KakaoPage
The Golden Age, when humanity dared to challenge the authority of the gods, had long fallen.
Through the Sacred Age, the Dark Age, and the Age of Savagery, the tides of history turned once more, bringing forth a new era heralding the rebirth of civilization and culture.
This era, often compared to the Golden Age, was called the Age of Silver.
At the forefront of this Age of Silver stood a nation unparalleled in size and power: the Ragoite Empire, the dominant force of Arcadia in the Western Continent.
The Imperial Capital, Goite
“Failure? Are you certain?”
“My deepest apologies, Your Highness.”
“The preparations were flawless, were they not?”
In the heart of Goite’s palace, an imperial intelligence report was being delivered in secret.
“I don’t understand. We had even secured the Frostblade Knight. We mobilized black warlocks from the Abyss. The barrier used was meticulously designed by the Golden Tower itself.”
“…”
“And that’s not all. The Sigma knights deployed were the crème de la crème, handpicked and trained by the Imperial Order of Knights. The mages? They were the next generation of combat masters from the Golden Tower, refined in the arts of war magic. And yet… failure?”
The speaker, a middle-aged man with golden hair and crimson eyes, narrowed his gaze.
Crown Prince Kanbraman La Goite stared coldly at the imperial operative standing before him, his expression devoid of emotion.
“The last report I received said the Grand Duchess and the Frostblade Ghost were successfully trapped in the barrier. The conclusion was supposed to be a matter of time. And yet now you tell me they failed?”
“…”
Though Kanbraman’s tone was calm, the imperial intelligence officer and Sigma’s commander, Astra, felt his life expectancy plummeting under the prince’s impassive gaze.
“What’s the reason?”
“Well… it’s rather strange…”
“Speak.”
“A golden carriage appeared in the Abyss.”
“A golden carriage?”
“It’s said to have been created by a man named Arad from Haven in the North. Reports claim he drove it into the Abyss, selling food and medical supplies. Then, he entered the barrier and aided the Grand Duchess.”
“A carriage, in the Abyss?”
“In theory, it’s possible. If the carriage is drawn by supreme-grade horses capable of withstanding the aura of monsters, it could be done.”
“But such horses are extraordinarily rare and expensive. Even the Empire doesn’t have many. And someone used these prized creatures to run a food cart in the Abyss?”
Kanbraman frowned, the name Arad sounding strangely familiar to him.
“Arad… isn’t he the one who created the Northern spice, Arad’s Salt?”
“That is correct, Your Highness.”
The Empire had tried to pressure the North through monopolizing spices after failed marriage negotiations with Renslet. However, the sudden emergence of Arad’s Salt had foiled that plan.
Spices, once critical for controlling the North, became almost obsolete there overnight.
“Now it’s the Empire that secretly buys Arad’s Salt…”
Whispers of the salt’s excellence had spread across the continent, and it was now discreetly traded even within the Empire.
Made from common Northern weeds, Arad’s Salt was far cheaper than Eastern Continent spices, solidifying its dominance.
“That’s another reason we must turn the North into an imperial province.”
With mana stones and now spices, annexing the North had become a key imperial ambition.
“Arad… Arad…” Kanbraman muttered, mulling over the name.
“So this man suddenly appeared in the North, created Arad’s Salt, built a golden carriage, sold food in the Abyss, and then saved the Grand Duchess from the barrier?”
The crown prince scoffed. Even the romance novels favored by noblewomen seemed more plausible than this tale.
“First Arad’s Salt, now a golden carriage. This can’t all be coincidence, can it?”
As Kanbraman fell into thought, Astra cautiously spoke.
“Sigma suspects he may be a secret weapon developed by Renslet.”
“A secret weapon?”
“Yes, we believe he could be a mage secretly cultivated by the North.”
“And the North had such magical capability left?”
“The last remnants of the witches’ circle reside there.”
“But they’ve long since declined into mere farmers, haven’t they? Surely you’re not suggesting that our Golden Tower was outclassed by a handful of witches?”
“…”
The discussion spiraled into conjecture and assumptions, with no definitive answers.
“How frustrating.”
Kanbraman furrowed his brow. Just when things seemed to be progressing smoothly, they had unraveled.
The North, located at the Empire’s edge, bordered no other nation. Its northern sea was blocked year-round by icebergs, making even small ships unable to sail.
Bordering the Abyss, the Extreme North, and the Manus Mountain Range, the North was a land of savagery and harsh winters.
While rich in mana stones—some of the highest quality on the continent—it was also plagued by powerful monsters and marauding tribes.
Two centuries ago, the Empire had resolved its difficulties with the North by appointing Rune Renslet, a legendary Sword Master and leader of the Northern natives, as the first Grand Duke.
The deal was simple:
The relationship was exploitative but mutually tolerable.
However, the advent of magic engineering—developed secretly by the Golden Tower—was about to change everything.
Though still classified, the imperial elite sensed that an age of unprecedented demand for mana stones was imminent.
“We must secure the North completely.”
