Chapter 40

In Clermont, an emergency meeting was convened. Of course, the topic was the invading Vaiscel Empire army.

"Vaiscel Empire's goal is solely the extermination of vampires, isn't it?"

"That's correct. Vaiscel Empire is not aiming to invade but to liberate the communes from monsters, and they are promoting this war to the people as such."

"Then are the people safe?"

"It seems the imperial army is protecting them. Moreover, the imperial army is advancing towards Clermont with overwhelming momentum. They will soon be upon us."

After hearing the report, Rozeline heaved a sigh of relief upon learning that the civilians had not been harmed.

No matter how much the vampires were encroaching on their territory, Rozeline felt indignant that the Vaiscel Empire had crossed the border without any prior notice to the Commune Union. However, this was not simply a matter of blaming Vaiscel. During Rozeline's absence from Clermont, or even while the vampires were present, there might have been some conflict with Vaiscel. If that led to this invasion, it would be frustrating, but it would be unfair to blame them one-sidedly.

The reason vampires had infiltrated Clermont in the first place was due to their presence among the northern nobility. While it was possible they had infiltrated on their way from the territory to Clermont, it was not unnatural for them to have been nesting in the territory from the beginning. This was not just a problem in the north; there was a possibility that vampires were hiding in other regions as well. Eventually, it would be necessary to investigate all the nobles in the communes.

This was because the young vampire girl, who was believed to be the mastermind, had not been found. Due to the danger of vampires, they could not be captured, and ultimately, the conspiracy that Raul had feared remained unresolved.

Putting that aside, the immediate problem was the Vaiscel Empire army.

"Princess, what will you do? If we engage in combat with Vaiscel, even our elite army will not come out unscathed."

"Even if we fight to the bitter end, we lack the manpower for a field battle. Even if we fortify Clermont, we don't have enough provisions. We have been consuming most of our supplies through rationing. Furthermore, with the northwest under Vaiscel's control and no contact with the northeast, we cannot expect reinforcements."

"Even if we seek aid from the Kingdom of Castel, it will take time. They won't arrive before Vaiscel reaches Clermont."

The military clearly wanted to avoid engaging Vaiscel at all costs, and Rozeline understood their concerns. Despite their claims of being a formidable army, the reality was that they were barely maintaining the appearance of an army. The upper echelons of the military had been largely replaced by vampires, leading to a shortage of commanders. The surviving commanders were barely keeping things together, and even retired old generals had been recalled, highlighting the severe shortage of personnel.

It was preferable to avoid conflict with Vaiscel. Not only the military, but involving Clermont in further warfare would hinder reconstruction. If Vaiscel had invaded with the goal of liberating the land from monsters, there should still be room for negotiation.

"First, we will send a messenger to the Vaiscel army to request a ceasefire. If they think we are still under vampire control and attack us, it would be disastrous. We need to make it clear that our commune is still intact."

The entire commune was not under vampire control. At the very least, Clermont and Charent were under human control. It was necessary to clarify the commune's position, inform Vaiscel that they were opposing the vampires, and request a ceasefire.

While this might put Clermont in debt to Vaiscel, securing their cooperation could significantly advance the resolution of the vampire problem in the country. This would allow them to truly reclaim the country from the vampires.

(She doesn't want war either.)

Marie Alexia von Zawalisch. When that name was mentioned, Chaos was visibly shaken. It was clear that she was someone Chaos knew. While it was hard to imagine what connection there was between the renowned noble family in Vaiscel and Chaos, Rozeline deduced that they were quite close.

He couldn't bring himself to attack her. That's why he fled. On the day the report from Vaiscel came in, Chaos had escaped using a teleportation spell and had not been seen since. Rozeline had a premonition that he would never return to this land.

Losing her uncle and the person she could confide in was sad, but Rozeline thought it might be better if he didn't return. Negotiations with Vaiscel might not go well, and if they failed, Rozeline would have to fight. Even if it meant fighting someone Chaos knew.

In that case, Chaos would be caught in the middle. If he stayed, he would be drawn into the war. It was hard to imagine that the sensitive Chaos could endure it.

(It's a shame I couldn't properly thank you, but you helped me. That's enough. So don't come back. You don't need to be bound by anything.)

No one objected to Rozeline's orders. Once the plan was decided, her subordinates moved quickly. To avoid bringing conflict back to this land.

"Hmm, you are the envoy of the Commune Union?"

"I am deeply honored to be in the presence of His Majesty."

"Then what is your business? I will not allow you to claim ignorance of the actions your commune has taken against our country. Moreover, this is land inhabited by vampires. Are you not a vampire yourself, sir?"

"Please read this letter. It is a letter from my lord, the King of the Commune Union."

In one of the Vaiscel Empire's tents, the envoy bowed respectfully and presented the letter. A servant took the letter and handed it to Viktor. Viktor opened the letter and read it.

He looked at the envoy after reading the entire letter, which was surprisingly quick.

"Do you, sir, know the contents of this letter?"

"I have not read it, but I am aware of the contents."

