-『Prologue End』-

«  Captain of 3rd Northern Fleet »
— Guillian Le Froy —

Panic enveloped my whole being the second after that Elven secretary suddenly out of nowhere, pointed her fingers to the person right behind me and to my further shock, revealed the identity of Milady. 

How did she knew about it!?

I don't think we have made enough blunder that would reveal the heiress identity. I mean all we did after the both arrived were to talk to these two elves and so far Milady hasn't even joined in on the conversation nor practically moved at all. All she did was to stand there so how come they'd still knew of her identity even though she's still hiding her face?

Was it because of some spy hidden within our midst? But if that's really the case then why didn't they apprehended her right away the instant these Narfá soldiers barged in these coastal outpost? 

The Commander instantly tried to grab my 'attendant' but I've instinctively blocked him and the brute began howling, "Move away! I won't hesitate to kill you if you block me once again newcomer!" 

Our cover's already blown and all I can do now is to stall for time. Our initial plan was to go incognito to check out the state of the colonies but alas, the situation have devolved into a way we haven't predicted so all we can do now is to improvise and hope that the chance to escape will appear.

"W-Wait! Hear me out p-please," I muttered with an abject anxiety in my tone. "How can you guy's be sure that the person behind me is the one you're looking for? She's really just my attendant so surely you guys must have made some mistake!"

The Commander snort before crossing his arms together.

"If she's really not the noble girl that we are looking for then order your attendant to simply show her face."

Silence.

"T-Thats...uh."

Crap.

I really don't know how to fend this one off. 

Should we just simply take a risk and try to outmaneuver these soldiers as we head out of the outpost?

"Well? Are you gonna order her or not? Cause if you don't within the next ten seconds then I will do it instead." The bastard impatiently stated whilst tapping his feet at the ground grumpily.

He then began slowly counting and I inadvertently looked back behind me with a hopeless expression.

I'm sorry Milady that it came to this. You trusted me to protect you but I've let you down. I'll try to defend you to my last breath so you can esca—

—A long drag out sigh coming from her interrupted all my rumination and she slowly moved her hands upwards to grab the hood which hid her face. 

I was about to stop her when I froze dead on my tracks since a miracle had suddenly happened right before my eyes. 

Silence.

I instinctually gulped as I stood there transfixed upon the face of Milady or should I say, "....J-Jahna?"

I didn't know how it happened but the hooded woman whom I thought to was Milady is actually her personal maid Jahna Kruger. 

I furrowed up my brows.

When did they switched places? 

 Was it before we departed?

I was the last one to board that small boat we used to reach this dock and she's already wearing that hood by the time I had arrived. In our briefing, Milady stated that she will come along with me but did she changed her mind at the last minute?

I returned my eyes at the front and found the Commander pulling out his sketch of Milady and comparing it to the face of the maid with sheer disbelief.

"...Wait. This attendant doesn't really look like the noble girl I'm looking for at all." He then turned his glare towards the female elf and shouted, "No, this girl's not the one we're looking for! You made a mistake Miss Secretary!"

"B-But her aura totally lights up like a noble! In fact, it's one of the brightest ones I've have ever seen in my life!" Miss Lahna retorted indignantly and the two started arguing.

I knitted my brows as I also pondered upon this situation. 

Hmm...a nobles aura?

I then thought back earlier on when this bear fellow asked this secretary to use that griffin something of her's. Back then I was totally clueless as to what they're doing but was it perhaps an ability of this female elf? 

She can see aura?

Even from a long distance?

What a nifty ability.

"U-Um...if you're talking about nobles then Jah—I mean, m-my assistant is actually one." I interjected with the two's argument and when I finally got both of their attention I added, "Her father is a Nascent Lord and she came from a Noble House that's been serving the Novaldein's for a long time."

"T-That's..." Miss Lahna showed a very conflicted look and the Commander sighed as he brushed up his face with a regretful countenance. 

"Sigh I guess you're right after all Miss Secretary, you did find a noble girl," But then he shook his head in dismay and continued, "However it wasn't the noble girl I'm looking for."

