Chapter 681 The Alpha Continent’s National Leaders I
"If you do not wish to turn out like him, I suggest you watch your back. Besides, the man isn't dead.
This much is too little to kill a grandmaster, after all."
When Evan's warning reached their ears, the woman turned around and saw that if she had moved back two more steps, she would have fallen into the ruins of a building which were engulfed in prismatic flames.
"C-count Bourne."
The young hero's displeasure upon hearing the woman's address was very evident on his face, and he questioned if Roselia was really the one who sent this lot before speaking.
"For the love of all that is right and just, as far as this war is concerned, you are NOT to address me by my GWE Noble Title.
I am participating in my capacity as an Adventurer and Hero, not as a GWE noble.
Am I clear?"
"Yes, Sir Evan. Please forgive her, she's a new recruit who was just added to our team at the last moment."
"And did you not deem it wise to inform my companion of this last-minute change?"
"…"
The Team Leader went silent when she heard Evan's inquiry, refusing to say anything as she knew that Roselia would have most likely chosen not to work with them anymore if they had told her of this.
Evan guessed this from her expression and sighed in light exasperation before telling them to do their jobs.
"Look around you, every single soldier of the Republic of Wolfen is alive and well."
Everyone's gazes turned to the half-petrified petrified-half burned grandmaster on the floor and Evan simply shrugged.
"Most of them are Alive and Well. Them being Alive is the main point."
When he said this, the Journalist Team leader pointed her pen towards his right hand and he looked there to see the Brigadier General's blood on it.
"Oh. That's from a Brigadier General who refused to call for surrender and rather his men fight to the death despite how obvious it was that the odds were against them.
His decision would have caused 3500 pointless deaths today, but since he suffered an untimely death and the Senior Colonel below him took command, no pointless deaths happened."
As Evan spoke, he walked forward and the journalist team quickly trailed right behind him, with one of them taking pictures of the surroundings while the other had an Audio Recording artifact capturing his words.
"I had given my word to spare them if they surrendered, and that I exactly what I did.
These soldiers have now become prisoners of war; however, the GEE would not be shouldering the burden of keeping them alive.
The Republic of Wolfen is going to have to be the one bearing the costs of keeping its soldiers alive. If they end up starving to death because WOLFEN REFUSED TO FEED THEM, then that's on Wolfen and not the GEE.
Either that or they'd be set on the frontlines of the next attack and forced to fight their own countrymen. That would not be pretty now, would it?"
Evan finished speaking and ran up to the top of the giant icicles that emerged from the ground with half-frozen soldiers trapped in it, stabbing his sword into it before overlooking the entire Military Base from this high vantage point.
The Cameraman took a picture of Evan at that moment, one which would become the front-page photo of the next day's paper.
Meanwhile, Evan was busy checking to see how much of the infrastructure he had destroyed to know where the Wolfen Soldiers would be kept and where the GEE soldiers who would be occupying this base would be kept.
'The Wolfen Soldiers are going to end up as temporary slaves for the GEE Army, but that's their fate as the losers of this battle.'
After making his calculations, he jumped down from the icicle and spoke to Beluar and the journalist team.
"I'd trust the General here to handle the supervision of the journalists who would be reporting EVERYTHING THEY'VE SEEN HERE today, without any lies to make either side look better.
As for me, I would like to take a rest. Taking on 3500 elites did take a lot out of me."
Though Evan wasn't lying when he said this, anyone looking at him now might feel he was, after all, he had already recovered half the energy he had expended in dealing with the soldiers.
After a few more words to Beluar, Evan dove into his shadow to where Kuro was.
◇ ◇ ◇
Continental Room, Imperial Palace
Askal
GEE
June 15th
Year 1053
The 'Continental Room' was the name of the place where the direct magic projection lines to most of the National Leaders of the Alpha Continent were.
Just as Gavin had a direct line to Emperor Rudeus which Evan had used to speak with the man in the past, Emperor Isaac had lines to many other National Leaders.
Most of the time, either one or two, at most five of these connections were activated at once, but today, over half of them were active at the same time.
The Reason, could not be anything other than the Emperor's Declaration of War earlier in the day.
