Prologue: Before the Grief

4 Millennia after the establishment of the Empire of Machines...

"Wake up, you have a meeting in 60 minutes, 15 seconds 95 milliseconds and counting."

"Just say one hour, Synthia"

"Negative, that is against the standard protocol."

"Screw my father's protocol! He has been MIA for two decades now, and I am the standing Empress of Mechania! Why can't you just follow my orders?!"

"Request denied. Request interferes with protocol. Since you are awake, you should shower and put on the royal robes, so you will at least refrain from ruining master Merlin's image."

Reluctantly, Cerla gets out of bed and takes a shower. Afterwards, she puts on her royal robes and grabs her Father's scythe from the wall.

*Hopefully Lysithea will be there, at least that would make this council meeting more bearable.*

"Cerla, your emotional state is flucttuaring again. Do not tell me you are thinking about your crush again."

"Darn you Synthia! Why couldn't you be a mimdless A.I. assitant?"

"Because Master programmed me this way."

*At least I have Dad's scythe, otherwise this empire may have fallen ages ago to infighting. Honestly, how do the Dominion and the Empire of Eternal Frost avoid all these internal conflicts?*

Council chambers, 9:30 AM

"So, according to the current intel, the best course of action is to abstain and let the border towns by attacked by monsters as we develop our defenses to hold the massive horde incoming." The minister of defense states.

"But that would result in hundreds, if not thousands of preventable civillian deaths!" The representative of the people rebukes.

"Alright, so you're saying we are not equipped to stop this tide, but it would be wrong to sacrifice civilians for the opportunity to better prepare for the tide? You guys are giving me white hairs."

"We wouldn't dream of it, Empress, but the lives of some commoners is nothing compared to thenlivelihood of us nobles." The minister of defense replies.

"Are you mad!? Your livelihoods are certainly worthnless than the Lives of people!" The representative rebukes.

"Well, I honestly am split, we cannot waste lives so nonchalantly, but the tide will certainly overwhelm our forces, whilst our allies are busy with the War of the revelation of Brimstone. Lysithea, my closest advisor, would you please give your opinion?"

"Gladly Cerla, but you really overstate me, I am a mere countess and yet you say I am your best advisor, but I think that if we pool all of the nobles resources and money together, mayne we can stop the tide without civilian losses."

"Thank you for your insight, Lysithea. We shall prepare to stop the tide at our border with the Jungle of Despair."

"HOW DARE YOU LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF A LUCKY BASTARD OF A WHORE AND A FREAKING COUNTESS OVER ME?!" Infuriated, the minister of defense shouts.

"One, Cerla never asked for your opinion on the matter, and two you have no right to shout at the lady." Lysithea responds.

"I AM A DUKE, I DAMM WELL HAVE A RIGHT TO REBUKE THIS WOMAN WHEN SHE IS BEING DUMB AND MY WORDS SURE AS HELL HOLD MORE WEIGHT AND VALIDITY THAN A LESSER NOBLE AND THAT USELESS WHORE'S SON!"

"That's enough!" Cerla shouts. "I will not have you belittling my subjects, Alexander, but you have committed a sin by rebuking an advisor I had explicitly asked the opinion of, and your sentence is treason."

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"I very well can, you should not have slandered my Lysithea. Worthless scum."

*Cerla immediately appeaes behind Alexander as he seperates into two verticle halves.*

"I know this is sudden, but I can no longer hide. Lysithea, would you be my girlfriend and make me the happiest person to ever live?"

"Host should have thought their words through before speaking, they could have asked for marriage."

"Synthia, are you insane?! She barely knows me!"

"Apologies, variable factor was missed, your decision was correct."

"Of course I accept, Cerla. Shall we leave this cramped room, Darling?"

"Gladly. I see my future, and it imvolves you, kids, and marriage."

"I didn't know then, but I was almost spot on with this prediction, musta inherited my gamp's intuit. But I missed one crucial detail..."