"Dear Ars, Master Vargas van Bales has ruled the Arborest territory in his hands. It appears that the former Arborest realm is to be divided between the Knights of Ikes and Bales of Ghana von Ikes."
"Thank you for reporting, Paine. Did Vargas do well? In the meantime, you've succeeded in bringing the east to west together in Fontana."
"Right. According to Mr Vargas's report, Lady Ragna, the head of the Arborest family, appears to have already died. Those who present and disobey the claim form will be defeated and the rest will surrender to Master Vargas."
"Will it take the form of some knights with a local power base officially saddled from Arborest to Fontana? It would have been easier if Vargas had crushed them all."
"May I ask you a few questions, Master Ars? Master Ars has officially established his position as the guardian of the Fontana family owner, Mr. Garrod, in other words, as the principal proxy. But Fontana territory is now the most dangerous aristocratic territory that is being watched by the three great nobles. Is there a policy to protect the territory in the future, or a vision, etc?
"That's all I could see in front of everyone. Surely we should give some direction."
"Yes, even though I said that I was the principal proxy for the Fontana family, until the other day the present Fontana territory was the three noble territories of the Fontana Urk Arborest. I have to say that it is very unstable right after putting that together. If the three aristocrats now challenge Master Ars to fight and this one is defeated, it will soon fall apart."
"Right. But as a matter of policy, buying time is our immediate goal."
"Buy time, is it?
"That's right. Whatever you do, you need to take your time. When winter comes, the Memento army will have to turn back."
I'm in Carlos' castle in the city of Fontana right now.
That's where I was getting a report from Payne.
I was in Vulcania once for the protection of the gallows, etc., but because I needed to work in place of the gallows of my young child, who became the new head of Fontana.
The city of Fontana is also a place where the network of roads stretched across Fontana's territory gathers at one point, so this one was easier to administer.
In that context, there were reports that Vargas, who dispatched west, had taken control of Arborest territory.
Apparently, it worked.
It is also significant that Ragna, who was the owner of the Arborest, was absent.
Once Ragna had sworn allegiance to the Fontana family and surrendered, the knight under his command still seemed dissatisfied.
It seemed like Vargas had easily rebelled when he flickered and incited the compensation bill.
Well, it kind of happened, but now the Fontana family will have completely acquired the neighboring aristocracy for now.
But Payne's right. My aim is not to increase Fontana's territory.
Both my personal purpose and that of the Fontana family remain the question of how to build a survival strategy for the three noblest opponents.
Because this is a commonplace story, such as how much territory has been enlarged and once again taken by other forces.
"Well, I've hit my hand once I can think of one. I intend to work with other aristocrats to make it harder for the three aristocrats to attack Fontana territory."
"Are you another nobleman? Which nobleman would that be, Master Ars? I don't think that's the case with Fontana from the three aristocracy families until we get stunned..."
"No, you're here. Someone convenient."
"... where is that?
"It's the Risorte family, Paine. It's that Risorte family that fell from the hegemonic nobility after losing to the trinoble alliance. Fontana joins hands with the Risorte family to fight against the Trinoble Alliance"
"Is it the Risorte family? … is a southern nobleman to the south more than any other territory of the kingdom or the three great aristocracies, the Risorte family. Isn't it too far for the Fontana family in the northernmost lands and the Risorte family in the southernmost to work together? I don't think he's a very good opponent..."
"I guess. It's a far-flung attack, working with a distant territory to fight a nearby opponent. If the Alliance of the Three Nobles works together to push us to Fontana at the same time, we can neither win nor defend just how hard we try. But what if we knew that Fontana had joined hands with the Risorte family at the bend? The South may move while the Trinity Alliance puts in all its armies and heads north. If we think about it that way, the Trinity Alliance will not be able to turn all its power north. Well, instead, if the Risoltes are about to be attacked, we're going to have to go to that rescue."
"I see. Does that mean it makes the Trinoble Alliance harder to move by making it a situation where you have someone to back you up at all times? I have a point. but who is going to negotiate that?
"I'm already on my way. It's Lion. He was raided with Master Carlos, but Lion was safe. So, there were some Reed people around. Kyle contacted me at [Reading]. I'd rather you go further south to the Risorte than back to Fontana."
"Was I? You were already moving that far. I was too worried. Forgive me."
The Risorte family, once a hegemonic nobleman.
It is a grand aristocrat who was further south than any other territory in the kingdom or the trinoble alliance and had a wide territory.
While Fontana repeatedly skirmished with neighboring Urks and Arborests, a hegemonic nobility and trinoble alliance were engaged in a massive battle.
Thus, it was the trinoble alliance, not the Risorte family of hegemonic aristocracy, that made it to the winner.
But tell me you lost. None of the Risortes were completely extinguished.
Although it was only greatly reduced in power by the three nobles, it nevertheless remains a nobleman more powerful than the other nobles.
It is not a good force to ignore just because, as things stand, we do not have the power to fight the three nobles at the same time.
That was convenient for this one.
It would have been when he had once held hegemony that he would not have had the ear to listen if he had proposed to form an alliance with the Risorte family.
But if you're a weak Risorte now, the story will be different.
Because joining hands with the Fontana family, which has never had much interaction, is also beneficial to the Risorte family.
Because if we are attacked again in association with the Trinoble Alliance, it is not only Fontana who will be in trouble, but the Risolte family as well.
Plus, it's hard to make an alliance with Fontana a disadvantage.
Because the distance is far away in the north and south, and there are other noble territories in between.
You don't have to worry about being betrayed and taking territory.
Whatever it is, you might think it's okay to keep an alliance for now and head back to cover even if Fontana gets attacked at all.
All we need is an alliance between the North and the South, and the aim of reducing the likelihood that the Trinoble Alliance will make every effort to emerge into the offensive is important.
I explained that to Lion and asked the Risorte family to take the story.
Apparently this was said over there, but eventually I could put this story together.
Thus, for the first time a North-South alliance was formed between the Fontana and the Risorte families in a land of protracted warfare.