ã€ŠHellhounds of Providenceã€‹


 Welcome, Stolen Soul

    "Finding Arlexia''s Light is a solid otome game, but I didn''t like that last ending; the reverse harem ending. Anyone else? Like, the shopkeeper went from some robbed guy to a titled noblewoman, Lucina. There were so many plot changes that it felt like a different game. Plus, there wasn''t an epilogue like the routes where you pick only one male capture target. Kinda feels incomplete. Would someone change that? All we got was the villainess Olivia being enslaved instead of killed like the other routes, she''s sold to Lucina the shopkeeper, and then it fades to credits. Can someone make what happens next? I hope the true ending isn''t as sad as the normal route ones. Can someone create a better ending?"

    -review of "Finding Arlexia''s Light" by Th3_Big_Z

    ...

    ...

    ...

    "Please help us."

    ***

    Cicadas sang from the trees that dotted one of the cemeteries in Kujukuri, Japan while the sun was just starting to set and paint the sky red and orange. Three high school girls entered the cemetery, one of them held a bouquet of flowers and continued ahead while the other two waited a respectful distance back. The lone girl stopped in front of one of the graves and, after cleaning it off, placed down her bouquet and lit some incense.

    "I''m back, Mom. It''s Ayaka," the girl spoke while kneeling down in front of the grave. "I''m sorry I haven''t been visiting as much recently. I was voted captain of the track team so I''ve been swamped with work and extra practice. Not to mention Sato-chan only just started doing the summer homework and has roped Hayashi-san and me into helping her finish it." Ayaka gave a bittersweet chuckle as she reported the latest happenings of her life to the grave. "Sato-chan''s mom also reminded me that she''d never kick me out, even after I graduate, so you can rest assured I''m being taken care of. She always mentions that when she knows I''m coming down here so I can tell you not to worry about me." She waited in silence for a minute to allow her words to reach her mother. "Do you remember when I told you about Hayashi-san running for student council president? She won! When the results of the vote were shown she put on her stoic face for her speech, but as soon as we were alone she broke down in tears of joy. Sato-chan and I spent an hour getting her to calm down. Oh! Tanaka-kun and I went on another date to the amusement park! He''s gotten even more muscul-¡­Ahem!" Ayaka cleared her throat as she suddenly got embarrassed over gushing about her boyfriend and muscle fetish to the grave.

    "..." The wind gently brushed against Ayaka''s long black hair, and some distant wind chimes sang a song.

    "Yeah, it was a great time. I''m glad our feelings found each other''s hearts. He also sends his blessings." Ayaka parsed her lips and paused. She didn''t want to talk about the next thing to mention but also didn''t want to leave her mother in the dark about it. "...They found Dad."

    "..." The wind stopped and the chimes fell silent.

    "The police down in Fukuoka got reports of a raving homeless man causing a disturbance outside a hotel. Apparently, Dad''s mistress found someone new, took everything, and ran...just like they did to us." Ayaka''s teeth clenched and her fingers wouldn''t stop fidgeting. She fought off tears and steadied her breathing. "I...still don''t know if I''m going down to see him. Sato-chan and Hayashi-san both say I shouldn''t, but... I don''t like leaving things like this."

    "..." The wind picked up again, but more gently this time.

    "Next time, I''ll tell you my decision." Ayaka put her hands together and gave one last prayer before standing and returning to her friends.

    "You good, Fukuda-chan?" Sato asked when she saw Ayaka''s eyes holding back tears.

    "Yeah," Ayaka said after taking a deep breath. "Let''s head back."

    "We should stop to eat, somewhere," Hayashi noted while looking at the train schedule on her phone.

    "Then, let''s get some comfort food!" Sato declared as she started heading towards the train station. "I have coupons!"

    "Sure, some fast food sounds nice." Ayaka couldn''t help but laugh as Hayashi rolled her eyes at them, once again, grabbing fast food for Sato. By the time the three friends made it to their usual spot in Tokyo, the sun was setting behind the skyline. "By the way, did you see that weird review of Finding Arlexia''s Light, Hayashi-san?" Ayaka asked as she unwrapped her chicken sandwich.

    "Which one?" Hayashi responded as she sipped her soda while writing something down in a notebook. She adjusted her glasses before adding, "That game has a lot of weird reviews, Fukuda-san."

    "A new game?" Sato asked as she started eating from her large carton of fries.

    "Don''t talk with your mouth full, Sato-san," Hayashi idly chastised without looking up from her work. "And, yes, Finding Arlexia''s Light is a new otome game Fukuda-san showed me."

    "Is it trash?" Sato asked blatantly.

    "Hey!" Ayaka put her chicken sandwich down at the insult.

    "Yes." Hayashi''s confirmation didn''t help.

    "Oh come on, it''s not the worst I''ve shown you!" Ayaka protested.

    "Correct," Hayashi glanced up from her notebook and blankly stated, "This one is surprisingly tame since you started your Boy''s Love and Girl''s Love kick; it''s only got male leads and a female player character. It''s also not +18 smut."

    "Hayashi!" Ayaka''s face reddened and she looked around nervously to see if anyone had overheard her.

    "I thought you''d quit those trash games after you started going out with Tanaka-kun," Sato mused while munching on her fries completely unfazed by hearing her childhood friend''s choice of genres. Even though they were living together, Sato always made sure to give Ayaka her personal space.

    "I like trash!" Ayaka countered while trying to hide her blush at Tanaka''s name being mentioned. "There''s something enjoyable about it that makes me feel good! Plus, I don''t want to hear about trash taste from someone who exclusively eats from fast food joints when we go out."

    "Trash taste in food and trash taste in games are completely different standards!" Sato defiantly declared as she finished her fries and moved to start eating Hayashi''s. Hayashi didn''t seem to mind and she idly sipped her soda. "Besides, this is the only place with decent fries." Ayaka rolled her eyes at her friend and returned to eating her sandwich. "So, what''s the latest trash about?"

    "It''s a typical otome game, for the most part," Ayaka explained between bites of the sandwich. "A country girl is discovered to be the Saintess of one of the setting''s gods and goes to the noble''s school in the capital of the empire. James the crown prince, Andrew the son of the wizard''s tower owner, Solomon a rising priest, and Derik the older brother of the villainess are capture targets you can romance during the one year of school you get."

    "Isn''t that every otome game?" Sato asked with a confused look on her face while Hayashi unconsciously wiped the corner of Sato''s mouth with a napkin to get some messy ketchup.

    "Most of the fantasy ones," Ayaka admitted, "The thing about this one is that it points out some absurdities of otome games, in a way."

    "Like what?"

    "Like that, it''s weird some country girl can become the crown princess despite the crown prince already having a fianc¨¦ and everyone being magically okay with it." Ayaka''s finger lightly tapped her drink as she thought back to the game. "The villainess is the crown prince''s fianc¨¦ and is killed for bullying the Saintess like in quite a few otome games, but Finding Arlexia''s Light has epilogues showing what happens after the screen fades to black with the Saintess in the arms of the capture target. Since the villainess is the daughter of the western Duke, Richard Ordrin, their father rebels upon hearing the news of his daughter''s death just because of bullying a country girl."

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    "What, all the routes end like that?"

    "Yeah. No matter the capture target, Olivia is the main villainess and gets killed."

    "But, the Duke fails." Hayashi took a quick break from her work to eat some fries before Sato ate them all and decided to join the conversation. "The royal family will always step in to put the Duke down with the help of the wizard''s tower and two of the empire''s other dukes. In doing so, a great schism forms in the empire leading to unrest and eventual collapse. No matter who the player chooses, the Empire of Arlexia falls because of it."

    "Even with the villainess'' older brother''s route?" Sato asked as her fingers fought Hayashi''s for the fries.

    "For killing his sister, Derik is disinherited by the Duke," Ayaka said after chuckling at her friend''s behavior. "So, the royal family steps in since Derik is the crown prince''s right-hand man that he wants to control the duchy. Andrew''s route is heavily tied to the wizard''s tower who are all loyal to the royal family which gets them involved. And, Solomon''s route causes strife in the temples since he tries to hide behind the temples like a shield, and the royal family swoops in to deal with the Duke while he''s distracted. Solomon''s the most hated character in the forum polls because of how much of a coward he is in his route."

    "...Is there even a ''good'' ending to this game?" Sato asked, bewildered at what she was hearing.

    "Technically, the reverse harem ending is the closest we get to a ''good'' ending. Though, that route is weird like the review I mentioned pointed out." Ayaka thought back to the night prior when she finished that ending and said, "Instead of one year, the player starts during the first of four years at the academy. Since it takes a year to win a capture target, you can get all four male leads."

    "That seems like a lot of extra time to get drawn out. Is it all back-to-back romancing during that route?" Sato won the fries war.

    "No, you actually get more lore about the world during that playthrough since you have extra time to explore and learn from the various classes you can attend. There''s also a weird change that has to do with the shopkeeper you can buy items from to help win the hearts of the capture targets." Ayaka crumpled the straw wrapper in between her fingers to form a little ball. She tossed the paper ball at Sato who batted it away with their straw. "Their art changes from a hooded individual of ambiguous gender to a noblewoman in a student uniform."

    "Someone important?"

    "Dunno, the only lore we get on her is that there''s a rumor she''s a bastard child which still spreads despite being proven false, so she isn''t in any major events because of that stigma. She only appears during the reverse harem route in the shop and at the end to take the villainess, Olivia, away; the Countess of Solfin, Lucina Sanguine."

    "The shopkeeper''s name is literally blood?" Sato missed the second paper ball Ayaka tossed at her.

    "She''s apparently a war hero despite being the same age as the player."

    "...How old''s the player?"

    "In the reverse harem route, the Saintess starts at fourteen years old."

    "Child soldier war heroes!?" Sato looked to Hayashi for confirmation. "Is this an otome game or a dark fantasy RPG?"

    "No one ever said you can''t be both," Hayashi replied as she finished her work and put her notebook away. "Either way, the story changes in multiple small ways like that which compound over the four in-game years until the reverse harem ending and Olivia Ordrin''s enslavement by the crown prince. She''s given to Lucina, who leaves with Olivia in toe, and the credits roll as the screen fades to black. No epilogue."

    "Wait, did you actually play it, Hayashi-san? I thought you only put up with the trash Fukuda-chan shows you."

    "I give good recommendations, too!" Ayaka tried to counter, but Hayashi and Sato weren''t listening.

    "...It has a good combat system," Hayashi sheepishly said while sipping her soda.

    "Ah, right, you''re a closet battle junkie." Sato gave Hayashi a pitiful look as she patted her friend''s shoulder in understanding.

    "..." Hayashi remained silent without refuting Sato.

    "Actually, come to think of it," Sato stopped patting Hayashi as a thought came to her, "Where''s Suzuki-chan? She plays trash too, right?"

    "She said she was busy," Ayaka took out her phone and went to her messages with Suzuki.

    "So, this is boyfriend number six?"

    "Yup."

    "I''d feel bad for her if I didn''t know she was playing all those guys for free stuff," Sato groaned as she opened a fifth packet of ketchup to dip the fries into. "At this point, I''m just waiting for it to bite her in the ass."

    "Who knows," Hayashi idly said, completely uninterested in Suzuki''s antics. "By the way, Fukuda-san, is Tanaka-san not coming?"

    "Unfortunately," Ayaka somberly replied as she went to his messages on her phone. "His grandparents are visiting the city from the countryside, so his family is getting together. But," she smiled softly at her phone, "we''ve got another date at the amusement park this weekend! I''m already planning it out."

    "Fukuda-chan..." Sato put her hand on her heart in mock pain. "Please spare us single people from any more pain."

    "A new roller coaster opened up! And we can win that one game with his favorite plushie!"

    "We''ve already lost her, Sato-san." Hayashi wasn''t even attempting to listen to Ayaka and started texting the members of the student council about work. "If you have your headphones, I''d start listening to some music."

    "We shared cotton candy last time, but I think it''s alright to do that again? We''re tied in the shooting game, but I''ve been practicing."

    "I left them at home," Sato begrudgingly admitted as she leaned back in her seat to suffer at the hands of her friend''s love life.

    "And, afterward, we can-"

    "Fukuda-san, your hair," Hayashi interrupted Ayaka''s babbling and pointed to the chicken sandwich.

    "Hm? What the-!?!" Ayaka''s long black hair had fallen and brushed against the chicken sandwich taking with it a noticeable blob of mayonnaise. "Oh, come on! I just did laundry!" She grabbed some napkins and did her best not to let her mayonnaise hair touch her clothes.

    "You should really go back to tying your hair up like you used to," Sato remarked as she finished Hayashi''s fries and started picking at Ayaka''s. "You looked good with a high ponytail. Besides, you always put it up during track practice, Mrs. Team Captain."

    "But Tanaka-kun said he liked my hair down," Ayaka mumbled as she finished cleaning her hair. "Ugh, it still feels greasy. Sato-chan, can I...borrow...?" Ayaka''s words trailed off as she looked at her reflection in the window to clean the mayonnaise and noticed something outside.

    "Fukuda-chan?" Sato looked up when her friend stopped talking. Ayaka''s gaze was fixed on something out the window, and her expression was hardening. Following her gaze, Sato and Hayashi peered out the window, and Hayashi choked on her soda when they saw what Ayaka was looking at. Across the street were Tanaka and Suzuki holding hands while appearing to be going on a date.

    "Fuku-...Fukuda-san!" Hayashi stammered out when she stopped coughing on her drink. The look on Ayaka''s face was getting worse. "They-...They might just be shopping together?"

    "Hayashi-san''s right!" Sato also jumped in to try and calm down her childhood friend. The metal napkin dispenser on the table was starting to bend under Ayaka''s tightening grip. "Why don''t we send them a text and ask-!" As Sato tried to think of some way to de-escalate the situation, the point of no return happened. All three girls watched as Suzuki pulled Tanaka in for a kiss, which he eagerly returned. "That bit-Wait! Fukuda-chan!" Sato stopped herself mid-curse as Ayaka shot up from the table and started storming towards the door.

    "Those..." When Ayaka reached the door, she practically kicked it down and bolted towards where Tanaka and Suzuki were. "Worthless pricks!" Her fists clenched until her knuckles turned white. The memory of when Tanaka confessed to her burned away in her mind like a photo tossed into a fire. Rage blurred her vision, along with the tears that started to fall from her face. Hayashi and Sato were running after her but couldn''t keep up with the captain of the track team. The sidewalks were crowded, but Ayaka easily wove her way through and ran across the street without looking.

    "Ayaka!" Sato''s cry of horror was the last thing Ayaka heard before the screeching of tires and the blare of a truck horn drowned out the world.

    ***

    ...

    ...

    ...

    ...What...happened? Why am I looking at the sky? I have to punch Suzuki in the mouth and give Tanaka a piece of my mind. I can''t be lying down. Wasn''t I running just now?... Ugh...Why can''t I move my arms?

    "Ay..a!" There was a screaming voice, but it sounded so distant I could barely hear it.

    "...?" I tried to turn towards that voice. Why won''t my head move?

    "Fuku.a! H..g on! An...bulanc...comi..!" Was that Hayashi? Her voice was muffled, making it hard to hear, but I could recognize her voice since it was so distinct. Then, the first voice must''ve been Sato.

    "Aya..!" Yeah, only Sato calls me Ayaka. But, weren''t they just behind me? Why do they sound so far away? "A..ka!" A blurry shape moved in front of my vision. I think it''s Sato since her hot pink hair makes her stick out like a sore thumb. My vision moved as she turned my head which gave me a better look at where I was. Even blurred, I recognized the Tokyo skyline, but I was now in the middle of an intersection judging by where the traffic lights were. There was also what I can only assume to be a large truck that was stopped a few meters away. The truck was white, but its front had an unmistakable red stain on...Oh...

    "..." I was the stain on the truck.

    "Sat....n! Hold her.....ike thi.!" Hayashi was instructing Sato on how to hold me, and I saw Sato''s blurry hands grab my head. I couldn''t feel her hands. Then again, I couldn''t feel anything. Everything was just cold.

    "..." The blurriness of the world was getting worse, and I couldn''t make out Sato or Hayashi''s voices. To think, I''d end up hit by a truck after seeing my boyfriend kissing one of my friends. Suzuki and Tanaka...I hope Sato at least snapped a photo of them being all lovey-dovey so they''ll both be ruined later... Why...do I always end up abandoned?

    "Would you like to change that?"

    "...?" Great, now I''m hearing a strange voice. I thought I was supposed to have my life flash before my eyes when I died, but all I get is some weird voice? At least let me see my mom one last time!

    "While I cannot do that, I can give you a place that won''t abandon you. A place within my prized Arlexia."

    Of all things to think about in my final moments, why am I thinking about that otome game? Was my life so pointless that the only noteworthy thing my brain could come up with is showing me the shitty romance games I''ve played? If I still could cry, I would.

    "Yes, shitty. It deserves a better ending. And so do you."

    At least this voice was being considerate to me, I guess? Also, the last ending to Finding Arlexia''s Light wasn''t even complete, what would I even do?

    "Would you change that?"

    What, make something after that lackluster ending?

    "Can you make what happens next?"

    But, in the epilogues of the other endings, the western Duke rebels after his daughter''s death, and the empire falls apart from the infighting. Would that lackluster ending''s epilogue be different?

    "Can you create a better ending?"

    ...Sure. If my final thoughts are going to be about bargaining with a voice to brainstorm an ending to an otome game in exchange for love, then sure. I could make a better ending after those credits roll, so long as I don''t get left behind, anymore.

    "That will depend on you, Stolen Soul."

    Stolen Soul? Wait...why is it...getting hard...to..stay...awake...am...I...dy...ing...

    "Stolen Soul, may you find what you are looking for in my Arlexia. Though you will face great hardship and pain for what you desire, you will never be truly abandoned so long as you are willing to sacrifice for my Arlexia''s future."

    ***

    "Will they do it?" A barn made of old wood and rusty hinges squeaked its doors to ask its question.

    "They will have my help. They will be fine," a sword whose blade was the color of the cosmos shimmered a response.

    "You know that won''t be enough," a cloud of black water bubbled.

    "While chosen, I feel they may need more," a small fire crackled from a fireplace. "But, if we diverge too much, nothing will be known."

    "Which is why the Stolen Soul will not be alone," a massive eye whose pupil was an unknowable obelisk blinked as it stared down at the other four. "A lily must be protected in its garden even when the gardener is out."

    "What will you do?" the barn creaked.

    "Lest we forget, there was another who was mentioned. I shall plant a briar around the lily," the eye briefly closed before opening, again.

    "..." The fire dimmed.

    "Does that upset you?" the eye blinked.

    "I just hope the lily accepts the briar," the fire swayed.

    "That will depend on the Stolen Soul... So..." The eye squinted as it pondered before thinking aloud, "Since it was never shown, it will never conflict." A confident glint appeared in the eye as the idea took root. "See to it what has been seen shall come to pass. My Arlexia''s future depends on the Stolen Soul, and the one that will stand next to them shall be both a catalyst and their reward. Now, I shall prepare the briar."

 Planting the Briar

    "...?" I awoke. But something didn''t feel right. Why is everything dark? And, another thing, what is dark and why do I know what dark is?

    "Welcome, Unborn Soul." A voice. A presence. From the dark came an eye with a strange pupil. It looked at me even though I had nothing to look at since I didn''t have a body. What was a body, and why do I already know? "You seem rightfully confused, Unborn Soul. Please, be calm, and I will alleviate your concerns."

    "Okay." Another voice. My voice. I sound strange. Why?

    "I am Zulm, and I have momentarily stopped your birth to speak with you, Unborn Soul. You both have and don''t have the knowledge you will come to learn in the world. I gave you this knowledge to make conversing easier, but will take it away once finished." The eye, Zulm, explained with mouths that hid in the darkness around me. "You see, I must trouble you, Unborn Soul. I must ask of you to save a lily."

    "A flower?" Petals of white swaying in a warm breeze while the sun bathes it from on high. A beautiful sight for my unmade eyes that offered a reprieve from the dark.

    "In a way. The lily is a Stolen Soul meant to save my Arlexia but some have voiced their rightful concerns on whether the Stolen Soul can do this task alone. So, I would ask of you to accompany the Stolen Soul, the lily, and be there for them no matter what."

    "Is the lily mine?" It sounded like it.

    "...Yes," the eye remained silent in thought before finally giving their answer. "The lily is yours, and you are the lily''s. At least, they will be so long as you help them save my Arlexia."

    "Save Arlexia?" An unknown. Why does the eye sound sad if saving something is a good thing?

    "The future of my Arlexia is threatened by the usurpers and the incompetent." Anger. Disgust. The eye displayed it all and the darkness writhed in unison. "I''ve already borrowed much influence from another world to help me shape Arlexia. And, now I must even exhaust myself and draw a soul from that same other world to assist, or else all will be lost."

    "How can I help?" They''ve told me the task but without detail. How can a soul like me be of help to such an eye?

    "That is why you are here: to bear my blessing...and, hopefully, accept my deepest apologies." The eye closed and bowed before me.

    "Why would you need to apologize?" For such an eye to bow!? A formless soul like me isn''t worthy of such grace! "Are blessings not wonderful?"

    "Because, unlike my children, my blessings come with a cost. Power begets weakness. Perfection demands flaws." The eye reopened and looked at me sadly. "To you, I shall give power unlike any other. From you, I shall take the innocence of your youth. To you, I shall give you the infinite honor of being my Harbinger to bear and create a flock forever loyal. From you, I shall take your honor among your peers making you an outcast to those around you."

    "..." Power for innocence. Titles for friendship. All this for a single lily? But, if the lily is supposed to be mine... "Will the lily hate me, too?"

    "No." Zulm was watching me carefully. "While they may initially fear you, they will come to understand you. In the end, they will stand beside you."

    "Then, that''s okay."

    "...Unborn Soul," the eye seemed confused for the first time, "The weight of your words, do you understand them?"

    "While I will lose my innocence, I will gain power letting me understand and make choices for myself. While I will lose the potential friendships I could have made, I will be guaranteed at least one with the lily. Not to mention, I will have power that will let me protect the lily, right?" Everything is give and take. "If so, I will pour all I have into the lily to live happily even without others."

    "..." The eye closed and pondered my words. "I will accept your decision, and thank you, Unborn Soul."

    "I should be the one thanking you!"

    "Thanking me?"

    "Even if you take from me, you give just as much. You also sought me out to tell me beforehand, even if I won''t remember." Zulm could have not said anything and gone on with their plan, and me with my birth. But, they wished to speak with me and seek understanding. "You are kind, Zulm, and I thank you."

    "...Unborn Soul... You are the one who is truly kind." They sounded humble and the eye seemed to smile even without lips. "I am filled with hope and joy knowing one such as you will be born into my Arlexia. So much so that I will make a vow with you, Unborn Soul." Something felt like it was coiling around me. Around my existence. "I shall allow a portion of the knowledge I''ve shared with you to remain, and even if you come to curse my name, and the name of my children for the trials and misfortunes you will face, know that we will forever give you our grace!" It looked like a vine with thorns. "Go now, Unborn Soul, and suffer well. May your briars grasp their desires. Go now-"

    ***

    "Lucina..." An exhausted voice forced out the words that almost went unheard because there was so much noise as I came into the world that I could barely hear it. "Her name...will be Lucina..." My eyes wouldn''t open as the world was too bright. I wanted to see the voice. I cried to see the voice.

    "Madam, please don''t push yourself!" A new voice, one full of concern for the first. "It''s a healthy baby girl. You need rest. Karla, wipe the baby down so the Madam can hold them!"

    "It''s okay, Lady Lucina." A third voice, this one was the closest. Something wet started rubbing against me. It was cool, and so was the air, so I tried to push it away. "It''s okay, we''re almost done."

    "Here, give them to me, this blanket was by the fire so it will be warm." The second voice took me from the third, and I was enveloped in warmth. But I still felt uncomfortable and continued to cry for the first voice. "The young Lady has such strong lungs. Here you are, Madam."

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    "Ah...Lucina." It was the first voice, again, the one filled with love. Another warmth surrounded me as the first voice wrapped itself around me. Once again, I tried to open my eyes. The world was less bright now that I was with the first voice and they held me close. As my eyes opened and my cries died down, I saw my mother for the first time. Her long blonde hair ran down her shoulders and past me onto the bed. Her soft white skin glistened in the light that came from the windows, and her green eyes were tired but filled with love as they looked down at me. There were others in the room all dressed in what I would come to learn were maid uniforms. "My little girl," my mother''s voice resounded around me. I was in heaven as her arms tightened in our hug.

    "Elizabeth!" A fourth voice came from the door, and a man entered the room. He wore a clean suit and had short dark brown hair that looked almost black in the light. His hazel eyes were fixed on my mother, Elizabeth. He sounded nervous...too nervous.

    "Look, Charles," my mother''s voice still held its warmth. "Our baby girl."

    "Yes..." Charles was hesitant to speak. His steps toward the bed seemed forced as he got closer to me. Our eyes met, and I watched what little warmth they had fade away as he brushed his hand over my head. In a low, controlled voice, my father spoke, "...Her hair...is the exact same light brown."

    "...!" I felt my mother flinch. Her smile was on the verge of breaking despite how hard she tried to keep it. The maids all became rigid, and the ones outside the room started whispering amongst themselves. "Sh-...She''s just-!" my mother tried to speak, but Charles abruptly turned and stormed out of the room. When the door slammed shut, my mother''s smile finally broke. "I''m sorry, Lucina," she whispered to me through fresh tears that started to stain my blanket.

    "M-Madam!" One of the maids ran to my mother''s side as crying was the last thing my mother did before collapsing from exhaustion with me held in her arms. "Karla, take...the child to their room." Her voice no longer sounded as warm when addressing me.

    "Yes," Karla responded and took me from my mother''s arms. I started to cry as I wanted to stay with my mom. "Be quiet!" Karla reprimanded me in a harsh voice and moved the blanket to cover my mouth. She hurriedly walked through the halls of a mansion before entering a room filled with children''s gifts, a few pieces of furniture, and a crib. Two other maids joined her as she walked across the room. "Honestly," she complained as she put me in the crib, "I was holding out hope that things would be different, but when the Lord mentioned her hair..."

    "I know, it is rather light," one of the others spoke with contempt evident in their voice as they looked at me struggle in the crib. The blanket was suffocating. "Just like that bastard Baron''s!"

    "Eunice!" the last maid chastised before glancing at me.

    "What? It''s true! It''s the exact same brown as that man''s! Besides..." I stopped crying as it was getting hard to breathe otherwise. "The child''s going to be hearing that word a lot more, from now on."

    "Let''s go," Karla sounded tired. "We can check on the kid after dinner and after the Lord gives his verdict." The three maids left the room and practically slammed the door shut. I was alone.

    "..." There was a fireplace in the room, but the maids didn''t light it before leaving. Windows were spaced along the far wall that were low enough for me to see out of. The windows looked out to a garden that was covered in freshly fallen snow. People were outside shoveling the snow to make paths and were conversing with each other to help pass the time. They were dressed in warm clothes, while I only had my blanket which was quickly getting colder. I cried. I cried and cried until my throat ran dry and I started coughing. But nobody came. "...M..." I missed the warmth of my mother. "...Maaaa..." A shiver ran down my spine as the cold made its way through the blanket. "Ma-!" As I tried to cry again, a warm breeze kissed my face to stop me. A fire was crackling in the fireplace, but no one else was in the room with me. The flames seemed to waft towards me and warmed the blanket. Once again, I was warm...but not with the warmth I wanted. "..." I wouldn''t cry anymore since my throat hurt, but tears continued to fall down my face. As I drifted off to sleep with the fire giving me its warmth, I learned what it meant to be lonely on the day I was born.

