Chapter 117

Chapter 117
## Chapter 117

Lucian maintained a quiet gaze on Rotier.

A knight’s pledge of allegiance was a binding contract that could not be retracted once voiced. Because the declaration had been made, it could be accepted as a genuine, unpolished expression of his intent.

Still, there was a significant hurdle to simply taking the man’s oath at face value.

“Do you not already serve a master to whom you have dedicated your sword, Sir Knight?”

As the leader of the garrison overseeing a territory under the Crown’s direct administration, Rotier would have pledged his life to the Emperor long before Lucian ever crossed his path. For him to redirect that devotion now was no small matter.

“It strikes me as peculiar. Does a warrior of your station possess the right to abandon his post on a whim? My understanding of chivalry is that so long as a lord fulfills his end of the bargain, a knight must remain steadfast in his service.”

In response to Lucian’s frigid tone, Rotier let out a heavy, weighted breath.

“Am I found wanting in your eyes, Your Highness?”

“Address my inquiry first.”

“Your Highness, I am a man of simple martial focus, largely ignorant of the shifting winds of politics or the intricacies of governance. Yet, even one as unlearned as I can sense the direction of the tide when it reaches this height.”

“What is the point you are making?”

“Has His Majesty… truly departed this world?”

Under normal circumstances, a knight would never dare speak of their sovereign’s demise. Merely suggesting the possibility was viewed as a grave sign of irreverence. When the figure in question was the Emperor himself, such a blunt question was nearly unthinkable.

*He must be truly cornered,* Lucian realized.

After a moment of reflection, Lucian chose transparency. Since he intended to resolve all lingering tensions here, there was little use in maintaining secrets.

“I cannot say with absolute certainty. As you are aware, reports from the capital are slow to reach the Northern reaches. However, he appeared to be in a state of extreme fragility when I last stood before him.”

“It is as I feared…”

Rotier’s expression grew somber. He had braced for this news, but hearing Lucian’s account seemed to solidify his darkest suspicions. Steeling his resolve, Rotier lowered his head even further in a deep bow.

“If the Emperor has passed, then I am currently a man without a master. I have completed my obligations to him, and thus, I seek to dedicate myself to a new lord.”

“Do the First and Second Princes not remain?”

“If Their Highnesses had any use for me, they would have dispatched an envoy long ago. Given the total silence, it appears they have wiped my very name from their memory.”

In all honesty, it wasn’t a matter for bitterness. The Imperial Family employed a vast number of knights in Tivron. For a Prince to recall the name of a minor captain who hadn’t even reached the rank of Knight Commander would be an inheritance of honor for a family.

The true issue was Rotier’s current predicament—abandoned in a desolate borderland, with all lines of communication to the Crown severed. With no one to advocate for them and having failed even to maintain their original station, who would bother with them? By the time the political storm in the capital cleared, their official roles would likely have been abolished.

“Furthermore, as a captain, I hold the burden of my men’s lives. How could I desert the brothers-in-arms I’ve bled with all these years just to preserve a shred of personal pride?”

“Listening to you, one might think we were standing in the heart of a war zone.”

“Life itself is a struggle for survival, so there is no distinction. Whether a man perishes wandering the streets starving or dies with a blade through his chest on a field of battle, the end is the same.”

If the garrison dissolved and they lost their means of sustenance, Rotier viewed that as his ultimate failure. Indirectly, he was offering their swords in exchange for the wages necessary for the guards to survive.

Confronted with this blunt but sincere admission, Lucian voiced his own reservations.

“I find it difficult to place my confidence in you. Your conduct up to this point has been remarkably lackluster and resistant.”

“I offer no defense. It is exactly as you describe.”

“Additionally, there is no guarantee the two Princes have truly disregarded you. In the most cynical scenario, you might find yourself attempting to serve two opposing masters.”

“That possibility also exists.”

“Then consider this. If one of the Princes decides to hold me to account—if they accuse me of being a predator who coerced your loyalty—how do you plan to respond?”

