NOVPUB
Chapter 272: 272
One piece of information that caught Ikem’s attention was about a good friend of the apelings: "The people of Omadi."
The people of Omadi were among the first humans in the eastern continent to have close contact with the apelings. Though they never set foot in the apeling kingdom, they were accommodated in a mountain not far from the apeling kingdom.
Because of Osita, the cambion—a half-human, half-demon—Omadi, his friends, and family had to flee their home and territory with the help of the apelings.
This encounter with the apelings transformed the lives of Omadi and his people as they were introduced to a more magical world. At that time, Zephyr, who was playing with Ikem, shared some of the magical knowledge they had gathered with Omadi to help him create a stronger community or kingdom that would keep Osita in check.
The intention was good at the beginning, but as Omadi and his people grew in population and size, Ikem realized he might have been naive in his thinking.
It was only years later, after he met Ursula, that he realized he wasn’t the only one who had underestimated the situation. Ursula had similar thoughts when the harpies began helping the development of the Sun Kingdom.
It was only after some time that she and her people, like Ikem and Zephyr, realized how wrong they were. In the beginning, it was easy to help, as the human population was still small, and resources seemed endless, but as they grew, so did the burden.
Ikem realized that in the process of helping Omadi grow his community and kingdom, he had indirectly become the king of another kingdom, and the humans grew dependent on their help.
At first, humans being dependent on them seemed like a good thing, but when Ikem realized he was too preoccupied to lead his own people and that his thoughts were constantly consumed with how to make the humans stronger, he began to see how mistaken he was.
Realizing this, Ikem started thinking about how to gradually distance himself from Omadi and the humans, allowing them to find their own path and move forward.
Fortunately, around that time, the dragons made their appearance. With the dragons taking the stage, Ikem slowly withdrew from Omadi and his people.
He still helped them from time to time, but not to the extent he had before. With the impartial guidance of the dragons, Omadi and his people quickly grew, with the apelings assisting from the sidelines as they found their own way and culture.
Omadi, the first king of the Omadi Kingdom, died of natural causes at the age of 109. His son, Nwadiebube, took over the leadership after his death.
Unlike his father, Nwadiebube didn’t have much reverence for the apelings. He was thankful for their help, but that was it. In his mind, they had grown beyond their past, and as one of the largest human kingdoms on the eastern continent, showing such humility to the apelings was shameful.
At the same time, Nwadiebube was ambitious. To him, Osita’s existence was a stain on his family name and legacy, so he did everything possible to strengthen his people and ensure they were strong.
Unfortunately, he was up against a demon. Even though Osita had lost some of his inherited memories, the ones he retained were enough for him to build a strong kingdom, so no matter what Nwadiebube did, he never surpassed Osita’s kingdom.
Nwadiebube’s relentless focus on surpassing Osita consumed him. He saw the demon king not just as a threat but as a stain on his family’s honor—a challenge he had to conquer at any cost. Under his leadership, the Omadi Kingdom transformed into a militaristic powerhouse. New fortresses rose, warriors trained day and night, and the kingdom’s boundaries steadily expanded. Its wealth and influence grew.
For almost a century, Osita’s existence was a thorn in Nwadiebube’s side—until recent events.
Ikem sat up, a more serious look on his face, as he pondered what Zephyr had just reported to him concerning the Omadi Kingdom.
"Repeat what you just said," Ikem said to Zephyr.
Zephyr had a troubled look on his face as he replied, "The priest of Björn who landed on our continent was taken in by Nwadiebube."
"Are you certain?" Ikem asked, his voice low and measured.
Zephyr nodded, his expression grim. "Yes, Father. Our scouts confirmed it. The priest was welcomed into Nwadiebube’s court with a great ceremony. It’s unclear what he seeks, but the implications are... troubling."
Ikem rose from his throne, pacing the length of the chamber as he considered the gravity of this development.
"Are there any of our people currently in Omadi’s kingdom?" Ikem asked Zephyr.
Zephyr wore a thoughtful expression before responding, "Due to recent events and our relationship with Omadi’s people, their kingdom was never considered for involvement in the experimentation. However, some apelings from the cursed clans were curious about a human kingdom that our people support, so they chose to make their first stop at Omadi Kingdom."
Ikem nodded. "What about Osita’s kingdom?"
Zephyr frowned at the mention. "We have some apelings deployed there too."
Looking to his side, which was empty, Ikem ordered, "Have every apeling deployed or found in these two kingdoms moved away, and relay an order to all apeling citizens that they are never to approach these two kingdoms until further notice."
Thula appeared out of thin air, a very dark helm on her head as she bowed to Ikem. "Yes, your highness," she said before disappearing once again.
Turning back to Zephyr, Ikem said, "We might have the very first serious human war on our hands."
Ikem’s words hung heavily in the air, and Zephyr frowned as he spoke up. "Father, Omadi’s son surely knows it’s dangerous to deal with the deity Björn and his religion. He’s ambitious, yes, but to align himself with a force as unpredictable as the priesthood of Björn? This could undo everything his father worked for—or worse, plunge his kingdom into chaos."
Ikem sat back on his throne, resting his head in his hand. "We didn’t give him much of a choice. He has long wanted to be rid of Osita, but he can’t do it alone. He has pleaded for our help, but we didn’t offer it."
"We couldn’t offer him the help he wanted. Osita, by far, has proven to be a better leader than Nwadiebube, and that says a lot considering he is a demon. He has honored his part of our deal, kept his word, and led the humans under him well."
"He hasn’t given us any legitimate reason to act against him. Nwadiebube is too blinded by ambition to see how his actions will affect us in the long run."
Looking at Zephyr, Ikem continued, "Take, for example, Erik and Silas. After Ursula informed us of everything and handed us the blueprint of the magical device used to locate unknown demon parasites..."
"We were still doubtful of Osita so we used the device, yet he never tampered with the people under him. Except for the Warlock power system he gave to his people, which so far has proven beneficial, nothing gives us the right to move against him," Ikem said with a sigh.
Ikem’s words weighed heavily on both him and Zephyr as they grappled with the complexity of the situation. The room was filled with tense silence, the gravity of their decisions pressing down on them. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓾𝒷.𝒸ℴ𝓂
Zephyr finally spoke, his voice filled with concern. "Father, I understand why we’ve held back. Osita, despite his demonic nature, has indeed been a better leader than we could have anticipated. He’s maintained order, fulfilled his promises, and has not abused the power we feared he might. But Nwadiebube’s desperation... It’s pushing him towards dangerous alliances, ones that could destabilize everything."
Ikem nodded, his expression troubled. "Nwadiebube is driven by the need to surpass his father’s legacy and to rid his kingdom of Osita’s shadow. His ambition blinds him to the fact that his actions could bring ruin not just to his kingdom, but to the entire continent. Aligning with the priesthood of Björn is a desperate move, born out of frustration and impatience."
Zephyr leaned forward, his brows furrowed in thought. "But Father, if we continue to stand aside, Nwadiebube might go too far."
"You are right, son. We should do something, but the reality is that we can’t do much. Other human kingdoms are watching us closely, waiting to see what we do and how we respond. At the end of the day, son, this is a human matter."
Ikem’s words were heavy with the weight of responsibility and the limitations of their position. The godling races had always maintained a careful distance from human affairs, guiding subtly but never overtly controlling.
Zephyr, though understanding, could not help but feel a growing sense of unease. "But Father," he pressed gently, "if Nwadiebube’s actions bring about a war of such magnitude, it won’t just be a human matter. The consequences could spill over into our lands."
