“Hmm.”
Already five hours had passed. The Crown Princess sat in her seat, going through her duties.
Ordinarily, the people around her would have expressed worry about her royal well-being.
But not today. At least, not during this period.
The Emperor hadn’t slept properly for days—yesterday, the day before, every day since it began.
War. A war unlike any conflict seen before. A massive war.
No less than eleven legions had crossed the border, with reserves numbering in the tens of thousands following behind.
And the concentrated units supporting them exceeded a hundred thousand.
Tens of thousands were moving simultaneously, all for one single goal.
Victory for the Empire. Nothing but the great and glorious victory of the Empire.
How could the one sitting at the top possibly rest in such a situation?
The situation on the frontlines changed by the hour. Everyone had to remain flexible.
In war, the side that freezes first is the side that loses first.
Even if you’re far from the battlefield, you still need to stay sharp.
That’s why the Crown Princess had skipped her meal today and was reviewing the reports.
[The western territories of Dedolant have been fully occupied.]
[The roads leading to Artria have been seized.]
[The remnants of Dugal’s resistance forces have been encountered.]
Thus began the western front after the declaration of war.
Nearly two months in, the Empire had achieved what could only be described as a resounding victory.
In fact, people were already starting to talk about the possibility of “winning the war.”
Of course, it was still too early to celebrate, so everyone was cautious.
But the performance of the Imperial Legions had been nothing short of overwhelming.
Even the vaunted Dedolant army was being crushed.
[Scattered counterattacks from Dedolant. Successfully repelled by each legion.]
[Reports from the legion commanders. Well-trained fighters, but insufficient against the Imperial Legions.]
Dedolant, a military powerhouse of the west, did not go down without resistance.
Their sharp attacks reportedly inflicted some damage on a few legions.
But even that resistance was soon crushed.
“They say the General Staff aims to conclude the war by the New Year Celebration.”
For the glory of the Empire and its people. To reassert the Empire’s greatness to the other kingdoms.
And also to solidify the foundation of the newly established General Staff.
“Too much success is making me uneasy,” the Crown Princess thought.
If there was any weakness or oddity anywhere, someone should have pointed it out.
But the War Department, the General Staff, and all the legion commandants were simply performing admirably.
In such a situation, unnecessary warnings could be seen as interference, possibly dampening the morale of those who were doing well.
“Your Highness Crown Princess.”
At that moment, one of her close aides approached her.
“The latest battlefield updates have arrived.”
“How did it go?”
“It’s reported that the Dedolant main force launched a strong counterattack a day ago.”
“And?”
“Weren’t our legions well-prepared? Thanks to the foresight of the General Staff in preparing the reserves, there was no significant issue.”
“Thank goodness.”
Yes, it was fortunate. The enemy’s momentum was waning while their own was rising, after all.
War, whether between individuals or nations, ultimately came down to one thing: momentum.
Even the largest nation would struggle if they ceded momentum.
Even the smallest nation could triumph over a larger one if they capitalized on it.
“Your Highness. The Emperor requests your presence.”
“I’ll go immediately.”
On her way to the Emperor’s office, the Crown Princess reviewed the current state of the Empire.
The war was going well. Perfectly, in fact.
The internal situation was also fine, with the lives of the imperial citizens still good.
But if the war dragged on unnecessarily, that could change.
“The War Department and the General Staff surely want this war over as quickly as possible.”
Despite deploying forces to every corner of the Empire—north, east, and south—they had been able to mobilize such an overwhelming force to the west for one reason.
Because previous campaigns had ended swiftly, saving unnecessary resources and time.
Knowing this, they couldn’t help but desire a fast, effective, and overwhelming victory.
“…The Chief of the Imperial Staff truly is remarkable.”
Breaking the momentum of Nobogorod. Tearing through the eastern alliance of kingdoms as if they were nothing. Crushing the southern powerhouse Benito into nonexistence.
Claiming humility, Kael was undeniably a master strategist, manipulating all threads in his favor with unmatched precision.
“Your Majesty.”
“You’ve arrived.”
Tiredness lined the Emperor’s eyes. The Crown Princess felt a pang of concern but did not show it.
He wasn’t one to rest when told, and neither would she in his position.
