CHAPTER 230: THE SEEDS OF CHANGE

Amiri felt sorry for his father, who was surely about to face her wrath but honestly, it was his own fault. Even if it made him feel a bit heartless as a son, he could only wish him luck. His eyes flicked to the door his father had escaped through.

Good luck, Father. You’ll need it.

Ashe was strict with both the king and his children.

Amiri understood that she was trying to correct the years of indulgence and laziness that had taken root in the royal family. Because of her, even the new attendants who replaced the old ones had become extremely disciplined.

The king, in particular, was often scolded for eating too much or neglecting his royal duties.

Amiri himself had been assigned extra studies in addition to helping his father with administrative work and his knight training had been intensified to strengthen his body.

Every day left him completely exhausted.

And now, it seemed his training would be made even harder.

As he walked from the royal wing toward the west side of the castle, captain Maximus appeared before him with a grin full of rugged energy.

The man’s tall muscular frame was intimidating.

Amiri silently thought he didn’t need that much muscle.

He admired the balanced and graceful build of his cousin Dominic more.

He looks so strong yet elegant figure.

Dominic was far away now, traveling on a special mission with his partner.

Amiri missed him deeply. Yet, since his departure, Amiri had worked hard on his own training.

I wonder if I’ve managed to catch up to him, even a little, he thought. If I keep improving like this, maybe next time we meet, he’ll praise me.

He imagined Dominic smiling and saying, "You’ve grown strong," while patting his head gently.

The thought warmed his heart.

Maybe then, Amiri would find someone special too, someone like Shiao Yi was to Dominic.

A true partner, a lifelong companion.

To make that dream come true, Amiri knew he had to keep training and improving himself.

Someday, he would become king of this nation.

He needed to be a wise and strong ruler, one who served his people well.

Just as his father had Quintus by his side,

Amiri believed that one day Dominic would stand beside him as well.

He wanted to become a king worthy of his cousin’s trust and respect.

After renewing his determination, Amiri followed Captain Maximus toward the knights’ training grounds.

...

Thanks to Lady Ashe Beaumont’s sweeping reforms in the royal household, the hiring system for palace attendants and maids changed dramatically.

From that time on, the recruitment was no longer limited to the nobility, the commoners with talent and discipline were also welcomed.

This reform inspired thr noble families to take the education of their daughters more seriously.

A new academy for training ladies-in-waiting and court attendants was established, later evolving into a general women’s academy that taught practical skills, culture, and etiquette.

The commoners were also allowed to enroll alongside nobles.

As the education spread, the schools that had once been reserved for noble sons also began accepting students from all classes.

Learning institutions were built across the country, opening new opportunities for knowledge and advancement.

...

Far beyond Rosaria, Shiao Yi crossed a sea bridge that had been partly eaten away by time and waves, passing over the strait into lands unknown to the people of Rosaria.

It was an uncharted region, where many different races lived together.

Surprisingly, although each group had its own dialect, the basic language was the same everywhere.

That was a relief.

Things like this reminded him again that this really was another world.

The common sense of this world was nonsense to him and his own sense of normal was nonsense here.

Lately, he had simply accepted that fact.

The moment he realized magic truly existed, he knew his understanding of reality no longer applied.

Still, every now and then his old instincts would rise up and scream, "No way! That’s impossible!" until he ended up running his hands through his hair in frustration.

When that happened, Dominic would always laugh softly and reach out his hand to gently smooth Shiao Yi’s hair back into place. Such a calm and grown-up man.

After they’re heading to south, the land turned into marshland.

Compared to Earth, Dominic’s world was generally colder, but this far south the air grew warmer.

Moist of the heat that was rose from the swamps is thick and heavy.

The forests spread around the wetlands and slow rivers ran almost level with the ground. Tall reeds and thick grasses covered the area dotted with pools and lakes of all sizes. Various kinds of birds gathered above while circling and calling.

Unsure where the bottomless holes of mud might open, they kept close to the dry ground between forest and marsh while moving carefully.

Even the steady clop of Marengo’s hooves sounded soft muffled by the damp moss beneath them.

Eventually, they saw a small village ahead. All of the houses built high on stilts above the wetlands.

As they approached, they could see wooden and reed huts with thatched roofs connected by planks forming walkways between them.

It was a water village of about twenty houses.

At the edge of one plank sat a man holding a long rod. From the line hanging down, it looked like he was fishing but the line wasn’t cast over the water, it hung over the mud.

The man wore a simple short-sleeved shirt and short pants.

His skin had a faint green tone, his hair was brown and tied into a single knot on the top of his head.

His nose was broad and flat, his face wide and almost smooth and when he turned toward them, his red eyes were oddly far apart.

"Hey there! Good afternoon!" the man called cheerfully, his voice friendly and bright.

"We mean no harm," Dominic said while stepping down from his horse to greet him.

"What are you doing?" Shiao Yi asked, also dismounting from Marengo.

"What does it look like? Of course, I’m fishing—whoa!"