Warhammer Divine Throne-Chapter 771 - 341, Imperial Situation_2

Sure, here is the translated text from the Chinese novel:

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After Mogiana drank the Magic Potion given by Tygris, she quickly recovered part of her spellcasting ability. Her current strength is roughly that of a Legendary Middle-tier caster. Seeing that Laine and the others were going out hunting, the Lake God Witch voluntarily suggested joining them. Along the way, she said little and mostly listened in silence to Laine and their conversation.

The group hunted two deer, a wild boar, and several pheasants and hares in the forest. However, their main focus wasn’t on hunting. Instead, they were chiefly out to chat about recent events.

"...So, the pressure from the Barbarian threat facing the Northern Empire and Nord has greatly reduced?" Laine’s boots crushed the soft forest floor, snapping twigs and leaves underfoot with a "crackle" sound.

"You have helped us immensely, Laine. Imperial General Heilberg recently led a grand army to win a remarkable victory in Nord, thoroughly annihilating the two-thousand Barbarian army that had raided southward. Not a single Barbarian escaped," Boris said, shaking his head, one eye glaring. "Now they’ll need at least three to five years to recover."

Laine wasn’t surprised; with Egil’s death, chaos among the Northern Barbarians was inevitable.

The Barbarian Tribes that worship Chaos are inherently chaotic. These tribes have wars and feuds among themselves in the Northern Wasteland for years, recognizing no authority, yielding to no leader, pushing down the weak and challenging the strong, all in an endless struggle for a fleeting glimpse from the Chaos Four Gods.

Thus, even when the Barbarian army raids southward, their discipline and effectiveness are poor. They are internally chaotic, attacking each other despite the Barbarians’ strong individual combat abilities, even struggling when clashing with the well-trained Imperial Army.

Only with strong Chaos Champions and Divine Chosen Champions could entire tribes be united with bloody and iron methods, compelling these Barbarians to obey and forming strong combat power. So after Egil’s death, the Northern Barbarians lost a powerful leader. This was especially true for the nearby Scalings Tribe, which lost its elite and leaders, falling into endless internal turmoil. Among Egil’s sub-chiefs, no one concedes. In their haste to plunder, these mobs with chaotic command were thoroughly defeated by the well-trained Imperial Army.

"That’s good news," Laine nodded silently. The Barbarians had been given a hard blow and would be quiet for at least a few years.

"I’m just unhappy. That little dog Carl Franz again refused to deploy the White Wolf Knights. He relies more on his Rick Guard and Griffin Knight Order with their ’little chick knights’... Our brave and strong White Wolf Knights can only stay inside White Wolf City, waiting for the opportunity," Axel’s shiny bald head reflected in the sparse forest sunlight. Laine noticed Axel wasn’t bald but found it easy to manage, while Boris and Axel both sported full face beards, a symbol of male charm in the Yurik Sect.

Laine had thought about growing one, but his maid, two Witches, and even the Lake Fairy all decidedly expressed dislike for his beard. In Brittania, goatees and handlebar mustaches were more fashionable, and so ultimately, Laine did not grow a beard.

"You know why, Boris," Laine sighed, teasingly retorting, "Carl Franz narrowly became Emperor by a slim margin of victory over you, and you know why."

"Whether I become Emperor is unimportant," Boris Prince-Elector impatiently dismissed. "I’m just fed up with Carl Franz’s prejudice! Since he became Emperor, I have always done my duty, followed his commands, but he prefers to let Rick soldiers cross my territory to assist Nord rather than let the nearby White Wolf City send troops!"

"Heh, heh, heh~" Laine laughed repeatedly, "There will be a time for you to deploy, and Boris, you are not without tasks. There are still countless Beastman Tribes in the Drakwald Forest for you to eliminate."

"Beastmen, Beastmen, damn ’One-eyed’ Kazik of the Beastman Tribe, I must kill it," Boris flared up at the mention of Beastmen. "Recently, I led the White Wolf Knights deep into the Drakwald Forest to hunt Beastmen, but found no trace of One-eyed Kazik. After a month in the forest, we only eliminated a few minor Beastman Tribes."

"...Besides that, any other news from the North?" Laine continued asking.

"Heilberg stole the show this time. Rumor has it Carl Franz will appoint him as Rick Marshal," the Grand Master of the White Wolf Knight Order, Axel, took over the topic, speaking heartily. "The Imperial Royal Wizard Academy will elect a new Royal Chief Grand Wizard in three years. Current Chief Grand Wizard Sernus German, Supreme Light Mage Odo of the Light Society, and Great Alchemist Biersaze Gaert from the Alchemy Academy have confirmed their candidacy."

"Hey, Laine, did you know? Biersaze Gaert is a favorite of Carl Franz, who consults him on almost everything. And this skulking man in a Golden Mask... is indeed impressive. I still can’t wrap my head around how he turned hundreds of Beastman Minotaurs into gilded statues with just a wave of his Magic Staff," Boris rumbled as he walked along a forest path, grudgingly acknowledging, "Though I dislike him, I have to admit Carl Franz is capable. The Grand Duke of Hawk and Hesige Prince-Elector Edbrand Ruedenhoff has already sent his son Conrad Ruedenhoff to Nuer for training, and King Frank of Nord has decided to have his grandson, Baron Theodricson, also go to serve in the Rick Guard."

In fact, this was a form of hostage-taking. The Northern Empire’s Prince-Electors sending their children to the Southern Empire’s military or academics serves to give their children the best education and demonstrate submission.

Within the Rick Guard gathers the Empire’s strongest knights. The wealthiest and most powerful scions of Imperial Nobility, including sons of several Prince-Electors and Great Nobles, take part. Having a family member become a Rick Guard is a supreme honor, akin to becoming a Holy Grail Knight in Brittania.

"Is the title of Grand Duke of Nuer still vacant?" Laine asked casually, a glint in his eyes.

"Yes, the title should have been inherited by the Duke of Weisen and Brescia Prince-Elector Gani Bernardino, but Gani is a teenager and not from the main line of the Bernardino family. The most eligible heir, Emmanuelle, has gone missing. The Supreme Mages of the Sky Academy frequently use the Astrolabe and Compass for divination, showing Emmanuelle is still alive. So, Emperor Carl Franz refuses to let Gani assume the Grand Duke of Nuer. Meanwhile, Gani himself is not interested in being a Prince-Elector. Currently, he is learning from a Knight Commander of the Flame Sun Knight Order, aspiring to become a formal Flame Sun Knight."

"When do you plan to send your own children to be trained by Emperor Carl Franz?" Laine deliberately teased.

"No way!!! My children will be instructed only before the Holy Fire of Yurik!" shouted Boris quickly. "Who knows what kind of training they’d receive if sent to the Empire? I only trust the power Yurik grants me! Only in the White Wolf Knight Order will my sons be safe from being misguided!"

Traveling on Hilphain, Mogiana rolled her eyes, thinking that only Holy Grail Knights are the strongest knights.

"By the way, Laine, this time in Brittania, my Lord Yurik has prepared a present for your wife," Boris chuckled, realizing Laine’s tease. Unoffended, he laughed heartily, leaning in to whisper, "A priceless gift we’ve decided to bestow upon your wife."

"What gift?"