"Well said!" Baron Moran took off his eyepatch and nodded in approval.

He was rather impressed by this man before him, his gaze towards him changing considerably.

What Alvis meant was simply this: The sheer size difference between the Erls and humans was too vast.

The goal was not to defeat the enemy in battle after battle, for no matter the personnel or logistics, their side could not match the humans. Tactical or strategic victories would only push the Erls into a political abyss, eventually driving the insane humans to determine to exterminate this place - a calamity none could avert.

So what they must do is create a situation while resisting the enemy's offensives, forcing the unwilling but resigned humans to withdraw or sign a treaty.

The long-term survival of the Erl regime was the ultimate goal.

"Everyone may discuss your views on this fundamental issue."

Alvis was not omniscient, lacking the depth of experience and insight into the intricate relations between nations.

The golden dragon Arnold joked, "At least the Rytons across the river won't easily withdraw. Their stance is to conquer this place no matter what."

"Yeah, that's a key point. The Ryton side must be resolved by force," Alvis nodded and made a note.

"Karuk has no king, no core axis for the nation to revolve around. Can we work on this?" A nobleman spoke up.

Baron Moran pondered, then came forward to share, "I once served as the Minister of Capital Management in Morey, in charge of domestic trade. Back then, I encountered many high-ranking Karuk officials. To varying degrees, their families were all involved in business dealings. From my private investigations, it's like a bank donning a national coat."

"If it's a bank, then it's run by merchants. So-called sovereignty and human supremacy were just means to facilitate business. We can use some interests to lure them."

Alvis said, "You mean it's a nation of fringe dwellers long excluded from the mainstream imperial culture circle, built by sinners and exiles' descendants?"

He suddenly looked up. "Baron Moran, what was Karuk's foreign trade structure like in the past?"

Baron Moran stared at him, recalling slowly, "Grain was the major export. Other light industrial goods were shipped in from the Empire by sea, so Morey and Natterian were Karuk's lifelines. They exported population and imported concentrated alchemical scrap - the 'scavengers' of human civilization."

He continued, "If we could substitute Morey and Nattier's significance to Karuk to some extent, they would have no reason to fight hard for the nations riding on their backs, right?"

"That means Karuk could relax their vigilance, only facing attacks from two directions," Alvis analyzed. "However, the Imperial Alliance and Ryton are unavoidable battles. After establishing basic principles, we still need victories on the battlefield to act on them."

He took out a piece of paper from his armpit - a partial military map drawn by Morey's general staff.

"I have plans regarding strategy preparations for these three weeks."

Alvis walked over to Evelina and Garry, spreading open the map as the two girls hurriedly hugged their papers and ink away.

"I feel like I've seen this man before," Garry said in a daze after seeing Alvis's face up close, forgetting when she had encountered such a visage.

The others leaned in to form concentric circles, forcing Raphael to retreat backwards hunched to avoid breaking through the ceiling.

"From a developmental perspective, we are rich in mineral resources - no shortage there. But food is an issue. Oakenburg is not an agricultural region, and much land already has its owners." He looked meaningfully at the nobles like Shena.

"Ahem!" Baron Moran coughed dryly.

Fortunately, Alvis did not dwell too much on this issue:

"So the Morey Plain battlefield is our focus. No need to attack the Ryton armies across Pillar Mountain - defeating them gains little."

The young noble leader immediately agreed, "I knew focusing heavy forces around Pillar Mountain was wrong. Defending the south should be the right move."

Alvis said, "Correct, but not defend - attack. We must take the offensive and eliminate the enemy's fighting forces in the field!"

"What!?"

Everyone except Raphael and Arnold gasped in shock.

Take the offensive? Did they have that capability?

"Governor, from what I know, we've only trained about 13,000 troops, mostly demi-humans with a few humans. The Imperial Alliance conservatively has around 100,000. How can we confront them head-on?" Lady Amelia could not help but doubt - even a bold woman like her dared not take such risks.

"Who said anything about a head-on push?" Alvis smiled playfully. "The essence of strategy is to use your strongest force against the enemy's weakness while ensuring your own weaknesses are not breached."

His hand pressed on a city on the map named "Oakland".

Stolen novel; please report.

"From a military perspective, they cannot mobilize troops directly from home to the front lines - they must set up a base at a suitable distance. Although the main Oakland city was destroyed, the surrounding villages have intact facilities near water sources. And…"

Alvis's finger moved parallel leftward on the map to another point.

"…Tokas village, the last stop on Karuk's only road connected to Oakenburg's region. The Karuk must set up their central base here. Oakland is parallel to this location for easy advance and retreat. No matter which commander is in charge, they will choose Oakland as the base - their weakness!"

He took out a small tool which turned out to be a compass when placed on the map.

With Oakland as the center and the distance to Oakenburg as the radius, Alvis drew a semi-circle counterclockwise, passing right through Tokas village.

Then he changed the coordinates to various points in the Karuk Forest, drawing circles that repeatedly touched the Morey Plain at different locations.

"I plan to deploy assault troops along these lines with Oakland as the central axis. They will advance from the Karuk Forest, weaving through the enemy's vulnerable rear with no land defenses, eventually encircling to their back in conjunction with Erl defensive forces and the Mordon River to devour all hostile fighting forces."

The scene fell into dead silence.

"That's quite insane, you need to answer a few questions," Raphael spoke first.

"Please ask, respected Crimson Dragon."

"First, you only have a little over 10,000 troops. There's no way to get reinforcements midway. What if the attack stalls or you're surrounded by the enemy?" Raphael narrowed his golden eyes.

