Chapter 404: Rule in my name with justice and honor

Fallenwinter slipped into a peaceful night, with thousands of men returning to their families, unharmed.

Ethan slept soundly, accompanied by a flood of notifications that flashed one after another before his eyes, each announcing yet another settlement conquered by his army.

Zael, for his part, spent the night under his wife’s watchful care. On her face, worry and relief alternated in a heavy, silent rhythm.

She feared for Fallenwinter’s future, yet felt a quiet gratitude that her husband was still breathing beside her.

The next morning, a few hours after sunrise, a pained, masculine groan cut through the silence of the master bedroom in the Lord of Fallenwinter’s mansion.

Golden light filtered through the thick curtains, bathing the wooden floor in a soft, warm glow.

Slowly, a pair of weary eyes opened, and a defeated sigh escaped those chapped lips.

His gaze wandered over the familiar ceiling, recognized the carved details of the canopy’s woodwork, and finally settled on the woman asleep in a chair beside him.

A hand moved feebly toward Lady Fallenwinter’s delicate fingers, carefully folded across her lap.

The instant that strong, calloused palm rested on hers, her eyes flew open.

"Did I lose?"

It was the first thing she heard, and a tremulous laugh slipped from her lips as she recognized her husband’s hoarse voice.

"Yes, you fool... you lost." She leaned toward Zael, brushing a gentle kiss against his lips.

"But at least you’re still here." She stroked his hair, hiding the pain that tried to etch itself onto her face.

Zael remained silent, his gaze lost somewhere on the ceiling for a long moment.

His mind was a whirlwind, and his heart felt heavier than any armor he’d ever worn.

"The troops of Goldenveil?"

"They’re already in control of the city. Ethan Goldenveil is sleeping in our mansion... he’ll come to see you soon," his wife said.

Her hand suddenly froze in his hair.

She had sensed a presence outside the bedroom door.

Ethan had apparently already arrived.

"Let me speak with him alone." Zael brought his hand to his wife’s face, smiling painfully as he caressed her delicate cheek with his thumb.

She nodded, forcing herself to rise from the edge of the bed.

Soon, Zael found himself alone in the room, the soft sound of the door opening and closing marking his wife’s departure.

Outside, she exchanged a few quiet words with someone, and moments later, the faint creak of the hinges echoed again as a young man stepped inside.

"Ah... you’re a pretty damn handsome son of a bitch, you know that? My scouts weren’t lying, hahaha."

Zael laughed bitterly, but the laugh quickly turned into a terrible coughing fit that shook his entire wounded chest.

He channeled his own aura to steady himself, forcing his eyes to focus on Ethan as he struggled to sit up in bed.

Ethan chuckled, approaching the bed and pulling a bottle of green fairy wine from his inventory.

He sat down beside Zael, opened the bottle with a soft pop, and poured two glasses. The emerald liquid slid down the crystal, exuding a sweet, rich aroma that filled the room.

He handed one of the glasses to Zael.

Lord Fallenwinter stared coldly at it for a brief moment before bringing it to his lips and taking a cautious sip.

His eyes widened instantly.

It was the most powerful and delicious wine he had ever tasted in his entire life!

Zael couldn’t help himself and took a second sip—this one much larger than the first.

"Do you still remember the terms of our duel?" Ethan asked, lazily swirling the wine in his glass.

"Yes." Zael nodded. "I accepted these terms, so I will abide by them."

There was clear resignation in his voice. He didn’t want to give in to this, but he was also a man of honor.

"Very well." Ethan nodded.

"I plan to keep you and your family as the rightful rulers of Fallenwinter. You will receive a monthly salary befitting your position, along with bonuses based on your performance. Your family will be able to maintain a private guard of, currently, one hundred soldiers. That number may also increase or decrease depending on your performance."

"Annually, a group of evaluators will come to Fallenwinter and, based on what they find here, decide whether your salary and your family’s power will rise or fall."

Ethan took an item from his spatial ring—a small booklet with just a few written pages.

It was, in essence, a summary of Goldenveil’s laws regarding noble houses, their powers, rights, and duties.

In Goldenveil, a citizen’s responsibility and duty grew in direct proportion to their power and wealth, so that booklet carried considerable weight.

In silence, Zael read each page with rapt attention.

The shock on his face deepened with every line, his hands beginning to tremble against the edges of the paper.

Citizens’ rights, clearly established military laws, an organized system of public governance, and much more.

These were things that existed, albeit in a limited form, in certain wealthy and well-organized cities—but was Ethan trying to create a kingdom where these laws extended from the capital to the most remote frontiers?

That was simply absurd.

Still, as he recalled the strength of that young man and that army, Zael could not control his own heart.

He forced himself out of bed, the sheets sliding off his powerful chest and abdominal muscles as he stood, only a pair of brown pants concealing his nakedness.

He was still wounded, but he was a fourth-stage warrior.

All it took was a little aura circulating through his body for him to stand firm, steady as a tower in the midst of a storm.

In a few minutes, he’d likely be able to fight at fifty percent of his power.

He looked at Ethan, and then knelt.

"Zael Fallenwinter greets Ethan Goldenveil, Rightful Ruler of the Eternal Forest, of the Eternal Mountain, of all who dwell there, and of every corner touched by the rays of the golden sun!" he declared, his voice filling the room despite his wounded body.

Even Ethan was taken aback for a moment before smiling and rising to his feet.

"I accept your loyalty. Rule in my name with justice and honor."