321 THE DISTRUST OF THE WESTERN KINGDOMS

He read the content of the quest

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Quest

You are the Chancellor of the Vanheim Empire. The Greater Veranis had blown the horn of war, breaking the alliance and wage war to Vanheim.

As you have involved yourself in this war, you have chosen your side as a Vanheim people. 

As a great strategist, it is unforgivable for such a person to lose in a war. Since you have involved yourself in the war then you must win the war. Punishment for losing is the random demotion of two of the skills that you possess.

Reputation that you have forged for yourself would also crumble if you lost in this battle.

(Warning: if you died in this war, you would be truly die unless you have some revival items)

In the danger of war there lies a great opportunity for the victorious. Win the war and bountiful award in terms of treasure would be presented to you.

Skill point would be rewarded by how much of the war progress lean onto you. 

The more the damage you inflict to the invasion force of Greater Veranis- Karak Invasion for Vanheim, the more skill points you would be rewarded with. You will also have the chance to be rewarded with powerful skill.

When the war ended, the achievement would be tabulated

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Aero had no problem at all with the quest objective. He had never plan to lose in the first place.

This is his grand return to the center stage. 

He had chosen this place after considering the enemy reaction. 

He had use time to understand King Alexander when he was in Veranis. He knew sooner or later that Alexander would try to attack Vanheim. 

He had a mole in Veranis palace that notify him of the soaring ambition of the young king. He was not surprised at the attack and he had use the time wisely.

Right now, he is very confident that he could win the war.

Of course, if Alexander suddenly change and did not wage war against Vanheim, then Aero had to change his plan. But fortunately enough, thing is moving according to his speculation.

Kyle who is looking at Aero said

'Did you predict this?'

Aero smiles a knowing smile. Kyle juts snorted in dissatisfaction. Under his breath he seems to be saying

'Acting mysterious all the time' Kyle then sighed and ask Aero

'Why are they opening a path? I thought they would try to rush to us' 

'And he wanted to reserve his forces. Alexander open the path in hopes that we will retreat. It is not hard to guess the reason why he would open it. We retreat and he would have more time. How could I easily give him what he wants? I would never do such a losing deal like that' Aero simply said

And then he added

'And they need to win this fast.' Kyle frowned and looking at Aero he said

'There is no such information' Kyle said. Aero laugh a bit and then said in a joyful tone

'What did you think I was doing in Veranis this past year? Did you think I was lazing around, drinking wine and playing chess?' Smiling again, Aero said

'Karak is tied up by Dan forces. Veranis would not attack below since that would provoke James. They also could not turn back and attack Duvar because you will use that to slowly chip their army from behind by using Duvar forces now that King James had replaced the old garrison. What is the way left onto them other than pushing through? They are waiting for reinforcement. They want to move forward but they don't want to lose too much soldiers. They want us to retreat, bide their time in the Plain and made the area that they have conquered stable. We have many parts of the border that we need to guard. But just because we are full of vulnerabilities, didn't mean that Veranis had no vulnerabilities. They still had to leave an army in the Capital and in the border between Duvar and them. Don't you notice something? There is a chess piece that everyone thought could not move…but could actually move?' Then Aero laughed again

Kyle think about it for a while as his eye gazed toward the map laid out upon the large table and then he understood it.

'I see. So, that is what you mean' Kyle gaze was focused on a particular part of the map and Aero nodded

Aero smiles as he could see Kyle slowly understanding it

'Duvar forces is not entirely without a hope' Kyle said. 

Aero nodded 

'People all think to acquire Duvar. It is a tempting place to conquer. It legitimizes the claim of Emperor Edward and established the Holy Empire. 

'But, didn't you remember what I said? Sometime you have to learn to let go. Especially you have to let go of the things that you could not keep. We will defend Duvar. But I never wanted to defend Duvar till the last man. Why should we defend Duvar till the last man when there is another way?'

Kyle nodded. 

He too had seen there is a move here that could change the course of the war in one sweep. There is also another possibility that there is actually two pieces that could be moved.

Kyle believes that Aero did not discount the other chess piece. He too might have made some plans and scheme against that.

Viola is also in the room. But she did not understand what these two people are talking about.

Viola stood up from her chair and look at the map. 

She did not understand anything even after looking at the map. Is there such a difference between her and these people?

Viola is not stupid. The thing is Viola is a great leader. 

But she is not a strategist or a general specialized in warfare. What she is good at is inspiring people. 

It is the reason why she was regarded as the Lady of Vanan and could still maintained her band of ragtag people still flying the flag of resistance against Holy Zun Empire

As for Aero and Kyle, they could be considered to be speaking the same language. Kyle then pointed toward Duvar kingdom in the map. 

'What do you see surround Duvar?' Kyle ask Viola. 

Aero di not interfere letting Kyle telling Viola on what she is failing to see.

