King-Chapter 1422 - 271, Prelude to Chaos_3

To put it bluntly, if everyone doesn’t buy into this, these decrees are just scraps of paper.

If His Majesty the King wants to make a fuss, let him make a fuss first.

If the reforms succeed and the Kingdom becomes stronger, we’d all benefit.

Even if the reforms fail, after the Papal State matter is resolved, we can always go back and restore order.

This world ultimately bows to strength!"

Speaking the harshest words with the mildest tone, Duke Beckett instantly had the room in shock.

Clearly, this old Duke is a subdued tiger, one that not only stays low-profile but also knows how to bite.

"Old Duke, we don’t oppose the Kingdom’s reforms.

But for such a major issue, shouldn’t we all have been convened for a discussion?

The reformists rushing ahead like this is clearly..."

Before Duke Torsten could finish, Beckett interrupted forcefully: "Young man, playing games like this—you’re still too green.

The grudges between you and the Royal Family, your past conflicts with Marshal Hudson—solve them yourselves and stop trying to drag us in.

Sure, they moved a bit hastily in this matter, but it’s understandable.

The Kingdom’s fiscal issues had to be addressed eventually. Without kicking away this stumbling block, how can we push eastward to destroy the Orc Empire?

If they gathered everyone for deliberation, it would probably take a year or two of quarreling without any resolution.

Forcing through reforms while we’re away is forgivable. It’s all for the Kingdom, and this little matter doesn’t warrant taking it personally!"

Though Beckett claimed not to take it personally, he had long been pondering over it.

The reforms have only just started—it’s too soon to call success or failure.

The lack of prior communication was indeed disrespectful, but that doesn’t amount to convicting anyone.

He’d studied "Caesar’s Six Principles" privately. Some he supported, others he opposed.

When it came to affecting his own interests, it couldn’t be helped. The Kingdom Government is broke, and eventually, the Noble Lords would have to share the burden.

The current reforms are just another way of cutting into everyone’s assets—it’s not fundamentally different.

Even this initial cut wouldn’t fill the financial hole. The key is whether reforms can expand the economic pie further down the line!

The majority of Nobles shared the same sentiment: let the reformists have their chance to try.

If they succeed, everyone celebrates; if they fail, they’d purge some people and use their resources to fill the kingdom’s financial black hole.

Given this backdrop, Duke Torsten’s stand naturally became a joke.

But it couldn’t be helped—the Northern Group was on the verge of collapse, and if they didn’t act now, it would soon be too late.

Among the five major clans, his family had garnered the most hatred—it was inevitable that they’d be the ones to stick their necks out.

...

On Holy Mountain, in the growingly oppressive atmosphere of the Clergy, there was despair over the blatant looting by the nations across the continent.

The result of the strategic retreat was that, aside from the 200-mile radius around the Holy Mountain, the various nations had, in effect, entirely partitioned the Papal State’s territories.

Sitting on an army of hundreds of thousands, yet unable to march out—such a situation was unfathomable.

But there was no choice. Several failed counterattacks had only managed to beat back the forces of a few small nations; all other operations ended in defeat.

Instead of launching a final offensive, negotiators were sent to haggle at the table—partly because nations feared driving the Papal State to desperation, and partly because the spoils were simply too plentiful to transport.

In truth, whether or not the final offensive was launched hardly mattered.

The Clergy’s remaining territory couldn’t possibly sustain tens of thousands of troops. Drag it out for a year or two, and they’d disband on their own.

Ultimately, it’s an internal war within the Human Race; if victory could be secured without excessive bloodshed, no one wished to go overboard.

The main issue was the Clergy’s extreme wealth—it attracted all the wolves and tigers alike. If they’d been even a little poorer, they surely wouldn’t have drawn so much trouble.

Initially, when the nations—including Alpha Kingdom—deployed their troops, their aim was merely to mediate and perhaps gain some easy profits along the way.

But the deeper they looted, the harder it was to stop.

In the end, the "mediation" slogan was replaced by "liberating the oppressed peoples from Clergy rule."

The elevated rhetoric granted legitimacy to their campaigns. Not seizing land would now be inconsistent with their banner.

And thus the Clergy suffered!

Not only were their political and economic losses enormous, but the damage to their reputation was far worse.

For a religious organization, losing credibility is far deadlier than losing cities and land on the battlefield.

Through mutually agreed propaganda, the Dawn Sect’s reputation on the continent had now fallen to that of the Cult Alliance’s "Grandmaster."

Shelter VII had become the prime "archvillain"!

Political slander was bad enough; worse still, each nation had ironclad evidence of the Clergy colluding with cults to instigate disorder.

If it weren’t for a lack of better alternatives, the Dawn Sect’s Lord of the Dawn might even have been cast as the leader of the Evil Gods.

"Your Majesty, make the decision!

We have little time left. If we continue waiting, there won’t even be a chance for counterattacks down the road."

Blake gritted his teeth as he spoke.

If there had been even the slightest alternative, he would never have chosen this desperate path.

While the Clergy was decayed, it had once been one of the Human Race’s saviors. But now, to survive, they had no choice but to abandon their principles.

Had the nations stuck to their initial political slogans, the Clergy could’ve gotten away with some losses.

But now things were different—the nations had come to "liberate" oppressed people, forcing the Clergy into the role of the ultimate antagonist.

Who would tolerate such a villain staying in sight?

Even if those nations refrained from attacking out of fear for the Clergy’s high-end forces, they’d eventually find a way to wipe them out.

"Taking this step shakes the foundation of our Human Race’s supremacy!"

Shelter VII closed his eyes as he spoke.

Clearly, in his heart, the decision had already been made—he just needed one final justification.

"Your Majesty, the Cataclysm of ten thousand years cannot be avoided!

This is the Divine Spirit’s test for us. Just look at how chaotic the continent has been in recent years.

Whether we start the turmoil or other forces do, it’s only a matter of time!"

Gulay added.

As an old rival, it was rare for him to stand in unity with Blake.

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