409 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Episode 409: The Emperor's Army Splits into Three Forces The emperor's forces had also divided into three massive factions. Two legions reinforced both the northern and southern flanks, while an astounding five legions advanced directly toward Kail Castle through the central route. Though the army could certainly move, the open plains of the central region allowed for a substantial concentration of forces, unlike the relatively narrow Hunter's Path to the north or Adventurer's Path to the south. Of course, the presence of the enemy king in the center was surely a crucial factor as well. The sight of an additional 250,000 imperial soldiers marching forward was truly a spectacle to behold. Thud. Thud. Thud. The immense army loomed on the horizon, a black mass stretching far and wide. The ground seemed to quake with each step the soldiers took, causing Lucean Talos to nervously swallow. "Indeed..." This wasn't something that could be countered even with the involvement of the continent's renowned swordsman. Lucean was reassured that he hadn't chosen the wrong side. 'It was merely a stroke of bad luck.' Despite his recent promotion, he found himself at the very end of the commanding officer lineup assigned to greet the reinforcements, a situation he had little choice in. How could it be his fault that his superiors had been executed for ignoring his reports? Since the emperor gave the order, from his immediate superiors to the deceased specter of their ranks, a total of five noblemen lost their lives. Although he had been promoted as a result, within the staff, he was treated as if he were a ghost. 'An empire that prides itself on meritocracy is still, in essence, human society. So much for dealing with power struggles...' Had they not dismissed his initial reports, events might not have taken this unfortunate turn. Lost in thought, biting his lip, he failed to notice the approach of the reinforcements until they were nearly upon him. – Salute His Majesty the Emperor! At the voice ringing out from the front, Lucean quickly placed his right hand over his heart and knelt on one knee. "Hail! Hail! Long live the Emperor!" – Hail! Hail! Long live the Emperor! A resonating chorus filled the air from all directions. Following a brief silence, more voices began to echo from the front. Clearly, they were transmitting the emperor's words, who was likely surrounded by escorts at a distance beyond vision. 'This is hardly the time to indulge my curiosity.' Lucean Talos, maintaining his awkward position, pondered his own future prospects post-war. Who knew how long passed in this rumination. When all formalities concluded, he saw the imperial command making its way into the camp as the ranks parted. "Everyone, stand back!" "Move back!" "Ouch! My foot!" From afar, the imperial army seemed to back away in unison, like a single entity, but inside, chaos reigned. With a force nearly double what the formation could hold, pressing into the center, it was a strain even for the most rigorously trained soldiers. Lucean kept his balance with difficulty amidst this. Then— "Lucean Talos, Baron." A sudden call made him look up to find a mustachioed man glaring at him. Advertisements Count Jimmy Borja. A senior in the staff, who had always disliked him. "Y-Yes, sir!" Lucean promptly responded, but he couldn't mask his surprise. Why was he being singled out like this? "By the order of His Majesty, you are to join the supreme council starting this evening." "…Excuse me?" "Didn't you hear?" "No, I did! I will obey. Loyalty!" Perhaps, just perhaps, his rotten luck was about to change. An unexpected surge of hope made Lucean Talos blush with anticipation. * * * The night sky was bright with countless torches. As Lucean Talos entered the largest tent within the great army’s camp, dozens of eyes turned towards him. There were four mages including the Mage of the Gale, three heads of the tactical division including Count Jimmy Borja, the three highest-ranking knights from the central legion, and several unfamiliar faces. Unfortunately, none among them appeared pleased at his presence. Even the very count who summoned him bore a distinctly disgruntled look. "The lowest of ranks arriving last. How utterly predictable..." The muttering, spoken loudly enough for all to hear, further dampened the atmosphere. Even those who seemed close to the captains, likely assumed to be from different central forces, were now gazing at him with disapproval. 'They deliberately told me late.' Jimmy Borja’s petty ploy led Lucean to sigh involuntarily. It was utterly unfair, but raising the issue now would only seem like an excuse. "I apologize for my tardiness." He bowed deeply and quietly took a place in the corner of the tent. And only after enduring their scrutinizing gaze did a curious realization hit him. 