Chapter 398: Bygone Era

Chapter 398: Bygone Era

"Father, this is my fault. I should have never insisted that we come here to persuade him." Dorothy's face bore a heavy burden as they stepped inside the mansion designated for the members of the esteemed seven families. Her voice trembled with remorse as she lowered her gaze. Tears started pooling in her eyes. "I apologize."

"Stop blaming yourself. You are still a member of the seven family!" Brinley sneered. "Let us accept it, we were all blindsided by the audacity of that woman, Rosie Rothley. How dare she bear the name of the esteemed Rothley Family and behave with such disrespect and shamelessness before us?"

He sat on the chair and added. "We do not require her permission, nor that of the Duke. If our intention is to offer assistance, we can plead our case directly to the King. His benevolence would surely welcome us into the estate."

"Unfortunately, The King has bestowed significant power and authority upon the Duke of Wugari, who oversees this domain. The walls belonged to the Rothley estate. Everything that we wanted to do shall be discussed with the Duke." Martin said.

"Is it truly impossible for us to enter the estate without the Duke's permission? What about the people residing there? Are they unaware of our noble lineage and the genuine help we aim to provide?" Dorothy asked.

A heavy silence settled upon the room. In their hearts, they knew the truth. The days of the seven families being essential for the survival of the North had long passed. The world had shifted, and the once-dependent residents of the estate had found ways to sustain themselves without relying on their ancestral benefactors.

"Father, if the people have found their own way, shouldn't we strive to be a part of it? Our ancestors fought for this land, for the prosperity of the North. Are we to abandon our duty and let the King dictate our every move?"

Martin sighed. "And what makes you think the King would even bother to listen to us? To them, we are mere remnants of a bygone era, clinging to our titles and entitlements. The Duke holds the power now. We cannot simply expect him to bend to our whims."

"Can we not appeal to the King's sense of justice? Show him that we still have a role to play, that we can contribute to the betterment of their people. Surely, he would not turn a blind eye to our pleas."

"The Aster sought aid from the Duke, and now the King may use it against us," Brinley said.

"But what are we to do? We cannot abandon them, Father. They need our help."

Brinley's eyes widened, disbelief etched on his face. "From the other side? How is that possible? We are supposed to be protected by the walls of the Rothley estate."

The knight nodded grimly. "These creatures are unlike anything we have seen before. They have found a way to bypass the defenses. We cannot ascertain their nature. We do not know whether they are demonic entities or simply beasts native to the northern lands. Regardless, it is no longer safe here. You must evacuate immediately."

"No," Dorothy's brows furrowed. "How can we leave? This is our opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the people of Wugari, to show them that we can be their beacon of hope in these dark times."

Hearing his daughter's words, Martin immediately intervened. He held his daughter's arm, hoping his grip was hard enough to wake her up.

He did not know what made her decide to come here. He had been supportive but this this is simply too much. "Dorothy, we lack the necessary means to confront this threat. Brinley, our most capable fighter, is wounded by Lachlan's betrayal. We cannot risk our lives unnecessarily. For now, we must prioritize our own safety and regroup," he said.

"But... but we could join forces with the knights. They are trained to handle such situations."

"Enough!" Martin said. "Think about it. Are you willing to sacrifice your life for these people!?"

"Father, I... I want to make a difference, to protect our land and our people. This is the will of the goddess."

"I think running away is going to be a bad decision," Brinley spoke after a few seconds of silence.

"What?"

"I believe running away would be a grave mistake. We are descendants of the seven families, chosen to bear the responsibility of safeguarding our land and its inhabitants. How can we simply retreat when faced with such adversity?" Brinley spoke.