After being reprimanded by Celestia, Alice left the palace with mixed feelings. Though she had shown no anger in front of the princess, deep inside she felt unsettled.
Alice had always believed Celestia would be easy to manipulate. But when she was corrected in front of Elowen, Celestia had shown true firmness—something Alice had not expected.
She made her way toward her abandoned mansion. The building was as silent as ever, with only the wind whistling through cracks in the old walls. Entering the main hall, she gazed upon a floating screen created using her own power. Through the eyes of her familiar, Fin, she could observe everything happening across Wonderveil from afar.
She watched the common people going about their work, the nobles growing increasingly anxious, and the palace servants beginning to treat her differently ever since she had become regent. A faint smile formed on her lips.
"Soon enough…"
A small creature approached her and also looked at the screen showing the state of the kingdom.
"Alice, do you still intend to carry on with this plan?"
Alice did not look away.
"I want the people of Wonderveil to live in fear. When they are afraid, they will look for someone strong enough to protect them."
The creature fell silent for a moment.
"And that someone will be you?"
Alice smiled.
"Naturally."
She slowly raised her hand, and a dark, shadowy aura began to swirl around her body.
"I will make them believe that Celestia is no longer capable of keeping them safe."
That night, while the people of Wonderveil slept, Alice unleashed her dark magic. Without anyone realising it, terrible nightmares began to creep into their minds.
They saw Wonderveil falling into chaos—great wars breaking out, families losing their homes, food supplies running dangerously low, and nobles being forced to flee for their lives. In these dreams, Celestia stood before her people but was completely powerless to help. Her gentle nature became her greatest weakness, and her indecision only caused the kingdom to grow weaker and more vulnerable.
But then, another figure appeared—Alice. In the dreams, she stepped forward and saved everyone. She restored peace and order, and made Wonderveil stronger than it had ever been before.
The visions felt far too real. When morning came, many woke up with pale, frightened faces. Some sat on their beds, clutching their chests in terror.
"What I just saw…"
"I had the exact same dream again…"
"I watched Wonderveil be destroyed…"
The same thing happened to the nobles. At first, they tried to dismiss it as mere imagination. But as the nightmares repeated night after night, and more and more people described seeing the same things, they began to believe it was a genuine warning of what was to come. Doubt in Celestia's leadership began to spread.
In the town square, groups of citizens gathered to talk.
"I think we need to do something."
"Princess Celestia is kind, there's no denying that… but a kingdom cannot survive on kindness alone."
"I'm terrified that what we saw in those dreams might actually happen."
"But Alice is already serving as regent."
"If that's the case… perhaps she should become queen instead."
Whispers like these spread quickly. No one openly rebelled—they still respected Celestia—but in their hearts, seeds of doubt had been planted. They began to wonder whether she truly had what it took to lead Wonderveil through difficult times.
Back at the palace, the atmosphere was also changing. Charles had started to notice the shift. Servants who had once treated Celestia with great respect now turned their attention toward Alice. They spoke of her as if she were the true ruler of the land.
Charles watched all this in silence. He also saw how Celestia herself was changing. The princess who used to smile so often now spent most of her time quiet and withdrawn. She no longer spoke at length or showed the same warmth she once had.
One afternoon, Charles sat alone in the palace gardens as the evening wind brushed against his hair. He could sense that things were never going to be the same—and perhaps, his presence there was no longer needed.
Lost in thought, he heard footsteps approaching. He turned to see Nyx walking toward him.
"Charles."
Charles gave a small, sad smile.
"Nyx."
The cat's expression remained serious.
"When do you intend to leave the palace?"
Charles paused briefly.
"The day after tomorrow."
Nyx simply stared at him.
"But before I go… may I be allowed to give one final performance for Princess Celestia?"
Nyx was quiet for several seconds before replying.
"Do as you wish. Just make sure you leave afterward."
Charles only smiled. He felt no anger toward the cat—he had always known Nyx had never liked him.
The day finally arrived for Charles to depart. He stood in the throne room, while Celestia sat upon her throne watching him. But her face showed none of the joy it once did.
Charles wore his full jester's costume—bright blue and red garments, a pointed hat with bells, and his face painted white with small red marks beneath his eyes. He bowed respectfully.
