"Pfft, you really just gave away that much gold? You're awfully generous, aren't you?" Walking beside Jiu Ming, Haruhi asked as she soaked in the celebratory atmosphere of the Order's founding anniversary.
"I can spare it, I can spare it. Once you have enough gold, isn't it no different from rocks? Just treat it like throwing stones for fun." Jiu Ming smiled and answered while looking up at the clear sky.
The Empire's army had surrounded the mountain of gold for three days before beginning to withdraw without having done anything. Sure, they left behind a blockade, but what use was that?
First, there was the matter of attacking. The Empire's army had actually tried it before, but it did not take long for them to realize that attacking the Blazing Flame Zone was simply impossible. The flames filling that place were far too terrifying; whether your weapons were ordinary or extraordinary, the slightest touch of those flames would vaporize them.
Pass through the little paths in the Blazing Flame Zone? Sure—provided you could deal with those flame monsters first. Even if those monsters were cut down, they could swiftly recover within the Blazing Flame Zone. And they were not wooden dummies, either. Those Balrogs, their entire bodies formed of lava, were like hedgehogs; even without actively attacking anyone, merely brushing against a target with their bodies could scald flesh-and-blood humans until they wished they were dead. They could not take the place by force, and stationing troops outside merely wasted resources. Better to use another method!
For instance, after the civilians received the gold, they could conveniently take it back from them... under the lofty name of "safekeeping"!
The Empire really had done exactly that, but the gold brought back to the Imperial Capital always vanished for no apparent