Age of Heroes

ARRANDY, ACRO, BED CHAMBER

1016 FALLMONTH

It is already fall. A season had passed since his visit to Linzi temple

Arial sighed as he looks up. He is staring at the ceiling of his bed at this time of the hour. He is about to go to sleep.

But he tries to remembers what has happened and what is his plan for tomorrow.

He had returned back at his castle in the guise of midnight a few days ago. When he enters the city at midnight, the guards nearly shoot arrows at him, mistaking him for an intruder

Luckily, he quickly lower his cloak and they recognize his face. They apologize for the mistake, bowed and let him in.

That is one of the episode that happened when he is going back home

West which has been pretending to be him for the past month has been relieved from his duties.

After his return, Arial summoned him immediately to the House Council

West was someone that he really appreciated. That night after drinking some wine with him, he thanks him for his service.

They talk some more about the matter of the fief and the military. At the same time Arial also awarded him with gold

West, like always tries to reject his goodwill but this time he insisted

He deserves the reward.

After all, pretending to be him and pretending to be sick for a month is not easy to do.

The only people that knows the truth that West disguises himself as him is only a few of his close friends and some people in the Council

After he returned, he told Helia about what had happened. He was scolded by her for not telling her.

But Arial knows that it is the right decision. That night because she was angry, she did not want share the same bed.

Sulking, is the more apt word for it. But while she is angry, Arial on the other hand is excited. Not because Helia is being angry but because the news that he got from the Southern Healer is a positive news

He may have more than just another year to live. It might be just a chance but it is still a chance.

It is ironic that in his pats life, he had nothing to live for. But this time, he had too many things he could not let go

Hope fuels him with more hope. That is the magical thing about hope.

Though that hope involves obtaining a dragon heart, one might even say such hope is short lived.

But if the Four Brothers can do it during the Purge of Dragons, why can't he? The Four Brothers is the famous Four Dragon Slayers of the Renaldi family.

Arial in his past life when he was a child would sometimes sneak from doing farm chores and instead went to the square of the village and hears the storytellers tells the stories of Levitia and his saga.

And sometimes, the storytellers would tell the stories of the Four Dragonslayers.

Arial in those innocent days imagine himself fighting the Demon Lords and slaying Dragons like those great heroes in the stories

He chuckles at himself

'Am I still that innocent boy?' he asks himself and then like answering his own question he shakes his head

'I guess even that boy has died' and then he coughed a bit. He sighed again, rubbing his chest trying to ease the pain of the coughing.

Tomorrow he had to deal with many more matters. There are the matters of the court. Then there is the matter of the region.

Arrandy have many watchful eyes looking at her and enemies are everywhere. Constant vigilance he reminded himself.

Arial is glad that at least Lord Oliver is back. He was sent to Vern when Silas were sent to the Holy Cities.

Oliver was tasked to petitioned the Church of Lucellian Orthodox in Vern to renounce the Montblanc for what he had did.

Form the letter he got, Lord Oliver is successful in his task. The Church agree to renounce the MontBlanc.

The Montblanc family, the ruling family of the Vern Empire has been excommunicated from the Vern Church

Arial did not even need to send emissaries to the Corian Church because the Corian Church will never support the Emperor owing to their bloody history with each other

Then There are also the reports from Zhang Liao Bao that have piled up. He also need to check that and decided whether the plan is moving as he had hoped.

Arial close his eyes for a second. He takes a deep breath and felt that pain around his heart.

He rubs the area around his chest, hoping to ease the pain.

His entire body is sweating and then after a few minutes, his breathing stabilized.

'I must settle a lot of things before I made my trip there' he mutters.

He then slowly lies down on his bed and then breathing in and out, his eyes naturally close itself as he falls into sleep

*************************************************************************

ARIAL VERMONT

COUNCIL ROOM

He begins the morning going to the Council room.

