The skies above Delhart Territory darkened beneath approaching evening storms.
Cold winds swept through the conquered city carrying the scent of blood, dust, and shattered pride while soldiers hurried across the ruined streets stabilizing the aftermath of war beneath Reina Asheville's newly established authority.
The battle had ended quickly.
Too quickly.
And because of that—
Most citizens still looked unable to process reality itself.
Viscount Delhart—
Dead.
His territory conquered.
His army kneeling beneath another ruler within a single day.
Meanwhile—
At the center of the ruined mansion courtyard—
Delhart's corpse still rested silently beneath spreading bloodstains while armored knights stood frozen around the battlefield unsure what came next.
Then—
Reina finally moved.
The silver-haired matriarch slowly lowered her sword afterward while the remaining floating aura blades dissolved around her body into shimmering silver particles beneath the dark skies.
The entire courtyard watched silently.
And for the first time—
Nobody looked toward her as a young noblewoman anymore.
Now—
They looked at her like a ruler.
Reina calmly turned toward the kneeling knights nearby.
"Handle the viscount's body."
Her voice carried calm authority now.
"Prepare proper noble burial arrangements."
Several former Delhart knights immediately bowed deeply.
"…Understood."
Then quietly—
They carried the corpse away from the battlefield afterward.
Meanwhile—
Reina continued giving orders without hesitation.
"Capture everyone who refused to swear loyalty."
Another pause.
"Imprison all immediate Delhart family members."
The surrounding knights immediately stiffened.
Reina's silver eyes remained cold.
"I will decide their future after stabilizing this territory completely."
No hesitation existed within her tone.
No uncertainty.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"She's adapting frighteningly fast."
Kel calmly followed several steps behind Reina while observing the conquered courtyard silently.
"She was always capable."
Meanwhile—
The silver-haired matriarch finally entered the Delhart mansion itself afterward.
The enormous noble residence still reflected recent chaos everywhere.
Broken walls.
Scattered documents.
Bloodstains across marble floors.
Terrified servants kneeling along corridor edges.
And amidst all of it—
Reina calmly walked deeper into the mansion like she already belonged there.
Because now—
She did.
The former Delhart command hall became occupied shortly afterward.
Military officers.
Knights.
Administrative retainers.
Everyone gathered nervously beneath the enormous chamber ceiling while storm clouds darkened the windows outside.
Then—
Reina slowly sat upon Delhart's former ruler's chair.
Silence consumed the room instantly.
Because symbolism mattered.
And everyone present understood exactly what this moment meant.
House Delhart no longer existed independently.
House Asheville ruled here now.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly stood behind Reina near the chamber shadows.
Watching.
Observing.
Never interrupting.
And somehow—
That alone made the atmosphere more oppressive.
Then finally—
Reina began issuing commands.
"Absorb every knight who swore loyalty into House Asheville's military structure."
Several officers immediately began writing orders rapidly.
"Reconstruct all war damages."
Another pause.
"Compensate every family who lost relatives during this conflict."
The room grew quieter afterward.
Because honestly—
Many rulers ignored common soldiers entirely after victory.
Yet Reina immediately prioritized compensation.
Meanwhile—
The silver-haired matriarch continued calmly:
"And conduct full territorial surveys."
One officer blinked once.
"Surveys, my lady?"
Reina nodded slightly.
"I want reports from the people directly."
Another pause.
"What they expect from new rule."
The chamber fell completely silent afterward.
Even several former Delhart retainers looked visibly stunned.
Because most nobles never asked what ordinary citizens wanted.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"She really learned governance from both you and Velor."
Kel quietly observed Reina sitting upon the conquered throne.
"…Maybe."
Hours gradually passed afterward.
Stability orders spread rapidly throughout the conquered territory while soldiers secured supply routes and imprisoned remaining hostile retainers beneath Asheville authority.
Eventually—
Another matter arrived.
The captured knights and archers who interfered during Reina's duel.
The same men who attempted protecting Delhart despite formal battle laws.
The same archers who tried assassinating Reina from hidden positions.
Now—
All of them knelt chained within the great hall beneath armed guard surveillance.
The atmosphere became cold.
Heavy.
