Steel and Mana

By the time the sun was up, I was also wiser about what had happened because my Uncle's message arrived right after we sent out our birds towards his castle. It seems he received the news at the same time as we did. The eastern front appeared to reopen in a way that even involved the southern lands. At first look, it was a joint operation against the Ishillia Empire by an alliance of four kingdoms. The Kingdom of Scorc, The Grand Duchy of Irgath, The Principality of Sprinland, and the Grand Duch of Belse launched a joint attack and broke through the borders, pushing in more than a hundred kilometers.

As to how that was possible, we didn't know yet, but it all happened solely in the past week. It wasn't the first time something like this occurred, and it wouldn't be the first time that alliances have been formed to try and reclaim lost territories, but they never could keep them. If not immediately, in a few years, the slow-moving beast that was Ishillia always grounded them down to nothing. If anything, the Empire had the manpower and resources for a prolonged war, but they did not.

"They must be backed by others, some bigger player or players." I murmured, standing over the map of the region, drawing the frontlines up from what we knew and from what my Uncle's message detailed. "Otherwise, this would be a foolish move... How long can they hold the land? They made great advancement because nobody goes on the offensive in the winter..."

"They can keep the lands they captured until summer or autumn, at best." Oleg agreed, his eyes glued to the map. "When snow melts in the spring, the ground becomes muddy, but the armies would move in as soon as summer comes. Even if other empires are backing them, how long can they hold out? They can spare money and resources but not manpower. Lost lives can't be replaced just like that."

"Do we have any news of mages being deployed?" I asked, but none of our letters described the usage of magic. Of course, this meant nothing, but if they appeared, it would suggest that the Empire was about to strike back with its own wizards, escalating things without any care. "We need more on-the-ground information... Oleg!"

"Yes, My Lord!"

"Go and find me ten soldiers who can ride out fast and get close to the frontlines! Tell them to avoid any conflict; I just want them to try to spread out and send us reports back on how things look. I don't need them to cover the whole borders; I just want this part!"

My finger pointed at Roria, where Yuri was supposedly stuck, the eastern city, right next to the Kingdom of Scorc. By the new map, it was now behind enemy lines. Well, in reality, according to history books, the city was theirs until 170 years ago, when the surrounding territories were slowly chipped away and occupied by Ishillia. I bet that, in their eyes, this was righteous reclamation, and I guess the locals felt the same way. It was the region where Yuri could easily blend in, as her appearance was typical of the people of Scorc. It wasn't the first time they caused problems, as her people had always staged little rebellions ever since being gobbled up by the Empire.

"She should be fine..." I murmured, tapping my fingers on my biceps, watching Oleg leave to fulfill my orders, and my attention settled back on the map, "She is simply stuck... If she tried to leave, that would be dangerous, and if she stays there and the counter-offensive begins, she could be easily looked at as a collaborator... Knowing how the Empire acts, an ethnic cleansing will commence right after they retake the region. We need to get her out before that!"

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"Useless bastards!" The Empress's shout echoed throughout the throneroom after receiving the news of the hundreds of square kilometers of land suddenly lost on her eastern and southern borders. "I want the head of General Ushtek! No excuses! He either comes back and slits his own throat before me or heads out right now and dies a warrior's death on the front line!"

Nobody dared to look up at their Empress, no matter their rank or bloodline connections; a hundred people were kneeling with bowed heads, trembling, afraid that it would be their last moment in life if they drew her attention to themselves.

"What was he doing?! Where is Justice?!"

"It's here, in the Capital city..." Duke Ellington answered, his old voice trembling, his bald head shining with sweat in the throneroom's light, not daring to raise it.

"Why the fuck is it here and not on the frontlines?" Kathrien asked, and the calmer her voice was, the more afraid the nobles became.

"It is here to replace its main magic crystals, my Empress! It has been in multiple battles in the past decade, and it depleted it ahead of schedule."

"Wasn't it ordered to return for repairs barely three years ago? I know because Marquess Tamilliah was begging me to let him come back with the ship and make restorations. Where is he?!"

"He died four months ago." the Duke answered, gulping, "The captain of the Justice is yet to be selected... We... couldn't name a successor yet."

It happened in an instant. Everyone heard nothing but a soft pop, and those kneeling around Duke Ellington felt warm, iron-smelling liquid land on them, soaking their expensive silk clothes. Not everyone could hold back their cries; some even fainted, but Kathrien was unbothered by it. She just sat on her throne, a small, golden magic formation rotating around her index finger, which pointed at the now-dead Duke.

"Duke Farfal!"

"Y-y-y-yes, M-m-my E-e-e-empress!" He answered through sobs and cries, bloodied and feeling chunks of Duke Ellington covering his hair and back as he was kneeling right next to the mangled body that was missing half of its torso.

"Sit down with the other Dukes and name a new captain in two days. Take more than the allotted time, and I will execute all of you. No exceptions. The clock is ticking!"

"I-i-it w-w-will b-be d-d-done!"

"Began mobilizing the army!"

"Empress?" Some asked, finally daring to raise their heads just so they would bow it back down, seeing that she was standing, sneering at them.

"Do. Not. Question. Me. I said, raise the armies and begin marching through the snow! Justice will go ahead of them! I want those bastards to be dead before spring! I want the snow to turn red, do you hear me?!"

"Yes!" The unified answer echoed loudly, but by then, she had already turned around, leaving the throne room.

