A Calculated Strike

Within a dimly lit room, a man sat in serene composure, his gaze fixed upon a piece of intelligence he held in his hands.

Knock, knock, knock.

A knock resonated from the door, and then another man entered.

“Count Kael, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit at such an hour?”

The man spoke with a faint smile, yet his expression conveyed not a hint of genuine amusement.

Count Kael approached the man, a grim expression settling upon his face as he observed him.

“When do you intend to make your move?”

The man’s faint smile lingered as he met Count Kael’s gaze. “There’s no need to rush. You must know that Her Majesty the Queen will soon personally lead the expedition. Won’t that be our opportune moment?”

“I knew you were waiting for this chance,” Count Kael retorted. “But have you considered what if Her Majesty takes her with her? It would be even more difficult to act amidst the heavy defenses of the border fortress then.”

“Furthermore, with the three races besieging the Human Race, and all three defense lines understaffed, Her Majesty cannot possibly keep her personal guard by that maid’s side at this time. Therefore, this is an excellent opportunity.”

Count Kael settled into a chair beside the man, speaking in a measured tone.

Upon hearing this, the man’s brows subtly furrowed. Count Kael’s point was something he hadn’t considered. In his view, the Queen bringing her personal maid to the battlefield was an exceedingly slim possibility; after all, it was a warzone!

However, Count Kael’s reasoning held merit. Indeed, when it came to safety, it was obvious which was more secure: a royal city without its Queen, or a border teeming with the Queen and numerous powerhouses. Especially at a time like this.

“You mean, we act before the Queen departs?”

The man asked, looking at Count Kael.

“Yes, exactly,” Count Kael affirmed. “Just to be safe, we should eliminate that girl as soon as possible. Someone whose allegiance is unknown should not be allowed to exist. If she turns out to be an asset of those two old geezers, it would be extremely detrimental to us. With the support of even one of them, Lisa would truly solidify her position as Queen!”

Count Kael spoke slowly, a sinister glint appearing in his eyes.

The man watched Count Kael, then, after a brief silence, spoke softly.

“I understand. Since you have made your decision, I will act. However, if this attempt fails, I will withdraw immediately, and from that point on, we will have no further connection.”

“No problem,” Count Kael replied. “Though I believe we won’t fail.”

Count Kael rose to his feet, a light chuckle escaping his lips.

“Let’s hope so.”

After Count Kael departed, the man remained seated in his chair, his eyes filled with contemplation.

‘He had a persistent feeling that something was amiss with this entire situation, yet he couldn’t pinpoint the exact flaw.’

‘Logically, with the three races besieging the Human Race and the borders in peril, the Queen mobilizing forces and personally leading the expedition all seemed plausible. It was entirely possible for the three races to push the situation to this point.’

‘Count Kael’s argument also held water: if the Queen were to leave the Royal City, the probability of her leaving her personal maid behind would be slim, as they weren’t the only ones with murderous intentions. Therefore, to ensure her safety, there was a high likelihood that the Queen would take her along. Yet, a nagging suspicion told him that things weren’t that straightforward.’

‘Despite this unease, he wouldn’t dwell on it further. Since the decision to act had been made, hesitation now would undoubtedly lead to a miserable end.’

‘He could only proceed one step at a time.’

‘Besides, failure was not a certainty.’

****

It was night in the Royal Palace.

Inside one of the chambers, Lisa sat on a chair, while below her, Five knelt on one knee. Jiu Hui, however, was not present in the room.

“The message has been spread, hasn’t it?”

Lisa spoke in a measured tone. Unlike her usual languid demeanor, she now exuded an undeniable aura of authority, her face etched with a hint of severity.

“Yes!”

Five replied, their voice as devoid of emotion as ever.

“And Jiu Hua?” Lisa inquired again.

“Xiao Lü and Xiao Lan are guarding her.”

Upon hearing this, Lisa nodded, then pursed her lips. A flicker of complexity crossed her eyes as she softly asked, “How is Jiu Hui doing?”

Five seemed oblivious to Lisa’s fleeting moment of unease, replying calmly, “Lady Jiu Hui is still asleep. Guards One and Two are stationed nearby.”

A palpable sigh of relief escaped Lisa upon learning that Jiu Hui was still sleeping.

“Very well. Although we speculate they will come, it’s not a certainty. You may go and rest now.”

“Yes!”

Five responded, but this time, instead of instantly disappearing as usual, they paused, seemingly hesitant, before speaking.

“Your Majesty, I believe it would be best if you told Lady Jiu Hui all of this yourself. After all, Lady Jiu Hui will eventually find out, and it would be better for her to hear it directly from you than from someone else. Of course, this is merely my subordinate’s suggestion.”

With that, Five vanished in a flash.

Lisa gazed at the empty room, her eyes reflecting a complex swirl of emotions.

‘How could I not know what you’re saying? But I don’t know how to tell her.’

‘Still, once all this is over, I will tell her everything, exactly as it happened. Whatever her reaction, I will accept it.’

‘This kind of deception, it’s the first time, the only time, and it will be the last.’

As night deepened,

shadowy figures darted through the Royal City. Their movements were light and spectral, making not a single sound as they glided towards the Royal Palace under the faint moonlight.