Anna was Julia’s successor! The person who wishes to flee the empire was the one actually intended to inherit it!
Anna was unable to handle the revelation. With a loud clatter, the cup she was holding landed onto the marble floor.
Irene, who had not eaten any food displayed on the table, raised her head and looked at Martha calmly and said, “Julia would not have wanted you to say this.”
Martha forced a smile, placing the wine cup onto the table.
Countless ashen clouds gathered upon the skies of Straton city and loomed over the palace when the cup made contact with the table. The sky grew gloomy and the vines seem to lose its vitality.
Irene squinted slightly, and said, “You should retire.”
Irene lacks any form of official authority in the empire. Whether it be civil or military, she could not command a single person, yet no one would think that her existence does not influence the empire. She was one of the few dragons to be born in recent times and has boundless potential. The council of the Julian empire had long agreed that Irene would be the best successor to Julia if she perishes in a fight against the Pope.
Martha sighed and said, “You always treasure your words like gold.”
People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little. Under Irene’s suggestion, Martha had to take the matter very seriously in considering her future course.
She did not think for long before the roasted peacock on the table had cooled, she said with regret while looking around the Theme of Straton that had accommodated her for ten thousand years.
“Since I fear death, I shall retire.”
---
Martha was not one to overthink matters. Before she had the ruler of the southern portions of the Julian empire, her life considered of very simple things.
Thus, this decision was probably the biggest one she had made in her entire life. Once it was finally resolved, the weight that was bearing down suddenly dispersed into nothingness, as did the ashen colour clouds that hung over the city.
She had juggled herself with Julia for far too long. Even an immortal like her would grow weary in both body and spirit. She realised that the simplest solution was indeed the best choice. While she could not abandon her wealth and live out life like a sage, she decided it was best to not do any more fighting.
She was still a powerhouse at the peak of sainthood, Julia would certainly permit her to leave the squabbles of the court. Furthermore, she had invited Anna, who was the future successor, and Ovid, the disciple of a great figure from the northern continent to bear witness.
“Once I return to the capital, I shall abdicate my title as Strategos of Straton.” Martha looked at Anna and said, “I hope that you can be there when I return the position to Julia.”
Anna shook her head wildly, “I don’t want to return to the capital.”
Martha sighed. She looked at Anna’s reluctant expression for a while before saying in a low tone, “Anna, Julia had let you out of the city so that you can experience the bitterness of life. No one expected you would find such a big tree as Cai Hua. Were it not for when that man had indirectly helped her recover the ravine she had originally lived in, you would have long returned to the capital.”
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Anna fixed her eyes of Martha, protesting in silence.
Martha fiddled with her hair ornaments. She said, “You cannot avoid fate. You had been picked and raised to be Julia’s successor.”
Anna stood up from her chair, walking to Ovid, she began to walk towards the door while pushing his wheelchair.
She stopped before she stepped out and said, “I don’t like to deceive others.”
---
Anna had not returned to her minor realm but had rather wandered to the shores of the Straton confluence.
There were three rivers that form the Straton confluence, the Renos, Echedoros and Chisone. Since the Renos carried an overwhelming amount of silt, the confluence had a bleakness to it as the dusty colour spread.
Ovid looked at the confluence silently, practising the breathing technique used to repress his stress. He struggled for some time before simply saying, “I did not expect your status to be so high.”
Anna looked at the smooth pebbles by the lake. Perhaps she was reminded of the horn she had flung into that cistern. She said with a strange expression, “Me too. While I was adopted by Julia, the two of us was never close. After I learned that we were of different races, I thought that she was withdrawn from me because of that.”
“You have more than enough money to compensate the victims of Julia’s outrage. Rather, I had been living off the funds of your teacher… Moreover, I had heard from Irene that Julia had long revived them, and the market place had been completely restored to its original form.”
