I Ascend to the Divine Throne through Arcane Means-Chapter 364 - 339 The Beginning of the War’s End

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Luminous Stone City, within the Royal Palace,

This place was the heart of the Royal Palace, where the eye was greeted by opulent colors of gold. Even the stone walls were covered with a thin layer of gold, elaborately carved with intricate patterns by skilled artisans, paired with enormous crystal chandeliers. Their reflections on the spotless black marble floor tiles cast a unique elegance.

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In the center of the palace stood the throne, atop three-tiered steps and adorned with various gemstones, pearls, and crystals, but the person seated above was cursing vehemently.

"Damn those guys!"

"You damned swine, didn’t you assure us that those Feis people would soon be gone?"

"How long has it been, how long!"

"They are now right outside the city! Outside!"

"I can’t sleep well anymore. I give you whatever you want, and this is the result you show me!"

"You bunch of XXXXX, I really wish I could kill you all!"

John Bertic’s face was stormy, but the extravagant clothes he wore and the massive crown did nothing to impart a regal aura. Instead, his furious, writhing figure on the throne resembled a starved, crazed pig—completely lacking any deterrence amidst the splendor of the palace.

The ministers below had ashen faces, wiping nonexistent saliva from their faces. One of them, with an ingratiating smile, said:

"Your Majesty, please be assured, the Feis Kingdom’s army has been firmly blocked by our great army ten kilometers outside Luminous Stone City. They can’t possibly break through our defenses."

"Moreover, the elite forces we’ve called from across the country are also gradually arriving. When the time is right, we can drive those detestable Feis people back, and even reclaim the western territories!"

Looking at his subordinates’ emphatic promises, John remained skeptical.

After all, he had been terribly let down by these ministers before!

At first, it was, "No worries, Your Majesty, the Feis Kingdom only defeated our Kingdom’s army by a sneak attack. There’s no need for concern."

Then it was, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this is just a minor accident. The Kingdom Army and the territorial Nobles haven’t fought in a while. Soon, we will be able to make a strong comeback."

They went on to say, "Although we’re at a disadvantage on the front lines, our soldiers are fighting to the death, achieving rare victories on some battlefields!"

Then, the Feis Kingdom’s army appeared right at the gates of the Royal Capital, Luminous Stone City.

It was only then that King Bertic realized to what perilous state the situation had degraded.

If it weren’t for these ministers being Nobles of the Boditch Kingdom for generations, John might even suspect they had been bought by the Feis Kingdom.

Indeed, all of the Boditch Kingdom’s ministers were from Noble families; there wasn’t a single minister of commoner or even middle-class origin.

As a result, these ministers shared the same traits as John—they were all proficient in indulgence but utterly incompetent when it came to real work.

If not for the King and these Nobles recognizing the importance of power and continuously cultivating Extraordinary Professionals among their ranks, the Boditch Kingdom would have fallen into chaos long ago.

Hence, no longer trusting the judgment of these Nobles, John directly ordered all possible fighting forces of the Kingdom and the Noble Guard to converge on Luminous Stone City, such as the navy from the East Coast.

This was a devastating blow to the order in other areas of the Kingdom. Just during this period, there had already been several incidents of disorder, but John didn’t hesitate and continued on his solitary course.

To him, other places were inconsequential; what mattered most was to defend Luminous Stone City at all costs.

For a kingdom, the fall of the Royal Capital was unacceptable; even someone as incompetent as him knew that once it reached that stage, given the Boditch Royal Family’s "fine" image in the eyes of the people, it would be difficult to marshal the power to take back the capital.

"It had better be as you say!"

John Bertic, huffing with anger, stood up and strode away to seek out his beauties for entertainment.

The more serious the situation became, the more debauched he grew, venting his internal anxiety and fear through such means.

The ministers left inside the palace exchanged silent glances and then departed in small groups.

There was no helping it; for these ministers of Great Noble birth, intrigue, flattery, and sycophancy were a forte, but they were clueless when it came to matters of national import.

Even their strength as Extraordinary Professionals was boosted through precious artifacts and was only good enough to bully servants and common folk.

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It wasn’t entirely their fault; they were just following the example set by His Majesty the King above them.

However, among the departing ministers, there were always a few "smart ones," who had quietly gathered to discuss something.

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Twenty kilometers outside Luminous Stone City, in Jin Sen Town,

This place once belonged to a Viscount, but now it had been transformed into a huge military camp.

The army of the Feis Kingdom was stationed here, and unlike the lax discipline of the Boditch Kingdom Army, the majority of these soldiers were earnestly training. The sun drenched their clothes in sweat, and even the soldiers on distant guard duty were alert, paying close attention to every passerby.

No wonder they were so diligent; the wealth they had plundered along the way was immense. So much so, that even after the Nobles and officers took most of it, there was still enough left for the soldiers to be well satisfied with their share.

That was why the Feis Kingdom’s army was so spirited.

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