"Before the daemons attack again, we are going to abandon Fort Mist."
"Liko!" General Anson stood up in rage immediately. "What is the meaning of this!?"
"It's just like I said. We will abandon Fort Mist."
"How do you dare to propose something like that!?" General Anson looked at General Liko with bloodshot eyes. "Do you know what it means to abandon Fort Mist? It means to let the daemons invade the empire!"
"I know, General." General Liko nodded softly. "However, that is the best option in the current circumstances."
"The best option? Are you saying that allow the daemons to invade us in the best option!?"
"It is. At least, it's better than losing so many men in a lost cause."
General Anson fell silent.
His gaze, however, turned completely ice-cold.
For General Ason, whose purpose in life was to protect this fort, the words of General Liko were sacrilegious.
I could even feel his killing intent against my skin. It was so intense that it felt almost tangible.
General Liko, however, did not flinch. He kept his indifferent expression, worthy of a top general.
Then, he took a map of the empire and pointed to a place.
It was a city on the border of the empire. The first city the daemons would attack if Fort Mist falls.
"It's Creol City, one of the biggest cities in this region of the empire. I visited it before, and its walls are almost as tall as the walls of Fort Mist. Moreover, there are almost five thousand soldiers garrisoned there. If we retreat to that city, we could defend it for several days until reinforcements from the empire arrive."
"You know that is bullshit, right?" General Anson snorted. "The daemons can easily bypass that city if they think it's too hard to destroy and attack other less defended cities. Moreover, once we lost Fort Mist, we will have lost a strategic point used to stop the daemons for generations. The daemons will be able to invade the empire freely using Fort Mist as a base."
General Liko fell silent, however, he did not take back his decision.
It was obvious that he was not going to change his decision.
Well, I was already expecting this.
I guess it's time for his true purpose to come afloat, right?
Just at that moment, General Liko spoke up again; and for an instant, I could see a small smile in his eyes.
"The daemons will most likely attack tomorrow, so we will leave tonight. However, it would be bad if the daemons discover we abandoned the fort and chase after us. Thus, a group will stay behind to earn time for the main army."
And here it is.
"Prince Claus, you will lead that group." General Liko looked at me with an ice-cold expression.
A commotion occurred in the tent at that moment.
"What is the meaning of this, General Liko!?" Aunt Dayana exploded in anger. "This mission is suicide!"
"It's a very difficult mission, you are right, but I'm sure that someone with Prince Claus capabilities will somehow manage. Plus, it's also a punishment for his insubordination during the last battle."
"Insubordination!? Bah, you know that if not for Claus's quick reaction, Fort Mist would have fallen today. Are you so blind that you can't recognize even that!? As expected of a dog of the Riea family!"
Hearing these words, the eyes of General Liko were filled with killing intent.
"My decision is final, Miss Dayana. Even though Prince Claus's actions were useful, it's a fact he disobeyed military orders, and he deserves a punishment. His insubordination during the last battle could have made our men lose morale and start to escape!"
"You! Why don't you admit that your true intent–"
"Enough, aunt." I interrupted at that moment and grabbed Aunt Dayana's hand. "You don't need to speak anymore."
Then, I looked at General Liko with a completely calm expression.
"I accept the mission."
"Claus!"
"Aunt, stop it. I know what I'm doing."
"But-!"
I looked at my aunt and smiled softly, finally calming her down, although she was still glaring at General Liko with a hatred-filled gaze.
"Good." General Liko narrowed his eyes like a snake. "Your mission is to stop the daemons here for two days, Prince Claus. You are not allowed to retreat before that."
I sneered inwardly before nodding with a calm expression.
As expected, it's his plan, huh.
No matter how strong I am, or how strong my 'teacher' Ysnay is, we should be unable to stop the Daemon Army for two days by ourselves.
In other words, he is sending us to our deaths.
Moreover, he cut my route of retreat with military orders. In the case I decide to retreat, my father will have an excuse to punish me for violating military regulations.
He will probably not hesitate to send me to the gallows to make an 'example' of me.
Of course, there is also the option of running away and escaping the empire, but then my father will not have to worry about me anymore.
He can even brand me a traitor and fabricate a story about me allying with the daemons. Then, he can send assassins and bounty hunters after me freely.
It's a flawless plan. No matter what I do, I will end dead.
Unfortunately for him, he underestimated my true strength.
He doesn't know how strong I am.
For me, this trap is just an amusing play.
I was not the only one that saw through the intentions of General Liko. All the people here could see it.
However, none of them said anything.
After all, the rumors about my relationship with the emperor are well-known in the nobility.
The people in this tent were smart. They could easily understand the meaning of General Liko's orders and who was behind it.
But surprisingly, someone stood up at that moment.
"I was wondering what your true intentions were when you proposed to retreat, Liko. Hahahaha, What a scum."
A frown appeared on General Liko's face. "Be careful with your words, General Anson."
However, General Anson ignored his words and sneered.
"Do you remember the words I told you the first day you arrived at this fort, General Liko? I told you that if you bring harm to this fort, I would kill you."
"General Anson!"
"Shut up, scum!" General Anson growled and his killing intent filled the tent. "Who do you think you are, Liko!? To think you don't mind sacrificing the safety of the empire for your petty goals! Scum like you don't deserve to be alive!
"I swear here today, I will stay in this fort and protect it from any harm until the moment it falls. And after that, I'll kill you, General Liko, and your entire family, before committing suicide for failing to fulfill my duty!"
General Liko turned pale.
"You..."
He knew that with General Anson's strength, he could kill him easily, and destroying his entire family was not impossible.
Immediately, killing intentions appeared in General Liko's eyes. If he wanted to stop General Anson, he needed to kill him right now!
However, General Anson just sneered provocatively, daring him to try it.
In fact, if not that he did not want to cause internal strife right now, General Anson would have killed General Liko in this instant.
I could not help but look at General Anson with slight admiration.
This man, what guts!
As expected of someone who forged his own path.
"It looks like you should start making the preparations for your funeral, General," I looked at General Liko with a mocking smile.
General Liko turned pale in anger, however, that only made my smile wider.
With a chuckle, I stood up from my seat and left the tent calmly as Aunt Dayana and General Anson followed after me.