Chapter 355 – Pre-War Mobilization

Many significant events had recently occurred in the Maple Leaf Kingdom, with one particularly astonishing piece of news spreading throughout the entire nation overnight like a tidal wave.

On the first morning of the harsh winter season, the royal family officially issued a proclamation—the Twelve Families of the Maple Leaf Kingdom and their subordinate nobles had betrayed the Kingdom, defiled their honor, deserted their posts, and disrupted military morale! Witnessed by the supreme god of justice, Tyr, these shameless criminals beyond redemption had all been executed by the sacred and just Grand General Joni Zordas. All involved nobles were stripped of their titles, properties, private armies, and any form of pardon rights!

This proclamation truly struck like a thunderbolt out of clear sky, leaving minor nobles from all factions dizzy with fear and trepidation.

For a kingdom, such a massive purge was equivalent to replacing ninety percent of the ruling class officials overnight. The fall of twelve ancient noble families made all remaining minor nobles across the nation fear for their own safety.

It must be understood that these Twelve Families were the most ancient nobles of the Kingdom, each holding immense power and wealth that allowed them to dominate their territories absolutely. Yet in just one night, these formerly lofty figures had all been slaughtered. Such ruthless violent methods completely intimidated all remaining minor lords.

Precisely because of this intimidation, despite such major events occurring in the Kingdom, the remaining nobles and merchants wisely maintained their silence. They watched as the Holy Warrior armies of the Zordas Family absorbed the wealth and private forces originally belonging to the Twelve Families, yet no one in the entire nation dared to voice any questioning words, nor did anyone dare to take advantage of the situation for personal gain.

However, soon enough, the noble affairs came to an end amid nationwide silence. The secondary reason was that these matters held little significance for the commoners who formed the Kingdom’s main population—the details behind the fall of the Twelve Families were too distant from the poor.

As for the primary reason… an even more shocking, larger-scale development emerged, one that concerned every commoner and every noble alike…

Plague!

Plague, famine, and war—these were the three great terrifying disasters in the harsh world of Faerûn, second only to the arrival of Legendary Experts. Any one of them possessed the power to destroy a nation. But now, in this sorrowful Maple Leaf Kingdom, all three disasters had arrived simultaneously.

So how did the commoners facing such dreadful calamities appear?

Oaks, while leading his guards to carry out the “Glorious Mobilization” mission, witnessed with his own eyes the devastating helplessness of the impoverished masses!

Initially, Oaks had been quite worried that the commoners might riot upon hearing news of such famine and plague. To maintain order, he had specifically brought numerous royal guards to intimidate the gathering poor.

But soon enough, Oaks realized he had worried unnecessarily.Standing on the high platform at the gate tower of the snow-covered City of Enchanting Maple Flowers, he faced five or six thousand emaciated figures with dull, lifeless eyes. When he solemnly announced the news that “famine is approaching” and “the plague has already spread,” the more than five thousand ragged paupers merely whispered among themselves for a few moments before falling silent again—or rather… returning to a deathly stillness.

In the eyes of all the gathered paupers, Oaks saw only hollow despair. Their listless pupils grew increasingly turbid, and their ashen faces, bearing signs of illness, were etched with an unchanging sorrow as if carved in stone. Whether elderly or children, every person wore the same expression of utter hopelessness. Their gazes toward Oaks were unfocused and vacant, like… soulless corpses wandering in a daze.

“Alas, I hope the ‘hope’ mentioned in the mobilization decree can awaken these pitiful souls.”

Oaks could no longer bear to look into those deadened eyes. He silently lowered his head and, with a sense of helpless resignation, unrolled the exquisite parchment in his hand.

“Ahem! Now, I—Oakes Zordas—hereby proclaim the Glory War mobilization in the name of His Majesty the King of the Maple Leaf Kingdom!

Due to the treasonous acts of the twelve Nobles and the despicable trade monopoly by the Dragon Roar Kingdom, the Maple Leaf Kingdom’s grain reserves are insufficient to last through the winter. Simultaneously, a plague, suspected to have been spread by the vile ruler of the Dragon Roar Kingdom—the black dragon ‘Ovakain Acidmaw’—has already spread. The Kingdom’s medical supplies are likewise inadequate to treat the disease. Therefore, in his great wisdom and compassion for the people, His Majesty the King has decided to launch a Glory War against the Dragon Roar Kingdom. Anyone willing to fight for the Maple Leaf Kingdom is permitted to join the Glory Army, and furthermore…”

At this point, Oaks suddenly raised his voice dramatically.

“In this war, all participating soldiers shall have the right to ‘reclaim’ any grain and medicine despicably stolen by the Dragon Roar Kingdom!” Any wealth ‘reclaimed’ by soldiers in the Dragon Roar Kingdom shall belong to the soldiers themselves! Any land ‘recaptured’ in the Dragon Roar Kingdom shall be exempt from taxation for five years!”

After reading this crucial part of the mobilization announcement in one breath, Oaks lifted his head once more to look upon the paupers.

A chilling breeze seeped through the gaps in Oaks’ iron armor, and the faint howling of the wind grew increasingly prominent in the silent gate tower.

“S-sir… is it true… does the Dragon Roar Kingdom truly have… grain and medicine?”

The silence among the paupers persisted for a long while. Only after Oaks had stood quietly on the platform for over ten seconds did one pauper, his eyes gleaming with a greenish light, tremulously pose the question.

Stealthily avoiding the pauper’s wolf-like gaze, Oaks took a deep breath as instructed by Punk and declared loudly:

“I can assure you, every household in the Dragon Roar Kingdom possesses piles of Ququ Wheat and porker meat plundered from the Maple Leaf Kingdom! Every despicable half-dragon is accustomed to keeping dozens of bottles of holy water at home that can cure any disease! As long as we return to that land rightfully belonging to us, we shall obtain endless food, and even this mere plague can be easily cured!”It must be said that Oaks’ acting skills were even worse than Punk’s. When he delivered these lines, what should have been impassioned and fervent words became utterly awkward under Oaks’ recitation.

But there was no helping it. While speaking these words, Oaks could hardly hold his head up. As a Formal-Level Holy Warrior, he knew full well that everything he’d just said was complete nonsense meant to deceive… yet… for the sake of the glorious war, he had to pretend those ridiculous words were indisputable truths…

“The ignorant masses cannot comprehend great glory. This is a necessary step to guide them toward honor. I… am righteous”!

Suppressing the guilt that made him want to turn and flee, Oaks forced a stiff smile toward the group of impoverished people whose eyes were beginning to glow with fervor.

“For justice! For the Maple Leaf Kingdom! For… honor that must not be tarnished! The war… has begun”!

(End of Chapter)