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Humans love civil wars and excel at them, which is a blessing for other races. Otherwise, with the current population of hundreds of millions, no race could escape the peril of extinction.

The Duchy of Langton was formed from the repeated divisions of the former Heroic Kingdom. The ancestors of the Duke of Langton were said to be heroes from the glorious battles of old, though this remains just a legend. Today, the Duchy of Langton has a population of approximately six million, with over a dozen cities, making it a medium-sized nation. However, the country is backed by the Impregnable Mountains, with rugged terrain, and borders the Orc Alliance, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Thus, it has endured for more than two centuries without perishing.

Currently, the Duchy of Langton has a standing army of fifty thousand, a local militia of fifty thousand, and about eighty thousand private troops of nobles. There are also four regular knight regiments totaling twenty thousand soldiers. If these two hundred thousand troops were to march on Fontainebleau together, I would have no choice but to face certain death. However, first, the Duchy of Langton must deal with several small countries upstream of the Red River and the threat from the Holy Os Empire in the south, so it cannot mobilize too many troops. Second, the Red River region is still considered part of the Half-Orc Wastelands. Although the river can help solve some logistical issues, large-scale military operations remain impractical.

According to the information brought back by merchants, the leaders of this expedition are Count Basten, the first heir, and Count Xilin, the second heir. Basten himself is highly skilled in martial arts, having reached the level of Sword Master at thirty-five, with numerous military achievements. With the support of his mother's prestigious family, he has gained the backing of the military and major nobles. However, the second heir, Xilin, enjoys the support of merchants and civil officials, giving him considerable strength as well. As for the third heir, Lanster, who is currently imprisoned in my dungeon, he chose to represent the Radiant Temple.

Although the Radiant Temple lost vast territories, their influence has grown even wider as they focused on religious development. The neighboring Holy Os Empire venerates the Temple as its state religion, requiring the king to receive coronation from the Temple. Therefore, Lanster has sufficient capital to compete for the throne with this external support. However, the Temple-led exploration of the swamp passage has been compromised due to Lanster's capture, leaving the Temple without an insider and excluded from the operation by the Duchy of Langton.

This time, the Duchy dispatched five thousand members of the Thunder Knight Regiment, ten thousand from the Second Regular Legion, five thousand from the local militia, five thousand from noble private troops, and hired the Red Scorpion Mercenary Corps and the Iron Cross Mercenary Corps, totaling another five thousand. Among them, Basten commands the knight regiment, the Second Regular Legion, and the noble private troops, amounting to twenty thousand soldiers, while the second heir, Xilin, leads the local militia and mercenary corps, totaling ten thousand soldiers. Both sides view this expedition as a decisive battle for the throne, as whoever controls the trade route will see their power multiply exponentially. At that point, not only the throne but even founding a new kingdom or becoming an emperor would become possible. Therefore, there is no cooperation between the two sides; each follows the banks of the Red River, trying to reach Fontainebleau before the other. This obvious internal conflict is euphemistically called the "Two-Headed Dragon" plan and publicly announced.

Although the Duchy learned through the mercenaries who escaped earlier that Fontainebleau had fallen into the hands of werewolves, the decision-makers did not consider it a real battlefield. Without the support of vast grasslands, even if ten thousand werewolves gathered, they could not pose a direct threat to a well-equipped human army. Other orc races showed no signs of significant reinforcements either. The rumor that werewolves were building a massive castle in Fontainebleau was dismissed as a joke, as "werewolves who can't build houses" are infamous across the Mainland. It would be more believable to think that goblins could learn the 'Emperor Martial Overlord Technique.' The true purpose of mobilizing the army is to confront the orc forces coming from the other side of the passage, forming a standoff and negotiating treaties to divide the benefits of the trade route.

"The above is the situation of our enemies. Based on this intelligence, our strategy is to ensure that the two forces arrive at different times, allowing us to defeat them one by one. The remaining question is which force should arrive first and how we should act."

At the war council in Green City Fort, the person consolidating intelligence and analyzing strategies is Catherine, who received elite education and participated in many wars on the Western Front. In the two months I was away, she completed my preparation plan beyond expectations, significantly increasing our chances of victory.

"My suggestion is to first crush Xilin's mercenary corps and then deal with Basten's regular army. Mercenary forces are adept at adapting. If we engage the regular army first and get bogged down, the mercenaries could become a surprise force, changing tactics based on the battle situation, complicating our plans. Conversely, striking the mercenary corps first would easily dismantle these irregular forces and demoralize Basten's army. Moreover, according to rumors, 'Red Scorpion' is supported by the four small countries upstream of the Red River, while 'Iron Cross' is affiliated with the Radiant Temple. These two factions, intervening in the passage dispute in this manner, would not cooperate wholeheartedly, making them the best breakthrough points."

"Very well, Lady Catherine's analysis is compelling. I believe this strategy will lead to victory. As for delaying the human forces, I have already made preparations. The task of defeating the mercenary corps requires everyone's efforts. Let us work together."

"Yes, sir."

After all the subordinates left, I stood up but saw Catherine standing at the door.

"Is there anything else?"

"If you trust me, do not recklessly enhance your strength using the Tiger Soul's abilities. Although I don't know how you eliminated the backlash of vital energy, any external power other than that gained through hard training will hinder your future ascension to Sword Emperor. If you aspire to challenge the Sword Saint realm like me, you need to understand the essence of every bit of strength. This is the experience of generations of Sword Emperors and the teachings of my master, Leimen."

With that, she turned and left. Watching her graceful back, I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. After that night's battle, I had glimpsed the real Catherine behind her valkyrie persona. However, since then, she has never shown any weakness again.

Regarding Catherine joining our ranks, several high-ranking officials who knew the truth expressed concerns to me. Given her exalted status, she had no genuine reason to truly defect. If she were to turn against us again, it would be a devastating blow. However, I overruled their objections and granted Catherine significant authority, leading to rumors that I was pursuing her in Fontainebleau.