Right then at that moment, a running soldier suddenly barged into the outpost and sprinted right in front of the Head Operative. The guy made a hasty salute before stating, "Reporting Sir! We have found Lady Velestina Novaldein and her troops along the northern coast. We didn't knew when it was made but the Assault Team just found out that they have already created a makeshift camp along with that area."

"What!?"

"The assumption of the assault team commander was that Lady Novaldein must have commissioned the Dwarf's living further within that area to build that camp prior to her arrival. After all, they're the only one's who can build structures like that in such a short amount of time through the use of their Earthen Magic."

The Bear-like operative expression hardened after hearing the report. "Okay so she may have made some surprise camp through the help of those bearded midgets. Kudos to her for coming in our lands prepared but...so what?"

He snorted with ridicule etched strongly upon his face. 

"Our forces outnumbered her soldiers five to one and we even have two more reserved battalions we still haven't deployed. We too have come prepared for it would be far too foolish to underestimate the Iron Lady of Faun, the Mad Heiress whom have made Eustace Lake turn completely red with Xenobian Blood. However not even her could turn this situation around. Surely the Assault Team must have already captured her and her troops."

Silence.

The report operative showed an ashamed look before saying, "W-Well actually Sir, the current situation is at a stalemate..."

"What!?"

"Y-You see Sir, their camp is surrounded by these dug out pits whom the enemy seemed to be referring it as 'Trenches' and have been hiding underneath these massive line of interconnected pits on the ground. They will instantly use their fire magic whenever our forces tries to go near it and that's how the Assault Team got stuck in the current situation."

"Trenches you say? Hmm, what an unfamiliar word but the tactic behind it is nothing short of ingenious. Who would've think of such kind of unorthodox method in military defense...w-well its as expected of the Mad Heiress, only she can pull off these kinds of crazy stunts. However these 'Trenches' are merely on the ground so wouldn't it be easy to counter since all the troops need to do is jump over it?"

The reporter made an awkward laugh. 

"W-Well Sir, we can't actually since they barricaded the top with sacks full of dirt and tied around these thin meshed out metal wires with lots of sharp protrusions."

Silence overwhelmed the the entire outpost and most of these soldiers probably didn't know what to think. They must have think they could easily capture the Heiress simply by just overwhelming us with their sheer numbers alone but Ha! Take that you idiots, our princess had outwit each and everyone of you!

Now that I think about it, within these past week, I've noticed that a number of messenger birds kept coming and flying off Milady's room so she must've been coordinating with the Novaldein's own espionage operatives stationed here within the New World. 

The commander had a hard look etched upon his face. Anyone could clearly see that he's lost as to what to do next. Seconds trickles by as this pervasive tension looms into the air. Every soldiers were looking at him yet the Commander still remained silent.

Finally he said something.

"I'm going back to the tent of the Margrave to personally report this situation." He then spared a brief glance at me and Jahna before he turned his head around the soldiers that have been surrounding us and ordered, "I have no further use for these two so just simply kil—"

"—Wait, wait! hold up!" I quickly cut in the moment I realized the situation was taking a dangerous turn. I also then remembered the specific command that the heiress gave me which was to leak a certain information to these people. Although the current situation isn't what I've desired, now's the only moment when I can fully enact such order.

"D-Did you forget that I'm one of the captains? I know some crucial information that might interest you! I r-really don't want to turn coat but alas, my own life's far more important at this point so please spare us!"

The Commander gave me a long pondering look before sighing aloud.

"Fine, you both can come along with me and tell your stuff directly at the Margrave." He then ordered a nearby soldier to tied up our hands before proceeding out of the outpost as me and Jahna followed along behind him.

«  Governor of Guade Town »
— Margrave Niraj Se'al —

Life is like a game of Catur wherein people can become mere game pieces. There are Rajah's like the Kaiser, as well as Ratha's which are somewhat similar to the nobles and then finally Ashva's such as myself.

We all have a role assigned to us and for me, that is to aid my Senapati which is Lord Voelheim, the oldest Sovereign Lord and the supreme leader of the Narfá.

Arklaund is composed of many ethnic groups for which most came from the countries that were conquered due to the warmongering tendencies of the previous Kaiser. 

