A weary historian dies and finds himself in a different world awakened in a life as the notorious young Duke of a southern state. His nation is weakened, his army underfed, and his neighbors revolve around his lands menacingly. No one believes his land is going to hold out until winter.

But this newfound duke is no naive simpleton his enemies recollect. He carries with him the experience of centuries of war and empire, of starting and ending monarchies. From Caesar to Napoleon, from the Mongols to world wars, he has learned from each of them—and his strategy is to make history his very own arms.

He organizes his smashed levies into well-trained formations, rebuilds his castles, and turns his villages into supply centers. Where others see defeat, he senses opportunity. As he triumphs, rumors spread: of a pennant red as winter snow that shall not go to ground, of a bloody duke who writes his name in gore and flame.

Is he a savior who's constructing a new empire, or a tyrant who's going to bring the world to endless war?

Cassia attempted to deflect the draugr's sword with her own, but the moment it touched, just like the floor, it broke like glass.


Her entire arms trembled, eyes widening as she felt its weight, as if a bull itself was trying to attack her sword.


The entire sword broke into two, the draugr laughing as it saw Cassia's terrified face. It was a being of sheer and unimaginable power.


Cassia immediately took a step back, now disarmed, even her armor, created by the best blacksmiths of Vesuvian, couldn't survive a single hit from the creature.


She had no choice; she had to run, to retreat.


But the moment she turned, the draugr laughed once more, tattoos from its necrotic skin glowing like runes, the ruin responding to its magic as the entrance to the ruin immediately closed.


The exit was replaced by an empty void, one that led to nothing, but would surely result in nothing good.


Chapter 103 - Cassia Vesuvian (3)