Chapter 324: Interlude (Eadia Beastin United Kingdom)
“Indeed, King Beastin is still missing.”
“Yes. His direct relatives are also nowhere to be found. There are some distant relatives, but…”
“…It is regrettable, but there is nothing we can do. Bloodlines are bloodlines. We cannot simply acknowledge them.”
Near the border of the Eadia Beastin United Kingdom and the Franca Republic, the surviving nobles had gathered.
The Duke of Eadia, who held the second most power after the king, was of noble blood from the Eadia region.
On the other hand, most of the lords from the Beastin region had either died in battle or gone missing. They had been at the forefront of the invasion war waged by the Prava Divine Nation, and with most of their territories taken, this was only to be expected.
Those who had managed to escape were primarily lords located in the relatively eastern regions or blood relatives who had evacuated beforehand. Most of them were women and small children, and beyond their bloodlines, they were unlikely to be of much use.
While there were a few women involved in politics, their numbers were quite limited.
“Then, I believe we can share a common understanding among all present here. With this, Reidahl Eadia shall ascend to the throne. Given the circumstances, this will be a simplified ceremony, but we shall hold a proper coronation once the territory has been reclaimed.”
“To our king!”
“To our king!!”
Thus, after a prolonged political vacuum caused by the chaos of war, the Eadia Beastin United Kingdom was finally beginning to regain its cohesion.
Of course, it would have been ideal if the domestic factions had cooperated and convened this meeting unanimously.
“It is truly delightful that all of you have gathered here, and that the succession to the throne has proceeded without a hitch!”
As the applause subsided, the representative of the nation, Balidahn Revidal, stood up and spoke with a booming voice. He was dispatched as the Eadia Beastin United Kingdom liaison from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Repuitari.
He had tirelessly traversed the United Kingdom, persuading and aiding stakeholders, and at times even resorting to intimidation, to finally set the stage for this parliamentary assembly. He was indeed the key player in this endeavor.
Thus, he had many enemies.
In fact, several nobles glared at him with disdain.
However, it was undeniable that he had exerted himself and worked for the benefit of the United Kingdom. No matter how unpleasant they found him, speaking out against him would only lead to their ostracism.
“What you must do now is stabilize your territories. Only then can we finally discuss the reclamation of our lands.”
“…That may be so, Lord Balidahn. But we have an obligation to return the displaced citizens to their homeland. It is easy to say ‘build a new home,’ but…”
The first to voice a rebuttal was a lord who had successfully led his people in retreat. Currently, he was sheltering as a refugee in another territory, but that was only a temporary solution.
“Of course. However, under the current circumstances, gathering troops and organizing an army, and maintaining it over a long period… I must say, you no longer have the luxury to start another fight.”
Due to the presence of a foreign superpower, and the fact that they had the strength to repel any hostility directed at them.
The diplomat from the Kingdom of Repuitari spoke the painful truth.
“We must also consider public order within the country. If food production remains insufficient, new bandits will only continue to arise.”
“…”
The nobles fell silent at his unassailable words. They likely had much to say, but any poorly thought-out rebuttal could lead to their downfall. Everyone understood this.
Of course, this was also due to Balidahn Revidal having previously persuaded them.
“Moreover, we cannot continue to provide aid indefinitely. As I have already communicated to everyone, we are willing to engage in trade. Let us aim for domestic stability first. Even so, the reclamation of our lands will require considerable effort from all of you… But now is not the time for that.”
With that, the demands from the Kingdom of Repuitari and the accompanying support details were announced.
The top priority was maintaining public order and restoring national strength, which included the establishment of a patrol unit and the disbandment of the standing army.
The supply of weapons and ammunition, including munitions, would be minimized, shifting the focus to essential living supplies, including food.
Restricting weapons and ammunition was to prevent the depletion of valuable manpower as soldiers without restoring national strength. Losing laborers would only leave the reclaimed lands desolate, and unless they could prepare enough personnel to cultivate the land, reclaiming it would be futile.
Thus, each noble was persuaded or threatened with force, ultimately agreeing to the demands from the Kingdom of Repuitari.
However, among them, there were a few who had secretly promised the supply of weapons.
These were lords with particularly grand ambitions, who had suffered little damage due to their territories being located in the east.
They had entered into secret treaties, agreeing to stage a military coup after a certain period. Following the consolidation of domestic power, they would then reorganize the Territory Recovery Army.
They had been skillfully encouraged by the Kingdom of Repuitari to nurture their ambitions. The current independent military formations led by the various lords would be insufficient to counter the Prava Divine Nation. A single, powerful military force needed to be organized under strong leadership. Furthermore, the current royal family lacked the authority to enact such power, and failure was inevitable.
This was a future that could be reasonably anticipated, and it was undeniable that unifying the military command structure was necessary. Yet, it was also clear to everyone that a single regional lord could not accomplish this.
Only the lords themselves remained oblivious. The seeds sown by the Kingdom of Repuitari would soon begin to sprout in various places.
In a certain city near the blockade line established by the Prava Divine Nation, a rare urban center had emerged, where refugees from the surrounding areas had gathered, and soldiers who had managed to retreat were defending it, preventing its fall.
“We have prepared enough food for everyone! Form a line!”
“Those with families, declare it when you receive your share! Anyone caught lying will be captured and punished!”
“We will distribute food again in seven days! There is no need to take more than necessary!”
For the past two months, this city had begun to receive regular food distributions, a lifeline in desperate times. Initially, it had been the national army, but as their numbers dwindled, entirely different individuals had taken over the distribution and, when necessary, public order maintenance.
In the last three weeks, all who had arrived were unlike anyone seen before—beautiful young girls with beast ears adorning their heads. Despite their appearance, they possessed remarkable combat prowess.
Though the girls themselves were only about 10 to 15 years old, the large armor they wore made them appear over two meters tall.
Moreover, their physical strength was astounding.
Scenes of notorious thugs being sent flying with a single swing of their arms or easily pinned down became commonplace, and soon, no one dared to resist.
It was no longer unusual to see rough men silently lining up for food distributions.
“Now, we shall begin examining the sick and injured! Those who can move, line up here! If there are those who cannot move, we will make house calls! Inform us!”
The primary reason the people of this city obeyed them was that they provided care for the injured and sick.
They wielded power, supplied resources, and even had doctors at their disposal. Very few chose to defy such new rulers.