    ***

    "Do we have to move all of these into the store room?" The voice of Eunice woke me up, along with the shuffling of feet and creaking of wood. I opened my eyes to see the three maids from before along with some butlers taking the children''s gifts and furniture out of the room. The fire was out, and the sun was going down painting the room in an orange light.

    "That''s what the Lord said," one of the butlers complained. "It wouldn''t have been so bad if the kid wasn''t a bastard. That damned Baron." He spat on the floor next to my crib in disgust. "It wasn''t enough he defiled the Madam, but now he''s left his spawn for us to clean up after?"

    "You''re not the one who was assigned to clean them, so don''t complain so loudly," Karla criticized as she wiped some sweat from her brow. "Besides, you might wake them up, and they''ll start crying again."

    "I''m surprised they''re not crying already," another butler said as he looked over to my crib. "It''s cold, and you didn''t even light a fire."

    "I forgot," Karla uncaringly lied. She walked over to the crib and looked down at me. I met her gaze. "Still alive...unfortunately." She muttered that last part.

    "What is?" A new voice spoke from the doorway causing all the servants to stand at attention. A five-year-old boy with dark brown hair, green eyes, and fancy clothes stood in the doorway of my room.

    "Nothing, Lord Adam," Karla quickly covered for herself as she bowed before the child. "I was just checking on the young Lady and thought it was unfortunate that she would only be left with her blanket."

    "..." Adam''s gaze seemed uninterested in Karla as he slowly looked around the room. Our eyes briefly met. I didn''t know what he was thinking as his expression was unreadable to me. "You," Adam spoke to one of the butlers, "Open that chest."

    "Yes, young Lord," the butler seemed confused but complied with the order. The chest was filled with stuffed dolls. Silently, Adam rummaged through the box and took out a stuffed dog. "...Young Lord?" Adam didn''t respond as he walked over to my crib. He looked at the stuffed dog for a moment before tossing the doll into my crib; he was too short to reach over the bars.

    "Why did you-" Karla began to ask, but Adam cut her off.

    "You''re right; it is unfortunate that Dad only left her with a blanket." Adam still sounded uninterested, but his eyes were intently watching me. The cold was seeping through the blanket which had unwrapped itself due to my struggling, so I reached out and grabbed the stuffed dog to hug and keep warm. "This much should be allowed if I ask it to be, right?" His gaze shifted to Karla.

    "...Yes, Lord Adam." Karla gave a bow without any resistance. Since Adam called Charles his father, that made him my older brother...assuming I was even a part of this family. As my arms tightened around the stuffed dog I could only think about how I missed my mother''s warmth.

    "..." Adam looked at me with his unreadable expression for a few more seconds before turning to leave. "Make sure you light a fire; it''s rather cold in here."

    "Right away, young Lord," one of the butlers responded and got to work lighting the fireplace. "What the-!?!" The butler fell on his butt as, with just a single strike of flint, the fireplace burst to life with unknown vigor. Flames consumed the logs of wood and happily began to dance in the hearth. Warm air spread unnaturally quickly through the room, to the surprise of everyone; even Adam''s eyes widened in shock.

    "...It seems my sister is loved by Lady Alm," Adam muttered to himself as his eyes once more became fixated on me.

    "Lord Adam?" A sharply dressed man with gray hair appeared in the doorway. "It''s time for your bath."

    "...Okay." Adam seemed reluctant to leave but eventually turned and left with the sharply dressed man. The maids and butlers finished taking everything out of the room in silence. They seemed almost afraid to speak and kept glancing at the fireplace. The room seemed a lot bigger than before now that everything was gone with the only piece of furniture in the room left being the crib. Through great effort, I managed to turn over towards the fire while holding the stuffed animal in my arms: the first and only gift I would receive on my birthday. My stomach growled, but I didn''t cry as even a newborn could figure out by now that it was futile to do so. All I could do was try to sleep the hunger away.

    ***

    "...?" The room was dark when I next opened my eyes. There was darkness outside the windows, and the only light I could see was from the fire that still crackled from the fireplace. But I heard the sound of my room''s door opening. Hurried footsteps approached my crib, and as I attempted to turn myself over to see who it was, I was lifted out of the crib and brought into a warm embrace.

    "Lucina, I''m sorry." My mother held me in her arms as she fell to her knees. The fire was on the other side of the crib, which cast a shadow over my mother''s face, but I could tell she was crying from the sound of her shaking voice and the quivers I felt from her arms. "I''m sorry... Lucina... I''m sorry!" She repeated those words while speaking my name. I wanted to be closer to her. As I tried to hug her, my stomach growled. "...You haven''t eaten, have you?" She sounded defeated. Slowly, she stood up and walked over to the edge of the hearth before falling back down to her knees. "Here you go, Lucina," my mother said while letting her gown and underwear fall from her shoulders to expose her breasts. Instincts kicked in and told me how to latch on for milk. "..." My mother silently watched me feed with an odd smile on her face. It wasn''t a happy smile, but it wasn''t sad either.

    "Lady Elizabeth." It was the maid who was in charge during my birth. I couldn''t see her since my mother was holding me close while facing the fireplace, but it sounded like she was in the doorway to my room. "It''s late, and you need rest after exerting yourself."

    "Lucina''s hungry." My mother''s voice was calm, with a hint of coldness. She didn''t move from her place in front of the hearth nor did she let me go. Her smile was gone.

    "Then, I''ll have someone prepare formula for her." The maid''s words sounded indifferent towards me. "But, I must ask you to return to your chamb-"

    "Will you?" My mother cut the maid off with words laced in ice. "It''s past midnight, Chris. If you were going to feed her, you would have told one of the maids to do so hours ago."

    "I have been negligent." More indifference.

    "If you don''t want me to sleep on the cold floor, then please bring some thick blankets, Chris. I will be sleeping here tonight with Lucina."

    "...I will fetch some blankets, Lady Elizabeth." Chris didn''t seem to put up much of a fight. I heard the sound of fading footsteps as she left to get blankets for my mother to sleep on.

    "Not even ''Madam'' anymore, Chris?" my mother whispered bitterly to herself. I looked up at her as I was no longer hungry. "Finished?" That awkward smile returned to her face. "Get some rest, Lucina." She wrapped the blanket around me and my stuffed doll, and hugged me tighter. "No matter what anyone says, you are a Felswore. Lucina Felswore. Never forget who you are." I wasn''t sure if she was trying to convince me with those words or herself, but at least the night wasn''t cold anymore.

 Unwanted Life

    During the next five years of my life, I learned quite a lot about my surroundings even if the knowledge I obtained came from listening to the maids as they worked since I was never given any formal education like my brother. From the maid''s idle chatter, I learned that the Felswore family held the noble rank of Count within the Urldrusk kingdom and were in charge of the Gauldrin county. Our territory was called a ''bread basket'' of the Wortrest duchy which meant there was never a shortage of food and that my family was fairly well off. Though, I never saw much of that wealth. In my old patched-together dress and with my long light brown hair that looked unkempt no matter what I did, I stood out in the otherwise pristine mansion.

    "Stop tracking dust!" a maid berated and shook the broom she held at me. My room was rarely cleaned, and my clothes barely got washed which meant I would track dirt around wherever I went.

    "I''m sorry." The best way to avoid getting yelled at was to immediately apologize and run.

    "I swear, they''re like a rat more than a human," the maid said as she watched me leave.

    "They might be," another maid scoffed as she continued dusting a windowsill. "I''m sure the Baron had a rat in his family lineage somewhere." The two maids laughed as I scurried away. Today felt like it would be a good day since I didn''t get hit by the broom, this time. My mother had even shared some food with me this morning which meant I wasn''t hungry, though I wish she would eat more since I don''t remember the last time I saw her eat. I decided to try and cheer her up later by showing her some of my magic. My mother was a Magister who was blessed by Lord Sen and could control water and wind magic. While my water and wind magics were still lacking compared to hers, I was getting better with gravity magic. Mother said gravity magic was granted to all Magisters by Lord Zulm but was often neglected since it wasn''t very potent compared to the elemental magics. However, mine was different. I liked seeing my mother''s smile when I made my stuffed dog dance in the air by changing its gravity. She said I was special which also made me feel happy. When the sun went down, I laid out my dress on the floor so it wouldn''t get wrinkled, put on my night dress, grabbed my doll, and went to my mother''s room.

    "Mom?" I knocked and opened the door but found the room was dark. My mother wasn''t here...which meant there was only one other place she could be at this hour. It felt like my feet were trudging through the mud as I dragged myself to the Count''s study.

    "Do you even hear yourself!?" my mother yelled. The door to the Count''s study was cracked open which allowed her voice to reach out into the hall. I stood next to the door and hugged my doll close to my chest. "She almost froze to death last winter!"

    "Be lucky I even permitted them logs!" The Count was rubbing his temples in frustration. I guess they were going to have another screaming match. "Elizabeth, I have been very lenient regarding that child, as it is, but I will not spend any more than what is necessary for the survival of the bastard of a man who raped you!"

    "But you don''t know that!" my mother pleaded. There was a faint smell of alcohol wafting from the room. "Please, just take her to Lady Alm''s temple so the priests can confirm-"

    "Confirm what I already know!?" The Count''s fist slammed on his desk. "The child looks nothing like me, Elizabeth! She''s a spitting image of you with the only exception being her hair color which is the exact same as Braxton''s!" Hugo Braxton; a name I became all too familiar with from the maid''s berating. Baron Braxton was the man who assaulted my mother, and who was believed to be my real father. The Count gave a disparaged sigh as my mother didn''t look like she would relent. "I will never understand why you are so adamant about protecting them. Have you forgotten that night at the ball!?"

    "How could I forget?!" According to the maid''s gossip, Braxton had drugged my mother during a ball that was being held by the Urldrusk royal family and he took her to a secluded room on the pretense of helping her get somewhere to rest after a sudden onset of fatigue.

    "Well neither can I!" Now, the Count was crying too. "I can never forget the panic that gripped me when I couldn''t find you after what felt like only a second of my attention being distracted! I can never forget the scene when I and Duke Ordrin entered that room only to find you bruised and in tears with a gag over your mouth while being plowed by Braxton! And, now!? Now you want me to care for the spawn that he left festering in your womb for nine months!?"

    "But we were already trying for a second child for a month before the ball!" My mother continued to bargain for my future with a man who would never give me a thought. "There''s a chance-"

    "Be lucky I didn''t have the child killed earlier." The Count''s words held a coldness that sent a shiver down my spine. "If anything, I''m protecting that child from my future wrath because if I hear that the Hearth Mother''s flock name the child as Braxton''s bastard, I will behead them on the spot!"

    "Charles!?"

    "At least this way they are guaranteed to survive, Elizabeth. Be thankful I am willing to give that much." These words weren''t anything new for me to hear as my mother often had screaming matches like this with the Count, but it still made my eyes tear up while listening.

    "Lucina?" Adam appeared next to me in the hall followed by Karla who shot me a look of annoyance. My brother probably tried to see me before bed and Karla got in trouble since she didn''t know where I was. Adam''s gaze went to the cracked open door and the visage of our parents fighting. "Let''s get you to bed," he said and extended his hand to me. His words offered no comfort, but they also didn''t contain any venom. I still couldn''t read his expression even after all these years.

    "...Okay." I took his hand and he started leading me down the hall back to my room.

    "Lord Adam!" Karla got upset seeing us holding hands.

    "I know, Karla," he answered in an uninterested tone but refused to let go of my hand.

    "Then, you shou-"

    "Do I need to repeat myself?" Adam stopped walking and looked back at Karla. He turned his head so I couldn''t see his expression, but Karla''s face became frightened so I could only imagine what the look my brother gave her was.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "...No, Lord Adam," Karla''s voice was sheepish as she gave a deep bow.

    "Then, leave us."

    "Yes, Lord Adam." Karla disappeared into the darkness of the mansion and Adam continued leading me back to my room. Sunlight reflecting off Sailest, a massive purple orb in the sky, and its rings that we weren''t a part of dimly lit the corridor just enough so that there wasn''t a need for a candle. When we got to my room, Adam remained in the doorway as I shuffled into bed. Since I couldn''t fit in it anymore, the crib was taken away and I was given an old servant''s bed. The bed was still the only piece of furniture in the room.

    "Good night." Adam always saw me off to bed ever since I turned three.

    "Good night." I watched him leave and softly close the door. My brother was strange since he never spited me for the Count''s words, but he never showed me any deep love for a sister. He would keep his distance while offering a hand when needed. I didn''t mind. If he showed me love then he would start getting hated and ignored by the servants, too...just like Mom. I''m just happy that he doesn''t spit on me.

    ***

    The halls were dark as Adam made his way back to his room. While sleep should have been on his mind, the only thing he could think about was how small his sister''s hands were. Even if she was a girl, she was smaller than others her age like the ones he had seen while out with his friends at gatherings. He gave a long sigh as he hated how things were. His mother didn''t smile anymore like in his memories. When that incident happened at the ball, Elizabeth locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone. Only when it was confirmed she was pregnant did she emerge with a smile on her face; though the smile held cracks. She told Adam he would be an older brother and what that meant, but how was he supposed to act now? He didn''t hate Lucina, she wasn''t the one who had broken his mother''s smile and was just another victim of Baron Braxton''s actions. But, his father''s hatred for his sister was clear which caused the servants to turn their backs on Elizabeth for daring to love Lucina. She had lost all her power in the mansion and his father wouldn''t address this as he justified it as ''tough love'' to get Elizabeth to give up on Lucina.

    "...I should speak with mother." Things were only getting worse so something had to change. Elizabeth hadn''t left the mansion in over a year because of her growing depression, so Adam decided to suggest that his mother should take Lucina and visit Duchess Ordrin for a week or two. The two had been childhood friends and Adam remembered the Duchess'' letters had been the only things that made his mother genuinely smile, anymore. It was too late in the day now, and his mother was probably drowning herself in alcohol assuming she and his father were done yelling at each other. He would speak with her the following morning, but before he went to bed he started writing a letter to Duchess Ordrin to be sent as soon as he woke up which would put his plan into motion.

    ***

    I woke up to the sound of the maids making noise outside my room. They always did that to ruin my sleep whenever Adam got upset with them over me. I tried to think positively about it, though, since this presented me with an opportunity. Breakfast was served to the family at eight o''clock and the maids only did this after they woke up and got ready at six. If I was fast enough, I could sneak some of the raw food from the kitchen before it was prepared and taken out. I waited for the noisy maids to leave before I got dressed and left my room. The kitchen was on the first floor while my room was on the second which meant I would need to go down the entry hall''s stairs. The entry hall was the largest room in the mansion and there were plenty of servants starting their routines in the hall, but if I was fast and quiet enough they wouldn''t pay me much mind. "...Huh?" I should have gone slower. The rug that was usually on the stairs was being cleaned which meant the bare stained wood of the stairs was the only thing my worn socks had to try and grip. Tripping over myself, I fell down the last ten steps. My right shoulder slammed into a step causing me to spin and roll down the stairs before slamming into the hardwood floor at the bottom. "AGH!" I cried out as pain shot through my entire body and my vision distorted. My lungs desperately tried to breathe and calm my racing heart as I was left in a daze. Moans of agony escaped my mouth, but when my vision returned to normal my heart rate spiked, again.

    "Clumsy bastard." The servants were all looking at me with disdain. None of them moved to help and they seemed content with standing around while I writhed on the floor. I bit my lip as I didn''t want to cry because that would only egg them on to keep berating me.

    "What''s going on?" Adam appeared at the top of the stairs to investigate the noise. When our eyes met, it was the first time I saw my brother panic. He bolted back to the second floor and down a hallway. I don''t know what he was doing, but seeing him run away while I was lying on the floor in pain hurt my heart. I tried to raise myself off the floor but my arms wouldn''t move how I wanted them to. My body wouldn''t listen to me. Some of the maids chuckled at my attempts.

    "Lucina!?" my mother''s cry came from the top of the stairs. I looked up to see that Adam hadn''t abandoned me; he had gone to get Mom. I felt a little better knowing that. My mother rushed down the stairs and cupped me into her arms. "Where does it hurt!? Are you alright!?"

    "...I''m fine," I lied through the pain since I didn''t want to cause my mother any more tears. But, that quickly failed as I guess I was a bad liar. She gently examined me as she fought back tears. It made me sad that I kept making her cry. "Mo-"

    "And all of you just watched!?" Her words coursed with anger as my mother shot glares at the servants who were going about their business as if nothing happened, but no one said a word. After what felt like an eternity of silence, a butler walked over to my mother.

    "Was there something you needed, Lady Elizabeth?" the butler nonchalantly asked after looking at his pocket watch for a few seconds.

    "...Yes," my mother spoke through clenched teeth. "A carriage."

    "A carriage?" The butler was assuming she would ask for a doctor to examine me and was surprised by her request. I, also, didn''t understand why she was asking for a carriage. The other servants started whispering among themselves and Adam stood at the top of the stairs with his usual unreadable expression.

    "Yes, I will be visiting Duchess Ordrin for a few days, so prepare a carriage to depart immediately."

    "I will need to ask the Lord for-" the butler tried to brush my mother off.

    "Do it," but my brother''s voice came from the top of the stairs and wouldn''t let him. "I will inform my father. Get the carriage." He gave a slight nod to my mother.

    "Thank you," she softly breathed those words of gratitude. She turned back to the butler with a venomous glare. "Well?"

    "I-...I will prepare immediately." The butler quickly ran out the front door to fetch a carriage for the journey.

    "Lady Elizabeth," Chris appeared and gave a slight bow. Looks like she decided to stop just watching the show. "If you are going on a journey, then let us pack-"

    "No need, Chris." My mother quickly stood up and headed for the door leaving a bewildered Chris behind. "Alice always has some of my spare clothes on hand. Luggage will only delay our trip." I guess the Duchess'' name is Alice.

    "Th-Then at least give me time to get read-"

    "I will travel alone." This was the first time I had heard such authority in my mother''s voice as she barked her intention. I couldn''t see Chris from where I was, but I heard her footsteps stop following us. "I wish to leave without delay and to be alone with my daughter. The trek between here and Wortrest is always clear of brigands, anyway. Adam," she turned back and looked at my brother, "I''ll be taking Lucina to Wortrest for two weeks. Please, keep up the good work like always."

    "Have a safe journey, Mother," Adam said and gave a respectful bow from the stairs. I thought he wouldn''t like being left behind, but he seemed oddly okay with it. My mother carried me outside and into the sun which was still rising over the tree line. There was a cold spring breeze that sent a shiver down my spine.

    "I''m sorry, Lucina," my mother apologized as she wrapped her shawl around me. Her eyes lacked focus as she looked down at me trembling in her arms. "I know it hurts, but we''ll arrive in Wortrest by sundown and we can have the priest there look at you. He''s a trustworthy man." She adjusted how she held me to try and make me more comfortable.

    "Okay." This situation was strange and I didn''t know how to respond. I just didn''t want to cause any more trouble.

    "...Doesn''t it hurt?" my mother asked as a carriage was brought to the front and my mother carried me inside.

    "I''m okay." Why did she keep asking when the truth would only hurt her?

    "Lucina..." Her voice was hollow, and the carriage started to shake as the journey to Wortrest began. "Please cry." I was confused by her words and looked up at her for clarification. "You...hardly cry, anymore, even when I know you''re hurt."

    "...I''m fine." Please stop.

    "Unfortunately, like me, you''re a terrible liar, Lucina." Her hand gently brushed against my face as she started to tenderly stroke my cheek. "I''m sorry you had to learn how to stop crying when you''re still so young. I''m sorry that I''m such a terrible mother that I can''t even do anything to stop it all from falling apart."

    "I-...I''m f-" It was getting harder to keep myself in check. Please stop!

    "I''m sorry all I have to give you are my empty words." My mother''s tears hit my face which flowed down and mixed with my own. "So, please, at least let me offer you a safe shoulder to cry into. It''s all I can do for my beautiful daughter. Please, Lucina?"

    "...!" My heart finally broke. Through the pain I was still suffering from, I reached up and wrapped my arms around my mother''s neck and cried into her chest. The wails that I had buried deep inside burst forth. My mother gave me a melancholic smile as she returned my hug and silently held me close. I don''t remember anything about the rest of the trip to Wortrest because all that mattered was the warmth I felt at that moment while being held in my mother''s embrace.

 Root of Routes

    "Lucina? Wake up," my mother''s voice danced through my ears and I cracked open my eyes. I had passed out from crying so much and slept through the journey. My body was sore, but the pain had subsided to only be a dull ache. Gentle fingers ran through my hair as my mother softly jostled me. "We''re here." She moved with me still in her arms to the window of the carriage and pointed outside. Down the road from us, gleaming in the setting sun''s light, were massive stone walls with towers dotting their way around the perimeter. Banners with the symbol of a blue hawk holding yellow wheat in its talons, the crest of house Ordrin, flapped from atop the towers. "Unlike us, the Duke lives in a castle along with his order of knights. And, instead of a mansion, they live in a beautiful keep."

    "A keep?" My eyes were fixed on the walls of stone that we were slowly encroaching upon.

    "Yes," my mother loved teaching me things and was enjoying my renewed curiosity, "It''s like a giant mansion made of stone and brick giving it the luxury of a home and the same sturdiness of the castle walls that surround it. It needs to be that big in case an enemy attacks Wortrest." My mother motioned for me to look back down the road from where we came from and I saw a sprawling town was sitting peacefully down the hill we were ascending.

    "So, is the town Wortrest, or the castle?" I liked seeing Mom excited to teach me.

    "Both," she chuckled and stroked my hair affectionately. "The castle was built because of the tall hill we''re riding up, and people flocked to it because of the rich soil and convenience of the nearby Helker River that weaves across the kingdom making it the capital of the Holst Duchy. As a show of unity, the founder of the Ordrin family proclaimed that both the castle and town would be called Wortrest as a declaration to all that both were under his family''s protection. However, most people will refer to the town when talking about Wortrest since it''s easier to get into town than into the castle. And-" My mother abruptly cut herself off and looked ahead. The carriage slowed down and stopped. When I turned to look at what was going on, a knight on horseback trotted up to the window of the carriage. They wore chainmail and leathers, a sword jostled in its sheath on his waist belt, and he had on his great helm, but they didn''t wear any plate mail like in the pictures my mother had shown me of knights. They also wore a tabard that depicted the Ordrin''s crest.

    "Hail, Countess Felswore," the knight greeted and bowed from his horse.

    "I apologize for the inconvenience of my sudden arrival, Sir Thomas," It seemed like my mother knew the knight from just his voice as she greeted them with a smile on her face.

    "It is no inconvenience at all, Countess, as we were expecting you."

    "You were?" My mother gave the knight a confused look and held me closer to her chest.

    "Yes, the Duchess received a letter just a few hours ago," Thomas explained to alleviate my mother''s obvious concern. "It stated you and your daughter would be visiting for a few days in the near future but didn''t give an exact date; though I don''t think anyone expected you to come the same day as the letter. In either case, I''ve been ordered to be on the lookout for your carriage and escort you inside whenever you arrive."

    "But, I never sent a letter."

    "It was signed by your young Lord."

    "...Ah, I see." My mother''s voice shook despite her best efforts to put on a composed front for the knight. "I''m truly blessed by Lady Alm with a caring son."

    "And with a lovely daughter, too," Thomas added as his helmet turned to look at me. "Greetings, young Lady, I am Sir Thomas of the Order of the Azure Hawk." He didn''t sound condescending as he spoke, and even if I couldn''t see his face because of the helmet I could feel the gentle smile he was giving me.

    "Hello, Sir Thomas," my voice was quiet as I was still a bit groggy from sleeping the whole journey.

    "She has impeccable pronunciation for a three-year-old, you must be proud Countess." Thomas'' innocent remark instantly soured the mood. "...Did I misspeak, Countess?"

    "She turned five, last winter," my mother corrected in a somber voice.

    "Five? But she''s so sma-" Thomas didn''t finish his remark as he looked back at me. He had mostly been looking at my mother while talking, and the inside of the carriage was dark since the sun was setting so he didn''t get a good look at me the first time. But, now that he was putting his full attention on me, he noticed the ragged dress I was in as well as the obvious bruise on my right shoulder that crept up my neck. "I apologize for my inappropriate words, Countess!" Thomas hung his head low. "The road inside is still the same, so please follow that to the front of the keep. I will ride ahead to inform the Duchess of your arrival. The Duke and Elder priest are out right now but I will summon the doctor!"

    "Thank you, Sir Thomas." My mother sounded exhausted as Thomas rode ahead and into the castle. There was quite a bit packed into the castle''s walls as we passed multiple buildings including a knight''s barracks, exterior servant housing, and even a horse stable. Dark clouds started the gather overhead.

    "Greetings, Countess Felswore and the young Lady," a maid greeted us when the carriage pulled up to the entrance of a massive building; the keep. "The Duchess is still getting ready, so I''m here to lead you inside. We should hurry as the weather seems to be turning for the worse." She glanced up at the dark clouds.

    "Thank you, please lead on." My mother was still intent on carrying me in her arms and refused to let me go no matter how much I wriggled. "Just a little longer, Lucina," she reassured me as we entered the keep. Like my mother had told me, despite its stone exterior the keep held all the luxuries of a mansion. Polished granite floors were topped with rich blue carpets, large wooden pillars reached upward to beautiful arches that held the high ceiling, and fine art hung from the walls that all came together to give the feel of wealth. The maid turned and bowed to us.

    "I''ll take you to the drawing room to-"

    "Elizabeth!" A woman''s voice came from the top of the stairs along the far wall as a woman with pitch black hair held in a bun, piercing blue eyes, and who wore a beautiful white dress appeared from the second floor.

    "It''s been a while, Alice," my mother returned the greeting to the Duchess and she gave a tired smile to her friend.

    "A while!? It''s been over a year since I last saw you!" The Duchess rushed down the stairs, her heels clacking against the stone, and two maids were following her with accessories still in their hands they hadn''t been able to put in the Duchess'' hair. It seemed like she was impatient to see my mother. "You don''t even respond to my letters, anymore!"

    "...A lot''s happened as of late." Despite their difference in rank, my mother and Duchess Alice spoke casually to each other. None of the servants seemed to mind and acted like this was normal for the two women.

    "A lo-?" as the Duchess was about to keep going off, she noticed me. Or, more precisely, she noticed the obvious bruise on my shoulder, as well as my worn clothes. "...We''ll talk later. Nancy?" She turned to a door that just opened as Thomas and a woman holding a large bag entered the hall. The woman with the bag, Nancy, perked up when the Duchess called her. "See to the young Lady''s wounds. Julie," she looked over her shoulder at one of the maids with accessories in their hands, "Prepare a bath and some clean clothes. An-"

    "...!" Both my mother and I''s stomachs growled causing everyone to stop and look at us.

    "...Did you rush here without even stopping to eat?" The Duchess'' voice dripped with a venom that both sounded friendly and terrifying at the same time. "Thomas, tell Greg to make some soup, then see to Elizabeth''s horses and coachman."

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    "Right away, Duchess," Thomas gave a bow and disappeared down a hallway.

    "Thank you, Alice," my mother said sheepishly.

