Vladimir held the bodies of his fallen subordinates as the memories of their time together flashed through his aching heart. Eight years ago, the trio were merely kids of servants who served at the commander's castle. They were the only children in the castle, as they were allowed to live there with their parents due to a rule that permits the maids and servants of the castle to live within the servant section with their families for as long as they work there. The district commander then was a ruthless and wicked tyrant who bullied the servants and everyone else in the district. He collected taxes even though all district commanders receive a hefty grant from the king every month. One day... "Who dares steal from Fuu the great!?" The castle was caught in an uproar as someone had stolen a ring in the possession of the commander. He ordered all the servants to be brought to him. "One of you peasants has taken something valuable from me. I'm sure the rest of you are all innocent

Yusaku Ona stood regally before Yuri's cell, donning kingly attire and the very crown that once graced his predecessor's head. "Brother, he began with a smug grin, gripping the bars of Yuri's confinement. "I too found myself in such dire straits not long ago, at the mercy of Sasha and her band of envoys." Yuri was similarly bound and battered as Yusaku Ona had been during his own captivity. Yuri was chained in a similar way that Yusaku Ona was chained when he was taken prisoner by Sasha and the Envoys. Yuri slowly raises his head to look at his brother. "Brother, what has gotten over you? The once noble man who raised me as a child, I refuse to believe you're the same." Yusaku Ona only laughed at Yuri's remarks as he bent to the level of his captive brother to stare directly into his eyes. "It wasn't I who changed, but you, brother. I used to think that whatever the case, you would always stand beside me; if you did, you would be ruling with me today, but instead, you chose a bu

In an unknown location. "Eeeeeeee!" Falconi and Jacob rushed through a door after they heard a screeching sound. "Sisi!" "Sasha!" "What! Who said you could just barge into my cabin like that? Do you have a death wish or something?" The two envoys were relieved and, at the same time, frightened over the actions of their leader. They had thought that something bad might have happened to her. "We heard you screaming; what's the matter?" "Was I really that loud?" She said this as she placed her hands on her cheeks. She then picks up her phone from the bed and shows the two the contents of the screen. It was the social media application being run by the System Artifact that oversees all networking and internet access during this age. They leaned closer to take a better look at the contents of the screen. [Hy Sasha, Yusaku Ona has taken over Harijoh, and we need your help to stop him.] Krystal had sent her a message asking for her assistance. Of course, he knew that they'd event

"Wow! This coffee is amazing, Sir Agnus Reigns," exclaimed Vladimir. "Mhmmm. Absolutely exquisite," Riley added, nodding in agreement. Their faces lit up with delight and amazement. "What's the secret to such fantastic coffee?" Vladimir inquired, taking another sip. "The quality of the beans, the brewing process, the ratio of beans to water, the grind size, even the water temperature and steeping time—all contribute to the taste," Agnus Reigns explained, pouring more coffee into their cups. "But the most important ingredient... is love." "Pft. Love? You can't eat love, old man," Grover interjected, a vein seemingly popping on his head. Riley smacked Grover's head, causing his hat to fall off. "Hey! Why'd you do that?" "By love, I mean passion for what you do. Making coffee requires patience, and that patience comes from a love for the craft," Agnus Reigns clarified. "Mhmm!" Everyone, except Grover, nodded in agreement. "Now, I'll train you for the upcoming battle. If this Ona f

"Devil woman, we received word from the demon spawn. They've succeeded in their infiltration mission and will join us in a bit." Sasha had a malevolent smile on her face. "Gather everybody." A few minutes later, Sasha, the Envoys, and the Shadows were all gathered around the castle entrance. "Yusaku Ona is already near the outposts. It is time." "Everybody, gear up! Eat! Take a 10-minute nap or whatever... We're going to war!" They all cheered in unison as they prepared themselves, both physically and mentally. "So, we all know our parts?" Sasha and Vladimir nodded at Grover. "Hehe." Kazami slaps the back of the thief. "Don't worry about a thing; your plan is foolproof. We just have to hold on till the cavalry arrives." "Well then, as the demon spawn will say, let's do this thing." ... "Woah." The alliance was currently facing off against Yusaku Ona's army. "Hahahaha! Just as expected. Sasha Kay will join the party as well." "Ona! We should have just killed you off when