38. Return From Northern Coastline

Hughes and his crew rode into the city with their horses and heavily laden carriages, the familiar sandy winds brushing past them. Though it had only been three weeks since they had left for the northern coastline, the city of Jola had undergone remarkable changes.

The arid desert air still carried its characteristic dryness, and the golden sands stretched endlessly, but now there was something entirely foreign to this once-barren city—greenery. Patches of green dotted the landscape every few meters, a surreal sight in the heat of the desert. Sea-bed soil farms had begun to yield results, with potatoes and other root vegetables sprouting in neat rows. For a moment, Hughes thought they had ridden into one of the lush mainland cities of Ancorna, but the gritty sand carried on the wind quickly reminded him they were still in Jola.

Construction projects dotted the cityscape, though many were clearly left incomplete. Half-built structures, made of brick and cement, blended Romanesque designs with large domes meant to combat the oppressive desert heat. The foundations stood stark against the sand, with scaffolding abandoned and no workers in sight.

“It looks like they’re still working on these,” Richard remarked as he rode alongside him, his eyes scanning the abandoned construction sites.

Hughes furrowed his brow, shaking his head slightly. “I don’t think so,” he replied, his gaze shifting toward the distant port. “Unlike the port area, where you can see tents and workers everywhere, this part looks... deserted.”

Richard nodded thoughtfully but said nothing more, his attention turning back to the road ahead.

Ravenna had envisioned a modern urban layout with better housing, efficient infrastructure, and a design that would improve the lives of the citizens. However, those plans had been halted abruptly with the arrival of the uninvited ship carrying the Herptian priests.

That incident made Ravenna recognize the city’s vulnerabilities. The poorly fortified port was a glaring weakness, especially with the unpredictable arrival of ships that could reach their shores unnoticed until it was too late. She had immediately redirected all available workers to focus on fortifying the port, setting aside her grand vision for the city’s redesign for now.

As Hughes and his crew approached the castle courtyard, the sight of familiar faces waiting for them brought a sense of relief. Alice stood at the forefront, her hands resting casually on a book, with a few knights stationed behind her. The courtyard was bustling with activity as more knights and workers moved about, unloading supplies and preparing for the arrival of the carriages.

Hughes slowed his horse to a stop and dismounted, a broad smile breaking across his weathered face. “So,” he called out to Alice, “what did you catch?”

Alice grinned as she walked toward him. “You’re the ones who went fishing, Captain. Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” she teased, her tone lighthearted.

Hughes chuckled, embracing her. “Fair enough,” he admitted, stepping back as the rest of his crew began unloading the carriages. Behind them, knights and fishermen worked in tandem, their movements efficient as they handled crates of supplies, barrels of salted fish, and iced fish brought back from the coastline.

Meanwhile, inside one of the carriages moving toward the castle courtyard, Ravenna sat silently, her deep black eyes fixed on the panel floating before her.

User: Ravenna Solarius / Joy Cha Kim

Reputation Level: 60 (8024/8200)

Current Reputation Points: 2,621

Titles: Raven of the Sun Palace, Unruly Princess

{ View Reputation Log } { Spend Reputation Points }

Ravenna studied the screen with a quiet intensity as the carriage gently swayed along the stone-paved roads. Opposite her sat Marie, her young disciple, her nose buried in a thick book brimming with illustrations of magical creatures. The girl’s excitement was palpable, her foot tapping against the floor in anticipation of seeing the magical beast fish.

With a faint sigh, Ravenna tapped on the option. The translucent panel shifted, revealing a detailed log of her recent reputation points she had earned.

+1 Point: Viscountess Jessica Ronin’s fear of you has haunted her. (Effect of Title: Raven of the Sun Palace)+10 Points: Saintess Marie Leon’s admiration for you has grown. (Effect of Title: Raven of the Sun Palace)

Ravenna skimmed the entries at first, uninterested in the mundane points she seemed to collect passively. However, her attention snapped to the newest entry. The reputation log always recorded the name of the individual associated with the earned points, along with their title, such as “Citizen,” “Viscountess,” or “Saintess.” This made her curious, how does it select these titles and also how does it even find names.

Curiosity piqued, Ravenna tapped on Marie’s name. The panel expanded with more information than she had ever seen before.

Title: Saintess

Name: Marie Leon

Reason: Marie is slowly starting to feel admiration for you, akin to the respect and love she held for her late father, who taught and supported her tirelessly before his death. She feels gratitude toward you and seeks to prove herself worthy in your eyes.

Background: Marie Leon is a simple girl from a small village near Nexus Town, on the outskirts of the Ancorn Empire. She is the reincarnation of the great saintess. After an attack on her village that claimed her beloved father—her only family—she was sold into slavery. She was later rescued by the Herptian Church, which led to her becoming your disciple.

Ravenna’s eyes widened slightly as she read the detailed profile. “Wait... it shows this much information?” she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible over the creaking of the carriage wheels.

She scrolled back up, her mind racing. If Marie’s log could reveal such details, what about the others? Her thoughts immediately turned to another name that had caught her attention: Viscountess Jessica Ronin. The name rang a faint bell in the back of her mind. Digging into her fragmented memories of the original Ravenna, she recalled Jessica as the daughter of Lord Edward Ronin. Years ago, Ravenna had disgraced Jessica’s mother during a grand ball, a scandal that had left lasting consequences for the Ronin family.

Tapping on Jessica’s name, the log expanded once again, revealing a similarly detailed entry.

Title: Viscountess

Name: Jessica Ronin

Reason: Jessica is plagued by worry over her upcoming attack on Jola in a few weeks and recently had a nightmare about the humiliation Ravenna inflicted on her mother.

Background: Jessica Ronin is an ambitious noblewoman who recently inherited her father’s title. She is driven by a desire to elevate her family’s status, a trait she admired in her mother. However, the scandal at the ball years ago traumatized her and continues to haunt her dreams. The incident left her mother socially ruined and strained the Ronin family’s relationships with other noble houses. Jessica’s fear and resentment toward Ravenna have only deepened since.

Ravenna’s gaze sharpened as she read the entry. “An attack on Jola?” she muttered, her voice heavy with disbelief.

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