Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord (お気楽領主の楽しい領地防衛 ～生産系魔術で名もなき村を最強の城塞都市に～)

I don't like this.

I really don't like this.

I very much do not like this.

I know I have to deliver the new weapon to the fortress city of Scudet,

but that means going to the field of battle again.

I'm so bummed out.

Lord Van, look.

That's the city closest to Scudet.

It looks like a normal city at a glance, but I see an awful lot of soldiers.

Post-defeat, our Scuderian army probably started using it to reorganize the troops.

Yelenetta Kingdom's new weapon was incredible, wasn't it?

It's been a long time...

Van.

THE ULTIMATE SQUAD'S PROUD COUNTERATTACK

THE ULTIMATE SQUAD'S PROUD COUNTERATTACK

It's been a long time, Father.

Van. I hear you have been made a baron.

Yes, I have.

I hear you defeated a dragon.

Oh, it was only a forest dragon, though.

A-A forest dragon?!

How did you do it?

Even I can't defeat dragons of that class on my own.

I have to mobilize the full force of my knights to face one.

Um, I defeated it with ballistae.

Ballistae, you say?

Impossible.

There is no way you could have done that.

Even if I were totally honest, he probably wouldn't believe me.

Young man.

Panamera.

Oh? Am I interrupting a father-son reunion?

No.

Is His Majesty here, too?

Yes. He's been eagerly awaiting you.

He was wondering if you'd prepared something interesting again.

Well then.

Father.

Shall I show you my ballistae after I've met with His Majesty?

Good idea.

Seeing is believing, as they say.

Though if you have some bolts to hand, I could show him my own right now.

No, I have something better now.

I figured you might.

Will you sell me the new ones?

Okay, I'll prepare some for you soon.

We can talk prices later.

Listen to you, already touting it.

I'm Viscountess Cayenne.

I have brought Baron Van Nei Fertio.

Please enter.

Whoa!

Impressed by His Majesty's royal guards?

They're really intense.

They're strong, right?

Yeah.

Since His Majesty values military feats, his guards are all superb warriors.

Although with your gear, you might still stand a chance of beating them.

Damn, Panamera. That was on purpose.

Okay, let's go.

Now, regarding our strategy going forward,

we'll gather Scuderia's elites together and retake the fortress city of Scudet.

Any objections?

COUNT BARIATT SHIROCCO FERDINATTO

That's Count Ferdinatto. Arte's father.

He does kind of resemble her.

Aperta. Is there anything we should be wary of for the upcoming battle?

Yes.

Yelenetta's army has laid siege to Scudet in vain many times over the years,

but this time, they took it in the blink of an eye.

The number one reason for this appears to be their wyverns and those black balls.

Black balls?

Their new weapons, huh?

In other words, we can't win without doing something about them?

Yes. However, they use the wyverns to attack from above.

It will prove difficult to take them down.

Marquis Fertio, they attacked your men with those black balls, yes?

Yes.

Scuderia's reinforcements are here!

Take this!

What's that weapon?

Lord Jalpa! Our forces have nearly been wiped out!

Wh-What?

They delivered tremendous force and decimated our army.

Baron, have you come up with a potential strategy?

Well...

We just need to defeat those wyverns quickly,

before they can attack with those black balls, right?

Hmph. A ridiculous notion.

Such childish drivel.

It'd be no problem if we could just do that.

Normally, I would say it's out of the question, but...

It's strange, but I think the baron could do it.

Then, could we have you on the front lines of the operation to retake Scudet?

Oh, I'm sorry. I have no intention of going to the front lines.

Talking back to His Majesty?

I can't believe it.

What's he thinking?

The gall of it—

You don't want to go to the front lines? You could earn yourself glory.

I know, but could I please act in a support capacity?

Why?

Um...

Because I don't want to get hurt.

What?

How selfish can you get?

What an impudent brat.

What kind of upbringing did he get at House Fertio?

You may be a child, but you're out of line.

You're just the lord of a small, remote village.

You should know your place.

Father, I understand that well.

However, none of you higher nobles have even imagined what it's like to be a lord

earnestly defending such a small village.

What?

Marquis.

Baron, continue.

Right. In the beginning,

I was made the lord of a tiny village that could easily be wiped out.

I was accompanied there by fine allies,

but I didn't receive any support from my family.

Despite that, I've worked hard to greatly develop my patch.

Even so, the village remains small.

If Yelenetta Kingdom were to attack it while I'm away,

they'd stand little chance of victory.

But would Yelenetta even bother to attack such a small village?

Yes. They actually sent a reconnaissance force to take Seatoh.

Yelenetta is serious about crushing us this time.

So they will likely try to conquer all the other domains on their borders.

Right. And it'd be all too simple to burn down such a small place.

No way.

Do we have a way to counter this?

I'll need to strengthen my defenses.

I just want to protect the village my citizens have built together.

So I can't afford to let myself get hurt.

I understand now.

Still, you make it sound like you can counter the Yelenetta army, baron.

Yes, I believe I can.

Impossible.

They're using wyverns and those black balls.

Those won't be a problem, either.

Your Majesty, I plan to do more than just support from the rear.

In return for that, I'll prepare my new ballistae and catapults.

Is that so?

How reassuring.

Then, let's go make these ballistae and catapults at once.

You're going to start on them now?

Van, you really don't understand the situation.

We're in a race against time—

Father, allow me to show you in person like I promised.

H-How can this be?

What in the world is this?

So quickly?

Wh-What's going on here?

What do you think, Father?

Pointless. I'm sure they're just for show and not all that impressive.

I'm heading back to reorganize my army.

Still, this is incredible.

So this is the baron's new weapon?

You've created another sensational piece of equipment.

These catapults are capable of launching specially made shuriken to down wyverns.