The Herb King

Elder Gild brought Callon to Aethelwolf's office, while the elven people who came with them were taken to their temporary dwellings.

Although Callon looked calm on the surface, he was actually feeling nervous deep in his heart. The moment they entered Barden Territory, he noticed the tall walls that surrounded the entire territory. It was made with magical stones that were almost unbreakable. The only way to destroy it was to use high-powered weapons like the magical cannons or magical artilleries. However, these weapons were hard to make and one would need the help of high-ranking Blacksmiths and Engravers to create them.

Other than the impenetrable walls, he also saw many highly-advanced weapons operated by well-trained soldiers. He had never seen something like those weapons in his life and he even felt goosebumps when looking at them. Furthermore, the soldiers who escorted them to the territory weren't weak and even the lowest-ranking soldiers were Level 1 Espers. They were equipped with armor made of magical beast scales and bones. Their weapons were inscribed with runes, making the users more powerful in combat! This was something that even those big empires couldn't achieve.

'How did Aethelwolf create an army of this level?' Callon muttered in his heart.

Soon, they arrived in Aethelwolf's office. There were two Level 4 Espers guarding the door. These two were part of Aethelwolf's force that he was secretly nurturing. Among Aethelwolf's subordinates, only a few knew about their existence. At this moment, Aethelwolf has a hundred of them and there were more being trained discreetly. They were part of the new unit that he calls 'Shadow Guards'. Each of them possesses the power of a Level 4 Esper and they were equipped with Unique-Rated weapons. Each Shadow Guard also has a Level 4 magical beast as their mount!

Sensing the sharp gazes of the two Shadow Guards, Callon furrowed his eyebrows. 'Strong! These two are almost as strong as me!' He exclaimed in his heart.

Elder Gild was also surprised when he saw them.

"King Aethelwolf is waiting for you inside." One of the Shadow Guards muttered in a cold voice as he opened the door. "You two may enter."

Callon nodded his head at the two Shadow Guards before entering the office. Elder Gild followed him silently.

Upon entering, they saw Aethelwolf sitting calmly on the sofa. He was holding a glass of freshly brewed coffee, enjoying its aroma. Seated on either side of him were Princess Aenwyn and Queen Irithel.

"You're here. Take your seats first." Aethelwolf said to them.

Callon and Elder Gild sat down after hearing his words.

"You must be Callon Aracan, the prince of the Aracan Kingdom." Aethelwolf calmly said as he observed Callon.

"And you must be King Aethelwolf, the ruler of Barden Territory. It's a pleasure to meet you." Callon muttered as he sized up Aethelwolf.

"Since you're here, I believe that you are willing to ask your sister's forgiveness. I'll give you two some time to chat privately." Aethelwolf eyed the Queen and Elder Gild as he said these words. The two understood his signal and they left the office with him, leaving Callon and Aenwyn all by themselves.

Callon stared at Aenwyn with a complicated look on his face. "My dear sister, I came here to bring my people to work for the Lassiter Household and the Barden Territory. I know that you hate me, but I hope that you won't discriminate against them. I'm willing to accept any punishment for the sake of my people. Please have mercy on them." He muttered as he lowered his head.

Aenwyn looked at the elder brother she once admired with a calm look on her face. "I haven't forgiven you for the sins you have committed, but you don't have to worry about your subordinates. I guarantee that they won't be mistreated. They will receive the same benefits as the other elves. As for you, you will become part of the Shadow Guards and serve King Aethelwolf wholeheartedly."

Hearing this, Callon raised his head in surprise. He thought that he would receive a harsh punishment and he also thought that his people would be discriminated against. "Thank you, sister." He muttered gratefully.

Aenwyn shook her head and said. "You don't need to thank me. I'm only doing this for the sake of our people."

"What's this Shadow Guards that you are talking about?" Callon asked.

Aenwyn stared at him with a cold look and muttered. "You've already met two of them."

Hearing this, Callon frowned and thought of the two Level 4 Espers standing guard outside the office. He was shocked when he thought about this. "You mean those guys outside?"

Aenwyn nodded her head calmly. "That's right. They are the most elite soldiers under King Aethelwolf's command. There are currently a hundred of them scattered all over the territory. They are his eyes and they are also his swords. Each of them possesses the strength of a Level 4 Esper!"

Callon gasped in shock upon hearing her words. "Level 4 Espers? And a hundred of them?!"

Aenwyn snorted in response. "They are just the first batch nurtured by him. There are more being trained in secret."

Callon almost couldn't believe his ears. If he didn't know about his sister's personality, he would have thought that she was speaking nonsense. At the peak of the Aracan Kingdom, they had four Level 5 Espers and dozens of Level 4 Espers. As for those big empires, only a few of them had over a hundred Level 4 Espers.

He never would have thought that just Aethelwolf's private army alone could already rival those big empires!

Callon quickly suppressed his shock and looked at his sister. "I accept your arrangements." He muttered seriously. He was curious about the Shadow Guards. He wanted to know more about them.

"King Aethelwolf will tell you more about this. Let me warn you. Don't do anything foolish! The things you've witnessed and the words you've heard are merely a fraction of his power! The more you get to know him, the more you will realize how unfathomable he is!" Aenwyn stood up and left the office, leaving the dumbfounded Callon behind.