GAINING AN ARMY FOR NOTHING
"What proposal do you have for the church this time? I beg to hear", Apostle Matthieu asked me with interest.
"We should replace the government of Drachia with a more competent one, with a much stronger army and one that works in the Church's favor without treacherous schemes", I replied to the apostle.
"Who can we draw on to replace King Lavrentious? Trogdol kingdom is in a quagmire and the other kingdoms are under the influence of the demon army", Apostle Matthieu asked me.
"There is one other- the barbarians in the East, Nymera. Their armies are fierce and strong and capable against the demon army. The demon army in the eastern front of Gureen failed to gain an inch of Nymera's lands despite numerous incursions because of that", I proposed.
"Yes, those barbarians. After your mediation with them, they have become more civilized. They even rebuilt our monastery in Saulkstone city, their capital. But they are so far away in the east, they couldn't reach Drachia kingdom soon to defend this place", Apostle Matthieu said to me.
"The army of Nymera is separated from Trogdol kingdom by only a mountain. Once they cross the mountain, there is a straight road leading to Drachia kingdom. They would be here in a month if the Church asks them to", I replied to the apostle.
"So soon? That is a splendid idea, but will these barbarians make such a long and hazardous trip to Drachia kingdom to defend it against the demons? The fight here doesn't concern them," Apostle Matthieu asked me.
"Your excellence, the barbarians are not very bright folks. We can promise them something that costs almost nothing to us, but they will lay their lives down for it", I told the apostle.
"What can we give to the barbarians that cost us nothing?" he asked me.
"We give them Drachia kingdom", I replied to the apostle.
"The whole of Drachia kingdom? That isn't nothing. That is an entire kingdom", the apostle asked me shockingly.
"It costs the King of Drachia everything to give the kingdom to the barbarians, but it costs the Church nothing at all except possibly a paper declaration or edict", I replied to him, and he understood immediately.
"Fantastic idea. In the name of Elis, if the barbarians repel the demons from Drachia kingdom they can have the whole bloody kingdom. They'll have to pay tithes though", he agreed with me.
"If the barbarians help us recover from the demons the lands of Merernia and Havley, we can even make them Emperor of the South", I suggested to the apostle.
"Why not? It's just another piece of paper, hahaha", the apostle replied to me and laughed.
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"Why are we coming back to Trogdol? There is nothing left here in this forsaken place", Ratatouille asked me.
"Lord Oriese is helping to keep our people safe from the bandits and undead", Gagarine replied to him.
We were back in Uralis city again.
Last time we came here to rescue Gagarine's friends who were captured by the militia in the city and killed the Lich King on the side.
"Dada…dada…dada"
Our Hell Tanks began firing at the last outpost of the militia in Uralis kingdom.
We returned to Uralis city with the forces of our special forces. Our troops scoured the city for the remnant militias in the city to clear them from the city once and for all.
After the frost set in Trogdol, even the militias in the cities found it difficult to live here and gather resources. The militias in the city went to the countryside where Gagarine's farms were situated to rob them of their produce and also take their people.
Gagarine had no choice but to plea for my help.
"All the enemy in this city are eliminated or captured", a captain came to report to me.
"Thank you so much for your help. We would not be troubled by the militia again", Gagarine said to me and thanked.
"The problem with these militias, they will return eventually", Ratatouille told us.
"What should we do? We can't have militias threatening our people all the time", Gagarine asked me.
"The only way to prevent militias from returning to Uralis city is to build a military outpost here", I replied to him.
"Are you going to take over Uralis city?" Chash asked me.
"We can set up an outpost here in Uralis city, but your people must provide the manpower", I told Gagarine.
"But our people are merchants and farmers, we are not conjurers or knights", Gagarine asked me.
"Don't worry, we can supply you with weapons that can defeat most militias and train your people to defend yourselves", I replied to him.
"Can I take this responsibility?" Gagarine asked me while unsure.
"Yes, you can. We will help you, Duke Gagarine", I replied to him.
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The Church had given Nyx-Nymera kingdom an edict proclaiming Queen Mistral the new Queen of both Trogdol kingdom and Drachia kingdom.
There was a catch though in the edict.
Nyx-Nymera kingdom had to conquer both kingdoms first before Mistral could rule these places.
Conquering Trogdol kingdom was easy because there wasn't much of a ruling force here- only remnants of the old armies and governments who turned into banditry soon after the fall of the Lich King.
The problem was to rule this large kingdom of Trogdol.
The solution was simple.
We leave the rule of Trogdol kingdom to the Trogdols, or Gagarine, to be precise. Gagarine would become the Duke of Trogdol of the Nyx-Nymeran empire. That would help keep Trogdol peaceful while our forces move to Drachia kingdom.
"You are on route to conquering the Ten-Kingdoms like the Revelations predicted", Meera said to me about our recent maneuvers.
"That is not my original intention, but it is the best strategy to protect our kingdom. To survive in this pond of the Ten-Kingdoms, we must become its biggest predatory fish", I replied to her.
"You learned this from your experiences", Chash said to me.
"Yes," I replied to him.
I've learned much from my experiences in my earlier years where I was bullied by village elders, Dark Church Bishops, kings, Deans of Magic Colleges and even Apostles.
I realized that in order to stop being bullied in life, I must become the biggest Bully of them all.
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