Translator: CinderTL
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The flickering candlelight cast distorted shadows on the canvas of the military tent, like wandering spirits lingering on the battlefield.
Woven Ruiz, the commander of Gabella, sat at the wooden table, his quill moving laboriously across the parchment. His right hand was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages; during the hasty retreat after the defeat, Ruiz had fallen from his horse, resulting in a fractured arm and a large patch of skin scraped off. Every stroke of the pen brought a tearing pain.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the anguish in his heart.
The ink in the bottle had solidified, and he had to dilute it with water. This reminded him of the dried bloodstains on the Usola Plains, which would eventually be washed away by the rain, just like the lives of the soldiers under his command.
Outside the tent, the night watch's cough echoed, and faint neighs of warhorses could be heard in the distance. Woven stopped writing and looked up at the family crest hanging in the tent—a silver griffon spreading its wings against a deep blue background.
Now, this symbol of glory felt like the greatest irony to him.
In the power struggle between the current emperor, Antonio, and his brother Felix for the crown, the Ruiz family had once leaned towards the eldest prince, Felix Griffin.
But after the somewhat inscrutable palace rebellion ended, the Ruiz family quickly concluded that everything had been settled—Antonio Griffin would become the supreme ruler of the Gabella Empire, and Felix's remnants would no longer pose a threat.
The Ruiz family soon pledged their loyalty to Antonio.
Not just the Ruiz family, but many other families who had remained ambiguous and had not tied themselves to Felix also quickly pledged their allegiance to the new emperor.
However, Antonio Griffin had already built his own power base during his competition with Felix, especially the so-called "Fire Dragon Legion"—named for their use of thunder-like firearms that could shoot from a distance—which had made significant contributions in quelling Felix's remnants.
This newly emerged army had little connection with the old imperial nobility like the Ruiz family, but the emperor favored them greatly, often deploying them as the main force during the suppression.
The old nobles of the empire felt a great sense of crisis. The Gabella Empire traditionally valued military achievements; being sidelined in military affairs meant losing influence in the new power structure.
They had to fight hard while their influence was still strong to demonstrate their value to the nation, thereby securing and perpetuating their power and status.
This was why noble scions like Woven Ruiz eagerly participated in this war.
However, the devastating defeat on the Usola Plains dealt them a heavy blow—not just spiritually, but physically. Many of the fallen knights were heirs to their families, and many noble families with few heirs might never recover from this.
"To His Majesty the Emperor..." Woven's pen paused, a drop of ink spreading on the parchment like a bloodstain blooming on the battlefield.
The horrific scenes flashed before his eyes again: the roars of the War Elephants, the shattered banners, the fallen soldiers... Their faces were so vivid, as if they were standing in the shadows of the candlelight, watching him.
Woven took a deep breath and continued writing: "I hereby report to you the events of the battle on the Usola Plains." His handwriting remained firm but carried a slight tremor.
He had once thought of glossing over the defeat, but his pride as an imperial soldier quickly suppressed that notion. Woven Ruiz decided to report the truth and bear the guilt of this defeat forever.
The news of the imperial army's defeat on the Usola Plains reached the capital at dawn.
The messenger's horse collapsed in front of the palace, foaming at the mouth. The messenger scrambled up from the ground, ignoring his pain and the dust on his clothes, demanding an immediate audience with the emperor.
The messenger's request was denied, but the letter in his hand was urgently delivered to the emperor's study. Antonio Griffin rose early and had a habit of morning reading.
When the on-duty court attendant unfolded the letter and quickly scanned it, his hand trembled slightly.
Antonio Griffin seemed to have foreseen something and sighed softly, "Read it..."
"Defeat on the Usola Plains," the attendant's trembling voice echoed in the study.
The emperor closed his eyes and leaned silently against the back of his chair. His face showed no bitterness, and after a long while, he said, "Summon the cabinet officials."
An hour later, the ministers at the heart of imperial power all knew about the defeat. The large meeting hall fell into silence.
Old Marshal MacDonald gripped the sword at his waist, his knuckles turning white.
He gritted his teeth and said, "How could War Elephants appear on the Usola Plains? Do those religious fanatics really think divine blessings can overcome physiological limitations?"
The War Elephants driven by the Church, officially known as Neos Jungle Elephants, were massive and easily tamed. What made them particularly valuable was that, after rigorous training, they did not "smartly" flee at the first sign of danger like other elephant breeds. This trait made the Neos Jungle Elephants a terrifying weapon of war. Since their habitat, the Neos Jungle, was near the Holy Capital, the Neos Jungle Elephants became the Church's trump card, regarded by the clergy as divine beasts bestowed by the Heavenly Father to defend the true faith.
However, the Neos Jungle Elephants had a significant weakness—they were particularly prone to illness when far from their homeland, and the mortality rate was high. This flaw made the Church reluctant to deploy them in long-distance campaigns. The War Elephant Legion's usual task was to guard the Holy Capital.
Siegfried frowned and said, "It seems the Church has gone all out, betting everything to suppress us."
Antonio remained calm and instructed MacDonald, "Immediately assemble a new army. We must not allow the Church's forces to penetrate deep into the empire. Also, deploy the Fire Dragon Legion."
MacDonald was briefly startled but quickly nodded in acknowledgment.
He hesitated and asked, "Should we keep the outcome of this battle confidential?"
Antonio thought for a few seconds and said, "I believe in the resilience of our people. Announce the truth and let all Gabellans unite against the enemy."
The news of the defeat spread like wildfire, and by the afternoon, almost everyone in the capital knew what had happened on the Usola Plains.
In the streets and taverns, people talked and seethed with anger, the flames of fury burning in every Gabellan.
After the break with the Church, many deeply religious people had felt an inexplicable sense of guilt or fear towards the Church, but now those feelings had dissipated.
People spontaneously organized rallies and parades, vowing to fight the Church's fanatics to the end. Even many clergy were forced to distance themselves from the Church.
(End of the Chapter)
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