Twilight War (Part Two)

The esteemed Elector Volvo Columbus personally set foot upon this extraordinary fortress built from countless lives and oceans of blood.

He wore a golden robe, the majesty and authority of the royal family gathered upon that Columbus-blooded face.

"Your Highness, more than 167,000 slaves at Twilight Fortress have been killed or wounded. Fewer than 20,000 remain within the fortress."

Marquis of Twilight presented Volvo with this result. This number was the price of compressing several months' worth of work into seven days.

"So many?"

Even Volvo, who regarded slaves as nothing more than a string of numbers, could not stop his body from trembling. He stared in shock at Hick Columbus, Marquis of Twilight.

"How could there be so many?"

"It was inevitable. Slaves died at the hands of the orcs, and they also died transporting materials and building the fortress. This place was far too dangerous a few days ago."

Without magical power sustaining it, Twilight Fortress was merely an ordinary high-walled fortress. The slaves had no ability to protect themselves while moving through such a dangerous place. During several orc assaults, the orcs had even set foot atop Twilight Fortress. One orc could kill ten slaves.

"What about the remaining slaves...?"

Volvo fell silent. After a long while, he said,

"Give them Gold Coin. I am the Empire's future emperor, and I must keep my word. Grant them commoner status and enough wealth to survive."

There were simply so few left that it would not cost much at all.

After speaking, Volvo walked past Marquis of Twilight, then turned to face the densely packed soldiers behind him. They wore the crests of different noble houses, yet at this moment, they all belonged to the Empire's army.

"Soldiers of the Empire!"

"In the name of an Elector, and as