Serisis.

3:30 p.m. 21st Banem 1092.

King Chu and the Serians' outburst shook the hall, leaving Kashi and the other guests visibly stunned and at a loss for words. For a good minute, everyone was frozen in place, unable to process the unbelievable sight.

Fortunately, King Parissius snapped out of his shock and immediately ran over to King Chu and pulled the older man up to his feet. "Please, stand!" he pleaded, and then added with a joking tone, "My ancestors would curse me into the ground if they found out I allowed my father-in-law lower his head in my presence."

King Chu, eyes red with tears, snorted and then said as he patted King Parissius' shoulders, "Cheeky brat. Who's your father-in-law?"

"Of course, there's only one man worthy enough of that honor," joked King Parissius with a wink. The young King's attempt to lighten the mood paid off as the room erupted into laughter as the Serians rose to their feet.

"Hoho...Sis, This King sure sounds full of himself."

King Parissius swallowed hard as he looked over to Chu Ling who regarded him with a teasing grin. The fiery princess tapped the table, her gaze lovingly harsh as she said, "You're already calling dad father-in-law. Seems like you're quite excited for this marriage."

If it were anyone else, the young King would have ceded, but ever since they were children, Chu Ling was the one person he hated losing to. So, King Parissius replied with a level gaze. "I get to marry two willing, gorgeous, intelligent, and incredibly strong women. Most men would kill to get my position. You can be certain I will take the necessary steps to secure that future." Turning to King Chu, he said with a wink, "Is that not right... Father."

"Oh-ho-ho," Chu Ling let out a sinister laugh, but luckily, Chu Ming, grabbed her hand, preventing her from carrying out her first instinct. Thanks to her sister's calming touch, Chu Ling managed to collect herself and say instead, "Ah. I cannot wait for the wedding." She then cracked her fingers and threatened, "See how I fix you then."

King Parissius inwardly chuckled. Royal marriages were no small matter. Even with prior arrangement, it could take years until the formal wedding. The more likely scenario was that the princesses were sent as envoys to Rosendun, and only after a few years would the marriage proceed. As a result, King Parissius was quite confident he could use that time to dig out Chu Ling's weaknesses... "Well, that will take a wh—"

"Ah, regarding the topic of marriage," Leila suddenly interjected, causing the young King to panic. The speaker caused a bad feeling to rise in the pit of his stomach. Unfortunately, Leila seemed not to notice his signals as she continued, "I believe we should hold it as soon as possible."

"Wha—*cough*" King Parissius nearly choked on his spit, overwhelmed by the shock.

Surprisingly, however, he was not alone in this. King Chu, likewise found himself overcome by a coughing fit as he glared at the wisben. "What? Why hold the wedding so soon? These things take time!"

Leila did not take the King's criticism to heart. She understood that right now, Chu Tianjo was no king, but an ordinary father unwilling to let go of his precious daughters. The sight dredged up memories of her father lecturing her on the importance of 'marrying right' and political alliances. For the first time that night, a slight wrinkle appeared on the wisben's forehead, but half a second later, she regained her self and maintained her neutral expression.

Only one person in the room caught the brief crack—saw the vulnerable girl hidden behind the powerful persona. Kashi sighed as he squeezed his arm in anger. This was one thing he would never be able to help Leila with. Her father's shadow was just too massive – Not that he was one to help anyone deal with their parents' baggage.

"During normal circumstances, yes," Leila said to King Chu, "but these are not normal circumstances. We are about to give birth to the continent's first empire, a glorious event, that certainly requires an equally glorious ceremony for its announcement." She looked at King Paris, and then the twin princesses as she said, "What better occasion to announce this to the world than the Emperor's wedding?"

"Uh..." King Parissius muttered, unable to come up with a counter-rebuttal. Damn this woman! Having her on your side was the best thing in the world, but she immediately became the devil incarnate upon playing for the other team. How could you beat someone whose arguments you cannot help but agree with?

"Oh, What's the matter, Your Majesty?" teased Chu Ling with a very sinister smile. "You seem mighty pale."

"Haha, no worries Princess," replied King Parissius with a forced smile. "I must not be used to the heat." Eager to escape Chu Ling's gaze, he instead looked at Leila and asked, "When do you propose we hold this wedding?"

Leila nodded and then answered, "We have a pressing issue which requires the joint forces of all three nations to conquer. This battle will be the first gong, announcing our alliance to the rest of the world. We will host the wedding shortly after the battle, regardless of the outcome."

"Regardless of the outcome?" King Chu repeated with a slight frown. "Those words do not exactly inspire confidence."

"I would speak differently if it were the populace," said Leila. "But this is a room of the highest-ranking leaders of our nations. Of all people, those in this room must understand the gravity of the situation fully."

King Chu sighed and stroked his beard as he muttered, "I understand that. I was not criticizing your statement. It just struck me as odd. You do not seem the type to engage in something you are not confident in. Is the danger that great?"

Leila's gaze hardened. "Worst-case scenario, we might be drawn into a fight with Razznik the Destroyer."

CRASH!

A maid tripped at the mention of Razznik's name, sending the tray of metal jugs and cups crashing to the ground. However, no one reprimanded her as the crash was synonymous with the shock they too suffered. Razznik? That Razznik? The Destroyer of Worlds? He was coming back!?

King Chu quickly turned to King Parissius and King Xafier, hoping to see some doubt, but their grave expressions washed away any doubt he had. The old king stumbled into his chair and then cradled his head in grief. "Why do the gods hate us so?" lamented King Chu. "My people, after centuries of clambering in the dark, struggling to survive barely, finally found a way out, and now they wish to finish us off once and for all?"

