Chapter 129
Chapter 129 – Kingdom (9)
“The mission of the envoys is of great importance. Since the national interest is at stake, I hope everyone can fulfill their duties diligently.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
In the distant northern region, preparations for war were ongoing as always.
Within the kingdom, which was enjoying a peace that could not be compared, there was some commotion for the first time in a while. They were forming a delegation to be dispatched to the north.
And on the day when the officials finished their preparations to greet the king and depart, they received the king’s royal letter and began their journey northward.
‘It’s a bit later than expected, but that doesn’t matter. After all, we’ve still achieved meaningful results.’
Naturally, Rihar was with them. Even though he couldn’t engage in the proactive exchanges he desired right away, he felt that the mere departure of the delegation was a sufficient accomplishment.
At the very least, he was not being dismissed as a liar or accused of colluding with the enemy.
Sure, there were a few who made such claims, but thanks to the king showing interest, those murmurs were easily brushed aside.
‘Anyway, once they see it for themselves over there, their opinions will change.’
Now, the only thing left was how the delegation would evaluate the Arin Tribe, but Rihar wasn’t overly concerned about that.
He had only spoken the truth, and if they witnessed the miraculous events occurring there firsthand, they would naturally believe his words.
“What if those barbaric tribesmen who don’t know etiquette or law do something? Isn’t the escort too small?”
“The late king’s reputation for suppressing barbaric tribes near the border must have spread widely, so even if they’re ignorant, they will understand that attacking the kingdom’s envoys would bring retaliation.”
“…”
Before boarding the cart, Rihar silently observed the two men chattering vacantly in front of him.
A middle-aged minister dressed in formal attire and a young knight in proper uniform; the delegate leader and the head of the escort, respectively.
‘He may be a narrow-minded person, but he is certainly capable. If the Vice Minister can manage him… the others should be fine.’
The man appointed as the leader, although rigid, was upright and had the king’s trust. Rihar believed that if he could convince such a person, the court would see the Arin Tribe in a proper light.
“What does that mean? You’re saying the energy from the north is unusual.”
However, when they reached the border, they were taken aback by news coming from the north.
The Arin Tribe they were going to meet was on the verge of war with Chieftain Luke’s massive army.
“It’s true. The tribes that have come to us report that Chieftain Luke is mobilizing over fifty thousand troops to conquer the east, uniting the grasslands with an overwhelming force.”
“Fifty, fifty thousand…”
The color drained from their faces as the fortress commander shared this news. While it was common for the grassland tribes to fight amongst themselves, a scale exceeding ten thousand was rare.
“Isn’t it possible that the grasslands might actually unify?”
The Vice Minister glanced at Rihar subtly. He too was aware of the king’s secret plan to nurture the forces in the grasslands.
“Wasn’t our plan to encourage a powerful collective in the grasslands to contain the Empire?”
“That’s true, but now that it might actually happen, it’s concerning.”
Rihar and the Vice Minister clandestinely discussed their worries within the cart. Compared to Rihar, who remained calm having experienced it firsthand, the Vice Minister looked somewhat anxious.
“If Luke finds out we’re making contact with the Arin Tribe, we could be in trouble, since it would provide them with a justification to deviate.”
“We’ve simply been doing ‘business’ from the start. Merchants will trade regardless of who they’re dealing with as long as they can make a profit. Luke won’t have a ground to criticize us for that. By the way, Vice Minister, do you believe Luke’s tribe will win?”
“Isn’t he growing stronger thanks to our kingdom’s support?”
“That’s true.”
Rihar didn’t deny the Vice Minister’s statement. It was indeed the kingdom that had secretly facilitated Luke’s growth from a minor tribe to a major one by supporting him with various supplies.
However, Rihar had witnessed more than that. He had seen them armed with weapons superior to the steel they had provided and casting spells even more formidable than their own.
Above all, the Arin Tribe possessed an unyielding belief as their weapon.
“The likelihood of a unified tribe forming in the grasslands is high. However, that unified tribe will be the Arin Tribe, who strive for their noble mission, not Luke’s.”
“Good grief. Fifty thousand. Even with our bombards, we can’t afford to underestimate fifty thousand barbaric troops from the north…”
At Rihar’s steadfast words, the Vice Minister could only chuckle in disbelief.
At this point, one might be curious what gave Rihar such confidence to be this assertive.
“Let’s get moving soon.”
In any case, they were bound to carry out the king’s orders, so they braved the dangers and headed north, further away from the border. Some friendly tribes joined them to provide escort, but it wouldn’t last long.
They too couldn’t venture far beyond their territory.
