Chapter 178 - Wails Of A King
Upon arriving at the study room filled with paperwork, Lily returned to the Queen's side silently and waited on her next order.
"I heard you wanted to see me, mother?" Leon asked.
"En." Elizabeth nodded before continuing, "Come take a look at this design. The railway routes have also been mapped. If we weren't lacking funds and manpower, we could start this project in line with the reconstruction project."
"It's finished already?" Leon was surprised to see that the designs of his railway project completed so quickly. The Lancaster and Cromwell family were so efficient despite having a mountain of other work on hand.
Leon had a look at the routes mapped and saw every major city in the kingdom connected to it. This was more or less how he imagined it to be.
"We can start small, Mother. If we connect the Capital to the major lumber and stone cities first, we can effectively cut down on the transport cost and time of the basic construction materials needed for the constructions in the Capital."
Leon pointed at two major cities on the map.
"Rainwallow City is quite close. We can focus on the first project here for the lumber. However, Blackrock City might be a bit of a problem. It's a bit far, but this city is essential for the limestones and cements."
"That is a good plan, Son. However, you have forgotten that the Lancasters have their hands full mass-producing nails and steel frames for construction. If you want them to start producing the railway tracks and steam-powered carriages to run on the tracks for you, they will have to stop their previous works." Elizabeth said.
"I'm well aware of that, Mother. The people have temporary settlements to accommodate them for the time being. It's fine to delay the building constructions. However, once we have railway up and running, everything else will pick up the pace."
Not only does the railway enables the transport of goods on a large scale, the reluctant citizens of their kingdom living in other cities might become willing to work in the Capital, increasing the workforce.
"Also… If mother is willing to coordinating with Lancaster family using your metal manipulation abilities, it would speed up the production greatly. Even laying down the railway tracks would be a simple matter for you."
"This rascal." Elizabeth gave her son a soft smack. "You want to make your mother do labor work!? But you're right, son. It would a simple matter for mother. Alas, mother is swamped with more important work."
Elizabeth felt slightly vexed when she thought about it. Why did she had to slaughter all the important officials? Although they all deserved death for rebelling, she should have sent fresh talents to fill their ranks. But then again… no one would have dared to after such massacre.
When Leon was smacked by his mother, he just laughed it off.
"Hahaha… Yeah… we can train up a few metal-users to take up the job."
"That's not something I can decide." Elizabeth shook her head. "Metal manipulation had always been unique to the royal family to keep our strong reign and position in the kingdom. I'm afraid allowing others to cultivate the metal element will set their ambition ablaze and spark another rebellion. Only your father can decide this."
When Leon heard this, his lips curved up into a smile and said, "Then why don't we go see father and wake him up?"
"How can we wake him up just because we want to?" Elizabeth was startled. "Didn't you say you needed the 7-Petal Frigid Agapanthus to remind the Soul Mending Pill before you can wake your father up?"
"Yes, Mother. I just received the herb and refined it not long ago. I came to see for this matter, but coincidentally, you were also looking for me." Leon explained.
"So that was the case…"
Elizabeth tried to remain calm, but she was inwardly shaken with excitement. 17 years! Her husband can finally wake up from his long slumber!
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Elizabeth noticed a small detail. If her son found the herb on his trip to the Extreme Misty Forest, he would have mentioned it earlier in the day when he returned. Why would he delay the good news and only mention it now? Unless, he hadn't found the herb on the trip, but after he returned to the Capital.
"Where did you find the herb, Son?"
"Oh, I coincidentally found it at the Dwight Cromwell's birthday banquet. Apparently, Vigo Primrose had been keeping it for some time." Leon answered nonchalantly.
It was already a past matter since he reaped the benefits and punishment has been meted. As such, he didn't view it would any further importance.
However, when his mother heard it, her immediately angered.
"What! He knew our royal family was looking for this herb and yet he didn't hand it over right away and had the gall to keep it until now!? Hmph! Looks like this person doesn't put our royal family in his eyes!"
"Calm down, Mother. I've already made the person pay an appropriate price for his actions. 50% of his business profits to be precise." Leon smiled wryly. His mother look like she was out for blood. Would they still get the money if his mother kills them all?
"Oh? That's actually really good, son. How did you manage to get that merchant to fork out so much of his money? The Primrose Merchant Association is a big business that spans across two kingdoms. For them to give up 50% profit of their business is equivalent to not making any money from this kingdom."
Since his mother could see that, there was no reason Vigo didn't. But he still made such a choice over being evicted from the kingdom. It goes to show how much importance is placed on the kingdom, especially since the crystal discovery.
There was also the lockdown in the Capital. Vigo might have feared that he would be silenced before he could even leave the kingdom if he chose such a choice.
"Never mind that. Let's go see father."
"Right, right. Waking your father up takes precedence."
…
King's bedchamber.
"Pass the pills to mother, son. Mother wants to be… the first person your father sees when he wakes up." Elizabeth said with a shaky tone as she looked at the king with an affectionate gaze.
