While the butler next to him was standing restlessly with an anxious face, Terry read the newspaper in his hands calmly. It was the newspaper that he tried to suppress the spread of, but had failed because of communication issues in the Imperial Guards caused by the protests. The latest issue of the newspaper was basically a declaration of war to the Empire and thus, the Emperor Terry.
"Very well. I tried to spread the influence of nobles down the generations and give the young ones more power and this is how they thank me? Fools. Even though I am walking straight down the path to true freedom from this zoo."
"Wh-What shall we do against them, Your Highness?"
"It doesn't matter. Even if their peasant soldiers defeat my army, even if the Empire falls because of them, I will always have the strongest weapon on this planet."
"What is it, Your Highness, if it's not too much for me to ask?", asked the butler while swiping the sweat from his forehead.
"It is just a gift left for me from my ancestors. You are not allowed to ask anything more about it."
"I understand."
The butler didn't have a good feeling about this. The Emperor has been talking about some zoo for the past many months more and more and the butler was sure he was losing his mind. Something had changed about the Emperor a while ago and this 'zoo' was brought up by him. After that, the Emperor got stronger and somehow gained magical talent that was extraordinary.
But, it was all downhill from then on. The Emperor's mental health got worse and worse. The relationship between him and the Empress Consort had gotten worse because of his constant sleep talking about getting freedom from some kind of show.
The butler didn't know how to approach this situation. The Emperor was sane enough to keep running the Empire but nowadays there was always the shadow of a further goal visible behind every step he took. A goal that seemed too grand to be dealt with when things were unstable in the Empire.
A cold wind blew inside Terry's tent, making his light brown hair cover his golden-green hazel eyes. The butler felt the strong gaze from those eyes and got out of his thoughts. Terry ordered.
"Gather the generals and the army. I will make a speech and then I will plan what we will do with the generals here."
The butler nodded and got out of the tent. After a few minutes, he came back and Terry got up.
"Everything is ready, Your Highness."
"Good."
Terry got out and walked away from the tent a few steps. As he walked further, the ground under him lifted and created a hill. He gestured to a soldier with lighter armor than the others with two arrows on his shoulders. It was a vector mage. The soldier quickly got next to the Emperor and saluted by touching his left palm to his right shoulder while keeping his fingers apart.
The Emperor spoke. The mage next to him was using his magic to make his voice reach all of the army.
"In a few days, traitors will rebel and invade our cities! While I was working every day for the sake of the Empire, a few rich and spoiled merchants and artisans are attempting to overthrow me!"
Small whispers started to be heard from the army. The mage made his magic stronger, causing everyone to be startled for a second when Terry opened his mouth again.
"However! Their poor souls are tricked! Yes! They are tricked by those that have put all of us here! I, Terry Altus, have been aware of a group of people outside of our world! They are immensely strong! They placed us in this world for mere entertainment! They treat this world as a zoo, and us as the animals! Even though we need to be united to fight against them, our enemies are not easy to deal with! They are strong enough to shape the mountains and the rivers as they please! They are insidious enough to sow discord among ourselves! And, they are cruel enough to create monsters!"
The confused murmurs among the soldiers returned, this time even more stronger.
"Yes! You heard me right! They are the ones who create the monsters that keep attacking our villages at night! But, don't worry! Even if the enemy is strong enough to shape the land-"
Terry raised his hand. As he did so, a spring formed at the edge of the hill he was standing on. Crystal clear and refreshingly cold water started to flow down in a river from the hill. The soldiers stood still in expectance.
"-I have the power to combat them! So, drink from this river I have created and refresh yourselves, my men! Then, get ready to start our fight against the ones who treat us like a theater and crush their sneaky and cowardly revolution!"
The soldiers roared together and rushed to take a sip from the river that was just created in front of them. The river was just a river and nothing more since Terry's powers only allowed him to create something natural. But the soldiers drank the water as if it was some holy drink that gave power to the one who drank it.
While the soldiers were busy with drinking water and getting ready to march, the generals silently walked up the hill and into the tent where they would plan for the near future.
*****
In the office of the Emperor in the Altarce Palace, a pair of light azure eyes were staring towards the sinking sun from the open window with a worried expression. The eyes had slight bags under them from a lack of sleep. The owner of the eyes was playing with a flock of her hair that was dyed black in contrast to her white hair.
With her white hair, white skin and white dress, it wouldn't be weird for someone who saw her to think they saw a fairy or a ghost. Her face looked like it came out of a tale, it's delicate features would make anyone want to protect her and destroy whatever that was giving her the sleepless nights that caused the bags under her eyes.
Even though she looked frail, she was a healthy person except a disorder that made her skin white like chalk. She was told by doctors that she was lucky to be healthy. Apparently, her disorder usually caused many other problems along with it.
But, she had other issues. Her name was Azure Altus of Pevo, given to her because of her eyes. She was the Empress Consort of the Altus Empire. And the thing that gave her sleepless nights was none other than her husband Terry himself.
The past few months were surely the worst months of her life. She had to watch her husband's mental health deteriorate over time. The mentalists she had called all said there was nothing wrong with him other than some stress that made him talk while sleeping, since it had no effect on his duty as the Emperor. But she knew there was a problem other than a strong belief in something.
How could she not see the state of the man she loved so much. He was almost everything to her. Since she didn't get out because of her skin and reserved personality, she didn't have much close friends. Because of her disorder, Terry had also wanted to delay having a child before they were sure her body could handle it, even though she was willing to risk however the risk was.
So, she was feeling suffocated in these stressful times. Even though she was an adult now, she hadn't done most stuff she promised herself to do once she became one.
She was exceptional at desk work, and she already completed all the work she had to do in place of the Emperor. All she felt like doing these days was waiting for her beloved to return and try to fix whatever was breaking him down mentally.
While she was watching the sunset, wondering if she was looking towards her husband, a black shape entered the room with a gust of wind from the window.
"Huh?"