CHAPTER 69 #7
"Of course. Just don't break anything this time."
Nagtawanan ang mga bata bago mabilis na tumakbo palabas.
Rassia shook her head, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Pumupunta na rin ang mga Erenhal sa Mysarea. Mayroon na ring mga Triberus na ang nagbabantay sa napakalaking batong double doors ng lungsod, habang may mga Pegasus ding lumilipad sa kalangitan kasama ang dalawang dragon na si Dragoroth at Razareth.
Ang mga Pegasus ay mayroon ng mga karwaheng hinihila upang mas mabilis ang paglalakbay papasok at palabas ng Mysarea.
Tanging ang lungsod ng Mysarea ang may mga Pegasus na may karwahe. Ginawa rin itong negosyo ni Rassia.
Hinahayaan ni Rassia ang mga maharlika na bumili ng Pegasus na may sariling karwahe, lalo na ang mga madalas bumiyahe sa iba't ibang lugar ng Vermeleyon at Palazan. Dahil dito, mas naging kilala ang Mysarea bilang tanging lungsod na nagbebenta ng ganitong uri ng transportasyon.
Unti-unti ring lumago ang negosyo, at naging isa ito sa mga pinagkakakitaan ng lungsod habang patuloy na umaangat ang pamumuhay ng mga mamamayan.
Unti-unti nang naging mas abala ang lungsod dahil sa pagdami ng mga taong naglalakbay papunta roon. The once-feared city was slowly becoming an important place for travelers, merchants, and different races from across the continent.
"So you're now what they call the Red Queen, brat? I clearly see you are loved by the people..." ani Cassandra habang umiinom ng milk tea na gawa ni Rassia.
Nasa palasyo sila, nakaupo habang pinagmamasdan ang magandang tanawin ng Mysarea. Mula roon ay tanaw ang mga gusali, pamilihan, at mga taong abala sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na buhay.
Rassia had also established her Rische Atelier Café in Mysarea, which had quickly become one of the places the nobles and travelers liked to visit.
Ngumisi si Rassia at napailing habang pinagmamasdan si Cassandra na tila sarap na sarap sa kaniyang iniinom.
Thanks to the Erenhals' unlimited gold, I was able to establish all of this.
Naalala ko pa nang makita ko ang mga kayamanan ng mga Erenhal. There were fucking thirty towers in the castle filled with nothing but unlimited gold. Mayroon din doong sandamakmak na pera mula sa mundo ng Holmeia.
With that kind of wealth, rebuilding Mysarea was never going to be a problem.
"Well, they call me that because I was wearing a red dress that day..." sagot ni Rassia habang bahagyang ngumisi.
Napatingin sina Cassandra at Rassia sa ingay na nagmumula sa kanang bahagi ng lungsod.
"I guess Thaddeus, Vladimir, Lucius, Lapileon, and Dimitrius are having their little concert there..." ani Cassandra habang nakatingin sa direksyon ng ingay.
Bahagyang ngumisi si Rassia.
"Mysarea is indeed the only city that is different from the others."
Mula sa kinaroroonan nila, tanaw nila ang masiglang bahagi ng lungsod, kung saan nagtitipon ang mga tao at abala sa kanilang mga gawain.
"It doesn't feel like the same Mysarea I first saw," dagdag ni Cassandra.
Rassia quietly looked at the city below them.
"That's because it isn't anymore."
Napatawa si Rassia ng marinig muli ang napakalakas na sigawan ng mga mamamayan sa di kalayuan.
"Mukhang napilitan na naman sina Dimitrius at Vladimir sa kagaguhan ni Thaddeus."
Napailing si Cassandra habang patuloy na umiinom ng kaniyang milk tea.
"Knowing Thaddeus, he probably just kept bothering them until they gave up."
Rassia laughed. "At least may concert, libre pa."
Ngumiti si Cayena at lumapit din sa kanila. She was wearing an elegant yellow dress that suited her perfectly.
Hindi maiwasan ni Rassia na mamangha sa ganda ni Cayena, lalo na nang tumabi ito kay Cassandra. The two looked almost like twins, with their similar features and graceful presence.
Bahagya siyang napangiti habang pinagmamasdan silang dalawa.
"You will be a fine Empress, Rassia. You and my brother, Vincenzo, ruling the empire will make Vermeleyon new. I can already see it. You have something that most rulers don't have. You have seen what it is like to have nothing, to be powerless, and to be treated as though your voice doesn't matter.
That's why you understand what people need, and I believe that will make you different from the rulers who came before you."
Cayena smiled softly.
"You've already proven it here in Mysarea. You didn't simply take the city and claim it as your own. You rebuilt it. You gave people their freedom, allowed them to speak against you, and gave them a reason to believe that their lives could actually become better. If you can do that for Mysarea,
imagine what you and Vincenzo could do for the entire Erenhal Sartorias Empire."
Uminom si Rassia mula sa kaniyang kopita habang tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang tanawin ng Mysarea.
Well, because I've seen it in my previous life as Rische.
