The adjutant general greeted Eustasia when she arrived at her mansion.

  “Welcome back.”


  Eustasia put the cake box on the table.

  “General. This cake is……?”


  “I didn’t buy it to eat,” said Eustasia with a straight face.

  “Then……”


  “The enemy general sent me this as a present to provoke me as if I don’t know how to enjoy life.”


  “Understood.”


  “Yes. I told him I didn’t need it, but he was mocking me, saying that he gave it to me because I was a woman. Such a shallow move.”


  She expressed her anger, and she looked like she was about to start a fight.

  “Should I throw it away?”


  “No. I won’t react to him as he expected. I will eat it to show him I don’t care.”


  “Sure.”


  The adjutant general left.

  She locked the door and held her knife and fork.

  Hmm. Hmmmmm……

  She enjoyed the cake in silence and lay down with her eyes closed.

  Hmm. Well…… It…… it is delicious. Not bad.

  He was so annoying; he wouldn’t give up on trying to convince her to join him.

  Yeah…… Your country with Ereka…… it’s a great one.

  The harvest season was coming, and this was the most difficult time for the people. The only people who were not starving in her country were those who were living in her territory.

  But they didn’t have much to eat either.

  The people in their country were enjoying desserts. She was truly impressed by Sungjin and Ereka. She wished that her king could do…… 1/10 of what they were doing.

  No, I will make it happen. I will win this war to take more power and get more trust from the king.

  So I must defeat you first.

  His ability and his ambition to become an Arc Master was a threat. And he had a dangerous plan to build a country for the people.

  He is a dangerous man.

  And…… although it was impossible……

  If, and it’s a big if, you defeat me, I still won’t join you.

  He didn’t know one thing. What he saw was her trying her best to be realistic in order to make her country a better place. But he didn’t know about her oath to her king.

  Her realism was her way to serve her king. The death of her king meant her death as well. There were only two possible endings:

  His death.

  Or her death.

  * * *