Chapter 90: The Weapon Possessed

“Roar...!!”

The Sand Serpent swam effortlessly through the turbulent currents of the Fonein River, seemingly enjoying the challenge.

"You’ve brought something remarkable. What exactly happened in the meantime?"

Suan Hazar looked at Karyl standing atop the serpent's head with a mix of joy and surprise.

"Lord Karyl."

As he spoke, the other two people also bowed their heads.

"You have arrived."

"Master."

Kamma and Dushala were astonished by how much he had changed in just one year.

They say a child grows fast, but... now he even smells like a grown-up man.

Dushala was enthralled by Karyl’s deep, unfathomable eyes.

"Have you been well?" Karyl leapt down from the serpent’s head to stand beside her.

"Ah, yes, of course. I’ve taken care of all the orders you left behind."

Dushala was sure she wasn’t just imagining it. She had been taller than Karyl before he left. Despite his age, Karyl's small stature maintained a childlike aspect about him, no matter how strong he had gotten.

However, without realizing, Dushala blushed at his much-changed appearance.

"You’re still wearing a veil," remarked Karyl.

"Those who work in the shadows shouldn’t reveal their face."

Dushala’s response was smooth, almost rehearsed, but she felt a sense of relief that the veil hid the blushing caused by Karyl, who appeared to be ten years younger than her.

"Let’s hear the report inside."

The Southerners trailed behind Karyl.

"Heh... What kind of experiences change a person so drastically? I almost fell to my knees from sheer awe."

Without realizing it, Kamma was wiping cold sweat from his brow. He hadn’t felt this tense even when fleeing the dukedom.

"Exactly. But seeing him today, I’m sure of one thing."

"What’s that?" Kamma looked at Dushala as he asked.

"He looks like he’s about to make a big impact."

Her face filled with anticipation, she quickly followed behind Karyl.

"The continent is going to be stirred up," Kamma murmured as he watched them go.

***

"I killed a knight."

"...!!!"

"...!!!"

Karyl's statement shocked everyone in the office. They knew he had contracted with the Guidance Mercenary Gangs and had gone to Azor, but they were stunned by his blunt, shocking revelation, delivered without any preamble.

This sentiment was shared by the Beikan group that had followed him from the South.

"What do you mean?!"

"You killed a knight... Which kingdom was it?"

"Were you hurt?"

Suan and the others immediately showered Karyl with questions regarding his killing the knight.

"Was this about the incident at the Abyssal Rock?"

"Why did you act alone, leaving us behind?"

The Southerners felt a bit indignant that Karyl had handled matters without them.

Huh... I knew it.

Only Aidan nodded nonchalantly despite Karyl's bombshell statement.

Yet no one objects to his decision. One wrong move could put their lives in jeopardy.

Who were the people of this free city? Aidan, who had lived among them more than anyone, knew everything there was to know about them.

Though they gathered under the title of administrators, they never encroached on each other's territories and always maintained a precarious relationship, ready to devour each other at any time.

But now, everyone is looking at him.

Their capricious changes were surprising, and at the same time, they made Aidan think,

I wonder if Prince Olivurn could’ve done this...

He pondered as he looked at them.

During his journey to Tatur, he had already decided what he had to do first.

I need to locate Zouk De Holde.

It was crucial to first understand the state of affairs on the continent that had unfolded during his absence.

"..."

Aidan stared intently at Dushala. He was aware of the orders he had received from the Eastern Kingdom. He was to assist Prince Olivurn and to eliminate a target, who was now right in front of him. Oddly, Dushala did not catch his eye.

I must have gone crazy.

Aidan shook his head lightly as he looked at Karyl.

I can somewhat understand why Dushala respects him.

"Aidan will explain the specifics."

"Me? Ah, yes... right," Aidan responded awkwardly, caught off-guard by his name being called.

"We still have time. As it was a surprise attack, it hasn't been publicly disclosed yet. It will take at least a month before the Empire is officially informed. We will prepare the countermeasures within that time."

"Which division are you from?"

"The Ryeo Knights. And with those who were guarding the border missing, the Empire can't easily attack the South. Not until the Blue Knights return, at least."

Karyl pulled the map on the table toward him.

"Hashir, where exactly are the Blue Knights?"

All eyes turned to Hashir, whose face was partly concealed by his hood.

"Most likely near the One-Legged area. If the one in charge is cautious and sees that the Wolf-Fox tribe is missing, he might investigate... Or they could also be a bit further back, near the Twin Rocks.

Hashir casually placed two markers on the map.

"Either place is at most a week's journey away. But what's important isn't just our absence; it’s whether the Blue Knights will return immediately or go further inland to subdue the immigrant tribes."

