300 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 300 "We've completely seized the Grand Castle of Tahiti." Upon receiving the report from his subordinate, Caryl Jamode's gaze naturally shifted to the side. The focus was on one individual whom everyone regarded as superior to the official commander, Count Caryl Jamode—Rogan, or rather Gyle Slayer. Gyle nodded in response to Caryl's glance. "Good. What's the news on Theronan?" "They report that the royal castle of Calon will be captured within a day or two. Ever since the 'Guardian' apprehended the mage of the tsunami, they've been unable to mount any significant resistance." "I see." With those words, Gyle fell silent for a moment. And everyone in the command center held their breath, watching his reaction. The war had been raging for merely a month. Yet, since the second battle on the plains, Liberty's forces hadn't faced any notable crises. In truth, they'd swiftly conquered three nations with overwhelming power. In fact, it took them longer to subdue the Duchy of Tahiti, which, even after the capitulation of the Romero Kingdom, squeezed out its last strength to continue resisting amidst chaos. It was the superhuman standing before them who played the most significant role in these victories. A single individual's might repeatedly led Liberty's forces to victory, even when they faced peril. - Now the alliance will reorganize around our Liberty. - Unless the king loses his mind, this person will become the second in command of the kingdom, surpassing even Grand Duke Gunter. With everyone in the command center thinking this way, there wasn't a soul who dared upset him. Hence, on this triumphant day, the only one who could carefully break the awkward silence was Caryl Jamode. "Sir Gyle. Shall we declare victory now...?" As everyone's expectant gazes followed him, the hero who led them to victory made an unexpected statement. "No. We shall march on towards Tria as we are." "Pardon?" Tria, embroiled in chaos. Liberty's forces, brimming with momentum. Though everyone understood the implications, the reaction was not favorable. "What... do you mean by that?" "Tria is part of our alliance. We lack the justification." "If we do that, Tria and Theronan might unite to attack us!" In war, justification is crucial. On a smaller scale, it affects the morale of one's own troops, and on a larger scale, it serves as grounds to deter interference from third countries. Initiating war without justification is reserved only for those confident they can emerge victorious even when making enemies of all surrounding nations. Though Liberty's forces were undoubtedly riding a wave of momentum, so was Theronan. Coincidentally, both had seen the rise of superhuman existences simultaneously. "Of course, Sir Gyle might not lose, but if Tria joins forces, it complicates things. Grand Duke Gunter would have to intervene, and if so, Theronan’s impenetrable walls will also come into play." Caryl swallowed hard, locking eyes with Gyle. Still, he didn't halt his words. "Moreover, once war breaks out, the internal chaos of Tria will temporarily subside. If Theronan's superhuman and Tria’s Duke Saxon take action... the outcome is unpredictable." To put it lightly, the situation was unpredictable—it was an almost certain loss. And this was a sentiment shared by everyone in the command center at that moment. Yet Gyle gently shook his head. "We pair up with Theronan to divide Tria. Following that, the allied territory will be divided and jointly governed by both Theronan and Liberty. Wouldn't His Majesty and Theronan be satisfied with such a reward?" Gyle's tone was peculiar. He spoke of his homeland, Liberty, as if it were another nation, showing neither reverence nor respect for the king. However, none present could precisely grasp the subtle awkwardness. They focused only on the content. "He's not wrong." "Indeed..." "It's certainly possible..." Listening to the murmurs among the commanders, Caryl nodded, his expression stern. "I will report to His Majesty." The war seemed poised to drag on longer than expected. However, the outcome would be sweeter than anticipated. A faint excitement emerged on Caryl's face, previously stiff from tension. Not just Caryl, but most of Liberty's commanders felt the same. Observing these reactions, the ruler of a neighboring nation offered a faint smile. 'If it went as planned, it would have become an alliance of Tria, Liberty, and Theronan, but we can't simply let Tria be.' King Ramon I of Tria had many offspring—some claimed over a hundred. Stories abounded of numerous royal family members engaging in extreme factional struggles, racing towards the throne. Though no one knew how long this internal strife would continue, it was widely believed it wouldn't be resolved within a year or two. Even if settled quickly, the aftereffects would be immense. Logan, believing an imperial war could break out as soon as in a year and a half, or even earlier, couldn’t accept this. More importantly, verifying and rooting out any possible imperial machinations still in Tria was crucial. Hence. 'We shall divide the alliance between Liberty and Theronan and renew treaties with both.' Outwardly, it will be a nonaggression and mutual defense treaty, but practically, it will form a treaty to create vassal states that can oppose the empire. Initially, there was even consideration of using the current status to overthrow both royal families and annex them entirely into Mekrain. 'But right now, there's no time to reassemble forces for that. The aftereffects would be significant.' Forced annexation leaves massive aftereffects. Just as Grandia continued its resistance for nearly 20 years after being conquered by the empire in a past life, even greater retaliation might ensue. The very foundation of the smaller kingdom alliance was built by heroes who escaped the oppression of ancient Grandia, the predecessor of Mekrain. "...This is the best course for now." On the final day in the Grand Duchy of Liberty. Cold moonlight poured into the lavish room once used by the Grand Duke. * * * - The imperial tail has been caught. - Sword Master and Northerly Gale are raiding. - External support is impossible. - All plans need a complete reassessment. "Damn the imperial family... How much did I invest here..." A figure in a black robe lamented bitterly in a secret chamber. A slender, pale hand was all that was visible outside the robe, and those delicate fingers trembled slightly. It was inevitable. 