I Enslaved The Goddess Who Summoned Me

Chapter 338: Meeting at Tenebria (2)

”Letʼs focus on the meeting,” Kratos said, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. The weight of responsibility pressed down on him as he brought everyoneʼs attention back to the true purpose of their gathering. Despite his commanding tone, there was no denying that he felt out of place—surrounded by women who, rather than discussing war, were engaged in an unspoken battle of their own. Their gazes flickered toward Nathan, some filled with admiration, others laced with jealousy and quiet rivalry. It was an almost suffocating air of competition, one Kratos had no interest in being a part of.

At his words, the murmurs ceased, and all present nodded in agreement.

”First,” Kratos continued, his piercing gaze sweeping across the room, ”we have received confirmation that the Heroes of the Empire of Light have indeed made contact with the Heroes of the Empire of Ra. Not only have they met, but they also visited their lands. It is highly likely that an alliance has been formed between them.”

Silence followed his words, heavy with the weight of what this meant.

”The Empire of Light...” Kragen exhaled sharply, shaking his head. ”They truly donʼt know when to give up, do they?”

”Theyʼre obsessed,” Megara added, crossing her arms. ”At this point, itʼs more than just a war—they see our very existence as an affront to them.”

Of all the nations that harbored resentment toward Tenebria, the Empire of Light was, without a doubt, the most relentless. Their hatred was not merely political or strategic; it was deeply personal. For centuries, they had clung to the notion of eradicating Tenebria from existence, convinced that their so-called ʼrighteous causeʼ was the will of the gods.

”It canʼt be helped,” Cadell said with a smirk, a knowing glint in his eyes. ”The Lord Commanderʼs presence only fuels their paranoia.”

A low murmur of agreement passed through the gathered warriors. That much was undeniable.

The Empire of Light had always regarded Tenebria as a looming threat, fearing that the Demon Kingʼs forces were simply biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But then Nathan had appeared. His existence alone had shaken the foundations of their beliefs, turning their wariness into full-blown fear. Now, their desperation had reached new heights.

”They will likely be ready to launch a full-scale attack by next year,” Clytemnestra stated, her tone even yet carrying an undeniable weight of certainty. ”And this time, it wonʼt be a reckless assault. They will come prepared—with an army vast enough to shake the continent.”

She leaned forward slightly, her crimson eyes gleaming under the dim candlelight. ”The Empire of Ra is known to possess one of the most formidable military forces in the world. If theyʼve joined hands with the Empire of Light, we must prepare for the worst.”

Nathan furrowed his brows. ”I thought the Empire of Ra was maintaining a neutral stance in the war against Tenebria,” he said, his voice tinged with curiosity.

”They were,” Helen replied, her delicate fingers tracing absent patterns on the wooden table. ”Under their previous ruler, Pharaoh Amenhotep, they remained cautious, unwilling to involve themselves in conflicts that did not directly concern them. But he is dead now.”

A hush fell over the room.

”His eldest son has taken the throne,” she continued. ”A boy of barely fourteen.”

Nathanʼs expression darkened. ”A child?”

”Yes, and a child who has little understanding of war,” Helen mused. ”But that does not mean he is defenseless. He is surrounded by advisors—powerful, intelligent figures who guide his every decision. That is why this alliance is so troubling. Someone must have convinced them that siding with the Empire of Light is in their best interest.”

Her voice took on a thoughtful edge. ”The question is... what was promised to them in return?”

A heavy silence settled over the gathering.

Despite their vast intelligence network, they had no clear understanding of how the Empire of Light had managed to convince the Empire of Ra to join their cause. Ra had always maintained a careful neutrality in continental conflicts, preferring to guard their own interests rather than be drawn into a war that did not concern them. And yet, somehow, they had aligned themselves with the one nation most determined to see Tenebriaʼs destruction.

It was a troubling development, one that raised more questions than answers.

”Then why donʼt we do the same?” Kragen spoke up, his voice carrying an air of defiance. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. ”If theyʼre gathering allies, then we should respond in kind. Letʼs mirror their strategy and start securing alliances of our own.”

”There is some truth in that,” Megara admitted. ”Weʼve already taken steps in that direction. Kastoria has recently become an official ally of Tenebria. Weʼve even established trade agreements with them, which is a promising start.”

She paused before continuing, casting a pointed glance at Nathan. ”But our strongest ally, without question, is the Trojan Empire.”

Nathan met her gaze with calm indifference, already aware of where this conversation was leading.

”Kassandra promised to discuss the matter,” he said, his tone even. ”But Iʼm not going to demand too much from them.”

