Dragon Emperor

The royal palace of the Khenis Empire had a unique appearance like no other.

Flat buildings with dazzling golden-yellow roof tiles, each facing precisely one of the cardinal directions, formed a magnificent row.

Surrounding this space were square buildings on all four sides, repeated until the outermost was enclosed by crimson walls.

The stone square just beyond the main gate was vast, and people looking up from there at the palace building towering over them couldn't help but realize their own insignificance and the might of the empire.

Deep within the palace, there was a room known as the "Second Imperial Throne."

No matter how high one's social status was, commoners were not allowed to enter this place. Audiences with commoners were held in a location closer to the public. This was a place only for the emperor and high officials.

The decorative strings of pearls hung like curtains, one after another.

Among them, a very limited number of elite soldiers from the Yellow Army, highly trusted by the emperor, were hidden.

The left and right sides of the room were lattice doors with intricately carved dragons, and beyond them, a balcony-like corridor extended toward a pond. The thin silk curtains gently blocked the sunlight and the damp breeze.

At the far end of the room, which seemed to float on water, was a throne made of ebony-like wood, said to have been carved from a single great tree.

Seated on that throne, a melancholic man, Emperor Min Hao of the Khenis Empire.

Or, as he liked to call himself... "Ryubuchi”.

When you think of the mighty king of the Khenis Empire, you might expect a giant who pierces the clouds or a fierce general who can kill with just his gaze...

If you held such preconceptions, you would be completely deceived.

Ryubuchi was in his mid-twenties, and he was rather slender with no imposing height.

A finely chiseled narrow face, jet-black hair and eyes like obsidian. Some, in a half-mocking tone, called his pale skin "like that of a woman”.

His sharp, unwavering gaze was indeed that of a warrior, but that was the extent of it.

He wore a unique crown with a board-like shape on his head and a red and black robe embroidered with mythical beasts and stars.

In front of Ryubuchi's throne, a man knelt, unfolding a scroll-like document and reading it aloud. By human standards, he appeared to be in his thirties.

He was even more slender than Ryubuchi, with long limbs and fingers, and a tall stature. He had distinctive emerald hair and pointed ears. His skin had a texture like white wood, and five black dots were tattooed around his left eye.

In human society, his race was somewhat unusual. He was an elf.

His name was Hoshikan, but his original name was Glenmires.

His title was Grand General.

He oversaw four armies – blue, red, black, and white – Except for the Yellow Army, Imperial Guard, directly under the emperor. In essence, he was the supreme military authority.

In this country, there were no nobles.

As a matter of fact, this country only had an "Emperor" and "officials”. The Grand General, Hoshikan, was no exception.

However, Hoshikan, an elf with a long life, had served this country since the founding of the Khenis Empire and had so much influence that one could call him a political privileged class.

Furthermore, he was skilled in military strategy in a way that was uncharacteristic of elves, and he was a capable military officer who had a significant presence and power in the empire.

He had originally been the Blue General, but he was promoted to the position of Grand General under the current Emperor Ryubuchi.

"...Therefore, the Red Army is currently moving to secure the route through the Ku-Lukal Mountains. That concludes the report."

"Hmm..."

After finishing the report, Hoshikan pushed his rimless glasses up with his fingertips to adjust their position.

While Emperor Ryubuchi gazed at the "missive" delivered by the airborne cavalry, he nodded thoughtfully.

...It smells the same as before."

"My Lord?"

Hoshikan couldn't quite grasp the meaning of Ryubuchi's words, so he asked with a puzzled expression.

"I only know about the Demon King's army from records and ancient tales of yore. But from this grand scheme, it seems to have the same smell as the old Demon King's army. Daring and extravagant tactics that mock the human armies who fight for their lives... Perhaps she has recruited one or two strategists from the old Demon Lord's army, the so-called 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’."

"I-I see..."

Ever since the establishment of the empire, Hoshikan had been fighting against the endless Demon King's army as a military officer.

For Hoshikan, Ryubuchi's thoughts seemed "plausible”.

However, it was just an uncertain speculation at the moment, so Hoshikan neither denied nor confirmed it.

Ryubuchi seemed to be interested in something, while Hoshikan was a man who loved only victory, believing that the weaker the enemy, the better.

In that regard, there were differences of opinion between Ryubuchi, who enjoyed battles, and Hoshikan, but Hoshikan trusted Ryubuchi's hunger for victory and his abilities.

"The Red Army is already moving to secure a path through the mountains. If we miss this opportunity, the neighboring country could seize the path on the other side of the mountains. However, continuing like this will create tension between us and Diletta. What should we do, my Lord?"

"There's no use in panicking. We can only do what we can. If we accidentally let the 'strolling path' through the mountains fall into the hands of another country, we have no choice but to secure it. If it's known that we used a path created by monsters, our country might be seen as allied with the creatures of darkness. In that case, we have no choice but to proclaim this as our own achievement and rally the people as much as possible. This will likely strain our relationship with Diletta, but there's no other option. The Red Army will probably end up in a standoff with Diletta's forces."

Hoshikan didn't respond, as it was a situation beyond his control.

Just as water naturally flows from high to low, an irresistible force had emerged.

The Khenis Empire had to face the Holy Kingdom of Diletta.

The Khenis Empire had conquered several human nations through intimidation and the use of force.

However, it had always avoided a decisive and open conflict with the four major powers known as the Great Powers. Engaging in a full-scale war would potentially harm the Khenis Empire, as wars of attrition, where armies grind each other down, wouldn't lead to significant territorial gains. Invasion wars should be overwhelming.

