Everdog: Tale of the First Female Knight

Chapter 12 - A Mess

"I ASKED WHO DID THIS TO YOU?" Everin shouted in Korean.

Everin's anger surprised the servant and the people that were surrounding them.

"Sir, it is not advised to speak in Northernese." The servant informed Everin. "Not many people are fond of the Northlanders after the Three Nation War."

Northernese? Was Korean Northernese in this world? Everin looked around and saw people whispering to one another questioning if she was a Northlander. During the Three Nation War, the three nations Midland, Farland, and Northland were tired of the endless fighting and decided to end the war with a truce. Out of the truce, Midland obtained a long piece of land above their borders from the Northland.

Along this northern strip of land inhabited many groups of nomadic tribes. These tribes wanted nothing to do with the nations as long as they remained on their land. Before the land was given to Midlands, the Northlanders sort of coexisted with the tribes. Despite the tribes already living on the plot of land, the Northlanders claimed the land as theirs. Wanting the tribes to become part of their nation, the Northlanders invaded the land and attempted to take over. However, it was proven to be difficult when the tribes lived in dense forests and mountains. Already having difficulty dealing with the terrain, the Northlanders faced another problem. The tribal people were not fond of outsiders and responded to them with violence.

Exhausted from the war with Midland and Farland and from spending so much resources to convert the tribal people, the Northlanders decided it will be best to give up the unusable land and the unwelcoming people along with it to the Midlanders for the truce. In the truce, the Northlanders agreed to withdraw their troops and their people from land leaving the small strip of land for Midland to use.

After the war and the truce agreement, Midland obtained the land realizing a little too late that Northlanders had tricked them. In the eyes of the Midlanders, the people from these tribes were considered Northlanders, and the Midlanders were hoping that the Northlanders would accept the people that were to be evicted off the land, but little did the Midlanders know, the Northlanders did not consider these nomadic tribes as Northlanders, hence leaving Midlands to deal with the nomadic tribes.

This kind of trickery did not fall well with the Midland King. He was outraged by the disrespect from the Northlands and decided to severe all relations with the Northlands. Within a month, all persons or descendants of Northern blood was outlawed from setting foot on Midland territory. Any unlawful Northlander who sets foot on Midland land will be executed and anyone caught associating or trading with Northlanders will also be executed. The decree was good news for Midlands as the Northlanders were highly dependent on Midlands metals. However, was not good news for the nomadic tribes who were stuck between these warring nations.

Because these tribes were considered as Northlanders under the Midland Law and were outcasted by the Northlanders, these tribes had no place to go. Over years and years of endless fighting with both two nations, the nomadic tribes' numbers dwindled down to only half of what it was before the land was invaded by the Northlanders.

Knowing that the tribes will not be able to hold the fort any longer, the Midland King offered a chance to spare the few remaining lives. He made another decree where if any persons of or from nomadic descendant agrees to become a Midland citizen and abide by the Midland law, he or she will be granted citizenship. Those that refused will be regarded as a Northlander and be executed for trespassing on Midland territory.

Left with little to no options, many of the remaining tribal people have changed their status to Midlander to avoid being killed or being taken away from their families. Over a span of several years, most nomadic tribes have been converted and have adopted to Midland culture and language in order to adjust to their new identities. They and their descendants still cluster near the northern strip of land as many people in the deeper part of Midlands still regard them as lying and cheating Northlanders. With very low chance of these new Midlanders migrating to the deeper part of the Midlands, it was very uncommon for people to hear Northernese being spoken after the law that outlawed Northlanders.