I watched as Blanche navigated the formality with the ease of someone accustomed to high society, though the underlying tension in her voice didn’t escape me. I couldn’t help but wonder if she, too, found this whole charade as tiring as I did. A part of me, the part that spent time with her when she was vulnerable wanted to believe that but another part, the one who listened to all things Silverfox did to beastkin didn’t agree.

Meanwhile, Albus remained quiet, his eyes darting between Gökbörü and me, suspicion lingering in his gaze. It was clear he wasn’t thrilled about the situation, likely wary of the sudden attention our interaction had drawn. He looked like he was in his early twenties so he was most likely inexperienced yet he had somewhat of an arrogant look on his face, even more so than Blanche when I first her.

The Queen seemed to find the situation amusing, a glint of mischief in her eyes as she glanced between Blanche and me. “It seems your companion has taken quite a liking to Lady Blanche.”

I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. “He has a habit of doing that, Your Majesty. You yourself experienced that.”

The Queen let out a soft chuckle, clearly remembering her own encounter with Gökbörü's overwhelming affection. "Ah, yes. It seems he has a talent for making quite the impression."

She leaned towards him, touching his ears.

“So, Gökbörü. Which one of us do you prefer?”

Gökbörü looked between the Queen and Blanche, his ears twitching as if contemplating the decision. His tail wagged furiously, but instead of choosing one, he nuzzled both of them in turn. The Queen laughed, the sound genuine and light, while Blanche managed a faint smile, though her eyes revealed a flicker of discomfort. Albus, on the other hand, looked even more perplexed, as if he couldn't understand why such a creature had been showered with attention by the Queen.

"Ever the diplomat," I muttered, shaking my head in amusement as Gökbörü basked in the attention.

The Queen straightened up, her regal demeanor returning, though the playful gleam in her eyes remained. "It seems Gökbörü is the true master of diplomacy here," she remarked, turning to me. "Perhaps we should let him handle the negotiations tonight."

I chuckled, though the reminder of what lay ahead—the real reason behind this gathering—sobered me slightly. "He might just do a better job than me."

Blanche narrowed her eyes.

“You were pretty cunning when we fought together.”

I met Blanche's gaze, her narrowed eyes holding a challenge. The tension between us had always been a delicate balance, a mixture of respect, mistrust, and something neither of us had ever truly acknowledged. She probably felt like I lied to her since I was the Champion of Aliera but she couldn’t say anything as I knew her secret and currently held a higher rank than her.

"Maybe," I replied, keeping my tone casual, though I could feel the weight of her words. "But all of us have their own secrets and half-truths, aren’t we?”

Blanche raised an eyebrow as if considering my words. "I suppose we all do.”

Albus inspected both of us with an annoyed expression on his face, clearly frustrated with being out of the loop.

“Did our expedition manage to help?”

I asked. It was a way to assert my dominance by letting her not forget that I knew the “sickness” plaguing the Silverfox family due to gaining power from a monster.

Blanche’s expression tightened for a brief moment, but her composure returned just as swiftly. She was good at masking her emotions, a trait likely honed by years of navigating court politics. Yet the flicker of vulnerability beneath her confident façade wasn’t lost on me.

"The situation is... improving," she replied, her voice measured. "Though I wish you told me what that liquid was. We could have an easy time replicating its effects.”

Hah. She knew that it was blood. I could see it from her tone. But no. I will not let my partner be experimented with and used as a blood bank for a greedy slaver family. No matter what empathy I held for Blanche, it wasn’t enough for that.

I met her gaze, my jaw tightening just slightly. "Some things are better left unspoken, Blanche. For everyone's sake."

I emphasized her name to make sure she understood that we weren’t in the same relationship as in the past. Blanche’s eyes flashed with a brief spark of resentment, but she quickly suppressed it, her mask of calm slipping back into place. She wasn’t a fool, and neither was I. The tension between us wasn’t just about the past but the future as well. What we had shared—those moments of vulnerability—was a fleeting respite in a world where trust was as fragile as glass.

Albus, meanwhile, seemed on the verge of exploding with frustration. His arrogant demeanor couldn’t hide the fact that he was clueless about what had happened between us. Before I could say anything further, Queen’s hand wrapped around my waist.

“Ah, politics and power. Such delicate games we play,” she mused, her voice as smooth as velvet. “But let’s not forget we are all allies here, united against the greater threat.”

She said loud enough to make everyone hear what she said. Everyone turned their heads towards us. The Queen smiled, satisfied with getting everyone’s attention.

“I am sure you heard the prophecy flying around. Some of you may consider it a hoax even. But it is true. A real darkness is coming upon us.”

The room fell silent at the Queen's words, a heavy tension settling over the gathered nobles. Even those who had been quietly chatting or trading subtle glances of disdain now focused entirely on her. There was something about the gravity in her tone, an unshakable conviction that demanded attention.

The Queen’s gaze swept over the assembly, her eyes lingering on each face as if daring anyone to challenge her statement. “We are on the brink of war,” she continued. “Not between kingdoms, nor over political rivalries, but against something far older, far darker.”

Blanche, remained still, her eyes narrowing once more, this time in contemplation. It was clear she had heard whispers of this before, but perhaps not with such certainty.

I let my gaze wander across the room. Many of the courtiers wore expressions of shock or disbelief, but a few—those with sharp eyes and even sharper minds—looked more prepared. They knew, just as I did, that the Queen wasn’t one to entertain rumors or falsehoods. If she spoke of a looming darkness, it was real.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Yet, I knew that even when the threat was visible, people still would think for their own benefit. And one person thinking his own benefit and own benefit only came forward. A figure emerged from the crowd, stepping forward with an air of pompous arrogance that immediately soured the atmosphere. He was tall, taller than the Queen. He was also wide with muscles bulging out of his every limb. He wore the hide of a massive canine beast over his shoulders.

