While the goblins were resting, the administrative team had finalized the tunnel routes the goblins would build from the mines back to the Village.
For the tunnels, the plan was to start digging from the gate abutting the mountains. The excess soil would be picked up by human workers and placed elsewhere, ideally within the territory.
However, that plan had to be pushed aside in favor of the tunnels within the territory. They just planned the routes so they could avoid an implosion of soil or something from digging too much.
They had also determined the locations of the underground cisterns, tanks, abodes, and other facilities they might need to handle the upcoming disasters.
To do this quickly, they even hired hundreds of hard labor to help out despite the number of Prisoners of War already in the territory.
As for the underground constructions, for now they decided to create communal ones, particularly under the plaza (expanded post-war by Alterra) in front of the Village center.
Alterra claimed that the Extreme Heat was likely to happen within a week or two and they had to hurry up, and hopefully the hundreds of goblins would be able to help out fast enough.
Juni borrowed the newspaper to reread the article about Vismont. The newspaper was placed in the 2nd floor meeting room and was not to be taken out, but she noticed that it lacked a page. Specifically, it was the page with the Wedding news.
Her pretty eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Benny. "Who had the paper before I did?"
"Ah, thank you," she said, placing the newspaper back on its stand and going away.
She looked around to find her prospective sister-in-law, finding out she was just at her house.
Now, she and Victor had not known each other for a long time, and what she was doing could be said to be overreaching.
What was happening to them was basically a whirlwind romance. However, they were both adults who had experienced a lot in life so they trusted in their own instincts—they believed that they knew what they were doing.
However, Vanessa was obviously a non-believer of that. Juni understood this sentiment and she knew why the woman would not feel comfortable with her at all. However, it was also because of their relationship that she felt the need to keep the girl from straying.
She headed to the team abode in the central community, and she found her reading in the living room with a dark face. She was alone right now, and was not even in her station—the clinic.
The former actress thought for a bit about how to handle it before she walked forward. "Vanessa, that's not supposed to be outside the meeting room," she said, sounding gentle and non-confrontational.
"It's just entertainment news, it's nothing," the other woman said, about to put it in her space. Juni was quick and took it back, making the other woman's eyes sharpen as she looked at her.
Juni did not bulge. Instead, she looked at the other girl in the eye. "I had heard of your… fixation to Garan, a happily married man."
"It's none of your business."
"I'm advising you as someone who cares, it's time to get rid of those wishful thoughts. You're so young and beautiful, you could have any other—single—man you want."
Unsurprisingly, this made the woman snap instead.
"Who do you think you are?" Vanessa asked, tone rising. "Don't think my brother likes you you're my sister-in-law. I have the final say in my family!"
Translation: Pander to me instead of acting like you're above me.
Juni was not shaken. "Your brother will agree with me."
"You met him a few days ago!" Vanessa said, trying not to lose her cool, but it was hard when it had to do with Garan as well as her own position in the family. "I've known him my whole life! Who do you think he will side with?"
Vanessa's tone wasn't good as she said this, and there were hints of resentment.
Vanessa truly felt it was unfair. Since those two started going out, her brother had become less responsive to her pleas, becoming stricter. It made her dislike Juni more and more.
It was like another bitch came right after the other, making her days harder.
Juni shook her head and looked at her. "This isn't about siding with anyone," she said. "And…
"You're too engrossed in yourself to truly know him."
That night, under the light of the torch, a half-naked Victor composed a letter to send back to Garan. He sighed, feeling a bit heavy at the responsibility thrust upon him. Hopefully, he would indicate everything he had to.
As he wrote, soft arms wrapped around his shoulders and softness rested against his back. His eyebrows rose and he turned his head to look at the woman.
"Are you sending a letter back to Alterra?" She asked. When he nodded, her arms tightened around him. He could tell she was nervous. "Can… can you ask them to draw a picture of that man Cain?"
Victor looked at her deeply, but he agreed in the end. "Okay, if you promise to tell me what it's about."
After a couple of minutes, he finished the letter to the best of his abilities. When he was done, he stood up and turned, carrying the beautiful woman back to the bed.
He pinned her underneath him, her soft arms still around his shoulder.
He leaned down to kiss the side of her face, creeping to her ears. "Telling me now?"
Before they entered a formal relationship, they were both very upfront about their pasts. They were mature adults who had been through a lot and could only accept complete honesty from their partner.
Victor had told her about his ex-fiance who had betrayed him while he was on a mission. She got pregnant with the man's child no less.
On the other hand, she told him about Gill, how she was still after him until recently, and why she broke up with him in the first place.
"If it's the same guy…that Cain could be the one who did that to me."
He's one of the sly bastard sons of a politician and managed to get ahold of people with power. She had studied him a lot during the past few years, trying to get back at him as much as she could without damaging herself.
This modus sounded too much like him. Sadly, the apocalypse happened before any vengeance was done.
Her arms moved and she held his face. She looked at him with a determined facial expression. "If they want to deal with that territory, I want to help."
"Okay," Victor smiled, leaning down to kiss her. "And… when it's all over…" he recalled the article, his eyes warming up at a thought. "Let's get married too, okay?"
Juni's eyes widened and she broke into a genuine smile. "Okay."
And she tightened her arms around him, with her shapely legs wrapping around his torso. He pulled her closer to him so their bodies were flush, only kept apart by thin flimsy clothing.
"Oh, and about Vanessa—" she said, recalling the woman due to the wedding discussion.
Victor stopped her by placing his lips on hers. "Let's not talk about her now," he said, starting another warm night for the new couple.