It was a common tactic to squeeze a vow of fealty from a skilled person who was cornered and without options. While Rotier wasn’t a once-in-a-century genius, in the theater of politics, any convenient narrative could be spun. If they used Rotier’s oath as a weapon to stifle Lucian’s expanding prestige, it would create a significant problem.

“You would lose nothing. You would simply return to your former patron, likely with better standing than before. But I would be branded a dishonorable man who stole a knight from his rightful lord.”

“Should such a day come, I will proclaim Your Highness’s lack of guilt with my own breath.”

“Then you would be seen as a traitor who betrayed his oaths, and your lineage’s reputation would be dragged through the dirt.”

“If I pay for the transgression with my own life, my family name will be spared. For the fault would lie solely with me.”

“…!”

Lucian observed Rotier with a hint of astonishment. He questioned if the man was merely posturing, but seeing his steady, unmoving face, it was clear he was speaking from the heart.

*I must respect his devotion to duty.*

Rotier wasn’t a profound thinker or a man of immense intellect, nor did he have world-shaking talents. Yet, he didn’t seem the sort to betray a promise once his word was given. Even if the future grew dark, he would likely shoulder the consequences himself and depart.

After a brief pause, Lucian decided to address the most pressing practical matter.

“First… let us examine this defensive mechanism you unearthed.”

—

Rotier dutifully guided Lucian to the protection device he had stumbled upon. Even though Lucian hadn’t given a formal ‘yes,’ the gesture was effectively a sign of tentative acceptance.

When they reached the mechanism, Lucian’s brows knit together.

“Is this not the same warding device I observed previously?”

Situated on the parapets of the inner fortress to the north, it was a magical construct made of several interlocking segments forming a globe. To an untrained eye, it looked like an odd piece of art, but it was actually the core that powered the barrier of Asagrim.

“Do you recall the method of activation?”

“Naturally.”

“Then, would you be so kind as to show me?”

Though a bit confused, Lucian moved toward the machine as Rotier invited. He slid a piece that sat higher than the rest into place, and with a mechanical snap, the device began to pulse.

*Vroooooom—*

“It’s a blessing that the civilians haven’t arrived in large numbers yet.”

Lucian made a clicking sound with his tongue as the machine hummed vibrantly, casting a shimmering layer of energy. It was undeniably effective, but the noise was so intrusive that any assailant would be alerted instantly. A minor stir rose from the direction of the White Palace, but since the residents had witnessed this before, it didn’t trigger a panic.

“There, the task is finished.”

“Excellent. Now, watch me.”

Rotier moved to Lucian’s side and began to tinker with the mechanism. Instead of standard operation, his actions were so forceful it looked as though he was trying to dismantle it.

“Careful, if you damage it…”

“It will hold.”

*Clack, screeeech.*

Dismissing Lucian’s anxiety, Rotier continued to adjust the sphere. The individual components began to shift in multiple directions like a complex puzzle. At the same time, the energy field surrounding Asagrim began to warp.

*Crackle!*

“…!?”

The warding field erupted with a sound like lightning splitting timber. Looking closer, violet sparks were dancing all across the perimeter of Asagrim. As Lucian watched the transformation in shock, Rotier provided a calm narration.

“This machine doesn’t just produce a wall to stop intruders. Its attributes shift based on how the segments are aligned. Now that I have shifted its state, anyone who makes contact with the field will be incinerated on the spot.”

“How did you discover this? It looks like a setting one would only find by being rough enough to break the thing.”

“I actually slammed it against the stones hoping to smash it, but it remained intact; only the nature of the field changed. After a few more attempts to break it failed, I figured I should just learn how to use it properly.”

“…”

Lucian stared at Rotier with a look of pure exhaustion. The man had tried to wreck a high-tier magical engine, seemingly oblivious to the risk of it blowing up in his face. He must have been truly rattled by the revelation that Asagrim was once far more advanced than Tivron.

“Now, my contribution is complete.”

Having finished the tutorial on the machine’s hidden settings, Rotier faced Lucian. He was signaling that his worth had been demonstrated, and now the choice to either cast him out or hire him rested solely with Lucian.

Lucian shut down the field and looked Rotier directly in the eyes.

“Rotier Termann, you are now a knight under my banner, and the men you lead are now my subordinates. As your superior, I vow to provide the standing and support you deserve.”

“I am honored, Your Highness! I will give you my life and my loyalty!”

Rotier dropped to one knee and called out in a shaking voice. His tone carried the heavy relief of a man who had been pulled back from the precipice of ruin.

Watching him, Lucian began to strategize.

*Now, where is the best place to station these men?*

Rotier wasn’t a legendary hero, but he was a veteran with decades of practical knowledge. In a period where every resource was stretched thin, there was certainly a gap he could fill. After all, if they were drawing a paycheck, they needed to earn it.

—

Lucian opted to transition the Asagrim Guard into a local constabulary for the time being. He was in dire need of a group to manage the social order for the commoners expected to arrive, and these men were the ideal choice.

*They are familiar with every shadow and alley of Asagrim far better than I am.*

These were soldiers who had spent years patrolling Asagrim to ward off trespassers. Rotier, their leader, had even managed to find a warding engine hidden in plain sight. Whether dealing with petty thieves or foreign infiltrators, they were more than capable if given the order.

Once the logistics were settled, Lucian opened the gates of Asagrim to the public.

“Mercy, it’s gorgeous! The stories the pilgrims told were true!”

“I never dreamed I’d get to stand this close to the White Palace…”

“Darling, what was our target price for the shop once we settle in?”

“Keep it down! Why are you shouting about business where everyone can overhear!”

“I had my doubts, but looking at this crowd, I could start trading today.”

Even though the city currently lived off its fame, no one appeared concerned. The reputation of the Holy Land of the North held a hypnotic quality that pulled people in. However, that charm would evaporate quickly once the reality of living in an unfinished city set in.

To prevent that, Lucian allocated his reserves and pushed forward with the urban development schemes.

“What is the status of the merchant caravan we were expecting?”

“They are set to pull in tomorrow. Other groups are reported to be arriving in sequence after them.”

“Excellent. Ensure the flow of goods is constant until we can establish a permanent market district.”

“However, a few of the larger merchant groups have asked for exclusive trade monopolies…”

“Are they out of their minds? Inform them to drop the subject if they value their lives.”

As Lucian worked through the massive pile of paperwork, his hand-picked staff had to labor without pause. The team handling the interior ministry and tax records worked through several nights in a row, unable to find a moment for sleep.

“See here, why does the census data not align with the tax revenue?”

“It’s unavoidable! The influx of new residents lately has been staggering!”

“Don’t tell me it’s unavoidable! You should have integrated them into the data immediately!”

“Stop talking nonsense! I’m already drowning because we don’t have enough staff!”

“…Let’s take this to His Highness and get authorization for more clerks. Or perhaps summon some help from the old lands.”

The frantic pace for both the ruler and the ruled persisted for three months. Fortunately, after that quarter passed, the mountain of work began to level off, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath.

Because everything was being built from scratch, the oversight required was immense, but the administration remained honest. There were occasional errors, but zero instances of theft or bribery, so once the systems were in place, the machinery of state began to hum.

*Still, at this pace, finding mages before the year ends will be a challenge.*

No matter how vital the study of magic was, it couldn’t take priority over the people who formed the backbone of the territory. Magic development could only truly commence once the population was stable, but the road there was proving to be a long one.

Just as an exhausted Lucian leaned back in his chair with a weary grin, there was a knock.

“Your Highness.”

“Colin? What news do you have?”

Colin, the Chief Mage, entered the room with a look of intense focus. Initially, Lucian assumed he had made a breakthrough in the ancient texts found in the vault. However, Colin’s report was something entirely unexpected.

“A peer of mine from my days of study has arrived to seek an audience with Your Highness.”

“What? A fellow student?”

“Yes. Her name is Helen, a practitioner of the Celestial School like myself, though her specialty lies in the art of astrology.”

At the mention of astrology, Lucian couldn’t help but blink in surprise. What he required was hard magical research, not the reading of stars and fortunes.