Aeneas looked at the knight in disbelief and asked, “Who are you….?”

The Mysterious Knight with the helmet then replied.

“Mmmph...Careless as always. Is this really the same Aeneas I once knew?”

Then suddenly, A Lady Knight upon her horse reaches up to the group and says:

"To be honest, This is all ridiculous, If It weren't for the fact that We just saved the capital of a powerful country collapsing and nearly causing a massive conflict..."

This woman was none other than Mabel Asahi, Duchess of the Grand Duchy of Asahi.

Reinhardt then interrupted. “I'm sorry, but Sir Knight, What’s going on? Why are the Midguardians AND the Grand Duchy here a day before the promised day of the meeting? Did you all...know this was to happen?”

The Knight replied, “...As much as I wish I were joking, Your father King Anchises suddenly rescheduled for today "as a joke" since yesterday. And It just so happened that we were in Sanadaschloss too, How convenient for him. By the time we arrived, We encountered an army of 10,000 men really to loot the hell out of the capital. Bandits? This really all seems too ambitious to be just a regular ol’ “looting” spree.”

Mabel replied, annoyed, "No way this was a looting spree. I refuse to believe that. This was 100% Intentional on some sort of insurrection!"

Aeneas then got annoyed. “That stupid old man….But I suppose, Should he had not done that, The capital would have been done for. Is there a reason behind this?”

The 2 knights then turned around to face the enemy. "I have no idea, but We can ask the King after all this", said the Knight with the Helmet. "Anyways, Help us banish the last of the barbarians. If we can capture one of them, perhaps we can gain some extra intel ourselves!”

“Right.” Aeneas Nodded.

“Now then, get moving….Annie.”

Aeneas then felt a familiar aura after hearing the nickname. He...knew this person.

“Annie...Wait. Are you..?”

The knight then began to take off his helmet. Long flowing black hair came out, revealing the knight to be none other, than a childhood friend of Aeneas....

“It’s been a while….My Prince.”

The Knight was none other than Princess Mineva Ann Midgard of the Holy Kingdom of Midgardius.

Aeneas was shocked. “M-Mineva?! Oh my god...It's been too long.”

Cormac was surprised. “M-Milady??”

Mineva heard Cormac's voice and then turned around She was flabbergasted to see him...once more.

“Sir... Udo?? Oh, my gods... Is it really you?”

Cormac stuttered to speak.

She then walked up to Cormac, with an angry expression.

“You were alive all this time?!! Why did you leave home, Sir Cormac….? Do you have any idea how worried sick I was for you?? Everyone thought you died!”

Cormac couldn't find the right words to speak, until...

“Milady...I had no right to be at your side. I failed my duty as a knight…..I couldn’t protect your family….or you. After that mission….I decided to fake my death and go on a journey to repent…I lost...”

Mineva then kneeled down at him.

“Cormac...I understand. But Don’t put all the burden on yourself. That wasn’t your fault...and I never blamed you at all for it. What you did was unacceptable. Instead of running away….You should have stayed together with us...like family. Don't be a coward...and fight. Fight...with me.”

“Milady…..” Cormac then felt tears starting to flow up his eyes, but after trying to suppress it, he couldn’t anymore...and thus, tears of sadness flew that day the 2 had reunited for the first time in almost a decade.

She then smiled. “Let’s fight….together this time.”

Cormac responded, “Y-Yes...Yes Ma'am!”

Mineva then looked at Aeneas and then shouted:

“What are you gawking at? Get up and fight if you really wanna slack off later.”

Aeneas chuckled to himself and smiled. “I see a small part of you hasn't changed.”

Mineva stuttered for a bit and then looked away quickly, and replied, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?!? Shut up and stand up! We’re going to end this once and for all!”

“Right, right, Let’s go….”

Mineva then thought to herself...

"He...no longer has that look of dread when I last saw him. He...I'm glad he's safe. That idiot...Leaving the capital for 3 years?! What...were you doing? I...was worried sick. But...Whatever happened...I see a small gleam of confidence in him. He's...changed. In a very good way. I don't dislike that...at all. He's...a grown man now."

She then quietly smiled to herself, as she rode away on her horse together with Aeneas.

Solomon, witnessing this reunion, smiled and thought to herself, “Hehehe...Looks like I’m in good hands, Father. Please….wait for me.”

Sully then saw both Aeneas and Mineva together and replied,

“Who’s that lady, Milord?! Don’t tell me….You already have a girlfriend?!”

Mineva then went red, while Aeneas did not flinch and suddenly felt awkward.

“WHA-”

He then brushed it off as if nothing happened, saying, “Of course not you dunce, she's just a friend.”

