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Chapter 112  The Winter Orcs and Spiders are coming

The faint sunlight and the thin blanket of snow falling from the sky served as messengers of the morning, signaling the start of a new day within the Outer Layer of the Frozen Forest. The morning was accompanied by a deafening and dangerous silence as the beasts awaited patiently for their preys, the first one to make a noise was in a disadvantage.

Orsus contrasted greatly with the silence spreading across the forest, bustling with activity and life. Living in the Outer Layer was way easier and safer compared to the Inner Layer, where staying alert was crucial to avoid being wiped out of existence, and a single pack of beasts could destroy their village.

Inside the Outer Layer, their routines revolved around cutting down trees, hunting for food, and selling the surplus to the capital for gold and other goods. However, although it was safer, the barbarians still preferred to stick together in groups of five to ten, enough to protect themselves from unforeseen dangers.

"King!" "King"

Every barbarian he encountered on his way to Orsus called out the word \'king\', their speech carried a distinct and strong accent. Their eyes held a mix of different emotions, fear, respect and anxiety were woven inside them. And, despite their discomfort, the barbarians still bowed their heads, an uneasy action for those who hated being lower than others. However, the last leader had repeatedly told them to bow their heads as a sign of respect, demonstrating their allegiance and will to remain peacefully under the throne.

Henry simply nodded and proceeded on his path, leaving his footprints on the shallow snow that blanketed the dull and lifeless grey landscape of the forest, on the narrow path carved through the forest to connect the village to the capital. Following the narrow road, the king soon found himself standing before the rough wooden gates of the village.

Two barbarians, with long hair, clad in iron chainmail, and armed with spears, stood guard in front of the gates. They wore necklaces with a single tooth, indicating that they were in the First Stage. Their attention wasn\'t focused on the villagers entering and leaving, but rather on the direction of the trees. In these parts, the threat didn\'t come from people but from wild beasts that inhabited the region.

Because of that, they only became aware of the king\'s black-clad figure when he was already standing right in front of them. The king made no sound while walking on the snow, which made his presence almost imperceptible to their ears. The black color wasn\'t common inside the Frozen Forest and was easily visible in such pristine white environment, making them easy targets for the beasts lurking around. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

They were about to react in fright, ready to lift their spears and pounce towards the unidentified figure, but upon getting a better look at the figure, they immediately stopped.

"King!" – They shouted in unison, the same word as the others, as if this was the only term they truly knew and understood from the human language used on the continent. Their accent was slightly better than the others, allowing Henry to clearly recognize it. The sound coming out of the previous groups sounded more like grunts.

"You can rest" – Henry waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to continue their watch and not bother with him as he entered the village, nobody dared to stop or attack the lonely figure of the man.

-x-

Henry was the one who designed Orsus, and as a result, he knew the location of every important building in the village. The city was constructed in a circular design, with the homes of ordinary barbarians forming a ring around key buildings centralized in the village\'s middle. The giant bonfire, the site for rituals and communal cooking, the boulder for engraving tribal tattoos, and the leader\'s hut were all placed at the heart of the community.

This layout served as an indirect and subtle method to peacefully integrate the barbarians into Stahl without resorting to forceful actions. It avoided the need to eliminate them all, preventing the birth of vengeful sentiments. By controlling the most influential person and the sites that represented the culture of the community, Henry could sway over the entire community, influencing their culture and their favor. It was a slow but effective way to control them, and the layout was only the manifestation of such will in the physical world, serving as a reinforcement together with the power in his hands.

The blend of military strength and strategic governance could be found in many empires on Earth such as the British Empire and the Mongol Empire. The Mongols effectively utilized their military prowess to assert control over subordinate regions, allowing certain khanates and local leaders to maintain their autonomy if they proved to be loyal to the Great Khan. This approach proved to be a great method for exploiting the diversity within the communities, with weaker figures aligning themselves under the wings of the Great Khan. Of course, the loyalty only existed if the military might of the Mongol Empire persisted.

In summary, seizing control of the leader ensured that Henry could maintain authority over the barbarians without the need for extensive bloodshed, while also using their knowledge and cultural differences to advance his kingdom. He had already taken advantage of their technique of Tribal Tattoo and their knowledge on medical plants. At this moment, it was better to use their differences than resort to a homogeneous culture.

Henry walked towards the center of Orsus, passing by the simple huts, with everyone continuously bowing their heads and addressing him as \'king.\' They were all occupied, carrying prey on their backs or holding hatchets. Some women even carried children as they ventured out to chop wood for the winter, disregarding the chilly winds. However, they all took their time to bow their heads.

Upon reaching the center of the village, Henry noticed a large man who, unlike the others, had no necklace around his neck and wore no furred clothes, leaving his robust body almost entirely exposed to the wind. This individual was hastily tossing snow into the giant bonfire at the center, suffocating the flames that were supposed to remain lit throughout the entire year.

There was a sense of unease in the man\'s actions, as if he was trying to suffocate a great enemy.

"Gedhe!" Henry shouted, causing the man to turn his head. In that moment, Henry caught a glimpse of anxiety in the barbarian\'s blue eyes.

Without a second to hesitate, Gedhe rushed towards Henry, his voice trembling with fear - "King Henry!!" - His strong accent filled the air, but he was understandable - "The Winter Orcs and the Spiders are coming!! I saw it! I saw it!"- he shouted desperately.