Chapter 4: CHAPTER 4: MEETING
"This is the map of aurora valley and the whole aurora region… this will be the first land we will conquer in our second campaign... by order of his majesty…..This time. We. The BIFROST LEGION will light the first fire of the second conquest to dominate this whole continent. " The General's calm but fierce statement brought a massive wave to the heart of every individual in this tent. Except for one person
'Damn, this is bad.'
The tent becomes lively because of the ecstatic scream of other lieutenants and officials. But this kind of noise was not heard by Brald like he was not present in the current situation. Instead, he was trap in his own world full of his own thoughts that makes his mind absent. He was so immersed- to the point that the only thing he could hear was the crackling sounds produced by the nearby torch.
The image depicted inside his mind was a vast fire greedily devouring the whole city, leaving the hopeless cries of the people in agony and the plea of those on the verge of dying. The other remaining survivors were being punished by the soldiers of the empire to fully entertain their animalistic instinct by simply butchering them as if they were cattle in the slaughterhouse. While their victims were tied upside down to skin them alive, they were ravaging their women indiscriminately even up to their last breath, accompanied by the demon-like laugh of the soldiers, it was horrifying indeed, this was the scene that Brald witnessed during the first campaign of the empire, and it greatly impacted his mind.
"FOR THE GREATNESS OF TRULACE EMPIRE!!"
"...."
After brald came back to his senses by the extreme shouts in the meeting, he slowly glanced at his surroundings like his colleagues were demons in the deepest hell.
Every person is fervently shouting the same praise and even making some whistles to express their extreme excitement about the opening of the new era. From their perspective- if they properly gain merits, this will be one of the rare opportunities that may change their whole life instantly.
Aeron turns his head excitedly to Brald, but when he faces his captain, Aeron stops for a moment because he notices that Brald is unusually silent. Aeron noticed that Brald was spacing out and flinching in his seat, so he chose to ask him in a worried tone.
"Sir, this is a great opportunity for us to make a lot of merits….. sir. Sir?"
"oh, it's nothing..."
Although brald says it was nothing to worried about, Aeron was still reluctant to believe in his denial statement. He still looks at him with a poker face and contemplating eyes- trying to discern what was the real thoughts of his captain without doing any direct intervention. Because he's afraid that he might burden his captain if he shows any emotions on his face.
'why is lieutenant sweating so much.'
Although Aeron doesn't want to bother Brald, he becomes more concerned in response to the unusual act of his captain. Aeron was worried about how great the problem his captain was thinking at this moment that even at this critical event he was still greatly affected by it.
"Is there anything that happens, sir?"
Aeron suppresses himself to not throw any questions up until now. However, he can't still get rid of the curiosity circling in his head even after convincing himself for more than half a minute- he finally outwardly asks his concern, simply because Aeron is the type of man that can't hold back his curiosity and it's natural for him to speak whatever he wants to say.
"I'm just thinking about something..."
Unlike his calm reply to Aeron. Brald was so bothered by the uncomfortable feeling he was suppressing deep within his heart, contrary to his calm expression his hands close so tightly to the point his veins are bulging in extremity underneath the table. However, he didn't want it to get any more attention, so he chose to calm himself first while making a lot of assessments inside of his head.
'Fredrick Baldwin, the third son of Duke Baldwin, a colonel in the first campaign with exceptional fighting capabilities a year ago. He was known for being merciless, and because of the mask that he was always wearing, he became famous for the nickname iron mask. I never thought that he was already on the move; there was some mistake in the report about him. Or, maybe an anomaly…. '
He continued to speak to Aeron to satisfy his curiosity as he corrected his behavior at the same time while continuing what he was talking about before.
"… on how can we accumulate as much merit as we can..."
"oh, that's right, you are surely underrated, and with the talent you possess, you are meant for greater things, so I must also do my best to catch up to you and serve you until the end."
Aeron was like a swan broadly puffing his chest seems he has some overflowing vigor right now while he was thinking about the idea of standing by the side of his master while attaining a great victory.
"Only time could tell the faith of an individual if it was a prosperous one, or despair that can be destroyed along the way. because life is full of unexpected events."
"But sir, when I first saw you and swore my loyalty to you, I already knew that you can become a figure who will shake this entire continent in the future. "
The passion in the eyes of Aeron was so intense that he almost saw Brald as his patron.
