「Javier Dukedom」
It was another busy morning in the North.
Let's start with Kaelen and Roux. (Dietre).
Dietre was chasing his breath, sweating profusely, carrying a sack of cement and bricks from the ground up to the battlements.
"DON'T DILLY-DALLY, ROUX! MOVE, MOVE!" Kaelen shouted, massaging his own shoulder with a wooden sword.
This is fucking crazy… Is this so-called hazing supposed to last a few more days? I had no problem carrying these sacks yesterday, but for fuck's sake, I finished late at night. And now I'm up before even the laborers!
"Did I make the right decision?" he murmured, hoisting the sack of cement onto one shoulder and the bricks onto the other.
The other soldiers watched Kaelen's evilness, which was very obvious from the enjoyment on his face.
"Goodness. I'm really glad I was already a soldier before Lord Kaelen came."
"The morning drills he's been making us do are hellish enough. Lord Dietre is really getting it."
"Hey!" Kaelen saw them and pointed to the sword. "Less talk, more sword-swinging. And that kid is Roux. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"Y-yes, Lord Kaelen!"
"Call me Captain Martin! That's my code name," he said with a grin.
"Yes, Captain Martin!" The soldiers replied and went back to training.
…❈…
From the study window, Rhys and Lia peered out.
"Did that assface just claim our last name as his code name?" Rhys said.
"He's really owning it. That's what you get when your brain is all barbaric," Marcus murmured from the couch.
"Come on, we all know he's holding back from making them call him Commander Martin. That idiot probably misses his earth days," Rhys said.
"He practically stole my title. What a stonehead," Lia said. "Roux, huh?"
"Doesn't sound bad," Marcus said.
"I agree. But that kid probably can't feel the cold anymore with all his sweat. Kaelen is so evil. Word around the Russia Branch was that if you were under his unit, you'd die in training, not on a mission," Rhys said.
"Tsk. Let's go stop him before he burns that kid out," Lia said, then sat on the couch, too.
"Later." She added and continued in sipping her tea.
"Oh, right, right… everyone. Witness how I purchased that blueprint I was talking about yesterday."
Vehicle Name: No Name Yet (BvS10 Monstrous Variant)
He opened his system shop and looked for the blueprint. His first-ever project.
[SYSTEM: BvS10 BLUEPRINT AND MATERIALS INSPO DESIGN PURCHASED]
[SYSTEM: -200,000 EXP]
Then a big scroll of blueprint hologram cubes materialized in the air and fwipped into Rhys's hands. He walked to the table and overlaid the blueprint atop the map. He grinned, seeing its exact design. Inside was an A4-sized paper listing the materials needed:
Primary Frame & Armor:
• Centipede Shell Plating: Segmented, rock-hard metal skin for main body armor. Rings like a bell when hit.
• Blue-Horn Bull Bones: Hollow, super-strong leg bones used for the main frame, roll cage, and suspension arms. Looks like polished blue steel.
• Stoneclaw Grunt Hide: Rock-like skin stretched over wheels for insane, self-cleaning treads. Never slips.
Power & Guts:
• The King's Heart: The huge, ugly purple crystal from the Silent King Centipede. It's the engine. Glows evil violet and makes the whole vehicle hum.
• Wyvern Fire-Bladders: Not for fire—these tough, heat-proof sacs store magical power from the Heart, like batteries. They line the undercarriage.
• Frost-Spider Gunk: Thick, freezing goo that serves as coolant for the Heart-stone and hydraulic fluid. If it leaks, it freezes shut.
Movement & Tough Stuff:
• Wyvern Tendon Belts: Incredibly strong strips of wyvern sinew for drive belts and seals. Handles extreme cold and shock.
• Giant Toad Bladders: Bouncy, flexible air-sacs used for the suspension system. Makes the ride weirdly smooth over rubble.
• Pig-Horn Spinal Cords: Braided, white cords that connect the steering wheel to the wheels. They have a "memory" and help correct skids.
Weapons & Extras:
• Acid-Frog Spitters: Two glands mounted near the front bumper. Can spray a sizzling stream to clear paths or blind monsters.
• Crawler-Jaw Winch: The massive, clockwork-strong jaw muscle of a Stone Mud Crawler. Runs the winch and powers the rear ramp. Sounds brutally mechanical.
