Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Furthermore, although she could speak with various factions and forge temporary cooperation, her own power base was not significant, and she showed little desire for territory, wealth, or power. Nevertheless, this princess played a crucial role in some of the empire's open and covert power struggles, which only added to her mystique.

Even someone as aloof as Melanie couldn't help but feel a little pressured when Tipalotura asked her to 'talk about Ryusha'.

Chapter 21 Field Battles in the Sochi Territory

“I don’t know what to say, Your Highness. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for you to ask Hetia Tartu about Ryukyu. After all, she has been following you in the academy.”

Melanie would most likely want to get away from this topic, but she has nowhere to go except Capricorn Palace, and it's impossible for her to contradict a princess in the capital. Tipalottura, however, wouldn't be so easily fooled; she remained composed:

“It’s precisely because I know Hetia that I know she would rather die than submit if she were unjustly controlled by prisoners, and she certainly wouldn’t be getting along so well with that kid now. He must have some special charm to make two pretty girls like you, who don’t get along, willing to work for him, right?”

Melanie was speechless for a moment. She looked at Tipalotura across from her, whose face, hidden by a veil, seemed to carry a somewhat ambiguous and teasing smile.

Is this...is this something a princess should say?

“Charm…” Melanie’s lips twitched. “All I can say is, that kid’s not bad…”

She sighed and described to Tipalotura what she saw of Ryusha in her daily life. When things were good, he would work diligently and tirelessly for everyone in the territory; when things were bad, he could be cruel, ruthless, and utterly unrestrained. As for how Tipalotura would view it, Melanie couldn't guarantee it.

“I see…” Tipalotura pondered. “In other words, he has his own set of principles and values, and for the sake of these principles, he will act without restraint, sometimes even to the point of doing things that are not in his own interest.”

Tipalotura felt relieved. Based on the information she had gathered and Melanie's description, she was certain that Ryūka was not the type to betray her. As long as she could help him, he would remember the favor. Compared to most of the people she had encountered who were driven by self-interest and whose stances frequently shifted, Ryūka's character was reminiscent of an ancient knight.

Of course, aside from his fondness for women... Although Melanie didn't explicitly mention Ryusha's philandering, Tipalotura could tell from Melanie's subtle facial expressions that the relationship between the great mage and Ryusha was far from innocent.

The way her eyes darted away, the fleeting blush, the occasional heavy breathing—despite Melanie's efforts to appear cold, certain unintentional reactions still allowed Tipalotura to fill in countless details in her mind.

Poor Hetia, given her personality, she's probably suffered quite a bit of 'torture'. As for Anyaberg, Tipalotura isn't too worried. Although that genius girl is no less beautiful, if Melanie's description is accurate, Anyaberg's eccentric personality might actually make Ryusha hesitant to act.

"Then please rest well here with me."

Having gotten what she wanted, Tipalotura rose contentedly to leave. But Melanie asked anxiously:

"And what about Liuxia? He's still in Sochi, locked in a stalemate with your brother... Don't get me wrong, I'm not that worried about that kid, but..."

“You don’t need to worry about that, Miss Snowfield,” Tipalotura smiled easily. “Everything will be settled at tomorrow’s meeting, and considering the time it will take you to get back, I believe he can hold on. By the way… do you think it’s too fast for a commoner to be made an earl all at once?”

“A count?” Melanie’s eyes widened. Her grandfather, Giulio Snowfield, was only a viscount. Of course, a viscount in the heart of the empire might be more powerful than a count on the frontier.

"Yes, it's a bit too high, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince everyone..."

Tipalotura mistook Melanie's surprised tone for doubt and deliberately laughed:

"Then the Viscount will do. Miss Snowfield, please get some rest before you depart tomorrow."

"Wait, that's not what I meant... Your Highness!"

Melanie watched Tipalotura leave without looking back, thinking to herself that this princess was truly decisive. Compared to Ryukyu, who had suddenly risen to a title, and now had to act as his messenger, Melanie couldn't help but cross her long legs, prop her chin on her hand, and muttered: "You're so...you ...

"I need to make him compensate me properly when we get back. At the very least, he has to hand over every last bit of the enhancements he's accumulated recently..."

Meanwhile, in the northern part of Sochi, on the vast plains, lay a network of crisscrossing trenches dug by Ryukyu's men. Peeking out from these trenches, one could see the densely packed military camps in the distance.

