Construction of the stables was proceeding smoothly.

  Each stable would house ten horses, so ten buildings stood in a row.

  They were nearly complete; now the workers were building the fences around the riding ground.

  In a little while the horses would arrive from the capital.

  When the horse handlers first came to the village they had grumbled about being sent to a remote countryside post, but the food apparently suited their tastes. They had since grown close with the villagers and now seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the relaxed pace of life.

  Because the mounted archers’ practice ground had also been moved here, they could now take much longer distances to the targets.

  Since they had received such a major investment, they had to produce results or lose face, so everyone trained with deadly seriousness.

  Yet there was still no one who could both ride and handle either spear or bow.

  Once the horse issue was settled, the next problem would be manpower.

  Fifty-four people could shoot from horseback, and some among them could use spears, but the village simply did not have enough surplus personnel to send two hundred to war.

  Sara clutched her head, wondering when they would ever reach a hundred riders.

  She had to admit her projections had been too optimistic.

  A hundred years ago, fifteen thousand people had lived in the town of Rondo.

  The war had halved that number; now only about four thousand remained.

  Most able workers combined farming with crafts and lived by self-sufficiency. Only a handful had served in the military.

  The craftspeople were not only blacksmiths; they also worked in textiles, leather, and wood.

  Silk farming had once flourished, but after the war the number of practitioners dwindled until only a few remained.

  It was a skill the people had brought with them when they migrated from the east long ago.

  Sara thought that perhaps a hundred Rondo troops was already the limit.

  If so, she could not even imagine how many years it would take to reach the target.

  One day a large herd of horses arrived from the west.

  Sara was sitting by the hearth, staring into the flames and brooding, when Riad came in with the news. She immediately went out to greet them.

  On the way she learned that Cletus was with them and felt a sinking premonition.

  The three visitors the other day had done the same—why did the upper echelons of Elysia always appear without warning?

  She almost wanted to complain that they had no custom of giving advance notice, but what was done was done.

  She had hoped to avoid hosting high-ranking guests in their humble, rustic house for a while longer.

  Yet how badly timed their visit was!

  She could hardly say they had horses but no riders!

  Did they see through the situation?

  With that thought she ran down the mountain.

  In her haste Loki and Shera had followed her.

  When Sara arrived, Cletus had already dismounted and was inspecting the stables.

  “I didn’t expect you to come running out of breath. Here are the seventy horses you requested. The stables look well built—I’m relieved.”

  “Thank… you…”

  She answered while catching her breath.

  “Your visit was so sudden… I was surprised.”

  “My apologies. In my position I cannot publicly announce my schedule in advance.”

  Of course—an important person’s itinerary could not be leaked; that would only delight spies.

  “Is unit formation proceeding smoothly?”

  “Yes, we have gathered fifty-four mounted archers. But reflecting on the scale of this village, I realize my estimate for sending two hundred to war was too optimistic.”

  “I thought as much. A self-sufficient population of four thousand with extremely high technical skill is already a miracle. Drawing a total of two hundred soldiers from them is rather harsh. That is why I came today with a proposal.”

  “A proposal?”

  “Yes. Let me explain. I intend to dispatch forty-five cavalrymen here. I want you to train them in archery. They have already completed mounted training with spear and sword and are all experienced, excellent soldiers. I have chosen only those who understand the value of mobile mounted-archer units. They volunteered after I selected them. I have named the unit the Mobile Archer Battalion. In the future I want to develop this mobile force into a vital strategic unit. Therefore I plan to gather soldiers here in stages and conduct training. Well, will you accept?”

  “Yes, of course we will accept, but… where will everyone live…?”

  “No need to worry about that. The military budget will cover construction of barracks here. Seeing those stables, I know your technical level is above standard, so we will pay the craftsmen properly.”

  “That is excellent news. However, the final decision rests with the village chief. Could we discuss it with him later?”

  “That is fine. For now, let’s get the horses inside.”

  At Cletus’s order the horses were led one after another into the stables.

  The handlers were delighted to return to their real work and entered their assigned stables to check on the animals.