The projected figures of different Kings, Queens, Emperors, Presidents and Prime Ministers lit up the room originally dim room.
Emperor Isaac sat in the centre on a swivelling chair, with his elbow on the armrest while his chin was propped up on his palm.
[So? Mind explaining yourself, Isaac.]
"There I nothing more to explain, Rudeus. I stated all my reasons and intentions in the message you received."
Isaac shot back at Rudeus with a frown on his face, but before the GWE Emperor could say anything more, a different person—
the Utrarian Republic's President—voiced out another question.
[Did you not think this through? The Economic Issues this is going to cause are too numerous to list. All trade routes that go through Wolfen would be blocked.]
"The affected countries are all those with leaders competent enough to have a lot of their imported goods in storage, and they would not be running out anytime soon.
Right?"
As he questioned, Isaac's gaze went to the projections of the Kings of Countries bordering Wolfen. Without waiting for them to say anything, he continued.
"I also have no desire to have this war last too long. I have more pressing issues that my citizens' taxes need to be used for."
Isaac spoke with a shrug, and another Nation's King raised his voice in response.
[This is all just you wanting to show the World your new military power! Do you think we don't know you've been beefing up your forces in the past few years?]
"You know that because I let you. And as for the reason why I was doing that, is it me or did I recall stating that this morning?"
[You lied to the masses! You've been sending your men into Wolfen for years. Of course, they didn't want you entering their territory!]
"Calm down, King of Osmaoque. I know you and Wolfen have your little backdoor alliance. Considering that and the way you're so angry at me…I feel you may want to side with Wolfen.
You can go ahead; it'd be a workout for my men. They've been training for so long and it'd be nice to see more of the results of that training."
Emperor Isaac subtly threatened that King with a calm look on his face, and the King found his words caught in his throat.
He could not be blamed, as he knew that his country would not come out unscathed in a war against the GEE.
[Calm down, Isaac. One war is enough right now, we don't need a second.]
"I know we don't, Chief Grand Magus.
That's why I requested none of you interfere so I can wrap it up quickly."
Isaac replied to Gavin as politely as he could manage, but he was barely holding in his annoyance as the man would rather be anywhere but here right now.
He just started a war, and he needed to follow up very closely. But he also knew that if he pushed this back, then these other national leaders would keep on bothering him.
So, he just wanted to get this done and over with, as well as to warn the other idot-correction; the other Kings who wanted to side with Wolfen because they didn't like him.
Thus, we arrive at the current situation where Isaac just activated all the connections in this room simultaneously, regardless of the ridiculous energy cost to cover such long distances.
Some National Leaders didn't answer him, but about 60% of them answered so he was okay. Anyone who called him after this was going to get snubbed, unless it was the Beast King, of course.
[Antonio mentioned Economic issues, but that isn't my problem with this. What I'm concerned about are the civilians.
Crime rates would be at an all-time high, and SLAVERS could sneak in under all the chaos and abduct Women and Children to sell off as slaves.]
The Elven Kingdom's Ruler, King Laiex Raloro cited the Utrarian President's earlier words in his statement. As he spoke, he couldn't help but give a side glance at President Damir of Terrok, causing the other suit-wearing man to frown.
[What are you insinuating?]
[I never called any names and you're already on your toes. Seems someone has a guilty conscience.]
Evidently, these two have never gotten along and were not going to be getting along any time soon. Graugro's ruler ignored their ridiculous banter and turned his attention back to Isaac who was coincidentally looking in his direction before speaking.
[Let's get the pretences out of the way, Isaac. You just want to expand your territory and you used the 'War Remnant Structure' as a reason to Annex them.]
"No, I did not.
If I wanted to expand my territory, I would have stated it outright. I do not need pretences.
The main aim is getting the information about the Dimensional Rifts…information that could clue us in on how soon the seal on the Dark Continent would break."
When he said this, Rudeus' expression turned dark for a moment, and Isaac didn't miss this little change.
'His daughter is one of the Heroes…she must have told him something…'
The man felt envious of Rudeus for having two heroes come from his country, not knowing how much Rudeus controlled his urge to smack one of them sometimes.
[The Rift is a matter for the future. Let's talk about the present; about how the people of Wolfen would resist you.]
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