Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 422: Speech Before War

Two hours ago, at the border zone between the Kingdom of Velys and the Valeria Empire, a middle-aged man in military uniform stood on the training ground, facing row upon row of heavily armored infantry wielding sharp blades.

The dim sunlight cast upon them, merging their shadows with the towers behind. Cold wind blew, and the clashing of armor produced a harsh, grating sound.

On the elevated platform of the training ground stood the sturdy man named Grant Morenthes, the frontier duke closest to the national border of the Kingdom of Velys, and for years, the long-standing rival of Duke Charles.

Today, they will use swords and blood to open a brand-new Chapter of history.

Feeling the lingering sunlight on his head, slightly easing the chill in the air, Grant remained still, silently waiting for his personal guard to return.

Seven days ago, a royal order had arrived from the Velys capital, informing Grant that war was imminent and that he could begin preparations for advancing toward the Liya Tower Fortress.

Although both the Kingdom of Velys and the Valeria Empire originated from the same human empire, their political systems had drastic changes throughout long historical shifts.

The fifth king of the Valeria Kingdom used ships as the core to establish a fleet, opening a sea route to the Pan-Human Alliance. Using this achievement, he allied with numerous nobles to gradually eliminate the Church’s influence within the empire. Later, he enacted a series of laws restricting the powers of the Four Dukes while clearly affirming the supreme status of the king. Ultimately, he crowned himself emperor, establishing a hereditary line for his descendants.

The succeeding emperors ruled diligently, tightly holding power, suppressing the nobility, and reforming laws, forming the Valeria Empire as it stands today.

The Kingdom of Velys, however, was greatly different. Although the king was nominally the head of state, his control over powerful nobles was actually quite weak. At the Duke level, these nobles could unite and possess the strength to oppose the royal family.

Not to mention, there was another faction within the kingdom, the religious power, distinct from secular nobles, yet capable of rivaling them equally.

King and nobles, church and crown, multiple forces coexisted within the Kingdom of Velys, making it a contradictory yet tightly united entity.

Now, they were turning their blades toward their neighboring country. This was not merely the king’s decision, but also the choice of the Pope and the majority of nobles.

"Your Grace, the reserve granaries are well-stocked, combat supplies have been verified, and transport routes remain unobstructed."

"Duke Howard’s army has also assembled, stationed with the Church Knights at the Cartels Mountains, ready to provide support at any moment."

Hearing the attendant’s report, Grant waved his hand, exhaled a breath of stale air, and cast his gaze toward the setting sun near the western fort and towers.

A relatively loose political system was inherently unsuitable for joint operations, this was exactly why, for a long time, the Kingdom of Velys, despite its superior individual soldier quality, could only match or barely surpass the Valeria Empire in military strength.

The Holy Church’s Temple Knights, driven by doctrine, chose to march into the Valeria Empire to spread the faith of the God of Light. As for nobles like Grant, their fundamental reason for joining the war was to expand their territories and plunder land resources.

Duke Charles’s domain lies in the northern part of the empire, representing cold and aridity. Many imperial nobles might sneer at such land, but the Velys nobles, whose territories were mostly in frigid zones, thought otherwise.

More land means more crops and livestock, more population, more wealth. Not to mention that beyond this frozen wasteland waiting for the empire’s most fertile soil.

As the vanguard force, once achieving results, Duke Grant will claim the largest share. Only then would the rest be handed over to the king and other nobles.

This was his rightful reward.

Twenty minutes later, as the atmosphere began to loosen slightly, Grant slowly spoke.

"Those standing here should know that the Kingdom of Velys and the Valeria Empire share the same origin."

"After the Great Catastrophe ended, hardworking and wise people built farmhouses on fertile lands, mined minerals, and gradually grew into the once-glorious Lorin Empire."

The man’s voice was low. Infused with immense spiritual energy, it remains clearly audible even amid the howling wind.

"At that time, the Lorin Empire possessed vast lands, prosperous ports, endless silk and brocade, milk and honey that never ran dry."

