Marquis Alaric Windwalker sat in his office, the dim light of a solitary candle casting flickering shadows on the ornate walls. He held a letter in his hands, one sent by Kaelith, the leader of the Darkwind family's rebel faction.
The letter read:
*"My friend, Marquis Alaric Windwalker,
Our relationship has been strained due to recent events. However, the situation is critical. Our armies must not engage in battle with one another, as such a conflict would only benefit my brother, Valdrin. I respectfully request that you order your troops to retreat back to Windwalker territory.
Once I inherit the title of Marquis of Darkwind, we can set aside our enmity, forge alliances, and stabilize trade routes. This would be mutually beneficial for both our families.
I hope you agree with my proposal, as I cannot allow our land to remain occupied. Should your honor refuse, there would be no other choice but to meet in battle, regardless of whether it aids my brother.
Please do not attempt to negotiate over our land; I will not surrender even an inch of it to any foreign force. All I can offer is the promise of future trade agreements and peace."*
Marquis Windwalker set the letter down with a heavy sigh, his fingers drumming against the desk's polished surface.
"This man wants to have his cake and eat it too," he muttered with a scoff.
The Windwalker family had already claimed a significant portion of Darkwind territory, including several major cities and vast stretches of fertile land. To relinquish it all without any compensation would be beyond foolish.
"Potential future trade agreements," he sneered, leaning back in his chair. "As if vague promises and empty words could hold any value. Trusting Kaelith with such nebulous offers? Never."
Yet, Marquis Windwalker couldn't dismiss the underlying threat in Kaelith's letter. If the Windwalker forces did not retreat, Kaelith would undoubtedly march his troops to reclaim the occupied land. Kaelith was a man of his word, his reputation as steadfast as his resolve.
"Retreating may avoid immediate conflict, but it would only pave the way for greater trouble later," Alaric mused. Once Kaelith took control of the Darkwind family, he could unify the factions and transform them into a stronger, more cohesive force. For now, with the incompetent Valdrin at the helm, the Darkwind family remained divided and weak.
Alaric's lips curled into a thin, calculated smile. "Time to tip the scales."
He had postponed his assassination plans for long enough. It was time to eliminate a few key figures and shift the balance of power in his favor.
Over the next half-hour, Alaric meticulously formulated his strategy, his mind racing through the possible outcomes and contingencies. Once satisfied, he summoned his chief of staff.
"I have orders," the Marquis said, his voice as sharp as the edge of a blade. "We’re going to take control of this situation, starting tonight."
...
Marquis Alaric Windwalker's original plan had been straightforward: assassinate the talented individuals of the Darkwind family to make clear the consequences of targetting Edric. But the situation had shifted dramatically, and now his targets were no longer the talented or prominent members of the Darkwind family.
Alongside giving orders to his assassins, Alaric penned another letter, this time addressed to Valdrin, the De Facto head of the Darkwind family.
Valdrin was the one who had ordered the assassination of Edric, and under normal circumstances, he would have been the natural target. But Alaric had made a calculated decision: the assassins would not go after Valdrin or his inner circle. Instead, their blades were aimed squarely at the nobles under Kaelith’s command.
The reason was simple: it was in the Windwalker family’s best interest to keep Valdrin in power. Kaelith, from all that Alaric had observed, was a far more dangerous opponent. Kaelith cared about the Darkwind family, worked tirelessly to strengthen it, and had a vision for its future. Valdrin, on the other hand, was selfish, corrupt, and short-sighted. His incompetence made him the perfect leader—if one’s goal was to ensure the Darkwind family remained weak and divided.
As for the matter of Edric’s assassination, Alaric had come to terms with it. While he had been enraged at first—Edric had been someone he loved deeply—he was pragmatic enough to see the bigger picture. Revenge, no matter how satisfying, would not serve the Windwalker family’s future. Grievances could be set aside if the benefits outweighed the costs.
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Why had Edric’s death angered him so much? Because Edric had been an asset to the Windwalker family, someone who strengthened their influence and prospects. Alaric’s loyalty was, above all else, to his family’s interests. As long as those interests were protected, he was willing to do whatever it took—even forgive an old grudge.
Kaelith, in many ways, reminded Alaric of himself: shrewd, pragmatic, and utterly dedicated to his family. That was precisely what made him so dangerous. Alaric couldn’t allow someone like himself to take the helm of the Darkwind family.
In his letter to Valdrin, Alaric proposed an alliance:
"Let us join forces and eliminate Kaelith once and for all. I will strike from one side, and you from the other. In return, you will formally recognize the Windwalker family’s claim over the territories we have already conquered."
