“Just because a nation’s at war doesn’t mean everyone in it would be panicking about it like headless chickens.” - Saying attributed to the Silver Maiden.

“You know, Aunt, for a nation at war I’d have thought that the people here would… well… show that fact more than what we’re seeing so far,” noted Eilonwy on their fifth day in Assadun. They had left the town where they saw the cultist preacher previously and reached the Emirate’s capital city, which was named after Emir Assadu Al-Iqfa, the founder of the nation, as was the nation itself.

Throughout their five days in the Emirate they saw nothing that would have typically indicated a nation at war. At most, some gossip about the state of the war being spoken in the taverns would be the only sign that the nation was indeed at war with its neighbor. The local populace seemed mostly unconcerned with the war itself as a whole, and just lived life as was normal.

That sort of outlook might not be strange in the north-western part of the Emirate, which was far away from the frontlines in the east, but even after they reached the capital city of Assadun, which was roughly at the center of the nation, such an outlook remained. There were a few more discussions about the war, but that was mostly people bragging to their friends or neighbors how their family members were part of the army fighting at the frontlines than anything.

“We could always find out more if you’re curious,” said Aideen offhandedly. She already knew the reason why the locals behaved that way thanks to previous visits, but for the rest, it was the first time they visited the Northern Regions so they wouldn’t know. “I’ll go meet with our agent and get what they already prepared for our perusal while the four of you go around and see if you can’t find out for yourselves, deal? We’ll meet back at… let’s say that eatery over there at sunset. Whatever they’re cooking smells great.”

They split up after everyone agreed to meet up again at the designated spot later, and Aideen went to the local agent of the Lichdom, which coincidentally also ran a trading house. Trading houses did make for good cover for espionage activities after all, due to how they would frequently travel around the nation on their trade routes.

The agent was already forewarned about the arrival of Aideen’s group – maybe not the exact time, but at least the approximate one – it turned out, as she arrived and was quickly brought to meet the master of the house who was also that generation’s head of the Lichdom’s operations in Assadun. The man also had a stack of reports prepared for her perusal set on the side.

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Aideen made some small talk with the man about the situation of the Emirate, and most of her guesses turned out correct. The people of the Emirate was not outwardly worried about the Vusilan invasion because of many reasons, and Aideen wondered how many of those reasons her charges would be able to find out in just a few hours.

When she left the trading house, it was already close to the appointed time for them to meet again, so she leisurely walked through the city – the roads of the city was clean, and the place was orderly, which spoke well of the government at least – towards the eatery where they would meet. She arrived there to find that Kino and Áine had arrived ahead of time and seated herself next to them.

The three of them made some small talk while enjoying a local ale made from fermented dates while they waited for Rhys and Eilonwy to join them. The two did so after a short while, reaching the eatery just as the sun started to set under the horizon.

“So, what have you all managed to find out so far?” asked Aideen once they were all gathered together.

“The locals definitely have a strong feeling of patriotism for their country,” started Kino. “They are proud of their nation and of their military, and that seems to give them plenty of confidence with regards to the ongoing battle with Vusila.”

“Adding to that, they don’t seem to do conscripts here, unlike most places,” added Áine with a nod. “Their army are filled entirely with volunteers, and seem to be a desirable career option for the local youngsters. Members of their military, be they active or retired, are given plenty of respect and treated well, which might also account for that favorability.”

“And it’s not like they don’t make use of that military of their either,” chimed in Eilonwy from the side. “From what I could gather, apparently the Emirate clashed relatively frequently with Oajib, like to the tune of once or twice every decade or so, with the latest just two years ago. Their soldiers are blooded and honed by those frequent battles. The neighbor they had to the north-east prior to the Vusilans were hostile as well, so they were used to facing hostility from that direction.”

“They possess a strong, experienced military that has plenty of well-seasoned and highly motivated veterans, and are fighting the Vusilans in terrain they are intimately familiar with since they fought there many times before, so it warrants the confidence the locals have about this war,” concluded Rhys as he summed up the situation. “Some of the older people I talked to even said that if the youngsters couldn’t beat back these Vusilans, then it’d be up to them to show them how it’s done.”

“Good, you four spent your time well, I see,” praised Aideen with a satisfied smile on her face. “The situation is pretty much like you have learned yourself. The locals of Assadun are confident in their army, which are far more experienced compared to the Vusilan army since those are mostly conscripts riding a high from their repeated victories.”

“A few setbacks and morale should start to drop like a rock on the Vusilan side, and I bet the locals here know that as well.”