Annan had thought Star-Moon Bay's first human enemy would be Glacier Harbor, wandering Bandits, pirates, or even Olmedo or the Reeves family. He had never imagined the threat would come from the Royal Capital—
Early the next morning, Annan summoned Ingrid and Evelyn and opened a portal. Once Leila came over too, he shared the two messages from the Holy Council: the Violet Kingdom had fallen, and he had been falsely accused of treason.
"That's impossible!" Leila was the first to protest. "Annan doesn't even know who Vitalig is."
"I do know who he is..." Annan couldn't let Leila slander him like that in front of everyone. "My friend who's a king told me the warrant was signed by Clo, the acting king... Any ideas?"
"An obvious frame-up." Olmedo rubbed her brow. "I don't believe Prince Vitalig poisoned himself, either... What are you going to do, Annan?"
"Have Evelyn put everything in the Magic Newspaper: the fall of the Violet Kingdom, the Ratfolk's continued advance north, and the false accusation against me."
"You're going to tell everyone?" Olmedo had no objection to the first two, but she disagreed with the third. "That could cause chaos..."
"When cavalrymen from the Royal Capital arrive in Plangraced County with my warrant and announce that I've committed treason, will everyone believe them?"
"Without a doubt."
"Then if I tell everyone beforehand that the Royal Capital has issued a warrant for me and that the charges are fabricated, will they still believe those cavalrymen when they arrive?"
"Because they heard it first, they'll be convinced it's a lie and a conspiracy..." Olmedo murmured the answer, then looked at Annan as though seeing him for the first time. "Is that why you started publishing the Magic Newspaper?"
Annan raised his chin.
Leila didn't understand, but she