Chapter 96

What Ryan didn't know was that Macaos had already discussed it with others before meeting him, and now the situation was urgent, hesitation would mean defeat, and there was no time left.

"... I didn't expect it to go so smoothly."

Stepping out of the main tent, Ryan whispered to Magana, "Neither of them should be the mole."

"Macaos has been with me for a long time, he could never be a traitor. As for Everson... humph~ that's another story," Magana said calmly.

Ryan thought to himself that he was more on Everson's side; this big man was more trustworthy than Macaos.

But it's best to just think about it. I won't tell the Grand Duke about this; those who know, know.

Next, it was Macaos's job to release the information, and then all he had to do was wait for things to develop.

While they still had some time, the two of them took a stroll around the Iron Blood Army, and Gruk led them to some officers and generals to build relationships.

Actually, I just wanted to make contact and see. With Ryan's years of experience as an insider (just kidding), he can tell at a glance whether someone is a double agent or not.

However, after getting to know them, I found that, apart from one or two who were somewhat suspicious, at least these people in the city were loyalists.

Ryan guessed that Macaos had done his screening beforehand, and that if a war really broke out, the loyalists would have an advantage in occupying Cherd and fighting a defensive battle.

By the afternoon, the atmosphere in the city had changed.

"Have you heard? Princess Caslathdi has sent people to Cherd to seek an alliance with us!"

"Really? Isn't she part of the royal family? I heard the royal family is going after us."

"It's true, my uncle's sister-in-law's second cousin is in the Iron Blood Army, and he said it himself! He said that Her Highness the Princess is unhappy with the Old Emperor for relegating her to the Southern Territory and plans to join forces with our Western Territory!"

"Wow! It's Princess! We're saved!"

"It's hard to say. Who knows how determined that Princess is?"

As more and more people gathered in the streets to discuss the matter, Ryan quickly returned to camp for safety reasons.

Not long after, a group of Imperial soldiers came and told the Iron Blood Legion that they wanted to take Ryan and Magana away because they had injured Guy the day before.

Yasen led his men and blasted them out.

As evening fell, Legion Commanders Mylen and Malde arrived at the camp to investigate and determine whether the Iron Blood Army truly intended to cooperate with Caslathdi.

Who is Ryan? He's a favorite of the Princess! The Princess gave Ryan a city as mayor back then, and promoted a commoner against all odds. Doesn't that give him maximum trust?

He stepped forward and made a statement, so others had no choice but to believe him.

Ryan realized that these two legion commanders were not as steadfast in their stance as Macaos and Everson. It wasn't that they were traitors, but they must have been cultivating relationships with Creed in private.

Now that the Grand Duke is gone, they don't think it's Creed's fault. Creed didn't do anything wrong. Wasn't it the Grand Duke who charged into the enemy's trap?

Ryan's assessment was that he should get rid of the position as soon as possible, instead of keeping it until the New Year.

Loyalty that is not absolute is absolutely disloyal!

He had considered going to the Burning Covenant, but this was Cherd, and he figured the Fire's status was similar to that of the heretics in Berman City; they were unlikely to have detailed information on the Iron Blood Legion.

Therefore, Ryan still intends to keep this card for later use.

Let's wait for the traitor to turn against us.

That night, Ryan had a long talk with Magana about Cherd's situation.

"Hmm... that's about what I thought. They're mostly on Creed's side." Magana crossed her arms and pondered, "Those guys are definitely hiding very well. Ryan, do you think your plan will work?"

"Whether it works or not, we'll know tomorrow," Ryan said. "The more important thing is, what level do you want to go to, Your Grand Duke? Actually, the word betrayal is very subtle. Some people may not want to be traitors, but they will assess the situation and obey your orders when you are around, and then defect to the Empire when you are gone. These kinds of people cannot be called traitors; it's just that human nature is like that."

"Of course I know that." Magana waved her hand. "I don't need them all to be absolutely loyal to me, but I need them to be responsible for Cherd and for this territory of the Western Territory. If they know it's a royal conspiracy and still help Elvin fight the Iron Blood Legion, then they are traitors. They can remain silent, or even leave, understand?"

"I understand."

If anyone with wavering thoughts were to be eliminated, then perhaps half of the nobles of Cherd would be beheaded, since loyal and die-hard people like Gruk are rare.

Thinking about this, Ryan became a little worried. If things escalated, would the Grand Duke be able to handle it? Although he said yesterday that he had a backup plan, he didn't know what it was.

Just as Ryan had predicted, the atmosphere in the city changed again the next day.

Yesterday they were saying that the Western Territory and the Princess were invincible together, but today a group of people have appeared out of nowhere and started spreading rumors that the Iron Blood Legion was secretly colluding with the Western Barbarians, taking benefits and deliberately letting the Western Barbarians invade the Empire's territory.

Magana was the leader; she hoped to use the power of the Western Barbarians to help her seize the throne!

Although even children would scoff at such remarks, the sheer number of people saying them makes them seem real. As the saying goes, "three men make a tiger," and if you say it, others will say it too; even falsehoods can become truth.

