The Rise of the Black Plain

Nine months after Minos discovered Sarah's relationship with George, their wedding had finally taken place!

After much negotiation by Sista's representatives in the Black Plain Empire, the two sides of this marriage had reached important agreements regarding the future.

Minos had promised Sista access to his food during the ice age and a series of promises regarding the future when he would become a 10th-stage expert.

In return for his promises, Sista had made her own commitments to Dry City, promising to help protect the agricultural fields and warehouses from enemy attacks during the ice age. She would also prepay a portion of the food they would be entitled to during the ice age to help the empire better prepare for the future.

Willow Sista had promised to speak on behalf of Minos if Vico Travisani won the war against Maximillian and came to visit the Black Plain Empire. Not only that, but if Emperor Stuart's crew discovered something in the North Sea, the kingdom of Sista would help him with mid- and high-level Demigods to deal with the problem in that area.

If Maximilian won the war, it would be Minos who would speak on behalf of Sista, and if he were unable to protect the state, he would have to secretly welcome some members of the Sista family into his lands.

In addition to these points, there were a dozen minor points in their agreement and the rules for the marriage of the two houses.

With everyone agreeing that the marriage would be kept secret and would remain so until at least the end of the war, Sarah and George's marriage ceremony had taken place a few days ago, when the two families gathered in Dry City to celebrate their union.

Queen Sista had been unable to attend the ceremony due to her high rank and the fact that the Spiritual Church always kept an eye on her movements. However, she had participated in the whole event by watching from afar what happened in the city of Minos.

After the wedding, Sarah and George would live in the Black Plain Empire indefinitely. 

The Stuart family had agreed that their eldest daughter would eventually leave to live with her husband in Sista. But given the war and instability in the southernmost part of the continent, that would not happen until she and George were stronger and Vico and Maximillian's conflict was resolved.

Until then, George and Sarah would live in the empire.

Finally, with the wedding over and their situation accepted by their families, they both honeymooned in the northern region, taking advantage of the last few years of regional stability to wander around and celebrate their marriage.

The North was at peace while the South was at war, and the ice age would be a few years away.

That was the perfect time for them to enjoy the region!

In a few years, everything would change; there would no longer be conditions for casually strolling around the North of the continent, and the war in the South would come to an end.

So, the two of them prepared for the difficult future ahead while enjoying their happy time.

...

While Sarah and George traveled through the northern region on their honeymoon, their families had turned their attention to problems that preceded their situation.

The Sista family had turned their attention to the war in the West and East, knowing that it would be some time before the situation involving them would produce positive results for them.

Meanwhile, the Stuart family continued with their previous plans, with the main members of their forces preparing for the end of the war in the South of the continent, the possible consequences of that, and preparing for the beginning of the ice age.

While members of the government and Minos' family dealt with these matters, he and his crew prepared for the voyage to the North Sea, constantly trying to improve their forces.

Most of the members of Minos' party were in seclusion in Dry City, while he and his wives took breaks every few months in the Spatial Kingdom, returning to attend to local affairs.

In this way, the first few months after Sarah and George's wedding would pass quickly, with the local forces growing stronger while they experienced peace.

With no problems to worry about in the short term, the Black Plain Empire would spend the next two and a half years in peace!

After more than two years of honeymooning, Sarah and George finally returned to Dry City after so many months of exploring the Black Plain Empire!

...

Arriving near one of Dry City's satellite towns, Sarah looked around with a smile while wearing a hood on her head to hide her identity.

Meanwhile, George stood to her right, holding one of his wife's hands, also wearing a hood to hide his face.

"Is it just me, or has this place changed in the last few years?" George asked Sarah in a quiet voice.

Sarah knew this place like the back of her hand. There was no way she couldn't have noticed the local changes in the two and a half years she had been away with her husband.

"Yes, the city really has changed." She murmured, eager to return to her family and see how her parents and siblings were doing. "There seem to be more people here. I think the local population must have increased by 20% while we were traveling."

For a ring of cities with a population of more than 20 million, a 20% increase in less than 3 years was very significant!

"It looks like the local government's ice age measures are already taking effect." George immediately understood what was behind the sudden growth of this area near the empire's capital.

This area was close to the main agricultural fields, and it would be the most protected and prosperous during the coming disaster. It was obvious that many people would move to this part of the empire.

"Anyway, let's go to the capital. I'm looking forward to seeing my family again."

"Okay."

With that agreed, the two continued on their way, quickly crossing the ring of cities in front of them until they entered the inner part of that area, where they could reach Dry City in a few moments of flight.

But before they reached the site of Dry City's magnificent defense dome, they encountered an old acquaintance of Sarah's.

"Aunt Regina?" Sarah saw a purple-haired, young-looking, level 76 woman flying in the same direction as her and George.

Upon hearing this voice, Regina, a poison master, immediately slowed down and looked at the level 74 woman who had just called her name.

Looking at the woman in the hood, Regina took a closer look at Sarah's face and saw that she was the eldest princess in the empire.

"Your Highness! You're finally back?" Regina smiled at Sarah as she saw them approach.

Regina was very fond of Sarah. Since she often played with the young princess after her time with Minos, this poison master taught the princess many things about poisons. As a result, Sarah was also very fond of Regina.

"Yes, I'm back, hehe," Sarah replied with a smile. "Anyway, are you going back to Dry City? Let's go back together."

"All right, then we'll have a chance to talk a bit." Regina agreed and soon followed the two as they talked about the last years of their lives, particularly the couple's adventures.

...