The Vastness of Magical Destiny
Chapter 726: Volume 21: The Dark Road - 9: Barbarian Alliance_2

Chapter 726: Volume 21: The Dark Road - 9: Barbarian Alliance_2

However, Avatar Kaladin, whose mortal form was Komer, settled down in Antwerp and began to recruit people to rebuild the original Count’s Mansion—now called the Lord’s Mansion. This move made the Iberians realize that the Caucasus Lord’s proxy might not be unprepared after all, and everyone wanted to see how the Barbarian would treat this Susoer merchant who claimed to be the master of the Flanders region.

But to their great surprise and slight disappointment, the Barbarian seemed to turn a blind eye to all the mortal’s doings in Antwerp. Moreover, the mortal, in the name of the Flanders Lord’s Mansion, posted notices throughout the Iberian Kingdom, calling for the residents of Flanders to return and rebuild their homes in the Flanders region, explicitly promising to ensure their safety and the security of their property. Although the notices did not specify how the threat of the Barbarian would be resolved, seeing the Lord’s proxy daring to preside over Antwerp personally also spoke volumes, giving the struggling refugees from Flanders a glimmer of hope.

As Komer was posting calls for the residents of Flanders to return home, the Mountain People Alliance was already in a fierce uproar. Montrey ultimately could not accept Komer’s request alone, as restoring Gdansk Fortress was not something that could be kept secret. Although the Caron Tribe’s territory directly bordered the Flanders region, Gdansk Fortress was not captured by the Caron Tribe alone but taken through the joint efforts of several tribes, so acting autonomously would undoubtedly provoke public fury and might even result in punishment from the Alliance. After discussing and weighing options with the tribal elders representing the Caron Tribe in the Alliance, Montrey finally decided to bring this news to the Tribal Leaders’ Meeting for discussion.

Like a boulder shattering the seemingly cohesive but internally divided Alliance to pieces.

The name Komer undoubtedly represented a high level of credibility, with the Caucasus being the only mortal power brave enough to provide the Mountain people with supplies. The tremendous changes in the Sanjia Tribe over the past two years, thanks to their geographical advantage backing onto the Caucasus, made the other tribes green with envy. Several smaller tribes, which had previously been affiliated with other tribes, were now migrating northwards to align themselves with the Sanjia Tribe, causing hidden friction between the Sanjia Tribe and the other ten tribes of the Mountain people. Some tribes even proposed that the Sanjia Tribe should provide more troops and supplies in their southern campaigns or face punishment. The joint meetings of the tribal leaders and elders of the Alliance were filled with nothing but arguments, ending without resolution. Eventually, the Chief of the Sanjia Tribe even started making excuses to skip the meetings, sending tribal elders to represent his opinions, further aggravating the dissatisfaction of the other ten tribes.

Even Komer himself had never anticipated the astonishing effect of his support for his own Sanjia Tribe, not only winning over the Sanjia Tribe but also cleverly causing strife within the Mountain People Alliance, which had always been united. When it came to interests, no one could remain calm, especially when those who used to be lesser than themselves had now surpassed them. This contrast left everyone who gained little or nothing from the situation filled with resentment. Balancing these conflicts also gave the leaders of the major tribes in the Mountain People Alliance severe headaches, not to mention they were also facing similar demands and pressures within their own tribes.

The atmosphere in the spacious wooden tent was obviously heated. The Ten Great Tribe Leaders who participated in the southern campaign sat encircled, with the Yonka Tribe in the center, flanked by the Sanwa and Sanya Tribes on either side. The tense air foresaw that this meeting might unlikely end with a pleasing outcome for everyone.

The disgruntled Montrey sat at the front seat facing the Door of the tent, his head held high. He hadn’t expected his well-intentioned sharing of the news to meet with so much opposition, and even the Chief of the Carlo Tribe, Zubu, displayed an unprecedentedly ambiguous attitude, which greatly displeased him. However, he was prepared regardless of the outcome of the meeting; what he had decided would not be easily changed as it pertained to the interests of the whole Caron Tribe. By bringing up this issue, he did not intend to give up but to show his fairness and avoid the pressure from all sides focusing on him alone.

"My brothers," he said, "I have fully introduced the news from the South, from Flanders. I personally met with the Lord of the Caucasus, Komer. He told me in person and had me verify the land contract from their Mortal Society; Flanders belongs to him now. He has no intention of causing further conflicts with us, the Mountain people, and hopes we can live together peacefully. He might even offer us some conveniences. I think we can accept this proposal. Flanders holds little value for us now; we’ve already taken all we could. Komer also said those were events from before he became the Lord, which he won’t question, but he won’t allow such incidents to happen in the future. The reconstruction of Gdansk Fortress is also a must. Of course, these demands might seem a bit excessive, but if he can fulfill the promises he made, I think they are acceptable. I don’t understand what we are still arguing about here, but our Caron Tribe has decided to accept these terms."