    "I don''t want to be thanked for fixing you starving yourself and your daughter. Ah, speaking of," something caught the Duchess'' attention from the top of the stairs, "Olivia, come greet our guests." From the top of the stairs and peering around the corner of a pillar was a young girl who looked my age but was taller and healthier than me. She had long white hair but the same blue eyes as the Duchess. "Elizabeth, this is my daughter, Olivia. Olivia, this is my friend Elizabeth Felswore, and her daughter Lucina."

    "!?!" Upon the mention of my name, and after looking at me, Olivia Ordrin seemed to panic and bolted away.

    "Olivia!?" the Duchess called after her daughter, but the girl was already gone. My mother''s expression saddened and she hugged me closer. "I''ll talk to her later, Elizabeth, I''m sorry for my daughter; she''s an odd one."

    "It''s quite alrig-"

    "Stop saying things are alright when they''re not," the Duchess chastised. I got the strangest sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. "Nancy?"

    "Right away, Duchess." Nancy, the doctor, gestured to the stairs. "I can examine her in one of the guest rooms. Please, this way." She led the way as my mother, the Duchess, and the maids followed her to the guest room. However, calling it a guest room would be an insult as it was more luxurious than most of the rooms back in the Felswore mansion. My mother gently set me down on a couch and Nancy examined the bruises and the rest of my body while my mother and the Duchess were behind a divider for privacy. "Fortunately, nothing''s broken, but you''re going to be sore and covered in bruises for the next few days."

    "It''s fine," I said to try and reassure the doctor that it didn''t bother me.

    "Of all the things to inherit from you, why did she inherit that terrible habit of yours!?" the Duchess once more chastised my mother.

    "Ahaha," Nancy gave a nervous laugh before turning back to me, "Regardless, you should still rest while you''re here and eat plenty of food. I''ll also leave this ointment that will help with the swelling in your shoulder and legs."

    "Okay." I did my best to sound upbeat.

    "..." Nancy gave me an awkward smile before getting up to leave. Because of the maids back at my family''s mansion, I had developed really good hearing to avoid them. As Nancy passed the Duchess and my mother, I heard her whisper, "There''s bruising over her whole body, but thank the gods none of her bones have broken. I would recommend at least three, but preferably four large meals a day. She''s extremely malnourished for a child and won''t heal properly, otherwise. Her height is also concerning."

    "...Thank you, Nancy," the Duchess whispered back. Although I couldn''t see my mother because of the divider, I had a pretty good idea of what expression was on her face. "Lady Lucina?" the Duchess called as she came out from behind the divider, "I''ll leave Julie here to help you take a bath and change clothes." She motioned to a maid who gave a respectful bow to me. "I''ll be with your mother in my room catching up over lost time. Will you be alright on your own, or would you like to come to my room when you''re ready and be with your mother?"

    "I''m alright alone, I''m a big girl!" I hope this will help since I knew my mother needed time away from me whenever she was stressed. Hopefully, being with the Duchess would help since I would only get in the way.

    "..." The look on the Duchess'' face said she wanted to refute my choice, but couldn''t bring herself to do it. "If you need her, my room is down the hall on your left. Take care of her, Julie."

    "I will, Duchess." Julie gave a bow to the Duchess before turning to me and saying in a soft voice, "Lady Lucina, let''s take a bath." She sounded used to softening her voice for children. While taking a bath she was also extremely gentle when helping wash me. Even the water was warm, which was a blessing for me to receive back home. Maybe that was why Julie looked so sad at my excitement over the warm water; perhaps she also wanted to take a warm bath? After drying me off, Julie helped me into the most comfortable clothes I had ever worn. She said it was Lady Olivia''s old night gown from two years ago that didn''t fit her anymore which was why I could use it. The softness kissed my skin and felt weird but in a good way. I wondered if the maids here didn''t get comfortable clothes like this since Julie, once again, looked sad over my excitement about the nightgown. Or, how she looked at me when I finished the soup I was brought. This place was strange. "If you need anything, just pull that rope next to the bed and I''ll be over as quickly as I can," Julie pointed to a rope next to the bed that went up and disappeared into the ceiling.

    "Thank you, good night Julie." Since Adam wasn''t here, I gave my usual good night to Julie.

    "...Good night, Lady Lucina." She seemed conflicted over it, but I didn''t mind since she was really nice to me. My only complaint about being here was-

    "!?!" Thunder cracked across the sky outside my windows. The dark clouds had opened up and rain pelted the windows while the wind howled across the castle. My legs trembled and I hugged myself with my arms. I hated thunder. The deafening sound it made terrified me; it was like someone was coming to hurt me and was tearing the world apart to do it. I know that rain was a blessing from Lord Sen, but that didn''t help me through the storm. Usually, my mother would come to me when it stormed and held me until I fell asleep, but she wasn''t here. I didn''t want to disturb Julie, so I snuck out of my room and followed the hall on my left. The hall was dark making it hard to see, and Sailest''s light was blocked by the clouds, but there was a light at the end of the hall coming from a room that had its door left cracked open. Another blast of thunder sent me hurriedly running to the light, but I was soon to halt in my tracks.

    "I''m losing my mind, Alice," my mother''s tired voice came from within the room. Peeking through the door I saw my mother crying into her hands while the Duchess sat next to her. Two glasses of wine sat on the table in front of them. "Lucina fell down the stairs and no one moved to help! What if Adam hadn''t heard, or been nearby?"

    "Don''t think about that!" the Duchess did her best to console my mother.

    "But, what about next time!? Or the time after that!?"

    "..." I...couldn''t enter the room. My mother needed time with her friend, and I was causing enough problems as it was. I moved to leave, but a crack of thunder sent me to the floor. The storm was picking up and the rain hammered the keep. Nothing but darkness surrounded me with the only light coming from the cracked open door; a light I didn''t dare go towards. I sat down against the wall and huddled into a ball. As the rain and thunder pounded on the roof, all I could do was hold my ears and tremble myself to sle-

    "Here." Suddenly, a blanket was wrapped around me and pulled over my head like a hood. I looked up to see Olivia Ordrin kneeling in front of me. With what little light there was, I saw an expression of sadness on her face as she looked at me. She tiptoed over to the cracked open door and looked inside. After listening to our mother''s conversation for a few seconds, she returned to me and offered her hand. "You can sleep with me, tonight."

    "...I-" A crack of thunder cut off my words and I huddled myself deeper into the blanket.

    "...It never said you were afraid of thunder," Olivia muttered weird words to herself. What never said I was afraid of thunder? I peeked out of the blanket to look at her only to find her hand still outstretched to me. "Come on, I''ll hold your hand the whole way back to my room." She gave me a calm smile that was similar to the one my mother gave me when she would comfort me. Why was Olivia so good at making that smile?

    "Isn''t it too dark?" I asked seeing that she didn''t have a candle with her.

    "Don''t worry," she reassured me in a voice that wrapped around me just like the blanket, "I''ve memorized the layout of my home. Even in the dark, you can trust me to lead us." The confidence she held convinced my hand to move and take hers. Her grip was soft even though her hand was covered in calluses. And, true to her word, Olivia perfectly navigated us through the keep and to her room. Along the way, thunder would break against the window at the end of the hall, and Olivia would always stop and wait for me to compose myself before continuing. I...liked that. "I''m back," Olivia said when she entered her room, but no one responded and I couldn''t see anyone in the room with us. "Ah, sorry," she caught herself and embarrassedly rubbed the back of her head, "That''s still a force of habit." She was really weird. "Sorry about the mess, by the way." Mess? The room we were in was certainly filled with a lot of furniture and toys, but I wouldn''t call it messy.

    "I-It''s fine." While I didn''t understand her, I still wanted to reassure her that I didn''t mind the ''mess'' in her room.

    "Good! Then, come on. The sooner we go to bed, the sooner the storm will pass." She pulled me along to her massive bed. It was at least two or three of my beds wide and I struggled to climb up the soft mattress and sheets while still huddled inside the blanket. "You''re like a small puppy trying to climb up something tall," Olivia laughed. While I was used to hearing insults mixed with laughter, Olivia''s words didn''t feel like that. She sounded joyful without a hint of malice. I''m glad it was dark because I didn''t want her to see my face turning red from embarrassment. Eventually, I managed to clamor up the side and moved into the bed.

    "It''s soft." Olivia''s bed was unimaginably soft, even compared to the one in the guest room, to the point I started to sink into it if I stood still.

    "It''s a bed, of course it''s..." Olivia started to say in a matter-of-fact tone, but her words trailed off as she watched me softly poke at the bed with genuine curiosity. She fell silent.

    "H-Huh!?" Arms wrapped around me and pulled me down onto the bed. Olivia was holding me in a hug and started to gently stroke my back through the blanket I was still wrapped in. She made sure my back was to the windows of her room so I wouldn''t see any lightning. "L-Lady Oli-"

    "Just Olivia!" she declared and brought me to arm''s length to look me in the eyes. "We''re the same age, so just call me Olivia."

    "I-I can''t jus-"

    "I''m giving you permission, as my friend, to call me only by my name!" Friend: a word I knew about but had never experienced. Something inside my chest started to throb, but not in a painful way. "I''m sorry about my behavior earlier when we first met, but I genuinely want to be your friend. So, can you call me by just my name?" Without either of us realizing it, the storm had passed just as quickly as it had arrived. The clouds parted from the sky and allowed Sailest to light up the night in its'' gentle glow. Because she was facing the windows, Olivia was bathed in the soft light and I felt my breath get stolen away. Her hair shined as if it were a waterfall of diamonds, her white skin seemed to tenderly glow like Sailest''s rings, and her blue eyes shimmered like two lakes reflecting stars. And, the smile she gave me... "Lucina?" The throbbing in my chest refused to die down.

    "I''ll try...Olivia." I''m glad she pulled me into a hug, again, because I don''t think I could sleep if I had to keep looking at her. What was this feeling welling up in my chest?

    "Thank you, Lucina," she whispered and continued to stoke my back which made me tired. "Don''t worry." As my consciousness drifted away, Olivia began to mutter strange things to herself, "I''ll change the future, mine and yours. I won''t let us suffer that fate." I had no idea what she was talking about, but the conviction in her words soothed my heart for some reason, and I quickly fell asleep.

    ***

    Olivia held Lucina close in her embrace. Thankfully, the young girl had stopped trembling and seemed to be sleeping soundly. When Olivia first heard Lucina''s name back in the entrance hall and saw her appearance she panicked and ran in fear, but now she berated herself for doing such a thing. It wasn''t even guaranteed this was the same Lucina since her surname wasn''t Sanguine; it was Felswore. She also wasn''t in the Empire of Arlexia, but the Kingdom of Urldrusk. So many things were different, but just enough was the same as that otome game she had played in her past life as Ayaka Fukuda that she had accidentally hurt this young girl.

    "She''s still just a kid," Olivia bitterly muttered as she was disappointed in herself. This wasn''t the Lucina whose eyes held no light and whose smile was a practiced mask. This wasn''t the Lucina who helped the Saintess steal the crown prince and the other capture targets, and enslave Olivia Ordrin. This was Lucina, a young girl suffering from the wrongful declaration of illegitimacy, and who was afraid of thunder but couldn''t even ask her mother to hold her. "...Status." A semitransparent pink square appeared and hovered in front of Olivia as it displayed her stats. Olivia Ordrin was a boss during all routes except for the reverse harem route, and since she had cleared the entire game she knew her future self''s stats by heart. Her current stats were still nowhere near her boss''s version, but the progress she''d made wasn''t insignificant for being only five years old. "But it''s not enough," she swore to herself and closed the screen. She would train more and do anything she could to avoid her fated death or enslavement. Olivia would carve a future for herself, and for the small girl that was fast asleep in her arms.

 The Spark of Admiration

    "I don''t know what to do, Mary. Where could she have gone!?" Julie was walking with Olivia''s personal maid, Mary, early the following morning. "She didn''t pull the rope so I figured everything was fine, but I went to wake her up and she wasn''t there! What am I going to tell the Countess and Duchess!?"

    "Calm down, Julie, I''m sure Lady Lucina''s fine." The two maids approached Olivia''s room. "Lady Olivia''s explored every inch of this castle, so I''m sure if we ask her where the best places to hide are we-" As Mary opened the door, the two maids stopped in their tracks.

    "Shh," Olivia was awake while lying in bed and put a finger to her lips when she saw the maids. Still curled up in the blanket was a sleeping Lucina who was enjoying the best sleep she''d ever experienced in her life. Olivia silently mouthed the words, "We''ll be down later."

    "Of course, my Lady," Mary gave a quiet reply before giving a bow and leaving the room. Julie''s shoulders relaxed as she felt a massive weight lift off her. Mary chuckled and patted her friend on the back. "See, I told you it would be fine."

    ***

    The warmth that surrounded me was unlike any I had felt before. It wasn''t necessarily better than when my mother held me, but it wasn''t lesser either. I hoped this would last forever.

    "I never knew she had such a cute face." I heard Olivia''s voice and felt a finger lightly poke my cheek. "I know she''ll fill out into a real looker later, but why wasn''t there any art of her as a young kid? She''d probably have won some popularity polls out of sympathy votes if there was." She really liked to say weird things, it seemed. "...It''d probably be cuter if she was fed properly so her cheeks could fill out more," she bitterly mumbled and poked my cheek, again. I cracked open one eye and looked up. "Ah, did I wake you?" Olivia was still lying next to me while propping herself up with one arm as the other lightly poked my cheek. She gave me a soft smile that felt just as warm as the blanket around me.

    "Wake up?" I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes so I could see.

    "You can sleep some more if you want, but it''s already past eight."

    "It is!?" I shot up and rolled off the bed causing Olivia to jump in surprise. This wasn''t the time to be lying around in a daze of sleep. "I need to get ready!"

    "Ready for what?" Olivia sat up and moved off the bed.

    "If I hurry, I can get some leftovers before they''re thrown out!" I didn''t know how past eight we were, but if I didn''t eat then it would be inconvenient for my mother since we''re staying at the Duchess'' for her to become less stressed! Though this assumes the Ordrins eat at the same time as the Felswore did, I didn''t want to risk it.

    "..." Olivia was oddly silent as she watched me unwrap myself from the blanket and begin neatly folding it. Even if I was in a hurry, I wanted to make sure there wasn''t any dirt on it since I didn''t want to spit on Olivia''s kindness for letting me use such a nice blanket. "You...can''t go, yet." She reached over and pulled the rope next to her bed that Julie said was used to call a maid.

    "...Huh?" I froze. Did I do something wrong? I inspected the blanket for anything wrong, but couldn''t see anything. Julie and another maid I didn''t know entered the room.

    "You called, my Lady?" the unknown maid asked while giving a bow to Olivia.

    "Mary," Olivia sounded scarily determined and put both her hands on my shoulders, "Tell Becky to bring five of the outfits my mother gave for Lucina to wear to my room."

    "At once, my Lady," Mary replied and went back out into the hall.

    "U-Um-" Olivia''s grip on my shoulders didn''t loosen.

    "Julie," Olivia said while dragging me to a chair in front of a mirror, "Start brushing her hair."

    "Of course, my Lady." Julie had a warm smile on her face as she grabbed a brush and walked behind me.

    "B-But I-" I needed to leave to get leftovers!

    "No buts!" Olivia put her finger on my mouth to get me to stop talking. Mary returned and grabbed a second brush to begin doing Olivia''s hair after she sat down in a chair next to mine.

    "...Okay." I guess I wasn''t allowed to eat breakfast because of whatever I did wrong, earlier. I hugged my stomach to-

    "No weird thoughts, either!" Olivia seemed to read my mind and chastised me from her chair. "I also haven''t eaten breakfast, so we''ll go get some together after we get dressed."

    "!?!" Together!? I know she''s nice, but even kindness has limits. If we did that, she might lose the love of her maids and the Duchess. Did she not know what I was? "But, I''m a bas-"

    "You''re my friend," Olivia cut me off with a voice that left no room for rebuttal. "And, I want to eat breakfast with my friend."

    "..." There it was again, that throbbing feeling in my chest. What was it, and why did it make me feel so happy?

    "...Hmm," Julie had a puzzled expression on her face as she tried to brush my long hair. But no matter how much she tried to brush my hair down, large bunches of my hair would spring back up. "Should we water it down?"

    "That...won''t work," I sheepishly replied. I already knew the frustration of trying to straighten my hair to be like my mother''s only to fail every time.

    "It''s like a thorn bush," Olivia commented as she watched another bunch of my hair spring back up. While Julie continued to try and tame my hair, Becky and another maid came in with five dresses slung over their arms. "Leave it, Julie." Olivia got up off the chair and looked over the five dresses.

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    "I-I can wear the dress I came in," I tried to reason with them as I didn''t want to dirty more of Olivia''s old clothes. But the only response I got was everyone in the room looking at me like I had just spoken complete nonsense.

    "Lucina?" Olivia approached me after grabbing one of the dresses. She had that scary look, again.

    "Y-Yes?"

    "Raise your arms."

    "My ar-!?" As I raised my arms up, Olivia grabbed the bottom of my nightgown, lifted it up, and pulled it off.

    "You can''t wear a nightgown under a dre-" Olivia tossed the nightgown to one of the maids and turned back to me with the dress ready to go, but her voice caught in her throat. She stared at me silently which was making things more awkward.

    "O-Olivia?" I was getting scared because her face was distorting into one of anger. "I-I''m sorry!" I didn''t know why, so I started apologizing since that always calmed down the maids back at my family''s mansion. I did my best to cover the bruises from my fall down the stairs on my arms with my hands, but I couldn''t cover the ones on my legs. "I''m-"

    "I''m sorry," suddenly, Olivia was the one who apologized! But, why!? I was the one who made her angry so it was normal for me to apologize. I started to panic, but Olivia gently grabbed me by the hand and walked us over to the full-body mirror. "I got so excited to see you dressed up that I made you uncomfortable. I just think you''d look really pretty when properly dressed." She held the dress to my shoulders to mimic what it would look like if I were wearing it. It was a dark shade of green. "I''m sorry if I made you scared." Her eyes wouldn''t leave the bruise on my right shoulder, and her smile was melancholic.

    "I-It''s okay." I didn''t know a five-year-old could make such a smile.

    "Julie, help her into this one."

    "At once, my Lady," Julie said as she took the clothing from Olivia and started helping me put it on. When she finished, I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn''t even recognize myself. My hair, while still unkempt, was more tame than normal and wasn''t a foul mess. Dirt didn''t cling to my face thanks to the bath I took the night prior. The clothes were clean, its colors still vibrant, and it flowed without any repair stitching.

    "Now, see how pretty you look?" Olivia appeared behind me wearing a blue dress that matched her eyes and put her hands gently on my shoulders as she looked me over in the mirror.

    "Y-...You''re also pretty," I tried to speak clearly to give my compliment, but I stumbled over my words.

    "Thank you, Lucina." Olivia didn''t make fun of me for it and accepted my praise with a smile on her face. "Let''s go eat!" She grabbed my hand and led me out of the room while Mary and Julie silently followed behind us. "Oh, Mary, is my father back?"

    "The Duke and Lord Derik returned at sunrise, my Lady."

    "Good, I need a favor from him." Olivia had a confident stride as we made our way downstairs to the dining room.

    "-weather should be better today." A deep male voice came from the other side of the double doors to the dining room. "The gazebo shouldn''t be too wet after letting the sun dry it off for a few hours." When the maids opened the doors, I was faced with a large dining room that had a long table running down the middle of it. On one side sat the Duchess and a boy who looked Adam''s age with black hair and blue eyes; I guess Lord Derik. On the other side sat my mother who was smiling and enjoying breakfast with her friend. I''m glad she was able to smile, and eat again. And, at the head of the table sat a mountain of a man with short white hair and whose blue eyes were like frozen lakes of ice; the Duke of Wortrest. The Duke turned to us when we entered and said, "I didn''t know a week of my absence would have you sleeping in, Olivia?" Even though he was chastising her, his tone was playful and the mood remained light. "Such flimsy determination won''t make you an Aurister."

    "My aura can wait if it means helping my friend enjoy a good night''s sleep," Olivia rebuked. She let go of my hand and we were led to opposite sides of the table; Olivia sat next to Derik while I sat next to my mother. As I approached, my mother''s face was filled with shock at the sight of me clean and in good clothes.

    "G-Good morning, Mother." I had never been to a family meal, before, and didn''t know what to say.

    "...You look beautiful, Lucina," my mother praised me as the shock on her face melted away into joy. She gently patted my head and stroked my hair when I sat down. "I can''t thank you enough for your hospitality, Duke."

    "Please, Countess Felswore, you know you are always welcome in Wortrest," the Duke replied and held up his hand to stop my mother from speaking such words. "Alice has been remise without her closest friend to gossip with." The Duchess'' cheeks lightly reddened, but she didn''t refute the Duke''s words. "Now, this must be your daughter." His gaze fell on me. It didn''t matter that he didn''t seem to hold any hostility towards me, the iciness of his eyes made my gaze go to the floor.

    "Lucina greets the Duke." Luckily, I didn''t mess up the greeting. The Count hated hearing me introduce myself with the name Felswore so I left it out, but that caused the Duke to raise an eyebrow at me.

    "Don''t mind him, Lady Lucina," the Duchess spoke up when she saw my expression. "Richard won''t lay a finger on my guest. He may be the Duke, but I hold the leash in this house."

    "Alice!?!" My mother quickly covered my ears with her hands. Derik seemed unphased by his mother''s words, and Olivia looked like she was holding in a laugh.

    "Leash?" I asked innocently.

    "...Never mind," the Duchess diverted her eyes and ate another piece of pork. The air was good, but that made me feel weird. A plate was placed in front of me with slices of bread, a large piece of pork, and a whole apple. Was...this a test?

    "It''s okay, Lucina." My mother noticed me squirming and staring at the plate. "Eat as much as you want."

    "I can?" My innocent question sent a chill through the room. The servants who were present shifted uncomfortably with many giving glances to the Duke. The Duke, for his part, held a neutral expression on his face, but his eyes were watching me with curiosity. I don''t think I could bring myself to eat even if I wanted to because of the stares.

    "Father," Olivia spoke up. Hopefully, she could alleviate this awkward atmos- "Can Elder Arkin perform a paternity test on Lucina?"

    "!?!" The Duchess nearly spat out her drink, my mother almost choked on her food, and Derik froze while looking at his sister in bewilderment. The Duke made no move to immediately answer. A paternity test, the Ritual of Legitimacy, was a ritual that Lady Alm''s Elder worshipers could perform. The ritual would show a person''s birth parents after offering a strand of hair into a fire and reciting a prayer to the goddess. Because Elder worshipers of any of the gods were uncommon, and busy more often than not, the ritual wasn''t something just anyone could ask for, but the Ordrin family had an Elder of Lady Alm working directly under them; Elder Arkin. The Duke put his silverware down, wiped his mouth with his napkin, interlocked his fingers while leaning forward on the table, and looked at my mother.

    "I apologize, Countess, for my daughter''s rudeness. Please, ignore her unbecoming jest." The expression on my mother''s face was completely unreadable, but her hands were trembling.

    "Father!?" Olivia stood up from her chair and slammed her hands on the table. "I''m being serious!"

    "Olivia Ordrin!" This was the first time the Duke raised his voice. He held the strength of thunder with his words alone. "That is not a decision for you or I to make for the Countess. Plus, the Count has already shown his disapproval of the use of the Ritual of Legitimacy. Lady Lucina is under the Count''s guardianship, so his word is final."

    "But-"

    "You will speak no more of this!" Ah...my presence, once again, ruined the meal. I hung my head low and looked at the beautiful dress Olivia was letting me wear. A dress I would need to return when my mother and I left after our two-week stay and we would once more return to how things were.

    "L-Lady Alm told me to ask!" All eyes shot to Olivia as she made her declaration. While I only knew the bare minimum of theology from what my mother would occasionally tell me and I understood that invoking a god''s name in this context, especially Lady Alm''s, was never to be taken lightly. The gods held very real influence in the world and were not known for being forgiving to those who spoke their names in vain.

    "The Hearth Mother...told you to ask me to have Arkin perform the Ritual of Legitimacy?" The Duke''s words weren''t as dismissive as before, instead they sounded almost frightened. "Olivia, you must never speak lightly of the gods. Do not-"

    "But, it''s the truth!" Olivia defiantly stated and gestured to me. "Lady Alm told me that Lucina is a legitimate Felswore...in a dream I was given last night!" The air was tense as Olivia continued, "The goddess of loyalty, and the protector of families is saddened that a legitimate child is being treated so coldly and wants it corrected! I know my words will not be enough to convince you, or the Count, of such a fact so I ask that Arkin perform the test! Please, Father!"

    "..." My mother''s mouth opened, but words wouldn''t come out. It was like she was in a daze. The Duchess looked to the Duke for an answer as she was lost on what to make of her daughter''s words. Whispers danced along the walls as the servants quietly talked amongst themselves.

    "...Countess Felswore?" After collecting his thoughts, the Duke turned to my mother with a grim, yet calm expression. "While I cannot ignore the Count''s will, I also do not wish to turn my back on the Hearth Mother''s so lightly. I am willing to lend Arkin for this, but I leave the final decision to you."

    "..." My mother''s hands clenched in apprehension and she was sweating nervously. I knew the pain she was doing her best to keep at bay because it was something we both shared. Both she and I had lived five years under the Count''s order to not have me tested, but now Olivia was invoking the name of Lady Alm in front of everyone and she looked serious. My mother looked at me, once more. She looked at the clean dress I was wearing that didn''t have any repair stitching or holes. She looked at how clean my skin was without a speck of dirt after being given a proper bath. She looked at the plate of food, more food than I had ever been given in a single meal at the Felswore mansion, that was in front of and meant for me. "Duke Ordrin," my mother spoke with a shaky voice that threatened to end in tears, but she pressed on with the same determination she showed back at the mansion when we first left for Wortrest. "Please have Elder Arkin perform the ritual."

 Warmth in Lily Filled Fields

    The Ordrin house was in a hectic state following Olivia''s revelation of my supposed legitimacy as word was quickly spreading through the servants. My mother wouldn''t speak a word after breakfast and only smiled hopefully at me as we were led to one of the guest rooms in the keep and we stood next to the fireplace. The Duchess, Derik, and Olivia were with us waiting while the Duke went to personally fetch Elder Arkin and tell him what was happening.

    "Don''t worry," Olivia said as she stood next to me.

    "But," I had to reason with her, "What if-"

    "Trust me," she spoke with such conviction that I was stunned. Had she really received a vision from Lady Alm about my legitimacy during the night we slept next to each other? The Duchess was pacing to calm her nerves, and Derik was giving me an angry look. If Olivia was proven false, then the Count wouldn''t sit silent, nor would Lady Alm''s temple once Elder Arkin reported back to them. There was also the fear of what Lady Alm might do once Arkin invoked the ritual if I was truly a bastard. As the air in the room worsened, the Duke arrived with a bald man who looked to be in his late fifties.

    "Elder Arkin, our Hearth Mother''s loyal vassal, greets the Countess of Gauldrin," Arkin said and gave a respectful bow to my mother. He had a calm disposition about him while his voice held a hint of enthusiasm.

    "Greetings...Elder," my mother replied and pulled her shawl tighter around her.

    "And, you must be Lady Lucina," Arkin addressed and stood before me. He towered above me and I found it hard to look up at him; it was as if he held some otherworldly presence. "I have been appraised of the situation by the Duke and have come to find answers only our Lady may provide. Come, child." He gestured for me to move with him to the edge of the fireplace. "For this ritual, I will need a strand of your hair, child, but it cannot be cut; it must contain the root which holds a part of you so I will need to pluck it. This may hurt, are you ready?"

