Inside her workspace, Liliana sat at ease, occasionally flipping through docunts.
It had been nine months since Leon's departure, and her appearance had changed slightly.
The cold, indifferent expression that once defined her beautiful face had softened, now carrying a calm, serene air.
Her figure, too, had grown slightly fuller, with her curves more pronounced than before.
Her long white hair, usually worn loose, was now tied up in a neat bun that added to her elegant allure.
"Drought problems, huh? What a troubleso natural disaster," she murmured, eyes scanning the docunt in her hand.
Last sumr had been strange—unlike any she had experienced before.
The sun had felt harsher, the heat more intense than in previous years.
Drought struck rivers, lakes, and springs across most of the Demon race's eastern coastal cities.
Even major hubs like Bargaret, a key trade center in the east, and Erantum, the Empire's capital, had not been spared.
Mass panic swept through the Empire. Food and clothing prices rose by five percent, while clean water beca scarce, with prices soaring by twelve percent.
Even after the sumr had passed, the drought showed no signs of easing.
"Fortunately, food security has always been one of my top priorities," she muttered with a sigh of relief. "So the impact wasn't as bad as it could have been."
The rise in food and clean water prices was still within a safe range, thanks to the strict policies she had implented the previous year.
Food stocks stored in the city's warehouses—as well as those kept by farrs—remained abundant.
However, since she had yet to give the official order, the supplies stayed untouched in storage.
For that reason, she wasn't too worried about the ongoing drought.
"I wonder how Holy Orthodox is faring... Saint Arshley should be able to handle it, right?" She mused inwardly, her curiosity quietly stirring.
Crossing her legs, she swiveled her chair and gazed out the window at the brilliant blue sky.
*Knock!*
A knock echoed from the door of her workspace, followed by Lyra's calm, indifferent voice.
"Your Majesty, I have an important letter for you."
Liliana turned her chair back to face forward and responded in a composed tone, "Co in, Lyra. The door's unlocked."
*Clack!*
The doorknob turned slowly, revealing Lyra's graceful figure dressed in her maid uniform.
She carried a tray in both hands—on it sat a glass of cold, refreshing orange juice and a plate of warm, fragrant buns.
Entering the room, she quietly shut the door behind her and walked at a steady pace toward Liliana.
"I apologize for disturbing you, Your Majesty," Lyra said politely as she set the juice and bread on Liliana's desk.
Liliana smiled and shook her head gently. "It's fine. I'm not bothered."
She picked up a piece of warm bread, tore it open, and dipped it into the orange juice before taking a bite.
As the soft texture of the slightly sweet bread mixed with the tangy flavor of the juice on her tongue, her eyes curved into gentle crescents.
"Without a doubt, this is the perfect way to enjoy bread," she murmured with a quiet chuckle.
In the past, it would've never crossed her mind to eat like this.
She had been taught to enjoy bread and tea with proper etiquette.
But a few months ago, Leon had introduced her to this unorthodox thod—tearing off bread, dipping it into hot tea, then eating it.
She'd tried it out of curiosity, and to her surprise, it was delicious.
Since then, it had beco a habit—not just with bread, but also with dry biscuits and other cookies.
In fact, it had even extended beyond tea to include other drinks—like the orange juice in front of her now.
Seeing Liliana's unique way of eating, Lyra remained calm and expressionless, as if she had grown completely accustod to it.
"Ahem..." she cleared her throat softly. "Your Majesty, I've received a letter from Saint Arshley. Please take a look."
She reached into her apron pocket and handed over the letter.
Liliana wiped her hands with a handkerchief before accepting it.
"When did you receive this?" she asked, eyeing the letter with curiosity.
"Just now, Your Majesty," Lyra replied respectfully.
Liliana gave a slight nod and said nothing more. She opened the letter and began reading.
Monts later, a frown ford on her forehead. She set the letter down and leaned back in her chair.
"Evil God, huh? Bow Hero Luna's analysis doesn't seem far-fetched," she murmured, rubbing her chin with a thoughtful expression.
Unlike Holy Orthodox, she lacked experts who could identify the cause behind the unusually extre sumr. But after reading Arshley's letter, the answer beca clear—the rising temperatures in the Desert of Chaos.
Even more unsettling was the suggestion that this rise might be connected to the Evil God sealed within that vast wasteland.
Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned to Lyra and spoke with a serious tone.
"Lyra, deliver this order to Zahat: Deploy thirty thousand demon soldiers to the border of the Desert of Chaos. Have them construct a large fortress there, along with housing for the troops."
"Their only mission is to monitor any unusual activity in the area."
Lyra was clearly taken aback by the order.
"Your Majesty, this..." She began to speak but quickly stopped herself.
After taking a deep breath, her expression hardened.
"Understood. As you command," she replied firmly.
Without another word, she turned and swiftly left Liliana's workspace to carry out the orders.
Once the room fell silent again, Liliana narrowed her eyes, her middle knuckle tapping softly against the table.
"Could the Evil God's ergence be happening sooner than Leon predicted?" She murmured, a wary edge in her voice.
...
"It's so hot..."
Charlotte sat on the floor, frowning as she fanned her tiny, sweat-dappled face.
"You're right, Charlotte. Why is it so hot every day? Isn't it supposed to be fall?"
Stella sat beside her, nodding in agreent as she mimicked Charlotte's fanning motions.
The two shared a glance, then let out a small, weary sigh.
"I don't even know how long the weather's been this unstable since sumr. Do you think sothing's going on?" Charlotte murmured, puzzled.
Stella slowly shook her head and stood up. "I don't know, but it definitely feels like sothing's off."
She walked over to the small table near the bed, planning to pour herself a glass of the cold orange juice Lyra had left for them earlier.
"Hmm?"
Stella froze. The juice pitcher was gone.
Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on the balcony—where Iris and Fiona were lounging comfortably on the floor, clearly enjoying their relaxing afternoon.
Next to them sat an empty pitcher and two pink glasses—completely drained.
Stella: "..."
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