“You don’t think that attacking the Wildlands is viable,” Pauline muttered, “and I can understand that. No one expected the Demon God to fall. None of us prepared for an actual invasion. And least of all, most of our advantages will be lost if we enter the Wildlands.”

She paused. “That’s the gist of it, right?”

Aziz and Marie nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I understand where you’re coming from, yes. But…”

Aziz felt his heart sink. That single word had indicated her true position, and for some reason, the colonel felt incredibly tired. He couldn’t quite bring himself to listen on, but it wasn’t like he had a choice in this matter either way.

“But?” Marie prompted.

The Minister of State breathed out heavily. “Do you know what’s the largest threat to us, barring the Demon God and his armies?”

“Biggest threat?” Marie thought for a moment. “Internal conflict from issues stemming from the Second Extermination and long-standing divisions, right?”

“Wrong. All wrong.” Pauline shook her head. “You’re looking at internal threats, which can be handled well with good laws and education. As long as a competent judiciary and a fair administration holds the reins, these issues can be mollified easily. No, the true threat is our neighbour, the Southern Assembly.”

Aziz and Marie glanced at each other uneasily, and the minister chuckled. “Odd, really. The military officials think about internal threats first, while the civil servants consider the external threats. We might have won the war for our liberty, but you two seem to assume that we won alone.”

“The Southern Assembly was jointly attacked by the East and the West,” Marie muttered.

“Yes. And we took advantage of the chaos to oppose the Assembly,” said Pauline. “On the surface, it seems that we have all kinds of advantages if we ever came to blows again, but these advantages are only transient. The Assembly is training their own aerial troops, researching on their own variations of artillery. It will take them a year or two, given their observers’ proximity to the North’s elite armies.”

“They’re trying to play catch-up?”

“Yes,” Pauline replied. “My own spies report that there’s also an increasing rapprochement between the Western Holdings and the Southern Assembly too. They have too much in common too — the weakest military, fears of being technologically dominated, an archaic system of nobility…there’s a great deal of political considerations in there.”

She sighed. “If push comes to shove, it is very possible that the West and the Assembly would join hands to deal with us first. I imagine such a collaboration to take place in the form of weapons, supplies and volunteer troops.”

Marie raised her hand. “In that case, shouldn’t this mean that there is greater value in building up our forces and not expending them in the Wildlands? I don’t see why—”

“On the surface, yes. However, a great deal of raw materials have been expended in the Southern Continent. The same goes for the other nations, but the Southern Assembly has been hit very hard from this. Do you remember the abrupt destruction of the Divine Ladder at Empyria? The resulting explosion destroyed a great deal of valuable materials and their military industries.” Pauline rubbed her nose. “It was the nail in the coffin for the Assembly, back when the East and the West invaded.”

“So…our reason to invade the Wildlands is to deny the Southern Assembly from obtaining more raw resources?” Aziz found himself asking.

“To be precise, to make sure that they have a lower share of resources. Our continent is in the very enviable position of being the closest to the Wildlands. If we do not obstruct the Assembly at every turn,” said Pauline, “they will soon regain their military capabilities that they once had.”

The Minister of State clearly intended to oppose the Southern Assembly at every juncture. From how she was treating them as an enemy, Aziz could tell that if at any point she thought the Republic would win in a war against the Assembly, Pauline would order an attack immediately.

There was no point in asking how things devolved to such a point. To begin with, there was long-standing hatred between the Assembly and the Republic; their governing ideals were in complete opposition, the victims of the Second Extermination hadn’t had their justice yet…the list went on. In fact, Colonel Aziz knew that the two nations were waging small skirmishes in Heritage; countless talented youths had been eternally buried in the snow there.

He knew all this. None of this was something that would surprise Aziz, but now, it was clear that he himself did not like the prospect of war. Invading the demons, warring with their neighbours...the thought of all these events only served to lower his mood.

A soldier, however, had their own orders to follow. Mood or otherwise. The only saving grace was that Minister Pauline was truly genuine in her worries; she truly feared the possibility of being invaded by the Assembly. She didn’t covet resources and territory for the sake of doing so. She truly desired to protect the nation, the nation she and a few others had created.

“I understand,” said Marshal Marie. “To be honest, I had the same considerations, but I didn’t want to draw the lines to the very end. I was…afraid, I guess.”

“Yes. I know.” The minister smiled sadly. “I’m also afraid too. None of us want to fight, but let me ask you this, Marie. Would you trust the Southern Assembly if they claimed that they don’t harbour any ill intentions against us?”

Marie froze, and Pauline shook her head. Turning to Aziz, she said, “What about you, Aziz?”

“I…” The colonel took a deep breath, but he couldn’t bring himself to say ‘yes’

“Do you see where I’m coming from now? We cannot trust them,” said Pauline. “On the other hand, would the Southern Assembly trust us? If we declare that we have no desire to attack them, would they believe our declaration? Or would they see it as a ploy to lower their guard?”

“The latter,” Marie replied. “Yes. I see where you’re coming from. The root of all this is fear and mistrust.”

“Yes. If only…”

“If only?”