The Territory of Tecka had transformed completely.
What was once a dying land covered in demonic miasma had now become one of the greatest territories in the Kingdom of Dan. Merchants called it the "Rising Heart of the South," while adventurers referred to it as the safest territory outside the capital.
The discovery of the Melarium mines in the Deckra Mountains had brought unimaginable wealth. Caravans from every major city now traveled through Tecka daily. Roads were expanded. New markets were built. Inns and workshops appeared across the territory.
But the true reason behind Tecka's rise was not merely the Melarium.
It was Henry.
The strange technologies he introduced changed the territory drastically.
Among them was a magical image transmitter capable of showing moving images in real time between connected devices. Though still expensive and difficult to maintain, nobles and merchants were already fighting to obtain one.
Then came the prosthetic limbs.
Inspired by Henry's own bionic arm, the artificers of Tecka managed to create safer versions for injured soldiers and workers. Though less powerful than Henry's arm, they restored movement to people who had once lost all hope.
Many veterans cried upon using them.
Some knelt before Henry in gratitude.
Other inventions were still under development.
A floating levitation platform capable of carrying cargo without wheels.
Mana-powered farming tools.
Experimental communication devices.
Though most remained unstable, the territory's engineers worked day and night to improve them.
Soon, Tecka's influence began rivaling even major noble territories.
Only the royal capital still stood above it.
—
Yet while prosperity spread through Tecka—
Darkness also began spreading across the kingdom.
The number of demonic beasts near the borders increased rapidly.
Entire patrol squads disappeared.
Villages near corrupted regions reported strange sightings during the night.
And among the rumors, one word began appearing repeatedly.
"A demon."
Not merely a beast.
Not a corrupted creature.
But an actual demon.
Most people dismissed the stories as fear-driven exaggerations.
Still—
The tension in the kingdom slowly grew heavier.
Fortunately for the people, Tecka's success overshadowed much of the panic.
The harvests flowing from the south stabilized food prices throughout the kingdom, and Henry's purification artifacts continued helping damaged lands recover.
Because of this, public opinion toward Henry rose tremendously.
Some even began calling him "The Rebuilder of Dan."
Henry himself hated the title.
"It sounds too dramatic," he complained once.
Nabu disagreed completely.
"It sounds glorious, my lord."
—
One morning, while Henry was buried beneath piles of documents, Nabu entered hurriedly carrying a sealed royal letter.
"My lord," he said carefully.
"A message from the palace."
Henry sighed deeply.
"Please tell me it's not more paperwork."
Nabu smiled awkwardly.
"It may be worse."
Henry opened the letter.
And after reading it—
He froze.
King Mark had officially announced his visit to Tecka.
For several seconds Henry simply stared at the paper.
Then he smiled faintly.
It had been months since he last properly met his friend.
But that happiness lasted only briefly.
Because immediately afterward—
Reality struck him.
Preparations.
Ceremonies.
Security.
Accommodation.
Schedules.
Political meetings.
More paperwork.
Henry slowly lowered his head onto the table.
"I'm doomed."
—
The entire territory entered preparation mode.
Roads were repaired again despite already being perfect.
The villa was renovated further.
Guest halls were prepared for nobles and knights accompanying the King.
Security around Verna doubled.
Then tripled.
Mostly because of Irene.
"She specifically requested additional Shadow Guard deployment," Nabu explained.
Henry sighed.
"She still thinks someone's going to assassinate him."
"My lord," Nabu replied carefully.
"The previous king was assassinated."
"…Right."
Henry could not argue against that.
—
After a week of preparations—
The royal procession finally arrived.
The people of Verna gathered across the streets cheering loudly as the royal carriage entered the city surrounded by armored knights and silent Shadow Guards.
King Mark stepped down smiling warmly.
Unlike his father, Mark carried a more approachable atmosphere. People found it easier to speak with him.
Still—
The aura of royalty around him had grown significantly.
Henry walked forward and bowed lightly.
"Welcome to Tecka, Your Majesty."
Mark immediately laughed.
"Stop talking like that when it's just us."
Henry smiled slightly.
"It's still weird seeing you as king."
"And it's weird seeing you as a noble."
The two laughed together briefly before the formalities resumed.
Henry then introduced Mark to his parents.
To Mark's surprise, Henry's mother treated him almost like another son, constantly asking whether he was eating properly and sleeping enough.
