Next day. Gor had few thousand Iron Guard soldiers march around near the dungeon area, making it look like they were preparing for war. Of course, it also served as a training for the soldiers. Discipline and order and morale are the three most important things in an army. Once the army loses any one of these, it will crumble and finally be defeated.
The sound of weapons clashing, clanging armors and marching over the next few days made the assassin fear more. If they were to do as they said, then it was possible that his family and tribe being wiped out from existence. They have that kind of power to make it real. He should have never accepted this mission, it was all his fault.
On the fifth day, Saito visited the dungeon the assassin was in with his group, Gor and a few soldiers.
The assassin, he was miserable. He was at the corner of the cell, curled up like a ball and repeating the same thing over and over. "I shouldn't have done it! I shouldn't have done it! I shouldn't have done it!" The assassin was repeating it.
Saito smiled. Just what he wanted. Herjar was also interested in the show Saito promised him an hour ago.
*clang* *clang*
"Oi, get up, we're going out for a hunt." Saito said with a wicked smile as he hit the cell bar. The assassin snapped, again.
The guard sighed. It was the seventh time this guy snapped and every time he does, it was a pain to deal with.
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING! PLEASE DON'T DO IT! I'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH!" The assassin begged Saito. It was a show indeed. Saito smirked at Herjar. Herjar just shrugged. He turned towards the assassin again.
"Ho? Didn't you say you don't know anything? How come anything you say will be of use to me?" Saito asked. Saito's voice was like whisper of the devil from the depths of hell to the already crazed assassin.
"N..... No... I.... I know... Who ordered the hit.....!" The assassin shuttered. He was filled with fear. Not of death, but of Saito.
"Go on." Saito said.
"It's... It's... It's Yukvan... Yukvan Kingdom." The assassin said.
Yukvan Kingdom. A medium sized Kingdom located in the central region of sub-race continent. Their military power is nothing to brag about, but their wealth is nothing to look down on. Yukvan Kingdom used to be a smaller Kingdom on the central region, but they suddenly had a huge economic surge and became a mid sized Kingdom. No one knows the reason for the sudden rise in their economy, but it was alarming. After that, many neighboring kingdoms eyed them so the king of Yukvan made a decision, they raised an army, a huge army.
Yukvan kingdom's military consisted of six thousand swordsmen, a thousand spearman, two thousand archers, eight hundred calvary and a few catapults. Nothing to be amazed off. But after their sudden rise, now their military consist of thirty thousand swordsmen, twenty thousand spearman, seventeen thousand archers, ten thousand calvary and few hundred trebuchet set in their capital. Their offensive power may not be that strong compared to others, but their defense is nothing to look down up on.
"Yukvan you say? Stop lying, we never had any encounter with them in the past, there is no way they would do something as stupid as this." Gor stated.
"Herjar?" Saito asked with a side long glance, hinting him to clear his doubts.
"Yukvan kingdom, not so strong in offense but they have a tight defense and their natural terrain makes invading them a nightmare." Herjar said emotionlessly. They weren't worth his attention. Even if they have a tight defense, only armies can't get in, not assassins. To Herjar, he can kill everyone in their capital's castle before they could even finish saying "Jesus Christ what the fuck?" thus they aren't worth his attention.
"What's your evaluation?" Saito asked. This is what he wanted to know. They can have the fucking delta force for all he care, he just wanted to know if they were the type to send assassins to kill others or not? That's what bugging him.
"My evaluation? They are timid and closed quartered, they prioritize relations with powerful nations, they use the fact they have a bright economy to reel in officials of other nations and strengthen their relation, even if others invade them, they can defend pretty well, they want to make their nation lasting for thousands of years or so they desire." Herjar said.
"Oh? Then it's without a doubt Yukvan who sent these assassins." Saito said while looking at the assassin, trying to decide what to do with him.
"Wha-? How do you say that? They have no reason to do this!" Gor said. Yukvan trying to start a war? Is this a joke? He did not believe it or more accurately, he did not want to believe it. Fighting Yukvan isn't something easy as picking an apple from a tree. If a war does break out, he is sure that the Iron Guard can push them back hard and with the Wyvern Riders Corps, it's a sure win. But they will suffer heavy causality on their side plus they will have to exhaust most of their fighting power which means their home will be less guarded, their military power will receive a huge hit. They will be open to invasions.
"What do you mean Saito? Why would Yukvan kingdom..... Wait, you don't mean.....?" Herjar finally realized.
"Yes, exactly what you think." Saito said as he looked at him from the corner of his eyes.
"What.... Do you mean?" Gor asked. His confusion can not be explained with simple words.
"Send this assassin back." Saito said. Emotionlessly.
"What-!? What do you mean!? He's the only lead we ha-" Gor stopped before he could finish his sentence. Saito glared at him. His eyes, cold as abyss, dangerous.
Saito crouched down in front of the assassin.
"Remember, the moment you leave the border, you should forget everything and live an honest life, if you don't, then don't blame me for being merciless, I'll always be watching you." Saito coldly stated. His voice was even more terrifying than the demon kings. It was like that of a demon Lord. He had never seen one and probably never will, he witnessed the existence of a being close to them.
"Y- ye- yes." The assassin shivered. His face was pale as a sheet of white paper. It's like he saw something he fears the most.
"Master Saito..... What is this all about?" Gor was very confused, but he dared not talk back after witnessing the events that just unfolded itself just now.
Even Herjar was a bit surprised and shocked. That aura he just released. He may or may not be aware of it himself. But that aura, he can never forget it. It was the same aura he felt that day. The aura that even suffocated him. The Demon Lord.
The assassin was taken away by the soldiers. Only Saito, Herjar and Gor was there.
"Master..... Saito...?" Gor called out timidly.
"You want to know why Yukvan sent assassins?" Saito asked as without turning back to look at him.
*gulp*
"Yes..." Gor answered.
"Hydral." Saito said. That one word was enough to throw Gor's mind in chaos.
Throne hall.
All the officials were gathered under the order of temporary commander Saito. Saito explained what he found out with his investigation method. When he explained how Hydral moved their chess pieces cleverly.
"This is madness....." Rukkendi said with his hand massaging his forehead.
"No, this is politics." Saito said emotionlessly.