Rosie's Games

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.

She led her daughter to the patio, where a tea set had been prepared in advance. "This time, the Aster Empire is truly going to change." Victoria knew the change was not only external; the new Emperor was significantly different from the previous one. He was decisive and always knew what he wanted.

The current Emperor had swiftly implemented numerous changes, not just within the court but also in the Empire's laws. It was too sudden, too abrupt, leaving most merchant companies like the Fosters unprepared.

"Mother, about the new Emperor..." Dorothy began. "I wonder how he managed to oust the previous one. While I do not want to involve myself in the Empire's politics, I cannot ignore the fact that this Emperor appears to be supportive of dark sorcerers. Street rumors have been quite explicit. The current Emperor has the support of a powerful sorcerer. Do you think that is possible?" she asked, her brows furrowing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"It is indeed possible," Victoria affirmed. Where there was smoke, there was fire. Why else would people suddenly claim the new Emperor was collaborating with a sorcerer? The answer was simple: he had miraculously regained the use of his legs out of nowhere.

Dorothy's expression shifted, but she quickly lowered her gaze and focused on her tea.

"Your grandfather has been in talks with some new merchants, and we have decided to focus on the north. We will invest a significant amount to create more teleportation portals. Given the recent advancements in relics, I believe it is a highly profitable venture. What are your thoughts?" Victoria asked. "Your input, as someone who has visited the north, is valuable this time."

"The Duke of the North is not easy to work with," Dorothy promptly replied. "I dare say the King of Wugari would heed the Duke's words without question. I have seen it before; that King would sooner abandon his wife than clash with the Duke."

Naturally, Dorothy found this situation repulsive, but what could she do? She did not want the Duke to sense anything amiss.

"I believe the Duke would have no objections to this, as..." Victoria's words were suddenly interrupted by a ground tremor. It felt like an earthquake, but there was an eerie and deafening howl that seemed to emanate from the depths of the earth itself. The room shook violently, causing both women to cling to the furniture for support.

Victoria's eyes widened with alarm as the tremor persisted. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Walls cracked, and objects tumbled over, creating chaos within the room. The very ground beneath their feet seemed to betray them.

As the tremor subsided and the underground howling faded, Dorothy and Victoria exchanged fearful glances. Whatever had just occurred, it was clear that their world had been shaken to its core.

…

Rothley Estate, Wugari Kingdom

Following the tremor in the North, panic gripped the Duke's estate. The initial shock of the violent shaking left everyone stunned, but it was the eerie calm that followed that sent shivers down their spines. It was as if the very earth itself had held its breath, and the once-mighty North had mysteriously retreated into the shadows.

"Your Grace... just now," Arriane Madilu's serious expression conveyed her concern. "We fear another tide is imminent." To everyone else, another tide was the only possible outcome after the tremors. To them, the silence served as an ominous warning.

A beast tide could strike at any moment.

"Your Grace, I have already taken steps to enhance security along the walls. However, we must remain vigilant. Everyone should be prepared," General Lytton urged. Despite their fear, many still believed that the North would withstand whatever came their way, trusting that the Duke and Duchess would find a solution.

"Denys... update me on the status of our food reserves," Duke Lucas Rothley requested.

Denys cleared his throat in response. "My lord, the estate's food reserves are more than sufficient," he began. "We have enough provisions to sustain everyone for the next six months, even through the harshest winters. Our seed stocks are also ample, and with the greenhouse the Duchess recently established, we anticipate a bountiful harvest in the coming months."

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!"