Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Dividing Sides (3)
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Northern Army Headquarters, Grand Banquet Hall.
Normally, this was a place where lavish banquets were held free of charge for Northern Army officers during imperial holidays, commemorations, or when high-ranking generals had cause for celebration.
Right now, it was filled with field-grade officers from the Northern Army and the chieftains of over a hundred tribes, all enjoying food and drink.
In such a setting, it would be ideal if the field-grade officers and chieftains mingled amiably and naturally...
But their relations were still uneasy. The chieftains clustered together, and the officers stuck to their own groups, exchanging pleasantries separately.
"Lately, the Swedia Kingdom and Stockholm Kingdom have been pressing us hard. It was tough, but now that Lieutenant General Jaeger is here, things should open up. We'll finally catch a break."
"Honestly, any other imperial general might be questionable, but we can trust Lieutenant General Jaeger. He killed Ludwig with his own blade and mediated brilliantly for the Empire."
"I've had so many worries lately, but it'll all work out somehow. What a great day—free imperial delicacies and one massive headache about to vanish."
Glancing around, the atmosphere between officers and chieftains wasn't hostile, even if no close bonds had formed yet.
Anya, who knew many of the chieftains, was dressed in her Imperial Army uniform and chatting warmly among them.
"How many years has it been, Uncle Viatta? Has Dita gotten married yet?"
"Don't even ask. We're trying to line him up with a decent family from the Empire these days. But they insist he graduates from the Academy first. He'd be 26 by then—not easy."
"We Northerners qualify for special exemptions, so get him studying for an officer's commission. There's a system that grants graduation after just two years."
"As expected from a colonel—you know your stuff. Sigh, back when you were little, that rascal Dita..."
"Let's not go there... The lieutenant general might be nearby."
At those words, Chieftain Viatta turned around. Our eyes met, and his face drained of color.
He waved his hands frantically from side to side and blurted out,
"Lieutenant General, that's not what I meant! I was just glad to see the daughter of that old Kerzhit friend we used to be close with..."
Anya was my wife anyway, and this Viatta fellow had only spoken out of fondness, so I had no intention of scolding him.
Still, this could be a chance to ask something candidly.
"Viatta, was it? Which tribe do you lead?"
"I'm the chieftain of the Svensmori Tribe, sir."
"Svensmori Tribe... You surrendered a fortnight after the Kerzhit, right? Good to meet you. As you likely know, I'm Peter Jaeger, the new Northern Army Commander."
I extended my hand, and Viatta bowed deeply, clasping it with both of his in greeting.
"Before my inauguration speech, I have a question. Mind if I ask?"
"Ask anything, Lieutenant General. You slew the Khan and freed us—what you ask, we answer."
"How's life these days? Any major discomforts or concerns? Speak freely, no pressure."
Fear flickered across Viatta's face.
He seemed worried that, like past commanders who feigned concern only to punish complaints harshly, history might repeat.
I quickly pulled out the edict stamped with His Majesty's seal and said,
"His Majesty already knows that wretched Ishtaven incited sixty tribes under him to defect to the Stockholm Kingdom. The Foreign Ministry analyzed it as stemming from your hardships. Thus, he commanded me to hear your grievances directly and resolve them."
In truth, securing this edict involved some steps.
After receiving my Northern Army appointment, I discussed the issues facing Anya and the Northerners, compiling them into a report.
Submitting it to my father-in-law, head of the General Staff, led to the Foreign Ministry receiving it next. They'd analyzed potential problems and drafted most countermeasures already.
Now that I was here, conversing directly and reporting back would refine those policies for implementation.
"Is that truly so?"
"Why would I forge an edict to trick you? His Majesty ordered me here himself. Otherwise, why send me all the way north?"
"It's just overwhelming. When Ishtaven tempted us to rebel, we Northerners feared we'd all pay for it. As you know, aside from tribes like the Kerzhit who surrendered everything, we've faced a bit of suspicion from the Empire."
A bit? The Empire had been highly wary of them.
Providing food aid had prevented starvation, improving their quality of life compared to before.
But in exchange, the Empire took vast numbers of their horses, cattle, sheep, and other livestock.
Deeming them untrustworthy, enlistment and conscription were strictly limited to chieftains' sons.
Instead, men aged 18 to 54 were mobilized two days a week for labor.
And per imperial law, those not serving faced 20% higher taxes than veterans—paid in furs, quality timber, meat, and game—bending their backs.
Yet they didn't complain much; despite heavy taxes, life was far better than as nomads.
Pre-appointment reports noted Northerners once struggled for two meals a day.
Post-submission, two was standard, three during harvests.
"That's part of it, but we're aggrieved that tribesmen pay more taxes than imperial serfs since we can't serve. We could excel as horse archers, no?"
"I know well. I've seen the might of the horse archer unit led by my wife, Colonel Kerzhit."
"We've proven loyalty for nearly four years. Let us serve equally, pay fair taxes like imperial citizens."
I'd anticipated this request, but as someone with Korean experience, it struck me as oddly fervent.
In Korea, avoiding service was the smart play if possible.
Here, a chieftain earnestly begged for his people to serve—fascinating.
Nomads like him sought to prove worth in the ranks, earning true imperial status.
"Anything else?"
"Just this: when the Empire takes livestock, furs, horses, timber as taxes, could you raise the rates a touch?"
"I'll petition His Majesty. But know this: as horse archers, you might not fight as desired, and equal treatment means spilling blood aplenty."
The Empire typically threw Northerner recruits into the fiercest fronts before serf-turned-farmers.
Thus, I gleaned vivid insights into Northern conditions from the chieftain.
Then, I moved to the banquet hall's central high seat and called out,
"I'm Peter Jaeger, newly appointed Northern Army Commander as of today. I've gathered you not just to celebrate my arrival, but to distinguish the treacherous scum who dared betray the Empire from the loyal Northern chieftains who serve it faithfully."
Chieftains' and officers' gazes snapped to me.
At my signal, a cartwheel-sized wagon—reaching my waist—rolled in from the hall's rear.
While baffled officers watched, Northern chieftains erupted in applause.
They figured the 'wheel rule' wouldn't apply to them.
And they'd be right.