my armed maid

Chapter 29 28: The future of Linfeng City

"Yuna, I'm going to the Imperial Capital. There are the best teachers and cultivation resources there, which can help me break through the bottleneck of cultivation."

"When will you be back?"

"Oh, I've said it many times, you don't need to use honorifics to me, just call me Eve. I think it won't take long this time, I'll be back in about another year.

"Calculating the time, you should just graduate from the Knight Academy, and I will become a genuine high-level mage!

"Until then, you can be my personal guard!"

The conversation between Evelin and herself when they parted in the past was still in her ears, and Yuna stared blankly at the girl in front of her.

After not seeing her for more than a year, she has become more beautiful and must have become stronger.

But what remains unchanged is her sincere character and fiery style - she is the eldest lady of Linfeng City, how could she dare to leave the city with only such a few people? This is too dangerous!

"What, it's been so long that we can't even talk to each other?"

Evelin got off her horse and looked at her with a smile, "Even if you go to the imperial capital, you still exchange letters, right?"

Even though things have changed, her smile is still as bright as in her memory, quietly touching the softest part of Yuna's heart.

It is precisely in the vicissitudes of life that some things that have not changed are even more precious.

Her tense body slowly relaxed and she whispered: "Welcome back, Eve."

"Yeah!" Evelin responded with a soft smile, "I'm back."

"I understand that you must have a lot more to say, but unfortunately we don't have time to chat at the moment."

Nolen interrupted their touching moment of reunion in a confused manner, "The Prairie Rangers are coming soon. Evelin, are you sure you can deal with them?"

"Of course!"

Evelin had a different attitude towards Nolen. She glared at him and said, "I am a high-level mage, and the people I bring are all the best. There will be no problem!"

The Peak Knights are personally controlled by the city lord Ivan, and even she cannot easily get involved, but this does not mean that she has become the bare commander.

In fact, the Bayhart family controls the entire Linfeng City. Even if it does not include the organized army, its family strength is the strongest in the city.

Many powerful extraordinary beings take orders directly from the Bayhart family instead of the city lord's palace.

As the eldest lady of the Bayhart family, it is natural for her to take the elders and guards with her when she leaves the city.

This team of only a dozen people are all extraordinary beings with levels above fourth level, and one of them is a powerful seventh level knight!

Level seven!

You must know that there are only two eighth-level experts in Linfeng City. One is the old city lord of Linfeng City, "Linfeng Tiger" Eamonn Bayhart.

The other is the leader of the Linfeng Knights and the principal of the Knights Academy, "Lion of Linfeng" Ryan Anderson.

Now the old city lord Aemon is ill and has passed on the position of city lord and clan leader to his son Ivan. He has not appeared in the eyes of the world for several years.

Only Ryan is left to act as the most powerful face in Linfeng City, but he also takes a back seat due to his age and rarely shows off his skills.

As a result, Linfeng City's backbone combat force that can be dispatched at will only consists of sixth- and seventh-level extraordinary beings.

In addition, Linfeng City is located in the remote western border, far away from the political, economic, and cultural centers of the empire, and the inflow of foreign talents is relatively small.

Compared with other cities, the overall strength is close to the bottom in the Roland Empire.

Of course, the prairie people are actually not much better.

They have been wandering in the desolate frontier for a long time. Even if the people are strong and the people are soldiers, limited by population and resources, the number of high-level extraordinary people is not large, which is about the same as Linfeng City.

It's just that Linfeng City pursued a passive no-war strategy, so the prairie people successfully plundered so many people and villages.

Now Evelin has brought the elite troops of the Bayhart family to support. Not only is she a high-level mage, but she also brings a seventh-level knight.

This is already considered the top personal combat power in this war.

Harrison's elite assault force consisted of only two sixth-level knights.

Now with the addition of sixth-level mages and seventh-level knights, not to mention annihilating the entire enemy ranger force, there is no problem at all in covering their retreat.

"Nolen, this is..."

Seeing the support troops arriving at the stronghold, Harrison rushed over and looked at the young and beautiful strange girl.

The troops she led all had the coat of arms of the Bayhart family tattooed on their chests. Although this was the first time they had seen this girl, they already had guesses about her identity.

"Evelyn Bayhart, the reinforcement I invited this time." Nolen introduced briefly.

Since it was the Bayhart family that took action, Harrison breathed a sigh of relief, and the big stone hanging in his heart quietly fell to the ground, and he couldn't help but sigh:

"I didn't expect that the eldest lady of the Bayhart family has grown into such a courageous heroine. Linfeng City is really lucky. I sincerely thank you for your full support."

"The polite words will be omitted."

Evelin raised her hand and said, "You just go back to the city and leave the rest to me."

"I'll stay and help you!" Yuna said immediately.