With the help of the familiars circling overhead, Ryūka could clearly observe the encampment structure of Clovis's army. Learning from the experience of the Twelfth Legion, the enemy had completely abandoned the idea of ​​advancing through strategic locations. Several legions had joined together and were marching in a vast, imposing column along the plain. They advanced a little each day, then set up camp. This was partly because their supplies had been severely hampered by their own scorched-earth policy, and partly because the enemy had clearly realized that occupying the entire Sochi territory was no longer possible. Before the Emperor's ceasefire order was issued, the best strategy was to secure as much territory as possible while remaining secure.

"Given Father's personality, the most likely scenario is that the territories will be divided and a ceasefire will be reached based on the actual battle lines."

Inside the magnificent military tent, a seemingly bored man sat in the center of a chair. Clovis Lang Autus, the prince nearing forty, appeared to have little interest in the war. He was tall but somewhat thin, and his skin was not as fair as that of other nobles; it was slightly dark with a few wrinkles, his face was somewhat flat, and his eyes were overly lifeless.

"Then it would be wise to advance now and expand the territory under our actual control, Your Highness."

Clovis glanced at the noble general who had spoken. Approaching sixty years old, he still exuded an extraordinary aura. His deep-set eyes and high, hooked nose made him look extremely dangerous.

“Uncle Hudson, you’ve seen the battlefield situation a few days ago. The enemy is much more difficult to deal with than we thought.”

Clovis spoke weakly, his words causing the nobles standing in two rows below to lose face.

Just as the three armies were converging and beginning their advance from the northern border of Sochi, they received a letter airdropped from Ryukyu.

The letter stated that there were no longer any enemies of the Empire within the territory of Sochi, and urged the Third Prince to remain calm and await His Majesty's decision. If the Emperor's order was for Ryukyu to surrender Sochi, he would naturally comply. However, until the Emperor's decision was issued, he had the right, according to Imperial law, to treat the territories he had conquered as spoils of war and refuse entry to other armies. After all, ostensibly, it was Earl Duke who had openly rebelled and prepared to seize the territory of Linhu, and they had resolved the issue themselves before the arrival of the Imperial regular punitive force.

Clovis, upon receiving this letter, naturally wouldn't stop there. This wasn't due to his own will, but rather the influence of the Northern nobles he had gathered. Apart from the deeply entrenched Payne family, the other nobles weren't as wealthy as one might imagine. The North was a harsh and desolate land, and they had long coveted the rich and fertile Sochi Plain.

These military nobles, tempered by wind and snow, dreamed of setting foot on this fertile land. But when they finally arrived, they were not greeted by granaries full of grain, warm towns and villages, or healthy and beautiful farm girls...

Instead... a northern plain reduced to ashes...

Not only were the towns that sheltered the city from the wind and snow reduced to ruins, but the only creatures that moved were rats. Even after the thirsty soldiers moved the rubble that had been pressing down on the well, they found that the well water was filled with excrement...

The noble generals and regular knights were alright; not only did water mages provide them with water and water for washing, but the fine wines and delicacies in their baggage train also kept them comfortable. But the ordinary soldiers and laborers were in a much worse situation. Whenever they tried to fetch water from the river and had just managed to break through the ice, a volley of bullets would be fired from the bushes in the distance, driving them away.

They wanted to ask the knights in the army for help, but these knights weren't stupid. They had already learned from intelligence that the magic lances of Linhu Territory were capable of taking the lives of anyone below the rank of Grand Knight from a distance. Even if they were lucky enough to only suffer minor injuries, they were unwilling to test the enemy's guns on behalf of these infantrymen and laborers, after all, even their warhorses were worth more than these men.

But the nobles in the army also knew that if things continued this way, a large number of basic soldiers and laborers would become dissatisfied. Defection and desertion were minor issues, but a large-scale mutiny would be disastrous.

So, in the early hours of the third day, they launched a perfectly executed charge against the other side.

Mages and archers suppressed the enemy's firepower, while large numbers of infantry advanced, and knights charged rapidly from both flanks toward the camp in Linhu Territory.

Fighting in the open field against the soldiers of the North in winter? It seems that kid named Ryūsha is too arrogant! If he were really as smart as rumored, he should gather all his forces to defend Sochi.

However, when Ryūka saw the enemy launch a large-scale attack, he calmly raised the military flag in his hand.

Boom! A muffled sound rang out as a row of activated magical bombs streaked across the sky, flying towards the densely packed army.

Just as the infantrymen were watching the blue sphere flying through the sky, an even louder explosion and flash of light followed.