• Wolf-Pelt Interior: The cabin is lined with shed silver wolf fur. It's silent, warm, and smells like a frosty forest.
• Void-Moss Lights: Glowing blue-green moss grown in little crystal pods on the dash and under the wheel wells. Provides perfect night-vision light.
• King's Shard Mirrors: Polished, obsidian-like pieces of the Silent King's shell used for side mirrors and viewport armor. Unbreakable and intimidating.
"WHOA, THESE ARE ALL MONSTER PARTS. AND THIS IS FUCKING CHALLENGING, I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW IT LOOKS! DUDE, WE GOTTA HUNT SOME OF THESE BITCHES ON THE LIST!" Rhys said, his eyes practically shining.
Lia and Marcus looked at each other. This wasn't Rhys talking; it was Hans, the one who'd loved to blow up their garage back then. They stood up and peered over his shoulder.
"Hmm… this is indeed challenging," Lia said.
"Okay, we have the wyverns, the centipede, the acid-frog spitters. But we can't give them all to you; most of it is for Count Giselle," Marcus said.
"We're not giving them the Level-A gems, though, so you can keep the centipede's gems and all the King's parts. I'll give you the three big wyverns Lia fought. And the frog spitters… I think they're still usable?" he continued.
"No worries. Those monsters attacked us when we got back; I told Gareth to bury them in the barn of snow along with the others. They're well-preserved."
"Can you even make it?" Lia asked.
Rhys scoffed. "It's like you're asking if the sky's blue."
"Smartpants little bastard." Lia said laughing.
「SNOW BARN」
Liana was standing in front of the barn where they stored the monsters under piles of snow. Smoking like a thug, one hand in her pocket.
"Your Grace!" Tomas called.
"Oh, hey. What are you doing here? Who's guarding the outer walls?"
"It's Havec and Varric, leading his team of warriors roaming around the castle. And Father is also busy with Lord Kaelen's—I mean, Captain Martin's—instructions for the arrival of the rookies tomorrow," Tomas explained.
"I see. And don't call that weirdo by his self-proclaimed name. He's such a nerd," Lia said, blowing smoke into the air. "Anyway, can you pull one of the pig horns from its crate for me?"
"Oh, sure. Please follow me, Your Grace." Tomas opened the barn, and Lia followed.
The inside was indeed full of snow, with big crates covered and flags poking up. He stopped at a blue flag, opened the crate, and pulled out a frozen pig horn. He laid it on the snowy floor.
"Here, Your Grace. What are you going to do with it? We already removed the gem cores," Tomas said.
Lia took her dagger from one of her pockets, bit down on her cigar, stabbed the pig horn, and sliced it open.
"Y-Your Grace?" Tomas asked.
"You see, I'm trying something, Tomas. And I've found my first experiment subject," Lia said.
She sliced off a chunk of meat. The blood was frozen but starting to flow down her hands.
"Hmm… it doesn't smell bad, and it looks fresh," she said, taking another puff of her cigar with her free hand.
Goodness… is Her Grace… really true to the rumors of being a picky, spoiled princess? Tomas thought as he watched the scene.
[ADMIN A: I ALREADY APPRAISED IT. IT'S EDIBLE.]
Really?
[ADMIN A: IF YOU WANT TO DIE.]
You think I'm playing with you?
[ADMIN A: OKAY, RELAX. IT IS 20% VOI-ROT INFECTED. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO USE YOUR SKILL.]
HOW?
[ADMIN A: PUT YOUR PALM FACING IT, JUST SAY 'PURIFY'.]
She bit her cigar again, pointed her palm at the chunk of meat, and said, "PURIFY."
A glow of green holographic lines shimmered, and the meat looked fresher, redder than before.
"Whoa, is that holy magic, Your Grace?" Tomas asked, his eyes sparkling.
"Maybe," Lia said, her tone playful.
[SYSTEM: CONGRATULATIONS! YOU JUST DISCOVERED A LONG-LOST PREY IN THE FOOD CHAIN.]
[REWARD: 50,000 EXP]
[PURIFY SKILL: LEVEL 1 >> LEVEL 2]
"A long-lost prey?" Lia said.
"Tomas, we better go to the kitchen right now. Hurry and carry that pig with us!" Lia said, walking out with the chunk of meat in her hands.
