"Absolutely outrageous!!"
King V of Wester slammed his fist down on the table, his face turning livid. The courtiers standing before him fell deathly silent.
"On the front lines, no less! How dare someone commit such high treason—this is nothing short of a slap in the face!"
The assembled nobles said nothing in response to the king's furious tirade. In truth, word of the incident had reached the Mobius family the very next day. Upon learning that their entire contingent had been annihilated, the clan's patriarch—a man nearly a hundred years old—had flown into a rage, storming into the palace and demanding the king give him justice on the spot. His argument was straightforward enough: *For generations, my family has served the kingdom with unwavering loyalty, never harboring a shred of selfish intent. We answered the royal call without hesitation, dispatching our finest troops to defend Crimson Fortress against the foreign invaders. Yet before the enemy even crossed our borders, our men were slaughtered by our own countrymen! Your Majesty, I implore you to get to the bottom of this and restore my family's honor.*
Naturally, King V dared not dismiss the patriarch's demands lightly—not to mention he was seething with anger himself. After all, it had been his idea to assemble the noble coalition in the first place. He'd hoped the nobles would prove their mettle, allowing him to bask in the glory of a wise and decisive ruler. Instead, the coalition had imploded from within—and not over some trivial squabble, either. According to intelligence reports, the Mobius clan and its vassal houses had lost over a thousand men in the attack, their camp reduced to a smoldering ruin, not a single trace of their forces left behind. Worst of all, the assault hadn't come from the Sith Empire—it had been launched by someone within the noble coalition. It was a humiliation that cut King V to the quick.
"Now that you all understand the gravity of the situation," the king roared, "tell me—how do we deal with these audacious criminals?!"
Deal with them?
The courtiers exchanged startled glances. They had all gathered intelligence from various sources, and their findings had been corroborated repeatedly: the perpetrators were knights. *Dragon knights*, no less—over a dozen of them!
Deal with dragon knights?
At the king's words, the nobles couldn't help but wonder if they were hearing things. How? Even if the Mobius clan had been massacred, no one had managed to identify the attackers, let alone gather any concrete evidence against them. There was no point in relying on the noble coalition stationed at the fortress—when envoys had been sent to investigate, those nobles had hemmed and hawed, claiming ignorance of the entire affair. It was obvious they were too afraid of incurring the dragon knights' wrath and suffering the same fate as the Mobius family. Of course, in truth, they really hadn't seen much of anything. When that inexplicable, terrifying dragon's might had descended upon them, the Mobius clan wasn't the only one left paralyzed with fear—the other noble houses had fared little better. None of them had been in any state to note who was riding those dragons. While some clues had surfaced after the fact that pointed to a certain young lord as the mastermind, those were just speculations, nothing more. There was no hard evidence to back them up.
But to the Mobius family, evidence was irrelevant. For decades, they had supplied the kingdom with countless mages; their influence was not to be underestimated. Even without proof, a suspect would be more than enough for them to pass judgment.
Yet the courtiers found themselves caught in an impossible dilemma.
Reports from every available channel confirmed that the attackers possessed knight-level strength—there was no denying that. After all, only knights were capable of taming and riding dragons. Not even the Mage's Guild could boast such power, despite their Gryphon Guard, an elite unit of magically-bred war beasts. Gryphons were formidable, yes—but they were still no match for dragons, creatures of far higher pedigree and power.
This should have been welcome news. Granted, there was a vast gap between ordinary knights and Gifted Knights, but none of the courtiers were knights themselves. They couldn't fathom the difference in strength, so to them, the more powerful warriors on their side, the better their chances of holding the line against the Sith Empire. If the young lord really commanded over a dozen dragon knights, they might actually stand a chance of repelling the Sith invasion. After all, the Sith Empire only had four Gifted Knights in their ranks, and intelligence indicated they had no other knights to speak of. They did have a far larger number of high-level swordsmen than other nations, but in the nobles' eyes, even a hundred high-level swordsmen couldn't compare to a single knight.
