CHAPTER 71: ALICE IN THE WESTERN EMPIRE 1

(Third Person POV)

In the western part of the continent—

The Western Empire, the Empire of Tirmage.

Ten years ago, it was like any other empire.

It was ruled by a decent emperor—not the greatest in its history—but a kind one, appreciated by his people.

When he passed away, the empire mourned deeply, entering a full month of grieving.

But once that month ended, the catastrophe that led the empire into civil war began.

Originally, the rightful heir was supposed to ascend the throne and become emperor.

However, just one day before the coronation, the heir died mysteriously—his cause of death unknown to the general public.

As a result, no clear successor remained.

The late emperor had six children—two daughters and four sons.

With the heir dead, only three sons and the two daughters remained.

According to tradition, the second eldest child was supposed to inherit the throne—Princess Ilyana.

But the other princes refused to accept this, and with the backing of the nobles supporting them, a fight broke out within the imperial family to determine who would sit on the throne.

And so, ten years passed—years of war and bloodshed that left the empire scarred and broken.

"What stupidity! Why would they start a war over something so ridiculous?"

In the eastern part of the Western Empire, the Empire of Tirmage—

In a modest hotel room, a girl with white hair and heterochromatic eyes sat on a couch.

She held a tablet in her hand, reading the history of the empire she currently found herself in.

Confusion and frustration colored her expression as she read about the events that led a once-great empire into its miserable current state.

"For the sake of power, people will do things you’d never imagine, little Alice."

Sitting across from her was Tiran, a giant of a man standing over two meters tall.

"But Uncle Tiran, couldn’t they have solved things peacefully like we did in our empire? Why did they throw their country into a war against itself?"

Alice tossed the tablet aside, clearly disheartened by what she’d read.

"Our empire is different from any other, Alice."

Tiran leaned back on the couch, holding a bottle of wine and sipping slowly.

"Different? How?"

Alice tilted her head in curiosity, wondering what made the Empire of Tirshtain so unique.

"Well, the Western Empire’s system of power distribution is unlike ours. They don’t have noble houses that own and rule lands passed down for generations. Their nobles change over time—there’s no lasting bloodline holding power."

Alice stayed silent, listening closely to Tiran’s explanation.

"And we also have someone who ensures stability—someone who can prevent the empire from descending into chaos."

Alice’s curiosity deepened.

"Who is that?"

"Your father."

Tiran answered plainly, making Alice pause and think.

"My father? But how could he keep order if the emperor dies?"

"Well, if the emperor dies, and the princes object to the heir—or if the heir dies—it is the Grand Duke’s right to decide who will rule the empire."

Alice’s eyes widened in surprise at this revelation.

"My father can do something like that? I had no idea."

"That’s why the Grand Duke’s position is nearly equal to that of the emperor. He holds vast authority to stabilize the empire if anything goes wrong."

Seeing Alice remain quiet and thoughtful, Tiran turned his attention back to his wine.

’How does the emperor expect this girl, who knows so little about power, to end a war that has lasted over a decade—and turn the Western Empire into a vassal of ours?’

Tiran shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.

’My responsibility is only to protect her. I’m sure the emperor has his reasons for sending her.’

"So, what now?"

Tiran asked Alice after noticing his bottle of wine was empty.

"We’ll meet all the remaining princes. Then we’ll decide which one to support as the new emperor. That’s all. And we’ll see what happens next."

Alice spoke with her usual calm voice as she picked up the tablet she’d previously tossed aside.

"Since we’re in the eastern region of the empire, this is where the second prince, Lucas Tirmage, resides. Let’s meet him first."

Tiran nodded and stood, stretching his massive frame.

"Alright, let’s go."

Alice packed her tablet into her bag and slung it over her back before they both exited the room.

They walked through the city streets, observing the people around them.

Most looked weary and malnourished. Their eyes were full of despair.

The streets were cracked and broken, making it difficult for vehicles to pass.

There were no tall buildings—just modest houses no more than seven meters tall, and a few nearly-empty shops.

