I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM Chapter 784: Shadow kingdom and "that" kingdom

Captain Voss bowed his head slightly.

"Indeed, Your Grace. The coalition has grown far stronger and more organized than we initially anticipated. They have united under a mysterious leader known only as ’the Shadow King.’ Their raids have bee increasingly coordinated, targeting not only isolated villages but also supply caravans bound for the capital itself. His Majesty has been forced to divert significant resources to the southern borders to contain the threat. This is the primary reason for the delay in his visit. He sends his deepest apologies and assures you that, as soon as the immediate danger is neutralized, he will personally travel to the Astran Duchy to further strengthen our alliance."

At the captain’s words, the nobles immediately began whispering among themselves. The southern bandit problem had always been a persistent thorn, but hearing that it had escalated to the point of delaying the King’s visit made the situation feel far more urgent and unsettling.

Julian’s eyes glinted faintly.

One of the few things he had uncovered about the Hermes Kingdom during his quiet investigations was about the coalition of bandits along the southern borders.

However, the truth was far more plex than it appeared, and "bandit" was not quite the correct term.

As Julian had dug deeper... going so far as to bribe one of the castle maids, he learned that these so-called bandits were, in reality, war prisoners from a fallen kingdom. The maid knew little beyond that, and at the time, Julian had not considered the matter important enough to pursue further.

But now, if what the captain was saying held any truth, then it meant those prisoners had united... and were perhaps on the brink of starting a full-scale rebellion.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Duke’s brow furrowed deeply.

"The Shadow King?" he repeated, his tone measured and thoughtful. "We have heard rumors of such a figure, but nothing concrete. Do you have any further information about him? Is he truly the one uniting these scattered factions?"

The captain shook his head slowly.

"We have not received many detailed reports yet. But..."

The captain did not finish his sentence. He paused and his eyes flicked briefly across the hall as if to check who was listening. The Duke raised a brow, clearly impatient.

"But what? Speak."

The captain hesitated, then leaned forward slightly and spoke in a voice so low that only those on the raised platform could hear him clearly. To the rest of the hall, it appeared as though he continued speaking at a normal volume.

"The rumors suggest that... the Shadow King is none other than the prince of ’that’ kingdom."

The Duke’s eyes widened.

His figure seemed to tremble a bit, and his breath quickened. Almost no one in the hall could see the change in the Duke that followed almost immediately — the slight paling of his face, the way his fingers gripped the arm of his chair tightly, and even the sudden tension in his shoulders.

Almost no one... except Julian and the captain.

Julian felt his curiosity deepen as he observed the Duke struggling to suppress the tremor in his body.

What are they talking about?

And judging by how no one else on the platform reacted... not even Olivia, who sat right beside the Duke, it was clear that the captain had deployed some form of secret munication technique.

The Duke’s reaction, itself, was far too intense for mere rumor. His face had lost some color, and for a split second, genuine fear flashed in his eyes before he quickly masked it.

Whatever "that kingdom" referred to, it carried deep significance and perhaps deep trauma for the Duke.

The captain continued speaking in that same low, controlled tone.

"So His Majesty mands for you to squash the childish feud Your Grace has with his brother and strengthen the duchy. The next war is going to be even more gruesome and dangerous than the previous one."

At that, the Duke finally stopped his trembling. The orders seemed to have given him some form of strength, allowing him to force his fear aside. He straightened in his chair and his expression returned to one of firm authority once more.

Then he spoke in a loud, clear voice that carried across the entire hall.

"We of the Astran Duchy pledge to His Majesty, our King, that should a crisis arise, we will stand with the kingdom and support it with all our strength."

His words echoed throughout the chamber, and almost instantly, cheers erupted.

"Yes! His Majesty believes in us!"

"We will give our blood and tears!"

"Long live Hermes!"

With that, the Duke rose to his feet, and the entire hall followed suit. He stepped forward slightly on the platform and raised his hand.

"This assembly is concluded. You are all dismissed."

At his mand, the nobles, knights, and officials began to depart. Their murmurs and conversations filled the vast space as they filed out through the grand doors. The sounds of footsteps, rustling garments, and hushed discussions lingered for several minutes.

After roughly five minutes, the grand hall was left empty.... except for the Duke and the captain.

The vast chamber felt strangely quiet now. The golden chandeliers continued to cast their warm glow, but in the absence of the crowd, the space seemed larger, heavier, and more imposing. The Duke remained standing on the platform, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked at Captain Voss with an uneasy gaze.

Meanwhile, Julian lingered just outside the entrance to the hall, using his mana to eavesdrop. He had positioned himself carefully within a shadowed alcove, extending his senses with precise control.

Swish.

Suddenly, their presence vanished.

Julian’s eyes narrowed. One moment, he could sense the Duke and the captain clearly, then, in the next, everything went silent. It was as though a thick veil had been drawn over the platform, cutting off all traces of energy, sound, and presence.

He could no longer sense anything from within the hall.