If we say that the other two countries were driven, more or less, by harsh environmental conditions and a desperate desire for better territory, then the Vollachia Empire stands apart. Its actions are purely driven by ambition and an insatiable pursuit of land.
For hundreds of years, this nation has expanded through annexation, political marriages, and other means, steadily devouring nearby countries of all sizes. From its humble beginnings as a duchy, the empire grew more than tenfold in territory. The Emperor of the Vollachia Empire is endlessly ambitious when it comes to expansion.
Once the empire's borders touched Lugunica, the emperor immediately set his sights on this dragon-blessed kingdom. Unlike the other two countries, the empire has exhibited a fiercely aggressive stance toward Lugunica from the start. If not for the protection of the Divine Dragon, Lugunica would have been annexed by the empire centuries ago.
It is precisely because Lugunica has thwarted the empire's ambitions time and again that the empire holds a deep grudge against the kingdom—and especially against the Divine Dragon. Every emperor of the Vollachia Empire has made it their goal to slay the dragon and plant the imperial flag in Lugunica's royal capital.
So, when the empire's greatest enemy—the Divine Dragon—unexpectedly perished, the Emperor of the Vollachia Empire celebrated with a grand midnight feast upon hearing the news. With a territory more than ten times the size of Lugunica's, and a national power similarly magnified, the empire boasts unparalleled military strength, including the world's strongest knights, the Nine Divine Generals.
Without the Divine Dragon or the successive Sword Saints to hold the line, Lugunica would have long been crushed by the empire's overwhelming power. Yet, in a high-magic world, supreme combat power acts as a deterrent stronger than nuclear weapons. Even so, no matter how powerful the empire, a single Sin Archbishop of Greed could single-handedly devastate a well-fortified city with elite defenders.
Now, with the Divine Dragon and the Sword Saint both gone, the empire saw a golden opportunity and mobilized its entire military might. Deploying its five great legions, including the Nine Divine Generals, along with a massive army of 200,000 soldiers, the empire's intent was clear—an all-out attack to end the campaign in one decisive battle. Lugunica could barely defend against a single front, let alone a three-pronged assault. The fall of Lugunica became a mere question of time.
At this critical juncture, the downside of Lugunica's reliance on the Divine Dragon became glaringly apparent. Facing such a calamity, the people of Lugunica—nobles and commoners alike—looked to the Divine Dragon for solutions, lacking the resilience to respond independently. This lack of fortitude left the entire kingdom ill-equipped to handle such a crisis.
Even as the empire's forces were still on the march, Lugunica's nobles were already plotting escape routes. Some urged Crusch to surrender, others suggested she cede the throne to Emilia, the second coming of the Witch of Envy, and still others proposed that Crusch marry Ryou, the world's strongest recognized individual, to have him oppose the three nations on Lugunica's behalf.
Chaos reigned as everyone presented their solutions to Crusch, inundating her with demands and advice. Their suggestions ultimately boiled down to one belief: Lugunica was doomed to lose, and as the acting queen, Crusch should be willing to make sacrifices.
In this pivotal moment, Crusch displayed extraordinary courage and decisiveness. She purged the surrender faction with an iron hand and reorganized the knights while preparing for battle. She recognized that with a three-pronged attack, Lugunica stood no chance unless she disrupted the convergence of the enemy forces.
To this end, Crusch used Anastasia to negotiate with the Kararagi Federation, employing bribes to delay their troops. As a nation of merchants, Kararagi held money above all else, adhering to the maxim: "Everything has a price; if not, the offer isn't high enough."
Leveraging the wealth accumulated from the political reshuffling in Lugunica, Crusch successfully bribed key figures in Kararagi, causing their military operations to stall due to logistical delays, diversions, and internal disputes.
Meanwhile, Crusch withdrew all personnel from the northern front bordering Gusteko. This region belonging to Mathers, was ruled by Ryou, a figure who had slain the Divine Dragon, defeated the world's strongest man, and subdued the Witch of Envy. Nicknamed the "Great Demon King," Ryou was unlikely to sit idly if Gusteko launched an attack through his territory. This was Crusch's small but personal act of vengeance.
This left Crusch to focus solely on the Vollachia Empire. Despite her best efforts and strategic brilliance—earning even Ryou's praise for her actions—the overwhelming disparity in power rendered Lugunica's defeat inevitable.
Crusch executed a scorched-earth strategy along the empire's advance, evacuating villages and leaving no supplies behind. She concentrated her forces at a strategically critical fortress built in a canyon, fortified over centuries to withstand the strongest of enemies. Yet even this fortress crumbled under the empire's onslaught.
The Magician Unit of the Vollachia Empire, with the support of the empire's powerful siege weapons, launched a devastating assault. The magical barriers fell first, followed by the mana cannons and defenders on the walls until the fortress itself was destroyed by an earthquake spell. The 20,000-strong garrison was almost entirely wiped out, with heavy casualties among the royal guard. Crusch herself was gravely injured, barely escaping with her life thanks to Felix's desperate efforts.
The Vollachia Empire made no secret of its intentions, relying on sheer force to crush Lugunica. With no schemes or subterfuge, the empire advanced like an unstoppable tidal wave. Crusch, despite her unyielding resolve, found herself out of options.
...
