Chapter 294. I Have to Get Stronger (3)

It had already been a full year since Caron Leston unexpectedly began his stay at Azureocean Castle when a certain guest arrived.

The visitor was none other than Baron Rohan Belrus, a neighboring noble of the Leston Duchy who had recently been gaining significant political clout.

He was the first noble Caron had built a relationship with—his fate had drastically changed thanks to Caron. Rohan was now one of the most prominent pro-Leston figures in the aristocracy.

"Is Caron still immersed in sword training, my lord?" Rohan asked politely.

"Regrettably, yes," Fayle answered with a soft smile. "He suddenly locked himself in the mana cultivation chamber last month and hasn't come out since."

Ever since Caron saved the Belrus territory from deserters disguised as bandits, Baron Rohan had offered his unwavering support. He had since launched several joint ventures with the Ducal Family of Leston and formed a strong, mutually beneficial alliance. Even in the political arena, Rohan had been tirelessly expanding the influence of the Leston faction, standing at the forefront of their growth.

Such loyalty was welcomed.

"This is surprising," Rohan said after sipping his tea and flashing a faint smile. "From what I know of Caron, I would have expected him to be scheming up some excuse to slip outside the castle."

"He's the kind of boy who can wait patiently—if it's for something he truly wants," Fayle pointed out.

"I've said this before, but... I truly envy you, having a son like him," Rohan said.

"At least he's not causing trouble these days," Fayle said with a chuckle.

"Is that so?" Rohan asked, then laughed lightly.

Plenty had happened over the past year while Caron remained in Azureocean Castle.

Most notably, there was the First Continental Peace Summit, hosted personally by Emperor Revelio. But to speak of its outcome, calling it a success would be a stretch.

"His Majesty must be deeply troubled," Rohan said with a sigh.

"It was... a half-success," Fayle admitted.

"No one expected the conflicts between the southern kingdoms to be resolved in a single stroke. And with the Free City Union and the various non-human races—of course, their interests were bound to clash," Rohan said.

The kings from the southern kingdoms had spent much of the conference shouting at one another, and in the end, most left seething with rage.

The King of the Zion Kingdom, in particular, had left a stain on the event by unleashing a barrage of slurs against the orcs and elves.

"Savage beasts like you have no right to meddle in the affairs of humankind!"

The First Continental Peace Summit had been held exactly six months after Caron began his seclusion. But in the end, the gathering failed to narrow the rift between the major powers. Emperor Revelio had paid a heavy price in stress and political capital for his efforts.

Still, it hadn't been a complete waste. The Second Continental Peace Summit had already been confirmed.

"His Majesty never expected all tensions to be resolved in one go," Fayle said. "My father was the same."

"Is that so?" Rohan asked.

"Just getting those warmongers to pretend to talk to one another was already a meaningful step. The world rarely moves as quickly as we want it to," Fayle explained.

"And what did Caron think of the outcome?" Rohan asked

"He just laughed. As if he'd expected it all along," Fayle answered.

"...He just laughed," Rohan repeated.

"It was a chilling kind of laugh. The kind that sends a shiver down your spine," Fayle said with a dry chuckle.

"Hmm..." Rohan smiled faintly and nodded.

This so-called Continental Peace Summit—absurd as it may have sounded—had Caron's influence all over it. Perhaps Emperor Revelio had pushed it forward publicly, but without Caron's efforts, the conference would never have even taken place.

And yet, even though the event ended in discord, Caron had simply laughed.

So he got the justification he needed, then,

Rohan thought.

That was the only explanation that made sense. Rohan, who understood Caron's personality better than most, had no trouble reading the intent behind that quiet laugh.

"Could it be... that he's simply crafted a legal excuse to beat down the unruly ones?" Rohan asked cautiously.

Fayle let out a soft chuckle, clearly impressed, then replied, "Indeed. You truly do understand Caron well."

"You flatter me," Rohan replied with a modest smile.

"Well, the empire is currently focused on developing the northwest anyway, so His Majesty doesn't have much time to dwell on disappointment. Why do you think the Second Peace Summit was scheduled for next year?" Fayle asked.

It was set for exactly two years after Caron had gone into seclusion—perfectly aligned with the date he had promised to return. There was no way Emperor Revelio had chosen that timing by accident.

"Ah... So even His Majesty is keeping Caron's return in mind," Rohan murmured.

"I hesitate to say this myself," Fayle said, "but the day Caron returns... The continent will surely be shaken."

"Is that so?" Rohan asked.