The knights on both wings instantly turned into a bloody mist in the dust, limbs and rotten flesh flying everywhere, as if the fingers of a demon had brushed through them.

Meanwhile, on the artillery position in Linhu territory, a group of soldiers who had just finished training stared blankly at what was in front of them, their teeth chattering uncontrollably.

The thick, dark tubular objects were transported to their designated location with the help of massive wheels and cull horses. These weapons, known as 'magic cannons,' were initially met with deep skepticism. They couldn't understand where Governor Ryūsha got the courage to engage in open battle against an enemy several times their size with just these few things that looked like giant penises.

The thick, dark tubular objects were transported to their designated location with the help of massive wheels and cull horses. These weapons, known as 'magic cannons,' were initially met with deep skepticism. They couldn't understand where Governor Ryūsha got the courage to engage in open battle against an enemy several times their size with just these few things that looked like giant penises.

But when they roared for the first time on the battlefield, everyone's unease vanished with the smoke and the unrestrained magic of the magical crystals, replaced by the enemy's irrational panic.

"The Anyaberg-Ryusha Type 001 88 caliber field magic heavy artillery, or Anyaberg-Ryusha Type 01 heavy artillery for short, this was simply a perfect debut!"

Anjaberg cheered as he looked at the several large figures in front of him, completely ignoring Liuxia's dark expression.

"Does it have to be this kind of name? By the way, why is your name before mine?"

"Of course! You only provided the concept; I did all the main design and testing!"

Anjaberg proudly raised his little face. These magic cannons, forged from northern frost iron, were completely unaffected by the severe cold. As long as they were fed enough magic crystals, they could launch the iron balls inside their barrels with astonishing force, turning enemies in a horizontal line into mincemeat.

Ryuu smiled; he didn't care about any of that. He just wanted to banter with Anyaberg on the tense battlefield to ease his nerves. After a volley of fire, he observed the situation on the battlefield and immediately issued his second order using his military flag.

The magic-armored lancers, who had been lying in ambush in the trenches, immediately poked their heads out and opened fire on the remaining knights. These concealed soldiers seemed to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere, calmly firing short bursts at the knights that the magic cannons couldn't completely wipe out.

"Three points in a line, three points in a line... and lead time, ballistic drop..."

These former peasant lads, drawing upon the basic knowledge they had learned in school, calmly pulled the triggers. Their accuracy had been thoroughly honed in the days leading up to the shootouts. By day, they were responsible for shooting down the enemy familiars circling overhead, and by night, they would sneak up on the enemy camp to harass soldiers leaving to fetch water. Some of the more talented lads could even hit the enemy's hand carrying a bucket from 200 meters during the day and 50 meters at night without killing them. For these relatively inexperienced recruits, Ryuga considered them to be snipers.

Ryūka calmly observed and summarized everything, after all, the most powerful aspect of many weapons and tactics is their first use. The enemy knights' warhorses, being untrained and hearing the sound of guns and cannons for the first time, would lose control, causing their formation to become scattered and unable to charge effectively, thus giving the magic cannons time to reload.

This was the perfect opportunity. Ryuka wouldn't let the enemy discover the firing interval between the magic cannon and the magic gun. After a round of firing, he immediately dispatched his elite knights.

Hafulen and Megan led two squads of knights and charged out with unstoppable momentum toward the enemy's central infantry phalanx. These poor souls, still reeling from the bombardment of magical projectiles, saw the knights' battle aura crashing down upon them like a flood.

Without the restraint of their own cavalry, infantry facing cavalry would only meet one fate: being crushed. Meanwhile, their own cavalry on both flanks were already in disarray, and the enemy cavalry charged fearlessly into the pocket, mercilessly crushing the bottom of the bag.

"Don't panic! We have the numerical advantage!"

On the flanks of Clovis's army, a high knight shouted, trying to organize his troops to encircle Hafley and Megan as they charged in. He reasoned that if the two armies were mixed together, the enemy's terrifying weapon would likely be rendered useless. This time, their cavalry, numbering in the thousands on each side, even after suffering some losses, still outnumbered Hafley and Megan's forces by two or three times.

However, before he could finish speaking, his wide eyes saw Hafley and Megan each leading their own troops, their warhorses cutting through the battlefield in smooth arcs. Like a red-hot knife slicing through butter, the knights of Linhu Territory, led by the two great knights, easily broke through the front ranks of infantry, bypassing the mage phalanx behind them, and charged towards the Clovis knights on both sides!

