Chapter 120 The Dust Settles

Walking through the remains of a once mighty building, Queen Ame surveyed the surrounding landscape.

A place of burnt wood, stone, tools, and equipment. The fire roared so mightily, that there were no bones or flesh left.

"Send people to investigate the ruins. Try and find any survivors or even their remains, and send them back to their family."

"Yes, Your Highness."

As Queen Ame stared blankly at the ash beneath her, she heard a few distant cries.

Turning her head, she saw a mass of people gathering not far away.

"Is my husband okay?!"

"Can we see a list of the people who managed to evacuate?!"

"Please, tell us something?!"

Sora, who's one of the people leading the operation, said with a nervous expression. "Umm, please, we don't have that kind of information set up just yet so please, stay away from the workers for now."

"Umm, Mr. Sora?"

Hearing his name get called, Sora turned his head towards the voice.

Before him, a woman stood, looking very tired and speechless, saying. "Where is Suzuki?"

Sora formed a pained expression, unable to answer her question, which caused the women around him to worry even more.

Then, Queen Ame approached, saying. "Ma'am's, I know this is quite painful to here especially when you're worried, but please, return to your homes and wait. If your husbands are alive, they will return by dinner."

The women couldn't hold it in anymore as their tears broke out.

They all then said with shaking voices. "Yes, Your Highness." Before supporting each other as they walked away crying.

After seeing the women off, Sora performed a bow before Queen Ame before returning to help the others in clearing the debris.

Left alone, Queen Ame just stood there, staring blankly into the air as workers continued to work behind her.

Then, with a bite on her lip, Queen Ame left the scene.

As she left, she called Yasashi over, telling her. "Call a meeting for all the local lords. Tell them, I want them to be in my meeting hall before the end of this day."

With a neat bow, Yasashi replied. "Yes, Your Highness. Please, rest until then."

And without saying another word, Queen Ame left Yasashi alone.

As the efforts in the Sun capital continued, just on the otherside of the valley, a messenger was running through the streets.

After making his way through the streets, he stood before a guard, posted at a gate, saying. "I have a message for His Highness."

"Who and where did it come from?"

"Consultor Húzi at the outpost in the valley."

"Hand it over."

After receiving the letter, looking at the insignia that is stamped onto it, the guard then said. "I'll send someone over to deliver the message. You may go back to your post."

"Say it is urgent." Said the messenger before leaving.

The guard then immediately sent a person to cross the stone bridge over the shallow pond, the one that is also surrounded by vibrant green trees.

After that, he reached a set of walls that encircled a large palace built within the shallow pond.

After telling what he was here for, he was let in.

As they ran through the corridor, they met up with a duo, which they immediately kneeled down infront of.

"Princess Jade. I have a message from Consultor Húzi for the Lord. Please, excuse me."

With a curious expression, Jade said to the carrier. "His Highness is currently having a meeting with all of the family heads. Even I can't go in so easily."

"Hand it over, I shall pass it onto him after it is done since I also have business with him."

"Yes, Princess!"

After handing over the letter, the carrier immediately bowed before leaving for his post.

Matt, who was beside her, said. "Are you going to read it first?"

"Maybe it will allow us entry to that meeting."

Jade then opened the letter, reading it's contents with Matt, she couldn't help but wear a look of concern.

"Do you think this is somehow related to the letter, Dragon Boy, sent us?"

"It may have a connection. Quick! Let's welcome ourselves into the meeting."

"Yes."

After that, Matt and Jade walked over to a large door, bearing the two letters they received.

And after a deep breath, Jade pushed open the door, allowing the sight of a massive hall to reach her eyes.

In the middle of the extravagant room, a large ornate table is set. Sitted around it, a group of elderly people, all looking towards her.

Jade ignored their stares, instead focusing further into the hall, where a throne is set just a few steps higher than the table.

Upon it, a man called Lord Jade sat, seating with a dominant air around him, looking down on everyone in the room with a piercing glare.

Jade then kneeled, with Matt also doing the same just behind her. She then stated. "I am sorry for interrupting, but I have a good in doing so."

As the room remained quite, with the people on the table looking at him, and with an amused smile, Lord Jade said. "Go on, Jade. Tell us what you want to say."

"Thank you, Your Highness. If I may..."

Jade then made her way to Lord Jade's side, where a smaller throne is set on his right.

After handing the letter over, she tried to leave, but Lord Jade stated. "Seat on your seat, Jade. You are now a part of this meeting."

With a neat bow, Jade said. "As you wish." Before seating on the throne next to Lord Jade. All this happened while Matt made his way to the side of a pillar, guarding the personnel in the room.

After reading the letter thoroughly in complete silence, Lord Jade then said. "Master Fang, if you may..."

Then, a person stood from his chair, moved closer to the throne in a slow, respectable manner before taking the letter from Lord Jade's hands.

With a bow, Master Fang returned to his seat before reading the letter out loud.

"This is a message from Consultor Húzi, who were at the Jade region's valley outpost at the time of writing this letter."

"With outmost certainty, a disaster happened on the other side of the valley. The Sun Capital's side."

"As of writing this letter, a stream of black smoke erupted inside their domain for a total of five minutes now. But judging by the sheer volume, I have no doubt it will continue."

"Because of the terrain, we cannot see for ourselves what happened. So, we ask the decision of the Lord on what to do next -Húzi."

A another round of silence befell the room as everyone waited for Lord Jade to speak, which he did after a few minutes of pondering.

"Family heads! What do you think? You have my permission."

With a bow, everyone then began expressing their thoughts.

"I think we should send scouts around the valley and try to find the cause. They should be short of manpower if something did happen."

"Send a messenger, asking if they need help. We must take this opportunity and make the best of it."

As everyone on the table spoke their plans, a certain man remained on his seat, completely silent. And it was the man who just read the message.

Then, Lord Jade simply looked to his right, but it was enough to silence the room. And where he looked, is where Jade sat silently.

"Jade, what is say in this matter?" He asked.

"If you will excuse me, Your Highness. I bear another letter."

"And, who is it from?"

"It came from Long, and we have already confimed it's authenticity."

"Lord Fang."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"There will be no need."

Jade then cleared her throat before reading the letter out loud. "Written in his blood, it reads 'Prepare, War is coming'."

A silence fell upon the room once more. Then, a person on the table spoke. "Princess, is that it?"

"Yes, there is no hidden message in the paper nor is there a continuation."

"Hmm..."

Seeing the forced silence, Lord Jade spoke once more. "I already gave you all the permission to speak. Speak to your heart's content."

With a respectable nod, everyone then began asking questions.

"Is it truly from him, even written in his own blood, Princess?"

"Yes, indeed."

"Do you know where he is now, Princess?"

"I do not know, but I have sent people over to follow the bird that delivered it."

"Is it some code that we are not aware about?"

"Not to my knowledge. He isn't the one to go cryptic, and he is also not the type of person to not explain in detail."

"Then, he was in a hurry when writing?"

"That may be true."

After a bit more questioning, everyone went silent once more, all looking up towards Lord Jade, who remained silent in his throne.

Then, he stood up, swaying his sleeves to the side as he spoke in a loud, clear voice. "We are not fools to just call it a coincidence!"

"I, ruler of the Jade region, order you, the family heads, to mobilize your members to search for anything suspicious!"

"Do not let what happened to our neighbors happen to us!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"