Chapter 459: Promotion [Bonus - ]

Chapter 459: Promotion [Bonus Chapter]

She looked down at the obsidian bird.

The bird was simply standing on top of the smooth stone tablet, staring up at her. It slowly blinked its beady black eyes, looking at its own feathery wings, and then looking back at her.

"Squawk."

The woman’s smile slowly slipped from her face.

She stared at the bird’s wings... Wings that completely lacked hands, fingers, or opposable thumbs.

"Do you..." the woman whispered, her voice cracking with soul-crushing despair. "...Do you even know how to write?"

The bird shook its crested head.

...No.

The divine Goddess of Beasts closed her eyes, letting her head fall backward against the freezing ice with a heavy hollow thud.

A long agonizing groan escaped her lips, echoing through the vast empty tomb.

"It’s going to take a while..." she whimpered miserably to the empty cavern. "Maybe a few more years... maybe a few more centuries..."

...

The howling blizzard tore across the jagged shale of the Umbral Basin, transforming the perpetual twilight into a chaotic expanse of swirling white.

WHOOOOOOSH!

Tearing through the heart of the storm was a thundering cavalry formation.

At the vanguard, Valkyrie and Luna shattered the snowdrifts with their broad muscular chests, kicking up massive rooster tails of frost as they sprinted at a breakneck gallop.

Behind them, forty-six massive Umbral Wolves followed in perfect synchronized pursuit, carrying the armored recruit maidens of Blessed Land’s expeditionary force.

Silas leaned low over Valkyrie’s neck, his dark tunic flapping violently in the gale as he wrapped his thick cloak tightly around the shivering Princess huddled in front of him.

Through the blinding whiteout, an imposing silhouette began to materialize.

Rising into the stormy sky, completely unbothered by the freezing winds, were the towering Steel Weave walls of Blessed Land.

The metallic fortifications gleamed with a warm mana that seemed to push back the very storm itself.

As they closed the final hundred yards, Silas could see the bustling activity along the high battlements.

Standing near the central heavy ballista, wrapped in a thick, fur-lined cloak over her crisp leather archery gear, was Elara.

The sharp-eyed archer squinted through the falling snow, her hand resting cautiously on her longbow, before her eyes widened in recognition.

A beaming smile broke across Elara’s face. She threw both of her arms into the air, waving enthusiastically down at the approaching cavalry.

Silas chuckled, the freezing wind stinging his cheeks as he raised a hand and waved back.

As they breached the outer perimeter of the territory, Silas’s senses instantly reconnected with the massive sprawling network of his domain.

"Haah..."

He felt the radiant energy of the Spirit Trees and, most distinctly, he sensed the powerful, familiar mana signatures of Tasmin, Eluned, as well as Brida already safely within the walls, along with the resting auras of their respective squads.

’We were the last ones, huh?’ Silas thought, a warm sense of satisfaction blooming in his chest.

He didn’t mind as the expedition had been an overwhelming success across all fronts.

"OPEN THE GATES!" Elara’s voice boomed down from the battlements, amplified by a wind spell.

KRRRRRR-CLANK! BOOM!

The colossal Steel Weave gates groaned, the heavy locking mechanisms retracting with a deafening metallic screech as the massive doors swung inward.

Valkyrie didn’t slow down.

She leaped over the threshold, her paws hitting the pristine manicured cobblestones of the territory. Luna and the forty-six Umbral Wolves flooded in right behind her, their claws clattering against the stone as the entire squad officially crossed back into Blessed Land.

The instant the final wolf crossed the threshold—

BOOM! CLANG!

The massive gates slammed shut, sealing perfectly into the reinforced wall.

The change in atmosphere was instantaneous and jarring.

Outside the walls, the Umbral Basin was a frozen chaotic hellscape but the moment they entered Blessed Land, the biting, violent wind completely died.

The territory was still experiencing the snowfall... thick, beautiful white flakes gently drifting down from the sky but the climate control generated by the towering Spirit Trees completely neutralized the freezing temperatures.

The air was clean and invigorated with rich soothing life-mana. It was a picturesque peaceful winter wonderland, devoid of the lethal frostbite of the wilderness.

