At least the air in Ballard's room froze for a while.
Just in time for the king's eyes to rest on him.
"So that's all."
Fortunately, King Kessel looked away and spoke again:
"Thordor?"
The air started flowing again.
Thales breathed a sigh of relief and avoided the eyes of others.
Thank God they didn't ask any further.
Maybe, he shouldn't have said so much about Little Slippery?
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Military Advisor, Thordor Red bowed and answered:
"All the military information we need to know about Northland is here."
In the dim room, the royal meeting restored the normal working atmosphere:
Prime Minister Cullen shook his head thoughtfully, military advisor Thordo looked serious, and Viscount Connie, who was in charge of commerce and finance, was whispering something.
Lord Clapham, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, continued to wander with his eyes wide open. Archdeacon Stylianides did not say a word, but still listened attentively.
Thales maintained the gentle smile and elegant sitting posture of the Duke of Star Lake, low-key and decent.
Only the king's figure remained unmoved, and the stability was greater than the eternal lamp behind him.
"Gilbert?"
The Iron Fist King's eyes flickered as he glanced at the map and chess pieces on the table.
The former Foreign Secretary had anticipated this and calmly raised his glasses:
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Gilbert reopened his notebook:
"Thanks to the colleagues in the Secret Department for their generous cooperation, and also to the sharing of battle reports between Master Sodo and the Military Affairs Department. After understanding all the details, the Foreign Affairs Department has a new judgment on the post-war situation."
He cleared his throat:
"The general conclusion is: Although the scene is victorious, but..."
Xingchen Cunning Fox's eyes flashed:
"Exeter is no winner."
Thales' eyes moved.
"First of all, without the consumption and containment of the other two cities, Longxiao City would not be able to take over Liberty Castle so easily."
Gilbert pointed to the black and white chess pieces on the long table:
"But now, the fame and fortune, the city and the land, all the good things have been taken over by the Palace of Heroes."
"On the contrary, Qiyuan City and Jieshou City suffered a huge defeat and were ridiculed."
The participants' expressions were astonished and their hearts were enlightened.
"And don't forget the 'peace order' issued by the Grand Duchess," Sodo added coldly:
"And her generous 'forgiveness' to the prisoners of war. In contrast, Ronnie and the Leko family suffered heavy losses and gained nothing..."
Thales thought of the resolute Archduke Ronnie and the old and strong Archduke Lecco, and felt uneasy.
"There are also poor people."
Gilbert nodded, wrote something in his notes:
"Ms. Blazing Blood received help from the poor people of Free Castle during this battle, and even opened their eyes for them after the war in return - but don't forget that we are both from the North, and Qiyuan City has long been concerned about the suffering people in the territory.
Ethnic groups exercise high-pressure rule.”
Gilbert raised his head.
"Everyone, based on the above, we have reason to believe," Xingchen's cunning fox squinted his eyes behind the frame:
"After this battle, whether it is interests or ideas, reputation or position, Longxiao City will inevitably drift away from the Dragon Blood Party headed by Qiyuan City."
Hearing the unfamiliar name, the king's eyebrows moved:
"Dragon Blood Party?"
Thales had a thought in his heart.
Dragon blood.
It's definitely not his favorite phrase.
Facing the doubts of his colleagues present, Gilbert nodded.
"In the past two months, King Charman has purged the Black Sand Territory and eradicated dissidents without mercy."
"Correspondingly, in order to make a name for themselves, the opponents in the Black Sand Territory shouted the slogan: Don't forget the blood of the dragon, and appreciate the kindness of the late king."
The blood of the dragon, the kindness of the previous king.
Thales recalled the voice and smile of the born king, and felt complicated for a moment.
"They said that as long as you stand up against King Charmaine, you are a true Northlander and a member of the Dragon Blood who cherishes brotherhood."
Gilbert said:
"So there is no need to mention Longxiao City. Qiyuan City and Guard City, which have clear flags, are also included in it. They are called the Dragon Blood Party by the Exeter people, opposite to the 'Black Sand Party' that supports King Charman."
The king hummed softly, not understanding his emotions.
The Dragon Blood Party, opposes the king, misses the late king, cherishes brotherhood...
Thales sighed in his heart.
The person who came up with this slogan and title...
Viscount Coney, who has traveled to various countries and has extensive knowledge, expressed what the prince was thinking at the right time:
"Ha, the hint here is really vicious."
