Chapter 1443 - 1352: Your Resolve

Chapter 1443: Chapter 1352: Your Resolve

In the evening, the drunken Grand Duke Saranto was holding the equally intoxicated Mufasel as they walked on the dirt road outside the camp.

The moonlight was like water, spilling onto the winter white chrysanthemums by the roadside, glowing like phosphorescence.

And the man and the vampire became two silhouettes tugging alongside the dirt road.

"Mufasel, my dear brother." Arriving at the camp gate, Saranto still clung to Mufasel without letting go, "Although we were once enemies... and still are... but I really admire you..."

"Enough, enough, I originally came for peace... yet the Saint’s Grandson wouldn’t even meet me... it’s so disappointing..."

"This time it’s my fault, next time I’ll invite you to Huaqiu City for drinks to make amends..."

"Oh dear, oh dear..."

The two struggled at the camp gate for a while under the watchful eyes of the guards, before reluctantly parting ways.

Mufasel seemed too drunk to ride a horse and had to take the carriage.

In the carriage, he even stuck his head out to bid farewell to Saranto.

But as soon as the carriage had rumbled out of the camp’s monitoring range, Mufasel suddenly sprang out of the carriage.

"You swapped clothes with me, pretended to be me, I must report back immediately." In the darkness, Mufasel showed no sign of drunkenness, only excitement.

Mounting the warhorse, Mufasel galloped through the starry night, changing horses but not riders, arriving by noon the next day.

Since the other vampire Angel Envoys were mostly resting, only Konyaz, Lakunio, and Serafe came to hear the report.

Sitting by the silver candlelight, Mufasel dutifully placed his hands on his knees and relayed the events of the journey, detail by detail.

"Are you sure?" Konyaz looked skeptically at Mufasel, "How did you conclude they were trying to retreat due to insufficient supplies just based on the food shed?"

"Absolutely, Lord Konyaz." Mufasel hurriedly explained, "Other things can be faked, but you can’t fake food."

So many soldiers need to eat, would they risk a mutiny by skimping on rations just for a show?

"The Holy Alliance Army might indeed not fear a mutiny." Lakunio mused, stroking his chin, "Given the quality and morale of Holy Alliance soldiers, one hungry day isn’t much."

"I have other evidence too." As he spoke, Mufasel softly recounted the last episode within Grand Duke Saranto’s tent.

After recounting this part, Konyaz’s suspicion deepened, though with Serafe present, only a trace of it showed momentarily.

"This sounds like something out of a knight’s novel." Konyaz’s face was cold, "He invites you to his tent and just lays the Holy Alliance military meeting records on the table?

Moreover, for such a military meeting, does the Holy Alliance simply let him jot it down?

No guards inside the tent, nor any servants? Too many loopholes..."

Even Serafe nodded slightly, a faint pressure bearing down upon Mufasel’s head.

"Grand Duke Saranto is a Falan." Mufasel paused, "Before meeting me, he had already drunk three bottles of grape wine."

"Then it makes sense." Serafe instantly felt relieved.

"Your Majesty." Konyaz sighed, "For such a crucial matter, even Falans must have limits on unreliability."

But Serafe impatiently shook her head: "A single story doesn’t suffice, the food shed and diary are enough evidence, maybe the other two armies don’t want to leave, but the central army is planning to retreat..."

"Your Majesty!"

"I’ve said to take the third route." Serafe glanced around, "Lakunio, go formulate a plan, apart from Konyaz, everyone else out."

In fact, whether Mufasel’s words are true or false doesn’t matter.

If true, all the better, if false, Serafe still has to proceed; she simply needs an excuse to push the Angel Envoys forward.

But before this, she must first suppress the most crucial one among the Angel Envoys—Konyaz.

The one she promoted, even founding the Royal Court Army, the Royal Palace’s first great general.

Konyaz rose from humble beginnings, Serafe elevated him from his humble past.

Like Jeska, he too rose from the lowest ranks of mercenaries, step by step to where he is now, hitching onto the swift progression of the Holy Alliance Army.

