Just as Erwin had predicted, many of the impoverished citizens of the city were unable to afford the first batch of land taxes, and those families all handed over their sons as alternative payment.

This was exactly what Erwin wanted to see. Back when he had first proposed this system, he already knew that this was the direction that things were going to progress in. These citizens of Zans were already used to leading difficult lives, and they were now being presented with an option that could exempt them from paying tax while also receiving military wages. Even an idiot would know what the best choice to make was.

Aside from the men who had joined the army in order to give their families tax exemption, there were also many young men who had voluntarily joined the army in order to earn the promised wages. Thus, in a very short time, the freedom army under Erwin's command swelled to around 6,000 men.

At this point, Count Onen's manor had already been converted into the Universal Church Freedom Army's control headquarters. As the general of the army, the control headquarters naturally became Erwin's workplace. However, in...