Chapter 300: Extinction-level crisis
"That’s right..."
Ethan nodded slowly, his tone calm and steady. "There’s an old saying—’How can one sleep soundly beneath another’s bed?’ For the Greenwave Empire, the coastal lands of the Sacred Continent—where the Holy Griffon Empire once stood—were essentially their vulnerable rear flank. If war ever broke out and they lost control of that rear, they’d be in serious danger."
"That’s why, back then, they stationed heavy forces along the border with the Holy Griffon Empire. They were terrified of a breach from behind."
He paused, his eyes glinting as he turned to Astharel with a faint smile. "So, Your Majesty... tell me. Why don’t they do that anymore?"
Astharel’s face went pale. He lowered his voice and muttered, "Because the Eight Duchies are too weak..."
"Exactly."
Ethan nodded again, his gaze sharp. "The fall of the Holy Griffon Empire shattered it into eight duchies. On paper, their territory might look the same, but in reality? They’re fragmented, disorganized, each one acting on its own, even fighting among themselves. That kind of internal strife eats away at their strength. Compared to the Holy Griffon Empire at its peak, they’re nothing."
"And that’s precisely why the collapse of the Holy Griffon Empire—and the rise of the Eight Duchies—was a blessing for the Greenwave Empire. It freed them. Gave them room to grow, to expand rapidly. And you—your Five Sea Kingdoms—were propped up by them as puppets. You replaced the heavy garrisons they once stationed along the coast. Now you guard the border for them... and keep an eye on the Eight Duchies."
Ethan’s gaze locked onto Astharel’s pale face. His voice was calm, but carried weight. "Tell me, Your Majesty. Am I wrong?"
Astharel’s face shifted from pale to flushed, then back again. After a long silence, he finally let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "No... you’re not wrong."
But then he looked up, eyes sharp with defiance. "Still, Lord Valkarion, if that’s all you’ve got—then forgive me, but it’s not enough to convince me."