"So you’re saying it was the Skodisqi who initiated the fight?"
"None of the Skodisqi involved in the brawl were injured?"
"There were injuries, but none were severe. The Skodisqi who fought were mostly young, while the majority of the Segestica villagers were older."
"How did you handle this conflict?"
"After receiving the news, I personally led two Centurions to No. 81 Village. We questioned everyone involved in the fight and then detained three Skodisqi slaves identified by Segestica villagers as the most aggressive and likely responsible for the deaths of the two victims. They’re currently being held in the East Village, waiting for today’s wooden bridge opening before transferring them to the Legal Department for trial."
"Hmm..." Maximus nodded slightly, approving of Camillus’s cautious approach.
Seeing this, Camillus felt relieved and continued carefully, "Leader, these three young Skodisqi have suffered oppression from the Segestica people for a long time. One of them even lost a close family member at their hands. Their resentment towards the Segestica runs deep, and being young, they couldn’t hold back when provoked..."
As Camillus spoke, he kept glancing at Maximus’s expression. Seeing him listen intently, Camillus added further, "I know these three young Skodisqi. After we captured this land, they were among the first group of slaves to join the tribe. One of them even actively helped us convince slaves in nearby tribes to join our tribe...
When I dispatched soldiers to eliminate the leaders and nobles of various tribes, the defense of the East Village largely depended on these Skodisqi slaves. These two individuals performed particularly well, acting as exemplary figures... Leader, I wonder if the punishment for these three individuals could—"
"Spare them from the death penalty so they may continue serving the tribe. That’s what you wish to say, isn’t it?" Maximus’s face turned stern as he stared at him.
Camillus suddenly felt a powerful pressure sweeping over him, leaving him speechless.
"Before assigning these Skodisqi slaves to various villages, did you read them the tribe’s laws? Did you remind them to coexist peacefully with the Segestica people in the villages?"
"Yes! Of course! My subordinates and I repeatedly emphasized this many times!" Camillus responded quickly.
"If that’s the case, and they were aware of the tribal laws yet still chose to violate them, then it’s a willful breach of the law! Whether it’s them or the two deceased Segestica villagers—they’re all Nix tribesmen now. Killing must be compensated by death; this is the tribe’s iron rule, and it must be enforced!" Maximus asserted firmly.
Camillus lowered his head and responded softly, "Understood."
"If we want to integrate Segestica more smoothly and ensure the Segestica people who’ve joined the tribe remain loyal, we must treat them as we would our own tribesmen—fairly and impartially, without favoritism." Maximus spoke coolly, "This incident is unfortunate, but in another sense, it’s also a good thing!
The Skodisqi slaves were previously the disadvantaged side. Now that we’re here, it’s the Segestica population, lacking strong laborers, who’ve become the disadvantaged group. Given our shared plight with the Skodisqi slaves, it’s natural for us to feel a kinship with them, which can lead to overconfidence. Meanwhile, the Segestica people, who’ve joined us, will inevitably feel anxious.
Therefore, before executing these three Skodisqi slaves, I’ll have the Legal Department escort them to various villages for a public display—a warning to new Skodisqi entrants to the tribe, and reassurance for the Segestica villagers." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel⟡fire.net
Although Camillus thought this measure was harsh for the three young Skodisqi offenders, he did not dare raise objections.
"Regarding this matter, the officials responsible for assigning new villagers to villages also lacked experience. They shouldn’t have placed such active individuals like these three Skodisqi young men all in one village. When bold personalities gather, trouble is bound to arise!" Maximus sighed regretfully but then relaxed his expression, "Fortunately, the bridge is finally completed. All the Chief Officers and subordinates of various departments will move to this side to focus entirely on resolving the problems on the East Bank!"
At this point, Maximus’s tone softened, "I understand that this period has been exhausting for you, and also for the First Legion Soldiers stationed here. But now is not the time to relax. The First Legion has already completed deploying and organizing all the villages between Didonanrensi Mountain and Gonami Lake on the West Bank, distributing land, and assigning households... However, on the East Bank, only thirty or so villages have completed their deployment—"
Camillus attempted to explain but was interrupted by Maximus, who said in a gentle tone, "It’s not your fault. You don’t have enough manpower and still have to oversee such a vast area, so managing to maintain order alone is quite an accomplishment... Starting today, all of the First Legion Soldiers on the West Bank will be reassigned here, along with 2,000 additional soldiers from the First Legion—"
"First Legion Soldiers are coming too?" Camillus asked anxiously.
The Maximus Army has only been established for three years, yet there’s already a sense of competition among its various legions. For Camillus, Maximus’s arrangement felt like an implication that the Third Legion couldn’t manage its responsibilities without support from the First Legion, which stung his pride.
Maximus, understanding his concerns, explained, "These 2,000 First Legion Soldiers are primarily tasked with converting a riverside village near Gonami Lake into a military camp, to pair with the already completed camp on the opposite bank. This is to prevent southern enemies from harassing our territory. Once this is done, the Third Legion can focus fully on deploying to all the villages and completing the conquest of Segestica Territory on the East Bank as quickly as possible."
Camillus asked hesitantly, "Will this new camp be garrisoned by First Legion Soldiers?"
"Of course, it will be your Third Legion soldiers who take charge." Maximus smiled, "I’ve already told you before, as per the Political Affairs Hall’s decision, all members of the First Legion will relocate to villages on the West Bank, while the Third Legion will reside entirely on the East Bank.
Whether for the personal benefit of our soldiers or for the tribe’s interests, the Third Legion must complete its tasks within ten days, making the tribe better prepared to face the impending challenges posed by the Pannonians!"
"Leader, rest assured, the Third Legion will not let you down!" Camillus solemnly promised.
"I trust you’ll lead the Third Legion to accomplish the mission." Maximus encouraged him before rising to leave.
Attendant Marcus was already waiting outside and stepped forward when he saw Maximus exiting, announcing, "Leader, Alakosia seeks an audience."
..........................................
"The Pannonian Tribe Alliance sent an envoy?!"
"Leader, not just one envoy—there are four of them." Alakosia explained in detail, "They traveled by boat across Gonami Lake and landed on the West Bank, where they were discovered by Hagux’s cavalry. They willingly identified themselves and, per the cavalry’s instructions, were blindfolded and escorted to the West Village.
They claim to belong respectively to the tribes of Brochi, Mazi, Perustai, and Disone, sent on behalf of the Pannonian Tribe Alliance to propose a ceasefire and peace talks."
"Peace talks? ... Peace talks..." Maximus stroked his chin, contemplating for a moment before asking, "Alakosia, what’s your opinion on this?"
"Leader, we can’t negotiate peace with the Pannonian Tribe Alliance!" Alakosia answered decisively, clearly having thought this through beforehand, "The Pannonian Tribe Alliance is stronger than us, but their offer of peace talks now clearly indicates significant losses from this war that have left them unable to continue fighting us or help the Segestica regain their territory. Thus, they seek to achieve their aims through negotiation.
Another reason may be to retrieve the Pannonian Soldiers we’ve captured, allowing them to regain strength more quickly. Regardless of the reason, we can’t agree to their terms. However, we shouldn’t reject them outright either. By dragging out negotiations, we can keep them hopeful while fortifying our tribal control here."
"Well said!" Maximus praised, "Bigeris is at the Kupa River now and will proceed to Alde. Since you’re his deputy, you’ll handle the negotiations with the Pannonian envoys."
"Yes, Leader." Alakosia responded energetically.
"Stick to your suggested approach when negotiating with them. And when it’s no longer possible to stall..." Maximus’s eyes glimmered with a sly light, "Tell them that the Pannonian Tribe Alliance initiated this war with the intent to annihilate the Nix Tribe, making it impossible for either the Nix Tribe’s leader or its tribesmen to trust them. Particularly the masterminds of this war, Brochi and Mazi.
However, the Nix Tribe is willing to negotiate peace with the coerced participants in this war—Desitia, Disone, and Perustai. If these three tribes show genuine sincerity, the Nix Tribe will not only sign a ceasefire agreement but also consider releasing their captured warriors."
"Release the captives of these three tribes..." Alakosia furrowed his brow initially, then something came to mind, prompting him to ask, "Would it be similar to how we negotiated with the Segestica previously?"