Lai En had warned her before: maintaining an army, especially a regular one, was extremely expensive.
Now she knew he was right.
Alicia finally understood what it meant to spend money like water.
In her previous life on Earth, most of her monthly salary had been devoured by her mortgage.
That was like a single, clean cut—the kind of pain that was intense but over quickly.
Now, watching her savings drain away bit by bit felt like being sliced by a dull knife, with heartache as the main course.
The training was so intense; logistics needed to keep up.
But the current funding was so meager that if she fed the exhausted soldiers only vegetable soup, she and Andrew would be strangled by the angry troops the next day!
So Alicia covered the food expenses herself, ensuring the soldiers saw meat at every meal and bread was always plenty.
That alone was an enormous expenditure.
To prevent disease and non-combat casualties, she also had to drive all the rats from around the barracks.
She oversaw major improvements to the barracks environment, hiring specialized workers to remove garbage and waste daily and using lime water to disinfect the soldiers’ laundry.
Although she couldn’t manage baths for them every day, at least every other day!
The water had to be carried bucket by bucket.
Alicia had a soft heart.
As a good youth of a new era, how could she let the workers suffer?
So she spared no expense in paying the porters.
She spent a fortune on that.
And these were regular soldiers.
Having them sleep on temporary straw mats in the barracks was too bad.
Even though winter hadn’t arrived yet, there was still a risk of illness.
No way!
She had to replace everything with wooden beds fitted with mattresses.
Well, that cost another huge sum of money.
Regardless of how much Alicia’s heart ached, the surrounding residents and craftsmen were ecstatic.
Their incomes had been skyrocketing lately, and they treated Alicia with reverence and respect.
Of course, the generous patron! They had to smile and flatter, otherwise how could they squeeze the money out of her hands?
The one month’s salary Alicia had gotten in advance from Lai En was almost gone!
Andrew’s salary was due at the end of the month.
If the soldier’s salaries hadn’t been counted on Lai En’s tab, Alicia would have tried to run away right then and there.
Was it right to pay for work? Did it comply with the labor law?
No, she had to go ask the boss for money.
She had to get the budget increased no matter what, and get reimbursed for her expenses from this period.
So, looking at the few coppers left in her pocket, Alicia gritted her teeth and stayed up all night putting together an account book, adding some water into it.
As for cooking the books, no one should say a word.
Besides, she had a reason!
Due to excessive strain, she was having a bit of a “Heavenly Bloom Disorder” that month.
The pain made her writhe on her bed, spine curved like a cooked shrimp, and even Andrew got scared.
Despite being a married man with children, Andrew knew nothing about menstrual pain.
But with all his loyalty, he went and brought a… veterinarian.
Alicia was utterly furious.
Although she knew that doctors in this era treated both humans and animals the same, why did he bring an old woman who specialized in delivering old bla…?
She had period pain, not a stillbirth!
To make matters worse, the old woman kindly examined her while chattering on, using examples of delivering foals and treating cows to advise her on how to adjust her body.
After building up tremendous mental strength and holding her nose to drink the weird herbal decoction the old woman made, she did feel a bit less pain.
But the treatment and herb costs had to come out of her own pocket!
Recalling this sad affair, grief overwhelmed Alicia.
So she turned grief into strength, rolling up her sleeves to look for Lai En and claim medical reimbursement.
This was a work injury, a work injury!
“Don’t beat around the bush with me!”
Lai En waved his hand impatiently.
“I’ve seen enough of your writing style. The front part is all grand talk, empty words, and flattery. It gives me a headache!”
So all her morning reports and evening debriefings had been ignored?
Alicia wiped the sweat from her brow helplessly—climbing the castle stairs in this heat was too much.
“Now that you’re here, tell me directly. How much fluff is at the front? What paragraph is the key point?”
“…The second paragraph on the fifth page.”
After all, there were only five pages in total.
Snorting, Lai En tossed aside the first four pages and picked up the last.
Since the content was brief, he skimmed through it quickly.
“What?!”
Lai En’s surprise turned into wide eyes, which turned into disdain, which darkened his face.
Finally, he slapped the paper on the table.
“You’re asking me for money again? Do you know your monthly salary of thirty Cuini is already extremely high?!”
Alicia stood there nervously, shrinking her neck by instinct and stammering, “Your subject… didn’t come to ask for money.”