"Rumors and names are powerful, and you must know that the public's opinion is worth its weight in gold," Prime Minister Cullen sighed and tutted:
"But why do I always feel that this is the work of the Kingdom's secret department?"
He looked at the scarred man.
The envoy of the secret science bowed respectfully:
"Your Majesty Prime Minister, you overestimate us. Public opinion in the North is turbulent. How can a mere secret service control it?"
But he immediately smiled slightly, the scar on his face twisted:
"But it is true that when the voice gradually grew, I cannot say that our people did not play a corresponding role."
Duke Cullen showed a strange expression.
All right.
Looking at the people in the secret department, Thales raised his eyebrows:
Charmaine Lombard probably never had a good reputation in this life.
"So, Longxiao City is no longer welcomed by the Dragon Blood Party - which sounds weird - does this mean that the Walton family will join the Lombard Party?"
Viscount Connie returned to the topic and said doubtfully:
"Even if their hatred is as deep as the sea?"
Gilbert shook his head:
"Not really."
"After careful analysis, the Foreign Affairs Department believes that Longxiao City is likely to escape from the anti-king struggle. It is neither welcomed by the Dragon Blood Party nor friendly with the Black Sand Party, but is like Fengzhao City.
,keep neutral."
Military advisor Soduo snorted:
"Then they are dissatisfied on both ends, and they are not human beings inside and out."
Gilbert nodded first and then shook his head:
"But I am also outside the storm, sitting on the sidelines and watching."
"Given the size and status of Longxiao City, coupled with the natural disdain for female rulers by the Grand Dukes, the Heroic Spirit Palace may still be able to profit from it."
"What our northern neighbors will stage will no longer be the confrontation between the Black Sand Party and the Dragon Blood Party that took sides in the past six years."
Thales felt relieved after listening to the teacher's analysis.
Although all the kings of Longxiao City dislike King Charman, Thelma and Earl Lisban witnessed the night of dragon blood with their own eyes, and their hatred is hard to resolve.
But fortunately, Yinglinggong did not lose consciousness due to this.
They choose the path that suits them best.
Viscount Connie spoke thoughtfully:
"In other words, after this battle, Exeter is even more confused? Faced with any issue, at least three parties are indispensable?"
"From the current point of view, it is indeed the case." Gilbert said.
"Very good," Jukeman's eyes lit up:
"A triangular chair is always more stable than a two-wheeled vehicle."
Lord Clapham, who had been in a daze, came back to his senses and exhaled:
"Finally, today is the day for the damned Northlanders."
The atmosphere of the imperial meeting was much better, and the ministers were excited.
But the king remained motionless.
Until Gilbert shook his head and poured cold water on everyone's emotions:
"But we can't be too optimistic."
"More chaos means intensified conflicts and intensified struggles."
There was wariness in the eyes of the former Foreign Secretary:
"Meaning one step closer to the end."
Prime Minister Cullen thought thoughtfully:
"ending?"
Gilbert nodded:
"Two hundred years ago, Exeter ushered in the 'Disaster of Death': Tann rebelled, Weyland changed hands, and thus entered the cruel 'Century of Death'."
"In that century, our stars competed with the dragons. From Eliga the Northern Conqueror to John the Sailor, four generations of kings were no weaker than their neighbors."
Listening to the glorious history of the stars, all the ministers stood in awe.
"In contrast, the Kingdom of Dragon is becoming increasingly divided and declining: the duel between the five princes at the king-selection meeting was tragic, with four dead and one maimed."
"The darkness and chaos are even worse now."
Thales thought of the old sword that King Charmaine never left and clenched his fists.
But Gilbert's words suddenly changed, and he was worried:
"But it was the peak of chaos and disorder that finally led to the crowning of 'Broken Steel' and Long Xiao's reign."
"Start the Walton family's throne monopoly for three generations."
"The ten great princes of the earth are united into one again."
"Bring the Dragon Kingdom back to its peak and dominate the Western Continent."
No one spoke at the long table.
The shadow of the Year of Blood shrouded everyone's hearts.
Gilbert's words were serious:
"History has proven that Exeter is not Camus, let alone Thornland, and they will not be divided forever."
"And a friend once told me: Never underestimate the courage of Northlanders."
At that moment, Thales seemed to have returned to Longxiao City, and all kinds of Northlanders flashed before his eyes:
King Nun, Dead Face, Michael the Officer, Kaslan, Charmaine Lombard, Viscount Cambyda, Burning Knight, Long-haired Ronnie, Jarhead, Scarlet Witch, Veteran Griever, Tailor X
, Death Crow, Annoying Ian...
