Aren’t dark hands supposed to approach their enemy without drawing attention? But what was more was that according to the information she was getting, there was supposedly hundreds of dark hands.
Even the Shadow of the New Moon couldn’t check that many people.
“Are they trying to force their way through with numbers?”
Blanche Ririnoie the War Princess.
Would a person such as that who waged wars even fiercer than the late War Princess truly rely on such a simple-minded plan?
“…Fighting them won’t work.”
Mira sighed, then she took the copy of the document she looked over and made her decision to send it to Yoshu, who was in charge of the Western Capital. The way she saw it, this was a war between two giants that sought hegemony over the plains. If an opportunity shows itself, taking a bite would be most welcome.
The goblins have started building a great kingdom, but they were by no means stable, and even the Holy Shushunu Kingdom, despite its long years ruling over the plains, have problems of corruption and stagnation within.
She may be an ally, but her duties to her country came first. Even if the goblins may be trying to conquer the continent or the Holy Shushunu Kingdom be trying to defeat the goblins, she must never forget to pursue the interests of the Kushain Believers.
And as far as she was concerned, that meant the peace of the Kushain Believers.
Of course, that didn’t change her opinion that the goblins held the advantage. So long as the Goblin King lives, the goblins will attack the Holy Shushunu Kingdom with terrifying unity.
Therefore, so long as the Goblin King lives, she will remain their ally.
Conversely, if the Goblin King were to die, then so will her alliance to the goblins.
“The key is whether the War Princess could defeat the Goblin King or not…”
She was always one to try and look at the whole picture, but once the question of tactics and strategies in regards to the art of war came, her knowledge could not support her. If the Holy Shushunu Kingdom could defeat the Goblin King, then they would indeed be able to triumph over the goblins. That should be the case, but… Just how could they accomplish such a feat? Frankly, she hadn’t a clue.
Be that as it may, she did not think that Blanche the War Princess would simply stand idle and watch. In the end, she decided to close her eyes to the things she did not understand and made a decision that would benefit her whoever managed to grasp victory from death’s claws.
“Focusing on the public order might be a good idea.”
She would arrest the adventurers that stood out too much, question them, and then return them to the Holy Shushunu Kingdom. In that way, perhaps she might be able to grasp the intentions of the War Princess.
Queen Mira remained on the side of the goblins while keeping a careful eye out for the dark hands.
◆◆◇
Within the territories ruled by the Goblin King, just the southern region by itself boasted a great trade network. Most of that network was built by the various southern countries, but the wealth gained from it was indeed tremendous.
It didn’t matter who owned what country, there was no stopping the flow of trade. Even after the Goblin King came to rule over the southern lands, brave merchants still continued to come, and there was no shortage of adventurers to escort them either. With economy riding upon the cogs of greed, there was no stopping these people even if it meant that they would have to risk their lives.
Whether it was the old jewels excavated from the labyrinth city, or the rare jewels from the desert, or the high-quality weapon and armor from the country of iron, or the high-quality fragrant wood from the country of forests, or the slaves and the wine, any and all of these things had to pass through that road to reach the continent.
The road of wealth known among merchants as… the Jewel Road.
Young men could be seen among those that stepped upon that road.
A friendly smile and a shortly cut hair gave him the appearance of a boy.
He was Aluid Hama.
One of the protege merchants of the goblins Pale chose from many candidates. Their job was to load the cargo onto a covered wagon and peddle around the country. At the same time, they were to gather information and help the goblins in their war.
Most of the protege Pale chose were from the supporters of the Soar to Freedom (Elks Clan), but there were also some from the children Shumea looked after, as well as the supporters of the Proud Clan (Leon Heart Clan). There were also some from the residents of the small feudal lords in the south and the humans under the rule of the Goblin King.
“Hello.”
They exchanged information at the Hama Company Trading House that has expanded far and wide in the southern territory. It was fortunate that one of Pale’s protege merchants was able to seize the store of the wealthy merchant that dealt in daily necessities, Claus Hama, when it declined under his son.
After all, the reason Claus’ store declined was because his son dealt in slave trading and failed in Germion Kingdom. It could be said that Pale and he had a deep connection.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Aluid.”
The well-statured merchant spread his arms as he welcomed Aluid. Of course, they had merely taken on the name ‘Hama’, and were not one bit related to the father and son Hama.
