CHAPTER 350: CHAPTER 229: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE GREAT CHIEF

Could it be because I joined the group a few months later than them? ... Valles occasionally had such thoughts.

The large wooden house adjacent to the tribal hall was where Maximus had his office. Similarly, a fellow from the secretarial department stood in front of the door. Upon seeing Valles arrive, he immediately went inside to report.

"Let him in quickly." The familiar voice came from inside.

Valles shook his head, casting away the random thoughts in his mind.

The fellow came out and made a "please enter" gesture. Valles took a quick step inside, and respectfully saluted Maximus, who was seated in the center: "Greetings, Chief!"

"Valles, do you know why I called you over so late?" Maximus asked kindly.

Valles shook his head.

"At today’s tribal meeting, I proposed to resolve the conflicts among the reserve tribe members and make the tribe more united, preferably by establishing a unique deity ritual system that belongs to us Nixes and suits the local populace. After discussing, everyone agreed. Next, Emmerich and the nine department heads will draft a plan for me to review..."

This scene seemed a bit strange, a dignified tribal leader discussing important tribal matters with a young boy, and the boy nodded occasionally.

In reality, Maximus often privately discussed some tribal matters with his trusted attendants to expand their knowledge and increase their experience in handling affairs. Thus, Valles could not only understand the political terms that occasionally popped up in Maximus’s words but also keenly realized that his long-held expectation might finally be realized today.

Sure enough, Maximus continued, "Next, I will establish a Temple Department, specifically responsible for overseeing all temples and priests in the tribe and their ritual activities. The head of this Temple Department... I consider temporarily appointing Emmerich.

But since he is also handling other affairs, the specific business of the Temple Department will fall onto the deputy head of the Temple Department. I recall that half a year ago, you had an impressive discussion on ’why our tribe didn’t establish a temple then’, so I’ve decided to appoint you as the Deputy Officer of this Temple Department. How about it? Do you have the confidence to do well?"

"Yes!" Valles shouted excitedly.

"Very good!" Maximus said sternly, "Now I give you a task: go back and think well about how to manage the Temple Department, supervise the temples and priests in the tribe, so they can both resolve the tribesmen’s conflicts, and make the tribe more united, without affecting our management of the tribe... then write down your thoughts and bring them to me to review."

"Yes!" Valles responded loudly, feeling the pressure from Maximus’s demand but even more excited.

"Recently, Akegu and the others were sent out for assignments, and only you were kept by my side. Do you feel a bit resentful in your heart?"

Valles was slightly startled. Facing the still smiling Maximus, he quickly denied, "No! Really, no!"

"I want to find the most suitable position for my best student; that’s why I kept you until the end!" Maximus watched him with a smile, "It’s getting late, go back and rest well."

Valles couldn’t help but ask, "Chief, which department does this Temple Department belong to?"

Maximus replied meaningfully, "The Temple Department reports directly to me."

"Oh, understood!" Valles saluted excitedly. As he walked out the door, his heart felt warm all the time.

..........................................

After attending the Pannonian Tribe Alliance meeting, Cabdes quickly returned to Segestica and immediately prepared to convene a tribal assembly to elect a new Great Chief.

The chiefs of various Segestica tribes arrived from their territories to the Main Camp, gathering in the tribal hall.

The meeting was presided over by the Segestica Priest Hemijias.

Standing beside him was the Alliance Envoy who had accompanied Cabdes here.

Dozens of Segestica chiefs were divided into three groups: those favored by Andres or who greatly admired Andres sat on the left side of the hall, led by Pulikas, surrounding Andres’s only 10-year-old son Ankasus; those supporting Cabdes surrounded him and sat on the right side of the hall; those undecided sat in the middle, watching the situation unfold.

Once everyone was seated in the hall, Pulikas kept glaring at Cabdes across the room, feeling extremely angry.

The reason was that Cabdes had constantly promised Pulikas, "Ankasus will succeed his father’s position as the Great Leader," but after returning from the tribal alliance, he seemed to follow the agreed-upon plan to convene a tribal meeting. However, in the end, Pulikas discovered that this guy actually proposed "to compete for the Great Chief" himself.

Pulikas felt utterly deceived and tried several times to reason with this treacherous fellow, but he avoided him until today when they met in the hall, watching him laughing and chatting with those around him, Pulikas ground his teeth angrily.

