Valeria pondered Eren's question for a moment before deciding to provide him with an answer. "I understand that you might not be aware of this, Eren, but there are border skirmishes taking place between the Asikha Empire and three neighboring kingdoms adjacent to its borders.
These kingdoms are smaller and lack the means to defend themselves against the aggression of the Asikha Empire. They do not possess the strength of Edinburgh or Layos, nor do they have top-tier academies that can produce a steady supply of young fighters.
Moreover, you are well aware of the military might possessed by the Asikha Empire. The Asipha empire wants to exploit these border disputes as an opportunity to attack and take control of these smaller kingdoms."
Eren was taken aback by the news he received from Valeria. His intelligence team had been preoccupied with Edinburgh's internal affairs, and this new development caught him off guard. "So the war between the two kingdoms is just the beginning. The flames of war are already spreading outward," Eren mumbled to himself as he processed Valeria's words. The situation was more complex than he had initially assumed.
"Certainly," Seraphina interjected, affirming Eren's statement. "The three smaller kingdoms we mentioned have numerous autonomous zones under Amazonian control. We have no interest in participating in the war between the Ungracelanders, but we know that the Asikha Empire will use special wartime rules to encroach upon those autonomous zones that belong to us Amazonians."
Evelina chimed in, picking up where Seraphina had left off. "These rules come into effect when the victor of the war succeeds in annexing a certain region from its previous ruler's control.
These rules have been agreed upon by the Anfang Alliance as well, which means that we would be unable to hold the Asikha Empire responsible for annexing major parts of these kingdoms, potentially including our autonomous zones.
These regions are rich in ranking resources, so it's no surprise that the Asikha Empire wants to stir up trouble with its neighbors in order to claim these lands for itself.
So the best way to avoid the annexation is to help the three kingdoms retain their lands. Of course, the Amazonians will only help these three kingdoms from shadows."
Valeria nodded at Evelina and spoke further, "Simply put, we will refrain from showing open support to these three kingdoms. And as long as we do that, the Alliance wouldn't be able to take any actions against us. It's their rules. We'll just find our own loopholes out of them."
The gravity of the situation hung heavy in the air as Eren processed the information. The brewing conflicts and the Asikha Empire's expansionist ambitions presented a new layer of complexity to the already tumultuous landscape.
Eren realized that his decisions would not only impact his guild but also the delicate balance of power in the land of Anfang. He knew he needed to weigh his options carefully before committing to any course of action.
As Eren processed the new information provided by Matriarch Valeria, there was a lingering feeling of something amiss. He had begun to grasp the guidelines imposed by the Anfang Alliance, understanding that initiating a war was no easy task for any prominent establishment under the alliance's watchful control.
This was especially true for established powers like Edinburgh, Layos, and the Asikha Empire. They required a strong reason or a history of disputes to justify their involvement in wars with other parties. However, from what Eren knew, there had been no documented history of border disputes between the Asikha Empire and its three neighboring kingdoms.
"I feel like I'm missing something here," Eren voiced his thoughts, addressing Matriarch Valeria. "What caused the Asikha Empire to engage in a border dispute with all three neighboring kingdoms simultaneously?" He was eager to learn the background and trigger of this dispute that had set the wheels of war in motion.
Valeria chuckled lightly before responding, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. "It was the instigation from half-bloods that sparked the conflict. They acted as guards in these three kingdoms and launched an attack on the rankers of the Asikha Empire. The skirmish resulted in the deaths of approximately 200 rankers, including 17 Adept rankers, 8 Expert rankers, and 2 Master rankers."
Eren's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this revelation. It became evident that Sirius had not been exaggerating when he had warned Eren about the war between Edinburgh and Layos being just the beginning. The half-bloods had a vested interest in fueling the flames of war, hoping to ignite a massive wildfire that would engulf the entire Anfang.
Focusing his attention on the four Matriarchs, Eren posed another query that had been nagging at him. "The instigation from the half-bloods couldn't remain hidden for the most part. What did the Asikha Empire do next?"
Seraphina, with a graceful gesture, tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and offered her response. "Asikha Empire swiftly launched an investigation into the attack. We belive it became clear to the empire that the half-bloods were responsible. Still, it seized the death of its rankers as a pretext to invade the three neighboring kingdoms.
The motive behind this was rather straightforward: the empire had long coveted the resource-rich lands found within these three kingdoms that are under our control. Asikha Empire is opportunistic when it comes to such matters. Currently, their army is amassing at the borders they share with their neighbors."
Eren nodded in understanding as Seraphina finished speaking. The pieces were gradually falling into place, and he was beginning to grasp the delicate balance of power that had prevailed in the land of Anfang for a considerable time. It became apparent to him that something or someone, likely him with his covert and overt actions, had disrupted the equilibrium, leading to the current chain of events.
A brief moment of silence enveloped the sacred space as the weight of the situation settled upon them. Isadore, sighing softly, shrugged her shoulders before speaking up.
"A full-fledged war has not erupted among these forces yet, and it may still take some time for the situation to deescalate further.
There's a chance that the Anfang Alliance might intervene to protect the three kingdoms from potential ruin. However, as Amazonians, we prefer to be prepared for the war in our own way."
