Chapter 120: After the Battle

In the North, as the campaign led by the royal court against the Empire of Yadis gradually drew to a close, the main forces of the royal court withdrew from the northern territories, revealing the outcome of the battle. The Empire of Yadis successfully defended its capital city. Although it suffered heavy losses, it gained a slight advantage in this conflict.

With the end of this great war, many of the noble houses who had been watching from the sidelines felt a mix of disappointment and relief deep in their hearts.

No matter the intentions of either side, they were now inevitably entering a prolonged stalemate.

At the same time, with the cessation of hostilities between the two nations and their respective efforts to suppress the growing rebellions in the rear, preparing to recuperate and rebuild, a rare calm settled upon the once chaotic lands.

Both sides stationed heavy troops along the border as a precaution, yet restrained themselves from launching further offensives, gradually shifting their focus inward to domestic affairs.

Under these circumstances, Yadis finally had the opportunity to turn its attention to internal affairs.

After the long and arduous war, countless soldiers had distinguished themselves on the battlefield, and many disabled veterans required settlement and care. Seizing this moment, Yadis began to reorganize.

Several original commanders, such as Nadier and Bazel, were rewarded handsomely—some even ennobled and granted vast territories.

...

On a broad road, a series of horse-drawn carriages moved forward, accompanied by hundreds of knights riding in escort.

Among them, Nadier and Bazel appeared at the front, each mounted on horseback, advancing under the protection of a cavalcade of knights.

Onlookers along the roadside gazed with envy at the two figures clad in imposing armor.

“Father, are those two generals?” A young man at a farm asked, his eyes filled with admiration as he watched the countless knights in the distance.

Behind him, several dark-skinned slaves toiled diligently under supervision, tending to the fields.

A burly middle-aged man with a rugged air and several scars stepped forward beside the youth and said, “Those are Legion Commanders Nadier and Bazel. They're probably out here on patrol with their guards.”

“Legion Commanders!” the youth exclaimed, his gaze fixed almost unblinkingly on the pale blue banners fluttering in the distance.

Ahead, Bazel looked with curiosity at the people emerging from the fields.

“No need to be surprised,” Nadier’s steady voice came from beside him.

He looked at Bazel and explained, “This area was just wasteland a year or two ago. The Emperor ordered that soldiers who were disabled or too old be retired, then distributed the remaining veterans here based on their merits.”

“Now, it seems the land has been cultivated,” Nadier said with a faint smile.

“No wonder so many people seem to recognize us,” Bazel chuckled. “There appear to be some of your former men up ahead.”

Nadier glanced forward and saw a group of people standing in the fields, saluting him from a distance.

He smiled and then instructed a nearby knight, “Send some men over with a few bottles of beer for them.”

“This place looks quite good,” Bazel’s voice came from behind him.

He observed the smiles on the faces around them and said, “Beyond this, we’re nearing the edge of the village.”

At some point, a church appeared in the distance.

“Looks like we’ve reached the end,” Nadier said, shaking his head. He dismounted and, along with Bazel, entered through the church’s doors.

The church was simple but neat and gave off a comfortable aura.

Inside, Nadier and Bazel immediately sensed a natural fragrance wafting through the air, tinged with a faint divine energy.

Ahead, several priests clad in white robes busily moved about, accompanied by a few others wearing gray robes.

Nadier was momentarily taken aback.

“These are apprentice priests,” Bazel explained beside him. “They’re selected from common folk by the local church. Although their divine power and skills aren’t up to the standards of full priests, they show great potential.”

“It’s said that as many villages have sprung up, there aren’t enough priests to serve them all. So, the Emperor ordered local churches to recruit some assistant priests themselves.”

“However, there’s a limit to their numbers.”

Nadier nodded thoughtfully at this.

Nearby, villagers moved about, collecting seeds or carrying food supplies.

In the main hall ahead, even adorable children dressed in small priestly robes quietly chanted prayers under the guidance of a priest.

The church thus served a dual role as both school and distribution center.

Due to the scarcity of personnel and the sheer number of villages, not every place could have all the necessary facilities.

Therefore, the church assumed more responsibilities.

In these remote villages, the church was not only the agency for selling essential goods like grain and regulating prices but also the educator of the village’s children, teaching them literacy and prayer.

In another sense, this was the spreading of faith. These children, nurtured and raised in the church from a young age, would grow to hold firm beliefs as adults. Over generations, that faith would become an inseparable legacy, deeply rooted.

Indeed, across the Empire of Yadis, as more churches gradually took shape, leading village communities in prayer, a faint light of faith began to coalesce. Though still tenuous, it was steadily solidifying and spreading throughout the empire.

This signaled that faith was gradually growing stronger across the land.

At this moment, as waves of devout prayers echoed within the church, a faint glow of divine light quietly rose, transforming the surroundings into a small, subtle sacred domain that purified all impurities.

In the stillness, Nadier shook his head. “Let’s go. There are several more places to inspect.”

Bazel nodded in agreement and stepped outside.

On the road, a merchant caravan slowly emerged from the distant highway and came to a halt. Several individuals bearing divine insignias approached the church.

In the fields, a priest walked among the crops, his divine power gently fluctuating. As he cast various sacred spells, subtle changes began to manifest in the farmland.

Above, the dark miasma that had once pervaded the skies was gradually dispelled by the expanding sacred domains on the ground, weakening little by little.

The era of turmoil was beginning to ebb, giving way to a new dawn.