8. The Sound of Military Boots (Part Three)

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Don't put all your eggs in one basket, is a simple truth that everyone understands. Individuals adhere to this principle, and national entities adopt risk distribution strategies to mitigate potential losses. The Elf Camp is no exception.

When planning an overall strategy, the grand direction of Alfheim had been to reduce the number of adversaries actively. However, elves never expected to rely on outsiders to win their war for national independence. Pride was one aspect, but those allies were far from dependable. There was Albion, famously inclined to cause trouble, the ineffectual Castile, Ceres hedging its bets and playing both sides, the Ros United Duchy that, like a gluttonous mythical creature, only takes without giving—placing the fate of the nation in the hands of this lot was akin to joking with one's own life and property.