CH 13.2

“Please, Your Majesty,” the Count begged, tears streaming down his face, “people are dying. The weak and slow, including women and children, are being torn apart by the beasts. Even the trained knights of the territory have died from exhaustion. It’s a living hell.”

Mrs. Giggs, who was nearby, interrupted the Count, worried that the empress would be disturbed by his descriptions. The Count, who understood, swallowed his sobs and wiped away his tears.

“Sorry,” he apologized, but the empress replied, “No, you don’t know that you expressed hell in a purified way.” The Count, who had lowered his head, looked up at the empress, his eyes filled with hope.

As the empress watched the count with a calm demeanor, her mind was consumed by a vivid memory of hell. She saw the bloody skies, the monstrous cries of evil, the smoke, the screams of the people, the bodies scattered everywhere, and the pools of blood. Mothers wept for their lost children, and children shook the dead bodies of their parents, begging for them to wake up. The tower had appeared in the world suddenly one day, causing chaos and destruction. But, as humans always do, they found ways to adapt. Wizards, who could control the magic of the tower, emerged, and the roles of strikers and keepers, along with knights, became crucial in climbing to the top. Some even saw the crisis as an opportunity.

‘Mother,’ Adele spoke up, breaking the silence, ‘you say such cruel things because you have not seen the misery of those who have died. You don’t have to offer me the world.’

Her words marked the beginning of her strained relationship with her mother. Eventually, her mother took the crown from Adele. Coming back to reality, Adele looked at the count, who stood before her with his white hair and wrinkled face, and his rough, bloodless lips.

“Your Majesty, thank you for your concern,” the count said with a smile. “I apologize, but I must return to my territory as soon as possible, so I must go now.”

Adele felt a sense of despair as the hope of being the empress faded away. Her throat felt hot and dry, making it hard for her to swallow. The count, who had just barely stood up and bowed politely, turned to her with shaking knees.

“Evacuate the inhabitants to nearby estates,” the empress said, her voice squeaky.

The empress stood up, her face showing genuine concern. “The best hiding place to prevent flying spells is caves or underground spaces. Evacuate the elderly and weak there. If you take refuge far from the tower and join with various lords, it’ll be more effective. You can endure longer and put pressure on the center.”

“Yes, her Majesty the Empress,” the count replied, bowing his head respectfully.

Adele stopped the count for a moment, then hurried back to her room. She opened the box of gold bars and placed two in his pocket and two more in the count’s arms.

“Take this, it might come in handy. Use it wisely, we never know what the future holds.”

Adele watched as the count left, a sense of sadness and regret creeping over her. Despite her efforts to help, she felt like she could have done more. The count, who had just asked about the gold bars in his pocket, turned to Adele.

“It’s for evacuation expenses,” Adele explained. “In case of emergency.”

The count nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Adele couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. She was the empress, yet she felt powerless to protect her people.

As she watched the count leave, tears streaming down her face, Adele couldn’t help but think that this was just the beginning. The future was uncertain and filled with danger, but she vowed to do all she could to protect her kingdom and its people.

*****

“Why did the empress summon Count Calvin?” Theseus asked, gazing out at the late summer landscape.

Lionel, focusing on the documents before him, replied, “Curious about the situation?”

“It’s surprising that the emperor would abandon the Count of Calvin,” Theseus mused.

“He’s always been a loyal servant to the imperial family.”

“I agree,” Lionel said, looking up from his work. “Until now, most of the lands abandoned by the emperor belonged to families that disobeyed him.”

The brothers pondered the reasons behind the emperor’s actions before returning to their work.

“I must uncover why the monarch would abandon someone like Count Calvin,” Lionel said, standing from his seat. “It’s preposterous.”

“Can you solve it on your own?” Theseus asked.

“If not, can I count on your help?” Lionel requested.

“Of course,” Theseus replied. “I’m here to assist.”

Lionel reassured him that he would handle the issue, which was the unpaid salaries of junior engineers for the past three months. He planned to use his own funds to cover their living expenses.

“You always think of solutions I wouldn’t have considered,” Theseus said with a chuckle.

“That’s a relief. I was also planning to offer some financial aid to Count Calvin, but I didn’t have enough,” Theseus added.

“The Duke of Baldr wouldn’t approve,” Lionel quipped.

“Never mind. Let’s go. Count Calvin’s carriage is arriving,” Theseus said, disregarding Lionel’s remark.