    "...Yes." I had to be brave for my mother.

    "Then in three, two, one." Arkin plucked a single strand of my hair and turned towards the fireplace. Logs were already placed inside, but they weren''t lit. "Keeper of Hearth, Bestower of Flame and Soil, Binder of Families, your humble vassal beseeches your attention to right a wrong against a child of man." As Akrin spoke his prayer, the logs lit by themselves, and a large fire crackled to life. Everyone''s eyes were fixed on the flame and a heavy pressure pressed down on us demanding our gaze. We had Lady Alm''s attention. Arkin extended his hand that held my hair and recited, "Doubt has clouded a family''s eyes and darkened their hearts. Child Lucina of the Felswore is-" Arkin''s voice was silenced as a wave of flame reached out and grabbed the hair from his hand.

    "Arkin!?" the Duke called out as the flames intensified and forced him to take a step back. The Duchess, my mother, Derik, and the servants present collapsed to their hands and knees as the pressure forced them down. Olivia kneeled but didn''t fall like the others and her face was one of shock and horror at Lady Alm''s display of power. Only Arkin and I were spared from falling, in fact, the flames felt pleasantly warm and the pressure on my shoulders lessened.

    "This is...as if waiting!?" Arkin breathed out his words of astonishment as I guessed this wasn''t normal. The flames in the fireplace suddenly morphed and distorted themselves around the strand of my hair that was now floating in the center of the fire. Two figures took shape, a man and a woman; one was my mother and the other was Charles Felswore. The two figures joined hands over my strand of hair causing it to burn to nothingness. Then, just as suddenly as they burst forth, the flames receded and the immense pressure in the room vanished. The fire was out and all was calm. The Duke quickly ran to his wife''s side and helped her to her feet.

    "Arkin, didn''t you say the flames would gently take the hair after you recited your prayer!? What happened!?" the Duke once more pressed the Elder to speak.

    "..." Arkin stared at the burnt logs in the fireplace in silence. His mouth opened but words failed to come out. He turned to me before finally speaking, "It seems...our Hearth Mother was impatient. I believe she wished to resolve this as swiftly as possible for the child."

    "Then...!?" my mother spoke with desperation clear in her voice and rose on shaky legs. "My daughter, Lucina, she''s...?"

    "As a witness to Her declaration, I, Elder Arkin of Wortrest and vassal of our Hearth Mother, pronounce Lady Lucina a true Felswore. Let none find this claim wanting!" Arkin turned to everyone and spoke with a divine authority that seemed to make his voice resound throughout the keep.

    "Oh my... Elizabeth!?" the Duchess spoke with reverence but quickly changed her tone when my mother suddenly collapsed to her knees. "Eli-"

    "I knew!" my mother cried into her hands, "My daughter...My Lucina! I knew it!" Five years of vindication hit her all at once. As for me...

    "Lucina?" Olivia got to her feet and approached me. She still looked unsettled by what just happened and I could tell she was putting on a brave front for me. "See, everything turned out fine."

    "...Yeah." Fine. Hearing that word to describe this ordeal felt...wrong? Something gnawed at me and my thoughts; something unpleasant. Aren''t I supposed to be happy with this outcome?

    "Lucina!" my mother came over and pulled me into a deep hug. She was shaking violently and tears wouldn''t stop falling from her face. Her smile was the brightest I had ever seen, so why did I not feel the same? I wouldn''t bring up these feelings since I didn''t want to spoil my mother''s happiness, so I buried them in my heart to rot and fester until I could figure out what they were.

    ***

    Once things had calmed down, Elizabeth was forced to remain bedridden as the fatigue and stress of the past five years all left her body at once causing her to collapse, again. But with the help of Nancy and Arkin, her life was never in jeopardy and would return to normal after two full days of rest as enforced by Duchess Alice. The first thing Elizabeth did when she woke up was write a letter to her husband explaining what happened and that Lucina was his legitimate daughter as pronounced by Lady Alm. She didn''t know what kind of response to expect, but she held a new vigor that Alice said she hadn''t seen in five years. As for Lucina, she seemed rather melancholic about things.

    "Lucina!" Things except for Olivia. As the days passed, Olivia would show Lucina around Castle Wortrest and, in general, did her best to be the best friend she could for the girl. Lucina, in turn, would often seek out Olivia when they weren''t together; like today when Lucina approached the knight''s training field to find Olivia practicing her swordsmanship. Unlike her usual attire, when she trained Olivia wore brown pants and a white, loose-fitting, short-sleeved shirt, and she had her hair up in a high ponytail. "Is it already late?" she asked and took a glance at the sun''s position.

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    "No, I just wanted to watch you train." Lucina was finally able to show a warm smile, much to Olivia''s satisfaction. "And...Mary said you might need this, so..." Lucina sheepishly held out a wet towel so Olivia could wipe her sweat away. Olivia cocked an amused eyebrow and looked behind Lucina to see Mary and a few other maids giggling to themselves as they watched how innocent Lucina was when around her.

    "I see Mary''s troubling you with her work," Olivia joked as she took the towel and wiped her face.

    "It''s no trouble at all!" Lucina responded and looked anxious. "I-I like spending time with you, and since I was already on my way-... And..." Lucina''s words trailed off and her gaze fell to the ground. "You''ve helped me so much that I want to be there for you, too." Whenever she was with Olivia, Lucina would feel as if the day was brighter. The assurance that her voice carried, the elegance of how she held herself, and the care she showed all touched Lucina making her want to do her best to repay all she had received.

    "...Thank you, Lucina." Olivia gave her friend a bright smile as she also felt a warmth in her heart at the sincerity in Lucina''s words. "I''ll join you after I finish these sets of swings."

    "Okay!" Lucina instantly perked up and ran over to a tree that sat at the edge of the field and offered plenty of shade to enjoy while waiting.

    "Here you go, Lady Lucina." Mary, expecting this, placed down a blanket so Lucina wouldn''t be sitting in the dirt and grass.

    "Thank you, Mary." Lucina took her seat and leaned back against the tree to enjoy watching Olivia train. Despite only being five years old, Olivia''s control of a sword was rather stunning. The Ordrin family came from a long lineage of Aurister knights so her father was extremely proud of her incredible growth and handling of weapons. The Duke had even authorized Olivia to start practicing with real swords so she could get used to the weight from an early age; he trusted her budding talent that much.

    "Thanks for waiting," Olivia called when she finished and wiped herself down with the towel.

    "Are you sure you don''t want to take a seat?" Lucina asked as Olivia didn''t sit down and instead started stretching when she got to the blanket.

    "If I do, I''ll cramp up later," Olivia explained as she continued her stretches, "Staying nimble is the key to a good workout."

    "But, doesn''t your aura prevent that?" Within the world existed two kinds of supernatural powers: magic and aura. Magisters used magic granted to them by the gods Lady Alm and Lord Sen to perform spells and rituals, while Auristers used aura granted to them by the goddess Lady Muz to supernaturally enhance their physical abilities. Magic affected the world around the user, while aura affected the user directly. There was some overlap like how life magic can heal a user and how some Auristers could solidify their aura and throw it at an enemy, but for the most part they were categorized as two separate powers.

    "Just because it stops me from cramping, doesn''t mean I should get complacent!" Olivia proudly declared.

    "But..." Lucina seemed rather dejected.

    "...Such a greedy girl, you''ve become," Olivia said with a smile, "But, I suppose I only have myself to blame for indulging you so much." Every Aurister''s aura had a physical appearance that reflected the user and would manifest when used. The Duke''s aura caused whatever weapon he held to be sheathed in lightning that arced towards his opponent. Olivia''s aura caused glowing white flower petals to flutter out of her hair and move in an unfelt wind with her body''s movements. "Is this what you wanted?"

    "It''s so pretty!" Lucina loved seeing Olivia''s aura. She loved the way the aura danced around Olivia and flowed with unnatural grace whenever she moved.

    "I''m glad you''re enjoying yourself." But, what Lucina loved most of all was seeing Olivia smiling through the petals that gently floated around her while the sun peaked through the tree they were under which bathed her in a warm glow that was softened by the occasional shadow. "Though, I guess this helps me, too, since using my aura will help me grow and maintain it."

    "Is it like a muscle?" Lucina asked as she poked a petal that fluted close to her only for the petal to disperse in a small flash of light.

    "Hmm, I guess you could relate it to a muscle," Olivia mused and tapped her chin in thought. "Something like that..." Her eyes wandered back to the training field and to the other knights who were all practicing and her hand moved to cover her mouth.

    "Huh?" One of the knights looked up from his practice and noticed Olivia watching. "Oh, the young Lady''s watching!"

    "She is?" Other knights glanced over to confirm. "No slacking! Show her the skill of the Azure Hawks!"

    "Yes, sir!" The knights became extremely motivated seeing Olivia watch them with such great interest and intensified their training.

    "...If only they knew," Mary gave a defeated sigh and touched her cheek. What the knights couldn''t see was the perverted smile Olivia was hiding with her hand as she gazed at the glistening muscles of the few knights who were shirtless during training.

    "...Like a muscle." There were two definitive facts Lucina had learned about Olivia during her stay in Wortrest: Olivia would sometimes say weird things that made no sense, and she got weirdly obsessed when it came to muscles.

    "My Lady, you''re drooling again," Mary said as she walked over, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped the sides of Olivia''s mouth.

    "Ahem!" Olivia quickly turned away from the knights and cleared her throat.

    "..." Lucina looked at her scrawny, malnourished arms in defeat. While she was now getting properly fed, including extra meals and snacks Nancy recommended she eat, there was still a long way to go before she would get to a healthy weight and she wouldn''t look as skinny. "Are...muscles that good?"

    "Of course they are!" Olivia turned to Lucina with such gusto that Lucina jumped in surprise. "Proper muscles are a sign of dedication and responsibility! A well-defined muscle is the cornerstone of handsomeness! Not even aura can just give you muscles, they must be earned making them that much more appealing!" She gripped the air in front of her and struck a heroic pose. Mary couldn''t bear to look at Olivia and averted her gaze in second-hand embarrassment.

    "So, bigger muscles are better?" Lucina fished for an answer.

    "...No." But, Olivia''s answer surprised Lucina.

    "But, don''t you love muscles?" The bluntness of the question caused Olivia to blush.

    "Well, defined muscles." Seeing Lucina''s confused expression, Olivia explained, "I don''t really like someone who looks like they inflated themselves with air and could pop if poked with a pin. I mean lean muscles that keep the body''s natural form while accenting it with the definition muscles bring. Like, look over there!" Olivia knelt down next to Lucina and pointed to one of the shirtless knights. "See how his abs glisten in the sun and catch the light in such a way that shows off the beauty of the human body!? Or, that one over there whose back ripples with energy with every draw of the bow!?" Lucina had no idea what Olivia was getting on about but was just happy that it looked like she was enjoying herself.

    "My Lady, please spare Lady Lucina from your more...eccentric tastes," Mary pleaded nervously. "I don''t want to explain to the Countess, should Lady Lucina pick up on your habits."

    "It''ll be fine, Mary. It''s not like it''s anything bad."

    "I''ll also be informing the Duchess, should such a thing occur."

    "..." Olivia fell silent. Then, abruptly, she looked at Lucina and gave a thumbs up while saying, "Remember Lucina, muscles aren''t everything; it''s the personality that counts."

    "That''s not what you said, earlier," Lucina pointed out.

    "That''s what we''re rolling with." The smile on Olivia''s face was pleading with Lucina to let it slide and Lucina wondered how many times something''s happened for the Duchess to be in the know about Olivia''s eccentric tastes and for it to cause Olivia such fear.

    "Okay." Lucina decided to humor Olivia''s earnest request.

    "Good," Olivia said as she laid down and rested her head on Lucina''s lap. "Now, since I indulged you with my aura, it''s your turn to indulge me with a pillow while I take a quick break."

    "...Okay," Lucina said with a shy smile. Since Lucina always asked to see Olivia''s aura while she trained, Olivia would quickly get tired and need a quick nap. Well, she didn''t really need it. Olivia just liked seeing Lucina''s flustered face as payback.

    "Is my hair uncomfortable?" Olivia asked when she realized she still had it up in a ponytail.

    "No," Lucina quietly reassured as her fingers unconsciously started stroking some loose hair off Olivia''s face.

    "...Does it suit me?" Olivia asked after being lost in thought. There was a somberness in her eyes as she looked up at Lucina. "Having a ponytail versus letting my hair down?"

    "Doesn''t it depend on what you''re doing?" Lucina answered and continued to play with Olivia''s hair.

    "I mean, what makes me look more attractive as a woman?"

    "Aren''t we both five?"

    "...Never mind," Olivia answered with a chuckle and shut her eyes. Lucina watched Olivia''s breathing mellow out as she drifted off into her nap.

    "To be honest," Lucina whispered as she watched the shadows from the tree dance across Olivia''s face, "I think you look pretty no matter how you do your hair."

    "...?" Olivia opened her eyes and stared into Lucina''s. Against the sun that peaked through the leaves of the tree, Lucina''s head was silhouetted in a halo of light. Her hair fell down her shoulders freely and seemed to envelop Olivia. Her eyes were filled with longing as they looked down at her.

    "My Lady!?" Suddenly, Becky came out of the keep and yelled as she ran towards the group.

    "Becky, what''s going on?" Olivia sat up and was on full alert seeing how stressed Becky was and Lucina started fidgeting anxiously.

    "You and Lady Lucina are to come inside, at once," Becky explained when she caught her breath. "Count Felswore is here!"

    "!?!" Everyone looked to Lucina whose entire body froze. Lucina didn''t freeze out of fear however, but instead, the ugly feelings she felt earlier forced themselves up from her heart and gripped her whole body like a vise.

 Hearts too Barbed for Forgiveness

    "Just who does he think he is?" Olivia bitterly muttered as she and Lucina followed Becky into the keep. She seemed more upset about the Count''s visit than Lucina did. "I know your mom''s always welcome without sufficient notice, but since when did that get extended to the Count?"

    "..." Lucina silently followed along. Her thoughts were becoming a jumbled mess of what to do and how she should feel knowing the Count was here. Elizabeth had sent a letter to him four days ago explaining Lucina''s legitimacy but they hadn''t received anything in response, which meant Lucina only had her imagination to guess what would happen.

    "If he apologizes, don''t forgive him easily!" Olivia''s words dragged Lucina out of her thoughts as they stood in front of the door leading into the drawing room where the Count was waiting. Lucina was wearing a long-sleeved dress to hide the bruises but the one on her shoulder crept up her neck, making itself visible, which soured Olivia''s expression. "You''re only a kid, and he neglected you like this! But you never did anything wrong, so don''t give in if he tries to apologize." Again, Olivia spoke more like an adult than a child, but that maturity was something Lucina found admirable.

    "...Okay." Lucina''s mind continued to race while the ugly feeling in her chest broiled her emotions. She''d never felt something like this before, and wondered when it would go away.

    "My Lord, I''ve brought the children," Becky called as she knocked on the door.

    "Enter," the Duke''s voice was controlled and neutral as he responded from the room. When Becky opened the door, Lucina and Olivia were led into a large room with couches and chairs surrounding a rectangular table that accommodated the guest. The Duke sat in the chair at the head of the table, the Duchess sat with Elizabeth on one of the couches, and Count Charles Felswore sat across from them on the other. The atmosphere was grim and oppressive when the girls entered the room.

    "Ah..." Charles looked exhausted and had bags under his eyes from a lack of sleep. His voice was desperate, as if pleading for something, "Lucina...my daughter." When those words left his mouth, Lucina''s mind finally stopped racing as it had found its answer.

    ***

    Huh... So it''s nothing. During the first three years, I had always wanted the Count to call me his daughter; it was a vain hope to keep going and to see my mother smile. When I realized it was pointless, I gave up that dream and instead focused on doing my best to make my mother happy with what I was given and buried the desire to be acknowledged deep inside. But, now that I''m hearing it from the Count''s lips, I guess that desire died somewhere along the way because I don''t feel a thing hearing those words. "Greetings, Count Felswore," I said, and gave a respectful bow to the Count.

    "You...don''t have to do that." I heard pain in his voice when I called him Count instead of Father. Was he expecting me to hug him after all that''s happened?

    "I am following your wishes, Count." How many nights of sleep did you lose to get those bags under your eyes? One? Two? "Who am I to speak your name without respect?" How many nights did my mother and I lose in those five years of sorrow?

    "You''re my daughter." No, I didn''t feel nothing when he spoke his acknowledgement, but I didn''t really know what I felt. What was this festering feeling I felt and this churning in my gut?

    "Yes, I am the daughter of Count Felswore of Gauldrin," the ugliness kept my voice low and unaffectionate, and I remained bowed.

    "You...may rise." He was holding back tears from the sound of his voice. Why did he dare to cry when my mother and I were the ones who were hurt? "Before you arrived, your mother and I talked, and we''ll be returning home." I immediately straightened myself upright and looked to my mother for an explanation.

    "Yes," my mother explained with a grim look on her face, "There''s a lot to make up for, and being here won''t solve anything."

    "But-!?" I wanted to stay!

    "We can always visit the Ordrins again," my mother reassured me.

    "Indeed, you should," the Duke spoke up and looked at me with the same curiosity from when we first arrived. "While you weren''t here for long, Olivia''s become quite attached to you, and I would be saddened if you didn''t come to see her as I''m sure she would be, too."

    "That''s right!" Olivia grabbed my hand and held it tight as if I would disappear. "Summer''s almost here, which is the perfect time to be with friends, so you must visit!"

    "I will." I didn''t want to wait that long. I looked down at my appearance and the clean dress I wore. "Since we''re leaving, I should get changed back into-"

    "Keep the dress," Olivia interrupted me and had a stern look in her eyes. "Keep all the ones you''ve worn since none of them fit me anymore, and you look pretty in them! I refuse to let you wear those rags anymore!" Her eyes shot icy daggers at the Count. He didn''t flinch under Olivia''s stare; he seemed to somberly accept it.

    "I thank you for your generosity, Lady Olivia," the Count said and gave a bow from his seat. "We''ll depart for Ertrum, where we''ll spend the night and push to the estate tomorrow morning." Everyone got up from their seats since the business was finished. It still didn''t feel real to me. Everything had already been decided before I even arrived, yet I had to follow the Count''s will. Why was it over so quickly?

    "Lucina?" Olivia grabbed one of my hands to get my attention. The look on her face silently asked me if I was alright.

    "I-..." I couldn''t bring myself to say ''I''m fine'' like I usually did. "...Thank you for being my friend, Olivia." I didn''t want to let go of her hand.

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    "You make it sound like I won''t see you again," Olivia somberly mumbled. "You''re definitely coming to see me again, right?"

    "Of course." While I didn''t know how often the Count would allow me to leave the mansion, I would make sure to see Olivia as often as I could without disturbing my mother. In the short few days I had been in Wortrest, it already felt more like a home than the mansion back in our county. I pulled myself out of Olivia''s grasp and followed my mother out of the room.

    "Alice always holds plenty of gatherings in Wortrest during the summer," my mother seemed to notice my mood and tried to lift my spirits as we exited the keep and approached the carriage. "I''ll bring you with me since I plan on attending as many as I can."

    "That''s good," the Count said while helping my mother into the carriage. "I''m sure you can make plenty of friends since the Ladies will sometimes bring their children, Lucina." He held out his hand to help me into the carriage.

    "If that is what you wish, Count." I ignored his hand, climbed into the carriage, and took the seat next to my mother. While he looked dejected, the Count didn''t say anything and climbed into the carriage so we could begin our journey back to the mansion. The atmosphere inside was oppressive as my mother silently stared out the window while the Count somberly looked from her to me. No one said a word during the journey to Ertrum, and even when we arrived, the mood didn''t change with no one saying anything as we spent the night in an inn. Only the following day did the Count break the silence.

    "When we get back, I''ll call for a tailor." The Count''s eyes looked at me and the dress I wore. "You...should have much more than just five dresses."

    "If that''s what you want, Count." Why did the ugly feelings return? All he did was say he''d buy me clothes...unless that in itself was the problem?

    "She also needs a tutor," my mother joined in the conversation, "She''ll be starting a year later than Adam, but our daughter''s smart, so she''ll catch up." Her hand lightly held mine, and she gave it a soft squeeze.

    "Of course," the Count gave a nod in agreement. "I already discussed things with Lucus, and he''s agreed to tutor Lucina like he did Adam." Why was the disgusting feeling in my gut getting worse? He turned to me and did his best to smile through his exhaustion. "Lucus is a good man who knows more than he seems, so I''m sure you''ll be able to learn a lot from him. Is there anything you''d like to study first?" Well, if he was asking...

    "Can I learn to read and write?" While my mother would occasionally read me stories, I didn''t actually know how to read the words in them. I also wanted to learn to write so I could send letters to Olivia, just like how my mother and the Duchess exchanged letters.

    "...Of course, you can," it sounded like something punched him in the gut, "I''ll tell Lucus to focus on teaching the alphabet and grammar for his first lessons."

    "Thank you for your grace, Count." I bowed my head and, once again, a pained expression crossed the Count''s face.

    "...I''m sorry, Lucina." I wanted to spit on him. I didn''t respond, and he didn''t say another word as his expression darkened. Why was he allowed to make that face? The rest of the carriage ride was silent until we reached the mansion.

    "Welcome back," Adam was outside to greet us. He still had his usual unreadable expression, but I caught a hint of something else from the fluctuation in his voice.

    "Welcome back, my Lord," Chris, Eunice, and a few other maids also greeted us while standing behind Adam. "Greetings, Madam," Chris said and bowed to my mother.

    "Yes...we''re back," my mother''s voice was apprehensive, and her expression was stern as she looked at the maids. No one was showing any blatant disrespect to her. "It was a long ride, so I''ll tell you about it later, Adam. Chris, prepare a bath for me."

    "At once, Madam," Chris responded before turning to Eunice and saying, "Please attend to Lady Lucina."

    "Right away." There was no contempt in their voices for me. Eunice sounded sweet as she turned to me and asked, "Would you also like a bath, Lady Lucina?"

    "...No." This felt wrong, and the feeling in my gut worsened. "I''ll go to my room."

    "Then, I shall follow," Eunice stepped back and started to follow me as I entered the mansion.

    "..." Adam watched me in silence. Was he...upset about something? He didn''t seem angry at me, but I caught a glimpse of unease in his eyes. Then again, it might have just been my imagination since I, too, was uneasy as I walked through the halls.

    "Greetings, Lady Lucina," the servants I passed all gave respectful greetings, and no one talked back to me, threatened me, or even whispered about me after I had passed. Things were...normal. But if this was normal, why was I feeling worse? Why did seeing everyone treat me like this make me want to throw up? Maybe I needed rest? Even if I was back to the old servant bed, I could still get some sleep if I tried hard enough. But what awaited me when I opened the door to my room made me freeze in place.

    "Ah, greetings, my Lady," Karla greeted me as she was inside dusting the furniture that now populated my room. All the furniture that had been taken out of my room when I was born had been brought back and was being dusted by Karla and two other maids. Two butlers were finishing putting a large bed into place against one of the walls that was almost as big as Olivia''s. "We''re almost finished and will be out of your way shortly." Why was Karla speaking politely to me? The feeling in my legs slowly returned, and I crept into the room. Everything was wrong. I needed something to comfort me, so I looked for my doll.

    "...My doll?" I looked around but couldn''t find the stuffed dog.

    "Doll?" Eunice asked before gesturing to the bed, "All your dolls were put in the bed waiting for you." I rushed over to the bed, and the two butlers bowed to me as I approached. Sitting on pillows were multiple new dolls: a horse, a cat, a bird, and a bunny all waited to greet me. But where was my dog?

    "What about my stuffed dog?"

    "Oh, that one," Karla spoke up as she finished dusting. "That one was so old, and its stitching was wearing out, so the Count told us to throw it out and replace it with these new ones."

    "!?!" That old and worn-out doll was from my brother and was the first and only gift I had ever received! Why would they throw it out!? It was mine! It was the only thing in this mansion that was truly mine, along with my two dresses that were barely better than rags! "...Get out." The churning ugliness was overflowing, and I started to shake.

    "My Lady?" Eunice approached me hesitantly and held out her hand. "Is there something wro-"

    "Get out!" My mother always told me to be careful when using my magic because magic and aura are easily affected by one''s emotions. This was never an issue for me since I always did my best to keep myself in check for fear of the Count''s wrath. But that didn''t matter anymore, and the barrier I spent five years building slipped away in an instant.

    "Ah!?" Karla cried out as an end table was thrown across the room by my gravity magic. The table broke against the far wall, showering that side of the room in splinters and large, broken pieces of wood.

    "I want everyone out!" Fresh tears poured down my face, which was distorted by the ugly feeling. I wanted everyone to leave! I wanted them to stop speaking so politely to me! I wanted the only gift I had ever received on my birthday! I...wanted Olivia to hold me and tell me it would all be okay! Another end table started to slide along the floor as my magic changed its gravity''s direction.

    "A-A-At once, my Lady!" Karla stammered out before she and the rest of the servants ran out of the room in fear. Even when they left, I was still shaking, my fists clenched harder until my knuckles turned white, and the tears wouldn''t stop flowing down my face, but I finally understood what this ugly feeling was. This wasn''t about just an old stuffed doll, this was about them brushing aside all that I had gone through like it was nothing. If letting me sleep in a nice bed surrounded by furniture was this simple to do, then why was I only given an old servant''s bed? If my bed could be filled with so many stuffed dolls, then why wasn''t it always like that? If summoning a tailor to make clothes for me was so easy, then why did I have to wear the equivalent of sewn-together rags even during winter? If the servants were capable of speaking so respectfully to me all this time, then why did I have to suffer their spite and threats? If discovering my legitimacy and calling me his daughter was so quickly solved, then why did it take five years? As I cried at the loss of my first gift and at all the injustice I had received, I truly learned what it meant to hate.

    ***

    "I knew this would happen," Adam bitterly muttered to himself as he leaned against the wall next to the door of Lucina''s room; her cries could be heard even through the closed door. When his father learned of Lucina''s legitimacy, he immediately set to work on trying to right his wrongs, but he overcorrected. He had told the servants the news and that they shouldn''t look down on Lucina anymore. He also ordered to have all the furniture returned to her room along with some new pieces. Charles had the old stuffed dog doll removed to be replaced with new dolls to show his commitment to change his ways, but that only made things worse. In his haste, Charles overlooked how this could be perceived by Lucina, and how important a single, old stuffed doll could be to his neglected child. Instead of showing a commitment to change, everything only looked like he was trying to hide what he had done and move on; his intentions were lost. "...Olivia, was it?" Before his mother retired to her bath, Adam managed to get a little information out of her about their stay in Wortrest, and he learned about Lucina''s friendship with the Duke''s daughter, Olivia Ordrin. From the look on his mother''s face as she relayed the news to him, Adam could tell Lucina had become extremely close to Olivia and that Olivia had eagerly returned the friendship. Adam stopped leaning against the wall and returned to his room; he had a letter to write.

