Chapter 123: The Demon Tide Rises Again

While Aidis was busy putting his own house in order, a tremor was beginning to stir in the south.

In the ancient Imperial Capital, within the heart of the royal palace, countless figures hurried back and forth.

"Quick! The Emperor has fainted again!"

Servants and attendants rushed through the halls, their frantic cries filling the air and plunging the palace into chaos. Yet, at the very core of the palace, there was an eerie stillness.

Outside this inner sanctum, Harun observed the disorder, sighed softly, and stepped inside.

"Your Highness Harun!" Inside, everyone bowed as he entered, treating him with evident reverence.

"How is Father?" he asked, his expression calm, devoid of either sorrow or joy as he looked at the gathered figures.

These were the men who favored him within the court or those he had bought; they had converged here at this critical moment.

"The Emperor's condition is dire," an old man replied, hesitating before stepping forward. Seeing that Harun’s face remained impassive, he felt a sense of relief and continued: "Ever since the Northern Campaign, His Majesty’s health has been failing. He even coughed up blood while on the march. Since returning to the capital, he has slipped into frequent comas, and every remedy has proven useless."

"Judging by his current state, I fear he will not last much longer."

"Alas," Harun sighed, his lips curling slightly, though he showed no sign of anger.

A knight stepped forward. "Your Highness! Recently, with the Emperor’s frequent collapses, the First and Second Princes have begun to make their moves. They seem to be preparing for something."

"Should we dispatch more men to keep an eye on them?" the knight asked.

Harun sneered inwardly. Since the end of the Northern War, the elderly King had sensed his time was short. Upon returning to the capital, he had kept Harun by his side, even granting him access to state affairs and a measure of power. This gesture was unmistakable. It not only caused the great nobles to lean toward Harun but also triggered the vigilance of his brothers. The First and Second Princes were among them—his most formidable rivals for the throne.

Harun replied with cold indifference: "There is no need."

"Half the army in the capital has already sided with us. The rest belong to my father, and unless he commands them, they cannot be mobilized. In such a situation, if they are smart, they will stay put. Otherwise, they will only face swift suppression."

He looked toward the distance and added, "What matters now is the palace and my father."

As he spoke, a voice echoed from outside: "Your Highness Harun, the Emperor has awakened and wishes to see you inside."

Harun turned and walked into the deepest chambers of the palace.

Inside, the once magnificent and vast palace seemed to be draped in the gloom of twilight. An old man sat there, dressed in ornate robes, appearing surprisingly spirited.

"Harun, you have come." The old man smiled as Harun entered.

"Father." Harun was momentarily stunned. Though the old King looked vibrant—almost healthier than before his illness—Harun, through the keen senses of a knight, could clearly perceive an aged, powerful life fading away, its vitality draining at a visible rate. His eyes reddened; he understood in his heart that this was their final farewell.

"Child, do not be sad," the old King said, smiling with a gentle, indifferent air. "Do you know? I dreamt of our ancestors last night. They said I have done well."

He looked out the window, his gaze growing distant. "When I first ascended the throne, the court was powerful but fractured, and our royal line was nearly crushed. I began with nothing, yet I slowly pacified the realm. Later, I campaigned in the central lands and conquered the south, destroying countless city-states to forge what you see today."

He murmured his story, sentence by sentence, his hand gripping Harun’s tightly, unwilling to let go.

Time slipped away. Harun felt the King's body gradually turn cold, and in his senses, the life force before him vanished entirely. A chill ran through him. He stood up in silence, eyes closed, his heart a turbulent sea of emotion.

When he finally calmed, he opened his eyes, a cold light flashing within them, and walked out.

That same day, under the acclamation of the court ministers, Harun ascended the throne as the new master of the ancient kingdom. A few days later, a rebellion broke out in the capital, during which the First and Second Princes were killed. Silence instantly fell over the court, leaving it stunned and subdued.

While the south moved, far in the north, messengers raced along the highways, carrying news.

"The King has passed, and the Third Prince, Harun, has ascended?" On a training ground, Aidis looked at the report, surprised.

Upon reflection, he found it inevitable. The King was old, and despite his martial energy, years of war—especially the Northern Campaign—had taken a toll. His death was no mystery. He read further, noting the deaths of the First and Second Princes in the rebellion days later, and shook his head. "A pity. They acted quickly."

"If his brothers had lived, we might have tried to support them to fracture the court from within. This Harun is a decisive man," he remarked with a touch of admiration.

Barton, standing before him, replied with a wry smile, "Indeed. The First and Second Princes had noble support and their own factions. With our backing, they could have greatly depleted the kingdom’s strength. But with them dead, the new King’s position is secure, and we have lost our chance to interfere."

Just then, the priest Bill appeared and approached. "Your Majesty, word has arrived from the Church."

Aidis turned to him, his expression turning grave.

"Months ago, large numbers of demonized tribes and beasts began appearing at the border, seemingly migrating from afar. The Church investigated, and the Pope himself went to the front lines, confirming that a new wave of demonic disaster is erupting!"

The others present were shocked, unable to believe what they heard. Bill continued.

"Months ago, the defensive line was breached, and several villages were massacred. Now, the demonic tide has swept into the north, held back only by the priests led by the Pope. But as time passes, the strength of the tide continues to grow."

"What is the current situation?" Aidis asked, his voice calm and steady, possessing an aura that brought composure to those around him.

"The tide is spreading," Bill replied. "Sporadic demonized beasts are breaking through, but the main force is still being held in a stalemate at the border."

Aidis nodded. "Carter, how are our soldiers?"

A burly man with a thick beard stepped forward. "After more than a year of training, they are ready. Thanks to the practice of battle energy, the combat strength of our troops has increased significantly. However, because we must leave a force to defend against the southern kingdom, we cannot commit everyone. We can deploy about one hundred thousand men."

"One hundred thousand?" Aidis mused. Since the popularization of battle energy, recruitment had been easy, and the state had flourished after a year of harvest and stability. Their strength had multiplied several times over since the war with the Kingdom.

"One hundred thousand is enough," Aidis said. "Bill, send word to dispatch a vanguard to assist in the border defense while waiting for reinforcements. Carter, how long until our main force can deploy?"

"About two months," Carter replied. "But we can have the nearest legions move toward the border first, while the others gather, to speed up the process."

Aidis nodded, issuing orders to each of them. With his command, the once-quiet Aidisian Duchy began to move, baring its fangs.