League Principality, Outskirts of the City of Hollowfall, In the Farm Fields
1st Year of God, Monday, 4th Week, 2nd Month Of Noah.
Shadowy figures silently moved crept along a long irrigation trench by the swaying stalks of native grains. The tall stalks of yellow-green crops swayed gently in the early morning wind, masking the presence of the seven figures as they reached the cover of a row of wooden fences.
"The sun will be up in about an hour. We'll wait for the gates to open and then enter the city in groups," Riley instructed the team. "Stay hidden until then."
As the sky lightened, the clouds blushed with the first hints of dawn, and the thin fog began to lift. The city gates gradually became a focal point for small groups of people arriving to start their day. The three-story wall, festooned with arrow slits, encircled the city of roughly 200,000 inhabitants together with a protective moat surrounding its base.
"Let's move," Riley ordered, signaling the group to rise from the grain field and join the forming queue at the gates.
Riley's boots squelched as the morning dew and water from staying hidden in the irrigation trench had seeped into his boots, but he ignored the cold and wet feeling, joining behind a couple of chatting gatherers with a large pile of firewood tied to their backs.
Mason moved up beside him, his hand instinctively gripping the pommel of his sword.
"Hey, human. Relax," Polites whispered with a smile, glancing back to see the rest of the team joining the queue behind them, "I know you soldiers are used to wars and bloodshed. But sometimes, life can be amazing when you greet them with open arms."
Polities stepped forward, positioning himself just behind the two wood gatherers, and gave a polite cough to draw their attention. The two elderly men, dressed in coarse woolen clothing, turned to him with curiosity.
"Greetings, good sirs," Polites greeted them with a warm, disarming smile. "I've been on the road for quite some time and was hoping you might share any recent news from the city."
The gatherers exchanged a hesitant glance before their faces softened into smiles as Polities flipped a silver coin into their hands.
"Well, kind sir, what would you like to know?"
"What's the latest news and happenings around here?" Polites asked. "My friends and I have been out of touch for weeks, so we are lacking news of the area."
"Oh, well, a month ago, we lost the Duke down south to a large Magic Beast tide," one of the older gatherers whispered. "His wife is now the Duchess here, but be careful talking about it in the city, they'll take you away, or worse!" He made a throat slitting motion in a silent warning.
The trio nodded in understanding. "Anything else of note?" Polities asked.
"Well, I've heard Orc pirates are causing trouble southeast of here," the gatherer continued. "And there are more Magic Beasts roaming around than usual." He scratched his head as he pondered further.
"I see. Anything more?" Polities pressed.
"The army has left," the other gatherer added. "Things have been quieter since they pulled out." He gave the two a closer look, frowning slightly before whispering, "Are you deserters from the army?"
"Heavens no!" Mason blurted out. "What makes you think that?"
"You've got the air of a warrior about you," the gatherer admitted, rubbing his head in embarrassment. "But be careful, the guards are checking and arresting any army deserters."
"I see," Polites grinned, placing his hand firmly on the shoulders of Riley and Mason. "We used to serve in the Principality Army, but now," He gave a shrug and continued, "We are working as Adventurers and problem solvers."
"Ah, I see! My apologies!" The gatherers quickly bowed, only to be stopped by Polities' gentle hands.
"It is alright, it's all in the past," Polities assured them, "No need to bow."
"We just want to thank you for your brave efforts against many enemies that this kingdom has been facing," the old man whispered, casting a wary glance at the looming city walls. "But watch out for the guards, they might mistake you all for deserters!"
"We'll be fine, we have traveling papers," Polites said with a sincere smile, touched by their concern. "But could you recommend any good inn for us to stay at?"
"Hmm, try the Prancing Pony," the old man advised, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "It's down the left side of the main street, just past the market stalls. You can't miss it, there's a sign with a prancing pony. Tell the owner that Old Raggins sent you, and he'll give you a fair price."
"Thank you, kind sirs!" Polities dipped his head in gratitude, then pointed to the front. "Look, the gate is opening."
A thick wooden drawbridge was slowly being lowered and groaning under the weight of two sets of iron chains at each end. It came to a stop with a crash and the gates of Hollowfall swung open, and a metal portcullis was lifted up slowly, revealing several guards standing vigil behind it.
The waiting crowd began to stir. Some rose from where they had been sitting, while others shouldered their bundles and goods. Cart drivers nudged their Land Dragons awake from their naps, preparing to move. A voice called out from across the bridge, announcing that the queue could now advance.
The drawbridge barely creaked as Riley and his men shuffled forward with the crowd, edging closer to the gate. The guards meticulously checked the identity papers of each person entering the city. Soon, the two gatherers ahead of them were waved through, and Riley, Mason, and Polities found themselves standing before the guards. The guards, growing impatient, gestured for their papers.
The trio handed over their scroll cases containing the forged travel documents, all while discretely observing the gatehouse, finding dozens of murder holes lined the ceiling above them, and a stout, metal-reinforced door stood to the side, most likely leading to the control room for the drawbridge's windlass mechanism.
"Purpose?" The guard with a green cloth slash draped across his half plate asked snobbishly as he glanced at their traveling papers.
"Work," Riley replied truthfully. "We are Adventurers and problem solvers," He offered a slight bow, hoping to diffuse the guard's suspicion.
"Oh?" The guard's eyebrows lifted. "You look more like soldiers than Adventurers."
"Kind sir, we're just looking for honest work to fill our bellies," Riley said, flashing his best smile as he discreetly clasped the guard's hand, slipping him a small pouch of coins.