"These days, I almost feel sorry for my older brothers. After sparring with Caron, they come back looking half-dead. Honestly, if Saintess Seria weren't at Azureocean Castle, they might have already died," Fayle explained.

He couldn't say for certain just how powerful Caron had become. But judging by the pitiful state his brothers returned in after each training session, he could make a good guess. With each passing day, his brothers came back more broken than before.

According to Commander Zerath, both brothers had been growing at an incredible pace—something they themselves found hard to believe—but not even they could keep up with Caron's progress.

The vivid tone in Fayle's voice sent a chill down Rohan's spine.

"Just hearing it is enough to give me goosebumps," Rohan said.

"Now, shall we return to the topic of the Northwest Development Project?" Fayle asked.

"The shortage of construction materials is being covered through imports from the Zion Kingdom. It seems they're the biggest beneficiaries of this new mood of reconciliation. However, Lord Fayle—may I ask something? About the Northwest Development... I've heard the roads are being prioritized. Is there another goal behind that?" Rohan asked.

Fayle responded with a knowing smile, then said, "You've already guessed, haven't you? We're preparing to expand supply lines to the North Sea."

"So the ultimate goal is the Demon Realm," Rohan said.

"Indeed. We plan to build a massive port on the North Sea and connect it with rail lines from across the empire," Fayle replied.

"No wonder the railroad construction has been advancing at such a breakneck pace," Rohan said.

The so-called "Northwest Development Project" was a joint endeavor between Emperor Revelio and the Ducal Family of Leston, one they'd poured immense effort into.

The region had long been neglected by the empire, but in recent times, it had seen transformative changes.

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The nobles from the northwest—previously stranded on the fringes of political power—were now being gradually integrated into the central aristocracy through this project.

Revelio, ever shrewd, used them to balance out the influence of the old noble houses.

With the Ducal Family of Leston and the northwest aristocrats behind him, Revelio had become a master of political maneuvering. He made the most efficient use of the Ducal Family of Leston's sway.

The political landscape had shifted dramatically in just one year.

"With His Majesty working so diligently, there's no need for concern," Fayle said.

It was likely that Revelio's newfound vigor stemmed from one simple desire...

To avoid getting beaten up by Caron,

Fayle thought.

All this effort was, in some sense, a defense mechanism against Caron's notorious temperament.

And Fayle was no different.

"Regarding the railroads," Fayle continued, "Research suggests we could speed up construction by employing non-humans—such as dwarves or orcs."

"Oh? Would that really be feasible?" Rohan asked.

"We'd need to provide proper compensation, of course. If we hope to mend the old grievances between humans and the other races, there's no other way," Fayle answered.

"It's an excellent plan. The House of Belrus will offer its full support. Shall we start sketching out the framework?" Rohan asked.

"Let's do that," Fayle replied.

While Caron remained secluded within Azureocean Castle, those around him moved forward with single-minded determination.

I can't let my son scold us later,

Fayle thought.

At the front of that charge was none other than Fayle himself.

A father's duty was to pave the way for his son's path—and Fayle intended to make it solid and unstoppable.

***

While Rohan Belrus was meeting with Fayle, in a secluded annex of Azureocean Castle deep within the forest, a man was speaking with Caron inside the mana cultivation chamber.

"The equipment you ordered is mostly finished," the man reported. "They're asking how you'd like to receive it."

"Have them send it straight to Azureocean Castle," Caron replied calmly.

"...You do realize transporting this isn't exactly easy, right? We're talking about gear crafted from dragon bone and Raelium. Each piece is a treasure in itself," the man said.

"We don't have any spare forces left in the Oceanwolf Knight Order, do we?" Caron asked.

"There's been a surge of demonic monsters crawling out of the North Sea. Even our reserve troops have been deployed there," the man answered.

Caron took a sip of water and looked at the man, his cousin Hugo. He said, "Then there's no helping it. I'll assign the Avengers to escort the delivery."

"You're not going in person?" Hugo asked.

"No. I'm staying here until the two years are up. Besides, I had those weapons made for the Avengers anyway," Caron replied.

"...Well, they're certainly reliable, even if I'm not comfortable with them," Hugo said.

"What's uncomfortable about it?" Caron asked with a raised brow.

"Come on, they used to be Death Knights. It's a bit unsettling, isn't it?" Hugo asked.

"You've got more prejudice in you than I thought, Hugo. How are we supposed to build the empire His Majesty envisions with that kind of thinking? You should be helping your brother-in-law," Caron said.