  Cletus suggested they take a short walk and led Sara away.

  He moved away from the commotion toward a quieter area, so she walked beside him.

  This area was planned to become vast pastureland.

  It was essential for maintaining the horses.

  “I intend to gain the understanding of the people of this land before proceeding. That I promise. I will also add that I see value in this location itself.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If we carry out this plan, this region will develop into one of the kingdom’s foremost cities. Urban development will naturally be funded by the state. And I believe the participation of the technically advanced Rondo people will be indispensable.”

  Sara could not fully grasp the implications.

  “I want you to understand my vision clearly.”

  Cletus looked straight into Sara’s eyes as he spoke.

  “I understand.”

  Guards kept a respectful distance around Cletus, watching the surroundings.

  This was a conversation that must not leak.

  “I wish to build a military academy in the southwest of this village.”

  The scale of the discussion far exceeded Sara’s expectations; she could not hide her confusion and wariness.

  Sensing it, Cletus spoke soothingly.

  “This area is a very strong natural fortress. From northern Rondinia to the southeast stretches a high mountain range; to the south lies the sea. That sea is not far from the mountain foothills, the plains are narrow, the rivers flowing from the mountains are swift and difficult to cross, and rare cliffs pour waterfalls directly into the ocean. Because of this, the region has almost no fear of foreign invasion. Thanks to that, our kingdom has been able to concentrate its defensive focus on the west. All urban development so far has centered on the western side. The eastern side remains almost untouched. Yet here sleeps an incredible raw gem—Rondo technology and tactics.”

  Cletus paused for breath and continued.

  “This region is at the kingdom’s farthest eastern edge, with extremely low risk of intrusion from surrounding areas. In other words, information here is unlikely to leak outward. It is the ideal location for nurturing strategically valuable units.”

  Sara nodded.

  “At the recent exercises I decided to provide you with seventy horses and other supplies and funds because I placed high expectations on you. I evaluated your insight and ability to conceive a unit plan, understand its strengths and weaknesses, devise improvements, and put them into practice. However, building something unprecedented from scratch is too heavy a burden for one person, and it will take too much time. This is not a criticism of your ability. I want to realize this vision as quickly as possible, and I believe this unit will change the battlefield. Therefore, as Supreme Commander, I wish to support it with all my strength. That is the purpose of today’s proposal. I promise that the Rondo people will suffer no disadvantage.”

  Sara felt she was beginning to understand.

  “In other words, while constructing the military academy you will also urbanize the surrounding area?”

  “Exactly. It will begin with the academy’s construction. The military will be stationed here and roads will be improved. Quick-witted people will immediately establish bases. When that happens, this region will become the safest in the kingdom. Urbanization should not take long. And when it does, the Rondo village will change dramatically.”

  Sara felt hope as great as her anxiety.

  The wind racing across the empty plain and the clouds flowing through the sky felt heavy, like a chaotic whirlpool.

  “So we must decide how to live here and how to protect Rondo culture?”

  “Precisely. I have spoken of this plan to only a few people so far. The key to realizing it lies with the Rondo. Therefore I wish to hear your thoughts and proceed together. I want you to understand this first. Take all the time you need. I will wait for the Rondo’s answer.”

  She had never imagined the discussion would be this enormous.

  By the time the sun began to tilt, Sara and Cletus visited the village chief’s house.

  Fully armed guards stood in a line around the chief’s house, and many villagers watched uneasily.

  High-ranking Elysian nobles had visited before, but never with such heavy security.

  Rumors began to fly on their own.

  Inside the house an odd tension filled the air.

  The village chief looked flustered before the kingdom’s highest noble, Cletus spoke with a constant smile to ease the tension, and Sara sat silently watching the exchange.

  The three sat around the hearth.

  Steam rose thickly from the iron kettle hanging over the fire, and the sound of boiling water seemed strangely loud.

  The chief added cold water to cool it slightly, poured it into the teapot with tea leaves, and covered it.

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  He poured the tea into black-glazed teacups and offered them to Cletus and Sara.

