That's not how you use a witch!

Chapter 22: Taking Madonna Away?

That very evening, news of the Thorn Territory's alliance with the Mountain Territory to quell the mutiny spread among the caravans of the Western Frontier:

"Hey, did you hear? That group of Northern defeated soldiers who came a few days ago were taken care of by the Thorn Territory and the Mountain Territory! Thank goodness, I thought I was going to lose business!"

"Really? I heard that group of defeated soldiers numbered nearly two thousand. They really managed to take down those two tiny territories?"

"Of course! The Thorn Lord himself told me when he delivered the goods, so how could it be false? He even complained to me, hoping I would give him a higher price for the goods, so he must have spent a lot of money for it."

"I can also testify that the news is undoubtedly true. When I went to Thorn Territory to deliver the goods, I personally saw him directing his troops to settle the defeated soldiers. The lord of the Mountain Territory was also there to help, and it's said that he hired mercenaries from the Southern Territory at a high price, including knights. God above, this is a true lord, far better than those good-for-nothings who run away at the first sign of trouble!"

"Exactly! Rather than letting those shrewish officials who only take and never give up their money plunder it, I'd rather use it to support Thorn Territory. It doesn't matter who earns it, at least Thorn Territory will actually step up when needed!"

The people on this land have little entertainment, and chatting in taverns is one of the few ways to relieve boredom.

The caravan's conversation was overheard by other customers, who eagerly told their families upon returning home. The families then told their neighbors, and the neighbors often argued fiercely over the smallest details, each trying to prove they had the "firsthand information"...

At Ronan's request, Scarlett followed these caravans and reported back on the evolving public opinion in other territories.

Ronan was very satisfied with the feedback he received.

The image he most wanted to leave on the outside world was that of a "dilapidated and poor tribe that still did its best to quell the war, even giving up the little money it had just earned."

Of course, winning the battle of public opinion is not everything.

With the registration and inventory of the defeated soldiers and spoils of war nearing completion, the issue of their distribution also needs to be discussed.

As the saying goes, even close brothers should keep clear accounts, so Ronan gave Vance a list:

Of the more than 4,000 defeated soldiers, about 1,500 were able-bodied young men, while the rest were mostly old, weak, sick, or disabled, but they all possessed some skills to varying degrees.

Regarding the young and middle-aged population, the Thorn Territory will receive 1,200 people to carry out infrastructure construction and war preparations; the Mountain Territory will receive the remaining 300 or so people after the Thorn Territory completes its selection.

The remaining elderly, weak, sick, and disabled were divided: 40% to the Thorn Territory and 60% to the Mountain Territory. Of the 40%, the majority were literate, while the 60% allocated to the Mountain Territory consisted mostly of artisans or skilled workers.

With the exception of Grant, the entire group of knights and officers was accepted by the Thornlord.

The spoils of war were divided 50/50, mainly consisting of weapons and armor seized from the routed soldiers.

Thorn Territory prioritizes units with good integrity in order to quickly arm the militia.

Once the Mountain Territory receives and repairs the remaining equipment, Ronan can buy it back, saving himself the trouble of repairing it and also subsidizing the Mountain Territory's economy. This can be seen as doing Vance a favor in disguise.

Vance had no objection to this—he had originally planned to abandon the land and flee, but thanks to Ronan's stabilization of the situation, the Mountain Territory was spared from war.

Even if Luo An didn't give him any benefits, or even asked him for a reasonable reward, he would still consider it reasonable.

Now he has gained more than 30% of the resources for free, which can be described as a win without lifting a finger. It is also his duty to take on the responsibility of absorbing a relatively large number of burdensome people.

Putting all that aside, even if he were given those thousand-plus able-bodied soldiers, he wouldn't dare take them—because he simply couldn't control them!

Only this highly skilled and daring young man would dare to be so radical.

"Then, Uncle Vance, it's been a pleasure working with you."

"It was a pleasure working with you, my dear nephew. Please visit the mountain lodge often when you have time!"

As they parted, Vance shook Ronan's hand vigorously.

