496 Chaos in Rakha
Aster Empire
Dorothy relished another piece of pear cake as she gazed at the man before her, who already resembled a skeleton. Then, she smiled.
Who could have imagined that the old Patriarch who had been missing for months would still be alive? Even Dorothy had not anticipated the light wielder's resilience.
"Why are you still alive?" she inquired. It had been months! A regular human would have perished from starvation. While this old man was far from normal, the surrounding relic prevented him from using his blessing to heal himself. His survival simply did not make sense.
Of course, no response came. The man might be alive, but he no longer has the energy to even speak or open his eyes. She sighed as she rose from her seat, deciding to leave the underground dungeon.
Before long, she arrived in her room and began reading a book while waiting for her mother.
Life had been... dull, to say the least.
She had not wanted to return, but the north had become stifling. For some reason, Dorothy felt as though something—or someone—had been watching her incessantly. Though unconfirmed, each day brought with it an ominous sensation.
Moreover, the Queen who once supported her had been sent somewhere to recuperate when in fact, she was not sick to begin with.
So, she left.
She took advantage of the current chaos inside Aster Kingdom and left.
"Dorothy?"
Dorothy turned upon hearing her mother's voice.
"Mother..." Dorothy smiled, looking at Victoria, who had been preoccupied with some matters for her Foster Family. Her mother had ceased to care for her father and instead spent her time outside the estate and sometimes even outside of Aster. "You are here..."
"I have missed you!" Victoria exclaimed, embracing her daughter. "I hurried here to see you. Are you planning to stay in Aster this time?" she asked with excitement.
"Well..."
"Why not join your mother in managing the family business? Your grandfather would surely appreciate it," Victoria suggested enthusiastically, gazing at the beautiful Dorothy Lux. For some reason, she felt her daughter had become even more beautiful in her eyes.
While six months was not a lengthy period, many vegetables would mature and be ready for harvesting by then. There were no issues with meat either, as northerners did not typically encounter any poison from the beasts' meat.
"I will leave for a few days to check the status of the Howling Mountains," Lucas declared. "The Duchess will be in charge of everything in my absence."
Hearing these words, Rosalind, who had been silent all this time, looked up and stared at him. She did not want to stay. For some reason, she wanted to be with him. However, she knew that she might only act as a burden. While she could use both black and white blessings, she did not have very good physical strength, which could be useful in fighting against demons.
So, she maintained her silence.
She could only hope that nothing was amiss in Rakha.
Not long after, the meeting ended. Once again, the Estate was in lockdown. Lucas quickly sent someone to inform the King of the matters agreed upon during this meeting. After saying goodbye to Rosalind, he left.
When Lucas arrived in Rakha, the place was already in chaos. The streets were a turbulent sea of panicked faces and hurried footsteps. Shouts and cries filled the air, drowning out any semblance of order. People rushed in all directions, clutching their belongings, as if trying to escape an impending disaster.
Merchants hastily closed their shops, their goods left unattended. Carriages and carts blocked the thoroughfares, their drivers struggling to navigate the chaotic maze of streets. Guards in the King's livery tried to maintain some semblance of control, but their efforts were in vain as panic continued to spread like wildfire.
Lucas looked at Huig, who had come with him, and signaled him to check the situation before he strode towards the King of Rakha's study.
"Your Grace!" the King of Rakha's voice quivered when he saw the Duke. "Your grace, thank you so much for coming. We— "
"Tell me about everything that happened in the Howling Mountains since the quake," Lucas demanded, ignoring the others inside the room.
"Your Highness, thank you for coming," Princess Isadora immediately bowed, relief flashing in her eyes as she stared at the man's tall stature. Next to her was the crown prince, who also looked relieved when the Duke arrived.
"The Howling Mountains had been showing signs of... we cannot explain it," the King immediately said. "It felt like the island was about to explode. We can see large cracks slowly envelop the island. We do not know what would happen if... the island would explode. I have already sent my men to check the place, but none of them are strong enough to get close."
Lucas nodded. He then turned around, intending to leave the place, when Isadora reached out and held his arm.
"Your Grace, may I have a minute?" Isadora asked.
"No," Duke Lucas answered immediately before leaving the study. However, the Princess was not intending to give up.
"Your Grace, please listen to me. Only I can help you. Please, just ten minutes of your time and I — " When the Duke still ignored her, she yelled. "I have seen the future! I know about the demons and I saw them destroy the continent. I know what is going to happen from here on out!"