The room at the top of the tower rising from the furthest corner of the Chateau's west wing hadn't been stepped in for more than a century.
Not only the people of the Chateau or the elders of the Holy Blood Sect, but also almost one person from every power center on the continent had come here secretly or openly to try their luck in time.
The area where the Tower was located was closed with a giant shield in the shape of a cylinder rising from the ground; while resisting those trying to enter, it had repelled the attacks of the organizers in kind.
Jashua's uneasiness came entirely from this feature of it; he was afraid that Nafız, disguised as Nora, would lose herself and harm herself again.
"Calm down, I have a plan in mind!"
When the meal was over, Nafız left together with the nannies waiting outside the door; her destination was one of the few secret points on the Hell Realm.
"So this is the place; what a naive aura the obstacle has!"
They stopped in front of the door opening to the tower from the end of the long corridor; Nora checked the transparent barrier with her hand. This was just to make sure, for since she stepped into the Chateau, she had noticed that something inside this place resonated with her.
"Leave me alone!"
The nannies ignored these words when they were first said, but a pair of eyes looking like a hawk would make them question their decisions.
"Please don't go too far; even the little lady couldn't enter inside back in the day!"
Nafız waited silently for a while after the nannies who gave their greetings and left, then wrote a name using the blood coming out of her wrists. Mora
"Isabel, the lady of the Bloody Moon Fiefdom and the wife of one of the three greatest artisans in the world. I know a small part of your soul is hidden inside this formation; I am also aware that you can hear me!"
"You probably don't even wonder why I wrote your name knowing that you didn't even open this place to your daughter because I know you can feel the part inside me too!"
"The question is: why am I here!"
"Would you like to learn the answer by reading my mind?"
Nafız began to adjust her breathing to enter a deep trance by placing her hand on the formation; she had left herself this vulnerable for the first time since she was born.
In the seconds when she opened her entire mind and self, the floor of the chateau also began to shake; meanwhile, the girl who had gathered her skirt nicely and squatted on the ground opened her eyes.
On the formation that had been closed for years, right in the place in front of her, a gap large enough for a person to pass through opened.
"I knew we could agree!"
Nafız took her first step inside calmly; she began to climb the stairs of the tower with steps following this. As for the breach opened in the formation, it closed immediately behind her, turning the tower into a forbidden zone again.
At the end of the long and winding steps, Nafız reached the top of the tower; she cast a glance inside the round-shaped room with four large windows.
"I researched you; you were one of the most talented on the continent regarding formation and alchemy, but we all know that your greatest talent was not one of these, right?"
If there were someone watching Nafız, they would undoubtedly think she had lost her mind because what they could see was someone asking and answering herself.
Indeed, the young girl was not hearing an answer, but she was not receiving a contrary reaction to her words either.
"For this reason, no one other than the two of us knows you were killed; no, I said it wrong, no one other than the three of us knows. I am sure you also encountered that person and fell defeated in his game."
"As your successor, it is my turn; I need your talent both to avenge you and your daughter and to reach my goal!"
The colossal tower began to shake once more; it was as if the ground would split open and it would enter inside. When the tremor subsided after ten breaths, there was a huge writing on the wall that was empty just a moment ago.
"Find the worthy one!"
Nafız started laughing; she knew the meaning of what she read very well. Mora's mother would not pass her talent on to her.
"You will understand when you find it!"
When her eyes slid to the second line, she also saw the answer to the question that fell into her mind a moment ago; luck was not on her side today.
"It will be as you wish; I am leaving in a month, but I will definitely return!"
Nafız went down the stairs quickly, not as she came; when she passed through the slit opened in the formation, this time she was not alone. Jashua, Alis, and the two nannies were waiting for her in fear.
"What's wrong, why did you gather like hungry people waiting for free dessert at a baklava shop opening?"
The first one to come to his senses would be Alis.
"I came here when the ground shook; actually, I was going to come to your side, but a force prevented me. Later, when everyone came one by one, we started waiting for your return!"
"Come on, enough with this fuss, everyone back to work!"
Ignoring the curious glances, Nafız quickly moved away; thus, the eventful days of the Chateau had ended. The next fifteen days passed without a leaf moving; life had settled into its routine order.
"Enemy, enemies spotted on the horizon!"
Every good thing had an end, and these calm times would also have an end. More than twenty vehicles intended for transport passed through the town and stopped at the head of the narrow road; the guards on the walls were examining them carefully.
"Isn't the outside of these vehicles a bit strange?"
"I had never seen them before!"
A moment later, Count Jashua and Alis had taken their places on the ramparts.
"Can you see the mark on them?"
"Probably, there is a golden-colored plane tree leaf on them!"
"Open the gate!"
The voice of the Count rang through the entire terrain; with it, three people began to walk up the narrow and steep road. These were three men with full camouflage, harsh looks, and built bodies.
"On behalf of the armed forces of the Golden Leaf Trade Union, I greet you!"
An elderly man pulling his right hand towards his front greeted Nafız waiting for them at the gate by bending his waist slightly.
"This is the place you came to protect; firstly the living area of the people and then the safety of the Chateau are entrusted to you from now on. I hope you are as good as they say!"
"Have no doubt, there can be only one reason for a promise not to be fulfilled for the Golden Leaf, and that is death!"
The old man's voice was neither harsh nor soft; he used the most perfect tone with which he could indicate his determination.
"Alis will help you in every matter; if you have a problem, you can contact him?"
Those who came were the bodyguards Count Jashua hired from mercenaries; the Golden Leaf Trade Guild was specially chosen. For years, the largest trade on the Orc Steppes was made through this organization; the established relations had reached deep dimensions.
"The construction of the walls surrounding the town will begin today; our defense line will be completed within three days with the installation of forward outposts tomorrow and weapons the day after. If the people can stay in the Chateau during this period, I can guarantee that no force on the Hell Realm can destroy this place afterwards!"
Nafız smiled in a satisfied manner; she missed the pleasure given by working with real professionals very much.
The mercenaries realized what they said right on time and completely; the people were uneasy, however, Nafız could even see the transparent power shield surrounding the town and the Chateau.
"Captivity has ended; starting from today, you can return to your old houses and live comfortably. I promise you, the Bloody Moon Fiefdom will return to its old glorious days as soon as possible!"
The fiefdom, which once expanded almost to the verge of becoming a clan and even surpassed many in power, now possessed a handful of people. Even though Jashua spoke like this to boost morale, he was well aware that what he said would not come true in a short time.
Fortunately, it had been a long time since the people learned to live day by day; being safe again and under a roof was enough for them.
"We handled the safety of the people; Jashua, complete your preparations, tomorrow we set off towards the main battlefield!"