Imperial Throne

Chapter 210 : The Combat Conference at the Frontline

Chapter 210: The Combat Conference at the Frontline

Just as Yam sent Akar to the White Mountain Territory to have Cindy communicate with the Demonic Sword, another heated dispute and discussion was taking place elsewhere.

「Has the Duke of the Black Hawk gone mad？」

A voice of astonishment echoed through a massive council hall.

After the Southern Army of Tyrella entered Count Garris’s Territory, they had fought several fierce battles against the Aust Empire’s army. Both sides had been locked in brutal clashes between Count Garris’s Territory and the Marquisate of Red Eagle, and in just one month, each side had lost more than two full legions and over a hundred Bloodline Users.

Among the fallen was even a Fifth-Tier Bloodline User from the Aust Empire.

It was precisely because that Aust Empire Viscount had died in battle, and coincidentally, the Kasein Family’s reinforcements had arrived at that moment, that the Southern Army was able to launch a counterattack and drive the Aust Empire’s troops westward across the Garris Plains, reclaiming the political center of Count Garris’s former territory — Aubma.

Aubma was the main base of the Garris Family, situated in the most fertile and prosperous region of the Garris Plains.

Because of this land’s richness, Count Garris could afford to maintain a heavy cavalry unit of two thousand men.

Unfortunately, that once-renowned cavalry force — which had achieved countless victories across the plains — was utterly crushed when it encountered the Iron Cavalry Legion of one of the Aust Empire’s Three Grand Dukes, the Duke of Blood, William Hastings.

After that defeat, the tide of war turned swiftly — and in the end, total annihilation followed.

That great battle on the plains had been the critical turning point leading to the downfall of Count Garris’s Family.

After the Southern Army fought a dozen days of intense battles around Aubma, they finally seized the city from the resting Iron Cavalry Legion, transforming it into the main defensive base of the Southern Army in the Garris Plains, from which they began to construct fortifications and defense lines.

Only then could it be said that the Southern Army had completed the first phase of their strategic plan.

Their next task would shift from offense to defense — waiting for the main Southern Army force to merge with the Duke of Gaulta’s army to sound the horn of counterattack.

According to their original plan, within a year at most — half a year at the soonest — they would complete the second phase of the strategy: reclaiming all territories lost by the Gaulta Family. The third phase would then be a joint operation with the Black Hawk Family, currently deep behind enemy lines, to eliminate the army of the Duke of Blood, William Hastings, once and for all.

However—

The Duke of the Black Hawk, who was supposed to coordinate sabotage efforts behind enemy lines with the Southern Army and the Gaulta Family, suddenly announced five days ago that he was officially seceding from the rule of the Tyrella Kingdom, declaring allegiance to the Aust Empire.

This decision immediately caused a chain reaction: all remaining Western Region nobles of Tyrella followed suit, pledging allegiance to the Aust Empire. Even two of the Marquis families who had been loyal to the Karla Royal Family, Tyrella’s current rulers, either defected — or perished.

Ordinarily, such an act of treason would never have gained approval, even among the vassals of the Black Hawk Duke, who had long ruled the Western Region. After all, the Aust Empire had been an invading power — their slaughter and devastation across the West had sown deep hatred. To surrender now would make the past decade of resistance seem like a farce — something few nobles could accept.

Yet, the Duke of the Black Hawk held a wartime declaration, blaming the entire decade-long war and its failures on the royal family. He listed dozens of alleged crimes, claiming that the royal house had betrayed the Western Region.

— Whether or not those accusations were true, the kingdom’s decade-long policy of inaction in the West was a fact, and thus public resentment swiftly shifted toward the royal family.

What followed was almost inevitable:

The Aust Empire’s southern expeditionary army gained the allegiance of the Western Region Duke and his vassals, rapidly swelling their overall strength. For more than ten years, they had been evenly matched with the Aust Empire, but now, with the Empire committing nearly half its national strength, Tyrella’s resistance finally collapsed — proof enough of the Western nobles’ formidable combat power.

The Southern Army at the Garris Plains, upon facing their former compatriots — the Western nobles — suffered a devastating defeat in their very first engagement. They were forced to retreat over a hundred miles to rebuild a defensive line, barely managing to hold their ground, preventing a total collapse back into the Marquisate of Red Eagle.

Yet, throughout this battle, the Aust Empire’s main forces did not even intervene.

