Chapter 37

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 15-3

Chapter Title: The Stolen White Sword

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Leona arrived at the laundry warehouse right on time for their meeting.

Ember showed up about half an hour late.

She apologized to Leona, explaining that it had been tough slipping past the guards to get out of Anu Palace.

Leona cut right to the chase and demanded to know what was going on with the Emperor.

Ember hesitated for a long stretch before finally spilling the truth to Leona.

"What? The White Sword was stolen?"

Leona raised her voice without thinking.

Ember panicked and clapped a hand over Leona's mouth.

"Keep your voice down."

Once Leona fell silent, Ember pulled her hand away.

"His Majesty has lately been saying quite often that he wants to make the White Sword part of your belongings. But I never imagined he'd actually set something like this in motion. He kept it from even me and Gilaibo, ordering the Guard Captain to have a replica made outside the palace so he could smuggle the real White Sword out. And then it got stolen... His Majesty is bedridden from the shock right now."

Ember pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a long sigh.

"Why on earth would His Majesty cook up something this huge... The capital's gates are sealed shut now, and the Imperial Guard is turning the place upside down... I have no idea if we'll get the White Sword back."

"...So the one in the Emperor's chambers right now is the fake, then."

Ember nodded.

Leona crossed her arms and paced slowly around the warehouse, lost in memories of her past life.

When the Emperor's mind had started to weaken, he had mentioned something about this exactly once.

One day, he had grabbed Biota and bragged that the White Sword was inside his mausoleum.

But when Biota showed interest, the Emperor startled and clamped his mouth shut tight.

Neither Leona nor Biota had paid it any mind back then.

Around that time, the Emperor's wits wandered often, so they had dismissed it as just more of his nonsense.

Leona stopped dead in her tracks.

But had something like this even happened in her past life?

Leona racked her brain for events from around this period in her previous life.

"...No, it didn't."

In her past life, there had been no incident of the Emperor suddenly secluding himself, throwing Anu Palace into chaos and sealing off the imperial grounds.

"What changed things?"

"Leona?"

Leona shook off her thoughts and looked at Ember.

Ember's face betrayed her hope that Leona would somehow resolve the crisis.

Leona managed a wry smile and shook her head.

"I don't have any way to fix this one either."

"I see..."

"Ember, head back to your post for now. If any new developments come up, send word to me."

"Understood."

Leona watched the dejected Ember depart, then sank back into her thoughts.

The Emperor had smuggled the real White Sword to his mausoleum—and it got stolen?

Whoever the thief was, they had some serious nerve. Stealing the White Sword of all things.

The Emperor was out of his mind too. She knew he was greedy, but to go after the White Sword itself?

Should she tell the Crown Prince?

Leona hesitated.

The Crown Prince was the sort who had tossed aside a military command plaque without a second thought.

He probably wouldn't give a damn about the White Sword.

But considering what it symbolized, they couldn't just let it vanish like this—and leaving it in the Emperor's hands to recover was no better.

After agonizing over it, Leona went to seek out the Crown Prince.

Kamin was still holed up in his office.

He was swamped catching up on official business delayed by the hunting tournament.

That's when Barts came in and reported Leona's request to see him.

Kamin couldn't bring himself to let her in right away.

He rose from his desk and paced the room.

His head was a whirlwind.

He still hadn't decided on anything.

Should he reveal the 'truth' to Leona?

Could she even bear it?

Was it right for him to crush her hopes?

For Leona, who had crossed over death itself, forcing her to face the end of the world—wouldn't that be too cruel?

But time was running short for him... and for her too...

"Your Highness, should I send Leona away?"

With no approval forthcoming, Barts asked.

"...No. Bring her in."

"Yes, sir."

Barts ushered Leona inside, then stepped out and shut the door.

The moment he saw Leona, Kamin strode quickly toward her.

"What's with your forehead this time?"

Leona flushed and hid it with her hand.

"From bowing... It's nothing. Really."

"Nothing? You look a mess..."

Kamin seized her wrist and yanked her hand away by force.

Seeing the dark purple bruise right in the center made his chest ache with anger.

"Right now..."

The words to tell her to quit it all forever nearly escaped, but he swallowed them back.

Until he told her the truth, Leona would never stop.

Kamin clamped his mouth shut and tamped down his fury.

