Mixed Joy and Sorrow
On September 11th of the Holy Calendar, at the suggestion of King Charles III of the Franks, the Human Alliance passed a proposal to wage war against the Beastfolk.
The news caused an uproar across the Aslant Continent.
"Racial war" is no small matter.
Since the human race secured its position as the dominant species on the continent, the number of racial wars it has waged against other races can be counted on one hand, averaging once every three hundred years.
Every war is a result of the accumulation of contradictions among the various parties to the extreme, to the point that they can no longer be suppressed, at which point everyone chooses to go to war.
The last full-scale racial war was a century ago.
The current conflicts between the various parties have clearly not reached the point of eruption.
They've started another racial war so quickly. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the Beastfolk army had swept through the north and marched all the way into the heart of the human territory.
But the reality is that the Dapes Defense War has only just begun. None of the three major northern powers have fallen, and the situation is far from requiring the full intervention of the Human Alliance.
In any case, for the nations currently fighting the Beastfolk, the Human Alliance's decision to declare war is the best news imaginable.
Drive the Beastfolk out?
No!
This scope is clearly too small.
Although humanity has been divided for a long time, it remains the dominant race on the continent. If it were to become ruthless, all other races would have to be careful.
As is customary in previous racial wars, the Human Alliance will not back down until it demonstrates its dominance over the continent.
In Dapes City, the nobles and royalty who received the news could hardly believe it was true.
The turning point came far too suddenly. The Human Alliance not only decided to take action, but also escalated the war to the level of a full-scale racial war.
Although the location of reinforcements was still unknown, everyone's confidence was instantly boosted.
"Count Renato, has the Foreign Affairs Department confirmed the accuracy of the information?"
This is truly the final decision of the Human Alliance, not just a proposal!
Chancellor Herczeg asked with concern.
It wasn't that he was making a mountain out of a molehill; the news was just too shocking.
Proposals to launch a full-scale racial crackdown on the Beastfolk are commonplace. The Alpha Kingdom raises this issue at almost every Human Alliance meeting.
But it was never possible.
There was no other way; each nation had its own agenda. The Alpha Kingdom profited the most from the defeat of the Orc Empire, while the other human nations could only scrape by.
Some small countries can't even get soup, and the exclaves far to the north are useless to them even if they were given soup.
Even though the Alpha Kingdom had publicly promised to exchange territory with various countries after destroying the Orc Empire, it still failed to sway those countries.
Even the Moxi Duchy voted against the proposal to not border the Beastfolk.
It was all caused by self-interest. Without the restraint of the Orc Empire, it would have been almost inevitable for the Alpha Kingdom to grow stronger in the north.
The war experience accumulated from centuries of fighting against the Orc Empire, and the mobilization system developed, are simply unmatched by any other country.
As a neighbor, the rise of the Alpha Kingdom is a nightmare for the Moxi Duchy.
It wasn't until they bordered the Orc Empire and witnessed the terror of the Beastfolk that the Moxi Duchy changed its stance.
Regardless, the Alpha Kingdom is a human nation and must abide by the rules of the game; it cannot arbitrarily provoke wars within its own borders.
A review of the history of civil wars among human nations reveals that 99% of these wars do not involve territorial changes. Even if one wins, they cannot seize the other's land.
If you want to expand internally, the first issue you need to address is legitimacy.
Without this thing, even if you conquer the land, you'll have no choice but to give it back.
The nobles will not recognize illegitimate rule, and the Human Alliance will not tolerate illegitimate expansion.
Violating the rules of the game will incur the hostility of the entire noble class, and a net of encirclement will be drawn at any time.
Without the protection of rules, a small country like the County of Ruilin would have been swallowed up long ago.
Being neighbors with a major power may mean suffering some injustices, but there is absolutely no danger to one's life.
If you're good at social maneuvering, you might not even have to suffer any grievances.
Why? Because King are related.
Even if they're not relatives now, they could become relatives later. The royal circle is only so big; it's hard to avoid getting involved.
