1 A call from home

The cold winter wind was howling on the road. Warm orange light escaped through the tightly closed windows, scattering light across the darkened central plaza in the night with a full moon barely hidden by grayish clouds

But even this peaceful image couldn't lighten the heavy air in the palace as King Arthur ||| was taking his last breath on his sick bed.

Even though the king seemed to die from a natural cause of heart weakness, nevertheless, at a time when the kingdom was in dire need of a ruler and the crown princess disappeared without a word, people couldn't hide their worried and uneasy hearts

"We should do something! If the enemy knows of this, we are all as good as dead!!"

"Yes, we should keep this under wraps. That way, we can tr-"

"Then who is going to act as the King!?! Her Highness, the crown princess, hasn't returned after saying she would go to Gracilia territory for inspection. What if!"

"Marquez Herbert, please calm down, Shouting wouldn't solve anything..." A blonde-haired chamberlain tried to speak to manage the situation but was cut short by a strong, deep voice

"Gentlemen, please calm down. This is not the worst-case scenario it is still possible to solve a problem of these sizes ."

As if a pause button was pushed, everything became quiet even if the same words were spoken it seemed as if his voice carried magic to calm people as it seemed that everyone in the hall regained their compositor after he arrived

"Now everyone should head back. Try to keep what you saw today under wraps until we find a solution for this predicament."

"Yes, of course, Duke Abradon, we will put our trust in you once more, so please do it as fast as possible."

"Of course, Marquez, that is my responsibility as His Majesty's aid after all."

"Hahah yes, yes, I see then please excuse us."

As the door of the hall closed, the blonde-haired chamberlain had a betrayed expression

"Ugh, really, those old geezers wouldn't listen no matter how many times I say it, but when the oh-so-almighty Duke Ethan Abradon says it once, they scurry with their tails between their legs"

Ethan smiled slightly, seeing the blonde throwing a tantrum. With a lighter momentum, he patted his shoulder and passed him to the giant doors behind

"Stop complaining Graham you were the one to choose this over being a scholar, so how is His Majesty?"

The chamberlain now Graham grumbled incomprehensible words as he followed behind Ethan, then Taking out the doctor's report, he reported the evaluation and how the king was unstable and could pass on at any moment

The friendly light air vanished like it was never there, replaced by a heavy grim air filled with anxiety and worries

the doors opened to reveal a large room decorated with gold and red patterns in the middle of the room where a bed could be seen through the cracks in the curtain an old man boasting a huge physique was lying barely breathing

"Graham, the situation is getting worse, we need to move now, send a message from the palace to Duke Solan in the north, and announce a meeting for the Imperial faction."

"Yes, meeting and massage to Duke-Wait, Duke Solan, that same guy who was sent to die 10 years ago??"

"Yes, he will be a huge help now,"

The black cape fluttered as Duke Abradon headed toward the door with big strides. Graham, following behind, had a befuddled expression

"More than those aristocrats who claim to be worried about the throne planning to stab us from behind"

With a heavy thumping sound, the dark oak-colored doors closed, leaving the room in peaceful silence

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Inside a forest located in the northern borders, shouts and metal clashes reverberated through the air raging fires, burning trees to ashes

"Commander, there is an urgent message sent from the capital."

A young man with a huge build screamed from across the battlefield, running toward a distant figure commanding the soldiers with the last beats of the struggling enemy soldier's last attempt to defend their already collapsing base

With a sharp turn from the figure, a sharp whistling sound came from a distance, passing the shouting solder with a hair width stabbing the enemy soldier who was raising his sword in the chest

The young man was frozen in place as if turning into a stone statue only to come to his senses at the approaching footsteps. Turning his face a little, he could see a man with red eyes shining like gems under black hair that seemed to contain the night sky approaching with domineering steps

Picking the fallen sword from the enemy's chest as if it were nothing, he glanced at the letter in the young man's hand with curious eyes. The frightened lad having barely come back to his senses offered his blindingly handsome but eccentric Commander the crumbled letter in his hand with a slight trembling of his fingers

"Goodness, you frightened me! I thought I was dying for a moment there, really, Why does he do these every time ..."

Ignoring the chattering voice from the side, the Commander opened the send from the capital in his name, skimming through the pleasantries as he continued his eyes became more and more complicated

"...you should really warn me next time. Commander? Commander? Hey, are you listening? What is it that the message says that makes you so serious??"

"It's not much.." A magnetic husky voice sounded

With the silent and confused urging of the man beside him, the Commander continued slowly

'It's not much just...'

"A summon from the palace asking for my imidate response."

"What?!? Then that's good news finally after staying here for so long. Are you finally going back to the capital?? We should celebrate" saying so the young lad disappeared as if to tell the news to the entire world

By this point everyone was wrapping up and getting ready to return to their barracks so the battlefield once the enemy's base was relatively quiet and peaceful but the person standing in the middle of such a place didn't feel so at peace

Looking up at the cloudy night sky, it seems like it's going to rain heavily at night

'I should be glad, but the situation doesn't seem right. It feels like something is off....."

Shaking his head, he threw the letter into one of the sill-burning fires, seeing it turn to ashes before turning and heading to the barracks

'I shouldn't worry about this now. I will figure it all out after going to the capital. Either way, like I always did, it wouldn't be anything that big anyway. What could go wrong?'