Where Does the Massive Essence Come From?
Where Does the Massive Essence Come From?
"Grand Prince Yan. His Grace the Grand Duke summons you to the privy council at once."
I sat up in bed at the messenger's words. The privy council was where the king gathered his key ministers to discuss state affairs.
"Privy council?"
"Yes."
"What's the agenda for calling the privy council?"
"I'm not privy to the details, but it seems to be about reorganizing and establishing new military units."
It looked like they were finally calling me to earn my keep.
I was the former grand prince of the Karl family. If I joined the Lupert Grand Duke's allied forces, it would shake the mainstream Karl Grand Duke's faction, the sidelined non-mainstream members, and the hardline independence faction to their core. How could they not waver when the legitimate blood heir of the Karl Grand Dukes was calling for independence?
That would split the Karl Grand Duke's army through political infighting.
And that was just the start. If I participated as one of the Lupert Grand Duke's allies, it would mean at least part of the Karl Grand Duke's forces were joining the rebellion. That justification alone was no small thing. It would signal that the top two regional powers of the Yosrahim Empire were simultaneously sparking this civil war. The other regional powers would feel the ripples too.
'They'll probably toss me some ragtag army.'
But that was all name value. Regardless of whether the grand duke trusted me or not, there was no way he'd hand a key military command to someone in their early-to-mid twenties like me. They'd likely pad out the numbers with greenhorns and tell me to fly the Karl Grand Duke's banner.
"Got it. I'm coming."
I left the mansion where I was staying, boarded a carriage, and headed for the palace.
All the way there, I could see war supplies streaming endlessly into the castle. Goods loaded on long lines of livestock carts were pouring into the supply depots.
Oddly, there were a lot of carts piled high with straw. Straw wasn't unusual, but the livestock pulling them looked utterly exhausted, which caught my eye. Something heavy had to be inside, hidden under the straw.
I stepped down from the carriage for a moment and peeked under the straw on one cart.
'Magic cannons?'
Each cart held two magic cannons. Judging by the endless line of straw carts, there had to be at least a few hundred.
A few hundred wasn't a huge number, but the fact that this much was being transported daily was concerning. Factoring in shipments on other days, it could be way more.
At that moment, a knight came rushing over, shouting, probably suspicious of my actions.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
He seemed to be in charge of the transport. But his bluster didn't last. He spotted the Lupert Grand Duke's crest on my carriage door and suddenly turned deferential.
"The straw carts just kept going, so I got curious and checked. Didn't know it was this."
"It's fine. Even the laborers pulling the carts know what's up."
I nodded at the knight's courtesy.
"No magic bullet launchers coming in? I hear they're essential in modern warfare."
"They're arriving steadily."
"Figures. Anyway, keep up the good work. Catch you later if there's a chance."
As I climbed back into the carriage, the knight bowed deeply.
"Yes, sir. Safe travels."
The carriage set off again. I sank into thought the whole way to the palace.
It looked like massive quantities of magic cannons and magic bullet launchers were pouring in, but where the hell was all the essence for them coming from? And whatever this mysterious flying unit was, it had to be guzzling essence too. No clue where it was all sourced.
Sure, civilians could supply some, but that wasn't easy. Only nobles or wealthy merchants used essence-powered magic items.
If there'd been large-scale civilian procurement like this, word would've reached me. Even if I hadn't been in Lupert Castle long, I would've picked up on it.
'So essence is coming from somewhere else...'
Definitely not Kara. They had ironclad controls on essence exports.
Some smuggling might slip through, but not on this scale. Smuggling only worked with massive price gaps.
For smugglers, it was life or death.
But essence prices on the continent and in Kara were roughly the same, thanks to me and the Kara royals hoarding chaos pieces and essence to manipulate the market.
So it had to be from elsewhere, but not continental nations. They were begging and bullying us for essence because they were short— no way they had surplus to give away.
Not the orcs either. They hated the Yosrahim Empire like poison; no trade there.
Unlikely from Agenka Continent or the Eastern Continent. Kara controlled all trade routes there.
No Kara approval, no ships from continental nations. They'd get raided by Kasim's privateer fleet, bristling with magic cannons. Overland routes existed but took two years round trip. No way for sudden bulk supply.
That left two options: my runaway sister's friend, or the sky city Chronos. The former was 100% out, so Chronos.
'Sky city Chronos? Why the hell would they...?'
Chronos was desperate to stockpile chaos pieces and essence for their God's Descent device. No idea why they'd funnel this much essence to Lupert Grand Duke.
Sure, maybe they wanted him to find my runaway sister's friend, but that didn't justify this volume.
