The Third Prince Of Darkness

Within a few weeks, the local nobles and those who had sworn loyalty to me gradually reached the military headquarters outside the capital. They were slowly fulfilling my order to assemble an army. Excluding the troops assigned to protect the capital, I currently had around ten thousand soldiers.

In my opinion, ten thousand soldiers were still insufficient for the war. At least twenty thousand were needed. Fortunately, Duke Grohandal's army was already on its way here. Soon, I would likely have an army of twenty thousand, which would be enough to defeat Thaerd.

While waiting for Duke Grohandal's army to arrive in the capital, I began meeting with other nobles. Convincing them to provide more soldiers and resources was essential. Some were still hesitant, fearing Thaerd's power. However, I managed to entice them with the rewards they would receive if we were victorious.

Meanwhile, reports from my spies caught my attention. Thaerd's army had begun mobilizing. According to the information I received, they were advancing with a force of at least thirty thousand soldiers. This meant the war would be more challenging than I anticipated, but I still had no doubts about my victory.

Now, I found myself in a warm room where I spent time with my women. The room was cozy, with long, comfortable sofas placed opposite each other and a fireplace that filled the space with its warmth. Everyone was here: Luciana, Isabella, Evangeline, Ellera, Roxanne, Kayle, Avanne, and even Catherine.

The women were all seated in different corners, chatting among themselves. Though their relationships weren't always perfect, their presence here symbolized their support for me. The fireplace's warmth heightened the intimacy of the room, momentarily shielding us from the cold atmosphere of the war preparations outside.

As usual, Isabella stood gracefully beside the table. Turning to me, she asked, "So, you plan to defeat Thaerd with this many soldiers, is that it?" Her voice carried a tone of curiosity mixed with subtle criticism. Isabella was an intelligent woman; her questions always had a strategic edge.

"This is just the beginning, Bella," I replied calmly. "Once we merge with Duke Grohandal's forces, we'll have over twenty thousand soldiers. Thaerd's army may be larger, but we will act strategically. Numbers alone don't guarantee victory."

Luciana listened to Isabella's words with a faint smile and interjected, "But we must still have some advantage over them, don't we? Have your spies brought any new information about Thaerd's plans?"

"Yes," I said, walking toward the fireplace, trying to momentarily escape the weight of my burdens. "Thaerd's army consists of thirty thousand soldiers. However, my spies indicate that a portion of them are peasants forced into service. Their morale is reportedly low. That will be our advantage."

In truth, there was no report about their low morale, but I had to lie to ease the visible anxiety and fear on their faces. At least, I wanted them to feel reassured after I left.

"When will you depart?" Kayle asked.

"In a week. Once everything is prepared and the armies are united, I will leave."

My words brought silence to the room, and everyone's expressions fell. Unfortunately, even my women didn't fully trust me after my loss against Alpshar. Although I had been the only one trying to change things before that battle even began, I had ultimately lost. No matter how much they tried to hide it, they feared I would fail again.

Ellera watched me silently, her silver eyes gleaming in the light of the fireplace. She concealed her emotions as always, but I wanted to feel her trust. After a brief pause, she asked in her usual composed tone, "This time will be different, won't it?"

"Yes, Ellera. This time, I've planned every detail meticulously. At the end of this war, we will either emerge victorious or be buried in history," I said resolutely. The atmosphere in the room grew heavier than everyone's gaze fixed on me.

Roxanne broke the tension with excitement in her voice, "If they enter the battle with such low morale, we can easily overpower them. This time, we can turn their fears to our advantage." Her enthusiasm and confidence in me lightened the mood slightly.

Evangeline, on the other hand, maintained her usual distant and serious demeanor. "Roxanne might be right, but don't forget that Thaerd may not rely solely on his numbers. He could have strategic moves of his own. Predicting his plans will be crucial," she said.

I nodded. "You're right, Evangeline. That's why my spies will continue to bring updates. We will analyze Thaerd's potential strategies and act accordingly. We cannot afford any mistakes this time."

