Everyone had their eyes on the protagonist, who had achieved fa and fortune and won the beauty, while those lower-tier rcenaries who died in battle without even leaving their nas—who would care about those insignificant people?
The romantic stories were never anything but fantasies for those lower-tier rcenaries and Adventurers present.
More of the lower-tier rcenaries had nothing to do with the protagonists in the Minstrel's tales.
The vast majority at the bottom of the rcenary class either died on the mission road, got their heads chopped off by the Thief loitering in the wilderness, or were devoured by fierce wild beasts and monsters, without leaving even their nas.
Those slightly luckier might save so money, buy a few barren fields in the countryside with their injuries, and rely on teaching young people or introducing rcenary Apprentices to the rcenary Corps as they grow older.
Do you really think that the many lower-tier rcenaries are naturally generous, splurging in taverns when they earn so money, willing to spend their last penny on the bellies of those won standing on street corners?
Isn't it because this line of work is fraught with danger, especially for the lower-tier cannon fodder rcenaries living a life where today exists but not tomorrow,
such that the saved money often goes to waste before retirent, dying sowhere along the way.
In this way, naturally it's spend when you can, get drunk today.
The life of a rcenary,
for them, has never been romantic but is instead stark and brutal reality.
Although,
becoming a rcenary is certainly a lot better than those Peasants who toil diligently year-round in the fields yet still can't have enough to eat. The peasant's produce has to pay seven or eight in ten to the Lord, and even what's left isn't guaranteed to be enough to fill the belly, even in a bountiful year; most struggle on the edge of survival, living a hard life.
While rcenaries can at least eat their fill of black bread every al, with occasional at found in the wild; better off than the wealthiest peasant class by a level.
But they earn this by risking their lives.
Now,
soone tells them that in a southern country, farming only takes a ten percent tax, leaving the rest of the harvest as one's own, how could they not go mad at such news?
If that's the case, then putting down their weapons to beco farrs and till the land wouldn't be unacceptable!
At least there's no worry about being left to rot in the wilderness one day.
These lower-tier rcenaries even had the intention, not to ntion others, especially those peasants gathered on the outskirts, were even more agitated.
"Sir, is it true? Does the southern country really only charge a ten percent tax?"
Inside the tavern, astonished exclamations erupted,
Everyone crowded excitedly, preparing to get closer for more accurate news from the Minstrel's mouth.
Yet at this mont,
the shout ca from outside the tavern:
"Bad news! The King is conscripting! The King's words: every able-bodied man is obligated to participate in the campaign to defend the nation. The parliant is about to enforce a nationwide mandatory draft, all jobless drifters in towns, Adventurers, rcenaries, even Peasants and freen, are on the conscription list!"
"The town's about to send soldiers to catch people!"
As the elongated shout carried off into the distance,
the atmosphere inside the tavern suddenly fell silent.
The next mont,
Boom!!!
Everyone burst into panic like headless flies, fleeing in terror in all directions. The Minstrel at the table sided and fled in a panic, head lowered with a frightened expression.
In the distance,
The sound of hurrying footsteps reached them,
The town's Soldiers were on the move!
This further confird the authenticity of that previous voice,
The streets of the town were panic-stricken, the people even more flustered, scattering everywhere in a ss, the town's residents hurriedly closed their doors and windows, trembling.
In Tanzania,
The King's issued nationwide conscription orders haven't happened just once,
A few years ago,
In the perilous war against the enemy nation, the King of Tanzania tore up all established conventions, launching a massive conscription of the entire country.
The peasants from noble lands, ard with manure forks, were driven to the battlefield, while the jobless drifters and vagabonds from the city, even most Adventurers and rcenaries, were forcibly drafted and dispatched to the front lines.
Afterwards,
The war did indeed achieve final victory, Tanzania Duchy defeating the enemy nation's army in one fell swoop, reclaiming all occupied lands.
However,
Only one-tenth to one-twelfth of those forcibly conscripted returned!
The casualties were severe,
After the war, almost every household was left in mourning!
The majority of forcibly conscripted people perished, becoming cannon fodder to deplete the enemy's supplies, while those who escaped didn't dare to recall that nightmarish war.
This caused an imnse outcry among the people in Tanzania, and as years passed, even the mories of the war turned into a grim slaughterhouse in everyone's imagination.
Therefore, upon hearing news of a national conscription again, everyone turned pale,
The originally bustling small town,
suddenly scattered, people fleeing, Soldiers patrolling the streets, not a pedestrian in sight, while the market wilted.
...
The conscription underway wasn't limited to Tanzania Duchy.
In this period,
In any country bordering the territories or the Border Great Wall adjacent with the Frandy, Golden Eagle, and Olan duchies, the upper ruling class all held their breath.
This was due to the Blue Dragon army's blitzkrieg, which struck abject fear.
Within half a month, it wiped out three nations with relatively strong national power, filling nearby rulers with a deep fear.
Such fear is beyond what the commoners can comprehend.
Especially for the King of Tanzania, who, on hearing the initial news these days, even dreamt of the Blue Dragon army capturing him alive in his sleep.
It was this very nightmare that pushed the King of Tanzania to suppress all opposing opinions, initiating another national conscription regardless of everything.
Other countries, though not reacting as prominently as Tanzania Duchy, weren't too far behind.
Apart from a certain ducal territory plagued by dostic rebellion, other nations have adopted warti policies, facing the threat of obliteration, mobilizing the entire nation's resources, deploying heavy troops at the border, sending nurous elite scouts and Thief to monitor the Blue Dragon Kingdom's army's movents, and each move from the adversary sent them into panic.
Simultaneously,
The nobles' council within the Royal Capital t daily, the King wore a worried expression on the throne, constantly inquiring his ministers about strategies, while also extensively eting foreign ambassadors to negotiate treaty conditions to face the overwhelming Beastman nation to the south.
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