A week later

Derin hurriedly made his way to the King chamber though it was still very early. Even the sun was only about to rise.

He knocked on the door and when he heard a response, he was surprised to know that the young King was already up.

Well, he rarely managed to sleep these days.

He walked inside the King's chamber and bowed. "Your Majesty, I apologize for coming this early. It's an emergency."

"Go ahead," Zaro Aventine said to his right-hand man. He was sitting on the couch next to the balcony and from the look on his face, it was obvious that he didn't sleep at all.

"Prince Orius was spotted on our border with Qalagon a few days ago. While the soldiers at the border tried to apprehend him, the Qalagon soldiers suddenly appeared and fight with our soldiers. As our soldiers were outnumbered by them, the Prince managed to enter Qalagon and it seemed like the Qalagon soldiers escorted him to their kingdom."

The King's eyes grew wide when he heard the news. "Thousands of soldiers are stationed there. How can the Qalagon soldiers outnumbered them that easy?!"

Derin lowered his head and responded, "I apologize, Your Majesty. It seemed like the King of Qalagon already stationed his soldiers near the border. Maybe he knew everything and expect someone from our kingdom to approach him."

Was that even possible? How would Arin Helev know about the situation here?! Even Iria won't have any chance to inform him!

While the King was busy, trying to figure out how things happened, he heard the sound of the knocking on his door. "Come in."

This time, it was General Trevor of the Royal Army. Walking inside, he halted when he was a few steps away from the King and bent his knees. "Your Highness, I just receive a report saying that the Cedore Empire is preparing to launch a war against us!"

"Cedore?" Zaro Aventine muttered with confusion. Why all of a sudden?!

"Yes, Your Majesty. Emperor Kalos is joining hands with King Arin Helev of Qalagon. The soldiers of Cedore are on their way to Qalagon and they will arrive today!"

"Why did you only know that now?!" the King grunted. For the Cedore soldiers to reach Qalagon today, that means they already depart more than a week ago!

Maybe two or three days after his father's death.

Did they try to take advantage of the early period of the change in monarch?

"I apologize, Your Majesty. Cedore Empire is located so far away from us. It's not easy to get information from there and Emperor Kalos makes a movement too sudden," General Trevor explained.

Prime Minister Dallas was the next to arrive as he got a grasp of the news. He soon heard about the news of the war that awaited them and he also noticed the confusion on the young King's face.

"Your Majesty," he spoke up with reluctance as he knew that he will be going against the order of the late King if he explained. However, he believed that understanding the situation should come first.

"Is there something you want to say, Prime Minister?" Zaro Aventine asked.

"Commander Iria Alewine is the niece of Emperor Kalos Francia," the Prime Minister told the King. "I think it's the reason why the Emperor did this. Maybe he heard the news about Commander Iria."

"Niece?" Zaro Aventine repeated with disbelief. "How is that... " His voice trailed off when one fact crossed his mind. He had never heard anything about Iria's mother!

"I don't know that Commander Iria is in touch with her uncle," Prime Minister Dallas said with guilt. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I could have informed you this sooner had I known it."

Though he didn't show it, the Prime Minister was still feeling confused because of all the things that happened these days. He believed that Commander Iria won't help the Second Prince without a reason but... what might be the reason?

Zaro Aventine was fooling everyone yet no one had an idea about it! They all believed that the Masked Commander was a villainess here. A traitor who turn her back at her own kingdom but it was the opposite.

"If that's the case... " The King's voice trailed off when one thing crossed his mind. Then he quickly turned to Derin. "What about Commander Iria? Go and check the cell! Right now!"

She won't escape, right?

Derin rushed to the prison in the King's order and came back a few minutes later while the King was anxiously waiting.

"She's gone, Your Majesty! All the guards there are dead!"

What shock Zaro Aventine more?

That she escaped or... that she killed all the guards there?

The Masked Commander only wield her sword at her enemies and... that means Jerivia and everyone inside had become her enemies now!

"There is still a few minutes before the shift change and that's why no one still doesn't report this," Derin explained. "Because they still don't know what happened."

Zaro Aventine immediately understood what will happen next. Then he quickly turned to General Trevor. "Gather the soldiers. I think the Alewine Army is on the move."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the General responded and hurried out of the chamber.

Zaro Aventine finally understood that this was the day Iria was waiting for. She planned everything before she came to see him that day. Though she can escape easily, she allowed herself to be locked up for five days, waiting for the right time to move!

Everyone underestimated her. They believed that if the Commander was locked up, the soldiers won't be able to do a thing but... she proved them wrong. Maybe Rion or someone from the Alewine Army still managed to meet her in secret and updated her while she was locked up.

Why didn't he think of this? If she can help Orius escaped that easy, it won't be hard for her to do the same!

Quickly, he dressed up and left with the soldiers from the Royal Army to chase down the Alewine Army whom he called 'traitors'.....