On the third day after the battle ended, no trace of insects was visible a thousand miles north of Frost Halberd City.

All the nests seemed to wither, dissolve, and collapse overnight.

The black tide that once covered the mountains was like a beheaded creature, spasming uncontrollably a few times, and then falling eternally silent.

The surviving knights, fully armored and wearing gas masks, stepped into this death zone, each step accompanied by the sound of decaying flesh collapsing and spore slurry splattering.

The air was filled with a stench of blood and decay, as if the entire land was slowly rotting.

The Doomsday Nest was destroyed, and the giant shadow that once oppressed the world like a god finally fell amidst the flames.

And with its collapse went all the "will" controlling the insect swarm. Those monsters that once dominated the nightmares of the Northern Territory were now nothing but a puddle of sewage.

Though the war was over, bringing relief to everyone.

When they looked around at the burnt ruins, the collapsed cities, and the terrain eroded by insect eggs, people could not ignore the most brutal truth.

This war... was won, but the cost was terrifyingly high.

According to rough estimates, the Northern Territory's total population reduced by over four-fifths.

Millions of lives disappeared like tides within a few weeks, without even having their names etched on tombstones.

Dozens of once-prosperous towns became the breeding grounds of insect nests, littered with skeletons and broken walls.

Each of the ancient families in the Northern Territory was completely wiped out, with their bloodlines severed and flags no longer flying.

The terrain was no longer as it was; the cavities from the exploded nests formed new ravines, rivers changed course, plains rose, roads turned into wild forests, and fortresses sank into swamps.

The Northern Territory is no longer the Northern Territory it was yesterday.

The future reconstruction... is bound to be incredibly difficult.

The one most affected is undoubtedly Duke Edmund, Governor of the North, who exhausted everything in this war called "Doomsday."

It's not just his physical collapse but also the collapse of his political landscape.

The Northern Territory is his foundation.

But now, four-fifths of this land's population has become remnants, the nobility that once supported his ruling system is weak, towns have perished, knights have been severed.

Most of the vassals who once spoke eloquently in the council chamber have completely disappeared from the Empire's map after the disaster and are all listed as missing.

The defensive system he carefully set up for the Northern Territory is now virtually nonexistent.

The most critical crisis is his body; after the Doomsday battle, his internal organs were nearly half destroyed, and his Fighting Energy severely depleted.

Worse yet, his only heir is still inside Duchess Alina's belly.

An unborn child faces a future lacking protection.

If no opportunity arises, the Edmund Family, one of the Eight Great Clans since the founding of the Empire, may rapidly decline.

Without the duke, the Edmund Clan is just an empty shell for sale.

The impact of this war will change not just the structure of the Northern Territory but will undoubtedly affect the entire Empire's layout.

The Dragon Blood Legion, representing the sharpest will of the Empire, suffered a brutal toll in the Doomsday battle.

Commander Arthur lost an arm; although he can still fight, his combat capability has greatly diminished.

Vice Commander Gaius has exhausted his Fighting Energy and is in a coma, his fate uncertain.

Of the over a hundred top combatants under them, the elite from various major clans of the Empire, only forty-two returned after the war.

The major clans will not miss this opportunity to challenge the powerful Emperor.

The future of the Empire's core nobility circle is about to face turmoil.

And Louis, who made significant achievements in this war, is already at the center of this storm.

......

The wind in Frost Halberd City still carries a chill and stench.

Arthur walked slowly wearing a black cloak, his right arm only a sleeve tightly wrapped in bandages.

"I'm leaving." His voice was as deep as usual, but there was an added warmth compared to before.

After a moment of silence, he spoke softly: "Gaius... will survive.

I will personally escort him to the Imperial Capital for the highest level of treatment. No matter the cost, we will make him wake up."

Then he paused, his gaze falling on Louis.

"And you. Your contributions in this battle, I will report them in full... personally to His Majesty."

At this, the usually taciturn man showed rare hesitation but finally spoke:

"You did well, your older brother is really proud of you. He... spoke to me about you, more than once."

Louis slightly lowered his head, seemingly concealing his emotions.

Then Arthur turned and left, taking the remnants of the Dragon Blood Legion back to the Imperial Capital.

......

After bidding farewell to Arthur, Louis also had to leave Frost Halberd City, returning to Red Tide Territory, but first he had to say goodbye to Duke Edmund.

On the stone wall that had been washed by blood dozens of times, he saw Duke Edmund again.

He stood at the ruins of the city wall, his complexion as pale as snow, wearing the imperial-style black and gold cloak.

Louis knew that Duke Edmund's condition was very serious.

Not just the fatigue and aging that appeared on the surface, but the genuine pathological collapse torn from within.

The Daily Intelligence System had long since sent messages: He had forcefully overdrafted his heart before the battle with the Doomsday Nest. Now, his Fighting Energy is turbulent, with internal injuries fiercely backfiring, sleepless nights, and pain like knives burning his lungs.

The Duke is still alive purely relying on willpower. If there weren't still too many things that needed him to hold up, he might have died two days ago.

Without any miraculous encounter... it seems unlikely he can hold on for a few more years.

Louis was extremely saddened; Duke was a significant figure standing behind him all along.

Without his support, trust, and resource distribution, his Red Tide Territory might not have developed so smoothly.

If someday, the Intelligence System discovers some miracle remedy, he will also send it to the Duke.

With these thoughts in mind, he arrived in front of the Duke.

"You've come." The Duke's voice remained as firm as iron and stone, despite that chest having long been battered.

He turned around, his tone seeming as if handling official duties, yet as if entrusting the only son.

"You've achieved great merit this time; the entire Northern Territory... owes you a debt."

"But you should go back. Return to Red Tide, and properly settle those who survived. The rewards due will soon arrive—His Majesty will personally issue the decree."

He lightly coughed, using a handkerchief to cover his mouth, as a trace of blood quietly seeped out.

"Also." He added in a lower voice, "If there are refugees, orphans... take in as many as you can. The Northern Territory is gone, but people shouldn't be without roots."

The wind carried the scent of blood.

Louis did not immediately reply, his gaze silently resting on the man who once dominated the Northern Territory.

This figure who once single-handedly suppressed the Northern Territory, severing rebellions, now appears incredibly frail under the setting sun.

"...Take care of Emily for me."

This instruction was more like a plea for guardianship than a command.

Louis gazed at him with a complex expression, a heaviness in his chest he had never felt before.

This shield, the most unyielding of the Empire, is quietly cracking.

"...I will do it." He nodded solemnly.

The Duke waved his hand as if issuing an order: "Go."

Louis turned and descended the city, his silhouette stretched long by the sunset.

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