As soon as she was out, she threw the cigar into the snow and stepped on it.
Tomas hurriedly locked the snow barn and followed his duchess, who was carrying a bloody piece of meat.
-ˋˏ✄ - - - - - - - ♡
「KITCHEN」
The kitchen of the Castle only had one head chef, two assistants, and three servants who helped when preparing meals for the soldiers. But right now, it was only the three chefs.
Lia and Tomas entered through the backdoor.
"Good morning, Chefs," Lia said to the two assistant chefs.
"Good morning, Your Grace," the two greeted and bowed, glancing at the meat she was holding and then at Tomas.
"Where's Uniso?" Lia said. "Grab me a plate."
One chef handed her a plate, and she put down the meat. " Head Chef Uniso just stepped out to do inventory in the pantry barn."
"Alright. Now, do something with this chunk of meat, Pisa," Lia said.
"By any chance, did it come from that monster, Your Grace?" Pisa asked, glancing at the sliced-open pig horn.
"Indeed it did. Anyway, this piece is safe. Trust me, go try and cook it. Do it fast—I want to taste it," Lia said.
"Uhm… haa… Your Grace is really so stubborn," Pisa resigned, took the plate, and started washing the meat in the sink.
"Your Grace, you should wash your hands too," Kilaf said.
Lia went to the other sink and washed the blood off her hands.
"Your Grace, aren't monsters poisonous? You see, old folks tried eating this before. Even a piece caused severe stomach aches that led to death for those who consumed a lot," Kilaf said.
"Well, that piece is safe. Trust me, I purified it," Lia said.
"Your Grace has a purifying magic?" Kilaf asked.
Lia just winked.
Pisa seasoned it carefully, as if his life depended on it. After that, he heated the pan on a medium flame and put the perfectly sliced meat on.
"What the hell is that?" Lia said at the smell.
It was the best.
"Oh dear… this smells like premium beef. And I've never cooked one like this in my life!" Kilaf said.
Then Uniso entered and saw them flocking around Pisa.
"Your Grace," Uniso called.
"Great, Uniso. Come here and watch this dope being cooked," Lia said.
Confused, Uniso walked closer and smelled the soothing, stomach-growling aroma.
"What in the world is that? We don't have that kind of meat in the pantry," Uniso said.
Tomas turned to Uniso and smiled. "It's monster meat."
"What?!" Uniso said.
Pisa took the pan off the fire and transferred the meat to a chopping board. He sliced it slowly, gently into thin pieces. It was tender, juicy…
Those watching kept forgetting it was monster meat.
Then Pisa transferred it to a plate and set it on the kitchen work table.
"This monster is ready," Pisa said, sighing with reluctance.
Lia grabbed a fork. "Well, as they say, whoever brings it should test it." She was about to poke a piece when Tomas gently stopped her hand.
"I am your soldier, Your Grace. Please let me do it," Tomas said.
"No…" Lia smiled as if it were her last moment. "This is for the North…"
"Your Grace…" Kilaf said, as if sobbing.
Lia poked a piece. Everyone gulped and held their breath.
She took it in one bite and chewed.
"Remember, the sign of poison is a bitter aftertaste," Kilaf said.
Lia savored it, chewed, swallowed, then curled over, clutching the table edge and her chest.
"YOUR GRACE!!" they all yelled.
"It's so good I'm going to die," she said, grinning, and stood straight. "I was just kidding. Go ahead, try it. You're missing out. No bitter aftertaste. Just pure juicy, savory."
They all sighed in relief. It was Tomas who tried next, his eyes lighting up as he took two more pieces.
"IT REALLY TASTES GOOD!" Tomas said.
The three chefs took their own forks, tried a piece, and had the same reaction.
"YOUR GRACE, THIS IS REVOLUTIONARY! WITH THIS, WE CAN SOLVE ONE OF THE NORTH'S TOP PROBLEMS—FOOD SHORTAGE!" Uniso said while chewing.
"Right?" Lia smiled and looked at Tomas. "First try and success." She turned back to the chefs. "Now get that fatty corpse on the table so we can purify it."
The pig horn was almost a couple hundred pounds. Tomas hauled it onto the butcher table.
