Resistance and Confrontation

"Marshal, word has come from the Fourth Legion. Things are progressing smoothly—they've already taken Kafar City."

"Didn't I send them there to survey and scout?"

At the former Shalin Duke's Mansion, now the Empire Expeditionary Force's headquarters, the Dragon Vein Hobgoblin Dolo stopped writing the document in his hand and looked up in surprise.

The messenger gave an awkward laugh and added, "The Dragon Worship Cult no longer has any organized forces. When they arrived in Kafar City, the cultists there were gathered for a ritual, so the Fourth Legion wiped them out while they were at it."

"Worthy of being warriors cultivated by His Majesty from His Majesty's own bloodline," Dolo remarked.

The messenger continued, "The Fourth Legion is maintaining order there. They're requesting that headquarters immediately send a garrison, and they also want you to provide them with... overtime pay. They claim they completed more than their assigned mission."

Dolo's expression immediately darkened. "Bullshit! That's disobeying orders! Military expenses at the front are already stretched thin. Hundreds of thousands of troops are stationed in Seleucia, consuming massive resources every moment. That's all His Majesty's wealth! And they still dare demand compensation?"

"How should I reply?"

"Tell them to get lost!"

Dolo waved his hand impatiently and resumed examining the documents in his hands.

By now, the allied forces had taken control of most of the Seleucid Region, while the Empire controlled the entire alliance. Yet the situation in this land was far more complicated than they had imagined.

The native Seleucian nobles—the "Second Fadlan Front" led by Duke Adrian—had been trying to reclaim control of the allied forces and restore the former Seleucia Kingdom.

However, the guns were ultimately in the Empire's hands. These Seleucian People did not dare turn hostile openly, so they could only secretly court