The Kingdom’s Opportunity

The marble pillars of the palace trembled with a faint vibration.

Fine cracks spread across the walls, and the antique windows quivered in resonance with her voice.

It was as if the palace itself was responding to the young girl’s presence.

Sweat seeped into my palms.

My mouth was parched.

Since ascending to the throne, this was the first time I felt such helplessness.

My heart pounded heavily.

Time passed, yet no one moved.

Only the quivering tips of the knights’ spears echoed through the palace.

“Revenge?”

I strained to maintain my dignity.

“My knights were all killed by you, were they not? Why would you seek greater revenge by destroying my palace like this?”

The girl looked at me with a contemptuous smile.

“Your words are devoid of reason. If a rebellion had erupted, would you merely punish a few insurgents and return in triumph? The fangs of rebellion must be judged, and all touched by it must become sacrifices of blood. Those who tried to kill my Belez will naturally face their due punishment.”

Her words sent a chill down my spine.

Her tone was as if she could see through my very thoughts.

And what was more astonishing was that her words were entirely correct.

Had a rebellion occurred, it would have been only natural to punish all involved.

But this situation was different.

It was not a rebellion.

It was a legitimate investigation by the kingdom.

“Tell me exactly what you seek. We investigated Shia Kalt to study the anomaly in the isolated space, not to harm you.”

“Do not try to hide the truth with lies.”

The girl retorted sharply.

“It is already an open secret that Seraphina Bloom came to capture me.”

Her words left me momentarily speechless.

I had known.

The secret order I had given to the Second Knight Order was indeed to “capture the flower.”

How had this girl learned of it?

I had thought that rumors among humans, the conversations of soldiers, and the whispers of nobles would go unnoticed by her…

But everything had reached her ears.

It was a grave miscalculation.

Now, no lies would suffice.

“You… it seems there was a misunderstanding. But for now, let us set that aside…”

My voice trembled involuntarily.

Excuses seemed meaningless now.

“Tell me what you truly desire. What must I do to ensure the kingdom’s safety?”

I forced myself to ask, clinging to the last shred of dignity.

Yet my heart raced relentlessly.

“What do you want?”

The girl’s eyes glowed redder.

“Those who tried to capture me must face divine retribution. Should I take your descendants? Or should I reduce the kingdom to ashes?”

Her words sent shivers down my spine.

The insects around her seemed to respond to her threat, adopting more menacing postures.

A blue butterfly suddenly fluttered to my head, its tiny legs tousling my hair.

I could neither move nor stop it, for I feared her power.

A red butterfly’s wings flickered with flames, and a massive wasp leaned against the wall, its stinger exposed.

Valerius stepped forward as if to protect me.

“How dare you threaten His Majesty, you insolent girl! This outrage will not be tolerated!”

“Silence, old man. It is presumptuous of you to meddle in affairs beyond your station.”

The girl spoke with a look of irritation, raising her hand slightly.

A sharp black root burst from the floor near Valerius, halting just before his neck.

“Hah!”

“Stop, Lady Lycoris!”

Count Hind hurriedly intervened.

“Valerius is Your Majesty’s longest-serving advisor!”

Lycoris glanced at the count, then seemed to change her mind, lowering her hand.

The root slowly released Valerius.

He collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.

“Let this be a warning, Count. Should he show disrespect again, he will face the consequences.”

She turned her gaze back to me.

This entire situation was my fault.

Attempting to capture a single flower had endangered the entire kingdom.

How could I have known that the flower was not just a simple plant, but a being beyond imagination?

But now was not the time for regrets.

I had to fulfill my duty as the king.

Summoning as much composure as possible, I spoke.

“Tell me your demands. I will grant anything within my power.”

My voice, against my will, trembled like shattered glass.

Fear I had never known gripped me.

As a king, I had tried to maintain dignity, but before this girl, it seemed meaningless.

“Do not mock me with offers of gold or treasures. What I desire is of far greater value.”

Lycoris spoke casually, as if already in possession of all worldly riches.

“Construct a lair for my master, one twice the size of this palace, built with the finest crystals and silver.”

Lycoris began listing her demands in detail.

Each requirement sounded like an impossible task.

Yet I nodded silently.

Even if the kingdom’s treasury were depleted, it was better than incurring Frostia’s wrath.

“The palace must be surrounded by a hundred ice pillars adorned with gems, and the ceiling must shimmer like a starry sky. The floor should appear as frosted glass, transparent yet non-slip. The walls must be covered in pure ice crystals, enchanted to prevent melting.”

She continued, her demands meticulous.

“And there must always be attendants on standby. When my master arrives, all must prostrate themselves and chant, ‘Hail the glorious arrival of the great Frostia.’ Additionally, every morning and evening, offer pure crystal water to the ice garden and scatter flower petals in her path.”

Lycoris added, a gleam in her eye.

It was the first time her face showed such delight.

She seemed like a child preparing a gift for her parents.

“Summon a scribe at once. I want this agreement documented and sealed with the royal crest. Your kind has a habit of breaking promises, so it is wise to have it in writing.”

I called for a scribe to record all her demands.

Without hesitation, I signed and sealed the document.

It was a humiliating act, but to ensure the kingdom’s survival, I was prepared to endure any disgrace.

“It must be completed in a month. If not…”

Lycoris gazed at the palace garden.

With a flick of her finger, the garden fountain was pierced by numerous roots, crumbling into rubble.

“The palace will suffer the same fate, reduced to dust.”

In the grip of despair, I managed a nod.

A cold dread seeped into my bones.

Lycoris’s power was beyond imagination.

And behind her stood an even more formidable being.

“I understand. I will ensure it is done within a month. I will mobilize every architect and mage in the kingdom.”

