Ten years later, and after the war had broken out, His Majesty the Emperor finally appeared at a full Privy Council meeting for the first time. The imperial ministers and generals, who had grown restless over the lack of progress in the war, finally felt they had someone to rely on.
Of course, with the war underway, even frontline commanders who were not Privy Council members, such as Marshal Ikenroga, joined the December 17 meeting through a long-distance aetherwave communication link.
The generals on the Saide front all thought that His Majesty, a godlike figure, had come to the Privy Council in person because he intended to hold them accountable for the disastrous Abyssal Metamorphosis Plan. They were all filled with dread.
Even the most hard-bitten, death-defying generals couldn't help trembling at the thought of His Majesty's possible thunderous wrath, as if they were awaiting divine punishment.
Fortunately, Marshal Ikenroga reassured them that His Majesty was a magnanimous ruler and would never punish frontline commanders who had performed their duties conscientiously. Besides, even if someone really was going to be held accountable, he would be the first.
Everyone was deeply moved, but they looked at the old marshal as though he were a martyr bearing the burden for them all.
Of course, the Privy Council meeting attended by His Majesty was quite long. Perhaps because there were so many topics to discuss, it lasted a full six hours. During that time, Marshal Ikenroga even left the meeting room to have lunch with the generals and hold a brief meeting.
"You don't need to keep staring at me in such dread. We haven't gotten to anything concerning our side yet," Marshal Ikenroga said.
Naturally, the old marshal didn't tell them that the morning had been spent discussing things like tariffs, expansion