Imperial Crown.

Chapter 103: Against all odds
"In addition to gold coins, there are also enchanted weapons and armor."

Eric's voice gradually stabilized, but what he said became more and more explosive: "Including the seized ones, there are a total of 19 sets of enchanted armor and 63 enchanted weapons."

This was not beyond Raven's expectations. In Heleti's treasury alone, there were five sets of enchanted armor and at least sixteen or seventeen weapons.

"continue."

Eric paused and said, "That's all I have sorted out for now, Baron. After all, I have counted the gold coins several times, which is quite a waste of time."

"Okay, let's rest today." Raven was not in a hurry. The treasury was right there, and he couldn't just run away. "Tomorrow, pack the gold coins into boxes and store them, and then ask the gray dwarves to help."

"Yes, Baron!" Eric took the order and retreated.

"Wait." Before Eric walked away, Raven smiled and ordered, "Distribute all the weapons, and choose a set of plate armor for yourself. I'm used to seeing you in your usual state, and I can't get used to you without armor for a while."

"Thank you for the reward, Lord Baron!" Eric also smiled. "I also feel it's strange not to wear armor for a day, but I didn't have the nerve to tell you."

"Pick two more weapons that you like and go!" Raven waved his hand.

Eric said goodbye in a vigorous tone. Raven stretched, stood up, and walked around the Iron Throne a few more times.

He was sitting on this just now. It was quite comfortable.

"Tsk, it's just too heavy." The Iron Throne is of course made of steel. It's just a lump of iron. It's impossible to transport it back using only packhorses.

As for harnessing the cart to transport it, Raven had thought about it, but he rejected it immediately.

Today is December 12th. By the time we finish resting and organize the spoils, it will probably be after the New Year.

The matter on the Bloody Highlands has come to an end. Next, they need to return to Eagle Territory as soon as possible. If they use a carriage, it will definitely slow down the efficiency of the march. Raven is not so vain as to delay important matters for a mere throne.

At worst, we can ask the gray dwarves to build another one.

Raven pounded his shoulders and yawned loudly.

He did not have an easy day.

In addition to counting the spoils, the Eagle Army soldiers also assigned some people to clean up the ruins of the city tower. In addition, Simon also took a few personal soldiers to patrol the periphery of the Scorpion Nest, driving away and hunting down the horse thieves who came to spy on intelligence.

All the horse thieves on the Bloody Highlands knew that Raven would not stay here for long. Once he left, someone would come back to fight for the Scorpion Nest.

After all, it is not easy to find such a stronghold that is easy to defend, has sufficient water resources and is large in scale on the Bloody Highlands.

Without the Scorpion Nest, the Heleti would not have been able to develop such a powerful force.

The Eagle Army and the personal soldiers were all busy, so Raven certainly couldn't sit idle either. He helped to settle the seriously injured Eagle Army, and also had to monitor their physical condition at all times, change their dressings, and bandage their wounds.

After all, the women had not yet recovered from their fear, and Raven was reluctant to hand the person over to them; as for the gray dwarves - ha, there were so many lice on their bodies that they could bite a cow to death.

After checking on the seriously injured soldiers again, Raven returned to the hall and had just taken two bites of dinner when he heard a noisy noise.

The side door opened and Volav grabbed a man by the collar and walked into the hall.

As soon as he saw Raven, Volaf immediately led the men over and threw the man to the ground: "Baron, please make your decision!"

Raven was stunned and looked at the limp body on the ground: "Look up!"

The man on the ground was twitching and unresponsive.

Volav kicked him hard on the butt: "The Baron asked you to look up, didn't you hear me?!"

“Uh…” The man raised his head tremblingly and faced Raven: “My Lord Baron!”

The moment they saw his face clearly, all the Eagle Army soldiers present were stunned.

Bobby from the First Battalion blurted out the man's identity:

"Bent!? Why are you here!?"

Simon's eyes were fixed on Bent's face.

This Bent is the scout who fell into the snow pit before Simon evacuated from the Bloody Highlands last time, and he is also the "snow chicken" who defected to Helaiti!
Simon had not seen Bent in the Scorpion's Nest before and thought that he had died in the chaos or had escaped. He did not expect that he was still alive and in the Scorpion's Nest!
"Baron, Lord Baron!" Bent's face was covered with bruises and tears were streaming down his face. "... I'm sorry for you, and I'm sorry for my brothers in the Eagle Army!"

"You still know how to say sorry!?" The flesh on Volaf's face was trembling. "Do you know how many brothers died in this battle? White, Galley, Gore... a total of seventy-seven!!"

"It's all because of you!"

Bent's face turned even paler: "I know... I know...! I..."

"You know shit!" Simon suddenly rushed up like a madman and kicked Bent in the chest, knocking him to the ground. "If you knew, you shouldn't be alive! How could someone like you appear in the Eagle Army!"

“Are you worthy of your dead brothers? Are you worthy of Woz!? Are you worthy of Morwe who sacrificed himself!? Ah!?”

