Building a new city before a Barbarian Invasion was an almost impossible task.
Even after Anke explained that the New Border City only required the construction of outer walls and interior wooden houses for disguise—enough to trick the Barbarians into mistaking it for the real Border City—Vera and the others still lacked the confidence to complete such a massive project in just a few days.
However, as Anke had said, the Border City could not be handed over to the Barbarians, nor could it be allowed to become a battlefield.
So, even though they knew it would be difficult to finish the New Border City on time, Vera and the others had no choice but to brace themselves and push forward.
Anke, on the other hand, was full of confidence in completing the construction plan.
“Divide the buildings needed for the New Border City into different parts. We’ll manufacture the necessary components right here in the Border City first! Then, we’ll transport them to the site of the New Border City for assembly! In just a few days, we can create a fake New Border City that looks just like the real thing!”
Anke spoke these words, and he acted on them.
The large number of newly built workshops in the Border City, along with the hundreds of craftsmen sent by the three counts, became the foundation for Anke’s realization of this marvelous plan.
Craftsmen and apprentices completed the most complex task of manufacturing the city-building parts in the Border City, where facilities and supplies were most abundant.
These components were then transported to the New Border City construction site by mule, horse, and manpower.
Next, under the direction of stonemasons, the subjects who had been temporarily requisitioned from the Border City and nearby villages simply had to assemble these “parts” like stacking stones.
Among the materials used, a type of fired stone called Blue Bricks played a significant role.
These Blue Bricks were originally intended by Anke for the renovation of the Slums, but now they were all being used in the construction of the New Border City.
Vera witnessed workers quickly erecting walls with Blue Bricks and cement, making them as solid as a fortress overnight.
After only two days, a fake New Border City that could pass for the original had already begun to take shape!
The preliminary construction of the entire outer wall was complete, and the next step was to build the residential houses and the most prominent building, the Lord’s Castle.
Vera stood at the construction site of the New Border City, watching the workers labor.
“One, two, three! Heave!”
“One, two, three! Heave!”
“Good, good! Just like that!”
The workers shouted rhythmic chants as they joined several large wooden planks together to form the shape of a house.
With Anke providing grain as payment—settled daily without delay—the subjects showed great enthusiasm for their work.
Although Anke hoped to unite the people by framing this as defending their shared home, most of the subjects were simply looking forward to receiving those few pounds of flour at the warehouse every evening.
Everything was normal on the construction site. An old farmer muttered as he worked, “This brick is harder than a barbarian’s knife. I hope it can protect my grandson.”
After inspecting the construction site, Vera returned to the Border City.
Outside the city walls, Anke was personally organizing the training of 600 newly recruited militiamen.
Though he was “personally training” them, Anke mostly delivered a speech once a day.
The actual combat training was carried out by experienced veterans from the Border City Guard.
“Remember, soldiers! You are not just fighting for me; you are fighting for your families! Behind you is the Border City! In that city are your parents, your wives, and your children! Are you willing to fight the Barbarians to the very last moment to protect them? Answer me!”
Anke held an iron megaphone shaped like a morning glory, an alchemical amplification tool, as he stood atop a wooden platform and shouted to the square formation of militiamen below.
“We are!”
The militiamen raised their heads and shouted one after another.
Vera noticed a militiaman in the front row whose eyes burned with the light of fighting spirit.
“Good! Resume training!”
Anke handed the training duties back to the veterans, set down the Iron Megaphone, and stepped down from the high platform.
Vera had already been waiting for him below for a long time.
Clap, clap, clap —
Vera applauded Anke.
Though it was slightly different from the image she had expected, Anke’s performance during the speech to the soldiers was truly impressive.
“Your Highness, your state during the speech just now was excellent.”
“Is that so? I feel there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”
Anke took a wooden bowl of honey water from an attendant and drank it in a few gulps to soothe his dry throat.
After finishing the water, he handed the bowl back to the attendant.
“However, Your Highness, I don’t think those militiamen truly took your speech to heart. They just treated it as a story or a poem they might hear from a traveling bard during a break.”
Vera recalled what she had seen from below the stage.
While Anke was speaking and trying to stir the emotions of the militiamen, a few of them had still been whispering to each other, quietly discussing how they would be the first to grab food once the training ended.
“It’s fine if they hear it as a story. At least they listened, didn’t they?” Anke said optimistically.
“Your Highness, your time and energy are very precious. I think you should spend less of it on these militiamen. Three speeches a day is still too many, especially since there’s no obvious effect.” Vera shook her head.
“Vera, trust me. Everything I do will have an effect.”
Anke still maintained an air of having everything under control.
Just then, two knights escorted an acquaintance of Anke and Vera toward them.
“It has been a long time, Honorable Lord.”
Hote bowed to Anke.
“Hote, it really has been a while. How has Earl Oca been lately? Is his health holding up?”
Anke greeted Hote.
Vera watched Hote warily because the Oca Family he belonged to was already part of the First Prince’s faction.
“Thank you for your concern, Lord. My father’s health has always been good,” Hote replied, clearly stunned for a moment.
“As long as his health is good. But since you’re here, you must be aware that the Piranha River has frozen over and the Barbarians might invade.”
“Of course. Your Highness’s envoy explained the entire situation to House Oca very clearly. Our House Oca has also been harassed by Barbarians many times throughout history, and we know the harm their looting causes. Therefore, we are willing to assist Your Highness in defending against the Barbarian Invasion at the Border City.”
Hote bowed and gave his assurance to Anke.
Vera could tell that Hote wasn’t lying, but she could also sense that he didn’t have good intentions. However, she couldn’t call him out directly right now.
“Then I must thank Earl Oca for his full support.”
Anke shook Hote’s hand.
“Rest assured, Your Highness. House Oca’s militiamen and knights will arrive at the Border City in a few days.”
Hote did not stay in the Border City for long. After receiving a mobilization order for assistance, he returned to the Oca Family territory.
“Your Highness, House Oca belongs to the First Prince. They will never truly want to help us defend against the Barbarians,” Vera reminded Anke on the city wall.
“I know. They want us to fight the Barbarians to the death in the Border City so they can profit from the aftermath. But they are going to be disappointed. We won’t be fighting the Barbarians at the Border City, and we certainly won’t let them snatch a free victory.”