City of Desire: Chapter 1030 Positions III (Patreon)

Proofread by Thomas F

“You didn’t have to come drop me off,” said Carla as the carriage stopped at the port.

“I wanted to,” I replied and took her lips into mine for a long kiss.

She looked at me before stepping out of the carriage. I watched her walk toward the yacht, feeling worried, as this time she was leaving with much less security.

Usually, Hugo goes with her, but this time he is staying.

Nothing will happen to her, at least not a mortal danger. She is the heir; even the undead would think ten times before doing anything to her.

Especially after the last incident.

She stepped onto the yacht and stopped at the railing, watching me. I stayed until the yacht moved.

“Let’s go back,” I said to the driver, and the carriage turned.

She is going to Namdar; she will have a meeting with Helena Salazar before we fight Viremont. It’s not for support or aid in battle, nor would she provide it.

It’s for after the battle. That is when we are going to need her help; without her, there could be a lot of trouble.

Soon, the carriage reached my office, and I stepped out. I didn’t go to my office. Instead, walked into the war room, where everyone was present: Stone, Irab, Axseer, Hiren, and others.

“Lord Silver,”

I nodded at their greeting and sat down, then looked at the projection.

Here is information on all the armies in the region. Mine, Grimvale's, Arenthal’s, Viremont’s, the undead, and even others.

Every one of them will come at us if they see a chance.

Viremont is already coming, and Grimvale is ready with his forces, while Arenthal and Summerfield will pounce on any chance, while the undead have been completely silent.

“There is a movement in Navr Camp; they are gathering a horde at the border,” informed Hiren.

“Nothing surprising there; we had expected it. General Cardin should be able to handle it,” I wanted to curse these bastards.

They attack at such a time, when everything between us was going well.

Trade is flourishing; we are engaging more, but it doesn’t matter to them. They will attack, and it is part of their strategy, since we won’t know whether it's a test attack or a real one.

It’s been over five years since they launched any big attack. Usually they do it every decade.

We could say we have some time, but they don't always follow their normal timeline. Sometimes they don’t attack for decades, and sometimes they attack several times within a decade.

“It should not be more than a heavy attack, but still it is too much responsibility on the shoulders of a single man,” said General Axseer.

“You are right, General, but we can only spare him.” I too would have liked to have at least one more Lv. 40 with him, but we can’t spare anyone else.

Soon, our focus turned to the baronies.

We're keeping only a skeleton force at Bram Fortress. Blackwell had increased his forces. We have shifted most of the army into the baronies and the rest of the dominion.

“Our numbers in the baronies are enough to defend against Grimvale’s forces, but if he sends his forces from Brimbale to reinforce them, we will be in trouble,” said Hiren.

The mood turned heavy, hearing that.

I believe the barony is the weakest link in my defense, despite having the biggest army.

Eighty thousand men are defending it, but it won’t be enough if Grimvale sends his forces and those from Brimbale into the baronies.

He has kept forces there to attack Greltheaven, but he could effectively divert them to the baronies and Mirador Hold when we are fighting against the undead.

Mirador Hold is a fortress, and I have taken precautions, but Nakar is difficult to defend.

“We should abandon the baronies. They matter, but not as much as the rest of the dominion. Once we’ve dealt with Viremont and the other threats, we can always take them back,” suggested Irab.

It wasn’t the first time he had suggested it, and he wasn’t alone in supporting it.

The moment those words came out, the room became colder. Frost began to cover the room, the furniture, and our bodies.

“And let them destroy and loot everything?” Leila asked softly, her voice edged with icy anger.

Irab held her gaze without flinching.

“We promised the barons we would protect them, and we have every intention to keep that promise,” Stone interrupted, dissolving the situation. Leila glared at Irab before controlling her emotions.

Unlike when she is in the barony, she wears the artifact in the city twenty-four seven.

Here it won’t go out of control, and she could learn to control it better. Still, it’s an artifact that couldn’t be so easily managed. If it could be, it wouldn’t have killed so many of its hosts.

“We understand your concerns, General, but if we abandon our promise, what does that make us?” I asked. He clearly disagreed, but nodded nonetheless.

We discussed a few more things and moved on to Gailhorn.

“General Trask and Archbishop Alanis have good control over things. The army is less than we like, but we have enough powerhouses to go against any threat.”

“Especially the undead,” he added.

According to our intelligence, the undead have three targets. Gailhorn, Panar, and Greltheaven.