But something suddenly occurred to him.
Little slippers, and fast ropes.
They are also from the North.
"Well said," Military Advisor Thordo Red spoke loudly, sweeping over the ministers who were still congratulating themselves on Exeter's decline:
"And we have no time to waste."
His tone was sonorous and left no room for refutation.
Thales noticed that the Financial Controller, Juke Man, raised the corners of his mouth in disapproval.
But right now.
"Gilbert."
King Kessel's voice suddenly sounded, with a decisive final word:
"You will be reinstated immediately, and the Foreign Affairs Department will be yours - even though it was originally."
The king's eyes swept over everyone:
"I guess no one will raise any objections this time, whether it's Exeter or Star Country, right?"
All the ministers in the Imperial Council lowered their eyes, but no one spoke.
"The king's orders must be obeyed." Prime Minister Cullen responded gently.
This sentence seemed to be a signal. The former Foreign Secretary—to be precise, the current Foreign Secretary, Honorary Earl Gilbert Cassel was silent for a while and nodded respectfully:
"You should do your best."
Thales quietly savored the undercurrent in this question and answer.
The king nodded and turned to the other person:
"Sodor, what do you have to say?"
The military advisor saluted:
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Thales leaned back in his chair.
After learning about the results of the Northwest War, his mood improved a lot, and even the pressure that enveloped his body when he entered the palace was quietly relieved.
Now, all he has to do is to quietly observe the meeting and then face the price of last night.
He understands his role.
Soduo opened the document at hand and cleared his throat:
"Although the development of the war situation is somewhat unexpected, the conclusions of the Department of Military Affairs have basically remained unchanged in the past few months."
"The war between Exeter and the Free League was small, but far-reaching."
The "soldier" stretched out his palm and gestured on the map:
"City walls, anti-horses, fortifications, trebuchets, eternal oil, military crossbows, magic guns, military intelligence crows and hunting falcons, including refined crystal weapons specially equipped for elite troops, these items all play an irreplaceable role, and more
Even before."
Soduo paused for a moment, his expression serious:
"War, lords, war."
"War in this era is no longer the same."
The financial controller sitting opposite him, Juke Man, waved his hands unabashedly, with an impatient look on his face:
"here we go again."
Soduo's face tightened.
But he still held back his displeasure and said patiently:
"The war has placed higher and higher demands on logistics, and the dependence has become heavier and heavier."
The military adviser stretched out his hand to indicate the locations of several major battles on the map.
"The battle examples from the front tell us that the frontal combat power of the Northlanders is still unparalleled in the world, but..."
Soduo's tone became urgent:
"No matter the strong physique, superb skills or fanatical fighting spirit, these past prides cannot make up for the hunger and the broken armor."
His words made many ministers frown.
"And their bad example proves that the supplies obtained by burning, killing, looting and looting locally are not only insufficient for battlefield consumption, but also trigger unexpected resistance and hostility, leading to lax discipline and demoralization."
Thordo nodded in the direction of the king:
"This is why the Freedom Alliance is only a small area, but it can rely on the right location and people to drag down the three great cities of Exeter to the point of exhaustion."
"That taught us a lot of lessons."
After he finished speaking, he glanced around and was greeted by an unexpected silence.
Several ministers were exchanging words while looking at each other, which made Thales confused for a while.
This was his first time coming to the Imperial Council, and he didn't understand the rules.
Finally, as the highest-ranking prime minister of the kingdom, Duke Cullen coughed lightly and took over what no one was willing to say:
"For example?"
Soduo retracted his dissatisfied look:
"We cannot repeat the mistakes of the Northlanders and must pay attention to the maintenance of supplies and the guarantee of transportation efficiency."
"Start with the royal standing army."
There was another moment of silence.
Even King Kessel was silent.
As if this is a bad topic.
"Lord Sodol, our logistical supply to the Royal Standing Army has always been our top priority," Lord Clapham, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry who had been distracted for most of the meeting, suddenly woke up and hurriedly clarified the relationship:
"Especially during wartime, as the setting sun proves, at least there is never a shortage of food and grass..."
Thordo interrupted him:
"I do not mean to accuse you, Lord Clapham."
But the next moment, the military adviser's eyes turned to Thales.
