Chapter 1378: Chapter 94: Reforging the Nation (21)_2

He took out a monocle, placed it on his right eye, opened the indictment, and read aloud:

“This year — specifically Imperial Calendar year 560, April 10, at dawn.

“The New Reclamation Legion Headquarters stationed at Maple Fort, and the capital of the Newly Reclaimed Lands Province, Maplestone City, were attacked.

“The attack ended with Maple Fort falling, resulting in the deaths of eighty-nine New Reclamation Legion members, including General Kevin John Adams, and one hundred sixty-seven members being injured.

“It was later determined that the attackers were in fact the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, considered a friendly force by the New Reclamation Legion.”

The freemen listened in silence, although what Colonel Skool spoke of was well-known. Yet it was the first time that someone had unemotionally articulated the “Maplestone City massacre” using formal language.

“As the Commander of the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, Sanel Caroy.” Colonel Skool’s gaze shifted from the dossier to Sanel, asking, “Did you lead the planning, preparation, and execution of this attack?”

Sanel snickered, “What the hell are you asking?”

“Watch your language, Sanel Caroy.” Colonel Skool asked again, “Did you lead the planning, preparation, and execution of this attack?”

“Your Honor, you’re confusing me.” Sanel mockingly asked, “What? Could it be there’s another colonel in the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army besides me?”

Colonel Skool ignored Sanel’s ridicule, calmly asking a third time, “Did you lead the planning, preparation, and execution of this attack?”

“What if I did?” Sanel, provoked, taunted, “Wasn’t it a brilliant surprise attack? We took over the fortress you’ve been painstakingly managing for thirty years without breaking a sweat!”

“Clerk, record——” Colonel Skool neither confirmed nor denied but ordered again: “The defendant admits to leading the planning, preparation, and execution of the attack by the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army on the New Reclamation Legion.”

Sanel folded his arms and merely sneered.

“As for the consequences of this attack—namely, the direct loss of eighty-nine New Reclamation Legion members and injury of one hundred sixty-seven members, resulting in the occupation of Maple Fort and Maplestone City by the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, and sparking further large-scale casualties.” Colonel Skool asked again, “Do you have any objections?”

“Larger-scale casualties?” Sanel’s voice suddenly became deep, “Are you talking about that battle at River Valley Village?”

Colonel Skool answered meticulously, “Including, but not limited to, the battles on May 28 and 29 in River Valley Village in Mirror Lake County, which are today referred to as the ‘Wailing Valley Battle’, between the New Reclamation Legion and the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army.”

“Enough, quit the nonsense. Objections? I have none.”

Mentioning the River Valley Village battle, Sanel seemed like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, instantly chilling his mood.

However, the next moment, an uncontrollable madness appeared in his eyes—the pain of the crushing defeat only fueled his anger further, leading him to a more pathological frenzy.

Sanel gritted his teeth, glaring intensely at Colonel Skool on the judge’s bench: “Large-scale casualties? I only regret not killing more! Otherwise, you’d be the one on trial here!”

The audience burst into an uproar.

“No, wrong! I wouldn’t bother with this charade of a trial!” Sanel raised his fists and pounded them on the railing, the shackles on his hands clanging.

He roared in fury, “I would send you all to the gallows directly! Let you die in agony!”

Stimulated by Sanel’s words, the freemen became more agitated.

The harsh environment and conservative customs of the Newly Reclaimed Lands bind the settlements closely together, and almost every freeman lost relatives or descendants in the Wailing Valley Battle.

The name “Wailing Valley Battle” came from the parents who mourned their sons’ bodies along the banks of the nameless river, after traveling to River Valley Village post-battle.

Hearing Sanel’s madness, even freemen whose relatives served in the Red Rose Brigade were full of righteous indignation.

Finally, a shout of anger broke the silence.

“Murderer!” Someone shouted in grief, “Give me back my son!”

“Hang him!” Another cry rang out, “Make him pay with his life!”

Colonel Skool forcefully banged his gavel to quell the enraged freemen.