We spread most powerhouses between Panar and Greltheaven, but focused 90% of Dusk’s powerhouses in Gailhorn, including Archbishop Alanis and their battle priests and paladins, along with an army of seventy thousand men.

“I believe it’s too risky. To focus the church’s powerhouses on a single city.”

“If they attack on multiple fronts or different cities other than Gailhorn. We will waste those powerhouses,” said Leila.

“It is a risk, but we have to take it. We might have spread them if they had agreed to fight any enemy other than undead, but they did not.”

“It is wise to use them in one city, but Greltheaven and Panar have enough powerhouses; Gailhorn does not,” replied Stone.

It’s not optimal, but the best choice we have.

“We should abandon Gailhorn and spread the powerhouses and army between Greltheaven, Nakar, Panar and the Hold,” said Leila.

“I agree with the Baroness; we need to make this painful decision,” added General Axseer. “Me too; we shouldn't try to hold on to everything. If not the baronies, then we should do it with Gailhorn,” added Irab.

“No, Gailhorn needs to be defended as do the Baronies,”  replied Stone.

“Why?” asked Leila, looking at Stone and me.

“You are aware of how many nobles have lost their whole territory in the greed to preserve every corner.”

“Is there something else that gives you confidence? Is it things you found in Panar or abilities of Velvet Garden or help from the Storm Mage, where you just sent Lady Carla to?”

Her eyes were boring down on us, not only hers, but everyone’s. Aside from Stone and me, nobody fully knows or understands our abilities. The abilities of Velvet Garden, or what we found in Panar, or even the complete list of powerhouses that will fight on different fronts.

“I know you all have questions, and they will be answered in time. Until then, I will ask you all to trust General Stone’s plan.” I said, and she looked unwilling, but nodded.

A few moments later, Hiren resumed.

“Panar holds our second-largest army, along with our greatest concentration of officers and powerhouses. It is Count Viremont’s target,” he said.

Everyone immediately grew serious.

“He is bringing at least seven Lv. 40s, and our intelligence suggests there may be more. Do we truly want to face him there?”

“We should face him in Greltheaven. I’m certain we can wipe him out here, just as you did the undead,” Leila said.

“That might keep the capital safe, but it would leave our other territories exposed. Most importantly, it will send the opposite message that we want to send.”

Stone’s words have made the mood somber. They also understand that if we fought every enemy in Greltheaven, the enemies would move to cut our legs until only the capital remains.

Once that happens, it wouldn’t take long for them to deal with us, even with all the abilities of Velvet Garden.

They will only need people with specific abilities and artifacts.

So we have to show them we could fight the enemy outside. If someone somehow got to Greltheaven. Then they will face the full might of our abilities.

“It’s quite a paradox we found ourselves in, isn’t it?” she asked, and everyone let out a laugh.

“In this storm, we will either come out completely victorious or be destroyed.”

Once they smelled blood, everyone would come. No one will stop then. Even those outside the region will come. That is why the first battles will be extremely important.

We will need to destroy the enemy. Because if we only defended and, worse, were defeated, everyone will come.

“Greltheaven,” said Hiren, and paused for a moment.

“General Stone himself will lead the defense of it, along with our brave men. It would wipe anybody who would dare to attack us.” Everyone nodded; there was no doubt about it.

More than an hour passed as we settled the remaining details. At last, everyone turned to me.

I looked at the people around the table. Each would play a crucial role in what lay ahead—powerful and capable, with immense responsibilities resting on their shoulders.

“Everyone is waiting to witness our downfall,” I said. Most people in the empire and many in the merchant state and others are thinking, I will lose.

Active betting is underway on how badly I will lose.

“Let us show them our triumph instead—one they will remember for years.”

“The coming storm is more than a battle for survival; it is the last barrier between us and prosperity. If we break through it, years of peace and abundance will lie ahead.”

Silence held the room for a moment. Then fists struck the table in resounding agreement.

I smiled and got up before walking out of the office. Leila appeared beside me.

“I believe I’ve earned enough trust to be told at least some of what you’re hiding,” she said, her gaze fixed on me. The secrecy had clearly wounded her.

“This isn’t about trust.” It’s about keeping our cards close to the chest.

Only Stone knew everything he needed to. Even Carla, Caena, and Bell had not been told the full plan. Walls had ears, and I intended to keep my cards completely hidden until it was time to use them.

It won’t be long.