Like rats that sense danger before an earthquake or volcanic eruption and begin to flee in large numbers, farmers in the southern part of Avenella have been trying to swarm north more frequently since February.
The lords and nobles in the south and central areas naturally would not allow this to happen. They issued various notices and sent their knights and sergeants to patrol every now and then. But the authority of the lord is no match for the determination expressed by the people. The more frequent the border patrols and blockades become, the more desperate they become towards the north.
Rumors began to spread among the people, and people sensed the crisis, so they evacuated to places that were said to be safer and more prosperous by word of mouth. But farmers in the northern region also have such worries. As we mentioned before, war is equal to everyone, and civilians in this era suffered deeply from it. Although they respect Prince Edward, it is precisely because they experienced the battle with Sivalier more than a year ago that they have tempered the mentality that young people may have in treating war as an adventure. They understand that the real battlefield is So cold and cruel, they act more cautiously and treat everything related with caution.
The south and central areas have been the center of power of Avenella since ancient times. The several duchies there and the total military strength accumulated by the royal palace are more powerful than those in the northern area - although the size and number of noble knights are probably It cannot be compared with the original Sivalier cavalry, but considering the home field advantage, the forcibly acquired ordinary soldiers and the existence of the castle, unlike Sivalier's cavalry that can take advantage of the terrain to attack them unprepared, all the troops in the north must be used. Defeating them will never be easy.
Just winning is already so difficult, but what makes it twice as difficult is what happens after the victory.
——A tragic victory or a defeat for both sides is absolutely undesirable. Avenella must maintain a sufficient army to deter neighboring countries to a certain extent. If the vitality is severely damaged due to civil war, the result will be destruction. Both Otolo and Padrosi are large empires that are extremely sensitive and dangerous. Although the neighboring country Sivalier is also in civil strife now, if a few nobles can unite to seize Avenella can still take advantage of the situation when she is unable to resist.
This must be avoided at all costs, otherwise there is no point in launching a war. The reason why Edward has always wanted to solve the problem through negotiation is not only the emotional factor, but also the reason why this can be changed without bloodshed. The inherent structure of the country for two centuries is indeed the best thing, but considering that these deep-rooted ideas passed down from generation to generation among the great nobles, even if Edward is now a king, there will be a lot of resistance to its implementation, which is even more Don't mention that he has the biggest trouble with Ahibern II.
If possible, he would also like to wait until Ashberon II retires and ascends the throne, but with the approaching threat from the south, Avenella's remaining time is running out. If he cannot cheer up and make this decision, when the church state unified by Thoradin comes over, even with the help of the Otolo people, maybe the country can still be saved, and maybe the people can still survive, but at that time of Avenella——
Whose Avenella is it?
The Otolo army stationed in the name of defense developed its own power locally. The status of the Otolo soldiers and Otolo merchants sent there increased, and the Avenella people were reduced to second-class citizens. Padrosi, who was unwilling to sit back and watch Otolo extend his tentacles to the west coast, would inevitably use the unified church states in the south of the west coast to constantly fight with Avenella in order to restrain the other party's expansion - Thoradin and Avenella. Vennella is like a puppet controlled by the two empires, fighting a power struggle between the empires thousands of miles away on the west coast people's own territory - at that time, whose Asia is Avenella? Vennella?
The relationship between allies is complex, and so is the relationship between enemies.
What the sage said to His Majesty the Emperor in Otolo was not unreasonable. If possible, Otolo would not openly send his troops to the front line of the resistance. But to do this, Avenella must first prove her strength. In the same way, if Avenella can single-handedly withstand the offensive of the northern country of Thoradin, the agent instructed by Padrosi, the huge empire will also have to prove its strength. Re-evaluate whether to conflict with Avenella and the secretly threatening Otolo at the same time.
At best, what the Padrosi people care about is whether the Otolo people's tentacles will enter the west coast and threaten them. The same is true for the Otolo people. They are worried that this too weak ally will fall to the opponent like a weed in the wall or do other things. Things that are not good for Otolo's interests, so he chooses to intervene secretly to help the manipulative King Ahibern II - and all of this, if Avenella can maintain sovereignty and have a strong enough military force, It can be suppressed and resolved.