With all the efforts of the subjects, soldiers, and people of the Empire at play, how could the ruler possibly eat and sleep in comfort?
“Congratulations, Your Majesty. The state of the war is beyond good, a testament to your blessings.”
“Dedolant continues to retreat, I hear.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor briefly pushed the report aside after hearing the Crown Princess’s response.
“Taking all precautions, I’ve ordered the Special Operations Department to mobilize all their forces. They’re to report immediately if they detect even the slightest hint of trouble.”
“Your foresight is truly remarkable, Your Majesty.”
“But even they have their limits.”
The Imperial Legions were advancing westward at a speed that wasn’t merely fast—it was astonishing.
In this situation, even the Special Operations Department was struggling to keep up.
The pace of advancing armies and the clandestine operations of infiltrators and spies could never be synchronized.
Thus, there would inevitably be gaps in intelligence, no matter how hard they tried.
“…Perhaps, slowing down the advance would be wise.”
The Crown Princess hesitated after saying this, her confidence wavering.
If it resulted in killing the momentum of their forces now at their peak, and allowed the enemies nearly pushed off the cliff to recover by some miracle, it would only prolong the war, causing unnecessary casualties.
“I’ve considered that, too. But there are reasons, which you understand well.”
With a general mobilization order already issued, a prolonged war must be avoided.
Once momentum is raised, it’s better to maintain it.
An offensive advantage once seized must never be relinquished lightly.
Even without deep knowledge of warfare, one understood these basic truths.
And so, an uneasy balance of joy and apprehension persisted.
“Your Majesty, perhaps positioning the Chief of the Imperial Staff on the frontline could help.”
This was the best the Crown Princess could propose.
A proven talent, a man who had already secured victory in two prior campaigns.
With him on the battlefield, the feeling of unease could dissipate.
And it seemed like this thought wasn’t limited to just her.
“Actually, that’s the very reason I’ve summoned you.”
The Emperor handed over another report.
[Command authority of the Southern Kingdom’s army has been handed over.]
[The Eastern Alliance, under Commander Bethel, has also successfully transferred their authority after negotiating a few conditions.]
It wasn’t an easy decision. Transferring command of one’s own army isn’t something done lightly.
Yet, Kael had swiftly concluded the negotiations as soon as reinforcements arrived.
“All that remains now is Nobogorod.”
“I hear he plans to meet with the northern beasts and settle matters by tomorrow.”
“It’s no surprise he’s tasked with handling the beastmen. But knowing Kael is involved in this gives me hope.”
If they could secure the cooperation of the Eastern Alliance units and Nobogorod, adding another 60,000 fighting troops would certainly strengthen their position.
But more importantly, both the Emperor and the Crown Princess were curious.
How would Kael win over the hearts of the beastmen?
“With this done, I plan to assign the Chief of the Imperial Staff to the secondary command on the western front.”
“Allowing him to oversee the general battlefield situation under his authority.”
This was the most rational decision the Imperial leadership could make for now.
—
Ross Tannika.
The sole kingdom in the west still resisting Dedolant after Dugal’s fall.
They knew all too well they couldn’t defeat Dedolant on their own, no matter how much they tried.
Thus, they had painstakingly pleaded to the Empire for assistance, their cries finally answered when the Empire declared war.
But even with the Empire’s intervention, Ross Tannika’s worries didn’t vanish.
In fact, they were bracing for even harder and more painful times ahead.
Dedolant wasn’t foolish enough to fight on two fronts simultaneously.
Even if Ross Tannika’s army couldn’t match Dugal’s strength, they still had the power to hold Dedolant’s legs down.
Therefore, Dedolant would certainly aim to stabilize their rear guard before engaging the Empire.
—That was the prediction of Ross Tannika’s command until recently.
And for a while, the expected bitter fighting continued.
But recently, something had started to seem off.
“Their attacks have weakened suddenly?”
“Yes, Commander. It’s noticeable.”
“They’re not tired, surely…?”
Perhaps the main forces were rotating, temporarily replaced by reserve units?
But if so, why was the battlefield suddenly so relaxed, so palpably so?
Something was definitely amiss. So, they relayed the information up the chain.
And Ross Tannika attempted to immediately inform the Empire of this strange development.
But sometimes, even the briefest moments of delay could become devastatingly critical.
