Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 68: [67] Starting to build the Military

-Third Point of View-

Bastian leaned back in his carriage seat, a faint smile playing on his lips. His eyes drifted toward the passing scenery outside the small window, but his thoughts remained fixated on Arkan Lawrence—a man of grand vision, full of innovation, yet one who clearly faced enormous risks.

In a world teeming with political intrigue, a young noble who dared to challenge the status quo was nothing more than an easy target.

"His potential is immense, but he’s still fragile," Bastian murmured to himself. Folding his arms across his chest, he reflected on their earlier conversation. "And that’s precisely what makes him so intriguing. He’s not just an ambitious merchant—he wants to change something far bigger."

The horses pulling the carriage neighed softly, breaking the silence. Bastian glanced at his escort, who threw him a concerned look.

"Relax, keep going," he reassured the man before returning to his thoughts.

"If I continue supporting him, this might be the greatest investment of my life. But I need to know more," Bastian pondered. "What about his military? How does he plan to protect everything he’s building? He hasn’t shown that yet... And if he’s careless, he could be crushed by the nobility before he even has a chance to prove himself."

Meanwhile, in his territory...

Arkan sat at his desk, staring at the mountain of documents spread across its surface. Work reports, distribution plans, and blueprints for firearms lay scattered, blending into the chaos of his growing responsibilities.

The night had grown late, but his thoughts were far too restless to allow him any rest.

Leaning back in his chair, he turned his gaze toward the window. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale glow over his castle courtyard. In the distance, he could see the dim lights of the small village that had begun to flourish under his rule—a small but undeniable testament to his efforts.

"The military," he murmured, reaching for one of the documents. "I still don’t have enough strength to protect everything. If just one attack comes, all of this could fall apart."

Setting the paper aside, he exhaled, trying to calm his racing thoughts.

But amid the flood of strategies and concerns, another thought quietly gnawed at him—loneliness.

"I should find someone..." he whispered, the words barely escaping his lips.

His gaze drifted to the mirror in the corner of his office.

"Not just someone who can support me politically, but... someone for myself."

A bitter smile crossed his lips.

He had spent so much time projecting strength—in front of his subordinates, before Rainer, even with allies like Bastian. But in moments like this, alone in his office, he couldn’t lie to himself.

At the end of the day, he was just a man, tired and burdened, longing for someone to share the weight of his ambitions.

"But who?" he muttered again.

Trust was a scarce commodity in this world. Finding someone who not only supported his vision but also stood by him without ulterior motives was an almost impossible challenge.

Arkan understood that forming political alliances through marriage was a common noble strategy. But was that what he truly wanted? Where the heart should have been the guiding force, politics had always taken control.

With a sigh, he pushed himself up from his chair and walked over to the window, gazing at the moonlit landscape.

"Perhaps not now," he admitted to himself. "But someday, I’ll need to find someone who truly understands me—not just politically, but emotionally as well."

Returning to his desk, he grabbed his quill and parchment.

This time, he drafted a new plan—one focused on military development.

If he wanted to protect everything he had built, he couldn’t rely on innovation and strategy alone. He needed an army, discipline, and weapons strong enough to withstand any threat.

Meanwhile, in the village below...

The residents had begun to feel the changes brought by Arkan’s rule.

The once muddy roads were now being covered with neatly arranged stones. Farmers who had been neglected by the previous administration were now receiving direct support, equipped with new tools to boost their crop yields.

Even in casual conversations, people had started calling Arkan by an unofficial title—"The Lord of Innovation"—a name inspired by his unusual yet effective ideas.

However, not everyone welcomed these changes.

In the shadows, murmurs of dissent could be heard.

Some local merchants felt threatened by Arkan’s pro-farmer policies and his support for artisans. Meanwhile, neighboring nobles had begun to watch him closely, searching for weaknesses to exploit.

But despite these obstacles, Arkan pressed forward, his determination unshaken.

He knew that the coming months would test him like never before.

Yet, he also knew that every small step he took now would bring him closer to his vision—a prosperous, powerful territory, ready to stand against whatever the future held.

