In Algard, the storm was just beginning. The waves were finally crashing into the beaches and everyone felt the tremors. From the lowest of peasants to the greatest of nobles, everyone felt trepidation! The Grand Nobility Households were especially shaken. To think that Princess Elizabeth could be attacked under everyone's watch… No one could believe it. But the Royal Family's anger could not be faked. It was genuine and frightening! Thousands of soldiers began dispersing throughout Algard and Corasen under Prince Dannark and General Illion's command. The Grand Nobility Households also received their command! The cities were turned upside down!
In the Ovarr Household, an older gentleman was the patriarch of the family. He was quite old, so he normally used a cane to walk around. He stayed in Algard for the most part to help administrate his family. Thankfully, his position in the Alzar Kingdom suited his difficulties. He was one of the few Crown Advisors! As a Crown Advisor, his political weight was near the top. He could advise the Royal Assembly and offer suggestions to the Royal Family directly. While a Crown Advisor had no tangible authority, their sphere of influence was huge! Even among the Grand Nobility Households, he had an immense status.
As such, he was normally calm and collected. He assessed everything with a critical eye and lacked any bias. Everything was slow and methodical. Even if the mountains collapsed and the seas evaporated, it seemed like nothing could faze him anymore. He was as unshakable as the heavens itself! However, right now that masquerade was thrown to the wayside like trash! He was running to his carriage without giving a damn about his old age. If not for his iconic robe that depicted the symbol of the Crown Advisors, then no one would recognize him. They would think he was some mad old man who barged into the manor! His son, Lord Fredrick, was stupefied. This was also the first time he saw his father acting like this.
"Slow down, father. What is going on?" Lord Fredrick might be the next rising star of his generation, but he was only that. A rising star. His father was the one who possessed real political weight and countless connections. Fredrick was nothing more than a child by comparison, even if his future looked bright! Of course, his information network lagged behind his father.
"Just follow me to the castle. We're going to meet with Her Majesty!" the man shouted.
Once the carriage started moving, Fredrick still had a dozen questions, but he calmed down and began thinking. After a short realization, he frowned and asked, "What happened to Her Highness, Princess Elizabeth?"
His father's face grew serious. "I'm not too sure about the details, but right now, Queen Bethnal has summoned the Grand Nobility Households to Castle Reinhard. With how everything played out, the kingdom is out for blood. We must make our stance clear that we will continue to support the Royal Family! Otherwise, the Ovarr Household will be made an example of…"
Lord Fredrick gulped as sweat rolled down his forehead. The situation was worse than he thought. If the Royal Family mobilized three brigades, then the implications were massive! Indeed, now was not the time to stand out. The tallest tree would face the strongest wind… and the Royal Family was looking for their target! A few hours ago, Lord Fredrick hosted that Grand Nobility's party which publicly challenged Princess Elizabeth. Along with Lady Kalasena and Lord Archibon, they could be considered the main villains of tonight. Everyone saw it clearly how they butted heads with Elizabeth. If something happened to Elizabeth, then they would be suspect number one!
This is more serious than I thought! Fredrick smiled wryly.
The same was happening in the Dewshard Household. A beautiful woman was the matriarch of the family. She was the very definition of a cold and refined beauty. Her features were nearly perfect in every way with her snow-touched skin and long silky white hair. If her daughter, Lady Kalasena, was already seen as one of the most beautiful maidens in her generation, then how did her mother stand? The Dewshard matriarch was the undisputed most beautiful in the Grand Nobility! She stood above everyone else like a true ice queen. However, the woman's brows were currently crinkled.
She looked to her daughter and said, "Come with me. The Royal Family has summoned us!"
And in the Lannisail Household… Lord Archibon was panicking. He heard about how the Royal Family summoned three brigades into Algard. That was fifteen thousand soldiers in total! It was a monstrous force that could crush everyone to pieces! Although his information was a bit lacking, such that he knew nothing about Elizabeth's current disappearance from Castle Reinhard, he knew full well that she was ambushed on her way back by the Second Hand. That information was enough to shatter his composed personality. Just like Lord Fredrick, he realized how dire things were. It painted a big red target on him and his family!
Therefore, he hoped to explain things thoroughly with his father to the Royal Family that his open provocation toward Princess Elizabeth a few hours prior was nothing more than a friendly competition. He meant no harm and never considered taking it further! The quicker they explained this, the better. If they delayed any longer, then the Royal Family would really act against them! However, his father, Lord Wenmord, had supposedly locked himself in his study and prevented anyone from disturbing him. His butler and several guards kept Archibon away. This made Archibon furious.
"What do you mean my father is busy? This is important!" he roared. "Let me speak with him!"
"Young lord, the lord has forbidden anyone, including you."
"Nonsense, I know my father! This is something that affects the entire family!"
"Young lord-" the butler began.
Before he could finish, Archibon forced his way through. The guards would never raise a hand against the young lord, so it was easy. The butler was shoved aside as Archibon pushed the doors open. He looked around to find his father but soon he became stunned. His father was nowhere to be found!
"Where… Where is my father?" he asked.
In truth, Lord Wenmord's involvement with the Whispering Shadow was known to few in the family. After all, this was a world-renown criminal organization that dabbled in all sorts of unsavory and illegal businesses. The Alzar Kingdom might not actively seek them out, but that did not mean that the kingdom would tolerate its existence publicly. They had their own reputation to uphold! They would never allow such a criminal organization to exist underneath their noses.
Adding onto that, Lord Wenmord was no small figure as well. He was the Second Shadow, the second most powerful person in the Whispering Shadow! Rather than saying he was a part of the organization, he practically owned it! If the Alzar Kingdom knew of this… One could say that the kingdom's response would be comparable to now! They would send out a massive force to purge the Lannisail Household! Grand Nobility Household or not, the kingdom would not hold back at all. Therefore, Lord Wenmord decided to keep his involvement a secret to everyone, including his own son. There were probably less than ten people that knew this, and one of them was his personal butler.
"Young lord," the butler turned stern. No longer did he put on a fawning expression, but a cold one. "The lord is away for business so he cannot attend to the current matters."
"How could he be gone? He was here a few hours ago."
"I cannot disclose the details of his affairs to anyone, including you, young lord."
"This…" he became a little lost for words.
Despite that, he never grew suspicious at all. To him, his father was one of the greatest men alive. His every action had a profound meaning. If his father left at this time, then there must be a reason for it. It did not have to be related to Elizabeth! Of course, before Minister Linshi's abrupt visit, then Lord Wenmord would behave exactly as Archibon thought. But after… Who knew? The man he called father was no more! Thus, in this case, Archibon steeled himself and went to Castle Reinhard alone. He never would have thought that this storm was focused over the Lannisail Household!
Across Algard, the twenty-five Grand Nobility Households were doing the same. The Royal Family issued an emergency summons and all families had to attend! This showed how dire the situation was. Unless it was of paramount importance that affected the entire realm, it was exceedingly rare for the Royal Family to issue a summons. They were nervous and terrified! The mere presence of fifteen thousand troops was no joke. It imposed an enormous pressure on them. In front of true power, all their titles, wealth, and influence seemed fragile. That was the reality of this cruel world!