Ikor

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Ikor (伊科尔)
Type	Nation; one of the three successor states of the former empire 100
Capital	Regina 188 556
Affiliation	Old Empire Alliance; supervised by the tri-national Judgment Council following the queen's death 651 653
Government	Formerly ruled by a queen; later placed under a rotating joint-governance arrangement involving Caritas, Frieden, and mage representatives 651
Status	Active; rebuilding after the Hori Kingdom war and reclaiming lost territory 784
First Appearance	Chapter 93

History

Foundation and royal rule

The former empire split into Caritas, Frieden, and Ikor after the emperor's sudden death and the resulting succession struggle among his three children. The division occurred roughly eight years before the events of Chapter 100. 100

Ikor was ruled by the continent's only reigning queen, who was described as one-eyed and personally led military operations at Crusader Gate. 93 173 The Queen was the sister of Caritas's king, making the two states competing branches of the former imperial family. 531

During the Crusader Gate crisis, Ikor assembled a force prepared for a prolonged campaign, including soldiers, musketeers, supply personnel, and several hundred mages. 173 A Church bishop later claimed that the Queen's apparent attempt to seize the gate was intended to expose and purge Church agents embedded within Ikor. 216

Mage Guild influence

The Mage Guild held extensive influence over Ikor's mage community. Ikoran magical theory treated magic as humanity's imitation of Magic Beasts, emphasizing mental-strength cultivation, spell control, and practical techniques over elemental theory. 198

Independent mages were heavily marginalized: those outside the Guild were squeezed out of ordinary life, and Regina was described as the Guild's “absolute territory,” with no known independent mages nearby. 531 556

The Queen used magical potions to control Mage Guild members. Benjamin later freed Guild mages from this control, while captured Ikoran mages showed signs of mental suggestion or mind control. 531 589 644

Invasion of Caritas

Ikor launched a surprise invasion of Caritas and initially captured border territory. At its furthest reported advance, its army occupied nearly a quarter of Caritas and threatened Glory, the capital. 494 529

The Queen later requested negotiations with Caritas, but the meeting produced no settlement. Her collapse during the talks and Ikor's subsequent sealing of its occupied garrisons created confusion over the nation's internal situation. 531 534

Following skirmishes, Ikor withdrew its forces from Caritas. Reports stated that the Queen had returned to her palace in poor health and rarely appeared in public. 548

Attack on the Magic Academy and succession crisis

The Queen later launched a major attack on the Magic Academy with 50,000 soldiers and 416 mages. The assault failed after Benjamin captured her, leaving Ikor's military forces demoralized and disorganized. 646 647

The Queen's death was publicly announced soon afterward. She left no heir, creating a succession crisis and prompting both Caritas and Frieden to press competing claims to Ikor. 648 651

Mage Guild leadership temporarily assumed administrative authority, using the Queen's written appointment to restore the national administration. 649

Old Empire Alliance

To prevent annexation by either neighboring successor state, Ikor's chairman proposed the Old Empire Alliance. Under the proposal, Caritas and Frieden would govern Ikor in alternating four-year terms, while a Judgment Council of mages would oversee treaty compliance. 651

The Judgment Council was planned as a body of 150 mages: 50 representatives each from Ikor, Caritas, and Frieden. Ikor's representatives were to be selected by the Mage Guild. 651 Negotiations over the rotation system continued for several months. 653

Geography

• Regina — Capital city and center of royal and Mage Guild authority. 556
• Crusader Gate — Strategic border gate facing the Hori Kingdom; the site of Ikor's early confrontation with the Kingdom and the Church. 154 173
• Frieden border — A militarized frontier where Ikoran and Friedener troops observed Benjamin's ice ship. 238
• Locke City — Major defensive city during the Hori Kingdom invasion. 745 752

Government

Monarchy

Before the succession crisis, Ikor was ruled directly by its Queen, who personally directed military campaigns, managed state documents, and maintained a hostile relationship with the Church. 173 512 497

Her rule relied heavily on the Mage Guild and its mage forces, but this relationship was undermined by the exposure of mental-control potions used against Guild members. 531 644

Mage Guild administration

After the Queen's removal, the Mage Guild's president and chairman became central to stabilizing Ikor. The Guild leadership restored administration, negotiated with foreign envoys, and pushed for a political structure that formally gave mages influence in national affairs. 649 651

Judgment Council

The Judgment Council was intended to prevent Caritas or Frieden from violating the Old Empire Alliance's agreement while giving mages a formal supervisory role over Ikor's government. 651 653

Mage Society

• Ikoran mages were known for precise, high-output applications of low-level spells; Mage Guild mage Richard could summon ten Chain Fireballs in rapid succession. 191
• The country's mage community developed unusual mental-strength methods, including the Near-Death Meditation Method. 198
• Guild researchers studied potions, magical items, Magic Beasts, and rune formations. 179 649
• A rune research group developed Rune Formation Defense, combining command runes in a hexagram pattern to create a durable large-area barrier. 649
• The Queen's monopolization of mage power left free mages vulnerable, but many later volunteered to defend Ikor against the Hori Kingdom. 531 784

Military

Campaign / Deployment	Documented Forces	Notes
Crusader Gate expedition	At least 300–400 mages, plus musketeers, logistics troops, and supply carriers	The force appeared organized for a prolonged war. 173
Caritas invasion	No more than 100,000 soldiers reported	Ikor occupied nearly one-quarter of Caritas before later withdrawing. 529 548
Attack on the Magic Academy	50,000 soldiers and 416 mages	The Queen's assault ended in defeat and her capture. 647
Hori Kingdom border defense	50,000 troops reinforced at the border	The force was strengthened amid concern over Church movements. 739
Retreat from the border	Approximately 50,000 surviving soldiers; about 2,000 mages intact	The garrison retreated after a surprise Church attack. 745
Assault to retake Regina	50,000 soldiers and over 1,000 mages	The force was ambushed after entering the city. 776 777

Foreign Relations

• Caritas — A fellow successor state ruled by the Queen's brother. Ikor invaded Caritas, but later entered the Old Empire Alliance's rotating-governance system with it. 494 531 651
• Frieden — Another successor state with a competing claim to Ikor's throne after the Queen's death; later represented in the Judgment Council. 648 651
• Hori Kingdom — Ikor's closest neighboring country and a long-standing rival across Crusader Gate. 93 154
• The Church — A hostile force that infiltrated Ikor, later invaded its territory, occupied Regina, and was eventually driven out. 216 744 782
• Magic Academy — Initially targeted by the Queen, then became Ikor's decisive ally during the war with the Hori Kingdom. Ikor later rewarded the Academy for its support. 647 784

Hori Kingdom War

The Church launched a major assault on Ikor, leaving Regina in ruins and overwhelming the border garrison through a surprise attack. 744 745 Benjamin helped organize Ikor's defense, including a forest ambush against pursuing Church forces and the construction of a Rune Defense Array around Locke City. 746 748 752

Ikor's forces later conducted a successful night raid against the Church's camp, destroying it and eliminating or capturing its priests and bishops. 773 After Regina was occupied and retaken amid a prepared ambush, Ikor ultimately repelled the Hori Kingdom invasion. 776 777 782

Following the war, Ikor reclaimed its lost territory and began reconstruction. The Magic Academy's role in the conflict substantially increased its standing among Ikoran mages. 784