Chapter 1396 - 1311: Two New Towers

Chapter 1396: Chapter 1311: Two New Towers

Before May ended, the news of Lakunio succeeding as the commander of the Northern Army had spread throughout the Eastern Continent.

This time, however, his identity was no longer the human Knight Lakunio but the Vampire Duke Lakunio.

Alongside this news, the gradual arrival of a hundred thousand clan troops from the Western Continent was also announced.

Although Lakunio had become a Vampire Duke, it didn’t mean he could immediately convince all clans and royal faction.

Even Serafe couldn’t achieve that, at most, she could threaten them.

Before launching the Eastern expansion war against the Holy Alliance, she could target the major clans, but now that the war was underway, it was no longer feasible.

Unless she personally led the army back to the Western Continent, which would undoubtedly waste three to five years.

Serafe, being born in the last century, hadn’t been able to fit the most perfect body due to a trick by Serafe herself; her lifespan was very limited.

How many three to five years does she have left? Despite her seeming to be healthy, it’s because vampires inherently look lifeless, making it hard to tell.

This year, it was necessary to capture Huaqiu City, or seize that Saint’s Grandson as well, since he was now at the front line.

Otherwise, if delayed further, the Holy Alliance could drag it out with her, while she couldn’t hold on.

The Southern clan troops, numbering a hundred thousand, weren’t very convinced by Lakunio’s appointment, so forty thousand of them joined the Central Army.

Compared to the bitter cold Roaring Corridor and their homeland’s unsuitable heat for vampires, it was more enjoyable in the Leia Kingdom.

Therefore, under the plans of Konyaz, Lakunio, and Serafe herself, a Summer Plan was officially formed.

Simply put, the south stays inactive, focusing on organization and structure recovery, while the north drastically mobilizes to push the Holy Alliance back to its original borders.

The overall strategy was defense, but the north would attack.

Despite Serafe virtually permitting internal royal faction growth and clan infighting, she focused all her main energy on one matter: the military.

Although every battle with the Holy Alliance seemed like a defeat for the royal army, who in the current Eastern Continent hasn’t been defeated by the Holy Alliance?

Considering the native forces of Falan, Norn, and Leia, the royal military’s efficiency was extremely high.

Not discussing command efficiency and tactical systems, purely speaking in terms of logistic efficiency and decision transmission efficacy, the Royal Court was not inferior to the Holy Alliance.

At least on the battlefield, allied forces would be rescued in times of distress!

This surpassed the original imperial troops considerably, as Horn utilized this principle to draw large numbers of royal forces at Mount Mote.

Compared to Falan, Horn was lucky to gather three thousand men by waiting day and night.

This renewed atmosphere of unity wouldn’t fade until suffering an irremediable setback.

As of now, the vampire’s thinking was proactive, not conservative.

This was evident in the Holy Alliance back then, with echoes lingering to this day.

Once an order was issued from Skull Throne City, regardless of execution, royal palaces and clan armies would strive to fulfill it.

Especially in facing humans, the unity against external humiliation was indeed rare.

Of course, don’t ask about how well it was executed.

After Serafe promulgated the battle plan, regions immediately began to respond, carrying out targeted measures, mobilizing supplies, retraining, and more.

As time progressed into June, the entire empire started to heat up gradually.

In the imperial public opinion sphere, the stubborn scholars and bishops, no matter how previously disparaging towards the Holy Alliance, had to begrudgingly praise it now.

The Holy Alliance launched three major battles, reclaimed Roaring Corridor territories, rescued the invaded Thorn Garden, and even preserved Huaqiu City.

After three battles, the Holy Alliance lost fewer than twenty thousand and quickly replenished them, whereas the vampire losses exceeded a hundred thousand.

The initial summer advances of the royal court, capturing Huaqiu City and advancing towards Red Leaf Hill, were now thoroughly defeated.

Therefore, both the populace and various newspapers praised the Saint’s Grandson, discreetly avoiding mentioning the Holy Alliance.

At this point, according to several experts and scholars’ analyses, following traditional patterns, vampires no longer had motivation to continue.

Simply hold the current defensive lines and gradually reclaim lost territories over a hundred and eighty years, as coastal regions have frequently changed hands between the royal court and the empire, the historical community was used to it.

Some even believed the battle was already won, suggesting everyone sound the retreat, turn swords to ploughshares, and return home.

Charles VIII should stop reforms aimed at vampires, and the Holy Alliance should cease land tenancy, Hundred Households District, and social reconstruction initiatives.

Wouldn’t it be better to return to the pre-war state?

As for the Saint’s Grandson, he ignored these opinions.

After the battle of Flower Hill, the Central Army did not return but instead stationed at the Dawn Federation.

In June, the Dawn Federation was swept by hot winds, the dry yellow grass hit against gray-brown military tents.

Horn stood on a high platform in the camp, scanning the distant orderly formations with a telescope.

The Black Crown Battle Group soldiers were training with orderly steps, competing with their old rival Guard Battle Group.

At the edge of the camp, soldiers were reinforcing sandbags with pickaxes, laboring alongside Dawn Federation soldiers, occasionally exchanging stiff communication.

"Still no movement from Konyaz’s side." Petier stepped onto the platform and handed over the reconnaissance report. "After four thousand southern clan troops joined the Central Army, they camped at the Leia border, neither advancing nor retreating, seemingly in observation."

Horn put down the telescope, his fingertip tracing the red marks on the map.

"He doesn’t dare move." Horn spoke calmly, "After losing the Flower Hill battle, and unsure of our deployment, no matter how urgently Serafe pushes, he must first stabilize his stance."

Turning his gaze to the training camp, he saw several new recruits shooting at wooden stakes, in quite a disorderly fashion, while others trained with pikes and axes nearby.

That was Narran’s troops training, which undeniably paled compared to the Holy Alliance.

After all, what the Holy Alliance could provide, the Dawn Federation couldn’t.

Horn watched this scene, recalling the early days of the Holy Alliance’s creation, and turned to Petier, saying, "Let the instructors stay for half a month, and teach basic tactics again.

The Dawn Federation is a barrier; the stronger they are, the less pressure we face."

In the following days, Horn inspected the camp, checked defense construction progress, and occasionally received messages from the Holy Mechanism Court via signal machines.

Lakunio’s Northern Army was still being integrated, clan friction continued, and a hundred thousand reinforcements couldn’t form combat strength promptly.

Serafe’s urgent directives came frequently, trying to regain prestige, yet she couldn’t overcome Konyaz’s caution.

Up to summer, Konyaz had yet to engage in offense, so Horn knew he wouldn’t attack.

For Konyaz had been summoned back overnight for discussions with Serafe, about what was unknown.

Though unsure of what Konyaz was waiting for, Horn knew what he himself was waiting for.

Mid-June, the Saint’s Grandson sat in the tent, reviewing supply lists when the footsteps of a messenger sounded outside.

"Your Majesty, there’s a report from the Holy Mechanism Court: two new Ethereal Towers are about to be completed!"