Way of Overlord
Chapter 216: The Application of Reputation

Chapter 216: The Application of Reputation

In the record that he reads, Aeryon smiles a bit

"This woman is truly brave. It is a pity she came from different camp." He paused for a second from reading the report and sighed

If she is truly his wife and loyal towards him, he would be worried. Instead, he would be overjoyed to know that Ayera could take charge

But the braver she is, the more he is suspicious. Aeryon did not doubt the person he uses. If he did not believe them, he would rather not use them

But Ayera is not his person.

This is Garron daughter. Like father, like daughter. She taking charge, is it simply to help him?

No, he shakes his head.

He knows the answer. She is trying to make her presence known in the tribe. If she is really loyal and if she really acquiesced as the wife of the chief, why should she need to make her presence known?

Influence. She wanted to cultivate her image, cultivate her influence. Why should she do that if she is loyal?

The world is treacherous and human heart is always changing. And nothing is more unreliable than the people heart.

Especially the heart of someone like Aeryon. He might have bright ideals, and he have vast ambition, but that did not mean he did not know the darkness of the world

He loves beauty. But he also tries to learn the ugliness.

It is hard. But only by knowing it, that he could keep being in the light.

The original Aeryon while possessing certain ideas and also have ambition, he was not as suspicious as the current Aeryon.

This is why there is a saying to be close to the Emperor is akin to being close to a tiger.

At one moment, he could be smiling and drinking with you, the next moment he could change his face and order your death

Aeryon did not fancy himself an Emperor. His land is not big enough. And his men is not large enough

Only when he finish taking over all the Steppe, then he would declare himself with such title

But even though he is not the Emperor, the people under him are all scrambling to play intrigues and plots.

Aeryon did not hate it. He did not even care that much. Because he knows his position. He did not need to do anything about the matter of the nine horses and the tribes

Because none of them touch his interest. None of them touches his power. And none of them touches his majesty

What they wanted to know was his tribe attitude and his uncle has presided on this matter brilliantly

And now, he also knows his wife position

He knows that his wife did not see herself as his wife. And she stands on a different position than him

But, is that position threatens him? Threaten what he wanted to build? Aeryon has kindness in his heart.

At least he tries to be as kind as he could be in this unkind world. It is a way of justifying himself.

If he found out that Ayera is trying to stop him or an obstacle to his objective, then this woman could not be kept.

He could tolerate her to a certain point. Ayera herself is not an abominable woman. She is also not someone that Aeryon hated. On the contrary, Aeryon really believe that Ayera is a great woman.

She is brave, she is resourceful, brilliant and charming.

The problem is not her character or her personality

It is the difference of interest

"what you are planning.....cultivating influence? Is it for your father? Or for you?" for a moment Aeryon leans his back and look at the ceiling of his tent and shakes his head

He stays like that for a few minutes before once again looking at the report.

When Ayera enters the tent, as his uncle Rukari is clearly shocked

And so, he asked her what is she intending to do by breaking into the meeting?

Her answer was simple

"I would lead my men to capture the thieves" Rukari seeing this was impressed. A conqueror husband, a brave wife.

This is something that is a happy thing for Rukari. He always hopes that his nephew would be strong.

And that his family would also be strong. This is something that Rukari told Aeryon himself when he had returned home.

Rukari shows happiness at his face when he was saying this not realizing that at that time Aeryon was frowning.

It is because of that he is now reading the report. And reading from the report, now he understood why his uncle praises his wife so much

But the more praises people sang for his wife, the more he is wary

When he asked why would she be the one catching the thieves, the answer she gave him was what satisfies the tribe interest.

She knows that the tribe is reluctant because they fear that it might be a trap.

But if they did not send anyone, then what would those clans and small tribes that is trying to assimilate with the Brolgadhr tribe would think?

And Ayera says that they should take the middle way.

Let the wife of the chief lead some men to find the thieves.

After all, she has already volunteered. And if her father is no satisfied, they have a legitimate excuse.

It is not that we didn’t stop your daughter, your daughter is the one that wants to volunteer to the matter.

And it is not like the Brolgadhr is afraid of the Utgard tribe.

They simply did not want to be labelled untrustworthy among the tribes in the Steppe.

And she will use her men from Utgard tribe. This would serve a few purposes.

By sending her, it shows the importance that the Brolgadhr tribe attach to this matter, appeasing and reassuring those small clans and tribe.

At the same time, people would accept her more as the chief husband

Thirdly, with her using her own force, the tribe did not have to be worried that they are walking into a trap

Of course, Rukari is also worried. What if it is a trap and then leaving Ayera to scout the way would land her in trouble?

She said, she could always walk away and run away if that is the case. And she is confident of her own ability to survive anything

The Elders could only nod because the solutions that Ayera told them is really tempting.

They would not use much force of the tribe, appease and reassure the chiefs and at the same time, the strength of the tribe would not be expended.

"this wife of the Kan impressed me" Rukari said and the Elders that heard it all nodded in agreement

And even if Rukari wanted to stop Ayera, she declared it and she make a move. Whether Rukari allowed her or not, he could not stop her

"Probably Uncle did not even want to stop her. They both sings and complete each other sentence" Aeryon thought to himself when he was reading the report

He could guess the thought of his uncle.

His uncle did not want to be accused of sending his wife to dangerous expedition.

At the same time, his uncle also did not want to take the blame by Utgard tribe if something did happen to Ayera.

Aeryon already expressed many times. It is fine if Utgard breaks the alliance. But the breaking of the alliance must not come from us.

Aeryon had mention this to his uncle before he went south.

The reason is simple.

Reputation still has its use.

Why does so many tribes is keen to make alliances with him and surrender towards him?

Isn’t it because of the reputation that he keeps his words?

If Dama said that he would spare everyone that is battling against him, the effect would be different.

Even if he meant it, he would not achieve the same persuasive ability that Aeryon have

Why?

Because the level of trust is different.

Everyone trusted Aeryon to do what he said. Because he cultivated that trust and the trust is high.

But Dama had once scheme against a small tribe by proclaiming that he would spare them but when they laid down their arms, Dama slaughtered them all.

That created a precedent.

This alone would make any other tribes think twice before surrendering to Dama. This is the people heart. Aeryon of course seek dominating strength and usually for someone who relies on such method, the method that Dama is going with is more suitable.

Break all opposition.

But Aeryon is wiser. A true overlord knows force are important. But if you neglect other things, then it will crumble

Because the world rarely geos according to your will. Because people have heart and people have a mind of their own. The clashing of these desires, the clashing of these minds, how could it not create conflict?

Force in the military, diplomacy in administration. Aeryon himself learns this with Mayeux. Aeryon did no simply want to be an overlord of one side and then be content with it.

He also did not want to expand too much. He ahs the ambition to conquer the world but he also wanted to left a legacy that endures

"Humans are really greedy" he mutters to himself.

Aeryon knows all of this and because of that he knows that dominating strength does not mean everything.

Reputation is also a strength.

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