"Thank you for your hard work, go and rest."

Losa dismissed the Winged Cavalry, pondering secretly.

Hussein, a local power passed down through generations, had amassed a great deal of wealth from plundering. Surely, his house must be hiding a large amount of gold and silver.

Lately, whether it was building New Habsburg, expanding the capacity of the Blacksmith Shop, constructing public toilets, or digging iron ore, each endeavor required substantial expenses.

Additionally, the City Guard Army numbered five hundred; they were regular troops, non-active soldiers who required salaries.

If it wasn't for the gifts brought by the vassals during their visits, Losa would now have to worry about whether the wealth extorted from Prince Zahir would be sufficient.

But relying on confiscating estates is not a long-term solution.

He rubbed his chin, calculating: "Andreas, do you think the number of City Guard Army is too much?"

Andreas hesitated: "Sir, the number of City Guard Army is not too many, but I think... there are a lot of rabble among them, kicking them out would be a good thing."

Losa nodded: "Then I'll leave it to you to handle, reduce the City Guard Army to three hundred men."

Besides retaining one hundred veteran soldiers, Losa plans to use the remaining two hundred City Guard for transitioning once he draws new recruitment buildings.

Andreas nods: "Sir, I will take care of it."

Even after streamlining, a regular army totaling over three hundred and still expanding at the rate of two per day (one Varangian Guard and one Winged Cavalry each).

If fully recruited, the Varangian Guard will number two hundred, while the Winged Cavalry will be one hundred.

Including the City Guard Army, with one hundred veteran soldiers retained, his regular army will reach an astonishing number of over five hundred.

One must know that Losa's father, Count Werner, only had over a hundred regular troops in total.

If war breaks out, Losa can recruit his vassals, knights, along with the farmer soldiers they muster, easily assembling an army numbering at least five thousand to confront foreign enemies.

Thus, even reducing by two hundred, there are still enough personnel.

However, merely curbing expenses is not enough, there must be ways to increase revenue.

Losa had already planned for this, so he asked: "How are things over at Marles, the new recruits should be in place. How is the crafting of refined plate armor I instructed him to make?"

Andreas reports: "Mr. Marles has completed two sets of refined plate armor, three sets of full body plate armor for ordinary knights, all delivered to the warehouse yesterday."

Refined plate armor, engraved with patterns and extensively focused on aesthetics, offers almost no difference in defense compared to ordinary plate armor.

"Load them all onto the wagons and bring along the hundred copies of Song of Winter and Summer printed recently. After the trial assembly tomorrow, once Jeanne escorts the prisoners back, we will set off for Jerusalem."

Compared to Hebron, Jerusalem, just forty kilometers away, is far more prosperous.

As the war dies down, Pilgrims and caravans of Heretics, Crusaders from Eastern and Northern expeditions, gradually return, and Jerusalem regains its former splendor.

The number of Crusader nobles residing in Jerusalem is vast; they prefer not to live in remote fiefs, choosing instead to gather within the city, wealthy and fond of comparison.

Song of Winter and Summer, this book carries a lot of Losa's personal goods, including pushing purple grape clothing; splendid, sturdy, flexible, and easy-to-maintain plate armor; and metal-made cutlery.

Noblemen of this era often dine only with wooden spoons, mostly with their hands, believing that the "Westeros Continent table manners" described in the book will surely open the eyes of many nobles.

Creating demand where none existed.

Is this not the earliest form of marketing?

"Sir!"

Ulm led a group of cavalry towards them.

Losa couldn't help but complain to Andreas beside him: "Look, today sure is a special day, I should convene a special assembly for this rather than sitting here hoping to steal a moment of rest, yet being repeatedly interrupted."

It was his first time relaxing in the mansion, and he had intended to spend some quality time with Prajna and Furinjira.

Andreas chuckled awkwardly, not engaging in the topic.

"Speak, what is the matter?"

Ulm saluted to Losa, then said: "Sir, didn't you authorize me to establish a rural circuit court?

This Heretic named Aziz has accused Lord Adnan of Abdu Village. I did not know how to proceed, so I brought him back to see you."

Losa realized: "Adnan—I remember this name, he came to see me on the second day I arrived in Hebron, and offered three fine warhorses and a season's taxes as gifts."

Ulm paused: "Sir, should I not have brought him back?"

Losa shook his head: "No, you absolutely should. That is the purpose of establishing the circuit court; I must let these Heretics know that there is someone who can manage those tax collectors oppressing them."

He looked at the Heretic named Aziz.

Bruised and battered, looking quite miserable, clearly having just suffered a beating.

"Aziz, I am the Lord of Hebron, Losa von Habsburg. Since you are willing to accuse the chief of your village to my Patrol Officer, you must have heard of my name. I hear from my Patrol Officer that Adnan raped your wife, is this true?"

A nearby cavalry soldier named Senmut conversed with Aziz for a while, then replied: "Sir, he says he has no evidence, but this incident is not a secret in the village, many people know about it."

"Did you verify this?"

Losa turned to Ulm.

Ulm was embarrassed: "Sorry sir, I feared alarming Adnan."

Losa shook his head: "No need to apologize, it's normal to have concerns."

Villages of this era were often quite closed; an outsider probing for information would hardly get any answers.

Losa looked at the Heretic, his clothes disheveled with many marks, seemingly from being torn by branches while fleeing.

Just by appearance, Losa believed it by ninety percent.

But he still said: "Aziz, I warn you, if you falsely accuse, once verified, I will sentence you to hanging."

Senmut translated: "Sir, he says he swears by the Holy Fire that if he speaks even a lie, his corpse will be pecked by vultures and never cast into the flames."

Losa nodded slightly.

He was merely procedurally asking.

Who would dare accuse their village's 'Lord' of their own accord to a Heretic Lord, unless there was indeed unjust suffering?

Being a paradigm of valuing reputation, Losa paid great attention to this matter, saying: "Ulm, immediately go and find someone from the City Guard Army who hails from Abdu Village or has relatives there, to verify whether this matter is true. If it is true, immediately lead troops to attack Adnan's mansion."

Ulm accepted the order.

Senmut also translated the words to Aziz.

Aziz immediately knelt down, his voice choking with gratitude.

Before coming, he had considered that Losa might indiscriminately execute him or use him as a pawn to extort Adnan.

But he never imagined the progress would be so smooth.

Even without speaking the language, Losa could sense the sincerity of the other party.

He smiled: "You don't need to thank me, Aziz. As my tenant, I have a duty to protect you while enjoying the taxes you contribute."

Losa ordered to have Aziz taken to rest in a proper room.

Andreas opened his mouth but then closed it again.

"Why so hesitant?"

"Sir, I understand your intentions, but within one day, action against two Heretic 'chiefs' might be too intense?"

He carefully adjusted his wording, not expressing his biggest concern.

Losa smiled: "Intensity is good; I wish they would unite to stage a rebellion so that I have a legitimate reason to catch them all in one fell swoop."

These Heretic chiefs may be wealthy, but this wealth cannot openly be converted into military strength.

If the opponents were not Heretics but a group of Western European Lords, even if they leveraged money and hired mercenary bands, they could assemble an army over ten thousand strong.

But this world never has an 'if.'

"A bunch of rotten fish and shrimp, do I really want to waste years or even decades slowly negotiating with them? I don't have the interest."

Losa murmured to himself.

"However, in my view, as long as the cause is justified, these people have no chance of uniting."

Fearless, truly.

Yet, if conflict arises, it would consume the development potential of the whole Hebron.

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