Chapter 26: Iron Mine Recapture Operation (4)
At the Ork Lord’s words that he would protect the iron mine area, Kyle’s eyes shone.
He had rely set the condition that they not encroach upon the iron mine that would beco Ragnar’s territory, but the other side proposed even better terms.
“Protect the iron mine, you say…….”
“If you acknowledge only our tribe’s land, and if you support us with food and necessary supplies, we will certainly pay the appropriate price.”
That negotiation was sothing that could be worked out gradually by adjusting each other’s opinions going forward.
However, more than that, Kyle wanted to know how the situation inside the mountain range was unfolding.
“How is the situation inside the mountain range right now?”
“The lords have ford factions and are waging war. Those insisting that the covenant must be upheld and those insisting that the covenant be broken and the Ragnar Family be wiped out are fiercely confronting each other.”
“……It’s a difficult situation.”
“Here, our Ork Tribe has remained neutral.”
In the Ragnar Family’s historical records, it was written that the power of the Seven Lords was unimaginably strong.
At least, it was because the founding Head of the Ragnar Family had succeeded, with all his might, in concluding a covenant with them that the continent had remained peaceful until now.
However, there were not many who knew this history.
The historical records docunting the lords were top-secret matters passed down only within the Ragnar Family and the Daon Kingdom’s royal family.
Knowing that fact, Kyle furrowed his brow and fell into thought.
‘So they’ve been divided into three factions in total.’
The very fact that the Ork Tribe, which had advocated neutrality, had been pushed back all the way to this point was a serious matter.
After pondering for a brief mont, Kyle lifted his head and t the Ork Lord’s eyes.
“I will accept the Ork Tribe’s proposal.”
“My proposal is not rely a transaction. Are you aware that this is a request for an alliance?”
“Yes, but you also know that humans and Orks are not in a state where a relationship of trust can be maintained right now.”
“I know. However, if the lords co out of the mountain range, it will beco an enormous crisis for humans as well. The Ork Tribe does not desire a war with humans.”
If their positions were the sa, he believed they could beco friends.
At the lord’s words, Kyle nodded, but there was still an unresolved question.
“To be honest, food shouldn’t be much of a problem, should it? It’s not like there are no monsters in the mountain range. Then why are you extending such goodwill to ?”
The Orks’ staple food was not wheat or grain like humans’.
They were a tribe that could sufficiently replace food with monster at.
Yet it was suspicious that they had made such an unprecedented proposal simply to have their settlent acknowledged.
If Kyle had not been here, the Orks could have built a settlent at the mountain range entrance and lived without Ragnar’s permission.
“……After eting you, my thoughts changed. When I saw the abilities of the lords and your abilities, it seed you could easily block even a combined attack from two lords, no?”
“I don’t know how strong the lords’ forces are.”
“They’re at a level roughly similar to mine.”
The gap between the lords was not that extre.
It was just that the difference in their factions was sowhat large.
If it had been a fight among the lords themselves, the Ork Lord would not have been pushed all the way back to the mountain range entrance.
Catching the aning behind the Ork Lord’s words, Kyle spoke quietly.
“So you want
to step into the fight among the lords?”
“Would you not simply protect us enough so that our tribe can continue its lineage?”
Right now, Ragnar needed the iron mine.
It was an essential elent absolutely necessary to rebuild the family.
Therefore, a war with the Ork Tribe was not good for Ragnar either.
Thinking that joining hands and moving forward together was the best thod, Kyle nodded.
“I’ll organize what was sent as a courtesy and co back.”
“Thank you. When you return, we will deal with the monsters in the iron mine sector.”
“Then, could you hand over the hides of the monsters you deal with to Ragnar?”
“We’ll do that. However, the monsters’ at becos useful provisions for us.”
“The chunks of at are nothing more than trash that humans don’t need anyway. Do as you please.”
Humans do not eat monster at.
Because of the stench, the reality was that monster at was treated as nothing more than garbage.
At Kyle’s indifferent expression, the lord nodded and opened his mouth.
