Royal Castle...
King's Study Chamber...
Two days had passed since the full-force crackdown, and the mood in the capital was still tense but alive with whispers of awe.
Within the high-vaulted, oak-lined chamber that served as the king's personal study,
Harry stood before Ben, flipping through several enchanted scrolls glowing faintly with magical ink.
"Your Majesty,"
Harry reported with a steady but surprised tone,
"All the members of the noble families—Vollan, Rosmont, and Cadein—are now in custody. The same goes for the merchant families. During the sweeps… we recovered exactly 253 grimoires."
Ben's fingers paused against the armrest of his throne-like chair.
"____"
His sharp eyes widened just slightly.
"Two hundred and fifty-three?"
Harry nodded solemnly.
"Yes, sire. Some date back ten years. A few belonged to children… who are no longer among us."
The words hit harder than expected.
Ben's jaw tightened—
But before he could respond, a familiar ping echoed in his mind.
[DING...]
[Mission Generated...]
[Objective: Return all 250+ stolen grimoires to their rightful owners.
Condition: Locate the registered original owner for each grimoire and return it personally or through trusted agents, along with monetary compensation.
Reward: +200 FP, Enhanced Grimoire Insight (Passive), Prestige boost in public perception.]
Ben leaned forward slightly, muttering under his breath with a cold smile.
"Even if you didn't give me this mission… I'd have done it anyway."
He looked at Harry.
"Have the grimoires checked. Match each to the Grimoire Tower where it was registered—every grimoire has a tracking aura unique to the tower it originated from."
Harry blinked.
"Understood. I'll dispatch analysts and record keepers from the Grimoire Authority immediately. We'll cross-reference the magic signatures with lost property records."
Ben added firmly.
"When the rightful owner is confirmed, return the grimoire with compensation. Enough to start over if they've lost time or hope. And make sure they know it came from the crown."
Harry bowed, then paused.
"May I ask, Your Majesty… why offer compensation? Isn't returning the grimoire enough?"
Ben stood up, eyes burning with purpose.
"Because the kingdom failed them once. We won't do it again."
Meanwhile… across the Kingdom…
Over the following days,
Teams of Royal Knights, archivists, and Grimoire Tower clerks began appearing in villages, towns, and outer districts.
Some arrived in cloaks, others with glowing satchels that carried the recovered grimoires.
They approached...
A blind old man in a village on the edge of Clover Kingdom, handing him his long-lost grimoire, once been stolen on the day of his coming-of-age.
A young mother, whose grimoire was stolen in a bandit raid five years ago—
She broke down in tears as it was placed back in her hands.
A boy who thought he was cursed, finally reunited with the grimoire he had never got the chance to bond with.
Each grimoire came with a sealed envelope—
It contained gold coins, a hand-signed letter from King Ben,
And a symbol of royal pardon for the delay caused by corruption.
Royal Castle...
Late Afternoon...
Ben sat behind his wide, meticulously organised mahogany desk, a stack of parchment bound by gold-trimmed ribbons laid before him.
The wax seal of the Ministry of Home Affairs shimmered faintly under the light as he flipped through the monthly evaluation reports.
Each report detailed the performance and activities of the participants assigned to various villages under the Ministry's civil service trial.
Alongside them were evaluator notes written, carried in from the farthest reaches of the kingdom—
Villages nestled in valleys, by lakes, and tucked within the mountain passes.
They were two months into the program, and while some villages showed rapid development and harmony,
Others struggled under the weight of old systems resisting change.
Ben rubbed his temple slightly, letting out a thoughtful hum.
"Still two months to go… and already I can see who's built to lead… and who's built to follow."
Just then, a knock echoed on the door.
Knock~
"Enter,"
Ben said calmly.
A Royal Knight, clad in ceremonial armour polished to a gleam, entered with a purposeful stride.
He carried a sealed letter in his hand and placed it gently on the desk before bowing respectfully.
"A message, Your Majesty. It bears the Wizard King's seal."
"You may go."
With another bow, the knight exited the room.
Ben's eyes immediately locked onto the silver-trimmed seal of the Wizard King,
Pressed into dark blue wax with the unmistakable sun-and-time emblem.
He cracked it open without delay.
The parchment inside was crisp and finely written—
Julius's elegant yet firm script ran across the surface.
📜 Letter from the Wizard King...
To His Majesty, Benjamin Salvador Kira,
Following your orders and the urgency of the matter, the Crimson Lion and Golden Dawn squads have continued their covert investigations into the origins and trail of the necromancer you encountered in the Eastern Forests.
After carefully piecing together clues from battle remnants, cursed residue, and sightings from border towns, we have confirmed the target has left the Clover Kingdom.
Our scouts report signs indicating his movement toward either the Diamond Kingdom or possibly deeper into Spade territory.
There is no indication of allegiance to any nation, which makes him more dangerous.
He's likely operating with rogue cells or under clandestine Devil influence.
We advise extreme caution.
Further tracking will require diplomatic finesse or covert infiltration—
Something we're currently preparing for.
I will keep you updated on the next confirmed location.
—Julius Novachrono
Wizard King
Ben leaned back in his chair, the letter still in his hand.
"____"
Wizard King's Palace...