To date, though repeatedly thwarted before the Holy Alliance, most setbacks weren’t his own fault.

One might say, in terms of grand strategy, the suggestions he offered have rarely missed the mark.

From toppling the Old Royal Court to Serafe seizing power of the New Royal Court, it appears the two Ogre Grand Generals were most responsible.

But those who usurped power know, seizing power is easy, suppressing rebellion is hard!

Back when Serafe ascended, wasn’t the North in opposition?

Wasn’t it thanks to Konyaz, leveraging small to overcome large, bit by bit overcoming and suppressing all rebels?

Only by winning can there be space for Serafe’s political maneuvers!

Truthfully, the fierce campaign battles Konyaz fought are in no way fewer than those of Horn, maybe starting from a slightly higher point.

Like the Battle of Little Mud Ditch or the Door-Seizing Transform, those Konyaz indeed didn’t fight.

But aside from these, Konyaz’s record is in no way inferior to any leader within the entire Holy Alliance.

Given Serafe’s perspective and insight, if she would appoint Konyaz as Prime Minister, then implement military reforms.

In ten years, the Holy Alliance might be facing a force that is half industrialized in flesh and blood, equaling a Holy Alliance Battle Group’s strength.

But alas, time is fleeting.

Even so, Konyaz is still able to lead an army considered inferior to Holy Alliance and fight back and forth with them.

Just like the Battle of Mot, if Horn hadn’t had trains to rapidly deploy the troops, they might have slipped into passivity.

Even carelessly, like Jeska, and suffer a defeat in the campaign.

Serafe cannot accept Konyaz’s halfhearted approach to this battle.

Once everyone had left, the candlelight enveloped the two vampires in the tent.

After a moment of silence, Serafe took the lead and spoke: "Konyaz, we’ve known each other for thirty, forty years, haven’t we?"

"Thirty-eight years." Konyaz’s expression was complex.

Serafe stood up, surprisingly took Konyaz’s hand: "Konyaz, my first Angel Envoy, you know me, and I know you.

I know my military skills don’t match yours, I’m behind the times, but Horn said it well, war is the continuation of politics.

I know you know how to win, but that kind of victory isn’t the victory I need.

The Saint’s Grandson is far craftier than both you and I imagined, and the conditions for victory are so harsh, missing this chance means doom for both of us landless and disregarded."

"You have a good margin of error..."

"No, I don’t!" Serafe felt a throbbing in her head, "My enemy isn’t just the Saint’s Grandson, but also the Eternal Flame as the true god, though He isn’t here now, but who knows what back-up plans He left?

You understand nothing about the extraordinary power of cause and effect manipulation by true gods.

In truth, even I don’t know, but I know even a true god manipulating cause and effect can’t obliterate the last thread of possibility.

I feel the last chance is in this battle. If we retreat, then even this thread disappears.

Do you think I am an arrogantly imprudent blood race? If I were, how could the Royal Court be established?"

"Your Majesty, surely..."

"Can you trust me?"

"But Your Majesty, I..."

"Can you trust me?" Serafe looked directly into Konyaz’s eyes, "This is not only Lilith saying it, but Serafe asking you."

Konyaz gazed into Serafe’s crimson eyes, slightly lost in thought.

Back in the vampire’s prairie Mercenary Corps, he worked for the ogres, like a stray dog.

That was the darkest moment of his life, or perhaps meeting Serafe was the start of his life’s darkest era.

Serafe was the one who promoted him to assault captain, personally teaching him tactics and war history, even purchasing Holy Alliance military books and hiring retired Holy Alliance veterans for him.

Who would have thought, that lowly clan vampire abused by generals, could become the Royal Court’s foremost Angel Envoy Prince Konyaz?

The former stray dog was now Serafe’s top loyal dog.

A stray dog’s goal was to kill the enemy, but a loyal dog’s goal is to kill the enemy for its master.

Serafe treated him as the empire’s first great general, so he must act as such, even if the end is a path to death.

If not for Serafe, how could he have achieved today?

"I trust you." Konyaz’s previous confusion vanished, "Southward, Your Majesty!"