“Did you call for me, Your Majesty?”
“You arrived quickly. I told you to call me after you’re done with that work; you didn’t just come over midway, did you?”
About an hour had passed since I sent word to Jeil, who said he would go to the military side. He appeared sooner than expected, and I asked for confirmation.
Jeil lightly bowed his head as he surveyed Martina, Selina, and also Plona and Eleonora, who had just been called.
“I was just finishing up. Looking at the people gathered… I think it’s about time to move again.”
“I’m relieved to hear that. Right. It’s somewhat of a forced march, but I think it’s better to hurry.”
“I would prefer a little more time… but the humans won’t wait, will they?”
Martini murmured regretfully, as if she wished for more time.
In truth, I also wanted a bit more time to regroup. From the war with the united forces, to conquering the Bertica Kingdom and establishing a new nation, we hadn’t had a moment of rest.
Up until now, our actions felt like a train with broken brakes.
From the perspective of the humans receiving news of upheaval, they must have felt only fear watching a train barreling down at them, but we, riding in it, were also in a precarious situation where a slight misstep could lead to disaster.
‘Considering safety, it’s best to focus on internal stability for at least another six months.’
For example, giving soldiers more ample leave after prolonged campaigns, monitoring whether the institutional controls over the humans were functioning, and checking that existing vampires could coexist peacefully with beastmen and elves.
The Scarlet United Kingdom has just barely started as a nation and there’s so much to do.
Stopping the runaway train slowly, fixing the broken brakes, and greasing it would be the most sensible choice.
But…
“I think that would make us late. Look here, I just received urgent news three hours ago; the Suwang Kingdom has retreated slightly from the front.”
I laid down the report documenting the urgent communication sent from the informant in the east, and serious gazes converged.
Yes, we do need time to solidify our internal structure.
However, the continental situation won’t wait for us, what can we do? The strong foundation the humans have built up over hundreds of years cannot be ignored.
The current advantage was achieved because we caught the enemy off-guard amidst this unexpected chaos.
If we delay for too long, the Luminous Kingdom and Empire may recover faster than the Scarlet United Kingdom stabilizes.
Having already suffered from them before, the next time they could very well respond differently.
If we intend to see this through to the end, we have no choice but to assault now, even if it means pushing ourselves.
“The report only indicates that troops have retreated from the front; it’s hard to judge whether this is just a pause to catch their breath or a plan to end the war,” Jeil said, frowning as he glanced over the report.
“Exactly. But knowing there’s a possibility for the latter, I think there’s no harm in hurrying.”
“I believe it’s highly unlikely the Suwang Kingdom will move as we wish. The timing of their troop withdrawal right after the declaration of the Scarlet United Kingdom can’t be just a coincidence. It’s clearly a measure to keep an eye on us.”
Everyone’s expressions darkened at Martini’s observation.
Indeed, our relationship with the Suwang Kingdom is quite delicate.
Once I declared the nation and crowned myself, it became a definitive rivalry, no longer just a tentative competition.
Based on confirmed forces, if the Suwang Kingdom truly wanted to, they could fight both the current Empire and Luminous Kingdom entirely on their own.
At the very least, half of the Empire’s territory.
Considering there are likely forces we aren’t aware of, devouring just the Empire should be entirely feasible.
Yet, the reason they suddenly halted their advance is clear.
“Ah, they don’t want to put in the effort only to have it snatched away, huh.”
Ravina simplistically summarized the crux, and reflexively, I placed a hand to my forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
‘The phrasing is a bit harsh.’
The more I thought about it, the more it felt unfortunately accurate.
In essence, the Suwang Kingdom is concerned not with whether they can defeat the Empire, but rather with the aftermath of the war against the humans.
As the vampire forces grow faster and larger than they expected, there’s a clear fear that they might end up taking advantage when they’re worn out from conquering the Greysia Empire.
