"A priority message?" Mina froze, her expression instantly turning grim. She knew exactly what that implied—only something of catastrophic importance would warrant a "triple-priority" status.
In practice, this meant releasing dozens of messenger pigeons at once throughout the night. It was a desperate gamble; perhaps only one out of ten pigeons would successfully navigate the pitch-black sky to reach Sedona city. Often, none would make it until the next morning, but the "Urgent" stamp meant they had been forced to fly despite the risks of the night.
"Calm down first. Have some water." Lucas handed his cup to the fox-girl before taking the letter. After reading it thoroughly, he handed it to Mina.
"What?!" Mina gasped, her face darkening. "Lucy has been taken by Lucia? This is bad."
"How could this happen?" Annie was stunned, a flicker of worry crossing her eyes. Having been a princess herself, she understood the brutal reality of royal power struggles; Lucy being taken into custody rarely ended well.
"Don't panic yet. Lucy is safe for the moment," Lucas sighed. No one had expected the King to die so suddenly, leaving the First Prince in complete control of the capital.
"Lucia will likely marry her off within two weeks to consolidate his throne through a political alliance," Annie analyzed. She knew the rules of the royal bloodline all too well.
"Master, Jones mentioned knights in white armor. Are they from a specific noble house, or are they Lucia's private force?" Mina asked, her sharp eyes picking up a detail in the report.
"I'm not sure. The intel is too sparse," Lucas said, tapping his finger against the table. "But based on Jones's report, Lucy was discovered suddenly after hiding for days. That suggests this new faction has an incredibly efficient intelligence network."
He suspected an outside influence. Whenever a throne changed hands, various organizations would crawl out of the woodwork to claim a piece of the glory.
"So, what's the move?" Annie frowned. She leaned over the desk, her tail twitching, and reached out to snag a piece of red bean cake.
"Annie, that's the Master's breakfast," Mina said, rolling her eyes.
"Heehee..." Annie giggled, popping the cake into her mouth. She had been inspecting the market for two hours and her breakfast had long been digested.
"Don't worry, let me think." Lucas pushed the plate toward the fox-girl and turned to Mina. "Go and summon Rhea, Elisa, and Chris."
"Yes, My Lord." Mina bowed and hurried out.
Once Mina was gone, Annie hopped onto the desk, mimicking the cat-girl's poise. She pinched another piece of red bean cake and held it up to Lucas's lips.
Chomp. Lucas accepted the feed and continued scanning the urgent letter. He quickly found a thread to pull: the rumor of Lucia murdering King. That was a narrative he could manipulate.
"Interesting." Lucas's lips curled upward. He cross-referenced the new letter with the previous one, noticing several discrepancies.
"Master, did you find something?" Annie asked, licking her finger while her tail swished rhythmically.
"The capital is more interesting than I thought. So many people are sitting on the sidelines watching. I think I'll add some fuel to the fire," Lucas muttered. "Let's see how many people get burned when this goes up in flames."
"Always so mysterious," Annie grumbled, swinging her legs as she watched him begin to write.
Clack, clack...
Elisa was the first to arrive, as the sniper training grounds weren't far from the city. She looked at Annie sitting on the desk with a raised eyebrow but stood silently, waiting for orders.
"Elisa, read these two letters." Lucas handed them over.
As Elisa read, her face grew darker. She looked at Lucas anxiously, but seeing him still focused on his writing, she bit her lip and remained silent.
Half an hour later, Mina arrived with Rhea. Judging by the cat-girl's disheveled hair, Rhea had likely carried her through the air to get there faster.
Rhea entered the study, her eyes looking at Lucas with a complex expression. She hadn't expected to be assigned a mission this fast; she had assumed he would let her rest for a few days out of politeness.
Chris arrived last, panting heavily. He had sprinted all the way from the War Wolf training base the moment he heard the summons.
"Alright, everyone is here." Lucas looked at the three of them, his face stern. "Our friends, Lucy and Catherine, need our help."
"I am at your command, My Lord," Elisa responded instantly.
Rhea frowned slightly but nodded. She wouldn't refuse a mission; she saw it as a way to repay him for the hospitality. The roasted mutton and the hot porridge she'd had earlier had helped dissolve much of her skepticism.
"Orders, City Lord!" Chris was the most direct, standing at stiff attention.
"Annie, mobilize supplies. I need fifteen hot air balloons on standby, fully fueled for a round trip," Lucas ordered. "And select ten of our top Air Force soldiers."
"Mobilize military reserves, Master?" Annie asked to confirm.
"Yes. Use the military stock. Bring compressed rations and canned food as well." Lucas turned to Rhea. "I need ten birdkin to assist in the rescue."
"Understood," Rhea said coldly.
"Chris, send five members of the War Wolf squad to lead the ground operation. Follow this plan." He handed a sealed envelope to Chris.
"Mission will be accomplished!" Chris saluted.
"Elisa, you will lead the sniper squad. Here is your briefing." He handed the second envelope to the Elf.
"Yes, My Lord."
"Go. Prepare immediately."
Lucas's strike force was a lethal combination of aerial superiority from the birdkin and Air Force, supported by the precision of the Elven snipers. He was sending his finest.
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