Azderos, Northern Glaciers, Hvítreiðr.
When Second Prince Cassius and his retinue approached the city, they noticed many recent fortifications. However, what gave them a real sense of danger was not the fortified walls but a crude forty-meter tower. As the army approached from a distance, this tower was the first structure they saw from Hvítreiðr.
Due to their familiarity with history, Cassius and Falkson's expressions were particularly serious. Since the Revenge of Lepidus campaign, no northern clan had developed enough to build structures higher than twenty meters. Seeds of doubt sprouted in both of their hearts. They had a strong assumption that Ülgen intended to restore the north to its ancient peak.
As they progressed within Hvítreiðr, they saw many roads and buildings being reconstructed, some buildings being demolished, and foundations for new ones being laid. It was shocking to see northerners, who usually cared about nothing more than survival, reproduction, and fighting wild animals, focus on such tasks with seriousness.
Unlike Cassius, who was on a military campaign for the first time, Falkson and Anna had previously attacked Hvítreiðr, formerly known as Tu'bask, and participated in expeditions further into the northern glaciers. The situation was quite terrifying for them. The Whitefang clan displayed a level of civilization reminiscent of central territories.
When they reached the square, Erik and Sven were waiting with a few dozen warriors, all appearing stronger than the average second degree. Some of the knights standing by Lady Anna couldn't help but feel a sense of danger from these second-degree warriors. The warriors guiding Cassius and his retinue gave their military salutes and then left the square to return to their posts.
Without much conversation, Erik and Sven surrounded the retinue with their warriors and led them to the chieftain's hall where Ülgen was waiting. Throughout the march, a thousand different thoughts raced through Second Prince Cassius's mind. "Lady Anna and Senior Falkson are more inclined towards the crown prince. There are even rumors of a secret relationship between Lady Anna and my brother. It's unlikely that I can win her to my side, but I still have hope for Senior Falkson. If I can turn any proposal these barbarians make to the advantage of the duchy and bring back the head of the Oldthern Kingdom's slave trader, my standing in my father's eyes might rise!"
Of course, regardless of his plans, he first needed to learn the offer of the northerner named Ülgen and understand his intentions. Barbarians were little more than a group of ignorant people when it came to diplomacy and politics, but the master of Hvítreiðr seemed to be an exception. Therefore, he would keep his attention high and never underestimate his opponent.
When they arrived at the chieftain's hall, they were again surprised; despite the orderly changes the city had undergone, the hall was quite simple. It seemed they hadn't made any significant changes after taking it from Tu'bask's former master.
Upon entering the hall, they saw an unexpected person. Linda Voner! Known as the loyal wife and right-hand of the former baron, the woman now stood beside Ülgen. They could sense the oppressive power they felt from warriors like Erik and Sven in Linda as well.
Although Cassius had many questions he wanted to ask, he first had to adhere to noble etiquette. He made a formal bow and waited for Ülgen's approval. With Ülgen's hand gesture of approval, he chose the furthest chair directly facing Ülgen, not too surprised. After all, he was facing a northerner who had taken a noble from the duchy under his protection, so it wasn't surprising that he had learned the rules of nobility.
After Cassius's retinue and Ülgen's warriors took their places, a slight silence fell over the room. Since Ülgen would be the one to start the conversation, everyone quietly observed each other. Hvítreiðr's seven warriors were especially careful in their observations, not wanting to disappoint their lord.
"Welcome to Hvítreiðr, Second Prince Cassius Vinumregnum and your retinue," Ülgen started the conversation with a simple greeting, as expected.
"Thank you for your generous welcome, Lord Ülgen," Cassius replied, tapping the wine glass placed beside him three times according to the customs of his duchy. "To avoid unnecessary chatter and potentially jeopardizing our possible cooperation due to the conversation we had outside the city, I would like to ask about the status of the nearly two hundred women you rescued, from Baroness Linda."
At the prince's question, all eyes turned to Linda. Without a hint of loss in her confidence, Linda smiled and began to speak. "Before I give you the answer you seek, I must point out something, Prince Cassius," she said, causing one of the prince's eyebrows to raise. "Since becoming a member of the Whitefang clan of Hvítreiðr, I am no longer Baroness Linda Voner. I am now just Linda." This time, Falkson and Anna's expressions fell. Noticing the change in the room, Linda immediately added, "However, I must say that I made this decision of my own free will. Now, let's talk about the situation of the freed women."
After nearly an hour of explanation, Prince Cassius nodded in understanding. Those who had raped the women were subjected to severe punishments, starting with their genitals, and were killed. However, Ülgen didn't stop at merely appeasing the women's grievances; he also provided them with an opportunity to earn money through an interesting practice called "food tents." Moreover, in the past two weeks, not a single woman had been harmed by any clan members.
Analyzing the information he had received, Prince Cassius's eyes gleamed. "I see, and I thank you for the care you've shown. You can be sure I will relay your actions to my duke father without omission," he said, then smiled, ready to move on to the part of the conversation concerning his own interests. "Still, good deeds are not like apples falling from a tree. Why do you wish to establish relations with our duchy? After all, the Oldthern Kingdom is not a weak kingdom; you could have established relations with them as well."
In response to this question, Ülgen looked calmly at the prince. Although he didn't show any expression, he appreciated the awareness of the young man in front of him. "The Oldthern Kingdom is a militaristic kingdom and does not have positive relations with its neighbors. In contrast, the Vinumregnum Duchy is a more inclined towards establishing relations and is not an aggressive duchy," he said, pausing briefly. It was important for his words to be perceived and for assumptions about the continuation to be made. "As Hvítreiðr, unlike the northerners before us, we understand the value of trade. We intend to sign a trade agreement with your duchy and start a cycle of mutual benefits."
Cassius held back a grin; this northerner could genuinely aid him in his plans! "I see, Lord Ülgen is indeed a wise northerner and someone who can break prejudices. However, trade is not a simple matter; it can be as intense and ruthless as the battlefield in some situations. For this reason, we need to discuss what Hvítreiðr can offer us and what we can offer in return."
At this point, Linda intervened again. "Prince Cassius, I have been appointed by Lord Ülgen to handle the trade agreement and to act as an ambassador to Vinumregnum. After discussing the basic items, we can deal with the details privately."
The prince's retinue couldn't help but be surprised; it was incredible that Lord Ülgen had entrusted such an important task not to one of the northerners but to someone like Linda, a former baroness. They couldn't guess that the reason behind Linda taking on this role was a combination of a Fatihs ability to win the loyalty of their subordinates and the natural effects of dragon blood. With Linda and Cassius starting to discuss things reciprocally, the conversation moved on to the second phase.