While Elashia was immersed in her thoughts, Candice, also dressed in a nightgown, pushed open the door to Elashia's bedchamber.
Her face was filled with gravity.
"Your Majesty, the matter you ordered me to dispatch the Dark Guards to observe has occurred."
"What?"
Shortly after the coup was completed, Elashia had ordered Candice to send Iron Empire agents to continuously observe the northern forest for an extended period.
Because in the game, after the magical beasts in the northern forest disappeared overnight, six months later, when winter came, a tide of magical beasts would sweep through the Elasia Empire.
Elashia knew very clearly—this disaster was unavoidable, which is why she had Candice dispatch the Dark Guards for observation from the beginning.
But she hadn't expected this day to come so quickly.
In the game, this event generally occurred about a year after the game began.
After the event of the northern forest's magical beasts disappearing overnight was triggered, the beast tide would move south in six months.
Candice said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, the time we have left is really only six months."
Six months...
It seemed she should be grateful to her adopted mother for having prepared her mentally.
At least it allowed her not to appear too panicked when facing the approaching Undead Calamity.
In any case, these six months weren't enough time for Elashia to find a military commander.
There was no one in Elasia who could replace Cecilia.
So she could only inconvenience Cecilia.
Elashia forcibly calmed her inner turmoil.
Regardless, Elashia was now the leader of the Elasia Empire, and she had to remain calm in the face of a disaster that could destroy all of Elasia, otherwise it would cause devastating damage to her people's confidence.
Even if the person before her was Candice, who treated her as gently as a mother.
"Then we can only trouble Miss Cecilia for now."
Elashia forced herself to smile as if everything was under control.
Maintaining her smile, Elashia got up and said to Candice:
"Well, time is of the essence. Let's quickly change our clothes and go wake up Miss Cecilia right away."
Under the clear moonlight, the two used flight magic to return to Sophia's home, which they had left not long ago.
Gently pushing open the door, they found Cecilia staring blankly at the sleeping Sophia. Elashia gently patted her shoulder.
"Come out with me. We have important matters to discuss."
Cecilia, who had been immersed in her thoughts, immediately became alert.
Her alertness wasn't because Elashia, who had just left, suddenly returned.
It was because of Elashia's use of the formal "I" (zhen) just now.
It should be noted that Elashia had never used such a formal self-reference before, always trying to make Cecilia lower her guard.
Cecilia followed the two out with a serious expression.
She knew something very important must have happened.
Otherwise, Elashia, who had just told her to think carefully before making a decision, would never have returned so soon to find her.
The three sat around a table in the courtyard.
Elashia spoke first.
"Cecilia, I'm sorry, I must break my promise."
Elashia's expression was unprecedentedly serious.
Cecilia looked at Candice beside her, whose usually calm face was also tinged with unprecedented gravity.
If they both showed such expressions, it meant the situation was truly serious.
"Please speak, Your Majesty."
Cecilia replied with the same seriousness as before.
"I find it difficult to explain the specifics, but I can tell you that a terrifying tide of magical beasts will soon sweep down from the northern border."
Cecilia was startled, and Elashia continued:
"And now, I require you to lead all of Elasia's armies to various regions in two months, completely eliminate or incorporate all bandits within three months, and thoroughly exterminate the goblins entrenched in various areas of Elasia."
"What?"
It should be known that both the bandit problems in various regions and the seemingly inexterminable goblins had been stubborn issues that the Elasia Empire couldn't solve for thousands of years.
The goblins were manageable, but the bandits entrenched in various areas totaled nearly 200,000 people!
It was simply not something the current Elasia could solve!
"Your Majesty! Forgive my rudeness! How can we possibly solve these thousand-year-old problems in just three months!"
Elashia shook her head.
"If we don't solve them, we will certainly perish."