"Princess Celestia… this will be my final performance."
Celestia said nothing, only continued to watch.
Charles began his act. He tossed three coloured balls into the air and juggled them skillfully. When one slipped and fell, he simply smiled and carried on. He danced, twirled, and did everything he could think of to make her laugh or at least smile. But there was no reaction. Celestia remained still, silent, and expressionless.
He continued for nearly an hour, until at last he stopped and lowered his head.
"Princess Celestia…"
A sad smile touched his lips.
"I will take my leave now."
He turned and walked out of the throne room. Celestia watched his back as he left. She did not call out to him, did not try to stop him—she simply let him go.
Outside the hall, Nyx watched Charles leave the palace grounds. For the first time, a satisfied smile appeared on the cat's face. At last, the troublesome jester was gone.
But he did not realise that with Charles' departure, the palace was also losing something that had once brought Celestia genuine happiness.
From a distance, Alice observed everything with a quiet smile. Her plan was progressing exactly as she had hoped.
...........
The animals of the palace—Blue, Rio, Ova, Brown, and Uli—no longer spoke to one another as they once did. Those who used to be inseparable had slowly begun to keep their distance.
The root of the tension still lay in the incident involving Qas, who had been accused of betraying Princess Celestia. Even though Qas had already been exiled and punished, the event had left a deep mark on the palace animals.
Brown and Uli, who believed Qas was innocent, chose to stay away from the other three. They did not wish to argue further, knowing that each side had already made up their minds.
Meanwhile, Blue, Rio, and Ova remained convinced that Qas was truly a traitor. In their eyes, the evidence found was more than enough to prove his guilt.
The atmosphere between them had grown cold and distant.
Elsewhere, Aver and Axe had become aware of the situation. The two brothers lived within the palace; though they had somewhat unusual appearances, they were fully capable of understanding what was happening around them. They too had noticed the great changes taking place in the palace lately.
Aver and Axe sat together in the gardens. They were identical twins and had always remained close through everything. As they looked around, they could see that the palace felt far quieter and gloomier than it used to be.
"I feel like things have been growing more tense here lately," Axe said, glancing toward the main palace building.
Aver sighed softly. "I feel the same way. It's not just the animals arguing among themselves—the whole situation in Wonderveil is getting worse."
Axe looked at his brother. "Many of the people and even some nobles have started supporting Alice."
Aver nodded slowly. "Yes. They are beginning to lose faith in Princess Celestia."
Both fell silent for a moment. They knew Celestia was not a perfect ruler, but they also knew she had never wished any harm upon her people.
"The princess herself has changed so much," Axe said quietly. "Before, she would always stop and talk with everyone. Now she stays in her office most of the time, dealing only with official matters."
Aver lowered his head. "Is there really nothing we can do to help?"
Axe did not reply immediately—he did not know the answer himself. "I suppose not…" he finally answered, his voice heavy with disappointment.
Unbeknownst to them, someone had been listening to their conversation. Silas, who was walking through the gardens, stopped when he heard Celestia's name mentioned. He looked at the twins for a moment before walking over to them.
"Hello there," Silas greeted them with a cheerful tone.
Aver and Axe turned their heads in surprise. "Oh, Silas," they replied almost in unison.
Silas gave them a small smile. "I apologise—I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying just now."
The twins looked slightly taken aback.
"I can tell both of you are worried about Princess Celestia, aren't you?"
Axe nodded. "We are. She seems so stressed these days and hardly speaks to anyone anymore."
Aver looked at Silas. "What should we do, Silas?"
Silas met their gaze. He knew very well how complicated the situation in the palace had become. "You are both human—of course there is something you can do to help her."
The brothers exchanged glances. "But we don't know what would be best for her," Aver said.
Silas continued, "You should speak to Nyx. He has been by Princess Celestia's side longer than anyone else."
Aver nodded in agreement. That was true—Nyx had known Celestia longer than almost anyone, and even though his relationships with others in the palace had grown strained, he still understood her better than anyone.
"If you decide to do something, you can always tell me your plan," Silas said with a smile. "I will be happy to help you."
Aver and Axe looked at him, feeling a little relieved that at least someone was willing to stand with them. "Thank you, Silas."
