Chapter 300: Volume 4: Chaotic World - 20: Nicosia (1)_3
"Your Majesty,..."
Seeing the Finance Minister hesitate and stand there bewildered, the elder waved his hand impatiently, "Enough, you need not worry about other matters. Attend to your duties with peace of mind, for if you delay them, I won’t spare you."
Only then did the Finance Minister rise tentatively and bow, departing slowly.
There was another spell of oppressive silence in the room. The elder’s face remained impassive as if he was contemplating something, whereas the Minister of Internal Affairs and the dressed military officer exchanged glances, realizing just how dire the kingdom’s financial crisis was, since His Majesty the King even resorted to using the funds from the Royal Treasury.
"Your Majesty, this can only serve as a temporary fix, not a lasting solution," the Minister of Internal Affairs couldn’t help but advise.
"But you both have seen how tense the military situation is in the North. We cannot afford to neglect military development; otherwise, our kingdom’s downfall is imminent. Mathew, how is the Iron Oak Corps’ assembly progressing?" the elder asked tiredly, sighing, "Also, have the beastmen shown any new movements recently?"
"Your Majesty, the Iron Oak Corps has recruited its full complement of troops, but we are still far from having enough weapons and armor. With the finance as strained as it is, we cannot support the costs for weapons and armor. Right now, the soldiers can only train with bare hands and wooden spears, To form a basic combat effectiveness, we would need immediate provisioning of weapons and armor, and at least half a year or more of training," said the dressed military officer, his face clouded with worry. He knew the crux of the problem was financial and understood the King’s predicament, but since His Majesty the King asked, he had to report truthfully. "The beastmen are still ravaging within the territories of Myron Duchy and Meine City-State, but their previous unbridled aggression has abated, possibly due to the cold weather. Their activity has slowed down considerably. However, this hardly matters anymore. Mycenae has been completely destroyed, and nearly all the crucial strongholds within the three regions have been breached. The territories of Myron, Meine, and Susoer have effectively become vast wildernesses at the mercy of the beastmen, and won’t be able to serve any defensive role in the short term. Next year, the Central Region may well face even more ferocious threats from the beastmen."