Return to Serolf Empire

Arash was lounging in the garden, his servants fanning him gently, when the knights came rushing in.

"Your Majesty!" one of them called.

"What is it now?" Arash groaned, not bothering to open his eyes. "Can't you see I'm resting?"

He was in no mood to deal with anything today. All he wanted was to lie down and do absolutely nothing.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty, but Sir Harusheen is at it again," the knight reported nervously.

"He's like a drunk lunatic, doing crazy things in the training grounds," another knight chimed in. "Please, Your Majesty, we need you to stop him!"

Arash let out a long sigh, blowing air through his lips. Just what the hell is that man up to this time?

Ever since he had made Harusheen one of his soldiers, trouble had become a daily routine.

"Did he take those pills again?" Arash asked, finally sitting up and running a hand through his messy hair.

"I believe so, Your Majesty," the knight confirmed.

Arash slapped his forehead in frustration. Harusheen was a constant headache, and if it weren't for his unmatched skill in battle, Arash would've thrown him out of the palace long ago.

"Fine. I'll go see him," he muttered, getting to his feet and heading toward the training grounds.

When he arrived, the scene before him was pure chaos. Harusheen stood in the center of the grounds, clearly high from the pills, laughing maniacally.

"Hahaha! Come on! Let's keep going—I'm just getting started!" he shouted.

Blood stained his face and clothes, and his hands dripped red as he held his swords. Around him, several wolves lay lifeless on the ground.

"Your Majesty," one of the knights stepped forward, nervously explaining, "Sir Harusheen said using wild animals for training would help us learn to kill without hesitation. He said slaying an enemy should be no different from slaying a beast."

"And you listened to him?" Arash snapped, slapping the back of the knight's head. "You idiot!"

"B-But, Your Majesty, he outranks us," the knight protested. "And if we don't follow his orders, he might lose control again."

Arash rubbed his temples. "Enough with the excuses."

Harusheen noticed him and waved excitedly. "Oh! Your Majesty!"

He ran over like an overenthusiastic child, reeking of blood. Arash instinctively covered his nose.

"You took the pills again, didn't you?" he asked, clearly irritated.

"Pfft," Harusheen chuckled. "Relax. I only took two today. Helps me get pumped up for training!"

He had been hooked on those pills ever since discovering them in the black market during a patrol in the capital. They were similar to the ones from his original world—though not as strong as the ones he used before and in tablet form instead of capsules. Still, he bought bags of them and started popping them before every mission or training session.

But while they may have enhanced his performance, the side effects were a nightmare for everyone else—especially Arash.

"Enough. I want you to stop taking that damn pill and return to your normal self," Arash ordered firmly.

"What? No!" Harusheen whined, throwing a tantrum. He flopped to the ground like a child and began whining loudly.

Arash's patience was wearing thin. He reached for a knight's sword, ready to put an end to the drama, when another knight came rushing in.

"Your Majesty! A letter from the Emperor of the Serolf Empire!" the knight announced, panting.

Thanks to magical items, sending letters had become fast and easy. Messages could now be delivered across the empire within minutes.

"A letter from my brother?" Arash asked, grabbing it. He scanned the contents—and his eyes widened.

"What? Before dawn?! Is he expecting me to fly?" he shouted.

Harusheen tilted his head, confused. "What's going on?"

Arash ran a hand through his hair again in frustration. "Ugh! Whatever. Prepare the ship—we're heading to the Serolf Empire immediately!"

The knights bowed and scattered to follow his command.

"You're coming too," Arash said, turning to Harusheen.

"Huh? You sure?" Harusheen asked, surprised.

"Of course. So clean yourself up and get ready," Arash ordered, walking away.

Harusheen smirked. "Heh. This might be fun."

.

.

.

Froilan stared at the letter in his hand and sighed.

He couldn't return to the Serolf Empire now—not yet. He was still searching for their missing brother.

"Something wrong?" Iskandar asked, noticing the troubled expression on his face.

"The Emperor wants me to return immediately," Froilan said, lowering the letter.

"But what about the search?" Iskandar asked, concerned.

"I can't leave. I'm not done yet," Froilan replied firmly.

Just then, Ragnar and the barbarians arrived. They had just returned from another round of searching.

"How did it go?" Froilan asked them at once.

Ragnar shook his head grimly. "We've searched the entire kingdom, but there's still no trace—no clue, no sighting—nothing about the prince."

Froilan let out a heavy sigh. He didn't want to give up. But...

He clenched his fists. Just where did his brother go? Is he even still alive?

Iskandar placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't lose hope. Maybe he never reached our kingdom. Maybe he's somewhere else entirely. I'll contact the rulers of the neighboring countries. If anyone hears anything about Prince Hendrik, I'll send word to you immediately."

"Thank you," Froilan said sincerely.

"You should return now," Iskandar added. "If the Emperor is calling you back so urgently, it must be important."

Froilan nodded and turned to his men. "We need to return to the Serolf Empire. We must reach it before dawn. Prepare the horses!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Ragnar and the others responded without hesitation.

Froilan turned back to Iskandar. "Thank you again for all your help. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. We'll be there."

Iskandar smiled. "No worries. Besides... we're joining you on the journey to the Serolf Empire."

Froilan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The Princess sent us a letter just the other day," Iskandar explained. "She wants to meet with us to discuss the war strategy."

"Understood. Then let's prepare to leave together," Froilan said.

Iskandar nodded, then turned to Kasey. Kasey gave a nod of his own, stepped forward, and shouted, "Prepare the carriages and weapons!"

Froilan looked up at the sky, clouds drifting slowly above.

Today, I'll return to the Serolf Empire... but I promise—

I will continue the search for my brother.