“Here will do.”
I looked at the terrain. I decided to set up camp outside the Imperial City where a block of land protruded upwards. However, there was a forest between our location and the Imperial City. I decided to chop the forest down. Actually, it would be best to just burn it.
Huge birds appeared overhead when we advanced.
‘It appears we need to prepare to defend against aerial attacks.’
My current countermeasure was forming small teams of five. The teams fired at the sky in a cyclic fashion. The huge birds didn’t have very tough exteriors. They basically die once they were hit with a bullet, so as long as the soldiers aren’t afraid and wait for the birds to come into their range, then they were able to shoot them down. We suffered relatively heavy losses at the start, for we weren’t informed of their body makeup and didn’t know how to deal with them. Now, however, they weren’t scary, since we were informed.
I looked at the white building across from us. I chuckled and said “Shusia, I thought of a few words that you may have not heard before. It goes as so: “I can see the five-corner star. I won’t let my army be thrown into disarray as soon as we engage the way they do. Not only can I see the top of their Imperial Palace’s bell tower, but I can also ring the bell that notifies everyone of a new era.”
Shusia nodded, “But, Your Majesty, how do you want to attack them? That is the emblem of royalty. I think that we will fight a bloody battle here.”
I shook my head with a smile, “Though we will have a bloody battle, their members of royalty are in danger. Shusia, you don’t need to worry. This will be where the dynasty of the North will be annihilated. However, it won’t be a battle where our soldiers’ blood is spilt. Trust me. Trust me. I won’t let our soldiers die for nothing.
“Uhm,” responded Shusia, with a nod.
I looked to the other side. There was a group of white buildings beneath the snowy mountain as though they were thick clouds surrounding the snowy mountain. The gothic-style palace was located behind the snowy mountain, with the top being almost as high up as the mountain. The sun appeared as though it was shining down from atop the mountain, revealing the entire white tower similarly to a scene out of a movie.
‘That place will soon be mine. I’ll need to wait for a bit now, nevertheless. I have two huge mortars I’m still waiting on. Once they arrive, I won’t need to attack. I’ll be able to just take it.’
I rode down the tall slope.
I wasn’t worried about my army running into trouble at the moment. The temperature wouldn’t change in the coming days, and the opposition didn’t have the strength to counterattack us. They’d be lucky if they could defend their city. I didn’t need to plan anything else for the meantime. I just needed to blow the doors open, and the war in the North would be all over.
What worried me was Lucia. Lucia didn’t write me a letter. Normally, Lucia would never let Nier write a letter, yet not write one herself.
‘Lucia better be all right.’
Lucia is pregnant, so I was very concerned. My letter might not have reached to Lucia, but I wasn’t informed to avoid making me worry. I only knew that Vyvyan took her away through Gerald’s report. He didn’t know what happened, but he said that she was in pretty good shape when she left.
‘Perhaps she couldn’t send me a letter, because elves can’t come here?’
‘I hope Lucia is all right. I’ll be able to bring my wives here once I subdue the North. They’ll be able to give birth with me at their side, and I can provide my children with a safe environment to grow up in. I also need to try and bring my two moms over to my side, as well. I promised Mommy Elizabeth I’d smash her cage down, so I must do it!’
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“Ugh… Ugh… Your Highness… No… No… I… Aaahh!! Ugh!! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Vyvyan placed the bottle aside and looked at Lucia, who was chucking up mouthfuls of water. She pressed her hand down firmly on Lucia’s mouth to prevent her from spitting it out. Lucia had to drink it. If she didn’t, the children would die. Vyvyan had to do this, though she didn’t feel guilty.
“Lucia, Lucia, drink it. You have to drink it to protect your child. You must stay strong for your child!”
Vyvyan stroked Lucia’s face that wore a painful expression. Lucia struggled to turn her head to face Vyvyan. She opened her mouth and continued to mutter, “Your Highness… Your Highness… Is my child… Is my child… Is my child okay…? My child…”
Vyvyan leaned in next to her ear and softly answered, “Your child is well and healthy. Your child has very pure mana. Your child will be fine as long as you survive, so you must stay strong, Lucia. You must hang in there.”
Lucia dawdled for a moment and then her expression relaxed a little. Her twitching mouth gently turned into a blissful smile. With a smile, she powerlessly said, “Really…? She got… She got… His Highness’… superior bloodline… I… I am so glad… I am so glad…”
Vyvyan touched Lucia’s belly and softly explained, “You’re doing great, Lucia, you’re doing great. My child’s child, who is also the future of the Galadriel tribe, is inside you, so you must hang in there. Hang in there. Just one month. The kids won’t need to absorb mana after one more month. That’s when you can rest.”
Lucia’s hand began to tremble. She placed it on her belly. With a blissful, yet weak, smile, she muttered, “Is that right…? Is that right…? I can hang in there… Your Majesty… I can take anything… for His Highness… I love him… I really love him… This is our child… This is our child… Our only…”
Next to Lucia’s ear, Vyvyan corrected her, “Not only, Lucia, but two.”
Lucia’s eyes lit up and her smile became even more prominent. It was as if that one sentence erased all of her pain. She shut her eyes and in a shaky voice said, “Really…? Really…? I am so glad… I am so glad… My children… I… I… His Highness would be very happy to know that… I will definitely give birth to them for His Majesty… His Highness’ children… His Highness’…”
“Uhm, that’s right, Lucia. Hang in there. Just hang in there. It’s all right. It’s all right. I will definitely help you. Just listen to what I say. Have a sleep for now.”
Vyvyan stroked Lucia’s eyes, and then Lucia fell asleep similarly to the state of a dead person again. This time, however, she had a blissful smile on her face.
Vyvyan left the room. Nobody was in the corridor. She checked her surroundings, and then punched the door hard. She could understand why Elizabeth was so furious back then, because she had to watch another woman give birth to her child with such a blissful smile. It was basically a challenge to a mother.
“Stop… Stop… Stop… I can’t get angry. I can’t get angry…”
Vyvyan huffed and puffed. Her red eyes filled with murderous intent slowly reverted back to blue. She straightened up her torso and took in a deep breath so that she could regain her graceful mannerisms and smile. She peered inside the door, and then turned to quickly leave.
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