After a few hours of discussion, Father summoned the Northern family once again. Ryan calmly proposed declaring the marriage between Illaria and Lyn as a cover to buy time, and sending Marcus and Illaria on a three-month infiltration mission. Marcus could not stop smiling as he heard all of this.
Elmar said sharply, “Even after an act of war on your own soil, you still don’t want to pick up weapons and fight the West. You heard that man yourself. The West can perfect their magic at any moment, and yet you want to wait. I can’t believe this. And if you want information, you can investigate independently. Why should I send Marcus on this? He is far more useful as a warrior than as a spy.”
Ryan replied evenly, “My decision is final. We will not rush into a war and get thousands of soldiers killed without proper information. And Marcus must go with Illaria to keep everything fair and transparent. If only Illaria returns with information, you could always choose not to trust it. If we are to join hands, then both sides must put something equally at stake.”
Elmar scoffed. “Nonsense. I think it is better for us to attack the Western Kingdom now and face the consequences while we still have a chance.” His irritation was clear. They had obviously expected the South to follow them straight into war.
Lyn stepped forward. “Father, I think that would be a mistake. You heard the captive from the Western Kingdom. Apart from their grand plan, they have already unlocked other forms of magic. They might be able to defeat us with it. In hindsight, I agree with Emperor Ryan. We are rushing into this without enough clarity. Sending Marcus and the Princess on this infiltration mission is a good idea.”
For a moment, Illaria could not believe what she had just heard. Lyn, the ultimate strategist, was now supporting a plan proposed by the Southern Kingdom. While she stood in disbelief, Marcus looked positively delighted.
Marcus grinned. “Dad, come on, please let me go. You know me. This will be fun—well, important too. You are planning to attack the West anyway, so it won’t hurt to have someone on the inside, will it? And if you do attack, I can always sneak out and join the army later. Easy. But please, Dad, let me do this… along with the Princess, of course.”
Ryan turned to Elmar. “You may think this over. Tomorrow is your final day here. At court, I will again ask Prince Lyn whether he agrees to the marriage. If he says yes, we will take that as your acceptance of our terms and your willingness to send Marcus with Illaria on this infiltration mission. Illaria will also agree to maintain this facade of a marriage arrangement, so that to the West it appears we have joined hands.
I will then announce to the court that Illaria will go into seclusion to pray before her marriage, while in reality she will leave with Marcus for the mission. However, if you are not on board with this plan, then decline the marriage tomorrow. The North and South will handle this situation independently.”
With that, the discussion came to an end. The Northern family soon left, and after some time Edric and Robert departed as well. Ryan asked Illaria to stay behind.
Illaria asked softly, “Father, do you think they will agree to our plan?”
Ryan sighed. “I don’t know, my child. I don’t even know which outcome I truly want. I must send you, and yet what kind of father sends his own daughter into such danger? My heart aches at this decision. As a father, there is nothing—nothing—more important than wanting to protect his child. I will protect you at any cost.
But that is my own selfish desire as your father. As an emperor, I must send you. And even as a father, I must not take your destiny away from you. I have seen you fight for what is right, how you always choose kindness and justice even when you are wronged, how you devote yourself to your duties as a princess without expecting anything in return. You are not an ordinary princess. To be honest, I probably did you an injustice when I made you the city mayor. The physical capabilities, mental strength, sense of duty, and moral values you possess are meant for someone who will achieve far greater things in life. Even Marielle used to say that you are destined for greatness. I don’t know how this war will turn out, but my gut tells me that I must let you go.”
Ryan continued, “But always remember, I love you, and your safety is my highest priority. Don’t hesitate to escape if things go wrong. It is completely fine if you return home with no findings at all.”
Illaria smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Dad. I will be back soon. This situation will end, and we will all be together again.”
Ryan said softly, “I pray the stars shine upon us. But before you go, I want to show you something important. I haven’t told this to anyone else, not even Edric and Robert, but I am telling you. When I went to the Temple of Secrets, there was one more spell that I almost understood and mastered.”
Illaria looked at him in surprise. “Almost?”
Ryan nodded. “I can perform the spell, and I understand its description. However, there is still something about it that I could not fully decipher. Even so, it is extremely useful. It is called Blood Seal. Go bring some paper from my desk.”
Illaria brought the paper. Ryan wrote something on it, then closed his eyes and began chanting. Magical letters appeared on the surface of the paper, glowing faintly before sinking into it. Then Ryan cut his finger. Illaria watched as drops of blood soaked into the paper, turning it red. A moment later, the red vanished.
