Despite knowing he had completed two of his quests, Luke was far too exhausted to claim the rewards. After working on the gunpowder nearly non-stop for ten days, fatigue clung to him like a heavy shroud.

By the time his meeting with the City Lord ended, he had been little more than a walking corpse. It took every ounce of his remaining strength just to bathe and collapse into bed. The moment his head touched the pillow, sleep seized him.

A loud knocking jolted him awake. Muffled shouts filtered through the door.

“Deputy General! Enemy troops have been spotted approaching from the north!”

Luke's eyes snapped open. “The north?!”

Still groggy, he sat up, wincing as his stiff body protested the sudden movement. Ignoring the discomfort, he yanked on his boots and rushed to the door.

A frantic soldier stood outside, waiting for orders.

“Have you notified the City Lord and General?” Luke asked, forcing himself to focus.

“Yes, sir. They’re at the north wall. The General sent me to fetch you.”

“Then let’s go.”

Luke strode forward, his mind racing to piece together the situation. He lacked information, and that made him uneasy.

‘How long was I asleep?’ he wondered. The sky was dark, but that meant little. He could have slept a few hours—or an entire day. That distinction was crucial if he hoped to deduce who the enemy was.

“When did the siege end?” he asked, glancing at the soldier beside him.

The man hesitated before replying, clearly caught off guard by the question. “Last night, sir. About sixteen hours ago.”

Luke nodded, falling silent once more. His mind was sluggish, but he pushed through the haze, assembling the puzzle piece by piece.

‘Since we didn’t pursue the Lhair army, they should still have over twelve thousand soldiers left. Without a general to lead them, those men would either desert or retreat west to Lhair.’

Yet these troops were coming from the north. That alone suggested they weren’t the remnants of the Lhair forces.

Which left only one possibility.

‘This army is from Valand City.’

Luke inhaled sharply. Given nearly two weeks to prepare, it made sense that William would send reinforcements to besiege Clayton City. Especially with how much importance the Bishop placed on the fortress.

His expression darkened. Supplies were already running low. If Clayton City came under siege again, they would be forced into desperate measures. The thunder bombs remained an option, but in an open field, they risked harming their own men.

And he was tired of seeing death.

Master Boyd’s shaken expression after witnessing the bombs’ devastation now made sense.

Up until now, war had been fought by men—determined by tactics, strength, and sheer willpower. But with the advent of gunpowder, everything had changed.

The battlefield would never be the same again.

The soldiers of Lhair had been nothing more than sheep led to the slaughter. Against such a deadly weapon, they had no choice but to die. That was their fate.

By introducing gunpowder to the battlefield, Luke had stripped war of its so-called honor. Until both sides wielded firearms, this would be the new reality.

Yet he held no regrets. Without it, they would have been overrun by the Lhair army—or at the very least, suffered catastrophic losses. Morals had their place, but when forced to choose between his own death or the enemy’s, Luke would always choose the latter.

When he reached the north wall, he spotted Kayson, General Boyd, and Viscount Diego atop the ramparts. He climbed the stairs, his eyes immediately scanning the horizon.

Even in the darkness, he could see them. An army—fifteen thousand strong—approaching at a steady pace. At this rate, they would arrive within the hour.

“Have you identified the enemy?” Luke asked, his gaze fixed on the advancing troops.

“They bear the flag of Valand City,” General Boyd answered in his deep, steady voice. “If what you say is true—that they’ve switched allegiances—then they are our enemies.”

Luke nodded. While it had been just over a day since they repelled the Lhair army, he couldn’t assume these troops were unaware of that outcome. It was entirely possible that soldiers who had fled the previous battle had now been absorbed into this force.

“What’s the plan? Should we use your thunder bombs again?” the City Lord asked, his tone oddly casual.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Luke replied grimly. “We have, at best, two days' worth of supplies left. We need to end this quickly.”

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“Our men are exhausted,” General Boyd added. “Most of them spent the entire day retrieving bodies and burning them outside the walls.”

Luke fell silent, narrowing his eyes, searching for any sign of Holy Knights among the approaching ranks. If they had to deal with those zealots again, things could get ugly.

But then—his breath hitched.

A lone figure stood out amid the sea of soldiers. A man astride a chestnut gelding, waving a fan idly in his left hand. Even from this distance, Luke could sense his nonchalance, as if he were merely taking a leisurely midnight stroll.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

“Hayden?!”

Kayson’s head snapped toward him. “Hayden? As in General Hart?”

The City Lord’s face twisted in confusion. “What is Hayden doing flying the flag of Valand City? Shouldn’t he be in Xiu Fortress or coming from the east?”

Luke’s shock quickly melted into relief. He turned sharply.

“Open the gates. I’m going to meet General Hart.”

“I’m coming with you,” Kayson said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

“Wait.” The City Lord frowned. “How can you be sure he’s not part of this conspiracy? He’s marching directly from Valand City under their banner.”

“I highly doubt it, my Lord,” Luke replied with confidence. “If anything, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hayden marched into Valand City and retaliated against William Nox before heading here.”

Knowing Hayden, the moment his forces started suffering losses, his suspicions would have turned to the newly integrated Valand troops. And with his ruthless methods, Luke had no doubt he would have done whatever was necessary to extract information.

Once Hayden realized the truth, Xiu Fortress would have been a lost cause. The most prudent move would have been to head southwest and return to Clayton City. Yet, for some reason, he had taken a detour.

