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"What has the Numinous Episcopate been up to lately?"
Richard put down the report in his hand and, sitting on a wooden supply crate in the small square, questioned the cold-faced man beside him.
"Her Majesty the Empress is preparing a surprise attack. The objective is to retake the town closest to the capital," Galan De, the Sequence 5 Death Pathway Beyonder in charge, answered expressionlessly. "Her Majesty hopes to purchase another large shipment of firearms and ammunition. If you have mystical items or things like bulletproof vests, feel free to discuss prices as well. Everything is negotiable."
"She wants to buy in bulk? It looks like Shea Eggs has been doing quite well lately..."
Richard considered his inventory and the current situation. But since it's so close to Balam Capital, it should have some strategic importance, shouldn't it? I remember Teacher saying that directly attacking an armed town isn't a good choice. The correct approach should be to first unite the surrounding towns, villages, and smaller cities, gaining cover and supplies while isolating the armed city... Sigh, the Pale Empress still refuses to learn new strategies, choosing the simplest, most brutal attack instead. The powerful often have faith in their strength.
But even if she takes it, attacking and defending it will be enormously costly. Still, given her Eggers Family's influence over Balam, the surrounding towns will very likely support her of their own accord.
*However poorly Balam is doing, it still has this Pale Empress. The Numinous Episcopate still has a voice and is a fairly well-known underground force even on the Northern Continent. Just over a decade ago, it was still the Church of Death. Compared with the Highland Kingdom, which fell outright and was destroyed under the Northern Continent nations' offensive, they're far better off.