The hall was severely by the King's grief as several Serians began to shed silent, resentful tears. Why? Why did this have to happen now? Razznik had been locked away for several centuries. Why did they have to face him? This was a man who had slaughtered gods. What chance did they have?

At this time, when the Serians were at their lowest, Kashi's voice suddenly rang through the room. "Do not lower your heads. All hope is not lost." The Serians looked up at the daeben, who likewise regarded them with a burning gaze. "All hope is not lost, I said. Facing Razznik is only the worst-case scenario. There is still a big chance to turn this around."

"And how do you know this?" questioned King Chu.

Kashi swiped his finger through the air, and his menu opened in 'visible' mode. "Because we Summoned are blessed with a cheat called quests." The daeben's eyes narrowed as he stated, "You can see quests as divine messages from the gods if you will. The important thing about quests is that, though they might be challenging, they are all doable." Kashi saw the light slowly return to King Chu and confirmed the King's guess, "Yes. Every Summoned received a quest regarding this battle, so you can be certain it is doable. But the fact that every Summoned received the quest means it will be incredibly difficult and can't be accomplished by a small party."

Leila nodded and then continued, "Which is why we sought to combine the military might of our three nations for this particular endeavor." The wisben looked around the room, and then, to the shock of everyone present, broke into a small smile. The transformation left many speechless, but her next words pulled their attention back to the critical conversation. "I know I said, 'regardless of the outcome,' but to be honest with you all, I genuinely believe we will emerge victoriously." Leila paused and then stated, "Creating miracles is what we do. Countless miracles led to this moment right here, with us gathered here in this room. What's one more miracle added to that list?"

The room paused as each person took in Leila's words. After a few moments, King Chu laughed and declared, "Well said Ms. Lightwood! Indeed, what is one more miracle to add to that list? Let me know what you need. Serisis' army is at your disposal."

"Serisis is at your disposal," Chu Ling affirmed with a nod as she rose to her feet, "As will I."

Leila hesitated, "Your Highness—"

"None of this nonsense, Chu Ling!" rebuked King Chu, his gaze blazing. "You are the princess of this country, and soon to be the wife of the Emperor. You cannot afford to put your life in danger at this time."

"And our soldiers can?" Chu Ling fiercely spat, causing King Chu to choke on his words. "My life is not more important than those of the men and women who fight every day for our country. I do not wish to stand on some podium and wish them 'good luck.' I am a warrior!" The princess' hot gaze scanned the room as if daring anyone to challenge her. "I will fight alongside my brothers and sisters, live, or die. That is my way of proving to our people that the royal family cares about them. That we do not see them as mere chess pieces to achieve our desires."

King Chu Tianjo's eyes widened as, for a brief moment, he saw his late wife superimposed over Chu Ling. The same fierce gaze; the endless drive to risk her own life for the people's sake. That drive had eventually made him lose his Yao'er to the ocean. He did not know what he would do if he had to lose his daughter too.

"Father," Chu Ming softly called as she grasped the king's right hand. King Chu looked down, tears in his eyes as he regarded his eldest daughter. "I understand your fears; even I too do not wish for Ling'er to enter the battlefield." Chu Ming paused, steeled herself and then said, "But Ling'er has her path to walk. We should not chain her down to make us feel better about ourselves. We must believe in her, especially in times like these when it is hardest."

"Excellently said, sis," Chu Ling complimented with a thumbs-up. She then looked at her father and asked, "As Ming'er said, this is my fight, my road. I will walk it now and always, until the day I die or can no longer lift a sword."

King Chu still hesitated, but then Kashi spoke, "Do not fret, Your Majesty. We will ensure no harm comes to your daughter on the battlefield."

"What? No!" protested Chu Ling. "I do not seek prefe—"

"Do not misunderstand, Princess!" Kashi interrupted before she could finish. The daeben rose to his feet, burning red eyes glaring at her. "By your birth alone, you are already the recipient of preferential treatment. You are exposed to the best teachers and warriors from a young age, training you to be much stronger and smarter than the average soldier, which in turn increases your chances of survival. You already received preferential treatment before you stepped onto the battlefield."

The daeben's eyes narrowed as he pressed, "Your life, indeed is not more important than anyone else's, but the weight of your life is much heavier than the average soldier. When a ruler dies, it's not just a single family, but hundreds, maybe thousands that will be destabilized and affected. So, before you take any action or decision regarding your life, keep in mind the weight it bears. Your life, unfortunately, is no longer just yours. Such is the responsibility that comes with power."

Chu Ling fell silent, unable to come up with a convincing counterargument. Eventually, she took her seat and hung her head, pondering on her selfishness and ego.

King Parissius felt uncomfortable seeing Chu Ling so reticent, so he shot a disconcerted glare at Kashi and wistfully berated, "If you wanted to scold me, do it directly. Fine; I won't bother you about going to war again. Happy?"

Kashi, unfortunately slow on the uptake, stared at the young King in incredulity. "...You wanted to go to the battlefield?"

"Uh... Yes," confirmed King Parissius. Initially, he had said that to lighten the mood, but upon being asked, he could not help but air his grievances. "I want to fight alongside the warriors on the battlefield. That's the kind of ruler I always envisioned myself being."

Kashi's incredulous stare only deepened upon hearing this. He glanced at Leila, and upon receiving a confirmation nod, looked at the king and accidentally let out his true feelings, "...Are You Crazy!?"