Chapter 113: The Empire's Lingering Might

At Blackfort, in the Earl of York’s office, five men sat upright around a long walnut table. Some were robust, some defiant, others elegant or straightforward, yet they all shared one unmistakable trait: a confidence that commanded attention. It was as if any one of them could be the true center of the room. Their powerful auras constantly clashed, creating an intense pressure that weighed heavily on anyone unaccustomed to such energy.

There were no ordinary men in the room. Even the Earl of York, who lacked the radiant power of these knights, was no commoner—he was the head of the family, if only nominally. These formidable knights tacitly refrained from extending their auras toward the Earl, a courtesy that delighted him. Of course, his assured position was also due to Sylvia standing firmly behind him.

Sylvia’s delicate hand rested gently on the back of the Earl’s chair, her demeanor serene and graceful. Her fiery red hair cascaded over her shoulders like blazing flames, dazzling to behold. Yet to the eyes of the great knights, her beauty symbolized a power beyond ordinary grasp. The four elemental forces balanced and flowed steadily within a knight’s body, their mastery of these elements a constant source of strength. But Sylvia’s change was from the outside in—proof that the Elemental Sea had formed a stable connection with her, imbuing her with a new equilibrium of boundless elemental power. It signified that she had already set one foot in the realm of legend, a state every knight yearned to reach.

Sylvia smiled lightly as she observed the five great knights seated there, engaged in subtle rivalry. There was no hostility between them; such was the natural expression of a knight’s will. Each followed their own path, equally strong and unwilling to be swayed by others. Still, the reverent glances cast toward Sylvia pleased her. Her connection to the Elemental Sea was not meant to flaunt power but to sharpen her judgment at this critical moment for the family. The fire element, embodying spiritual strength, heightened her mental acuity.

With Trisely and Terlanden added, the family boasted seven great knights, twenty-six knights, and one hundred seventy-one apprentice knights—a force that could rival any kingdom’s order of knights. The thought stirred a surge of pride within Sylvia. She glanced at the knights present and spoke in a clear, crisp voice, “Gentlemen, regarding the future of our family, share your thoughts.”

The five great knights exchanged looks before Giles rose to bow respectfully to Sylvia. “Lady Sylvia, I believe we should abandon the Centaur Highlands and negotiate with the August family for new territory.”

“Giles, do you really think the kingdom will grant us territory as vast as the Centaur Highlands?” Vicount Fred York snorted. Fred was deeply attached to the Centaur Highlands—a land half the size of the Gambis Kingdom, fertile and temperate. Relinquishing it was unthinkable. Moreover, the family had invested heavily in building Blackfort Town. To withdraw now would mean incalculable losses.

Fred stood and declared, “Our family’s thousand-year accumulation is tied to the Centaur Highlands. To abandon it is to forsake Blackfort Town, fourteen castles, and immense wealth. Even if we gain new lands, we lack the funds to rebuild infrastructure. We risk falling to a second-rate family.”

The Earl of York’s plump face twitched as his small eyes darted rapidly, calculating losses at roughly eight hundred thousand gold sols—a staggering sum that broke his heart.

“Speak your mind, Fred,” Sylvia said, raising an elegant brow toward the Vicount.

Fred’s eyes lit up. “The ant-men are indeed a major nuisance, but just that. They are the dumbest creatures among all monsters!”

“True, we can’t fight the ant-men in the wild, but we don’t need to! Notice how they relentlessly assault the castles, disregarding casualties? If we hold the fortresses, they’ll come to their deaths. Especially now that we know ant-men fear fire—a single rocket can ignite one. With a hundred thousand ant-men, most will perish swiftly. Once their numbers dwindle, we can send troops to exterminate those remaining outside.”

He paused before continuing, “This ant invasion isn’t just damaging our York family; the Prince’s faction suffers worse. Their castles are too low, some under twenty meters, so they can’t hold. This is our chance!”

“The Church needs us to quell the ant disaster, and Gambis needs us as a barrier to stop the ant-men. We can leverage this to demand full possession of the Centaur Highlands, compensation for losses—including waived tributes—and annual supplies to fund ant defenses. We should also have the Church help build a fortress at the Great Swamp’s entrance. Block those three paths, and these foolish ant-men become our bargaining chip!”

Owning the entire Centaur Highlands! Tribute exemption! Annual supplies! A free fortress! The Earl of York beamed, even looking more favorably at his usually contentious brother.

The other great knights were tempted as well. If what Vicount Fred proposed were true, the family would practically be a kingdom unto themselves. No wonder Fred refused to abandon the Centaur Highlands—such an allure would be hard to resist.

But Giles shook his head. “The ant-men are not so simple!”

Fred curled his lip disdainfully, though he said nothing, clearly implying Giles was frightened by the ant-men. Giles’s face flickered with resentment but then darkened, recalling the comrades who had died under his command—his thousand-strong Fang Legion utterly annihilated.

As Giles fell silent, he noticed Sylvia’s gaze upon him, full of encouragement. Warmed by this, he spoke gravely, “The ant-men are more terrifying than we imagined. Their individual strength rivals elite soldiers. They feel no fear and are far from unintelligent. The ant-men besieging Terlanden have begun wielding our lost weapons and use shields to block rockets. They’re also filling earth at the castle’s base, clearly building a ramp to match the walls. This shows they can learn—and conduct siege warfare.”

“Furthermore, remember the ant-men’s numbers exceed one hundred thousand. What does it mean to face such a vast, fearless, learning, and organized horde? You need no explanation.”

