Taking a deep breath, I allowed my muscles to relax, quieting my mind and shutting out the world around me. The physical realm faded into insignificance as my focus centered on channeling the latent mana within me. With each passing moment, my core pulsed with an increasing surge of energy, building up an immense reservoir of mana. This breakthrough in my teleportation abilities had granted me a newfound freedom—I was no longer bound to teleporting with an object; it had become optional.
The mana coursed through me, its current rushing with intensity before gradually subsiding, like a calm river settling after a raging storm. Drawing in another deep breath, I opened my eyes, only to find the basement transformed. The once sturdy stage had vanished, leaving an empty space in its wake. The swords that once adorned the room were now shattered or encased in ice, bearing the marks of battles past. A year had passed since I first set foot in this territory, and now, the long-awaited final day had arrived.
"Andrew and Elena want to see you," my master's voice snapped me out of my reverie, and I turned to face her. She remarked, shaking her head, "It seems like they always want something from you."
"Well, if they want to see me, it must be something important, right?" I responded, wiping the sweat off my body and slipping on a shirt.
"Like your fiancée?" she teased, a smirk playing on her lips. "You know you have to go and meet her eventually, don't you? Your constant avoidance won't please Duke Vigar."
"I'm not avoiding her; I'm simply a busy man," I defended, making my way towards the doorway. "Besides, I'm sure Duke Vigar understands that work takes precedence over family." Closing the door behind me, I ascended the stairs and made my way through the estate, eventually reaching the serene ambiance of the garden.
As I approached the table, Andrew and Elena sat there, sipping tea. They noticed my presence and turned their heads towards me in unison. "Lord Lucas," they greeted me simultaneously, with Andrew pulling out a chair for me to sit on.
"Alright, give me the updates," I requested, taking a sip of the tea.
"Marquis Corvus wants to have a private meeting with you," Elena informed, handing me a letter. "It seems he wants to 'expand' the southern border."
As I perused the contents of the letter, I couldn't help but wonder where such audacious ideas came from. "This crazy bastard," I muttered under my breath. The contents of the letter, if discovered by the king or any other noble, could effectively prove treason. The Marquis desired the southern nobles bordering the eastern territories of the kingdom to launch attacks and acquire new territory.
"Are you sure nobody else saw this letter?" I asked Elena urgently. While conflicts and power struggles among lower nobles like barons and viscounts were common, with one noble attempting to seize another's territory, a large-scale attack like the one proposed by the Marquis was unheard of.
"Nobody else saw it. I made sure of it," Elena reassured me confidently.
"It seems the eastern territories caused a hassle in negotiations," Andrew interjected, taking a sip of his tea.
"They were humiliating the Marquis before you entered into an engagement with the daughter of Duke Vigar. After that, their mood shifted, and the Marquis managed to strike a deal within the market price," Elena added, providing further context.
"I'll have a talk with him about it. Now, what else do you have for me?" I inquired, taking another sip of tea and awaiting Andrew's report.
"We have eliminated multiple bases of the Purifiers, and I must commend Owen, Jason, and Fred. They haven't suffered any major casualties," Andrew reported, handing me a file.
Currently, these three individuals were leading a military operation in the south to eliminate a group known as the Purifiers. They had been providing information to the demons, and I could not allow that to continue.
As I perused the report, a sense of disappointment welled up within me. The report stated that we had eliminated around 35 bases, but only 10 of them proved fruitful. The rest were seemingly abandoned, indicating that the Purifiers were lying low.
Frustration etched on my face, I slammed the file down onto the table. "Have we managed to locate their main base? Or any information on this man named Judas?" I inquired, my voice laced with exasperation.
Andrew shook his head, disappointment mirrored in his expression. "We haven't found their main base, and none of the raids on the Purifier bases yielded any mention of a man named Judas," he replied.
Turning my gaze towards Elena, I sought any glimmer of hope. "What about the bishop and our spies? Have they uncovered anything?" I asked, my tone tinged with frustration.
Elena sighed, meeting my gaze with a sympathetic look. "The bishop and our spies have come up empty-handed as well," she revealed, noting my growing frustration. "But on a positive note, the bishop will be promoted to Archbishop for his outstanding efforts in curbing the spread of the illness in Silverglade."
A smile spread across my face, momentarily dispelling my frustration. "That's fantastic news!" I exclaimed, feeling a surge of pride. With the promotion, the newly appointed Archbishop would have greater access to information, expanding his network across more regions.
"Make sure to send the Archbishop a gift to celebrate his achievement," I instructed Andrew, who nodded in acknowledgement of my request.
I took a deep breath, shifting my focus to a different topic. "How about Ezekiel?" I asked, my voice more composed now. Though I didn't spend a significant amount of time with Ezekiel and Lady Cecily, it was clear to me that he was growing stronger with each encounter.
"He's doing well with his fiancee," Elena replied, a hint of curiosity evident in her tone. "When do you plan on telling him about your own engagement?"
A sly smile formed on my lips. "Never. I'm not in the mood to go on double dates with him," I remarked, slightly amused by the fact that Ezekiel seemed oblivious to the hottest news of the past few months. The announcement of my engagement had caused quite a stir, with rumors circulating throughout the capital. Some had even expected me to marry the princess. Yet, somehow, Ezekiel remained blissfully unaware.
Elena and Andrew both rolled their eyes at my cheeky comment, taking a sip of their tea to hide their amusement.
"Is there anything else?" I inquired, setting down the empty tea cup. Both of them shook their heads, indicating there was nothing further to report.
"Very well," I declared, a sense of purpose evident in my voice. "Start packing, because tomorrow we leave."