Chapter 510: Act 258 – The War Without Smoke (Part 2)
Antinna nodded at Brendel and walked out holding a stack of parchment documents. In some sense, she was still the calm and collected girl he met for the first time, as tranquil as the still water of an ancient well, but the pallor of her face now bore a healthy flush. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and she appeared to have matured significantly since then.
She turned around, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as she scanned the other attendees at the meeting with a subtle look. Clenching her fist to her lips, she softly coughed once: “Since repelling Count Rendener’s unwarranted invasion—” A faint laughter arose from below, prompting Antinna to raise her head and glare at the few troublemakers. Unlike Xi, who would roll her eyes dramatically while glaring, Antinna’s silent gaze was enough to render them speechless. “Cold Fir Territory, Port Gris, and the Minate region are all functioning normally, and all plans and work are proceeding in an orderly manner…” Once the venue quieted, she systematically outlined the situation in her territory and Erluin.
Overall, Cold Fir Territory was on a path to healthy development. The pressing food issue had been effectively resolved due to food purchased from Ampere Seale. Currently, the food stored in Cold Fir Castle was sufficient to last until April of the Sword Year, with hopes reliant on the harvest of winter wheat, though it may be necessary to procure more food as well. When the young girl mentioned this issue, she expressed her views on the current situation, noting that with war clouds gathering in the north, food prices would likely continue to rise in the coming months. Thus, she suggested that if the territory needed to procure food, it should act sooner rather than later.
Among the few members involved in internal affairs—such as Berun, Romaine, Odum, and Charles—there was general agreement, and Brendel naturally nodded in accord. He intended to head to Ampere Seale shortly anyway, which provided a perfect opportunity to purchase a shipment of food. As southern and northern nobles gathered in Ampere Seale, a permanently neutral trade port arranged by the Temple, they were preparing for the final negotiations regarding the future of the kingdom. To ordinary people, this was the last hope of maintaining peace and preventing the outbreak of civil war. As merchants watched from the sidelines, food prices fluctuated, with only a few secretly hoarding supplies.
However, Brendel understood that there was no turning back between the north and south. While the negotiations publicly aimed to maintain peace in Erluin, beneath the surface, they were essentially a final struggle for power between both sides. The regent princess would seize this opportunity to meet with Duke Anlek and reach a marriage agreement. From the limited information he had obtained about the north, he knew that the royal faction and Duke Anlek’s embassy had arrived at Ampere Seale ahead of the northern lords and the king’s firstborn.
The intricacies were unclear to outsiders, but he, having experienced history, knew all too well that the future long princess and Duke Anlek himself were likely among the embassies, although this had not been disclosed publicly. Even though Toniger currently had no eyes in Ampere Seale or north of Furst, all information sources and communications relied almost entirely on a few merchant fleets from Ampere Seale that had established brief contacts with Cold Fir Territory. Even without these updates, Brendel would not be oblivious to the truth behind it.
Because this was merely a prelude to history.
He still had a little time.
At this moment, Antinna continued to address agricultural issues, briefly mentioning spring plowing. It was evident to anyone that Brendel wanted to expand the operations significantly, but if he intended to increase Toniger’s agricultural scale, the accompanying spring plowing would require a large workforce. In normal years, aside from the homeless, no one would willingly migrate to such a remote area, but fortunately, the Black Rose War had created a significant number of war refugees. Master Berun had already written to his students scattered across various places to organize the refugees to move towards Toniger.
The main issue in this process was the loss incurred on the journey, which sounded almost tragically heavy to Brendel—living lives calculated like commodities and goods, reminding him more than once of the slave trade in his world’s history. However, the fact remained that if these displaced farmers and artisans were allowed to linger in the war-ravaged homes of Vieiro, Karasu, and Golan-Elsen, the end result would be mere survival of the fittest, with only a handful managing to live, while the elderly and children had virtually no chance of survival.
This was the helplessness wrought by war, a reality that the world must accept. Brendel, as someone half-modern, could only present silence upon learning such facts; he had never paid attention to this background in past games. It seemed as if Vaunte was filled only with magnificent myths, while NPCs played out the harshness of this living world, unnoticed by any.
“…One issue is that these refugees have been accommodated to some extent by local nobles, but the nobles only need strong laborers and women capable of bearing children, leaving behind mostly the elderly and children…”
At this point, Antinna paused, turning back to look at Brendel with dark eyes that seemed to communicate. Within the girl’s gaze was a rich melancholy; she spoke of the unhomed as if she could truly empathize because, without Brendel, she herself was a part of the world’s cruel law of the jungle. Yet, on the other hand, she bore a difficult contradiction in her heart that she could not articulate.
“It’s alright; the elderly possess experiences that the young cannot reach, and as for children, Toniger needs them. They are the future of the territory. Those who have endured the hardships of war will learn to cherish the hard-earned peace, and Toniger can accommodate them.” Brendel took a quiet breath.
He was now a lord, with many standing behind him, which meant he needed to mature in his judgments. But maturity did not mean he had to indulge in the same corrupt practices as the nobles of this world; Brendel firmly believed that even if civilization one day becomes desolate, the noble and beautiful culture shaped by humanity over thousands of years would not erode with it. Instead, humanity would be the first to emerge from the wild, relying on the light of humanity.
This was merely his personal view, but when Brendel looked at the others, their gazes were filled with respect. Antinna’s expression was complex; she hoped that Brendel could calmly refuse her, but such a response would only leave her disappointed. Yet he also brought her peace of mind—although she knew it was a naive and impulsive decision, it was filled with a compelling strength.
In that moment, she felt as if she saw a young knight holding a shining banner advancing against the current in an endless darkness. That unwavering determination nearly melted her heart entirely, and she longed to help that young man take another step forward, so that this gentle light could exist for a moment longer before the dawn of Erluin.
“Not all elders have experience, and do we really need that many old people…” The noble girl mumbled, and then unintentionally smiled softly.
“I’ve never seen such a fool. Forget it, I’ll help you to the end…” Among everyone present, Master Berun shook his head amid the crowd, yet his eyes were filled with tolerance and appreciation. After experiencing the life of exile, he had come to understand just how deep the roots of Erluin had sunk.
Who could save Erluin? The passionate blood he once experienced as part of the royal faction had cooled, and whether the royal faction could help Erluin was uncertain for him now; supporting the princess’s side felt more like an inertia stemming from his past.
It was only when he saw Brendel make his decision today that he felt perhaps this young man possessed something that the nobles of Erluin currently lacked. He suddenly resolved to write to a few of his more accomplished students and a couple of old friends, inviting them to come to Toniger to see everything here.
After discussing the refugee situation, Antinna briefly touched on the development of the territory. Honestly, there wasn’t much to report; the White-Maned Guard was still a distant prospect, primarily due to a shortage of troops, and the armor and weapon workshops lacked sufficient manpower to work full-scale for an entire military unit. The ‘Magnificent City’ built by the old dwarf Odum remained only on paper; according to him, he was running around like a rabbit digging holes to repair fortresses and tunnels on several mountains, which was truly ridiculous.
The Schafflund silver mine was operating stably, serving as the main source of funding for the territory. Brendel primarily focused on growth points for future revenue in the Black Forest; with the help of Druids, he could easily develop the borders of the Black Forest, and the most crucial discovery was the plentiful crystal mine he found, which, while not yet yielding high output, had hints of revenues creeping up to rival the silver mine each month.
As for other specialties, including alchemical materials, timber, furs, and other curiosities, they were minor; only Tam had extolled him once for these. It is worth mentioning that Tam’s alchemy level had recently risen to level 12, which was a conclusion Brendel reached based on the quality of the dragon blood potion he assisted in creating.
Lastly, the main development was the expansion of Port Gris. That small fishing port had now been expanded to include two berths for large vessels and had a new wharf built, no longer the tranquil small harbor of the past. Its primary task moving forward was to maintain the increasingly prosperous commercial activities, and while the refurbishment of this port required considerable manpower, Romaine did not conscript the residents, choosing instead to employ laborers for this project, which not only avoided the complaints common among other lords but rather garnered a unanimous positive reputation.
Now, Brendel’s reputation within the territory faced only one issue: it was not secure. The residents were somewhat worried that war might happen again. However, in other aspects, most people had already recognized this wise and benevolent lord—at least far more benevolent than Grudin.
On the other hand, the spending on hired labor ultimately fed back into the food supply. Romaine deliberately left a small portion of earnings among the laborers, stating that “a little money left in the hands of the hardworking will generate even more,” assuring Brendel that they could simply earn it back later—as if that money had originally been in her pocket.
However, the wealth of the territory meant Brendel’s wealth, and he didn’t mind how she managed it.
“…The situation in the territory is roughly as follows. Because of the dire circumstances in the north, Count Rendener now faces the risk of being drawn into a war with Duke Vieiro and may not be able to turn back to deal with us. Although the situation in Erluin is currently unstable, Toniger stands to gain a breathing space.”
After saying this, Antinna paused and glanced up at Brendel. Toniger could be said to be flourishing at the moment, everything was on track, and every person present felt an unwitting spark of hope. Most of those who had followed Brendel were at their wits’ end, not expecting to come this far; yet this miraculous young man had indeed led them step by step, hacking a path for survival. Reflecting on the imminent threat of Count Rendener’s army, who would have thought this young man would actually bring about alliances with Druids, treants, and centaurs from the Black Forest?
Everything that had unfolded over the past few months seemed like a dreamlike miracle to everyone present.
Yet this miracle had indeed happened, right before their eyes.
Consequently, they seemed to have established a deterministic fact: occupying this territory, becoming true lords, each of them might just gain the status of a vassal, no longer wandering mercenaries, adventurers, rangers, vagabonds, or any other identities.
Brendel gently nodded toward Antinna.
“Just half a month ago, each of us put in our utmost effort, sweat, and even blood to help this newly born territory emerge from the shadow of war. You might think we can finally catch a breath, enjoying some peace while the nobles are distracted.”
Everyone instinctively nodded.
“But I must tell you, it is quite the opposite.” Brendel shook his head. “Next, I must travel to Ampere Seale, and I cannot foresee what I will encounter on this journey. But I can assure you that when I return here, Toniger will be plunged into a real war.”
“This war will be leagues apart from any your prior experiences; those past skirmishes were nothing more than child’s play. This war will involve the two largest factions of the kingdom and numerous nobles, countless powerful lords fighting to the death on behalf of their interests. The most outstanding knights you have seen before will merely become cannon fodder on the battlefield; every enemy you face will crush you like an ant, as if nothing.”
“And these formidable foes may unite to eradicate us. The path that Toniger will embark on will be incredibly challenging, fraught with thorns and surrounded by powerful enemies, even untenable by all of Erluin.”
As soon as Brendel finished speaking, the assembly place surrounded by ten ancient banyan trees fell into a dead silence, a pin drop could be heard. Everyone stared at Brendel, who stood high on the platform, unable to utter a sound.
“Lord… why?” someone finally questioned.
Brendel pondered for a moment. “Because I must go prevent a noble-blooded individual, the most legitimate heir of the kingdom, a true princess, from falling into a trap. For this, Toniger may offend all her enemies, and those nobles who are unable to gain what they wish at the negotiating table will join forces. War will spread throughout Erluin, and we will have nearly no allies, relying only on our strength to save this crumbling kingdom.”
Everyone listened in shock, while only Antinna, who truly understood the truth, mentally simplified Brendel’s statement—I must go steal a bride. The noble girl couldn’t help but curl her lips, suddenly recalling something, glancing down at a pendant hanging on her chest—an heirloom left by her father.
“But what do those nobles have to do with us? They have never done us any favors. Why should we risk our lives for them?” One of the members from the Gray Wolf Mercenary Corps involuntarily questioned, among everyone present, these individuals who had once been deceived by Makarolo held the least trust in the nobility.
“The reason is simple. In fact, the only reason we can stand here is because of the recognition we received from Princess. Nominally, we reclaimed this territory from Madara. Whether you like it or not, if we lose this moral standing, once those northern nobles sort out their competition, take a breath, and look back, we will become their next target.”
“Therefore, we can only join one side and help defeat the other. Although the hope is slim, we have no other choice.” Brendel replied.
Once again, an awkward silence fell over the assembly.
But then, a voice gasped: “By the grace of Martha, my lord! If we help Princess Grifian defeat her brother and help her ascend to the throne, then wouldn’t we claim the merit of supporting the rightful leader? At that time, with your contributions, isn’t it only natural that you would be granted a ducal title?”
Brendel turned his head to look and saw Carglis grinning in a seemingly opportunistic manner: “If you become a duke, my lord, then surely we, your vassals, should at least have the status of barons! Ha, just think how my old man would lecture me after that; I might even outrank him!”
Carglis’s coarse words sparked a reaction of embarrassment from nearby Meria, who flushed and tugged at his sleeve, wishing to sink into the ground. She had never seen such a crude noble and was unsure how Master Minate raised this fellow.
However, Brendel couldn’t help but smile; he could tell that the clever youth was merely playing the role of a sycophant, but at least it indicated that Carglis was supportive of him.
Carglis’s words indeed stirred a commotion. Why wouldn’t they? In the face of interest, most people primarily saw profit instead of underlying risks. Moreover, since they were destined to take a chance anyway, such promising rewards made the associated risks feel insignificant.
Indeed, if they helped the princess ascend to the throne, Carglis’s conjecture could very well come true. Everyone knew that the princess was currently vulnerable and that adding support was easy, while extending help in a time of need was truly invaluable. What had become of the first families that followed the late King Eke in the past?
Anlek, Siphai, Vieiro—who among them was not a true power-broker?
With this thought, everyone’s spirits began to lift.
Brendel recognized the expressions of those around him and knew that things should be fine. He understood that his closest allies would undoubtedly follow him, and the Bronzesteeldragon Mercenary Corps veterans from the November War would likely not oppose him either. They were originally potential supporters of the royal faction; he primarily needed to reassure the remaining mercenaries. Mercenaries held little allegiance; he had to let them know they were fighting for themselves. Otherwise, troubles would arise in the future.
He nodded, responding: “Exactly as such. So, I hope you all are prepared; the rewards will be plentiful, but only those who emerge victorious will reap the benefits. You all should understand this without me having to explain.”
“Of course, my lord!”
“We understand.”
“Rest assured, my lord! With your wisdom, Princess must be extremely fortunate to receive your support!” There were expressions of promise mixed among them; some had clearly grown confident. Brendel knew that most of these guys were just flattering him, but at least it rallied their enthusiasm.
At times, when subordinates were agitated, the worst consequences often went unanticipated. Once the worst outcome was just part of an unremarkable calculation, when the real war broke out, Toniger would be able to join the battle in the best possible state. Brendel couldn’t help but stroke his chin, admitting to himself that he wasn’t fully sure of himself for the upcoming war.
It wasn’t that he lacked confidence, but the enemies were incredibly strong. He hadn’t spoken the full truth; if things didn’t go well, he might have to forcibly sabotage the marriage of Princess Grifian and Duke Anlek. Regardless of the outcome, this could lead Anlek, in a fit of rage, to side with the opposing faction. The best case scenario would simply be to remain neutral. However, if the worst unfolded, it would mean that Toniger would have to face the pressure of all of Erluin single-handedly.
Erluin’s strength wasn’t significant, but that was in comparison to Madara and Cruz; against the power of the six or seven dukes of all of Erluin, a mere Toniger would be akin to a comparison between an adult and a child in terms of strength. By that time, his only ally would be the pitiful little strength surrounding Princess.
In truth, Brendel still hadn’t formulated a comprehensive plan, and the time left for preparation was short. He would never allow history to repeat itself. The trip to Ampere Seale was now inevitable. At this moment, he saw Charles approaching him, and he understood the message—the ship to Ampere Seale was ready.
It would only take a week to travel from Toniger to Ampere Seale.
…
(PS: First of all, I’d like to thank [Night Wind Rising Clouds], [Ten Nights of Tidal Winds], [Ah Wu Duzi], [I am Unaware of the Ends of the Earth], [Hematik], and the forum members who helped organize the data.
Then, I’d like to correct two bugs: one regarding Kuran’s average gold power, and the other about the Fire Giant. Upon reviewing, I found that the card indicates level 45, which means it possesses almost the strength of a peak silver, close to an initial gold stage; thus, it can barely be considered as an initial gold stage.
Lastly, as for Medisa, while her absolute strength is only gold lower tier, her battle prowess stands at gold middle tier.)
(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)