All wore grim expressions. Though ant-men feared fire, their sheer numbers were overwhelming. Human history had never seen warfare on such a scale. Individual might had kept wars small; knights alone could shatter ordinary armies with repeated charges. Only in fortress sieges could common soldiers make a difference. Yet these ant-men knew no fear and could not be broken. Knights’ fighting spirit eventually waned, and once surrounded by the ant horde, even the strongest would perish. If these creatures truly had siege capabilities, the York family could not contain them.

Fred pondered, then said, “Giles, claiming the ant-men possess intelligence borders on alarmism. So far, they’ve only breached two castles by piling dead comrades as makeshift ladders—a suicide tactic that killed thousands beneath the weight. No intelligent creature would do that! Also, they besiege fortresses relentlessly but ignore fleeing civilians. Their behavior seems more like seeking battle—or death. Would an intelligent being seek death?”

Giles’s voice was harsh. “Ordinary creatures avoid death; intelligent ones sometimes embrace it! Recall how family wars erupt between lords, or how goblin tribes assault human fortresses? This suggests the ant-men’s numbers are staggering. They may be culling excess kin. Their suicidal tactics resemble wild bees, and given insects’ rapid reproduction, another ant invasion may occur in years. Perhaps the forest centaurs migrated to escape these frequent attacks.”

Having suffered defeat, Giles was deeply invested in ant-men intelligence. His understanding surpassed all, and his conclusions shocked.

The centaurs were formidable beastfolk—tall, strong, swift, skilled with javelins and bows. Only the thick-skinned ogres could rival them in the wild. The centaurs’ javelins and arrows had little effect on ogres, who could only retaliate by throwing stones, unable to match the centaurs’ speed.

Forest centaurs were slightly weaker physically but far superior in warfare. Being herbivores, they were numerous and more civilized, thus better organized and equipped. Were it not for their gentle nature, it was uncertain if Gambis would have formed at all.

If the forest centaurs truly migrated because of the ant-men, the latter’s power was terrifying indeed. The thought clouded everyone’s faces.

Sylvia chuckled softly. “No need to frighten ourselves. I lean toward the forest centaurs migrating by choice. Ant-men are no match for them!”

“When we first entered the Centaur Highlands, the purple cane forests were intact, showing no ant incursions there. That means the forest centaurs eliminated the ant-men outside the highlands. Also, we found no forest centaur weapons or gear here, implying most heeded the elves’ call to fight in the Endless Forest. That’s none of our concern.”

Sylvia’s tone grew serious. “The forest centaur migration allowed the ant-men to invade the Centaur Highlands. Bishop Perro and I agree on this. The Church has dealt with the ant-men before—fifteen hundred years ago they destroyed a foreign empire! We alone cannot defeat the ant-men.”

The Earl of York urged anxiously, “Then what do we do? Sylvia, we must retreat quickly!”

“Retreat or stay depends on the situation. Ant-men are enemies of all humanity. If the Church sends the Radiant Knights to aid us and the kingdom helps build a massive fortress at the swamp entrance, we shoulder the responsibility of defending humanity! But if anyone tries to trap us, they’re dreaming!” Sylvia’s voice was ice-cold. “The Church forbids us from starting civil war. That’s no obstacle! Does the Church forbid us from evacuating the one hundred thousand civilians of the Centaur Highlands to Gambis capital?”

Sylvia’s ruthless resolve stunned the five great knights.

The Radiant Knights’ absence indicated the Church’s forces were tied up in the Sassan Empire—a perfect opportunity to ignite family war. The August family would never tolerate the entire clan moving to Gambis capital, but under the pretense of protecting the people, such migration fully met the Church’s approval. The August family faced a dilemma: to fight or not. Neowist would surely seize this chance to restore the Lant Empire, striking both inside and out to topple the Augusts.

Sylvia’s move struck at the August family’s throat—a risky but brilliant gambit born of desperation. The Augusts had first betrayed the Yorks, so York’s knights no longer trusted the Gambis crown. If you won’t let me live, I will make you die—that was the York family’s way.

Seeing the knights’ eager faces, Sylvia sighed inwardly. She did not wish to battle the Augusts while the Sassan Empire kept the Church occupied in the north. The reactions of the Madoth and Naviel kingdoms were unpredictable. But letting the family face the ant-men alone was unacceptable.

The Centaur Highlands lay at the edge of human kingdoms; holding it meant invincibility. How she wished the ant-men threat did not exist.

Composing herself, Sylvia declared, “No matter how the situation unfolds, we must rescue Terlanden! When the Church’s holy warriors assemble, I will throw everything into the battle against the ant-men! This time, I will lead personally! Any objections?”

The five great knights stiffened, rising solemnly. “We pledge our lives to the family!”

The Terlanden family was a vassal of York for over six centuries. Its count was himself a great knight of the Silver rank. The family would bear great losses to secure his rescue—there was no alternative.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Trisely strode in with a stern voice. “Sylvia, Baron Victor is alive! He has sent critical intelligence!”

Taking the parchment, Sylvia read it carefully. Her eyes flickered as she passed it to the knights, inviting them to read in turn.

“What?! The ant-men have a commander! Kill it, and their swarm will collapse?!” Giles exclaimed.

“If true, this is our chance!” Fred said eagerly.

“How do we find it?” Hanus, a newly inducted great knight of the York family, frowned.

Sylvia replied calmly, “I’ll find out. Prepare yourselves. We’ll see if this intelligence holds.”

As the room emptied, Sylvia smiled softly, clutching the parchment. “Victor, you’re alive—that’s wonderful.”