(An extra chapter added, offering it as a tribute, praying for monthly votes.)

Antonine Wall, fortress.

As the only relatively intact fort along this wall, it's actually just a dilapidated house with a leak.

"Bring him up."

Duncan sat in the main seat and gave the order calmly. Soon, Personal Guard Carl brought up Drest I with some men. This young general was only seventeen this year. In the latter half of the year, he would be sent out for further studies, and then lead the army independently, starting from a centurion.

Drest walked up with a face ashen, followed by five or six captured Pictish chieftains.

Duncan waved his hand and said, "Untie him."

After being untied, Drest raised his head and looked at Duncan, his lips moved slightly, but ultimately he said nothing; he just stood there rigidly.

Duncan was not in a hurry at all. He stood up, glanced at the other Pictish chieftains, and slowly said, "Are you willing to surrender?"

As soon as the words fell, some immediately kowtowed, shouting Duncan as the King of Britain.

But there was also one person who stiffened his neck, glaring at Duncan without speaking; his two sons had died on the battlefield, and his expression was full of hatred towards Duncan.

Galavin, behind Duncan, approached and whispered a few words.

Duncan nodded slightly and said, "Your sons died honorably on the battlefield, just as we defeated you honorably on the battlefield."

"Since you do not submit, someone, take him down and execute him!"

"A family should be whole."

The Personal Guards on either side stepped forward and took him down. Soon, the execution was done swiftly, accompanied by a scream from outside. A personal guard returned holding a bloodied head.

The faces of the prisoners present turned pale with fear, except for Drest, whose expression was surprised as he looked at Duncan, then at himself, the only one freed.

With his attitude, he should have been beheaded by Duncan long ago.

Soon, the other captured chieftains were taken away, leaving only Drest I. Duncan looked down at the person before him and slowly said, "Do you know why I didn't kill you?"

Drest, after all, is a person whose name is remembered in history. He said in a deep voice, "You want to completely conquer the Picts?"

Duncan nodded calmly and said, "That's right."

"I want to end the centuries of chaos and conflict on Great Britain and unite all tribes and peoples under one banner."

Drest gazed at Duncan before him and said in a deep voice, "And then?"

"You will crown yourself king and become the ruler of Britain?"

Duncan smiled slightly and said calmly, "Do you think I will always stay on Great Britain?"

Drest was silent.

Such a mythical hero figure could not possibly have his sights limited to a small Britannia.

Duncan continued to ask, "Are you willing to submit?"

"If you are unwilling."

"I can still let you go, but there's no one in Scotland who can oppose me anymore. I can send someone to ship you to Ireland."

"You can tell them that I want to completely conquer Britannia."

"Maybe."

"Because of you, they will unite to resist me!"

Upon hearing this, Drest showed a faint bitter smile.

Letting me go a second time?

However, the pride he held as a tribal chieftain had already been utterly shattered by Duncan.

Especially Duncan's form on the battlefield, like a Ghost God descending, no matter how many more chances he got, he couldn't turn defeat into victory.

Duncan still underestimated one thing: Firstly, Drest is not as resourceful as Meng Huo, and secondly, Great Britain is not as large as Yunnan.

What Chancellor Zhuge conquered were actually the descendants of the Jiu Li tribes, and it wasn't as complicated with the Picts, whose resistance wasn't as firm as the Jiu Li descendants. Besides, Chancellor Zhuge used more strategies, while Duncan was purely about forceful conquest, defeating the enemy and breaking their courage in just one or two confrontations.

The Barbarian Race inherently admired heroes of extraordinary valor, and it could be said that Duncan already had followers among the Picts; it was purely about the admiration for strong warriors.

When they lost due to strategies, they were unsatisfied, but when they were defeated honorably, they had nothing to say.

Drest had the same mindset. He held the traditional Barbarian belief that with Duncan's incredible prowess, no matter how many came, they wouldn't be enough for him to kill. One day after capturing nearly ten thousand prisoners, some volunteered to surrender.

The reason was straightforward: Following such a world-renowned warrior surely meant victories in battles.

Who doesn't yearn for victory?

Drest remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Can you treat the Picts well? Just like you treat the Britons!"

"You are a Roman."

"As long as you vow to treat the Picts equally, I am willing to submit."

It seems the need for three captures and releases is unnecessary; he clearly didn't plan to cross the sea to Ireland to seek reinforcements, after all, the Gaels and Picts also had conflicts.

Clang.

Duncan slowly drew the longsword at his waist and said in a deep voice, "Have you heard of this sword?"

Drest looked up and hesitated, "The Oathkeeper?"

In fact.

The legend of Duncan's Sword of Oathkeeper is more widespread than the Sword of Oath and Victory, and in the future, it might be passed down as a divine artifact, but it was actually seized from the Hermitage Holy Hall.

