After a while, we walked to the interrogation room in the training camp, escorted by the guardsmen of the Royal Guard along with the 'Splendid Sunset'.
In the interrogation room, the key leaders of the 'Sun of the Sky' were already seated and waiting. 'Roaring Thunder', 'Brave Wolf', 'Swift Deer'.
My closest and most trusted people.
"Are you here? Your Majesty the Emperor!"
After nodding and greeting them, he looked at the witness of the Iri tribe who was sitting on a chair with his hands tied. The Intelligence Service first interrogated him, and I received a brief report from the 'fast-footed deer'.
"His name is Dark Night, and he is quite famous as a hunter in the Iri tribe. And when our department interrogated him separately, he readily confessed to everything he knew."
"I see."
The 'Swift Deer' handed me the report containing the confessions of 'Dark Night'. He quickly glanced over the report and nodded with a meaningful smile.
'As expected, he was a Mohawk.'
The 'pouring rain' that came into contact with the 'dark night' was a Mohawk tribesman. As with all tribes, they interacted with the surrounding tribes depending on the time and situation, and there were times when they were friendly and times when they were hostile.
Although they are now said to be on bad terms with the warring Iroquois confederacy, at one time relations between the Erie and Mohawk tribes were not so bad.
Moreover, 'Dark Night', who was an excellent hunter, would certainly have interacted with the Iroquois confederation of tribesmen, as he went hunting far outside his territory.
I turned my gaze to the 'dark night' who was bowing her head and spoke to the 'fast deer'.
"Do you want to talk comfortably?"
"All right."
The 'fast-footed deer' immediately understood my wink and released the hands tied behind the 'dark night's' back.
"I just need to check a few things and that's it. I want you to answer my questions truthfully."
"…yes."
'Dark Night', who had raised his head without realizing it, answered weakly.
"Did you know about this assassination plan from the beginning?"
"No, I had no idea."
'Dark Night' looked straight into my eyes and answered as if what he said was not a lie. And even without me asking, he started talking as if he was blaming himself for his actions.
"I only did so because 'Pouring Rain' asked me to introduce myself as a member of the Iri tribe. 'Pouring Rain' has always had many grievances against the Mohawk tribe. That's why I thought he wanted to settle among our tribe. If I had known from the beginning that he was planning to assassinate His Majesty the Emperor, I would have killed 'Pouring Rain' on the spot."
"hmm!"
After that, I asked him a few more questions.
* * *
Finally, I asked.
"We at 'Sun of the Sky' plan to capture 'Pouring Rain', who tried to kill me, in order to secure solid evidence. Do you intend to cooperate with this plan?"
He was already almost killed by the Mohawk tribe. Is that why? 'Dark Night' answered briefly, with a look full of betrayal.
"I will cooperate with you in any way."
"This resolution now? I hope you don't change it and continue to maintain it."
The interrogation of 'Dark Night' has finally come to an end. As I nodded, 'Roaring Thunder' quietly took 'Dark Night' out of the interrogation room.
I looked at each of my closest aides who were in the interrogation room with me and asked for their opinions.
"It doesn't seem to be a lie."
"I also think the same way as 'Splendid Sunset'."
'Bright Sunset' and 'Brave Wolf' spoke in turn, and 'Swift Deer' nodded lightly as if he had no objection to their opinions.
Finally, the 'Honest Bear' spoke with a confident expression.
"There was no blushing or eye movement."
I thought the same thing.
"Well, now we just have to find out if the Mohawk tribe did it on their own."
At my words, 'Splendid Sunset' gave me advice with a strange smile on her lips.
"In any case, if His Majesty the Emperor plans to conquer the Iroquois confederacy, it is important to establish a proper justification for war above all else."
As she said, war was very important for its cause. In particular, we must not show the surrounding tribes the image of our 'sun in the sky' indiscriminately invading.
Just then, the 'Roaring Thunder' brought in Mohawk warriors captured by the Intelligence and Inspection Service.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With a loud crash, three Mohawk warriors fell to the ground. As if by appointment, our soldiers took the initiative before the interrogation and created an atmosphere of fear.
"I didn't even hit you that much, how can you be joking?"
"Don't get up!"
As if they had been hit, the Mohawk warriors sprang up from the ground in terror.
"From now on, sit on this chair."
"From now on, I will tell the Emperor the truth without lying, if I do not, one of you will die here without anyone knowing."
The Mohawk warriors looked at each other and nodded repeatedly.
"all right."
"Ask me first."
I looked at our warriors with satisfied eyes.
'You're doing great. I really like it.'
After a while, the interrogation began again. I gave a brief explanation of the interrogation to the Mohawk warriors with a relaxed expression.
"There's only one rule. I'll only listen to the person who raises their hand to ask me a question first. The rest of you figure out what kind of suffering will follow."
"...."
I didn't even listen to their answers, just said what I wanted to say, and then went straight into asking questions.
"First question. Your name?"
Three Mohawk warriors, who had been listening intently to my question, raised their hands in unison.
Phew!
