The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 633 A single stone stirs up a thousand waves
The banquet hall of Hate Castle.

Brazier braziers lined up from one end of the hall to the other, illuminating the imposing armor and weapons.

King Ironbeard Justa of the High Mountain Kingdom sat at the head of the long table, holding a wine cup large enough to hold his beard, his drunken smile brimming with unrestrained abandon.

He raised his wine glass high and addressed the assembled ministers seated at the long table.

"For the Kingdom of the Mountains!"

"For the Justa family!"

"For the prosperity of the mountains!"

"cheers--!"

"Cheers!!!" The dwarves sitting at the long table raised their glasses one after another. The wooden glasses clinked together, making the stone walls on both sides vibrate. The beer foam seemed to want to fly onto the copper lamps in the dome.

Today is Ironbeard's 250th birthday.

For dwarves, this age signifies the prime of life, much like a human in their early forties. And for a dwarf king who has just won a brilliant battle, it is an especially joyous occasion worthy of celebration.

Almost all the lords, generals, priests, mine owners, and leaders of the artisan guild from Hatred Fortress were present.

The long table was laden with roasted, fragrant meats, ranging from unidentifiable magical beasts to well-known rock goats. Besides these local specialties from the dwarven kingdom, the table was also piled high with various imports from the Duchy of Campbell.

For example, bread made from plain wheat, or wine brewed from corn or sugarcane. There are also butter cookies, fruit cakes, pies made from various berries, and so on... These are delicacies that only skilled human pastry chefs can make.

While some old-timers criticize these flimsy contraptions for damaging the dwarves' prized iron teeth and corroding their broad, strong jaws, many trendy dwarves have taken a liking to these imports from the human world, claiming that the old fogies are just stubborn fools.

For example, there were several mine owners who had made their fortunes by trading with humans in front of the long table.

They wore brass spectacles bought from human merchants, making them look like learned scholars.

Although those who knew them knew that these nouveau riche were mostly illiterate and barely literate, the glasses were only truly useful when they were worn on the nose of their accountant.

A lord with a three-pronged beard raised his wine cup and addressed King Ironbeard, who sat in the main seat.

"This cup is a toast to my esteemed Emperor! If it weren't for your decision to send troops last year and wipe out the Flesh and Blood Kingdom in one fell swoop, I'd probably still be fighting rats in a burrow right now!"

“Haha! I also want to toast His Majesty!” Another dwarf lord chimed in, his barrel-like body trembling and his beard almost dragging on the ground, as he also stood up from the long table. “Thanks to our esteemed His Majesty’s agreement with the Campbellians to exchange goods, I no longer have to stick the ledgers to my nose when I’m looking at the accounts!”

The dwarf sitting across the long table chuckled.

"You're acting like you can understand it. You should learn to recognize all the words first!"

The dwarf, whose beard almost dragged on the ground, immediately glared back.

"I may not recognize them all... but I still recognize more than you!"

"Hahaha!"

Laughter erupted again from the long table.

Ironbeard, sitting at the main table, brought his wine glass to his lips and took a big gulp, his beard covered in foam.

The progenitor is above.

This was the banquet he had been most satisfied with in nearly ten years.

He believed that he was not the only one who was satisfied; his lords were also sincerely paying their respects to him on his birthday, because almost every dwarf sitting there was a beneficiary of the "Divine Covenant."

Since the signing of the agreement to jointly fight against Chaos, the connection between the High Mountain Kingdom and the human world has reached a new level, and it has even established close trade relations with the distant continent of Gana.

Campbell's merchants brought fine wines and pastries, goods from across the vast ocean, and exquisitely crafted machine parts. The Mountain Kingdom, in turn, sold its ores and coal to factories along the flowing river, enabling them to produce more useful gadgets. In the process, both sides profited.

Ironbeard had no doubt that making an alliance with the Campbellians was the best decision he had ever made.

Just as he grinned, about to say a few more words at the banquet, the banquet hall door was suddenly kicked open, and a messenger in armor rushed in.

He looked quite disheveled, his helmet was askew, and snowflakes clung to his beard, as if he had run straight here from outside the mine without stopping.

The laughter in the banquet hall suddenly stopped.

The two dwarf lords, who were just getting up to offer a toast, froze in place, their thick brows furrowing.

Ironbeard, sitting at the head of the long table, frowned as he stared at the messenger who was prostrate on the ground.

"What's the matter that's causing such a panic?"

