YM778.TV Chapter 84: Appetizer
Lergen wasn\'t part of the alliance attacking Heffal, so there wasn\'t a need to hide their identities there. Plenty of residents from Heffal ended up trapped in Lergen exactly because they couldn\'t make their way back home. That helped as Vera and the others simply pretended to be a few more of these same residents.
By using public transportation, they arrived at the border between Lergen and Colsfal Country, their next stop. This kind of movement continued for various days. Vera was like a fish in the water. She had several methods of acquiring what she wanted while in another country\'s borders, and that helped them get this far.
---
Tolistel Country, North of Volztain...
Alvin and the others were having a meal while traveling on public transportation. Linfel and the other Familiars obviously didn\'t need to eat, so they just talked and observed. In the end, Vera\'s idea wasn\'t only hers. Quite a few other residents from Heffal were also making their way around and trying to reach home by going through Binnan Country.
In this vehicle alone there were another four Heffal Residents.
As they talked, the TV on the transportation showed various news regarding the war from time to time. That helped Linfel and the others to keep up with the war developments. By now, they found out that the invasion suffered a big set back, obviously because of them.
However, the surprising news appeared at the end of that day.
-Urgent News just came from Haffal and Binnan Countries. Heffal has signed an alliance with Binnan, Goruto, and Tinfal countries. These three countries pledged to send military support as well as part of their Maguses and Familiars to support Heffal against the invasion.-
-Binnan is being used as the bridge for Goruto and Tinfal to enter the country, and it is expected that their reinforcements will join Heffal\'s frontlines in at most two days\' time. Volztain, Xanzion, and Porfate still haven\'t shown any signs of change. We will keep you posted on any new developments.-
*WOW!*
The Heffal Country people immediately cheered in the transportation.
"This is great!" Julius was definitely the happiest there. "It will be four against three! We can finally push Volztain, Xanzion, and Porfate back! The war will be over."
Vera shrugged. "You are too innocent. Those three new countries wouldn\'t send too much of their forces. Yet, they definitely asked for a hefty price from Heffal to come. At most, Heffal will reach a stalemate, but I hardly believe they will be able to cause any real damage to Volztain, Xanzion, and Porfate."
"I believe all sides expect the same thing. Heffal\'s side is pushing for an end to the war without losing any of its territories. Meanwhile, Volztain\'s side will probably try to hold what they acquired. In the end, neither side will be able to force the other out, and an agreement will have to be made," Claus sighed in response.
"Do you mean our Heffal Country will get smaller?" Alvin asked.
"Yes," Vera agreed with Claus\'s explanation. "Binnan and the others definitely won\'t commit to forcing Volztain and the others all the way back from where they came. They are in it for one reason and one reason only, reap as many benefits as possible."
Linfel heard all of that and watched the presenter on the TV giving their opinions about the ongoing situations in Heffal. A map appeared on the TV, which showed several vectors of what the news reporters believed would be the next moves of the countries involved. \'As I assumed... Good thing I sent him out ahead of time,\' Linfel thought to himself.
Right after, he turned to Alvin. "Alvin, show me a map of Heffal and the other countries on your MCOM."
Alvin didn\'t expect that request but followed Linfel\'s wishes. Soon, a big map appeared on the MCOM, which included all the countries involved.
Linfel had a screw loose in his mind, but he wasn\'t an idiot. When it came to important topics, he usually was spot on, so everyone couldn\'t help but pay attention to him. "Is anything wrong, Linfel?"
Linfel looked at the TV and then at the map that Alvin showed. "Claus, how does a country treat the civilians of a country they conquer? To be more specific, Xanzion, Volztain, and Porfate."
Claus found that question strange. Still, as a captain of his own squad and a veteran in the army, he knew more about such things. "That depends on the country that takes over. Volztain, Xanzion, and Porfate aren\'t bad. As long as the civilians didn\'t cause trouble for any of the three when they began to share the spoils, they wouldn\'t be hurt for no reason. Why?
