Night gave way to day. A sliver of morning sun, like molten gold, barely pierced the thick gray mist and spilled across the towering walls of Storm Fortress, making both the newly patched stonework and the lingering scorch marks glitter as if plated in a hopeful light.
The torches scattered across the walls gradually flickered out. Thanks to the Slime Engineers working through the night, the massive breach in the wall had been roughly patched with makeshift boulders and reinforcing Gel. While it was nowhere near as sturdy as the original wall, it could at least withstand the impact of the demon tide.
Aside from one completely destroyed Magic Tower, Storm Fortress’s other defensive facilities—the arrow towers, ballista platforms, and Magic Array nodes—had been mostly restored to functionality with the help of the defending Mages.
A faint magical radiance reignited along the walls, enough to hold back the still-surging demon tide.
Of course, these were only temporary repairs.
Once the demon tide subsided, Chen Yu planned to assemble an even larger team of Slime Engineers. He would not only thoroughly reinforce the fortress’s defenses but also build a longer, sturdier wall behind it, at the edge of the Golden Grain Plain, to guard against potential threats from within the White Horse Kingdom.
According to the intelligence from his Poisonous Sting Bee informants, the White Horse Kingdom had descended into utter chaos ever since the Mages used communication Magic to report the fall of Storm Fortress.
Once their identities were exposed, the Demon’s Claw launched their long-planned coup and seized complete control of the Royal Capital. A great number of nobles who opposed them were sent to the guillotine, and blood flowed like a river.
Almost overnight, the various princes each announced the formation of a Reconstruction Army. The old noble families of the Northern Territory seized the opportunity to declare their independence or adopt a wait-and-see attitude. The Mages of Smaragdum in Fey City, in conjunction with several other major academies, issued a statement of neutrality, refusing to take part in the conflict. Meanwhile, the wealthy nobles of the Southern Territory were also stirring restlessly, expanding their private armies.
The White Horse Kingdom, once a powerful Human Kingdom that had unified the north, was now disintegrating at an astonishing speed.
It was foreseeable that the situation in these lands would remain unstable for a long time to come. An era of warlords clashing and various powers vying for supremacy seemed all but inevitable.
To ensure these bloodthirsty factions didn’t drag the Slime Kingdom into their war, it was necessary to expand and reinforce the defenses of Storm Fortress.
At the same time, a secure and stable bridgehead would allow the Slime Kingdom to dispatch its Demon Legion into the heartland of the human kingdom without worrying about its own rear, enabling it to intervene in the chaos.
’At the very least... I have to completely occupy Storm Territory, which makes up a third of the Golden Grain Plain. Only then can I look toward a more distant future.’
’However, direct intervention by monsters in a human internal conflict would easily provoke hostility and panic among the various factions of the White Horse Kingdom. They might even unite to attack us, branding us as "invaders."’
That was not an outcome Chen Yu wanted to see.
He had a more mature idea: fight a proxy war.
’If the Demons could prop up proxies like Dominic and Vincent to manipulate the Kingdom from the shadows, then a Slime like me can certainly do the same.’
’And this isn’t just a concept; there’s a realistic path to achieving it.’
’Now that the existence of the Demon’s Claw has been proven, the "treason" charge previously pinned on Princess Louisa is no longer a mark of shame. On the contrary, it’s become her greatest asset and political capital for restoring her country.’
’Legally, at least, Princess Louisa is fourth in the line of succession to the White Horse Kingdom’s throne. She was also the first to expose and resist the Demon’s Claw, making her both a pioneer and a victim.’
’It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a hero of the Kingdom.’
’Supporting her bid to join the fray would be perfectly legitimate. It likely wouldn’t even face much resistance from the commoners; morally, we’d be on solid ground.’
’But that woman... she’s very clever, and she has her own ideas and ambitions. She won’t be content as a puppet; she might not accept the Slime Kingdom’s control from the shadows.’
’If negotiations don’t go well, I’ll have to settle for the next best option: backing the Arevalo Clan.’
’Levin is old, and Arthur is an Undead... perhaps Alice would be a good choice?’
Chen Yu slowly made his way across the city wall, riding atop Xiaoka. He lazily basked in the hard-won sunlight, his Gel body appearing even more translucent in its warm glow.
The Slime Guards began to change shifts.
Some of the little ones who had just finished the night shift simply leaned against the wall’s corners or behind the crenellations and dozed off. Their round bodies rose and fell gently with each breath, letting out soft "PUCHI PUCHI" sounds.
If one ignored the stray monsters still ramming the temporary barrier below, the fortress was actually quite peaceful that morning.
Around noon, the sky darkened once more, and a light drizzle began to fall.
A familiar dark silhouette emerged from the distant, gloomy sky—it was Louisa and Celeste.
Surprisingly, they were accompanied by several small but well-equipped squads of human guards. Judging by their banners and crests, they seemed to belong to the few noble houses still loyal to Louisa.
Chen Yu did not attend the negotiation himself, instead entrusting it entirely to Count Brand and Arthur.
Upon hearing last night that he would be representing the Slime Kingdom in such an important negotiation, Count Brand felt so honored that he was too excited to sleep. He had pestered Arthur the entire night, repeatedly rehearsing his arguments and imagining various negotiation scenarios.
Fortunately, Arthur was an Undead and didn’t need much rest. He was also patient enough to silently listen to Count Brand’s nonstop chatter and dubious "masterstrokes" all night long.