“It’s troublesome. I’ve ordered to find a way to contact the Suwang, but rather than expecting anything anytime soon…”
The Suwang Kingdom has already seized two cities in the eastern Empire, so they might be perfectly happy with that.
And if the Suwang Kingdom remains vigilant and proactive, it makes it difficult for us to move as well.
The reason we were able to take the Bertica Kingdom was precisely because the Suwang Kingdom was keeping the Luminous Kingdom and Empire tied up.
“Pushing too hard is never a pleasant thing, but… we need to make sure one side is resolved before the Suwang Kingdom completely pulls out.”
“Exactly. It’s dangerous to have enemies on both sides.”
This was the reason why I hurriedly gathered everyone here.
The Greysia Empire, bordering the Suwang Kingdom, may struggle to move easily even if the beastmen pull back. However, the Luminous Kingdom in the north or the Armes Kingdom in the south are different.
If we don’t completely handle at least one of them before it’s too late, we could find ourselves in quite a bind.
“Everyone, share your thoughts. Which side do you think we should strike?”
The Armes Kingdom or the Luminous Kingdom.
At least one of the two must be dealt with completely right now.
The Armes Kingdom, when compared to the three major nations, is a relatively weak country that doesn’t even deserve comparison.
Assuming no third-party forces intervene, if we attack with our current strength, we could probably take it relatively easily without any major variables.
However, that doesn’t mean we should underestimate them completely.
Just as a mosquito buzzing in your ear can easily disrupt someone’s focus when they’re trying to concentrate, if we turn our backs to the Armes Kingdom while attacking the Luminous Kingdom, the longer the war drags on, the more uneasy it will become.
Then again, attacking the Armes Kingdom first poses its own discomfort.
If we eliminate the Armes Kingdom first, it would allow us to fully engage in the Luminous Kingdom without worry afterwards, but the time spent conquering the Armes would give the Luminous Kingdom a chance to recover, increasing the risks on that front.
“Regardless of which side we choose, both have their advantages and disadvantages.”
“If we tell them to eliminate the most irritating one first, there’s no question it would be the Luminous Kingdom.”
As opinions popped out one after another, I silently listened.
Jeil and Eleonora thought we shouldn’t give the Luminous Kingdom any time.
Martini and Lavina believed it would be better to eliminate the Armes Kingdom first.
While everyone was sharing their opinions, Plona, who hadn’t voiced her thoughts yet, slowly raised her hand.
“…Sister. If a swift conclusion is the condition, I think taking on the Luminous Kingdom might be difficult.”
“Then you suggest we strike the Armes Kingdom?”
“Yes. Though I was a lowly member during my knight years, the scale of the defensive magic set up by the Luminous Kingdom is beyond what I imagined. Especially the Palace, it’s practically a fortress against vampire advancements; if they decide to hold their ground, it could take quite a bit of time.”
It could take a significant amount of time, huh?
That puts us in a bit of trouble. We can’t afford to ignore the Armes Kingdom entirely while fully focusing on the Luminous Kingdom.
“The defensive magic is fundamentally a counter against dark magic, right?”
“Yes. And the Luminous Kingdom primarily uses silver weapons, so we need to account for the loss of regeneration capabilities.”
“Do you think it would still be too much with Blood Magic?”
“Unless they have some secret weapon hidden in the Church, I believe we would have a good chance if we take our time. However, your Blood Magic is strongest against a horde of weaker foes, right? If a small elite from the Knight Order focuses exclusively on you… I still think it would be impossible to achieve a swift conclusion.”
Even though it’s been several years since she left the Knight Order, Plona is the one among us who knows the most about the inner workings of the Luminous Kingdom.
Of course, the intelligence gathered by Martini and Jeil is valuable too, but we cannot overlook the expertise of a former Knight.
“What does everyone think?”
“While I don’t like giving the Luminous Kingdom time, if there’s no other option, then so be it.”
That settles it. And with this decision, there was no time to waste.
“Alright. Let’s strike the Armes Kingdom immediately.”
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