Lia positioned both hands atop it. "PURIFY." Then, like a green hologram line, it felt as if the whole meat was scanned and shimmered.
[PURIFY SKILL: LVL 2 50/100]
"Wow, it really is magic! I've never seen a purifying spell before!" Pisa said.
"Well, gentlemen, it's time to butcher this bad boy and have a good lunch feast for the soldiers, the laborers, and us," Lia said.
"Yeah, Tomas, go get another one of these from the barn," Lia said, realizing what they had wouldn't be enough.
"As you command, Your Grace," Tomas said, bowing before leaving.
Lia looked at the chefs' faces; they were ecstatic, cleaning and butchering the meat.
[ADMIN A: GOOD FOR YOU, LIA. YOU PRACTICALLY SOLVED THE FOOD PROBLEM NOW.]
Yeah… I also hope we can plan crops.
「THREE HOURS LATER」
In the wide dining barracks, servants from the castle—half of them—were putting the long tables together.
"Whoa, what's with all this?" Kaelen asked as he entered, followed by a haggard-looking Dietre.
"Lord Kaelen, Lord Roux," a servant setting a plate on the table said. Kaelen smiled in approval at the servant using 'Roux.' "Her Grace ordered us to do this. She said those not on patrol should halt their training and eat lunch together with the laborers."
"Why? It's not like we're having a feast or something. Tsk," Kaelen said.
Then laborers and soldiers began filtering in slowly, their low murmurs filling the space.
'What's all this? Tables?'
'Are we having some kind of meeting?'
'Since when do we eat like nobles?'
'I just want my bowl from the pot and a hunk of bread. This looks like trouble.'
'Did the Lordship finally run out of grain and this is the last meal?'
'Maybe it's a punishment detail. Fancy tables for a scolding.'
Then Gareth arrived together with Cris.
"My lord…" Gareth greeted Kaelen, "and Lord Die—Roux."
Dietre just bowed like he didn't have the energy for it. It's been only a day, and they're all really calling me by that name. 'Roux,' huh? Doesn't sound bad.
Next were Rhys and Marcus, who stood next to them.
"Lia told us to come down here," Rhys said.
Then Kilaf and Pisa arrived, each holding a big pot, and placed them at the edge of the table.
"Hello!" Kilaf greeted.
Three servants followed, carrying huge plates piled high with sliced meat. Everyone's eyes grew wide; the smell made their stomachs growl louder.
"What the hell is that? That smells good!" Kaelen said.
"Did… did Lia cook all the meat before the next supply arrives?!" Rhys asked.
"S-smells go…od…" Dietre said, attempting to walk toward it, but Kaelen held him back by the collar.
"What did you do to that kid?" Marcus asked. Kaelen just grinned.
Then Lia arrived with Tomas holding another big plate of meat, and Uniso carrying another pot. They placed it on the table.
"Hello, everyone! It seems you're all here," Lia said, smiling. "I know you're wondering what this feast is about. But wipe that fearful look off your faces—this isn't your last meal." She gestured to the food. "We never really got to thank you all enough, so this is my treat. Enjoy the vegetable meat soup and the fried meat!"
"Alright, line up here in front of us," Uniso called.
The soldiers hesitated at first, but a young one stepped forward, grabbing a plate and bowl before heading to Kilaf. The others quickly followed.
"On this side for laborers!" Pisa announced.
Lia and Tomas walked over to the main group standing in the corner.
"Lia, what's this impulsive spending?" Marcus asked.
"See that separate long table? It's for us. Come on, I'll tell you while we eat," Lia said, walking first.
Merlin was already setting that table. A servant placed two medium plates of meat and a medium pot of soup near them.
They took their seats, the siblings exchanging skeptical glances but remaining silent. Dietre sat across from Lia, with Rhys beside her, then Marcus, and Cris. Across from them sat Kaelen, Gareth, and Tomas.
They began eating, tentative at first. Then Marcus's brows lifted. Rhys chewed slowly, his eyes widening. Kaelen took another bite, then another, not bothering with words.
"Holy shit," Rhys muttered. "This is… really fucking good."
Lia watched Dietre, who was shoveling food into his mouth like he'd never eaten before. She reached over with the serving fork and piled more meat onto his plate.
He looked up, startled, mouth full.
