The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 556: Volume 14: Accumulating Thinly and Striking Forcefully - 1: Helplessness

Chapter 556: Volume 14: Accumulating Thinly and Striking Forcefully Chapter 1: Helplessness

Gazing outside the window at the incessant autumn rain, the rough and ferocious Half-Beastman sat in the grand hall with a look of worry on his face. The lavish home was a place once out of his reach, where he never dared to dream he’d reside, but now seated here, he realized it was not as comfortable and peaceful as he had imagined.

"To put it in his own words, sitting here listening to the endless complaints and threats from those below all day long, he would rather choose to fight or toil," Komer said.

Finally, footsteps could be heard outside the hall. Woodhardt had grown somewhat afraid of facing his subordinates. Unable to meet their needs, let alone their minimal requirements for subsistence, not to mention winter clothing, the Half-Beastmen, although physically far stronger than mortals, needed food and clothing just the same. Now with nothing at all, how would he get through this winter?

The person appearing before Woodhardt had a mortal’s face, which, to his relief, prompted a weary Woodhardt to invite him in.

The expression on the other’s face seemed a bit odd, not the usual gloom. Woodhardt didn’t know what had happened, and he had to admit that his abilities were insufficient to manage this land. The needs for food, clothing, housing, and transportation of more than a hundred thousand people all depended on him. He was not an omnipotent god who could conjure these things from thin air, and he could only watch as the situation on the land worsened day by day, feeling powerless.

Perhaps it was time to make a decision, to prove to his kin that although he was incapable, he was not a leader who selfishly clung to power.

"Bovary, how are things?" This mortal man who had emerged with him from the coal mines’ ever-threatening caves had always been his most reliable supporter and planner. Unfortunately, he couldn’t change the current situation in Banassia either. He deeply regretted being unable to provide this mortal friend with a better life. Their demands were so modest, so why were the mortal nobles unwilling to make even the smallest concessions to satisfy their kin?

"Hmm, there’s been some change. I’ve heard that Baron Komer has returned to Ugru, and he brought back some good news. The Jellyfish People have been persuaded by Baron Komer to open up the Catania River for navigation. Now all of Caucasus is boiling with excitement, and the food prices in Caucasus and Mandu have already dropped. Maybe this way, we can endure a little longer."

Bovary’s expression was complicated. While a drop in food prices was certainly a good thing, and great news for the Caucasus, it did not mean much in real terms for Leon.

Aside from Mandu, which had nearly returned to normal due to essentially falling entirely under Caucasus’s control, the other three regions were in chaos, with the rebel forces in each unable to control the situation.

Without sufficient food supply, more and more rebels quietly transformed into bandits, and countless Half-Beastmen simply abandoned everything, fetching their children and hurrying toward Mandu. The newly appointed Administrative Officer of Mandu and that person Dragumo had already issued two warnings, demanding control over the population, or they would completely close off the passages between Mandu and the other regions of Leon.

For them, however, such threatening language was meaningless; no one could completely block the connections between Mandu and the other regions of Leon. Half-Beastmen were the best at mountain crossing – even the Volt Mountain Range could not stop their steps, let alone these plains?

Even if the Caucasians dispatched all their Self-Defense Forces and the Lord’s Guard to Mandu, they couldn’t stop the tide of Half-Beastmen seeking food down south. Besides, a significant portion of the Lord’s Guard and Self-Defense Forces consisted of their kin. It was unlikely that the Lord would make such an unwise move.

"Enduring a little longer? Bovary, is there anything left worth holding on for? It’s just a matter of time. This cursed place can’t produce the food we need, and even if it could, there isn’t enough time. The coal mines and iron mines can’t operate normally, and it’s not just Banassia, Murray and Izmir seem to be in the same state as us. I don’t understand how Mandu managed to resume work in such a short time, and I’ve heard their output has even increased significantly. Are we Half-Beastmen destined to be slaves? Only you mortals are capable of such feats?" Woodhardt murmured despairingly as he sat in his chair.

With a bitter smile, Bovary had witnessed the same scene. Although he was a mortal, he had also stayed in the coal mines and was equally unfamiliar with the outside world, especially such mythical displays akin to those found in a bard’s fantasy tales. He, too, was filled with horror and awe like the Half-Beastmen.

