The night before Stella was due to return, Nalant received an unexpected message.
"My lord, a Swift Hawk has just returned from the Northern Principality!" Sherry came panting to Nalant's study, clutching a small rolled-up note as she reported.
Nalant had instructed her that any message from the Northern Principality had to be delivered to him immediately.
"The Northern Principality? Bring it over!" Nalant immediately set down the Compendium of Magic Spells in his hands and accepted the letter Sherry passed him.
After confirming that the sealing wax on the scroll was intact, Nalant opened it and began reading.
Yet after only a moment, his expression instantly turned grave.
"My lord, what's wrong?" Little Sherry had not yet left. Seeing her lord's expression, she timidly asked.
"The Northern Principality is preparing to attack!"
"Ah, the Northern Principality is preparing to attack?" Little Sherry was startled as well.
"That's right. Sherry, go and ask Miss Stella and Miss Natasha to come to the first-floor hall. I'll be there shortly!"
"Yes, my lord!"
This letter was precisely a message sent by Princess Isabella of the Northern Principality.
According to the message, the new king of the Northern Principality had issued a mobilization order a week ago, summoning all nobles to gather at the edge of the desert.
If the intelligence was accurate, then within the next month, the forces of the Northern Principality would likely reach the border of the Onyx Principality. By then, a great war concerning the survival of the continent would begin.
Nalant had originally thought that the church and the Northern Principality would at least delay until autumn this year.
After all, it was only spring. Though the crops had already been sown, they still required a considerable amount of manpower to tend.
Launching a great war after