“Sometimes, it is wiser to not act.” - Old folk saying.

“So what are we going to do?” asked Kino after a moment of silence.

“Us? Nothing,” replied Aideen with a shake of her head. “There are only the three of us. Even if we assassinate the Emperor, all that will likely do is to turn this empire of theirs into a hellhole ravaged by civil war, because you can bet the vultures would be waiting for just such an opportunity. This sort of… problem is well beyond our capabilities to intervene in, honestly.”

“Before you ask, the situation was different when we intervened in Oajib or Urvan, or even back in Shisfa. In Oajib it was practically something that was still on the level of a personal vendetta, so that was of relatively little consequence overall, while in Urvan, the civil war already started and we have the interest in wanting one side to triumph over the other,” she explained. “Similarly, in Shisfa, someone would likely get the Khan even if we didn’t. We probably just spared the people here a year of waiting or so, and likely saved others the cost for the assassins they would have needed.”

“The wounds here are too fresh still, the people left, too weak and demoralized to rise up against those stepping on them,” Ayub echoed with a nod of his head. “Even if the Empire is to crumble tomorrow, life would just turn into a different kind of hell for us, so it is indeed as the Lady in white has said, Milady. We are doing what we can to make things better, but it is the limit of what we can do for the time being. To be greedy at this point would just invite disaster for the people here.”

“All too often, life is sadly too complicated for something as simple as killing a bad person to solve all problems, Kino,” said Aideen patiently. “As I said before, sometimes the only ones who can help a people go through tribulations such as these are the people themselves. If they have no motivation to change their own lives, no amount of help will be able to do much for them.”

“In a way, having cruel oppressors that placed themselves above them is a blessing in some ways,” she continued. “Such oppressors always make for easy enemies to loathe. Targets for resentment that deserved the vitriol aimed at them, something to rebuild the people’s motivation to free themselves from underneath their yoke.”

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“I think I see where Aunt is going,” noted Eilonwy. “Discontent needs time to build up until it reaches a great enough mass that it could move the people into a revolt. Right now there are only the weak, the young, the old, the sick, and the defeated left in the conquered territories. Even if we arm them and support their revolt they would just waste their lives.”

“On the other hand, their descendants might be a different case, especially if the empire fails in the near future,” she continued. “The conquered would see the signs of weakness and if they’re smart, teach their young to bide their time, for the right time to rise up and visit their vengeance on the hated oppressors. There is a time for everything, and doing something at the right time is important for things like these.”

“It’s far more troublesome when you run into an adversary that knows how to make people want to submit to them,” said Aideen as she continued with her explanation. “When you have conquerors who flaunt their power over you, it’s all too easy to hate them, but when you have people who actively make your life better instead? You’ll end up joining them yourself before you know it.”

“That… sounds rather familiar…” muttered Kino with a surprised look on her face.

“It should, because the Lichdom is the acknowledged master of the latter method,” said Eilonwy with a knowing smile. “Junora and Vitalica were from before the time you were even born, so you wouldn’t know of them, but you were with us back in Antemeia, and you’ve seen how they’ve pretty much assimilated themselves with the rest of the Lichdom on their own accord, haven’t you?”

“I… Yeah… I see what you mean…” nodded Kino with a barely audible voice.

“It’s not like we’re doing them a bad turn or anything either. You know Grandpa. He treats pretty much everyone in his territory the same way. He doesn’t play favorites,” said Aideen in a consoling tone of voice. “Those who actually run the Lichdom on his behalf made sure that things got better in Antemeia in short order, as it was the standard treatment we offer our vassal states. For some reason, those vassal states always ended up joining the Lichdom on their own after a couple generations, though,” she added with a smirk.

“Heh. If these Vusiland had enough sense to understand that such a method of assimilation is far better than lording over their former enemies, they might well build a grand Empire here in the north, but alas, it is not meant to be,” said Ayub as he shook his head. “They just have to be short-sighted fools, so it is our lot as the people who live here to suffer under their yoke for the time being.”

“Do you have anything you want us to convey to… Sudaksina, wasn’t it? We’re planning to head to the capital next, so if you have need for anything, we can pass on the message while we’re there,” offered Aideen to the tavern owner.

“At the moment, I have all I need here, Milady, so there is no need to trouble yourself with such matters,” replied Ayub with a shake of his head. “That said, if you could pass on a simple message to the Good Master, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Certainly. What message do you want passed on?” Aideen asked the man. While normally the agents would send messages to one another using messenger birds or the like, given the situation she could see why Ayub might want to pass on a message more discreetly.

“The camel’s back is near breaking. The Good Master will understand.”