Zavlan sat at the head of a long white marble table. His chair was pitch black with a high backrest made of soft red leather. Light from a large crystal chandelier on the ceiling illuminated the polished white marble floor below.
Zavlan’s face looked exhausted. His red eyes stared at the table surface with a serious expression. A jagged scar across his left cheek was clearly visible under the glow of the golden lamps.
To his right stood Xavier. His white hair stood in sharp contrast to the black patch covering his right eye. A red cloak draped over the shoulders of his dark blue military uniform. Xavier’s hand gripped the hilt of a gold sword hanging at his waist.
To Zavlan’s left stood Shufa. Her light blue hair was tied in an exceptionally long braid that reached past her waist. She wore a tight blue uniform with gold epaulettes on her shoulders.
Classic gold-framed paintings adorned the white walls of the room.
Along the marble table sat the other Guardian captains. They all wore identical dark blue military uniforms with red cloaks draped over their chairs.
In the middle of the table sat Raphal. His blonde hair was messy and his eyes were solid white without pupils. He sat in an upright, rigid posture. Beside Raphal sat Borda. His black hair was slicked back neatly with pomade. His black eyes observed the room with a sharp gaze.
At the end of the table opposite Zavlan sat Vantiane. He possessed a thick, neat black mustache. His black hair was styled short. The military jacket he wore was filled with gold thread embroidery across the chest.
To Vantiane’s right sat Monica. Her blonde hair was cut short at the ears. She held a glass containing a brown liquid in her left hand. Her green eyes looked toward Zavlan.
Next to Monica sat Autum. Her white hair was very long and silky. Her purple eyes stared at the meeting leader with a flat expression. Autum sat with a straight back and her hands folded gracefully on the table.
Zavlan exhaled a long breath. The soft rustle of military fabric was the only sound as all the Guardian captains focused their attention. The room was locked tight to begin the secret emergency meeting.
"Before we begin, I want to ensure our progress first," Zavlan started. He leaned his back against the black leather chair.
He turned toward Monica. "How is the progress on the city aid funds and compensation for victims who lost their homes and families?"
Monica nodded slowly. She took a small sip of her drink before placing it back on the marble table. Her red cloak shifted slightly on her shoulder. "It is done, Your Majesty. All gold and wheat supplies have been distributed since dawn. We labeled the aid as a personal sanctuary from the kingdom. The families of the fallen soldiers have also received compensation without any deductions."
Zavlan shifted his gaze toward Autum, who sat in a very upright position. "Autum, what about the narrative we are spreading to the public? Are there any leaks regarding the involvement of the dragon kin in this incident?"
Autum looked at Zavlan with her clear purple eyes. Her long white hair rested neatly against the back of the white chair she occupied. "The Prince’s speech has been read in every town square. The people fully believe that this was a pure terrorist attack from Group 000. My undercover units have moved to suppress rumors in the taverns. So far, no witnesses know of the dragon kin’s involvement except Eutas."
Autum paused for a moment before speaking again. "There is one more thing, Your Majesty."
Zavlan narrowed his eyebrows. "Speak."
"News of the city’s destruction is spreading incredibly fast across all kingdoms. Several border regions are now restricting the presence of humans. I have heard that many human workers employed in other nations have been fired and are facing discrimination."
Facing discrimination? And fired? Why? As far as I know, there were no casualties from other races. Do they view humans as weak creatures easily oppressed now? Zavlan muttered in his heart.
Autum caught her breath before continuing. "My members are also picking up narratives about the kingdom’s failure to protect its people. It has begun to spread across almost all nations."
The sound of a heavy thump echoed as Zavlan struck the table with his hand. He then massaged his temples slowly. "They underestimate us now."
Zavlan bit his lip and took a deep breath. He then composed his face back into a calm expression. "Thank you for the report, Autum."
Autum nodded.
Xavier, who stood on Zavlan’s right, slightly shifted his stance. He adjusted his black eye patch while continuing to stare straight ahead.
Zavlan looked back at the table. He rubbed the scar on his cheek with his index finger. "What about the Adventurers’ Association? Have they demanded anything regarding the disappearance of many of their members?"
Vantiane, sitting at the end of the table, cleared his throat. He straightened his thick black mustache. "They briefly protested the disappearance of the guardians in the city. However, after I promised an increase in mission budgets and exclusive contracts with the kingdom for next month, the association chairman agreed to withdraw their demands."
Zavlan took a long breath. His red eyes now stared sharply at Borda and Raphal in turn.
He then leaned back again and looked toward the ceiling. Zavlan took a long breath. His red eyes now stared sharply at Borda and Raphal in turn. He then leaned back once more and looked toward the ceiling of the room, which was decorated with gold carvings.
"Forgive me, all of you," he said. Zavlan covered his face with both hands. His shoulders slumped slightly under the weight of his thoughts. "I should have quickly realized the anomaly of why a high-level monster appeared at the gate of a low-level dungeon."
Zavlan pressed his forehead hard. "This is my fault I was so stupid, stupid, STUPID!"