My Kingdom Building Done Right!

Dominic gritted his teeth as he raised his hands in surrender.

He wouldn’t have minded dying on the battlefield as a warrior. Not like this.

Before he could even cast a single spell or use his weapon, the battle was already over. Just like that.

How could he possibly accept this outcome?

He was unwilling!

He was unresigned!

But what could he do?!

With that monster using its bloodline to suppress their trump cards, the Gryphons, they were no different from sitting ducks that couldn’t even put up any kind of resistance.

Suddenly, the Royal Gryphon screeched at Astravor before standing in front of Dominic, as if shielding him from harm.

Seeing this stance from their leader, the other Gryphons soon found courage and did the same. It was as if they were pleading for Astravor to show mercy and not kill their partners.

Leone, who could understand the language of beasts and monsters, couldn’t help but be impressed by the Gryphons’ loyalty toward their partners.

If these Gryphons were to offer the same loyalty to him, then wouldn’t the Aslan Tribe reach greater heights?

"Fine, I will accept that condition," Leone said directly to the Gryphons, which took them by surprise. "If you all swear to follow my orders, I will spare your riders. But if not..."

High above their heads, the Pteranodon Riders all aimed their weapons at the soldiers on the ground.

Logan and Rasta, as well as the other Orcs, also glared at the humans on the ground, ready to kill them at a moment’s notice.

One by one, the Gryphons all nodded their heads in submission. Their riders sensed what they had just done, and yet, none of them could do anything about it.

"Good, I accept your condition," Leone stated. "I will spare all of your riders if you all submit to me."

Dominic and his subordinates were all heartbroken after hearing Leone’s statement. Clearly, their partners had sacrificed themselves so that they could still live and return to the Kingdom of Britannia.

"N-No!" Dominic forced himself to stand. "Not like this! Let’s fight! Even if I die, I won’t let it end like this!"

The other soldiers also felt the same way as their Commander as they all raised their weapons in preparation for their last stand.

They would rather die than have their partners be taken away from them!

Seeing that the situation had taken a sudden change, Astravor narrowed his eyes. It was only a step away from killing all the soldiers. Fortunately for them, Leone spoke before the Garuda Gryphon could make its move.

"I accept your conditions. Your riders will be spared from death," Leone said coldly. "Under one condition... Their life and death will depend on your actions.

"Shut up!" Dominic raised his sword and pointed it at Leone. "Fireba—rgghh!"

The Commander was suddenly knocked away by his own Gryphon, sending him flying several meters away before crashing to the ground for the second time.

The other Gryphons did the same. They either knocked their partners unconscious with their beaks, or hit them hard enough so that they wouldn’t be able to attack Leone and Astravor.

Leone watched this calmly as he wondered who was hurting more.

The soldiers that got attacked, or their partners that attacked them?

"Let’s go," Leone urged Arion to fly and leave this place before he changed his mind.

He could feel the anger of the Gryphon Riders directed at him, but he didn’t give a damn.

This was war, and they stood against each other.

They might face each other again on the battlefield, and it would have been better if he simply killed this elite team of soldiers so that they would no longer pose a threat to the Aslan Tribe.

On top of that, the Kingdom of Britannia would also take a heavy blow after losing their Gryphon Battalion.

More importantly, Leone wanted the loyalty of the Gryphons.

If he had to pay this price so they’d obey his command, then so be it.

"Follow me," Astravor ordered as he also took off to the skies.

The Gryphons looked at their partners sadly one last time and gave them a weak cry, bidding them goodbye.

One by one, they flapped their wings and followed behind their new leader, who could have wiped them all out single-handedly.

"Nooooooooooo!" Dominic cried out, his heart broken by his loss. "Please. Come back! Don’t leave me, Zephiraaaaaaaaaa!"

The Royal Gryphon, Zephira, glanced back at her partner with a bitter gaze. Just like Dominic, it wouldn’t have minded dying in battle.

But this was no battle.

Even now, Zephira and the other Gryphons couldn’t muster the will to go against Astravor.

It was simply impossible for them.

Not only because Astravor was stronger.

No.

Then and there, they just felt it. That if they chose to side with the Garuda Gryphon, they could experience a different kind of scenery.

A different kind of challenge.

They still cared for their riders. That much was true.

But being in Astravor’s presence was like being with a deity.

A deity that lorded over all Gryphons, who would lead them to greater heights.

Dominic and his soldiers watched them leave until they could no longer see their partners.

It was then that the communication crystal embedded on his bracer snapped him out of his daze.

"Dominic, where are you?!" Duran shouted. "What are you doing?!"

Feeling angry and depressed, Dominic forced himself to calm down before giving his report to the Black Tortoise General.

"We have engaged with the enemy," Dominic said through gritted teeth. "And during that confrontation, we lost all the Gryphons under my command."

"...What did you say?" Duran’s voice was filled with disbelief. Frankly, Dominic could understand why he reacted that way.

If he were in Duran’s shoes, he would have done the same.

"I said... we engaged with the enemy and lost in that exchange," Duran replied. "We are now stuck here and in need of help. Send scouts on horseback to pick us up."

"H-How many of your men survived?" Duran asked, finally understanding that Dominic wasn’t joking.

"All of my men survived," Dominic answered. "The enemy spared us and took away all our Gryphons by force. Send help now. We will wait for your arrival."

The Gryphon Commander forcefully cut the connection and then covered his face with his hands. His body shook as he forced his cry of anguish from escaping his lips.

His men didn’t fare as well as he did. Some of them openly sobbed, heartbroken over being left by their partners.

A few minutes later, a broken sob finally escaped Dominic’s lips as tears slipped between his fingers. And for the first time in decades, he felt completely alone.

"Zephira..." Dominic whispered, his voice trembling with grief. "Why did you have to leave me?"

He knew the answer to this question.

And yet, he refused to acknowledge it.

It took a few hours before the Viscount of Frontera, Marco, as well as his men, who were assigned by Duran to look for Dominic and his soldiers, found them.

When they arrived, what they saw were not hardened men who had gone through countless battlefields.

Instead, they only saw broken men, who seemed to have lost their souls and their hearts in just half a day after they began their march toward the Borderlands.