'Why isn't Sir Jerome here? And why am I...?' The fact that even Jerome Decaide, a superhuman albeit with past indiscretions, was absent from this gathering implied this was indeed an opportunity for him. 'Could it be...?' While Lucean's heart oscillated between despair and hope, a heavy silence settled in the tent. The stalemate finally broke as people began entering through the rear of the tent. "His Majesty the Emperor is entering!" Thud. Thud. Knights clad in pitch-black armor marched in formation. 'Black armor? Does the empire even have such a unit?' Just as Lucean curiously tilted his head, the emperor appeared, adorned in resplendent golden armor. "We greet His Majesty. Hail, hail, long live the Emperor!" "Hail, hail, long live the Emperor!" Advertisements Led by the Mage of the Gale, Galen Decaide, all those present knelt immediately. The emperor, surveying them coolly, took his seat upon the elevated throne. "Rise, all of you." "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." "No need to go overboard with formalities, Galen. Do you think I came all this way because I enjoy leisure?" "…Apologies, Your Majesty." Watching the flustered Galen, the emperor clicked his tongue briefly, casting a gaze over the assembly before speaking words none had expected. "From this moment forward, let's dispense with unnecessary formalities. You are the brains of this central army. Don't hesitate—share your strategies for dealing with that uncouth kingdom." The emperor dismissed the need for ceremony, urging them to get straight to strategy. The boldness of his statement left everyone in the tent momentarily stunned. No one, however, dared to be the first to speak. Watching them hesitate, glancing at one another, the emperor's brow furrowed with impatience. Lucean Talos, standing in a corner, couldn't help but inwardly smirk at the scene. 'Naturally. Who knows what might happen if they voice their opinions too freely?' From his experiences as a non-imperial infiltrating the upper crust of the empire, Lucean knew well that the empire was hardly a bastion of free speech. The imperial authority was grand, and inadvertently offending a royal was common peril for nobility. Who, then, would willingly speak so bluntly before the emperor? The saying about the famed Iron-Faced Chancellor, Rokterus Goosefelt, who dared such boldness, wasn't for nothing. But perhaps the emperor could read minds, for suddenly, his dark eyes fell upon Lucean. Seeing the emperor's gaze fixed on him made Lucean's heart sink with dread. "I don't recognize your face. You must be the strategist from Grandia everyone’s talking about." "Hail…" Instinctively, Lucean was about to chant the customary "Hail, hail, long live the Emperor" while kneeling, but recalled just in time the emperor's previous instruction and halted. "Um, yes. I am Lucean Talos, 'an imperial citizen' from Grandia." Though he stumbled over his words slightly, he believed he managed composure reasonably well. His legs trembled, and his forehead broke out in cold sweat, but he kept his face steady. The emperor paid no heed to his plight and asked with a cool demeanor, "Well then, share your thoughts. How can we swiftly capture that stronghold and defeat the kingdom of Maclaine with minimal casualties?" All eyes focused on Lucean, yet he could see only the emperor's black eyes, their magnetic pull nearly consuming his soul. "Hasn't the strategist considered any solutions to that?" Under this enormous pressure, Lucean involuntarily blurted out his thoughts. "No, Your Majesty!" Gulping. "Maclaine's military power is concentrated in three fortresses. As you know, the new weapons and magical arrays installed there have stymied our forces, leading to heavy sacrifices." "Tell us something we don't already know…." Count Jimmy Borja muttered under his breath, but under the emperor's gaze, he turned pale and bowed his head. Advertisements This brought Lucean a strange satisfaction as he wetted his dry lips with his tongue. "Despite these obstacles, our imperial forces possess the strength to overrun and capture them. However, minimizing casualties is not achieved through a direct assault." "And what then?" The emperor’s interest seemed genuine, encouraging Lucean to speak more boldly. "The optimal solution is to avoid attacking the fortress altogether." Come to conquer, yet abstain from attack? The room's attention zeroed in on Lucean, and the emperor's curiosity deepened. "Oh?" "Disregard these cowards who don't dare step outside their strongholds, even after an initial victory. Instead, strike their homeland directly." Some frowned at his suggestion, while others nodded in agreement. "To attack the homeland..." The emperor tapped his chin thoughtfully. Emboldened by the emperor's intrigue, Lucean