"Your Highness, it's truly fine. It looks worse than it feels—no real injury."

Leona slipped her arm free from his grasp with a subtle twist.

"......"

Kamin stared at her with a hardened expression.

Her forehead was bruised black-and-blue, and both hands were a wreck.

The longer she stayed in the palace, the more wounds accumulated on her body.

How much longer could he stand by and watch?

Watch her cling to these pointless tasks.

"Leona."

Leona cut him off, her face grave.

"Your Highness, I've uncovered some crucial information about Anu Palace."

"Information?"

"Yes. The reason Anu Palace is in such turmoil right now is..."

"I know."

"You do?"

"The White Sword they smuggled to the mausoleum got stolen."

"How did you... wha..."

"The real White Sword is in my possession."

"No, surely... the thief who stole it..."

"That was me. More precisely, I had Jahankun handle it."

Leona stood there dazed for a moment before finally managing to speak.

"Well... that's a relief..."

As if convincing herself, Leona nodded.

"I don't know the details, but as long as the White Sword is safe with Your Highness, that's what matters. I'll be going now, then..."

"Leona."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"If... just suppose..."

Kamin bit his lip.

"Please, speak your mind."

"Suppose your time left to live was short. What would you do?"

"Pardon?"

"Answer me."

Leona fell deep into thought.

It was an odd question for her, but she mulled it over earnestly.

Impatience gnawed at Kamin, and he pressed her.

"Wouldn't you want to leave the palace and see the world? Cast off all duties and burdens and head far away?"

"That wouldn't be bad... but still."

"Still?"

"I'd pour every last moment into doing what I can for the people precious to me."

"Precious people...? Who do you mean?"

Kamin fixed her with a piercing gaze.

"Well... there are plenty. Your Highness and Miranda are precious, Barts and Gerard and Cindy too... and everyone—they're all dear to me."

"......"

"Did I say something wrong?"

Leona eyed him cautiously.

"To you, am I... No. Never mind."

Afraid to probe further, Kamin hastily dismissed her.

In the northeastern reaches of the continent lay the Ice Lands.

A colossal ice wall loomed high along its boundary.

Opposite the wall sprawled forests and mountains thick with greenery, a stark contrast to the barren desolation within—as if the icy chill never touched that side.

Deep into the night, a group of people had kindled a campfire in the woods near the wall and sat clustered around it.

Though their appearances varied wildly, every face bore the same shadow of worry.

These were the chiefs of the five tribes and their entourages, who had traversed the continent to reach this place.

No words passed between them now.

They simply gathered together, each lost in their own thoughts, staring into the flames.

"I'll take a short walk."

Chahu abruptly rose from her spot beside Rasin, the Katago Tribe's chief, and stepped away from the fire.

That set the others off in turn, the chiefs scattering one by one into the forest.

Rasin's face twisted bitterly as he tossed more wood onto the fire.

Chahu approached the ice wall alone.

The closer she got, the more the frigid aura radiating from it chilled her to the bone.

Scarcely any grass grew on the ground where it met the wall.

They said it used to be dry earth kicking up dust. But now...

Chahu halted at the squelching sensation underfoot.

The ground near the wall was soaked, as if fresh from rain.

According to the watchers, the ice had begun melting rapidly in recent years, turning the surroundings into a muddy mire.

Chahu tilted her head back to gaze up at the wall.

Darkness obscured its depths.

Yet she could make out the shadowy forms within, faint but unmistakable.

Her legs went weak. Just from standing before it.

Chahu clenched her jaw.

It shamed her to feel such fear.

"Damn it..."

Her bold words before the Crown Prince now felt ridiculous.

To think she couldn't endure even this much.

Chahu forced another step forward.

Suddenly, the image of the giant tribe inside the wall flashed vividly in her mind.

The first time she had faced them, an intangible terror had crushed down on her solar plexus.

Ever since, nearing the wall or even thinking of the giants brought the fear surging back to bind her.

Just like now.

Her feet felt glued to the earth; she couldn't budge.

As she gritted her teeth to wrench her foot free—

"Creepy even in the dark, huh."

Someone addressed her in the Katago tongue.

Chahu took a step back and turned.

"Mai."

She assumed a posture of respect and greeted the other.

"Mai" was how they addressed the North Lrman Tribe's chief.