Once the relationships at the higher levels are handled well, there will only be minor frictions stemming from personal grudges. The two groups might be fighting during the day, but they can attend banquets together in the evening.
Maybe after a few drinks, we'll all become good brothers again, and the war will be over.
How civilized!
Compared to the Orc Empire, which was constantly killing and fighting, all the human nations were model neighbors.
Realizing this is useless; in the Human Alliance Council, where the opposition holds an absolute majority, adding one or two votes in favor will not affect the outcome of the resolution.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, how could the Foreign Affairs Department not verify such a major matter?"
Our people personally participated in the voting.
It was Charles III who proposed launching a full-scale war, arguing that the Beastfolk' demonstrated strength had exceeded the warning line.
You should have heard of the "Fivefold Advantage Law," which automatically triggers when the strength of any race on the Aslant Continent reaches 20% of that of my human race.
In the recently concluded Dachias Battle, the overwhelming strength displayed by the Beastfolk army led most of the delegates at the conference to believe that the Orc Empire's strength had reached 20% of that of the human race.
That's why the vote passed smoothly. Even members of the Church did not vote against it.
Renato said with schadenfreude.
If the Orc Empire knew that its resounding victories on the battlefield had led to suppression from the Human Alliance, it would probably be kicking itself.
Challenging the human race's dominant position is one thing; all races on the continent, except for humans, want to dethrone them.
However, none of them dared to take action. Even the Orc Empire had been constantly testing the limits of the human race, rather than openly declaring itself a challenger.
The reason is very practical: the protruding rafter rots first.
Regardless of whether or not they can dethrone humanity from its dominant position, the one who initiates the challenge first will definitely suffer the most severe beating.
Seeing that everyone still looked puzzled, Renato continued:
"The fact that the Alliance Council was able to pass the proposal so quickly may also be related to the legendary Great Tribulation of Ten Thousand Years."
Especially this Great Tribulation of Ten Thousand Years, which happens to fall at the point of 100,000 years, means that no one knows what changes might occur.
In this context, all the foreign races on the continent are a threat to our rule over the continent.
During previous meetings, some delegates proposed clearing the venue, and this suggestion received support from many other delegates.
However, the various ethnic groups on the mainland are also quite powerful. If we take action to clear the area, they will definitely join forces to resist.
We have no chance of winning if we wage war against all races at the same time. This proposal was ultimately rejected by the rationalists.
The inability to conduct a large-scale clearing operation does not mean the Alliance is powerless. The Orc Empire's self-destructive actions have provided the Alliance with an excellent pretext for action.
Whether the Orc Empire's strength exceeds 20% of our human race's is actually unimportant. This was merely a deliberate leak to the outside world, primarily to conceal the purpose of the purge.
This explanation makes much more sense.
The Orc Empire's strength has been nearing a critical point for some time now, so there's no reason to bring it up now.
But when two problems are combined, things are no longer the same.
The defeat in the battle was merely the trigger; the root cause lay in humanity's dominant position on the continent. Before the legendary Great Tribulation of Ten Thousand Years erupted, striking at a competitor was an inevitable tactic.
As for whether there were any other insider deals, only His Majesty the King, lying on his sickbed, could answer that. Such clandestine matters were usually handled by the King.
Unfortunately, Chris IX has been suffering from overwork, especially the sustained high pressure after the outbreak of war, and is now on his deathbed.
There are indeed ways to wake the King, but in his current state, if Chris IX were to be awakened, he would be nearing the end of his life.
Given the current situation in the Moxi Duchy, stability is of paramount importance. At this critical juncture, the King absolutely cannot be allowed to fall into danger.
The Rivers and Mountains of the Five Dynasties
Even if Chris IX were to lie unconscious in his sickbed, it would be better than changing the King and causing political turmoil.
"Whatever the reason, this is good news nonetheless. We must get the message to every noble as quickly as possible to boost morale."
