Chapter 35: The Contention (Part II)

　　With the backing of its vast wealth, Nor maintained a standing army hidden deep within the dense forests, conducting rigorous combat drills in shadows until they were ready to burst through the Grill Pass into neighboring lands.　　This broad thoroughfare dated back to the era of the Forest Queen, when the land was cleared and the soil packed firm to facilitate trade with the Limidians. However, the road had long fallen into disuse, choked by rampant banditry and tribal extortion. Upon conquering the territory, Nor eradicated the brigands and widened the road, digging deep defensive trenches on either side so that even a skeleton crew could hold the line.　　When Nersis began stirring up trouble within Korde, the Nor army remained motionless. Paradoxically, it was the members of the Coalition who, fearing Nor's intervention, struck first. To avoid giving the appearance of an unprovoked attack, they gathered their banners at Lenier under the guise of a grand assembly, preparing to cross blades with the Lord of Korde’s rebellious nephew.　　Nersis and his partisans held out in the capital for a grueling length of time. Fearing that a protracted siege would drain the people’s strength and patience—leaving a window for Nor to exploit—Larman heeded his advisors' counsel and dispatched a secret envoy to the camp of the Lord of Korde.　　The envoy persuaded Lord Medras to send a subordinate to Nor, using silver-tongued diplomacy to stall their actions. The logic was cold and brilliant: once the allies learned that Korde was negotiating with Nor, they would be seized by suspicion, sparking a desperate resolve to end the war quickly rather than dither any longer.　　As soon as Medra