The World Is Mine For The Taking

"What should we do?" I asked her.

Since she was directly involved in this and held a position as one of the magic knights of the Milham Kingdom, I figured she could come up with a solid plan.

"The first thing we need to do is inform everyone of the situation," Captain Angelica replied. "We’re going to need as many people as possible because there’s no way we’re getting past that mob around the plaza without some resistance. But I don’t want to hurt them—they’re just innocent people, brainwashed into doing this."

"So, force is out of the question?"

"Yes, but not entirely," she said. "We’ll use just enough to subdue them, nothing fatal."

That was a relief. Full-out violence against them would feel like a line crossed. But realistically, without any force, we’d be dead in the water.

"The question is, how are we going to inform everyone?"

"Don’t worry about that. With just a few taps, I can let the whole kingdom—and even people outside it—know what’s going on," I said, pulling out my phone.

"Is that… a smartphone?"

"Yes, a model from Leonamon. All I need to do is type it up and post it on the internet. Anyone with a smartphone can see it. Pretty handy, huh?"

"That reminds me!" Her eyes widened, like a memory clicked into place. "Before I ended up here, I was held in a facility. Gabrielle was there too." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Lady Gabrielle?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. She was my tutor back in the day.

"Yes," she nodded. "She works for a company… I think it’s Leonamon."

"Leonamon? What was she doing there?"

"I don’t know the full story, but it seemed like she belonged there. It was a strange place—all women working. But they didn’t look like slaves or anything. Actually, they looked like they were enjoying their work."

The whole thing sounded a bit off. A workplace with only women would definitely raise some eyebrows, especially with all the sex trafficking and exploitation schemes popping up lately. But from how she described it, it didn’t sound suspicious enough to warrant an investigation.

"I think Leonamon’s involved in the fight against Eclipse too," she added.

"Really?"

"The owner of Leonamon…" She hesitated, her expression turning grim. "Even though I was brainwashed, I remember him clearly. He’s terrifying. Absolutely terrifying—like facing a force that’s impossible to beat."

"Impossible, how?"

"I fought him while I was under, and even then, I could sense how far above me he was. I lost miserably. And when he spoke to me, it felt like staring into an endless abyss. His voice was so deep, every word dripping with dread. But somehow… he seemed like a good man too."

"A cruel, good man, huh?" I hadn’t met Leonamon’s owner myself, but rumor had it he’d be attending tonight’s noble party. Apparently, this would be his first public appearance. Wait— "You said he’s also fighting against Eclipse, right?"

"Yes."

So, if he’s attending tonight, he’s probably got his own agenda in mind.

That meant he was out there fighting now. If I’d known sooner, maybe I could’ve forced my way into the noble’s party too.

Not that the King and Queen would ever allow it, given the chaos gripping the castle.

"For now, we need as many people on our side as possible. The Royal Knights won’t be much help—they’re bound to protect the royal family above all. But the magic knights… they might be different, right? What about your unit, Captain Angelica? Have you managed to get in touch with them?"

Captain Angelica’s face clouded over as she shook her head slowly. "No, I haven’t. Honestly, I don’t even know if some of them are still alive. Especially Robyn—I’ve heard nothing about her."

Robyn was attacked by my brother Julius during the King’s Game, along with several members of her unit. I hadn’t expected her to make it through that hell, but thankfully, she did.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I braced myself. The capital had fallen, and the kingdom itself teetered on the edge of ruin. With the Empire stirring up trouble all over the world, things were spiraling into chaos.

And my father wouldn’t lift a finger, not even if it came to war against the Empire. Meanwhile, my mother was scrambling, working with officials in the Empire to avoid disaster—but who knew if they’d actually keep their promises?

So, was it up to me to overthrow my own father to save the kingdom? I didn’t know if I could do any better, but if no one acted, Milham was doomed. Maybe this was my chance to rally the people’s support, even if it meant taking my father’s throne. It was a twisted thought for a daughter, but if I didn’t do something, both he and the kingdom would suffer.

"There’s a more efficient way to get the message out," I said to Captain Angelica, an idea sparking in my mind.

Her gaze sharpened. "What do you have in mind?"

There was a way—far more effective than just posting some article online. Ever since Leonamon introduced smartphones and the internet to this world, people couldn’t get enough. They were glued to their screens, spending hours every day, hooked on the constant feed of information.

Because of that, word would spread in seconds. People ignored articles, but videos? They paid attention to those. This was our best shot—and with solid proof.

"Live streaming."

Live streaming had been a revolution sparked by the Starry Knights—the idol stars who captivated the world, not just with their music, but with an almost holy allure. They were the first-ever girl group to be truly worshipped by fans, showered with reverence that went beyond simple admiration. Every song they released, every appearance they made, sent waves of happiness rippling across continents, drawing in fans like moths to a flame.

Every fifth day of the week, now named Friday, the Starry Knights would go live on the internet, connecting with fans in real time. They had created this phenomenon themselves, and it had exploded into a movement. Soon, merchants, sellers, artists, and everyday people started using live streaming to connect with others. It became the lifeline of buy-and-sell markets, and for anyone with a passion to showcase—art, skills, or just life itself.

With this technology at our fingertips, I realized I could reach people far beyond the kingdom. Streaming myself to show the world the devastation in the capital would bring attention we desperately needed.

"Captain Angelica," I said, "I need you to record me. I’m going to tell everyone on the internet what’s happening in the capital."