Evolution begins with an ant colony

Once they were done with all of the mages and holy knights in the courtyard, Oliver and Leona proceeded to the castle. For some reason, their footsteps seemed to somewhat echo as they did.

Meanwhile, in the throne room, the king had just received word that all of their forces had fallen. "Your Majesty," the voice of a castle guard echoed as he rushed over to the throne room, his chest heaving under his armor as he panted, struggling to catch his breath after he had run from his post to inform the king of what he saw.

"It was a complete wipeout," the guard muttered, his pupils dilated and his body trembling as he spoke. He then continued, "Both the holy knights and the mages gave it their best effort, but they all fell to the hands of the intruders. Not even a single one of them appeared to have been able to inflict even a single cut on their skin.

Even the tower master was subdued, and now they are making their way towards the castle."

As the guard reported such news, all the people present in the throne room wore grim expressions.

"It's impossible, simply impossible," one muttered, their tone filled with disbelief.

"What do we do now?" another muttered while he stroked his beard. He then added, "Do we simply run away?" Find more to read on My Virtual Library Empire

"How preposterous! The Leonhearts bow to no one," another voice echoed, strongly disagreeing with the idea.

"If you have a death wish, that's fine. Just don't drag the rest of us into it with you, you old bastard," another voice lashed back.

Hearing all of their voices as the nobles and craftsmen shot back at each other, King Leonheart couldn't help but feel tension building. Feeling his frustration boil over, he suddenly yelled, "All of you, silent! Another word, and I will take it as an act of insubordination!" The king's voice reverberated through the room, and as he spoke, silence followed right after.

The King couldn't help but muse inwardly, "With the way things are going, if I choose to resist further, the same fate that befell those outside will surely befall my kingdom. I had already sent word out to the academy to not intervene in the matter," the king mused.

He was referring to the magic and swordsmanship academy that was also in the royal capital of Imperial Magma, filled to the brim with talented mages and aspiring swordsmen. Not wanting his three sons who were there to be involved in the battle, he couldn't bear the thought of anything befalling them, so he had ordered no one be allowed to leave the academy until everything was over.

"If I resist further, then more harm will befall my people," King Leonheart mused as he gripped the arms of the throne tightly, gritting his teeth. Everyone in the throne room simply gazed at him, feeling the weight of the moment hanging in the air, somehow making the air tense and hard to breathe.

The king suddenly let out a sigh, loosening his grip and no longer gritting his teeth. He calmed down, then mused, "If this is the way things are going, then I will have to comply with their wishes." Leonheart paused, then mused further, "But I won't just agree to go with them from the beginning.@@novelbin@@

No, I'll make it look like a negotiation, one where it would seem like I finally agree to go with them, but the way I would coordinate it, it would appear like I would be the one doing them a favor."

The king had come up with this approach because he didn't want to stain his ancestors' honor. He didn't want to be the first king to bow to the orders of another. Instead, if he did it like this, then he would be able to retain his family pride as well as prevent any more chaos.

The king then gave the order to the guard who had entered the throne room earlier, "Go and inform the other guards. No one is to attack the intruders again. Instead, you are to lead them to the throne room so I may..." He paused, then added, "negotiate with them."

The guard, hearing the king's words, trembled slightly as a chill ran down his spine. He thought he will have to see the faces of the unstoppable intruders yet again. The mere thought terrified him, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. He had to follow orders.

"Yes, your majesty," he said as he bowed his head and slowly rose to his feet, turning around to leave the throne room to deliver the message to the other guards. The sound of his armor as he made his way out was the only sound in the hallways as he stepped out.

Meanwhile, Leona and Oliver slowly made their way into the castle. They encountered guards and were about to engage in combat when a voice suddenly echoed, "Please wait!"

The guard, with a hint of nervousness in his voice, explained, "There will be no more need for violence. The king wishes to see both of you."

Leona and Oliver exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. After a moment of silent communication, Leona nodded, signaling their compliance.

"Lead the way," Oliver said, playfully.

The guard, visibly relieved that they agreed, gestured for them to follow him. As they walked through the corridors of the castle, Leona and Oliver remained alert, ready for any potential ambush. Leona's brow furrowed in thought, while Oliver's gaze darted around, his senses keenly attuned to any signs of danger.

Leona's voice broke the silence, low and contemplative. "Do you think we can trust this king?"

Oliver shrugged nonchalantly. "Hard to say. But if he's willing to talk instead of fighting, it's a start."

Leona nodded in agreement, though her expression remained guarded. "Let's proceed cautiously. We don't know what his intentions are."

Oliver hearing her say that couldn't help but chuckle, he then tapped her right sholder with his right hand as he said, "No need to be so serious. I dabout there's anything left that they can throw at it that will actually be a threat. So just relax."

Upon reaching the throne room, the guard announced their arrival, "Your Majesty, the intruders have been brought before you as requested."

King Leonheart, seated on his throne, regarded them with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. "Welcome, travelers," he began, his voice echoing through the grand chamber. "I understand you seek an audience with me. What is it that you want?"