Chapter 123: Northern Expedition Begins

The remainder of the day blurred into a relentless, high-intensity marathon of governance.

With the Audience Chamber dismissed and his ministers dispatched to their respective posts, Craig immersed himself fully in the administrative machinery of the Myrain Viscounty.

He spent hours locked in his study, reviewing heavy ledgers of grain reserves, signing off on infrastructure upgrades for the agricultural districts, and inspecting border security reports submitted by the regional garrisons.

Every stroke of his pen was calculated to ensure absolute self-sufficiency.

If his domain was to thrive while he crossed oceans and continents to establish the Crimson Dragon Order, it could not afford a single administrative blind spot.

Even his ministers and directors knew how important their roles were.

Master Sebas was a dead proof that their Lord Viscount, Craig von Darkstar wouldn’t hesitate to execute any who defiled him.

By the time the afternoon sun began its slow, majestic descent toward the western horizon, painting the sky in deep hues of burnt orange and violet, every logistical pillar of the viscounty had been locked into place.

The treasury was fortified, the military patrols were doubled under Ser Gunther’s strict command, and the subterranean Dragon’s Pit remained securely sealed, guarded by the silent, terrifying presence of the three apex beasts resting deep within the earth.

As dusk settled over the territory, a sudden, chilly evening whirlwind swept across the rolling plains, kicking up soft clouds of dust that danced through the quiet streets of Old Central Town.

At the grand, reinforced entrance of Heaven’s Net Castle, the stable staff were bustling with hurried, disciplined activity.

Four magnificent, high-grade war stallions stood pawing at the cobblestones, their breath pluming in the cooling air.

These were no ordinary mounts; they were bred for endurance, capable of maintaining a punishing gallop across rugged terrain for days on end without collapsing.

They belonged to the four travelers who were about to embark on a journey that would reshape the geopolitical landscape of the continent.

Their sovereign, Lord Viscount Craig von Darkstar; the Lord Commander, Ser Hughway; the First Dragon Knight, Ser Damian; and Damian’s younger sister, the brilliant young mana apprentice, Annie Blacksun.

While the stable hands finished adjusting the leather saddlebags and checking the iron stirrups, the four travelers were gathered one final time inside the seclusion of the castle’s private library.

The room, illuminated by the soft, warm glow of magical wall sconces, felt entirely different from the night before.

The heavy, secretive tension of planning had given way to the cold, sharp focus of immediate execution.

Ser Hughway stood near the mahogany table, having shed his official, heavy silver plate armor bearing the unmistakable crest and insignia of the Darkstar Ducal Family.

Instead, he was dressed in a sturdy, unadorned grey knight’s combat armor, practical and free of aristocratic vanity.

Over it, he wore a heavy black traveling cloak, and his reliable broadsword hung securely in a plain leather scabbard at his waist.

Every trace of his noble viscounty commander identity had been carefully scrubbed away, replaced by the rugged appearance of a veteran mercenary traveler.

Beside him, Ser Damian had likewise discarded his ceremonial knightly regalia.

He wore a simple, dark-grey linen shirt paired with rugged black trousers, covered by a heavy black hooded coat.

His custom blade was strapped snugly to his hip, its pommel worn from relentless training.

Annie Blacksun stood quietly near her brother, wrapped tightly in her own dark hooded traveling cloak.

Beneath it, she wore a simple grey blouse and dark pants, equipped for long hours in the saddle.

Because battle spirit mages and spellcrafters rarely relied on traditional physical combat in the chaotic front lines, she carried no heavy iron weapon; her lethal arsenal lay entirely within her expanding mana core and the intricate spell patterns etched into her mind.

The four of them stood in a tight semicircle around the polished mahogany table, their eyes fixed intently upon the brown parchment map of the Northern Continent that remained spread across its surface.

At the head of the table stood Craig.

He had already undergone his cosmetic transfiguration earlier that afternoon.

The fiery crimson hair that typically marked him as a scion of House Darkstar had been magically shifted into a stark, pristine shade of silver-white, falling loosely around his sharp, aristocratic face.

More striking were his eyes—the glowing, intimidating golden-crimson irises had been muted into a deep, mesmerizing emerald-green, completely masking his royal draconic lineage beneath the appearance of an enigmatic northern traveler.

Annie who had recovered a significant portion of her mana reserves and spirituality was responsible for this transformation.

Her affinity for spirituality was one of the reasons Craig had chosen to tag her along in this Northern Expedition.

He was yet to get his hands on Dwane Darney thanks to his present situation so he had to rely on the young Middle-stage Mana Apprentice class Spirit Mage.

Meanwhile Craig wore a dark, high-collared leather travelling coat over durable riding leathers, and resting comfortably against his left hip, wrapped in its midnight-black ironwood scabbard, was his newly minted master-grade weapon—

The Blood Reaper.

Craig reached down, tracing his gloved hand across the map one last time, committing the final mountain passes and maritime borders to memory.

He closed his eyes for a brief second, letting a long, deep breath escape his lungs, before looking up to meet the steady, unwavering gazes of his three most trusted companions.

A calm, confident smile broke across his face, entirely devoid of arrogance, carrying only the absolute assurance of a victor who had already seen the end of the board.

“Well, everyone…” Craig spoke softly, his voice cutting cleanly through the quiet room. “The preparations are complete, our domain is secured, and our path is cleared.”

He stepped away from the table, adjusting the collar of his black coat as he looked toward the heavy oak doors leading out into the corridor.

“It is time,” Craig announced, his golden-green eyes gleaming with unyielding resolve.

“Let us head North.”