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I unconsciously looked out the window and saw an unusually barren sky, bare of even clouds. Also, the weather was almost summery. I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about the clear sky or annoyed by the heat.

Of course, I’d normally just shrug it off since I rarely went outside the building, but even this serene weather felt unsettling now. Was this what they meant by the calm before the storm?

“Harsh winter winds are heading for the north soon. Keep that in mind.”

My head started throbbing as the Wise Duchess’s words from the school trip came to mind.

Damn it.

I couldn’t help but sigh. Having the Wise Duchess sober up and speak so clearly was already ominous, but why did it have to be about the North of all things?

I could at least comfort myself that it was only speculation if it was just a vague statement like ‘Something might happen soon’. However, the Wise Duchess specifically pointed out the North. No matter how carefree the Wise Duchess seemed, she wasn’t one to joke about such things, so it was practically confirmed.

Moreover, the Mage Duchess had been unusually quiet ever since we returned to the academy after the school trip.

The dukes know.

The Wise Duchess’s hint and the Mage Duchess’s silence. It was safe to assume that at least all five dukes had heard something.

On the other hand, there seemed to be no sign of anything unusual anywhere apart from the dukes. Even the 2nd Manager who was in charge of information knew nothing, and the Information Department’s Executive Manager thoroughly avoided answering me when I recently probed him about it. It seemed the Emperor had imposed a strict embargo on information, involving only the dukes and selected departments in the North.

With the Emperor himself enforcing this level of secrecy, there was no way to bypass it without breaking my neck.

Of all times, why now?

This was driving me crazy. The anniversary of the Great Northern War was coming up soon and I had to go pay my respects, but it felt bitter to meet those guys in such an unsettling situation.

The peace we’d achieved by ending Kagan’s reign of terror now felt as fragile as ever. How could I possibly face them and say that the peace they died for might crumble?

I should have killed him.

I massaged the back of my neck and sighed. If there was trouble in the North, then the culprit was likely Dorgon.

I had already lost count of how many times I’d clashed with that bastard. I had countless opportunities to kill him, but I failed to finish him off, and now we were in this mess. I wouldn’t feel this hopeless if any of the other Eight War Machines had survived instead.

The other War Machines were mere tribal chiefs or warriors, so they had no justification to control the North. But Dorgon was the heir of the Ga’ar tribe that first unified the nomads, Kagan’s bloodline, and one of the main figures who opposed the empire. With these crazy titles plastered all over him, he was practically a living banner of rebellion.

Tens of thousands will gather under him if he stages a proper uprising.

A force of that size couldn’t be subdued by small, elite units. This world might allow exceptional individuals to stand out, but no one could truly overcome the power of an organized mass.

Kagan almost became the only individual to defeat a group, but he fell, and his death only emphasized the power of the collective. If the northern unrest spiraled into the worst-case scenario, the empire would have to squeeze out troops again just three years after the war ended. What a nightmare.

“Oppa, we’re here!”

“Ah, you guys came?”

While I was organizing my thoughts and tapping my fingers on the desk, the club members who finished their classes came flooding in.

Let’s wait.

I quickly composed my expression and greeted them with a smile. Yes, waiting was the best course of action. If information was locked down tight, then I had no choice but to wait for the embargo to lift. Acting rashly would only anger the Emperor.

And maybe, just maybe— the anomaly in the North could be resolved with small, elite operations.

…Not that I was feeling particularly hopeful.

***

I’d been trying to maintain a smiling face for the past few days. If I showed even a hint of a blank expression, the Mage Duchess would start to look worried even though it was just my default expression.

Still, I understood. She’d heard classified information that she couldn’t share, and her partner was left completely in the dark. It was a rather uncomfortable situation. She might want to tell me personally, but we both knew that letting personal feelings dictate actions in this kind of matter would only lead to a political mess.

So what else could I do but act like everything was fine? Thankfully, I had already let go of any lingering frustration about the information embargo, so it wasn’t really an act.

“Baby, I’m planning to attend the memorial this time. Would you like to go together?”

Instead, she indirectly let me know that ‘There’s no chance the information control will be lifted before the memorial service.’ This seemed to be the most she could do for me under the circumstances.

“I’d like that. I still haven’t managed to find a teleportation mage, so thank you.”

I expressed my gratitude with a still-smiling face, and the Mage Duchess smiled back.

Anyway, all this trouble we’re going through is because of that bastard Dorgon. He was just making things awkward for the Mage Duchess for no reason.

***

The World Tree incident caused by the Prosecutors’ Office’s Executive Manager became trivial compared to what happened next.

“With the return of the Masked Unit, the Blue Claw Knights, and the Black Mane Knights, all forces operating in the North have returned. The focus was on ensuring a safe retreat, so there were no fatalities while there were injuries.”

