"Why don't we sit here?" King Theon suggested, standing up to guide them to a central table surrounded by six chairs. He settled in the middle, with Naseria on his left and Silas on his right.
"Since both of you are here, I have a mission for you. Before that, Miss Naseria, I don't think I have formally introduced Silas Roan Làconi-Zyma. He is one of my trusted counselors who oversees the kingdom." the king announced.
Naseria shot a sideways glance at Silas. "A mission, with him?" she asked incredulously. Silas merely glared back at her, an expression that didn't help ease the tension.
"I really want both of you to get along, as you’ll be working together on this mission for a while," King Theon said, trying to keep the mood light despite Naseria's obvious reluctance. She sighed loudly, but the king chose to ignore it.
"Miss Naseria, this is the map of the Cascadea Kingdom," he continued, laying out a detailed map on the table. "The kingdom consists of four regions. The Cascade Region is the main area, and the Jasver Region, where all the soldiers are located, serves as the first line of defense for the city. Then we have the Everdancy Region, our agricultural heartland, where we grow our crops and raise poultry. Lastly, there's the Dahlia Region, known for its vast forests."
“Koraphis Land?” Naseria repeated, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.
“Ah, yes, we’ve kept the name,” King Theon replied with a hint of pride in his voice. “Everyone, especially the soldiers who trained there before the Cascadea era, wanted to preserve it as a reminder of their roots.”
“And Dahlia?” Naseria repeated, her interest piqued.
“Yes, it’s named after the greatest Elaris in history,” King Theon replied. “I’ve heard you served under her." Naseria nodded.
King Theon smiled. “I would love to hear more about her someday. But for now, the mission I’m assigning you both involves visiting each region. There are many rumors circulating that need to be investigated.”
Naseria raised an eyebrow. “And don’t you have someone to lead each region?”
“We do, but it’s been difficult to mobilize them due to various situations,” King Theon admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice.
“So you let your people suffer before taking action?” Naseria challenged, her tone sharp.
“I know,” King Theon responded, looking down momentarily. “It was my fault for being too preoccupied.”
“Doing what?” Naseria pressed, wanting clarity.
“A lot of things,” the king replied vaguely.
“And you just let your people, who built this whole kingdom, wait?” Naseria continued, her frustration mounting.
“Excuse me, I’m sorry, Sire, but you’re being quite rude to the king, he has alot of responsibility—" Silas interjected, attempting to steer the conversation.
“Responsibility to take care of the people,” Naseria finished, cutting him off. “That’s exactly it. You can’t let the weight of your duties blind you to the needs of those you govern.”
King Theon sighed, “You’re right, Miss Naseria. I don’t know what’s happened to me. That’s why I need your help to save this kingdom.”
Naseria observed the king, clearly frustrated with himself. “I’ll look into it,” she replied, her tone softening a little.
The king felt a wave of relief wash over him. “But isn’t there anyone who could help me, not just this young kid?” Naseria asked, glancing at Silas.
