Chapter 1308 - The Great Evacuation of Archduke Island (1/2)

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

Via the flying animal courier, the evacuation command rapidly spread outwards from Cage Mountain.

The instructions were carried out to the maximum capability wherever there were Graycastle forces. There was no prevarication or fooling around. Over half a year under Roland Wimbledon was enough to make the nobles who chose to serve him clear about the way he did things.

Honestly, they were shocked by the unexpected “power” they were exhibiting themselves—going all out in the current situation, they were achieving demands they used to think impossible. When they encountered a complex problem, they thought about it and then solved it. Although they were still the same group of people, they produced vastly distinct results under a different governing system.

Baron Jean Bate was one of these people.

Jean Bate felt conflicted as he watched the busy scene inside his mansion. Originally, he regarded his family as an insignificant family lacking in both ability and ambition. It was only because he posed no threat to them that the King of Wolfheart, Tusk and Redstone allowed him to perpetually manage Sedimentation Bay, thus maintaining the fine balance between the noble families.

Now, his scholars and subordinates were responsible for planning the movements of tens of thousands of people and thousands of ships. Even though a large number of those were fishing ships, they were under his jurisdiction nevertheless as even the smallest of ships needed to be docked before they could be unloaded. Tens of thousands of people was equivalent to the total population of a large inner city in the continent and the number of ships he now controlled was more than all the merchant ships docked on the shores of Wolfheart added together.

Ordinarily, the baron would never believe that his family could manage a project of such immense scale. If someone had suggested it prior, he would have thought that they were either joking or didn’t understand the complexities of management at all.

Now, Jean Bate realized that not only had he underestimated his own abilities, he had underestimated his clan’s.

As long as they were given a hard push, and led via appropriate methods and regulations, astonishing potential could be squeezed forth from the people.

In the beginning, he mostly served Graycastle because he had no other choice; after all, the fate of his family and assets had been completely in Graycastle’s hands; disobedience was not an option. Gradually, however, he found himself taking a liking to this feeling. Thousands of people moved just from a single command of his, accomplishing their given task with high precision and efficiency. Perhaps this was the true essence behind power.

Even though he had many more superiors above him compared to the past, the power he held in his hands was now far more physical and tangible, and he was certain from the energetic expressions on their faces as they rushed about that his subordinates shared his sentiments.

Leading one hundred intelligent people surpasses leading ten thousand idiots by far.This was probably the most memorable lesson the baron got out of this.

This governing regime, which was polar opposite to the “aristocrat way”, could turn not-so-bright people into clever ones. Then what would be the potential of people who were naturally geniuses?

Jean Bate no longer held any doubts that Roland Wimbledon would become Emperor over the four countries.

—That is, as long as humans could survive the Battle of Divine Will.

…

Reminiscent to the higher-class managers, the situation among the civilians was also hectic.

What Graycastle had demonstrated in the past—that they were true to their words and always repaid their debts—caused their evacuation announcement to be held in high esteem. Upon hearing that the First Army was handing out a munificent reward to all who helped transport soldiers and weapons, everyone who had the ability actively participated in order to get a share of the spoils.

People who relied on the sea to make a living were the first to respond. The sailors had been searching all over the place to borrow carriages in hopes of transporting goods on the mainland to earn a living. Now, they were all returning to their main professions.