A while later, Sylus and Alfred made their way out of the mansion.
As expected, nearly every worker in the castle had gathered outside to bid Sylus farewell. Most of whom were adamant on standing until Sylus arrived.
Many of them were on the verge of tears—no surprise, given that Elizabeth was crying openly like a child.
It wasn’t what Sylus had anticipated, especially since he was only leaving for another region, not vanishing off the face of the earth.
Martin remained quiet throughout the scene, only speaking once Sylus stepped into the carriage beside Alfred.
"I wish you well," he said simply.
Sylus didn’t take it too seriously but gave a small nod of acknowledgment nonetheless.
Finally, the carriage set off toward the county of Liyue.
Inside the gently rocking carriage, Sylus leaned his arm against the window, his gaze drifting across the scenery outside.
Alfred sat across from him, legs crossed, reading a small leather-bound book. A sword was strapped at his waist—clearly, he was taking his new role as commander seriously.
’Maybe I’ll grant him a knight title when I get my own territory,’ Sylus mused idly.
Then another thought crept in, uninvited.
’Where the hell is Erica?’
The mischievous princess had been absent from the castle for days—she hadn’t even shown up to see him off.
At first, he assumed she’d gone to scout her future territory. But that didn’t make sense. She’d made it clear she had no interest in the throne—at least, not one taken from him.
She was never really competition. Only Lucas had ever been a rival, and now he was missing too.
Would it be a stretch to assume they were together?
Sylus sighed and looked away from the window.
’Damn... do I have trust issues now? Here I am imagining she’s plotting with Lucas behind my back.’ He shook his head, annoyed at himself. ’She’ll come back soon. I just... won’t be there when she does.’
<I have a question, Master.>
Sophia’s voice echoed in his mind, light and inquisitive.
His mood shifted instantly. He braced himself.
’You’re not allowed to kill anyone.’
<...That isn’t what I was going to ask.>
Sylus considered her question carefully.
’You’re not wrong. Power has its uses.’
He leaned his head back against the carriage wall, eyes half-closed.
’Because ruling isn’t just about control. If I took everything at once, I’d be no different from the nobles who already abuse their power. A man once told me: "When someone who’s suffered their whole life receives a reward, and someone who’s always had everything gets the same prize... the value of that reward dies."
’He said it feels more like charity than justice. That stuck with me.’
Sylus gave a faint, tired smile.
’What I’m saying is that real leadership has to mean something. I want to build a place where the broken can finally breathe. A place where survival isn’t a punishment. Once that’s built—once I’ve seen to the ones who need help the most—
then I’ll deal with the rest of the kingdom. The ones born with silver spoons in their mouths can wait their turn.’
Sophia didn’t respond. She was clearly still processing.
And Sylus didn’t expect her to understand—not yet.
Eventually, the carriage rolled to a stop.
They had arrived at Liyue—the southernmost county of Verdenez, bordering the kingdom of Lumberg, one of their oldest allies.
The land was a desolate stretch of dry plains and cracked soil. There were few rivers, no mines, and very little industry. Worst of all, the region was prone to monster attacks from the nearby wildlands.
Its only redeeming quality was its crossroads: a tangled network of roads that once made Liyue a vital hub for trade and transport. But even those roads were poorly maintained now.
It was no surprise that Liyue was considered the worst of the kingdom’s territories. And yet, strangely, Sylus recalled reading that it had once been a thriving land.
Despite its low income, it had received significant support from the kingdom due to the sheer number of soldiers stationed there. On paper, that should’ve made it one of the strongest counties.
But clearly, something had gone very wrong.
The duke couldn’t be blamed—he oversaw multiple counties. No, the real responsibility fell on the count of Liyue. This was his domain to govern.
As the carriage halted, Sylus stepped down, Alfred close behind.
They positioned themselves behind the vehicle, out of view of the nearby guards.
"Your Highness, is there a reason you told the driver not to enter the county?" Alfred asked.
Sylus pulled a black mask over his face. A single red dot sat in the center of the forehead.
"Yes, Alfred," he said. "I plan to go in undercover. I want to see this place with my own eyes—unfiltered. If I show up as a prince, the truth will stay hidden behind polished speeches and empty smiles."
Alfred gave a slow nod. He understood.
"I need you to head to the Count and stall him. Buy me a day or two."
"Tell him you’re here to discuss military logistics or trade opportunities. You’re well-known—he’ll take the bait. That should give me time to move around unnoticed."
Alfred straightened. "As you command, Your Highness."
Sylus nodded, eyes narrowing behind the mask.
"Let’s see what the Count of Liyue has been hiding."
[A/N: I hope you enjoy the story so far, please leave a comment or review if you do. That would be very much appreciated. And you can also join the discord channel as well if you have any questions regarding the story, I would be honored to answer them all.
If you’d like some additional Chapters, please see below incentives which will be added 1st of the new month:
200 powerstones: 1 additional Chapter.
100 Golden Tickets: 2 additional Chapters.
100 privilege unlocks: 1 additional Chapter.
Castle and above: 3 additional Chapters.]