While Charles II was excited about his ambitions, the atmosphere in the city of Hollier was noticeably quieter.

In mid-April, the Imperial City has begun to fully enter spring, but the geographically located city of Houllier is significantly slower. After a few spring rains, the roads are muddy and dirty, the temperature almost drops back to zero due to the cold air, and there are no people in the streets during the day, only the smoke rising from the chimneys seems to prove that the city is still "alive".

The aristocracy had a much better life than the poor commoners and farmers, but in this era there were limited means of entertainment, and they preferred to find a place to drink in the warmth of the room except hunting. At this time, the younger generation of the city's young nobles gathered in the residence of an earl, and the young men and women in their teens and twenties gathered together, and the theme often developed in an ambiguous direction. After singing and dancing, those who have the right eyes can't wait to go to the upstairs room to release their energy, such a thing is naturally not criticized behind closed doors, but compared to the past, several nobles who know a little bit about the situation are obviously in a bad mood.

"I've heard that the conscription order will be issued in a few days?"

The banquet hall on the first floor is a place for people to dance, and when they are tired of dancing, they will find a table next to them and sit down to drink and chat, and at this time the speaker is the son of a viscount, who is not more than nineteen years old, and is still full of illusions and even expectations for the "war", so this is vaguely excited.

"Nurak, what do you think is a good thing to fight? You don't know how many nobles have died in Evta in the past two years? The lords in the east are even more miserable, and the entire territory has been slaughtered. ”

Bagus, who was holding a red wine, glanced at him and shook his head: "And if you want to fight now, how should you fight?" The area and population of Evta are only a quarter of the size of the royal power, do you really think you can fight it?"

He is twenty-five this year, and his father, Baron Rosta, was seriously injured in the war against the orcs last year, and although he has recovered a lot, he obviously can't fight again in this life. Therefore, if he was to be conscripted, Baggs would be conscripted in place of his father and go to the front line to fight. It was because he knew so much about military affairs that he was not blindly optimistic like Nurak, but downright pessimistic – of course, the main reason being that he didn't want to risk his life at all.

"What kind of frustrating words? War is not simply a comparison of numbers, how many orcs rushed into the eastern territory last year? Dozens of millions of people's territory was ravaged by orcs without the power to resist, and in the end they only took the initiative to withdraw troops to save face for the royal family, otherwise what could Charles II do?"

It was the little man John who interjected, his name was ordinary, and his family background was not very good, but because he had always been the "well-informed" one in the circle, he was able to mix with this group of young nobles with higher status.

"Orcs are orcs, different from humans, and my father has faced them, so I know very well how big the gap between us ordinary people and orcs is. ”

Baggs was considered the leader of the small group, so he spoke politely, he casually made a chopping motion, and said to John: "If the orcs just cut it head-on, you will end up wearing armor or not wearing armor, you know? ”

He poured himself a sip of wine and pointed at Nurak: "Don't think I'm alarmist, I'm really on the battlefield, many times you don't die on the way to charge, but die from bad food, bad weather, bad disease, and even if the wound from riding a horse is not treated, you may lose your own life... When you enter the forest, a bite of a poisonous snake and spider can kill you, do you think that fighting a war is to use a sword to perform those gorgeous swordsmanship?"

The latter was scolded like this, and couldn't help swallowing saliva, he was too young, and he respected the eldest brother of Baggs on weekdays, so his face turned a little pale when he was scolded, and he said in a low voice: "Isn't it?"

From the moment you go out to the end of the war, at least half a year, at most two years or even longer, you often have no more than five chances to actually swing your sword and cut people - and this is when you are lucky. Baggs said excitedly, and took another sip of wine, and his voice was a little louder: "The rest of the time, you're on standby, on the road, and eating all that rubbish stuff -- steaks, red wine, and dreams! You can't even eat eggs and cheese, more often than not, you're craving black bread, and you're even catching rats to improve your diet, you know?"

