The tension was palpable. In the few days since the training of his armies had been perfected, the Realm Lord sat in quiet reflection. He knew the time to act was near, but the weight of the upcoming war hung heavy in the air. Still, he maintained a carefully constructed pretense—small, precise attacks continued within the Empress's empire, striking at vulnerable places, disrupting supply chains, and sowing confusion.
Each skirmish, though seemingly random, was part of a larger plan. The Realm Lord's goal was to keep the Empress's attention on the minor annoyances, to make her believe that his forces were only capable of this level of harassment. His goal was to deceive her, to draw her into believing she had the upper hand. But he knew she was no fool.