“I am Yul, the lord who rules the Orks.”
“I am Kyle Ragnar of the Ragnar Family.”
Only now had they exchanged nas, but there was no change in either of their expressions.
Kyle did not trust Yul, and Yul likewise did not trust Kyle.
They were rely in a relationship where they had joined hands for each other’s benefit.
‘A being that could threaten Ragnar at any ti.’
‘A person who could beco a great threat to our tribe.’
Though they looked at each other, they did not let down their guard, wary that the other might obstruct their path ahead.
A relationship that could turn into enemies at any ti.
That was precisely what humans and monsters were.
Strictly speaking, Orks were not monsters, but from the human perspective, all the lords and the races that followed them were nothing more than aberrations.
And to the Ork Tribe as well, humans were nothing more than invaders who had taken away their land.
‘……This alliance will be a thorny path.’
Reading each other’s gazes, Kyle and the Ork Lord soon held the sa thought.
When Kyle moved alone, the subjugation operation began at the sa ti.
Akun, who had moved to deal with the Orks’ forces, calmly looked at Aron standing beside him.
Sensing the gaze, Aron turned his head and t his eyes.
“Commander, do you have sothing to say to ?”
“……I’ve always been curious. When I look at people like monsters, then look at you, Strategist, I feel sothing familiar.”
Unlike the other Special Operations Unit mbers, Aron’s combat power was ordinary.
Exford Interdiate Level.
Of course, even so, he was stronger than Akun.
Just because the level was the sa did not an combat power could be the sa.
“It’s simply that we’ve lived in different environnts. Hehe.”
“Is that so?”
Aron, having taken his eyes off the bitterly smiling Akun, looked at the map.
Soon after, confirming the point marked by the Ragnar Knight Order, he changed the subject.
“According to the map, it seems we’ll soon arrive at the place where the Orks have settled.”
At his words, Akun nodded and issued orders to the Ragnar Knight Order.
“Zero, as soon as you arrive at the place where the Orks are settled, proceed with the mission. We must wipe them out in one go.”
“Yes, Commander.”
As Zero prepared to leave with so of the knights, Deni also moved to carry out the mission he had received in advance.
Akun, about to depart as well, lightly bowed his head to Aron.
“Then I leave the front to you, Strategist.”
“I wish you good fortune in battle.”
Aron had no intention of leaving them an opening to escape.
From their standpoint, the Orks had to be annihilated here without exception.
The strength was more than sufficient, so Aron intended to use an operation that would block all four directions.
Aron, who had been assigned responsibility for the front, raised his arm high.
“Stand by.”
Out of the five thousand troops, two thousand were assigned to the front, one thousand to the rear, and one thousand each to the left and right, and it was decided that Akun, Zero, and Deni would each take command of their respective forces.
Thus, the five thousand troops began to move stealthily toward the place where the Orks had settled.
Before long, once all units except the front had dispersed, Aron fixed his gaze in the direction of the Monster Mountain Range.
‘I hope he returns without incident…….’
There was even the possibility that Kyle might end up having to face the entire Ork Tribe alone.
That was why he had deliberately tried to send Seros along, but persuading Kyle had been impossible.
If variables arose because he failed to persuade Kyle, it would not end rely with serious damage to the troops.
Not only Ragnar, but the entire northern region could be thrown into turmoil.
Since dealing with the monsters was the only way to protect Ragnar’s safety, Aron’s worries could only grow.
At that mont.
Whiiik—!
An arrow shot up into the sky.
Confirming a total of three arrows, Aron shook off his worries and decided to focus on the matter at hand.
He then lowered the hand he had raised and pointed forward.
“Advance! Annihilate the monsters!”
At Aron’s command, one knight of the Ragnar Knight Order raised a bow high above his head.
As arrows poured down from the sky, shouts rang out from all across the mountains where the Orc forces were stationed.
Those who charged fiercely toward the tightly clustered groups of Orks spread across the mountain slopes.