Nurak, who was full of glory and blood, was poured cold water on his face, and he looked at John as if asking for help: "Really, really?"

John sighed: "Actually... Something like this. Either you pay for the food yourself, and if you follow the lord to fight and unify the logistics, the food is often poor. Those who prepare their own meals... In any case, there are often 'accidents' along the way, and then they are looted. ”

These are real things that happened, and they were definitely not made up to scare Nurak. The originally hot-blooded young man was choked by the ruthless reality, and leaned back on the back of the chair like a wilted flower.

"So if this war is going to be fought, the results are not optimistic. After all, most people understand that there is no good fruit in dealing with the royal family. ”

Baggs sighed: "But the Prime Minister doesn't know the truth at all, how can he, a guy from a scout, deal with such a complicated war?"

Although this was said by Baggas, it also represents the thinking behind most nobles - when facing the orc army, Roddy's posture has always relied on the defense of the city. To put it bluntly, this tactic has no technical content, and anyone can change it. However, if you confront the royal family, from assembling troops to planning to fight in an area hundreds of kilometers away, the complex knowledge in this is deeper...

"However, if it had been the practice in the old wars, the order for conscription should have been issued long ago. But the Prime Minister does not seem to be in a hurry to start this war - Baggas, has your father been ordered? Not explicitly, but implicitly. ”

John's voice was lowered, trying to find out any clues about the conscription, but Baggers shook his head without hesitation: "No, there has been no news until now. That's why I think that fighting a war like this is child's play, and that the Prime Minister will only spend a month recruiting and assembling troops? How is that possible? Now there is a faint desire on the part of the royal family to take the initiative to attack, and if we really want to make trouble, we will be completely passive..."

"What are you afraid of? Even if they hit Hollier, they will be able to cross the walls?"

John's words can be regarded as relief, in fact, if the enemy's troops really hit Hollier City, it also means that everyone has actually reached the last moment, and it is no different from losing. But the current situation is obviously not so pessimistic, and he threw out a new message: "I heard that a new fleet is coming from the south... A lot of material transactions were transported, and I heard that the total amount of money transported this time alone was worth the annual income of several great lords. ”

"The fleet of the Rasiman Kingdom, right? The Duke has delegated all his power to the 'Cabinet', but in fact it is only for Prime Minister Roddy, who knows what he can toss... Anyway, it's true that our days are getting harder and harder. ”

"Be quiet, don't think that no one will hear you if you complain. ”

John pulled him by the hand, for Baggs couldn't help but be a little louder after drinking too much. Fortunately, most of the young people around were drunk and dreaming of death, and everyone cared about a few of them who were talking seriously.

These young aristocrats were more or less aware of the oppressive atmosphere of the city, so that the all-night banquet ended in the early hours of the morning. In the past, it was not uncommon for everyone to drink for three days and three nights.

With the help of the butler, Baggs put on a thick cloak, and he walked out of the mansion in a daze from drinking, and when his eyes swept over the dark streets, he was violently struck by the black magic tower not far away...

The Helsinki Tower has been standing here for more than half a month, and it is now not only the tallest and most conspicuous building in Hollier, but also the place where Duke Sally lived and handled government affairs - in other words, the new "Duke's Palace" in Hollier.

This in itself is not a big deal, but then several assassins who tried to infiltrate the magic tower were captured and beheaded, which really made people feel that kind of tension...

Since the beginning of Ivta's independence, the contradictions that have always accumulated have finally reached the moment when they will erupt.

I have to take a leave of absence tomorrow because my grandmother has passed away and I have to drive to the funeral. When I was hospitalized before, my grandmother had been in the hospital for a while. But she had advanced lymphoma and couldn't be treated, so she was discharged from the hospital a few days ago and waited at home to exhaust the last bit of vitality... Now it's a relief to finally leave, birth, old age, sickness and death, this month I also have a deep experience, the day after tomorrow to resume the update, I hope you will forgive me.

(End of chapter)