Chapter 138
SN5VpgiAfter much thought, Ainar decided to serve Lucian.m1Ph6
KpnThis was, by nature, a land where the means to fulfill one’s desires were limited.R7ra
zsjIf one was born a man here and had aspirations worth pursuing, everything boiled down to power, strength, and name.9SMQXs
vPSBut power had already passed into other hands, strength was at a level beyond comparison, and if he wanted to leave behind his name, there was no other option but to follow Lucian.s18
Bn1“If my lord keeps his promise, I will serve him with my life.”s5Gv
KriF“I promise.”ZuBdYdW
VYdYgLucian gladly accepted Ainar’s pledge of loyalty.4eh
gGFAlthough he had been defeated, Ainar was someone capable enough to become chief.2KBOG
4RVHe was a rare talent, able to gather the will of the tribe and minimize friction during the integration process.mhdj
c2A9pf“From now on, I entrust you with all matters related to this land. If there’s anything I should pay attention to or any advice to give, report it immediately. And if complaints arise among the tribe members, collect them and bring them to me.”jLp9mrH
VjOeE“Yes, my lord.”btwQ2
7W5“My lord!? Why are you leaving me out and using this man instead!?”clUR
M5YyS8Gunstein cried out in horror at Lucian’s words. Calling it responsibility for the steppes sounded nice, but in practice, it meant placing all affairs of the tribes to be conquered in Ainar’s hands.YB42sCZ
DFiWThe moment another tribe was subjugated, Ainar would hold even more authority than his father Ivar once had.maHUYn
xfQuCAnd yet, instead of choosing Gunstein, who had already been there, Lucian entrusted everything to someone who had just arrived.EGU
KYoAcRh“Even if it was only for a few days, I was the first to serve you, my lord! If you entrusted it to me—”gM0r
6pqQ“Do you have the confidence to do better than Ainar? You said you couldn’t even form your own faction.”169UwW
EXz4N6“……”z7B4hB1
bwFeQ34The blunt words hit their mark, and Gunstein fell silent.EszIe
vip7gaRuling and managing always go better in the hands of someone with experience.NG2mWtd
AtrxxGunstein, who hadn’t even been able to form a force to rival his brothers, lacked that experience.UCjA
nts6Lucian smiled at the sight of Gunstein hanging his head and gave him a pat on the back.VRr
SHs“Don’t take it so personally. Everything has its time and place.”cW3SDg
bz35P“But…”haQ
n9x6“In return, when we go back, I’ll give you a gift. One much better than the dragon’s power your brother absorbed so clumsily.”zZqB
8FN“…!”8U3OUB
Gz4wAt those words, not only Gunstein but even Ainar opened their eyes wide in surprise.EXP
UsdEven though it had been useless against Lucian, it was still the power of a dragon. Just by absorbing it, one gained strength incomparable to before.Op327
MZJAnd yet—there was a gift better than that?yQwlge
lyjl“Does something like that really exist?”9iwh1Bx
iylCl3o“Of course. Look forward to it.”mK2
gE4The gift Lucian referred to, of course, was the nectar.JJr3i
5FehStrictly speaking, the dragon’s heart was an even greater treasure than the nectar, but that was only viable if a human could withstand it.3Qyd5zi
NHm7TFor someone like Ivar and his sons, who had only absorbed small amounts of power, it was better to amplify their strength with nectar.RRGh
FSJ7UZmIncreasing one’s internal mana was several times easier to manage than absorbing mana from the outside.wDktVX
MpAE‘Even with a cheat-like ability called authority, without an immense amount of mana to support it, it can only be used for an instant.’bJBg
smXXjBUnless one could supply mana constantly like Lucian, the duration of authority would be barely a blink.lGaYp1
OscGnJTo reach a higher level, it would be better to consume nectar and then learn a proper sword technique.f54ySy
aocC79yAfter deciding Ainar’s position, Lucian summoned the attendants to the chief’s residence.gLmL
nbRVa2d“Now that we have the Blue Dragon Tribe in our hands, it’s time to decide the next course of action.”9H8nnFe
K7n“Course of action? Isn’t it enough to return just like this?”tXaOK8P
rrgo“If the Blue Dragon Tribe were the only one in these steppes, that would suffice. But the problem is that there are still five tribes I’ve yet to meet.”hq4ZL
