Riding on Grape's back, Horn didn't take the main road heading east to Joan of Arc Castle but first detoured north, then followed the stream south, and finally reached Joan of Arc Castle.

This wasn't because Horn intended to reminisce about the red maple forest he and Jeanne once saw, but because he had no choice.

The dirt road from Mayo Town to Gray Furnace Town and then to Joan of Arc Castle had now been ordered by Horn to be rebuilt into a mortar road.

Arriving at the outskirts of Joan of Arc Castle, Horn glanced eastward, still able to see laborers pushing wheelbarrows, jogging to transport building materials.

Most of them only wore vests to shield from the sun, carrying baskets of soil to pile by the roadside.

Once-noble Master Knights wore iron collars around their necks, wielding wooden hammers, sweating profusely as they compacted the slag and ash-based foundation bit by bit.

On both sides of the road stood ankle-high wooden templates. On the compacted roadbed, mortar concrete contained in barrels flowed thickly from the edges.

This mortar road, following several fierce fights in the Senate, was named Offensive Path.

It transformed from a once vague road formed of fences and weeds into a 6.5-meter-wide roadbed and a 5-meter-wide mortar road, wide enough for two carriages to drive side by side.

To become prosperous, build roads first.

Whether it's the external trade of pork, timber, and stone with North or internally for quickly mobilizing troops and goods, a solid and convenient road is needed.

Moreover, after clashing with the Ibe Knights to the south, local carriages were extensively used for transporting supplies.

Now, their trade exchanges with Kasha County have significantly declined, but the production capacity of the Autumn Dusk Island mortar workshop has steadily increased.

To consume this part of the production, Horn has to undertake some large-scale construction projects, such as road and sewage system renovations, housing for laborers like the Insula Apartments, and drainage and dam projects at Nanze Lake.

After the Saint Plow Monastery, these projects can absorb the remaining labor force.

However, Horn is currently facing a significant problem as well, which is that the money is being spent too quickly.

After initiating so many projects, the originally more than a hundred thousand gold pounds in early June were spent down to just over thirty thousand by Horn.

Later, through Holy War Bonds and confiscations, a portion of the funds was raised.

It would be best to defeat the Ibe Knights before August, otherwise, hidden dangers internally and externally would emerge.

Rapids City has almost been besieged for a month now, while all northern Shangruifo County had initially fallen into Moliat's hands.

But under Prince Kongdai's offensive, only about half remains now.

Time waits for no one, we must quickly defeat the Ibe Knights, advance west to support Rapids City, and then converge to move north to support Moliat.

However, the Sand Sculpture Knight is holed up without making much movement despite some harassment, which makes Horn have to admire his strategic composure.

After watching for about ten minutes under the scorching sun, Horn finally led Busak and others, who were about to faint from the heat, back to the Holy Arrival Hall.

He washed his face with cold water and sat at his desk before he had the chance to pick up the report brought by Busak and start flipping through it.

The so-called Black Hat Army Recruitment Report was mainly an investigation into the motives, concerns, and understanding of "Holy Path Salvation Instruction" among those enlisting in the Black Hat Army.

As the saying goes, without investigation, there is no right to speak, Horn attaches great importance to data and investigation reports.

As long as the charm of statistics doesn't appear, data can very much reflect the objective state of affairs.

The survey results of more than 3,000 people from the six legions of the Black Hat Army showed:

There were over 1,100 people, about 34%, who enlisted to participate in the exorcism holy war, avenge or repay, and defend their homeland.

There were over 1,300 people, about 41%, who enlisted for the high pay, promotion, wealth, and the high status of being a War Monk.

There were over 600 people, about 20%, who enlisted because they had nowhere else to go, didn't want to work, wanted to reduce family burdens, or to vent anger against their families.

Additionally, around 130 people, about 4%, were attracted by reasons like wanting to see the world, not sure why, sent by the Church/Knight/parents, or thinking it seemed fun.

Interestingly, among the new recruits of the Black Hat Legion, many were former Night Guards who served the Knights.

Having undergone basic military training, they were easier to pass evaluations than ordinary farmers, thus the Salvation Army internally is actually a blend of new and old military forces.

According to the summary of detailed investigations, it can be generally concluded that most War Monks do not really understand what Horn's proposed freedom, equality, and labor actually are.

To some extent, they fight for the Saint's Grandson.

But from follow-up investigations, this does not prevent them from responding to the simple and clear slogans, and generating extremely high combat enthusiasm.

Although this part of the combat enthusiasm mostly comes from over 2,500 people among the first two groups, as the backbone leads the whole, morale does not drop.

A note from Hakuto in the report stated that he had never seen such high-spirited troops before, and as long as they could maintain the same morale, they would have the strength to fight against Extraordinary Knights.

"I previously said that after the Black Hat Legion's campaign, two more legions would be recruited in Jinhe Town to supplement the eight legions and form the Black Hat Battle Group." Horn looked up and said to Busak in the room.

"We are preparing for this," Busak said, nodding after a change of clothes.

"You can equip each battle group with more clerks, and after the war, compile the reports of the Military Judges, Service Soldier dissertations, and reviews into a war history." Horn picked up a pen and made a couple of notes in his notebook.

"New recruits entering the battle group should know how many honors their battle group has achieved; when they join, they can share in this glory, but they must also work to maintain this glory."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Additionally, Saint Father Order Monks can be developed within the Black Hat Army, don't worry, Saint Father's Association and the Salvation Army are essentially one."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

After proposing four or five suggestions in a row, Horn instructed Busak, "You should draft a specific preliminary plan for these matters and discuss it at next week's regular meeting."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Currently, the administrative processes at the upper levels of Pope Country are gradually becoming standard practice, and the feasibility of matters still requires inputs or suggestions from Cardinals handling frontline affairs.

After confirming with Busak, Horn then called in René, who had been waiting.

"What are those four Wizards here for?" Horn circled around to the front of the desk, leaning against its edge to ask.

René, without wasting words, directly took out two copied versions of letters and handed them to Horn.

Suspiciously, Horn opened the first letter and, after just glancing at the beginning, immediately recognized it as a personal correspondence intended for Patrick.

After all, the letter began with, "To my long-unseen old friend Patrick: How have you been recently? My dearest Pani..."

Upon realizing that, Horn closed the rest of the copy and refrained from reading further.

"Since it's a private letter for Patrick, don't let me see it. Just deliver the original to him." Having said that, Horn picked up the second letter, about to open it, and then paused.

"Wait a moment..."

René stopped and turned back, looking at Horn in confusion.

Horn leaned out, looking at the two Lion-bodied Hogo Statues outside the Holy Arrival Hall window, and squinted slightly.

"I suddenly remembered, it seems we don't have anyone named Patrick here, do we? There's only someone named Chrispa," Horn spoke with a tinge of excitement in his voice, "Here's what we'll do: bring Chrispa over, maybe he'll know who this belongs to."

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