The real enemies of Padrosi and Otolo are each other, but Avenella is in a very strange position. If handled properly, it can even achieve the same status as the two empires as a mere small kingdom on the west coast—— But all of this is based on the premise that Prince Edward wins, and this victory is not a tragic victory.
When verbal communication and means of communication have been unilaterally blocked, Edward's only choice to avoid a tragic victory and lack of preparedness is to use an absolutely superior force to defeat Ashbourne II and the archdukes who support him. Realize the gap and surrender.
And to achieve all of this, he is absolutely unable to do it alone.
What is he able to do.
What is his duty to do.
His Royal Highness has already become aware of what Henry said more than a year ago. At this moment, he has not realized how much his current and future actions will bring to the West Coast and even the entire world. Impact - Edward just firmly believed that he was like the best lord that the people could imagine. With full passion and leading action, he stood on the plain of Ecasta on this day in March. On the top of the high platform, through the amplification technology used by the hired wizard, he began to speak to the people who had gathered and were somewhat aware that something big was about to happen.
The field was filled with all kinds of people, and people spread word of mouth, no matter what nationality they were, everyone stayed below.
The people in the front row quickly noticed the presence of the prince, but what attracted their attention more than this was the people standing next to the prince.
People in this era identified their identities by where they stood, and apart from the nobles who were guarding them, there were two girls standing at the front with the prince - which meant they were equal to him.
The girl on the left has black hair and is wearing a robe with a violet emblem - this is an article that can only be used by the Sivalier royal family. And is the one on the right a Roan? They thought this, but then their full attention was attracted by the prince's words.
"I think you all know it, people of Avenella." Edward said. The Loans who were born and raised in Avenella and the farmers who fled from the south experienced a moment of fear and hesitation. They immediately understood that this was their prince speaking, and their brief fear of the unknown was quickly replaced by surprise.
"He really spoke the dialect of Avenella as people said." Speaking a common language with a prince, the intimacy that people can experience is extremely profound. There are many people on the vast plain. Many people were crowded, and many people who had not received the news stopped because of curiosity. Edward stood on the temporary wooden platform and continued: "Yes, this country is about to face a war."
"Wow--" Noisy discussions continued one after another, and panic expressions began to appear on people's faces. Businessmen covered their hats and money bags that were about to fall off due to the crowds of people. Farmers began to panic, and many of them-- Mainly people who fled from the south wanted to escape, but they stopped just after running a few steps——
escape? Where to escape?
Further north of Avenella there is only Civalier, which is in civil strife. What is the current situation in Civalier? Just look at the refugees and you will understand. What about Otolo? Escape further north to Maximilian? ——Although the world is big, the people of Avenella have nowhere to go.
They stopped, partly because they had nowhere to go, but most of them were probably those northern Avenella people who were also farmers but didn't even move much.
You can easily tell the difference between the Avenella farmers in the north and the south from their spirits. The northern Avenera people holding long bows and raising their chests are staring directly at their Aitling with a focused expression. The farmers in the south couldn't help but look sideways.
And then they heard it.
All the Loans, Sivaliers, and Aveneras.
They heard it.
Although almost all people are illiterate and do not know what kind of elegant language, this kind of emotion that seems to burst out from the deepest part of the heart is extremely violent and reaches every inch of skin through blood vessels. .
Makes people's blood boil.
"I know you don't want war and neither do I, but when war is the last resort, we have no choice."
"Men of Avenella, you have been fighting wars that are not yours for too long. Fighting for one lord against another; for one king against another; even for one god against another."
"You bleed to the ground and die in obscurity."
"I'm not going to say I understand your pain because that's a sign of arrogance, and that's all I can tell you."
"I am honored to be born into the royal family of this country. I am honored to have this opportunity to get to know you, the West Coast, no, the most resilient, hard-working, kind and brave people in the entire world. I am honored that I am An Avenella, I am honored to be an Avenella noble and therefore—"
"In the name of Edward Ewtling Shulfaga -" Edward shouted loudly, and the people who heard this unique word in the Avenella dialect became excited, many of whom had been with Edward. The fighting archers all raised their bows and arrows and shouted "Ewtlin" and Edward then shouted: "I declare that slavery is abolished in Avenella and the peasants are no longer the property of the lords and nobles!"