3eVcHOut of the original thirty-five tribes, only twenty-four remained after nine departed, and even those had mostly vanished over time.bzEHF
QhsBTOCAt present, only six tribes remained, including the Blue Dragon Tribe.1cu
CNC“To begin with, the Blue Dragon Tribe is the most powerful and the most numerous. They say the other five tribes would have to unite just to face them.”xGEhqC
J7rN“That’s right. Though the population difference isn’t that large. The reason for our strength is the high proportion of warriors and the great power of the prophet’s magic.”BcrYn
OYllbaZ“Exactly. That’s the issue. That the numbers are similar. Letting this slide would be a waste.”LMLo5U
JVozqWith Ainar’s additional explanation, Lucian got to the main point.p7T4KqU
VEuaQAt that moment, Lucian possessed both the dragon’s heart and the artifact that regulated the cold.tm1Brg
FUhYPHe could use the artifact to open a path through the steppes, return with an army, and come back.TEyGfub
Mhd9C“If we return leading the Blue Dragon Tribe, everyone will know that what I said was true. The rest could be conquered with the army alone. But would the tribes conquered by force follow me the same way the Blue Dragon Tribe does?”b5Xtud0
R6VBF“I doubt it.”8g7Rht5
75aC8jThis time, Marius answered. As someone who knew both the Empire and the steppes well, he could clearly see the consequences that decision would bring.l3r
XL64a“Unlike the Empire, people here aren’t used to the concept of conquest. Even if you subjugate them by invasion, they’ll see you as a foreign invader—not offer genuine loyalty.”1d49T7
cUZJb“But we also can’t afford to spend time with each tribe the way we did with the Blue Dragon Tribe. If we leave Asagrim unattended too long, problems will arise there too.”RchKp
iX5Currently, Hans was managing Asagrim.po8qp
cvRcZThough Lucian had trained him intensively for half a year, it was clear he lacked experience in territorial administration.P9Uj2NR
5sMcqbgJust because he was a close ally of Lucian’s, opportunists wouldn’t move—for now. But that wouldn’t last long.2sthQF
CpybWith time, fear would fade, so it was necessary to resolve everything quickly and return.mOqLLG
wHZ6dmAs the group reflected, Ainar, who had been silent until then, spoke up.1QF
X3nQGZs“I don’t know much about what lies beyond the steppes, but I don’t think it would be difficult for my lord to bring the five tribes under his rule.”2DfY
fzX“What? Why?”2H09o
6lEqAt Lucian’s question, Ainar responded with a smile.qFBdz
DQ1L“Because to them, my lord won’t just be a foreign invader—he’ll be practically a savior who delivers them from this land.”j6px2d
Xpn***NCSM
XabThe Blue Dragon Tribe boasted of being the most powerful force among all the tribes, but that didn’t mean it could act without restrictions.onB7OUX
nZjTThe other five tribes were rivals, but they were also nearly the only ones with whom they maintained exchanges—and the only route for obtaining special products from the outside.WBhZp
IojEVqpFor that reason, the five neighboring tribes praised the Blue Dragon Tribe as the strongest, while maintaining a strange peace in which they didn’t interfere with one another.Yrg7LCR
Ga1YKV‘Unstable, and it could break at any moment but at least until I die, this peace will hold.’u6M
dDiGc4The chief of the Black Hawk Tribe, Otar, was completely satisfied with this structure of the tundra. He had nothing else to wish for—and nothing else he could wish for.uxfr8
naPl‘In the end, the children of the tundra will be buried beneath the snow and disappear.’Xd8hu7
cbnGEIt wasn’t just Otar who thought this way. Anyone with a shred of awareness foresaw the same future.VU77
qe23zMFewer children were born each year, and those who fell ill rarely recovered.TzO
QV2w5uNo matter how much bloodshed was avoided, stupidity and pride always ended up spilling it again.vmctAd
nloAnd with plants and animals growing ever scarcer, what future could there be aside from extinction?h82
HL6‘If we’re destined to disappear without a trace, then let’s at least live in peace until the day we die.’fMPzZd
oZVwSome would call that a loser’s mindset. Others would look down on it with contempt.pGI1J
