Chapter 45: The Tradition of the Elves and the First Contact with Isugard

In the evening, after obtaining permission from Fen to investigate the Oak Tree Mine, Yang Hao inquired about the feasibility of reforming the conscription system and mobilization within elven society.

“Conscription isn’t an issue. Temporary training, at least to teach them discipline, isn’t too difficult. But mobilization. What does that mean?”

Fen was curious about the new term. Yang Hao explained that mobilization refers to the act of a nation rallying and deploying all its resources in preparation for an impending war.

“So, to prepare for the upcoming war with the Diocese, we need to direct all our resources towards every aspect related to warfare, correct?”

“Yes. However, I don’t recommend blind mobilization right now. On one hand, I still need some time to confirm the direction of the reforms. On the other hand, I think mobilizing now would only lead to elves allocating resources to impractical areas.”

“Impractical?”

Yang Hao and Teresa exchanged glances, then sighed in unison:

“For example, putting resources into the decorative aspects of bows rather than the bows themselves.”

The elves could indeed do something like that.

If industrial reforms were implemented and new standards for conventional weapons were not established before initiating mobilization, the elves might genuinely believe that they needed to create more perfect longbows instead of affordable and practical ones. Then, a hundred years would pass, and they might only have produced a few hundred bows while their homeland was already under attack.

So, Yang Hao decided to consider the timing for mobilization after assessing the current situation of the elves.

Upon reflecting on her perfectionist kin, Fen realized that they might indeed focus on unnecessary details. She smiled and agreed to wait.

After concluding the initial work discussions, Fen brought some difficult news to Yang Hao.

On the evening of May 10th, in six days, the masters would hold the Elven Council to discuss the upcoming reforms.

Yang Hao, as the core of these reforms, had to be present.

Fen promised to support him fully, but given the council would inevitably bring doubts and questions from the masters, she hoped Yang Hao could at least present some practical plans or ideas in the coming days.

“I’m very sorry, but this is really urgent.”

“Fen, I understand. And to be honest, it’s great that the elves are giving me some buffer time.”

“Huh?”

“Because in Roman, every time I faced something similar, I’d be meeting the black dragon of Isugard at the port one day, and the next day, I’d be debating in the capital without any preparation. Though in hindsight, those were all conspiracies, Roman Empire indeed liked making people work without any preparation.”

At this point, Yang Hao felt quite grateful. Having five days to prepare was really a blessing.

Teresa nodded in agreement. After all, she had also faced similar situations while pretending to convert to the God of Light Church and conducting mass.

Considering how the elves informed the concerned parties before meetings, this practice was truly a blessing of a civilized society. 

But, after careful calculation, there was only five days?

In five days, Yang Hao could only come up with some ideas and plans. It was clear that the proposal for cheaper longbows would likely receive support if the elven masters were wise.

However, the industrialization characteristic of the elves, the reform of the conscription system, and the final mobilization might face opposition.

The former might cause irreversible damage to the Elven Forest, as for a long period, the ancient trees would have to focus on industrial rather than civil growth.

The latter might disrupt some of the current elven societal customs, alter the population structure, and make the number of soldiers the majority, affecting the normal succession of professions like craftsmen and farmers.

The final one would skew the originally equal societal resources heavily towards the military, resulting in an imbalance where other sectors were left wanting while the military enjoys abundance.

But Yang Hao believed these proposals could still pass. Because to create new order, the old must be dismantled. The elves reached the brink of war and must allocate resources to the military. No matter how stubborn the old guard was, changes must happen now.

However, these proposals alone still lacked something decisive.

Yang Hao must obtain tangible results. At least something the elves could see and find useful within five days.

What should he do?

Yang Hao fell into deep thought. Just then, Fen suddenly smiled and mentioned that she already knew about him pulling Arthur back into his team. Just thinking about Arthur, she recalled the first waves that appeared in the Elven capital.

“That was the first time a human, outside of the Bayerzost Empire, was willing to follow our rules, enter our city with proper etiquette, and respect our traditions.”

