Foreboding Storm - Chapter 165

A week after returning to the imperial capital, Princess Qamari and Bai Lan settled down in the pharmacy. One with exceptional medical skills and the other with enough knowledge to recognize the different herbs, the two quickly garnered a little bit of reputation.

“Princess, it’s so peaceful and serene here. I wish life would go on like this forever.”

But she knew such a wish was futile. The number of mutated beasts outside the City Gates grew by the day, raising unrest in the merchants’ hearts.

“Bai Lan, you said every dark magic wielder will become two times stronger under the influence of the Dark Moon. What happens after the Dark Moon disappears?” Princess Qamari fiddled with a handful of herbs, her eyes peeking out of the dome-shaped shop with a thoughtful expression on her face.

For the past few days, her left had been constantly twitching, filling her heart with a faint inkling of the inevitable about to descend.

Sigh. I need to distract myself. Otherwise, I’ll never be able to concentrate.

Outside the shop, Bai Lan was happily sorting out herbs, enjoying the warm, comfortable sun of the Amayan sky, when she heard Princess Qamari’s question.

Her smile on her face became stiff and she woodenly set down the basket of herbs.

“Princess, why are you asking a question of that sort?” She got to her feet and hurriedly walked to the side of the dazed princess.

“Nothing, just asking out of curiosity.”

“Are you sure? If there’s anything bothering you, you can share it with me.” Bai Lan assured.

“Bai Lan, do you believe in premonition?”

“Premonition? Isn’t that similar to prediction? You know how much I believe in predictions. If I didn’t, then we’d never have met. Tell me. What’s the matter?”

Princess Qamar hesitated for an instance, not knowing if she should even share something this extreme.

Seeing her hesitation, Bai Lan grabbed her hand. With a firm, unyielding gaze, she deeply stared at the other girl. “Princess, some things are best shared. Because only by sharing will you be able to come up with a solution.”

Princess Qamari looked at the other’s unwavering gaze and smiled.

*

Somewhere in the South of the Amayan Empire, there was a forest shrouded in a dark cloud. Howls and growls of ferocious beasts resounded as dark shadows swept back and forth as they glided, stomped, flew, or sprinted uniformly, in one direction.

“Brother Wei, the number of mutated beasts we gathered should be enough. Even if we want to gather more, there aren’t any in this region.” A man in a sailor suit sprinted to the men standing before the horde of magical beasts.

“The Amayan City Gates and their Aquiline Walls are well known in the seven realms. If we want to bring the entire forest down in one sweep, we need to do catch them off guard.” Wei Bin’s eyes flashed with determination.

For this day, they’ve planned and schemed for so long. If it were any other time, he was willing to wait for even a little longer to ensure the success of their plan.

However, time itself was something they no longer had.

Every second, every minute, and every hour they wasted was an hour they drew near to an inevitable end. For the survival of the countless men, women, and children depending on them, they needed to attack and come out victorious.

Because anything less would mean their end.

“Are the green armored troops ready?” He stoically asked.

“Yes, Brother Wei. I received word that they bypassed the Amayan troops stationed at the ocean of blood.”

“How about the food and provision? Will they be enough to last until we breach the aquiline walls?”

“Thankfully, we were able to replenish our supplies from the last trade deal with the Amayan Merchant Union. Combined with the meat we preserved from the wild beasts, we should be good until the success of our plan.”

“I don’t want any assumptions, Huang. You know how important this matter is for our Empire. We need to succeed at any cost and for that, I need you to make sure we won’t run short of the basic provisions. Understand?”

“Yes, I understand Brother Wei. I’ll go and make sure we have enough to last us until victory.” With a slight nod, the sailor turned and ran off into the distance.

“Just a few more days. After that, the Amayan Empire will be ours!” A fierce light flashed through Wei Bin’s eyes as he gazed in the direction of the Amayan Imperial City.

*

At this moment, in the southeast of the empire, a group of green armored men controlled a horde of mutated beasts with the fragrance of a green herb.

The intoxicating waft of the fragrance clouded the mutated beast’s minds as they mindlessly chased behind the men sitting on grey Myifs with branches tied to their back. At the end of the branches, a thin spark that spattered intermittently was the source of the fragrance.

