ABOUT WHAT THE CROWN PRINCE SAID EARLIER...
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WILL IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO STOP BOTH DAUPHINE AND THE EMPIRE?
THE DIFFERENCE IN MILITARY STRENGTH IS CONSIDERABLE, SO IT WON'T BE EASY.
UGH...
THEN IT REALLY IS IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU SOUNDED SO CONFIDENT THAT I THOUGHT YOU HAD SOME BRILLIANT PLAN.
HE BASICALLY THREATENED TO INVADE IF I DIDN'T JOIN HANDS WITH HIM.
IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, I HAD TO BLUFF.
IN NEGOTIATIONS, IF YOU LET YOURSELF GET SWEPT UP IN THE MOMENT, YOU'VE ALREADY LOST.
I NEEDED TO BE THE ONE IN CONTROL OF THE CONVERSATION. BUT...
WHAT IF HE REALLY DOES INVADE?
MAYBE WE CAN SOMEHOW HOLD DAUPHINE OFF,
BUT THE EMPIRE IS COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR LEAGUE.
WE BARELY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM,
AND THE DIFFERENCE IN MILITARY STRENGTH ISN'T EVEN COMPARABLE...
THAT BASTARD SHOWED UP TOO SOON.
I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO MEET HIM FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
HOW DID THINGS TURN OUT LIKE THIS?
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER PLAN FOR DEALING WITH THE EMPIRE?
I WAS GOING TO STRENGTHEN PHARNAS FIRST, THEN FORM AN ALLIANCE WITH THE THREE KINGDOMS AND BRING THE EMPIRE DOWN.
COME TO THINK OF IT, EVERYTHING STARTED FALLING APART WITH THE 30-DAY WAR.
FORGET ABOUT AN ALLIANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS.
AT THIS POINT, WE'LL BE LUCKY IF A UNIFICATION WAR DOESN'T BREAK OUT FIRST.
THE CROWN PRINCE SAID IT HIMSELF EARLIER...
ISN'T IT BETTER WHEN THINGS ARE SIMPLE?
TO BE HONEST, IT MIGHT BE THE IDEAL SOLUTION.
IF I KEEP REJECTING HIS PROPOSAL,
WAR MAY BE INEVITABLE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU BELIEVE?
YES,
AND IF WE'RE DOOMED TO LOSE ANYWAY,
WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO JOIN THE EMPIRE WITHOUT A WAR?
THAT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE KINGDOM'S PEOPLE, TOO.
THE THOUGHT OF MARRYING THAT BASTARD MAKES ME SICK, BUT...
THE LIVES OF MY PEOPLE REST ON EVERY DECISION I MAKE.
IF MY STRATEGY FAILS,
THEY WILL ALL...
...DIE.
I THOUGHT BECOMING QUEEN WOULD MAKE EVERYTHING SIMPLE.
I WOULD RAISE AN ARMY, TAKE MY REVENGE,
AND DESTROY EVERY NOBLE WHO HAD EVER LOOKED DOWN ON ME.
BUT IRONICALLY,
ONCE I BECAME QUEEN, I FINALLY SAW HOW THE KINGDOM WORKED.
IF WAR BROKE OUT,
PHARNAS WOULD INEVITABLY CONSCRIPT ITS FARMERS.
AND IF THE FARMERS DIED, WHO WOULD WORK THE FIELDS?
IF AGRICULTURE FAILS, THE ECONOMY WILL COLLAPSE RIGHT ALONG WITH IT.
IT'S A STRAIGHT PATH TO RUIN.
AND WITHOUT THE NOBLES, WHO WOULD GOVERN THE TERRITORIES?
WHO WOULD ADMINISTER THEM? WHO WOULD COLLECT TAXES?
EVEN A CORRUPT NOBLE KNOWS THEIR TERRITORY BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
THEY'RE AN EDUCATED CLASS. A WORKFORCE.
