In the main square of the city of Voyage, a concentration is happening. Thousands of Elestovakians, around a thousand and nine hundred to be specific, are sitting on the stone floor of the square with their swords, spears, bows and every other type of weapon lying in front of them, waiting to be collected by the Latilian soldiers. They were also soldiers just a moment ago, but now they are just a bunch of prisoners of war. Their fates shall be decided by the new owners of the city.

All the while, on the outskirt of Voyage, there has been a funeral. The casualties for the battle were high, up to almost a thousand deaths, mostly Elestovakians with over nine hundred. As for the Latilians, they only suffered fifty losses, a fraction of the casualties, mostly occurring when the light infantry went skirmishing against heavy Elestovakian infantry.

Nonetheless, the men, both Latilians and Elestovakians, were placed side by side with respect, awaiting their living comrades and foes to give them a proper burial. Pastors of the Cathedraller Order are doing rituals for their slumber.

“See you again, maybe someday. Fire!”

Pow!

The number of graves is too huge for individual ceremonies. Instead, there was a musketeer every hundred graves, each firing three volleys into the sky. This was suggested by Aurora, the little girl said this can be done during war, when time and resource are tight:

Pow!

“Farewell.”

Pow!

**

“God witness.”

After the fight, the Voyage Castle, frankly and undeniably, turned into a hell of reddish bloodbath. Sure all corpses were removed to the graveyard on the outskirts, but blood, broken bones, pieces of flesh and organs which cannot be easily removed are still lying there, and are rotting into a disgusting smell, unbearable to even the toughest minds. Even when all maids in the castle come to help clean up, they can just help for a portion, for one they don’t know how to deal with bloodstain, and many also faint seeing bodies parts lying on the ground. Gore is too much for a weak heart to cope with.

To actually deal with the flesh mess, the Knights Cathedraller, including Gerald, and the ranged infantry, those who can stand seeing blood and contributed the least in the battle, were called by Belisari to help clean up the castle. After all, this is not just Lily’s domain, but also a vital administration building, functioning as headquarters of the city of Voyage.

Hence, it must be mopped clean. It’s a fortress, not a haunted house.

Until night, the hall where Lily and the Latilian intruders unleashed their rampage was sparky clean.

As for the Archprince, the Archduchess, Aurora and a couple dozen more individuals of the Marine Corp and regular skirmishers, they are also busy cleaning. Not blood, not organs nor bone debris but civilian’s confusion. In other words, they are stabilizing the population.

“One question at a time, please.”

They have to go around to explain things for the dwellers. Around Voyage, there is no lack of people who are still bewildered about what has just happened as it was too quick for them to adapt to the situation. What are they? Where do they come from? What is their purpose being here? All questions that needed to be resolve for the population to not turn against their army:

“We are, as I said earlier”-The Prince opens his conversation with the people, raising his hands up showing zero hostility-”We are the Latilian Central Expedition Army. We come here to reclaim Voyage from the Elestovakians and reunite the city back to the Kingdom of Latila.”

To prove themselves to be Latilians, the Archprince and the Archduchess show out their House crests. Upon seeing them, the citizens, those who were adults ten years ago, immediately recognized their old rulers:

“I am Belisari Flarius Latila, Archprince of the House of Latila and Crowned Prince of the Kingdom, my friend here is Lily Sobieski Voyage, daughter of your previous Latilian ruler, currently the Archduchess of the House of Voyage and of this city.”

“Greeting.”

Lily bows her head to the city’s inhabitants, showing her respect to her new subjects.

“Your Royal Highness, Your Grace. Okay, we get it.”

A strong-looking middle-aged man steps forward from the crowd, bows down and raises his rough right hand to the prince-”Welcome back to Voyage, Your Highness. I have seen you go by this city when you were just a child.”

“Thank you”-Belisari shakes his hand-”Sorry, I was young then, I cannot remember any face here.”

An elder woman come to Lily, strugglingly patting her head:

“I do know you, do I? Your mother usually bought weapons from my son. I remember you used to go along with her, but you look different now, you are tall and big and…strong.”

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“Ah…I do recall seeing an old woman sitting in front of that blacksmith, so it was you…”

“So you do know me. Where is His Grace and your mother? I don’t see them.”

“They’ve gone, long ago.”

The woman displays a pitiful look on her face-“Oh dear…sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.”

Lily says and smiles, though that smile manifests some underneath sadness.

“Anyhow”-Belisari comes and pulls his Archduchess out of the talk (Woah)-”Let us save those conversations for later and focus on emergent matters, starting with unifying Voyage into the Kingdom. Though on paper it would take a bit longer, but from this moment, you can consider yourself Latilians.”

“The Kingdom will reestablish her rule upon us and the city. That is good news, we prefer the previous Latilian rule over Elestovakians. But then….as citizens of a surrendered city, what will happen to us?”

