The attack on the royal palace has been averted. The imperial enemy forces had their number diminished to the point that they could no longer hope to win, along with it the news of the two princes’ death. Only a few, less than a dozen imperial knights, have been left alive, either they surrendered, or captured. What their exact fate will be was still being deliberated.

Wisteria has suffered severe losses too, however. It was unfortunate it had to happen, but they died as heroes.

When the king of Wisteria returned to his home around late morning, he fell in utter and indescribable shock upon hearing what happened. And to his great relief, his family was alright. He was pretty angry though, so… What’s important was that everyone in his family, we, was safe.

Still, it was troubling him so greatly that what happened here today would be the catalyst for the start of the war. It won’t be long before the Empire learns of what happened.

The most mysterious thing about the assault, though, was the death of the two princes. None of the Wisterian knights took credit. When they investigated, they couldn’t determine who, but only how they were killed. Both were killed by a blade, but the eldest prince had a more messed up body, holes all over it. Yeah… Well, he deserved it.

And he was using healing magic! Motherfucker still lived despite getting a cut to the throat.

Anyways, what people can only assume is that the holes were caused by some sort of piercing weapon. And who killed them? No one can say for sure. Could be some Wisterian knights, but only died before they could tell the tale of their heroic deed.

No need to tell anyone what I did, hehe. I’m so humble, what can I say?

Oh yeah, once I was done with cleaning the house, I returned to the family that time, and they were still fighting. For the explanation of my sudden disappearance? I just said that the enemy snatched me, but eventually I got away once the enemy was distracted and got the opportunity. Hiding here and there to be safe until I could come back. There were questions about how they didn’t kill me immediately, but I just said I don’t know and I heard someone mention they have special plans for me. Hearing that, no one else probed into my matter ‘cause that could mean darker things.

There was a lot of damage that needed to be fixed. Families of the allied dead to be notified. Servants that were traumatized. And everyone was still busy dealing with the aftermath. Father even began considering further improving the defense and security of the palace.

A couple of days later, when everything had settled down, it was time for a meeting. Particularly with Uncle Meril, Father, Eleden, and I. As usual, we were in my father’s office.

“Curious, those two hostile princes won’t just drop dead.” He drank his sweet drink.

He’s quite in a hilarious state — hilarious for me. He looked so tired, eyebags and all, and he appeared to be a bit thinner. One might pity him, but he’ll be fine!

“Indeed,” answered Father. “Whoever they were, can’t say I’m not thankful. Still, we would have perhaps gotten more options if at least we have them as prisoners.”

Uncle Meril sighed. “Yes. I wonder who could have done such a thing. Skillful as they are, considering they got through to the opposition.”

For some reason, Uncle glanced at me as he said that. I frowned inside, but kept a straight face outside.

“And the way to the throne room,” said Eleden. “It was hard to clean up all…” He covered his mouth. “All the mess.”

“He or she doesn't seem pretty merciful.” Uncle shrugged as he took a sip of his drink, and he wore a pleased smile.

Yeah, it must be nice to drink something so nice, huh?

“Well, we have no other options for now but to keep quiet.” Father placed a hand on his brow.

“Father,” I said. “There will be no point if we have the two imperial princes. Tornridge will attack either way. I don’t think their emperor would care about the two.”

“But they’re his sons.”

“Considering that they sent them here for that, where they could just use any other diplomat, I say he doesn’t care if they live or die.”

“Is that so…?” The idea seemed pretty alien to him.

I lowered my head. “I suppose not all families care about their children.”

“I see…”

I raised my gaze towards Uncle. “In any case, how’s your side, Uncle?”

“Can’t you tell?” He frowned. “It’s terrible. Rushing things… not great. But we’re making progress at least.”

“Good.”

“How long before we announce what happened?”

I leaned back in my chair. “I would have preferred to keep it hidden as long as we could, but… We have to announce first before the Empire. Whosoever speaks first shall become the truth.”

“But our words are the truth, sister.”