"No need for that. Just us—keep it casual."

"'Bae.'"

Bae Su Mai.

The North Lrman Tribe's chief beckoned Chahu over.

Chahu relaxed her expression and approached Bae.

The North Lrman and Katago tribes had frequent exchanges between them, and Chahu and Bae came from families with longstanding ties, so they shared a deep personal friendship.

Bae was well into her forties—far older than Chahu—but she looked just as youthful.

This was a trait unique to North and South Lrmans; they aged slower than other races, preserving their youth far longer.

"Out here solo? Testing your nerve?"

Bae slung an arm around Chahu's shoulders.

Bae matched Chahu in height and build.

But their features differed sharply.

Her skin was a lighter shade of tan, her brows absent but eyes unusually large, her hair and irises a deep gray.

Her ears tapered to sharp, catlike points.

Chahu murmured while staring up at the massive wall.

"I know they can't move... but just getting close makes my body tremble."

"Of course. Before that overwhelming presence, we're nothing but vermin."

Chahu ground her heel into the dirt and chewed her lip.

She refused to accept her own insignificance.

Seeing Chahu's brash expression, Bae chided her gently.

"Accept the fear inside you with humility. Only then can you truly see your foe."

"...I know."

Chahu sighed and tried to steady herself.

Bae glanced around.

"The watchers are probably lurking somewhere, keeping eyes on us even now?"

"Likely."

"Impressive. Can't sense a thing."

Bae clicked her tongue in admiration, and Chahu shot back gruffly.

"Hiding their presence with spells or whatever. Sneaky lot."

Chahu shot glares all around, hunting for the hidden watchers.

Chahu's group had first encountered the Yetaku Tribe's "watchers" after passing through the barrier spell to reach the wall.

The watchers explained that the Yetaku had once made their home in this area.

But recently, the entire tribe had relocated elsewhere, leaving only a handful of watchers behind to monitor the ice wall.

The five tribes' chiefs had hoped to meet the Yetaku chief and discuss the giant tribe problem.

The watchers refused.

All they gleaned was that the Yetaku had foreseen the wall's thaw a century ago and had observed it closely for ages.

Chahu was furious with the Yetaku.

They had known everything and stayed silent through it all, mere bystanders until disaster loomed—unforgivable.

That first meeting was their last encounter with the watchers.

They had vanished afterward, hiding who knew where.

"Selfish bastards... Cowards..."

Bae caught Chahu's mutter and let out a small laugh.

Even without a subject, she knew exactly who Chahu was cursing.

Ever since arriving, Chahu had taken every chance to lump the Yetaku and the Empire's Crown Prince together in her rants.

Bae released her arm and faced Chahu squarely.

"You're really sitting out tomorrow?"

"Handle it among yourselves."

"You're serious?"

"I've opposed this from the start. What good dragging in Huda? You think they have answers?"

Bae shrugged and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Chahu, I get your concerns. But you don't have a better plan either. We can't just twiddle our thumbs watching the ice melt."

"Still no. I don't trust them."

Chahu dug in her heels firmly.

The day they arrived at the Ice Lands' border, Chahu's group had been stunned by the giants trapped in the wall.

The curse's true nature stood revealed, but the five tribes' chiefs had no idea how to resolve it.

Gazing at the muddy quagmire from the melting ice, they wallowed in despair for a time.

They spent days in heavy silence.

Chahu was the first to snap out of it.

She prodded the others to face reality, and from there, the chiefs began pooling ideas.

At first, the prevailing notion was to lead their tribes far southwest and relocate.

But Chahu shot it down as a mere stopgap.

Once the ice fully melted and the giants broke free, everyone would die—it was obvious.

She pushed hard to find a way to halt the thaw, and the chiefs relented.

Ideas poured out after, but nearly all were useless.

How do you stop ice from melting naturally?

Impossible without the legendary guardian's revival.

As talk swung back to relocation, Bae made a new proposal.

Tell other nations.

Even if the Empire knew, neighboring kingdoms likely didn't about the wall.

She suggested seeking their aid to find a solution.

Chahu warned it could make things worse, but the other chiefs agreed.

They decided to go with Bae's idea.

The chiefs dispatched envoys to Huda Kingdom, geographically closest to the wall, and Huda replied they would send an inspection team to verify.

Tomorrow, that team arrived.