“Spread out! Spread out in other directions! We need to gather all the mutated beasts in the region!”

“Spread out! Gathered the mutated beasts in the region!”

As the green armored men spread further away, the horde of intoxicated beasts increased more and more, until the entire southeast region was enveloped in a baleful aura as far as the eye could see.

The ruthless, blood-red gazes of the mutated beasts exuded a vicious and ferocious aura, as their large, fearsome forms stomped domineeringly towards the aquiline walls in the distance. Huge horns and sinuous, barbed tails dragged on the soft soil, raising a hail of dust and sand.

With a hammering heart, the green armored guards shakily gripped the swords in their hands tighter, shouting in their minds to remain calm, to hold their position, and guide the beasts to the walls until the last moment.

Because if they lost control too early or if they made a mistake, the mutated beasts would shred them to pieces before attacking the aquiline walls.

It was an excruciatingly difficult task to perform when they were enveloped by the ferocious auras of the beasts and were under the impending threat of death.

*

“Aarya Quime, you said you’ll make me the second consort of Crown Prince Lail after you entered the Imperial Palace. You’ve been back in the Imperial Capital for over three weeks. Why is there no progress at all?” Murong Ling’s eyes were red with anger.

She’d been hiding in a corner of the Imperial Palace as one of the Crown Princess Consort’s many handmaids, waiting for Aarya Quime to reward her to the Crown Prince. But even after 3 weeks of nervous waiting, there was nothing.

“Tell me very clearly, Aarya Quime. Are you reneging on your promise?” If she was, then she’d see to it that she dragged her down.

“Murong Ling, if you want our cooperation to work, then don’t ever call me that name again. Understand?” Regal in a red robe with gold and silver threads, Aarya Quime’s entire aura had changed to that of a noblewoman after wearing the Crown Princess Consort’s crown.

Though not born of nobility, the veil covering her face, her violet eyes, and her exquisite robes made her presence not any less than that of a noble.

Even Murong Ling, the elder cousin of the girl, was caught off guard by her overwhelming presence.

‘This wretch! After snatching the position of Crown Princess Consort, she’d actually managed to impersonate the aura of one after only a few days in the palace. If I don’t do anything soon and enter the Eastern Palace as Crown Prince Lail’s consort, then I’ll never be able to overcome her in the future.’

Murong Ling’s eyes flashed with a glint of light. Aarya Quime’s growing influence in the imperial palace and among the noble ladies was a threat to her future. Once she became Crown Prince Lail’s consort, there was no guarantee that the faithful man would spare her a glance when Aarya Quime held the identity of the woman he loved.

“Okay, okay. I won’t take that name again. But when are you going to facilitate my entrance into the Eastern Palace as his second consort? You know that you need to bring up the matter to him, right?”

“I know and I’m working on it. In our marriage agreement, we’d promised to remain faithful to each other. If I were to bring up the matter of getting him a second wife, he’ll definitely suspect us. In order to get you into the Eastern Palace smoothly, we need to make a foolproof plan.” Aarya Quime leisurely twirled the jewel in her black mane.

Our marriage? Heh…this Aarya Quime is truly thinks she’s his real wife.

“Then…then what are we going to do? I don’t want to keep hiding in the shadows like this. No, I can’t wait anymore. You must come up with a plan and get into the Eastern Palace within the week. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to meet the Crown Prince in private.”

Although her threat wasn’t clear, Aarya Quime immediately narrowed her eyes upon hearing her words.

“Sister Ling, we made this plan together, so why would I leave you in the ditch? It’s just that it’s a little too early to bring up this matter to him at the moment. You also know that our relationship is delicate. If it wasn’t for the fact that he can’t find any evidence to question, would I still be sitting here? Just have a little patience, hmm? Trust me, I’ll come up with a perfect plan. I promise.”

Even though her words sounded beautiful, only she knew how much she meant them.

‘Hmph! It’s so hard to find a faithful man in this time and age.. Why would I give my faithfully loyal husband a second wife to ruin my life?’ Aarya Quime scornfully thought while keeping the bright smile on her face.