Chapter 12: Northward Bound

　　Baron Drasim of Susales calmly delivered his response to the Sirleid envoys:

　　"My ancestors received the grace of the Willem sovereigns to become the masters of this land; to abandon it would be an act of treason. I inherited this domain from their hands to become its lord; to surrender it would be an act of filial betrayal."

　　The Count of Ral initially condemned Sirleid’s military aggression with harsh words, yet he remained stone-faced and indifferent to the Baron’s pleas for aid. Meanwhile, the Frontier Alliance stood ready, poised to march into Sibilis at any moment under the pretext of treaty violations and regional instability.

　　According to the Alliance's design, their forces were to first seize control of the vital Birisil Road. To lull their enemies into a false sense of security, they manufactured reports of barbarian incursions along the borders to divert public attention. Marquis Coris, after launching several probing actions, convinced himself that Ral would not interfere with his campaign in Susales; in truth, however, his rivals were already coveting the fertile lands of Cosness.

　　Emboldened, Sirleid began to operate openly across the shores of Lake Danret. This entire coastal belt was a realm of immense wealth. The Baron’s ancestor, Sikos, had once gifted Ketaris—on the western shores of the lake—along with its surrounding farmsteads to Sirleid as a reward for their help in repelling the barbarians. Now, Sikos's descendants sought to exploit this foothold, intending to seize the entire lake and all its coastal territories for themselves.

　　The Baron’s dogged resistance, however, ground the Sirleid advance to a halt. After exhausting their strength to capture Inger, Sirleid’s troops saw the prize snatched back by their opponents just days later. During the stalemate, the Count of Ral was inundated with desperate missives from the Baron, reporting that Sirleid was continuously funneling in reinforcements. In response, Count Surlos sent a secret letter to the Baron, claiming that Ral was massing troops and would strike soon—though this was, in reality, merely a ploy to buy more time.

　　Yet, at the eleventh hour, the Count’s subordinates offered a stark and wise counsel: if Ral continued to dither, the frontier lords would seize the moment to invade Sirleid. Such a move would surely leave Sirleid crippled, forcing them to cede Sibilis and enter into a puppet alliance with the frontier. Ral would then not only fail in its own ambitions but find itself permanently checked by a new, more powerful neighbor.

　　The sudden arrival of the Ralian army saved the Susales forces from a catastrophic defeat at Lake Danret. The commanders skillfully concealed the Ralian units in the distance, waiting until the enemy was bled white by the battle before launching a swift strike that plunged the Sirleid ranks into utter chaos.

　　Sirleid’s minor allies broke and scattered like chaff at the first sign of defeat, leaving all their supplies to the victors of Susales. But Ral had no intention of stopping there. After their forces occupied Biberis without striking a blow, they pivoted toward Cosness. The Baron of Susales, flags flying high, followed close behind and established his own camp there.

　　Count Surlos eventually heeded the wise advice of his advisors. He hoped to use this newfound military advantage to forge a fresh union with Sirleid—restoring their ancient ties to form a bulwark against the ever-growing and increasingly aggressive Frontier Alliance.

　　Thus, the eloquent envoys of Ral arrived at the Great Hall of Sirleid. They urged the Marquis to restore peace, warning that the frontier lords were poised to seize Sibilis if the conflict continued—a move that would strip Sirleid of its vast territories and reduce the Marquis to a mere pawn of the frontier. Already, the frontier armies had massed at the border, ready to descend upon Sibilis under the guise of "maintaining peace."

　　The Marquis of Sirleid was forced to abandon his hostilities. Invoking the name of his predecessor’s promises, he formally relinquished sovereignty over Cosness. Baron Drasim of Susales also extracted a payment in gold from the humbled Marquis, yet he remained embittered; on his return march, he permitted his troops to plunder the countryside. This stain upon his honor was framed as a "justified retaliation," claiming that local inhabitants had previously robbed a Susales supply train.

