*** Northern Border – Raven's Command Tent ***

The blizzard had quieted, leaving the air heavy and sharp.

Marquis Raven stood before a table of maps and ruined documents, the flicker of oil lamps casting long shadows across his face. His officers were silent, waiting for his fury; it never came.

"Send word to every commander," Raven said at last, his voice calm but dangerous. "The offensive is delayed until new engines are constructed."

One of his captains hesitated. "That could take weeks, my lord."

"Then work faster."

He turned his gaze to the horizon, where the faint light from the sun peeked through the dark clouds and began to touch the snow. "The heretic thinks he's clever. Let him. Every hour he gains will be another nail in his coffin."

Father Verdant cleared his throat nervously. "My lord, if I may… the men are uneasy. The snow is rising. It swallowed the bodies by morning."

Raven's eyes narrowed. "Don't you think I know that? This blasted winter is going to be the death of us all."

The tent fell silent.

Raven gripped the hilt of his sword, the silver catching the candlelight. "It's a miracle that heretics' entire capital hadn't fallen yet."

*** Snowkeep – War Room ***

The room was quiet for a moment after Fenrix's report.

Justinian leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the map. His fingers drummed softly on the table, the only sound in the chamber aside from the low hiss of the hearth.

"Elberich…" he murmured. "That fool. He actually did it."

Cassia's expression softened slightly. "He bought us time."

"Yes," Justinian replied. "Time, the one thing the Marquis can't afford to lose."

Lucan entered from the adjoining corridor, brushing the frost off his cloak. "I take it the rumors are true, then?"

"They are," Fenrix said. "The siege engines were destroyed. Raven's encampment was thrown into chaos."

Lucan gave a low whistle. "So the old man still has a few teeth left in him."

Justinian allowed himself a small smile. "More than that. He's learning."

He looked at Fenrix. "Have our scouts confirm the scale of the damage. If Raven is rebuilding, I want exact numbers on what he's lost."

"No need." Fenrix smiled, placing a parchment filled with information and the overall numbers of what was lost on Raven's side. He had eyes everywhere..

"He's crippled." Fenrix chuckled.

"How did you get this?"

"You two aren't the only ones with magic, my lord."

Justinian's eyes gleamed faintly in the candlelight. "...I'm not sure I like the implication of that."

He laughed because if Fenrix really did have an ability that could gather info that efficiently, how in the world was Rhyne even caught off guard in the first place? Better yet, how did Elberich even manage to prepare his formation without alerting anyone?

And the answer was clear, Fenrix was purposefully sabotaging Rhyne... because if he wasn't, the rebellion would have continued even today.

"I'm not sure if I should be happy... or have you executed for this."

"Rest assured, lord Justinian, I only serve those whom I think deserve it."

Fenrix smirked. "And as far as I can see, you're currently the best candidate."

"How... reassuring." Justinian sighed, dismissing Fenrix.

"Should I keep watch of him?" Lucan asked, arms crossed as he listened to the conversation with a worried expression.

"Please do..."

*** Snowkeep - Plaza ***

DING!

DING!

The sounds of hammers and smithing filled the plaza, the entire area surrounded by building materials.

Children darted between the workers, carrying buckets of water or scrap metal. Some wore oversized gloves, others small smiles. Even they knew, the city's survival depended on every hand, no matter how small.

It was where all of Snowkeep's defenses were being prepared, every single one being built and supported by the craftsmen guild, along with new workers from the census.

The efficiency of the construction reached terrifying speeds, and he fruits of Justinian's efforts were finally seen.

Unfortunately, all of it was immediately used for warfare.

"Did we always have this many workers...?" Cassia looked around in astonishment. She knew about the existence of the guild and the small workers the capital had.

But she hadn't realized Justinian had this many on standby.

"Yes and no."

Justinian laughed, the two of them patrolling the city to ensure the preparations were going smoothly, while also making sure the compendium was still being taught to the children by a few spare scribes.

Even in war, he needed to teach, to instill in his citizens that education is important, even in war.

"They were laborers... yes, but they hadn't been employed for months or even years."

Justinian pointed to a group of new faces to emphasize his point.

"So you employed them..."

"Yes, which not only strengthens our economy, but also our manpower."

"I never thought about that... I couldn't believe I didn't realize that sooner."

"Don't worry too much about it; most wouldn't."

The census had been a complete success, effectively tripling his usable manpower while maintaining his citizens' happiness.

It was two birds with one stone.

Having the manpower to create and progress, and at the same time a way to pay his citizens a deserved and stable wage, he couldn't ask for a better result.

Cassia paused by a forge, watching a young boy wipe sweat from his brow despite the cold.

"He can't be more than twelve," she murmured.

Justinian only nodded. "He's one of the first who learned to read. Now he teaches others while helping the smiths."

"My lord!" Darius, from the rooftop —the one in charge of all the construction efforts —his skill alone increased efficiency by a lot.

Justinian couldn't help but chuckle despite the dire circumstances.

'It's like stacking up on buffs in an RPG...'

If Justinian had to guess, if this exact thing happened in a game, the developers would patch it instantly.

And it wasn't a bad comparison; he did have a system.

But compared to games, he had full freedom in this world, no matter how ridiculous it may be when seen by the natives of this world.

'Should I use my trump card now...?'

[Prestige Shop]

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