"Elder brothers, why are you both here? Aren't you supposed to be at the academy?" Blood asked. The sequence of thing really confused him.
"You aren't aware that you've been 'asleep' for a month now, are you?" Stanley Marble chuckled. He was the eldest of his siblings.
"What! Already a month? How could it be?" Blood almost yelled! He was completely stunned. Now he somewhat understood why the family showed such faces.
"It couldn't have been so long. It felt like I only spent about half a day cultivating. No wonder my neck was so stiff and difficult to move." Blood clicked his tongue.
It was a new experience. He was never able to cultivate for more than an hour before.
If not for how the situation was, he would have tried other means to see if what they claimed was true.
"The whole resident was very worried when you showed no signs of waking up on the third day." Salza said and continued,
"Your condition is very rear in the cultivation world. I have also confirmed the city had never experienced such condition since it was built. It was uncertain counter measures could be employed." he ended as he started recounting what happened the previous month.
Maria just sat on the couch with a slight smile on her face as she listened to the chats. The tension on her had evidently lessened. Ivory was already asleep on Blood's laps which earned some envious gazes from his brothers.
She barely had enough rests in the past month.
Blood remained seated when everyone else except the family left. They entered some serious discussions as they asked him if it had anything to do with the blood mist of which he denied without blinking.
He continued answering the other questions thrown his way as the day turned dark without notice from the group, not until his savior awoke.
Ivory who just opened her eyes looked through the window at the sky which had become completely black before she sighed,
"You've been questioning him ever since without rest, can't you see it's dark now?" she didn't let anyone interject as she stood,
"Ta-ta-ta...You didn't even let him shower. Not keeping to conventional morals anymore?" her childish voice left everyone's mouth agape. Holding Bloods hands, she quickly started walking to her room.
He would have to stay with her tonight.
Everyone was stunned by her actions.
Only she was brave enough...
"Hmm" Salza snorted coldly, "Remember to see me by tomorrow morning in the study. We will be meeting healer Ormond. I won't believe you are okay until he affirmed." He sighed.
He wouldn't let this case slide easily as before.
The rest were also tired and so didn't complain either as they went to do their thing.
_______
The mayor's courtyard…
"My lord, the messenger of the enemy city is here." said Xander with pursed lips. He was surely not eager to deliver the news.
It tuned out that with the series of unending challenge laid upon the city; the higher authorities of the region could no long stay idle. The first contender for the Sand-scale city had been named and approved.
Mayor Strum opened his eyes wide as he pondered on what to do. They one waging war against them was a town of grade-3, so there was nothing to fear as they are a grade-4 city with larger army.
What they feared was the large numbers of challenger waiting and their city might not be able to hold its ground if this continues. Just the thought of combating hundreds of cities including towns was already something to keep up.
Nevertheless, this was also the way the Fief domain operates by allowing war to take place. Though this might weaken the two engaging forces however, with this process human talent and battle awareness could be increased.
Fighting beasts wouldn't do all the work.
"Gather the superior unit in the assembly hall quickly and lead the way for our guest."
"Yes, my lord." Xander said and hurriedly left.
Mayor Strum took his legs off the footstool and stood up with a thoughtful expression, 'what could the Bland town want with us by sending a messenger. Do they want to renounce their challenge' laughed Mayor Strum and continued his thought process,
'before the grand incidence occurred the Bland town dare not enter my city without knocking thrice. How well do fortune locate people.' he thought seriously before chuckling.
The Bland town, though strong were nothing in the eyes of the Sand-scale city. It was only because they were among the first set who issued a challenge that they were selected.
Mayor Strum leisurely wore his robes.
"The unit should be gathered by now." he muttered. He shouldn't be meeting the messenger himself but because it was the first time the Sand-scale city was experiencing this sought of situation, it was his responsibility to respond to it in this manner.
_______
The mayor's mansion, Assembly Hall of the Sand-scale city…
"Took you all long enough to gather." said the messenger who was leisurely seated on his appointed sit. He didn't even bother to hide his smug look.
The superior unit members seated on their respective thrones narrowed their eyes, thinking whether to teach the messenger some manners.
Though it was something normal, but they didn't expect the same from some messenger of some backwater town.
It was a general rule that messengers of opposing, or neutral force shouldn't be killed, or one risks their entire territory being ridden to the ground.
Though this was the ruling, it was another thought if the one who killed a messenger was not from authorized body but are ordinary members of the society or even bandit and other hidden forces.
If a messenger was killed by ordinary citizen the higher authorities wouldn't push the issue, however if was proven to be some authorized force of some territory, such territory would likely not see the next hour, with all the inhabitants killed and reduced to dust.
"I am here on behalf of 'our' leader, master Jagan who has ordered that the Sand-scale city should surrender without trouble and immediately evacuate or simply send its inhabitant out of this territory or else once the due date is reached, there'll be mercy for no one." said the messenger with an evil smirk.
"Insolent!" One of the members bellowed and energy was dispersed from her body. She was ready to teach this prick some manners but restrained her urge.
The messenger sneered coldly with a smug look.
Mayor Strum clearly heard the messenger. He even repeated the message to be sure and was perplexed,
"I was thinking your dimwitted master finally got some brain accompanied with guts only for him to fall short sending some anserine messenger and a gnat to deliver."
The messenger was suddenly raised from his sit without notice and struggled to free himself before he was violently thrown towards the door of the hallway.
He hit heavily on the floor and skidded across with drops of blood on his nose.
His eyes were reddened and there seemed to be some scratch on his cheeks.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING FOR YOU! THE BLAND TOWN IS'NT ALONE IN ALL THIS!" the messenger bellowed in anger while walking towards the already parted double door.
Just before he could cross the door though, a heavy pressure descended and he was forced to his knells. His expression became grave…