Chapter 38 : The Iron-Blooded Emperor (4)

Wolfgang and Raipen sat across from each other. 

The private dining hall, modified by Raipen for personal use, was so quiet that not even an ant could be found scurrying. 

Considering the reason for her visit, it was no wonder the other nobles weren’t invited.

After all, the Supreme Commander of the Eastern Defense Army declaring her intent to travel to the Kingdom was no trivial matter. 

To any sensible person, it sounded utterly absurd.

Wolfgang Leonhart, the highest-ranking officer in the Imperial Army, traveling not to just any nation, but to the Kingdom of Mines? While no one in the Empire doubted her strength, what if Wolfgang fell into one of the Kingdom’s sinister traps? 

The thought was difficult to imagine but not entirely impossible.

Even Wolfgang agreed with this assessment. She was well aware of her limits. 

Though her power was immense, it wasn’t flawless or invincible.

‘If I were truly invincible, the Winter War wouldn’t have been such a struggle.’

Even Wolfgang, for all her prowess, had not won every battle in the Winter War. After forming the Vendetta Legion, her win rate had barely increased to 60%. Before that, defeats had been far more common, and there was even a time when she had been besieged in a fortress, on the brink of death from starvation.

One of the key causes of her failures had been arrogance.

When she first awakened her flames and learned to wield them, she became intoxicated by their power. 

Watching Wendigos melt like snow before her fire, she succumbed to hubris.

‘With these flames, the Wendigos are nothing.

I can win this alone.

I’ll kill them all and become a hero.’

She paid for her arrogance time and time again before finally understanding the truth: only by embracing humility could one endure and survive, like a ripe stalk of rice bowing low.

Still, the risk was worth it. 

This task was something only she could do. 

From a conventional standpoint, her actions might be seen as undue interference in another nation’s affairs.

But if the Imperial hero Wolfgang Leonhart were revealed to be Lana Frost, an exiled noble of the Kingdom, and if her return was framed as reclaiming her honor and clearing her name…

She had no real intention of returning to the Kingdom.
But it provided a convincing justification.

Some might argue that the Empire shouldn’t care about the opinions of other nations. 

After all, the Empire possessed the largest territory, population, and resources on the continent. 

However, the aftermath of the Eternal Winter had paralyzed or abandoned more than half of the Empire’s lands.

Though the decline in Wendigo numbers and the weakening of the Winter’s grip during the mid-war period had allowed for recovery efforts, the Empire had only managed to restore functionality to about 40% of its territory.

‘Even that’s an improvement. I heard it used to be barely 30%.’

During the Eternal Winter, the Empire had been unable to sustain itself and had relied on aid from other nations, each with their own motives. 

Without their help, the Empire might not have survived.

Even now, after the end of the Winter, the Empire remained wary of foreign powers.

Furthermore, it was true that the Empire lacked the resources to wage war against the entire continent so soon after the Winter War.

These realities were why Wolfgang felt compelled to visit the Kingdom. 

Left unchecked, the Kingdom would undoubtedly find ways to hinder the Empire.

The animosity between the two nations was too deep to explain yet again. 

As long as Saintess Jeanne, who held power in the Kingdom, knew that Wolfgang—a.k.a. Lana Frost—was alive and thriving in the Empire, she would stop at nothing to undermine either the Empire or Wolfgang herself.

While she might consider resigning of her own accord, she refused to be forced out by others.

Perhaps due to her thorough preparations, Wolfgang felt her throat dry with tension. 

But she couldn’t afford to hesitate. She had to gain Raipen’s approval.

“This operation offers two major advantages.”

“Go on.”

“First, it will cause massive chaos in the Kingdom. At the very least, it will prevent them from directly opposing the Empire.”

The Kingdom was already on the move, warning other nations about the potential threat of the Empire now that the Eternal Winter was over. 

Meanwhile, the Empire’s foreign ministry worked to counter this narrative.

Though other nations weren’t blind to the Kingdom’s ulterior motives, they would undoubtedly exploit any escalation between the Kingdom and the Empire to their own advantage.

From the Empire’s perspective, even entering a muddy conflict with the Kingdom would be a loss. 

But if Wolfgang herself infiltrated the Kingdom and created chaos, it would weaken their ability to act against the Empire.

“The Kingdom wouldn’t have the capacity to check the Empire or, at the very least, wouldn’t act as freely as they do now. That window could be used to strengthen the Empire’s influence.”

“Your first reason is sound. What’s the second?”

“The second is justification.”

Why hadn’t the Empire taken such action before? The answer was simple: it would have been blatant interference in the Kingdom’s internal affairs, handing them a perfect excuse to retaliate.

Such interference could lead to accusations of imperial ambition, oppression of weaker nations, and more—narratives ripe for international exploitation.

But Wolfgang had a way to avoid that. With the story of Lana Frost, unjustly exiled and returning as a war hero, she could reframe her actions.

Not everyone would be convinced, but it was enough to deflect accusations of meddling. 

As Wolfgang laid out her case, Raipen sighed deeply.

“Your argument is reasonable. However, your value is far greater than these reasons alone. 

You know that, don’t you?”

Wolfgang was indispensable to the Empire. 

Yet, as he listened to her explanation, memories of the past surfaced in Raipen’s mind.

[“So, you have a plan. Let’s hear it.”]

[“Charge in and kill everyone.”]

[“That’s called a suicide mission.”]

[“CHARGE!!!”]

[“Hey!”]

During the Winter War, Wolfgang had executed countless reckless strategies. 

While many failed early on, she never gave up.

Like a phoenix rising anew from the ashes of death, her flames only grew brighter. 

That brilliance captivated many, Raipen included.

He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but perhaps it was during the dawn after a hard-fought victory against the Wendigos. 

Back then, Raipen had viewed Wolfgang as a fleeting glimmer of hope, fragile like a candle in a storm.

‘There’s no point in hoping.

I’ll only end up disappointed again.

It’s always been that way.’

Yet, despite his cynicism, he found himself following her. 

Even knowing that disappointment was inevitable, he couldn’t turn away.

[“…Why do you fight so desperately?”]

Her flames were a weapon against the Wendigos, but they hadn’t shifted the war in their favor. 

She had faced countless defeats and narrowly escaped death herself.

Even in such despair, her flames never wavered.

“How do you not give up? 

Haven’t you seen the same despair as I have? 

How can you keep moving forward?” he had asked.

[“Of course it’s terrifying and painful. But if you stay where you are, you’ll remain stuck. No matter how hard it gets, you have to keep moving forward.”]

Because someday, you’ll find the way out.

Perhaps it was the sunrise breaking over the horizon or the power in her words, but that was the day Raipen’s feelings began to bloom.

“…Just promise me you’ll come back without a scratch.”

Raipen sighed and finally gave his approval. 

In truth, the outcome had been inevitable from the start. Denying her wishes was something he simply couldn’t bring himself to do.