Chapter 34 [Ominous Weather]
Mela felt that the weather was getting hotter and hotter lately.
Logically speaking, the Dark Forest is permeated with a chilling atmosphere all year round, and even in the hottest summer, being in it will give you a feeling of coldness down your spine.
Even if she specifically chose a sunny spot when building the cabin, it shouldn't be this hot.
It felt like I was melting into the chair.
The heat within her body prompted Mela to pick up the cup placed to the side. The mint leaves, as wilted as she was, floated in the water, showing no trace of the vibrant green they had been when they were first taken out of the box. It was as if the vitality of the leaves had been frozen on them since they were picked.
Mela took a bite, and the refreshing and invigorating taste of mint was almost gone, let alone soothing the heat in her body.
Mela instinctively tried to call out to Lex, only to find that he wasn't in the house.
Strange, where did Lex go?
Meanwhile, Mela noticed Silas, who was lying motionless on the cabinet in the corner.
This corner is probably the shadiest place in the whole cabin. It never sees sunlight, and during the rainy season it gets damp from the moisture. Occasionally, two tiny mushrooms will sprout from the bottom of the cabinet.
Therefore, Silas, hiding up there, seemed to have finally found a refuge, as its feathers were even more unbearable in such heat than Mela's.
Even so, the moment Silas moves, even by just slightly changing his posture, a surge of heat instantly rises from his body, making him wish he could pour a bucket of cold water over himself.
Suddenly, Lex appeared at the door, carrying several handkerchiefs. He walked over and handed one of them to Mela.
The handkerchief was damp, probably just soaked in water, and Lex had wrung it out until it wasn't dripping wet. Anyway, Mela covered her face with it and couldn't help but let out a comfortable sigh.
Cool and refreshing, the silky smooth texture gently envelops every inch of the skin.
What good stuff?
Hearing the noise, Silas looked up and saw that Lex was secretly giving Mela special treatment again, and immediately shouted, "Me too! Me too!"
Lex had two handkerchiefs left, so naturally everyone got one, including Silas.
However, Lex wasn't so gentle with Sylas.
As Lex approached, Silas's vision suddenly went black as a handkerchief was draped over him like a cold blanket.
Silas, ignoring Lex's rudeness, scooted forward, peeking most of his head out from under the handkerchief, then stopped, letting out a comfortable sigh like Mela.
At this moment, Lex simply wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief, making him arguably the most dignified person in the house.
"By the way, did you cut this handkerchief from an old piece of clothing?"
Mela touched the fabric, which was softer and lighter than ordinary linen, clearly the silk fabric most favored by nobles.
“Hmm,” Lex responded, adding, “These are old clothes I wore when I was twelve. They were useless to keep, but luckily the fabric was still usable, so I just cut several pieces off to make handkerchiefs.”
Actually, it was Lex who specifically dug out this outfit because he saw that Mela was terribly hot.
If Lex hadn't mentioned it, Mela would have forgotten that he had ever worn such an outfit.
After all, ever since she asked Ducwato to buy Lex new clothes, Lex had put away the outfit he brought from the palace and never wore it again.
She usually dresses in the most ordinary, commoner style.
From Lex's perspective, it's quite understandable.
The clothes supplied to the crown prince were made of the finest fabrics and meticulously crafted by renowned tailors in the capital. Even the gold thread on the fabric was delicately embroidered with laurel leaf patterns, circling the cuffs, making them exquisite and luxurious.
However, wearing such clothes to work is inevitably a bit of a hindrance, and they are easy to snag and tear. It would be better to change into more durable linen clothes.
On another note, "Lex, aren't you hot at all?"
Mela pulled off the no longer cold handkerchief, looked at Lex, and asked with a puzzled tone.
Lex was still wearing his usual clothes, buttoned up meticulously, with the collar covering most of his neck, and his sleeves were not even rolled up. It was as if the heat that was about to melt Mela did not bother him at all.
Lex's response was, "It is a bit hot."
However, compared to riding through the royal hunting grounds in full blazing sun while dressed in hunting attire, Lex found it bearable for now.
Even after many years, Lex can still recall the scorching sun beating down on his face, sweat streaming down his forehead and into his eyes, the feeling of saltiness and sourness.
Even so, Lex had to patiently observe the subtle movements around him and draw his bow in time to shoot. Otherwise, if he brought out too few prey, or if Nurenger IX was dissatisfied with his performance, he would have to directly confront Nurenger IX's unreasonable rage.
Even the fact that six-year-old Lex was made to look so disheveled by his prey became a reason for the man to fly into a rage. He bluntly accused, "With so many knights by your side, how could you still end up like this? You're such a waste!"