To pass the barrier, Bae would exit and guide the Huda inspectors to the wall.

The chiefs planned to show the giants first, then discuss countermeasures together.

Only the Katago Tribe would sit out the meeting.

Rasin, the Katago "Han," had chosen to honor Chahu's view and boycott any talks involving Huda.

Bae tried persuading Chahu to the end, but she wouldn't budge.

Night deepened, and the five tribes' people passed it in worry and unease.

The next day, Chahu, Rasin, and his guard warriors hid in the forest ahead of the Huda team's arrival.

Bae promised to signal Chahu once they departed.

Chahu felt uneasy and left one subordinate behind to spy on the inspectors from near the wall.

Afterward, the Katago group led their horses deeper into the woods.

They set camp as far from the wall as possible without tripping the barrier.

While the guard warriors tended the horses and set watch rotations, Chahu and Rasin sat together to rest.

Chahu stared gravely at the ground before blurting out,

"Rasin, you didn't have to skip the meeting on my account."

Rasin took her hand.

"That's what's been bugging you?"

"This concerns our tribes' very survival. Go join them now."

"And you?"

"I'll... stay here."

"Then so will I."

"Rasin!"

Rasin smiled and gave her hand a light shake.

"Don't worry about it, Chahu. It's fine."

"But..."

"Think any real meeting happens tomorrow? Remember the shock we felt seeing the giants. Their reaction will be the same or worse. Lucky if they don't bolt in terror."

Chahu nodded; it made sense.

"Early on, they'll be too busy grasping the situation. We can hang back for now. No harm joining after we gauge Huda's response."

"You're so sharp."

Hearing Rasin's reasoning, Chahu slapped her knee in delight.

With the weight lifted, she whistled idly.

As Chahu relaxed enjoying the view, Rasin pulled something from his bosom and examined it.

Chahu's curiosity piqued at the object in his hand.

"Lemme see."

Rasin handed it over without fuss.

It was a black stone about fist-sized.

Sharp edges, smooth glossy surface.

Looked ordinary, but it was the Katago Tribe's treasure.

And the mark of the tribe's "Han"—chief alone could possess it.

Oddly, not just Katago: North Lrman, South Lrman, Seyovi, and Saya tribes all had identical stones as chiefs' marks.

The five tribes used similar items as chief symbols, yet none knew their true significance.

They simply cherished them as ancestral heirlooms.

The tribe's secret unraveled only upon reaching the Ice Lands.

The barrier spell didn't affect chiefs.

But their distant retinues fell victim without fail.

Through trial and error en route to the wall, they learned.

The chiefs' mark, the "black stone," dismantled the barrier.

The chiefs got the full story from the watchers.

'The five black stones were once a single chunk, forged from an unbreakable substance of ancient times.

When the gods bestowed the White Sword upon the legendary guardian, he tested it by striking the black stone.

It shattered into five pieces. The five Black Lions divided them, taking the fragments as marks of warriors.

The guardian sealed the giant tribe in ice, then asked the Yetaku to erect a barrier around the wall.

The Yetaku designed it so only bearers of the White Sword and black stone could pass.'

Chahu rolled the stone in her palm, murmuring,

"I was floored... when they all fit together into one."

"Ah..."

Rasin recalled the moment with a gasp of awe.

After the watchers' tale, the five chiefs produced their black stones.

They marveled comparing them.

Then discovered the edges meshed perfectly.

Combined, the five formed one flawless whole.

Only then did the chiefs accept their descent from the Black Lions.

Chahu spoke in a bitter tone.

"Passed through human hands for ages, yet not a single chip or wear. The guardian and Black Lions are long gone, but these stones... and the giants still linger in this world."

"......"

"How do we wipe out the giant tribe? Does such a method even exist?"

"If the Empire's Crown Prince stepped up in earnest... maybe we'd find a way..."

Chahu tsked shortly and handed the stone back.

"Expect anything from that guy? We saw—he doesn't care if the world ends. And Jahankun said even he can't eliminate them."

"But he inherited the guardian's power. After the guardian's aura faded, no emperors showed those abilities. He's the only one—the sole heir to the legendary guardian."

"So what? He's a gutless coward. Why'd it have to go to scum like him..."

Chahu's raw resentment toward the Crown Prince silenced Rasin on the topic.

