The winter of this year came unusually early. The first snow, which usually arrived in mid-December, unexpectedly came to this country in mid-November.

Saint Milanía.

The early arrival of this first snow sparked much discussion and speculation among the people, as it seemed to foreshadow something. After all, the country had been enveloped in an atmosphere of unease since the beginning of the year.

The turbulence began at the start of the new year when Baron Lynch, the Deputy Chancellor of the Royal Treasury, was stripped of his title and position on charges of embezzlement. Holding the position of Deputy Chancellor of the Royal Treasury and the title of Baron was already considered a high-ranking position by commoners. However, in the center of power in the kingdom, there were countless individuals who held even more prestigious positions. Under normal circumstances, this would not have been of much concern to the high-ranking officials.

But it seemed as though the gods were playing a malicious joke on everyone.

Though Baron Lynch held relatively low titles and positions, he somehow found the courage to return to his estate overnight as soon as the judgment was issued, and without hesitation, he raised his banner and led his few hundred private soldiers in rebellion.

At the time, everyone considered this to be an extremely crazy act. Baron Lynch was a mere bureaucrat from the Royal Treasury, and his few hundred soldiers were no match for the naval pirates or even the larger-scale bandit groups within the kingdom. However, the fact that Lynch's estate was not far from the capital meant that even if he led his men all the way to the walls of the capital, it would be a severe blow to the kingdom. Thus, the generals took this matter seriously.

The task of suppressing the rebellion was given to the local garrisons of two nearby towns, with a total of four squads of a hundred soldiers each. The balance of power and the quality of soldiers and battle formations were far superior to Baron Lynch's private soldiers. The generals believed the suppression was almost certain.

Then...the entire army sent to suppress the rebellion was annihilated, and not a single messenger returned.

Before the central military could investigate the details, three dukes located in the northwest, southwest, and northern border of the capital, as well as two frontier garrisons, simultaneously rebelled. In just seven days, they captured two northern provinces and ignited a full-scale rebellion.

Meanwhile, the remaining border troops were held back by the sudden invasion of the neighboring country, Maston, while the central military of the kingdom was still mobilizing forces. The crisis was almost upon them, leaving no time for anyone to react.

...

"I never expected that the events of eighteen years ago, which only the generation before my father experienced, would happen again. If I were to point out the difference...it would be the motive."

Granzon sat at the table, facing a cup of completely cooled down tea. He had not taken a single sip since pouring it and was lost in thought, staring at the calm surface of the water.

"Yes, Your Highness, initially, you didn't want to provoke a war. I didn't expect that, in the final moments, Your Highness still held a glimmer of hope for compromise with you."

Sitting on a nearby seat, a young man with a nervous expression responded, "The rebellion eighteen years ago was a backlash caused by the hasty actions of the previous king in reducing the power of the feudal lords. But you and His Highness...there is still a possibility for reconciliation."

"Possibility...?" Granzon repeated, shaking his head inwardly. Eighteen years ago, even fifteen years ago, he might have shared the same thoughts as Brad. At that time, the kingdom was flourishing, and the excessive power of the noble class had returned to the hands of the royal family after a war, leaving the entire kingdom as a blank canvas that could be freely painted upon.

But the subsequent pressures rendered Granzon powerless to fulfill his ideals. The invasion of foreign enemies, the influx of war refugees, economic decline, and scarcity of food reserves had left him almost breathless.

Fortunately, as someone who was once the heir to the throne and had been taught how to deal with such situations countless times, he was able to solve all the problems one by one. He did everything a monarch could do to the best of his ability. However, he realized that those were things that could be done by a "monarch," not the kind of leader he aspired to be. Granting new titles to the nobility, forming new power groups, and making them trusted allies...

When he finally had a chance to catch his breath, Granzon was surprised to find that everything he had done to maintain the stability of the country had become stumbling blocks in the way of his ideals.

Seeing the king lost in thought again, Galoning couldn't help but speak up, "Your Majesty, can I go back to the capital now?"

"After Brad caught so many nobles and ministers, and you were finally able to leave the capital, do you really want to go back?" Granzon looked at him deeply and gave him a playful expression.

"Cough, there are still many people from my family who are under the control of the palace, as you know..." Galoning's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. Objectively speaking, he wasn't lying, but in such a critical situation, how could Brad allow an untrustworthy person to be a messenger?

Everyone knew that, it was just an unspoken agreement.

