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"What\'s your story, Princess?"

"You will know eventually, Jack. Please, can you promise me that?" She repeated.

Sylvester shrugged and agreed since he was already doing it, "I promise."

"Thank you."

Without uttering another word, she withdrew from the room, vanishing into the darkness beyond the door. Sylvester didn\'t follow her either, as she seemed unstable at that moment.

"What do you think, Chonky? What happened to her?"

Miraj ceased hiding behind Sylvester and jumped onto the bed. "Maybe she\'s hungry, Maxy. I also get angry when I\'m hungry."

"But you\'re always hungry," Sylvester argued.

"That\'s right! What\'s for dinner, Maxy?"

"..."

"I\'ll cook a steak in the room. Stay here; I\'ll go and get the ingredients." Sylvester left Miraj sitting in the room. It was the mundane life that he had to get used to.

Sylvester had to do nothing but sit in his room for the coming days and wait for the storm to sweep across the Empire. The entire castle, including his room, was soon searched, and sure enough, nothing was found. The money was nowhere in the entire Marashia city region, as if it had simply vanished into thin air. The Grand Wizards who were implicated were also caught and tortured for answers.

As the days passed, the annoyance and frustration were easily noticeable in every administration worker passing by. Meanwhile, soldiers, knights, and wizards constantly flocked to the castle to discuss their unpaid salaries.

The waves had begun to shake the foundation of Masan, and they were only destined to grow larger while Sylvester and Miraj enjoyed the show. And apparently, Princess Fernis as well.

…

The Masan Empire was vast and densely populated in certain regions while nearly deserted in others. Yet, it was a well-oiled machine that never failed to fulfill its day-to-day operations. The soldier outposts were well-funded, and the cities were well-administered by Magistrates and other overseers. The borders were safe and sound, while the trade routes were well-paved, and the ports were regulated.

However, something problematic was observed as a new morning dawned over Shill City in the North. The city administrator and the soldiers all protested against the overseer of the city, appointed by the Royal Capital.

"We will not work without receiving our wages!"

"Where is our money?!"

"Why do you hide? Did you keep it?"

The voices of rebellion grew outside the overseer\'s house. Regrettably, he could only hide in the safety of his house and address the people from the second-floor window. "I haven\'t received my salary either. No money came to Shill City this morning. Go and ask the Magistrate in Lakeview City. That new bastard son of the last Magistrate probably kept it all!"

The soldiers, wizards, and other workers talked among themselves and decided to pursue that idea. Lakeview City was nearby anyway, and indeed, a new Magistrate had taken charge after the previous one died from a heart attack.

Keilib was the name, a bastard-born devious schemer who had risen to power by killing the wife of the former Magistrate, along with his sons.

However, as soon as they arrived at Lakeview City, they were welcomed by soldiers and given food and wine to consume. A dance and music festival was held in their honor, and they felt valued.

At that moment, the Magistrate appeared—a young and handsome man with an equally alluring beauty by his side. The famed ex-slave was now the wife of the wealthy lord.

"Strong and wise men of my lands, I welcome you to Lakeview City. Indeed, I kept the money from you. I didn\'t do it out of greed but because I discovered the overseer of Shill City was committing theft. I had to do it to ensure he couldn\'t escape or use you to save himself.

"Tomorrow morning, you will receive your wages, as well as your new designations. Furthermore, I am officially revealing something that will come as devastating news to many—the Empire has gone bankrupt. The wages I pay you now come from my own coffers, and you are no longer working for the Empire but for me."

As expected, chaos broke out. But, in the end, the one who feeds the cat becomes the owner. Keilib was a wealthy lord with money, and if the Empire had truly gone bankrupt, there was none better than the young lord to serve.

However, what most failed to see was the subtle shift that happened. Unofficially, the first Kingdom within the Empire was born, with overwhelming power resting within one noble\'s grasp.

…

Not all were fortunate, sadly. While the region in the North stabilized under the leadership and money of the Magistrate of Lakeview city, the Magistrate of Riverlap city was lynched by the people as the shortage of food and funds resulted in a small famine that claimed fifty thousand lives.

After the death of the Magistrate, an ambitious merchant rose to power with the help of mercenaries hired and paid by him. Then, he used his \'own\' wealth to stabilize the region and earn the love of the people. Along with it, he gained the loyalty of soldiers, unofficially establishing a private army.

And in Shieldwatch city, which sat in the lap of the Wall of Void, the Magistrate willingly gave his seat to a local Clergyman, who then used church funds to manage everything.

