Chapter 615

As the Bariel soldiers entered the walls of Kalamath Castle, they lifted their heads high. The towering height of the distant royal palace was staggering. It stood grandly atop a steep incline, as if reaching for the sky itself. It was clear that not only foreign invaders but even the footsteps of the people rarely made it here with ease.

“Push! Harder, push harder!”

“It’d be better to split the load and go up in shifts!”

“More coming up from behind! Don’t stop now!”

At the palace’s entrance path, the soldiers were sweating as they pushed from behind the wagon. How on earth did the Burgos palace manage its supply chain? The wagon, pulled by two horses, rattled precariously as it inched forward, step by step.

“Hah.”

“Aerin, you okay?”

“Yes, I can manage.”

Supporting the wagon with her back, Aerin took in the sprawling view of Kalamath below. Beyond the breath of fresh air, her impression was succinct.

‘Barren.’

It looked like a tangled mess of withered, blackened vines. Not quite dead, but barely clinging to life. What she had sensed upon entering the castle gates was now unmistakably clear.

“That Damon bastard’s personality is as twisted as I thought… no wonder, living in a place like this. Has he ever even stepped outside?”

“Captain Akorella, stop grumbling and put more strength into it. You’re leaning too much on your side.”

“What can I do? The wagon’s heavy.”

“With the captain’s magic, we can move it easily. That’s what the horses are for.”

“Beric! Beric! Earn your keep! Something’s rolling down there!”

“Do you think I’m some kind of dog? The guy down there can pick it up!”

“Ugh! Hurry up!”

“There are things we’re leaving down there anyway! Tell them to wedge it in!”

The large wagon and important supplies were being moved by mages and magic swordsmen. It was clear why Lady Danit and the royalist leaders had set up camp on the outskirts of Kalamath. For anyone but mages, the journey was too arduous.

Ian, who had been observing the entire formation from above, turned his head at a sound. The palace’s main gates swung wide open.

“Welcome.”

The royalist leaders came out personally to greet the Bariel soldiers. Those who had reached the flat ground wiped their sweat in relief, while those still facing the uphill path gritted their teeth and pulled the ropes tighter.

“We’ve been waiting. Where is His Majesty the Emperor?”

“He’s on his way up, but first, he wants to inspect the interior.”

“Of course. This way, please.”

“Imperial Guards, forward.”

They needed to assess the palace’s layout first. At Ian’s signal, the guards swiftly entered the palace.

Beric was among them.

“Alright!”

“Beric, you crazy fool! You’re too heavy!”

As Beric dropped what he was carrying and dashed off, a flood of scolding followed.

Swish.

The mages also flew in, following the magic swordsmen to check for any traps or dangers.

The vast banquet hall felt cold, perhaps because the floor, walls, and ceiling were all marble. It was more than just clean—it was empty, devoid of any decoration.

“Just to clarify, even during the civil war, the palace was well preserved.”

Jorge, the leader of the royalists, added this. He said that despite ten years passing, it hadn’t been looted. He went on to say that the aesthetic of emptiness was a tradition passed down through the Rankvis family.

Ian slowly walked along, looking at the portraits of kings hanging on the walls. At the very end hung a rather youthful portrait of Damon Rankvis.

“…When His Majesty arrives, we will tidy up the surroundings briefly before convening the meeting.”

The Damon Ian had seen at the Bariel mage tower felt quite different. Ian muttered, gazing up at the portrait’s mysterious violet eyes.

“The first matter to discuss will be the distribution of mana stones.”

“The distribution of mana stones?”

Jorge repeated, surprised by the unexpected topic.

Bariel had taken the Burgos capital, Kalamath, without bloodshed, and everyone was sharpening their knives over the new dynasty to be established. Yet the first topic was mana stones? Jorge clearly didn’t understand why that was the priority.

“Are you familiar with the long-standing construction project of the magic department’s annex?”

“Yes, I’ve heard of it.”

There were rumors that the Emperor was pushing the annex’s construction to strengthen his control. But it was vague, secondhand information.

“His Majesty, and even I as the Minister of Magic, have been dedicated to this project for nearly ten years. But the civil war in Burgos halted mana stone trade, so construction is currently suspended.”

Jorge’s eyes lit up as he listened. He sensed the Minister of Magic was dropping a meaningful hint to the royalists.

The first thing Bariel demanded from Burgos was mana stones. After a moment’s thought, Jorge spoke.

“The war stopped mining, but we also need to reestablish ownership of the mines. Especially since many soldiers have passed through the mines near Kalamath over the past decade. We’ll notify the mine owners on our side. Mana stones, you say… exactly what kind do you need?”

“Akorella.”

“Yes! Yes! Right away!”

Akorella, who had been standing a little apart, immediately flew over as if she had heard a ghost. She pulled out a few sheets of paper and began reciting rapidly.

“To start with the grades, the highest rarity, type 1, is the most urgent. It’s tricky to mine, so it takes time. It’s called Erectosia 12.1—originally 12—but the ones from Burgos have higher volatility—”

“Hand it over.”

Jorge, sensing Akorella was about to go on too long, snatched the papers. Instead of the stone names, he first checked the locations of the deposits.

“One type of mid-grade mana stone is stored within my domain.”

