Aiding the Foe

"Lieutenant, would you mind asking your men to leave so we can talk in private?" The leader of the three great warriors demanded.

"As expected, as the rumors say, the three of you truly don't take anyone seriously. You all are just people with some combat ability, doing everything your own way... To me, the three of you are nothing but a bunch of arrogant fools," Dialla said maliciously.

"Lieutenant, we are not asking for your opinion on us, and we are certainly not interested either."

"Don't forget you are uninvited guests. You should be grateful that I'm allowing you to stand here and talk to me!" Dialla raised his tone and confronted the leader face to face.

"As expected, you are just as you appear... Right now, I'm very curious who the one is that doesn't take people seriously," the leader said sarcastically.

"Are you purposefully here to look for trouble?"

"As I said, we are not interested in you. We have only come to talk with you. Stop wasting both our time and ask your men to leave at once."

"Is this the right attitude to request something from someone? I think I should teach you about manners. Don't you know you should say 'please' when asking from someone else?"

"Enough of your nonsense, Lieutenant! Maerlisa, one of the great warriors and the only female of the group, couldn't stand Dialla anymore and yelled at him angrily.

"Maerlisa, calm down! We are not here to cause trouble," the Leader calmed.

"Sorry..."

"Lieutenant, could you ask your men to leave us alone, PLEASE?" the leader asked with visible reluctance.

"Hahahahaha, you should have done it earlier... Victor, let me have a talk with them in private."

"Understood, Sir. Soldiers, please wait outside." Victor ordered his men to leave.

"Wait a second! Search through their whole bodies and take away their weapons before you guys leave," Dialla ordered.

"Yes, Sir."

"A very cautious man, huh?" the leader remarked.

"Of course. Those who don't take any precautions will always be the first to die. I will return the weapons after we're finished, don't worry."

Victor and his men took away the weapons from the warriors and left the tent. Before Victor left, he secretly gave his pistol to Dialla for protection without being noticed by the warriors. After confirming Victor and his men had left, the warriors sat down and exchanged glances with Dialla.

"Before we start, would you like to have some coffee?" Dialla asked with his signature sinister smile.

"Thanks, but no need," the leader replied.

"How about the pretty lady who yelled at me just now? I heard she's called Maerlisa, right? Would you like to sit beside me?"

"Sorry, not interested at all!"

"How about you over there? You've been silent since the beginning. Are you a tree or mute?"

"No need!" Another warrior answered.

"So, what matter would you like to discuss with me?"

"Before we get to the main topic, I'm genuinely curious, is Captain Raynolds truly deceased in the early stage of this operation?" The leader asked Dialla skeptically.

"Actually, I didn't witness his death on the battlefield, as we were on different paths. I only learned about it after reaching the outskirts of this capital city, where his men came to report to me. His death was indeed a great loss."

"Well, if he did indeed die in the early stages, then who's been leading the war for the soldiers? The western path of Nisaeria was guarded by the best Nisaeria army. I wonder how our soldiers managed to defeat them without a commander?"

"I can't provide all the details of how it happened, but what I do know is that Sergeant Victor assumed command after Captain Raynolds fell. If you need more information, you can speak with him personally later."

"So, where is Captain's corpse, and how did he die?"

"I'm not entirely sure. My men informed me that he was hit by a tank while on the front lines of the battlefield. Captain Raynolds always led from the front, so it wasn't entirely surprising to hear of his death in such a manner."

"Don't you find this account rather absurd?"

"It does sound unusual, but it is what it is. What would you like me to do? By the way, why are you so interested in Captain? Were you close to him?"

"We simply lament his passing. He was a talented commander and warrior like us. We once considered inviting him to join us, but soon realized our goals and his were quite different."

"Indeed, his loss is a great tragedy for Kothern. I'd rather not dwell on this topic any longer. Shall we proceed to the main issue?"

"Well... We need your men to assist us in evacuating the Nisaeria soldiers and their families promptly. We've secured a few cargo ships capable of holding thousands of people."

"Evacuate?! Hahahahaha! We've heard rumors that the three of you always save and aid those who've lost. It seems the rumors are true!"

"Do you intend to help or not?" The leader said in frustrated tone.

"Mind your tone... But let's consider it. Do you think they'll follow you? Don't forget you're still a Kothern soldier, and the people in this country are furious with us."

"I understand that we can't save them all; it's impossible. However, there are those among them who are wise and understand the importance of saving their families rather than facing exile."

"Perhaps you have a point... But where do you plan to take them, and why do you wish to help them in the first place?"

"I believe someone like you will never comprehend the answer..."

"Very well... What benefits could I gain if I offer my men to assist you? Tomorrow, I'll return to Kothern and meet with Mr. President. I suspect they intend to exile those soldiers and their families..."

"I knew that's why I wanted to meet you now. As for the benefit, it's prepared for you inside this suitcase."

"A suitcase? What's inside?" Dialla asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

"Just open it, and you'll find out."

"Let me make it clear that I have no interest in money or valuables. If that's what's in there, you can take the suitcase back and leave my sight."