I was born as the daughter of a fucking corrupt president. Hindi ko kailanman makakalimutan kung paano ginagamit ng mga taong nasa kapangyarihan ang kanilang posisyon para sa sarili nilang interes. I've seen how corruption can destroy people's lives while those in power continue living comfortably.
Bahagya niyang hinigpitan ang hawak sa kaniyang kopita.
I hated it then, and I still fucking hate it now...
That's why I promised myself that if I ever had the power to change things, I wouldn't become the same kind of person I hated.
However, I can't tell them that Vincenzo turned back time and brought me back...
Hindi ko rin alam kung alam ba nila na binalik ni Vincenzo ang oras...
Hindi ko iyon binanggit sa kanila. Baka mas lalo ko lang magulo kung ano man ang plano ni Vincenzo kung magsasalita ako tungkol dito.
For now, I'll keep it to myself. Whatever Vincenzo did to bring me back... I don't want to put everything he worked for at risk...
"Well, I'm just doing what a Queen should do, Cayena." bahagya siyang ngumiti habang muling umiinom mula sa kaniyang kopita.
"I don't think I'm doing anything special. I simply believe that if you're given the power to rule over people, then you should use that power to protect them, not to make their lives harder..."
Lumapit ang commander ng Mysarea Knights na si Desmond at yumuko kay Rassia, bago rin bahagyang yumuko kina Cayena at Cassandra.
"Your graces... My Queen, the council is already in your office, waiting for you."
Ngumiti si Rassia kay Desmond at tumango.
"Alright. I'll be there."
All of the people of Mysarea already knew that the Erenhals were princes and princesses of an empire na nagbabakasyon lamang. Dahil madalas silang makita sa palasyo at sa lungsod, naging pamilyar na rin sa mga mamamayan ang kanilang presensya.
"Now, we begin to discuss Erenhal Sartorias..." ani Rassia habang pumapasok sa kaniyang office kasama sina Cassandra, Cayena at Desmond.
Naroon na ang limang prinsipeng Erenhal, dressed in their black prince attire, habang tahimik na naghihintay sa kani-kanilang upuan. Naroon din sina Natalia, Devi, at Morticia, na agad napatingin kay Rassia nang dumating ito.
The Six Azure Blades were also present, all wearing the black uniforms assigned to them.
Maya-maya ay lumitaw sina Lucy Pearl at Anastacio mula sa dimension ni Rassia at umupo rin sa kanilang mga puwesto.
Mayroon din siyang dalawang advisors mula sa Mysarea na kaniyang lubos na pinagkakatiwalaan. Sina Ophelia at Rosalinda, dalawang matatandang babae na matagal nang nakatira sa lungsod at parehong may malawak na kaalaman sa i-stratehiya.
Pareho silang nakasuot ng itim na kasuotang ipinagawa at itinalaga ni Rassia para sa kaniyang mga council members.
Tahimik na pinagmasdan ni Rassia ang lahat ng nasa paligid ng malaking mesa.
Thankfully, I have this many council members. My power right now is still not enough to handle everything by myself, especially with everything that's happening with the Grand Empire of Erenhal Sartorias...
I need people I can trust to handle different matters while I focus on the bigger problems.
I may be the Queen, but I don't have to do everything alone...
"Let's begin."
Isa sa Six Azure Blades, si Lazlo, ay naglagay ng ilang mga dyaryo at dokumento mula sa iba't ibang bahagi ng Vermeleyon sa ibabaw ng mesa. Naroon ang mga balita tungkol sa mga nagaganap sa iba't ibang bansa at lungsod sa buong kontinente.
"By spying, we discovered that this is happening right now in Vermeleyon, My Queen. Mas lumawak ang impluwensiya ng Holy Cathedral. They've been gaining control over more territories, and several nobles have already begun supporting them."
Tahimik na tiningnan ni Rassia ang mga dyaryo.
Lazlo continued.
"Some reports also say that they're increasing their influence over local governments, religious institutions, and even trade. If this continues, their authority will become even harder to challenge."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Rassia.
"So they're expanding."
"Yes, My Queen."
Tahimik na pinagmasdan ni Rassia ang mga nakalatag na dyaryo.
The Holy Cathedral is becoming more powerful...
And if I let them continue... they'll eventually become impossible to stop...
Hmm...
Lumapit din si Raja at bahagyang yumuko sa harapan ni Rassia.
"Emperor Lurtheron, the usurper, has also tamed a dragon. It's a blue dragon, at nakakulong lamang ito sa loob ng kanilang palasyo."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Rassia.
Raja continued, "I believe he tamed the dragon simply to gain more power. He is keeping it under heavy guard, and no one outside the palace is allowed to approach it."
Tumaas ang kilay ni Rassia nang marinig iyon.
"A dragon is not a fucking slave. If Lurtheron cannot control or discipline his own dragon, then he has no right to claim that he has tamed it."
Umigting ang panga ni Rassia habang tahimik na napatingin sa mga dyaryong na sa harapan niya.
So that lunatic has a dragon now, huh?
"Hmm... if you conquer and become the ruler of Erenhal Sartorias, and if Vincenzo finally comes back, then you'll be the Matriarch of Erenhal Sartorias, and he will be the Emperor Consort..."