Chapter 125: The Gates of Home
The road was quiet beneath the moonlight.
Kael rode at the front, with Torren and Lyra following behind.
The capital had disappeared from view hours ago.
Ahead, beyond the rolling hills, stood the lands that belonged to Kael.
His estate.
He had spent weeks away from it.
Yet the closer he came, the more something felt wrong.
There were no lights along the outer road.
Kael slowed his horse.
Torren noticed.
"What is it?"
Kael didn’t answer.
He looked ahead.
The estate gates should have been visible from here.
Instead, darkness covered them.
Kael urged his horse forward.
The gates finally appeared.
Three soldiers stood outside.
Only three.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
They were his soldiers.
But he recognized them immediately.
They were among the few who had remained behind.
The rest of his soldiers had left for an expedition.
One of the three stepped forward.
He wore a worn black-and-gray uniform and carried a spear across his back.
"My lord."
Kael dismounted.
"What happened?"
The soldier bowed.
"Welcome home."
Kael looked past him.
"Where is everyone?"
The soldier hesitated.
That was enough.
Kael’s expression hardened.
"Tell me."
The soldier lowered his head.
"Your men left three days ago."
"Where?"
"A monster outbreak."
Kael went still.
"Where?"
"East of the estate."
Torren dismounted behind him.
"How many creatures?"
"We don’t know."
Kael looked toward the estate.
"And the people?"
"Most were evacuated."
"Most?"
The soldier swallowed.
"Some villages refused to leave."
Kael’s jaw tightened.
"How many of our soldiers went?"
"Almost all of them."
Kael looked at the three remaining guards.
"Why did you stay?"
The soldier answered immediately.
"Someone had to protect the estate."
Kael nodded slowly.
He understood.
His estate was not simply a residence.
It contained food stores, weapons, records, money, horses, and the beginnings of the force he had been building.
If every soldier left, anyone could walk through those gates.
Kael looked at the empty road.
Again, the same problem.
His soldiers couldn’t be everywhere.
He had thought about it during the journey.
Now the problem was standing directly in front of his home.
"How long have they been gone?"
"Three days."
"Have you received word?"
"No."
Kael looked at Torren.
Torren shook his head.
Nothing.
Kael turned back toward the soldier.
"Who gave the order?"
The soldier hesitated.
"The village elders sent word to the provincial office."
"And the provincial office?"
"They asked for military assistance."
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
"And my soldiers responded."
"Yes, my lord."
Kael looked toward the estate.
Three guards.
An empty barracks.
A quiet courtyard.
He had expected to return home and rest.
Instead, he had returned to another problem.
He sighed.
"Open the gates."
The soldiers immediately moved.
The estate was quieter than Kael remembered.
He rode through the courtyard and dismounted.
The moment his boots touched the ground, several servants came running.
"My lord!"
"You’re home!"
"Welcome back!"
Kael nodded to them.
"Thank you."
Then he noticed Lily.
She stood near the entrance to the main hall.
She wore a simple dark-blue dress beneath a brown cloak, with her hair tied back neatly.
She stared at Kael for several seconds.
Then she smiled.
"You’re finally back."
Kael smiled.
"I am."
She walked toward him.
"You look exhausted."
"I am."
"You smell worse than exhausted."
Torren laughed.
Kael gave him a look.
Lily covered a smile.
"You’ve been traveling for weeks."
"I noticed."
"Have you eaten?"
"Not recently."
She sighed.
"Of course you haven’t."
Kael looked toward the servants.
"Where are the others?"
"Inside."
He nodded.
Then Lily’s expression became more serious.
"The estate has been strange without you."
Kael looked at her.
"How?"
She hesitated.
"Your soldiers aren’t here."
"I know."
"No."
She shook her head.
"I mean, it feels different."
Kael studied her.
"Explain."
Lily glanced toward the courtyard.
"Your men kept the estate alive."
She pointed toward the barracks.
"Training."
Then toward the stable.
"Patrolling."
Then toward the storage buildings.
"Checking supplies."
Her gaze returned to Kael.
"Now there are only three soldiers."
Kael looked around.
She was right.
His estate felt exposed.
He had spent so much time thinking about building an army that he hadn’t considered what would happen when the army left.
Kael slowly exhaled.
"How have you managed?"
Lily smiled.
"By making sure nobody panics."
Kael nodded.
"You did well."
Her smile softened.
"Thank you."
Inside the estate, Kael finally ate.
A large meal had been prepared.
Roasted meat.
Bread.
Vegetables.
Soup.
Kael ate quietly.
Lily sat across from him.
Torren and Lyra had already gone to inspect the barracks.
Kael finished his meal and leaned back.
"What happened while I was gone?"
Lily folded her hands.
"Nothing at first."
"And then?"
"Three nights ago, a messenger arrived."
"From the provincial office?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"Monsters had appeared near several villages."
Kael nodded.
"Same problem."
Lily looked at him.
"You already knew?"
"Yes."
He told her briefly about the creatures they had encountered.
She listened carefully.
When he finished, she frowned.
"So it’s spreading."
"Maybe."
Kael looked down at the table.
"That’s what worries me."
Lily remained quiet.
Kael’s thoughts returned to the checkpoint.
The guards.
The refugees.
The villages.
The creatures.
The same problem kept appearing.
People needed help.
But there weren’t enough soldiers.
He looked around the dining hall.
His estate had food.
Weapons.
Horses.
Money.
People.
But none of those things could reach a village quickly enough.
Kael leaned back.
Lily noticed his expression.
"What are you thinking about?"
Kael didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he asked,
"How many villages are within a day’s ride of this estate?"
Lily thought.
"At least seven."
"How many have soldiers stationed there?"
"None permanently."
Kael frowned.
"None?"
"Some have guards."
"Not soldiers."
"No."
Kael looked down.
Again.
The same problem.
His fingers tapped lightly against the table.
Lily watched him.
"Kael?"
He looked up.
"I need to think."
"About what?"
He stood.
"I don’t know yet."
He walked toward the door.
Lily followed.
"You just returned."
"I know."
"You need sleep."
"I know."
"You haven’t even bathed."
Kael stopped.
He looked down at himself.
Dust covered his clothes.
His boots were stained with mud.
His hair was tangled from weeks of travel.
Lily raised an eyebrow.
"You look terrible."
Kael laughed.
"Thank you."
"You’re welcome."
She smiled.
"Go bathe."
Kael started walking again.
But his mind had already begun working.
He had seen the same weakness everywhere.
The Empire had soldiers.
But soldiers were expensive.
They needed training.
They needed commanders.
And they couldn’t be everywhere.
Villages needed protection.
Merchants needed roads secured.
Travelers needed escorts.
Nobles needed messengers.
There were countless problems that soldiers weren’t meant to solve.
Kael stopped again.
A thought surfaced.
He didn’t know what it would become.
He didn’t even know if it could work.
But it was worth considering.
He looked toward Lily.
"I’ll need paper."
She sighed.
"How much?"
"All of it."
Lily stared at him.
"Kael..."
"And ink."
"How much ink?"
"All of it."
She closed her eyes.
"I knew you were going to say that."
Kael smiled.
"I’ll explain later."
"You’d better."
He disappeared down the corridor.
Lily stood there for a moment.
Then she looked toward the servants.
"Bring him paper."
The servants exchanged nervous glances.
"How much?"
Lily sighed.
"All of it."
And for the first time since returning home...
Kael had begun thinking about something that could eventually change the way people across the Empire lived.
But he had no idea yet how large the idea would become.