Chapter 895

“Yuder. Did you hear? The Imperial Guard troops Diarca sent to monitor us have all been withdrawn.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh. You already knew?”

Not long after that, Kiole left. The hopes of House Diarca—that their youngest son would return having suppressed the Cavalry, Duke Peleta, and House Hern—had completely failed to materialize.

The only silver lining might have been Kiole discreetly covering up the Crown Prince’s erratic behavior while still under brainwashing. But even that crumbled just a few days later—when Emperor Keillusa dropped a massive bombshell just as Kiole’s party was about to arrive in the capital.

‘Where is the Crown Prince, who declared he would investigate those who dared violate the Imperial Palace? Can we truly entrust responsibility to someone who irresponsibly abandoned his post?’

The Emperor had remained silent about the Crown Prince’s absence all this time—just so he could use it now. House Diarca must’ve believed that if they moved quickly, they could slip the Crown Prince back into position before Keillusa noticed. But the Emperor had already seen through their intentions.

He bided his time and then, at the moment House Diarca least expected it, publicly announced the Crown Prince’s unsanctioned departure from the palace. It might’ve been forgivable if a young prince had snuck out of curiosity, but the problem was that he was officially tasked with investigating the attack on the Solar Palace.

A Crown Prince who left his post without informing either the Emperor or the Empress—while carrying out a vital public mission. Worse yet, days had passed since his disappearance, and House Diarca had stayed quiet, trying to cover it up. The noble society of the Empire exploded in response.

Holding royalty accountable was always a popular topic.

Emperor Keillusa knew this better than anyone. For years, he’d faced criticism for not producing an heir, for his chronic illness, and for being unable to perform public duties. Even though he had tirelessly managed state affairs behind the scenes and tried to adopt a capable successor, responsibility debates always overshadowed those efforts.

Going back further—wasn’t it the very issue of the Second Prince Kishiar’s health that had first sparked debates and allowed Keillusa to become Crown Prince himself?

Now it was time for House Diarca, once the loudest critic during those days, to get a taste of their own medicine. In the past, the four major duchies would unite in moments like these, but this time, there was no one to take their side.

The Emperor cast doubt on whether the Crown Prince was truly fit for the role—and then, in the same breath, heaped praise upon the Cavalry, General Gino, and the Southern forces for their heroic efforts in protecting the country.

‘The Southern recovery, achieved through their sense of duty, is the very foundation of the Empire’s future. Let all those who have the will lend their strength to this noble cause.’

By directly condemning the Crown Prince’s irresponsibility before calling for aid to the South, the Emperor made it impossible for House Diarca to object to supplying resources and manpower. In fact, to appease the Emperor’s clearly bruised pride, they were compelled to provide support themselves.

For the first time since Keillusa’s ascension, Duke Diarca didn’t oppose the Emperor’s decision. Everyone was stunned. That, in itself, showed how serious the Crown Prince’s mistake was.

And while the capital’s eyes remained fixed on the escalating power struggle, House Hern and the Cavalry, who were now receiving support, began to move in unusual ways.

“Hey! Stack it higher! More!”

“Hraaah!”

With a chorus of loud grunts, uniformed men unleashed bursts of power. Giant boulders, wrapped in invisible force, soared through the air and landed squarely atop a high wall.

They were building this wall in front of the harbor that made up one-third of Sharloin.

The sheer height of the structure, easily surpassing a two-story building, caused passersby to stop and gape. Children clapped in awe at the power on display, and older citizens added their own colorful commentary.

One merchant passing through the area widened his eyes in surprise.

“Whoa, what in the world? Are those Awakeners?”

“What, first time here?”

“Yeah, just arrived yesterday... what’s all this about?”

An elderly man standing with his hands behind his back chuckled as he answered.

“Sharloin had it rough recently because of the monsters. Would you believe me if I said hundreds of them rained down from the sky like a storm?”

“I don’t know about rain, but I heard ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) there was a lot of damage.”

“There was. But we didn’t lose many lives. And that’s thanks to those folks right there—followers of the great General Gino and the wise Duke Peleta.”

“Oh... you mean the Cavalry? The Awakener group?”

“There’s more than just the Cavalry now. General Gino has new followers, too. They’re amazing.”

The old man, now deep in his praise for the Cavalry and Imperial Special Task Force, smiled again as he watched more stones rise into the air.

“Back during the hailstorm, the breakwater here got destroyed. So the Cavalry offered to rebuild it. They said this new one would last at least 500 years. It’s not costing us a single coin or drop of sweat, so how could we not be grateful?”

“Ah... I see.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The merchant finally understood what the towering structure was: a seawall to protect against giant waves.

“Is it okay to build a seawall that high?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Sure, the South doesn’t get much rain, but the land is lower than the sea. When it does rain, it floods the whole city. We’ve always wanted something like this... and I’m living long enough to see it with my own eyes.”

The old man went on to praise the First Daughter of House Hern, who had decisively greenlit the project. Having lost her father so suddenly, yet continuing to lead for the South without breaking—he spoke of the young heir with a deeply proud expression.

“I see. This really is impressive.”

“Isn’t it? If they were doing this with nothing but manpower, they couldn’t have made it this fast. Awakeners really are incredible, aren’t they?”

More boulders soared into the sky as the old man smiled.

The merchant left the construction site and continued down the street. Last time he’d been in Sharloin, it was already a lively harbor city, but it also had an air of indulgence and vice.

But now, it was completely different.

The people who used to drink in the streets and advertise illegal fight pits were nowhere to be seen. Citizens walked the streets with proud, cheerful expressions—as if they couldn’t believe monsters had ever attacked this place. Soldiers and knights patrolling to maintain order looked disciplined and sharp.

Was this really the same city he had visited before? The merchant, still bewildered, stepped into a tavern that was open even in the daytime. Voices drifted from inside.

“I heard a soldier went to Makla again—another weird rift popped up.”

“Sluvan and Alsara too, I heard.”

“Before, I would’ve thought it was time to flee the South... but somehow, it doesn’t feel like that anymore.”

“With the Cavalry and soldiers patrolling the streets and checking buildings every day? Where else would be safer?”

“Yeah. That’s probably why.”

The patrons clinked glasses and laughed. The merchant’s expression briefly changed at the mention of “rifts,” but it quickly returned to neutral.

No one paid much attention to him, sitting alone in a corner nursing a beer. He sipped silently, ears tuned to the conversations around him, until he drained the glass. Then, he placed a small slip of paper on the table and scribbled on it with a piece of charcoal.

—The atmosphere here is unlike anything we anticipated. Though the land still shakes with imbalance, the people show no fear. The streets brim with hope. We’ve yet to locate any trace of Aton. Everyone says the Cavalry is responsible for this change.

He paused a moment, then added one final line:

—Could it be they actually know what’s coming from this imbalance? I still don’t believe Aton would betray us, but... given the current circumstances, it’s hard to feel otherwise. I’ll continue monitoring their response.

After finishing his note, the merchant folded the paper and tucked it into his pocket. Then he stepped outside and let out a short whistle.

A carrier bird swooped down from somewhere and landed on his hand. He tied the note to its leg and sent it flying, then turned around.

In his line of sight, the Southern Branch of the Cavalry stood in the distance.