Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks-Chapter 624 - 397: Injustice
The flag of the Double-headed Eagle has entered the city.
The man wearing the Golden Mask Helmet is listening intently to the report from the Knight of Radiance.
Upon hearing the manifestation of the Werewolf curse at last, it nearly resisted Jeanne's Holy Spear, which has the power to dispel evil.
He couldn't help but feel sentimental: "Perhaps letting that creature survive is indeed a greater pain."
Just like the crew of the Ocean Disaster, humans are inherently adept at self-destruction, perhaps to most life forms in this world, existence prevails over everything, but humans are not just that.
Jeanne frowned and said, "But it suffers and drags others into suffering too."
If not for this curse, capturing Semanud City would have been easier, perhaps even without bloodshed, and those defending soldiers would likely have survived, reducing the slaughter in this war.
The man took off the mask, revealing an energetic face: "Of course, that's just speaking, doesn't mean I don't appreciate your actions, not just to prevent future harm, you know, I always despise making enemies only to leave them alive."
Jeanne nodded, pondered for a moment, then spoke again: "On the way back, I met that little girl Lavinia, her face didn't look good, probably the first time facing the battlefield scared her."
"Given her disposition, it's all too natural to feel uneasy."
Nia is an idealist—at least she used to be, and neither in the Eastern communal society nor in the Eden of the West has there ever been room for the word 'war.'
Losa sighed, "Jeanne, do you consider us just?"
Jeanne decisively shook her head, "Don't talk to me about this, I've been playing the role of a justice envoy for far too long."
She paused in her tone, seeing Losa's face still showing a probing expression, finally spoke: "I once executed a low-key, reclusive Vampire who had never harmed anyone, its identity accidentally exposed, besieged by villagers forced to retaliate. He definitely didn't think he was wrong, and neither did the villagers, no one wants to live near a creature capable of taking their life anytime."
"But the final outcome was that nearly all the men in that village perished, and that secluded Vampire was also executed by my own hand."
Losa nodded slightly, "Indeed, there's no such thing as justice and evil in this world, it merely boils down to differing perspectives, everyone has their own standards, their own reasons, everyone believes they are on the side of justice."
The Crusader Soldiers undoubtedly think of themselves as just.
Even the Pope said that killing heretics isn't murder.
Needless to say the Saracens, they've occupied Egypt for over five hundred years, they completely have a reason to regard this land as their homeland, defending it, is there anything to criticize?
Losa chuckled, abandoning further discussion on this topic with Jeanne.
He simply whispered, "Perhaps, only the victors are truly just."
…
With Losa entering the city, the bustling city gradually settled into tranquility.
The opposing forces were suppressed.
The city fell under military control, everyone was instructed to stay within their homes, not to step outside.
The Crusaders quietly dealt with the bodies, counted the spoils of war, took control of key locations, warehouses, the mutated werewolves were cleared away, their bodies transported to an open space and burned to ashes.
Riding on the back of Eclipse, Losa gazed upon the frightened and anxious eyes hiding within the residences, notorious Franks, and Losa's reputation among heretics wasn't particularly esteemed either.
"They probably won't sleep well tonight."
Hans replied with a bitter smile: "Let alone sleep, I bet the men of every family are grinding weapons, hiding their wives and children in cellars, dreading that we bloodthirsty soldiers might enact a massacre like the one in Jerusalem."
Losa nodded, purging the regular army doesn't mean the resistance in this city has been completely eliminated.
At present, everyone's nerves are taut, be it the citizens or the Crusader Cavalry under Losa's command who just went through two battles.
Losa instructed, "Hans, tonight's law and order will be a pressing issue, I know everyone's exhausted from the day's journey, but now is not the time for rest."
Hans sincerely agreed, "I understand, Sir."
He can well imagine that if someone stirs up trouble tonight, even if it's just shouting 'Franks are massacring!' in the streets, the devastation caused to this city would be catastrophic.
Once chaos breaks out, casualties in thousands are all too common.
"My apologies for the trouble."
Losa and his guards slowly progressed to the Governor's Mansion in Semanud City, where there were no traces of resistance, the Saracen 'Werewolf' General perhaps staged a coup, bloodily cleansed the mansion, almost wiped out Governor Mahri's confidants and family. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
This also diminished the defending forces.
Can't say he was foolish.
Plagued by curses, suffering constant torment, to endure until now before acting is already deemed rational.
