The emperor's eyes narrowed as he listened to his son's report. "You underestimate the rebels and the Golden Lion. They have proven to be more formidable than we initially anticipated. The loss of those two cities is a setback, and we cannot afford any more mistakes. We need a different approach."
The prince bit his lip but remained silent.
The emperor turned his gaze to his advisors. "Summon the remaining commanders and generals. We must devise a strategy to counter this rebellion. The kingdoms are not to be trusted, but if we offer them the right incentives, they might temporarily align with us against the rebels."
"Of course, after we deal with them, we shall make sure those damned kingdoms will suffer for daring to attack us as well."
