Bell returned to his apartment, a cup of coffee in hand, as he gazed out at the forest from his balcony, savoring the serenity of the night. Lisa was in the kitchen, pouring a cup of coffee for herself from the coffee maker. His apartment was modest, a single-bedroom apartment with its living room bordered by a large glass door to the balcony.

The 1st Armored Division had successfully secured the goblin villages, and they were now under temporary military administration. This measure was deemed necessary to safeguard Frostwood from the ogre threat, a situation they planned to resolve either through diplomatic means or by force if necessary.

Frostwood, though small, was the only area under Federation control. Fully securing it would establish the forest as their capital and from there, they could expand outwards and eventually secure the south from any attempt from the Southern Coalition to capture it and claim it as theirs.

Recent reconnaissance by F-15Es revealed ten other towns on the Northern Continent, each self-sustained and inhabited mostly by demons or humans. Bell focused on one particular town—Saven, a coastal settlement where his chancellor was reported to be, according to Sylva. With a population of 10,000, comprising elves, humans, and demons, Saven was about 800 kilometers northeast of Frostwood. Its strategic significance was highlighted by a selfie taken by Sylva, featuring Hanna and herself in tribal-style winter attire, likely as a disguise.

The distance was around 800 kilometers away from Frostwood, not too far, but couldn’t be called short either. To further prove the significance of Saven, Sylva took a selfie picture of Hanna and her with her camera. In that picture, Hanna was dressing in average tribal-ish winter clothing with Sylva in the same clothing but in a different color, probably as a disguise.

Bell wondered how Sylva convinced Hanna to pose for such a photo, but he knew Sylva had her methods. Additionally, an aerial photo showed the town's layout: a ship docked at the port and numerous wooden buildings arranged into districts. The port, its centerpiece, featured a lone ship anchored, with docks jutting into the calm sea. Surrounding the port, a network of cobblestone streets branched out like veins, connecting the different districts. The market district was easily identifiable by the clustered stalls and small storefronts, a mosaic of commerce bustling even from a bird's eye view.

Further inland, the residential areas spread out, with rows of gabled-roof houses interspersed with patches of green gardens and courtyards. The main street, a thicker line in this intricate web, led from the port to the town square, distinguishable by its larger, more ornate structures such as the town hall and chapel.

On the periphery, the town faded into the surrounding landscape, with small farms and workshops dotting the outskirts. The entire town was framed by the dense, dark edge of the nearby forest, and a large open field of snow, contrasting with the open sea on the other side. The large flat open field of snow opened a new opportunity for him, and the forest might also contain a number of resources that the Federation could exploit and use.

In the same picture, Sylva circled the importance of the open field, saying that an aircraft could land there with a snow skid, transporting a huge number of troops at once in case the town needed to be secured by force, it could also be used to transport supplies for the town itself as a sign of goodwill from the Federation. However, she also warned that taking over the town by force would cost a lot more than buying the town itself.

“So, what are you going to do with the goblins?” Lisa asked, finally walking to the balcony.

“They can manage their own, I trust Shruss will be fair. Besides, I think her joining the 1st Armored is only a ruse to take over the villages from the ogres,” Bell added. “Regarding funds, I have allocated 100,000,000 EPs for her to rebuild her village, should be plenty enough.”

The funds would be allocated to give them living space, alongside an injection for their own economic development, after all, they were high-quality resources as of now, especially those who were officers in the reserve division with their new education. Bell suggested Shruss to focus on industrial development, especially those that focused on spare parts and arms. Shruss would be accompanied by Eldrin in using the system to summon several new buildings.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Ok, that’s reassuring, what does she say regarding her plan?”

“Something along the line of providing safe havens for the goblins. The infrastructure of the village will be dedicated to providing safe haven for the refugees, the same as what we envision for the demons. After that, they would open a factory for spare parts, alongside buying the machinery for producing that,” Bell added.

“That’s quite a solid plan, anything else?”

“She will also donate 20% of the income for the state from producing the spare part,” Bell added.

