But then—Nalia twitched violently in her seat.
Her breathing sharpened. Her claws dragged softly across the armrest. Her pupils trembled with violent instability as crimson energy flickered erratically around her.
she kept on repeating the words. "am sorry, am sorry, am sorry" over and over as she grow more restless.
Jace noticed instantly.
He stood gently and walked toward her.
"Nalia," he said softly.
Her trembling stilled.
His hand rested lightly atop her head.
"It's alright," he murmured. "You're safe here."
Slowly, her breathing calmed.
The madness behind her eyes softened—just slightly.
The others watched in silence. Jace was the only one who could calm her like that.
And the way he spoke to her…
Was far gentler than the way he spoke to anyone else.
Nalia have episodes like that a lot, she is a very unstable being, yet Jace doesn't see her as trouble or a liability, he sees her as a very important asset, so he took it upon himself to manage her mental instability, and it is working for the time being, as he easily calms her down.
The room grow silent again as Jace made his way back to his throne, then with a commanding voice he asked. "So… where were we?"
One of the allied kings rose slowly from his seat, his hands trembling as he placed one over the other and bowed deeply.
"My lord…" he began. "As you commanded, my nation has completely sealed its borders to all incoming forces from the Three Great Powers. All diplomatic ties have been severed. Every trade route, every corridor of influence—cut off exactly as you instructed."
He swallowed.
"Our soldiers stand at full readiness. At your word, they will move."
"Excellent," Jace replied simply.
Then his gaze shifted.
Slowly. Deliberately.
His eyes settled upon the second king.
"I trust," Jace said in a flat, unreadable tone, "that matters are identical on your end… Your Majesty?"
The title sounded less like respect—and more like a test.
The king jolted in his seat.
"Y—yes! Yes, Lord Jace!" he stammered, sweat breaking instantly across his brow. "Our borders are fully locked down. All relations—terminated. The army is mobilized and awaiting your command!"
Jace studied him for a silent moment.
The king's knees nearly gave in under the weight of his gaze.
Then—
"Good."
The air in the chamber seemed to move again as the pressure eased.
Jace folded his hands together.
"Proceed," he said calmly. "One by one."
Kolpa's grin widened.
Demiurge remained perfectly still.
Far across the table, Nass narrowed her eyes slightly.
Everyone in this room now understood one truth with terrifying clarity—
There was no turning back.
Jace's gaze shifted at last.
Slowly. Again.
His eyes settled on Nass.
"And you," he said calmly. "Have you finished stabilizing the three nations I placed under your command? Or must I personally intervene?"
Nass immediately lowered her head.
"There will be no need for you to lift a single finger, Young Master Jace," she replied. "Everything has been handled."
"I see…"
His eyes drifted past her.
"To my surprise, you have brought unfamiliar faces into my presence."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"{How strange… their soul flow is unusually distinct.}"
He studied the two figures standing behind her—both trembling violently.
"are they the reason why you said everything on your end has been handled?"
Nass nodded once.
"Then speak," Jace said, leaning back into his throne. "Explain your reasoning. And tell me how they will be useful."
"Yes, Young Master."
She gestured slightly to the first.
"This is Kento Willburg. He is the last surviving noble of House Willburg from the Kingdom of Kosuke—one of the Three Great Powers. His family owned one of the largest trade empires in the world. Every major route once passed through their hands."
Her voice tightened.
"four years ago, during the war, his parents and siblings were assassinated by greedy nobles seeking to seize the estate. The royal family believed the Willburg line to be extinct and still mourns them. But they didn't know it's true cause, so they failed to investigate their deaths, pinning it on the war as the cause. Since that day, Kento has lived in hiding."
Her eyes flicked to him with quiet respect.
"His intelligence, political instinct, and connections surpass any candidate I encountered while scouting neighboring nations. More importantly—he possesses ambition. Much like the rest of us. With him, we gain control not only of commerce… but influence."
Jace watched without blinking.
"And the second?"
Nass turned.
"This is Jen von Oceanus. The fallen princess of the Sea Port Nation of Lit Oceanus. During the chaos of the war, corrupt nobles staged a coup d'état. The entire royal household was slaughtered. She alone survived."
Jen's hands clenched at her sides.
"What drew me to her," Nass continued, "was not merely her lineage—but her unmatched knowledge of the kingdom's inner structure. That is one of the nations we planned on acquiring, If she returns as its ruler, the people will follow her willingly. As a symbol. As a savior. Giving us the nation without hate or fear from its people.
Silence fell.
"I see…" Jace exhaled slowly. "Nass… you know I trust your judgment. I would not have entrusted you with three nations otherwise."
Nass bowed deeply.
"Which is precisely why," Jace added calmly, resting his head against one arm of his throne, "you had no need to bring them to me—unless you carried a reason worthy of this audacity."
A pause.
"Go on."
Nass dropped instantly to her knees, bowing until her forehead touched the floor.
"Young Master… forgive my selfishness. But I humbly beg you—grant them the honor you granted the four of us. Please… enter into a contract with them."
