Chapter 96

**Gustave's Perspective as "The Reaper"**

"Monarch, this is good."

We entered the noble district of Regal and stopped in front of the earl's mansion. My beloved horse Monarch let out a heavy breath and lowered his head reluctantly.

Perhaps I pushed him a bit too hard, even though he is a select warhorse. Carrying me in full armor for such a long ride was probably a bit too much.

"This time, you've worked hard. Rest well in the earl's stables."

"Whinny."

"Don't be so stiff... take a good rest, okay?"

I stroked Monarch's face and headed into the earl's mansion. It seems that Earl Regal was already prepared to receive me. ...Yes, this is a well-guarded mansion, with diligent servants who are more organized than the soldiers in many garrisons.

The current Earl Regal, Wilhelm Blanc Regal, is famous for his good governance. The development of his territory is probably the best in the country of Halperia. I don't think my visit will be dismissed outright... but even if we manage to have a discussion, will he listen to what I have to say? I'm not very optimistic...

"Hello, I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of work. Is it okay if I handle the paperwork while we talk? I'll listen properly."

"No..."

The meeting with Earl Regal was arranged immediately. I was surprised that I didn't have to wait for long. Usually, nobles would make you wait even if they have some free time. It's a relief that we can have a frank conversation.

"Please, have a seat. Oh, right, I'll have Armarco prepare some tea. And some snacks."

"No... I cannot accept food or drink from others."

"Oh, right. Sorry about that."

The earl, who was much shorter than I imagined, met with me while working at his desk. Despite his busy appearance, he didn't seem to be treating me carelessly.

"I can't turn down a visit from 'The Reaper of the Moon'... You must have something important to say, right? I don't like it... It's definitely not good news, is it?"

"Earl Wilhelm Blanc Regal. Indeed, it's bad news. I have both good and bad news to deliver."

"There's good news too? Oh, that's good. Let's start with the good news, then."

"The 'Phantom of Strohbe' has appeared again this year."

"..."

The earl's pen stopped moving.

"The usual place, I assume?"

"Yes. As usual, near the old Strohbe. It seems that a fortress being built by the Sangreale Kingdom's army has been destroyed. We captured and interrogated their scouts."

"What was the scale of the destroyed fortress? The exact location?"

"Near Strohbe, on the other side of the Plage River. It's definitely on Sangreale territory."

"Right, that's a mountain stream. The fortress on the other side was destroyed... hmm. Impressive."

Indeed, the earl knows this remote place well.

"The destroyed fortress... I confirmed it myself. It was still under construction, so the exact size is unknown, but from the size of the base and the scattered stones, it was about 6 meters high."

"They were trying to build something substantial... The majority of the stones were crushed, and all the strategic supplies were burned. I couldn't get close to the site, so this information is from a night observation with 'Owl's Eye' from the mountains."

"That's a lot of work. So, the Phantom of Strohbe has appeared again this year..."

The Phantom of Strohbe.

It's something that appears in the abandoned village of Strohbe, which was once a frontier settlement.

We don't know if it's human or a monster.

It appears every summer, attacking Sangreale's military facilities, according to the captured enemy soldiers.

Its appearance is unclear.

Some say it's humanoid, others say it's covered in thorns, or that it wields a sharp chain like a tail... the descriptions vary.

The attack methods are also unclear.

There are few survivors to provide testimony. The Phantom of Strohbe has been tormenting Sangreale for years, relentlessly attacking military facilities and soldiers. Because of this, there are few survivors who know the attack methods.

Even our predecessors, "The Reapers of the Moon," couldn't clearly grasp the information.

Rumors say it can breathe evil flames, use the souls of the dead, or defile everything... it's all vague.

It's assumed to be an undead driven by the unfulfilled wishes of someone who died in Strohbe. However, such a type of undead is unheard of. For now, it remains a mysterious and enigmatic existence.

"However, that's good. If the Phantom of Strohbe has appeared, the pressure from the east will likely be weak this year."

"Yes. Their army seems quite intimidated. ...The fact that the fortress under construction was unmanned suggests they are hesitant to invade the east. The problem is..."

"The south."

"Exactly. That's the bad news."

Sangreale's food situation is dire.

If they didn't adhere to the doctrine of poverty, how many of their people would starve?

Sangreale is mostly mountainous and hilly, making it difficult to grow crops. Their diet mainly consists of emergency crops.

Therefore, they come to take. They convert their abundant iron into weapons and constantly plan to carve out fertile land from Halperia.

Until a few decades ago, invasions from the east, the Ermitte barony, were more common, but recently, they have been bypassing Strohbe and attacking from the south. As a result, Baysin has become more militarized in recent years, with more fortresses. ...Well, there was already a strong call for military bases in that area.

"We have received reports from Slavebat that there is movement of military supplies near the southern border."

"This fall, I assume."

"The scale is unknown, but probably. Before or after the harvest... they will likely attack once their sunflowers are harvested. Of course, it would be best if this is just a precaution. As a precaution, I would like to deploy troops to the Baysin area."

"...I don't like it... ugh..."

The earl bit into a pastry on the table and groaned pitifully.

"...Yes. Since this is information our country has obtained, we can't let them guess the scale of our counterattack. We'll hold off on informing the military and guilds until the last moment. But we'll prepare accordingly."

"That's a good idea. And regarding the mobilization from Regal..."

"We'll send the Regal army. We'll also coordinate with the guilds. According to regulations, we'll mobilize guild members of Silver rank and above. Bronze members will handle logistics and other tasks."

"Thank you. Can I have a written confirmation immediately?"

"Yes, I understand. ...We haven't decided yet where and how many units to send to Baysin."

"An envoy from the national army will come. Follow their instructions. In other words, as usual."

"My job is just to secure food and military supplies. That's easy. Sending soldiers to the battlefield is complicated, though."

...The Earl of Regal is truly remarkable. In the past, when there was a small skirmish at the border, he quickly dispatched troops.

At that time, Regal's harvest wasn't outstanding, but the management of supplies was better than in other territories.

He is an excellent earl. If we had more people like him in the military, it would be great.

"Ah... I wanted to focus on the development of the city this year... I don't like it..."

"I'm sorry. We know that this is an important time for Regal."

"It can't be helped. It's not your fault. 'The Reaper of the Moon' always works hard."

"...If you say that, my comrades will rest in peace."

Indeed. I understand why the earl is respected even by low-ranking servants. He is calm and kind. ...The rumors in the capital are unreliable. I wonder who is spreading such bad rumors...

"Oh, right. I forgot to ask your name. What was it again?"

"I apologize. My name is Gustave."

"Gustave. This is a request, and I hope it doesn't conflict with your orders."

"Yes."

"Can you avoid looking for Lord Chaos in this city?"

Hmm.

"What's the reason for that?"

"Just a feeling."

"...Just a feeling."

The earl is looking at me with a probing gaze. I want to read his thoughts from his expression, but he seems to have a "wall" that prevents me from doing so.

...It can't be helped. After all, that's just a side job. It's more of a miscellaneous task that doesn't require bringing back results. Personally, I don't want to upset the earl.

"Understood. I will not search for Lord Chaos in Regal. I swear by my scythe."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

Hmm. There are many things that are concerning... but this is fine for now.

Just securing a commitment for troops in the fall is enough.

If we can mobilize Regal's soldiers and guild members in an emergency, we can defend both the Baysin and Ermitte areas flexibly. It's also an ideal location for stockpiling supplies.

...Ideally, the best outcome would be for Sangreale not to attack at all... but hoping for their restraint is just asking to be taken advantage of. We can't afford such foolishness.

We must be prepared, even if it seems excessive.