Oliver then shouted at him. “Sully! That’s very rude!”

Mabel then chuckled away.

Cormac then looked at Mabel for the first time and asked Aeneas, “So Is she….”

He replied, “Umm...Yeah. She is the granddaughter of the Sovereign Grand Duke of Asahi...and she is to succeed him in the near future.”

Sully then replied, staring at her. “Huh...She’s…”

Mabel then noticed the silver knight staring at her and replied, “Huh? What do you want?”

Oliver then covered Sully’s mouth.

“Shut up and please don’t make things worse for us…”

Reinhardt snapped and then replied, “Are you clowns finished with the introductions? We got a battlefield in front of us going on!”

The gang then looked at him and apologized. “We’re sorry, Sir!!”

Reinhardt sighed. “Everyone, To your positions!”

Everyone then lined up together in unison and under Reinhardt’s orders….

“CHARGE! ASSIST OUR ALLIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!”

Aeneas, Minerva, Mabel, and the rest of the Aenida Order charged toward the remaining barbarian army to slay the remaining hostiles together with the Midguardians and Asahi’s National Army.

Meanwhile, from afar the battlefield….There were the very same hooded men from Cordia…the one behind the attack.

“Damn you, Princeling…..My Plans were a failure. Someone amongst the bandits ranks must have betrayed us for the Calydonians to know about all this.... I have to report to the Emperor and Big Brother about this later. Just a little more...and My plan for the new world could have been a success from here on now...DAMN IT! If It weren’t for that stupid bird….THAT DAMNED MONSTER….! I lost a powerful asset thanks to that thing...Calydon could have been unified under our rule...”

Then the man looks at Solomon, from afar.

“If it weren’t for you….IF ONLY!! You got lucky...Aeneas. Your Idiotic plan for Saving Dragonkind...Big Brother will ensure your plan will NEVER happen.”

The man then punched the tree, almost breaking it.

“No matter….I have to think of a new plan now...I can’t predict what the King is planning anymore...I need a new plan...I have to go back now.”

The man then disappeared.

After 3 hours of battle and cleaning up, It was almost evening. The Battle ended in a victory for the Allied Forces.

However, While many had perished, They were able to capture some for intel.

“Just 3 prisoners? Damn…” Sully was disappointed. It appears that the Gang was at the Capital’s Underground Dungeon.

“This is better than nothing. I’m pretty sure we can gather very important intel from these 3, as Lady Mineva said,” replied Mabel.

“Is Everyone here?” replied the Princess, as she entered the interrogation room.

A Soldier of Minerva replied, “Yes, Milady. We’ve kept an eye on them. Thank you for assisting me, Sir….”

The Red Knight responded to the man. “Sully. Sully Aurik.”

Minerva smiled. “Thanks, you two.”

She then looked at the prisoners and proceeded.

“Now then….It’s time you two confess to your crimes…..Who was your ring leader? What was the purpose of doing all this?! Were you really here to loot the capital for some prank? 10,000 men is far too organized for a little looting.”

But before they could speak, The Prisoners then were consumed by a dark black smog….It came in the form of a hand, and they were all squeezed to death.

“GAHHH!”

Each prisoner was killed before they could speak.

Everyone was in awe, flabbergasted at what they just witnessed.

“Damn! Dark Magic??” said another one of Minerva’s men.

“....” Reinhardt was nervous now, as now all chances of gaining intel were wiped out.

“Now We lost our chance to find the very perpetrator of this incident,” replied Solomon in a panic.

Everyone was tense now.

Aeneas then spoke. “Reinhardt.”

“Milord?”

He then had a serious expression on his face. “Increase the Number of guards in the capital, Both Day and Night for the remaining week.”

Reinhardt then replied, “Very well Aeneas. If the guards find anything suspicious, I will immediately report to you.”

“Thank you.”

Aeneas then thought to himself. “Who is behind this…? For some reason, I can’t help but feel perhaps….information is somehow leaking. This plan was way too perfect. Whoever came up with this for sure had knowledge of our leaving to Cordia. It could be anyone….But Who? It might have been someone from the Government...Could it really be...?

Then a soldier approaches Aeneas, and informs him of a dire message from his father, that he, Princess Mineva, Lady Mabel, and the Aenida 5 are to head to his quarters immediately.

"Alright. Reinhardt, Aenida 5! Come with me...My Father awaits us at his quarters."

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Capital of Thabes, Later that night, The Hooded Man had met up with the Emperor of Thabes….Emperor Job Alexius Glycas.