"There was no cold, no hunger, no suffering, everything resembles the Holy Scripture’s description of the Lord’s divine kingdom."

"Yet, just as life and death form an inevitable cycle, apart from the omnipotent Lord, all things with a beginning must have an end. After a great upheaval, the mighty empire collapsed, split from one whole into two, today’s Kingdom of Velys and Valeria Empire."

"This is by no means something to celebrate."

Grant gripped his sword tightly, his voice turning especially solemn.

"At least, for us who live in the cold, it is unjust."

"The Lorin Empire fractured into two major regions, southeast and northwest, separated by undulating mountains, dry and hard tundra, and bottomless fissures forming the border between kingdom and empire."

"We must wear thick clothing every day, toil hard on the land unfit for crops, rely on fire every night to maintain body heat and avoid being overwhelmed by the cold, and at dawn, pile stones in the wind to build castles."

"Meanwhile, the citizens of the Valeria Empire enjoy abundant land, mild climates, ice-free ports, and mines buried with countless treasures."

"Our ancestors were once subjects of the same nation, yet our living conditions are different as if from different worlds."

"They have enjoyed their privileges for far too long."

Finishing his words, the man drew his sword from its scabbard. The cold, sharp light reflected on the steel blade, and the grating sound of metal clashing merged with the flapping of military banners in the wind, adding a grim, solemn atmosphere.

"They do not understand our demands. They refuse to cede land. The Valeria Emperor even believes we should remain in these barren, frozen lands, enduring hunger, cold, and the threat of powerful magical beasts."

"They have never considered what life is like on the other side of the abyss."

"Now, it is time to reclaim what belongs to us."

With the pre-battle mobilization concluded, sensing the surging fighting spirit within the army, Grant relayed his battle plans to his personal guard and relevant personnel to complete the final pre-war preparations.

Having sharpened their swords for years, in just over an hour, it would be time to strike.

Sitting in his command chair, staring at the distant Liya Tower Fortress, Grant recalled his speech. He confirmed that the reasons for war were appropriate and comprehensive.

He could not possibly send soldiers into a brutal national war without justification. That would not only lack public support but also diminish civilian backing, ultimately affecting the army’s combat effectiveness.

Just as the Holy Temple brainwashed the Temple Knights, they viewed this war as a liberation, a judgment and interrogation of heretics, a mission where divine messengers traveled to a faithless land to personally enlighten them about the true world, to understand the Lord’s mercy and severity.

As for the truth, they didn’t need to know. Just as they remained unaware that the ones responsible for their suffering were not the neighboring country’s people, whom they had never met, but the noble aristocrats high above.

They only needed to throw themselves into war, becoming tools for kings and lords to pursue personal gains, using their lives as fuel, then die.

This was the soldiers’ fate, driven and swept along by false slogans, becoming sources of suffering for others.

Grant felt no sympathy. He had rehearsed this speech on the training ground millions of times. Even the subtle curl of his lips and the indignant glare were part of the excellent expression control cultivated since childhood as a noble.

As long as they charged into battle without hesitation, the performance had not been in vain.

He drank the tea handed by his attendant, feeling the warm liquid slid down his esophagus and settled in his stomach. Gazing at the setting sun outside the window, his eyes grow increasingly profound.

As the vanguard force with the highest casualty rate, in this war, he must claim the most enticing land, stretching from the northwest to the southwest, directly piercing into the heart of the Valeria Empire.

Seeing the future within reach, the man curled his lips slightly, then after a moment, his brow furrowed slightly.

But... why this timing...

He had heard that the Valeria Emperor had recently fallen ill and hadn’t appeared in public for a long time.

In Grant’s view, the optimal moment would be just before the emperor’s death and the subsequent power transition, when all eyes were on the capital City, then launch a surprise attack on Liya Tower Fortress.

Had other kingdom nobles pressured the king due to impatience? Or did they have other plans?

Could it be that they feared Hibbort, using the illness as cover, was secretly arranging a succession, and would reveal it only when the time was ripe?

