Chapter 381: What’s Left
Lyan took in a deep breath as he stood in the meeting room, the fire in the hearth flickering, casting warm light across the stone walls. The reality of their situation was beginning to settle in. They weren’t just a band of mercenaries anymore, and their success in battle had brought them something that was proving far more complicated to deal with: territory. Or rather, more territories. The newly acquired cities of Norhallow, Valmere, and Dunbridge were theirs now, but managing them was an entirely different kind of challenge.
(Well, we ended up skipping the part of Griselda’s backstory because of my backstory yesterday, but I at least managed to tell them the truth about the Grimoire’s Space and the existence of these eight high spirits. Surena, Alice, and Emilia has saw the eight of them appearing at the goblin king subjugation first-handedly after all. I guess Griselda’s case could be told later on in the near future)
Wilhelmina stood at the head of the room, her expression composed as always. She glanced over the gathered companions, her eyes briefly meeting Lyan’s before she began. "The situation is more complex than we initially imagined," she said, her voice steady. "We have three cities more now under our rule, but each faces distinct challenges. If we don’t address these issues quickly, we risk losing the people’s trust before we even earn it."
Lyan nodded, leaning back in his chair, his fingers brushing his chin as he listened. Wilhelmina pointed to a detailed map spread across the large table. The cities were marked with ink, and there were annotations showing the troubles in each.
"Norhallow," she began, tapping her finger on the map, "is facing severe food shortages. The previous noble had neglected the people, hoarding supplies for himself while the townsfolk went hungry. The granaries are nearly empty, and the winter months are approaching fast. If we don’t find a way to provide food, there will be riots."
Lyan furrowed his brow, imagining the dire straits the people must be in. He could almost see the thin, desperate faces of the townspeople, their eyes hollow from hunger. It gnawed at him, that old feeling of helplessness.
But the new fresh thing as well is:
(We need to move quickly, Lyan. Starving people are more dangerous than an enemy army) Arturia’s voice chimed in, her tone stern as always.
(The girls start to join in conversationi again as well) (Lyan)
Wilhelmina continued, her gaze shifting to another point on the map. "Valmere—their trouble is different. There are two rival merchant factions in constant dispute. With the fall of their previous leader, there’s no one to keep them in check, and it’s causing unrest. It’s not just bickering either; the disputes have turned violent. If we don’t intervene soon, it could escalate into an all-out civil war."
Lyan let out a sigh, rubbing his temple. "Merchants fighting over scraps while the people suffer. Typical," he muttered under his breath.