After all, the rebel army had already defeated the Segestica people three times, and the disastrous defeat in that one battle had utterly broken the courage of these Segestica prisoners, naturally filling them with fear towards the leader of the rebel army.
Upon seeing this situation, Emmerich quickly took over the conversation and explained, "Leader Maximus, here’s the situation..."
It turns out that this young man was named Jilipus. Although he was a Pannonian, he did not come from the Segestica Tribe but from the Mazi Tribe.
Jilipus was an ordinary tribesman of the Mazi Tribe. He had been childhood sweethearts with his wife, and they married after growing up. His wife was very beautiful and had many suitors, including the second son of the tribe’s Great Leader, Maitilis. Unlike others, even after they were married, this son continued to pester his wife. On one occasion, he even attempted to assault her, and if not for his timely arrival, his wife might have been humiliated.
In his anger, Jilipus complained to the Great Leader Maitilis. Since many people witnessed the incident, Maitilis couldn’t openly defend his son, and the son also couldn’t deny it, so he received a light punishment, which left him resentful. At the beginning of summer, during the tribe’s sacrificial ceremony to pray for a good harvest, the carefully prepared live sheep for sacrifice disappeared. Following his son’s hint, they found the sheep dead and skinned in the wood shed behind Ligpus’ house.
Maitilis was furious and had Jilipus arrested. Without listening to his defense, Jilipus was judged guilty of the grave crime of intentionally sabotaging the sacrifice.
According to tradition, intentional sabotage of a sacrifice was punishable by death. However, when the Pannonian leaders rebelled against the Scodisqi rule, they swore with their tribesmen to focus all efforts against the strong enemies and never to engage in fratricide, staining their compatriots’ blood.
Moreover, after the Priest communicated with the Holy Spirit, he also announced to the people that the Spirit of Nature did not wish for the land to be tainted by Jilipus’ impure blood.
In the end, Jilipus was exiled from the tribe, forbidden from stepping into Brochi Tribe’s territory for life.
Jilipus wandered through multiple tribes, but no one took him in due to his crime of sabotaging the sacrifice. At that time, Andres became the Segestica Great Leader, seeking to expand power and wage war on the Aldeans, thus indiscriminately accepting roaming Panonians.
Even so, Jilipus was still avoided by other Panonians and was eventually sent to Wallis’s new tribe, where he fought against the Aldeans for years.
Once, Jilipus fell gravely ill with a high fever. It was Emmerich who treated him with herbs and saved him. He was very grateful to Emmerich, and through this, they began to interact. Emmerich also learned why Jilipus always seemed out of place with other Panonians, while Jilipus no longer harbored the same hatred toward Scodisqi slaves...
Subsequently, Wallis recklessly led an attack on the rebel army, fell into a trap, and was defeated. Jilipus was captured and sent to the Medical Camp due to a leg injury. The next day, Emmerich, now a Medical Officer of the rebel army, came to work at the Medical Camp and once again encountered the recuperating Jilipus...
Thus, when Maximus asked Emmerich to find someone to gather information on the Segestica people, Emmerich first thought of Jilipus. Upon finding him and explaining, Jilipus readily agreed...
Maximus listened carefully to Emmerich’s introduction and asked in astonishment, "Even among the Pannonian tribes, is there such abuse of power to bully the common people?"
"Leader, wherever there are people, there will be conflicts," Emmerich said calmly. "The Panonians, having just recently gained independence, are relatively united, but it doesn’t mean that oppression doesn’t exist. Otherwise, where did Segestica get so many homeless Panonians to shelter?
The Panonians continuously waged wars, and the needed food and supplies could not be provided solely by the leaders and nobles and had to be collected from all tribesmen. Once or twice might be manageable, but repeated collection becomes unbearable for some Panonian tribesmen...
I think the biggest problem for the Panonians is—"
Emmerich stressed his words: "Although they learned from us Scodisqi and trained some Druids over the years, whom they call Priests, they only let these Priests handle sacrifices and not arbitrate or punish tribal disputes and crimes, retaining this important power with the leaders and nobles...
But for us Scodisqi, the Druid’s position is above the leaders and nobles, so they can resolve issues fairly and impartially without influence. The Panonian leaders and nobles settle tribal matters based on personal favor, and since the Druids cannot limit this excessive use of power, unjust incidents naturally increase..."
Having finished listening, a thought crossed Maximus’s mind: It seems that during leisure, a detailed study of the Pannonian social structure would be quite valuable if what Emmerich said is true.
Thinking of this, Maximus looked at Jilipus, who was kneeling on the ground, with a softer gaze, warmly saying, "Jilipus, your misfortunes greatly move me! But are you truly willing to return to Segestica Territory to gather information for us? Bear in mind that they are your fellow tribesmen, and we are your enemies; the information you provide may lead us to defeat your tribesmen again. Do you not care about this?"
"I do not care!" Jilipus said with clenched teeth and hate in his voice. "After my wife and I married, some people, out of jealousy, kept badmouthing me behind my back and even helped that wolf frame me! When Maitilis sentenced me, no one except my wife spoke up for me! When I was driven out of the tribe, no one but my wife saw me off!
When I arrived at the Segestica Tribe, they treated me as a stranger due to my false charges, always with disdain in their eyes... They did not see me as a tribesman, so why should I see them as tribesmen and pity them!
Conversely, when I was seriously ill, the Sage treated me with medicine! When I was injured and captured, your doctors and nurses dressed my wounds and took care of me, you are more like my tribesmen than they are!
I heard from the nurses that we Panonians and you Illyrians were originally one people, just split up later. Wouldn’t it be better if we could reunite now, without the oppression from those leaders and clan chiefs?!"
Maximus saw the fervor in Jilipus’s eyes, slapped the arm of his chair vigorously, and exclaimed, "Well said! Since your leg was injured, don’t kneel; get up, and let’s discuss your matter slowly."
Maximus’s concerned words led Jilipus to comply.
Maximus then had Emmerich and Jilipus sit down and asked Akegu to bring them two cups of water.
Holding the wooden cup, Jilipus’s anxiety gradually faded, as it was his first time receiving such honor from someone important.
"Currently, we and the Segestica Tribe are mortal enemies, and to gain control of the plains along the Kupa River, there will inevitably be more wars. Since the Pannonian tribes are relatively united, other tribes will surely assist Segestica; thus, they are also enemies of our Nix Tribe, including Brochi. So I can promise to destroy the Mazi Tribe and rescue your wife in the future—"
"Thank you, leader! Thank you, leader!" Jilipus said repeatedly, his voice somewhat choked with emotion. For years, he had this on his mind, knowing that with his own strength, it was mere wishful thinking. Now, there was finally hope.