After our victory in battle, over the course of two months, we divided our forces into appropriate sizes and plundered about 400 villages where the barbarians lived.
As a result, we captured approximately 400,000 prisoners, and the number of cows, pigs, and sheep we seized was countless—an achievent that would be long rembered in history.
Since the Northern Army didn’t have a force of similar size to relieve us, we couldn’t leave the northern part of the Copenhagen peninsula, the territory of Ludwig.
One might think that after speaking this way, even though we completely annihilated Ludwig and his tribe, other hostile forces would appear.
But the other barbarians in the north, though savage and ignorant, had survival instincts developed close to the limits of human capability.
“Regint Commander, this is Captain Hendrik Homl. A barbarian tribe from the north of Copenhagen has requested to surrender and pledge loyalty.”
Instead, to avoid the fate of becoming slaves of the Empire like Rudolf’s warriors and their families, they voluntarily ca to offer their entire territory.
There was no one foolish enough to oppose the Empire, which had destroyed a powerful force nearby and erged as a new power.
Moreover, many who intended to surrender to the Empire’s army preferred to do so through the area we were guarding.
That’s probably because I killed the Khan.
“Damn, I’ll have to put on my armor. You have a cup of warm milk here that I was going to drink. Drink it and wait.”
“Thank you, Colonel.”
“Saying so, Captain Homl saluted with shining eyes and drank the warm milk.”
Following his suggestion, I changed into my armor and moved to the location of the gate our regint was guarding.
After about a 10-minute walk to the gate, or rather, the border post we were guarding, there were quite a few barbarians on horseback.
About four of them looked like tribal chiefs, adorned in splendid attire, with 2,000 warriors capable of fighting on horseback and 5,000 of their family mbers.
Given their nomadic nature, the total number of horses, cows, and sheep appeared to be around 10,000 to 20,000.
I looked at them imposingly and said,
“Wise northerners seeking to return under the Empire, we welco you. However, unless you are soldiers of the Empire, we cannot allow you to enter our territory ard. Please disarm yourselves.”
As I said this, the soldiers of the 1st Battalion on duty at the border post aid their spears and weapons at them.
They began to guard with fervor, as if a war was about to break out.
It seed like an overreaction to those who ca to surrender, but a week ago, when ordered to disarm, a fight almost started with swords drawn, so it could be seen as a necessary asure.
While both sides were in a standoff with arms, I heard a woman’s voice, seeming to be about my age.
“Everyone disarm. Put down your weapons and follow instructions.”
With that single command, warriors from other tribes showed so reluctance, but they all laid down their spears and swords on the ground.
Relieved that another unnecessary battle or standoff did not occur, I sighed and said,
“Northerners, I, Colonel Peter Yaeger, commander of the Reich Empire’s 24th Regint, welco you. Lastly, before passing through our border post, please line up and enter. In addition, we will inspect all the luggage you brought.”
“Let’s do that.”
Having said that, they weren’t barbarians.
Having surrendered to the Empire, the northerners who lived in the Empire’s north quickly lined up as I instructed and went through our inspection.
Although we didn’t ask why they ca or where they planned to stay, like entering from abroad, the inspection itself was carried out very strictly and thoroughly.
The Empire’s soldiers checked everyone, regardless of age or gender, touching them over their clothes to ensure no weapons were hidden.
All the luggage brought was unpacked, its contents checked, and then returned.
However, having a man touch a female tribal chief could be problematic, so Laura was called to conduct the inspection herself.
And so, mobilizing the entire regint, we completed the inspection of all the luggage and people brought by the northerners in half a day.
“Thank you for your cooperation. Is there anyone representing this group?”
Upon my words, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl took off her fur hat and walked up confidently.
“I represent these people.”
Though young for a tribal chief, she was a beauty, and not just a chief in na, as she was surrounded by the dignity befitting a leader of a tribe.
So, it made sense that when she ordered her northerners, who followed her in front of the Empire’s army, to disarm, they all obediently complied.
“I am Anastasia Kerzhit, the Chieftain of the Kerzhit tribe and the White Wolf of the North. I have co to surrender to the Empire with this group.”
However, so soldiers and officers seed displeased by her speaking informally to , a colonel of the Imperial Army, and so looked at her as if they wanted to kill her.
She was not a prisoner but a person who surrendered, and it would be strange for her to act cravenly in front of , considering she led a large group here.
“I sincerely appreciate the firm decision of the Chieftain of Kerzhit to co here. By tomorrow or the day after, I will get permission from the commander in the north, and we will make arrangents for you to live as official citizens of the Empire. Moreover, you must have had a hard journey here, so how about enjoying a banquet?”
“Let’s do that.”
After receiving her consent, I ordered the soldiers,
“This is a joyous day, as four tribes, including Kerzhit, have co to us. Let’s have a banquet with the cattle, pigs, and sheep looted from Ludwig. We don’t know when other tribes might co, so alcohol is prohibited, but there will be no limit on food, so eat to your heart’s content.”
When I said that, the chieftain of the Kerzhit tribe looked at with an interested gaze.
Laura watched her with a look of great caution.
Perhaps Laura was guarding against the Kerzhit chieftain, worried she might harm .
“Lieutenant Laura, it’s okay. We’ve inspected all the luggage her tribe brought and confird they’re not hiding any weapons, and we just checked that she doesn’t have any weapons hidden in her clothes, right?”
“Well, if we really go into detail, there are other ways to hide weapons.”
“But that’s unlikely.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Besides, this is my responsibility. If you’re still worried, we can double the number of soldiers guarding outside my quarters. Then let’s have a brief conversation while Chieftain Kerzhit and the others enjoy the banquet.”
When I said that, Anastasia smiled and responded,
“Let’s do that. The thought of having a conversation with the hero who killed the Khan excites .”
Three hours later, as night fell,
“Ha ha, thank you for killing that damned Khan.”
“Hem hem, it was our Regint Commander who killed that rotten bastard. I happened to see it! He flew in and plunged a dagger into the villain’s chest.”
“You are like the White Wolf from our tribe’s legends. It’s similar to how you, at a young age, defeated the evil Khan!”
Outside my tent, the northerners and the Imperial Army were heatedly discussing the story of how I killed the Khan and brought down the accursed Ludwig’s tribe.
Usually, it’s difficult to assimilate so quickly with surrendered barbarians.
Seeing them get along, it seed they harbored resentnt for being driven by Ludwig to the harshest parts of the north.
Our army, having liberated them from that, must appear quite favorable, allowing for this possibility.
Moreover, by surrendering, they acknowledged their weakness compared to us, showing the need to express their intention not to fight the Empire.
While listening to the conversation outside, Anastasia Kerzhit, the Chieftain of the Kerzhit tribe, entered my tent.
Upon seeing , she spoke with a much more respectful deanor than she had outside.
“I am Anastasia Kerzhit, Chieftain of the Kerzhit tribe, eting the hero who killed the evil Khan. Please look favorably upon us.”
It seed she was trying to dilute the aversion to surrender among her followers with her bold attitude, while here, she bent her pride and everything else to gain sothing from .
I found it sowhat appealing, but…
“Rise. Also, I am just a Regint Commander. It seems you don’t know, coming from the north, but I don’t have the authority to decide your treatnt.”
Finding it appealing and how to deal with her are entirely separate matters.
Additionally, as a Regint Commander like , stationed at the border, I had the duty to appraise the value of each surrendering tribe and report it.
I might not have the authority, but I had the right to request how she should be treated.
Let’s see her prove her worth.
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