Two days later...
On Sunday morning Peters City dawned in a somewhat different mood than usual.
That was not only because it was the eve of the opening of the Linn Province Secret Realm, an event that naturally brought experts from all over the province and even some individuals from the capital to this city. Something else had suddenly brought many more people than one would generally see to the opening of the Secret Realms.
The Secret Realm was something vital that existed in some Leopoldine provinces, and even powers from outside a province would show interest in these places from other areas of the empire.
Hence, it was natural that people from different parts of Leopoldine would have some interest in the matter.
However, as important as it was, opening a Secret Realm was a recurring event that could be followed several times during an expert's lifetime. So many people just sought information about who entered and who left these places without closely following the event's progress.
Therefore, the Peters City guards soon realized early in the morning that something was up, as more specialists and people from unexpected places were entering the city.
This morning, carriages from various cities of nearby provinces of Linn Province arrived in this city at dawn. In them, most of the passengers were high-level Spiritual Warriors, but there were even Transcendents in some of them!
That was not at all common, and soon men were knocking on the door of the Duke of the Province, bringing urgent news.
...
In front of Lothur's house, a Koch family car had just parked there.
Pa! Pa!
"Senior Lothur, we have urgent information!" The man who had just climbed down from a black SUV shouted, bringing information about the arrival of specialists from outside the province this morning in Peters City.
Lothur looked at his status as he lay next to Viktoria before getting up to attend to that person.
[Name: Lothur Ritter]
[Physique: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger]
[Bloodline: Life Devourer]
[Cultivation: level 15]
[STR: 197 -> 208.5]
[CON: 417.5 -> 421.3]
[DEX: 203.6 -> 214.2]
[AGI: 198.2 -> 209.1]
[INT: 135.6]
[PER: 239.9]
[WIL: 172.7 -> 179]
[EVF: 0]
He opened the auxiliary gate of his garage and asked. "What is it? Why are you at my house so early?"
"Senior Lothur, people from various parts of the empire are arriving in our city." That level 14 man said in an agitated tone. "More people than we expected for the opening of the Secret Realm are arriving... We fear something is about to happen."
Lothur frowned, not expecting something like this early in the morning. "Come in."
He and that man went inside his house, where Annaliese was still asleep in her room. Still, Viktoria was already up to see what the situation was.
"What is it?"
The elder looked at Lothur to see if he could say things related to espionage in front of that woman.
But since that was just information, Lothur saw no problem and nodded positively for this man to speak.
He said. "At least twice as many experts as expected for the Secret Realm are already in the city. Among them, Transcendents and two Dukes of Provinces have already been seen among the new arrivals!"
"What? How is that possible?" Viktoria exclaimed. "At other times, only a few Transcendents from the imperial family would come for the opening of the Secret Realm!
Other than them, only Spiritual Warriors accompanying youths who are going to enter the Secret Realm would come to Peters City!
Then how come even Dukes are here?"
That man said. "I don't know. We only know about their arrival." He looked at Lothur, indicating that they didn't know anything because these newcomers didn't have cars, and the car owners didn't know anything yet.
Lothur understood that many things limited him from being able to know everything at all times and said, indicating something he knew this man would understand right. "I think you guys should see the Duke of the Province. He will probably find out what is happening quickly."
'He wants us to pay attention to the Duke? He and his people will probably say something using the communication formations in their cars...'
"In any case, let all our allies know, so they'll be on alert. Tomorrow I will leave for the Secret Realm, so you will be without my help for the next few days...
You'd better get ready for trouble." Lothur said, thinking about the week ahead.
The Secret Realm lasted a week. That was the time it took between the opening of the entrance to this place and the closing of it.
Anyone who entered there could leave within that period, but Lothur intended to stay as long as possible.
However, beyond that week, one would be stuck in that region of space until it opened up again several years in the future. Therefore, no one entering there would plan to stay longer than necessary since the place itself was pretty dangerous.
That man understood Lothur's orders and promptly left to settle these matters.
Lothur looked at Viktoria and sighed, "Trouble is on the way. I can feel it."
"What are we going to do?" She asked. "We will enter the Secret Realm tomorrow morning... Annaliese and our allies will have to handle our affairs while they will be without our support."
"Don't worry. Even in my absence, my allies will not be helpless." Lothur smiled at her before picking her up on his lap and running back to his room.
...
Meanwhile, at the Duke of the Province's house...
Men from the Waldeaur family guard were already at Chris' door when Lothur had just heard the news from a member of the Koch family.
This man had just woken up and had a sleepy expression, something that even Transcendents could have.
"What's the matter with you people? Is there a problem?" He asked after opening the door for his guards and going back inside the house, heading for the kitchen.
"Duke, several patriarchs from out-of-province families passed through the city's entry posts minutes ago. Among them, two Dukes from the empire have also arrived." One of the men said.
The other commented. "But they did not arrive with the envoys from the capital and the escorts of the youths with vacancies for the Secret Realm."
"What?" Chris looked back in surprise, finding it strange that fellows had come to his territory without warning him of anything.
It had been over 50 years since he had last seen another Duke, and on that occasion, they were all in Leopoldine's capital. Thinking about how repeating this was, this man lost his sleepy expression and said. "Take me to these people. I want to know what brings them to my city!"
But the Duke wouldn't even have to go far to find out what was happening.
As he dressed and left the house, before he even got into his car, two luxurious carriages pulled up in front of his estate, with two Transcendents descending from their vehicles to watch open-mouthed in his direction.
"Is that such a so-called car?" One asked aloud, seeing the first vehicle independent of animal power he had ever witnessed!
...