Rome Must Perish

Tenodolotis looked at him and said with a bitter smile, "Leader Maximus, don’t misunderstand me. I’m just a bit emotional and have no intention of asking for this land! We lost this land because we couldn’t defeat the Segestica people; it was our failure as leaders!

Previously, you signed a pact with Great Chief Acoupaigos, which included a clause stating, ’If you seize the land occupied by the Pannonians, then that land will belong to you and your team.’

At the time, we all took it as a joke, many of us including myself believed that once you waged war with the Pannonians, you would quickly be wiped out by them, making the pact meaningless and even possibly dragging our entire Aldean tribe into the conflict.

The truth proved that we were the ones to be laughed at; real heroes can create miracles! Leader Maximus, you defeated the great Pannonian army multiple times with a team of fewer than 20,000 people, which included many elderly, women, and children. You avoided the risk of our tribe being exterminated; you are a great benefactor to our tribe!"

"You’re too kind, you’re too kind!" Maximus replied humbly, though he was still cautious at heart, "May I ask what your request is?"

"The place where our tribe originally lived is now what you call the Westeni village." Another leader named Cleonidas took over the conversation, looking troubled, "Having lost the land, I led my tribesmen to retreat west of the Codona River, initially temporarily residing on the land of another tribe, but the Great Chief couldn’t lead an army to defeat the Pannonians to allow us to return home.

Over time, my tribesmen had more and more conflicts with the tribesmen of the land we borrowed, and in the end, we had to move to the uninhabited mountains, where many tribesmen fell ill and died, and to this day, my tribe still leads a difficult life...

I’m sorry to have complained so much to you; what I wanted to say is that we Aldeans have always kept our promises and will never ask you for the lost land, but we hear that you once told the Great Chief, ’You would march east and conquer the Pannonians.’ At that time, many in our tribe thought you were boasting, but you showed us with actions that you are fully capable of doing so.

When you next attack the Segestica people, some of us want to lead our warriors to join your ranks and avenge the Pannonians together...

Once we achieve a great victory, we hope you could generously allocate a few small plots of the newly conquered land to our tribes so we can escape our current hardships. Then Leader Maximus, you and your Nix Tribe will be our greatest benefactors, and anything you require in the future, our tribes will do our utmost to assist!"