Jass and Bayezid stood before the magnificent building they saw before.
Soon they walked the steps that led to the entrance of the building.
The entrance was big and the doors were massive and looked like they were made up of the first ever trees to exist in the world.
Some talismans could be seen hanging here and there near the entrance.
Inside probably there were no windows as the place was dim.
But once the two went closer they saw the essence of the building.
It looked like a temple.
With the fancy pagoda and all , it looked like a Japanese temple back on Earth.
The two glanced at the guards guarding the entrance.
They had neutral expressions and didn't even notice their way.
The two then calmly walked towards the entrance and went inside the building without any trouble.
The inside of the building looked even bigger.
It was wide and everywhere someone looked at , they could something unique.
On the right side , they could see some sort of place where rituals were probably held.
On the left side , they saw sculptures of figures arranged orderly with no names.
They all looked like fox kins.
In front of them was a massive statue of a fox.
It had about 36 tails and it was huge.
Although due to the dim light , its features couldn't be seen , its colour appeared to be bright red while its whisker area was white.
It was standing sideways with its entire body at sight.
In front of the statue was sitting a man in a meditative position.
"Thats gotta be the village head." Jass said.
Bayezid just tilted his head.
This looked like a temple , so surely the person in front of them would almost be a priest or the shaman.
Sensing his confusion , Jass replied.
"The beastman have an interesting culture.
While there is a division between religion and politics just like humans ,
when it comes to the highest authority in each , its not different in them.
The village head is also the shaman."
Bayezid nodded his head.
Just as they finished talking , the supposed village head stood up.
He turned around and slolwy approached Jass and Bayezid.
He was an old man and was bald.
With religious clothing , he just looked like a beggar.
But this guy was actually a peak second tier mage.
"What pleasure does this humble village head have for the mercenaries?"
The old man asked in a pleasant tone.
"I didn't at first believe when my villagers said two human individuals of great power have come to see me...
but to think a peak second tier and an unique individual whose power I cannot estimate have come to meet me...
Are you perhaps assigned on a mission by the kingdom of Trimbiole?"
"No , Sir village head. We are not on a mission by Kingdom of Trimbiole.
In fact we are here alone."
Jass replied in the same pleasant tone.
"Hm...is that so?
Well then would you both like to take a seat and converse?
It s only right if we treat our guests finely."
"Sure. We would like to."
The village head then guided a duo into a room on a right.
The room looked simple enough with no decorations.
"We don't use chairs when inside the temple , so I do think you understand."
The village head then sat down on the floor and magically summoned a flask containing tea and three cups which he then arranged accordingly.
The two then sat down and took a sip of the tea.
Bayezid seemed to like the tea and was drinking it fast.
"Ho ho... Sir if you want more , we can provide you.
Thats Honghai tea special to our village.
Even the tiger kin who hated the tea in general , now regularly purchase them from us as they have come to delight its taste!"
The head said proudly.
"Indeed sir , in fact even though you humble yourself
From about the 36 tribes of the fox kin
The glory of your tribe is by far the best known."
Jass said.
But then he turned serious.
"But to think the glory of the tribe would be tarnished just because you choose to walk the path of peace.
To think people could take advantage of you..."
The village head looked at Jass seriously.
"The atrocity that happened quite recently at the nearest human town of Vlodivo's recent market fair.
It has pained my heart greatly."
Vlodivo was a human town known for being a cross bridge between the southern beastman dominated province and the western and northern dominated province of humans.
The southern province was made up of various tribes of beastman and were fairly independent about 5000 years ago.
The kingdom of trimbiole at the time were known for being a war mongering nation especially under the new leadership of Simon the rebel who had been a general of the kingdom but had overthrown the royal family in power and executed all without any survivors left.
The north of kingdom of Trimbiole had once been a great empire uniting all the Lividia people but since been shattered due to warlords taking control.
Simon the rebel went on a conquering spree conquering many provinces up north exploiting the constant war the warring states of the north were at.
He also subjugated the beastman tribe of the south.
While he was indifferent to the humans living north , to the beastman he was cruel.
From a population of almost 35 million , the number had quickly come down to 10 million in just 100 years he was in power.
Beastman who had impressive bastions were fell due to the impressive strategic mind of Simon.
They couldn't run as well or go to another country as refugee as all the country around them at the time hated the beastman.
