Aftermath

In the aftermath of the battle. The 160 thousand strong men remain in the march towards Tisus' army. As for Astrian, he was continuously sending messages to Sicilio. Aiming to schedule negotiations for surrender. But he isn't answering. Sicilio was letting Tisus wreak havoc on Arcadian lands. Lui-eya was still inactive. But her elite unit surely are. But for now, he kept them in reserve. Their numbers were growing, yes, being taken from veteran units of the first army. But they still needed training.

Astrian's scholars were also working on their research to better arm their army with their experiments of condensed mana. As well as creating an experimental bomb created from hypermixturized dense mana. The scholars remarked that the explosive yield was enough to level an entire city.

But Astrian was unfazed with the discovery and tasked them to further better the equipment for his infantrymen. They were making significant progress after all. Mana encased shields to improve the frontline's defenses, as well as on their swords to maximize offense. But they're all only prototypes. The scholars said that they hoped it would not be obsolete by the time it's completed. Perhaps that was also what the emperor was thinking.

He had also pulled some veteran bombers who participated in the bombing raid in the Forian Isles. He asked them as much detail as they could about the crossbows of the Sicilian empire. Ultimately deducing that unless the crossbowmen were masters of the art themselves to be able to expertly manipulate arrows from a distance no less than a kilometer, they would just be great at archery itself. Using wind magic to carefully readjust their aim. They also concluded that the strength of the arrows was further supplemented by using wind to propel them further and faster.

While that is going on. Astrian tasked a team of scholars and engineers to make an automated crossbow with exact accuracy and fire rate. Details of this project are currently low. And Astrian himself thought that it would go nowhere, but to try is to try. And right now they have to try anything to get the upperhand.

The days went on, and the marching army is unable to catch up to Tisus' army as he tapdanced with fire around the northern and eastern parts of the peninsula. Astrian kept his scholars in check, all the while sending letters to Sicilio which remains unanswered. Annoyed, Astrian walked over to the harbor and tasked the people there to not only repair the ships but to make five more. Perhaps it was an act that stemmed from annoyance. But when asked by his advisors why he had done it, he responded that he was doing it to strangle naval superiority from Sicilio.

But there was something else that buggered Astrian repeatedly. The question for food. They were currently at war, and their land trade routes were being blockaded by Tisus' army. No nation can prosper from prolonged warfare, and that realization dawned on the young emperor as the days rolled around and more of his people starved. And despite being a nation built on grain, they were still struggling.

At some point, it cannot be ignored. One of his scholars, a man named Taikel entered his office one day and proposed to the young emperor to divide some of the scholarly resources in researching how magic could help the food problem. The emperor was reluctant at first. But at the end he agreed, furrowing his eyebrows. But cleaning his face with a smile as he said his thanks to Taikel. He could only hope what he could do.

His head hurt from the stress. Suddenly, a knock came from his office's door. "Come in." He said.

The door opened and one of the nurses from the local clinic appeared. She had a happy look on her face. It confused the emperor until he realized what that could entail.

"She's awake!?" He yelled out in excitement. The nurse nodded and lead him back to the clinic. As she opened the sterile clinic doors, he sees the bandaged woman sitting up from her bed. She moved naturally as if her body was healed. Yet weakly, as if her mind could not handle the movements she made.

Astrian sat beside her. "Are you okay?" He asked her.

"I should be asking you the same thing." She replied, turning her head to meet the boy's. "I heard of your defeat, your general would be disappointed."

Astrian looked down, trying not to meet her eyes, "I tried. Lui-eya. I tried." He sighed.

"You should try harder then," she said with remorse-filled eyes. The gentle humming of the cicadas outside being the only noise the awkward silence. "Perhaps when I feel better I could help you with the grain shortage."

"You will?"

"That is where I specialize after all." She gives a gentle smile under her bandaged face. "Perhaps I could even take most of your worries, focus on the battlefield at hand. You are better a soldier than a leader." She continued.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could muster to say, "I should've been better."

"We all wish we could've been better. But now we must only focus on getting there." She darts a glare at his eyes, piercing them in a seemingly unending stare as she grabbed tightly onto the boy's hands, "You will be better."

"I-I will!" He replied, a slight shift of tone in his voice, "But will you be?"

"I may be able to walk this off by tomorrow. Consider heading with your army. I will take care of matters at home."

"Thank you, Lui-eya. And I'm glad you're back." He flashed a genuine smile at her, carefully embracing her to not give more pain to her missing skin. But nevertheless, it was an embrace. It was what he needed after all.