The reality of the situation was not entirely unfamiliar to Effie, since it resembled how her Supreme Memory, the Black Beast Locket, functioned — albeit on a far grander scale. The space within the locket was artificial, but the Soul Garden was entirely real... it just existed inside her soul.

What did it mean for Effie?

In the future, it meant that she would be able to shelter an entire nation inside herself.

‘Would that make me... like, a Great Citadel?’

There would be Bastion, Ravenheart, the Night Garden, NQSC... and Effie?

‘I do have some outstanding Components, if I do say so myself...'

She suppressed a giggle, knowing that it would hurt like hell.

On top of everything, residing in her Soul Garden would be much safer than living anywhere else in the Dream Realm, since no ordinary Nightmare Creature could get in.

‘So, what? One day, some guy would be asked where he's from, and he'll say — oh, I'm from Effie!'

Her expression became strange.

Effie remained silent for a few moments, then shook her head and sent a succulent grape into her mouth.

Alternatively, she would be able to carry an entire army, no different from the Steel Horde, within herself, and deploy it anywhere at a moment's notice.

So, people would scream:

"There, on the horizon! Effie is coming, shut the gates!"

She grimaced.

In any case, that was for the future.

At present, the reality of the Soul Garden served a far clearer purpose. It was basically a cheat in the time of a siege, supplying both the population of the Stone Castle and its defenders with an inexhaustible source of food and water. Even the royal family, which had forgotten the taste of luxury over the long siege, was enjoying abundance once more — and the people were, as well.

To be honest, Effie's plan had already been based on outlasting the Steel Horde. It was just that, initially, she had expected a bitter contest of endurance, with both sides suffering from thirst and starvation. The defenders were supposed to come out victorious in that contest due to possessing a vital advantage — due to the fact that Seishan of Clan Song, the heir of Beast God, was on their side.

In the end, however, it had turned out that the survivors of the fallen city possessed two vital advantages instead of one. They also had Effie and her Soul Garden, which solved all of their remaining problems except for one — the fighting itself.

But even then, a starving soldier could not compare to a soldier who fought on a full stomach. So their advantage shone during the battles for the walls of the Stone Castle, as well.

The strongest elites of the Steel Horde were gone, while Azarax himself was weakened by the plague. Additionally, with the number of his warriors diminishing day after day and the confidence in the King of Kings plummeting, his Domain was growing weaker as well. Even the great Steel Empire behind him was stirring in unrest, his authority over it slowly becoming tenuous.

If Azarax was less prideful, he would have retreated from the walls of the city, returned to his empire, and consolidated his rule. Then, he could return with fresh forces in a few years, finishing what he had started. In fact, that was what most of his remaining generals, who had families and things to lose back home, wanted.

But Azarax was the epitome of a Supreme — an individual so determined and obstinate that the world itself had no choice but to bend to his will. And he was an especially tyrannical one, at that, so his pride was absolute. He refused to admit defeat, or even tolerate a temporary setback that could be perceived as such... so, the Steel Horde remained locked in a bloody siege. Effie had a feeling that it would not last much longer, though.

Soon enough, one of the sides would reach its breaking point. There was a chance that it would be the Mason King and his people... but if Effie had to bet, she would bet against the Steel Horde.

Not that it mattered to her, at the moment, because she was on medical leave.

She might have survived the weeks of torture, the brutal burden of the plague, and being stabbed by an enraged Supreme. But it was not like she had miraculously recovered to full strength. Her body was still a wreck, and even with the Garden of Prosperity blooming in her soul, it was recovering slowly. The damage that had been dealt to it was simply too severe.

So, all there was to do was relax on a soft bed and savor delicious fruit.

The fruit was delicious...

‘But I sort of miss meat.'

She would have to go about getting some animals into her soul once she got out of the Nightmare. Did it sound weird? Probably, but Effie didn't care.

‘Some fish, as well.’

Actually, was there already fish in her Soul Garden? She hadn't explored it that much, so she wasn't sure. She seemed to see bees and other small critters there already, and she thought she had heard birds. Where had they come from? Effie had no idea.

Maybe they had come as a part of Life's Domain, or at least were born from it.

‘Isn't Earth War God's realm, though?’

She was a little confused.

As Effie enjoyed another grape, the door to her spacious chamber opened, and Kai walked in, bringing with him the smell of soot and ash. His face was grim and cold, but when he saw Effie, it was illuminated by a smile.

"You look better already. How do you feel?"

Not long after Kai arrived, Morgan stopped by as well. Seishan brought a deck of cards. Jet appeared, as if attracted by the smell of fruit.

Well, and when that many beautiful women gathered in one place, Nightwalker was bound to show up.

Effie's bed resting session had somehow devolved into a war council. She sighed.

‘Well... it isn't bad.'

Not too long ago, their meetings had been permeated by the suffocating atmosphere of anxiety and grim anticipation. Now, the mood felt almost... light. There were even chuckles and an occasional bout of laughter.

Observing her friends, Effie sighed again and ate another grape.

‘Well, that's food for you.'

The world seemed like a brighter place on a full stomach...

A few days later, a different war council took place across the ruined city, in the camp of the Steel Horde. Only this one was not graced by the sounds of laughter — instead, it was somber and tense, full of unspoken truths and boiling resentment.

That meeting was destined to decide the outcome of the long siege.

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