Urrel took a cigarette out of a pack and placed it loosely on his mouth, he grunted as he flicked his finger, getting his magic to work. He sighed, relieved as the cigarette was lit, slumping without care on his chair.

His most trusted servant watched with mixed emotions as he watched his master slump in his seat.

“Mero, any news?” Urrel asked.

Mero cleared his throat, answering Urrel's questions without falsehood. “New ships have been made nothing new, though there was an intriguing one, saying that dwarves have created an airship to travel.”

“Airship? Don't they know that winds are not the only threat to airborne crafts?” Urrel muttered.

Mero paused for a bit, waiting for Urrel to finish his mutterings. “Anyways, what's more?”

“Some rumours say that Elves are also preparing something, but that's not confirmed.”

Urrel blinked first before laughing. “Those leaf eaters? Damn, I should've known those isolationists would've done something.”

“Your majesty, I'm pretty sure those are just rumours. After all, the interest towards the ninth continent is all about glory and riches.”

“And what, those Isolationists don't want that?” Urrel scoffed, taking a puff of smoke. “Those elves wanted control over magic, Mero. If they're going there then there is surely something they need to hide from us, or whatever their excuse is going to be.”

Urrel took the cigarette off his lips before putting it out on his ashtray. “When is the meeting starting?” Urrel asked.

“About 30 minutes from now on,” Mero answered.

Urrel let out a groan, his hands urged to get another cigarette and smoke it till it's nothing but the tip. With his willpower, he refrained from doing so.

Mero wanted to sigh but couldn't, instead, he took something out of his pocket and handed it to Urrel, “Your majesty, some perfume.”

“Ugh, it's one of those that hurts your nose” Urrel looked at the perfume with disdain.

Nonetheless, Urrel used it anyway, spraying around his neck. “Damn this. Who's the one confirmed coming?”

“The Duke of Lerroux, the Duke of Prorarch, the Count of Serrough and each of them will bring at least 2 vassals.”

“I see.” Urrel stood up fixing his attire and pulling out the creases.

He sighed as he started walking, taking the robe off the stand as he passed by and wearing it. He looked regal as any Royal, he was elegant and graceful a perfect display for the head of nobility.

Urrel walked the halls with dignity, some annoyance seeping through his steps. Once he reached the meeting room, a Knight was guarding the entrance. The Knight was about to announce Urrel's entrance but instead, he stopped the Knight.

“Your Majesty?” The Knight asked, his tone confused.

“Hush.” Urrel simply replied as he kicked the door open.

He found the reactions of the nobles amusing, the dukes and their vassals had a surprised face. Urrel felt satisfied with his antics, smiling as he sat down.

“Your majesty, we've come to an agreement.” The Duke of Lerroux spoke first after composing himself. “We stand a united front towards the Ninth continent, to be first against the others. Your will is our command.”

Urrel couldn't help but purse his lips and narrow his eyes as he nodded. They're giving him full command to ensure that any mistakes would be blamed on him, 'not bad,’ he thought.

“I see that we're all united in this endeavour,” Urrel smiled. “Then I will entrust all of it to Count Serrough. Goodbye.”

Urrel stood up and left. The Nobles in the meeting room were left aghast at his immediate decision and quick dismissal.

“Y-your majesty! T-This needs more careful planning!” Count Serrough reasoned, almost pleading.

“That's why I'm trusting it to you, the loyal servant of Fargos!” Urrel snickered before merrily walking away.

The nobility was left in a befuddled state. They wouldn't think of their king doing such an irresponsible move. The Duke of Lerroux snapped his head towards the Count; he was visibly fuming.

He visibly was conveying in his eyes to pass the responsibility towards him or the Duke of Prorarch but both knew what would happen if they disregarded the King's word.

The Count was left stressed and indignant. His only contribution to the table was his resources, unlike the two dukes who are very talented in things.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Urrel left the meeting room with a satisfied smile, the two dukes were vying for the position of leadership. Of course, as far as the hierarchy goes the Count has to follow the command of those higher ranking than him.

