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Hakan/authors pov
The council chamber felt too bright for the grim purpose that had gathered us here. Sunlight poured through the windows like molten gold, but it only highlighted the dark tension choking the air. For months—no, years—my kingdom had suffered under the shadows cast by the Slayers. Their attacks were ruthless, unpredictable, devastating. But even then… even then, I never imagined the truth behind their existence.
I exhaled slowly, the weight of revelation heavy in my chest.
"For a long time… we have suffered severe losses because of the Slayers," I said, my fingers tightening around the carved armrest of my chair. "Their attacks have been relentless… and their origins—an enigma."
Around me, my most trusted advisors leaned forward with grave expressions.
"I never thought the Slayers would be… demon beasts." The words tasted bitter. I forced them out. "They're actually Shifters."
A rustle of shock rippled across the round table. The nobles paled, some whispering prayers under their breath.
"But," I continued, straightening, "we finally have a chance to fight back. The Cardinal from Brion Kingdom has agreed to lend us the Holy Relic… to protect us from the Black Arrows."
My advisor—the one with the sharp brown hair and the smug confidence—grinned.
"Haha. As long as we have that, those Shifters won't stand a chance."
I cut him a cold glare.
"No. That's not true."
His smile faded instantly.
"The Shifters transform into other people," I said, my voice low and hard. "If they disguise themselves as the people we cherish… the hesitation, the fear of striking someone familiar…"
A tremor went through me. The image came unbidden—
A beloved face.
A familiar smile.
And beneath it, a monster waiting to tear everything apart.
"…We might not be able to slay any of them."
Silence suffocated the chamber.
My advisor cleared his throat. "There's only one way to undo their transformations, Your Majesty."
My head snapped up. "How?"
He hesitated for a moment—before delivering the strangest countermeasure I'd ever heard.
"With… powdered Black Hawk droppings."
I stared at him.
"…What?"
He didn't laugh. He didn't smile. He was dead serious.
The absurdity of it couldn't overshadow our desperation.
I stood abruptly, the chair scraping back across the stone. For a moment, the advisors stiffened, unsure whether I was furious or simply determined.
I stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the palace courtyard, breathing in the crisp air.
"I heard the Black Hawks raised by the Wolf Tribe possess mysterious powers," I said, staring into the distance. "Do they really have the ability to undo Shifter transformations?"
"We believe so," he answered from behind me.
I closed my eyes. Just a sliver of hope was enough.
When I returned to the table, my steps were firm, my resolve solidifying like steel.
"Gather all the generals by tomorrow. We will hold a full war council. We must procure this powder—no matter the cost. The Shifters have changed the rules of this war. Then we, too, must change."
The room stiffened with renewed purpose.
"But Your Majesty," my advisor interjected, "we'll need a tremendous amount of powder to fight the Shifters. How can we possibly secure enough—"
"That's simple," I replied sharply—but the truth was anything but simple.
"However," I conceded, "getting the powder here won't be easy. The Wolf Tribe… they are the only people on this continent who can handle Black Hawks."
"And they have no interest in helping outsiders," the advisor added grimly.
The Wolf Tribe—the elusive, ancient, almost mythical clan. Their disappearance from political affairs had left many wondering if they still existed.
"In the past," my advisor continued, "the Wolf Tribe were the natural enemies of the Shifters. Their abilities surpassed human limits… and they alone could manage Black Hawks."
"Then we must reach out to them," I declared. "Request their help immediately."
"If they agree," he said, "we can annihilate the Slayers."
I nodded. "Some of the generals have already left to negotiate."
The woman with the white hair spoke up softly. "I'd never heard of the Wolf Tribe before today."
"Neither had I," I admitted.
Her eyes widened. "Does their wolf-like appearance mean they're uncivilized?"
"Haha," the advisor chuckled politely. "I understand the assumption, but they're not. They are wise, disciplined, and unfailingly courteous."
"Then why have they shut themselves off from the world?" she asked.
"Because," I answered with a wry smile, "their leader is utterly infatuated with his wife. Apparently… he doesn't care about anything beyond her anymore."
The white-haired woman blinked, unsure whether to be amused or alarmed.
I continued, "I've already contacted the Great Temple. The Holy Relic should arrive soon—if all negotiations go well."
The advisor bowed deeply.
"Let me thank you again, Your Eminence," he said with burning sincerity. "All of this… is to protect Lucina."
I met his gaze. The devotion in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Your Eminence…"
His voice dropped.
"There's something I want to ask you."
---
The advisor in white and gold—dignified, elegant, unfailingly loyal—bowed deeply before me. Yet his loyalty, I knew, belonged not to my crown, but to her.
