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Chapter 10: Treaty
THE following terms were agreed upon between Mynoghra and Phon’kaven:
1. Phon’kaven will cede the town of Dragontan to Mynoghra.
・Mynoghra will accept any townspeople who want to become naturalized citizens.
2. Mynoghra will provide firearms, ammunition, and the necessary equipment and tactics associated with them free of charge to Phon’kaven.
・This clause will change to providing the weapons at a cost once Phon’kaven’s military meets a strength threshold determined in another document.
W̊ eb̀ń оvё.l Ё ňù m̈а
3. Roads will be built connecting Mynoghra to Phon’kaven to strengthen trade and defense between the two nations.
4. Dragontan’s Dragon Vein Mine will be jointly managed by the two nations and operated as determined in another document.
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5. Both nations acknowledge they will continue to work together against global threats.
The specifics would be decided and put into writing by the civil officials, but that more or less covered the main points of the treaty.
Thus, on this day, the town of Dragontan became a part of Mynoghra.
But that was easier said than done.
Е́n̄ u m̌_a
This was only the beginning of a long process, considering how much work was involved in transferring territory from one empire to another.
◇◇◇
TAKUTO summoned his right-hand woman to Mynoghra’s Palace for a private meeting to discuss future policies.
Only a handful of people knew that Takuto and Mynoghra were originally from the 4x strategy game Eternal Nations. Isla used to be one of them, but now it was just Takuto and Atou who understood Mynoghra originated from a video game and ran by its rules. Thus, it was only a matter of course that they needed to meet in private, away from the Dark Elves, to examine their situation with the game mechanics in mind.
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“Even in the game, it took a few turns for a ceded or conquered territory to change affiliations. We probably shouldn’t expect an instant turnover,” Takuto remarked.
The results of the negotiation tied them to Phon’kaven more than they liked, but it was within acceptable limits to strengthen their alliance.
E ñ ūm̈ а
However, they bled what mattered more than gold in the process—precious time.
Just because Dragontan belonged to them on paper didn’t mean that it’d be theirs the second the ink dried—cutting through all the red tape to make the transfer stick was eating a lot of their time.
“That’s true,” Atou nodded. “At least it shouldn’t take as much time to restore the bare minimum governing systems and operate it as a Mynoghra territory thanks to the peaceful transfer.”
“Yeah. Easiest town get ever,” Takuto responded with a grin. “Everyone who matters in Phon’kaven seemed happy with the trade, so we basically caught a lucky break with this one.”
“Just one additional territory opens up a lot of new things we can do, too!” Atou exclaimed.
In Eternal Nations, there are two ways to acquire towns. The first method is to send out colonizers to an unoccupied territory and create the town from scratch. The second method is to obtain an already existing town from another empire by cession or subjugation. Both methods take time and money, but the peaceful transfer of territories is the most cost and time efficient method in the long run.
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A satisfied smile spread across Takuto’s face at this unexpected gain. “Things are going to get busy,” he said, switching gears to the less exciting aspects of this new development. “We don’t know when hostile forces will show up again. We’ve got to keep our domestic affairs flowing smoothly, strengthen our military, bolster our national power, maintain our alliance with Phon’kaven…and the list goes on. Busy doesn’t even begin to describe how hectic things are gonna get.”
“But we’ve finally reached true empire management,” Atou pointed out.
Yes, this was where the game really started to take off.
Empire management was one of the main things that made people crazy addicted to Eternal Nations.
Some of that appeal was present when Takuto built up Mynoghra’s capital with the Dark Elves in the Accursed Lands, but their settlement size had nothing on the joys of managing a town or city. Dragontan’s current population was estimated to be around 3,000. The number had shrunk significantly, with people using the Barbarian invasion and the cession of the town as an excuse to leave, but Dragontan had plenty of potential to grow. Takuto would have a lot more things to manage and execute now.
That said, the danger and greater threat to Mynoghra was still ever-present. Now wasn’t the time to be overly optimistic, but Takuto was still excited about entering his favorite phase in the game.
Е num̃а̃
“We sure have,” he said. “Okay, why don’t we consider what forces to send to Dragontan first? Let’s take care of their Food here at the capital and have the townspeople focus their efforts on restoring the town.”