  Cletus took a sip and his eyes widened.

  “What a refreshing, mysterious aroma and cool sensation. I have never tasted anything like it. What kind of tea is this?”

  “Red-pine needles. It is our daily tea.”

  “Your culture contains many things that catch the eye. You possess much that we do not. Even your way of seeing and thinking feels fresh to us. You have a solid foundation yet do not flaunt it; the glimpses that occasionally appear stand out vividly. It must have been difficult to preserve.”

  “Yes… ah, forgive me, I am the village chief, Kazal.”

  He hurriedly bowed his head. Cletus raised a hand as if to say not to worry.

  “As you know, we lost the war a hundred years ago. Since then our numbers have steadily declined, and preserving Rondo skills has been difficult. Much has been lost. Yet Elysia never tried to force us into submission. For that we are deeply grateful.”

  “Indeed, Elysia refrained from interference beyond taxation and conscription. However, going back through old records, it appears assimilation policies were once considered. Yet the military’s internal documents show they feared you after being repelled three times despite superior numbers in past battles. There is also the fact that constant skirmishes with neighboring countries along the western border kept attention away from the east. If there was no problem, they simply left it alone—in other words, the matter was shelved.”

  The chief gasped in surprise.

  Cletus moistened his throat and continued.

  “Looking back, I believe the choice at the time was not wrong. If assimilation had been rushed, precious skills and culture might have been lost. I now believe they possess the power to change this country.”

  “I am overwhelmed by such generous praise. But since you have come all this way, there must be some important matter. The girl sitting here like a borrowed cat has been silent, but seeing her, I can guess.”

  Sara looked up with a start.

  Kazal was smiling at her.

  His expression seemed to say, “Why are you shrinking back?” Sara pouted a little in annoyance.

  “Today I have come to consult you about one matter.”

  Kazal nodded slowly, urging him to continue.

  Cletus carefully chose his words to avoid misunderstanding and explained his vision.

  Kazal listened quietly.

  “So you plan to build a large military base in the southwest and create a town there.”

  “Yes. For people who have lived quietly here until now, rapid change is expected.”

  “What kind of change?”

  “Increased traffic and the inflow of Elysian culture. In addition, Elysian currency will flow in. You already understand, since some have bought your weapons, but currency assigns value to your culture and technology.”

  “We once used currency too. But in such a small settlement there was no meaning in trading with money, so we stopped several decades ago. Many of those living now do not even know what gold is. Confusion and disputes will surely arise.”

  Kazal moistened his throat and went on.

  “I was born in this village shortly after the chaos following the war and have long watched people and customs disappear. The loss of money was one of them, but I have seen the kind of change the girl fears for a long time. Simply put, what has already vanished is gone, and only what should remain is here now.”

  It felt as if the eighty-year-old elder was revealing what he had kept locked in his heart all these years.

  “Sara, you heard the story from this gentleman earlier and felt anxious about the extraordinary things to come, didn’t you?”

  Sara nodded.

  “Don’t worry. Look—the teacup still has tea in it. Mine is only half full.”

  He showed Sara his cup.

  The tea in his cup had dropped to half.

  She had not even touched hers.

  “To you everything feels like the present, but to me it is already half gone. Yet what remains now is exactly what we wanted to protect no matter what. In other words, over a hundred years we have discarded everything else.”

  Sara realized with a start.

  The scenery Kazal and she saw was completely different.

  “Increased traffic will change the village somewhat, but it is like adding walls and a roof to a house whose frame alone remains, then placing furniture inside. Lifestyles may change, but the living people will not change greatly. They will change gradually over generations, yet what we wish to keep will remain. That changes with the times. It was probably the same when our ancestors migrated here from the east a thousand years ago. Much was lost, but what needed protecting was protected.”

  Tears unexpectedly fell from Sara’s eyes.

  It was probably from relief.

  “Lord Cletus, we are deeply grateful that you came all this way out of concern for us. Ever since this girl said she would go to war, I somehow felt a day like this would come.”

