Brevis Prime Hive, Uptown core area.
The Saint Garus Castle, the giant bear, stands tall in this noble territory.
Deep within the castle, in the heart of the main castle, in the "Hall of the High King," a great show is unfolding.
"Boom!!!"
The exquisite and heavy alloy door bulged inward, its hinges groaning under the strain.
"Lord Leo! The Supreme King has ordered that you cannot enter now!" The servant outside the door cried out in alarm.
He has no right to tell me what to do!
The young, angry voice stood out sharply amidst the cacophony of the crowd.
"Bang!!!"
The second kick was even heavier; the alloy door, weighing over a ton, was violently kicked open and slammed into the wall, the loud bang echoing through the hall.
A handsome young man with long blond hair barged in.
Leo St. Garus.
The youngest general in the Brevis Planetary Defense Force, a well-known "outlier" among the younger generation of the Great Bear St. Garus Family.
He wore a grey PDF ( Planetary Defense Force ) officer's uniform, with a roaring bear head badge on his left breast and a gold Aquila epaulette on his right shoulder that gleamed in the light.
His face was grim, his green eyes burning with rage, and each step he took resounded on the stone floor.
The moment he burst in, the six attendants standing on either side of the steps to the highest throne seemed to have seen something far more terrifying than the green Xenos.
His face turned deathly pale, and he rushed out of the hall with his head down as if fleeing for his life.
Outside the door, more servants and guards frantically tried to close the deformed door again.
An elderly servant, his face ashen, pulled a flaming spear from his robes without hesitation and fired a barrage of shots through the crack in the door.
The Melta beam of heat fused the metal together, and the door was welded to the frame.
They all knew that the Dialogue in the hall was about to get crazy!
The previous group of servants who "accidentally" overheard a few words have already died in excruciating pain.
The best way to save your life is to make sure you don't hear a single word.
Inside the hall, besides the throne, only Leo remained.
At the end, the supreme throne, which had been facing away from the entrance, slowly turned towards Leo.
Seated on the throne was the current head of the Great Bear St. Garus, and the nominal supreme leader of the Brevis Noble Council.
High King Caladogon St. Garus.
He was incredibly thin, and even though he was wrapped in a black velvet robe embroidered with gold lace and family crests, he still looked emaciated.
His exposed hands were dry and withered, and his sallow skin was covered with age spots and wrinkles.
His face was covered with a breathing mask, and several transparent tubes extended backward from under the mask.
Numerous tubes extended from the hem of his robes, connecting to the base of the throne, within which a pale blue liquid flowed, sustaining his fragile life.
But all the decline was suppressed by his eyes.
Emerald eyes, set in a withered body.
A perpetual, icy storm seemed to swirl within his pupils.
Despite the decay of the body, those eyes remained sharp and majestic.
It seems to be able to see through appearances and directly perceive the essence.
At this moment, those eyes calmly gazed at Leo, who was furious, in the center of the hall.
This look, which would make most of Brevis's powerful and wealthy tremble with fear, had no effect on Leo.
"Old Deng!" Leo said, without any respect.
" The Bront Longknives all dead; they've come to help us!"
Are you really going to just stand by and watch?
Not a single soldier was sent, not a single supply was provided—have you lost your conscience?!
His voice echoed in the hall, laced with unvarnished disdain.
Caladogon's lips, hidden behind the mask, twitched a few times.
The calm in his green eyes was shattered, a suppressed anger rising within them.
The withered fingers resting on the armrest of the throne exerted force, the knuckles protruding.
No one in Brevis had ever dared to speak to him like that.
" Leo," Caladogon said, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable authority.
"Who gave you permission to speak to me like that?"
The volume wasn't loud, but the aura of someone accustomed to being in a superior position was unmistakable.
Leo didn't back down. "Do I need permission? Aren't I stating the truth?"
Look at the battle report from Frostbound Wall! The Bront Longknives have been wiped out by more than half in just one month!
They lack ammunition, manpower, and supplies!
What about you?
The warehouses in the Uptown were overflowing with supplies, and the factories in the Midtown never stopped production!
The nobles' private soldiers are sunbathing behind the Man River —what kind of nonsense is this?!
It had been a long time since anyone had seen Caladogon so enraged.
"Everything I do is for the family, for the survival of Brevis."
Some sacrifices are necessary. You may not understand them now, but one day you will understand my good intentions!
"Here we go again!" Leo said dismissively.
"For the family and Brevis?"
"I think it's all to protect your throne, and to preserve the power and status of you old fogies!"
The words were like knives, leaving Caladogon silent for a few seconds.
However, the buzzing of the life support device became more rapid, and the flow rate of the pale blue liquid in the transparent tube increased significantly.
All signs indicate that Caladogon is not as calm as he appears.
"Enough." These were the only two words the Supreme King uttered in the end.
"How to allocate resources and deal with the crisis is something that I and the parliament need to consider."
Your current responsibility is to manage your defense forces and maintain order at the main hive!
"Fine, don't help! Stop with all the nonsense!"
Seeing that the other party was determined, Leo knew that saying anything more would be futile.
He punched a nearby pillar to vent his anger, then turned and left.
He walked up to the welded-closed gate and lifted his foot, which was clad in military boots.
"Bang!!!"
Another loud bang, and the door that had just been welded shut was blasted open again!
The servants and guards outside the door were so frightened that they scrambled to their feet, watching Leo stride out like an enraged lion.
" Leo!" Caladogon on the throne unconsciously raised his voice.
"Where are you going?!"
Leo didn't turn his head, his long golden hair flowing behind him, his cloak fluttering in the wind.
"None of your business!" his voice came from the corridor.
"If you won't help, I'll go myself!"
The footsteps faded into the distance.
The High King's Hall fell silent once more.
All that remained was the monotonous hum of the life support system and the frail figure on the throne, now even older.
The throne slowly turned back, its back to the gate, facing the mural depicting its ancestors piloting mechs to fight giant beasts.
As the young man walked away, his vision gradually merged with that of another figure with equally brilliant blond hair, tall and resolute...
A silent sigh was heard.
Caladogon cannot let anyone see his emotions.
After a long while, he raised his withered fingers and pressed a hidden spot on the armrest of the throne.
An encrypted communication channel was established.
Send a paladin to follow Leo, make sure he doesn't die.
The hall was silent, as if the fierce conflict had never happened.
The servants outside the door were dumbfounded; despite their best efforts, they hadn't been able to prevent it.
They still heard the last two sentences.
Just as they were wondering how to die with dignity, Leo returned:
"I'm leading my troops to the Frostbound Wall immediately. Anyone who's not afraid to die can come with me!"
After a brief silence.
"I am willing to follow Lord Leo!" A young guard was the first to kneel on one knee and shout excitedly.
"I'm willing to die for Brevis!"
"Following the master!"
Count me in!
Tears streamed down everyone's faces as they all decided to follow Leo and serve Brevis.