Grace looked at Elder Arulines.
"But Jackson is in the city."
"Even if you call him back, it'll still take time."
Arulines folded his hands behind his back
"It will take even longer to convince Kael."
"We've known him since he was a child."
"He's stubborn."
"Once he makes a decision...
"He doesn't change it."
He looked at Grace with tired eyes.
"Go.
"Prepare yourself for the ritual."
"And...
"Forgive us."
"As the leader..."
"Some sacrifices are yours to make."
Grace lowered her head.
"I understand."
"A leader exists to protect her people."
"If my sacrifice can save this realm..."
"I'll do it."
She turned and quietly left the chamber.
The moment the door closed...
The gentle expression on her face vanished.
---
Grace entered her room.
The door slammed shut behind her.
BANG!
She grabbed a flower vase and hurled it across the room.
CRASH!
Glass scattered across the floor
Another chair followed.
Then a stack of books
Everything within reach became her target
"Damn it!
"I worked so hard..."
"I endured humiliation..."
"I planned everything so carefully..."
"How can my plan fall apart now?!"
She kicked the table over.
The room echoed with the sound of breaking wood.
"Jackson..."
"After everything I've done...
"You're telling me I have to marry Jackson?"
Her breathing became heavier
She slowly walked toward the large window overlooking the burning districts.
Smoke still rose into the sky.
For a long moment...
She stared silently at the destruction.
Then...
A twisted smile appeared.
"If I can take the lives of thousands..."
"...then why can't I take one more?"
"Jackson..."
"...you can die too."
--
Meanwhile..
Emily knocked on Kael's bedroom door.
"Come in."
Kael was fastening his sword to his waist.
Without even looking at her, he spoke.
"If you've come to convince me..."
"You should save your breath."
"I'm leaving for the city."
Emily smiled faintly.
"I didn't come to change your mind."
"I came to tell you..."
"You made the right decision."
Kael finally looked at her.
"I should never marry Grace."
Emily nodded.
"Never."
"Not under any circumstances."
She stepped closer.
"I don't know why..."
"But something about this situation feels wrong."
Kael frowned
"What do you mean?"
Emily crossed her arms.
"When Elder Arulines suggested marrying Grace..."
"She looked..."
"...satisfied."
"Not frightened."
"Almost as if..."
"...this outcome benefited her."
Kael remained silent.
Emily continued,
"You already know she likes you."
"And she has never hidden how much she dislikes Larissa."
"I've watched her for months."
"The way she looks at Larissa..."
"The way she talks to her..."
"It isn't ordinary jealousy."
"It's obsession."
Kael slowly shook his head.
"Emily..."
"You're saying Grace arranged this attack?"
Emily sighed.
"I don't have proof."
"I'm not accusing anyone."
"I'm only telling you what my instincts are screaming."
She looked directly into his eyes
"My heart tells me..."
"James didn't order this attack."
"It feels..."
"...as though someone else wanted the realm to believe he did."
Silence settled between them.
Kael tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword.
"I hope you're wrong."
Emily looked toward the smoke rising beyond the castle walls.
"So do I."
"Because if I'm right..."
"...then the enemy isn't outside the realm."
"It's already sitting inside it."
Two hours later...
Larissa and Jackson finally reached the eastern city.
The moment they crossed the city gates, both of them froze.
The streets no longer resembled the peaceful town they had left behind.
Collapsed buildings blocked entire roads.
Smoke covered the sky, turning daylight into a gloomy twilight.
Children cried while searching for their parents.
The wounded filled every street.
Medical volunteers struggled to keep up as more injured civilians arrived every minute.
Larissa immediately jumped from her horse.
"Help them first!"
She ran toward a collapsed house, helping an elderly woman trapped beneath broken timber.
Jackson rushed to another group of survivors, lifting heavy debris alongside several guards.
After nearly an hour...
A messenger reached them.
"The medical teams have arrived!"
Jackson wiped the dust from his face.
"Good."
"Then we leave for James."
Larissa nodded.
Without wasting another second, the two rode deeper into the city.
Every road told the same story.
Broken homes.
Shattered marketplaces.
Families searching through rubble.
The once-beautiful realm now resembled the Third Realm after its destruction.
Eventually...
