Back to Lustburg, the council was still on as Sol discussed with the Dukes.
Later on, they would have to create a larger council to bring in more of the nobles as they had the right and duty to bring representatives.
Sol did not plan to let anyone sit out during this war. This would be the first step of his conquest and he needed his soldiers to become more experienced and form a cohesive group;
“Your majesty. While I do not want to question you, I cannot help but wonder. Was it truly wise to give up one of our hidden cards now?”
“Hidden card?”
Sol tilted his head in confusion at Tyr's question before finally understanding he was talking about Setsuna’s identity.
He shook his head, “I also thought it might be more useful to reveal it during the war itself. But the Supreme Daughter made me understand that from the moment Setsuna awakened, Lupus would already be aware.”
He shrugged. At the end of the day. No one stupid could become a king. It didn’t matter how ruthless and arrogant Lupus was. Sol would rather bet that he was too smart and prepared in consequence rather than that he was not smart enough and look down on him.
Underestimating your enemy was the best way to get destroyed.
“Rather than giving him the time to prepare. Better share this news now. At least he would only be able to cover the hole we created.”
Sol stopped speaking and looked at the map,
“I do not just want to beat Wratharis and take some lands. I want much more and this is why I am slowly moving my pieces.”
In his eyes, the world was starting to look like a giant chessboard and he was slowly becoming one of the big players.
“Rather than keeping Setsuna’s identity secret. What we really need to keep secret is the fact that Envilya is our new partner.”
—-And if Nefertiti did well, Southern Pride would be another ally, even if temporary. He would have to work on a way to subdue the Queen and the Supreme Daughter if it was necessary.
His mind moved to Southern Pride as he traced Nefertiti’s thread and he frowned a little. He had the impression that things in the elf's kingdoms would be rather complicated.
Sol tapped his finger quietly and the room fell silent. It was quite a wonder to see how everyone observed him awaiting his words. A far cry from what the earlier reunion had been in the past.
Sol thought of the different things that could actually stop him from conquering Southern Pride and while there was quite a few, the one he could names at the top of his head were,
The divine weapons of elves.
The Queen finally evolves to become a Demigod.
Exterior intervention from someone like one of the Wings.
‘Well…In the end, the only true unknown is that divine weapon.’
His own divine weapon, while not an attack type, allowed him to do something as crazy as observing the Thread of Fate and even seeing the action of the goddesses.
He did not know how special his divine weapon was. But since the other divine weapons were created by the goddesses themselves, at the very least they could be very dangerous.
“Milia. I want you to use a part of the administration to search the library and take note of any information related to divine weapons.”
It was worth nothing that the King of Wratharis would obviously have one as well. So it wouldn’t hurt to prepare a little more.
“Very well.”
“Also, I need information about any foreign diplomat we have in Southern Pride. Even if they get discovered, it is not a problem. They will not get killed.”
He closed his eyes and thought about everything he needed and wanted to do.
This war was going to be a huge test. It was the perfect way for his army to grow.
He wished he could simply go alone to fight and defeat everyone but conquest sadly did not work like this.
As important a leader was, a country would rarely fall just because one ruler was put down and the citizens would be even less willing to bow.
This sadly means that the loss of lives was impossible to avoid.
“Take another look at our system for veterans and the reward given to families of soldiers. I know the nobles will take some small cut and it’s fine. But they need to understand…No one should step beyond the limit.”
There was nothing more awful than seeing the family of someone who fought to protect their kingdom not even be able to feed themselves because the funds they should have rightfully received were withheld because of corruption.
Sol did not think that he could in any way stop corruption. This was something that would always exist as long as humanity existed and was not completely brainwashed.
But there were limits…
He turned toward Hermes, “Duke Traver, Duchess Milaris. Do you have any good news for me?”
Hermes Traver chuckled, “Lady Theresa said that she is nearly ready. Tomorrow we should be able to see a prototype of the new golem as well as the new armor.”
Arachne nodded. She was still very shocked about the fact that Sol had a relationship with another of her friends but in the end, this did not truly matter to her. They were all consenting adults and they had the right to do whatever they wanted to do as long as they didn’t hurt anyone.
“Those golems were ugly but the art put in them was beautiful. I managed to glean some precious information and it will be possible for me to mass produce some of them using my power.”
Arachne was born with a very special talent for art and she was so good that she was even rewarded a weapon by the goddess. Thanks to her skill, she was able to literally share her vision and sense with any and all artworks that belonged to her.
As many of the artwork in the capital actually were from her, it was no mistake to say that she had an eye everywhere.
“Good. I thought that your skill with the golden would work very well. I am happy I was right.”
‘Now what else do we need to speak about.’
[Your Highness, the supplies.]
“Ah…Thanks.”
He did not need to hide that Milia had spoken to him and never did he want to. He knew that he did not know everything so having an adviser close to him was normal.
“If I remember well, we should have started attacking the twilight fortress. How is the result so far?”
If they managed to get that place, it would make the supply line much more secure for the foreseeable future. It was a strategic location that was too important to let go.
Tyr grimaced a little, “I am sorry. It seems like my incompetent brother had not done the job he was given.”
Tyr was obviously talking about Gerald. This caused the mood of the room to become a little colder. But Sol did not show an upset expression.
“No need to walk on eggshells because of such a topic. I am not so fragile. I will throw my anger at you because of it.”
He sighed and stood up. “Since the convict Gerald is taking care of that front. We need someone else.”
He pointed to a place a little farther away, “The Bridge of Friendship.”
It was created by one of the kings of Lustburg who was one of the greatest leechers before Sol. A man who was very much Kemonomimi as they called them.
This bridge was another trade route. But it was also a symbol. “We should avoid causing any destruction to this bridge and in fact, we need to protect it.”
Sol could guess many things. This bridge was proof that Lustburg and Wratharis had once been friends.
It was the kind of thing no one cared about when it was present.
But the moment it is destroyed…Things would get ugly.
Sol did not want any great unresolved hatred to foster between the two countries. This would make things more difficult in the future.
But Lupus had no such compulsion. The more the beast men hated humanity the better it would be for him;
Lilin raised her hand, “I will go.”
Her eyes shone with excitement. This would be the first sortie of her knight order.
She couldn’t wait.