　　When the forces of the Frontier Alliance reappeared in Sibilis, they had expected to reap the rewards of their neighbors' exhaustion; instead, their presence only sharpened the vigilance of their rivals. Faced with cold reality, shared security threats, and the pull of common blood, Sirleid and Ral turned toward a temporary cooperation. Consequently, the lords of Sirleid, Ral, Binhes, and several others signed a joint declaration of alliance and peace.

　　Colasur also voiced dissatisfaction, arguing that according to the agreement, he should have been entrusted with the duty of maintaining order in Sibilis. This claim annoyed the Frontier Alliance, yet they were powerless to stop it. In truth, however, Colasur’s weak forces were incapable of securing the region; when tensions flared, they quietly abandoned their posts. Ultimately, the frontier armies halted their operations due to the deteriorating health of Lord Delon.

　　Lord Delon—Count Wigrabino—had long been regarded as the unifying sovereign of the Frontier Alliance. He was both a battle-hardened veteran and a sagacious strategist. Under his rule, people from diverse regions flourished in the just land of Delon, where the industry, wisdom, and courage of his subjects were utilized to their fullest potential. Leading the allied forces, he had shattered barbarian incursions, forcing the savage tribes to curb their violent impulses and fear to act recklessly.

　　These lauded achievements were born entirely of his personal virtue. Though the master of Delon, Wigrabino understood the weight of his station; he knew his every word and deed affected the security of his domain, the welfare of his people, and the legacy of his house.

　　Thus, before those of exceptional talent, he bore himself as a student, humbly seeking counsel on the art of governance. Before his army, he appeared as a commander-in-chief, always at the front lines, cheering with his soldiers in victory and caring for the wounded and fallen like a kinsman. Before his people, he stood as a local magistrate; his policies, whether rigorous or lenient, were always rooted in a deep understanding of local realities and a profound respect for the populace.

　　Through such deeds, Wigrabino combined vast learning with an unerring eye for character. He remained clear-headed and never wavered from his goals, winning the devotion of the people, the love of his subordinates, the respect of the Alliance, and the terror of the barbarians. Blessed by the gods, the Count ruled for nearly forty years. Even in his final moments, his mind remained sharp as he exhorted his descendants to lead the Alliance eastward into Scoro, advancing toward the lands of kings. At the age of seventy-seven, he entrusted his life’s work to his heir and departed this world with a mixture of regret and expectation.

　　His successor, Ferne, maintained a regimen of physical training while devoting his leisure to study and research, fostering a capacity for deep and beneficial reflection. He followed his father’s teachings, remembering that his noble status was born of trust, devotion, and following—not of sycophancy, silver-tongued flattery, or hollow pageantry. He frequently reviewed the deeds of his father’s era and beyond, distilling strategies for the future.

　　Toward the coalition of eastern lords, Ferne maintained a watchful and vigilant stance; the fragile balance of power offered the people of the east a rare glimpse of peace. Toward the north, he employed a mixture of benevolence and awe—the former directed toward Hulor, and the latter primarily toward the barbarians of the northeast.

　　As progress in the Limidian world reached a temporary stalemate, the ambitious Ferne turned his gaze toward the northeast. He knew that the Pilater Highlands had long been excluded from Limidian civilization and the blessings of the gods. Yet, upon its crumbling fortresses, the emblems of the Willem Dynasty still remained.

　　After the Pilater Highlands had been ravaged by the fires of war and the scourge of plague, a Dumerian named Edward Hank became the master of Gravel City. To provide refuge for the displaced, he nearly exhausted his personal fortune, yet in doing so, he earned the unwavering trust and affection of the people. This nobleman of Dumerian descent was granted the title of Governor by his liege. He assembled an armed force upon lands that once belonged to the Limidians, doing his utmost to restore order and safeguard the region from the threats and extortions of barbarian tribes and criminal syndicates.

　　Though the city walls were thin, they proved sufficient to repel bandits and stragglers. Among his loyal retainers were men of great strategic wit who lent their counsel; his modest forces remained vigorous and disciplined, serving as the essential pillar of the city's security. Beyond the city gates, however, the rest of the land was left to wither in desolation or remain a playground for brigands and swindlers.

