***
— How did you spend the year at the academy, is there any interesting news? Bradomir asked during the festive dinner.
Balthazar and Jane looked up from their meal and then looked at each other nervously. The eldest grandson decided to take the floor.
«Everything is fine with us, there were many different events at the academy, but the main thing is ...» Balthasar said, sighing nervously. «So... It was rumored that the last unmarried daughter of the Moiser clan was engaged to Sean Verum...»
— That jerk? Grandpa was skeptical. — Why? What's the point of this?
«That's the problem, no one knows,» Jane added. "However, it's true, my classmate who lives in the same room with Alice confirmed that the rumor is real. Besides, if it were a lie, the Moiser clan in their academy would have cut down such rumors right away.
There was deathly silence in the room. Nobody liked this information, and confused many at the table. In principle, this event does not directly affect the Bach clan, but there are some nuances here. We need to know who this Sean Verum is...
A head-butted demigod of fire who is notorious for being quite capable of burning a couple of people for breakfast, simply because he felt like it. In general, a rare scumbag, and one of these days he will turn fifty years old ...
And give away the daughter of the middle clan, who had just turned thirteen for him? Simply put, this solution is far from the concept of rationality.
— What's the problem? said Aaron's voice, which had been silent before. «A wedding is cool... A holiday and all that. In addition, even if Sean is not friends with his head, he is still a fairly famous and strong demigod.
«You don't understand,» Bradomir sighed. «It would be more logical to give your daughter to a small clan of vassals than to this rogue who does not even have a head on his shoulders.
«Haha, why would it make more sense to give her to a vassal?» snorted the younger grandson. «Vassal is already on your side, and this Sean is a loner, and quite problematic at that ... Simply put, it's best to keep an angry dog on a leash, and it won't hurt to put on a muzzle in addition.
«Do you want to say...» Balthazar wanted to make a suggestion after a little thought.
«Yes, that's right, they need him as an ally,» Aaron decided not to hide. «Only you are probably thinking: «Why did they suddenly need such a useless ally?» Haha, you're just looking at it from your point of view, and based on your knowledge...
Everyone put down their cutlery and tried to think over what the boy had said...
«Wait,» Bradomir jumped up from the table. «It can't be... They're getting ready...»
«To war, you guessed right,» Aaron nodded with satisfaction. «Most likely a large-scale one, since they have to pay attention even to such scum. Judge for yourself, if this was only a skirmish between the middle clans, why would they turn so hastily to a psycho like Sean Verum?
In peacetime, demigods without a clan, gold, and brains are not needed by anyone, they are more like rabid dogs, which, in theory, should be nailed on the spot, but it's a pity ... What if it comes in handy someday? Especially if that «someday» happens quite often...
Not every clan has a lot of demigods, sometimes there are too few of them ... The whole point is how the clan became a vassal. Often, the most devoted and useful subordinates who know their place are taken as vassals, so they, of course, must be weaker than their masters so that they are not afraid of betrayal on their part.
The Moiser clan is a prime example of such a vassal, loyal, diligent, able to manage business and possessing solid wealth, however, at the moment they have only one demigod — the head of the clan, which really puts them on the brink.
Although the Council of the Great Clans did not issue such a law, it is generally accepted that the head of any clan, even a small one, must be a demigod ... Otherwise, having such a vassal is a shame, and in such cases, honor is often more important than profit.
The war on Aarozorun looks something like this...
The main backbone of the army is ordinary people who are called into battle against their will. They are, in effect, serving as human shields to keep as many of the elite forces alive as possible. These ordinary people, often peasants, are led by knights, they are a small elite and are a regular army. The Knights are subordinate to the mages — the middle-level elite who act as high-ranking commanders, strategists, and saboteurs. Demigods are good as generals, or weapons of mass destruction, which, if anything, can completely change the course of any battle.
Demigods are valuable in the first place during the war, in any other, they bring more trouble than good. And few people are ready to accept as a vassal a demigod from the street like Bradomir, the thing is that usually, if they are sane, they try to accept them into the family ... Firstly, because this will strengthen the clan, and secondly, because that you do not have to fear betrayal by a powerful vassal, instead you will have a useful relative. True, in this case there is a whole bunch of nuances and pitfalls.
The Bach clan currently has three demigods, except for Aaron, who has not yet awakened the divine spark. In terms of the number of demigods, the Bah clan is likely to rank first among all the small clans in the world!
If not for the nobility of Bradomir, his excellent reputation and honest name, such a clan would have been destroyed long ago ... First of all, the Moiser clan personally, since the Bach clan is like a bomb with a timer in the next room for them.
In fact, Aaron, with absolutely no doubt, assumes that such encroachments exist... Two years ago, when his sister Jane awakened the divine spark of ice, their parents, while detour of possessions in order to collect taxes, stumbled upon two fighting dragons and died...
Let unlike the Earth — Aarzorun is a world filled with magic, but to meet two dragons? Seriously? Only a complete cretin would believe in such a thing, a dragon, after all, is not some kind of hare, far from everyone in their entire life will be able to see at least one!
«Damn, what should we do then,» said Bradomir, rubbing his temples. «We don't need war at all now, this is his mother's catastrophe!»
«Well, well, don't get excited,» Aaron smiled reassuringly. — It's not that bad...
While their grandfather and younger brother were talking, Balthazar and Jane did not know what to do, and just watched what other revelations they could hear today.
— How is that not bad, brat? This is war! And you are still children, how can I leave you alone in this world ...
«Look, are you really going to die?» the boy snorted. "If the Moiser clan is preparing, and in such an unobvious way, then, most likely, the war will be provoked by them, or by those who are higher in the hierarchy ...
— It turns out...
— Yes, there is still time, we can also have time to prepare some measures ...
It was easy for Aaron to find the prerequisites and logically predict the future, because he knew perfectly well what was coming. Four years from now, the Great Wis Clan will declare war on the Great Wise Clan, and with a loud bang will fail their great conquest...
Thus creating a whole bunch of problems for his vassals and their subordinates. It's just a shame that the Bach clan is among those who will have problems, and apparently Aaron will have to solve them...