Much earlier, in the Mist Kingdom Main Palace.
When will Rhys come back? It's already late.
She peeked through her window for the one hundredth time that day. From here she had a good view of the starlight gate. With Rhys ambassador status, this should be the gate he uses. Even if he used the back one, she already sent her familiar to keep an eye out.
He still hasn't returned. But she received word from her apprentice knights earlier on. A full report on an incident that happened earlier the day.
'Thankfully Puppilliam was with me. She stopped me from leaving the palace.'
That man, how dare he? His family already should him leniency by kicking him out only now. The incident happened two years ago.
Those poor girls, 'I dismissed them from their duties for the next few days. But knowing them after resting today they will certainly be back at work tomorrow.'
Sir Rai, those girls are far more noble than you are.
Hearing the details of the report made her concerned for Rhys. Is he okay? It doesn't seem like he got hurt. But, he must have heard that
Lyn paused and screamed in her mind. Ahhh, what is she doing sitting here waiting for him like some kind of young maiden in love?
'I must have gone crazy.' Yes, that must be it.
Why can't she stop thinking about him?
His behaviour, why is he being so kind? No, he has always been kind but he is strangely gentle now. When they first met again during her journey to find Kazuya, he didn't behave like that. What could have changed?
A trigger, there must have been a trigger somewhere.
He was still behaving like the same old Rhys during the three days they spent together.
'You slept with Kazuya.'
Could it be? Is that the reason why his behaviour suddenly changed? No, no, not even Rhys would - Lyn paused. 'I can't say so for sure.' Unlije the past she isn't confident that she knows Rhys as well as she did. No, did she ever truly know him?
Her thoughts break off seeing the sky colour change from a deep blue to orange in seconds. The sky in the east was burning, Lyn closed her eyes. She could see see not only the fire but small creatures marching up a slope.
She immediately identified them, goblins now?
'Master just told me that Jen can't do anything. Master is never wrong.'
Then the one who sent these must be Luke.
'Even now, you chose a path that will only make you suffer. Even though you could live a completely different life.'
Due to her frequent visits to the Snow Kingdom, she became well acquainted with Jen's knights. The knight called Luke in particular. He was an unusual man.
It seems like she has no choice, if Luke is the one who sent those goblins then she personally has to put a stop to it.
________
Village in the Eastern territory of the Mist Kingdom
Although she managed to persuade most of the people to evacuate, there were still some stubborn people like the village chief who remained. When she was flying in the air earlier she got a clear view of the village burning. The invaders must have gone through the caves in the forest to reach here. Up until recently those caves were being occupied by the Snow Kingdom soldiers, so it's clearly obvious who orchestrated this attack.
Her gaze fell on the stubborn chief. Currently she still wore her cape, but from her clothing alone she looked like a knight from the royal palace. If she removes this cloak it would be easy to issue a standard order but it would bring danger to herself again.
Lyn took a deep breath and bit her lip. She already promised Kazuya that she wouldn't do anything stupid when she returned. This will diminish his efforts. But, if she doesn't do anything these people will end up killed.
"Sayuri."
Lyn immediately called the name of her dragon and they hear a large growl from above.
"T-that dragon is---"
The remaining villagers immediately bowed. "Queen Lyn."
Lyn still had her cloak on but she knew the dragon's presence was enough to confirm her identity. After all this was the same 'dragon' that her sister brainwashed. Thanks to Rhys efforts the dragon returned to normal. Considering the legend of this dragon, Lyn decided to take it on as her familiar.
'No, the more I visited it, I knew she was a good child.'
Rhys must have understood this too, otherwise it would have been easier to kill her.
"Leave and head south." Lyn repeated her words again and this time with more authority. The remaining villagers immediately followed her words and one of them dragged the stubborn village chief.
She took a deep breath and turned to the sight before her. The goblins were marching up the slope clad in armor and wielding large bats. Lyn immediately identified their armor. Those clothes look like they belong to a colder region. Certainly from here she spotted some of the goblins sweating and tugging on their heavy winter armor.
These goblins behave more like humans too.
'I see, so this is what Jen was hiding from me.'
Lyn sighed deeply. It seems like she truly didn't know anything about her friend. The moments they spent laughing alongside one another, were they complete lies? At first when she saw the soldiers in the border, she thought there was a mistake. This entire time she wore her emotions in her sleeve and continued to maintain the calm composure required of a leader.
But the reality is hearing that Jen betrayed her, broke her more than she thought. The betrayal of a friend she trusted and fought alongside hurt. Seeing these goblins, hearing Ayah's accounts, hearing Rhys explanation- she knew there was no turning back now.
There is no turning back from this cruel fate. She has tried everything she could think of. She delayed the war for a long time and even when she raised the war flags, she didn't directly engage in combat with the Snow Kingdom people. But now that they have found a way to infiltrate the Kingdom, it will only get worse from now on.
As the Queen, she has a duty to uphold, even if it means going to war with her dearest friend.
*Unedited*