The journey had been peaceful.
Too peaceful.
For nearly a month, Lira and her companions traveled across the continent without encountering a single Demon General.
No invasions.
No battles.
No world-ending threats.
It should have felt comforting.
Instead, it felt wrong.
Lira sat atop a wagon eating bread.
Shun sharpened her weapon.
Eldarin spent the morning practicing speeches he hoped would sound heroic.
Liren, who had somehow become a permanent member of the group despite being a former Demon General, was busy annoying everyone.
"...Do you think if I became a queen everyone would have to listen to me?"
"No," Shun answered instantly.
"What if I made a law?"
"No."
"What if I—"
"No."
Liren pouted.
Then suddenly—
A horn echoed through the valley.
Everyone turned.
A lone rider was approaching.
Fast.
Too fast.
His horse stumbled repeatedly.
Foam covered its mouth.
Its legs shook from exhaustion.
The rider himself looked even worse.
His armor was cracked.
His face was pale.
His eyes were filled with panic.
"HELP!"
The horse nearly collapsed as it reached the group.
The rider fell off immediately.
Kael would've caught him.
Lira thought about that for a second.
Then silently pushed the thought away.
Shun rushed forward.
"What happened?"
The rider struggled to breathe.
"The Kingdom..."
He swallowed.
"The Kingdom of Halflings..."
His voice broke.
"It's fallen."
Silence.
Even Liren stopped smiling.
Eldarin's expression darkened.
"...Fallen?"
The rider nodded.
"Three weeks ago."
He unfolded a map with trembling hands.
The Kingdom of Halflings was one of the oldest nations in existence.
Small people.
Small kingdom.
But their inventions powered countless cities.
Their craftsmen rivaled dwarves.
Their scholars rivaled elves.
Most importantly—
They had remained neutral in nearly every war for centuries.
Nobody attacked them.
Nobody wanted to.
Until now.
The rider pointed to the center of the map.
The capital city.
A giant black mark had been drawn over it.
"Kensai."
The name alone made the atmosphere heavier.
Lira looked up.
"...Sword girl."
The rider nodded.
"General Kensai."
Shun frowned.
"Tell us everything."
The rider took a deep breath.
"It started with a single duel."
Everyone listened carefully.
"Kensai arrived alone."
"No army."
"No monsters."
"No generals."
"Just her."
The Halfling Kingdom laughed.
Why wouldn't they?
One person against an entire nation.
The royal knights challenged her.
They lost.
The royal guards challenged her.
They lost.
The kingdom's strongest adventurers challenged her.
They lost.
Every battle ended the same way.
One strike.
One defeat.
One step closer to the throne.
The rider's hands shook.
"She crossed the entire kingdom in three days."
Eldarin's eyes widened.
"Impossible."
The rider laughed bitterly.
"That's what everyone said."
Then his expression darkened further.
"But that's not the scary part."
Shun narrowed her eyes.
"What is?"
The rider looked up.
"Kensai didn't destroy anything."
Everyone froze.
"...What?"
"The cities remain standing."
"The farms remain untouched."
"The roads remain open."
"The people are alive."
The rider swallowed.
"She conquered the kingdom perfectly."
Silence.
Liren's playful attitude vanished.
"...That isn't like her."
Everyone looked at her.
The former General of Lust crossed her arms.
"Kensai never cared about ruling."
"She never cared about kingdoms."
"She only cared about becoming stronger."
A chill spread through the group.
Because Liren was right.
Something had changed.
Far away...
Inside the Halfling Capital...
The royal palace stood silent.
Thousands of soldiers guarded the walls.
Thousands more patrolled the streets.
Nobody laughed.
Nobody celebrated.
Nobody spoke loudly.
The kingdom wasn't burning.
It was waiting.
At the center of the palace sat Kensai.
Upon the throne.
Motionless.
The broken crown of the Halfling King rested beside her.
Not as a trophy.
As a reminder.
Below her knelt ministers, nobles, knights, and scholars.
All of them terrified.
A minister slowly stepped forward.
"My Lady..."
No response.
"The food shipments have arrived."
Silence.
"The southern roads have been secured."
Nothing.
Then—
Kensai slowly opened her eyes.
The minister nearly fainted.
"...Good."
Her voice remained calm.
Almost emotionless.
Yet everyone in the room felt their hearts stop.
Kensai rose from the throne.
She walked toward a massive window overlooking the kingdom.
The capital stretched endlessly below.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Her eyes looked beyond the horizon.
Beyond mountains.
Beyond rivers.
Toward a single person.
Lira.
"...They're coming."
The minister blinked.
"Who?"
Kensai's hand rested on the hilt of her blade.
For the first time—
A faint smile appeared.
Not happiness.
Anticipation.
"...My rival."
Back on the road...
Lira stared at the map.
Everyone waited for her answer.
The Kingdom of Halflings had fallen.
A Demon General sat on its throne.
And an entire nation was waiting to be saved.
Lira slowly stood.
Her gauntlets clicked together.
The air around her became heavier.
Not because of power.
Because of resolve.
"...Let's go."
Shun smiled.
Eldarin drew his sword.
Liren sighed dramatically.
"...Why does every vacation end with a war?"
Nobody answered.
Because far away, sitting upon a conquered throne—
Kensai was already waiting.
And this time...
She wasn't planning to lose.
To Be Continued...