Chapter 312: The Battle of Aferton (Part 2)

Chapter 312: The Battle of Aferton (Part 2)

Instantly, the formation was abuzz. Disbelief filled the eyes of the soldiers as chaotic murmurs erupted all around.

“He’s the red dragon? The King of Ember?”

“How is that possible?”

“This… this doesn’t seem like an evil dragon at all. He looks like a noble aristocrat.”

“Could Grand Duke Leo have deceived us?”

Cassius’ extraordinary charisma was enough to distort reality, influencing even dragons unconsciously. Thus, even as a mere projection, it was more than enough to captivate these inexperienced mortals.

Under the gaze of tens of thousands of soldiers, Cassius began his performance:

“I imagine you may have some misconceptions about me. After all, according to the Northern nobles’ propaganda, I am a bone-crunching dragon, a demon who defiles women, and an invader who disrupts peace and order.”

“But the truth is, every time, every single time, it has been the Northern nobles who initiated the wars. Whether it was the Battle of Trier’s Three-Nation Coalition or the so-called Anti-Red Dragon Alliance, it was because they couldn’t tolerate a kingdom that threatened their foundation. They couldn’t tolerate the Ember Kingdom abolishing serfdom and the hereditary aristocracy.”

Cassius paused, his tone taking on a hint of curiosity, his expression sincerely earnest.

“Soldiers, I truly wish to know—what exactly are you fighting for?”

“Do you really believe in that ridiculous rhetoric about Skanian solidarity? The North isn’t your country; it’s a paradise for the nobles. They see you as ‘gray livestock,’ as expendable tools.”

“Think back to your hasty lives in the North. When have you ever received a noble’s acknowledgment?”

“Scholars in the kingdom have said that class is the only standard that defines society. In the eyes of Northern nobles, those of low birth like you are not even the same species as them. How could they ever consider you their equals?”

“When they whip serfs, violate children, kill slaves for sport, and torment you for generations, they never once thought of you as their kin.”

Cassius spoke without fervor, merely stating facts in a calm tone.

Yet, even so, countless soldiers began to think for the first time. Their hearts wavered, and many even started to believe the words of the red dragon.

“Could it… could it be true?”

“What he’s saying seems to make some sense.”

“Yeah, those noble lords never share their wealth with us.”

“My daughter was taken by one of those lords…”

Cassius continued in a deep voice:

“In truth, you have no reason to fight for them or sacrifice your lives for them. In fact, the mere act of not turning your blades against these nobles is already an immense act of mercy and forgiveness.”

“As a king, and in the name of Cassius, the King of Ember, I promise you—when the Ember Kingdom rules this land, you will regain your basic dignity.”

“The hereditary serfdom system will cease to exist. Freedom and equality will become the main themes of society. Anyone can prosper through hard work, even rise to nobility. This has been a reality in Northwind Fortress for years.”

Under the influence of extraordinary charisma, Cassius’ words sounded deeply sincere to the soldiers. Though wary of the officers present, they whispered amongst themselves, offering their simple evaluations.

“Could people like us really become nobles?”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“Then why are we even fighting?”

“This guy is way more generous than those stingy lords.”

As the murmurs grew louder, Loren Bosk, Count of the North, finally realized the enemy’s goal—to sow discord among the troops!

What terrified Loren most was that even he had unconsciously fallen for Cassius’ words and found himself agreeing with them.

But as a noble, Loren quickly recognized the malice behind these words.

“This is the devil’s whisper!”

“How dare they believe such nonsense!”

“Without the guidance of our ancestors, these beasts wouldn’t even have what they have today!”

Loren glared at the hesitant soldiers, his teeth clenched in fury, his eyes filled with loathing.

“This cannot continue!”

With that thought, Loren charged into the ranks on horseback, his face twisted in rage. Swinging his longsword, he decapitated a soldier who had been speaking enthusiastically about the future, holding the lifeless head aloft.

“Soldiers, you have been deceived by the red dragon!”

“This is the fate of traitors!”

“Did you see that?”

Loren held the bloody head high, riding through the ranks.

The soldiers who had been whispering fell silent, shrinking back instinctively, their faces filled with fear. Yet their gazes remained fixed on Loren, a strange emotion simmering beneath their terror.

After all, they were not yet in that “ideal kingdom.”

They still lived under the rule of Northern nobles.

Loren, seemingly on the brink of losing his sanity, discarded the head and pointed his bloodied sword at the projection in the sky, his voice hoarse:

“Red dragon! Do you see this?”

“We Skanians are invincible and will never yield!”

“The glory of Rosell Bosk will forever shine upon the North. We will rule here for a thousand years, ten thousand years!”

Yet the expression of the “King of Ember” in the projection remained unchanged. He was as calm as ever, as if he hadn’t even noticed Loren, utterly indifferent.

Cassius looked down at the tens of thousands of soldiers and spoke bluntly:

“It’s a pity that you stand in the way of the kingdom’s unification. But I am a dragon who loves peace and abhors slaughter.”

“I will give you three hours. If you don’t want to die, leave this place.”

“Time is short.”

Instantly, the formation became chaotic again.

After all, there were tens of thousands here, most of them serfs and commoners, with less than ten thousand noble retinues. When the authority of the Northern nobles was broken, desertion became inevitable.

With their low status and lack of education, they couldn’t understand many of Cassius’ words, but they understood the nobles’ whips and exploitation—things they had personally experienced. Most importantly, they wanted to live.

“I want to live.”

“Let’s go. Leave this place.”

“I’ve had enough of those noble lords!”

“An enemy like that… how could we ever win?”

Soldiers began scattering, and the officers could no longer stop them.

Surprisingly, the Ember Kingdom’s army adhered to the agreement. Even as deserters fled in their direction, they restrained their urge to kill, following the red dragon’s direct orders without question.

Loren roared hoarsely, chasing after the fleeing soldiers on horseback:

“Come back, you beasts!”

“You’ll never repay the debt you owe our ancestors!”

His eyes red with rage, he killed soldier after soldier, yet he could not halt the massive wave of desertion. After all, it was on a scale of tens of thousands.

“Am I really going to fail like this?”

“Will it end before the battle even begins?”

“These damned beasts, these swine, they all deserve to rot in hell! I’ve been far too lenient!”

Loren sat astride his horse, panting heavily, his twisted face streaked with blood—not his own, nor even the enemy’s.

“My lord, please stop. We still need to regroup the remaining forces.”

His adjutant hurriedly pulled him back, speaking in a low voice.

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