“Master, watch your step.”
Rita held Rod's hand, skillfully navigating around an unidentified object.
They were currently walking on a shortcut leading to the Adventurer's Guild.
Seeing Rod snap out of his contemplation, Rita finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
“Although Rita knows that for your strength, the value of gold is like a pebble on the road.”
“But are you not afraid of attracting unnecessary attention and unrest with such extravagant behavior?”
Rita paid attention to Rod's expression and added.
“Of course, Rita is merely trying to understand your decision from the perspective of a secretary, not questioning it.”
Rod's lips curled into a smile, he did not answer immediately but asked a seemingly unrelated question.
“Rita, what do you think is the reason for attacking a country?”
The intellectual and elegant maid thought for a few seconds before answering rationally.
“Technology, resources, population, wealth.”
“Good, do you think our village nation has any technology?”
“Village nation... that's an interesting way to describe it, but on the surface, we don't seem to have any technology.”
After all, the plan for mass production of the Valkyrie Armor had not yet been formally implemented, so in the eyes of any outsider, Arcadia did not possess any technology worth coveting.
Rod casually tossed a silver coin to a beggar on the side of the road, waved away the beggar's thanks, and continued to ask.
“Then, what about resources?”
“Rita... haven't found any yet.”
“Population?”
Thinking of the beggars everywhere, Rita shook her head regretfully.
“Perhaps it will be better than a village, but if we can't turn the population into resources, then too many people will be a burden.”
Rod nodded approvingly.
“Right, looking at the countries at war in the conflict zones, even those who are conquering, rarely attack for the sole purpose of taking over territory.”
“It's more about destroying and plundering, ultimately it's because the productivity is suppressed by the larger nations, they can't support their populations with such large numbers of people.”
“Therefore, there is undoubtedly only one main reason supporting those small countries to continuously engage in wars, and that is wealth.”
“Do you think if foreign nations learned that I gave all my gold to the soldiers, and am even living in a state of poverty, and assuming you were a foreign monarch, how would you evaluate me?”
Rita spoke bluntly.
“Stupid.”
Rod didn't mind and continued to ask with a light laugh.
“What if, at that time, you discovered a large number of soldiers, three or two together, carrying large amounts of wealth leaving Arcadia?”
Rita suddenly turned her head, stopping her steps, her expression toward Rod changed instantly.
A piercing chill ran down her spine, she seemed to see the shadow of someone in Rod,
“......I would kill them, take their wealth, after all, those coins are enough to drive anyone crazy.”
Rita paused for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and calmed herself down.
“And those soldiers, to protect their treasure, would fight desperately against the enemy, using their lives to consume the enemy's potential strength.”
“That money... is their blood money!”
Rita could even imagine those soldiers who received the money secretly mocking Rod's absurdity, but the next moment after leaving the city gates, they would be buried in the wilderness in a dramatic turn of events.
Using a sum of money that doesn't require any cost, without causing any disturbance, disarming the army, eliminating internal instability factors, while also using their lives to consume the enemy's army.
Those who were unwilling to pledge their loyalty to Rod, were ultimately skillfully guided by him to the same end of dying for the war.
He achieves multiple objectives with one arrow, and makes those involved unaware of his intentions, even creating a sense of underestimation, thereby relaxing their focus on Arcadia.
This young Majesty is like a devil, squeezing the value of those fence-sitters to the extreme!
And until their death, perhaps those people are still thanking Rod for his “benevolence.”
“But, are you not worried that they will join other countries and become a fighting force?”
Rod's lips curved into an icy smile.
“For the higher-ups, is it more worthwhile to kill and steal money, or is it more reasonable to pay a high salary?”
“After all, if they can't offer the high salaries I can, accepting these guys will cause internal unrest, right?”
Rita immediately understood.
If someone really accepts those soldiers, they will inadvertently become Rod's advocates and spies.
“And it's even simpler for the lower-level soldiers, do you think they would be willing to see someone come and take their positions? It would be more worthwhile to kill and rob them the moment they are discovered.”
Rita still couldn't help but ask.
“What if those soldiers choose to stay because of the higher salary?”
Rod's expression was playful, he chuckled.
“My high salary isn't for raising pigs, only highly qualified soldiers who meet my requirements can receive it.”
“Training, patrolling, cleaning up monsters, defending against external enemies... I have countless tasks for them.”
“If they can persist because of the high salary, then great. In the conflict zones, only I can offer such a high salary, even if they only stay for the sake of profit, they will fight to their death for me.”
“If they take the money but don't do their job, I can also use their lives to make an example.”
Rod's steady and confident demeanor, as if everything is under his control.
“Besides... Arcadia has no nobles, the only one that can be considered a noble is myself, as the royal family. On the surface, I have given all my money to the soldiers.”
“If foreign enemies try to plunder wealth, who will they choose, me who has no money, or the soldiers who have money?”
“So, even the soldiers who stay will fight to their death, even to protect their own property.”
By the time foreign countries realize it, Rod has already passed the most dangerous period.
At that time, there's no need for such small tricks, he can also conquer all the countries in the world.
Rita was momentarily mesmerized by Rod's eloquent talk.
Rod released Rita's hand and took the lead in walking out of the alleyway.
“But all my plans have a fatal flaw, but after Rita arrived, this flaw has become a trap.”
“My personal safety is entrusted to you, my perfect maid~”
Rita looked at Rod's back, and silently sighed in her heart, her little master's "pua" skills have increased, he's becoming more and more like a qualified monarch.
But even knowing this, Rita still smiled brightly, bowing slightly, her beautiful eyes revealing a determined look.
“It's Rita's honor, my little Majesty~”
They came to an old wooden house.
The building itself is very old, with traces of repairs in every corner, it looks very dirty.
This is Arcadia's only Adventurer's Guild.