As the city gates groaned open, Luke and Kayson stepped forward to meet Hayden and the approaching army. Luke’s sharp gaze swept over the ranks, scanning for any sign of Sebastian—or at the very least, Hilda, who was bound to be nearby.

But neither of them was in sight.

A lone horse cantered ahead, breaking from the formation. The rider’s silhouette sharpened against the night, resolving into a familiar figure.

"It seems I’m late to the party," Hayden remarked as he dismounted, his movements as fluid and refined as ever. His ever-present fan remained in hand, waving idly.

"Better late than never, General," Luke replied with a grin. Despite the unease he always felt around the man, he was relieved. Hayden’s arrival meant they wouldn’t have to endure another siege—not yet, at least.

"Very true." Hayden’s gaze lingered on Luke, his sharp eyes brimming with curiosity. "I’ve heard some rather remarkable tales about the battle. Some say the gods themselves intervened, raining fire from the heavens to annihilate the Lhair army."

Luke didn’t laugh. From an outsider’s perspective, the Thunder Bombs must have seemed like divine punishment.

"Not quite, General," he replied smoothly. "Please, come inside—I’m sure you’re weary from your travels." He gestured toward the open gates. "As for the battle, we’ll fill you in on the details later."

Hayden raised an eyebrow before his usual carefree smile returned. "Very well. We’ve brought fifty wagons of supplies—they should last until we can secure more from the south."

Luke exhaled, tension easing from his chest. "Thank you, General." He bowed, as did Kayson beside him.

With that, they escorted Hayden into the city, where General Boyd and Viscount Diego awaited them atop the ramparts. After a brief exchange, the group made their way to the City Lord’s estate for a full debriefing.

Inside the meeting hall, seated around a heavy wooden table, they listened as Hayden recounted the events at Xiu Fortress.

The mood in the room shifted the moment he revealed what had transpired.

The traitors had poisoned the wells, tainted the food supplies, and slaughtered soldiers and civilians alike in their sleep. Chaos had reigned.

And when Hayden finally acted, he had done so decisively—and mercilessly.

Every single soldier taken in from Valand City had been executed. Innocent or not, it hadn’t mattered.

A thick silence settled over the meeting hall. The weight of ten thousand lives hung in the air like an unspoken accusation.

Luke shuddered.

Hayden sat there, entirely unaffected, as if the deaths were little more than an unfortunate necessity.

It wasn’t just cold. It was calculated.

Luke’s thoughts drifted to Captain Gerard—the tall, steadfast cavalryman who had charged alongside Lieutenant Commander Stoddard. Loyal. Capable. A soldier who had served with unwavering dedication.

And now—he was gone.

Luke’s eyes flicked to Kayson. His friend had gone pale.

Gerard had been one of the few men Kayson respected despite their difference in age. They had shared the same ideals—the same unwavering sense of duty.

And now—he had died a dog’s death.

Luke wanted to say something. But what words could make this right?

Luke turned his gaze toward Hayden, but the words coming from the man’s mouth made his stomach churn.

“Valand City no longer stands. We took them by surprise and razed it to the ground—pulled out all the roots,” Hayden said nonchalantly, waving his fan as if discussing the weather. “With this, Clayton City may well be the northernmost reach of the kingdom now. We’ll need to fortify it accordingly.”

Valand City is gone?

Luke’s breath hitched, his eyes widening in shock. His thoughts immediately went to Victoria—the woman who had been infiltrating the city as a maid in the City Lord’s estate. Was she killed too?

A deep, unexplainable sadness welled inside him.

“If that’s the case, we should send for reinforcements from the capital,” Viscount Diego said, his face unreadable.

“We can send Luke Drakon and Kayson Diego,” General Boyd rumbled, his deep voice cutting through the silence.

What?

Hearing his name, Luke’s attention snapped back to the conversation.

“I plan to recommend them to the Royal Academy,” Boyd continued. “With his invention, Luke has drawn a great deal of attention—some may even wish to harm him. If he’s in the Academy, it will be far more difficult to reach him.”

“Funny you should say that, Master Boyd. I was thinking the same thing,” Hayden said with a smirk, snapping his fan shut. “What do you think, City Lord?”

Viscount Diego stroked his short-cropped beard in thought. “Given the impact of this weapon, even without our recommendation, Luke would likely be invited to attend,” he admitted. “Though I’m unsure about my son’s eligibility.”

“Don’t worry, my Lord. I’ll ensure Kayson is enrolled alongside me,” Luke said without hesitation. He had already decided—joining the Royal Academy was the next step. Not only would it take him away from the war zone, but it would also grant him access to the capital’s vast resources.

The City Lord’s expression softened. “You have my thanks, Luke. In two days’ time, you both will leave for the capital. I’ll provide a retinue.”

“My Lord,” Luke spoke up, his eyes gleaming with intent, “may I request a mercenary to accompany me?”

“A mercenary?” Viscount Diego’s brow arched. “Would you not prefer one of our soldiers?”

Luke shook his head. “My father is a mercenary. If possible, I’d like to bring him with me to the capital.”

“I see,” the City Lord murmured, considering. After a moment, he nodded. “Then I will allow it.”

“Thank you, my Lord.”

“I would also like to send my subordinate along, if you don’t mind, City Lord,” Hayden interjected, waving his fan lazily. “Perhaps she could serve as your son’s retinue.”

Viscount Diego seemed hesitant.

Hayden smiled knowingly. “Victoria, come introduce yourself.”

Luke’s body froze.

He heard the sound of the door creaking open behind him—but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around. Could it be the same woman?

“I will serve your son to the best of my abilities, City Lord.”

-End Volume 1