449 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 449 "We have rebuilt the walls of Russellheim with the assistance of magicians..." "The battlefield has been cleared. The damages are..." Logan nodded absentmindedly, his face worn out by the relentless stream of reports. Despite listening with his ears, a sense of unrest stirred within him. 'Why is this happening?' In the past, he might have ignored such feelings, but having transcended another level, he could no longer dismiss them casually. Understanding that, to surpass one's limits, one must first understand their own heart and soul, he felt compelled to identify the source of any inexplicable anxiety. Yet, even after pondering for a long time, he couldn't grasp the reason. The only clue he could consider was: 'Is it because we didn't capture the Emperor?' That was all. "Tsk." Helpless sighs continued to escape him as his thoughts meandered in one direction. "When can we march toward the west?" Upon this question, the countenance of Damien, who led the reporting team, stiffened slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he seemed to resolve something internally, composing himself before stepping forward. "Your Majesty, as I mentioned previously, we must at least seize Penna, where the Eastern King’s mansion is located, to effectively block the Empire. Do you remember?" "Of course. We first occupied Russellheim according to that plan. Now it's time to advance to Penna." "It was not just according to plan; it has surpassed our expectations." "Indeed." "And therein lies a problem." "Hmm? What do you mean by that?" Logan furrowed his brows slightly, prompting Damien to hastily continue. "Our victory was far more overwhelming than anticipated. It is undeniably a good thing. Our troop losses were significantly lower than expected, and we dealt an unbelievable blow to the Empire's superhuman force. However..." Trailing off, Damien bit his lip, sensing Logan’s gaze, and let out a small sigh. "The Empire has suffered a colossal blow. If we march towards Aserian now, I doubt they could stop us." At these words, a glow spread across the faces of everyone present at the assembly. In truth, similar thoughts had already been sweeping through Russellheim. —Aren't we going to conquer the Empire at this rate? —Most of the Empire’s superhumans have been killed, haven't they? —Even the Emperor was driven back by our Majesty... —The Empire's forces must be dwindling, too. These were the whispers circulating among the elated and morale-boosted forces of Mackline. Yet the weight of a strategist's conclusion is fundamentally different from the idle murmurs of foot soldiers. The unbelievable suggestion—that what was mere rumor could become reality—struck everyone’s ears. "Let's seize Aserian! Let’s take the Empire for ourselves in place of Ares, Your Majesty!" Luther Kyle's booming voice echoed the sentiments of those gathered. But at that moment, Damien poured cold water on such buoyant spirits. "...We can invade, but we cannot occupy. We lack the manpower to maintain control over the vast territories of Aserian. As a strategist, it’s quite regrettable." "What do you mean!?" "Exactly what I said. We don't have the capacity to station sufficient troops to quell uprisings across such vast lands." "Well, we should conquer first and then see—" "The proud citizens of the Empire are likely to incite various troubles, namely rebellion." Rebellion. At that term, the once noisy assembly hall fell silent again. "Are you suggesting a rebellion will occur right after the war?" "Yes. That is precisely the unfortunate reality. Historically, rebellions have been more intense in conquered regions the more their culture had flourished. In that regard, the Empire—" Being a country known as the continent's most powerful for over three hundred years, everyone’s expressions turned grim at this undeniable fact. "To ensure perfect control, dispersing our forces too thinly will lead us to be nibbled away bit by bit by the remnants of the Empire, consuming our national power until we retreat back to our kingdom. Even with Your Majesty." "If we station the local guards, then—" "It's spring now, so who will farm the fields?" "Hey, don't glare at me like that, esteemed Swordmaster. It was just a thought. I'm not that ignorant." "If you know, then shut it, you oaf." "Why, you... cough, I’ll shut up." As Luther Kyle received a stern stare and went silent, Logan sighed lightly and nodded. "...It's a plausible concern. So, what do you suggest we do, Damien?" Having experienced the independence movement in Grandia, Logan couldn’t ignore the issue. 'The Empire has a population tens of times that of ours.' If groups similar to the Grandia Liberation Front were to rebel internally with ten times their number, the country could fall apart in an instant. To those involved, they were freedom fighters; to the rulers, they were nothing but a terrorist group. With a grave expression, Damien offered his answer. "Only the Empire has the strength to manage its entire territory. Numerous nations around us, including Mackline, harbor grudges against the Empire." The Western Union and the Cassel Magic Tower have banded together. Even if the Emperor’s claims about their support are true, it is an opportunity for the Cassel Magic Tower. 'The Tower Master will likely let his subordinates drive the Empire to ruin without participating personally.' It was a cunning escape from the weight of an alliance. If such an approach worked, it was a highly plausible scenario. In that case, even accounting for the remaining imperial forces and the Emperor's capabilities, the Empire would suffer 'at minimum' massive losses. And should the situation escalate beyond that... "If the Empire collapses as it is..." "In the worst-case scenario, over half of the Empire's population, which could easily number in the hundreds of millions, might become refugees if they refuse to accept the exploitation of their conquerors." Millions of refugees. As Damien's words sunk in, everyone's faces turned pale. It was easy to foresee that this could be more devastating than a swarm of billions of locusts. "The Western nations won't just stand by. Can't we divide the Empire amongst ourselves?" Logan suggested a possible