It was a sound plan—on the surface, at least.

  But Ravenna frowned. A jarring flaw. She folded her arms, her gaze darkening. "There’s a problem."

  She folded her arms, her gaze darkening. "In Fact, There are multiple flaws in this strategy," she stated, her voice sharp with certainty. "First, the evacuation process will be slow, and more importantly, my father and siblings will undoubtedly take notice of it."

  Duke Morgen exhaled, rubbing his chin as he considered her point. "That’s true. If we suddenly start evacuating civilians from key areas too close to the wedding, it’ll raise suspicion." He paused, then nodded as a solution formed in his mind. "We need to spread the misinformation early—at dawn. If the attack is scheduled for noon, then by that time, the regions will already be mostly emptied. That way, the process will appear natural rather than forced."

  Ravenna tapped her fingers on the table, deep in thought. "But would the Imperial Knights react fast enough? They don’t act on mere rumors."

  Duke Morgen smirked, his confidence unwavering. "I have some connections in the Eastern Continental Medical Society Association. If they issue a warning about an outbreak of Hilon Pox, the Imperial Knights will have no choice but to respond immediately."

  Ravenna gave a slow nod of approval. "That would take care of the first issue, then. But the second one…" Her gaze met Duke Morgen’s.

  "Defending the high-ranking nobles," he answered, already anticipating her concern.

  Ravenna leaned back slightly, considering the logistics. She wasn’t completely incompetent in combat—far from it. She had trained extensively in dagger combat, her fighting style built around agility and precise, rapid eliminations. Unlike her siblings, who excelled in battlefield warfare, her skill set was designed for self-defense, and swift encounters rather than prolonged engagements.

  She didn’t wear armor in combat either. The added weight slowed her down, rendering her natural speed and reflexes ineffective. That choice made her lethal in one-on-one fights but significantly disadvantaged against a swarm of magical beasts.

  Compared to her siblings William, Landon, and Serena her battle achievements were modest at best. William was a strategic genius and a master swordsman. Landon possessed brute strength that made him nearly unstoppable in direct combat. Serena, despite her noble upbringing, was a prodigy in magic flower formulas. Against them, Ravenna’s combat prowess was nothing extraordinary.

  Duke Morgen seemed to be thinking the same thing. He exhaled, shaking his head. "Your fighting style will be an issue. Taking down one or two beasts is likely your limit, and that simply won’t be enough."

  Ravenna tapped the hilt of the dagger at her hip, a sly smirk forming on her lips. "Don’t worry, Uncle. I already have a plan."

  Duke Morgen raised an eyebrow. "A plan?"

  She nodded, her expression filled with quiet determination. "We will proceed with the scheme as planned, but on the wedding day, I will ensure I am not the one doing most of the heavy lifting."

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Duke Morgen’s curiosity deepened. "And how exactly do you intend to do that?"

  Ravenna’s smirk widened as she leaned forward, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "By making sure someone else handles the fighting for me."

  Practice Grounds, West Wing, Imperial Palace

  The midday sun cast sharp rays over the vast training grounds, its golden light reflecting off the polished Iron of weapons and armor in the armory.

  Thud!

  An arrow buried itself into the bullseye.

  Thud! Thud! Thud!

  Three more followed in rapid succession, striking their marks with deadly precision. Four targets, four perfect hits.

  Marie lowered her rapid-fire crossbow, exhaling in satisfaction. Beads of sweat clung to her brow, but a triumphant smile tugged at her lips. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and examined the perfectly aligned shots.

  "I’ve definitely improved," she muttered, admiring her own work. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Maybe Master will praise me!"

  As she made her way toward the targets to retrieve the arrows, the hurried footsteps of a servant reached her ears.

  "Lady Marie!"

  Marie turned, spotting a breathless maid rushing toward her, her neatly worn uniform slightly ruffled from running.

  "What is it?" Marie asked, crossing her arms as she watched the maid struggle to catch her breath.

  "Lady Marie, Her Highness Princess Gracie has arrived! She requests to have tea with you!"

  Marie’s expression darkened slightly. Gracie.

  She didn’t need to guess twice to know this was some kind of ploy. It was probably another one of her petty attempts to find information on her, some orchestrated scene where Marie would be put in an awkward position, where she has to reveal her background.

  Her initial instinct was to reject the invitation outright. Why should she entertain someone who is literally looking for something to hold against her?

  But then, an idea struck her.

  A slow smirk formed on her lips as she straightened her posture. "Have her wait in the audience room. I will be there shortly."

  The maid looked surprised but bowed and hurried off.

  Marie inhaled deeply, rolling her shoulders before stretching her fingers.

  "I’m not going to avoid her," she murmured to herself. "I’m Master’s disciple, after all. I should be dominant, just like her."

  With that, she strode toward the palace, her steps confident and deliberate.

  Audience Room, Ravenna’s Chambers, Imperial Palace

  The air in the chamber was thick with the scent of aged parchment and sandalwood incense. The moment the heavy oak doors shut behind Duke Morgen and his footsteps faded down the hallway, Ravenna leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. It had been a long discussion, but now the plan was in place.

  With a measured movement, she turned toward the corner of the room. "John."

  A figure stepped forward, his presence familiar as always. Vice Knight Captain, John, bowed slightly. "Yes, Your Highness?"

  Ravenna’s fingers drummed against the polished surface of her desk. "I need you to request a formal audience with Ser Eugene, Captain of my dear brother William’s knights."

  John’s brows lifted slightly, surprise flickering across his usually unreadable face. "Ser Eugene?"

  It was an unusual request. For Ravenna to call upon him meant she had something significant planned.

  Yet John didn’t question her. He gave a curt nod. "Understood, Your Highness. I will arrange the meeting at once."

  As he turned and left the room, Ravenna let a slow smirk form on her lips.

  She leaned back in her chair, clasping her hands together.

  "I think it’s time I also start stirring the pot up myself," she murmured.