The Castro king, Carlos the Second, despite his title was far more successful than his predecessor. During the kingdom's term on the prosperous eastern territory, he, a young man in his early thirties, faced a full-scale nereid attack. Led by their king, humans weren't shaken and fought bravely. Casualties were significant, as was the damage to the coastline defenses. This conflict lasted for two years, with a few smaller attacks following, and ended with the full retreat of the nymphs. The war brought glory to Castro's name and respect from other countries. Even the Tower acknowledged the king's bravery and wisdom, with the highest praise, and rewarded him with several precious artifacts.

At the time, the neighboring kingdom of Varman lay their eyes on one of the artifacts and wanted it for themselves. This led to a territorial war, which was won by Carlos again. And that's how the king of Castro distinguished himself in the role of warlord for good and all.

The people of the Castro kingdom were proud of their king's glorious victory over the nymphs. And few border conflicts with other nations were resolved in his favor. His authority was unshakable, so there was not even a whisper of complaint when Carlos used his right to dismiss the Parliament at the kingdom’s first term in the West. “Desperate times call for desperate measures” - it was a right that the first king got from his people, and the tradition continued for countries who got the short end of the stick in the Draw. Carlos the Second used this right to rule the country as he saw fit. It would be expected that officials would voice their discontent after Castro was left at the West for a third term. But strangely enough, even if there were any demands, they were so quiet that no one noticed them.

'I guess he is still seen by many as a terrifying cold-blooded warrior. The truth is, though, I don't remember the last time I saw him training. The sword, which was rumored to use enemies’ mouths as a scabbard, is now barely leaving the obsidian sheath. The king's reputation is enough to make others wary of him, but I doubt he can lead a war now.'

On the other hand, the king, who had complete control over his subjects, had no need to wield a sword anymore. Cornelia believed this until she found crates with weapons and ammunition stolen from the armory. This could be the first sign that his power was beginning to shake. And if his grip started to weaken, it could bring changes for everyone around him.

"Your Highness seems to be in a good mood today," Kroghan called her with a softly spoken voice. They were walking down the long hallway, and until now, the princess had been so deep in thought that she hadn't even noticed the servants they had passed.

Yesterday's western wind brought dust with it, so the large windows were closed tightly. Despite the high ceilings and spacious halls, it felt stuffy inside the palace. Cornelia wanted to go outside, but the king summoned her. The sudden invitation made her feel uneasy. But on the other hand, their joint efforts with the police ended the problem with weapons.

"Indeed I am," the princess said quietly, even though the maids cleaning the floor were far from them. "We have collected all the rifles. And although the investigation is not over yet, they have been returned to the armory."

"So I heard. But is it not a bit too soon?"

His sudden cautiousness surprised the girl.

"You were the one who was worried about the whole issue becoming known to the king.

Kroghan nodded, yet still had a troubled look on his tanned face."

"Yes, but I feel uneasy about your highness having to go so far as forging the ledgers to match the new weapons added to the armory."

"The ledgers were forged in the first place. We needed to update the records so we could return the guns to their proper places."

They reached the king's study before the vice-captain could voice any other concerns regarding the weapon case. It ended unexpectedly well, even though they could not find the broker or the buyer. The princess looked quickly at her dress to make sure nothing was wrong, while the guards announced her arrival. Then the doors opened, and they stepped in.

The study felt heavy, like any other room occupied by the king. The choice of dark colors, along with heavy cigar smoke and not a single object of emotional attachment - anyone stepping a foot into this room was instantly reminded to keep conversations strictly to the point. The king sat behind a desk. Even this, from Cornelia's point of view, a practical piece of furniture was made of luxurious rosewood, to Draw a strict line between visitors and their ruler. But this time, the oppressive atmosphere was not the only thing that made the girl uneasy. In front of the king, two men were reporting.

The older one, a man in his forties, was Jack, the king's personal aide. Apart from a pair of glasses and being always neatly shaven, nothing in his appearance caught the eye. It was just an average, pale face that a passer-by would immediately forget as soon as the distance between them grew as far as a few meters. Jack was not part of the royal guard or served in the military. At first, the princess thought he was from the secret police, but she couldn't find any confirmation of this theory either. The man was not attached to any official organization, yet he had free access to the palace and even the royal chambers. She could not follow him even once, and he always appeared out of nowhere and disappeared again. Everything about him was so vague that even his name might be fake. One thing was certain - the king assigned Jack to do the shadiest tasks.

Seeing Jack with the king was not a new sight, but now he was accompanied by a young man in his twenties. She didn't notice short, jet-black hair before, because it was dark on the stairs, and he was wearing a cape. But Cornelia recognized him immediately - his slightly tanned face, well-built figure, and hazel eyes were calmly observing the visitors. The young man who blocked the way to the stairs to the last crate they were seeking. The possible broker, who had been standing behind the weapons traffic, now was looking back at her in the king's study of all the places.

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Cornelia tried to control her rising emotions. There should be a reason why he was there, in front of the king, yet without any restrictions. She looked intently, searching for any clues, but found none. Despite the warm weather, both men were wearing cloaks over some kind of olive-colored high-collared uniform. If there were any insignias, they were covered by the brown cloth.