Her body trembled violently.
At those words—Jace straightened.
His interest was unmistakable now.
"Oh?" he said softly. "For you to kneel and make such a request… your faith in them must be extraordinary."
Before Nass could speak again—
Kento stepped forward despite the terror choking his breath.
"I know I stand unworthy before you," he said, voice shaking yet burning with resolve. "But please grant me this chance. My family was slaughtered. My home stolen. You alone possess the power to give me justice."
He fell to one knee.
"Use me. Let me be a weapon in your hand."
The chamber froze.
Then—
Jace's gaze turned lethal.
"And who," he asked quietly, "permitted you to speak?"
His aura surged.
"Who allowed a mere mortal to use my name… and make demands?"
The pressure became unbearable.
"Tell me," Jace whispered, "do you wish to die?"
The kings nearly collapsed. Nass gasped for air.
"P-Please—Young Master Jace—!" she choked. "It is the fire in his soul speaking! I beg you—please! It will never happen again!"
For a moment—The pressure intensified.
Then—
It vanished.
Everyone collapsed into coughing silence except Kolpa and Demiurge.
"Sigh…" Jace leaned back, amused.
"Very well, Nass. Even if his boldness was irritating… I liked the look in his eyes. It reminded me of myself."
A faint laugh escaped him.
"And I do trust you."
Nass's eyes widened in disbelief.
"So I will grant this request."
Tears nearly fell from her face.
"But—"
The air thickened again.
"Do not let this become a habit. I alone choose who is worthy of my contracts. Make such a request again without cause…"
His eyes glowed faintly.
"And I will not be merciful."
Every general bowed instantly.
"Yes, Lord Jace."
Jace's gaze lingered on Nalia, sharp and unyielding. But then it broke into a warm smile.
"dear Nalia, i truly hope you are okay with your task to take the Kingdom of Dom," he said, his voice low and edged with warmth. This was how he managed her instability— among other things.
"remember no pressure. Or… do you require my personal intervention?"
Nalia met his stare without flinching, though a spark of nervous excitement danced in her chest.
"That will not be necessary, My lord, Jace," she replied confidently, her tone steady despite the rapid beating of her heart.
"I have already breached the defenses of the last strong hold, just the capital is left. And my sister's forces are dwindling—one final push and the capital, the nation, and all its resources will be yours, my Lord Jace."
Jace tilted his head slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible smile brushing his lips.
"A competent subordinate is all I ask," he said. "And so far, you have not disappointed me. Continue on this path… and you may prompt me to do something… rather nice for you."
Nalia felt her chest tighten.
"Th… thank you for your kind words, my Lord Jace," she whispered, bowing slightly to hide the flush creeping across her face. "I exist only to be useful to you. Yes I do."
{What… what is this feeling?} Her thoughts raced as her heart began hammering uncontrollably. {Lord Jace… he seems so… bright, so commanding, yet… so close. My chest… it won't stop racing. Ohhh what sweet pain.}
A small, self-conscious smile tugged at her lips as she straightened, stealing a glance at him under lowered lashes.
Jace's eyes briefly softened, though the intensity never left them. For a moment, the room seemed to shrink, the space between them charged with an energy that neither could ignore.
"It's so unfair how so much lenient lord Jace is to Nalia… am so jealous" Pyon whispered his complaint to Nass with a pout. Nass rolled her eyes in response.
"See that the conquest is complete," he said with a light smile at the corner of his lips.
"Yes, my Lord Jace," Nalia responded, her voice steady, yet her cheeks still betrayed her inner flutter.
As Jace turned his attention elsewhere, she allowed herself a quiet breath, the warmth in her chest refusing to fade.
{"No— no— this is dangerous— stop it— stop thinking about him— he doesn't see you that way — and am not even worthy to be seen that way, I just want to be useful to him— but he's everywhere— in my breath, in my pulse, in my skull— why won't he get out?!"}
Her fingers tightened around the edge of her chair, a determined glint returning to her eyes. The kingdom of Dom would fall, and she would prove her worth—not just to Jace, but to herself.
"Excellent… now setting that aside," Jace said, reclining deeper into his throne, one elbow resting against the armrest. His gaze shifted lazily toward Drako.
"The mission I assigned you—how is it progressing?"
Drako leaned forward, propping his head on one hand against the table.
"Well, Your Lordship, I was still in the middle of it before your summons… but I did uncover a few interesting things."
"Go on," Jace replied calmly.
"The prince of Righteous is shaping up to be a serious internal problem for his nation," Drako continued. "He's been gathering mercenaries in secret and setting up a separate base for them. Smells like a coup to me. Might be smart to capitalize on that—get him on our side. Having a royal from one of the Three Powers in your court would make taking down Righteous far less troublesome."
Jace's expression didn't change, but the air subtly shifted.
"Hm… on the surface, that does sound appealing," he said slowly. "But not every royal can be trusted—especially one from a nation as pompous and self-righteous as Righteous. Urgh, it's literally in their name…. And this so-called coup… if it is motivated by nothing more than jealousy or greed, then I want no part of it."
