The Evil Emperor's Fragile Heart

"I had some new business ideas," Mana said softly. "I'll discuss with you later – I think you'll like some of them." She couldn't take Raven to the modern world and show him amusement parks and movie halls and things – but she could definitely build them here in this world and let him have all the fun he wants (and deserves, too).

Raven blinked, wondering how his young fiancée could possibly come up with business ideas at such a time – but he already knew how innovative Mana was. So he simply nodded and squeezed her hand in support, indicating that he would always stand by her side and help her with whatever she wanted!

Mana grinned at him, her eyes sparkling. Raven couldn't help the smile that bloomed on his face in response.

King Jaren cleared his throat. "So – let us assemble on the morning of the day after tomorrow and strengthen the magic net of Raven and Mana that is currently restraining the cursed living ghost corpse, shall we? And if any of us has any ideas on a more long term solution, even if it's not a permanent one – we can always discuss at the time," he suggested, looking at Queen Carolina for her affirmation. After all, this was the Sapphire Kingdom, and she was the monarch of the Sapphire Kingdom – and as such, she was the one who needed to take the decision.

"That sounds really good," Queen Carolina said, shooting a glance full of gratitude at King Jaren and everyone else in the room. "I cannot even begin to tell you how very grateful I am for all the support being extended by all of you at this hour of great need for the Sapphire Kingdom."

"You are treating our little Raven so well, of course we would be happy to help," General Aquila said. "Thanks to all our children – I think we are heading for a beautiful and peaceful and prosperous period for all our kingdoms in the near future!"

"Amen to that," Queen Carolina said with a smile.

"Indeed," Crown Princess Pica agreed whole heartedly.

"If only the Amber Kingdom could be as sensible as us," Head Sage Yue murmured. "I had a chance to interact a fair bit with King Orion of the Amber Kingdom as well as his son Crown Prince Mars of the Amber Kingdom and his fiancée Princess Astra of the Emerald Kingdom – and I must say, those two children don't quite measure up to my Raven, or Princess Mana or Crown Prince Jules of the Emerald Kingdom or Crown Princess Bella of the Sapphire Kingdom – or even Prince Rook of the Obsidian Kingdom, for that matter, who I spoke to very briefly a few times in the past few days. I do hope that the Amber Kingdom would not cause unnecessary trouble for the rest of us later."

"Are you not keeping an eye on the border you share with the Amber Kingdom?" King Corvus asked. "If you are not, I would recommend taking measures right away. The Amber Kingdom is not known for its respectful attitude towards other kingdoms' borders, after all!"

Head Sage Yue was taken aback. "I don't think we share any border with the Amber Kingdom at all any more," he said. "We had a few villages on the western end, beyond the Inga Sea, but we sold those to the Emerald Kingdom a long time ago."

King Jaren frowned. "I don't remember buying any villages on the border of the Pearl Kingdom and the Amber Kingdom on the western side of the Inga Sea," he said. "That would mean a break in the border of the Emerald Kingdom, and I make it a point to only buy land which is directly linked to the Emerald Kingdom – otherwise it becomes very difficult for me to extend the border wards of the Emerald Kingdom to the new areas. Of course, our wards can't compare to the excellent fortification border wards of the Sapphire Kingdom or the magical misty border wards of the Obsidian Kingdom – but our border wards are built specifically for very strong defence. And that's why it becomes difficult to extend it unless there is a continuous stretch of land – and on principle, I don't agree with diluting the border wards at all. That's why I don't buy any land which is not directly connected with the existing territory of the Emerald Kingdom. Our borders with the Amber Kingdom end at the village of Rahn at our end and the village of Chen at their end, and this is on the eastern side of the Inga Sea for us, and the northern side of the Inga Sea for the Amber Kingdom. The Amber Kingdom's lands extend further westwards, and south of the Inga Sea belongs fully to the Pearl Kingdom. Further north west of the Inga Sea, If I'm not mistaken, there are four or five islands and peninsular villages of the Pearl Kingdom bordering the Amber Kingdom. The Inga Sea falls in the middle, so it isn't continuous territory for the Pearl Kingdom either, right?" King Jaren directed the question towards Head Sage Yue.

Head Sage Yue was stunned. "I will have to check on this once I return to the Pearl Kingdom," he murmured. "I personally signed the paperwork for the sale of the peninsular villages to the Emerald Kingdom."

"Someone clearly fooled you and made you sign a dummy document, and forged your signature for the actual transaction," General Aquila said, shaking his head. "Yue – do you still blindly trust the people of your Moon Temple even now, even after all they have done? It is quite possible that they forged a document for you to show that it was sold to the Emerald Kingdom at a nominal prince – but, instead, sold it off to the Amber Kingdom instead, and let the Amber Kingdom gain control over the mouth of the Inga Sea – don't you see? The mouth of the Inga Sea is a very important strategic battle point! No one would be able to see that they are up to in that area at all."

"And given how bloodthirsty and ambitious King Orion and his brood are, I would not be surprised if there is a secret naval force that has already been assembled there," King Corvus said. "Pica, Aqi, when we return, we must fortify our borders on the other side – I honestly doubt that the really greedy King Orion's disgust for dark magic or people of the Obsidian Kingdom extends to a chance to take away our lands and rule over them!"

Head Sage Yue looked horrified – now he could clearly understand that he had been duped, indeed. The person who had made him sign the paperwork for transfer of these villages was someone Head Sage Yue had fully trusted for many years – after all, this was the person who had found out and revealed the real identity of his former wife as the Crown Princess Pica of the Obsidian Kingdom twelve years ago – and it was then that the previous Head Sage had ordered Yue and the others of the Moon Temple to hunt down and kill Crown Princess Pica and the baby she was about to give birth to. At the time, Head Sage Yue's mother had tried to hide away Crown Princess Pica and Raven had somehow been born – but the minions of the Moon Temple had found them anyway, and Crown Princess Pica had fought her way out, clutching her infant son, and with great difficulty (and a lot of help from Head Sage Yue's late mother) managed to reunite with General Aquila. At that time, General Aquila had flown into a rage and within a few minutes, all the people chasing Crown Princess Pica and the new born Raven had been killed. Head Sage Yue had arrived with reinforcements soon after – and the look that General Aquila had thrown him at the time still haunted him. While their identities had still not been revealed to each other, General Aquila and Head Sage Yue had been close friends – but at that time, seeing Head Sage Yue trying to murder his own wife and child – General Aquila had completely lost his temper. If it wasn't for the fact the Crown Princess Pica was bleeding horribly and needed urgent medical attention, there was no doubt that General Aquila would have massacred the entire army of the Pearl Kingdom on that day – it was only the safety of Crown Princess Pica and the infant Raven that had made him flee to the safety of the Obsidian Kingdom.

Head Sage Yue found himself wondering yet again if he had been deliberately manipulated even back then – he had thought that he was on the side of righteousness and that the filthy blood of the Obsidian Kingdom should not have tainted his bloodline – and besides, the prophecy revealed by the former Head Sage to him at the time…

Head Sage Yue shook his head and sighed.. He really should have listened to his mother back then.