The dwarf messenger hurriedly raised his head and said in a trembling voice.

"Your Majesty... Smoke is rising from the direction of Huangtong Pass!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire banquet hall was filled not only with laughter, but even the last trace of sound disappeared.

The hall was eerily quiet, with only the occasional crackling sound coming from the brass brazier.

The silence in the banquet hall was broken only by a loud crash as a wine glass shattered on the floor and rolled a considerable distance away.

"Huangtong Pass?!"

"Damn it, it's those cannibals!"

"What are they up to now?"

"Your Majesty, I think we should march into the dimensional desert, find their lair, and wipe them out in one fell swoop! That way, they won't bother us every year!"

"Are you crazy? That plays right into Chaos's hands! Don't forget how those traitors emerged 500 years ago!"

"I heard they're hiding underground in the desert, so finding them won't be an easy task."

The banquet hall was filled with noise.

Ironbeard, sitting in the main seat, had a terribly grim expression.

He suddenly rose from his chair, startling the attendants beside the throne and causing the lords sitting at the long table to stop talking.

Without saying a word, Ironbeard strode towards the outside of the banquet hall, walked through the corridor, and arrived at the elevator.

The hem of his robe swept across the steps, and he stood on it, raising his fist to strike the mechanism.

With a series of creaking sounds, the elevator was pulled by the winch, carrying their king all the way up from the very center of Hate Castle to the castle terrace.

The iron gate opened, and a sudden gust of wind and snow rushed in, freezing the wine-smeared beard with shards of ice.

Tie Xu pushed aside the guard who offered him the cotton robe, stepped through the open iron gate, and stood on the terrace overlooking the direction of Huangtong Pass.

The mountains rise and fall, and the night is deep.

And on the distant horizon, three dark plumes of smoke rose diagonally, like three claw marks tearing through the night.

Tie Xu gripped the stone railing, his thick eyebrows furrowed like green caterpillars, his slight intoxication vanished, leaving only solemnity.

Three plumes of smoke...

Only in the most critical situations would the garrison at Huangtong Pass simultaneously light all three beacon towers.

"We're probably in big trouble."

A familiar voice came from behind me.

The newcomer was the high priest of the High Mountain Kingdom. He held a withered wooden cane in his hand, and his white beard was braided into countless plaits, each plaited with a ring engraved with runes.

Ironbeard didn't turn around, but spoke in a low voice.

"How many soldiers are stationed at Huangtong Pass?"

“Our garrison has 30,000 troops, and the Empire also has 30,000.”

"How many of them do you think are left?"

“I don’t know, but the three smoke signals rose at the same time…” The high priest had a hesitant expression on his face, but finally gave his judgment, “I can only conclude that they have encountered unprecedented trouble.”

Ironbeard's brows furrowed even more.

He understood what the high priest meant.

If Huangtongguan lit the three beacon towers one by one, it indicates that the situation was escalating gradually.

But the situation is different now.

He can only plan for the worst-case scenario.

“Gant is there, and Salut is here too… To push them to this point, the Flame of Destruction must have gone to great lengths.”

Ironbeard turned around and gave orders to the messenger who followed him onto the terrace.

"Immediately dispatch our fastest scouts; I need to confirm the specific situation at Huangtong Pass!"

"Yes, sir!" The messenger pounded his fist on his chest and then hurriedly went to relay the order.

Ironbeard's orders were not yet finished.

He looked at the attendant standing to the side and continued to give orders.

"Notify the entire army to enter a state of combat readiness. Order all lords back to their castles and mobilize all available members of their tribes! I need them to be ready to march at any time!"

"Furthermore, send the news of the smoke signals being raised at Brass Pass to Campbell Castle! Tell the new Grand Duke of the Campbell family that the human boy named Edward has begun mobilization in accordance with the sacred agreement, and ask him to fulfill the agreement he just signed."

After issuing two more orders, Tie Xu paused briefly and then added a sentence.

"Also, tell our Imperial friends what's happening here. And while you're at it, remind them that if Brass Pass falls, it won't just be the dwarves who suffer."

Orders were issued one after another.

Even as the attendant hurriedly left, the solemnity on Ironbeard's face remained undiminished.

Although he had made all the necessary preparations and was prepared for the worst, he also knew in his heart that these alone were not enough.

If the Copper Pass falls, the northern fortress of the High Mountain Kingdom probably won't hold out for long.