“Not bad,” Lisa sipped on her coffee. “In the long run, that’s not a bad idea, considering that it will only grow and grow.”

"Sylva has been in contact with Saven's mayor. He's given us permission to arrive by aircraft. Interestingly, Hanna plays a significant administrative role there. Her influence has been vital in attracting merchant ships, using proxies to navigate the tensions with the Southern Coalition," Bell explained.

Confused, Lisa asked, "But how can demons and humans live together peacefully there, especially with the Southern Coalition's extreme views?"

"Their cultural identity might differ from the Empire's. They're deeply rooted in their own tribal traditions, despite their colonial origin. This means the town lacks the intense friction between demons and humans that's common elsewhere. I think they are an old colony that thought to be lost."

"But how did Hanna manage to convince traders to venture all the way there?" Lisa wondered.

Bell speculated, "We'll discover that soon enough. My guess? Economic incentives or perhaps the tribe offers unique attractions that lure merchants through the ice and snow."

"And how did the mayor consent to a foreign military presence?" Lisa inquired further.

"Out of necessity, really. The townspeople are exhausted from defending themselves with rudimentary weapons."

Lisa pondered for a moment, then suddenly choked on her coffee. "Bell, please don't say Sylva employed RAA's tactics to secure this alliance."

Bell noticed Lisa's distress and sought to reassure her. "I don't think Sylva would go that far. She's aware of the delicate nature of international relations, especially in a situation like this. It's more likely she used diplomacy and negotiation skills to secure the alliance."

“Knowing RAA, I found that hard to believe.”

“You know what they say, let’s just wait and see. Besides, this invitation looks genuine,” Bell gave Lisa an envelope with an opened wax seal. It was indeed a real seal. She opened the letter, and boy, she was more than surprised at the list of demands given by the mayor.

The mayor didn’t only request military presence, but also humanitarian help, including, but not limited to, medicines, foods, clothes, reconstruction effort, and the list went on. Bottom line, Sylva overpromised to the mayor, knowing that Bell would eventually deliver the promise.

Bell noticed Lisa's surprise as she perused the letter from Saven's mayor. The wax seal, now broken, had added an official air to the correspondence, but the content was what truly caught her off guard. The mayor's requests extended far beyond a simple military presence. He was seeking comprehensive humanitarian assistance.

The list was detailed and extensive: it included a wide range of medical supplies, from basic first aid kits to more specialized medications, addressing the town's urgent health care needs. Food provisions were also a significant part of the request, reflecting the scarcity of resources in the town. The mayor emphasized the need for both immediate relief in the form of ready-to-eat meals and long-term solutions like seeds and farming tools to establish sustainable food sources.

Clothing was another critical request, particularly warm, durable garments suitable for the harsh climate. This was vital not just for the comfort of the townspeople but also for their survival through the cold months.

Perhaps most telling was the plea for assistance in reconstruction efforts. The letter detailed the need for building materials and skilled labor to repair and rebuild essential infrastructure damaged by ongoing conflicts and harsh weather conditions. The mayor hoped to restore not only residences and public buildings but also vital community spaces like schools and marketplaces to revive the town's spirit.

The list continued, addressing various other needs such as educational materials, communication equipment, and even psychological support for the traumatized population.

“Motherfucker, this is extortion in letter form,” Lisa’s tone changed drastically.

"Extortion or not, it's a clever move," Bell mused, his eyes scanning the letter again. "The mayor is leveraging their desperate situation to extract as much aid as possible. However, we are also going to do an occupation attempt using soft power, if you put it bluntly,” Bell added.

Lisa looked up from the letter, "Sylva certainly didn't hold back in her promises.”

“I didn’t command her to hold back either. Besides, as we speak, 120th Air Assault and Eldrin’s men are already on their way to Saven.”

“This early? Damn, talking about preparation.”

“Yeah, their job is to establish a FOB for us, nothing too fancy.”

“Right, let’s hope everything goes according to plan.”

“I hope so.”