When the first bomb exploded, Audrey was also in North Borough, finishing her daily work at the Student Aid Fund office not far from Saint Samuel Cathedral.
The muffled boom and shock wave rattled the windows throughout the building, making them clatter alarmingly. Audrey immediately formed fine golden scales beneath her skin before cautiously approaching the window to look into the distance—she still wasn't used to having skin as tough as leather, which even a sharp blade couldn't easily pierce.
In her field of vision, enormous airships passed over North Borough in tight formation, occasionally dropping bombs or opening fire on buildings that looked important.
But most of the bombs were diverted by invisible forces, colliding and exploding in midair or falling into deserted gardens and ponds. Some even disappeared during their descent as though erased. Dark blue wind blades flew in from the south, struggling against some force protecting the airships, while sleep-inducing bells rang from nearby Saint Samuel Cathedral, greatly slowing the airships' movements.
Higher in the sky, two streaks of flame trailing long tails, like meteors flying in reverse, plunged into clouds that were inexplicably close to the ground and vanished.
At that moment, Audrey remembered discussing the shadow of war with Miss Empress and Mr. World in this office two days earlier, and the information she had overheard over the past few months under Hvin Rambis's arrangements.
War had broken out, but not in the way the kingdom's nobles had hoped. It hadn't been launched on their initiative after steadily escalating pressure and localized provocations. Instead, a sharp blade had been plunged straight into the kingdom's heart!
Boom—
Another bomb exploded in midair, even closer to Audrey this time.
Without time to think further, she immediately instructed her personal maids to notify all the staff and