Azderos, Northern Glaciers, Hvítreiðr.
The scouts entered the clan chief's hall late in the day with urgent news, on the same day Linda was blessed with dragon blood.
Initially, the news sparked a small curiosity, but by the next morning, it had spread throughout the settlement, preventing this curiosity from growing too much. Now, curiosity had been replaced by anxiety and anticipation.
The Vinumregnum army had camped sixty miles away from Hvítreiðr. The former Tu'bask raiders' estimation was not wrong. Now under the protection of the Whitefang, these raiders were quite worried. As much as they hated to admit it, they were aware that they were no match for a regular army.
For this very reason, they planned to take their money and flee before the ducal forces arrived. However, according to Dromkez, their lives were bound to the Whitefang. If there was anything that slightly suppressed their anxiety, it was that none of the Whitefang's clan warriors showed any signs of hesitation or fear.
Even Gray, Aral, and Eric, who had recently joined the clan as high ranks, were merely tense. They knew about Ülgen's plan to release the female slaves and establish relations with the Vinumregnum duchy. Their tension stemmed from the possibility that the southerners, who despised them as barbarians, might prefer not to engage in diplomacy.
That evening, a caravan clearly composed of swift and sturdy horses arrived at Hvítreiðr. This was the caravan of the slave trader the Tu'baskians were eagerly awaiting. The slave trader, blinded by money, saw the change in leadership in the settlement as a different business opportunity.
Unfortunately for the slave trader, Ülgen had different plans. As soon as the caravan entered the city, Whitefang soldiers closed the gates and began their attack. Despite the strength of the caravan guards, they were completely annihilated due to the numerical superiority and Ülgen's action.
The following day, the heads of the entire caravan, including the slave trader, were mounted on spears and displayed in front of Hvítreiðr's walls. On this day, unlike usual, all the soldiers were on the walls, watching the south.
Not only were the clan warriors, but also high ranks like Sven, Udin, Eric, and Aral standing on the walls with Ülgen. The Vinumregnum army was expected to arrive today. Everyone was ready, whether it was for fighting or talking.
After scanning his troops with his eyes, Ülgen turned to Sven, Udin, and Eric. "Our clan warriors appear to be close to the level of a regular army. Achieving this in just two weeks of training is a commendable success."
Their lord's praise caused the warriors, whose loyalty had been sealed by the dragon's blood, to smile with pride. They knew that for the last century, no clan or group of raiders had been able to form a force comparable to a regular army of a kingdom in the central lands. Knowing that Hvítreiðr had the potential to break this trend and that they were contributors to this potential was the main reason for their pride.
After seeing the trio's reactions, Ülgen turned to Lothi and Alric. "You managed to bring all goods and our people to their new homeland without any loss in just two weeks. Your contribution to the construction work in Hvítreiðr being completed earlier than expected is significant. I will consider these when I assign your new positions."
Lothi and Alric also smiled with pride. Both had lost count of how many wild animals they had killed during the transport. Until a few days ago, they felt tired enough to hibernate for the winter, but now they thought all that exhaustion was worth it. Their lord was aware of the work they had done.
After generously praising his subordinates' achievements, Ülgen maintained his silence. He was focused on calculations and analyses in his mind. According to the scouts' estimates, the Vinumregnum army numbered around ten thousand. From Erik, one of the former natives of Tu'bask, he had learned that the number of soldiers sent on normal suppression expeditions did not exceed two thousand.
Ten thousand men constituted an army, and even for the duchy, it was not a small number. By any measure, it was not normal. He wondered if they would be angry, but compared to previous raids, this raid did not cause much damage. Moreover, Baron Voner's relationship with the duchy was not strong enough to warrant sending such a large army on his behalf.
The duchy was also unaware of the power shift in Hvítreiðr. Therefore, it was almost impossible for the reason to be the actions of the Whitefang clan. The Young Fatihknew that the information he had was insufficient to make an accurate guess. For this reason, he focused back on the south. He was confident that he could obtain the information he wanted as long as they talked.
Hours passed, and banners began to flutter on the horizon. The warriors, who had been ordered by Ülgen to conserve their energy by remaining at ease, promptly straightened their stances and set their stern gazes upon the approaching banners.
Most of the banners bore the duchy's emblem of a ship with a wine symbol. Other banners represented smaller noble families' units. Even after spotting Hvítreiðr, the army continued to advance without hesitation.
Ülgen was not surprised by their confidence, knowing that there were warriors and mages among them who could recognize the changes in Hvítreiðr. After all, to them, northerners were nothing more than a group of hounds that could be easily torn apart if caught.
As the army approached, their formation became more visible. They had two thousand archers, two thousand heavy infantry, three thousand light infantry, two thousand light cavalry, one thousand heavy cavalry, and twenty portable catapults. Their orderly stance indicated that they were not novices who had never seen battle. It was clear that they were an above-average force.
However, the most concerning aspect was the individuals standing next to a young, nobly dressed man. Ülgen, utilizing his superhuman vision, scrutinized them as if they were close by. There were six mages and six knights. In the central lands, the title of knight was given to warriors who had reached a certain degree of prowess. To become a knight, one had to be at least a third-degree warrior.
Third-degree warriors were no longer a threat to Ülgen, regardless of their number. However, among the knights and mages, two individuals who sensed his gaze exuded a battle intent that suggested they were not mere third degrees. Feeling a slight sense of danger, Ülgen couldn't help but smile. He then directed a brief glance at the spikes lined up in front of the walls.
