After the effects of the forbidden spell faded, Suzanna was able to kill Manstuly easily. After the battle, the League was able to take over Blackwater City very easily.
Even though the League had lost a large number of mercenaries, it was still the first proper battle. The mercenaries did not stop fighting after that and went into the city to look for more fights.
Mourtta controlled the city very well and did not allow anyone who wasn't a fighter to stay. Because of this, it was very easy to find mercenaries in the streets of Blackwater City.
The battle lasted until early morning. The mercenaries finally grew tired and could not find any more opponents. By morning, most of the mercenaries in the city were killed by Anfey's mercenaries, and the only people left in the city were women, children, and the elderly.
"What should we do with the elves?" Ye asked.
"What do you mean?" Anfey asked with a frown. "You want them dead?"
"We can't kill them," Christian said hurriedly. "They surrendered. Murdering prisoners of war will damage our reputation."
"We must leave by noon," Ye argued. "Bringing them along will only slow us down."
"It's better if we keep them and sell them," Anthony said. "We need the money."
"Don't you remember? You owe Bruzuryano a favor," Alice suddenly said. "If you let those elves live and give them to Bruzuryano, you can at least repay some of that favor."
Christian smiled when he heard Alice. He knew that Anfey listened to Alice, and Alice had a solid reason not to kill the elves. Anfey had admitted that he would never have been as powerful as he was without Bruzuryano's direct help. He didn't like owing someone else a favor, and he would surely accept Alice's plan.
"Alright," Anfey said with a quick nod. "Take those elves with us, then."
"What if they slow us down?"
"You have mercenaries working for you. Figure out a way," Anfey said.
Ye nodded. "Another thing. There are 37 merchant groups in the city. Lady Alice told me to protect those merchants, but my men discovered that all those groups are more or less connected to Tiger of Tawau mercenary group. Should we still protect them?"
"I need you to protect them because I can think ahead," Alice said. "We are mercenaries, not robbers. What do you want me to do without merchants? Are you willing to give up your men to farm?"
"Who knows what will happen in the future?" Anfey said, shaking his head. "How many groups are hiding people from Tiger of Tawau mercenary group?"
"We found one," Ye said. "I suspect a few others, but I don't have a reason to search them."
"You don't have a reason?" Anfey asked, amused.
Ye blinked, then nodded. "I see," he said.
"No merchants will want to deal with us," Alice said, shaking her head.
"We will find some that will," Anfey said. He turned to Alice and asked, "Have you ever fought in a battle?"
"Me?"
"Yes. When Shansa Empire was fighting Maho Empire. Have you ever been to the battlefield?"
"No."
"I have," Anfey said. "I've been to Blackania City after the war, and I've seen Violet City after the war, as well. Do you know what I saw there?"
"What did you see?"
"I saw carnage. Destruction. Death. People have nothing. Even people's lives cease to be their own. After everything you've been through, you should know better than any of us how cruel, how evil humans can be. If you have a chance, you can go around and see that in a place like this, no one has any rights."
Anfey created the League and he knew it well. He knew that even though there were rules, none of the rules were strictly reinforced. The League was still too young and needed time to settle down. Back in Stormenburg, where strict laws were in place, some mercenaries still caused chaos by fighting each other and assaulting women. Here in Blackwater City, that was almost inevitable.
Alice frowned. Unlike Suzanna, who was a fighter, Alice was a manipulator and had almost never killed anyone. After she killed her attacker in White Mountain City, she was plagued by nightmares. Of course she knew what it must look like outside, and she did not want to see it.
"Truthfully speaking, even Christian must know it's impractical to protect all the merchants."
"What?" Christian asked, frowning. "What does that have to do with me?"
Anfey turned to Ye and asked, "What happened after you sent the mercenaries to protect the merchants?"
"A lot of the mercenaries wanted to get into the merchant groups' establishments," Ye said. "There were some small fights between the mercenaries and my men, but nothing serious."
"That's why I told him to protect the merchants! Was I wrong?"
"Of course not," Anfey said. "Don't let anyone get near those buildings. We need to protect those buildings because they contain valuable resources we can use."
Alice opened her mouth to argue, but Christian hurriedly cut her off. "He's right," Christian said. "Don't worry about the merchants anymore."
"When are we leaving?" Anthony asked. "I don't want to delay too much."
"Noon," Anfey said. "Give them some time to rest. Ye, take care of those merchants. You can have the carts when we leave."
Ye nodded.
"Alice," Anfey called, smirking. "Why don't you go take a walk with Ye?"
Alice frowned. She knew that Anfey thought she was weak and scared of the violence. She was very proud and did not like it when people looked down on her. "Sure," she said, holding her head high.
"Wait, really?" Anfey asked, surprised by her answer.