It had already been several days since the end of the meeting, yet War King had always found various reasons to keep Galoning around, making it impossible for him to leave.

"I can let you go back to the capital, but help me with something first." The king's lips curved into a slight smile.

"Your Majesty, you should know that I can't do anything harmful to the crown prince." Galoning couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"Don't worry, I'm not like that brat Brad. I won't make things difficult for you." Granzon snorted, "I just want you to visit an old friend."

...

"He said an old friend?"

After listening to Galoning's account of his trip to Ikante, Brad furrowed his brows. The negotiation itself was just a time-wasting tactic, so it was natural that nothing concrete came out of it. As for Tiran, according to Heinrich, there had been some progress, but it was within expectations.

However, what his father asked Galoning to do in the end was a bit suspicious.

"The address is a small empty shop at the end of Kaisen Street. I went to see it when I came back. It seemed unused for a long time, and there was no information about the owner in the management records."

"In addition," Galoning took out a small and delicate ornament and rubbed his nose, "His Majesty asked me to bring this into the shop, but for safety reasons, I didn't... After all, we don't know what might happen."

"Well, let's put it away for now and send someone to keep an eye on that shop." Brad nodded approvingly. Without knowing his father's specific intentions, they couldn't overlook any details that could pose a threat.

However...

Looking at the rare accessory in Galoning's hand, Brad couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. It seemed to be called... a jade pendant?

...

Thousands of miles away from the capital of Milanía, a convoy was traveling along a busy trade route, attracting the attention of many merchants and travelers along the way.

Unlike the heavy and sturdy carriages that were like large coffins, each carriage in the convoy was incredibly luxurious. They were made of precious camphorwood, intricately carved with motifs, and adorned with golden-painted cloud-shaped eaves at the four corners of the roof. Even the aristocrats wouldn't have such extravagance.

Only one car in the middle of the convoy seemed different from the rest, with its pitch-black exterior and square shape, it perfectly matched the description of a "coffin," like a crow thrown into a pile of phoenixes...

But strangely, such an inconspicuous car was driving in the core position of the convoy.

Inside the carriage at this moment, the figure sitting by the window put down the book in their hands, tidied up their slightly messy hair that was being blown by the breeze, and looked out the window towards the distant horizon.

"As expected... Look, Granzon, I already warned you."

...

"Oh my... Finally arrived, almost dislocated my bones from all that shaking."

Outside the city area of Miert, a young Theurg wearing a long coat, essential attire for a long journey, clumsily got off the carriage, constantly complaining and moving their "about to break" limbs.

"Seems like the Archbishop was right, the new generation of Theurgs really need to strengthen their physical fitness." After parking the carriage, a young woman who was accompanying them also jumped off, also dressed in a long coat to withstand dust and wind, her waist outlined an elegant figure, and a cross-hilted sword hung by her side. Although she wasn't wearing armor, her heroic spirit couldn't be concealed.

"I am quite confident in my physical strength." Johannes grimaced and raised his voice, "but that's for ordinary people. Who could withstand the whole journey of the carriage drifting around corners?!"

"Nonsense, after the last time, the Archbishop even praised my carriage skills as unparalleled." The young woman couldn't accept it and pouted, even adding a sarcastic remark, "Clearly, we are both on the holy path, why is there such a big difference between someone and the Archbishop, who supposedly is the proudest student under the Pope's rule?"

"What the hell- Heinrich, the Archbishop, just like you, is a holy knight! Though he has retired... Can you compare?!"

"..."

The holy knight lady was speechless for a moment, awkwardly turned her head and muttered after a while, "But this is indeed much faster... Ah, forget it, let's not talk about this anymore! What exactly is the Archbishop's mission?"

With a triumphant smirk of a victor, Johannes hummed twice, "I was so caught up in arguing with you that I almost forgot... Listen well, this time we are cooperating with a prominent figure from the Religious Tribunal, even my teacher couldn't easily invite them. Known as the reliable Senior Judicator, we have been entrusted with an important task this time, and we must give it our all..."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and released a small divine spell in the air. Although it didn't consume much power, it was an authentic high-level communication spell.

"Your Excellency, Judicator 'Gardener,' I have arrived at the outskirts of Miert. Where are you?"

"So soon? I haven't arrived yet, you guys take care of yourselves first." Vera, who was still on the road, was taken aback and replied.

"..."