Chapter 268 : The Seed of Hatred Had Grown

What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍did it feel like to have Mount Tai come crashing down on one's head?

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍vast majority of people probably could not imagine it, because they had never seen it.

But ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the old acquaintances of Itzamein might have been able to float above their graves, bragging about it to the other ghosts.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍massive amount of gathered napalm began to fall the instant the shield shattered, surging toward the crowd like a silent tsunami.

It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not sweep people away like water. Instead, it was like molten, high-temperature resin, wrapping itself tightly around any insect the moment it came into contact with it.

Because ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the confined space had compressed an enormous quantity of napalm into a tiny area, when it came crashing down into the crowd, it was just like resin dripping onto insects—instantly smashing them to the ground before fusing together with them.

This time, there was not even a single standing figure left in sight. The overwhelming majority of the crowd was slammed flat onto the ground, wailing as they were glued together with everyone around them.

The passionate napalm burned through their necks and flowed into their windpipes, brutally silencing their noisy screams.

The humanoid masses writhed stiffly within the napalm. With every twist of their bodies, it was obvious they had shrunk another circle, being slowly broken down bit by bit.

The narrow space on the bridge allowed some civilians to narrowly avoid the napalm raining directly onto them, but the horrific scene around them still terrified them beyond measure.

Countless people crowded together, shoving one another. Many who could no longer endure the crushing pressure climbed over the bridge and jumped into the moat below.

The torrential downpour of napalm also fell into the river. The water began releasing enormous amounts of gas at a speed visible to the naked eye. The dense bubbles and billowing steam clearly showed that the river had completed its transformation into a pot of boiling soup.

The miserable screams of those floating in the river, along with their swollen, crimson bodies, were even more direct and horrifying than the distorted figures writhing in the flames.

Countless high-ranking mages frantically unleashed everything they had learned throughout their lives. The variety of spells exploding across the sky was greater than what an old mage might have witnessed in an entire lifetime.

However, it was completely useless.

Absolute quantity produced a qualitative change. Tens of thousands of tons of napalm burning at temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees, concentrated within such a tiny area, was no less devastating than an apocalyptic divine punishment cast down by the gods themselves.

Not only did all the water and ice magic fail to suppress the flames, but they instead fed the napalm bombs, generating even more superheated steam and making the environment even more unbearable for those who had barely survived.

Unless one's physique had reached the transcendent level of a Saint, one still had to obey the basic conditions necessary for human survival, such as water and oxygen.

The extreme heat evaporated moisture while consuming enormous amounts of oxygen. The air became filled with various poisonous gases, making it impossible to rely on it as a lifeline. Instead, it became yet another highly efficient messenger of death.

After all, the vast majority of people in this magical world had never considered that air itself could become harmful. The Ceres Alliance had given them a brutally unforgettable lesson.

The entire royal capital of Itzamein seemed to twist beneath the scorching flames. The blazing firelight was so bright that not only could the Alliance forces outside the city see it clearly, but even the naval fire support fleet stationed several hundred kilometers away at sea could easily make it out.

When the medium-range bombers returned to their temporary airfield, black smoke was clearly rising from their undersides, and every aircraft carried a faint scent of roasted meat.

Many newly promoted pilots and bombardiers vomited while tumbling off their aircraft, crawling away as they continuously prayed to the Holy Light Church and Midia.

The nun duty rooms responsible for psychological counseling instantly became overcrowded. Quite a few nuns gagged after hearing the bombardiers, who had also served as aerial observers, describe the scene below.

Major General Nigel Est was instead overjoyed upon hearing this. If even his own men could not endure such a scene, then the fate of the Holy See's royal capital would undoubtedly produce an overwhelming deterrent effect throughout the rest of the Holy See.

As for whether such actions were excessively cruel, Nigel Est declined to comment. The Ministry of War had never said they could not do it. If it was not forbidden, then it was permitted. If it was permitted, then it was innocent.

This was one of Nigel Est's little tricks. Except in cases of treason or collaborating with the enemy, the Alliance fundamentally prohibited higher-ranking officers from interfering with frontline commanders while they were carrying out combat operations.