 Lives Woven Entwine

    Two weeks passed at a gruelingly slow pace in the Felswore mansion after the return of Elizabeth and Lucina. There was always a tension in the air that everyone had to watch out for if they wanted the days to remain peaceful. None of the servants dared to show Lucina disrespect, not out of a sense of loyalty to the Felswore name but out of fear of her wrath. Despite being only five years old, Lucina''s magic was dangerously potent and her temper made her quick to anger to the point Charles'' closest aides were voicing their concerns. During one of the first days of summer, Charles silently watched Elizabeth and Lucina leave in a carriage bound for Wortrest to attend the first social gathering held by Duchess Alice when another voice added itself to the choir. The head butler, an elderly man with grey hair, stood behind Charles as he spoke, "My Lord-"

    "Are you also going to tell me to lock up my daughter, Henry?" Charles somberly asked without turning around. His expression was stoic and his eyes didn''t leave the carriage until it disappeared beyond the horizon.

    "No, my Lord, I believe Baron York was a bit extreme in his words because his second daughter is a maid in our mansion," Henry answered. "But, his worries are very much real: Lady Lucina''s magic is abnormal. She not only commands an unusually strong affinity for gravity magic but she''s also displayed rudimentary proficiency in all elemental magics, showing she''s favored by both the Hearth Mother and the Storm Father. While this should be celebrated, Lady Lucina''s temper is short, which has caused a few incidents already. We are lucky none of the servants have been injured, but if things continue like this, then it is only a matter of time before something happens."

    "She''s still never asked me for anything aside from learning to read and write," Charles sounded lost in thought. "Elizabeth is at least starting to talk to me again, but Lucina''s..."

    "My Lord!" Henry pleaded and stepped toward Charles, "You must-"

    "What must I do?!" Charles sharply turned to Henry and held a face mixed with anger and sorrow. "Should I lock my daughter away mere days after attempting to right my wrongs of the past five years!? Should I force her to stop studying what she wants and tell Lucus to delve into magical theory when Lucina doesn''t even know how to read a children''s book!?"

    "...I apologize, my Lord."

    "Don''t," Charles held up his hand and gave a disparaged sigh, "I''ve known you long enough to realize you mean well, Henry. It''s just... I don''t want to admit that it''s too late to fix my daughter''s heart and that I might still find a place in it."

    "Please leave my sister to me, Father." Adam appeared in the doorway with a recently received letter in his hands.

    "Adam?" Charles, for better or worse, was blessed with two talented children; Lucina excelled in magic, while Adam held a mind sharper than any of his peers. He knew Adam was sending and receiving letters from Wortrest over the past two weeks, and he looked confident as he stood before the Count. "I''m assuming you have a plan, then?"

    "Yes," Adam reassured his father as he held his latest correspondence from Olivia, "I will make sure nothing bad happens, so please focus on fixing your bad habits."

    "...I''m even receiving life advice from my son now?" Charles scoffed at himself for how pathetic he was. He turned back to the horizon before finishing, "I''ll leave it to you, Adam."

    "Thank you, Father," Adam said while giving a respectful bow. He knew Lucina''s mood was worsening because she was surrounded by hypocrisy when all she wanted was to get away. Lucina needed to get away from the mansion to destress, which meant it was Olivia''s time to shine.

    ***

    "What is all this?" When my mother and I arrived at Wortrest, Olivia had immediately taken me out to a gazebo in the garden that was behind the keep. Since this was the first gathering of the season, none of the ladies brought their children which left Olivia and I to ourselves. The gazebo was built into a small water feature with a wooden bridge leading to it from the path. Waiting for us in the gazebo was a table filled with various strings, yarns, scissors, buttons, and different colors of cloth. Olivia seemed oddly excited.

    "Summer activities!" she proudly declared and helped me into one of the chairs around the table. "The weather''s beautiful, so we should enjoy the outdoors, but I also wanted to try doll-making with you, so I had the maids help me set this up for us."

    "Doll making?" Olivia knew how to make dolls?

    "Well...sort of..." she sounded embarrassed as Mary and Julie arrived holding two human-shaped dolls that didn''t have any clothing, hair, or features on their faces. "The hard part''s mostly done for us, but we get to make the rest, so it still counts!" She sat in the chair opposite to me and started to stare at me intently.

    "...Olivia?" I was getting nervous from her intense stare. "Did you...need something?"

    "I''m trying to capture your appearance in my mind." It seemed she was already saying weird things, and I only just arrived.

    "Capture my appearance?"

    "Yeah, since I want to make my doll look like you."

    "!?!" My face instantly turned a bright shade of red, and my chest started throbbing.

    "Are you already overheating from the weather?" Olivia jumped out of her seat and rushed toward me. She got close to my face and put her cool hands on my cheeks. "I didn''t think it was that hot, but if you''re sensitive to the heat, that would be a problem."

    "My Lady, if you say you want to make a doll resembling them to a young lady they''re bound to get embarrassed, and the weather will just make it more apparent." Mary seemed to understand my situation.

    "...Why are you so damned cute?" Olivia muttered as she went from holding my face with concern to mischievously squishing my cheeks which had started to fill out now that I was eating properly even after just two weeks. "This is much more how a child''s cheeks should feel!"

    "I-I''m not cute!" I tried to push her hands away, but my pointless struggle only made Olivia smile brighter.

    "Of course you are," she teased before finally letting go of me and returning to her seat. "You''re my cute, little Lucina!" A warm breeze blew through the garden, causing gentle waves to break themselves against the gazebo''s support legs that extended into the water. The sun reflected off the water, sending surreal reflected light rippling across the roof above us. Olivia''s hair danced in the wind and seemed to accent her smile that shined even brighter than the sun-kissed beds of flowers behind her. "Now, let''s get started. This color matches your hair, so..."

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "..." It felt like my breath was stolen away as I watched Olivia start to pull and cut yarn to make hair; my hair. I looked at the blank doll in my hands and imagined what it should look like to capture even a small piece of Olivia''s beauty. There was some white yarn that could work for hair, one of the pieces of cloth was a deep blue that would work for a dress, as for the buttons...

    ***

    Olivia looked up from her work and smiled as she watched Lucina''s face scrunch up in deep thought. She was being extremely picky in choosing what to dress the doll up in, and she''d already tossed aside six buttons because they didn''t meet her criteria for how blue Olivia''s eyes should be. Seeing how relaxed Lucina was while with her was both a blessing and a somber reminder as the letters she received from Adam Felswore weighed heavily on her mind causing her fingers to fall idle. It seemed the Count was not only a scummy father, but was also completely tactless when it came to apologizing which was only hurting Lucina and causing more strife in their family. Adam was the one who suggested making dolls, and Olivia made a mental note to thank him for that idea later as she continued to watch Lucina work.

    "Should I cut that for you, Lady Lucina?" Julie asked when Lucina appeared to struggle with the scissors.

    "I-I can do it!" she stated and redoubled her focus on cutting the cloth for the dress. Olivia found it adorable that Lucina was trying so hard to do this without any help, and she stifled a laugh when Lucina''s tongue poked out of her mouth from the sheer amount of concentration she was exerting.

    "Very well," Julie giggled upon seeing the determination in the young girl''s eyes and backed away. "If you need me, I''ll be here." Mary and Julie stayed on the bridge as they kept an eye on the girls and eventually started chatting with each other to pass the time since it looked like Olivia and Lucina would be fine.

    "..." Lucina eventually stopped working and had a troubled look on her face as she stared at her materials.

    "What''s wrong?" Olivia asked as she finished sewing the small green dress for her doll together.

    "...I...don''t know how to sew," Lucina sheepishly replied, and her eyes dejectedly looked at the pieces she had but didn''t know how to start putting them together.

    "Then I can teach you." Olivia hopped out of her chair with her doll, dragged the chair over to Lucina, moved all her material over to Lucina''s side of the table, and sat down next to her. "I''ll show you the technique on some scraps, and you can follow along, okay?"

    "...Okay." Lucina''s cheeks were red from embarrassment again, and she was pouting, which made her look like a sulking puppy. Olivia held herself back as she knew Lucina was trying her best with their doll and she wanted to do everything she could to help. Slowly, Olivia and Lucina practiced sewing on some cloth scraps before moving on to the small blue dress for the doll.

    "See," Olivia said when the dress was finished, and Lucina put it on the doll, "I knew you could do it."

    "..." Lucina didn''t respond as she looked at the doll in her hands. It was a simple doll with a plain blue dress, white yarn for hair, and two blue buttons for eyes, but the knowledge that she had made it with her own hands, even if it was just the decorations, made it feel that much more special. The fact it was meant to be Olivia also didn''t help calm Lucina''s fast-beating heart as she held the doll in her hands and gave it a hug.

    "Now, we''re matching!" Olivia said and sat her finished doll on the table in front of them. She didn''t want Lucina to feel bad, so she deliberately kept her doll of Lucina to the same simplicity as the one Lucina made of her. Lucina placed her doll next to Olivia''s, and the throbbing in her chest tightened upon seeing the dolls sitting next to and leaning on each other''s shoulders.

    "You''re...really good at things," Lucina spoke with reverence but also held a hint of sadness that Olivia picked up on. Lucina looked down at her hands, which had multiple needle pricks. "You''re already an Aurister, you''re really brave, you can sew... And all I can do is make trouble."

    "That''s not true!" Olivia tried to refute her friend, "I may be an Aurister, but you''ve already got what it takes to be an amazing Magister." She brought Lucina in for a hug from her chair and she scooted closer. "You can do plenty of things I can''t."

    "But you''re already so smart and mature, so why do you hang out with a crybaby like me?" Lucina didn''t know why she was opening up like this to Olivia. She didn''t want to show this ugly side to her friend who was the light that gave her a better life, but after the two weeks she''d been through the words came out anyway.

    "...Because I''m not as smart or mature as you think." A somberness entered Olivia''s voice as she leaned against Lucina.

    "Oli-?"

    "Do you believe in reincarnation?" Olivia''s words felt like they held weight beyond what Lucina would understand.

    "What''s reincarnation?" But Lucina wanted to know how to help Olivia hold that weight.

    "It means being reborn into a different life after you die," Olivia explained. She figured Lucina wouldn''t be able to understand what she was about to say, but Olivia needed to get it off her chest as her secret had been gnawing at her, so burying it in a memory shared between five-year-olds sounded nice. The two sat in a drawn out silence, leaning on each other and watching the wind blow over the flower beds. Lucina was giving Olivia as much time as she needed since Olivia was both willing and reluctant to share the meaning of her words. Olivia''s eyes glazed over as she stared at the flowers in the distance. Would this change things? Would things derail beyond her control if she revealed her secret? Was this just another way to her death sentence? These thoughts clouded her mind and held her tongue in place, but nothing would change if she sat idly on the sidelines and let fate flow as it wanted. "I...remember my past life."

    "..." Lucina''s silence was unreadable, and Olivia couldn''t see her face since they were both staring at the flowers.

    "I remember sewing clothes back together with my mother since we didn''t have enough money to buy me new ones." Olivia quietly continued her story while Lucina listened intently. "The reason I appear so mature is because I am, technically, older than you."

    "But you were born three months after me," Lucina muttered.

    "I''m older if we count my past life," Olivia chuckled and softly rubbed Lucina''s head. "I remember eating with my friends and laughing the days away while we worked our way through school. I used to be captain of the track team, you know?"

    "What''s a track team?" Lucina''s voice was quiet as she did her best to listen rather than speak.

    "It''s...sort of like a group of people that work out together. Kids get together in teams and work out with each other before going to compete in competitions against other teams to prove who worked out better." Olivia did her best to explain it to someone who had no concept of what a modern high school environment was. "I was chosen as the leader of my team, but I never got to lead them to a competition..." Olivia''s words trailed off and she stopped rubbing Lucina''s head.

    "Why not?" Lucina was afraid of where this was going because of what Olivia asked about earlier.

    "...Because I died."

    "..." Olivia''s words cut a wound into Lucina''s heart. She fully believed everything Olivia was telling her because Olivia had no reason to lie and the pain in her words felt all too real.

    "Looking back, it was a stupid death, too." Olivia sounded bitter and leaned heavily on Lucina''s shoulder. "I was in love with a boy who was my...fianc¨¦." The terms boyfriend and girlfriend didn''t exist here in a world of noble arranged marriages, so she used the next best word Lucina could understand despite calling Tanaka her fianc¨¦ making her want to throw up. "While out with my friends, we saw my fianc¨¦ out with another girl. They were holding hands and even kissed each other in public... Fucking assholes... Don''t remember those words," Olivia caught herself and reminded herself she was talking to a five-year-old. "Anyway, I ran to confront them but was...hit by a carriage. I blacked out only to wake up during my birth as Olivia Ordrin."

    "..." Lucina was at a loss for what to say, so she grabbed Olivia''s hand and gently rubbed it like her mother would do when Lucina was sad.

    "...Do you remember when we first met? When I ran away from you in the entrance hall?"

    "Yeah?"

    "Well, in my past life, I...received five prophecies of my future in this life." Olivia didn''t want to even attempt to explain what an otome game was to a medieval five-year-old. Since the gods in this world interacted with their people, she decided to weave her story in a way that would make sense for Lucina. "In four of those prophecies, I was killed."

    "!?!" Lucina stopped rubbing Olivia''s hands as her whole body tensed up at the thought of Olivia dying, let alone being killed by someone.

    "In a few years, I''ll get engaged to the crown prince in a political marriage," Olivia quietly explained. Her words were like a whisper in the wind. "But, a Saintess of Alm will be discovered and steal his heart. I''ll get jealous of her and bully her relentlessly to drive her away...but that will only strengthen their love. In four of those prophecies, even in the ones where she doesn''t go for my fianc¨¦, I''ll hate the Saintess for one reason or another and end up on the end of her lover''s blade." Olivia''s mind wandered back to her days as Ayaka and recalled the endings to the various routes. Her heart is impaled by James in his route, she''s burned alive by Andrew in his, Solomon has her thrown to demons by a group of loyal priests, and Derik beheads her. She started to sweat at the thought of her going through any of those deaths.

    "...What about the fifth?" Lucina cautiously asked. She had turned away from the flowers and was looking at Olivia.

    "That''s...where you come in."

    "Me?"

    "You don''t show up in the other four prophecies, but in the fifth prophecy, you help the Saintess steal the hearts of all four people from the previous prophecies." A tired smile crossed Olivia''s face as she remembered playing the reverse harem route. "You sell her magic items to help her, and in the end, I get enslaved by the crown prince, who then sells me to you. We then leave the school, and the prophecy ends." Olivia felt lighter after telling someone her secret, even if the person she told would probably end up forgetting it as they grew older.

    "I...I would never do that!" Lucina lunged at Olivia and wrapped her arms around her dearest friend. "I don''t care what you saw since I would never betray you like that! Never! You''re my friend, and nothing can change that! I-I won''t let that happen!" Olivia had given so much to her that Lucina always felt indebted to Olivia, but now was her chance. Now was Lucina''s chance to be there for Olivia when she needed a shoulder to cry on. "I''ll help you so that none of those prophecies happen!"

    "Yeah, I kno-" Olivia tried to brush off Lucina''s worry, but her words caught in her throat as she realized tears were flowing down her face. The feeling of Lucina desperately hugging her, affirming their friendship, and declaring her intent to help her avoid her death and enslavement eased a burden Olivia did her best to forget: her supposed unchangeable fate. Lucina was someone who now knew her secret and was willing to help her with everything she had. "...Thank you." Olivia''s voice came out through her tears as she returned Lucina''s hug. Mary and Julie had been too far away to hear the girl''s conversation but came rushing to their sides when they saw the girls were crying. Through their tears, the two girls vowed to change their fate and to create a brighter future for each other.

 Necessity Begets Talent

    "How are we even living in a gas giant''s ring, anyway?" Olivia asked me while we were riding in a carriage heading down to the town of Wortrest. It had been a year since she confided in me about her past life and ever since then she''s started talking about weirder and weirder things. Her eyes were looking out the window at Sailest''s rings that arced across the sky which could be seen even during the day despite Sailest only coming out at night.

    "What''s a gas giant?" I seemed to be speaking in questions the more time went on.

    "It''s¡­a planet made of clouds." I could tell when Olivia simplified explanations for me since she would have to pause and think about how to say it in a way someone not from her previous life could understand. Though, I liked that she still tried to humor me. "The rings we see are made up of rocks and ice that get trapped in Sailest''s gravity. But from my understanding, a habitable planet like the one we live on can''t form or survive in a gas giant''s ring so I''m curious to know how it''s possible."

    "Wouldn''t it be because the gods grace us?" Over the past year, I successfully learned to read and write at a basic level so I moved on to learning theology to deepen my understanding of magic. However, Lucus refused to go too deeply into any one subject and forced me to study a variety of topics which meant I only knew the basics. "It''s said that the gods live in Sailest along with the souls of those who lived a virtuous life. Lord Zulm governs space and time so he''s probably keeping us safe from whatever dangers a normal planet would face in a ''gas giant'' ring."

    "So it''s a literal version of Christianity''s Heaven?"

    "What''s Christianity''s Heaven?"

    "¡­Never mind." Olivia wouldn''t explain everything to me and she''d brush off topics that she thought would make me uncomfortable. I still remember the time she tried to explain what an ''internet'' was and it felt like my brain was turning to mush trying to keep up. "I guess since gods are real, here, then it could work. Status." Another thing she did was randomly say the word ''status'' and start poking at the air in front of her.

    "What are you doing?" I had never asked her about it before since I figured it was just a weird thing she did to organize her thoughts, but she was doing it enough that I got curious.

    "Looking at my stats," she replied without looking up from whatever she was doing. "My swordsmanship skill improved and my aura capacity is growing at a nice pace, but I''m still not happy with where it''s at."

    "But, you''re just poking at the air."

    "Don''t you also have a stat screen?"

    "What''s a screen?"

    "¡­" Olivia stopped poking at the air and looked up at me with a curious expression. After taking a moment to collect her thoughts she muttered, "But all the characters had stat screens in-game." While she never went into it, I was able to piece together that the prophecies she received in her previous life came to her in the form of a ''game'' she could occasionally mutter about. She leaned back in her seat and asked, "How do you¡­check up on your abilities? How are you able to know how much magic you currently have and can store within yourself?"

    "I''d use soul reflection."

    "Soul reflection?"

    "Yes!" While rare, there were times that I knew more about something than Olivia did which meant I was able to teach and be of help to her. She primarily focused on training her body rather than her mind and was mainly relying on the knowledge she''d gotten from the prophesies. Enthusiastically, I repeated my mother''s explanation, "Soul reflection is an inherent ability everyone has that lets them see their current condition. It tells a person their strengths, weaknesses, magic or aura capacity, and some other things that the person wants to know."

    "So, it''s called soul reflection," Olivia mumbled as she internalized what I told her. "Then, what are your numbers?"

    "¡­Soul reflection is, like its name, a reflection of a person''s soul. Since you''re really smart and mature you see things as numbers, but it''s different for everyone."

    "How so?" I guess the Duchess never taught Olivia about it since it seemed she inherently knew how to use it already.

    "Well," I tapped my chin as I recalled the examples my mother told me when teaching me how to use the skill, "A lumberjack might see the stump of a tree and be able to read the rings to tell their condition, a fisherman could see a collection of fish, knights might see a set of armor or weapons, and other things like that."

    "Then, what about yours?" Olivia was getting excited and she leaned forward while staring at me with expectant eyes. "I''m curious to know what your reflection is!"

    "¡­It''s a garden," I partially lied.

    "How innocent," Olivia chuckled. "You must really like flowers, then. I''ll have to remember that for your next birthday."

    "¡­Yeah." While my soul reflection was a garden, it was a garden of thorns. I activated the skill and bitterly watched as the inside of the carriage became overgrown with a thicket of briars. I hated my reflection, and I hated what my garden did even more. Whenever I used soul reflection while around Olivia, the thicket of my soul would begin to stretch and wrap itself around her. I tested if this happened with anyone else, including my mother, but nothing special would happen. As Olivia gave me a warm smile, the briars of my soul started wrapping themselves around her arms and legs. One of the vines slowly wove its way around her body and up to her neck. "I''ll look forward to what flowers you''ll bring!" I buried the briars back into my soul and returned Olivia''s smile. No matter how close we had become, I couldn''t tell her about my soul reflection. If that ugly thicket truly represented my soul, then I really was a hideous person and I didn''t want Olivia to see me that way. Though, what confused me was how gentle it was despite being so unnerving. The thorns never pierced Olivia''s skin and would only gently weave around her. It was a gentle embrace, as gentle as a thorn could be.

    "Hmm, ah, we''re here!" Our conversation killed the remaining time of our trip and we were now in town. Wortrest was formed near the Helker River which was a massive river that snaked through the entire kingdom, making it a major trade route between the provinces. The river ran west until eventually emptying out into the ocean at the port town of Solfin, but most of the duchy''s trade was conducted in Wortrest since it was the seat of the Duke before passing through to the rest of the kingdom. As such, Wortrest was a bustling town that stretched from the river bank all the way to the base of the hill Castle Wortrest stood upon. Various shops, inns, and restaurants made of wood and stone lined the cobblestone streets that our carriage rode upon as we made our way deeper into the town. "Honestly, this architecture looks more like a Renaissance Era city than it does a Medieval one," Olivia would always muse to herself whenever we went out to town.

    "I like the feel of Wortrest." She never went into much detail on what those words meant.

    "True," she agreed as we passed the park that was at the center of town, "The mix of Medieval villages and Renaissance towns definitely gives off a fantasy feel. And it is quite coz-¡­?" Olivia''s words faded out as she stopped talking when something caught her eye out the window.

    "Oli-?" Olivia jumped out of the moving carriage. "Olivia!?"

    "My Lady!?" The coachman pulled on the reins of the horses to stop them and Mary, who was sitting next to him, jumped down and rushed after Olivia who was making her way to a large stone building. "My Lady, please don''t jump out of moving carriages!" Mary pleaded when she caught up to Olivia. Once the carriage stopped, I also jumped out and ran after them. "Why did you jump out!?"

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t answer as she silently stared at the stone building and a flag that hung from one of the windows; the flag depicted a green ship surrounded by a yellow background. "Trent," she whispered to herself. Looking up at the sign above the door revealed the building to belong to the Trent Merchant Company. "Lucina," she turned to me and I saw a glint of inspiration in her eyes, "I know we were supposed to go shopping today, but do you mind if we do something else?"

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "I don''t mind." I didn''t recognize the name of the company, and I didn''t think Olivia was into trading companies either, but the eagerness in her voice made me want to see where this was going.

    "Mary, Father gave me a blank cheque to pay for our outing today, right?"

    "¡­He did," Mary sounded uneasy as Olivia turned back to the building.

    "Then, let''s make some new friends," she declared as she walked into the building with Mary and I following close behind. The entrance hall was filled with people moving to and fro and it looked like the employees were still unpacking and setting up business. We continued inside and headed to a large desk against one of the walls.

    "Hmm? Oh!" A man in uniform saw us waiting and rushed behind the desk. "My apologies for the wait." He gave a respectful bow. "Welcome to the Trent Merchant Company regional office. My name is Justin, how may I help you today?"

    "I''d like to make an investment in Trent," Olivia happily replied and she smiled up at Justin.

    "An investment?" While his expression didn''t change, there was a shift in his eyes as he sized up Olivia and I, and his voice became skeptical, "Are you on business for your parents?"

    "No, I would personally like to invest." Olivia seemed unfazed by Justin''s change in demeanor.

    "I see," Justin seemed annoyed at having to deal with children he probably believed didn''t know what they were doing. Then again, what were we doing? "Well, I can help you from here, so how will you be investing?"

    "Shouldn''t we go somewhere private to discuss our business?" Olivia asked with a knowing smile on her lips.

    "As I said, I can help you from here," Justin refused to budge or give us any serious consideration.

    "Very well," Olivia gave a shrug and looked to Mary, "Mary, please show him the cheque so he can validate its authenticity."

    "As you wish, my Lady," despite controlling her facial expressions, Mary''s voice bled with annoyance directed at Justin.

    "Hmm, let''s see here," Justin grumbled as he took the blank cheque and started looking it over. "Paper''s fine. Payor is Richard Or-¡­!?" He froze. Justin read and then reread the information on the cheque and panic started creeping onto his face.

    "Yes, Richard Ordrin''s my father," Olivia said with a smile that could crush souls, "I''m his daughter, Olivia Ordrin."

    "¡­P-Please wait a moment, my Lady!" Justin stammered out before bolting up a flight of stairs to the second floor.

    "Should¡­we have stopped him?" I asked since he had just ran away with a blank cheque.

    "Wait for it," Olivia playfully said as she folded her hands behind her back. After a few seconds of silence, it felt like the entire building shook from fright.

    "No other young ladies in Wortrest have pure white hair, you idiot!" Everyone turned to the stairs as the voice of a young girl echoed through the building and, a moment later, a ten-year-old girl in a clean simplistic dress raced down the stairs towards us with the blank cheque in her hand. Her short black hair was messy from the speed at which she was running, and her green eyes were filled with both anger and fear. "My deepest apologies for the rudeness you had to endure, Lady Ordrin!" The young girl gave a deep bow and extended her hands out to offer the cheque back to Olivia.

    "My, I didn''t know the Trent group employed children?"

    "We don''t, I am Margaret Trent, daughter to Oscar Trent and heiress to the Trent Merchant Company!" Margaret''s voice was completely professional despite how winded she was from running.

    "I meant the man from earlier." It sounded like Olivia was having fun.

    "Once again, you have my deepest apologies about him! He will be receiving disciplinary repercussions for his actions against the Duke''s daughter, please rest assured." Despite being ten, Margaret held herself well while talking with Olivia.

    "I see, then can we continue discussing business? I was told to wait here to do it~." Olivia took the cheque and gently held it to her cheek.

    "Please, follow me! I will personally assist in whatever you need!" Margaret led us up the stairs to the second floor which was filled with offices. Because of the earlier commotion, the employees on this level were failing horribly at hiding their interest and were taking not-so-stealthy glances at us as we followed Margaret into an open office. As she entered the room, Margaret snapped her fingers and two employees brought in freshly brewed tea that was probably made right before she ran downstairs. Mary stood by the door while the rest of us sat down around Margaret''s desk. "I apologize for the mess as we''ve only recently arrived in Wortrest and are still setting up in the building. My father is out with a trade ship right now, but I hold his full authority in matters related to the company while he''s away."

    "That''s perfectly alright," Olivia said while sipping her cup of tea. "I realize I stopped in without notice with my friend, so you don''t have to feel pressured too much."

    "Friend?" In her rush, Margaret had completely blanked me out of her mind but Olivia''s mention caused her to look at me.

    "Yes, I''m Olivia''s friend," I did my best to sound mature, straightened my back, and copied Olivia''s movements to drink tea. "Lucina Felswore."

    "Fel-¡­!?" Once again, Margaret''s face became flustered and she bowed her head. "I apologize dearly for the rudeness the Count''s daughter faced, Lady Felswore!"

    "¡­It''s fine." It was weird having someone bow to me while apologizing with such sincerity. Since she knew who my family was she must know about the rumors of my birth which were still floating around despite Lady Alm''s temple giving an announcement thanks to Elder Arkin. Even if it was proven false, you can''t erase five years of unchecked rumors. But Margaret didn''t seem to let that get in the way of her business sense. She reminded me of Adam, in a way, which was good.

    "Now that introductions are out of the way, let''s talk business, Lady Margaret."

    "My family are merchants with no ties to nobility, Lady Ordrin, so just Margaret is fine."

    "I couldn''t possibly disrespect a future business partner like that, Lady Margaret," Olivia said as she grabbed a pen and started filling out the cheque. Margaret''s expression softened slightly at hearing Olivia''s words and I saw some of the tension she was holding in her shoulders lessen. "You said your father was currently away? Is he doing business in one of the other duchies?" Olivia probed. She left the amount on the cheque blank.