Unlike the forgetful humans, dwarves almost never forget what has happened.

The crisis left a particularly deep impression on the mountain tribe, almost pushing them to the brink of extinction.

Ironbeard's fists clenched unconsciously.

Just then, the high priest standing to the side suddenly spoke up.

Do you think humans will come?

Although dwarves are relatively isolated, they occasionally hear about what is happening in the human world from merchants.

The people of the Kingdom of Laine have overthrown their king, and the other kingdoms have formed an alliance to punish their people for betraying their oaths. The Empire has turned its sword against the Academy, and the Great Sage, who had always been on good terms with them, has turned out to be a lackey of Chaos.

The sudden changes caught him off guard, and a sense of foreboding began to creep into his heart.

He could hardly help but worry that Norville was behind this.

Ironbeard remained silent for a while.

"At least that kid from the Campbell family knows how."

Are you so sure?

"...He was a smart man; he knew that without his beard, he wouldn't be able to save his neck either."

Having uttered those words, Ironbeard strode away from the terrace, watching the high priest see him off.

He stepped back onto the elevator and onto a stone corridor, but instead of returning to the banquet hall, he went to the royal prayer hall.

The prayer hall displays statues of the dwarf kings of all time.

Some held warhammers, some carried flagpoles, some held braziers, and others were reading books. The ever-burning braziers cast their light on the stone statues, and with their uneven shadows, they sculpted those ancient faces into lifelike figures.

Ironbeard walked up to the statue at the very front and stopped.

He was the founder of the High Mountain Kingdom and the first head of the Justa family.

Ironbeard removed the crown from his head, placed his right hand on his chest, and stood with his head bowed for a while.

After a long while, he said in a low voice.

"Great Lord of the Mountains, Master of the Hearth and War, your people face a moment of life and death. May you grant me the blessing of invincibility..."

Ironbeard prayed thus.

Although he also knew in his heart that the ancestor's blessing probably wouldn't help him much.

Now his only hope lies in his forgetful human friends, who still remember the agreement he signed...

……

In Campbellburg's study, the gas lamp cast an orange-yellow light.

Since this thing became popular in Thunder City, more and more new gadgets have flowed into Campbell Castle and gradually entered Edward's study.

Although the light from the magic crystal lamp was more noble, he still preferred this novelty that could showcase the strength of the Duchy of Campbell.

Moreover, this thing has an advantage: it doesn't consume expensive magic crystals; it only needs to be connected to a gas pipe to work.

After learning of its benefits, Edward immediately ordered the renovation of the gas pipeline at the ancient Campbell Castle.

As the royal family adopted this new technology, the nobles throughout the Duchy of Campbell would soon follow suit and promote the technology in their own territories.

However, Edward had no time to focus his energy on promoting the new technology at that moment.

Standing before his desk, his face was ashen, and he held in his hand an urgent report sent from the Kingdom of High Mountains.

The letter bore the Justa family crest.

The content inside is short, but it makes your heart clench.

Edward read the letter several times before putting it back on the table and looking at the three guests standing in the study.

They were Marshal Wesley, Commander-in-Chief of the Duchy's Army; Sir Hidini, Director of the Duchy's Intelligence Bureau; and Sir Andes, who had been assisting him since before his ascension to the throne.

All three of them were invited in the middle of the night.

Andes, in particular, was taken directly from Thunder City to Campbell Castle by the wyvern riders, still wearing a bathrobe and with his hair blown to one side by the wind.

"Your Majesty...may I ask what has made you so anxious?" Andes asked cautiously, carefully studying the expression on Edward's face.

Edward skipped the pleasantries, pressed his index finger against the letter and pushed it forward, looking at the three trusted confidants standing in the study and getting straight to the point.

“A letter just arrived from the High Mountain Kingdom, saying that Copper Pass is in crisis and that we should prepare for the worst… Instead of me relaying it to you, you should read it yourselves.”

Field Marshal Wesley stepped forward, picked up the letter first, and glanced at it quickly.

He frowned, then handed the letter to Sir Hidini, who gave a strange look after reading it.

Andes was the last to read the letter.

He placed the letter back on Edward's desk and said with a subtle expression.

“Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness… I heard the proverb ‘Ballasting Brass Pass’ back in the time of the late King.”

“Me too,” Marshal Wesley said in a low voice after a moment of contemplation, “but if things are really as serious as our allies say… then it’s probably not just a matter for the Kingdom of the High Mountains.”