Fen smiled, “And you have to admit, Mr. Arthur is indeed a genius. Whether it’s his speed in understanding our traditions, mingling with women, or integrating into elven life, he’s a natural. More importantly, he seems to inherently disapprove of the perfect weapons and crafts of the elves.”

“Actually, if we only consider practicality, the weapons of the elves would certainly be criticized outside,” Yang Hao said.

“Yes. So, I appreciate Mr. Arthur’s boldness in speaking out. But what I appreciate even more is his loyalty to you.”

“Loyalty to me?”

Yang Hao blinked, not understanding what Fen was saying.

Fen sipped some fruit juice and explained that it was something that happened two days after the Silent Exile incident.

At that time, Arthur, in his despair, told the elves that he had resigned from his position as a diplomat of the Roman Empire.

He openly cried, saying that his only understanding king might never guide him in his reckless ways again, and then he left the city in despair.

There was even a period when this man had suicidal thoughts, but in the end, the female elves comforted his soul. However, speaking of the women around Arthur, one could not ignore the elves’ stubborn traditions.

“Lord Yang Hao, perhaps you have heard outside that when elves love someone, they especially cherish an entire family until their own death, a love that can last for centuries and is known as the Millennial Covenant.”

Fen smiled without speaking. At some point, her gaze had shifted from Yang Hao’s face to Sister Teresa, who was pouting while eating.

“But, this is actually a misconception.”

“A misconception?”

“Because the so-called Millennial Covenant does not exist. Elves will do whatever it takes to keep their beloved by their side, even if it means using various magic to extend the life of someone who would otherwise live only twenty years. Arthur is a victim of this tradition or rather, of the elves’ stubborn nature. Did you notice, while walking through our city, that there seems to be a disproportionately large number of females?”

Fen hummed softly, while Yang Hao pondered, and Teresa’s face suddenly turned pale after blinking.

“Elves have many traditions. Males like to become rangers and wander the world after reaching adulthood, while females prefer to stay in their hometowns and refine their skills. This is quite normal for elves. However, as the Demon scourge, the rangers who ventured out could no longer guarantee their safe return. Especially after the end of the Demon Calamity War, the three-out-of-ten male survival rate further exacerbated the gender imbalance in Caparia, leaving many female elves seeking companionship in loneliness. On the surface, they lived peaceful lives, but deep down, they still longed for a serene love and a companion. Naturally, Mr. Arthur, as an outsider and a handsome yet principled libertine, quickly gained the attention and approval of the elves through his abilities and achievements within just a few months of arriving in Fingal, where the population structure had remained unchanged for centuries, resulting in more women than men. Consequently, he also won the affection of many stay-at-home elf women. You might find it hard to understand why Mr. Arthur continues to be flirtatious even after marriage. But in reality, this is a compromise within elf society. So, I am actually grateful that Mr. Arthur is a libertine. Otherwise, Fingal could have turned into a brutal battlefield among women in recent times.”

At this point, Fen took another sip of juice. She looked at Teresa with a meaningful gaze, and Teresa met her gaze unflinchingly.

“Elves will do anything for the ones they love. When a man who is devoted to one woman gains the affection of over a dozen elf women simultaneously, the consequences could be unimaginable. Perhaps after a fierce struggle, through ruthless means, there would only be one winner left in the shadows. Of course, they would never let the man involved realize anything. After all, elves have long lifespans. For them, traveling for hundreds of years is normal. Using this as an excuse to cover up the decades-long disappearance of a particular female elf friend would be perfect. But what actually happens, only they know. In rare cases, there is room for compromise. But this only happens in families with identical twins or between two elf women who are as close as sisters and do not wish to separate. In such cases, they might choose to compromise and share this distorted yet fitting love according to the current state of the elves. From Fen’s perspective, any of these scenarios would be unacceptable…so I am truly grateful that Mr. Arthur is a libertine. He really knows how to manage relationships. He knows which elf who likes him is on the brink of losing control and needs his attention, which elf can be delayed a little longer, and he can even manage his time to balance work and rest. He dances like a butterfly in a rain of arrows, ensuring that no bloodshed related to elves has occurred in Fingal during this period. He is truly remarkable. The price is that his legs are almost never intact for long, but this is also an elf tradition. You’ve heard about the promise they made when they got married, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then I don’t need to say more. The main point is that I hope you, Regent Yang Hao, are prepared.”