Do you think they can still win with Binnan and the others joining the battlefield?"
Linfel didn\'t answer. Instead, he went to the side and pressed a button on the vehicle. A few moments later, it stopped by the road and opened its door. "Alvin, Felia, let\'s leave."
"What?!" Alvin was taken aback. Yet, Linfel didn\'t stop, so he was forced to follow Linfel.
As Linfel moved out, he left a few words for Claus and the others. "Once you get to Binnan, do not reveal your identities as maguses of Heffal. Get through the border and only show yourselves after you are back to safety. Let\'s go, Alvin, Felia."
"Wait!" Alvin and Felia felt helpless but exited the vehicle regardless.
Seeing that, Vera struggled to decide if she should follow or continue her travel. From what Linfel spoke, they would at least manage to go back. And for her, returning to Heffal was the only priority. The rest didn\'t matter.
"I\'m staying with Vera," Julius didn\'t come out either. Vera was the one helping them get everything done on their way back. He only wanted to go back, especially now that the war seemed to be reaching its end.
Claus, Wharton, and Falagita were just as confused. But seeing that Vera didn\'t move, they also decided to stay with her. "He probably has his motives; let him be."
"Vera, aren\'t you going to attack Linfel, Alvin, and Felia? They are kind of deserting, aren\'t they?" Falagita couldn\'t help but ask.
However, Vera shook her head. She knew she had no chance to take Linfel by surprise. She tried already. Her priority was to return. She could report about Linfel\'s group, and that would be it. "Forget it.
Attacking him would only cause trouble for ourselves. I\'ll pretend I didn\'t see anything." Well, the truth was that she also thought Linfel had a good reason. \'Could it be he thinks Heffal will lose?\' She wondered to herself.
In the end, only Linfel, Alvin, and Felia exited the vehicle, leaving the others behind... or so it was supposed to be.
"I\'m coming with you," Milia spoke as she carried Nori on her shoulder.
Vera and the others looked at Linfel and his group outside. "Are you truly staying behind?"
Alvin bitterly smiled. He didn\'t even know why he was staying in this place, let alone Felia, Milia, and Nori.
Linfel, however, seemed certain he was doing the right thing. "That we are. Or, at the very least, I am. Don\'t forget what I said, do not reveal your identities as soldiers or maguses and familiar of Heffal. Hide your Familiars\' Cores or whatever. Just make sure you get to the other side without revealing yourselves."
Vera couldn\'t hold back anymore and asked before the transportation started to move again. "Speak truly. Do you think Heffal will lose?"
Linfel went silent. "If I say yes, will you stay behind?"
"No!" Vera immediately shook her head.
"Then this is a meaningless question," Linfel answered.
Vera sighed and sat on her seat again. "Very well. I hope we can meet again."
Claus and the others didn\'t know what to do about that situation. But in the end, they still wanted to return, so they stayed with Vera. They didn\'t see how Heffal would lose that war with the new alliance. Finally, the transportation vehicle closed its doors and departed, leaving Linfel\'s group behind.
"Linfel, can you speak now?" Alvin quickly asked.
Linfel then took out his MCOM and showed it to Alvin. He quickly expanded the map, pointing several vectors through the routes that connected Binnan to the other two countries that signed an alliance with Heffal. "What do you see here?"
"Alvin, Milia, Nori, and Felia looked at the map and were completely confused. It was very similar to the map that the TV news was showing. Just some minor differences. "Reinforcements?"
Linfel shook his head, though. "No, this is a disaster. No wonder Binnan didn\'t join the alliance to take down Heffal. Let me change my question. Why would Volztain, Xanzion, and Portafe attack if Binnan could serve as a hub for reinforcements from other countries to Heffal?"
"This..." None of them could come up with an answer. "Perhaps they couldn\'t convince Binnan to join them?"
"Perhaps..." Linfel nodded. "Or... Heffal is just the appetizer."