Chapter 113: Faction Quest: Gather Intelligence

The question landed sharply, bringing the surrounding conversation to a halt.

Before the situation could develop into a confrontation, Elara stepped forward.

"General, please. This is my personal guard captain. He’s been handling business elsewhere, but I specifically requested his presence so he could serve at the front today."

Her tone remained respectful, but she moved quickly to clarify Kael’s presence before the general’s displeasure could escalate.

Elara’s position within the army was still limited at this early stage of her service.

Her royal title commanded a certain degree of respect, but it didn’t automatically grant her the authority to make decisions without answering to the military chain of command.

Whatever her status as a princess, she was still expected to follow orders from officers whose ranks placed them above her.

And the difference between her position and theirs was considerable.Every officer gathered around the war table was above Level 60.

Kael, by comparison, was still in his forties.

The disparity was immediately apparent, and several officers made little effort to conceal their contempt.

Their eyes moved over him with the dismissive scrutiny reserved for someone they considered unqualified to stand among them.

To them, he was a low-level Beastlord who had somehow secured a position as the Third Princess’s personal guard captain.

His presence in the command tent was difficult to take seriously.

Then one of the officers spoke.

"So this is the Third Princess’s newly appointed captain. I’ve heard he’s easy on the eyes."

The man paused, allowing the remark to settle before a thin smile appeared on his face.

"Though, honestly, the rumors undersold it. I suppose that explains the favoritism."

The atmosphere shifted.

Elara’s expression turned icy, and the irritation in her eyes was impossible to miss.

The remark had been carefully chosen. It wasn’t simply an insult directed at Kael’s qualifications.

By suggesting that Elara had appointed him because of his appearance, the officer was attempting to undermine her credibility in front of the very people whose respect she needed to earn.

A ripple of knowing glances passed through the room.

Several officers looked between Kael and Elara, their expressions carrying precisely the sort of insinuation the speaker had intended to plant.

The comment had clearly struck a nerve, and the reactions around the table suggested that the rumors surrounding the Third Princess had been circulating long before Kael ever arrived.

Kael’s gaze settled on the man who had spoken.The irritation he initially felt gave way to a colder assessment.

’Damon’s people. Has to be.’

The Kingdom of Northvale’s succession laws made no distinction between princes and princesses.

Every royal heir possessed an equal claim, meaning that any member of the royal family with sufficient standing could become a serious contender for the throne.

Elara’s circumstances had once made that possibility seem remote.

She had spent a considerable portion of her earlier life buried in a tomb. Since emerging and throwing herself into genuine military service, however, her position had begun to improve rapidly.

Her talent was becoming increasingly difficult to overlook, and her progress had attracted attention from those who viewed her growing influence as a threat.

Her older brother, Prince Damon Winters, was one of them.Elara’s advancement had apparently begun to concern him.

Rather than confronting the issue openly, his supporters seemed to be relying on political maneuvering, subtle obstruction, and officers loyal to his interests to undermine her efforts from within the military structure she was trying to establish herself in.

The officer’s remark fit neatly into that pattern.

By questioning Kael’s appointment and implying that Elara’s judgment was compromised by personal preference, he had found a way to attack both of them without openly challenging the princess’s authority.

It was a calculated move.

Elara had never directly discussed any of this with Kael, but he could already see enough to understand what was happening.

Before the tension could worsen, General Vane cleared his throat loudly.

The sound drew the officers’ attention back toward the center of the tent, cutting short the exchange of glances.

"Since you’re here at the Princess’s request and willing to serve, you’re welcome at the front."

His gaze moved across the gathered officers.

"Someone find him suitable work."

The decision was straightforward. Kael had arrived to serve, and the general was willing to give him an assignment.

However, that didn’t mean everyone present was prepared to treat him as a serious contributor to the campaign.

"How much real responsibility can a Beastlord under Level 50 actually handle?" someone muttered.

The remark was delivered just loudly enough for the surrounding officers to hear.

No one bothered to challenge it.

The thin-faced adjutant responsible for assigning tasks barely looked up from the war table.

His expression carried the casual condescension of someone who had already decided Kael wasn’t worth taking seriously.

He didn’t ask about Kael’s abilities, inquire about his previous experience, or consider whether the Third Princess’s recommendation might have some merit.

Instead, he pointed him toward the most basic assignment available.

"Cross the river. Find out when and how the enemy is running its supply convoys. Report the route."

That was all.

A simple intelligence-gathering task, delivered with such dismissive ease that the adjutant might as well have been ordering him to run an errand.

The assignment itself wasn’t particularly complicated. Kael needed to cross the river, gather information about the enemy’s supply convoys, and return with their route.

But the manner in which it had been handed to him made the intention obvious.

The adjutant wasn’t interested in giving Kael meaningful responsibility. He had been assigned a low-level task that could easily have gone to an ordinary soldier, a deliberate way of making his presence seem insignificant.

Elara’s composure finally cracked.

She could tolerate insults directed at herself. Her position was still developing, and she understood that not everyone in the army would welcome her rise.

She could endure their skepticism, accept the challenges that came with her position, and prove her worth through results.

But watching Kael being dismissed so openly was different.Her jaw tightened. Anger flashed across her face as she turned toward the adjutant, already drawing breath to confront him directly.

Kael caught her arm before she could speak.

She stopped, turning toward him with visible frustration.

He gave her a subtle look, quietly signaling that she should leave it to him.

There was no need to argue over the assignment. If the adjutant wanted to treat the task as insignificant, Kael had no intention of wasting time trying to convince him otherwise.

Instead, he turned his attention back to the thin-faced officer.

His expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as though the deliberate slight had done nothing to disturb him.

"Intelligence gathering. Fine."A faint, confident smile appeared on his face.

"I’ll have it back on your table before sundown."