(A/n: Thank you for supporting my work! I'll be doing my best, even though I have issues IRL that would hinder my progress.)

[ ~ Chapter • Start ~ ]

{ Rise of Another Cult }

[ February 1, Tuesday, KB 451 ]

It was a normal day for Kayblis and the entirety of Eikoln City.

He is currently inside Eikoln Castle's throne room, in front of the Royal Family. With a carefree aura that is present around him, he looks like he would never bite unless forced to.

"Well, I've been checking on many places, like towns and villages and even tourist spots on this Empire, and I must say that I'm truly impressed." Kayblis spoke with a gentle smile on his face.

"Much appreciated Kayblis, it's all a part of every Eikolnian's efforts in keeping the Empire peaceful." Ramses replied, putting his closed fist above his chest and bowing his head.

"I'll be going to the Eikolnian Research Corps Building now, I've heard the news that they were trying to find a way to go thousands of years into the future or to another world. Farewell for now, current Emperor and his family." Kayblis then proceeded to turn around and leave, with Ramses's daughter waving goodbye towards him.

"Mister Kayblis! Let's blay again someday!" She shouted, making Kayblis halt for a moment.

"Yeah, I will."

But, before he could fully leave, the doors to the throne room opened, revealing an exhausted scout sitting up while trying to teach his breath.

"Haah... running for several hours with no rest... is really tiring..." He spoke, before looking forward, noticing people look at him with expectations.

"Lord Kayblis, Lord Ramses, Lady Eikoln. I have to report something... terrible that has happened on Dracorell!" He shouted, tightening his grip on his knees.

Something like this was surprising to Kayblis.

"Didn't Dracorell make a treaty with Eikoln a few months ago?" Ramses said, before gesturing his daughter to leave, in which she did because she wouldn't likely understand most of what they were about to say.

"Haah... I'm fine now. Let me remember it for a moment... many of our Dracorellian allies suddenly betrayed us, and even being sabotaged by the Dracorellian traitors, we were still able to fight back against them without combined efforts. Yet, too many have been lost, and we could not gain any information from these traitors because of a drug that kills themselves immediately." The scout explained, pausing at that moment to try and remember a few more details.

"I fear that, something big is happening, and it's connected to what we have experienced earlier. We're lucky to act quickly and retreat because of another sudden attack from the traitors that annihilated my allies, yet only a few of us arrived here safely!" The scout finished, his expression becoming incredibly grim.

"... Now that's just very concerning." Kayblis became serious, knowing that he should start acting right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stella was both scared and confused.

It was supposed to be just a fine day, with her training to be someday as fast as that Lock guy without the need to use her uncontrollable awakening mode.

And then hell broke loose when many of the citizens - hundreds of thousands of them - had begun a revolt, proclaiming that this was Lord Kayblis's order when it definitely isn't.

The church had turned their back towards them, most of the people had turned their backs towards her.

She actually saw her brother, Meteo and her father and mother die in front of her eyes, and instead of just being angry, she became more horrified.

Her father and brother's heads rolled on the ground, her mother... she doesn't know, but based on her screams, that's not even something she wanted to remember.

"... Even now I still remember what happened yesterday. Lord Kayblis didn't want this to happen, didn't he?" Stella spoke to herself, as she was hiding refuge on one of the villages northeast of Dracorell.

Her most loyal knights, 100 of them, originally 729, were also on the village, the rest were all killed by their former allies.

She was slowly becoming consumed by despair and self-loathing as she silently cried at the death of everyone she was close with.

"I, a princess, reduced to a mere villager... how fitting..."

She had already thrown away her rapier, and due to the trauma, she was unwilling to fight or even do anything for her people. However this only made her awakening form be inaccessible.

The villagers, all of them, were completely friendly, and she wanted to stay here for longer, hopefully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the meeting room, several figures were sitting down on their respected seats.

"Once again, let us begin this meeting." Kayblis spoke with a stern expression.

[ ~ Chapter • End ~ ]