BXBX NOVEL Chapter 290 1509
When Ogne revealed the first stage of Luke\'s plan to the leaders of Broteforge, they thought it was absurd. In fact, this was the exact same reaction as Luke himself when he heard the same plan the moment the blond-haired woman told him.
However, just as with the half-wolf, they pondered the possibility.
The Broteforge Empire was able to withstand Four Waves, but the last wave was a hard-fought victory that they narrowly missed. It was undeniable that Luke, unlike the Broteforge Empire itself, was managing to make headway, as he got such a powerful ally in a few weeks of travel. What else could Luke have discovered?
The leaders of Broteforge were already feeling the immense pressure of a terrible future approaching, so they all knew they needed at least a breakthrough, but would this breakthrough they so desperately sought be by going backwards?
"What do you guys think? The idea is working and has consistent pillars, however, it is a risk, it is a sacrifice." The Emperor pointed to everyone at that table as he placed both hands on it. He had his fingers crossed and this was the first time that the Emperor seemed really undecided.
Kristofer, leader of the Hunter Owls Clan, raised his hand to speak. "If I may be allowed to be the first to speak, I will give my opinion. I am against ceding our smaller cities to Melki, that would be asking too much of all its citizens. They would need to leave their homes, their jobs, their trades, all without there being a guarantee that when they return, those assets will still be there."
Mikaela Åkerman soon rebutted his statement, revealing her opinion as well. "Assets? There will be no point in having assets if they are not alive. Should we win this war, they will get back everything they\'ve ever conquered. Ask a father whether he would rather keep his home or his son\'s life, and he will answer you without hesitation."
Despite the frank words, the Sensory Magician articulated them in a way that Kristofer did not feel thwarted, but rather inclined to accept the plan.
"Miss Åkerman is right." Amanda Hangen stated. She stood with her arms crossed, highlighting her huge muscles. "I know that this plan will sacrifice everything I have, an entire town, yet every day I feel more frustrated to be here, safe, away from the citizens who inhabit Forge Hill. The history of that town is millennia old, descending from the first Hangen, but protecting a legacy won\'t be worth it if it ends up forming shame."
These statements coming from one of the most powerful Nobles of all time certainly made quite an impact on the people sitting at the table.
After that, Barret placed his wooden bow on the table, causing a grave noise to echo through the hall. "I don\'t know who this Luke Lange guy is, and I don\'t know what he\'s done to be so respected by you guys, so I can\'t trust his plan blindly. Besides, Boiji is the town where I grew up, I will not accept its destruction."
Alexis Dmitry sighed upon hearing these words from an old companion. "Barret, I know you are a Secular now, but you are here to vote for this strategy or not, regardless of what is decided, we will all help carry them out. Mr. Griffin also pointed out that there are more later steps if we decide to pursue Luke\'s idea."
"I know, I know. You don\'t have to remind me of that," Barret complained.
"If you want, I can contact Rebeca so we can find out her opinion on all this. I know there are Seculars and Sensory Magi here, however, the Pontiff has a right to be able to participate in such a defining decision." Amelia spoke up. She was on Ayumi Yamazaki\'s right side and Alexis Dmitry was on the left.
"Please, Miss Hangen." The Emperor allowed.
So Amelia stepped forward, placed both right hands on the table, sighed and used <Astral Projection>.
Rebecca was surprised in her living room by a wide beam of light whose colors ranged from purple to dark blue. Obviously, she recognized this strange phenomenon.
In moments, the beam of light expanded, transforming itself into a rectangular table that the first characteristic was that it was very long. On this table, there were more than two dozen people easily recognizable to Rebecca, both because of her familiarity with these people, and because they were all figures from the Broteforge Empire.
She was quite shocked to see them united after so long, and a strange feeling of uneasiness plagued her heart as soon as she noticed the serious expression of all of them.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" The Pontiff asked, rising from the comfortable armchair at her desk.
In the hall in the Imperial Capital, everyone could see Rebecca as a huge hologram above Amelia\'s head, who had her eyes closed and was concentrating so as not to lose the connection.
The Matriarch of the Strogueher was the one who stood up and explained the situation to Rebeca, who was surprised that Oukiwa was close to falling during the early morning hours, but not so much because the defense strategy of the Broteforge Empire was decided so quickly that it certainly opened gaps for the enemy to take advantage of, or rather, by being outnumbered against such a simple strategy, the demons didn\'t even have to worry about Broteforge\'s strategy, because it was only a matter of time before they lost.
"Got it... The current strategy is working, however, we can\'t know how long it will continue this way. How many have died in those first few weeks?" Rebecca inquired, putting her right fist over her lips, denouncing her concern.
Emperor Callant was in the middle of turning around to ask the imperial guard who was collecting this information, but Alexis answered the same second the question was asked.
"One thousand five hundred and nine people by the Fourth Wave. There are a significant number of missing people as well, these who may have been devoured by the monsters, butchered, or worse."
All was silent for a few seconds after the S-Class Adventurer spoke, until the Pontiff sighed and said:
"The exorbitant death toll for such a new war is proof that the fate that awaits Broteforge is not what we long for. I trust the final decision you will make, and I also trust Mr. Lange. He has been helping with the investigation of the demons and this possible war from the very beginning, so there is no better person for us to listen to. When you finally decide you are in favor of his plan, let me know, I have some ideas for the rapid transportation of citizens from one city to another."
After that, Amelia Hangen deactivated the <Astral Projection> ability, sweating with sweat. However, there was something different in the looks of everyone sitting at the table, something different from when Amelia had closed her eyes. Most of the figures were looking more determined, and a few showed a frustrated look.
The Emperor looked at each person\'s face and spoke:
"This is the best way. Should it be proven that Mr. Griffin is indeed an envoy of Luke Lange, Mr. Lange is right, there are no gains without sacrifices. I know that everyone present here has already sacrificed a lot, it\'s just that maybe that\'s not enough."
On the faces of the Seculars and the Sensory Magi the shame was stamped. Most of them knew the information about the amount of dead from these first weeks.
The first to react from them was Jiyo. He stood up and bowed his head with a serious countenance. "I and everyone I represent in the Special Squadron are in favor of the change in strategy. If approved, we commit to the execution of any order, from food logistics to a direct attack on the Melki Emperor\'s Palace."
Then Barret stood up and placed his right hand on his chest, leaning forward just as Jiyo had done.
One by one the people sitting at that table stood up and agreed to the change in strategy. It didn\'t matter whether it would require much more effort from them or not, because the fate of the continent was at stake. In the end, even the people who were initially against sacrificing smaller cities to compensate in defending cities with Dungeons voted for the change, making the decision unanimous.
"Very well, then it is decided. The Broteforge Empire will retreat even further. Regardless of the revolt this decision will generate, we stand together and are committed to this new strategy." The Emperor was the last to stand.
Everyone in that hall bowed once again, this time in simultaneity.
"You four." Callant looked in the direction Ogne, Alexis, Amelia and Ayumi were standing. "You guys know a way to communicate with Luke, right? Let him know that he can proceed with his part, and also communicate in advance which city or location he will be staying, I will ask that some shadows go to the Melki Empire, so they can assist him."
"Yes, your Imperial Majesty!" The three women bowed in respect, however, Ogne only nodded briefly.
None of the people present at this meeting in the Imperial Palace knew, but on the other side of the continent, Luke and Meredith were already beginning to take the first steps towards the second stage of the plan, because Scales predicted that a future where her strategy was negated simply didn\'t exist, even considering in the calculation external parameters.