Chapter 35: Conflicting Orders

 

What was decided in the general’s meeting that day was quickly concluded. After everyone gave their pleasantries and introduced each other, the room quickly devolved into a discussion on how best to proceed with the next step. It was unlike any other meeting that Harbin has seen, everyone was treating each other as equals. Nobody's opinion was tossed away and was taken into consideration. 

The only thing that Harbin could really complain about was the fact that everyone was staring at her— or more specifically the Grimoire of the Analyst. If Indominatus wasn't enough, the Seventh Army was in possession of the only other relic that the Ak'hims still has. The other generals and captains were quite curious about the relic and its chosen wielder. The deep stares made her feel really uncomfortable.

But other than that, the meeting went smoothly. Everyone immediately knew what to do. In the end, the whole discussion boils down to three simple things.

1. Securing supplies
2. Evacuating Citizens
3. To do the above two as soon as possible.

For the first, securing supplies was a no brainer. If they are to evacuate every single one of the eighty thousand people in the city, they need to make sure they have enough food and necessities to feed both the civilians and the armies. Once enough food was secured, the Ak’hims moved on to securing transportation and medical supplies.

It was easy enough to procure of course. This was the great citadel of Prashyufa. It was the land of agriculture and magic development. It was also the trade capital between things going inside of demon territory and outside of demon territory. All the food they needed, that they deemed sufficient, were gathered within one day. 

However, that wasn’t enough for Klauna. She wanted all the food and was pretty adamant about it as well in the meeting. Anything that she deemed extra and anything that she deemed able to store for extended periods of time was to be acquired and be sent to a warehouse in Divinatus. 

The decision was questioned, obviously. To take more than what they needed, it was akin to plundering their own people. Klauna’s defence for the decision was that they were going to leave the citadel in the hands of the enemies very soon and that they would not have a district with as much as food production as Prasyufa. Klauna’s main priority was simply that they not starve and to store all the food in Divinatus will help prevent that if the time were to come.

Once countered with such a reason, the other demons quickly back down. They weren’t able to refute her. Though, none of them wanted to do the deed. In the end, Klauna was the one who personally led a big chunk of the Seventh Army to basically ‘plunder’ their own land. It was met with resistance from the farm owners at first, but they were quickly silenced by the much stronger army.

Once the supplies were quickly acquired, the Ak’hims moved on to the second step— to evacuate the citizens. The plan originally was to have the Ak’hims send out messengers to every citizen, orders to evacuate the citadel. In order to entice the citizens, they were to secure living space within the other cities and opportunities for them to settle in. So they wanted an army to pre-travel to another city and start preparation there.

However, the decision was strongly opposed by Klauna. She argued that it was too slow and too optimistic— that they do not have the resources to shoulder such a burden. Klauna’s counter-proposal was that they force as many people out of their homes and forcibly relocate them within the next city. The housing issue could be solved by building tents, the citizens who get the short end of the stick will have to suck it up.

It was such a ruthless and uncaring decision to make. It soon became apparent to Leida and the other generals that Klauna was prioritising survival over everything else— that she had such a bleak view of the war and the situation. 

“We can’t possibly coerce such a situation to the citizens. A revolt may arise,” were the words they said to her. 

Her only response was: “They can either leave or stay and revolt. The ‘protest’ will die within the week. That’s all the enticing that they will get.”

Her argument was basically, it’s either they follow and live or stay and die. It was hard to say if Klauna was right about it at the time, but the generals refuse to do such a thing as forcing their own citizens. The Seventh Army was already stretched thin with the food gathering and their logistics to Divinatus so they won’t be able to undertake this task. Besides, they don’t have nearly as much manpower needed to force eighty thousand people to leave their homes.

It was Leida who struck a middle ground between Klauna and the generals. That they were to give an order to evacuate, but the decision to leave was up to them. The army will only promise survival and necessities such as food and shelter. The decision was grudgingly agreed by both sides. And so, Leida and the First Army set off to evacuate the people living in the Citadel of Prashyufa.

Things will never be that easy of course. The rate of evacuating was too slow even by their worst predictions. After further investigation, it seemed that the citizens were confused about the orders to evacuate by Klauna and the orders to stay by the Sixth Demon Lord.

There were two halves of the Kingdom’s military might doing two completely different things. One side was busy securing resources and evacuating while the other side was busy reinforcing to defend the Citadel. Both sides were forcing acquisition upon the civilians and giving them orders. Sylendri needed the citizens so that she could force them to reinforce the walls or do manual labour. Both sides clashing via their power struggle upon the non-combatants.

Given the choice, the civilians were torn on who to follow. Sylendri, being the Demon Lord, technically has the upper hand over Klauna in this situation. But the First General, Leida helped to sway the opinions. She was the more well-known and respected person within the Kingdom after all.

At the end of three days, only half of the city’s entire population was evacuated— far behind schedule. With the third step of the plan now unable to be fulfilled, Klauna called in another meeting with the other six generals that were on her side to discuss things once again.

Thus, within the triage tent were the seven generals and their officers gathered. Gathered they did, with Yuupiecca’s bed in the middle of everything.

“I’ve been here a few times before and I have to say, I like your idea of what a meeting room should look like. Don’t you agree, Little Analyst?” Leida commented as she entered the tent.

“Eh? Ah! Ye-yes!” Harbin replied nervously, intimidated by the Dragonicia.

“Please leave her alone, Big Sister. It is unsightly,” Samiyadered reprimanded Leida, giving her a small knock to her head.

Leida only responded with a “Tee-hee!” and a wink with her tongue sticking out.

“I have to ask you to behave yourself, Lord Leida. We are having an important meeting.” Cera said.

“I do wonder about the importance of it. When the person who called for the meeting is not even here,” Aberanis said to the group.

