Chapter 310: The Opening of the Bloodshed Mill

The old goat Herolf had been present all along but stood frozen like a statue, showing no reaction to Andreas’ assassination attempt. If the old leopardman Tumisan had not been there, Herolf would have intervened due to their quasi-master-servant contract. However, with Tumisan present, Herolf showed no interest, confident that Charlot Mecklenburg would not die regardless.

Charlot had assumed that with Herolf, the Golden Ram, and Tumisan, Sedona City would be secure. However, he was unaware that Andreas’ reconnaissance had yielded “exceptionally critical” intelligence, which had thrown the situation in Sedona into chaos.

Even if Zhuge Liang himself had transmigrated to this world, he could not have predicted the extreme “paranoia” of this youngest Saint-rank of the Black Phoenix Dynasty.

Three days after Andreas’ assassination attempt, two Saints arrived at Chloe Hadrian’s military camp: Monson, Constantine’s deputy, and Baron Dakis of the Empire.

As these two hovered in the air, observing Sedona City, Charlot—slow to react as he was—began to sense something was amiss.

For a minor city like Sedona in South Seraph, the sequential appearance of three Saints was extraordinary.

Charlot quickly came to the same conclusion as Andreas: the Black Phoenix Dynasty was preparing for a major battle in this direction.

However, unlike Andreas, Charlot was a completely different kind of person. Andreas, upon concluding that Fars Empire might attack in this direction, reported to the Black Phoenix military headquarters, requesting reinforcements.

Charlot, initially assuming Andreas’ presence was incidental, had sought aid from Menielman Soumet. But once he concluded that the Black Phoenix Dynasty intended to launch an offensive, he unhesitatingly decided to withdraw from Sedona.

He instructed Herolf, “Take to the skies as well, but do not engage them.”

He then addressed Tumisan, “I request that you also ascend and confront their Saints, but there’s no need to fight. I need to withdraw the West Wind Knight Order.”

Tumisan, puzzled, asked, “Herolf and I together can overpower those two. Why retreat?”

Charlot replied quietly, “Is this how you orcs wage war? No wonder your elite forces were decimated in the Battle of Strasbourg.”

“Right now, there are only two Saints. True, you and Herolf can handle them, but what if more reinforcements arrive?”

Charlot’s mention of the Battle of Strasbourg soured Tumisan’s expression, and the leopardman retorted, “We’ll deal with it when the time comes!”

Charlot sighed, “By then, it will be too late.”

Encircling a Saint was difficult—given their ability to fly unless there was a vast disparity in speed or strength, escape was almost always possible.

Tumisan, with his speed, strength, and the artifact Sea Strider, had still struggled to hold Andreas until Monson arrived.

Even in the worst-case scenario of Sedona being besieged, Tumisan, as a master assassin, could easily escape. Charlot, wielding the powers of the Labyrinth God and the Infinite Mirror World, could also retreat with high probability. But the West Wind Knight Order could not, and Charlot could not bear to sacrifice his resources.

After arguing briefly with Tumisan, Charlot realized the leopardman simply couldn’t grasp his reasoning for retreating without a fight. Charlot opted not to explain further and directly issued orders.

Though Tumisan did not understand, he floated into the sky and locked eyes with the two Saints from afar.

Charlot’s prestige in South Seraph was immense. When the residents of Sedona heard that the West Wind Knight Order was retreating, they were reluctant to see off this army that fought without troubling the populace. Crowds poured out of their homes to plead for them to stay.

Charlot ordered the army to accelerate their withdrawal while loudly proclaiming, “The Black Phoenix Dynasty’s forces could invade at any moment. The West Wind Knight Order is insufficient to protect Sedona’s people.”

“If we engage in a decisive battle here, Sedona’s residents will inevitably be caught in the flames of war, resulting in countless casualties. That is something I cannot bear to see, so we will relinquish Sedona and strive to fight in the wilds.”

An elderly man shouted, “Why can’t the West Wind Knight Order stay to protect us?”

Charlot shouted back, “Because it’s impossible!”

“We are merely a local militia-turned-knight order, ill-suited for direct confrontation.”

“The Black Phoenix Dynasty will continue to receive reinforcements, while we have none. This battle is unwinnable.”

Someone else yelled, “Why don’t we call for reinforcements?”

Charlot sighed without answering.

Why were there no reinforcements? Who could reinforce them? South Seraph had formally betrayed the Fars Empire to join Byron. The restorationists of South Seraph were still locked in bloody conflict with Fars forces in Ferranden on behalf of the Byron Empire.