Silas smiled in return. But deep inside his mind, he watched the growing chaos around him—the conflict among the animals, the people losing their trust, and Celestia's increasing distress. All of these were clear signs that Wonderveil was changing, and not for the better.
After receiving Silas's suggestion, Aver and Axe went to look for Nyx, hoping to ask the cat who was always by Princess Celestia's side for advice.
They walked along the palace corridors, which had grown noticeably quieter. Unlike before, the whole place felt heavy with tension. Servants still went about their duties, but everyone moved carefully, keeping to themselves.
Eventually, they found Nyx in one of the palace's sitting rooms. The door was slightly ajar. Aver knocked several times, but there was no answer.
"Nyx?" Axe called out.
Still no reply.
The twins exchanged a look before stepping in quietly. Inside, Nyx was resting comfortably on a red sofa. The blue‑furred cat looked fast asleep, as if completely unaware of everything happening around the palace.
But even while sleeping, his natural instincts showed. He stretched lazily, and his claws unconsciously raked against the fabric. A faint tearing sound was heard, leaving small scratch marks on the surface.
Aver and Axe simply watched. A few moments later, Nyx opened his eyes. He turned his head and saw the two brothers standing there. His eyes went wide.
"Hey! Do you two just walk into rooms without knocking first?" Nyx snapped, sitting up quickly.
Aver struggled to hold back a smile at the sight. "We did knock. You just didn't answer."
"That's no excuse to barge in!"
Axe almost laughed but quickly covered his mouth. "Just like a cat…" He paused, then added, "Well, I suppose you are a cat after all."
Nyx shot him a sharp look. "I don't need your comments."
Aver smiled faintly. "Alright. We came because we need to talk to you about something."
Nyx narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Why have you come looking for me?"
Aver and Axe nodded. "Nyx, we're worried about Princess Celestia," Aver said.
At the mention of her name, Nyx's expression grew more serious. "Why have you suddenly started caring so much about the princess?"
Axe looked down slightly. "Because we've seen what's happening. She's becoming more and more stressed. The people are starting to side with Alice, and the palace animals have split into two groups because of what happened with Qas."
Nyx fell silent—he knew all too well that it was true.
"Very well," he said slowly. "The situation in Wonderveil is no longer just about war. It's about trust."
Aver looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Nyx glanced out the window. "The people are afraid. Alice has successfully made them believe that Princess Celestia cannot protect them." He sighed. "But I know that's not who she really is."
Axe nodded. "So what should we do?"
Nyx turned back to them. "We need to let the people see for themselves who Princess Celestia truly is."
"How so?" asked Aver.
"We provide help from behind the scenes—food supplies, daily necessities, solutions to their problems. But we make sure they know that this help comes from Princess Celestia herself."
The twins looked at each other. The idea made sense. If the people saw that Celestia still cared deeply for them, perhaps their opinion of her would begin to change.
"We agree," Axe said. "We'll help."
Nyx nodded. "Good. But do not act without thinking first. Right now, our enemy is not just Elowen."
Aver and Axe fell silent—they understood that Nyx was referring to Alice.
Afterwards, Aver and Axe left the room. At the same time, Nyx went to find Celestia. He entered her office and found her sitting at her desk, surrounded by piles of documents. She was busy writing reports and managing state affairs, her face showing clear signs of exhaustion.
"Princess Celestia."
Celestia stopped writing and looked up. "Yes?"
Nyx walked closer to the desk. "I know you are under a great deal of pressure right now."
Celestia remained quiet.
"The people and the nobles are beginning to favour Alice. But I will help you win back their trust."
Celestia looked surprised. "Truly?"
Nyx nodded. "I will not let you face all of this alone."
Celestia stared at him for a moment, her voice softening slightly. "Nyx… I never expected you would still be willing to stand by me."
Nyx paused. He knew how much Celestia had changed lately—the princess who once trusted everyone unconditionally had begun to doubt even those closest to her.
"I will always be by your side, Princess."
A small, gentle smile touched Celestia's lips.
But outside the room, unseen by either of them, someone had been listening to every word—someone who now knew exactly what they were planning. And that knowledge would soon be used to bring Nyx down.