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“Heh, to think that man, who’s usually so reluctant to act, would take to the field himself.”

Baroque Kingdom’s chancellor, Mateurus Jankoff, expressed a mix of relief and concern at Hainel’s reemergence.

Hainel’s presence carried great significance, not only due to his legendary status but also because of the potential political ramifications.

There were bound to be those who, seeing Hainel’s return, would attempt to manipulate him for their own gain.

“However,” Mateurus continued, “the situation is different now compared to the past. Hainel may very well become a unifying figure in these turbulent times.”

Across the table, Count Laklaman, chief secretary of the royal office, echoed Mateurus’ thoughts with a question.

“Why do you think Lord Hainel has returned to the battlefield, leading the knights again?”

Though Count Laklaman was glad to see Hainel’s return, the timing puzzled him.

Mateurus shook his head.

“It’s difficult to fully understand his motives. However, if Hainel is on the battlefield, it’s a sign that he may soon return to the court. We must wait and see.”

“The Empire clearly intended to sharpen its blade and swallow up the Spanian Kingdom. But now, neither the Spanian Kingdom nor the Tirkan Kingdom have fallen into their hands.”

“What about the Imperial forces moving toward the sea?”

“There’s been no word from them yet. However, the 3rd Legion’s forces have already been stationed along the coast.”

“The fact that their sea-bound army halted must be connected to the setbacks in the north.”

Originally, the Empire had planned to invade the Spanian Kingdom while simultaneously attacking the northern and western flanks of the Baroque Kingdom.

But after their plan was thwarted in the north, the forces advancing west had no choice but to halt.

For the Empire, this was nothing short of a strategic disaster.

“One thing worries me, though. Even though our recent battles with the Empire have been tightly contested… if we consider their full strength, they’re still more powerful than we are.”

“How is the Artian Kingdom responding?”

“They’re still showing goodwill, but we’ll need to get more detailed updates from the foreign office. They likely know that if we fall, they’ll be in danger too.”

For the Empire, moving quickly and decisively was paramount. But now, having lost both timing and momentum, their options were limited.

“We must be prepared for what could become one of the largest battles in history.”

Mateurus’ words made Count Laklaman nod solemnly.

“In the meantime, we’ll need to bolster morale by rewarding the units that performed well in recent skirmishes.”

“Haha, I can already imagine General Kiaran smiling,” Mateurus remarked. With the recent string of invasions, the commander of the 6th Legion, Kiaran, had been under considerable stress.

If they could reward her subordinates for their efforts, it would likely lift her spirits as well.

“For now, we should observe the situation a bit longer.”

“I agree.”

Though the political landscape remained complicated, the two men felt some relief at having overcome the immediate crisis and concluded their meeting.

The Caion unit and the 2nd division of the 6th Legion’s reinforcements safely reached Sragan.

They had lost soldiers along the way due to Galveron’s attacks, but they had made it.

“Thank you for coming,” said Mateus, the local commander.

“We’re allies. It’s only natural,” replied Diorant, the leader of the reinforcements, shaking hands with Mateus.

As the soldiers rested, a meeting of the officers was held.

“The Imperial army that advanced this far hasn’t moved. They seem to be waiting, possibly because their plan to cut off reinforcements has failed,” Mateus explained.

“…Had we failed, this place would be in flames by now,” another officer added.

“Indeed,” Mateus said grimly. Even with the forces they had, defending Sragan against an Imperial army led by an Aura Master would have been impossible. They would have only held out for a few days at most before being overwhelmed.

Without the Baroque Kingdom’s support, they would have been utterly defeated.

However, the threat had not yet passed.

“As long as the Imperial army hasn’t fully withdrawn, we must assume the danger is still present,” Damian said, speaking up.

After all, until the Empire’s forces retreated, they couldn’t return home.

Diorant looked at Damian in silence.

As the leader of an independent unit, it was natural for Damian to attend the meeting, but Diorant found it unusual.

‘How could a mere captain be present at such an important meeting?’ he thought, slightly annoyed by Damian’s presence, considering his age and rank.

While Diorant was aware of the Caion unit’s accomplishments, which had been widely discussed, it still bothered him.

Diorant turned to Damian and asked, “I heard the Caion unit commander was late in joining us. What kept you so long?”

“I was engaged in personal training when I received the recall order,” Damian replied.

“Personal training during a time like this? You must have plenty of time on your hands.”

Damian furrowed his brow slightly. Diorant’s disdain was obvious, but before Damian could respond, another voice cut through the tension.

“Is that really an issue?”

“…?”

A middle-aged man suddenly entered the room. His striking golden hair and white armor immediately caught Diorant’s attention.

“H-Hainel Fremunt, Lord of Baroque!” Diorant stood up abruptly.

