CHAPTER 191: DEBRIEFING

CH191 Debriefing

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Present Time...

Northern Dankrot Forest Barrier Fort

Alex’s platoon arrived at the fort a few hours after sunrise, accompanied by Jared and a handful of knights from their retinue.

Upon arrival, Alex and Jared were welcomed by the Fort Commander, while the rest of the platoon dispersed for some much-needed R&R after nearly a month in the Dankrot Forest, enduring the worst the periphery had to offer.

As they walked through the Fort, Alex noticed the respectful gazes being cast his way by the stationed troops.

At first, he assumed it was due to his status as the Young Lord of the Drake Fury line—the branch of House Fury that technically owned the Fort. But then his ears caught heed of that infernal nickname being uttered by the men of the fort...

Drakeslayer.

His gaze drifted sharply to Jared—the only person who could have shared that name with the Fort before their arrival—only to find the usually chilled Dark Knight in an uncharacteristically upbeat mood.

The disrespectful Saint even had the gall to meet Alex’s stare, the teasing glint in his eyes unhidden.

All Alex could do was grit his teeth and accept the situation.

The Fort Commander guided them to the top floor of the stronghold, to the war room where all major military decisions were made.

When they entered, they found two heavyweights of the Fury Family already engaged in discussion.

The first was Baron Derek Lawson, the Lord Marshal of the Fury Family Army.

The second—Head of the Fury Family himself, the Mad Earl, Earl Drake Fury.

Alongside them were several of Earl Drake’s high-ranking vassals—Regiment Commanders and above—all with hardened postures and piercing eyes that had seen more campaigns than most men lived years.

The only one among them not dressed in military garb was a man clad in clothing that struck a perfect balance between too ordinary and too fine—neither flashy enough to attract attention nor plain enough to be dismissed.

This was Allen Holder, another of Earl Drake’s infamous Hounds. A Saint Thief and the Head of Black Mantle, Earl Drake’s covert intelligence organisation.

The military officers acknowledged Alex’s presence with nods of their heads, but none stood—understandable, given the presence of the Patriarch and the Lord Marshal.

Alex returned the gesture with a composed nod of his own, before bowing formally to the two titans in the room.

"Congratulations on your successful expedition into the Dankrot Forest, Young Master Alex," said Lord Marshal Lawson, receiving Alex’s greeting with a rare trace of warmth. "We’ve heard your hunt was quite bountiful."

As Family Patriarch, Earl Drake maintained a composed demeanour. Not only did he withhold any words of praise—he didn’t utter a single word at all. He merely gestured faintly in response to Alex’s bow, as if dismissing the need for acknowledgment.

In a way, it wasn’t incorrect to view Lord Marshal Lawson as voicing the recognition that Drake couldn’t to offer in their current setting.

Alex noticed the detail. So did everyone else in the room.

"I was fortunate," Alex replied coolly. "Our harvest was only possible due to the forest’s upheaval. As dangerous as it was... it also presented an opportunity."

"Yes," Lord Marshal Lawson nodded. "An opportunity only someone with sufficient strength could seize."

He paused, giving Alex time to sit while Jared moved wordlessly to stand behind Earl Drake’s right flank—his designated place.

Then, with a calm but authoritative tone, Lord Marshal Lawson said,

"Young Master Alex, please inform us of what you discovered in the Dankrot Forest—and your conclusions."

Alex nodded and began a recap, gesturing to the map of the Virellian Empire’s northwest already laid out on the table before them.

"The primary cause of the upheaval in the western side of the forest—what prompted my platoon’s deployment—was the presence of an Armoured Troll in the south-western corridor," he said.

"In trying to determine what a solitary Troll—an advanced Armoured variant, no less—was doing this far south from the Ironmourn Desert, and inside the Dankrot Forest of all places, we uncovered signs of goblin activity.

"Following the trail, we located a thriving goblin village. After capturing and interrogating the Goblin Chief, we discovered that village was just one of many cells hidden throughout the forest. So, in accordance with Imperial law—and as is the duty of our Guardian Family—I had my platoon move to eradicate them all."

His words were met with supportive nods from the assembled military officers, each silently affirming they would have done the same.

"My platoon neutralised no fewer than fifteen separate goblin cells. Strangely, it also appeared the forest itself was displeased by their presence. It dispatched its Forest Wardens and the Wendigoes to purge the goblin settlements as well.

"Between our forces and the forest’s own defenders, I believe we eliminated all the goblins that had been released into the region."

The final word landed like a dropped blade. Predictably, the sharpest minds in the room latched onto it.

"Released?" one of the high-ranking officers echoed, frowning.

Alex gave a subtle nod. "After slaying the Earth Drake—one of the forest’s guardian beasts—I was confronted by one of the protectors of the Dragon Race and a Law Guardian of the Dankrot Forest: His Excellency Zilbris, the Silver Dragon."

Shocked expressions flitted across the officers’ faces. They had evidently been informed of the Earth Drake’s fall, but Zilbris’s presence had been withheld from them.

"After resolving the matter of the Earth Drake’s death..." Alex said without elaboration, "His Excellency confirmed that both the Armoured Troll and the Earth Drake—along with other creatures—had been placed there to protect the goblins... by the same person, or persons, responsible for introducing them into the forest."

Murmurs stirred among the officers.

"According to the Silver Dragon, the responsible party is a human Legend from within the Virellian Empire. And, because of the existing agreement with our Family and the Royal Family, the Law Guardians chose not to interfere."

Unease rippled across the officers’ expressions, their silence turning heavier.

"As for the goblins themselves," Alex went on, "we uncovered something strange. They claimed to have received a prophecy—a revelation foretelling the rise of a so-called Goblin Empire. The details they shared bear an uncanny resemblance to the Goblin Empire Prince Magnus Ludevicus eradicated in the foreign plane centuries ago using the might of the Empire.

"The resemblance is too precise to be coincidence. I suspect the same individual or individuals who placed the goblins in the forest may have also implanted that vision. To what end, however, remains unclear."

With that, Alex turned to Lord Marshal Derek and gave a respectful nod, signalling that his debrief was concluded.

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