The captured soldiers remained bruised and exhausted, yet strangely—
Several still carried pride within their eyes.
Reina quietly observed them from the elevated ruler's seat afterward.
Then finally—
She spoke.
"How loyal were you…"
The hall remained silent beneath her voice.
"…to Viscount Delhart…"
Another pause followed.
"…that you risked your lives interfering in a ruler's duel?"
One chained knight slowly lifted his head afterward.
An older veteran.
Scarred.
Proud.
And despite defeat—
Unyielding.
"You are young, Lady Reina."
His voice sounded rough yet steady.
"What do you know about loyalty?"
Several chained knights quietly nodded afterward.
The older knight continued.
"What do you know about politics?"
Another pause.
"You think this was strategy?"
His eyes hardened.
"You merely exploited loopholes and timing."
The surrounding Asheville guards became visibly angered hearing that.
Yet Reina remained calm.
Meanwhile—
The old knight continued speaking.
"We remained loyal because Lord Delhart was a good ruler."
Another chained soldier added quietly:
"He protected our families."
"He paid soldiers properly."
"He treated us fairly."
Another knight clenched his fists tightly.
"He was kind to his people."
"He remembered names."
"He helped villages personally during famine years."
Silence filled the hall afterward.
Because strangely—
Their words carried sincerity.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"So Delhart wasn't entirely rotten."
Kel calmly observed the chained soldiers.
"Few rulers are purely one thing."
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly listened without interruption.
Then eventually—
She asked calmly:
"Then why did the majority of your fellow knights swear loyalty to me?"
The chained soldiers fell silent briefly afterward.
Then finally—
One answered bitterly:
"Because those men were disposable."
Another spat lightly onto the floor beside him.
"They were replaceable troops."
Another chained veteran lowered his gaze slightly.
"We…"
A faint proud smile appeared.
"…were Lord Delhart's true loyalists."
Silence.
"We don't kneel before another ruler."
Another pause.
"Other than Viscount Delhart."
The atmosphere sharpened slightly afterward.
Because despite defeat—
Their loyalty itself felt genuine.
And honestly—
Kel respected that slightly.
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly leaned back against the ruler's chair afterward.
Then calmly—
She spoke.
"I can offer you more."
The chained knights looked toward her.
"Money."
"Status."
"Influence."
Another pause.
"Anything you desire."
The hall remained silent afterward.
Several chained soldiers visibly hesitated now.
Because reality itself stood before them clearly.
Their ruler was dead.
Their territory conquered.
Their families vulnerable.
And eventually—
One veteran quietly lowered his head.
Then another.
And another.
Finally—
One asked softly:
"…You truly won't harm our families?"
Reina immediately answered:
"I swear it."
No hesitation.
No deception.
"I will not touch your families."
Silence followed.
Then slowly—
Several chained knights finally bowed their heads completely.
Surrender.
Not from fear.
But responsibility.
Because loyalty toward dead rulers meant little compared to protecting living families.
Yet—
Not everyone yielded.
Several soldiers remained kneeling upright.
Silent.
Proud.
Unbroken.
One older knight quietly laughed afterward.
"We already chose our ruler."
Another added calmly:
"A man only kneels once in his life."
The hall atmosphere became heavier afterward.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"They're ready to die."
Kel quietly observed them.
"Yes."
Meanwhile—
Reina silently stared at the remaining loyalists for several moments.
Then finally—
She spoke calmly.
"Release them."
The surrounding guards froze.
Even the chained knights looked stunned briefly.
Reina's silver eyes remained steady.
"Take them beyond the outer Wildness routes."
Another pause.
"Free them there."
The room became silent afterward.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
Release into the Wildness.
A land filled with monsters, death, starvation, and wandering mercenaries.
Not direct execution.
Yet survival remained unlikely.
The remaining loyal knights however—
Smiled.
Because for warriors like them—
Dying free meant more than living surrendered.
And quietly—
Kel observed everything from behind Reina's throne.
While somewhere deep inside his thoughts—
He realized again that Reina had finally become capable of making cruel ruler decisions herself.
Not blindly.
Not emotionally.
But calmly.
Like someone beginning to truly understand what ruling actually demanded.