I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

Fingus's gaze settled silently on Xavier's face, and he solemnly retorted, "And then? Has there been any significant progress on the front lines? Or has your 'Imperial Blade' successfully recaptured the city of Sarlom?"

Sarlom is a strategically important city that was once part of the Empire but has now fallen into the hands of the Holy Kingdom.

Unlike small cities like Goldberg, Saarlom is a large city with vast coal mines beneath its surface, which are a vital strategic resource in this steam-age world.

"This..." Colonel Xavier was speechless; he could not refute Finger's words.

Fingus did not pause, his voice as calm as reading a document, yet every word was piercing: "You demand soldiers, armaments, and rewards from the Empire, but have never offered commensurate merit."

"Therefore, the Crown Prince has doubts about the honor and loyalty of your 'Imperial Blade' legion."

"Has that legion, known as the 'Empire's Edge,' degenerated from a 'sharp edge' into a 'dull blade' at this very moment?"

"If you fail to demonstrate your honor and loyalty in the upcoming war and capture the city of Sarlöm for the Empire..."

"Then, His Highness the Crown Prince may grant special permission for the 'Imperial Blade' Legion to withdraw from the front lines, allowing the truly capable elite legions to take your place."

"You will serve as an auxiliary force, assisting other elite units in the Empire's war to retake the city of Sarlom."

"However, the Empire must reclaim the title 'Imperial Blade' from now on, and you are no longer allowed to call yourselves 'Imperial Blade'."

"Colonel Xavier, what is your opinion?"

Fingus's tone was very calm, without any inflection or sarcasm.

He seemed to be stating a fact, a problem, a choice, but that only made him seem more oppressive.

"Absurd!! If you want to strip me of the title 'Imperial Blade,' you might as well cut off my head now and present it to His Majesty the Emperor."

Xavier's forehead veins bulged, and he slammed his clenched fist down on the table, snapping it in two.

At this moment, he was like a ferocious beast whose scales had been touched, his eyes blazing with anger, as if he were about to go berserk at any moment.

The "Imperial Blade" Legion was a legion he took over from his predecessor, poured countless efforts into, and led to numerous achievements.

As the commander of the "Imperial Blade" legion, Xavier possesses the pride and honor of a soldier.

He could not accept such an absurd request, nor could he allow the "Imperial Blade" Legion to be destroyed by his own hand, becoming the last commander of the "Imperial Blade" Legion.

Unless he is utterly destroyed and perishes on the spot, he will not allow anyone to strip the "Imperial Blade" legion of its title.

Ignoring the fury before him, Fingus calmly stated, "So, Colonel Xavier intends to demonstrate your honor and loyalty by capturing Saalrom for the Empire?"

Xavier gritted his teeth, almost forcing the words out: "If the Empire needs it, if His Majesty the Emperor needs it, then the entire 'Imperial Blade' legion will, as His Highness the Crown Prince wishes, offer our glory and loyalty to the Empire, and completely reclaim the city of Sarlom that rightfully belongs to the Empire!"

Xavier knew he had no choice!

As long as he doesn't want to give up the "Imperial Blade" legion, then he has no choice but to make this decision—to capture the city of Sarlom for the Empire.

Besides the important reason that he didn't want to give up the "Imperial Blade" legion.

There is another crucial reason: the struggle for the throne among the princes has reached him, which is the front line of the empire.

The best proof is that SSC did not represent the emperor's will, but rather relayed the eldest prince's will.

Although it was the eldest prince's idea, His Majesty tacitly approved it, and the deeper meaning behind this is terrifying upon closer examination.

Why does His Majesty the Emperor allow his directly subordinate SSC to obey the Crown Prince?

Who will be the next emperor? Does His Majesty already have someone in mind?

Regardless, he had to make what he believed to be the right decision—to win the war to retake the Holy Kingdom's city of Sallom, and for the "Imperial Blade" legion to achieve victory.

This concerns not only the future of the "Imperial Blade" legion, but also the future direction of the empire.

"Very good! The Crown Prince also firmly believes that the 'Imperial Blade' Legion is a legion that combines honor and loyalty."

Fingus's lips curled into a barely perceptible, cold smile, devoid of any genuine mirth: "Therefore, His Highness the Crown Prince has set a deadline for you. Within two weeks, the Imperial Blade Corps will lead the assault and capture the city of Sarlom!"

"Two...two weeks? Only two weeks?"

Xavier's pupils constricted, and he roared, "Just assembling troops and allocating supplies takes two weeks, which is already very rushed. Let alone conducting strategic reconnaissance, intelligence gathering and analysis, and formulating detailed operational plans based on the latest intelligence. Are you kidding me? How can two weeks be enough?"

"This is the deadline set by His Highness the Crown Prince."

Despite Xavier's almost face-to-face roar, Fingus remained unperturbed:

"And you know that the will and instructions conveyed by the SSC are never to be questioned or changed."

"If you have any objections, please explain them to His Highness the Crown Prince in person."

"SSC received His Majesty the Emperor's decree and is merely conveying the Crown Prince's message; we have no authority to hear your explanation!"

Xavier had long heard that the SSC would faithfully carry out the Emperor's orders like steam engines, but today he was truly amazed.

Are these bastards' heads filled with mechanical gears? It's like they can't understand human speech at all.

If the Crown Prince is willing to listen to Xavier, he wouldn't mind swallowing his pride and begging the Crown Prince for a few more days.

However, the eldest prince would never listen to Xavier.

Therefore, this almost harsh condition cannot be changed at all.

Xavier has no choice but to comply!

Otherwise, given the Crown Prince's current aggressive nature, the "Imperial Blade" legion would have to revoke its title and be reorganized within two weeks.

Rather than surrendering before even fighting!

In any case, Xavier had no choice but to bite the bullet and win this war!

He clenched his teeth tightly until the taste of blood filled his mouth: "I understand. Our 'Imperial Blade' legion will launch an attack on the Holy Kingdom within the deadline and capture the city of Salrom!"

"We look forward to the triumphant return of your 'Imperial Blade' legion. We must return to report. Farewell!"

Finger nodded slightly and left quietly with his two companions, just as they had come.

They were like a storm that had just swept through, yet the dominoes that this storm had toppled did not stop.

The current brief calm is merely a prelude to an impending tsunami.

An even greater storm is about to sweep across the Empire's western front.

Regardless of whether the "Imperial Blade" legion ultimately triumphs over the Holy Kingdom or suffers defeat in the war to capture the city of Sarlom.

The landscape of the empire's western front, and even the future direction of the empire's power, will begin to change quietly from this moment on.

Lieutenant Colonel Horton approached Colonel Xavier, his brow furrowed. "Colonel Xavier, are we really going to launch an offensive against the Holy Kingdom's city of Salrom within two weeks?"

Horton also knew that two weeks was a very short time, especially for attacking a major city of the Holy Kingdom.

"Otherwise what? Although this time it was SSC that conveyed the Crown Prince's message, without His Majesty the Emperor's approval, His Highness the Crown Prince cannot command SSC."

Xavier slumped into a perfectly good chair, his voice heavy with exhaustion: "This is all we can do."

"Since you've made your decision, I'll immediately start preparing supplies and gathering intelligence. As for the most difficult task of formulating the battle plan, that will probably fall to you."

Lieutenant Colonel Horton had followed Xavier for many years and naturally knew very well what to do next.

"Go on, Horton, leave me alone!" Xavier wiped his face with both hands, trying to calm himself down.

Xavier was the only one left in the command post.

He looked out the window at the gradually darkening sky, as if he could already see the outline of Sallom, and the surging, unknown torrent of fate that would follow.