Simon shouted at the top of his lungs and attacked with his fists and feet, but Bent just kept crying and didn't fight back.

"That's enough." Raven spoke at this time: "Simon, please step back first. I have something to ask him."

"Yes, Baron." Simon said hoarsely, clasped his fists and stepped aside.

Raven stared into Bent's eyes. "You have been hiding in the Scorpion Nest?"

Although he didn't understand why Raven asked this, Bent calmed down a little and wiped the tears from his face: "Well... Baron, I was there when you attacked the city."

"I originally wanted to take revenge on the Baron for abandoning me, but when I saw you bravely moving forward, I just couldn't do it, so I quietly hid in the back." "Later, you killed the devil Heleti, and the bandits all ran away. I wanted to go back and surrender, but I didn't dare to when the time came, so I kept hiding in the room..."

Raven nodded slowly: "Then how were you discovered?"

"I found him in the kitchen, sir," Volaf said, "He must have been hungry and gone to steal something."

"I didn't!" Bent whispered, "I didn't steal food, I really didn't!"

Raven asked, "So what are you doing in the kitchen?"

Hearing this question, Bent sobbed again: "...I know I deserve to die, and I also know I can never go back to Eagle Territory. I just want to take two pieces of coal, leave a letter for my family, and then I will die..."

As he spoke, he pulled out a dagger from his waist and held it up.

"Bent, what are you doing!?" Volaf and Simon immediately drew the swords from their waists.

"Don't be so nervous. He can't hurt me." Raven glanced at them and turned to Bent: "Just say whatever you want to say."

Bent's hand holding the dagger was shaking: "My Lord Baron, I really didn't lie. If I had other thoughts and had a weapon in my hand, I would never let Commander Volav bring me here so easily!"

"Now that things have come to this, Bent only hopes that the Baron can kill me with his own hands!"

Taking the dagger from Bent's hand, Raven weighed it back and forth, while Bent had closed his eyes in despair.

Raven flipped his wrist and stuck the dagger into the table: "Bent, return to the team."

Bent's body froze, then he opened his eyes, and his originally empty eyes were filled with an ecstatic light: "Baron, Baron...you, you are simply, just..."

There was really no words to describe the image of Raven in his heart. Bent could only kowtow continuously, until the ground was covered with blood, to express his gratitude.

"Baron, please reconsider!" Volaf couldn't accept this decision for a moment: "Seventy-one Eagle soldiers died in the battle, and now there are nine brothers whose lives are still uncertain!"

Raven glanced at the Eagle Army and saw the same emotions in their eyes as Volaf, but with different strengths.

"After all, victory is decided on the battlefield. Although Bent provided intelligence, given Heleti's caution, even without Bent, this battle would probably not be any easier."

"And Bent still had a conscience after all, so he didn't kill his comrades."

They were all from the Eagle Territory. Volaf was just a little angry before, but after hearing Raven's words, he gradually became rational: "But, Baron, he is a traitor after all!"

Raven said: "He was trapped in a snow pit and captured by the Heleti. How could he have survived if he hadn't surrendered?"

Volav was speechless for a moment.

Raven glanced at the soldiers. "We have all been through this together. If you have any opinions, feel free to raise them. I welcome them."

"But I won't change this decision!"

"Does anyone else have any questions?"

The hall fell silent for a moment, and no one objected.

"Thank you, Baron!" Bent raised his bloody face and turned to the soldiers: "Thank you, thank you everyone!"

The soldiers turned their heads away, but the murderous intent in their eyes was no longer so strong.

Everyone was born in the Eagle Territory and was related to each other to some extent. Now that their anger had subsided, they felt more sympathy for Bent.

Just as the Baron said, under the circumstances at that time, Bent would not have survived if he had not surrendered.

Who doesn’t want to live?

The reason why he wanted to spare Bent was not because Raven was overly compassionate, but because of more far-reaching considerations.

Today's Eagle Army has been tempered by blood and fire and has become a true elite. They have honor and persistence in their hearts and no longer need to use fear and blood to maintain morale.

In this case, there is no point in killing a Bent.

On the contrary, keeping Bent behind was telling them that Raven cared about their lives.

If they are so tolerant towards a traitor, how much more tolerant they are?

And as Volav said, too many people have died in this battle, there is no need to see the blood of their own people again.

After this incident, the morale of the army was slightly low, but the spirit of the entire team had quietly changed a bit, becoming more... a bit more solid.

Nothing happened that night, and Raven slept in the bedroom that originally belonged to Heleti.

But perhaps it was because he was incompatible with the Scorpion Nest, for the next morning Raven was not able to sleep until he woke up naturally, but was instead woken up from his bed by a loud noise.

"Hey! Lord Baron, are you there? Are you awake!?"

"We want to complain! Complain!!!"

Raven sat up in bed, clutching his aching head.

Another gray dwarf!
……

(End of this chapter)