If so, they truly risked losing the best opportunity for attack.

The wall clock ticked steadily. The warm tea rose with thick white steam. Grant watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon.

A bright moon hung high in the sky. Beyond it, only deep, heavy darkness remains.

"Announce to the entire army: Operation begins." Grant said slowly.

"Take Liya Tower Fortress within five days."

...................

Elsewhere, at an outpost established outside Liya Tower Fortress, Lyra stood atop one of the towers, her sky-blue pupils fixed on the armored infantry advancing toward them.

Within the planned defensive network, Liya Tower Fortress faced the frozen plain and stood at the most accessible entry point into the empire’s territory, nestled between the natural barriers of mountains and abyss.

Due to this extremely strategic location, Liya Tower Fortress had received substantial strategic resource allocation from Duke Charles. It was not only reinforced with numerous outposts but also transformed into an almost impregnable steel fortress using mana-powered weapons.

In comparison, the current outpost where Lyra stood was merely the first line of defense for the entire fortress. Although its defenses were strong, they paled in comparison to the two rear fortifications. Its primary function was to warn of enemy approaches and create tactical buffers.

Entering attack range, soldiers on the watchtower drew their bows taut, aiming at the infantry within sight. With a piercing sound, a dense volley of arrows rained down upon the enemy.

In this world of swords and magic, powerful knights and mages were difficult to harm with ordinary blades. However, wars were mostly fought by low-ranking soldiers, who generally possessed only knight-level strength. Against the kinetic impact of cold weapons, they still suffer heavy casualties.

Seeing the dense arrows like raindrops beneath the moonlight, the vanguard soldiers immediately raised their shields, firmly protecting their fronts.

Most arrowheads strike the shields, leaving only clear impact sounds and faint white marks. Yet a few arrows pierced through metal, hitting the gaps in the rear soldiers’ armor, producing eerie, muffled thuds as they plunged into flesh.

The difference wasn’t in the materials of arrows or shields, but in the drawing strength and the total spiritual energy infused into the tips.

Every arrow capable of piercing a shield was fired by an elite soldier reaching the Grand Knight level. But even so, they remained a minority compared to the vanguard forces of the Kingdom of Velys.

The army continued to advance. As the distance closed, many archers hidden behind shields seized brief gaps between volleys to release treacherous shots at the outpost defenders.

Unlike the broad volleys meant to hinder advancement, these targeted attacks were extremely precise, specifically aimed at the Grand Knights who had just demonstrated the ability to pierce shields.

Sensing danger, several soldiers ducked, evading the incoming arrows. Immediately afterwards, another volley was launched at the targets. The soldiers responsible for operating defensive machinery were also ready to counterattack. A flash of light passed, and a magic circle appeared on the ground before the outpost. On the frozen earth, ambient ice elements reassembled and condensed into hundreds of sturdy ice spikes spreading flat across the ground.

This defensive structure wasn’t a mana-powered device, but a simple magic circle.

Lyra watched the massive wave of advancing troops. The stone bricks beneath her feet and the earth before she seemed to tremble continuously under the weight of heavy armor.

Suddenly, a chilling sensation crept up Lyra’s spine. Her body reacted before her mind, and as the sound of an arrow cutting through air reached her ears, she had already raised her hand and clutched into empty space.

A sharp arrow was tightly gripped by her thick-gloved hand. The residual kinetic energy transmitted into muscle and bone, causing her wrist to tremble faintly.

Pink hair fluttered, revealing the girl’s delicate, small ears. Lyra kept her legs perfectly straight, not retracting even an inch.

She tossed the arrow aside, her eyes scanning toward the firing point. The archer had already hidden behind a shield, his figure invisible.

The mental energy on that arrow had reached the level of a peak Grand Knight. It seemed the vanguard force wasn’t composed solely of ordinary soldiers, but also included some elite fighters.

Using masses of common soldiers as the main advancing force, supported by mages who hindered the defenders’ spellcasting and high-rank knights capable of counterattacks.

Exactly as described in the training materials provided by the army.