CHAPTER 367: CHAPTER 246: MARRIAGE ALLIANCE

At dusk, the Aldean leaders held a banquet to celebrate their victory and specially sent Budocaribas to invite Fesaros.

With Pigeris persuading him by his side, Fesaros did not refuse this time. After arranging camp affairs, he went to the Aldean army’s station with Pigeris.

At the banquet, Alistacas was very active, with the strong support of the Aldean southern leaders led by Ambrosius. It was as if the victory of this battle owed much to his command, completely ignoring the fact that he had been provoked by Baka and recklessly led his army forward, causing the central part of the Alliance Army to be the first to be overwhelmed.

Of course, Fesaros also became a popular figure at the banquet. The Aldean leaders praised the important role the First Legion, led by him, played in the battle. Many also inquired about the situation of the Nix Tribe, to which he answered one by one, with Pigeris assisting at the side, responded appropriately.

This banquet saw both sides interacting harmoniously and returning jubilant.

Early the next morning, Alistacas sent a messenger to the Otarlat camp to see a depressed Baka, demanding he fulfill his pre-battle promise.

Baka reluctantly agreed but stubbornly stated: His army did not lose to the Aldeans but was defeated by the strong allies of the Aldeans—the Nix Army! He hoped the Aldeans would manage the salt mine well because in a few years, the Otarlat people would retake it.

............

Cleobrotas quietly walked into the bedroom, where a foul stench of decay permeated, causing him to sniff involuntarily.

"Who is it?" the old man lying on the bed asked.

"It’s me, Great Chief," Cleobrotas hurriedly approached the bed.

Acoupaigos laboriously turned his head to the left, his wrinkled eyelids slowly opened a slit, and after surveying the visitor with murky eyes, he weakly said, "Judging by your look, we have won?"

"We achieved a great victory! We’ve reclaimed the salt mine!" Cleobrotas said with some excitement.

"Good, good, we finally won." Acoupaigos closed his eyes, seemingly savoring the surge of joy in his heart. After a moment, he asked, "How did we win?"

Cleobrotas hesitated briefly before simply recounting the course of the battle, omitting the incident where Alistacas was provoked and launched a reckless attack.

Acoupaigos fell silent for a moment before lightly sighing, "The Nix are indeed powerful. This time Alistacas and they have all seen it firsthand. I believe they won’t hold grudges against the decisions we made before... By the way, how are Alistacas and the Nix getting along?"

"He gets along well with them and respects the Nix more after the battle," Cleobrotas stated, truthfully.

"That’s good, that’s good, that’s really good." Acoupaigos said three times contentedly, then added, "Please call that youngster for me, I have something to tell him."

"Great Chief, he’s still on the road with his team; I hurried back first to report this good news to you."

Acoupaigos paused for a moment, then suddenly understands: "You still care the most about my condition... I’m fine, I can live a few more days."

Cleobrotas’s expression dimmed at these words, he opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say for a moment.

"Brotas, you do have an eye for things. I never really saw the young chief of the Nix to be much like the great Alexander, it’s more about using them as a shield for our tribe..."

At this moment, Acoupaigos weakly voiced his thoughts: "But I never expected the Nix to repeatedly repel the Pannonians’ attacks and truly gain a foothold here... I heard that over this year, they have developed well along the Kupa River, and are continuously strengthening. Even some of our tribes have been drawn to them, keeping close ties..."

Acoupaigos struggled to open his eye slit wider, trying to focus better on his confidant’s face: "Even if we must chase the sun, we shouldn’t get too close, to avoid being devoured by it..."

Cleobrotas felt a sinking feeling, and he softly reminded, "But Great Chief, we need the Nix people more now than they need us. Take this battle for instance, the Otarlat people gathered such a large army to fight us, perhaps it wasn’t just to hold onto the salt mine!"

