I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 491: [Event] [Elven Utopian War] [30] Valachia Will Never Fall

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Valachia

The capital had been on high alert for an entire week.

The armies of Utopia had overrun every neighboring city, leaving devastation in their wake. With Duncan Tepes mysteriously absent and Claudia Tepes, the current Prophetess, stationed in Central Vedelia to safeguard the Holy Tree alongside Alector Raonpherys, the responsibility of defending Valachia fell to Priscilla Tepes.

Priscilla, Duncan's only daughter, was a beacon of hope and admiration among the people of Valachia. Her leadership was met with unanimous support, as no one dared question her authority. Meanwhile, her elder brother, Idris Tepes, commanded the forces on the battlefield, while Priscilla managed operations from the main control room. There, she coordinated strategies, processed intelligence, and deployed troops as needed.

The past week had been grueling. Continuous attacks strained their resources and morale. Bakarel and his army of Dark Elves had ravaged the towns surrounding Dolphis. Reiner Dolphis, seeking to protect his people, withdrew them to the city's core, reinforcing the capital. While this strategy saved countless lives, it unintentionally created an open path for Utopia to march into South Asteros, home to the Tepes Kingdom-a region previously accessible only by sea.

Reiner's retreat had granted Utopia an unobstructed route to invade the Tepes territory. With Kamarel's forces wreaking havoc in Dolphis, the Dark Elf army advanced with little resistance, annihilating everything in their path. Valachia's knights valiantly opposed them but were no match for the overwhelming might of Bakarel's forces.

However, a strange turn of events unfolded a few days prior. Bakarel ordered his divided forces to regroup and march toward Central Vedelia. This abrupt maneuver puzzled Valachia's leaders until grim news arrived.

Reports revealed that an armada of ships had landed on the southern shores of Asteros. The banners they bore sent chills down the spines of all who saw them-the crimson emblem of the Blood Elves, led by the dreaded Elashor Sarkian, King of the Blood Elves.

In mere days, the Blood Elves, with their unmatched speed, had closed in on Valachia.

Worse yet, the battle for Valachia had already begun two days ago. Elashor Sarkian had sent an advance force-a contingent of several thousand Blood Elves, commanded by a seasoned general. Their goal was clear: probe the city's defenses, gather intelligence, and unnerve the defenders. It was a calculated harassment, a psychological weapon designed to exhaust the Tepes Army before the true clash began.

The tactic was working. The city's guards, haunted by visions of another sudden attack, were too terrified to sleep. The constant fear of thousands of Blood Elves descending upon them under the cover of darkness had left the defenders weary and on edge.

The full-scale assault loomed closer, and doubt was no longer a luxury.

"The Blood Elf army will likely reach Valachia by tomorrow morning," Priscilla said as her sharp gaze fell upon a magical projection. The recording displayed the massive Blood Elf army, their banners fluttering as they advanced on their grounds.

"How many?" Idris asked.

"Our latest reports estimate seventy thousand," Priscilla replied, her frown deepening. "But more ships keep appearing on the horizon, unloading wave after wave of reinforcements. Their numbers are steadily increasing."

"What's the problem?" Rodolf leaned back in his chair, his posture lazy despite the fresh blood stains on his armor. "We've got over a hundred thousand soldiers here, ready to fight."

"Rodolf, you're such a musclehead," Earth said with a laugh.

"Oi!" Rodolf shot him a glare.

Priscilla sighed, exasperated by her students' behavior in the face of such dire circumstances. "It's not just about numbers," she explained patiently. "Elashor has split his forces to encircle the city. His plan is to trap us inside Valachia, cutting off all escape and reinforcement routes."

Rodolf's expression shifted. "Huh? Isn't that bad?"

"It's worse than bad," Priscilla replied. "Even with our numbers, if we're surrounded and confined to the city, we'll be at a massive disadvantage. This is the worst-case scenario for us."

"Then why haven't we sent out armies to crush those smaller forces before they can surround us?" Rodolf asked, clearly baffled.

Priscilla grimaced at the question. Around the table, several nobles and commanders from Valachia groaned audibly.

"You didn't pay attention in any of the last meetings, did you?" she asked.

"Even though I explained it to you repeatedly!" Cylien added with a dramatic pout.

Rodolf scratched the back of his head, offering a sheepish grin. "Well... when it gets too boring, I just... stop listening."

"I should have expected this from you, Rodolf. You don't listen in class either," Priscilla said, shaking her head in exasperation. She waved her hand, summoning another projection.

This time, it wasn't an image of soldiers or battle formations but of civilians-men, women, and children-being evacuated from the areas of their country still untouched by Utopia's advance. The neighboring towns and others had all been emptied, their inhabitants fleeing under the protection of soldiers. These cities, once bustling with life, were now guarded by hundreds of Tepes soldiers, their duty to ensure the civilians' safe passage.

The Tepes Army might have boasted a force of 140,000 soldiers, but nearly 40,000 of them had been deployed across the country. By Priscilla's orders, they worked tirelessly to evacuate citizens from the horrors of war. After knowing what Utopia reserved to slaves, there was no way she was going to let her people get caught by Utopia.

