Chapter 9: The Alliance of Barbarians

After sending away the hesitant chief of the Karon tribe, Komer felt greatly relieved. No matter what Monterey was thinking at that moment, at least there was no need to worry about the barbarians ruining his territory. Although Monterey had not directly agreed to return the Flanders Valley and the Gdansk Fortress, Komer knew his opponent’s heart must have been moved.

The Karon tribe was not among the seven major tribes; the Karo and Vara tribes were far larger than the Karon tribe. In every external campaign, the Karon tribe was not only at the forefront but also bore the heaviest costs, yet their gains often fell short compared to those of the Karo and Vara tribes. This frustrated Monterey greatly. But considering the gap in strength between him and the two largest tribes and their status within the thirteen tribes of the alliance, Monterey could only bury his dissatisfaction deep in his heart. After all, ordinary people were the greatest enemy, and to strengthen his own tribe, he still had to seize power from them.

However, this time things were different.

The growing strength of the Sanga tribe had not gone unnoticed by the other tribes of the alliance. But the Sanga tribe was very cautious now and rarely defied the decisions of the alliance’s council of elders, almost always complying with their requests. Although there were some complaints, the supplies provided to the Sanga tribe by Caucasus always arrived as ordered by the council, leaving the other tribes with no argument. Of course, they were unaware of the secret deals between Caucasus and the Sanga tribe.

Yet as the Sanga tribe thrived, it was false to say the other tribes were not envious. But they could think of no better solution. Now that the Sanga tribe was closely allied with Caucasus, attacking Caucasus through their territory was not only impractical due to the distance but also unlikely to be approved by the Sanga tribe. Moreover, Caucasus was not a major grain-producing area; its food came from upstream grain-producing regions via the Catalonia River route. Attacking Caucasus probably wouldn’t yield good results—those fierce half-orcs were no less combat-effective than the mountain tribes, and they had now become loyal lackeys of the lords of Caucasus.

The only way is still to find solutions among ordinary people; the only path to growing stronger is to seize more from those wealthy yet cowardly ordinary people. With the food provided by the Caucasus, even the major tribes in the south will fare much better this year than in previous years. With food as a backup, the pressure to prepare for war is greatly reduced. In previous years, they always struggled to gather military provisions, but this year, the provisions gathered by the major tribes will last the army for several months.

This unexpected turn of events came from Komer. His arrival and becoming the new ruler of the Flanders territory made Monterrey’s heart race. Komer’s close relationship with the leaders of the Sanjia tribe made other tribal leaders envious. The resurgence and growth of the Sanjia tribe undoubtedly benefited from the material support they received due to their good relations with the lords of the Caucasus. The harsh living conditions in the Cordillera wasteland restricted the growth of the mountain tribes, but once they received external support, these tribes could develop rapidly. Monterrey had long dreamed of such a good fortune, and now it seemed to have come to the Karon tribe.

With Lord Komer as a neighbor, there seemed no need to seek resources through war to meet the tribe’s needs. As long as the other party was willing, the Karon tribe wouldn’t have to worry about shortages. Monterrey was firmly convinced of this. If the Sanjia tribe could become friends with them, why couldn’t he do the same? Monterrey didn’t believe it was impossible to find common interests between the two sides.

How Monterrey would deal with the questions from the leaders of the Mountain Tribes Alliance was not Komer’s concern. As long as Monterrey agreed, he would naturally find a way to overcome this problem. The Gdansk fortress had to be rebuilt—whether for the psychological needs of the people in Flanders or for the practical needs of regional security, this issue had to be resolved. Otherwise, it would be impossible for Flanders to establish a stronghold on the southern lands.

The news that Viscount Komer, the lord of the Caucasus from the Kingdom of Nicosia, had become the new lord of the Kingdom of Iberia spread rapidly throughout Flanders and the surrounding mortal regions. The former lord—Count Clement, the famous playboy of the Kingdom of Iberia—had become obsolete. Though somewhat surprising, this did not violate any laws; it was not uncommon for a noble lord from one country to assume lordship in another, though usually through marriage or inheritance. Acquiring such status through financial transactions was rare, and only dissolute scoundrels like Count Clement would resort to such absurd actions.

However, many people, especially the nobles of the Kingdom of Iberia, were curious about Komer’s massive investment to become the ruler of this land, which was actually controlled by barbarians. The fortress of Gdańsk had been completely destroyed, and Flanders was essentially an unguarded area for the barbarians, who could enter and exit at will. Under such circumstances, the status of a lord in this land was merely that of a noble, but for a noble like Komer, who already held the rank of viscount, spending a fortune to obtain this lordship seemed utterly unjustifiable. Many could not understand why Komer’s financial agent, the Sussor merchant Kaladin, would make such a foolish investment.