But now, they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The attack had openly challenged the kingdom's political authority, and the Mobius clan was no trivial house to brush off—they were one of the most influential noble families in the realm. If the king failed to give them a satisfactory explanation, unrest would surely erupt within the kingdom!
The question was: what constituted a satisfactory explanation? Arresting and executing the murderers? Putting aside the sheer waste of eliminating such top-tier warriors, did the kingdom even have anyone capable of defeating a dozen dragon knights?
For a long moment, the courtiers remained trapped in their quandary. They couldn't make a decision to save their lives. On one side stood a faction with overwhelming military power; on the other, a faction with immense political clout. And the two factions were now locked in a deadly feud. While intelligence suggested that the young lord lacked the Mobius clan's extensive network of allies and resources, he commanded over a dozen dragon knights—a force that every noble house in the kingdom would kill to possess in their quest to expand their power and influence.
Moreover, the young lord had shown no mercy whatsoever, annihilating the entire Mobius camp without a trace. This was no ordinary noble squabble. Such ruthless brutality could only mean that the two sides harbored a deep, bitter hatred for each other. The courtiers knew the Mobius clan well. They had made countless enemies over the years, but their knack for currying favor with the royal family and reading the political winds had kept them out of serious trouble. Still, there was no shortage of people who hated the Mobius clan with a passion. If this was a private vendetta, the nobles were even less inclined to get involved.
"Well?!" King V glowered at his silent courtiers, his anger mounting. "Not a single one of you has anything to say?!"
"A mere provincial lord dares to act with such blatant insolence!" he thundered. "Does he take us for a nation of cowards?!"
If only you knew, Your Majesty—we *are* a nation of cowards compared to those dragon knights…
The nobles shook their heads inwardly, sighing. They were no fools; they had reached their positions through shrewd judgment and years of political experience. Regardless of the circumstances, the young lord had chosen to deploy his forces at Crimson Fortress instead of attacking the kingdom's own troops. That proved he was at least on their side. Besides, the situation was far more dire than the kingdom cared to admit. While Wester put on a brave face for its people, the nobles knew the truth: their military strength was roughly on par with that of Oult, a neighboring kingdom that had been decimated by the Sith Empire like cutting melons and vegetables. If Oult had fallen so easily, Wester would fare no better. All the training and armament upgrades in the world would do little to change that grim reality. Having such a powerful ally join their cause should have been a cause for celebration.
But the Mobius clan was not to be trifled with, and their court mages would be invaluable in the upcoming battle. True, the court mages swore allegiance to the royal family, not the Mobius clan—but they owed their positions and training to the Mobius clan's patronage. They still felt a deep sense of loyalty and gratitude toward the clan. If this incident was mishandled, the court mages might grow disillusioned, and internal strife could erupt within their ranks.
If King V had shown even a hint of hesitation or willingness to compromise, the nobles might have mustered the courage to offer suggestions and work together to find a solution. But it was clear that the king was consumed by his resentment toward the young lord in Crimson Fortress, so much so that he wanted him dead. Under such circumstances, the nobles dared not speak up—any misstep could easily land them in hot water.
"Duke Barron! You speak!"
Frustrated by his courtiers' silence, King V was forced to single someone out. He had never imagined so many of them would oppose his wishes.
"I have no wise counsel to offer, Your Majesty," Duke Barron replied smoothly, cleverly deflecting the king's demand. "After all, I am not General Celt, nor did I witness the incident firsthand."
"I believe General Celt is the one most qualified to speak on this matter, Your Majesty."
King V's scowl deepened. In truth, he had already contacted Celt shortly after receiving word of the massacre. He had assumed that as the fortress commander, Celt would have taken decisive action to address the situation and satisfy the royal family. But to his shock and fury, Celt had refused to take sides, citing that the attack was "a private dispute between noble houses" that "did not interfere with the fortress's defensive operations." The king had been so enraged he'd nearly bitten his tongue. Still, he did not doubt Celt's loyalty to the crown—but his dislike for the young lord had only grown stronger because of it.