Mynoghra’s military forces could be replenished with Emergency Production at the drop of a hat. Mynoghra could only produce basic units at this point, but with enough of them, Dragontan would become a strong town with a great defensive front. They also needed to expand Dragontan’s already existing troops. Takuto was going to train the naturalized townspeople who served in the town’s Defense Force to make them a force to be reckoned with.
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“We’re loaded thanks to the morons from a certain RPG dying for us,” Takuto laughed dryly. “All right, let’s move things along at a fast pace.”
There’s a mountain of things to do.
Takuto concentrated all his efforts on bolstering national power, as if pushed in that direction by some invisible force.
◇◇◇
Е̇n üḿа̊
MEANWHILE, the town of Dragontan was at the height of confusion and chaos. The decision to cede the town was made in haste, and the townspeople didn’t even have time to process what was happening. They were only informed about the change by a sign in the middle of town. Asking the people in charge of their district didn’t amount to any kind of informative answer, either.
Still, whether we like it or not, the world moves at a rapid pace around us.
Change wouldn’t wait for them just because they whined about it, so the townspeople were forced to respond to the upheaval in their lives after it’d already happened.
“Mama…I’m scared…”
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“I-It’ll be all right, sweetie. I-I’m positive our new king has good intentions for us.”
The same applied to the Beastmen mother and daughter who barely scraped by in an impoverished corner of Dragontan’s residential district. They were easily identified as Catkin from their fluffy triangular cat ears and tails. The father had fled during the Barbarian Invasion. They’d managed to survive until this day off their meager savings and handouts from neighbors. Families with similar circumstances could be found throughout Dragontan.
Е̄ n ù ma
The district commissioner had told the mother that Dragontan had been transferred from Phon’kaven to the empire of Mynoghra. Naturally, as residents of Dragontan, mother and daughter would also automatically become citizens of Mynoghra. Anyone opposed to the change was allowed to move to another town belonging to Phon’kaven, but the mother and daughter duo didn’t have the resources to even consider it. The only option available to them was to go along with the change like a person pulled out to sea by an unforgiving current.
Today was the day the district commissioner told them they would receive food rations. Apparently, their new country would provide food to impoverished residents like them. Their kitchen stockpile had long since been emptied. The mother and daughter, who’d given up on life, thinking all that was left for them was to starve to death, frantically suppressed their anxiety and got ready to head out to retrieve their rations.
“Be a good girl and come with mommy to get some food, okay?”
“O-Okay…”
The biggest rumor in town was that Mynoghra was an evil empire. Word had it that their people bristled with hatred and anger toward all that was good and spared no mercy for those who defied them. Those rumors, which originated from a soldier who actually saw Mynoghra’s king at the talks between the two countries, quickly spread among the townspeople, striking terror in them.
What will become of us? the mother wondered. Until now, they were able to live reasonably decent lives despite being poor, but there was no guarantee even that much would be allowed under their new rulers. Given the rumors, it wasn’t hard to imagine they might end up as sacrifices in some sort of unholy ritual.
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The mother didn’t want to think Phon’kaven had sold them, but it was hard to have much faith in her former rulers when they’d failed to properly respond to the Barbarian Invasion. She couldn’t shake her doubts and fears. But there was no one they could turn to for aid, anyway.
The mother held her daughter’s trembling little hand and opened the door leading outside for the first time in days. All the while praying to the Ancient Spirits: Please, just grant us the bare minimum necessary to survive…
“GYGYGYEEEEEEEE!”
A gigantic insect zoomed past the mother and daughter just as they set foot outside. Surprise hit them before fear. The giant creature, unlike anything they’d seen before, kept on running without even giving them a passing glance.
As the pair patted down their hair, tousled by the sheer speed of the creature, they finally realized they’d witnessed something supernatural. Yet they felt no fear. The insect in question was already long out of sight. Just the sound of its bizarre chittering let them know it was still somewhere in the vicinity.
“M-Mama, Mama! A big bug! A big bug just…!”
Еńù m̆а
“I-It certainly was a big bug, wasn’t it?”
Offering her excited daughter a faltering smile, the mother led her in the direction the mysterious insect came from.
