Defeat was already looming near.

Ginijis sat on the throne, his face still ruddy.

He was dressed in a crimson silk robe, a gold-fringed belt around his waist, and wore the Blazing Iron Crown that had been passed down for a millennium in the Leia Kingdom.

It was as if he was not here to engage in a war, but to attend a banquet.

Only, before him was not a long table, nor honey-roasted suckling pig, but messengers sent by each Square Array Commander.

These infantry squares sent one or two at least, or three or four at most, kneeling in a row before Ginijis.

"Your Highness, over a hundred deserters emerged from the Second King's Guard, and the Square Array Commander had his right leg broken by lead shots, forcing a retreat."

"Your Highness, the Square Array Commander of the First Array of the Third Legion has fallen, and the Vice-Commander found himself surrounded on three sides by the Black Champion Army due to advancing too far. He requests support."

"Your Highness, Duke Barry launched an assault on the Wild Wolf Army's position, but Alaric failed to fire the spring cannon on time.

Duke Barry was struck down by the Lightning Witch and fears... fears have met a disastrous fate!"

Kneeling on the ground, the Knight alternated between glaring fiercely at Alaric and crying out hoarsely in lament.

Several nobles holding down the rear, including Bodman, turned their gazes to Alaric.

Alaric quickly defended, "Nonsense, the Grey Robe Hill artillery was destroyed by enemy flying Wizards, which is why they couldn't fire in time."

"Stop making excuses. If you said a Witch flew over to attack the artillery, I'd believe you, but you mentioned a whole group..."

The sound of quarrels resounded in the ears, but seemed to drift farther away.

Ginijis sat like a puppet on the throne, his gaze fixed on the battlefield.

He was already fully aware that the morale of the soldiers was steadily declining.

To maintain enough waves for attacking and wearing down, Leia's army had used a large amount of potions from the start.

When unable to seize victory after prolonged attack, morale naturally wanes as the effects of the potions wear off.

As for morale-boosting Divine Art and blessings, they too have time limits; repeated casting yields diminishing returns.

It wasn't just the infantry; even among the Knights, small-scale desertions and surrenders had begun to appear.

After the Grey Robe Hill artillery was attacked, the decline in morale became apparent.

Especially after the attack, Ginijis had no way to repair or replace the parts.

The artillerymen who were killed could not be revived; they were a technical corps, not something Blood Knights could replace.

On the vast grassland battlefield, the large and heavy Leia infantry blocks were continuously being sliced up and forced to retreat.

As for the Knights, they were afraid of those spring cannons; whenever a cannon was pushed forward, they had to turn around and leave.

Sometimes they would rush in to cover the retreating infantry, but the moment a cannon emerged, they would make a complete 180-degree turn and leave.

Based on the reports trickling in from the messengers, Ginijis, seasoned in battle, had an understanding of the situation.

According to the Holy Alliance's clock system, it was three hours until sunset, and the battle had already lasted four hours.

Two arrays of 5,000 infantry were shattered by the concentrated fire of the first wave of spring cannons, and even after regrouping, they refused to re-enter the fray.

Among the seven remaining arrays, the proportion of casualties and deserters was nearing one-tenth.

Based on Ginijis's experience, before reaching one-tenth, deserters might just be scattered; after one-tenth, their numbers increase drastically.

According to Ginijis's own estimate, excluding the initially routed Shadow Crow Battle Group, out of the remaining four Holy Alliance Battle Groups, casualties were around a thousand.

As for his own side, the number could very well exceed two thousand.

Ginijis's fingers nearly dug into the oak throne, his voice unusually weak yet abnormally fervent amidst the arguing.

"Summon Lord Raffel."

"Your Highness, I am already here." As Ginijis finished speaking, the heavy sound of hooves and footsteps replaced the argument in everyone's ears.

Beneath the scarlet sun and azure sky, the black-painted White Crystal Steel armor seemed to absorb all sunlight and drew all eyes.

With each step, his entire armor produced the dull echo akin to a blunt axe splitting wood.

On this dry, hard ground, he could stamp out a shallow footprint with each stride.