"None of you have any opinions?"
King V's gaze swept over the courtiers, but no one dared to meet his eyes. With a frustrated snort, he waved a hand dismissively.
"Very well! You are all dismissed!!"
"As you command, Your Majesty."
The nobles bowed in unison, practically scrambling to escape the throne room as if granted a reprieve from execution. Only Duke Barron, General Ashe, and one other person remained: Grand Mage Laribo, the head of the court mages. As the door closed behind the last courtier, Barron and Ashe turned to Laribo with curious expressions. Throughout the entire meeting, the elderly mage had kept his eyes closed, seemingly dozing off, as if the fate of the kingdom and the Mobius clan's massacre were of no concern to him. And yet, he should have been the one most invested in the matter! Barron and Ashe had little connection to the Mobius clan, but the court mages were under Laribo's direct command. Shouldn't he have at least voiced an opinion?
"Now, we can finally discuss the real matter at hand," King V said, forcing himself to calm down. From the nobles' reactions, it was clear that few supported his desire to punish the young lord. As a ruler, it was necessary to adapt his tactics and tone from time to time.
"Regardless of what happens, this incident has dealt a severe blow to our prestige. Must we resign ourselves to letting it go unresolved?"
"The young lord's power is indeed formidable, Your Majesty," Duke Barron said, his tone much more direct now that the other nobles were gone.
"Frankly, we are in no position to move against him at this time—we need him to defend Crimson Fortress. It's as simple as that. No matter what we do, we will be unable to inflict any meaningful damage on him or his forces. First, we lack the strength to do so. Second, we simply do not have the energy to spare with the Sith Empire breathing down our necks."
"I concur, Your Majesty," General Ashe nodded, agreeing with Barron's assessment.
"But we *must* give the Mobius clan a satisfactory explanation!" King V insisted, his eyes locking onto Laribo, who still stood with his eyes closed.
"Grand Mage Laribo—what say you?"
"My opinion?"
At long last, the elderly mage opened his eyes, his expression calm and unreadable.
"Your Majesty, you will not like what I have to say. It would be best if I remained silent."
"Speak your mind," King V ordered, his patience wearing thin. "We need the counsel of the head of our court mages."
"…Very well. But I warn you, this is not the course of action you wish to take. However, I will say this: compared to that young lord, the Mobius clan is utterly insignificant."
The king and the two nobles stared at Laribo in stunned disbelief. They had suspected the grand mage might favor the young lord, but they had never imagined he would discard the Mobius clan so casually and completely!
"But—this is preposterous!" Duke Barron sputtered.
"The court mages swear allegiance to the royal family, not the Mobius clan," Laribo stated flatly. "While this incident will undoubtedly cause some trouble, it is a small price to pay compared to the far more catastrophic consequences that would follow if we moved against the young lord."
"Far more catastrophic consequences?"
The three men exchanged skeptical glances. Could there really be any consequence worse than alienating one of the kingdom's most powerful noble families? But Laribo clearly had no intention of elaborating further. He clamped his mouth shut, returning to his earlier state of impassive silence. The three men let the matter drop, turning their attention to discussing their next move.
"Nevertheless, we must send a clear message to that young lord," King V declared, pounding his fist on the table once more. "This is the Kingdom of Wester, ruled by the royal family! As subjects of this realm, no matter how powerful they may be, they *must* serve the kingdom!"
"I have a plan to ensure we seize the initiative!"
The other two men looked at the king in surprise, wondering what scheme he had cooked up. A confident smile spread across King V's face.
"While that young lord commands formidable power, he still needs a base of operations to call his own! We all know his territory is the Twilight Forest. So… I will dispatch envoys to oversee his domain and impose restrictions on his activities!"
"Oversee his domain?"
Duke Barron and General Ashe exchanged shocked looks.
"Your Majesty—this is a risky move. If you do this, then…"
"It's perfectly safe. I've thought it through thoroughly," King V waved their concerns away, his confidence unshakable.
