Archer briefed him all the while they travelled to Archibald Village. Lucilius was not pleased at all. He summoned the Healer a day ago to confront her about her ability but found out she had gone away from her residence along with Elias the magician. Her maid, Helena, did not know anything about it.

He sent men to look for her but to no avail. No one saw or knew where they went. Lucilius got caught up with his work until the evening until Archer came to report about the problems at the border near Archibald Village. 

A villager stumbled upon a mine and was held hostage by patrol officers of Alshain under the accusation of trespassing. Both sides engaged with each other and there were more than fifty injured. It was also reported that Alshain seemed unusually more powerful. 

A mine? Lucilius had thought. And the fact that Alshain tried so hard to cover its existence… 

***

‘Your Majesty!’

As Lucilius arrived, a soldier spotted him and immediately knelt. Other soldiers began to follow suit. ‘Your Majesty!’ they chorused.

‘Good work holding up, everyone,’ said Lucilius with a small smile.

‘Ah, if that’s not the rumoured formidable young emperor!’ a voice called.

Everyone turned their heads. There was the Crown Prince of Alshain walking towards the wooden fence with a few soldiers behind his back. A noticeable young man with white blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes was seen by the Prince’s side. 

Ciaran. The Prince’s closest aide. 

Archer and him had a brief eye-contact. 

‘Leonhardt de Crest, fancy seeing you coming all the way here,’ Lucilius replied with a wicked smile.

If there was one person he would want to throw in the river, it would be Leonhardt. The two have met in a party before and were not fond of each other at all. Sarcasm and mean remarks were often thrown instead of appropriate greetings. 

‘I wonder what brought you here, Your Majesty?’ Leonhardt queried with a hint of mockery.

‘I should ask the same to you, Your Highness,’ Lucilius replied, matching his tone.

They both were smiling at each other, but there undeniably was a thick air of murderous aura.

‘I heard one of my people has been taken hostage by your patrol officers,’ said Lucilius first.

‘Why, I heard that one of your people trespassed on my land,’ Leonhardt said.

‘I hope the hostage is in good health.’

‘Absolutely. He was arrested ethically and shall be under investigation. He could be a spy for all we know.’

‘My spy wouldn’t be so careless.’

Leonhardt shrugged. ‘I can’t trust your words alone. I need affirmations.’

‘Affirmations?’ Lucilius chuckled. ‘What of the existence of the mine you’re trying to hide, Your Highness?’

‘Hide a mine, Your Majesty?’ Leonhardt replied in disbelief. ‘It is indeed true we have found a mine but why would we try to hide it? We found it first; it should be ours.’

‘You know that’s not how it works,’ said Lucilius. ‘The mine is right under this village.’

‘But it is also right under this forest.’

Lucilius nodded. ‘Thus, you have no right to claim that it’s yours.’

‘Well, since it has come to this perhaps we could discuss the possibility of distribution?’

‘I’ll need my people back.’

‘Him for the mine.’

‘Fat chance.’

‘You can’t expect everything to go your way every time, Your Majesty.’

‘I will make it go my way,’ replied Lucilius. 

‘You’re hard to deal with,’ said Leonhardt with a frown.

‘Back at you.’

Archer looked at the emperor then to Leonhardt. They sound really childish right now, he thought.

Then, as if on cue, the ground shook terribly and a loud explosion ensued. It came from quite a distance and sounded rather muffled.

Leonhardt immediately knew where it came from. The mine…! 

BOOM–!

The ground below them shook again, this time knocking some people over. 

Leonhardt and Lucilius locked gazes and both held the same meaning: This is not over.

Smoke was beginning to cloud them.

‘Your Highness, we need to leave!’ a soldier said to Leonhardt.

‘Your Majesty, it’s not safe here.’ the soldier on Sirius’ side approached Lucilius. ‘The fire might spread.’

Leonhardt clicked his tongue and backed away slowly. The situation wasn’t looking good and he needed to check on the mine.

The smoke then got in the way between Alshain and Sirius. But then, even from far with clouded vision, he could see a figure running up to Lucilius, calling him out. 

Is that…?