They arrived at James' eastern hideout.
Larissa pushed open the door.
"Brother!"
Her voice echoed through the empty building.
"James!"
"Come out!"
Silence.
She searched every room.
Nothing.
No sign of James.
A young man suddenly ran inside.
"Sister Larissa!"
"Brother James isn't here."
"He's at the western hideout."
Larissa immediately turned toward him.
"So it really was him..."
The young man quickly shook his head.
"No!"
"We don't even know what's happening!"
"Brother James never gave any orders!"
Larissa's eyes hardened.
"Enough."
"Only James has direct contact with Robert."
"If anyone knows what's happening..."
"It's him."
The young man hesitated.
"It'll take nearly two days to reach the western hideout."
"I don't care."
"People are dying."
"We leave now."
The group mounted their horses and rode west without delay.
Not long after...
A tremendous explosion shook the road ahead.
The blast echoed through the valley.
A towering cloud of smoke swallowed the path.
Everything disappeared beneath fire and dust.
Nearly two hours later...
A rescue unit arrived at the scene.
The captain slowly surveyed the destruction.
The road had vanished beneath shattered stone.
The horses lay motionless nearby.
"Search the area!"
"Find them!"
Medical teams spread across the ruins.
Several minutes passed before one of the soldiers froze.
"Captain..."
The rescue leader walked over.
Among the debris...
Very little remained to identify those caught in the explosion.
He lowered his head.
"...Report to Elder Arulines."
Back at headquarters...
The leaders gathered once again inside the council chamber.
A communication panel appeared before Elder Arulines.
"Report."
The rescue captain's exhausted face appeared.
"Elder..."
"We were too late."
"There are no survivors."
"The explosion was catastrophic."
"We recovered only scattered remains and personal belongings."
"There is no doubt..."
"Jackson and Larissa are gone."
Silence consumed the chamber.
Kael slowly stood.
"...What?"
"No..."
"Where is Larissa?"
The captain lowered his eyes.
"I'm... sorry."
The communication ended.
The room became completely silent.
Grace lowered her head.
A faint smile threatened to appear.
She quickly hid it before anyone noticed.
Emily looked toward Kael with concern.
Kael's knees gave way.
He collapsed onto the floor.
"No..."
"No..."
He buried his face in his hands.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
Grace stepped closer.
"Kael..."
"We all understand your pain."
"But the realm still needs us."
"The eastern district has already fallen."
Kael suddenly looked up.
His eyes burned with grief.
"Don't."
"Say another word."
"You don't understand anything."
He pointed at her with a trembling hand.
"Everything..."
"Everything started because of you."
Grace remained silent.
Emily immediately stepped between them.
"Enough."
She helped Kael to his feet.
"Come."
"We're leaving."
She guided him out of the chamber.
Outside...
Kael suddenly stopped walking.
"I know they're lying."
"Larissa isn't dead..."
"They're only saying this..."
"So I'll agree to marry Grace."
Emily gently caught him before he lost his balance.
His body had become weak from exhaustion.
She helped him sit on a nearby chair.
Tears continued falling.
"They're lying..."
"She promised she'd come back..."
Emily quietly handed him a sleeping medicine.
After several minutes...
His breathing slowed.
Eventually, exhaustion pulled him into sleep.
She looked at him sadly.
"...Rest."
Inside the council chamber...
Arulines let out a heavy sigh.
"There is no time."
"The attacks have spread to the southern district as well."
He looked toward Emily after she returned.
"You must try to convince him."
Emily folded her arms.
"I'll try."
"But you already know the answer."
"He loves Larissa."
"No matter what anyone says..."
"He won't betray her."
Grace spoke quietly.
"If you help convince him..."
"We can save the realm."
Emily looked directly into her eyes.
"You're in a remarkable hurry to marry him."
Grace answered without hesitation.
"I'm in a hurry to save lives."
Emily remained unconvinced.
"I'll speak to him after he wakes."
"If he still refuses..."
"I won't force him."
She turned and walked away.
Grace watched her disappear down the hallway.
Only after she was alone...
A smile slowly spread across her face.
Larissa...
So you're finally gone.
I wanted you to suffer longer...
But this is enough.
Now... all that's left...
...is Kael.