“Really? That’s great! Let’s go mine it immediately!”

“As for the high-grade stones… hmm. We’ll have to check, but I expect they’re probably abandoned wastelands. There was a landslide nearby a few years ago, and it hasn’t been restored yet.”

“We’ll discuss the details at the meeting. Anything else we should know?”

Akorella clenched her fists and leaned in, but was thoroughly ignored. Her lively eyes gradually flickered with irritation.

Sensing her sudden anger, her subordinates cautiously edged closer, ready to intervene if needed.

“Besides the mana stone issue, His Majesty has no special messages. If anything is decided before the meeting, we’ll inform you.”

“Understood. We’re using the East Wing, so please let us know if anything comes up.”

“But…”

Jorge hesitated and glanced back.

“How are the people of Kalamath reacting?”

“Reacting?”

Ian asked, and Jorge laughed.

As before, they had no choice. How could those living off the land influence the tidal wave of history? He shook his head, as if to say there was nothing to worry about.

“No need to concern yourself. Well then.”

With that, Jorge left.

Akorella watched his retreating figure with sparkling eyes. Moments after he disappeared around the corner, she whispered through clenched teeth.

“That guy’s got no manners. And he’s kind of dumb, too.”

What was Bariel’s justification for declaring war on Burgos? It was to eliminate Rutherford, the core of the anti-royalist faction. Bariel had succeeded, swiftly clearing the northern region and entering the capital.

“Shouldn’t the first meeting be about what to do with the remaining anti-royalist forces in the north, and how to deal with the resulting bandit problem? That needs to be settled before rebuilding the country. Idiots.”

“Judging by his comments on the right to execute Rutherford, he’s not completely clueless. But from what he just said, he seems to think a leaderless populace is powerless.”

“Still, he’s incredibly oblivious. Maybe it’s because he’s been without a superior for so long?”

“Captain Akorella, you were like that before Ian came along.”

“Shut up, Kook! I’ll kill you.”

Putting the mana stone issue first, ahead of other important matters, was because those others were destined to die out anyway. Ownership and mining status could be quickly and reliably confirmed through the officials.

“Ian, now that I think about it, wouldn’t it be better if a fool like that became king of Burgos? They share a border, and if Burgos grows too strong, it could be a problem.”

“You might think that, but there’s a limit to foolishness. When someone who doesn’t understand themselves or others holds power, it only leads to trouble.”

If the Emperor left Burgos and Bariel’s attention turned to Toalun, the actions of the Yetchi would become unpredictable. It was better to have the Horlin family, who understood the situation well and had relatives in Bariel, as the rightful rulers.

Ian checked the study drawers one by one, wondering if there was anything else, but they were all empty.

“Ian, His Majesty the Emperor will arrive at the palace soon.”

“Understood. Let’s do a final check. Have you received the palace blueprints?”

“Yes, I examined them thoroughly as soon as we entered. No issues.”

“Split into two teams and search thoroughly. There has to be a secret passage or hidden space somewhere. Akorella, secure the perimeter.”

“Yes, sir! You guys are doing great!”

“Uh-oh. Captain, you really shouldn’t say things like that.”

Soon, the emperor’s soldiers surged into the inner palace. Xiaosi gave Ian a slight bow, and Ian returned a nod, gently ruffling his hair as he passed by.

Tap, tap, tap!

Xiaosi and his men quickly began mapping out the interior, focusing on the East Wing where the royalist leaders were stationed.

“Search every inch.”

“Yes, Commander Xiaosi!”

Amid the bustling soldiers, Xiaosi slowly made his way toward the reception room. Without hesitation, he flung the door open. The royalist leaders, sitting on sofas and smoking cigarettes, turned around with puzzled expressions.

“W-what’s the meaning of this?”

“…”

Their obvious discomfort made it clear they had been discussing something related to Bariel.

Xiaosi quickly scanned the faces inside the room. One, two, three, four. Where were the others?

“We’re conducting a precautionary inspection in case of any unforeseen events. Apologies for the intrusion.”

“Ahem. Now, listen here. There’s no way we’d be hiding troops in a place like this. Next time, at least give us a heads-up!”

“…Where are the others?”

“Not sure exactly, but they’re probably somewhere in the East Wing. By the way, what’s your position?”

“…My apologies. Please, carry on.”

“W-wait—!”

Xiaosi closed the door without answering their questions. Some of them scowled, but there was nothing they could do.

“I heard there are seven leaders in total, but three are missing. Find them.”

“Yes, Commander Xiaosi.”

They’re somewhere in the East Wing, then.

Xiaosi followed the sounds down to the lower level of the East Wing, where he soon spotted a group of soldiers moving supplies. Just as he was about to pass them—

“Hold on a second. Let me through.”

He heard Chloe’s voice.

Chloe carefully twisted her body to squeeze through the narrow space, arms crossed, her cautious movements catching Xiaosi’s full attention.

She’s been a constant source of curiosity. Xiaosi quickly followed her and soon spotted her meeting with someone.

‘…That person is—’

“Oh! What’s going on here?”

“Wait, just a moment…”

“Okay! I always admire someone with a spirit of challenge. Come over here.”

To his surprise, it was Akorella.