As he spoke, he forcefully threw the handkerchief he had just used to wipe the wine onto Lex's face.
Feeling the open and covert gazes of the ministers around him, Lex felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation.
Even now, Lex can still recall the humiliation he felt.
However, in addition to this, maintaining proper appearance at all times was also part of aristocratic education.
A woman like Mela, who pulled her sleeves up to her elbows because it was too hot and tied her long hair haphazardly behind her head, would probably make the etiquette officer scream at her.
"There's nothing we can do. This summer is abnormally hot; it's practically a harbinger of a drought." Mela slumped in her chair, her voice weak and listless.
Lex's mind followed Mela's words; he also had a vague sense of foreboding.
In such sweltering heat, not only would people be unable to bear it, but the crops in the fields would also be unable to withstand it, and would most likely be scorched to death. If batch after batch of wheat and corn seedlings were to die in the fields, would there be enough grain to sustain the majority of the kingdom through the entire harsh winter by autumn?
Of course, villages near rivers were better off, as they could use waterwheels to continuously draw water from the river to irrigate their fields. But such villages were few and far between throughout the kingdom, and they all belonged to territories near the royal city.
If Fernando were still prime minister, Lex wouldn't be so worried, but he fears that his successor, Antonio Jude, might not have any compassion for the common people and would only move the meager amount of grain into the nobles' granaries.
It goes without saying what kind of upheaval the common people would unleash to prevent themselves and their families from starving to death.
However, things haven't reached their worst point yet. August has just begun, and perhaps the remaining two weeks will bring new changes.
For example, a sudden downpour to cool down the temperature.
After all, the last time the kingdom experienced a large-scale drought was thirty years ago, before even Mela was born.
Lex learned of this by going through the old files stored in the palace.
Speaking of which, thirty years ago was a very delicate time. At that time, Lex's grandfather, Nurenger VIII, was just approaching the end of his life when he was suddenly struck by such a severe disaster. He was almost so devastated that he lay on his bed and breathed his last.
Fortunately, the palace physicians were at Nurenger VIII's bedside, which is why he was able to be saved in time.
Upon regaining consciousness, Nurenger VIII immediately set about tackling the drought. However, instead of distributing the surplus grain from the granaries or sending his ministers to his bedside to discuss solutions, he hastily summoned the then-old pope to the palace.
It is said that soon after, the old pope announced to his followers that the drought was caused by witches, and that the disaster would never end unless the witches were caught.
So, was the drought back then really caused by a witch?
If Lex hadn't spent those years with Mela, he probably wouldn't have had any doubts about it.
Now, he gave Mela a deep look but said nothing.
"Drought? What is drought?" Silas asked, puzzled.
It had never experienced a drought before, and just hearing the name made it feel scared.
"A drought is when the river dries up, exposing the cracked riverbed; crops wither and die due to lack of water, resulting in a poor harvest; people are starving and emaciated because of both lack of water and food, and their lips are cracked from thirst, yet they cannot even lick blood."
Mela's tone was slow and leisurely, but her expression was far from relaxed; instead, it became much more serious.
No one wants to encounter such a disaster, not even Mela.
Lex was somewhat surprised by how vivid her description was, as if she had witnessed it herself.
But the drought thirty years ago was a full four years before Mela was born.
“Mera, how come you seem to know so much about what a drought looks like? Have you ever seen a drought?” Silas asked the question that had been on Lex’s mind.
Mela shook her head. "Of course I haven't seen it."
"But if it weren't for that drought, my father probably wouldn't have met my mother who had fled from disaster."
Mela's mother, Elvie, was not a native of Whitepine Town. She was born in a viscount's territory in the southwest. Her family was not wealthy, but because they only had two children, her brother and herself, they were at least able to have enough to eat twice a day.
However, a sudden drought shattered Elvie's peaceful life.
Elvie vividly remembers the disaster that forced her to leave her home and risk becoming a slave if discovered, as she fled to Whitepine Town.
She often held little Mela in her arms and recounted many fragments of her experiences in fits and starts.
Every scene is vivid in my mind, as if it happened just yesterday.
"At that time, your maternal grandfather, who was your mother's father, planned to sell your mother to a passing grain merchant in an attempt to obtain some food so that he and his son could survive."
Elvie gazed tenderly at little Mela in her arms, patting her back gently.
"And then Mother ran away?" Little Mela asked, bewildered.
"Yes, otherwise your mother would have been taken to some unknown place, just like your maternal grandmother."
Even when bringing up such a nightmarish topic, Elvie's tone remained gentle, as if she were simply telling her daughter a bedtime story.
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