Alternative Plan?

He placed his sword on its stand, then looked at Lucas sitting lost in thought. He recognized that from Lucas' repetitive cleaning of the area around the sword, an area he had cleaned before. Sunlight gently entered through the dim window of the storage room, flowing onto Lucas in luminous curtains, dust particles dancing like bright snowflakes. Rohan seemed puzzled, opening his mouth to speak several times and then hesitating until Lucas finally spoke up:

"I know she wants to protect me. I really want to live up to her expectations... but it's incredibly difficult!"

Rohan smiled sadly and then spoke with a mysterious calmness, "The weakness of your body is not your fault. It's a condition that has spread within the royal family due to their isolation."

"Even if I understand that being weak remains an inevitable fact," Lucas replied.

Lucas looked at Rohan with intense, stern eyes. Rohan sighed and looked back at his sword hanging on the stand, then said, "If you had a strong body, what do you think you would be capable of?"

His eyes widened in astonishment. The sadness appeared on Rohan's face. Lucas felt a pang of embarrassment as if he had touched a sensitive chord. Worry crossed his face, and Lucas murmured, retracting, "I'm sorry."

"Oh my," Rohan said, injecting a hint of playfulness, "You're making me look like a fool now."

Lucas smiled and then laughed along.

…

In a large room bathed in brilliant light, a circular table dominates the space, adorned with a map of the kingdom. Seated around the table are all the knight commanders, interspersed with noticeable tension. Then, one of them stood up and took the reins to start speaking:

"The state of the kingdom is not stable after the recent war, and we are on the brink of a new conflict."

Rohan sighed, and another continued:

"No wonder the strength and resilience the kingdom displayed in the war five years ago have heightened the neighbouring kingdoms' ambitions."

"We'll be facing Ramon's army, the second mightiest force among the Five Kingdoms."

"But!"

One of them interrupted sarcastically:

"With our use of magical elixirs, there's no need to fear, isn't that right?"

Confident gleams appeared in their eyes as Rohan interjected, alerting them:

"But we used it in the last war!"

They all sighed with frustration, and one of them added:

"True! The time allotted for the next dose hasn't passed yet."

"The war could break out at any moment. We must be prepared."

"Why not trust our army this time? It's a seasoned force in warfare."

"That's suicide. Have you forgotten the weakened state of the royal family?"

Rohan listened with annoyance, and one of them suggested:

"Why don't we personally ask Lady Laverne? Maybe she can consider this a special case."

Anxiety started to show on his face as they continued their discussion:

"Yes, indeed. Maybe she can handle it. She's already managing things, regardless."

"Right? Even if it affects the knights' bodies in the near future, she surely possesses a remedy."

Rohan pounded the table with frustration:

"You all!"

He shouted in anger:

"How do you consider yourselves leaders when you're willing to put the lives of your knights on the line for a trivial war?"

Their shocked reaction froze them in place. One of them tensely tried to say:

"But, given the circumstances—"

Rohan cut him off angrily:

"Are you suggesting that it's the Lady's responsibility to bear the burden of rapidly curing the side effects for over two hundred thousand knights? Do you think one woman possesses that miracle to save them all? You'd already be half down with your troops."

He lowered his head, attempting to control his emotions, gripping his hand tightly:

"Don't just be complacent with having something that grants you power so easily."

Then he struck the table again and shouted:

"Make an effort!"

Everyone remained frozen in silence after his outburst. One of them managed to say:

"But—"

Then, he smiled mischievously:

"When you say that, Commander Rohan, you have the advantage. Or am I mistaken?"

Then he looked at Rohan and smiled with a cunning grin that revealed his teeth.

"What do you mean, Commander Leon?"

Commander Leon raised his hands nonchalantly and said:

"I mean it in a radical sense. Your soldiers have the upper hand in terms of strength, and the elixir is nothing but a boost for them."

He pushed the envelope. Whispers among the commanders pierced his ears. He silenced them with a deep breath, a controlled stance, and then calmly said:

"You say that… should my soldiers be at the forefront?"

Leon smiled once more and said with slyness:

"It seems you catch onto subtleties quickly, my Lord."

Rohan clenched his teeth, as one of the commanders asked:

"What will you do, Your Highness? You were the one who suggested avoiding the elixir."

He gritted his teeth in anger while the victorious smile lingered in Leon's eyes, met with Rohan's aggressive gaze before he dismissed the meeting and each departed on their own path.

"For your sake... I will be at the forefront with my army."

Everyone seemed satisfied and at ease, as Leon's triumphant smile grew. Yet, Rohan's aggressive gazes burned him before he ended the meeting and each went their own way.

…

They exited the meeting room, breaking into pairs. One of them commented with concern:

"Things don't seem to be going well. Abandoning the elixir, isn't that a risk?"

His friend responded:

"I don't know what His Highness is thinking, but does he really have the right to say that?"

"He has a mighty army. He does not need the elixir. Surely, he'll be confident in himself."

Then he looked at his friend and sought confirmation:

"Don't you agree, Commander Dan?"

"The issue lies with Commander Leon, Commander Simon."

Commander Dan appeared lost in thought:

"The problem is with Commander Leon's childish behaviour."

Then he looked at his friend, Simon, who seemed surprised by the seriousness of his friend's worried expression:

"What do you think that foolish rat, now known as Lucas, plans to do after taking Prince Rohan's power?"

"What do you think?"

"Do you think he'll drag Prince Rohan behind him?"

The spark of concern flickered between them. Commander Dan playfully remarked:

"Well, in any case, His Highness is not an easy opponent."

Simon laughed playfully and cheered:

"You're absolutely right!"

...

On a raised platform in the training yard, Rohan stood observing his soldiers' training, but he was lost in thought, contemplating what he could do. Someone approaching interrupted his reverie, and he looked in his direction, freezing in place as he recognized the person "Lady Laverne".

She smiled with a bright expression despite the evident weariness on her face due to illness. She came closer and stood beside him, observing the training grounds alongside him. He watched her with intense disapproval.

"Lady Laverne..."

He stammered:

"You shouldn't..."

"No worries!"

She interrupted him with her soft, mommy-infused voice, and then playfully exclaimed:

"Oh! It seems they've been quite determined lately."

He remained mesmerized for a moment, and then he smiled and relaxed his posture, leaning against the railing of the platform. He said as he observed the training ground:

"Each of them has their own goal, which is why they strive to become stronger every day."

"I see."

She responded with satisfaction. A stifling silence followed, during which he hesitated, looked at her with uncertainty, and asked:

"What brought the Duchess here in person?"

"Oh!"

She looked at him and smiled with a hint of farewell:

"I felt the need to breathe a little fresh air."

Her excuse seemed obvious, and he commented with a touch of reproach:

"I understand."

Then, they both turned their attention back to the training grounds. It appeared the soldiers were exchanging blows with their opponents, and the intensity of the combat was escalating. Lady Laverne commented with enthusiasm:

"Oh! They do seem quite skilled!"

He looked at her, and she seemed entranced by watching them. She leaned her face on her hands, smiling a radiant smile that gave her an aura of beauty, despite the paleness on her face. Her dark hair was elegantly styled, and the colour of her round eyes, the glimmering flashes that occasionally appeared in them, made her almost look like her daughter. Yet, the subtle difference in that glint in her eyes indicated her shrewdness, whereas her daughter's glint was all about conveying warmth.

"They're forcing their children to drink poison that will burn their throats before they even learn the recipe for the magical elixir."

Maroon's words echoed in his mind, causing him to jolt, and then a mysterious voice emerged softly:

"If there's something bothering you, you can share it with me, Your Highness."

"Oh!"

He responded with confusion, rubbed his head, and then wondered:

"Is the Duchess content with how things are now?"

She looked at him with astonishment, but the seriousness in his gaze made her laugh lightly. Then, she resumed looking at the training grounds, playfully running her fingers along the railing, and said absentmindedly:

"I cannot say that I'm entirely content, but I've ensured a good life for my daughter before leaving her alone. So, it's enough for me."

Rohan was lost in her words for a moment, and then she added:

"I think if we were in different circumstances, it might have been easier..."

Then she smiled and said playfully:

"Don't you think so, Your Highness?"

He wanted to respond with a smile, but her expression bore a trace of Osprey's features, so he could not. She pushed herself away from the railing energetically and said in her usual playful tone:

"Now, I must be off."

Then she looked at him and smiled:

"Take care of yourself, my lord. I have great hopes for you."

She bowed respectfully, smiled, and then left quietly.

...