Northern Border.
Prince Dani sat in his residence, savoring a hearty beef stew.
The cold winds in the north cut to the bone once winter set in, and families gathered around stoves. To combat the chill, they'd perfected various stews, with beef stew becoming one of the region's signature dishes.
They didn't use native cattle from Camelot Empire. Instead, they used Western breeds introduced from the Holy Country. Local beasts of burden had denser muscle and tougher meat, so the Western cattle, raised specifically for meat, were far more popular in the north. Over time, beef stew had become a beloved specialty.
Dani popped a chunk of beef into his mouth, chewing with satisfaction.
Standing at nearly two meters tall, Dani hardly resembled a pampered imperial son. Muscular and imposing, his thick eyebrows added menace to his gaze, which could flash with terrifying fury. But he wasn't a brute. In fact, among the princes, he was one of the most versed in the classics. Many in the palace believed that if he hadn't been born into royalty, he could have become a great scholar-warrior.
Still, being a prince guaranteed a complicated life.
Having withdrawn from matters of court, he spent his days with good food, fine company, sparring with martial artists, and occasionally inviting scholars to drink and compose poetry. Life was carefree…. until now.
He'd just received an urgent message from the capital, ordering him to muster every soldier and resource at his disposal in preparation for General Balinos's arrival.
Prince Dani, known as The Northern Prince, understood immediately. He'd known about the fall of Hanyin City long before word reached the Imperial Court—he had personally urged the local official in charge of transmitting the message to travel swiftly and provided every possible convenience along the way.
He grasped how serious the Hanyin City situation was. Despite his distaste for court struggles, he wasn't clueless. Clearly something was off. But with minimal real power under his command, if he'd openly intervened and none of the surrounding cities had acted, the suspected traitors might have turned on him. So he just did his best to get the news to the capital as quickly as possible.
Now Pluvia had personally commanded him to gather every force he could. This posed a headache. Gathering supplies and equipment was easy enough, but he didn't have many troops. So how was he supposed to muster a large fighting force?
Chewing on his stew, his mind spun.
He had no standing army, but he did have administrative authority over nearby cities. If he needed soldiers, he could conscript them. Most likely, the emperor wished to ensure that General Balinos would have reinforcements if local armies failed—Dani's men would be the backup.
Having decided, Dani ordered his servants to deliver a decree to the nearby cities, drafting troops.
Next, he needed to shore up his defenses.
A battle on the scale of tens of thousands was brewing in the north, and strategic repositioning would be inevitable. His city, which controlled a major route to Hanyin, could become a key target. He refused to watch the city he'd painstakingly managed be ravaged, so he prepared in advance.
His territory's towns soon bristled with defenses: pitfalls outside walls, piles of stones and logs ready for rolling, vats of oil waiting by the ramparts. He hired mercenary fighters from various martial arts backgrounds to strengthen the guard. Alongside conscription, he put everyone to work producing barricades and spear carriages.
The result was remarkable.
When General Balinos finally arrived in the north with his fifty thousand troops, Dani had everything ready. The moment the army showed up—even before they started setting up camp—he'd already chosen a site for them and erected tents. The food, vegetables, and ramparts were all rock solid, bustling with patrols.
In short, he had anticipated every possible need.
General Balinos was moved to tears. He'd expected to spend days getting five divisions settled, never dreaming the Northern Prince would serve as a perfect logistical partner. Now his troops could rest immediately.
Even better, Dani had sent out scouts with detailed maps of the terrain, pinpointing some enemy movements.
…
At last, the day of battle arrived.
Late at night, under a pitch-black sky, the fifty-thousand-strong Camelot force advanced through the rugged landscape.
The army's discipline was ironclad. They'd wrapped their weapons in coarse cloth to silence them. Their armor was smeared with ash and soot to avoid reflecting moonlight. Since Dani's men had already mapped the terrain, the troops moved in near-darkness, edging toward Hanyin City undetected.
Then they attacked.
Caught completely off-guard, the barbarians inside the city had no idea what was happening. Alchemical explosives lit the sky; countless cultivators scaled the walls and unleashed carnage.
The city fell in under two hours. Desperate to salvage the situation, the barbarian cavalry raced out in an attempt to break through using their powerful charge.
But Camelot's soldiers were prepared—rows of spear carriages rolled forward. Each carriage bristled with iron-tipped lances. Once positioned, they locked into place. The moment barbarian riders thundered forward, even their spiritual shields couldn't withstand the impact. Many cavalry were skewered instantly.
Then, as if to prove their loyalty, the nearby cities that had previously stayed quiet sprang into action…