The moment he enters all the lords that is making small talk with each other quickly stand up and bows slightly toward him

Arial look around the table.

'Hmm' he grunts. He could see that not all is present. Arial nodded and gestured them to take their seat.

'This must have been a busy month' He thought to himself

After all, the Council, during his absence was entrusted to keep his absence a secret.In that time of his absence, the Council had to govern and administrate some of the new cities that begun sprouted in west border of Arrandy.

Arial take his place at the head of the table and begun reading reports from Lord Leander, son of Oliver who is as talented as his father in searching for secret.

'My lord' Lord Leander speaks and gives him the document. Arial open the document and began reading silently.

His eyes narrowed when he reads about the information about Renasia

Renasia has formed Great Renasia and has conquered Cora and Tuca completely. This is unexpected.

Or more accurately, this never happens before.

'Hmm' Arial seems to be thinking something

There is some speculation that the Princess, now known to the Continent as the Goddess of War owing to her prodigious skill in warfare and her calm head in a crisis, has set her eyes on Dostov.

Such stark difference from the Princess in his timeline. Arial had always admired that Queen.

Her death in the Battle at the Temple of Fire was said to be remembered by the survivors of the nation that fled to the Seas even after she was defeated and even the Dark Lords were impressed.

It is said that at that battle, knowing that she can no longer retreat, else her people would die, she charged headlong into battle and her bravery inspired her soldier so much that they all followed her to the death.

But in this timeline, instead of being known for her temper and impatience but charismatic leadership, she is now known to be very wise and calm, a brilliant strategist, and combined with her extraordinary leadership, she has never lost a battle thus the tittle.

'The Goddess of War' Arial muttered. The lords remain silent as Arial keep reading the reports.

Arial even heard during his journey back when he was resting in taverns and inn that she is likened to Rhaessa the Wise and as strong as King Jahera.

Then Arial read some other reports about the other things that is happening on the Continent and then after finished reading it he put down the documents

Lord Leander hand me the other documents that he needs to read

Progress report and such. Then he saw the report from Silas. He picks it up, opens the wax seal and read the report.

Finished reading it, Arial chuckles a bit.

It seems that the mastermind of the alliance has been identified. They are hunting the mastermind right now and when that is settled Silas would send letters to sign a treaty.

A treaty.

That is Arial plan. He hopes that this treaty would promise peace for both humans and demon race.

This is the other path. Since he returned back from the death, he had always bene prepared to fight the invasion from the Dark Lands.

He believes that it could end in only one way. Either humanity would be crushed, or the Demon kind would be crushed.

But this…this is the other path that would ensure nobody loses their lives. Nobody should suffer the same tragedy he had suffered.

Peace. That was his answer. Not war. But peace.

He then releases a relieved breath. The other lord did not know why he release the sigh and they all tensed up.

'Is there something wrong my lord?' Kyle asked.

'Nothing.' Arial take another parchment and Silas reports that the next move is his. Arial almost smile.

Dramatic as ever. He does not know how to describe his relationship with Silas.

But one thing that he does know that out of all the people Arial play Chatur with, Silas was the few that could defeat him in a game of Chatur.

Arial have never seen a man more manipulative or more talented in politics then Silas.

Arial wondered that maybe in the original timeline he must not have survived, because of the death of his brothers and he die in the cold.

If he survived, he must have been quite the persona at that time.

But even if he survives at that time, Silas would not have been able to show his talents to the world. Since those nobles always cares about blood instead of ability.

It was only under his family rule, that people like Silas could rise from being a pig farmer son to one of the most influential politician in the kingdom

'I am not wrong to choose him' Arial thought to himself

Though sometimes Arial must admit that he is a bit frustrated with him. He has never won against him in cha'tur.

Arial is in good mood right now. Then he asks

'Where is the Supervisor of the North report?' some lords scrambled around the piled scroll and parchment and handed him a letter

He opens the wax seals and reads the letter