Alvis said, "Since this force will weave through the enemy's rear, their supply lines will be on the routes we take. The fewer numbers reduce exposing our tracks and food issues. As for the offensive, we'll be equipped with 150 field manacrystal cannons, plus numerous bowguns, explosive crossbows, and manacrystal rifles. I will personally lead and command these troops, so there's no way we'll lack firepower or make amateur mistakes."

Raphael nodded, about to ask the next question when Baron Moran interrupted, "But wouldn't it be better if Lord Crimson Dragon took the field himself? He could certainly achieve all you described."

"No, humans seem to have means to monitor my movements," Raphael frowned in refusal. "Plus, I cannot leave Pillar Mountain."

Over a dozen battle dragons were deployed on the Ryton side. If he left, the home would be defenseless, likely overwhelming Arnold and Old Blaze.

"Alright." Baron Moran fell silent.

"Then what about enemy air units? I reckon a squad of gryphons alone would trouble you, no?"

"So please have a few hammer drakes join us. From what I know, they are the strongest dragon kin combatants able to fight with dragons while highly mobile on land."

Raphael tightly clenched his claws. "But what if the enemy breaches the city before that? I may well be preoccupied and unable to intervene."

Alvis took a deep breath, "Which is why I will complete this mission within 72 hours, leveraging the demi-humans' innate beast-like burst of speed. Sinister Wing's Captain Anubis has a special alchemical formula targeting humanoids that can maintain an exhilarated, muscle-activating state for days. I've had our new alchemical plant produce sufficient quantities."

Raphael pondered carefully - it seemed a good, unexpected stratagem without apparent issues.

But there were always exceptions. He asked gloomily, "What if they see through your ploy or heavily guard the base impenetrably?"

Alvis smiled knowingly, "I'll call for air support. Erl currently has four dragons beside yourself. In the deployment, I'll leave one extra as reserve on standby, reachable at the needed battlefield via communication orb."

"Anyway, once the operation begins, exposure is no fear - speed is key to encircling them before enemy reinforcements arrive."

He had basic solutions for the Imperial Alliance and Karuk forces.

"As for Ryton, I hope you can shoulder that responsibility," Alvis told Raphael again.

Since the first Ryton target would be Raphael's two territories, he knew them best while also being the combat ceiling force requiring no additional deployment.

"Enokeitie, Milmos, I'll leave the dragon kin deployment to you two."

Raphael tilted his head towards the two dragon kin leaders, his draconic eyes full of warning, "Don't tell me you've wasted all this time without repairing a single fortress! Handle the ground-crossing humans yourselves!"

"Of course! Of course!"

Enokeitie sweated profusely, bitter at having diligently labored for Crimson Dragon for a year only to receive no praise while shouldering more arduous tasks.

"Luckily the blood wyverns and hammer drakes aren't in breeding season. The kobolds don't matter." Raphael calculated mentally, the overall situation becoming clear.

"If only Nana could return, wouldn't that add another dragon military strength?" He suddenly recalled his wife, carelessly disregarding her injury recovery.

"But that force is probably on par with an average female golden dragon. Never mind." Raphael eventually shook his head, asking Alvis, "Any additional points?"

Alvis pondered, "Those are the general political aims and strategy - defend Pillar Mountain, attack the south. But there's an issue - I need time to deploy those 13,000 troops into the Karuk Forest while first analyzing the reconnaissance data gathered beforehand by the deployed dragon kin scouts. We cannot let the enemy strike first during this period."

"I hope you can take the risk of periodically harassing the Oakland region to force the enemy to postpone their offensive in preparation for you, allowing us to attack first eventually."

"No problem, maybe I'll just annihilate them all and save the need for your troops or detours," Raphael said maliciously.

"But that would only provoke humanity's crazed, genocidal onslaught. My plan aims to capture the enemy forces and seize their equipment. That way a window for dialogue exists for us to achieve our political objectives," Alvis refuted.

Arnold poked his head down from the ceiling, "So you demonstrate strength while exploiting their weakness to force a truce negotiation. Are all humans really as clever as you?"

"I'm just forced out by circumstances."

"Very well then." Raphael adjourned the meeting. "You've all come together for certain reasons. Regardless, humans are our common enemy. Go prepare your specific tasks and get some good rest!"

The crowd unanimously bowed before discussing noisily in groups as they boarded blood wyverns to depart.

Shena hastily left without a word, befuddling Baron Moran who had hoped to stay behind to discuss other matters with Raphael and had to leave as well.

"Naisa, wait."

Alvis called out to the dwarf king who had remained completely silent throughout.

Then he realized Raphael was also yawning, about to crawl back into his golden nest, and quickly called him back too.

"What is it?" Raphael seemed impatient. "Do you know how much of an ordeal it is for me to waste over ten hours watching those mixed-blood brats train? I just want some private time for hobbies and interests."

"No, I want to discuss the future of this regime."

Alvis looked at the indifferent Naisa who had clearly learned from the elders about being used.

It was agonizing having one's hopes slowly wither after being tormented by a human's evasions for nearly a month without response.

"Your Majesty, I won't lie to you," Alvis inwardly vowed.

Then to the dissatisfied Raphael, he said, "Our regime needs a resounding banner to attract more allies to join."

Raphael immediately showed interest. "Allies? Certainly not dragons. The orcs are too distant. You mean to incorporate the tribes of the Disputed Plains?"

"Correct, a nation aspiring growth needs a rallying cry. Humans' current cry is 'Human Supremacy' which has united an enormous population - at least against foreign races. Within our nation, dwarves, demi-humans, and humans are divided. As the supreme dragon race, you command enough prestige to rule them all."

"So our cry should be: Resisting humanity's genocidal brutality, uniting under your banner to fight for survival. Establishing a great empire transcending divisions and race where any intelligent continental race, including humans, can exist in peace.