Chapter 373

Minister Maxim Tweller seemed to have always firmly believed that he would one day rise to this position.

Even as his peers were promoted or forced into early retirement, he never doubted that he would eventually get what he wanted. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to purge his rivals so swiftly and precisely.

The speed at which he toppled opponents suggested he had already calculated who to remove first and who was best suited to take their place. Almost daily, new organizational structures and personnel changes from the Imperial Defense Department were submitted to the administration.

“Your Highness, it seems you’ve grown a bit taller since last time,” remarked a servant.

Jin glanced down at his sleeves, now shortened without Ian by his side.

Without Ian, Jin was truly remarkable—both physically and mentally, he was growing explosively.

Jin stretched his arms wide, and the servant, as if accustomed, began measuring his body again. Jin nodded toward Xiao Xi, who was reflected in the mirror.

“Is the Imperial Defense Department still like that?”

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s nearly settled, but there’s still some internal strife. I believe it will be resolved within a few days.”

Volbe was dead, and many of his officer allies had been dismissed.

Since Minister Tweller had insisted at the hearing on appointments regardless of background or status, opposition had arisen not only from Volbe’s faction but from others as well.

But that was Tweller’s problem to handle. Since then, Jin had made no comments about the Imperial Defense Department. His silence was a direct and indirect sign of his active support for Tweller.

Knock, knock.

“Your Highness, a message has arrived from Clifford.”

“What?”

Startled, Jin turned sharply. The tape measure wrapped around his body was hastily removed, and he strode over to check the note resting on a golden tray.

It was neatly folded, just as it had hung on the message board—meaning Jin had received the report before the Prime Minister.

Swiftly, Jin unfolded the note and read the handwriting: Ian’s. Neat, precise, and flowing with strength. Seeing the script, Jin felt as if he were meeting Ian himself, and a deep joy filled his heart.

Everyone held their breath, watching Jin’s face. What was happening in Clifford? Could there really be a war in these times?

Jin carefully refolded the note and tucked it into his chest before ordering Xiao Xi.

“Summon the Prime Minister, Romandro, and the ministers immediately. And exceptionally, Quintana as well.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Finish dressing quickly. Hurry.”

Xiao Xi hesitated at the door, then turned back. This was going to be a significant meeting. He chose a calm-colored outfit from the servants’ wardrobe.

“Your Highness, I recommend you wear this today.”

“Good. Is there a proper size?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll prepare it right away.”

Jin nodded, understanding Xiao Xi’s intention, and the servants busied themselves. Since the ministers always stayed in the palace during wartime, it wouldn’t take long.

As Jin adjusted his jacket, word came that everyone had gathered in the nearby conference hall. Dozens of servants followed his footsteps.

Tap, tap!

Creak!

“His Highness Crown Prince Jin has arrived!”

As Jin entered, everyone stood and bowed in unison. This was the first official meeting convened since Tweller took over as minister. Jin gripped the armrest firmly, his gaze steady, feeling a surge of emotion.

Perhaps aware of the bloodshed in the Imperial Defense Department, most ministers avoided meeting his eyes.

“We have received word from Clifford. The Burgos forces have breached Clifford’s walls and crossed the border.”

“Good heavens. What on earth is King Burgos thinking?”

“Indeed. With Bariel watching so closely, how dare they stir up trouble.”

“Even though the alliance between Clifford and Bariel is recognized, this is a serious issue. Your Highness, what did Sir Ian report? And when is he expected to return? Forgive me, but without the mages, everyone’s work is… difficult.”

In truth, Ian had returned, but not easily.

Without the mages, not only was work hindered, but rumors began circulating outside the palace—that all of Bariel’s mages had vanished.

For now, these were dismissed as baseless, but if the situation persisted, public anxiety would spiral out of control.

“He doesn’t seem likely to return soon.”

“What? Why not?”

“Burgos has deployed synthetic monsters.”

Synthetic monsters? What was that? The ministers exchanged puzzled glances; no one seemed to know.

Then Minister Tweller cleared his throat and raised his hand to speak. He was the only one present with experience fighting monsters.

“Synthetic monsters are creatures created by combining two or more monsters. Crossbreeding is rare; usually, necromancers piece together corpses to create them.”

“It’s well known that Burgos has many sorcerers. If synthetic monsters are involved, that makes sense.”

The room murmured.

Burgos deploying monsters! Such warfare had only happened centuries ago, and humanity had paid dearly for the monster outbreaks that followed.

This meant Burgos was fully committed—planning to swallow Clifford and then push forward to Bariel.

“Sir Ian remains in Clifford to counter the synthetic monsters. This isn’t just a dispute between nations; it’s an effort to stop monsters from moving south. However, this could invite intervention from Luswena.”

Jin turned to Minister Tweller.

“They’re requesting reinforcements. What is your opinion, Minister of the Imperial Defense Department?”

Tweller bowed lightly, savoring the recognition of his ministerial status. He smiled confidently.

“If Sir Ian requests reinforcements, we must send them. If possible, I will lead the troops myself.”

“Yourself? Is that feasible?”

