Chapter 53: Shadow over the Frontier

Taking center stage once more, Princess Evelyn commanded the full attention of the crowd, her voice ringing out clear and uncompromising.

"The territory of Lumiria—under the leadership of Ren Celestial and populated by these eighteen chosen individuals—is hereby officially recognized and sanctioned by my authority as successor to the throne!" Evelyn’s decree resounded across the vast avenue. "This proclamation concludes tonight’s assembly. I expect each of you to accept this decision with grace and entrust the future of the new domain to them. In time, you will witness the growth of Lumiria under Ren’s leadership. Reserve your judgment until you have seen what they accomplish."

The gathered crowd broke into a polite, ceremonial round of applause, though their faces remained masked in cold disapproval. None held any personal resentment toward Evelyn—her inheritance of the revered Sky Blade, the kingdom’s absolute pinnacle of martial power, earned her unquestioned respect as their defender—but her endorsement of a common porter to rule a sovereign district remained a bitter pill to swallow.

Slowly, the dense crowd began to disperse into the surrounding avenues.

Beside the stage, the royal heroes clicked their tongues in open disgust. Some muttered bitter curses under their breath, while others turned away with mocking scoffs. The lined-up palace officials turned back toward the inner keep, their faces twisted in frustration. Among them, Verion’s jaw was set tight as he stormed off into the night.

"What could a peasant like him possibly accomplish?" Verion spat, his boots striking the cobblestones with aggressive force as he left the royal court behind. "Why him? I am infinitely more qualified to govern a territory than a glorified baggage handler!"

Ignoring the retreating noble, Evelyn, Elysia, and Sylvara stepped down from the platform to approach the eighteen outcasts standing quietly at the base of the stage.

Evelyn offered a subtle, graceful smile to the group. "Congratulations on becoming the founding citizens of Lumiria."

The eighteen individuals bowed their heads, pulling their tattered cloaks tightly around themselves in visible discomfort. Facing the high princess of the realm directly left them thoroughly intimidated.

Noticing the stiff, heavy awkwardness hanging in the air, Ren cleared his throat and leaned slightly toward Evelyn. The princess cast a sideways glance at him, her expression as cool as ever.

"Why are you crowding me?" Evelyn murmured under her breath.

"Don’t get ahead of yourself, Your Highness," Ren whispered back, gently nudging her forearm with his elbow. "I’m just letting you know that your royal presence is terrifying them. They’re frozen solid."

Evelyn drew her arm back, her posture remaining rigid. "Don’t touch me so casually. And what if they are intimidated?"

"Just leave them to me," Ren whispered. "They’ll relax once you’re not towering over them. You can head back now."

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed into sharp slits. "Are you giving me orders? The nerve of a commoner..."

Without warning, her fingers pinched the flesh at Ren’s waist, twisting sharply. A jolt of acute pain shot through his side, turning his face bright red as he fought to suppress a yelp.

"I’m not ordering you, Your Highness," Ren squeezed out through gritted teeth, maintaining a strained smile for the crowd. "It’s a tactical suggestion..."

Off to the side, Elysia and Sylvara watched the low-voiced exchange with raised eyebrows.

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Elysia asked, tilting her head.

"Nothing at all," Ren blurted out, shaking his head rapidly as Evelyn released her grip.

Without another word, Princess Evelyn turned on her heel and glided toward the palace steps with measured, elegant strides. Sylvara offered a brief bow before jogging lightly to fall into step behind her mistress.

That left Ren, Elysia, and the eighteen outcasts in the quiet courtyard.

Ren clapped his hands together, the sharp crack cutting through the tension. "Alright! No use standing around in the cold. Let’s head to our new home."

The eighteen refugees offered hesitant, tentative nods, their movements still stiff with uncertainty.

Ren stroked his chin, letting out a quiet sigh. ’Man, this is going to take some work... I guess it’s natural for them to be jumpy after living on the streets for so long. They’ll adapt once they see they actually have a roof over their heads.’

Ren turned and began leading the way back toward the city gates, the small procession trailing closely behind him.

Elysia lingered behind for a second, tapping her chin in thought. *Should I go with them? If I don’t keep an eye on him, Evelyn is going to chew me out... Yeah, better play it safe.*

"Hey, hold up!" Elysia called out, jogging forward to catch up with the group as they marched toward the outer perimeter.

[POV: Evelyn]

Evelyn ascended the grand marble staircase leading into the royal keep, Sylvara following a half-pace behind.

Before they reached the main doors, a palace guard clad in silver plate armor sprinted up the terrace. His breathing was heavy and ragged, his polished boots skidding across the refined stone floor as he dropped to one knee before the princess.

Evelyn halted her steps, her eyes fixing on the scout’s breathless state. "Report."

"Princess Evelyn!" the guard gasped, adjusting his helmet as he kept his head bowed. "Emergency intel from the search party dispatched to recover Sir Kurogane and Sir Arata! I request permission to present the findings!"

Evelyn’s gaze sharpened instantly. "Speak."

"The expedition team has located the bodies of Sir Kurogane and Sir Arata inside a subterranean cavern," the scout reported, his voice trembling slightly. "Both high heroes were confirmed dead on arrival. Their remains were... severely mutilated, torn apart at the joints. The bodies were recovered deep within the cavern system."

Evelyn’s breath hitched.

She knew that cavern. It was the exact underground nexus where she had been dragged into the Vora dimension—the place where Kurogane and Arata had chosen to split off from Ryu, Miku, Reika, and Ren to search for her.

"Torn apart?" Evelyn repeated, ensuring her ears hadn’t deceived her.

"Yes, Your Highness," the guard confirmed, gasping for air. "The unit leader relayed the report via long-range communication magic directly to the garrison commander, who ordered me to inform you immediately."

Evelyn’s mind raced. ’Something isn’t right here.’

If the recovery team had made such a critical discovery, protocol dictated that the commanding hero report to her in person. Why delegate the message through a breathless runner?

"Why didn’t the expedition leader report to me directly?" Evelyn demanded, her brow furrowing in suspicion.

The guard swallowed hard, his head sinking lower. "Princess Evelyn... it’s because... because the search team is currently engaged in combat."

"Engaged?"

"A Grade-A Aberrant was nesting inside that very cavern," the guard stammered, terror bleeding into his tone. "The unit is currently holding the line against it!"

Evelyn’s pulse spiked. ’A Grade-A Aberrant?’

That cavern lay alarmingly close to the outer perimeter of the Starlight Kingdom. Previously, intelligence sweeps had classified the area as a low-density zone containing nothing higher than Grade-C threats. For a Grade-A apex monster to establish a nest so close to the capital was a catastrophic security breach. If the expedition team failed to contain it, the beast could easily migrate toward the city gates.

Evelyn slowly clenched her gloved fists, her knuckles turning white beneath the fabric.

’May the light guide them...’ she thought, placing her trust in the team deployed to the front lines.

She refrained from immediately mobilizing the royal guard, knowing who led that specific recovery unit. Among the heroes dispatched to the cavern was one of the kingdom’s most seasoned combat veterans—a warrior whose tactical prowess and raw power were more than capable of felling a Grade-A threat.