Chapter 12: A Coup and a Curious Offer

Chloe Raina sneezed, a distinct chill creeping up from below. It was undeniably frigid.

“Hey, shouldn’t we head to a clothing store first?” Chloe Raina proposed.

“We can, of course, assuming you know where to find one,” Alice murmured in response.

Stepping outside, they discovered the streets had devolved into utter pandemonium. Nobles, typically confined to their estates, suddenly surged forth, some dragging their families and loading carriages with all their worldly possessions, clearly preparing for an urgent evacuation. The thoroughfares were strewn with discarded gold coins and other invaluable treasures; Chloe Raina mused that merely gathering these and reselling them could lead to untold wealth.

“But where are these enemies?” Chloe Raina pondered, observing that apart from the panicked nobles, there appeared to be no armed adversaries in sight.

“There’s a clothing store,” Alice announced, gesturing towards a finely adorned shop nearby. “Let’s go inside and take a look; the owner has undoubtedly already fled.”

Chloe Raina rushed into the clothing store, her steps quickening to an eager pace. Inside, a dazzling, abundant array of beautiful garments met her gaze. She saw the latest styles of sumptuous long gowns and exquisite silk dresses from far-off lands.

In her previous life as a boy, Chloe Raina had only ever cared about finding a seat in a clothing store. Now, however, she yearned to try on every single garment within the establishment.

“Go on, wear whatever you wish,” Alice yawned languidly. “There’s no need to pay, after all.”

Chloe Raina stood before a mirror, holding a dress and constantly shifting her posture, admiring herself. Yet, a crucial realization abruptly struck her.

“Hold on, aren’t we in the midst of an enemy attack?!”

“It’s of no consequence,” Alice replied with an air of composure. “It’s certainly not the Elder Council’s work this time. Those lunatics typically begin by unleashing a devastating, wide-area explosion spell to flaunt their power, not by acting so surreptitiously as this.”

‘That truly sounds terrifying…’ Chloe Raina thought, a bead of sweat trickling down her temple.

After much deliberation, Chloe Raina settled on a flowing silk dress. She also, at last, changed into proper undergarments—though, as someone who had once been a boy, the sensation of wearing them still felt profoundly peculiar.

Alice observed Chloe Raina as she emerged from the changing room, a subtle arch to her brow. She appeared poised to comment, but her unspoken words ultimately dissipated into a soft, resigned sigh.

“Come, let us ascertain what has transpired,” Alice declared, guiding Chloe Raina towards the exit. Before stepping out, she didn’t neglect to leave payment for the garments.

The streets lay in an unnatural hush, an eerie silence indicating that everyone had likely sought refuge. Chloe Raina gripped Alice’s hand tightly, unwilling to loosen her hold.

No plumes of burning black smoke marred the horizon, nor could any sounds of clashing blades be discerned. An unsettling tranquility had descended upon everything.

“What, precisely, do you surmise this attack to be?” Alice suddenly inquired, turning to face her.

“An enemy invasion, perhaps?” Chloe Raina ventured, a note of uncertainty in her voice.

“It’s almost certainly a coup d’état, you blockhead,” Alice declared with exasperation. “This world remains firmly under the dominion of the No-War Edict. Anyone audacious enough to defy the Elder Council is merely courting their own demise, so this can only be an internal power struggle.”

Suddenly, a distinct rumbling sound shattered the profound silence, echoing jarringly along the quiet street. Chloe Raina and Alice exchanged bewildered glances. Chloe Raina then pointed to herself, a gesture meant to convey that, as a vampire, she was merely proving her innocence for the unexpected noise.

“Very well, let us find something to eat first,” Alice declared, clutching her rumbling, empty stomach. “I recall an excellent bakery just ahead; they surely wouldn’t have managed to abscond with all their provisions.”

Chloe Raina’s mind drifted to the myriad delicacies from her original world, causing her to involuntarily salivate. Alas, now she could only rely on blood to assuage her hunger. Her thoughts then turned to her mount and sustenance of recent days—Brother Horse—now irrevocably separated, a separation that brought a pang of profound sorrow.

Alice, gently pulling the sorrow-laden Chloe Raina, swiftly made her way to the acclaimed bakery.

However, they found the establishment already occupied.

Xiao Nuoqi and Lady Xina sat with bulging cheeks, evidently having stuffed themselves with a considerable amount of bread, which they were now voraciously devouring.

“What! Competitors already?” Alice exclaimed, her composure instantly faltering as she joined the frantic scramble for food.

“Why, it’s *you* two?” Chloe Raina uttered, genuinely taken aback.

“Mmmph mmmph mmmph,” Lady Xina mumbled, clearly unable to engage in any coherent conversation at that moment.

“I chanced upon Lady Xina on the street moments ago, and we decided to come here together,” Xiao Nuoqi explained.

“Just how long have you two been indulging yourselves here…?”

“For quite some time now,” Lady Xina stammered, visibly struggling to swallow the last morsel of bread.

Chloe Raina felt a flush of mortification. It was astonishing how oblivious these two were, remaining utterly unfazed in the face of an enemy assault.

