319 SCHEMES OF ALL KINDS

And he also realizes someone is making use of his scheme to scheme about some other thing. It is fortunate that the objective of that person scheme and his shame did not overlap.

He could guess there is another dark hand that is guiding these war to the current situation. Why would the three great noble families of Karak suddenly rebels? 

At the very least, there is only two families that would join in the enemy and rebel against being the vassal kingdoms of the Empire

It did not make sense all three of them rebel unless they were incited by someone.

But even then what kind of confidence that they have that they will succeed in their rebellion? If they did not have even ounce of confidence and knowing it is a fruitless effort, they surely would not have done such a thing.

That mean there must be other things at play here. 

Karak is a wealthy kingdoms and that was true of the past. 

But now it is not. Not only that it is not as wealthy as the Empire, its size is small and their army could not be compared to the million soldiers that the Empire have.

There he saw the dark hands of King James. 

Aero did not explain this to other people. He notices the involvement of King James in his scheme.

Of course, Aero knows that King James has not seen Aero hand in the dark guiding things but King James does use the chaos provided by Aero scheme to involve himself 

If not how could Karak dare bring out their heads?

As for the easy conquest of the Plains, there is another hand that is accelerating it and it is a hand that Aero rarely sees. 

The young Emperor is the one that is accelerating the defeats of the warlord around the Plains. 

There were many military orders that come from the capital that did not make sense that delays some of the helps that they could have rendered to the warlord all over the plains.

These two imperial brothers are playing with the lives of millions. 

The three Nobles families of Karak might have been promised something by King James. 

Or it might be an emergency measure that King James had enacted and he is the oriole stalking the mantis

They were many things that King James could achieve with the participation of the three noble families in the war. 

It disrupts the trades of the imperial city is only one factors. 

Aero could guess what King James is thinking. 

As for the matter of the plains and the dark hand of the Emperor, Aero could also guess why the Emperor would delay helping the warlords. 

Full control of the Plains would be preferable. The Emperor might not be as dumb as he thinks.

'A tiger that hides its claws, huh' Aero thought to himself. 

Aero pointed his phoenix feather fan to expansive plain and smiling he said

'We must defend the plains of Ethylred. To defend the border, we must protect its main choke point, this plain.'

Kyle frowned and said

'King Alexander had learned from his mistake and enlisted the helps of nearby warlords. Not all warlords bow to the imperial authority. They just change their liege lords as easily they change their coats.'

Kyle said. 

Aero only laughs and said 

'It is as expected of them. Their relationship with the imperial family is a relationship of benefits. Why should you be surprised?'

Kyle snorted. 

'Even I would have done that if I were them…only if I was short sighted'

Viola and Kyle both did not roll their eyes. 

It is not surprising that such words come out of the mouth of the Chancellor. After all, those who knows him personally knows how cunning he is and how opportunistic he is.

'Greater Veranis, from the very moment they declare the war, they are doomed. The Empire that I built with the former Emperor would not stumble and fall just because Greater Veranis declare wars on it and take its land. Even if they take the land as big a Vetten, they would found that they will have a difficulty in keeping it. What did I teach you in the battle of Coro, Kyle? If it is something hard to keep, then let it go. 

'King Alexander is ambitious. I did not hate that about him. All great people have great ambitions. But he did not know how to let go. He did not know how to wait for the opportune moment. He did not know how to be patient. Ambitious but impatient. Smart but reckless. You could not break a stone with an egg. Even if one hundred egg is thrown at a stone, the stone would still be there'

Kyle then raise sup his hand and said

'Should I just pack up then? Let Alexander rampages until he conquered the whole Plains, built himself a base of where he could spread all over the borders of Vanheim?' Aero laughed

'I said they could not make Vanheim to fall. But I did not say that they were beneficial either. If the damage that Alexander done to the Empire reaches a certain point, then Vanheim could never unify this continent in this few decades'

Viola snorted and Aero just smiles helplessly at Viola. She sat back down at her chair, pretending not to listen.

Aero continue saying 

'To march an army and win a war, it takes more than just national strength and a large army. It needs money, needs food, arms and stability in the Empire. And the war must have a clear objective. The fact that you are able to stop Alexander in his tracks a few times with the condition of the army right now is remarkable in itself'

Sighing, Aero look at Kyle and said 

'Stretched thin across all the borders of the Empire while at the same time reinforcing the wings that are weak, and capitalizing on the blind spots of the enemy, defending where the area is empty, maintaining the full form of any army even under such disadvantages, Kyle, you should be a defender instead of an attacker. If I was the attacker and you were the defender, then I admit, that to defeat you by using army would not be efficient. Instead I would use scheme to bring you down' Aero of course did not say to Kyle that the Emperor had shortchanged Kyle

The Emperor wanted Kyle to win. That is true. After all, if Kyle did not manage to defeat Veranis army, then that army would surely reached the Capital.

By that time, it would be too late. Other kingdoms would also be joining in like a shark circling around a bloodied person drowning in the water.