One must understand — the Empire’s most feared Iron Cavalry Legion was resting just behind the Garris battlefield, and the plains themselves were perfect terrain for their assault advantage. The recent engagements had been fought solely by the Western Noble Army under the Black Hawk Family’s command — and even so, the Southern Army had already suffered unbearable losses. If that dreaded Iron Cavalry Legion were to join the fray, the outcome would be beyond question.

Wade Kasein and Tyrot Kasein exchanged glances during the meeting, each seeing the same helplessness and bitterness in the other’s eyes.

This so-called strategy meeting among the high command was, in truth, little more than a venting session for their fear and frustration.

The clamor of argument had never ceased.

From the first outburst — “Has the Duke of the Black Hawk gone mad?” — to now, the outcry had lasted well over ten minutes.

Finally, the Deputy Commander of the Southern Army, seated at the head of the table, knocked firmly on the desk and said in a low, stern voice:

「Will shouting here kill those Western nobles? Or do you all believe that hurling a few more curses will somehow change the outcome？」

The noise in the room gradually subsided.

「Two matters,」 the deputy commander said, raising two fingers.

「First,」 he folded one finger down. 「The Iron Cavalry Legion will not be able to mobilize for at least a year. They did not completely annihilate Garris’s Heavy Cavalry Corps. Rather, they pierced through their formation in a direct charge, breaking them in the second assault — but in doing so, they themselves suffered heavy losses. That is why this legion has not appeared in subsequent battles — they have not been resting at the Garris Plains, but have instead withdrawn to the Western Region.」

「The ones who actually annihilated Garris’s heavy cavalry were the Norman Knights.」

「In that battle, the Duke of Blood, William Hastings, personally took the field, leading the Norman Knights in a direct assault on Count Garris’s command post, executing a precise decapitation strike. Several lords of Garris’s Territory also perished then. The deaths of these top commanders were what led to the complete collapse of Garris’s defenses.」

At these words, the entire room fell silent.

The Duke of Blood, William Hastings, was a genuine Seventh-Tier Bloodline User, and his Norman Knights were composed entirely of Bloodline Users. Besides himself as Captain, both Vice-Captains were Sixth-Tier, and Fourth- and Fifth-Tier users were numerous. Even ordinary knights were at least Third-Tier.

The might of such a force was self-evident.

With only Count Garris, a Sixth-Tier Bloodline User, there was no chance of victory — not even in single combat — much less against the entire Norman Knights.

「And the second matter?」

「The current commander stationed in Tyrella’s Western Region under the Aust Empire is none other than one of the Three Grand Dukes — the Unyielding Fortress, Durms Arkhan Blus Artoks George,」 said the deputy commander in a deep voice. 「Therefore, it is not hard to understand why the Western Duke chose to surrender. Frankly, if any of you were in his position — you would have done the same.」

The Aust Empire had three Grand Dukes. Among them, the Duke of Blood, William Hastings, was the weakest, merely Seventh-Tier. Although no one knew how far he had advanced toward Eighth-Tier, the other two were confirmed Eighth-Tier Bloodline Users.

Especially the Unyielding Fortress, Durms Arkhan Blus Artoks George, who was the strongest among them.

Now that Tyrella’s Western Region was under his control, unless the Old Duke of the Black Hawk still lived — and could join forces with at least one other Eighth-Tier Bloodline User — there was no way to oppose him. Thus, given that the current Duke of the Black Hawk was only Fourth-Tier, his surrender was not difficult to comprehend.

In fact, anyone in this room, faced with such overwhelming pressure, would have done the same.

Anyone who refused—

Would no longer be a hero.

But a corpse.

That Grand Duke had already proven his attitude toward war — with the lives of one Marquis and dozens of Bloodline Users.

Resistance meant death.

「Then doesn’t that mean this war can’t even be fought anymore？」

「Now that the Black Hawk Family has defected to the Aust Empire, even holding the line has become exceedingly difficult.」

The sound of argument rose again.

But this time, it was no longer about cursing the Duke of the Black Hawk — instead, it carried a tone of helplessness.

During this process, Tyrot Kasein keenly noticed that after the Deputy Commander of the Southern Army had spoken several times to steer the discussion, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The mood of despair and frustration quickly transformed into one of spirited debate. Everyone began enthusiastically discussing how to defend against the Western Noble Army led by the Black Hawk Family — evaluating the feasibility of various tactical plans, the construction of new defensive lines, and the key fortified zones.

