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Chapter 535，Par1: A Delayed Letter (1)

Today’s Ascart City was extraordinarily vibrant. Not even the night could disperse the huge crowds flooding the streets. The tight economic partnership formed with Rosa had reduced the cost of many products, including illumination magic tools. That helped the city to remain bright even after sunset.

In a dimly-lit study room a distance away from the bustle, Roel gazed upon Ascart City’s lively night scenery with an impassive look on his face. The silence and stillness in the room were a jarring contrast to the teeming energy outside. Those who knew him well would be able to tell that he was feeling distressed.

Roel often frowned when he encountered a problem, but his face would turn emotionless if the problem was something he was unable to resolve. It was something he consciously did to force himself to remain calm and rationally think things through.

He had to be more vigilant than ever because he was up against the unknown. He couldn’t risk being caught by the enemy with his guard down.

Unfortunately, his vigilance took a toll on him—he was unable to sleep till night.

After his discussion with Peytra and Grandar earlier in the afternoon, he had written a letter each to the Holy Capital and Rosa requesting reinforcement. When he revised the content of his letters, he couldn’t help but think that what he had written was utterly ridiculous.

Despite Roel’s persistent feeling of unease and Artasia’s warning, no one, including Peytra and Grandar, had detected any enemies thus far. Anyone who read his letters would have thought that he was being oversensitive. It was illogical to request reinforcement on such grounds.

The mobilization of high transcendents was not a matter to be made light of. It directly impacted the region’s safety and stability. Had it been anyone else requesting help with the excuse that ‘I think that I’m in danger’, the Genesis Goddess Church and Rosa would have surely dismissed them as a nutcase.

It was only because of Roel that they would be receptive to the letters.

Be it Nora’s Seraphication or Charlotte’s affliction, Roel had played an important role in saving them from the crisis they were facing. This meant that the Church and Rosa were indebted to him. They couldn’t ignore his call for help.

Even so, Roel still hoped that he was just thinking too much here. There was nothing more important to him than keeping Ascart City safe.

The thought of his precious homeland full of his dearest memories being plunged into the flames of war weighed down on his heart. That was also one of the reasons keeping him awake.

A pair of white hands suddenly shot out and covered Roel’s eyes from behind.

“Guess who I am!”

A soft sensation pressed against Roel’s back, and a familiar fragrance tickled his nose. The clues were more than enough for him to guess the culprit.

“My dearest Miss Alicia.”

“Spot on!” Alicia replied with a euphonious chuckle.

To reward him for his correct answer, she planted a light kiss on his cheek, causing his body to stiffen up. She then released his eyes before twirling in front of him and leaping into his embrace. She cheerily cuddled up to him, enjoying the intimacy.

At the feeling of warmth in his arms, Roel’s lips uncontrollably curled into a smile.

“You’re back early?”

“It’s not early anymore. It’s almost time for the dinner banquet.”

“Is it?”

“It is! Everyone has been busy preparing for it. It has been a while since we gathered together, so Lord Father is taking it very seriously. Even so, there’ll probably be fewer guests this year,” Alicia remarked wryly.

Roel nodded in agreement. He hadn’t forgotten their annual tradition.

On the night of New Year’s Day, high nobles, especially fief lords, would host a dinner banquet for their aides, important officials, and lower nobles.

This dinner banquet served multiple purposes.

It was a way to thank key personnel in the fiefdom for working hard the previous year. Any bad blood formed over the year could be thrashed out here. The fief lord would also take this chance to share their plan for the upcoming year and introduce their family members.

Roel personally thought that it was no different from a company’s year-end gala, and he had organized it as such during his stint as the proxy fief lord. In his eyes, the Ascart Fiefdom was practically a newly-established company.

Things were going to be different this year since Carter had taken charge of this year’s dinner banquet. He had been away for so long that he urgently needed to meet key stakeholders in the fiefdom and discuss future plans. That was also why he had gone to sleep earlier.

It was just that many key personnel of the Ascart Fiefdom had joined the frontlines to fend off the deviants, and they hadn’t returned to the fiefdom together with Carter. This meant that there would be fewer people attending this year’s dinner banquet.

Roel was aware of that, but he didn’t have any attention to spare for it after what had happened. Thinking about how danger might spring up on him at any time left him grim-faced.

Sensing his emotions, Alicia’s smile slowly receded. She retreated a step and took a good look at Roel before hesitantly speaking up.

“Lord Brother, did something happen while I was away?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Lord Brother, you should know better that you can’t hide things from me.”

“…”

Alicia raised her hand and gently caressed Roel’s cheeks.

“Lord Brother, this isn’t the first time I have seen this expression on you…”

“Alicia?”

“You must have encountered something bad again. I know. I have always been watching you,” Alicia said hoarsely.

Heaving a soft sigh, she gently grabbed Roel’s hands and pulled them toward her, cradling them comfortingly in her grasp. Her expression was so sad that it looked like she was going to cry.

“You unconsciously clench your fists whenever you are faced with a difficult situation or are feeling stressed. That’s how you cheer yourself on.”

“!”

Roel widened his eyes. He subconsciously looked down at his own hands, which were in Alicia\'s grasp, and belatedly realized that they were clenched up. He never thought that Alicia would be aware of a habit that even he himself was oblivious to.

He did have many little habits back when he was a child, but he had slowly gotten rid of them over the years, as he advanced as a transcendent. His growing influence and responsibilities made it essential to ensure that others were unable to read his thoughts. Yet, Alicia was still able to read him like a book.

“Hehe. Are you surprised? You did this much more often as a child, Lord Brother. I have always known. But I didn’t dare to probe back then. I was weak. I was afraid that I would be a burden to you… But things are different now.

“Lord Brother, I have become a high transcendent. I am an adult now. You might think that I’m getting ahead of myself, but I believe that I have the strength to help you. I am strong enough to share your burden now… Won’t you tell me what’s worrying you?”

Alicia stared directly into Roel’s eyes as she nervously awaited his decision.

Roel fell silent.

To be frank, he was still reluctant to drag Alicia into his affairs despite knowing that she had already become a powerful high transcendent. However, the current situation was an exception.

If a battle really broke out in the Ascart Fiefdom, Alicia would be swept into it regardless of whether he wanted her to get involved in it or not. It would be wiser to alert her so that she could at least prepare for it.

“Alicia, I have received a warning from one of my ancient gods…” Roel shared Artasia’s warning and his own analysis of the situation with Alicia.

Alicia widened her eyes in shock. Moments later, her face turned grave.

Roel treasured Ascart City as his beloved home, and it was the same for Alicia. This was the place where she had met Roel and forged many precious memories with him. Anyone who dared to lay waste to this land was her archenemy.