184: Chapter 103: Promise_3 184: Chapter 103: Promise_3 “But Leon did not want his friend to turn into a new thug after wielding his sword and shedding blood.”
“Fortunately, there were no signs indicating that Lokhak was inclining that way yet.”
“Otherwise, the lad would not have questioned the other today, following his innate nature.”
“Leon,” Olivia suddenly urged her horse closer.
“Hmm?” Leon turned his head in response.
“The guy just now said that our army from Orland would also commit atrocities like those in Selva within Kantadar territory…
Is that true??” the girl asked, frowning.
Hearing this, Leon sighed.
He did not want to deceive her nor could he, for she would inevitably become aware of this reality.
After a moment’s thought, he could only nod: “I am afraid that might indeed be the case.”
To the feudal armies of this era, burning, killing, and looting enemy villages and razing towns were not a matter of moral choice.
It was merely a tactical option.
Morale, wealth, striking at the enemy’s war potential.
Often, an army could benefit from such simple and direct unleashing of brutality.
Leon even hesitated on whether he should tell her…
Perhaps not just in enemy territories, but also during the civil war Orland had pursued over a decade ago, in the North among their own people, they likely would not have hesitated to use such brutal tactics.
Hearing his reply, worry flickered across Olivia’s green eyes.
Leon sighed internally.
Although the girl was no longer an inexperienced child when it came to bloodshed, she had killed several Kantadar Cavalry during the upheavals in Selva herself.
But dealing with evil thugs and innocent civilians were ultimately not the same in Olivia’s eyes.
This lady had grown up carefree as a villager in Selva, always considering herself merely a country girl.
Naturally kind-hearted, she could not, of course, view the common folk as mere dirt like some noble masters and was understandably unable to accept that her own country’s army could commit such abhorrent deeds.
Especially since she had personally witnessed the horrors in Selva, the act of collecting those tortured to death, which had her secretly weeping in grief for a long time.
“Leon, you just mentioned that the Baron was to wage war in the South…
does that mean Farolis’s army will slaughter the villages in the Southern Kingdom too?” Olivia couldn’t help but grip the reins tighter.
“In any war, harm to civilians is perhaps unavoidable, but at least you can be somewhat at ease this time.
Baron Eriv is aiming to conquer territory in the South, not to ravage it.
To tell the truth bluntly, the people on those lands are quite valuable assets to him, and he would not allow his army to act recklessly.
You can be assured on this count.” Leon comforted the girl.
Speaking, he smiled at Olivia: “You might not believe in the nobles’ morals, but you absolutely must believe in their greed.”
Olivia gave a somewhat reluctant smile, then looked again at Leon: “But if, as Mamor said, Leon, should you someday be ordered by Lord Eriv to massacre civilians, what then?”
“Then, of course, I would ask him to revoke that command.
In the vow I once made, he also swore not to have us fall into dishonor and injustice, and if Lord Eriv breaks his word, then it would only mean that he does not deserve my loyalty.”
Leon said, his smile fading as he looked intently into the girl’s eyes.
“Victory doesn’t always have only one path, Olivia, and I promise you…
Our swords will never be aimed at the innocent.”