Meanwhile.
Britannia also received war reports from the Italian Peninsula. Protector of the Realm Aetius still has some skills; even without additional Barbarian Race reinforcements, he managed to intercept the invading Huns near the Alps. Such a historic general is entirely focused on defensive stratagems, with the Hunnic army truly likely to collapse on its own.
But there are bad news too, as Emperor Valentinian III has fled.
Even though Aetius sent three letters a day, repeatedly assuring the Emperor that the Hunnic army couldn’t invade Italy, Valentinian III simply didn’t believe him and has completely broken with Aetius. The Emperor’s trust in him is almost nonexistent.
Additionally, Anya’s messages indicated that while blocking the Hunnic army, Aetius unexpectedly recruited a notable number of Hunnic mercenaries.
This war has turned into an internal conflict among the Huns!
The Imperial Senate is also deeply concerned, worried that Aetius might not control the Hunnic mercenaries, and fearful those Hunnic units might switch sides on the battlefield.
The Roman Church, however, has been quite active during this time.
Pope Leo I tried to persuade the Hunnic army to retreat. There’s no definitive news yet, but it’s rumored that both armies have been struck by a plague. Upon hearing of the plague, any thoughts of intervention vanished instantly, and Emperor Valentinian III fled swiftly.
Everyone wanted to stay as far away as possible.
About a week later, more definitive news arrived. The plague indeed ravaged the regions surrounding Italy, reportedly killing many people.
The Gaul Region immediately blocked routes, and the Franks even sealed off trade routes.
This news reached the Britannia Region, leading to stringent checks even on fleets from the Italian Peninsula, and Anya almost completely suspended the Mediterranean trade routes to Italy. With the Middle Ages’ medical standards, once a plague breaks out, all there is to rely on is Celestial Destiny, as there is simply no way to save those afflicted.
Though Druids are adept with herbs, there’s still a gap compared to Eastern medicine, so sealing off is the best course of action.
There are even uncertain rumors that Aetius has also contracted the plague, though there’s no clear information, and the old man’s physique is quite strong, suggesting he might not succumb so easily.
"Instruct the Druid Order to prepare a batch of herbs in advance."
Duncan quickly commanded.
If the army were to suffer an outbreak of disease and plague, it would indeed be impossible to continue waging war.
He too needs to prepare in advance, just to be safe.
Now, both sides on the Italian Peninsula are likely forced to negotiate peace. On the Empire’s side, things are slightly better, while the Hunnic army is likely to collapse on its own, having not reaped sufficient spoils of war, causing the vast Hunnic Empire to soon disintegrate.
It seems the heavens have saved the Western Empire once again.
With the emergence of this plague, the Hunnic army can at most forcefully sustain for half a month. If they can’t invade further to pillage all of Italy’s wealth, they will fall into internal chaos.
It’s unknown whether it’s due to the numerous deaths over the years.
Soon, rumors of plague appeared in the Gaul Region and around the battlefield of Sharon, and by the time Duncan responded, there were already infections in London. Thankfully, it’s not the deadly Black Death, and after research, the Druid Order indicated it could be treated with herbs, but the infection source must be controlled.
At this moment.
Tens of thousands had died of plague across Europe, leading many religious sects to temporarily halt their disputes, seeking ways to cure and save lives. The Arian Sect’s hermits even sent people to Britannia to seek the Druids’ help.
To help? Or not to help?
Duncan ultimately decided to lend a hand, as the plague is something that cannot be ignored.
During this period, rumors of ’Banshees’ and ’Plague Beldams’ began to circulate in Europe, with tales of the roaming ’Headless Knights’ and war-death souls emerging around Sharon, indicating that despite being active for so long, the church had yet to eradicate the war ghosts on that battlefield.
The course of history started to diverge significantly!
A definitive message came back, stating that the Roman Pope succeeded in convincing the Hunnic army to retreat, while Protector of the Realm Aetius was bedridden with severe illness due to the plague.
Aetius’s steadfast defense for months served entirely to benefit the Roman Church.
All the blame fell on him.
The Hunnic army was clearly on the brink of collapse, yet the credit went to the Roman Church, as the public believed it was the Pope who persuaded the invaders to withdraw. Soon, Anya’s spies returned with information that the church had secretly bribed many Hunnic leaders.
The Huns could no longer endure, and they didn’t wish to contribute to Aetius’s fame, opting instead to bolster the church’s prestige directly.
A war turned into a game of various parties, leaving both Aetius and Valentinian III severely wounded, making the church the ultimate victor.
The Roman public first suffered from the ravages of war, then was devastated by plague.
For a moment.
A cry arose, calling for the Governor of Britain-Duncan to return and take charge once more, but this sentiment was quickly suppressed.
The Imperial Senate leaned towards the Roman Church, attempting to seize command of the military while Aetius was seriously ill.
When Valentinian III returned, he was utterly dumbfounded.
He had been backstabbed twice in a row!
.........