His statement carried weight. The alliance between Troy and Tenebria was no secret; in fact, it had been cemented in the most public way possible. The world had watched as Nathan, the Lord Commander of Tenebria, wed Kassandra, the Princess of Troy, mere months ago. The marriage had sent shockwaves throughout the continent, signaling to all nations that Troy was standing firmly by Tenebriaʼs side.

By all rights, Kassandra should have been in Tenebria with Nathan now, but she was dividing her time between Troy and Tenebria for a crucial reason—one that Nathan himself had insisted upon. She was carrying his child.

For now, she remained in Troy, as Nathan had personally requested. Though she had promised to advocate for Tenebria, Nathan did not expect more from them. The Trojan War had left their kingdom battered and exhausted. They needed time to heal, not another call to arms.

”Iʼve already sent word to Hector,” Nathan added, his voice steady. ”I told him that it isnʼt necessary. Troy has suffered enough—physically, mentally. We canʼt expect them to raise an army for us so soon. When the time comes, weʼll see what support they can offer, but for now, they need to focus on their own recovery.”

Megara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. ”Fine. Then we wonʼt rely on Troy. But letʼs be realistic here. Tenebria cannot fight this war alone. The Empire of Light already possesses a larger army than both Tenebria and Kastoria combined. If they truly have the Empire of Ra on their side, itʼs even worse. Theyʼll surround us, cut off our resources, and grind us down until thereʼs nothing left.”

A grim silence settled over the room as the weight of her words sank in.

”What about the other kingdoms that have remained neutral so far?” Nathan asked, turning toward Clytemnestra. His mind was already working through the possibilities. ”Are any of them potential allies?”

Clytemnestra took a moment to consider before responding. ”Babylonia?” she said with a scoff. ”They donʼt even acknowledge demons as worthy adversaries, let alone consider an alliance with us.”

”Then Eldorath?” Nathan pressed.

Kratos answered this time, his tone flat. ”They donʼt care for demons either. If anything, they look down on us just as much as the Empire of Light does.” He exhaled, rubbing his temple. ”Those two are the closest and strongest options available. But if weʼre willing to cast a wider net, we may need to look beyond this continent.”

Nathan narrowed his eyes. ”You mean seek alliances overseas?”

Kratos nodded. ”There are other kingdoms, smaller ones, that might be persuaded to join us. However, if we want true power—armies that can stand against the Empire of Light and the Empire of Ra—we will have to look farther. The great empires of the western continent, the island nations beyond the Celestial Sea… there are forces out there, but whether theyʼll involve themselves in this war is another matter entirely.”

Nathan sat back in thought. The war was no longer a distant threat—it was coming. And unless they acted now, they might not be ready to meet it when it arrived.

Helenʼs voice cut through the tense silence. ”What should we do then?” she asked, her gaze shifting toward Nathan.

As if on cue, the entire room followed her lead. All eyes landed on Nathan, waiting for his response. He was the one with the highest authority here—the one whose decisions carried the most weight.

Yet, Nathan did not answer immediately. Instead, he remained silent, his expression unreadable as he tapped a finger against the polished wooden table. The flickering candlelight cast shadows across his face, emphasizing the sharp angles of his features.

Then, finally, he spoke.

”What was the other problem?” he asked abruptly, completely changing the subject.

Kratos blinked in confusion. He opened his mouth to say something but hesitated, unsure if Nathan had misunderstood the gravity of the situation.

”Lord Commander—” he began, but before he could finish, Nathan cast him a pointed look. It was subtle but firm, a silent command that said: Hurry up and report.

Kratos swallowed his initial protest and obeyed.

”Breistan,” he said, his voice regaining its composure. ”A great city to the east. A few days ago, it came under attack.” He paused for a moment before adding, ”By a single person.”

Nathan barely reacted. He rested his chin on his hand, fingers drumming idly against the table. ”And?”

Kratos exhaled. ”The attacker was Human.”

That earned a slight raise of Nathanʼs brow, though more out of mild curiosity than concern. ”Which kingdom?” he asked, already sounding bored. He had been expecting something more—something interesting.

Kratos, however, shook his head. ”We donʼt know.”

That made Nathan pause. His fingers stopped their rhythmic tapping as he slowly turned his full attention to Kratos.

”We donʼt know?” he echoed, his voice laced with skepticism. ”Are you telling me a Human launched an attack on one of the largest cities in the east, and yet no one can trace where they came from?”

Kratosʼs expression was grim. He held Nathanʼs gaze before answering.

”By the way,” he said, his voice carefully measured, ”he called himself a Hero of the Empire of Light.”

Nathanʼs eyes narrowed slightly.

Kratos continued. ”He also claimed to be part of the Second Batch of Summoning.”