43 Elements
The notice of the Duchess's death rapidly spread throughout Mirante, dealing a great blow to the defenders, who either dropped their weapons in surrender or have chosen to escape the city as fast as possible.
Codicia's death represented the end of one of the greatest clans on Stahl and the end of a civil war that had torn the kingdom apart. She was the only noble who refused to abandon the people and her lands, even after knowing about Henry's survival and the eventual confront against his army.
She betrayed the king, not herself, not her ideals.
Henry managed to lead his army and rapidly take over all the strategic places of the city, with the defenders immediately giving up after seeing his army. The Third and Fourth Stage Warriors didn't want to lose their lives and chose to follow the footsteps of the normal soldiers, either running away or surrendering. They knew that surviving against those with Tribal Tattoos and the cavalry was an almost impossible feat.
-x-
Inside Mirante castle, a Leier's figure was lying motionless on a sumptuous bed as bloody bandages covered a ghastly wound on her chest, absorbing the excess of pus and blood coming from it.
Leier's eyes followed quietly her king, who stood by the bed with a concerned but satisfied smile on his lips.
"You did a good job!" – Henry stated in a soft voice, his words carrying a sense of gratitude and royalty – "I didn't misjudge, you are indeed a great soldier."
Leier fought valiantly to keep the enemy's soldiers from closing the gates. She stood her ground even after the swords cut through her flesh, buying Henry and his soldiers enough time to approach and invade the city. Her action was a determining factor to winning the war without incurring in greater losses.
Summoning all her strength, Leier's lips painfully parted, her voice barely above a whisper - "It was my duty, my lord."
The family to which Leier belonged was once highly respected within the kingdom, known for their strength and loyalty. However, their standing had declined over the past few decades since the death of her grandfather, who was a Fourth Stage Warrior and a skilled user of the Wind Element.
In this world, individuals who possessed the ability to wield elements were highly valued as they had significantly more power than ordinary users of Mana. These individuals could transform raw Mana into highly compressed and potent forms, which could manifest in the outside world. Those who lacked the talent to transform raw Mana into elements had limited capabilities in using this energy, akin to a car without fuel, unable to achieve their full power. In sum, they would never be able to cause as much destruction as someone gifted with an element.
The seven main elements are Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Thunder, Light, and Darkness, which can branch into other elements like Space and Ice. The ability to convert Mana into elements depends on a combination of factors, including talent, physique, bloodline, technique, luck, and willpower. For instance, someone might possess a Thunder Element Talent, but without large Mana Circuits and a considerable Mana Heart, they would be unable to guide and store large volumes of mana, making them weaker than others.
Of course, there were ways to change these inborn factors, but it required a huge number of rare materials and specific techniques. The dire situation in the North prevented even the rich residents to raise their chances of getting their futures transformed.
Leier wasn't born with the talent to wield elements, but she was fortunate enough to possess a sturdy body, a great will, and large Mana Circuits, which allowed her to receive the baptism of Tribal Tattoos, which guaranteed her access to the Darkness Element, which she utilized to slip into Mirante and accomplish her mission. She would never be able to rise past the limitations of the Inverno Owl, since her soul and bloodline were sealed with it, but it was enough to her.
She had proven her worth.
Henry placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder – "You can have a rest now, you have done me a great service. I need to get back to work."
Leier tried to get up, but Henry gently pushed her back with a smile "There's no need for formalities. You need to rest." - he said before adding - "I'll require your talents soon."
With that, Henry turned and exited the room, leaving Leier with a dumbfounded expression.
The King had to dispatch expeditions from Mirante to explore the interior of the Kingdom and gather intelligence on other cities and villages. Fortunately, with the enemy defeated and no organized resistance expected, Henry could remain in Mirante and oversee the operations from the capital itself. These expeditions would benefit from the White Merchant Road, which would facilitate the troops' dispersal and enable them to cover more ground efficiently. Almost every city and village were linked, in some way, to this Road.
Henry placed great importance on the villages situated around the Western Mountains, which not only bordered the sea but also supplied the Kingdom with small yet significant quantities of Cold Iron, one of the most important resources for the Kingdom's economy and military. The Cold Iron was greatly used to equip the army and could be considered Stahl's resource with the most volume of exportation to the other nations. In sum, the kingdom was heavily reliant on it.
However, there were no established cities solely focused on extracting it, and the job was shared by a few neighboring villages. Previously, merchants visited these villages once a month to trade for the Cold Iron, distributing it across the kingdom and through the North. Henry had to rapidly dispatch his army to secure this villages, lest something big happens.
-x-
Three weeks later,
Henry was already back at the capital.
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