Chapter 115: Preparing for the Expedition [2]

Midnight descended upon the Myrain Viscounty, blanketing the region in a heavy, suffocating silence.

By this hour, the bustling streets of Old Central Town were virtually deserted.

The commoners, merchants, and even noble guests within the territory—including Arya Benova—had long since fallen into deep slumber behind locked doors.

Only the flickering torches of the watchtowers and the rhythmic, quiet footfalls of armored guards patrolling the outer walls betrayed any sign of life across the domain.

Deep within the subterranean wings of Heaven’s Net Castle lay the private library—a secluded, heavily insulated sanctuary known only to the highest ranks of the Viscounty’s administration.

Ser Hughway was the first to arrive.

Wrapped tightly in a dark, hooded cloak that completely obscured his face and steel armor, the Indestructible Sword slipped through the side entrance without making a single sound.

Upon stepping into the quiet chamber, his eyes fell upon his sovereign.

Lord Viscount Craig von Darkstar stood quietly before a towering bookshelf, unbothered by the late hour.

In his hands, he held a black, leather-bound book—the manual for the Soaring Sword Art.

He flipped through its yellowed parchment pages with calm, methodical focus, his golden-crimson eyes scanning the archaic diagrams.

When the soft creak of the floorboards echoed across the room, Craig closed the manual smoothly, turning his head to offer Ser Hughway a faint, welcoming smile.

The private library was a magnificent, impressive space.

Over twenty towering oak bookshelves stretched up to the vaulted stone ceiling, packed to the brim with classified military records, regional histories, lost magic treatises, and tactical doctrine.

At the center of the chamber sat a massive, polished mahogany conference table.

Spread wide across its dark surface was a detailed, brown parchment map of the Northern Continent.

The map was an architectural masterpiece of cartography, meticulously detailing every geographical feature of the brutal northern landmass.

It clearly outlined the frozen glacial mountain ranges, the desolate tundra plains, and the sprawling lawless free-cities.

To the west lay the vast, tempestuous expanse of the Creptun Ocean—the primary maritime trade route connecting the Northern Continent to both the Western and Southern Continents.

Meanwhile, stretching along the eastern maritime border was the Maetryis Sea, a treacherous body of water cradling the entrance to the continent’s Eastern Region.

Craig slid the sword manual back into its slot on the shelf, his tone calm and composed as he gestured toward the table.

"We shall begin the moment the others arrive, Hughway."

"Understood, My Lord," Hughway replied softly, taking his position beside the mahogany table.

A few minutes later, the heavy oak doors swung open once more.

Two hooded figures stepped quietly into the library, their dark cloaks dripping with the faint dampness of the midnight mist.

Ser Damian walked in first, his hand resting cautiously against his pommel, followed closely by Annie Blacksun.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Craig offered a subtle nod to his First Dragon Knight.

Understanding the silent command instantly, Ser Damian turned back, quietly pulling the heavy door shut, sliding the iron deadbolt into place, and engaging the inner locking runes.

Craig stepped away from the bookshelves, his eyes locking onto Damian and Annie as they pulled down their dark hoods.

"Damian. Annie," Craig greeted smoothly. He shifted his attention entirely to the young woman standing beside his knight, his golden-crimson eyes evaluating her.

"Annie... despite your recent awakening, you are currently still at the class of a Mana Apprentice. Tell me... with your current mana capacity, are you capable of casting a localized multi-layered Concealment Barrier over a room of this scale?"

Annie blinked, taking a small breath as she composed herself.

She looked around the vast library, mentally calculating the spatial dimensions and required mana density.

"It is possible, My Lord," Annie answered, her voice steady despite her youthful appearance.

"However... given my shallow core reserves as a newly awakened Apprentice, executing a high-grade spatial isolation spell over a room this size will demand every drop of my current mana pool. The backlash and exhaustion will be severe."

Craig’s expression turned solemn. He inhaled deeply, stepping closer to her. "How severe, Annie? Will it pose any permanent damage to your mana core or threaten your life?"

Annie shook her head firmly. "No, My Lord. It will not be life-threatening. But once the spell takes hold, my mana core will be completely drained. I will require at least twenty-four full hours of bed rest to naturally replenish my mana reserves."

Craig stared into her determined eyes for a long moment before giving a firm nod.

"Do it."

Annie took a deep breath and stepped toward the center of the mahogany table.

Ser Hughway and Ser Damian stepped back, watching in absolute, respectful silence.

Closing her eyes, Annie folded her hands across her chest, focusing her mind on the delicate mana pathways forming within her core.

She tapped into both her mana reserves and the innate spirituality resting deep within her soul, reaching out into the invisible, shimmering fabric of the Spirit World.

A soft, ethereal silver glow began to radiate from her skin, casting long, dancing shadows across the surrounding bookshelves.

"Room of Concealment!" Annie uttered, her voice echoing with a soft, enchanting resonance that vibrated through the silent library.

THROOOOM!

The sudden, profound shift in the air was instantaneous.

Every person in the room felt a sharp, electric hum ripple through their skin as an invisible connection to the Spirit World snapped into existence.

A dome of dense, shimmering spirituality surged outward from Annie’s body, warping across the walls, floor, and ceiling of the library.

Within seconds, the spiritual barrier locked into place—completely severing the room from the outside world.

Sound, mana fluctuations, spiritual signatures, and even spatial vibrations were entirely contained within the library walls.

No eavesdropper, no matter how powerful, could now peer into their sanctuary.

The moment the spell sealed, the silver light vanished.

"Ah... uggh!"

Annie’s eyes snapped open, a sharp, choked gasp escaping her throat.

Her face turned deathly pale, and she collapsed onto her knees, a bright spray of crimson blood spilling from her lips onto the cold stone floor as the violent Mana Exhaustion backlash hit her body.

"Annie!" Ser Damian’s instincts flared instantly.

He lunged forward, catching her fragile frame in his arms before her head could strike the floor.

Holding her tightly against his armored chest, his face was filled with genuine concern as he looked down at her shivering form.

"Annie! Are you alright? Speak to me!"

Annie coughed softly, wiping the trace of blood from her chin with the back of her trembling hand, offering Damian a weak, reassurance smile. "I... I am fine, Big Brother Damian... Just... empty."

Standing above them, Craig watched the exchange with a calm, unreadable expression.

He stepped forward and offered Annie a genuine, quiet bow of respect.

"Thank you, Annie," Craig said, his tone laced with absolute sincerity. "You have performed magnificently. Your sacrifice has guaranteed our absolute secrecy."

Craig turned away, leaning his hands flat against the mahogany table, looking down at the detailed, brown map of the Northern Continent spread before him.

Ser Hughway stepped to his left, while Ser Damian carefully helped Annie up, seating her comfortably in one of the cushioned leather chairs beside the table.

Craig’s golden eyes burned with sharp, uncompromising ambition as he looked around at his inner circle.

"Now that our sanctuary is sealed," Craig declared smoothly, his voice carrying the full authority of a sovereign,

"Let us begin our preparations for the Northern Expedition."