Zach, Biu, and his familiars were lucky enough to find a couple of unlucky military scouts roaming around near Soku. Without startling the young scouts too much, Zach kindly asked them to relay a message. He made sure to wave the white flag in their faces to show that he had peaceful intentions.
The two scouts rushed back to the city to relay his message while Zach, Biu, and Zach’s maids strolled along.
And when they got close enough to see the city, there was a group of people already waiting outside it for them. As Zach and his entourage approached, the detachment from the city also neared them.
Zach narrowed his eyes. He thought Violina’s blue hair would stick out like a sore thumb even from afar, but he couldn’t see it. Was the Ice Witch not part of the detachment? Had it been a bad idea not to mention his name to the scouts just because he wanted to surprise Violina?
Zach narrowed his eyes as he looked at the group of people from Soku. Violina was definitely not among them. But there was someone who looked familiar. He just couldn’t place them yet. However, when they were close enough to talk…
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"You!"
Zach and the mage at the helm of Soku’s detachment, which was her and a few capable fighters, pointed at each other, recognizing the other.
"What are you doing on the side of the barbarians?!" Oria Villesand questioned. She had heard the rumors about Zach being a traitor from Violina herself. But Violina had insisted that Zach was innocent. He had also been cleared since he had been allowed to join the war.
So, why in the twelve fucks was he now representing the four tribes attacking Soku and asking for a ceasefire?
"Uh…Some things happened. I had a disagreement with the second prince, the one who was supposed to keep an eye on me to ensure my innocence. Then…" Zach conjured a table and two chairs for him and Oria Villesand to take a seat.
He had barely spoken to Oria the last time they met when they entered the Labyrinth of Syst together. But they had spoken to each other, and Oria was Violina’s friend, so Zach considered her a friendly face. She hadn’t even called him a traitor or spat in his face, which was a sign that she wasn’t hostile. It was as good as her seeing him the same.
Or maybe she had just been too stunned to see Zach when she was expecting a barbarian.
Zach quickly explained what had led to him joining the barbarians. Oria frowned when she heard that Yan had wanted to take advantage of the three tribes’ weakness to erase them from history.
That was a borderline war crime. But Zach’s decision was on the opposite end of the scale. She sighed helplessly when Zach told her he joined forces with Visla Maura to try and get the barbarians to accept peace.
How were two youngsters supposed to achieve that? But then again, it was Zach. He had already done the impossible at least twice. He had entered the twelfth Trial of the Labyrinth of Syst and come back alive, and he had defeated Ugor and the Underworld.
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"Well, Violina will be happy to know that you’re doing alright, at least," Oria said once Zach finished his little explanation.
Zach’s eyes widened happily.
"Oh, is she in the city? I thought I would be meeting her since I asked to see the Ice Witch," he said with a smile.
"..."
"What…?"
"I’m the Ice Witch," Oria said, not fond of that nickname.
"You are? But didn’t you use other magic?" Zach doubted.
"I do. But my ice magic is best at neutralizing the enemy without killing them all. It’s what’s kept the barbarians at bay." Oria glanced at Biu standing a little behind Zach. He did not meet her gaze.
"But where’s Violina?"
"I’m pretty sure she went to look for you," Oria said with a shrug. She wasn’t Violina’s babysitter, and Violina had no obligation to report to her what she was doing, especially during a chaotic war.
Zach frowned.
"I see. Well, it’s nice to meet a familiar face, even if it’s not who I expected."
Oria sighed and rested an elbow against the translucent golden table.
"Yeah, same. So, ceasefire?"
"Hopefully. Visla Maura is working on the barbarian side. I have a feeling they might agree to it. But I have an idea if they don’t."
Visla raised an eyebrow.
Zach leaned in close and whispered the idea, making sure Biu didn’t hear it. It wouldn’t work as well if the barbarians were prepared for it, after all.
Biu was suspicious, but he couldn’t exactly question it. He could only think and guess what they were saying. Maybe this was the idea. They were tricking the barbarians into thinking that they had a secret trump card to get them to agree to the ceasefire and were planning on using Biu as the messenger.
How could the barbarians distrust one of their own who saw them plot, after all?
Oria’s eyes widened when she heard the plan. But she nodded appreciatively as she and Zach drew back. That would work.
Zach reached out and shook Oria’s hand. They had done what they could. Oria wasn’t just the strongest mage in Soku, she was also the highest-ranking military officer since she had contributed greatly after aiding the South’s troops with magic research after her time at the Academy for Mages.
If she wanted to agree to the ceasefire, Soku would enter a ceasefire. That was also why she had been free to freeze the barbarian warriors and give them frostbite instead of killing them, including the strong ones who could contest with her in terms of strength and level the playing field.
She was merciful, and she had protected the few troops of Soku. However, she had a lofty air about her and rarely smiled.
That was why she had started being called the Ice Queen instead of the Ice Witch on the Empire’s side.