　　Edward’s ancestors were farmers and merchants who had amassed vast wealth through industry and shrewdness, building an extensive network of connections through sincerity and reliability. Maintaining friendly relations with local officials had brought long-standing benefits to his family for generations.

　　Affection and respect between the elders and the youth had always been the guarantee of harmony and prosperity within the clan. By Edward’s generation, the Hank family was the most prominent in Andrus; the mark of the little bee could be seen in nearly every corner of the city. His uncle, Winbert, served as a judge in Andrus; his cousin, Johnny, was a priest in the Temple of Gruen; and his brother, Settins, relied on his scholarship to win the favor of Delm in Hensland.

　　This Delm was once an exiled steppe barbarian who had remarkably led a band of refugees to a foreign land and established power through cunning maneuvers. This was made possible primarily by the military campaigns and victories of the Limidians, which forced a portion of the steppe tribes to seek new homes. Delm's actions in South Eket left an indelible mark on the basin's history and brought upheaval to prominent families.

　　As a chieftain, Delm Wesid was one among the migrating barbarians. From his surname and his fluent Lir speech, it was inferred that he hailed from a powerful steppe tribe. He employed eloquence and a sense of balance to neutralize the ferocity of some steppe peoples, bringing them under his banner while winning the favor of the shrewd yet fragile Dumerians—a people who had always entrusted their security to outsiders.

　　The ruling Count of Eket was beguiled by Delm’s rhetoric, fully believing that his tribesmen would be content as artisans and farmers, adopting the settled life of the locals. Consequently, he granted them a region near the foot of the mountains as their dwelling place; the forests, thickets, and perennial streams there were deemed suitable for these barbarians of hunter-gatherer origin.

　　For a long time, these fierce pastoralists appeared to have abandoned their nomadic ways. They humbly sought techniques from the locals that would improve their lives and bring profit, submitting to the laws and authority of the Count of Eket. This nobleman and his local officials, in turn, received their investiture and the blessings of priests from the court and royal temple of King Pandir.

　　Awed by the power of the Pandirians, the chieftain maintained a humble and submissive posture, leading the rulers to mistakenly believe that through the passage of time and divine enlightenment, these people could be made useful to the state. Delm and his kin first distinguished themselves during a battle against invading steppe tribes. Though their long settled life had made them somewhat unpracticed in horsemanship, they had not forgotten the tactical formations of the Limidians, and they had learned the use of spears, shields, and crossbows from the Pandirians.

　　Through their ultimate victory, they gained not only combat experience and the Count of Eket's trust but also established their reputation among the defeated steppe tribes. Simultaneously, the barbarian chieftain and his people detected the weaknesses of Eket and Pandir during the struggle.

　　In the period that followed, they continued to mask their true intentions with outward obedience, bribing the Count’s attendants and maintaining respect for the Pandirians to lull them into complacency. By the time Delm reached his sixtieth year, his domain of Hensland had become a land of prosperity.

　　Skilled artisans and wealthy merchants flocked to the region. The chieftain claimed he was gratified to see his subjects living stable and affluent lives, while he himself remained frugal, using reading and study to increase his knowledge and cultivate his character. To this end, he spared no expense and lowered his pride to seek desired volumes and visit renowned teachers.

　　Behind this facade, many strategists from various nations—driven either by private interest or public concern—rallied to the chieftain’s side. Delm gathered the master craftsmen of his territory to build a manor following the contours of the mountain foot; it served as the venue for his public and private affairs, while simultaneously functioning as a fortress.

　　Despite his many disguises, officials of King Pandir eventually sensed the aging chieftain’s intent: he wished to achieve his ambition within his lifetime—to stand as an equal against the patron of the basin. The Pandirians had operated here for a long time; the celestial god Gruen was enshrined here, the blood of their soldiers had soaked this earth, and the local Count had always followed the lead of the Pandir King.

　　However, the opposition struck first, executing a long-premeditated plan. The Pandirians had underestimated their rival's influence; when the war horns sounded, even the areas surrounding Hensland declared their allegiance to the chieftain’s camp. To more effectively pin down the Pandirian armies, Chieftain Delm used bribes and enticing promises to incite the steppe barbarians to attack Kelatimo.