Meanwhile, around that time.

In one of the rooms in the mansion, Isaac was facing Narson with a stunned look.

Next to Isaac is also Havel, this one doesn't look particularly upset, and he's nodding to show his consent to what Narson has to say.

"So in the future, you can say in the form of proximity to Master Kazura?

"Mm-hmm. Be careful not to get upset. Firstly, steadily carry out the instructions of Lord Kazura, and increase the number of times you come into contact with him to gain trust and credibility. I can only move to elicit additional support once I see signs that the support that Lord Kazra offers himself will be stopped...... what's up, Isaac? Are you dissatisfied?"

"... Dear Narson, no matter how many countries... the imitation of Gracior, who has emerged to save us, is such that he plots (kakusaka) to elicit further support..."

Answering Isaac with a bitter look, Narson looks up.

Next to Isaac, Havel looked sideways at Isaac with what a cold eye he had.

"Isaac, do you know how many national power differences there are between Barbell and my country, Arcadia?

"... Yes"

"Then you'll see. I do not know what means Lord Kazra will take in the future, but let's say that the Istael food problem has been solved and the water cure and sanitation problems, or even the economy, have been restored. In that state, how likely do you think our country would be to beat Barbell if Barbell and our country were in a state of war four years later?

"... if our pre-truce allies work hand in hand again, at least we won't lose"

"Right. But where is the guarantee that those countries will not turn to their enemies in four years' time or decide to stay still without collaboration? In the last war, it was only with what a silly imitation that Barbell took a sweet look at the countries of the South and launched simultaneous attacks on all nations that an alliance was formed. Besides, it worked in our favor that there was a major offensive against Barber from the North almost at the same time as the attack."

"Does Master Narson think that the next time there is a war with Barbell, we will be defeated?

To Narson's explanation, Isaac asks back with the look of an out-of-heart.

"We're talking about how defeat is possible in some situations. We are also preparing for the war, as well as diplomacy to maintain allied relations. I'm not gonna lose you easy."

"Then why!

To Isaac, who inquires in a reprehensible tone, Narson exhaled small as he deposited his back on the back of the chair where he was sitting.

"... about a month ago Barbell made peace with some of the northern barbarians"

"Huh!?

"Other barbarians will be moving to reach peace and ceasefire agreements. They're gonna make sure they're safe behind this, and they're gonna attack again."

Next to Isaac, who is going out of line, Havel is also opening her eyes to surprise.

Barbell made peace with the Barbarians, which means that Barbell won't have to fight two fronts in the next war.

On the contrary, even the mercenaries hired in from the barbarians could join the camp in Barbell.

"Let it be, is there no chance that we can avoid war?

Narson shook his head at Isaac, who told him to squeeze out the words.

"It's enough to make peace with the barbarians that have been plagued by scattering, they will invariably attack. Besides, they have been abolishing conscription for three years now and employing volunteers, hiring large numbers of personnel from the poor as soldiers to significantly increase the number of standing armies. Their diplomats said 'part of economic policy' and so on, but this time they made peace with the barbarians, the purpose became clear."

"… but what the hell is going on in a country called Barbell that says it is just after the truce that the state has so much armament and yet has so much financial resources that it can also cover the cost of maintaining a standing army? During the last war, I've heard stories about running out of tin in Barbell...... have you found a new massive tin mine?

As Narson explained, Havel, who had remained silent until then, opened his mouth.

Sustaining the army requires enormous funds.

If conscription is employed by the vast majority of countries, including Arcadia, which only convenes soldiers from the general public when things happen and dissolves them when they are normal, the period of maintenance costs for the military will be limited.

On top of that, it is common in this world for each of the soldiers to be conscripted to have their own weapons.

Therefore, when it comes to the costs borne by the conscripts, it is about the lump sum paid according to the period of service of the convoy and various expenses such as the cost of food necessary to maintain the army.

However, the system of volunteering recently adopted by Barbell is completely separate from this.

There are three key elements to Barbell's volunteerism, including the fact that 'the state will prepare the weapons', which Habel has just spoken of.

The first is that the weapons and equipment of the soldiers hired are paid for by the State and salaries are guaranteed.

This allows even poor people who do not have the financial resources to procure armaments to get a position as military personnel in one of them and escape poverty, provided that they volunteer.

It is an element of one stone and two birds that can save the poor in one piece and even restore security by increasing the number of standing guards and improving the standard of living of the poor.

The second is that the period of service of soldiers is fixed at 25 years.

The planning of longer-term operations can be facilitated by fixing periods of service.

In addition, as when conscripts were being conscripted, those caring for crops would cease to perform military service, thus not having a significant impact on domestic food production.

