The Red Rose and The Black Rose

Draudillon blinked. She frowned, tilted her head, turned the paper over, then turned it over again, flipped it over and over again. She read it once more.

"Huh…?" She gasped, unable to comprehend what she was reading.

After all, it was… Hardly believable what this report and message from Duchess Suryt said…

"Minister… You didn't put something in this 'vodka', did you?" She asked to make sure she wasn't looking wrong, picking up an empty bottle among a small group of other empty bottles.

"Er… No, your majesty… In fact, by this point, you should already be sober. You drank all those bottles yesterday…" The Prime Minister explained with a droplet running down his forehead and a rather disturbed look.

As such, the report wasn't bad. Not at all, it was brutally good. Unbelievable really.

As well, it was unreal. Like a fantasy.

"And you're sure it's not a lie or something…? A falsely written news story by the Beastmen…" She asked again.

"… No… Several of our men, including Crystal Drop, testified that the Beastmen were indeed completely wiped out as far as they went to explore to rescue civilians…" The man explained again.

"… Huh…" The little girl muttered as she read the report again…

After all, it had a very clear and very… Well, realistically impossible to believe message.

'11 of the 12 Fortress Cities taken by the Beastmen forces were purged of such vile creatures in their entirety.'

That was the summary of the message, sent directly by a messenger from Duchess Suryt…

"Good." Draudillion nodded in a more normal tone.

The Prime Minister looked at her a little confused by her sudden tone as she put the paper down on the table.

"Evidently… We will become a vassal state."

"Huh!?" The older man let out a sigh of disbelief at the draconic queen's words. "Y-Your Majesty!?"

"...It doesn't make much sense not to be… In less than a week, they already liberated 11 of the 12 fortress cities that the powerful Beastmen took… Without any casualties… They even managed to rescue civilians…" Draudillon let out as she sank into her seat, clutching her face in mental despair. "It's an army that they sent in a hurry… I don't know how strong they are, they didn't even seem to be that many… Nor know their war tactics… But they liberated 95% of the occupied territory in what would seem totally impossible to us… And I don't want to learn how they did it… Not by force at least…" She said, reaching for the bottle, but it was already empty.

The Prime Minister opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, unable to get a word out at what the little girl, who was actually an elder queen, older than him, was saying.

Draudillon pointed at the paper on the table again.

"And they even plan to invade the Beastmen's territory in retaliation for their crimes against the Draconic Kingdom… The worst thing is that it doesn't sound crazier than what's already been said here!" She said, almost desperate for not having known about a power like this before… "The worst thing is that it's not even a main army! They didn't even send their champion, Titania! What else am I supposed to do if I want the Draconic Kingdom to endure!? I've decided, we will be vassals of Deorum Regnum!" She said, hitting the throne where she was, upset and very distressed by the overwhelming display of power.

"B-But your Majesty!" The Prime Minister stopped her. "W-What would your ancestor and founder of the Kingdom say!? D-Don't you think that this could arouse his anger by seeing it as a lack of respect!?" He said desperately, between the incredible situation due to the letter and Draudillon's will, as well as the idea of ​​what the Dragon Lord could do. 

"Then let him fight Deorum Regnum! I won't do it!" She shouted before leaning back on her small throne, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

"M-My queen…! I-I implore you to think better of it…" The Prime Minister begged, falling to his knees quite tired and scared.

The girl grabbed her forehead with one hand as she looked at the Prime Minister, then looked at the letter and sighed.

"Ugh… I'm not supposed to be as old as I look…" She gasped, noticing that she was indeed very childish a second ago… Acting like that to that lolicon Cerebrate for a long time took its toll on her.

However, she was determined.

She looked at the letter again, then looked to the side, seeing a banner with her kingdom's crest…

Certainly, while Deorum Regnum demonstrated massive military power, it would be a loss for everyone if she invoked the wrath of her ancestor upon both the Draconic Kingdom and Deorum Regnum by hurting his pride as the Dragon Lord…

Although… Perhaps they shouldn't necessarily invoke his wrath…

"Mm… Okay, let's take it easy." She sighed in relief, earning a slightly more relieved look from the Prime Minister. "We will not declare ourselves vassals… But we will act as such. Once Deorum Regnum finishes its campaign against the Beastmen Kingdom, I will negotiate with Lady Suryt for an audience with the Marble Queen to discuss an alliance or at least close friendly relations. We definitely cannot remain neutral now… Much less head into a bad relationship with Deorum Regnum. This kingdom is much more than Baharuth has ever been in its entire history… Perhaps it is even on the level or more of the Theocracy." She said with more conviction, truly sounding like a queen.

The Prime Minister sighed in relief, appearing more agreeable with this political move from her majesty. He definitely didn't want to see the capital crushed under the wrath of the Brightness Dragon Lord, but he also didn't want the unstoppable army of Deorum Regnum, capable of conquering fortress cities full of Beastmen in less than a day without casualties, to come to the capital's gate to destroy everything in the same way.

"Y-Yes… I definitely think it's a better decision, Your Majesty… A-After all, if we at least win Lady Suryt's favor, we might be able to get protection and military support at least at a discount in the future… With her efficiency surpassing the Theocracy, and apparently, with better treatment." He nodded while still somewhat shaky from the despair and fear he felt a moment ago.

Draudillon sighed as she leaned back in her seat, with all the actions she would have to do in the near future already discussed, although they needed to be refined and prepared, of course. Looking at the letter one last time, she murmured, with a Zen-like relaxation born more from the thought of 'I only know that I know nothing' and not being able to do much about it.

"I feel a little sorry for the Beastmen now…" She finally murmured in a whisper, feeling strange empathy for those who, not long ago, killed and ate her people without mercy.

.

.

.

Name: Draudillon Oriculus

.

.

.