Free City drifted to a position about ten li from the New Royal Capital.
From there, they could react if the New Royal Capital made a sudden move. The city also hung in plain sight, giving its people a sense of urgency.
As residents looked up at Free City, nearly as large as the moon, and saw the nobles' ambiguous stance, even the three Legendary figures showed remarkable restraint. Everyone knew the war was nearing its end.
Only some nobles remained uneasy, glancing frequently toward the Royal Palace.
Word was the King had woken, but he had yet to appear... What was he thinking?
It was already night, time to rest, but Olmedo still sat in her office, watching the moon appear and disappear among the clouds.
"Lady Olmedo, what's wrong?" Ingrid asked as she came in carrying the files for tomorrow.
"It's too easy." Olmedo looked away from the window and picked up a file.
Most concerned the New Royal Capital. One, for instance, was a discreet letter from a noble who wanted to meet Vitalig.
"Easy?" Ingrid didn't think so. "We've done so much. Even Lord Annan has been running himself ragged..."
Even Annan hadn't had a moment's rest. Didn't that show how much Free City had put into this?
"You're right. Maybe I'm overthinking it..."
It was the first time in human history that public opinion and economic warfare had been used in earnest, and their opponent was a Kingdom riddled with Ratfolk. Perhaps it was only natural that victory had cost so little...
Olmedo simply felt that a victory won so easily could not be worth her uncle's self-sacrifice... Or had his sacrifice been the reason it had gone so smoothly?
Tomorrow was the day they would discuss the "siege." Would they replace the King