The soldiers of Ragnar climbed the mountain without the slightest fear, thrusting their spears into every Orc they saw.
“Do not spare a single one!”
Like a surging tide, the five thousand troops ticulously encircled the mountain and rapidly advanced upward.
The Orks, terrified by the onslaught of troops pouring in from all sides, hurriedly prepared for battle, but they could not hold out for long.
Not long after, when Ragnar’s forces reached the mountain peak, cheers echoing across the entire mountain rang out everywhere.
In just four hours, nearly three thousand Orks had been completely annihilated.
Having successfully led the troops, Aron and Akun clasped each other’s hands.
“You worked hard, Strategist.”
“You too, Commander.”
Watching that scene, Zero felt that the Special Operations Unit mbers were gradually blending into Ragnar.
Likewise, the people of Ragnar no longer regarded the Special Operations Unit mbers as outsiders.
As the Ragnar Knight Order smiled toward the Special Operations Unit mbers, Aron swept his gaze over the troops who had finished off the Orc forces in one fell swoop.
‘A powerful army. Compared to the Tylers Empire, it’s not inferior at all.’
If all thirty thousand troops deployed on the front lines were at this level, he was certain that Kyle’s plan could not fail.
He did not know exactly how strong the Daon Kingdom’s forces were, but there were thirty thousand well-trained soldiers, and on top of that, two Masters included.
However, the troubling point was that Ragnar’s strength was specialized for fighting monsters.
To oppose people and secure victory against them would require extensive training.
‘Was this why my lord set the plan with a ti fra of three years.’
As Kyle had said, securing food and infrastructure was important, but Aron thought the biggest issue would be the soldiers’ disposition.
Even if they were an elite force rciless against monsters, facing humans was different.
A war against humans was sothing that could turn even such a strong army into a rabble.
‘Both the Ragnar Knight Order and the soldiers focus on dealing with monsters. To change this approach, it will take quite a lot of effort and ti.’
As Aron was formulating future plans, soone suddenly appeared at his side.
“Aron, excessive thoughts and unnecessary plans only breed needless anxiety.”
The knights were startled by Kyle’s appearance and hurriedly bowed their heads.
Kyle imdiately issued an order to them.
“Quickly deal with the monsters and move to secure the iron mine area.”
At Kyle’s abrupt words, Aron’s eyes widened.
“My lord…….”
“The negotiations are roughly finished. There will be negotiations to adjust things once more, but there will be no more fighting.”
There was nothing better than reclaiming the iron mine area without fighting.
Reclaiming the iron mine area might require giving the Ork Tribe quite a lot, but Aron judged it to be a negotiation with greater gains than losses.
“Did the talks go well?”
“They ended without issue. After organizing this area, we will enter the mountain range, so prepare quickly.”
While Kyle was active on the front lines, a group bearing a flag emblazoned with an eagle, the symbol of the royal family, entered the Lord’s Castle of Ragnar.
“Pramo Ragnar, Head of the Ragnar Family, heed the command of His Majesty Clover Daon, the great ruler of the Daon Kingdom!”
At the news that soone who had never paid Ragnar any attention had suddenly sent a delegation, Pramo had co out in person.
At the sight of the envoy striding forward and shouting arrogantly, Pramo could not suppress a scoff.
“Hand it over.”
At the act of extending his hand without even kneeling, the envoy’s face twisted.
“To dare receive His Majesty’s command letter in such a manner…… you will regret this.”
“Regret? You seem to have forgotten that Ragnar stood in an equal relationship with the Daon Kingdom.”
Grit—
At Pramo’s confident words, the envoy glared coldly and roughly handed over the letter.
In contrast, Pramo accepted the letter with an unconcerned expression and opened it.
But only for a mont.
[Kyle Ragnar is to enter the Royal Palace imdiately. Furthermore, I command Pramo Ragnar to strip the Ragnar Family of all its rights and show proper deference as a subject of the Daon Kingdom.]
After reading the contents, Pramo glared at the envoy with a deep frown.
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