Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

「I've gathered you here to discuss a change in Erucy's management policies.」 In the usual meeting room were: Roleau as Nettle's captain, Kuu as the representative of the fire foxes, Kurao, whom I entrusted Erucy to in my absence, and Lucy. 「Cyril-sama, could you please specify what you mean by a change in policies?」 Kurao asked with great interest. 「Up until now, we have always focused on becoming prosperous by increasing crops and breeding livestock. However, for a while, we will prioritize strengthening our defenses.」 Until now, Erucy hadn't allocated resources to the military to the extent that it burdened the entire village, except for Nettle. However, as long as there are opponents with abilities like the high elves, we can't afford to continue that way. 「Cyril, what do you mean by strengthening defenses?」 Lucy asked anxiously. 「We're going to build a defensive wall that covers all of Erucy. It needs to be completed within at least three months. For that purpose, all male labor will be diverted to the construction of the wall.」 「Cyril-kun, if we do that, we won't be able to grow wheat, the only crops we’ll be able to grow will be the potatoes the fire foxes are raising.」 「Yeah, I've given up on that. We'll expand the glasshouse, have the fire foxes work even harder on the low-maintenance potatoes, and for wheat, we'll reduce the cultivated area to a third and have only elven women work on it. As for goats and chickens, they can remain the same as before.」 「Leader, with that plan, we won't be able to sustain everyone in Erucy. We won't make it through this winter.」 Roleau's concern was valid. Since all the male labor in Erucy would be directed towards building the wall, it was a natural consequence. 「That's why, three weeks from now, before Erin's mayor, Azul, arrives for the wedding, we'll buy a large amount of food at Erin and process any excess into preserved food. We'll prepare enough preserved food for everyone in Erucy to last at least a year.」 For at least the next three weeks, trade with Erin is guaranteed. Even if Erin were to betray us in the future, there's no way they could do so during these three weeks when I've explicitly stated that I need this time to create the manuals and blueprints to pass them our iron-making technology. I believed in Azul. However, countries and cities were unpredictable monsters. They could easily crush individual intentions. That's why I wanted to create a safety net during a period that seemed safe and certain. With a year's supply of preserved food, even if we couldn't replenish food in Erin for some reason, we could achieve self-sufficiency in food for all of Erucy before running out. Even without the current situation, I had already decided to start stockpiling preserved food. 「Cyril, why are you doing this? I think it's fine to defeat the Empire when they come, like we did last time. Of course, I'm not saying we don't need the defensive wall to protect Erucy, but let's take our time and build it without overexerting ourselves.」 「It's still unconfirmed information, but there's a possibility that the next battle may involve a troublesome opponent who can negate elemental magic. We have been winning against the Empire thanks to our overwhelming scouting abilities and long-range sniping capabilities with wind magic. Without being able to utilize those strengths, launching an attack from our side with few numbers would be suicide.」 「Indeed, that's scary. Even the arrows from the Empire that we used to not fear can become a threat now. Cyril-kun, where did you get this information? Is it from the double spies?」 Kuu referred to the double spies we had within Bell Erucy, spies that the Empire had infiltrated. Since Bell Erucy had accepted a considerable number of refugees, spies from countries and cities suspicious of Erucy had infiltrated as well. These Empire spies were broken with magic and drugs and then turned into double agents by providing them some “incentives”. There were other spies from Erin as well, but for now, we were making good use of them by controlling the information they had access to. 「Kuu, it's not from them, but the credibility is quite high. However, I plan to verify the details.」 Looking at the faces of those present, there was a significant sense of crisis. That was only natural. Our advantages had almost disappeared. Without the ability to interfere with arrows using wind magic, the barrage of arrows sent by the enemy would reach us. Additionally, our arrows no longer had the same accuracy and range as before. We would also have to be wary of ambushes, as we wouldn’t be able to detect them as easily. Our only advantages were the power of our arrows and the fact that all of Nettle could use body enhancement magic. If we loaded hand grenades onto the crossbows and fired them, we could exhibit more firepower than the Empire. However, if dozens of times the number of our people fired arrows simultaneously, we would be overwhelmed, and without wind magic, the range within which crossbow arrows could be accurately aimed was less than 50 meters. That was also within the Empire's arrow range. 「Leader, can we win?」 「We can. If we have the proper facilities and equipment. To be frank, I think we have no chance of winning except in a defensive siege where we can utilize the terrain advantage.」 That was the reality. If there was no difference in combat power between us and them, then the number difference would become the decisive factor. And there was no way we could win against the Empire in numbers. To bridge the gap in strength, we had to fight in advantageous locations. 「This is just my personal sentiment, but I don't want to rely on purchased food.」 「Leader, I agree with that. Ultimately, doesn't this make us vulnerable to Erin? Doesn't it make us dependent on them?」 Lucy and Roleau's words were unexpected but showed they were thinking on their own. Lucy was concerned about the decrease in food self-sufficiency, while Roleau pointed out the danger of giving Erin control over our lifeline. 「You're both not wrong. I don't plan to do this permanently. It's just for one year. From next year, we'll grow our own food properly. But right now, we're short on time and labor. What we're buying isn't food; it's time.」 I believed it was the best course of action at the moment, and there was no other way. But I still felt it wasn't enough. I was even considering bringing dozens of people from Bell Erucy to secure labor, even if that resulted in worsening Erucy's public safety, multiplying the possibility of trouble.