The Martial Unity

While uncertainty, concern, and loss of confidence had sparked within the halls of the Rafia Faction, it wasn't the only place.

"The Kandrian Throne War has completely changed."

Within the halls of a military command center in the capital town of Vargard.

Many figures, garbed in military attire, sat on either side of a bare metal table, scattered with files and documents, extending across the large spheric command center.

"A new prince has appeared."

Prince Randal stood at the head of the table with arms locked behind his back and split feet. His posture was stiff and disciplined, unmoving.

"The unfortunate reality is that our campaign is bound to stall. However, I can assure you that I, Randal Kandria, swear on the great name of Kandria to do everything in my power to overtake my competitors," Prince Randal boldly declared.

He was lying, of course.

He had greater mental fortitude than his sister, Princess Rafia, which was why he had come to terms with the fact that he was truly and completely defeated. The reawakening of the Emperor of Harmony, his father, had given him dim hope that he could rely on his father's enormous power and authority to gain a Royal Pardon, which would make him immune from persecution from the Martial Union against Rui Quarrier.

Only his father had the power to oppose the Martial Union.

However, an outcome worse than even his worst nightmares had unfolded.

Not only had Rui Quarrier turned out to be his brother, he turned out to be the favored son of the Emperor of Harmony.

The chosen heir.

Randal briefly considered suicide after that revelation.

However, he decided against it.

It was too shameful an act for him.

He had resigned himself to whatever fate had prepared for him.

"To think that His Majesty had prepared such a trump card despite his condition…" A man seated closest to Randal remarked with a grave expression. "I see that His Highness has not lost his touch as Emperor."

His eyes turned to Randal with a stern light in them. "What are you going to do, Prince Randal?"

Prince Randal felt the air grow heavier as the man fixed his attention on him.

Grand General Aramoeous Flor-Eul Geigervansen.

This was the highest-ranking officer in the Kandrian Royal Army. The man who answered to the Royal Emperor himself. He had full command over the one thousand apocalypse-class weapons of mass destruction, each with the power to erase a nation, of a large variety, including the many beam-siege weapons, ballistic-siege weapons, chemical, and bioweapons that the Kandrian Empire had cultivated over four centuries.

As long as he gained primary authorization from the Emperor, he had full authority over their deployment of it in war, as he determined.

In terms of power and influence, it could be said that only Martial Sages and the Emperor surpassed him within the Empire.

"What I have always done," Prince Randal's tone was confident. "Persevere and overcome. My advisors and analysts will soon provide me with numerous courses of action that I can potentially take to mitigate this new variable. The only issue is that we lack too much data. Thus, I have decided to wait until Rui Quarrier issues a statement or makes an announcement. It doesn't make sense to plan for his actions when we do not even know what his intentions are yet."

Grand General Aramoeous stared at Prince Randal with fixed eyes.

The entire room waited with bated breaths as the most powerful military man in Kandria considered Prince Randal's words.

"…A prudent choice," The grand general nodded slowly. "Knowing your enemy's objectives is an important part of war strategy."

Prince Randal inwardly heaved a deep sigh of relief.

He would be in deep trouble if the esteemed military man disapproved of the prince.

"Prince Rui Quarrier Kandria, hm?" The grand general narrowed his eyes. "I do not approve of him. I am constantly hearing one thing or the other about him. Frankly, it is quite the eyesore that the Martial Union got their hands on such a rare and incredible talent."

Prince Randal heaved a sigh. "It's unfortunate, but the Martial Union excels at snatching up Martial talent."

The Grand General scoffed. "This is despite the fact that our fiscal budget allocation exceeds that of the net annual profit of the Martial Union."

He turned towards the Prince with stern eyes. "As I recall, Your Highness, one of your promises to me when I acquiesced to giving you my support was taking endeavors to increase the recruitment influx and retention rate of the Kandrian Royal Army, was it not?"

"It indeed was, Grand General Aramoeous," Prince Randal nodded. "I have not forgotten that endeavor. My administration has already begun coordinating with the Ministry of Education in setting up sixteen military schools to counterbalance the sixteen Martial Academies of the Martial Union."

"Hm," The Grand General nodded. "Good. We must not allow the Martial Union to snatch any more talents of the Kandrian Empire from us."

His eyes narrowed. "His Highness Prince Rui…what are the chances that he will make a bid for the throne?"

"…I cannot say, but I do not believe that it will be low," Prince Randal replied. "He had displayed an interest in the outcome of the Kandrian Throne War and even engaged in a transaction where he elevated Prince Raijun a Martial Squire."

"…Is he a Martial Supremacist then?" Grand General Aramoeous' face crumpled with disgust.

"Certainly not," Prince Randal shook his head. "However, his popularity and approval from the Martial Union is so high that he does not need to subscribe to Martial Supremacist ideology in order to earn the support of much of the Martial Union. In fact, he probably does not need to subscribe to any ideology to earn their support."

Prince Randal heaved a depressed sigh inwardly. Just thinking about the sheer momentum that his new half-brother would be gaining was just deeply despairing, he wished he could live in a world where Rui Quarrier didn't exist.