Free Web NovelChapter 122: The Oracle’s Boundary
Walking out of the underground vault, the air shifted from stale basement chill to the warm breeze of the capital.
Kane led the way, his foot ringing against the spiraling stone stairs, while violet energy still pulsed faintly beneath his skin.
Misha followed silently, her eyes scanning the shifting ambient magic of the city, and Sarah trailed them, adjusting her dress with newfound purpose.
Pushing open the grand courtyard doors, Kane stepped out onto the elevated marble terrace.
Below them stood an ocean of armor.
Thousands of soldiers packed the royal square.
Surrendered Menual royal guards stood shoulder-to-shoulder.
The scale of the assembled forces stretched all the way to the outer gates.
Spears and halberds caught the afternoon sun, creating a blinding sea of steel.
Silence cascaded across the courtyard the moment Kane appeared on the balcony.
Every eye locked onto the gladiator with red hair and a crimson axe strapped to his back.
They felt the shift in the city’s wards.
They knew a new sovereign held the reins.
’I need to give them a purpose to fight.’
Channeling his new territory mechanics, Kane projected his voice.
It rolled over the square like a booming thunderclap, reaching every corner of the capital.
"YOU ALL NOW BELONG TO THE BLOODFANG TRIBE!" Kane roared, his voice leaving no room for debate.
"NOT ELVES! NOT MILFHEIM! ONLY BARBARIANS!"
The proclamation hung in the air for a split second before the reaction hit.
Caught in the infectious, overpowering wave of his Conqueror’s aura, the Menual soldiers yielded.
Thousands of southern guards dropped to one knee, lowering their banners to the pavement. The submission was total.
They belonged to him now.
Sarah watched the display from the edge of the terrace, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and calculation.
"I leave the ledgers to you," Kane said, tossing a passing glance over his shoulder.
"Secure the treasury. Pay our mercenaries their bonuses, and distribute a month’s wages to the surviving city watch. Buy their loyalty before the sun sets."
Bowing her head gracefully, Sarah smiled.
"Consider it done. I will ensure every vault is properly audited."
She turned and swept back into the palace, her hips swaying with authority, eager to drown herself in his newly acquired wealth.
Once the terrace was cleared of attendants, Kane walked away from the cheering square.
He found a quiet alcove overlooking the southern gardens and leaned against a marble pillar.
Misha stood a few paces away, her white hair catching the breeze.
She stared out toward the horizon, her delicate hands folded neatly in front of her gown.
’Usually, my little oracle has a piece of advice ready before I even know I need it.’
"You have been quiet," Kane noted.
Turning her head slightly, Misha met his gaze.
Her dual-tone voice carried a rare note of caution.
"That core is useless without the tree, husband. You absorbed a parasite, but a parasite needs a host to feed on."
"I know," Kane replied, a smirk touching his lips.
"I will take the tree."
Misha fully turned to face him, her golden rings swirling with troubled currents.
"That’s dangerous. You are talking about invading the heart of the Elven territory. Queen Sylva is not some local noble you can bully."
"She needed me to fight her battles," Kane shrugged, entirely unconcerned.
"I figure she owes me."
"The Elven Queen was only good to you because she benefited from your strength," Misha warned, stepping closer.
"She used your axes to secure her borders. She will not tolerate this. Taking the World Tree means breaking the foundation of her entire race. She will declare a holy war."
"Well, good thing I do not care," Kane laughed, the sound deep and resonant.
He pushed off the pillar, closing the distance between them.
"Now I have the Milfheim alliance, haven’t I? Let Sylva send her rangers. I reckon my new southern army and your northern sisters can handle a few pointy-eared archers."
"But still..."
"Leave that," Kane interrupted.
Reaching out, he let his fingers graze the side of her cheek.
Her skin felt cool and flawless, a stark contrast to the rough, violent world he usually occupied.
’I need to remind her to live in the moment.’
"When are we going to do it?" Kane asked, dropping his voice to a low, intimate rumble.
Misha blinked, her tactical train of thought derailing instantly.
"Do what?"
"Couple things," Kane teased, letting his gaze travel deliberately down her gown before returning to her eyes.
"I just claimed an empire. Usually, there is a celebration involved."
Misha didn’t blush.
Instead, she looked up at him with a different expression.
Her golden eyes searched his face, stripping away the warlord to see the man underneath.
"My heart cannot handle the pleasure," Misha stated matter-of-factly, offering a rare glimpse into her physical limitations.
"The seraphic blessing I carry demands emotional equilibrium. A surge of that magnitude would cause my vessel to fail."
Kane paused, absorbing the reality of her words.
She wasn’t rejecting him.
The oracle could see the threads of fate, but her physical body remained fragile.
Letting out an understanding laugh, Kane stepped back just enough to give her space.
"I know," Kane smiled, his eyes softening.
"So I will wait."
Misha tilted her head, clearly surprised by his easy acceptance.
"If something I do makes you uncomfortable, report it to me directly," Kane instructed, his tone shifting from teasing to sincere.
"We are married, after all. You are my co-ruler, not a prize I won in a tavern brawl. I set the pace, but you tell me where the boundaries are."
A tiny, almost imperceptible smile touched Misha’s lips.
"Understood, husband." freewёbnoνel.com
"Good." Kane turned back toward the balcony, letting his gaze sweep over the sprawling, white-domed capital stretching out beneath the setting sun.
Resting his hand on the pommel of his axe, Kane took a deep breath of the evening air.
It was time to establish his new empire, and the rest of the world was going to feel the shift.