‘Oh no, oh no. After a long pause, she blurted that line to calm the boss down. But how was she going to cover that up?’
“Oh? Then why are you here?”
Lai En raised an eyebrow, drawing out his words.
Biting her lip, the girl steeled herself and began to blunder.
“Your subject is here to… request an increase in military expenses. And, of course, to ask for reimbursement of the military funds your subject has been subsidizing out of pocket…”
Lai En’s mouth twitched.
“Don’t even think about it! I’ve read your report. Your budget for two hundred men is already larger than that for three thousand militiamen!”
“But my Lord, you once said yourself that two hundred elite soldiers could chase down thousands of fleeing troops…”
Alicia pouted, pretending to be aggrieved.
“…Don’t use my own words against me!”
Lai En choked for a second but quickly regained composure, putting on an impartial face.
“The logic is there, but this money isn’t meant to be spent this way! I approve of your suggestions—improving sanitation and ensuring basic rations—and the budget can be increased appropriately later. But you want to draw military expenses in advance again? No way!”
‘Stingy! What’s the use of keeping money in your pocket? Money only means something when it circulates. What’s it going to do? Hatch in your hands?’
“Really no?”
“No!”
So Alicia let out a long sigh and gave a polite bow.
“For your lunch today, could the kitchen… prepare an extra portion? Your subject’s pockets truly have no budget left for meals now. What do you think?”
His face dark, Lai En spat.
“What kind of official are you? Mooching meals in your lord’s home! I’m telling you, even if you mooch off me all day long, no means no!”
“No, my Lord… Your subject hoped to mooch until payday.”
“…”
Lai En clenched his fists.
“Based on what you just said, could your subject interpret that as you agreeing to allow me to mooch meals?”
“…”
Veins bulged on Lai En’s forehead.
“What are we having for lunch today?”
Lai En finally exploded.
A heavy coin purse, whistling through the air, struck the girl’s forehead with perfect accuracy, knocking her flat on her back.
“Take the money and get out—!”
Leaving the castle gate, Andrew, who had been waiting outside, had a face that clearly said, ‘You’re still alive?’
One hand on her forehead, the other weighing the money pouch, the girl said, “Let’s go, Andrew. We’ve got military funds! Let’s hit the blacksmith’s shop and get our men some gear. It’s been a whole month, and they don’t even have armor or weapons. That’s too embarrassing.”
—
Lai En sat on his throne, breathing hard for a while, before finally breaking into a bitter smile.
Turning to the corner, he said with a laugh, “What do you suppose that girl’s face is made of?”
General Keleiduosi stepped out from the dark corner and gave a silent bow.
“My general,” Lai En’s voice was weary.
“Let’s keep it to ourselves. Tell me the truth: how has Alicia’s training actually been this month? Did she really spend all those expenses on what matters, or did she pocket some?”
The bald general paused for a few seconds, choosing his words carefully.
Finally, he answered in a low voice, “Your Highness, in my experience, that’s not how you train soldiers. No weapon practice, no battle formations. For an entire month, they’ve only trained on standing, squatting, sitting, and walking—things like that—and even taught them to sing. They shout insults freely during drills. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Is that so…”
Lai En’s frown deepened, his fingers drumming on the armrest in a steady rhythm.
“And yet, within just one month, not only did he avoid a mutiny, but two hundred farmers now act with strict discipline. They are neither humble nor arrogant. Everyone is holding their spirit in, and their general health is quite good. I… can’t compete with that.”
Lai En’s tapping stopped.
“Is the budget Alicia mentioned definitely spent where it should be?”
“Yes.”
General Keleiduosi’s eyes even showed a hint of envy.
“The food is lavish, the living conditions better than a knight’s attendant. She didn’t hesitate to order two hundred wooden beds and fifty bathtubs…”
Hearing all these expenses, Lai En felt his heart race.
Throwing so much money around was truly a big move.
No wonder she’d come to him asking for money.
“If advertising ‘morning reports’ and ‘evening debriefings’ and singing those strange songs is meant to cultivate loyalty, then paying out of pocket and personally caring for the soldiers’ personal issues is something else.”
General Keleiduosi took a deep breath.
“I couldn’t understand what she wrote before, but now I get it. Maybe this is what she means by strengthening spiritual civilization construction…”