Berserk, Total War: Second Son of Nobles

1461 slowly entered spring, but unlike the vibrant nature, the entire town of Münzer became lifeless.

Fugger's property was taken over from the Padua City Hall, including the mines near the town, but the workers' treatment did not improve. However, the previous debts were directly turned into bad debts due to Fugger's murder, which did reduce some of the burden on the miners.

But soon, Minzer saw in the newspaper that Yoda had launched a large-scale attack on Midland, and also announced that the new emperor required all regions to recruit another 100,000 soldiers and various taxes generated by the war.

"Shield tax, bow and arrow tax, sword tax, knife tax, axe tax... God of Light is above, he might as well rob openly."

Walden was amazed at the various taxes in the newspaper, while Minzer felt depressed, as if something bad was about to happen.

Min Caier stood in front of the window, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the wooden thorns on the window frame, his knuckles slightly white from the force:

"The Fugger mines are now owned by the city hall, but the wages are still the same."

"You don't have to pay back your previous debts...but what's the point?"

"Oh no!"

A sharp shout from the street interrupted Min Ze'er's thoughts.

"The conscription officer and tax collector are here! They brought a lot of people with them!"

The sound outside had a distinct tremor, and the sound of horse hooves was getting closer and closer, and the stone road was pounding underfoot.

Minzer flung open the window. The conscription officer was riding on a tall horse, his whip swinging in a sharp arc in the air:

"All men between the ages of 15 and 50 will gather at the square immediately! Those who disobey will be killed without mercy!"

His voice echoed through the street, startling several sparrows perched on the eaves.

On the streets of the town, the tax collector brought a team of thugs and knocked on doors from house to house:

"Open the door! Pay your taxes!"

The sound of wood chips flying could be clearly heard, as if something was torn off forcefully, and the dilapidated door was shaking under the violence.

In the square, the conscription officer threw the list on the table and announced loudly:

"This time we are recruiting 100,000 soldiers. Your town must send 50 people. Now everyone, line up in three rows, with the young ones in the front!"

As dusk fell, the only people left in the square were strong men with bloody marks from their chains.

They lined up in a row like a string of livestock about to be slaughtered, despair written all over their faces and fear of the future revealed in their eyes.

The recruiting officer counted the men:

"Fifty, not one less."

Just as the conscription officer was about to take his men away, a widow rushed forward, knelt on the ground and hugged his legs:

"Sir, please let my son go, he is only fourteen years old!"

The recruiting officer kicked her away:

"Get lost! Who knows if you are just saying this to help your child avoid military service? There's not much difference between fourteen and fifteen. Take him away!"

"No, Mom, help!"

The unfortunate boy cried out heart-wrenchingly, but was dragged by the soldiers towards the cage on the carriage.

The tax officer and his thugs broke into the house and kicked the door open:

"Hand over all your valuables!"

"Master, we have paid all the taxes for this year."

The hostess stepped back holding the child, her back against the wall.

"handed in?"

The tax collector grabbed her by the collar.

"Have you paid the tax that His Majesty the Emperor just issued?"

He threw away the parchment in his hand.

"Have you paid all these taxes? Search for me!"

The sounds of cabinets being smashed, copper pots being overturned, and children's heart-wrenching cries mixed together.

The thugs stuffed the stolen silverware into sacks, and even took the broken pottery jar in the corner.

All of this was done under Minzer's watch, but even Minzer couldn't change the situation. These people sounded like they were from the north of Yoda, and their religious affiliation wasn't here at all, so he couldn't threaten them at all. Just as he was about to step forward to stop them, Walden hugged him:

"No, no, no, there's nothing you can do if you go now. Even if you delay, how long can you delay? There are so many of them, how many can you stop?"

The conscription officer's carriage began to load people. The captured men were chained together, and the sound of metal colliding was crisp and cold, and every collision seemed to hit Min Caier's heart. The boy's crying gradually became weaker, and finally disappeared in the roar of the carriage, leaving only a dead silence.

The tax collector's carriage, loaded with treasure, drove toward the city gate. He stood on the carriage and swung his whip, which made an arc in the air:

"Next time, remember to ask them to prepare everything first. It's a waste of my time."

Under the watchful eyes of all the townspeople, including Minzer, the cart loaded with able-bodied men and various items left the town. The conscription officer escorted some people westward. Everyone knew that their destination must be the front line, while the tax collector went to Padua with the items confiscated from each household, leaving the town in a mess.

It was completely dark when the miners returned from the mine carrying their tools.

The first miner saw the mess at his doorstep and couldn't help asking:

"How is this going?"

"Your boy has been taken away."

Someone pointed to the traces of the receding carriage.

"And some valuable items in your house."

"what?"

The miner dropped his tools and ran into the house, only to see his unconscious wife and open boxes scattered all over the floor.

"My child, how can we live like this..."

His voice became hoarse from crying.

On the way, Min Caier heard crying, cursing, and dog barking in the distance.

The moonlight shone through the window, casting a pale line on the ground.

Suddenly, he happened to pass by the gallows in the square. Fugger's body was still shaking on the gallows. The moonlight swept across his rotten face, like a layer of flowing grease, emitting a disgusting smell.

Min Caier returned home, recalling the scenes of the day, and couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

Min Caier counted his own heartbeats, one, two, three... until the sky in the east began to turn pale. His heartbeats still echoed in his chest, as if they would never stop, just like this endless suffering, which seemed to have no end.

When the first ray of sunlight shone into the town, the bloodstains on the square had been washed away by the morning dew. Only the iron chain left by the conscription officer remained there, flashing cold light in the sunlight, like an icy poisonous snake, lurking in the center of the town, constantly reminding people of the suffering they had suffered.

Fugger died, but he also lost.

It was at this time that Min Zeer realized that in this place and this country, even if a new person was in power, the lives of the people would not improve. As long as the war between Yoda and Midlan continued, and the nobles and the church continued to control and exploit the lower class people, the majority of the people in this country would be trapped in this desperate cycle.