In the Emerald Palace, after the Duchy of Cantlu fell, pleas for aid from the Duchy of Usta and the Duchy of Fick soon appeared before Caesar IV.
"Hmph!"
"This is utterly outrageous!"
"They actually dare to threaten us with surrender? Do Usta and Fick think they have us over a barrel...?"
Faced with Caesar IV's roar, the assembled ministers all sat upright, terrified of accidentally drawing their king's wrath.
Anyone with sense knew that Caesar IV's loss of composure was not merely because of the two pleas for aid before him. More importantly, he had been living far too stifled a life lately.
Ever since the Continental War began, Caesar IV's authority had been squeezed by the military.
No matter how dissatisfied he was, it was useless. All the major domestic factions, including the royal family, had reached a consensus—no king was to interfere in military affairs.
Forced by internal pressure, Caesar IV could only endure it. He could comfort himself by saying it was for the greater good for a day or two, but no one could bear being repressed for too long!
Without realizing it, Caesar IV's temper had grown worse by the day. He merely hid it well during ordinary times and rarely exposed it in front of outsiders.
The pleas for aid from the Duchy of Usta and the Duchy of Fick became the spark that ignited the powder keg.
After venting for a while, Caesar IV gradually calmed down. No matter how furiously he cursed, he still had to face reality.
Unless they had been driven into a corner, Usta and Fick would never have done something like this. Surrender sounded simple, but carrying it out was exceptionally difficult.
The Continental War was currently deadlocked. Humanity and the Alien Race Alliance each had their