Chapter 1015: Bastia and the Mountains’ Dilemma 5

Why have so many petitions suddenly emerged with excuses?

Those nobles are trying to put him in a difficult position because the Earl’s actions this time were too harsh, making them feel a sense of crisis.

The efficiency of the Imperial Nobles’ system is predictable; the Earl relies on the support of those fief knights to control Bastia.

The Earl looks down on commoners, mowing them down like grass without causing trouble, thanks to these people’s presence.

In the eyes of those nobles, the Earl only reached his position through bloody battles with his brothers. They had no objection when he controlled the trade caravans to earn so much. They were just greedy for some money, but he went as far as to kill and confiscate properties—it’s too much.

There is actually no explicit hierarchical relationship among them; it’s all about being bound by interests and power. The Earl’s actions have already made other nobles suspicious.

They suspect he seized the opportunity during the Barbarian Tribes’ invasion to seize other nobles’ wealth and territories. If he acts against Lawrence now, it might cause even greater unrest, as everyone will become wary of him, leading to internal strife in Bastia.

At the very least, his conscription of new soldiers will be affected, and those knights may not respond to the call. If pushed too far, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a civil war similar to the one the Empire is currently experiencing.

Under normal circumstances, Earls might have already fought, but with the sudden aggression of the Barbarians, it is best to stabilize amidst internal and external troubles.

"Bring Baron Lawrence over."

The butler waiting outside quickly brought Lawrence over. He also looked thin, but not to the point of being out of shape. However, he no longer appeared in the same valiant state as when he charged on horseback before.

The Earl, upon seeing him, also sensed that Lawrence’s spirit seemed to have been broken, significantly reducing his level of threat in the Earl’s mind.

To his surprise, he personally got up to greet him.

"You’ve worked hard!"

"Alas...I’m ashamed of the trust you have placed in me..."

"Say no more, I already know. It was Alvin who led the Order of Knights to fail. You’ve done your best."

After some exchange, the Earl finally brought up the matter.

"I’m sorry, I couldn’t protect your daughter, Margaret is missing."

"What!"

Lawrence’s demeanor changed instantly. The contest between the two master actors had just begun.

......

Misty Mountains.

The Fang Tribe’s significant gains had stimulated the other Barbarian tribes. The Earl’s miscalculation lay in his underestimation of the bureaucrats’ greed, overestimation of the new recruits’ combat power, and failure to anticipate the Barbarians’ single-mindedness.

Or rather, the Barbarians’ Elders and Wise Ones were not foolish at all. They understood that conquering Bastia was essential; otherwise, no matter how much they plundered, it was ultimately for the Earls. Thus, they were dead set on Bastia and had no interest in causing trouble for Hamlet.

They changed their tactics. After surviving the brutal blow last time, the Barbarians realized that a single tribe’s strength was easy for Bastia to defeat individually, so they had to unite.

Because of mercenaries, they learned the Empire’s tactics, understood the state of the Imperial army, and even bribed trade caravans or bureaucrats to acquire equipment, which they finally put to use now.

The new recruits of Bastia needed time to adapt and arm themselves.

But the Barbarians were all seasoned warriors, battle-ready the moment they entered the battlefield.

When the tactics were nearly identical and the equipment turned out to be the Barbarians’ advantage, it dealt a severe blow to Bastia.

Originally, the plan was to feign failure to lure the enemy deep, but it turned into a genuine failure. Aside from the Order of Knights, they dared not engage in open field battles. Most could only fortify their camps.

However, the Order of Knights was too few in number to pose a threat to the Barbarian Alliance Army. Back then, the Earl thought his prowess was extraordinary, but actually, he only benefited coincidentally from Hamlet’s collapse.

While Count Bastia was plagued by various emerging issues, the tribal alliance was celebrating another victory in battle.

The vibrant bonfires illuminated the festival of feasting, with the wooden tables laden with an array of food and wine. This was a testament to their bravery, as everything was looted back.

They ate meat heartily and raised their cups high, boasting loudly about the number of people they had killed and mocking the weakness of Bastia’s soldiers.

The young and brave would earn more admiration from women, dancing fervently around the bonfire, basking in the attention from all sides.

However, in stark contrast were those women and children tied up and locked in wooden cages. Adult men had either been killed or sacrificed, while the rest were naturally captured and taken into the Mountains as spoils of war.

The festivity before them did not belong to them; instead, terror enveloped their hearts. They dared not cry out and could only quietly weep in despair, turning into figures marked by tears.

Every so often, a woman was dragged away; no one knew what happened. The remaining ones could only shrink deeper into the corner, continuously praying not to be next. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Meanwhile, in a distinctively tribal-style building, there was none of the outside racket; this was the gathering place of the leaders.

The significant victory filled them with confidence, directly shattering the myth of Bastia’s invincibility, suddenly realizing, "You were so weak?"

The average lifespan of the Barbarians was shorter than the Empire’s, and many of the new generation hadn’t truly experienced the great wars of the past, learning only from the stories of the older generations. Now, those long-suppressed ambitions were gradually swelling.

Currently, they were discussing their next move. Some wanted to plunder, while others wished to confront the army...

In reality, such an alliance was very fragile, mostly involving a few large tribes making decisions, while the smaller tribes had little say, merely providing manpower to join the battles, with the leaders eating the meat while they drank the soup.