This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 644 - 566 The Collapse of Laine

Chapter 644: Chapter 566 The Collapse of Laine

Over half a year had passed since that battle in the Arena, and the Laine Empire had suffered unprecedented devastation.

But their defeat did not come on the battlefield.

With the revelation of the Magic Dragon’s true nature and Arthur Laine’s sacrifice once again, the entire Laine was plunged into chaos and bewilderment.

The more fervent the faith, the greater the damage caused by its collapse.

In that half-year period, the number of suicides in Laine exceeded one million, the majority being military personnel, especially within the Laine’s Paladin Legion, which suffered extreme losses.

Knowing that suicide would condemn them to Hell, these Paladins still chose such an extreme method.

Facing the accountability demands of other Kingdoms, the evidence of countless war crimes, and the evil consequences of years of human supremacy, they found themselves unable to atone.

Aside from going to Hell, they had no other way out.

Allen did all he could, but he couldn’t attend to these Paladins, as he needed to focus on the other civilians.

The collapse of faith led to immense domestic turmoil, and while the Orcs and Dwarves didn’t launch overt attacks, other forms of threats were rife.

For a time, the people of Laine were panic-stricken, and the prices of goods soared.

The once prosperous Kingdom where everyone had enough to eat now faced famine and unrest within just a few months, and Allen alone could not save the Empire.

Fortunately, James Watson, the former Supreme Decree, was still there, and so was his network.

In these chaotic times, the entire Watson family mobilized.

James Watson took over the Bureau of Judicial Review, first stabilizing the Imperial Capital’s nobles, then sending a large number of reserves to various regions.

This millennia-old Empire was never short of elites; the young people from the Divine College just lacked opportunities. James Watson personally selected them, pushing through the objections to grant these youngsters sufficient authority, and sent them to oversee local matters. They were not in charge of the military but specialized in civil affairs, tasked with rationing supplies, assuring the disaster-stricken population, and helping local Lords stabilize the chaos.

Allen, as the representative of the Laine Empire, began several months of continuous diplomatic work.

Laine was on the brink of collapse, completely unable to withstand external attacks, and with Orcs and Dwarves harboring deep-seated hatred for Laine, Allen had to stabilize these two neighbors. If hostilities broke out now, Laine would be utterly destroyed. Now, only Allen could represent Laine in diplomacy, as no one else would be recognized.

It should have been Allen’s elder brother’s job to pacify the army, given that he was once the highest-ranking officer.

But Allen’s elder brother, Ange Watson, happened to be a general favored by the Dragon Emperor, and after the Dragon’s identity was exposed, he naturally became the target of public outrage. Ange Watson’s resolve was not so strong; on the third day after Arthur Laine’s sacrifice, he too committed suicide before that monument.

Kaid Watson, usually the laziest of the bunch, stepped out of his home after his older brother’s suicide, contacting those uneasy generals. Laine had more than just the Watson family, it’s just that they weren’t "rehabilitated" like Allen.

Those generals each believed they were guilty, trembling in expectation of divine punishment, thus feeling disqualified to set an example for others, rendering them incapable of taking action. Kaid Watson had a clear understanding of the human psyche, so his first move was to reach out to nobles who had once supported Allen’s splintering of Laine, and with them at the core, he assembled the first combat-ready force, then began to quell the unrest.

The first task was to suppress the riots, then to rally the troops and reassure those warriors whose faith had collapsed.

Kaid Watson’s achievements surprised everyone; this man, who usually seemed sluggish and indolent, as if nothing really mattered to him, managed to play a key role in calming the public during this crisis. Most of the anxious Paladins were shocked by the intense Holy Light emanating from him when they saw Kaid Watson.

After that momentous decisive battle, many Paladins and Light Priests were unable to use the Holy Light, which is why they fell into despair, thinking themselves sinful, leading to numerous suicides.

Kaid Watson’s way of comforting others was to loudly announce all the foolish things he had done, all the acts that defied doctrine, while radiating this splendid, dazzling Holy Light.

"When I was in the Divine College, I peeped at the nuns bathing!"

"After getting punished for skipping school, I spat on my teacher’s back!"

"I’ve stolen money from home, and I even blamed it on my younger brother Allen when he was only seven years old!"

"I’ve been to battle, but out of fear of death, I turned deserter the first day, claiming I had run into Goblins, when actually, I stabbed myself twice!"

"I have also mistakenly killed the innocent on the battlefield, my hands have been stained with the blood of the blameless!"

"I am corrupt! I did business with a Lich, and as a middleman, I took plenty of kickbacks!"

...

One by one, Kaid Worson admits to crimes that, spoken aloud, would normally lead to an honorable execution, yet the Holy Light within him did not diminish in the slightest.

"How can a sinner like me still wield the Holy Light? Has the Lord of the Dawn really not abandoned me? Do you know why?"

Kaid Worson looked at the disheartened but somewhat hopeful Paladins and said loudly, "Because I never give up hope! That is the doctrine we believe in; we must always be like the dawn, always hopeful for the future, always bringing hope to others!"

At each stop, Kaid Worson used his own transgressions to inspire others.

The effect was surprisingly good; many regained their Holy Light under Kaid Worson’s encouragement and gathered around him.

But Kaid Worson quickly redirected the admiration of these people to his younger brother Allen, who, according to Kaid, was the true Saint, a man without fault who from birth until now had firmly upheld the doctrine.

It was with the help of this brother that the domestic situation finally began to improve.

However, when Allen, who was far away in the desert, heard about this, he hid himself away and cried for a long time.

Because he knew very well that his second brother had not committed these wrongdoings.

The Watson family was very strict in upbringing, and even their oldest brother, Ange Watson, who was most deeply brainwashed by the Magic Dragon, had never committed so many transgressions. The greatest violation of the doctrine by the three Watson brothers was lying to others.

Kaid Worson was now lying; he had sacrificed his own honor to rekindle hope in those sinners and to set Laine back on the right track.

Perhaps it was precisely this sacrifice that made the Holy Light upon him shine even brighter.

Allen didn’t dare cry for too long, because a draining negotiation awaited him. The Dwarves demanded compensation from Laine for the losses caused by their invasion, and even one-tenth of the sum would be enough to bankrupt Laine completely.

But there was no choice; Laine had to admit its mistakes and hope for forgiveness.

The desert must be returned; this was non-negotiable, and as for the compensation, negotiations would continue.

Allen felt a splitting headache; he hadn’t slept properly in days, and with the Dwarves pressuring him step by step, he didn’t know how to cope.

If the negotiations failed, the Orcs definitely wouldn’t stay idle, and they might even mobilize troops again despite a lack of supplies.

If only the Lich were still here, he could settle any matter as long as he was paid, and no matter how greedy the Lich was, he always left a way out for the opposing negotiator.

Unfortunately, he was no longer around.

As Allen washed his face with cold water, preparing to meet with the Dwarf officials once more, he suddenly heard a trembling sound.

He turned around and saw the portable Magic Mirror on the bedside vibrating.

Before Allen could open it, Amberser’s face appeared on the mirror.

Still with that youthful appearance and welcoming smile, Amberser said, "Yo, long time no see... it’s only been half a year, Allen, how come you’ve aged a decade?"

Hearing this familiar voice, Allen’s eyes teared up, and he was almost about to cry again.

Allen, biting his teeth, said, "Master Ultraman, as I thought... please, save Laine!"