CHAPTER 72 #2
He changed it to black because that was the color of the blood of the old Erenhal.
Black had become the color that represented Vincenzo and the bloodline he carried.
"I want you to stand by here and watch over Mysarea. If something unexpected happens... alam kong malalaman ninyo agad iyon dahil sa inyong mga uwak. If that time comes... and those beings finally appear... I want you to come to Vermeleyon and protect the people with me.
Ito na ang tamang panahon upang hindi na kayo magtago."
Tahimik na nakinig ang mga Erenhal kay Rassia.
"Our pleasure, Rassia," sagot ni Dimitrius. "We will do that even if you don't have to ask us. Protecting the people is something we would do regardless. But we cannot reveal ourselves without our father's permission. King Drakkon wanted us to remain hidden until he returns."
Tumango si Rassia.
"I understand."
Marahan siyang napatingin sa bawat isa sa kanila.
"I won't force you to break your father's order. Alam kong may dahilan kung bakit niya kayo piniling manatiling nakatago, at alam ko rin kung gaano karaming buhay ang maaaring malagay sa panganib kapag basta-basta kayong nagpakita."
Napahilot sa sentido si Devi habang napapikit sandali. Si Thaddeus naman ay tahimik na nakatayo sa tabi niya, seryoso ang mukha habang nakikinig.
"My temple is hurting... argh... we still can't find any traces of Erishkigal. But there are countless men and women disappearing, and malakas ang kutob ko na siya ang dahilan noon. We can't fucking stay calm right now. Nagsisimula na..."
"She's moving now..." ani Thaddeus.
"Rassia, just focus on taking the empire. Kami ang maghahanap ng mga bakas niya. We will continue to investigate every disappearance we can find. Hindi tayo maaaring basta maghintay hanggang sa tuluyan siyang lumitaw." Lucius finally spoke.
"Very well, then. Thank you. I am glad I have you to handle that matter. And Cayena... I want you to keep an eye on Mysarea while I'm gone," ani Rassia.
"No problem, Rassia..." sagot ni Cayena habang tumatango.
Tiningnan ni Rassia ang buong mapa ng Vermeleyon na nakalatag sa ibabaw ng mahabang mesa.
"We need to think in advance. We need to think twenty times ahead."
"... ngayon pa lamang, nakapag-isip na ako ng plano kung sakaling sumiklab ang digmaan at kung ano ang gagawin natin sa lahat ng mga mamamayan."
"At ano iyon, Rassia?" tanong ni Cayena. "Hindi sila madaling protektahan. Hindi lamang ang bansang Sartores ang kailangan nating isipin. There are other territories and cities that could also become involved once the war begins."
Tumango si Rassia.
"Exactly."
Bahagya niyang hinawakan ang ilang bahagi ng mapa.
"If Erishkigal's goal is to destroy the world of Arcadeya, then obviously... we already have an answer."
Makahulugan ang pagkakasabi ni Rassia habang nananatili ang kaniyang tingin sa mapa ng Vermeleyon.
Biglang natahimik ang buong silid.
Lucy Pearl smirked. She already knew what Rassia was thinking. Hindi na niya kailangang tanungin kung ano ang ibig sabihin nito. Alam niyang hindi basta-basta magsasalita si Rassia nang ganoon kung wala itong nabuo nang plano sa kaniyang isipan.
The Erenhals' eyes widened. Napagtanto nila ang plano ni Rassia. They understood what she meant, even though she never actually said the plan out loud.
Tumango si Vladimir, agreeing to her plan.
"That plan is excellent. It will require an enormous amount of mana to accomplish it. I can execute it, but I will need your assistance, brothers... sisters."
"What a clever plan, Rassia," ani Cassandra habang bahagyang umiiling. "I didn't expect you to think that far ahead."
"I will leave that part to you... but there is more to think about. Demons and Erishkigal are what we are going to face. Even the gods and goddesses couldn't defeat her... paano pa kaya tayo? Anong laban natin sa puwersa nila? We don't even know what kind of abilities they possess..."
bumuntong-hininga si Rassia.
Tahimik na tumango si Anastacio.
"Once the empire is under your rule, Master. We can use the empire's influence to reach out to the other rulers and convince them to stand with us. The more people we have on our side, the better our chances will be when Erishkigal finally makes her move. We need to build our alliances now,
habang may panahon pa..."
Rassia held her chin. Bahagyang napataas ang kaniyang kilay habang tinitingnan ang mga Erenhal. Isa-isa niyang pinagmasdan ang lahat.
Dimitrius was drinking his usual wine. Si Thaddeus, Devi, at Natalia naman ay mukhang malalim ang iniisip, tila pinoproseso ang lahat ng napag-usapan nila.
Lapileon and Lucius stood with their arms crossed, tahimik lamang na nakikinig.
Si Cassandra naman ay nilalaro ang kaniyang itim na buhok habang nakatingin kay Rassia.
Si Morticia ay napapahawak sa kaniyang kwintas, habang si Vladimir naman ay marahang tinatapik ang ibabaw ng mesa gamit ang kaniyang mga daliri.
Wait... ngayon ko lang ito napagtanto... The blood of old Erenhal has connections all around the world, huh...