Karyl nodded at his words. "Are you certain?"

"When I received the report a week ago, they had reached the Wolf-Fox’s tribe. It’s just my estimation, but I believe it’s accurate."

"I see."

Hashir’s words elicited murmurs of astonishment.

Finding out the exact location of the Blue Knights, which had gone to suppress the North, was something not even the Empire could do.

Impressive... To confirm news from the South to the North in just a week... It seems even better than the communication magic used on the continent.

Of course, magic was convenient but not perfect. The most commonly used magic for scouting was the

familiar

. However, maintaining a familiar that could fly from the South to the North placed a tremendous burden on the sorcerer.

Conversely, to use scrying magic, scouts had to physically confirm the target location, which posed its own challenges.

Is this the power of the immigrant tribes...?

But they were different. Sorcery, their special power, was very subtle but could surprisingly accomplish a lot. For one, the Wolf-Fox tribe could handle various animals. They were less likely to be detected by enemies and didn’t use mana.

Karyl thought that the information-gathering skills of these tribes could be useful for Astra, the intelligence agency that Aidan would later establish.

"The leader of the Blue Knights, Kuwell MacGovern, won't change his course until he receives an order from the emperor. It will take at least three months for them to return from the North. But even then, knights who have just returned from a war cannot be redeployed immediately."

Karyl moved a piece on the map.

"Once the Blue Knights return to the Northern defense, there might be a chance to gather the nobles from the Southern border, but unfortunately, there are no reliable people in the South."

Everyone nodded at his words.

The Duke of Vestal, who led the Wisteria Knights of the Southern defense, was regrettably not suited for combat, even though he was a captain.

He's not cut out to be a knight. He's only in that position because he's the empress' brother. All he knows how to do is lock the door and ensure his own safety.

Aside from the Digon tribe, there was no concern about the Southern region.

"It's not that we lack forces; we lack a commander."

"Exactly. And now, with the princes contesting for the throne, the knight orders are already divided. If there's anyone who can move..."

Karyl grasped a red piece set up at the imperial palace on the map.

"It would be Jarvant of the Red Knights."

"The... the one who was with Prince Olivurn?"

"Correct. You remember."

Recalling the events in the Piasta prison, Suan chuckled softly.

"But it will be difficult. As you've seen, Jarvant is on Olivurn's side. Even if it's the emperor's command, Luon wouldn't let someone from Olivurn's faction gain any more accomplishments, especially in the South, given that the Blue Knights have already been dispatched to the North."

"What about the possibility of Luon's forces moving?"

"If the Wisteria Knights are directly commanded by Prince Luon, it’s possible, given that the Duke of Vestal is on Luon's side. But..."

Karyl moved all the knights' pieces on the map toward the palace.

"The emperor won't move. Or rather, he won’t be able to."

"What do you mean?"

"Why...?"

As everyone cast him quizzical looks, Karyl paused momentarily. The knowledge he was about to share was known only to him.

The future had already shifted into an unpredictable direction, but some things never changed. Certain factors were beyond humans’ control, such as one’s life expectancy.

The reason the Empire can't act for a while is that the current emperor, Titan Shutean, is seriously ill and his days are numbered.

Nobody would know this, except for a few high-ranking nobles; it was a secret kept within the Empire. Even those nobles didn't know exactly when the emperor would die—only Karyl did.

In a month's time, the emperor would entrust his body to the Church for treatment. It was a futile effort, but thanks to that, the Church’s power would grow rapidly. This was also why the fanatics of Wooden Cloud would later come to power; it was because of the foundation of the Church established by the emperor.

We can put aside the Church issue for now. The emperor's absence will halt any imperial campaigns, and the princes will be busy building their own forces during this time.

They had about six months.

The clash between Prince Luon's and Prince Olivurn's factions will take place when the Empire is most vulnerable and at its weakest.

That was when they would strike.

"We will execute our plan to coincide with the Blue Knights' return."

"Understood."

"Yes."

Everyone acknowledged Karyl’s command.

The two princes were expanding their power, and Karyl considered it necessary to gather more forces to match those two.

The power I lack...

Despite having tens of thousands of troops from the Southern and Northern immigrants, they were qualitatively inferior to the Empire's forces.

The difference in strength was due to one thing only—magic. After all, there was only so much troops could do without mana. That was why Karyl had entrusted the training of sorcerers to Thompson in Azor, but the scope of what a single guild could do was naturally limited.

However...

Karyl smiled faintly.

There was the first arrangement he had made upon leaving Tatur. And now, as he returned here, it was also the part he anticipated the most.

If there are no sorcerers, I will create them.

Karyl had a unique weapon that neither the Empire nor any principality possessed—the

Kadhium Mana Mine