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Rumor had it that various evil monsters served Mynoghra. That insect must’ve been one such monster. It seemed to be patrolling the town, as they saw it whizz past them several more times after that. The bug ran so ridiculously fast, it looked more like a blur than anything, but the two figured they didn’t have to worry about it since it wasn’t bothering them.
Mother and daughter were experiencing what it was like to be a part of Mynoghra. They felt more baffled than afraid, and soon surprise would be the strongest emotion they’d experience. They ran into the source of that surprise the second they exited the alleyway onto the main street.
“F-Feels like a different town, doesn’t it…?” the mother said.
“It does! It does!” the daughter cheered.
Enu m̂а̊
The town was alive and bustling like never before. Piles of what could only be relief supplies and more raw building materials than should be possible to obtain in the barren Dark Continent filled the street. It appeared all the materials were for rebuilding the town, and all of Dragontan’s former residents were working feverishly to get the job done.
Dark Elf officials were telling the townspeople where to carry supplies and what to do with them. Their foreign attire and overwhelming energy made it easy to tell they were from Mynoghra.
Mother and daughter were used to the streets of Dragontan being stifling and deserted, especially with the recent Barbarian issues. Where did that feeling go? They weren’t even part of the hustle and bustle, but they found their enthusiasm growing just watching everyone acting like they were getting ready to put on a big festival. Something strange crossed in front of them as they were reveling in this odd new sense of excitement.
“HEEEY! Where should we put this Flesh Tree sapling?!” one Dark Elf asked.
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“Whoops… Where was that supposed to go?” another Dark Elf responded and suddenly started to converse with someone who wasn’t there. “Oh, right! Yes, Your Majesty! At once! I’m ever grateful for your direct order, sire!” Then he turned back to the other Dark Elf. “His Majesty says to bring it to the empty lot across the way! It seems the Beastmen workers are leveling the ground there.”
“Hold on, did you just receive direct orders from His Majesty? Spirits on rocks! I’m so jealous of you, man!”
Еṅû mâ
“Hahaha! His Majesty is always watching over us! C’mon, let’s get a move on!”
On top of the wooden cart pulled by the Dark Elves was a man-sized tree. It was different from any tree the mother and daughter had ever seen. Its limbs twisted and curled as if defying the laws of nature, and for some reason, it even had hollows in its trunk that could eerily be mistaken for eyes and a mouth. Freakish fruit that looked unfit—or rather, heretical—for mortal consumption hung from its branches.
“Mama! Mama! Look at the funny tree! It’s a tree…right?”
“Um, good question, sweetie. I feel like we shouldn’t look directly at its fruit, but…I’m pretty sure it is a tree?”
They called it a Flesh Tree. I definitely heard them say it’s a Flesh Tree… the mother thought.
The most disturbing part was that the tree seemed to be dexterously swaying its branches to wave to her daughter. Seeing that, her daughter excitedly waved back, but did she even know what she was responding to? Dancing and singing trees existed only in stories. They didn’t suddenly break into a jig or walk around in reality. Then again…maybe the mother was the one who was wrong here since the tree was literally waving to her child as she watched.
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She put a hand to her aching head as she led her daughter, who was still giddily waving to the mysterious tree as it was rolled down the road, toward their destination.
“Okay, I think this is the place, sweetie.”
“Wow! There’s so many peoples, Mama!”
“There sure are. Hold on tight to Mama’s hand and don’t get lost.”
They finally made it to the town square. This used to be where various wartime supplies, such as swords and arrows, were left out for the fight against the Barbarians, but now it was where Mynoghra distributed food supplies and gave instructions to the townspeople.
The guidepost at the entrance to the square had images and words drawn on it that even the uneducated working class could understand. After confirming what they should do with one of the nearby Dark Elves on guard duty, they got in line to receive their rations.
Е n ùm̊ а̂ .i d̀
As the mother looked at the long line ahead of her, she marveled at how obediently the townspeople were waiting. Phon’kaven was a multiracial empire, so naturally the townspeople naturalized into Mynoghra were also diverse in race, culture, customs, and temperament. The mother couldn’t help but find it strange to see people who normally never listened to anyone being awfully compliant.