"Since the Mobius clan has already accused him of the massacre, we have every right to send investigators to his territory to look into the matter. Hmph! Dragon knights, so what? Just because his personal retinue consists of knights doesn't mean every person in his domain is a knight! Let us not forget—this is *Wester's* land! We have the authority to govern our own territories and subjects!"
"But Your Majesty—"
"I believe this plan is feasible," General Ashe cut Duke Barron off, nodding slowly, a dark glint in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, I have already conducted a thorough investigation. The Twilight Forest is currently a hollow shell of a domain. There is no official steward managing its affairs—only the former mayor of Twilight Town, who is holding the fort on a temporary basis. Twilight Castle has been closed to the public ever since the young lord departed for the fortress and has essentially ceased all administrative functions in the region. Furthermore, the Byrd family—his liege lords—have shown no inclination to send anyone to manage the territory in his absence. I believe this is the perfect opportunity to act."
"But Your Majesty, if you proceed with this plan, the young lord will undoubtedly get wind of it. He might even threaten to withdraw his forces from the fortress's defense if we push him too far. What then?" Duke Barron pressed, clearly unconvinced by the king's risky gambit.
"No need to worry about that," King V replied, a cunning smile playing on his lips. He had already anticipated this possibility.
"I will not issue the order until the battle against the Sith Empire has begun in earnest. After all, once the fighting starts in earnest, he will be trapped at the fortress, with no way to escape even if he wants to!"
"…"
Duke Barron opened his mouth to object, but no words came out. He had a bad feeling about this plan, but the king was dead set on it. He knew his words would fall on deaf ears. In the end, he simply clamped his mouth shut, resigning himself to the inevitable.
"Then it's settled!"
With no further objections raised, King V's mood improved considerably as he finalized his decision. Seeing that the meeting was adjourned, the two men and the grand mage bowed respectfully before taking their leave.
"Grand Mage Laribo."
Once they stepped out into the spacious palace corridor, Duke Barron hurried to catch up with the elderly mage, a look of concern on his face.
"May I ask—what do you truly think of the king's plan?"
"I do not approve of it," Laribo repeated, his tone grave.
"It will bring disaster upon the kingdom."
"Are you not being overly dramatic, Grand Mage Laribo?" General Ashe scoffed, clearly dismissing the mage's warning.
"No matter how powerful he is, he is just one man with a handful of knights. How can he possibly stand against the entire Kingdom of Wester? Talk of disaster is nothing short of hyperbole."
"As I said—this is merely my opinion."
With that, a bitter smile tugged at the corners of Laribo's aged lips. He nodded politely at the two men before turning and walking away, his shoulders hunched with the weight of his worries. Barron watched his retreating figure, letting out a heavy sigh. Ashe merely snorted in disdain.
"What do you make of this, Duke Barron?" Ashe sneered. "I can't help but feel our grand mage is far too partial to that young lord he's never even met."
"I don't know," Barron replied, staring after Laribo's fading form, his mind filled with confusion. That old mage had shouldered the burden of protecting the kingdom for so many years! But now… what was he thinking? Why was he so convinced that the king's plan would lead to disaster?
"I truly don't know."
With that, Barron let out another long, weary sigh, shaking his head in despair.
"Perhaps I'm just getting old and can't keep up with the times… Frankly, I find that young lord's background to be deeply suspicious. How could someone hide such immense power for so long? Not even the Sith Empire could pull off a feat like that."
"I agree that there is more to this than meets the eye," General Ashe nodded, a cold glint in his eyes.
"But rest assured—I will get to the bottom of it."
"You intend to go to the Twilight Forest yourself?" Barron asked in surprise.
"What about our intelligence operations against the Sith Empire?"
"I won't be going personally," Ashe replied with a cruel smile.
"But I will send my most trusted agents to investigate the region. No matter what secrets that godforsaken forest is hiding, I will dig them up. And when I do… that young lord will no longer have anything to smile about."