    "No, he''s actually sailing across the ocean to the kingdom of Yulash to try and discover unearthed treasures in the land''s old ruins." Margaret''s tone lightened as she talked about her father and the mood in the room followed suit.

    "He''s living up to your company''s crest, I see."

    "You know the story behind it, Lady Ordrin?" Margaret couldn''t hide her astonishment at Olivia''s words.

    "The Trent Merchant Company that returned from across the ocean with chests filled with jewels to the point that onlookers said it was like staring at a ship made of emeralds. How could I not know such a mesmerizing tale that provokes the imagination for a newly established company?" Olivia''s compliment caused Margaret''s professional demeanor to falter and she lightly blushed.

    "I-I''m glad you think so, Lady Ordrin."

    "Is this his second trip to Yulash?"

    "It''s his third trip, actually," Margaret was becoming relaxed while talking with Olivia and her tongue was slipping. "While I haven''t gone, myself, my father tells me Yulash is a beautiful land."

    "He must have established a trade deal with them if he''s visiting so frequently, then?"

    "Not yet, I''m afraid," Margaret admitted. "Their ruler is quite stubborn, and my father has to fight tooth and nail with the nation''s merchants to get what he can to bring back to Urldrusk which we''re still preparing to sell."

    "Really?" Olivia''s smile changed and I saw a confident glint in her eye. "Because I''m pretty sure the Sultan refuses to trade his nation''s wealth to anyone without an official charter he personally grants to foreign merchants."

    "¡­!?" Margaret flinched. Now I understood why we were here; this was related to the prophecies. There''s no way Olivia knew the trade dealings of Yulash, some distant kingdom, considering her study habits so this information must be something she learned from the prophecies she received in her past life.  In that case¡­

    "So, did Lady Margaret lie to us?" I innocently asked and turned to Olivia.

    "W-Wait-!?" In a panic, Margaret tried to speak up.

    "It would seem so," Olivia said and gave me a fake saddened smile. "I guess she also isn''t taking us seriously."

    "I-I wouldn''t dar-!?"

    "So, should we look somewhere else to invest?" I asked and watched out of the corner of my eye as the color left Margaret''s face.

    "Not yet," Olivia said before turning back to Margaret. "I''d like to believe Lady Margaret just misspoke. After all, there was a rather embarrassing incident earlier that''s probably still weighing on her mind, and she''s probably still learning the ropes of business. Am I right, Lady Margaret?" The smile that could crush souls returned as we awaited a response.

    "You¡­are correct, Lady Ordrin." Margaret swallowed a lump in her throat before continuing, "I am still learning under my father, and there is so much on my mind that I misspoke."

    "Good, a misspeak I can forgive, but I hate liars the most," a subtle venom dripped from Olivia''s voice.

    "Lady Ordrin, I wouldn''t dare lie to-"

    "Margaret," Olivia''s tone was serious despite the smile on her face, "The number of zeros I write down on this cheque entirely depends on you."

    "¡­My father finalized a trade deal with the Sultan during his first trip." Margaret''s face still looked pale, but her voice was getting back under her control despite the occasional stammer from how nervous she was. Even if it was embarrassing, she couldn''t miss this opportunity to make a connection with the Duke of Holst. "To keep the deal, we have to constantly be on the move with our ships which has allowed us to bring in treasures from Yulash and begin expanding our operations. However, the royal family of Urldrusk only gave my father an exploration charter, not a trade charter. My father submitted the paperwork for a trade charter, but the bureaucrats in the capital have been dragging their feet," she sounded bitter and was doing her best to not direct that bitterness toward us as she continued speaking. "If we stop trading and wait for the capital''s charter then we lose the deal we have with Yulash, and the Sultan isn''t known for giving foreign merchants second chances."

    "But, trading without a proper charter is illegal," Olivia mused which caused Margaret to squirm in her seat. "This building''s next to the center of town, it must have cost quite a lot. Have you been selling on the black market?"

    "No!" Margaret shot up from her seat and put her hand on her chest. "I swear by the Trent name that we have conducted no illegal dealings within the kingdom, and especially not within your duchy! We¡­bought the building on credit that we''ll pay off once we receive the charter and can sell the goods my father''s been bringing back."

    "So, are the goods just sitting in a storehouse?"

    "¡­My father also bought many storehouses along the Helker with credit." Margaret was obviously uncomfortable with revealing these secrets, but the cheque on the table was too tempting for her.

    "Thank you for being honest with me, Lady Margaret," Olivia said and finished writing the cheque. When she handed it to Margaret, I watched the ten-year-old''s eyes light up with shock as she stared at the cheque.

    "Th-This amount!?" I glanced at the cheque and saw it was made out for five thousand gold coins which was the equivalent to two years of Gauldrin''s harvest trade returns; far more money than a non-noble would ever see in a single cheque.

    "Also," Olivia said as she and I stood up, "Did you know that Dukes can issue trade charters?" Margaret''s eyes shot up to Olivia. "While they only authorize you to trade within the duchy the issuer rules, it sounds like a great temporary solution until the capital gets back to you. Come visit me sometime and I''ll treat you to some tea, Lady Margaret."

    "I-¡­The Trent Merchant Company will forever remember your generosity, Lady Ordrin!" Margaret bowed even lower than before and she was holding the cheque as if it were a holy artifact. After we left and returned to the carriage Olivia gave a tired chuckle as she sank into her seat.

    "There goes five years of my allowance, but I''m so glad cheques exist in this world."

    "Was it worth it?" I asked as we started riding back to the castle since Olivia would need to explain to the Duke what she had just done. While the duchy wasn''t hurting for money, such a large transaction had to be reported as soon as possible.

    "The Trent Merchant Company will one day lead Arlexia''s foreign trade and bring in untold wealth. I learned from the prophesies that they would sign a trade charter with my father one day along with receiving an investment of five thousand gold, so swooping in and doing it myself to get on their good side now is a worthwhile investment."

    "But, we''re in Urldrusk."

    "¡­I know." Olivia was still confused about why her prophecy was about an Empire of Arlexia when no such empire existed, but we both agreed that something might happen later that would cause a change on the continent. "Even still, if I can get them on my side early on then I can reap the most benefits later. They''ll never forget the hand I extended to them, and I need more allies who can help me." A somber air filled the carriage as we rode back to the castle in silence. Olivia was right; she needed people who could help her¡­and I wasn''t one of them. I would need to change if I wanted to continue standing by her side, and I knew just the way to do it.

 Laws That Bind

    "Advanced magic lessons?" Charles was surprised by his daughter''s request. Lucina rarely sought out her father during the past year to the point the number of visits could be counted on one hand. When Henry reported Lucina wished to speak with him as soon as she returned from Wortrest, Charles was hit by a wave of emotions and immediately let her into his office.

    "Yes, Count." Even if it was just for business, Charles wouldn''t miss this chance to be with his daughter. "I would like to focus on magic and theology to further improve myself." Lucina never spoke like a normal six-year-old; her speech was too rigid and stifled.

    "While Lucus has said you''ve been working through your studies at an accelerated pace, deeper lessons on magic are usually reserved for after you reach the age of ten at the earliest." Charles controlled his emotions and kept his expression in check. Lucina hated when he tried to dote on her and Charles didn''t want her to cut off their conversation too early. "Your mother didn''t start learning advanced theory until she was fifteen. Is there a reason you wish to start this soon?"

    "Because I see no reason to wait," Lucina responded. "As Magister Lucus can tell you, I am more than caught up to my peers in all other subjects. My magic is also stronger than others, so I believe it would be a good idea to learn as much as I can as early as I can to better control myself." Lucina was not oblivious to the fearful whispers the servants hushed to one another that wove through their mansion. She placed a hand on her chest and looked her father in the eyes. "Please allow me to begin proper theology and magical theory studies, Count."

    "¡­" Charles pursed his lips that he hid behind a hand he used to rub his chin. "Do the words of my vassals sway you so?" he asked. While he was willing to allow Lucina to advance in her studies at her own pace it had to be of her own will to do so. If she only wanted to learn because one of his vassals, like Baron York, had approached and threatened or coerced her into doing this then he wouldn''t let it slide.

    "No," Lucina answered, "I do not care about the words of your vassals." Charles hid a smile with his hand since he knew York would throw a fit if he heard Lucina''s words. "I want to learn for my own reasons."

    "Then, I will allow it." While he wanted to know what those reasons were, Charles now knew better than to pry into his daughter''s mind; that was the quickest way to get shut out. He relaxed his posture and said, "I will tell Lucus to prepare the lessons. It may take some time for him to sort through the material and create a course plan, so for the time being, you can clear your schedule of lessons and enjoy some free time."

    "Thank you for your generosity, Count," Lucina said and gave a respectful bow before leaving the office. Charles let out a long sigh once he was sure his daughter was gone and Henry put a freshly poured cup of tea on the desk.

    "A blessing in disguise, my Lord," Henry said and returned to sorting through a stack of documents.

    "Indeed, despite how it went." Charles still hoped for the day Lucina would speak comfortably to him. "Contact the Silk Sparrows and hire them to look into the vassal''s recent movements."

    "Do you not believe the Lady''s words?" Henry asked. The Silk Sparrows was an intelligence guild with agents all across Urldrusk and were responsible for more than a few blown noble scandals. "She didn''t seem to be lying that she wanted to do it for herself."

    "Just in case," Charles replied and twirled his fountain pen between his fingers. "If I can''t openly love my daughter, then I''ll at least make sure nothing gets in her way from the shadows; especially not my own vassals."

    "I will personally see to the request, my Lord," Henry gave a bow and left the office to head into town. Charles was left to his thoughts and he stared out the window that overlooked the backyard. Elizabeth was enjoying tea in the garden and he watched as her face lit up with joy when Lucina came out to join her. For a moment, Charles started to get up from his chair to go out and join them but he immediately stopped himself. His presence would only sour their smiles. So, with a heavy heart, he returned to his work.

    ***

    "Greetings, Magister Lucus," I said and gave a respectful curtsy to Lucus when I entered the classroom in my family''s mansion. It had been just over a week since I requested to start diving into magic and today was the first lesson.

    "Good morning, Lady Lucina." Lucus was a tall man with a slender build. His ashy blonde hair was long and went down to his waist, and he wore his usual red and brown robes. And, as usual, his blue eyes had bags under them from a lack of sleep. It wasn''t because he was being overworked, but rather Lucus just forgets to go to sleep and will oftentimes stay up multiple days in a row if something catches his fancy. Despite being perpetually tired, he always showed me basic courtesy which was why I enjoyed having him as my tutor. "I apologize for the delay, I had to dig up some old books and scrolls from the temple and get permission from Elder Arkin to bring them to the county." Lady Alm''s worshipers held a temple in the neighboring town of Ertrum that was the center of the goddess'' worship in the Holst duchy. Since Lucus was a member of Lady Alm''s flock, he was able to get the material necessary to learn more about magic.

    "It''s alright, Magister." I was just glad I was able to improve myself to better help Olivia. Lucus, for his part, was also an excellent teacher as the lessons he prepared flowed smoothly and were easy to follow. Our lessons started with simple refreshers and the days quickly flew by with the first week ending in a quiz to test my fundamentals which Lucus said was vital to hammer in before moving on to more advanced topics.

    "Please assign each god to their respectively bestowed magic," Lucus said as he wrote the names Alm and Sen on the chalkboard before handing me the piece of chalk. This was the final part of the quiz. "Also, explain the significance of the element in how it relates to the bestower."

    "Yes, Magister." I approached the board and used a step stool to reach high enough to write. I started with Lady Alm and wrote the words Fire, and Earth. "The Hearth Mother offers us fire to warm and rest our weary bodies while in the company of family and friends, and to burn those who would threaten us. She offers us earth to sow seeds for food and grow trees to fuel the fires, and to crush those who break their oaths with the stones they set them in. Such is the Hearth Mother''s love."

    "Good," Lucus gave an approving nod and gestured toward Lord Sen on the board.

    I moved the stool and wrote the words Water, and Wind before explaining, "The Storm Father offers water to nurture his sister''s earth and sprout the seeds of life, and to flood and drown those who brave his waves without tribute. He offers wind to stoke his sister''s fires to spread warmth to all, and to blow away the sails of those who pirate the faithful. Such is the Storm Father''s fury."

    "Very good. Now, what about these two?" Lucus took a new piece of chalk and wrote the words: Life, and Death. He also wrote Nuz and Muz to the right of Sen so that all of Lord Zulm''s children were now listed. While life and death magic were touched upon, Lucus never went into any detail on them as they were for the advanced lessons. But listing them after writing Lord Nuz and Lady Muz¡­was a trick. I wrote Life under Alm, and Death under Sen. "Are you sure?" Lucus kept his tone neutral to not give away the answer as he questioned me, "Didn''t you say Lord Sen was the one who brought water to nurture life?"

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    "But you described life magic as warm," I answered and saw a glint of enthusiasm light up in Lucus'' eyes. "Only Lady Alm is ever described as warm due to her offering of fire. She is also the patron of families which can only be created with life."

    "I see." A smile crept across Lucus'' face as he seemed to be enjoying my explanations. "So, why is Lord Sen the bestower of death if he, as you described, is helping his sister? Wouldn''t Lord Nuz or Lady Muz be a better fit?"

    "Because death helps to bind families in grief while making room for new growth."

    "¡­Very good," Lucus sounded both pleased and intrigued. "I made sure to never mention who bestowed those magics, but you inferred from context clues and came to the correct conclusion. You must also have your brother''s sharp mind."

    "Thank you, Magister." In truth, this was actually all thanks to Olivia. Whenever she talks about strange things from her past life I often have to fish for context clues to grasp what she says while she explains them to me since not all of her explanations were helpful. Thanks to a year of being her friend, I was much quicker than I used to be.

    "But, we''re not done, yet." Lucus tapped his chalk against Nuz and Muz. "If they don''t provide us with magic, then what do the twins of cultivation offer their faithful?"

    "¡­The Bloodied Sister," I began and wrote the word Aura under Muz, "offers the ability to harness aura to fuel personal growth and to sate her endless lust for improvement of the body."

    "And her twin brother?"

    "The Enlightened Brother offers knowledge to all mankind." I wrote Knowledge under Nuz.

    "A rather tame thing compared to his sister, don''t you think?" Lucus probed me for an answer.

    "I don''t," I replied as I stared at the chalkboard filled with the names of the gods. "Without knowledge, we wouldn''t be any different from demons."

    "True¡­" While the souls of the virtuous went to Sailest to reside with the gods, the souls of the unfaithful were sent to the five pits of Hell; there used to be seven but two pits overflowed and were lost to the sinners. In response to the sinners taking the two pits, the gods created demons to deter them from taking over the other five, and to keep their numbers thinned enough to not overflow. Demons came in various shapes and sizes but they all held an animal level of intelligence. While their main purpose was to thin out the sinners in the pits of Hell, their animal intelligence would cause them to occasionally wander and sometimes they would appear in our world and attack humanity which they saw the same as sinners. Since humanity was also a creation of the gods, we were granted knowledge by Nuz to set us apart from all other creations. "And, finally, the most known magic." Lucus refocused on the quiz and wrote down Zulm above the other gods and wrote Gravity below it. "The Violet King offers us gravity to keep us tethered to Pianeta, our planet." I still remember Olivia''s bewildered face when she learned the name of our planet and how she called the author, I think she meant Lord Zulm, uncreative. "Thus is the Violet King''s grace."

    "¡­Is that all?"

    "While it is a magic that can be used by all Magisters, yes, that is all." Lucus put down his chalk and folded his hands behind his back. "Since gravity magic can only lift things into the air or make them fall down it isn''t as versatile as the magics of His children leading many Magisters to choose to specialize in the elements, life, or death magic instead."

    "¡­I see." Only up and down? But I''ve thrown furniture across my bedroom with gravity magic before. Maybe Lucus would explain in a later lesson what I did that day, so I held my question to myself to not ruin the current lesson. "Do I have to specialize in one of the elements?"

    "Not necessarily," Lucus admitted. Since he was more than pleased with my quiz results, it seemed like he was willing to spend the rest of the time we had today answering my questions. "While many find it easier to focus their efforts on mastering a single element they have an affinity with, that doesn''t mean it''s unheard of to try for more. Your mother uses both water and wind magic with relative ease thanks to her efforts, so you definitely have the potential in your blood to do at least that much." While he didn''t believe it at first, Lucus was quick to change his tune about me when he learned I could use all four elemental magics at a basic level. "Since Lady Alm and Lord Sen have seemed to bless you, you could have the potential to master all the elemental magics."

    "What about gravity magic?" My mother always complimented my skill with gravity magic so I wanted to play into my strengths, if possible.

    "I wouldn''t recommend it," Lucus said and gave me a pitiful smile. "Gravity magic isn''t well known due to Lord Zulm not having any temples or direct worshipers to focus on it."

    "Why doesn''t he?"

    "Because Lord Zulm does not wish it." Lucus went to his desk and opened an old-looking book. "Once, long ago during the kingdom''s founding, a temple was erected to Lord Zulm just outside Gorinville, the capital city. The day after the temple''s completion, the roof collapsed and crushed all the worshipers inside. The architect of the temple assured the first king of Urldrusk that his design was sound, and it was discovered upon the arrival of a Saint of Nuz that Lord Zulm himself had destroyed the temple." His fingers skimmed the pages as his eyes waxed over. "The Saint declared that Lord Zulm wished to only receive indirect prayers and that humanity should focus our efforts on his children. And, to this day, the ruins of the temple still rest untouched just outside the capital''s walls."

    "But we still hold Lord Zulm in reverence and his all-seeing eye is depicted in all his children''s temples." Within every temple''s main chamber of worship was a ceiling mosaic that depicted a massive eye surrounded by letters from an unspeakable language the artists said they received in their dreams.

    "Indeed it is," Lucus chuckled as he closed the book and turned to me. "The Violet King is a rather mysterious one. He punishes us for worshiping him directly but demands his icon be present in all temples. He grants his gravity magic to all Magisters but keeps it intentionally vague and weak. Trying to understand the true meaning of Lord Zulm''s actions is a fool''s errand as he seems content with how things are."

    "What about the wizard''s tower?" I asked since I wanted to learn more about my most potent magic. I remember that Olivia had mentioned the tower from her visions so I talked about what she told me, "The tower is a place of academic study, so wouldn''t joining them-"

    "No!" Lucus slammed his hand on the desk and I jumped back in surprise. During all the time I''d known him, Lucus never raised his voice. But the look on his face was terrifying. "¡­I mean¡­" Catching himself, Lucus quickly controlled his expression and cleared his throat. "I apologize for my outburst, Lady Lucina." He gave a deep bow.

    "I-It''s alright, Magister." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "But, why are you so against the tower?"

    "The wizard''s tower¡­is a den of sinners," Lucus spat as he straightened himself upright. He refused to meet my gaze and looked disgustedly into the distance as he thought about the tower.

    "Sinners?" I only knew what Olivia had told me, which admittedly wasn¡¯t much, so I wanted to learn more. Lucus looked conflicted as he debated telling me more, but he eventually relented.

    "I suppose this lesson will be advanced up a few months¡­ Lady Lucina, do you know the difference between a Magister and a Wizard?"

    "¡­No." I thought they were just two words that meant the same thing.

    "A Magister defines someone who receives the blessing of a god, or multiple in your case, to use magic and weave spells. Magisters receive magic from one of the gods to cast spells with those of strong faiths often having more potent magic and more powerful spells. While this is not always the case, this is the norm. Wizards, on the other hand¡­" Lucus once more dreaded speaking about them but continued despite himself, "Wizards use magic without the blessing of a god."

    "!?!" My eyes widened in shock. "B-But don''t the gods grant us the ability to use magic to begin with?"

    "Yes, which is why I called those who reside in the wizard''s tower as sinners; they subverted the gods to steal magic." Lucus erased the chalkboard, picked up a piece of chalk, and drew an orb and staff with strange symbols hovering around them. "Just over three hundred years ago, a rock fell from the stars and into the eastern lands of Urldrusk. The heretic Yulsander found a massive boulder made of a strange crystal that, when refined into an orb or staff, could allow anyone to wield magic. This day marked the birth of the first wizards. The king at the time was trying to consolidate his power after a costly war in the south so he brought Yulsander''s ilk onto his side by giving them royal positions and a tower where they would be safe from our temples. In exchange for all this, and as an additional way to keep his power, only wizards of the wizard''s tower could join Urldrusk''s military as magical troops, and all wizards are automatically conscripted into the king''s army during war."

    "So, if you''re not a wizard you''re not allowed to use magic in the army?"

    "Correct, and all wizards are loyal to the crown which allowed the king to keep his magically inclined subjects in check. The tradition still lives to this day and the wizard''s tower''s influence continues to grow."

    "Why haven''t the gods done anything? Lord Zulm collapsed a temple on his followers, so why are sinners allowed to gain so much power?"

    "Who knows?" Lucus gave a shrug and sighed. "Lord Zulm and the rest of the gods have, for the most part, let the wizards be; though they don''t stop the temples from¡­taking action against the tower." While he didn''t elaborate on what that meant, I could make a decent guess. "Joining the wizard''s tower will gain you favor from the crown, but the temples will turn their backs on you along with anyone who holds faith in the gods. So, Lady Lucina, I can only ask of you to please refrain from associating with the tower." Lucus got down on one knee and bowed his head low. "Please. I will do all I can to sate your hunger for knowledge, all I ask in return is for you to not stray your soul from the gods."

    "¡­I will heed your words, Magister." While the wizard''s tower might hold answers for me, I didn''t want to turn my back on the gods who were seemingly granting me their gifts so willingly. Also, my mother was a devout believer and had rooms across the estate dedicated to each of Zulm''s children. I wouldn''t do anything that would break her heart like that.

    "Thank you, Lady Lucina." Lucus sounded relieved with my answer and I saw his shoulders relax from the tension he was holding in. Even without the wizard''s tower, I would build my strength and knowledge of magic so that I could still be of use to Olivia.

 Budding Thorns

    The advanced magic lessons were taking more of my time than I thought, and before I knew it over a month had passed since I last saw Olivia! I''m learning a lot in such a short amount of time, but I don''t have free time anymore. Thankfully, Lucus gave me a week-long break so I could accompany my mother to another social gathering in Wortrest as a reward for my effort. When we arrived, some of the other Ladies gave me cautious looks, and some of their children seemed nervous as I passed, but no one said anything, so I didn''t care. They can gossip all they want, because I know Olivia won''t be swayed by their petty words.

    "Where do you think you''re going?" Speaking of petty, Derik stopped me in the hall as I attempted to make my way to the garden where I was told Olivia was. He was wearing a knight''s uniform fitted for his age that looked too pristine to belong to a real knight. Ever since the Ritual of Legitimacy, Derik has been cold and sometimes actively hostile toward me. Whatever his problem with me was, he stood in my way with his arms crossed and seemed to have no intention of letting me pass without speaking his piece.

    "Greetings, Lord Derik." I still followed basic courtesy so that he couldn''t chastise me about it. "I am on my way to the garden."

    "You keep walking around someone else''s home as if you own the place." Despite both he and Adam being eleven years old, Derik was nowhere near as mature. "If you''re going somewhere, you must be accompanied by a servant." His eyes narrowed, and he muttered, "Lowly bastards should be watched."

    "Do you doubt Elder Arkin, Lord Derik?" Did he still think I somehow convinced Olivia to lie about her vision and attempt to use his family to prove a false legitimacy?

    "That showy display of a ritual was proof of the lie since it''s meant to be a gentle affair; I looked it up in a book! It''s obvious Arkin put on a show at my father''s behest because our mothers are childhood friends! You and your mother may have convinced them to go along with this charade, but I won''t let you tarnish the Ordrin name!" He never let it go, but he only called me out like this when Olivia and their parents weren''t around. Why couldn''t more older kids be like Adam? I noticed a familiar face approaching from behind Derik, so I decided to get some payback on him for insulting my mother.

    "Coward," I muttered without moving my lips.

    "What did you say!?" Derik took an aggressive step towards me and grabbed the collar of my dress.

    "Derik!" A young woman who looked Derik''s age and was wearing a dress the same shade of blue as the Ordrin family crest stood behind him. Her hair was as blue as the sky and was held in a braided ponytail that went down to her waist, and her eyes were a shimmering yellow that glared at Derik with a cold stare.

    "Vivian¡­" Vivian Winchester, the daughter of Count Winchester, a childhood friend of both Derik and Adam, and as of a few months ago, was now Derik''s fianc¨¦. Despite both of them being eleven years old, Vivian was prided as being wise beyond her years and was often called Derik''s better half by some of the older Ladies who frequented these gatherings. "This doesn''t concern you." Needless to say, this put a damper on their relationship.

    "How could it not when my fianc¨¦ is so openly holding a child half his age by the neck?" Vivian countered and gestured with her eyes to the maids, who were peeking around the corner down the hall.

    "¡­Tch." Derik clicked his tongue in annoyance and released me. This was the fourth dress he''d ruined by stretching the seams around the neck. "Go straight to the garden, and don''t cause trouble!" he said before storming off down the hall.

    "Once again, I apologize for Derik''s actions, Lady Felswore." Vivian was neither friendly nor hostile toward me; she was professional. She was Derik''s fianc¨¦ and would become the next Duchess of  Holst, which was a position she never took for granted, so she couldn''t stand by and watch while her fianc¨¦ bullied children.

    "I seem to hear that every time we meet, Lady Winchester," I said jokingly to lift the mood. If I adjusted the collar of the dress to hang down my back more, I could hide how loose it had become.

    "Unfortunately so," Vivian replied and draped her shawl over my shoulders to hide me having to show more skin. "Lady Olivia is in the gazebo, so you should be on your way."  We both exchanged a knowing nod and went our separate ways. Despite his continued rudeness, I wouldn''t let Derik ruin today since this would be the first time I''d be seeing Olivia in over a month. The thought of her smiling and laughing with me made my chest feel warm and nothing could ruin tha-¡­

    "Hmm?" As I entered the garden, I was met with a sight I hadn''t expected; Olivia was smiling and laughing, but not with me. Olivia sat at a table with Margaret Trent sitting across from her and a girl I didn''t know sitting next to them while Mary and another maid stood by. Margaret had a neutral smile on her face as she listened to Olivia and the unknown girl cheerily talk with one another. Olivia''s smile was so bright¡­but it wasn''t for me. "¡­?" My stomach churned, and my chest felt tight. Was I really upset that Olivia was happily talking with someone else? I pulled Vivian''s shawl tighter around myself as my own inadequacies set in and-

    "Lucina!" Olivia''s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. While I was standing around in a daze, Olivia had run up to me and was trying to get my attention. "Did he bully you again!? You''re wearing Vivian''s shawl!" She looked furious as she peered under the shawl at my damaged dress.

    "¡­It''s fi-"

    "The last thing I want to hear from you after a month isn''t ''It''s fine''!" She sounded just like her mother when I first came to Wortrest, and seeing her so angry on my behalf was nice. "You didn''t even write."

    "Magister Lucus is a very strict teacher, when it comes to the work he assigns me to complete. I''m sorry, I lost track of time." Right, now wasn''t the time to be bitter! I''m here to be with Olivia, even if she is with others.

    "So long as you are!" She grabbed my hand and led me to my place next to her at the table. "You already know Margaret, but this is my new friend I met at a gathering a few weeks ago, Cassandra." Olivia gestured to the unknown girl, Cassandra, who stood up from her seat and gave an overly dramatic curtsy. She had bright pink eyes that shined like jewels that matched her pink hair which was straight down to her ears where it continued down to her chest in spirals. It looked like she had pink springs running down her head.

