Chapter 212: Azarin Empire’s capital
It would be a horrible and gruesome death, but no one would wonder too much about it. The world was now full of new flora and fauna, and while some plants could enhance your vitality and heal crippling wounds, others had the opposite effect.
After ensuring that the two soldiers would not become a problem in the future, Vlad led the small yellow cat and the viking princess out of Ortun Town before summoning the demon soul and rising into the air, flying away.
Vlad wanted to thoroughly understand the Azarin Empire and the Church of Glory’s impact on ordinary people, so he visited other towns near Radiance City. What he saw was similar to Ortun Town: people lived their day-to-day lives, making sure to pray to Goddess Lucia four times a day.
Disappointment and disgust appeared in Vlad’s eyes as he saw how easily people fell into the embrace of faith. They were willing to kill their neighbors just because they were told those people were inferior and tainted the world.
The extent of the indoctrination was staggering. Entire communities were bound by a fervent belief in the Great Truth, instilled deeply by the Church of Glory. Children recited prayers with zeal, adults discussed divine mandates with unwavering conviction, and the elderly enforced religious dogma with the same zeal they might have once reserved for family traditions.
Along with the disappointment, Vlad’s face was also annoyed. It was clear now that the people living in the towns around Radiance City would not surrender easily, and a good portion of them would march into battle if told that was what Goddess Lucia wanted. Zealotry was not limited to a few extremists but was a widespread, deeply-rooted phenomenon.
When it came to killing soldiers, there was no hesitation in Vlad’s heart. Those were men who had chosen to enter the battlefield. But if thousands of women, old men, and children marched toward him, he honestly did not know if he had what it took to butcher them all. The prospect of facing civilians who believed they were fighting for a divine cause was a grim and unsettling one.
Unfortunately, just leaving them behind was not an option. To kill Goddess Lucia, Vlad needed to reach the core of the Azarin Empire, the capital at the center of Radiance City. The forces of the Xaos Kingdom could not leave several towns full of people ready to attack them. Those places need to be taken down and their populations put under control before advancing.
Vlad knew that even if his forces could manage to avoid fighting civilians, the presence of these zealots posed a significant strategic risk. They could provide intelligence to the enemy, sabotage Xaos Kingdom operations, or even rally together to form a militia that could harass and delay the advancing army. The logistical nightmare of dealing with hostile civilians in occupied territory was another factor that weighed heavily on his mind.