Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1806 The difficult decision

Step Step

Theo entered the hall with his usual calm, measured footsteps, each step soft yet deliberate, carrying a quiet authority. His posture was so steady and straight that, for a brief moment, he almost appeared to be gliding above the floor rather than walking on it. When he finally reached the center of the chamber, he stopped with composed stillness.

”You donʼt look very eager to see me, Lord Hedrick. Have we angered you in some way?”

”Forgive me, Iʼm preoccupied at the moment. Iʼm trying to make a certain decision...” Hedrick gave Theo a brief glance-quick, distracted- and gestured for him to come closer before returning his full focus to the map spread out before him. ”If it were anyone but you, they wouldnʼt have been allowed inside -not even my right hand, Draice.”

”Then allow me to make use of that trust and ask you not to make that decision.” Theo stepped forward as requested, his tone firm but respectful. ”The time simply hasnʼt come for that kind of thinking yet, and acting now would only bring unnecessary consequences.”

”Hm?” Hedrick looked mildly surprised, a faint crease forming between his brows. ”And you think you know what decision Iʼm referring to?”

”Although you did not involve me this time, the matter is clear.” Theo spoke with composed calm, his voice steady as ever. ”Marshal Liviaʼs and Marshal Tharnʼs recent movements indicate they are closing in on Lord Zarionʼs army from both sides, while the reinforcements coming from Marshal Fargus-if they continue on their current course-will inevitably intersect with Lord Zarionʼs army as well.”

”...At this stage it doesnʼt require guessing. Youʼre planning to wait until the routes intersect, then use a gate to teleport there directly. Youʼre trying to isolate one army out of the five and strike it with everything you have. From your perspective, such an attack should drastically reduce your enemies and deal them a heavy blow to their morale.”

Hedrick turned toward Theo, his gaze sharp and piercing, almost accusing. ”Iʼm aware your informational capabilities are unmatched, but are you admitting this openly that youʼre spying on me your own ally- just like that?”

”We must know everything at all times, my Lord. Otherwise, we wouldnʼt have been able to support you up to this point.” Theo replied in an utterly matter-of-fact tone, as if stating a universal truth. ”By observing fleet movements, I realized youʼve been preparing for this major battle for months. But since you hadnʼt committed to the decision, I didnʼt mention anything. Recently, however, the ships accelerated and the tension spiked... This should not be happening”

”You said it yourself. Itʼll be the first time since the war began that weʼll have a nearly even battle. Iʼm confident in victory... Their army will be destroyed, and the morale of the remaining four will collapse. Whatʼs the problem?” Hedrick attempted to sound confident, but his tone wavered ever so slightly, betraying his internal doubts.

”Destroying them will come at the cost of destroying a large portion of your own forces. Killing Lord Zarion will come at the price of severe injuries to yourself. Lord Zarion is no simple opponent, and if he dies, the Behemoth Zavaros will intervene personally... The best you can realistically hope for is to injure him gravely and force him to retreat. But in that case, what will you have gained?”

”...By the end of the battle, you will have lost more than half your forces. You may lose several of your closest commanders. And you yourself will be wounded. Meanwhile, Lord Zarion will simply retreat toward one of the remaining four armies and continue advancing as before.” Theo took another step forward, his tone deepening with urgency. ”Lord Hedrick, I know you understand all of this. So why take such a risk? Youʼre not at the stage where you should resort to a suicidal assault.”

Then his floating eyes glimmered, a faint eerie brightness forming within them, like something ancient awakening.

”And in my opinion, if you ever must prepare a suicidal strike, it should be aimed at the Radiance Galaxy... Not at the allied forces!”

”Attacking Radiance means reaching the absolute end of the road. Do you truly take me for an idiot?” Hedrick snapped, raising his voice sharply at Theo, the tension clearly boiling within him. ”Whether I win or lose, every enemy will descend upon me afterward like starving beasts... But if I go after Zarion, at least thereʼs a real chance. No one can predict what twists a battlefield might present. My soldiers are tough, hardened, and their morale-at least on the surface-seems to be soaring to the heavens!”

”Iʼm not trying to trick you, Lord Hedrick. That is precisely why I called it a suicidal strike.” Theo bowed his head slightly, not in submission, but in a gesture of caution and respect. ”But attacking Lord Zarion isnʼt much different. in nature. And forgive my next words-they may be blunt-but you donʼt understand your menʼs morale better than I do... and right now, their spirits are far from the indomitable force you imagine.”

Hedrick retreated into silence. He no longer knew whether he had been trying to persuade Theo or desperately trying to reassure himself earlier when he spoke so confidently about the soldiersʼ morale.

Morale? His own morale was practically crushed to dust... so what of the soldiers those who had lost wives, children, and entire bloodlines on the worlds collapsing day after day under enemy assault?

”...There arenʼt many choices left anymore, are there?” Hedrick muttered in a low, weary voice. ”Even the role of the Shadow Swords has shrunk to almost nothing lately. Youʼve run out of tricks, out of angles. The enemy has adjusted to every tactic weʼve tried. Thereʼs no route left but a direct, brutal collision.”

”There is a choice.” Theo answered with renewed firmness, his tone carrying a weight that forced Hedrick to lift his gaze. ”You still have your partner-the one you can ask for aid from.”

”...?” Hedrick blinked slowly, puzzled. ”You mean Robin?” Then his expression hardened as he clenched his teeth. ”What exactly are you implying?!”

”Lord Hedrick, please donʼt misinterpret my intent.” Theo gently lifted his left hand. ”Iʼm not here to remind you of Lord Robinʼs past favors or lay them before you. Iʼm only reminding you that he still exists-that you havenʼt been relying on the full extent of his capabilities.”

”What are you trying to say? Speak clearly!” Hedrickʼs voice rose again, frustration leaking through. ”How am I supposed to ask him for help when all of you have been assisting me all this time? Should I reach out to him and beg for more?! Is that what you want?”

”Your standing is secure, Lord Hedrick. You donʼt need to message him personally.” Theo allowed a faint, composed smile to appear. ”But you should know this-up until now, the support youʼve been receiving was from the Shadow Swords alone, nothing beyond that.”

”... What are you getting at?” Hedrick asked, genuinely bewildered. ”You talk as though youʼre a separate faction altogether...”

”In a way, we are.” Theo nodded calmly. ”We are merely one governmental division among several that operate under Lord Robinʼs vast authority. We are not the full extent of what he can provide.” Then he added, his voice deepening, ”And as of this moment, weʼve received approval to mobilize every possible resource to support you-without holding anything back.”

He paused, frowning thoughtfully. ”To be perfectly honest, even I donʼt truly understand why my father, Lord Robin, issued such a decision under these circumstances. With the war nearing its end, he should have ordered us to retreat and minimize casualties... Yet he didnʼt. It seems you hold an exceptionally, almost inexplicably special place in his eyes, Lord Hedrick-so special that even I cannot decipher it.”

”.....”

Hedrick leaned back slowly, his expression shifting between astonishment and

a fragile, hesitant hope that he feared to believe in. ”What could Robin possibly offer me... that he hasnʼt already given?”