The next several days passed slowly and uneventfully.
Since everyone in camp was in some form or other a Neophyte capable of handling qi, they could see through the disguise of the yet immature fairies who were not afraid of them.
Chatting up a storm, Shion exchanged blows with Cansei and Itar several times in sparring.
Once the food was almost done, and all to be said had been said, they departed leaving me with a new mantel, a scarlet mantle with white fur shoulders but... Shion said she liked it so, it is what it is.
Yu has yet to properly wake up although she's been having bouts of alertness.
Several times, Tarukan's had appeared around the campsite, but, Cansei and Itar were already well used to it.
In this world, it was common to see Tarukan's and the knowledge pertaining on how to deal with them was similarly wide spread.
Just, swing a sword at them.
They had the fighting ability of children, though, don't let them catch you or else you'll really be in trouble.
Around this time of year when the forests became particularly active and turbulent, most people didn't go into the woods regardless and especially did not dare to launch campaigns when the unknown had come out to the known world.
After all, to many, fairies are in fact mystical beings and the idea of Qi is barely known to anyone who isn't a part of the elite, or has unlocked it through combat or some other method making this time of year what the common people call the 'Magic Season.'
A period of four months out of the year where Tarukan's, Fairies and all sorts of other creatures awaken and become active.
For reference, there are three seasons in the year here.
There is the 'Magic Season' which begins within two weeks of the new year, so it's really about three months and two weeks, but, that's simply because the energy in the forests begins rising right at new years and breaks a little later.
The season after this one is the 'Monster Season', so named because apparently, beasts and such are far more active during this season, likely just a mating season or something like that and thus they become more aggressive causing chaos across the continent, destroying villages and killing nobles from time to time.
As for the final season of the year, it was under debate, those who follow Astafire would call it the 'Astafire Season' whilst if one followed Veru, it would be the 'Veru Season', though, that was because during this time divine miracles and powers peaked and so most people who were complete zealots called it the 'Temple Season', though, this doesn't mean it's the only time deities are active.
It just means that for some reason, they are at their strongest during this time and the number of so-called miracles increasing drastically though so too do disasters.
Honestly, I still can't understand a lot about this continent.
The common people are clearly very smart, able to survive under crushing conditions, but, they are also strangely naive in other aspects which can't be clearly explained.
"Boss, you've arrived."
I looked up coldly, my eyes landing on the gathering across the table.
After a week of travel, we had arrived home yet not to sleep but to work.
Damn it all.
"Sorry about all of this, but it's necessary." Trigo spoke first, he had been neck-deep in paperwork whilst I was away, so I'm not mad at him at all, he's trying his best.
I sighed slightly and held my head in my palm, "So? What's the situation?"
"Mm," Trigo nodded and began, "On the financial front, we are doing extremely well, the caravans coming from the Republic have increased greatly as we have proven our ability to defend them. Rafulnas has also seen a mark improvement in trade as well. As for the fortification and soldiers, they are being funded but Nefamiti should tell you the rest."
I nodded.
So Rafulnas' defenses are doing well, the gap likely filled with mercenaries.
Nefamiti began speaking in a low tone, "The soldiers are doing well. Training in the mountains have turned out to work well for them, their teamwork is somewhat lacking compared to the first generation but their ability and sense in the mountains is on par with any of their seniors. Defensive forts have begun their construction and those signal fires are prepared along the range."
Good good... we will know if the enemy is coming en-masse beforehand, so, we'll have at least a half a days time in advance to prepare.
Hardvar spoke, "Boss."
He had a grave look in his eye something not common for the grizzled veteran.
"Yes?" I said slowly.
"It would appear that this war has become far more complicated than before," Hardvar said coldly his eyes frosting over, "Princess Anesthesia of Kendogan, the nobles who came uninvited that time are from her faction for the most part."
"And those are the nobles who are attacking which means..." A short, fast pounding began to rise in the back of my head as I rubbed my temple.
"It's what you think," Hardvar said, "Princess Anethesia seems to be planning to take the chance while her other family is away at war with Rekarsus to try and gain herself some influence by taking over Dra and making her own."
"We are like a jewel, cut and sparkling but with no security in the eyes of those great nations," Shion said lightly, "It would be strange if someone of her stature and ambition didn't make a move to gain more strength for her faction."
"Her ambition?" I asked.
"A princess cannot simply go to war," Shion replied evenly, "To be allowed to go to war, it's clear that her family does not value her as much more than expendable, not only that but, it's clear that for her to even want to leave the palace and fight that she is ambitious and likely wants to cut away from her family, turning into a sovereign state under Kendogan."