"Hmm, you know the contents?"

Viktor paused and narrowed his eyes.

"Then, is this to be taken as a formal declaration of war against our Vaiscel?"

The letter criticized the Vaiscel Empire's invasion and demanded an immediate withdrawal from the occupied territories and their return to the commune. The tone of the letter was more like an order to a subordinate than a letter to a foreign monarch.

"No, this land is the territory of the Commune Union. It is you who have violated and acted unlawfully. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the imperial army and the return of the occupied territories, including the Duchy of Mayenne. Until then, we promise not to take any action. We are offering to return your army unharmed to their homeland. Do not disregard the mercy of my lord, who is willing to forgive your unjust actions."

The envoy smiled condescendingly. The Vaiscel soldiers present directed murderous intent at him. A mere foreign envoy was speaking lightly to their emperor. They might have attacked him if not for the presence of the emperor and the fact that he was a foreign envoy.

"Mercy, you say. Are our Vaiscel soldiers inferior to yours?"

"Yes, that's correct. Our soldiers would never lose to mere human soldiers."

"Mere humans, you say?"

"Can mere inferior humans match the superior vampires?"

Upon hearing these words, the soldiers stepped forward to protect Viktor.

"Finally, you show your true colors. However, in the territories we have advanced into, there were those superior vampires. They had their territories taken by inferior humans. Sir, can superior beings be inferior to inferior beings?"

Viktor laughed mockingly at the envoy, clearly aware of the previous exchange. The envoy's slightly furrowed brow made the soldiers feel vindicated.

"This land belongs to us vampires. Humans are our food and livestock. The stronger position is clear. I suggest you leave as soon as possible."

"That is far from the truth. This land has been governed by humans since ancient times. It is not the land of your vampires. Indeed, there is not a single piece of land on this continent that belongs to vampires. It all belongs to us humans."

"It seems no matter how many discussions we have, we will never agree."

"Of course. The conflict between humans and monsters has continued since the myths. Humans and monsters can never coexist."

"Indeed. Your words are wise and true."

The two men's laughter left the soldiers breathless.

"Then, I will take my leave. Your Majesty, I will see you on the battlefield."

"Do you think you can escape after such insolence?"

"You underestimate the physical abilities of vampires."

As he said this, the envoy tried to leap with all his might. But he was struck from the side and fell. The fallen envoy confirmed the identity of the person who had struck him. A young female knight had emerged from the soldiers and struck the envoy. The envoy was shocked to find a human with physical abilities equal to or greater than his own.

"Do not underestimate humans, vampire."

The envoy, gritting his teeth, glared at Viktor.

"Do not get too arrogant! Human!"

He lunged at Viktor with sharp claws. But the soldiers formed a wall, and his claws never reached Viktor. The swords of the soldiers pierced the envoy's body, and he died on the spot.

"I apologize. In this situation, it was impossible to capture him alive."

"No matter. He is, after all, a mere monster. There was no need to keep him alive."

Viktor looked around at the soldiers and shouted loudly.

"But this has confirmed that this land is entirely under the control of vampires. What superior beings! We must not hand over our human land to these arrogant monsters who feed on humans. Brave soldiers! Let us liberate Clermont with our own hands!"

The soldiers were energized by Viktor's encouragement. Among the enthusiastic soldiers, one person watched coolly.

"Your Majesty."

As the soldiers cheered, Alexia called out to Viktor, who was leaving the tent.

"What is it, Alexia?"

"Is that letter genuine?"

Viktor showed a look of admiration.

"The letter itself is genuine. It bears the official signature of the King of the Commune Union. Look, it's like this."

Alexia examined the letter handed to her by Viktor but could not find anything unnatural at first glance.

"I apologize for my presumption. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

"It's fine. On the contrary, we need someone like you who can think calmly. You found it unnatural, didn't you? That envoy."

"......Yes. Sending such a letter would be meaningless. As Your Majesty said, humans and monsters cannot coexist. It's hard to believe that monsters would send an envoy, and even if they did, the outcome would be predictable. Given the current situation, their demands are entirely self-serving, and there is no sign of compromise. Perhaps the vampires never intended to negotiate from the beginning. Sending an envoy that would inevitably fail would be pointless. I thought there might be another purpose."

"Exactly, that's why it's unnatural. It almost seems like they are trying to provoke our anger and encourage our invasion. I can't grasp the vampires' intentions, but they must have a plan."

The situation in Clermont was unclear. The spies had not returned. No matter what strategy the vampires had employed, Viktor could only imagine within the limits of his own understanding.

"But it's fine. If they have a plan, we will break it. There are vampires in Clermont, and we will defeat them and pacify this land."

Alexia nodded slightly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

(Yes, we will take this land. Whether the opponent is a vampire or a human.)

As the Vaiscel Empire approached Clermont, the atmosphere in Clermont grew increasingly heavy. The tense atmosphere emanating from the soldiers had spread to the civilians.

Rozeline was tight-lipped, and her subordinates looked grim.

"Have we received a response from the Vaiscel Empire?"

