Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?-Chapter 316 - 114: Exploitation

The quarantine zone’s walls had been toppled. From today onward, Innsbruck officially lifted the quarantine zone.

Ironically, for most of the city’s residents, this wasn’t good news.

Previously, conscription was conducted outside the city. Due to the prevalent epidemic within the city, enlisting an ill person into the military camp could potentially infect other healthy soldiers in the same dormitory, so the Recruitment Officer initially refrained from conscripting within the city.

Compared to the living hell of the quarantine zone, the citizens inside the city walls, albeit at the risk of contracting the disease, were spared from the disturbances of forced conscription; it was unclear in the short term whether this was a gain or a loss.

It wasn’t until the quarantine walls had collapsed that they realized their previous lives hadn’t been a loss, at least they weren’t subject to forced conscription at their doorsteps. At one point, a certain discourse even emerged in public opinion:

The epidemic is protecting us from going to war.

Of course, such exaggerated claims only appeared among some extremists, but no matter how much the Recruitment Officer advocated for defending the nation, the majority still harbored resentful and resistant attitudes toward forced conscription.

Especially with Christmas about to arrive.

At the inn where The Azure Longsword resided, the number of guests gradually increased. The innkeeper smiled broadly every day, flourishing business was certainly a good thing, and given his age, he likely wouldn’t be conscripted into the military, so he was extremely happy about the subsiding epidemic.

Then he really was conscripted.

"Wait, sir!" The innkeeper clung to the door frame, struggling not to be dragged away, "I’m already over fifty, an old bag of bones not fit for the battlefield, please spare me!"

"Shut up," the Guard coldly said, "If you’re not fit for the battlefield, you can serve in the logistics at the Service Camp. The higher-ups said everyone under sixty is on the conscription list, come with us!"

Thus, the innkeeper was dragged away.

It was said that many citizens, to avoid conscription, pretended not to be home and ran to the inn to pose as people from other places, and these Guards were here to search.

As they were about to go upstairs, they noticed Eleanor coming down, drawn by the noise, their gazes landing on the sword at her waist.

"A female mercenary?" One of the Guards was about to approach when a colleague tugged at his arm, "She’s known by Lord Alfred, don’t cause trouble."

The three Guards avoided Eleanor and clattered upstairs.

Eleanor walked to the living room, staring blankly at the gaping inn door.

"My husband was taken by them," a voice sounded from behind.

Eleanor turned around and saw a frail woman standing at the top of the cellar stairs.

She was the innkeeper’s wife, who also prepared the meals for the guests every day. Eleanor had once chatted with her, yet now she found herself unable to speak.

"I told him earlier to leave the city and take refuge, and if worst came to worst, go to Bohemia... but he just wouldn’t listen, couldn’t bear to leave the inn passed down by his ancestors... Now what good was it, the person is gone, what’s the point in keeping the inn..."

The cook muttered to herself, her eyes unfocused and void of life, before she seemingly regained her senses and softly said,

"Would you like something to eat, ma’am? There are still some steaks and smoked meat in the cellar..."

"Your husband at his age, shouldn’t really be on the battlefield," Eleanor tried to comfort her, "At most, he might serve as an Auxiliary Soldier, transporting supplies, or perhaps manning a post or managing supplies."

"You don’t have to comfort me, ma’am," the cook replied with a wretched smile, "My parents were Bohemians, conscripted to serve the army’s food supply during the kingdoms’ war years ago. Later, when the army fled in defeat, they simply vanished without a trace, likely died amidst the chaotic troops..."

"War, what in it is absolutely safe? In the end, people like us, we’re just rootless duckweeds, scattered by the currents at a moment’s notice... enough of that, it’s mealtime; I’ll go prepare the food."

The cook turned and descended into the cellar. Eleanor watched her receding figure, left speechless for a long time.

The Guards brought down several more guests, all expressionless citizens being escorted out one after the other. Eleanor silently watched them leave, then ascended the staircase.

Back in the room, Eleanor entered Fire Island. She saw Aske training Mia and Miel. First, he broke through Mia’s dazzling dual-wield attack with a punch, sending her flying. Then, a series of movements and sword strikes against bullets ended with the longsword poised at Miel’s neck.

"Understand?" asked Aske.

"Understood," replied Miel.

"Not understandable!" Mia almost jumped up in frustration. "He didn’t say anything! What did you understand, Miel?"

"When the battlefield situation becomes too complex, how to prioritize the variables," Miel explained.

Mia: ? ? ?

She dragged Miel off to discuss tactics. Aske turned around only to find Eleanor standing behind him, her face showing she was desperate to say something but hesitant.

"What’s wrong?" Aske asked.

"Aske," Eleanor said in a low voice, "how can one stop a war?"

"Ensure that the war reaches a swift conclusion," replied Aske.

"War is the last resort when political negotiations hit a deadlock; once a war erupts, it signifies that conventional political methods have failed to achieve the objective. At this point, the war can no longer be stopped."

"Joining one side swiftly and completely crushing the opponent’s will to resist is the only condition most wars end under. Rarely, a truce may be agreed upon due to the unbearable casualties on both sides, but that’s after a much bloodier and prolonged stalemate, and it’s highly unlikely."

"To swiftly defeat the Wolf Family?" Eleanor muttered.

"Yes," said Aske, "you need to become stronger, Eleanor."

"Hmm," Eleanor’s gaze hardened.

She ran off to practice the Unyielding Holy Sword with Sigrdrifa. Aske watched her leave, then heard someone beside him say:

"This knight lady is easy to deceive, isn’t she?"

"I haven’t deceived her," Aske calmly responded. "Swiftly ending the war is indeed the answer she is seeking, isn’t it?"

"It is, but it’s also your own selfish desire," Medea said with a teasing smile. "Quite the ruthless boss, pumping your employee up."

"If I were a ruthless boss," Aske countered, "I would squeeze dry those lazy employees who misuse their ’Mind Blind Zone’ ability to loiter around me and do nothing right from the start."

"Try it if you dare," Medea puffed out her chest, "it’s not decided yet who will exploit whom."

Aske awkwardly turned his head away.

Having bantered with Medea for so long, he certainly wouldn’t blush and be speechless because of a spicy joke from her.

But it was hard to retaliate; his eyes would involuntarily be drawn, not due to lack of resolve but purely male instinct. And staring while talking would be too lewd, which could damage his prestige as a Squad Leader.

"Any leads on the ’Desire II’ Magic Potion?" Aske abruptly changed the topic.

"Eh, isn’t that the Squad Leader’s job?" Medea crossed her arms and lifted them supportively. ƒreewebɳovel.com

"Shouldn’t you at least be somewhat concerned about your own Magic Potion?" Aske remarked.

"Why strive to be self-sufficient when one could easily live off a man?" Medea declared confidently.

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