Chapter 4 The Appearance Of The Tower Part Two
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”I-I must report… Something terrible is happening in the lower town.”
Without listening to the report until the end, Lucia rolled out from under the desk and hurried to the window.
”Your Highness, you must not approach the window until the situation is fully assessed.”
Ignoring the warnings of the servants and the knights, or rather, as if not hearing them at all, Lucia leaped to the window in a state of mind where she seemed oblivious to the warnings. What appeared in Lucia’s field of vision as she jumped to the window was the very answer to the identity of the shaking earth and the shining light.
”What in the world is this…”
”S-So divine.”
Both Lucia and the soldier who tried to pull her away were captivated by the spectacle as if they had forgotten about time. They were entranced by the scene to the extent that their thoughts overflowed directly from their mouths, completely fascinated by the seemingly impossible spectacle.
”What a beautiful tower it is. That is a sacred tower created by God, which mere humans cannot possibly reach…”
There stood a pure white towering tower reaching towards the sky. It was so divine, making one believe in the existence of God, and it even evoked a sense of faith in some who laid eyes upon it. The towering tower stood amidst a residential neighborhood, seemingly crushing it under its weight.
”Your Highness.”
For a while, Lucia was stunned by the towering sight of this giant tower. However, she was forcibly brought back to reality by the voice of a soldier who did not rush to Lucia’s side near the entrance. At the same time, she immediately grasped her duties as the regent.
”Al, return to your bedroom,” was the first command Lucia issued to the boy who was squatting on the floor at the edge of the office, covered by soldiers. The boy was Alfred Ravendora Harenamerehta. He is the legitimate son of the current emperor, and thus the next emperor.
Alfred is only twelve years old this year. He has a thick, shoulder-length golden hair inherited from his father, and his eyes are deep blue, just like Lucia’s. He is still a young and adorable boy.
The long-awaited heir, Alfred, was born as the fourth child after the marriage of the legitimate wife Almaria, who came from the northern kingdom to Emperor Fredrin II. Among the three daughters – the eldest Seimia, the second Lucia, and the third Sofia – Alfred has looked up to Lucia from a young age. This was not only because she took special care of him, teaching him the sword and taking him on long rides on horseback, but also because she wielded a strong arm in politics, enough to command even ministers, which made him yearn to become an emperor in the future, despite being a woman.
”How will Aneue do?”
Alfred stood up with the help of a servant. His eyes were tinged with anxiety and worry, and his small body seemed to be trembling slightly. So, when Lucia approached Alfred and kneeled down, she embraced his body and gently stroked his head to reassure him, as if comforting a child.
Lucia understood the meaning behind Alfred’s question. It was a question filled with emotions about whether she would flee alone, or if Lucia would also flee with him. Therefore, when Alfred hugged her tightly in return, it may have been not just an expression of anxiety, but rather a desire to reassure Lucia that everything would be alright.
Lucia believes that Alfred has a special talent for understanding others’ emotions. Perhaps that is why his insight is occasionally astonishing, and she is convinced that he will eventually lead the Ravendora Empire as a great ruler.
So, driven by a sense of duty and for Alfred to become a great ruler, the Ravendora Empire must endure. Whether what emerges from the Tower is divine or evil, if the Ravendora Empire were to fall, Alfred might not only lose his status as crown prince, but also be captured and reduced to slavery. Such a future was absolutely inconceivable.
Lucia untangled her arm from behind Alfred’s back, placed her hand on his shoulder, and met Alfred’s gaze. Through eyes of the exact same color inherited from their mother, she saw her resolute self.
”I am the representative of the old capital. I must give orders to the soldiers here.”
”Understood.”
Alfred did not throw a tantrum. With a resolute expression, he obediently lowered his head and, following Lucia’s command, left the office surrounded by guards.
As she watched his retreating figure, Lucia was inwardly very anxious. Making a resolution did not dispel her unease. Despite putting on a calm facade to not unsettle the soldiers and servants, in reality, she wanted nothing more than to pace the room like a restless bear before hibernation, all the while biting her nails.
And there are two elements that make Lucia anxious.
First, the unprecedented situation of a giant tower appearing in the town. If it were a war or a magical explosion, there would still be ways to deal with it, but the town being crushed by the giant tower is not only unexpected, but also an abnormal situation that was not even anticipated.
And the second and biggest factor is that Alfred happens to be present in this abnormal situation. He is not only Lucia’s beloved younger brother, but also the next emperor of the Ravendora Empire. Alfred is currently the only legitimate male heir, and there is no one to replace him.
Originally, Alfred should not be in the old capital, but by some twist of fate, he came to play for about two weeks under the pretext of learning Lucia’s politics. The old capital is not only centrally located on the empire’s map, but also an area without any particular sources of conflict, so the emperor allowed it. However, no one could have anticipated that it would turn out like this.
”Your Highness, Your Highness the Princess!”
A middle-aged man wearing a navy blue armor burst into Lucia’s presence, who was contemplating whether it would be better to send Alfred back to the imperial capital before confirming the situation.
”Kassandros, have you found out anything about that tower?”
The man’s name is General Kassandros. He commands Lucia’s army and currently serves as the defense force commander of this old capital. As soon as Kassandros entered the office, he let out an exclamation of admiration upon seeing the composed Lucia, but quickly regained his composure and conveyed his message concisely.
”I have received a report that a ritual involving magic power is being conducted at the Asura-Telmaal facility, and the guards have entered the facility to prevent the ritual and detain those involved.”
”So, what does that mean?”
”Yes, it seems that the facility mentioned in the report is located right at the almost exact center where the tower appeared. There is no doubt that the tower was brought forth by the Asura-Telmaal ritual.”
Lucia finally found herself at a loss when the name of the heretical Asura-Telmaal sect was mentioned.
”So, that tower is the tower of Asura-Telmaal… Wait, what happened to the houses near the tower?”
”Most likely, they were crushed. Judging from the number of vanished houses, it’s estimated that several hundred people have become victims.”
”What a travesty. Those Asura-Telmaal followers… resorting to such outrageous acts.”
”Also, it seems that there is some sort of entrance to the tower, and we have deployed our troops to guard and monitor it. Given this, it would be advisable to assume that there is some kind of presence related to Asura-Telmaal inside the tower.”
Lucia, clenching her fists and trembling with anger, suddenly turned to look outside the window.
”Are you saying that Asura-Telmaal is there?”
”I wouldn’t go as far as to say that… but the fact remains that it wouldn’t be surprising if Asura-Telmaal were inside that tower, exuding a divinity beyond human comprehension.”
”…What should we do?”
Asura-Telmaal sect is a cancer that plagues the Ravendora Empire. It is said to have thousands, if not tens of thousands, of followers. They engage in extreme activities such as kidnapping children for sacrificial rituals and attacking the Holy Light Church, which is the national religion of the Ravendora Empire, under the guise of religious purification. As a result, they are targeted by the Ravendora Empire as a heretical cult and traitors to the nation.
”What would you like me to do, Your Highness?”
”…I understand that there is no time to think. However, I am also perplexed by the situation, which I have never imagined.”
But getting upset will not accomplish anything. Because she happened to be present, she can only view it positively as an opportunity to clarify and resolve the situation. Lucia turns her back to the towering spire outside the window.
”…No, I must start with what I can do. First, evacuate the surrounding residents, and assign all available soldiers to monitor the tower. Then, immediately send a fast horse to report the situation to the imperial capital. The civil officials should thoroughly investigate the Asura-Telmaal sect’s code of laws and historical books for any mention of that tower.”
”Yes, ma’am.”
Everyone gathers their hearts together and starts working. Each person may be anxious about their given tasks, but they all have the same love for they country. And here, there are people with such a strong sense of responsibility that they are willing to sacrifice their lives for the nation.
After that, in the office where even the civil servants had left, Kassandros mutter towards Lucia’s back, who is looking out the window in the vacant office.
”Your Highness… For thirty years, I have dedicated myself to this country and have been proud to overcome numerous difficulties. But now, I have no idea how to overcome this situation.”
”That makes two of us… However, both you and I have the duty to protect this country and its people. Therefore, we cannot give up. If we run out of options, we will pray to the God while bathing in the water from the well, without even eating or sleeping.”
If it comes to war, they will fight with swords until the end. If it is a battle on a dimension where humans cannot intervene, such as a conflict between gods, they will offer prayers at the church.
”I don’t know what’s inside that tower, but let me ask you this: do you think goblins or orcs will come out from that tower? The inhabitants of that tower are either god or beings close to god. So, whether a thousand or two thousand insignificant humans increase, it doesn’t make much difference.”
”…Your Highness.”
”If there is anything we can do, it is only to pray to the god. If that is indeed the Tower of Asura-Telmaal, then we, as followers of the Holy Light, seek salvation from the Holy Mother Goddess Shamadirka… However, if enemies, whether human or monsters, emerge from that tower and we are able to fight, then we shall fight until the end, wielding our swords, and buy as much time as possible.”
This old capital is the levee of a river on the brink of flooding. While a country may have strong defenses from external threats, it is difficult to say the same for internal ones. If this old capital is breached, there are not many castles or forts that can impede the journey to the imperial capital.
Therefore, Lucia and her army have been given the mission to buy as much time as possible. Even if they combine the defending forces of the old capital with Lucia’s own forces, there are only about five thousand soldiers. She doesn’t know how much they can accomplish, but if every single one of them fights until the last breath and becomes a fallen soldier, they can buy a considerable amount of time.
In order to prevent the enemy’s invasion or at least stall the advance by causing an impact on the strength of the Ravendora Empire’s soldiers, Lucia can die with a smile. She believes that her father, the Emperor, known for leading the entire empire’s strong forces, can secure victory even if she herself perishes.
”It seems that Your Highness should return to the imperial capital soon, along with His Highness the Crown Prince. Please leave the old capital to me, Kassandros.”
However, from the vassals’ perspective, Lucia is just one of the royal family. Despite the unfavorable situation of unknown enemy forces and poor positioning, rather than wasting time in such a disadvantageous situation, Kassandros suggested leading the army again, but Lucia dismissed it without consideration.
”…I know. I’ll let Al return to the imperial capital. But I cannot move. This is a matter that even concerns the survival of the country. As a member of the royal family, I have no intention of fleeing back for self-preservation.”
The determination of Lucia, to do whatever she can, is already firm. While Kassandros seemed to still want to say something, the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. With a voice that seemed to be squeezed out, he gave a small response, and then left the office to give instructions to the soldiers himself.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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