Edward nodded gently.

"That's what I think too. Tell me your opinion, Sir Wesley. If I were to put you in charge of this crisis, what would you do?"

Without hesitation, Wesley walked straight to the map, picked up the baton, and pointed to the location of the Rapids Pass.

"If I were to deal with this crisis, I would choose to confront our enemies here."

Edward glanced subconsciously at the Twilight Province above Rapids Pass before his gaze settled on the location of Rapids Pass itself.

Wesley continued without pausing.

"The terrain here is narrow, with natural barriers on both sides, making it easy to build fortifications. And most importantly, there is ample railway capacity behind the Fort Campbell Pass, which can facilitate the deployment of troops from the Campbell Pass area... This will be a protracted battle. If the worst happens and the Fort Brass Pass really falls into the hands of Chaos, we must be prepared for a long-term confrontation."

He had heard of it.

Brass Pass is not only a physical barrier that blocks the ogre army, but also a crucial checkpoint to prevent ogres from infiltrating the human world through warp tunnels.

If that area is indeed breached, they will likely need to keep a close watch not only on the front lines, but also ensure that there are enough troops mobile on the railway to support towns attacked by cannibals at any time.

Fortunately, they now have airships to use, so this battle shouldn't be too difficult.

Edward nodded, his eyes fixed on the map, but he didn't rush to offer his opinion.

Just then, Sir Hidini, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, spoke up.

"Sir Wesley's proposal is very constructive, and I believe he made this judgment from the perspective of a professional soldier. But if I may be frank, once we put our defenses at Jiliu Pass, it would be tantamount to voluntarily giving up a large area of ​​land outside the pass."

Hearing the subtle rebuttal in those words, Field Marshal Wesley looked at Sir Hidney and said politely.

“I admit it was a difficult decision, but I am a Campbellian and I have to prioritize my country.”

“I disagree. The Duchy of Campbell has enormous interests in the Twilight Province. Moreover, many Campbells live there, and we cannot simply abandon them.”

"Do you have a better idea? How can we fight the ogres in the forest?"

“That’s not something I can fully consider, but I must explain the cost of abandoning Twilight Province to my Emperor.”

Sir Hidini nodded slightly, then turned to Edward, who was deep in thought.

“Your Majesty, Twilight City is now an integral part of us. We are connected by the same railway, use the same currency, and are even linked by blood… If we watch them die, they will become the rotting flesh on our bodies and eventually devour us.”

He paused for a moment, then continued.

“Most importantly, if we allow the ogres to settle on that fertile land, they will become even more difficult to deal with, and they will pollute our mother river, making the flowing river stink and preventing the farmland along the banks from growing crops... This is by no means an exaggeration.” After he finished speaking, he nodded slightly like Marshal Wesley and stepped aside in a gentlemanly manner.

Wesley did not refute the intelligence chief, but he also did not change his stance because of his remarks.

He simply turned his gaze to His Majesty, awaiting His Majesty's decision.

Edward's gaze fell on Andes, who had not yet spoken.

"Andes, tell us your opinion. You hold the key vote now."

Andes gave a wry smile, glanced at Marshal Wesley, and then at Director Hidini.

"If I had known that my two friends had such a big disagreement, I would have spoken first."

“Haha, it’s too late to regret it now,” Edward joked to Andes, then reassured him, “You don’t need to feel too much pressure. No matter whose position you support, I’m the one who makes the final decision.”

Field Marshal Wesley followed up with a smile.

“That’s right, Mr. Andes. Whatever your claims may be, I believe you are acting in the best interests of our principality.”

Sir Hidini nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with Marshal Wesley's point of view.

Andes no longer hesitated and expressed his opinion.

“What I wanted to say, Sir Hidini has already said. Our relationship with the Dusk Province is closer than ever before, and the situation is completely different from what it was back then. Not only that, much of Thunder City’s timber, sand, leather, cotton, linen, iron, and coal comes from there.”

“Doesn’t the Earldom of Spinor have it? And the Province of the Distant Mountains,” Marshal Wesley frowned slightly. “For example, the most crucial iron and coal, I remember there’s plenty there.”

Andes nodded slightly.

"Yes, the Spinor Earldom and the developing Far Mountain Province can provide us with a large amount of raw materials, which is the right leg of all the factories in Thunder City... But as we all know, a person cannot stand on one leg."

A glint of light flashed in Edward's eyes.

"You mean, Twilight Province has become our other leg."

