Mystic Calling：Stone of Glory-Chapter 217: Marching to our deaths?

"Count Valkarion, what are you doing back here? Weren’t you headed to the Greenwave Sea?"

Inside the grand hall of Marquis Lucan’s estate, the Marquis himself looked at Ethan with a puzzled expression.

Ethan gave a small smile and got straight to the point. "I came back because there’s something important I need to discuss with you."

"Something important?"

Lucan blinked, then his gaze sharpened. He gave a slow nod. "Alright then, Count Valkarion. I’m listening..."

"Let me introduce someone first," Ethan said, gesturing to the silent woman beside him. "This is Queen Thalassa of the Stellamaris Kingdom. And as of now... she’s under my command."

"W-What?!"

"Stellamaris Kingdom?!"

Lucan’s face went pale as he shot to his feet in shock.

As the Grand Admiral of the Unicorn Duchy, a man whose family had dealt with the sea for generations, there was no way he hadn’t heard of the Stellamaris Kingdom.

"Thalassa of Stellamaris," the queen said calmly, rising to her feet. "An honor to meet you, Marquis Lucan."

"You honor me, Your Majesty..."

Lucan quickly returned the greeting with a deep, formal bow. "Lucan the Seventh, of House Lucan, Unicorn Duchy. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Queen Thalassa."

Thalassa gave a polite smile and returned the gesture, then quietly sat back down.

Ethan, still smiling, dropped another bombshell.

"Marquis Lucan, we’ve declared war on the Crimsonstar Kingdom."

Lucan froze. His pupils shrank, and his face twisted in disbelief. He pointed a trembling finger at Ethan, his voice cracking.

"You... what did you just say?!"

"You’ve declared war on the Crimsonstar Kingdom?!"

"That’s right," Ethan said with a nod, his tone casual. "You heard me. Emerald Castle is officially at war with Crimsonstar."

Lucan stood there like he’d been turned to stone, completely stunned.

Then—whoosh—he finally exhaled, long and slow.

He stared hard at Ethan, eyes narrowed, then slowly sat back down, his hands still shaking.

"Count Valkarion... what exactly do you want from me?"

Ethan met his gaze, his voice steady. "Then I’ll be blunt."

He leaned forward slightly, watching Lucan’s expression shift with every word.

"Marquis Lucan, how would you feel about forming an alliance with me... and carving up the Crimsonstar Kingdom together?"

The moment the words left Ethan’s mouth, Lucan’s face froze.

His jaw dropped, stunned into silence. Shock, disbelief, and sheer absurdity washed over his features. All his noble composure, etiquette, and aristocratic airs vanished in an instant.

But even so, he didn’t speak. He just stared at Ethan, eyes locked on him like he was trying to see straight through him.

It wasn’t until a long silence passed that Lucan finally took a deep breath.

His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing ragged, but his voice was steady as he said, "Count Valkarion... the Crimsonstar Kingdom has three orange-tier Legendary Heroes. Over a dozen purple-tier Epic Heroes. More than sixty 14-Tier Mythic Units. Hundreds of 13-Tier Legendary Units. Thousands of 11- and 12-Tier Royal Units."

"And that’s not even counting their elite, core, and standard forces—they’ve got more troops than we could ever count..."

He paused, then fixed Ethan with a hard stare.

"So tell me—how exactly do you plan to convince me to march to my death with you?"

"Marching to our deaths?"

Ethan chuckled lightly, then leaned forward, his tone calm but sharp. "Marquis Lucan, let me ask you something first. What’s your Duchy’s real stance on the Crimsonstar Kingdom? Be honest—so long as Crimsonstar exists, isn’t it impossible for the Unicorn Duchy to ever break into the sea and establish your own maritime trade routes?"

Maritime trade routes—whether for a seafaring kingdom or a landlocked one—were absolutely vital.

Everyone knew the ocean held resources at least ten times more abundant than those on land. And because the scarcity of certain resources varied between land and sea, the potential for trade—especially cross-terrain trade—was massive. We’re talking about profits so huge, they could drive entire nations mad with greed.

A fully established sea trade route was basically a never-ending gold mine. A source of wealth that could fuel armies, build cities, and shift the balance of power.

So it wasn’t just desirable—it was strategic. Every kingdom, every faction, every ruler with half a brain wanted a piece of that.

And the Unicorn Duchy was no exception.

But the problem?

They’d never managed to secure a single sea route of their own.

Why?

Because every time they even got close—every time there was the faintest hint of progress—Crimsonstar Kingdom crushed it. No hesitation. No mercy. They stomped out every opportunity before it could take root.

So to say the Unicorn Duchy had no grudge against Crimsonstar? That they didn’t harbor resentment?

That would be a lie.

In truth, they’d probably love nothing more than to see Crimsonstar wiped off the map.

But they’d never dared to act on it—not because they lacked the will, but because Crimsonstar’s naval power was just too overwhelming. One wrong move, and they’d be the ones getting sunk.

That said, it wasn’t like the Unicorn Duchy was weak overall. Not by a long shot.

The difference between them and Crimsonstar came down to military composition.

The Duchy’s forces were more balanced: about 30–40% land units, 20–30% aerial units, and the remaining 20–30% naval forces. A mixed bag, built for flexibility.

Crimsonstar, on the other hand?

They were all in on the sea.

From their 11- and 12-Tier Royal Units to their Legendary and Mythic Units—every single one was a naval unit. No exceptions.

Which meant that on the ocean, Crimsonstar was in its element. Their troops could fight at full strength—hell, sometimes even beyond that. 120% efficiency, if the conditions were right.

Land and air units? Not so much. They could still fight at sea, sure, but they’d be at a disadvantage. Big time.

...

Marquis Lucan sat in silence for a long moment after Ethan finished speaking.

Then, finally, he exhaled and said quietly, "You’re right..."

But before the word had even fully left his lips, he followed up sharply, "But Count Valkarion, what exactly are you proposing? You want to use the Unicorn Duchy’s strength to help Stellamaris Kingdom rise again? Forgive my bluntness, but first—your chances of success are slim. And second—whether it’s Crimsonstar or Stellamaris, what difference does it make to us?"

He paused, eyes narrowing as he stared Ethan down.

"Count Valkarion, I don’t believe for a second that once Stellamaris is back on its feet, they’ll just let the Unicorn Duchy carve out a privileged trade route through their waters."

It was clear—Lucan wasn’t some naive noble.

Ethan had barely said a few words, and the man had already seen through him.

And he wasn’t buying it. Not yet.

...