At the Jimi Kingdom...
"So that's the reason why you decided to betray us? Were you working with the enemies of the Eryndor Kingdom?" the king asked calmly. All anger, all rage vanished from his face, leaving only cold indifference.
"Yes. What value does the Jimi Kingdom hold for me if not for the ancient warrior who serves as the master of your daughter? I want us all to perish," the drunken warlord spat, his eyes blazing with fury and disappointment.
"Your family isn't worth this kingdom, old friend. As a reward for your actions, we won't kill you ourselves—we'll hand you over to the Eryndor Kingdom," the king said indifferently.
The officials present nodded in agreement. After all, although they had an ancient warrior, who had actually seen them? The warrior might not even intervene as the kingdom collapses—aside from protecting the princess, the king's daughter. The mere deterring effect of the warrior's reputation was enough for them to gamble on.
"What a joke... but so be it," the drunken warlord replied and fell silent.
"I fulfilled the bargain. I'll see you soon, Crown Prince, but at least I've done this. Now I can see how ungrateful these bastards are. I can die peacefully... and I'm sorry for dragging the Fin Land Kingdom into this but they are your enemies anyways," the drunken warlord thought with a sigh.
If Kael heard this, he would have been delighted—tying the Fin Land Kingdom to the incident was the key he needed, and the drunken warlord had already done it.
"Take him away, and the rest of you may leave," the king ordered as everyone dispersed.
Left alone in the throne room, the king sighed and pressed his hand to his temple.
"Father," a soft voice called as Kim entered the room. She had been in her quarters earlier but came down as soon as she saw the officials leaving with the guards.
"Daughter, what are you doing here?" the king asked with a faint smile.
"I'm worried. Don't worry, Father. Just give me a little time, and I'll reach the Grandmaster realm," Kim said with determination.
"Sigh... That little time is what we don't have. Focus on your upcoming marriage—I'll handle the rest," the king said. Kim nodded silently.
"Good girl," the king said, and Kim smiled warmly.
"Just watch, Father. I'll make you proud," Kim said as she walked away.
After she left, the king sighed again, lost in his thoughts.
Outside, Kim clenched her fists tightly. Everyone knew that the king only had one child because her mother could barely conceive. As a king of a small kingdom, no one wanted to marry their daughter to him, and the king had refused out of loyalty to his wife, whom he loved deeply.
It was a glorious moment when the King of Eryndor offered to marry his son to Kim. Although the king had helped the Jimi Kingdom grow, it still wasn't on par with the Eryndor Kingdom.
"And as for you, Kael... hmm. I hope your old behavior is truly gone—or else," Kim muttered as she headed to her room.
*******
At the Eryndor Kingdom...
Knock, knock.
"Who's there?" Kael asked, confused. He wasn't expecting visitors.
"Your sister," a voice called, and Kael instantly frowned.
"You mean Valthera?" Kael thought.
"Come in," Kael said reluctantly, resigning to his fate. He figured it wouldn't hurt to talk with his sister for once.
"Brother, you didn't even come to visit me," Valthera said with a sly smile as she entered his room, glancing around.
"Visit who? You? Nah," Kael dismissed the thought, eyeing her curiously.
"Sister, welcome back home," Kael greeted as Valthera nodded.
"Thanks. Well, I came back for you. Darius told me you were assassinated," Valthera said. Kael rolled his eyes immediately.
"Darius or your spy?" Kael asked expressionlessly, though his mind raced. How had she found out? And who was her spy?
"This world is full of mischief," Kael thought, calming himself.
"Haha, maybe my spy. Anyway, this time I'm taking you with me. You and I are going to the continent where I studied. There, no one will dare to touch you," Valthera said, grinning as Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Huh? Sister, what are you talking about? Besides, Father won't agree," Kael said skeptically.
"Oh, I know. That's why I'll kidnap you," Valthera teased with a mischievous grin, causing Kael to step back.
"You're kidding, right?" Kael asked nervously.
"Maybe," Valthera said, stepping closer.
"Ha! You should've seen your face. Don't worry—I'm not going to kidnap you. I'll stay here for a while. I need a vacation before going back to war. Sigh... the generals on the other side are already freaking out," Valthera said, stretching her arms dramatically.
"Vacation? Really? Well, I can't judge, but I should be cautious of her," Kael thought, sensing something suspicious.
"All right, Sister. I'm glad you're here. You probably do need a break from the war," Kael said as Valthera smiled.