’Much better to have a snowstorm inside the territory instead of outside,’ Silas sighed contentedly, watching the tension completely melt away from the recruits’ shoulders as they sat up straighter in their saddles.

They navigated at a slow, comfortable trot through the winding, snow-dusted paths lined with towering Spirit Trees.

The glowing leaves of the trees cast a warm light that reflected off the fresh snow, illuminating the path toward the central Keep.

As they arrived at the sprawling, open courtyard in front of the Keep, Silas gently pulled back on the reins.

Valkyrie came to a smooth halt.

Silas vaulted off the saddle, landing lightly on the cobblestones.

He reached up, grasping the Princess by the waist and setting her down gently.

The moment his boots hit the ground, Valkyrie immediately turned her head, affectionately swiping her large wet tongue directly across Silas’s cheek.

SLURP!

"Alright, alright, good girl," Silas laughed, wiping the wolf saliva from his jaw as he patted her thick neck. "Go get some rest. You earned it today..."

Valkyrie let out a happy chuff, turning and padding away toward the Beast Pavilion, her tail wagging proudly.

Across the courtyard, the fifteen recruit maidens, Aurelia, Vala, and Reina all dismounted from their respective wolves.

The arrival of the massive cavalry unit had not gone unnoticed.

Dozens of women from the other squads who had already bathed, changed into warm, comfortable casual clothes, and were enjoying the afternoon rest spilled out into the snowy courtyard to greet the final returning unit.

Reina stepped forward, holding the reins of the Blessed Wolf as she offered Silas a crisp respectful salute.

"Lord Silas, I will personally escort this pack to the Beast Pavilion and ensure they are properly settled into the enclosures," Reina reported, her tone professional. "If there isn’t enough space for all forty-six, I will talk with you. Once they are fed and rested, and it is time for you to form the Contracts to evolve them, I will call for you."

"Excellent work today, Reina," Silas nodded approvingly. "Get them settled and get some rest yourself."

Reina bowed her head and turned, whistling sharply to command the massive pack of feral Umbral Wolves to follow her toward the eastern sector of the territory.

As she walked past the gathering crowd of Blessed Land women, a wave of shocked murmurs rippled through the onlookers.

"By the gods... forty-six of them?" one of the vanguard knights gasped, leaning over the wooden railing of a nearby barracks porch. "That’s more than three times the size of the last pack she brought in!"

"Our cavalry corps is going to be massive!" another woman cheered.

A few of the more seasoned battle-hardened women leaning against the armory walls exchanged wicked teasing grins as Reina walked past them.

"Look at our little Beast Tamer working overtime," a tall spear-woman teased loudly, her voice dripping with playful mockery. "Bringing in forty-six wolves in a single afternoon? You sure are putting in a lot of effort, Reina. What’s the goal here? Trying to rack up enough merit points to get dicked down by the Lord tonight?"

"Oooooh!" the surrounding women jeered, bursting into a chorus of raucous unladylike laughter.

Reina froze mid-step.

A volcanic crimson blush instantly exploded across her face, turning her cheeks, ears, and neck a brilliant shade of scarlet.

She whipped her head around, glaring at the teasing women with wide mortified eyes.

"S-SHUT UP!" Reina shrieked, her voice cracking in embarrassment as she hastily grabbed Luna’s reins and practically sprinted toward the Beast Pavilion, desperate to escape the relentless mockery of her sisters-in-arms. "THAT IS NOT WHY I DID IT!"

Silas watched her flee, shaking his head with an amused grin before his gaze drifted across the snowy courtyard.

Standing near the edge of the gathering was Vala.

The raven-haired woman had her dark cloak wrapped tightly around her slender frame.

As the chaotic chatter of the women filled the air, Vala’s dark piercing eyes locked directly onto Silas’s.

There were no words exchanged as there didn’t need to be.

Silas offered her a slow, deeply approving nod, acknowledging the terrifying exponential growth she had achieved on the battlefield today.

’She can come see me later too...’

Vala’s lips curled into a barely perceptible smirk of pride. She returned the nod, turning on her heel and moving toward the warmth of the inner sanctum.

With the wolves dispersed, only all of the recruits remained standing in the center of the snowy courtyard.

They stood in a perfect disciplined line, their ash-wood spears held proudly at their sides, their void-iron swords cleaned and sheathed.

