NOVEL NEXT Chapter 306 Not A Bad Idea
And although she had already promised to put the Tigrens under her protection while using them as additional manpower to defend against intruders, sending some of them to raise livestock could still be beneficial.
They might not need to return to the grasslands, after all, grass can be grown. One region could be transformed into a pasture, with the male Tigrens serving as warriors and the females taking care of the livestock and their young.
'That actually isn't a bad idea. After all, Leon came knocking on my door, conspired against me… and I'd be foolish not to use him for the kingdom's benefit,' Addison thought as she added the point at the bottom of her notebook. She planned to either send it to her father or mention it when she spoke to him later.
She was confident her father would understand her intentions. After all, the situation in the West had become a source of stress for him as well, especially following the locust swarm.
"Princess… the Archmage is calling for you!" A young werewolf warrior came running from a distance, his voice carrying loud and clear even before he arrived. He must have only recently reached adulthood, as a hint of naivety lingered in his bright eyes.
When he finally reached Addison, he beamed and repeated, "Princess, Archmage Elric is looking for you. He said that what you asked of him has been completed…"
Addison nodded and smiled at the young man. "Alright, I understand. I'll be there."
Her smile was so radiant that the young warrior, who had yet to find his own fated mate, couldn't help but be captivated. He blushed, swallowing nervously as he felt a lump rise in his throat. Then he remembered Addison's mates.
Just one of them would be enough to flatten him, and he knew how fiercely protective and possessive male werewolves could be.
The brief enchantment vanished instantly, replaced by a shiver that ran down his spine and cold sweat that prickled his back. Eyes fixed on the ground, he reminded himself that while he appreciated beauty, he valued his life more.
The auras of those two Alphas alone were enough to suffocate him. After delivering his message to Addison, he ran, fast, clearly prioritizing survival over admiration.
Seeing the young werewolf run for his life, the two guards snickered. They had actually been planning to warn him, because they could see that he clearly seemed to have a crush on their Princess, and they wanted to tell him not to even think about it.
But before they could say a word, the situation resolved itself. In a way, it made their job easier.
Not long after, Addison put away her sickle and approached the section leader. "I'll be stepping away for a bit. Please continue with the work, and thank you for all your hard work," she said, gently patting the middle-aged man on the shoulder.
She noticed the dark circles under his eyes. He and the others had been pulling all-nighters to complete the harvest as quickly as possible, sleeping only in short intervals, two hours at a time, totaling maybe four hours a day. It was far from enough to sustain their bodies, but they had no other choice for now.
Addison felt a pang of guilt for the workers, but there was little she could do beyond helping herself. Even the caravan staff and the guards she had brought were assisting the farmers, yet it felt like a drop in the bucket. After giving her final instructions, she left.
When she reached Elric, now back in his room, Addison wiped the remaining sweat from her face and knocked twice on the door. Soon after, Elric opened it.
"Princess, you're here! Come in, come in. I've already delivered the items to the communications room in the Royal Palace, connected the communication crystal, and someone has called the people you wanted to speak with—including your parents. You've arrived just in time," Elric mumbled, pulling Addison inside.
The two guards remained outside, standing watch, and Elric didn't bother about them and closed the door on them.
Elric guided Addison to the table where the communication crystal rested. The curtains had been drawn tightly to block out light, ensuring the image in the crystal would appear as clearly as possible.
As soon as Addison sat down, the faces of the Royal Alchemist and the head of the research department appeared, their expressions lighting up at the sight of her.
"Princess!"
"Princess Addison!"
Both shouted in excitement. The head researcher, eyeing the Royal Alchemist with a hint of disdain, was the first to speak, though the Royal Alchemist seemed unfazed by her glare.
"Princess, I heard that you brought these carcasses and insect eggs as specimens. Could you please elaborate on what you would like us to do with them?" she asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.
"Um… actually, as you may already know, the West is currently facing a locust swarm, and I came earlier to take a closer look." Addison paused as she noticed her parents being led into the room.
The Royal Alchemist and lead researcher stepped aside to make way for the Alpha King and Queen so they could sit in front of the communication crystal, then the Royal Alchemist and lead researcher stood at the back, eyes fixed on the communication crystal, clearly waiting for Addison to continue.
Before speaking further, Addison smiled at her parents, hoping to reassure them that she was fine and to ease the worry she could see etched on their faces.
"Father, Mother, you've arrived just in time. As I was saying, the locust swarm here is breeding rapidly and is nearly filling the gaps inside the barrier. Just a short while ago, they wreaked havoc inside, almost breaking through."
"But don't worry, we've already taken action to control them. That said, it has required us to work twice as hard to transfer the crops and animals as quickly as possible."
Elric placed a glass of water beside Addison. She smiled at him and took a sip, her throat feeling dry. She mouthed a silent "Thank you," and Elric returned the smile before pulling a chair to sit beside her.
Addison continued, "Because of the earlier incident, I started thinking, the locusts we're dealing with look very different from any species documented in the archives of known locusts worldwide. I want to determine whether they're a mutation of the red locust or something entirely new."
"More importantly, the biochemical agent we currently plan to use comes from an unknown source. Instead, I want the Royal Alchemist to work with the researchers to develop our own biochemical agent, one that specifically targets these insects but is harmless to the soil, animals, and humans."
"I want a biochemical agent that attacks the pests alone. This way, we can implement an effective quarterly pest control across the kingdom, preventing infestations that threaten both the livelihood and the safety of our people."
Hearing Addison's words, the Alpha King, Queen, the Royal Alchemist, and the lead researcher all looked enlightened, their eyes lighting up. None of them had considered this approach before, as a ready-made solution, a biochemical agent from the Tigrens had already been acquired.