Chapter 277: Only Wage Wars We Can Win

Romsgard met Lancet’s gaze almost at the same time. He could see that the boy was depending on him, but he couldn’t jeopardize the fate of the world in the name of favoritism.

The king sighed.

"I truly believe you, Lancet." His voice was quiet and pained. "Everything I know about you tells me you are telling the truth. Everything I know about the Heroines standing beside you confirms it."

He shook his head slowly. "But unfortunately, Avanke is correct in this matter. Verdrak’s theory might sound scandalous, but it can simply be used by the Demons as a counter-argument. They will say the Demon Binder fabricated the evidence. And we will have no counter for it."

Verdrak shrugged, a smug smile spreading across his face. "I’m only playing the Demons’ advocate."

’Playing it a little too well, if you ask me,’ Lancet thought, though he kept the words locked behind his teeth.

He glared at the Council Member, memorizing every detail of that smug, self-satisfied face. There would be a reckoning for Verdrak one day. But today was not that day.

Romsgard turned to the other Sovereigns on their floating screens. "What do you think, fellow Sovereigns?"

Ronald of Falcon Standing leaned forward, his weathered face splitting into a grin. "If I agree with you, Romsy, do we still get to wage the war against Gehenna?"

Romsgard heaved a tired sigh and nodded slowly. "Yes. But we will do it carefully. Strategically."

Ronald threw his head back and laughed, his falcon screeching in accompaniment. "Then yes! More proof! We only wage wars we can win! And I intend to win this one!"

Queen Liu Xiu of Asiris had been silent for most of the exchange, her dark eyes watching, her fingers steepled beneath her chin.

Now she spoke, and her voice was as much silk as it was steel.

"Lancet Leogardt." She addressed him directly, seemingly intensely interested in him. "I look at you, and I see a young man who has done something remarkable. I look at your Heroines — Lady Astensia, Lady Thor, Lady Kestrel, Lady Espel — and I see legends who have returned to us in our hour of need. I even look at Spectra Hexerra, and I see someone who has chosen to stand with humanity when she could have stood against us."

She paused, and her dark eyes softened with genuine sympathy. "I believe you. Truly, I do. But belief is not the currency of war. Proof is. And the Demons will exploit any weakness in our argument. Verdrak’s theory, however unlikely, is a weakness.

"Look now. If we confront the Demon Lords with only these corpses and your testimony, they will point to the Demon Binder in your ranks and claim fabrication. We will be pushing a war that they will claim only we started."

She spread her hands, a gesture of apology and frustration in equal measure. "We need more. Not because we doubt you. We just need a stronger base to launch our retaliation."

King Odesto inclined his head in agreement. "Queen Liu Xiu speaks wisdom. The court of public opinion is as important as the court of law. If we are to rally the world against Gehenna, we need evidence so overwhelming that even the Demons’ most skilled liars cannot twist it. And we don’t want the people to think we’re dragging them into a war we started mistakenly."

Spectra scoffed. ’I take it back. He’s as useless as the rest of them.’

Thor’s fists clenched. Kestrel’s jaw tightened. Espel looked like she wasn’t even here.

The Heroines had fought through a town full of Demons, slain a Demon Head, uncovered a conspiracy that threatened the entire world. And now they were being told it wasn’t enough. That their word wasn’t enough.

"The war has already begun."

Everyone fell silent as they watched Astensia step forward.

The way she moved, it was clear that she had addressed councils and kings before. Her gold captured everyone’s eyes and herbbright blue ones swept across the chamber.

When she spoke, her voice was not loud. It did not need to be. It carried the weight of history, the conviction of a woman who had died for this world and would do it again if necessary.

"Council Members. Sovereigns. I understand your caution. I respect it. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, and that weight demands careful steps." She paused, her gaze moving from face to face. "But I must ask you to consider something."

She took another step forward, and the golden light of the dome seemed to gather around her, drawn to her presence.

"We are not asking you to wage war on our word alone. We are warning you that war is here. War is already coming, whether you believe us or not."

Her eyes narrowed under her helm. "The Demons are planning something. The shrine we found in the citadel was not a minor altar. It was a conduit, designed to channel Gloom on a massive scale. The Brigades should have uncovered it by now."

"The Demon Head almost destroyed it. But we stopped it."

Her voice rose slightly, carrying that unmistakable quality that had once rallied broken armies.

"These Warning Gates that are coming, they will be more dangerous than any Warning Gates that have come before. As we know, Warning Gates are the harbingers of true danger. Thunder before lightning. And I fear, with every fiber of my being, that these Warning Gates are not just the warning. They are the true danger itself."

She looked up at the Sovereigns, her bright blue eyes blazing with conviction.

"We must act now. You must confront the Demon Lords. You must prepare for what is coming. Because if you wait, if you hesitate, the choice will no longer be yours to make."

Silence filled the chamber.

For a moment, Astensia’s words hung in the air like a benediction. The Council Members were moved. Lancet could see it in their faces. Even Verdrak, for all his bluster, looked momentarily shaken. The Sovereigns were quiet, their expressions thoughtful and troubled.

Then Obel shook his head slowly. "Lady Astensia, your words move us. Truly, they do. But—"

"But we still need more proof," Thor finished for him, her voice bitter. "Of course you do."

Kestrel stepped forward, her emerald braids dangling behind her. "The Ironwill Knight speaks the truth. We have seen what is coming. The Demons are not merely violating the truce, they are preparing for something that will make the truce irrelevant. You really must act. Fast"

"Lady Kestrel—" a Council Member began.

"No," Kestrel cut him off, her regal composure cracking. "You do not understand. They sent their deadliest hidden army! Right from this hellish seal called Purgatory!"

Verdrak’s eyes widened in fear once.

"Do you know what that means?" Kestrel carried on. "The Demon Lords were willing to unleash creatures they cannot even control just to stop us from discovering their plans. What do you think they are preparing that requires that level of desperation?"

"What is all of this fairy tale?!" Verdrak spat.

"Legends, please listen to us."

"No! You listen to us."

"We have to advance carefully. Politics is a delicate game!"

"War is not a game!"

"Just understand where we are coming from."

"If there’s something more substantial you can point to or show us."

"We believe you, it’s just that—

The chamber grew rowdy. Council Members spoke over each other. Thor’s voice boomed. Kestrel’s sharp retorts cut through the noise. The Sovereigns watched with growing consternation. Obel tried to restore order, but his voice was drowned out by the chaos.

And then Spectra sighed.

It was a small sound, barely audible over the arguing voices. She rolled her eyes, like a tired, patient mother watching children squabble over a toy.

"Enough of this."

Suddenly, she pushed her hand forward.

Magenta and oxblood energy erupted from her palm, swirling and coiling in a vortex of dark power. The energy coalesced and exploded.

From the burst of red smoke, a massive body burst forth and crashed onto the ground before the Grace Wall.

Again, the hall erupted.

Some Members scrambled away from the table, their composure shattered entirely. Fear and shock plastered on their prideful faces once again.

On the floating screens, the Sovereigns reacted in kind. Ronald was on his feet, laughing in sheer disbelief. Avanke had pressed both hands to her chest. Liu Xiu’s serene composure had cracked, her dark eyes wide. Odesto’s gaze had sharpened to a razor’s edge.

And Romsgard... he stared at the colossal corpse with an expression that was equal parts awe and horror.

"ANOTHER ONE?!"