“Line up for rations over here! Come one and all, precious inhabitants of Dragontan! Citizens of our MIGHTY KING! EAT TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT AND INCREASE YOUR LOYALTY TO THE GREAT KING OF RUIN, TAKUTO IRA! WAHAHAHAHA!”
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“Mama, who’s that birdie?”
“One of our new country’s soldiers, I’m sure. Be sure to greet them properly.”
“Okaaay!”
The person she assumed was a soldier working at the ration distribution center was dressed in bizarre attire. His entire body was wrapped in a black robe, and he wore a mask shaped like a bird’s face. The soldier, whose hands were hidden inside gloves to avoid exposing any skin, distributed supplies to the townspeople in a jovial voice that belied his spooky appearance.
W̆ ěb́n ӧv̆ e l̃ Е̄ n̄umа
Maybe something inhuman is slithering underneath all those clothes? Mind reeling with such surreal thoughts, the mother patiently awaited her turn.
Funnily enough, the soldier was indeed a monster just like the mother had thought—he was one of Mynoghra’s Brain Eaters. Obviously, the mother and daughter had no way of knowing that, and the daughter cheerfully greeted him when their turn finally came.
“Good morning, mister! I’m Toto! I’m this many years old,” she said, holding up four fingers. “Who are you?”
“Well, good morning to you, polite little miss! I’m the Brain Eater, Shigeru! I’m a newborn zero-year-old!!” the soldier said, making a circle with his gloved fingers.
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His perky demeanor melted the daughter’s heart and made her look past his strange appearance. Taken by him, Toto broke into a toothy grin and jumped with joy.
“We have lots and LOTS of rations to give to good little children!” Shigeru exclaimed. “His Majesty lavishes rewards on all exemplary and loyal citizens!”
W.еb̌n̆ ӧ v̊ е l̆ Е̄ n ŭ ḿ.а_
“Ehehe, zanks!”
“Thank you very much, sir.” The mother accepted the ration bag in her daughter’s stead and politely bowed to the soldier. Then she glanced behind her to confirm the line wasn’t too long before making up her mind to ask the question gnawing at her. “Excuse me…but I would like to consult you about something. I’m a single mother, and I can’t find a job that’s willing to hire a woman with a young child, so I was wondering if you could help me…”
Mynoghra was currently distributing necessary supplies to everyone, but that wouldn’t continue forever. If the mother didn’t find a job soon, they wouldn’t survive after the handouts ceased. She considered leaving her daughter alone at home while she worked, but that’d be far too dangerous at her age, and so she gave up on the idea. With few soldiers around to keep the peace, young children were often kidnapped and sold.
The mother had asked the soldier about it, hoping he could use his ties to find her a side job she could do at home, but she got an entirely unexpected answer in return.
“I see! My work has nothing to do with that kind of thing, so I haven’t a clue how to help! WAHAHAHA!”
Ah, it’s not just the mask that’s birdlike, but also his brain…
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His jovial laughter was rather refreshing, but his answer didn’t contain even a shred of what she’d hoped to hear. He was just someone assigned to distribute supplies. Maybe she’d picked the wrong person to ask. She’d hoped he could introduce her to someone who could help.
Someone stepped in and offered a helping hand before the mother could press the issue.
“You needn’t worry about that.”
“Oh? Who are you?” the mother asked.
“I guess you could say I’m these birdbrains’ boss,” said the Dark Elf girl who showed up just in time. She lightly bowed her head in greeting. “I’m Caria.”
If she’s their boss, does that mean she’s a commanding officer? the mother wondered. She couldn’t conceal her surprise at this girl having such a high rank when she clearly wasn’t much older than her own daughter.
Ёn̂ ùm а
Whether or not she was aware of the mother’s thoughts, Caria proceeded to explain things professionally to the woman.
“His Majesty has given orders to preferentially distribute rations to single-mother families, families with sick people, and families with no able-body workers. Taxes will also be exempt until Dragontan is fully rebuilt. After that, we plan to establish exemption and welfare systems depending on citizen needs.”
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“I’m sorry, but what exactly does all that mean…?”
The mother was confused by all the complicated words. She never received an education since Phon’kaven had no school system or requirements for its people to learn. She desperately tried to understand the complex terms and systems the much younger girl spoke of with ease. Apparently, her confusion showed as Caria nodded with understanding and rephrased her answer.
