Meanwhile, a few hours later, as afternoon faded into evening, Hugo and Valen arrived in the port city of Hargar. Located in the Seriyan region south of Vanadias, the city was part of House Levent's territory. The two travelers were baffled by the gloom hanging over the streets. Everywhere they looked, people walked with bowed heads and grief-stricken faces. The usual lively energy of a port was gone, replaced by a haunting silence. They could feel it immediately—something was deeply wrong.
"Hmm... last time I was here, it didn't feel like this. What happened?" Hugo muttered.
"I don't know. Should we just keep heading east?" Valen asked.
"Let's gather some information first," Hugo replied.
Hugo led Valen toward a bar he usually visited whenever he was in Hargar. When they stepped inside, the place was nearly empty. Only an old sailor sat at the counter, and a bartender was quietly polishing a glass. Without wasting any time, Hugo pulled Valen over to sit at the bar.
"Two ales," Hugo said.
"Sure thing, I'll get those for you right away," the bartender replied.
"Hey Hugo, why are you ordering alcohol in the middle of the day?" Valen asked.
"Look, you're twenty now, aren't you? That means you're old enough to drink. Don't worry about it," Hugo shot back.
"It's not that... I just never drink during the day. You're hopeless," Valen replied.
"Our goal here isn't to drink, you know that," Hugo whispered.
Valen fell silent and nodded. A moment later, the bartender returned with two overflowing mugs of ale.
"Hey... why is it so quiet in town? What's going on?" Hugo asked the bartender.
The bartender didn't answer. He simply lowered his head, acting as if he wanted no part in whatever was happening in the city and only intended to mind his business. Suddenly, the old sailor next to Hugo turned to look at him. He noticed Hugo's red armor and the spear strapped to his back, scanning him from head to toe. Then, the sailor faced forward, gripping his glass with both hands. Valen, noticing the old man's gaze, felt a bit uneasy.
"Do you have something to say?" Valen asked.
"Hey... Valen," Hugo cautioned.
"This city won't ever be the same again," the sailor suddenly spoke.
"Oh... and what's that supposed to mean?" Hugo asked, leaning in.
"Right now, this city is being handed over from House Levent to House Clark. That's why everything is changing. Plenty of people are packing up and leaving because they refuse to be ruled by House Clark," the sailor answered before taking a long swig of his drink.
"Hmm? House Clark is taking over this territory? How is that possible?" Hugo asked.
"Lady Meredith was executed in Castletown yesterday. That's why House Levent is shattered and scattered now. This city is in transition, being absorbed into the Nortrom region to the north, which belongs to House Clark. I'm actually planning to close up this bar and move out myself," the bartender added.
Hearing this, Hugo and Valen flinched in shock. They immediately turned to each other, their eyes meeting in total disbelief.
"But why was she executed? On what charges?" Valen asked.
"Conspiracy to overthrow the Council of Lords... she was arrested along with Gerald Rochele, who was also put to death yesterday," the sailor answered between sips.
"On top of that, the merchants are whispering that troops from Al Nahar have already set sail. It looks like this city is going to be a battlefield very soon," the bartender added.
"Troops... from Al Nahar?" Hugo asked.
"An army led by a king and two queens. They're heading this way with the intent to conquer Libelia, or so the rumors say," the sailor replied.
"When did this rumor start spreading?" Hugo asked.
"Just this morning. A merchant docked at the port and claimed there are eight demon-tribe warships at the port of Al Nahar, ready to cross over to Libelia. It's perfect timing, considering the state this city is in right now," the sailor answered.
Hugo turned to look at Valen, who sat beside him in stunned silence. He raised his glass and clinked it against Valen's.
"I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry about your father," Hugo whispered.
"Don't be. I'm actually relieved he's gone. It's just... I'm getting more and more worried about my younger siblings," Valen replied, keeping her head down.
"I'm sure they're okay... trust me. A king and two queens are on their way... I'm absolutely certain my dream was right," Hugo said, placing a steadying hand on Valen's shoulder.
"Yeah. I hope your vision is right. How long does it take to cross the strait from the Black Continent to here?" Valen asked, placing her hand over Hugo's.
"Hmm... maybe nine to ten hours," Hugo answered.
"Then if the gossip is true, they should be here by now, since it's already late afternoon," Valen replied, taking a sip of her drink.
Suddenly, "Blam!" The bar door slammed open with a loud bang. Several sets of footsteps echoed as a group marched in. Hugo glanced at the old sailor next to him, who didn't even flinch, but when he looked at the bartender, the man's face had turned ghost-white.
"Hey... are you sure we're allowed to be here?" a girl asked.
