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"If that is truly the case," said the Queen, "then perhaps their isolationism is precisely the reason why the invaders have chosen to act now."

'I fear you may be right about that,' the reaper said. 'The timing does seem a bit convenient to me. And that may also mean that whoever orchestrated all of this has been biding their time for quite a while.'

"Well, I cannot imagine that such a coordinated set of offensives could have been a spur-of-the-moment decision."'

'True enough. It just concerns me that our opponent may be more than a simple opportunist.'

"...'Our' opponent?" said the Queen.

'Our, as in the Vanguard's.'

"Of course."

A knock arrived at the Queen's door, and she bade them enter. It was an attendant, informing the woman that a number of the local lords around Sescoria had arrived at Bosliat, wishing to speak with her. The woman stood up from her desk and moved to receive them in another part of the palace.

Pauline wanted to keep listening, but her father's voice finally arrived in her head.

'That is enough, my dear,' he said with discomforting calmness. 'It is time we return home.'


Chapter Two Hundred Sixteen: 'Thy sharpening edge...'
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By the time they made it back to Warrenhold, more unsettling news was arriving.

The four defending nations of Melmoore, Hoss, Sair, and Czacoa had all formally declared war against their invaders. Additionally, the three nations of Lyste, Naos, and Yena Maria had collectively declared war on Vantalay.

And most recently, the nation of Dozer--which had already been at war with Korgum before this whole thing kicked off--had declared war on Lyste.

That last bit of news seemed to have a particularly negative impact on all of the reapers present.

Hector could understand why. It all but confirmed that Abolish was somehow behind these invasions. Or if they weren't, then at the very least, they were trying to take advantage of the chaos.

And that prospect, while unsurprising, didn't seem much better.