Everyone knew the Imperial Defense Department’s affairs were far from settled—purges, accusations, and resistance made for a chaotic scene. Yet he insisted on going personally?

“Yes, Your Highness. We will be ready to depart within three days.”

Tweller’s confidence suggested he could quell the unrest within that time.

He had his reasons. The more turmoil inside, the better to shift focus outward. Leading the charge and achieving success would strengthen his position as minister.

Above all, this was a war between Clifford and Burgos—a prime opportunity to gain honor with minimal effort. Tweller couldn’t have been happier to receive Ian’s request.

“If Minister Tweller is so prompt, I trust him.”

“I will not disappoint Your Highness.”

“Then I entrust this matter entirely to you. How many troops do you think are appropriate?”

“The details are sparse, but about five thousand should suffice. We will assess the situation on arrival and coordinate tactics with the Magic Department. Our priority will be the safe return of the mages.”

He smiled at the other ministers, who were all clamoring about when the mages would return. Their return would be a testament to the Imperial Defense Department’s efforts.

Jin approved the deployment, and the ministers handed related documents to their aides.

“But I have one question.”

“Please ask, Your Highness.”

Jin toyed with the edge of Ian’s note, picturing him. From the content, Ian’s concern was Luswena’s involvement.

With two nations surrounding Clifford, a simultaneous attack could split their forces and destabilize the front. More importantly, it could trigger an irreversible multi-nation war.

“Sir Ian is facing Burgos in Clifford, but doesn’t he seem worried about Luswena?”

“Hmm, yes. Quite so.”

“Then is there anything the palace can do?”

Jin pressed the ministers for answers.

But no one spoke hastily. They seemed wary of clashing with the powerful Imperial Defense Department.

Jin changed his question.

“Minister Tweller.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“What is the most important thing in war? Specifically, what can we do to assist Sir Ian during the conflict?”

Tweller paused at the weight of the question.

“The first priority would be to cut off communication between Luswena and Burgos if they have allied. But locating their message network won’t be easy.”

Communication between Luswena and Burgos?

Though mainly for sharing intelligence, they seemed to be exchanging something more since the inauguration. Jin rubbed his temple thoughtfully and muttered,

“I suspect Luswena is supplying Burgos with resources. Burgos’s land is barren, and they lack food and supplies.”

“An excellent point. Cutting off their supplies is a sure path to victory.”

“…The Black Armor of the Haiman family. Would Luswena know about that?”

Jin looked up as if he’d realized something. The Prime Minister answered without hesitation.

“Of course. Lady Haiman is from there.”

“Bring the map!”

At Jin’s command, the servants unfurled a massive map across the table and gestured toward Tweller.

“If we head from Luswena to Burgos without passing through Clifford, we’ll have no choice but to cross the Dead Lands. Sir Ian must be aware of the contact between the two countries and would have informed Clifford as well. What’s your take on this, Sir Tweller?”

“Yes. That route seems sound. Once we link up with the Ministry of Magic, we’ll search the area and try to cut off their supply lines.”

In that case, we’ll need to reinforce our forces. Tweller was thinking the same.

“…Bariel.”

“Yes?”

“What if Luswena, fearing this, also avoids the Dead Lands? If Sir Ian anticipates our suspicion and tries to use a different route? The only path left would be Bariel, but aside from the border guards stationed there, there’s no wall or barrier, right?”

Everyone exchanged doubtful looks. Surely they wouldn’t be so reckless as to supply Burgos through Bariel.

But Jin remembered Eriphony clearly—the woman with the turquoise serpent-like eyes. Aggressive, bold, and astonishingly clever.

“No. I think it’s possible. Luswena would block imports, and Burgos would block exports. Yes, that fits perfectly. Listen, what kind of damage would we suffer if we temporarily halt trade with Luswena?”

“W-wait a moment. Excuse me, Your Majesty.”

Jin’s sudden question sent the relevant departments into a flurry of activity.

“How long should we calculate for?”

“Calculate in week-long increments.”

“Understood.”

Quintana dashed about, clutching documents, coordinating with the ministers to estimate the potential losses.

“Luswena imports a lot of our grain, so there will be some impact, but fortunately, it’s not winter, so the damage should be less severe than expected. Hmm…”

“As for Burgos, since we export to them, we don’t anticipate major problems.”

“Your Majesty, even so, completely halting trade seems difficult, doesn’t it? It’s not certain, after all.”

One minister voiced concern, but Jin responded firmly.

“Consider the damage if the war escalates due to contact between Burgos and Luswena. Would temporarily stopping trade cause more harm than that?”

“…Ah, the calculations were off. Your Majesty, we should have a report ready by tonight. There will be some margin of error, but it should be acceptable.”

“Good. After review, we’ll inform Luswena of the decision alongside Minister Tweller’s deployment.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Jin gave the prime minister a subtle nod—a signal to strike the gavel.

Bang! Bang!

As soon as the meeting was declared over, the ministers rushed out, followed by attendants carrying piles of documents.

Xiao Xi watched Jin’s graceful retreat, sensing the unmistakable presence of Ian in his posture.