A Journey That Changed The World.

Chapter 935: Haruka Kitsunia

Archer and Meredith sat silently on the balcony overlooking the beautiful garden below as they drank the tea, but he commented as the silence dragged on, ”Do you like being my maid, Mere?”

The blonde woman nodded, ”Yes, but whenever youʼre on Draconia, I must always be with you,” she informed him nervously. ”ʼThatʼs fine,ʼʼ Arched responded with a smile. ”We will visit Dragonheart City, and then I want to see the progress of the train project.”ʼ ”I will join you, master,” Meredith beamed. ”It would be nice to leave the palace for a while.”

Archer chuckled as he and Mere enjoyed their tea and sampled some delicious biscuits. Once they had finished, he said, ”How about we spend the night together? Iʼd love to have more time with you, Mere.”

Mereʼs cheeks flushed bright red, but Archer quickly added, ”Iʼm not talking about anything inappropriate just a cozy cuddle before we fall asleep.”

The maid nodded with a small smile, prompting Archer to rise and gently take her delicate hand. ”Lead the way, my beautiful maid wife,” he said warmly.

Meredithʼs cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, and Archerʼs grin widened at her reaction. As she guided him through the palace corridors, they made their way toward the quarters where she would be staying.

Many other maids and workers spotted the two, only to go wide-eyed when Meredith dragged him into her room. Before Archer entered, he heard a few young women speak, ”So what Edith said was true; he wants to make some of the maids his wife.”

Archer chuckled, but Meredith shut the door, sighing as she looked at him with blue eyes. ”They are going to gossip about seeing you,” she said.

He shrugged and chuckled, ”It makes for great entertainment; let them gossip, and weʼll make it even more exciting.”

Meredith giggled, ”A king shouldnʼt be encouraging gossip among his maids,” she said while taking off her uniform. ”Now they think you will choose them for this harem Edith keeps talking about.” ||

Archer watched her undress, but the blonde narrowed her eyes, ”Turn around, young man.”ʼ He chuckled but remembered the Rulers Conference in Mediterra, a weekʼs journey from Draconia. He told Meredith, ”We will have to explore once Iʼm back from the meeting.” Meredith smiled, ”I was wondering when you were going to bring that up; the queens have organized the group who will be going with you alongside Meera and Jaya; they will be joining half of the government.”

Archer nodded with a smile but continued to look away as the door flung open, causing Meredith to squeak. He spun around to see an older woman standing there who was stunning.

She was a fox demi-human in a fitted maidʼs uniform, which highlighted her striking features. Her golden blonde hair cascaded in waves, framing her blue eyes, which sparkled with a hint of mischief.

Her bushy tail swayed gracefully behind her, and the uniform struggled to contain her generous curves. Archer wondered who this woman was, but she spotted him and knelt with a panicked expression, ”Master. I am Haruka Kitsunia, I was hired by Queen Ella.”

Archer beamed, ”Itʼs good to meet you, Haruka. What brings you here?” he questioned.

The mature fox turned red as she muttered, ”I wanted to see you, Master. Every time I came close, you vanished.” ”Adorable, well, join me and Mere for the night,” Archer offered, causing Harukaʼs tail to go straight as she became nervous.

Meredith quickly explained in a reassuring tone, ”He wonʼt take advantage; master is a respectful dragon.” ”Thank you, master,” Haruka said as she relaxed, closing the door as she entered the room. The two women put on their night clothes while Archer faced away after Meredith motioned him to turn around. Once dressed, the fox woman walked toward the kitchen, saying, ”Master, would you like some tea?”

Archer nodded with a smile, ”Yes, please, my fox maid,” he said with a charming smile.

Afterward, Haruka used Meredithʼs kitchen to prepare tea for the three of them while the white-haired maid closed the curtains and lit the fireplace. She spoke as she shivered, ”The night air is cold nowadays, and it seems to be getting worse.”ʼ ”The Long Night has come,” Haruka said concernedly. ”I was a little girl when it last appeared, and it went on for a few years, causing chaos all over Orientia.”ʼ

Archer grew curious and questioned, ”Do you have any stories?”

Haruka nodded, ”Let me finish the tea while we get comfortable, and I will tell you one that had stuck with me,” she said while filling the cups.

