The story turns back to a short time after the reorganization of the continent...
“We have a large number of applicants...? Are you certain?” Julius could hardly believe his ears when he heard Jirukoma’s report.
It was at this time that Julius, Jirukoma, and their companions were pouring all their efforts into establishing the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania as a functioning state.
Because they lacked both manpower and supplies, Julius was using every connection he had to support the reconstruction effort. Roroa had arranged for provisions from the Kingdom of Friedonia, and these were being transported by air courtesy of the Nothung Dragon Knight Kingdom. By comparison, the neighboring Kingdom of Remus was struggling to rebuild due to its weaker ties with other nations, making it fair to say that the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania was recovering relatively quickly. Even so, they faced a critical shortage of personnel.
The Old Kingdom of Lastania’s vassals, along with Julius’s personal retainers, were nowhere near numerous enough to manage a nation the size of the Reborn Kingdom of Lastania, which now encompassed the northeastern part of the continent. You might have expected them to launch a massive recruitment drive, as Souma had in his first year, but in their case, that was far easier said than done. The kingdom did have open positions in abundance and a smattering of talented individuals, but most of those people had belonged to other countries before Fuuga’s unification. Many resented the fact that only the Kingdom of Lastania had been restored.
As a former minor state, Lastania was looked down on by those who had lived in greater powers, and they were less than enthusiastic about serving under such a “tiny” kingdom. That dissatisfaction wasn’t strong enough to spark rebellion—few had the energy for that after so much turmoil—but it still meant they were unwilling to commit themselves to Lastania’s cause. It wasn’t an immediate threat, but it was a constant source of frustration for Julius and his advisers.
And yet, suddenly, dozens of individuals had stepped forward, volunteering their service.
Jirukoma confirmed the report with a nod.
“Yeah, I’m sure...” He caught himself and straightened his tone. “Without a doubt, sire. They even come with letters of recommendation.”
“Letters of recommendation? From whom?” Julius asked, brows raised.
“You’ll be surprised when you hear. It was actually...”
The name Jirukoma gave made Julius blink in disbelief.
“Why would he...?”
“What shall we do? Will you meet with them?”
“Let me think...”
After a brief pause, Julius nodded.
“I’ll meet them. I want to confirm their intentions with my own eyes.”
“As you would have it. I will accompany you for your protection.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
The two of them made their way to the audience chamber, where they waited for their unexpected guests to arrive.
Not long after, an older man with graying hair and a distinctive beard was shown into the chamber. He looked thin, but his posture was straight, and there was a quiet strength in the way he carried himself. His plain gray clothes resembled those of a servant, yet he had the air of an elderly gentleman of refinement. His eyes, though outwardly peaceful, held a piercing sharpness—as if this seemingly affable old man were measuring and scrutinizing them. The feeling put Julius immediately on guard.
This presence... It reminds me of Sebastian. He’s a crafty one, without a doubt. Julius’s familiarity with Sebastian Silverdeer, Roroa’s right-hand man and the wily owner of The Silver Deer, only heightened his unease. And that unease was compounded by the name behind this man’s recommendation.
The old man advanced a respectful distance, then dropped to one knee and bowed his head.
“Raise your head. Kagashi...was it? I hear you wish to offer me your services.”
“Yes,” the gentleman replied as he raised his head. “I hope that the Kingdom of Lastania will take in my clan.”
“Hmm... But is it true that the letters of recommendation came from the man whose name they bear?”
“Indeed. They were written by our former master, Lord Hashim.”
The name was none other than Hashim Chima—the man who had worked in the shadows as the brain behind Fuuga’s Great Tiger Empire.
But Hashim was no longer among the living.
In other words, Kagashi had come before Julius bearing the recommendation of a dead man. That was the reason Julius’s guard was so high.
“Hashim died in the recent chaos, did he not? Then how could he have recommended you?”
“It is tradition for the head of the House of Chima to choose a successor to inherit the house and retain followers like ourselves in the event of his death. Because theirs is a bloodline steeped in treachery, they must always be prepared for every eventuality. Lord Hashim entrusted us with these letters while he was still among the living.”
“What do you mean by...followers like yourselves?”
“We are a clan that has served the House of Chima for generations, acting as spies in their service. We are known as the White Snakes.”
Julius’s eyes widened. These were Hashim’s personal spies. And yet, for some reason, they were offering to serve him, a man with no blood ties to the Chima family. On top of that, it was supposedly at the command of the late Hashim himself. Julius couldn’t make sense of it.
