The Kingmaker System-Chapter 398 - 397. Preparing For The Counter Attack (4)

I handed Asher’s letter to one of my carriers, who immediately sped off into the distance, towards Denril. Without wasting any more time, I turned towards my next destination—the Eldarf manor.

The clearing before the manor buzzed with restless energy as the Elves and Dwarves gathered the moment they spotted me. I hadn’t even crossed the threshold when they descended upon me, their faces lit with barely contained excitement.

"Master, where’s Sylvia?"

"Is she on a mission?"

"We want to go too!"

"Master, please, take us!"

Voices overlapped and rose in pitch, a chaotic chorus of youthful eagerness that made it almost impossible to tell who said what.

I let out a breath and clapped my hands together once, sharply.

"All right, be quiet!" I commanded.

Instantly, the noise died down. They straightened like trained soldiers, wide-eyed and expectant. I gestured for them to follow.

"Let’s go inside and talk," I said. "Also, someone fetch the Dark Elves and your mentors."

Without hesitation, two of the Elves and Dwarves broke from the group and sprinted in opposite directions, disappearing into the trees while the rest of us made our way toward the manor.

We soon assembled in the drawing room. It was a modest space, made even smaller by the sheer number of bodies crammed within. Kent, ever attentive, served me tea as the children perched impatiently, tapping their heels or fiddling with the hilts of their weapons. Within minutes, every Elf, Dwarf, and Dark Elf living on the hill had gathered.

The room hummed with a heavy tension, the kind that set teeth on edge and shoulders squared.

"Master, is everything all right?" Anore, the leader of the Dark Elves, asked. His brow was furrowed, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

It had been four years since he’d chosen to make Eldarf his home. In that time, he’d married Cynthia, and together they now had a one-and-a-half-year-old son named River, who at that moment was sitting contentedly on my lap, grasping at the ornamental accessories on my coat with chubby, determined fingers.

I brushed my hand over River’s soft hair and began, "The succession battle is about to begin—or no, it has already started. And I’m being targeted."

A ripple of gasps echoed across the room.

"I refused the Queen’s order to support her son’s claim to the throne," I continued, keeping my voice steady. "Because of that, she’s targeting me—and everyone and everything affiliated with me. Assassins, infiltrators... they’ve already started moving. That’s why I called you here. I need you to be prepared."

The response was immediate and fierce:

"Just say the word, Master. We’ll bring her to her knees!"

"Yes! It won’t even be that hard!"

"That Golden Serpent’s nothing! One good blow and she’ll be spitting teeth for a week!"

Weapons clinked as they were unsheathed or brandished in the air, knuckles cracked ominously, and magic crackled faintly around a few fingertips. I massaged my temple with two fingers and sighed heavily.

"We can’t do that," I said firmly.

It would have been laughably easy to throw the Queen into my dungeon, wrapped in shackles she’d never escape. No court magician, no royal knight could stop me if I decided to act. No wait, it’s actually a piece of cake, I could just-

[Giver of Gifts reminds you that you have made an elaborate plan to make Eric the King.]

[Goddess of Wisdom asks you to not be tempted and ruin your hard work.]

[Defender of Divine Glory warns you against the consequences of your actions.]

Their divine messages glowed before me like ghostly counsel, stern and cautionary. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling again before facing my gathered companions.

"We can’t," I repeated, my voice brooking no argument.

Little River, oblivious to the brewing tension, grasped one of my fingers with both his tiny hands. I smiled faintly and wiggled my finger, making him giggle in delight. A moment of peace amidst the coming storm.

"I am laying a trap for her," I said. "She wants to come after me? Fine. I’ll let her—just enough for her to realize her life is already in my hands."

"But why go that far?" one of the Dwarves asked, frowning.

"Yeah! You could just march into the palace and settle it now!" Piped up one of the younger Elves.

I shook my head.

"Because I have things to protect," I said, my tone as solid and immovable as stone. "If I move openly against her now, she’ll twist the narrative. Even if she’s lost much of her influence, she still has the people’s sympathy—and desperation makes for powerful theater."

They fell silent, unease settling over them like a heavy fog. They exchanged glances, the realization sinking in.

"So," Cynthia spoke up quietly, "what should we do, Master?"

I looked down at River again, tracing his tiny palm with my thumb. He giggled again, a sound so pure it seemed to drive a spear through the darkness clouding my thoughts.

"I want you all to split into teams," I said, raising my gaze to meet theirs. "I’ve already assigned Sylvia to guard Kai—he’s become a glaring target now that the Queen knows about him. But I need the rest of you ready. Recall your training. Be in position at the places I assign you. Can you do that for me?"

The kids nodded, their expressions hardened with resolve. It made me pause for a moment, a quiet satisfaction stirring inside me.

The first thing I had offered to those who chose to come to my side was protection — unshakable, unwavering protection.

And the enemy had no idea of the protectors I had cultivated: how many there were, or the sheer strength each one held within them.

"I’ll handle the Queen myself," I said, voice even. "But I would appreciate it if my back was looked after. I don’t want enemies breaching the walls of this fortress while I’m away. So... you all will need to leave this place for a while."

