'Come to think of it, he has been quiet these past few days,' Elric mused, recalling how Sailor had remained unusually silent after the recent battle.
Perhaps what he was about to say would explain why.
"Please, share your thoughts," Elric urged.
"They're not really thoughts worth mentioning… but you know I spent many years traveling the continent, finding it too small for my taste, don't you?" Sailor asked.
"Yes, I've heard that's why some call you the 'Godfather,'" Elric replied.
"'Godfather'... I've told people time and again not to use such an embarrassing title. It makes me sound like some kind of underworld boss." Sailor chuckled lightly as he added that, still amused by the nickname.
"In any case, during that time, I built relationships with certain people," Sailor continued.
Elric's eyes lit up.
"The Borfur tribe, is it?"
"You've got sharp instincts. That's right. Not just the Borfur tribe, but I lived in the eastern mountain ranges for more than five years," Sailor replied.
Elric suddenly remembered seeing Sailor talking with the hostages who had been captured there.
"And it was here... that I met a child who called me 'Father.'"
Elric's eyes widened in surprise. Even Herman, who had been silent up until now, appeared genuinely astonished.
"Is that true?" Herman asked.
"It is."
"Then why in the world didn't you tell us before?" Herman pressed.
"When was there ever a chance to bring it up?" Sailor shrugged.
"..."
"And to be honest, the man who took your eye—Batu—is someone I know quite well," Sailor added, casting a glance toward Herman.
Herman's expression hardened.
"Did you teach him how to use a sword?" Herman asked.
"I'm not sure if you can say I taught him. The man had immense talent from the start. Even without my help, he would have become a great warrior."
"Even so, you must have shown him some shortcuts. That would explain why his swordsmanship felt so familiar," Herman murmured, absentmindedly touching his wounded eye. Isabelle, watching her father, cast him a sympathetic look.
However, in Herman's one remaining eye, a spark of determination began to ignite.
He had already overcome the ordeal of reflux diseases and risen again. Now, Herman viewed this latest challenge as just another trial to surpass.
Ever since facing the Golden Lion—an insurmountable wall—his gaze had always been fixed on the distant horizon.
In a way, Herman almost felt grateful to have encountered Batu.
Defeating him would mean stepping one stride closer to the Golden Lion.
"It seemed Batu didn't recognize me, but under such circumstances, I couldn't exactly bring it up," Sailor said apologetically.
Herman and Batu—both were like sons and juniors to Sailor. And yet, now they were facing each other as adversaries.
Still, Herman didn't seem troubled by it at all. His resolve transformed into a competitive spirit, a desire to clash with Batu once more.
"What is his true name?" Hermann asked.
"Batu," Sailor replied.
"I already know that. What's his real name?" Herman pressed further.
Sailor understood the question immediately. The mountain tribes often believed a name held the soul of a person. Herman knew this and was asking for Batu's true name, his essence.
"Batu Turpan. It means a man as strong and tough as a bull," Sailor answered.
"Batu Turpan... I'll remember that name well," Herman said, a deep smile forming on his lips.
It was the smile of a lion.
A lion preparing to face a bull.
"Perhaps we'll meet again."
"No, that won't happen anytime soon," Sailor said, shaking his head.
"Why's that?" Herman asked.
Sailor's gaze returned to Elric.
"The child who recognized me said Batu has become the Chieftain of the Borfur tribe, and once their current task is done, they're heading straight for the Empire. Apparently, our battle was more like a ceremonial opening act for them."
Elric suddenly understood what Sailor was implying.
"Because such a significant figure is gone, we could take refuge with them without fully surrendering?" Elric asked.
"If we invoke old ties, they might welcome us as guests," Sailor replied.
"But we've already clashed swords with them once. Can that really work?" Elric asked doubtfully.
"We'll have to make it work," Sailor said firmly.
"Hmm..." Elric muttered, deep in thought.
"There's something people often misunderstand. The so-called 'barbarians' of the eastern mountains are far more complex than we realize. The Borfur tribe, for example, is just one group among many, and not all of them feel a strong sense of unity or belonging with each other," Sailor explained.
"You mean their internal structure is more intricate than we thought?" Elric asked.
"Exactly. Even within the Borfur tribe, there are factions that aren't on good terms, and there are some tribes that don't particularly enjoy fighting. We don't necessarily need to appeal to Batu directly," Sailor clarified.
At this point, their course of action was becoming clear.
They couldn't return to the Empire right away. All routes were blocked, and they were surrounded by the Red Lion Army and the barbarian army. Moving recklessly could lead to annihilation.
In that case, hiding deep within enemy lines might actually be their best option. The saying "the darkest place is under the lamp" rang true.
Furthermore, there was something Elric had kept to himself, something he trusted in.
'The Nerester family is still out there.'
A pact existed between the Nerester family and the Melvinger family. If one was in danger, the other was obligated to offer aid.
Even if the pact didn't hold, with both Sean and Augustine involved, they would undoubtedly come to his aid.