“Estelia is right,” said Father. “If Tornridge gets to speak first, theirs will have a greater impact. And they could twist it to favor themselves. Like for instance, say we killed their royals in our palace as they slept.”

Eleden mildly nodded. “I can imagine them doing that. So announce it to our allies?”

“Yes.”

"We will also need to send a letter to the Empire," Uncle Meril added.

“So we declare it’s an act of war?” asked Eleden.

Stolen story; please report.

Father sighed. “There’s no other way to take it.”

“Just say it’s an act of war,” I chimed in. “But add that Wisteria is willing to turn a blind eye to the incident and hold back a declaration of war, and suggest a dialogue for peace. Wisteria’s utmost wish and priority is peace.”

“What? There’s no way they would do that, right? Dialogue for peace, again?” Eleden winced.

“Of course not. But we will come across as genuine and cast a good light towards us.”

If by some miracle the Empire goes for real peace this time, then good ending! But yeah right, as if that would happen. So let’s just go the ‘Wisteria are the good guys’ route. I just don’t want the Empire a chance to twist what happened.

Eleden nodded, while Uncle and Father looked at each other.

“Also,” I smiled. “Notify not only the government of our allies. Spread the word, spread the truth to the masses, to the common people, that the Tornridge Empire tried to kill us.”

“That’s additional work, daughter. I don’t think that’s worth it at the moment. The word will spread eventually.”

“I don’t want it eventually, I want it as soon as possible. Let stories be told and shared. All over the continent, from here, to the seas in the south, and everywhere else.”

Wisteria shall be the good that faced against the evil that is the Tornridge Empire.

Everyone loves a good versus evil story.

“Why?”

“Perception. It’s important. And the people must, in their perception, see us as good. And the stories we share shall become as hard as stone. It will be history. One that the Empire cannot play and twist around.”

Fuck them. Even I would change the truth if I were on their side. So, just have to counter it.

“Spread the truth of what happened.”

Tornridge is the piece of shit, and Wisteria is the victim.

Yeah, sounds good. We’ll win the hearts of people, and our truth shall be known. Even if the Empire tries to bury it in the future.

“Okay. So, when should we start?” Father looked at everyone.

“Today.”

“Estelia,” called Uncle. “Aren’t you forgetting the part we’re still preparing?”

“History is also important, Uncle. Besides, the Empire will still need to prepare their forces. And they will still need to go through the borders. I think we have a few months of leeway.”

And they wouldn’t be able to reach the capital anytime soon. Don’t have to worry too much.

“Hm, I suppose.”

“Alright, then it’s decided?” Father looked at everyone, and everyone nodded.

***

Three weeks later after the failed attack on the Wisterian palace.

It was late in the night, and the full light of the moon gleamed in one forest nearby the Wisterian capital city. A forest much more free of monsters, where animals freely prance around, and insects sounded loudly.

However, in the middle, where once a dense patch of trees stood, was a clearing. Trees, bushes, and all plants were cleared out, quite easily, in fact. The clearing was so wide that it could have been easily noticed by any man who comes by. It could be surmised that a monster ran rampant here, but it wasn’t the case at all.

The one behind it all was walking around the clearing. His left hand held a pouch, and the other scooped a handful of faintly glowing blue dust from the inside. He gradually poured the blue dust to the ground as he kept moving.

Observing the man from the edge of the clearing were two men, and behind them were a dozen more.

“Hey, you think this will work?” asked a full armored knight, one of the elites, Orven. In his hand was a lance, and on his back was a sword.

When they heard of their two princes’ demise, they quickly reported it to the Empire through a puppet bird. And some time later, they received new instructions. It was to meet with this man named Alruwin.

“Of course it would be no use doubting now,” answered Delray, leader of spy operations in Wisteria. He had a sword hanging on his waist.

“Well, I never knew this kind of magic spell. It’s hard to believe such an overpowered and handy spell has been existing all this time.”

“Mm.”