For instance, I was once a general of the fallen kingdom of Saul and ever since my Rajah lose to these Arklaundians, I as well as most of the survivors of Saul have been sent here in the New World and we have spent our time, blood and tears for years to slowly build this town of Guade. 

Unlike the Viceroy and the rest of the Governor's, I didn't have much faith in regards to the Narfá since the current leader of the faction was the son of the previous Kaiser but alas, I cannot openly disobey the Viceroy either since my town's survival really depends on the trade and commerce exchange between the Cabecera and the rest of the settlements.

Furthermore this concept of 'Power to the People' that the Narfá have been advocating amongst the common populace have somewhat intrigued me. Currently all of the Nations across Aethos are practicing some form of Monarchy. The most unorthodox one is actually the current governing system of Arklaund which is the selection of its Kaiser through the votes within the House of Lords but the way I see it, these Arklaundians have only widened their selection pool from the typical one royal family to three royalties which were the three Sovereign Houses. 

This idea that the king should be elected through the voice and decisions of the common people is fresh and alluring. The sentiment of the masses for these past centuries or so concerning Monarchism have been on a steady decline due the ineptitude of some of the Kings and Queens that have ruled the lands in the current as well as the past.

We, the common people are already tired of this unfair Monarchian system which only benefits a certain few and the inception of this new form of government spearheaded by the Narfá have captured our hearts and sparked the flames of Revolution all across Arklaund to the point that it even began to affecting us here in the colonies as well. 

"Margrave, are you inside? This is Nasim, the defense team commander in chief. I have some important matters that needs your decisions Sir." 

Nasim?

The flaps of the tent's entrance swayed open and my defense commander barge in with a hardened expression. He made a hasty salute before moving closer a mere couple of step apart  on the opposite side of the table. 

"Right, so what's the situation?"

He stood more straighter before saying, "Margrave currently the Assault Team is stuck on a stalemate. Lady Novaldein have come prepared and seemed to have made a deal with the dwarfs and build her a camp right at that free space within the region north of the coastal outpost. Their camp is entirely surrounded by these  bizarre 'Trenches' and this made it hard for the assault team to breach their encampment."

I stroked my chin upon hear hearing this unfamiliar word and I asked Nasim to further elaborate upon the intricacies of this structure called 'Trenches.' 

It took him at least three minutes to explain the nature and capabilities of these trenches and by the end of his accounting, I have nothing short of admiration for this lass whom have thought of such efficient and ingenious defense tactics. 

"What a smart cunning young lady. As an old retired General, I'm deeply amazed at how this youngling can think of such tactics that may have the possibility of changing how we conduct warfare." 

I sighed with a mix of admiration and slight jealously. 

I'm a relic of an olden era and my senses have alrrady been dulled by the years I've spent handling the domestic affairs of Guade. I do not have the astuteness and the tenacity as I had once before so to compete with these new generation is like an uphill battle for me.

However old and feeble as I might've be, at the very least I can still use my vast experience to plan ahead and prepare for such sudden situations like these. 

"Lead the two reserve battalions towards the camp of Lady Novaldein. Also bring along with you those land cannons and trebuchets that I've prepared beforehand. Hmph, the rest of the Governors have mocked me for being paranoid and overplanning to the point that its overkill but alas, I'm glad that I did so for the situation would've devolve into a war of attrition if I didn't prepared these things."

"Yes Margrave, it shall be done!" Nasim saluted with renewed vigor before hastily heading out of the tent, but then his head popped right back just as instantly a second later with a sheepish expression before saying, "Sir, I've forgotten to tell you about it but we've also apprehended two of the Heiress people. One of them says that he's a Naval Captain and knew some vital information so I brought him here so that you can cross examine his information."

Two Betrayers?

I simply nodded and replied, "Very well then. Just detain those two for now here in the camp and I will check upon them later on after I've overseen the deployment of the reserve battalions."

"Sir yes sir!"

I followed behind Nasim as we head towards the area where the reserve force is located. The Battalion commanders of each force instantly greeted me and made their salute the moment I've entered and I proceed onto telling them to prepare for deployment. 