All in all, the city’s condition was grim, and Alice had already begun forming opinions about the second prince.

They walked until they reached a large palace at the center of the city.

The palace looked well-maintained—clearly taken care of, unlike the rest of the city.

Guards stood at the gates, watching passersby cautiously.

As Alice and Tiran approached, the guards raised their weapons.

"Stop! This is the residence of the second prince. Do not come any closer, or we’ll have to detain you!"

Tiran, annoyed by the situation, looked down at the guards due to his towering height.

"You fool. Take a good look at my face—and figure out who you’re talking to."

Tiran’s cold voice sent shivers down the guards’ spines, amplified by his enormous presence.

"Y-You’re... you’re Tiran Valdrik! The Duke of the North in the Empire of Tirshtain! What are you doing here?!"

The guards’ eyes widened in alarm as they recognized him.

"Tiran Valdrik... one of the five Grandmasters of the sword?! Why is he here?"

"I don’t know... but he’s way bigger than the pictures I’ve seen."

Tiran stood silently, annoyed by the fuss.

Perhaps due to the noise, the palace gates opened, and several people emerged, led by a man in his forties.

"Hahaha! Duke Tiran Valdrik! What an honor to meet you today. Had you informed me of your arrival, I would’ve prepared a proper welcome."

The man in his forties had light blue hair and silver eyes—the signature traits of the Tirmage imperial bloodline.

"Prince Lucas. I’m merely an escort for this lady. She’s the one who wished to meet you."

Tiran stepped aside, drawing everyone’s attention to the white-haired girl they had previously overlooked.

"My apologies, I don’t recognize her. Could you—?"

"I am Alice Zephyrius, daughter of Grand Duke Armantor Zephyrius and fiancée of the Great Emperor Orlax Tirshtain. A pleasure to meet you, Second Prince."

Alice bowed elegantly, grasping her garments in a formal, graceful gesture that revealed her noble status.

"Hahaha, my sincerest apologies. I didn’t recognize someone of such standing right away. But we’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t kept up with foreign affairs. I hope you can forgive my rudeness."

Prince Lucas placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly in apology and respect.

"No offense taken. I understand your empire is going through difficult times—you likely don’t have the luxury to monitor outside matters."

"Thank you for your understanding."

Lucas nodded in gratitude.

"Well then, shall we head inside and talk? I assume you’ve traveled far to get here—and I doubt it’s for tourism, is it?"

Lucas spoke with caution in his eyes, thoughts swirling in his mind.

"Of course. Let’s go inside and discuss the purpose of my visit. Please, lead the way."

Alice smiled gracefully as she watched Lucas and activated her sensory magic—receiving information directly into her mind.

Suddenly, a slight frown formed on her face, catching Lucas’ attention.

"Lady Alice? Is something wrong?"

Alice lifted her gaze, locking eyes with Lucas. A faint hint of disdain in her eyes startled him.

’Why is she looking at me like that? Did I do something to offend her?’

That was the thought consuming him as they walked into the guest room and sat in silence.

"You—bring me a bottle of wine."

Tiran broke the silence, ordering one of the servants as if he were in his own home.

The servant hesitated but quickly moved when he caught the warning in Lucas’ eyes.

The prince then turned his attention to the two sitting before him and finally spoke.

"So—what brings you here so suddenly?"

Tiran was silent when he heard this question and turned his gaze to Alice, who was sitting with her eyes closed.

Alice slowly opened her different-colored eyes and looked at Lucas thoughtfully.

"Well, we were pursuing a criminal who escaped from us here, but we couldn’t catch him."

Alice spoke these words, causing Tiran to look at her for a second before looking away.

"A criminal? Who is this? Maybe I can help you if you tell me."

Prince Lucas spoke, curious about the criminal they were pursuing.

"Perhaps you already know him."

Alice spoke in a strange tone that made Prince Lucas feel strange.

"I know him? What do you mean, lady Alice?."

"Well, this guy is a very despicable criminal."

Alice relaxed on the couch as she looked at Prince Lucas in front of her with amusement in her eyes.