"Congrats on surviving your hazing, Roux," she said, her tone casual but her eyes warm. "Eat a lot."
He nodded, a flicker of something like gratitude in his exhausted face, and dug back in.
Around the room, the hesitant silence had broken. The soldiers and laborers were no longer picking politely. They were feasting. Laughing, reaching for seconds, their earlier fears forgotten in the face of rich, savory meat they'd never tasted before. The barracks buzzed with relieved, happy noise—the sound of full bellies and a rare, shared moment of peace.
"Thank you so much for this, Your Grace!" one soldier said, waving toward their table.
"Thank you!"
Others echoed the sentiment. She just smiled and nodded.
Dietre, mouth stuffed, kept glancing at her as if studying her.
"Hey, redhead, what do you keep looking at?" Rhys shot across the table.
"Oh, I'm just still… adjusting to the big changes in Her Grace. And all of you, Lordships," Dietre said.
"You know what, Roux? We've all dropped the formalities with you, and it doesn't bother me. So just call me Lia. At least let's keep it casual in this small group," Lia said.
"But… you're my brother's wi—"
"It's okay, I said. It makes me feel old being called that," Lia cut in.
"You can call me by my name, too. I don't really care," Rhys said through a mouthful of meat.
"Oh, and me. Call me 'Father,'" Kaelen said, making Rhys and Lia choke.
Dietre stopped eating.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lia coughed.
"Are you at that age?" Marcus asked. "Just say the word; I'll be happy to set you up."
"What? I named this lad, he is practically my son. I gave him the name 'Roux.' It's his signature," Kaelen argued.
"Don't mind him. Just call him Kaelen. Or 'jerk,'" Rhys said.
"What does 'Roux' even mean?" Cris asked. "Lord Kaelen said it was Lord Roux's signature."
"It means 'red hair,'" Lia said.
"Oh, I see. I wonder what language that is," Cris mused.
"The language of sexy people," Kaelen said, grinning.
Rhys just shook his head and continued eating.
"Then, with your permission, I'll be calling you all by your names without title from now on," Dietre said.
Roux… Red hair, huh?
"Okay, it's time to tell you something big," Lia said, standing up and moving to the center of the room.
"May I have your attention, please…" she started, and everyone looked at her.
"So, earlier, Tomas, the chefs, and I did something. And we discovered a way to solve the food shortage problem. Without purchasing it."
'What does Her Grace mean?'
'Is that even possible?'
'We can't raise cattle here—there's no grass in this unpredictable season.'
"That very juicy, delicious meat you're eating… brace yourselves… is monster meat," Lia said.
The faces of the soldiers turned to horror, as if they didn't know how to react.
"Merde!" Rhys swore.
"Putain!" Kaelen spat.
"Quoi?!" Marcus barked.
Lia looked at them, and while everyone else was confused by the words, they understood the tone perfectly.
"That's a lot of French right there," Lia said, holding up her hands toward them. "It was clean. It was edible. I purified it."
"Oh… right," Rhys said, calming slightly.
"What does that mean, Your Grace?" Gareth asked. "You have purifying magic?"
"You could say that," Lia said. "Anyway, the reason I'm revealing this is because I'm going to make this an official food supply. I was told the poisoned meat has a bitter aftertaste, and the chefs here—and us," she gestured to herself and Tomas, "made sure it's safe. It's Pig Horn monster. And believe me, we butchered three more, purified them, and gave some to the silver tribe. They said it doesn't taste like rotten ones."
A wave of murmurs broke across the room.
'Monster meat? She's joking.'
'But… it did tasted incredible.'
'My grandfather died from eating tainted beast flesh.'
'She said she purified it. Does her grace have divine power?'
'If it's true… we wouldn't have to starve.'
'I don't know… feels wrong.'
'Doesn't feel wrong in my stomach. It feels full.'
"Well, that's my piece. If you think you're in danger, please don't hesitate to come knocking at the castle. I hope you had a great meal."
She then walked out.
The others at the main table also got up. "Not gonna lie, Lia really had me losing it there for a moment. My French blood couldn't help it," Rhys said to Kaelen.
The nobles left the dining barracks.
The people there were left with their thoughts. They were all full, but their minds were full of skepticism—and the faint, stubborn flicker of hope.
—To Be Continued...—