He removed his monocle, for the first time since the trial began, shedding the mantle of judge and prosecutor, revealing a trace of human emotion.

“Those you regret not killing more of, those you have killed…” Skool looked at his old classmate, in a restrained tone asked, “Are all compatriots of the Kingdom of Galloping Horses, descendants of the New Reclamation People, my subordinates, your juniors, how could you say such things?!”

“Compatriots? On the battlefield, there are only enemies!” Sanel seemed to hear the most ridiculous words, pointing at everyone beneath the dome, laughing loudly, “You all! The dead! The living! You group of rebels! Every one of you deserves death!”

Colonel Skool was silent for a moment, then replaced his monocle: “Clerk, record—the defendant has no objections to the consequence determination of the attack.”

Sanel continued to laugh.

“Sanel Caroy.” Colonel Skool tapped his gavel, asking, “Before attacking the New Reclamation Legion, did you understand the possible consequences of your actions?”

“Consequences?” Sanel smiled, “Nothing but war with you!”

“Since you anticipated the consequences.” Colonel Skool asked in a deep voice, “Why did you proceed with the attack?”

“Why?” Sanel’s eyes widened.

“You were aware that attacking Maple Fort would ignite war in the Newly Reclaimed Lands, yet you persisted. Why?” Colonel Skool’s voice echoed through the council chamber, “Before you struck fatally, the New Reclamation Legion had always considered you an ally!”

“Ally? Stop deceiving yourselves!” Sanel mocked, “The New Reclamation Legion only obeys its orders. When did it become my ally?”

Colonel Skool countered, “If not an ally, why did the New Reclamation Legion not attack you? If not an ally, why did the New Reclamation Legion not expel you? If not an ally, why did the New Reclamation Legion supply your troops with everything needed? If not an ally, why did the New Reclamation Legion vacate their Mirror Lake County station for you?”

“Not obeying the Grand Council’s orders.” Sanel interrupted Skool, “You’re rebels. Adams was a fence-sitter, swaying between the rebels and the Grand Council, didn’t deserve to live.”

Colonel Skool shook his head, looking to his left and right, addressing all the freemen, “Regardless of how the Grand Council views General Adams, he at least held the flames ignited by Grof Magnus beyond the Newly Reclaimed Lands. All freemen in the Newly Reclaimed Lands can attest to this.”

“Aye!” Voices of agreement echoed under the dome.

“You claim the New Reclamation Legion does not obey the Grand Council’s orders.” Colonel Skool, referring to historical facts, continued, “However, from its inception, the New Reclamation Legion was granted autonomy. The New Reclamation Legion has loyally fulfilled the obligations stipulated in the glorious and inviolable ‘Told Agreement’, but the Grand Council has no authority to demand more from the legion.”

Colonel Skool refuted Sanel calmly and methodically:

“You claim that because the New Reclamation Legion does not obey the Grand Council’s orders, and thus is your enemy, your attack on the New Reclamation Legion is justified.

“But I ask you, which law stipulates that the New Reclamation Legion must be subservient, and obedient to the Grand Council’s every command?”

“Aye!!” The resounding agreement from all directions grew even louder.

Even though many freemen did not fully grasp Colonel Skool’s reasoning, as long as it put this arrogant lackey of Kingsfort in his place, the freemen of the Newly Reclaimed Lands were ready to cheer for Colonel Skool.

“Even if, assuming your reasons are justified.” Colonel Skool calmly asked:

“Then, please answer my last question—before resolving to use force to eliminate the New Reclamation Legion, did you or the Grand Council behind you ever discuss taking peaceful measures to solve the problem? Ever try to resolve the issue through non-lethal means? Ever consider using legal methods to solve the issue?

“Did you ever think, did you ever care, did you ever mind—what price the New Reclamation People would have to pay for your actions?”

“Please answer my question.” Colonel Skool removed his glasses, scrutinizing his old classmate loyal to Grof Magnus, “Sanel Caroy.”

“Aye!!!” All the freemen of the Newly Reclaimed Lands voiced unanimous approval.