At this moment, the possibility of friendly fire from ranged attacks became a concern for Clovis's mages. They watched as the knights of Linhu Territory circled around and attacked the rear of their halted knightly ranks, still reeling from the fear of their warhorses nearly kicking them in the face.

"Sir! What should we do?!"

The noble commander of the magicians, holding a crystal ball in his hand, frantically asked for orders from behind...

Chapter 22 Haifulian's Unbelievable Worries

"My lord! Should we attack or not?!"

An anxious call came from inside the crystal ball. Magic was being released everywhere on the battlefield. The exploding magical bombs, the dust containing faint magical energy left by the magical cannons, and the spells released by the magician phalanx in Clovis's army all caused considerable interference to the transmission of the images.

Nevertheless, in the central command tent, Clovis and his noble generals could still see the bloody scene in the blurry images.

“Of course we can’t attack them, those are the elite knights under your command… Enough, let’s call it a day.” Clovis covered his mouth with a handkerchief, his brows furrowed.

Hudson Payne, standing beside Clovis, said without a shred of pity, "We should send troops. The enemy is far outnumbered. With the forces of you gentlemen holding back the main battlefield, the Payne family knights can outflank them from the rear and prevent that brat named Ryukyu from retreating to Sochi."

A ruthless glint appeared in his eyes: "I need to teach this arrogant little brat how foolish it was to abandon the city defenses and engage in open battle. How is attacking an army flying His Highness's banner any different from treason?"

Clovis gave a wry smile. If he had to put it bluntly, the enemy had already set up camp here long ago. They had a legitimate reason to refuse him entry into their camp, and it was these impatient, arrogant northern nobles who had launched the first attack. Forget about treason; if the enemy were to spread the news that he had been attacked by his own men while awaiting the emperor's decree, his position would become even more precarious.

Hudson's suggestion was also opposed by another group of nobles:

"Lord Hudson! Are you using our men as bait?! If they don't withdraw soon, they'll be wiped out! If I'm not mistaken, one of the high knights leading the charge is Miss Megan from your family! Is this your reason for sending me to the front lines?!"

"My suggestion is that Lord Hudson, who is also a Grand Knight, lead the Payne family's elite troops to defeat the enemy head-on, rescue our allies, and at the same time kill the traitors in your family!"

"A bunch of idiots!" Hudson glared menacingly at the representatives of the noble families. "Once we surround that brat, victory is just a matter of time! As for the sacrifices of your troops, they will be compensated after we capture Sochi!"

Just as Ryūka had predicted, the allied forces, composed of nobles of all ranks, would certainly have differing intentions on the battlefield. Some even disregarded Clovis's feelings and had secretly instructed their adjutants to order the withdrawal of troops from the front lines.

After all, no one wants to let the Payne family reap the benefits of their wealth.

As for capturing Sochi… A burly man sitting in a chair in the crowd chuckled twice and stared at Hudson, saying:

"People often tell me that Lord Hudson's vision and talent are far inferior to those of his elder brother, Earl Ellen Zachary Payne, and now I've seen it for myself. The enemy's forces that have set up camp and are engaged in open battle are clearly not their entire force; they have more strength accumulating behind the walls of Sochi. The enemy's rear, as you mentioned, is also exposed beneath the walls of Sochi. They are flanking each other. If they have also set up a few of those strange magical weapons on the walls... Lord Hudson, are you trying to turn your brother's knight into mincemeat?"

"Giant Bear" Weston Oliveira, a burly man over two meters tall and wide with thick hair and beard, looked nothing like the Ottus from the Central Continent; his red hair indicated his northern barbarian ancestry. This Ottus-northern barbarian hybrid was once the chieftain of the "Ice Bear" clan, a formidable representative among the northern barbarians. He had fought hundreds of rounds against General Traul, the Heavenly Rank Guardian of the North, with the aid of northern shamanic magic, before being defeated.

Traul spared his life, on the condition that he and his clan swear allegiance to the Empire and learn to become Ottus. However, their shamanistic beliefs and practices, considered heretical, were allowed to remain, which was fundamental to their continued fighting prowess.

"How dare you talk to me like that!"

Hudson's eyes narrowed, and his longsword flashed out instantly. The military tent was instantly filled with chilling and frenzied battle aura. The sword aura enveloped Weston Oliveira like a cage, but it only made the burly man grin.

"Get angry? You're just like a woman!"

