Rome Must Perish

"But no one would have expected the Aldeans to act out of desperation and lead the mercenaries here. Whether we regret it now or complain, the fact is that these mercenaries are not only here but also planning to settle down. If we don’t take advantage of their current small numbers and send troops to eliminate them, more outsiders will likely come over the mountain in the future. By then, it will be a significant problem for us!"

The one speaking was Bricks, which surprised Andres.

Actually, there was nothing strange about it. Although Bricks held personal grievances against Andres, he had also benefited from the war against the Illyrians, aligning their interests. Moreover, the rebel army currently controlled the midstream banks of the Kupa River. However, instead of flowing directly into the Dawa River within the Segestica Territory downstream, the Kupa River detoured southward into Brochi’s land, raising concerns for Bricks about a potential threat to his territory from this enemy force.

"Mercenaries only work for money," Demikas said sternly. "The Aldeans hired them to resist Andres’ attacks and even reclaim their lost land, but they would never allow them to attack our various tribal territories. What you’re saying is mere speculation. Even if we were to eliminate this group of enemies, we should at least wait until the situation with Antosy is resolved. Fighting on two fronts simultaneously is by no means a wise strategy!"

Maitilis, seeing Andres standing there with a grim expression, quickly interjected, "Alright, everyone has expressed their views. Let’s vote on this matter."

"I agree," Temagis was the first to speak.

Bricks followed up, "I agree as well."

Then, Demikas and Pagiras both expressed their opposition.

Andres naturally supported his own proposal.