At this time, Priest Hemijias loudly proclaimed, "Fellow leaders, since our Great Leader Andres passed away, the position of the tribal Great Chief has been vacant. Today, you are gathered here to select a new Segestica Great Chief to reassure all the tribe members and lead us in reviving our former glory!"

He paused and pointed to the left side, "The candidates for the Great Chief competition are: Andres’s son Ankasus!"

Pulikas hastily signaled Ankasus to stand up and was the first to cheer. Those around him followed with applause.

Being just a teenager, Ankasus felt nervous under the crowd’s gaze and cheers. He quickly stood up and then quickly sat down again.

"And also our well-known Cabdes!" Hemijias pointed to the right side.

Cabdes stood up with a smile, spread his arms, and slowly turned around, receiving the cheers of the crowd.

This round of cheers was clearly stronger than the previous one.

Pulikas’s expression changed abruptly, standing up and exclaimed, "Wait a moment! This method of electing the Great Chief violates our tradition! The Great Chief of Segestica has never been elected but rather has been naturally inherited generation after generation by the Great Chief Family with noble bloodlines, first was the Old Leader Ambra, then the Great Leader Andres, and now it should naturally be Ankasus’s turn to assume the position of the Great Chief. This is the tradition of Segestica, even of all the major Pannonian tribes!"

Pulikas’s questioning immediately silenced the hall.

Cabdes quickly interjected, "Pulikas, don’t forget, I am also the son of Calicus (who was the father of Ambra, the former Segestica Great Chief), and noble blood of the Great Chief Family flows in my veins!"

"But you are not a direct descendant!" Pulikas retorted unceremoniously.

"Not a direct descendant, then what! Aren’t I—" Cabdes began to counter but suddenly noticed some people looking at him with strange eyes, and immediately closed his mouth.

It turned out that last year Andres led troops to attack foreign mercenaries, and as a result, suffered a terrible defeat. Numerous Segestica tribal nobles were captured. It was heard that the Aldeans massacred the captives severely. To quickly replenish the army for another battle, Andres appointed a number of nobles to take over the territories and tribesmen of the captured nobles; many of these were non-direct descendants within these captured noble families. Who would have thought that these captured Segestica nobles were later released, resulting in intense conflicts between the two sides that persist unresolved, nearly causing Cabdes’s words to expose certain people’s scars.

His momentary pause gave Pulikas a chance to press further: "Cabdes, you also realized your mistake, didn’t you? Respected Hemijias Priest, you are the Sage most familiar with our Pannonian traditions. We hope you can defend them and acknowledge Andres’s only son, Ankasus, the direct descendant of the Great Chief Family, as the new Great Chief!"

Hemijias had not yet responded when the Alliance Envoy suddenly interrupted loudly: "Speaking of our Pannonian traditions, before the Skodisqi people invaded this land, the major tribes selected their Great Leaders just like today. Later, the Skodisqi imposed Great Chiefs on us to better enslave us and passed them successively through generations...

We have now been independent for more than a decade, and the reason why the major tribes’ Great Chiefs are still those appointed by the Skodisqi or their sons who took over, is because they played significant roles in defeating the Skodisqi; their abilities were recognized by the tribesmen, so there’s no need for an election anymore! However, today—"

The Alliance Envoy looked at Pulikas, stressed his words, and said loudly: "Not just Segestica but other major tribes are now faced with a major crisis. Therefore, the tribal alliance hopes that Segestica will elect a capable Great Chief who can join forces with other major tribes to overcome this critical juncture!"

The Envoy’s words immediately caused a stir within the hall. The tribal chiefs, unlike ordinary tribe members, knew more or less what the "major crisis" mentioned by the envoy was, but were surprised to hear it emphasized so seriously, which stirred up discussions.

Pulikas secretly cried out: Cabdes has indeed obtained the support of the tribal alliance, and Ankasus may now find it hard to succeed!

But still unrelenting, he questioned, "Does the tribal alliance intend to violate the agreement and interfere in Segestica’s internal affairs?!"

The Envoy smiled coldly and replied indifferently, "Segestica does not have to heed the suggestions of the tribal alliance, but in the future, seeking help from the tribal alliance might then become somewhat difficult."