Meanwhile, a few villagers who overheard the conversation began stepping outside.
One of them, a boy no older than ten, hesitantly approached a marine.
The marine looked down with a surprisingly gentle expression.
The boy looked up.
"A-are you… a colonial marine? Like really?"
The marine nodded, dropping to one knee. "I am, why do you ask?"
The boy frowned.
"Well, my brother tried to join… but he didn't pass the push-up test."
Alexander looked back at the boy.
He did look familiar.
It was then that he remembered the boy who had been the last to fail the test.
"Where is your brother now?"
Alexander asked, approaching the boy.
The boy looked over and pointed to his house. "He's sleeping, but I can wake him."
Alexander nodded.
The boy rushed back home, past his mother who stood in the doorway.
A minute later the two brothers emerged, the older one looked on in disbelief.
"Uh… sir?"
Alexander stepped forward, hands behind his back. "What's your name?"
The boy saluted.
"Johann, sir."
With a smirk, Alexander shook Johann's hand.
"I remember you, the last to fail the push-up test. I wonder, why didn't you return during the second recruitment drive?"
Johann averted his gaze.
"I couldn't risk making the journey again just to fail, so I stayed to help my father."
Alexander's expression softened.
"You're a good man, Johann. A man I can respect."
He reached into his coat, producing a golden ember. "Will you come back with us? Become a marine?"
Johann stared at the golden ember.
His breath hitched.
"I… sir I… I don't know what to say."
Alexander placed the golden ember in his hand.
"Say yes. Not just for me, but for your family, your pride, your duty. You didn't fail because you were weak, you failed because I failed you. I'm looking to rectify that."
Johann's hand collapsed around the ember, tears in his eyes as he nodded.
"I'll pack my stuff now, sir."
He turned, rushing towards his mother with the ember in hand.
He gave it to her, and she stared at it only for a second, before embracing him.
"My boy." She whispered, her body trembling.
She looked up at Alexander, a warm smile crossing her lips. "Thank you…"
Alexander nodded.
The growing crowd of villagers gasped at the gesture, growing closer.
Most of them had never even seen a silver ember, let alone a gold one.
"Is that real?" One asked.
"He was serious…"
"He just gave it to him."
Alexander chuckled at their amazed whispers.
"And there's plenty more, because I believe your loyalty is worth more than money. You are my people, my kin… and I hope you see me the same way."
The crowd grew closer.
"I wanna become a marine too!"
"M-me too!"
"You said if we give food, we can come too, become marines?"
Alexander chuckled trying to calm the crowd down. "All of you, I ask that all of you come to my next recruitment drive. And for those who can't make it, I'll send wagons. You'll be the first village on the list!"
The crowd shed tears of joy and laughter.
For the first time, someone came to this village not to tax. But to offer a future opportunity, a chance to earn real money.
And all he wanted was a little food.
They'd be fools not to take this chance.
"I have grain!"
"Flour! I have a little flour!"
"Please, tell me you take livestock! I have a few extras this season!"
Davout and Inés watched from the edge of the village.
Inés was red as a cherry, gripping her reins.
"This is madness, madness, and stupidity."
She turned to Davout, "He's giving away money he doesn't own and positions he can't fund, for food the villagers don't have! And they're cheering!"
Davout only watched in fascination.
"I think you're missing the point, my dear. He's solving his immediate problems by creating future problems. Future problems he'll solve."
Inés scoffed, "he'll be solving the problems he caused!"
Devout turned to her.
"That's the point. By solving the problems he caused, he looks like a hero who keeps his promises. He's not just a conman, he's a politician. And a damn good one."
Both officers turned their gaze back on Alexander and his marines.
They were helping the villagers load the wagons, softly laughing as villagers talked animatedly.
And Alexander stood at the center of it all, accepting thanks and gifts.
— — —
By the time Alexander returned from his tour, his convoy was loaded with supplies.
As they rolled through the gates, a hush fell over the fort.
The Marines stopped their training, their eyes fixed on the incoming wagons.
The women of the support corps peeked from their classroom, watching with an almost animalistic hunger.
Alexander jumped down from the lead wagon, marching to the parade ground to meet Klaus.
"Food secured."
Klaus raised an eyebrow at the sight.
He wasn't sure how, or even why it worked.
"Sir, how did you get this?"
Alexander chuckled.
"The power of bargaining, my good friend." He gestured towards Johann. "Oh, and we have a recruit."
Klaus glanced over at the boy, who was looking around with wide and excited eyes.
"I see."
The steps of angry marching made Alexander turn around.
When he did, he saw Inés.
She pointed a finger at him.
"You're nothing but a conman. A conman with no idea of the burden he took on his shoulders!
Alexander sighed.
"I got the food, didn't I? Now do your job and catalog it. Or is that too much for you?"
Inés gritted her teeth.
"You should be ashamed of yourself."
Alexander tilted his head towards an empty corner of the base. "Come on, Klaus will handle the goods."
The duo walked past the unfinished barracks, the sound of construction fading in the distance.
They stopped in a quiet clearing, Inés spun on him.
"You're a damn thief," her voice was a low hiss. "Worse than that, you just tenfold your problems for food that'll last us what… a month? Two at most! And for what?! Just so you can run out and do it again?!"
Alexander's expression was chillingly calm.
"Inés, I did what I had to. You said it yourself, those women were a charity case, and I just got them the supplies they needed. Are you saying I should've left them to starve?"
"They shouldn't have been here!" She replied, shaking with anger, "You should've just played along with her majesty. None of this would've happened if you weren't so full of yourself! All of these problems are because of you!"
She gripped the air.
"And then you solve your problems with more problems! And act like it's a miracle! This operation should've collapsed in on itself a long time ago!"
Alexander watched her patiently, then nodded.
"You're right." He finally answered.
"I-" Inés paused. "I am?"
Alexander nodded.
"I should've swallowed my pride and accepted Her Majesty's assistance. But I wanted to build this with my own hands. My own ambition."
Inés crossed her arms.
"And now it's gonna fall apart, congratulations, you played yourself."
Alexander chuckled softly.
"Not yet, see… Elizabeth is in the process of liquidating her assets. I was just buying time until then."
He stepped closer, "I thought I was smart enough to use that money, but I realized you've been calculating everything from the start."