Also twenty thousand more had been dispatched to aid their allies in the Dolphis Kingdom and the Elaryon Kingdom, both of which were on the verge of collapse. Elaryon, in particular, was in dire straits after the betrayal of Queen Namys' elder brother, which had split their army in two.

In reality, the Tepes forces weren't as overwhelming as they appeared.

"The lives of civilians are our top priority," Priscilla said, her tone leaving no room for debate for the people around here. "I'll keep sending soldiers to escort them until they've crossed the borders into the Olphean Kingdom."

"Olphean?" Rodolf asked, his brows furrowing. "I thought they weren't participating in the war?"

"They aren't," Priscilla replied, her expression softening slightly. "But Christina has agreed to provide refuge. She's offering food, shelter, and safety to all our civilians."

Priscilla was quite grateful toward Christina for that.

Even though her House also took part in the decision not to aid her mother...

The civilians, innocent and blameless, were the ones bearing the brunt of the conflict, and Christina had opened her doors to them out of genuine kindness.

Of course, there was more to it. The alliance between the Houses of Olphean and Tepes, formed through Amael and Elizabeth, had undoubtedly influenced Christina's decision. Still, even without the alliance Christina wouldn't have abandoned innocent civilians.

Rodolf scratched his chin thoughtfully but said nothing more.

Priscilla turned back to the projection, her gaze scanning the map. With a swift motion, she traced a vertical line stretching from northeastern Valachia to the borders of the Olphean

Kingdom.

"But there is a way to counter Elashor's plan to encircle us," she said.

All eyes fixed on her.

"Elashor knows the Olphean Kingdom won't enter the war unless Utopia threatens their borders. He's banking on that neutrality to complete his encirclement of Valachia. His strategy is clear: conquer Valachia first, then turn his attention north toward the Olphean Kingdom. However, he doesn't plan to approach Olphean territory anytime soon. He can't afford to risk being caught between two enemies."

Priscilla's finger tapped the map again.

"We'll take forty thousand soldiers to intercept Elashor's forces along the northern fronts," she said. A smirk played on her lips as she added, "Our objective is to push them as close to the Olphean borders as possible."

Cylien nodded thoughtfully. "I see. They'll have no choice but to split their forces to avoid provoking the Olphean Kingdom."

Idris, seated calmly, stroked his chin in consideration. "That's easier said than done. To push them back that far would mean covering dozens of miles, a grueling task in a battlefield this

-chaotic."

Priscilla nodded in agreement. "That's why I'm allocating such a significant force. The sheer number will be enough to make them retreat in fear of overextending. But this isn't a task for just anyone, brother. I need you to lead them."

Idris straightened slightly, surprised by her words.

"You're the only one I trust to see this through," Priscilla continued earnestly. "Even if it

doesn't fully succeed, your presence will secure Valachia's northern passage. In the worst- case scenario, if Valachia falls, we'll still have a path to retreat into the Olphean Kingdom or Central Vedelia."

The weight of her responsibilities was crushing, especially in the absence of their parents. Priscilla, though still in her late twenties and lacking the decades of experience others might have, carried herself with the responsibilities she had as their leader. She had no choice but to rise to the occasion-for her people, her homeland, and the city of Valachia that had nurtured

her.

Idris smiled in return, almost happy to see his sister all grown up. "You can count on me."

"But won't reducing Valachia's forces further leave us even more vulnerable?" Cylien asked,

worried.

Priscilla nodded again. "It will, but so will Elashor Sarkian's forces. This strategy isn't

without risk, but it forces their hand. They'll face the same struggle we do: holding out long

enough to win."

Idris stood up. "I'll leave immediately to ready the army. You focus on holding Valachia,

Priscilla

at least until Father returns."

Priscilla let out a tired sigh. "I'll do everything in my power to ensure Valachia doesn't fall,"

she replied. "You don't need to worry about that."

"Valachia will never fall, aunt."

A sudden voice interrupted them.

All heads turned toward the speaker seated at the far end of the table. She had been silent

until now, lounging with an air of nonchalance. Her legs were casually propped on the table, the blood-soaked soles of her black boots in plain view.

Her knee-length black armor dress was drenched, the fabric clinging to her form, darkened by

blood that was clearly not her own. Crimson streaks trailed down her legs, staining the torn black high socks that clung to her pale skin. Even the visible portions of her thighs bore the marks of blood smeared and glistening.

Elizabeth Tepes held a black rapier in one hand, her pale, delicate finger tracing the bloodied

blade. At her touch, small droplets of blood rose from the steel, hovering in the air before following the slow movement of her finger.

Without breaking her gaze, Elizabeth opened her mouth, and the droplets floated in,

vanishing down her throat.

"!"

A shiver ran through her body, her crimson eyes snapping wide open. The vertical slit pupils within them pulsed violently, radiating an instinctive thirst. Her bloodlust thickened the air, pressing down on everyone in the room like an oppressive fog. Only Priscilla and Idris

managed to remain calm used to Elizabeth's bloodlust.

Cylien grimaced, instinctively leaning back in her seat. She had felt Elizabeth's bloodlust before, and even now, it was as suffocating as ever.

Rodolf, however, simply stared at Elizabeth whereas Earth had a nervous smile.

She looked clearly like the old Elizabeth.

"Valachia will never fall," Elizabeth repeated, her blood-red lips curling into a smirk.