Chapter 1411 - 1325: The Nation’s Gamble

Chapter 1411: Chapter 1325: The Nation’s Gamble

After saying these words, the entire hall fell silent.

In fact, what Konyaz said is the truth they’ve been avoiding all along.

Initially, their propaganda was that the Holy Alliance was a formidable enemy that must be taken seriously.

But recently, there has been much less of such propaganda.

Because they have been avoiding this point, and even more avoiding the intelligence gathered from within the Holy Alliance, Ether Tower, Alchemy Revolution, Spring Industry...

At first, the Thousand River Valley Church treated the Salvation Army in Langsande County as a joke, but in just three years, they swept through the entire Thousand River Valley, annihilating nine decree corps.

The Leia Kingdom still saw the newly established Holy Alliance as a minor ailment, yet in the blink of an eye, it was exterminated at Grey Robe Hill, the nation perished, and its people died.

Though the Falan Kingdom gave the Holy Alliance some consideration, they were utterly defeated in the Pope’s debate and the Black Snake Bay battle.

In twenty years, the Holy Alliance has leaped to become one of the most powerful countries on the eastern continent.

After the Royal Court Empire’s war began, we can even remove "one of".

What if we give them another twenty years to develop?

Vampires are rigid in thought and lack imagination, but that doesn’t mean they are unintelligent.

With the current development speed of the Holy Alliance, in twenty years with five plans and the expansion of Ether Towers, scenes like the Holy Mechanism Court could cover all cities in the Thousand River Valley.

In another twenty years, it would be all cities in the Holy Alliance, and given twenty or forty years, it could be cities across the entire eastern continent.

Everyone, these higher vampires, knows the might of the Holy Mechanism Court. Spies draw pictures, and some have even visited to observe.

They know what kind of power it represents.

Previously, they could ignore it, simply because they didn’t understand it well then.

Besides, at that time, the Royal Court had the advantage of scale and could continuously attract talents from humanity through advancement routes.

They were confident that they could swallow this juicy piece before the Holy Alliance fully developed, making its Spring Industry and Alchemy Revolution their own.

But now, as several wars ended, the situation of east rising and west declining became increasingly apparent.

If they can’t stop the development momentum of the Holy Alliance, then what will the future of the Royal Court face?

Serafe did not answer his question but continued to lower her head, pondering something with uncertainty showing on her face.

"Konyaz, are you exaggerating?" An elder from the Brahe clan couldn’t help but step forward.

"Facts speak louder than words." Konyaz glanced at them, "Does the Royal Court have such technology as Ether Towers?"

"Doesn’t the Royal Court also have flesh furnaces? It too introduces ether, to manufacture the raw materials for Lilith’s blood and blood guns."

"Is that so? Then let me ask, does the Royal Court have a city like the Holy Mechanism Court?"

Several clan elders and governors were silent. Although No Light City is the Royal Court’s capital, it is intimidating and magnificent, definitely surpassing the Holy Mechanism Court.

But in terms of productivity, combining two No Light Cities is just about equal to one Holy Mechanism Court.

"Or could we steal?" Kamir asked quietly, "His honor can also build Ether Towers, it’s just missing the ether field clock mechanism.

Besides, we have the technology of the Obsidian Pyramid, which doesn’t require the automated ritual operation, and available ether weak points are much more plentiful."

"Then presently, how many astral weak points has the Royal Court found?" Konyaz didn’t turn his head, only asked back.

Kamir paused, "Two..."

"Just one. The other was already known as a natural ether weak point, but transformed into the Blood Cup Hall." Konyaz looked around his many colleagues, "We don’t know how the Holy Alliance managed it, but they found two new ones within ten years since Imperial Calendar 1453.

They even calculated the position directly and built a tower in just half a year.

According to spy reports, in fact, the Holy Alliance has found over five astral weak points too; it’s just that they’re afraid rapid changes would impact the economy and they lack enough resources to allocate for construction.

Even if we mastered the relevant technology, could our construction speed be as fast as the Holy Alliance?

I just ask one question, on which clan’s territory are these Ether Towers built?"

As soon as Konyaz finished, a picture popped into the minds of many vampires.

Several clan elders loudly bickering at the Royal Council meeting, and after they’re done, the local governor continues to argue, and once they’re finished, small families keep on arguing about the allocation of ether use rights...

Half a year is the time for the Holy Alliance to build an Ether Tower, but not enough for the Royal Court clans to finish quarreling and resolve the ensuing political turmoil.

Half a year? It’s not that fast!

Konyaz knew that if viewed within a decade, these vampire clan elders’ decision to stop the war was absolutely right.

But if time is extended to fifty years, choosing to back down is definitely a wrong decision.

"Don’t be sure of the future like that, Lord Konyaz." An elder from the Tedis clan began, "No one can be certain of the Holy Alliance’s future path; there are too many variables."

"Those variables can actually be ignored."

"Why?"

"The Holy Alliance has one major variable that overshadows all other minor variables..." Konyaz’s eyes remained locked on Serafe, "Horn Gallar."

Horn Gallar has been in charge of the Holy Alliance for twenty years; with his witch’s physique, living another hundred years isn’t a problem.

By then, what will the Royal Court do?

Many vampires almost simultaneously looked at Serafe, the old head tactics? But the age of their own old head seems quite advanced.

Serafe ignored those looks and instead turned to walk back slowly to the throne to sit.

A circle of eld governors around were puzzled and whispered among themselves.

To many of them, Konyaz was merely trying to cover for Serafe’s misdecision, purposefully making the Holy Alliance seem bigger.

But viewed from another angle, what he said wasn’t without reason.

Yet now with the Royal Court’s core forces intact, how could one leader and one marshal decide to gamble the fate of the nation?

At this moment, not only were these clan elders pondering, but Serafe herself was weighing the pros and cons.

Ultimately, her frequent intervention in command wasn’t due to ignorance of its harm or unclear on her own military level, but out of necessity.

The reason is simple — compared to the past, not to mention the clan army, even the royal army had become rather lax.

They’d gained much but hadn’t been able to digest it, continuing to fight could lead to losing everything gained.

To the leaders of the clan armies, if too many brave soldiers are lost in battle, it surely causes a significant drop in influence.

Earlier, successive victories could offset risk with anticipated income, but now risk has surpassed anticipated income, and fatigue has appeared in various corps.

This entire year, losing to Bacon Castle, then Thorn Garden, after Thorn Garden losing to Flower Hill, after Flower Hill losing to Fat Cow Castle.

They didn’t even have the upper hand in peace talks, worrying thirty thousand, no, twenty thousand vampire soldiers.

Thus Serafe had no choice but to force administrative orders to interfere in military command.

Moreover, Horn did the same, didn’t he run things well?

Whatever tasks Horn wanted different brigades to accomplish, they had to comply, even if the task was wrong.

How come with you Konyaz, the Vampire Corps, things can’t work the same way?

But given this situation, it was the advice from her most trusted Royal Palace Army first Angel Envoy that she couldn’t ignore.

She didn’t have much life left, maybe three or two years.

She had to either return to the Spirit Realm to await the next chance or kill Horn, put on the Sevenfold Crown, and revive the True God.

Given the current situation, she could only gamble.

"I accept your terms." Serafe said slowly, "But I also have one condition."

"...Please go ahead."

"I want to go on campaign with the army, sticking close to you at all times."