The recruitment of new soldiers proceeded smoothly, and an additional 2,000 recruits were enlisted.
As expected, the new recruits were largely children of farmers or impoverished kids from the slums.
The original 500 recruits were divided into five groups of 100, and each group was supplemented with 400 new recruits to ensure a uniform level of skill.
I came to observe their training.
The veterans were assisting the recruits as they trained. When the soldiers noticed me, they saluted, so I returned a small wave.
Wait… I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before… and their expressions… almost like they’re looking at a celebrity.
“Hey, old man. It feels like the soldiers are staring at me,” I muttered to Herbert, who stood beside me.
He nodded knowingly.
“I’ve instilled loyalty in them.”
“What?” I was caught off guard by this revelation.
“Unlike conscripted peasant soldiers, we’ve invested both money and time in these recruits. We can’t have them running away or betraying us. Instilling loyalty is only natural.”
Ah, I see.
So loyalty was ingrained in them to make the most of the time and money invested in their training. But when did he do that?
Seeing my confusion, Herbert began explaining.
“They often ask me to tell old stories, so I used those stories to convey the greatness of Lord Ainzich, explaining what they should do and instilling loyalty in them.”
True, he might be strict, but outside of training, he’s like a kind grandfather. I knew the recruits, with no family to rely on, looked up to Herbert, but I didn’t expect he would go that far.
Well, having loyalty makes a huge difference, so it’s a relief.
Personally, I had planned to increase loyalty through reforms and building trust, perhaps even using religion. This approach was unexpected.
But in this world, maybe this is only natural.
If something can be used to our advantage, both the soldiers and I would make use of it. My way might seem roundabout to them, but maybe that’s due to the differences in knowledge… values from my past life.
Thinking about it now won’t change anything. I shifted gears and posed another question to Herbert.
“How’s Kurt doing?”
Herbert stroked his beard in thought.
“I let him try commanding the troops, and, as expected of a knight of House Waren, he handled it well.”
“I see… has anything happened with him since then?”
By “since then,” I meant after our duel.
I had a slight sense of unease, so I’d asked Herbert to keep an eye on him. After all, there was still the chance he might be a spy.
Herbert shook his head.
“No unusual behavior has been observed.”
“I see…”
Well, he might be carrying some burden, but for now, all I can do is keep watching.
I told Herbert to keep an eye on things, then left the training grounds.