Could reinforcements come from Fars? Or Byron? Even if Byron had the capacity, why would they protect South Seraph?

As traitors, South Seraph’s people were despised by Byron. Moreover, the vampires of Byron were notoriously unreliable. The orcs, lured into the Battle of Strasbourg with the promise of aid from the Blood God, had suffered catastrophic losses, including several Saints and tens of thousands of elite warriors. Their recovery would take decades.

Charlot understood Sedona’s residents’ panic. A tacitly balanced war had suddenly shifted, and their defenders were retreating, leaving them unprotected. However, he would not die defending Sedona, as doing so would be meaningless.

South Seraph and the Behemoth Principality bore deep enmity, with both sides intent on annihilating each other.

But the Black Phoenix Dynasty held no such grudge against South Seraph. If the West Wind Knight Order withdrew and the Black Phoenix forces occupied Sedona, the populace would likely remain unharmed.

Conversely, a battle in Sedona would likely kill at least 10–20% of its population. War always affected civilians.

Charlot believed the residents wouldn’t accept such reasoning, no matter how he explained it. They could only accept the West Wind Knight Order standing firm to defend Sedona, regardless of casualties.

Charlot’s high prestige meant nothing in the face of such sentiments.

Suddenly, someone shouted, “How are you any different from those Behemoth people?”

“When danger arises, you abandon us?”

Charlot patiently explained, “Fighting in Sedona would merely drag you innocent civilians into the conflict…”

Despite his knowledge of two worlds, Charlot found himself unable to quell the mounting public opinion. With a flash of inspiration, he announced loudly, “If anyone fears harm from the Black Phoenix army, they can leave with us. I will cover all travel expenses, accommodations, and protection.”

This declaration caused an uproar among Sedona’s residents, with nearly half of them eager to join the West Wind Knight Order in their retreat.

Even Charlot was surprised by how many people wished to follow him. However, he had no intention of emulating Liu Bei, who famously led a mass exodus.

Charlot made immediate preparations, declaring, “We are fleeing, not relocating. Please travel light and bring only essentials. The West Wind Knight Order will provide for your food and shelter.”

“If you’re unwilling to leave behind possessions such as houses, land, or furniture, and fear they’ll be damaged, you may sell them to the West Wind Knight Order. Once the war is over, you can repurchase them.”

“I will pay in gold écus, flor, or centime for any items you cannot bring. However, this is wartime, and the prices may not satisfy everyone.”

“Alternatively, you may choose not to sell.”

Charlot’s wealth was considerable. Yet, Herolf and Tumisan, floating above and observing, could not comprehend his actions. To them, this was sheer wastefulness.

Tumisan muttered, “Charlot must be too rich for his own good!”

Herolf’s lips twitched as he thought, He’s squandering my money!

Herolf silently lamented, How could he use my money so recklessly? All this junk isn’t worth much, and he’s just giving away gold écus, flor, and centime to these common folk. It’s madness!

Charlot’s outlook, however, fundamentally differed from that of this world. Raised in a society where commerce was paramount, he understood that wealth gained its value through circulation. The items he purchased would later be transported to other cities like Cappadocia, Saint Michael Island, or even sold via merchant ships to faraway lands. The gold he spent would likely return to him as those fleeing residents sought his products in the markets of other cities. Wealth, through this cycle, would ultimately grow rather than diminish.

The residents of Sedona, faced with an uncertain future, sold countless items to Charlot in exchange for cash before following the West Wind Knight Order in retreat. True to his promise, Charlot ensured they were safely relocated to various locations, including the Behemoth Principality and even Cappadocia.

Even those initially hesitant to leave found themselves tempted by the sight of others departing and soon joined the exodus.

However, the unexpected surge in the number of people fleeing created complications for Charlot. Maintaining order among so many was a challenge, forcing the West Wind Knight Order to slow its withdrawal to keep the peace.

Meanwhile, Monson and Baron Dakis, who had arrived in Sedona merely to scout its defenses, were baffled. Observing the city's evacuation from the skies, they hesitated to take any aggressive action, knowing Herolf and Tumisan outmatched them. Instead, they returned to their camp without consulting Chloe Hadrian, opting to await further reinforcements.

Their lack of initiative allowed Charlot’s withdrawal to proceed smoothly. However, when Andreas arrived with his own knight order three days later, he found Sedona nearly deserted.