"Just say the word, Master. Where are we supposed to be?" Rowan asked immediately, his tone brimming with readiness.

I observed them — the young warriors I had trained — and then let my gaze shift towards the Dark Elves standing behind them, calm and composed. They had the grit of experience etched into their stances, and right now, their wisdom was needed more than ever.

"Each of you will pair up with one Dark Elf," I said. "They’ve been in real battlefields — their experience and guidance will be your shield. I’ll divide you all into teams of two, and each team will have a Dark Elf to lead you. Some of the Dark Elves will stay behind to protect Eldarf, but only those who volunteer will leave for the field."

"I’ll go," Anore spoke without hesitation, stepping forward.

I looked at him, then at River still perched on my lap.

River clapped his small hands and laughed, his innocent voice ringing out clear as he called, "Papa, Papa!"

I exchanged a glance with Cynthia, who gave a small nod of encouragement.

"All right," I said. "Rowan and Viella, you’ll be with Anore."

I continued assigning teams, pairing up the eager young fighters with seasoned Dark Elves. As each name and pairing was called, the teams stepped forward, their postures sharpening, as though they were already feeling the gravity of the mission settle on their shoulders.

When I finished, all of them stood before me — grouped into their units, awaiting my final word.

I scanned their faces, reading the determination written in their eyes.

"Are you all satisfied with your teams?" I asked, my voice cutting through the heavy silence.

"Yes, Master!" they shouted in unison, the sound filling the entire room.

"Masta!" River echoed after them proudly, making a few of the Dwarves chuckle quietly.

A brief smile tugged at my lips. I rose from my seat, gently handing River to Kent. The boy whimpered a little, clinging to my coat, but Kent soothed him quickly with a gentle pat on his back.

I strode to the center of the room and unfurled a map across the table. It was detailed, hand-drawn, and marked with notations that only I understood.

I began pointing to various regions, instructing them carefully:

"Here, near the Magic Gate—Rowan, Viella, and Anore. Your job will be to oversee the merchant pathways and watch for infiltrators."

I continued, methodically assigning them to cities, forests, and outposts — places that seemed insignificant on the surface but were vital strategic points.

"Master, how long will this mission last?" Cyrus asked as I paused over the map.

I considered the question seriously. Eric would be returning to the capital soon, and once he arrived, the succession war would truly ignite. The Golden Serpent would be distracted in that time so, I could loosen up the security till that time as I would make sure her focused remained on Eric.

If all went well, we would push through the political battles swiftly, crown him as the Crown Prince, and soon after, the King.

The whole ordeal could stretch to a year at worst... or conclude within six months at best. As for the kids, then they would only have to be as the security team for hardly two weeks till Eric and others returned.

I conveyed this to them, watching as they absorbed the gravity of the situation — not a single flicker of hesitation in their expressions.

"I’ll be handing out communication devices and emergency teleportation charms to each of you," I continued. "You will depart to your assigned locations in two days. Once there, introduce yourselves to the local security teams and immediately settle into your posts. Understood?"

"Yes, Master!" they chorused once again, their voices firm and unwavering.

"Masta!" River chirped again in delight, clapping his hands against Kent’s chest.

I smiled faintly. In that moment, surrounded by my people, I felt it more clearly than ever:

We were ready.

After addressing my young warriors, I stepped out of Eldarf, the cool wind brushing against my skin like a whisper of the path ahead.

"Master?" a voice called behind me.

I stopped, turning to see the older Dwarves approaching, Kent striding alongside them with a serious expression.

"What is it?" I asked.

Warth, the eldest among them, shifted awkwardly before speaking, "Um... you didn’t say what we should do."

I looked at them for a moment — sturdy, dependable. The foundation upon which much of our preparation had been built.

"Your usual work," I said simply. "The kids learned how to forge weapons from you. If ever they’re caught in a pinch, they’ll be able to fend for themselves. As for you... you’ll stay back here. You’ll be in charge of forging weapons for the people of Oasis. They’re strong enough to hold their own — they just need to be armed when the time comes. So, keep your hearths burning. Keep the fires of defense alive."

They all nodded, understanding the weight of what I was entrusting them with.

My gaze then shifted to Kent.

"And Kent," I said, calling him directly.

He straightened up instinctively, hands clasped behind his back.

"You’ve done a lot by staying here," I continued, my voice firm, "but now, I want you to use your skills as a former second-in-command of the Underworld Lord."

He stiffened slightly at the reminder of his past.

"I want you to go to Oasis and assist Rose," I said. "She’s prone to recklessness... and I need someone steady to keep her grounded."

Kent let out a dry chuckle. "Another babysitting job."

I smiled, unbothered by his sarcasm.

"She’s the manager of the Information Guild, Kent. Watching over her isn’t just about keeping her out of trouble — it’s about safeguarding the entire information network."

He blinked, caught off guard by the gravity hidden beneath the casual instruction.

"Can you all handle that?" I asked, meeting each of their gazes.

"Yes, Master!" they answered in unison, voices low and resolute.

"Good," I said with a nod.

Without another word, I turned and stepped beyond Eldarf’s boundaries, the wind lifting stronger around me.

Spreading my wings, I took off — soaring into the sky, heading straight toward Ryujin.

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