408 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

After the emperor declared a direct campaign, the central army's prominent appearance took the world by storm. Three legions had already stationed in front of Kyle Castle, a scale evident even to those familiar only with the regional security forces of Asserian. However, the main forces of the imperial central army, converging from cities across the empire, numbered nine legions—nearly 450,000 strong, three times the initial estimation. This demonstration of the imperial family's true power, wielded as if spread across the Eastern 8th Army, Western 7th Army, and the city defences, shook everyone to their core. Throughout every city and town in imperial territory, the elite of the central army had been hiding discreetly, their status concealed. Naturally, such astounding numbers quickly became the subject of widespread rumor. What was even more astonishing was the fact that this colossal army only took under two weeks to ready itself for deployment. This suggested that Asserian had been perpetually prepared to logistics-support a force of 500,000 mobilized from across the empire. The visible scale of this imperial army alone was shocking to the world. Yet, there was an aspect that drew curious glances amidst this chaos. – Where are the elite supers? While the western nations might have been stirring a certain tension, it seemed odd not a single commander from the western legions was called upon. Although the number of supers lost at McLine was substantial, and the early defeat wasn't due to a lack of troops, there was skepticism regarding the absence of elite forces. The facts were clear. Officially, only two supers remained in the imperial guard after the deployment to confront McLine's forces. Originally part of a ten-super strong unit, replacements and deployments such as Ivan Rodriguez and Jamie Gillan had already filled the vacancies left by commanders like Max Ilea and Griff Ainshein. Six supers, including the likes of Sword Soul, had been dispatched for the war with McLine. Nevertheless, 10 of the 21 supers had fallen in just the initial battles, including the renowned Sword Soul. In the south, of seven deployed supers, a staggering six had perished. Without a remaining force nearly double McLine's strength, a retaliatory sweep might have ensued. Yet, only two additional forces were being deployed? Anyone could see that the super force was drastically insufficient compared to the massive army. Consequently, the common expectation for the war's outcome was as follows: – The empire will win, but at a tremendous cost. Such was the impressive fight McLine had put up in the preliminary conflict. The citizens of McLine, buoyed by this initial victory, even claimed potential victory. “Isn’t our sovereign now recognized as the continent's greatest swordsman?” “Indeed, no matter how numerous the imperial supers are, they won’t stand a chance.” “To have someone so powerful not even thirty yet, has history ever seen the like?” “Of course not.” “Then truly, our lord is a hero bestowed upon us by divine will!” Praise for Logan had spread from the capital, Grand City, to the remotest countryside. Thanks to McLine's unique militia system, nearly every household had a participant in the war. Seeing the preliminary success, hope naturally surged among them. Moreover, the new revelations about the supers enhanced their hope, like the famed ‘Iron-blooded Warrior Woman’ who warded off the ‘Sorcerer of the Bitter Winds’—none other than their queen. Though previously known for founding the female knights and being the first female knight, Aeileen’s prowess had often been excused by conservatives as overestimated solely due to her gender. “Who said she’d be weaker because she’s a woman?” “They say even the empire has hardly any female aura users, so how amazing is our queen…” “Exactly, the sovereign must truly be a divinely sent hero, with even his partner being a super.” Especially among women, conversations thrived about Aeileen, previously noted only among nobles and knights, her name now became widely known. And intertwined with Aeileen in similar fame was Victoria, an 18-year-old sorceress not yet a legal adult. Though her visual impact paled compared to Clayton, she and he had together defeated three imperial sorcerers, leaving visible impressions on many spectators. Despite ‘Golem Master’ Clayton’s greater renown, which overshadowed some of Victoria's contributions, her title as a ‘Minor Super’ shocked the entire continent, not just McLine. The fact she was the youngest recorded sorceress since history began gave her a stature that buried any minority opinions and led to rather exaggerated claims. “Not joining battles before was out of respect for her mentor.” “Really?” “They say she mastered golems even better than her mentor. Everyone in the Golem Tower must have known!” “Wow, then shouldn't we change the title, Golem Master?" “Well, maybe… Should she be called the Golem Empress?” “Oh, she just earned her name. Princess sounds more fitting.” The nickname Golem Princess was thus born, one that Victoria would later come to despise bitterly. Moreover, there appeared the first aura-user archer, ‘The Red Reaper’ Bourdel, the ‘Knight of the Dusk’ Ronian McLine with his orange aura, and Victor, once merely the king’s guard known as the ‘Immortal Knight.’ Five youthful, almost helplessly young, talented supers arising at once cemented the legend of King Logan McLine being a hero guided by divine revelation. During all this, whispers spread further, “They say our king can even raise divine beasts.” "That's going too far." "It's true! Many claim to have seen it at the southern fortress!" Rumors about Tyr, which authorities had tried to suppress due to its ominous nature, continued to swell unchecked. Logan McLine was hailed as a hero sent by the Nine Gods. The Kingdom of McLine was believed to be under divine protection. Thus, baseless rumors spread ceaselessly among the people of McLine. While a hopeful mood prevailed throughout the kingdom, those on the actual frontline were engaged in serious discussions. * * * "The number of supers isn't the problem. The fact that our full strength has been revealed is the bigger issue." Damien's firm statement earned nods of agreement from most present. "Liberaatio and the grand magic formation have already been exposed. The Imperial army will have planned countermeasures." "What do you anticipate their approach will be?" Logan questioned as Damien scanned the faces of the commanders gathered in the tent. "After gathering opinions, it seems consistent: the Empire will likely counter Liberaatio by deploying sorcerers, as proved effective last time." "…Of course. Once they reach the walls, those sorcerers will launch attacks too." "Precisely. Since the Empire's losses at Kyle Castle were minimal during the initial skirmish, they might repeat the strategy." Advertisements came and went as the tense conversation continued. "And as for the anti-magic barrier, Anti-Mana?" "It was a one-use strategy anyway. Reducing the grand formation's effectiveness. If the enemies have prepared a counter, it would be a wasted effort for us." "Then about the grand magic formation?" "…There's no straightforward answer for that. Besides deploying ghosts or specialized troops to dismantle it, there's not much else. But even that has been anticipated." Damien's insights earned nods of acknowledgment from the commanders, indicating little disagreement. Despite this, Logan bit his lip in contemplation, bothered by questions posed to him by Hamar. Logan’s eyes drifted to one side of the room. "Ria." "Yes? Yes, Your Majesty." Startled, Victoria, who had been silently standing beside her mentor, stepped forward as Logan addressed her unexpectedly. "Is it possible to change the target of the weakening formation now?" "…Pardon!?" "Your Majesty!" "What are you suggesting all of a sudden…?" "The Emperor's army is arriving in just three days!" Despite the surrounding panic, Logan’s gaze remained unwavering. Victoria quickly regained her composure, meeting his eyes. "…Do you believe the Empire has already realized?" "Assuming the worst, they may have." "Even so, there's too little time. No immediate alternatives come to mind, and even if there were, modifying the magic formation would take significant time. We might barely make adjustments at Kyle Castle, but we lack the personnel to modify the formations at Shield and Armor fortresses." "…I see." Although he nodded in understanding, the unsettling feeling clung to his heart like a stubborn shadow. 'Yes. Even if they've sensed something, it won't be right now.' Being overly pessimistic before a major event is unwise. It’s just excessive worry. Too much. He repeated this to himself, trying to shake off the discomfort with a dry face wipe, but the unease persisted. "…If the weakening formation is neutralized, what are the expected consequences?" "Assuming Liberaatio is blocked, even if the arriving Imperial force is only half their full strength, defeat is inevitable." Victoria’s assessment cast a somber silence over the entire tent. Restraining the enemy’s energy by thirty percent doesn’t just reduce their operational strength to seventy percent. It turns adept adversaries into equal opponents and equal ones into inferior foes. The resulting shift in individual battles spirals to alter the war's outcome. So, her evaluation was no exaggeration. "Of course, even in such a case, I believe in the divine hero Logan McLine’s ability to manage any situation." Advertisements Victoria’s attempt at humor to break the tension elicited only a wry smile from Logan. "Right. If the Golem Princess could just crush three imperial sorcerers with ease, it’d make things smoother." "Your Majesty! Please, not that strange nickname…!" "It’d help if the iron-blooded queen could casually take down the bitter wind mage too." "Your Majesty, please be serious…" Seeing Victoria flushed with embarrassment and his wife's cold gaze, Logan sighed deeply. Finally, he made up his mind. "We need to prepare for the worst, regardless." When the stakes involve life and death, even seemingly improbable scenarios warrant consideration. Especially if they might happen sooner than expected. And when the stakes involve the kingdom's fall. How could they not prepare? "We need a change." "Yes?" "Ria. You said it’s difficult to change the target of the weakening formation." "Indeed, Your Majesty." "Then is it equally difficult to remove the target altogether?" "…What?" What is he suggesting? Victoria’s bewildered gaze fixated on Logan, her expression shifting subtly as he continued speaking.