THUK! THUUKK!
A heavy knock sounded on the Queen's bedroom. The Queen woke up, saw Natalia sleeping peacefully, she smiled, and without disturbing her, came outside and saw one of the guards. Seeing the Queen, he said, "Queen, there has been some disturbance at Coghian house. 5th Rock Leader and Mr. Kane Cox are present there, demanding the house of Coghian!"
The Queen, listening to this, her eyes got sharp. Sigh, making trouble the very next day. She moved and said to Maid Emmy, who was standing at the door in waiting while holding Tyra and thinking something, "Coghian, isn't that sham—"
"Maid Emmy!" She heard and instantly straightened up.
"Yes, my Queen."
"Take care of Natalia while I visit Oliver's house." She turned away swiftly not wasting any time. As she was going, Maid Emmy instinctively said, "I wa—" She stopped.
"Hmm? What?" the Queen asked, stopping her steps.
"Nothing, my Queen. I will take care of her." She bowed, saying sorry to interrupt the Queen's movement.
"Hm, okay. Don't worry." She smiled warmly, as she patted her head lovingly.
What was I thinking? Maid Emmy thought while looking at the 5th rock, close to here.
The Queen started to go. As she was getting into her royal carriage, 4th Rock Leader Remek Barret came and said, "Where are you going, my Queen, without your Queen Guard Leader?"
"Uncle Remek, you should have rested more!" she said while Uncle Remek shook his head and said, "It's always duty first," as he rode with her toward the 5th rock.
The Queen reached when Oliver was declaring himself as a bet. She smiled, her heart full of warmth, thinking how great her friends were. Her sadness was only overcome by her kids. She walked ahead and, with a loud and clear voice, said, "I think that's what it is. Please leave Coghian house alone for now."
Hearing the Queen's voice, Kane and Grankell smiled a little.
"My Queen, why are you taking the side of a poor Crown? We don't need him here!"
"Yes, my Queen, you are making it worse for us. The new Crown, Mr. Kane Cox, will definitely succeed. How can you not give face to your future son-in-law?"
"We are already looked down upon outside of here. Other Crowns laugh at us for our poor products. We could barely make any profit. This place doesn't have anything. Mr. Kane Cox will bring better tools here, then we could even be able to produce more crops and even catch ocean monsters and eat the ocean animals and use their parts to make better things and sell them, making this place more prosperous. We are not blaming you, but we need to move forward. We can't keep living like looked-down-upon fellow Crowns!"
"Yes, Queen, he promised us to increase the land from here, then we could set up many things and set up a new manufacturing hub!"
"Queen! Queen! Queen!" All kinds of complaints came toward the Queen, her face pale, looking toward the angry mob coming at her.
"These bastards! Hold them off!" 4th Leader Remek ordered , Queen guards ran and created a barricade from their bodies and pointy rods with some cloth fins,.
Grankell and Kane, smiling like this, came forward from the sides and said to the Queen while coming beside her. He bent down, his big face giving shivers to her body as he looked sideways with his eyes, while he faced forward, and said, "Queen, it seems people are not happy with your rule over the years. Things have been stable for too long with no improvement. It seems new blood is about to take over. Why not just give up and rest for a while? Even Mr. Jorri is tired now, right?" Grankell said while looking at her cleavage from her heart-shaped cutout at her upper chest.
The Queen stood tall, not moving, her voice slightly shaky but still clear. "Mr. Grankell, people are angry toward their Crown, and it's justifiable. It's the Crown's duty to fulfill their demands, and I will see to it. No need to be in a hurry. You can go rest for now. Leave this to me." The Queen said with confidence, but sweat droplets could be seen on her smooth neck.
"Sure, sure. It looks like you have to stay at my place, Mr. Kane. Well, I also have some great women there and many more to come." He smiled and stood up, walking past her.
"Well, whatever. I am going. Bye, future mother-in-law," as he licked his lips and went.
The Queen clenched her teeth and said in a loud voice, "I hear you, my fellow Crowns. I will do my best to increase the output and satisfy your needs. For now, please calm down." She bowed a little, showing her sincerity. But before she could get through to them, suddenly a voice sounded, "Oww! Oww! Hey, why are you beating this Crown? Oww! Oww! Hey, everyone, these people are not taking us seriously! BEAATT THEEM UUPP!"
Things escalated. No one knew whether it was true or not, but with anger on their faces, they started fighting. Clearly, everyone knew a bit or two about fighting. Chaos broke out.
"Queen, you should go back to your carriage. I will calm them down and come to you," 4th Rock Leader said as he moved toward the crowd.
