Re-Estize Kingdom, the Kingdom's capital.
Inside a lavish palace, a high-level meeting was underway.
The Kingdom's current king, Ramposa III, sat on the throne.
For a man already gray-haired and advanced in years, he had long since reached the point where he should have abdicated and passed the crown to the next generation.
Yet for various reasons, Ramposa III had never stepped down.
Whenever outsiders asked, he would say that his successor was still too inexperienced, and that he couldn't hand over the throne with peace of mind.
But he knew that was only part of it. The bigger reason was sitting right there below him.
Looking out across the hall, nobles of every rank had gathered. Among them, the figures of the Six Great Nobles stood out far too clearly.
Their ornate clothing made them look completely different from the rest.
The Six Great Nobles.
The six nobles who held the most territory beneath the king, and who surpassed even the monarch in military strength, wealth, and influence.
Because of them, royal authority had declined sharply in recent years. That erosion was one of the fundamental reasons the Kingdom had grown more and more rotten.
Ramposa III's cloudy eyes shifted to the side, where four figures stood in attendance.
Three were his children, and the last was a broad-shouldered man.
Gazef Stronoff.
Warrior Captain of the Kingdom, an absolute member of the Royalist Faction, and the person Ramposa III trusted most.
It was because Gazef possessed hero-tier strength, and because that strength kept some of the nobles in check, that the royal family had not been reduced to nothing more than the aristocracy's puppet.
Ramposa III looked down at the nobles and sighed quietly to himself, then spoke.
"The meeting will now begin."
"Regarding the change of hands in the Argland Council State, and its renaming as the Sorcerer Kingdom, what are your thoughts?"
His voice was heavy. The nobles stopped whispering to one another, and their expressions turned grim.
The Argland Council State had fallen.
It was the kind of event that could shake human society to its core.
That nation founded by a True Dragon Lord, that nation that had endured countless storms, had been conquered.
The Supreme Councilor, the Platinum Dragon Lord, was nowhere to be found, and many suspected he had fled.
As for the other four Dragon Lord councilors, they had even submitted to the Sorcerer Kingdom.
"So even proud dragons will set aside their dignity when faced with absolute power?"
That thought surfaced in more than one mind.
For the Kingdom, this was not good news.
The Kingdom bordered the Argland Council State. In the past, the two had maintained a quiet, stable peace, but now that the ruler had changed, could their relationship really remain the same?
Faced with Ramposa III's question, the minor nobles remained silent. Their opinions wouldn't matter anyway, so they might as well stay put and watch.
Meanwhile, the Six Great Nobles exchanged glances.
"Your Majesty, the strength of the Sorcerer Kingdom far exceeds our expectations. I believe we should send an envoy as soon as possible."
Margrave Urovana of the Royalist Faction stepped forward and spoke.
Taking the initiative to establish diplomatic relations was far better than being forced to do so later. The Kingdom had to make the first move.
However, the proposal was immediately met with opposition.
"Hmph. A nation conquered by the undead. Can it really be trusted?"
"The Sorcerer Kingdom may have changed rulers, but the new emperor has never appeared. Who knows what kind of being they actually are?"
"I've heard rumors that the Sorcerer Kingdom isn't ruled by a single king, but by three. Heh. If that's true, it will collapse sooner or later."
Different voices quickly rose from among the Six Great Nobles.
This was perfectly normal. Even though they were all part of the Six Great Nobles, it did not mean they stood on the same side. Each of them had their own interests and opinions.
"If there truly are three kings, then judging from the undead army that conquered the Argland Council State, one of them is probably an undead."
"Perhaps we should wait and see for a while longer. Let's observe the situation until after the coronation ceremony."
"There's no need to be afraid. If the Sorcerer Kingdom dares to invade the Kingdom, other human nations like the Empire and the Slane Theocracy will surely not stand by and watch."
The nobles argued over one another, and in the end split into two factions.
One side believed diplomatic relations should be established immediately.
The other believed they should continue observing the situation.
Looking at the scene in front of him that resembled a noisy marketplace, Ramposa III rubbed his forehead in exhaustion.
"Since everyone holds different opinions, we will observe the Sorcerer Kingdom for the time being. The matter of diplomatic relations can be discussed later."
With a wave of his hand, Ramposa III ended the discussion.
"Now, the next matter. What are your thoughts on the Empire's declaration of war?"
If one of the major recent events was the change of rule in the Argland Council State, then the second was undoubtedly the Empire's declaration of war.
In order to restrain the Kingdom's development, the Bloody Emperor would order the Empire's heavy cavalry to wage war against the Kingdom every autumn.
And every time the two nations clashed, the war would eventually end with the Empire retreating and the Kingdom claiming victory.
However, the nobles were well aware that this was only a surface appearance.
These so-called battles were little more than both sides lining up their armies on the plains and shouting at each other from a distance.
The Empire's real goal was simple.
Disrupt the autumn harvest and weaken the Kingdom's national strength.
The nobles didn't care about this at all. After all, the ones suffering losses were the commoners, not them.
Besides, things had always been like this for years. There was nothing to worry about.
"There's no need for concern, Your Majesty. The Kingdom will surely achieve victory once again. The Empire is nothing to fear."
A noble stepped forward and declared confidently.
The other nobles nodded as well, showing no sign of concern. In their minds, the Kingdom would naturally win just as it always had.
The Second Prince opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.
But in the end, he remained silent.
Thus the meeting came to an anticlimactic end amid the nobles' arrogant words.
The doors slowly closed. The nobles left in groups, while Ramposa III departed under Gazef's escort.
Inside the now empty palace hall, Princess Renner, who had remained silent the entire time and witnessed everything, quietly sighed.
This country was already beyond saving.