Nabu quietly watched from behind trying not to laugh at the King getting scolded gently by a commoner mother.
—
During dinner, the conversation turned toward the royal family.
Mark explained how everyone had been occupied.
"Irene went to the Elven Kingdom," he said.
"She's mediating the growing tensions between the elves and dwarves."
Henry nodded.
That sounded exactly like her.
"What about Max?"
Mark smiled slightly.
"My brother practically lives on the battlefield now."
Max had fully dedicated himself to military command after the Dark Day. He constantly fought near the borders where demonic beasts appeared increasingly often.
Stories regarding his strength spread rapidly among soldiers.
Some already called him the Shield of Dan.
"And Mike?" Henry asked.
"He stayed at the palace handling internal affairs."
Mark then sighed slightly.
"Irene wanted to fight at the borders too."
"But Irwin refused."
Henry paused.
"And Irwin herself?"
At that question—
Mark's expression changed slightly.
"No one knows."
Even the royal court had little information about the eldest princess now.
She appeared only when necessary.
Then vanished again.
Almost like a ghost moving through the kingdom.
It had now been nine months since the Dark Day.
Yet despite all efforts—
The investigation regarding Kar and the demonic attack barely progressed.
—
The next day Henry personally guided Mark through Tecka.
The King looked genuinely amazed.
The markets overflowed with activity.
Fields stretched endlessly across previously corrupted lands.
Mana-powered irrigation systems carried water through farms.
Workers moved efficiently using Henry's modified machinery.
"This was all dead land before…" Mark muttered.
Henry nodded quietly.
Then he brought the King toward one of Tecka's newest achievements.
The Stone Guards.
Massive stone golems stood silently throughout the streets like statues.
Yet when activated—
Their eyes glowed blue with mana.
"These are controlled through a central mana network," Henry explained.
"I adapted part of the mana absorption principles from the Evergreen Machine."
Rather than relying on mana cores, the system absorbed mana naturally from the atmosphere to sustain itself.
The golems patrolled streets, protected markets, and assisted during emergencies.
Crime in Verna had nearly vanished because of them.
Mark stared at the towering constructs in amazement.
"This could change border defense entirely."
Henry nodded.
"I already submitted the blueprints to the royal court."
The ministers had shown tremendous interest in implementing similar systems near the demonic borders.
In truth—
This was also one of the reasons Mark's visit had been approved so quickly.
Eventually, Henry handed the official designs over personally.
Mark accepted them carefully.
"You really are changing the kingdom," he said softly.
Henry simply shrugged.
"I'm just trying to survive the paperwork."
—
That evening—
Mark requested to speak with Henry privately.
The two entered a quiet room away from the guards and servants.
Once the doors closed—
Mark's relaxed expression disappeared completely.
The atmosphere turned heavy.
Henry immediately noticed it.
"What happened?"
Mark remained silent briefly before speaking.
"It's about Kar."
Henry's eyes sharpened instantly.
Mark slowly sat down.
Then he revealed a truth hidden from the public for years.
Even he himself had only learned it after becoming king.
Kar—
The assassin who killed King Dan—
Had once been one of the kingdom's greatest heroes.
He had been the Third Captain of the Royal Extermination Force.
A legendary unit created during the Demonic War.
They specialized in fighting corrupted beings directly inside heavily contaminated regions where ordinary soldiers could not survive.
"They were treated like saviors," Mark explained quietly.
"But the truth…"
His voice hardened.
"They were experiments."
Henry frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The kingdom discovered long ago that small amounts of demonic energy could temporarily strengthen humans."
Henry's eyes widened slightly.
"The Extermination Force was exposed to controlled corruption."
"At first it worked."
The captains became monstrously powerful.
Strong enough to kill high-ranking demonic creatures.
Strong enough to survive impossible battles.
But eventually—
The corruption spread.
Some lost their minds.
Some transformed into monsters.
Some disappeared entirely.
King Dan eventually ordered the project destroyed and erased from history.
Most records were sealed forever.
"But Kar survived," Henry said quietly.
Mark nodded.
"And now he's back."
Silence filled the room.
Henry finally understood why the royal family feared this situation so deeply.
Kar was not merely an assassin.
He was proof that the kingdom itself had once crossed forbidden lines.
Then Mark revealed one final truth.
"My sister Irwin's son, prince Lucian.....
.....is alive"