Chapter 40

Smolder Territory.

Earl Esther stared at the report in his hands, his expression one of utter bewilderment.

"What is it, brother? Has there been a development in Ironwood?" Sparrow asked, noticing his brother's shock.

"No. It’s not Ironwood." Esther shook his head, handing the parchment over. "It is the Rodinia Grand Alliance. It has been reformed!"

"What?" Sparrow gasped, snatching the report to read it himself.

"The Pope of Holy Light has summoned the Emperors of the Three Great Empires, the Empress of the Elves, the Sage of the Magic Association, and the Lord of the Dwarves to the Holy City. They have officially announced the re-establishment of the Rodinia Alliance Army!"

Sparrow read the words aloud, his shock growing with every syllable.

"The Three Empires I can understand. The Dwarves are expected; they have been collaborating with us against the demons for three thousand years. But the Elves?" Sparrow was incredulous.

Since the Great Betrayal during the Demon War five thousand years ago, the Elves had adopted a policy of strict isolationism. For five millennia, they had refused to cooperate with human nations.

For five thousand years, humanity had fought the Demon Lords alone, with only the Dwarves providing auxiliary support.

But this time... the Elves had stepped out of their forests.

"Is the 'Starfall Demon Lord' truly that terrifying? She has four Authorities, yes, but the Three Empires possess dozens of Ninth-Rank powerhouses and dozens of Authorities between them!"

Sparrow couldn't wrap his head around it. Even if an Eighth-Rank Knight could resonate with four elements, she shouldn't be able to defeat dozens of Seventh-Rank Knights who resonated with only one.

"I don't know. But the Emperor has issued the Imperial Conscription Order... Tsk!" Esther clicked his tongue in annoyance.

A Conscription Order was different from the Summons issued previously.

A Summons called upon the nobles to assemble their private armies. It targeted the aristocracy.

A Conscription Order meant the Empire was expanding the Four Great Legions. It notified the nobles that they must provide manpower and resources, targeting everyone—including the peasantry and slaves.

Aside from the elite Rose Knights guarding the capital, the Empire maintained four standing armies: the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Legions.

Historically, these legions were composed of commoners, mercenaries, and low-ranking knights who failed to make the cut for the Rose Knights. They were often ignored by the high nobility because their commanders were usually only Seventh-Rank Knights. Their duties were typically relegated to maintaining public order, while real wars were fought by the nobles' private armies.

But now, with the Conscription Order active, Esther remembered the history. In the Dark Era, these four legions numbered over a million men. Led by the four Grand Dukes, they had fought the demons in a sea of blood alongside the Rose Knights.

Ignoring the ancient history, Esther was more concerned about the immediate cost.

The draft demanded a fixed quota based on rank. As an Earl, Esther had to provide:

 One Seventh-Rank Knight

 Five Sixth-Rank Grand Knights

 Ten Fifth-Rank Knights

 Fifty Fourth-Rank Knights

 Five Low-Rank Knight Squads

 Supplies to feed 1,000 men for 100 days.

"It seems our plans for Ironwood must be postponed..." Esther sighed.

Just as he was preparing to crush Charlo, this happened. Was it bad luck? Or was the boy blessed by fate?

"If only it were a simple Summons..."

The biggest difference between a Summons and a Conscription Order was the element of choice.

With a Summons, a noble could find an excuse to decline. As long as they didn't openly slap the Emperor's face, the Crown wouldn't pursue it.

But a Conscription Order was mandatory. Refusal was treason. If Esther hesitated, the neighboring nobles wouldn't even need to march to the front lines—they would march on his castle first to claim the reward for executing a traitor.

___________________________

Ironwood Keep. The War Room.

Charlo looked at his assembled ministers and spoke slowly. "Then it is decided. For this draft, Ironwood will provide only material resources."

"It is the only way. Davis is at sea, so we have no Fifth-Rank Knights to spare. And you, My Lord, cannot leave," Lawrence said, spreading his hands helplessly.

According to the regulations, as a Viscount, Charlo was required to provide:

 Three Fifth-Rank Knights

 Ten Fourth-Rank Knights

 Three Low-Rank Knight Squads

 Food for 500 men for 100 days.

But Ironwood only had three Fifth-Rank Knights in total: Charlo, Davis, and Lawrence.

Davis was currently floating somewhere in the ocean on the Dreadnought. If Charlo and Lawrence left to join the army, the administration of Ironwood would collapse.

Fortunately, the First Emperor had foreseen such situations. If a noble could not provide manpower, they could substitute it with a massive surplus of supplies.

The substitution rate was steep, but affordable for Ironwood. Charlo now had to provide food for 1,200 men for 100 days. Given Ironwood's agricultural boom, this was effortless.

After the meeting.

Clyris stopped Charlo in the hallway.

"I am going back," she said simply.

"What?" Charlo paused.

"I am returning... to the Demon Realm."

He froze for a moment. "Why?"

"The Rodinia Grand Alliance has reformed. Who do you think they are targeting?" Clyris asked him, her eyes intense.

"...You?"

"Wrong! If they were just hunting me, they wouldn't need to mobilize low-rank knights and commoner legions," Clyris said grimly.

"That means..." Charlo realized immediately.

"Exactly. They are launching a total war against the entire Demon Race."

Charlo fell silent.

Clyris had expected this reaction, but seeing it still stung a little.

"I will find a way to cross the Dragonspine Mountains on my own. Don't worry, I won't expose you or Ironwood."

She turned to leave.

"Wait—"

She had barely taken a step when a hand grabbed her wrist.

"I will help you return!"

His voice was firm and powerful, shocking Clyris into stillness.

"It's fine... You don't need to worry about me. I can make it back myself. It's just a mountain range! Don't look down on me!"

She tried to pull her hand back. She tugged twice, but his grip was iron. Giving up on the physical struggle, she tried to persuade him with words.

"That won't do. We made a pact," Charlo smiled, though his eyes were serious. "You help me engrave runes, and I help you hide. When the time is right, I send you back."

"As a Knight, how can I abandon my oath?"

"Enough! You are a knight without a shred of noble conduct; what does breaking an oath matter to you? Let go!" Clyris shouted sternly.

"It matters!"

Charlo shouted back, his voice echoing in the corridor. "I am Charlo de Rose, Viscount of the Morris Empire. When I agree to something, I never go back on my word!"

"And what can you do?!" Clyris demanded, her voice cracking slightly. "You are a tiny Viscount. You have no power, no authority outside these walls. What can you possibly do against the world?"

"At the very least, I can send you home!"

Charlo pulled her hand, closing the distance between them abruptly.

Clyris stood nearly 1.8 meters tall—very tall for a woman—but standing this close to Charlo, she still had to look up to meet his gaze.

He looked down at her, his dark eyes burning with resolve.

"We will use the new aircraft," he whispered. "Project Griffin."