The ssage was clear: if they attempted to escape with the devices, it would lead to inevitable death. The power they were being given ca at a cost.
Aric went through the list of bandits with the highest potential and loyalty above fifty percent and gave them the first batch of mana-powered gear, or MPG, as Lerai had nad it. Currently, around thirty of the bandits were equipped with MPG, making them far more formidable than the average human.
"Borag and Twitcher... co with ," Aric instructed. The three n shifted from the group to the other side of the mine.
"We are going to start making a move," Aric inford.
"Just give us a target," Twitcher said.
"For now, I need all the information surrounding Miredis: who controls what, transport details, and any information on anyone with any relevant influence whatsoever."
"Understood," Borag nodded.
"Have your n prepare. In the coming days, we are going to completely overtake this stretch."
"Yes, sire," both n nodded.
"All right, I’ll be in touch."
Aric walked off, leaving both n standing. He raised his hand as he approached the carriage, gesturing for Lerai to follow him as they began leaving.
"For those of you with MPG, stay within this part of Miredis. Go too far without authorization, and you’ll end up like your foolish companion—nothing more than a rain of blood."
Aric’s warning brought fearful nods and glances before the prince boarded the carriage along with Lerai. They began their journey toward the capital. The prince had done his necessary planning and mapped out all the points he would lead Byzeth to attack. Now, he only had to bring his plans before the council.
Aric sighed as he leaned back. He hadn’t gotten a chance to explore the party feature after the upgrade, but with the little the guide had explained to him on the way to Miredis, he had used it to his advantage.
Now, he could not only see loyalty and emotion but also strength, potential, and utility of those under him—and there was still more to explore.
After a while of riding, they reached the Migard province, where Aric ordered Lerai out of the carriage and sent him ho. His eting with the king needed to remain personal for the ti being.
The prince was then driven straight to the capital.
---
The carriage rolled through the towering gates of Byzeth’s capital.
As the carriage ca to a halt before the royal palace, Aric stepped out, his eyes scanning the grand surroundings with disinterest.
He waited at the gates a short while before he was approached.
Guards, everly clad in shining armor, ca to him, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.
"The king has been inford of your arrival, Prince Valerian," one of the guards said, his voice steady. "Though he wasn’t expecting you, he will see you."
Aric nodded curtly and followed them through the massive palace doors. The corridors they moved through this ti were grand and vast, adorned with artistic carvings and ornants.
They passed by servants who scurried away at the sight of the group. After winding through what seed like a maze, they arrived at a large, double-door room.
The guards pushed the doors open, revealing an extravagant chamber soaked in the warm glow of candle chandeliers.
The scent of exotic oils and incense hung in the air, their sll was thick and almost intoxicating. The walls were lined with portraits of ancient kings, but what imdiately caught Aric’s attention was the scene unfolding before him.
The King of Byzeth, Aszer Hait, stood at the center of the room, his robe loose and carelessly draped over his fra as he worked on a large canvas, brush in hand.
Surrounding him were several won, their naked bodies reclined on luxurious cushions, their skin glistening with oil under the soft light. Their laughter was soft and lodic, like a subtle lody in the background.
So of the won lounged on couches, while others whispered among themselves, running their hands over each other’s skin. A few even lay on the floor, watching the king with a mix of awe and sexual desire.
The king was lost in his work, his brush moving across the canvas with practiced ease, the painting a deliberate ss of colors. His eyes, however, were sharp as he glanced over at Aric without breaking the rhythm of his strokes.
"Ah, Valerian," Aszer said, his voice dripping with amusent. "You’ve arrived. Apologies for the ss—art, as they say, waits for no man. Though I suspect you didn’t co here for an audience."
Aric’s gaze swept over the scene without a hint of interest. The sight of the naked won and the king’s indulgent lifestyle ant nothing to him—for now. His mind was entirely focused on the task at hand.
"I’ve co with a plan," Aric said plainly, stepping forward. The won turned their attention to him, their curiosity piqued, but he had still paid them no mind. "We are going to lead the northerners to begin a war and I have the strategy you need to do so"
Aszer raised an eyebrow, dipping his brush into a jar of paint. "Oh? And what strategy might that be?"
Aric wasted no ti, pulling a map from his cloak and laying it on a nearby table. He pointed to several marked locations near the border of other kingdoms and the Valerian Empire.
"These are key border towns and strategic outposts on the outskirts of the empire," Aric began. "If we target these places first, we cripple the empire’s ability to respond quickly as they are too distant. The goal isn’t just to raid them—it’s to ignite war."
Aszer wiped his hands on his robe and approached the map, glancing at the marked spots. "Hmm… but why start there? Those towns are small and insignificant. If we’re to make an impact, shouldn’t we strike at more prosperous locations?"
Aric shook his head. "No. The strength of these places lies in their insignificance. The empire won’t send a significant force to defend them, which ans we can hit them hard without resistance. anwhile, the larger cities will be left vulnerable. By the ti they realize what’s happening, it will be too late."
Although this very much sounded like a tactic against Valeria, but hidden within it was the very strategy by which byzeth was to fall.
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