Tribios nodded. "That's right. I need your help with something."
Before she could even hear the specifics of the request, Aria nodded enthusiastically. "Mhm, mhm~!"
Having trained under Okhema for so long, her strength had grown beyond recognition, and she was eager to prove herself by taking on a meaningful task.
Aria didn't know what motivated others to strive for power, but for her, it was undoubtedly to help more people!
In Aria's mind, Okhema was the epitome of a good person. Any request from them must surely involve doing good deeds, so she couldn't possibly refuse!
Tribios continued, "I want you to assist Okhema's two Demigods..."
She paused, glancing at Cipher. "Well, to be precise, three Demigods. I need you to unify the Northern Territory, establish a kingdom there, and investigate information about the Barbarian Divine Artifact."
This wasn't Tribios making things up; it was something Heinrich had mentioned earlier during their conversation about the Northern Territory. He warned her that a Barbarian Divine Artifact might exist there, urging her to be cautious when unifying the region.
After hearing the rough outline of the mission's objectives, Aria maintained her earlier expression, nodding her small head rapidly. "Mhm-hmm~!"
Douglas, however, looked utterly bewildered. "What the hell? Unify the Northern Territory?!"
His first reaction was that this was utterly absurd. What kind of people lived in the Northern Territory? Ill-mannered, fearless barbarians who respected nothing. Tribios's plan implied that just six of them—six individuals—were supposed to unify the entire vast Northern Lands? To rule over all these barbarians?
Even with three Ancient Gods among them, it seemed utterly impossible. As the saying goes, "Conquering a kingdom is easy; ruling it is hard." With overwhelming military might, taking the Northern Territory might not be difficult, but what came after? Forcibly uniting them all would create a massive problem of governance.
Ultimately, the problem was the sheer lack of manpower. Were they supposed to put these barbarians in positions of power? Would that really not lead to disaster?
Feidric asked, "Are we the only six going?"
Tribios replied, "Of course not. Okhema will continue to provide support. You six are just the first wave."
Hearing this, Douglas finally breathed a sigh of relief. "That's manageable. That's manageable."
However, Feidric pressed further, "So why did you suddenly decide to conquer that barbaric land?"
Unifying a region and establishing a nation isn't inherently good or evil; the act itself is morally neutral. Feidric had no objections to Tribios' mission; he was simply puzzled.
To put it mildly, the more Feidric learned about this place, the more astonished he became by the city's strength and prosperity. If Okhema already possessed such a powerful and prosperous realm, why would it covet the barren, savage Northern Territory?
Territory isn't always better in larger quantities. For example, if Okhema were to conquer the entire Northern Territory now, the region would offer no benefits in return. Instead, Okhema would have to continuously send resources to support the Northern Territory's development and provide relief to its people—a financial drain with no return.
Tribios pondered for a moment before saying, "There are many reasons. If you want the official explanation, it's that the Northern Territory has been neglected for too long, mired in savagery and backwardness. Okhema will bring civilization there and help it develop."
In Tribios's previous life, during the medieval era, colonial powers used similar rhetoric to justify their exploitation and oppression of underdeveloped nations. But this time, Tribios spoke the truth. After all, Okhema had no need to colonize that wretched Northern Territory.
Besides, who in their right mind would willingly leave Okhema to live on that godforsaken Ice Plains?
After a pause, Tribios continued, "And if you want a more personal reason, Okhema needs to expand its sphere of influence. The Empire and the Alliance have already divided up nearly all the existing territory on the continent. When there's no more land to claim, won't these two nations inevitably clash?"
"That's why the Northern Territory is the best choice right now. The Barbarians there may be savage and backward, but if we can unite them, they'll become a formidable force."
Feidric, hearing this, bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for your explanation."
In truth, as the city lord of Okhema and the Holy Maiden, Tribios could have simply issued a command without explanation. Yet she took the time to provide such a thorough account, making Feidric, Aria, and Douglas feel genuinely valued.
Douglas then spoke up. "However, I understand the barbarians of the Northern Territory are fiercely xenophobic. Should we just charge in like this? What's the initial plan?"
Tribios replied, "As for that... I'm not entirely sure of the details myself. I've entrusted this matter entirely to Cerydra. She is a Demigod of Law, a great conqueror, and a natural-born Empress. If you have any further questions, you should ask her directly."
In truth, Tribios was thinking, What? The Northern Territory is fiercely xenophobic? How come I didn't know that? Cerydra spent ages researching it recently, and there wasn't a single mention of this!
To Douglas and the others, Tribios's delegation of such authority clearly indicated her immense trust in the Demigod named Cerydra. Coupled with her awe-inspiring titles like "Conqueror" and "Natural-Born Empress," a majestic, domineering, and aloof empress archetype began to take shape in Douglas's mind.
Just then, footsteps echoed in the corridor outside the door. Tribios remarked, "It seems they've arrived."
Moments later, a young woman with long, dark purple hair appeared at the doorway, entering Douglas's field of vision.
To say the least, Douglas couldn't help but show a hint of surprise upon seeing her. She was quite different from what he had imagined.
Hysilens's height was similar to Cipher and Castorice, around 1.6 meters, just shy of 1.7 meters—a typical 'youthful girl' or 'young woman' figure. Douglas had expected the 'Natural-Born Empress' to be a towering, mature woman, at least 1.7 meters tall, perhaps even approaching 1.8 meters.
Apart from her height, Douglas had to admit that this "Empress" was strikingly beautiful, possessing a faint, ice-maiden-like aura that perfectly matched his mental image of an Empress.
