clayton’s scarred face twisted into a grimace so severe it made Grick take an involuntary step backward. Though he was a kind mentor, Clayton’s appearance could be terrifying to those who weren’t used to it.

“I suspect the King views us as having divine powers.”

Of course, Clayton was technically a superhuman. Victoria was as well. Grick kept the thought to himself.

“It seems the King is under an illusion, expecting us to replicate the speed of the Aegis construction.”

“This is going to lead to a massive misunderstanding.”

“Demanding two fortresses in three months is beyond the limit.”

The group exchanged worried glances as a heavy atmosphere filled the room.

“We might need to suggest a more realistic timeline.”

“…I don’t think that’s an option.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Grick, unless a literal miracle happens, I don’t see how we manage this.”

The scholars of the Mage Guild, who had been focused on the Great Magic Circle, looked between their Master and his top student.

“So how do we handle this?”

“If we try to tackle an impossible task like building these fortresses from scratch, we might fail everything.”

Despite the impossibility, Clayton remained firm.

“There is no scenario where we can simply say, ‘this cannot be done’.”

“Is it just me, or have we moved from a tactical discussion into a conversation about pure survival?”

“I feel the same way.”

Grick could feel the pressure as their resolve began to harden.

“Whatever narrow path we find through this, they need to understand the stakes.”

Clayton turned his gaze toward Grick.

“I believe that regardless of what is expected, our workload won’t get any lighter. Let’s keep a direct line of communication with the King.”

“That seems to be the only way forward.”

Following Clayton’s lead, Grick dropped his questioning tone and braced his mind. They both understood the grim reality of what was coming. While they had expected difficult work, they hadn’t expected to be pushed to their breaking points alongside Hamal once more.

A collective, heavy sigh echoed through the subterranean halls as the group reached a silent understanding.