Chapter 143: War of the Empire (5)

All across the city, swarms of soldiers were cleaning the battlefield, rounding prisoners up on the sidelines. Specifically, the soldiers were searching among the captives for aristocrats and the leaders of the rebellion.

Within the temporary church in the city, Verthandi and five Holy Knights stood around Lanto’s body with their men. Outside the tent, a large group of knights, dressed in white robes, lowered their heads in silence. Verthandi shut Lanto’s eyes, as everyone finished saying their prayers for him. It was a solemn and dignified farewell.

Afterwards, several priests immediately covered the body with a sun-patterned cloth, as Lanto was a Holy Knight. According to the law, he was a knight of the Faith of the Sun, so after his death, he was to be buried in the cemetery that was dedicated to the Faith of the Sun.

Ibu looked at Verthandi, whom he had followed since she was young. In some ways, Ibu, who was her senior, could feel Verthandi’s anger and grief.

“Lanto is just returning to the arms of God. Remember, everyone will die. This is our fate from the moment we are born. Thus, this is God’s will!” announced the elder in charge of the ceremony.

Ibu looked into Verthandi’s eyes. “Lanto completed his mission and has gone ahead to the Kingdom of God. Remember what you said, when we sent troops from Valto? Did you forget your ideals and vows already? We all believe that you are the champion, who was sent by God to end the millennium of war. You will bring unprecedented glory to all of the orcs. Isn’t it precisely because of this belief that we could reach where we are now?”

Verthandi blinked her red-rimmed eyes and bit her lips, agitated. “But, what I see now is only war and slaughter. It is just death after death. You can even say that, as the leader of the war, all of the wars started because of me. I never brought light to anyone, only death and disaster.”

Ibu spoke sternly, “Isn’t that the responsibility and weight that a king should bear? So many have died already. Lanto has always chosen to believe in you. All of us, hundreds of thousands of warriors from the North, have laid down our lives for you, precisely because we believe that you can unify the orcs and end the wars. Only then will the warring tribes merge together, forming one race.”

He continued, now questioning her. “Now what? You’re talking about giving up? Is this the extent of your resolve? From the moment you picked up the Sword of the King and began fighting the king for the throne, you forfeited the option of giving up.”

Verthandi looked at Lanto’s body within the sacred casket again. She turned her head and closed her eyes, then took a deep breath. She then looked back at Ibu with determined eyes, then walked out.

Outside, the rebel leaders were brought before Verthandi, who stood on the steps and looked at the familiar figures below her. There was Earl Umos, the former King Lemegeton, and the Southern lords, all of whom were tied up like lambs to be slaughtered, shivering before her.

Verthandi looked at Lemegeton, who looked back at the little blond knight, suddenly recalling some terrible memories. “No, you can’t send me back to that da*ned monastery! I am the king. I am the true king of the Engido Kingdom.”

Verthandi looked at Lemegeton. “No, I won’t send you back to the monastery this time.”

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Lemegeton gave a sigh of relief. Anywhere else would be fine, as long as he was not locked into that maddening monastery again!

Verthandi looked at Allen, then commanded, “Take the king away and give him a decent ending!”

Allen made a respectful salute, then looked at Lemegeton with interest. Lemegeton did not think Verthandi would actually kill him. He was about to yell, but Allen kicked him in the gut, after which, he could only vomit as he lay twitching on the ground. Lemegeton was then gagged and dragged away, terror filling his eyes.

Verthandi then looked at Earl Umos, giving her command regarding his punishment. “Hang him over the city. Let everyone see what end awaits such treasonous basta*ds.”

Earl Umos went to his death with dignity. From the beginning to the end, he did not say a single word, only showed his honor as a noble. Thus, a king and the head of a province were killed on that day. The rest of the southern lords shivered. No one dared to look up and meet Verthandi’s stone-like gaze.

Verthandi played the role she had chosen for herself. She didn’t want to kill all of the people there. Although it was natural to kill all of them, based on their actions, doing so would not be conducive to the reunification of the South, as they were all tribe leaders and Chiefs.

So, if they were all killed, reorganizing the tribes in the South and implementing the Tribal Reform Act would be nearly impossible. In fact, some of the other regions had already accepted the reform bill, when they saw how the situation was going.

Verthandi hated these liars and traitors, but she could only choose to wisely let them go. However, she also knew that she couldn’t just let them go back to their territories. So, she decided to bring them all back to Primonius as captives.

In year 40 of the San Calendar, Verthandi implemented the Tribal Reform Program in the Engido Kingdom after breaking up all of the tribes. A series of decrees then set forth major migration policies, moving a large number of landless serfs, thieves, and criminals from the South and North towards the Western Plains and the province that Beira Kingdom had ceded in the West. These areas were sparsely populated, and the migrants had established a new city and town among them.

The original tribal and ethnic lifestyles were gradually changing within the Engido Kingdom. The different races began to intermarry and procreate. At the same time, the power within the Engido Kingdom began to gather, as the fame of the Lion King increased.

In year 42 of the San Calendar, the Princess of the Duchy of Schinlas was kidnapped by the Prince of the Misea Kingdom and died after being humiliated. This raised the wrath of the Grand Duke, who rallied the most powerful tribes in the vicinity to attack the Misea Kingdom.

Then, powerful and strong army of the Misea Kingdom, which numbered over 100,000, lost to the army of 50,000 that was led by Grand Duke Schinlas. They were so badly beaten and defeated, even the capital was battered.

The King of Misea Kingdom fled to the Engido Kingdom with the King of the Engido Kingdom, Will Eranbell, who promised that he would send troops to aid him in retaking the throne. Verthandi immediately dispatched the Holy Knight Ibu and 100,000 men to help Misea to force back the coalition that was led by Grand Duke Schinlas.

In the end, they were able to retake the capital of Misea, yet they did not return afterwards. Instead, they turned on the King of Misea and took over the kingdom, which they then incorporated into the Engido Kingdom.