They had been tortured so much by the Intelligence Service that there was no place on their bodies that was unharmed. I pointed to the Mohawk warrior sitting in the center.
"You! You were the fastest."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Emperor! My name is 'To Live Without Dying.'
The Mohawk warrior laughed strangely, his face puffed out with genuine joy. At the same time, a black shadow appeared behind the Mohawk warriors on both sides.
Pfft! Pfftpfftpfft! Pfftpfftpfft! Pfftpfft! Pfftpfft!
Before they knew it, the soldiers from the Intelligence Service who had been positioned behind them began to unleash their fists without sparing a single moment.
For a moment the interrogation room was filled with the screams of the Mohawk warriors, and then it became quiet.
"Second question. What tribe are you from?"
"I will answer."
"I heard it first."
As soon as I finished speaking, all the Mohawk warriors raised their hands without exception. The education certainly had an effect.
And this current situation was secretly funny.
"you."
"We are all Mohawk people."
At the same time, a sound of beating so loud that it made my brow furrow was heard.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
* * *
Even without further beatings, the Mohawk warriors were telling the truth, regardless of who they spoke to.
"It was not led by the Iroquois confederacy, but by our great chief on his own initiative."
For a moment, the interrogation room became quiet and my closest aides and I looked at each other with meaningful eyes.
"...."
Everything has already been clearly concluded. Finally I asked the Mohawk warriors.
"Where is the pouring rain?"
"I heard that he is hiding in the village where the chief is staying."
The Mohawk warriors answered almost simultaneously. After a while, when the Mohawk warriors left after their interrogation, my closest aides and I took some time to briefly summarize the evidence we had gathered so far.
First, the head of the Ministry of National Defense, the 'Brave Wolf', spoke with a cold glare in his eyes.
"I knew that one day I would come into conflict with the Iroquois confederacy, but I did not know that day would come so soon. Your Majesty the Emperor! The warriors of the Sun in the Sky are ready to fight at any moment. When do you plan to attack?"
I didn't expect that we would be at war with the Iroquois confederacy so soon, even though the peace treaty had been signed so soon.
"I have a feeling it'll be tough until next spring."
There were several events next spring. There are regular delegate meetings, and new trainee warriors from each region enter the training camp.
And there was the formal admission of the Wampanoag tribe to the 'Sun in the Sky', and the wedding of 'Stubborn Bear' and 'Red Fruit', the chief of the Irie tribe.
In particular, this wedding had a symbolic meaning of unity between the Lenape and Iri tribes, so it could not be postponed.
Moreover, spring was the season when the farming season of the year began, so it was a busy time for everyone at 'Sun in the Sky'.
"Next summer, we will go to war with the Iroquois confederacy."
I made a quick decision, briefly explaining to my closest aides why we could not go to war until next spring.
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
"We will train our warriors to the best condition possible in time for next summer."
Following the words of the 'Brave Wolf', the 'Brilliant Sunset' asked cautiously.
"Are you planning a surprise attack without declaring war?"
"No. As we all know, the justification is important. Now that we have secured various evidence, we must explain to the surrounding tribes why we have no choice but to go to war with the Iroquois Confederacy."
"Splendid Sunset" said with a faint smile on her lips, as if she thought the same as I did.
"If we can secure a justification and declare war, other tribes will not be able to get involved in this war at all."
I nodded slightly as I looked at her, who immediately understood what I wanted. At that time, the 'fast-footed deer' who had been quietly listening to my story from the side raised a question as the head of the Intelligence and Inspection Department.
"Your Majesty! The Iroquois confederacy may expel the Mohawk tribe to avoid war with us."
I answered right away without hesitation.
"Things might get a little complicated, but I don't think it'll have a major impact on the overall situation."
"I understand what you mean. Then, from today onwards, the Intelligence and Inspection Service will go into wartime mode and will keep a close watch on the Iroquois Confederacy as our top priority."
Following 'The Swift Deer', 'The Brilliant Sunset' also spoke of his determination to go to war as a senior advisor who also serves as the head of the administration.
"We will do our best to support you so that you will not run out of war supplies."
After the meeting, I called 'Brave Wolf' aside and briefly explained the big picture of this operation.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! Are you talking about the river and not the land?"
I nodded my head as I looked at the 'brave wolf' who asked back with a surprised expression.
"okay."
Until now, Viking ships have been churning out every month at small shipyards nearby. The current Viking fleet consists of sixty-two ships, including five medium-sized ships.
Each ship could carry a force of one hundred men, and could carry nearly sixty thousand warriors. Moreover, the Muhekunnetuk River (Hudson River) was connected to the Mohawk River, which was the home of the Iroquois confederacy.
"The name of this operation is 'Against the Rough River.' Come up with a brilliant strategy to subdue the Iroquois confederacy in the shortest possible time by surprise attacking them by water instead of land. I'll be there to help you, so feel free to ask questions along the way."
The burden was momentarily lifted, and the 'brave wolf' answered with a slightly moved expression and strength.
"I will definitely win the war with a perfect strategy, as Your Majesty the Emperor has trusted and entrusted me with it."