"You’re good... I’ll admit that." Leon’s lips curved into a faint smile as his eyes lingered on Klause.
Klause hesitated, his shoulders stiff. "So... will you let us stay here?"
Leon tilted his head, suspicion flashing in his gaze. "Is that all you want?"
Yuna stepped forward before Klause could answer. Her expression was calm but her voice carried weight. "We need supplies to cook, clothes to wear, and other necessities if we’re to live here, Sir."
Leon’s expression didn’t waver. "I’ll accept your terms. You can stay—thirty days. But if, in that time, you can’t prove your worth to me, I’ll throw you out myself. Is that acceptable, or would you rather leave now ?" Latest content publıshed on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖•𝗇𝗲𝘁
Rio stepped forward with a small bow. His smile was firm, resolute. "We accept, Sir. If we fail to prove our worth within five days, I’ll lead my friends out of your dungeon without troubling you further. You have my word."
"Good." Leon’s tone was calm, decisive. "I’ll take my leave now. Later, someone will come to note down your needs. For now... Elis, tell Fruela to bring them some food.
The food comes straight from forest and it’s made by dark Elfs downstairs... So, if you have some kind of grudge against Elfs, you have to stay hungry tonight." Leon replied with a neutral expression.
"W-We don’t hold grudges... Sir." Klause replied with a hesitated expression.
"Elis... Go and tell Fruela."
"I will see to it at once, Master." Elis bowed deeply and immediately disappeared.
Klause clasped his fists, his voice filled with determination. "We won’t disappoint you, Sir."
Leon’s smile sharpened as he looked at him. "Heh..." Without another word, Leon also vanished.
Royal Palace — King Adwin’s Chamber.
The candlelight flickered softly against the chamber’s stone walls. A man in his forties sat on the bed, his long silver hair slipping through his fingers as he twirled a strand absently. In his other hand rested a wooden box, unassuming yet strange.
"How the hell am I supposed to open this? Why would he send a message in such a thing?" Adwin turned the box over and over, searching for a seam or keyhole.
After a moment, his sharp eyes caught a small wooden switch protruding just slightly. He pressed it immediately and...
The gears inside whirred. The box unfolded, revealing a small crystal ball.
Adwin slowly took it out and fed a stream of stable mana into it.
A hologram burst into existence—faint light painting the room. A young man appeared, silver hair gleaming, a blood-red sword clutched in one hand, and the severed head of a demon dangling from the other.
"Father... I’m in the southern valleys of the demon kingdom. It isn’t looking good." His voice trembled with fatigue. "For every demon we kill, three more appear.
Their army is vast—too vast. Twelve of our royal generals have already fallen. Our platoons are shattered into pieces. If they march on the kingdom right now... it’s finished for all of us.
Father, I think it’s time. Speak to mom. This war isn’t only against humans anymore. It won’t be easy and—"
The young man’s head snapped to the side. "We’re being attacked... I have to go— Long live the king!"
The hologram flickered and vanished.
Adwin’s fingers tightened around the crystal until cracks spread across its surface.
It shattered into dust in his palm.
Adwin rose slowly and walked upto a nearby mirror, his reflection stared back at him from the mirror. Wrinkles lined his stern face, and his voice was heavy with regret. "If only I weren’t this old..."
He opened a drawer. Inside, dozens of similar crystals gleamed on a bed of red silk. He picked one up, fed it mana, and a glowing white screen shimmered above it.
He drew in a long breath, his eyes hardening. "I am Adwin, the thirteenth king of Humans. This message is for a call to arms. The meeting will be held in three days. It will be neither in the Human Kingdom nor in the Elf Kingdom. The enemy comes for all of us this time. Frey... it’s time we settled our disputes."
The glow faded as the crystal stopped recording.
Adwin sighed, moving to the window. He pushed it open, cold night air flooding in.
A shadow descended from the rooftop—a winged beast, dragon-like yet very small in size, its emerald eyes glowing in the dark.
"Draco... take this to Frey and tell her that this is not a surrender message." Adwin spoke as he raised the crystal.
"Yes, Master." The creature’s voice rumbled as it took the crystal in its beak and soared into the cold and cloudy sky with rapid speed.
The king closed the window, slipped into a robe of fine silk from the wardrobe and exited the room at once.
When he stepped into the corridor, a man dressed entirely in black was already waiting there.
"Tell me everything, Dredis." Adwin asked with a smile as he pulled out a cigar from the silk robe’s pocket and Dredis lit it up with fire magic immediately.
The man bowed, his words clipped and steady. "My king... the explosion was caused by a man who calls himself Michael Jackson, the King of the South.
He met Sir Charles at Truvale Checkpost and now hides in a dungeon at the entrance of the forest. Say the word, and we’ll march in immediately and capture him at once." Dredis spoke with a neutral expression.
"Dredis... If someone invaded your house, how will you feel ? Will you welcome them with a hot beverage or kick them out ?" Adwin asked with a smile as he took a puff out of the cigar.
"I would most likely kill them, my king." Dredis replied with a neutral expression.
"You won’t like it. That’s what I am saying... Now, send him a formal invite for the noble party tomorrow night.
I will talk to him there... This man drove a huge hole through the dark sky and revealed the suns, there aren’t many in this kingdom who can do that.
I want to establish an alliance with him not make another enemy for this kingdom. Do you understand ?" Adwin asked with a smile.
"As you say, My king. I will deliver the message immediately." Dredis replied as he bowed and disappeared.
’This winter hasn’t been kind on the kingdom.... Hope it ends soon.’ Adwin thought as he took another puff from the cigar and walked away.