"I apologize for saying this... Erenhals, but this is the time when we will need the connections... of your mates."
Tila natigilan ang lahat sa narinig ni Rassia. Agad na kumunot ang noo ng ilan, habang ang iba naman ay napatingin sa isa't isa.
Napalunok si Cayena dahil doon at napatingin kay Natalia.
Tahimik lamang si Rassia habang hinihintay ang kanilang magiging reaksyon. Alam niyang hindi madaling hilingin iyon sa kanila.
"But I don't mean that you should force them to join us," dagdag ni Rassia. "I only want you to reach out to them. If they are willing to help, then we welcome them. If they refuse, I won't hold it against them."
Bahagya niyang tiningnan ang mapa.
"We need allies, and your connections may be the strongest ones we have. I realized that you have different mates across Arcadeya... hindi na nating kailangang magpadalos-dalos pa. We need allies, and perhaps your mates are the ones who can lead us to people who would be willing to stand with us.
I only want you to reach out to them, explain what is happening, and let them decide for themselves if they are willing to help us when the time comes."
Nanatiling tahimik ang mga Erenhal habang iniisip ang mga sinasambit ni Rassia.
Some of them hesitated because they knew how dangerous it could be for their mates.
Kapag nalaman ng Holy Cathedral o ng iba pa na konektado ang kanilang mga mates sa mga Erenhal, maaaring madamay ang mga ito sa gulong matagal na nilang iniiwasan.
"Alam kong naiintindihan ninyo ako... I know your struggles and personal problems, and I know that asking you to reach out to your mates isn't something easy... but we don't have a choice. Tayo lamang ang may kakayahang harapin ang mga bagay na paparating,
at kung gusto nating magkaroon ng pagkakataon laban kay Erishkigal, kailangan nating gamitin ang lahat ng koneksyon na mayroon tayo..." pagpapatuloy ni Rassia.
"I agree." tumango si Lapileon.
"Brothers... sisters... your mates came from different races and powerful kingdoms. Dimitrius... it's time to meet your mate again, and also to talk to Mother... I mean, the reincarnation of our mother, regarding this."
Mabilis na tinaasan ng kilay ni Cassandra si Lapileon.
"It's easy for you to say that, Lapileon! Why? Because your mate is in Holmeia! Hindi niya kailangang humarap sa parehong panganib na maaaring harapin ng ibang mates natin. What about the others?!"
"I know that, Cassandra. Kaya nga sinabi kong kailangan natin silang kausapin, hindi basta isabak sa gulo. Hindi lamang ang Erenhal Sartorias, ang Vermeleyon ang nasa panganib. It's the whole world of Arcadeya. Kapag tuluyang kumilos si Erishkigal,
maaaring wala nang ligtas na lugar para sa kahit sino. Our continent might become the battlefield, and once that happens, hindi na natin kayang protektahan ang lahat nang tayo-tayo lamang. Kaya kailangan nating makipag-ugnayan sa mga taong may kakayahang tumulong sa atin,
kahit nasa ibang kaharian o ibang lahi pa sila. Hindi natin sila kailangang pilitin na lumaban. We just need to give them a choice before everything becomes too late..."
"Lapileon has a point." sang-ayon si Morticia.
Thaddeus rolled his eyes.
"Oh, Morticia, isa ka pa. It's also easy for you to say that because you don't have a mate yet, am I right? You don't understand us."
Tumalim ang mga mata ni Morticia at marahan siyang napatayo.
"What did you just say?!"
Biglang bumigat ang atmospera sa loob ng opisina. Naramdaman ng lahat ang tensyon sa pagitan ng dalawang Erenhal.
Napakuyom ang mga kamay ni Morticia.
"Did you even know that I am the one who suffered the most when the Red Moon appeared, and you all are fucking throwing tantrums because you can't control yourselves?
! Ang lakas mong sabihin 'yan, Thaddeus!
I also have people to care about! Hindi porket wala akong mate, ibig sabihin wala na akong pakialam sa mga taong maaaring madamay!
I know what it feels like to be afraid of losing someone, and I know exactly why you're hesitating!
But don't sit there and tell me that I don't understand you just because my situation is different from yours!"
Napahilot si Rassia sa kaniyang sentido dahil sa magkapatid na nag-aaway-away.
All of the people inside Mysarea Palace could feel the strong mana presences coming from the Erenhals. Kahit nasa ibang bahagi sila ng palasyo, ramdam nila ang bigat ng mana na unti-unting kumakalat sa paligid.
Para bang bahagyang yumayanig ang buong palasyo kahit wala namang lindol. May ilang kawal ang napatingin sa kanilang paligid, habang ang ibang servants ay natigilan sa kanilang ginagawa.
Muling napailing sina Thaddeus at Cassandra.
"Morticia, you're taking this too seriously," sambit ni Thaddeus habang nakataas ang kaniyang kilay. "We're only saying that it's different when you have a mate. Hindi mo alam kung gaano kahirap ilagay sa panganib ang taong mahalaga sa'yo."
"Maiintindihan mo rin kami kung may mate ka na, Morticia," malamig na sambit ni Cassandra.