Part 5 The Red Priestess Chapter 138 People at War
Rumble! Boom!
Inside the building at 17 Minsk Street in the Chorwood district, Mistress Starling Sommer and the maids took refuge in the corner of the room in terror at the sound of the explosions that came from afar, only to feel the earth tremble gently beneath their feet.
Only when the succession of terrifying movements grew farther and farther away did Starling straighten up and glance from side to side with unusual mental strain:
”What exactly happened?”
Both maids shook their heads simultaneously, both bewildered and frightened.
Starling left the corner, instinctively wanting to get out of the room, talk to her neighbors, and figure out what had just happened, but fearing that the accident had struck again, she had to wander around the living room.
After several minutes, she suddenly heard the sound of a door opening and turned her head to see that it was her husband, Luke Sommer, returning with the manservant.
”Aren’t you working?” Starling asked subconsciously.
The stocky Luke replied with a serious expression:
”Just happened to pass through the neighborhood and came straight back.
”Quick, put on your coat, we’re going to the church now!”
”What happened, what happened?” Starling asked that question once again.
Luke took two steps forward and said:
”Fusak’s airships are bombing Berkland!”
”How, how?” Starling’s eyes widened in disbelief.
”This is not the time to discuss this, anyway, it’s happened and we must go to the church immediately!” Luke gave his wife a hug, “Don’t worry too much, I don’t see those airships coming this way.
”Okay, okay!” Starling responded, still a little flustered.
She was instinctively worried while wearing the coat the maid had brought:
”What about the children?”
”They’re in the church school, there will be people organizing them to hide, we can’t even make it there now.” Luke said rather calmly.
”Okay.” Starling made a prayer gesture, hoping that the gods she believed in would provide shelter.
The two of them, along with the manservant and maid, quickly exited the front door of their house and headed towards the other end of the street.
As they passed the house at number 58, Starling glanced at it and whispered out:
”I was laughing at Lawyer Jürgen before, saying that he actually moved to the south and gave up a great deal of opportunities in Birkeland for Mrs. Doris’s illness, and now, I’m a little envious of him ……”
Luke followed with a look that said:
”Don’t worry too much, it’ll be fine.”
Starling couldn’t help but ask as she walked briskly forward:
”Luke, are we going to run away from Berkland?”
”No, no need!” Luke Sommer replied very firmly, “It was just an accident.”
Seeing his wife’s obvious disbelief, he added:
”Beckland is the capital of the kingdom, it is bound to be the area with the highest level of defense, this time it was just that everyone didn’t expect it and there was an oversight, that’s why it happened, next time, the Forsaks won’t have the chance again!
”The Kingdom is the country with the strongest military power in the North and South Continent, the Forsaks will definitely be taught a lesson, there’s no way they can invade Bekrand again, after this time, Bekrand is instead the safest place!”
”This way ah …… “Starling felt that her husband made sense and was willing to believe him.
After the explanation, Luke said after a few seconds of silence:
”Still, we have to make some preparations, and as soon as the church announces that we are free to go, go and get the children back and buy more food, as much as we can!”
……
Bakerland Bridge area, inside the public school.
Due to the distance, Daisy and her classmates did not notice what was happening to the North and West Sectors, nor did they feel the chaos that spread to the Hillsdon and Chorwood Sectors.
Nevertheless, a teacher came to their classroom and organized a line for the nearest church.
It reminded Daisy for a moment of last year’s Bakerland fog, when they had also been asked to take shelter in the church next to their school.
又，又有类似的事情发生吗…… The shadow in her heart made Daisy’s body tremble slightly and well up with intense sadness and anger.
As she passed the doorway, she couldn’t help but turn her head sideways, look at the teacher in charge, and open her mouth to ask:
”Another disaster?”
”Possibly ……,” said that teacher, who did not know exactly what was going on, but only knew to follow the telegram.
”Is there one such disaster every year, or even more than one?” Daisy asked in a slightly wavering voice, with a touch of innocence.
The teacher gave her a pitying look and shook her head:
”All difficulties will pass, and God will bless everyone.”
Daisy didn’t bother wasting the others’ time, keeping to the order and somewhat woodenly following the congregation towards the nearest church.
……
22 Pacefield Street, North End.
Audrey, who was at the Rouen Charitable Scholarship Fund, heard the explosion, and the first thing she did was to hide her dragon scales from her skin, and then rushed to the window.
Watching the formation of airships with the Fossack flag appear in mid-air, and witnessing a bomb being deflected by the hurricane, thrown into the distance, or exploding on the ground, or simply disappearing, as if entering the spirit world, Audrey’s mind flashed through the words of Mr. Germaine Sparrow of the World and the mission of the Society of Psychological Alchemy, and from this, she had a realization:
War had really broken out!