A Knight stepped forward to report: "Sir, we've cleared a clean courtyard, if you don't mind..."
"Lead the way."
Losa interrupted the Knight's words, merely a haunted house, as the formidable Dark Lord, if this troubles him, he might as well retire to a Monastery.
Taking Semanud City was still just the beginning. Next, there were subsidiary villages, countryside castles to reclaim, all of which required considerable time and effort.
Once the news of Governor Adil's army approaching spread, the resistance spirit of these local chiefs would undoubtedly be much stronger than before.
…
Losa, having settled into the Governor's Mansion, took a hot bath and immediately met with Kurs.
"How many losses did we suffer in this battle?"
Kurs replied, "Twenty-three were killed, twelve severely wounded. As for minor injuries, thanks to Bishop Urding and his medical apprentices, we can ensure they return to the battlefield shortly, so those weren't counted."
"Still, not bad."
Losa breathed a sigh of relief.
In this battle, he deliberately did not take action personally or deploy Cherinita, wanting to see how his soldiers would perform. Judging from the result, it was quite satisfactory.
The Saracen soldiers defending the city were, after all, monstrous. Soldiers transformed by the system had not previously specialized in dealing with such creatures. In the narrow terrain of a siege battle, where tactical formations were hard to utilize, suffering some losses was normal.
If it were on open ground, the losses might have been minimal.
"Ensure the inventory of the treasury is complete, especially protecting the granaries, as this place is likely to serve as our front line stronghold,"
Kurs nodded and said, "Of course, sir. When we entered the city, Julia leading the Shadow of Darkness had already prioritized control over these places. It's a pity the enemy commander didn't even have time to order the granary to be burned."
"It's not that he didn't have time; he probably never thought of it."
Losa chuckled.
After a hot bath, his mood was quite good.
"Tonight will be hard on you."
Kurs shook his head and said, "This is my duty."
After discussing the upcoming strategy with Kurs, Losa's task was pretty much completed.
The architecture of the Governor's Mansion resembled an inner castle within a city.
However, the original master of this place, the unfortunate Governor Mahri who died in battle, was fond of indulgence, transforming the castle into a splendid palace.
After a simple dinner, Losa and Prajna reached the top of the tower in the Governor's Mansion.
This was the only purely military structure in the Governor's Mansion, from which one could overlook almost the entire city, including the port leading to the riverbank and the vast Burullus Lake.
Semanud City couldn't compare to Damietta, a thriving port city even in the 21st century, but it was the gateway to the central region of the Delta.
The name Burullus Lake in Greek means "by the sea," being less than five kilometers from the Mediterranean. The lake's water flowed into the Rosetta branch of the Nile, entering the Mediterranean through Bules Port.
Rely on the mountains for sustenance, rely on the sea for sustenance.
From a high vantage, one could clearly see the villages affiliated with Semanud City, neatly aligned along the southern shore of Burullus Lake.
Since Burullus Lake is a saltwater lake, freshwater from southern tributaries flows into the lake, making the northern part saltier. Therefore, southern shore residents irrigated using river water, vigorously developing agriculture, while the northern shore residents primarily engaged in fishing.
"It is said that the family of Jesus Christ once hid in this lake when fleeing persecution by the people of the Empire."
Prajna softly said, "In the future, this place might become a famous pilgrimage site, and perhaps developing tourism, selling trinkets and protective talismans could be considered."
"Indeed."
Losa nodded.
He pointed into the distance, "Adil is on his way. He is a wise man, whether in my world or yours, he made a name in history. What trump card does he have that gives him the confidence to face us head-on?"
Prajna said, "It's nothing more than more extraordinary individuals and more soldiers."
Losa sniffed the faint burnt smell in the air, the scent of burning corpses.
"Prajna, I wish to end this war quickly."
Losa was not a war fanatic like Richard. He always thought that once the war concluded, he would take his important retinue north to the Eastern European Grassland across the Black Sea, or further north to hunt a giant dragon.
"It's almost Christmas, right?"
Losa suddenly made a remark.
"What are you implying? Ending the war before Christmas?"
Prajna blinked, a mischievous smile appearing on her snow-white face. As Book Immortal, she remained gentle in nature, yet different from her time as Gatekeeper of Hell.
"I would not make such a promise."
Losa laughed. He wrapped his arms around Prajna's waist from behind, resting his head on her shoulder, "I just feel a bit tired."
