Bear School Astartes

Farmer revolts can almost be called a ’Yaden specialty’.

This country heavily relies on agriculture, and their climate ensures they always have bountiful harvests.

However, even though the food in this world is enough for everyone to be full, hunger can never be completely eradicated.

Because in most cases, the cause of hunger is no longer simply ’insufficient food production’.

The Yaden nobility saw the enormous profit in the grain trade and began seizing these profits a long time ago.

This has made Yaden famous in the Northern Territory as a major grain-producing nation, yet at the same time, the farmers within its borders do not enjoy cheap food prices.

This clearly caused dissatisfaction among the farmers, resulting in farmer revolts one after another.

However, the Yaden nobility and the King have evidently weighed the pros and cons—

Suppressing the unrest is more cost-effective than sharing profits with the farmers.

So let the farmers riot, as it doesn’t really affect the overall situation.

Over time, not only have the people of Yaden become accustomed to it, but even the other countries of the Northern Territory have as well.

The peasant revolts are internal affairs of Yaden, and if other countries take the opportunity to intervene, it might instead alert and unite the Yaden nobility to the greatest extent.

But as Lann implied: since it is an internal matter, then even if non-human races mingling with the peasants occupy a city... this should also be entirely an internal matter, right?

They can’t label the non-human races and the revolting peasants as ’collaborating with the Niflgaard people’, otherwise they can’t enter a state of reckless warfare—they still have to maintain some semblance of decorum and influence.

This is what is called ’room for maneuver’.

Through various channels, the information unintentionally collected, the understanding of human nature and psyche, the insight and application of tacit political rules...

Lann uses his knowledge and talent fully and adeptly.

The sharpness in diplomatic and political tactics among the Sons of the Emperor is beyond doubt. And Lann’s own educational experience has laid the foundation for his political vision.

Understanding Yaden’s own situation and its political tacit understandings with surrounding countries is as easy for him as opening a wine bottle.

And after analyzing the situation of the country Yaden, he easily and accurately deduced: with the increasing friction between Niflgaard and the north, the unease in the hearts of Yaden farmers is definitely expanding in step with the increasing outflow of grain.

Even far beyond any time before.

Other countries are preparing for war, so they must stockpile grain, whereas the Yaden nobility take this opportunity to increase grain exports, focusing only on earning money and filling their pockets.

Anyone with a normal mind would feel anxious seeing this, but feeling anxious alone is useless.

Therefore, within Yaden, a wave of farmer revolt sparks is ’smoldering’ in the fields’ granaries, waiting for the day it can’t be suppressed anymore.

In the One-Eyed Elf’s remaining eye, the light of hope is shining brighter and brighter.

Meanwhile, in Sachia’s eyes, there is more worry and sadness.

She learned from Lann that the farmer revolts might happen, and many people would surely die, yet she cannot change anything.

Good people are always saddened by this.

Lann glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

But soon she would know, she wasn’t unable to change all this.

”Lead us, Lann!”

Iophis suddenly stood up excitedly from the bonfire side, so vigorously that even the Qilin, munching on special rations, was taken aback.

Yet the elf himself was completely unaware, looking at the Demon Hunter with a gaze that was firm, even passionate.

Margaret swore, if he wasn’t a male elf, she felt that gaze was the same as those apprentices from Airetusa looking at Lann.

”Your stance, your ideals, and your strength! All of this can help us support this vision!”

But facing Iophis’ fervent gaze, Lann shook his head after a moment of contemplation.

”No.”

He refused.

”I do hope to establish the system of my ideals, and you do need a unique leader, but that leader is not me. I cannot stand openly and lead the entire process.”

”Why!?”

”Because I have more important work.”

Iophis’ eager inquiry was met with a calm response.

Lann looked at him calmly.

”I also hope you can be treated fairly and justly, but to be honest... Iophis, compared to the work I’m currently busy with, your issues are not of great importance.”

”If you don’t want to see those kinds of things running everywhere in a few months or years.”

Without speaking further, Lann just gestured with his chin towards the other side of the elven ruin.

Behind the shattered marble blocks and overgrown vegetation lay the cold corpse of a Terror Tyrannosaurus.

The One-Eyed Elf frowned deeply at these words.

The management and concealment of the Celestial Sphere Convergence Rift is an agreement between Lann and the Lady of the Lake.

Although nothing has gone wrong usually, it appears calm and peaceful.