"Hmmm…" The guard stepped aside and quickly peeked into the pouch, where a few gold coins glinted. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded, returned the scroll cases, and handed them back to Riley with a grin. "Welcome to Hollowfall. A word of warning, stay out of trouble, or we will throw you in the dungeons! Next!" He turned his attention to the next in line, waving them to come forward.
Riley exchanged glances with Mason and Polites, who shrugged in return, and they stepped into the city of Hollowfall.
——————————————————
Austronesia Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Luzon, Manila, Malacanang Palace, Conference Room
1st Year of God, Tuesday, 4th Week, 2nd Month of Noah
"At ease, people," Emperor Maximo waved everyone to their seats after entering the conference where all the heads of departments rose and nodded to Amelia, a high-official of the IDAC. "Let's start."
The blonde woman continued standing and patiently waited for everyone to settle down in their seats, "A quick report on our current situation." she began, activating the main display screen and a series of graphs and charts appeared.
"As of the start of the year, almost two months after our arrival, we finally have some positive trends to report," she noted with a stern expression. "However, several key areas remain in the red."
She tapped the screen, highlighting each point. "Food, population, education, transportation, production, mining, ammunition, and military sectors have shown positive growth over the last month. Unfortunately, medicine, technology, and magic research have either declined or stagnated."
"We need to focus on the areas that are lagging, especially technology," the Emperor interjected. "I'll be dividing you all into sectors to address these challenges."
"There will be five key sectors, Military, Production, Transportation, Magic, Science and Technology, and finally, Civil Affairs," the Emperor outlined. "Imperial Governor Awang Budiharto Ghazaar and Ahmad Fadhlan Abyasa will lead the Military sector, covering all external security and threats. With the loss of Imperial Governor Julian Vincent Roman in the New Year Tragedy, we will need a new Imperial Governor for Maharlika."
He turned to one of the officials. "You will oversee Production, managing all factories, mining, and construction efforts." He then looked to another. "And you will head Transportation to make sure that our network is efficient and resources are distributed properly."
"For Magic, Science, and Technology, I want the Science Department to handle all aspects, including medicine and research."
"Finally, the Civil sector will encompass education, housing, agriculture, fisheries, healthcare, public works, and law enforcement," Maximo finished outlining his plan. "I expect each of you to recruit the best talent for your sectors. Any questions?"
"What about the budget?" one official asked. "We need funding for salaries and operations."
"The Accounts department will collaborate with each sector to allocate budgets and handle special requests," Maximo explained. "Any other questions? No? Good. Moving on."
Amelia spoke up, "The next agenda will be for 'Your ears only', and is classified as top secret," she warned everyone in the meeting. "Failure to comply and leaking of top secret information will be met with severe consequences."
Everyone in the room nodded seriously, all their expressions grim.
"Now, two weeks ago, we launched Operation Dagger, a top-secret mission to gather intelligence deep within enemy territory."
She continued, "The teams, each members considered the absolute best of the military has were designated as Team Alpha, Team Beta, Team Charlie, Team Delta, Team Epsilon, and so forth, successfully infiltrated their assigned locations. These locations were carefully chosen for their lower Mana Density, as identified by the Mana-Monitoring Satellite, to increase the chances of survival. But one of them is accompanied by Melian's most special member as the place they were heading is the most dangerous among the Third Civilization Zone," Her gaze swept over the room, ensuring everyone understood. "The timeline for Operation Dagger is set to last one month, though this timeline may be extended if necessary. The teams are tasked with blending into the local populations of our enemies."
Amelia outlined the mission's objectives. "Operation Dagger primary objectives involved gathering intelligence on enemy dispositions, supply depots, stockpiles, weapons manufacturing, troop strength, morale, and marching routes. A secondary objective is to explore the potential for alliances and the possibility of recruitment of local supporters or rebel groups."
"So basically, it's a spying mission?" a scientist pointed out.
"In simple terms, yes," Amelia confirmed with a nod. "Additionally, we want to assess whether it's feasible to project our forces into these areas."
[You mean an invasion?]
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the Elf Queen Melian on one of the television displays, whose delicate eyebrows arched in surprise
[Are you suggesting we occupy these nations?] she asked with incredulity.
"Hmm…" Emperor Maximo spoke up in an measured tone. "Well, if we determine that it's possible to take and hold these areas, then yes. I'd prefer the enemy to fight on their own land rather than ours. This way we can minimizes the destruction of our infrastructure… unlike last time, and gives us more room to maneuver if necessary." He admitted frankly.
[But what about the civilians?] Melian half rose from her seat, her fists clenched tightly as she glared angrily at Maximo through the screen. [Their homes and livelihood?]
Maximo met her glare calmly, "It is war, but of course we will do everything we can to avoid civilian casualties and evacuate them to safety beforehand."
[And what if they refuse to leave?] Melian shot back. [Are you just going to let them die?]
Amelia gave a cough and interrupted, "Please, your Majesty, we are committed to ensure the safety of non-combatants. Besides, this is just one of the options we are exploring. If the information given to us states that some towns or cities are not suitable for a long defensive battle, then, of course, we will not commit to them."
Melian sighed sharply, then sank back into her seat, murmuring, [I apologize for my unsightly outburst. Please continue.]
With a nod, Amelia continued the brief as though there had been no interruption. "By identifying key supply depots, stockpiles, and enemy staging areas, we can predict their movements and disrupt their plans."
She concluded, "Once we confirm they are heading to our location, Phoenixes will carry out long-range bombing runs to neutralize the threats, preventing the enemy from approaching within a thousand kilometers of our territory."