“King Agamemnon. It is a pleasure to see you among us.”

He smiled, yet I felt like calling it flashing his teeth was more appropriate.

“The pleasure is all mine, darling. Yet it is not pleasant to see what you focus on.”

Agamemnon began, his deep voice reverberating through the room. Queen shot a sharp look at him, making me think that they had a history and not a good one.

"The world is filled with many dangers, Your Majesty," Agamemnon continued, his tone mocking and filled with condescendence. "But if we were to listen to every prophecy about the end we wouldn’t go a day without fear.” He sneered, making a sweeping gesture to the assembled nobles.

A murmur of agreement rippled through a few of the nobles, but others remained silent, their gazes fixed on the Queen, waiting to see how she would respond.

But I couldn’t just sit back and let her do all the work. I stepped forward.

“What if that prophecy came from a Star, Your Majesty? What if I told you I was ordered by Aliera, Goddess of War herself to fight against Demon King Moloch?”

The room fell silent once again, the weight of my words crashing down on the assembly like a tidal wave. Eyes widened, and whispers began to spread, punctuated by the occasional gasp of disbelief. Even King Agamemnon, for all his bravado, was momentarily taken aback, his sneer faltering as he processed my claim. The Queen's hand around my waist tightened ever so slightly, a silent acknowledgment of the boldness of my declaration.

Agamemnon recovered quickly, of course. His eyes narrowed at me, suspicion etched across his face. “Aliera, Goddess of War, you say?”

He chuckled a little.

“I wondered what this Champion of Aliera looked like. I must say, I did not expect you to be so… Young.”

He let the words spin around his mouth a little. An obvious attempt to piss me off.

“I get that a lot. Youth does have its own advantages, does it not? Potantial, energy and...” I slicked my hair back while staring at his balding cap.

“Hair.”

Two can play that game, bitch. I felt Queen's hand tighten once again and I saw a sliver of a smile on her face.

Agamemnon’s face turned a shade darker as the insult sank in, and I could see the fury boiling beneath his stoic expression. His wide frame stiffened, and his nostrils flared slightly. It was the kind of reaction that someone who wasn’t used to being ridiculed would have, especially in front of an audience.

Before he could retaliate, however, the Queen cut in, her tone smooth and commanding. "Gentlemen, this is neither the time nor the place for personal squabbles. We have far more pressing matters at hand, wouldn’t you agree, King Agamemnon?"

Her words dripped with authority, and even the imposing King had to swallow his pride in response. He straightened up, his eyes locking onto mine for a brief, tense moment before he turned back to the Queen.

“Of course. Of course. I was merely jesting. A light joke to lighten the mood. You know me, I like to mess with those who I love. And whether I believe the prophecies or not how can I not like the very Champion chosen by the patron Goddess of Quipax? I even brought gifts.”

King Agamemnon clapped his hands, and several attendants rushed forward, each carrying intricately wrapped items. The nobles craned their necks, eager to see what the imposing king had brought to this tense gathering. Agamemnon's lips curved into a smirk as his eyes flicked to me, clearly relishing the attention.

"I thought it only fitting," Agamemnon began, "to offer tokens of goodwill, in honor of the coming... struggle." His words carried a heavy implication, the mocking undertone of his earlier statement still lingering. "After all, it would be unwise not to lend aid when our very world is at stake."

The attendants unwrapped one of the gifts and I saw that it was a greatbow. For a second I saw a flash of anger redden Queen’s face.

“Champion. Can you hear me?”

A voice rang in my head. I noticed that it was Aurora communicating mentally.

“Yes.”

I answered without moving my mouth.

“It is an insult. Gargareans see fighting with bows as cowardly. He is trying to mock you.”

I touched my chin and nodded lightly. If I rejected the gift outright, I'd be playing into Agamemnon's hands, allowing him to claim a moral victory, as if I couldn't handle the "pressure" of a simple gesture. If I accepted it, I'd be seen as a coward.

I glanced at the Queen, who shot me a sideways look, her eyes warning me to tread carefully. Then I looked back at Agamemnon, who had that smug, insufferable grin plastered across his face, no doubt already savoring the idea of how this exchange would end.

Very well then.

I took a deep breath, stepping forward from the Queen’s grasp. I walked over to the attendants and reached for the great bow. For a moment, the room was so silent that I could hear the rustle of the attendants’ clothing as they shifted uneasily. Agamemnon's smile widened, probably thinking he’d won.

“That’s a fine bow. May I give it a go?”

I asked.

“Of course. Of course. It is yours after all.”

He answered without thinking. I smiled and took a proper stance, taking aim at his chest even though I had no arrows.

“Haha! Be careful, Champion! You might shoot me-“

His laughter died out as I activated Monstrous Strength and used mana to reinforce my arms and back, causing the bow to creak under the strain of my strength. I pulled with slightly more strength all while keeping my face as still as possible. With a sharp crack, the bow snapped in two, the sound echoing throughout the chamber like a thunderclap. The room erupted into gasps and murmurs, nobles exchanging shocked glances as the broken weapon fell to the floor. I kept my expression neutral, not looking at Agamemnon directly, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. His face had gone pale, the smile completely wiped away. I clicked my tongue.

“Shame. It was a good bow. It could have been used to teach a boy how to hunt.”