Miguel was in his office, sitting at his desk and discussing strategies with Ruidahr. The construction of the wall was progressing well, but there were always more details to resolve. The conversation was serious, but it was interrupted by an urgent knock on the door.

“Come in,” said Miguel, looking up from the papers.

A soldier entered, visibly agitated. “Sir, we have an emergency at the main gate.”

Miguel exchanged a worried look with Ruidahr and immediately called for Ricardo. The three of them left the office and headed to the main gate with quick and determined steps.

Arriving at the wall, Miguel hurried up the stairs, feeling the adrenaline coursing through his veins. At the top, he found John, the captain of the guard, waiting for him with a grave expression.

“What’s happening, John?” Miguel asked, trying to stay calm.

“We have some duchy soldiers at the gate, sir. And one of them insists on speaking with you,” John replied, pointing to the riders ahead.

Miguel looked in the direction John indicated and felt a chill run down his spine. The duchy’s riders stood there, their armor shining in the sunlight. But it was the figure in the center that made his blood freeze. He immediately recognized the woman in simple yet imposing armor. His sister, Amelia.

The sight of her brought a mix of conflicting emotions: fear, anger, and a hint of sadness. He hadn’t seen Amelia in a long time, and the last time they met, the circumstances weren’t friendly.

Miguel took a deep breath, trying to process his sister’s unexpected presence. He knew her arrival was not a good sign, and his heart pounded as he prepared to find out the reason for her visit.

---

Amelia waited impatiently, observing the barony’s soldiers lined up at the top of the wall. She noted that the structure was in an advanced stage of construction. “How did he manage this so quickly?” she thought. It had been less than three months since Miguel was sent to this place, a barony on the brink of collapse. The last time she was there, five years ago, the wall was made of wood, barely standing.

She looked at the wall again and frowned. The material didn’t seem like stone. It was something different, but she couldn’t identify what exactly. The texture and color were strange, something she hadn’t seen in other constructions. “What could this be?” she questioned herself.

Her eyes moved to the soldiers again. They were alert, watching her movements, ready for any sign of threat. Amelia noticed three large ballistae aimed in her direction. She had seen hand ballistae before, used in battles and defenses, but never something of this magnitude. “What kind of weapon is this?” she asked herself, intrigued. The presence of these giant ballistae added a layer of mystery and concern. Miguel wasn’t just surviving; he was fortifying the place.

Finally, she saw Miguel appear at the top of the wall, hurrying up the stairs. He looked down, his eyes meeting hers. The shock and fear on his face were evident, an expression Amelia immediately recognized. She had expected a reaction, but the intensity of his gaze surprised her.

Amelia kept her face impassive, hiding any emotion that might betray her position. “Miguel,” she murmured to herself, a mix of disdain and curiosity in her voice. She was there for a reason, and nothing in her brother’s frightened look would change that. She waited for him to take the initiative, already anticipating the conversation that would follow. The tension in the air was palpable, and she knew the real confrontation was just beginning.

---

Miguel was sweating cold with the presence of his sister, Amelia. A sense of anxiety took over his body, making his hands tremble slightly. He mentally wondered if this reaction was due to the original Miguel or if he himself was afraid of this woman. Amelia always had an intimidating presence, and now, here, in front of him, she seemed even more terrifying. As he began to lose himself in his thoughts, he felt Ricardo’s hand on his shoulder.

“Is everything alright, my lord?” Ricardo asked, his firm voice bringing Miguel back to sanity.

Miguel took a deep breath and looked at his sister. At that moment, he heard her call him by his name, her voice laden with disdain and provocation.

"I see you're doing well, little brother," said Amelia, laughing mockingly. "But this doesn't seem like a place for a civilized conversation."

Miguel clenched his fists and asked directly, "What do you want, Amelia?"

She laughed again, her eyes gleaming with malice. "I think it’s better if we discuss this in a more private place, don’t you?"

Miguel thought for a moment and, despite his reluctance, agreed. "Alright. Let's talk in my office."

Ricardo immediately disagreed. "This isn’t a good idea, my lord. She might be planning something."

Miguel looked at Ricardo and tried to reassure him. "She won’t harm anyone, Ricardo."

Amelia turned to her soldiers and ordered, "Wait outside the wall. I'll go in alone." The huge gates opened, revealing the complexity of their construction. Amelia couldn’t help but be impressed by the ingenuity and robustness of the gates, not knowing exactly how they worked.

When the gates closed behind her, Amelia looked around and was surprised to see Ricardo beside Miguel. But what really caught her attention was the presence of a beast-man, with the appearance of a lion and an imposing stature.

"So the rumors are true..." she thought when she saw the lion-man.

Miguel approached Amelia, but Ricardo was the first to speak. "If you do anything to harm Miguel, I will end your life myself," he threatened, his tone cold and serious.

Amelia laughed and patted Ricardo on the shoulder. "Always so dramatic, Ricardo," she said disdainfully.

Miguel interrupted the growing tension. "Let's go to the mansion. We'll discuss this in my office."

