When Louis woke, dawn was only just breaking.
The weariness of last night's journey still lingered in his mind. He had hurried back to Red Tide from Dawnlight Harbor, and after traveling through the night, he had fallen asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.
He raised a hand to rub his temples and instinctively glanced beside him.
Emily slept at his side, her blue hair spread across the pillow, her breathing soft and her eyelashes trembling faintly.
The little baby in her arms was curled into a ball, half encircled by her arm.
Louis lowered his gaze to them, his expression softening for a moment, then quietly got out of bed.
He draped a thick robe over himself, walked to the window, and pushed open the wooden shutters.
Morning mist shrouded all of Red Tide City, its snow-covered streets stretching into the distance.
Red-domed houses were faintly visible through the fog, like rolling waves layered one behind another.
Then Louis waved a hand. With a familiar soft chime, a pale blue screen unfolded in midair.
[Daily Intelligence Update complete] [1: The Second Imperial Prince was attacked by a mysterious high-rank Transcendent Knight while hunting. His left arm was severed, and he remains unconscious.] [2: Sixth Prince Asta August recently brought rare magic stones in the imperial family's name and has won over Earl Holmes.] [3: A Frost Giant tribe has appeared in a valley in the northern Red Tide Fief, apparently seeking shelter for the winter.]
He looked at the first entry, his brow creasing slightly.
It was not merely a physical arm that had been severed. Behind it lay the dozen or so legions that had pledged themselves to the Second Imperial Prince, along with his connections within the Military Affairs Office.
Even