Haru woke up the next day with a smile on his face. The young man was happy because he realized that maybe the prince had feelings for him too. He got ready for another day of training, heading to the library where he would have lessons with Ren and Kota. However, as he walked through one of the palace corridors, he found it strange to see his father talking to Kota.
"Good morning, Father. Good morning, Kota"
said the young servant, greeted by the concerned looks of both men.
"Good morning, Haru. Something is happening, and your father seems to be lying to me"
said the prince, his tone suspicious and serious as he looked coldly at the counselor.
With a somewhat harsh tone, Hayato replied.
"The Kingdom of Thunder was attacked during the night by assassins from the Kingdom of Shadows. That's all."
The prince, clearly irritated, demanded an explanation:
"If the attack was on the Kingdom of Thunder, why is no one allowed to enter or leave the palace?"
Trying to sound genuine, the counselor replied.
"It's just... a precaution against a possible attack by this terrorist group. If they attacked the Kingdom of Thunder, why wouldn't they attack Solaria?"
Kota didn't believe the counselor's words. He worried about his friend Kimiko's safety. For years, the two had secretly trained together. The princess was the first person to whom Kota had confessed his love for his servant. While others would have been against such feelings, the princess supported him and even suggested including Haru in their nightly training sessions.
Haru, also worried about Kimiko, asked his father.
"Did anyone die in the Kingdom of Thunder, Father?"
"We don't have that information"
replied the counselor as he gestured for the young men to follow him to the meeting room.
Upon entering, Kota saw his father, who greeted him with a triumphant smile:
"Good morning, my beloved son. Enjoying your little slave?"
Interrupting his father's provocation, Kota questioned him directly:
"Father, tell me—did you order the attack on the Kingdom of Thunder?"
With a serious expression, the king rose from his chair at the head of the table and replied:
"I owe explanations to no one except the Goddess Solaria herself. Now sit beside your little pet and watch the meeting without causing disruptions. You might learn something—this is your lesson for today."
Kota, visibly angry, sat down while Haru, saddened, took a seat near the prince. Hayato began to brief the king:
"The only information we have is that the great gate of the Kingdom of Thunder was closed immediately after the invasion. We expected them to reopen it at dawn, but it remains closed, raising concerns in the Kingdom of Shadows, which fears retaliation. The Kingdom of Metal is also worried; if war breaks out between the Kingdom of Thunder and the Kingdom of Shadows, they will have to choose whether to allow Thunder troops to pass through—making them enemies of the Shadows—or deny passage, which would earn them a powerful enemy in the Kingdom of Thunder."
"And what about the Kingdoms of Water and Moon?"
asked Itoku thoughtfully.
Hayato replied:
"The Kingdom of Water is unconcerned; their network of pipes continues supplying water to the Kingdom of Thunder, which suffices for them. Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Moon is distracted by the awakening of its new leader. It seems she woke up during the night but has not issued any orders yet."
Itoku pondered for a moment before speaking to Hayato:
"Whatever they do now, we've already won. If they keep the gates closed, they'll starve. If they open them and don't attack the Kingdom of Shadows, they'll appear weak. And if they go to war, we wait until they're weakened and strike, ensuring victory. With the Kingdoms of Thunder, Shadows, and Metal involved in a war, they'll be so weakened that Solaria will gain not two but three vassals."
The Solar King smiled triumphantly, but Kota, realizing how cruel his father was, grew enraged. Unlike his father, Kota worried about the thousands of civilians who could die in such a war. Rising from his seat, he shouted at the king:
"YOU REALLY DID THIS. YOU'RE GOING TO START A WAR TO STRENGTHEN SOLARIA, AND IN THE END, THE PEOPLE WHO DIE WILL BE SACRIFICED TO YOUR BOUNDLESS GREED!"
Haru feared the king would punish the prince but couldn't help admiring Kota's honor and kindness. In an act of courage, Haru stood to support his master. Though Haru faced greater chances of punishment, he firmly declared:
"The prince is right!"
Foreseeing that his son might be beaten on the spot, Hayato lowered his head in sorrow. Though proud of Kota and Haru, he knew the king's authority was absolute and that Itoku wouldn't tolerate a slave opposing him.
The Solar King rose from his chair once again, his staff emitting a yellow light. Kota spread his arms, stepping in front of Haru while summoning his armor. Just as in their earlier family dispute at the castle dining hall, a guard interrupted, bringing a letter bearing the seal of the Kingdom of Moon.
Itoku, irritated, said:
"WE'LL CONTINUE THIS LATER. MAYBE I SHOULD TEACH YOUR SERVANT A LESSON SO THAT BOTH OF YOU LEARN NOT TO DISRESPECT ME!"
Hoping for good news, the king ordered his servant and counselor Hayato:
"Read the letter."
Looking confused, Hayato opened the letter and read aloud:
"The host of the spirit of the Moon Goddess, Priestess Sophie, the new leader of the Kingdom of Moon, notifies the leaders of Niray's other nations that, fearing an attack similar to that on the Kingdom of Thunder, she has decided to close the gate of the Kingdom of Moon indefinitely."
Furious, Itoku shouted:
"THAT BITCH!"
Haru was shocked by the king's aggression, while Kota, sensing something, smiled. Hayato asked the king:
"What are your orders, my lord?"
Aware of what was coming, the king, still furious, replied:
"The Kingdom of Metal will see that closing their gates prevents an attack from the Kingdom of Thunder, so they won't need to choose a side. She did this on purpose because she can see the future!"
Hayato hid his smile as he remarked:
"My king, if the Kingdom of Water also closes its gates, we'll be the only ones with open gates, making it obvious that we orchestrated the attack."
Haru widened his eyes in shock, realizing his father had indeed been involved in the attack. Saddened, he understood that he didn't truly know his father and would one day witness him committing atrocities on the king's orders.
With a heavy heart, Itoku ordered:
"Close Solaria's gates."
************************************************
Shion lay on a bloodstained bed as a pale woman in a long, traditional white kimono stitched his wounds with a simple needle. The severity of his injuries required such precise care.
The woman, her long black hair flowing freely, had black-painted nails that contrasted with her alabaster skin. She sewed her son's wounds with practiced ease, her voice soft as she reassured him:
"You'll get better soon. These are serious injuries, but you've had worse."
Samara finished stitching Shion's last battle wound with a calmness that showed she had done this many times before. The wounded man, wincing, asked his mother:
"I did it because my brother ordered me to, but how does this benefit the Kingdom of Shadows, Mother? How long will we keep following Solaria's orders?"
"For just a little while longer, my dear,"
replied the woman with yellow eyes.