Chapter 62: Why?
Cleon's father-in-law was the necromancer Regba Dando, who was pursued all the way to the Viscount Territory of Lanwan by the Church Inquisitor Borodin.
Different regions shape different people. Continental empires like the Oran Empire and the Edisa Empire have a very low tolerance for necromancers, often executing them on sight, at least on a national level. However, the city-states on the Sorkya Peninsula tolerate necromancers to some extent. This tolerance is lower in the north but increases southward.
The reason is quite simple: south of the Sorkya Peninsula lies the chaotic Wolf Continent, separated by the relatively narrow Flowing Cloud Strait. Those brave enough, and with experience navigating the Flowing Cloud Strait's eerie mists, can cross in a small dugout canoe. The Wolf Continent teems with strange creatures and beasts, and humans are not at the top of the food chain. That wild and untamed nature has influenced the Sorkya city-states to some extent, leading them to be less concerned about necromancers, whom the Church labels as "demons."
Feidi is located in southern Sorkya.
Despite Regba Dando's successful attempts to conceal his necromantic identity, the revelation didn't cause much of a stir among the other elders of the Feidi Elder Council. At most, they'd sigh, "So he was a necromancer. He certainly kept that quiet." Otherwise, life went on.
Even those elders who had shared a close friendship with Regba Dando in the past expressed sympathy, feeling that the Grand Cathedral of Angels and the Inquisition had overreacted. Regba Dando was simply practicing his craft at home, harming no one. A minor punishment would have sufficed. Why the need for extermination?
This sympathy translated into a form of political inheritance. Regba Dando had no sons, only a daughter. In Feidi, women were not considered citizens. Consequently, Cleon, as Regba Dando's son-in-law, naturally inherited his political influence and joined the Elder Council before the age of forty.
Speaking of which, Charlotte should be considered Cleon's benefactor.
Because Regba Dando had so effectively concealed his necromantic identity, few knew the truth. After the incident, Regba Dando could easily deduce that his own son-in-law had anonymously reported him. If Regba Dando had managed to escape back to Feidi, Cleon's position would have been ruined.
Regardless of whether Cleon could defeat a four-winged necromancer, everyone had witnessed Regba Dando's daily kindness towards his student and son-in-law. Cleon consistently told everyone he met that his father-in-law was the person he respected most, and even when Regba Dando was being hunted by the Church's inquisitor, Cleon never wavered in his praise. If Regba Dando were to secretly return to Feidi and expose the truth, Cleon's reputation would be the first casualty.
Therefore, Charlotte killing that necromancer really did Cleon a big favor.
However, unfortunately, Cleon did not plan to thank Charlotte for saving his life on this trip.
Cleon dared to volunteer for this mission to the Viscount Territory of Lanwan and brazenly claim he would retake Ambratu because he suspected the Viscount of Lanwan had initiated the annexation of Ambratu on her own authority.
Cleon's mother was from a merchant family in the Oran Empire, and he spent a significant portion of his childhood there. This period gave him a deeper understanding of the Oran Empire than most people in Feidi possessed. Cleon knew that even if the Oran Empire intended to conquer the Sorkya Peninsula, they wouldn't launch an invasion in winter. This was because the Duchy of Bonan and the Duchy of Green Plains needed to focus on defending their western borders against tribal incursions during the winter months, and these two duchies were the most logical choices for deploying troops to the Sorkya Peninsula.
Facing only the Viscount of Lanwan, Cleon believed the Ivy Alliance still held significant leverage.
Cleon traveled directly by sea on the Ivy Alliance's warship, arriving at the Viscount Territory of Lanwan after a three-day voyage.
Meanwhile, in the military camp, Charlotte was meeting with Mariasis, the former general of Ambratu. Herman Green, the commander of the Lanwan Guard, was also present.
Mariasis had already surrendered to Charlotte, bringing with him over a thousand of his subordinates. As agreed, Charlotte knighted one hundred and ninety-seven of the most skilled individuals among them. However, she granted them bounties rather than fiefdoms. Charlotte also extended a pardon to their families.
"After seeing the equipment of the Ambratu citizen soldiers, I have some doubts. I wonder if Mr. Mariasis can answer them for me."
Charlotte pointed to the former Ambratu citizen soldiers who were receiving Lanwan knight armor on the drill ground and said.
