Regardless of the intense mild emitted by the solar’s rays getting into into the throne room that gave it a kind of magnificent and wonderful presentation, everybody was conscious that this pristine trying corridor was nothing greater than superficial make-up.

Make-up that solely existed to cover the dread and despair that has claimed this kingdom for the previous few months.

And nobody was extra conscious of this than Stefan Heinen Naftes IV.

Or as he was extra generally often called: The King of Porrand. He was speculated to be the proud and prideful monarch who represented the Nice Kingdom of Porrand.

However at that second in time, once you checked out him, all you would see was a hopeless King.

A hopeless King who dominated a doomed kingdom.

At this second, as a result of perilousness of the state of affairs, there was actually nobody who had the spare time to accompany Stefan within the throne room.

As such, Stefan might solely sit alone on his throne within the quiet hallway as he merely stared out into the open house in entrance of him, considering what was to return.

What was the reason for his kingdoms misery?

The reply was truly quite easy.

It was a single nation.

Or, extra exactly, it was an empire.

An empire which did not even take ’empire’ as its official identify.

The Imperium of Drussia.

An enigma that took the world by storm.

And is at present on a course to beat Porrand.

Quickly, the silence of the throne room was damaged as a knight barged into the room. The knight was wearing silver armour that had golden outlines, which was complemented by a darkish purple under-tunic. He was not simply any atypical knight, he was a royal knight. A knight who belonged to an order that swore allegiance and fealty to the throne alone.

After the knight knelt on one knee earlier than Stefan to indicate his respect for the monarch, he rose and gave his report.

“Your majesty, we’ve obtained extra information from our spies…”

The royal knight gave his report with a stern face as he spoke.

“The Emperor of the Imperium of Drussia, Maxwell himself, was noticed crossing into our border. Judging from the data, the rationale why the preliminary Drussian forces held their floor as an alternative of advancing was as a result of…”

“They had been ready for his or her emperor?”

The royal knight might solely nod silently in response to his king’s query. Nevertheless, this reply solely served to confuse Stefan much more.

“However that… would not make any sense.”

At this time limit, all Stefan might do was speculate on the true nature of the invader’s plans.

“If their plan was to have their emperor take part and spearhead their invasion, then why did not they collect their forces in their very own borders first? That manner, they’d have been in a position to acquire a fast higher hand in addition to the ingredient of shock once they truly declared struggle… It is virtually as if…”

Nevertheless, the extra that Stefan thought of it, the extra he felt the items clicking collectively, the puzzle being solved.

“They began the struggle prematurely on objective…”

Quickly, Stefan’s confusion was changed with anger as he shortly realised the Imperium’s intentions.

“These rattling bastards! They actually look down on us that a lot?”

“What’s it your majesty? What did you realise?”

Stefan could not cease the look of disdain from forming on his face as he revealed his discoveries to the royal knight.

“They invaded prematurely… in order that they might alert us of their intentions as early as potential…”

“Wait what? Why would they do such a factor?”

To Stefan’s annoyance, it appeared that the royal knight, somebody who was meant to be at the very least considerably competent, had but to catch on to the Imperium’s plans. However, he nonetheless began to slowly clarify it to the knight.

“Give it some thought. What was our first response when the information of the invasion reached the capital?”

“We instantly began to assemble our forces in an effort to fight this overseas risk.”

Though the knight was in a position to reply Stefan’s apparent guiding query, he nonetheless appeared to be confused in regards to the precise nature of the state of affairs.

“However I do not see why the Drussians would need us to do such a thi-“

“It is as a result of they plan to destroy us in a single fell swoop!”

Stefan could not assist elevating his voice within the face of such a state of affairs.

“They don’t seem to be going to strike our armies whereas they’re separated and even whereas we’re nonetheless getting ready! No… They’re ready for us to construct up our forces and strike at them first.”

As Stefan continued to elucidate the Imperium’s intentions, he felt the nice and cozy watery feeling of blood dripping from his clenched fists.

“They need to showcase their army may… it is unbelievably smug however that is the ‘Imperium’ we’re speaking about right here. Ever for the reason that complete annihilation of the Panish Expeditionary Drive, it felt as if one thing was off in regards to the Drussians.”

As Stefan continued to talk, he seen a blended look of each understanding and despair starting to kind on the royal knight’s face.

“To not point out that ridiculous identify… ‘Imperium of Drussia.’ I can not consider a extra self-righteous and narcissistic identify than that… however the outcomes of their battles… we won’t actually deny the outcomes.”

Regardless of the indicators of a nice day, reminiscent of the intense solar and the chirping birds, to Stefan, it felt as if the day was rising darker with every passing second.

“That and the truth that it is already been established for 2 years with out making any army actions. If the rumours had been appropriate, then it solely took roughly lower than a yr for the Dunnwals, the present head of the Imperium, to construct up their first military.”

Stefan paused for a brief second to let what he had simply stated sink in earlier than persevering with.

“And apparently… it took even much less time than that for them to humiliate the Paniards and devastate the Ostrians… Feats like that… that isn’t the work of somebody who’s human. Achievements like that… can solely be achieved by promoting your soul to the satan… no…”

At this level, Stefan was certain that he sounded at the very least partially insane. Nevertheless, he now not cared. These had been the emotions that had been build up inside his coronary heart for the previous few months.