The third is that when a soldier retires, he or she pays a retirement pension or land.

This eliminates the need for soldiers to worry about their lives after the end of their period of service.

In other words, as long as you can stay safe during your service, depending on the amount of savings you've been saving during your service, it's not your dream to have a leisurely retirement.

However, huge funding is required to meet all three of these conditions.

Weapons used by soldiers are commonly made of bronze.

Copper and tin used in alloys called bronze produce very little, especially tin, which is very expensive because of its limited origin.

It doesn't mean you can get as much money as you can, and as Havel said today, rumors also circulated that tin was depleted in Barbell during the war that was going on until four years ago.

In addition to armaments, there is no point in mentioning the golden elements, such as the salaries paid to soldiers hired and the costs of training.

"Right...... I can't believe Russia can pay for expensive bronze weapons to all soldiers hired in large quantities, because in fact the weapons are volunteer based on the label that the state will pay for them. I can't do it right away. But I guess I'm going to prepare it somehow. Recently there have also been reports of a sharp increase in timber production in Barbell, so maybe tin veins have been discovered, as Havel put it"

Narson put it that far, he turned his attention to Isaac again.

"I also know what you're trying to say. It is only natural that we cannot readily endorse what a terrible thing to do, because we are trying to elicit further support from Graciole, who has reached out to us in response to our request. But, Isaac."

And when he called Isaac's name, Narson took his back off the back of the chair and rode himself out toward Isaac.

"I have to do it. You know what happens to a country that has lost the war against Barbell. All land and possessions are taken away, and what survives is enslaved. Even if we surrendered earlier and were incorporated into the country-by-country Barbell, we would not be spared the loss of land and property. Fight them, or freedom will be lost forever. We have to do everything we can to increase our chances of victory."

……

To Isaac, who was leaning over with such an expression as what an impossibility, Narson, exhaling in his inner sigh, once again deposited his back behind the chair.

"That's all I'm talking about. Isaac, Havel, hold on tight."

"Hmm..."

Ichigo enjoyed his conversation with Reese for a little while before staring at the stone wall in the hallway of the Narson Mansion.

It is not the entire wall that Yiliang is staring at, but the junction between stone and stone.

That's how I thought I'd been staring at the junction of the stone for a while, and now I caught the junction with my crisps and nails.

"Hmm...... Ah, Mr. Isaac, in a good place. Could you come for a moment?"

Ichiya, who was tilting her neck when she saw the powder at the junction slightly attached to her scratched nails, hung up when she noticed Isaac emerged from the back of the hallway.

Isaac, who was called out, comes running over when he finds out for good.

"Good morning, Kazura..."

"Good morning....... is that a little ok!? Your face is white!

Ichiya was surprised to see Isaac's face coming nearby.

Isaac's face is not vibrant and his complexion looks white through the blue.

"No, I'm fine, so I don't care..."

You look like a dead man, Isaac, and you manage to make a smile.

There's no tension in my voice either, and I don't seem to be okay with holding it at all.

"(He always looked a little tired, but until yesterday he was fine... like a new hire with a broken heart because his customers and bosses were lumpily mad at him)"

I used to be a company before I came to this world, and from time to time I remembered the sights I saw.

This is the expression of a human being who was greatly shocked by some factor.

"... follow me for a moment"

Ichigo says so, taking Isaac down the hallway.

Along the way, I asked the wrong samurai where the empty rooms were and asked her to bring hot water there.

"I'll be right back, so please wait here"

Once in the room, Ichigo sits Isaac in a chair and once out of the room he runs to Narson's office.

And when I grabbed the Boston bag that I left in the office, I nodded with cloth and hurried back to Isaac's waiting room, watched by guard soldiers from all over the place sending me a gaze about something.

When Ichiyoshi entered the room, he bowed his head to Ichiyoshi, who had returned with Isaac's sinking expression.

"Thank you for waiting. I'll get ready now."

Yiliang smiled at Isaac and took out a candle-style aromatic pot from the Boston bag, a pouch with a vial of essential oils, a glass pot, and some sachets with it and herbs.

"Oh, uh, what are you preparing for?

"I was going to treat Mr. Isaac to tea. Does Mr. Isaac like tea?

"What!? Oh, no, I can't believe Master Kazura has tea!

Let Isaac, who tries to stand up in a very frightened manner, sit in a chair, so-so, and transfer herbs from the sachet to the glass pot.

"Congratulations on working with little rest the last few days. I was just about to have a cup of tea to catch my breath, and I was just wondering if you could hang out with me for a little while after the chat."

Yiliang says so, while in the pot, evenly place herbs like Linden Flowers, Rose Petal and St. John's Wort.

