Urgent Meeting

'Cole, the Princess Kingdom is in grave danger. The Six Kingdoms are joining forces to invade the Sundance Kingdom. It seems the Porter Kingdom will be leading the invasion, with each Kingdom sending approximately 3,000,000 soldiers. They are set to reach the Kingdom in 2 weeks, so alert the Princess,' Sabrat conveyed telepathically to Rasoul, who was still en route to the Palace.

Rasoul's demeanor shifted immediately upon receiving the report. Hastening their pace, they soon entered the hall where the meeting was underway.

The moment the Princess laid eyes on Vira, her mood underwent an immediate transformation. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she fought hard to suppress them. She understood that now was not the ideal time for tears; there would be a moment for that later. However, the onlookers in the room cast a range of expressions at Rasoul and Valkyrie. Some projected hate, fear, and jealousy, while others displayed admiration, joy, and happiness. Despite the grim situation they were facing, the presence of these two individuals brought a glimmer of hope and something to be thankful for.

The meeting commenced, and the Princess addressed the purpose of their gathering. "I understand that you've all been briefed on the imminent threat we are about to confront. For those who may still be unaware, I'll reiterate the situation so that we can collectively brainstorm and find a solution."

"This afternoon, we received a report indicating that the Porter Kingdom is planning to invade us in less than a month. They've already begun mobilizing their troops, advancing on all three fronts of our kingdom," the Princess revealed.

"I believe there's no need for me to emphasize the gravity of this situation, as it has the potential to profoundly impact the lives of our people. I've convened this meeting not merely due to the impending responsibilities of my future role as queen, but because we collectively have a crucial task at hand – devising a strategy to defend our Kingdom from the impending invaders," the Princess declared.

She confronted the situation directly, without beating around the bush. Recognizing the urgency, she understood the necessity to act swiftly and ensure they weren't caught off guard.

Upon concluding her address regarding the dire situation, a tall, muscular man with a slight dark beard spoke up, "What is there to prepare about? It's the Porter Kingdom; it's not like we're scared of them. We are the Sundance Kingdom; no other kingdom has dared to invade." The other elders and generals gathered nodded in agreement.

"General Damon, while I acknowledge the strength of our army, we must question why the Porter Kingdom has chosen to invade us despite being aware of our might," Princess Vina inquired, attempting to shed light on the gravity of the situation to the arrogant general. However, the response she received was far from agreeable.

"The audacity to invade stems from their knowledge that our King is no more, and they aim to exploit a perceived weakness in our new leadership. They are doing this because they know the Princess isn't up for the task," he stated, showing no remorse. Observing this, Rasoul simply shook his head and decided to bring a dose of reality to the delusional general.

"Apologies for the interruption, but you're all mistaken about the severity of the situation. I've just received a report from one of my subordinates. The other five kingdoms are mobilizing 3,000,000 soldiers each, seemingly coordinating a joint effort to obliterate the Sundance Kingdom. They are set to invade in two weeks," Rasoul revealed, bringing a stark reality to the discussion.

He paused for a moment before adding, "So, before any of you act overconfident, understand that the six kingdoms are joining forces to invade your Kingdoms. Are you prepared for that?" Rasoul asked, then leaned back in his chair to see how they would take the news.

A heavy silence enveloped the entire hall. Not a single sound was made as everyone absorbed the report from the white-haired boy. The weight of reality began to descend upon them, realizing that a storm was indeed on the horizon.

General Damon swiftly turned to Rasoul, questioning him with a skeptical tone, "Why should we believe you? Even if the Princess trusts you, I don't. So why should we trust anything you say? For all we know, this could be your plot to cast the Princess in a new light. Our scouts haven't reported anything about the 5 kingdoms."

The other generals nodded in agreement, supporting the skeptical stance of General Damon. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, they understood that thorough verification was essential to confirm the veracity of Rasoul's claims.

Before the Princess could speak up in Rasoul's defense, he interjected, "I don't see a reason to convince any of you to believe me, but the truth is, the other kingdoms are also joining the invasion."

"I could easily dismiss this report and choose to take my people and leave, leaving all of you to fend for yourselves. However, because of the trust I have in the Princess, I've chosen to bring this information to light," Rasoul declared.

"If you seek further persuasion, understand that I received this report from the Dark Minions. I assume you are aware of their capabilities. As it happens, I am now in charge of them. So when they received news of the potential invasion, they reported it to me promptly. Even if you doubt my word, trust that the Dark Minions would never report false information," Rasoul asserted.

A hush descended upon the entire hall in the aftermath of Rasoul's revelation. The assembled individuals were acutely aware of the formidable might wielded by the Dark Minions. The declaration of a Grandmaster taking charge of such a powerful organization left them utterly stunned.

