The Empire had many troops, but these forces were conscripted from the territories of surrounding lords. Apart from the private soldiers brought by nobles, the majority were ordinary civilians. These soldiers received little training, were not the primary fighting force, and were merely there to fill the ranks.
These lords gathered their soldiers, awaiting the Emperor's envoy. The arrival of the church's representatives would take longer. They spent their days in their lavish tents, worrying about the enemy.
The lords had witnessed Lin Yan's strength, and now, with so many dragons descending from the sky, their subordinates began to fear the opposing forces. These were ordinary people, after all, how could they dare face dragons?
The war had not yet begun, and they were already contemplating escape. However, they dared not flee, for their families resided in their respective territories. If they ran, their families would perish.
The Emperor's dispatched army was not large, but these knights were more skilled. Leading them was a Marquis whose strength was moderate but whose status was sufficiently high. The knights he brought were more formidable and better equipped than those of other lords. He was accompanied by an envoy from the Emperor.
The Marquis took up residence in the most opulent tent. He did not inquire about the situation first but rested. Afterward, he summoned the lords to his tent.
"Tell me, what is the current situation," the Marquis said, seating himself on the main chair. The envoy sat beside him.
"We have gathered a total of..." The highest-ranking among the lords began to brief the Marquis on their situation. Over a dozen lords had assembled, each with nearly a hundred knight escorts and close to a thousand civilian soldiers. Thus, they numbered nearly twenty thousand, while the enemy had only a few thousand. The Marquis immediately felt that the enemy was no match for them.
"Marquis, you have arrived a bit late and missed the sight of thirty dragons descending upon their territory a few days ago; they were all adult dragons." A lord spoke hesitantly. Their manpower was indeed substantial, but war was not solely about numbers.
"Dragons?" Thirty dragons presented a considerable challenge. He suddenly recalled something. "The Church of Light is preparing to intervene. Leave these dragons to them then."
"Indeed, Marquis. The church has many experts; they can surely deal with these dragons."
"Yes, the church will undoubtedly defeat these dragons. We can only wonder if we will get a share of the spoils." Dragons were treasures from head to tail. Even a few scales would suffice for them, let alone the blood and flesh scattered on the battlefield during the fight; these were all riches. Thinking of the future gains, they began to anticipate the war.
Lin Yan also anticipated the war. She needed this victory, and the church needed this defeat. With this defeat, the church would no longer be perceived as invincible, no longer the insurmountable peak in people's hearts. Once the church failed this time, more people would rise to challenge them.