"Enjoy yourself, little brother. I'm off to explore the kingdom," Valthera said as she left.
"Finally, she's gone," Kael muttered, sitting on his bed.
"Well, now that's over, all that's left is to wait for the Jimi Kingdom to bring the drunken warlord here," Kael thought.
It was all falling into place. The Jimi Kingdom would have no choice but to deliver the drunken warlord to prove they weren't involved. Yet, Kael's clever placement of the token had implicated them anyway.
Sure, they had an ancient warrior, but now they must have heard that Valthera was back. If they ignored this and dared to wage war, they would be annihilated.
After all, Kael's sister was a Grandmaster Realm martial artist, and her master was undoubtedly far stronger. Unlike this continent, which relied on an ancient warrior at their peak, the other continent boasted far more powerful individuals.
A day passed before Kael was summoned to witness a trial—an execution of a powerful man.
It was the execution of General Rygar Thorne, also known as the Drunken Warlord.
Earlier that day, the Jimi Kingdom had arrived, accompanied by their princess and a respected noble, to hand over the Drunken Warlord. Upon hearing the full account, the King of Eryndor ordered his immediate execution but insisted his son witness it first.
On a wide, slightly elevated platform stood a man. His hands were chained to the ground, his knees bent in submission. His clothes were ragged, his beard unkempt, and his hair wild. This was the Drunken Warlord.
Kael arrived to find the area already filled with prominent figures. His father was there, as were his siblings, Lucian, Kim, and even Valthera.
"I greet the King, the Princess of the Jimi Kingdom, and the King's right-hand man," Kael said respectfully, bowing toward his father, his betrothed, and the nobleman accompanying them.
The nobleman was an advisor to the King of Jimi, his most trusted subordinate. It was customary for kings not to travel between kingdoms regardless of the circumstances, which explained the nobleman's presence.
As the pleasantries concluded, a tall, powerfully built man emerged. His face was obscured by a mask, and he carried a massive axe over his shoulder. Without a word, the executioner climbed the platform and stood beside the condemned, awaiting further orders.
"My son," the King began, "the second individual responsible for attempting to assassinate you has been captured. He stands on this platform, and his crimes have been laid bare. He has pleaded guilty, and now he must die. However, I would like to hear your thoughts first. Furthermore, the Jimi Kingdom has accepted partial responsibility for this incident and has promised to fulfill one command of yours as an expression of their remorse."
"Your Majesty," the nobleman interjected, "you mustn't phrase it like that. Once the prince and princess are wed in a month's time, this will also be his kingdom."
"Well said," the King responded with a chuckle, laughter rippling through the crowd.
"Such theatrics," Kael thought to himself.
"I'd like to have a word with the Drunken Warlord," Kael announced.
The crowd parted, and Kael ascended the platform. As he passed by the executioner, the masked man gave him a subtle nod. Kael approached the kneeling figure, whose movements were severely restricted. He resembled a lamb awaiting slaughter.
"So, you're the crown prince, young friend?" the Drunken Warlord asked, his voice low, audible only to Kael.
"Yes, and you did well," Kael replied coldly. "You may die now, though it's unfortunate to cut your life short."
"No, you didn't," the Drunken Warlord said with a faint smile. "I should've died with my family a long time ago. Thank you, my friend."
"You're welcome. One last favor," Kael added, his tone slightly amused.
"Name it."
"Help me implicate the Fin Land Kingdom," Kael said, grinning.
"With pleasure," the Drunken Warlord replied with a matching grin as Kael stepped away.
Even if the Drunken Warlord said nothing, the evidence would still lead back to the Fin Land Kingdom. However, his confirmation would solidify the narrative.
Kael turned to the crowd and spoke loudly, "Now, state it clearly. Who made this assassination attempt possible for you?"
The Drunken Warlord lifted his head slightly, his voice cutting through the silence. "The Fin Land Kingdom."
The executioner raised his massive axe.
"Wait!" Lucian shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears. The axe came down with a heavy thud, severing the Drunken Warlord's head.
Blood sprayed in violent bursts as Lucian clenched his fists in frustration.
"No… no… I didn't send him! How could this happen? We've gained nothing and broken the peace treaty," Lucian thought bitterly, his mind spiraling. His gaze shifted to Kael, who wore a faint grin.
"He planned this… didn't he?" Lucian realized, his teeth grinding in anger.
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