"We know you well, and it's not something monetary inside. You're going to like it."

"Really?" Dialla's curiosity was piqued, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

Dialla took the suitcase and placed it on his chair. However, he hesitated when he realized it felt lighter than expected. He put his hands on the buckles but refrained from opening it. Memories of using a modified suitcase to set up the assassin flashed through his mind. He handed the suitcase back to the leader.

"Is something wrong, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing is wrong. I'm a cautious person. I'd like you to open it and show me what's inside."

"Why so suspicious? Have you had too many things go wrong for you?"

"That's none of your concern. Just do as I said."

"Fine, here you go," the leader said, sounding impatient.

With a swift motion, the leader unlocked the suitcase and opened it, revealing its contents to Dialla. Dialla peered inside, his eyes widening with joy. He could hardly contain his excitement as he examined the contents.

"Hahahahaha! This is exactly what I wanted! Hahahahaha!" Dialla's sinister laugh filled the tent.

"I told you it wouldn't disappoint you."

"Are these genuine? You're not tricking me, are you?"

"Of course, they're real. You have no idea how difficult it was to acquire these."

"Definitely not an easy task, and I imagine it involved risks. No wonder you three are so 'special'…"

"Don't misunderstand us. We don't use these items, nor are we 'special' because we possess them."

"Very well... You won't regret giving these to me, will you?"

"No, we assume you'll put them to 'good' use."

"Yes! These are exactly what I need after our victory in this war!"

"Good. Please hand over your men to us. They will follow our orders from now on. Once our mission is complete, your men will be returned to you promptly."

"Alright. Follow me, then."

Dialla took the suitcase and concealed it within his tent. He then gathered his men outside and informed them about assisting the three great warriors. Some of his men were thrilled to see the warriors, while others were less enthusiastic, and a few were simply puzzled about the warriors' mission.

"Alright, is everyone clear now? All you have to do is just simply follow what they said." Dialla informed his men.

"Understood, Sir..."

"So, the rumors are true? People say the warriors help exiles..."

"It's strange. Why would they aid those losers?"

"Shh! They might overhear us. Keep your voices down!" The soldiers exchanged their thoughts quietly among themselves.

"The great soldiers of Kothern, I'd like to express our gratitude in advance for your assistance in our mission. I understand that you've just fought hard to win this war and very tired right now. But from our perspective, the war is far from over. What we need you to do is locate and gather the remaining surviving Nisaeria soldiers along with their families at the north port of this capital city before dawn. Once that's done, we'll take it from there. Is that clear?" The leader instructed.

"Yes, clear..."

"Alright, please proceed immediately!"

While most of the Kothern soldiers were somewhat reluctant to help, they diligently searched for the surviving Nisaeria troops within the city and directed them to the designated gathering points. However, during the search, some friction arose, resulting in both sides exchanging fire once again and resulted in another tragedy.

After a few hours, a sizable group of Nisaeria soldiers had been assembled at the port, with three cargo ships anchored nearby. They appeared nervous, uncertain about the Kothern soldiers' intentions until the three great warriors appeared on one of the cargo ships.

"Dear Nisaerians, by now, you've likely realized the outcome of this war... Your country will now become part of Kothern," the leader stated.

"So, you three gathered us here just to taunt us?!" one of the Nisaeria soldiers retorted angrily.

"Please don't misunderstand! I believe you all already know the fate that awaits those who lose in war, don't you?"

The crowd fell silent, acknowledging their impending exile by Kothern.

"Don't worry, we, and my comrades, oppose the idea of exile in this world. That's why we've gathered you here to allow you to make your own decision. Would you prefer to join us and begin anew with your families or be exiled, unable to find peace for the rest of your life?"

"Are you serious?!" a Nisaerian soldier inquired.

"Yes, we are."

"You are one of Kothern, our enemies… Why are you helping us?"

"There's no need for a reason to help someone no matter where are we from!"

"Where are you taking us?"

"To a new land where there's no government, no war, and people just live a simple life peacefully."

"Really? Does such a place exist in this world? How can we trust you?"

"The choice is yours. Dawn is approaching, and there's no more time to ponder. You must decide now. If you desire a fresh start, please board the cargo ships. If you don't wish to join, you may remain at this port and wait to be exiled."

The Nisaeria soldiers conferred with their family members before making their final choice. Some immediately left the port with their families, rejecting help from their former enemies.

"We encourage all of you to join us and forge a new path for people like you in this world!" the leader called out to the Nisaerians.

"Alright! We want to join!"

"Yes, please let us board!"

"We're in!"

"Count us in!" Several Nisaeria soldiers and their families agreed.

"Great! Please board now. We'll depart for our new homeland shortly."

"Okay!"

Almost all the Nisaeria soldiers, along with their families, boarded the cargo ships. Only a few remained reluctant to join them. After a few minutes, the three cargo ships were nearly fully boarded and set sail from the port. Each of the warriors took the helm of one of the cargo ships, steering them toward their new homeland.