The King stood before the window of his private chamber, his eyes tracking the carriage as it rolled through the gates.

Behind him, Elias adjusted the collar of his uniform, waiting patiently before he broke the silence. "Why did you not see Lord Hajin off, Your Majesty?" He asked, keeping his voice respectful.

The King simply remained quiet, watching the carriage disappear into the busy streets of the capital. "I do not need to meet him right now," he finally spoke, "we will meet soon enough."

He turned away from the window, walking back to his desk while he gestured for the butler to pour some wine, "Elias," he asked, "what do you think of the sixth region?"

Elias carefully filled the glass, keeping his eyes on the dark red liquid while he considered the question. "It is a barren land, Your Majesty," he replied, "the soil is completely infertile, the towns are filled with corrupt officials, and sickness runs rampant among the starving population."

The King took the glass, swirling the liquid while a faint smile played on his lips. "A miserable place indeed," he agreed, "but if that is the case, then why do the Great Families want such a terrible land? Is it just to expand their territory?"

Elias bowed his head, knowing the answer was far more complex than simple territorial expansion.

"Of course not," the King chuckled, taking a slow sip, "and how come they have been struggling to conquer it after so many years?"

Elias remained quiet, letting his master explain the hidden truth that few in the kingdom actually understood.

"The region has a guardian monster," he revealed, "it has been giving the Great Houses trouble for generations."

"They could easily defeat it if they worked together," he continued, "but they are far too greedy and suspicious of each other to ever cooperate."

He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling while he remembered the past, "that monster is extremely powerful," he murmured, "I know because I am the one who defeated it and placed it there."

"It is not public knowledge of course," he added, "the beast is highly intelligent, and it has been looking over the desperate people of that region."

Elias looked up in surprise, not having expected this specific secret to be revealed so casually, "but is that the only reason they want the region?" Elias asked, trying to grasp the full scope of the King’s plan.

The King shook his head, placing the empty wine glass on the desk with a soft click, "No," he said, "the region is coveted for its gold mountain, a massive mine hidden deep within the territory."

"That is where the guardian monster lives," he explained, "and though it keeps the people safe from invaders, it refuses to let anyone touch the gold."

Elias nodded slowly, realizing how the presence of the beast kept the entire region locked in poverty, "because they cannot mine the gold, they remain poor," he observed, "leading to sickness, hunger, and constant death."

"And the monster still attacks anyone who tries to exploit the land," the King added coldly.

He stood up again, walking to the map of the kingdom mounted on the office wall, "the beast and I made a deal long ago," he explained, "it is a test for the Great Houses."

"If they can defeat the guardian, they are worthy to claim the prize," he muttered, "but they have failed for decades."

He touched the marker representing the sixth region, his fingers tracing the borders of the territory, "I have grown tired of waiting," he confessed, "that is why I am giving Hajin this chance."

"He is completely unpredictable," he smiled, "and his presence will finally force the Great Houses to act."

Elias refilled the King’s glass, keeping his hand steady while he voiced his doubt, "do you truly have that much faith in Lord Hajin, Your Majesty?"

He chuckled softly, accepting the refilled glass with a slow, relaxed grip, "you have no idea just what kind of power that boy holds, it will not take him long to catch up to me, and he might even join those monsters at the apex of strength."

A sudden shiver ran down Elias’s spine, staring at the King with wide eyes, "do you truly believe he can reach thirty shards of strength? Even for a talent like him, that is a bit..."

He chuckled, turning back to look out the window at the gates, "the boy will bring change, Elias, just watch and see."

Inside the moving carriage, Loccy leaned over and bit down on Hajin’s ear.

Cassie stared at the girl in disbelief, her brow furrowed in confusion, "what is she doing?"

Hajin muttered, holding back a laugh because the sharp nibbling tickled his skin, "it is just a habit she has."

"I guess it is part of her nature as a bunny," he added before gently pushing her face away while she let out a small, disappointed pout.

Cassie gestured to the other side of the seat, looking at Elise and Sable, "and who are they? I do not think we have met before."

"Also, where are Vella and Juna?" She added, looking around the carriage.

Hajin gestured to his hands, his expression remaining relaxed while he explained the situation, "these are Elise and Sable, they are my new teammates joining us for this trip."

"Vella went back into her ring," he continued, "and Juna is currently unsummoned to rest, which also makes room for you guys."

Elise leaned forward, extending a hand toward Cassie with a bright, welcoming smile, "I am Elise, and this quiet one next to me is Sable. We are adventurers from the capital."

Cassie accepted the handshake, still looking slightly overwhelmed by the sudden introductions, "Cassie," she muttered, "and these are my party members, Jonas and Toby."

Jonas grunted in response, shifting his bulky frame on the velvet seat while he tried to find a comfortable position, "this carriage is far too fancy for my taste, but at least it beats walking all the way to the border."

Elise chuckled at his grumbling, her eyes shifting to Hajin’s hair and eyes, "our leader here has been full of surprises lately, especially with his sudden promotion to regional lord."

Cassie crossed her arms, leaning back against the leather cushion while she stared at Hajin’s calm face, "tell me about it, one day he is clearing unranked gates, and the next he is basically royalty."

Hajin sighed, resting his chin in his hand while he looked out the window at the passing scenery, "it is not as glamorous as it sounds, the administrator already warned me about noble spies and legal territory wars."

Sable finally spoke up, her voice quiet but firm as she adjusted the strap of her shield, "which is why we need to be prepared for anything, especially since we do not know who we can trust."

Cassie looked at the map tube resting on Hajin’s lap, her expression turning serious, "the local houses in that region are notoriously stubborn, so they will definitely try to test your authority early on."

"I know," he replied, "but we have a decent budget and some solid teammates, so we will manage."

Loccy rested her head on his shoulder, her ears twitching while she listened to the conversation, "I will protect you, Master, no matter who tries to attack us."

Cassie let out a soft laugh at the bunny girl’s dedication, her tension finally beginning to ease slightly, "with summons like that, you might actually survive."

Hajin closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the carriage wall, ’if only ruling a region was as simple as fighting monsters.’