But in this case, he has the word of the king, the only thing that the dukes cannot disregard. The Count could only look at the two annoyed dukes at the meeting table.

“N-Now, now. I am sure his majesty has a plan—”

“Of course he does.” The Duke of Prorarch grumbled.

The Duke of Lerroux couldn't help but chuckle and lean back in his seat, he couldn't say he saw this coming. The monarch of Fargos is not ambitious, cruel or a schemer, but when something bothers him and the country’s way of life.

Those things become nothing, it is recognized by other countries around Fargos that Urrel is a man not to be underestimated, even if the kingdom of Fargos is smaller than any country out there, with Urrel’s mind he can and will defend his hometown.

“This isn't productive, let's start planning our course of action.” the Duke of Lerroux interjected.

The Duke of Prorarch growled but ultimately shut his mouth, clearly they all had their own agendas. One wanted the glory of being the first to the Ninth Continent, one wanted the resource there and the other wanted the land entirely.

The Count wiped the sweat off his forehead with his napkin. “Anyways…” Since the leadership is passed down to the Count he didn't dally any longer and had one of his vassals spread a map over the table.

There he pointed at a place where theres a mark saying ‘here be dragons’ and the Count pointed at it. “It's not clear yet but…” He dragged his finger across the landmark of waters “This sea differs from all known seas, the Harshwaters has two routes that are alright to cross.”

That piqued the two Duke’s attention along with their vassals. “How did you acquire that information?” asked the Duke of Lerroux with a raised brow.

“The natives of the Scattered Isles.” The count answered

“Aren't those natives of the Scattered Isles mostly Orcs? How did you communicate with those numbskulls?” The duke of Prorarch asked, sceptic.

“One of my vassals has been trading with them, have you heard of the fugu flakes? That's where it comes from.” The Count explained.

“Those things that we add on sandwiches that have a nutty flavour?” The Duke of Lerroux mused.

“Yes, those, the thing popular in high-end cuisine, we procure it there from the locals.”

“Amazing, alright enough of these trivia’s what are those routes, count.” The Duke of Prorarch scoffed.

“Right, it's not today, but the routes appear at specific times.” The two Dukes listened with Intruige. “One appears when theres a solar eclipse over the sea that connects the Isles with the Ninth continent.” The Dukes understand an eclipse is very rare and the last one happened 47 years ago. “The other is when a full moon rises and a clear sky, a lengthy route will appear but it's the most common one could get.”

“What exactly is the form of this route?” The Duke of Prorarch asked with curiosity. “You're making me imagine a road in the sea, Count.”

“It is.”

“...”

“The Moonlight has some glow over the night, the locals say there are fishes that eats the moonlight and a road of total darkness will appear in the sea. Thats the route we’re going for.”

“That seems suspicious count.” The Duke of Prorarch accusingly pointed at the Count. “If it was true there was no way that our vessels had not found this earlier!”

The count felt a sweat fall down his cheek. “We have tested this with the locals, maybe a proof will suffice?” The Count looked at one of his Vassals, who nodded and had one servant bring a large chest to the table.

“What's this?” The Duke of Lerroux asked calmly, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

The arrival of a chest containing the unknown and possibly from the Ninth continent’s seas made the vassals around the table tense. Of course, they were looking at the Count with suspicion but didn't act, yet.

The Count coughed and the chest was opened slowly by a servant. Of course, everyone anticipated what was inside, some Vassals with swords placed their hand on their hilt. Fortunately, no fight ensued as what the chest contained was a large mana stone.

“What…” the Duke of Lerroux was confused. “Why is a mana stone here?”

“This is not a mana stone, Duke.” The count said calmly.”This is a mana core.”

The Vassals went back to a tense mood, a mana core can only be found within monsters and beasts. A mana core is no larger than a small bead or a bean, what they have here is the size of a leather ball that peasants use to play.