A muscular and imposing figure, with a shaved head, a rugged beard, and stormy gray eyes, spoke up, "Did I hear correctly that you are now in charge of the Assassin group called Dark Minions? Does this imply their Saint Leader is no more or you've been their leader all along?"

"Yes, I am now in charge, and as for their leader, he is no longer with us, sadly," Rasoul replied nonchalantly. Aware of the skepticism that might follow, but before anyone could voice doubt, the Princess spoke, surprising everyone.

"It's true, he killed the Saint. I witnessed everything myself, so there is no doubt about what he just said. But our concern now should be how to face this invasion. I believe we are not adequately prepared to defend against all the Kingdoms simultaneously," the Princess affirmed, redirecting the focus to the imminent threat.

"Princess, even though we are the strongest Kingdom, we can't possibly defend against six kingdoms simultaneously. Our situation now is very dire," a slim but imposing figure with dark, long hair spoke up.

"What should we do then, General Cedric? There has to be something we can do," the Princess inquired, addressing the slim man as General Cedric.

"I honestly don't know, Princess, but rest assured, I and my Stonewall Brigade will do everything in our power to defend against the invaders," The General declared with a determined look.

General Damon, the arrogant general, also rose to his feet and made his vow, "My Iron Legion will also step up and defend our kingdom from these invaders, even if it is the last thing we have to do."

"I, General Malik, and my Storm Riders will do our utmost to defend the Kingdom," the Ragged Beard general declared in a deep tone.

"I, General Clark, will be riding through the flames with my Flameguard legion to protect the Kingdom. The fires of our fury will burn them out of existence," General Clark, a figure exuding a flamelike aura, declared, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Hahaha, look at you all trying to be brave. Don't forget, my Frostguardians are the strongest unit we have, so relax and take the back seat. Fear not, little Vina. I, General Elara, with my Frostguardians, will do our part and freeze some bodies before kicking the bucket," a lady with icy blue eyes, long silver hair, and adorned in frost-themed armor that seemed to shimmer with a cold, ethereal glow, spoke confidently.

"Calm down, Aunt Elara. We will all fight together to protect the Kingdom," the Princess addressed her without using her title, indicating a close relationship. She then added, "Don't you think it's about time you start using my title? After all, I will be queen soon."

"But you are still a Princess, though, and my sister is not here to defend you, so let me have my fun in her memory," General Elara said, but the comment triggered an unpleasant memory for both her and the Princess. She is the junior sister of the late Queen Anastasha, Princess Vina's Mother.

Sensing the tension in the room, Rasoul decided to lighten the mood with a few words. However, what he said sent another shock to all those gathered.

"The Dark Minions all over the empire will also join the fight to protect the Kingdom. Additionally, I will call in favors from the Seven Great Families, so they will mobilize their armies to aid in defending the kingdom," He announced, revealing his plans to garner support from powerful factions.

"Indeed, the entire Dark Minion organization and the Great Families will lend their support to our cause," Lara confirmed, addressing the astonishment that still lingered among the generals and elders in the room.

"The Great Families have historically remained neutral in kingdom battles, but if they choose to join the war, I am confident we can hold on for a while and await some miraculous intervention," General Elara expressed with a hint of excitement, offering a glimmer of hope to the tense gathering.

"Don't worry, they will help," Rasoul reassured them, instilling confidence in the room that the Seven Great Families would indeed assist.

"Thank you, Rasoul," the Princess expressed her gratitude. She then turned to the generals gathered, "Go and start making preparations. Take whatever you need from the armory and the vault. We need all the help we can get. Hire adventurers with potential and pay them well enough to aid us. These are troublesome times, so we should make adequate preparations."

"Yes, Princess," they all said in unison, then stood up and left the hall, leaving only Rasoul, Lara, Valkyrie, Princess Vina, and Vira.

Without any hesitation, the Princess ran and hugged her friend. She had been worried about Vira's health for the past three days, as Rasoul hadn't sent any reports on her situation.

After five minutes of hugging and shedding tears, Rasoul spoke, "We'll be away for two weeks but will return before the battle commences. Take this and employ it whenever you encounter a life-threatening situation. Additionally, I'll dispatch some Assassins to safeguard the Orphanages, so you can rest assured about the safety of the children."

"We'll depart in four hours, but first, I need to attend to some business." He then moved to a corner of the hall to sit down, but Vira intervened, guiding him to a luxurious room. Lara chose to stay back to engage in a conversation with the Princess.

Seated in the room, he activated the system screen to assess the rewards he had acquired from the four quests he had completed a few days ago.