The warriors of the various tribes formed a coalition in the face of an unprecedented crisis: the Infectors.
While it was good that they united after witnessing each other’s battles, the already free-spirited and loosely organized tribes became even more chaotic when mixed together.
The military structure turned into a complete mess.
Rather than creating synergy, I’m worried that their group actions might even have a negative impact.
Even though each warrior’s individual combat prowess rivals that of the Empire’s knights, the reason they didn’t seem like a significant threat to Kenneth was probably due to this issue.
The influence of a system is absolutely critical.
From the ancient Roman Empire, China’s unified dynasties, the Mongol Empire, to the modern United States, these powerful nations all shared one commonality: they were built upon excellent systems, despite their differing circumstances and environments.
Whether it’s military, administrative, commercial, or diplomatic systems, it doesn’t matter.
In various fields, these cogs of a system interlock and turn, creating a larger and more powerful wheel than their opponents.
Those who achieve this are the ones who leave their mark in history.
Back in the Ron Empire, I never had real authority, so I didn’t think about making changes.
But now, with Frennila and Svioha willing to listen to me, I feel like I can change something.
“Is this the Empire’s way? I’m not sure.”
“It’s not exactly the Empire’s way. Simply put, it’s about dividing the army into smaller units based on numbers for faster command delivery.”
Watching the battles against the Infectors, it became clear that this problem could only be solved through organized group combat.
That’s why I felt the need for military reform even more strongly.
A system where ten soldiers are led by a squad leader, ten squad leaders by a centurion, and ten centurions by a commander—this pyramid structure, named after the commander at the top, is called the “Thousand-Household System.”
It was one of the unique skills of the tribal faction in the game ‘The Fall of the Empire.’
For someone with experience in modern military systems, this might seem like an obvious concept, but such organization is far from natural.
It, too, is the product of humanity’s accumulated experience and knowledge.
“Is this the Empire’s way? It’s quite interesting. But there’s a problem. As you know, we are a coalition of various tribes. We’ve come together in the face of a crisis, but we’re still different. Applying such a system uniformly would be difficult.”
Svioha points out the reality that nomadic tribes, deeply rooted in clan and tribal identities, would struggle to accept this concept.
“I want to follow your lead, Prince. But we’ll need the approval of the chiefs of the Sword and Axe tribes.”
Frennila also backs Svioha’s opinion.
It’s clear that reality is different from the game. In the game, once you succeed in researching a system, its effects are uniformly applied to all units.
In reality, since there’s no need for research, I thought it would be enough to just explain the system, but it doesn’t seem that easy.
I understand.
Changing something people have been accustomed to for a long time is never easy.
But humans grow stronger when their power is centralized.
That’s the strength of centralization, and history has proven it.
As I was pondering what to do,
“So, you’re the one who fell for a child from the Bow Tribe and came all the way here?”
An unfamiliar voice echoed through the tent. Who is it?
“Kid?”
A short figure, barely 150 cm tall, entered, dragging a massive attitude that didn’t match their size.
Their confident expression was oddly irritating.
And why is there a kid here in the first place?
“Kid, this isn’t a place for just anyone. Wait, why is there a child on the battlefield?”
There must be someone among the warrior ranks who has a daughter.
Maybe she came to see her father and stopped by.
Still, rules are rules.
A military camp must remain solemn at all times.
I felt bad, but I needed to escort her out.
“This is why Empire folks… Ugh, you brat! Did you think the Imperial language would work everywhere? In tribal territory, use tribal language! Tsk tsk.”
Ah, since Frennila and Svioha were naturally using the Empire’s language, I unconsciously tried to communicate in it too.
I guess I wasn’t being considerate.
And why does this kid talk like an old man?
“Elder Erka!”
Frennila greeted her warmly.
Wait, “Elder”?
Is she older than Frennila?
Suddenly, I felt the need to be cautious.
“Svioha, who is this kid—I mean, who is this person?”
“She’s the chief of the Sword Tribe, Elder Erka.”
“What? This kid is a tribe chief?”