Andreas’ face turned grim as he realized the significance of what had occurred. He exclaimed, “They’re executing a scorched-earth strategy!”

“They’ve evacuated everyone and everything! This must be Fars Empire’s chosen battleground—a Bloodshed Mill meant to grind down the Black Phoenix Dynasty’s forces.”

His words stunned Chloe and her officers. The seasoned commanders saw merit in Andreas’ reasoning. In prolonged battles, evacuating civilians was essential to conserve military resources, as an active population drained supplies that armies could not afford.

Charlot’s evacuation, though driven by pragmatism, was interpreted by his enemies as a calculated maneuver signaling an impending major campaign. This perspective quickly reached the Black Phoenix Dynasty’s royal court through Andreas’ reports, prompting the dynasty to approve large-scale reinforcements.

Charlot, meanwhile, led the West Wind Knight Order to Interlaken, only to find the Black Phoenix forces hot on their heels. Unwilling to engage, he abandoned the city, continuing his retreat and bringing with him any remaining residents and resources.

This cat-and-mouse game spread across South Seraph, with Charlot tactically withdrawing while evacuating civilians and stripping cities of their supplies. The Black Phoenix army’s inability to replenish locally forced them to adopt increasingly ruthless methods, leading to daily executions of South Seraph residents who refused to surrender their last reserves of food.

Charlot could do little to counter such atrocities. With five Saints now in the Black Phoenix forces, even Tumisan and Herolf, despite their best efforts, could barely hold the line.

As the West Wind Knight Order approached the borders of the Behemoth Principality, Charlot received news from the rear that two knight orders had arrived from the front lines—bearing the banners of the Purple Finch Knight Order and the Maple Leaf Knight Order. Leading these reinforcements were none other than his old acquaintances, Clair Bretagne and Ebner Soumet.

Yet Charlot felt no relief. While both Clair and Ebner were formidable Eighteenth-tier Great Knights, their presence in a battlefield dominated by Saints would contribute little beyond unnecessary casualties. Hoping to prevent them from marching into disaster, Charlot dispatched messengers urging them to withdraw.

However, Clair’s written reply dismissed Charlot’s concerns, promising that they would soon join him. This response left Charlot deeply anxious, prompting him to send repeated pleas for caution.

When Charlot finally crossed into the Behemoth Principality, the Black Phoenix forces closed in, their five Saints poised to force a decisive battle. For the first time, Charlot was cornered, unable to slip away.

The Black Phoenix army had long sought to trap Charlot, whose cunning maneuvers had earned him a reputation as an elusive adversary. This time, however, their careful planning had paid off.

Recognizing that further retreat was impossible, Charlot ordered the West Wind Knight Order to form their strongest Ironclad Defensive Formation, preparing for a grueling confrontation.

Just as the opposing forces lined up for battle, two knight orders appeared behind Charlot, flying the banners of Purple Finch and Maple Leaf.

At first, Charlot thought his retreat route had been blocked by more Black Phoenix reinforcements. But upon closer inspection, he realized the two knight orders were Clair Bretagne and Ebner Soumet’s forces.

Their timely arrival brought little comfort to Charlot. While their numbers added to his strength, the overall situation remained bleak.

As the battlefield settled into an uneasy standoff, Andreas rose into the air, scanning the opposing forces. His sharp gaze fell on the reinforcements, solidifying his belief that Fars Empire was preparing for a large-scale campaign.

From above, Andreas sneered. “They think they can deceive us by pretending to retreat. This entire setup is a ruse to lure us into a trap!”

High above, Clair Bretagne floated into the air, his crisp and spotless uniform standing out. In a clear, sharp voice, he called out, “Andreas! I hear you’re the youngest Saint of the Black Phoenix Dynasty?”

Clair’s calm confidence surprised Charlot. From below, Charlot shouted in astonishment, “Clair! Have you ascended to Saint rank?”

Clair Bretagne smiled, waving down at Charlot. “That’s why I chose to advance rather than retreat when you told me to stay back.”

“And not just me—Ebner has ascended as well.”

Charlot inhaled deeply, overwhelmed by the development. His mind raced. “War may bring chaos and suffering to many, but it also forges heroes in tumultuous times.”

“With both Clair and Ebner ascending to Saint rank, this battle might just turn in our favor.”

Even as he strategized, pondering how to leverage their newfound strength against the five Black Phoenix Saints, a fierce clash erupted in the skies. Clair Bretagne and Andreas had wasted no time, their powers colliding violently.

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