Illaria asked in amazement, “What just happened?”
Ryan replied, “Ancient magic. Now do one thing—place a drop of your blood on this paper.”
Illaria did as she was told. The paper immediately began to glow with a soft green light.
Ryan explained, “This spell responds to blood. It compares the genetic encoding of the spell’s caster and the one who tests it. If there is a match, the paper turns green. If there is no match, it turns red. If the paper is not enchanted at all, nothing happens. During this time, you may hear many false things. Do not believe them easily. If I ever send you a message, you can verify whether it is truly from me using this. And every official report or scroll that is communicated between us and the Northern Kingdom, I will seal with my Blood Seal as well. That way, you will always know that the decision truly came from me.”
Illaria smiled. “I understand. But don’t worry, Dad. Even without this, I trust you completely. I know how much you love me and how deeply you care for this kingdom. Whatever decision you make, even if it means sacrificing me, I will—”
Ryan interrupted sharply, “Illaria. I would never sacrifice you for anything. Even if you hurt me one day, I would still never sacrifice you. I would not sacrifice you even if it meant conquering heaven and hell and becoming a god. Why would I trade you for land and politics? I don’t know about rebirth or souls, but if such things exist, then in every life I would choose to be your father and protect you—not sacrifice you. So please, no more of this. Let me cherish these moments before you leave for months.”
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Illaria’s eyes softened. “Okay, Dad. I love you.”
They stayed quietly in his chambers for a long time after that. Both of them had accepted what had to be done, knowing it was the right choice, yet the weight of it pressed heavily on their hearts. Time slipped by in silence as they realized how long this separation would be.
Finally, Illaria spoke, “I think I should leave now. I need to prepare for my journey.”
Ryan nodded. “Yes.”
Illaria stood up and walked toward the door. With her back still turned to him, she heard his voice once more.
“Illaria, always remember—one of the greatest gifts life has given me is having you as my daughter.” A warm feeling washed over her. She smiled to herself and walked back to her room, ready to catch some sleep before the path ahead unfolded.
The next morning, Illaria woke up early on her own. Dany helped her get ready for court, and after quickly grabbing some food, she left for the hall. Murmurs filled the courtroom as soon as she arrived. Everyone was whispering about the attack from the previous night. No one spoke openly yet, since her father had not made any official statement, but discussions about launching a war had already begun. She had heard that during the attack, before she intervened, many of the ministers attending the banquet had also been captured and taken prisoner. A heavy sense of hostility hung in the air.
Gradually, the hall filled with more ministers. The Northern Royal Family had not arrived yet; they were expected to join later. Ryan entered a few minutes after the hall was full. He had barely taken his seat when the commotion began.
“Your Majesty, I speak on behalf of all the ministers of this court. Last night, while we were enjoying dinner, most of us present here were suddenly attacked and taken hostage. Some of us were even escorted to prison cells before the Princess intervened and saved us from the attackers. First, we thank Princess Illaria for rescuing us from such a fate. However, after that, you sent us all away, and we have no idea what transpired afterward. To continue trusting the Northern Family and allowing them to stay in our palace feels degrading. As you know, most of us here are scholars. We diligently perform our duties for the state, from military security to civil affairs, education, and health. It is our responsibility to help you guide this empire toward the right decisions. To humiliate us like this is completely unacceptable. That is why I request you to reveal everything that happened last night so that we may jointly decide what is best for the Southern Empire.”
Ryan’s voice cut through the hall. “You speak of duty. Then answer me this—betraying your own people, your state, your emperor—what duty is that?”
“Your Majesty, we haven’t—”
“You will not speak while I am speaking,” Ryan said sharply. “Tell me, how am I supposed to trust any one of you present here? In the past week alone, I have discovered how complacent you all have become in your duties. What happened last night was a well-calculated, large-scale attack on every one of us. Soldiers from our own army coordinated with the enemy. This was not merely a breach of security; it was a breach of my trust in you. If Illaria had not intervened, I do not even know whether I would be standing here today. What saved us last night was not your management, but my daughter’s unique abilities and her indispensable presence of mind.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “I understand that not all of you are at fault. But no matter how beautiful the moon may be, it cannot hide its flaws. Right now, all I see are the flaws in our system—flaws born from my blind trust in you. Not only did we fail to protect ourselves, we further disgraced ourselves before the Northern Royal Family. I will get to the bottom of this matter. I will work with select individuals to uncover who is responsible for this attack. I could do this quietly, in the shadows, but I choose not to. Consider this an open warning. Whoever assisted in last night’s attack has committed nothing short of treason, and there is no punishment for treason other than death. I promise you this: I, Ryan Longsword, Emperor of the Southern Kingdom, will deliver justice. Until then, have faith in me and excuse my decision to withhold the full details for now.”
