While the Kandrian Empire began unleashing a siege attack against the distant war fleet, the Emperor of Harmony called for an emergency Alliance meeting with the Panamic Alliance in short notice.

Within the hidden military base securing his person, he sat at the head of a large, long table with the crest of the Panamic Alliance engraved upon at the very center.

Bright lights lit up the little conference room, illuminating his severe expression as he patiently waited to speak with a certain person before the meeting could begin.

BZZZT

The first projection emerged at the other end of the table. It was the hologram of a distinguished and elegant man with fair skin and formal attire in the style of the Britannian Empire.

"Edward," Emperor Rael nodded at the man with a regarding expression. "I appreciate you accepting the emergency call before the impending meeting. I wanted to confer with you before the meeting began."

The Britannian Prime Minister regarded the Emperor of Harmony with a begrudging expression, twirling his neat mustache with a knowing expression.

"You want me to take the reins of the strategic command center while you negotiate finalize the military alliances with fifty of the hundred eligible candidates you mentioned, hm?"

Emperor Rael's expression softened as a small smile emerged on his face. "Sharp as always, Edward. That is precisely why I need you to take the reins. You are the only one whose ability I trust in place of my own. Securing powerful allies to help us in this war is our number one priority, but I cannot do that while also leading the war effort from the strategic command."

"Hmph, you stretch yourself too thin, Rael." Prime Minister Edward snorted.

"I am delegating it to you, am I not?" Emperor Rael remarked with an amused tone.

Prime Minister Edward stared at his old arch-rival with a mixed expression.

He was not fond of how things had unfolded over the past twenty years. Once upon a time, they could be regarded as nigh equals, but now the Emperor of Harmony had long surpassed him and become the supreme commander of the Panamic Alliance.

His ego couldn't tolerate it, and yet his strong sense of accountability didn't allow him to blame it on anything other than himself. This was despite the fact that the largest reason he had fallen behind was rotten luck, rather than any lapse in his own judgment.

The Britannian Empire had suffered the second most losses and the largest damage from the Beast Incursion over the span of seventeen years, second only to the Sekigahara Confederate, which had been destroyed as a nation and annexed as a vassal mandate by the Kandrian Empire.

In that time, the Kandrian Empire had only grown more and more powerful thanks to the manifold, its other treasures, and the breakthroughs from Tokugawa Ieyasu, who remained within the nation at the time.

There was simply nothing thatthe Britannian Prime Minister could have done to avoid something that was virtually inevitable, try as he had. He harbored a deep displeasure with Emperor Rael, even if his respect for the man had only grown over the past twenty years.

"Edward," Emperor Rael's eyes grew more serious as he sensed the compunctions of his old former archenemy. "This is bigger than us. This has to do with the future of human civilization. Greater Tekvoria under NOVA's control might be attacking the Kandrian Empire, but you know that they may as well be attacking all of human civilization. Your nation and you will suffer horrific losses if the Kandrian Empire falls."

Prime Minister Edward snorted. "And what will I get in return?"

"What do you want in return?" Emperor Rael raised an eyebrow.

Prime Minister Edward sharpened his eyes. "…If you want me to adopt this responsibility now, you will have to surrender it to me permanently. I am not a lapdog to be summoned to service. If I prove that I can surpass you in this regard, then you will have to agree to a ratification and an amendment to the Alliance Charter and officially invest me with the role of the Supreme General who heads the strategic command and oversees the implementation of all military operations. No longer will you have unchecked power anymore."

Emperor Rael's expression darkened as he understood what his old rival was trying to do.

The reason that Emperor Rael had been able to secure ultimate power as the Supreme Commander of the Panamic Alliance was that, at the time of the creation of this alliance, all Martial Sages had chosen to remain home in the Kandrian Empire, giving him effective control over all of them and their deployment through the World Bridge.

Nobody had been able to resist his power.

Now, however, after the Esoterist shattered Emperor Rael's monopoly and handed out the technology to other parties on the continent, that power was no longer absolute.

Prime Minister Edward had just been waiting for an opportunity to chip away at the Emperor of Harmony's legally vested absolute power, and had found the perfect moment to do so.

"If you reject this agreement, then you can forget about my help," Prime Minister Edward snorted. "Go entrust one of your own home-grown generals to oversee this war. Let us see if you can trust them with the future of human civilization and its survival."

That was what the stakes were.

Emperor Rael gazed into the iron eyes of his old rival for several moments before heaving a resigned sigh.

"At least I have confirmation that you haven't grown rusty over the years. Very well, if it is for the future of human civilization, then I don't mind weakening my own power. I am not important. The Kandrian Empire and the future are the only things that matter."

A hint of disdain emerged on the Prime Minister's face even though he got exactly what he wanted. "As always, Rael, your complete absence of an ego disgusts me."

"It is that absence of an ego that has allowed me to win every battle we have fought, Edward," Emperor Rael remarked with a composed tone. "I hope you will not let your ego impede your judgment with your newfound responsibilities. I am trusting you with the survival of human civilization against the belligerence of Greater Tekvoria and NOVA."

"Hmph," Prime Minister Edward's iron eyes sharpened with determination. "Rest assured that I will not allow some filthy tekvore to outmaneuver me. You have my word."

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