“The White Snakes... I’ve heard of you. Back in Friedonia, Sir Kagetora of the Black Cats mentioned your name. You crossed blades with them before the great war, didn’t you?”
“It is true,” Kagashi admitted calmly. “The Black Cats were formidable opponents. They lacked finesse in gathering information, but their skill at preventing leaks through sheer martial prowess surpassed ours. We were forced to avoid direct conflict with them, which hindered our intelligence-gathering inside Friedonia.”
“So why come to me?”
“Lord Hashim told us, ‘When I am gone, serve under Ichiha or Julius,’” Kagashi said matter-of-factly.
“I can see why he would choose Sir Ichiha...but why me?”
“Lord Hashim foresaw that, with the breakup of the Great Tiger Empire, these lands would fall under the influence of the Kingdom of Friedonia. He predicted that the former Union of Eastern Nations would be entrusted to you, Lord Julius. He said you are a man capable of governing such a difficult region, and that you hold ties here through your marriage into the Royal House of Lastania.”
Julius fell silent. The logic wasn’t hard to follow. Had he been in Hashim’s place, he might have reached the same conclusion about the shape of the world after the Empire’s collapse.
“Then why not go to Sir Ichiha?”
“Because Sir Ichiha is now prime minister of Friedonia. That nation already has the Black Cats to serve as its intelligence operatives. Even if we offered our services there, we would have little value.”
“Which leaves me then, huh...” Julius muttered.
“Indeed.”
They had clearly come to Lastania knowing of its shortage of personnel. It was a shrewd move. And since he was, in fact, short of capable hands, Julius could only be impressed.
“This world is moving towards stability. The need for infiltration and covert operations abroad will only decline over time. In fact, such actions may merely arouse suspicion. Do you still wish to offer your services knowing that?”
“Because the era demanded it, we once committed dark deeds to ensure our house’s survival—just as our masters in the House of Chima did,” Kagashi said evenly. “But even in peacetime, the need to gather intelligence does not vanish. We will adapt, as we always have. If you wish us to step out of the shadows and live in the light, then that is what we will do.”
“I see...”
They were more flexible than Julius had imagined, prepared to mold themselves to the times. And in truth, Julius would welcome a network of eyes and ears to keep him informed of discontent stirring in every corner of the kingdom. Quashing unrest early was one of the fastest ways to stabilize a nation. That was why he would be glad to take in Hashim’s White Snakes. But something still nagged at him.
“I hindered Fuuga and Hashim’s ambitions alongside Souma, you realize? Can you truly swear loyalty to me after that?”
“That is no matter. Ensuring the survival of our family is our way, just as it is the way of the House of Chima. Lord Hashim slew his own father to preserve the house and its name. Lord Mathew accepted that path, entrusted us to him at the end, and left behind a few last words and a list of people Lord Hashim should employ.”
“...”
“That list is now in our hands. It was left with us should anything befall him. The House of Chima itself will continue under Sir Ichiha. But it was Lord Hashim’s hope, and it is ours, that you will carry on the house’s tradition of clever stratagems by taking us in. We, the White Snakes, are the embodiment of that tradition. Please, put us to use.”
With that, Kagashi bowed his head deeply.
Despite his supplicant posture, there was a boldness in the way he carried himself; a presence born of a lifetime spent walking in shadow.
Jirukoma found himself overwhelmed, but quickly gathered his wits and turned his gaze towards Julius.
“What will you do, sire?”
“Let’s take them in,” Julius said after some thought. “We’re shorthanded anyway.”
He rose to his feet and motioned for Kagashi to do the same.
“Our country will welcome your clan. Serve your new nation with all your strength.”
“Ohhh, thank you.”
“From now on, the White Snakes will be my eyes and ears. But you, Kagashi—I want you to step into the open.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“I’m telling you to serve me publicly as my vassal. I’ll make you my direct retainer, so learn to live in the sun, not just in the shadows.”
“I see...”
The White Snakes were, in essence, a clan of spies: useful to a ruler, but if left to operate solely in the dark, they risked warping into something dangerous, a breeding ground for devious schemes. By bringing their leader into the light as a formal retainer, Julius was laying the foundation for others to follow. It was the same approach Souma had taken by treating Kagetora and his comrades as trusted retainers.
Kagashi smiled and bowed his head. “We are deeply grateful for your consideration.”