He had seen Hainel from afar in the past and remembered his face well. More than that, the white armor with the sword-and-shield emblem engraved on the chest was unmistakably the symbol of the Glory Knights.

Bowing quickly, Diorant greeted him, and Mateus, who was also present, rose to his feet.

“I am Commander Mateus of the Spanian Kingdom. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Fremunt.”

Though Mateus held the highest military rank in the Spanian Kingdom, even he showed utmost respect for Hainel.

Hainel took Mateus’ hand and replied, “I am Hainel Fremunt, Lord of the Baroque Kingdom.

I’ve heard much about you, Commander Mateus—Spention’s last shield of defense.”

“…That’s an overestimation of my role,” Mateus replied, his voice humble yet firm. Despite his modesty, no one could deny that he was the pillar holding the Spanian Kingdom together.

With most of the royal family dead and the heir only two years old, Mateus was the sole figure preventing the kingdom from crumbling.

Hainel, observing the situation, asked, “What were you discussing in this meeting?”

Damian answered promptly, “We were discussing the Imperial army stationed north of Sragan.”

Satisfied with the response, Hainel took a seat. His presence alone granted him the authority to join the meeting.

As the discussions resumed, it became clear that reaching a conclusion was difficult.

The problem was simple—the Empire held the power to determine when this war would start or end. It was their decision whether to escalate or withdraw.

But then Damian spoke up.

“May I offer a suggestion?”

“Humph,” Diorant grunted with a disapproving cough, clearly uncomfortable with Damian’s input.

But Hainel, unfazed, gestured for Damian to continue. “Speak your mind.”

“What if we launch a preemptive strike and catch them off guard?”

“What?” Diorant scowled, and Mateus looked genuinely surprised.

Undeterred, Damian elaborated. “The Imperial army numbers around 10,000 troops, which, compared to our forces, is not a large number.

The reason we fear them, however, is due to two factors: Galveron, the Aura Master, and the fact that the Imperial soldiers are elite.”

Indeed, while the numbers might seem small, the quality of the Empire’s soldiers made them formidable.

In a direct confrontation, their strength was easily twice as effective as their numbers suggested.

“But,” Damian continued, looking at Hainel, “if Lord Hainel can keep Galveron occupied, we’ll be left with just 10,000 troops. With the 20,000 soldiers defending Sragan, plus our 7,000 reinforcements, we can win in a straight-up battle. However, instead of a direct confrontation, if we split our forces and launch a flanking attack…”

Damian clapped his hands together.

“…we can throw them into disarray and then hit their main force head-on, breaking them completely.”

Diorant’s expression soured even further. “You’re talking about declaring outright war on the Empire!”

“The war has already begun,” Damian replied calmly.

Silence fell over the room as Diorant was left speechless. Damian’s words cut through the pretense. Everyone in the room knew the truth, but acknowledging it was another matter.

Damian glanced at Diorant. While the Caion unit’s contribution was undeniable, it was clear that the support from allies like Diorant still carried hesitation and fear.

It wasn’t just Diorant, though—it was a sentiment shared by many across the continent.

The Empire’s dominance had loomed large over the world for so long that nations had grown accustomed to cowering before it, thinking themselves incapable of striking first.

‘That fear is why smaller kingdoms fell so quickly in my past life when the Empire began its conquest,’ Damian thought grimly.

That deep-seated fear of the Empire had kept people from taking the initiative, allowing their territories to be swallowed one by one.

‘But…’

He clenched his fist.

‘That won’t happen again.’

“I see… launching a preemptive strike on the Empire,” Hainel murmured, breaking his silence. He let out a deep sigh, clearly understanding the weight of such a decision.

It was an obvious course of action, yet centuries of history, where nations had been crushed under the Empire’s might, made it a difficult choice.

Diorant, still frowning, spoke up. “But a preemptive strike? How do we know they aren’t prepared for such an attack?”

“They’re not,” Damian said confidently. “Just as we fear attacking them, they don’t expect to be attacked. The Empire doesn’t think anyone would dare strike first.”

This battle, Damian knew, had the potential to shatter the long-standing belief that the Empire was untouchable.

“The Empire has marched onto foreign soil, uninvited. It’s time they realized they can bleed like anyone else. That will make them think twice before acting so boldly in the future.”

No one in the room could argue against that.

Then, Hainel chuckled softly. “Do you really think you can pull it off?”

“The Baroque Kingdom isn’t directly involved here, but this is Spanian’s fight. If we attack, the Caion unit will lead the first strike.”

Damian’s gaze shifted to Mateus. He was pushing the decision into the hands of Spanian’s commander.

“It’s your call, General Mateus.”

“I…” Mateus began, his resolve visibly shaken.