Ovid had a hint of warmth in his eyes. He said, “I still remember that. It is a shame that I was naive and did not realise that there would be so many accidents. In the end, we have gone more Southwards than North. Originally, I had planned to join some form of research institution after reaching the human kingdoms after our ways parted.”
Anna looked at him and smiled, “It’s not difficult for you to go on that path. Cai Hua and Li Zhan are both capable of travelling the entire continent in a matter of days. As for me, I am actually not sure how to progress at that stage… although I do not regret it, it was really spontaneous.”
Ovid sighed.
Anna looked at the silhouettes of distant trees reflected on the surface of the lake and furrowed her brows, she said after a long while, “I think it would be best for me to succeed the empire, and reform it from within. Bring forth truth to the lies that Julia created.”
Ovid was surprised at this statement, more so than when Anna’s inheritance was mentioned at the table. He closed his eyes and answered solemnly, “Mother told me that you can’t reform a rotten tree.”
Anna asked curiously, “Why?”
Ovid looked at Anna and answered with what his mother had told him, “Because the forces opposing these reforms are already entrenched in the system. Other Strategies like Martha certainly would not want their privilege revoked. Even if you succeed and tell everyone that the bigshots in the empire are actually of a different race, what change will that make?”
Ovid places absolute trust in the teachings of his mother. He said these words almost like a monk repeating a mantra, and sounded of utmost confidence.
Anna became lost in thought, before saying, “There is no reason not to try. Even if these people want to kill me or remove me from power, Julia is not going to die. They will still have to take into consideration, and would not dare to kill me.”
Ovid looked out to the merging rivers and said under much consideration, “That is something very dangerous. You should at least have a plan.”
Anna gave him a smile and said, “I always have you. If worse comes to worst, and I become a puppet or on the verge of death, I will rejoin you in the human kingdoms of the north.”
Ovid could not find any words to refute that and spoke no longer.
---
After the conversation, Anna returned to her carefree and curious self. She had invited Ovid to wander about the city with her, and since he was currently confined in a wheelchair, he naturally could not refuse.
The climate of the South was very mild and pleasant, it was like the gentleness of a mother’s embrace. The crowds and merchants that had been hustling about had already begun returning home, yet there were still many people on the street. Ovid, who was not comfortable with crowds, did not have his mood dampened, perhaps due to the stiffening silence and seriousness of the discussion with Martha.
Anna pushed the car past a jewellery store, which was already packing up the items on display. Anna showed Ovid a few ornaments she got likely bargained from the store with some pride, before arriving at an insignificant portion of the city. Entering the secluded lane, Anna took him to a thermopolia (ancient Roman fast food) and order two bowls of egg soup.
In the meal with Martha, Ovid had only drunk wine while Anna barely touched anything on the table, so the two were quite famished. Even sages like Glafx could not go without food, much less Anna and Ovid, who had not even reached the rank of deacon.
When the servant arrived with the meal, Ovid looked at Anna with a meaningful gaze and said, “You are very good.”
Anna, who had already picked up the wooden spoon and preparing to deliver the egg soup, gave him a confused look.
Ovid relaxed on the wooden stool and continued, “You are already raised in a palace, but you are still bargaining and eating like any other person. Even after finding out you are the successor to half of the continent, you still act as you please without arrogance. That is good.”
The city was full of animals, so as Ovid rolled up his sleeves and ate the egg soup, many bulls passed by the two. Anna, seeking a bit of mischief, slapped the ass of one of the bulls passing, causing it to stumble onto the ground, and splash around some dirty water.
A smile subconsciously appeared on Ovid’s face, though he still reprimanded Anna for such conduct. The soup was scorching hot, so the two soon became drenched in sweat.
When the sun had faded, and stars blanketed the sky, Ovid took out his collection of hard liquor from his spacial ring and began to down the drink in great gulps.
Anna looked at him and smiled, wiping the sweat that gathered on her forehead with her sleeve, she laid down on the table and began to sleep.