173 Chapter 173

After midnight had passed the city of Vonstein had managed to stabilize the situation. The major fires had all been put out and the focus now was on searching for survivors.

Victoria Vonstein who was still far from being fully healed could at least now stand firmly and only had minor scrapes and bruises on her. The major injuries were internal and thus would require a very skilled mage's assistance, for now however she was content with just being out of mortal danger.

"Did you manage to find an intact messaging scroll?" She asked as she stood with her hands behind her back atop the walls of the city normally used for patrolling. "Yes Milady, we long sent for help so it should soon be arriving from our exterior forces and neighboring families. The majority of casualties were civilians so your army isn't at all affected." A guard standing behind her carefully explained with his head slightly lowered.

"Good. Request a Grand Parle as well for me, the sooner it's held the better." Victoria muttered in a low somewhat calm tone which made her even more intimidating to the guards and soldiers present.

...

Meanwhile many kilometers away, Sayiva's airship was also closing in on it's targeted location, the Lovitz Mines.

Nove l B(in).C OM

However her crew found something really strange as they travelled so one of them soon chose to speak up. "Forgive me for asking Milady but isn't it rather odd that we've entered Ettenheim inner territory without encountering any defensive forces? Something is definitely amiss." A cloaked masculine figure asked while bowing his head deeply towards Sayiva.

Sayiva didn't immediately respond and continued to just stare off into the distance as if contemplating something. "We are to go to the location I instructed, anything that tries to hinder us in any way shall be destroyed. Can't you useless things handle even this?" She asked slowly and rather coldly causing the figure to feel a shiver run down his spine.

"Apologies Milady, I won't interrupt you again." The figure quickly retreated and didn't dare look back.

[ What defensive force? ]

[ Too much has changed, we know nothing ]

"We needn't know more, after all another change will soon occur. Things shall return to how they once were." Sayiva muttered in a low tone with the utmost confidence in her ability.

...

At this time Aron and Lady Rose had traveled quite the reasonable distance but were still far from reaching the Galos region.

Aron was currently seated cross legged on the floor within his assigned quarters where he allowed most of his injuries to heal.

A thin grey mist emanated from his body as the once open wounds began to rapidly heal and fade as if never there in the first place.

*click*

As he was finishing doing this his door clicked before swinging open. Aron didn't even bother turning his head as there was only one person who would enter his room so freely, Rose.

"Aren't you worried you'll draw suspicion by healing so soon?" Rose closed the door behind her before walking over to the lone chair near Aron's right hand side to sit.

Aron opened his slightly glowing eyes that began to grow dimmer soon after. "We can just associate it with the supposed knowledge we gained in the Komi Islands. I can't very well continue to stay in a vulnerable state." Aron let out a sigh and began to stretch his body.

"That should work. Now concerning this route we've chosen it should still take a considerable amount of time for a decision to be reached. You'll have individuals interested in war while others will be looking to avoid it and capitalize on the loss the Vonstein's suffered this time around." Lady Rose shared her take on the matter just as Aron was standing up.

He could see the sense behind her words and he nodded. "True, sparking a war of that caliber wouldn't be so easy with just this. Although the Vonstein family suffered today most of their losses were personal and their military might still remains. Victoria is determined to have vengeance and I doubt even the current emperor can tell her otherwise in such a situation. But in case it does start to take too long then I just need to cause more chaos." Aron replied as if the matter was extremely easy to do.

Given how they got to this point, Rose didn't doubt his ability to make those words come into fruition. For the war to begin the majority of the big families needed to agree to this before it could be declared by the emperor.

Aron didn't think this task to be difficult as he had numerous ways that could work in making the other families support the decision for war. Some based on lies, others misunderstandings like the one today or simply via blackmail by learning some secrets. He had a fair amount of options and so he didn't stress over the matter in least.

N0 v el Next. CoM

In his opinion the hard was done and it was just a matter of time before the end result he wished for came to be.

Lady Rose couldn't help but look up at him keenly for a moment and admire how that mind of his worked. The fact that nearly all his actions had been leading to major changes in the world were testament to his superiority over others. As far as she was concerned, it was like they were toying with children.

Nove l B(in).C OM

Be it in terms of power or knowledge, it seemed none in Pesia could rival the two and she wouldn't be wrong in thinking this.

"It seems you have everything thoroughly planned out but I am curious, if this were all to fail then what would you do?" Lady Rose inquired out of genuine curiosity and received a side glance from Aron who had began to wear and button up his shirt.

"Simple, I would conquer Ettenheim by force and start the war myself." Aron replied without an ounce of hesitation and with complete confidence in his voice.

….

As the two continued to converse, another airship could be seen traveling not too far away from them. It was smaller in size but didn't lack in luxuriousness but the true eye catching feature it held was the Lamarck family crest on it's side.

This airship belonged to none other than Juliet who was currently standing on rear deck with Anastasia beside her observing the city of Vonstein in the distance.

"Do you think it was his doing?" Anastasia suddenly asked the question that had been plaguing her mind.

The way the trail had ended had already left her quite surprised with Aron's methods yet again. Even Juliet couldn't help but be amazed by how he turned the tables of the Vonstein's.

When she realized he wouldn't be leaving with the other airships she couldn't help but think he was up to something else and so she delayed her departure along with Anastasia.

Neither of them could have imagined the great city of Vonstein would experience such a great attack and lose so many political figures and main family members in just one night. It seemed far too convenient for them to consider it a coincidence so not matter how they looked at it they felt Aron was involved.

"It's possible, but if it is the chances of him leaving any trace that leads back to him is miniscule." Juliet replied honestly as she very much doubted any evidence linking Aron to the matter existed.

Anastasia agreed with this line of thought but upon hearing Juliet's words she remembered something. "Those orbs you had us place… if they are found we could surely be linked to all this." A look of worry emerged on Anastasia's face upon making this realization, she had been so overwhelmed with everything that happened that she forgot an investigation would obviously be carried out in the city to determine the cause and if those orbs were found and traced back to them…

"Don't worry, I had no plans on letting them get discovered." Juliet spoke monotonously before raising her hand towards the distant city. "Igni… Invoke!" She muttered and almost immediately a chain reaction of explosions occurred in the outer war of the city almost completely devastating it.

Those unfortunate enough to be within a five hundred meter radius suffered quick and instant deaths either from the blast itself or from the countless large pieces of debris that flew in all directions.

Victoria who had been near the wall at the time easily survived due to having an artifact and the protection of her soldiers who hadn't left her side due to injuries. However for those less skilled it was like the nightmare they were already experiencing hadn't ended.

"Dammit! Evacuate everyone out of the city! Assume this place to be trapped all over until a proper investigation is carried." Victoria yelled out as the flaming embers reflected in her fierce looking eyes, one could only wonder just how much rage she was currently feeling.

…

Back on Juliet's airship Anastasia was currently looking at Juliet in disbelief at what she had just done. Juliet however didn't look the least bit moved by the situation.

"It's unfortunate but our own safety comes first." Juliet replied and showed she was fully aware of what her actions just then had done. In that moment the two of them had likely killed hundreds.

However this was far from being the end to the slaughter that would occur that day…