At most, Lady Novaldein's army shouldn't exceed three hundred and the combined numbers of these two battalions reach around a thousand and along with the besieging weaponries, I don't think the lass could do much in the face of such overwhelming forces.

This a linear warfare and often times, the side with more numbers tend to be the victor upon these cases. Her bizzare 'Trenches' might have stalled my initial force but my long range arsenal could solve this quandary easily.

I silently watched as each and everyone of these soldiers prepare what they needed and it took around thirty minutes before everyone's completely battle-ready. 

I moved my head sidewards in a slow measured manner before starting my obligatory speech.   

"Okay everyone remember our objective which is to detain Lady Novaldein not kill her intentionally or accidentally otherwise. Even though its unreasonable, try not to use a lethal force as much as you can. Only use it when you're absolutely certain that the Noble Girl wasn't in the vicinity. Don't bombard their main camp but focus it upon these 'trenches' instead." 

"Sir yes sir!"

"Listen to your Battalion Commander and lastly, no matter what the cost, each and everyone of you should try your best to survive!"

All of the soldiers in both battalions stomped on their feet and loudly exclaimed "Hurrah!" before starting to move. I watched them on top of a small hill and after each and everyone have already fade into the distance, only then did I return to my tent once again.

I sighed as weariness enveloped me the moment I entered.

 I returned to my table and sat on the chair as I opened my catur board game which was placed right on top of the table. I lethargically positioned each pieces to their right position before starting a game by myself. 

I wish Lorah was here. 

That female elf was surprisingly good at these game. 

I idly moved the pieces as the one-manned game processed uninterestingly. However as I was about to finish the match, my senses suddenly picked up a commotion outside and the air suddenly got a wisp of these oh so familiar scent.

Blood. 

All the veins within my body suddenly ran cold as I stood up from my sitting position and ran outside but then—

"—Don't move if you don't want to be killed." 

A blade instantly came close to my neck the instant I drew close to the flaps of my tent which then followed by a number of individuals in full blacks garbs barging in and have encircled me completely.

I took a single step back and stood at the center of the tent but one of these men whose stood behind me suddenly kicked the back of my knees as I plummeted into the ground in a kneeling position.

I let out a snarl as I shouted, "Who are you people!?"

Yet none of them reacted at all and merely stood still while each of their blades were directly aimed at me. 

Seconds passed by in this slow tense manner and finally the flaps of the tent opened once again but this time, a hooded person came inside walking  at a leisurely pace.

The person simply walked forward and passed me as I turned my head back to see the guy standing near my table.

Silence.

The hooded figure idly played with my catur pieces before flinging the white Rajah piece in a backward throw for which the game piece landed right before my feet.

"Margrave—"

My eyes instantly widened in sheer disbelief as the hooded figure turned around before completely removing her hood clothing and pointed a blade right at my face point blank.

"—Checkmate."

Nihilaine

And that's a wrap. Whew finally I'm done with setting up the world building so now we can finally proceed to probably what you my readers have been expecting. 

More Convoluted World Building and Info Dumping Yippie! 

Silence.

No joke, were finally entering the 1st Arc which is also the start of the kingdom building scenario. For those of you that's confused about the events of this chapter, fret not for I will explain everything in next chapter in Veleina's POV. For those readers whom had guessed the method our MC use to switch places (which I think I made obvious ) Kudos for you~

Also you may have noticed that our MC's hair is black in this latest art. You see, all this time, I'm still undecided as to what kind of character should I portray the MC as. Should I make her like those usual reincarnated villainess with a 'changed' less villainous personality? or should I go for the unorthodox and retain the evil villainess persona.

For the latter, I imagine her to act like the love child of Dantalian and Elizabeth (I ship those two for some weird reason) from Dungeon Defense. As for the former, I guess a female version of Roland from Release that Witch?

Anyhow, her hair color correlates to these matters. I'm still undecided so I figured I'll just leave it to you guys. Pick «White» in the poll for a 'good' MC or choose «Black» for 'evil' MC. 

So yeah, that's all for me for now. 

Peace~