And this rule applied at every level. Whether it was a division commander giving orders to a company commander or any other superior-subordinate relationship, superiors could only establish the overall mission objectives and operational plans. How those objectives were achieved was entirely up to the subordinate commander. Aside from the Empress herself, no superior was allowed to bypass the chain of command.

So Nigel Est simply interpreted the Ministry of War's silence as approval. It was the sort of clever loophole an old soldier would exploit.

And officers like him were by no means a minority within the Alliance. Officers who advocated explosive and merciless retaliation against the Holy See were not merely present—they were extremely numerous.

This had the most direct connection to the Alliance's subtle educational environment.

For the descendants of these former enemies, the Alliance represented by Midia had developed an exceptionally mature... ahem... an exceptionally mature educational system.

Generally speaking, it adopted the strategy of killing the nobles while sparing the commoners.

The ruling elite who controlled public discourse would be systematically eliminated. Only a portion of the nobles who had defected in advance would be spared. After legally stripping them of their privileged status, the Alliance would compensate them with certain benefits elsewhere, such as allowing them to receive recognition and promotion within the educational system, placing them in charge of local education and public security.

Since these surrendered nobles had no second option if they wished to successfully transform themselves, they would use the educational influence they controlled to frantically whitewash themselves and similar groups while simultaneously praising the current government.

With the very people who possessed the greatest legitimacy to lead resistance having been won over, resistance movements effectively lost any chance of receiving unified leadership and coordination from respected figures.

At the same time, the Alliance itself would not interfere with public opinion among the common people. Instead, it vigorously promoted ordinary citizens who had sacrificed themselves through resistance as national heroes, granting them officially recognized honors while providing their descendants with welfare benefits second only to those of the families of fallen Alliance soldiers, thereby softening the hostility between nations and races born from war.

The conflicts fought on the battlefield should not continue beyond it. This had always been one of the Alliance's most strongly advocated principles of governance.

The purpose of the Alliance's wars was to liberate races. As long as this principle could be faithfully implemented within occupied territories, then combined with its previous policies, negative consequences could be minimized to the greatest possible extent.

As for the remaining resentment, the Alliance naturally redirected it toward those reinforcement forces who claimed to be allies but were, in reality, far more twisted and despicable than the Alliance itself. In the end, both sides could even end up sharing the same hatred toward a common enemy.

As for the nobles who remained behind, dealing with them became much easier. A few rounds of acting on "inside information" (slander), opposing the nation's fundamental policies, followed by large-scale dismissals and investigations, were enough to clean them out completely.

Nigel Est himself was one such example. His father had unfortunately died while fighting against the Ceres Federation. After the Ceres Federation merged the subcontinent nations and became the Ceres Alliance, it still affirmed his father's performance during the war.

Following the example set from above, that official recognition meant Nigel Est's family did not fall into hardship after losing its primary breadwinner. Nor did anyone dare bully the descendant of a racial hero within a settlement populated by their own race.

On the contrary, since all of his living and educational expenses were covered by the Alliance, along with the regular hero's stipend provided by the Alliance, his mother had not suffered much while raising him.

A proper education also gave him a much clearer understanding of the war between the Federation and the Kingdom. The Alliance's libraries contained complete collections analyzing historical campaigns, as well as comparative charts covering the economies and militaries of every subcontinent nation at the time.

Every set of data was accompanied by detailed arguments, sources, and evidence. By the time he finished reading, Nigel Est almost wished he had not been born in the Palia region.

After all, a nation founded upon slavery like Palia could never compare with the Federation in terms of advancing the world. The Alliance did not even need to slander it. Many long-lived dwarves had once been slaves of the Palia Kingdom, and its undeniable dark history was far too extensive to even count.

As long as the Alliance fulfilled its promise of leading everyone toward a better future, then reason and reality would reinforce one another, naturally granting the Alliance an inherent sense of justice.

After all, the Ceres Federation no longer existed. Everyone was now an Alliance citizen.

And whatever hatred still lingered in their hearts would only be directed toward the nations that still existed and still bore grudges against them—everyone except the Alliance.