"If only Grant were as successful as you! Alas, my son is unworthy. Despite being a descendant of knights, he is obsessed with novels and plays, and even went to the North on a whim after chatting with a pen pal. If it weren't for you, it's hard to say whether he would have come back alive this time."

Ronan replied with a smile, "Everyone has their own path. A knight's son doesn't necessarily have to become a knight. Passion can withstand the test of time."

Upon seeing this, Grant chimed in, "Father, you see, I told you you were too old-fashioned. Brother Ronan has such a broad perspective!"

"Get lost, you're getting cocky just because I said you're fat!"

Vance rolled his eyes at him. "If you just enjoy watching, that's fine; I watch sometimes too. But you insist on playing a role yourself, and specifically choosing female characters. It's really outrageous! Should I take out the dress you've been hiding so your brother can have a good look at it?"

Grant blushed immediately upon hearing this, muttering things like, "You promised not to rummage through my clothes," and "I really can't communicate with an elder as domineering as you," before fleeing as if his life depended on it.

The reason why his father wasn't mentioned during the interrogation has been found... Ronan thoroughly enjoyed the gossip, but it was a bit difficult to suppress his laughter.

Putting everything else aside, Grant was quite fair-skinned and delicate; in modern times, he would be considered a cross-dressing master.

After the little incident, Ronan suggested to Vance that Grant could stay in Thornholde for a while to assist him with his work.

On the one hand, as a relatively high-ranking knight among the defeated soldiers, he had a certain prestige and connections. Staying in Thorn Territory would help appease the old troops and reduce the difficulty of working with them.

On the other hand, the rebel attack on the western border was almost foreseeable, and Ronan needed a group of officers like Grant who had personally experienced the rebel assault to provide further detailed intelligence and offer advice on decision-making.

Vance agreed without hesitation, believing that staying in Thorn Territory was much safer than returning to Mountain Territory.

Grant agreed almost without hesitation when he learned of this, saying that he couldn't get along with his old-fashioned father, but a young and promising hero like Ronan could be on the same wavelength as him.

Ronan was both amused and exasperated.

The father and son had a good relationship, but only for that moment of reunion after life and death...

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As the aftermath of the rout gradually subsided, Ronan enjoyed a rare moment of relaxation in his office in the evening.

There isn't much entertainment in this world, and reading is one of the few things that can be considered a form of leisure.

Ronan was reading a novel called "The Witch's Dream," written by someone from the Duchy of Roses, a country known for its flourishing culture and theatrical performances.

It tells a tragic love story based on a true event: the male protagonist is a knight loyal to the church who falls in love with a witch equally loyal to the church. Torn between their love and duty, they choose to uphold the church's order by committing suicide together, leaping off a cliff. The story ends with the bishop granting them amnesty at their graves, allowing them to reunite in another world.

The novel's plot is intricately woven and unfolds smoothly, while its writing style appeals to both the common people and the nobility, making it widely popular.

This book was recommended to him by Grant, and he didn't expect that the original owner of this body actually had it on his bookshelf.

Ronan was initially quite surprised, because the church not only did not ban such publications, but even actively promoted and printed them, which was tantamount to destroying its own walls.

After reading it, he realized why the church did this: the suicide of the male and female protagonists seemed to highlight the greatness of love, but in fact, it subtly proclaimed the legitimacy of the church order.

What it's trying to convey is actually this: unless you die, don't even think about letting forbidden love come true...

Through this popular book, such ideas were painlessly imprinted in the minds of many people.

"It seems there are some highly capable people in the church."

As Ronan closed the book, he looked at the church emblem and excerpts of prayer on the last page and murmured with emotion.

"What does it have to do with them? The author of this book is a down-on-his-luck merchant from the Duchy of Roses. Those charlatans are just in charge of printing and making money."

Scarlett, in her sparrow form, hopped onto the table and then switched into her blonde beauty form.

She could have been even more beautiful if it weren't for her slightly accented speech.

However, at this moment, Scarlett's expression was unusually serious.

"Although I don't want to disturb your enjoyment of literature, I have something important I'd like to ask for your opinion on."

After hearing what she called important news, Ronan couldn't help but sit up.

"What? You want to take Maddale away? To your so-called Witch's Eye?"

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