He didn’t know how those people could communicate with the gods above, but he believed they were divine messengers, representing the will of the gods, to dispense punishment and judgment upon the mortals below. To challenge the messengers of the gods was undoubtedly a quest for death.

"Woodhardt, mortals are different from one another; some are born with the blessings of the gods, destined to become Mages and Nobles, while some, like me, are forsaken by the gods and can only become slaves. To change our fate, we must rely on ourselves to strive for it, just as we are doing now, trying to change our destiny, aren’t we?" Bovary’s mouth was bitter as he struggled to swallow his saliva, comforting the other.

"Bovary, I think we should visit Ugru again and show our sincerity to Lord Komer. If Dragumo’s actions can bring peace to Mandu, allowing our brethren there to enjoy the treatment of Free Citizens of Caucasus, why can’t we? Baron Komer can’t favor one over the other. Leon is one family. Last time Baron Komer wasn’t home, and those people’s stance may not necessarily represent him. What do you think?"

Seemingly resolved, Woodhardt stood up and clenched his fists, "If Baron Komer disagrees, I will kneel outside his Lord’s Mansion until he agrees."

Bovary was not surprised by Woodhardt’s thinking. Half-Beastmen were straightforward by nature and favored a direct approach; they were not adept at playing cunning schemes and stratagems.

The pressure of keeping over a hundred thousand Half-Beastmen and mortals in Banassia alive was overwhelming Bovary and Woodhardt. Managing coal and iron mines was far from as manageable as initially imagined. Frequent incidents of water leaks, poison gas, and mine collapses elicited complaints from miners of all races and halted production; without coal and iron ore, they could not trade with Caucasus for food.

With autumn passing and the ordeal of severe winter imminent, the issue of food had left both men at their wit’s end, and now they faced the pressure of winter clothing. Both Woodhardt and Bovary realized that they probably couldn’t solve these problems.

Caucasus was no longer as generous with support as before. Mandu was a clear example: only through labor and production could they earn rewards to buy the necessities of life.

Dragumo must have had the foresight, wisely handing over Mandu and not only getting rid of the problem of feeding and clothing tens of thousands of miners but also gaining the trust and praise of Caucasus, becoming an enviable officer in the Caucasus Self-Defense Forces.

Woodhardt had also hoped for the same treatment, but now Caucasus seemed to have lost interest in other regions after taking over Mandu, perhaps realizing that the food supply of Caucasus was not enough to meet the needs of the entire Leon and taking this stance to avoid pressure.

However, the latest news from Caucasus seemed to indicate that the Catania River route had opened, which should greatly relieve their food pressure. The problem facing Woodhardt and his people was what to offer in exchange for Caucasus’s food?

With the coal and iron mines not operating normally and tens of thousands needing food and clothing, the slave miners, accustomed to being managed and directed, were at a loss when suddenly expected to manage the mines themselves; long-established habits couldn’t be changed quickly. Without authority, lacking management mechanisms, and capable administrators, this all led to complete chaos in Banassia.

If things continued this way, Banassia would indeed fall into unrest and collapse. They desperately needed someone to manage and restrain them; this almost comical request was nevertheless the reality they were facing.

Maha Gummi was feeling rather triumphant recently. Although that so-called Noble Knight from Murray had yet to submit, it didn’t matter, for it was only a matter of time. Banassia and Izmir had already shown their intentions. No one could withstand hunger forever, and for those currently living in Leon, food decided everything.

This situation was, in fact, expected. Beastmen were the most honest race; they just needed to fill their stomachs. However, the rebel leaders of Murray, Banassia, and Izmir were exactly unable to meet even this basic need.

The increasingly unstable situation had persisted for two or three months now, and with food becoming scarcer, the traders from Muscat had almost stopped supplying food to the three regions. Although food prices had fallen a lot, without sufficient coal and iron ore to trade, shrewd businessmen, though not averse to credit, would not readily accept Half-Beastmen customers without established reputations, unless guaranteed by the Caucasus Prefecture.

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