Wizard Of Cosmos

303 - The True Kingdom

"Is this... alright, My Lord?"

"Yes. And pretend I was never here. Once we pass through, you won’t see me again. Do you understand? No one must know I was ever here."

"Yes! Yes, My Lord!"

"And... no one else knows I am here, correct?" The hooded figure’s voice sharpened deliberately.

"N-No! No, My Lord! We... we are departing soon!" The envoy stammered, his body trembling as he hastily retreated to the far corner of the carriage.

‘Sigh… How useless.’

The hooded man barely spared him another glance. The Brodice Kingdom had neither the power nor the will to resist the Grand Order that had been issued. It had been nearly a decade since the last decree from the Grand Wizards, and that one had shaken the world, announcing the arrival of an immortal alien.

‘But this might be the first time in centuries that they had to step in to stop a minor war.’

He turned his gaze to the passing scenery outside the carriage window, watching in silence.

No one, aside from the envoy and a handful of high-ranking officials in the Brodice Kingdom, knew he was hidden inside this carriage. He had no interest in revealing his presence. This journey wasn’t just about delivering an order—it was an opportunity. A chance to observe firsthand what had changed in this small, overlooked corner of the continent over the years.

Long ago, as a younger man, he had once travelled these lands, fascinated by the mysteries of the world. Now, he returned to witness the aftermath of history in motion.

"Is this Forest Edge?" he asked casually, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the small stone walls appearing in the distance.

"Ye-Yes, My Lord. But… we are not stopping here. U-Unless you wish to—"

"No need." He shook his head, dismissing the suggestion without a second thought.

The Kingdom of Alexandria was exactly what he expected. A small nation, clinging to its independence through diplomacy rather than strength. Unlike Brodice, it had no grand ambitions—it simply endured, surviving the tides of history without attempting to control them.

Yet what unsettled him was how easily Alexandria had submitted.

When the envoy of Brodice arrived, they had offered no resistance, no arguments. They readily allowed them to pass, bending without protest.

‘Even for a small kingdom, they should have some dignity.’

Brodice had been the one to declare war on Alexandria. The logical reaction should have been tension, hesitation—something to indicate defiance or caution. But there was none.

‘It’s as if Alexandria no longer sees Brodice as its biggest threat…’

And he knew why.

The real obstacle—the true variable—was not Alexandria anymore.

His eyes drifted back to the dirt road ahead. It was crowded, far too crowded for a mere border town. He had half-expected to see it swarmed with alien humans—the so-called players—and he wasn’t wrong.

Everywhere he looked, humans with strange devices strapped to their arms moved about, their presence undeniable. But what surprised him was the equal number of natives—traders, merchants, and travellers moving goods in and out of the town’s gates.

It didn’t add up.

This small town should have been too insignificant to attract such movement.

Then he realised—this wasn’t their final destination.

This was just the only access road to their true target.

Light Shone.

The hooded figure leaned back into his seat, a slow smirk forming beneath the shadow of his cloak.

…

As expected, the guards at Forest Edge allowed them to pass without question, their posture one of silent submission. Only the king’s representative had the nerve to watch their convoy from afar, though even he kept his distance.

The alien humans, however, had a completely different attitude.

Unlike the natives, they showed no fear. As the convoy left Forest Edge, the number of players following them steadily grew, their presence becoming impossible to ignore. They didn’t approach directly, but neither did they leave.

The dirt road leading to Light Shone grew busier the farther they travelled.

Merchants, traders, and travellers moved along it in large numbers. It was difficult to believe that there was only a village at the end of this road—especially one bordering a terrifying forest of unknown dangers.

The hooded man narrowed his eyes.

‘There used to be adventurers here once. But then they stopped coming. And now, the place is flooded with merchants.’

He could feel the change of time in his very bones.

Once, brave souls ventured into the Dark Forest, seeking rare resources and remnants of forgotten civilizations. But with time, exploration gave way to easier ways of making money. With the rise of sea trade, fewer and fewer dared to risk their lives for adventure. Eventually, the Dark Forest became a land of riches that no one dared to touch.

A kingdom could have thrived off its resources. But there was an ancient Grand Order, one that forbade any kingdom from claiming it.

That was, until the arrival of the alien humans.

The Grand Wizards had not intervened against them. The hooded man found this fascinating. The same forbidden land that had swallowed entire kingdoms was now being claimed by these newcomers.

Still, those who knew what had happened to the original ruler of this land understood why they shouldn’t dream of ruling it.

The Wizard King.

Long before the Dark Forest ever existed, he perished with his entire kingdom in this very place.

"We are entering the borders of Light Shone, My Lord."

"Huh? Already?"

The older man snapped out of his thoughts at the words.

"Borders? A village has borders?"

The absurdity of the statement made him pause—until he saw the difference.

Ahead of them, the dirt road transformed into a wide, stone-paved path. The forest thinned, revealing a bustling trade route, complete with signboards, rest stops, and roadside stalls run by travelling vendors.

It was as if no one cared that they were deep within a dangerous forest.

