Chapter 1089: The Tunnel Expedition [part 1]
Annette never thought she would be so happy—she never imagined she’d hear such words from a princess of the Empire.
Was it out of place for the Princess to make such a declaration, offering to help them? No! In fact, this was exactly what the Empire should be doing, considering they ruled the continent.
However, having grown up in the Empire herself, Annette could say with absolute certainty: the Reimgard Empire was a wicked nation to its core.
Reimgard probably had the resources to crush this nightmare in an instant, but they never would—not unless danger came pounding at their own doors. Only then would they act, and by that time, it would be child’s play for the Empire to devour the entire continent. It was something they’d been preparing for as long as Annette could remember. Her clan had been forging weapons that were both overwhelming in numbers and brutal in strength.
As a child, she’d always found herself wondering: who will wield these monstrous things?
Growing up, she understood how the Empire neglected the continent’s suffering, focusing only on vassal nations. The Emperor—Annette had never met him—had to be utterly ruthless to have the largest nation crushed beneath his boot and still hunger for the entire continent.
Which was why she felt a creeping worry for the princess.
At first, Annette assumed she’d arrived with an entire army, but there was no one. That was proof enough: Princess Rehema was acting alone.
Annette knew that if the princess helped them minimize the devastation that would ravage other nations, she would definitely face her father’s wrath. This left Annette concerned, worried, and bewildered. Did the princess understand all of this and still choose to help them for her brother’s sake?
She sighed and raked her fingers through her hair.
’Ah! I’m so confused right now.’
She slumped against the table in her private room, Vida stationed behind her.
"Perhaps it’s best not to overthink it? She’s just her own person at the end of the day. Achoo!"
Vida sneezed violently, nearly launching Annette out of her skin.
"What the hell?"
She ducked her head.
"Ah, sorry about that, master."
"No, forget it... do you have a cold?"
Vida gazed up at the ceiling lazily, as if counting invisible specks.
"It is winter, after all."
She paused and dabbed her nose with a handkerchief.
"And today’s the second-to-last day of the year. The cold is absolutely brutal—it’s settled deep in my bones. But you wouldn’t understand, since you have fire coursing through your veins instead of essence."
Annette glanced at her with genuine concern before exhaling and turning away, her current predicament flooding back.
"Ah! Whatever! I’ll just take your advice and try not to worry."
Vida fixed her with a withering stare.
"Master, please don’t blame me when everything goes to hell. I’m merely offering consolation, not counsel."
Annette scowled and jabbed a finger toward her head.
"You better pray nothing goes to hell, or I’ll be ripping your eye out. I’m fucking overdue for an eye replacement, dammit."
Vida sighed and turned away, muttering:
"As long as it’ll fit anyway."
Annette straightened her back and steeled her gaze.
"Alright. Whatever. I’ll just go ahead with all of this."
She turned and pointed to Vida.
"You! Prepare a contingency plan in case something goes wrong."
Vida made an expression as if she’d swallowed something sour, making Annette frown.
"What?"
"Master, when will you actually get to do your work yourself?"
Annette rested her hands on her hips.
"Looks like you’re done learning all that you need to. Wanna graduate?"
"I will prepare a contingency plan as you have instructed, ma."
Annette nodded with a smug expression. Then, a second later, she asked:
"What about Ellis and Erik?"
"Right, those two have gone to the underground, escorted by Nebulous Lord. The Princess is also offering her Heavy Carrier as a second option. It can comfortably hold fifty people."
Annette looked down for a moment, muttering:
"Of course it can... those vicious things."
They were one of the monstrosities the family had forged, and more than any country, the Empire had an immense number of Heavy Armored Carriers that were even resistant to certain levels of attack and could easily crush rocks and ride through mountains.
The Princess’s Heavy Armored Carrier was a very resourceful and valid means of transportation.
But they were going to need numbers!
There were close to a thousand drifters in South Drywall—fifty was a drop in the ocean. They could probably squeeze in seventy, but Annette saw no reason to do that, nor did she want to inconvenience the kind princess.
So they still had to pin their hopes on Ellis and Erik either way, while also choosing the best fifty to go with them.
In the meantime, she—they all had to at least wait for Ellis and Erik to come back.
***
In a dark tunnel, two younglings, almost alike in every form, shape, and size, were walking together, shrouded by darkness, but one was carrying a white lantern.
However, the best the lantern could do was illuminate their path—the darkness of the tunnel felt oppressive, as if it might swallow even the lantern at any moment.
Their steps were silent; they too were silent, at least until the one without glasses decided to speak.
"How do you even know where we’re going? Even though the light’s on, I can’t tell."
Erik hesitated and glanced at Ellis.
"I’m not relying on sight."
Ellis looked at him for a few seconds, then looked away.
"How ironic—you’re not relying on sight but using a seeing aid."
He laughed dryly.
This made Erik frown.
"What’s funny?"
Ellis’s laughter dried up as he saw the stern look on Erik’s face.
"Oh, I’m sorry. It was supposed to be a joke."
"Yes, an insensitive one that proves how unintelligent you are."
Ellis’s gaze darkened.
"Hey."
Erik raised his head slightly.
"Only unintelligent people get worked up when they’re called unintelligent. Now, that’s the irony."
He turned away from Ellis and walked forward, leaving him stunned, mouth wide open.