And now that the floodgates had been opened, there was nothing anybody might probably do to cease them from pouring out.

“Feats like that may solely be achieved in case you are the satan. What sort of regular particular person can domesticate a revolutionary military, command that military exceptionally and in addition kind an alliance with a detestable nation just like the Unified Kingdoms, all whereas nonetheless being simply turning into an grownup?”

Listening to Stefan ramble on, one other look started to kind on the royal knight’s face. Earlier than it was a mixture of despair and understanding. Now a glance of concern was additionally current.

“There isn’t a denying it… The pinnacle of the Imperium… the one who began all of it… the one main the invasion into our very homeland… He’s undoubtedly the satan. Or on the very least… he is not somebody of this world. I can not probably consider or consider another clarification.”

In the long run, Stefan might solely flip to superstition to rationalise the inconceivable being that was the emperor of the Imperium of Drussia: Maxwell Von Glanus Dunnwal.

As soon as Stefan completed his quick rant, the room was shortly stuffed with silence as soon as extra as each males stared on the flooring with melancholic seems on their faces.

After the second of silence lingered on for a couple of moments, the royal knight tried to salvage the state of affairs.

“Then why do not we name for assist? Absolutely there have to be different nations tha-“

“Who might we probably name upon that we’re certain will certainly come to our assist?!”

Nevertheless, the knight’s try was all for naught as he was shortly interrupted by Stefan.

“The Paniards? They’re too busy coping with Breetish naval harassment to be of any assist to us now. The Fench absolutely aren’t, at the very least not with the fixed risk of mixed Breetish and Drussian retribution… And do not even trouble mentioning the Ostrians or Lethaunians.”

Stefan set free a sombre sigh earlier than he continued.

“We’re alone on this struggle.”

Regardless of realizing all this, the knight nonetheless tried to counsel potential options.

“If that’s actually the case then maybe we must always sue for peace… at the very least till we will decide the true capabilities of the Imperium.”

“Denied.”

Stefan’s curt reply solely emphasised the hopelessness that was current inside his coronary heart.

Sue for peace? What sort of resolution was that?

There was little question that the Imperium would deny their makes an attempt for peace, and in the event that they did settle for, it could most likely finish in a manner that was biased and beneficial for the Drussians.

Quickly, the knight questioned Stefan’s reply.

“We actually should struggle?”

The one response the royal knight obtained was a silent nod of his monarch’s head.

“Then… I consider our probabilities of victory could also be bigger than what you could assume.”

To Stefan’s shock, a sudden spark of hope started to kindle inside his coronary heart because the knight defined himself.

“Based mostly on the data we had been in a position to derive from Drussian battles, the Drussians are closely reliant on their ranged firepower. Specifically, their astounding reload pace and their revolutionary artillery.”

The extra Stefan listened to the knight, the extra he realised simply how pathetic he had truly been. A king who gave in to despair earlier than the battle has even begun? Stefan could not consider something extra shameful.

“As such, all we have to do is shut that distance with an awesome cavalry drive. Even with their ‘sq. formation,’ we will nonetheless threaten your entire Drussian military via full and complete numerical superiority.”

Because the knight spoke, Stefan felt a kind of wonderful aura emanating from his royal knight. It was as if he was an angel despatched from God to offer Stefan a holy revelation. The revelation he wanted to defeat the satan.

“On their aspect, we had been in a position to rely round 15,000-20,000 infantry males with round 8000 cavalrymen and roughly 100-200 artillery items. On our aspect, we’ve over 40,000 lancers, cossacks and winged hussars. Nevertheless, we nonetheless in a position to muster 1000’s extra cavalry.”

The knight’s voice was filled with confidence as he spoke.”

“With the proper instructions, overrunning the Drussian place ought to be no drawback.”

When the knight completed talking, Stefan might solely lament and scold himself for his personal short-sightedness and lack of hope.

“You are… proper… How might I… let despair get the maintain of me… I apologise… I do not kno-“

“Please do not say that your majesty.”

The knight shortly interrupted Stefan in a relaxed and severe tone.

“I might have nobody else as my king… however you.”

Together with his confidence rebuilt, Stefan rose from his throne to offer his proclamation.

“I promise you! We are going to defeat the Drussians! We are going to make the Imperium remorse its errors! We are going to drive them out of our homeland!”

…

“If my predictions are appropriate then one thing alongside the strains of that ought to be what the Porrish are most probably to pondering.”

Erika glanced across the silent command tent as she concluded her presentation. Though, this silence wasn’t meant to final.

Quickly, the informal voice of Maxwell shortly chimed in as he made his sarcastic comment.

“How pitiable… Within the face of overwhelming odds, they’d place their hopes of their outdated and… outdated ways… Though I do admit that their hope actually is endearing…”

A kind of malicious glint appeared appeared in Maxwell’s snake-like eyes whereas his joking and nonchalant nature permeated the air as he spoke.

“It could be an actual disgrace if somebody had been to… crush it fully.”