Muller walked to the front of... Haken Gate.
Haken Gate was the border between the Erebonian Empire and the Liberl Kingdom. If a soldier crossed this border in a military capacity, his actions would constitute an invasion.
Yet behind him stood tens of thousands of soldiers. He had no choice but to stand before them, facing Haken Gate, facing this country he knew so well—Liberl.
What was more, standing opposite him now was his dearest friend, Captain Julia.
"Captain Julia, I..."
Julia on the other side closed her eyes and said softly, "Colonel Muller, you needn't say anything. Since you have come here on behalf of the Empire, you are an invader. No matter what, I, Julia, will never forgive you."
Muller shook his head and said quietly, "I will not ask for your forgiveness. But before that, I hope to have a one-on-one duel with you. Would you be willing?"
Behind Julia stood tens of thousands of Royal Army soldiers as well. Unlike Muller, the forces behind Julia were already Liberl's entire military strength. Those behind Muller, however, were merely the Erebonian Empire's vanguard.
Only a small unit of the vanguard had been dispatched here. The vast army led by Chancellor Giliath Osborne—one hundred times their number—was waiting menacingly in the rear!
Now, the only way to stop this war was to risk challenging Julia to a duel—and lose to her, damaging his own side's morale!
An army depended on morale. Once morale fell, even a larger force would lose its battles. If the vanguard he led came off worse in a clash against the Royal Army led by Julia, a situation like the Hundred Days War eleven years ago might repeat itself.
That was assuming Liberl's great military leader, Cassius, could once again employ his masterful tactics.
But