A game of cat and mouse with the mouse thinking it was the cat and the cat indulging the whims of the mouse for a bit until it tired of the play.
Adin, the mouse, thought he was calculating everything right. His views meshed together the concepts of rightful arrogance, excellent leadership, and the brilliant mind of a future ruler.
At least, he thought that.
Willfully blind to the suffering of his people, even enjoying the notion of tormenting them for his entertainment, Adin paved a path of no return. His arrogance became his downfall in Cale's world, as they already have seen. His fate of becoming a human punching ball was met with cheering.
Knowing the outcome, his strategy of contacting Cale seemed like a foolish move to many. He was inviting the enemy into his open arms, haughtily not thinking about Cale rebelling.
Cale, the cat, waited. He acted with patience and diversion, painting a picture far away from reality.
Unfortunately, Cale's actions seemed simple to those of Side A. So simple and natural, they knew they would never be able to copy them. Not even thinking about resourcefulness and acting ability, one would need to fool Imperial Prince Adin, they wouldn't be able to comprehend the actions that needed to be taken to get to this point.
A tower covered in rot with a royal just as tainted sitting on a throne made out of bones.
Imperial Prince Adin wasn't even the end boss, yet his looming presence created despair and fear.
To Cale Henituse, Adin was a mouse he could squish between his paws, but to them, he was a behemoth of a monster, subordinated to an even bigger beast.
"Is this a hopeless endeavor?" A shaken noble asked with a small voice. His seat neighbor could only remain silent as he had no answer.
The more they watched, the more they despaired. The royals of their nations made alliances, hoping to fight against the odds, yet did it really matter? Time was not on their side. War was upon them and an enemy that could rival the gods lurked in the shadows.
What the rulers talked about was hidden from the rest of them. More important nobles like the Gyerre Head, the Orsena Patriarch, or even the Martial Arts Master of the Ailan Household knew just as much as corner nobles. Which was nothing.
Alberu Crossman, the shining crown prince of the Roan Kingdom, was huddled in a pile with other princes, kings, and queens, yet he only shared the news with his close allies. Out of the loop and thoroughly angered by it, Granike Orsena gritted his teeth.
Concurring with a heavy grudge, he agreed that the other world could do it with just Crown Prince Alberu and the young master of the Henituse Family. But this wasn't the case for their world. Why weren't they, the leaders of the factions, included?
Furthermore, Crown Prince Alberu acted like he had the same privilege as his counterpart, who had proven worthy of leading them. He was the best option, yet the snobbish act of taking charge and never addressing them, his people, properly raised Granike's hackles.
Judging by the heavy frown on Sand Ailan's face, he wasn't the only one. Sonata Gyerre may act like she was finding amusement in everything, but she couldn't fool him. Her eyes would flitter across the nobles, stopping whenever she found something interesting before wandering off again. More often than not, she would switch her sights between the princes and the king, her intention unclear.
Doubt was probably on her mind, Granike assumed.
Her family was still deeply associated with the third prince, who caused a bit of a blunder early on during the viewing but caught himself rather quickly. If she truly followed her counterpart's choice, she would have proclaimed it loudly and unmistakably. But she didn't.

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