Hell, I was pretending to look for her on Armida sister's request and hadn't gotten a single coin.
Chronos was definitely backing Lupert Grand Duke for reasons beyond finding the runaway. Otherwise, no way they'd supply essence on this scale.
'Wait, could it be... an investment?'
If it was an investment, it made sense. Throw in pocket change, reap billions.
Lupert Grand Duke dreaming of world conquest. Sky city Chronos needing massive essence.
This civil war might be Chronos's opening move to suck up continental essence. Use the obedient Lupert Grand Duke to unify the continent, then have him tribute all produced essence to Chronos.
'Makes sense. In the current fractured world, demanding mass essence from humans is tough. Survival trumps faith.'
The continent was deeply divided, nations at each other's throats. Essence was a key war resource.
Chronos demanding essence? Leaders would scoff.
How, with enemy nations next door? No chance.
If everyone played nice and offered essence, problem solved—but that'd never happen. No wars if it did.
Put down arms peacefully? Never happened in history. Endless distrust of the "other."
But one way to end wars: one leader unifies the world. No external wars in a unified state, just civil strife.
Then Chronos could extract essence freely through Lupert Grand Duke.
'If Chronos has this motive, ending this civil war won't solve shit...'
If I was right, Chronos would keep meddling. Lupert dies? Find a new one. Yosrahim wins? Spark another war.
Yosrahim Empire could become the new Lupert, or the Karl Grand Dukes. Every leader dreams of conquest.
Killing Lupert Grand Duke meant nothing. He was just a tail, like the Salvation Holy Knights I wiped out before.
This endless fight wouldn't end until I caught Itheria and Nemisona.
As I entered the palace, I saw throngs of ministers waiting for the privy council. They all wore complicated expressions upon seeing me. I was an unparalleled trump card for Lupert Grand Duke's future politics and this civil war, but hardly trustworthy.
Yet too trustworthy to outright distrust.
I'd been disowned as a traitor by the Karl family and erased from the imperial registry. My grudge against Yosrahim royals and Karl Grand Dukes was massive—perfect cover against spy accusations.
No desperate gambit either. I'd been branded the depraved grand prince long before this rift with Lupert and Yosrahim. No precognition meant no ulterior scheme.
But my reasons for joining Lupert were crystal clear: I needed their power to reclaim my lost grand prince seat.
Still, the ministers half-doubted me because I could flip sides midstream.
Not just Lupert could restore my title. Uncle the emperor or father Karl Grand Duke could too.
But unlikely.
Empire's face at stake—how reinstate a great criminal? Near impossible.
If Lupert gained military edge or stalemate dragged on, empire might sweet-talk me in panic.
But why accept? They'd need to offer more than grand prince or duke—only the throne topped it.
Crown prince? I'd have to be an idiot. Emperor could change heirs anytime. Accept, war ends, head rolls soon after.
So Lupert trusted me. No betrayal upside.
Well, one exception: if I was a lunatic.
Lunatics do anything.
Yeah. That's why they half-doubted: I was infamous as a madman even before depraved grand prince.
"Hey! Who's this? Grand Prince Karl himself?"
A burly man approached with a friendly grin. Viscount Zekt, a low-tier master swordsman. I'd seen him at imperial noble school debates with notables.
I greeted him warmly.
"Viscount Zekt. Good to see you."
Zekt eyed me with admiration.
"Feels like yesterday at the imperial noble school, and you've grown so much. Impressive."
"Haha, thanks. You've bulked up even more, Viscount Zekt."
"Haha, have I? Just piling on useless rice weight—shows in the muscle."
His muscles rippled. Strong guy, but no fool. Sharp on military strategy and politics despite the size.
"You'll get your chance to use it soon."
"Yeah. Anyway, you really surprised me, Grand Prince."
"How so?"
"Heard you hit low-tier master swordsman? Knew your talent from the debate, but didn't peg you for a towering tree."
I waved off the praise modestly.
"You're too kind."
"Nonsense. Master swordsman at your age? Only heaven-sent genius. Even the late Cloud Grand Duke regretted your talent. Big expectations from me."
"I don't know where to put myself with all this praise."
I smiled broadly outside, seething inside. I didn't master through talent. Desperation.
Old saying: geniuses lose to the diligent; diligent lose to the passionate.
Half wrong.
Even passionate lose to the desperate. Desperate throw everything in, no holds barred.
"Everyone, enter the privy chamber."
At a minister's call, I entered with Viscount Zekt.
Wondered what army the grand duke would give me. No elite hopes, but solid support would be nice. Easier to skim supplies, weaken other forces.
Goal this round: supplies.
Where Does the Massive Essence Come From?