Translator: CinderTL
The soldiers of the Holy See scattered in all directions, while the infantry of Gabella finally moved into action on both flanks.
They advanced rapidly to the front, appearing from above like a massive iron claw, fiercely clamping down on the disordered Holy Army.
Perhaps to avoid friendly fire, those mysterious fireballs finally ceased to appear, but the scales of victory had completely tilted in favor of Gabella; there was no doubt that the Holy Army had lost.
The disorganized soldiers of the Holy See had become easy prey, but the War Elephants continued to rampage, still a nuisance for the Gabellans.
Several crossbow carts were pushed forward.
Even the defeated Gabellans were studying ways to counter the Holy See's War Elephants, and the crossbow carts were one of those methods.
However, to keep the commander of the Holy See complacent and to assess the effectiveness of magical attacks, this deadly weapon was not revealed at the outset.
When the specially made Armor-Piercing Bolt struck the head of the first War Elephant, the giant beast did not immediately fall. The shaft protruded half a foot from the back of its skull, dripping with thick blood and crystalline fragments, yet it still staggered forward for over ten steps until a second arrow pierced the soft flesh at the seam of its abdominal armor, causing it to crash to the ground.
The line of Gabella's crossbow carts on the hills emitted a continuous series of mechanical sounds, as heavy crossbow bolts wove a storm of steel in the air. The War Elephants were clever; some wrapped their trunks around the shafts in an attempt to pull them out, but those specially designed arrowheads had barbs that clung tightly to their flesh once embedded, and the Elephants' self-rescue efforts only intensified their suffering.
The most tragic was the lead Elephant, which had seven crossbow bolts embedded in its armored body, the shafts soaked in a paralyzing liquid causing its muscles to spasm but unable to fall. It could only endure as subsequent arrows pierced its abdomen like venomous bees. When it finally collapsed like a mountain crumbling, the Arrow Tower on its back was crushed under its own weight, sending wooden spikes and human limbs flying in the dust.
The massive size of the War Elephants made them easy targets; one crossbow bolt pierced the tendon of a War Elephant's hind leg, causing it to fall and crush a large number of people around it. Another War Elephant was shot through the eardrum, madly crashing against the rock wall, grinding its driver into a pulp.
As the last few War Elephants fell, their bodies filled with arrows, resembling moving thorny hills, the grand slaughter finally came to an end.
The battlefield was a scene of devastation, with the tragic corpses of Holy See knights and soldiers scattered everywhere—some trampled into mush by War Elephants, others shot dead by crossbow bolts, and some perished in the explosions of fireballs.
...
The young Emperor of Gabella sat upright on his throne, his fingertips pinching the freshly delivered battle report.
The report was soaked with the messenger's sweat, but Antonio paid it no mind.
His knuckles turned slightly white from the pressure, and he could feel something in his chest swelling wildly—like it was about to burst through his ribs.
Yet, on his sharply defined face, only a layer of cool calm floated, just as the Emperor always displayed in front of others.
The attendants saw the Emperor's drooping eyelashes casting fine shadows under the lamp, but they could not see his tongue pressed firmly against the roof of his mouth, suppressing the tremors and gasps that nearly escaped his throat.
"Annihilate the Holy See's army!"
Those words on the report seemed to burn into Antonio's retina; out of excitement, his back was already soaked with sweat, yet his left arm resting on the armrest showed no slightest tremor.
"Understood."
Antonio spoke in a perfectly measured tone of fatigue, even elegantly raising a hand to rub his temples.
The messenger kneeling before him felt a bit disappointed; before being summoned, he had thought the Emperor would leap up in joy over this monumental victory.
But His Majesty's demeanor seemed as if he were merely reading an ordinary letter.
However, this disappointment lasted only a few seconds.
"Thank you for delivering the message; reward him with twenty gold coins!" came the uplifting voice from the throne.
"Thank you, great Majesty!"
A great figure should be calm and composed, especially an Emperor ruling a nation; even in the face of calamity, one must not panic. Only those with such qualities can lead a country out of crisis. Conversely, no matter how great the surprise received, one must remain calm to avoid falling into the blindness of pride—an infinite admiration for the young Emperor arose in the messenger's heart.
The Emperor instructed those present, "You all may leave; I wish to be alone for a while!"
After the messenger and attendants bowed and exited, Antonio suddenly rose and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window. The moonlight illuminated the twitching corners of his mouth and the redness at the edges of his eyes. The back of his hand gripping the curtain bulged with veins, and the wind that slipped through his fingers carried distant cheers—the people of the imperial capital were celebrating victory.
As the messenger rode into the city, galloping down the streets, the news of victory spread. The series of defeats had weighed heavily on the hearts of the empire's citizens like massive stones; they desperately needed a victory to revive their spirits.
And now, alone, Antonio could finally let go of all restraints, breaking into a joyous smile like in his youth.
He allowed the tremors to surge up his spine, as if he had drunk an entire barrel of the strongest wine.
Unfortunately, this exhilarating feeling did not last long; although it was already dark, the high-ranking officials of the empire soon arrived at the palace, requesting an audience with the Emperor.
Antonio received a group of ministers in the throne hall.
Except for Siegfried, who commanded the Fire Dragon Legion in battle, those whom the Emperor relied on, such as MacDonald, Anbolov, and Aldridge, were all present.
There were also "advisors" like Dorati Maite.
The empire had finally achieved a decisive and great victory, and the ministers congratulated Emperor Antonio, filling the hall with praises.
But before long, Antonio signaled for everyone to quiet down. He slowly rose from the throne, appearing incredibly imposing in the candlelight.
The Emperor surveyed the ministers and raised the battle report in his hand, "Today, I shall announce to all of Gabella!"
His voice carried an undeniable authority, "The warriors of the Fire Dragon Legion who defeated the invading forces of the Holy See—are none other than the Spellcasters, or rather—Wizards, who have been misunderstood by the world!"
A wave of gasps erupted in the hall; aside from Antonio's close confidants, the others exchanged bewildered glances.
Antonio declared firmly, "These brave souls, who have been stigmatized, are defending your safety with hands cursed by the world, safeguarding the safety of all Gabellan citizens. They must never again suffer the unjust treatment they have endured in the past!"
"I decree that from this day forth, all Spellcasters willing to abide by the laws of the empire shall be granted all legal rights of imperial citizens!"
(End of the Chapter)
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