They then retreated to living amongst the huge forest and mountains of the southern province , often casting spells to hide their village.
For the next 4500 years or so , the kingdom of trimbiole systematically massacred the beastman and plundered the land to its root.
When their population dropped to a mere two million , no longer considering them as a threat , the kingdom of trimbiole annulled their state of emergency and entered a pact with the beastman 1000 years ago.
The beastman were considered as vassals and had to pay tributes to the monarch of the kingdom of trimbiole every year without failure.
If failed to do so , the kingdom had every rights to enslave the quality population of the beastman and use them as mere objects.
Even though in the last 900 years or so , the royal family were kind of fair to the beastman than their predecessors , the damage was already done.
A doctrine of deep hatred was estsablished in the minds of the humans of kingdom of Trimbiole.
Instead of being considered a different race , the beastman were considered subhuman.
Crimes committed against them weren't even lodged as complaints , and even if they were lodged they were often treated as false cases by higher authorities and dismissed.
Two months ago in Vlodvo , great atrocity occurred.
A caravan consisting about 200 fox kin from this tribe was sent to attend the market fair.
While in the initial days of fair , the fox kin were doing good , just minding their own business at the fourth day of fair something happened.
A brat named Ambrose had come to the city.
He was a young knight and came from a retainer family for a marquees house.
He had been assigned to be the head guard of the market fair and were to come to the town with almost 50 men.
The town was the biggest settlement of humans in the south and had many people from the surrounding villages come to it incase of festivals or fairs.
But even though it was the largest settlement , in absolute terms nevertheless the town itself lacked considerable population and had no officials guards , this set up was done.
But the brat taking his job not seriously had only come 3 days before the fair was set to over.
He saw a girl of the fox kin.
A beautiful girl who had got the lust of the boy.
As he considered fox kin as sub human he just tried to force himself on her by leading her to his carriage.
The remaining fox kin tried to talk to him peacefully but to no avail.
They took up arms and of the girl's friend cut off Ambrose's hand.
Then it began.
For a day , the fox kin were massacred and tortured.
While 10 of the guards fell almost all of the fox kin were either captured or killed.
After the fair ended , they let an old man from the fox kin return to his village with some 'gifts'
When he arrived in the village and they people saw the goods he brought , the were shocked in horror.
Head of 198 fox kin that were sent to the village were sent back with no traces of their body.
The girl who Ambrose had desired had also come dead.
Her dress torn and dried semen all over her body.
With her face mutiliated and her breats cut off , she didn't look like her former sense.
The village head enraged had sent an official letter to the imperial police siting the arrest of the cruel humans with no avail.
The police had sent condoms in a package with the letter-
"Maybe try using this to control your population.
Then there won't be any of you to massacre."
There was silence between the two parties.
The gravity of the situation plunged deeper into the minds.
To once a glorious tribe now treated as subhuman by their overlords.
No freedom to life and no justice done...
The people here were slowly losing their hope to live...
They wanted to abandon the village and join the rich beastman in the Count's shore , where they were quite powerful and weren't discriminated against...
Alas they couldn't even do that...
They truly had no hope.
The village head's mind was blank.
Can he take revenge?
Of course not!
Years of oppression , bad nutrition , low population had led to the people being weak.
While he was the strongest at peak second tier , the kingdom had many third tier practitioners at its disposal.
There was nothing he could do.
"I know the tribe is not in the best position right now...
But I have a plan." Jass said.
The village head saw him with an uninterested glance.
What could someone of the same power as his do?
"We will entice a rebellion."
Again silence, this time it was deafening.
The village head just sighed his head.
"Rebellion huh?
With what army? With what resources?"
"That is not something you need to worry about.
The plan we have is something that will definitely lead us to success."
"No."
The village head stood up to leave.
"I'm sorry , rebellion is not something we can afford.
You might be mercenaries that may have powerful backup behind you.
But we must understand.
We are going against an entire kingdom that will not stay idle at the sight at rebellion.
No matter how strong your forces would be , defeat would be certain.
Then the beastman fate would be under scrutiny.
Yeah we are already under filthy conditions...
But we live peacefully tucked in the forests.
The incident at Vladivo just serves as a reminder to us to be more careful."
"Village head." Jass too stood up.
"Is the life of 200 beastman so cheap?
No... what about the millions of beastman sacrificed over the years?
Is this what they fought for?
