As Gi Gi raised up the twin-headed beast and axe flag (Zeilduk), Gi Ji Arsil the Hidden Blade and Gi Jii Yubu the Goblin with a Regiol accompanied him as aide and thickened their battle formation. In the monster army, just the goblins alone numbered 300. Within those, over 20 were rare-class. Gi Ji Arsil's assassin unit numbered 100, but not a single one of those was above rare-class. Gi Jii Yubu's regiol numbered 500, but they had over 40 goblins that were above rare-class.
"An alliance with the humans... We have to use it."
Gi Ji and Gi Gi have always gotten along well, and when they talked about the humans, Gi Ji insisted that since they could cooperate with the orcs, then they should also be able to cooperate with the humans. As for Gi Jii, working alongside the humans was an opportunity to see their tactics, so there was no way he would refuse them.
"The tactics of the humans must be different from His Highness and Pale-dono's... I look forward to it."
The goblins of Gi Jii Yubu's regiol that stood at the head of the army sent messengers to Cultidian before conquering Fatina.
The thing called 'alliance' had many types.
There were alliances based upon non-aggression treaties that promised they would not attack each other. There were attack-defense alliances that, as the name implies, is a promise to fight together. As one might imagine, the participating parties in the first alliance would have little dependence on each other; whereas, the parties involved in the second type of alliance could be said to have thrown their lot in with each other. The alliance formed between the Goblin King and the queen of the Kushain Believers, Mira Vi Burnen (Bloody Queen), was that of the non-aggression sort.
But there was no way that Gi Gi and the others could possibly understand such specific things.
The fault did not lie solely with them, however, for the Goblin King himself did not bother to explain the situation and only told them that they were now in an alliance with the Kushain Believers.
Because of that they asked the Kushain Believers to attack with them. A request that left the Kushain Believers with a severe headache. Still, these forces were only the remnants of the Red King. As such, even if the Kushain Believers were to take them on alone, they could actually win. That being said, even if Vilan Do Zul were the one to lead the battle, as young and overflowing with talent as he was, even he would have to be prepared to accept some losses.
Fatina also used to belong to the Kushain Believers and was taken from them by the Red King. In actuality, the situation of the Kushain Believers was one wherein they were finally able to catch their breath. A little something they owe to Mira's genius on handling the domestic affairs and being freed from the encirclement of the enemies.
Their army was secretly discussing about when they would go out to battle next when the goblins suddenly asked them to fight with them. Although this was a situation akin to one wanting to cross a river but not knowing how, only to suddenly be given a boat, joining the goblins in war still meant that they would have to change the details of their alliance.
The question of how they should respond to a joint battle with the goblins was a difficult question for the Kushain Believers. Especially since the goblins were still above them in terms of military prowess. They also didn't know if it was really okay to just reject their request.
The anti-goblin faction were furious, not able to understand even the significance that their alliance had to the goblins, while the pro-goblin faction argued that this must be their way to expand their power without losing momentum.
In the end, the fierce debate was concluded by Mira herself, who decided to dispatch the army.
"Let's make this a special exception and oblige the goblins."
Wearing the strong face of a politician, she sweetly smiled and revealed the greatest trump card she had in her possession.
In other words, the tactician, Vilan Do Zul, would lead the army as an ally to the goblins. Under him were placed 3000 footman and a small cavalry. Their objective would be to aid the goblins and retake Fatina.
The grain-producing region of Fatina could be said to be the stomach of the southern region.
If the goblins could secure that, it would be a huge boon to them. It was also precisely because of that that they had to get results.
Mira sent a messenger to the Goblin King to ask for a firm promise regarding the distribution of spoils. When she came back to her bedroom, she called Vilan over, and while hugging her pillow, asked him.
"...Hey, Vil. I suppose heroes really are necessary, huh."
"Hah?"
Her eyes were like that of a little girl dreaming. Seeing that sparkle in her eyes, Vilan couldn't help but recall all the unreasonable requests she's made of him in the past. It was such that those events had already become a trauma of sort to him, and he couldn't help but draw cold sweat.
"What a half-hearted response. Anyway, as I was saying, don't you think only a hero or something would be fitting to stand beside a saint? Otherwise it won't be balanced."
"What are you talking about, Ojousama?"
"So, I was thinking, won't you become a hero?"
"A-Aren't you asking too much!? In the first place, you can't become a hero just because you want to—"
"Oh, Vil. Don't you know? Situations make people. It's an old saying I've heard before."
"I don't think the people who said that said that with that meaning in mind..."
"Anyway, let's start by making you into a famed general. I'll tell you more when we negotiate with the goblins next, so get yourself together, alright?"
"S-Sure..."
Vilan knew from his past experiences that when Mira wasn't listening, no matter how much you tried to tell her that it was impossible, she wouldn't change her mind. As such, he just quietly bowed his head.
The defeated needs a hero.
Because of the alliance with the goblins and Mira's skillful direction, the Kushain Believers did not notice it, but in truth, in this battle for supremacy in the southern regions, there was without a doubt that the Kushain Believers had lost. Despite encroaching the taboo called 'holy war', the Red King was able to take Fatina from them and the goblins were able to take the border lands.
They lost territories and those around them had lost their confidence in them.
The one result they were able to produce was their alliance with the goblins, who managed to secure victory. But even that could change at the whims of the Goblin King.
As such, in order to recover from their situation, Mira wanted a hero. Naturally, it was her most trusted military officer who would assume that position.
A young man who defeated the army of Elrain Kingdom, fought against the tactician of the Red King who swept over the southern lands, and broke through the long siege against Cultidian. And on top of that, he was also the tactician the saint trusted the most.
He had more than enough achievements to be renowned as a hero or a great general.
The existence of such a figure would raise the morale of the army. His name would allow the people to pick themselves up with pride.
The joint battle proposed by the goblins. To an army that desperately needed to regain itself after defeat, it was a most prized opportunity.
Supposedly, she should have said this much to Vilan, but because of her two sides – the politician and the maiden – fighting within her, in the end, the desire to see Vilan's troubled face won out, and the result was the earlier conversation.
Still, despite his complaints, she knew that her sweet Vilan would do something about it anyway. And knowingly, she allowed herself to be intoxicated by that sweetness.