"In the past few months, the royal standing army and the lords of the Western Wasteland worked together to rescue His Highness Thales, traveling thousands of miles into the desert."
Duke Xinghu couldn't help but be startled.
"That was a valuable attempt. Following the Desert War, we once again tested our ability to establish a unified supply line in a different place and expanded the limits of expedition logistics."
"The specific report has been submitted to you before the meeting."
Some ministers began to look through the documents on the table, while others took their time and seemed to have expected it.
But Thordo's voice then rose in volume, resounding throughout the Ballard Room:
"Facts have proved that the independent logistics capabilities of the standing army are quite excellent: the shortest route specially established by the Military Affairs Department, the support principles for the rear defense line, and the back and forth sweeps in the desert have effectively ensured the smooth flow of the supply line, and can even support the army to gallop all the way to
Free Alliance Frontier."
His conversation changed:
"But in contrast to this: the logistics organized by the local lords of the Western Wilderness! It is procrastinating, inefficient and messy! From the town of Grace to the desert front line, there are countless people who have changed hands in the middle, and the transportation figures are still a mystery.
"
"Even some unscrupulous traders smuggled the military eternal oil in the Blade Fang camp into the hands of the desert orcs, until they were intercepted by the standing army!"
Smuggling Eternal Oil...
Thales swallowed his throat, took the document Gilbert handed him to read together, and smiled in greeting.
Thordor Red opened one of the pages of the document in his hand, his expression ugly:
"Baron Williams even reported a vicious incident - after a certain pursuit of orcs, his vanguard officers handled the seizures in accordance with regulations, but were unreasonably obstructed and illegally embezzled by local levies in the Western Wilderness!"
"The other party showed no respect for the majesty of the royal family and almost attacked friendly forces!"
Hearing the familiar story, Thales rubbed his nose.
"Yes, Legend Wings' report also said..."
Master Juke Man's casual words were mixed with the sound of turning pages:
"With a heart of loyalty and patriotism, he endured the humiliation afterwards and took the overall situation into consideration. He had no choice but to fire a selfless and upright pioneer officer under his command in order to settle the matter and save the face of the princes of the Western Wilderness..."
Having said this, the Financial Controller's expression changed and he threw down the document with a snap:
"Do you believe that idiot's nonsense?"
Thales raised his eyebrows.
Well, this is the evaluation one of the three handsome men of Xingchen received at the imperial meeting.
"Well, judging from this wording..."
Gilbert coughed at the right time, covering up Lord Man's sudden swear words:
"I believe Williams must have a new clerk."
The foreign minister's teasing was just right, soothing the atmosphere, and the gentlemen in the Imperial Council burst into low laughter.
"Lord Soduo, I understand what you mean."
Lord Clapham, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry - Thales somewhat understood his position in the Royal Council - replied with a smile:
"What I want to say is that on logistical issues, since the beginning of the Desert War, we have been having good cooperation with different business groups and trade guilds, from grain and cloth to livestock ironware. If necessary, I will be happy to introduce them to
Department of Military Affairs..."
Thordor interrupted him again:
"No."
The military advisor spoke coldly:
"In a war involving tens or even hundreds of thousands of people, war logistics combines precision and complexity, scale and longevity."
"No lord, town, castle, or merchant group is qualified to shoulder such an important task."
"Not even the Military Affairs Department can do it."
Lord Clapham's smile froze.
Soduo's eyes sharpened:
"Unless under the king's order, unified arrangements will be made and the whole country will follow suit."
"The practice of recruiting soldiers under different lords to prepare their own food and logistics and collecting supplies on the spot has long been outdated."
As soon as these words came out, all the princes in front of the emperor fell silent.
The military adviser's eyes were like sharp knives, sweeping over the people at the long table:
"No matter how different the sources of the ingredients that make up the army are, or how many lords have the authority to lead troops, we all need a more unified, more efficient and more convenient logistics organization."
"Only in a war that will last for several years in the future can we be able to continuously provide supplies to the front line in sufficient quantity and quality."
The ministers present had different expressions, thinking deeply about the things behind this sentence.
King Kessel's face was still hidden in the dimness of the backlight, with only black shadows remaining.
Until Prime Minister Cullen exhaled and spoke seriously:
"Lord Soduo, you are talking about logistics."
"But I want to talk about more than just logistics, right?"
Soduo looked at the Prime Minister with an indifferent look.
The Ballard Room fell silent again.