"Do you know him?" Cornelia whispered so only the vice-captain could hear her. Kroghan took a moment to answer.

"I think I've seen him a couple of times with Jack. He's probably one of his assistants."

The pieces of the puzzle started to slowly gather. How they had left the last crate so easily with rifles, and why the ledger notes matched the actual number of weapons in the armory. Still, it was hard to believe this theory. Cornelia desperately clung to a sliver of hope that her father's dignity would not allow him to commit such a crime. Yet, she couldn't confirm her hopes from the king's face. As always, he looked calm, to the point that it seemed like he was wearing a mask. In contrast, the green eyes were brimming with emotion. The king was pleased. Cornelia felt a chill run down her spine.

"You may go," Carlos dismissed the two men with a few words. Both bowed and moved towards the entrance until they approached the princess.

"Your Highness," Jack bowed again, this time shortly. Good manners aside, the man's grey eyes showed almost no interest in her.

"Your Highness," repeated the assistant, using the same words and gestures.

Cornelia looked intently at the young man's face. There were still no signs that he was surprised to see her in the palace or her status. 'So he knew who I was even in the pub.' The princess tried to calm her anxiety, while the men greeted the vice-captain and left the room. Kroghan looked at the king but didn't receive a command to leave either.

"I heard an amusing story," Carlos interlocked his hands. Despite his words, there wasn't even a hint of a smile on the king's face. "About how my child tried to provide us with new firearms without asking for my permission. Now I'm confused. Should I praise my child as a proud father or reprimand for acting behind my back? What do you think, Cornelia?"

The princess tried to ignore the lump in her throat and replied: "I acted in Castro's best interests."

"Yes, as I expected you to do," with a cold satisfaction in his eyes, Carlos shifted his attention to Kroghan. "Vice-captain, you may leave first. After you do, go pay a visit to Gahiji. I’m sure your direct superior has a lot to say to you."

"Yes, your Majesty," Kroghan replied flatly. When he left the cabinet, Carlos took a cigar and cut the edge. For a brief moment, he was engulfed by the process as if he had completely forgotten about the princess' presence. Finally, after taking the first puff, the king looked at his daughter. Cornelia knew him too well. Despite his collected act, he clearly reveled in victory.

"Cornelia, Cornelia... You should use all this energy on things you can actually do, like choosing clothes or practicing swordsmanship in a controlled environment," Carlos said, taking another puff and sending a cloud of smoke in her direction. The princess winced at the unpleasant smell, but the king continued as if nothing had happened. "Little girls should stay away from serious business. Trying to get involved in politics or the military will only lead to trouble. Now go back to your training, as if you had any talent for it."

It took quite an effort for the princess not to slam the door. The vice-captain was waiting in the hall. He approached her and, as soon as they were out of earshot of the guards, he asked about the king's words and behaviour. He didn't know that the guy who had accompanied Jack was a broker, so his confusion was understandable. 'Did Kroghan know about this plan? No... Judging by his reaction, he didn't. He wasn't a good actor to pull it off.'

"He used me," with a heavy heart, Cornelia confessed. "He knew I would try to rectify the wrongdoing. I should have investigated thoroughly before acting. Now, I can't even retrieve the rifles from the armory and return them to their rightful owners - he made me an accomplice and he can blame all the guilt on me."

They walked in silence for a few moments, then Kroghan muttered:

"So, it was us who stole the guns, not the other way around. I see..."

The princess glanced at the man. She could imagine how shameful the master he served now looked in his eyes. Yet, instead of anger or resentment, Kroghan's dark eyes were filled with sorrow.

"I'm sorry. You were dragged into this and now have to face the captain of the royal guard. Gahiji is known to be a stern man."

"Hm... Actually, that's the least of my concerns. I'll be suspended from duty for a couple of weeks or so," the vice-captain said with a calm expression on his face, but his expression turned grim with his next sentence. "I am more worried about facing my wife with the news of the suspension."

Cornelia couldn't even look him in the eyes. Once again, she was reminded of the consequences of her rash action.

"I want to crawl into a hole somewhere."

"I'm afraid I share the same feeling, Your Highness."

As soon as she reached her room, despite the etiquette and the maid's groans, the princess lay down on the bed.

"Please leave," she uttered, burying her face in the pillow. Fortunately, no questions followed. Only the sound of the door closing could be heard.

The girl turned to the side, hugging the pillow. Her face was still burning with resentment towards her father's scheme and embarrassment at showing such a weak and immature side towards those who relied on her. All these feelings continued to boil up.

"I acted too hastily," she mumbled, holding the pillow tightly,

Then, again, Kroghan was not aware, but Herwig, as the head of the police, probably had a clue. She should have considered this possibility. She thought she was ready to stand with her head high against the king, yet she ended up failing miserably. 'I can't do anything right, after all,' her heart throbbed at this thought.

Cornelia sat up on the bed. 'No, this is exactly how he wants me to feel.' Even if she wasn't ready yet to oppose the king, it didn't mean it was time to give up.

Deep in thought, the princess spent some time in her chambers before changing and heading towards the training grounds.