The Mechanical Era

"Wha... what?" Silvester asked. A few dozen of questions popped up in his head as he was extremely distraught and shocked at what just happened. Kant, keeping a stoic, emotionless face, looked at him in the eyes and repeated himself.

"I asked you, how is your hand? Does it hurt? Do you need a potion?" he asked politely.

"I... I... I feel fine sire. I just... what..."

"Calm down Silvester. Take a deep breath," Kant advised. Silverstone obeyed and took a few deep breaths. Soon, he managed to calm down, though, not enough to put on his unamused face again, a side-effect of witnessing a murder.

"You alright?" Kant asked politely.

"I am fine sire, I just... what... what did you do?" Silverstone asked, after finally gaining some composure.

"He refused the offer, obviously. I told him it was the best for him. He tried to attack you, which put the plan and our lives in jeopardy, so I decided to end him, quickly on the spot. I planted this loaded gun in secret in case the situation came to it, which it did."

"I see that. But how?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... how did you do it? You just... killed a man... a living person. You are no warrior and yet... you show no emotion..." Silvester pointed out, regaining more of his composure. It was not normal ability for a human to be able to murder another being.

"Simple. It had to be done," Kant replied, maintaining his stoic face.

"What?" Silverstone asked.

"As I said, it had to be done. He was about to begin a ruckus, that could lead to the downfall of the whole operation. If it meant that, what is one life going to cost?"

"But then... who is going to be the next minister? Who is going to support your ascension?" asked Silvester. Kant lifted his right hand and touched both of Silvester's shoulders while saying,

"By the power vested in me, I assign you the duties of the assistant minister for 20 days. Is that good?"

"I... I guess so."

"Alright, good. Now, before we head back over to the palace, we got something to get rid of first," Kant informs Silverstone. Their heads both turn to face the dead corpse of the previous minister.

"Grab a shovel. We will grab the body outside through the back door." Kant said. The two men dragged his body outside, behind the shed so no one could see, digs a 6-foot grave into the ground with the help of Silvester's magical strength-enhancing capabilities, and tossed the body inside. Once the body was well hidden, Kant turned to Silvester.

"Go and summon the smaller knight commanders. I will follow you later." Kant requested. Silvester immediately accepted his answer.

"Alright, sire." With that, he walked away. Kant then took a deep breath in, and then out, the same as he advised Silvester. Though he may have regained the memories of Howard Orwell Bright, does not mean that he is Howard Orwell Bright.

"Calm down Howard. Calm down. He is being restored. He is being restored. He is being restored..." he muttered to himself. It was the stoic's way of coping. Though he felt great guilt, given to a person for an act of murder, he did not yield. Although he may have to carry the mountain of guilt, Kant knew it would simply pass on the more he grows.

Without a single tear dropped for Arjun, Kant decided it was time to reload and holster the gun. He quickly grabbed 3 paper cartridges and loaded up the gun. He then grabbed the small percussion caps available inside a small box residing in his pocker and put them on the nipples of the revolving barrel. He then placed the gun inside the holster, which was set it up on his shoulder underneath his suit, before walking over to the palace.

...

The smaller knight-commanding leaders, and a few small ministers all gather up on a long rectangular wooden table. They were all wearing their clothed uniforms, instead of their armored suits. The area was guarded by other knights, all belonging to Salvator Humat. Most of the knights guarding the place also were with Salvator Humat.

On the left far end was Silvester Silverstone, who regained his unamused and stoic composure back again. The room was silent and tense, all waiting for Kant to come and deliver the news. Soon, there was a knock on the door, and Kant made his entrance.

The men all stood up and greeted the prince with a good morning.

"Good morning everyone. Sit down." the men obeyed.

"Now, I have to inform you all that minister Arjun Boyle would not be joining us. As a result, I am appointing Knight Silvester Silverstone for the duties of assistant minister for 20 days, which includes the vote. Do you all understand?"

The men all around nodded. One man raised his answer.

"All questions will be asked after I debrief you on the situation," Kant replied. The man held his hand down.

"Now, according to this letter we have received from Tyrol, the enemy had managed to defeat our armies, and have repealed the invasion thanks to a new weapon called a firearm. I am sure you have all heard of it?" they nodded. How could they not? They have seen him using it multiple times.

"I also regret to inform you all that his highness, King Danial Icurus Maybale, has been reported missing. Although it is still not confirmed yet, we can assume that he had been captured, at best.

With our armies defeated, it is certain that they will march toward the city of Hoverdam, endangering the people's lives."

The room was silent, waiting patiently for what Kant had to say.

"With this grim situation, it is no longer in the interest of the Kingdom of Hoverdam to continue fighting the war. In a matter of a few months, maybe even just one month more, we will be facing the demonic wave.

Therefore, I am proposing to end the war and start negotiations with the opposing faction, as it would be in the interest of both parties moving forward. Do any of you have any objections?" Surprisingly, nobody raised their hands. They seemed rather fine with his arrangement.

"No objections?" Kant asked again, keeping his cold face intact. He wanted to make sure that they were all on board. Still, there was total silence. Kant reasoned that Silverstone told them what had happened to Arjun, considering they seemed too afraid to speak.

"No? Good. Now, moving on to the next line of business. Considering that his highness has disappeared, I propose that my powers become extended until it is confirmed that the king is well.

pαndα,noνɐ1,сoМ Are there any objections?" One again. Silence.

"Alright then. Then those who would cast a vote to the dual proposal, raise your hands." Everyone in the room immediately submitted in favor of the proposal rather quickly.

"Well, it is decided. We shall send a letter via pigeon today."

With that, Kant got up and went over to his room to start writing a letter. The knights were all soon informed of the situation. Though some protested, they were all outnumbered as the majority of the knights that remained were Pro-Salvator Humat.

With that, a few more executions and arrests took place, and the letter to start negotiations for peace was sent. Over the next couple of days, more and more kingdoms of the north either surrendered or capitulated.

Malinda Maybale, who had tried her best to resist, found herself surrounded and captured. The war, it appears, has finally come to an end. Only lasting for a mere 13 days before it started. A rather swift war, to say the least.

A meeting was soon scheduled between Rose Tippo Valine, the queen of the kingdom of Vallina, with the newly appointed King of Hoverdam, King Kant Icurus Maybale. These two people will meet, and negotiate the future of Hoverdam, and the future of the continent.