I receive the proposal from Ardelheid, who has properly entered through the door.

Since we have some staff, we will divide the area and do a simple medical checkup.

If they are found to be sick, they will be examined in detail.

Inspections are conducted collectively by the town or village that serves as the center of the region.

This is about all that can be done now.

The cost is not that huge.

It would be a realistic measure.

It is essential to implement it together with the family register management.

And the method of information transmission has not yet been decided.

“Ms. Ardelheid, how do you plan to summarize the information that has been caught in the quick medical checkups?”

Ardelheid folded her arms.

“I knew you notice that… The Ministry of Public Health doesn’t have its own means of information transmission. So… I was wondering if you could give me some good ideas, Lord Alfred.”

We have not yet experienced a case that crosses the ministry, after all…

Let’s just say that it’s good that we have a suggestion for a regular checkup.

“Well, we don’t have the capacity yet to do only individual information transfer. Shall we take advantage of… one of the existing systems?”

Ardelheid nodded her head.

“Take advantage?”

“Sir Rossi regularly conducts patrols to maintain security. Let’s ask those people not only to patrol but also to deliver the necessary documents from the villages and forts to the designated places. This is only a transitional measure, though. Once the governance is stable, we can build a means of coordinating information. There…”

I look at Kiara, who is paying attention to us.

When our eyes meet, Kiara smiles happily.

“Is it my turn now, Brother?”

“Kiara, apart from Ears’ communication method, let’s create a mechanism to communicate official information on a regular basis. Right now, each ministry uses its own liaison officer. Now that the scope of governance has expanded, let’s create a permanent information transmission system. In the future, we will create a new Ministry of Communications and Information. The selection of the minister has not yet been decided, though. Even for Kiara, it’s impossible to be Minister and secretary at the same time, after all.”

Kiara laughed at my words.

“Yes, it would be impossible for me to not be in the same space with brother any longer.”

I guess that’s the reason after all… You really don’t waver…

Anyway, let’s get a tentative structure in place.

“Ms. Ardelheid, Kiara. Please create an interim system of communication, including Sir Rossi and people that does regular patrols. My approval is not required. As soon as it is decided, please put it into operation.”

Now we are done talking about information transmission.

Now all that remains is to accumulate the know-how and make it an official ministry.

I’ll think about the selection of the right people later.

If possible, I would like to see a recommendation…

The social system in this area will be a symptomatic treatment after the need arises.

Postal service, in general, is a private business that costs money.

It would be good to do a public postal service like in ancient Rome.

Over here, that business has not yet entered the market.

No one will lose their jobs, so there’s no need to hold back.

The day after we finished such arrangements.

I would see the results of their shiphandling training.

It’s midwinter and we are traveling by boat on a big river.

It’s cold, so I’ll be wearing heavy clothes.

I was stopped by Mil when I carelessly tried to leave in my normal clothes.

I was not prepared for the cold of the water.

I greeted the entire Elite Guardsmen at the town’s dock and boarded the boat.

There were five boats, each with seven passengers.

The boat I boarded was the first one to go.

The Elite Guardsman acting as the boatman was a dwarf.

He called himself Ivan Yanayev.

I asked him why he was a boatman, and he replied that dwarves can see things in the dark.

He could distinguish rocks in the water.

That is why he was the best choice for a boatman in the middle of the night.

I was told that if we were doing military travel, we would travel at night.

I couldn’t help but smile with happiness at this explanation.

Besides seeing light, the eyes of dwarves can also distinguish objects in the dark.

Among dwarves, they are called red eyes.

They say that in places where light does not reach, their eyes turn red to identify objects.

When I heard about it, I thought it was theoretically similar to infrared light.

He said that one of his specialties is distinguishing the properties of minerals with his red eye.

I was also told that it is an area of individual difference and a natural talent.

Surely infrared would reduce the chance of running aground…

I was deeply moved by the fact that everyone had done so many things while I had not seen them in detail.

It is roughly 60 kilometers to the castle where Poncio is defending.

It took us a few hours to get there as we proceeded downstream by boat.

It is a medium-sized castle, but about 300 people are stationed in it.

There are about 120 combatants and the rest are non-combatants.

If they try to attack Antium, we can aim to cut off the enemy’s supply lines.

This castle is solid and will not fall so easily even if 1,000 men attack in force.

If they try to attack this castle, we can attack their rear from Antium.

Sixty kilometers may seem like a long way, but it will not take long if we travel by boat.

I was asked to choose a name for the castle, so I named it Mantova at random.

I am afraid that one day I will run out of stock.

(T/N: Stock of names.)

I pointed out that the high walls of the castle would make it weak against magic.

We don’t have time to build the old high walls, and the efficiency is not that good.

In response, the shape of the fortress became a star-shaped fortress.

However, it is still rough in its original form.

Like the Vauban style, it is not refined at all.

When I arrived at that Mantova, I was greeted by Poncio.

“My lord, we have been waiting for you!”

“It has been a long time, Sir Poncio. It seems you did a good job in the last defense.”

Poncio smiled shyly.

He led me straight into the castle.

Next to me, Poncio explains about the castle enthusiastically.

“We have prepared baths to protect you from the plague in the castle. The living quarters are spacious enough to prevent the spread of disease due to the high concentration of people. The food will last for about six months.”

I won’t go into the details.

I think they should refine their skills through actual practice.

While we were talking about this and that, Poncio asked me to give an instruction to the soldiers.

“Ordinary soldiers don’t have many chances to meet Lord Alfred. If you could tell them what you expect from them, it will boost their morale.”

You certainly have a point.

It would be foolish to refuse.

“I understand. I’ll give them an instruction tomorrow before we return.”

Whether we can return depends on the wind, though.

If there is no wind, we cannot proceed upstream.

If there is headwind, we can proceed with the wind.

Will the wind blow tomorrow?

At dinner, Poncio and I talk about many things.

I wanted to ask him about the time of defense.

How to keep morale up, how to be prepared.

Poncio smiled shyly at my question.

“To be honest… I get a lot of pleasure out of getting attacked and fighting them off. It’s like, “Take that,” and it’s unintentionally uplifting. My dad likes to attack, but I’m more comfortable defending than attacking.”

Was it the defense that awakened his hidden proclivities?

Specializing in receiving… was Poncio a Masochist?

Is it better not to let them attack? Are his men Masochists too?

When I think about it, I feel like I’m stuck in the depths…

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