  Sara’s eyes widened at those words.

  “After losing her parents she began to practice martial arts despite being a girl, putting others before herself and imitating adults even though she was still young. I worried she would break one day, but she always accomplishes what she sets out to do. Now there are only a handful of men in the area who can match her. She has a strong, straight core. I always thought she would do something big one day. But it came much sooner than I expected.”

  Kazal narrowed his eyes and looked at Sara.

  “Lord Cletus, please proceed as you wish. Use the Rondo skills you have recognized as valuable to the fullest. We will live flexibly, like bamboo.”

  Cletus was surprised by Kazal’s readiness.

  He had feared they would call it cultural invasion.

  What resilient people, he thought.

  “Thank you. As I said earlier, my policy is to respect the Rondo and move forward. This is not mere consideration; I believe that damaging Rondo technology and culture would not benefit the kingdom. You possess a different perspective and the power to generate new ideas. I wish to incorporate that into the nation’s development. I will inform you of future plans through Aquinas. If anything arises, please tell him.”

  “Are you close with Lord Aquinas?”

  Sara asked.

  “Yes, we have been study companions since childhood. We still talk often.”

  He moistened his lips and continued.

  “I heard all about what happened here from him. He seems very interested in your view of life and death.”

  “Is it so different?”

  “I do not know. You should ask him.”

  Cletus smiled.

  Sara nodded.

  “Well, the sun has already set. Let us prepare a meal. Lord Cletus, please make yourself comfortable.”

  With that Kazal stepped down into the earthen floor and went outside.

  It was a strangely built house.

  A wooden structure; once through the entrance came the kitchen area, and across the earthen floor on the opposite side was the raised living space where they sat.

  The earthen floor seemed to expose the foundation of the house and was made of pottery clay.

  The high-quality clay layer beneath the rice paddies was used as material for pottery.

  If left too long, water collected and roots suffered, so it was regularly harvested and turned into pottery or bricks.

  They removed their footwear, spread soft mats, and sat directly on the floor.

  Charcoal was placed in the hearth, and pots could be hung from the ceiling to cook.

  When sitting, the ceiling somehow looked higher.

  Many lengths of bamboo were lined up above the hearth.

  “So those are the smoked bamboo.”

  “Yes. They are smoked by the hearth fire.”

  “Coloniaus and Aurius were extremely fond of them. His Highness Lucius always carries his at his waist, so I have seen it often, but it takes a hundred years, I hear.”

  “Yes.”

  “Fascinating. Invisible time takes visible form, and you enjoy the change. That is true luxury. Your fondness for smoked bamboo and your refusal to polish away the slight rust on sword fittings are all part of a culture that savors the passage of time.”

  Sara poured fresh tea, emptied the remainder of her cup into the hearth, and filled Cletus’s cup with warm liquid.

  “They too have come to enjoy the change rather than the value of a hundred years. They requested Elysian swords rather than our traditional blades.”

  “Yes, they discussed and decided the design together.”

  “Perhaps that is how cultures mix. A new value that never existed before is born.”

  Cletus wondered if his worries had been needless.

  Rondo culture might be flexible toward change.

  That was probably because its foundation was solid.

  Even as eras passed and places of residence changed, they adapted and took root.

  What shrewd people, Cletus thought.

  Upon returning to the capital, Cletus moved energetically.

  He held detailed discussions especially with Julius of the Crepius family in the Ministry of Finance and made his proposal at the morning council.

  The story of how mobile archers had rescued the second prince from danger in the previous battle, routed the enemy cavalry on the right wing of the left army with only thirty riders, and how their commander had shot the enemy general of the right army and received the title of Bow Saint was already well known. Obtaining agreement to put successful examples into full operation was easy.

  Everyone assumed that stationing troops would involve money moving for supplies, and once they learned why the Crepius family seemed so busy, they all rushed to gather information so as not to be left behind.

  The impatient ones even went to inspect the Rondo village.

  Training was already underway at the training ground south of the village.

  The cavalry Cletus had brought on his recent visit had remained stationed there.