But once something goes wrong with the rift, it’s definitely not a small scene.

Just like the Terror Tyrannosaurus lying there now, it’s hard to say if it has any relation to the rift guarded by the Lady of the Lake.

After all, that rift once connected to the world of the New Continent.

”For the sake of my work, I cannot always appear on stage. And a leader who is unpredictable and cannot appear long-term will not bring stable development to the organization, but rather uncertainty and anxiety.”

”This has nothing to do with ability and ideas, but with time.”

Lann’s words were so solid that no one could refute them.

Then, Iophis hesitantly furrowed his brow, first glancing at Lann’s expression, then following Lann’s gaze, turning his head towards Sachia.

Hesitation, understanding, acceptance...

A series of expressions appeared on the One-Eyed Elf’s face.

It was only at this moment that Sachia seemed to realize belatedly and looked around.

”Are you saying...” She pointed to herself, somewhat confused, ”Me?”

”Essentially a green dragon in human form, absolutely impartial in position. But even by hiding your true dragon identity from the public, a human appearance might be more useful! You can represent the stance of equality between humans and non-human races, garnering the most support from humans for us!”

As Iophis spoke, he even became excited.

”Moreover, nothing can lead people to stand up against injustice better than a suitable leader.” Lann added with a smile from the side. ”Especially someone like the young girl renowned for miraculous bravery on the battlefield.”

”From Saint Joan to the infamous Farjia, both serve as evidence.”

And perhaps seeing his ideals increasingly close to reality, a lighthearted and joyful smile, akin to that of a Minstrel, appeared on Iophis’ usually stern, un-elf-like face.

As an Elf, he might actually know some instruments and vocal music, speaking now in a storytelling tone.

”What’s interesting is that all these heroines not only possess leadership talents but are also exceptionally beautiful.”

”Women who are squint-eyed, toothless, and acne-scarred often find it difficult to rally men to life and death together with them.”

”And look at you, Sachia!”

Iophis raised his hand encouragingly towards the wounded body of the Female Warrior.

”Your dark-gold and black intermingled hair, smooth skin, thick eyebrows, big eyes, lovely lips, full bosom and rounded waist and hips, remarkable curves!”

”This beauty is unmatched in the world...”

”Boom~”

Before the One-Eyed Elf could finish his unparalleled praise, the campfire between the few of them suddenly flared up as if a spoonful of oil had been poured on it.

Sitting cluelessly by the campfire, Rong Buqiu was startled, fluffing up and jumping slightly.

The Elf blinked his only remaining eye, not turning to look at the Female Warlock playing with her hair, seemingly detached from the matter, but continued smoothly.

”This beauty is almost comparable to the noble and wise Female Warlocks of the world!”

This time, there was no reaction from the fire.

”In other words, this is the ideal idol to lead uprisings and revolts!”

”If a man is given a beautiful female bottom as a suitable incentive, he might create miracles under this incentive!”

”Without such a bottom leading the way forward, the free warriors’ minds would return to the harvest season, their own women, and the half-pint of poor-quality beer in the village tavern.”

Sachia tilted her head, clapping her right hand that had nothing to do onto her thigh.

”Very well said, Iophis. This speech about the ideal revolutionary idol is just as brilliant as your previous discussion on ’the role of human sexual desire in societal evolution.’”

Sachia was not shy about compliments to her body, handling it gracefully.

However, after speaking, she still frowned.

”But there’s still a problem... I also hope to build an ideal city of life equality, yet as you said, I have no experience at all. I don’t know how to proceed.”

Before the most impatient Iophis could speak, Lann took a sip from his cup beside her and said,

”I’ll provide you with help and guidance. I may not be able to serve as a leader stabilizing morale due to time constraints, but I can still work towards this vision.”

”In fact, my endorsement of this vision is equivalent to the recognition from the Embers Knight Order.”

”The Ember Knights will also contribute to this.”

Iophis swung his arm excitedly.

”Ha! The renowned Embers Knight Order!”

During the daytime mountain path ambush, it was only because Seward’s team included ten Honored Swordsmen from the Embers Knight Order that they weren’t crushed in the sudden attack.

During the day, the hands of the Ember Knights were stained with the blood of the Squirrel Faction.

But come nightfall, Iophis couldn’t be happier, these knights were indeed as strong as rumored.

He wasn’t indifferent to the lives of his own team; he simply understood that to ensure the future non-human races don’t have to risk their lives like them, some sacrifices were necessary.