The kingdom's army had yet to leave the royal capital when news arrived from the Grand Duke of the Southlands: someone had tipped them off. The Holy Crusaders of the War God Church were preparing to attack Highcourt City in the Southlands!
The Grand Duke of the Southlands, the Duke of Highcourt, had governed the Southlands for generations. He possessed the Dawn Kingdom's second most fertile plains, which were also its second most densely populated region. The only risk was border conflict with the Graycastle Empire, but that was the responsibility of the kingdom's border army and required no concern from them. Their long and privileged lives had made the family excessively content with the status quo; it even seemed as though they had abandoned their ancestral language.
Only at this moment did they truly understand what panic was. Yet in such a short time, gathering enough forces to contend with the Holy Crusaders of the War God Church was exceedingly difficult. They could only seek aid from the royal capital.
Within the Highcourt Ducal Residence, the Duke of Highcourt's face was grim. "The Fole Family, Fosway Family, Floren Family, Dane Family, Tully Family, Kliann Family... all of them have fallen into war at nearly the same time?! Did I mishear, or did you report it wrong?"
Every time a family name was mentioned, everyone present could not help but tremble. These were all hereditary families loyal to the Highcourt Ducal Residence, each one a pillar of the Southlands. Yet now, when Highcourt City faced the risk of being breached, every one of these families had sent word that they were under attack, or had already been overrun. Their castles were burning, their knights, scholars, and even relatives were being hanged, and their territories were being plundered... How could it