My Kingdom Building Done Right!

"I know how powerful your Fireshard Catapults are," Hagen admitted. "But using force is not always the right answer. How about you let us handle this instead?"

"And how do you propose we handle this?" Leone asked back.

"We will demand the Bonegnash Tribe release the members of the Darkmane Tribe and compensate everyone," Hagen replied. "We will also take Osteon and his family into custody. Of course, if they plan on resisting, the Grimhowl Tribe will be the first to send an army to destroy them. This I promise in the name of the Earth Mother."

The chieftains pondered over Hagen’s proposal before glancing at Leone.

The young man didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked at Jafar and asked him a question.

"What do you think of his proposal?" Leone asked.

Jafar sighed. "As long as the members of the Darkmane Tribe are returned safely and Osteon pays proper compensation for his crimes before his family gets taken into custody, I agree to the proposal. However, I have another condition."

"And that is?" Hagen asked.

"We will decide right here, right now if the Aslan Tribe should be recognized as a high-ranking tribe moving forward," Jafar answered. "Also, we need to discuss whether the Darkmane Tribe should retain its status as a high-ranking tribe."

Jafar already had an idea of what Hagen was planning right now.

As such, he decided to throw a wrench in his plans.

He was confident that Hagen would not allow the Darkmane Tribe’s status to be demoted to that of a middle-ranked tribe.

After all, for Hagen to fulfill his ambition, the Darkmane Tribe had to remain ‌a high-ranking tribe.

"That’s a good idea!" Oswald laughed in return. "Very well, then. Let it be known that the Grimfang Tribe shall be the first tribe to recognize the Aslan Tribe as a high-ranking tribe."

"I also recognize the Aslan Tribe as a high-ranking tribe," Duncan stated. "The Redmaw Tribe is on the same page as the Grimfang Tribe."

"The Ironhide Tribe shares the same opinion," Garen commented.

"I also recognize the Aslan Tribe’s promotion to a high-ranking tribe," Malik smirked. "After seeing them fight firsthand, I doubt that anyone here would still look down on them, right?"

"That’s right." Godwin nodded. "I also recognize the Aslan Tribe as the newest member of the high-ranking tribes."

"Congratulations, Leone," Hagen said. "It looks like everyone is in agreement."

"Even you?" Leone asked calmly.

"Of course," Hagen answered. "Even if I say that I don’t recognize the Aslan Tribe as a high-ranking tribe, the majority have already spoken. My words will not be enough to overturn this promotion."

Leone really didn’t care whether the Aslan Tribe was recognized as a high-ranking tribe or not.

But for the barbarians, this was a big deal.

After all, being recognized as a high-ranking tribe was the dream of the low and middle-ranked tribes.

It also gave the Aslan Tribe a "voice" that could not be ignored by anyone, which would significantly matter in the upcoming Tribal Gathering.

Hearing that the Aslan Tribe was now a high-ranking tribe, Kael could not help himself from grinning ear to ear, trying his best not to dance on the spot due to the happiness he was feeling.

After a round of congratulations, their discussion returned to the fate of the Darkmane Tribe.

Since Leone had voted that the Darkmane Tribe should retain its status as a high-ranking tribe, no one else opposed it.

As such, the Darkmane Tribe would remain ‌a high-ranking tribe, which made Jafar sigh in relief.

After that discussion, they shifted their topic to the Bonegnash Tribe.

"The Warclaw Tribe will also send a delegation to put additional pressure on the Bonegnash Tribe," Godwin stated. "I will make sure that the only options they have are either surrender or complete annihilation."

Just like Jafar, he believed that Hagen was already planning to get the Bonegnash Tribe’s support for the upcoming Tribal Gathering that would be held in Eden.

Though, since he also thought of it, what was stopping him from doing the same?

Perhaps Hagen understood what Godwin was thinking, so a frown appeared on his face.

"What?" Godwin asked in a teasing tone. "Are you going to say that we should let the Grimhowl Tribe handle this on their own? I can’t possibly let that happen. After all, I, too, am very angry about the Bonegnash Tribe’s betrayal.

"Even if the Grimhowl Tribe pulls back, the Warclaw Tribe will make sure that Osteon pays for his crimes."

"I didn’t say anything, and yet you’re already jumping to conclusions." Hagen shook his head. "Are you that paranoid that the Warclaw Tribe is about to lose their title as the strongest tribe in the Borderlands?"

"Is that inferiority complex I hear?" Godwin smirked in return. "You must have been bottling up that feeling for years. Sucks to be you."

Now that the threat of the Monster Stampede had passed, the rivalry between the tribes was gradually returning to normal.

Still, during the course of this war, Leone affirmed something in his heart.

’Hagen cannot be trusted,’ Leone said internally.

’I agree,’ Daedalus replied. ’There has been more than one occasion during the war when I sensed his killing intent towards you.’

Even if Hagen were to ask the Aslan Tribe to form an alliance right now, Leone would politely reject it.

He had already learned from experience that an alliance born out of convenience wouldn’t last a long time.

Fortunately, Hagen was not shameless enough to propose it in front of everyone.

For now, the only alliance that Leone cared about was his alliance with the middle-ranked tribes.

Although the Aslan Tribe was now a high-ranking tribe, the middle-ranked tribes weren’t upset about it.

In fact, they were genuinely happy for Leone. It wasn’t their loss to have an ally that had truly become a big tree and could shelter them from the storms that would come their way.

A few minutes later, the food ‌arrived, turning the meeting into a victory feast.

Soon, laughter gradually replaced the tense atmosphere from earlier.

The chieftains and the elders raised their cups, celebrating their hard-earned victory.

Yet, despite the smiles on everyone’s faces, Leone couldn’t bring himself to celebrate wholeheartedly.

There had been far too many sacrifices in this war. The Aslan Tribe only had a little over a thousand tribe members.

Yet, according to Kael’s report, over two hundred Aslanians had died in battle.

Compared to the losses of the other tribes, their losses sounded somewhat insignificant in comparison.

But for Leone, who genuinely wished for his tribe’s survival, losing a fifth of his tribe’s overall population was something he couldn’t shrug off so easily.

Sure, the battle against the Monster King might be over.

But the young chieftain had a feeling that the battle for the future of the Borderlands had only just begun.

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