Our Family Has Fallen

”Have they finally come to find us?” Reynard didn’t say much, but his resolute expression spoke volumes about his attitude.

Last time, when he led the cavalry to confront Bastia’s Order of Knights, without the Lord, it would have been certain defeat, given the significant disparity in strength.

During this time, he had trained relentlessly, and the cavalry and equipment were significantly enhanced thanks to the ”donations” from kind-hearted people.

This time, he must prove that the Hamlet Cavalry is not inferior to anyone!

Barton also realized that if Bastia were invading, this would be the Artilleryman’s first battle.

But at this moment, Lance smiled, denying their warlike emotions.

”If it’s Bastia, there won’t be a battle.”

”Their probing is already very obvious. We captured their entire Order of Knights; any Lord suffering such a loss would not remain indifferent, right?” Dismas was somewhat puzzled that these people from Bastia already posed a threat to Hamlet.

”Precisely because those knights are still in our hands, unless he is truly mad, he would not achieve his goal through attacks; an Earl does not have the guts to break the rules.

And from these refugees, it is evident. If it were truly reconnaissance, they might disguise as a caravan, as refugees, but would never appear on such a scale, quickly being detected by scouts.

Those refugees are most likely genuine. This action aims more to burden Hamlet with instability, indicating that they have no intention of starting a war.

However, this also indicates their greater ambition and that they are even tougher to deal with.”

Lance concluded his assessment.

”There won’t be a battle in the short term, at least not until they redeem their knights and gather sufficient information. This is why they’re using refugees to burden us.”

”Are we just going to watch them?”

”No rush. Their delay is actually beneficial for us, and we should thank them for sending over the refugees.”

Lance appeared very calm. As a Lord, he couldn’t let emotions dictate his decisions.

Why couldn’t other Lords manage refugees properly?

Because their foundation wasn’t built on refugees, nor were they willing to sacrifice their interests to aid them.

The reason is simple: anywhere and anytime, refugees are a bottomless pit.

Resources are limited, and refugees encroach on the living space of locals, an unavoidable conflict.

But why could Lance take in so many refugees?

Because, for Lance, it was quite the opposite. Hamlet had been plagued by the ancestors for so long that the locals were nearly wiped out, and the current population consisted mainly of refugees from various places.

Moreover, he had been stockpiling grain early on. With Hamlet by the sea, resources from fishing were abundant. He developed three farms, and animal husbandry was not lacking.

Most importantly, he controlled a vast portion of these resources, implemented a rationing system, and with a sufficient supply, even had the ability to export, so there were no conflicts over food.

Basic survival conditions were not an issue, but if the employment problem wasn’t resolved, it would remain a burden.

With Hamlet investing heavily in infrastructure and various projects, especially the wildland expansion, no matter how many people came, there was still work to be done. Lance welcomed more people.

As long as people had food and work, and a bit of hope for their lives, they wouldn’t stir up trouble.

To give the simplest example, those knights were still digging in the fields now.

And truly, those knights, with their excellent physiques, worked fast.

Maybe after working in Hamlet for two years, they might be able to redeem themselves.

Reynard and Barton also seemed to understand that the Lord did not intend to act, so they could only set aside their fresh thoughts, though it was clear they were somewhat repressed.

The army’s existence is for battle; in this situation, they all wanted to prove themselves and break the impasse.

Lance certainly knew what they were thinking and with a smile explained briefly.

”On my latest journey into the Beast Lair, I discovered some good things that would help us seize the wilderness in one fell swoop.”

Lance briefly explained the situation, reminding them of the core issues facing Hamlet.

Everyone here had stayed at the outpost, knowing those heretics were like wild grasses, impossible to kill or eradicate.

Every time the main force went out, they were never spotted, but once they withdrew, they faced constant harassment and attacks, which was very annoying.

And now, there was finally a chance to uproot this cancer completely.

For a moment, everyone understood why the Lord chose a relatively restrained approach to this matter because, in this action, Bastia was not important at all.

Lance was not worried about Bastia invading Hamlet; his concern was Bastia’s interference with his upcoming plans.

However, it seemed the Earl of Bastia did not have the courage to act; otherwise, they wouldn’t be doing these meaningless tricks. If they were serious, it would be the Order of Knights coming over, not refugees.

But this did not mean Lance would let those guys cause trouble.

”Prepare to deal with the refugee impact. These guys will definitely arrive tonight, using the refugees to give us a shock, hoping to see us make a fool of ourselves.”

Clearly, this was a planned route, and even the time of arrival was calculated, making their intentions not hard to guess.