After thinking for a moment, Todd thought of a question: "There's something I don't understand. If the barbarians really have powerful forces like wizards and war beasts, then why are they still staying in the barren lands of the north instead of invading the south?"
Seeing the king's puzzled expression, Cumberland shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Your Majesty, regarding this matter, perhaps we should truly thank the Father for His protection. If God had not bestowed upon us the natural barrier of the 'Falling Star Mountains,' the barbarian forces might have already swept in; moreover, the appearance of wizards and war beasts is not common, even knights who have fought on the front lines for a long time have only seen them once or twice. But the good old days are gone forever. Since the Silver Ring Kingdom betrayed the Father's Church, everything has changed."
“Watchtower, Meridian Pass, Desolation Pass…” Cumberland counted on his fingers as he spoke, “Those passes that were used to block the barbarian invasions over the past hundred years have all become useless due to the Silver Ring’s defection. More and more barbarian troops have passed through those paths littered with corpses and debris, and entered the embrace of Moonbrook Plains unharmed.”
"Look at the Taro Empire hundreds of years ago. In terms of military strength and national power, it was unmatched on the entire continent. Yet, in just a few years, it was defeated by the barbarians and was ultimately destroyed and divided."
Todd carefully considered Cumberland's words, pondered them for a moment, and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine: "So, isn't the situation now even more dangerous than it was back then?"
Cumberland nodded: "Although the Tyro Empire was declining in the past, its political and religious system and military structure were relatively complete, and it still had the strength to fight against the barbarians. But now, the empire has long been split into dozens of small countries, and the church has been divided into two churches, the East and the West. The wars and conflicts between the countries, and the dispute between the Church of the Father and the Orthodox Church over the origins of the church, have made our chances of winning increasingly slim."
Seeing Todd's increasingly grim expression, Cumberland sighed, "Your Majesty, you should perhaps prepare yourself mentally for this war with the barbarians; it will be a difficult and arduous struggle."
"You mean we're going to lose?"
Todd sat up straight.
The old knight's expression reminded the king of the suffering saints in church paintings: "Your Majesty, giving up before the war even begins is a commander's greatest taboo. The word 'defeat' should not even appear in the king's dictionary. I admit that the barbarian army's strength should not be underestimated, but the Mt. Knights are more than capable of matching them!"
Hearing Cumberland's resounding speech, Todd felt somewhat at ease.
The two chatted for a while longer, and as the sun set, it was time for dinner. After politely declining the king's invitation, Cumberland chose to return to the barracks for dinner, while Todd, rubbing his rumbling stomach, planned to have the "Sisters' Inn" send him a meal.
Although the Knights of Twilight declared secularization and established the Kingdom of Twilight, due to the hasty nature of the event, many customs still retained a military style. For example, the person in charge of the daily life of the royal family was not a royal steward or a minister of the interior, but rather the Knights' service officer.
For example, although he was a member of the royal family, King Todd was a complete loner, without children, parents, or siblings. He refused to spend money to establish a large and cumbersome royal service agency, and disliked keeping a group of servants who would fawn over him. Even the chef hired by Huggins was dismissed by him on the grounds that the food was not to his liking.
In Todd's opinion, the only restaurant in Twilight City that truly suited his taste was "Sisters Hotel".
But as king, he could no longer sit in the hall and eat in peace as he used to, so he had to have them bring him a meal.
After the knights' messengers set off, Todd, waiting for his meal to arrive, picked up the kingdom's recent reports and began to read them carefully.
Scholars and monks at the Twilight Academy achieved two major breakthroughs through research and experimentation. First, they analyzed and calculated the ratio of mutant bacteria to Sutherland bacteria, obtaining conversion formulas and gradient tables. For example, after repeated experiments, it was confirmed that 1 ml of the Sutherland standard strain can encapsulate (control) 1.35 adult doses of 'Regeneration' bacteria, or 2.08 adult doses of 'Inflame Breath' bacteria. This quantitative calculation of microorganisms shortened the production process for inheritors and ensured the maximum utilization of the potion.
Secondly, from the fossils and soil retrieved from the Beidao site, scholars isolated a new batch of "superpowered bacteria," including those with "skeletal enhancement," "strength breakthroughs," and "energy conduction," further expanding the "superpower pool." Moreover, according to the research results of the team stationed at Beidao, more fossils, metals, and microorganisms were discovered directly beneath the site; however, due to the gradually increasing radiation levels, manual excavation is no longer feasible, and alternative methods need to be considered.
Another intelligence report came from maritime merchant fleets. The two major southern empires—Fatima and Abbasid—had recently reignited hostilities. Reports indicated that the war was initiated by Saladin, the Caliph of the Fatimid Empire, in an attempt to divert attention from internal sectarian conflicts and politically break free from the control and coercion of his overlord, the Abbasid Empire. However, almost no one viewed Saladin's provocation favorably, as the Abbasid Empire far surpassed the Fatimid Empire in territory, army, and wealth. People said, "Saladin's folly will one day be punished by God."
Just as Todd was about to look again, there was a soft knock on the door.
The food from the "Sisters Hotel" finally arrived. After agreeing, Todd was surprised to find that the people carrying the food box were not the usual servants, but two women dressed in black robes.
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