After returning to her room, she began throwing a type of screaming, wild tantrum that was way out of line for someone of her stature and age. Her magical powers remained within her body, but by the end, the room was completely destroyed. The pillows and sheets were ripped apart, and luxurious feathers were fluttering in the air. All the silk curtains were shredded and now lying on the floor, while the golden tapestry was torn from the walls. Worst of all, Kathrien looked like a rabid beast, half-naked, her clothes ripped off. She was disgusted by it when she met her own eyes in the smashed mirror's shards on the opposing wall, so in a hurry, she began combing her hair, searching for clothes that survived the onslaught.

"..."

After she forced herself to calm down with multiple deep breaths, throwing open the door to her broad balcony and stepping out into the cold, chilly morning wind, she finally managed to regain control. This was hers... not just the palace, the city, the land, everything was rightfully hers. How dare anyone take it away from her? They will pay... all of them will!

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"New news has arrived the previous night, My Sovereign!" Merlin shouted as she hurried into my office, waving multiple letters in his hand.

"Let me see!" I stood up from behind my table, tearing open the first one.

It has already been over a week since we first got the news of what happened, and this came from the soldiers I sent forth. They were still far from where they should be, primarily because there were no more clean stone roads to speed up their progress after leaving my territory.

"They have been trained well!" I nodded, giving the letter to Merlin while I went for the others.

"So there is a general call to arms in the Empire?" Merlin whispered, reading the short report detailing that my men witnessed multiple instances of local nobles conscripting people and hiring mercenaries to go to the eastern and southern borders.

"There is another big news!" I groaned, biting my lips, reading the one coming from my Uncle. "It says that the Justice, the flying ship, has left the Capital and is heading back to the east. He also mentions that Righteous, another warship of the five they have, is in the south and already engaged with the invaders."

"It is rare to wage wars in the winter..." Merlin whispered, and I couldn't help but agree.

"The third report is from the spies we have in the slums, the outer city of the capital. It says that the army is lagging behind and yet to head out."

"So the warships are there... alone? Well, they should be able to deal with it, no?" Then he flinched, shaking his head, "Wait, that wouldn't be good either!"

"Yes, it wouldn't. I don't know if a lone flying warship, even if it can do serious damage, is enough to cover a whole front without the support of a proper army. Air superiority is nice, but can one ship achieve that? Damn it... too many unknowns!"

"Although spring is nearing... this winter seems especially cold and long. I don't know how it is down there, but the army will have trouble marching through it. From the reports we managed to gather, there seem to be at least 100,000 soldiers being drafted and sent to the eastern front alone!"

"I decided!"

"Y-yes?" He flinched as I said it so suddenly that he almost dropped the letters.

"I am going to go out with only 50 soldiers and see if we can slip by, find her, and get back without anyone noticing."

"W-w-w-what?!"

"We are not going to fight but to evacuate." I explained, and I was confident because I had done it twice. Well, three times if we count one such time when our group was recovered by another squad. "Now, what I need to do is somehow push it down the throats of my wives and mother that I am leaving to lead them..."

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"Lord Nahl." Whispered a young female voice belonging to a maid, trying to gently shake a naked man awake, sleeping on an inn's second floor.

"Mhmhm... what is it?" He grunted, reaching up and grabbing her breasts, kneading them, making the young girl jump in fright. "What? Tsk... You act like I didn't finger you last night under the table! Whore." With another grumble, he finally sat up, revealing four other unconscious young women around him.

"Duke Farfal is looking for you..." She whispered, looking afraid and deathly pale, but Nahl remained unbothered.

"Yeah...? Sure..."

Even though one of the highest-ranking nobles of the Empire was asking for him, Nahl didn't show any desire to hurry. Instead, he just climbed out of bed and took a long bath before finally loosely dressing up, letting his overly long black hair flow behind him. Half an hour later, he was finally walking down to the main floor.

"How can you stay in dumps like this?" The Duke asked, standing with his guards there while the rest of the establishment was completely emptied out. Yet... he didn't seem annoyed that he was made to wait.

"Cheap whores are the best. You can get one for every finger, and they cost barely anything!" Nahl answered, yawning, leaning over the counter, taking a bottle away from the bottom shelf, and beginning drinking, which was his favorite morning exercise.

"You are going to be sent to the east."

"Yeah? Who says it?" He argued at once, but Duke Farfal slammed a golden medallion onto the table, signaling it was the order of the Empress. "Fuck... what happened?"

"The Justice was attacked by a destructive spell... The new captain's estimate puts it around an Adept-level formation. Luckily, its shield has worked as intended, and it could retreat. You will move faster than the army that is still being prepared. The earliest estimation is that we will get them there right before spring. You will go ahead, get on Justice, and keep the land under supervision."

"They will have time to dig in..." Nahl complained, wiping his mouth after drinking cheap wine, "Shouldn't I just blast them to hell and get it done with?"

"No. It is the orders from the Empress. She wants the Justice to be the bait and harass the enemy. Let them set up a trap for us, gather all their mages at one spot, and then, you can strike. Until then, do not use any spells! Don't let them know that we have you there!"

"Am I to do this alone?"

"We are mobilizing your favorite triplets to move them to the south. They will act flamboyantly, as usual, so the enemy will think we are focusing our attention there first... yet we will strike at the east."

"Got it... haaaaah, again, why is it me who gets to do the dangerous one?"

"You will act when the army arrives." The Duke continued, ignoring him, "After their mages are dealt with, you will have free reign."

"Wait..." He flinched, his black eyes beginning to glow like a monster's.

"No survivors. Wipe out everyone. Direct the army and lead them forward. We are going to take more than what they reclaimed! You can do it however you like; no restricting rules this time."

"Now... I am truly hard!" He laughed, making the Duke grimace, turning around with disgust because Nahl wasn't lying... and it showed.