The Cruel Truth

"I won't be the one to explain. Arthur will do it instead." Lancell spoke. He then turned to Arthur, and saw her confused face.

"What?" she asked.

"Arthur, weren't you the one who suggested to explain when we discussed it?" Lancell reminded her.

She scratched her head. "A-Ahahaha... I think I forgot what to say."

Lancell sighed, but he had half-expected this anyway. So he turned to the king. "I'll just do the explaining."

The king only nodded. That at least preserved Lancell's dignity.

"Ahem...anyway, I want to confirm, will you really help clear our name?" Lancell asked after clearing his throat.

"Yes. The Holy Kingdom owes us. They will not refuse a request." The king nodded.

"I see." Lancell heaved a sigh of relief. "In that case, I can tell you about the incoming Wave."

"The 'Wave'?!" Aria suddenly interjected. "What is the 'Wave'?" she asked with curiosity in her face.

Lancell ignored her, and continued. "Remember the sudden mass appearance of monsters last year?"

"Yes. That was a massive tragedy that occurred worldwide."

"Yeah, but that tragedy's gonna come again soon." Lancell informed with a heavy tone. "And this time, it will be so much worse."

Other than Lancell and Arthur, everyone paled at the revelation. Even Aria who usually acted carefree went silent as she gasped.

"...How bad will it be?" The king asked after a while of silence. "And how can I trust you?"

"That's the tricky part. I don't have any proof." Lancell shrugged. "But the monsters that's coming, will be monsters of the the Second Step."

The king who listened at Lancell's every word, clenched his fist as he got more and more frustrated. "This is all we have of Selvenia."

"I know."

Silence took the scene. The revelation was too hard for them. They had barely survived last year, and now they were told another was coming.

After a while, the silence was broken by the knight beside the king. "Are you mocking us?!" he roared in anger. "You think we're fools? There is no way we'll fall for that ruse!!"

Perhaps he wasn't confident in surviving a wave of monsters that were all in the Second Step as he denied it quite hard. However, before Lancell could berate him, Aria spoke. "He's not lying."

Lancell raised his brows while the king looked at his daughter. "Is that the truth?" the king asked. "Based on what claim?"

"Intuition" was the answer she gave.

"I see." The king closed his eyes. He sighed, and then opened them as he faced Lancell. "I understand. I will help you. In return, give us all the information you have."

Lancell nodded. "I won't give everything, but I'll hand over all you need."

"That is fine as well."

And so, a deal was concluded.

◇◇◇

The entirety of Castle Selvenia had suddenly become busy since a week ago.

A pair of Heroes suddenly appeared in the kingdom, and the kingdom suddenly went into full alert as if it was the brewing of a war. Weapons were being delivered into the castle everyday. Many Armours crafted, the acceptance of martial schools suddenly skyrocketed and a dungeon was discovered nearby.

The sudden changes made the common folk anxious as they still had yet to receive explanations from the king. Until today, that is.

◇◇◇

Lancell watched as countless people gathered around the capital. Not only the capital, but the announcement would be transmitted into other areas of the city as well.

It wasn't surprising, actually. After all, the sudden increase for demand in combat power had alerted the common folks. Also, the matter was not something that was supposed to be hidden as it involved mankind itself.

"Look's like next week's gonna be a wild ride, huh?" Arthur commented beside him.

"Not as much as you think." Lancell then faced the dais where the king stood. "It's starting."

In the platform, the king slowly appeared, donning a red luxurious robe as his face wore a solemn look. He looked at the masses as loud cheers called to him, further proving his glory to his people. His was a King. One who rules a kingdom.

He raised his hand, and the cheers slowly died down. He brought a crystal in his hand close to his lips and spoke as his voice was transmitted in the entire city.

"My people." He said. "It is I, your King. Margilus Selvenia III."

"In the past year, we have survived one of the most calamitous event ever since over 500 years of the founding of our Kingdom."

"All of a sudden, we suddenly found ourselves in a tight spot as our loved ones died the next moment, and our friends in the next. We were driven out of our homes, and the monsters took it away from us. Trust me. I know how it felt."

The crowd listened to his every word as some of them had already started to cry. However, the ling continued.

"Yet, my people, it is not over yet."

The moment the king spoke those words, the crowd stirred. But the ling paid it no heed and continued.

"I know a lot of you are confused, however, you did not mishear. It is indeed not over yet."

"Our intel had discovered that the world is experiencing what used to be called as the Great Shift. The world will be overrun with monsters, and every year, they will flood the world with their numbers."

"And let me ask you my people. When did the monsters start flooding?"

The entire venue—...the entire kingdom, went silent for a while. And the next, a booming commotion suddenly resounded as the people stirred in various emotions.

Margilus, poured more mana into the crystal in his hands, and suddenly shouted: "LET ME ASK YOU, WILL YOU OBEDIENTLY DIE?!"

Everyone was shocked at the very loud question. Many had covered their ears when Margilus shouted, but Margilus continued once again.

"WILL YOU JUST DIE LIKE DOGS?! YOU WHO ARE THE PROUD CITIZENS OF SELVENIA?! WILL YOU JUST FEED YOURSELVES TO THE MONSTERS?!"

"WILL YOU JUST STAND AND WATCH YOUR REMAINING FRIENDS DIE?! YOUR FAMILY?! NEIGHBOURS?! TELL ME, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?!"

Margilus repeatedly stirred the crowd as he shouted in a hot blooded manner. Lancell was surprised at his youthful choice of words. He glanced at Arthur, and she seemed to be thinking the same as her brows were raised.

"I WILL NOT FORCE YOU, MY PEOPLE! BUT I WILL ASK OF YOU."

Margilus paused. And then...

"Fight..."

He spoke in a normal manner, as opposed to the hot-blooded shouts earlier. His voice was calm this time, but he had already done his job.

Once again, he implored.

"I beg of you...Fight."

And so, the madness of Selvenia began.