Ruin has come to our family

Hearing this, Lance was lost in thought. The state of the Empire was not stable. Whether it was the mist-shrouded mountains that bisected the imperial map, the snow-covered lands of the north, or the endless deserts of the east, all were home to many barbarian tribes. Their social structure was still in a tribal stage, and most of them practiced shamanism. Some tribes were in constant conflict with the Empire, while others cooperated. The relationship between them was exceedingly complex, not something that could be explained in a sentence or two.

But their needs were real. The tribes required the various resources produced by the Empire, and for that, they needed money. Mercenary companies like the Claw of the White Wolf were, in essence, a way for these tribes to send their warriors out to earn money to support their people back home. For some unknown reason, they had offended a nobleman and had been forced to flee here.

This new information connected all the threads, making the situation much clearer. The people of the Hamlet had rioted under the influence of the Prophet's words. The Ancestor had planned to hire men to kill a few of them to shift the blame. At that time, the Claw of the White Wolf, on the run, had arrived nearby. They had joined the attack on the Hamlet in exchange for a chance at survival. However, their company had been crippled by the Imperial Army, and they either lacked the strength to break through the town's defenses, or they had intentionally held back to preserve their numbers.

Then, the deserters had arrived. They joined the siege, bringing cannons to the field and breaking the stalemate. But after the town was sacked, the Ancestor had "disappeared" without paying the final balance of their contract. And so, they had all taken up residence on the Old Road.

"In your opinion," Lance asked, posing a new question, "what is the relationship like between these brigand factions?"

"During the battle," Barristan replied, "the brigands had no unified command. They all fought for themselves. They were even wary of each other. That's the only reason the town was able to hold out for so long."

"In the few days I was out there," Dismas added, "I saw little communication between the different bands."

Their words confirmed Lance's own judgment. He knew that these groups had only united to attack the Hamlet because it was a fat piece of meat laid before them, with enough for everyone to have a share. But now, the meat was gone. They had always been a sheet of loose sand, each with their own interests. Why would they listen to anyone else? To say nothing of the fact that in the initial plunder, some had surely taken more than others. The seeds of jealousy and mistrust had long been sown by that uneven distribution.

You expected them to live in peace? It was a wonder they hadn't started killing each other yet. In a way, the town had been spared a second raid precisely because the brigands were in a state of internal conflict. They all wanted to preserve their own strength, so no one was willing to be the first to spend their own men attacking the town again. They were all holding each other back, trapped in a mire of their own making.

After organizing all the clues, a path forward became clear to him. He looked up at his men, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"I have found a way to deal with them."

His words immediately captured their attention. They were all curious. How would their lord solve the problem of the brigands?

"We will turn the wolf upon the tiger."

The phrase was not one they understood. They all looked at him strangely. Lance, unhurried, began to explain.

"We will make the brigands fight each other."

"But how can we make them do that?" They understood his meaning, but the details were even more incomprehensible. Why would the brigands listen to him?

Lance's face was a mask of confidence as he laid out his plan.

"To solve the problem of the brigands, the key lies with the Cannon Company and the Wolf Pack. To deal with those two bands with our own strength is unrealistic. Therefore, the most effective method is to exploit the enmity between them. You all know the situation of the tribal barbarians within the Empire. And this mercenary company was crippled by the Imperial Army. They already have a grudge. If we can use that to provoke a war between them, to make them wear each other down, our own pressure will be greatly reduced."

For various reasons—cultural differences, religious beliefs, and the most direct, conflict over resources—the barbarian tribes and the Empire were often at war. As a result, the tribesmen who lived within the Empire were treated as second-class citizens and were often discriminated against. And since their company had been crushed by the army, they truly did have a blood feud. They would not look kindly upon these deserters.

And the deserters, in turn, had their "Imperial pride." Even if I am a deserter, they would think, we Imperials are still a cut above you barbarians. They, too, would not look kindly upon the tribesmen.

His men considered this. As men who had wandered far and wide, they knew of the discrimination the tribesmen faced. They themselves had discriminated against them. Though they had little contact, a preconceived notion that they were all savage and crude was deeply ingrained.

"The key now," Barristan said, "is how to provoke a fight between them."

"My lord, just tell us what to do," Dismas said. He didn't have so many complicated thoughts. He knew that if he just did as his lord said, he would be led to victory, again and again.

"The plan is simple," Lance said. "It only requires you to go undercover in the Cannon Company."

"What!" This was a difficult proposition for Dismas. One does not simply join a band of deserters.

"Don't be so hasty. Let me finish," Lance continued. "Right now, the two bands have no direct conflict. So, we will create one. First, we will eliminate some of the smaller brigand bands. Then, you will disguise yourself as a survivor of those attacks and seek out the Cannon Company. You will tell them that the Wolf Pack is consolidating power, killing off the other brigands, with the ultimate goal of taking the Hamlet for themselves.

"If the Cannon Company does not accept you, we will continue to hunt lone brigands in the wilds, creating an atmosphere of fear. At that point, the Cannon Company will not be able to sit still. If you successfully infiltrate them, we will coordinate from the inside and the outside. You will lead a patrol from the Cannon Company to a designated spot. We will ambush them, disguised as the Wolf Pack. This will prove your story and solidify your position. Then, you will persuade the Cannon Company to attack the Wolf Pack. Once the first blow is struck and the first man dies, the Wolf Pack will have a blood feud with the Cannon Company that will not end until one of them is destroyed."

Lance spoke with a feverish excitement, his ideas wild and imaginative. Reynauld and Barristan, both men with military experience, had some trouble keeping up. It was an incredibly audacious plan. In a regular army, any commander who issued such an order would be suspected of having lost his mind.

But the men seated here did not doubt Lance. Because their lord truly led from the front. He would execute the very plans he conceived. And what's more, this style of weakening the enemy to play to their own strengths, of fighting with a few against many, had been proven successful several times already. There was nothing to worry about. Having grown accustomed to Lance's style, it all seemed rather normal.

They discussed the plan, refining the details, and then Lance made his decision.

"Rest for one day. We move on the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, my lord!" they all answered.

Lance would have preferred to set out immediately, but Dismas needed to rest, Reynauld and Barristan needed to arrange the training schedule, and Lance himself had to make preparations to prevent any potential problems down the line.

After the meeting was dismissed, however, Lance did not leave immediately. Instead, he took Dismas to a very familiar place—the brothel.

Seeing the somewhat repaired building, a bitter smile appeared on Dismas's face.