"This is all for the sake of protecting Lucina," he said quietly, reverently.
He lifted his gaze, blue eyes steady and unwavering.
"Your Eminence… there's something I want to ask you."
I nodded, giving him permission to speak.
He slowly eased back into his chair, sunlight catching on his blonde hair like molten threads of gold. His expression shifted from respectful to intent—almost uncomfortably so.
"Why do you treasure Lucina so much?"
The council chamber fell into a hush.
I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I held his gaze for a long, heavy moment—long enough for him to understand that some truths were not meant to be spoken lightly. Or perhaps not at all.
A faint smile curved on his lips—gentle, knowing, almost resigned.
"…I just care about her well-being," he said softly. "She used to be a Brionian, after all."
"I see," I replied simply, giving him a slow nod that held both understanding and warning.
He seemed satisfied.
The advisor rose smoothly, bowing once more.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll get going first. I don't want to intrude on your personal time."
"It's fine—THUMP—take care," I said, offering a brief nod as he stepped away.
Lucina turned toward me, concern knitting her delicate brows.
"Shouldn't you have gone with the generals to visit the Wolf Tribe?" she asked softly.
I shook my head. "I have to stay at the royal palace at all times, in case there's a surprise attack."
Her expression tightened. "There's always a chance the Slayers could invade while I'm away."
Without hesitation, I reached forward and pulled her into a warm, protective embrace—a firm SQUEEZE that brought her close to my chest.
"I'll always protect you, Lucina," I murmured into her hair. "I'll ensure we win this war… and I'll wipe out any remaining threats that could ever endanger you."
I lowered my voice, speaking of a future only she and I were meant to share.
"Once everything is over… we can rule over our peaceful kingdom together."
Lucina's cheeks warmed with a soft rose tint as she gazed up at me.
Hakan's…
Her eyes widened faintly.
…not getting jealous!
She quickly dismissed her own flustered suspicion. It made sense, after all—why would I be jealous over something so trivial? She also cared deeply about the well-being of the people around her. She understood loyalty. She understood duty.
Still… she looked adorably flustered.
I cupped her face gently in my hands, my thumbs brushing her cheeks. The sight of her—worried, hopeful, trusting—burned itself into my resolve.
For her, I would secure the aid of the Wolf Tribe.
For her, I would obtain the Black Hawk powder.
For her, I would await the arrival of the Holy Relic.
For her, I would win this war against the Shifters.
For her, I would conquer any threat that dared to rise.
"I'll always protect you, Lucina," I repeated softly, letting the promise settle between us with the weight of destiny.
"I'll ensure we win this war, and I'll wipe out any remaining threats that could pose a danger to you."
Then, with a gentler voice:
"Once that's all over… we'll rule over our peaceful kingdom together."
Lucina looked up, her eyes shimmering.
The advisor's earlier question lingered in her thoughts:
Hakan's… not getting jealous!
She corrected herself again, cheeks warm.
It makes sense. I also care about my people. Of course he does too…
Duty, affection, responsibility—how could jealousy survive in such a place?
Still, she whispered softly as the advisor left:
"Make sure you don't get hurt… and come back to me safely."
While we were wrapped in vows and war preparations, another scheme blossomed far away—in a room soaked in crimson velvet and cold ambition.
A blonde woman in a sweeping scarlet gown lounged on a golden chair, reading a document with leisurely interest.
"It sounds like the Tayar Tribe are planning something interesting," she mused.
A dark-haired man in a black suit bowed respectfully beside her.
Then realization sparked.
"They're getting ready for war…"
She rose gracefully, but the curve of her lips sharpened with cruelty.
"It would be such a shame if my plan went up in flames because I didn't do anything about it."
Her eyes glinted with danger.
"Before the Tayars finish preparing for war… I'll have to make sure our side makes the first move."
She flashed a seductive, ruthless GRIN.
"I should visit the King for the first time in a while."
The servant bowed again. "Will you be leaving immediately?"
"No. Tomorrow morning is fine," she replied with chilling confidence.
"It won't even take an hour to seduce him."
Later, she sought out the elderly King, settling gracefully beside him.
"You think I should attack the Tayars first?" the old King asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she replied smoothly.
Her voice dripped with well-crafted poison.
"Those barbarians kidnapped the woman who was supposed to be your concubine."
The King's jaw tightened. "You're right. They did."
"And as an apology, Baron Velk agreed to send me gold every month…"
She tapped her manicured fingers on her knee.
"…but I haven't received this month's payment yet."
Her expression curled with disdain.