More importantly, letters between Magana and the Western Barbarians have been circulating in the city, and they even bear the Grand Duke's seal, which only Magana herself can use.

If they hadn't promised the Western Barbarians benefits, how could the Iron Blood Legion have guarded the Talma Defense Line for so many years and just give up like that?

As for Magana's death, it's quite simple: she was killed by the Iron Blood Legion's warriors who were loyal to the Empire and hated the Western Barbarians. The six thousand men who followed Magana deep into the Western Barbarians were not followers, but 'judges'.

Once the evidence was presented, many of the Grand Duke's staunch followers in the city began to waver.

In Ryan's view, a powerful rumor is one that uses real conditions to draw false conclusions; in other words, it's a false proposition.

There were indeed people in the Iron Blood Legion who colluded with the Western Barbarians; otherwise, the valiant Grand Duke wouldn't have fallen for their scheme. The one spreading the rumors was clearly a master.

However, this was within Ryan's expectations, so he remained calm. It was Magana was furious; she was so angry that she almost grew taller.

"Idiot! Me, colluding with the Western Barbarian Army? Do you want to see how many Western Barbarians die at the Talma Defense Line every year?! Bastard, if I find out anyone is spouting nonsense, I'll kill their entire family!"

Ryan thought to himself, who else could it be but Creed?

However, he did not expect that the other party would have such a letter. Even Magana herself did not know that it was real, but the seal was real and the handwriting was real.

Spreading rumors was a pretext for action, and sure enough, in the afternoon, Gruk came to tell them that Elvin had suddenly sent men to seize control of the city gates and was leading the royal army toward the camp.

Macaos is leading his men in a standoff with them; the two sides are on the verge of war, and a battle is about to break out.

When Ryan and Magana arrived, the two generals were facing off in the void.

"Macaos, take the Iron Blood Legion to the Imperial Capital for investigation. His Majesty the Your Majesty will not wrong any soldier who is loyal to the Empire. If you don't want Magana's years of hard work to go to waste, you should listen to my advice."

The speaker was Elvin, a veteran who was said to be over sixty years old. However, he was physically strong, clad in armor, and had a powerful voice, giving Ryan the impression of comparing an old man exercising in a park to a modern college student.

Macaos ignored him and instead looked at a hooded figure next to him.

"Creed, is this your plan? To bring royal lackeys to fight against your comrades who fought alongside you, do you think you've lived up to the Grand Duke's trust?"

Creed said in a low voice, "I am loyal to the Grand Duke, so I cannot stand by and watch her go astray. The Iron Blood Legion is her life's work, and I must ensure that the Iron Blood Army can exist cleanly."

"Damn it! You shameless bastard!" the hot-tempered Everson cursed. "You're the one who betrayed the Grand Duke, and you still have the nerve to twist the truth like this? Today I'll kill you to avenge the Grand Duke!"

Everson was about to charge forward with two large iron balls in his arms, but Macaos stopped him.

"Don't act impulsively."

"You're very clever, Macaos," Elvin said calmly. "I've already sealed off Childe. If a fight really breaks out, what are your chances of winning?"

"Stop putting on airs, Elvin. If you were confident you could take down the Iron Blood Army, you wouldn't be wasting your breath talking to me."

"I simply don't want to cause unnecessary casualties. I'm here for only two things. First, hand over Her Highness the Princess's envoy. He injured an Imperial officer, and I'm taking him with me. Second, I'm giving you one last day to consider. If the Iron Blood Legion continues to disobey His Your Majesty's orders, I will lead the Imperial army to bring you to trial!"

"..."

"That guy is Creed?"

At the back of the crowd, Ryan watched the spectacle with great interest.

He wasn't interested in the old man, Elvin, but he was somewhat concerned about Creed. The other man was wrapped up like a dumpling, which made him look suspicious.

"Are you implying something about me?" Magana said.

She was also wrapped up like a rice dumpling.

"What I mean is... it's a bit like the Eye of Dawn's behavior, those old schemers love to do that," Ryan said in a low voice. "Actually, I also found an old schemer when I was in Berman City. Luckily I was smart, otherwise I wouldn't have met you, Your Grand Duke."

"Oh?"

Magana lifted her eyelids.

The Eye of Dawn and Dusk didn't show much activity in the Empire, so she rarely paid attention to it. However, she had heard that the Heretic of the Eye of Dawn liked to do sneaky things behind people's backs.

Could it be that the Old Emperor secretly controlled such a force?

"You're really brave, Your Grand Duke!" Ryan suddenly gave him a thumbs up.

Magana was puzzled.

"You dare to use someone like Creed? That guy is obviously a cunning old fox."

Magana paused, thinking to herself, "How would I know? It's been over three years. I did investigate him when I took him in."

The two whispered to each other in the back, while the two groups in front were arguing fiercely. Elvin wanted to kick Ryan, the troublemaker, out first, and then deal with the Iron Blood Legion. But Macaos clearly wouldn't agree. Now the Princess was on their side, and even if the Iron Blood Legion really wanted to betray their country, they would be tied to the Princess!

