Quintus pretended not to hear and walked straight to Maximus’s side, whispering, "Flanitnus asked me to check with you—can he be allowed to take the initiative to choose a woman to be his wife?"
Maximus’s smile instantly disappeared. "We agreed beforehand to let the women do the choosing. What? He wants to break the rules now?!"
Quintus quickly explained in a low voice, "Flanitnus has taken a liking to Karina, but Karina has no intention of coming forward to make a choice. So, he wants to take the initiative with her..."
Flanitnus likes Karina?!... Maximus was surprised, but on second thought, the tall and commanding Karina, whose demeanor was even more resolute than most men, might naturally attract someone like Flanitnus, who had been through so many hardships. He glanced at Quintus. "Why would Flanitnus ask you to send this message to me?"
Quintus sighed helplessly. "I guess he got overwhelmed being surrounded by so many women on the field. After hesitating for a long time, he realized he likes Karina. But everyone he knows has already found a partner and left, so he had no choice but to find me, idling on the sidelines. Out of camaraderie, I couldn’t say no and decided to help him out."
Maximus thought for a moment and said, "Letting him actively choose is definitely not an option! However, I can send someone to convey his feelings to Karina and let her decide."
Afterward, he informed Nexia about the matter, hoping she could step in to help.
"No problem, this is a good thing. Leave it to me." Nexia agreed cheerfully.
Watching Nexia walk toward the venue, Maximus thought: Having such a wife isn’t bad at all!
After a while, he was astonished to see Flanitnus and Karina walking shoulder to shoulder toward the marriage registration office. He immediately asked Nexia, "You actually managed to convince Karina! How did you do it?"
Nexia smiled sweetly. "This is a secret between women, I can’t tell you. I’ve helped you out so much—you should be thanking me."
"Of course, I need to thank you." Maximus agreed outwardly but smiled bitterly inside: This soon-to-be wife of his had just landed him a problem. He originally thought that Karina, with the determination she’d shown before, wouldn’t be swayed by Flanitnus. Who would’ve thought Nexia would manage to convince her? Now, with a Military Affairs Officer and a Civil Affairs Officer becoming husband and wife, it would certainly have a significant impact on the Nix Tribe—something Maximus hadn’t hoped for! However, forcibly separating them now clearly wasn’t wise. He could only find a way to deal with it later. Sigh!
When the first matchmaking group concluded, Maximus immediately stood before the crowd and offered blessings to the union of Gaius and Pusilola.
The intention behind this gesture was clear and had a positive outcome. It motivated several hesitant Segestica women to make up their minds, gather their courage, and step into the center of the venue...
The second batch of men to enter the venue were from the Supply Camp. They quickly paired off one by one and headed to the marriage registration office.
The speed of this was due to the fact that many in the Supply Camp were already married couples who had been temporarily separated into different camps for the sake of convenience during battles. Now, in the Nix Tribe, they were officially re-registering their marriages...
The matchmaking event lasted from morning until dusk. Among the women from the original rebel army, the vast majority found partners, except for a small number who, for various reasons—including Acronis—chose not to marry.
Nearly all of the Skodisqi women also registered their marriages, except for Florist Luscia, who was recovering from injuries and mental distress in the Medical Camp and did not attend the matchmaking event.
However, only a quarter of the Segestica women chose husbands. Of the remaining 2,000-plus women, many already had husbands who were still alive. Most of them were now contemplating applying to the Nix Tribe to recall their husbands, who had become slaves in the Alde Tribe, and persuading them to join the Nix Tribe.
That day, the Legal Department registered marriages for over 4,000 couples, both old and new, leaving the subordinates so exhausted their hands cramped up. Maximus had to call in others from different departments who could write to help complete this enormous but joyful task.
According to Maximus’s concluding remarks at the matchmaking event: Given the tribe’s current conditions, they wouldn’t be holding formal wedding ceremonies. As long as they registered their marriage with the Legal Department and received the tribe’s official recognition, they were considered husband and wife.
However, moving in together immediately was not possible. Since everyone was still living in a temporary camp without private spaces, they would have to return to their individual tents for now. Even Maximus, with his own personal military tent, refrained from sharing it with Nexia, setting an example of restraint and propriety.
The successful matchmaking event significantly heightened the Nix people’s anticipation for their new lives—a hope that didn’t last long, though.
On the morning of the third day, after breakfast, the Nix people began packing their belongings and dismantling the camp, officially setting off to relocate to the settlement eastward.
The first to depart was the cavalry team led by Hagux. Mounted on well-rested or captured warhorses, they scouted carefully along the way and were prepared to report any anomalies immediately to ensure the safety of the migrating main force.
Next departed 3,000 fully armed soldiers of the First Legion, marching in formation and ready to respond to any attacks at any moment.
Following them were the lightly armed soldiers wearing breastplates, their shields strapped to their backs, helmets and packs slung on Foska staffs, and one hand carrying bags of supplies from the camp. The Light Infantry carried more supplies, ready to grab their weapons at a moment’s notice to assist the forward troops in repelling any enemies.
After them came the carriage convoy: nearly 200 ox-drawn and mule-drawn carts, brought along by the rebel army from Italy and seized from the two villages. These were loaded entirely with food and accompanied by personnel from the Supply Camp.
The last to depart were members of the Female Camp and the children.
Additionally, 500 soldiers were left behind to guard the camp. With Maximus’s intentional support, the group had stockpiled significant amounts of supplies over the past year, far too much to be moved in a single trip. To prevent theft, a guard force was necessary.
The Nix migration train stretched into a long, discontinuous line. The soldiers at the front of the group were nearing the settlement along the banks of the Kupa River, while the women and children at the rear had just left the temporary camp.
Regardless of age or gender, everyone’s faces radiated joy. To them, the sky seemed bluer, the water greener, the breeze gentler, and the birds more cheerful; even the yellowing grass and trees, touched by the cooling weather, appeared beautiful in their own way.
Some expressed their excitement through song, while others chattered incessantly about their visions for the future. The children laughed and played, while the adults talked animatedly... The entire group was brimming with vitality and energy.
Maximus marched at the very front, alongside the 3,000 soldiers. A month later, once again arriving at the Kupa River, his mood was dramatically different from the last visit. That time, he came seeking survival, risking everything for success, but this time, it felt more like he was inspecting his own territory. Mounted on his horse, he surveyed the farmland along the road with great interest.
"Volenus, good job! Look how well they’re growing!"
"Leader, it’s all thanks to the tribesmen’s hard work and the fertile soil. These crops sprouted quickly and are thriving. I reckon we’ll be able to harvest them by the end of December, and then in the spring, we can start planting wheat again."
"Excellent! Excellent! Harvest the beans and plant wheat—perfect timing! Fesaros, tell the soldiers to watch their steps when walking. Don’t trample the fields—this is our food supply!"