[Eon's POV: ]
The ceremony went on for half a day and at the end of it, we paid homage to the deceased.
'It was a bad event, and sorrow saturated the atmosphere.'
There were many things that we could have done if we had even a little more time than we did. I could have done much better than what we did in that situation.
The way was a sudden surprise and I know we did what we had to but... the people, their families, the children and the ones who had lost their partners and had nothing else to live for...
'The darkness in the eyes of the ones who seemed to have lost everything that they cared about, everything dear to them, everything that gave them a reason to live... it was painful looking at them even for me.'
We did what we had to and I did my best to limit the damage, but they wouldn't know that.
'They were cursing us, cursing them. Some were going to leave this nation forever, leave the home they had lived in for their entire lives.'
Some were going to take their own lives as they did not have anything else to live for, while some would hold the hands of subsistence to relieve the pain that could never be cured.
'And we cannot do anything for all of them...'
It was their choice and we were going to do what we can to help them physically, mentally, and emotionally, but I don't know just how much we will be able to heal the deep wounds that had been left on their souls.
There was a possibility most of them would find something more to do with their lives, those with something left in this world would live for that one thing and it would be a positive outcome.
But for some... living is going to be hell.
'They would search for an easy way out.'
And since I still hold myself responsible for their loss, I will do something to help them as well.
But it will take time. So they will have to survive for that much longer without any light to look for.
"Master Axion?"
"Hmmm? Ah, Lady Carolina."
The afterevent held for the people of high positions who had joined us for this event or their representatives was ongoing right now in the personal mansion of Lakmer household.
It was a big and good place, not something like a palace, but certainly nothing less than a palace.
It was as good as our estates.
"Don't you have to leave? It seems to be late already... or are you going to stay here tonight?"
"Ah, no. We will leave after some time. Rein is still playing with the twins."
"Ah... I see."
The event had started in the morning and it was late night alredy.
Even the afterevent was reaching the conclusion time and most of the attendees had already left the venue.
Only a few of us were left here... in this big room... filled with these pretty looking tables.
"It's rare seeing you drink alcohol." She was the best politician of this world, but I can tell even she had been crying earlier today with those clearly hidden marks around her eyes.
Even she was affected by everything that we saw today, and everything that happened.
"It's more of a grape juice than alcohol actually. I made it-"
"Can I have some?"
She didn't even hesitate to ask for it.
She didn't even let me finish my sentence either.
"Of course."
It looked just like wine so it was easy to be mistaken.
And I was drinking it in the same glasses they served alcohol in. Mistaking it was easy even for someone who could foresee the future this world would be heading in the upcoming years.
She was very good at acting. Perhaps the best I've seen after mom.
But her act wasn't going to work before me when I had the upper hand here.
"Kingdom of Ras, the free city of Maruk, nation of rivers, The Cliff alliance, Queensland republic, and Zas dukedom... I know."
In some other scenario, or at some other time, this conversation could have been longer than it was right now, or perhaps more complex and filled with tricks and mind games.
It was pretty common for political discussions to go on for hours in many cases, ones that involved the fate of more than one country being matters that could take days for two parties to conclude.
'And since we were talking about something even more complicated, a matter that would change the entire power structure of the world, things were even more complicated.'
Lakmer is and had been a neutral nation that only used force for defence and exploration.
They had powers and forces larger than many of its surrounding nations but since the policies of Lakmer stated they wouldn't use their military forces for the purpose of harming the surrounding nations, the nations around them did not hold back even a little when the shit with cultists transpired here.
I alredy knew what was happening inside and outside Lakmer at the moment and yes Lady Carolina was holding them back just fine so waiting till the Grand conference was an option for them... but, it wasn't the solution.
"Haaaa..."
There was a smile on her pretty face until now, but right after I revealed those names to her, and after that deep sigh, it changed completely.
"How in the hell's name did you know about this?"
"Is that even important anymore?"
She was annoyed, and back to her serious self.
The pressure around her had increased as well for no reason, but until a few days ago where she felt overwhelming, after experiencing what the creatures that could destroy this entire world felt like, she wasn't as intimidating as back then.
So, I had a smile on my face.
"I don't like that smug look you have, you know? It's absurd and reminds me how you are absolutely peculiar yourself."
"I appreciate the compliment-"
"It wasn't a compliment!"
She shouted, picked up her glass, gulped down the whole brew in one breath, and asked me to refill her glass with wide angry eyes.
-Purrrrrr...
"Haaaa! What the hell is this thing! Why is it so good?!"
She loved it, as We knew she would.
"Damn it!"
It was a special brew I made especially for people like her.
'It wasn't alcoholic so pretty much anyone could drink it and there was also no high concentration of Mana so, it wasn't toxic for common people like her either.'
It was just very well made concoctions of various things that are too rare to get in bulk. Nothing too fancy though.
"Anyway! Heliox OR Atraxia cannot help us in any manner! You don't even know what I'm going to do from what I can tell so there's no way-"
"I never said We want to join you."
There was a little misunderstanding here, it seems.
"Hmm?"
"I want in, just me. Not even Rein. And not as a direct party... but as a supplier."
It was time to start moving and working for the things that I wanted.
Things that would be good, and necessary for us.
This war between a neutral nation and all the surrounding countries was something that could prove to be very useful for Us.
'Even while not being a part of it directly... there were a number of things that could bring me great profit.'
There's no way I was going to just leave this golden opportunity.