262 Ongoing (2/2)
”Ah.”
Little Li nudged Remian. ”Let's be honest. Big Sister doesn't want to bother about things like security and danger when she needs to concentrate on the boys.”
”Oh.”
”Xue Mengli!!” Big Li roared in outrage.
Little Li let out a yelp and started running. Big Li chased Little Li around in mock outrage for a bit.
Remian didn't pay them any mind. He was glad just to have a break.
”Don't relax too soon.” Wushuang advised him. ”We're not far from the Red Mist Forest. Pretty soon, it will be time for you to get to work.”
As if all this hiking wasn't work enough?!
”Great.” Remian groaned. ”I can hardly wait.”
***
Meanwhile back at Kara-Goth, reinforcements and replies began to arrive from afar.
Deutero sent five battle frigates and two Sky Galleons loaded with supplies and three bands of mercenaries to aid the defense.
The Midlands Sea People, having recently been displaced by the exodus of Wilds to the north, warmly received the Encles' Settlement's invitation and decided to move south en masse. They began to arrive by the hundreds.
Libertaria sent word that they would most certainly move out in force, soon. Very soon. The Dragon Empire replied with an 'investigation fleet' consisting of fifty airships from Galleons to Corvettes.
And Ashdale…
Ashdale sent one ship.
”What?” Mindy stared, seeing the battleship arrive.
To be sure, there was nothing to complain about the battleship itself. It was an old, highly respectable warship with a long and dignified history of service. It was fierce, and powerful, and had more firepower in its three decks of cannons than just about every other airship in the Wildlands right now.
But it was just the one airship. Ashdale didn't even send ground troops.
”It's all we could spare.” Mandy, apparently, had become the official liaison between Ashdale and Kara-Goth. ”It's the war, you see. After all the fighting, Ashdale's forces need time to regroup and reorganize. Also, the threat of the Wilds in the Neutral Zone is getting worse. We need most of our forces back home. Besides, I'm sure you guys can handle things over there. You've got the Wilds on your side, after all.”
”These Spectres are on a whole order of magnitude worse than the Wilds!”
”Maybe. Maybe not.” Mandy was evasive.
A weird thought struck Mindy. ”Sis, you're not thinking of siding with them against the Wilds, are you?”
”That's just speculation.”
”You didn't answer the question!”
”It's not my place to answer it.”
Mindy gaped. ”You hate the Wilds that much?”
”It's not up to me.” Mandy said quickly, much too quickly.
But Mindy had an inkling that the Ashdalians might actually have thoughts of using the Spectres one way or the other.
After all, from where they stood, it was the Wilds threatening their homeland, not the Spectres. The Spectres were someone else's problem. Theirs were the Wilds.
For a moment, Mindy reconsidered selling them those Corvettes… but a deal was a deal, and they were paying good money. That money could come in handy in the fight against the Spectres.