The previously formulated plan for the Dapes Defense War must now be revised. Although reinforcements from the Human Alliance cannot arrive immediately, they can still provide us with some support.
For example: air power support.
The Church's Dragon Cavalry, the Frankish Kingdom's Pterosaur Cavalry, the Iberian Kingdom's Giant Eagle Cavalry...
If external coordination is done well and they are invited over, the eaglemen won't be able to run rampant on the battlefield.
'Dapes City are excellent, and we've regained air superiority. We might be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive!'
"The Count Martins said with great interest."
No one wants to abandon their capital city if they can hold out. Especially given the unique terrain of the Moxi Duchy, once Dapes City falls, there will be no more defensible terrain.
Not only did the northern regions fall, but most provinces in the central and western regions could only tremble under the iron hooves of the Beastfolk.
Except for a few mountainous areas where they could hold out, more than 80 percent of the duchy's territory would be easily occupied by the Orc Empire.
It just so happens that the territories of many noble families are located in this area, which accounts for 80% of the land. It can be said that the fall of Dapes City was like "losing their home" for everyone.
Although they have a chance to reclaim the land after the war, they will have to clean up the mess left by the Beastfolk army, which has ravaged the land.
At Bertley Fortress, the high-ranking Beastfolk the Five Great Royal Families gathered once again. The grim expressions on their faces revealed the gravity of the situation.
One moment they were celebrating the victory in the battle, and the next they received news that the Human Alliance had launched a full-scale racial war.
This kind of extreme contrast between hot and cold is too much for most people's hearts to handle.
"The situation is completely out of control. The various races that originally agreed to fight against the human race together have not responded to our actions in time, and have instead angered the human race."
Once a full-scale racial war begins, the enemy we will face will not only be the three northern kingdoms, but all human races.
With our current strength, it's virtually impossible for us to fight the entire human race alone. We don't have many options left.
They could either immediately implement a strategic retreat, abandoning all the territories they currently occupy, packing up and withdrawing, and using their geographical advantage to slowly maneuver against the human army.
Or they could go all out and do something big, crippling the northern nations before the Human Alliance reinforcements arrive.
The stances of various ethnic groups on the mainland are not firm. As long as the situation develops in our favor, we will not have to worry about not having followers.
If all parties cooperate well, even if they cannot dethrone humanity from its position as the continent's hegemon in one fell swoop, they can still inflict a heavy blow on them.
"The Eagle Emperor said menacingly."
Unfortunately, the fear that occasionally flashed across his face betrayed his true thoughts. He could bully a few human nations in the north, but against the entire Human Alliance, the Orc Empire's strength was clearly insufficient.
The Human Alliance's "Fivefold Advantage Law" was not just for show; it was actually implemented.
Regardless of race, once the critical point is reached, the Human Alliance will deliver a thunderous blow.
Similar beatings were not uncommon in the history of the Beastfolk. Even the few words mentioned in historical records still instilled fear in them.
Although the human race is now fragmented, its overall racial strength has not decreased much.
"Eagle Emperor, retreat is simply not an option. At this point, even if we wanted to back down, we wouldn't be able to explain it to our clan."
Not all members of the tribe knew how terrifying the human race was. In the eyes of most of the beast god's people, the human race was just a bunch of two-legged sheep.
If we were to force a retreat, we might face internal turmoil before the Human Alliance even attacks.
Our only way out is to turn the northern human kingdoms Earth Flip Heaven Overturn and attract all races to join this war.
To achieve this, many of our past habits must be changed.
Unbridled killing will only provoke the fiercest resistance.
Sometimes killing is not the best way to solve problems; using flexible methods appropriately can often cause greater trouble for the enemy.
For example, we could recruit able-bodied serfs for our own use and have them cultivate our land. We could release the useless old and weak back to continue consuming the enemy's food supplies.
Those hypocritical nobles who claim to be benevolent can't just watch their people go hungry!
