Free Web NovelChapter 414: Chapter 36: A Bootlicker After All?
For the supreme commander of the front lines to vanish without a word for nearly half a month was, to put it mildly, a serious issue. But since it wasn’t a time of war, no one pressed the matter. Everyone at the front had their hands full. Besides those who wanted to party with Westheid, who would go looking for the supreme commander at the drop of a hat?
Besides, Westheid wasn’t one to micromanage. Even in his absence, Yolanda and the others were perfectly capable of handling nearly all affairs.
The training of the Punishment Camp, the allocation of various supplies, the maintenance of ships and war machines... everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
After Duke Qinghui returned from Serralis, having reached a consensus with the Enchanting Demon, he immediately finalized the plans to attack the Demon Realm.
"These Demons... we must exterminate them. There is no other option."
Westheid declared at the military conference:
"More than half of the Royal Court’s lands still remain in the clutches of the Demons. We have no more time to delay. I believe we have rested long enough. It is time to attack the enemy."
Amithren voiced her concern. "But our preparations..."
Westheid frowned. "When we fought the Master of Decay, you spent nearly a year preparing. Must we be so sluggish every time? To be perfectly honest, I have just returned from a scouting mission deep within the Demon Realm. Do you have any idea how fiercely those Demons are warring amongst themselves? Now is the perfect time to attack! If we delay, are we simply to stand by and watch the birth of a Great Demon who controls the entire realm?!"
"The thought of the countless citizens of the Royal Court suffering under the Demons’ tyranny tears my heart to pieces! I wish I could rescue them this very instant!"
At first glance, Duke Qinghui’s chest-thumping, foot-stomping performance seemed a bit much. However, aside from the very few who knew him well, the others were genuinely moved.
After all, the public image Westheid had cultivated over the years was no mere facade. Anyone not intimately acquainted with him was bound to be taken in to some degree.
This was especially true given the potent effect his Divinity-enhanced Charm had on the Elves.
The Royal Court’s Military Officers were moved. "Duke Qinghui... is so incredibly righteous!"
Mephit, representing the Yonglan Knights, was the first to show his support. He struck his chest with a fist. "My Lord, we should have done this long ago! My sword is at your command!"
Yolanda said, "The Purity People will follow only their Clan Leader."
His own base of support was secure. Westheid turned his gaze to Amithren and the other Elf Military Officers and Mages.
"What say you all? Will you join us?"
Because of his successful campaign against the Master of Decay, the Grand Law Officer had already granted Westheid her initial trust and transferred command of the front lines to him.
Westheid didn’t need to wait for Eilvette’s official word to march. As long as he deemed it right, he could lead the campaign himself. At worst, the Royal Court Legion might refuse to follow his orders, but he could freely mobilize his own troops and the Punishment Camp.
As for amending the Thousand Laws Ceremony, that would have to wait until the master of the Demon Realm was defeated. Only then would the Tuners dare to appear on the battlefield. Otherwise, they would be utterly annihilated by the Celestial God’s Shadows, who were masters of the Way of Melody.
The silver-haired woman with the high ponytail was clearly tempted and nearly agreed on the spot. However, her sense of responsibility suppressed the impulse. She exchanged a look with her colleagues before speaking.
"Duke Qinghui, we must leave sufficient forces to defend the City in the Lake, so we cannot commit our full strength to this campaign. However... liberating the lands of the Royal Court is our goal as well. While the bulk of our forces will remain here, we can dispatch a contingent of our elites to fight alongside you."
"A contingent will be enough," Westheid replied.
With Westheid pushing hard for action, the front sent a brief report to the Central Royal Court and then marched its armies across the river.
The Wave-Breaking Ships had no trouble breaking through the blockade. In fact, it was far too easy. The Demon Realm’s defenses were a complete disaster. Even though the Master of Blazing Flames knew the Central Royal Court was watching like a hungry tiger, ready to invade at any moment, he still hadn’t bothered to heavily fortify the area.
If his followers died, they died. If his slaves escaped, they escaped. To him, the loss of a city or territory was unimportant. A Demon could only rely on themself. When the time came, he would simply turn his attention to the invaders and wipe them out.
Absolute hubris and arrogance, a disdain for all mortal things—this was a trait common to most Demons. Only a rare few Celestial God’s Shadows, those who didn’t embody negative emotions, could escape such prejudice.
That being said, even if the Demons didn’t focus on border defense, the City in the Lake was no empty fortress. A considerable number of Demon Believers still stood as its Guardians.
The Master of Blazing Flames might not care about defense, but that didn’t mean his Demon Believers felt the same. They were actively preparing for war.
Westheid stood on the deck of the command ship as the fleet came to a halt. It wasn’t because they had met resistance, but because the way forward was gone. The riverbed was dry, the scorched earth was cracked, and crimson veins spread across the land.
The great waterway that traversed the entire Land of Thousand Lakes had been severed within the Demon Realm of the Master of Blazing Flames.
Beside Westheid, Yolanda stepped forward and gazed into the distance. Due to its unique construction of Divinity, the City in the Lake remained enveloped by a great, clear lake. But the fields outside the city were a desolate, scorched wasteland that had consumed all greenery and trees. The contrast was jarring.
The influence of the Demon Realm was plain to see. Reshaping the world with one’s mindscape and altering the very geography was a common feat for them.
At this rate, the Land of Rhythm was about to get a whole lot more "diverse."
