Lifting his head fiercely, he said,
"Let him in. I want to hear what he's up to. If he really thinks I can't do anything to him, I'll show him the consequences of provoking me!"
"Yes," the servant nodded, visibly nervous.
The ministers below exchanged bewildered glances.
They had heard the servant's message and couldn't understand why Leo would come at such a time.
Was he really planning to provoke King Vickery III now?
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the servant exited the palace and nodded to Leo, who was waiting outside.
This time, Leo had come alone.
"Thank you," Leo responded with a nod and a smile, then entered the palace.
King Vickery III sat above, looking down at Leo with a gaze as cold as ice.
The surrounding ministers watched Leo, their eyes filled with confusion.
"I hope I haven't disturbed anyone," Leo said, bowing to King Vickery III.
Rising, he smiled and continued, "Of course not!" But King Vickery III's voice was icy to the extreme.
Leo narrowed his eyes, looking at his father.
He could feel King Vickery III's anger, but he did not let it affect him.
"I hear my dear big brother, the current Crown Prince of Lionara, is in quite a predicament at the front. Even the army of Blueyard Kingdom is now threatening the capital, isn't it?" Leo asked directly, with a smile.
King Vickery III's gaze turned even colder.
There was no doubt in his mind that Leo was provoking him.
His words were seen as mockery.
Aren't these things already known to others?
This wretch, reiterating them, is just a slap in my own face!
"You beast, what are you trying to say?"
King Vickery III couldn't help but stand up, his eyes emitting a cold glare.
He was close to ordering the execution of this detestable wretch.
"Ha!" Leo chuckled. He suddenly raised his head and declared loudly, "Father, I have a solution!"
At this, King Vickery III was taken aback.
The ministers around were also stunned.
He has a solution?
What solution?
Has he gone mad?
Now, with the war being a conflict between two nations, what can a demoted prince do?
What right does he have to do anything?
Even a divine knight, caught in the maelstrom of war, wouldn't make a ripple.
"Ha! Do you even know what you're talking about?" King Vickery III couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
"Father, can't you see? My dear big brother... he can't hold that defensive line!" Leo continued with a smile.
"If we keep delaying, the entire capital will turn into a sea of blood and mountains of corpses. Then, can you still sit here so comfortably?"
Leo's words turned everyone's expression sour.
What he said was known to others as well.
Given the current situation, the Blueyard Kingdom's army driving straight to the capital seemed almost inevitable, otherwise, King Vickery III wouldn't be so anxious.
"You have a solution? You... what solution could you possibly have?"
King Vickery III's face turned ashen, but the scorn he wanted to voice turned into an inquiry.
Despite feeling humiliated, he indeed had run out of options.
Horn, appointed by him as the commander of the northwest defense, was his choice.
If he failed to quell this war, both he and his chosen heir would be blamed for Lionara's downfall.
"Allow me to go to the frontline and appoint me as the commander. I guarantee that within three days, I will drive back the army of Blueyard Kingdom!"
Leo declared loudly.
"What?!"
"Impossible!"
"Prince Leo, you are being absurdly overconfident!"
"..."
Before King Vickery III could say anything, several ministers stood up to express their objections.
Sending someone with no experience in leading troops to the front was like treating a matter of national importance as child's play!
Even Prince Horn, a divine knight, couldn't resolve the situation, so how could Leo possibly succeed?
His words were preposterous!
"My dear son, do you think your father is a fool?" King Vickery III shook his head, utterly speechless.
He certainly wouldn't accept Leo's suggestion.
"If I fail to drive back Blueyard Kingdom's army within three days, I will accept your sentence of death," Leo said, bowing with a smile.
Leo's statement stunned everyone present.
Even King Vickery III looked at him with a mix of surprise and uncertainty, unsure of what he intended to do.
"If you wish to die, I can grant you that death right now," King Vickery III said coldly.
The smile on Leo's face remained unchanged.
He looked at his father, speaking in a gentle voice,
"If you're still not reassured, you could have my dear big brother stay at the frontline to supervise me. Would that be acceptable?"
King Vickery III didn't respond immediately.
He stared fixedly at Leo, his expression fluctuating.
If it had been Rain coming to him with this proposal, he might have agreed instantly.
But this person before him...
He had no doubt that due to what he had done to Leo's mother and his own attitude towards Leo, there was no affection from him.
"Leave!" After a long pause, King Vickery III spoke, his voice icy.
"Yes." Without further argument, Leo nodded with a smile, then turned and left the palace.
King Vickery III watched Leo's retreating figure until he was out of sight, remaining silent.
...
Leo returned to his estate and immediately had Lilith and Frett prepare.
"Your Highness, are we going to the frontline?" Frett's voice was somewhat elevated.
"Not 'we', just me and Lilith. You will return to the town; I have a task for you," Leo said with a smile.
"Your Highness, going to the frontline is very dangerous! Did His Majesty force you to go?" Frett was clearly worried.
"Of course not." Leo patted Frett's shoulder.
He then explained in detail all his actions and intentions to Frett.
"Good heavens!" Frett covered his forehead, unsure whether it was he or Leo who had lost their mind.
"How do you suppose His Majesty would agree to let you go to the frontline?" Lilith, already clad in armor, couldn't help but ask.
Leo turned to look at Lilith, smiling slightly: "Because he has no other choice."
"No other choice?" Lilith still didn't quite understand.
Before Leo could respond, quite coincidentally, a luxurious carriage stopped at the entrance of Leo's estate.
A court official from the palace approached Leo.
"Prince Leo, I am here to convey the will of His Majesty the King!" The official looked at Leo, his expression mixed.
"I understand," Leo said, nodding with a smile, then knelt on one knee, fist to chest.
Lilith and Frett exchanged glances and also knelt.
"Prince Leo, His Majesty the King officially appoints you as the commander of the frontline forces."
"However, the supreme command still lies with Prince Horn. He has the responsibility of supervision and the power to overrule you," the official declared King Vickery III's appointment.
Hearing this, Leo's eyebrows rose slightly, a cold smile curving his lips.
It wasn't too far from his expectations.
"Thank His Majesty for me," Leo said, bowing his head and raising his hand.
After standing up, Leo smiled and respectfully saw the official off.
Turning around, Leo looked at Lilith, "We can set off now."
"You must know, everyone sees you as a madman now," Lilith said coldly.
"In this world, only madmen can conquer everything," Leo said as he mounted his horse, his face wearing a proud smile.
"Your Highness, do you need to bring any attendants? Or has His Majesty already arranged a personal guard for you?" Frett asked, very concerned.
Leo glanced at his so-called attendants - mostly maids and gardeners.
As for his father, he wouldn't arrange any personal guard for him.
In his mind, whether he could safely reach the frontline was another test, wasn't it?
"Don't worry, just remember the task I've given you. I'll be fine," Leo said calmly.
He looked at Lilith, then pulled on the reins.
Lilith followed, and the two of them, traveling light, left the estate and headed for the frontline.
...
The spread of the war was even faster than Leo had anticipated.
Within a journey of less than a hundred kilometers, Leo and Lilith encountered retreating soldiers, beaten and disheartened.
They avoided the chaotic areas and, after almost a day's travel, finally arrived at the frontline.
Ahead lay the last major city of Lionara on the northwest front, where Prince Horn and his remaining troops were stationed.
This city, nestled between two mountains, had not fallen precisely because of its location.
Ahead, the army from Blueyard Kingdom had already surrounded the city...