"Twenty three." I said calmly, I heard the faint laugh behind the hood. 

In the blink of an eye the hooded people around us have withdrawn their swords, but the attack stopped when a rock is thrown at the head of the person in front of me. I stepped back, above us another hooded figure came falling between me and the supposed to be leader of the pack.

"Just give it." Same voice, they must be using an ascended stone to change their voice. The figure who came snatched another pouch inside the other one's cloak and threw it in my direction, I immediately caught it, a smirk formed into my lips, money hehe. We took another route that takes us directly to the road without passing through the slums again. Despite the distance, though it's not clear, I can hear them arguing, what are they, kids? they were aiming for our head just a moment ago.

Loud people scattered across the streets welcomed our sight. The stench and the dark alley of the slums is gone, now replaced by the celebrating crowd and loud vendors.

But the lively place won't remove the cold creepy feeling that's making me uncomfortable.

"Xen, are you okay? you look like you gotta pee?" Beret asked me, I faced him and gave him a thumbs up.

"But those fuckers just now, I really thought we were gonna get into a fight. Also can you ask your Father to stop negotiating with shady bastards like those!" Beret then proceeded with his rant, I can hint the disgust and anger in his voice when he mentioned what we saw in the slums. It's not a new sight for us but we're not monsters to not feel anything after seeing that.

I listened to him silently and just constantly nodded with him whenever he asked if I agreed. The atrocities that occurs to Mifos is just half worse– a lot more shallow than those small and poor town and provinces of this kingdom.

When will this poor Kingdom change? being aware and having no ability to do anything is the worst.

I decided to ignore the uncomfortable feeling, besides, I can't trust my senses right now. 

Still holding the bridle with my left hand, I dragged my hand in front of me and scanned the black stone in the middle of the ring. 

A tiny white pigeon landed in my hand, tilting its head toward me. My lips parted as I looked into its eyes, but it took off before I could confirm what I had seen. Were its eyes truly red? I think I'm hallucinating, or maybe it's -

NEIGH!

"Fuck!" 

"Holy shi-" Beret and I both cursed in synch when we heard a loud shot, I closed my eyes when my ear rang. Not only the people including us, but the horses got startled also, the horses panicked, it's like they're reaching for something on air and want to flee. If we're not holding the rope tightly, we would've ended to the ground.

I pulled the rope tightly, and touched Beret's horse's body to calm it down so it won't toss us mid air and kick us to death.

A loud sound of horn and the marching royal knights made the carriages and people stop, the once loud street became silent and the people started whispering. 

"Halt! Give way to the Royal Vessels of the Palace!" A loud voice announced, making the people lower their head.

A messenger came in front, a paper was floating in front of him, Beret nudged me.

"What do you think it is? They scared my baby, aww my poor poor babies" Beret wiped his imaginary tears while talking to his horses, as if they're a baby. I grimaced because he's imitating a cute sounds.

"An Official declaration from the Sun of the sun of Seilephim has arrived!"

"The Kingdom of Withurhart has successfully conquered two of our neighboring country from the West. Making Seilephim the next Kingdom to be conquered!"

The people around me gasped, Their whispers became more audible. I looked at Beret who's at the back of the horses besides me with a serious expression, I saw him gulped while listening. 

"The royal families of Withurhart and Seilephim, on the other hand, have made the decision to marry the first princess and the crown prince!"

A sigh of relief from the people around me is heard, That simply means they won't ransack our Kingdom. Withurhart is a strong and advanced country, if they ever decide to destroy Seilephim, with these brainless idiots sitting on the throne and poor condition of the Kingdom, we won't even stand a chance. 

But what would they gain marrying their First Princess with the crown prince of this small Kingdom? 

I bit my lips at the thoughts, well, unless...

"The Kingdom of Seilephim would help Withurhart to siege the Empire of Varuem-" the words of the messenger were cut when a stone hit his face, making his nose bleed. 

I sighed and licked my lips, what the fuck?

" Seriously? War? We're starving to death scumbags!"

"Oh my god!"

"The people from our country can't afford to go to ware! Look atthe state of our Kingdom, we're weak and poor as shit! what were you great nobles thinking that you can handle the Empire of Veruem? Fools!"

"Then let that royal family throw themselves to the battlefield if they're so confident— agrh!"

"Ahh!" The crowd shrieked when a light exploded upon hitting the body of the one who complained. With my eyes, I traced back where it came from, ohh, it's a kid.

The kid is skin and bones, she has a chain on her neck, wrist, and feet that's connected with one another. The kid is crying but too weak to even make a sound, it's tired eyes is full of fear when she looked at the bloody man beneath the horse I'm riding. Her gaze shifted and our eyes met.

Our stare with each other got interrupted when a knight covered her head with a sack and dragged her frail body to the one of the knights.

I immediately went down and helped the man who's still coughing blood, the man clung into my arms with his bloody hands. An old lady came running into our direction.

"Goodness gracious, thank you kid!" The old lady thanked me and walks away with the limping old man who's bloodied because of the large burnt would in his chest, in additional he's coughing blood.

"Every household must provide one healthy male as a representative of their family; the representative will fight against the Veruem Empire for the Kingdom's glory."

"The King wants to let his subjects know that they need not worry because the Kingdom of Withurhart is on our side. Any actions that violate the order would be immediately branded as rebellion against the royal family, and those involved would be mercilessly put to death."

"There would be an enlistment for each town in two days, which we believe is sufficient time to select a representative and prepare. The war deployment would be announced during the enlistment process, that's all. May you continue your day and prosper!"

There are various reactions from people, there are people who are freaking out and there are some people who are lost because they can't understand the messenger said.

Marching out, they left the street in chaos. I remained standing, my gaze went to the hem of my white dress, it's full of blood.

A word keeps repeating inside my head.

Representative for war.

I grit my teeth in frustration.

"Beret." I said coldly and climbed the horse's back, he nodded with a serious expression on his face.

We slammed the rope, the wagon moved in speed, we needed to move fast.

"What are you planning to do now?!" He shouted while maneuvering the wagon beside me 

I didn't answer his question, I can't send my old man on the battle ground to die. I'll... I'll do whatever it takes.