Bear School Astartes

”Will they attack the farmers who are the source of infantry? Will they attack the various craftspeople and merchant guilds? Will they attack the free towns?”

Before others could react, Demavi fired off questions like rapid-fire.

These questions were not only fast but also directly piercing to the heart!

For a moment, the expressions of the other kings became unnatural.

They looked at Demavi in surprise, as if they couldn’t understand why he would ask such questions... But beneath those shallow and understandable expressions, they all knew that everyone present was thinking about something else.

Things that aren’t easily expressed.

”Why are you all looking at me with such astonishment?”

Under the scrutiny of the other four, Demavi seemed to be the one who should be puzzled, as he turned his head to look around at them.

Only when their feigned surprise quietly faded did his deliberately puzzled look also dissipate.

”Alright, it’s no fun to keep pretending.” Demavi placed the beer mug from his abdomen onto the table.

”Rumors have spread: It is said that in Niflgaard’s occupied territories, farmers and craftsmen can live better lives, they are freer and wealthier, and merchant guilds will have privileges not found in the North.”

”Moreover, our market is about to be flooded by Niflgaard’s goods. In Brugge and Videns, Niflgaardian Florin is replacing the local currency to become the circulating currency.”

”Over time, Niflgaard people won’t need to resort to military action; they’ll turn us into penniless dumping grounds for products.”

”Not to mention, there’s currently an uncontainable uprising in my kingdom.” Demavi spoke solemnly.

”Yaden has a farmer uprising every year.” Vizimir comforted softly, ”Isn’t it a common occurrence, Demavi? Just suppress it.”

But the old king of Redania’s comfort seemed ineffective.

Demavi only looked at him coldly.

”I told you, it’s no fun to keep pretending, Vizimir. If you truly didn’t know, then Dikoschek ought to be beheaded for negligence.”

The King of Yaden turned his face away.

”This uprising is different... You’re right, every year, those farmers in my kingdom rebel, and my court and vassals suppress them year after year.”

”But this year, for some unknown reason! Just damned if I know why! This time, the uprising can’t be quelled! Instead, it’s spreading wider and wider!”

”Damn it! Now in Yaden, those farmers have actually joined forces with the Squirrel Faction!”

Even now, as Demavi uttered these words, he still carried shock, as if he himself couldn’t comprehend it.

”Human peasant mobs, and the non-human Squirrel Faction! They’ve joined forces! Who can believe this? Who can?!”

”When I heard it, I couldn’t believe it! My court didn’t believe it! No one believed it! But it’s true!”

”I saw it with my own eyes! Squirrel Faction dwarves saved rebellious human farmers, human farmers’ children clinged to wounded elven guerrillas’ waists, dragging them to escape!”

Veltrest and Vizimir remained silent, but Miv and Henselt squinted their eyes.

Redania and Temeria’s intelligence agencies are strong, and Demavi wasn’t speaking to them.

They both were already aware of these matters.

Though Henselt and Miv had collected some intelligence, this was the first time they heard Demavi detailing this unusual rebellion in his own country so clearly.

”The original situation was: Although the Squirrel Faction had decent troop qualities, and the non-human scumbags did indeed have skills, their numbers were a hard limit. Revolting peasants were just numerous people without knowing anything else.”

”Not competent in organizing armed forces, not competent in deploying troops.”

”Both things are easy to deal with.”

”And now, combined... damn it!”

Demavi cursed vigorously again: ”I’ve never seen such a tenacious peasant revolt!”

Everyone present remained silent; someone sighed without knowing who it was. Outside the window, the Ponta River Valley’s rapids still roared as they surged, and the howling wind occasionally battered the window frames.

”Things we worry about,” Henselt concluded at last. ”They are all Niflgaardians’ handiwork. No doubt!”

”Enshir’s envoys are inciting the non-human races, which even the non-human races themselves know. Spreading rumors, stirring up unrest.”

”They are also spending lavishly, promising privileges to companies and guilds, power and status to princes and nobles, assuring them they will hold important positions in new provinces, namely our territories.”

”I don’t know about your countries, but in Codwin, there are priests, missionaries, astrologers, and suddenly emerged mystics everywhere, all unanimously proclaiming the advent of the world’s end...”

”It’s the same in my kingdom.” Veltrest added. ”Like we’ve seen a ghost.”

”Peace has been maintained for so many years. Since my grandfather massacred most of the priests and put them in their place, the remaining ones are engaged in meaningful work.”

”Pursuing doctrine and books, imparting knowledge to children, caring for disabled and homeless individuals, treating diseases, no longer meddling in politics.”

”But suddenly, now they’ve all awakened! They began spreading what they ’realized’ to the people, making them ’believe’ they finally understood the cause of their hardship.”

”The latest preaching theme is: a savior will come from the South! South! Across the Yaruga River!”

”The White Flame.” Demavi whispered, ”The White Frost will come, followed by the White Light. Then the world will be reborn through the White Flame and the Bai Queen.”

”Isaline’s prophecy, but there’s no doubt that this is a deliberately altered version. The emphasis on ’White Flame,’ which is Enshir’s nickname.”

