314 TO WHOM THE DEER FALLS?

Karak who had always seemed weak also join in, throwing their lot with the young king of Greater Veranis.

The matter come to the surprise of everyone in Vanheim and it took them all by surprise. 

Niovar rebellion is still burning when suddenly the declaration of war was sent toward the Emperor of Holy Vanheim Empire.

King Alexander Veran sent a letter soaked with the blood of the ambassador of Vanheim. That incited the anger of the Emperor and he ripped the letter to pieces.

he summons the Generals in the military, and in this circumstance of war, the power of the Council of War rested on the hand of the Emperor. 

He is keen on electing the Supreme Commander of the Army. The Parliament wanted to discuss the matter and wanted to advise the King on who is supposed to lead the army.

News came that King Alexander Veran had moved his soldiers and marching toward the border

Since then Emperor Edward was in bad mood and he had been seen shouting at his minister almost everyday 

Dark clouds are gathering and storm is coming

The army is quickly being summoned and with the Parliament unanimous support, General Kyle was elected the Supreme Commander to lead an expedition to break the invasion by Greater Veranis and Karak.

The news of the betrayal of Greater Veranis and Karak did not yet reach the western kingdoms. But once it did, it is expected to raise chaos and disorder.

United Kingdom of Veva would not let go of the opportunity to probably attack Duvar. 

Maybe with Vanheim preoccupied with repelling the Greater Veranis invasion, they would pay attention to their southern border and strike at Holy Zun Empire. 

Holy Zun Empire itself probably also would be doing the same thing. 

They probably would set their eyes on Nero Republic. And the moment they targeted Nero Republic, that is when United Kingdom of Veva would pounce.

Whatever the decision of these great men and women, the moment the news that greater Veranis and Karak declare their war against Vanheim, it would surely break the balance of power.

The Three great kingdom of Vanheim, Holy Zun and United Kingdom of Veva all wanted to break the balance.

The competition for the world had resumed.

While all of this is happening, and while the very stability that the Holy Vanheim Empire had enjoyed all of these years seems to be crumbling, the Empress. 

Empress Helena that reside deep in the Imperial Palace doesn't seem to be worried

She did her own things. She did not meddle at all with the court progress these days. 

It is known that the Empress and the Emperor is not really what you would call the perfect couple.

There are many points of contention between the husband and wife. It is not to mentioned the matter of the past.

There is still also the matter of the present. 

When the Chancellor persuaded the King of Duvar to surrender and become a vassal kingdom of Vanheim and enthroned the Emperor as the rightful ruler of the Vilajeri Continent, he had promised the King of Duvar, that his daughter, the Empress would be rewarded with the throne of Duvar in a secret meeting

The matter was delayed because of the many programs that the Chancellor had done to stabilize the internal situation of the Empire

The Empress title that Helena is holding is just an empty title without any power. 

But if she is the Empress of Vanheim and the Queen of Duvar, then she would have power in the Parliament and in the Imperial Court.

This is like the matter of King James. 

King James is the Imperial Prince of Vanheim which also hold the office for the King of Niovar having the ability to command power in the kingdom that the Emperor had given him

And then when the Exodus happened and the grip of the Empire had caught hard on Duvar, the Emperor retract back his promise.

Since this promise is never mentioned in public, there is only a few people that knows that the Empress of Vanheim was promised the title of Queen of Duvar.

The vassal King of Duvar, Vrandeus is old and is guarded by Pollux and Castor.

After they accepted Vanheim, King Vrandeus had fallen sick and since then it is the envoy of Vanheim that rules the kingdom in his stead. 

And right now, if Duvar wanted to change their mind and resist when previously they had relented, they could not win since the other western kingdom would never believe that they would try to escape from the rule of Vanheim.

They might even think that it is a plot from the Chancellor.

So, the western kingdom will not help Duvar. And because of that, they did not ask help and bury the matter of the Empress being the queen of Duvar.

They could not afford a war with Vanheim when Vanheim army guarded the borders of Duvar and garrisoned their forts.

This matter worsened the relationship between the Emperor and the Empress. 

The Empress did not love the Emperor. And so, the Emperor become heartless. One is loveless and one is heartless. If one looks at it in another way, they are a perfect match for each other.

She is inside her private room and she seems to be writing something on her table. On the table, there is an opened letter.

There is the personal seal of the Six Councils. And in it, there is a plan. She had read the letter and now she is writing one of her own. 

She had something to say to that man.

She did not know whether that man plan would really work or not. Now, that matter has escalated this far, there is no other choice other than to let it run its course. 

The few members in the loyalist action of the Six Councils knew that the Chancellor is coming back. They all have been vetted and all of them are loyal.

Whatever plans that the Chancellor is planning this time, they would help him achieve it.

She sighed and then saying to no one in particular she said

'Finally, you will return' Helena then look outside the window. 

It seems that today would be a cloudy day. 

And she closes her eyes and she could still see that person back. It looks very reliable. The Empress had never loved the Emperor.

It is not simply because she did not like the cowardly nature of the Emperor but also because she already has someone in her heart.

It is the person that saved her so many years ago. To her, he would always be the most elegant person in the world.

The journey in the forest, running from the pursuit of assassins is still clear in her mind. The seeds of love were sown that day.

Years had passed since that matter. She had tried to love the Emperor. But as she is finding out, sometimes love could not be forced.

She had once tried to express her feeling toward that person. But that person said that he has someone he loved in his world

The adventurer lived in a different world from them. Maybe that is why they shine brightly. She had lost hope of trying to make him love her. 

A year ago, when the news broke out that the Chancellor was implicated in the matter of the annihilation of the Vlad family, she had sent a few of the Six Council secret forces to seek the Chancellor.

Only a few days before, that she finally knows where the Chancellor is hiding and contacted Lady Viola to send a message to him, that she knows. And the moment that message was relayed, Aero immediately sent a letter to her.

She smiles a bit. The falling of stars a year ago had marked a change in the adventurer life. They no longer could revive infinitely. 

When they die, they become stars in the sky.

And somehow, that made her happy. Because now, the world that Aero and her is not so different anymore.

She thought about other things too. 

'Dreams' she muttered. Smiling she then keep writing on the parchment while the world outside the Imperial Palace seems to darken.

War had come for Vanheim. 

To whom, the deer falls? 

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