Chapter 433 The Real Winner
The Earl left the castle with his family and entourage, and a group of light cavalry escorted more than a dozen carriages and hurriedly headed towards Dusk City.
On the other side, a large group of Salvation Army troops also marched to the plain twenty kilometers away and set up a new camp there.
In contrast, in the siege camp outside the castle, only Thomas's caravan and the refugees living in designated areas were left.
The sun has set in the distance, and everyone is waiting for it to rise tomorrow.
Sitting in his carriage, Thomas was restless, occasionally pulling aside the curtains to look in the direction of Quemu Castle. His palms and backs of his hands were sweaty, and his heart was filled with nervousness.
He often reminded himself that he was a businessman, not a gambler. Compared to the profit of a transaction, the risk behind the transaction was what he should consider first.
However, at the moment, he seems to have been pushed into a gamble with completely incalculable benefits and risks.
Will the Earl really leave?
Or is this just a delaying tactic?
And what about the king of the Kingdom of Ryan? Does he really not care about this land anymore, or does he deliberately let these people kill each other for a while, and then come back to clean up the mess under the banner of holiness?
Anything can happen.
This included the provincial governor who had been keeping his troops on hold, the Green Forest Army headquarters who were eyeing the situation covetously, and even the imperial army stationed far away at Bronze Pass... It was impossible for them not to have noticed the chaos here.
Even behind them - this Salvation Army - there might be a force that he could not imagine.
The people of Twilight Province seem to have their destiny in their own hands, but it also seems that their destiny has never been in their own hands.
Of course, it's too far to say now.
Thomas obviously cares more about his caravan than the future of the Ryan people here, and he must prioritize his own life.
"I can't wait any longer..."
Thomas gritted his teeth, finally made up his mind, got out of his carriage and came to Mr. Colin's carriage.
This gentleman, who always looks calm, was just leaning against the window and reading leisurely, just like before, as if he was completely unaware of the tense and solemn outside world.
However, those lazy eyes seemed to have already seen through everything in front of them, and even saw the near future.
"Colin... sir."
He unconsciously changed his tone and said in a low and urgent voice, "The Savior Army has lifted the siege of Quemu Fort. Should we...pack up and leave?"
Luo Yan asked casually.
"Where are you going after you leave?"
Thomas answered without hesitation.
"Of course it's Twilight City! Isn't that what we're here for?"
Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully, closed the book in his hand, and spoke in a kind tone.
"It's true that you came here for this, but are you sure what you're looking for is there?"
Thomas was slightly stunned.
"What do you mean?"
Luo Yan continued.
"Quemu County is just an earldom surrounding Dusk City. The Green Forest Army targets it primarily to advance towards Dusk City. If you go there, you'll just be moving from an open cage into a tighter one. Since you're a businessman, you should understand what I mean."
Thomas's expression changed slightly, and he obviously understood the profound meaning of this sentence.
The lord's army might be more impressive than the rebellious peasants, but that certainly doesn't mean they're merciful. If those guys really had that kind of stuff, this chaos wouldn't have happened in the first place.
When he arrived in Twilight City, his goods might not be his anymore, just like when he first met Brennan.
Thomas smiled bitterly and said in a dejected voice.
"By the grace of Saint Sith... I'm already regretting this deal."
This is no place to do business at all.
Luo Yan did not comfort him, but spoke from a different angle.
"Then think about it from another perspective. Perhaps it was the gods who sent you here to help these poor people establish order. If you truly believe in the gods you believe in and acknowledge what you believe is good, this could become your most successful business."
Thomas was stunned when he heard this, and seemed to understand something. He pondered for a moment and then said in a low voice.
"Can you show me the way?"
"It's simple. You have two options. Either keep going south, don't go to Dusk City, and don't stay here. Go through the Torrent Pass in the southern part of the Duskwood and go all the way to the Whirlpool Sea, to a place called Thunder City. Or stay here and continue to shelter the hungry people who come to seek refuge, and assist the Salvation Army's household registration department in completing the registration of the hungry people... Continue what you're already doing. I don't think people will forget what you've done for them so quickly."
After a pause, Luo Yan continued with a smile.
"Of course, you could also just call it a day and take the rest of the goods back... I imagine you've made quite a bit of money, haven't you?"