“Prioritize treatment based on severity rather than rank.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor briefly responded to the successful withdrawal report, and the Minister of the Special Service Agency bowed and retreated.

At least the disaster of five years ago hadn’t been repeated. The Empire had successfully avoided the catastrophic loss of its most elite forces—a disaster that would’ve been devastating given their importance in any future conflict.

…Successful, huh.

It was hard not to feel bitter about the word. Calling a full retreat ‘successful’ felt pathetic. I might have laughed bitterly at the thought if I wasn’t in front of the Emperor.

But this was the North we were talking about. The North that inflicted more damage on the empire than even the wars with the Eastern Kingdoms, where we barely avoided defeat rather than achieving a glorious victory. Even now, the name ‘North’ was nothing short of a nightmare for the empire’s leadership.

“Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

And it seemed the same for the Emperor, as his expression was even more rigid than before.

“Those who have never been bound will never unite. But those who have been bound even once can unite twice, thrice, and as many times as it takes.”

This might seem like an out-of-nowhere statement, but it was clearly aimed at the northern nomads.

For centuries, they had never formed a unified force and had been crushed by settled states, including the Empire. Then came the Rebel, who unified them into a single force capable of challenging the Empire. Though their rebellion ended in failure, the memory of that unity and defiance didn’t disappear.

That was why the Emperor saw this current unrest as the second coming of that rebellion. To dismiss it as a one-time occurrence would be dangerously naive.

“What should we do with those who constantly try to unite?”

I bowed my head at those words. This was not the aging Emperor preparing for abdication. This was the Empire’s supreme ruler, demanding an answer from his successor.

“Punish them decisively and make them understand they are nothing more than a fleeting chapter in the Empire’s long history.”

I gave a bold and uncompromising answer regarding the enemies who once threatened the Empire’s divine mandate and who now defiled the northern territories the Empire, seeking to cultivate.

Of course, this might be too aggressive for a leader who should consider all possibilities and seek the best solution. After all, there might still be a way to resolve this peacefully.

“That is also my will.”

However, this was the answer the Emperor wanted.

Because this was the way to widely proclaim the dignity of the imperial family and the firmness of the Mandate of Heaven.

***

The Minister agreed to prepare the Boyar wine for the memorial service.

Two years ago, I volunteered to handle the preparations but couldn’t secure any of the wines available on the market. In the end, I ended up pleading with the Gold Duke for help. Last year, I managed to secure not just one but two stocks of wine instead, ending up with twelve bottles in total—far more than needed. The Minister probably thought it’d be better to prepare it alone than to go through that again.

“Did you pack everything?”

“You know I just need to show up; there’s nothing to pack.”

Thanks to that, I could move freely this year. Well, wasn’t it more appropriate for someone in the capital to prepare them rather than someone coming from afar? Those guys would probably think so, too.

Besides, when else would they get to drink alcohol bought by their superior? Gerard had also been planning to raid the Minister’s cellar once the war ended, so being treated to Boyar wine every year was no different from fulfilling that wish.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen Eli.”

Seeing the Mage Duchess smile gently made me admire the 1st Manager.

She quickly started calling the Mage Duchess ‘unnie’ and now had her using her nickname. This level of intimacy just from communicating via communication crystal was simply amazing.

Is this how the Crown Princess was enchanted, too?

I decided to think of it that way. If the Mage Duchess was enchanted, then there was no reason she couldn’t have worked her magic on the Crown Princess, too.

“Well, shall we go?”

“Sure.”

I nodded and took the Mage Duchess’s outstretched hand. High-level mages didn’t necessarily need physical contact to teleport someone, but it was a nice excuse for a bit of hand-holding. Small gestures like this could also deepen bonds.

After taking my hand, the Mage Duchess glanced at me and spoke.

“By the way, baby, if I were to visit that child’s grave during this trip—“

“It’s okay. Let’s go another time.”

I cut her off gently but firmly. I understood her sentiment, but now wasn’t the right moment.

The child the Mage Duchess was talking about was Hecate. I agreed that visiting her grave with my lovers was important, but this wasn’t the occasion for it.

“The Minister will be there for the memorial. Introducing my fiancée in the presence of a former superior would just feel… off. Let’s plan for a better time when everyone can come together.”

“…Alright, if that’s what you think.”

I simply meant there was no need to make an important occasion feel like an afterthought. Fortunately, the Mage Duchess seemed to understand and respected my wishes.

It would look strange.

A memorial visit that involved introducing a loved one to Hecate while a superior loomed in the background—it was a picture that didn’t sit right. Not to mention the fact that it would be disrespectful to mix my personal affairs with a solemn occasion meant to honor the departed.

We’d be in the capital during the vacation anyway, so we could go then.

***

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