The corridors of the Wizard King's palace echoed with the steady click of Ben's boots as he strode through the marble halls, lined with ancient tapestries and glowing rune-lit pillars.
His expression was serious, a letter from Julius still folded in his hand.
Guards stepped aside with a bow, recognising the king's presence.
He walked past the towering arch into Julius's office,
Julius's personal chamber, where magical timepieces floated in midair, ticking gently in rhythmic harmony.
Inside, Marx Francois, visibly irritated, was pacing back and forth.
"You lied to me again, Julius-sama! You said you were going to stay and rest, but instead you teleported straight into danger!"
"It wasn't that dangerous!"
Julius whined, holding up both hands innocently.
"You are a wizard king, Julius-sama!"
Just then, the doors swung open and Ben entered,
His cloak trailed lightly behind him.
The air shifted.
"____"
Julius's eyes lit up the moment he saw him.
"Ben! My saviour!"
Julius practically leapt from his seat, escaping Marx's lecture with the enthusiasm of a child dodging homework.
Marx groaned and threw his hands in the air.
"Unbelievable…"
Ben offered a small smile and nod in greeting, but wasted no time.
Nod~
"Julius. I came regarding the letter you sent. What's our next move?"
The air tensed.
Julius's playful excitement faded as his face turned thoughtful.
He folded his arms and paced slowly, finally sighing with tired eyes.
Sigh~
"If we were to send diplomats to either the Diamond or Spade Kingdom now, it'd be a waste of effort—and possibly dangerous. They'd see it as a weakness… a distraction to exploit."
He turned toward the window, eyes glinting beneath his fringe.
"Our history with both kingdoms runs deep in blood and betrayal. They wouldn't help us out of goodwill—not unless they see a greater advantage in it."
Ben's tone sharpened, stepping closer.
"So what do you suggest? We sit idle while a devil-aligned necromancer roams outside our borders, plotting vengeance?"
Julius met Ben's eyes with a rare sternness, the weight of years as Wizard King settling into his voice.
"We wait."
"The Diamond and Spade Kingdoms—if they do catch wind of the devil's existence, they'll want to weaponise him against us. That gives us our opening."
He gestured toward the map table beside him, where miniature magic constructs of the three kingdoms hovered in place.
A dark haze had been conjured outside the Clover Kingdom's eastern border.
"He bears a grudge… against both of us, apparently. If he allies with either kingdom, they'll use him like a dagger hidden behind their back."
Ben's gaze locked onto the dark haze.
"____"
Julius nodded slowly.
Nod~
"Exactly. I'll deploy trusted covert agents to monitor both borders. Quietly. If the necromancer shows his hand, we'll know."
Ben looked toward Marx, who had finally settled, arms crossed but no longer fuming.
Julius's eyes lit up with their usual gleam of curiosity as he leaned forward, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"So, Ben… got anything new cooking? Any fresh inventions? Don't leave me hanging!"
Ben, standing by the window with his arms folded, gave a small, amused exhale.
It was always entertaining to see this side of Julius—more excited scholar than royal.
For all his terrifying power and stature as the Wizard King, the man could act like a kid when it came to new magical innovations.
"I might have something,"
Ben said, turning toward him.
"It's a bit unconventional… but it could change how people experience the world."
Julius tilted his head.
"Now you've got my attention."
Ben walked over and placed a few parchment sketches on the table.
"I want to create something like… magical communication screens."
"A device powered by a combination of illusion, sound, and long-range communication magic that can broadcast moving images—visuals and sound—from one place to another."
Julius blinked, then his eyes went wide with understanding.
"____"
"Are you saying… like a vision-screen? A magical window that lets people watch things happening in real time?"
Ben nodded.
Nod~
"Yes. You could call it… magical television."
Julius gasped.
Gasp!
"That's brilliant! You could use it to broadcast plays, news, even Magic Knight battles—or lectures from professors across the kingdom!"
"Exactly,"
Ben continued.
"It could entertain, educate, and inform. And in times of war, we could use it for emergency broadcasts, orders, or public addresses. But more than anything, it would bring people together—nobles, peasants, commoners—watching the same thing, at the same time."
The Wizard King was practically glowing with excitement now.
"This… could redefine communication in the Clover Kingdom."
Ben raised a hand.
"We'll need sound mages, illusion experts, and communication specialists. And a new type of magical artefact—maybe a 'vision crystal' that acts as a receiver."
Julius nodded furiously.
Nod~
"Done. I'll pull every string. You'll have the best minds at your disposal."
"But before that,"
Ben added, shifting to a more serious tone,
"I want to begin work on a ritual—a soul-binding enchantment that ensures a grimoire can't be lifted and stolen by anyone except its true owner."
Julius paused.
Then he gave a slow, thoughtful nod.
Nod~
"Smart. After that stolen grimoire case, this might be exactly what we need to prevent a repeat."
"Then I'll need ritual experts,"
Ben said.
"Ferinelle from the Ritual Council, maybe Lady Cremelle from the Sealing Temple."
Julius grinned.
"I'll have them meet you first thing tomorrow morning. One step at a time, Benjamin. Let's build a safer, smarter Clover Kingdom."
Ben gave a slight smile.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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