And with the power of the Nerester family, they would surely be able to rescue the Star's Legion.
For now, Elric's priority was to ensure the safety of the Star's Legion and then establish communication with the Nerester family.
"Let's start by reaching out to them," Elric concluded.
***
"They're practically offering us up as sacrificial lambs to the rebels," Count Caliger grumbled as he exited the meeting room.
"We can't just sit back and watch this happen," Viscount Kuransibil added, his expression just as sour.
Their conversation had been nothing short of shocking.
Seek refuge with barbarians?
As proud noblemen of the Empire, this was utterly unthinkable.
They would sooner die on the battlefield than bow their heads to people they considered little more than animals, living far removed from civilization.
Elric's decision, made with the intent to save as many soldiers' lives as possible, was something they could never understand.
To them, the lives of common soldiers were only there to preserve the dignity and status of the nobility.
In their eyes, Elric seemed like nothing more than an opportunist, ready to defect to the rebels at the first sign of trouble.
While Elric viewed himself as trying to prevent further bloodshed, Caliger and Kuransibil saw him as a traitor.
In their minds, they were the loyal servants of the Empire, standing up against the rebels, while Elric had already betrayed them.
But that was only their pretext.
In truth, both Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil had been greatly shaken by the meeting.
Elric's ability to dismiss their opinions with ease, his commanding presence that reminded them of the young Usdun Melvinger—all of it unsettled them deeply.
From the start, they had intended to move against Elric, but now they felt they had to accelerate their plans.
Exchanging glances, Caliger and Kuransibil reached a silent understanding.
They had once been bitter enemies, but now they understood each other perfectly.
And so, without exchanging a word, they went their separate ways.
***
The so-called "barbarians" of the eastern frontier were actually composed of many different kin, families, and tribes, all with complex relationships.
For thousands of years, they had never achieved political unity due to their tangled history of alliances, feuds, and betrayals.
Even now, as they marched under the common banner of "destroying the Empire," their coalition was fragile, held together by little more than shared short-term goals.
Should their interests diverge, the alliance could fracture at any moment.
But the Borfur tribe didn't concern itself with such possibilities.
"Breakup? What of it! It might even be better that way! We wouldn't have to share our food or land with the other tribes!"
"With our great Chieftain, what do we have to worry about?"
"We have the mighty Batu, sent to us by the heavens!"
"Batu!"
"Batu!"
"As long as we have Batu, who will soon become king and emperor, we can accomplish anything!"
"Follow Batu!"
"Follow him!"
Among the barbarians, there were twelve major tribes.
But even the concept of "tribes" was just a convenient label. The real bonds that held these people together were much more intricate—based on bloodlines and kinship.
However, the Borfur tribe was different.
Under the exceptional leadership of Batu, they had become a unified force. They abolished divisions between bloodlines and kins, focusing only on individual ability.
Anyone who showed talent was given the chance to rise and stand by Batu's side, regardless of their background.
This allowed the Borfur tribe to grow rapidly in power and influence, distinguishing them from the other tribes, who remained divided and less organized.
Among the current alliance of tribes, the Borfur tribe held the most significant share of power.
Batu, the God of War, was revered not just by his own people but by other mountain tribes as well.
"Fools," Batu muttered as he moved to attend a meeting proposed by the Red Lion Army to discuss future plans.
He wasn't referring to the Red Lion.
In fact, Batu held the Red Lion in high regard.
The Red Lion had tormented his people for years, creating an insurmountable wall that crushed their hopes and dreams.
But it was precisely because of that, that Batu felt a sense of kinship with the Red Lion.
Those who sought to rise above others would inevitably attract envy and jealousy.
Batu's scorn was directed at the other chieftains.
These were the very chieftains of the twelve tribes, those who were supposed to be his allies.
In Batu's eyes, they were nothing more than parasites, clinging to their own power and privilege, afraid that he would take it from them.
While they gathered to discuss important future plans, all they did was bicker, their distrust and jealousy preventing any real progress from being made.
'This won't work. Not for long,' Batu thought.
Although they were currently advancing rapidly into the Empire after defeating the Imperial army, he knew that as soon as their momentum stalled, the alliance would collapse.
Having been taught by Sailor in his youth, Batu understood the strength and potential of the Empire all too well.
It wouldn't be long before their advance was halted.
When that time came, how would they avoid disintegration?
'We'll have to turn everything upside down. Eliminate the parasites, get rid of the leeches.'
Batu had already prepared for that.
Even this meeting with the other chieftains was part of his plan.
While they thought they were coming together to negotiate terms for after the war, Batu and the Red Lion had already coordinated something much bigger.
Batu was simply waiting for the right moment to draw his sword.
"What? You're saying Lord Sailor was there?" Batu's expression hardened as he turned toward his adjutant.
"Yes, my lord. Someone witnessed Lady Sarnai speaking with Lord Sailor," the adjutant reported.
Sarnai.
She was Batu's only sibling, his comrade, his confidant, and now his partner.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]