"Viscount, please feel free to ask. I will definitely tell you everything I know," Mariasis replied immediately.
"The citizen soldier faction of the Sorkya city-states uses javelins as their primary means of attack. Why do you still wear such heavy armor?" Charlotte asked.
Mariasis shook his head and smiled. "Viscount, there seems to be a misunderstanding. Javelins aren't our primary attack method. We typically throw only two or three volleys before engaging in close combat with swords, shields, and spears to defeat the enemy."
"Huh?" Charlotte was even more puzzled. "Your javelins are so powerful, why do you still use swords, shields, and spears?"
"This... actually, we are also good at close combat. The citizen soldier faction can awaken an ability called 'Mad Sheep' at the third wing..."
The 'Mad Sheep' ability grants a person greater explosive power, sharper reflexes, and a stronger urge to attack when wounded. In Mariasis's description, it's ideally suited for close combat. As a third-wing mage of the citizen soldier faction himself, he has found it effective firsthand.
After listening, Charlotte shook her head and continued dismissively, "If you can directly take care of the enemy from a distance, then there's no need for close combat, right? Even if close combat is strong, there will still be casualties, won't there?"
"Relying solely on ranged attacks won't be able to defeat the opponent, right?" Mariasis said hesitantly.
"What if there are enough javelins, so many that they blanket the sky, as dense as locusts? Wouldn't that work?" Charlotte added.
"This... probably not, right?" Mariasis was also somewhat perplexed. He had never considered such a tactic, as the city-state heavy infantry had employed the strategy of throwing a few javelins followed by a charge for millennia. The idea of relying solely on ranged attacks to defeat an opponent was beyond the comprehension of a traditional citizen soldier like Mariasis. Famous generals like Apo, who dared to have citizen soldiers discard their heavy armor entirely in favor of carrying a large quantity of javelins, were rare exceptions.
In her past life, Charlotte had lived in an era of firearms, where the focus was on "how to throw projectiles farther and more accurately." She knew that relying solely on ranged attacks could completely defeat an army.
Having witnessed the effectiveness of the javelins used by the Ambratu citizen soldiers, Charlotte conceived the idea of having them abandon heavy armor and melee weapons altogether.
"Can we make some modifications to the citizen soldier faction so that practitioners can also awaken the 'Eagle Eye' ability at the third wing?" Charlotte turned her head and asked Herman Green.
"You probably need to consult the transcendent scholars of Platinum City about this question. I'm just a soldier," Herman Green said helplessly.
The Oran royal family had recruited a group of scholars in Platinum City who specialized in researching and developing mage factions, providing them with support. The widely known Royal Griffin Knights faction was their most notable creation. These individuals were typically referred to as transcendent scholars or mage scholars.
"Those people are all paid by the royal family. Why would they be willing to work for a small Viscount of Lanwan like me?" Charlotte sighed, feeling a bit of a headache. If only Lilith were still around, that little brain of hers would definitely have relevant knowledge.
Incidentally, Cecilia and Charlotte's teacher, Simon Capriati, had initially been invited to Platinum City as a transcendent scholar. However, growing impatient with solely researching mage factions, he proactively left the royal family's service and founded the Great Banyan Academy.
Herman Green, though just a soldier, quickly grasped another implication in Charlotte's words thanks to his keen military intuition.
What is Eagle Eye for? It is an ability given to Griffin Knights to easily search for enemies in the high sky. Why would Charlotte need the soldiers of the citizen soldier faction to also have the Eagle Eye ability?
"Miss, are you planning to have these citizen soldier faction soldiers also fly into the sky?" Herman Green asked.
"Yes," Charlotte nodded, not hiding anything. "I want to know how much damage a heavy javelin thrown from the back of a giant eagle can do."
By removing their heavy armor, abandoning most melee weapons, and carrying a bundle of javelins, the soldiers of the citizen soldier faction could effectively become giant eagle knights. Charlotte imagined a dense rain of heavy javelins falling from high altitude, believing its deterrent effect would rival that of carpet bombing by bomber planes.
However, after thinking for a moment, Herman Green frowned and said, "My lord, I'm afraid this is not a good idea."
"Oh? Why?" Charlotte asked back.
Herman Green glanced at Mariasis beside him and added, "At least, now is not a good time."
