When everybody had returned from battle, the apprehended Imperial had immediately been interrogated. Frol, too, had been questioned. It had already been made clear to the knights that Frol and Julia were in no way connected with the group that had resurrected the dragon. Everybody knew this. And yet, even then, the two innocent Imperials feared that the greater public would not forgive them.
Frol and Julia had turned their backs on their former home and now relied on the kingdom for support. If they were to lose the refugee camp they now called home, they would only be shunted back to a life of wandering once more. This thought was near unbearable for them—all they wanted was a safe place to call home.
“Now that you fall under the care of Storydia, I do not believe such an outcome is possible,” said Alec. “Even if the relocation plans do fall through for some reason, you will be assigned to another location, I’m sure of it. The government, too, knows that this is an issue that won’t be solved simply and easily.”
“I... You think so?” asked Frol.
“I have heard that the king despises making life hard for the hardworking. He will see that no harm comes to you. If the margrave speaks to him of the issue, face-to-face, it is all but guaranteed.”
“I see... You might well be right. Thank you.”
Frol and Julia found some solace in Alec’s words, and it showed in their smiles. The government did not see fit to leave the refugees and their problems unattended, and was working on a number of plans to aid them. It was by no means a problem that would be solved overnight, but Shiori wanted to believe that things were moving in the right direction. She and Alec made sure to get the Imperials’ address for future contact, then left for a quiet spot away from anybody else.
The wind rustled through the plains and gently shook the leaves in the trees. Higher still, in the northwestern part of the sky, a red star glittered—Mars, perhaps.
“How are things, really?” Shiori asked Alec, her voice low.
Alec turned his gaze to the sky and allowed a sigh to escape his lips.
“Well,” he said, “I do know that there’s talk of annexing the protectorate area.”
“Yes, that was in the Tris Times,” said Shiori. “Or at least, rumors of it anyway. They say that Nordia could move as soon as next month.”
“Indeed,” said Alec. “Elector Ulanov was set to lead the establishment of a new government, but the place is in far more dire straits than any expected. It looks like there is no other choice but to split the Empire between its three neighbors, each section of which will fall under its protectorate area.”
He continued, “Unfortunately, the area that falls under the care of Nordia Kingdom is especially bad. It’s in economic tatters, and may be well beyond any help at all. Storydia’s area is comparatively better off, but that isn’t saying much. That’s why it’ll likely be annexed before the end of the year. Once it’s officially territory of the Kingdom of Storydia, there will at least be a light at the end of the tunnel with regards to finding people places to live.”
“And that’ll be that?”
“It won’t happen overnight, but in truth, most of the refugees want to return home anyway. The rest are those with a deep-rooted aversion to the Empire; for them, the uprising was the last straw. But they, too, may find themselves wanting to return if all traces of past leadership are scrubbed and replaced with a properly working society, complete with employment opportunities, medical care, and education. And in truth, a number of the refugees willingly returned home not long after the dust had settled anyway.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“People like Frol and Julia have been living the wandering life for a long time, so it’s natural that they’re hesitant about returning. They would also have to face those who stayed behind and struggled while they were gone. Even Marius was worried about that very thing when we last saw him.”
“Oh, now that you mention it, I remember that. I suppose even if someone had their reasons for leaving, if you were left behind by them, then your feelings on the matter would be complicated.”
Marius and his family had left without saying anything to anyone at home. Naturally, he had been worried that someone might snitch to the authorities, but all the same, he had taken his family and abandoned home to seek greener pastures. As such, he was not sure what to say or how to behave if he were to meet anyone from his former home.
“I just hope they can all live somewhere safe and secure sooner rather than later,” said Shiori.
“You and me both. But we’re all going to have to work for that future too.”
They looked back at Frol and Julia to find that more people had come to offer them drinks. Those people shared some words with the Imperials, then left. Another person arrived soon after, this one offering fruit. These interactions showed Shiori that Frol and Julia had built strong bonds of trust with the knights and leadership of the refugee camp. More people came to speak with them, and in the end, a group of knights playfully forced Frol and Julia up and back to the camp to join the festivities, where they were met with smiles, arms around shoulders, and more drinks.
The future was still uncertain, but the scene that played out before Shiori’s eyes was one that glimmered with the light of hope, and both she and Alec smiled at the sight of it. They drank together for a time, then returned to chat with their friends, at which point Zack called out to Alec.
“Sorry, Alec, but do you have a minute? His Excellency is calling for you.”