The Hooded Man, now with an odd insignia on his cloak, bowed to them. “I’m sorry, Your Highness….The attack failed. We were suddenly ambushed by 3 Main Armies of the Alliance.”

The Emperor’s Right Hand Man, Hathaway, and his Tactician, Tethra, sneered at him. 

“Tch…Useless!”, They both said.

But then, The Emperor unexpectedly replied, “No, This is ok.”

Tethra and Hathaway looked at him, perplexed at what he was thinking.

The Hooded Man then replied, "While we were aware of their movements, their meeting was for tomorrow...not today. I will regroup with Big Brother Yuno, and reorganize the plans.

The 2 men stared at him.

Job sneered and replied, “This is getting more and more interesting….Alliance…..Friends?.....Comrades? Lies. In the world of Politics….There is no such thing as “Friends” or “Allies.” Me, My Father….All of us know very well What the world showed us. Where was their show of kindness…? WHERE?.....I have no intention of backing down anymore. We will make ALL of Calydon….No. All of Odgard will be liberated by their foolish leaders. It’s about time I start THAT plan then….Just you wait, Princeling. This...is merely the beginning of the new world I so desire to create.”

Then, in the distance, As Tethra looked at the Emperor, he smirked.

He thought to himself...
"No, My dear Emperor. The one that will establish a new world order...will be Dragonkind. A world where humans...will no longer pursue and kill us. The day that happens....will be the beginning of the 2nd Naga Empire. And the one to rule it....will be "The Vessel."

As everyone gathers in the room, King Anchises kills the tension by addressing everyone.

"As you are aware, Calydon's Capital was under siege. Luckily, thanks to the help of everyone, We prevented every single on of those barbarians inside the capital."

Everyone sighed in a moment of relief.

"However...There is one detail that you all must know, and I urge you all to keep this a secret. Especially you two, Princess Mineva and Lady Mabel."

The Princess then spoke up, "Does this have to do with why you called both of us ahead of the important meeting?

"Yes...Listen closely," as he took a deep breath, he then got up from his bed and sat down on his comfy chair.

"Now then...This all occurred on Asheria 16th, in the morning, I received a letter from my good friend, Marquis Medichi, Alonso and Bruno's father."

Bruno's eye lighten up. "Father?! This must be serious..."

Anchises cleared his throat before continuing.

"In truth, He informed me of a whistleblower, someone who warned us of this planned attack. As to why the whistleblower targeted the Marquis and not myself or my son is something that I really didn't anticipate...other than that this person must have carefully erased his tracks, and must have been among us at one point for him to know his connections with us, the Royal Family. Just who was this person and how did they infiltrate us, is what worries me. You did increase security, Sir Reinhardt?"

Reinhardt saluted and replied earnestly, "Yes sir! We are tight on the defense today, and will increase our numbers tenfold by the end of the week."

Alonso then asked in a serious tone, "Your majesty, who do you personally think it is?"

The King then sighed, "Honestly, If I ever had a clue, I would give a straight answer. One thing for sure is that...If we Royals are no more, House Jupitar can always succeed us, for it is written as law, in case of an emergency, whatever that's supposed to mean."

"You mean, the large Noble House next door?" said a nervous Mineva.

"Yeah...In any case, that's all I have to say. In any case, Our Family here in Calydon will offer you a place to stay for the nights coming by. I hope it is to your liking, ladies."

The 2 noblewomen chuckled and then head out through the exit. Everyone exited, except for the Medichi Brothers, where the King stopped them and whispered in their ear:

"Stay vigilant, you two. Keep providing Reinhardt and me with updates regarding Oliver...I doubt he was behind it since you two kept a close eye so...Keep up the good work."

Alonso then raised his hand, to which the king felt uncomfortable and replied, "Um...You can talk. We're not in Elementary School for you to raise your hand like that..."

Alonso then smiled and responded, "If I may...I think, for the time being, Oliver is innocent. He has totally proven his worth today, and if it weren't for him, we wouldn't have made it here to the capital today. We all are thankful to him. So, A different idea I may present to you is: Why don't we investigate the accident he survived? We may find more clues."

The King then got up and went to his bed.

"Fine...You got me. I'll provide the budget later today. I cannot doubt someone who has done a lot for our country. The Laboratory Incident...What do you believe we can get out of this, however?"

Alonso then looked at the King and responded without hesitation: 

"If we look up on this incident, We may find out who was behind this...and for how long it was in operation. If we get a name...We can track them down...and collect the rest of the names behind the operation. And if a name from House Jupitar arises...."

The King then closed his eyes and laid down.

"So be it. I will send a messenger to your father. He is to start tomorrow."