In his memory, this Deputy Commander had never been so capable before—he still remembered when he had served in the Southern Army under his father, Marquis Visen, this man had only been an adjutant by his father’s side, a deputy general in title only, without any real command authority.

Later, when his father retired from frontline service, he had promoted this man to Deputy Commander, temporarily granting him leadership over the Southern Army. But to officially inherit the title of Commander of the Southern Army, royal approval was required. Unfortunately, the Tyrella Royal Family ultimately appointed the commander of the Sons of the Mountains instead. Thus, he had remained merely a Deputy Commander.

「Right,」 someone suddenly spoke up. 「Why did the new Duke of the Black Hawk suddenly defect to the Aust Empire? Was he coerced—or was there another reason? Is there any chance we could bring them back to the kingdom’s side？」

「Indeed!」 another nodded seriously. 「It’s highly possible! — I recall the Black Hawk Family’s motto: 『The First Hawk shall guide our way.』 So when he led the Western nobles to surrender to the Aust Empire, he was still guiding them—saving nearly all the nobles of the West. Then couldn’t we make him ‘guide’ them once more？」

「Hales·Atar·Siger, the former second heir of the Black Hawk Family. The previous Duke of the Black Hawk was his granduncle, and his father died in the Ten-Year War,」 said the Deputy Commander in a deep tone. He clearly had his own intelligence sources and had done prior investigation—otherwise, he couldn’t have spoken with such precision. 「Afterward, he commanded the Battle of the Great Canyon.」

「Strictly speaking, he achieved a major victory in that battle. But because the Western Army failed to arrive at their designated positions as agreed before the battle, the noble army he led was caught in a pincer attack, suffering devastating losses. If the beheading of Count Garris by William Hastings was the key event that led to Garris’s downfall, then the Battle of the Great Canyon ten years ago was undoubtedly the turning point for the Western Region’s collapse.」

Everyone present was familiar with the Battle of the Great Canyon.

That battle had been meant to be the West’s rebirth—but due to the Western Army’s lack of cooperation, it had turned into a catastrophe. Countless talented commanders and the pillars of many noble families perished there.

It was because of this battle that the Aust Empire realized the internal discord between Tyrella’s Western Region and its army, prompting them to launch a full-scale offensive.

Capitalizing on their victory in the canyon, the Aust forces quickly seized over one-third of the Western territories, forcing the Western Army into direct confrontation. They were swiftly crushed in those engagements, leaving them with no choice but to fall into a purely defensive stance. By the time they recognized the gravity of their mistake, it was already too late—they could no longer step beyond their own walls.

From then on, the situation in the West deteriorated rapidly.

Especially after the Duke of Blood, William Hastings, personally took command of the invasion into Tyrella’s Western Region—it could no longer even be called a war. It was a massacre.

「After the defeat at the Great Canyon, Hales went missing for a time, returning to the Black Hawk Family only after about three months.

According to recent intelligence, it’s highly likely that he was captured by the Aust Empire during that period—and that they brainwashed him, turning him against the kingdom.」

The word “brainwash” caused visible disgust among those present.

「Ah, the ‘Children of the Demons’,」 someone muttered mockingly without restraint.

Among the Eight Golden Bloodlines, there were: 【Dragon】, 【Phoenix】, 【Giant】, 【Thunder】, 【Ice】, 【Lava】, as well as 【Demon】 and 【Calamity】.

Of these, the 【Dragon Bloodline】 was exclusive to the Dragon Family, the 【Phoenix Bloodline】 to the Phoenix Family, and the 【Giant Bloodline】 to the Zandartes Family.

The remaining five bloodlines had no confirmed ownership, but one thing was well-known: the Aust Empire possessed more 【Demon Bloodline】 users than any other land.

“Brainwashing” wasn’t an exaggeration.

In the Aust Empire, it was real.

The Fifth-Tier Bloodline Users of the 【Demon Sequence】—such as the 【Memory-Eater Demon】, 【Abyssal Demon Eye】, and 【Tongue of Lies】—were capable of precisely that.

It was for reasons like this that the Aust Empire’s reputation had always been abysmal—deservedly so.

【Children of the Demons】 was the contemptuous epithet used for Austians.

The Deputy Commander didn’t stop this brief, sardonic exchange—it lightened the tension a little.

