Heroes of Might and Magic: Grand Consul

Chapter 407 Estrangement
After acquiring the new troop type, Su Mu immediately led a full-strength army to Silver Peak City.

Because he needed to consolidate the city's resources, Ouling did not arrive immediately, but there was no doubt that the Brilliant Gold Element was under his command.

Kuraki's heroes all have distinct characteristics, such as Orin's ranged units and Ivan's melee tanks, making them the highest priority generals. If suitable unit types become available, they will be assigned to the remaining generals.

Now that we have the Brilliant Gold Element, the Arcane Prayer can share a portion with Sederlos, because he himself is a unit specialist and can greatly enhance the combat capabilities of mages (and upgraded units).

If Orling represents the ultimate damage output, then Sederlos is the standard all-around buff, equally suitable for commanding Arcane Prayers, it just depends on the scenario and application.

"The boundary stones have been collected enough for the Tower Council and are being transported to Silvertop City. The council upgrade will begin soon."

What are your thoughts on the future development of this city?

Previously, in order to deal with the threat from the north, Silvertop City had been built with a focus on fortification and defense. Now that the battle has been won, the situation in the north seems to have stabilized for the time being, and it is time to consider a new development strategy.

Should we follow Kuraki's strategy of mass-producing troops, develop a unique defensive fortress approach, or have other ideas? Su Mu wants to hear everyone's opinions.

As the city lord, Cedros naturally expressed his opinion first: "Every city has its own history and mission. Silvertop City was built to defend against the invasion of northern enemies, and there is no need to change its positioning."

The development of the tower has never relied on increasing military strength to gain an advantage. I hope that Silver Dome City can become a wise city for magical exchange and the cultivation of top sages, based on defense, and gathering a large amount of alchemy and magical power research, serving as the northern gateway to Kuraki.

Deeply influenced by the Church of Wisdom, Cedrus appreciates research-based strategies more.

In his view, there is an upper limit to the number of troops. Even for a city like the Void Throne, which has existed for thousands of years, there will be a limit to the amount of magical power that can be recruited after a certain number of people have been recruited.

Resources can be continuously collected and accumulated, but the city's magical energy capacity is difficult to break through. Rather than that, it would be better to research newer magic and potions and strengthen the abilities of each building. This way, strength can be accumulated as quickly as possible.

Forrest agreed with this view: "From an architect's point of view, they certainly don't want to replicate the same city. The tower's special feature is not its ability to mass produce troops, but its magical research capabilities and high-level magic guilds, which are its most powerful characteristics."

I suggest playing to our strengths and avoiding our weaknesses. Besides, Silver Peak City has already established a solid foundation through its previous construction. Even if we put more effort into it later, it will seem somewhat incongruous and difficult to achieve the same success as Kuraki.

After the council is completed, the city's defenses will be further enhanced, and new spell and magic defense towers will be added to create an indestructible tower for the snowy region!

Seeing that the two key heroes shared the same idea as him, Su Mu didn't say anything more.

The Tower is a high-magic faction, and it has never gained an advantage by the number of troops. As a seasoned governor, Su Mu has a clear understanding of the characteristics of each faction.

Even if we acquire Titans later, we can find a way to increase the production of Tier 7 units; there's no need to change our strategy now.

Just as they made this decision and were about to discuss the construction of the Tower Council, a scout burst in.

"My lord, urgent military intelligence! A large number of strange legions have appeared on the border of the Arcane Empire and are sweeping across the border area between the two countries."

"A strange legion? Could it be the undead? Or some other force? Please be clear!"

"The information from the front is also unclear. It only says that they are like humans during the day and like ghosts at night. They possess the characteristics of soul fire, but they can also fuse into special creatures, which is very strange!"

Upon hearing this, the heroes froze in place, except for Su Mu, who frowned.

This type of soldier, which changes between day and night, is somewhat like a disguised undead that has been tricked. However, unlike before, it seems to have combined the eerie state of a lunar eclipse again, making it even more difficult to deal with. Su Mu immediately became alert.

Perhaps many people, harassed by war and influenced by the desire for revenge, have long harbored deep hatred for Isildur.

But in reality, the beginning of everything, the cause of the historical Timber Wars, was that Isildur could not survive and was forced to come to Elton to seize territory, which sparked an earth-shattering war between the two sides, and even the astrological calendar was changed to the new Timber calendar.

The fact that a natural disaster could overwhelm an empire demonstrates its terrifying nature.

This disaster has not stopped; it continues to spread. Heavy snow, a month of calamities, and a new lunar eclipse—the astrological month representing natural disasters—is taking up an even larger proportion, making the living environment for all living beings increasingly difficult.

Although some people believe that war is the cause of war and that peace can be restored once the enemy is defeated, in reality, disaster is the trigger for war.

"Set Cloud Eye to monitor the border around the clock. Bring Wayne over here and have him keep an eye on the situation at the border. If the situation worsens, report to me immediately!"

