Chapter 41.2

Kevin suddenly turned to look at him. "Are you dizzy?"

"Your Majesty, is something wrong?" the minister closest to him asked anxiously.

Oswald blinked forcefully and pressed the bridge of his nose. After a moment, he opened his eyes and stood up straight. "It's nothing," he said. "I haven't slept all night, and my eyes are a little distressed. It's normal. Let's go."

Everyone looked concerned, and they asked him again and again if he was feeling alright. They seemed uneasy.

Oswald was young and prideful, and he took great pride in his physical strength. He would not admit to having any weakness, as if it were a personal insult. Everyone eventually left, feeling embarrassed.

Kevin, however, was not convinced. He followed Oswald towards the inner courtyard instead of going directly back to the barracks.

"What happened just now?" Kevin asked, turning to look at Oswald. "Were your eyes uncomfortable?"

Oswald snorted inwardly, but he met Kevin's eyes and suppressed his impatience. "It's almost nothing," he said. "My eyes just went dark for a moment, and I felt a little dizzy when I stood up too quickly. It is not serious."

Oswald snorted, his frustration building inside him, but he maintained eye contact with Kevin and suppressed his impatience. "It's as if everything suddenly went dark, and I found myself in a rush. It's normal."

Kevin nodded quietly.

Oswald narrowed his eyes at him. "What are you doing here? Are you trying to convince me to let you lead the team to Rose Old Castle?"

Kevin nodded unashamedly, keeping it simple.

"You..." Oswald was irritated by his audacity. He stopped in his tracks, grabbed Kevin's shoulders with his large hands, and turned him around. "Look Mr. Fassbender, the exit is over there. Leave."

Kevin: "..."

"You have quite the nerve!" His Excellency Kevin Fassbender, who had appeared gentle before, shed his facade in an instant, revealing his true nature. He raised his foot to kick Oswald's face.

Experienced in combat, Oswald quickly grabbed Kevin's calf and attempted to push him to the corner to limit his movements. However, their interaction was interrupted by Peter, the commander of the Royal City Ranger, who entered with an urgent report. "Your Majesty! The imperial city just received—eh?!"

Caught off guard by their posture, Peter stood there dumbstruck.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kevin tilted his ankle and jabbed Oswald in the waist, forcing the disoriented emperor to release his hold.

Oswald wiped his face and looked up at Peter, serious once again. "What's the matter? Tell me."

"I apologize for intruding..." Peter began, looking embarrassed.

"Don't apologize!" Oswald scolded. "Just tell me what's going on."

Though Peter didn't understand the meaning of Oswald's words, he knew that if he didn't get straight to the point, the emperor would kick him out. So, he quickly composed himself, handed over a small roll of paper, and said, "I just received this distress letter from King Sto of Paida City."

Oswald unrolled the scroll and quickly scanned its contents, grasping the full story. The king of the city-state, who had agreed with Oswald, had returned to their respective cities. They were accompanied by refugees from the Golden Lion Kingdom, who had recently escaped. King Sto of Paida City was the farthest along his journey, nearing the city gate, when he was ambushed.

The attackers were sand ghosts who had fled from the rainy season, launching a sudden and fierce attack. Before King Sto's team could mount any resistance, they were captured by the sand ghosts.

"Is there any new information about Paida City?" Oswald asked, furrowing his brow.

"I dispatched someone to gather information immediately after receiving the letter," Peter replied. "We should hear back soon."

True to his words, the messengers returned after a short while, bringing back two pieces of distressing news. Firstly, Paida City had been completely seized by the sand ghosts in a very short amount of time. All the inhabitants, including the king, were taken captive. Secondly, several other city-states had suffered similar fates, with tragic outcomes.

"There is one more piece of news," Peter added.

"What is it?" Oswald inquired.

"Leiyin City has not yet fallen. King Theodore was delayed on his way back and received news of the attacks on other countries. He turned back immediately and is hoping for our support. They are already approaching the national border," Peter explained.

Theodore's team had arrived faster than anticipated, and they appeared just as beleaguered as the other refugees.

That night, Theodore hung a tattered cloth and arrived with four guards who were even more disheveled. They met Oswald and Kevin, who had remained in the inner courtyard.