Employment ( Volume 4 Chapter 9) (Side Story)

◇◇Alex's POV◇◇

Riona -" Why is that scythe on the neck of my lord?"

Lester -" As your sword is on my friend's neck."

Riona -" Anyone who insults my Lord deserve to die"

Lester -" My friend's life is worth more than that or that is what he believes but you can't kill him for finding out a fault."

Lord-" Riona stop this rude behaviour immediately"

Riona withdraws her sword which is followed by Lester withdrawing his scythe.

Lord- " I apologize for the rude behaviour of my subordinate"

Riona - " No, it was solely my decision."

The bear raised his hand signalling her to stop

Lord-" While I have to admire the speed of Mr Lester you didn't lose to the speed of my subordinate and if you are feeling consulted at being compared to a maid don't worry, Riona was a former gold rank adventurer."

She was a gold rank adventurer and if I remember correctly Christina was a silver rank and she was plenty powerful.

Lord- " Now Mr Alex what fault did you found by the plans made by my proud dwarf engineers.

These plans were made by dwarves.

They do give the fantasy-like troupe of being the builders but they may make good weapons looks

like their knowledge in architecture is lacking

and someone who had researched many forts and bunker as a hobby and is planning to become an architect.

I have better plans....

Lord-" Do you mean to create a circular citadel? Until about a hundred years ago, there were many such citadels, but with the rise of more powerful magicians, such designs have long been discarded in favour of the square fortresses you see today."

While I acknowledged his point, I disagreed with what he said.

Alex -"Square fortified cities will show great strength if the walls are assaulted in a frontal attack, but they are vulnerable to attacks from its corners. It is true, however, that they provide better defence than circular walls."

The bear makes a dumbfounded expression and said

Lord -"…So you are suggesting that we reduce the number of corners?"

I swayed my head in rejection

Alex-"No, we add more corners"

　I gave a strange answer, which caused the bear, no the Lord to freeze in contemplation. Then, I went ahead and told him my thoughts.

　I wrote directly on the map spread on the table and drew a six-pointed star with the help of what looked like an ancient pen.

Alex-"Please imagine a star-shaped fortress…"

Lord-"This … but won't these two corners pointing toward the road be extremely vulnerable?"

　To the confused bear, I added more detail to make it easier to understand.

The fortress was shaped like a hexagon, with triangles attached to all of its sides. 

Alex-"These corners may be vulnerable, but if they are destroyed, invaders still won't be given easy access to the city within. This is because the fortress consists of one dominant main fortress and six axillary fortresses. The area on top of the axillary fortress walls will be connected to the top of the main fortress, but they will remain separable by use of drawbridges. So, the aggressors will have to endure extreme amounts of attrition and bash down each axillary fortress before confronting the main body. And, if they avoid the axillary fortresses, they will be attacked intensively from three directions if they try to approach the walls."

This type of fortress was built in a world where gunpowder weapons were highly prevalent, but I believe that it would also work outstandingly in a world of swords and magic as well. As long as there is no magic that acts as a long-range mortar, we will be fine. 

Lord-"If an enemy intended on making a frontal incursion, they would be forced to use a small number of people to attack. Since they cannot form a large line, as being caught in the fire of three different fortress segments would be terrible, they would be forced to slowly grind at the more vulnerable corner sections. This is a very well thought out fortress. Even strong magicians would be left susceptible due to the lack of infantry cannon fodder to use as covers."

The bea- lord said so and went into deep thought and after some time he clapped his hands

Lord-" This will work, Thank you, Mr Alex you will be rewarded handsomely for this or perhaps you and your friends would like to work here. I always welcome capable people.

Alex-" Hire us?"

I said so with a dumb face what will he even hire us for

Lord -" Yes you are a brilliant architect and your friend Mr Lester would prove to be a strong guard and Miss Clara "

The bear looked towards Clara who was still drinking tea.

How much more time she would take to drink the same cup of tea, oh she had a refill

Lord-" How much sixteen gold coin per month sounds"

If I remember correctly, one copper coin gets you a loaf of bread and ten copper coins make a silver coin

which covers the cost of a person living in a good inn with food

and fifty silver coins make a gold coin.

so going by that logic we will receive 800 coins every month.

Deducting the living expenses of 80 silver coin we still get 720 coins for ourselves and dividing the money into 8 no into 3 each of us will have

120 coins to spend in the month and 4 silver coins every day to be exact.

We would be cutting it very close but at least we would get a source of income and I think it would be safer than hunting wild monsters.

Lester-" 16 Golden coins for everyone?"

Why is Lester not using his brain and asking for the obvious

Alex-"Of course what else-"

Lord-" 16 Gold coin each for the three of you"

Alex-" he would mean?"

He meant 16 gold coin for each of us then it would mean we would have much money to spend, then what was all my previous calculations for?

What work will even Clara do he didn't tell anything about that?

How many months he will employ us for?

Do this job cover insurance?

There were many questions but at least we got a job after transferring to this monster world.

I know Valor would be attending classes right now but what would be Sam doing?