    "Cassandra Lyllium greets Lady Lucina Felswore!" There was a haughtiness in her voice that sounded like she was playing it up in an attempt to seem more mature than she was since she looked six, though her pink dress didn''t help her image of maturity. She was taller than me, but not as tall as Olivia¡­ Why was everyone Olivia hung out with taller than me?

    "You know who I am?" If she was someone who was trying to cling to Olivia and steer her away from me because of those still circulating rumors, then I wouldn''t stand for-

    "Of course! Lady Olivia''s always spoken highly of you whenever we meet. And it seems like she hasn''t lied to me since you really do look like a cute little sister!" ¡­Maybe she wasn''t all that bad. You can''t judge a book by its cover, as Olivia would say.

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    "I thank you for the compliment, Lady Lyllium. How is the Baron these days?" Even if I didn''t go out the past month, I still heard rumors and stories from my mother and knew Baron Lyllium was suffering from a cold. It wouldn''t hurt to make small talk with Cassandra since she was being nice.

    "My mom''s doing much better! No flu can beat her!" Cassandra gave a proud smile and opened a fan she was holding to start fanning her face. Her springs jostled in the breeze she made.

    "Mom?" Olivia asked as she sat back down. "The Baron''s a woman?"

    "¡­Pfft," Cassandra stifled a laugh and hid her mouth with her fan. "You always say such fun things, Lady Olivia!"

    "¡­?" Olivia seemed even more confused, so I filled her in.

    "While you might not see it much anymore, noble titles aren''t tied to gender, they''re tied to role. A baron is in charge of the land given to them by their lord while the baroness is the one who takes care of the house and internal affairs," I explained while sipping a cup of tea that Mary poured for me. I knew Olivia had been neglecting her studies in favor of relying on her past life''s knowledge so she could focus on training her body, but it seems like it''s starting to catch up to her. "It''s the same with all noble ranks, but men have typically held the landholder title since that also comes with the responsibility of going out with the knights when needed, should a house have them."

    "But I''m receiving training in combat despite being a girl," Olivia countered, seemingly oblivious to how absurd she sounded to a normal person.

    "That''s because you are an Aurister, Lady Ordrin," Margaret spoke up. "Auristers are a rare exception as their enhanced strength can single-handedly turn the tide of battles, so they''re always given martial training, be it man or woman."

    "Mom''s not an Aurister, but she''s still very strong!" Cassandra declared while puffing out her chest. "She won my dad by picking him up off his feet and carrying him home! Which is exactly what I''m gonna do, too!" There was a dangerous glint in her eye as she clenched her fist.

    "And I fully support you!" Olivia sounded way too eager to help, and a glance back to Mary sighing told me all I needed to know about what was coming next. "Which is why you should come work out with me! I''ll help you build muscles to lift any man off their feet!"

    "Lady Olivia!" Cassandra''s eyes were wide with admiration and love as she and Olivia held hands.

    "¡­" I heard Mary face palm behind us.

    "¡­And, how have you been, Lady Margaret?" To change the subject and to stop Cassandra from holding Olivia''s hands any longer, I brought up Margaret being here despite not being a noble. "Did Olivia invite you and your father?"

    "No, Lady Ordrin invited just me," Margaret admitted before giving a nervous chuckle and brushing her hair behind her ear. "When my father found out about what had happened during your visit last month and that I was personally invited to a gathering by the Duke''s daughter, he said my attendance was mandatory and splurged on this dress." Margaret gestured to her rather ornate-looking yellow dress that was accented with green jewelry; the colors of her father''s trading company.

    "That''s nice of hi-"

    "And if I didn''t attend, he would refit the dress and attend himself." There was a blank expression on Margaret''s face that held both love and disappointment at the same time for her predicament.

    "¡­I see."

    "Why are you two still being stuffy?" Olivia spoke up and looked at Margaret and Cassandra expectantly. "We''re the only ones here, and I''ve told you both to just call me Olivia when we''re like this."

    "I couldn''t possibly speak so casually to the Duke''s daughter!" Margaret tried to protest.

    "¡­Mom said I''m not allowed to talk like that while here," Cassandra mumbled dejectedly.

    "What your mother doesn''t know won''t hurt her, right?" Olivia said while giving a wink to Cassandra whose eyes went wide like a puppy''s, again. "And, as I''ve told you before, Margaret, even if you''re here as a representative of Trent, that doesn''t mean we can''t also be friends." Even though Margaret was older than us, she was still weak to Olivia''s kindness; as anyone should be.

    "But-" Margaret was going to try and politely decline again, so I decided to step in.

    "I''d just do what she says," I said after sipping some tea to add an air of elegance to myself. "As the one who''s known her the longest, Olivia is quite persistent about things like this."

    "You make me sound like an unrefined person," Olivia flatly joked.

    "No, I''m saying you''re someone with a big heart."

    "¡­You''re not allowed to be smooth." Olivia blushed and cleared her throat. Yes, this is how it should be. Even if I''m no longer Olivia''s only friend, that doesn''t mean I''ll lose her; if anything, this is a blessing. My legitimacy rumors are still going around which has led me to be ostracized at gatherings where the older Ladies won''t let their daughters even go near me, so my mother only takes me to ones in Wortrest since she knows at least Olivia will be here for me. But that means I can''t be there for Olivia at social gatherings if something happens to her. While Cassandra puts herself out there as being haughty, she seems like someone I can trust to genuinely be there for Olivia without some ulterior motive. Margaret, too, is someone I can trust since she owes Olivia too much to ever betray her. Even if she can''t normally go to gatherings since she''s not a noble, there are two other people now by Olivia''s side. And that''s enough for me.

    ***

    As the day drew to a close, the gathering ended, and the Ladies and their children began their journeys back to their homes; all except for Lucina and Elizabeth who would be staying in Wortrest for the night. "Here, you can have this one for tomorrow," Olivia said while holding another of her old dresses that didn''t fit anymore and offered it to Lucina. The two girls had retired into Olivia''s room and were getting ready for bed.

    "It''s really alright, Olivia," Lucina tried to reassure her friend.

    "It''s not, though!" Olivia put the dress down and angrily plopped down on her bed. "I thought I told Derik to knock it off with that behavior. I should go give him another piece of my mind!"

    "Don''t!" Despite how uncomfortable it was, Lucina didn''t want to trouble Olivia with her problems. Derik didn''t like her, and no amount of lecturing would change that, so she decided to live with it since his opinion of her didn''t matter. "It''s not that bad, and I can always get the seam fixed. I just want to be with you right now." Lucina crawled onto the bed and laid down next to Olivia.

    "¡­You shouldn''t be so forgiving," Olivia muttered as she wrapped her arms around Lucina and brought her into a hug like an older sister comforting a sibling. "If he does it again, punch him in the face! I''m giving you my permission!"

    "Okay." Lucina had no intention of doing so but smiled at the care Olivia had for her. "How did you meet Cassandra, anyway?"

    "She may not look it since it was just the four of us in the garden, but she''s actually quite the social butterfly." Olivia laughed as she thought back to their first meeting. "It was during a gathering in the neighboring county, but everyone was too nervous to approach Duke Ordrin''s formidable daughter. It was pretty boring, and I was going to see if I could leave early when, all of a sudden, Cassandra sprang in front of me and introduced herself." She smiled and softly rubbed Lucina''s back. "The daughters of counts feared me, but a small baron''s daughter held only joy as she struck up a conversation with me. I couldn''t help but like her."

    "I''m glad you had fun," Lucina said through a yawn as she was getting tired from Olivia softly rubbing her back.

    "¡­Lucina?" Olivia hesitated and sounded bitter, "Do you think I''m cruel?"

    "Who said that!?" Lucina was now wide awake, sprang up, and grabbed Olivia by the shoulders. "Who would dare say that about you!?"

    "¡­Truthfully, I initially befriended Cassandra because she reminds me of one of my friends from my past life." A heavy air pressed down on the two girls. Olivia had always danced around explicit details regarding her past life''s friends and family when talking to Lucina, but this was eating at her and she needed to get it out. "My friend also had bright pink hair, though she had to dye it that color instead of it being a natural hair color like it is in this life¡­ Their personalities are different, my old friend wasn''t as bubbly as Cassandra¡­but¡­" Olivia took a deep breath before finishing, "Is it cruel to be her friend just because I miss Sato-chan?"

    "¡­" Lucina held her tongue and allowed Olivia to hug her tightly. After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "Do you dislike Cassandra''s personality?"

    "¡­No," Olivia quietly replied, "She''s much more fun to be with than other nobles."

    "Then, I think it''s fine."

    "But, I only became her friend because-"

    "And? Didn''t you also fear me just because of your past life?"

    "¡­" Lucina''s words cut deep, and Olivia fell silent.

    "Even if your past life leads your decision-making, you can still choose for yourself after you get to know her." Lucina returned Olivia''s hug and nestled herself closer. "Just like how you don''t fear me anymore because of who I am, you can be Cassandra''s friend because of who she is. I believe in you."

    "¡­Thank you," Olivia whispered. When she had first seen Cassandra, Olivia almost called her Sato-chan on impulse. Whenever she saw that bright pink hair, it felt like she was deceiving Cassandra with her kindness that was meant for someone she couldn''t see anymore. But Lucina was right; even if her initial reason was selfish, that didn''t mean things couldn''t change. Even if she initially went along and befriended Cassandra because of her hair, that didn''t mean she would ignore who Cassandra was: a bright and joyful person to be with. "Thank you, Lucina, for being my friend."

    "I''ll always be here for you, Olivia," Lucina softly replied, and the two girls fell asleep in each other''s arms as a cool summer breeze wafted in from the open window. It was a peaceful night.

    ***

    "Run!" It was a peaceful night, at least, for those not running for their lives. Near the town of Ertrum, two hunters bolted through the woods just before the crack of dawn. Their lungs screamed for air as they ran as fast as they could. The bushes behind them rustled in pursuit. "They''re gaining! Get to the horses!"

    "We''re almost there! I can see the clearing!" Up ahead was an opening in the forest where the two men had left their horses to wait. "Just a little-" A shadow bigger than the largest of war horses sprang from the brush and tackled one of the men to the dirt. "GAH!" The man screamed as his arm was ripped off his body at the shoulder by powerful jaws and pointed teeth.

    "Louis!?" the other man cried and turned only to see his fellow hunter being mauled by a demon shrouded in the shadow of the trees. Blood watered the forest floor as it crunched down on the severed arm in its mouth, tearing flesh and shattering bone.

    "Go, Dennis!" Louis shouted through the pain while the demon continued to tear into him. "Warn the town! We need he-" The demon''s teeth punctured the man''s body and tore open his chest cavity. Louis tried to scream, but his lungs were no longer inside his body.

    "!!!" Dennis ran. He sprinted back to his horse, cut the reins that tied it and Louis'' horse to a tree, and galloped at full speed back to Ertrum. The demon didn''t give chase any further since it had captured its meal for the day. Its long, canine snout buried itself into Louis'' guts as it tore off chunks of meat and crunched through bone as if it were hard candy. Infernal eyes glowed a sinister red as blood flowed down its perpetually dry throat. The hellhound feasted this peaceful night.

 Here be Monsters

    Once day broke, Lucina, Elizabeth, and Olivia left Wortrest for Ertrum in a carriage while accompanied by three knights in plate armor on horseback. "We should be arriving in Ertrum in about half an hour," one of the knights rode their horse up to the carriage window and reported. "Would you like me to ride ahead to reserve rooms?"

    "Please do," Elizabeth replied before waving the knight off as he rode ahead to reach town first. She turned to Olivia and Lucina, and with a knowing smile said, "Even if it''s only noon, let''s take our time returning and spend the day in Ertrum." Elizabeth knew how excited Lucina was about seeing her only friend again, so she would deliberately slow their journey to give them more time together. "I''d like to stop at Lady Alm''s temple while we''re in town."

    "That''s alright, Countess," Olivia replied and returned the smile. She had convinced her mother to let her spend a few days at the Felswore mansion to be with Lucina and was thankful for Elizabeth''s willingness to help. "The day''s beautiful, so I don''t mind taking our time." There wasn''t a cloud in the sky and the sun did its best to pierce the tree line that overshadowed the dirt road they were traveling down. A warm breeze ran through the forest around them as the group continued approaching Ertrum.

    "¡­Hm?" After ten minutes of travel, one of the knights squinted and put their hand above their eyes to shield out the sun. "What''s that?" Something in the distance was approaching them.

    "A horse?" the second knight astonished as a horse was galloping toward them with no rider. A saddle was strapped around the horse''s back with markings the knights instantly recognized. "Isn''t that Oliver''s horse?" The horse galloped up to the first knight and started whining but Oliver, the knight who went ahead to reserve rooms, was nowhere to be seen.

    "What''s wrong?" he tried to calm the horse as it came up to him. "Where''s your rid-?" There was blood on the saddle. "Halt the carriage!" The wind stopped.

    "Sir Joseph?" Elizabeth opened the window and called out to the knight, wondering why they had stopped. The birds stopped chirping.

    "Stay inside and lock the doors, Countess," Joseph replied before putting on his great helm and drawing his sword. "Liam, get on the other side."

    "Right," Liam rode his horse to the other side of the carriage so that the two knights were on either side. The only sounds that could be heard were the horses stomping their hooves in anxious frustration and the rustling of the knight''s armor. The forest was unnaturally still.

    "Coachman," Joseph said in a low voice that bled his nerves, "Continue on."

    "O-Of course, Sir." The coachman could feel it too and sweat dripped down his brow. They were being watched.

    "Mom?" Lucina looked nervously out the window as Liam drew his sword.

    "Lucina, Olivia, come here." Elizabeth scooped Lucina into her left arm and brought Olivia into the seat next to her while holding her close with her right. She did her best to keep her voice calm for the children, "Just stay close to me, understood?"

    "Yes, Countess." Olivia''s eyes wandered out the window to the forest beyond. Along with the thick trees, the forest was filled with overgrown underbrush that could allow anyone or anything to approach them unnoticed. The group continued toward Ertrum while the forest''s oppressive silence loomed over them. A twig snapped to their right.

    "!?!" Liam held his sword at the ready and stared at where the sound came from, but nothing moved. His grip tightened around his sword and his horse started to whine.

    "Coachman?" Joseph took a deep breath to control his racing heart. "Go faster."

    "R-Right awa-" As the coachman tried to answer, a bush on their left rustled.

    "Go!" Joseph smacked one of the horses that was pulling the carriage with the flat side of his sword to rile it up and take off. The carriage lurched forward as the horses pulling it went into a full gallop while Joseph and Liam kept pace and made sure to stay next to the doors. The bushes around them rustled in pursuit. "Don''t stop until we get to town! Liam?"

    "I see it!" Liam shouted back as he turned to look behind him. "Hellhound, on the right!" Despite their massive size, hellhounds could easily hide low to the ground while maintaining a frightening speed thanks to their long reverse-jointed limbs. But just as frightening as their speed was their ability to lunge great distances in an instant.

    "AH!" Olivia and Lucina screamed as Liam''s body was ripped off his horse and tackled against the right side of the carriage as the hellhound pounced on him. Because of the speed they were going, the horses pulling the carriage tripped over themselves due to the sudden shift behind them and they fell to the ground. The carriage overturned as the wheel axles buckled and broke under the hellhound''s tackle, sending the occupants tumbling inside as the carriage started to skid on its left side. The reins on the horses snapped as the wood holding them to the carriage splintered and broke, freeing the downed horses. Shattered glass showered the three women and Elizabeth used her body to shield the children from the raining fragments.

    "Countess!?" Joseph cried out as he stopped and turned his horse to face the hellhound that now stood on top of the overturned carriage. "Liam!?"

    "Get it off!" Liam cried as the hellhound pressed down on him with its front legs, threatening to crush him inside his own plate armor. During its pounce, the hellhound had grabbed the coachman in its mouth and its powerful jaws crunched down on the man''s head, sending the headless body tumbling to the ground a few feet away and showering the scene in blood and brain matter. Liam''s sword fell into the carriage next to Olivia as he struggled to free himself. "Get it-!" Suddenly, a gale-force wind slammed the hellhound''s side and threw it off the knight and carriage. "M-Madam?"

    "Focus, Sir Liam!" Elizabeth, despite sustaining multiple cuts from glass and being bruised in the overturn, climbed out of the carriage to defiantly stand against the demon. "Your lord''s daughter needs you!" She would protect the children at all costs.

    "Liam, catch!" Joseph drew his backup shortsword and tossed it to Liam before getting off his panicking horse to stand beside Elizabeth. "Can you pin it with a sustained wind, Countess?"

    "No, I can only create gusts," Elizabeth admitted as she watched the hellhound get to its feet and snarl at them.

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    "That''s enough to throw it off balance," Joseph said as he grabbed his sword with both hands and readied himself. "While shameful, I would ask for your help in subjugating this beast, Countess. I''ll take left, Liam take the right. When we''re close, Countess, hit it with wind to make an opening!" Through his helmet''s visor, Joseph locked eyes with the demon. "Go!" The two knights sprinted toward the hellhound while Elizabeth used her magic to prepare another blast of wind.

    "Lucina, stay here." Inside the carriage, Olivia picked up the dropped sword and held it in her shaking hands.

    "W-What!? Where are you going!?" Lucina grabbed Olivia by her dress to try and keep her next to her.

    "I''m just going to take a peek," Olivia reassured her friend. "Your mother and the two knights can handle it."

    "A-Are you sure?" Lucina was shaking from the fear that was gripping her and tears were starting to flow down her face.

    "Of course." Olivia had fought hellhounds in the game as the Saintess and, while scary, they were relatively weak enemies so she was sure a Magister like Elizabeth and two Azure Hawk knights could take one down. All she wanted to do was see it clearly in the flesh. While her martial training was going well to the point she was considered a prodigy, the Duke refused to take Olivia out on patrols and demon subjugations until she was at least twelve, but her curiosity to see something she had only seen in a video game was outweighing her fear. "I''m just going to-" As Olivia tried to calm Lucina down, sharp teeth pierced the roof next to them. "Wha-!?" Olivia was thrown off her feet as the carriage was dragged and thrown to the side while the roof was ripped off; exposing the children.

    "There''s a second one!" Liam cried as he dodged the first hellhound''s claw swipe.

    "What!?!" Elizabeth turned around and saw a second hellhound spit the carriage''s roof out of its mouth and slowly start approaching the children. "Luci-!"

    "Countess, move!" Joseph shouted as the first hellhound''s chest and mouth started to glow a bright orange and embers poured out of its maw like a waterfall.

    "!?!" Elizabeth knew what was coming and conjured a wall of water between her and the hellhound. In an instant, the very air around her burned and screamed as the hellhound let loose a concentrated torrent of fire. The wall of water boiled and it started to rapidly drain Elizabeth''s magic reserves to stop the continuous jet of flame from boiling through. Flames and hot steam danced around the wall and licked at Elizabeth''s dress and hair, and embers danced in front of her eyes. She was pinned.

    "Ugh¡­Lucina?" Olivia was dazed as she stumbled to her feet. In front of her was a trembling Lucina whose face was stricken with horror. The sound of a lumbering beast walking toward her from behind revealed the hellhound''s presence and Olivia gripped the sword in her hands even tighter. She was stronger than a hellhound. Thanks to the intense training she''d been doing, Olivia''s stats were higher than any of the apprentice knights, some of whom were over four years older than her, and her attack power boost from her aura made her more than a match for a hellhound; which were considered fodder demons in the game. "Don''t worry," Olivia said defiantly as she activated her aura and white flower petals fluttered around her, "I''ll take care of-¡­" Japan was a peaceful nation, and while her upbringing was rough it was never something she couldn''t work through as Ayaka Fukuda. She had stood up to bullies before and could stand tall when someone threatened her with violence. Even Finding Arlexia''s Light had strikingly detailed sprite work for the enemies, so she knew what she would be facing. But when Olivia turned around and saw the hellhound, her heart stopped.

    "Olivia!?" Lucina''s words fell on deaf ears as Olivia was petrified with fear. The demon was over twice as tall as Olivia and was longer than a horse as the hellhound stood upon its emaciated legs that didn''t look like they held anything other than bone, yet every step it took cracked the earth beneath its paws. Its body was covered in ashy pink skin that continuously flaked off and cracked because of how dry it was, yet no blood ever oozed out. A long, whip-like tail danced back and forth like a cat''s while it looked down on its cornered prey. Its mouth was in a perpetual snarl that showed off two rows of teeth that were each larger than Olivia''s fist and sharper than the blade she desperately held. Beneath its ribs which could easily be counted beneath its tight skin, softly glowed a fire that kept the demon alive. Two pitch-black orbs bulged out of its head where its eyes should be and from within the darkness Olivia saw two pricks of red light that acted as the demon''s pupils. Hanging from its mouth while caught on its teeth were the torn remains of a tabard Olivia recognized as belonging to her family''s knights. The bloody pieces of cloth dangled from its mouth like tendrils, and when it opened its maw wide Olivia watched as chunks of meat and fragments of bone fell from its stuffed throat. A torn open liver. The remains of a chewed-up heart. One of Oliver''s brown eyes fell with the flesh, rolled across the ground, and stared up at Olivia.

    "!!!" The hellhound let loose a howl that pierced Olivia''s soul and sounded like a mix of a dying animal and a human wailing in torment. Strands of saliva and drops of Oliver''s blood flicked Olivia''s face as she stared up at the howling maw of the demon. This wasn''t something to be curious about with childlike innocence. This wasn''t a sprite on a screen. This was a monster whose sole purpose in its painful existence was to consume. Olivia dropped the sword as her arms lost all their strength, and her legs would have followed if not for the fear that paralyzed them into remaining standing. She couldn''t even utter a cry of fear as her throat seized shut and her heart refused to beat. Droplets of urine hit the ground beneath her as Olivia lost control of her bladder while staring into the abyssal eyes of the hellhound; that seemed to make it smile if such a beast could feel joy. Deciding to play with its food, the hellhound lifted one of its front paws, extended its claws, and swiped at Olivia.

    "!?!" But the claws missed their original mark as Lucina tackled Olivia to the ground. "¡­Lu-"

    "Get away from her!" Lucina cried out as she desperately hugged Olivia while looking up through tear-filled eyes at the hellhound. Despite the overwhelming fear that kept her glued to the ground, Lucina had forced herself to move when she saw Olivia about to be killed. Whether it was courage or stupidity, she didn''t know, but she couldn''t watch Olivia die in front of her like this. The hellhound''s tail playfully flicked back and forth as it stared down at Lucina. It was about to pounce the two children when it suddenly felt a voice, a presence, tell it to take its time. The hellhound obeyed the presence and slowly adjusted itself to fully face Lucina with all its unholy divinity. "I-¡­I s-said¡­" Lucina stammered out her words as her emotions ran wild and her desperation activated her magic. "Go away!"

    "?!?" The hellhound was about the take a snap at Lucina when it suddenly found itself being thrown off its feet and into the air. Lucina''s gravity magic altered the overturned carriage and slammed it into the hellhound where it continued to fly and eventually crashed into a nearby tree; stunning the demon.

    "Lucina!?" Elizabeth cried out when the flames of the first hellhound finally stopped. Because the hellhound seemed focused on keeping Elizabeth pinned down with its fire, Joseph and Liam were able to approach the demon, Liam stabbed it through the chest while Joseph sliced his sword through half of the demon''s neck; he didn''t have the strength to cut all the way through. Once the first hellhound was felled, the two knights started rushing toward the children but were stunned when they saw the carriage get thrown into the second hellhound.

    "Wha-¡­" Joseph couldn''t believe his eyes as he knew the stigma against gravity magic, but he couldn''t explain what he just saw otherwise. He wasn''t stunned for long, though, as he saw the second hellhound writhe beneath the remains of the carriage that pinned it to the tree. "Liam!"

    "Right!" The two knights rushed the dazed hellhound and combined their efforts to slice its head off before it could reorient itself.

    "Lucina!?" Elizabeth was hit with magic exhaustion from using up most of her magic reserve and felt her strength fail her as she desperately started to hobble over to the children.

    "¡­" Olivia was speechless as she lay beneath Lucina who was propping herself up with her arms. Tears fell down Lucina''s face and hit Olivia''s cheeks.

    "You''re safe!" Lucina proudly said through chattering teeth and a trembling mouth, and she did her best to smile through the fear to comfort Olivia. The sun shined through the trees and silhouetted Lucina against the sky causing her to look like she had a halo of light from Olivia''s perspective. "You''re¡­safe¡­" But, altering the carriage''s gravity instantly drained Lucina''s magic reserves and she collapsed from exhaustion on top of Olivia.

    "Y-¡­Yeah!" Olivia couldn''t believe she was still alive. Her body started to feel again and she was shaking from the anxiety of almost dying, but the fear that gripped her heart was melted away when she looked up at Lucina''s radiant figure. "You saved me! You-¡­ Lucina?" Lucina wasn''t moving. "Lu-Luci-!?" Olivia hugged her friend to try and get a response but nothing happened, and her hand felt wet when she touched Lucina''s back. Lifting her hand to the sky to see why it was wet revealed her hand to be covered in blood. Olivia''s strength returned and she sat up while clutching Lucina in her arms. Four massive, deep gashes ran diagonally across Lucina''s entire back that were actively gushing blood. "Wake up!" Olivia shook Lucina, but there was still no response. "Lucina, wake up!" A new fear gripped Olivia''s heart as her mind went back to her previous life. Tears filled her eyes as she stood in front of her mother''s coffin when she was only twelve years old with a wilting flower in her hand. A blurry and distorted world surrounded her during the moment of her death while Hayashi and Sato desperately attempted to keep Ayaka alive only to watch her die on the street. "Wake up!" Would Lucina die, too? Would she be left behind, again?

    "My La-" Joseph approached the children to check on them when Olivia tore off a large part of her dress and wrapped it tightly around Lucina''s wound. She shot to her feet while holding Lucina''s limp body.

    "Get the horses!" Olivia ordered through her tears as she started moving toward the horses that the hellhounds had left untouched. "We-We need to get to the temple in Ertrum! Right no-!" Elizabeth dragged one of the horses over, picked up her daughter in her arms, mounted the horse, and bolted down the road to Ertrum. "C-Come on!" Olivia mounted a second horse along with Joseph while Liam got on his horse and followed behind. The three horses galloped desperately through the forest to make the time they didn''t have. Elder Arkin was currently in Ertrum and he was granted a small amount of life magic as one of the Hearth Mother''s Elders; if they could just get to him in time there was a chance. Despite her own magic exhaustion, Elizabeth held Lucina''s body close to her chest with one hand while the other gripped the reins of the horse. With every stride the horse made, and every second the makeshift bandage around Lucina became a darker shade of red, Elizabeth recited a prayer to Alm that she wished with every fiber of her being would be answered.

 Prodigy of Zulm

    "I se¡­.trum!" Sir Joseph? Why does he sound so far away? I tried to open my eyes but they wouldn''t listen to me and all I could see was a blurry world rushing past me behind half-closed eyes. Fuzzy green gave way to reds, browns, and grays as I continued to race through the blur. I think I was on horseback but I couldn''t feel it galloping.

    "Arkin!" My mother was closer than Joseph, and I heard her crying. I wasn''t going as fast as before, but the world still rushed past me as we entered a blur of dull white and gray.

