Chapter 11 — A Problem to the South
The Clinton estate's main study was as quiet as a sealed vault—thick drapes drawn, late-afternoon sun filtering through in muted gold. Papers lay stacked in organized piles across an ornate desk, each arranged with almost obsessive precision.
Azeroth's father—Leon—broke that calm with a weary exhale.
"Haaa… they just won't give up, will they?"
He leaned back in his chair, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as another report slid from his hand onto the desk.
Approaching followed by the sound of the doors opening.
"What is it, honey?"
Serena asked as she crossed the room, a soft rustle of silk following her. She set a steaming cup of the essence blend he liked beside his elbow and eased into his lap like her personal throne, her hands swung around his neck.
Leon tapped a finger on the newest parchment.
"It's the lizardmen to the south. More reports came in this morning—another merchant caravan was hit near the mountain pass."
Selena frowned.
"That's already the third one this month. isn't not?"
"Fourth," he corrected grimly. "Not counting the ones we still don't know about."
She sighed through her nose, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"I thought you were sending a team?"
Leon shook his head, jaw tight.
"I've already sent a squad. A good one. But those bastards are too slippery. With their racial affinity for earth manipulation, they burrow underground before we can even get close. Tracking them is borderline impossible."
"Their talent for escaping is indeed annoying."
She crossed her arms. "But still, things can't continue like this, At this rate we're could lose that trading route."
"It's already happening," he muttered. "Merchants are shifting east, avoiding our territory altogether. That pass is one of our biggest sources of income. If this goes on much longer…"
He let the sentence die off, but the implication hung heavy.
Selena exhaled, gaze dimming.
"Any idea what stirred them up? They don't usually attack unless provoked."
"That's the part that bothers me."
He lifted another parchment—the ink still fresh.
"They're relentless this time. Coordinated too. Someone—or something—has angered them. At this rate, I would be forced to send Bran or even Saja."
With that the room fell silent as the implications were not lost on either of them, as if it ever gets to such a point, it could mean that war was not far.
"Personally, I think they are using the fact that father is away to cause trouble, otherwise I don't think they dare act out like this." Serena said,
Leon fell silent, fingers drumming once on the polished desk. Selena mirrored the tension with a faint crease between her brows.
For a moment, the study held nothing but the soft ticking of the wall clock.
Then—
Bang!
The double doors flew open.
Both parents jolted slightly as Azeroth burst in with more energy than usual—actually he just attempted to open the door as usual but the results spoke for themselves…
"Father! Mother!—oh."
He froze halfway through the room, suddenly aware he had interrupted something serious. "Uh… sorry."
Leon blinked, then his face quickly reddened to a blush as Serena was still sitting on his lap.
"It's fine, Azeroth. We were just… talking over a few matters." He managed trying hard to sound serious but the deepening blush on his face caused Azeroth to deadpan "uhh huh…"
Selena just gave a gentle smile as she got up from Leon's lap somehow still graceful. "How was your training dear?"
Azeroth brightened instantly.
"It went great!"
Way too great, he corrected mentally.
His body still felt like a compression coil waiting to misfire.
Leon raised an eyebrow, amused. "That enthusiastic? What happened?"
Azeroth scrambled for a normal-sounding summary before he accidentally said something too insane.
"Uh—I just practiced the basics for longer than usual. Push-ups… sprints… footwork drills." He paused then added, "I think I'm getting the hang of controlling my breathing better."
Not technically a lie… he had indeed done those things.
Just for a different reason.
"Not that, I'm asking about the testing, how did that go?" Leon asked again, he could feel that for whatever reason, his son had grow much stronger than before.
Realizing his mistake Azeroth quickly answered "it went well, the test was a success. And devouring the cores did indeed make me stronger,"
Selena nodded, satisfied.
"That's good. No need to rush. Your body should still adjusting from advancing."
Azeroth coughed, looking off to the side.
"Y-yeah. Still adjusting. Definitely."
Leon studied him a moment longer, then leaned back.
"Well, if you need more let me know and I'll arrange it, no need to hold back okay?"
Azeroth had to stop his eyes from widening.
Additional resources?
He almost choked on air.
Right now he was struggling to adapt to his current growth in strength,——
Selena cut in before he could say anything.
"Before that, remember we'll be visiting Count Fall's estate tomorrow."
Azeroth blinked. "Tomorrow?"
"Yes." She smiled. "His daughter's 10th birthday remember?. You said you would attend."
Azeroth groaned internally. Inwardly regretting agreeing to that. He barely had enough control over his own body right now and was hoping to do more exercises tomorrow now he has to go to some kid's birthday?
A noble!
Gods… one wrong handshake and I can already imagine the numbers of ways it could go wrong.
Still, he nodded.
"Right. I remember. Father I'll tell you the things I want when we get back"
Leon chuckled. "Alright then..."
The atmosphere eased, theearlier stress in the room softening around the edges.
Azeroth lingered only a little longer before bowing his head.
"I'll leave you two to your 'talk'."
"Good. Go rest a bit," Selena said warmly, pretending not to hear the subtle jab. she added, "You look worn out."
If only they knew…
But he nodded obediently and slipped out of the study.
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