"Well then..."
Varsas gets up after staying on the floor for an undetermined amount of time.
"If it's like that I'm going to deal with this the only way I know how."
"This is probably what she wanted..." Lufa injects
"In this trying time, while my mother is still on her sick bed, any approaching hostiles die."
With a surprised face, Lufa turns back immediately.
"What?"
...
After the event at a certain estate, of course certain nations bordering the Gungnir's land would be worried. That is not to say they are hostile, it is just that for all their talk of solidarity, they don't trust the Gungnir enough to not send spies. Their mission is to investigate what happened that fateful night when the sky almost exploded, the lightshow can be seen all the way to Mahaima, it is really worrying.
So fit to say however, with that increased espionage between the countries, and that many spies on the Gungnir land, there are no telling what some of their intentions are, or if they could be dangerous. After all, spies are a shady bunch, and some may even get ideas during this confusion.
That is why
"I have established a task force formed from our most elite men, your mission is to root out spies and saboteurs. Until my father takes back the position, I want you to work as hard as you could protecting our land in this trying time."
The "elite" task force consists of farm hands and old men. The farm hands have some previous training, but they are still just farm boy. The old men are from Varsas's grandfather time so they can be trusted. Though the youngest of them is about 65, they are still probably the most capable force the Gungnir's land can mutter, armed with magic, military and tactic training.
Though actually Varsas doesn't have high hopes for them.
He doesn't know what his father was doing, but this is probably taking the peaceful approach too far. There isn't actually a standing armed force, just what was he thinking?
If the Southern Alliance was not currently at war with the Lantonian, and the Gungnir's land was not the chief exporter of grains, they would...
It is fine.
If it is his father's wish than so be it. With Varsas staying home with his family, it is not like they have a shortage of fighting force anyway.
"...I see. After such an event, the youngster's actions have come home to roost." The oldest man of the elite force mutters. He was once a trusted general on the side of Varsas's grandfather, and Varsas saw him from time to time during his grandpa's training.
"If Malfius was here, no one would dare to do it!" The old man shakes his fists. "Why I remember marching down the capital of Mahaima itself, Malfius handed the current royalty their crown, scaring them shitless."
"Be careful gramp, don't get too excited." A young farm hand helps the man to sit down.
But that general is 78 now, and has started forgetting things.
"Anyway, meeting dismissed. I will call for you all later."
The young farm hands disperse while the old veterans nodded coolly.
To be honest, there are reasons for choosing the people currently present in the room. And it is not just the fact that they are the least likely to be compromise either.
...
Someone greets Varsas while he was walking down the hall after the meeting. It was his uncle.
"Hey Varsas, Varsas!" The man breathes out heavily, it seems he was running.
"I could not get in touch with your father, you know how that man is, but here you are, the star of the show." The man smiles connivingly. It is no wonder that his parents never trust the man. But honestly, in Varsas's eyes he is just a businessman trying to make money. Nothing harmful and he is still family. And in the end, he dies with his family anyway...
"The light in the sky draw in a lot of attention eh? You were there when it happened, can you-"
"I'm sorry but I don't want to talk about that right now."
'-s-ure. Sister in law is still in bed. I-I see. I will come back later than."
The man backs away, he knows full well how strained his relationship with his brother's family is. He also knows full well how trained his nephew is under his own father's tutelage.
Both the sons of Malfius Gungnir learned nothing from their old man. It is why Varsas's uncle sometime feels intimidated looking at him, Varsas was always grandfather's favorite.
"B-but still." The man, as if having second thoughts, brave on to face the music.
"Are you sure it is not relating to the business with the Mahaima's kingdom? We are their food basket, i-if something happens, we are a vulnerable target. In fact there are rumors among the populace that it was a sign. Perhaps we should distance ourselves from the whole alliance and go freelance, providing our trade for the highest bidder. In fact, your father was starting to distance himself from Mahaima before this, and surely you see the benefit of trading freely like that time you negotiated the trade with the Venir during their famine? I know my nephew has good business sense in him, like me." The man gives an unconvincing smile.
In fact, he already made backstreet deal with certain neighboring nations that don't want to join the Southern Nation Alliance, and see Mahaima as the oppressor that is forcing everyone to join. Business is going well after the banned books fiasco where several nations also express discontentment with Mahaima. That is why he wants to expand business and makes it a legitimate thing, even if it risks Mahaima's wrath.
In Varsas's opinion, it is just shrew businessman being shrew businessman. It's not going to affect the war effort. And honestly the best outcome of this war is for the two force to go to the negotiation table, and having a third party that disapprove of the continued conflict is fine.
"Don't worry." Varsas answers, his voice dry. "I will deal with the matter relating to Mahaima. I'm fully prepared."
"I-I see. I will be going then."
The man walks away dejected.
He didn't know how right he was about the whole affair.
...
The next morning, Varsas walks in on a secret meeting between certain foreign parties. Among the parties, there was an old man in his 70s, a master of spies.
The people present was so surprised yet they quickly react by trying to deal a killing blow on Varsas using their projectile weapons. Varsas quickly disarmed the attacker by tracking the projectile's motions.
However, the one who was smart enough not to attack disappear in front of Varsas very eyes, as if vanishing from thin air. With them, the spy master is also gone.
"Gramp, I trust that you can handle the rest from here. Their usual stealth strategies and techniques are beyond me right now. But you can handle it can't you?"
It was true, dealing with people who specialized in hiding and running away is bothersome when they are hiding and running away. It is not a battlefield either, it is Varsas's homeland, so collateral damage is not acceptable, especially with normal people in the crossfire.
But because he is from the future, he knows exactly the person who would involve himself with this business.
He also knows the exact people to deal with him.
"I see." The 78 years old former general opens his eyes. "You brought us here to deal with this. To meet an old friend. And to root out an old rat."
The look on his face is demonic. Most of the veterans present laugh when they realize what is going on and who exactly is involved.
It was menacing.
"I can't believe it. 50 years later and you have the gut to snoop on my own home. It seems the lesson from before isn't enough." The old man speaks into empty air as if talking with someone.
"Here kitty kitty." He taunts.