“Huh?”

Yang Hao was bewildered, feeling completely lost for a moment.

Teresa, standing nearby, looked at Fen’s smiling face with a serious expression.

On the surface, Fen’s explanation seemed to aim at preventing Yang Hao from harboring any resentment towards Arthur’s behavior. However, in reality, she was using Arthur’s experiences to announce something to her.

Fen was declaring that in her efforts to ensure the Regent King permanently resided in the Elven Kingdom, she would stop at nothing and use any means necessary.

But her final promise implied that although she would use any means necessary, the elves would still remember their vows. In other words, they would pursue their unscrupulous methods based on the previous vow?

‘Tsk tsk. What has the Elven Kingdom become after a thousand years of losses due to the war with the demonic surge?’

Teresa felt a headache coming on.

At this moment, Yang Hao, also sipping his drink, sighed, “If that’s the case, I really must commend Arthur’s emotional intelligence. If it were me, I might only regret it after a bloody incident occurred.”

“It’s already impressive that you can foresee a bloody incident. Most people wouldn’t even realize what happened in the end.”

“Precisely because I can foresee it, I have great respect for Arthur’s emotional intelligence. It’s really difficult for him, carefully maintaining balance. Maybe the pressure he faced was even greater than mine when I was the Regent King of the Roman Empire.”

“Hehe. Speaking of which, aren’t you eager to rescue the little empress right away?”

When the topic turned to the little Empress, Yang Hao’s expression naturally became extremely serious.

But he said he wasn’t in a hurry. In fact, even if he was anxious, the actual situation didn’t allow him to be.

“Putting aside how the elves are supposed to hold off the church’s attack in a few months, if the elves really rescue the little empress and the chief judge right now, then it won’t be just the church attacking the Elven Forest.”

The little Empress was currently the symbol of the Roman Empire, a bright and great presence sitting on the emperor’s throne. At least in the eyes of the Romans, excluding Garson.

In this situation, rescuing the little Empress from the throne would provide a strong and righteous cause for other regions of the Roman Empire to attack the Elven Kingdom.

Whether it was the military districts, the church, or the noble landlords—they all wanted to rule the Roman Empire, but they had no legitimate claim to support their actions besides the royal family.

So they just waited, with the church fighting the Elven Kingdom while the other three factions minded their own business, appearing so harmonious in their division.

But if the elves rescued the little Empress at this critical moment, the previously divided factions would reach a consensus: beat up the elves first.

At that point, the little Empress, who had just gained freedom, would face the plight of being homeless again, and Yang Hao wouldn’t have the ability to protect his brother-in-arms’ daughter amidst thousands of troops. 

So, after thinking it over, what was the use of being anxious now?

His heart was anxious, but he had to proceed steadily and cautiously.

Yang Hao was mumbling to himself. Just then, Kenna suddenly burst into the reception room.

“Fen, His Majesty Yang Hao, Her Majesty Teresa… Sister. We’ve received news from the coast. Our rangers have made contact with a force calling itself Isugard.”

She paused for a moment, seemingly considering her words carefully.

Then, under everyone’s watchful eyes, she delivered the complete report, “They have two metal warships and three merchant ships. They are constructing a secret port in the no-man’s land approximately 40 kilometers from the Roman Empire’s border. They are equipped with some very strange weapons, and most importantly, there’s a heavily injured black dragon in human form among them.”

“Black dragon?” Yang Hao blinked, thinking it couldn’t be such a coincidence. “Do we know the identity of this black dragon?”

Kenna shook her head. The other party had not disclosed the dragon’s identity. They had merely politely stated that they needed assistance and were willing to trade their goods in exchange.

But the goods they were buying included some strange, pipe-like weapons. The rangers didn’t know what they were for and hoped for guidance.

In response, Yang Hao seriously asked, “Is there a way for us to see the situation on-site? This is an opportunity. The best chance to acquire advanced technology from Isugard.”

He was visibly excited, genuinely surprised by this unexpected stroke of luck.