In the golden autumn month of October, it should have been harvest season, yet the Moxi Duchy was shrouded in gloom.
The East Warhammer Kingdom had collapsed. Only a few rural castles remained in resistance, but they meant nothing to the broader situation.
The allied alien race forces had launched a massive offensive. Even after gathering some of the routed soldiers who had retreated from the East Warhammer Kingdom, humanity remained at an absolute disadvantage.
Dapes Royal Palace.
"We cannot keep retreating! Even if the enemy unleashes a Forbidden Spell, you must hold the line for me!"
King George rebuked them harshly.
When the battlefield had been in a neighboring country, news of retreats had not stirred much feeling among them. Now that the flames of war had reached their doorstep, it was entirely different.
Trading space for time did not mean simply abandoning land and running. Holding the city walls was still better than fighting in the open.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured!
The forces holding the line now are the duchy's troops, not those cowards from the East Warhammer Kingdom. There will absolutely be no fleeing without a fight."
Count Martins immediately assured him.
The East Warhammer Kingdom had collapsed so quickly largely because the previous Beastfolk invasion had broken its spine.
They had suffered enormous population losses, while tens of thousands of mid- and low-ranking noble officers had died in battle. The newly assembled army was unqualified from officers to ordinary soldiers.
The lower ranks were rotten, and the upper ranks were no better.
The great nobles who had dared to fight to the death had either died on the battlefield or borne responsibility for defeat.
The new rulers were all experts at infighting and masters of shifting blame. Asking them to fight a war was simply