"I didn't expect it to happen," Hure said seriously. "Should we leave?"

'She is having similar thoughts.' Thyra couldn't hide her surprise. However, Hure misunderstood her intentions.

"I'm sorry, my lady." Hure smacked her own lips and asked, "How can I entice the future monarch to run away when the kingdom needs help so badly? Please forgive me, my lady."

'I don't want to be the future monarch. I just want to run away and survive.' Thyra couldn't voice her thoughts. She waved Hure off.

"My lady, we can use this moment to our advantage." The expression on Hure's face told Thyra that she had a brilliant idea.

'But, why does it feel like it will turn out to be a bad idea for me?' Thyra sighed in silence before signalling Hure to continue.

"This can help us to gain some recognition."

'I am going to die there, and you are thinking about recognition?' Thyra glared at her momentarily before concentrating on the food in front of her. Although she had just had breakfast, she was still starving.

"If you can get some contributions, you can get an official title. As you are known to be the daughter of a viscount, it would be easier for you to get one. That way, it would be easier for us to contact other nobles."

"How do you think we are going to do that?"

Hure stared at Thyra, not understanding what she meant by that. "Of course, by contributing to the victory of the kingdom."

'But the kingdom is going to lose the war.' Thyra didn't say it out loud because she knew that although the kingdom didn't lose the war directly, they wouldn't win it either. It will become a war of attrition and continue for two years.

But that was not the problem here. She was sure there were not many ways she could escape the war. Although she was a viscount's daughter, without Viscount's help, she was nothing better than a beggar.

"Let's just go with the flow for now. If things really go south, I will escape by myself."

"What are you saying, my lady?"

"Nothing," Thyra quickly changed the topic, "How many barons are in the kingdom?"

"More than 150, maybe 170." Hure was still unsure why Thyra asked about it, but she still answered.

"200 each, 500 for 32 viscounts, 1000 for 19 counts, and 2000 for 11 higher nobles. With the royal soldiers, there would be at least 100,000 soldiers in the kingdom."

"Huh! Yes."

"How do you expect me to make my 100 stand out among 100,000 soldiers?"

Hure stared at Thyra in surprise, not understanding how the princess had become so knowledgeable about the number. It wasn't that she didn't study, but it wasn't her favourite thing to do.

"Do you have a plan?"

"Yes, my lady." Hure quickly answered.

"And?"

"I will train them personally."

Thyra simply stared at her, not saying a single word.

"I may not look like it, but I was the captain of the queen mother's secret guard. A part of royal knights."

"You have been a maid for the last ten or so years. And there are many people who are more active and experienced than you. Why do you think the soldiers you train will fight better than others?"

"That…"

"Forget about it." Thyra waved her hand away. "Did you absorb any beast essence?"

"Yes. A rare essence of the blue-spotted cobra."

"Good. You will teach me how to control the essence. The Viscount will send a knight to teach me how to fight."

"My lady," Hure said a little forcefully, "I can teach you how to fight."

"You can't."

"I can. I am better than these knights of the Viscount. I was a royal knight. How can they be better than me?"

"They aren't pregnant."

"That…"

Hure was about to give another vain reason, but Thyra interrupted. "I have different work for you."

"My lady!" Hure was sure Thyra was giving excuses.

"That's not up for debate. It's an order." Thyra continued, "Do you have a map for the kingdom?"

"The map of the kingdom is strictly regulated."

"Even if you don't have one, try to find one along the border between the kingdom and the Eder empire."

"I will talk to the Viscount."

"Also, ask him to send me any news of the Empire army, the list of Empire nobles and generals, and the record of past conflicts."

"Past conflict? The empire had never attacked our kingdom before."

"It doesn't matter. Just send me all the details about the empire's recent war. Also, send the list of the kingdom's nobles too."

"It's a good idea to learn about them. I will do so as soon as possible."

"Uhhhh!" The sudden moan attracted both of their attention. They looked towards the bed only to find a recently awakened Aria hanging from the side of the bed.

She used one of her hands to push against the floor so she didn't fall. And the position of her body was anything but proper.

To begin with, she was totally naked. With one side of her chest pressed against the bed, her other mass of fat was dangling from her.

With knowledge of its mass, Thyra couldn't help wondering if that mass of fat was why gravity dragged Aria down. Yet irrespective of her situation, she was still smiling at Thyra.

"What happened to her?" Thyra approached the bed to help her, asking, "Did I break her?"

"My lady, I think it is the potion's effect," Hure answered.

As Thyra tried to pull Aria up, Aria acted like an octopus. She climbed on Thyra and wrapped her four limbs around her.

Thyra sighed as Aria continued to make sensitive sounds and asked, "The potion?"

"It was a potion that made the woman more fertile. The nobility uses it to get pregnant."

"Didn't you say it's an aphrodisiac?"

"That is just one effect of it," Hure said with a cheeky smile.

Thyra sat down on the bed, as it was hard for her to keep standing. "How long will the effect remain?"

"Three days."

Thyra sighed as Aria's hands had already rested on her breasts. "Hey, stop it." Thyra forcefully laid Aria down on the bed and stood up.

"My lady, should I leave you two alone?"

"Huh? No need. We need to think of a way to recruit soldiers."

"Don't worry, my lady. The Viscount had already sent out messengers throughout the domain. They will start gathering in the city soon."

"Good. I think…"Thyra stopped as she found Aria looking at her with teary eyes.

"You don't love me anymore."

Aria's sudden words shocked Thyra a little. But from her cloudy eyes, she was sure Aria wasn't herself.

Thyra sighed and ignored her. Turning towards Hure, she said, "I will personally choose them. You should gather a few blacksmiths, butchers, and scholars for me."

"Okay," Hure wasn't sure why she wanted it, but she nodded.

"Also, ask the viscount to lend me a few criminals."

"Criminal?"

"Yes, the worse, the better."

"But why?"

"Look."

Between their important talks, Aria suddenly shouted. As Hure was about to scold her, she was surprised by her position.

Aria was on her knees, with her face on the bed. In this position, her ass was directly aimed at Thyra. And if that wasn't enough, she used her hand to spread them wide, complaining, "Look how wet I am? You aren't even doing anything about it."

Before she could say anything, Hure checked Thyra's expression. But the bulge in her dress was enough to make her understand.

As Thyra impatiently waved her hand at Hure, she left to complete the task that Thyra had given her.