[45] More Abandoned Children

A short while later, further news about the disaster in the Fittoa region was released by Raphael. With a heavy heart, Raphael delivered the news to Roxy, who was seated in a corner of Ash's inn room, absorbed in reading a book on advanced Tier 6 and 7 magic spells.

When Ash relayed the news, Roxy's blue eyes widened in shock, and tears began to well up at the corners of her eyes. "No, you must be joking, right?" her voice trembled, as if struggling to accept the newly conveyed reality.

The report detailed a mysterious natural phenomenon that had obliterated everything within a 100-kilometre radius of Fort Roa, resulting in the complete destruction of the region and its inhabitants, all of whom had been teleported away.

The disaster was named the Teleportation Catastrophe.

"So, how...ugh," Roxy couldn't contain her sorrow. Her small frame curled up, clutching the spellbook she had been reading as if it were the only thing that could comfort her shattered heart.

Seeing Roxy's despair, Ash felt compelled to offer support. "I know this is incredibly hard, but we have to stay strong. Not everyone within that radius is dead. They've been teleported to various places, possibly across the world. One piece of news I received from Raphael is that in the capital, Ars, there are people from the Fittoa region who have ended up there. The exact number is unknown, but according to Raphael, it's continually increasing, reaching into the three digits."

Roxy's blue eyes seemed to shine with a newfound hope. Her trembling little body began to calm as she looked up at Ash with renewed determination. "So it's true! There might still be hope. I need to leave now!" She immediately stood and moved towards her bag, which was lying in a corner of the room.

"Hey, wait a moment. You don't need to leave tonight. It's getting late," Ash told her, pointing out the inn's window where the sky was painted in shades of orange, signalling that night was approaching.

In this fantasy world, night was not a safe time. Many powerful monsters roamed, and it was unwise to let a magician like Roxy travel alone at night.

"Alright... Then I'll leave tomorrow," Roxy replied, nodding with gratitude.

Ash observed Roxy's change in mood and sighed, then gently patted her shoulder. "Let me cook something for you." With his enhanced cooking abilities, he was confident he could recreate meals from his old world.

Roxy looked at Ash with a mix of respect and slight surprise. "Of course, I would really appreciate that."

The man nodded, then headed towards the door, leaving Roxy alone in the quiet room, deep in thought as she gathered her resolve for the journey ahead. Meanwhile, Ash went downstairs to speak with the innkeeper, requesting permission to use their kitchen.

---

Time passed, and Ash began to plan his next steps. He instructed Raphael to mobilise personnel to assist the disaster victims in the Fittoa region. Given the partiality and inadequate handling of the disaster by the palace, Raphael felt it necessary to take action.

Raphael suspected that this was a move by the Prime Minister and his cronies to neglect the region. However, he saw an opportunity in the chaos—a chance to win the hearts of the citizens affected by the teleportation incident. In doing so, Raphael could build goodwill and gain support from the affected populace.

His strategy involved not just rescuing the victims from the disaster but also playing a role in rebuilding their destroyed homes. Raphael also realised that this significant move would attract the attention of the government, and this was where Princess Ariel's role became crucial. As many nobles diverted their attention from the region, Princess Ariel had the opportunity to secure approval from the King to grant Raphael the freedom to assist the victims and reconstruct the settlements.

However, the plan almost faltered. An extreme assassination attempt threatened Princess Ariel's safety. The assailants infiltrated the palace's lily garden and released rampaging monsters while Princess Ariel was enjoying a cup of tea—a ritual commonly performed by nobles as a leisurely activity.

Fortunately, an elven female, falling into the garden, used her silent magic to subdue the monsters. It was revealed that the elf, appearing to be of similar age to the princess and having white hair, was from the Fittoa region, specifically from the village of Bunea, due to the teleportation incident.

Well, it was good news. However, it didn't mean there were no casualties. One of the princess's guards, a saint-level magician, died on the spot protecting Princess Ariel from the sudden onslaught of monsters.

Next, Raphael, not taking any chances, decided to deploy someone to infiltrate as one of the princess's guards, using the guise of a skilled member of Hassan's shadow team adept in disguise and interrogation.

With this, Raphael could continue his work without the stress of worrying about what might happen next, as the pieces were already in motion—waiting for the right time. Just watch, the corrupt government of this kingdom would witness something they had never anticipated.

---

A week had passed since Roxy parted ways with Ash, having to leave their journey to attend to personal matters involving people she knew in the Fittoa region. Now, she decided to return to the region, with a strengthened resolve to find out more about the situation there.

Meanwhile, Ash continued his journey towards the neighbouring dragon kingdom alliance. Nothing special marked this leg of the journey—just his usual routine—enjoying the time while performing small acts of kindness along the way, helping anyone in need whenever opportunities arose.

However, as Ash entered the dragon kingdom's territory, he encountered an unusual sight. A young boy was running in fear, pursued by a group of terrifying monsters. The monsters had a mixed appearance of bull and rhino, with powerful bodies covered in tough scales and sharp horns.

"AHHHHHH!" the boy screamed desperately, his voice filled with despair as he tried to escape the three monsters chasing him. His bleeding, injured legs added to his difficulty as he ran over uneven terrain.

Ash, clad in cowboy attire for reasons unknown—perhaps adding a touch of novelty—witnessed the scene. Although his cowboy outfit seemed out of place in this region, he knew he couldn't let the boy remain in danger.

Without hesitation, Ash sprang into action, focusing his attention on the group of monsters attacking.