Viola then listed the kingdoms that surrounded Duvar

'There is Alfhaim, Savillia, and United Kingdom of Veva' Kyle nodded.

'You already know why these kingdoms could not move to take Duvar right?' Viola nodded. Aero explains to her before the complex dynamic of power in the western regions.

'Summarize it for me then.' Kyle said

Viola then said what she understood. 

'Veva could not move because of Holy Zun Empire and the threat of the two allied kingdoms of Savillia and Alfhaim. Alfhaim could not move because they fear the Holy Zun Empire. Savillia could not move because they fear Veva'

Kyle nodded. 

'That is the simple explanation. These distrust among them is perfectly apparent when Duvar is left unprotected'

Sighing, Kyle then said 

'Duvar, before this sudden betrayal by Veranis, is a kingdom that is under the Empire, serving as a buffer between the western kingdoms invasion and our Empire. Such a buffer enables the Imperial Court to not worry about a land invasion from Veva.

Aero listen from the side fanning his face with the phoenix feather fan

Kyle continue saying

'And because of Nero independence, it also created a buffer between Holy Zun Empire and the territory of the Empire. Whichever way you see it, we are protected and have enough time to respond and destroy any invasion force if we are attacked by the great power.' 

Kyle then spoke of the possibility of things that could happen and might happen

'If Veva attack Duvar in an attempt of cutting a straight path to the Capital, then even if Duvar falls, there is still Veranis holding the fort'

Viola nodded understanding this part. Kyle did not stop as he spoke the countermeasure

'We would then send all kinds of reinforcement and Veva would probably not even be able to see the land of Vanheim before their army would crumble'

Then he pointed to the Holy Zun Empire on the map and said

'As for the Holy Zun Empire, their threat is even lower than Veva itself. There is a fact that the Holy Zun Empire could never let its guard down considering that Veva is eyeing them. Even if for some unknown reason, the Apostle of the Church, that Ariana march her army east, they still had to take down Nero Republic' Snorting Kyle said

'If they take down Nero, Alfhaim who is allied with Nero Republic would send reinforcement. King James who is now ruling the old territory of Niovar would also move sending his army to reinforce Nero borders because he would never let such a powerful enemy to come closer to him. Not to mention, the Emperor could use that as a pretext to interfere in Niovar and eroding the power base of King James.'

Aero laughs again.

'I thought you have no interest in the politics of the Imperial Court?'

Kyle ignored Aero words and then continue saying

'By the time that Holy Zun Empire had retake Nero, they would suffer a lot. Not to mention even if they now somehow able to take Nero, they are face with a new and more dangerous situation. If they take it, they would be sharing their borders with two great powers which is Veva and our Empire and not to mention sharing the border with Alfhaim. Veva would probably take advantage and mount an invasion from their southern border and Alfhaim would attack the old Nero territory. With their rear compromised and the journey forward perilous, Holy Zun Empire invasion force had to be dissipated if there is ever any desire for them to attack Vanheim'

Aero then said.

'What Kyle is trying to say was that in the past, even if Holy Zun take Nero Republic, they could not keep it. No, they do not dare to keep it. Because it would be a pipe dream. Unless they could conquer Nero Republic in one day, making sure that the Empire did not make any moves and manage to hoodwinked Veva for a few days, they would never be able to take Nero and hold it long enough for it to become a power base for the Church'

Aero only smile after finished saying what he wanted to say and then continue fanning the feather fan on his face. 

Viola listen and took the mater into her mind and try to understand. She could see that Kyle had think of the possibility of all of these kingdoms reactions to any of them moving.

'Isn't it beautiful?' Aero suddenly said

��What do you mean?' Viola ask him and Aero answer

'It is like a powder keg waiting to blow. And they too also know it. Western kingdom inability to unite with each other created this beautiful situation for us to manipulate. Even Eric scheme could not force these kingdoms to unite with each other. That is why I said, being tyrant King is only helpful in the beginning and would not help one in the long run. Because that kind of path had too many enemies'

He laughed and then said

'The plan that I work with and the many schemes I had done to make sure that this buffer state stable was all for the safety of the Empire. Whichever way they try to invade; we would still remain victorious. In some cases, we didn't even have to fight the war directly to win. I have created the perfect condition for the Empire to unite the world' 

Then Aero sighed.

'I never had expected that my friend, George would die first before he could see my plan coming to fruition.' He sighed again and then said

'It is because of the internal problem that the aspiration to unite the world had to be delayed many times'

Viola had heard why the Western kingdom could not randomly move. 

She understands that the western kingdom all seems to be targeting each other and what is the repercussion of one move.

But what she didn't understand what did Aero means when he said Duvar had other ways. Isn't it because these kingdoms did not move and could not move that even after half a year, Duvar still stand there under the banner of Vanheim?

She then said

'I still don't understand' Aero pointed to Veranis and looking at Kyle he said

'Explain to her then. The other way' smiling he fans his face with his phoenix feather fan.

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