His glance had its intended effect, as the two figures who could examine the heads with pained expressions using their own methods looked visibly shocked. They then began to convey something to the young man beside them. Although Ülgen wanted to read their lips, a minor obfuscation spell cast by the mage made it impossible to discern anything from the current distance.
Not knowing the content of their conversation wasn't too significant. After all, the Vinumregnum duchy's army had halted their advance three miles away. While the duchy's infantry and archers began setting up camp, the cavalry started patrolling the area. Additionally, the mages and warriors, led by the young noble, were riding towards Hvítreiðr.
Seeing the nobleman's entourage, Ülgen nodded understandingly and turned to his men. Sven quickly prepared a group of deers, and the young Fatih, along with his third-degree subordinates, rode out of Hvítreiðr.
Some of the thirteen individuals from the duchy cast disdainful glances at the eight riders emerging from Hvítreiðr. Barbarians who didn't know their place, choosing to confront them in the open rather than hide like rats in their burrows. However, the young noble and the mage and warrior closest to him were quite serious. They could sense traces of a formidable power from the seven northerners, excluding Ülgen.
But they couldn't associate this power with the blessing of dragon's blood. Naturally, Ülgen had no intention of letting his dragon aura flare like a beacon. He passively suppressed it with his racial spiritual aura, making it nearly impossible for anyone of a similar level to detect it, barring exceptional individuals.
As for himself, concealing the aura of a human body approaching the pinnacle of the sixth degree was child's play for Ülgen. Analyzing the duchy's forces was just as easy.
"So, the female knight and the old mage are at the peak of the fifth degree. The young fourth-degree mage they're accompanying must be a descendant of the Duke of Vinumregnum, but not the heir. He must be the second or third brother, which explains why the two accompanying him seem calm." With his eyes gleaming with cunning, Ülgen stopped when the distance between the two sides was thirty meters.
He had noticed the fifth-degree individuals preparing to act when the distance was still a hundred meters. However, the noble young man had stopped them with a gesture of his hand. Finally, when both sides stood face to face, it was the duchy who spoke first.
"I am Cassius Vinumregnum, second prince of Vinumregnum. I extend my gratitude for eliminating the slave trader of our enemy, the Oldthern Kingdom." The elegant words of the noble named Cassius caused confusion among the ten people standing next to him. Only the mage and the knight remained expressionless.
"I am Ülgen, Conqueror of Tu'bask and founder of Hvítreiðr, leader and lord of the Whitefang clan. I punished Olpar, who caused turmoil in your lands, killed Baron Voner, and looted his lands, and I freed your people from slavery. Therefore, there was no point in continuing the slave trade relations inherited from Tu'bask." The young Fatih had blended the coldness of a northerner with the demeanor of a central lands noble.
Cassius's eyes flashed with cunning after a moment of surprise. "Lord Ülgen, your actions are indeed commendable. I assume you have guessed the purpose of our army's presence here." The slight intimidation in his voice caused Sven and Erik's gazes to turn icy.
Ülgen's expression did not change. He looked at the second prince with the same majesty and replied, "We are well aware of the purpose of your army's presence, Prince Cassius. However, your purpose has been nullified, and returning empty-handed would not serve you well. Is there any harm in inviting you to the chieftain's hall for a pleasant conversation? It would benefit no one for the ice of misunderstandings to be stained with blood."
His final words caused both the mage and the warrior to release their energies. They couldn't allow a northern barbarian to be so insolent in their presence!
The pressure from two peak fifth-degree individuals was not easy for the seven warriors who had yet to reach the fourth degree. However, it didn't take long for a stronger aura to neutralize the pressure. This time, it was the duchy side that was being suppressed. The old mage and the female knight reached for their weapons in horror, but this only caused the pressure to increase.
The female knight gritted her teeth and muttered, "Mid-sixth degree!" Her words made the duchy's side aware of the situation they were in.
Prince Cassius, exerting his full magical energy, barely found the strength to speak. "Lord Ülgen, please excuse the rudeness of my retinue. We are ready to find a middle ground with you!" Every word drained his magical energy, leaving no trace of his previous noble demeanor.
Seeing that the prince was about to collapse, Ülgen coldly looked at the duchy side. "Out of respect for the duchy, we will overlook this action against the warriors of Hvítreiðr. However, we hope there will not be a repeat." He noted the mage and knight lowering their heads. "Do not equate Tu'bask with Hvítreiðr. We will be waiting for you in the chieftain's hall." He finished his words and turned his deer towards the city. The seven warriors followed him after giving cold stares.
After the Hvítreiðr side had moved away, the duchy's mage and knight began to mutter angrily. To them, such an event was unacceptable. They even discussed setting up catapults in the evening to show these barbarians the power of civilization. Cassius, wiping his sweat, silenced his retinue with a stern look.
"Senior Falkson, Lady Anna, I will not report your actions to my father. However, you will follow me into the chieftain's hall." The tone of command in his words caused the two to frown. But they nodded in compliance.
Given the current situation, both had to admit that a siege battle would not end well. Controlling a mid-sixth-degree warrior was not easy. Even if they managed to capture Hvítreiðr, the losses would not be worth the gains. Although they did not have the best relationship with the second prince, they were not so naive as to let their emotions cloud their judgment. After a brief silence, the group cautiously rode their horses towards the city.