###

That morning, inside his study still cluttered with documents and strategic maps, Arkan sat quietly, staring at the cup of tea slowly cooling in his hands. Across from him, Rainer stood with arms crossed, his expression serious, gaze fixed on the large map hanging on the wall, depicting Lawrence’s territory and its surrounding areas.

"So, you want to build a military from scratch?" Rainer started, his tone carrying a hint of skepticism.

Arkan raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his now-cold tea before responding. "Exactly. But not just any military. I don’t need large numbers that will only strain the budget. I need something efficient, well-organized, and adaptable to future needs."

Rainer slowly nodded, his hand moving to point at several strategic locations on the map. "But you do realize, Arkan, that building a military structure isn’t just about strategy. You need people you can trust—competent leaders, well-trained soldiers. Even with the best resources, without the right leadership, they’d be nothing more than armed farmers."

Arkan smirked. "That’s why I called for you, Rainer. You come from a high-ranking noble family in the eastern empire, and I believe you know more about this than anyone else in this territory."

For a moment, Rainer hesitated, his expression growing slightly uneasy. "I know the basics, sure, but being a noble and understanding military command are two different things. What exactly are you trying to build here? A local militia? A regular army? Or something else?"

Arkan stood from his chair, walking toward the map. His fingers traced key locations across Lawrence’s lands. "I want a small, elite force at first. Around fifty to a hundred men. They will be the core, the foundation of this territory’s military. Not just for defense, but to make it clear to everyone that this land is not to be underestimated."

Rainer tilted his head slightly, his gaze sharpening with interest. "And have you thought about who will train them?"

"That’s the hardest part," Arkan admitted with a sigh. "I haven’t found anyone I fully trust for this job. Strategy and tactics? I can study those myself. But discipline, training, real battlefield experience—that’s something that can only be taught by someone with a proven record."

Rainer let out a small chuckle. "Maybe you should recruit a retired veteran from the empire. There are plenty of old soldiers looking for a new life. They have decades of experience and can usually be trusted—if given the right incentives to stay."

"That’s a good suggestion." Arkan nodded, mentally filing the idea away. "But I want more than that. I want a military structure that’s different, something more flexible than what’s traditionally used in this world."

"Flexible?" Rainer echoed, curiosity creeping into his tone.

Arkan pulled a rolled-up parchment from his desk drawer and unfurled it across the table. On it was a rough sketch of an unconventional military structure, unlike the standard hierarchy used by most nations.

"This."

Rainer leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he studied the sketch. "What is this? I’ve never seen a structure like this before."

"It’s a streamlined command system," Arkan explained. "Instead of dividing troops into large, slow-moving battalions, I want them split into small, independent units that can operate autonomously yet remain connected through a clear communication system. Each unit will have a specialized leader, trained to make quick decisions on the field instead of waiting for top-down orders."

Rainer frowned, trying to grasp the concept. "Interesting... but that would require intense training and a high level of discipline. If one unit goes rogue or makes a poor decision, the entire operation could collapse."

"Which is why we need the best instructors," Arkan said firmly. "Beyond that, I also plan to introduce new technology to support them."

"New technology?"

Arkan smirked but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he walked to a nearby bookshelf, grabbed a small scroll, and handed it to Rainer. The scroll contained a rough blueprint—an unfamiliar weapon concept in this world.

Rainer unrolled it, his eyes widening. "What is this?"

"A weapon that will change warfare forever," Arkan declared. "I’ve been working with Faustus to refine the design. This will be a weapon so simple that even a farmer could use it, yet powerful enough to challenge larger armies."

For a moment, Rainer remained silent, staring at the blueprint with a mixture of awe and skepticism. "Are you sure this will work?"

Arkan nodded. "This isn’t about being sure or not sure—it’s about trying. If we succeed, we won’t just have a highly efficient small force, we’ll have a technological edge that no other military in this world possesses."

Rainer locked eyes with Arkan, seeing the fire of determination burning within him. Finally, he gave a firm nod.

"Alright. I’ll help you. I’ll find the best candidates to train, and I’ll make sure this force is ready before any real threats emerge."

"Thank you, Rainer." Arkan smiled. "We’re about to build something that has never existed before."

And with that, their discussion stretched long into the night, planning strategies, military structures, and the foundations of a new army—one that would protect Lawrence’s future from whatever lay ahead.