Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 137

Chapter 137: Frostwave Bay
Six days passed, with Henry and his troops steadily advancing to the easternmost part of Stahl’s kingdom, maintaining a consistent pace thanks to Iosif’s efforts. The General had previously cleared the White Merchant Road to the East, sparing them from the labor of hacking through overgrown frozen vegetation.

“I hope when I get back, he wishes to receive some visitors” – Henry murmured, his thoughts going to the unfortunate General, who refused any visitors after losing his legs. Henry could ignore his wishes, but he decided to wait for the right moment, when this old General would open up – “”It will be a challenging for his spirit to recover.”

Even in modern society, life was difficult for people with disabilities, but in this world, the challenges were even greater. Here, the law of the jungle reigned supreme, and someone without their limbs would face dire consequences without a doubt.

Henry decided to leave those thoughts to the future, he had a mission at hand. He glanced briefly at Leier, mounted on her horse beside him, keeping a vigilant watch over the forest around them. Then, he turned his attention to Graham, the slender golden-haired boy on foot, who seemed to growl and contort with each step.

“Graham, how much longer until we reach Frostwave Bay?” – Henry inquired.

Graham reached for a bag hanging on his chest, wincing as the marks of the lashes on his back still stung painfully. He retrieved a map drawn by Iosif’s team and replied through gritted teeth, feeling the furred fabric scrape against his wounds – “If we maintain this pace, we should arrive just before dawn, my king” – he stated.

“Good, we’ll arrive earlier than I anticipated,” Henry remarked. “The lieutenant must have already reached Langten village. It will aid us in gaining a foothold and revitalizing the East. We also need to increase its population if I wish to develop it”

The East had sparse population, consisting of only seven villages and the main city, Frostwave Bay. The North, where Eisenburg, the capital, was located, had only a village and Icemit due to the proximity to the Frozen Forest. The West, on the other hand, boasted sixteen densely populated villages, thanks to the lucrative mining industry. The South, the second most populated region, housed twelve villages and the key city of Mirante, serving as a stronghold for defense and commerce.

If viewed from above, the three cities formed a triangle, connected by three straight lines. If not for the intervening trees and occasional hills, one could shoot a bullet from Mirante to Eisenburg, and it would reach its target uninterrupted. Henry found it puzzling that the West, despite being the kingdom’s most productive region, lacked a central commercial hub. He intended to address this during his travels, but resolving matters in the East took precedence before crating a square where goods and people could come and go.

“I also need to recruit new people to join my army”- Henry contemplated, his body swaying with the horse’s movements – “We will soon conquer both kingdoms down south, but Luak will pose the greatest threat. Aritreia will likely be relatively easy to defeat, given that their core is already weakened with their king dead. However, Luak still is a significant enemy, but they will still come down.”

Henry was determined to conquer both kingdoms, yet he understood the necessity of raising his numbers with more soldiers. It would guarantee that those lands would be put under his throne with minimal losses. Aside from taking controle of the region, one of the objectives in Henry’s trip was to assess the number of people in the East before launching a recruitment campaign.

-x-

The White Merchant Road wasn’t a straightforward path. As Henry and his troops marched through the East, they found themselves slowly ascending a gentle hill. The incline was so gradual that they hardly noticed they were climbing until an hour later when they finally reached the summit.

“Beautiful!” – Henry wanted to exclaim, but it was Leier who spoke first, her blue eye aglow as she took in the scene before them.

A city stretched along the horizon, cradled within the bay’s protective arms, while the sun’s rays peeked through the clouds, casting a gentle, silvery glow upon the sea. A soft breeze, carrying the invigorating scent of saltwater, reached Henry and his troops. Leier and the others inhaled deeply, savoring the unfamiliar yet refreshing aroma. This was the first time smelling it.

From their vantage point on the hill, Henry and his friends beheld the city, surrounded by hills and forests, a peaceful sanctuary away from the ocean’s chaos. Natural rock formations jutted into the water, forming barriers that shielded the city from the waves and other dangers from the sea.

“They really know how to sail! They know how to make boats…” – Henry thought, his eyes brightening with delight as he observed the scene beyond the protective rocks, where the sea expanded infinitely.

In the distance, beyond the safety of the bay, small sailboats drifted peacefully on the tranquil waters, their sails billowing in the breeze. With his keen vision, Henry could easily see figures aboard the vessels, casting fishing nets into the sea in pursuit of their livelihoods. The sea gave them everything they needed. This was Frostwave Bay, the city that maintained the East and allowed a commerce to be built.

“It might just be possible” – Henry thought to himself, his excitement barely contained. He wanted to guide his horse and race straight to the city, until they reached those boats – “Maybe… just maybe… I can open the era of great navigation in my kingdom.”

Henry’s thoughts brought him to Earth’s history, the era of Great Navigations. It was a historic period that revolutionized global geography and trade. It facilitated cultural exchange and interaction amongst various distant civilizations. This era was opened by Portugal and transformed this small kingdom in Iberian Peninsula into one of the most powerful kingdoms of the world. Riches and knowledge all concentrated under the Portuguese throne. Henry wanted to do something similar.

“Let’s go!”