Diana Of Alcotta (Yrsoreth Chronicles 1)

39 ♛ The Madman's Assembly

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On the last and fourth day of the two empire's conference, only then the emperor made an appearance for formality.

Taxation rates have been agreed upon for two years span, and amendments will be done later on. When all conditions were met and were fair for both parties, the contract was finally made to be signed. Diana, representing as Lady Ana, Sid's right hand, will sign for Levich and Xander for Gran Dacchia.

However, more than the usual formal occasion, Diana could only force herself to wear an indifferent mask. If only stares could burn, the engagement ring would have melted, and her finger burned from Xander's stares.

The witnesses, officials in both parties, sat and listened to the contract conditions, read aloud by Ysivan himself.

And after, the contract will be signed. Diana halted her hand with a quill pen hovering over the scroll and finally, looked at Xander, who didn't even hold a pen.

"Is there anything you do not agree with the agreement, Your Imperial Majesty?" It was too late to ask with such a phase of the conference. Indeed, Xander was updated and read the final draft beforehand.

"I wonder." The reply created a buzz in the room.

"Bring him in," he commanded to no one in particular. But the door opened, and a man with a bruise on his left eye, was dragged into the room and was thrown at Diana's feet.

"This man was caught stealing the blueprint of the imperial grounds," Xander declared.

With a simple raise of a hand and beckon of a finger, another man was brought in the room. His feet and hands were also tied, but he was in a worse condition than the first man. Blood and bruise decorated his livid face.

Despite the sprawled state on the floor, the man growled. "Krytash!" He cursed at Xander in Levichian. "Kry—!"

Xander stepped on his head before the prisoner could finish. "This one stole uniforms and pretended to be a knight on the back gates."

Everyone flinched at the man's painful scream as Xander's boots pressured the man's head. With the same gesture, he beckoned for the third.

The men in black robes dragged an unconscious man and was thrown on top of the second. His eyes were closed, barely breathing, and blood was all over his clothes.

"And this, was the man who drove the wagon on the same gate. Did you know what he brought?"

Xander extended his hands, and one of his cloaked guards handed him a black round mass.

A bomb, and not the common ones used in warfare everywhere. Levich didn't become the master of their seas with just arrows and fast ships. They were supreme for a reason. Closing its borders for years does not mean complacency. Levichian's are the people of freedom and chasing desires, but they are also the people who protected them at any cost.

But why, such a bomb that was only made in Levich, was in the hands of the Gran Dacchian emperor?

"Tell me, envoy of Levich. Why are these toys of yours planted in my palace?"

Diana finally forced herself to recover from shock, along with the rise of disbelief and anger in the room.

How could she answer? Was it the truth or a frame-up?

But these bombs were rare and under strict supervision, nor the Levichian public knew.

"It's a misunderstanding, Y-Your Imperial Majesty."

"Is it?" His red eyes flared with such calm words, but as he repeated, the betrayal flickered, then it was gone. "...Is it?"

With an order, Xander's cloaked guard lit the fuse of the bomb.

The room almost chorused into a frenzied 'Your Majesty!' at the fuse slowly burned.

"Your Majesty..." The terrified Fedimon ran out of the seats to Diana's aid. Although he, too, was confused and trembling, he screamed. "Put it out! Please, Levich aims for peace—!"

"Do you?!" Xander's voice boomed in the hall that the people were silenced, afraid of him more than the bomb.

The view reminded them how Gran Dacchia is rising to the top of the food chain. And they, the witnesses, are powerless in the madman's assembly.

Then at the last second, he threw the bomb outside the window. A few seconds later, there was an explosion in the sky.

It must what a bursting sun felt like, with its heat and brightness even in the daylight of the festival's fourth day. Smoke followed that it even entered the room. After fits of cough and their eyesight adjusted, one man remained standing, Xander, with his sword pointed at Diana's neck.

Knights barged into the room, and the palace was thrown into chaos by the explosion.

"My Lad—" Fedimon could not finish once more. The sword was pointed to him next.

"You," Xander said, his voice sharper than his sword. "Tell your master, Gran Dacchia will not sign the treaty, nor will open its territorial waters to Levich."

Usually, she knew what to do. Serving as Sid's trusted limbs through the years, Diana was efficient in handling matters of emergencies. This was proven when the Levichian officials she outranked despite being a returnee citizen and a lower noble, accepted her authority.

But this, this was never in her list of unforeseen scenarios. The only thing she could do was bow to Xander, and beg for understanding as she returns to Levich and investigate. Her emperor, Sid, is not reckless of these things. But how could she prove it?

"Your Imperial Majesty, we beg your understanding. The empire wishes nothing but reopening our borders and widening the trade for our people. Please give us time. I will personally fix this misunderstanding."

"Not you." By Xander's reply, Diana looked up. "Him." He referred to prostrated Fedimon, shaking in fear.

Before she could ask why, Xander added, "All crimes had a price to pay." This time, it was his hand that tilted Diana's chin to look at him directly. "And big price, it is."

That same afternoon, the Levichian ships left the port of Gran Dacchia. Only without Diana—the first hostage of an impending war.

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