The powerful voices resounded throughout St. Marienplatz, like kindling igniting a fire. The crowd responded enthusiastically, their expressions excited and their eyes burning with undisguised fervor. Young men clapped their hands passionately, and the tidal wave of applause engulfed the entire square.

Amidst thunderous applause, the Imperial Guards began to march in perfect unison, and the crowd spontaneously parted to make way for them. Von Palen walked down from the wooden platform with his hands hanging naturally at his sides and his chest held high.

He passed by the gallows, where executioners were dragging away the corpses, but his gaze remained fixed straight ahead, never once glancing down at the bodies.

Just then, an excited shout rang out from the surrounding crowd: "Your Majesty! I want to board one of the first ships to Yan Kingdom!"

Upon hearing the voice, Von Palen stopped and turned to look at the crowd. The speaker was a young man in his early twenties. His tall figure stood out in the crowd. Although he was somewhat thin, his features, which clearly showed Gothic characteristics, were very pure.

A smile appeared on Von Palen's usually serious face, making him look exceptionally kind. He looked at the young man and said:

Are you ready?

"Ready!" the man shouted, raising his fist, while shouts echoed from the surrounding crowd.

"Ready!"

"His Majesty!"

"We are all ready, Your Majesty!"

Von Palen looked around and then said loudly, "As our soldiers, the first preparation we must make before stepping onto the battlefield is to be prepared to sacrifice!"

"You must be prepared to make sacrifices for the rise of the empire!"

His words received an immediate response; the young men expressed their determination to the fullest extent, raising their clenched fists and roaring at the top of their lungs:

"Always be prepared!"

At this moment, the people of St. Marienplatz were swept into an even more frenzied state, and amidst the deafening roars, Von Palen suddenly swung his arm and shouted towards the crowd:

"When you have decided to dedicate everything to the Empire, then the future of the Empire will be created by you, and the glory of the Empire will forever belong to you!"

"Our large transport ships are under construction continuously, and those of you who are prepared will have the opportunity to board!"

He surveyed the excited crowd and then said:

"Look at you! I am proud of the determination you are showing right now!"

"Youth! March forward with the will of the Empire!"

Under the blazing sun, the intense sunlight bathed St. Marín Square in a golden glow. As the words fell, he lowered his arm, but the crowd raised their arms and waved them, erupting in thunderous shouts as they all chanted the same name.

"Fonpalen!"

"Fonpalen!"

"Fonpalen!"

——

"As you know, Your Majesty, that fellow von Palen is an out-and-out warmonger."

On the continent of Leon, in the Kingdom of Perion, Lucat was accompanying Emperor Figus as they walked along the garden paths of the Heather Royal Court.

The sky was dark and gloomy, and a gray mist filled the air. Figos, wrapped in a heavy silver fur coat, had only his face visible in the air.

Beneath the muskrat hat he wore, Figus's eyes drooped, and his face, exposed to the air, appeared exceptionally pale. He did not respond to what Lucate said, but simply shrank his face into his collar, as if afraid of the cold.

A few nights ago, after learning from Lucat about what had happened in the open sea, he fell into a long period of distress, which has not eased even today.

However, Lucat had already done those things on behalf of the nation's will, so even severe punishment would be futile, and he was now forced to accept the consequences.

After a few breaths, Figus finally spoke:

“You know that Von Palen is passionate about war, so your leadership in defeating their fleet is a calamity for our country.”

“Although the Goths don’t know yet, we’ll be in trouble once they figure it out…” Figus frowned, looking gloomy.

"Your Majesty, the Goths don't have time to cause us trouble at this time."

"They're the ones who've gotten themselves into big trouble."

Upon hearing this, Figus stopped in his tracks. He looked up at Lucat, who was much taller than him. Lucat, dressed in a fiery red fox fur coat, had a cunning expression and spoke with particular certainty.

"Are you so sure the Yan people will definitely come?" Figus asked.

Luca nodded and whispered, "It is almost certainly true, Your Majesty."

“When I left Nanming Island, I sensed that they were about to take radical actions.”

"You should know that Nanming Island is being built into a military fortress by the Yan Kingdom. Establishing a military fortress so far from their own territory clearly shows that they are prepared for a long-term war."

"It is reasonable to assume that they are sending warships to reinforce their homeland, and their primary target is naturally the Delta Federation."

"The Goths were exceptionally well-prepared for this war, but their navy was not very strong. They had almost no chance of winning against the Yan Kingdom's fleet. Their only asset was the Brando Strait."

Figus was skeptical, but still nodded and said, "In any case, I just hope they don't suddenly come out of the Brando Strait and target our country."

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