Chapter 125: Chapter 118: The Balance of Asterion

Snowstorms swept endlessly across the northern roads as the convoy of Elarion marched southward through the mountains. It’s been already 3 days since the convoy departed from elarion.

Hundreds of disciplined soldiers advanced through the frozen wilderness beneath black northern banners while supply wagons rolled steadily between infantry formations. Mounted scouts monitored nearby ridges carefully while engineers continuously inspected roads ahead of the heavy convoy.

At the center of the marching column—

The Warhound moved through the snow like a steel beast.

Its massive tracks crushed ice and stone beneath armored weight while the deep mechanical growl of its mana-engine echoed across the valleys continuously. Steam drifted upward into the freezing air while nearby soldiers instinctively maintained distance from the armored machine.

Behind it rolled four leFH 18 artillery batteries beneath heavy escort.

The convoy resembled less of a noble convoy more of a military parade.

And everyone who saw it understood that immediately.

Villages became silent at its arrival.

Travelers abandoned roads.

Local guards stared openly at the armored convoy moving beneath Elarion’s banners.

Fear spread naturally wherever the convoy passed.

Because nothing like this existed anywhere else within the Kingdom of Asterion.

At some distance behind the Warhound—

A reinforced black command carriage moved steadily through the snow surrounded by elite northern cavalry carrying rifles.

Inside—

Warm mana lamps illuminated the cabin softly while cold winds rattled faintly against the armored exterior.

Lucien sat quietly near the frost-covered window observing the convoy outside while Malen calmly reviewed maps and supply reports across the table opposite him.

Beside them—

Gandalf looked deeply irritated by the journey already.

The old wizard adjusted his robes as the carriage shifted slightly over uneven terrain.

"I miss towers."

Malen looked up briefly.

"Towers."

"Yes."

Gandalf nodded seriously.

"Quiet towers."

Lucien almost smiled slightly.

Outside—

The convoy passed another southern checkpoint.

The reactions remained identical every single time.

Fear.

Several guards visibly stepped backward as the Warhound approached while nearby horses panicked immediately from the low mechanical growl of the engine.

One knight officer whispered nervously:

"That thing looks alive."

Another answered quietly:

"No."

His eyes remained fixed upon the slowly rotating turret.

"...It looks hungry."

The convoy continued southward without slowing.

Inside the carriage—

Gandalf observed the reactions through the frosted windows.

"The kingdom already fears Elarion."

Lucien’s gaze remained outside.

"They fear uncertainty."

"No."

The old wizard slowly looked toward the distant silhouette of the Warhound.

"They fear change."

Silence settled briefly inside the carriage.

Only the sound of carriage wheels moving through snow and the distant rumble of the Warhound remained.

Then Malen finally spoke.

"You mentioned earlier that the kingdom survives through balance."

Gandalf sighed heavily.

"Yes."

The old wizard leaned backward slightly.

"And that balance is beginning to shift."

Lucien finally turned toward him fully.

"Explain."

Snow drifted quietly beyond the carriage windows while the convoy descended slowly from the northern mountain roads toward broader southern trade routes.

Then Gandalf spoke slowly.

"The Kingdom of Asterion survives because no faction is powerful enough to dominate the others."

"The Crown."

"The Old Noble Coalition."

"The Church."

"The Mage Assembly."

"The military aristocracy."

The old wizard folded his arms.

"They compete constantly."

"But none dare openly destabilize the kingdom."

Malen narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Because of the throne."

"Yes."

The answer came instantly.

"And because of him."

Lucien’s eyes sharpened slightly.

"The legendary mage."

Gandalf nodded slowly.

"The Royal Guardian."

The atmosphere inside the carriage shifted subtly.

Even Malen stopped reading now.

The old wizard continued quietly.

"As long as the Royal Guardian supports House Vaelthorn..."

"...nobody dares openly challenge the Crown."

Outside—

The Warhound continued crushing through snow beneath darkening skies while infantry marched beside the armored machine in disciplined formation.

Industrial power moving through a feudal kingdom.

The image itself felt unnatural.

Gandalf slowly continued.

"That is why the kingdom remains stable."

"The Old Noble Coalition may hate the Crown."

"The Church may manipulate politics."

"The Mage Assembly may pursue influence."

"But none of them are foolish enough to openly rebel."

Lucien leaned slightly against the carriage wall.

"So the kingdom isn’t weak."

"No."

The old wizard shook his head immediately.

"Asterion is far stronger than outsiders believe."

His gaze drifted toward the convoy outside.

"Which is precisely why your rise unsettles everyone."

Malen calmly folded another report.

"The Crown fears losing control?"

Again—

Gandalf shook his head.

"No."

That answer caused Malen to pause slightly.

The old wizard sighed quietly.

"King Alaric Vaelthron is not a fool."

"He understands your value."

"Elarion modernized faster than any territory in living memory."

"You strengthened the northern borders."

"You rebuilt military infrastructure."

"You created entirely new forms of warfare."

The old wizard’s expression hardened faintly.

"The Crown sees opportunity in your rise."

Lucien remained silent.

Gandalf continued calmly.

"The king likely invited you because he wishes to understand you personally."

"To evaluate you."

"To judge your ambitions."

"and to determine whether Elarion can strengthen the kingdom instead of destabilizing it."

Outside—

The artillery batteries rolled steadily through the snowy roads while torchlight reflected faintly against steel barrels beneath the darkening skies.

