The Regressed Heir of Ravencrest

Bluemoon Estate

In the audience chamber of the Bluemoon Estate, Countess Luna sat gracefully upon her throne. Across the hall, the estate’s Head Butler stood reading off a detailed report detailing their casualties, the newly secured territories, and the captured resources.

Luna had returned only a few hours prior from the conquered Thorn Estate. She had spent the last few days settling urgent administrative matters, assigning temporary officers to manage the newly acquired lands, and leaving Sir Justin, Sir Gerald, and several dozen Great Knights behind to secure the borders.

After recovering from her battle wounds and physical fatigue, Luna had personally ventured through the newly annexed territories. At first, the local populace had been terrified of their new Countess, having heard rumors of how ruthlessly she had dealt with Thorn’s corrupt high officers. Yet, when they saw her immediately slashing their heavy tax rates while distributing grain to the starving poor who had suffered under Count Thorn’s tyranny, tears of relief had swept through the villages.

In just a few short days, Luna had forged a bond of genuine trust with her new subjects—a feat that normally took months, if not years, following the fall of a former ruler.

"What are our final casualty numbers?" Luna asked quietly, her voice echoing through the vast chamber.

"We lost thirty Knights and twenty Great Knights, My Lady," the Head Butler reported solemnly. "Around one hundred men were critically injured, though the physicians assure us they will fully recover within a few weeks."

A heavy sorrow pressed against Luna’s heart, though she kept her expression calm and unreadable. She knew that war inevitably demanded blood, and even with the best preparations, it was impossible to save every single soul who marched onto the battlefield.

"Provide fifty gold coins as compensation to each of their families," Luna instructed firmly. "Along with enough grain to sustain them for the next few years. Furthermore, if anyone within those families is capable of working, grant them suitable employment within the estate or city administration. We will also hold a proper, honorable funeral for all our fallen."

The Head Butler hesitated, looking up in mild shock. "My Lady... fifty gold per family is a bit steep for common soldiers."

"No, Sir Ben," Luna countered, her gaze soft yet unyielding. "Even though they knew they were walking into a desperate battle, those men fought valiantly for House Bluemoon until their very last breaths. The least we can do is honor their sacrifice and ensure their families never starve."

The old butler was silent for a moment. Then, almost imperceptibly, the tension around his eyes softened. A small, warm smile touched his lips as he looked at her.

Lord Ren would be so proud to see the leader you have become, My Lady, Ben thought to himself, memories of Luna’s childhood flashing through his mind.

"What about the captured resources?" Luna continued. "Have you finished the accounting?"

"Yes, My Lady. We secured roughly eighty thousand gold coins, along with significant arms and armor. Additionally, we won’t have to worry about our grain supply for the entire coming year."

"Hmm..." Luna’s brows furrowed slightly. "That seems less than our initial estimates."

"Indeed, My Lady. Count Thorn must have spent a staggering fortune funding the war effort and secret preparations," the Butler explained, his eyes—which had lost all hope for House Bluemoon only a few weeks ago—now shining with renewed purpose. "Even so, this wealth will easily allow us to repair our trade routes, boost local production, and expand our merchant networks."

Luna smiled faintly, heartened by the sudden spark of life in her old butler’s demeanor.

"Has Sir Peter sent any reports?" she asked.

"Yes, My Lady. Sir Peter is scheduled to arrive back at the estate by tonight. His report mentioned that he left Sir Valen along with our main forces stationed at the Vane Estate."

Ben paused, taking a breath before asking, "What should we do with the surrendered soldiers, My Lady?"

"Place them under the command of Teresa and Justin once he returns with the main army," Luna instructed smoothly. "Let them train alongside our men to build camaraderie... keep them under observation for a few months until we can be absolute certain of their loyalty. Provide them with proper wages and regular rations. Assign them basic missions, and award appropriate cultivation resources based on their individual merits."

"Understood, My Lady."

The Butler bowed, though he hesitated to leave. "There is one more matter, Countess. The surviving soldiers and the townsfolk are eagerly anticipating a victory celebration. We have already delayed it quite a bit. I know you were hoping to wait until our benefactor returned, but... it may soon be too late to properly mourn the dead, and we cannot say for certain when—or if—he will return."