Princess, let's rebel together!

"Mayor Ryan, are you going to keep hiding in the shadows?" Elvin suddenly raised his voice. "Her Highness the Princess sent you here; at least give us a clear stance, right?"

Whoosh~

All eyes turned to them.

Ryan shrugged and walked to the front.

"General, I don't know what the Princess is thinking. She just asked me to talk to the Iron Blood Legion. After all, there was an invasion from an enemy country in the Southern Territory before, and the Iron Blood Legion helped to repel the invaders. The Princess and Grand Duke Magana have a long-standing relationship."

"Heh~" Elvin sneered. What a load of rubbish about old friendship. He bet the two of them hadn't exchanged more than three sentences. "So, Your Her Highness the Princess intends to interfere in the Western Territory and recruit these traitors?"

"Hey, hey, hey, old man, don't be so rude. How did the Iron Blood Legion become traitors?"

Just as Macaos was about to explode, Ryan picked his ear and said, "They've been fighting the Western Barbarian Army on the Talma front for so many years, and even His Majesty the Your Majesty often bestows titles upon the Iron Blood Legion. You erased their years of achievements with just one sentence. Are you also questioning His Your Majesty's wise judgment? You think you're more capable than His Your Majesty?"

Elvin frowned. This guy really knew how to pin names on people. Guy was right; Her Highness the Princess's envoy was quite adept at twisting the truth.

"General Erwin certainly didn't mean that. The Iron Blood Legion's achievements are beyond question, and the Grand Duke is absolutely loyal. But now there's a traitor in the legion," Creed said. "For the safety of all the people of the Western Territory, the Iron Blood Legion must be investigated. As the Grand Duke's subordinate, I don't want the Iron Blood Legion to be burdened with the crime of treason after her death."

"Oh, you have a point, but I think this kind of thing can't be decided by you alone. No matter what's said outside, people's hearts don't lie." Ryan stroked his chin. "General Erwin, I'm here on behalf of Her Highness the Princess. Of course, I can't join forces with traitors, but I can't let anyone else have the final say either. I have to keep my eyes open and see things clearly for Her Highness. What do you say?"

Elvin nodded. "That's right. Her Highness the Princess represents the face of the royal family, so we must not jump to conclusions."

"So... how about this, you gather all the nobles who have a voice in Childe City, and all the officers of the Iron Blood Legion, and we'll hold a vote. If the Grand Duke is innocent, she has been loyal all these years, and people's hearts don't lie. If she is truly a traitor, naturally some will vote against her. For the sake of my reputation, I won't let Her Highness the Princess get tainted. When I leave, you can handle the Western Territory as you wish."

"Real?"

Elvin's eyes lit up.

"General," Creed whispered, "Be careful, it might be a trap."

"It's alright. The main thing now is to get the Princess out of the picture as soon as possible, as long as she doesn't interfere. The evidence you released was timely, and the people of Cherd know what to choose."

Let the nobles vote?

Elvin knew those guys all too well.

Even if they don't vote against it, they will most likely give up and would never dare to come out and support Magana again.

Can supporting a dead person bring in half a gold coin?

This is also a good opportunity to completely isolate the Iron Blood Army loyal to Magana.

"Is it really necessary to make such a fuss?" Everson said unhappily. "What kind of attitude can those cowards possibly express when they're asked to make a statement?"

Macaos was also puzzled, but Gruk had told him that "you can completely trust Ryan" and "Ryan is one of the Grand Duke's most trusted men." Since things had come to this, he didn't have any better options, so he decided to see what Ryan was up to.

Even if we take a step back and assume the worst, the worst outcome would be that he leads the Iron Blood Army into a major battle.

Magana remained silent throughout, watching Elvin and Creed perform until evening when everyone was summoned to the central square of Childe City, where hundreds of nobles of all ranks gathered.

On the other side, there were dozens of officers from the Iron Blood Legion, including the four legion commanders, Macaos. They all had to declare their true stance in front of everyone.

"Is everyone here? Let's get down to business. Given the complicated situation in Cherd, let's all make a statement. It's simple: those who believe Grand Duke Magana is loyal to the Empire, stand to my left; those who think she's colluding with the Western Barbarians, stand to my right; and of course, those who aspire to follow Her Highness the Princess great heights can stand beside me. The rest of you, stand over there... yes, a little in the middle."

Ryan said with a smile.

His words unsurprisingly drew a chorus of complaints.

"Who is this guy, pointing fingers at me like that?"

"The people Her Highness the Princess sent to interfere in the Western Territory, do as they say."

"This is ridiculous! Such an important matter is being treated like children playing house. What are we doing standing here? Are we putting on a show?"

"Does our standing there really represent a stance? Nonsense!"

"General Erwin has already agreed, and so has General Maykos. Stop complaining about that and think about where you should stand."

Although Ryan was still a commoner, he came on behalf of the Princess. These nobles had all heard about Guy's hand being cut off. An Imperial Viscount, his hand was cut off and he was fine. That said a lot.

Soon, people started to line up.