"Is that so?" Cerydra gave him a thoughtful look, then the corner of her mouth curled into a somewhat sly smile.
"Then it shall be as you wish. However, 'Fortune Duke,' one thing at a time—your offense against me... well, against my 'head'... inside the hall, is still clearly remembered!"
She suddenly put on a stern face, adopting her most serious royal demeanor, deliberately cleared her throat, and proclaimed in a tone like issuing an edict:
"Now, 'Fortune Duke'! I command you to immediately split into five separate forces and proceed to each front line to resist the Black Tide! Do not delay!"
The absurdity of the command left the air silent for a moment.
However, the next second, Cerydra herself broke character first.
The deliberately stern expression melted away like ice and snow, replaced by a bright, mischievous, and somewhat triumphant smile.
"Hmph~ Just kidding! Between an excellent monarch and her subject, besides the distinction of ruler and subject, they should also occasionally joke like friends, shouldn't they, 'Fortune Duke'?" she said with a laugh, her eyes sparkling.
The smile vanished from Phaethon's face the moment she gave the order. He stood silently in place, giving no reaction.
Just as Cerydra was feeling puzzled by his response, she saw Phaethon suddenly raise his hand to rub his temples, his tone full of utter helplessness as he said:
"Cerydra '1', you should have said so earlier... When you gave the order just now, I already dispatched five clones. They're probably almost at different front lines by now."
This time, it was Cerydra's turn to be completely stunned.
Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, her small mouth opened unconsciously, and her face was etched with an expression of pure astonishment that seemed to say, "I was just joking, how could you take it seriously and actually be able to do it?!"
Seeing Cerydra's rare, dumbfounded look, Phaethon finally couldn't help it and let out a low laugh.
The laughter rumbled from his chest, carrying a bit of pleasure and relief.
Still chuckling, he looked towards the distant horizon, which felt oppressive and ominous even through layers of buildings.
This time, he thought... he surely had the ability to fight for a good ending for all the Chrysos Heirs and people struggling to survive on this land...
...
An unknown number of years later.
In a remote city-state far from the light of the Dawn Device. A green-haired boy was sprinting desperately down a bumpy, dusty dirt road.
Sweat-drenched strands of hair clung to his flushed skin from the intense exertion.
The terrible news had reached him halfway to The Grove, heard from a panicked, fleeing merchant caravan.
The Black Tide, that terrifying wave that devours everything, was surging towards his hometown.
"No... it can't be... Sis..." Little Anaxa's lips trembled, mumbling repeatedly, as if that could negate the despairing news.
Why now? Just when he had left home, yearning to seek a sliver of possibility to change his fate at The Grove? Damned Black Tide! He cursed fiercely, teeth almost gritting to dust.
His sister was still at home! She was always like that, stubbornly guarding that old house to take care of the family, to wait for his return, holding onto the things their parents left behind... Alone, facing that all-consuming darkness...
The boy dared not think further, just ran desperately, wishing he had wings on his feet.
In the distance, he saw a dense crowd gathered on the dirt road leading to the city-state. Carts, luggage, and livestock were jammed together, slowly crawling in the opposite direction.
So many people were fleeing? Was the Black Tide... truly that terrifying, making everyone flee in fear?
His heart sank, but his pace quickened. No matter what others did, his sister must still be in the city! She must be waiting for him!
When he finally pushed against the human tide and rushed through the city gates, the expected scene of war—raging fires, demonic roars—did not appear.
The city-state didn't seem to be engulfed in conflict. There were no towering flames, no desperate screams.
But an intangible panic still permeated the air. People hurried about, faces anxious, all busy loading belongings onto carts or carrying them on their shoulders—clearly engaged in an urgent evacuation.
Had the Black Tide not truly arrived yet? Right, even I on the road heard the news, the people in the city-state must have gotten the warning earlier.
A faint glimmer of hope ignited in the boy's heart. So, maybe Sis was still safe? But he had to find her immediately, take her away! Even if they couldn't go to the distant Grove, he had to be with his sister, anywhere was fine!
When Little Anaxa, panting heavily, reached the familiar alley leading to his home, the sight before him made his blood nearly freeze—
A strange young man with white hair was carrying his sister's most treasured possession—the loom left by their parents, which she never allowed anyone to touch lightly—out from the doorway.
Panic, rage, and extreme worry for his sister's safety instantly overwhelmed Anaxa's reason. He instinctively labeled the other as a looter taking advantage of the chaos!
"Who are you?! Put my sister's things down!" The boy let out a hoarse roar, his voice distorted slightly by fear and anger.
He knew he was small and his words lacked threat.
So he hardly hesitated, sharply pulling out a peculiar-looking, long object from his waist—a crude pistol he had secretly crafted with his own ingenuity from metal pipes and a rough wooden stock.
He pointed the trembling barrel at the white-haired young man.
The man paused his movements and gently placed the item on the ground as instructed.
The man's expression didn't change. Anaxa could see only calmness in those azure blue eyes.
Little Anaxa felt somewhat flustered under that gaze. His finger trembled violently on the cold trigger from extreme tension, almost about to press down uncontrollably!
At this critical moment—
"Naxy? Is that you?"
A familiar voice, tinged with surprise and a bit of confusion, sounded from inside the doorway.
Immediately after, a green-haired girl peeked out from the room.
Her hair color was identical to Anaxa's, her face smudged with a bit of dust from moving things. When she saw her gun-wielding brother at the door and the white-haired youth standing by the loom, she clearly froze for a moment.
"Hey! What are you doing? Put that dangerous thing down right now!" his sister exclaimed, quickly stepping out of the house. "This kind sir is here to help!"
To be honest...
Phainon felt a wave of profound speechlessness, a rather novel sensation.
His teacher, who had crossed verbal swords with him several times in class, was now pointing a gun at him?
He could even clearly see Anaxa's finger on the trigger, whitened from excessive pressure yet trembling uncontrollably.