The kingdom of Xishan had fallen, but the shadow of war had not lifted from this land. Instead, it grew heavier. This was because the territory was now occupied by invaders from two different nations.
Before the collapse of Xishan, the armies of these two nations had been commanded by their monarchs to cooperate. However, with Xishan's downfall, they began to view each other as competitors rather than allies.
…
In a military camp, a group of soldiers clad in gray uniforms sat together, chatting idly during their rest time.
"We're about to face those lunatics in crimson cloaks. Sharpen your weapons!" A soldier, sitting cross-legged on his bedroll and sharpening his sword with a whetstone, spoke without lifting his head.
"Don't say that. The higher-ups haven't officially ordered us to fight the Crimson King's army yet."
"Isn't it just a matter of time? Those generals up there are itching for a fight. They've been holding back for so long, they're probably raring to go."
"Heh, if the generals are impatient, aren't we too? We've been out here for so long and haven't earned a shred of military merit. How can we go home like this?"
"Not much we can do about it. We've been putting on a show with those lunatics for so long. Too bad those days are over. Next time we meet, it'll be swords drawn for real."
"When it comes to fighting them for real, stay alert. Those guys may not be the strongest, but they fight like they don't care if they live or die."
"Sigh, I still don't understand how the Crimson King managed to train such a fearless army. They don't even have a military merit or noble title system. What's driving them to fight so hard?"
"I don't get it either. The nations we've conquered before called us bloodthirsty wolves, but even we don't kill for the sake of it. We're just after military merit—and we still value our lives."
"The best thing is to gain a bunch of military merit while keeping your life intact. That's the sweet spot. Of course, on the battlefield, swords have no eyes. If you're outmatched and get killed, there's nothing you can do about it. But even if I die, at least my family can inherit my merits."
"Heh, same here. I didn't expect to survive when I came to the battlefield. I just want to earn a couple of military merits for my family. That way, my son won't have to starve or freeze."
"Just two merits and you're satisfied? That's so pathetic. Look at the generals—some of them are about to be granted marquis titles. Do you know how many of those generals started out just like us?"
"Marquis titles? That's just a pipe dream for us. Not something foot soldiers like us should even think about. Every one of those generals climbed up over the corpses of hundreds of thousands."
"Hey, if we do end up fighting the Crimson King, some generals are bound to get promoted to marquis status."
"Of course. Think about the prize at stake—Xishan's entire territory! Sure, they weren't great at warfare, but they had a lot of land."
"If we manage to crush the Crimson King's army in this war, maybe we can take over all the lands under their control. If that happens, our Gayle Kingdom's territory could double."
"That's easier said than done. Look at their strength. In just three months of coordinated effort, the Crimson King's army wiped Xishan off the map. Their power seems on par with Gayle's."
"On par? You don't understand our kingdom's true strength. Do you think the troops we've deployed are the entirety of our forces?"
"Even if we're not fighting at full strength, the Crimson King probably isn't either. I've yet to see the fabled Crimson King make a move in this war."
"Enough. I'm sure we'll end up fighting eventually, but until we get orders, just be ready. For now, focus on the tasks at hand."
…
The fallen land of Xishan was steeped in a strange atmosphere. The black-armored troops of Gayle Kingdom and the white-armored, crimson-robed soldiers of the Crimson King stood clearly divided.
These two armies, who had once frequently staged coordinated performances, now kept a wary peace while expecting a fierce clash. Both sides, from top to bottom, believed conflict was inevitable and anticipated a brutal war.
What caused this peculiar tension was the lack of concrete orders from either monarch. Even requests for battle were quickly rejected. This baffled the soldiers and citizens on both sides, who couldn't comprehend why their rulers denied the opportunity to fight. Was peace with the other side even an option?
It was at this moment that a procession from Gayle Kingdom appeared on Xishan's former territory, providing everyone with an answer.
This procession was flamboyantly dressed, drawing everyone's attention. Though they hailed from Gayle, their uniforms were a rare combination of bright red and black, exuding an air of celebration.
When the procession appeared, soldiers who learned of their purpose—regardless of which side they belonged to—were utterly stunned. Their worldview was shaken to its core.
Once they understood the purpose of the procession, all units relaxed their vigilance without exception. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence could predict that with such a purpose, war would not break out in the short term. In fact, it might never happen.
…
"Where does that Gayle King get the audacity to propose to our sovereign?"
A man in white armor, his youthful appearance almost angelic, paced angrily in a lavish palace.
He had received news that a procession from Gayle Kingdom had entered Xishan's former lands and was now heading toward the borders of the Divine Flame Kingdom to request an audience with the Crimson King. Their purpose? To deliver a marriage proposal on behalf of Gayle's monarch.
When he first heard of this, his blood boiled with rage, feeling it an insult. Yet, after his initial outburst, he realized there was nothing he could do. Even now, his anger remained intense. In his eyes, the Crimson King was a divine figure—an untouchable goddess to be revered, not desecrated by such audacity.
"Cyril, why are you so angry? Think carefully—there were signs this was coming." A fellow general, dressed in the same style of armor, chuckled as he observed Cyril's frustration.
"You mean the way our army cooperated with Gayle's forces to deceive Xishan?"
"Exactly. You should have anticipated this after that. Don't you find it strange how this nearly two-year-long collaboration with Gayle's army came out of nowhere? Our sovereign issued the order without any warning."
"So, you're saying our sovereign and the Gayle King already knew each other?"
"Not necessarily. Perhaps they've only recently become acquainted. There must be some connection between the two that we're unaware of. This entire war against Xishan was likely orchestrated by the two of them."
"If that's the case…" Cyril's expression darkened, as the situation unfolded far differently than he had imagined.
"This extravagant proposal procession—it was deliberately planned, wasn't it? The outcome of the Gayle King's proposal to our sovereign has already been decided?"
"Most likely. Otherwise, why would a king make such a grand display, only to face rejection? It would be humiliating. The Gayle King must be confident of success."
"Confident of success?" Cyril's face turned pale, his eyes vacant. "But they're separated by such great distance. How could they even know each other? It doesn't make sense."
"I heard the Gayle King is a powerful and invincible figure, capable of conquering all before him. Our sovereign is the same. Beings of their caliber operate on a level we can't comprehend. It wouldn't be surprising if they had met without our knowledge."
"But…" Cyril struggled to accept it.
"There's no 'but.' This is actually a good thing. If the Gayle King and our sovereign were to marry, it would prevent war between our nations. We'd become allies, with no conflicting interests. In fact, we'd grow even stronger together."
"But the royal family won't agree to this marriage. Our sovereign is the most talented individual in history."
"Heh, are you joking? Since when does the royal family have any say in our sovereign's decisions? The royal family is nothing but a burden to her."
"Won't anyone stop this marriage?"
"This is the way things are, Cyril. Don't ruin yourself over it. All signs point to the fact that the two monarchs have already reached an agreement. As long as they don't change their minds, nothing can alter this outcome."
"Sigh—"
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