“It means that His Majesty won’t abandon any citizens as long as they put in the effort to survive.”
“Oh! That makes sense! Thank you for explaining!”
Eń um ӓ
Now that was something the mother could understand.
Is it normal for the king of an evil empire to be so charitable and benevolent? she wondered for a brief moment, before her doubts dispersed for some strange reason.
“You have His Majesty King Takuto Ira to thank for everything good that happens,” Caria said emphatically.
“Of course! I’m forever grateful to the great King Takuto Ira for his boundless mercy!”
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Everyone had talked about how frightening the empire of Mynoghra was. About how it was full of villainous people who harbored hatred and anger toward all that was good and just and never forgave anyone who defied them. But when the mother interacted with them, she saw how merciful and generous they were.
She was moved to tears. Her relief gave way to gratitude, and loyalty bloomed in response to King Takuto Ira’s benevolence.
Е́ ńũṁ ӓ
We’re being protected and cared for.
All the anxiety about their future weighing on her like a ton of bricks vanished. The mother finally felt like a weight had been taken off her shoulders.
Aaah, what a wonderful country Mynoghra is! I want to be useful to this country even though we’re poor and powerless! Driven by a sense of impatience to be useful, the mother promptly decided to discuss what they could do for their new country as soon as she returned home with her daughter.
It still didn’t feel real that they had become Mynoghra’s citizens. There was much for them to learn, but pride glimmered in both their eyes.
“Stop it! Lemme go, you monster!”
The mother and daughter’s cat ears suddenly picked up on a ruckus. They glanced toward where a large Oxman was being dragged away by another bird-mask soldier.
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Did he cause trouble? The mother felt like her optimistic thoughts and hopes for the future had been tainted by the man’s unruly scream, which irked her. As she watched with a frown, her daughter Toto suddenly spoke up.
“Miss Caria! Miss Caria! What’s wrong with him?”
“Good question. Do you know, Mr. Shigeru?”
Shigeru’s neck snapped unnaturally in the direction of the commotion, which he closely assessed.
“Hmm…?” After a moment, he slapped his hands together as if he suddenly remembered the reason. “OOOOOH! If I remember correctly, he’s a ROGUE who was trying to EXTORT rations from INNOCENT citizens! He was planning to make some money on the black market with it. He’s about to be SKINNED alive as PUNISHMENT.”
“There’s your answer, Toto,” Caria said matter-of-factly. “They caught a bad person, so he’s going to get skinned.”
Ѐ ǹ um̄а̌ .ĩḋ
“Wha-?! S-S-Skinned?!”
They received an awfully gruesome answer. The uncanny soldier and his commanding officer acted like that was the most natural thing in the world. They were about as casual about it as two people sitting down for tea.
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“Right as rain,” Caria said. “Please watch for yourselves if you have the time.”
“U-Uhhh…”
The mother was torn. Criminals need to be punished, even more so during a crisis. The death penalty wasn’t out of the question for someone who dared extort precious rations from the powerless.
But…death by being skinned alive? That raised an eyebrow. Especially being invited to watch it happen. Sure, she’d heard about public executions, but not ones that involved skinning.
Еn̊ uṁа
The mother was struggling to accept the situation when her daughter started tugging on her sleeve.
“Mama! Mama! I wanna watch! I wanna see the bad man get skinned!!”
“Whaaat…?”
Her daughter just said the most outrageous thing. Her eyes sparkled and her whole body trembled with excitement.
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What’s so exciting about seeing a criminal get skinned? Here I thought we could finally live in peace, but now I worry about my daughter’s future…
“W-We’ll only watch for a few minutes, okay…?”
Eń ŭ m a.і̇d̃
“YAY!!”
Dubious nature of the execution aside, everything in life can teach you a lesson. There was plenty for the mother and daughter to learn from watching the criminal die painfully. Besides, the mother couldn’t shake her own budding desire to watch.
I’ve suffered for a long time. I deserve some entertainment, she thought as she bid the Brain Eater and Caria farewell.
“Enjoy!”
“TAKE CARE!!”
The mother headed to the execution site feeling exhilarated as she lightly chided her daughter not to make such a fuss by skipping and waving the whole way.
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