Father was angry, yet calm and composed as he spoke. He was a perfect blend of authority, control, and honour. There were rebuttals to his arguments; many ministers were clearly unhappy with his decisions, but father remained firm. As time passed, Illaria slowly lost track of the discussion and her thoughts drifted to the Northern Royal Family.
Last night had changed everything. They might now want nothing to do with this war. They might be preparing to leave and launch their own campaign against the West. Or worse, they might even use last night’s attack as an excuse to turn against the Southern Kingdom. What went through Emperor Elmar’s mind aided by Prince Lyn’s thinking was impossible to determine. Prince Lyn especially was extremely calculating, yet whenever Illaria had spoken to him, she had never sensed the slightest hint of malice in his heart. His eyes were careful yet warm, always glistening with something unspoken—eyes that seemed to carry the weight of suffering. He probably bore far too much responsibility. At just seventeen, he was already managing affairs most men twice his age would struggle with. Illaria had also heard that Lyn’s mother had passed away when he was thirteen or fourteen, and the Northern Emperor did not seem to care for him much. There was maybe too much responsibility on this man.
“The Royal Northern Family will now enter.”
Illaria snapped back to reality as their arrival was announced. The Northern Emperor, along with his three sons, entered the royal court and took their places. This was the moment of truth.
Ryan spoke first. “Before anything else, I would like to thank the heavens for ensuring your safety and apologise for our lack of vigilance. I want to make it clear that what happened last night was not our doing, and you have my word that I will uncover the truth.”
Elmar inclined his head. “Yes, Ryan, I understand. After all, you and your sons were taken hostage as well. You may expect our full cooperation in finding our common enemy and eradicating those who threaten the peace of the great continent of Merwan.”
Ryan nodded. “Thank you, Elmar. I admit, I was uncertain about this marriage proposal before, but after last night’s attack, I believe there is a dire need for us to join hands and safeguard peace. I do not yet know whether the enemy is external or internal, but whoever it is clearly does not have the interests of either the Southern or the Northern Kingdom at heart. Therefore, I ask you to become our ally and, as a mark of our friendship, proceed with the marriage originally discussed between my daughter Illaria and Prince Lyn.”
Ryan then turned toward Lyn. “Prince Lyn, do you accept this marriage to my daughter, Illaria Longsword?”
With his ever-calculating expression, Lyn answered without the slightest hesitation. “I do.” So they had thought this through. They were on board. Illaria felt a rush of excitement and nervousness ripple through her spine. She was about to embark on her very first—and perhaps last—infiltration mission. The thought made her heart pound.
Ryan then turned to her. “Princess Illaria, do you accept this marriage to Prince Lyn?”
Illaria, “I do,” she replied, and looked across the courtroom where the Northern Royal Family was seated. Her eyes met Marcus’s, and she saw the huge grin on his face. At that moment, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling back. And just then, she realized something she hadn’t wanted to admit even to herself—somewhere deep inside, she was glad that it was Marcus she would be going on this mission with, not Lyn. The thought startled her. She quickly buried it deep in her heart. This was a life-and-death mission, not the time for such feelings. And yet, she couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward him.
The mood in the courtroom, however, was one of utter bewilderment. No one quite understood what had just transpired.
Ryan spoke again, his voice firm. “This is excellent. Then it is settled—we have a wedding. I know the Northern Royal Family must leave in a few hours. Illaria will also depart shortly for her mother’s hometown, Bluecrown, where she will remain in seclusion to pray for a successful marriage over the next few months. Make the necessary preparations immediately. The court is dismissed.”
With that, Ryan stood up and walked out before anyone could raise a single objection. Last night, Ryan had already finalized the details of her secret mission with Marcus. She would travel with the Northern Royal Family, and a few kilometers before reaching Bluecrown, she and Marcus would split from the main group and continue their journey on their own. A carriage would indeed head for Bluecrown, but it would be empty. Illaria trusted her father to manage everything flawlessly. She would vanish, and no one would suspect a thing. As for Marcus, he was rarely present at the Northern Court anyway, so no one would question his absence.
Lyn had been right — maybe not exactly as he had pictured things to go but his outcome was right. She had agreed to the wedding by the end of the week.
The plan was on.The mission was on.The journey that would change her life forever was on.