Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 160

Chapter 160: Dealing with the aftermath(1) Chapter 160: Dealing with the aftermath(1) As the days passed, the royal army, was finally disbanded.

With their purpose fulfilled and victory in their grasp, Shahab’s and Leomar’s soldiers and the sworn nobles who had fought under Alpheo’s banner began to prepare for their long-awaited return to their fiefs.

The clanging of armor and the sounds of boots marching one last time through the capital marked the end of this chapter in their journey.

Shahab’s forces,were the first to break camp.

The seasoned troops that had fought alongside Alpheo since the ambush of Lord Ormund, gathered their banners and packed their gear, ready to return to their homes.

Yet, even as they departed, everybody knew that they would be back , after all there was still a marriage to happen.

The long-awaited and disliked by many union that would solidify the new reign, was officially set for one month from that day.

It was a symbolic timeframe-enough time for the returning lords to deal with the affairs of their fiefs, organize their households, and make preparations for their departure once more.

Alpheo stood on the walls of Yarzat, his gaze following the columns of soldiers and nobles slowly disappearing into the horizon as they left the city.

The banners fluttered in the cool breeze, and the rhythmic clatter of hooves and boots echoed faintly in the distance.

His expression was one of quiet contemplation as he watched them go,this was after all the first proper army he led, and he kind of liked the feeling.  Turning to Jasmine, who stood beside him, Alpheo broke the silence.

“I’ll miss Leomar,” he said, a hint of fondness in his voice.

“He’s a good kid.

Listened well, didn’t throw his opinions around carelessly like the others and he had an innate courage.” Jasmine raised an eyebrow at that, her lips curving into a slight smile.

“He’s only a year younger than you,” she reminded him.

Alpheo shrugged nonchalantly, the corner of his mouth quirking into a grin.

“Maybe, but he feels younger.

I don’t know, I guess I just feel more mature.” Jasmine studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly in thought.

There was something to what he said.

Alpheo was the youngest even in his own circle-among his companions like Egil, Clio, Jarza, and Asag-yet everyone looked to him as if he were the eldest.

It was an unusual thing and one that had become increasingly apparent the more she observed it.

People seemed naturally drawn to him, not just for his sharp mind and tactical acumen, but for his ability to charm.

Even Shahab, her grandfather, who had initially been wary of him-if not outright hostile-had eventually warmed up to the young man.

Jasmine had witnessed that transformation firsthand, seeing the old general’s begrudging hate turn into genuine trust.

It was a rare skill, one that not even she, with all her royal upbringing and responsibilities, could wield so easily.She was a bit jealous…

As the silence between them settled, Jasmine’s voice cut through it softly.

“Do you really have to go?” she asked, her tone laced with something between concern and reluctance.

Alpheo sighed, turning back to her with a gentle smile.

“I do,” he replied.

“Lady Elyra left her husband’s lordship in chaos when she…” He hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

“When she and her son left the picture.

The villages have been picked clean, and now there are hordes of people-those who weren’t allowed inside the city walls-roaming the countryside, tearing up whatever crops they can find just to feed themselves.” He paused, watching the flicker of understanding cross Jasmine’s face as the weight of his words sunk in.

“It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

If we don’t act, the situation will spiral out of control.

The people will starve, and it will lead to a famine.

Crops ruined, villages abandoned…

The population will drop drastically, and the land will become barren.” Jasmine frowned, her hands folding in front of her as she absorbed the grim news.

“You think you can fix it?” Alpheo nodded, his expression serious.

“I have to at least try.

If we can bring some order back, ensure that the crops are protected and that the people are fed, we can mitigate the worst of it.

But if we leave things as they are now…” He shook his head.

“We’ll be dealing with much bigger problems come spring” Jasmine’s brow furrowed slightly as she crossed her arms “Didn’t you leave anyone to handle it while you’re here?” she asked.  Alpheo sighed, his gaze drifting toward the horizon as if weighing his answer carefully.

“I left Egil’s second in command to oversee things,” he admitted, “but the problem isn’t just managing the land-it’s how the soldiers handle it.

