Chapter 214
## Chapter 214
The size of the Balto militia increased day by day.
With the successive enlistment of young people whose animosity toward the Empire had reached its peak, joining the ranks of the rebels, a colossal army was formed in just a few months that rivaled the forces of the Northern nobles’ coalition.
This was the natural consequence of the indiscriminate looting and the relentless military repression that the Imperial Army had exerted over the recent years.
“Filthy traitors!”
The Crown Prince, who had been forced to undertake a humiliating retreat under the intensity of the fierce and organized attacks of the citizen army of Amasek, roared with indignation as he threw his helmet to the ground.
Varkas raised his gaze, which had been fixed on the desk.
The Crown Prince, pale and exhausted due to the extenuating combats that had prolonged for days, screamed while kicking a table set up in a corner of the military tent.
“I swear by the gods that I will flay the skins of those vermin and hang them as banners on every street corner of the capital! I will gouge out their eyes while they are still alive, rip out their tongues, and then cut them into pieces to scatter them as fertilizer on this cursed land! Just you wait, you damned dogs!”
Varkas leaned his body against the back of the chair and waited in silence for the fit of madness possessing his kinsman to subside.
And when his fury finally appeased, the man, who had destroyed every object within his sight inside the tent, collapsed from fatigue onto the seat.
Noticing this, Varkas gave his instructions to the servant waiting timidly by the entrance:
“Don’t just stand there; serve His Highness a glass of cold wine.”
“I don’t need anything, all of you get out of my sight!” The Crown Prince pushed the servant, who ran bewildered to take the bottle of wine, and cast a burning glare at Varkas. “Why does your face look so unperturbed?! You seem to be delighting in seeing me suffer this humiliation, don’t you?!”
Varkas did not reply; he merely raised the glass set upon the table.
And as he moistened his lips with the wine, Garis stood up suddenly, snatched the glass from his hand, and threw it toward a corner of the tent, then tilted his head toward him in a threatening manner:
“Why don’t you answer?! I am asking you if my appearance amuses you.”
“You have selected the wrong person to vent your indignation upon,” Varkas said, contemplating him fixedly.
“Is this the way you treat someone who has traveled a long distance to try to remedy this chaos?!”
It seemed that Garis read the latent warning in his voice, for his body tensed subtly.
Varkas indicated the opposite seat to the Crown Prince, pointing with his chin:
“Sit down. Should we not deliberate on the measures we will execute next?”
“Arrogant. Does it seem that after being appointed general commander you consider the Crown Prince an object of mockery?” Garis said cuttingly, pursing his lips as if annoyed at having experienced bewilderment for an instant.
Varkas lowered the tone of his voice coldly:
“I told you to sit down.”
And after piercing him with a glare of fury that made the veins in his neck stand out, the Crown Prince pulled the chair and finally sat down.
Varkas unfolded the map in front of him and began his explanation in a temperate tone:
“From now on, your direct forces will be withdrawn to the rear. I will entrust you to consecrate yourself to securing the supply routes and to positioning yourself in the southwestern region.”
“Do you intend to demand that I flee like a coward before those vile rebels?!”
“The current results are the consequence of the violent repression you exerted. His Majesty the Emperor considers that the animosity of the inhabitants of the North toward the Empire must not increase beyond this point.”
Garis’s face flushed at the words that resembled a reprimand. He struck the desk with his fist and asked, gritting his teeth:
“Are you suggesting that this chaos is my fault?!”
Varkas neither confirmed his words nor refuted them; on the contrary, he calmly continued his exposition:
“If the Crown Prince, who will rule the Empire in the future, massacres the citizens of Balto, the resentment will reach a stage from which there will be no return. And in order to integrate Balto into the Empire once again, His Majesty considered that he required another person to defile their hands instead of Your Highness.”
“So, you are the executioner who has been chosen?!” Garis scoffed with a restrained laugh. “And you, driven by your loyalty toward me, submissively accepted the position of general commander, is that what you intend to say?!”
“Yes, that is correct,” Varkas replied softly. “However, it seems that my kinsman is attempting to create a rift in my loyalty toward the Empire.”
“……”
“If you do not require my services, let me know. If Your Highness so disposes, I will lead the reinforcements and return to the East with total pleasure.”
Garis gritted his teeth as if his fury were about to explode.
A heavy silence reigned for a period, before the Crown Prince exclaimed, boiling with indignation:
“Fine. I will abide by your dispositions for the time being. But in exchange for withdrawing my forces to the rear, the result must be guaranteed.” Then he stood up suddenly and left the military tent with large strides.
The next day, Varkas reorganized the ranks and began to exert pressure on Amasek.
He did not intend to engage in a reckless combat.
By means of an absolute isolation of the city, he obstructed the path for the expansion of the rebel forces that were beginning to spread like a poisonous mushroom in every territory; then he raised a camp in the North and diverted the course of the Roden River, which flows into Amasek.
He was forced to consume a massive amount of magical artifacts and gunpowder to alter the course of the great flow, but the effect proved infallible.
According to the spies he had infiltrated into the interior of the city, division was beginning to manifest among the citizens of that place.
After the fall of the city, and according to the records obtained by the Imperial Army, there were large portions of provisions stored within the walls of Amasek, sufficient to resist for at least a half-year.
However, the water sources were a different matter.
Deprived of water, they would not manage to resist even a single month and would be forced to raise the white flag.
All that remained to be done was to await the instant when the “cornered mouse” would undertake its last insurrection.
Varkas deployed the cavalry units in surrounding layers around the gates of the city, preparing for the imminent battle.
Several weeks passed in that state, until an unexpected visitor presented himself at the camp.