On the way, he paid to buy a lot of Thomas's goods as supplies to sponsor "Saint Karen" and the Salvation Army.
He is a fair man.
No one will be able to offer a better price than him in the future.
…
After expressing his gratitude, Thomas left Colin's carriage.
Although he did not speak of his decision, he had already made his choice through his actions - this kind-hearted businessman began to organize the fellows in the caravan and comfort the hungry people who were restless because of the departure of the Salvation Army.
He certainly didn't do it out of kindness or piety, but it made no difference in the end.
"Guys, don't worry. The Saint Lady has not left you. She just left for a while to save more people!" Looking at the hungry people gathered at the entrance of the camp, Thomas stood on a wooden box and shouted to everyone.
"By the grace of Saint Sith...is there anyone more worthy of saving than us?" An elderly woman squeezed to the front and said in a trembling voice.
Thomas looked at her and nodded, speaking in a gentle tone.
"Of course, there are quite a few people in the castle in front of you. They are obviously human too."
The night gradually deepened.
Taf, who was dozing on the cushion, yawned and glanced at the castle outside the carriage. A hint of surprise flashed in her golden pupils.
"They actually surrendered?"
Luo Yan turned a page of the book in his hand and spoke in a chatty tone.
"What else? Are we going to fight with their neighbors?"
Tuff shrugged her wings.
"I'm just a little surprised. I thought you were going to summon a giant fireball and blow the city wall apart with a bang!"
"Why would I do that?"
Tuff yawned.
"It's easy for you anyway, isn't it?"
Luo Yan smiled without comment.
Whether it's easy or not depends on whether the designer of the castle considered whether it could withstand magical attacks.
If it was a castle built of ordinary granite, a few meteorites falling on the load-bearing structure would be enough.
But if the design had taken into account the possibility of being attacked by magicians, and a large amount of obsidian and other materials with anti-magic properties were added to the city walls... then let alone him, even a demigod would have to work hard to stop it.
But that's not the point.
The key point is that whether it is supernatural power or divine power, it can only solve part of the problem, but not all problems.
…
No words were spoken that night.
The next morning, when the sun climbed over the treetops again and cast its light on the castle battlements, the mighty Salvation Army also returned to the camp outside the castle at the same time.
People cheered their arrival and praised them for not abandoning themselves.
The same goes for the people in the castle.
Although they did not cheer but just stood there silently, what was clearly reflected in their eyes was not fear and uneasiness, but anticipation for what would happen after the door opened.
Kallen arrived at the front without any weapons. She just looked at the city wall calmly, waiting for the soldiers guarding the city to fulfill their promise from yesterday.
Leiden took a deep breath, squinted his eyes and looked in the direction of the sun, and gave the final order.
"Open the gates!"
When they heard these words, all the soldiers felt relieved.
Including Kallen standing at the foot of the city, as well as Brennan and the Savior Army generals who were on high alert.
"...I didn't expect them to be so trustworthy." A centurion muttered softly.
The centurion who had previously clamored for a decisive battle in the military tent curled his lips and said something stubbornly.
"They're smart...it saves us a lot of effort."
Brennan glanced at the soldiers behind him and spoke in a low voice.
"Remember what I said last night? Be restrained once you enter the castle. Don't look around, don't reach out, don't hurt anyone, and don't act clumsy like a bandit who's never seen the world... For Her Highness the Saint, we are the Savior Army. Remember that?"
"Yes!" Everyone's expression changed and they responded immediately.
In fact, there is no need to mention this at all.
After going through so much, they have long since gotten used to their new identities.
This is much more interesting than being a bandit.
With the support of the gods, they had wine and meat for every meal and enjoyed the worship of the people.
Unlike before, they had to scrape food out of the broken walls and be looked at like devils by people, as if they were not as good as those noble lords... It was obvious that what they robbed was not even one tenth of what those nobles took from people.
With a heavy and long creaking sound, the suspension bridge that had stood for months slowly fell down and hit the moat that separated the two worlds.
The siege ended.
Led by Leiden, the soldiers in the castle laid down their weapons and walked out.
Accompanied by Brennan and a group of soldiers, Callen came forward and arrived at the gate tower of the castle.
Leiden drew the long sword from his waist, held it upright in front of him and looked at it for a while, then put the sword back into the scabbard without any regrets, and handed it horizontally to the so-called "saint".
