Chapter 11: The Hundred Thousand Troops
“Since you’ve bickered enough, I will reiterate the theme of this meeting once more.”
Linis surveyed the Elven Lords as she spoke.
Her piercing gaze made the Elven Lords lower their heads, too intimidated to meet her eyes.
“This conference will not discuss internal matters of the Elven Race; there is only one topic: how we Elves should respond to the impending human army!”
The atmosphere in the conference room instantly grew tense.
These Elven Lords, confident in their kind, had to admit a harsh reality.
This era no longer belonged to the Elves; it belonged to the Humans.
Ignoring their glances, Linis continued, “Humans are the current rulers of the world. Dwarves and Orcs have already been defeated by them, and now the Humans have set their sights on us Elves. I must emphasize that no matter how powerful the Humans may be, we Elves absolutely cannot lose this war!”
“Exactly, we cannot lose to the Humans.”
Immediately, some Elven Lords echoed Linis’s words.
Others joined in with supportive statements.
The Elven Lords shared a strong camaraderie on this matter.
It was already embarrassing enough to be pushed back by what was once their little brother; if they had to bow down and call him ‘Big Bro’, the Elven Race would truly lose all face in this world.
From her throne, Airael nodded in approval as she observed the unity among the Elven Lords.
As long as the Elves could unite against a common enemy, this war would definitely be much easier to fight.
“Very well, I am glad you all share this sentiment; I believe Your Majesty feels the same way.”
Linis remarked.
Referencing Airael made the Elven Lords glance up at their silent queen on the throne.
Airael puffed out her small chest and accepted their gazes with poise.
In truth, Airael felt quite nervous inside.
But she constantly reminded herself.
I am the Elven Queen, and they are my subjects; I need not fear them.
The Elven Lords did not look at Airael for long, quickly returning their focus to Linis.
Although Her Majesty the Queen held a higher status, she had yet to take the reins herself; the one in charge of the Elven Race remained Grand Priestess Linis.
Airael’s anxieties gradually eased.
She smiled, feeling satisfied with her earlier performance.
But that wasn’t enough; I need to work harder.
After once again reminding herself, Airael returned her attention to the meeting.
Regarding Linis’s invitation for her to attend, Airael had some vague suspicions.
Perhaps Linis aimed to cultivate her, allowing her to see the broader picture of what the Elven Race was currently facing.
However, based on her recent impressions, Airael felt disappointed in the state of the Elven Race.
These Elven Lords were far from what she had envisioned.
They were all quite handsome, their appearances could certainly be deemed striking.
But seeing them squabble like common folks in the marketplace was truly hard to watch.
“If the Humans dare to attack our Elven Race, we will ensure that they return with nothing. We must also show other races that while our former glory may have faded, we Elves are not to be trifled with.”
Linis continued her speech.
Her words roused the Elven Lords.
After all, the upcoming war would require these Lords to contribute money, manpower, and effort.
The Elven Lords had no objection whatsoever.
Even if they felt terrified inside, they couldn’t dare to show it at this moment.
Once she had said what needed to be said, Linis looked to the Admiral Krul and said, “Admiral Krul, please share the intelligence we currently have regarding the incoming human army.”
Krul did not refuse; he stood straight and said, “Everyone, according to the gathered intelligence, the Humans had already begun secretly preparing various combat supplies and assembling personnel before declaring war on us Elves. This means that when they declare war, they are almost fully prepared.”
“What despicable humans!”
An Elven Lord immediately shouted in rebuttal.
This drew agreement from other Elven Lords.
After their uproar, Krul continued, “However, the quantity of supplies they have prepared is not vast. In total, they can support roughly a hundred thousand troops.”
The Elven Lords nodded in unison.
Since they intended to prepare various combat supplies in secret, it was understandable that there wouldn’t be much.
“Additionally, the human army they have assembled is also around a hundred thousand. Although the number is only a hundred thousand, they are all elite fighters. They are divided into twenty legions, each led by renowned human heroes.”
According to Krul, the humans seemed to be maximizing quality over quantity to minimize expeditionary expenses!
Airael sighed internally.
A hundred thousand troops was still a considerable force, and it appeared to be authentic.
Twenty legions, led by well-known figures, indicated a clear structure that couldn’t be fabricated.
“One more thing, this might just be the vanguard of the humans. If necessary, they can mobilize even more troops and combat supplies. Furthermore, we should be wary of the Dwarves from the south. As Humans’ recently acquired vassals, they might show their loyalty by supporting them in battle to gain further favorable treatment.”
Krul’s final statement cast a heavy gloom over the Elves.
While a hundred thousand elite human troops would be challenging, the Elven Race was still capable of handling it.
However, if more reinforcements arrived, the Elven Race might struggle.
After all, their population was limited.
Even if one Elven warrior could swap out for ten human soldiers, Elves would still feel they were losing out.
Not to mention, the Humans might also have other races joining the fight.
This would only worsen the Elven position.
“Can we Elves find allies?”
At this moment, Airael spoke up.
She recalled Linis mentioning that the sea-dwelling creatures wouldn’t let the Humans cross their territory easily.
If so, they could definitely try to win over those sea creatures as allies.
If they had their assistance, perhaps they could eliminate the human army at sea.
In that case, they wouldn’t have to worry about sustaining any losses on Elven territory.
