"Mom... I’m hungry," a little girl complained to her mother, grabbing her stomach. "Why are we eating only one al a day? Aren’t we supposed to have three?"
In a vast underground shelter, mother and daughter clung to each other on a single mattress on the floor. The air was stale with limited ventilation, reeking of sweat. The shelter was not designed to accommodate the sheer volu of people it contained for sustained periods of ti. The clothes of the people within the shelter were worn-out and dusty, while their complexions were pale; their faces sunken in.
The older woman gazed at her daughter with a bittersweet smile, trying to hide her own misery. "I’m sure we’ll get more food soon, Kiana. I’m sure about it. So don’t worry. Try to drink so water and get so sleep."
The food supplies stored on the eastern coast of the nation had been completely wiped out, including those stored in underground storage facilities, leading to an acute loss of food despite all the ergency preparations.
Portions and frequency of als were thus whittled down to make them last longer than usual. It was a deep shock to the citizens of the greatest nation in the world, who enjoyed enough food even during the Beast Incursion thanks to the Britannian Empire.
Hunger, the cramped conditions, and stale air of the shelter brought about a desperation for survival of the many millions of Kandrian citizens whose cities and hos had been completely wiped out by the destructive tsunami from the Suneater.
It made people more violent, causing riots and fights to break out more and more often, requiring more Martial Apprentices to remain on standby just to maintain order.
If not for the Kandrian Ruffians, the organization of volunteers led by Prince Raul, the conditions would have undoubtedly been even more unbearable than they currently were.
"I don’t want to drink water!" Kiana complained. "I want to eat food! My stomach hurts from the hunger. Give food!"
The girl, no older than eight, began bawling, throwing a tantrum as her helpless mother began pacifying her. The atmosphere in the shelter only darkened, making the palpable air of desperation and misery feel more real.
CLACK
The large doors to the shelter flew open as the tantalizing scent of food flushed past the entire shelter, instantly alerting each and every single stranded refuge as they shot to their feet, gazing at the large open doors.
Their eyes widened as they saw enormous vessels of food, carried by Martial Artists, being brought in by the second. A surplus of bread, stews, rice, and even at was carried in massive containers.
"Food!"
"They actually lived up to their words!"
"All hail the Kandrian Empire!"
The refugees in the shelter rushed, forming a massive crowd that needed to be held back by Martial Apprentices as plates filled with food were handed out to the citizens who voraciously inhaled it as tears began filling their eyes.
"It’s so yummy!" Kiana squealed as she happily munched on bread and stew.
Her mother simply stared at the bread with a stunned expression. "This is high-quality bread, and this stew is so creamy and rich. Where did they...?"
As a cook, she recognized the high-quality of the ingredients and the als. It sharply contrasted with the porridge and other bare-bones als they had been fed since the evacuation a week ago during the war.
Since when did refugees get fed such high-quality als?
"Attention, citizens of Kandria!" A projected voice filled the entire shelter. "We have a ssage from none other than Prince Rui, the Dawnbringer, himself!"
Even in their hunger, those words instantly drew the attention of all the citizens, enraptured in hearing the words of the most beloved figure in the Kandrian Empire.
"His Highness expresses his sincere regrets and apologies to all of you who have lost your hos and the lives that you have built on the eastern side of our nation," the announcer continued. "And he has sworn, in the na of Kandria, that he will give all of you a better life in a better nation! He swears that none of you will ever go hungry again! And he swears that your lives will return once the destroyed cities on the east coast of the nation have been reconstructed, all of you will be accommodated free of cost! Until then, all your needs will be subsidized and taken care of by the state! You just need to bear it a little longer!"
In that mont, a faint emotion lit up in the darkness of their eyes.
Hope.
Cheers and applause erged alongside sobs and cries as the air grew more jubilant.
"All hail the Dawnbringer!"
"All hail the Dawnbringer!"
"All hail the Dawnbringer!"
...
Scenes such as those grew increasingly common in the shelters of the Kandrian Empire as the surplus of truly satisfying food lightened the mood and made the atmosphere positive for the first ti, at the end of the war or the beginning of the war.
"I have seen with my own two eyes that your words have inspired true optimism in our people, my brother. I hope you will live up to them. The despair of broken promises is one that the citizens of any nation are very familiar with." The voice of Prince Raul hung in the air of a conference room in the Royal Kandrian Palace. "You have given them hope in a period of great darkness. You must not allow that hope to turn into despair."
The old man’s eyes bore deep into Rui’s, seated at the head of the table with all of Rui’s faction, the cabinet of ministers, and other high-ranking governnt officials gathered in a large eting.
"Don’t worry, Raul." Rui’s voice grew serious as his clear, ethereal eyes bore deep into those of his half-brother. "I will ensure that our people will lead lives so fantastic that they won’t even regret the destruction of their old lives. Isn’t that right...?"
He turned towards Minister Danes with a pointed gaze.
"Yeah, you can count on it!" The young man grinned with an excited expression and anticipation lingering in his green irises. "Elven technology is so overpowered. No other technology is as specialized for mass production as elven tech. I can’t believe that we can ’grow’ a city like a tree or a plant. What an unfathomable concept, but it’s much, much faster and quicker than any other technology for civil infrastructure!"
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