"Come on, soldier, we all know what your plan is."
Qiu Ke, the financial controller, snorted coldly, not hiding his displeasure:
"What else? Tell me all together."
Thales noticed that Gilbert began to wipe his hand-held glasses - that was a sign that he was worried and looking for opportunities to think.
Soduo took a deep look at Qiu Ke.
"This is not the only lesson the Northlanders have taught us."
The military adviser withstood the scrutiny of the entire imperial council, but he became stronger and showed no sign of the senility and slowness of his age:
“Take the battle of the Free Alliance as an example: luring the enemy, harassing, occupying, hiding, dividing, bypassing, beheading, espionage and intelligence... The cycle of the war is lengthened, the scope is expanded, the tactics are complex, and the impact is multifaceted. It is no longer just a few areas.
It can be summed up in one key battle."
Soduo stared at the chess pieces on the long table:
"We have all seen that Exeter has unrivaled numbers and frontal advantages, but because of this, the army is inconvenient to move and the organization is bloated."
"Facing 'surprised Ivan' and the small number of elites he flexibly moved in, they seemed to be in a hurry and lost their footing when fighting in a remote place."
"Not only that, Kierkegaard is only the nominal commander-in-chief. The three armies of the Northlanders are not subordinate to each other. At most, they cooperate with each other. The transmission of orders is time-consuming and inefficient. It is difficult for multiple commanders to work together, which ultimately leads to bitter results."
His voice changed and he was heartbroken:
"However, such stubborn diseases also exist within us."
Soduo slapped the long table with his palm:
"From what I saw during my trip to the Western Wilderness, the royal standing army and the Western Wilderness levies cooperated in the expedition, but they belonged to different command systems. The former were obviously professional elites who fought in hundreds of battles, but they were often hampered by their fellow levies, while the latter were in their respective
The lord's subordinates do not obey orders, cooperate poorly, have lax discipline, and have low combat effectiveness."
"The back-and-forth wrangling between the major princes in the Western Wilderness has seriously affected the entire war situation."
Speaking of the rise, the military adviser gradually ignored the official rhetoric developed by visiting the Fuxing Palace all the time, and jumped out of the slang used by the struggling military in his youth:
"Two armies at the same level cannot urinate together just because there is a gap between their respective commanders. They have multiple commanders and delay the fighter plane. Baron Williams' military intelligence report specifically mentioned this damn point."
"If these local lords and their conscripts hadn't neglected their duties and acted recklessly, how could His Highness Thales' return home be full of thorns, and how could the Blade Tooth Camp have suffered such a disaster?"
Thales immediately felt that many eyes were on him.
He felt a lot of pressure because he knew some of the truth about the Xihuang incident.
But the figure at the end of the long table still didn't move.
Facing Soduo's questioning words, all the ministers were equally silent.
The only emissary of the occult standing by, the scarred man, turned into a sculpture and remained motionless.
Duke Cullen spoke slowly, looking quite used to the job of continuing silence in royal meetings:
"so?"
Soduo took a deep breath:
"During the Year of Blood, the Star Legion has proven it, and today, Exeter and the Freedom Alliance have reiterated this point."
"The key to contemporary war is no longer quantity and intensity, but quality and efficiency."
He clenched his fists and raised his arms:
"To this end, we need a unified chain of command, reliable logistics and transportation, more military-savvy soldiers, including strict top-down organization, efficient military intelligence communication, and of course, the spirit and consciousness of selfless dedication."
Soduo made an impassioned speech, completely ignoring the increasingly ugly looks from his colleagues:
"And we cannot expect the levies of the vast lords to do this - whether they are your majesty's direct vassals or remote feudal princes."
"The only thing that can be relied on is the royal standing army whose profession is war!"
Prime Minister Cullen raised his voice and spoke in a solemn tone, contrary to his usual slowness:
"Lord Soduo, what exactly do you want to say?"
The military adviser pounded the table and said loudly:
"My lords, times have changed."
"For the future, we need more active-duty officers and more professional soldiers to shoulder more stringent requirements and more important tasks across the country to prepare for emergencies!"
"The expansion of the royal standing army must be put on the agenda."
After Soduo's words fell, there was another silence.
In the stiff atmosphere, Thales stretched his equally stiff back.
He saw Gilbert gently close his eyes.
"Expansion..."
Duke Cullen sighed:
"How many times has this happened?"