"Humans are such contradictory creatures. When something is handed directly to them, they don't cherish it. Yet, when they go through tremendous effort to obtain it, they treasure it like a priceless gem."
Ryou held a glass of red wine, standing tall by the floor-to-ceiling window of the study, gazing down at the courtyard with the commanding aura of a behind-the-scenes mastermind.
Not far behind him, Emilia, dressed in an elaborate witch's outfit, stood with a similarly complex expression, her gaze fixed on the drake-drawn carriage adorned with a golden cross-shield emblem.
Soon, the carriage door slowly opened, and a delicate hand wearing a purple silk glove emerged.
Felix, clad in a white knight's uniform, quickly stepped forward, gently supporting the hand. Moments later, a dazzlingly radiant young lady, the heiress of a noble family, descended from the carriage with the knight's assistance.
Ryou's eyes lit up instantly.
Her deep purple court gown was adorned with layers of ruffles, lace, and jewels that sparkled like stars in the night sky. Her emerald green hair was styled into an elegant updo, secured with a gold filigree net studded with gems. Even with minimal makeup, her naturally flawless features exuded an air of refined elegance.
What caught Ryou's attention most was that this beauty not only embodied the grace and poise of a noblewoman but also radiated an unyielding confidence rarely seen in women.
Why do men always seek the challenge of stronger women? Because such women ignite their desire for conquest and a sense of achievement.
Without a doubt, Crusch was the kind of woman who stirred an intense desire in men—a desire to see her proud and elegant composure crumble beneath them, reduced to helpless sweet cries.
Though desire surged within Ryou, his expression remained composed. He knew all too well: the moment she stepped into the estate, it signaled she had made a certain resolution.
Now, Crusch was like a sumptuous feast presented before him. The only question was how he would savor it—with chopsticks, a fork and knife, or more crudely, with his hands?
Three minutes later, Crusch and her knight Felix were escorted to the study by Rem.
"Master, the guests have arrived," Rem announced coldly.
"Good work," Ryou replied nonchalantly, nodding.
"Excuse me," Rem said before stepping out and closing the door behind her without hesitation. From start to finish, she didn't utter a single unnecessary word.
Ryou knew this was her way of expressing dissatisfaction with him.
Since their relationship had deepened, Rem had grown less reserved around him. This was a good thing, though it came with small inconveniences. The benefit was their relationship had become more intimate, unlocking more possibilities.
The downside? Unlike her more placid sister Ram, Rem was prone to jealousy.
Ryou's coercion of Crusch hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone in the estate. Except for the pure-hearted Emilia, all the girls were aware of his intentions. Only Rem openly expressed her discontent.
Still, Ryou wasn't annoyed; on the contrary, he found her jealousy endearing. Jealousy stems from caring, and dissatisfaction arises from concern.
Rem's behavior only confirmed her feelings for him, making Ryou even more pleased. His good mood extended even to Crusch and the distasteful cross-dressing companion trailing behind her.
As Crusch entered the study, Ryou caught a faint metallic scent mixed with her perfume.
It seemed the intel was accurate—Crusch had been wounded in a recent battle, and not lightly, given that even her perfume couldn't mask the smell of blood.
This discovery only deepened Ryou's satisfaction.
For her to come here injured signaled that the situation had worsened to an irreparable state. Someone as strong-willed as Crusch wouldn't seek Ryou's help unless she had no other options.
She knew all too well what this entailed.
To Ryou, Crusch—and by extension, the entire Lugunica kingdom—was now his plaything.
Crusch clenched her lips tightly, then performed the most proper and elegant curtsey, her voice almost pleading.
"Please, save Lugnica."
Behind her, Felix's face twisted with humiliation. As her knight, he loathed seeing his lady endure such disgrace. Had it not been for his oath to protect her, he might have taken his own life in shame.
Emilia's gaze wavered, sympathy evident in her eyes as she glanced at Ryou.
Ryou, however, remained unmoved.
After enduring the trials of countless brutal worlds, his heart had grown as hard as steel.
Besides, nobles, especially those from great houses, were masters of performance.
When Emilia seemed ready to speak, Ryou silenced her with a single glance.
The feared second-generation Witch of Envy shrank back like a timid mouse.
Finally, Ryoug spoke leisurely, "Since you're being so direct, I'll be direct too—saving Lugunica would be absurdly easy for me."
At these words, Crusch's eyes revealed a flicker of hope.
She had no other options, which was why she had come.
Ryou smirked inwardly but maintained his outward calm.
"But what's in it for me?"
Crusch hesitated, but before she could speak, Ryou added coldly, "Don't even think of offering me something like honor or duty. I'm a foreigner. Whether Lugunica perishes or not has nothing to do with me.
It would be better for me if it fell. Once the kingdom collapses, all I'd have to do is eliminate the invading imperial forces, and the land would naturally be mine.
So unless you can offer me a better deal, prepare to watch Lugunica fall."
His words were blunt, ruthless, and direct.
Felix glared at Ryou furiously.
Ryou ignored him entirely. A defeated dog had no grounds to be so arrogant—he'd enjoy watching Felix's face when his beloved master surrendered to him.
Meanwhile, Crusch's pale complexion turned ghostly white. Clutching her dress tightly, she bit her lip.
After a long silence, she finally seemed to give up, her face filled with despair.