Chapter 12 : Chapter 12
Chapter 12. Giving Irene Stardust Sand and Inquiring About the News
After the banquet ended, William let out a long breath of turbid air. The nerves that had been tense all evening finally relaxed.
Returning to his palace, he thought for a moment before getting up and heading toward Irene’s room.
He knocked on the door, and Irene’s cool voice came from inside.
“Please come in.”
William pushed the door open and saw Irene organizing magical materials.
“Mage Irene, I found the Stardust Sand you needed.”
As he spoke, he took out a crystal bottle filled with sparkling stardust fragments from his Spatial Ring and handed it to her.
Irene accepted the bottle. Her fingertips brushed over the cold surface as her spiritual sense carefully swept through the Stardust Sand inside. She nodded shortly after, and a trace of genuine gratitude flashed in her eyes.
“Thank you, Fourth Prince.”
“With this, I finally have all the materials required for my advancement.”
“I did not expect Your Highness to truly find Stardust Sand. I owe you a favor.”
After a brief pause, she added, “Kyle and the others can cultivate on their own for the time being. Once I advance to a legendary Archmage, I will continue instructing them.”
“If Your Highness ever needs something from me, you may come to me at any time.”
William suppressed the excitement in his heart and kept his expression calm.
“You are too polite, Mage Irene. I wish you success in your advancement.”
“There is just something I do not understand. Logically speaking, the kingdom’s treasury should also contain Stardust Sand. Why did you not apply to obtain it there?”
Irene smiled faintly at his question, her expression carrying a hint of understanding.
“There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world, Your Highness.”
“Stardust Sand is far too precious. Only legendary Archmages can collect it from the void rifts outside the plane, and the quantity obtained is extremely limited.”
“Even if the treasury possesses some, it has long been controlled by the great nobles or core factions. The price required to use it would likely be greater than finding it myself.”
She lowered her gaze to the crystal bottle in her hand, a soft light flickering in her eyes.
“The one you brought should be leftover scraps from a senior mage’s advancement. Though the amount is small, it is more than enough for me.”
Only then did William understand the situation.
Even the royal treasury was not something anyone could freely access. Behind it lay the tangled interests of countless factions.
He nodded.
“I see. Then I will not disturb your preparations for advancement. I will take my leave.”
“Safe travels, Your Highness.”
Irene inclined her head slightly. Her gaze returned to the Stardust Sand as her fingers gently tightened around the bottle.
With this material, there were no longer any obstacles on her path to advancement.
And this Fourth Prince seemed to possess more influence than she had imagined—and was someone worth befriending.
When William stepped out of the room, a faint smile finally appeared on his face.
Irene advancing to the legendary rank would undoubtedly become a tremendous source of support for him.
In the following days, William continued immersing himself in cultivation step by step.
Meditation, studying spells, and training together with his attendants—day after day, his mana steadily accumulated. Eventually, it broke through a bottleneck, allowing him to reach the realm of a Black Iron Mage.
The Fireball forming at his fingertips became increasingly stable, and the chill of his Frost Arrow grew stronger than before. This steady progress gave him a sense of reassurance.
However, beneath the calm days, undercurrents were quietly stirring.
Rumors gradually began circulating in the royal palace. At first they were merely scattered speculations, but later someone even claimed that the Northern Frontier might not be able to hold any longer—that even Frostspine Pass had already fallen.
When William heard this news, he was training with Kyle and the others.
He could hardly believe his ears.
Frostspine Pass was the second-largest fortress in the Northern Frontier. Its terrain was treacherous, and its defensive works were extremely solid. Duke Derek’s family had guarded it for generations.
How could it possibly fall so suddenly?
If Frostspine Pass truly fell, there would be no natural defenses left in the Northern Frontier. The Barbarian tribes would be able to advance unhindered, and the flames of war would soon reach the Central Realm, even threatening the safety of the royal capital.
Frowning, William went to find Knight Tos and asked in a deep voice, “Are the rumors outside about Frostspine Pass true?”
Knight Tos’s expression was grave as he shook his head.
“There has been no confirmed news yet, but…”
“The communication array in the Northern Frontier has been silent for three days. His Majesty has also been holding discussions in the council chamber for several days now. The atmosphere is extremely tense.”
William’s heart sank.
When communications were cut off, it was often the worst possible sign.
Although William had doubts, he was not overly worried.
He knew that the kingdom’s high-end combat strength had not suffered losses, and the Central Realm’s defensive line was solid. Even if the Northern Frontier truly fell, it would not shake the kingdom’s foundations.
However, the kingdom’s enemies were not limited to the Barbarians of the north. There were also neighboring countries watching like tigers and restless Demi-human races.
If the Northern Frontier were lost at such a time, it would undoubtedly give other forces an opportunity to take advantage.
What he could not understand the most was the Derek Family.
They possessed two legendary-level combatants, along with several magical beast knight regiments and elite legions under their command. With such formidable strength, how could they have been defeated so quickly?
After thinking it over, William decided to ask his mother, Vivian, about the situation.
He walked through the corridors of the royal palace and arrived at Vivian’s chambers. After the maid announced his arrival, he was quickly invited inside.
Vivian was sitting by the window reading a book. When she saw him enter, she put the book down and smiled.
“What brings you here at this hour? Should you not be supervising your attendants’ training?”
“Mother,” William said directly.
“There are rumors outside that Frostspine Pass has fallen and the Northern Frontier cannot be defended anymore. Is that true?”
“With the Derek Family’s strength, how could they…”
The smile on Vivian’s face faded slightly. She gestured for the maid to withdraw before speaking softly.
“The news has not been fully confirmed yet, but the situation in the Northern Frontier is indeed unfavorable.”
“As for the Derek Family…”
She paused, a complicated look flashing in her eyes.
“Some families value their own survival more than the safety of the kingdom.”
“Those two legendary combatants are probably still holding back within their territory.”
William was stunned.
“Why would they refuse to act?”
“Are they really going to watch the Northern Frontier fall?”
“Fall? Not necessarily.”
Vivian shook her head.
“The Derek Family’s territory lies deep within the Northern Frontier. If the Barbarians truly advance that far, they will naturally fight desperately.”
“What they are doing now is merely using the Barbarians to weaken the royal family’s control over the Northern Frontier.”
Only then did William understand.
A chill ran through his heart.
Behind the kingdom’s safety lay such ugly calculations.
“Then Father is not doing anything about it?”
“Your father is applying pressure,” Vivian said with a sigh.
“But the Derek Family has operated in the Northern Frontier for many years. Their foundation runs deep. They are not so easily controlled.”
“This is the royal family’s dilemma. It may appear as though we rule the entire kingdom, yet in reality we are constrained everywhere.”
William fell silent.
He had once believed the kingdom’s power was a solid block. Only now did he realize that beneath the glamorous surface lay countless factional struggles and entangled interests.
“You should not worry too much,” Vivian said as she patted his hand.
“If the sky collapses, your father and those old men will hold it up.”
“What you need to do now is improve yourself. Only then will you avoid being swept away by these currents in the future.”
William nodded, but a storm had already begun to surge within his heart.