"Yuna..." Evelin looked at her, with a little sparkle in her eyes, "Are you still willing to be my personal guard?"

"This……"

She was suddenly speechless and subconsciously looked at Nolen beside her.

"Hey, isn't it too immoral to poach someone in front of the sufferer?" Nolen immediately protested.

"Who is the master of suffering!" Evelin refused to give in and glared at him fiercely.

"...???" Harrison had a black question mark on his face.

Although he didn't know what happened between the three people, he had no intention of getting involved in this twisted relationship, so he wisely quit the chat and commanded the troops to evacuate.

Oh, the relationship between young people today is really complicated.

Evelin calmed down the turbulent emotions in her heart and calmed her voice: "Since you are not my personal guard now, there is no reason to follow me anymore, right?"

"Yes." Yuna plucked up the courage to say, "Am I not your... friend?"

"Friends..." Evelin was slightly startled and smiled, "Indeed, of course we are friends, best friends."

"But don't worry. I've been in the imperial capital for so long, and I've seen a lot of big winds and waves. I really don't take this little trouble seriously."

She put her hands on her hips pretending to be generous, "Let's go with him. There will be many opportunities to meet in the future. After tonight, I will come to see you again!"

"But……"

Yuna wanted to say something else, but Nolen took her hand and said, "It's time for us to leave. Don't waste her kindness." "Okay..."

Yuna was easily persuaded, and Nolen asked again: "You go to the carriage and wait for me. I will come after saying a few words to her."

"Ah."

Evelin waved goodbye to Yuna, and when she saw Nolen walking over, the gentle smile on her face like a big sister immediately turned into a look of disgust:

"What else do you want to do? It's so despicable to threaten me with Yuna!"

"I believe that even if Yuna doesn't come, you will support us. You are such a sharp-tongued person."

"Hmph, don't talk like you know me very well, it'll make people angry!"

"Okay, let's get down to business."

Nolen's face straightened, "Evelin, I want to ask you, how is the current City Lord's Mansion planning to deal with the prairie people? Doing nothing will not change the status quo."

She is the biological sister of the city lord Ivan, and the closest person to Ivan. Perhaps we can get the true attitude of the city lord's mansion towards the grassland people from her.

"Uncle Ryan and I, including many of the staff at the City Lord's Mansion, actually advocate direct combat with the prairie people. We cannot tolerate them burning, killing, and looting on our land."

Evelin hesitated and replied, "But Ivan implemented the no-fight strategy and hoped to preserve the strength of the Knights to the greatest extent. He insisted on closing the city and waiting for reinforcements from neighboring cities to come to relieve the siege."

"Reinforcements? Now that the two princes are fighting for the throne, the Roland Empire has become a mess inside and outside. How can the imperial capital still have the energy to support us? It's time for the city lord to recognize the reality."

"No, it's not the reinforcements sent by the Imperial Capital, but the neighboring city Broken Star City. They will launch military assistance operations to us in the name of the city."

Evelin explained, “Ivan and the city lord of Broken Star City are negotiating an agreement. According to the agreement, Broken Star City will send troops to help us solve the troubles of the grassland people, and we only need to rely on the city wall to resist their attacks during this period. That’s fine.”

Nolen was stunned for a moment, as if he had heard the funniest joke ever, and couldn't help laughing:
"What a ridiculous idea. Could it be that Linfeng City is a vassal of other cities? We have our own army! Why do we need others to avenge our own blood feud for us?
"There is nothing more ridiculous than watching the people outside the city being killed, while the army inside the city stood aside and refused to leave the city!"

Although she was also a militant, seeing Nolen speaking so unfavorably about the City Lord's Mansion, Evelin felt a little uncomfortable and said with a straight face:

"Why are you laughing? Ivan is definitely not as afraid of death and ruthless as you think. He is also protecting Linfeng City in his own way!
"The invasion of the prairie people is not as simple as you think. They have the support of the Second Prince!

"The continent of Eden is vast and has very different environments. There are nearly a hundred human races living in it. 77 years ago, the Roland Empire unified the human race and merged the human territory together. This process was actually full of controversy and bloodshed.

"Many ethnic minorities have been treated cruelly and differently by the Roland people during the merger process. The customs of some ethnic groups are so different from those of the empire that they still have not been assimilated even after decades, and they have some complaints about the empire in their hearts.

“Ever since the death of Roland I, these dissatisfactions have erupted—such situations have occurred frequently throughout the empire, and many cities where ethnic minorities gather have launched coups and uprisings, hoping to escape from the control of the empire.

"And the second prince, Roderick, seized on their demands. He publicly supported these cities that wanted independence, and promised that as long as he ascends the throne, he will give any other nation the right to independence!"