Despite the freezing snow gathering on their shoulders and the heavy exhaustion weighing down their limbs, every single one of them stood with their heads held high, their eyes locked onto Silas with burning devotion.

Silas stepped forward, the snow crunching softly beneath his boots.

He swept his sovereign gaze across the women, his blue eyes looking very proud.

"You girls marched into the dark today," Silas began, his deep voice carrying clearly over the gentle rustle of the falling snow. "You faced so many different kinds of monsters, however you fought with discipline... you fought with courage and most importantly... you fought for each other, and you all came back alive."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over them.

"When you arrived in Blessed Land, you wore the title of ’recruit.’ A title given to you by a broken wall that threw you into the meat grinder without a second thought." Silas’s voice hardened slightly, imbued with authority. "But today, you proved that you are no longer recruits. You can be the backbone of my empire."

A collective breathless silence hung over the maidens.

"As of this moment," Silas declared, a brilliant proud smile breaking across his face. "You are officially recognized as full-fledged Soldiers of Blessed Land!"

"YEAAAAAH!"

The courtyard erupted.

The women broke formation, throwing their arms into the air in a deafening unified cheer of pure joy.

Brenda burst into tears, covering her face as Sarah tackled her into a massive, spinning hug.

Helen threw her head back and laughed, thrusting her ash-wood spear triumphantly toward the snowy sky.

This was good... They were not disposable fodder for the Unmovable Wall... they were cherished respected warriors of a Lord who had beaten their former Lord.

"Get to the Barracks!" Silas called out over their cheering, waving his hand toward the massive, warmly lit wooden halls in the distance. "Strip off that armor, hit the hot baths, and get yourselves clean! The kitchens are already preparing a massive feast in your honor tonight! Eat until you pass out!"

"THANK YOU, LORD SILAS!" the girls roared in unison, bowing deeply before breaking into a disorganized joyous sprint toward the Barracks, shoving and laughing with each other like children rushing toward a warm hearth.

Silas watched them go, a deep sense of fulfillment warming his chest against the winter chill.

He turned back toward the Keep. The Princess and Aurelia were waiting patiently for him near the massive oak doors.

"Well," Silas sighed softly, rolling his broad shoulders as the adrenaline of the expedition finally began to fade, replaced by the creeping ache of physical exhaustion. "I’m really tired but I can’t rest just yet. I need to go down to the forge and meet with Thora to discuss the excavation logistics for that Mana Diamond cavern we found."

"You must take care not to overexert yourself, Lord Silas," Aurelia murmured gently, her golden eyes filled with concern. "Even a Lord’s vitality requires proper restoration."

"I shall assist you, Lord Silas!" the Princess chimed in brightly, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she walked beside him up the stone steps.

The royal maiden was still riding the euphoric high of her first real taste of combat. "If Lady Thora requires a detailed layout of the tunnels, I can draw a perfect map from memory! After all, I am a seasoned warrior now! I executed two entire creatures today with flawless precision!"

"You did great, Princess," Silas chuckled, reaching out to affectionately ruffle her blue hair, making her puff out her cheeks in a cute proud pout. "You’re a natural-born killer."

’It’s still strange that she’s older than me.’

They reached the top of the stone steps, stopping directly in front of the massive iron-banded oak doors of the central Keep.

Silas reached for the heavy iron ring handle.

Before his fingers could even graze the metal, the heavy doors violently swung outward with a loud whoosh, nearly smacking him in the face.

Silas took a quick half-step backward, his brow furrowing in surprise.

Standing perfectly framed in the doorway, blocking the entrance to his own Keep, were two women.

The first was a strikingly beautiful woman with raven-black hair falling sharply to her shoulders.

She wore a sleek high-collared dark tunic, and her piercing stormy gray eyes were currently narrowed into a fierce agitated glare.

Clenched tightly between her teeth was a lit, expensive-looking cigar with a thin trail of blue smoke curling aggressively into the snowy air.

’She got a new one?’

Clinging tightly to her left arm, burying her face affectionately into the black-haired woman’s shoulder, was a stunningly beautiful Hero with flowing liquid-silver hair and a slender delicate frame.

It was Evelyn and her loyal Hero, Elm.