  With no houses, they camped in the open, but that was familiar to them.

  The village chief had hastily built a bath, so every day the soldiers stopped by to wash away their fatigue.

  Food was abundant; meat and fish were plentiful, and above all the rice was highly praised.

  It had a slight reddish tint, was chewy, and had a pleasant aroma.

  Even when cold it could be formed into rice balls and eaten with only salt and still tasted delicious.

  It could be eaten even during short breaks in training and received rave reviews.

  When they first saw fermented soybean products some mistook them for horse dung and threw them away, but after watching the Rondo eat them they hesitantly licked a little.

  To their surprise it was quite tasty. When eaten with raw vegetables the saltiness and rich, deep aroma complemented the vegetables perfectly, and everyone reached for it as an ideal snack with alcohol.

  Amid this harmonious atmosphere, training began.

  One day a soldier asked Sara,

  “Why are Rondo spears made so short? Elysian ones exceed ten shaku. Wouldn’t yours be more advantageous?”

  It was a reasonable question.

  Sara brought a ten-shaku bamboo cut to Elysian spear length and an eight-shaku one cut to Rondo length, handed the ten-shaku bamboo to the soldier, and faced him with spears ready.

  When they closed the distance, the Elysian spear certainly reached Sara’s body first.

  That was only natural.

  When fighting with spears, one constantly parries the opponent’s tip away from one’s body.

  Therefore opportunities to thrust the opponent’s body are not frequent.

  On a real battlefield, striking with the long shaft is far more common than thrusting the body.

  Such attacks are also parried with the spear, but once a long spear is inside the opponent’s range there is no choice but to retreat.

  When the enemy comes to strike, you evade with the shaft while closing the distance, and the attacker tries to prevent escape, but there is a spot that can be reliably targeted.

  The fingers.

  When the opponent strikes with the shaft, you parry with your own while closing in, then drop your spearhead straight along the enemy’s shaft—there are the fingers.

  Rondo tactics often target the fingers.

  Injuring the fingers greatly reduces combat effectiveness.

  Finishing them off afterward is sufficient.

  That is why Rondo spears are made to cut when swept sideways.

  Sara demonstrated by cutting a straw bundle with her spear.

  Admiring voices rose from the Elysian soldiers.

  Everyone had to accept the explanation.

  “I’d like one of these spears too. Could you make me one?”

  “Of course we can make them, but we will have to charge for them.”

  Previously, for half of the fifty-four mounted archers, thirty spears had been made, but since the spearmen had been supplemented by regular troops they were left over.

  They were not made of smoked bamboo but of dried, de-oiled bamboo; functionally there was little difference.

  She showed them to the soldiers.

  The spearheads were two shaku long, the shafts six shaku with hexagonal cross-section.

  Sara cut another straw bundle with one to show them.

  “How much?”

  Sara thought for a moment and answered three hundred silver coins.

  For a quasi-regular soldier that was seven months’ pay; for a regular it was four months.

  After thinking briefly the man said,

  “I’ll buy it.”

  Then “Me too, me too,” buyers appeared one after another, and eighteen spears sold in no time.

  Sara collected the money and set it aside.

  She had something in mind.

  One day Sara gathered everyone involved in metalworking in the village square.

  Here, after polishing their skills in blacksmithing, engraving, and other crafts, they practiced division of labor to produce what they wanted.

  Including apprentices, the group—men and women, young and old—exceeded one hundred and fifty.

  They made not only weapons but daily necessities as well.

  “Why don’t we try selling what we make in town?”

  Sara began.

  “Will it sell?”

  “What would we sell?”

  Many voices spoke up.

  “The other day, of the thirty spears we made intending to use them ourselves, eighteen were sold. I don’t know the price of other spears, but each sold for three hundred silver coins. That’s five thousand four hundred silver coins total. In gold that’s five and a half coins.”

  Hearing that, everyone’s expressions grew serious.

  “I don’t really understand gold…”

  “Gold is like a measuring stick,” the village chief said.

  He had heard Sara was gathering everyone and had come over.

