As one of the heirs of the Dori family, Pasfield would likely never have come into contact with a primitive tribe like the Vichy clan if not for this mission. For someone of his noble status, such a tribe wouldn't even qualify as potential servants.
Yet after spending some time observing them, Pasfield couldn't deny it: each Vichy warrior was born to fight. Their immense physical strength, when paired with the right weapons, could give even a seasoned mage serious trouble.
"That's right!" Ur nodded in agreement. "The Vichy are a naturally warlike people. One or two might not pose much threat, but gathered together, they form a terrifying army."
"You mean…" Pasfield's eyes suddenly lit up, a thought striking him.
"Heh… Pasfield, this is the Vichy sacred territory. How many warriors do you think are in there?" Ur glanced toward the direction the middle-aged man had departed, a strange smile tugging at his lips.
From what Ur had learned from earlier encounters with the Vichy, this place primarily served as a sanctuary for pregnant women of the tribe—a nursery for an entire generation.
Even without thinking too hard, Ur could imagine the formidable defenses inside this sacred ground.
Truth be told, he was curious to see the expression of Pasfield's mysterious sibling if they dared to storm the Gulya Glacier recklessly.
After Ur's subtle hint, Pasfield briefly imagined the scenario, but quickly sobered up, hesitating before speaking. "Ur, what if they have another way to enter?"
Pasfield knew his siblings well; none were simple characters. If he had access to information about the Gulya Glacier, chances were high that they did too.
"Heh, perhaps… but even if they do, I doubt they'll get the chance now." Ur's lips curled in a peculiar smile, as if holding back laughter he could no longer contain.
Ur wasn't the scheming type, but this time, it seemed Pasfield's sibling was doing all the hard work for him.
Pasfield, puzzled, asked, "Ur, what do you mean by that?"
Ur didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Remember that blue dragon just now?"
"Of course!"
"How strong do you think it was? Could it have wiped out the search team you sent earlier?" Ur's gaze shifted to Jangsen this time.
Pasfield, unfamiliar with such matters, followed Ur's eyes, turning his attention to Jangerson.
After a brief silence, Jangerson replied, "Unlikely. Although the search team your master dispatched wasn't particularly strong, that blue dragon alone wouldn't have caused such heavy losses."
He shook his head. Being more knowledgeable than Pasfield, Jangsen understood the dragon's true strength and thus grasped Ur's implication.
"Exactly. The ones who decimated most of your search party weren't the blue dragon alone. That means there are at least two, possibly more, draconic creatures near this iceberg." Ur then looked at Pasfield.
"Do you think it's a coincidence… or something else?"
Pasfield's eyes widened, disbelief etched on his face. "You're saying... these draconic creatures are being raised by the Vichy? No way!"
Even a world-wise noble like Pasfield found Ur's theory absurd.
Ur shrugged. "Maybe not directly raised by them, but clearly, these dragons are connected to the Vichy. Tell me, after that man slaughtered the blue dragon, do you think your sibling would have had any chance of entering the iceberg?"
Ur shook his head, silently noting how unlucky Pasfield's sibling was. If Ur's guess was correct, that middle-aged man had been hired by Pasfield's sibling to deal with the dragons, and as a Dragon Eater, he would never pass up an opportunity to consume a dragon.
In short, this calamity was entirely of their own making.
Still, Ur murmured to himself, "The Vichy are far more mysterious than I thought… I wouldn't be surprised if they keep creatures even more terrifying than draconic beasts."
Bang!
At that moment, from the far side of the iceberg, a barrage of cannon fire erupted.
Pasfield and Ur exchanged glances, a strange gleam flashing in their eyes.
"Don't rush. Let's keep a safe distance from the iceberg first." Ur cautioned. Without knowing the extent of Vichy's defenses, it was better to play it safe. A misstep could easily be misinterpreted as an attack.
Pasfield calmed slightly at Ur's words, then eagerly began steering the Dori XVII to observe from a safe distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From afar, the battlefield slowly came into view. Ur's suspicions were confirmed: Pasfield's cousin, Nicolas, had tried to negotiate with the Vichy using their usual methods.
But the middle-aged man returned, dragging a dragon's corpse.
After that, there was nothing left.
Seeing the blue dragon's lifeless body, the Vichy instantly abandoned any attempt at diplomacy and launched into battle.
War erupted in an instant.
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Next Chapter: Nicolas
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