Chapter 1392: The War Room

King Ruger was seated on his throne, his son seated towards the left side of the war table, at the edge, directly opposite Northern. The nobles were mumbling and saying all sorts of things that mixed and dispersed into the room as unintelligible conversations. But these conversations warranted them to glance at Northern, with radiant lights shining in their eyes as they looked at him. Whether he would come to terms with it or not, he was a savior to these people, a hero to them, and that light which he hated to be a recipient of so much... that was the light of hope in the eyes of people. Not that he didn’t know. Northern just happened to consider himself a very problematic person, and burdening him with the expectations of humanity... he didn’t see that going too well. So he did not let the light impress him at all. "We are here because we survived." "Four hundred and twelve of our soldiers gave their lives at the gate. Let us begin by honoring them with a moment." Northern watched the room. Some of the nobles bowed their heads. Others simply stared at the table. Lord Eryx, the Earl who had argued so fervently for surrender before the war began, closed his eyes with an expression that was either grief or performance. Northern couldn’t quite tell. The moment passed. Ruger continued. Prince Rieran sat straighter at that. His jaw was set and his eyes burned with something fierce and proud. He had been at the wall. He had fought. That alone gave him more right to sit at this table than half the nobles present, and the way his chin lifted said he knew it. Duke Sethran Yuen rose from his seat. He did not look at Northern, not immediately. Instead, he addressed the room with the same professional discipline he had always shown. He paused. The room stirred. Several of the Marquises exchanged glances. That was the part of the battle that nobody in this room fully understood, and Northern could feel the questions hanging in the air like fog. "Lord Northern." King Ruger’s voice drew the room’s attention. "Would you care to elaborate on the details of the rear engagement?" "Captain Colak led approximately three thousand soldiers through the southern forest using a concealment dome. They intended to bypass the gate and infiltrate the palace directly." He brought his gaze back down and spoke casually, the same way someone might describe what they had for breakfast. "I dealt with them." "You... dealt with them," one of the Marquises repeated, as though tasting the words for poison. He offered nothing else. Duke Sethran studied Northern for a long beat, then turned back to the room. That statement settled over the room with real weight. Some of the nobles sat taller. Others shifted in their seats as though the weight was uncomfortable. "A tremendous victory. No one in this room would deny that." His voice was smooth, almost warm. He even inclined his head towards Northern in what appeared to be genuine respect. "Lord Northern’s contribution was... extraordinary." Northern didn’t move. Didn’t change his expression. But he noticed the way Eryx had paused before ’extraordinary,’ the way his fingers had laced together on the table, how he had not looked at Northern when he said it but at the other nobles instead. "However." Eryx straightened in his chair. "We must be cautious about what this victory actually means. The Seventh Legion is one of nine. The Fourth, which attempted the rear assault, is said to be stronger still. And beyond the legions, the Empire possesses military forces that dwarf anything we have encountered." "Your Majesty, I urge temperance. One battle won is not a war won. The Empire will not take this lightly. They will return with greater force, greater preparation, and..." he hesitated, just long enough for it to feel deliberate, "...potentially forces that even Lord Northern may find challenging."