"A soverign state..." Wait, "...how does Kendogan work? Are they just a large number of states united under one ruler?"
"No," This time Kenneth spoke, "Kendogan's founder was known as the Hero of the Court, wielding a great sword he cut through countless battlefields but didn't destroy nations, rather absorbing them into his own empire, which was smart because eradicating a nation would require far more work later onto fully incorporate them into his own empire, whereas by turning them into vassals with a set limit of troops they could use, he successfully avoided fighting rebellions for the rest of his life."
"Kendogan, unlike Carrien which is a monarchy, is more of a pseudo-monarchy, where the Emperor has his own council of 'Kings' as they are called." Shion said lightly, "Carrien has a council of nobles but if the Emperor says to die, then their heads roll, but in Kendogan, if the Emperor says to die, the Council of Kings will rebel and slaughter the emperor, dividing the empire."
"...so the founder of Kendogan truly loved his people." I said lightly.
The room was silent as they all looked to me with strange gazes.
"What do you mean? He slaughtered countless people and formed that coalition through rivers of blood and cities filled with corpses!" Anept half-yelled agitatedly, "He went against every code of war and even left the enemy alive at the end, humiliating them!"
Seeing how everyone is reacting, they clearly believe that.
I shook my head, "I see it differently. By sparing those nations, he made the choice to kill a thousand now to save a million later. A hard-choice. Then, he created the Council Of Kings to at least allow those conquered nations to retain some level of self-identity and pride so they would not feel like rebelling too much, nor right away enticing them to wait and see, not only that but by creating a council of sovereign nations under him he made it so that his successors would not have absolute power and thus could not be tyrants."
"I think he was a wise-ruler born in the midst of a blood bath." I finished.
The room was silent, likely they were thinking on it.
I'd say it makes sense though.
If the price of doing nothing is the lives of millions, while the price of action is thousands, then are you not a cruel and bloodthirsty person to choose the former rather than the latter?
It's a cruel choice, no doubt, and something no one should have to choose, but it's a choice which when it falls, will always find a suitable pair of shoulders, he just happened to be it.
However, he was simply forced to make a choice, he chose to make other choices which wouldn't necessarily benefit his later generations in favor of keeping the empire together and strong.
The Council Of Kings sounds like a method to control those nations, treating them like nobles subservient to the emperor to the outside world, but within, making sure they have power over their own individual kingdoms likely save for some empire-wide decisions decided on by all of them.
Through the Council of Kings, he gave them many benefits as well.
These kings would have had to have known that to leave the Kendogan Empire at that time when it was at it's peak would have been suicide, taking that time when they were scared, the first emperor showed them the benefits of staying, such as the bountiful security provided by it and those around it.
One wouldn't need to worry about war unless it was a border kingdom, but even then, it would be supported by the empire.
In essence, it was a giant alliance of nations that were held together by the strength of the Kendogan Imperiality, and later, by their own interests.
After all, it was safer to remain in a group than to split away.
Especially now that it's at war with Rekarsus and Carrien is undergoing a brutal civil war.
They are likely the most afraid right now, but also the hungriest.
Fishing in troubled waters.
Thinking up to here, I returned to reality with a new-found respect for Kendogan's First Emperor.
As my eyes focused, I found everyone staring at me with strange looks.
Did I say something wrong?
"What is it?" I asked out.
Hardvar rubbed his chin slightly and spoke, "Kendogan's First Emperor is mostly remembered as a demon who slaughtered countless peoples all for his own ambition, I've never heard that sort of analysis either. Monsters really do think alike."
Monster? Wait-.
"When you think about it, our lord is similar to that monster, isn't he? Risen in a time of blood, opened a path through countless corpses and sacrifices to achieve his ambition," Trigo suddenly said with a spark in his eye, "Ha! I felt like he was a little bit like that monster when we took Durlivan! So that's what it was!"
Hey hey hey-!
"Hold on. I'm not a demon! That's just a nickname from an older time! I am a just and wise ruler!" I said with a smile cracking over my face.
You all want to make fun of me? See how I let it slide right off my chest!
Hardvar shook his head with a smile, "If you become like that emperor, it would be great for all of us, oh wise and just ruler."
Ahh... seeing him smile sends shivers down the spine, doesn't it?
"News! Outside in the wastes, their is a large force rallying, campsites have been put up but there are no known flags up!" Alias, who had been dealing with several matters, entered with his butler uniform on and spoke fast catching everyone's attention.
Ahh... my heart, let me take a break!