Eternal Night: Building an Empire from Scratch

The captured elders were quickly escorted out of the main hall by Gordon and several knights.

Their weapons had already been confiscated, and none of them dared resist after witnessing what had happened to Darian.

The once-proud elders lowered their heads as they were taken away, knowing that the Northern Sect they had served was already finished.

Meanwhile, Edgar remained seated on Darian’s throne.

He leaned comfortably against the backrest, his eyes fixed on the corpse lying several metres away.

The head of the former ruler of Soragon Bazaar still rested on the polished floor, his expression frozen in the terror he had experienced during his final moments.

Gordon eventually approached the throne with several knights following behind him.

"My lord, what should we do with the elders?"

Edgar didn’t answer immediately.

He continued staring at Darian for several seconds before finally turning toward Gordon. "Put them in the prison for now."

Gordon nodded.

"We can decide what to do with them once everything settles down." Edgar’s voice remained calm. "If necessary, they can be hanged later."

The veteran knight showed no hesitation. "I’ll keep that in mind, my lord."

Edgar finally rose from the throne. "Let’s see what we’ve taken."

Gordon followed him as they left the main hall and began walking through the Fortress.

The farther they went, the more Edgar understood why the Yamhad Clan had been able to rule Soragon Bazaar for generations.

The castle wasn’t merely large.

Every corridor, chamber, and courtyard showed signs of decades of maintenance.

Some sections were clearly much older than others, suggesting that the Fortress had been expanded repeatedly by different generations of rulers.

’This place has probably witnessed several generations of rulers.’

Edgar slowly looked around, imagining how many people had walked through these same corridors before him.

Unlike his own Fortress, which had been constructed almost entirely through the system, this place possessed something his Fortress didn’t.

History.

There was something strangely satisfying about that.

Eventually, they reached the far end of the castle, where a large balcony overlooked the Bazaar.

Edgar stepped toward the railing and looked down at the streets.

Thousands of people had gathered below, their expressions filled with uncertainty as they waited to understand what had happened.

Edgar turned toward Gordon. "Can you find some announcers?"

The veteran knight raised an eyebrow. "Announcers?"

"I want everyone to know that the Northern Sect is finished and that Hera has taken control of Soragon Bazaar."

Gordon immediately understood. "We’ll need several people positioned throughout the city so everyone can hear the announcement."

"Exactly."

Gordon thought for a moment before nodding firmly. "I’ll arrange it as quickly as possible."

The veteran knight turned and left with several soldiers.

Edgar remained on the balcony for another moment before his eyes shifted toward Hera.

The silver-haired girl stood near the opposite side of the balcony, partially hidden behind a pillar.

Her eyes remained fixed on the streets below, where the place she had once called home stretched endlessly before her.

Edgar slowly approached. "I guess you remember this place."

Hera didn’t turn around. "I missed it."

Her voice was quiet, carrying a strange mixture of sadness and nostalgia.

"I used to love staying here when I was younger. I was mostly free inside this castle."

She gently placed both hands against the stone railing.

"I could run through these halls, climb the stairs, hide from my tutors, and spend entire afternoons looking over the city."

A faint smile appeared on her face. "My childhood is attached to this place."

Edgar remained beside her without interrupting.

Hera slowly looked toward the old courtyard below. "I never thought I would see it again."

She finally turned toward Edgar, her eyes carrying genuine gratitude.

"Thank you for bringing me back here."

Edgar gave her a small smile. "You don’t have to thank me yet."

Hera tilted her head.

"There is still one thing you need to do."

Her expression became curious. "What?"

Edgar looked toward the crowded streets below. "You need to become their ruler."

Hera’s eyes widened slightly.

"...Me?"

"You were the daughter of the previous rulers, and the people already know your name."

Edgar gestured toward the city.

"They need someone familiar to look toward after everything that happened today."

Hera remained silent for several seconds.

Then she slowly nodded.

"I understand."

---

Several hours later, six announcers had already been positioned throughout Soragon Bazaar.

They stood in different squares and major streets where their voices could reach the largest number of people.

One of them raised a small enchanted device toward his mouth while the others waited for the signal.

Then the first announcement echoed through the Bazaar.

"People of Soragon Bazaar, listen carefully!"

Conversations throughout the streets immediately began fading.

"The tyranny of the Northern Sect has ended!"

The announcement spread through the city as people slowly raised their heads.

"You are no longer under their rule, and the additional taxes imposed upon you have been abolished!"

For several seconds, nobody seemed to believe what they had just heard.

Then someone in the crowd shouted.

"They’re gone?"

Another voice immediately followed.

"The Northern Sect has fallen!"

Cheers slowly began spreading through the streets.

People who had spent months living under fear finally allowed themselves to smile.

The announcers waited for the noise to settle before continuing.

"But that is not the only news we bring today."

Their voices once again echoed across the city.

"Soragon Bazaar has a new ruler!"

The crowds gradually fell silent.

"The person who will lead this city from this day forward is none other than the surviving heir of the Yamhad Clan!"

At that exact moment, the announcers pointed toward the balcony.

Hera stepped outside.

She was no longer wearing the simple clothes from earlier.

Instead, she wore an elegant white gown that flowed gently around her body, while her silver-white hair fell neatly behind her shoulders.

The murky light reflected off her pale hair, making her appearance seem almost unreal.

The announcers continued. "Please welcome your new ruler, Hera Yamhad!"

For several seconds, the entire Bazaar remained silent.

Then someone in the crowd shouted.

"LONG LIVE LADY HERA!"

"LONG LIVE LADY HERA!"

The cheer spread through the streets like wildfire.

Thousands of voices soon echoed throughout Soragon Bazaar.

Hera stood silently on the balcony as she looked over the people.

Her hands trembled slightly against the railing.

Then she slowly raised one hand toward the crowd. The cheering only became louder.

Behind her, Edgar remained several steps away from the balcony’s edge.

He intentionally stayed outside the people’s view.

’This should make things much easier.’

If Edgar had appeared before the crowd as the person who conquered the city, many would have seen him as another foreign ruler.

But Hera was different.

She carried the name of the family that had ruled Soragon Bazaar for generations.

To the people, she wasn’t a conqueror. She was the heir who had returned.

Gordon eventually walked onto the balcony.

His expression was noticeably more serious than before. He stopped beside Edgar and lowered his voice.

"My lord."

Edgar turned toward him. "What happened?"

Gordon glanced toward Hera before looking back at Edgar. "The people from the Church want to see you."

Edgar’s expression immediately became slightly colder.

"...The Church?"

Gordon nodded. "They’ve been waiting outside for a while."

Edgar looked toward the enormous crowd still cheering for Hera.

Then his gaze shifted toward the distant streets.

’So they finally decided to show themselves.’

He slowly exhaled. "Take me to them."

Gordon nodded. "Yes, my lord."

Edgar took one final look at Hera before turning away from the balcony.

Whatever they wanted, he seriously doubted it was going to be a simple conversation.

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