"Alright."
It didn't really matter who feeds the King, since it would still take time for the medicine to take effect. However, it was his mother's wish. Thus, Leon complied and handed the bottle of Soul Mending Pills over.
Elizabeth accepted the bottle with shaky hands. It seems that she was a lot more nervous than she thought.
"Did you say that we shouldn't wake father up until the Capital regains its stability, Mother?" Leon suddenly joked.
"Nonsense! Your father has been sleeping for 17 years. It's time for him to do some work, don't you think? How could he let his son and wife do all the work, while he just sleeps comfortably? Hmph!"
Elizabeth pressed her husband's jaw open and shoved a pill inside roughly.
Leon gawked. He didn't expect his words to trigger his mother's violent tendencies. He pitied his father who laid unconscious helplessly at his mother's mercy. 'Sorry!'
"Hmm… look son, the darkness around your father's forehead is receding, but why is his face becoming pale instead?"
"I'm afraid before the pill even takes effect, he would have been killed by you, mother. The pill is blocking father's airway." Leon said wryly as he stepped forward and used his energy to help his father absorb the pill's medicinal properties. "Father is unconscious and can't absorb the pill on his own. We have to guide the pill for him."
"Ai… Mother is silly. How could I forget such a simple thing?"
Elizabeth slapped her own forehead in realization. She doesn't seem to be thinking straight. The joy of their family reunion could have quickly turned into a tragedy.
The king was strapped to high-tech medical equipment and nutrient solutions were provided for him. Elizabeth seemed have forgotten because she never had to feed him and only needed to refill the nutrient solutions.
After Leon helped his unconscious father absorbed the pill, the darkness around his forehead was completely dispelled and began to glow with a rosy red complexion.
Leon and his mother patiently waited for the king to wake up. However, time ticked slowly. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into…
It wasn't until a full hour had pass that the king finally regained his consciousness.
"Ugh… Where am I?" Heinrich said weakly. It felt like he had been in a very long dream. He struggled to get up, but his body felt weak. However, his limbs were still capable of slight movements.
It appeared that the king suffered muscle atrophy from lying dormant for too long. However, it wasn't to an irreversible level.
"How are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked as he helped him sit up gently. "This is your bedchamber."
"My wife…"
Heinrich gazed at Elizabeth deeply and full of affection. Elizabeth also return the gaze in kind as they lapsed into silence. Although they seemed to have a lot to say, something seemed to be holding them back.
Leon could see the love his parents had for one another. He smiled and quietly took his leave thoughtfully; to allow his parents to catch up. He also had things he wanted to ask his father, but he could save it for another time.
As he closed the door on his way out, he was seen by his father.
"Hm? Who was that just now?" Heinrich asked.
"That was our son." Elizabeth answered with a melancholic smile.
The news was shocking like a bolt of lightning from the skies. Heinrich coughed profusely as a result. He found it hard to accept.
"That… was our son? How… How long have I been asleep?"
"17 years… 17 long years." Elizabeth's eyes became red.
"17 years… He was just baby, the last time I saw him. Unexpectedly, he is all grown up now." Heinrich felt sad.
Elizabeth was also infected with his sadness. They had both missed out on the best stage of their child growing up and allowed him to suffer much outside.
"By the way, did you have any dreams while you were unconscious all this time?" Elizabeth wiped her tears and tried to change the topic. She didn't want to be depress over the same thing again and again.
"Hmm… let me think…" Heinrich knitted his brows and began retelling his long dream from what he could remember. "I can't remember everything. It's becoming all blurry now, but I led our kingdom to greatness. Our race prospered and we won the war against the beasts. I was sleeping peacefully one night…"
"But then one night, I was woken up by a fearsome humanoid beast with extraordinary strength. She pulled be out of my bed by the jaw and showed me the Capital bursting in flames, laughed at my despair then fed me a vicious poison that ended everything."
At this point, Heinrich frowned and traced the contours of his jaw. Strange. Why does his jaws hurt like in his dream?
"Oh…" Elizabeth listened to the story calmly, but then she was suddenly angered. "HAAA!??? Who are you calling a fearsome humanoid beast!???"
Elizabeth grabbed her husband and shook him violently.
"My… My wife… I wasn't talking about you… I was saying it was the fearsome humanoid beast in my dreams!"
Heinrich was shocked silly. Was this still his gentle wife!? Nevertheless, he thought his wife would calm down after his explanation.
However, when Elizabeth heard her husband's words, she became even more angry.
"B-Bastard… I'll show you how fearsome I can be!" Elizabeth snapped.
Heinrich soon came to a startling realization why his jaw hurts.
Oh dear…
Ahhhhh!
The screams and cries of the king was soon heard from outside his bedchamber. The palace guards guarding the door jolted in surprised.
The prince ordered them not to disturb the happy reunion of the king and queen, but they didn't expect the king was the type of person to enjoy that sort of play.
They pictured the scene of a tiger ravaging a flower, except the roles of the tiger and flower was reversed.
"S-So intense…"