"This country! No one can own anyone else!"
Like a lightning strike, these words that no peasant had expected came to their heads in an instant, so that many people who had worked hard to escape from the swords of the southern noble blockade soldiers were stunned. He turned to look at his companions and asked what "slavery" and "property" meant - it wasn't that they didn't understand, they just couldn't believe that such a scene could happen in reality.
"No one, including me, will own you anymore. No matter what the circumstances, no one can treat another living person as his or her personal property." He looked at the people below, many of whom might be concerned about this. He turned around and left, but no matter what, this was something Edward felt he should have put into practice a long time ago. He paused, reorganized his words, and then continued:
"No one can plunder your freedom. Just like birds are born to fly and fish are born to swim, human beings are born to be free. No one can own other people. Therefore, this war - I will not order you to fight for me in the name of the royal family."
"But I beg you—" he said word for word: "People of Avenella!"
"As an Avenella, I implore you."
"for myself."
"For the family."
"For home."
"And fight."
"In the name of upright human beings, not the property of lords, in the name of the upright men of Avenela, no matter which nationality you are from, you were born on this land, you grew up on this land , this is your home.”
"Do you yearn for a better life? Do you want to keep the home you have lived in for generations? Do you want to preserve all the wonderful things we have today? Do you want to protect your freedom as a person?" He said this, while the man wearing a custom-made dress Lina took a step forward nervously. A large number of Luoan people on the plain noticed this white-haired person - who she was and why she was standing next to the prince - they vaguely guessed something. What, but twenty-one years of hard life have made these people unable to believe that anything good will happen.
"Whether you are an Avenela, a Roan, or even a Sivalier."
"This can be your home, as long as you are willing to fight for it."
"In the name of living human beings, in the name of Avenella -" Edward glanced at Lina, Her Royal Highness the Princess came over, and the two of them raised their hands together.
"In the name of Luo An——"
Tears flowed.
This is the first time for many people in twenty-one years, or since they were born, that they meet again in ignorance or after a long absence.
I feel the fact that I am still alive.
"for tomorrow."
"For our Avenella."
"Our United Kingdom of Avenella and Loan——"
"Follow me, and I will fight by your side."
"In the name of humanity." Lina came over and said this loudly in Luoan language.
"Qiang——" She threw down an iron shackle, symbolizing that the ownership that plagued the poor people was finally broken at this moment.
"Ahhhhhhhhh-" All the cheers finally converged into an overwhelming shout.
…
"The unshackled eagle may be scarred, but it can fly to the other side of the sky."
“There are still endless possibilities.”
"Your Highness the Prince." Henry listened to the roar of cheers outside the window, took a sip of spruce tea, and then said.
"What you gave them is beyond the capabilities of any noble power or gold and silver treasure."
"What you give them is dignity as a human being."
“And something that’s both dangerous and mesmerizingly beautiful.”
"I hope-"
…
As time passed, this speech, which later generations called the March Declaration, quickly spread to all parts of the world through the hands of travelers and businessmen.
Edward's announcement of the abolition of slavery resulted in extremely high public support, but as a result, he completely broke up with the Grand Duke of the South and some of the big slave merchants.
All forces are secretly evaluating this young king. We still don't know whether his choice to abandon the aristocratic class he was born in and integrate into the people is wise or whether it can bring a future to this country.
The only thing we know is.
This country was reborn on this day.
Just like a caterpillar that has gone through a painful metamorphosis and finally transformed into a butterfly.
It's like a new sprout emerging from the cracks of the old rock castle.
It may not be able to end anything, and it may take a long, long time to truly achieve the vision expected by everyone cheering on the Acasta Plain at this moment.
Its future may also face many, many dark things.
But just as the dawn will eventually come no matter how dark the night is, the concept that Edward implanted in the hearts of the people is, as our sage said, "a dangerous and beautiful hope"——
it.
Will change the entire Rigal world.
March comes to an end.
April begins.
Later known as the "Avenella Civil War", it broke out in the southern part of the Ecasta Plain.
This is the first cry of a new empire. (To be continued.)
