Chapter 44: Undeniable Conflict

"If you touch me again, I’ll tell my father!" Ojura said fearfully as Siar approached him once more, his confidence from earlier already beginning to crumble beneath the weight of the situation. The Forestian soldiers remained tense behind him, their weapons still raised, yet none of them dared intervene after realizing how completely surrounded they were.

Siar stopped a short distance away, his expression strangely calm despite everything that had happened.

"There is no need to do that. There is no way I would allow my precious hand to touch your skin."

For a brief moment, relief washed over Ojura.

Then Siar continued.

"Instead, I shall let my blade touch you."

Ojura’s eyes widened in terror as the meaning behind those words finally became clear.

"No... No, you can’t kill me!"

His voice shook uncontrollably as he stumbled backward, while the Forestian soldiers immediately lowered their weapons and fell into desperation.

"Please, please, Leader Siar! Take our heads instead!"

"Spare the young master!"

"We beg you!"

Their pleas filled the hall, yet Siar’s decision had already been made. His expression did not change as one of the servants hurried into the chamber carrying a massive scythe, its blade nearly the same size as an ordinary human. The servant quickly presented it to Siar, who grasped the weapon’s handle and examined it for only a moment.

Ojura stared at the weapon in disbelief.

"You really are serious..." he muttered, desperately trying to convince himself that the entire situation had somehow become a cruel joke. "This has to be a joke, right?"

"The only joke here is you."

The instant Siar’s fingers touched the hilt, his body launched forward with terrifying speed.

The scythe flashed through the air in a single decisive motion, and Ojura’s body was split in half before he could even scream.

-

-

"The prisoners have killed themselves."

A servant delivered the report while Siar sat calmly upon a large chair, the atmosphere around him almost unnaturally quiet after the bloodshed that had occurred only moments earlier. Siar slowly leaned back, processing the information before speaking.

"Is that so?"

He paused briefly. "Then we can’t send one of them back to inform their leader of what happened."

Siar’s expression remained composed as he looked toward the servant.

"Bring me a letter."

A sheet of parchment was placed before him, and Siar immediately began writing. His handwriting remained steady despite the gravity of what he was about to send, and when he finished, the message read:

Your foolish son assaulted my people. Such an action is something even we would never dare commit against a child. It pains me deeply, especially because we are of the same race, but unfortunately, I had no choice. Your son was killed for his crime after attacking a child, and his accompanying soldiers took their own lives shortly afterward.

Siar folded the letter carefully before handing it back.

"Send this through a griffon."

The servant bowed and immediately departed.

Siar remained seated for several moments, staring into the distance. He knew exactly what this meant.

Killing the son of the Forestian leader had transformed their already hostile relationship into something far more dangerous, and sooner or later, some form of retaliation would almost certainly come. Yet Siar was not entirely afraid of that possibility. He had spent the past several weeks preparing Riversian for exactly the kind of conflict that could now be approaching.

He had already purchased large quantities of materials, strengthened the city’s defenses, and expanded their military preparations. Riversian had grown considerably since the days of Odir, and Siar intended to make certain that his people would not be caught unprepared. He summoned his assistant and leaned forward in his chair.

"Tell me everything I need to know if we end up fighting the Forestians."

The assistant immediately retrieved the latest military reports.

"We currently outnumber them approximately two to one, but they possess superior terrain. A direct confrontation may therefore be unfavorable, particularly if they force us into territory familiar to their armies. Their overall resources are inferior to ours, and our technological advantages should allow us to sustain a prolonged conflict, but they remain capable of compensating through superior tactics."

The assistant paused before continuing.

"There is another concern. They possess a considerable amount of Xicum within their arsenal. Depending on how it is deployed, it could significantly alter the battlefield."

Siar narrowed his eyes. "Anything else?"

"If the conflict becomes prolonged, the Forestians may attempt to secure outside assistance in exchange for territory or resources. The most likely candidate would be the werewolf race."

"So this conflict could still become troublesome if the werewolves join them."

"Yes."

Siar leaned back as he considered the possibilities.

"Do we have enough resources to acquire more Xicum and train additional riders?"

"Yes. We still possess sufficient resources, and we have enough manpower to operate them."

"Good. What else should I be concerned about?"

The assistant hesitated briefly before answering. "The gnomes."

Siar raised an eyebrow.

"Their settlements are considerably closer to the Forestian territories than ours. If war breaks out, they may feel threatened or become involved simply because of their geographical position. Maintaining a healthy relationship with them would therefore be beneficial."

"Ah, I see."

Siar thought for a moment before a faint smile appeared.

"Then we can simply send them some gifts. I heard they really like fish."

The assistant nodded. "That is correct. Their settlements have difficulty obtaining fish themselves."

"Excellent."

Siar leaned back into his chair. "Send a Plium loaded with fish to them sometime in the future."

The assistant bowed. "Understood."

Siar’s gaze shifted toward the window, where the immense walls of Riversian stood beneath the afternoon sun. He knew that killing Ojura had closed the door to peace, and whatever happened next would shape the future of both civilizations. Yet rather than feeling regret, he felt only determination.

I shall defend my people, our history, and avenge my father. I can’t let them decide our future twice...