"The third time," Qiu Keman quickly took over the conversation without blinking an eyelid, obviously very skilled:
"Not counting the four times it was rejected."
He immediately received an angry look from his military adviser.
On the other side, Gilbert tried to ease the atmosphere:
"The princes in the Western Wilderness are lax in their military preparedness. This problem really needs attention. But if it rises to the whole kingdom too quickly, it will make a fuss out of a molehill..."
"It's not just Xihuang." Soduo quickly interrupted him:
"Even across the country, even after several previous expansions, the royal standing army still accounts for an insufficient proportion of our total army. Our actual combat power relies heavily on the cooperation and quality of the levies."
The posture of the military advisor cannot be refuted:
"Separated logistics, multiple commands, communication barriers, and varying training levels... This has brought too many problems."
"Excuse me for interrupting..."
Financial Controller Juke Man coughed heavily:
"Soldier, have you seen last year's financial statements?"
Being called by his nickname, the military adviser frowned.
"Do you know how much the budget of the Department of Finance and Taxation is spent every year by the standing army of the royal family that you are so proud of!"
I saw the Financial Controller looking at Soduo with a gloomy expression:
"Take the three major armies of the standing army as an example, Fury, Starlight, and Stardust. Although they are called guards, do you know how much the number of these three has been exceeded, and how much the maintenance cost has been overrun?"
"This does not include those outside the establishment! Do you know that the finances spent on them are enough to recruit thirty more brigades and form ten legions if put into the general conscripts?"
Qiu Keman looked disgusted, obviously he had been suffering from Suoduo for a long time:
"Expansion? Expansion with what?"
"Your saliva?"
But Soduo was not in a hurry to refute. He waited until Qiu Ke's breathing stabilized before speaking again:
"That's the second point I want to make."
He turned to the dark figure at the end of the long table:
"Your Majesty, I propose to formulate a new bill to reform the kingdom's military system!"
The next moment, "Soldier" Soduo stood up decisively and his voice shook the secret room:
"We should gradually reduce the number of private conscripts under the major local lords who are half farmers and half trained throughout the Star Territory!"
As soon as this statement came out, everyone present, including Thales, was stunned for a moment and did not react.
But Soduo's cold words continued:
"Whether it is gradually shortening the service period, reducing the frequency of recruitment, or even exempting the lords from the obligation to respond to the expedition."
"Even ultimately removing their right to recruit soldiers on their territory."
One second, two seconds...
Everyone's expressions changed.
Thales, who had stayed in Longxiao City for six years and was immersed in Exeter's military culture, blinked.
"reduce……"
The moment he understood what the other party meant, Juke Man was shocked:
"What?"
At the end of the long table, the king's figure moved slowly, and his cold eyes pierced out of the darkness again.
Like an unsheathed sword.
The military adviser raised his voice:
"I believe this can save the cost of recruiting troops every quarter, reduce redundancy in the army, focus on agriculture, animal husbandry, industry and commerce, increase tax revenue, and perhaps make up for budget shortfalls."
Prime Minister Cullen looked at his long-standing colleague in disbelief:
"Sodor..."
But Thordor Reddidn't care:
"And the standing army is ready to take over the important tasks and shoulder the important tasks of national defense."
He raised his head suddenly, as if he had turned into a solid stone that was difficult to shake:
"The country's armament is the most important weapon of the stars."
"From now on, we will open a new door."
"No exceptions!"
The narrow and dark Ballard Room fell into an unprecedented silence, followed by a slight chill unique to stone rooms.
Soduo looked around the long table, strong and unruly, like a veteran who had experienced war.
The ministers, who were immersed in surprise, all looked sideways.
Thales was stunned.
When the war in the north was discussed earlier, he was absorbed in it and was not affected by the atmosphere of the meeting.
But it was at this moment that Thales truly realized:
This is the Imperial Council.
What he heard at this long table related to the future of tens of millions of people in the entire country.
Thinking of this, a sudden feeling of suffocation came over me.
That was a feeling that he had never felt before in the duel in the Hall of Heroes or the hearing in the Palace of Heroes.
"Everyone..."
After a long silence, someone finally spoke softly.
"Please do not spread the contents of today's meeting to the outside world, even to the closest people, not even a trace, just a few words," the Prime Minister's voice sounded low, tired and hesitant:
"Also, Soduo..."
Duke Cullen looked up at the kingdom's military adviser, who had a determined look on his face, and said solemnly but firmly: