Chapter 378
KRAAANG!
Damon slammed his fist down on the table with such force that the courtiers flinched. His short hair was wildly tousled, but it was nothing compared to the sharp, angry breaths he was taking.
His violet eyes flashed as he shouted,
“How on earth are you all handling this?”
“W-we humbly apologize, Your Majesty.”
Various objects were thrown at the courtiers, but no one dodged; they simply bowed their heads in silence.
The news of Timothy’s desertion had reached the palace faster than anything else. As expected, Timothy had last been seen at his estate, and after that, his whereabouts became a mystery.
“During wartime, Timothy deserts and you let him slip right out of the capital? Those who serve the crown act like this, and what do you expect the people to think or see?”
“P-please, have mercy, Your Majesty.”
“Do your jobs properly for once!”
Damon’s fury was far from subsiding.
They were at war with Klipford, allied with Bariel. This was a time when every able-bodied person capable of wielding a weapon needed to be conscripted, yet they couldn’t afford to waste manpower chasing after one deserter. Timothy had most likely defected to Bariel, but strangely, there was no record of his crossing the border.
Damon ground his teeth, breathing heavily.
“If I’d known it would come to this, I should have killed him from the start.”
It was the same in his previous life. Back then, Timothy betrayed his own brother and defected to Bariel, significantly impacting the geopolitical landscape between nations.
But this time was supposed to be different. He had held onto a sliver of hope that things might change, that Timothy might not betray them again. If he truly wanted to change the future, he should have killed Timothy the moment he took office, not spared him.
“Damn it.”
As Damon clenched his jaw, the courtiers fell into an even deeper silence, careful not to make a sound. He was already a sensitive man, but now, in the middle of a war, Timothy’s betrayal as a key figure in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a massive shock to the palace.
Fortunately, someone was ready to step up.
Knock, knock.
“Your Majesty, news has arrived from the supply troops.”
Please, let it be good news. The courtiers hoped the message would be that the supply convoy had successfully contacted Luswena and received provisions. But hope often leads to disappointment.
“The Luswena supply troops failed to arrive on time.”
‘They’re all dead now.’
The courtiers silently clasped their hands beneath the table in a moment of prayer.
Damon frowned. He had been told the convoy would depart after passing through the Dead Lands, so why hadn’t they shown up?
“Any other updates?”
“None so far, but the supply commander suggests dispatching our own forces to investigate. That could save time, so he urges you to consider it.”
Either the promise to send supplies was a lie, or something had gone wrong along the way.
The latter seemed more plausible. Luswena had no reason to fake sending supplies—they were allies bound by a treaty, and both shared accusations of violating the Dragon Kaglin agreement.
Damon shook his head firmly.
“No. We will wait here as planned. The outside is the Dead Lands; there’s no need to send anyone out. Relay that order.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Click, click. Damon turned toward the window, lost in thought.
The supply route had been cut off. This wasn’t something Klipford soldiers alone could have done. That meant mages were involved, a clear sign of alliance commitment.
An alliance meant reinforcements. Damon spun around sharply, and everyone snapped to attention, staring straight ahead.
“Cease the pursuit of Timothy.”
“Pardon? Are you sure, Your Majesty?”
“He’s likely in Bariel. We’ll go there ourselves. Prepare everyone. I wanted to coordinate timing, but it’s better to push forward now.”
Coordinate timing? The courtiers exchanged confused glances but bowed silently, awaiting orders.
“All able-bodied men will be conscripted immediately. I will also join the front lines.”
“Your Majesty, you cannot leave the palace yourself!”
“Timothy’s desertion has surely spread through the front lines. Do you think those here don’t know what those out there do? For morale’s sake, it’s right that I lead.”
It was true. If the king himself took to the battlefield, the soldiers’ broken spirits would rise again. Damon’s declaration was a vow to pour every ounce of strength into the war.
At a subtle signal from some courtiers, attendants began moving. They would request maximum support from the northern tribes. The corridors buzzed with activity as letters were drafted and sent, but Damon paid no mind and gave more orders.
“If King Erifoni learns the supply route is cut, she will join the fight and pressure our rear. This is a golden opportunity. No matter how many mages they have, Bariel won’t abandon the palace, and it will be difficult for them to fend off attacks from both sides. Luswena has mages too, right?”
“Y-yes, Your Majesty. Their numbers are small and mostly reclusive, so it’s uncertain if they’ll cooperate, but if mobilized, they could make a difference.”
“Bring me a royal war hawk. The mages will be on high alert along the Luswena-Klipford border, so bring the standard royal hawk, not the magic-infused one.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Tell the local nobles to hasten their arrivals. And bring the royal armor.”
Damon gripped his signet ring tightly as he issued commands.
The royal armor—worn only when the crown’s own forces went to war. Only then did the courtiers truly realize how close the war was. As the meeting ended, they hurried to relay the orders to their subordinates.
“Tell your wives to prepare their belongings and stay with their families for a while.”
“The king is going to the front. I have no choice but to do the same. Tell your families to leave the capital tonight.”
“Make sure to take all documents, especially those in your study. Yes. It will be difficult to pass through Bariel, so leave the capital and head to your villa first.”
While the oblivious citizens lived day by day, eyes fixed on the sky, those inside the palace never looked up—they kept their gaze on the earth beneath their feet.
Their subordinates moved busier than ever, and soon the palace gates swung wide open to welcome the nobles.
“What? The supply route’s been cut?”
Erifoni snapped irritably, flicking out her cigarette.
Eldert nodded awkwardly, and her mouth fell open slightly. The supply convoy wasn’t just any group—it was an elite unit. How could it be cut off so easily?
“Report in detail.”
“The wagon train moving along the lowest path of the Dead Lands was ambushed. Mages spotted their location from the sky and apparently informed reinforcements. We don’t know if those reinforcements were from Klipford or Bariel, as the messenger soldier was watching from quite a distance.”
To prepare for any mishaps, a trailing group followed the convoy from afar. Their job was to return to the homeland and report if supplies were compromised, and they had done so faithfully.
The problem was the distance was too great to determine which direction the wagons took or which nation launched the attack.
Erifoni threw her cigarette to the floor and stood abruptly, stepping close to Eldert and pressing her hand against his chest.
“More unpleasant news for me to hear?”
“…No word yet from other supply routes.”
“If the far end of the Dead Lands has been discovered, the upper parts are obvious. Every last messenger soldier was caught and killed. That’s the only logical conclusion, right?”
“It’s too soon to be certain. The cargo varies, so there are many variables.”
“Unbelievable. What about Bariel? Any news?”
“No, my apologies.”
They had demanded an official statement justifying the unilateral trade suspension, but it was ignored. At first, they thought it was just economic sanctions to prevent war involvement, but seeing the supply route cut off so precisely proved otherwise.
Bariel had blocked the route. That little brat.
“I underestimated him… he’s got a cunning side.”
Erifoni lit a new cigarette, exhaling a sigh of frustration.
If all the supplies were discovered and seized, how could they even calculate the loss? Luswena would have no choice but to respond harshly.
“Summon the mages.”
“That’s the only option, I suppose.”
“Tell them if they refuse, they will pay the price. Before being mages, they are citizens of Luswena. It’s time to act for the nation’s interest. I gave them too much freedom.”
Unlike Bariel, Luswena’s mages lived secluded lives on the outskirts, each pursuing their own research and training.
Luswena regretted the loss of their manpower but had no choice. As an agricultural nation, their priorities differed, and they had no grounds to forcibly mobilize the mages.
“But now…”
There was a justification.
The general in charge of Luswena’s supplies must have revealed his identity and purpose to the enemy, even if it was a lie.
Still, the convoy was annihilated, and Luswena could not stand idly by.
“We will officially dispatch troops. Tell those stationed at the border that reinforcements are coming.”
This might even be a blessing in disguise. For Luswena, the justification was clear, allowing them to enter the war freely without being entangled with Bariel or Burgos.
She tied her long hair into a single braid and nodded.
“I will go with you.”
“Excuse me? Your Highness?”
“You know how temperamental the mages are.”
No matter how justified the cause, the mages would never welcome conscription. That’s why Eriponi had to go in person—to encourage and rally them.
More than anything, she needed to see with her own eyes how the battle in Clifford was unfolding. It would ease her mind.
“Tell them to open the barrier. We’re entering Clifford to investigate the Deadlands.”
Why insist on going through Clifford when they could just return the way they came? From their side, there was no way they’d open the gates—and even if they wanted to, they couldn’t.
And so, war broke out. Like jagged fangs slowly misaligning, then sinking into the nape of the neck—that was the moment history began.
“Oh, and stop making the bows for the Crown Prince.”
“Are you sure? Wouldn’t it be wise to prepare, just in case?”
“Our trade routes are blocked. If we say we couldn’t make them because of that, there’s nothing to argue. In war, the most important things are money and people. We don’t need to waste resources on that now.”
He was a king who loved hunting. She clicked her tongue, still holding her pipe, and walked over to unlatch the bolt. Inside, countless arrows were neatly lined up.
Eriponi stood before a massive golden arrow, as tall as she was, right in the center. She looked up at it, a faint smile playing on her lips—she didn’t look displeased at all.
“Finally, I’ll get to taste a real hunt again.”