That question is important. Depending on the answer and how Belisari’s army fulfill their promise, the stability level of the city shall be decided:

“Obviously”-the prince explains-”You and your families will be under our protection. Your fortune, they will be untouched, but we will seize most valuables from the Voyage castle and deliver them back to Latila for our war efforts. The rest shall be utilized to repair Voyage, repay people who lost their family members and pay for our garrison troops within the city.”

“A portion of Gelime’s fortune was ours, taken by heavy taxes. May we take our money back?”

“It is hard to actually compensate everyone accordingly, as most of the documents were eliminated before we entered. Instead we will repay via public services. Do we have terms?”

“I appreciate your decision, we have terms, and we will see if there is anything we can help.”

The prince refuses in a proper manner-“You don’t have to, it is our duty to do what we’ve promised.”-but then a woman from the crowd says:

“We want to help the Kingdom, we want not to be your burden. I know that the previous war must have devastated Latila to a certain degree.”

“Yes it was, before the expedition, the Kingdom of Latila only owned Latila and six kilometers around the city and barely functioning as a nation. It was thanks to that girl”-The prince points to Aurora, the girl who is giving out honey candies for children-”that we have enough funds for this invasion.”

“I doubt that.”

Lily shrugs her shoulders-“You should trust that as a fact. Without her, we might not be here today.”

Indeed, Aurora was the one who gave them those carriages for rapid maneuvering, thus helping them arrive here today instead of next month. She was also the person who created those fantastic “rocket arsenal” and “flashlights” which contributed directly to the battle’s victory.

Most importantly, the girl was the catalyst that really triggered the war machine of Latila and really encouraged the Kingdom to advance, which is how they were here in the first place:

“She is a saint, not a titled one, but for us she is a saint.”

“Yeah…about that…”

But nonetheless, relying on a child sounds desperate, the inhabitants of Voyage all thought of that when seeing Aurora. There is…no way that could be the case, eh?

“FIne, you can have my money.”

The previously mentioned middle-aged man handling out a bag of silver coins to Belisari:

“You still accept voluntary donations, right? Consider this as a tribune for liberating us from the Elestovakians.”

“As I said, you don’t have to-”

Belisari was about to say against receiving people’ donations, but an elder silenced him-”We are Latilians, we must fulfill our role to help the Kingdom of Latila in its time of need. The more funds you have, the better the victory of the Kingdom is secured. I want to see Latila win this war.”

Then the old man gives the prince a medium size silver ingot. It is nothing in comparison is a hundredth of Aurora’s treasure, but it must’ve been this man’s life saving.

Encouraged by the two previous, gradually, the peasants approach and offer their valuables to the Latilians. Bracelets, bags of silvers, rings,...those are the most common things that were given out, Belisari sees and surprises, very surprises, his Archduchess the same.

Very soon, all hands, from the Archprince to the Marines following him, all were filled with treasures on their hands and bag:

“But-”

“Let us be patriotic Latilians, Your Highness. We are just doing our part.”

“Well…thank you then”-the prince mutters-”Thank you very much. I promise, after the war, this city will flourish, I pledge with my honor.”

“You don’t have to, your victory is our reward.”

The amount of valuables was later determined to be at twenty million denarii, a year's worth of salary for this army. Though not as great as Aurora’s fund, for a nation lacking resources like Latila, that was a welcome donation. And the fact that it came from the lower class of the Kingdom tore Justinius up a bit when he heard about it via Belisari’s letter written to him the same day.

A week later, although the war is still out there ongoing, a healthy secret law was written by the King, in which stated that the inhabitants of Voyage are tax exempt for ten years to come.

“I am glad that Voyage is the first city we come to.”

Speaking Belisari, sitting on a comfortable bed inside the castle. Finally, after a whole week, the prince and the army had a sleep on a proper bed. Though not everyone receives the privileges of resting inside the magnificent castle of Voyage, they still find their places on garrison beds and beds of families who are voluntarily letting them in.

Tomorrow, the army will dispatch from Voyage to eliminate surrounding Elestovakian garrisons to ensure the city's safety. They will be here for a time before continuing the journey to the East.

But for now, the moon rises, and night falls over Voyage, the Latilians snuggle into their slumber. Only a few dim lights left along the wall and the castle, one of them coming from the prince’s room, as he is still awake:

“God help us.”

Beliasari claps his hands saying so, then he lies down. A feeling of tired floor to him as his back rests on the bed. His vision turns blurry, surpassing his ability to cope with exhaustion. Truly, after an intensive fight, a person can be dried up entirely, like how Belisari is right now. Tired of everything, even at keeping eyes open:

“Good night.”

He says, then falls asleep. Tomorrow will be tired.