Despite the presence of wells and water facilities around the castle, the fire broke out with great ferocity. Thick smoke poured through the corridors, making it difficult for rescuers to even approach the main hall on the first floor.

The First Army quickly retreated from the castle and sealed off the area. The fire burned for nearly two hours before it could be entered the following afternoon. By then, nothing remained in the dungeon.

What followed was the on-site cleanup and investigation. Officials accompanying the army established a temporary city hall and began to take over the administrative affairs of Goldenspike City.

The cause of the dungeon fire was soon determined: a group of rats, harboring resentment towards Duke Berg for turning the prosperous city into an impoverished fortress, infiltrated the castle basement through a secret passage and ignited the piles of straw in the prison.

Therefore, this was an extremely malicious arson case, posing a significant threat to the order of the Eastern Territory and a provocation to the First Army of Neverwinter City.

In addition to vigorously publicizing the investigation results, the First Army and the city hall skillfully launched a city-wide rat extermination campaign. Confession gets leniency, resistance gets severity, rewards for reporting, grain for revealing... Coupled with the grain stocks seized from various noble residences and gradually released to the market and for relief, the lifeless city instantly became bustling.

On the night the rat extermination order was issued, Bear Paw once again slipped into Iron Axe's tent.

"Boss, those big families are showing signs of evacuation. Over a dozen carriages passed through the West Gate today, heading towards Sea Breeze County. Some of them had particularly deep tracks. I think they are loaded with..."

"Gold and silver jewelry, I suppose," Iron Axe put down the quill in his hand. "But I initially said I only needed grain. If they want to take other things, let them go."

The chief commander was not surprised by this development.

After the fire, the trust between the First Army and the traditional nobles completely collapsed. Regardless of the reason, fleeing was the only way out they could think of. Losing the family's pillar and a few knights was not an unbearable loss for a noble family. Titles could be inherited, and knights could be re-appointed, but the courage to confront head-on would be gone.

Rather than stay here and wait for death, it was better to take the whole family, servants, and vast wealth to another place and look for new opportunities. While the fiefdom was important, life itself was more precious.

Moreover, in preparation for this war, Willien Berg had concentrated all the resources in Goldenspike City. Most of the surrounding territories were severely depleted and would not recover for two or three years, which was why they made their decision so quickly.

"Boss, there's one more thing..." Bear Paw hesitated halfway through his sentence. This was a rare expression for the straightforward adjutant.

"Speak," Iron Axe said seriously.

"The fire in the dungeon... did you start it?" Bear Paw hesitated for a long time before finally asking in a low voice.

"Why do you say that?"

"Not to mention that there are iron gates separating the secret passage, it's hard to believe that a few rats could break through. I don't think the garrison would be so lax that they wouldn't notice someone starting a fire. Also, I went to the dungeon and saw that the flames didn't seem to originate from the rooms, but spread from the corridor to both sides. And judging from the charred remains, it was likely caused by oil."

Iron Axe nodded after listening. "You guessed right, I gave the order."

Probably not expecting him to admit it so readily, Bear Paw was stunned for a moment. "...Why?"

"It's better for me to do this kind of thing. If you know, it's easier to make mistakes."

"That's not what I'm asking," the adjutant shook his head. "I mean—didn't they surrender?"

"I see..." Iron Axe pondered for a moment. "Simply put, I don't have the time to verify whether they are truly willing to surrender, and His Majesty doesn't have the time to judge them either. That's why Roland entrusted me with full responsibility for all matters on the Eastern Front before the army set out."

"But..."

"Do you think making such a decision without trial might lead to the death of innocent people among them?" Iron Axe interrupted the adjutant and casually handed him a booklet on the table. "Take a look at this."

"This is... a population census?"

"Seized from the castle room." The chief commander nodded. "Five years ago, Goldenspike City and its surrounding areas had a population of about 220,000, which could be considered the most prosperous area in the Eastern Territory. But this year, that number has plummeted to around 60,000. We have received a total of about 30,000 to 40,000 refugees from the Eastern Territory. Even if we count 40,000, there is still a shortage of nearly 120,000 people—and that's assuming the population hasn't grown. You should be well aware of the reason for all this."

Bear Paw gasped. "Those flooded farmlands..."

"And this unrecognizable Goldenspike City." Iron Axe stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked to the candlestick. "In order to block roads and thicken the city walls, Willien clearly conscripted the nearby people. Without the permission and assistance of other lords, he absolutely couldn't have done this alone. And the mass mobilization of the population led to the disruption of trade and reduced agricultural production, and the final consequence was the numbers in the census. In other words, none of these nobles are accomplices of the duke. Do you still think His Majesty would accept their allegiance?"

"..." Bear Paw was speechless for a moment.

"However, their claims of innocence are not lies," Iron Axe continued. "Because in their eyes, it doesn't mean anything at all. Even if the cultivated farmland has been reduced by more than half, the nobles' mansions are still filled with grain, and even... people. After all, if stored properly, meat can be preserved longer than wheat."

Bear Paw's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Of course, most importantly, they seriously hindered His Majesty's plan. Population is the resource that His Majesty values most, but they are squandering it recklessly. If we hadn't brought new firearms, what would the battle situation be like? Field artillery would be difficult to move in the mud. We can only forcefully attack the city or fight a protracted war. At that point, I don't think the nobles would surrender until they have exhausted the city's population." Iron Axe turned back. "Do you have any other questions?"

After a long time, Bear Paw looked up and said, "You did the right thing—burning these guys to death is too good for them... But this approach is not His Majesty's intention, is it? What if he finds out..."

"What if?" Iron Axe raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I would hide this matter? No, His Majesty will definitely know—I have written everything that happened in Goldenspike City in the report. Whether he agrees with the approach or not, I will be solely responsible for this matter."