While the Herssian kingdom's capital descended into chaos following the mass murder in the Royal Palace, a similar atmosphere of panic and anger gripped every corner of the Farheim continent.
Controlled mainly by three great empires—Herssian, Jacinto, and Ramantha—the Farheim continent witnessed an unusual period of peace and cooperation among these culturally diverse kingdoms, despite their geographical proximity. The reason behind this prolonged harmony was undeniably a shared adversary: Demons.
Considered inhuman entities and the greatest enemies of humanity, demons had committed heinous atrocities five hundred years ago, leaving a lasting impact on the continent. The imperative to eradicate all demons became a fundamental lesson in every home and school.
While the current conflict between the allied forces of Farheim and the Dark continent had lasted only four years, the wars against demons had persisted for five centuries, resulting in millions of lives lost and an unimaginable drain on economic resources, leading to the decline of the continent's major kingdoms.
The Great Demon War, uniting the three great kingdoms of Farheim as allies and aided by three summoned heroes, presented the best chance to end this enduring conflict. The Herssian Hero, Franz Alexander, after impressive victories in the last four years, was entrusted with leading the final assault on the Demon capital.
However, the optimism of imminent victory was shattered when all communication with the Alliance army was abruptly severed. Initial thoughts attributed it to issues with remote communication magic, but as days passed without a response, impatience and doubts grew.
Intelligence reports confirmed the annihilation of the Alliance army, and shockingly, a scandalous mass murder occurred in Herssian's capital. The top nobles and all members of the Royal Family, except the third princess, were reported dead. Adding to the chaos, the Jacinto Royal Family was accused of being the perpetrators.
"THOSE F*CKING IDIOTS FROM THE HERSSIAN KINGDOM!!! HOW DARE THEY!!!!" exclaimed a man with a bushy brown beard—the King of the Jacinto Kingdom.
"My dear, please stay calm. This isn't how a King should behave in a sensitive situation like this," replied the Queen.
The King, still fuming, acknowledged the unexpected situation and contemplated the possible coup orchestrated by the Herssian army and Franz Alexander.
As a brief silence settled in the royal throne room, the Queen inquired, "Franz Alexander's betrayal is certainly a big variable... Dear, have you had contact with THEM already?"
"No dear... I've also been waiting for some information... Either way, even if I wanted to do something on my own, a large number of our elites were lost in the last battle… So until we reorganize our forces... We're out of options until THEY contact us again," expressed the King, anxiety visible on his face.
"Do you think they're aware of the whole situation? Oh, dear... Of course, they are. Even if Franz Alexander led this whole boycott for personal reasons. Even if he's the strongest warrior in the continent... In front of THEM, who are behind every shadow. He's just a big fish in a small bowl."
***
In the capital of Herssian, the fragile control maintained by the army officers in the absence of the Royal Family faced challenges. The discussion around Princess Elizabeth's coronation as the new Queen of Herssian echoed through the royal palace.
Amidst the chaos, I, having just completed a multitude of paperwork, entered the guest room where I found Iris and Hally, the sisters I had recently encountered.
"Iris and Hally, I hope you two will forgive my absence and don't find your presence here unpleasant."
"Not at all, Mr. Franz. We understand how busy everyone in the Royal Palace is right now. Though sorry for asking, when do you think we'll be free to leave here?" inquired Iris.
"Soon you two will be able to leave," I assured.
"Is it still dangerous in the capital?"
"Actually, we have already secured the main areas in the capital, so you could say it's pretty safe now."
"Huh? So why can't we just go now?"
"Oh, it's because you still haven't explained anything to me about the incredibly suspicious kidnapping circumstances you two were in," I said with a smile.
"We already told you that we don't know anything about the circumstances. We were just shopping and found ourselves in that situation," Iris said with an innocent face.
'Right, so a conventional bandit group with an Archmage leader was going to kidnap the two of you by coincidence!'
"If you tell me that, I guess I just have to believe you," I chuckled.
"By the way, Iris. Where do you and your sister live?"
"Isn't it inappropriate to ask a girl you just met for her address?" blushed Iris.
"It's just for a brief information check. Nothing you need to worry about."
"Well, our home is a small border town called Herstein. My sister and I came to the city because I got a job offer as a restaurant manager," Iris replied calmly.
"Hmm, everything seems to be in order. What you tell me corresponds to the information gathered," I replied without fading my smile.
As soon as I arrived at the Royal Palace, I ordered an exhaustive investigation into the two girls named Iris and Hally. While the investigation should have taken considerable time, considering the limited information available, the verification of the sisters' identity came unexpectedly quickly.
Instead of reassuring me, this expedited process triggered a danger alarm in my head. It seemed too convenient. Did someone interfere in the investigation to cover for the girls? For what reason, though?
Lost in thought, Iris interrupted, "Do you still mistrust us, Mr. Franz?"
"What? How could I be wary of someone who has a solid record and even saved my life? Of course, I trust you," I reassured her.
'Of course, I don't trust you,' I pondered, suspecting that everything she had told me so far might be a lie. Even the name Iris seemed suspiciously fake. Did she think I hadn't noticed how she hesitated before revealing her name or her reactions when someone called her Iris in the Royal Palace?
As Iris responded with a smile, I couldn't help but feel the urge to confront her about the lingering doubts. During the fight with the kidnappers, I noticed their gazes...
"If everything is clear, Hally and I will be going home now, Mr. Franz."
"Thank you for everything, and I hope we can see each other soon in the capital," Iris said smiling.
Their gazes pointed only to Hally.