"Ah... since the kingdom was destroyed by the Romans, it’s been difficult for the Illyrian tribes to unite, rather they often have internal conflicts... Baka, that greedy wolf, takes advantage of our defense against the Pannonians, repeatedly hitting us when we’re down, I understand his intentions clearly..."

Acoupaigos sighed with a troubled expression, "Nevertheless, the Nix people have become our biggest support now, but how can we maintain the current good situation long-term, ensuring our tribe gains safety, benefits from the Nix Tribe’s development, while letting the ambitious young chief fully trust us without harboring other thoughts?"

Cleobrotas fell into contemplation, and after a while, his eyes brightened, though he then slightly shook his head.

"It seems you’ve got an idea; marriage alliance is the best way to further our relationship with the Nix Tribe. If Maximus and I become in-laws, tribal matters become family matters, easily solved behind closed doors."

Acoupaigos’s voice carried a slight fluctuation as he spoke: "However, Alistacas does not have a daughter, but you have an age-appropriate granddaughter, who is also my grandchild. Marrying Geniandafra to the Nix Tribe Chief Maximus would bring the two tribes closer together. What... do you think?"

Cleobrotas remained silent.

"Since Maximus already has a wife, is that why you disagree?" Acoupaigos rarely showed eagerness: "Given you consider Maximus as akin to Alexander, you should know that the great Alexander had several wives, cough, cough, cough..."

Seeing Acoupaigos coughing repeatedly until his face flushed, Cleobrotas quickly said, "I don’t mind Maximus having a wife, you know Geniandafra is rather headstrong. I’m worried that after marrying Maximus, she might not get along well and instead create some opinions he might have against us."

"Geniandafra being headstrong? That’s with you guys. Every time she comes to me, she appears very obedient. This little girl is clever, just watch, she will do her utmost there to help us, help her uncle." Alistacas smiled a little.

"In that case—" Cleobrotas hesitated briefly before solemnly saying, "I agree to marry my granddaughter to Maximus!"

"This matter is entrusted to you. I hope to see my granddaughter integrate into the Nix Tribe before I leave..." Acoupaigos’s eyes carried hope: "Moreover, this way, Alistacas will be dependent on you, and I can leave without worry."

Hearing this, Cleobrotas felt immense emotion, his eyes began to moisten.

............

Valerius, a Sulla veteran, once a Lukaiya person, joined the rebel army with Quintus and served as a guide in the raid on Pompey, earning some merits. However, due to his old age, he couldn’t partake in intense battles and didn’t join the combat units as a team officer like Oluus and Lufus, nor did he wish to engage intellectually, declining to be part of the staff, thus staying in the rebel army’s Supply Camp doing odd jobs.

After the rebel army entered the Illyria Mountain and established the Nix Tribe, settling down, Valerius, being old and unnoticed, didn’t attract any woman, thus after being allocated sixty acres of land, he first squeezed in with other single tribesmen in Snowdonia’s mansion, later moving into a new house built by the public works team.

He didn’t enjoy managing fields, and after discovering that Aldean hirelings were not only diligent but far better at farming than him, he readily paid a high share of the field income and hired three Aldeans to work for him, while he either helped artisans in the Public Works Department or assisted with soldier training at the Military Department training ground... Life was fulfilling and pleasant until a recent announcement posted by the Military Department prompted him to make a decision.

He got up early this morning but found someone had risen even earlier, already baking bread and simmering fish soup, placing them on the dining table.

This was done by Salia, an Illyrian woman he hired, who also told him: To eat more for sufficient strength to pass today’s test.

While eating the steaming breakfast, listening to her caring words, and thinking about the careful attention she had given him over the period, Valerius began to waver on the decision to grow old alone.

He spent quite some time absent-mindedly finishing his breakfast and finally made up his mind.

He walked to the busy Salia by the hearth and coughed heavily a few times.

When Salia turned to look at him, he began to feel nervous, stumbling over his Illyrian words, "... The breakfast... breakfast is delicious... if you’re willing, you could... could move in with me... with your two children... I’d be willing to raise them together with you..."