"They're such a repulsive family, the more I think about it."
The King sat in silence, his old bitterness stirred, awakened, and sharpened.
My advisor stepped back with a courteous bow, the faint rustle of his white-and-gold robes brushing the floor.
"If you'll excuse me, I'll get going first," he said. "I don't want to intrude on your personal time."
"It's fine—THUMP—take care," I replied, giving him a final approving nod.
The doors closed behind him, leaving a hush of tranquility that only Lucina could fill.
She looked at me with soft worry tugging her features.
"Shouldn't you have gone with the generals to visit the Wolf Tribe?"
I shook my head. "I have to stay at the royal palace at all times, in case there's a surprise attack."
She wasn't wrong—my presence might have eased negotiations—but abandoning the palace when the Shifters could strike at any moment was unthinkable.
Her worry deepened.
I pulled her into my embrace, arms closing around her in a warm, grounding SQUEEZE.
"I'll always protect you, Lucina," I murmured.
"I'll ensure we win this war, and I'll wipe out any remaining threats that could pose a danger to you. Once that's all over, we can rule over our peaceful kingdom together."
For a moment, the weight of kingship eased—because she was in my arms.
But strategy never slept.
My advisor's briefing replayed in my mind:
—The Wolf Tribe, wise and formidable despite their rough exterior.
—The only people on the continent capable of handling Black Hawks.
—The only source of the powdered droppings that could undo Shifter transformations.
Yet they were notoriously difficult to approach.
"Their leader is currently infatuated with his wife," my advisor had said earlier, almost amused.
"So they've lost interest in helping other nations."
That left diplomacy in the hands of the generals I had dispatched… and faith in their success.
But I wasn't idle.
"I've contacted the Great Temple, so it won't be long before the Holy Relic arrives," I told Lucina softly. "If the talks with the Wolf Tribe go smoothly, it should be here when your generals return."
With the relic and the Black Hawk powder, we had a true chance—perhaps our only one—to annihilate the Slayers once and for all.
Lucina stepped away, her steps light yet hesitant.
I watched her go, my chest tightening with a fierce protectiveness.
She was everything I was fighting for.
The rumor drifted to me that the Tayar Tribe was preparing something interesting.
How delightful.
I lay back against the plush cushions of my chamber, the deep red of my gown pooling like spilled wine around me.
"So… they're getting ready for war," I murmured.
A slow smile curled my lips.
"It would be such a shame if my plan went up in flames because I didn't do anything about it."
I rose gracefully, the silk whispering against my skin.
Before the Tayars finish preparing for war… I needed to make sure our side made the first move.
"I should visit the King for the first time in a while," I declared, a confident GRIN forming as I lifted my chin.
My attendant in the black suit bowed.
"I understand. Will you be leaving immediately?"
"No," I replied, brushing a curl of blonde hair over my shoulder. "Tomorrow morning should be fine."
I let my lips curve in wicked amusement.
"It won't even take an hour to seduce him."
And it didn't.
Soon after, I was seated beside the elderly King—gullible, predictable, and pathetically easy to manipulate.
"You think I should attack the Tayars first?" he asked, startled by my suggestion.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I purred, leaning in.
"Those barbarians kidnapped the woman… who was supposed to be your concubine."
His expression twisted.
"You're right. They did."
"And as an apology," I continued, my tone dripping with manufactured irritation, "Baron Velk agreed to send me gold every month. But I have yet to receive it this month."
I clicked my tongue lightly, feigning indignation.
"They're such a repulsive family, the more I think about it."
Then I introduced the final piece.
"Have you heard of the Dragon Slayers?"
"Dragon Slayers? I think so…"
"You should hire them," I coaxed with a sweet smile.
"They possess weapons capable of hurting the Tayars. With the Slayers by your side… victory will be assured."
The old King's eyes gleamed with sudden hunger—not for battle, but for me.
He leaned closer, his voice dropping.
"In that case… If I manage to defeat the Tayars… will you become my concubine, Marissa?"
Revulsion crawled across my skin, but I swallowed it with trained ease.
My fingers TWITCHED where they rested on his sleeve.
But the art of persuasion was simple:
Give the target exactly what they want to hear.
"…is how to win your heart," I finished softly, lifting my eyes to his with false devotion.
A swift surge of red energy flared around my body—hidden, controlled, a reminder of my true power beneath the gentle facade.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
The King's face turned a bright, eager red.
"My plan was set."
He thought he had won me.
He had no idea how thoroughly he was being played.
"If that's all you want," the King said, voice trembling with anticipation, "then it would be my pleasure."