章 7: Episode 7

"My queen..."

Sheila, now Scarlet Rose, lifted her hand to stop Eireen before she could speak. "We don't need formalities when we're alone." she said, atleast when they didn't have any audience they could speak freely and without the constraints of palace etiquette.

Eireen bowed her head and respectfully replied. "I understand. But please forgive me if I sometimes forget to address you casually, my queen."

Satisfied with her answer, Scarlet nodded at that. "Atleast you tried."

Scarlet walked to the windows where she could see the vast lands of the kingdom outside. Even though she was small, the window was wide in width, and the length started from the floor up to the high ceiling almost touching it.

Eireen quietly stood by Scarlet's side, her eyes looking out the window as well.

Scarlet can see her reflection on the glass, but she stared at the lands outside the city gates more. Because beyond the wide outer walls, there was red soil as far as her eyes could see. There were no trees, no vegetation of any kind, just tiny hills of red dust spread randomly across the vastness of it.

It was a red wasteland.

However, inside the great city walls were different. Lush green trees scattered in between the house roofs, and a large field dedicated only for growing crops and other edible plants was there. From the looks of it, it seems that inside the city walls, life thrived and the crops grew. But outside the walls was lifeless and dead.

Eireen broke the silence. "Is everything to your liking?"

Scarlet turned her gaze from the window to Eireen. "Yes, everything is fine. I see the kingdom is prospering under your brother's care."

Eireen bowed her head humbly. "Thank you, your majesty. But only because of your guidance and teachings that my brother is able to do such a feat."

Scarlet smiled softly. "You give me too much credit." she said, her voice child-like but her words were humble and mature.

Scarlet's eyes went back outside. "It is your joint effort and hard work that brought the kingdom to where it is now. I'm proud with you both. Yo have done well in my absence."

Eireen sniffed as the corner of her eyes started to water. "Thank you, you majesty."

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence once again, looking out the window.

"How are the people outside the walls? Do they have enough food and water?" Scarlet asked curiously.

Eireen's expression turned serious at that. "Unfortunately, the situation outside the walls is dire. The soil is infertile, and water is scarce. The people who live there struggle to survive."

Scarlet frowned, concern etched on her face. "Have you done something about this yet?"

Eireen shook her head. "No. We're still looking for possible solutions, your majesty. I have already sent scouts to search for viable water sources and to find a way to make the soil outside fertile again. We are doing everything that we can, your majesty."

Scarlet smiled. "I see. I do hope you find a solution soon."

Eireen smiled gratefully. "Yes, your majesty. Now that you're awake, your presence give me hope that we'll eventually restore the Rozen Empire to its former glory."

Scarlet didn't reply as she felt the pressure in those expectations, she didn't speak about it out loud though. She didn't know anything about ruling a kingdom, and she's only pretending to be the queen for the sake of her survival. But she had a heart. She didn't like seeing other's suffer. That's the reason she woke up in this world in the first place.

Eireen's expression suddenly turned serious. "There's also another matter, your majesty, that I have to inform you."

"What is it?"

"It's about our neighboring kingdom, Aragon."

Scarlet's brow furrowed. "Aragon?"

She didn't remember anything about a kingdom that lived in this dimension too.

"I thought we're the only kingdom thriving in this place."

"We are not, you majesty. 430 years ago, we discovered another kingdom hidden away in this dimension. Aragon is that kingdom," Eireen explained.

Scarlet's eyes widened in surprise. "I had no idea." She said. And that was the truth.

The original Scarlet Rose had brought Gehenna to this place knowing that nothing lived in this dimension, and Gehenna would be safe from outside forces while she was recovering.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "Tell me about Aragon. What is their relationship with us?"

Eireen hesitated for a moment before replying. "As of now, they are not friendly, your majesty. They have been increasing their military presence along our borders. I fear they might be planning an invasion. They used to keep to themselves, but now I think they're planning to expand their territory. My brother has been trying to negotiate a peace treaty, but so far, they haven't been willing to listen."

Scarlet's eyes narrowed. "And how strong is their army?"

Eireen looked at her gravely. "They are formidable, your majesty. Their soldiers are well-trained, monsters they may be, but they are disciplined and organized. Their magical weapons are advanced, nothing we've ever seen before. Of course we stand a chance against them in a direct confrontation, but my brother thinks it's better to have them as allies than fight with them."

Scarlet sighed. "I see."

If the memories from Scarlet served her right, this is the first time her kingdom faced a nation with military power as formidable as its own. Scarlet's empire used to inspire fear and awe from the other kingdoms, but now they've regressed when it comes to building their strength.

"We'll have to come up with a different approach then. But for now, let's focus on the immediate needs of our people. We need to find a solution to the water and soil problems." Scarlet said. Of course, she was no war expert. But finding solutions to the most basest needs of the people has to be addressed first.

Eireen nodded. "Yes, your majesty. I will make sure to keep you informed on any progress we make."

Scarlet smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Eireen. I appreciate your dedication to this kingdom."

Eireen bowed her head respectfully. "It is my honor to serve you, your majesty."

With that, Eireen left the room, leaving Scarlet with her own thoughts as she continued to look outside the window.

Scarlet took a deep breath. She was playing the role of the queen, Scarlet's rightful identity, and she has been faking it while interacting with the people who knew and revered her. She's using the memories she received from the original Scarlet Rose, and was starting to feel guilty about deceiving Eireen, who idolized Scarlet very much..

Sheila didn't know the whereabouts of the real Scarlet Rose, but fate had granted her a second chance at life, and Scarlet had a duty to her people, to protect them and ensure their well-being.

If she lives through the meeting, she would do whatever she could help with and ensure that Scarlet's realm prospered and remained secure.

This was the least she could do to repay the real Scarlet Rose for possessing her body and living the life that was supposed to be hers.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, in front of Scarlet, a dark portal appeared. Surprised by it, she took an instinctive step back.

"What... What is this? What did I do?" She panicked.

Scarlet looked up to the portal, and that's when familiarity struck her. She recognized this in Scarlet's memories. The Dimensional Storage Room.

She touched the portal and it rippled upon her touch. "Wow," she gasped in wonder. She didn't think she would summon Scarlet's secret like this by accident. She remembered Scarlet using this place to stash important treasures inside; items, armor, weapons, even gold, but that's just where her memories stop. She never knew what Scarlet did inside when she entered the portal.

After a moment of giving it a small thought of consideration, Scarlet gave in to her curiosity. She's just going to do a little peek inside.

Slowly, she walked to the portal and it swallowed her in. The portal then pulsed ominously, it's dark swirling color turning red.

On the other side of the portal, Scarlet's eyes adjusted to her surroundings as she realized she was standing in a dimly lit room. She could hear the distant sound of machinery whirring and gears turning. The room was filled with shelves, and on them, various objects were placed, ranging from mundane items like books and vases to mystical artifacts that glowed with an otherworldly energy.

Scarlet felt a sense of awe and wonder as she gazed around the room, taking in the sights. The room seemed to stretch on forever, with no end in sight. She wondered how it was possible for such a vast space to be hidden behind a simple portal.

As she explored further, she noticed that some of the objects on the shelves were labeled with strange symbols and markings that she couldn't decipher. She wondered what kind of magic or technology was used to create and store these items.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned around to see a figure clad in a dark cloak, their face hidden in shadows. Scarlet tensed up, unsure of what to expect.

The figure stopped upon noticing her, and silence echoed between them.

"Uhm... Hi." Scarlet awkwardly waved her hand at the lone figure. She couldn't help herself. Questions whirled inside her head, who is this person? What is he doing here? Why is he inside Scarlet's Dimensional Storage Room?