People moved about freely, trading and chatting. Auxiliary roads branched off to the sides, leading toward large-scale construction projects. Carts laden with building materials rumbled down these paths, heading toward newly cleared areas. Beyond that, farmland stretched into the horizon, with people moving about with purpose and energy—not the downtrodden struggle of serfs, but the hopeful determination of those building something greater.

The guards, however, were what caught his attention the most.

Unlike the fearful, hesitant guards at Forest Edge, these men stood with unshaken confidence, clad in well-crafted uniforms embedded with mana-infused runes. The subtle glow of enchantments hinted at magical reinforcement. Their weapons were not crude iron or bronze—they carried fine steel, expertly crafted for battle.

Their sharp, unwavering gazes landed on the convoy, their expressions hostile.

They didn’t flinch at the sight of Brodice Kingdom’s colours. They didn’t bow or avert their eyes.

They didn’t care who was in these carriages.

‘No fear.’

‘They don’t care about us at all.’

The hooded man frowned. These carriages belonged to the nobility, yet these guards showed no sign of submission. He had seen this behaviour before—but only in places backed by absolute power.

And yet, the common people passing through interact freely with these guards. There was no fear, no resentment, none of the usual apprehension peasants had toward patrolmen. If anything, they respected them.

This was not a village under the rule of fear—it was a village backed by strength.

And that strength… stood against them.

"Halt! State your business!"

A commanding voice rang out, snapping him back to the present.

The convoy jerked to a sudden stop.

The hooded man’s gaze flicked toward the source of the voice. His lips curled into a smirk beneath his cloak.

‘Now this is interesting.’

…

‘A Grandmaster? ‘They do have some capabilities.’

The hooded figure’s gaze fell on the man blocking their path.

It was obvious that the other party was a Grandmaster, but not a familiar face. That wasn’t unusual—several Grandmasters had joined the Crystal Pulse recently. This one could be among them. However, it wasn’t wise to stop the envoys of the Brodice Kingdom.

Especially when they had over six Grandmasters escorting them.

To many, such an escort force would seem absurd—excessive, even. But looking at the hostile stance of Light Shone’s guards, it suddenly made perfect sense.

The Crystal Pulse was prepared for war, and Light Shone was not just a village anymore.

"This is the Envoy of the Brodice Kingdom!"

One of the Brodice Grandmasters stepped forward, releasing a wave of hostile pressure, attempting to dominate the situation.

"You should have heard we are coming. Move aside—this is the business of the Brodice Kingdom!"This was how they had entered Alexandria, walking unopposed.

They had expected the same here.

But the hooded figure witnessed something completely different.

The runic enchantments hidden in the guards’ armours flared to life, one by one, forming a protective layer around them.

The guards didn’t flinch.

Instead, they drew their weapons without hesitation.

A cold, disciplined response.

The Grandmaster standing at the gates scoffed. "Humph! We received no such notice. If you want to enter, get down here and state your business."

He didn’t even hesitate to push back with equal pressure.

The hooded figure was about to observe further, when—

Something moved.

Fast.

Unimaginably fast.

A powerful force tore through the air, closing in on them instantly.

The next moment—

"Boom!" The hostile Grandmaster from Brodice flew off his horse, his body hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. He soared past their carriages, crashed into a tree, and collapsed with an earth-shaking impact.

The entire envoy froze.

The air trembled.

A sharp, commanding voice rang out. "Pathetic."

A voice filled with undeniable power. Feminine. Cold. Dangerous.

The Grandmaster guarding Light Shone immediately straightened, his voice turning respectful in an instant. "Grandmaster Amelia!" Despite his status, he couldn’t hide the reverence in his tone.

The hooded figure tensed, his pulse quickening.

His eyes darted around—scanning the surroundings.

He wanted to see her. He needed to see the woman who had just sent a Grandmaster flying without even showing herself. But there was no one.

No new presence.

Nothing but silence.

The worried commoners huddled together, watching nervously. The alien humans, however, looked fascinated, as if they were about to witness an entertaining spectacle.

But there was no sign of the one who had attacked.

Just a silent, invisible force that had already proven its dominance.

The Grandmaster at the gates wasted no time.

"Get down and come here to register!"

His voice boomed with authority.

"Check all their carriages and confiscate their weapons! I will deal with anyone who resists." The hooded figure’s eyes narrowed.

‘She attacked without even showing herself.’

A silent chill ran through him.

‘This woman is terrifying.’

Without another word, he concealed himself further within the carriage.

A shiver of anticipation ran through him. He wanted to see her. He needed to witness the fearless figure standing behind these gates.

But for now, he remained hidden—watching.

The envoy’s group, once arrogant, now lowered their heads as they dismounted from their steeds, moving submissively toward the checkpoint.

The fallen Grandmaster groaned as he slowly picked himself up from the dirt, his previous arrogance erased, replaced by fear and submission.

And all of this— All of it happened under the shadow of a simple wooden palisade.

The hooded man took a slow, deep breath, his gaze lingering on the so-called village gate.

‘This place…’

His fingers curled tightly into his cloak.

‘This isn’t a village. This isn’t a border town.’

He looked again at the fearless guards, the unwavering leadership, and the invisible force that struck terror into a Grandmaster.

‘This place… is the true kingdom.’