After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

While some were curious what was going on in the ’elite’ meeting, others were just enjoying the banquet as it was, though not without anxious feelings.

Margaery went to sit with her family, introducing them to some of the food in Bleulle that was not in Hassen.

Interestingly, some foods were developed using products from Alterra, though they didn’t know it. For example, there were food options developed because of the sauces bought from Otto back then. There were also desserts with special jams, sugar, and so on.

They were all crowd favourites and one of the things the Sephon family were smug about.

As they ate, Margaery rested her shoulder on her mother’s shoulder. ”What a nice wedding...” she whispered, and Zinnia felt a bit heartbroken in response.

There was no real wedding between Margaery and Bleumrick. It was more of a sale, really.

Margaery was literally just sent off without a ceremony, outside a lavish meal she probably didn’t enjoy. Thinking of this, Zinnia felt such pity.

Margaery didn’t seem to be aware of her mother’s thoughts, though. She just looked at her with sparkling eyes. ”Did you know, Mother? Uncle started the traditions here...”

Zinnia smiled. She, in fact, did know. Octavia mentioned it in passing before.

She patted the girl’s hair. ”Maybe someday you’ll get a dream wedding.”

”Wedding ceremonies are rarely enjoyable for the bride,” Octavia said, tone sharp, making the other two women drop the topic.

To some, it seemed like it dismissed Margaery’s pleas, but Zinnia did not see it that way.

As someone from Hassen, she knew exactly what she must’ve been through on her wedding night. After all, she—and many women in their stature—experienced the same.

Zinnia looked at Octavia’s large stomach.

”Still, then don’t you think it’s a worthy endeavour to change things—at least for the next generation?”

...

Meanwhile, at the edge of the event venue, something a little sinister was going on.

It was at the edge of the garden, heading towards one of the isolated buildings.

A certain redhead was being dragged away by a sleazy-looking man. She was in her late Level 20s, but she was no match for a man a few levels higher and could actually fight.

”Leccher!! What are you doing!?” Estra yelled. ”The family will hear about this—”

”Foolish woman,” he grinned. ”Do you think I don’t have the permission of your parents? You think I will dare do this?”

Her heart turned cold. ”What—” she gasped. ”No... I don’t believe you—”

However, the shock was enough distraction for her to temporarily loosen her resistance, making it easier for Leccher to pull her wherever he wanted.

”Kya!” She screamed as she was carried up. She hit his back, but he just slapped her buttocks.

Estra felt extremely humiliated. ”Please! Someone! Help!”

”I don’t believe you! Get me back!” she screamed. ”Do you think the Trions would need to sell their daughter to a weaker family?”

Instead of being offended, Leccher cackled, as if proud of his accomplishments. ”It’s amazing what a good corner shop can buy me.”

Estra’s eyes widened. There was indeed one good shop that the Trions had wanted. It was the location of Otto’s old shop. It was just that a group of mid-level noble families led by the Roach family had managed to get their hands on it while the high noble families focused on the ’bigger’ assets.

They really wanted this shop, especially since it still had some of Otto’s products. However, they could not take it by force because the Roach family—while much weaker—was still a noble house in the end. Not to mention, they were connected to the rival Sephon family by marriage now.

Showing unnecessary force was frowned upon because it would make the rest of the noble families become guarded against them.

But still... Was that all she was worth in her family?

Was this really it for her?!

...

There was no one who heard Estra’s pleas. Rather, it wasn’t that there wasn’t anyone within earshot —it was just that no one cared enough to do anything about it.

Anyway, the events outside went on, people partied, chatted, and ate.

While most of the guests continued to chatter, they were unaware that certain people were working subtly amongst them.

This was Veronica and the rest of the Alterrans, and the next step in their plans was coming up.

They memorized the locations of their targets, silently assigning who would be in-charge of whom.

For one, Lady Zinnia and her family were hanging out together in one area. They were at the edge of the garden and the main banquet area, with Lady Margaery showing a few flower fields, featuring a flower with a similar shade to their golden hair.

On the other hand, the toolmakers were on the other side. Interestingly, except for a bushy-haired dude they did not recognize, they were relatively isolated, too. They were eating by themselves in an area, with some people sneaking glances, while others were outright ignoring them.

This was a little surprising considering they were Toolmakers.

”It’s a psychological strategy perpetuated by the Lord,” Sean explained, very quietly, though he did not detail it.

Soldiers had some subjects on psychology, though it was mostly applied in the field of profiling and the like.

In this case, Kalfene and the others were likely isolated by the order of Bleumrick. He probably thought that pushing away all of the ’rebellious’ toolmakers’ options would push them back to him.

For someone so old, Sean thought Bleumrick was a little naive.

Perhaps that would’ve worked with the weak-willed sycophants that he surrounded himself with, but would that be the case for the people who had been resisting him until now?

Well, he didn’t expect any territory—especially a new town—would be so bold as to kidnap, er, poach under his nose, of course!

Anyway, this confidence made things a bit convenient for them, so they should be thankful.

At some point, Veronica felt a light tap on her heels. This was Sean’s vine, signalling they were about to start.

60 seconds

However, before she could nod, a person approached her.

”Hello, Miss...” he said, a bit shy and awkward, though it annoyed Veronica.

”What is it?”

”Miss Veronica, right?” he said. ”My name is Menzon, a tool maker. We met before. My inheritance is the Celeste Mirror...”

Their eyebrows rose in interest, but they didn’t have time to talk to him right now.

30 seconds

Veronica could only nod politely, knowing a toolmaker of such a rare item was probably revered. Interestingly, most of the people around seemed mildly interested at most, but showed no reverence with him at all.

Again, they had no time to care about this because the timer was about to start.

10 seconds

”I see...” she said, uninterested, and not even trying to hide it. The poor guy just droned on about how amazing his inheritance was and how he was being treated in the City.

1 second

BOOM! BOOM!

Several explosions all around the venue—some of which were inside the mansion—resounded in the area.

Screams abounded, and people started panicking. Veronica and the others’ eyes sharpened, immediately leaning down, prepared to dash to their targets.

Kidnapping: Start!