continued, "If their territory is ravaged, they’ll have no choice but to emerge from their fortresses. This would negate the threat posed by their magical arrays, and also diminish the power of weapons aimed from their high vantage points." The insight captured everyone's attention in the tent. The emperor, too, showed a faint smile. "…Indeed. It's a plausible strategy. The central avenue’s forces have the leeway to implement this." Unlike the northern and southern legions blocked by the Demon Forest, southern mountains, and the gorge, the central legion had both the numbers and clear routes to execute such a plan. However, there was a critical issue. "But wouldn't that take too much time? Haven't you heard the news from the west?" "The coalition forming there won’t attack our empire recklessly." "But if the war with Maclaine drags on, they might test our mettle." It was strategically prudent to assume that risk. Lucean had been poised to argue this point, but the emperor's stern gaze silenced him. A hint of displeasure radiated from that gaze. The mere notion that the empire could be perceived as vulnerable was intolerable to the emperor, irrespective of strategic efficacy. "Then what’s the quickest way to crush the enemy?" "…The best course is to surround and assault them with overwhelmingly superior forces." "As if that's news to anyone." Jimmy Borja's voice interrupted once again. 'Could he be any more of an idiot?' Lucean's eyes widened in disbelief as he glanced at Borja, and then circumstances escalated. The emperor glanced behind him at the line of black-clad knights, who began to move. "S-Sire, I apologize for my thoughtless words!" Jimmy Borja’s face turned ashen, and he cried out desperately, but the black knights ignored him, seizing his arms to drag him away. Advertisements – Aargh! The scream echoing from outside the tent made Lucean's complexion turn equally pale. "…Seems like there was still trash within the staff." The emperor's matter-of-fact tone suggested the removal was nothing more than housekeeping, yet his gaze returned to Lucean. It was as though nothing had transpired, but Lucean's back was drenched in cold sweat. Once more, the emperor inquired, "If we push forward aggressively, what casualties do you anticipate?" "If we can’t neutralize Logan Maclaine and those enchantments, losses could exceed 30 percent." Fearing a fate like Borja's, Lucean responded almost with reflexive speed, without even the luxury to ponder whether his answer would satisfy the emperor. Unexpectedly, the emperor’s reaction was quite surprising. “Do not concern yourself with those problems.” “Your Majesty?” "The preparations are complete," the emperor declared, looking around and then delivered an unexpected command. "Tomorrow, remove all the golden dragon emblems engraved on every knight's and soldier's armor." “What!?” The emperor's order to erase the symbol of the empire's glory shocked everyone in the tent. Only Galen, among them, let out a small exclamation of understanding that did not go unnoticed by the emperor. "Must I repeat myself? Execute the order." "Yes, Your Majesty!" In response, everyone including Galen echoed their acknowledgment. The emperor's gaze returned to Lucean once more. "Your name is Lucean, isn’t it?" "Y-Yes, Your Majesty." "Your plan to scorch your homeland was quite resourceful. You truly are one of the empire's own." Lucean trembled from head to toe. Though he didn’t fully grasp how, the emperor clearly had a plan in place. This meeting was merely a test to affirm it. 'If I had given a wrong answer...' He shuddered at the chilling thought and quickly bowed to the emperor. "I am honored, Your Majesty." "Why do you think I ordered the erasure of the golden dragon emblem?" the emperor inquired. For a moment, Lucean's mind raced with rapid thoughts. Considering the emperor’s cryptic words, combined with everything he knew, including the Mage of the Gale’s earlier reaction, he arrived at a single conjecture. Although uncertain, he spoke the hypothesis that had formed in his mind. "I believe it’s to counter the enemy’s magical arrays." "…You’re sharp and quick-minded." Advertisements "Th-Thank you, Your Majesty! However… regarding the enemy superhumans…?" Gasp. Realizing he had just questioned the emperor, Lucean hastily covered his mouth in shock, but fortunately, it seemed even that had impressed the emperor. A slight chuckle escaped him. "You've got nerves too." Looking at the black-armored knights assembled, the emperor's lips curled into the first smile since entering the tent. Lucean guessed that these knights were the countermeasure against the enemy superhumans, and he lowered his head with embarrassment. "I shall watch you closely in the days to come." The emperor’s words, resonating through the tent, filled Lucean's heart with elation.