With that, they began to walk toward the mansion, the atmosphere heavy with tension and expectation. Amelia continued to observe everything around her, her mind working quickly to understand what exactly her brother was doing there. Ricardo and Ruidahr followed closely, ready to intervene at any sign of danger.

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On the way to the mansion, Amelia meticulously observed every detail of the city. The buildings were the same as years ago, many still falling apart and showing a lack of maintenance and resources. However, something unexpected caught her attention: the presence of beast-man soldiers, patrolling alongside human soldiers.

More than that, she noticed that some beast-men were working on various tasks around the city, making repairs to buildings, transporting materials, and even helping with the construction of the wall. The sight was surprising and starkly contrasted with her expectations.

"This doesn’t make sense," Amelia thought. "If they were slaves, they wouldn’t be armed or helping so willingly."

She continued to observe as they walked, her eyes registering every interaction between humans and beast-men. The expressions of the workers didn’t show signs of fear or submission, but rather of cooperation and even mutual respect. The beast-man soldiers patrolled alongside the human soldiers, indicating a level of trust and camaraderie she would never have imagined seeing.

Amelia couldn’t hide her surprise and confusion. "What exactly are you doing here, Miguel?" she thought, her curiosity and suspicion growing with each step.

Finally, they arrived at the mansion. Miguel led Amelia to his office, where she hoped to finally get answers to the many questions bubbling in her mind.

---

In the office, Miguel took a deep breath and gestured for Ricardo and Ruidahr to wait outside. Ricardo, though reluctant, obeyed Miguel’s orders, but not without giving Amelia an intimidating look first. Ruidahr also left, leaving Miguel and his sister alone.

"Please, sit down," said Miguel, indicating a chair in front of his desk. Amelia kept her malicious smile as she sat, her eyes fixed on him as if studying his every move.

Miguel walked to a sideboard where glasses and a bottle of wine were. He picked them up, trying to appear calm while pouring the drinks. The truth was his heart was racing, and he could feel cold sweat in his palms. When he offered one of the glasses to Amelia, he noticed his hands were trembling slightly. She accepted the wine, keeping her eyes on him, a glint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

He sat on the other side of the desk, trying to look relaxed. "So, Amelia, what do you want?" he asked, finally, trying to keep his voice steady.

Amelia took a sip of her wine, her smile remaining. "You were always the weakest of all of us, Miguel. I never imagined you could do something as grand as that wall you're building out there. I'm impressed," she said, with a note of sarcasm in her voice.

Miguel leaned back in his chair, trying not to let his irritation show. "I didn’t ask you to come here to praise or insult my achievements, Amelia. Just say what you want."

She smiled enigmatically and replied, "Actually, I don’t have anything specific in mind. But I came to warn you. The king and our brothers are not happy with your... adventure with the beast-men."

Miguel took a deep breath before responding. "And since when do you all care about what I do? If it weren't for the beast-men, we would all have starved to death in this barony."

Amelia laughed, a cold and sarcastic sound. "You were always weak and cowardly. But why have you now decided to defy the king and make some kind of alliance with these monsters?"

Miguel looked at her with determination. "They are not monsters, Amelia. They are as sentient as you and I."

She narrowed her eyes. "Brother, come back with me to the duchy’s capital. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you and we'll leave this matter for others to resolve."

Miguel shook his head. "Why now? My place is here."

"Stop being stubborn," she retorted, impatient. "You know what will happen when people find out that a member of the duke’s family has allied with these beasts..."

"If it weren’t for these 'beasts', the mercenaries hired by Aurelio would have killed everyone here. Including me," Miguel replied.

Amelia paused, then murmured, "I will deal with Aurelio. He won’t dare harm you if I am protecting you."

Miguel took a deep breath. "I appreciate that, truly. But I don’t trust you, nor any of our brothers. If I remember correctly, you agreed to exile me to this place."

Before Amelia could respond, Miguel continued. "I am officially declaring today the independence of this barony from the kingdom and the duchy. We are now an independent realm. The duchy has always neglected this region, and now I will govern it with or without their help."

Amelia laughed incredulously. "You’re insane. There’s no way to manage this place alone and with these beast-men around."

"We'll see," Miguel replied firmly.

She stood up, still laughing. "If you continue with this charade, I won’t be able to protect you. Aurelio won’t be the only problem. The king... do you think he will allow this fantasy of independence?"

"I won’t back down. This place is now independent and no one will change that," Miguel affirmed.

She looked at him with a mix of disdain and admiration. "For a bastard, you’re quite brave." Amelia left the office.

Miguel felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest as she closed the door. He looked at his trembling hands and tried to compose himself. Ricardo and Ruidahr entered the room, concerned.

"Are you really going to declare the independence of this barony?" Ricardo asked, curious.

Ruidahr added, "That’s quite impressive. I didn’t expect that."

Miguel nodded, still breathing heavily. "I’ve been planning this for a few weeks. I will announce it to the people and ask them to vote on whether they want independence."

He stood up and walked to the window, watching Amelia head toward the gate. His thoughts were on the future he was creating for the barony of Drakmoor, an independent future free from the duchy and the kingdom’s chains.