"Freedom is never given."

Those bastards from the Adams family must be stopped. What the hell is the third elder doing? She promised her support, so why isn't she making her move? Those idiots from the Eclipse family always come with unreasonable demands. They asked us to pretend to be bandits to obstruct Adams family businesses. We would attack carriages carrying merchandise, take all of it, and burn the ones we couldn't carry. Secondly, we were ordered to attack vassal towns related to the Adams, and innocent people got hurt. I created this organization to help common people and be a voice for the voiceless. How did things end up like this?

Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Please forgive me. My name is Vivia Elrak from the Elrak family. I was born and raised in Elgrasia. I got married after reaching adulthood, and the goddess blessed me with a handsome boy. Although our town was agricultural-based, my husband was a soldier guarding the city gates. My baby boy grew up healthy and wanted to be a soldier just like his father. Then one day, everything changed when monsters started appearing in the mithril mine in the south. The royal family sent soldiers to subjugate the monsters; however, they failed. My husband was ordered to go to the mines to join the subjugation, and he never returned. A few years later, my son was also forced to join the battle and never returned either.

I realized that I was not the only one who was furious and had lost a loved one. I formed an organization with those who had the same goals as me. Before I knew it, the organization grew beyond my expectations. Members came from different towns, and all of us had one goal: to stop these unreasonable sacrifices. When orders from the capital came requesting "those who have reached adulthood to join the subjugation army," we refused. Disobeying a royal decree meant death; however, they couldn't kill us because we outnumbered them. Later, they sent an army 2,000 soldiers strong. We didn't have the equipment or money to maintain the fight for a long time. Our strategist came up with hit-and-run tactics. Although cowardly, we didn't have a choice but to follow and implement them. The number of casualties increased among the civilians, not us. One day, the capital sent someone to negotiate, and after reaching an agreement, the mine was sealed.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Our organization was now seen as a threat by the capital. As the leader, I had to take responsibility. I did not want anything to happen to my parents or friends; I know it's selfish after the civilians died. I was summoned to the castle, and after meeting the queen, our group had the protection of the royal family. The queen said we were interesting, and I moved to the capital where I met my new husband. Queen Elizabeth passed away due to old age, and her highness, the crown princess, inherited the throne. Sadly, she was assassinated. The Eclipse family promised to shield our organization since they had protection from the third elder. After we agreed to work with them, they started to make unreasonable requests, or should I call them demands?

One day, my husband informed me that a dark elf came to see me. Elders have dark elf messengers? After the meeting with the "messenger," I was suspicious of him. Who is this man? Is he trying to trick me? If so, then what are his motives? Shortly after he left, I contacted members from the organization who specialize in intel gathering to investigate that dark elf. Later that day, the only information I had about him was his name, as he told me himself, and that he was staying at some cheap inn. Why would someone who has the support of the elders stay at a cheap inn? We decided to watch him from afar. The following day, one of our spies entered my house in a hurry and shouted, "He was sent by the Supreme Elder!"

Who? My ears must be playing tricks on me. He continued, "I saw him enter the residence of the Supreme Elder!"

"What? I don't want to be enemies with the Supreme Elder."

"Even though the Eclipse family is backed by the third elder, we cannot afford to provoke the Supreme Elder," the spy said.

"Take the fastest horse and go to the Eclipse family. Tell them our cooperation will end today. Hurry, go, go!"

The spy ran out of the room with lightning speed. I have to take this chance. If things go well, we will be backed by the Supreme Elder, and the Eclipse family won't even have the power to look down on us.

"Finally, I have been waiting for this opportunity."