Meanwhile, in the beautiful capital city of Romanica, there is a gathering of nobles and councilmen in the grand court.


    "Your majesty, King Randolf!" A male with curly brown hair in an extravagant robe covering his well-made tunic and pants, clearly a noble or wealthy man.


    "Mm, Duke Alistair, seeing you answered the call is good."


    The king''s current state didn''t look good, with a sickly face and weak voice, but his eyes still shone with vibrance and focus. "How is the council of twelve?" He looked at the twelve nobles and merchants selected as the council that aided the country all seemed a little worried and nervous.


    "Your majesty, the vile barbarians of the north have broken our pact!" A slightly chubby male of the council spoke before giving a sincere bow and kneeling to his king withoutint despite his walking stick and struggle to walk.


    King Randolf was the first monarch of his kingdom to give more power to the twelve lords of the council, and now they controlled most of the small issues that affected the popce while the king dealt with major issues and corruption in the nobles.


    Thus, he was beloved by many, especially those in the council.


    "Calm down, Seldon. I know of the current issues on our borders. I await my knight''s return with their full inspection to decide what action to take against Silvara. We cannot go idly into war without knowing the enemy''s desires. s...


    if there is a third party, we would be in more danger, and I must prevent that as your king." The king coughed to clear his voice before drinking from his golden goblet.


    The answer was enough for Seldon; he realised his excitement and worries might have been disrespectful towards his king. "F-Forgive me, your majesty, I--"


    "Worry not, Seldon, son of the Verdant merchant family who has served our kingdom for nearly nine hundred years. I felt your passion and desire, and loving Romanica is no sin or crime."


    The kind words from his king made Seldon straighten up in pride and joy. "T-Thank you, my king!"


    "We are here to discuss our issues and options, not me one another or fumble in the dark. Now, Earl ckwell, can you give me any details your council has discovered?"


    Nate ckwell, a handsome middle-aged man with blond hair and blue eyes, stepped forward and knelt before the king with an elegant movement; he was the second lord of the council. A man married into the ckwell family, formerly amoner but talented in business and politics.


    "Yes, Your Majesty, the people are terrified, and our towns and viges on the borders are now filled with refugees. The eastern border near the Dukedom of Glovia and the southern border near the empire suffered because of theck of trade routes and shipments. Our enemy doesn''t seem to be the entirety of Silvara because there are no naval blockades, and none of the royal knights have attacked."


    Nate presented his report while waiting for his king to read it and turn to him again.


    "Earl Seldon, what of the other members of the council? Have they not contacted you or the council yet?" the king asked to gain time to read the long documentation. He enjoyed these meetings, and a smile on his sickly face made his colour and health seem much better.


    Seldon looked towards his king, then bowed once more, speaking solemnly.


    "I fear Earl Nerrick won''t respond for a week or two. Duke Cavallio''s trial for treason and corrupting the royal knights with his greed and dark magic took many resources.


    However, Countess Maria Svesta and her knight order have moved to the northeast—her force of four hundred knights now protects the border towns and viges with the help of Lord Callum Weldon, former knightmander, and his supporting troops, numbering over one thousand."


    "My uncle was a vile man..."


    A weak but calm voice drew the courtroom''s attention to the boy who had just entered. He had short blonde hair, piercing grey eyes, and a golden sword hanging from his hip.


    His appearance and refined body were impressive for his age, which was neen. He was the king''s nephew and son of Duke Cavallio, one of the youngest members of the council and heir to the Cavallio title because of his deeds.


    "Aldric, are you well?" The king asked his favourite nephew, who always shone like a star.


    "I am, Uncle. Though, I am upset about my father. If it wasn''t for the quick response of Maria and her knights, otherwise many would have died from the poison he used on the waterway, and his subsequent ck magic may have been enough to cause an uprising as it seems he allied with the northern barbarians!"


    Alistair looked at the boy momentarily, feeling a little doubtful about how this boy could discover such aplex plot... However, he dared not speak out against a fellow council member before the king.


    "Calm down, Aldric. We do not know for sure if your fathermitted treason, nor is there any proof he poisoned the waterways. Many refugees died, and no poison remains in their systems; the court requires more evidence."


    The boy, Aldric, sighed in defeat, bowing his head. "I understand, uncle."


    "This matter is not why we are here. There is a problem with the border."


    "Please forgive my actions, King Randolf." Aldric apologised again with a slight bow and sat beside Seldon as the king finished reading the document.


    All were quiet as the king read and made notes in his booklet, only speaking up when he needed something rified or the asional cough from his sickness.


