"What is the meaning of this, Lenore?" Cailu shouted. "Why would you try to protect the enemy?"

"They surrendered after I forced their leader into submission. They are under my protection now," Lenore declared. "You can fight the red spearmen instead."

Lenore managed to end the conflict single-handedly by defeating the enemy leader and forcing a surrender. This decisive action stopped the fight and revealed her capability and authority.

Beyond the immediate battle, Lenore suspected a deeper conspiracy at play. She imagined that certain factions were trying to weaken other groups within their society. However, if weakening those factions wasn’t feasible, these conspirators would still be satisfied with causing significant harm to the beastkin community. By securing the surrender and protecting the enemies, Lenore not only halted the physical conflict but also disrupted the hidden agendas of those who sought to create chaos and division.

That was a bold move, but at least it made sure that the warriors of the village would be seen as nothing but simple mercenaries without a brain. Still, since that happened, the whole village would have to act more seriously outside to avoid problems like that in the future.

Before the elves and dwarves could take any action in response to Lenore’s decision to protect the surrendered enemies, they received urgent reports from their scouts and messengers. These reports told them that the red spearmen, who had been a significant force in the battle, had started to retreat.

The red spearmen were discovered to be mercenaries hired to bolster the ranks of the enemy forces. As mercenaries, their loyalty was tied solely to their payment, and the primary concern of their masters was their own survival and profitability. Once they observed that the tide of battle had turned, marked by Lenore’s victory over the enemy leader and the subsequent surrender of the opposing forces—they quickly assessed the situation. Realizing that continuing to fight would not only be futile but also dangerous, they decided to withdraw to avoid further losses.

This retreat was a practical move for the red spearmen, as they had no personal stake in the conflict beyond their contractual obligations. Their departure highlighted the mercenary nature of their involvement and showed the effectiveness of Lenore’s actions in bringing the battle to a close. The elves and dwarves, seeing the retreat of the red spearmen, understood that the immediate threat had diminished.

"I guess this is it, huh?" Raiden thought.

Raiden watched Cailu to see if he would insist on his plans, but he let out a resigned sigh and then gave some orders to just watch the prisoners. Their leader was also alive, so they couldn’t mess up... if they decide to fight one last time, they still could cause a lot of damage. So it was hard to say if he had some suspicious goals like eradicating some elves that didn’t follow his leadership.

For a day and a half, Raiden assisted his mother and sister in tending to the wounded. Their efforts extended not only to their allies but also to the injured enemies. Raiden found himself questioning the necessity of providing care to those who had previously captured elves, a people with whom his family and village were working with.

His internal conflict was evident as he struggled with the idea of showing compassion to those who had caused so much harm. However, Iri responded to his unspoken doubts not with words but with a simple gesture. She pointed towards some officers’ tents, subtly directing his attention to a disturbing reality.

As Raiden looked at the tents, he noticed that these high-ranking officers also kept beastmen as slaves. This revelation hit him hard, highlighting the complex web of suffering and oppression that transcended the sides of the conflict. It became clear that cruelty and subjugation were not exclusive to any one group; both sides had inflicted pain and captivity upon others.

"Usually, there is a side that is more virtuous than the other in a conflict, but not in this one," Iri closed her eyes.

There is always two sides of a story... Raiden confirmed that once more. In any case, after the lion man recovered, both sides began to discuss about the terms of surrender. The red spearmen were hired to help them with the promise of gaining a portion of the gains, so that is explained their sudden retreat.

The beastmen, despite their own losses in the conflict, faced additional consequences beyond their immediate battlefield injuries. As part of the settlement, they were compelled to give ten of their ships to the elves and dwarves. This measure served as compensation for the damages and attacks they had inflicted upon these factions during the war.

The demand for further reparations was made by the elves and dwarves, reflecting their desire to ensure that the beastmen paid a higher price for their aggression. However, the situation was delicate, and escalating demands could have triggered further hostilities, potentially leading to more widespread conflict.

Lenore stepped in as a mediator at this critical moment. Her role was crucial in defusing the tension and preventing the situation from deteriorating. She worked to balance the demands of the elves and dwarves with the need to maintain stability and peace. By negotiating and mediating, she sought to ensure that the compensation agreed upon was fair and that the beastmen were not subjected to excessive demands that could reignite hostilities.

"I didn’t expect things to end this way. It all happened so fast. The fighting stopped almost overnight, and now we’re dealing with these reparations and compromises." Raiden said while frowning.

"Yes, it can be surprising how quickly things can shift in conflict. The resolution might seem abrupt, but it’s not unusual for conflicts to end this way. Sometimes, the swift resolution is what prevents things from dragging on longer." Iri explained.

"So, this is just how it goes? You fight, you negotiate, and then you move on?" Raiden asked.

"Exactly. Conflicts rarely end with total victory or total defeat. Often, they end with a series of compromises and negotiations. It’s a process of balancing the needs and demands of all parties involved," Iri nodded. "And yes, sometimes it happens quickly when both sides see the benefit of moving forward."

Only ten ships seemed like a small amount considering all those issues, but in the end that was one tenth of their fleet. Even with their skills, they couldn’t make a ship like that faster than one month with fifty workers.

Following the swift conclusion of the conflict, the next phase involved detailed negotiations to finalize the terms of the settlement. This process took around two weeks to complete, as representatives from all sides worked through the various demands, compensations, and agreements necessary to ensure a lasting peace.

Once the negotiations were concluded and the terms were agreed upon, the armies began to disperse and return to their respective homes. The elves, dwarves, and other factions started to withdraw their forces, signaling the end of active hostilities and a return to peacetime routines.

During this period, the warriors of the village remained vigilant and stationed at their posts. Their presence was crucial to ensuring that the remaining enemy forces fully departed. They kept watch until all signs of the red spearmen disappeared completely. The warriors were tasked with ensuring that no remnants of the enemy remained, maintaining security, and preventing any resurgence of conflict.

"All right, let’s move out," Lenore said. "It is time to go back home."

"... It is quite something, to think that Mother managed to end this conflict and oversee the peace talk almost single handedly," Raiden raised his eyebrows when they began to move.

As the negotiations concluded and the armies began to withdraw, Raiden couldn’t help but wonder about the possibility of further complications. Given that the mercenaries, including the red spearmen, were not only tasked with fighting but also had to be compensated for their services, he questioned whether they might seek additional compensation elsewhere.

Raiden’s thoughts were also busy with the recent loss of 154 warriors from their ranks. The significant number of casualties weighed heavily on the group, making him anxious about how other involved parties would address their own losses and expenses.

The potential for additional demands or complications was a concern for Raiden, as he knew that the process of addressing the full scope of costs and losses from the conflict was far from straightforward. The settlement terms, while resolving the immediate conflict, did not necessarily cover every aspect of the broader implications, including the financial and emotional toll of the losses sustained by all parties involved. He was only worried because his mother was involved... 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Was this the kind of job that you wished that you had more chances to participate?" Harth asked when he noticed that Iri was too silent.

"Not really," Iri readily said.

While Iri had a natural sense of adventure and a willingness to face challenges, she was not comfortable with situations where people could die. Her adventurous spirit was balanced by a deep-seated concern for life and well-being, which made the prospect of large-scale battles particularly distressing for her.