177 Episode 18 Behind the Scenes (1/2)
It was over a year ago.
I'd say, ”Okay, ......, but I have a condition. ...... Cecilia, could you give us a moment, please?
”Well, Master Hercule. Are you hiding from me? You'll have to tell me later.
After making sure that Cecilia left the meeting, ......
Hercule turned to Masinissa, the chief of the Shuyen clan.
You are based in the Fesan region, south of the Teriportanian region of the Kingdom of Cerda, correct?
Yes, that's right. Yes, that's right. Originally, Qurenaica and Teriportania were also our lands.
The Barbarians used to live in a rich coastal area in the north of the southern continent, in a place called Liebua.
And in the old days, they were called Leibureans, not barbarians who spoke a strange language.
But the Leibureans were defeated in a war with the later settlers of the southern continent. ......
They lost their land little by little.
Today, the richer parts of the region where they once lived are part of the Lemurian Empire's province of Qurenaica, while the Teriportanian region is part of the Kingdom of Cerda.
And they were relegated to the not-so-rich Fezzan region.
Hmm, I don't know if I should ask for it back now.
I'm not going to say anything like that. ...... That was over a thousand years ago.
Our homeland is Feathern.
Our home is Featherstone,” said Masinissa.
I see. But ...... I heard that the Chelda Kingdom has been invading your land a lot lately?
Yes, ...... we've been losing land to the Kingdom of Chelda for the last few hundred years. You know a lot about it.
I've done my fair share of research.
The Barbarians have been driven into the Featherlands, but not all of their land has been taken.
Until a few hundred years ago, they had been living in the southern part of Terriportania.
Before the invasion of the warbeasts, the region of Teriportania was also under the control of the Lemurian Empire, but the Lemurian Empire tolerated the settlement of Teriportania by the Barbals.
If it was a military invasion, the Lemurian Empire welcomed it as long as it was a peaceful settlement.
However, this all changed after the invasion of the Warbeasts and the establishment of the Kingdom of Cerda.
The warbeasts took the land from the humans, became landlords, and exploited the humans as peasants.
The indigenous Barbarians were no exception.
No, rather, the Barbarians, who were originally discriminated against, were treated far more discriminatorily than the other human races.
If they were exploited as peasants, they were still better off.
Many Barbarians were forced to move to the Fesan region and completely lost their lands in Teriportania.
And the invasion of the Kingdom of Cerda is still going on, isn't it?
”Yes. There are some oases in the Fesan region, but ...... they are trying to take away even the few remaining rich lands. Although recently their military actions have been reduced due to the civil war in the Kingdom of Cerda.
Masinissa frowned in displeasure.
It may sound like the Balbals are being bullied by the Chelda Kingdom, but ......
In fact, the Barbarians are doing their fair share of fighting back.
They have repeatedly invaded and plundered the Teriportanian region.
The reason why the Kingdom of Chelda is invading the Featherlands is not to steal the rich lands, but rather to crush the Barbals who are repeatedly invading Teriportania.
The relationship between the Kingdom of Chelda and the Barbarians may be similar to the relationship between the Lemurian Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgalon.
In other words, the Kingdom of Chelda and the Tribe of Balbaru are enemies. And ...... the Kingdom of Chelda and our country are also enemies. So, why don't we form a military alliance?
”A military alliance?
Exactly. ...... Let's destroy the Kingdom of Chelda together.
We will destroy the Kingdom of Chelda.
We don't fight it, we destroy it. Destroy. Conquer it.
Masinissa gulped.
'Well, it's basically the Lemurian Empire we're fighting, isn't it? All you need is a few troops and ...... some logistics.
...... In return, what do we get in return?
”We welcome you, the Barbarians, as subjects of our Lemurian Empire.
Masinissa frowned at Hercule's words.
This means that they should be under your control .......
At least, it's not something that can be called ”quid pro quo”.
I'm not sure if you got the message. ...... I have no intention of getting involved in what my subjects do or settle in any land of the empire.
That's ......
”Well, I mean, I'll allow them to settle in the Terriportanian and Qurenaic regions. However, if you settle in ...... Teriportania and Qurenaica, you will have to pay taxes to the Lemurian Empire. As for the Feathern region, it will be your autonomous territory. You will not be required to pay taxes. I'll also give you a monopoly on ...... desert trade. What do you think?
”......
Masinissa pondered.
In fact, the lack of land was a very serious problem for the Barbarians.
The Fezzan region was a land of desert and wilderness, making nomadic herding, let alone farming, difficult.
Oases are plentiful, but there are not so many ...... oases.
As the population increases, there will be a shortage of food, and some people will starve to death.
Therefore, the permission to settle in Teriportania and Cyrenaica was an attractive proposal.
If the Barbals can be settled, or in other words, abandoned, food shortages will become less of a concern.
In addition, the monopoly on desert trade is very attractive.
If we could use the profits from the trade to purchase wheat from the Lemurian Empire, our current food problems would improve.
And if our nasty virtual enemy, the Kingdom of Cerda, really does disappear, ......
I'd be more than happy.
But the risks are great.
First of all, we don't know how much the Emperor of Lemuria is willing to keep his word.
The other is the risk of interference in the internal affairs of the country.
Masinissa herself is a Messianist, and she wants to govern the Barbals with Messianic morals and laws, but she does not want the Emperor of Lemuria to use that as an excuse to interfere in her internal affairs.