Then Gandalf’s expression darkened slightly.

"But the Old Noble Coalition..."

The atmosphere inside the carriage became noticeably colder.

"They are afraid."

Malen narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The traditionalist houses."

"Yes."

The old wizard nodded slowly.

"Ancient bloodlines."

"Knight aristocracies."

"Massive hereditary territories."

"They built the old structure of Asterion."

His gaze settled toward the Warhound outside.

"And now they are watching that structure slowly become outdated."

Lucien remained calm.

"Because of industrialization."

"Exactly."

The old wizard leaned slightly forward now.

"For centuries noble superiority depended upon three things."

"Land."

"Bloodlines."

"And military prestige."

The old wizard gestured toward the convoy outside.

"Your factories weaken economic monopolies."

"Your artillery weakens fortress warfare."

"Your machine guns weaken cavalry dominance."

"And your industrial logistics reduce dependence upon noble territory."

The carriage fell silent again.

Because nobody inside could deny the truth anymore.

Lucien was not simply introducing new weapons.

He was introducing an entirely new system.

Gandalf’s voice became quieter.

"The Old Noble Coalition does not fear immediate collapse."

His eyes narrowed faintly.

"They fear irrelevance."

Outside—

The convoy passed another southern settlement where civilians gathered beside roads watching the Warhound with visible unease.

The kingdom was watching the future move southward.

Gandalf continued quietly.

"The old noble houses understand something dangerous."

"If Elarion continues advancing..."

"...their influence inside Asterion will gradually diminish."

Malen folded his arms thoughtfully.

"Through war?"

"No."

The old wizard shook his head.

"Through progress."

Silence settled heavily inside the carriage.

Because that possibility was far more dangerous politically.

Wars could be fought directly.

But gradual irrelevance? 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

That was something old powers feared deeply.

Gandalf slowly leaned backward again.

"The older nobles spent generations believing Elarion was a frozen exile territory."

"And now?"

His gaze drifted toward the Warhound outside.

"Their soldiers return describing armored vehicles immune to cavalry."

"Factories larger than castles."

"Disciplined industrial armies."

"Mobile artillery capable of destroying fortifications."

His expression darkened slightly.

"They are beginning to realize the north no longer depends upon them."

The atmosphere inside the carriage grew heavier again.

Because that realization changed political balance itself.

A strong noble could be controlled.

An independent industrial power became far more complicated.

Malen finally spoke again.

"And the military?"

At that—

Gandalf actually laughed softly.

"That situation borders on absurdity."

Lucien raised an eyebrow slightly.

"How."

"The older generals despise you."

"That’s expected."

"Yes."

The old wizard nodded.

"Because your warfare makes their experience increasingly outdated."

Outside—

The Warhound descended from the mountain roads toward broader valleys where southern trade traffic increased heavily.

The giant tank rolled steadily through snow like an unstoppable steel beast.

Gandalf continued quietly.

"For centuries military prestige belonged to cavalry and fortress warfare."

"Knights."

"Rigid battlefield formations."

"Traditional siege doctrine."

The old wizard gestured vaguely toward the convoy outside.

"You disrupted all of that in a single campaign."

"Machine guns erase cavalry charges."

"Artillery annihilates defensive formations."

"Mechanized armor changes battlefield mobility entirely."

His voice lowered slightly.

"The older commanders spent their entire lives mastering warfare that is already evolving."

Lucien remained calm.

"And the younger officers?"

At that—

Gandalf’s expression became more complicated.

"They admire you."

Malen looked unsurprised.

The old wizard sighed heavily.

"Younger officers study reports from the coalition war obsessively."

"They copy Elarion formations during exercises."

"They discuss warfare constantly."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Some already believe Elarion represents the future military composition of Asterion."

Lucien leaned slightly against the carriage wall.

"That will eventually create division."

"Yes."

The answer came instantly.

"But not rebellion."

The old wizard’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"The Royal Guardian alone prevents that possibility."

Outside—

Night slowly approached while snowfall weakened across the valleys.

Torchlight illuminated the roads while the Warhound continued leading the convoy through darkness like a steel predator moving across frozen earth.

Inside the carriage—

Gandalf finally became serious again.

"There is another faction you must understand carefully."

Lucien looked toward him.

"The Church."

The atmosphere shifted immediately.

Even Malen focused fully now.

Gandalf’s expression became colder.

"The Church of Radiance is ancient."

"Patient."

"Subtle."

"And extremely dangerous."

The old wizard’s voice lowered slightly.

"They will never oppose you openly."

"Not at first."

"They will praise your victories."

"Welcome you publicly."

"Congratulate your achievements."

Then his eyes narrowed faintly.

"But privately..."

Snow drifted softly against the carriage windows.

"...they fear what you represent."

Lucien understood immediately.

Industrialization weakened dependence upon religion.

Technology changed societies faster than belief systems could adapt.

Factories replaced superstition with productivity.

Industry encouraged independent thought.

Progress created new systems beyond ancient traditions.

Gandalf slowly looked toward the Warhound outside.

"The Church understands something even the nobles still struggle accepting."

His voice remained quiet.

"It is not your weapons that concern them most."

His gaze settled fully upon Lucien.

"It is that the future walks beside you."

But there is a good news too

"The church influence within our kingdom isn’t as strong as in other kingdoms,so direct interference will be harder unless they declare a direct war upon you"

"And who among them might be killer of my mother"lucien asked

At this everyone maintained a silence.