Living As the Villainess Queen

Kasser’s confirmation of Eugene’s message sparked a tense ripple.

[It’s starting. – Kasser.]

The kings, having diligently pored over their magic notes since before noon, felt a collective tightening of their jaws as Kasser’s message materialized. Riner, who had been near the capital earlier that morning, wasted no time in heading to the border where his army stood ready. With this movement, only the Fourth King remained camped outside the capital. The other five positioned themselves in buffer zones near their respective borders.

Akil, taking a deep breath, rose abruptly and strode out of his tent. His emergence was a silent command, instantly bringing the waiting warriors and soldiers to attention. He scanned the vast expanse of his army, the line of soldiers stretching further than his eye could see. This force, exceeding thirty thousand strong, represented the elite troops he’d managed to gather after ensuring his kingdom’s perimeter was firmly secured.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

While eliminating the monster using larks within the capital was their only option, the collateral damage to the unsuspecting citizens was a grim prospect. Never having encountered larks before, they would be defenseless. Thus, the army’s primary objective was to hunt the larks with minimal civilian casualties.

This concern wasn’t unique to Akil. Across the land, the other five kings mirrored his strategy. Combined, the mobilized forces of all six kingdoms totaled nearly two hundred thousand troops.

This is our only chance. We have to take down the monster, Akil thought, acknowledging the Fourth King’s point. Eliminating the creature within the dry season was crucial.

Despite the inevitable losses, the kings mobilized their armies and resources. Realistically, a king’s primary concern is his own kingdom, and ignoring the capital’s sacrifice wouldn’t have been unthinkable. However, this might be the only time they would unite selflessly, pooling their capabilities for such a war.

You bastard. If there really is a god, today is your last day.

Akil raised a hand, his gaze fixed on the waiting warriors. Not far from his tent stood a massive iron cage, resembling a small house in size. The kingdom’s finest blacksmiths had been mobilized to construct this formidable cage in record time. A warrior approached, carrying a bucket of blood towards the cage.

Similar cages were likely being prepared by the other kings. These cages served a singular purpose: to contain the larks that would hatch from a shattered seed. Having learned from past failures in capturing these creatures, the kings had agreed that containment was the most viable strategy.

The operation hinged on Flora’s entrance into the capital. They had agreed to wait precisely two days after the teleportation spell’s activation. If Flora failed to initiate the control spell within that timeframe, the mission would be a failure.

The exact timing of Flora’s spell remained a mystery. With the sealed capital shrouded in secrecy, communication was impossible. However, they desperately needed a way to detect the spell’s activation from outside. Their solution: larks, the very creatures they hoped to control, would serve as their bio-indicators.

Inside a large iron cage, a flat stone became the stage for a macabre ritual. A single red seed rested upon it. With a grimace, a warrior reached through a gap in the cage and poured blood over the seed, quickly withdrawing his arm. The surrounding soldiers, feigning indifference, couldn’t help but steal glances as the seed reacted to the blood. It pulsed, writhed, then… life. 

A spider-like creature emerged, its eight thick legs adorned with coarse hair and a head bristling with dozens of gleaming red eyes. Instinct taking hold, the lark lunged for its human observers. The warriors flinched back as the monstrous arachnid slammed against the cage, its body far too large to squeeze through the narrowly spaced bars.

After a frenzy of thrashing, the frustrated lark began exploring its confines, repeatedly attempting to break free. It seemed oblivious to the futility of its efforts, driven solely by a primal urge to attack. Akil watched the scene unfold, his gaze flitting between his own summoned beast and the caged monstrosity. The idea of somehow taming such a creature, of bringing it under his control, seemed utterly unfathomable.

“Your Majesty,” a warrior announced, approaching Akil with a curt bow. “We are prepared.”

Akil nodded curtly. “Commence.”

Soldiers sprang into action, unfurling a wide wooden mat across the ground. Another warrior followed, lugging a jar of oil. He poured the oil liberally over the mat, ensuring it soaked through the gaps, leaving only the red seeds resting on a slick surface.

Akil had meticulously scoured Delano’s seed storage facilities, ultimately gathering a thousand low-grade seeds. He meticulously separated half of them from the oil-soaked area, assigning warriors to stand ready nearby. If Flora’s spell succeeded, these seeds, upon breaking, would attract the affected larks towards the capital, diverting them from the assembled troops.

His gaze drifted back towards the caged spider-lark, its enraged thrashing a grim reminder of the potential threat. “Report any unusual behavior immediately,” he commanded the soldier overseeing the operation. Ɽâ

With a curt nod of acknowledgement, the soldier saluted and returned to his post.

Akil retreated to the relative quiet of his tent. He unfurled his notebook, seeking the latest updates from the other kings. A particular message caught his eye:

[What came out? We have a snake here. – Riner.]

Akil chuckled. Riner, the Fire King, rarely bothered signing his messages. Yet, Akil had grown accustomed to recognizing each king’s distinctive handwriting. Even before familiarity set in, Riner’s bold strokes were unmistakable. An unsigned message? It could only be from the Fire King.