“The group claiming to be the Arin Tribe from the northeast patrols this area periodically. Since we can trade freely with them while possessing ample food and supplies, there’s no reason for invasion.”
“Is this where it ends?”
The delegation sighed upon hearing their testimony. The Arin Tribe was solidifying its territory.
“Look, it’s their reconnaissance team.”
Finally, the delegation was able to meet the Arin Tribe for the first time.
They were unmistakably different from the other tribes, appearing visibly distinct at first glance.
Armor made from bones that were not iron but a striking white, carapaces, black leathery skin, helmets fashioned from the skulls of horned beasts. They might seem crude at first, but those who saw them felt an inexplicable sense of intimidation.
‘Am I… feeling nervous?’
Even Leo, the head of the escort, realized he was gripping his sword hilt tighter than necessary in surprise.
“We’ve heard the news. You are the delegation from the kingdom.”
“Y-yes. Surely you can’t be all that there is?”
The Vice Minister, meeting the Arin Tribe’s reconnaissance team, jumped a little. There were simply too few of them for a formal reception or escort.
“We have no choice. We are in a state of war, and nearly all of our forces are at the frontlines.”
“Hm, I have heard.”
“We cannot predict when this battle will end. For now, I will guide you to Village 1, but we will have to pass through Village 2, near the battlefield, so moving quickly would be wise.”
The reconnaissance team informed them of the route. Instead of taking the rough northeastern path, it was a safer route that veered slightly westward.
Since that was the same path Rihar had taken, the delegation did not refuse the suggestion.
‘As the chieftain said, it’s easy.’
However, this was exactly what Chieftain Balun had intended. By having the delegation pass near the battlefield, he aimed to show them the situation.
“The chances that they completely believe Rihar’s reports are slim. If we can imprint in their minds who we are and what’s happening, negotiations will surely become smoother. Isn’t that what Rihar planned as well?”
He anticipated that the delegation would still have doubts about them. Having realized the effectiveness of shock tactics through Rihar and the kingdom’s mages, Balun wanted to give it another try.
“Yet, passing near a battlefield… isn’t that dangerous?”
“I will ensure it shall be without trouble.”
The delegation, unaware of the intent, embarked on their journey, forcing down their uneasy feelings. With the loads they were carrying, it would take them several days to travel.
*
“Ugh, so frustrating.”
Mousie was aimlessly fidgeting in the air. It wasn’t possible to move units directly because neutral or hostile units were around.
As a result, I could only watch the disorganized delegation slowly crossing the path.
Having only seen residents confidently driving their carts and horses, I found it hard to adapt to the clumsy pace of the delegation.
‘Just ignore it and look somewhere else.’
Since there were hardly any dangers around the delegation, I turned the camera. As the residents prepared for war, I too began my preparations for battle.
It was quite exhausting, barely getting any sleep or activities. Of course, it was far from comparable to those actually fighting on the battlefield, but the problem was that I only had one body.
—I can relate. I used to be someone who didn’t drink coffee or energy drinks either.
“There’s no consideration for the user.”
I was just waiting aimlessly with Lee So-Yeon while chewing over the Master Program. It was better than missing something and causing an incident or resulting in people dying.
—I understand now why you didn’t reveal your identity.
“It would have just caused annoying problems.”
While talking with her, the topic came up about how I had taken initiative a few days prior to deal with some bugs that had appeared near my house.
I no longer had any aversion to fighting. I realized that the power I possessed was not simply a gift meant to overcome fatigue.
But the aftereffects of that fight were still uncomfortable. What I needed at that moment was not fame or anything else. So I kept my identity hidden under my cloak until the end.
It seemed that I had become somewhat famous on the internet, but I hadn’t bothered looking it up. Wearing the cloak, I believed I was simply a different existence from my original self.
—Still, you’ll step up again, right?
“I see it as an obligation.”
Obligation. In fact, the user’s responsibility was solely to cultivate the residents diligently, ensuring that no bugs emerged in their assigned locations. The Master Program emphasized that too.
However, I interpreted “obligation” a bit differently, much like Riena, who placed her infinite trust in me.
Of course, the priority was to look after those I had to care for, so I could never entirely relax and step up.
‘But, it’s about time.’
The residents visible on the screen had already completed their preparations for war. Heavily armed cavalry were moving in large numbers, and troops were beginning to gather in the western village.
The enemies had also started erecting several massive fortifications nearby, preparing themselves for action. It seemed highly likely that a large-scale confrontation unlike any before would unfold.
‘Please, just don’t let it be too many casualties.’
Both the enemies and allies could perhaps be crucial manpower in battling the bugs, those monsters. Naturally, I desired victory, but if we were going to win, I hoped we could achieve it without significant losses and receive their surrender.