"What?"

Duke Phillips almost lost his composure when he saw the royal decree. The order came suddenly, without any warning.

Emilia, who stood beside him, looked at the parchment in his trembling hands. "So… you have to go?" she asked softly.

"Do I have any other option?" Duke Phillips sighed, rubbing his forehead. His voice carried a faint trace of irritation. "All this for some treasure that won't even end up in our hands anyway."

His face darkened. Calling such a large force together could easily destabilize the region. The ruffians hiding in the borderlands would surely take advantage of the chaos.

"It seems the eldest will have to step up and take over the estate," he said quietly. "And tell Julia to be careful…"

He looked deeply into Emilia's eyes before continuing. "This war will remove the burden of choosing a side for some time. But when it ends, it will turn into a brutal slaughter."

Emilia frowned, understanding the hidden meaning behind his words. He meant that Julia needed to be married before the war ended. If she wasn't, the royal family might force a marriage alliance using war rewards—and that was something Phillips could not accept.

He tapped on his desk, summoning a servant. "Issue the decree to the other nobles of the region. Tell them to begin their preparations immediately."

Within hours, the imperial command spread across every corner of Ruthiana. Panic and unrest filled the air.

Bells rang in the cities, and soldiers rushed to their posts. Families gathered in confusion and fear.

"War?"

Lia's voice trembled as she read the announcement. The words hit her like thunder. "War…?" She turned to Ethan, her eyes wide with disbelief. "My lord… are you going to war?"

Her voice cracked as she stepped closer, clutching his arm. "War is dangerous. People die there. Leo… he's just a baby, he hasn't even learned to crawl yet."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Will you leave us now?"

Ethan reached out and held her hands tightly. His gaze softened, trying to calm her. Across the room, Sophia stood pale, her face drained of color.

"Ethan," Sophia whispered, "do you really have to go?"

Ethan stayed silent. He didn't know what to say. But his silence only made Sophia panic.

"Ethan! What about the kids?" she cried.

"They're so small. If something happens to you, what will happen to us?"

Her voice shook as she took a step forward, her hands trembling.

"Sophia," Ethan said calmly, "please… calm down. You're the eldest. You should think rationally."

"Fuck rationality!" Sophia suddenly shouted, her voice echoing through the room. "How can I be rational right now?"

She clenched her fists tightly, her whole body trembling. "Everything was fine! Why do we have to start a war now?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"For what benefit? You already deserve the title of Viscount, yet he says we must earn it through more contribution? This is bullshit!"

She wiped her tears roughly. "Advanced rank is already a huge achievement. But there are many others like you. What if you die out there, Ethan? What if you don't come back?"

Ethan wanted to tell her about his system, about the treasures he had hidden that could protect him. He wanted to say he had ways to survive. But when he opened his mouth, no words came out.

Because Sophia was right.

There was no real guarantee he would return. The system wasn't invincible. Against stronger enemies, even his power might not be enough.

And this wasn't a story or some novel where the hero always survives. There was no plot armor to protect him here.

What angered Ethan most was that this war wasn't even for honor or justice. It was born from greed—between two kings fighting for treasure.

There was no patriotism in it. Only greed and ambition.

They would send thousands of men to die just to fill their vaults. And those who survived would be thrown crumbs.

Crumbs…if they were lucky enough to live.

The air grew heavy and silent. Ethan could only hold Lia close. She pressed her face into his chest, crying softly. Ethan wrapped his arms around her, his jaw tight.

The room felt suffocating. The quiet was broken only by the sound of Lia's muffled sobs.

Then—

CRANG!

The door suddenly burst open with a loud crash. The noise made both Ethan and Lia jump back in shock.

"Uncle Randall!" Ethan shouted, stepping forward quickly. Sophia turned red, startled and embarrassed at being seen so emotional.

"Cough… sorry," Randall said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Seems I came at the wrong time."

He turned to leave, but Ethan grabbed his arm. "Wait. Say what you came to say."

Randall stopped and looked back at him, his face serious now. The playful tone vanished from his eyes.

Ethan took a deep breath before speaking. "My Lord, I heard about the war."

"Yes," Ethan said slowly. "The Imperial decree just arrived. Every noble house must take part. The borders are already getting ready for deployment. We've been listed as part of the second wave."

Randall's face went pale. "Second wave?" he repeated in a weak voice.

Ethan nodded. "It means we will be sent soon after the first units move out. We have less than a week to prepare."

Lia's body stiffened. Her hands started to shake as she whispered, "One week…?"

Ethan clenched his fists. His face looked calm, but inside his heart felt heavy. He could feel Lia trembling beside him. Sophia sat down slowly on the chair, holding her head in both hands. The room fell quiet for a moment. Even the air felt thick and heavy, like the walls themselves carried the weight of bad news.

Randall stepped forward after a moment. "My Lord, can I take a look at the decree?"

Ethan gave a small nod. "Hmm."

He handed over the scroll to Randall. Randall opened it carefully and began reading every line. His eyes moved fast, but his face stayed serious. The faint sound of parchment filled the silent hall.

After a short while, his eyes suddenly lit up and he shouted,"My Lord, there is a way to avoid the deployment."

"WHATTT!"

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