'Regardless, Gerohin the Elder is dead.' A key figure needed to usher in a new era, one of the elders, had perished. They had planned to position themselves in the furthest place from the imperial influences under the guise of a mission, but even this was thwarted in the early stages. Approaching the second prince carelessly seemed to have been the mistake. ‘I did say it was too soon for that!’ From beneath the dark robe emerged a sigh from slightly visible red lips. Upon hearing the sigh, the other mages in black robes standing behind her began to speak one by one. "Is there no more support?" "Lady Luisa, what about Tria then...?" "Elder, please give us your directive." "Silence." At that cold command, the subordinates flinched and retreated quietly. Then Luisa quietly turned and spoke. "Follow the directives of the Tower. Withdraw." "But we've invested too much already. And Gerohin..." A subordinate echoed the exact thoughts Luisa had earlier. However, he quickly bowed his head when met with Luisa's cold gaze. “I apologize.” “…I’ll say no more. Prepare for withdrawal.” Luisa’s expression was icy as she said this, yet beneath it, her emotions were boiling as fiercely as her subordinates’. Though the title of the youngest elder might have been a great honor to other apprentices of the Tower, among the elders, she was simply the youngest. She newly realized the weight of having a weak voice in matters, leaving her frustrated. ‘Damn these elders, intoxicated by ideals and blind to reality.’ Of course, if those ideals could be realized, Luisa herself would willingly lay down her life. But to achieve those ideals, one must first confront reality. 'Once I return, I'll have those stubborn elders held accountable. Even if I must appeal to the Great Master to increase my influence.' For that reason alone, she had to quell her raging emotions and recover her composure. Even if it required taking a somewhat bold step. “However, I will leave a gift for those who killed Gerohin.” With those words, a look of hope returned to the faces of the previously gloomy subordinates. * * * – Divide Tria and end the war. The negotiations taking place behind the scenes progressed at an oddly swift pace. From Liberty's proposal to Theronan's acceptance, it took a mere three days. An excessively short time to decide the fate of a nation, but for Logan, it was only natural. ‘Ailen is making good progress.’ Just like ‘Gyle’ in this region, ‘Armored’ in Theronan was on a meteoric rise. With both individuals on the same page, it would have been strange if the affairs didn’t progress swiftly. Thus, the joint statement was announced. – We will hold Tria accountable for breaching promises and bringing a major crisis to the alliance. As both nation's armies began their advance towards Tria, chaos erupted once more within the already disordered Tria. “To overcome the nation's crisis, let us unite as one!” Around one prince who shouted such words, about half the factions began to join forces. “Isn’t it our fault for not keeping our promises?” As those words spread, others sought to cling to Theronan or Liberty, splitting the remaining half. Compared to when they fluctuated between over a dozen factions, it was more organized. However, even with full unity, they stood no chance against their foes, let alone with only half their full strength. “Advance!” “Surrender! We surrender! Please, just spare our lives…” The pace at which Liberty’s forces advanced was almost concurrent with their territory seizures. The same was likely true for Theronan on their end. The final war to reorganize the alliance seemed poised to conclude with surprising ease. On the path to Tria's capital, Tregonia, at the critical fortress of Trege – the only path fit for a large army – before meeting Tria’s aura user, Duke Saxon. “WE DEDICATE OUR LIVES TO DEFEND OUR HOMELAND!!” “WAAAHHH!!” It was hard to discern the original color of his hair and beard, now whitening with age. Despite being an aura user, the old knight was unable to conceal the marks of time as he shouted from atop the fortress walls, his cry followed by a roar that shook the field. Their numbers barely reached ten thousand, yet their conviction was so genuine, their fervor equaled that of an army a hundred thousand strong. “It's futile anyway.” “Sir?” “If we advance simultaneously with the Theronan forces, we can capture it within half a day. Send a message.” Logan motioned with his chin toward the Theronan forces not far from the Trege Fortress. Where his companion, whom he hadn’t seen in over a month, awaited. He longed for their reunion but acted nonchalantly, aware it would be impossible to openly acknowledge it now. However, a troubled expression emerged on Caryl's face upon hearing those words. “Uh, well…” Normally adept at playing the role of aide-de-camp, flowing like a flexible tongue, this was an unusual moment for Caryl. “What seems to be the problem?” “The issue seems to be who will lead. We find it challenging to take point while leaving Theronan behind us…” “Ah…” It was an absurd yet inevitable problem. With the two nations meant to divide the spoils, a sense of rivalry and vigilance naturally arose. Though a third party might care little, it wasn’t as if he could nonchalantly suggest, ‘Even if our troops can be wrecked, just charge in.’ “We'll take the lead. Let them know we'll claim Tregonia in return.” “What? But will they stand for that...?” “We won't break the city in two. If a conclusion is necessary, it's better this way.” “…They probably won’t agree to it.” “Then tell Theronan to go first. Tell them they can have Tregonia.” “Pardon!? But if His Majesty learns of this…” “Promises exist to be broken. Besides, isn't our army at an advantage now?” A blatant look of disgust crossed Caryl's face, as if he were staring at a piece of foul trash. Yet, realizing his expression, Caryl quickly bowed his head in shock. "A wise choice, sir. I will convey it as such." A faint chuckle. Despite appearances, he sure knew how to think on his feet. Then again, for someone who could scheme, his transparent emotions were quite easy to read. At this point, Logan was beginning to feel a certain fondness for this side of Caryl. 'Would that really stir a second war?' If Theronan were to claim Tregonia, Logan planned to advocate for adhering to the agreement. After all, it wasn't his concern. However, before his shrewd proposal could be relayed— "I, Saxon Trumble, challenge the messenger and the guardian to a duel! If you have the courage, come forth!" The battlefield's attention snapped to the old knight stepping out to the main gates of the fortress, his shout demanding everyone's focus.