Lucien watched the reports from Lootwell.
For the first time since the void attacks began, the attacks were no longer multiplying faster than they could respond.
He should have been satisfied.
Part of him was.
They had made the promise.
They had kept it.
Lootwell's reputation remained intact.
More importantly, people were alive who might otherwise have died holding broken barriers together with their bodies.
That mattered more.
Still, Lucien's gaze remained on one report.
Monster Emperor casualties.
There were several.
Strong beings thrown into attacks that had little chance of succeeding once the ancient beasts arrived.
He remembered Astraea's unease.
He remembered how quickly another Monster Emperor had replaced the one she killed.
The enemy had lost valuable forces.
Yet the attacks had continued.
Lucien did not believe they were stupid.
That meant they believed whatever they were learning was worth the price.
Or worse...
The price did not matter to them.