A faint smile curved his lips.
"Let them destroy each other. Then we take the nation from right beneath their feet. That is the better plan."
His eyes darkened.
"But… I will not completely discard the option. I cannot afford to let my resentment for the Three Powers cloud my judgment. My goals are far too important for pettiness."
The room remained silent.
"Anything else?" Jace asked. "Concerning the other issue—the main mission I gave you."
Drako scratched his head.
"Yeah… that's what I was working on before you interrupted—ehh, before your urgent summons," he corrected casually.
"My sources say the princess survived the ambush in the Great Forest and returned almost completely unscathed. She only took two of her knights—both squad leaders. The rest of their numbers were mercenaries… none of them returned alive."
A low hum passed through the room.
"But here's the strange part," Drako continued. "They came back with someone else—about seventeen or eighteen years old. My informants are absolutely certain he wasn't among the original group that entered the forest with the princess."
Jace's lips slowly stretched into a wide smile.
{So it is him…}
{The one Father warned me about… the chosen warrior of the other gods.}
His eyes gleamed with madness and intrigue.
{He must have been the one who saved them. And that princess… how dangerous. Choosing not to deploy her Holy Knights and instead relying on mercenaries—that was an incredibly astute decision.}
His smile deepened.
{I really may need her brother after all. To deal with her. She cannot be allowed to run free… not if she is allied with that chosen human.}
The others shifted uncomfortably, trading uneasy glances as they noticed the unmistakable delight on Jace's face.
"Drako," Jace said at last, rising slowly from his throne.
"I believe I will look into that prince much sooner than I initially intended."
His tone sharpened.
"I have new orders for you."
Drako straightened slightly.
"First—identify the person who returned with the princess from the forest. I want a name. A history. A scale of strength."
Drako nodded.
"Second—no, scratch that. I will assign someone else to monitor the prince. You will only carry out the final task."
He stepped down from the dais, eyes burning.
"You will immediately investigate the Great Forest of Dawn—specifically the site where the Lost were deployed. I want a full report of everything you find."
Drako yawned loudly.
"So boring… it's just trees, weak creatures, and delicious wildlife," he muttered. "What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?"
"Any changes," Jace replied coldly.
"Scorched or tainted ground. Destroyed trees. Altered behavior in the creatures. Anything unnatural. Report everything."
"Yeah… yeah. I got it."
Jace then turned his attention to the trembling kings.
"Your Majesties… keep your nations in perfect compliance with the rules I have given you. I will not require mobilization just yet. But that day will come."
His eyes narrowed.
"Be ready at all times."
The kings immediately dropped into deep bows.
"You are dismissed."
—
As the massive doors of the audience chamber closed behind them, two figures finally seemed to breathe again.
His Majesty Johan von Fandoria, Emperor of Fandoria.
And beside him, Crown Prince Antony von Elfrinstain, heir to the Kingdom of Elfrinstain.
Their guards flanked them in silence as they proceeded down the long marble corridor, the echo of their footsteps the only sound that accompanied them. Only once they were far enough from Jace's presence did the suffocating pressure finally ease.
Antony exhaled sharply.
"…Johan," he said quietly, his voice heavy with doubt. "Did we make a mistake… joining Jace?"
Johan did not immediately respond.
"I know we hate the Three Great Powers," Antony continued, his hands trembling at his sides. "But is it really worth it? Is our resentment enough to justify selling our souls like this?"
They reached the outer hall where their escorts stood waiting. Only then did Johan stop and turn to face him.
"Don't think of it that way, Antony," Johan said calmly, though the pain behind his eyes told a different story. "The Three Powers brought our world to the brink of ruin. They destroyed our lives."
His voice lowered.
"I lost my wife… and my first daughter. You lost your father and your sisters. And your kingdom lost more citizens than any other nation in that war."
Antony clenched his fists.
"Our nations are too weak to challenge the Three Powers on their own," Johan continued. "Jace is giving us an opportunity to finally strike back. I do not see this as selling my soul."
He placed a firm hand on Antony's shoulder.
"I see it as reclaiming what was stolen from us."
Antony looked away, his jaw tight.
"…You're right," he said after a long pause. "Thanks to him, my kingdom is finally recovering. Our military has never been stronger."
His eyes darkened.
"I just… I really want to see them burn."
Johan gave a slow nod.
"That fire in your heart is not wrong, young king. Let it fuel you—but do not let it consume you. Do this for your family. Do it for your people."
He gestured toward the exit.
"Now, let us return to our nations."
Together, surrounded by steel and shadow, the two rulers departed—carrying with them vengeance disguised as hope.
—
Back in the audience chamber, Jace remained seated upon the dark throne, his four generals still present—along with the two new contract candidates recruited by Nass.
The heavy doors shut.
Silence returned.
Jace leaned forward slightly, resting his chin against his hand.
"Now… to the real reason for my summons."
At once, the generals straightened in their seats, their relaxed expressions vanishing.