She immediately turned her head and said to Suzie, the big blonde dog, and Annie, the personal maid, and the others:
”Quickly, hide in St. Samuel’s Church!”
Although Audrey didn’t know how to cope with the air attack, the education she received from childhood told her to go to the church as soon as possible when in danger.
In fact, her instinctive thought was to immediately rush back to Queens to protect her mother, but considering that Annie and the other servants and the staff here were ordinary people who were both inexperienced and lacked the ability to cope with this kind of crisis, she had to take care of them first and accompany them to St. Samuel’s Church.
In order to solve the possible dangers encountered on the way, Audrey plans to wear the “Hand of Fear” and the “Lie” at the same time, on the one hand, distorting the trajectory of the bullet, on the other hand, manipulating the flame, detonating the bomb in advance.
–The extraordinary ability of the “audience” pathway is indeed difficult to use in the face of long-range attacks.
”Secretly” protecting her own servants and foundation staff, Audrey smoothly entered St. Samuel’s Church and saw several bishops and priests welcoming her.
”Miss Audrey, don’t worry about the Earl, Countess and Lord Hibbert, they all have specialized people to protect them, an air raid of this magnitude can’t hurt them yet, and, as you know, your family’s basement is as big and strong as it is.” A bishop quickly took Audrey aside to make a relief.
Audrey removed her muslin gloves and nodded, recognizing the bishop’s statement, no longer in a hurry to get home, and instead asked:
”What is the situation now?”
”The Forsak lost two airships and turned to the Western District, don’t worry, all the defenses have been awakened, they won’t cause any more damage next.” The bishop briefly mentioned a few words, and guided Audrey and the others towards the underground area of the church to take shelter, and the next level down, is where the “night watchmen” are active.
……
At 160 Birklund Street, Walter the butler and a group of servants took refuge in the underground area that doubled as a wine cellar.
This was at the behest of Dawn Dantes, who had gone off to find Bishop Elektra with his valet.
Some time later, Walter and the men heard a knock on the door, and through the hole in the door confirmed that it was their employer who had returned.
”There’s nothing to attack now, but it’s better to go to St. Samuel’s and hide for a while longer.” Klein said as he looked around the room.
”Yes, sir.” Walter responded on behalf of the servants and then asked, “After that?”
As a qualified butler, he read the newspapers from time to time and understood that the situation itself was tense, and it wasn’t hard to guess that some degree of war would break out after the bombardment.
Klein mused for a moment and said:
”Once the church side confirms the situation, we’ll go to Maege Manor, and you can bring your own families with you.
”No matter what, the kingdom’s capital is bound to be a relatively safe place, and the manor on the edge of the capital is even less likely to be the target of an air raid, there’s no value in that, well, there’s plenty of food within the Maege Manor, there’s a large amount of wine, even if the war lasts for a long time, we don’t have to worry about starving to death.”
Hearing their employer’s words, those servants who had already become families immediately showed joyful faces, sweeping away the pallor and trepidation from a moment ago, while Walter directly expressed his gratitude.
Then, he said with deliberation:
”Food can be purchased again; one can never have too much of it in such a case.
”Also, there may not be another attack near Berkland, but security may be chaotic, and the estates outside the city must guard against that.”
Klein nodded:
”I have considered that as well, I will approach Councilor Macht and the military about purchasing a batch of ‘scrapped’ weapons and bullets, and you will need to practice more.
”Anyway, during this period of time, Enyuni and I will return to Beckland on business as appropriate, and if there is anything we haven’t considered, we’ll make up for it then.”
As for food, Klein didn’t forbid the butler Walter to buy it, so that he would be in a position to provide relief if a famine did occur.
After discussing the follow-up, everyone in the Dawn Dantes residence simply packed their bags, took their valuables, and followed their employer into St. Samuel’s Church to the underground.
Klein instantly saw Audrey, who was walking among the people and calming them down, and with a slight smile, nodded to the noble lady.
Upon seeing Dawn Dantes, Audrey returned the smile, confirming from the other party’s attitude that nothing serious had happened yet.
……
Foerth and Hugh had moved once again, but still on the edge of the East End and closer to the Birkeland Bridge area.
After sleeping until she woke up naturally, Forsyth rubbed her hair and walked out of the bedroom, intending to prepare lunch.
Between sweeps of her eyes, she saw Hugh, who had long since left the house, sitting in a chair, quickly flipping through the newspaper.
”What’s wrong?” Folth asked blankly.
Hugh frowned:
”The Vossacks have air-raided the North and West Sectors ……”
”What?” Voorhees first blurted out, and then instantly remembered the corresponding thing discussed at the Tarot meeting.
Just then, the voice of a newsboy came from outside:
”Extra! Extra! The Kingdom has declared war on Forsak!”
”Extra! Extra! The Kingdom declares war on Forsak!”