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Andes continued, “If we lose the Dusk Province, we will lose not only the raw materials and manpower there, but also our own advantages… In terms of cost alone, I think it will be more expensive than retreating to the Rapids Pass, and the price will be something we cannot afford.”

Hidini took a deep breath and clapped his hands lightly as a gesture of applause for the Andes.

Andes nodded slightly to him and also to Marshal Wesley, who was deep in thought, to indicate that his words were not malicious.

As he said, he was considering this matter seriously from the perspective of the principality.

Field Marshal Wesley looked at the map and pondered for a moment.

"If we bring Twilight Province into our defenses... we'll probably have to make them shoulder some obligations as well, otherwise our strength alone will be insufficient to support such a massive front."

Sir Hidini immediately spoke.

“It’s simple, let them also enter into the sacred agreement, in the name of the Duchy of Twilight.”

"That's a great idea!"

Edward tapped his right fist on the table, then placed both hands on it and looked at his three advisors.

“I plan to go to Twilight City in person to discuss this matter with the Holy Light Council… no, I should say inform them that there is no time for them to dawdle over their discussion right now.”

After he finished speaking, he looked at Marshal Wesley.

“Wesley, I need you to take our newly trained army and head to Dusk Province immediately to establish our command post there! Also, immediately notify the messengers of the Holy Light Council to let them know what is happening on our border!”

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Marshal Wesley saluted and replied solemnly.

Edward then looked at Hidini and continued to give instructions.

"In addition, you are responsible for informing the High Mountain Kingdom that our people are already on their way. I will contact Prince Colin as soon as possible and summon the envoys of the Kingdom of Gutaf to discuss reinforcements with them... Neither the Campbellians nor the lizardmen on the continent of Gana will allow the dwarves in the Ten Thousand Mountains to fight alone."

“It is my honor to serve you, and I will certainly convey your will.” Sir Hidini nodded and noted down the task given to him by Archduke Edward.

Finally, Edward looked at the Andes.

“Andes, you just returned from the Republic of Leyne, I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to go there again.”

Andes gave a wry smile and nodded.

"I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty."

Edward walked around the desk, stood in front of Andes, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile.

"Don't worry, I won't let you go alone. I will send you my most elite guards."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Sidney and Wesley.

"You may leave now. I have something to discuss with Mr. Andes."

The two nodded slightly and tactfully withdrew with their orders.

With the wooden door closed, only Edward and Andes remained in the empty study.

Just as Andes was wondering what His Majesty wanted to discuss with him, Edward took the initiative to start a conversation.

“I originally planned to let you rest for a few days before summoning you, but things happened so suddenly that I sent someone to pick you up.”

Andes smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his messy head as he spoke.

"It was quite sudden, Your Majesty. I had just fallen asleep when a pterosaur landed on my terrace."

"Haha, I have to apologize to you for this!"

“I wouldn’t dare, Your Majesty. Speaking of which… is that pterosaur your new pet?” Andes asked tentatively.

“Those are not pets. I bought a batch of these things from alien merchants on the east coast of the Whirlpool Sea. I plan to use them to build an air force and deploy them on military airships.”

Edward smiled and continued.

"Actually, this was also Prince Colin's suggestion. He said it would be interesting to form a flying mage force using inexpensive flying magical beasts and fight around an airship. I thought it was quite interesting too, so I discussed it with Marshal Wesley and put it on the agenda... You are the first to experience it."

Edward's smile would become especially gentle whenever Prince Colin was mentioned.

To him, the prince was not only his close friend and potential brother-in-law, but also a benefactor who had given him tremendous help.

Whether in career or family.

Andes did not respond, but waited quietly for His Majesty to continue.

He knew that the reason His Majesty had kept him around was definitely not just to chat with him about everyday matters.

Just as he expected.

As the serious atmosphere dissipated from the study, Edward quickly revealed his true intentions.

"Andes, you've returned from Roland. What are your thoughts on the National Assembly there?"

Andes pondered for a long time before speaking cautiously.

"Your Majesty, would you like to hear the truth or a lie?"

Seeing that he still looked calm and composed, Edward didn't play games with him and went straight to the point.

"Stop talking nonsense and just say what you mean. There are no outsiders here."

Andes sighed softly.

"Then as you wish, Your Majesty, the truth is... I have witnessed the death of a civilization."

Edward raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised to hear those words.

"What do you mean?"

