Chapter 203: That Shameless Man

"Silence. We are all more agitated than usual. It would be best if we calmed down." The Sea King’s voice resonated through the hall. "After what happened in Hydria recently, we cannot continue like this. I tried to ignore what my daughter and the royal tutor have been telling me for a long time, but I think it is time for things to change."

"Does Your Majesty intend to lift the restrictions on the people of Turbid Waters?"

The king looked at the person who had spoken and shook his head.

"Doing that now would be too risky, but I want reassurance that keeping them won’t cause problems." His gaze turned directly toward Mireya, who remained seated without the slightest sign of respect.

"So basically, I was offered this position so I could order my people around and tell them to stay trapped like animals? If that’s the case, thank you very much, but I don’t want to be part of this farce."

"You don’t have to be so defensive. It’s a good thing you’re the one Thalassa brought here, Mireya. I think you, more than anyone, can understand the difference."

"The difference? Yes, I definitely know it. The way you treat your own people is different."

Oreon shifted uncomfortably.

"If we give them more resources, will they calm down?"

"More resources?" Mireya paused as if considering it before continuing. "That certainly helps, but it’s not enough. Lumia promised us resources a long time ago, but all we got were rotten algae and a cute little ’here you have!.’"

Thalassa’s eyes widened in surprise.

"That’s impossible!"

"No, it isn’t. We almost stormed the palace that day, but I convinced them it was a misunderstanding. Then what happened in Hydria occurred, and His Majesty decided it was a good idea to treat us like prisoners."

King Oreon listened to everything with a frown.

"I truly regret hearing all of this, but I cannot do anything about the latter. However, I will personally prepare everything you need to restore Turbid Waters."

A snort escaped Mireya’s lips as she scanned everyone’s faces. When her gaze finally returned to the king, she said indifferently:

"Go ahead. I don’t think there’s anything else to discuss here, then."

She stood up and headed straight for the door.

No one stopped her. Only Thalassa looked helplessly at everyone present before quickly following her outside.

"Wait! Mireya, stop for a second!"

When the woman finally stopped, the person following her crashed directly into her, but she ignored it and asked in a relieved, uncertain voice:

"Isn’t it enough?"

Mireya’s eyes looked at her coldly, but her words did not match them.

"It’s enough. Don’t worry."

Thalassa did not follow her this time. She simply watched as her back grew farther and farther away.

Lumia, who had been waiting outside all this time, had witnessed everything and asked uncertainly:

"Did it go well?"

The royal tutor let out a sigh, looked toward the princess, and shook her head.

"What will we do, then?"

"Let’s try to gather as much help as possible so that the district of Turbid Waters finally receives what it deserves. After that, all we can do is hope Mireya isn’t as mad as I think she is."

Her gaze then shifted behind Lumia, toward where she had been waiting, and she asked:

"And Cassian?"

"He left with Zakaer..."

Thalassa frowned.

"Do you know where?"

Lumia shook her head, and Thalassa turned around to look for him in the first place that came to mind.

The princess watched her tutor hurry away, moving even faster than she had when following Mireya. Confused, she followed after her.

But just as she was about to open Cassian’s room, she frowned and her face turned completely red. She took an unsteady step backward.

"Thalassa?"

"I don’t think they’re here. Let’s go somewhere else, Lumia."

Without waiting for a response, she took her hand and dragged her in the opposite direction while muttering in her mind:

"That shameless man."

At the same time, she sighed in relief. At least it didn’t seem like there had been any trouble with Lumia’s fiancé...

...

In the city of Frein, the ominous atmosphere continued.

"Do you think someone will actually come?"

"That man said he would report the matter to His Majesty. Someone has to come and investigate," the voice replied confidently.

But those inside the city did not yet know that Denisse had already arrived...

The Queen of Weaver would encounter a somewhat different scene from the one her informant had found when he first arrived. The army had already entered a stage of decomposition, leaving behind a rancid stench that even the rain had been unable to completely wash away.

Denisse frowned as she stepped out of the carriage, but before her feet touched the ground, she stopped. She stared at what lay beneath her and covered her mouth, suppressing the urge to vomit.

"Your Majesty..." The informant who had accompanied her sounded shaken. "Do you see it? I can understand someone destroying an entire army, but to do it like this..."

The queen narrowed her eyes and exclaimed in a serious voice:

"Come on. Have the carriage continue to Frein. I want to speak with those who were present that day."

When they reached the main gates, silence still reigned over the terrified city.

Denisse hesitated about getting out of the carriage before her arrival could be announced, but she could not hold herself back and did so anyway.

One of her guards stepped in front of her and announced loudly enough for his voice to carry beyond the walls:

"Her Majesty, one of the three Kings of the Weaver Empire, has arrived! Open the gates immediately!"

Silence.

The city seemed dead, but after waiting for a few moments, just as they were about to force their way inside, a head appeared, opening the gates with agonizing slowness.

It was the same guard who had welcomed Cassian and Thalassa that time.

"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed excitedly.

But when he saw that there were only one or two carriages, he frowned for a moment and bit his lower lip, holding himself back. He could not complain. No matter how little help they had brought, the fact that Her Majesty herself had come was already enough.

Meanwhile, a woman passed by him and dropped to her knees, pleading:

"Queen! Please! Please, ask the goddess for her blessing upon us! Have mercy on our humble city! We cannot go on suffering through this misfortune!"

Denisse stepped forward and crouched down to help the trembling woman to her feet.

"I want explanations. What happened here? The corrupted beasts came, I already know that, but what happened to the sword? To the army I sent to help you?"

The woman shook her head, still being supported by Denisse.

The guard from Frein also shook his head, not knowing what to say.

Her Majesty let out a sigh and asked again:

"Let me change the question. Did anything out of the ordinary happen in Frein during those days? And don’t tell me what I already know."

The guard and the woman who had been begging looked at each other, just as more civilians began peering out and the inside of the city became visible.

The man swallowed hard, preparing himself to recount everything that had happened before.