The next day.

Early Morning.

Amazarak Fallen Nation.

Vane sat on top of a partially constructed building, surrounded by his party members, watching as the Amazarak prisoners lined up for breakfast. Their faces, once gaunt and exhausted, now showed signs of rest and relief as they received bowls of warm stew, fresh bread, and steaming pots of porridge.

Vane watched them with a calm, calculating gaze. Falce stood beside him, her expression thoughtful as she observed the scene.

"Sir Vane."

"Hmm?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Is it necessary to waste our resources feeding these prisoners?" she asked, her voice low. "Wouldn’t it be better to conserve our supplies for our own forces?"

Vane smirked, nudging his glasses up with a finger. He stood, clasping both hands behind his back, his tone calm and measured.

"A weak tool is useless. A broken tool is worthless. But a well-maintained tool? That can be used again and again. These prisoners are not a waste of resources. They are an investment. If they have proper rest, access to water, and enough food, they can work harder, faster, and longer. A starving, exhausted slave is a useless slave. A well-fed, rested slave is a tool that can be used efficiently."

He glanced down at the prisoners, a faint, amused chuckle escaping his lips.

"Besides, look at this land. It’s fertile and perfect for farming. Under Jaigar’s mismanagement, it was wasted. But if we use these prisoners to clear more land, plant crops, and establish farms, we can produce our own food supply right here. That means less reliance on shipments from the continent and more resources for our army. In a few months, we’ll have a self-sufficient base, producing our own food and supplies."

Vane’s eyes glinted with cold calculation.

"These prisoners are not just laborers. They are the key to making this base self-sufficient. And when the time comes, they can also serve as expendable soldiers on the front lines. But for now, they are more useful alive and working than dead and rotting."

He gave Falce and the others a glance over his shoulder, a confident smirk on his lips.

"During a war, what’s more important?"

"Umm... a stronger army?" Falce ventured, her tone uncertain.

Vane shook his head slowly, his expression turning serious. "Wrong. A strong army is useless if it’s starving. Food and water are the foundation of any campaign. An army without supplies is an army that will collapse before the first battle even begins."

Rasya tilted her head in confusion. "But if we take land during a war, we can take their food, right? We can just seize what we need."

Vane shook his head again, his eyes fixed on the Amazarak lines below. "That’s flawed thinking. During a war, when you attack a region, the defenders know what’s coming. They will either destroy their own supplies to deny them to you, or they will flee, taking as much as they can with them. And even if they don’t, what remains is often damaged, spoiled, or insufficient to sustain an army."

He paused, his voice dropping slightly.

"Worse, if the local population knows you’re coming, they will leave, taking their knowledge, their skills, and their ability to produce more food with them. You’ll be left with empty land and no one to farm it. An army cannot live on stolen grain alone. It needs a steady, reliable supply. That’s why we must build our own supply chain here, now, before the war even begins. We must make this base self-sufficient so that when we march, we are not dependent on what we can steal, but on what we have already secured."

Vane crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the line of Amazarak below.

"If we can produce our own food, store our own water, and maintain our own supply lines, we become independent of the land we conquer. We can sustain our army indefinitely, while our enemies weaken from lack of resources. That is the foundation of a successful campaign."

He turned to face his party, his expression unwavering.

"That is why we are feeding these prisoners. Not out of kindness, but because they are the key to our long-term survival. They will work the land, build the infrastructure, and ensure that when the time comes, we are not just an army, but a self-sustaining force that can outlast any enemy."

Everyone fell silent, the weight of Vane’s words settling over them like a cold shroud.

Before Falce could say anything, heavy footsteps approached from behind.

"Sir Vane."

Captain Baruch saluted sharply, flanked by two soldiers standing rigidly behind him.

"Hmm? What is it, Captain Baruch?"

"Sir... Gorak and his party have just arrived at the west gate... and we have captured halfling soldiers."

"Hmm?" Vane tilted his head, his expression calm. "Why are there captured halfling soldiers?"

The captain saluted again, his voice steady but tense. "A halfling army approached our western border yesterday. Sir Jaigar commanded us to engage with our artillery and riflemen. He ordered us to kill anyone wounded and capture those who surrendered."

Vane turned and glanced at the captain, nudging his glasses with a thoughtful expression.

"I see. And what is the estimated number of captured soldiers?"

"Approximately one hundred or more, Sir Vane. Among them, there are five halfling women."

Vane’s eyes narrowed slightly. "And what is the relevance of specifying the halfling women?"

The captain stiffened, a cold sweat forming on his brow.

"Sir Jaigar ordered that any halfling women among the prisoners be brought to him personally."

The girls’ eyes turned cold and disgusted when they heard the captain’s words, their expressions hardening with barely concealed contempt.

Vane nodded slowly, his expression unreadable as he glanced up at the captain.

"The halfling women are to be placed in a separate cell. I will deal with them personally later. Make sure no one approaches them until I give the order."

"Yes, Sir Vane."

Vane turned and glanced back at the Amazarak prisoners, who were now quietly enjoying their meal.

"And tell Gorak that I am here. He is to report to me immediately."

"As you command, Sir Vane." The captain saluted, along with the soldiers, before turning and leaving the area.

Falce mumbled under her breath, her voice low but laced with fury. "Disgusting... Jaigar is truly despicable."

Fayna crossed her arms, her expression dark. "He’s nothing but a brute with no self-control."

Rasya shook her head, her voice sharp. "Men like him give all of us a bad name."

Gulia added coldly, "If he weren’t under the goddess’s protection, I would have ended him myself."

Deliza and Erlaine exchanged glances, their silence speaking volumes.

Vane merely exhaled, clasping his hands behind his back as he gazed toward the base.

"Enough. Focus on the mission. Jaigar’s actions will be dealt with in due time. For now, we have more important matters to attend to."

( End Of Chapter )