CHAPTER 81: RETURN FROM IVORY HILLS

Kaelor could feel the weight of countless eyes the moment they passed through the gates of the town. The once-valiant army that had marched out hours ago with steel in their spines and the thundering steps of confidence now returned bearing the scars of battle.

Seventy soldiers bore light wounds, their armor scuffed and streaked with dried blood. Fifty more were in far worse condition, bandaged hastily with torn cloth, blood still seeping through, some limping, others carried. Faces were pale, clothes shredded, eyes clouded with exhaustion.

Even Titan Cebereus, the fearsome three-headed beast that had once seemed an untouchable force, looked battered. Cuts marred its thick hide, several of its heavy metal plates dented or completely missing, and the faint metallic tang of blood lingered in the air around it. The sight alone told of the ferocity of the battle they had endured.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd like the wind through tall grass. Farmers froze mid-swing of their hoes, slaves paused in their labor, and even the builders working high upon the rooftops in the inner district stopped hammering, their gazes fixed downward. The silence was almost tangible, heavy with unspoken questions and unease.

Then came the most chilling sight, Hound, carried on a makeshift stretcher. His massive frame was riddled with long crimson quills, each one a cruel reminder of the enemy they had faced. A few gasps escaped the onlookers; some averted their eyes. But then they saw what followed.

Two heavy wagons, both overflowing with the corpses of giant bats. Their twisted bodies, with wings like torn sails and eyes frozen in death, filled the air with the iron scent of blood and the bitter tang of victory. Relief washed over the crowd, mingled with awe, yes, the army had bled, but they had also triumphed.

Halfway through the outer section, Elsa came running, her expression taut with urgency. In her hands she carried a proper stretcher, two sturdy poles bound together with a thick white cloth. Without a word, she directed the men carrying Hound to lay him upon it, her hands moving with brisk efficiency.

Kaelor’s gaze swept the street and caught sight of another figure, Vi, the silver-haired Arcanist. She had been channeling water through the stone waterways toward the farmlands, her movements a dance of precision and control. But upon seeing him, she halted mid-gesture, droplets of water scattering to the earth. She approached quickly, her boots splashing through the shallow streams she had created.

When she stopped before him, her sharp eyes studied him with quiet intensity. Then, the faintest smile touched her lips, a flicker of relief.

"You’re okay."

Kaelor looked past her to his soldiers, many now sitting or lying along the roadside. Women under Elsa’s supervision knelt beside them, cleaning wounds and tying makeshift bandages. Their hands moved clumsily, lacking medical expertise but full of urgency.

"You should have brought me," Vi’s voice drew his gaze back to her, carrying a note of reproach.

"And leave the town under whose protection?" He exhaled, his voice low but steady. "Some of them will be out of commission for weeks, but at least no one died. If I have you constantly on the battlefield, my army will grow dependent and weakness will set in."

"Luckily, none of them are ordinary humans," Vi replied, her gaze lingering on his profile. "Otherwise, there would have been losses." Her eyes traced his face and shoulders, catching on subtle changes. Is it me, or has he grown taller? His jawline looks so... She blinked sharply, cutting off her own thought, a faint heat in her cheeks.

"Your territory is still in its infancy," she continued, her tone softening. "You’re only taking your first steps as a lord. But this... this will plant fear in their hearts, even if only a little."

Kaelor turned his head, his gaze locking with hers. "That’s why there’ll be a feast tonight. Instead of stepping backward, we will advance. But first, there’s something we must discuss. Meet me at the hall."

Without another word, Kaelor turned, his stride unhurried yet commanding. Vi’s eyes lingered on his retreating figure, broad-shouldered, straight-backed, and unmistakably changed. She found herself watching far longer than she meant to.

....

In the Lord’s Hall, Kaelor stood at the head of one of the two long rectangular tables, his imposing presence framed by the flicker of oil lamps that cast dancing shadows against the stone walls. Vi stood to his right, her silver hair catching the light like threads of moonlight, while Damien was at his left, posture rigid and attentive.

Kaelor had taken time to wash away the blood and grime of battle, his blonde hair still damp from the bath, his shoulders squared beneath a fresh tunic. The faint scent of roasted meat and fresh bread lingered on him from the meal he’d eaten before coming here, though his eyes were now fixed sharply on the matters at hand.

Laid out before them was a basic map of the Devil Wilderness, marked with charcoal lines and faint inked notes, a crude sketch of the territory they had painstakingly claimed.

"We found a mine."

The words fell from Kaelor’s lips with quiet weight, but the reaction was immediate. Vi’s eyes widened, blinking in disbelief, her lips parting as if to speak but no sound came. Damien froze entirely, his expression stiffening into one of pure shock, his body rooted like an oak driven into stone, as if someone had poured ice water down his back.

"This town was once used as an outpost," Kaelor continued, his tone level but his gaze intense. "But I have a different plan. Redwood will be the heart of our food supply. By next month, we will harvest over five hundred sacks of Starlight Rice and three hundred sacks of Eonwheat. The month after, those numbers will rise. Soon this town will feed not only greater numbers, but drive trade with other territories."

He straightened slightly, the fire in his eyes brightening. "But we cannot turn it into a construction hub. That is why the Whitestone City project will commence immediately."

Both Vi and Damien leaned in subtly, drawn to the gravity of his words.