Kanbraman, realizing the strategic importance of the North, thought briefly of offering Arina’s hand in marriage to another royal, like Julian, instead of himself.
“No, Julian is too weak. He’d end up under her thumb. If they had a son, the North might turn him into a puppet to undermine the Empire.”
Kanbraman dismissed the idea. Besides, the ominous rumors surrounding the Renslet family had always made him uneasy about such alliances.
“Regardless, the failure of this assassination attempt means our marriage negotiations with the North are now entirely dead… no, they were doomed from the moment Baikal, the former Grand Duke, died.”
Like everyone in the imperial leadership, Kanbraman’s thoughts were consumed by the North.
“Your Highness, one of the Northern legions is currently occupied with a monster subjugation campaign. This is our chance. With three legions, we could advance northward decisively.”
At that moment, as Crown Prince Kanbraman pondered his next move, one of his ministers suddenly spoke up.
“Your Highness, the North’s military strength is far greater than it appears. Just because one legion is absent doesn’t mean they can be underestimated.”
“Even so, the Empire has the advantage in numbers.”
“The Empire has many enemies. The Mongar Orcs are already causing trouble near the Great Eastern Wall, not to mention the Kingdoms’ Alliance.”
“But abandoning the North is not an option. The mana stones alone make it essential, and now there’s Arad’s Salt to consider. Pacifying the North is crucial for completing the Eternal Empire.”
“I am aware, Karaso. More than anyone. But…”
Prime Minister Karaso and Sigma’s leader Astra paused, listening intently as the crown prince continued.
“As I said before, the Empire has too many enemies, both within and without. If we lose too many soldiers and knights in the process of annexing the North… we risk losing even greater territories and populations. In the worst-case scenario, the Empire itself could collapse.”
“If soldiers and knights are the issue, we could hire mercenaries en masse,” another minister suggested.
Kanbraman shook his head.
“Consider the Northern mercenaries currently operating within the Empire. How do you think they’ll react when we declare all-out war on the North?”
“There are other skilled mercenaries besides the Northerners. We could avoid using them for this campaign—”
“The so-called Mercenary King, Carpe, is a Northerner herself, isn’t she?”
“…”
“An all-out war should only ever be a last resort. We exhaust every other option first. If all else fails, then and only then do we consider total war.”
“Your foresight, considering even the lowest soldiers and civilians, is the Empire’s blessing,” Astra and Karaso intoned with feigned reverence.
“For the Eternal Empire! Glory to the Golden Throne!”
While they outwardly praised the crown prince, inwardly, their thoughts diverged:
He’s wary of raising legions…
His paranoia is his greatest flaw.
If he leads the army himself, the palace will be vulnerable. But if he stays in the palace, there’s no trustworthy commander to lead the legions.
The Duke of Doom and Marchioness Havana, whom he trusts, are both preoccupied.
And Count Ricard of the Court can’t leave his post guarding the imperial capital.
Despite their private doubts, they had no choice but to flatter their future sovereign.
“What is Renslet’s reaction? Surely they suspect we were behind the trap.”
“Surprisingly, they’ve been quiet. It’s as if nothing happened.”
“Really?”
Could it be that the North also wants to avoid outright war?
The crown prince’s thoughts raced.
If the North had made a commotion, I could have pacified their anger by sacrificing Astra’s head, buying time.
Kanbraman nodded and asked another question.
“What of the Grand Duchess?”
“According to our informant in High Castle, the golden carriage entered the castle two days ago.”
“Then the Grand Duchess must be inside. Do we have any information on her condition?”
“Her condition seems less than ideal. She hasn’t left her chambers in two days.”
“Any more details?”
“Well… as soon as the golden carriage arrived at High Castle, a large-scale purge began. Many of our informants were forced to take their own lives overnight.”
“Click…”
The crown prince clicked his tongue in irritation at the loss of painstakingly placed spies in High Castle.
“Could she have suffered severe injuries?”
Unaware of Doyle’s attack and Arina’s abdominal wound, the Empire cautiously speculated about her condition.
“This possibility has been factored into our scenarios.”
“Let’s hope the wounds were fatal.”
Kanbraman recalled meeting Arina Rune Renslet five years prior when she visited the capital.
At the time, she had been just a young noblewoman from the remote North.
Even then, Kanbraman had sensed she was no ordinary person.
“Just before falling ill, His Majesty dealt with the previous Grand Duke. Then he passed the burden to me. I must resolve the matter of the current Grand Duchess, whether by taking her as my fourth wife or by ending her life.”
The crown prince turned his gaze toward the Solar Palace, where the emperor resided.
“How is His Majesty’s condition?” he asked, knowing full well what the answer would be, having visited his father that morning.
Yet he sought confirmation from his ministers.
“His condition is critical. The royal physician and the high priest estimate he will not last beyond early summer…”
“A tragedy for the Empire,” Kanbraman lamented.
Yet both Karaso and Astra noticed the subtle curve of his lips.
The long years as second-in-command had left their mark on his face, the lines of ambition etched deeply.