Alaric was confident that Valdrin would find the offer appealing. A man like Valdrin, who cared only for his own interests, would likely agree—or at least be open to negotiation. Unlike Kaelith, Valdrin wouldn’t stubbornly refuse to cede territory. He wasn’t a man of principle; he was a man of profit.
For Alaric, the path forward was clear. He would play to Valdrin’s greed and self-interest, all while ensuring that Kaelith’s vision for a unified and powerful Darkwind family would never come to fruition.
In his letter to Valdrin, Marquis Alaric Windwalker was unequivocal: if Valdrin refused the proposal, Alaric would retreat and clear the way for Kaelith.
And he meant every word. If Valdrin rejected the deal, Alaric was prepared to order the Windwalker forces to withdraw. Engaging in a direct conflict with Kaelith would only serve to weaken the Windwalker family while strengthening Valdrin’s position. Suppose Valdrin defeated Kaelith and unified the Darkwind family under his leadership. In that case, Valdrin might even turn his attention toward annexing parts of Windwalker territory in the future, and a Weakened Windwalker family would not be able to resist it, no matter how incompetent Valdrin may be.
To buy time for his negotiations with Valdrin, Alaric penned a second letter—this one addressed to Kaelith. The letter read:
"Kaelith, my friend,
I cannot accept your terms in their current form. Our future trade agreements must be properly negotiated. Your promises regarding trade and our future relationship are far too vague. Therefore, I have sent my advisor to discuss these matters further. I ask for your patience and understanding as we work toward a mutually beneficial resolution."
Of course, Alaric’s true intention was to delay Kaelith. After all, he needed time to solidify his arrangement with Valdrin.
However, if Valdrin refused the deal, the negotiations with Kaelith could still serve as a fallback option.
Despite his confidence in his strategy, Alaric knew he was not omniscient. He believed Valdrin would accept the proposal, but he couldn’t be entirely certain. As such, the advisor sent to Kaelith would need to negotiate with genuine zeal to secure a favorable trade agreement—just in case the Windwalkers were forced to withdraw. At the very least, this would ensure that the Windwalker family wasn’t left empty-handed.
Meanwhile, the assassins received their orders. Their mission was to target high-ranking nobles within Kaelith’s faction. The aim wasn’t merely to weaken Kaelith’s forces but to sow chaos and delay his movements. Kaelith would be forced to investigate the mysterious deaths, and there was even a chance he might suspect Valdrin of orchestrating the attacks.
The assassins were instructed to remain on standby until Alaric was certain of Valdrin’s decision. The assassins would carry out their mission if Valdrin agreed to the deal and ceded the conquered territories. The resulting turmoil would cripple Kaelith’s forces, leaving them disorganized and demoralized—perfect conditions for a decisive strike to annihilate Kaelith’s army once and for all.
With both letters sent and plans in motion, Alaric leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk curling his lips. It was a dangerous game he was playing, but if it succeeded, the Windwalker family would emerge stronger than ever.
The assassins hired by Marquis Alaric Windwalker were not equipped to target high-ranking figures like Kaelith directly. Their contract restricted them to targets of knight rank and below. Attempting to assassinate a silver-ranked knight—or better, Kaelith himself—was prohibitively expensive.
Silver-ranked assassins, though skilled, would flee at the first sign of an evenly matched opponent. Their methods were precise and calculated, focusing only on those they were paid to kill. Kaelith, being a silver knight himself and surrounded by other silver-ranked knights, was untouchable for now. Taking him out would cost at least 100 million silver coins—a sum far beyond Alaric’s means.
The assassins had been hired with extreme caution to ensure their activities couldn’t be traced back to Alaric. The Darkwind family’s intelligence network, already weaker than the Windwalkers’, was further fragmented by internal divisions. Most of the remaining infrastructure was under Valdrin’s control, and Alaric doubted Valdrin would inform Kaelith of his involvement even if suspicions arose.
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Meanwhile, far from the machinations of nobles and assassins, a young boy stared at a glowing interface that hovered before him, his excitement barely contained.
Name: Edric Windwalker
Age: 15 years, 12 months, and 1 day
Task: Have a biological child
* Mirelle: 1 day left (139 others – Display All)
* Reward: A random White-level skill
* Deadline: 232 days
* Non-completion Punishment: Death
Techniques:
* Golden Knight Training: 760 / 275,000
* Golden Mage Training: 58 / 275,000
Talents:
* Knight Talent: Legendary (0 / 2,400,000)
* Mage Talent: Average (0 / 100,000)
Cheat: Low Level - 1,000 XP per day
Available XP: 168,154
Edric’s heart raced as he read the system interface for what felt like the hundredth time. After months of waiting, Mirelle was finally about to give birth!