Afterward, the two passed time with idle chatter.

As the sun dipped westward—

Black smoke of unknown origin began billowing from the ice wall.

Chahu and Rasin sensed ill omens.

They hurried toward the wall with their guard warriors.

Midway through galloping their horses across the forest—

Araha, Chahu's lead horse, suddenly slowed and shook her head.

Sensing something off in Araha's reaction, Chahu reined in and raised a hand.

The rest halted at her signal.

"What's wrong, Chahu?"

Chahu checked Araha, then drew a deep breath through her nose.

"Bad vibes. Kill our presence and move in."

Chahu dismounted Araha.

Rasin and the guards followed suit.

The Katago band left their horses in the woods and proceeded on foot.

The closer to the wall, the stronger the acrid smoke and clamor grew.

Yet the smoke's scent was strangely off.

Chahu and Rasin exchanged glances.

They concealed themselves in the underbrush and crept toward the wall cautiously.

"Throw it right there!"

"Catch it steady!"

Chahu's group froze at the sight before them.

A towering pile of corpses dominated the clearing by the wall.

All dead were guard warriors from the four tribes.

Strangers—presumed Huda folk—scurried busily around the heap.

They were tossing bodies onto a roaring pyre nearby.

Chahu numbly scanned the pile.

No sign of the four tribes' chiefs among the corpses.

She shifted her glazed eyes to the pyre.

Half a dozen bodies blazed fiercely within.

She could guess those were the chiefs.

"Bae..."

Chahu gripped her sword hilt.

"Hold."

Rasin restrained her tightly.

The enemies numbered plenty.

At least double their own forces.

Rushing in blindly was suicide.

As Rasin assessed, grave doubts arose.

The four tribes' chiefs and warriors had far outnumbered these foes.

How had they been overpowered?

"I'll slaughter them all..."

Chahu trembled uncontrollably, rage boiling over.

Rasin pulled her into an embrace and whispered,

"Fall back first. Figure out how they crushed the four tribes, get the lay of the land..."

That's when it happened.

A great cheer erupted from the enemy ranks, stirring chaos.

"Got him! We nabbed the bastard!"

"Nice!"

"Drag him here!"

A bound man was hauled before the corpse pile.

He was slashed countless times, drenched in blood.

Chahu and Rasin recognized him at a glance.

He was the Katago guard warrior Chahu had left to spy.

"This one's got a different look from the others."

"Yeah. Which tribe?"

"Who cares? Dead is dead."

One man drew his sword.

As he reared back his arm to swing—

A dagger whistled through the air, piercing his throat in an instant.

He toppled backward, eyes wide open.

The Huda men, witnessing it, plunged into shock and bellowed.

"Ambush! Weapons u—gah!"

The man barking orders let out a death rattle and perished.

Behind his crumpling form appeared a foreign warrior.

Chahu.

Chahu charged the Huda men.

The Katago warriors followed in her wake.

"Enemies! Foes inbound!"

"No panic! Fight back!"

The Huda men floundered briefly before regaining composure and drawing arms.

The melee erupted.

The two bands tangled fiercely.

Chahu darted through gaps with agile precision, felling three in a flash.

As she shone, five enemies swarmed her at once.

The Katago held early edge but wore down as numbers told, gradually forced to defense.

The guard warriors and Chahu held backs together against assaults until a distant whistle pierced the air—they wheeled and bolted for the forest.

"The enemy's fleeing!"

"After them!"

As the Huda men surged to pursue—

"Halt!"

A grizzled middle-aged man's command froze them all.

"Might be a trap. No chase—secure the perimeter."

"Yes, sir!"

The men snapped to guard duty.

The middle-aged man was their commander, Turner—captain of Huda's First Combat Unit.

Turner observed their crisp response, then walked toward the ice wall.

A prince stood below it, draped in fine cloak.

Turner fixed his gaze on the prince to avoid the monster within.

"Your Highness."

Turner saluted and reported.

"Moments ago, Katago tribesmen appeared. They clashed with us but fled when outmatched."

"Hm... So the last piece was with the Katago."

Dennis peered at the black object in his hand.

It was the black stones seized from the four tribes' chiefs, fused together—save one missing spot like a gap in teeth.

"Held off pursuit due to trap risk."

"Good call. They won't have proper forces anyway. Just a dozen like the others. Leave them."