Once they meet, they would follow Alruwin’s instructions. And they were given a specific day and time to use a special spell, apparently. It required a special ingredient, a strange blue dust. Judging from how it looked, it was magical in origin.

“Magic of this scale, heh, really is something.”

“Makes me wonder who that guy really is.” Delray closely observed the cloaked man.

Alruwin was drawing something with the dust, a wide circle. It had some weird patterns, magic normally wasn’t cast with a magical circle, so this was a bizarre spell for the two men.

“Where do we even get that kind of dust?” Orven asked.

“Don’t know. But I know Myra has some special glowing stones. Maybe they’re similar to that? Just ground to dust? But they’re not only blue, though.”

“So it’s not the same then. We gonna ask him or not? It could be useful for the Empire.”

“Well, he works for the Empire, so there’s no point interrogating him about that. Especially not now.”

“Just saying…”

“But, it would be nice to get a sample.”

Alruwin stopped when he had connected the last line of the circle. He stepped back near Orven and Delray. But nothing was happening.

“What’s next?” asked Delray.

“We wait for the other side to finish their circle.”

“I see… How exactly does this work? If the spell were so simple, we could have been capable of this a long time ago.”

Alruwin glanced at them from the corner of his eyes. “It’s annoying to talk to you measly humans.”

With a confused frown, Orven and Delray looked at each other.

Alruwin then continued. “But I will grant you a bit of knowledge to ease your pathetic ignorance.”

“What the hell…?” Orven quietly muttered.

“The world is filled with magic within. And within, mana constantly flows through the countless channels called Leylines. It is said to keep the world together. Like the veins of the world. And with this dust, you can tap into the Leylines and use it to go from one point to another.”

Delray nodded. “So what’s this dust?”

“There is no point in learning about it. It is incredibly rare in your lands.”

“... Rare doesn’t mean we can’t find it.”

All of a sudden, the circle made of dust began to glow brighter.

“The link is established. We are ready.”

Alruwin approached the circle and lowered his hood, both Orven and Delray’s eyes widened to see a pair of long pointy ears.

“He’s really not human,” Delray quietly said.

“What the hell?”

After a few minutes, there was a blinding bright light as the entire magic circle shone in a blue hue. Everyone around could feel the shifting and swirling of mana. As everyone covered their eyes, silhouettes momentarily appeared on the circle.

And a second later, the light vanished instantly, like it was nothing. The dust gradually lost its glow and its color. Everyone let out gasps of awe as a large group of people had appeared on top of the circle. No, a large group would be putting it lightly.

Bundled up together that appeared from the circle were soldiers of the Empire, all ready for war. They numbered five hundred. Four hundred were elites, the rest were normal knights, but they were not to be underestimated, either. With them were contraptions of war with wheels. Catapults and ballistas, eight on each.

A knight in full plate armor stepped forward and approached Alruwin.

“You must be one of the contractors that the Emperor’s adviser told me about.”

“... Yes.”

“That’s one hell of a spell.” He glanced at Alruwin’s ears. “I am Commander Ladron Galla Karner, and I will lead the assault. Thank you for your help. I hope the Empire is paying you generously for this.”

“Hm. Let’s just start.”

“Of course.” He turned to his army. “Men! Tonight we assault the Wisterian capital city of Serene! Burn and destroy. Kill the Wisterian monarchs!”

And they began their march to the nearby Wisterian capital city. They easily cut through the forest or any obstacle in their path. It didn’t take long before they reached the outskirts of Serene, a bit distant from its gates. The imperial knights lined up in front, while their contraptions positioned at a vantage point.

A lone long eared man carried a magnificent bow and positioned himself in front. He nocked an arrow he grabbed from his quiver, he aimed his bow at the gates and slowly drew back the string. Light slowly brightened at the tip of his arrow, and was growing in intensity.

Once everything was ready, the commander at the head of the army raised his sword. “Attack!”

The arrow was let loose. Their weapons of war hurled flaming projectiles that illuminated the night sky as they soared towards the city.

And the capital city of Wisteria started to burn.