"There has been no direct response. We have sent several messengers, but none have returned. A group that appears to be Vaiscel soldiers threw the head of the first envoy we sent at the city gates and fled. I believe this is the Vaiscel Empire's response. It seems dialogue with the Vaiscel Empire is impossible."

One of the subordinates answered Rozeline's question. Rozeline's expression hardened again, and she remained silent.

She still wanted to avoid war as much as possible. However, without a chance to negotiate, the options available to the Commune Union were limited.

Surrender or fight to the bitter end.

The Commune Union was facing a significant decision.

"Perhaps the Vaiscel Empire only intended to invade our country from the beginning. That's why they entered our country without permission and even killed the envoy we sent for a ceasefire. Moreover, the speed of their invasion is too convenient. They seem to have been planning this invasion secretly for a long time, and the justification for attacking our country is just a pretext. If Clermont falls to the Vaiscel Empire, what will happen to our people?"

From the limited information available to the Commune Union, the speed of the Vaiscel Empire's invasion was abnormal. It was impossible for them to have occupied the northeast in less than a month and advanced to Clermont, the center of the Commune Union, so quickly.

The Vaiscel Empire was protecting the people from vampires and liberating them. Naturally, they would need to station troops to protect the towns and temporarily govern the occupied territories.

If the Vaiscel Empire had noticed the existence of vampires and started the invasion, it would be too well-prepared. If the invasion had been so easy, the Commune Union would have been invaded by other countries long ago, even with the chaos caused by the vampires.

Moreover, the invasion came at a time when the Commune Union was still recovering from the vampire invasion and reclaiming Clermont. The timing was too perfect.

Perhaps they had been gathering information in the Commune and planned to invade the Commune Union at this opportunity, blaming everything on the vampires and burying the truth. This was the conclusion reached by the upper echelons of the Commune Union. If that were the case, it would explain why they did not accept the envoy for a ceasefire.

The ease with which the Vaiscel Empire had invaded was due to the extraordinary abilities of individuals like Alexia and Irene, and Viktor's leadership. However, the Commune Union had no way of knowing this. Without the chaos caused by the vampires, they might have known in advance. However, the shortage of personnel had also affected their intelligence gathering.

Therefore, even if there were mages or knights who had gained fame through unknown magic in the war, the Commune Union could only imagine their contributions within the bounds of common sense. It was unimaginable that the previously mediocre Viktor would display such skill, and through the filter of experience and common sense, the truth was obscured, making the Empire's actions seem abnormal.

Indeed, it would be more acceptable to the upper echelons of the Commune Union to think that the Vaiscel Empire and the vampires had colluded to bring down the Commune Union in a grand scheme. (Of course, it was unimaginable that the vampires, who would not side with humans, would collude with them.)

Therefore, the upper echelons of the Commune Union thought: If the Vaiscel Empire were to take control of the Commune Union, what impact would it have? Even if wars had not occurred for a hundred years, it was easy to imagine that there would be no bright future for the invaded country or its people.

This was unacceptable for those responsible for protecting the country.

"There is no choice but to fight to the bitter end."

"Should we at least send Rozeline to Charent and wait for a better time to resist?"

"That's impossible. The Vaiscel Empire's invasion is too fast. Even if Rozeline safely evacuates to Charent, it would only buy a little time. What would be the point of fleeing without a plan?"

Rozeline had no intention of fleeing alone. When dealing with the vampires, she had left Clermont with the help of the Duke of Charte to liberate Clermont. This time, there was no such goal. The only potential ally, the Kingdom of Castel, was to the east, and the current situation in the east was unknown.

That's why Charent, which was considered relatively safe, was a candidate for evacuation, and there was no guarantee that the Kingdom of Castel would help the Commune Union. They might even have a secret agreement with the well-prepared Vaiscel Empire.

Most importantly, if the princess fled without a fight after the king's death, the people would completely abandon the country. If that happened, even if they overcame this crisis, it would hinder the country's governance.

Rozeline closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she made her decision.

"We will engage the Vaiscel Empire advancing on Clermont."

Rozeline wanted to avoid war if possible, but if the other side refused a ceasefire, the Commune Union could not allow its territory to be taken without a fight.

One reason the people recognized the king and the military was that the country guaranteed their safety. If that were overturned, the king and the military would lose their purpose.

Until recently, she had been thinking about how to reclaim Clermont, and now she was thinking about how to defend against an invasion from another country. Realizing this, Rozeline felt a bitter self-mockery.

They might lose. The thought crossed Rozeline's mind. The Vaiscel Empire was advancing relentlessly towards Clermont, and it was clear that they were confident in their ability to capture it. It would be difficult for the current Commune Union army to defeat them.

In that case, the only option was defense. If they fortified Clermont and created a war-weariness among the Vaiscel Empire, they might be able to negotiate a peace.

If not, the Commune Union would be destroyed by the Vaiscel Empire.

She would never show it. There was no place for a king to show weakness to those who risked their lives to protect the people. It would be disrespectful to those who had died protecting her from vampires and those who