This is already an extremely high level of alert. Although Cloud Eye can observe a very large area, it is usually aimed at invading enemies and cannot observe every town or territory at any time, let alone a border town of the Arcane Empire.

Now, shifting our focus there and sending Wayne to investigate will allow us to quickly find out what happened.

If it is indeed the work of ancient ruins, or an extension of the disaster, it must be taken seriously immediately. If necessary, Silvertop City will send a large army to clean up these stubborn problems and stop their spread.

Seeing the Duke's vigilance, the two heroes also took the matter to heart.

"Speaking of the border, I suddenly remembered something. The kingdom's envoy came a few days ago and said that Elton unilaterally declared that the area east of the hills is the border of Isildur, and produced a map that the two sides used to cooperate thousands of years ago to prove the legitimacy of the wall."

Is it possible that Isidore's offensive has stalled, and he only wishes to remain in a remote corner, temporarily ruling from afar?

Su Mu chuckled and shook his head: "What do you mean by governing across the river? It's just a delaying tactic."

Now is the crucial moment for Isildur to unseal Dragoncliff. If they accumulate enough divine golden dragons, they will definitely launch a new offensive.

Su Mu's voice turned low: "Not only that, Esidor also contacted me privately, saying that we could unite to divide the kingdom, with the heartland and the northern border all going to Cang Mu, all they had to do was destroy the corrupt kingdom."

Upon hearing this, Forrest and Cedrus were both startled. Isildur was a master strategist who knew very well that Kuraki and the kingdom were only superficially allied, so he offered a huge temptation in the hope that Kuraki would turn against them.

In fact, in all of Isildur's recent defeats, Kuraki has been the mainstay, providing tremendous help even though he is not a key player.

After careful analysis, the Elder Council of Isildur believed that as long as Kuraki stood by and did nothing, the corrupt kingdom would soon be crushed. This judgment was actually quite accurate, but what did the lord think?

The kingdom's fear and suppression were practically out in the open. Even though the title of Duke was given this time, it was still given reluctantly, and the rift between the two sides was already quite large. Now, Kuraki is on the front line, under considerable pressure, and without any support, the lord is probably full of grievances.

Forrest then spoke up directly: "Don't believe Isildur's words. They are making promises now just to sow discord among us. Once they have dealt with the kingdom, they will definitely join forces with other forces to deal with Kuraki."

Although the kingdom was not entirely honest, everyone saw what Kuraki did. After avenging the knight commander, Kuraki gradually became a symbol of humanity, and nobles and heroes from various territories trusted us.

While cooperating with Isildur might overthrow the kingdom, the true line of humanity still belongs to Eldon. The kingdom's fortunes haven't completely collapsed yet. If that happens, we'll find ourselves betraying humanity, isolated and helpless, without the support of nobles and heroes, and even facing internal turmoil!

Forrest had always followed Su Mu's lead, but in this matter, he immediately declared his own position, which shows the seriousness of the consequences.

Indeed, despite its current prosperity and steady development, Kuraki is still recognized by the entire human race as part of the kingdom.

Whether it's Ivan or Maggie, they are both legitimate nobles of Elton, with bloodlines passed down through generations. The cities they govern are also intricately connected to other nobles. In certain situations, such as war or rule, these connections can bring stability. But if they were to break away from the kingdom, there would be immediate backlash.

Forrest, Orling, Wayne, and Goode are all from Elton. Although they are currently employed by Kuraki, it would be difficult to accept that they would join forces with Isildur to turn against Elton. Even if Su Mu could suppress everything with his prestige and strength, righteousness and a just cause are still very important in human civilization.

Su Mu smiled and said, "Do you think I'm that stupid? To collude with the enemy, destroy the kingdom, and become a traitor to humanity?"

How greedy must one be to fall for such a trick? I refused them on the spot and kicked the messenger out.

But I suspect that Isildur not only sent a letter to me, but also to various lords and high nobles. This incident involving the Knight Commander has made the soldiers at the front feel insecure, and the kingdom's prestige has been severely weakened. I'm afraid some people will indeed stand by and watch.

At this point, Cedrus said, "At this point in time, Isildur is probably doing this to sow discord between us and the capital."

Even if the lord refuses their demands, if Parliament gets wind of it, the already strained relationship between the two sides, coupled with interference from others, will likely worsen. If we cannot cooperate sincerely with the kingdom, Isildur's superior military strength will likely allow them to defeat us one by one.”

These words hit the nail on the head, and the group fell into deep thought, but they couldn't come up with any good solutions.

Isildur's move was an open strategy. They knew that Kuraki and the Kingdom had a rift, and that the two sides distrusted each other. Even though they knew that surrender and cooperation were impossible, it would still increase their distrust.

"It seems Isildur is about to make a move on the Valley. Send a message to Marshal Raven, and have him warn the Witchers to be careful of a golden dragon attack!"

