Kays Translations

Chapter 28: The Other Party’s Intentions

“Why would Duke Eddie do this? What benefit does he gain from it?”

Theresa was confused. The undead monsters were supposed to be a common enemy—why would anyone deliberately put Bianshu Town in danger?

“We don’t yet fully understand his motives. I need to think this through carefully.”

Owen replied.

This whole matter was truly a headache. Owen decided to return to the castle immediately and summon Winston for a serious discussion about their current situation and how to respond.

Thinking of this, Owen turned to Theresa with a slightly apologetic look.

“I’m truly sorry, Theresa. We should be celebrating your return, but unfortunately, now just isn’t the time.”

“It’s fine.” 

Theresa responded with a gentle smile and shook her head slightly. She wasn’t bothered at all and fully understood the gravity of the situation.

“Lord Owen, you’re the lord of Bianshu Town now. You must prioritize matters of the territory. No matter what decision you make, I’ll support you wholeheartedly.”

“And so will I! As your chief knight, I am your sword and your shield.”

Mapel added firmly.

“…Thank you, both of you.”

Owen was deeply touched. The unwavering support from these two childhood friends warmed his heart and strengthened his resolve to protect Bianshu Town.

Yes, from the beginning, he had no intention of evacuating. Since the Temple Knights were no longer providing aid, then they would rely on their own strength to hold off the undead.

Owen had full confidence in leading the townspeople through the coming winter. This confidence wasn’t blind optimism—it stemmed from the advanced knowledge and technological power of another world.

Given the urgency of the matter, Owen had no mood to linger outside. He led his accompanying knights back to the castle.

Theresa didn’t go with them—she had her own tasks to tend to. After being away for three years, she needed to return to the church and report her arrival.

On his way back, Owen opened the main interface and used the emergency call function. Once connected, he briefly relayed the events that had just unfolded to Winston.

After hearing everything, Winston was slightly surprised at first, but quickly fell silent, deep in thought as he analyzed Bianshu Town’s current predicament.

Striding into his study, Irwin pulled out a chair and sat down at his desk, resting his chin in one hand as he entered inner dialogue mode.

[Owen]: Winston, what do you think about all this?

[Winston]: We absolutely cannot give in to their demands and evacuate Bianshu Town for Dongsheng Fortress.

It seemed Owen and Winston were aligned in their stance on evacuation.

[Owen]: I feel the same way. But tell me—why exactly would Duke Eddie do this? With Bianxu Town acting as a frontline barrier against the undead, Eddie’s Dongsheng Fortress should be relatively safe behind us. Wouldn’t it make sense for him to let us hold the line and enjoy a cozy winter himself?

Owen couldn’t make sense of the logic, which is why he was seeking Winston’s insight.

After a long pause, Winston finally gave his assessment.

[Winston]: Most likely, he wants control over Bianshu Town.

[Owen]: What do you mean by that?

[Winston]: To understand Duke Eddie’s intent, you have to first eliminate all factors related to me…

Winston continued his explanation at a calm and steady pace.

At that point, their discussion about Eddie’s deeper motives continued.

It was purely a coincidence. If Owen hadn’t been bound to the silver sphere—otherwise known as Dimensional Orb No. 3—what would have happened next?

The food crisis in Bianshu Town might never have been resolved, giving Dongsheng Fortress total control over a critical lifeline. While food could be purchased from other regions, that was only a temporary fix, not a fundamental solution.

Without the knowledge of cement formulas and the production process, the gap on the eastern section of the northern wall could only have been patched with wooden barricades. And when they were still waiting for reinforcements, they would have suddenly been informed that the Temple Knights had decided to station themselves at Dongsheng Fortress and abandon Bianshu Town.

At that point, Owen would’ve realized he had no chance of withstanding the onslaught of undead monsters. He would’ve had no choice but to order everyone to evacuate to Dongsheng Fortress.

With no one left to resist, the undead would easily march south. When passing through the northern wall, they would inevitably damage it, creating new breaches. The town’s buildings and everything left behind would be completely destroyed.

As mentioned earlier, the lands north of Dongsheng Fortress were mostly undeveloped. So even if the undead attacked during winter, Duke Eddie would suffer minimal loss.

After winter, when people returned to Bianshu Town, they would find their homeland ruined by the undead. The northern wall would be so severely damaged that it could no longer be repaired.

From then on, every winter, Bianshu Town would become unsafe. People would be forced to evacuate and seek refuge in Dongsheng Fortress.

In such a scenario, Irwin would have no power to reject any unreasonable demands from Duke Eddie. There would be no alternative—Bianshu Town would lose its ability to defend itself and become completely dependent on Dongsheng Fortress in every aspect.

And with that, Bianshu Town would fall entirely under Duke Eddie’s control.

No wonder Duke Eddie ignored my pleas for help. So this was his plan all along…

Owen finally understood. This was nothing but a vile scheme orchestrated by a selfish and greedy noble.

As for why Duke Eddie was so intent on controlling Bianshu Town, Owen had some theories.

Bianshu Town had originally been territory developed under the influence of Dongsheng Fortress. The northern wall was even built with funding and labor from the four noble families.

However, due to some political changes, Bianshu Town was later granted by the king to the Eisen family. To Dongsheng Fortress, this felt like their property was being snatched away. But they didn’t dare object openly because of the king’s authority.

Now that Bianshu Town had weakened due to the curse of the Kazitu, Duke Eddie saw an opportunity—and struck.

How many innocent people would die because of this? He didn’t care at all. In his eyes, they were mere commoners. If they died, so be it.

What should we do next? Owen asked.

In the past, the lord of Bianshu Town would typically recruit a group of adventurers from the Adventurers’ Guild, and then lead a squad of knights to assist the Temple Knights in defending the northern wall against the undead.

Some civilians would also be conscripted to handle logistics, such as transporting grain and moving equipment.

But now, the Temple Knights had abandoned Bianshu Town. Most adventurers likely wouldn’t dare accept any quests involving it. And with Duke Eddie’s interference, Owen might not even be able to publish the quests in the first place.

Without the support of the Temple Knights or adventurers, Owenn’s knights alone would not be enough to fend off the undead.

[Given the current situation, Owen, your best bet is to recruit a large number of townspeople and organize a people’s militia.] 

Winston suggested.

Adventurers, driven by money, won’t risk their lives for a losing battle—they need to stay alive to collect payment.

As for knights, while they talk about honor and glory, most of them are in it for the rewards after victory. If the situation looks grim, many of them will desert the battlefield without hesitation. That’s a cold, hard truth.

But a militia formed by locals defending their own homes can unleash tremendous fighting spirit. That’s beyond question.

After hearing all this from Winston, Owen had already considered the idea of forming a people’s army—but he hadn’t expected he’d have to act on it so soon.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter