Don't Mess with That Dragon-Chapter 710 - 098: Conscription (Second Update, Please Subscribe)

Everyone had their eyes on the protagonist, who had achieved fame and fortune and won the beauty, while those lower-tier mercenaries who died in battle without even leaving their names—who would care about those insignificant people?

The romantic stories were never anything but fantasies for those lower-tier mercenaries and Adventurers present.

More of the lower-tier mercenaries had nothing to do with the protagonists in the Minstrel's tales.

The vast majority at the bottom of the mercenary class either died on the mission road, got their heads chopped off by the Thief loitering in the wilderness, or were devoured by fierce wild beasts and monsters, without leaving even their names.

Those slightly luckier might save some money, buy a few barren fields in the countryside with their injuries, and rely on teaching young people or introducing Mercenary Apprentices to the Mercenary Corps as they grow older.

Do you really think that the many lower-tier mercenaries are naturally generous, splurging in taverns when they earn some money, willing to spend their last penny on the bellies of those women standing on street corners?

Isn't it because this line of work is fraught with danger, especially for the lower-tier cannon fodder mercenaries living a life where today exists but not tomorrow,

such that the saved money often goes to waste before retirement, dying somewhere along the way.

In this way, naturally it's spend when you can, get drunk today.

The life of a mercenary,

for them, has never been romantic but is instead stark and brutal reality.

Although,

becoming a mercenary is certainly a lot better than those Peasants who toil diligently year-round in the fields yet still can't have enough to eat. The peasant's produce has to pay seven or eight in ten to the Lord, and even what's left isn't guaranteed to be enough to fill the belly, even in a bountiful year; most struggle on the edge of survival, living a hard life.

While mercenaries can at least eat their fill of black bread every meal, with occasional meat found in the wild; better off than the wealthiest peasant class by a level.

But they earn this by risking their lives.

Now,

someone tells them that in a southern country, farming only takes a ten percent tax, leaving the rest of the harvest as one's own, how could they not go mad at such news?

If that's the case, then putting down their weapons to become farmers and till the land wouldn't be unacceptable!

At least there's no worry about being left to rot in the wilderness one day.

These lower-tier mercenaries even had the intention, not to mention others, especially those peasants gathered on the outskirts, were even more agitated.

"Sir, is it true? Does the southern country really only charge a ten percent tax?"

Inside the tavern, astonished exclamations erupted,

Everyone crowded excitedly, preparing to get closer for more accurate news from the Minstrel's mouth.

Yet at this moment,

the shout came from outside the tavern:

"Bad news! The King is conscripting! The King's words: every able-bodied man is obligated to participate in the campaign to defend the nation. The parliament is about to enforce a nationwide mandatory draft, all jobless drifters in towns, Adventurers, Mercenaries, even Peasants and freemen, are on the conscription list!"

"The town's about to send soldiers to catch people!"

As the elongated shout carried off into the distance,

the atmosphere inside the tavern suddenly fell silent.

The next moment,

Boom!!!

Everyone burst into panic like headless flies, fleeing in terror in all directions. The Minstrel at the table sided and fled in a panic, head lowered with a frightened expression.

In the distance,

The sound of hurrying footsteps reached them,

The town's Soldiers were on the move!

This further confirmed the authenticity of that previous voice,

The streets of the town were panic-stricken, the people even more flustered, scattering everywhere in a mess, the town's residents hurriedly closed their doors and windows, trembling.

In Tanzania,

The King's issued nationwide conscription orders haven't happened just once,

A few years ago,

In the perilous war against the enemy nation, the King of Tanzania tore up all established conventions, launching a massive conscription of the entire country.

The peasants from noble lands, armed with manure forks, were driven to the battlefield, while the jobless drifters and vagabonds from the city, even most Adventurers and Mercenaries, were forcibly drafted and dispatched to the front lines.

Afterwards,

The war did indeed achieve final victory, Tanzania Duchy defeating the enemy nation's army in one fell swoop, reclaiming all occupied lands.

However,

Only one-tenth to one-twelfth of those forcibly conscripted returned!

The casualties were severe,

After the war, almost every household was left in mourning!

The majority of forcibly conscripted people perished, becoming cannon fodder to deplete the enemy's supplies, while those who escaped didn't dare to recall that nightmarish war.

This caused an immense outcry among the people in Tanzania, and as years passed, even the memories of the war turned into a grim slaughterhouse in everyone's imagination.

Therefore, upon hearing news of a national conscription again, everyone turned pale,

The originally bustling small town,

suddenly scattered, people fleeing, Soldiers patrolling the streets, not a pedestrian in sight, while the market wilted.

...

The conscription underway wasn't limited to Tanzania Duchy.

In this period,

In any country bordering the territories or the Border Great Wall adjacent with the Frandy, Golden Eagle, and Olan duchies, the upper ruling class all held their breath.

This was due to the Blue Dragon army's blitzkrieg, which struck abject fear.

Within half a month, it wiped out three nations with relatively strong national power, filling nearby rulers with a deep fear.

Such fear is beyond what the commoners can comprehend.

Especially for the King of Tanzania, who, on hearing the initial news these days, even dreamt of the Blue Dragon army capturing him alive in his sleep.

It was this very nightmare that pushed the King of Tanzania to suppress all opposing opinions, initiating another national conscription regardless of everything.

Other countries, though not reacting as prominently as Tanzania Duchy, weren't too far behind.

Apart from a certain ducal territory plagued by domestic rebellion, other nations have adopted wartime policies, facing the threat of obliteration, mobilizing the entire nation's resources, deploying heavy troops at the border, sending numerous elite scouts and Thief to monitor the Blue Dragon Kingdom's army's movements, and each move from the adversary sent them into panic.

Simultaneously,

The nobles' council within the Royal Capital met daily, the King wore a worried expression on the throne, constantly inquiring his ministers about strategies, while also extensively meeting foreign ambassadors to negotiate treaty conditions to face the overwhelming Beastman nation to the south.