Victoria entered the hall with her son Arthur, and all eyes instinctively turned toward them.
Arthur followed behind her with steady, confident steps—far more composed than anyone had expected.
Victoria advanced a little ahead of her son, clearly suppressing the oppressive aura Alexander had released.
She walked until she stood close to them, then stopped quietly.
Vlad stepped forward and announced formally,
"Here is my wife, Victoria… and this is my son, Arthur."
Arthur bowed slightly.
"It's an honor to meet you, sir."
Alexander replied,
"The honor is mine."
But his thoughts were far less polite:
So this is that "trash" Arthur? The nobody from the Dragoneath family… the boy whose mother was treated horribly because of him?
Strange… he doesn't look weak at all. In fact, he seems unusually strong for his age. Did I misjudge him? Or has he been hiding his true nature?
Meanwhile, Irina was observing them with a critical gaze:
So this is the weak, cowardly Arthur everyone talked about?
And this is the mother who supposedly hates him and has a vicious temper?
What I'm seeing is the exact opposite… Their relationship looks perfectly fine, and Victoria… her pressure is terrifying. I can feel it from here—she's almost on the same level as Father! What a frightening woman.
Vlad broke everyone's silent thoughts and said,
"Come, let's all sit."
Once seated, Alexander glanced around before saying in a half-joking tone,
"You're quite fortunate, Vlad."
Vlad raised a brow.
"And what do you mean by that?"
Alexander smirked.
"You're surrounded by powerful people… You must be thrilled."
Vlad chuckled.
"Are you jealous? Do you want some of that strength yourself?"
Alexander scoffed,
"I wouldn't refuse it."
Then whispered internally:
Truly… this family is terrifyingly strong. No wonder they're the mightiest duchy, with the strongest army after the royal family. Two of them alone rival the top ten human warriors, and his wife… her power is nothing to underestimate.
Coming here might have been the right choice after all.
Vlad said,
"Very well, let's begin. Alexander, give us your report. We need to understand what is happening in the North."
Alexander inhaled deeply.
"Alright… the situation is dire. Recently, strange monsters have begun attacking us. Their movements are coordinated, using 'hit-and-run' tactics. They strike… then retreat in a calculated manner. It has caused us heavy losses."
Morgan raised a brow.
"And their leaders… are they sentient? Do they have combat intelligence?"
Alexander nodded.
"Yes. Almost all their leaders are intelligent beasts. And that's what makes this far worse."
Vlad's eyes widened.
"All of them?!"
"All of them," Alexander confirmed.
"And not only that… they are powerful and frighteningly organized. Unlike anything we've faced before."
Morgan asked,
"What kind of monsters are attacking?"
Alexander gave a thin smile.
"A good question. The hit-and-run assaults are mainly carried out by the wolf and cat tribes. Their coordination is… unnatural. Their speed, reflexes, and agility have inflicted severe losses upon us."
Whispers of shock spread across the hall.
Wolves and cats, cooperating? Two tribes notorious for hating each other.
That alone was a terrible omen.
Alexander continued,
"As for large-scale army clashes… they are led by the minotaurs, ghouls, and orcs. True giants. Their assaults need no explanation."
He took another breath.
"At night… wolves and cats.
At day… minotaurs, ghouls, and orcs.
It feels like we're fighting two different armies… one in the night, and one in the day."
Arthur felt a chill inside him.
So… the changes have begun. Just like Daniel warned—humanity is in danger. I need to hurry. I must grow stronger. Even their worst enemies are forming alliances… something bigger is coming.
Arthur asked calmly,
"And how are you responding to these attacks?"
Alexander answered,
"We have a special unit called the Northern Dragon. They operate both offensively and defensively. They've been able to slow the danger a little… but the situation worsens every day because of the harsh weather and endless battles."
He added bitterly,
"Human stamina is limited… especially compared to beasts."
Irina clenched her hand tightly, pain apparent on her face.
"We are suffering terribly… the brutal cold, the endless enemies, their terrifying coordination… and the Empire has stopped supporting us."
Finally, Alexander said the main point:
"And that is why… we came to ask for your aid, Vlad."