In the end, the Golden Capital of the Ika Kingdom reaches an agreement with Henwell.

  On paper, the nds Henwell occupies become a strategic buffer zone, legally recognized as under Ika’s jurisdiction.

  In addition, Peace Haven must pay the Ika Kingdom 100,000 gold coins annually as “rent” for the territory.

  This way, the Ika Kingdom doesn’t officially lose any nd.

  Duke Kolen holds a private meeting with Henwell.

  A week ter, in the southeastern region of the Ika Kingdom, captured officers and nobles, cd in shining armor, riding proudly with banners held high, march out of Peace Haven.

  Not only that—they’re hauling a massive haul of goods, transported by nearly a thousand rge wagons, swaggering back to Louis City.

  The common folk and noble families line the streets to welcome them.

  It looks like they won a grand victory, returning from Peace Haven den with spoils.

  But sadly, while over 100,000 troops participated in the war, fewer than 10,000 come back.

  And the goods they bring are substantial, but all purchased with “cold” cash.

  Meanwhile, Peace Haven still holds 70,000 prisoners of war.

  Of those, at least half will be ransomed by the southeastern nobles and the Ika Kingdom.

  These are elite private troops of the nobles or the kingdom’s regur soldiers.

  Henwell doesn’t want money—instead, just like before, he demands people in exchange.

  Originally, the over 10,000 square kilometers Peace Haven seized was home to more than 100,000 people.

  Though some fled during the war, most had no chance to escape and were trapped at home, helpless.

  Afterward, Henwell’s census office conducts an investigation, counting everyone including serfs, and finds the popution totals 160,000.

  Henwell gives Duke Kolen some face by releasing the noble officers early, framing it as a triumphant return.

  But Kolen knows these nobles weren’t let go for free.

  Besides debts from goods and prisoner camp expenses, the southeastern nobles of the kingdom are to send Henwell over 50,000 people.

  Whether serfs or commoners, as long as they’re people, they count.

  But no sckers or weaklings will do.

  If there are elderly among them, they must come with a full family—from old to young.

  On top of that, for minors under fifteen, Henwell offers a sweet deal—each kid counts as two people in the popution quota.

  As for the other 70,000 prisoners, over 40,000 are trained soldiers.

  If the nobles want to ransom them back, they have to send another 100,000 people to Henwell.

  Henwell’s maneuver sends the price of serfs in the southeastern Ika Kingdom soaring—doubling overnight.

  So much so that many nobles start buying serfs from the Lumir Duchy.

  Don’t think the serfs will run out—this whole continent churns out serfs nonstop every day.

  Land, the real means of production, remains tightly controlled by the nobles, so the environment for producing serfs never dries up.

  Henwell’s popution trading sounds pretty damn ruthless.

  But in reality, his buying spree is a blessing for serfs living within nearly a thousand kilometers around Peace Haven.

  Because Henwell keeps throwing money at buying people, serf prices keep climbing.

  From three gold coins each before, they’re now over ten gold coins apiece.

  With that kind of cash on the table, serfs’ lives improve a bit—after all, their value rises, so nobles have more reason to treat them better.

  Before, some nobles, for suppressing serf numbers to prevent waste of rge amounts of food, trying to force serfs to live separated by gender, forbidding them from having kids or even marrying.

  Some cruel lords even physically castrated serfs.

  Now, serfs are valuable goods, real commodities.

  Henwell’s high-priced buying gives serfs value comparable to livestock—and more importantly, the chance to breed.

  Though serfs still live miserable lives, at least they have a better shot at survival.

  And as Peace Haven grows stronger, legends of a kind of paradise start spreading among serfs.

  That’s a huge advantage for Henwell’s future rule and occupation.

  Now Henwell demands nearly 200,000 people—a goal that clearly won’t be met overnight.

  This is a long-term popution transfer pn stretching over three years.

  This year alone, all parties must send close to 100,000 serfs.

  For the following two years, they have to deliver 50,000 people each year.

  Spring plowing has begun, and Henwell is busy calming the nerves of the native popution in his new territories by waiving their taxes for a whole year.

  Not only that, he sends Bowman, the head of agriculture, to lead teams teaching locals how to cultivate high-yield crops.

  He provides farming tools and seeds to the people through interest-free loans, with specialists assigned to teach new farming techniques.

  On top of that, Henwell transfers 20,000 serfs and commoners from Peace Haven and the Eastern District to popute this new nd.

  The Eastern District refers to the territory Henwell wrested from the Ogiro Kingdom, which has mostly stabilized now.

  The nds seized from the Ika Kingdom are temporarily called the Western District.

  The area taken from the Vorry Duchy—through a mix of conquest and extortion—is named the Northern District.

  Defensive fortresses in the Western District are basically complete, and main roads are built.

  Now it’s just a matter of steady development.

  Henwell pns to build a city in both the Eastern and Western Districts eventually.

  They won’t be massive new cities—more like standard small towns that can hold tens of thousands, mainly serving as trade hubs.

  But for now, Henwell intends to build the first city next year in the Eastern District near Ogiro, to test their reaction.

  He’s holding off on building a city in the Western District (Ika Kingdom nds) to avoid ruffling the feathers of the southeastern nobles.

  Even though Henwell doesn’t believe a city’s defenses could “beat” his military fortresses, the common belief across the continent is that cities serve as vital strategic strongpoints.

  Not long after spring plowing wraps up, the Vorry Duchy and the Ika Kingdom officially sign a ceasefire agreement.

  The Golden Bde Legion and the Third Guard Army stationed at the border pack up and head back to their bases.

  Henwell pulls back his Second Legion, redeploying them to their garrison in the Eastern District.

  For now, only two fortress garrison battalions remain in the Western District, with the First Legion also stationed there—currently relocating and setting up their base.

  With the war over, the mixed First and Second Legions guarding the northern Vorska line are withdrawn.

  Henwell reorganizes the mixed Second Legion into the Third Legion of Peace Haven, appointing Kivel as legion commander and Mocto as deputy commander, who also commands the Fifth Battalion.

  Mocto, now 28, is one of the earliest warriors who fought alongside Henwell in the Blood Hill bandit suppression campaign.

  Years of growth have shaped him into a competent commander; he’s long held the rank of Knight and is now pushing for Battle Knight.

  The Third Legion will be stationed in the new Northern District territory.

  At the same time, Henwell deploys a garrison battalion in that area for defense.

  Finally, Augusta’s mixed battalion isn’t disbanded.

  The elite troops from Peace Haven and the Phoenix family have gelled well—the commanders, junior officers, and soldiers all working smoothly together.

  Count Jansen recommends keeping this battalion intact to facilitate joint operations between Phoenix and Peace Haven.