Chapter 473: THE CHIEF’S CHAMBERS

Morning sunlight filtered through the sheer silk curtains of the Supreme Chief’s private residence in Azareen.

Golden patterns stretched across the polished cedar floorboards as Sagiri opened his eyes, feeling a lingering exhaustion in his limbs.

An overwhelming tiredness had settled deep into his marrow, a quiet consequence of the five primordial relics burning steadily through his cellular energy.

The constant spiritual friction of the Golden Spear, Beast Horn, Hammer, Mask, and Nokai demanded hours of deep slumber to replenish his mortal stamina.

As his vision cleared, Sagiri gasped softly and jerked backward against his pillows in sudden shock.

Leaning directly over his face was Healer Lira, her misty grey eyes staring down from mere inches away with intense, unblinking curiosity.

“Lira!” Sagiri breathed out, holding his hand against his racing heart as he pulled the linen blanket up to his chest.

“You startled me.”

According to strict southern tradition, it was considered deeply improper for an unmarried maiden to reside within the Chief’s private compound.

Yet Lira remained permanently glued to his side, and with the entire realm revering her as his savior, not a soul dared to object.

Apart from assigned palace guards and elderly housekeeping servants, Lira was practically the only woman living within the sandstone walls of the compound.

She moved through the fortress with total freedom, treating the grand halls as though they were simply an extension of her clinic.

“You know it is completely inappropriate for you to wander into my private chambers while I am sleeping,” Sagiri said, rubbing his tired temples.

“Do you wish for me to send you to the military barracks at the Thazir war fortress?”

Lira puffed out her cheeks and pouted, crossing her arms over her green linen tunic with childlike defiance.

“You sleep far too long, Sagiri! The sun has been up for hours, and I had nobody to talk to.”

She turned to the side table, pouring fresh mountain spring water into a silver basin and dipping a soft cloth into the liquid.

“I came to bring you clean wash water and check your pulse, not to sit in a drafty military fortress.”

Sagiri looked at her expressive face, shaking his head with a quiet sigh.

Despite surviving the bio-laboratories of Lanka and facing the abyss of the Archive, Lira still possessed an odd, pure innocence.

Many a time over the past month, Sagiri had awakened from his heavy slumber to find Lira quietly sleeping curled up beside him on the wide mattress.

Because Lira had grown remarkably close to the ancient desert beast Zaira, the colossal creature no longer considered her an intruder and never alerted Sagiri.

“Zaira was sleeping in the courtyard pond,” Lira added with a gentle smile, adjusting a basket of fresh herbal vials on the side table.

“She merely lifted her head, nudged my shoulder with her snout, and let me walk right past the guards.”

Combined with Sagiri’s deep physical fatigue, her silent, light-footed footsteps never disturbed his heavy sleep.

This allowed her to appear at his bedside whenever she pleased without triggering his defensive instincts.

Before Sagiri could climb out of bed, the heavy wooden door creaked open, and Master Sandshade Koru walked into the bedchamber.

The blind master carried a steaming clay bowl of medicinal broth, his white eyes staring straight ahead as he tapped his staff against the floor.

Koru walked over to the bed, sat down casually on the edge of the mattress, and placed the bowl on the nightstand.

He turned his sightless face toward Sagiri, a dry, scolding tone entering his raspy voice.

“It is highly improper for an unmarried maiden to linger in your chambers at sunrise, Chief Sagiri,” Master Koru remarked bluntly.

“You should honor this girl with a formal marriage proposal before you continue dishonoring your bed.”

Sagiri let out a long, weary breath, staring up at the ceiling beams without offering a single word of defense.

This identical conversation took place almost every single morning, and he had long since grown too exhausted to argue.

Lira did not even flinch at the master’s sharp words, simply picking up the clay bowl with steady hands.

She blew gently across the surface of the dark herbal tonic to cool it down before offering it to Sagiri.

“Drink your medicine, Sagiri,” Lira said cheerfully, handing him the warm bowl as though Master Koru had not spoken at all.

“I added extra Sun-Root extract to ease the heaviness in your chest.”

Sagiri took the bowl and drank the bitter, warming broth in steady gulps, feeling the herbal energy slowly soothing the deep stiffness in his muscles.

He handed the empty bowl back to Lira and turned his attention to Master Koru.

“What are the reports from the frontier trade posts, Master Koru?” Sagiri asked, smoothly steering the topic toward administrative affairs.

“The new border trade centers and market bazaars are currently being constructed along the central highway,” Master Koru reported.

“However, political maneuvering has already begun regarding who will govern them.”

“The Iron Matron of the southern council has joined forces with the Matriarch of Tatani,” the blind master explained with a faint sneer.

“The two of them are scheming aggressively to secure total commercial control over western border crossings and dominate tariff revenues.”

Sagiri sighed softly, leaning his back against the headboard.

“That was entirely expected. Those two women love gold and political influence far too much to let a new trade route open without their claws in it.”

“Shall I send General Zafaru to strip their merchant charters?” Master Koru asked, his fingers tightening around his walking staff.

“No, let them oversee the physical construction of the stalls and warehouses for now,” Sagiri replied calmly.

“Once the infrastructure is completed, the Supreme Defense Council will enforce the standardized trade charter, and they will comply with the law.”

Sagiri shifted his legs over the edge of the bed, planting his bare feet firmly onto the cool cedar floorboards.

“Tell me instead about the construction of the new southern clan schools.”

“That project moves with far greater harmony,” Master Koru answered, his wrinkled face softening with genuine satisfaction.

“The building of unified clan academies in Thazir, Azareen, and the Mazuku stone quarries is progressing rapidly.”

“Builders from Molakwa are assisting our craftsmen in raising large classrooms and open training arenas,” the master detailed.

“Youths from all five southern tribes are already submitting their names to study history, medicine, acoustics, and martial arts together.”

“That is what matters most,” Sagiri said, standing up and reaching for his dark tunic as Lira handed him his sash.

“The future of the South will be built in classrooms, not in greedy counting houses.”

Lira smiled warmly, fastening his silver-stitched sash around his waist before stepping back with a satisfied nod.

Master Koru stood from the bed, tapping his staff on the floor as he turned toward the balcony.

With his medicine finished and his spirit fortified by the morning sun, the young Supreme Chief stepped out onto the breezy terrace.

He stood tall beside Lira and Koru, ready to oversee another peaceful day in the blooming capital of Azareen.