The family had always been reluctant to discuss the specific details of Arthur’s death in her presence. It was, in its own way, a form of protection.
Even if the Arevalo Clan were to be unfortunately dragged into this great maelstrom, she might be able to escape unscathed.
But she had no desire to be an obedient canary protected in a cage.
Her brother, the once-glorious Knight Arthur... from the day the news of his death reached the family, she had made a silent vow.
She would uncover the whole truth.
Even if the enemies she had to face were powerful beyond her imagination.
She subconsciously tightened her grip on the silver pendant hanging around her neck. Taking a deep breath, she forced down the roiling emotions in her heart before continuing on her way.
Soon, Alice stopped before a large oak door carved with the insignia of the Garrison Legion.
After confirming her identity, the two soldiers at the door carefully pushed one side of the great door open, taking care not to make too much noise so as not to disturb the meeting in progress. Then, they respectfully invited her to enter.
"Thank you," Alice said in a low voice. Her iron boots made only muffled thuds as they stepped onto the red carpet inside.
As she entered the spacious and solemn council hall, she saw that the long conference table was already lined with people. Most were prominent Advanced Knights and Commanders of the legion.
A careful observer would notice that the Knights were roughly divided into three factions.
Most of the Knights wearing an insignia of a silver wolf and crossed swords on their chests sat to the right of the long table.
On the wall behind them hung the White Horse Banner of the White Horse Kingdom and the crossed shield-and-sword banner of the Garrison Legion. Beneath the flags stood three composed Knights.
Led by her father, Raven Arevalo, known as "Frostwind," these Knights all hailed from the Arevalo Clan. They were the famed Frost Wolf Knights of the legion, renowned for their mastery of Ice Power and their ferocious courage.
At the head of the table, and to its left, sat the other two families stationed at Storm Fortress: the Elvin Clan and the Barnes Clan.
The man seated at the head of the table was none other than Dominic Elvin of the Elvin Clan, known as the "Sword of Radiance."
The Elvin Clan had deep ties to the Sun Church, and every Knight they produced had mastered, to some degree, skills of the Holy Light.
While they wouldn’t dare call themselves divine, they had earned the moniker "Holy Light Clan" within the legion and were the undisputed main force in combating the demon tides of years past.
Seated to the left were the Knights of the Barnes Clan.
With a trace of Dwarf blood flowing in their veins, they were generally stout of build and a head shorter than the Knights of the other two families.
Though not as skilled at forging as true Dwarves, they were masters of the warhammer and heavy armor. Their personalities were also as bold and straightforward as any Dwarf, which made them quite popular among the fortress’s common soldiers.
At this moment, the three Extraordinary Knights—Raven Arevalo, "Frostwind"; Dominic Elvin, "Sword of Radiance"; and Simo Barnes, "Heavy Steel."
Their auras radiated from them like three invisible vortexes, probing and clashing within the council hall. The other Knights present didn’t dare breathe too loudly, forced into silence by the pressure.
Alice’s entrance slightly fractured the suffocating silence of the council hall.
"You’re here. Sit," Raven Arevalo said, raising his eyes. He gave his daughter a slight nod, gesturing with a glance toward the empty seat behind him.
"Mm," Alice acknowledged, her tone neither servile nor defiant. She walked with a steady pace to a spot behind her father, but did not immediately sit. Instead, like the other family Knights in attendance, she chose to remain standing.
Dominic Elvin of the Holy Light Clan glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
He cleared his throat, taking the initiative to break the oppressive silence.
"Gentlemen, I presume you have all received the latest intelligence from the Dark Land."
His gaze swept across the hall. "Previously, due to Princess Louisa’s covert sabotage and constant obstruction, the plan to form a legion to clear the swamps and purge the demons was repeatedly thwarted. Her actions allowed those Swamp Demons to breed and expand unchecked."
"This has culminated in the birth of a massive Demon Legion—one capable of breaching the Greystone Rampart, which the Blood Race had held for centuries, and even occupying the entire Dark Land in a matter of days!"
"Now that Princess Louisa’s treason has been confirmed with irrefutable evidence, the formation of the Extermination Corps can be delayed no longer."
"We must immediately organize a force of sufficient strength to strike preemptively, before those demons can establish a foothold. We must completely excise this great cancer that threatens the security of the Kingdom’s border."
’They occupied the entire Dark Land?!’ Alice remained outwardly calm and composed, but inside, her heart was in turmoil.
’It’s only been a few days... Has the war between the Slime Kingdom and the Blood Race already been decided?’
’The speed was far beyond anything she could have imagined.’