“There is a message from Dustorn Fortress,” said Zela, and I turned toward her from the window.

“Has he reached there?” I asked, to which she shook her head. “They are saying that it is High-Mage Beaumont, High-Mage York, and three mercenaries that appeared two hours ago,” she replied.

They appeared two hours ago, and they are informing us now.

“Ask them about the Lancel?” I asked. “He is not there, but a message from High-Mage York, states the same thing, we had got from our prisoner,” she replied.

I didn’t ask anything further; there is nothing more to ask.

A few hours ago, our prisoner talked. He was in the group, that had killed the Count. When they come across them; the Count and others fight before scattering and running in a different direction.

They were able to capture the Count, but Lancel had used the teleportation scroll to run away. The scroll was uncommon, as it had worked despite anti-teleportation spells blocking it.

There has been no sign of him since then, and they were not able to track the teleportation location, either.

It doesn’t matter if he is alive. He didn’t deserve this city that we had fought with our blood. He will not have it, even if he returns.

I turned back to the window and saw the people going back to their homes. I could see, the multitude of emotions on their faces, from sadness to joy to relief.

They are the last batch released from the safe zone. Now, only the people who have their homes in there are staying there or those who have no homes.

We had destroyed quite a few buildings to make the way. Those people have been rehabilitated to other places.

Soon, the carriage stopped, and I got out.

In front of me is the hospital. This is not a temporary one; it is the biggest hospital in the city, holding the most patients.

“My lord,”

The guards at the door bowed as I walked inside. The hospital is crowded, with patients everywhere and doctors and healers trying to heal. I could see many of the girls volunteering here.

“How are the things, Doctor Kistoff?” I asked the old man. “Good. The potions you have sent in helping to save a lot of lives,” he replied.

“I am glad to hear that,” I said.

The potions found in chests are tremendously helpful, but they won’t last long. Two days at most. However, by then, most of the patients would be out of danger.

Still, we need a lot of potions.

This time, we were barely able to scrape by and were very lucky to find a chest full of it. The next time we won’t be, I planned to fill the strategic stores as much as I could to be better prepared against the next attack of the undead.

Though I really wished the undead had more money. We have got some from the undead, but more would have helped.

I already spent a large chunk of it with the order potions and other resources we desperately need. They will come tomorrow afternoon as the blockade lifted at dawn.

It could be opened by the undead, or the force could be used to open it. The merchants have hinted they wouldn’t hesitate to use the force to open a blockade.

I heard there are massive orders of goods, not from us, but from parties on the mainland. The battle for the throne had begun, and all parties bought everything they could that could help them with the throne.

I am glad, because every ship that passes through the water, gives us some money. The more ships passed, the more taxes the city would earn.

I talked to a few doctors and healers and checked on the patients. Both the humans and the orcs.

Half an hour later, I walked out of the hospital. Once again, feeling the anger at the Count. He really didn’t spend much of anything; the hospital needs better infrastructure and more staff.

I had seen how tired everyone was; it was not just doctors and healers, but also the guards standing by the door.

They had fought the battle and were now guarding the hospital without rest. Many are still working after the battle. I could see the tiredness in the eyes of my own guards. I am no different, but all of us are just pushing.

There are things to do, before the rest and I couldn’t sleep, before finishing them.

I sat in the carriage, and it moved toward another hospital. This time, the temporary one, is being handled by the priests of Cynvar.

They had done an excellent job. Ten times better than I had imagined. It could even be said that they had played a pivotal role in our victory against the undead.

I will need to pay back for that, and it will cost me, but I will do it. It is the least, I could do.

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Hun!

The carriage was halfway toward the hospital when suddenly a smile appeared on my face.

“Turn the carriage toward the establishment,” I said. I could see, Zela's face whipping toward me with eyes questioning. I didn’t say anything and just kept looking outside of the window.

Soon, the carriage stopped by the establishment.

“Follow me,” I said to Zela and Jon when I saw they were staying behind. They were loyal to me, and it is only fair that I pay back that loyalty with the trust.

They quickly got over their surprise before following me quickly into the dense mist.

The mist is dense enough that they can’t look at what is in front of them, even with their abilities. I had made it a little thinner, so they could at least see my silhouette to follow me.

Gasp!

Soon, the mist parted, and we entered the dome. As we did, a gasp of shock came out of their lips as they saw the Stone.

“The elder blood had calmed down and now merging with him. He had succeeded,” said Caena.

Hearing that, relief flooded in my veins, and a big smile appeared on my face. I truly hadn't thought he would survive, but Caena managed to do so with her incredible abilities.

I nodded at her gratefully and looked at Stone.

He is the same as the morning, with daggers and pointed stars around him, but now the energy in him is no longer raging. It becomes as calm as the lake.

The purple marks of magic poison could rarely be seen on him.

“When will the awakening be finished?” I asked her. “It should be finished by dawn. He will wake up soon after,” she replied.

“Thank you,” said Zela, to that she smiled.

“Take a rest, Caena. I will ask Carla to watch him,” I said to her. “I will,” she replied. I didn’t say anything further and walked out, with Zela and Jon following behind me.

Soon, I reached the carriage, but I didn’t immediately walk inside. I looked around specifically at the circle, which too had been destroyed, like the establishment.

A lot of things will be going to need rebuilding. Though, it will be much better than before. Not just the establishment and the circle, but the whole city.

The bastard Count didn’t listen to my suggestions, but now I am in charge. I will implement those solutions. The city has so much potential, and I will bring it all out.

A few seconds later; I sat in the carriage, and it began to move.

“Are there any changes in the horde?” I asked. “No, it is moving toward Norke without changing any direction,” she replied, and I felt a small relief.

Earlier, the new horde reached Panar, where it had divided itself once again. With one part staying in Panar while the other moving toward the Norke.

The undead are reinforcing their numbers in the conquered cities.

This thing shouldn’t be allowed to happen, but who could stop them? There are only two cities that have sufficient armies to even think about doing such a thing, but both of them are worrying about the undead sending a horde toward them.

They wouldn’t be sending an army anywhere soon.

Every city, except for the two cities on the eastern side, is worried about the undead. They have close proximity to Dustorn Fortress and the undead might not want to attack them.

The man at the Dustorn Fortress is the only person in the entire region capable of uprooting the undead from the roots. The undead wouldn’t want to mess with him; at least this early.

However, I really hope, those cities wouldn’t depend on Dustorn Fortress too much and make their own preparation. If Dustorn Fortress got busy with Tabes and any of the three cities on the river fell; it would give the undead a clear road to them.

Even without conquering any of us, they could move to those cities.

I visited all the hospitals, before returning to the city hall, where I contacted the hosts of legacies.

I assured them about the state of my legacy.

Though most are already aware of it being fine aside from its shell being destroyed. The hosts become aware of the death of any legacy as they do of the birth.

Assuring about the legacy isn’t the only reason, I had contacted them. There is another reason, the most important one.

Aid.

The hosts of the legacies are rich, and I am one of them. Even if they didn’t send much, a little would help.

“I am sorry. It is too much on you,” I apologized to Zela, who looked like, she could fall sleep anytime.

“It’s all right, my lord,” she replied. Hearing that, I shook my head.

“It’s time to call it a night. We all deserved it,” I said and walked out of the office with her and the girls.