Chapter 171: Home of Machia

Chapter 171: Home of Machia

At the same time they received the news of Nick Kingdom’s defeat, they gained another piece of information.

The Orc reinforcements were rushing towards the center line!

In other words, the forces of the Machia Republic fighting the Orcs in the north were about to meet the same fate as Nick Kingdom.

So, this war wasn’t just about whether to continue fighting, but rather how to minimize their losses.

On this point, the higher-ups of the Republic were embroiled in endless debates upon hearing the news.

Some advocated for a ceasefire, while others insisted on continuing the fight.

Both sides had their reasons.

However, for Airael, these matters were not of much concern.

What really bothered her was why the Dark Elves had chosen to involve themselves in this conflict.

By doing so, the Dark Elves were essentially severing ties with humanity.

Was this all worth it?

Moreover, with battles taking place one after another, even if they tried to minimize casualties, injuries and fatalities were inevitable.

A couple of skirmishes might not seem like much, but what about ten, twenty, or even dozens? Could the Dark Elves sustain that?

It was clear the Dark Elves couldn’t afford it.

After all, once they engaged in actual combat with humanity, it wouldn’t be a battle that ended quickly.

Humans were numerous and controlled the vast majority of resources.

Thus, to Airael, the involvement of the Dark Elves in the war surely meant they had been promised many benefits from the Orcs.

As Airael sat on the living room couch pondering these things, Arthur opened the door and entered the room.

At this moment, they weren’t staying at an inn anymore; they were living in a small courtyard, making it feel somewhat like “home.”

Lost in her thoughts, Airael hadn’t noticed Arthur’s return.

Seeing this, Arthur came to sit beside Airael and curiously called out, “Ailia?”

Ailia snapped out of her daze and looked at Arthur blankly.

Arthur continued, “What were you thinking so intently just now?”

“Nothing much, just wondering what the higher-ups of the Republic will do next. I heard the situation is quite dire.”

Airael paused for a moment, quickly giving herself an excuse.

Hearing this, Arthur fell silent for a moment before saying, “Ailia, you don’t really need to wear yourself out over this. We’ll handle it.”

“Handle it? How do you plan to handle it?”

Airael clearly wasn’t going to just give up thinking about the matter, as Arthur had suggested.

Arthur didn’t press her further and instead started chatting with Airael, “From my perspective, we should continue fighting the Orcs and Dark Elves.”

“Why? The current situation is very unfavorable for humanity! Continuing will lead to heavy losses.”

“You’re right! That’s also what those advocating for a ceasefire think. But they’re over-simplifying things. We haven’t had a significant advantage from the start, and now our allies have serious problems, leaving us in peril. If we keep fighting, victory seems out of reach. However, in every crisis, there’s always a glimmer of hope.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Due to Arthur’s lengthy explanation, Airael didn’t completely grasp his intentions.

A glimmer of hope? In the current situation, could the Machia Republic really find hope?

“Ailia, in previous battles, the Orcs have been holed up in their fortresses, which provided them with strong defenses, making it incredibly difficult for humans to attack them. Now, if the Orcs team up with the Dark Elves to launch an offensive, they’ll have to leave their fortresses.”

“So, in my view, this is an opportunity—a very rare one.”

Airael nodded, feeling that Arthur had a point.

But there was one thing she felt she needed to emphasize: “Arthur, what you said is indeed correct. But you must realize that humanity’s army needs to be capable of defeating the coalition of Orcs and Dark Elves.”

“It might be tough relying solely on the frontline warriors, but we have more than just those fighters; we also have other soldiers and allies from various nations.”

Airael countered, “But Nick Kingdom has already suffered a temporary defeat against the Dark Elf and Orc coalition.”

She didn’t want to rain on Arthur’s parade, but felt it was necessary to let him know that the world wasn’t as easy as he envisioned.

“Nick Kingdom was defeated, but that’s only a temporary setback. After some time, they’ll recover, and they’ll surely seek revenge. As for the Poshia Kingdom, they still have intact forces. Considering what has happened, we can definitely seek their aid as allies.”

“Before that happens, however, you would have to endure the relentless attacks from the Dark Elves and Orcs. You remember that Nick Kingdom couldn’t even last a single day.”

Airael continued to press Arthur on this point.

“Nick Kingdom’s fall was unexpected; they were unprepared. But we received news in advance, so we can be more prepared.”

Arthur spoke passionately as he elaborated on his perspective.

It was clear that he was trying to remain optimistic.

Perhaps it was the heavy burden weighing on him.

Airael, on the side, played the role of listener while offering her views as well.

As their ideas collided, they began to understand one another.

Once the storm had settled, Airael spoke up, “In that case, you’ll be heading north soon, right?”

“Hmm! I’ve been preparing for that.”

Arthur confidently replied.

“Then remember to take me with you when you head north. You promised me!”

Seeing Arthur’s confident demeanor, Airael reminded him from the side.

Aside from continuing to follow Arthur, she was also eager to encounter the Dark Elves.

Her understanding of the Dark Elves was limited to what she had read in textbooks; she hadn’t learned much about her exiled kin, especially one particular individual.

Now presented was a perfect opportunity.

“…Don’t worry, Ailia, I keep my promises.”

His initial hesitation spoke volumes, but in the end, he still agreed.

The higher-ups of Machia didn’t disappoint Arthur; after intense discussions, they agreed to continue the fight.

Mainly, they had already invested too much early on, and not gaining any returns later would be a real waste of their investment.