Chapter 23

I stood in front of the Cheza chief, an old man with a sharp, hateful look in his eyes. The air around us was tense, as if filled with accumulated distrust and anger. All around us, some of my soldiers stood guard, ready to act if things escalated. However, I knew that what I needed now was not strength, but the right words to clear up this misunderstanding.

I was sure that if they were met with stubbornness as well then this feud would only get worse. I can see the nature of the locals here who really can’t accept change and are also unwilling to cooperate with others they don’t trust.

This is quite difficult because it means that they are the same as closing themselves off to the possibility of new things. What I, or rather the Kingdom of Jordan, am offering is prosperity as part of this kingdom. I want this problem to be solved soon so that I can immediately solve other problems and with that I can make King Domiano a little relieved and the possibility of my match with Junigo and Jade can be postponed or the best thing is canceled.

“This territory was taken over by the Kingdom of Bordan without considering our culture and love for our own country, the Kingdom of Ciozord,” said the chief in an emphasized tone. Every word that came out of his mouth sounded like an accusation. “You don’t care about who we really are.”

I frowned, hearing his words. Actually, I was a little amazed at their zeal in defending their identity and pride as the people of Ciozord. However, at the same time, there was something naive about the way they viewed the situation. They seemed to still be caught up in nostalgia, as if Ciozord was a hero who would come to save them from reality. In fact, from the outside, it was clear that the Ciozord Kingdom had never tried to reclaim this territory.

I took a deep breath before speaking. “I understand your feelings. I understand that there is a strong emotional bond with the Ciozord Kingdom, and I don’t want to trivialize that. However, the reality we face now is different. The Ciozord Kingdom has never shown any intention of taking back this territory. They have not even sent reinforcements or made any statements in support of you.”

The chief frowned, clearly unhappy with my words. But I had to keep going. “Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Bordan has taken control of this region, and we want to help you. We want to ensure that you can live safely, with the full support of the kingdom. However, for that, you must accept the fact that you are now part of the Jordan Kingdom.”

I deliberately said that this tribe would benefit from voluntarily joining to become a part of the Kingdom of Jordan, because inevitably the kingdom of curtains itself would have to accept them since they were the local people who inhabited the Southern region that the Kingdom of Jordan had just taken over from the Kingdom of Ciozord.

Even though we have been very kind by not expelling them from here, but there are other factors that make us consider the decision to expel them. They have a lot of colonies and they are known for their ability to make weapons naturally which is quite good although not as qualified as the experts in the center of the Kingdom. You see, if we can manage that well then we can utilize it for the welfare of the kingdom.

Gosh, the longer I think like an expert advisor or royal officials, now I’m starting to gradually really think about this kingdom even though it’s ultimately for my own interests to get out of here.

I could see the change on the chief’s face. His anger was becoming more and more visible. But I remained calm. I knew these words were difficult to accept, especially by those who had felt marginalized and abandoned by the central government. “The Kingdom of Jordan really cares about you,” I continued, trying to remain calm despite the increasingly heated atmosphere. “If you are willing to cooperate and accept the fact that you are now part of us, then we can help solve the problems you face.”

The chief narrowed his eyes, as if measuring my words carefully. He shook his head slowly, his voice beginning to harden. “You don’t know anything about us, Dean,” he said scornfully. “You may have come with sweet promises, but we’ve been left behind. Jordan never cared about us. They just want to take over our land and drain our resources.”

“I know you feel that way,” I replied firmly. “But King Domiano really wants to change that. We came here to hear directly from the people what’s really going on, and we’re trying our best to help. But that help cannot come if you continue to refuse to accept the fact that you are now part of the Kingdom of Jordan.”

The chieftain’s face turned angry, his lips trembling. “Insolence!” he snapped suddenly, his eyes blazing with an anger that could no longer be hidden. “We will never submit to Domiano, and will never consider him our king!”

The atmosphere around us suddenly turned tense. The soldiers around me began to move, preparing to face the threat. Their hands slowly went to the hilts of their spears, while I stood still, trying to maintain my composure amidst the tense situation.

I thought for a moment and for the umpteenth and possibly last time I would try in a subtle way to make them submit. They were really stubborn and I realized that. After they repeatedly denied and refused to obey my words it would be naive of me to think that they would still be persuaded by subtle means.

“I’m not asking you to submit to me, or even to King Domiano, if that’s difficult for you right now,” I said, my voice softer but still firm. “But I am asking you to look at reality. The Ciozord have not fought for you for a long time. They didn’t come, they didn’t help. You must accept that you are now under Bordan’s protection, and that does not have to mean the destruction of your identity. We are here to build, not destroy.”

However, my words did not seem to be well received. The chieftain stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists. “You think we don’t know? You think we’re fools, blindly trusting in a kingdom that has only come to subjugate us? We will never think of Domiano as king, and we will never bow to Bordan!” he shouted, his voice echoing in the mountain valley where we stood.

I was astonished at their stubbornness and suspicion of the Kingdom of Bordan for no good reason. In fact, since the village had been taken over by the Kingdom of Bordan, the people had not been oppressed by the kingdom at all, and sometimes they were even sent food supplies by the kingdom as a way of embracing the people who had just entered the Kingdom of Bordan’s territorial order. But they always made unwarranted accusations against the Kingdom of Jordan. I began to suspect that there was something behind it.

I could see the fire of anger in his eyes. He was offended, feeling like his pride was being trampled on by my words, even though I was just stating the reality of what had happened. As the tension grew, the villagers who had been hiding behind the house began to come out to see what was happening. Some of them carried simple weapons: wooden sticks, axes, even small knives. Clearly, they were ready to act if asked.

I swallowed, knowing that this situation could easily explode if I wasn’t careful. “We’re not here to subjugate you,” I said firmly, yet I could feel the pressure growing stronger from the chief’s gaze. “We just want to work together. Together, we can build a better future.”

“Nonsense!” the chief exclaimed again, his face flushed with anger. “You don’t care about us! You only care about our land, about our resources! The Ciozord may have abandoned us, but we will never forget who we are.”

I paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. I knew he was wrong, but I also knew that right now he would not be able to see reality objectively. “I understand that you feel betrayed by Ciozord and by Bordan,” I said softly. “But---“

“Shut your mouth!” he shouted, cutting me off. “We don’t need a lecture from a spoiled child who knows nothing about our plight!”

Instantly, the atmosphere turned tense. The people began to move forward, their eyes filled with the anger they had been holding back. The chief stood at the front, his gaze sharp and threatening.

“Kami tidak akan tunduk pada Bordan!” serunya sekali lagi, kali ini lebih keras, menggelegar. “Jika kamu pikir kamu bisa datang ke sini dan memaksa kami untuk tunduk, kamu salah besar, anak muda. Kami akan melawan sampai darah terakhir kami.”

Tanganku mengepal di sisi tubuhku. Aku merasakan ketegangan di antara para prajuritku, mereka siap bertindak jika sesuatu terjadi. Namun, aku tahu bahwa pertumpahan darah di sini bukanlah jalan keluar.

Namun, sebelum aku sempat berbicara lagi, kepala suku itu melangkah maju dengan satu tangan terangkat, seolah hendak memberi perintah pada rakyatnya. “Kami akan melawan Bordan, dan kami akan memulai dari kamu,” katanya dengan ancaman yang jelas, suaranya dingin seperti es.

Aku merasakan desakan bahaya di sekelilingku. Mereka siap menyerang kapan saja. Dan itulah saat aku menyadari bahwa situasi ini mungkin akan segera meledak menjadi perkelahian.