When I removed the handled ceramic teacup from the shelf that was in the room and arranged it on the table, the door to the room was knocked.

An earlier maid brought me hot water.

Yiliang received a pitcher of copper with hot water from the samurai and lowered the samurai, pouring hot water into the glass pot on the table.

The herb in the glass pot spreads fluttering when hot water is poured, and the light yellow out of the herb over time dyes beautifully in the glass pot.

While the herbs are boiled out in hot water, Ichigo waits about two minutes while pouring the hot water into the aromatic pot or installing a candle at the bottom of the pot.

He then poured herbal tea into the teacup and offered it to Isaac after making sure the herbs had been simmered out well enough.

"Go ahead, I hope it fits your mouth"

"Thank you...... that smells good"

Bringing the teacup with herbal tea closer to his mouth, Isaac smiled slightly at the sweet scent of the fragrance.

Watch Isaac mouth herbal tea, pour herbal tea into his own teacup and sip while enjoying the fragrance.

"What do you say? If it doesn't fit my mouth, I can make another cup of tea."

"No, it's very tasty. Thank you."

To Isaac, who looked a little calm after a drink of herbal tea, Ichigo

"That's good"

and smiled, removing the lavender essential oil bottle from the pouch containing the vial of essential oil that had been left on the desk.

Remove the lid of the essential oil bottle and bring a few drops into the hot water left strained in the aromatic pot.

And when I took the lighter out of the Boston bag, I lit the candle I had installed at the bottom of the pot.

"What is that?

"This is called aromatic oil, which is oil extracted from plants that can be taken in my… kingdom of God. When you set it on fire, you can enjoy the fragrance that is unique to that oil."

When the aromatic pot was lit, the gentle fragrance characteristic of lavender soon spread.

"Well... Mr. Isaac, I told you the other day to have 3,000 cloth bags the same size, but if you really don't seem to be able to get convenient, tell me. I'm not asking you to prepare anything."

Ichigo told Isaac with a worrying look when he confirmed that the lavender scent had spread throughout the room.

"No, I'm fine with cloth bags. I've already placed orders with tailors all over town, so I wonder if I can have everything ready by tomorrow."

"(... that? I thought the cloth bag could not be prepared and it was dented)"

Hearing Isaac's reply, Ichigo tilted his inner neck.

As it turns out, Isaac couldn't accomplish what Isaac had instructed Isaac the other day, and thought Isaac would have eaten the big eyeballs from Narson and Zirconia.

But he doesn't seem to be the reason Isaac is dented.

"Really, that's good. Isaac had a serious look earlier, so I was... you know, if there was anything hard going on, you could just listen to me if you want, right? Oh, but I'm not saying I can't if I don't want to talk to you."

"Ah... yes... thank you..."

When Ichigo said so, Isaac stuck his breath and leaned down with a crying look.

Ichiyoshi watched Isaac silently as he leaned down, wondering if Isaac would tell him anything.

So I kept waiting for a while, but Isaac wasn't going to tell me anything, so Ichigo decided to turn it into something else.

"Yeah, well, I'd like to ask Mr. Isaac something, can I ask you something?

"... Yes, for what?"

To a good word, Isaac looked up.

The look wasn't like the crying look earlier, but a face full of determination as if something had blown off.

Isaac's own atmosphere conveys a sense of motivation somewhere, not so much of what he had done earlier.

"(... Huh? Does herbal tea and aromatic oil have such an extreme effect? Or has something happened in Mr. Isaac over the last few minutes?

Suddenly Isaac had a strange atmosphere, and Ichiyoshi was eating.

Ichigo made herbal tea by choosing herbs that were antidepressant (like this) and relaxing in an effort to cheer up Isaac, who was concave.

Not only that, but I also used the essential oils of lavender with antidepressant and sedative properties.

But even so, like this change in Isaac, anything is too extreme.

Even when Balin, who was dying in the village of Grisea, was given Lipo D, it took more than two hours for her health to heal.

However, the purpose of using essential oils and herbs this time is not to restore health, but to target the action of the mental aspect.

Perhaps the concern that essential oils and herbal teas do more terrific things than food gave the head in the good.

"(No, but that doesn't explain the herbal tea I gave Mr. Barletta and Mr. Barrin before. If it had such an extreme effect, the two of them would have been unable to stop peeing right after drinking hibiscus)"

"Um, Master Kazura, what's wrong?

Isaac sounded worried when he thought about the herbal potency he had given Valletta and Balin in the past and thought about it for a while, he felt uneasy about it when he suddenly shut up.

"Oh, no, it's nothing"

Once again, she opened her mouth in haste, without an ex or a child.