“Impossible!” the Duke of Prorarch stood up slamming his hand on the table along the way. “Theres no way that a simple route gave you a chance to kill one of those beasts below waters!”

The Duke of Prorarch may seem to be irrational, but the Duke of Lerroux agrees with him, several ships from different countries have ventured towards the ninth continent waters to find themselves unsuccessful in even slaying a common beast from those seas and yet the Count came here with a mana core so large?

“The thing is… We didn't hunt this, the locals of the Scattered Isles did.”

The Duke of Prorarch narrowed his eyes. “I do hope you had a good look?”

The count nodded, “Yes, it's not something we can replicate, however.”

“Pray tell, why?”

“They… carried harpoons and dived the seas of the ninth continent. We just bought the core. They could hunt them because the route could be created thanks to a prey fish, the fish is their indicator if there is a monster or beast nearby, it also can grow up to the size of a common carriage, this core here, is the core of that fish.”

The two Dukes went silent for a moment, The Duke of Prorach could see that assigning the Count for the position wasn't a bad idea, other than the fact that he now held the spotlight thanks to the king. The Duke of Lerroux could also tell the same, however, he was already thinking of a way to play his cards right.

The Duke of Lerroux was the first to speak up. “Then I guess the Count is more than worthy to be in charge of the situation, isn't?” he glanced at the Duke of Prorarch who glared at him momentarily.

The Duke of Prorarch only nodded in response.

***

Mikhael swiped his spear immediately towards the unknown man, it was clear he wasn't here for any kind of peace or connection with the Nefuti. He knew that this unknown man meant harm.

However, his attack was disregarded, the man just swiping away Mikhael’s spear with his bear arm. Paul didn't just stand idle, he lunged and thrust his spear which was dodged easily with a sidestep.

“Pests.” he spat with disdain.

He raised his arm soon glowing gold, Mikhael could tell that this attack was lethal, and he reached out to pull Paul away just as the man brought down his arm with terrifying speed. Mikhael wanted to fight back but he soon felt something pierce his stomach.

He looked down to see an arm stuck to his abdomen, he was in pain and flustered. He looked up to see the man in front of him. His movement was fast, Mikhael couldn't even see it. The man pulled his arm away and blood flowed like a fountain, he felt blood rush up his mouth and Mikhael fell to his knees.

“Mikhael!” Paul shouted in rage, He swung his spear towards the assailant but he couldn't even as much touch the hem of his robes.

Mikhael couldn't help but look in utter helplessness as Paul soon was cleaved in two, Paul’s eyes widened as he fell to the ground. Mikhael watched Paul bleed out with nothing but despair eating him.

“Tsk.”

The man clicked his tongue and disappeared, Mikhael looked down at Paul who was still noticeably breathing, Paul’s eyes looked at Mikhael. “Don't blame yourself, yeah?” before all the life in his eyes vanished.

Mikhael’s emotions swelled, rage, helplessness and hopelessness. He tried to move his body, but he couldn't muster an action much less a shudder. He breathed. Despite the hole in his chest, he refused to die.

He gritted his teeth with rage and looked in the direction where his father was, Mikhael knew that if the man reached him, knowing with his speed, it would spell the end for everyone. His brothers and sisters.

Mikhael raged, “AHH!” he commanded his legs to move, his will reached everything around him, a spark igniting within his body. Mikhael watched as his brother turned into motes of light and got absorbed into himself.

He struggled, screaming as his legs moved, he soon felt his father’s touch, his mind could feel that his Father, Hadro, was not in the best condition either. But despite that, he felt some assistance in him.

Then all of a sudden, his father abruptly cut his connection, as if the ties had been cut, as if the connection between his father and Him didn't exist. Mikhael stood up, and he stood up with rage.

…

“There you are.” The man glared at the cocoon of energy and without hesitation, plunged his empowered arm of light. The cocoon letting out a shattered crack.