Age of Adventure - Chapter 328 GIVING UP

Cities were not as much as sieged as in that they opened the city gates to welcome the Duke to take over the city

Vetten collapsed easily and after their collapse, the King at the time did not impose harsh measure on them as most monarch would do after conquering their rival kingdoms that have bitterly fighting them in the past.

The generosity and the forgiveness of the king had given him the reputation of a benevolent king.

The prosperity that come after had given the reputation of a wise king.

Like a sage king of the past dynasty, King George embodied the ideals of a great harmony between monarch and subjects

This reputation would help greatly the process of people assimilating into the Empire.

Vanheim then did not go the usual route that Veva had done.

Instead of using their expanding military to violently attacked Veranis, they instead supported Veranis conquest of both Gerad Stratocracy and the Tian dynasty and then vassalize the kingdom of Veranis under them, increasing their might and prestige without doing anything.

King Philip and King George was close friends and as such the alliance of these two kingdoms made them a force that is to be reckoned with.

By not pursuing war at every turn, Aero and the King had the time to reorganize the army, pacifying their internal problems and then tackle the problem which is Niovar.

Aero went to Karak and gain the fealty of the four families that control Karak.

Vanheim expanded again thanks to the Chancellor, now controlling one of the wealthiest kingdom at that time.

Then the expedition to Niovar was announced.

In that, there is a mistake that had been done by Prince James at that time which he massacres an entire city to pacify the kingdom

This should have brought down the great reputation of Vanheim but the Chancellor threw all the blame to the Prince.

When King George had died he changes his will in the audience of his court officials, naming Prince Edward as his successor and shafting Prince James.

Since then Aero hides in the office of the Six Council and orchestrate many things like the development program of the Empire, the reorganization of the military, the strengthening of the Imperial authority and the weakening of nobility power in the imperial court.

And then, there is the conquering a city without one drop of blood loss.

Winning the hearts of the people to gain the world.

Zeus had listen to both of Eric suggestion but even he knew how difficult it is to negotiate with the other kingdoms.

‘What about the other one? What did you mean by giving up?’

Eric then drew a breath and said

‘Give up the south and take the east’ Hearing this Zeus was shocked.

Eric then said passionately

‘We could let Holy Zun take the old territory of Loth kingdom. We let the Jhaka garrison to take measures in the border to restrain Aerosia from attacking Asgaro region as we sent our soldier to take over Duvar. Aerosia then probably would attack the Redat region since we already make an opening for them to attack Redat region’

The more Zeus heard Eric suggestion the paler his face become

‘You are asking me to give up the large portion of my territory in the south!’ Zeus said.

‘Yes!’ Eric said

‘that is what I am asking you. This is the way to break the deadlock. This is one method that Aero probably could not have expected. It is because none of the western kingdom wanted to lose anything that we don’t move. Since that is the case, let lose something so we could move’

Hearing this Zeus could not help but question Eric intelligence. Is that could even be considered a plan?

But Eric was not done. Zeus must stop this mad idea and quickly interjected what Eric is about to say

‘If Holy Zun took Loth region and Aerosia too Redat region, then both of them now have the power to contest against us. They would probably even join hand together to restrict us’ Zeus said trying to convince his friend

Eric shook his head and said

‘A temporary loss for a huge gain in the future. Just because they could take it, didn’t mean they could keep it efficiently and it didn’t mean that we would be threatened. It would not become a boon for them. Instead it would become a burden’

‘What do you mean?’ Zeus ask. Eric quickly replied

‘One of the problem of Veva is that it is too big and have to many enemies on each of our side’ Zeus did not say anything to this instead he is thinking a lot about what Eric had just said to him

Zeus hesitate. This is not an easy decision to make. The arguments that Eric had told him could not convinced him

He looks at Eric and then sighing he said

‘Eric, you know how I have always listen to you after the matter of the feast. But you have to convince me if you want me to abandon the entire south. That is a large swathe of territory that I have to let go. And hearing what you said, while it looks like there is advantages, there is a lot of more disadvantages. We would be losing a lot. Loth region and Redat region is not as big as Asgaro region but it is still contributing to our kingdom. And if we lose territory, then people would lose confidence in me. How could I compete for the world then?’

Eric nodded.

‘I know it is hard. But let me explain’ They no longer are walking. Instead the stand on the city wall looking at each other.

Eric words had shocked Zeus very much.

After all, what Eric is suggesting is bordering on madness. One could only imagine the blood, sweat and tears that his army had sacrificed to take those kingdoms in the south.

They even ha annual skirmishes with Arianna on those regions every year to defend the southern borders from the encroaching influence of the Holy Zun Empire

But now, Eric wanted him to let it all go?

No matter how tolerant Zeus is and no matter how he had tried to listen to Eric advices and counsel, he could not accept this easily

If the explanation is not sufficient, how could Zeus let go of the south? That is akin of cutting one of his limbs

Eric took a dep breath. He knew he had to convince Zeus to sacrifice the south.

‘It did not matter if the whole world view us as weak. We are taking a step back’

Sighing Eric then said

That is what we didn’t do but should have done. We were too rash and we are now paying for that rashness’

Taking a deep breath Eric then said

‘After we have taken the surrounding kingdoms in the past, we should have taken a step back. We should have concentrated our power in pacifying the internal problem.

‘But now, even though we were as big as Vanheim, we have more problems than them. It is not like they didn’t have their own internal problem. But rebellion of their people is not one of them. Their internal problem also did not affect the security of their empire. Instead it is a war fought in the dark that did not affect the power of the Empire itself’

Zeus then said

‘I am still not convinced’

‘And I am still not done’ Eric said