To be slaves to a foreign power?
Be treated like cockroaches?
To be left alone when not seen and exterminated when seen?"
The village headman looked into the eyes of Jass.
For a moment , he was taken aback.
Why was this human standing up for them?
Why wasn't he like his friends?
What motive did he have and what benefits did he get form this?
Sighing the man took a seat again.
"The answer to all of your questions is no but at the end we are just powerless people.
Many times in the past after the peace treaty have many beastman after training for years had formed alliances with each other and fought against the kingdom.
But every time they had been defeated and the oppression came in newer ways.
Beastman are tenacious and savage people especially the other batsmen tribes apart from our own... but even their savagery have not got us independence...
I don't know the motives of you people to help us but...
It's better to not associate with us.
You can stay as many days as you want in this village. But kindly leave as soon as possible."
"So you are not up for the idea of a rebellion of some sorts?"
For the first time Bayezid spoke up.
"I'm afraid not.
Our village is not ready to sacrifice more people."
"Even if gold is on the line?"
The village head arched his eyebrows at the statement.
"Gold?
The wealth in the southern region is minimal at best.
What use raiding poor villages and towns for mere 10s of gold?"
Bayezid moved his index finger left to right.
"Thats where you are wrong.
Do you take us for fools that would raid villages for mere 10s of golds?
You know what... Kama just show him the document."
Jass put on a knowing smile and showed the head the document.
For five minutes no party talked.
The village after reading the document had been staring at the table non stop.
Finally shaking his head , he placed the document on the table.
"This is non sense."
"The religion of Tibe had long been wiped out from Golden rock with maybe obscure communities living in the shadows.
Only the temples due to their magnificent architecture are being maintained, albeit that too poorly."
"Temples receive the donations of nobles and kings to show their wealth and also to get browny points with the clergy , so its possible" Bayezid said.
"And also" Bayezid smirked "Didn't you see the sign on the document? It was signed by the empire of Erlands itself!"
"But even if it's true , how could mercenaries could get their hands on this classified document?"
"Old man...
The way by which we acquired the document is insignificant.
Just imagine.
By distracting the main southern forces by raiding the villages by guerrilla warfare,
Do you think they would have time to send the usual troops they usually do near the border where the temple is situated in?
The border is shared with kingdom of Zeneb.
To begin with , as a river flows between the two kingdoms there , the two kingdoms don't even border to fortify the place.
Due to the current situation , most of the army controlled by the kingdom are at key strategic cities and at the borders shared with northern warring states.
Civil war is imminent.
Due to that only about 10k soldiers are assigned to the southern border.
80 percent of them are at the Erlands and Silliands border due to the turbulent states of the two nations."
Jass then handed some reports to the village head.
"From the reports , its clear that both the kingdom don't have a standing army near their border due to their friendly relations.
Only about 100 or so soldiers visit the place every month to ensure the place integrity and also to see if the river has no chances of flooding the area or cause imminent dangers."
"The second report as you see...
Mentions the guards that guard the temple.
The temple doesn't have many guards to begin with.
it would be easy to kill them.
No one would know."
Bayezid and Jass taking turns convinced the village head.
They also gave the interior structure of the temple to the village head.
They explained that although the general interior structure as well as the path to the treasures were mapped , no one had ventured to the place.
Just like the village head , the people who they got the maps from, bore suspicions.
Due to the fact that back then , the Empire of Erlands was not an ordinary power.
The dangers that may lie in the temple were not to be scoffed at and ignored.
An ancient power would have had ways to prevent stealing.
How much gold was estimated to be there?
500,000 gold coins.
A number that might not seem big in other parts of the world.
But in mortal's valley , it was an amount never heard of before.
Bayezid and Jass offered a staggering 50k gold coins for the beastman service if things went right.
Even if it turned out to be a hoax , what was the problem?
Seeing that the batsmen took arms , the state wouldn't stay idle but the nobles and the clergy who were also intending to take arms would see this as a catalyst and wage war.
But again there was no need to be afraid of this being a hoax , for it came from not from third party sources but from the treasury that once served the empire of Erlands itself.
They also offered to arm the people he provides for the endeavours.
The gold coins obtained from raiding would be used for the betterment of equipments.
This was not a rebellion that would see success in a night...
But it would take years and would even be the starter for the bigger civil war that would occur in the kingdom.