Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill - Chapter 394:Let's Surrender
Chapter 394:Let’s Surrender
A large map was spread across the long wooden table.
Red marks and black lines covered almost half of it. Villages were crossed out. Forts were circled. Whole regions of Frontier were now shaded dark, showing they had fallen into demon hands.
The room smelled of oil lamps and old parchment. No one spoke loudly. Even breathing felt heavy.
King Alberetch stood at the head of the table.
Dark circles sat under his eyes, and his hair had more gray than before. In just a few months, he aged beyond years.
The most cruel part of the situation was clear to everyone.
They were still alive only because the enemy had not used its full strength.
The only thin ray of hope was the appearance of a Legendary Knight who had started helping on the front lines. That one figure had saved several cities from falling. But one person could not hold back a tide forever.
At that moment, a courier stepped forward and bowed.
“Your Highness… do not be too pessimistic,” he said carefully. “You see, the attacks of demonic beasts have lessened significantly.”
He swallowed and continued.
“It seems the demons might stop due to the losses they suffered.”
As he spoke, King Alberetch’s fingers tightened on the edge of the table.
“You might be underestimating the situation,” the King said slowly.
“The demons have not even attacked with their main forces yet.”
His eyes were sharp despite the exhaustion.
“Things might go worse, not better.”
The courier lowered his head. “Your Highness, your worries are not unfounded. But what can we do in this situation? The Empires seem to be turning a blind eye to this.”
His voice became quieter.
“At this rate, our only option is…”
He stopped, not daring to finish.
But everyone in the room knew the word.
Surrender.
Surrender to an Empire and become a dependent state. Lose independence, but save lives.
King Alberetch gripped the armrest of his chair so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His face showed struggle, anger, and helplessness all at once.
“Did none of the princes who went to the Empires for negotiation manage to convince them to send support?” he asked.
A deep silence followed.
The nobles lowered their heads. Some closed their eyes. No one could give him good news.
Alberetch slowly leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he looked older than before.
“I want to resist,” he said quietly. “But for my selfish desire to hold the throne, millions of people will suffer.”
His voice grew rough.
“Hundreds of thousands have already lost their lives.”
Some nobles clenched their fists. Others wiped their eyes.
“Craft the decree,” Alberetch said at last.
“Ask the princes to change the terms of negotiation.”
A murmur ran through the hall.
“We will surrender to whichever Empire shows us pity,” he said with a faint, bitter laugh.
Several nobles who still valued pride over survival stepped forward in protest.
“Your Majesty, this will stain our history!”
“We cannot bow so easily!”
Alberetch suddenly stood up. His King Realm aura burst out, filling the hall with pressure. The air felt heavy, and the torches flickered.
“You are still clinging to your pride while your people die,” he said sharply.
“If you want to cling to this foolishness, then do as you wish. But do not drag others into the grave with you.”
The nobles fell silent.
His voice was no longer loud, but it carried weight.
“I am not surrendering because I am weak. I am doing it because I am responsible.”
He looked at the map again, at the ruined lands.
“Now,” he said firmly, “craft the Imperial Decree.”
His gaze swept across the room.
“We cannot waste a single moment now.”
….
The news that had been announced in the royal court was not easy to obtain. It was tightly controlled. The Black Thorns had not yet managed to infiltrate that level, but nobles from other regions had already started spreading parts of it in whispers.
Far away in Arcadia, near a border city, a huge new building stood tall. It had been completed recently and was already attracting attention.
It was the Global Symphony.
Inside one of its upper rooms, a woman sat calmly with a cup of coffee in her hand. Steam rose slowly as she took a small sip. Her posture was relaxed, but her eyes were sharp.
“What do you think of the proposal?” she asked.
In front of her sat five representatives from different merchant groups. All of them looked tense. Their clothes were expensive, but their faces were tired.
In recent months, they had been losing ground badly.
Trying to compete with Global Symphony had only brought losses. Their shops once stood proudly in markets, but now customers walked past them and headed straight toward stores that carried the EB tag.
That name had become a symbol of quality and novelty.
With extraordinary designs in garments, jewelry, and other luxury items, Global Symphony had crushed them without mercy. Every time these merchants copied a style, by the time they produced enough stock, Global Symphony had already launched something new.
They could never catch up.
Also, the designer behind EB was not an ordinary man. Ethan Blanks was not someone they could easily offend. He was the first Count outside the Arcadia Empire. That title alone carried weight. On top of that, he was an Emperor Knight in his forties. If he did not die early, his future would be terrifying.
After a long silence, a lady adjusted her spectacles and spoke with clear resentment.
“Miss Rina, the way Global Symphony handles things is making us lose our livelihood,” she said. Her fingers tightened on the table.
Our company mainly hires widows and poor girls who cannot make a living. They design crafts and jewelry. Your blows have not only destroyed my company but also taken away their ability to earn food.”
She turned toward the other four.
“Even these men, who act like hungry wolves when they see profit, cannot survive at your pace.”
One of the men frowned. “Are you praising us or insulting us?”