"This sword symbolizes control of nearly a hundred kilometers of land on both sides of the Rushing River, and also symbolizes the castle behind me... King Devalu I handed it to Theron Gard's ancestors, and now I, on behalf of Theron Gard, pass this honor and responsibility on to you."
Kallen nodded slightly and took the sword, which was too heavy for her, with both hands.
"Thank you for your recognition."
"I didn't endorse you, I just kept my promise."
Raiden grinned slightly.
After all, he is a platinum-level knight. Even without a title, he has his own dignity.
The soldiers behind him might not have recognized the woman's identity, but he knew at a glance that she was just a pretty country girl. Any nun in the castle would know more about the Holy Scriptures and how to pray and bless her better than she did.
"...We were not defeated by your army, nor by your mercy, but by the gods behind you."
Brennan narrowed her eyes slightly, her hand already unconsciously resting on the axe handle.
The knight was probably so sleepy that he forgot his current situation.
He is just a platinum-level knight. Although he has just broken through the platinum level not long ago, his axe is still not at all disadvantageous!
Noticing Brennan's gaze, Raiden didn't flinch at all, staring back without flinching.
Theron would be scared, but he's not.
To die on the battlefield was the greatest honor for him. He had fulfilled his oath, and he was eager for this guy to pull out the axe so that he could see who was stronger.
Just when the two were on the verge of a fight, Kallen suddenly spoke up and interrupted their argument.
"You're right. You didn't lose to us on the battlefield."
Leiden was slightly stunned and gave her a surprised look, as if he didn't expect that she would give in when she had the upper hand.
But in Kallen's opinion, this was not a concession, he was telling the truth.
If the gods had not intervened, the moat beside her would never be as clear as it is today. It must have been filled with the blood of farmers and soldiers.
All they ended up with was a pile of rotten stones and a pile of corpses that were left to rot.
Just when Raiden was at a loss, Kallen continued in a gentle tone.
"Whether you approve of me or not has nothing to do with me. I don't have any other identity or title. I am just a nun serving God."
"But I still want to say that the gods themselves are the embodiment of the will of the people. And these so-called people are not just those behind me, but also those behind you, and the earl who has already escaped."
"And this, of course, includes you."
Brennan was confused by this.
To be honest, his brain couldn't handle such complicated things. He would rather pick up an axe and fight with the knight in front of him, give that stupid head a good beating, and make this guy face reality.
However, standing in front of Kallen, Raiden suddenly woke up from his dream, and a storm surged in his heart.
God is the embodiment of the will of the people.
In other words... the fall of Quemu Fort today was not the will of any god.
Rather, it was the "common wish" in their hearts that brought them all the way here.
"...I never thought that the knot in my heart would be untied by the rebel nun. Haha, I suddenly have some respect for you. Maybe you really heard the oracle."
At least, a village girl couldn't say such words.
Even nuns can't.
A bitter smile appeared on Leiden's face, but behind that smile was more of relief.
He still couldn't be sure whether this so-called "Saint" had really seen God's grace, but she did hear the voice in everyone's heart.
Whether it was told to her by the gods or she heard it herself.
Kallen looked at him and smiled.
That was not because of his repentance or surrender, but because I was sincerely happy that he could break out of the siege in his heart.
"So what's your choice?"
Raiden smiled sarcastically.
"Choice? Why are you asking me? I am your prisoner. What choice can I make?"
Kallen corrected him with a slight shake of her head.
"I have not taken you prisoner, nor have the Saviors behind me. If you remain loyal to your lord, you may now ride forth and follow in his footsteps, including the soldiers behind you."
Having said this, she paused for a moment and continued.
"But if you choose to serve the gods within your heart and acknowledge that the gods' will is the will of all, then I hope that from now on you will take pride in protecting your people, rather than enslaving them in the name of God."
"No matter which king you serve."
Raiden's body shook slightly, he raised his depressed head, and cast an incredible look at Kallen again.
At that moment, he who was in confusion suddenly realized his destiny, and finally understood why the saint came to him when he was in confusion.
There is no doubt——
The gods sent her here!
And the answer in his mind was obvious.
Rather than being loyal to a secular king, it is better to serve the gods who have mercy on them.
"Your Highness, no king can compare to you...at least in this land beneath my feet."