Fully armored, Raffel approached from the blue sky and green field, with a squad of Imperial Knights bearing the Lanfeng banner behind him.

"Lord Raffel." The previously quarrelsome crowd immediately fell into silence, even Bodman, another Great Knight watching the farce, couldn't help but gaze enviously at Raffel. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Raffel, now over seventy, was called the pillar and beam of the entire Leia Kingdom by the previous old King.

From the Battle of the Windmill Field to skirmishes at the border with Bear Castle Territory, this veteran's status in Leia sometimes exceeded that of the King in specific circumstances.

Such as now.

"Duke Alaric fulfilled his duty; I witnessed the flying Wizard myself, and there was no malice."

The previous quarrel resolved instantaneously with just one sentence from Raffel, both sides nodding and keeping silent.

Ginijis stood up to greet him, but was pressed back into his seat by Raffel.

Raffel respectfully saluted Ginijis before standing beside him and addressing the messengers.

"You are the King's Standing Army, the King's Guard. While others might falter at one-tenth, you shall not at one-fourth.

Otherwise, have you been eating royal bread in vain each year? Return and inform your Square Array Commander that I've reformed 5,000 spearmen, and they will be back on the battlefield within a quarter of an hour.

Hold firm, and there will be a way!"

"Yes, Sir." The King's Guard messengers quickly departed.

Raffel then turned his gaze to the messenger of each Square Array that was an assembly of mercenaries or hired soldiers: "You are all loyal vassals of the kingdom; I know you are exhausted from fighting thus far, so I wish to reward you.

Your Highness, what do you think: tenfold reward for steadfast soldiers, officers knighted and granted earldoms?"

"I swear by my father's name," Ginijis raised three fingers, "anyone who brings me the head of a Battle Commander or a Witch gets three thousand gold sovereigns; anyone who brings the head of Horn Gallar or captures him alive earns ten thousand gold sovereigns and is granted a dukedom!"

"Your reward shall surely be relayed back to the ranks."

Like a physician treating illness, with the cooperation of Ginijis and Raffel, combining enticement with threat, reason with emotion, the kneeling messengers swiftly returned to their duty in less than five minutes.

"Disperse, I need a word with Lord Raffel." Ginijis dismissed his attendants, starting with, "We need to retreat."

"We still have the Blood Knights."

"Without the coverage of infantry and spring cannons, a reckless charge by the Knights would only repeat Prince Kongdai's outcome."

"I know, but I wish to try and gamble a bit."

Startled, Ginijis raised his head, finding it incredible to hear the word "gamble" coming from Raffel's mouth.

"When I was at my lowest, your father never looked down on me; he dined and drank with me at the same table.

As my liege, he personally turned back to rescue me, his vassal.

My child, your father ennobled my son as a Count.

To avenge my wife, your father took me personally to seek revenge against the Norn.

When I sought to be promoted to Great Knight, your father strongly opposed it, yet I did it anyway, which greatly angered him.

He felt that becoming a Great Knight would turn me into a eunuch dolt, a war machine; he didn't want his closest brother to become that way.

But I did it anyway, because compared to other talented vassals, my military prowess was inferior, I didn't understand administration, nor was I skilled in law.

All I could do was charge and kill the enemy, and though there might be others who could do the same, there were many.

So I became a Great Knight, but ironically, after the Battle of the Windmill Field, there was no further use for me.

I have nothing more to seek from the world, except the desire to continue the prosperity of the Lanfeng Dynasty, to flourish our kingdom.

However, Leia still pales in comparison to Falan; it even seems the Norn people are starting to surpass them.

If your father, those exceptional vassals were still here, they would undoubtedly revive Leia, but they are gone.

Fortunately, you appeared, possessing talent no less than your father, able to gather elite individuals, bearing their shadows.

I cannot assist you in other ways, just as I couldn't help your father back then.

All I can do is kill on the battlefield, that's all I can do now."

Raffel stroked Ginijis's head, then donned his helmet: "You will become a great King; please wait here, your sharpest sword will bring you the final victory."