Many people stared at Leon with wide, shocked eyes. The power of Leon's army vastly outnumbered that of many kingdoms when it came to the higher ranks. After all, who could claim to at least thirty thousand B ranks, while also retaining the services of nearly twenty A ranks, except behemoths like the Gublin Empire and the Empire of Light?!
It was simply impossible to be able to retain that much high end combat power without being a behemoth that has been accumulating power for nearly a millennia! That was the only way to set the foundation for such a powerful force.
Yes, Leon who was a particularly young individual had done so effortlessly! Everyone clearly remembered that just a few months ago, at the start of Divinity's Bout, Leon had been a C rank mage! Now he was a Peak A rank powerhouse, and had the ability to command many more A ranks!
"Will those numbers be enough?" Leon asked.
"Why, that will be more than enough!" Leonidas replied with a lot of optimism. He had not expected Leon to retain so much combat power. "I will speak to Lyra to send over some more soldiers from the capital. We will launch an all out offensive and drive the Demons off the continent!" He declared. His mood was great after hearing what Leon had to say.
From there, he proceeded to change several parts of the plan that he was drafting in favor of a more immediate and proactive approach.
"We will launch our strike by noon. I hope everyone will be ready to carry out their roles by then." Leonidas said and looked at everyone present.
Only after everyone present gave their confirmation did the meeting come to an end. The various A ranks belonging to different kingdoms went to relay the information to their superiors and soldiers. This was going to be a heated campaign, and the casualty rate will surely be higher than ever!
While everyone left, Leon stayed back to have a talk with Leonidas. But before he could have his chance, the blond man from the Empire of Light stepped toward him with a charismatic smile.
"Your Excellency, Leon. If I may have a moment." The man asked.
"Sure, I have a bit of time." Leon replied.
"That's great. Please, let me introduce myself. I am Carter Kim. I am a Paladin of the Holy Empire, one of its Twelve Pillars." The man, Carter, smoothly said. His voice was soft, yet assertive, giving him a lot of charisma. But in Leon's eyes, the charisma was not effective. It was something that worked on weaker lifeforms.
Leon felt that this man was quite tricky. If he addressed those weaker than himself, then they would surely be swayed by his words. It would make them view him positively, while making them give in to his demands, as long as they were not too outrageous. To put it simply, he had a sweet mouth! No wonder he had been sent here!
"Well, you already know who I am. I don't think there is a need for me to introduce myself." Leon calmly said. He chose not to use a dismissive tone, as he could tell that he was speaking to a bigshot. Earlier, he had dismissed Amelia because he knew that she was not the one calling the shots among the people sent by the Empire of Light.
"Yes, let us skip the formalities." Carter nodded with a smile. He could tell that Leon was well aware of his passive skill that allowed him to smooth over diplomatic discussions, and more importantly, he knew it did not work on Leon.
"You see, you got off on the wrong foot with the Empire of Light. One of the reasons I am here is to build a bridge between the Empire of Light and you, while amending whatever grievances may have risen due to the previous attempt on your life." He explained.
"Is that so?" Leon was not impressed. If the Empire of Light thought that a simple apology of an act that could have taken his life was enough for him to drop hostilities, then whoever sent Carter here was not serious.
"Err, I can tell you aren't taking the apology seriously." Carter chuckled weakly.
"I am not. Do you seriously expect me to take a verbal apology and then bury the hatchet? I don't see the sincerity. Until then, I am afraid we will not see eye to eye." Leon stood up and walked over to Leonidas, putting an end to the discussion.
Carter Kim could only purse his lips before turning away and leaving the room to update Amelia on how things went. He was quite angry at her for her sudden outburst, as it had given Leon an even worse impression of the Empire of Light.
Meanwhile, Leon finally met with Leonidas. The man had paid attention to the short discussion between Leon and Carter, and he was quite pleased with Leon's decision. The reason was quite simple.
He was tired of the snobbish attitudes of those from the Empire of Light.
The citizens of the Empire of Light, especially those form the higher class, were fond of acting as if they were above others. Amelia was a very good example of that. She had spoken up earlier with the intention of making Leon roll over for him to assert her views on him. And as someone who represented her nation, she painted the Empire of Light in the same light.
The only redemption that could be counted on in the current situation was Carter Kim. However, the man seemed to be a sly snake because of his skills and abilities. Not everyone was clear of his opinion and standing within the Empire of Light. Normally, the Twelve Pillars answered to the Light Emperor, the ruler of the Empire of Light. However, Carter Kim seemed to be much more casual than what was expected.
"Ah, Leon. You need to see me?" Leonidas smiled when Leon approached him.
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