By comparison, the Empire's battle report was more traditional in style.
Britannia's Area 18 headquarters announced that the Imperial Knight Air Assault Group had successfully completed its operational objectives and forced BETA's main ground task force to halt its westward advance. The report also acknowledged that the air force needed to refit after sustained high-intensity operations, and that ground forces would shoulder the main defensive duties for the time being.
After reading it, Cornelia felt slightly relieved to find that the Military Affairs Office had not concealed the aircraft losses. But when she turned to the attachments, she found another statement drafted by the Publicity Department:
[The Imperial Air Force has voluntarily concluded the first phase of its aerial offensive to conserve its strength for an even greater victory in the next phase.]
"Wait! Who wrote this?"
Dalton lowered his head to check the name on the document, and his expression suddenly grew rather peculiar.
First he frowned, then the corners of his mouth began twitching uncontrollably, as though he had discovered something even harder to explain to the Princess than frontline losses.
"Your Highness... this publicity draft came from the Royal Publicity Department overseen by Prince Clovis."
"Clovis?!"
The furious rebuke Cornelia had been ready to deliver suddenly caught in her throat. She stared at Dalton, as though hoping the veteran general would tell her he had merely misread the name.
"Are you telling me that my little brother, the one who loves painting, theater, and art exhibitions, actually described the Imperial Air Force suffering devastating losses and being forced to halt its concentrated assaults as conserving strength for some greater victory?"
Gilford coughed softly beside her.
"At least Prince Clovis did not take it upon himself to alter the actual casualty figures. I believe he may simply have