[December 1st Week — Day 4 Morning — Ishikawa's Dining Room]
The next day, Accel woke up from the Guest Room that the Ishikawa Family provided him, he organized himself and headed towards the Dining Room to have breakfast, because today was the start of the preparation for the Nobles Gathering that would be held on the Ishikawa's Ballroom next week.
When Accel sat down on one of the free chairs on the table, Lady Sakura and Lady Amelia went there and sat on it. Then again, a weird tension between them happened. Accel has no idea what's going on between those two and ignores them, as for Lady Charlotte she stares and smirks at him as if she knows what's going on.
When Accel looks around, Baron Ishikawa and the other lords just smile and for Elite Squire Anthony he is just minding his own business and doesn't want to get involved with the "staring contest" (it's not). After the so-called weird feeling on breakfast, he and Elite Squire Anthony headed to the military camp where the 95th Frostfire is currently on standby.
Before starting the security plans, Accel began simple commanding for a fresh start, like morning drills and simple exercises to make his platoon active. It took several minutes and everyone was pumped up and ready to start the security plans, Accel plans to divide his platoon into different groups to make it efficient, but things can go wrong.
But, suddenly one of the Vice-Leader from the Ironshield Platoon and the Vice-Leader from the SentinelForge Battalion joined forces with the 95th Frostfire Platoon making the security better, but unexpectedly Accel were not happy with it because Lady Charlotte and Lady Amelia put him in charge with this large number of Squires and Knights.
Though it was very tough for him to handle it, he managed well because of the assigned advisors that were given to Lady Charlotte and Lady Amelia. And with that, the security, safety concerns, and assigned guards have been resolved. While that is going on rumor has now spread that a Grand Knight & Viscountess has appeared on the Rivershire for unknown reasons.
Because of the rumors spreading, low-ranking nobles like Knights and Baronets took notice of it and sent some spies. But, those spies that were sent were either killed or never returned, they were confused about who had done it. But, they receive an anonymous letter and make them stop, Accel doesn't know this including Baron Ishikawa and the other lords, except for Lady Charlotte, but nobody knows what happened...
[Timeskip — December 2nd Week — Early Evening at Ishikawa's Ballroom]
The Ishikawa estate's grand ballroom was busy as nobles from the Northern Mindala gathered for an anticipated event. The light from the chandeliers gave the room a soft, warm glow. The air was thick with mana as knights, barons, and other nobility entered, commanding attention with their presence.
Nobles mingled, exchanging pleasantries and veiled statements of intent. Accel stood quietly observing. He had spent the past week helping Baron Ishikawa prepare for this moment. Baron Ishikawa would announce the formation of the DRAKENSHIRE Alliance on stage.
Accel had orchestrated everything behind the scenes. Though he was the true leader of the alliance, he had decided it was best to hide his involvement for now. He knew that many of the nobles would question his identity, status, and suitability as a newly knighted noble with a relatively unknown background because his still a young kid who was not yet an adult.
As a precaution, Accel had arranged for Baron Ishikawa to act as the face of the alliance. Only a few people knew the truth: Baron Ishikawa, Lady Sakura, her mother, Elite Squire Anthony, and a small group of trusted squires. Even Lady Charlotte, with her sharp wit and keen sense of politics, might not have known Accel's true role in all of this. For now, the secret was safe.
Baron Ishikawa stepped up to address the crowd, and the room grew quiet. Nobles turned their attention to him, their expressions ranging from curiosity to skepticism. Accel observed from his vantage point near the edge of the ballroom, his sharp eyes scanning the room for any sign of unrest. His Frostfire Platoon including the Ironshield Platoon and SentinelForge Battalion was stationed discreetly around the perimeter, their presence a subtle but reassuring force of protection. Baron Ishikawa cleared his throat and began to speak.
Baron Ishikawa: "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed nobles of the Freedom Faction, I thank you for gathering here today. As you know, we live in a time of great change and uncertainty. The world around us is shifting, and it is in times like these that we must come together to ensure the prosperity and safety of our lands and people." [He paused, allowing his words to sink in.]
Accel made Baron Ishikawa do that talking and the welcoming part, because he didn't what to do and what to say if he was in that position.
Baron Ishikawa: "I'm excited to announce the formation of a new alliance called the DRAKENSHIRE Alliance. This alliance brings together nobles who share our goals and want to make sure our voices are heard. We're dedicated to protecting the interests of the Freedom Faction."
Almost everyone who created and introduced their alliance is usually in this kind of situation because most of the people would understand it after they mostly know about the alliance structure and information system since they learned from people or different academies.
After the announcement, the room filled with murmurs. Some nobles nodded in agreement, while others seemed surprised by the sudden formation of the alliance. Accel observed closely, staying alert for any reactions that could upset the delicate balance they had established. Their reaction is reasonable because allying is not really that rare, but their reaction is that Baron Ishikawa created the alliance
A few of the guests from the gathering are friends who supported Baron Ishikawa and his family several years ago, unknowingly they didn't know about the alliance and they had to react and think about it... Accel was pleased with how things were progressing. Baron Ishikawa's confident manner was perfect for leading the alliance, and his good reputation among the nobility made it unlikely that anyone would question his leadership, at least not right away...
[End of Chapter 33!]