  “A measuring stick measures the length of wood; gold measures the value of things. The annual campaign support stipend we receive from the kingdom is fifty gold coins, so for a hundred soldiers in the village that means five hundred silver coins per person per year.”

  “Is that a lot?”

  “Who knows. But regular soldiers serve year-round and receive a thousand silver coins, so it’s half of that. Three hundred silver for one spear means the amount a village soldier earns in seven months, so it’s probably expensive?”

  “What do we do with the gold? Melt it down and make something?”

  “You buy what you need with it. Don’t melt it.”

  “Oh, so if we buy it we don’t have to make it ourselves.”

  “Right.”

  “So what should we sell?”

  “For example, iron kettles, chains, or kitchen knives. People use them every day.”

  “Tools like that would also be good practice for the young ones.”

  “Also, our weapons have a good reputation, so weapons too.”

  “Then should we just make those?”

  “Wait, wait, there’s an order to things. There’s no point making things that won’t sell. Start with kitchen knives. Just one. I have an idea, so could you make me a single meat-cutting knife?”

  “Understood. I’ll make one first.”

  The speaker was Gies, one of the top two blacksmiths at the foot of the mountain in skill.

  They disbanded for the day. Sara and Kazal remained in the square.

  “I don’t fully understand gold myself, so talking business might still be premature. I’ll help too, so don’t rush.”

  Kazal said that and returned home.

  A few days later Gies came to the chief’s house carrying a meat-cutting knife.

  It was a well-made blade with a slight curve at the tip.

  He had even made a simple sheath for it.

  “You work fast. Could you call Sara?”

  Since he asked, there was nothing to do but fetch her. Sara cut short her archery instruction and came.

  “What is it?”

  “Sorry, were you in the middle of training?”

  Sara nodded.

  “Gies made a fine butcher’s knife. How about we go to the capital for a bit?”

  “Eh!? The capital?”

  Sara’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “You’re going to the capital?”

  It was Aquinas.

  “Oh, why are you here?”

  Sara asked in surprise.

  “I came with His Highness.”

  “You came for training, then.”

  “Yes. So why are you heading to the capital?”

  “Gies made a good butcher’s knife, so I thought we’d have the butchers in the capital try it out.”

  Kazal said, patting Gies on the back.

  “I see—you want to sell this?”

  “Yes. And I want to ask how much knives usually sell for and what level ours are.”

  “I see, that sounds interesting. His Highness is absorbed in training here anyway, so I’ll come along. We have a carriage, so we can use that.”

  “Is that all right?”

  Sara asked apologetically.

  “It’s fine. Consider it an apology of sorts.”

  “An apology?”

  “Yes. The other day the craftsmen returned to the capital and reported to His Majesty. They praised everything highly, and people who heard the rumors crowded around His Highness to see his blade.”

  Everyone listened with great interest.

  “But everyone handled the blade so carelessly that His Highness got angry and stopped showing it to anyone. So I told them everything I knew. At that time I mentioned that two gold coins had been paid, and when I heard that someone had tried to steal one I felt terrible…”

  “Ah, yes, that happened. Riad caught him and took him to the provincial governor’s office. So that was the cause.”

  “Yes, when I heard the story earlier… So please don’t worry about it; I’ll help.”

  “Oh… you are a kind person. Thank you.”

  Kazal seemed perfectly happy to rely on him.

  Aquinas and Sara told Clovis they were borrowing the carriage, hurriedly prepared, and left the village.

  “Sara, are you starting a business?”

  “Well… I’ve never heard of it, but what is business?”

  Riad tilted his head as he answered.

  “Eh?”

  “Huh?”

  Clovis thought that even the Rondo people had things they didn’t know, but he was now certain they were completely out of touch with the world.

  This text is an English translation of the story originally written in Japanese by 東風ふかば.

  The translation was done using Grok 4.2.

  You can read the original Japanese version here:

  If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment or a review! Your feedback is very much appreciated and encourages the author and the translator to continue bringing more chapters.

  Thank you for reading!