"Enough! Uncle Hudson, you've lost your composure."

Clovis stopped Hudson; while they were arguing, Ryūsha was expanding his advantage on the battlefield. With each loss of life, Clovis felt his prestige waning. These nobles were, after all, his supporters; if he made them bleed too much, he feared no one would be willing to support him anymore.

Hudson wore an incredulous expression: "A truce? But Your Highness..."

Clovis looked at Hudson with a scrutinizing gaze: "The truce was to study ways to counter the enemy's magical weapons! Uncle Hudson, didn't you say that the Merchant Guild Alliance would soon send a batch of brand-new magical weapons? What about Adela? That woman disappeared from my sight after causing such a huge mess. Uncle Hudson, you were the one who proposed and took charge of the alliance with the Merchant Guild Alliance."

“Your Highness, I…” Hudson finally swallowed his anger and fell silent. Even though he was Clovis’s uncle, the man before him was no longer the boy who would affectionately ask for a hug. Clovis’s words were already a heavy warning to him.

As Clovis waved his hand, the nobles in the tent dispersed, leaving only Clovis sitting in a chair, stroking his short beard and muttering to himself:

"A magical weapon... Ilias and Tipalotura are right to have their reasons for choosing this. Perhaps I really am quite mediocre compared to them..."

This truce lasted for three days.

Ryusha would regularly inspect the front lines to boost the morale of the soldiers lying in ambush in the trenches. He looked at Clovis's silent camp and calculated in his mind when Melanie would return.

The enemy still has tens of thousands of men, and the battles of the past few days have not been seriously weakened. Liu Xia also has some idea of ​​why the enemy is remaining silent.

According to intelligence gathered by Zona and others, Clovis had already suppressed or subjugated the forces along his southward journey. North of Sochi, those forces within the eastern territories of the empire had all been brought under Clovis's control. His objective for this operation could be considered half achieved.

Even if the enemy stops advancing, as long as half of northern Sochi is secured, the effort won't be in vain. Furthermore, the Mittibi Mountains are firmly under Clovie's control, a natural barrier that the Sochi plains dare not even look up to. In terms of trade, aside from some rare and exotic products from the south, Clovie has achieved a complete range of goods and internal circulation.

If Otus were a biscuit, and you were to slice it diagonally from the top left to the bottom right into three pieces, the top right portion would already be under his control. The remaining two-thirds, excluding the most complex power structure of the imperial capital, would comprise the territories associated with the other eleven heirs to the throne.

He had no need to offend his father's authority while he was still alive. Once the old emperor died, and the appointed successor wasn't Clovis, he could take a third of Ottos as leverage in his bid for the throne. (The last sentence appears to be a nonsensical string of characters and doesn't translate directly.)

Otus's eldest son died young, and his second daughter was an ordinary woman. As the eldest and most powerful heir to the throne, Clovis would not commit a grave mistake for the sake of a mere earldom.

Ryuka sat in the trench, drawing a map of Ottos's territory at his feet. He was located directly east of Ottos, on the dividing line between the center and the upper right.

"If the old emperor doesn't like Clovis, and if he were even slightly wiser, he should support a powerful proxy here..."

For example, Liu Xia raised an eyebrow. After a series of disputes, her reputation had been thoroughly established, and the entire Autus understood that she was a rare talent. She possessed both martial prowess and intelligence, and was also well-suited to the most unassuming and unambitious thirteenth princess. Apart from her less-than-ideal birth, she lacked nothing...

A poor background isn't necessarily a bad thing; for some powerful figures, it actually makes someone easier to control. After all, it's difficult to integrate into classic aristocratic circles, which should be a plus for emperors who like checks and balances.

"Should I be a count or a viscount? I'd even be willing to make Sochi a province and let me be its governor... Hurry up and send the message down..."

Ryūsha desperately wanted the war to end, for he needed a stepping stone, a grander stage where he could rightfully govern his territory. Linhu Territory was too small and poor to allow his [Leader's Certificate] to reach its full potential. Sochi Territory, on the other hand, was a traditional agricultural plain, fertile and densely populated. With slight improvements to agriculture, it could free up a large workforce to drive industrial production and trade.

At that moment, an exquisitely carved metal combat boot appeared next to the map drawn by Ryūka.

Haifulian's teasing voice rang out: "The emperor might send a Heavenly Rank expert to guard the East, and then you might not be needed anymore~"

Ryuka looked up at Heflian, who had come out looking for her, and retorted sullenly to her jinxed words: