“I’m glad you’ve carefully considered my opinion!”

The moment he faced Cadel’s cheerful voice and bright smile, Moritol realized he had fallen into Cadel’s trap.

“I can feel the effort in the counterarguments you wrote.”

Moritol had rushed to find Cadel early in the morning, intending to push him into a corner. However, Cadel calmly read through the document Moritol handed him and nodded with satisfaction, just like a professor reviewing his student’s thesis. Especially when pointing out flaws in Moritol’s arguments, he looked even more like a teacher.

“Regarding this part, ‘The total amount of actual damage that could affect our side while waiting for the uncertain manifestation of the dragon’s power’… Do you think the Scarlet Dragon’s power is uncertain?”

“……The Scarlet Dragon is an unpredictable being. Who knows when or how it might change its mind? What if it suddenly pulls back just before you use its power?”

“Have you ever met the Scarlet Dragon? Have you had a conversation with it?”

“No.”

“That’s where our opinions differ, Sir Moritol. I’ve worked with the Scarlet Dragon for a long time, spoken with it regularly, and I can assure you that its help is something I can rely on.”

Moritol’s rebuttal was a hefty 43 pages long. Anyone else would have given up on persuading him as soon as they saw the thick stack of papers.

But Cadel was different. He had already received a warning from Lumen, and with no sleep, he was organizing his thoughts and mentally preparing himself for the discussion. He had also come up with countless excuses to fill the gaps in his weak arguments.

Cadel easily led Moritol into his office, sitting him down, and methodically went over the 40-page rebuttal, addressing each point. Although he didn’t defend every argument, he was able to defend most of them. The method was simple.

“It’s because I’m on good terms with the Scarlet Dragon.”

That magical phrase kept Moritol from countering.

“……You do realize that a personal relationship won’t solve everything, right?”

“But because I have that relationship, I can offer certain strategies. Please, think positively, Sir Moritol. I’m not saying the whole Knight Order should sit idly by until the Scarlet Dragon’s power is gathered.”

“Do you think the knights can perform at their best without the commander’s leadership?”

“There won’t be any catastrophic problems. As long as we hold out until the Scarlet Dragon’s power is ready, that’s enough.”

Cadel emphasized the success of his strategy, while Moritol stressed the disastrous consequences of failure. However, the urgency behind their words was different.

Moritol, who was considering failure, had a plan to cover up the aftermath of defeat. His opinion was to take the safest route, making sure they wouldn’t fail because the execution of his plan would be difficult.

But for Cadel, there was no other option but success. He was determined to push forward with his strategy to buy time to search the Demon Realm. There was no other way, no future, without it.

A person with multiple options couldn’t match the desperation of someone standing on the edge of a cliff. Eventually, after three hours of discussion, Moritol had no choice but to accept Cadel’s opinion.

“During the preparation time, the defense must be carried out with your own strength. The Knight Order will not hold back its combat power. You must never break this condition.”

“Of course. I’ll reaffirm this in the strategy meeting.”

“And one more thing.”

“……?”

“I’d prefer to avoid meeting with your knights until the war starts. Please take care of it.”

Although he had heard from Lumen that he would try to mess up Moritol’s schedule, it seemed like he had really been troubled. Cadel nodded firmly as he met Moritol’s weary eyes. With that, he had secured every advantage that the Empire could offer.

* * *

As the commanders of the various Knight Orders from many countries gathered, the preparation for the upcoming strategy meeting was a monumental task. Not only the commanders but also the island’s managing personnel had a lot of work ahead. The influx of so many people at once could be overwhelming, so it was recommended that the Knight Orders arrive in pairs, visiting the island in stages.

On the eve of the strategy meeting, the three commanders and their vice commanders of the Empire’s Knight Orders arrived at Tyrone Island. Cadel, who had disembarked last, took in the scenery of the island.

‘I didn’t expect to be back here.’

With little knowledge of what lay ahead, every moment felt fresh and new to him. He let out a self-deprecating smile as he began to walk, when Lumen approached him, starting the conversation.

“They’ve prepared temporary accommodations inside the castle. Let’s get our things settled and then meet the commanders who arrived earlier.”

“Got it. Which Knight Orders are currently on the island?”

“There’s the Horses Knight Order, the Shadow Knight Order, the Rose Knight Order, the Owl Knight Order, the Platinum Knight Order, the Denon Knight Order, and the Twilight Knight Order.”

The summit wasn’t just about the seven nations’ Knight Orders. Other foreign Knight Orders were also involved in the Stone of Peace retrieval operation. Among the unfamiliar orders, Cadel began to mentally sift through the ones he thought he could engage with.

“Aside from the Twilight Knight Order, I’m not confident I’ll be able to convince anyone in a single day.”

“You’ve got connections with the Shadow Knight Order too. We’ve helped them in the past.”

“But can they really be persuaded to support my stance? It feels like it’ll be harder than dealing with Sir Moritol.”

At the thought of the Shadow Knight Order’s commander, Dasto Salawell, Cadel shook his head in resignation. He could already picture Dasto’s impassive, almost emotionless expression. He didn’t know if Dasto would ever support his views, no matter how hard he tried.

“Sir Dasto is… a hard one to read. It’s not like he doesn’t have a sense of loyalty, but when it comes to this mission, I’m not sure.”

Cadel’s tone was somewhat uncertain as he recalled his encounters with Dasto. The Shadow Knight Order had always operated with a cool, almost detached professionalism. Unlike other knights, whose personalities or motivations were easier to read, Dasto was a mystery.

As Cadel continued to mentally prepare for the upcoming negotiations, his thoughts shifted to his strategy. To sway the Knight Orders in his favor, he needed to navigate not just the military considerations but the delicate web of alliances, past favors, and unspoken rivalries. Each Knight Order had its own interests, and some, like the Shadow Knight Order, were more difficult to predict. It would be a tough battle ahead, both on the strategic front and the personal one.

* * *

The knights of the Empire shared rooms on one floor. Cadel’s room was situated between Lumen and Ector. When he opened the door and stepped inside, the simple interior was revealed. Considering it was an impromptu lodging and an old castle, it was neat and tidy enough.

After locking the door securely, Cadel quickly drew the curtains on the windows. He quietly surveyed the room and confirmed that everything had been properly covered. Then, he flicked his cloak, and from inside, a tired voice emerged.

“How could you, darling? You stuffed me in your cloak the entire voyage. I almost died of suffocation.”

Lydon, who had been flying with his limbs limply dangling, transformed into human form and collapsed onto the bed. Cadel sighed as he glanced at the tall man who was sprawled out, occupying the entire bed.

“Well, if you had stayed in the Empire, you could have rested comfortably.”

“It’s boring without you in the Empire, Cadel.”

The strategy meeting would only be attended by the commanders and vice commanders of the Knight Orders. No one else, not even attendants, were allowed to join. Despite this, Cadel had brought along Lydon, who should at least have been keeping a low profile. But it was clear Lydon had no intention of adhering to that minimal restraint.

“I want to swim, Cadel. Can I go outside?”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“Yeah.”

“No, stay here. I’ll bring you food. You can eat it while you wait until tonight. When it gets dark, you can go for a short walk, but that’s it.”

“That’s ridiculous! I might suffocate from boredom!”

“Shh! Lower your voice!”

Cadel smacked Lydon on the back and then, facing the sulking figure, gave him a stern warning.

“If your presence is discovered, it will be bad for the meeting. So stay as quiet as possible.”

“……Is winning this meeting really that important?”

“It’s not just about winning or losing, but yes, it is important. It’s incredibly important, so don’t cause any trouble.”

Lydon stared into Cadel’s serious eyes, then sighed deeply and buried his face in the pillow.

“Why does it have to be so hard.”

Cadel, unable to make out the muttered words, took one last look at Lydon before leaving the room.

Outside, Lumen, who had been waiting, appeared.

“Lydon…… he’s not still hiding in your cloak, is he?”

“I left him in the room. He might cause trouble if he goes out, so it’s safer that way.”

“You made the right decision. Let’s head out now. I heard Sir Modeleine is near the beach.”

The first goal on Tyrone Island was to meet Modeleine. Modeleine was someone Cadel knew well and was likely the closest ally among the Knight Orders gathered here. If there had been continued conflict with Garuel, meeting Modeleine would have been impossible, but since they had recently had a brief reunion, it was now possible. Cadel followed Lumen’s lead and headed to where Modeleine was located.

“Sir Modeleine!”

Modeleine, who had been walking along the sandy beach lost in thought, turned his head at the call and looked surprised.

“Sir Cadel, Sir Lumen! Have you just arrived?”

“Yes. We unpacked and came straight to find you.”

“Haha, it’s so nice to see you both here in such a place.”

Modeleine greeted the two men with a wide smile, genuinely pleased to see them. They exchanged simple pleasantries and chatted a little about the atmosphere of the island.

Then, Cadel was about to get straight to the main topic when Modeleine spoke first.

“Sir Cadel.”

“Yes?”

“I have a favor to ask of you…”

Before Cadel could speak, Modeleine looked at him with a serious expression.

“At this strategy meeting, I would like you to support the Twilight Knight Order’s tactics.”