Andes, with his eyes still downcast, continued speaking.

"It means exactly what it says: the ancient castle is gone, and no new flowers bloom on the corpses. The biggest lesson this chaos taught me is that castles cannot be built on clouds, and the bricks of the old era cannot build the walls of the new era."

"If I were to predict their future, perhaps only when someone who can truly give dignity to the Charter appears will they be able to realize the republic they long for. Unfortunately, Marshal Fayette, while possessing sufficient ability and courage, still lacks many things."

Edward spoke thoughtfully.

"for example?"

Andes continued.

"For example, he didn't realize that he had to put on the crown before he was qualified to put it down."

"Of course, I must admit that there are very few people who possess both courage and self-control. Even the heroes in epics mostly possess only one of them... and our Marshal does not possess even one of them."

"He didn't even dare to admit that he was actually the new king."

……

Just as the Duchy of Campbell was mobilizing due to the devastating news of Brass Pass, the Holy City, located in the central part of the continent of Os, also received an alarm from Ironbeard Justa.

Night had just fallen at the Marshal's Mansion in the Holy City.

In the military affairs hall, Marshal Rako Eberg stood at the table, holding a letter from the teleportation room in his hand.

His deputy, Marcos, stood to the side, his face somber, without uttering a word.

The war in the northern wilderness had just begun, but the Os Empire lost the most crucial pass, Brass Pass.

For a thousand years, the Ottoman Empire had never been in such a difficult situation.

“We should have known that madman was capable of anything…we underestimated his madness.”

A slightly aged voice broke the deathly silence in the military affairs hall.

The person speaking was standing on one side of the long table.

He was thin, wearing a plain gray-white robe, and his white beard was neatly trimmed.

If he were walking the streets of the Holy City, most people would probably mistake him for an old professor who had taught at a university his entire life. However, everyone standing here knew that this old man's name was enough to make more than half of the nobles in the Senate tremble in fear in court.

Publius Lambert, the “Silver Scales”.

As the previous head of the Lambert family, the former Grand Justice of the Imperial Supreme Court, and the mentor of the current head of the family, Duke Victor, he was both the founder of the School of Law and the compiler of the current Imperial legal code.

Since resigning from his official post, he has been living in seclusion in the garden of the oldest oak library in the Lambert family, rarely appearing in public.

If he doesn't confess, probably few people will consider him a demigod-level powerhouse.

And he certainly has that ability.

Upon hearing Publius's voice, Marshal Laco did not respond, nor did he even glance at the highly respected old judge.

"It's too late to talk about these things now. What we need to do is discuss countermeasures and solve the current problems."

Laco looked at Marcos, who immediately understood and spread the map, which was stored in a wooden frame, onto the table.

Among them are regional nautical charts of the northeastern coast of the Whirlpool Sea, as well as coastal nautical charts of the North Sea to the northern wilderness frontier.

These shipping routes formed the lifeline of the Ottoman Empire in the eastern part of the Old World.

Now it seems that these blood vessels connecting the empire to its massive, fleshy body are indeed somewhat thin.

“Once Brass Pass falls, the Twilight Province of the Kingdom of Ryan will be the first to fall, followed by the Duchy of Campbell… If we allow Chaos to gain a foothold on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea, the ogre army will soon follow these sea routes and bring the entire eastern Whirlpool Sea under their control.”

"However, the problem now is that half of the Empire's main army is bogged down in the quagmire of the New World, and the other half is locked in a fierce battle with the magicians of the Academy in the northern wastelands. We are caught in a three-front war."

"Although our mobilization capacity is far from exhausted, we are now facing a serious problem... We do not have enough transport capacity to send our troops and supplies to Huangtongguan, which may have already fallen."

After finishing his sentence, Lako turned his gaze to another person standing in the military affairs hall.

That man was André Castellón, the head of the Castellón family, known as the "Bronze Seahorse."

Tonight, he unusually refrained from wearing one of those flamboyant suits, opting instead for a dark coat over his shoulders, his stubble at the collar appearing somewhat unkempt.

Seeing that Lako's gaze had fallen on him, Duke Andrei sighed and said.

"I know what you're trying to say, Lord Laco. However, it's regrettable that even the Castellón family would find it difficult to assemble so many ships in such a short time..."

Seemingly to make his statement more convincing, he paused for a moment and then added another sentence.

"Don't forget the great storm before. That natural disaster that occurred in the vast ocean took away too many of our ships. Even today, we haven't fully recovered."

