Chapter 94: The Queen’s Letter

With things more tense than they could have ever been, the king swore it wasn’t the time to be reading, but accepted the letter Emma gave him regardless.

Upon seeing the royal family’s red-and-black seal, the king changed his tune. “It can’t be!” That seal was only ever used to signal terrible emergencies. He couldn’t possibly ignore it now, and he violently tore open the seal to read the letter within. “N-No... Maximilian’s been b-brainwashed? And has betrayed us? And...what?! The Western Empire is attacking? Withcannons?!” The more he read, the less he could believe it. After having read the whole thing, the king was at a loss for words.

The firstborn prince Maximilian, who’d arrived just as the king left for the field trip, was an earnest and diligent boy who was quite popular among the populace. The start of the letter said that that very prince had been brainwashed by the Western Empire into showing them how best to attack the kingdom. The letter was filled with shocking news from start to finish. To make matters worse, a merchant reported that Maximilian had allowed Western Imperial ships to dock in the kingdom with cannons that could reach the capital itself. They were ready to fire at any moment, meaning the capital could come under firethat night even. The letter wrapped up saying that he should return home at once. However ridiculous it might have sounded, it was written in the queen’s own hand. No matter how much the king wanted it all to be a mistake, he knew more than anyone that it was the truth.

“This is horrible... I have to get home!” The king raised his head suddenly, but two cool hands on his cheeks forced him to look down again.

“You can’t look up, Your Majesty. If you do, you’ll be looking those rainbow raccoons right in the eyes.” Emma Stewart was there, standing on her tiptoes to reach the king’s face and forcing him to look down again.