Luna’s breath hitched slightly at the mention of Ethan.

She knew it was standard military tradition to host a grand victory feast immediately after a war to boost morale and honor the fallen. Yet a selfish part of her heart had wanted to hold off until Ethan returned, knowing all too well what would have happened to her house, her territory, and her people had he not been present at House Bluemoon before Count Thorn’s attack.

Closing her eyes, she took a long, heavy breath.

I can’t delay it any further, she realized inwardly.

Opening her eyes, Luna nodded softly. "Very well. Prepare the feast. We will begin the celebrations tomorrow at dusk, immediately following the funeral ceremonies."

The Valerian Estate — South

A full day had passed since Ethan had emerged from Iris’s isolated study.

"It seems you are planning to return, kid," Iris said, stepping up beside him as he stood on the open terrace overlooking the estate gardens.

"Ah—yes, Lady Iris," Ethan replied smoothly. He stole a brief glance toward the gardens below, where Isabella was laughing softly as she played with Rune, before quickly returning his attention to the Mage Saint. " I need to begin my journey back."

His mind was still occupied by the events inside the pocket study. The golden dragon had answered his Intent, but almost everything surrounding it remained a mystery. Iris had clearly recognized something the moment she saw it, yet she had deliberately refused to explain. Ethan had decided not to press her—for now.

"You could easily stay a few more days and spend time with my granddaughter, kid," Iris teased, her eyes glinting with mischief as she hid a subtle smile. "Or perhaps explore the Capital together?"

Ethan fought with every ounce of his concentration to keep his face completely stoic. He knew from experience that giving the Mage Saint even a sliver of a reaction would only invite endless teasing. He simply stared back at her with a deadpan, serious expression.

Iris chuckled softly, her keen perception picking up on his silent struggle to maintain his composure.

"Alright, alright..." she smiled.

Northwatch Fortress — Command Chambers

Northwatch Fortress stirred with the quiet routine of early morning, the clang of training swords already echoing up from the lower courtyard, where a handful of recruits pushed through their first drills before the sun had fully cleared the eastern ridge. Mist clung low across the outer walls, curling around frost-dusted stone that hadn’t yet caught the day’s thin warmth. Somewhere below, the mess hall door swung open, releasing the smell of fresh bread and the low murmur of soldiers filing in for breakfast before the cold reclaimed the corridor.

"This brat... he should be back within a few days," Marcus muttered, leaning back in his heavy wooden chair inside the fortress command room. "To think he took a basic delivery mission... he’s getting lazy after his recent achievements. I need to bring him to the Inner Fortress soon."

Marcus picked up a fresh stack of intelligence reports, flipping through the recent developments across the Northern Frontier. His eyes eventually settled on the latest dispatch from the eastern border.

The moment he scanned the first few lines, a surge of irritation flared in his chest. "Those Thorn bastards... to think they tried to swallow House Bluemoon under a false premise..."

However, as he continued reading down the page, his eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. The report detailed how House Bluemoon had somehow turned the tables and emerged victorious. While the written account lacked granular details, it provided an overview of how the Bluemoon forces had held their fortress and completely outmaneuvered Thorn’s army, along with various wild rumors circulating through the Eastern territories.

"Hahahaha! Now that sounds like a show!" Marcus laughed out loud, slapping his desk. "Damn it, I should have been there to see it myself."

Finally, his eyes landed on the closing lines of the dispatch. The report noted that a mysterious Knight clad in black armor had fought alongside Countess Luna to slay Count Thorn himself, but the report provided no details regarding the warrior’s realm or physical features, only that he had appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly once the battle ended.

"Hmm..."

Marcus paused, the laughter dying in his throat.

A sudden, absurd thought pierced his mind.

Wait... didn’t that brat head toward the East for his delivery?

His thoughts drifted back to Ethan’s calm face. Marcus stared blankly at the paper in his hands as his brain connected the dots.

"...No way," Marcus whispered to the empty room, his eyes widening. "...Right?"

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