Chapter 266: The Starving Court
It has been five months ever since the coalition fractured.
The Tarnstead capital was completely cut off from the rest of the world. Krax’s battalions had severed the supply lines weeks ago, leaving the isolated city to starve.
Inside a lavish estate within the city’s upper ring, the stark reality of the siege was painfully obvious. The gold-leaf chandeliers still hung from the ceiling while the velvet curtains remained pristine.
However, the lords and ladies gathered around the grand dining table looked gaunt and desperate.
Novus sat at the head of the table. He wore a tailored silk doublet bearing the colors of a local merchant guild. He casually swirled a goblet of red wine. Hawl stood right beside him in understated leather armor, crossing his arms and watching the room.
"A single loaf of bread and a pound of salted pork," Duke Lupis croaked. He stared hungrily at a covered silver platter resting on the center of the table. He nervously adjusted his oversized collar. "Name your price, Guildmaster. I have gold. I have Aethelgard artifacts. Whatever you want."
Novus took a sip of his wine to let the desperate man wait. He set the goblet down and scanned the hollow-eyed nobles.
"Gold is useless in a city eating its own horses, Duke Lupis," Novus replied smoothly.
Hawl tracked the movements of the local guards by the door. The soldiers were too weak from malnutrition to pose a threat.
Novus and Hawl controlled the only hidden stockpile of salted meat and grain that survived the Vanguard’s blitz. Because of this monopoly, they effectively controlled the starving elite.
"You need food to survive the week," Novus continued, leaning forward in his chair. "I need specific information about Voranthar’s inner sanctum. We can help each other."
Duke Lupis stared at the covered silver platter. He swallowed nervously and reached inside his velvet coat. He pulled out a folded parchment detailing the exact patrol routes and shift changes for Voranthar’s central palace. He slid the map across the mahogany table.
"The royal guard rotates every four hours," Duke Lupis whispered. "The eastern wing is entirely unwarded due to the mana shortage."
Novus smiled and pushed the silver platter toward the desperate noble. Duke Lupis tore the lid off and began stuffing the bread into his mouth. The other lords watched with envious eyes. Novus finally obtained the blueprint needed to crack the capital wide open.
Suddenly, a massive crash echoed from the front courtyard. The wooden gates of the estate splintered inward. Hundreds of starving commoners flooded onto the manicured lawn.
They carried pitchforks and torches, their faces twisted in absolute desperation. The local guards threw down their spears and fled immediately.
Hawl stepped in front of Novus. The mercenary raised his fists, activating his petrifying gauntlets. The Basilisk Knuckle Dusters glowed with a pale light.
’Stand down,’ Rubedo ordered through the comms. ’Do not attack the civilians.’
"They are going to tear the estate apart for the grain," Novus replied silently, watching the rioters smash through the front doors of the manor.
’Let them have it,’ Rubedo commanded. ’Open the storehouses. Distribute the food for free. Tell them the lords hoarded the grain while they starved. Preach about the City of Spiral and convert them to our cause. Let them choose our salvation willingly.’
Novus nodded and turned to Hawl. The mercenary lowered his fists. The rioters burst into the grand dining room, stopping dead in their tracks as they saw the nobles cowering in the corners.
"Take the grain!" Novus shouted over the clamor, pointing toward the rear storehouses. "These lords locked away your survival. The Spiral offers you salvation and a full belly. We ask for nothing in return."
The commoners stared at the disguised Vanguard agents in shock. Then, they surged past the dining table and sprinted toward the food reserves.
Novus followed them, speaking loudly about the prosperity of the Spiral and the mercy of their true king. The starving citizens listened eagerly while eating the free bread.
Up in the sanctuary, Rubedo watched the peaceful conversion through the digital feed. He leaned his chin on his knuckles and shook his head in disappointment.
"His entire kingdom is on the verge of collapse," Rubedo muttered to himself. He tapped his fingers on the console. "His followers are starving. They are openly converting to another religion right outside his palace walls. He has not shown a single sign of existence."
Rubedo sighed loudly and slouched in his throne. The grand conquest of the Tarnstead coalition was almost complete, yet the local god remained completely absent. The divine entity of this land refused to protect its own people or retaliate against the Vanguard invasion.
"This is so boring," Rubedo complained to the empty room. He closed the visual feed from the capital. "I feel like I am playing an abandoned game."
Rubedo dismissed the digital feed of the capital from his primary monitor. He leaned forward and opened the newly unlocked Apostle interface. The system window expanded across the screen, displaying Krug’s updated statistics and newly forged mythic-tier abilities.
He navigated through the intricate skill trees. The recent evolution fundamentally changed Krug’s biological classification within the system. Rubedo located a unique command structure labeled ’The Violet Eclipse Vanguard.’
He tapped the glowing icon to read the exact description. The system detailed an area-of-effect aura designed to permanently empower allied forces.
The ability would forcibly elevate the physical strength and mana regeneration of any Vanguard soldier fighting under Krug’s direct command. It effectively transformed standard infantry into elite shock troops simply by sharing a battlefield with the Apostle.
Rubedo grinned at the massive tactical advantage. He immediately attempted to activate the command structure and link it to Krax’s battalions currently stationed at the palace in Aethelgard.
A crimson error message flashed across the console.
[Activation Failed: Target Apostle is out of range.]
[Requirement: Apostle must be physically present on the active battlefield to anchor the Vanguard buff.]
Rubedo frowned and closed the error prompt. Krug was currently standing inside the Bastion, an entire ocean away on the Seventeenth Continent. The buff remained completely useless while the Apostle stayed separated from the invading army.
"Well, well. Krug, it seems you have to get to work as soon as you wake up."