The deliberate attempt to sow discord was undoubtedly purposeful. In Su Mu's view, deepening the kingdom's suspicion of him was a sure thing; having achieved too much merit and overshadowing the ruler has always been a major taboo. However, the kingdom couldn't do without Cang Mu now, so this was merely to annoy him. Their current attempts to sow discord were probably not aimed at Cang Mu, but rather at the kingdom's army.

The group exchanged glances and agreed that Su Mu's assessment made sense. Forrest immediately sent a message to Raven.

But the actual effect is uncertain.

Originally, as a marshal of the kingdom, he should have commanded all the nobles and heroes. Now that Su Mu has been granted the title of duke and has independent command authority, the power of the demon hunter marshal has actually been weakened.

Even if his original subordinates were to warn the Witcher Marshal of the potential risks, the Witcher might not listen.

Su Mu sighed: "No matter what, I still hope that the human race can unite!"

That was his honest opinion. If the country hadn't been shattered and the world hadn't been in turmoil, Su Mu would have longed for a peaceful world and devoted himself to studying magic.

Having a powerful kingdom as a backer would have made things much smoother for him in the early stages, but alas...

We can only try our best to maintain the status quo, endure for the sake of the country, and consider the overall situation.

……

In the secret chamber of Congress, several decision-makers and senior members of parliament sat, reviewing the latest military intelligence.

“Isildur offered generous terms in an attempt to persuade Kuraki to defect or remain neutral, but the other party refused and drove the messenger away.”

Upon hearing this news, many people secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Kuraki's strength was well-known. Right now, a single duchy was enough to hold off the enemies in the hills. If they were to lead their troops into the pass, the entire situation would immediately collapse.

However, some people have offered a different perspective: "Summu is a wolf in sheep's clothing. When Esidor sent envoys to persuade him to surrender, he didn't report it to the National Assembly and instead communicated secretly. Who knows if they were colluding in private? In my opinion, we can no longer trust Kuraki and must be prepared for Kuraki's betrayal."

Everyone immediately fell into a hushed discussion. Although the words were harsh, they were the truth.

Even if Sumu did not cooperate with Esidor, his unruly and disobedient nature made him virtually uncontrollable by the Congress, naturally arousing public resentment.

"But given the current situation, if we can't even trust Kuraki, who can we rely on?"

The lawmakers looked at each other and lowered their heads.

The National Assembly's decision to grant Sumu a title was a reluctant one; any other country with checks and balances would not have acted so passively.

Just as everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, Trade Minister Dean tapped the table: "Who says we have no other choice? Recently, the tide of magical power has been surging, and both Isildur and the Arcane Empire have welcomed back their Level 7 units."

Never forget, Elton is the true birthplace of the White Feather. The foundation of our nation lies in the descent of angels, securing a place for ourselves in this chaotic world. If we can regain the angels' trust, the kingdom's revival is just around the corner!

These words were inspiring, and everyone naturally longed for the angels to descend. But even the royal family had no clue about Cloud City, so what could anyone else do?

Perhaps the Trade Minister is well-informed and has found out some clues?

Dean smiled confidently: "This matter still depends on His Highness the First Prince. During the months he was away, he was actually searching for traces of Cloud City. Now that he has a clue, he contacted me through the trade envoy as soon as possible to inform the councilors."

The Land of White Feathers is actually a special illusionary realm that connects to another world. It is guarded by powerful forces, and one must possess a royal token to pass through.

Although there are many difficulties, the eldest prince already has a plan; all we need is our full support.

The eldest prince had been missing for a long time, and everyone thought it was due to a palace coup or some other reason, but unexpectedly he went to find Cloud City.

If we can bring back the angel, the kingdom can be saved!

The members of parliament were immediately excited. No one had expected that the eldest prince, who had always been underestimated, would have such great talent and ambition, and that the Minister of Trade was actually one of the eldest prince's men.

Finally, everyone looked at the speaker, Quentin, who frowned slightly: "Why doesn't the eldest prince return to the capital and explain in person?"

"The situation at the ruins is urgent, and he needs to use the royal bloodline to control the situation, which is why he has been unable to return for so long!"

That makes sense, since everyone knows that Finaxia's lineage is related to angels.

"Furthermore, this matter must be carried out in secret, otherwise if the enemy finds out, it could cause trouble!"

This statement is suggestive, implying that Congress's enemies are not only Isildur and the Arcane Empire, but also many other ambitious and treacherous individuals.

After a moment's thought, influenced by the majority of the councilors, Quentin decided to send a force to explore the ruins. Of course, he would first send scouts to gather intelligence. If the information was reliable, he would then increase the force to search for Cloud City with all his might.

Those are angels! The ultimate military force of humanity in the mortal world.

With them, Congress would have more confidence, which is a great temptation.

Besides, as the first in line to the throne, the eldest prince would never have an affair with an outsider, would he?

It seems like Cloud City is safe this time!

(End of this chapter)