Alice, meanwhile, wore an expression that plainly conveyed, ‘And you dare to speak?’ She slowly conveyed a piece of bread to her lips, delicately biting off a portion. Her elegant comportment stood in stark contrast to the unrestrained indulgence of the two beside her.

“Chloe Raina, you are simply exquisite!” Lady Xina finally managed to swallow her mouthful of bread. She then turned her attention to Chloe Raina. “Oh, it’s bad enough your face is so adorable, but your figure is also so perfect! How am I meant to live?”

“Ah, I… well…” Chloe Raina muttered, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. “You are quite lovely yourself, you know.”

“Our Lady Xina is indeed quite charming as well,” Xiao Nuoqi affirmed with a solemn nod. “Each possesses their own unique beauty!”

Alice, in contrast, regarded them with an expression of utter disbelief, akin to observing simpletons. Having already consumed the bread in her bowl, she then produced a pristine white handkerchief from seemingly nowhere and daintily dabbed her lips.

“Is Alice cultivating an air of elegance?” Lady Xina inquired with genuine curiosity.

“I have been in seclusion for far too long; I confess I no longer comprehend the argot of you younger generations,” Alice stated, effectively closing the discussion.

Having sated their hunger, the group punctiliously settled the bill—Alice, naturally, covered the expense—and then ambled leisurely towards the royal palace, treating the journey as a mere post-meal promenade.

“Norria must have been awaiting us there for quite some time, hasn’t he?” Lady Xina’s voice held a noticeable trace of guilt.

“Is it truly advisable for us to be so unhurried? The coup might well have already engulfed the royal palace,” Alice remarked with a sigh of resignation.

“We shall arrive momentarily; there’s no need for undue agitation,” Chloe Raina reassured them, betraying no hint of nervousness herself. For reasons she couldn’t quite articulate, she harbored a subtle premonition that something favorable was imminent.

Wait!

“Who are they?” Lady Xina asked, her finger pointing towards the disciplined guards marching forth from the royal courtyard. They bore a flag upon their shoulders, its emblem vaguely familiar, yet Chloe Raina could not quite place where she had encountered it before.

“It appears we have arrived too late,” Alice stated with a touch of resignation. “Still, it ought not to significantly impact us. Let us venture inside and observe.”

The group deftly bypassed the soldiers, finding not a single guard in sight throughout their approach. As they stepped into the royal courtyard, the former vibrant bustle was utterly absent. The expansive, empty courtyard exuded an oppressive aura of solemnity and foreboding.

Astonishingly, within the vast royal court, only two figures remained: the Prime Minister, whose haughty demeanor was well-known, and the individual now occupying the throne. This was no longer the familiar old monarch, but a strikingly handsome and debonair young man, whose appeal, Chloe Raina mused, was roughly equivalent to her own in her former world.

“You are…?” Chloe Raina began, her voice laced with inquiry.

“You, you must be Elder Chloe Raina, I presume? My most profound apologies for this oversight,” the young man on the throne hastily rose to his feet, jogging forward to offer his welcome.

Chloe Raina advanced in kind, yet the young man inexplicably bypassed her entirely, making directly for Alice instead.

“As anticipated, your beauty is truly unparalleled,” the young man declared, performing a standard bow to Alice.

‘Oh, right,’ Chloe Raina suddenly realized. ‘I’ve changed out of the crimson-gold robes. Now, only Alice is an Elder.’

“I am not Chloe Raina; *she* is,” Alice stated without hesitation, pointing towards Chloe Raina.

A flicker of suspicion crossed the young man’s eyes, but he swiftly redirected his bow, his movements unchanged, merely shifting his angle.

“Elder Chloe Raina, you are indeed as beautiful as the rumors attest.”

Chloe Raina felt Lady Xina stifling laughter behind her, though she managed not to let it escape.

The Prime Minister, who had previously been so overbearing towards Norria, also hurried over, hastily arranging seats—for Chloe Raina and Alice only, of course. However, Chloe Raina relinquished her seat to Lady Xina, opting to stand with Xiao Nuoqi.

The young man introduced himself as Cliff.

This revelation sparked a memory in Chloe Raina. She suddenly recalled that the banner’s emblem she had just seen was precisely half of the flag carried by the two knights who had pursued Alena.

Cliff recounted the entire sequence of events, yet everyone found themselves utterly bewildered. Just as Chloe Raina intended to press for further details, Alice abruptly rose to her feet.

“Having heard this, let the imperial edict be issued at once,” Alice declared. “We shall depart immediately.”

“An Elder’s command, I shall naturally obey,” Cliff affirmed without a moment’s hesitation. He instructed the Prime Minister to retrieve pre-prepared paper and a pen, and then, before everyone, he penned the edict.

“Effective this day, the Principality of Saint Fros shall transfer the territories of Avros, Pannoria, and Lagaya to Elder Chloe Raina, and shall support their independence. Henceforth, these two nations shall not infringe upon each other and shall forever forge a bond of friendship.”

The Prime Minister read the edict aloud.

A chill ran through Chloe Raina’s heart. She had only requested the territory of Avros, yet the terms offered were incredibly generous.

Alice nudged Chloe Raina with her elbow, signaling her to accept the edict immediately.

Chloe Raina took the edict, yet felt no joy in her heart.

Only a growing sense of bewilderment and dread continued to spread within her.

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