Finally, in Lowhide City, near the border of Warsong Kingdom, a massacre took place. It was orchestrated by the Magistrate, who seemingly succumbed to madness out of nowhere. He was then defeated by a heroic knight, who took control of the region to become its lord. He declared the discovery of the Magistrate\'s hidden wealth and became a beloved figure by distributing the money.

Four different places, four different situations, but the outcomes were the same—new Kingdoms were born. Without any name, without any proclaimed Kings, yet they were a reality none could deny.

[A/N: See full map of Western Sol]

…

"Fifteen days," Sylvester mumbled. "That\'s all it took to ruin all things that appeared beautiful."

Sylvester murmured while he strolled in a garden with the Princess. The garden was no longer clean since the caretakers were dismissed from their jobs as there was no money to pay them. The Hundred Castle City no longer looked as noble, with dust and dirt piled up inside the city, on the roads and corners.

The knights and wizards working for the royal family slowly began to leave for the newly established self-proclaimed Free-cities, where they heard was sufficient money and food. Some who stayed became indifferent toward their work as they waited for their promised wages.

"This is music to my ears," Fernis said and jumped to look back at Sylvester. "You brought me so much joy, Jack. Tell me, what do you want as a reward? I still have some gold if you want it."

He smiled behind his mask. "No need, Princess. As long as you remain safe, I am fulfilled."

She had not spoken about what had happened that night ever again, nor had she repeated those words. Sylvester ignored it as well, uncertain of where it might lead him to. It could have been a trap for all he cared.

"Oh, if not gold…" She stopped and gazed at him seductively, slowly sliding her robes from her neck to reveal her skin and the beginning of her curves. "How about my maidenhood?"

"..."

\'Why is she so crazy?\'

"Princess, please cover yourself. To speak with such crudeness with me, I\'m afraid I\'ll be beheaded if anyone were to hear you." Sylvester replied like a chivalrous knight.

"Uh." Fernis sighed in defeat. "O\' Solis, are you really not attracted to me? Not even a bit? Look at my body, sure I may be short, and my breasts are slightly small, but I\'m a pure untamed maiden—Or…Oh lord, are you not interested in women at all?"

"..."

\'And here I thought she\'d act more serious after that night.\'

"Princess, I took a vow of celibacy," he truthfully answered.

She scoffed. "Who cares? Nobody is watching us. They\'re too worried about saving the Empire."

"God is watching us," Sylvester answered.

Amused and puzzled, Fernis looked at the sky and pointed her finger at the sun. "Such a peeping God, then. Well, all this will soon be over anyway. Where will you go next, Jack? I certainly won\'t be able to afford you."

Sylvester constantly observed her emotions. \'Sadness and peace? What a strange mixture.\'

"I don\'t serve you for money, Princess." He replied, staying in character. "I serve you as long as you live."

"Haha!" She abruptly laughed. "Good, that\'s amazing then. I think you\'ll go East, back to your homeland. Maybe win some glory in the war in Beastaria…start a family down the line? How does that sound?"

"Like an unattainable dream," Sylvester said, not lying either. Starting a family wasn\'t even on his to-do list.

"Dream? I suppose so." She mumbled and walked closer to his right side. Her short stature forced her to look up at him. "Can I hold your hand?"

Sylvester didn\'t reject it and even held it himself to sense her pulse to evaluate her body\'s situation. In his palm, her hand was so small that it almost vanished, and surprisingly, it was cold.

"All this is so beautiful…The trees, the animals, the flowers, and this breeze…To think all this was created by nature, a construct of God. I feel so tiny when I think of that…as if I don\'t matter. What about you?" She questioned and pulled him to sit down with her on the short, raised hill. She kept holding his hand the entire time while looking at the sunset.

Sylvester felt there was something wrong with her and decided to implore. So he took off his faceplate first. "As a matter of fact, Fernis. We ARE tiny in comparison. But, it\'s useless to overthink, or you\'ll go insane."

"Is God even real?"

Sylvester nodded emphatically. "Of course, or else the holy rituals wouldn\'t have made any sense. Exorcizing the demons and banishing the evil…there has to be a God if there is evil."

"I feel like cursing God then." She blurted. "He\'s evil himself…to bring so much sadness."

Pat!

Fernis let her head fall to her right and rested it on Sylvester\'s shoulder. She tried to clench Sylvester\'s hand even tighter as her eyes slowly welled with tears.

"Jack…I wish I had found you earlier."

Sylvester looked at her raised face, into her watery brown eyes. "Why?"

"Then…I wouldn\'t have died."

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