Chapter 495

Chapter 495: What is Justice?

Before the rise of modern industry, fur was an important material for warm clothing.

Back when she was in Callistus, another merchant guild had gifted Lolan Hill a specially made winter dress, which left a deep impression on her.

The furs laid out on the table felt quite smooth, and their appearance was relatively clean, with little dust or bloodstains. It was evident that the stall owner had put considerable effort into processing the materials.

After feeling several pieces of fur, Lolan Hill retracted her hand.

“How is it, this young lady? Are you satisfied?” The stall owner anxiously looked at the young girl, thinking that she must be a potential customer. He wanted to curry favor with her, hoping to secure a significant business deal.

Lolan Hill shook her head but did not speak; instead, she turned her head towards other stalls and examined more furs.

Later, she returned to an open space beside the market where the trade caravan’s wagons were parked.

When it was close to noon, the young people accompanying the caravan also returned. It was then that Lolan Hill appeared once again.

She sat under an umbrella, and those in front of her began to report the findings from their inspection.

First, a young official from the agriculture department said, “The grain prices here are three times higher than inland provinces, and there is still a shortage.”

Then, someone from the commerce department added, “Many essential goods produced inland are in short supply, such as iron tools, salt, and coarse cloth.”

A military observer had a different perspective, “These beastmen have large physiques. Although their nutrition isn’t as good as inland provinces, they are still formidable. Additionally, their furs can be used to make many military supplies.”

Lolan Hill picked up the black tea Mirra had prepared for her and took a sip before continuing her question.

“If you were the supreme leader of Clancia, how would you treat these beastmen on the grasslands?”

Hearing this, the young officials below became interested, and whispers started to circulate.

Some thought of them as a dumping ground, others considered using them as cheap mercenaries, and some wanted to conquer the land.

“But if we were to conquer this land, what would Clancia have to pay, and what benefits could we gain?”

Lolan Hill actually didn’t harbor much ill will toward the current beastmen. Perhaps humans and beastmen once had deep-seated hatreds, but after nearly two thousand years of war and cleansing, these enmities had long been repaid and resolved.

Especially after learning about the origins of the beastmen from ruins, there was no longer any barrier. The intelligent beings on this planet, tracing back to their origins, were actually different branches of ancient humans.

However, she knew that relying solely on her own thoughts wouldn’t suffice. She needed to understand the current views of the Clancian people and persuade the majority to change their stance to implement certain policies.

“Considering their physique and strength, it would take roughly 300,000 regular Clancian troops, fighting for 1-2 years, to defeat them,” estimated an officer from the military department. But he wasn’t clear about post-war matters.

A young man with glasses adjusted his frames and added, “To maintain our rule, we would need to station at least 80,000 regular forces, even under favorable conditions. Additionally, we would need to build castles and establish supply lines.”

“The benefit is that we could turn the grasslands into pastures for Clancia, providing a substantial number of cattle and sheep.”

“A substantial number? Not really,” a young man from the commerce department stood up.

“There aren’t as many as you think. We would need to transport food to these people, otherwise, they won’t hand over their cattle and sheep because those are their last reserves, their lifeline. If we force it, it would cost us more military expenses, which wouldn’t be economical.”

“So I suggest making them vassals. We can obtain large amounts of furs with just a small amount of grain. This way, we can save a lot of unnecessary military expenses.”

Others began to argue again. Then, a radical young man said, “Why not be ruthless and clear out these beastmen so our people can expand?”

Though he didn’t directly say kill, his casual tone still made others feel a chill.

“That’s wrong,” a clear voice came from above.

Lolan Hill placed down her teacup, sighing inwardly. No matter the era, there were always cruel and straightforward people.

“I’m not just saying this from a moral standpoint, but such actions would lead to extremely negative consequences.”

“If it’s not a life-or-death struggle, such actions are bad.”

“Perhaps you think it’s simple: eliminate the enemy, and everything will be fine.”

“But this isn’t one person; it’s a race. And the guilt doesn’t belong to one person but to an entire race.”

“One person’s mistakes can be washed away with death or punishment.”

“But a race cannot do so, as repayment means annihilation.”

“Of course, you might say, ‘I killed them.’ But exterminating a race is something that can’t be hidden. It will eventually be known by your descendants and outsiders.”

“When that happens, how will you make them accept this reality?”

“If you teach your children to be good people, but you, as a predecessor, do something that contradicts those teachings, it’s like personally breaking a beautifully crafted porcelain vase. Your other words become untrustworthy.”

“Or you might argue that you taught your children to be ruthless, to ignore rules, and use any means necessary. In that case, such descendants would find it hard to trust and cooperate with each other.”

“Groups, organizations, and nations are built on rules and cooperation. Such division allows for a significant increase in efficiency, which is essential for advancing civilization.”

“A single individual cannot defeat a well-trained group.”

“Unity means strength, while division means weakness and eventual elimination.”

“Only by aligning actions with words can one achieve clarity and determination. If one only builds a good reputation and abandons principles for personal gain, how can a nation’s beliefs be established?”

“Why has the Westwind decayed? Why has the weak Clancia spread like wildfire within a year? Why do everyone follow laws and trust the nation?”

“All of this stems from justice and fairness, the fundamental basis for maintaining a nation.”

“And now, for such trivial interests, are you willing to break the foundation of your existence?”

Lolan Hill stood up and slowly walked past the young officials. None of the young officials dared to look up at her, as if they were ashamed of their previous immature remarks and thoughts.

During their time together, Lolan Hill had been approachable and rarely criticized them, causing them to gradually lose their former awe.

Until today, they recalled that this seemingly sixteen-year-old girl was the spiritual leader of this vast nation, the mentor of countless revolutionary soldiers, and a being who could change countless people’s destinies with a flip of her hand.

“Do not easily say such things again. You should know how heavy the weight of such words is, heavy enough to bury a nation or a race.”

“Yes!”

(End of Chapter)