Chapter 5 : Chapter 5
Chapter 5.
If he spoke about the prophecy, he would die.
Things were becoming more and more complicated.
Damn it.
Logaris took a deep breath and forced down the agitation in his heart.
The origin of the Book of Prophecy was far more mysterious than he had imagined.
He slipped his hand into his pocket and touched the cover of the book. The cold sensation made his mind clearer.
Seven days.
He had to find the answer himself.
Logaris put his glasses back on and quickened his pace.
The night was deep, and the streets were empty.
After walking through several streets, footsteps suddenly sounded behind him.
“Professor Logaris.”
A voice suddenly called out.
Logaris stopped walking but did not turn around.
“What a surprise. To encounter the famous Professor Logaris here in the middle of the night.”
There was a smile in the voice, but Logaris could hear the probing hidden beneath it.
He turned around.
At the entrance of the alley stood a middle-aged man wearing an ornate formal suit, followed by several guards.
Viscount Claude, an adviser to the Second Prince.
Logaris' thoughts moved rapidly.
Claude walked forward with a smile. “A man as intelligent as you must be able to see that the kingdom’s situation is extremely unstable right now. His Highness the Second Prince greatly admires your talent. If you are willing—”
“Get lost.”
Logaris interrupted him. His tone was calm, but his eyes held no warmth at all.
Claude’s expression turned slightly irritated. “Logaris, you should not—”
But Logaris did not say another word. He simply turned around and walked away, disappearing around the corner of the street.
Behind him, Claude’s grinding voice could be heard.
“Ungrateful fool!”
…
The next day.
Sylvia stood in her study. A detailed map of the Northern Territory lay spread out before her.
The map was densely marked with all kinds of symbols.
“Your Highness.”
Elena pushed the door open and walked in with a stack of documents in her arms.
“This is the personnel list you requested.”
Sylvia took the documents and began flipping through them quickly.
The first document was the list of guards.
Thirty people, all of them her personal loyalists.
Every member of this guard unit was equipped with the newest model of magitech armor designed by Logaris.
According to Logaris himself, this armor contained multiple rune formations, and the technology had never been published in any academic paper or journal.
Once the entire set of armor was worn, the wearer would stand nearly three meters tall. Even its appearance alone looked extremely imposing.
Of course, its defensive power was equally astonishing.
Sylvia had personally seen a test at the training ground. Spells below the Fourth Tier could not even leave a mark on the armor. However, the cost was equally terrifying. One set cost three thousand gold coins, and that was already Logaris' “friendship price,” not including maintenance expenses.
“The guard unit is fine.”
She set the first document aside and picked up the second.
“What about advisers?”
Elena opened her notebook.
“There are currently three confirmed candidates.”
“The first is the son of the former tax officer of the Northern Territory. His name is Grayson. He is thirty-five years old and is familiar with the Northern Territory’s finances and trade routes.”
“The second is a graduate of Saint Arcadia Academy, one of Professor Logaris' students. His specialty is magitech engineering, and he is willing to accompany you to the Northern Territory to establish a workshop.”
“The third—”
Elena paused briefly.
“He is one of your grandfather’s former subordinates. His name is Victor. He once served as the chief strategist of the Northern Legion.”
Sylvia raised her head.
“Victor?”
She remembered that name.
One of the most trusted people under her grandfather, Fenrir.
Back then, when the Northern Territory resisted the invasion of the Demi-Human Empire, this man had played a tremendous role.
“Where is he now?”
“At the Northern front.”
Elena replied.
“When he heard that you would be taking over governance, he voluntarily sent a letter saying he is willing to assist you.”
Sylvia recalled him for a moment.
She had met Victor several times before.
Calm, cautious, and ruthless in action.
If her grandfather trusted him, then his ability and loyalty should both be reliable.
“Send him a reply.”
Sylvia said.
“Tell him that when I arrive in the Northern Territory, he will be the first person I meet.”
“Yes.”
Elena wrote it down.
“There is one more matter.”
“What is it?”
“Your mentor, Lady Elena, says she cannot accompany you to the Northern Territory.”
Sylvia frowned.
“Why?”
“She said someone must remain in the capital to hold the situation.”
Elena spoke carefully.
“And if both you and your mentor leave the capital, the First Prince and the Second Prince might—”
“I understand.”
Sylvia interrupted her.
Her mentor was right.
If both she and Elena left the capital, her two brothers would certainly take the opportunity to stir up trouble.
“You may leave for now.”
Elena withdrew from the room.
Sylvia turned back to the map again.
The Northern Territory.
The place is known as the “Kingdom’s Ice Cellar.”
Frozen all year round, the land barren, with barely any tax revenue to collect.
But if she could gain a firm foothold in the Northern Territory and establish her own power base—
Then she would finally possess a real bargaining chip in the struggle for succession.
Sylvia picked up the feather quill on the desk and circled several key locations on the map.
First was the capital of the Northern Territory, Frosthold Fortress.
That was her grandfather Fenrir’s stronghold, and it would also be the first stop in her takeover of power.
Next were several fortresses along the border.
Those places housed troops year-round and served as the first line of defense against demi-human invasions.
Then there were several mining regions deeper inside the territory.
Although the Northern Territory was poor, it possessed abundant mineral resources underground.
If those resources could be properly developed—
At that moment, Sylvia’s thoughts were interrupted by a disturbance in the corner of the room.
The shadows in the corner twisted. A slender figure condensed from the darkness.
It was a woman wearing black, tight-fitting light armor. Half of her face was covered by a mask, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes.
“Your Highness.”
She knelt on one knee, speaking softly.
Sylvia nodded.
“Stand.”
The shadow guard rose and waited quietly.
“I need you to investigate something for me.”
Sylvia said.
“What is it?”
“It concerns the Northern Territory.”
She pushed a list toward her.
“I need to know the current loyalties of everyone on this list. Are they loyal to my grandfather, or have they already pledged themselves to other factions?”
The shadow guard took the list and scanned it quickly.
“Understood.”
“And one more thing.”
Sylvia continued.
“Along the route to the Northern Territory, I want a detailed report on the security conditions at every stop.”
“No problem.”
The shadow guard nodded.
“You will have your answer within three days.”
Her figure began to fade, preparing to merge back into the shadows. Then she suddenly stopped.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“Be careful of the First Prince.”
Her voice grew even softer.
“I have heard that he has recently been secretly contacting several nobles in the Northern Territory.”
Sylvia narrowed her eyes.
“I understand.”
The shadow guard’s figure completely dissolved into the shadows and disappeared.
The room fell silent again.
Sylvia leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temples.
Her eldest brother, Dorg Van Astrelia.
A conservative. His power base was also composed largely of conservative nobles. It was not surprising that he might contact conservative nobles in the Northern Territory to sabotage her.
—
Three days later.
Sylvia received the detailed report.
Most of her grandfather Fenrir’s former subordinates remained loyal to him. However, because Fenrir was critically ill, some people were already growing restless, and there were signs that a portion of them had secretly begun leaning toward the First Prince.
As for the Empire—
The number of troops they had stationed along the border had doubled compared to the previous intelligence reports.
After reading the report, Sylvia’s expression grew serious.
“Your Highness.”
Elena walked in.
“There is news from the magitech train you were supposed to take. They say the train has developed a mechanical fault and the departure will have to be delayed for several days.”
“A fault?”
Sylvia frowned.
“What kind of fault?”
“They say the power core has malfunctioned.”
Elena replied.
“The technicians are repairing it urgently, but it will take at least a week.”
Sylvia remained silent for several seconds.
“If it is delayed, then it is delayed.”
“That gives us a few more days to prepare.”