0JEBsYBut what more could Otar do?gZ5SSn
bowWNo matter how powerful a warrior might be, in the face of these merciless snowstorms, he was just a hunk of meat.1nf
N0fjResisting fate would only bring greater despair; accepting it and choosing how to spend the remaining time was, in the end, the wisest choice.lcRm0
vQp8That way of thinking shattered in less than a day.ukYFma
1Jb“…What did you just say?”4jJ
GoINOtar stared at the messenger from the Blue Dragon Tribe in disbelief. Despite Otar’s sharp gaze, the messenger continued speaking without blinking.wgrk
f5ZoTw5“We have been ordered to kneel immediately before the new king and serve him. If we refuse, only death awaits us—so you’d best think carefully before answering.”tppj3S
hcZAoX“You damned lunatic…!”iaIkze
UwOHXAt the messenger’s haughty tone, Otar clenched his fist. He wasn’t just angry—there were so many absurdities in what he’d heard, he didn’t even know where to begin.QVhdOf
l9Udfn“Has the new chief of the Blue Dragon Tribe lost his mind? It’s not enough for him to crown himself king—he’s threatening war on top of that!?”QXwyP
6b2Otar knew the title of king existed—the supreme ruler of a “nation” formed by dozens of tribes, the chief of all chiefs.bRrDEG
FFOHowever, no one had ever possessed the real authority to claim that title, so it remained nothing more than a legend.3ujo
lNpAnd now someone openly declared himself king and even announced a war?UlxBb
Jtve“Does he expect us all to die!? He can’t ignore what would happen if war broke out in this tundra!”ajVjUsE
WAXS6D8“The only ones who will die are you.”JpbzSV
zOt1N“What did you say?”K4FUdfF
isKlCv“That king comes from the land beyond the tundra. When the war ends, we’ll move to the land of salvation beyond the snow. Even if the Black Hawk Tribe disappears, it won’t be a problem.”1dFd
MqtgY“…!?”siJ
nrhVFOtar froze in place.Dwp68j
E0Xd3TMove the entire tribe to the land beyond the tundra?94oWSA
XDzrtFwTo a land of salvation where everyone could survive, rather than this place doomed to death?8P5yuwV
IvZ“No… don’t speak nonsense.”aWU
ALsNa“It’s not a lie. You know yourself that our prophet came from the land beyond the tundra.”2wb5R
hQlp“One or two crossing back and forth isn’t the same as moving an entire tribe!”VvQJ6V
7I5V9Otar had heard that the prophet of the Blue Dragon Tribe came from outside the tundra.CJfRDtg
gfa5VBut that had always been something exceptional, only possible under very specific conditions—and for a very small number of people.waa
rIOhKMoving an entire tribe would mean traveling much more slowly, and it wouldn’t be strange if many died during the migration.iOhEUBo
1seFS1“So that’s it—you’re mocking me! Trying to conquer the five tribes with a scam as pathetic as this…!”IZDP
1Fgi4“The king can stop the snowstorms of the tundra.”V6p
4Daov“…”NKtKpJP
TLkGM“Not temporarily, but permanently. Do you still think it’s impossible to migrate beyond the tundra?”Zwpxm
bxc4lDespite the messenger’s mocking tone, Otar couldn’t bring himself to get angry.PhQ
lYmIf that was true, then the Black Hawk Tribe might also have the chance to reach the land of salvation.cs8J
SG2JEven though he had accepted extinction as fate, that didn’t mean he welcomed it. He had simply resigned himself because there had been no other choice.HQZ
QOICXBut now, someone from a foreign land claimed to possess the power to save an entire tribe.1EbKs
rvgALu“…I can’t trust only your words. I’ll have to see with my own eyes if that man really possesses such power.”cWu
9zwKJdW“If the king proves his authority, will you kneel before him then?”xFetI2V
lTyWwaR“I swear it. If he truly possesses that power, I, Otar, chief of the Black Hawk Tribe, will be the first to kneel.”CRjY
SUoMgffOtar answered without hesitation.BUTRDWY
IIDpzThe power to stop the snowstorms and the strength of a warrior were different things—but did that matter now?nevgiv
eA3If it meant saving his tribe, he was willing to kneel even before the weakest creature.gbotLDI
j7lBeAt those words, the messenger smiled in satisfaction.Y3H
AgOJfE0“Don’t ever forget the oath you just made.”EtwOhL
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