***
(Third Person)
The kingdom of Inizio, one of the most influential human kingdoms. On one of the main roads of the kingdom, a certain group of carriages was on their way back to the castle.
Days had passed since the meeting took place at the kingdom of Milana and after a long and tiring journey. King Tirion finally arrived.
The group of carriages was greeted by the knights stationed at the steel main gate of the huge cream-colored castle with 3 towering peaks that could be seen even outside of the kingdom. The castle of the kingdom of Inizio.
The gate opened and the carriages went through. After a few minutes, the carriages finally stopped. As the carriage at the very center of the formation opened its door. King Tirion walked down with his chin up while walking towards the castle. Behind him was Commander Alain following him.
All the knights stationed in front of the golden double doors kneeled as he walked towards them. Upon reaching the door, someone was waiting for him while kneeling and looking down.
King Tirion stopped and stared at him. “Captain Callan.”
Captain Callan raised his head. “Your Majesty, Prince Dieter is here.”
King Tirion nodded. “I see. Where is he?”
“He is currently in the throne room.”
King Tirion walked past him and walked towards the location of the throne room, at the very center of the castle. As the door opened, he immediately walked inside. His eyes instantly darted to the person comfortably sitting at the steps before the throne. It was Prince Dieter, next to him was a container filled with yellow liquid and something was floating inside.
King Tirion skipped through the red carpet and stopped a few meters away from Prince Dieter.
Prince Dieter waved his hand and remained comfortably sitting on the steps. “Father.”
King Tirion didn’t reply because his focus was on the thing beside Prince Dieter. “Would you mind telling me what that is, my son? Is that a hand? Where did you get that?”
“I have missed you too, father.” Prince Dieter stood up and shrugged. “And about that?” He pointed his hand towards the glass container with a floating hand in it. “Don’t worry about it, it’s just my old hand.”
King Tirion’s eyes repeatedly shifted between Prince Dieter’s arms. “What do you mean?”
Prince Dieter chuckled. “It’s a silly story, Father. I went to the town of Agrona and their ruler decided to cut my hand and effortlessly replace it.” He raised his hand. “Look at this, father, it looks like it wasn’t cut off at all. Even our best healers in the kingdom couldn’t even imagine doing such a feat.”
King Tirion’s eyebrows instantly furrowed. “Have you met Tanya?”
Prince Dieter put his hand on his chin. “No. I didn’t meet your fairy friend, the person I met is the ruler of the town of Agrona. He’s a demon, a prideful one. Could you imagine it? He cut my hand without any hesitation.” Prince Dieter chuckled.
King Tirion’s eyes instantly shifted towards the 2 people standing behind him. “What is the meaning of this, Captain Callan?”
“Ah… yes.” Captain Callan kneeled. “We personally went to the town of Agrona to investigate and we have discovered that the town of Agrona is currently not under the governance of the Shadow fairy, Tanya Latora. But a meruem named Casimir Kismet.”
“A meruem? How’s that even possible?” King Tirion’s eyes widened. He massaged his forehead while walking towards his throne. As he walked past the container of Prince Dieter’s old hand, he repeatedly shook his head and sat on his throne.
“Your Majesty, there is a possibility that his existence has something to do with the disappearance of Magerna’s grimoire.”
King Tirion raised his fingers and Captain Callan immediately stopped talking.
“I just came home from a long journey. And what greeted me are the news that my pompous son went to the town of Agrona, got his hand cut off, and somehow grew back and the current ruler of that town is a meruem, of all variants of demon out there, a meruem, a tribe that we thought no longer exist, and no longer Tanya?”
Callan paused for a second before nodding. “Yes, your Majesty.”
King Tirion massaged his forehead. “You have implied that you did some investigation, right, Captain Callan? Have you acquired any information about Tanya?”
“Yes, I acquired information about her. From what I heard, along with the other faction leaders, she’s currently aiding Lord Casimir to change the state of the town. That information is also based on her right hand, Lady Karoon herself. And based on what I saw, they were doing a great job doing so, the town is now completely different from the last time I had been there.”
King Tirion leaned on the backrest of his throne. “Is that true?”
Captain Callan raised his head. “Yes, your Majesty.”
“I second that.” Prince Dieter said with a smile on his face.
“I see.” King Tirion slowly exhaled. “The town is changing, huh?”
“Father, I am intending to go back there soon. We can go there together so you can see the current state of the town.”
King Tirion stared at him and shook his head. “I am afraid we can’t.”
Prince Dieter tilted his head. “Why?”
King Tirion stood up and walked towards the glass windows at the side of the room. As he walked, once more, he stared down at the floating hand inside the container and weakly clicked his tongue as he shook his head. “My son, another era of war will come and the kingdom of Milana is plotting to bring the town of Agrona down.”
“What?” Prince Dieter walked towards his father with panic in his eyes. “We should help them. Should we send our army to help them?”
King Tirion looked back on his son. “For a person who lost an arm in that place from the hand of their ruler, aren’t you too eager to assist them?”
Prince Dieter paused then slowly nodded. “That place. I want to see that place grow.”
King Tirion nodded and shifted his gaze back to the window. “You yourself said it, their ruler is quite prideful. And I am fully aware of it. Once we send any help to them, I don’t think they will take it as a good thing. Furthermore, I am confident that they can defend themselves on their own.”
“So what can we do?”
“Watch, my son.”
“Watch?”
“Watch them trample everything.”