“Lord Klauna wanted to grab something from her tent before she comes by,” Harbin replied.

“Something?”

“I don’t know... Ah! There she is!” Harbin pointed at Klauna who approached them, a big rolled up piece of paper in her hands.

“Is everyone here?” Klauna asked as she arrived. She then immediately positioned herself next to Harbin.

“Everyone except Lord Lina. She disappeared sometime this morning, we are still unable to find her,” Medica replied with a worried face.

“...We proceed without her then,” Klauna faced the other generals and their officers. “Yuupiecca, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, um sure…” Yuupieca said as he retracted his legs before sitting down crossed-legged on the bed.

Klauna then opened up the rolled up piece of paper on top of Yuupiecca’s bed for everyone to see. 

“We have spent enough time in Prashyufa. We need to act fast. I propose that we split into three groups. One group to intercept the Alliance to the north, one to intercept the enemies in the south. One group here to continue evacuation efforts and prevent the enemy from encroaching on us once Prashyufa has fallen.” 

“Do you think that Prashyufa will fall that fast? Enough time for the enemy to approach us as we retreat? I think that’s quite the far fetch,” Vargus, the minotaur said to Klauna.

“No. I think it will fall even faster,” Klauna said as she pointed to a part of the map. “You don’t have to care what happens here. Vargus, Sheiska, Saladis. I need you three to group up and leave the citadel now. Head towards the north to the city of Prospero. That’s your hometown is it not, Vargus?”

“It is…” he replied.

“I wish you the best of luck then,” Klauna said before she looked towards the first three generals. “Lilliel,” Klauna called out.

“Yes, Ticah?” Leida replied with a smirk on her face.

“...I need you, Aberanis and Parash to group together to head south. To the city of—”

“Now wait just a moment,” Aberanis cuts Klauna off.

“...”

“Why are you acting like you are in charge here? I thought we are here to have a discussion about matters. Yet, all you did from just now was give out orders,” Aberanis said.

“I don’t see what is there to discuss. We are all aware of the situation and the steps we need to take. We don’t have time to spare on pointless words,” Klauna gave back a sharp argument.

“You… I’m not following this. I don’t have to follow your orders.” Aberanis stomped his foot and went in a strong stance.

“I agree with Aberanis. I don’t see what gives you the right to take charge of the matter. You will not have our armies unless we get a say in the decision,” Parash stood by Aberanis.

The whole room tensed up from their argument.

Klauna’s reaction to the whole matter was rather weak though. She didn’t really care what they think. “I believe you two are mistaken.”

“Mistaken?”

“You are under the assumption that I need you. I don’t. I couldn’t care less if you followed my instructions or not. If you do, people get to live. If you don't, the people in the south die. Neither I nor my soldiers are affected whatsoever by your inability to swallow your pride.”

“Wha?” Aberanis was clearly triggered by her statement. 

It was at this moment that Leida finally stepped in between the two sides. Literally. “Now, now. Calm down all of you. The armies are already divided as it is, we don’t need another divide right now.”

Aberanis clicked his tongue. Both him and Parash backed down from the words of their friend.

Once things calmed down for the better, Leida turned to face Klauna. “They are right you know, Liori? You don’t have the right to order them around like that. None of us is the boss of this whole group,” Leida said to her.

“Yeah! What she says!” Aberanis supported Leida.

It was then followed by a clap from Leida who announced with a smile. “That’s why! Aberanis, My Love. Both of you pack up now and get going to the south right now.”

“Huh?” Both Aberanis and Parash let out a confused voice accompanied by a dumbfounded look.

“She doesn’t get to order you around. I get to. Now chop chop. Get the hell out of here!”

“... You can’t be serious about this, Leida?” Parash tried to argue back.

“Shush My Love! If I wanted your advice, I will ask for it. Now go! Your woman demands victory to the south. Grant me that wish and we may have some alone time,” Leida winks seductively to Parash, showing a little bit of cleavage.

The whole room went silent and gave the two generals a weird stare. Flirting in the middle of an important meeting. It was a very Leida thing to do. Aberanis and Parash have not much choice in the matter and soon agreed to the arrangement.

“Now then, Nali. What’s the third group going to do?” Leida asked Klauna.

“... The third group, Laleda, will consist of the Seventh Army only. We will stay in Prashyufa to continue evacuation works till the very end and to protect the citizens from any type of attack from the alliance during our retreat,” Klauna replied.

“Alone? That’s quite a bold move, Ticah. I cannot agree with it. Maybe the first army will stay in Prashyufa as well."

“That’s not needed Dalil. The Seventh Army is more than—”

“I object! The Second and the Third Army at their full strength of three thousand men each. The Fifteenth to Seventeenth Armies have their home field advantage and enough troops to handle whatever is coming up north. But you, the Seventh Army only have like what? One thousand and six hundred troops? I don’t see how such a low number could deal with encroachers. Especially when you mention that they will be in the tens of thousands."

“...” Klauna didn’t have much to refute Leida, something of a rarity for the strategist. 

“That’s why the First Army and I will be staying here with you guys. We have three thousand strong soldiers. We should be able to hold off anything they throw at us,” Leida said.

“...If you think that the Second and Third army can hold off to the south without you then…”

“Don’t worry about these guys. They can handle it.”

“I see. Then I have no objections. Just that… we do it my way.” Klauna said.

“No problem, Lolira!” Leida gave a clumsy salute to Klauna.

“I’m looking forward to working with you then, Lilie.” 

Harbin could not stop giving out wry smiles at Leida and Klauna constantly messing with each other’s names. It was obviously on purpose at this point, but Harbin didn’t know what started it.

‘To think that these two are the strongest Ak’hims in the kingdom right now. What are they even doing…’ She thought to herself.