Aaron gazed out the window as the sunset descended, and softly uttered,

“The Kingdom of Pber.”

The king echoed Aaron’s words unconsciously.

“The Kingdom of Pber?”

The Kingdom of Pber.

The island nation across the sea, the Kingdom of Pber, was an old enemy of Iorenti.

A tribe of barbarians that continually looked down on Iorenti, waiting for the opportunity to pillage.

Even the previous King Leopold III had fought against the Kingdom of Pber and passed away, so the resentment against them was indescribable.

And yet, the empire’s commanderinchief was suddenly mentioning the Kingdom of Pber.

“I have obtained information that the pirate kingdom in the south, Pber, has been preparing for several years to take over the southern part of the continent.”

“That’s always been the case with those bastards eyeing us. We have always stood our ground and protected ourselves.”

“But this time, the scale is different. They are preparing in alliance with Ionic and Boswell.”

“Boswell?”

The king asked with a surprised expression.

“Boswell has joined forces with Pber?”

“Yes. The southern island countries have allied to take control of the route heading towards the continent.”

Upon Aaron’s words, the king fell into deep silence.

Boswell was a country with a deep alliance from the previous king’s era and the queen’s homeland.

It was the country they sent Delia to, believing that they would keep her safe, even lying to their daughter.

And now, Boswell, whom they trusted as an ally, had secretly joined hands with Pber.

Overwhelmed by a terrible sense of betrayal, the king was at a loss for words.

“How could this happen.”

The king’s sigh was absorbed by the setting sun reflected in the window.

“Boswell has betrayed us.”

After glancing at the king, who had fallen into a gloomy expression, Aaron turned his gaze back to the window.

The royal garden, which had become a mess due to the chaos of the previous day, was in full view.

Scorched marks here and there, trampled flower beds, toppled and broken statues.

The bloody sunset settling on top made the palace even more eerie.

And the precarious figures of the queen and Delia wandering the chaotic garden.

Aaron followed the queen and Delia with his eyes, his face slightly clouded.

“Where on earth did such an outrageous thing happen?”

Still looking outside, Aaron’s indifferently uttered voice was filled with discontent.

“Loyeni, Kirens, Iorenti. The three southern countries are bordering the empire, so why are those bastards across the sea drooling…”

“So the empire took over first because it didn’t want to give it to the south?”

“Well. I guess so. From our empire’s perspective, it’s burdensome to share a border with such plunderers.”

“Quite impressive in many ways. They stole first for fear of being robbed by Pber.”

“From Iorenti’s perspective, both Pber and us might look like the same invaders.”

“The same invaders. The fact that they’re eying our land is the same.”

“But compared to the barbaric bastards of Pber, our Stillets Empire will be much better.”

Having said that, Aaron scanned the situation in the garden with his silver eyes tinged with red.

In the garden, Delia seemed to be saying something to the queen.

The queen was repeatedly wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.

It seemed like the conversation down there was not going well.

After clicking his tongue, Aaron continued his words.

“We, the Empire, expect Iorenti to serve as a stable border city under the Empire’s jurisdiction.”

“……”

“But Pber will probably see Iorenti as just a place to pillage and destroy.”

The Kingdom of Pber.

A nation built on plunder and looting.

A nation with no experience in nurturing a city.

People who are solely focused on destroying and looting, regardless of the fate of the occupied country.

They did not hesitate to commit massacres, burning and trampling on their lands.

There were more than a few cities that had been rendered incapable of recovery, not a blade of grass remaining after they swept through.

And Pber was eyeing the continent.

After taking over and plundering the southern part of the continent…

They would naturally be eyeing the center of the continent next.

As an Empire, it was a situation they couldn’t just watch.

“Think of it as a good thing for Iorenti as well.”

“A presumptuous illusion.”

“Well, you may think that way, but it was something we had to do as an empire.”

Aaron turned his gaze away from the window and looked straight at the king of Iorenti.

“Iorenti must remain as a part of the Stillets Empire. If Iorenti becomes a border city of Stillets, imperial troops will be stationed there to stop them.”

The king propped his elbow on the armrest of the sofa and rubbed his forehead.

The shock of the betrayal of their trusted allies had yet to fade when they were faced with the audacious demands of the empire.

“Sign the surrender document and give up all authority. If you do so, we will protect the people of Eorenti, the land of Eorenti, and…”