    "Nate, has there been any movement of troops across thend and sea borders?"


    "Yes, Your Majesty, we observed the Silvarian queen''s Valkyrie moving across the sea borders into the east, and many ships have disappeared without a trace; however, this happened two weeks ago." Nate was happy to reveal what his spies and contacts had finally discovered.


    "I did not wish to disturb the council with rumours, and your decree that we focus on internal affairs has prevented us from gathering more information."


    The king was impressed with Nate''s response and calm tone; he knew the lord was talented with information and understood the importance of a stable country.


    "Very well, Duke Alistair. I will require your aid in our issue. First, we will contact the families with whom we have blood rtions within Silvara, then send an emissary to the queen once the situation is clearer. Do not wait for permission while I order the twelve-lord council to eliminate the ones attacking our borders. Kill and stop them from harming our people."


    Aldric was the first to stand up, his voice filled with ambition. "I will, uncle!"


    The king nodded in eptance of his favourite nephew''s enthusiasm.


    "The twelve lords will do so as well; we will stop the enemy and protect our people!" Seldon dered. His voice was passionate, and the other lords present agreed with his sentiment.


    "Good. Nate, please use the ckwell family spywork to help the other lords. If there are internal issues, use the regr method of contact!"


    ****


    Outside the grand citadel of Romantica...


    Aldric hurried first, greeting his senior council members several times while meeting up with his private knights wearing their silver and blue armour.


    "Duke Cavallio!"


    "I heard what happened in the meeting. My condolences on your father''s alleged actions. I pray that this is merely a rumour and mistake," a man with a rich ck beard and the aura of a great warrior in his gambeson walked with his three knights.


    This man was the strongest knight in the kingdom and protected the king; his name was Siegfried Verhelst, the de master.


    "Master!" Aldric tried to sound formal with his teacher, but it was clear their rtionship was not only student and master. They were also as close as father and son; Siegfried raised the boy ever since his mother passed away from illness and his father became too busy with his hidden businesses.


    Siegfried smiled warmly, ruffling Aldric''s hair as he walked past. "You must visit the next time you''re free; I have not seen you in months."


    "Ah! Please, Master!" The boyined about his ruffled hair and fixed it, but all he could manage was to look slightly sloppy and improper, like the gentleman he wanted to be.


    "If you had a wife, she would scold you for not looking good enough. Though I doubt a young man like you would know of such matters."


    experience mv,le, content


    "I... Yes, master."


    Aldric had met some women while on his travels and during the academy and balls at night, but his father and master had taught him to make strong political connections first, then seek women.


    Seigfriedughed loudly at Aldric''s loss for words, and even the young knights with him were holding back. They all loved and adored Aldric like a little brother.


    "Haha,d, you need to rx more often. Remember what I''ve taught you: Never lose sight of your heart. It''s your core as a nobleman, not a mere tool."


    "I remember, and I am thankful for your teachings. However, I want to get stronger first; I cannot protect my loved ones or my people in my current state!"


    Siegfried walked ahead, waving goodbye to the boy he regarded as his son. "What a wonderful boy... I should help him move to the city in the future. He should serve a higher purpose with his talent..."


    Siegfried and his three knights returned to the military camp outside the inner sanctum of the citadel.


    Meanwhile, Aldric watched his master leave with aplex face. Turning to his knights, they made a strange hand signal and then headed in a direction unbing of a future duke—toward the slums, where many ruffians and dark guilds settled.


    Aldric''s destination was far from the inner capital: a broken-down mansion deep in the forest.


    It had a beautiful yet slightly worn-down garden and was rundownpared to the central capital. When he opened the door, a powerful dark magic aura pushed down on his body...


    Therge room was dusty and poorly kept.


    There was only a desk filled with notes, research papers, and many burnt books. At first, Aldric thought a few children were messing around in this old manor house and the man he sought to meet left again to cause havoc, but suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder.


    A huge hand, with white bones protruding from the fingertips... "Oh, it''s Aldric, wee back."


    "Prince Valos..." Aldric''s eyes filled with respect and terror when he looked at the hooded figure. The dark magic came from the walking demon wearing ck and brown clothing.


    Valos transformed into a monster. The more humans he devoured, the more distorted he became. Half of his body was pure white with runes and strange markings, and the other was ck with sharp ws and bones protruding from his flesh.


    He was also the true culprit of the northern attacks and the poisoning of the waterway that they punished Aldric''s father for.


    It seemed the mes of war, could not be doused by the council this time...