I replied hastily.

My pride had long since been shattered.

It seemed the uncomfortable negotiations with Lycoris were drawing to a close.

Constructing a lair for Frostia was our only option to preserve the kingdom.

Just then, urgent footsteps echoed through the hall as a young messenger rushed in, breathless.

“Your Majesty! Urgent news!”

The messenger gasped for air.

“What is it now?”

Could another calamity be upon us?

“At the meeting grounds between the Heshet and Diance Empires… the rulers of the Great Labyrinth from legend have appeared!”

The messenger’s voice trembled.

His face was pale, his brow slick with cold sweat.

“Nis has devastated the southern region of the meeting grounds. Everything in his path is rotting, and the dead are rising… The undead are rampant, and the survivors have fled.”

Lycoris’s expression brightened.

The blue butterfly left my head and fluttered around her.

“And…”

The messenger swallowed hard.

“Frostia has appeared as well. She has frozen the northern part of the meeting grounds. The imperial army is entirely turned to ice, with no survivors…”

“What joy! My master has finally awakened and descended upon the world!”

Lycoris exclaimed, her smile radiant with delight.

Her crimson eyes shone with an unblinking light.

I stood frozen.

My mind raced to respond to this sudden turn of events.

While fear gripped me, I also saw a political opportunity.

We must carve our path through this catastrophe.

If we build the lair for Frostia and Lycoris, they will remain in our kingdom.

Perhaps even Nis will stay.

At this moment, the world witnesses firsthand how dangerous Frostia and Nis are.

One empire’s entire army turned to ice, another region a land of death overrun by undead.

Their very existence is a seed of fear sown across the continent.

Yet…

That fear could also serve as our shield.

With such legendary beings in our kingdom, no nation would dare provoke us.

Even the Kingdom of Afron and the Heshet Empire would not risk war.

Instead, they would curry favor with us.

Our kingdom, once small and weak, could rise as a central power on the continent.

We would be the shield protecting others from Frostia and Nis’s wrath, and in doing so, gain their protection.

“Valerius,”

I whispered to the minister.

“It seems we have been given an opportunity. Frostia and Nis’s fearsome power is now known to the world. With them in our kingdom, no nation will dare challenge us. We will find safety in fear. This is a crucial strategic advantage.”

Valerius nodded subtly.

He, too, understood.

Yet Lycoris seemed lost in her own world.

Her face radiated joy and excitement.

“My master… surely she is calling for me…”

Her surroundings swirled with butterflies, as if dancing in joy.

Even the massive wasp stirred, circling energetically.

“Lyandel, Leavi! We must depart for the continent’s center at once! The time has come to return to my master’s gracious embrace!”

She called out to two individuals behind her.

Their faces reflected fear and confusion.

“Count, Edgar, I thank you for your consideration. I must leave now. The time has come to serve my master with eternal loyalty.”

She addressed the count and Edgar.

They bowed their heads respectfully.

“Safe journey, Lady Lycoris.”

The count said with sincerity.

Watching this scene, I thought:

This was not merely an invasion but the beginning of something far greater.

And my kingdom was caught in a maelstrom.

But survival was paramount.

And to survive, we must adapt.

Building the lair for Frostia was our only recourse.

“Your Majesty, remember this. If the lair is not completed in a month, your kingdom will become a new sea, its waters crimson.”

Lycoris issued her final warning before departing with her insects.

After she left, the palace was as still as a sea after a storm, left in ruin.

Chunks of ceiling still fell occasionally, and the floor was littered with pollen trails and remnants of black roots.

The knights began to stir from their paralysis, but fear lingered in their eyes.

“Your Majesty… if they return…”

The captain of the knights stammered, his face pale.

“Calm yourself, Captain. We will comply with their demands. Even steel melts before a volcano.”

I gazed at the damaged sections of the palace.

A structure with two centuries of history, so easily reduced by a single girl.

“Valerius.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Assemble all architects, mages, and stonemasons in the kingdom. Form a special committee of the finest experts. Frostia’s lair must be the most magnificent structure in history.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“And send envoys to Afron and Heshet immediately. Inform them of Frostia and Nis’s activities and that we are constructing their lairs.”

The gathered ministers exchanged glances of surprise.

“Are you certain we should share this information with our enemies?”

“They will learn of it soon enough. It is better we inform them first.”

After a brief moment of thought, I smiled.

“And instruct them that if we fail to complete the lairs within a month, their wrath may engulf the entire continent. The lands of ice and death may spread further. Thus, neighboring nations must support our efforts with resources and expertise for their own safety.”

I noticed Valerius’s eyes widening.

He understood my strategy and nodded.

“A brilliant idea, Your Majesty. They will have no choice but to support us.”

“Indeed. We will become the continent’s shield. A shield against Frostia and Nis’s wrath. And in exchange, we will demand proper compensation.”

As the ministers bustled with activity, my thoughts turned to the distant future.

Only hours ago, the throne had teetered on collapse.

I had faced the fear of death and watched my royal dignity crumble.

But in the darkness, I had found light.

The shattered fragments and leaning pillars now seemed different.

These signs of destruction were not mere remnants but heralds of a new era.

The cracks in the walls revealed a broader world.

Frostia and Nis.

They were both calamity and blessing.

Their power was terrifying, but if they stood with us, what then?

Of course, the risk of their capriciousness would always loom.

But that could also become our most potent weapon.

Nations would cower in fear, offering us resources. Empires would seek alliances.

Some might wish for our downfall, but none would dare act on it.

As a king, I had faced the greatest crisis and seized the greatest opportunity.

Discovering opportunity in crisis.

Unearthing power in fear.

This was the duty of a king.

Paradoxically, this calamity would usher in the kingdom’s golden age.