Soleah blinked. "Aqua? Azure?"
The two women bowed in unison. "Soleah, I have some urgent news for you."
The queen narrowed her eyes, staring into Aqua's blue eyes. "Is it about the visions? I had dispatched everyone capable of suppressing the panic."
The question made Aqua awkwardly smile and rub the back of her head. "That might have been my doing. I am sorry for causing panic, Soleah."
Azure slowly turned toward Aqua, placing her hand over her mouth and chuckling.
Soleah turned to Lucia and then back toward Aqua. The queen sighed. "I should have guessed it was your fault. So, are these visions of the future? I remember being killed by the dragon lord."
Azure reeled back, yet she remained quiet and professional. Her star had everything under control. All Azure needed to do was stay by her fiancé's side.
Soleah waited for a moment before placing her head on the table. "And here I was, worrying about a mass psychosis or something," she said. "I should just blame anything extraordinary on you, it seems."
Aqua crossed her arms and approached the queen's table. She took a seat and leaned forward. "That vision," she said. "Is what already happened. I had to resort to desperate measures to restore the kingdom."
Azure got closer, making sure she appeared as Aqua's most diligent and dignified knight.
Soleah let out a groan before pushing herself back into her seat. "I believe you. I know you are capable of some rather outrageous feats of strength."
The queen's eyes then wandered to Azure, who was as still as a statue. "Why are you so stiff, Azure? Take a seat."
She shook her head. "I am here to be by Aqua's side. I do not need to sit."
Aqua looked at Azure lovingly for a moment before chuckling. "Azu, you can sit here if you want," she said, tapping her lap.
The knight's face turned bright red, and she quickly slapped herself and shook her head. "Not right now, my star. You are meeting the queen."
Soleah mischievously smirked. "It seems I missed quite a bit since you went to the academy."
Lucia covered her mouth and chuckled. That earned her Azure's glare, forcing the young maid to silence herself.
Soleah was about to speak, but quickly shut her mouth. The vision took precedence over the apparent development between Aqua and Azure.
She got closer to Aqua. "Aqua, tell me, how do we prevent the future from happening?"
"That's quite simple. Azure, Sheira, and I will deal with the major threats. You only need to make sure that any stragglers do not slip into the city. After that, I will decide on how many savages I will leave alive."
Soleah blinked at her. "Excuse me?"
Aqua's eyes narrowed. "I will deal with your war. I need you to recall your troops and fortify the cities and villages. I do not want a single elf to be caught in the crossfire."
Soleah gulped. "I understand, I will send orders for everyone I had sent out to return at once. Is there anything I can help with?"
Aqua shook her head. A grin formed on her face. "You relax, and enjoy the show. They ruined my home and killed my beloved. I will make sure that the entire world knows not to stand in my way."
She stood up and walked over next to the blushing Azure. "Savages, gods, and humans alike do not fear me enough, and thus, they gained the courage to act against that which I love. I vow that I will correct my blunder."
Azure bowed, and the two women disappeared in a blue flash.
Soleah sighed. "Lucia, please call Golden Fang."
The dutiful maid curtsied. "At once, your majesty!" she exclaimed and quickly rushed out of her office.
Soleah grumbled. At least we know who caused the visions.
It was as if a mountain fell from her heart. Of course, she had suspected the mysterious heroine of having something to do with them, but it was nice to have a confirmation.
Soleah remembered her death, it had happened, and she still felt the pain of the Dragon Lord's bite.
Her fingers traced her neck. "I suppose, she does consider this place her home," she said with a chuckle.
The silence descended in her office. Soleah leaned back and crossed her arms.
I need to probe Sheira about the Academy, that is for certain. The way Aqua had looked at Azure was even more loving than the last time she had seen the two girls. It was a part of the reason she avoided even mentioning the beating of the student that had reached her desk.
It's not like I could punish her for that. The last thing she needed was to make Aqua angry by doing anything to Azure. As much as she disliked anyone being above the law, exceptions had to be made for the greater good.
At least, those who were untouchable were all trustworthy people, and Soleah was certain that the young noble had deserved her wrath.
After some minutes had passed, Lucia entered the office, closely followed by Golden Fang.
Soleah gestured for Lucia to exit the office.
"Fang, take a seat. We have an emergency."
The mercenary leader looked at her curiously. "Is this about the mass psychosis all of you elves are experiencing? Everyone keeps spouting about some vision of death."
Curious. Soleah leaned forward. It seemed that only the elves had received the visions, while the humans were unaware of them.
"All I know about the visions is that Aqua had something to do with them, but Sir Fang, did you not have them too?"
Golden Fang shook his head. "No. Nobody from the Golden Rose has any idea what the elves experienced. The elven citizens are on the verge of panic. That is the last thing we need with the threat of various savage encampments."
I am not worried about savages anymore. She shook her head. Aqua and Azure would deal with them, she had trusted both women greatly.
"Fang, I do not think we need to worry about the savage hordes."
He tilted his head and stared at her as if she were insane. "I question the wisdom of that statement, your majesty."
Soleah chuckled. Fang was completely right, if it were not for the existence of an enigmatic heroine. She leaned back. "Aqua said we don't need to worry, she will deal with them."
Golden Fang rubbed his chin, scrutinizing Soleah from top to bottom. "That terrifying woman, huh. So what do we need to do? I was hoping to give those defilers a proper thrashing."
"I need you and your mercenaries to send recall orders to all troops we have sent out and give orders to every city and village to fortify. Aqua does not wish for any of them to be caught in the crossfire. Your mercenaries move a lot faster than any messenger we can send."
"I see. It shall be done, Soleah," Golden Fang said. He then pushed himself up and turned toward the door.
"I am glad you aren't questioning my orders for once," Soleah said, suspiciously.
He looked back at her. "I am not foolish enough to ignore a request from someone who can reduce my Golden Rose to cinders at any moment. You are her messenger this time," he said, before finally leaving the office.
Soleah took a moment before pinching the bridge of her brow. "I guess I should go too."
Everyone had their duties assigned, leaving some free time to her. The free time that she would not waste, instead, she made her way out of her office and gestured for Lucia to follow her.
While Aqua dealt with a threat and Fang recalled the soldiers, she needed to find her husband and prepare plans to formally address the visions.
The last thing their country needed was a doomsday cult popping up. These visions likely affected the entire kingdom.
Once again, Soleah would lose any free time she could possibly spend with her dear king. However, if the savages were destroyed, then that issue of free time would have been solved.
It filled her with hope.
Until just mere moments ago, she was unsure about the survival of her kingdom and the elven race in general, but now she could relax.
Of course, she had to thank another person for standing by her side as she spent sleepless nights agonizing over their future.
The Queen turned her head to Lucia as the duo made their way toward the throne room. "Lucia, thank you for being such a diligent assistant. You are making my job so much easier."
The praise made the maid blush and grip her dress. "It's only natural, for an ideal ruler like yourself, I will always work as hard as I possibly can," she stuttered.
Soleah chuckled and placed her hand on Lucia's head. "Don't be so nervous, you do realize that my daughter has even greater plans for you than being a mere assistant?"
Lucia's face heated up. "What do you mean, your majesty?"
"Don't mind it, I am merely teasing." Soleah ruffled Lucia's hair and sped up, forcing the bashful maid to follow suit.
"Your Majesty!"