However, the legend of the Oathkeeper has the endorsement of people from the British Church (people previously arranged to infiltrate), claiming that the Oathkeeper was gifted to Duncan by an Angel.

He is the God-recognized ruler of the island of Great Britain.

This is a public opinion offensive.

Or rather, when Duncan's power was strong enough, even the church on Great Britain fawned over him and actively drew close.

Duncan nodded slowly and placed the blade on Drest's shoulder. This proud Barbarian Chieftain hesitated for a moment and then slowly knelt on one knee before Duncan.

"In the name of God and the gods."

"I will treat Britons and Picts equally; they are all my people and have the right to live peacefully in Britannia."

"I will send scholars, craftsmen, and agricultural experts to teach the Picts advanced knowledge of farming, planting, animal husbandry, and construction. I will establish a school in Scotland, allowing talented individuals from Pictish tribes to learn the precious knowledge of the Empire."

"And lead the Picts into a new era of civilization."

"Those Pictish warriors willing to follow me, I will treat them fairly, rewarding and promoting the brave and granting them honor, with no discrimination due to their origins."

Duncan's voice was not loud, but it traveled far, echoing throughout the battlefield.

Triss the Crow Queen summoned the Wind of Magic in her palm, spreading his voice throughout the army.

When the Oathkeeper Sword was drawn, the personal guards near the tent voluntarily knelt on one knee, soon followed by waves of people kneeling, including even the surrendered Picts, who knelt darkly en masse.

Duncan gazed at Drest before him, and said solemnly, "I will bring lasting peace to the island of Great Britain!"

"Establish courts, delineate administrative districts, and allow many tribes to self-govern."

"I will strive to resolve centuries of hatred among various nations, uniting them under one flag and entering a new era of civilization."

A cheer like a landslide and tsunami arose.

In the name of the Oathkeeper, Duncan took an oath.

Meanwhile.

Drest's voice also gradually rose, reaching the ears of the Picts. He bowed respectfully and said, "I, Drest, as the military leader of the Picts, take this oath."

"If all this can be realized, the Pictish tribes will forever swear allegiance to you, my lord, and your bloodline successors."

"Even if it is thousands of years later."

"If your descendants summon, the Picts will surely respond to today's oath, fighting for your successors!"

Drest still played a little trick.

His allegiance is to Duncan, not the Empire. The oath is only for Duncan and his descendant bloodlines; others cannot make the Picts submit.

With Drest's understanding of Duncan, this man will definitely want to conquer the Empire and perhaps become Augustus.

This oath will be passed down, but if anyone responds in the future, nobody knows.

In fact, all this is to reassure people, and Duncan does not expect the Picts to respond to the oath several hundred years later, as long as they remain honest and do not rebel. Drest is also boasting; although the Picts value oaths, after several generations, everything will leave no traces, leaving only a bit of legend.

Today, the Picts of Scotland completely surrender.

Duncan will subdivide into more than a dozen tribal autonomous regions and send people to transform them from semi-agricultural and semi-fishing into agricultural communities. He will also recruit an army since many Picts are indeed warriors. Paying them a military salary is more suitable than farming, but retraining is needed.

As for land equalization, it's the same; Chieftains certainly cannot retain much power. Drest will rise because he has prestige and can assist Duncan in governance, but some other Chieftains must be replaced.

All slaves captured from the English region must be released. Any disobedience will be firmly suppressed, although Duncan will likely have Drest deal with them.

Because Drest knows very well that the Picts can no longer afford a second war.

At this time, Drest's status is equivalent to the Governor of the British Province, the Scotland region. Duncan is not afraid of him becoming too powerful because he has absolute martial force to suppress. As for future matters, definitely Romanization, urbanization, but no need to learn Roman customs—only absorbing Roman Empire knowledge is needed.

Britons learn knowledge but preserve tradition, full Romanization is unrealistic. The Empire ruled the British Province for over four hundred years, and except for the London area, other places still retained local culture.

Compared to the Empire's military, the British Legion, the Pictish warriors' salaries are cheaper, recruited carrying their own weapons, plus Combat Skills, essentially slightly trained as qualified warriors.

Duncan does not plan to maintain too many professional armies; these warriors are suitable for semi-agricultural and semi-combat roles.

As long as rewards and punishments are clear, their wholehearted allegiance isn't hard.

Duncan captured territories of more than a dozen counties in one battle; combined population is just over two hundred thousand, less than London and its surrounding counties. Population census continues, but estimates based on projections suggest a final total population of approximately 1.5 million.

Compared to the peak population of the British Province, less than half remain.

Also, on this day.

Severus hurried over, and upon seeing Duncan, he immediately said solemnly, "The Church has sent someone!"

"It's a Saint!"

Hmm?

Someone from the Church?

Duncan's expression was slightly surprised and very serious.

As if realizing his slip of tongue, Severus quickly explained, "Not from mainland Europe, but a Saint from the Church of Ireland!"

.........

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