Yet Komer, disguised as Kaladin, stayed in Antwerp and began recruiting people to rebuild the former count’s mansion—now transformed into a lord’s residence. This move made the Iberians realize that this agent of the Caucasus lord was likely well-prepared. Everyone wanted to see how the barbarians would deal with this Sussor merchant who claimed to be the ruler of Flanders.

But soon they were filled with surprise and slight disappointment. The barbarians seemed indifferent to this mortal’s actions in Antwerp. Moreover, this mortal posted notices throughout the Kingdom of Iberia in the name of the Flanders lord’s residence, urging the Flanders residents to return and rebuild their homes, promising to ensure their safety. Although the notices did not specify how the threat of the barbarians would be addressed, the fact that the lord’s agent dared to stay in Antwerp itself spoke volumes. This gave hope to the refugees and displaced people of Flanders, who were living in difficult conditions.

Just as Komer posted notices everywhere urging the people of Flanders to return home, the Mountain People’s Alliance was already in turmoil. Monterey ultimately did not dare take on Komer’s request alone, as restoring the Gdańsk Fortress was something that couldn’t be kept secret. Although the Kalon tribe’s territory bordered Flanders directly, the Gdańsk Fortress had not been conquered by the Kalon tribe alone—it had been taken through the joint efforts of several tribes. Acting unilaterally would undoubtedly provoke anger and might even result in punishment from the alliance. After long discussions with the elders representing the Kalon tribe within the alliance, Monterey finally decided to bring the matter to the council of alliance tribal leaders for discussion.

It was like a giant stone shattering an alliance that appeared united on the surface but was already rife with internal divisions.

Komer’s name represented supreme credibility. The Caucasus was the only mortal force bold enough to supply supplies to the Mountain People. The Saja tribe, benefiting from its strategic location backed by the Caucasus, had seen tremendous growth over the past two years, arousing envy among other tribes. Smaller tribes that had previously relied on others began migrating northward to join the Saja tribe, which further strained relations between the Saja tribe and the other ten tribes of the Mountain People. Some tribes even demanded that the Saja tribe provide more troops and supplies for southern campaigns, threatening punishment otherwise. Several joint meetings of alliance tribal leaders and elders ended in arguments with no resolution. Eventually, the leader of the Saja tribe refused to attend meetings under various pretexts, sending only his elders to speak on his behalf, which only intensified the resentment of the other ten tribes.

Not even Komer had expected that his efforts to support the Saja tribe would have such dramatic effects—not only did it win over the Saja tribe, but it also cleverly created deep conflicts within the otherwise united Mountain People’s Alliance. In the face of interests, no one could remain calm, especially when those who were once inferior surpassed them. This contrast filled those who gained little or nothing with resentment. Balancing these conflicts posed a huge headache for the leaders of the major tribes in the Mountain People’s Alliance, who also faced internal pressures and demands from their own tribes.

The atmosphere inside the spacious wooden tent was clearly tense. The leaders of the ten tribes participating in this southern campaign sat in a circle, with the Fourka tribe in the center and the Sanwa and Sanya tribes on either side. The stagnant air suggested that this meeting was unlikely to end with a satisfactory outcome for everyone.

Monteiro, furious, sat in the front seat facing the entrance of the tent, head held high. He never expected that sharing this news out of kindness would draw so much opposition. Even Zubu, the leader of the Caro tribe, showed an unprecedentedly ambiguous attitude, which filled him with dissatisfaction. Yet he was prepared—no matter the outcome of this meeting, he would not allow his decisions to be easily changed. This involved the interests of the entire Karon tribe. He brought up this issue not to give up, but to show his fairness and impartiality, avoiding pressure from all sides falling on him alone.

“Brothers, I have thoroughly explained the news from Southern Flanders. I met Comer, the lord of the Caucasus, in person. He told me himself and had me verify the land contracts in their mortal society—Flanders now belongs to him. He has no intention of further conflict with us mountain people and hopes to live in peace with us, even offering us some conveniences. I think these terms are acceptable. Flanders holds little value for us now; we’ve already taken what we wanted. Comer also said it was before he became the lord and he wouldn’t interfere, but he won’t allow such things to happen again. The Gdansk fortress must also be rebuilt. Of course, this request seems excessive, but as long as he keeps his promises, I think it’s acceptable. I don’t know what everyone is still arguing about, but our Karon tribe has decided to accept these terms.”