"Safe to let them live? They'll spread word to other tribes of what we did."

"Doesn't matter. These barbarians are stranded out here in the boonies. Think they have the means to hunt us down for revenge? Forget 'em. Our real priority is the Empire. War's at our doorstep. Focus on prep."

"As you command."

Turner bowed.

The sticky ground unsettled him, but he pushed it aside.

The barbarians' envoy letter to Huda had warned of the world's end.

Giants sealed in the wall, now melting—join forces for countermeasures.

The king and crown prince shared the contents only with Turner for counsel.

Huda was secretly gearing for war with the Empire.

Mid-recruiting allied kingdoms, this dire news hit.

It put them in a bind.

Critical juncture before war.

If leaked, allies might panic and flip to Empire.

Empire would seize chance, invoke the 'guardian' to swallow kingdoms.

They debated endlessly without resolution.

Thus, Crown Prince Dennis first went to verify the letter's claims with the barbarians, then decide next steps.

Dennis brought Huda's First Combat Unit to the wall.

En route, he learned the barrier required a barbarian item to pass.

Confronting the giants at last, shock struck like lightning.

Fear was fleeting.

As one inspiration flashed through his mind, Dennis shuddered in ecstasy.

A way to wield the giants in war.

The barbarian chiefs prophesied full melt in 4-5 years, giants invading continent.

Curse already underway, land sickening.

Dennis didn't buy it.

The wall looked thick and solid to him.

Slim chance of total thaw in mere years.

Besides, giants frozen centuries couldn't possibly live.

'Barbarians are wrong.'

Dennis smirked inwardly. Heaven's gift.

He declared acceptance of their alliance offer.

To commemorate, he treated them to lunch.

"Poison?"

Rasin asked, face ashen.

The bandage-wrapped guard warrior nodded and explained.

"They ate the food those bastards prepared, and the four tribes' chiefs and guards vomited blood and collapsed. Poison, no doubt."

His face twisted in agony as he continued.

"Worse... they even hacked at the dying warriors. I couldn't stand by—I lunged at them and got caught."

Listening nearby, Chahu smashed her fist into a tree trunk.

A dull thunk echoed, branches quaking.

"Monsters! Filth!"

No matter how many times she struck, her rage wouldn't cool.

Chahu paced furiously, heaving breaths.

Meanwhile, Rasin sank into grim reflection.

"Revenge. Avenge the wronged dead! Rasin."

"Not now."

Rasin stated flatly.

"Why? Why not?!"

Chahu erupted.

"Chahu, cool your head. Quell the anger and judge our situation with clear eyes. There's more at stake than revenge."

"......"

"I get it. I'm livid too. But fighting them now is suicide. We can't die here. We have to inform the four tribes of their chiefs' deaths. And return to our own people waiting for us."

"...Just slink home like this? No solutions, just chiefs slaughtered for nothing?"

Rasin nodded solemnly.

"Huda's taken the wall—staying long is risky. We retreat first. Spread word of how Huda murdered the chiefs... then we plan."

Rasin was right a hundred times over.

Chahu pounded her chest in anguish and injustice.

At that moment, flames devoured dozens of corpses, raging wildly.

Black smoke from the blaze rode the wind toward the ice wall.

The Yetaku watchers, evading Huda men to inspect the wall, blanched in horror.

The water level in their special device wedged in a crevice had spiked.

A Yetaku invention to gauge thaw speed.

Rising water meant accelerating melt.

Dramatically so.

At this rate, the seal wouldn't hold a year.

The watchers fled the wall in haste to report to their chief.

Soon after, rumors of the giant tribe spread within Huda.

Descendants survived in the northeastern Ice Lands; the royal family had made contact.

Amid wild speculation among the populace, the royals officially admitted meeting the giants' descendants.

And announced a friendly alliance.

Initial backlash and confusion gripped the people.

But when news broke that the Empire demanded mausoleum construction funds from Huda, sentiments flipped.

Huda folk had endured the Empire's tyranny and exploitation for ages.

Yet power disparity made rebellion unthinkable.

Now, alliance with giants offered a new path.

It planted seeds of hope: topple the Empire.

Gradually, calls to war against the Empire boiled over within Huda.

This anti-Empire fervor spread like wildfire to neighboring kingdoms.