안티바

다른 문명국들 사이에서는 안티바에 왕이 없단 얘기가 상식처럼 퍼져 있다. 하지만 독자들이여, 이는 결코 사실이 아니다. 안티바 왕가는 2500년 간 단절된 적 없이 이어져 내려왔다. 그저 아무도 그들의 존재에 관심을 보이지 않았을 뿐인 것이다.

안티바는 사실상 거상 무리가 통치하는 국가다. 그들은 말 그대로 아주 부유한 상인들로, 은행, 무역회사, 포도원 등을 소유한 자들이다. 그들의 권력 서열은 재산 수준에 따라 엄격하게 나뉜다.

하지만 안티바가 유명한 진짜 이유는 그 기이한 정치구조도, 타의 추종을 불허하는 특산 포도주도 아닌, 안티바의 암살조직 까마귀단 때문이다. 안티바인은 싸우는 것만 빼고 모든 걸 잘한다는 말을 생각하면, 이 나라에 세상에서 가장 지독한 암살자 집단이 있단 사실이 상당히 얄궂기 그지없다. 까마귀단의 명성 덕분에 안티바는 상비군이 필요 없을 정도다. 세상 그 어떤 왕도 안티바를 침공하라는 명령을 내리려 들지 않을 것이고, 그 어떤 장군도 침공을 이끌 만큼 무모하지 않을 것이다. 공격이 성공한들, 지도자 본인들은 살아서 다음 날을 맞이하지 못할 테니까 말이다.

—제니티비 수사의 저서, 지식을 찾아서: 성가회 학자의 여행기에서 발췌

 

In the rest of the civilized world, it is common belief that Antiva has no king. I assure you, gentle readers, that this is untrue. The line of kings in Antiva has remained unbroken for two and a half thousand years—it is simply that nobody pays any attention to them whatsoever.

 

In truth, the nation is ruled by a collection of merchant princes. They are not princes in the literal sense, but heads of banks, trading companies, and vineyards. Their power is conferred strictly by wealth.

 

But Antiva is not primarily renowned for its peculiar form of government nor for its admittedly unparalleled wines. Antiva is known for the House of Crows. Since Antivans are well known for being good at everything but fighting, it is more than a little ironic that Antiva possesses the most deadly assassins in the world. Their fame is such that Antiva keeps no standing army; no king is willing to order his troops to assault her borders, and no general is mad enough to lead such an invasion. The attack would likely succeed, but its leaders would not see the day.

 

—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar by Brother Genitivi