Chapter 622:Do you need to tell me how to do my job?
Chapter 622: 622:Do you need to tell me how to do my job?
The Order of Eternal Blade spent the next three days carrying out the mission of clearing the remaining enemy forces scattered throughout the occupied territories before finally receiving orders to return toward the main army camp, and during those three days they continuously searched villages, forests, abandoned settlements, and hidden routes while capturing enemy soldiers who had become separated from their main forces.
Behind them marched the prisoners they had captured throughout the operation.
The enemy soldiers had all been disarmed and stripped of every piece of military equipment they possessed, and in order to prevent any confusion or possible escape attempts, they had been made to wear simple commoner clothing before being placed under constant guard.
Under the watchful eyes of the knights, the prisoners quietly marched behind the formation while keeping their heads lowered.
Some looked defeated and exhausted after days of hiding.Others looked angry and unwilling to accept their situation.
A few carried expressions filled with bitterness and humiliation because they had gone from soldiers fighting for their Empire to prisoners being escorted by their enemies.
However, regardless of what they felt, none of them dared cause trouble.
Not after witnessing the overwhelming strength of the Order of Eternal Blade with their own eyes.
The return journey remained relatively peaceful.
As they gradually approached the main army camp, more and more military activity could be seen around them while supply caravans continuously traveled between different military positions, and large groups of soldiers could be seen transporting weapons, armor, food, and resources toward the frontlines.
The atmosphere of war remained heavy.
Yet the moment Ethan and the others finally approached the outskirts of the camp, everyone’s expressions slowly changed.
Noel’s footsteps slowed slightly.
His eyes widened.
"This..." Noel muttered.
The words became stuck in his throat as he stared ahead.Even Ethan’s expression darkened slightly.
Before them stretched a sight that immediately made the atmosphere around the Order of Eternal Blade become much heavier.
Thousands upon thousands of people could be seen gathered near the military camp.
Long lines stretched across the open fields as far as the eye could see.
Men.
Women.
Children.
Elderly people.
Entire families.
The sheer number of people gathered there was shocking.
Many of them looked exhausted and malnourished after being displaced by the war.
Many wore torn and dirty clothing.
Some carried visible injuries that had clearly not been treated properly.
Heavy chains connected groups of people together while Arcadian soldiers stood guard around them carrying weapons and maintaining strict watch over the crowd.
The entire place looked less like a military encampment and more like a giant prison camp.
Children cried quietly while clinging tightly to their parents.Several elderly people struggled to walk while being pushed forward by the crowd.
Some women carried infants in their arms while desperately trying to keep pace with everyone else.
Fear.
Confusion.
Despair.
Those emotions could be seen clearly on countless faces.
No one knew what awaited them.
No one knew whether they would survive the coming days.
"It seems they have enslaved anyone they managed to get their hands upon," Randall spoke while staring at the scene with a grim expression.
His voice carried obvious displeasure.
Noel’s face also became ugly.
"This is far worse than I expected," he muttered while observing the endless crowd.
"The war has barely progressed this far and yet so many civilians have already been taken."
Several knights from the Order of Eternal Blade quietly looked toward the prisoners.
Many of them felt uncomfortable.Some looked away entirely.Others simply remained silent.
Nobody openly spoke their thoughts.
Ethan remained quiet while slowly sweeping his gaze across the countless people gathered there.
His eyes briefly lingered upon several frightened children before he finally looked away.
Then he raised one hand.
"Keep moving."
The troops immediately obeyed.
The formation continued advancing toward the camp.
As they entered one of the main roads running through the military encampment, a loud mocking voice suddenly echoed from nearby.
"Hoho! Why is your finding so little?"
The voice immediately attracted attention from nearby soldiers.
Ethan paused and his eyes slowly shifted toward the source.
The surrounding troops moved aside instinctively.
A large man riding atop a warhorse slowly approached from the opposite direction.
The man’s armor looked luxurious and expensive while several armed retainers followed closely behind him, and the smug smile hanging on his face immediately made his intentions obvious.
Marquise Shatad.
The noble leisurely guided his horse forward while carefully observing Ethan from head to toe.
The amusement in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"What were you doing?" Shatad asked while smirking.
"Wasting time instead of searching?"
Ethan’s expression immediately became colder.
"I did my job well enough, Marquise Shatad," he replied flatly.
"Huh?" Shatad clicked his tongue.
"But I don’t think so."
His gaze slowly swept across the prisoners Ethan had brought back.Then he laughed lightly.
"The number of people you caught doesn’t look like much."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Are you sure about that?"
Several nearby soldiers exchanged glances after hearing those words.The atmosphere gradually became tense.
Ethan slowly lifted his eyes toward Shatad.
He was already in a bad mood and now a random son of bitch was poking his ass.
A dangerous look appeared within them.
"Do you need to tell me how to do my job?" he asked calmly.
The smile on Shatad’s face faltered slightly.
"You!"
"What you!"
"Do I need you to teach me how I do things?Who do you think you are?"
Shatad eyes widened hearing.
’Did this guy just blatantly disregard me?’
The two nobles stared directly at one another while neither showed any intention of backing down.
The surrounding soldiers instinctively became quieter.Even the sounds of movement nearby seemed to lessen.
Everyone could clearly feel that the atmosphere between the two men had suddenly become much colder than before.
And from the looks of it...
This conversation was not going to end pleasantly.
...
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