Chapter 8

Time continued to pass. Winter came and went, then spring bloomed at Heathvilion.

Since the duchy was located in the north, there was no warm breeze to be found in the spring, but the air was lighter and gentler than winter.

Now in her eighth month of pregnancy, Reina’s belly was visibly swollen.

“From the shape of her belly, it seems like she’ll have a son.”

“Then the child really will be the heir?”

“Shh. Don’t speak out of turn about something you’re not sure of.”

The staff came to the general consensus that her child would be a boy.

Reina smiled, feeling the light kicks inside her belly. Ell had begun to tap at her recently. It felt like little tantrums for attention, and the thought made her happy.

“Madam, it’s time for a break.”

Reina put the ledger down upon hearing Yuzu’s words. It was the tax invoice for the merchants of Heathvilion.

For two months now, Reina had been managing the affairs of Heathvilion in Edgar’s place.

When she had first taken over the affairs, the vassals had protested and continued to request approval from Edgar.

However, Edgar’s answer was the same as always.

“I officially delegate all authority of Heathvilion to the duchess. I will not accept counter arguments.”

Realizing that there was no way around it, the vassals had begun to submit their documents to Reina for approval.

Truthfully, there was so much she didn’t know, and thus she couldn’t have sorted many things without help from those around her as a result.

Reina naturally came to get to know the vassals of the duchy as she interacted with them. Among the vassals, some deserved respect, but there were those whom she wanted to discard like trash.

Reina once again felt aware of how in the dark she was about the ways of the world.

Still, she had continued to put time and effort into learning, and now she could understand what the vassals were saying during their meetings.

That alone was an incredible improvement and change, but Reina still wanted more.

Ell will rule over this place, so I want to make it beautiful.

She was taking a bite of the apple that Yuzu had peeled for her when there was a knock at her door.

Yuzu opened the door once Reina nodded. It was Donovan.

“Madam.”

Reina straightened up from where she had been reclining in the chair. From Donovan’s messy attire and heavy breathing, it seemed that something had happened.

She looked at Donovan nervously. “What is it?”

“Thushtra is on fire.”

She tightened her grip on the chair’s arm to stop herself from swaying. Thushtra was a densely populated area in Heathvilion where mainly the poor resided. A fire in such a place would mean heavy casualties.

Reina stayed as calm as possible and asked Donovan, “Any casualties?”

“Well... It hasn’t been extinguished yet. The sun is setting and the wind is so strong that the fire can’t be controlled.”

Reina got up from her seat immediately.

“Yuzu, ready my coat,” she ordered. She turned to Donovan and began to calmly give her instructions.

“Donovan, send word to the vassals to send their private troops. A hundred soldiers from each house should do, so tell them to send a hundred soldiers and ten knights.”

Reina’s mind moved quickly. “The fire must not spread to the mountains near Thushtra, so make sure to have them move quickly.”

What else? What else will they need? Right, mages to control the fire.

“Have Sir Cedric go to the mage tower branch here in Heathvilion and bring water mages to Thushtra. Let him know that he can be aggressive if they refuse.”

Thinking not just of controlling the fire but also of the citizens of the duchy, Reina continued in a darker tone, “We also need a place for the citizens displaced by the fire, so temporarily open the banquet hall for them.”

Donovan looked at her, uncertain. “Yes, madam. However, if you open the banquet hall to the common folk, there is bound to be trouble in the future. Are you sure?”

She pursed her lips. “Donovan, were you not the one who said that my will is the duke’s will? Have you changed your mind?”

“Not at all.”

Considering the matter settled, Reina was about to leave when she thought of something and turned back to Donovan. “Did you send word to His Grace?”

“Yes. I sent word via the mage tower, so he should receive it shortly.”

“I see.”

She lightly nodded and pulled on her coat, issuing an order for Yuzu to ready the carriage. The situation was urgent, but she couldn’t take a horse while pregnant.

Donovan looked horrified as he watched Reina prepare to head out. “Madam, where are you going in your condition? You can’t!”

“What are you still doing here? Let’s go. Every second counts.”

“Madam!”

Reina didn’t budge, not even at Donovan’s cry.