The destructive power of hundreds of thousands, even millions, of refugees flooding in together might not be less than the effect of deploying a large army.
Crown Prince Alex said menacingly.
In his view, the failures of previous major wars were all due to them helping the human race solve logistical problems.
The large number of refugees who should have been affected by the war were dealt with by the Beastfolk army, preventing the destruction from spreading to the rear.
In particular, this bloody slaughter inspired everyone to fight to the death, causing heavy casualties to the Beastfolk army.
"Alex, you're thinking too simply. Releasing the serfs is easy, but what about our logistics?"
As the battle lines stretched out, the support we could receive from the rear became negligible.
Currently, over 80% of the army's supplies are consumed by spoils captured from the front lines, and the soldiers require a large amount of meat to replenish their diet..."
The Lion Emperor shook his head and said.
Weighing the pros and cons is something anyone can do, but logistics is a major problem. Despite the Beastfolk army's smooth advance, apart from the main force's supplies being guaranteed, the other soldiers often went hungry.
If you observe carefully, you can often see Beastfolk soldiers picking wild fruits and leaves, and digging up fresh grass and wild vegetables to fill their stomachs.
If it weren't for the soldiers' powerful digestive systems, which allow them to stuff anything into their stomachs, the logistical supplies they provided would probably have led to widespread starvation long ago.
Fighting is physically demanding, and soldiers' bodies certainly cannot withstand a diet consisting solely of vegetables, making meat supplementation extremely important.
At Flying Bear Fortress, Lord Hudson was in a particularly good mood as he watched the fleeing soldiers gather.
The newly recruited troops, which had been severely understaffed, are now at full strength. Judging from the current situation, with just a little more effort, the number of legions under their command can be increased by one.
Regardless of their nationality, once soldiers enter Flying Bear Fortress, they are all Lord Hudson's soldiers. If any noble officers have objections, let's first discuss the issue of desertion on the battlefield.
Regardless of whether there was any authority to investigate or hold anyone accountable, Lord Hudson did just that. Those who obeyed were sent to the army to atone for their crimes, while those who disobeyed were imprisoned for "desertion in the face of battle."
Evidence is unnecessary. If they hadn't fled, they would have already met their Lord of Dawn. Those who managed to escape with their lives are simply those who are fast enough to flee from the battlefield.
Explanations are meaningless; no matter how compelling the reasons, they cannot change the fact that the enemy deserted in the face of battle.
Hudson had already verified that, apart from Crown Prince Caesar issuing an order for an orderly retreat, the commanders of the Duchy of Orton and the Duchy of Rylin had not even issued a retreat order.
Regardless of the situation, abandoning a large army and running away can be considered desertion.
With this charge, it's no longer considered unauthorized imprisonment of nobles, but rather the arrest of deserters.
Even after the war, when these people were handed over to various countries, they could not escape accountability.
They faced two paths: either go to the battlefield to atone for their crimes, or be stripped of their noble status and subjected to military law during the accountability process.
They are all intelligent people. Even if some of them act impulsively, they will become clear-headed after a few days in prison to calm down.
The morale of the routed soldiers was low, but their physical condition was still quite good. They had all survived life-or-death trials and stood out from their fleeing comrades to be here.
Once the morale issue is resolved, with a little training, it will become a fairly effective fighting force. Winning a few more battles will ensure that the surviving soldiers are the elite troops.
The saying "extreme joy turns to sorrow" perfectly describes Hudson's life. As he rallied his defeated troops and expanded his power, an appointment letter from the Alpha Kingdom also fell into his hands.
"Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force of the Alpha Kingdom stationed in the Moxi Duchy"—the title is impressive enough, but that's all the kingdom has ever given him.
Aside from the increased responsibilities and obligations, Hudson still commands the same number of soldiers as before.
The actual power gained was not increased in the slightest. The Alpha Kingdom was clearly telling him that there would be no reinforcements, and he would have to solve all problems himself.
My dream of returning home early was shattered along with it.