The engagement between Revelio and Leon had been a success. But at the mention of Revelio, Hugo let out a long sigh and shook his head.

"Why does it always have to be me? Can't you send Leo instead?" he asked.

"Leo's out of commission—he's got a week-long injury," Caron answered.

"How'd that happen?" Hugo asked.

"He took my sword head-on," Caron said, shrugging. "He should've dodged smartly, but he just charged in. If you don't want the job, I could always ask our uncles..."

"No, no, I'll do it," Hugo said.

Over the past year, the hierarchy at Azureocean Castle had undergone a major shift.

The top spot was still firmly held by Duke Halo Leston. That hadn't changed. But the position of second-in-command was another story.

It should've gone to the heir, but everyone living at Azureocean Castle now considered Caron the de facto number two.

The reason was simple. Any of Halo's sons who could have claimed that title got beaten to a pulp by Caron on a near-daily basis. And Halo, for his part, watched it all unfold with great satisfaction.

Still, everyone's gotten a lot stronger,

Hugo thought, nodding to himself.

Thanks to Caron's efforts, both his father's and uncle's swordsmanship had evolved dramatically. Each of them had developed their own signature techniques, and Hugo had seen their destructive power firsthand.

The bitter rivalry between Dales and Raphael over succession had long since vanished. Rumor had it the two even shared drinks together these days.

All because a common enemy had emerged—Caron.

"Hugo, let me ask you something honestly," Caron said, tossing his sweat-drenched black shirt onto the ground and rolling his shoulders. "You're happy about getting to meet the dwarves, aren't you?"

"...I'll admit it," Hugo said.

There was nothing appealing about staying at Azureocean Castle.

Caron, that lunatic, had made it his mission to challenge every single person there. And he showed no mercy to anyone bearing the Leston name.

Just last week, Hugo had sparred with Caron and ended up unconscious. So he didn't hesitate.

"Thanks," Hugo said.

He wasn't sure whether to be grateful that the architect of this hell was also the one letting him out of it—but either way, it felt good.

At least he wouldn't have to spar with Caron again for a while. That lunatic had been sharpening every sword in Azureocean Castle as if war was on the horizon.

"I'll send fifty Avengers with you. Is that enough?" Caron asked.

"More than enough," Hugo answered.

The Avengers—once Death Knights Caron had subdued—had changed a lot in the past year. Caron had not only been training the castle's forces. He had personally refined the Avengers as well.

They were an elite unit, obeying Caron and Caron alone. They received his personal instruction in swordsmanship, and he helped them build up immense mana reserves.

As a result, the Avengers had become a force that could no longer be ignored.

Each of them had once been a famed knight from the southern kingdoms—powerful warriors in their own right. Now, dressed in gear forged from dragon bone and Raelium, they would be an immortal, terrifying army.

"You've worked hard, Hugo. Enjoy yourself while you're out. Maybe stop by Thebe and relax for a bit. Oh, and take this," Caron said as he handed Hugo a black card.

Hugo's eyes widened when he recognized it.

"This is..." he trailed off.

"An unlimited spending pass," Caron said with a grin. "You're doing me a favor, so use it all you want."

"...You're the best! I'll go pack right now!" Hugo exclaimed happily. He grabbed the card and practically bolted out of the room.

Caron watched his cousin's retreating figure and let out a small chuckle. He wondered, "Was he really that happy?"

Guillotine answered in his mind,

"Of course. Who wouldn't be happy escaping from a lunatic? I envy him, honestly."

Sometimes, rest was necessary. The people of the Ducal Family of Leston had endured a grueling year.

"I'm still not satisfied, though..." Caron murmured, smacking his lips.

The family's overall combat power had improved drastically. From the Elders to his uncles, everyone had recovered enough of their instincts that they could be deployed to the front lines and produce results immediately.

And that wasn't all.

"I think I'm finally grasping something," Caron added.

Somewhere along the way, he'd begun to see the shape of enlightenment. He wasn't at 9-Star yet, but he felt he might just be able to conquer all eight seas soon.

Everything was unfolding according to plan.

Caron smirked and sat down on the floor. Slowly, he closed his eyes.

Whoosh!

A fierce sea surged into being, radiating out from his body. Waves of mana crashed and spread outward, swallowing everything in their path.

Soon, Caron poured every ounce of his focus into that ocean. Before long, the entire chamber was brimming with his mana.

***

And so, time continued to pass. Caron Leston remained at Azureocean Castle not for the promised two years, but for three.

He was twenty years old.