Integrating Southern Ridge

On June 12, 775 Terra Calendar, the Empire released numerous photographs and news reports on the Blazing Flame Lands' use of demon technology, formally declaring to the entire Terra Continent that the Blazing Flame Lands had adopted forbidden technology and committed heinous crimes against humanity in the Empire's Western Border.

In response, the Blazing Flame Lands stated that what they used was not simple demon technology, but artificial demon technology that wielded demonic power with the heart of man—they had already discovered the fundamental laws behind demon creation and could completely use demons to eliminate demons.

As for the crimes against humanity, they believed that after ten years of war preparations in the Western Border, there were no civilians unrelated to the war left. Those who should have moved away had moved away, and anyone still remaining in the Western Border could not possibly be an ordinary civilian. They were all staunch supporters and reservists of the Empire's war effort. The Blazing Flame Lands had merely eliminated the Empire's reserve forces.

Though such shameless rhetoric was utterly brazen, they had never intended to persuade anyone else. They merely needed something to bicker over among themselves to preserve the righteousness of their own side.

As for the nobles of Southern Ridge, after suffering the terrifying Blazing Flame Lands raid, they had no energy left to care about public opinion.

Because a Count Silverpeak, perhaps even more terrifying than the Blazing Flame Lands, was watching them.

On June 15, two weeks after the great Southern Ridge attack, Southern Ridge declared a state of total war. To prevent a second raid that was so devastating and so ruinous, Marquis Barton, Governor of the Empire's Southern Ridge Province, announced that all Southern Ridge nobles would be connected to a unified network for administration.

This