"Understood, General Najenda!" Lubbock dutifully retreated behind the white-haired general, Najenda. As she gazed ahead at the imposing outer walls of the Imperial Capital, a mix of emotions flickered in her eyes.
"The capital has changed so much since I was last here... This artificial lake, I heard, was carved out by that Grand General. What terrifying strength," Najenda muttered softly to herself before shaking her head, pushing her thoughts aside. "No use thinking about it. Let's head inside, Lubbock."
Entering the capital, Najenda and her men lodged at the luxurious reception inn designated for high-ranking military officers. With some time to spare before the biennial Defense Review Conference, they took the opportunity to explore the bustling capital streets. For Najenda's soldiers, most of whom had never experienced the grandeur of the capital, it was an overwhelming spectacle of wealth and prosperity.
But as Najenda walked through the city, she couldn't shake a sense of unease. Despite the opulence, there was a hollow atmosphere. The citizens wore masks of false cheer, hiding an underlying sense of desperation and survival. Every smile seemed forced, and a thick layer of tension clung to the streets.
In contrast, the people in Farflanx Province, where Najenda was stationed, lived humbly but genuinely. Their lives were simpler, but their faces showed real emotions, not the lifeless expressions she saw here.
"What has happened to the Empire?" she wondered.
There wasn't much time to dwell on her thoughts. The start of the Defense Review Conference came quickly, signaling that her time in the capital was drawing to a close.
Imperial Capital, Palace, Imperial Guard Headquarters, Council Chamber.
Unlike the more opulent halls decorated with gold and crystal, the Council Chamber was built with a heavy, somber atmosphere. It embodied the raw authority of the Empire. As Najenda approached the grand entrance, an overwhelming sense of solemnity washed over her, wiping away any trace of levity.
Entering the chamber, Najenda found herself beneath towering murals and engravings depicting the Empire's thousand-year history. Legends of emperors and generals were immortalized on the walls, a reminder of the great legacy the Empire sought to uphold.
Rumor had it that this chamber had been commissioned by the First Emperor himself, who had understood the importance of glorifying the Empire's past to build a sense of unity and pride among its people.
Selene had marveled at this concept when she first saw it, noting how the First Emperor was truly a visionary—using epic storytelling and national heroes to ignite the flames of patriotism. No tale, no legend, no story could bind a nation together better than the memories of ancestors who had fought and died to secure its future.
Every step in this chamber felt weighted by history and expectation.
Due to strict regulations, each general could only bring one aide into the Council Chamber, meaning Lubbock was the only one accompanying Najenda. The rest of her soldiers remained at the reception inn.
As Najenda and Lubbock moved through the grand chamber, they passed rows of Imperial Guards standing at attention. Finally, Najenda entered the Empire's military nerve center for the first time.
Inside, she noticed immediately that the room was divided into distinct factions, each group glaring at the other with palpable tension. The air was anything but harmonious.
It was clear the lines were drawn between regional officials and capital elites, and more significantly, between those aligned with Minister Honest and those who opposed him.
The attendees were a mix of civil officials, military governors, and various overseers. The military personnel ranged from grizzled veterans to younger officers. Some were scarred from battle, while others appeared barely out of their twenties.
As Najenda entered, her striking white hair and composed demeanor drew immediate attention. Whispers broke out among the older generals.
"White hair? Just like the Grand General. Does this make her the third female general now?"
"I wonder if Esdeath will show up... Where is she stationed these days?"
"Enough about that. Let's focus."
Ignoring the hushed conversations about her, Najenda quietly nodded to her fellow generals as she made her way to the section designated for regional military commanders. Her seat was among the provincial generals, who appeared more reserved compared to the lively group of Imperial Guard officers.
Unlike the provincial generals, the Imperial Guard faction was present in full force, their commanders loudly discussing recent events in the capital without any concern for Honest's retaliation.
"Have you heard? General Leiva from the Western Defense was thrown into prison."
"Yeah, I heard. Supposedly, it was because he refused to bribe one of Honest's relatives. That's why he was framed."
"It's ridiculous! A general who's served the Empire for years gets jailed just because he didn't line the pockets of one of Honest's cronies!"
"They say it was for 'embezzling military funds' and 'delaying a critical battle'—complete lies. If anyone delayed the battle, it was that overseer sent by Honest. And as for embezzling funds—well, that's Honest's specialty."
As Najenda listened in, her attention was drawn to a broad-shouldered man in a gray Imperial Guard uniform, his face rough and scarred. He appeared to be leading the discussion and bore the insignia of the Eighth Legion.
"Of course you're not worried, Gensa. You've got Grand General Selene backing you. Remember that time you beat Honest's nephew to death four years ago in the upper city? Honest didn't even raise a fuss. He just cut ties with that relative and left it at that."