The Queen nodded as she moved away, but someone said, "Hey, Queen is running away! Catch heeerr!" Everyone, without thinking, made more chaos. "Aaaaahhh!" "Akkkk!" TING! TING! With lots of shouting and occasional clashing of weapons, things escalated quickly, making the Queen see it in worry.
Oliver, seeing this, also mixed with the Queen's guards and tried to control the situation. Truthfully, it was not much difficult—with some basic moves, he was able to knock some people out. It's just there were many nobles present than Queen guards.
Many nobles got away from Queen guards since the guards were hesitating to hit them, leaving them open to get close to the Queen. They ran toward the Queen with bare hands, trying to catch her and not let her run away, not knowing how they got so much courage to do it.
"Aaahhh!" The Queen, in fear, stumbled down! Nearby guards were coming to help her but a lot slower than the already-close nobles. As they were about to close, suddenly their faces got—PUFF! PUFF! PUFF!—all black. "Aaahhhh! I can't seeee! What happened? Aaaahhh!"
The Queen heard some noises and saw their eyes covered in black smoke, which slowly got cleared up. Then THUMP—a small girl or boy landed in front of the Queen as slowly his half side-crop sweater changed into a full sweater, still making him cute. He turned around and said, "Queen Mother, are you okay?" Gloomy slowly helped her to her feet.
"Gloomy, where did you come from? Thank you for saving me," as she patted his head lovingly.
"Well, Grandpa threw me from the carriage," he said while in anger.
"Oooh, hahaha, don't worry. I will scold Grandpa for you." Turning around, seeing more nobles coming and making other guards busy, gloomy said, "How should I deal with them?" seeing angry nobles.
"Well, just make them unconscious, Gloomy. Don't hurt them too bad."
"Hmm, okay." Gloomy nodded, hearing Queen Mother's instructions.
Gloomy walked slowly toward the angry nobles who, seeing a child coming at them, got more angry as they ran and came close to punch. But their punch—PUFF!—got inside him and got out. Their eyes opened widely in shock, then they felt their legs getting hit. KAAACCKK! OWWW! THUUUMMMBBB! They fell down on their faces, not getting up.
Gloomy moved in the chaos like a ghost, letting them fall by sometimes kicking their feet, sometimes their back of knees, sometimes their crotch, and leaving the guards to take care of them afterwards. As Gloomy was doing all this, he came near Leader Remek and helped him subdue everyone. Gloomy used his power in succession but only for 2-3 seconds, using clear precision. One person came to kick Gloomy. He just turned—PUFF!—letting the kick pass, then just stumbled him by kicking his other feet. No one really thought to counter it, just blindly hitting him, making his job easier. Gloomy mixed in with the Queen guards, helping Oliver and Leader Remek.
But suddenly, with the corner of his eye, 4th Leader saw a glass globe in the air getting thrown. Its direction... "MAAALIIINAAA!" Uncle Remek shouted, telling the Queen to move, but it was too fast. It reached near as soon as she turned away to look. Some guards didn't react in time. As the glass globe came close—SHATTEEEERR!—it broke in full, but not on the Queen's body, but somebody else's. A woman came hugging the Queen as she was about to get hit. SIZZZZZ—a burning sound came from the woman's back as the shattered glass fell down on the ground.
"Aghhh!" The woman fell to her knees, clearly in pain.
"Ah! Hey, hey, are you okay? Guards, take her away to doctors, fast!" the Queen ordered.
"I am fine, Queen. Just a small burn, that's all. I just couldn't stand and watch you get hurt while I was passing by, so I came in between. I am sorry for scaring you!"
"Hey, don't say it like that!" The Queen saw a woman in a white scarf hooded with a white cloth bra and slightly baggy brown pants. "You are not from here?" the Queen asked as the women who saved her nodded in agreement.
"Fine, come with me. I will heal you, and you are not allowed to say no!" the Queen smiled as she took her to the carriage. "What's your name, lady?" the Queen asked.
"Hmm, Kyra Mills, your highness."
"Beautiful name. My name is Malina Auliffee. Let's be friends, okay!" she smiled as both nodded and got near the carriage, watching what was unfolding, while some people took care of Kyra's wound with some emergency patches.
Seeing the Queen was okay, he fixed his gaze on a noble who was wearing a mask and running away from here. He smirked, and like a bullet—WHOOOOSHHH—he followed him, telling Gloomy and Oliver to help others, to which they nodded.
Leader Remek was fast—way too fast. In a few seconds, he came close to the man running.
Far away, standing at the top of a dome pillar and watching up front, a man wearing a white sharp face mask with sharp eye sockets and nose sockets, nothing visible about his face. With a round hat which never lifted a single inch from the high winds, and a simple attire of black pants and a high-collar full-sleeve shirt with dark blue and cream color combination, black gloves in hand, looking like a man working for a cemetery in common clothes. His build was on the slightly larger size with a well-developed chest and strong lower body.