Five minutes later, the three of them were seated around the table, the fox woman beginning her story with a solemn tone. ”I am the illegitimate sister of Empress Akane of the Kitsunia Empire,” she began, her emerald eyes reflecting a mix of resolve and sorrow. ”When I was young, court politics forced me and my sister to a remote border town. There, I encountered something so extraordinary but horrifying that I still struggle to explain it.” ***

Haruka Kitsuniaʼs POV

Haruka resented being sent to this town for her safety amid the volatile court politics. Sitting in her room, she gazed out the window as the rain battered against the glass, the chill in the air growing more biting.

Her tail wrapped around her in an attempt to keep warm as her caretaker, Miya, entered the room. ”Princess, dinner will be ready soon, but the scouts report a storm approaching the town.”

Haruka turned to the older woman with a wry smile. ”Itʼs getting colder; even my tail is struggling to keep me warm.”

Before Miya could respond, a voice cut through the conversation. ”A long night is coming, and weʼll be trapped in this godforsaken town.”

Haruka glanced over at her older sister, Akane, who was a few years older than her. Like the empress, Akane had striking brown hair and captivating green eyes. Her quick intellect and strong leadership had earned her widespread admiration.

Haruka smiled at her sister and asked, ”Big sis, why did Father and Mother send us here?”

Akaneʼs expression grew serious as she took a seat beside Haruka. ”There are people who want to assassinate us to get to Mother. As long as weʼre here and well protected, weʼre safe from them.”

The weeks passed quickly, and Haruka found herself on the townʼs wall as snow fell. Akane joined her, wrapping a thick cloak around herself. ”Rumors are spreading about monsters attacking travelers in the snowstorms. Several trade caravans have gone missing since last week.”

Before Haruka could respond, a roar echoed from the nearby forest, causing the imperial guards to rush them back to the fortress. As they ran, she caught sight of monstrous figures scaling the town wall.

Soldiers and militia sprang into action, engaging the invaders. Haruka and Akane made it back to their home, only to witness humanoid figures materializing in the city, attacking and killing several people.

They stood on the battlements, the snow swirling around her as the sound of battle grew louder. The cold seemed to seep through her very bones, making her shiver despite her best efforts to stay warm.

From her vantage point, she could see the chaos unfolding below-the townʼs defenders were engaged in fierce combat with the sudden invaders. A commotion drew her attention to the fortressʼs gates.

Reinforcements clad in heavy armor and wielding weapons glinting with frost poured out of the town. Their leader, a grizzled veteran, bellowed commands as the soldiers surged forward, their breaths misting in the frigid air.

The reinforcements charged toward the ice humanoids, their steps crunching through the thick layer of snow. The creatures, tall and gaunt with bodies of crystalline ice, turned to face the incoming assault.

Their eyes glowed with an eerie, bluish light, and jagged shards of ice seemed to form and dissolve along their limbs. Harukaʼs heart pounded as she watched the clash. The soldiers met the ice humanoids with a resounding crash.

Swords swung, clashing against the ice with a high-pitched screech that cut through the din of battle. The impact sent shards of ice flying, but the humanoids seemed unfazed, their forms shifting and reforming with unnatural fluidity.

One of the soldiers, a burly man with a great axe, roared as he cleaved through a group of creatures. His axe bit into their icy flesh, sending ice splinters in all directions. The humanoids retaliated with sharp, jagged tendrils of frost, lashing out at the soldiers.

The ground beneath them cracked and splintered, forming treacherous ice patches that threatened to trip the combatants. Haruka saw a line of archers firing arrows tipped with burning oil from her high perch.

Arrows whizzed through the air, striking the ice humanoids and igniting them in fiery bursts. The flames hissed and sizzled on their frozen forms, creating a stark contrast against the cold, pale blue of the ice.

Harukaʼs gaze locked onto a particularly fierce skirmish as the battle raged. A small group of soldiers surrounded and nearly overrun, fought valiantly against the ice humanoids. Their leader, a woman with a flowing red cloak, fought with unparalleled skill, her blade cutting through the icy ranks precisely.

Despite their efforts, the ice humanoids pressed in, their attacks relentless. Harukaʼs breath hitched as she saw one of the soldiers fall, his armor cracking under the relentless assault. The reinforcements fought even more frantic as the ice humanoids seemed to multiply with every moment.