Translator: CinderTL
River Domain Nations.
Within a spacious yet modestly furnished estate, a sudden roar shattered the usual tranquility.
Servants exchanged nervous glances before quickly lowering their heads and dispersing.
In the room, Graham's chest heaved violently, his silver-white hair gleaming under the sunlight, yet the radiant glow did nothing to soften the fury raging across his face.
"Derek, what are you still hesitating about? Reggie would never do such a thing! The scholars selected for the study abroad program would never provoke trouble... especially with Roland watching over them!"
"I understand, Graham, I understand."
Derek finally lifted his gaze from the thick stack of documents on the table, his eyes carrying a hint of helplessness as he looked at his old friend.
"If you understand—" Graham interrupted sharply.
"Then you should immediately issue a statement questioning the Golden Valley Kingdom's unilateral slander! And use diplomatic channels to bring Reggie and the others back as soon as possible! Instead of just... sitting here like this."
He watched Derek lower his gaze again, unable to suppress a series of heavy coughs, his voice thick with barely contained anger.
"Doing nothing but staring blankly at those so-called 'magic well' blueprints that supposedly provide 'infinite mana' all day!"
"Doing nothing?"
Derek sighed deeply, his gaze returning to the table covered with intricately patterned blueprints.
His fingertip traced a deeply etched line, his voice low but clear.
"Graham, can't you see?"
He looked up, meeting his old friend's gaze.
"The mana tide is returning, yet the ancient blessings of this land are fading. Our fields yield far less than in previous years, and the fishermen's catches barely cover the cost of their voyages."
"For generations, we've maintained this fragile balance by trading our abundant resources with other nations... but that road is nearing its end."
He tapped the stack of "magic well" blueprints lightly.
"This... it can convert the increasingly dense mana in the air into usable energy. It can free us from our absolute dependence on the earth and rivers, providing new leverage. It can change everything. But I need time."
Graham's anger seemed to subside slightly at these words. He frowned, his voice still harsh but no longer a roar.
"Then what do you plan to do? We can't just abandon Reggie and those children to their fate."
Derek's gaze returned to the blueprints, his voice calm to the point of coldness.
"I will formally respond to the Golden Valley Kingdom, acknowledging all the alleged transgressions and attributing responsibility to Reggie and his squad's unauthorized actions."
"We will express our deep regret and pledge to severely punish those responsible... This will temporarily appease their anger and buy us the time we need."
A deathly silence fell over the room.
Then, Graham slammed his fist on the table, making the blueprints jump. His face flushed crimson, his eyes blazing with disbelief and fury.
"Derek! How dare you even suggest such a thing! You're going to sacrifice them? Sacrifice Reggie and those loyal students to buy yourself time to tinker with these blueprints? This is betrayal!"
"It's a necessary measure!" Derek raised his voice, his anger finally surfacing. "For the future of the River Domain Nations, sometimes we must make difficult choices!"
"This isn't a choice, it's cowardice!" Graham roared.
The two men stood locked in a fierce confrontation, the air thick with the tension of a looming rupture.
Finally, Graham whirled around abruptly, ready to storm out.
"Graham."
Derek's icy voice rang out behind him, devoid of the earlier passion, replaced by an unyielding authority.
"Don't forget—I am the one who sits in this seat now, bearing the fate of the River Domain Nations on my shoulders."
Graham's footsteps froze.
His back remained turned to Derek, his white beard trembling with suppressed fury. He opened his mouth as if to retort, but in the end, a thousand words dissolved into a single, heavy exhale.
Without looking back, he strode out of the room, his heart brimming with bitterness and resentment. The heavy door slammed shut, its reverberating echo echoing through the corridor.
Derek stood alone in the room.
After a long moment, he slowly sank back into his chair, pressing his fingers hard against his throbbing temples.
As the ruler of the River Domain Nations remained lost in thought, oblivious to his surroundings, a slender figure slipped silently through the shadows beyond the window, where sunlight dared not penetrate.
Roland exhaled deeply, his eyes slowly opening. A crushing weariness washed over him like a tidal wave, engulfing his entire being.
The first thing that caught his eye was the anxious faces of the trainees, their youthful features etched with hardship and fear.
The surrounding walls were crumbling and stained, the damp, musty air thick with the scent of mold and earth. He shook his head involuntarily.
Nearly a month had passed since their brutal battle with Leonard.
As expected, they hadn't gotten far before the wanted posters spread like a silent wildfire, reaching every town and outpost in the eastern region of the Golden Valley Kingdom.
To evade the relentless pursuers, they were forced to travel by night and hide by day, traversing desolate hills and dark, impenetrable forests.
The roads were muddy and treacherous, the weather alternating between unbearable heat and torrential rain.
Every member of the party was wounded, staggering onward.
Painful groans frequently pierced the silence, and the crude bandages couldn't conceal the worsening injuries, slowing their progress to a crawl.
A journey that should have taken half a month stretched into a full month, leaving them physically and mentally exhausted as they finally dragged themselves to the desolate border region between the Golden Valley Kingdom and the River Domain Nations.
Yet hope seemed to have vanished entirely.
Recalling the scenes he had witnessed at the fortified gates, Roland couldn't help but click his tongue in dismay.
The area pulsed with energy, clearly heavily guarded by numerous transcendents of varying appearances, each radiating a palpable sense of danger.
Like an invisible net, they had firmly sealed off every escape route.
After countless twists and turns, and desperate struggles, they still couldn't find any way to break through the encirclement.
Exhausted, they were forced to take refuge in a remote village near the frontier, finding temporary shelter in an abandoned old house to catch their breath.
Amidst this arduous escape, the only good news was...
Roland temporarily pushed aside his chaotic thoughts and focused on the Job Panel visible only to him.
He noticed a faint sign of progress in the Nameless Breathing Technique, which had remained stagnant since he became a knight.
I wonder what the level cap for the Nameless Breathing Technique is? Roland mused inwardly.
Perhaps reaching max level will allow me to achieve the kind of... transformation of life essence that Mentor Graham spoke of?
Just as he was lost in thought, faint but distinct footsteps approached outside.
Before the visitor could knock, Roland stood up and called out, "Theresa? Come in."
The door creaked open as a slender hand pushed it inward.
Seeing the grave expression on the Silver-Haired Woman's face, Roland's brow furrowed.
"What's wrong? Have we been discovered?"
"Not exactly... it's just..."
Theresa took a deep breath, lowering her voice even further.
"The fortified gate ahead... like the other locations, is heavily guarded by transcendents, leaving virtually no weaknesses to exploit."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the gradually paling faces of the young people in the room, before continuing.
"But the worse news comes from the River Domain Nations..."
"Lord Derek has issued a formal declaration."
Theresa turned to Reggie, who stood beside her, his expression tense.
"Mr. Reggie, the declaration places all responsibility for Earl Auston's death and this diplomatic crisis... on us, on your 'unauthorized actions' and the traveling party's 'unauthorized operations.'"
A deathly silence fell over the room, broken only by the students' heavy, suppressed breathing.
"The River Domain Nations have denied our official status."
Theresa's voice had dwindled to a whisper, yet it struck each person's heart like a hammer blow.
"They have declared... that we are no longer recognized or protected by the kingdom. We... have been abandoned."
As her words hung in the air, despair descended like a tangible shadow, swiftly engulfing the dilapidated room.
(End of the Chapter)
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