”I arrested the missionary spreading this in Wenger Castle. But it’s useless, this message has probably spread far.”

”Be careful, Demavi.” Vizimir frowned, reminding, ”Don’t let those missionaries become martyrs. That’s exactly what Enshir wants.”

”You can even arrest all the Niflgaard people, but don’t touch the priests, the consequences are unpredictable. They still hold prestige and influence among the people, and your arrests and trials will only make these things more prominent!”

”We can’t let towns fall into chaos, nor declare war on the farmers under our rule.”

”Do you think I’m a naive kid, Vizimir? Haha, whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate I don’t know.” Demavi smiled bitterly. ”The hottest news in Yaden now is the alliance between the Squirrel Faction and the rebellious farmers.”

”About how they managed to trust each other when it’s seemingly impossible, and what tricks and conflicts there are... the missionary issue has barely caused any ripple.”

”Damn it, for the sake of plague and smallpox!” Henselt growled lowly, like a wild boar rooting the ground.

”Can’t do this, can’t do that... But if you ask me, we’re meeting here at this Haji Fortress secretly not to complain like widows! We can’t afford not to act anymore!”

”What did Miv just ask? ’Who can afford to delay now?’ Well, the analysis is complete, the answer is us! But what’s next?”

”I’ve been talking about this from the start!” Vizimir’s fist pounded the table, the Seal Ring on his finger thudding against the wood. ”I propose action!”

”What kind of action?”

”How to do it?”

Silence descended once again, but this time, it was broken by a woman’s voice, who had only said a few words earlier.

Because the remaining four men were all watching her in that silence, because all four men knew: although the Queen of Lilia was beautiful and alluring, at a crucial moment, not even a hundred men could match her decisiveness and courage.

Of course, decisiveness and courage can become impulsive. But what’s even more commendable is: this respected woman also has the resolve to face the consequences of her actions, admit defeat, and learn from them.

So at this juncture, these four male kings all looked towards a queen unanimously.

”I bet, in our courts, there are quite a few similar situations as well, Your Majesties.”

Miv clasped her fingers, leaning back against the chair.

”There’s a hanging atmosphere of unresolved issues. For instance, in my court, my husband thinks of how to bed another maid. My marshal dreams of making his name immortal. My advisor wizard fantasizes that he’s running the country. Even the clown is morose and uninteresting, suddenly concerned about the long-lost self-esteem, reluctant to play the fool.”

”They all cautiously watch me, to see if their master is ill and too tired to be angry today.”

”But once I am determined, I can show them what I’m capable of!”

”My determination can make the walls shake! Then all those silly thoughts in their heads are swept away, their eyes suddenly clear!”

Miv’s hand fiddled with her large gemstone necklace.

”Now, the Niflgaard people are also watching us, in this suspenseful atmosphere. Silly thoughts are sprouting in many minds. Therefore, now we must also demonstrate determination and capability!”

”Annihilate the Squirrel Faction!” Henselt almost seemed to await these words, responding quickly, ”Launch a massive joint military action, to bloodwash the non-human races! Let the blood of elves flow from the source of the Gwernic River to the estuary!”

”Send a punitive force to suppress the Free Elves of Dor Britanna.” Speaking of elves, Demavi gritted his teeth, ”Two paths, another to Brook Leon Great Forest, to destroy the Dryads! If any survive, throw them into the reservation!”

”Send Clats Ann Kuit to the Niflgaard coastline!” Vizimir said, ”He’s sworn a blood oath to avenge the couple of Calanthe. This is the perfect time to show strength!”

”Not enough.” Veltrest shook his head, ”This is not enough. We need... I know what we truly need.”

”Then say it! Every moment, the entire North is becoming more unstable!”

”Sintra.”

”What?!”

”Take Sintra back from the Niflgaard people!” Veltrest said seriously, ”Cross the Yaruga River, only by crossing the border and hitting the other side! Only then can we truly demonstrate power, otherwise, who can we intimidate?”

”But we just said that the Yaruga River is a natural barrier, not easily...”

Demavi said hesitantly.

”That’s for the Niflgaard people.” The King of Temeria seemed to have figured things out, speaking quickly. ”Landing points, radiation range of military bases, number of ships... all these key factors for crossing the river are on our side!”

”The Niflgaard people can’t transport tens of thousands across the river at once, lacking the capability to deploy troops will only lead them to be slowly picked off by us. But we have this capability! Not to mention the advantage of a surprise attack!”

”And... ” Veltrest pondered, ”Don’t forget the Sintra massacre!”

”Even if you forget, the Sintra People and Skellig people haven’t forgotten! To this day, there are still organized guerrilla units fighting the Black Clothes on Sintra’s land! We would have reinforcements once we hit them.”

”And most crucially...”

Among those present, the most handsome king looked around.

”I remember, the highest noble title currently existing in Sintra belongs to a friend we all know well. If there’s a chance to reclaim Sintra...”

At the last part, Veltrest did not finish.

But the remaining four men’s eyes already had deep contemplation.