solution, but Damien shook his head. "The powerful nobles of the Empire might band together and rise while we and the Western countries are trying to carve up territory. Also, there's the concern of rebel forces I mentioned earlier. It’s an unfortunate reality, but we don't have the capacity to manage any Imperial territory beyond Penna right now." "...Even after we've won, the situation worsens?" Luther Kyle uttered, confused. "It's not worse. It's just that if the enemy you intended to bring down completely falls, dealing with the aftermath becomes much more complicated." "So that's what you mean... Alright, I won't speak anymore!" Damien, ignoring the amused glances directed at the retreating Luther, continued. "However, the situation is still moving in our favor. Therefore, I suggest that we adapt our strategy depending on the outcomes in the West." "In what way?" "We conquer Penna as originally planned, then decide whether to proceed based on the extent of the Empire's damage." "...We’ll advance towards Penna once we’ve made the necessary preparations." "Yes." "Good. Then what is the best-case scenario for us?" "The mutual destruction of the Empire and the Western Ten Nations, undoubtedly." "If that occurs, our options will broaden, but it probably won't be easy, right?" "Indeed." "Hmm, what's the most likely scenario?" "The Western nations suffer defeat by the Empire, yet the Empire's Western legions also incur significant damage." "And we capitalize on that momentum?" "Yes. At that point, we can strike Aserian and deal a critical blow to the Empire. In such a case, however, we must retreat to Penna and Russellheim after plundering." "Penna is the boundary for potential occupation after an invasion." "It might be feasible to go further now, but we must prepare for the subsequent scenarios." "Subsequent scenarios?" "If Aserian falls, dissent regarding the Imperial authority and the Emperor will spread throughout the Empire. Even if they reclaim the capital, it will be difficult to quell the already shaken public sentiment. If the dukes unite or one of the peripheral kings rebels..." "...The Empire will splinter rather than fall." "That's the most likely outcome and, frankly, the best scenario we could craft. Of course, if the Emperor is killed in the war, it's nearly a certainty." Damien’s hopeful gaze at Logan was met with a confident nod and a smile from the latter. "...Alright. Let’s proceed with that plan." A few days later, amidst the hectic preparations for their advance, a peculiar communication orb found its way to Logan. The orb was smaller and more intricate than any known technology, and even the person who delivered it was somewhat unexpected. "Ronion? What's this?" "...I apologize, brother. I promised her I would do her one favor. I know it's unreasonable, but please hear her out. You can decide to refuse what she suggests afterward, of course." "Her?" Logan questioned, but Ronion merely turned away awkwardly, unable to meet his eyes. The unexpectedness in the situation left Logan bewildered as he accepted the orb, which then projected a familiar face. [Greetings, Your Majesty.] The woman had black hair, blue eyes, and ivory skin that seemed almost too pale. Logan couldn’t help but frown at her appearance. “...Princess Louisa?” [Pardon my impudence, but I must extend my greetings in this roundabout way because there are things you need to hear, Your Majesty.] "You certainly needed to. If you appeared before me, I'd have cut your throat." [...I will not attempt to justify my actions. We followed the orders of the Tower Master and betrayed you. But there is something crucial you must hear.] "Why should I listen?" [...Because you must know about the Tower Master's conspiracy.] "What?" She was asking him to heed the words of a traitor? Logan turned to his brother with disbelief, but Ronion only looked remorseful, his head bowed. Sensing this, Louisa once again spoke with a voice full of urgency. [You might consider this a typical act of betrayal. We indeed have one foot in both camps. You can ignore us if you wish later. For now, just listen.] Louisa's expression as she pleaded seemed genuinely desperate. [...I understand if you don’t trust me. Thus, I would like to start by telling you about the circumstances surrounding my family. Could you spare a moment, Your Majesty?] Her tale began to unfold, inadvertently capturing Logan’s interest. Ten days later, unexpected news came to the Mackline forces preparing to advance from Russellheim to the west. * * * "Crush them all!" Boom! "Fire!" Ratatatat. "Aaargh!" "Ugh..." "Die!!" In the chaos of swords clashing, arrows flying, and magical explosions, Kellerheim—a city once renowned in the Empire—had transformed into a hellscape of corpse-laden streets and rivers of blood. All this, at the expense of the occupying alliance forces. "Our wizards—where are they!?" "Damn it! Where did they vanish to!?" Knights of the Western Alliance stationed to defend Kellerheim's walls cast bewildered glances behind them. Yet, there was no trace of the peculiar magicians whom the leaders of the Ten Nations had risked much to employ. "The Archmage! Where is he!?" Bless Greed, the superhuman from the Tore Kingdom, shouted in fury. Among the allied forces, only five superhumans remained. But they faced an overwhelming Imperial force endowed with five legion commanders, an enigmatic one-eyed superhuman, and even the wintry Archmage. Although the Emperor's Archmage was absent, their superhuman strength was already in deficit. The allied forces found themselves at a disadvantage in both manpower and equipment quality. Their only hope was the anticipated reinforcements, but there was no trace of them anywhere on the battlefield. "What on earth is happening?!" Pavia, a superhuman of the Linden Kingdom, shouted from the other side, but contrary to their hopes, the situation continued to spiral downward. Everything seemed to escalate into the worst possible scenario. "The gates have been opened!" "Who did it?!" "I don't know! All the gates have been flung open!" "Damn it!" Shouts and curses erupted from all directions. Defying the expectations of Mackline and the world, the tide of the western battlefield was dramatically tilting in favor of the Empire.