Ignoring Richard's attempts to silence me, I continued. My voice was harsher and more determined than ever.
"The Southern Empire is a threat, yes. But to underestimate this threat is nothing more than digging our own graves! Alpshar's intelligence, strategic brilliance, and ability to gather an army are too powerful to be taken lightly. If we split our forces, we will only give him an advantage. If we want to defeat him, we must move wisely and with a united strategy. Shouldn't we be discussing how to win this war first, rather than debating what we'll do after we win?"
My words intensified the already tense atmosphere in the room. Lutharion's smirk faded slightly, but he continued to regard me with a mocking gaze. Emperor Exdarth Matteon of Tamerid remained silent for a while, then spoke in a calm but cautionary tone.