THAT WAS WHY I'D GONE TO SUCH LENGTHS TO BRING THAT STUBBORN OLD MAN KIEL BACK.
I CAN'T HAVE A TALENT SHORTAGE...
WHAT A MESS...
IF ALL I'D WANTED WAS TO SECURE MY OWN FUTURE,
I NEVER SHOULD'VE BECOME QUEEN.
DAMN IT ALL...
AT THIS RATE, I SHOULD'VE JUST STAYED AWAY FROM THE THRONE ALTOGETHER.
MORE THAN ANYTHING,
KILLING ALEC HAS BEEN MY LIFELONG OBSESSION,
BUT I DON'T WANT TO SACRIFICE THE PEOPLE WHO TRUST ME TO DO IT.
MAYBE I SHOULD'VE LEARNED ASSASSINATION TECHNIQUES INSTEAD AND SLIT HIS THROAT MYSELF.
ARCY,
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY LOSE THEIR COUNTRY?
I SUPPOSE THEY BECOME MISERABLE.
THAT'S RIGHT. MOST BECOME SUBJECTS OF A COLONY, BURDENED WITH TAXES AND FORCED LABOR.
THE PEOPLE OF A CONQUERED NATION CAN NEVER TRULY BE HAPPY.
BUT THAT'S STILL BETTER THAN LOSING THEIR LIVES.
WHAT'S WORSE THAN THAT...
...IS CULTURAL GENOCIDE.
THE EMPIRE WILL REJECT EVERYTHING THAT MAKES PHARNAS UNIQUE...
...AND FORCE OUR PEOPLE TO ADOPT THEIR CULTURE.
THEY WON'T STOP UNTIL WE'VE BECOME LITTLE MORE THAN SLAVES.
OF COURSE,
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO DIE DEFENDING THEIR HOMELAND.
BUT RESTORING AN IDENTITY THAT'S BEEN ERASED...
...REQUIRES FAR GREATER SACRIFICE.
IF PROTECTING THAT IDENTITY DEMANDS OUR LIVES, THEN I BELIEVE IT'S A PRICE WORTH PAYING.
WELL, YOU THINK THAT WAY BECAUSE YOU'RE A SOLDIER.
PROTECTING THE COUNTRY IS YOUR JOB.
NO,
THAT'S MY OPINION AS A CITIZEN OF PHARNAS.
WE MUST FIGHT, YOUR MAJESTY.
A BATTLE FOUGHT TO PROTECT WHAT MATTERS DOESN'T NEED SOME GRAND JUSTIFICATION.
NO ONE WILL BLAME YOU FOR IT.
WALTER...
I'VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE, HAVEN'T I?
EVEN WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST US, IT'S A COMMANDER'S DUTY TO CREATE A PATH TO VICTORY.
AND ALSO...
I'VE NEVER LOST TO ANYONE.
NO MATTER WHO STANDS AGAINST ME, I'LL FACE THEM WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE,
WHICH MEANS YOU SHOULD FOCUS ONLY ON WALKING THE RIGHTEOUS PATH, YOUR MAJESTY.
HOW SWEET.
THAT WASN'T EVEN A LOVE CONFESSION, YET IT SOUNDED SWEETER THAN ONE.
WHEN YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT, WALTER, IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A CHANCE.
ONE DAY I MAY FINALLY MEET AN OPPONENT I CAN'T OVERCOME,
BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY.
I'LL DEFEAT ANYONE WHO TRIES TO DECEIVE OR MANIPULATE YOU, NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES.
WAIT...
ARE YOU ANGRY AT PRINCE ALEJANDRO?
Dawn of Vengeance Chapter 42 focuses on Queen Arcy's dilemma as she faces the Crown Prince's invasion threat and marriage proposal. Admitting she was bluffing, Arcy fears that war against the Empire and Dauphine is impossible and considers surrendering without fighting to protect her people. Walter, on the other hand, argues they must fight, warning of cultural genocide, and promises to create a path to victory.