“It has been a long time since our last meeting, Mr. Sherkan.”
Varkas, who was contemplating the isolated city from the top of the watchtower, turned toward the source of the voice.
He spotted hundreds of riders bearing long spears equipped with green banners ascending the hill.
The man of burly build who led them exclaimed in a jovial tone:
“Or rather I should refer to you now as Your Excellency the Duke.”
Varkas recognized the man’s face with a slight delay, so he furrowed his brow seriously. He was the second son of the house of the dukes of Bliston, one of the illustrious lineages that represented the North.
Varkas descended the stairs leisurely and advanced toward the man.
The knight, who dismounted from his horse with agility, extended his hand to him solemnly, saying:
“We met on an occasion a long time ago at a reception in the Imperial Palace. How have your affairs gone during all this period?”
“It has indeed been quite some time.” Varkas shook his hand while examining him with a cautious look.
The Bliston family currently assumed the leadership of the Northern nobles’ coalition in place of the house of Duke Heimdal.
What was the reason for this man’s presence in this place, when it was presumed that he should be in the negotiation room for the truce at the castle of Dolakan?
And while casting looks laden with suspicion at him, the man raised his purpose in a prudent tone:
“I have come operating as a representative of the Bliston family to present a proposal to Your Excellency. Could you grant me a shred of your time?”
Varkas fixed his gaze on the eyes of the man immersed in silence, as if trying to decipher his intentions, then indicated with his chin toward the entrance of the camp:
“You may enter. But I will permit only your entrance and that of a single guard.”
The man’s face tensed subtly, then he nodded his head, emitting a sigh of capitulation.
Varkas crossed the checkpoint and headed directly toward his military tent.
Inside the spacious enclosure intended exclusively for the commander, there was nothing but the indispensable furniture for the stay.
Varkas entered, sat down in front of a conference table of rustic design, and indicated for the man to take a seat.
The knight, who examined the surroundings in silence, sat in the opposite chair.
“What is it that you intend to propose?”
Signs of annoyance crossed the man’s face at the direct question. It seemed evident that he had not anticipated going straight to the point without the previous formulas of courtesy.
He coughed subtly and complained in a low voice:
“The reception you provide to your visitors is extremely brief. Could you not at least offer something to drink?”
“I prefer to determine whether you are a visitor or an unwelcome intruder after hearing your purpose.”
A heavy sigh emerged from the man’s chest at Varkas’s dry response:
“Very well. I will go straight to the point. I beg you to examine this.” The man extracted a small envelope from his chest and extended it to him.
Varkas raised an eyebrow:
“What is this?”
“A private missive from my older brother, Duke Ruyen Bliston.”
Varkas examined the seal of the Bliston family printed on the envelope with scrutiny, then took the letter and broke the wax.
Upon the ancient and yellowed paper, a shocking request was written, asking to propose Anaster, the legitimate daughter of the Bliston family, to become the consort of the Crown Prince.
An ironic smile drew upon Varkas’s lips:
“This turns out to be truly surprising. Even though the Northern nobles’ coalition has returned to the Empire’s side currently, the fact of your collusion with the Heimdal rebellion will not be erased. And now, you request my intervention to convert the daughter of a lineage that harbored intentions of treason into the consort of the Crown Prince?”
“We possess no other alternative at this instant.” The man moistened his lips, dry from tension, and continued with caution: “You are fully aware, Your Excellency, that the spirits of the inhabitants of Balto are not peaceful. And to appease that, an image must be projected that demonstrates the Empire’s embrace toward Balto. And is there perhaps a more powerful image than the arrival of a pure-blooded Northern woman to the position of consort of the Crown Prince?” He interrupted his speech for a moment, as if requiring his approval.
Varkas did not reply; he merely made a slight gesture with his chin, inciting him to continue.
It gave the impression that the man grew angry at that haughty attitude, for he leaned upon the table and tilted his body forward:
“At this rate, the war will not conclude in years. The reason why the signing of the truce treaty has stagnated for a half-year is that the Northern nobles’ coalition lacks the certainty that their status will be guaranteed. If Anaster becomes the consort of the Crown Prince, that suspicion will dissipate immediately.”
Varkas tapped upon the table with the tips of his fingers while silently contemplating Duke Bliston’s missive.
It was an extremely tempting proposal. And in the current juncture, it represented the most realistic solution.
The drawback lay in the extent to which Garis would accept this intermediate point of agreement.
He felt that a headache was beginning to assault him, so he pressed his temple.
However, if he managed to properly persuade that “butter-brain,” he might be able to put an end to this prolonged war in a single stroke.
And if matters progressed favorably, perhaps he would return to the castle of Raidgo in the spring.
He gripped the missive tightly.
“Very well. I will push this matter. But I impose a single condition.”
“Proceed.”
“As soon as the engagement is consummated, the Northern nobles’ coalition must position itself at the vanguard to repress the rebels.”
“That……” The man’s face tensed.
But Varkas exerted pressure upon him firmly:
“The image of the Imperial Army repressing the inhabitants of the North must not be projected. It must be yourselves who eliminate the traitors. That is the only path to demonstrate the loyalty of the Northern nobles’ coalition.”
“……”
“If you do not accede to this, it will not be possible for me to present the proposal before His Majesty the Emperor.”
After a prolonged hesitation, the man finally responded in a heavy tone:
“I understand. I will transmit your disposition to my older brother.” Then he stood up and extended his hand to him once more.
And at the precise instant when he was preparing to shake it, the loud echo of a horn resonated outside the military tent.
Varkas stood up from his place all at once. At the same time, the thundering clamors of the soldiers erupted:
“The enemy attack has begun!”
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