He continued, 「Recently, Ram Rodo Siger, the fourth heir of the Black Hawk Family—although Hales was demoted to third heir after his defeat in the Great Canyon, his claim still outranked Ram’s. However, since the first and second heirs are dead, and Ram is a direct descendant of the previous Duke, the family’s Elder Council refused to let Hales inherit, citing his major failure. They invoked the succession rule of ‘postponed inheritance’ and declared Ram as the new head of the Black Hawk Family — the new Duke of the Black Hawk.」

「After that, Hales led a rebellion.」

「However, the revolt failed—he was slain by Ram, who then, as head of the Black Hawk Family, declared their secession from the Tyrella Kingdom. When the elder council realized the problem, they voiced objections—but the new ‘First Hawk’ of the West drew his blade and massacred them all, killing every elder and opponent within the family.」

「In hindsight, that must have been his way of proving his loyalty to the Aust Empire.」

The Deputy Commander shook his head and sighed softly. 「So, trying to bring this Duke of the Black Hawk back to the kingdom’s side is impossible. He has already chosen his path into darkness—and that is precisely why he and all the nobles of Tyrella’s Western Region now fight so desperately. Because for them, there is no return.」

At these words, silence fell across the room.

Not long ago, they had been comrades of the same kingdom—now, they were enemies on the battlefield.

Such a sudden reversal of identity filled them all with unspoken sorrow.

「Although we were forced to retreat and rebuild our defenses, the Western rebels suffered heavy casualties as well. They won’t be able to mount another offensive anytime soon, so we must take this time to construct our new defensive line and secure our position.」

Hearing the Deputy Commander call the Western Noble Army the “Western Rebels,” everyone understood the kingdom’s stance—

The matter was now officially settled.

「Our duty is to hold the Garris Plains. As long as we can secure this ground, our strategic goal will be achieved.

So, I expect everyone to unite and stand firm. We of the Southern Army are not the short-sighted fools of the Western Army.」

With those words, the meeting formally adjourned. One by one, the officers rose and departed.

Wade and Tyrot were no exception.

Though this Deputy Commander had once been an adjutant under their father—someone who used to address them as “young masters”—now he stood as Deputy Commander of the Southern Army and a Sixth-Tier Bloodline User. They now had to look up to him, and their noble pride would never allow them to feign friendship out of place.

The brothers returned to the barracks assigned to them by the Southern Army.

As Fourth-Tier Bloodline Users, their strength was not exceptional but respectable—they were part of the army’s backbone. The Southern Army did not underestimate them, though by the kingdom’s wartime decree, commanding a defensive zone required at least Fifth-Tier strength.

Lacking that power, they could only serve under higher-ranking officers.

The recent battle had cost them dearly.

Of the five thousand soldiers they had brought from the Red Eagle Territory, fewer than three thousand remained. Several Third-Tier Bloodline Users had fallen, not to mention numerous First- and Second-Tier ones. Fortunately, their most trusted retainers survived—particularly Knight Foss, their healer Erik, whose efforts had saved many.

Without him, their casualties would have been far greater.

If their forces continued to dwindle without reinforcements from the rear, they risked being reassigned to the Cannon Fodder Battalions.

「My lords,」

Knight Foss approached quickly as Tyrot and Wade returned. 「A courier just arrived—it’s a dispatch from Lord Yam. — The logistics department delivered it only moments ago. Apparently, another one was sent about a month ago.」

A month ago, they had been fighting relentlessly on the frontlines with the Southern Army, never once returning to rest. In such wartime conditions, all mail from the rear was held back, as no one could risk a letter’s contents undermining frontline morale. Now that the front had collapsed and the troops had withdrawn to recuperate, the logistics unit had finally delivered the accumulated correspondence.

「Two letters？」 Wade frowned. 「What could he possibly want? When we left, the Bayor Territory had only two or three Third-Tier Bloodline Users left. Is he trying to claim credit even for that？」

Foss said nothing.

Tyrot ignored Wade, opening the first letter—and his expression changed instantly.

「What’s wrong？」

Tyrot handed the letter to Wade. 「It says that one of Lord Yam’s Bloodline Users once fought under Hales’s command during the Ten-Year War—a survivor of the Battle of the Great Canyon. He recognized Hales’s identity.」

Wade skimmed the letter quickly, disbelief flashing across his face. 「That’s impossible!」

He looked up at Tyrot. 「If Hales is appearing in Bayor Territory, then who was the one who led that rebellion in the Black Hawk Family？」

Tyrot said nothing. Instead, he opened the second letter—

And drew in a sharp breath. 「What if— the Aust Empire has developed an entirely new Bloodline Ability that we know nothing about？」