"It's fine, I know this city. I just want to know why it's so dead," another girl answered.
"Hmm... is it usually not like this?" a young man asked.
"It's usually packed. I'll try to find some information," the second girl replied.
"I need to go to the Esvana convent to pray. Isabel, can you come with me?" a woman asked.
"Sure," another woman replied.
"Wait, everyone just relax. We just got here, didn't we?" yet another girl piped up.
"Fine, let's rest first," the woman said.
They walked toward the bar. Consumed by curiosity, Hugo finally turned around. His eyes went wide. He saw a powerful young man with blue eyes, shirtless under a fur coat like a barbarian. Beside him were two beautiful blue-eyed girls in light armor and furs, a lovely young girl with sun-kissed skin, a woman in nun's robes, and another woman in the armor of a knight.
"Glug."
Hugo spilled his drink. His eyes were locked on the group, his mouth agape and his jaw practically hitting the floor. Seeing his reaction, Valen turned to look. She saw the group that clearly came from the Black Continent and turned back to Hugo.
"What is it, Hugo?" she asked, confused by his bizarre expression.
Before Hugo could answer, the sun-kissed girl—who looked like a barbarian archer—stepped up and stopped right between the sailor and Hugo. She spoke directly to the stunned bartender.
"Hey, can we get food and drinks for six?" she asked.
Slowly, Hugo turned to look at her, his face a mask of shock. Feeling his gaze, the girl turned to look at Hugo and Valen. The color drained from her face as she recognized them.
"You... you... it's you!" the girl suddenly shouted, pointing at both of them.
"You were on the palace terrace with me," Hugo replied.
"That's right! You... you're... beastmen," the girl stammered.
At the girl's words, the woman dressed like a nun stepped forward and stared at them. Her expression shifted and she turned pale, recognizing them as well.
"You... it's true... you are the ones from my vision," the woman said.
Hugo stood up and reached for his spear, but the young man—Leon—stepped forward and stood directly in front of him. Leon's gaze met Hugo's, filled with authority.
"From the look on your face, you know Lulu and Mariana. Am I right?" Leon asked bluntly.
"That's right... Your Majesty," Hugo answered instinctively.
"Huh... Your Majesty? What are you talking about, Hugo?" Valen asked, standing up beside him.
"Hoo... interesting. A wolf and a fox. What a unique pair," Lucia murmured, stepping up beside Leon.
"True. Usually, wolves and foxes at each other throat. It's rare to see them together," Livia added, standing right next to her sister.
"You... you can see through our disguises?" Valen asked in shock.
"Of course," Lucia replied casually.
Hugo stared at Leon, Lucia, and Livia. They were exactly as he remembered them from his dream or vision, the King and the two Queens from the south, staring back at him with an aura of absolute power. Suddenly, his knees felt weak. Without a word, he dropped to one knee before the three of them and bowed his head, leaving Valen completely bewildered.
"Greetings, Your Majesties. I am yours to command."
"Huh... hey... hey Hugo!" Valen cried out, getting more confused by the second.
"Kneel, fox," Livia said, her eyes fixed on Valen.
Under the weight of their combined gaze, Valen began to tremble. There was an overwhelming pressure coming from them. "Thump." Valen's legs gave out, and she fell to her knees beside Hugo, unable to look them in the face. Mariana and Lulu noticed that even the sailor and the bartender had dropped to their knees.
"Wow," Isabel thought to herself as she watched the scene unfold.
"Rise, everyone," Leon said firmly.
Hugo, Valen, the sailor, and the bartender all stood back up. Leon walked forward and placed his hands on Hugo's shoulders.
"What's your name?" Leon asked with a smile.
"Hugo... just Hugo," he stammered.
"I'm Leon. These are my twin sisters, Lucia and Livia. And that girl there is Lulu, the daughter of a barbarian chief," Leon said, introducing his group.
"And this is... Valentina Rochele, Your Majesty," Hugo said, gesturing to the girl beside him.
"Please, just call me Valen. House Rochele is gone," she said quietly.
Mariana and Isabel gasped. They rushed forward to stand in front of her.
"Wait... you're Valentina? Did you forget me? It's Mariana!"
"Mariana? Mariana of House Yorna?" Valen asked.
"Yes! What do you mean House Rochele is gone?" Mariana pressed.
"Maybe we should all sit down," Hugo suggested. "I'll tell you what I've just learned."
"Fine," Leon agreed. "Let's take a table."
They moved to a large, empty table that had enough room for everyone to sit together. The bartender, sensing the weight of the moment, hurried into the kitchen to start preparing food for the group. Meanwhile, the old sailor kept his eyes glued to his glass, staring at it as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.