I fear they might think the solution is as simple as slaughtering the refugees to restore order.” His tone darkened, frustration creeping into his voice.

“That might ‘solve’ the immediate problem, sure…

but the consequences would be dire.” Jasmine’s frown deepened, and Alpheo turned back to her, his expression serious.

“If that happens, I’d be known as a butcher for the wrong reasons….” Jasmine’s lips tightened, and she looked away for a moment, as if considering the weight of his words.

“When you will be back?It wouldn’t be proper for a marriage to go on without the groom”  Alpheo nodded firmly with a chuckle , his gaze softening as he looked at her.

“I’ll be back in just two weeks.

Long enough to assess the situation and get things under control.

After that, I’ll return, and we’ll move forward with our plans-together.” Alpheo’s gaze shifted from Jasmine to the open fields beyond the city walls, his thoughts clearly elsewhere as he calculated what he needed to stabilize Confluendi.

“I’ll need to bring a quarter of the grain we have stored in the royal granaries,” he said, almost to himself at first, then turning to Jasmine with more certainty.

“And 5,000 silverii from the treasury.” Jasmine blinked in surprise, her brows knitting together.

“A quarter of the grain?

And 5,000 silverii?” she echoed.

“You are not asking for little you know…” Alpheo nodded, his expression firm.

“I need the resources to calm the situation.

The refugees are desperate, and if we don’t act quickly, they’ll be starving within weeks and of course before doing that they will wreak havoc everywhere.

I can use the grain and rye to feed them, at least temporarily, and the silver to get more in case we finish them” Jasmine was silent for a moment, clearly weighing his request.

Finally, she exhaled softly.

“If it helps prevent a famine or worse, it’s a necessary cost.” “It is,” Alpheo said, his voice steady.

“If I can bring some order to the region and prevent more devastation, it will be worth it” Jasmine crossed her arms, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“At least our financial situation isn’t as dire as it once was,” she said, her tone lighter.

“Now that the autumn taxation has reached us, alongside the part of the ransom from our prisoners, things are looking much calmer.” Alpheo nodded, appreciating the shift in focus.

“That is good to know ” he said thoughtfully.

“We have breathing room now, and it’s a luxury I certainly missed.” Jasmine glanced toward the treasury ledgers on the nearby table, her expression one of measured relief.

“The silver flowing in from the ransom was timely.

And with the taxation from the villages, we’ve managed to stabilize the coffers for the season.

We don’t have that much to spend; so make sure to let it be enough…” ”I will try” Alpheo admitted as his gaze moved to the horizon where the army was nearly out of sight.

—– In the days that followed, the city was filled with the bustling activity of soldiers preparing for their departure.

Alpheo had given clear orders to leave the bulk of their forces behind, ensuring that the city remained secure while he dealt with the unrest in Confluendi.

Out of the 500 soldiers they had originally brought, only 200 would accompany him, while 300 remained under the command of Clio, tasked with keeping the peace and protecting the royal capital alongside Laedio, who found the position he had as garrison commander to be of his liking.  The morning air was crisp, the chill of winter having already arrived but not yet fully gripping the land as the month was still that of November .

Alpheo watched from the city walls as the preparations were carried out.

Soldiers packed supplies, sharpened weapons, and made ready for the journey ahead.  He had decided to bring with him Asag, Jarza and Egil.

The first two had proven themselves invaluable and Alpheo was confident they would be useful in restoring order to the chaos either by sword or by being clerk.

Egil meanwhile, was chosen to scout the countryside, find any refugees his second-in-command, Rykio, had missed, and keep a close eye on any potential uprisings among the displaced.

As this was the only way he could use Egil expertise for the better, as the man was certainly not calm of mind enough to deal with a problem like that.As such he planned to use him as a potential bat to beat any dissent.

After all he was there so save them, this however did not mean that he had to accomodate every single one of thier wish.The most important things was for the majority of them to survive, if a part of them died from his method it was still an acceptable loss under his planned parameters