"Haha, yeah. Well, with Selene around, I doubt we'll be seeing any repercussions."
"Hey, Gensa, what about that General Leiva? Should we petition the Grand General to get him released?"
"Forget it. 'Military men have no business in politics,' remember? That's our code. And besides, if the Grand General cared, she would've already heard about it. We just follow orders, no need to complicate things."
Gensa leaned back in his chair with a shrug. "Besides, Grand General Selene is going on leave to her fief after this conference. Let's not bother her with this right now."
"Haha, fair enough."
Meanwhile, across the room, those aligned with Minister Honest—the overseers and bureaucrats—fumed as they listened to the Imperial Guard openly mock them. They wanted to lash out, to assert their authority, but with both Selene and Budo looming over them, they knew their place.
Though they had just orchestrated the downfall of General Leiva for his refusal to cooperate with Honest, these rough and battle-hardened soldiers weren't so easily intimidated. The bureaucrats would just have to settle for taking their frustration out on the weaker provincial commanders, like Najenda and her peers.
Noticing the tension, Najenda felt a pang of disappointment. General Leiva, who had once been a model soldier for her, had been imprisoned on such absurd grounds. All because he hadn't greased the right palms. What a shameful end for a man she had admired in her early career.
She remembered meeting Leiva in her early days serving in the Western Defense Forces. Even in his older years, he had radiated strength and confidence, his presence like that of a drawn sword—sharp, ready, and unyielding. He had been a pillar of the western defenses, and now... this.
Najenda couldn't help but wonder, Is this Empire really worth serving?
"Greetings, General Najenda. My name is Marcus, General of the Eastern Defense Forces. I suppose I'm your senior," came a calm voice beside her, pulling her from her thoughts.
Najenda turned to see a bald, middle-aged man with a warm smile, his chest decorated with medals from years of service.
"Greetings, General Marcus," she replied, forcing a polite smile.
"Just call me Marcus," he said with a chuckle. "You looked a bit uneasy—is this your first time at a Defense Review Conference?"
Najenda hesitated, then nodded.
Marcus sighed. "It's a bit much, isn't it? But things are what they are. All we can do is wait for His Majesty to come of age and take control of the Empire himself. When that day comes, I believe the Empire will see a resurgence, just like in the days of the late Emperor."
Najenda wanted to respond, but before she could, the grand doors of the Council Chamber swung open. The sound of armor clinking in unison echoed from outside as hundreds of soldiers snapped to attention.
Najenda and Marcus exchanged glances, unsure of what to expect. Then came the booming voice of the guards outside:
"Grand General Selene approaches!"
Moments later, the great doors opened fully, and two guards stepped forward, announcing in loud, clear voices:
"Grand General Selene, Commander of the 4th, 6th, 8th, and 9th Legions of the Imperial Guard, Protector of the Capital, Governor of the Northern Territories, and Duchess of Habsburg, has arrived!"
As the guards stepped aside, Selene entered the chamber, her long, silver-white hair flowing behind her. She was a vision of elegance and power, clad in a navy-blue underlayer and a gleaming white armored coat. The sunlight from the grand crystal chandeliers above reflected off her, casting her in an almost divine light.
Selene walked with a grace and authority that made it clear why she had earned so many titles. As she ascended the steps to the central podium, all eyes were on her—none more so than Najenda's.
Selene's red eyes, sharp and commanding, seemed to pierce through the room as she addressed the assembly.
"I am Selene von Habsburg, here at the request of Grand General Budo to preside over this year's Defense Review Conference," she said, her voice cold yet calm.
"Bow before the Grand General!" one of the guards shouted.
In unison, the attending generals, including Najenda, Marcus, and even Esdeath, who had entered the hall earlier, bowed low before Selene.
"Rise," Selene commanded, her tone as authoritative as ever. "I now declare this conference open."
Taking her seat at the podium, Selene opened a dossier and began reading the day's agenda in a methodical, unhurried voice.
"The first order of business: the official proposal for General Esdeath to leave the Imperial Guard and form her own independent legion. As a result of her departure, all military funding previously allocated to her division will now be provided directly by Minister Honest."
Selene's crimson eyes flickered toward the bureaucrats from Honest's faction, her gaze chilling. "Does anyone have any objections?"
Terrified, the bureaucrats scrambled to bow and respond. "N-No, Grand General, we have no objections!"
"Good," Selene said flatly before turning her attention to the rest of the room. "What about the rest of you?"
"Agreed," came the quick response from the Imperial Guard commanders.
"No objections."
"None here."
With that settled, Selene moved on to the next topic. "The second order of business pertains to the reconstruction of Mountain Fortress along the southwestern border. The number of troops to be stationed there will be..."
The conference continued, with Selene steering the proceedings with precision and authority.