What could possibly go wrong?

News spread faster in Alkezar than in Behmuth. The news about Prince Donovan's assassination. His death marked the beginning of the civil war that the empire had been keenly keeping its eyes on. All the neighboring countries of Behmuth including Alkezar, had found the perfect prey to feed on.

The civil war of Behmuth was between the royal family of the king and the Whitlock duchy. Both sides desperately needed the support of the neighboring countries to push down the other side. The strongest candidate for power negotiation was Alkezar.

Alkezar didn't hesitate to take this chance and immediately sent an envoy when the king of Behmuth requested help. Of course, they never intended to just accept the king's offer.

The envoy party was supposed to split into two groups after crossing the border. One with little Duke Blaqua would head to the palace and the other with a high minister would go to the Whitlock duchy. The orders were to accept the deal from whichever side offered better profits.

Ignis, of course, had no idea about this plan. He was just there as a puppet that would suffice the king of Behmuth as an 'envoy'. The mastermind of this elaborate scheme was Marquis Shuzar.

This was the best way to ensure Alkezar's best interests. Behmuth could not harm the envoy party if they didn't want Alkezar attacking them in the middle of a civil war.

It was a perfect plan. What could possibly go wrong?

Maybe that was why the fact that almost everything that could go wrong, actually went wrong shocked the Imperial court of Alkezar so much. It was a situation where they were trapped into making a controversial decision.

Before the party could split after crossing the borders to Behmuth, the envoy carriages were attacked. The guards were knocked out with some special types of artifacts. No one was harmed. But it wasn't like no harm was done to the party.

Little Duke, Ignis Blaqua was abducted from the envoy party and a clear warning letter was left behind by the abductors.

"Chose the Duchy if you wish to see him again."

It made pretty much clear that it was the Whitlock Duchy who had taken Ignis. Him being the only crown prince candidate made him valuable. Alkezar just couldn't abandon Ignis as long as Duchess Blaqua was alive.

It would have been much easier to just accept the Whitlock Duchy's offer if the king of Behmuth, desperate after the death of Donovan, didn't do such a foolish thing.

According to what the letter said, the king released the seals from the dungeons on the borders of Alkezar that belonged to Behmuth. If Alkezar didn't support the royal family of Behmuth, he threatened to unleash all the monsters trapped in those dungeons into the southern borders of Alkezar.

As Alkezar and Behmuth's relationship was somewhat neutral all the time, a lot of people in trading occupation had settled on the shared borders. If the monsters were unleashed, they would not only harm the people in Alkezar but in Behmuth as well.

Now this was the awkward choice placed for Alkezar, to either save the crown prince candidate or the thousands of people in the border towns. They could not abandon either of those.

Meetings and arguments filled Alkezar's imperial court overnight and the newspapers filled with the controversial choice placed in front of the emperor. The deadline for a decision was just three days as the king of Behmuth didn't want to give enough time to Alkezar to evacuate the border citizens. He cared just as little about the people on his side as he did for those in Alkezar.

In the middle of this political warfare, Frank had disappeared from the Shuzar estate. It didn't worry the residents much as he often 'disappeared'. But Julia couldn't help but worry this time because of how the situation was outside. The public opinion on Marquis Shuzar wasn't very nice because of how he kept trying to save Ignis.

It was a very rainy afternoon. Like the weather had taken after gloomy mood that had hung over the capitol. Lia was reading in her room, when a maid come to her telling she had a 'guest'.

Julia went to the guest parlor just in case it was Lucifer. But it was someone she never expected to see again. Her red hair bounced as she stood up to greet Julia.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Shuzar," the red headed girl said. "I'm Evelyn Grace, the second daughter of the Grace family."

Julia stared at her face for some time, dumbfounded. It was the same girl she had chased after that day she met Frank outside the library.

"You... You're that girl..."

Before Julia could finish her sentence, the girl raced towards her and her hand. She almost yelled," Please! Please save Duke Ignis! The king... the king of Behmuth has no control over those monsters. Whether we help him or not, those dungeons are bound to break because... because they have reached their natural limit!"

All Julia could do was respond with a dumbstruck stare on this red haired brown eyed girl.