Greenhouse

King Daemond's lips curved slightly, a hint of a smile forming.

King Zachariel chuckled softly. "Ah, a noble pursuit amidst conflict, I see. But how do you propose to carry out this planting with all the chaos of battle?"

Ludwig's expression remained serious. "We'll designate specific areas where our forces can plant crops while maintaining security, even as we face immediate threats."

Minister Ksaver, still perplexed, interjected, "But won't our soldiers be spread too thin, especially with the other tasks you've assigned them? Besides, they do not know a thing about agriculture…"

Ludwig nodded thoughtfully. "It's a delicate balance, I admit. But food scarcity can weaken our forces just as much as any enemy."

The room fell silent as the weight of Ludwig's words settled among them. 

"Your idea sounds promising," acknowledged King Philippe. "However, we've attempted similar measures before, and our land isn't conducive to it. It lacks proper nutrition, and its degradation has contributed to the demise of our fields."

The Ministers nodded in agreement with the King of Water Fae's assessment.

"Who said," Ludwig interjected, "we would plant in the lands of the Etherealis itself?"

If Liam hadn't been aware of the countless hours Ludwig spent studying, he might have been equally impressed. This was precisely why Ludwig excused himself from the discussions with the Ministers at daybreak. Ludwig, taking a moment to himself, immersed himself in the library in search of solutions.

Minister Wilhelm of Interkingdom Affairs inquired, "What do you mean by that?"

"Your plan, Prince of Fire Fae, what is it?" King Zachariel asked with laughter. "Plant the food on another realm? Where? Arcadia? Everglade? Edencrest? Perhaps you want to conquer Colossus and plant there? Why not Lumindor for a happier alternative? What do you think?"

Ludwig's expression remained composed despite the sarcasm in King Zachariel's tone. "I appreciate your wit, Zach," he replied evenly. "But the solution lies closer to home. As improbable as it may seem, I'm afraid I am not as delusional as you might think."

King Zachariel growled. "Tell us, then?"

"Have you ever visited our Greenhouse?" Ludwig continued, ignoring the tension. All faces in the room turned puzzled except for King Daemond and Liam, who continued eating with interest. "I visited my mother's Greenhouse a while ago. I noticed that while the leaves from the trees there withered and fell, the flowers in the pots did not."

Ludwig explained his idea to everyone, and even King Zachariel became intrigued by the novelty of it. All present agreed, and the discussion matured as they each offered rational suggestions and additions to expedite the execution of the plan.

Ludwig's plan mainly involved importing soil from another continent, preferably Primotheus. This soil would be placed in a protected area to prevent it from being contaminated by Amelia's dark sorcery, which had been spreading throughout the continent.

As the successful dinner drew to a close, so did the meeting, which might have been the longest and most important ever held in the continent of Etherealis. As they rose from their seats, the Ministers' long cloaks brushed the ground, and they continued chatting for a bit longer.

However, in the midst of Head Minister Wilhelm's farewell speech, everyone suddenly fell silent. Their gazes turned towards the front, their expressions shifting from shock to confusion.

Liam followed their line of sight, and his eyes widened when he saw Louise wearing a pastel dress. Her long black hair fell elegantly around her, but she appeared pale, startled, and starved, her lips glistening.

Liam glanced at Ludwig with concern. Suddenly, Ludwig's eye colors changed, but before anyone could notice, he closed his eyes firmly and sat haphazardly, pretending to massage his temples. Liam would've laughed if the situation weren't a matter of life and death.

Before Liam could react, Louise had already fled for her life. 

"What the," whispered King Zachariel. "What's she..."

Before King Zachariel could finish his sentence, Alexa swooped in front of them. She was still far away, but everyone could see her riding on her broomstick, followed by a flying book, spatulas, slithering snakes, and other enchanted items.

 The Ministers of the Council's faces soured with disgust as they observed the unfolding events. "Could anyone tell Lady Alexa to cease her antics immediately, now," said Minister Quagmane. "We have enough concerns as it is without her adding to them." Their voices carried a hint of fury, though they spoke quietly, wary of inciting Ludwig's wrath.

"Indeed," Minister Wilhelm continued, his voice laced with frustration. "Last month, she brought a baby dragon here, forcing me to negotiate with the King of Edencrest to prevent chaos. And not long ago, she brought Pixies, nearly causing trouble with Lumindor. And now, she's brought yet another unidentified species here."

The Ministers had so much more to tell, but Liam didn't listen anymore. He just thanked the Almighty as they were occupied with something else. Alexa was now casting a firework display inside the hall, the noises echoing. She gave Liam a look.

Liam hastily interjected, "Don't worry. I'll speak to Alexa as soon as possible." Despite his words, he felt a pang of guilt for deceiving them, but he saw no other option but to quickly divert their attention away before they sensed something amiss. Liam approached The Ministers. "If you don't mind, I'll accompany you to the gate. Our Prince fought hard last night against the Ghoul and the Golems, and we traveled quite far. He must need rest now."

Liam exhaled a deep sigh when nobody questioned his unsolicited decision. It seemed the Ministers were equally exhausted, as were the other Kings, which was why they didn't pay much attention to any strange occurrences. Liam saw them off on their departure, noting King Zachariel's weary expression and the lines etched on his face from the long day's discussions. Just a step away, and Liam could already feel Ludwig's instant disappearance and silent thanks. 

Now, Liam was the one massaging his temple. He couldn't shake off the image of Louise's startled expression, nor could he ignore the tension that lingered in the air after Alexa's unexpected performance. And here he thought everything was fine and he could finally sleep peacefully.