"Report! Blois Bastion achieved a great victory. The royal army suffered heavy losses and retreated twenty miles."
"The Andia Kingdom's royal army has collapsed—completely disorganized and no longer a threat."
"The enemy is fleeing. Some deserters have taken refuge in Moyes Bastion and are resisting stubbornly. The bastion hasn't fallen yet, but they won't escape either," a Valos Bastion soldier reported.
"The royal capital has been attacked by nobles."
"Pirates have appeared near the Andia Kingdom's mines."
"At the sixth bastion, the city builders have broken into civil war. They're currently fighting the nobles, each side controlling the inner and upper cities. The outcome remains undecided. The builders have sent envoys to Valos Bastion requesting reinforcements—shall we send aid?"
…
One report after another was presented. Inside the hall, Xia, Alice, Vic, Lisa, Robin, Blois, Rosen, and even Morris were gathered.
It was a temporary but crucial meeting—a strategic adjustment after stabilizing the current situation. At the head of the long table sat Rosen, with Xia on his left and Robin on his right.
Before these people, there was no need to hide anything. On the contrary, it was necessary for them to understand who the true leader was.
"Send troops to assist the city builders. They'll be our citizens in the future," Rosen ordered after reviewing the reports.
"Understood." A Lantis warrior immediately left to deliver the command.
"The enemy at Blois Bastion hasn't been completely defeated. To minimize casualties and secure the loyalty of lower-ranked soldiers later, Duke Blois, you'll handle strategy there. Focus on breaking their morale. In the current situation, that should be easy. Many pragmatic men are already seeking a way out—let's show them one," Rosen said, turning to the next page of reports.
"Understood. Leave it to me. It'll take time, but it's manageable," Blois replied with a nod.
This battle had gone far beyond expectations. Who could have imagined that a change in the mindset of the city builders would alter the course of the entire war?
Not even the king—or anyone in the kingdom—could have predicted such a swift reversal, nor that the decisive force would be the once-scattered builders.
This man was truly a genius—or perhaps, a great visionary.
"Also, don't get complacent," Rosen warned. "The royal army still has numbers. Though they're scattered now, they'll regroup into small forces soon enough. Eliminating them will take time. And we must rescue as many unfreed builders as possible."
The string of victories had been overwhelming, but the Andia Kingdom was still crawling with rival powers.
Any trace of arrogance could cost them everything. And there was no knowing how the king might respond—but one thing was certain: he would likely appeal to the World Government.
As a member nation, the World Government had the right to intervene in times of crisis, even interfering in internal affairs if necessary.
However, if this was seen as a "royal civil war," whether they would send aid was uncertain. Still, Rosen had to prepare for that possibility.
"Understood."
"Alice, Lisa, Vic—you'll assist Xia. Follow my plan and settle the builders properly. Also, calculate our total active forces. If I'm right, our army now outnumbers the remaining royal troops. But many of the builders still lack discipline. Spend two days training them—absorb as many as possible. We can't afford a scattered, leaderless mass."
"Got it."
"Next…"
…
"Morris, what's the situation with Tesoro?" After assigning various tasks for over half an hour, Rosen turned to him. Though just a business partner, Rosen trusted him enough.
"He went to the capital and entered the royal palace. The investigation about you may be tied to the king," Morris replied, relaying the gathered intelligence.
"Hmm. Smart move. Seems the King of Andia isn't a complete fool. If he's targeting me directly, that could be troublesome," Rosen murmured. Tesoro's Golden Fruit was immensely powerful—already awakened. His strength was at least that of an admiral.
"That's outside our agreement. Handle it yourself," Morris said, sipping his drink.
"Of course."
When the meeting ended, Rosen stretched his shoulders, feeling fatigue creeping in. He preferred solving problems with force—simple and direct—but reality rarely allowed that.
Mental warfare, strategy, and constant calculations were just as exhausting as battle—perhaps even more so.
As everyone left, only Robin remained. She walked over, placed her hands gently on Rosen's shoulders, and began to massage them.
"What are you doing?" Rosen asked, uneasy.
"You haven't slept for days. It's time to relax. If you collapse, everything we've built will collapse too," Robin said calmly.
She had been with him the entire time—no rest, no sleep. Every strategy, every adjustment had been refined through their long discussions.
An outside perspective often saw what others missed.
"My mistake. You should rest too," Rosen said, realizing she'd been working nonstop.
"Is Boss made of wood?" Robin muttered inwardly, a little exasperated. She wasn't complaining—she was genuinely worried.
"Hey! Come quickly—Her Majesty has been poisoned!" Alice's voice suddenly rang from outside.
"What?" Rosen's expression hardened. Hathaway? What was she doing here? Did Reymont make a move? That shouldn't be—attacking now would bring him no advantage.
At least, not until the king gathered new forces and chaos spread again. Acting now was premature.
And even if he had attacked, Hathaway should have been able to escape easily. Back at the banquet, the strongest among them—Colson—was only at a top Rear Admiral or near-Admiral level.
That kind of power couldn't threaten Hathaway.
"Alice, I'm fine," Hathaway's calm voice came from outside—no sign of weakness.
"The poison has spread. I've tried every common antidote, but nothing works. Only his ability can cure it," Alice said anxiously.
She was already regretting letting the queen travel with this man. He might be regent, but he hadn't even protected her properly.
Alice and Hathaway entered together. Rosen and Robin quickly approached.
Rosen's eyes fell on Hathaway's torn clothing—her abdomen was covered in black, spreading toxin. Nearly her entire lower belly had turned dark.
It looked serious.
(End of Chapter)