Hysilens gave Tribios a slight nod before turning to Douglas and the others, her ethereal, melodious voice ringing out, "Greetings, little fish on the road~"
Little fish on the road? What the hell does that mean? Douglas and Feidric exchanged puzzled glances. What kind of strange term is that?
Just as Hysilens finished speaking, another voice chimed in—a somewhat childlike, high-pitched voice strikingly similar to that of a certain "emergency food." "So, you lot are my new subordinates for this journey?"
Douglas froze, then looked around blankly, utterly bewildered.
Huh? Where did that voice come from? Is this some kind of hallucination?!
The voice persisted: "What are you looking at?"
Following the voice, Douglas slowly lowered his head. First, a small crown wreathed in blue flames appeared in his vision. Looking further down, he saw a blue-haired girl, a petite loli, standing with one hand on her hip, frowning slightly as she looked up at him.
Douglas was exceptionally tall, standing at a full two meters, while Cerydra, even with the crown, likely only reached around one and a half meters. At eye level, he simply couldn't see her.
Douglas instinctively opened his mouth, "This..."
But before he could utter another word, Feidric elbowed him sharply in the side. Feidric bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, Lady Cerydra."
Feidric wasn't as towering as Douglas, so he had immediately spotted the small crown atop Cerydra's head, leading him to notice her. Combined with what Hysilens had said earlier, he instantly realized this petite figure was the Empress herself!
Acting preemptively, he cut off Douglas's potentially rude remark. After all, this was their superior on this mission! If they angered her from the start, they'd be doomed.
It's worth noting that the sentence Douglas had wanted to say but couldn't utter was: When did a Dwarf girl show up here?
Feidric had played his hand perfectly, but in guarding against Douglas, he completely overlooked Aria on the other side. Aria immediately adopted an expression of astonishment, her eyes practically sparkling with stars. "Your Majesty the Empress is so adorable!"
Feidric turned back to Aria with a speechless, bordering on despairing look. Using the word "adorable" to describe an Empress? Was that really appropriate?
For an ordinary girl, "adorable" might be a compliment, but for an Empress, it should be a derogatory term, right? It might be misinterpreted as sarcasm!
Ruling a nation requires shrewdness, not mere adorableness!
Cerydra also turned to look at Aria, making Feidric's heart leap into his throat. Yet Aria remained completely oblivious, instead flashing Cerydra an utterly innocent and endearing smile.
After all, Aria had no concept of sarcasm; she spoke only from the genuine truth in her heart.
Then, as Feidric watched with growing tension, Cerydra slowly replied, "Then I shall accept your praise, Dux Gladii Sacri."
Feidric's expression froze in shock. Huh?
Leaving aside that bizarre title for a moment, this Empress... she actually seemed surprisingly approachable?
Cerydra's gaze swept across Feidric, Cipher, and Douglas in turn. "Dux Humilitatis, Dux Celeritatis, and Dux Exsecutoris," she announced, "you will officially depart at noon today. Remember to pack your belongings."
With that, Cerydra turned and left without another word. Hysilens gave the group a small wave of farewell before following after her.
Now alone in the office with Tribios, Douglas stood rooted to the spot, muttering to himself, "Dux Exsecutoris... Is that me? Does this nickname even make sense?"
"Hey guys," he continued, "do you think I'll live to see tomorrow's sunrise?"
Feidric patted Douglas on the shoulder, adopting a solemn tone. "I don't know. Just try your best."
Tribios offered reassurance, "Don't worry. Cerydra's actually quite kind-hearted. She won't get angry over something so trivial."
Douglas stared blankly. "R-really?"
Soon, the quartet, accompanied by two small animals, set out to procure essential supplies. Cold-weather clothing was their first priority, followed by specialized cold-resistant tents, toiletries, and non-perishable delicacies and fine wines. Only after these essentials were secured did they turn to weapons and equipment.
By the time they finished all the preparations, it was nearly noon. Aria, carrying a stack of warm coats, glanced at Little Owlbear and Half beside Cipher as they walked back. "Are they coming to the Northern Territory too?" she asked.
Cipher nodded. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of them."
After all, Half, as the Northern Wolf God, was a key objective of their mission to unify the Northern Territory. He had to come. And since they were already bringing one pet, what difference would two make? So they decided to bring Little Owlbear along as well.
Aria continued, "Should we get them some clothes too? Will they get cold?"
Cipher gave her a wry smile. "They're not afraid of the cold. In fact, they're probably more cold-resistant than any of us. No need for clothes."
It went without saying that the Northern Wolf God couldn't be afraid of the cold—that would be absurd. As for Little Owlbear, with its thick muscles and dense plumage, its cold resistance was maxed out.
In the end, after Cipher and her group of four finished their last lunch together, each shouldering a large backpack, they gathered in Okhema's city center. Hysilens and Cerydra arrived just in time. The two groups exchanged nods, and a Century Gate shimmered into existence before them.
-
PS: Okhema has currently collected the following Divine Artifacts:
Bard Divine Artifact (Travel Book)
Wizard Divine Artifact (Magic Ship)
Sorcerer Divine Artifact (Air and Earth Element Crystals)
Priest Divine Artifact (Polluted Faith Pendant)
Paladin Divine Artifact (Nameless Holy Sword)
The remaining uncollected Divine Artifacts belong to the Warrior, Monk, Rogue, Warlock, Ranger, Druid, and Barbarian classes.