Abandon the past, focus on the present (3)

The more Levinte read, the more he indulged in the story. What a great woman! If he was in her shoes, he would have chosen genocide.

After years of healing, Empress Irene gradually let go of past grievances and viewed others with fresh eyes, recognizing that everyone makes mistakes and deserves second chances. She also showed great maturity and wisdom, realizing that holding onto anger and grudges only causes misery and pain.

Ultimately, she is an inspiration to others, showing how forgiveness and empathy can transform one's life for the better.

Emperor Euluc is worth mentioning because he recognized his own mistakes and changed for the better. He openly admitted his mistakes, took responsibility for his actions, sought feedback and advice, and actively worked to improve himself.

Emperor Euluc allegedly suffered health issues during his final years, but the empire stood strong against threats from The Empire of Qiang and Arnayisa Empire before the outbreak of the World Clash because Empress Irene still held the ascendancy, together with her son, Crown Prince Adonis.

Empress Irene is one of the most powerful and inspirational women in history. She was an accomplished leader and a powerful empress who not only managed to maintain her empire but also tried to forge alliances with other rulers to protect it. She was known for her intelligence, charm, and wit, which made her a great diplomat and negotiator. Empress Irene, the true epitome of strength.

Levinte felt a newfound sense of awe and appreciation after finishing the book. Looking back on the dream he had about her, his respect and admiration for her increased tenfold. A gorgeous woman with an amazing personality, god took his time on her!

By the end of the book, Levinte noticed that the name of the mistress was not mentioned. If he remembered clearly from his dream, it was Lady Gloria Amaryllis. Therefore, he searched for another book to detect her name.

After flipping through the sixth book, Levinte still could not find it. All of them noted the same 'mistress of Emperor Euluc' or 'the emperor's paramour' or 'Emperor Euluc's former lover'. In other words, her name was completely eradicated from history.

Subsequently, he took out a thick file from his bag and placed it beside another book he picked with the title 'The Imperial War between 4 Continents'. Levinte wanted to compare the contents of the two books. He dedicated his teenage life to creating the file from all sources he could find in his homeland, so if there were any major differences between books from two different continents, then it would surely be frustrating.

INTRODUCTION

World Clash was a global conflict that lasted for 5 years. The four great empires, the Arnayisa Empire, The Empire of Qiang, the Machaera Empire, and the Eryndorian Empire clashed against each other. It was by far the deadliest conflict in history.

EARLY WORD MAP OF THE INVOLVED

Tervania: This continent lies at the east of the map and is home to the Machaera Empire. To the east, there is the Dukedom of Xiphos, which is known for its skilled seafarers and naval power. To the west is the Duchy of Kopis, a lesser-known but well-respected realm known for its formidable mountain ranges. Eryndor: This continent is located in the west region of the map and is characterized by its vast deserts and dense jungles. It is ruled by the Eryndorian Empire. In the north, there is the Sultanate of Haakim, a powerful desert kingdom. To the south is the island chain of the Shormian Archipelago. Akashiya: Located in the north of the map, this continent is primarily covered in snowy tundras and icy mountains. It is ruled by the mighty Arnayisa Empire, which occupies most of the continent's central plain. The barbarian tribes to the west have formed the Federation of Kradak, which is frequently in conflict with the empire. To the east of the map, the Norhaven Domain relies heavily on seafaring and trade. Azea: Located in the south of the map, this small continent is home to the dominating and sole Empire of Qiang, known for its expansive libraries of ancient lore and powerful mages.

CHAPTER I: PRE-WAR

The Zo Dynasty gained control after conquering the Azea continent. Hungry for more power and resources, they seek to expand their territory across the sea.

They began their conquest to extend beyond the sea through Eryndor, the west continent. The colonization of the Shormian Archipelago was the beginning of a war between the Eryndorian Empire and the Empire of Qiang. Victory over the Shormian Archipelago would give the Qiang empire economic self-sufficiency.

At the same time, they expanded through the east continent, Tervania. The Machaera Empire itself was an imposing threat to them, thus they did not directly declare war against them. However, they took the initiative to send a diplomat to share their common interest in magic.

They needed to access the area via ports in Tervania to reach the Arnayisa Empire. Knowing that the Duchy of Kopis remained neutral, the Qiang's leaders sought permission from the Duke to land. The duke agreed to allow them to pass through their territory, following the condition that they leave the territory clean of their domination.

The Dukedom of Xiphos disagreed with their neighbor's decision and decided to obstruct their path. The Qiang troops were divided, one to continue ahead and the other would battle the obstruction. The Machaera Empire sent soldiers to help the Dukedom which resulted in the deterioration of the relationship between Qiang and Machaera.

Not only did the Dukedom of Xiphos pose a threat to their conquest to reach the Arnayisa Empire through the land of Tervania, but it was also known as a sea power; the Xiphos Navy had command of the sea. Their ally, the Norhaven Navy also joined the Battle of the Seas, thus restraining the Qiang Navy from progressing further from the west and east to reach the north continent.

The raid of Arnayisa City by Lord Zuopi and the surprise attack on the Norhaven Naval Base at Haven Island was a declaration of war against the Arnayisa Empire. 

So far, Levinte had not spotted any major differences in the contents. The book 'The Imperial War between 4 Continents' focused on the bigger picture rather than discussing the individuals. It was a great book for beginners to understand the chronology.

However, the text 'The raid of Arnayisa City by Lord Zuopi' bothered Levinte, mainly because Acre stated that it was a wrong recorded event. The raid did happen but the perpetrator was inaccurate. Was this Yano Rui guy another villain? Another problem was that Levinte could not remember who Yano Rui was. The name felt familiar but the memory had been buried in his subconscious mind.

CHAPTER II: DECLARATION OF WAR

The World Clash was generally considered to have begun when Lord Zuopi, the emperor of Qiang launched an attack against Arnayisa Empire. The Machaera Empire subsequently declared war on Qiang Empire.

Unexpectedly, the Eryndorian Empire declared war on the Arnayisa Empire, followed by the Federation of Kradak.

However, the empires cannot be divided into the good side and the bad side. Each empire had its enemy.

The Empire of Qiang declared war on Arnayisa Empire. Eryndorian Empire battled against the Empire of Qiang and the Arnayisa Empire. Machaera Empire saw the Empire of Qiang as a threat to the whole world. Arnayisa Empire declared war on the Empire of Qiang and the Endyndorian Empire.

It wasn't as simple as 'The Empire of Qiang was the bad one and the Arnayisa Empire was the good one'. It was far more complicated than that. 

"Of course it's complicated," Levinte muttered under his breath. The war itself was very convoluted, so it made sense that historians could have misunderstood the entirety of the process. Another problem is that some historians are not aware of their bias and they engage in personal and professional misconduct.