"Aeron, that was still way too far, and we have so many things to do before that happens... "
Brald just smirks and shakes his head in response to Aeron.
******
"calm down… calm down, I know it was an honor for us to celebrate this kind of opportunity that his majesty gave to us. But you also need to remember that great consequences are waiting for us if we didn't successfully take over this land...Remember, His majesty was a person who didn't hesitate to give a generous reward to those who participated in his great cause. But, don't forget that he was also a cold-hearted person when it comes to punishment."
Iron mask general interrupted the joyful atmosphere inside the tent.
As he continued the discussion about their topics.
"We all have duties needed to do, and expect that starting today our schedules are a lot more busier than ever.....So if I catch some of you are slacking off on their duties!!... military punishment was the only one waiting for you. I will surely break some bones in your body without any conservation so that your behaviors can be corrected properly."
Even the General gave them a great opportunity for their future, he still reminded them that they were not strolling in the amusement park here... this is military!!... and they are soldiers!! Countless Battlefields was waiting for their life to fall, so they needed to work hard to achieve the things they wanted to have and as they preserve their lives in the long run.
While the heated discussion was continued realtime, the full-bodied armor soldier who delivered a message to Brald a while ago strode fastly- as arrogant as ever without minding his behavior in the middle of this momentous event that makes all the participants' blood boils at him and openly showing their displeasure.
Some General's guards notice this, and they grab the hilt of their sword simultaneously in response to the lack of respect of this individual to give this bastard a proper warning.
Nevertheless, the General seems to allow his behavior and raises his right hand a little bit to signal his guard: telling them that it's okay.
Then the newly arrive soldier continues his step toward the General- without minding the whispers and malicious gazes of the others.
"What happened? " The General asks in silence.
"sir…. "
After he made a sudden entrance in the middle of the meeting like he was the center of the world to only stater the moment when he was giving a report for an unknown reason, the General started to get annoyed at him.
"What?! "
Although the General was still silently asking a question, the man quickly noticed the annoyance in the voice of his General, and he replied in haste.
"it's a failure, Sir..."
Without any flimsy talk, he directly said the most unwelcome report that his General was hoping for the least. The messenger got a little bit nervous when he ended his words because he knew that his General detested failure the most and he might lose his life if the General was more displeased than usual.
When General heard this- although, he was still calm on the outside, his blood was already boiling at its peak and behind his mask were unstable eyes of rage like an eye of the predator who wants to devour the messenger wholely on where he was standing now
"sigh… alright, the meeting is dismissed for a moment, and ready all yourself and take some preparations I will inform you all after some time. So be prepared anytime. "
"yes, sir!" All the meeting participants gave a fierce salute.
"FOR THE GREATNESS OF TRULACE EMPIRE!!!!" they all said in an overwhelming voice they could muster
"for the greatness of TRULACE EMPIRE!!!!" the General gave them back a salute; after that, they left silently one by one until the guards, messenger, and the General itself was the only one left inside of the tent.
"you can also leave us. "
The General turns his sight to his guards and gives them a command.
After everyone is gone and the guards move to the entrance of the tent, to not hear the conversation between their General and that arrogant messenger, the entire tent was dominated by the sparkling sound of fire in the nearby torches.
" tinng!..."
Then the General grabbed something from his pocket and tossed it casually on the table. Surprisingly, the table inflates and catches the coin he throws. in truth It was not a typical table with a luxurious design instead it was a slime that took the shape of the table to make a proper presentation during the meeting; when the slime gets the reward of his hard work, he comes back to the table's form as if nothing had happened.
After that, the messenger started to talk about everything his subordinate reported to him with sweaty hands.
"That... was...happen s..i...r"
Although he made his report exquisite, the nervousness in his voice makes it a lot more complicated and takes a bunch of time before he finished it.
"Hmm. So that's it, they chose mutual destruction and successfully prevented our first move hahaha, little did they know that it was only the tip of the iceberg "
'it looks like the General cease his anger a little bit for now ' the messenger thought and breathed with a sigh of relief when he noticed the current ridiculed tone of the general was directed towards their enemies.
"HAHAHAHA!!"
The General- laughed hysterically, different from his calm but intimidating behavior from before.
"hahaha,"
Then the messenger follows his laugh with an awkward version, in fear of spoiling the mood.
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