(Chapter 32)
Lorcan Frostborne wanted to end it all quickly. He was frustrated with the barbaric attitude of the enemy, so he had to head to the border. His eyes were fixed on Clarisse Faeloria, now known as Clarisse Faeloria 'Frostborne,' standing not far from him. They were already a couple, but their relationship was not as perfect as it appeared on the outside.
"Your Highness, please be careful," Clarisse said softly, smiling seductively, only adding to the tension within Lorcan.
"Whatever happens, I'll finish this as quickly as possible," Lorcan replied, thinking about what he needed to do. With one firm step, he entered the carriage.
A hiss.
Lorcan sighed in displeasure as he had to leave Clarisse behind. Soldiers and knights followed him on the journey to the border fortress. His mind was filled with plans to defeat the barbarians, but one thing haunted him more often: how to bind Clarisse more deeply to his will. Lorcan hoped that Clarisse would become more obedient, but more often than not, he felt rejected by his wife.
The snow continued to fall, covering the roads until they reached their destination, the border fortress.
Lorcan received an update from a middle-aged commander, who looked nervous due to the intensifying barbarian attacks.
"It doesn't matter. I'll handle everything," Lorcan said, responding to the report calmly. The commander smiled sympathetically.
Lorcan apathetically observed the arrogant movements of the barbarians, who intended to conquer everything and overthrow the empire. Lorcan smiled, knowing full well that those who lacked sufficient power would only destroy themselves in a futile attempt.
"They're just savages."
Lorcan had gathered strength to take revenge for the loss of his father and brother, who had fallen at the hands of Khan, the Barbarian King.
A powerful man was believed to possess incredible strength.
Lorcan wasn't afraid because he knew he was on the same level as King Khan, and he felt confident that he would defeat him.
"Are you sure, Your Highness? Should we pursue this danger with all our might?" asked one of the soldiers hesitantly.
"Are you afraid now? We've waited for this day, and now it's time to defeat them. They're just a barbarian tribe that must be fought without hesitation," Lorcan replied firmly. The commander nodded confidently.
Everyone present now agreed that even though they didn't have full support from the Empire, as long as their leader was confident and had a chance of winning, victory was certain.
"I don't need people who are doubtful and weak," Lorcan said in a calm voice.
Once Lorcan took action, the enemy, who had only been able to defend and counterattack slowly, now stood helpless. Lorcan, the Duke of the North, was the strongest among this generation. Even his father and brother had no match for him.
As followers of Lorcan's father, they couldn't help but admire him every time they saw him lead without a nervous expression.
A strong man stood proudly, now leading many.
The expressions of the barbarians suddenly became tense, and as Lorcan swung his sword, many of them fell.
"I'll start taking this seriously," Lorcan said casually.
King Khan, the leader of the barbarians, was now anxious after receiving reports. They were cornered by Lorcan Frostborne. Khan massaged his temples, thinking hard, realizing that Lorcan was stronger than he had anticipated. He knew exactly how powerful Lorcan was, but he hadn't expected everything to change so quickly.
"A genius, a superhuman?" Khan murmured, realizing that leaving the lands he ruled and conquering the North wasn't as easy as he had planned.
"Revenge?" he thought again, feeling afraid of what was to come.
If the three of them worked together, they could conquer the empire, he thought, then smiled cynically.
"He's a monster."
Although the war had broken out, Khan knew one thing: he would not retreat.