“Monteiro, what are you talking about?!” A fierce and domineering voice came from his right. His triangular eyes and drooping short eyebrows framed a round face that looked oddly unsettling. The fleshy cheeks trembled slightly as he spoke, his sharp gaze scanning the face of the Karon tribe’s leader. “The Gdansk fortress was conquered by all of us. Although it’s located in the border area between your Karon tribe and the Iberian mortals, your tribe hasn’t managed to take it alone all these years. Now you want to give it back to the mortals to rebuild it just because of your words? What right do you have to make decisions for everyone?!”

Fueled by anger, Monteiro returned a defiant gaze. The wooden bowl in his hand shattered into pieces under the pressure of his massive hand. He was about to stand up and fight back when someone beside him pressed him down.

“Hulechi leader, Monterrey merely offered a suggestion; he didn’t agree to it on his own. Isn’t this exactly the time to discuss it? We mountain people have always been one family. Saying such things only serves to harm our unity. Now that the leaders of our ten tribes are here, any dissent can be voiced face to face, but not in words that undermine the unity of us mountain people.”
The middle-aged man who had spoken to Monterrey was considered an outlier among the mountain people. He was much thinner than the other tribal leaders in terms of height and build, though still quite strong compared to ordinary people. Yet inside the tent, he appeared rather frail. Still, no one dared to underestimate him at all, for he was Uri, the leader of the Kater tribe, second only to the Karo tribe in the Four Cards tribes.
“Leader Uri, my tone might have been too harsh. Please forgive me, Brother Monterrey, but if words aren’t spoken clearly, truths won’t be understood. The Gdansk Fortress is a crucial pass to enter the Flanders Valley. We’re all warriors by background, and we understand this better than anyone. How many of our mountain people’s warriors died in attacking the Gdansk Fortress? If we hadn’t infiltrated through other passes to launch a surprise attack, how could we have taken this fortress? To hand it over to ordinary people like this for nothing—has our blood been shed in vain?” The man with the triangular eyes snorted in protest, his momentum momentarily suppressed.
“What do you mean ‘hand it over for nothing’? Hulechi, didn’t you hear what I said? Komer is willing to offer some conveniences in exchange for this condition. Do you think we’re all fools while you’re the only smart one?” Monterrey could no longer hold back and stood up angrily.
“Hmph! Those so-called conveniences you mentioned are vague. Ordinary people are utterly untrustworthy. Why should we believe them?” Hulechi clearly didn’t respect Monterrey as much as Uri did, and his attitude was much more rude. “Who knows if he has some secret deal with you, just like the Sanjia tribe!”
Monterrey’s anger grew even more intense. His resentment had reached its peak. He had come with good intentions, only to be treated in such a way. Wasn’t his goodwill being taken for granted?
“Hulechi, I don’t want to waste words with you. It’s your freedom to think whatever you want, as the Valer tribe. Our Kalong tribe has no right to interfere. But if you try to harm the interests of our Kalong tribe, we’ll fight to the end!”

The tone and attitude of both sides grew increasingly fierce, gradually turning tense. Monterrey even seemed ready to withdraw from the leadership meeting at the slightest disagreement, which drew everyone’s attention to the bearded man sitting in the middle who had remained silent until then.

“Monterrey, watch your words. Who has harmed the interests of your Karon tribe? Why try to separate the Karon tribe from all of us Mountain People?” The bearded man sat still, but his presence was like that of a towering mountain, inspiring awe. “We are all part of the Mountain People. When considering any issue, we should first think of the interests of all of us Mountain People, not just one tribe’s interests. It’s true that Komer has provided us Mountain People with considerable help in the Caucasus, but we must recognize that this benefit is mutual—the Caucasus has also gained much from us. In fact, I don’t like this man, because while he brings us some help, he also causes us many troubles.”

After a brief pause, the bearded man showed a thoughtful expression. “I wonder if anyone has noticed? The relationship between the Sanjia tribe and the other ten tribes of ours is growing distant. Why? It’s because they have been blinded by the petty gains brought by the Caucasus, thinking that ordinary people can bring prosperity to their tribe. They even see our tribes as a burden, ignoring the needs of the other tribes in our alliance. They argue over benefits that should belong to all of us Mountain People. This has actually led to a trend of division among us, who should otherwise remain united. Now he has gone to the southern Flanders region and made these demands. What is his purpose? What are his intentions? I think we all need to think carefully about these questions rather than rushing to conclusions.”

His words silenced everyone present. Both Monterrey and Hulechi lowered their eyes to ponder his words, while Uri, sitting next to Monterrey, had his eyes half-closed, seemingly trying to understand the underlying intentions behind the bearded man’s words even more deeply.