Late at night.

Snow Falls City.

Tina, who helped bandage the wounded, closed the eyes of a soldier who had just taken his last breath.

In the past few hours, a steady stream of troops retreating from the front line has entered Snow Falls. Many of the seriously wounded soldiers did not survive the priest's treatment.

In fact, the spiritual power of the Imperial Army's chaplains was almost overdrawn to the limit.

The battle line, which was originally stalemate, and even slightly favorable to the Imperial side, was forced to shrink due to the simultaneous attack of the two Blue Sea level spellcasters of the "Eternal Night Emperor" and the "Pale Moon". The three Blue Sea-level spellcasters on the Imperial side were caught off guard, unable to resist the surprise attack that the two "Black Apostles" had been planning for a long time.

The wall was blown down, and Okad's army quickly captured the pass. Fortunately, the Okadians did not pursue them with all their might, and most of the soldiers managed to retreat to Snowfall City under the cover of the Elrios Unicorn Knights.

"Father's ......"

Tina looked up at the starry sky.

Her father, the Duke of Snow Falls...... Will they continue to hold on to the city?

……

Not far away.

Adele, the girl's subordinate, is also helping the priests treat the wounded. The four principalities that fought against Okad this time all contributed to it, and she also joined them as a war mage.

She didn't know that the girl was still alive. But even after "losing" the sovereign, she decided to fight on the side of the Empire.

But an ordinary Yunhai level mage, in a war of this scale, is just a drop of water in the sea.

---------------------

The imperial capital of Phoenix.

The city is now under the joint jurisdiction of Count Hahn, the leader of the city guards, and Victor, the serpent of the void, the leader of the younger generation of secret warriors. The military information passed on to the prime minister and the duke would also pass through the hands of these two first.

However...... Even these two people don't know the true location of the prime minister, the duke, and the two princesses! After all, no one can believe the "promise" that Nicholas will not raid.

After the Snowfall Pass was breached, the empire lost its natural danger of resisting the Okadian invasion in the north.

In the south, Mr. King's troops have been assembled, and the vanguard will reach the southern border of the empire within a month at the earliest.

Once attacked from both sides, it would be difficult for even a well-armed empire to hold the battle line.

Phoenix City is located on a hill, but it is flat on all sides, and there is no danger to defend at all! Once either side of the north and south is breached, Phoenix will be under the direct threat of the Okad Peak.

Fortunately, Mr. King in the south seems to be extremely cautious and has remained unmoved. As rumored, the merchant-turned-legendary mage was more conservative in military affairs, cherishing his wings, and playing the role of a "moderate" in Nicholas's frenzied expansion.

Concentrate on the Great Plains in the north to fight the main force of the Okad army, and then whether Mr. King retreats without a fight or besieges Phoenix to help, the empire can keep its territory.

This was a strategy that Victor and Count Hahn had decided on after a long consultation, and it was also recognized by the Prime Minister and the Duke.

It is not simply reckless to gamble the fortunes of the country in World War I.

The Empire's Esoteric Warriors and Mages are barely on par with the current Okadian Army spellcasters, but the Okadian Arcane Caster is full of anomalies that are difficult to guard against.

On the Ancient Family ...... Okad is the most. After Nicholas's victory, many hermages who had been watching from the sidelines either voluntarily or forcibly joined his camp.

There is even the "Emperor of the Eternal Night", which can be called the invincible combat power under the legend.

Only a large-scale decisive battle can neutralize the secret methods of powerful arcane spellcasters, and as long as they are not legendary spells, they will not be able to shake a large-scale army after all. However, their own brave and skilled warriors can make the most use of this environment. Once the main force is defeated, Okad will not be able to launch a major offensive with a few spellcasters, let alone a solid capture.

Even so...... Considering that Okard may use the army of the undead and a fortress again, Count Hahn and Victor estimate that the probability of the Empire winning a battle is only 30%.

It's just that they don't have a better choice. An uprising of the Errios? Who knows if they are reliable!

Even with the loss of the Emperor, the morale of the defenders of Phoenix was still high.

Even if the front fails...... Until the last Imperial warrior has shed their blood, the Okadians have no hope of taking the city of heroes.

……

Victor walks on the walls of Phoenix.

Even ordinary guards could feel that there had been a lot of smiles on Victor's face lately.

He already knew that...... His good friend, the current true emperor of the Empire, Dimiteo, is still alive.

Once this news is announced, the morale of the whole country will be boosted. In the face of miracles, the arrogant Okadians can only lose their voices.

Only now, he can't reveal the secret.

……

"Victor!"

Behind Victor, a female voice rang out.

Victor frowned: Count Hahn has adjusted his deployment, and there should be no female soldiers standing guard on the city wall now. Even female soldiers who come to report the news cannot call their commanders by their first names...... But he immediately recognized the owner of the voice.

"Jessica," he looked back in surprise, "you're here?" ”

Before the beginning of spring, Jessica had a conversation with her father, the Count of Hahn. Now the heir of the Hahn family has become Jessica's sister, military attache Jane Hahn, and Jessica, she can get half of the Hahn family's property, and she plans to use this money to try her hand at being a businessman.

It's just that the war broke out suddenly...... Almost all of the loyal Hahn family were entrusted with important tasks, and even Jessica, who was respectful of the army, became a temporary quartermaster because of her expertise in material deployment.

"I'm sending a new batch of condolences." Jessica said.

"What do we need here," Victor shook his head, "more than this kind of rear, the soldiers on the front line who are fighting to the death need supplies." ”

"If we had a giant portal like the French Powers on our land, I would have shipped the supplies north right away," Jessica said, "and it's better to have something to give to you than to get moldy in a warehouse." ”

"Why don't you prepare a little more ...... that can be stored for a long time?"

"Ordinary people donate," Jessica whispered, "I can't refuse their kindness." Some elderly people and children could not go to war, but they also wanted to help. ”

Victor was stunned.

The secret methods of many ancient traditions of the Okad Federation.

The Erios Powers possess the highest level of elaborate spell-casting art, even building incredible giant portals and realm-level magic circles.

And the empire ......

There is a lack of arcane skills, and it is only by virtue of the tradition of secret warriors and martial arts that a three-legged game is formed.

"Well said," Victor laughed, "as long as the whole empire is united, no enemy can defeat us." ”

He was suddenly filled with the pride of battle.

"Huh?" Suddenly, Jessica noticed something.

"Father?" She looked below the city walls, not far from the city gates.