Luciana looked at me for a moment before speaking in a gentle, yet serious tone. "And what about us? What will we do? Where will we be during the battle?"

I turned to her and replied slowly, "You will stay here. I want to ensure the capital is protected. If things go wrong, this will be our last line of defense."

I noticed Kayle frown briefly, but when our eyes met, she calmed down and said nothing. She grabbed her glass of red wine and headed toward the balcony. "I need some fresh air," she said.

As Kayle left for the balcony, the tension in the room eased slightly. Everyone watched her quietly, but no one said anything. Meanwhile, my mind remained occupied with thoughts of the war, strategies, and possibilities. I couldn't afford another mistake. If I wanted to regain everyone's trust, I had to win this war.

Breaking the silence, Luciana began speaking softly. "You know we trust you, don't you? Despite our concerns, the fact that we're here is proof of that." Her sincerity was evident as I looked into her eyes. Luciana had always been supportive, but I knew I needed to do more to earn that support.

Ellera, still silent, continued watching me. Her face revealed no emotions, but I noticed the mechanical rings in her silver eyes beginning to spin faintly—a sign that she was feeling something inside. In that moment, I realized that instead of expecting reassurance or words from her; I had to earn her trust through the outcome of this war.

Isabella drew my attention again as she spoke. "Even so, I suggest you review your strategy once more. Underestimating Thaerd would be a grave mistake. Focus on his strengths and figure out how to neutralize them."

Acknowledging the truth in her words, I nodded. "I will, Isabella. I'll reassess my plans based on this information."

Luciana softly added, "I believe you'll return victorious, little Ethan. But it's not just us who need to feel that way; the people must as well."

"Yes," I replied. "Morale is vital not just for the enemy but for us, too. Without the people's support, this war becomes even harder. That's why I must show them that we will deliver victory."

Ellera took a deep breath and said, "It's easy to persuade the people, but just as easy to lose their trust." Her voice was as cold as ever, but her words rang true.

Roxanne smiled and said, "Ellera is as pessimistic as always." She then turned to me and added, "But if you follow her advice, we'll win this war with even stronger foundations."

Evangeline glanced at Roxanne and said, "Let's not get emotional. Our priority is strategy and information." Then she turned to me. "The more up-to-date intelligence we can get from your spies before the war, the greater our advantage."
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The tense atmosphere in the room began to settle. The warmth of the fireplace eased the tension between their words slightly. The women seemed lost in their own thoughts.

Evangeline approached me with a neutral expression. "Ethan, are we done discussing for now? If so, I'd like to get some rest. Tomorrow morning, we can go over every detail that's troubling you," she said.

This night was hers. Though we still only held each other while sleeping—nothing more, nothing less—Evangeline seemed to enjoy it immensely. In fact, she looked forward to her nights with me just as much as my other women did.

I nodded in response to her words. "Yes, we're done for now," I said. The women began leaving the room one by one. Luciana, Isabella, and Roxanne left the hall chatting softly among themselves, while Ellera watched me silently for a moment longer before standing up and heading toward the door with slow, deliberate steps. I watched the light of her silver eyes fade as she left.

Kayle, however, was still on the balcony, standing in the cold and seemingly lost in thought. I wanted to approach her, but Evangeline's gentle touch on my arm caught my attention. "Come, you need to rest," she said. Her voice was calm but firm.

Following her, I entered the bedroom. Evangeline's room was, as always, neat and minimalist. Since we hadn't reached the final stage of our relationship, I went to her room rather than her coming to mine. According to unwritten traditions, if a woman went to a man's room in night, it was solely a sign of sexual intent.

Evangeline stepped into the adjoining room briefly and returned wearing a nightgown that highlighted her curves. I also changed into more comfortable clothing. With a slightly flushed face, Evangeline got into bed, turning her back to me as she had done before. But knowing what that gesture meant, I only smirked.

I lay down and wrapped my arms around her from behind. My rapidly hardening penis pressed against her hips. The last time this had happened, it was accidental, but this time, I did it deliberately. When a faint moan escaped her lips, I realized that tonight would likely be the night.