He knelt on one knee and offered his sword.
"The sword passed down through the generations of the Keshitel family was once wielded by a lord who betrayed his people. I know this shame well. If it could once again fight for the innocent, it would be its greatest honor."
Kallen took the sword from his hand. The weight of the two swords was already making her body a little overwhelmed. After all, she was just a mortal without any extraordinary powers.
However, she was not crushed in the end, because her belief was no less than anyone present.
She handed Brennan the sword that symbolized the castle, then drew the longsword from her arms and, with all her strength, placed it on his shoulder.
"...I believe that the people of Dusk Province will accept your and your family's allegiance."
Her fair face flushed red, and she held her breath and whispered.
"Hold it for me, I...can't hold it anymore."
Leiden was stunned for a moment, then he remembered how heavy his sword was. Before the Saint collapsed from exhaustion, he hurriedly took the sword from her.
…
The long siege ended, the Salvation Army took over Quemu Fort and raised the sacred flag on the city wall.
As for the 10,000 defenders in the castle, some chose to lay down their arms and return to their hometowns, while others chose to follow Her Royal Highness the Saint and join the Salvation Army.
Among the 10,000 defenders, 3,000 were the lord's regular troops, professional soldiers, and 7,000 were conscripted peasants, including serfs and free men.
In addition to the combatants, there were more than 20,000 soldiers' families, church clergy, and people of various identities in the castle.
Although these people are not warriors, at the critical moment of life and death, everyone can become a soldier.
It is foreseeable that if a fight really breaks out, the Salvation Army may eventually win, but it will definitely not be that easy.
After settling the surrendered soldiers and their families in the castle, Brennan came to the lord's hall.
Standing in front of the huge stained glass window, he overlooked the wilderness outside the castle that had returned to peace, his expression complicated and his heart filled with emotion.
At this time, Kallen walked into the lord's hall, stood not far behind him, and announced in a gentle voice.
"I have fulfilled your three wishes. The food in the castle and camp is enough to fill your granaries. The gates of this castle are also open to you. The Holy Light behind me has kept its promise."
Brennan turned away and was silent for a moment.
"Are you planning to leave?"
Kallen replied softly.
"It depends on the guidance of the Holy Light."
She had sworn an oath of poverty before the gods, and to spend the rest of her life serving them. She believed this was the prerequisite for the god in the carriage to take her out of hell...
If she betrayed her oath, fate would take away everything she had and send her back to that hell.
It is precisely for this reason that she has no interest in the glory and power that are within her reach.
This could be called fanaticism, but it was also a kind of sobriety. She knew very well that she was not a "saint" and did not have enough strength to withstand things that did not belong to her.
However……
Although she thought so, the people around her could no longer live without her.
Brennan's expression became increasingly complicated.
He had originally planned to change the flag back once the castle was breached, but now... not to mention his subordinates, he himself didn't want to go back to the old days.
It's ironic.
Just a few days ago, he was debating whether to break the contract, but now he was reluctant to see it end.
"Our contract hasn't ended yet..." He said after a long silence, "My wish is to fill our granary with food, but I didn't say...how big it is, or how long it will take to fill it."
After a pause, he continued speaking with gritted teeth.
"There are still many people in the Dusk Province who are suffering from hunger, including my former brothers. There are still eleven rebel armies like us... I believe they are also part of us, and the "we" I'm talking about includes them."
When he said this, he blushed a little, thinking that this statement was a bit greedy and sophistry.
However, Kallen did not laugh at his wish, she just smiled gently and said.
"I'm glad you feel that way, although such a contract shouldn't be signed with me or the gods behind me, but with the people around you."
"But we don't know where to go! And you do, so why don't you take us on?"
Brennan couldn't help but take a step forward and spoke excitedly.
"We will continue to carry the banner of the Salvation Army! Those knights cannot see your power, but I can! Your Highness, we are willing to follow in your footsteps! Together we can build a world without hunger, right here on the land beneath our feet!"
Meeting those earnest, even fanatical, gazes, Kallen was silent for a moment before speaking honestly.
"I cannot answer your question, but I believe the deity I serve has heard your request... Please give me some time. I am also waiting for His guidance."
I'm sorry.
On this road that no one had ever imagined, she didn't know where their future lay.
(End of this chapter)
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