Sigh, can't even do a simple work. "Give me that spear," said in his older mature voice to a man standing behind him wearing a half-blue coat and pants with a white shirt rolled up, showing tattoos on one hand with slightly tired eyes and glasses, also rough beard and gloves with lots of spaces of holes in them. His body looked slightly smaller in front of him, but he was also jacked with some muscles.
"These are called pointy rods with fin cloths," the man said without any expression.
"Hmm, Babkin, this is a fucking spear! so call it a fucking spear! Now give me that spear before I stab your mouth, with this spear!" an angry voice sounded from the face mask.
"Yes, here it is—rod with pointy thing and wings, Mr. Bogdanov Ilarion Vasilievich. Umm, your name is too long. Can I call you Mr. Bog?" Babkin said with full-face seriousness.
"You call a spear with such a long name and my name with such a short name. Do whatever you want." He took the spear and got into position, bending down, his black gloves tightly holding the spear. As he felt the air behind him, with extreme precision—SWWWWIIIII—he threw the spear toward Leader Remek.
"What is the need to do this, Mr. Bog?" Babkin said, squinting his eyes, trying to see the spear.
"Hmm, your plan did work, Babkin, but them knowing about us directly from that stupid fellow is bad. So why not create a mystery with a stronger man like me? Let them be on their guard. The more the ceremony closes, the better it is for us." The man with the mask said with a mature voice, not hinting any discomfort as he praise about himself. "You keep doing your representative work properly. If we succeed in this task, then our rank will rise like a balloon in the sky," as he watched his spear in full speed going toward Leader Remek.
While Leader Remek was about to catch that man, suddenly looking up in front of him, he saw a pointy rod coming toward him fast—very fast!! Its tip shining in the sun. In the full speed, he didn't change direction but stopped himself and stood his ground by slightly lowering his body.
"Hmmm, what's with this commotion?" Alfie woke up and saw the little Princess in his embrace. For a while, he looked at her cute and attractive body, then he suddenly remembered what he had done. "Aaaaahhh!" He got up, covered her with a blanket, and stood far away, his heart racing fast. Shit, shit, I was half asleep and touched the little Princess. Is my life over? Should I just suicide? With thoughts running, he heard the commotion, he went outside and asked a fellow, "What happened? What's with this commotion?"
"Hmm, Alfie, 5th rock nobles are getting crazy. There have been some clashes with Queen and other crowns."
Hearing this, Alfie asked, "Did the Leader went there with Queen?"
"Ah, yes, he did!"
"Hm, then okay." Alfie went inside, saw the little Princess's cute sleeping face, smiled, then lay down on the floor and thought while yawning, If the Leader has gone with queen mother, then everything is fine! He slept again peacefully.
SHRRIIIKKKKKKK! BBOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!
A loud blast sounded—too loud—and lots of dust lifted where Leader Remek was standing. As the dust cleared with the winds, everyone saw Leader Remek standing still with his head sharp, looking forward, holding a spear—THHNNNN! THNNNGGG—which was vibrating hard but not getting loose from Leader Remek's strong hand grip. His body was a little lower, backed a lot from his initial position. The ground which on impact has gone down significantly while cracks formed around it. Dragon-scale armor of Leader on his right hand went up and down as if breathing gas like a living scary animal.
Then he similarly took position, bent down a lot, got into spear-throwing position, his eyes targeting a small man standing straight above the dome of a structure tower of a noble which was in a construction stage, nearly built completely, just had to remove the construction ladder and all. People watched Leader Remek, as like in slow motion, his black full armor started opening and closing from his leg going upwards slowly like a beast awakening. GIIISSS! GIIISSS! GIIISSS! GGIISSSS!
"Ah, get down, Babkin," Mr. Bog said.
"Is he an energy user?" he asked while getting down by jumping directly.
"No, I don't think so," Mr. Bog said while his eyes narrowed as if smiling, and then he said slowly, "COMEEE AT MEEE!"
GIISSS! GIISSS! GIIISSS! Remek's body filled with white vaporous gas, his eyes fixed at his target, his long white ponytail fluttering in the air. As the last scale opened at the tip of his hand present at the spear, then slowly his body pulled back a little, then nothing. No one saw anything. SWWWWIIIIIIINNNNNNNN—a clear sharp cut sounded. At the same time—BOOOOOOOOOMMMM! Remek's standing place ground gotten more down, full of cracks, dust rising instantaneously, as Remek could not be seen, but his eyes sharp and clear, watching the man on the tower.
