Book 3: Chapter 269: Border Conflict

Ninth Epoch 2159·Spring (Wind Season·Eleventh Year)

The biting cold wind swept across the land. The spring that should have thawed the frozen earth had not arrived as promised, but instead kept delaying. Even as March approached, the average temperature still hovered around freezing. The frozen soil was too hard for planting, and the forage grasses grew slowly. Herders on the grasslands were forced to slaughter some of their livestock to ensure the hay and feed would last until the temperature warmed.

During this period, grain prices across the Fourth Continent began to rise, with the highest increases in the central and northern regions of the Mage Alliance, where prices had already reached ten times what they were several years ago, with no sign of stopping.

As mentioned before, when the grain shortfall reaches 10%, the result is not a 10% price increase, but rather a price hike that starves over 30% of the population to death. When people face a crisis, their instinct is to protect themselves, and most people's approach is to stockpile as much food as possible to prepare for even harsher conditions ahead.

The powerful can seize more resources, and they are not satisfied with merely filling their bellies. Instead, they pack their warehouses to the brim with grain until their inner anxiety eases and they feel comfortable. The result is that with production already reduced, the top 10% strong took nearly 40% of the grain, leaving the remaining 90% of people to fight over the remaining 50%.

"So, at the current grain prices, if we had reached a contract with the 'Golden Harvest Horn' last year, it would only have cost us six times the normal price. And that multiple would become even more favorable as the Sinking Fog season approaches."

In the manor of Sky High Tower, two Sages looked down from above, discussing the cooperation that had been suspended last year.

"In our view, this contract wasn't actually too much of a loss, but unfortunately, most people can't accept such a huge disparity."

"Yes."

"Also, it was a matter of disagreement among everyone. Otherwise, no matter how much those lower-tier mages and commoners gossiped, it wouldn't have changed the decision."

"Dangle, Bliss, Bare, and several others don't want to spend the money. They think that rather than paying such a heavy price to purchase grain, they might as well just go take it directly. And the reasons they give are quite convincing."

"Right now is the strongest moment for the Mage Alliance, but after sixteen years of suffering through the Sinking Fog season, the situation will be completely different."

"The territories of the 'Harp Flower Union' are naturally warmer, and they can also obtain partial grain supplies through cross-sea trade. Getting through the Sinking Fog season won't be difficult for them."

"The 'Hidden Grove Alliance' has shown considerable ambition after integrating the five covenant nations. Add to that their wide range of food sources across their territories, and enough gardeners to supplement production. It's said they've even opened fertile farmlands in the Shadow World. I really don't know how they managed it. Not only do these factors minimize the Sinking Fog season's impact on them, but after consolidating their resources, their strength will continue to grow steadily."

"And what about us? Hunger brings food shortages, which inevitably leads to intensified social conflicts. In the end, if we can only save one group of people and must abandon another, will those who are abandoned truly not fight back? Moreover, this kind of internal abandonment is absolutely devastating to morale. It will ultimately change the entire atmosphere of the Alliance, and there is even the danger of the Alliance splitting apart."

"Even if we finally make it through these sixteen years, our strength will certainly be greatly diminished. And will the other two major powers really just sit by and watch us recover? Until the 'Gold Steam' Aspect gives birth to an Hour, many things remain hanging in the air, and changes can happen at any moment." The two discussed this upheaval and the possibilities of what was to come.

"I wonder what Their Majesties are thinking. Logically speaking, for such a major matter, they should at least offer their advice, rather than letting the various factions argue among themselves, making it difficult to truly unify strategy."

"Perhaps the three Majesties are also waiting and watching. Just as we hesitate between enduring these sixteen years in suffering or simply throwing caution to the wind and taking a gamble."

.....

June·Summer, the weather warmed slightly.

A conflict broke out in the border region between the southern Mage Alliance and the Hidden Grove Alliance. A bandit group from the northern nation of Aixus attacked and captured a city in the southern Duchy of Mid, looting the large stores of grain stored within the city.

Before the incident, the young Duke of Mid had demanded that the nation of Aixus hand over the bandits responsible for the atrocities and return the plundered grain reserves.

Aixus agreed to the demands and even dispatched its royal legions to hunt down the bandit group, successfully annihilating them. However, they only returned a small portion of the grain reserves, claiming that was all they had recovered.

Faced with such a situation, the young Duke of Mid was furious, but he had no good options either, after all, the strength of the Kingdom of Aixus was inferior to the Duchy of Mid.

However, the situation quickly took a turn. After the establishment of the five great covenants, the current Duchy of Mid was a member of the 'Incantation Forest.' Witches were permanently stationed in the royal palace, providing advice and guidance to the royal family.

This time, it was a court witch who led a team, infiltrating the Kingdom of Aixus. She killed the bandit leader who had caused the trouble, and from his dying words, obtained a large amount of secret intelligence. Using this information, the witch found the large batch of wheat that Aixus had intercepted and withheld. She made this public, once again demanding compensation and an apology from the Kingdom of Aixus.

By this point, the Kingdom of Aixus was in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat. They too sought help from the court mages stationed in their royal palace.

That court mage was highly learned. After examining history and ancient ruins, he issued a proclamation stating that the lands occupied by the Duchy of Mid had, eight hundred years ago, originally been part of the Kingdom of Aixus. It was only during a turbulent period of power transition in Aixus that a group of outsiders seized the castle in the mountains and expanded from there, carving off portions of Aixus's territory, which is how the Duchy of Mid came to be.

Therefore, the Kingdom of Aixus had the right and obligation to reclaim its former territories. Moreover, the young Duke of Mid had no qualification to rule over this land at all; they were merely descendants of bandits.

Facing such a declaration, the young Duke of Mid's fury exploded. He could no longer contain himself, believing that this baseless insult must be washed away with sword and blood. Thus, a month later, he led his legions northward, attacking the territories of the Kingdom of Aixus.

During the initial battles, the witches in the Duke of Mid's legions played an especially prominent role. At night, they effortlessly bewitched the guards defending the city walls, eliminated the sentries on duty, and caused the city gates to open directly. The main army simply marched in and captured the city. With such methods, the legions led by the Duke of Mid captured four major cities in succession, occupying one-third of the territory of the Kingdom of Aixus.

Facing the increasingly precarious situation, the ruler of Aixus sought help from the 'Mist Spirit School' that protected the royal family. The school dispatched seven powerful Fourth Tier mages who cast a fog over the occupied cities, causing the Duke of Mid's troops stationed within to slaughter each other in the mist. Dozens of soldiers died, including nineteen knights.

Such an act provoked the newly formed 'Incantation Forest.' The witch faction 'Black Finger' dispatched six Fourth Tier 'Fallen Finger Witches.' These witches could manipulate the dreams of the living, casting terrifying nightmares that caused their victims to die in their sleep.

In the subsequent clashes, three mages of the 'Mist Spirit School' died from the horrifying dreams. It was said that before their deaths, they raved like madmen, screaming and shouting, tears of blood streaming from their eyes, tearing their own faces apart with their fingers, dying in a bloody mess.

Facing the deaths of their companions, the remaining 'Mist Spirit School' mages launched a fierce retaliation. Two witches died while washing their faces in the early morning, strangled by the mist spirits within their mirrors until they suffocated.

At this point, the conflict began to escalate. What had originally been a war confined to two small nations now appeared in the sightlines of the upper echelons of the two major power alliances.