Mariasis lowered his head, not daring to argue.
Although Herman Green didn't state it explicitly, both Charlotte and Mariasis understood his unspoken point: the loyalty of the surrendered former Ambratu citizen soldiers remained uncertain. If Charlotte were to form a giant eagle cavalry now, this new unit would necessarily consist entirely of those surrendered soldiers.
For a unit with such questionable loyalty, desertion due to war weariness would be a minor concern compared to the catastrophic possibility of them turning against their new command on the battlefield.
Herman Green's caution resonated with Charlotte, and she conceded that she was being somewhat impulsive. She smiled and was about to steer the conversation in a different direction when Renee suddenly arrived to announce the arrival of the envoy from Feidi.
"Ha, finally here."
Jonathan Hickman had nearly completed a thorough purge of Ambratu County, and the Ivy Alliance was only now reacting. Charlotte couldn't help but sigh at how slow information traveled in this era.
Charlotte instructed Renee to bring the envoy to the military camp immediately.
"Cleon, Elder of Feidi, greets His Excellency the Viscount of Lanwan." Cleon pressed his left chest and bowed slightly to Charlotte.
Along the way, Cleon carefully observed the current situation in the Viscount Territory of Lanwan. He observed a diverse population: slaves, merchants, mercenaries, and craftsmen. He also noted the busy construction sites, the abundance of goods, and the lively casinos. This contradicted Cleon's prior perception of the Viscount Territory of Lanwan as a poor and isolated backwater. It also reinforced his conviction that the Oran Empire was not preparing for war with the Sorkya Peninsula.
If the Oran Empire were planning to conquer the Sorkya Peninsula, the Viscount Territory of Lanwan, as a strategic bridgehead, should have long since been transformed into a large military encampment. But what was the reality? Not only was there no sense of impending war, but soldiers were also a rare sight. This further boosted Cleon's confidence in the upcoming negotiations.
Charlotte gracefully lifted her skirt in return and then asked, "What brings the esteemed envoy here?"
"Naturally, it is for Ambratu," Cleon said with a serious expression. "Ambratu is a member of our Ivy Alliance. The Viscount of Lanwan has occupied Ambratu for no reason and enslaved the citizens of Ambratu. How can our Ivy Alliance sit idly by?"
Hearing the tone of this envoy, Charlotte raised her eyebrows slightly and said, "What do you mean by 'for no reason'? Elder Cleon, do you know why I seized Ambratu?"
"I am aware," Cleon stated frankly, "but even the death of a knight doesn't warrant the seizure of an entire city. The Viscount of Lanwan has likely already executed the knight's killer and confiscated Ambratu's wealth. Therefore, you should return Ambratu to its citizens."
"That won't do," Charlotte said with a smile. "The citizens of Ambratu ignored my goodwill, sheltered the murderer, and couldn't distinguish right from wrong. I don't think they are suitable to govern a city-state anymore."
"It is for our Ivy Alliance to determine whether the citizens of Ambratu are fit to govern a city-state. Your Excellency, as a viscount of the Oran Empire, how can you interfere in the affairs of our Ivy Alliance?" Cleon argued confidently.
"The actions of the citizens of Ambratu have suggested a deliberate insult to my noble dignity. How can I possibly overlook that?" Charlotte retorted.
"Noble dignity? I've long heard about the tyranny of the Oran nobles, and today I've finally witnessed it," Cleon was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "However, if you want to maintain your dignity here in the Ivy Alliance, you also need to have the corresponding strength, right?"
Charlotte blinked her eyes: "Are you saying I don't have that strength?"
Cleon smiled proudly, raised his chin, and said, "Our Ivy Alliance can deploy tens of thousands of troops to the city of Ambratu within a month. May I ask, Viscount of Lanwan, what will you rely on to stop us from reclaiming Ambratu?"
"Heh, what do I rely on..." Charlotte laughed, extending her right hand and pointing to the sky.
Suddenly, a cloud of darkness blocked the sunlight.
Cleon raised his head in confusion, and then his pupils rapidly dilated.
A colossal beast, with the body and claws of a lion, and the wings and head of a giant eagle, descended from the sky and landed on the drill ground with a deafening roar. The ground shook violently, as if the creature could crush the entire military camp beneath a single paw.
"Screech!" The beast emitted a piercing cry.