“Despite her appearance, she’s over thirty. Be careful, even if you’re the Khan’s chosen. If you mention her age or height, she’ll cut you down without hesitation.”
And her skills are no joke—you could really die.
I looked down at the kid—no, the Sword Tribe chief, Erka.
She was glaring at me with an even more displeased expression than before.
“You’ve been calling me ‘kid’ in Imperial language. What does that mean? It’s somehow irritating.”
Oh no. At her words, the expressions of the three others turned subtle.
“Uh, ah. Chief Erka, it’s an honor to meet you.”
“What? You know tribal language? At least you’ve got the basics down. But what does ‘kid’ mean? Is it Imperial language?”
My attempt to divert the conversation failed, and I could see her patience thinning.
The longer I hesitated, the worse it seemed. I decided to just go for it.
“‘Kid’ means ‘great warrior’ in Imperial language.”
“…Great warrior?”
It didn’t sound convincing at all. Erka gave me a suspicious look. Help me out, guys.
“Y-yes, Elder Erka. ‘Kid’ is a term that encompasses brave warriors.”
Svioha, quick on the uptake, immediately backed me up, and Frennila nodded vigorously in agreement.
With the confirmation of two young leaders who lead their own tribes, Erka’s suspicious gaze softened.
“Hoh, so I’m not just a warrior, but a great warrior. Then titles like ‘Great Kid’ or ‘King Kid’ would suit me better, right? Was that ‘Ground Kid’ you mentioned earlier one of those expressions?”
Her memory is sharp—how did she remember and adapt a term she only heard once?
I had no excuse, so I just smiled and nodded.
[Oh ho, I’ve learned a good word. ‘Ground Kid,’ ‘Ground Kid’ Erka. Hmm, I’ll remember this for when I meet Empire folks later.]
Svioha and Frennila stifled their laughter and turned their heads away from the scene.
Please, I hope she never meets another Empire person besides me.
I sincerely prayed to the heavens.
*
“So, you want to change the military structure?”
“Yes, I believe it’s the best way to deal with the Infectors.”
“Will the soldiers follow? Especially with mixed units from different tribes, there’s bound to be strong resistance.”
She’s right.
In fact, this was why the Mongol army initially composed its units purely of Mongols during the early days of the Thousand-Household System.
But as the frontlines expanded and the demand for soldiers grew, they found a way to integrate other ethnic groups into the military.
Two rules were established, and they became the driving force behind the Thousand-Household System.
“The solution is simple. Just follow two rules. First, the strongest leads. If you don’t like it, fight and win. Second, if one person makes a mistake, the entire unit takes responsibility.”
Meritocracy and collective responsibility.
These have always been effective methods of organizational management, both in the past and present.
“I like that approach. …Is this the Empire’s way?”
It’s from the history of others, and from your future.
“No. It’s a system I thought would suit you all best.”
I thought the free-spirited tribes would naturally accept it.
“Hmm? Then let me ask one more thing. It seems like someone will end up at the top of this structure. Who will that be?”
“The strongest will take that role. Even the tribe chiefs won’t be exceptions.”
“Heh, I like that even more. This is going to be fun. …Alright, I’ll talk to the Axe Tribe chief. I’m already looking forward to seeing how this turns out.”
And so, I managed to gain approval for the new military structure.
It will take time for everyone to get used to the new system.
But thanks to the Golden Jasmine petals, we’ve bought ourselves some time.
Once the petals were distributed to the warriors, the Infectors’ offensive noticeably weakened.
I don’t know how long this situation will last, but there’s no better opportunity than now.
We’ll need to create stirrups and revitalize the relay station system.
Once these systems are established and functioning, the tribes will be able to overcome this crisis without my direct involvement.
It would be even better if we could catch the mastermind behind all this.
‘I need to wrap this up quickly and live freely.’
Since coming to this world, I haven’t desired much.
Wealth, fame, power?
I never cared for them in the first place.
Returning to my original world?
I have no attachment to that either.
There’s only one thing I want: to live without being bound by anything,
‘And to die a natural death.’
Others might think it’s a strange dream, but for me, it’s something I truly want to achieve.