Furthermore, if the Khenis Empire were to engage in full-scale warfare simultaneously with two of the Great Powers, it could lead to defeat. While the Western White Army hadn't clashed directly with the Kingdom of Noacurio so far, if a war with Diletta were to erupt, Noacurio might decide to take advantage of the situation. If the reserves were depleted and the Demon Lord's forces struck from behind, it could be disastrous.

Despite the crisis, it was also an opportunity.

Crossing the Ku-Lukal Mountains would become a national project. Therefore, they had to take a detour.

If a road suddenly appeared there, it would become a highly useful invasion route.

Once they crossed "The Spine of the Earth”, the Ku-Lukal Mountains, they would reach the Freybull Inland Sea.

If they could advance into the inland sea and acquire a port, they would gain significant advantages in logistics and commerce. They could also exert pressure on coastal nations, including Diletta.

Part of it was unavoidable.

Part of it was sought after.

The Red Army would cross the Ku-Lukal Mountains.

"Hoshikan, how do you interpret the intentions of the 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’?"

"Well, in the medium to long term, it seems to be about weakening the Holy Kingdom Diletta, which could be considered a natural enemy, and making it compete with our country. However, it also seems like Diletta is creating reasons for not attacking."

"...Hmm. It seems you've managed to keep your position, for now."

"You jest..."

"For now, there's no significant threat from the east. We'll stop the Blue Army's invasion, retain control over the occupied territories, and send reinforcements to the Red Army. The situation should favor our country. But that guy tried to nest right under the nose of the Blue Army. In other words, the 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’ is an irreplaceable card against Diletta and its lackeys."

Ryubuchi smirked at the corner of his mouth.

It felt like ripples formed on the pond surrounding the Throne Room.

"The 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’ is an undead. She can't escape from Diletta's sacred fanatics, the Moon Eaters, no matter where she goes. After all, they go into places where no army can enter, even in small numbers. If she stays in one place, they'll track her down to the ends of the earth. But controlling those fanatic hounds is the work of self-interested priests who seek earthly gains rather than realizing their faith. ... A young girl used our empire as a means to suppress the 'Moon Eaters' for her own purposes."

The 'Moon Eaters' were Holy Kingdom of Diletta’s strongest special forces.

Their primary mission was to eliminate sorcerers and undead, but once deployed in combat, they displayed unrivaled strength.

However, the number of key combatants in their ranks was strangely low. The exact number was a well-kept secret, but it might not have exceeded 100.

The reason for limiting their numbers to such an extent was unknown, but there seemed to be some kind of restriction on the numbers due to certain circumstances.

As a result, the 'Moon Eaters' combatants were always traveling around the world. Calling for one and having them dispatched months later was not uncommon.

For this expedition to Ciel-Terra, Diletta had managed to gather more than twenty combatants. This was the same as the maximum deployment during the 'Joint Expedition of the Anti-Demon Army and Human Nations' fourteen years ago, which had been cut off.

It seemed they had gathered people with great effort, but the Khenis Empire had information that they were attracted by the bait of the Glacelum mines in Ciel-Terra.

Without the bait, even if a fool like the young girl tried her best, they wouldn't have dispatched this many combatants.

In short, the 'Moon Eaters' were a precious resource. In a country that couldn't deal with threats beyond its capabilities, whether they were human or demon, having the 'Moon Eaters' on their side was crucial.

And in deciding where to deploy them, there were significant political considerations involved, which was an open secret.

If you wanted to secure the protection of the 'Moon Eaters,' you had to maintain good relations with the Holy Kingdom of Diletta.

Except for countries like the Khenis Empire, which had powerful military forces and an abundance of Ace-class adventurers and soldiers, it was a matter of life and death for smaller nations to determine whether the 'Moon Eaters' would come to their aid when the need arose.

As far as Hoshikan knew, Diletta had been quite reluctant recently to deploy the 'Moon Eaters' to the Khenis Empire.

If the tension were to escalate further, complete withdrawal might become a reality.

Moreover, if the empire's military were troubled by the 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’ and found it difficult to move, Diletta's leadership might turn a blind eye, at least until the Khenis Empire was genuinely in danger.

In essence, the situation surrounding the Khenis Empire had deteriorated.

However, neither Hoshikan nor Ryubuchi had given in to despair.

"So, we'll use the Blue Army to defeat the 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’."

"Yes, indeed. If we can defeat the 'Rose Princess of Hellrage', our concerns will be resolved in a chain reaction. She will undoubtedly interfere in the frontline battles, and we'll have to cut her down there along with the rest. We may not be able to send many people, … but we'll provide the Blue Army with as much money and supplies as they need."

"As you wish."

The two of them were resolute.

Whether the opponent was human, demon, or undead, the Khenis Empire's strongest army on the continent would defeat all of them to build the prosperity of their nation.

They had a rough analysis of the 'Rose Princess of the Hellrage’s’ abilities and combat capabilities based on the leaked information. If she managed to gather the local monsters around the Ku-Lukal Mountains, it would be troublesome, but they believed that they still had the upper hand if they faced her head-on. If she holed up in the dense forest or mountains, they might have difficulty attacking, but if they systematically cut down her resources, the enemy would become impoverished...

--But was it really just that?

Hoshikan felt a nagging uncertainty.

If someone with such a calculating mind was involved, the 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’ likely understood the disparity in their strengths.

So why did she make a move that seemed to throw herself into the Khenis Empire's arms?

Ryubuchi stood up from his throne, his cloak-like coat fluttering.

"...Even if it's just the Blue Army, if you think you can compete with us, you must have underestimated us. Or perhaps you have a trick up your sleeve... Show us what you're capable of, 'Rose Princess of Hellrage’."

The water's surface rippled once more.

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