With control of the Stonemason Clan gradually solidified, the passage through the Rocky Mountains to the grasslands was officially opened, providing Lakeheart Town with crucial conditions for advancing into the heart of the grasslands.
Based on this, Lakeheart Town began to formulate a comprehensive plan to eliminate Abar and his ruling Royal Tent, aiming to completely resolve the threat posed by the grassland forces to the surrounding areas.
According to the plan, the full-scale offensive will be launched simultaneously in three directions, forming an encirclement of the Royal Tent. The western offensive will be undertaken by the Steppe Legion, commanded by Andrew. This legion has already successfully occupied the western edge of the Steppe centered on Blackwater Lake and will advance from west to east, gradually compressing the Royal Tent's western operational space. The central offensive will be led by Paul himself, utilizing newly opened passages through the Mountain Throat Fortress and Stonemason Clan territories, directly advancing into the heart of the Steppe. This route will serve as the main attacking force, heading straight for Abar. The core area of the Royal Tent.
Originally, the offensive mission on the eastern route was planned to be the responsibility of Sentinel Legion, but due to orders from Crystal Radiance, Sentinel Legion was unable to leave the country to participate in the operation, leaving a gap in the eastern route forces.
At this time, Chief of Staff Schroeder recommended a potential force to Paul—" The Free Men." This group roamed the vast area east of Watchers Fortress, at the junction of the grasslands and deserts. Their origins were complex, and their members came from various races, including orcs and humans. Among them were rebels who refused to be oppressed by the powerful families of their homelands, as well as vicious criminals on the run. To survive, these diverse individuals gathered together and called themselves " The Free Men."
They had long been nomadic in the southern part of the steppe, forming an independent force independent of the Royal Tent and other countries. Over more than a century, their strength grew increasingly formidable. Royal Tent had repeatedly attempted to eliminate or recruit The Free Men, but had never succeeded. Given the antagonistic relationship between The Free Men and Abar, and their operational base in the eastern grasslands, Schroeder believed that this force had the potential to become an ally for Lakeheart Town on the eastern front, and was a target that Lakeheart Town could win over, potentially filling the gap in their eastern offensive and completing the overall encirclement plan.
After Schroeder proposed using the strength of " The Free Men," Paul thought it was feasible. Rather than leaving the eastern front defenses vacant, he reasoned that it was better to try and win over this independent force. Paul quickly wrote a letter himself to Ivanko, the leader of "The Free Men, " stating that if Ivanko was willing to lead "The Free Men" to submit and obey the command of Lakeheart Town, he would grant him the title of "Commander of the Steppe Guerrillas," allow him to retain a portion of his cavalry, and provide him with regular supplies of food and weapons. He considered these terms very generous and sent the messenger by fast horse to " The Free Men's" camp.
Two months after the letter was sent, the messenger returned with Ivanko's reply. Paul was in his study dealing with military affairs, so he had his secretary Berna open it and read it aloud.
Berna unfolded the parchment, and his face turned pale when he saw the first line. He forced himself to read it aloud: "To that fool Glaeman, who hides in his stone house pretending to be a king, the idiot among men, the weakling who only knows how to wield a pen!" Berna froze as soon as he finished reading the first line, his hands trembling.
Paul's face darkened. He reached out and took the letter, quickly read it, and tossed it aside.
While Lakeheart Town was busy formulating its plan to encircle and annihilate the grasslands, in the southern capital of Crystal Radiance, the royal council was also discussing the situation on the grasslands. Sunlight streamed through the carved windows onto a long table covered with velvet, where several high-ranking officials sat on either side, the atmosphere heavy with undercurrents.
Earl Merlin, holding an intelligence scroll, broke the silence first, his voice clearly announcing the movements of Lakeheart Town: "According to reports from the north, Marquis Glaeman has taken control of the Stonemason Clan, opened a passage to the plains, and is preparing to attack Abar... " The Royal Tent's all-out encirclement and suppression, and their even attempts to contact the 'Free Men ' forces in the eastern part of the grasslands, make the conquest of the grasslands imminent.
As soon as he finished speaking, Prince Jassim, sitting at the head of the table on the right, frowned and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. His tone was filled with dissatisfaction and urgency: "We thought that the royal family's lack of support would restrain Glaeman's advance, but what has happened? He has not only conquered the dwarf tribes, but now he wants to take over the entire grassland—we can no longer stand idly by!"
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and continued, "Since Glaeman has been able to advance all the way without the support of the royal family, why doesn't the royal family take the initiative? The interests of the grasslands must not be allowed to be monopolized by him! Abar is currently dealing with the Northwest Legion of Lakeheart Town, and he will inevitably be stretched thin, which is exactly our opportunity."
At this point, a glint of light flashed in Prince Jassim's eyes as he offered his suggestion: "I propose that the Sentinel Legion be immediately ordered to march east from the fortress. Those who have submitted to Abar..." The oasis city-states of the Royal Tent were already weak, making this a perfect opportunity to incorporate them into the Aldor's territory. This would expand Aldor's borders, allow them to gain a share of the grassland's resources, and also restrain Glaeman's expansionist power—a win-win situation.
The council chamber fell silent instantly as everyone lowered their heads to consider Prince Jassim's suggestion. Some showed agreement, while others worried that this move would escalate the conflict with Lakeheart Town. But no one denied that if they did not act soon, Crystal Radiance might indeed fall far behind Marquis Paul Greiman in the struggle for grassland interests.
Prince Yuriko, the king's younger brother sitting on the left, slowly began to speak, steer the conversation toward another crucial direction: "Besides Father's suggestion, we cannot ignore the Free Men that Glaeman is trying to contact. If Glaeman manages to win over that force that roams the eastern steppe, it will be extremely detrimental to our subsequent plans on the steppe."
Prince Yuriko tapped his finger lightly on the table, his tone resolute: "In my opinion, we should bring them under Crystal Radiance's control before Glaeman does. Although they are unruly, they are also pragmatic. They wander the grasslands for survival and profit. As long as the benefits we promise are generous enough, I have no doubt that they will be tempted."
He further elaborated on his ideas: "We can promise that if they are willing to submit to Crystal Radiance, they will not only receive more food and weapons than Lakeheart Town, but also be given the eastern edge of the desert as a fixed pasture. They will be allowed to retain their original tribal structure and will only need to cooperate with Crystal Radiance when needed."
Prince Yuriko's gaze swept over the crowd as he continued, " If the Free Men can be used by us, firstly, it will balance the power of the Glaemans; secondly, it will help us guard the eastern border of the grasslands; and thirdly, we can use them to harass Abar." The Royal Tent's flank—this, compared to simply vying for oasis city-states, would give Crystal Radiance a more advantageous position in the struggle for grassland interests.
His words reignited the discussion in the council chamber. Some felt that wooing The Free Men with substantial benefits was less risky, while others worried that The Free Men were fickle and difficult to control. However, it was undeniable that this proposal provided Crystal Radiance with another path to seize control of the grasslands, complementing Prince Jassim's plan.