“It seems we can only requisition merchant ships from our vassal states,” Duke Victor, standing next to Publius, said after a moment of silence. “But even so, that only solves the first half of the journey… What about the second half? What happens to the soldiers after they disembark in the Duchy of Campbell? Will they walk to the front lines?”

Discussions quickly spread throughout the military affairs office.

"By the time they arrive, it'll be too late... Perhaps we should use the teleportation array?"

"How large of a teleportation array would it take to deploy tens of thousands of troops? And what about their equipment?"

"I'm afraid it's not just a problem with the teleportation array; the magic crystals consumed will also be an astronomical figure."

"If it's just a small force, that's fine, but large-scale deployment... I'm afraid even our adversaries can't do that."

The enemy of the Otto Empire, of course, refers to Hell.

Although the demons hiding underground in the New World are far less powerful than the Os Empire, their research in the field of subspace is second to none.

After all, they need to use warp technology to corrupt the nobles on the surface and to reinforce the distant labyrinth.

After a heated discussion, everyone was at a loss for what to do and fell into deep thought.

Just then, Andrei coughed softly, breaking the silence in the military affairs hall.

"I think... I might have a way."

He hesitated for a long time before speaking.

To be honest, he didn't want to take out the blueprints from his pocket. The Castellón family had enormous interests in shipbuilding and shipping, and maintaining the status quo was the option that best served their interests.

However, the Os Empire has now reached a critical moment, and even though he was extremely unwilling, he had no choice but to step forward.

Seeing that all eyes were on him, Andrei took out the blueprint from his arms and laid it flat next to the map.

Laco looked at the paper and frowned in confusion.

"what is this?"

Andrei's lips twitched slightly, but he finally managed to say those words.

"It's my youngest daughter's work."

Laco didn't say anything, only showing a speechless expression.

Publius, standing to the side, frowned and gave the young head of the Castellion family a meaningful look.

Although Andrei is no longer young, he is still very young to him.

"This is not the time for jokes."

“I’m not kidding, and don’t underestimate this thing,” Andrei said, pointing his index finger at the center of the drawing, at the strangely shaped double-decker ship. “This thing is called an airship. As the name suggests, it’s a ship that can fly in the sky.”

Duke Victor couldn't help but chuckle.

Even though he was Andrei's ally, he was amused by this remark.

"You say you're not joking, then I can only assume you're still half asleep, Lord Andrei... Forgive my bluntness, but why don't you go back to sleep first, and leave this to me?"

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me. Actually, I didn’t believe it at first either, until Baron Adair returned from Thunder City and told me in person about the miracle he saw there.”

Andrei was completely going all out.

At this moment, he no longer thought about family interests or maintaining the balance between factions, nor did he care whether he would be looked at strangely by the other elders.

At this moment, he was simply Ophia's father. And before him lay the artwork created by his beloved youngest daughter and her classmates.

Without a doubt—

This is one of the greatest wonders in the world!

Thinking this, a sense of pride involuntarily welled up within him.

Perhaps he should have done this a long time ago.

Instead of resisting the risks that change may bring, we should proactively embrace the new era that is destined to arrive.

The ancestors of the Castellón family did just that, opening up sea routes to the New World and ushering in a new era...

Andrei paused for a moment, glanced around at the crowd, and raised his voice.

"Whether you believe it or not, these incredible airships are already sailing over Thunder City. Have you ever heard of the word science? Actually, I heard it from Ophia. That thing is giving birth to many incredible miracles, and airships are one of them."

Marshal Laco coughed lightly and said.

"In any case, we can't put our hopes on a piece of equipment that no one has ever seen before. And it's probably too late to start producing this thing called an airship now."

"But isn't this the only option we have?"

With his eyes fixed intently on Marshal Lako, Prince Andrei continued speaking without waiting for his reply.

“We can requisition merchant ships from our vassal states, but we can’t get them onto land. The airships of the Duchy of Campbell are just the right solution for the latter half of our supply line!”

"As for production, that's not a problem either! As Baron Adair said, there are ready-made factories in Thunder City!"

"We can place orders with local factories, urging them to produce more airships. Then, we can hire the existing airships of the Duchy of Campbell to send as many personnel and war supplies as possible to the vicinity of Brass Pass, stopping the ogre army from continuing its advance inland!"

"This is the fastest solution I can think of... Gentlemen, please consider it carefully!"

(End of this chapter)