Evelin said a lot in one breath, and finally highlighted the key points:

“In order to gain the support of as many forces as possible, the second prince Roderick was willing to divide much of the territory of the Roland Empire to other ethnic groups.

“Among them, returning the Lebus Grassland to the Lebus people and selling Linfeng City to the grassland people are exactly what he secretly supports.

"Second Prince Roderick, he colluded with the grassland people on the border, betrayed the interests of Linfeng City, and destroyed the integrity of the empire's territory. He is simply a traitor to the Roland Empire!"

"Oh." Nolen shrugged nonchalantly after hearing the explanation, "It's not up to him who owns Linfeng City. Whoever wants to come and take away our home will naturally make him pay a high price."

"Don't you understand yet?"

Evelin couldn't help but raise her voice, "It means that we will not only face the prairie people, but we may also be enemies of the Second Prince's forces behind them!

"The empire is in chaos, and this melee that has engulfed all mankind is destined to last for a long time! It is precisely because of the need to fight a protracted war in the future that Ivan is unwilling to consume too much combat power at the beginning. He also has some considerations. It makes sense!”

Nolen shook his head and sneered: "Yes, asking others to send troops to help us beat people is a good way to drive away tigers and devour wolves. Since the Lord of the City is so clever in this move, why are there still many warring factions in the Lord's Mansion?
"As you know, Broken Star City is not a fool. In this war-torn era when everyone is in danger, since it is willing to send troops to help us, it will definitely not work in vain.

"Let me guess, how much money and how many resources are the city lord prepared to spend in exchange for their help? Linfeng City's income in three years? Or five or ten years?
“Anything you do consumes resources. Once a city’s foundation is hollowed out, it will surrender without a fight and become a lamb to be slaughtered, which is no different from a slow death.

"Not to mention, even if we call for reinforcements, are you sure that Broken Star City will be able to drive away the grassland people? Is there a possibility that what we call is not reinforcements, but another hungry wolf?
"The grassland people are not invincible. If we don't use our own strength to win a beautiful battle now, it will only make others look down on us even more and think that we are weak and easy to bully.

“Now that the Empire State Building is about to collapse, there is no order in this world, and the weak are doomed to be annexed and exploited.

“If we cannot make ourselves stronger in this war, even if we defeat the grassland people with foreign aid, other forces will then start a war with us and extort money from us for various reasons.

"By then, the resources in our city have been squeezed out, the people have long been disappointed with the city lord's palace, the army in the city has not experienced the baptism of actual combat, and their combat effectiveness is in shambles...

"After we get to that point, what should we use to resist?"

Nolen sharply pointed out the loopholes in Ivan's plan. Evelin frowned but did not refute.

In fact, this is also the view of the main war faction. Linfeng City does not currently have no available troops, and they have not really fought a battle with the grassland people to distinguish who is strong and who is weak.

Ivan gave up the fight before the war began and pinned his hope of driving out the prairie people on reinforcements. This strategy was still too conservative.

In short, on the matter of whether to go to war, the aid-seeking faction and the main war faction have different opinions. Everyone has their own position and reasons.

But no matter how they quarrel, it is the city lord Ivan who ultimately makes the decision.

Ivan himself is a staunch supporter. Even though he is as close as his sister Evelyn and as prestigious as the leader of the Knights, Ryan, he cannot persuade him to change his mind.

If nothing unexpected happens, Linfeng City may really embark on the path of passive defense and seeking foreign aid.

But Nolen didn't hope so.

He had always believed that he could control his own destiny, so how could he be willing to bet the future of Linfeng City on illusory reinforcements?

He also wants to fulfill his agreement with Yuna, so that Yuna can take revenge on the prairie people with her own hands.

"Nolen, what are you still doing there!"

From a distance, Harrison shouted to him, "The refugees have been resettled and we are leaving!"

"Coming soon!"

Nolen looked at Evelin and finally said, "Ivan's decision not to start a war with the prairie people is really because he is considering the future of Linfeng City, rather than because he is weak and selfish and just wants to protect himself?"

"I guarantee with the reputation of the Bayhart family that he is definitely not this kind of person!"

Evelin replied categorically, “I also misunderstood him, but when I saw him sitting in the study all night long thinking and busy these days, even his temples had white hair——

"I knew that he was really planning the future for Linfeng City in his own way."

This is why even if they disagree, she does not break up with her brother, and can even defend him a few times.

Everyone has good intentions.

"Oh, that's really hard work, City Lord."

Nolen turned and walked towards the convoy, "No matter what, we will keep fighting.

"We will use victory after victory to prove that the grassland people are not an invincible opponent. We will make everyone believe that we can take back everything we have lost by our own strength."

　Thanks to Zhuge Wanjun'ao, Youfeng Acridine, and Wufang Fulandi for their rewards.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)