The Ongoing War

If only the people were allowed to burst into a commotion by then, the crowd would be running wild. However, in the presence of the archduke, they didn't have a choice but to stay calm and not make hysterical sounds. Their eyes were the only window to their wailing souls.

Disaster! It was another disaster waiting to happen!

Miel received the order and left the Audience Hall in a hurry to make arrangements. Barda had no choice but to send the people home and mobilize his knights and soldiers to lock down the plains. Moreover, the visitors—noble or common—must be brought to the archduke.

"What must we be punished by Heaven like this?" Reinfred murmured before bringing his priests to the castle's chapel to pray for guidance.

Larkin was the only one left for Artie to ask. As the archduke left the Audience Hall, his court didn't even have the time to see him off. Along the way back to his room, he could see Artie trying to catch up with him. However, she wasn't speaking to him as if wary of the words that would flow.

As the archduke's woman, she was granted unlimited access to the archduke's chamber. Artie only spoke after she closed the door behind her, watching Larkin look out his window into the central city. "That black uniform… are they sent by the demons?"

"That robe and that mask were only worn by the designated envoys of the demon emperors," Larkin answered without looking away from his overlooking view. "They are normally brought to lands that faced brutal judgment from the demon emperors. Surveyors as one might call them."

"Brutal judgment? Like… taking away your right to rule the plains?"

Larkin looked over his shoulder to find her. "Machiav had always wanted the Ellis Plains."

Artie twitched at his answer. Before she could ask who Machiav was, he turned to face her and answered her unspoken question: "Machiav is the leader of the servants. Like the other leaders, he also dreamed of receiving a piece of territory from Emperor Albas who ruled Kingdom Achlys.

"The plains was dubbed as the richest duchy in Achlys because of the giant demon vein underneath… and yet I turn in the least taxes among the duchies and territories." Larkin didn't have an ounce of emotion in his face, but his silver eyes seemed to be glowing faintly as he continued speaking.

"Demons are contractors while angels were custodians. The grand duke who once led this land signed a contract of partial autonomy with the Emperor Albas in exchange for its loyalty to Achlys. I have all the rights to maintain my taxes as low as I wanted.

"However, the glass spirits had risen from their deep sleep, and the devildoms were being attacked in the farthest north. Without taxes from other devildoms, the northern kingdoms would lose resources to keep up with the war. Machiav is using this opportunity to force my hand.

"I raise my taxes and make my land suffer, or I keep my taxes and lose the land to the demon emperors. However, I managed to let the King and the Emperor know that I wouldn't be raising my taxes, but I will turn in a higher amount, courtesy of the nobles living in the plains.

"Perhaps, Machiav started becoming desperate as to make the people rebel against me." Larkin sighed. "As you might have noticed, fewer people in the land only meant fewer taxes to be collected. If I was forced to slaughter my commoners, the Emperor will be displeased."

Artie's eyes widened. Not only was she receiving a detailed explanation of the situation, but it also sounded like Larkin was… being pushed between a rock and a hard place. One mistake would cause him to lose Ellis Plains one way or another… more so that he couldn't let the people know.

The plains were only one step from being ravaged by the demon emperors and losing their standing as an archduchy. In fact, based on what Larkin said, the place had already lost a step of its prestige.

'Having a grand duke as a ruler meant this place was a grand duchy before, right? Could it be that Ellis Plains was left as an archduchy because of its previous state? No, that wouldn't jibe with the narrative the marshal gave me. Perhaps it has something to do with who ruled the land by then...'

Artie exited her thinking state and looked at Larkin who had taken a seat at the leisure table before the veranda. She joined him and sat on the seat next to him, looking out as well. "Larkin, what are you planning to do if they are caught? Would you punish them, or would you send them back?"

"Their only ending… is death."

The angel threw her gaze at the archduke as if he had said something terrifying. She then broke out of her calm shell and growled. "Wait, wait, wait… are you saying you're going to kill those servants that serve the Emperor that you cannot afford to offend? What's up with that?!"

Larkin turned to her and spent a few seconds deciphering her words before answering. "...the servants set fire on my land. Based on the laws signed by the Emperor and my predecessors, I have the right to execute them as citizens of the plains. The Emperor will not intervene."

"If he does?"

"…then, there will be a negotiation. I have lost resources and had to exclude a portion of my people from their taxes. If I wouldn't be allowed to execute them, then I could only hand over the servants to be executed by the Emperor himself. With the ongoing war, surely, he has no time to spare."

Artie frowned. Why did it sound strange? It was undeniable that Larkin was not afraid of this Emperor Albas at all. Was it because contracts were a weapon to be used against the demons as well?

'Wait, am I forgetting something very important?' Artie was then sent into another thinking trance as she held onto her chin. 'I can't open my parameters until I earn the archduke's trust, right? Could it be that I won't need them unless the archduke trusts me? What for?

'Ah, yes… there's a war between the demons and the glass spirits, right? Could it be that…?'

"The glass spirits will attack the plains soon..."

"What was that?"

Artie then twitched and realized that she murmured something she shouldn't have. When she lifted her head, her gaze met Larkin's eyes that were filled with worry. She was aware of what she had said, and her words would surely send any ruler into a panic.

Their sovereigns' enemies would be clashing against their kingdoms! If the northern devildoms were suffering, what would it be like for a very passive Ellis Plains?

"I… I didn't mean anything by it! I was… I was just thinking..." Artie held onto her chest. "My powers are sealed and very limited… and to be unleashed when they are needed. After hearing about the situation now, I just… I just thought that maybe I was sent here to answer the prayers…

"That hadn't been said yet… but set on stone..."