Of course she was nervous about going somewhere dangerous as a pregnant woman. If she could, she would leave it to others and receive updates via reports.

However, this was for Ell. Ell’s land that Ell would rule.

Reina had to take responsibility for this land.

“Tell them that no one had better arrive later than me in a carriage.”

***

The carriage door opened.

After getting out with the driver’s help, Reina felt her blood run cold at the sight of the great fire.

Someone screamed.

It was the sound of someone calling for their family.

A plea to hurry and throw water.

A shriek that sounded as though it came from the pits of despair, accompanied by the smell of burning, overwhelmed the village.

The smell of burnt flesh threaded through the acrid smoke, causing Reina to cover her mouth and heave.

Just how many people are dying in there?

She made her way to Thushtra intrepidly, but the sight of the disaster brought about by the first great fire she had ever seen in her life was too terrible.

“You’ve arrived, Your Grace. I worry that with the situation being as bad as it is, it could be harmful for your child...” The secretary of internal affairs, who had noticed her arrival, trailed off with his greeting.

His eyes were on Reina’s swollen belly, hidden beneath her coat. She tried her best to compose herself and straightened up.

A temporary barracks, built out of furniture, had been established where the fires had been somewhat controlled. As Reina entered, the vassals and officials recognized her and offered their greetings.

Because of the situation, the bows were silent. Reina moved to the head of the table.

“What are the damages?”

“As you know, the actual residents and the owners on record tend to be different in Thushtra. It is difficult to know just how many are residing in each building, which makes it difficult to assess just how many casualties there have been.”

He added that, since the fire had yet to be controlled, the casualties were estimated to grow.

After hearing the details of the situation, Reina pursed her lips unconsciously.

More than ten thousand houses have burned down.

Just three children would make a household of five. That was an estimated fifty thousand people.

Not to mention the fact that the Sorcier Empire considered multiple children to be a blessing, which meant that the damages would be even greater.

She calmly gave her next orders. “Controlling the fire comes first. Have the soldiers arrived from each house?”

“Yes. The wind made direct entry difficult, so they are approaching from the outskirts. We arranged a squad to go ahead with the ten water mages from the mage tower.”

Reina nodded and deliberated on what to do next.

The strong wind guaranteed that the damage would only grow from here. If the fire couldn’t be controlled by morning, then those caught in the chaos were sure to all be killed.

Reina asked with a hard expression, “Is that all?”

One of the vassals who regularly looked down on Reina spoke.

“You may be unaware as a woman, but there isn’t much that people can do in a fire like this,” he said in an admonishing tone.

Reina looked right at him.

He didn’t back down, his tone ridiculing when he continued, “Since the mages have been mobilized, it’s safe to say that we’ve done all we can. The only thing left to do is wait for the will of god.”

“Did you say the will of god?”

“Perhaps they were fated to die here. Who knows? You’ve done plenty for some mere commoners, coming out in person like this.”

Reina knew his name.

“Baron Lonparschier.”

“Yes.”

“I... am no idealist who thinks that the value of a noble’s life is the same as that of a commoner.” After a brief silence, Reina continued in a steeled tone. “However, your attitude makes me want to compare the value of my life and yours. I would hope that you refrain from treating any life so lightly in my presence again.”

There were few people who understood the value of life as well as Reina.

“I am a devout follower of Lumiere, the god of life, and so I am someone who values life...” Reina paused and continued slowly, “...greatly.”

The atmosphere in the barracks became frigid at her fierce words. Though Reina felt that she had been excessively harsh, she didn’t regret what she had said.

There was some more back and forth, but no groundbreaking solution came to them.

More than a couple hundred injured had been rescued from the areas that had been extinguished.

Every doctor in the vicinity of Thushtra had been summoned, and though the priests from the temple had come to help, everything from the aid barracks to medical staff were lacking.

Reina’s thoughts suddenly shifted.

Perhaps Undine could...

If she borrowed Undine’s power, she may not be able to put the fire out completely but she could probably create a path to begin suppressing it.

But there was still one major concern.

If I use that much energy, then what about Ell?

Ell was the most precious thing in existence to Reina. She wouldn’t trade him for the world. He was the only reason she was still standing, after all, even though he was also her only regret in the world.

Yet Reina had to make a choice.