SWWWIIIINNNNNN. "Heeehhhh", a slight murmur from the masked man then TIIINNNNGGGGGGGGGG! BOOOOOOOMMMM! For just a millisecond, you could hear a metal sound, but then a loud explosion sound as the tower collapsed, debris falling down. There was nothing left—not a single piece of rock left standing, no trace of a man or the spear. But you could hear some faint sound afterwards—TIIINN! TIINN—as an eye glowed in the dust. Hmm, I will wait for you, Remek Barret—4th Rock Leader, as dust swallowed everything.
Here at Leader Remek's place, also, dust settled down, revealing a closed dragon armor with the standing tall Leader muttering, "Sure. See you soon, Mr. Mask Man." He smiled, turned, and walked in a steady pace.
"Wow, that was magnificent, Remek boy."
"Hmm?" Leader Remek turned and saw Grandpa. "Hey there, old man, still alive and kicking, I see," Leader Remek said with a slight smile.
"Hey, we met recently only. Don't make this old man die so soon," Grandpa said laughingly. "Want me to catch him?" Grandpa asked while looking at the once-stood tower.
"No need. He will come again."
"Hmmm." Grandpa nodded and started walking with him, having small talk.
"Owww, my baaackkk! I am tired carrying so many bags. Why did everyone run away, leaving this beautiful woman with so many luggage?" Mother Veny was last to arrive and heard all those fighting noises as she slowly came toward the Queen's carriage. Gloomy, now near the Queen, saw Mother Veny and came to help her.
"Thank you, Gloomy. You are my only savior," as she said, she came to the Queen and injured Kyra. "Queen, are you okay?" Mother Veny asked.
"Hmm, Fia's mother, yes, I am okay. Thank you for your concern. I see you have been shopping a lot. Why not come with me and rest for a bit?" she smiled, seeing Mother Veny.
"Then I will take up your offer and relax in the royal palace for a while," she smiled playfully as she came and hugged her.
"Thank god you and our kids are okay. Don't let all the trouble on your shoulders. Share it with this lady, okay, Malina?"
"Hmm, hmm, I will, and sorry for all the trouble I have caused to our kids," the Queen said while hugging her back.
"It's okay. We will face this together," as Mother Veny released her and made a fist.
"Hehe, sure, sure," the Queen replied while Oliver came toward her. Seeing this, the Queen touched his head lovingly and said, "It's okay, my son. You do whatever you want to do. I will protect you until the end, just like you protect my daughter."
"Hmm, I will, Queen Mother," Oliver said confidently.
"Oliver my son good job, you are making this lady proud," Mother Veny said proudly while giving Oliver a thump up.
"hahaha thank you Mother Veny, it was all because of your food that I became so strong, able to protect my beautiful mothers, "Oliver said by taking mother Veny hand and kissing her hand elegantly.
"Kyyyyaaaa so handsome, my son is so cool," Mother Veny smiled beautifully while giggling like a little girl.
"Geez it's because of you guys this brat has become so flirty with every lady," Queen shook her head.
"Good. Now let's go back." Queen said while she saw Leader Remek and Grandpa coming back. They nodded as the ladies and Gloomy went inside the carriage. Others came behind them, leaving the cracked floor behind, showing devastating power.
"Ugh, my courtyard. I need more money now!" Oliver pressed his head more, seeing this the destruction caused by fighting.
When lots of maids with different age groups and butlers came, the head maid said, "Young master, why do you have to do this for us? We are not worthy of your blood, young master." Everyone nodded as some had tears in their eyes.
Oliver smiled and said, "You were all present when my parents were gone and helped this house to stay alive, and now it's my duty to protect you. I thank you from all my heart, and my parents surely thanking you by watching from above for all the sacrifices you have done for this house. I am thankful, truly thankful," as he bowed to his servants.
Seeing this, many girls started crying while hugging each other, and butlers also shedding some tears.
"Geez, you are making your servants cry, you know?" a loud voice sounded as Maren came in a hurry. "Looks like it is over. My body is already aching so much, and I missed a cool fight. Sigh, let's go inside. I want to sleep," as she ordered his maids like her own and let herself loose here.
"NOOOOO! MYYY TOOWEERRR!" a noble cried and fainted as Queen guards put him beside other unconscious nobles. Seeing this, others turned around and laughed. For a moment in this coldness-filled house of Coghian, some warmth came.
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AUTHOR NOTE:
In the middle of chaos, fear, and uncertainty, this chapter reminds us of something beautifully simple yet incredibly powerful — we are never truly alone. Even when the world seems to shake beneath our feet, there will always be people who stand up for us, fight beside us, and protect us in ways we never expect.
From the Queen's quiet bravery, to Gloomy's small but mighty courage, to Kyra's selfless sacrifice, to Oliver's unwavering loyalty — each of them shows one truth:
Strength isn't loud.
Strength is love.
Strength is choosing each other, again and again, even in danger.