But the Emperor probably wanted to make sure that Alexander divided the loyalties of the warlords in the plains before the Emperor would show his full support.

After all, out of everyone here, no one is more clear of the secret forces of the Emperor than him since he is the one that created these secret forces.

Aero had created a powerful empire. The only way to bring down the Empire right now could only be achieved by those Western Kingdoms like Veva and holy Zun Empire.

And of course, by internal dispute.

The fact that then Emperor did not send the secret forces shows that the Emperor wanted to use the invasion of Alexander as a pretext for the imperial authority to seep deep on the furthest point of the Empire. To gain the loyalty of the warlords and sweep all the enemies of the imperial government in one battle

Aero scoffed a bit thinking that, this young lion hides very deeply. Aero was thinking about this but Kyle is thinking about something else

He will not admit it but he did feel a little bit excited being praised by his rival Aero.

Kyle and Aero relationship is very complicated. There is always that sense of rivalry but also the sense of wanting to be acknowledged by this rival.

Kyle himself was not an incompetent general. And Aero also recognize this. The Kyle now had matured from that bratty general he had fought during the Vetten Invasion

There was initial engagement made by Alexander and there two slightly unfavorable stalemates for Alexander and by the time the King of Veranis receive reinforcement, Kyle had created a stable defensive lien near the plains and King Alexander could not use a rushing tactics. 

The other border is also secure. 

Even though the line is paper thin in many of the other parts of the border, Veranis himself could not focus themselves as they have to traverse mountain and forest to get there, and by the time they get there maybe another detachment from one of the others parts of the border would be able to reinforce that part of the border. 

Alexander have no choice other than to focus the main bulk of his army in the area around the plains where they would break through. 

If King Alexander manage to breakthrough, then one could see that Alexander would possess great advantage.

But Vanheim need only to hold out. If Veranis runs out of supplies, then it is time for the wrath of the Empire to descend on Veranis

But Alexander himself is not some third rate general. 

When Alexander send one of his detachment to attack the upper part of the border, Kyle had to rush there and as such he orchestrated an attack just in time when Kyle was busy elsewhere and was able to make some significant temporary headway into Ethylred Central Plains.

Alexander then reoccupied the remnants of a castle situated by the Aether river which is burnt down by Kyle a few weeks earlier.

Then he ordered its reconstruction and enlargement.

Because of this, the Aethereld castle became a major Alexander strongpoint in the area, guarding the roads and extending Alexander control into the plains.

Alexander is also fearing an attack from the back from the garrisoned soldiers of Duvar kingdom. 

He believes that the Emperor decision and King James detachment to relieve the garrisons in Duvar is a scheme to attack him form the back.

Because of that Alexander seems to correspond with the western kingdom powers and reach an agreement. 

None of the western powers are moving. 

Because no one wanted to be the sacrifice and their distrust against each other work in favor of Vanheim. 

But if Duvar moves its army to attack Veranis form the back Savillia and Alfhaim will not just wait anymore.

They would take it. 

And by the time any of the great powers of the Western powers notices it, either Savillia or Alfhaim would get Duvar. 

But the matter is of course not simple like that. 

If either Savillia or Alfhaim move their army to take a well provisioned city walls of the Holy Kingdom of Duvar, then their soldier might have to suffer and reduce their powers. 

Holy Zun Empire and Veva then would have a clear shot at taking either Alfhaim or Savillia.

But if a fuse is lit, someone would get burned. Duvar could not move. But the other western power also could not move.

If there is movement, there would be chaos and the fates of kingdoms probably would be sealed almost immediately.

Guarding the garrison of the castle is none other than Pericles, a general under Alexander who was famous as one of Alexander closest friend

Aero smiles and look at the plains and said

'The troops are prepared. The banners are raised. Alexander is waiting for his ally. His forces harassing the supply lines, and if we take the castle, we would be at a disadvantage if they send another detachment. Karak forces is being held by Dan, Raina is a ghost army, creating uncertainty in the minds of the enemies. We would not lose. How could we lose? I am here!' Aero said and he laughs.,

He then pointed toward a mountain

'We take a position there on Mount Gryphon'

What he plans from the beginning must be ended beautifully. 

'That area is surrounded by the makeshift fortress of the Alexander army!' Viola and Kyle both said in unison. Aero nodded

'I know. But it also offered a commanding view of the entire area, threatened both the Aethereld castle and the roads leading to the Empire heartlands and is virtually unassailable.' Aero said.

'Now, I am making my moves. Give me twenty-three thousand men and let me see what so great about this Alexander! Hahaha!'

He laughed with an unrestrained feeling, like the whole world is under his fate. The wind blows his white robe as the person people called the Divine Strategist, take the center stage

Kyle nodded as he took look at the Plains. Viola sit at her seta and sip a few wines from her flask. 

They both knew that the moment the world knows that Aero, the Chancellor of Vanheim appear suddenly in the Plains of Ethylred, the world will surely shake.

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