Arestia Empire'S World Domination
Chapter 14: Artillery

...—Rodez City, Forbrenne— Kingdom...

...—26 July 1238—...

Under the blazing sun, Ares and several high-ranking military nobles stared at the city wall that was the last point before crossing the border of the Forbrenne Kingdom with the Natrehn Region.

Several large cannons were not far from their stands, being in a prepared position, causing many of the nobles and knights to be curious about their range and explosive power.

"So.. are you going to destroy the walls of this city, Your Majesty?" ask Kristin.

The nobles and knights had given up on warning his words which had not the slightest bit of courtesy to Ares, a person whom he had sworn an oath to be faithful.

Moreover, with Ares deciding to ignore it, voices objecting to the disciplinary punishment of Kristin have disappeared, although Kristin certainly would not do so in official state events such as hearings in the throne room.

"Huh?" Kristin's assessment left Ares a little surprised, "Why can you judge like that?"

"Eh? Aren't you?" timpal Kristin, slightly tilted his head in confusion.

"That's a pointless thing, you know?" Ares let out a light sigh, "Why should I destroy the city wall that will definitely fall into my hands?"

"Do you have no pride?!" Kristin's tone was a little upset, judging that Ares would not show his strength, "If you destroy the wall, the residents will immediately open the door for you and surrender unconditionally!"

Pat's.

"Ouch!" Getting a blow from the outside of one of Ares's hands, Kristin held his head.

"Then, I will repair that wall and lose 2 million G in vain." Ares slightly closed his eyes as he grew tired of Kristin's words, "And also, if you know, one cannon shot cost 10,000 G."

As if having been cornered with a very logical reason, Kristin still did not want to budge, feeling her life principle had been blamed, "Ta—but, your honor and strength as Emperor will be looked upon highly! After all, a noble should charge such petty things to its inhabitants!"

Ares sighed. Not wanting to argue further with Kristin, he made her say a very poignant phrase, "A lion will not exert its full strength just to fight a rat."

"God." Kristin lost, unconsciously bowed her head, feeling her life principles as if they had been trampled.

"Well, I don't disagree with you. It's just that I would do that if my enemy was Ecasia or Gardom." Pitying Kristin a little, Ares expressed his personal opinion.

"Oh?" Kristin's head was raised again, a wry smile was etched over her face, "You're going to fight Gardom?"

"I think Excel has poisoned your mind." Lazy to serve him, Ares stepped up, approaching a few cannons that were being prepared followed by his guard knights, leaving Kristin indifferently.

"B—it's not like that! We didn't talk about it at the tea party!" Trying to catch up with Ares, Kristin's two arms are restrained by Ares' two knight bodyguards, "Le—let me go!"

"Sorry." Regret is expressed by one of the female knights holding Kristin's arm.

Soon, Kristin is pulled away, as an act so she can clear her mind.

"Your Majesty, I feel that ever since Margrave Ginnes was appointed Minister of Defense and War, he's been a little strange." A young male noble whispered, expressing his personal opinion.

"No, she's been like that ever since partying tea with my wife. It's just... Kristin did not show her true character because she did not have the position to show it" Ares said.

"Oh..." The nobleman was momentarily silent, "Then..why did you make him minister in that field?"

"Well, I just want to make sure of that" Ares said.

"That's it..." The words of the noble are a little heavy.

Hearing the appointment of a minister for reasons "just want to be sure," a little make the nobleman stunned, although he understood if the rank of nobility and background Kristin cause Ares still have to raise him to be a minister.

Looking at the cannon until it was finished being prepared, Ares frowned, feeling that his cannon weapon needed a longer preparation time than he had imagined.

He considered that it still requires a lot of development and adjustments to the cannon so that it can be used more practically in war.

"Shoot the ground near the city wall. Do it simultaneously." Ares gave a straightforward order.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The soldiers each moved towards a predetermined position.

"Foot!" The company commander of the cannon troops shouted loudly. Metal friction creates sparks, which are used as cannon fire triggers.

The five soldiers who were guarding each cannon stayed away, escaping with radiating fear.

BOOM UP!

At about the same time, more than ten cannons were fired simultaneously, greatly impressing Ares and the nobles.

A BLAR!

A BLAR!

A BLAR!

The bang from the impact of the cannon sounded extremely loud, causing the people who heard it to instinctively close both their ears and eyes.

The lands around the city walls were destroyed. The blackish plume of smoke spread out, as did the state of dust that flew in all directions fiercely.

Threat signal.

Ares did not want to bother to do a futile battle and take too long. Psychological warfare was something he always used first before doing full-scale combat.

As predicted, the streets of the city seemed deserted, the townspeople took refuge inside the house. Some of them hugged, wept, hoping that the besiegers could leave, even though they knew it was impossible.

Their hopes are lost. No one expected that the Imperial Army of Arestia would come to attack after one week they rebelled against the ruling nobility.

Now, there is no longer a protective figure. Some residents look empty. Despite actually wanting to resist, they knew, Rodez City had been doomed.

The residents are now aware. Although the nobles behaved arbitrarily and collected heavy taxes, they were still protected.

Strong regret has been etched in the minds of each of the residents. If time could turn back, the residents would stop the rebellion they had planned.

And so it is with the nobility. They knew the significance of Ares's actions.

Not only to the residents, Ares also implicitly posed a threat to the nobles. A warning to the nobles not to plan a rebellion if they do not want their territory to be destroyed.

All the eye-owners looked at forming an agreement in silence, confident that two cannon shots at the same point could instantly destroy the city walls.

That's so... Due to the absence of a leader, the residents are frightened and can only take refuge inside their homes.

I think feudalism has really penetrated the souls of the people of this world.

"Send 10 men to knock on the city gate! If they refuse, destroy the gate!" Ares gave a strict order.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The soldiers answered firmly.

With a baron noble as the leader, the nine knights moved to carry out the command Ares had decreed.

For a moment, Ares stirred up, finding a black eagle flying around on his head.

His right hand was raised, a sign that the messenger eagle was swooping sharply and perched on his left shoulder.

Ares took out a small, thin sheet of parchment from the cylinder that was on the eagle's back. Read the content without showing it to the people around him.

Earlier compared to what I predicted.

Sensing Kristin's approach from behind her back, Ares could only smile wryly, "Change the plan. Deploy 50,000 men throughout the kingdom and conquer cities without masters, leave 10,000 men to guard the city."

"Eh?! Ap—what are you going to do, Your Majesty?!" Kristin was very surprised, no different from the reaction of the other nobles who heard Ares' words.

Ares turned his face back, looking at Kristin with a wry smile, "Destroying the morale of the townspeople who felt they had won the war."

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