Chapter 523: Waiting for a Sign ( 523 )

Chapter 523: Waiting for a Sign ( 523 )

Several hours passed under the high sun, its light spilling over the ruined town.

Fires of war had cooled, replaced by cooking pots and small campfires warming food.

Everyone had eaten; everyone had rested.

The mood had shifted, balancing on the edge of relief and lingering unease.

In the center of town, beside the cracked plaza fountain, neat stacks of fresh-cut lumber lay prepared—arranged by the puppet knights wielding axes.

Javier stood nearby, arms crossed, watching silently.

“You, come here.”

His voice was calm, steady.

The dwarf who had taken charge earlier hurried over, wiping sweat and eager to respond.

“Yes, my lord?”

Javier looked him directly in the eyes.

“Tell me your name.”

The dwarf straightened proudly.

“Nofan, my lord.”

Javier nodded once.

“Good. From now on, you are Chief Nofan.”

Nofan stiffened, jaw tightening in surprise.

“M-My lord…?”

Javier didn’t clarify. Instead, he turned to the scorched walls and burnt rooftops.

“What’s the name of this town?”

The dwarf hesitated.

Then, lowering his head, he answered clearly.

“Gilikan, my lord.”

Javier gave a brief nod.

“This place is now under Armand’s jurisdiction.

Chief Nofan of Gilikan—you answer directly to me.”

Nofan knelt instinctively, bowing deeply.

“Yes, my lord.”

Javier stepped closer, pointing toward the gathered townspeople—some resting in the shade, others cleaning tools or watching puppet knights patrol.

“Find everyone able to work. Anyone strong enough to lift a tool or shape wood.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“The first priority is building proper shelter, a place for everyone to sleep.”

Nofan nodded quickly, beard trembling as he absorbed the command.

“Use that lumber,” Javier ordered.

“Process it by hand—strip the bark, split the wood, shape the planks. No shortcuts. No delays.”

Nofan thumped his fist against his chest.

“Understood. It will be done.”

Javier cast one final glance at the lumber stacks and then turned away without another word.

Behind him, Nofan began shouting orders to nearby dwarves.

“You heard Lord Javier! Strip that bark! Start carving! We’re rebuilding Gilikan!”

Javier casually reached into his magic storage, causing a ripple of mana to shimmer in front of him.

From that glowing space, he pulled out a large, reinforced chair—not just any throne, but one carved from dark wood, with intricate runic trim along its high backrest. The seat was broad and designed for comfort, yet it radiated authority.

He gently placed the throne in the center of the plaza and seated himself without ceremony, a young man cloaked in black.

No crown, no grand speech—just the quiet presence of command.

Flanked by two rows of silent puppet knights, he observed everything.

The townspeople of Gilikan were already springing into action: cutting lumber, splitting bark, hammering nails, shaping the first shelter frames.

The organized piles of food sat untouched for now—sacks of flour, dried spices, cured meat—ready to sustain them for weeks.

Nearby, several women had begun building wooden racks from salvaged beams, smoking the meat—an intelligent move to turn fresh provisions into preserved rations.

In Javier’s mind.

This first day is already tough.

If I leave them now to head to the next town… they won’t be ready.

Even with my puppet knights guarding this place.

The food I gave them should last for a while…

But that’s only a stopgap.

They’re not hunting yet. Not farming. Not producing anything of their own.

This is still dependency.

Not survival.

He exhaled quietly.

Three days.

Even if I give them three full days… it won’t be enough.

They might build roofs.

But not routines. Not safety. Not structure.

He frowned.

And Chief Nofan… he’s obedient. But he’s not a leader. Not yet.

If I rely on him too much… this whole place will collapse the moment something happens.

His fingers tapped the armrest lightly.

I need someone.

Someone who can manage, enforce, and think. A stand-in governor. Not just a builder.

But who?

If I leave Gilikan too soon…

Even with a wall of knights standing guard, the people won’t rise. They’ll freeze the moment something new goes wrong.

But the longer I delay my march… the more time the Halfling and Human Kingdoms have to ruin other towns.

He narrowed his eyes.

What should I do?

Javier’s fingers moved calmly.

He reached into his storage again.

Five small, silver pods clinked against his glove as he pulled them out—

compact, rune-etched, and smooth like steel dragonfly wings.

Signal Transmission Drones.

Long-range models, normally used to bounce mana communications across towers back in the Armand Region.

He tossed them into the air one by one.

Each clicked, unfolded mid-air, and buzzed to life—glowing with faint blue cores.

The wings shimmered with mana, then—

They launched upward in perfect formation, spreading out like birds migrating toward a distant sky.

He watched them vanish into the clouds, blinking against the sunlight.

“Let’s hope that’s high enough…”

He knew the truth though.

Gilikan was far.

Too far.

Armand’s outermost mana towers were near the southern border.

This dwarven territory… was beyond even that.

Still, he had to try.

Javier pulled out his mana talkie from his belt clip—a small earbud device that fit snugly into place.

He pressed it gently, channeling a controlled stream of mana into it.

The runes activated with a soft glow.

He tapped once.

“Testing… testing…”

Static.

No reply.

No click.

No feedback.

Just dead air.

He sighed.

“Still no signal.”

He raised his gaze again, eyes following the signal drones climbing ever higher—

now glinting like silver dots near the very ceiling of the sky.

Too far.

Still out of range.

He tapped the talkie again.

Nothing.

Only silence.

Javier leaned back slightly in his throne, expression unreadable.

So… for now, I’m still on my own.

But if even one of those drones connects…

Javier leaned forward on the throne, resting his elbow on one knee.

He tapped the talkie again—once. Twice.

Still nothing but static.

“…Haaah.”

He let out a long sigh.

The wind carried it away, mixing with the sounds of hammers and distant chopping from puppet knights in the forest.

His voice dropped to a murmur, barely above a whisper.

“I want to hear Liana’s voice… and Gloria’s too.”

Just for a moment.

Even if it was just a short complaint.

Even if Liana scolded him with that calm, flat tone.

He didn’t care.

He just wanted to hear them again.

What are they doing right now?

His eyes stared out toward the horizon.

Still in training? Or maybe they’ve finished?

He could picture it.

Liana, brushing back her silver hair as she loosed glowing mana arrows into summoned monsters without blinking.

Her movements always graceful. Always precise.

And Gloria—

smiling sweetly, swinging that oversized warhammer like it was a fan in her hand.

Graceful destruction with every blow, humming calmly while monsters exploded around her.

He chuckled softly under his breath.

Knowing those two… they’re probably fighting just to catch up with me faster.

His hand instinctively touched the talkie again.

Still no signal.

Still no voice.

He sat back.

Eyes calm.

But somewhere deeper…

Lonely.

( End Of Chapter )

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