Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

The old shaman nodded with satisfaction.

Remembering Axel, Winters couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Just a month and a half had passed, yet the days at the military academy already seemed like a dream.

Two months prior, he would never have guessed that two months later he would be hiding on a small island owned by the enemy, leading a small group of enslaved soldiers and crippled warriors to fight to the death.

What was Axel doing now?

Winters had lost his temper, and even the thought of anger had dissipated, replaced only by a sense of fatigue.

He bowed to Mustas, and the old shaman straightened his back to accept it gracefully.

Winters turned and left, returning to his temporary dwelling. Stay updated through empire

With a kick off of his boots, he collapsed onto the bed and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Time passed unknowingly, and not knowing where he came from, Winters found himself in a combat arena, carrying a shield and spear, while someone beside him was rubbing olive oil on his body.

The olive oil was spread starting from his feet, then his waist, and then his chest. The thing rubbing the olive oil... were they hands? They were hands... warm and soft... not a man's hands, were they a woman's?

In his sleep, Winters jolted awake and pushed away the strange woman on top of him—there really was a Herde woman who'd sneaked into his room!

Woken up for the second time, Winters was both shocked and furious, and his just-awakened temper completely overwhelmed any sexual desire. Enraged, he didn't hesitate to use the Sonic Blast Spell to curse loudly, "Get out!"

The strange woman who fell to the floor was so startled by the thunderous blast that she screamed and ran out. The entire estate probably heard this angry shout, and the singing and drumming of the Herders outside ceased.

Exhausted, Winters fell back onto the bed with a ringing in his ears, falling into a sweet sleep. This time, no one dared to disturb him again.

——Cut——

In Guidao City, across the great sea in The Federated Provinces of the Republic's Army Headquarters.

Axel, who was on night duty, was startled awake by a knock on the door.

An upperclassman stood at the door of the duty office, panting and said, "Passed unanimously with three to zero... condemnation... mobilization order... war budget..."

After swallowing hard and catching his breath with some difficulty, the upperclassman grabbed Axel's arm, "We... we are being deployed too."

——Cut——

In the Herders' longhouse, the boy who had ambushed Winters was serving Hestas as he lay on a meadow.

"Don't follow them tomorrow, the Venetians will send you back to the steppes. Take care of your sister and go find your brother," Hestas said still using the stiff Common Tongue, even when they were alone.

"[Herde Language] I'm not a child anymore, I can kill," the boy protested.

Hestas knocked on the boy's head with his withered hand, "Speak the language of the two-legged, not our language. When you get home, you must also practice the language of the two-legged—sadly, by that time I won't be there to practice with you."

"[Common Tongue] Those two-legged beings just want to use us," the boy said, shifting to the awkward Common Tongue as well, "I can't understand why you would make a deal with them, and even... even conduct the Kulxit ceremony with that man..."

"Foolish boy, do you want to be a slave on this island for the rest of your life? Do you remember what the steppes are like? If you have children, they will be utter slaves," Hestas said as he ruffled the boy's hair. "This is your best chance to return to your homeland. If we don't pay blood-money, even if the Venetians conquer this island, they won't grant us freedom."

The boy uttered an "oh."

"I know you are not convinced, you can't stand the two-legged," Hestas said earnestly, "but there's nothing to be dissatisfied about. We have truly lost, otherwise we wouldn't have ended up here. I taught you their language so you could learn their knowledge. Only by learning from those who defeated us can the defeat not be in vain and your children avoid being enslaved like us..."

Outside, the Herders extinguishing the last of the fires.

The feasts have ended, leaving only blood and fire.