    "Bri¡­.er to¡­..inner cha¡­.." It sounded like Magister Lucus started talking so I guess we made it to Ertrum, but I couldn''t make out anyone through my blurry vision. My mother continued to cry but her voice was getting further away and I couldn''t hear her anymore.

    "Be still, child," I heard Elder Arkin speak and his voice sounded close and clear. A wave of warmth flooded over me and my eyes fully closed. I wanted to sleep. I¡­wanted¡­

    ***

    "Awaken, Harbinger. Your lily is wilting."

    Lucina awoke in a room made of white stone bathed in soft orange light as the setting sun shined in through the windows. Beds lined the walls while at the far end of the room stood wooden cabinets filled with alchemical herbs and bottles filled with liquids. She was in the medical ward of the temple of Lady Alm in Ertrum; Lucina recognized it as her mother would occasionally volunteer here to help the priests and priestesses. Looking down, she saw she was currently wearing a gray robe that was given to patients. It was tough to breathe, and her chest felt like someone was sitting on her. When she sat up to get a better understanding of her situation, she felt a presence stir next to her.

    "Mmmgh?" Olivia had fallen asleep while sitting in a chair next to Lucina''s bed and was awoken by the movement she felt when Lucina sat up. One of the priestesses had given Olivia a robe to wear since her original clothes were torn and soiled. "Lu-?" She met her eyes with Lucina. "Lucian?" Her body was trembling and fresh tears flowed down her face.

    "¡­Hel-"

    "Lucina!" Olivia sprang from her seat and tackled Lucina back onto the bed. The hug she gave was desperate and filled with her anxiety. "You''re alive! You''re alive!"

    "¡­I''m alive." Despite feeling extremely stiff and sore, Lucina didn''t feel any pain. Knowing where she was, Lucina figured that Arkin had used his life magic to heal the wounds she got from the hellhound.

    "Don''t¡­Don''t leave." Olivia started breaking down while clinging to Lucina. "Don''t leave me!" she whispered through her tears. "Please, not you too!" Even though Olivia never told her directly, Lucina had been able to gather that Olivia''s mother died during her previous life from how she talked about her in a longing voice while never going into detail. This close call probably reminded her of that sadness, along with the sadness her own death brought when she died in the ''carriage'' accident.

    "I won''t leave you," Lucina''s voice was soft as she lay in bed accepting Olivia''s hug. Despite her almost dying to the hellhound, Lucina felt oddly calm about her situation as if there was never anything to fear to begin with. The flame of the candle that sat on the nightstand next to her bed happily danced back and forth.

    "I-I''m sorry!" Olivia started to apologize.

    "Why are you-?"

    "You almost died because of me!" Olivia held Lucina tighter and shook more violently. "If-If I wasn''t such a coward you-"

    "Is my mother alright?"

    "Wha-?"

    "My mother, is she okay?" Lucina knew the damage self-loathing could do and didn''t want Olivia to fall into that same pit, so she forcefully refocused their conversation. "And, the knights?"

    "¡­Your mom''s fine, just asleep from magic exhaustion," Olivia finally admitted after taking a moment to breathe. "She''s resting in a separate room. Joseph''s fine and Liam got treatment for a fractured shoulder. Oliver''s¡­" She started to shake as she recalled the meat that fell from the hellhound''s mouth.

    "Was I out long?"

    "¡­No, it''s only been a few hours." Having something else to focus on helped Olivia''s mind calm down.  "Messengers were sent to our fathers, but it''s still too early for a response from either of them."

    "Okay." Lucina was glad Olivia stopped shaking, but it was getting hard to breathe with her hugging so tightly. "Could you help me change? This robe is covered in sweat." While she was out, Lucina was hit with a massive fever that Arkin did his best to help her through. Even if it was gone now, her body was still sweating.

    "Sure," Olivia said as she begrudgingly let go of Lucina. The patient''s robe was similar to a hospital gown from Olivia''s previous life in that it was tied up from the back. Lucina grabbed her long hair and pulled it over her shoulder to give Olivia an easier time untying the strings. "But, after you change, you should get more sle-¡­"

    "Olivia?" Lucina asked as she peered over her shoulder at her friend who suddenly went quiet. When Olivia untied the strings and the gown fell off Lucina''s shoulders, her back was exposed to reveal four large scars that ran across it. While life magic could work wonders, Arkin was no Saint and he was unable to remove such large scars. "Is something wrong?"

    "¡­No," Olivia lied, "Let me go get a new robe."

    "Okay," Lucina said with a warm smile that cut deep into Olivia''s heart. Olivia felt like her feet were trudging through the mud as she walked across the room to get a new robe while her guilt weighed down on her. If she had been braver, Lucina wouldn''t have gotten hurt. She should have dodged the attack on her own instead of standing still in fear. She should have killed the hellhound when she faced it with the sword; her stats were more than high enough when boosted by her aura. Why did she even train so hard if this was the result? Bitter thoughts continued to plague her mind as she took a new robe from a dresser. She almost lost Lucina because of her disgusting cowardice despite vowing to help give her a brighter future. "¡­Olivia?" She was taking too long and Lucina was still waiting for her.

    "Found one," Olivia deflected and returned to Lucina''s side to help her put on the robe. She was grateful when Lucina''s hair covered the opening in the robe and the scars that lay beneath. "Now, you need sleep."

    "But I don''t feel that ti-"

    "Sleep!" Olivia clung to Lucina and forced her back down on the bed. "¡­You need rest."

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "¡­Okay." Lucina could feel Olivia softly trembling next to her. "Good night, Olivia." As Lucina smiled at Olivia, Olivia silently activated one of her skills that she rarely used and a semitransparent pink square appeared in front of her vision.

    (Examine Ally: Lucina Felswore)

    (Success)

    (Your Ally appears healthy.)

    (Your Ally''s affection is maxed out. Max affection will increase with story events.)

    (Your Ally is keeping 1 secret from you.)

    (Despite recent events, your Ally is in good health and good spirits. They plan on acting inconvenienced later so you give them more attention; note you cannot gain additional affection with them in this way until you raise their max affection level. They do not blame you for what happened and wish you would also not blame yourself.)

    "¡­" Examine Ally was a utility skill used to see a basic overview of friendly characters in the game that weren''t capture targets; capture targets had their own system to be checked with. The skill was useful to make sure Lucina wasn''t hiding any pains, but Olivia was uncomfortable with it revealing the target''s current inner thoughts and their ''secret count'' so she avoided using it whenever possible. She didn''t want to start viewing people as ''collectibles'' to obtain and clear; this wasn''t a game, this was her reality. "Good night, Lucina." Despite trying to say she wasn''t tired, Lucina quickly passed out in Olivia''s arms and the two girls got some much-needed sleep after their eventful day.

    ***

    "-And, that ends my report, Duke." Joseph was kneeling before Richard Ordrin who had arrived in Ertrum just as the sun finally set beyond the horizon. As soon as the messenger finished relaying the news back in Wortrest, Richard gathered a large force of Azure Hawk knights and rushed as fast as they could to Ertrum. Once they arrived, they made camp just outside the town to be the center of their operation in the immediate area. On their way, they had passed the scene of the incident and recovered the left behind horses, and the coachman''s body which they handed over to the Alm''s temple to receive a proper burial. They also recovered the two hellhound corpses. Thomas, who was standing next to Richard, glanced at the cart they were storing the demon corpses in.

    "How did two of them get this far?" Thomas thought aloud. While demons could wander into their world, it could only be done at large fissures in the earth the people of Urldrusk called infernal gates. "We haven''t received any reports of a gate opening, and if there was one then there should be more than just two hellhounds."

    "That''s why we''re here," Richard mumbled through clenched teeth. He turned and addressed his gathered knights, "Where there are one, there are many; like rats in a cellar! Starting tonight, we will be conducting a subjugation of Gauldrin county! You''ve already been assigned your detachments so begin at once; demons are more active at night so they will be easier to find! Leave no stone unturned, no tree unchecked, and no cave uncharted until we''ve laid our eyes upon every speck of dirt that makes up this land!" Hate bled into Richard''s voice as he spoke with a burning conviction. The demons hadn''t just attacked his lands and his people; they had attacked his daughter. While he desperately wanted to be with her, Richard had a duty to his people he couldn''t ignore so he had to settle on giving Olivia a quiet farewell since she was fast asleep next to Lucina when he arrived at the temple to check on her.

    "At once, my Lord!" the knights all shouted and saluted before rushing off to their assigned tasks along with a few priests and priestesses who had joined them from Alm''s temple.

    "Duke!" While the knights and clergy were preparing to depart, Charles Felswore entered the camp and rushed over to Richard. The Azure Hawk camp was just off the road that led into Ertrum from the direction of the Felswore''s mansion so Charles saw it while rushing to town. His hair was a mess, and his clothes looked like he threw them on as soon as he received the message. He leaped off his horse and approached Richard. "My wife and daughter? Are they-?"

    "They''re alive, Count," Richard reassured the panicking man. "They''re both sleeping the night in Lady Alm''s temple; I saw them myself after I arrived."

    "Oh, thank the Hearth Mother!" Charles let out the tension he had been holding during his ride and he could finally breathe easy.

    "Your wife is fine, just tired from magic exhaustion since she helped subjugate the hellhounds. For that, she has my eternal gratitude."

    "Thank you, Duke." A smile played across Charles'' face upon hearing the Duke praise his wife''s contribution. He knew how hard Elizabeth had worked to be as strong as she was and couldn''t help but reminisce on that being one of the reasons he had fallen in love with her.

    "Your daughter, however¡­" When Richard went quiet, Charles'' smile vanished.

    "¡­What happened to Lucina?"

    "When the second hellhound was about to kill Olivia, Lady Lucina tackled her out of the way and took the blow. She was in a critical state when sh- Count!?" Charles went to run past Richard into town but Richard grabbed his arm. "Charles, she''s fine!"

    "¡­" Charles stopped trying to pull away.

    "They made it to Elder Arkin in time and he was able to save her life, though her back now bears the scars from that encounter. She''s alive and is asleep getting rest, like she should be." Richard released Charles who let his arm hang at his side.

    "¡­I failed her, again," Charles mumbled.

    "Did you know about the hellhounds?"

    "No, but-"

    "Then don''t blame yourself for something no one could have foreseen." Richard ran a hand through his hair as he also needed to calm down and think rationally. "She''s alive, Charles."

    "¡­I''ll open the grain storehouses and put out an emergency order to all the chefs and bakers in the county." Charles scratched his chin to alleviate his nerves. "I''ll supply all I can to your knights during the subjugation, even if I have to make the food myself."

    "Thank you, Count." Richard put his hand on Charles'' shoulder and gave a soft squeeze.

    "Count Felswore?" As the two men were about to go their separate ways, Magister Lucus walked up to them. "Could I have a moment?" He seemed excited about something.

    "Is something wrong, Magister?" Charles asked.

    "Nothing''s wrong, Count, but since you''re here I wanted to ask you if I could expedite Lady Lucina''s lessons to immediately start practical sessions?"

    "Practical sessions?"

    "Yes!" Lucus was giddy with excitement, but a cold glare from Richard made him clear his throat and restrain himself. "I''m sure this incident has left a trauma in Lady Lucina from her near-death experience. To help her through it, I would like to start teaching her spells that she can use to defend herself without relying on her emotions to inadvertently activate her magic so that her mind can be more at ease knowing she isn''t helpless."

    "¡­" While Charles didn''t like the thought of Lucina ever needing to go through something like what happened today ever again, he couldn''t rule out it as an impossibility.

    "Not to mention her unmatched potential, from what I heard from Sir Joseph''s report!"

    "Potential?" Charles looked to Richard for clarification.

    "Your daughter," Richard began, "used gravity magic to throw the overturned carriage at the hellhound that was attacking her and Olivia."

    "She what!?"

    "Exactly! It''s unheard of!" The excitement in Lucus was back in full force. "In all my years, I''ve never seen or heard of a Magister that was able to ''throw'' something with gravity magic! Making something go up and down? Sure. But to move something horizontally? I knew Lady Lucina was special when she could harness all four elemental magics, but even her gravity magic is special! Not to mention her magic reserves!"

    "Is that something truly so groundbreaking?" Richard asked since Charles was seemingly stunned by this revelation.

    "Yes! Not even Elder Arkin has ever mentioned something like this, before! Then, there''s the fact that she was able to even move something that big! I mean¡­ Think of it like this!" Lucus gestured over to the wagons the knights had gathered for the subjugation. "Duke, could you throw one of those wagons?"

    "If I used my aura, I could lift and throw one a few meters," Richard humored Lucus.

    "Yes, you are a fully grown man who''s spent much of his life training his body and aura both on and off the field of battle. It took you years, but you could throw that wagon. Lady Lucina is only six years old and was able to do that with her untrained magic! Magic that, need I remind you, puts just as much strain on the body as aura does!" Lucus smiled as he saw understanding dawn on Richard and Charles'' faces. "Gravity magic, from what we understand, scales with two things: the Magister''s magic reserves, and the Magister''s physical strength. Gravity magic is so impractical because it requires both a lot of magic as well as a physically strong body. Even if Lady Lucina had your build, Duke, she would still need a massive amount of magic to be able to lift and throw that wagon. And yet, Lady Lucina threw a carriage over, from what Sir Joseph said, ten meters!" He threw his arms out to the sides in a sweeping gesture to mimic something being thrown. "Yes, she fell unconscious from her wounds and magic exhaustion, but the fact that she was able to do it before collapsing tells me that Lady Lucina holds within her the potential to become the greatest Magister to possibly ever live! Her magic reserves must be so large that they can supplement the need for physical strength! She holds so much untapped power, all she needs is someone to help her bring it out and control it! So please, Count, may I expedite Lady Lucina''s lessons to include practical sessions?"

    "¡­" Charles pursed his lips as he fell deep in thought. For her age, Lucina already held frighteningly powerful magic that made even his vassals nervous whenever they were at his mansion to discuss business. People feared Lucina and the fact that the rumor about her legitimacy was still circulating, no matter how hard he and Elizabeth tried to crush it, wasn''t helping. But at the same time, Lucina almost lost her life because she wasn''t prepared for the dangers this world could throw at her. "I fear such power will invite unwanted attention." He gave a knowing look to Richard who nodded in agreement; the crown was always looking for more wizards.

    "Yet, untapped power invites corruption," Lucus retorted. "Lady Lucina''s thirst for magical knowledge is greater than even the most devout of clergy. If I don''t do what I can for her, I worry that she will look for ways to sate her hunger on her own, without proper guidance."

    "What do you-?"

    "She''s already asked about the wizard''s tower, Count." Lucus'' revelation sent a chill down Charles and Richard''s spines.

    "What!? When!?" This was the first time Charles had heard this.

    "It was during our first week of advanced lessons. I didn''t report it to you since I managed to convince her to not go down that path¡­but¡­ With today''s incident, I believe she may delve down the wrong path out of a perceived necessity if I don''t meet her expectations." Lucus bowed his head low and once more asked, "May I provide Lady Lucina with practical sessions to help her harness and control her magic, Count?"

    "¡­Damn it!" Charles cursed and stomped his foot in frustration. No subject of Urldrusk, save those that licked the crown''s boots, liked the wizard''s tower or the influence it held in the kingdom''s politics. Richard, in particular, had been vocal about his discontent with the tower which has earned the ire of Marcus Arlexton, the current king of Urldrusk. Charles had no idea how Lucina learned about the tower, but the fact she was curious about it frightened him. "I''ll speak with Elizabeth about increasing her and Lucina''s visits to the temple, later. Lucus, do everything you can for my daughter."

    "I will proceed, Count," Lucus said before leaving to return to the Felswore mansion and prepare for Lucina''s lessons. Richard gave Charles a worried look, and Charles responded with one of his own. Uneasy times lay ahead once the crown learned of Lucina''s talents, and both men worried if Lucina would be able to come out unscathed.

 The Routes Constriction

    Despite spending weeks combing through our territory, the Azure Hawk knights couldn''t find a single trace of an infernal gate. The news was bittersweet because while this meant that the territory was safe from further demon attacks, no one knew how those two hellhounds got to Gauldrin since the county was near the center of the duchy. Duke Ordrin scaled down the subjugation force and sent scouting parties to all the other counties he ruled, but nothing turned up. Even Olivia joined the scouts, after a long period of trying to convince her father to allow her to participate. I could tell the Duke didn''t want Olivia to have to worry about subjugations when she was only six, but her determination must have made an impression on him because he eventually relented and Olivia started traveling with the knights. While they patrolled the duchy they dealt with natural disaster relief, a few bandits, and some dangerous wildlife, but not a single demon or infernal gate appeared in Holst.

    Since Olivia was gone, I also didn''t want to sit idle while she improved herself, and Magister Lucus started taking me outside to practice casting spells deliberately instead of letting my emotions take over and to test the limits of my gravity magic. Spells, I learned, were actually just patterns that were written down to make magic easier to learn. Elemental magic could do anything so long as it involved its respective element, but such freedom was hard to grasp by young practitioners so past Magisters created guides on ways to harness magic; a spell. If you gather fire into your hand and throw it then that''s the fireball spell. If you conjure and shape water into a wall then that''s the hydro wall spell. It was an easy way to grasp magic and to build a foundation to further explore and develop at my own pace. I also learned more about magic exhaustion as Magister Lucus never let our practice drag on too long and would always stop when I appeared tired. He said that magic exhaustion was equivalent to running out of energy while doing physical exercises but for the brain; it was a kind of mental fatigue that could also affect the body. While the quickest way to increase one''s magic reserve was to drain it completely and suffer through magic exhaustion, I was warned to never push myself that far. Magisters who continuously pushed beyond their limit would gain a tremendous amount of magic but would also be seen conversing with the air as if it were a person, they reacted to sounds that weren''t there, and many would end up locking themselves away cutting off all contact with friends and loved ones. These people were said to be closer to the gods but such a feat came with great cost so I stuck to the routine, and before I knew it two years had passed.

    "This really does hit the spot on a cold winter day," Olivia said while sipping a steaming cup of tea. Olivia, Cassandra, Margaret, and I were in Olivia''s room in Wortrest Keep, sitting around a table that was close to the fireplace which had a gentle fire flickering inside. The first snowfall had hit us for the year and blanketed the land in a bright white that shimmered under the sun''s light as the clouds retreated from the sky.

    "So warm~," Cassandra let out a content sigh as she was buried in a warm blanket while holding her cup of tea like a hand warmer. "I''m so glad you''re smart, Olivia."

    "This wouldn''t have been possible without Lucina," Olivia replied and she gave me a smile. While I was learning spells, Olivia had sent me a letter asking if I could enchant spells into items, like the bathtubs we used that kept the water at a warm temperature by having fire magic engraved into the bottom of the tub. When I asked Magister Lucus he became rather excited because I was broadening my horizons and there was always something new to teach which made his days interesting. "She''s the one who spent the time to make the teapots I asked for, despite how many she broke along the way," she joked.

    "It''s harder than you think!" I retorted and held my cup close to keep my hands warm. "Enchanting a large tub to keep water warm is one thing, but to enchant a small teapot to keep water hot is difficult." To keep such a small area hot enough to boil water, while also not spreading the heat to the rest of the teapot, while also not evaporating the water, while also not shattering the porcelain took months to perfect. Though, it was a great exercise in magic manipulation and control, plus I now know the basics of magic enchantment so I didn''t mind that it took so long.

    "Indeed, we have enough broken teapots from your experiments to fill a museum dedicated to the founding of our launch product," Olivia teased me before turning to Margaret. "Speaking of, have all the shipments gone out, yet?"

    "The last ship sailed for Gorinville yesterday," Margaret replied while going through some papers she brought from her office. Thanks to Olivia''s investment, and getting a local trade charter from the Duke upon Olivia''s request, the Trent Merchant Company was able to stay afloat long enough for the capital to finally get back to them and issue an official trade charter for the entirety of Urldrusk. Margaret''s father was so touched by what he had received that he repaid Olivia by making the Wortrest building their primary residence instead of moving to the capital like they originally planned. With Trent cemented in Wortrest, the city''s influence on the rest of the kingdom''s trade was guaranteed for years to come as they supplied goods and gems from Yulash; just like in Olivia''s prophecies. With a trade company in her back pocket, Olivia wanted to test the waters on what she could earn by launching a new product; the self-heating teapot. Olivia brought the Ordrin name, I created the teapots, Margaret took care of storage and distribution, and Cassandra was given a few as gifts to show off at all the gatherings she frequented to spread the word far and wide. "Luckily, the Helker hasn''t frozen over yet so we''re able to meet the demand on time. We''re completely sold out here, and we''ve received word that our distributors in the capital are also completely booked. Not a single one will hit the shelves since they''re already sold and will instead go directly into the customer''s hands." Margaret flipped through some more papers before stopping to adjust her reading glasses. "Are you sure you don''t want to make more? We''ve got so much demand that they''re guaranteed to sell."

    "I''m sure," Olivia affirmed and sipped her tea with a knowing smile. "Since we only made a limited number, the prices were ours to control. Let''s wait a while before thinking about launching a second line." Margaret seemed apprehensive since she was a merchant who was being told to not make more money, but she kept her thoughts to herself since Trent had already made such a large profit on the one hundred teapots we did make. I also saw some of the wealth since Olivia paid me a portion of the profits because I was the one making the teapots. Honestly, I had no idea what to spend the money on, so I just put it in the bank. "Artificial scarcity is a scary thing," Olivia mused.

    "Even if competitors will eventually make their own teapots to pick up the slack?" Margaret asked.

    "Even if they do," Olivia idly replied, unworried. "All they''ll be doing is making our products shine more while flooding the market with off-brand products that will dilute their own price. They won''t have the Ordrin name behind them, or be handled by Trent, so it won''t be much of a loss for us." Olivia had told me about this happening in her previous life when I brought up a similar question and she said that collectibles like ''anime figures'' proved her strategy, whatever those were. "Since we only made a hundred, I was able to personally inspect each one to guarantee their quality." She reached over and patted my head. "My Lucina''s such a skilled craftsman."

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "¡­" I turned my head toward the fire to hide my flushing cheeks. She kept doing things like this to see me embarrassed despite me being too old for such childish acts, though the fact I was still a full-head shorter than her didn''t help. I need to grow!

    "Mmm~." Cassandra had become a pink blob in her chair as her mature composure was thrown out the window in favor of basking in the warmth.

    "Don''t melt into the chair, Cassandra," Olivia laughed.

    "But~," Cassandra complained as she tried and failed to sit straight, "I''m only able to relax when I''m here. It''s so tiring being the center of attention at normal gatherings and I can''t let my guard down." If she was so tired then why was she bragging? "I like how relaxed you let us be."

    "But, won''t your hair get ruined if you slouch in a blanket like that?"

    "Impossible. My hair is always perfect, even when messy." She spoke with such matter-of-fact confidence that I worry for her future, and wonder how the other noble daughters flock to her with a straight face. "Mmmm. Actually, could you make a blanket that warms itself, like the teapot?" she asked me while returning to her blob state.

    "That sounds like a fire hazard," I replied and looked to Olivia to back me up, but found she was lost in thought about the idea. Did her past life also have self-heating blankets? Just how powerful was the kingdom she used to live in for such a dangerous thing to be common?

    "I second Lady Lucina''s warning." Margaret had my back, at least. "Transporting the teapots was already an endeavor because of their fragility, but a self-warming flammable blanket? Not to mention the dangers of storage and use by the customer. There''s too many risks to be worth the profit."

    "Boo~," Cassandra whined and sipped her tea.

    "My Lady?" As I set my empty cup aside, Mary knocked and entered the room. She seemed nervous and clutched a rather ornate-looking letter in her hand. "There''s a letter for you from the royal family."

    "!?!" Olivia choked on her drink and started coughing.

    "Olivia!?" I started patting her back and Mary rushed to Olivia''s side. Margaret put down her papers and looked ready to help, and Cassandra emerged from her blob.

    "¡­Give it to me," Olivia said once she stopped coughing. With uneasy hands, she took the letter from Mary and opened it. As she read, I watched the color drain from Olivia''s face.

    "What does it say?" Cassandra asked as she also noticed Olivia''s discomfort.

    "¡­I was chosen as a candidate for the crown prince''s fianc¨¦ and am to head to the capital to meet the royal family. I am also to stay in the capital if I''m chosen so I can receive the education necessary to assist the crown prince as his queen." Her words sent a chill through the room. The Holst duchy as a whole was not on good terms with the royal family, and the capital had almost ruined Trent so everyone in the room felt the weight of the letter''s cruel intent.

    ***

    "He dares try and make my daughter a puppet!?" Richard roared when he received news of the letter and the maid who brought the news took a tense step back while keeping her head bowed. The Duke was holding a meeting with a few of his vassals in his study, and everyone tensed up from his outburst. Richard''s pen snapped in two as he clenched his fists in frustration. "First my son wishes to join the royal guard, and now this?"

    "They''re probably after the Lady''s business," Baron Lyllium, Cassandra''s mother, spoke up. Her hair was the same pink as her daughter''s, but her eyes were a scarlet red, and she stood as tall as the male vassals beside her. "It''s no secret that Lady Olivia''s received a considerable profit from the self-heating teapots, not to mention the fact that she practically owns Trent what with her constant meetings with the owner''s daughter."

    "A business could be bought, though," another vassal brought up. "Plus, Lady Olivia seems to refuse to make more of the teapots so there''s no continuous revenue to go after. She''s already made her piece." The other gathered vassals all started voicing their opinions and concerns about the news and soon the study was filled with arguing voices. Richard waved his hand to dismiss the trembling maid and she quickly left the room.

    "They''re not after the business, they''re after her," Richard muttered bitterly which silenced his vassals. His fingers started tapping against his desk as his mind worked through his thoughts. "Olivia''s proven herself to be a shrewd businesswoman with her limited teapots plan, she has one of the largest and still growing merchant companies in the kingdom at her beck and call, and she''s an Aurister that stands above even some of my own knights all at the age of eight." He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. "I doubt the teapots are the last plan Olivia will have that makes such a large impact on the social world, and she has the people around her to make anything a reality." While he and Charles Felswore had done what they could to keep Lucina''s potential hidden, there was always the chance of a leak especially once the teapots launched and everyone wanted to know who the skilled Magister was that could create such a wonderful magic item. Even Baron Lyllium''s daughter, who was popular beyond her rank among the nobility''s children, did what she could to help his daughter which only further spread Olivia''s influence in high society despite not even having debuted, yet. Olivia had created the foundations of a formidable powerbase, and the royal family noticed.

    "Are you going to send your daughter to the lion''s den, Duke?" Baron Lyllium asked since none of the other vassals wanted to speak first.

    "If I don¡¯t, Marcus will say I went against a royal decree that was issued for the kingdom''s future prosperity, and he''ll hurt the duchy," Richard replied half-heartedly. Ever since his grandfather''s rule, the Holst duchy worked to stand tall without licking the royal family''s boots. It was an uneasy peace since the duchy had strength on par with the royal family, but the scales were getting tipped by the other dukes. "He probably thinks that just because Duke Hoffman worships the ground he walks on he can mess with me. What are Duke Einbore''s movements, Baron Lyllium?"

    "The Lorn duchy in the north is still secluding itself to deal with the increased infernal gates that are opening along the tip of their northern borders," Baron Lyllium reported. Her barony was on the border with the Lorn duchy so she was in charge of keeping tabs on them. "They''re keeping the demons at bay, but I don''t believe they can last while continuing to seclude themselves, and the royal family will definitely try and win them over in a few years."

    "So, only Duke Mordrist stands with us," Richard mused as he thought about the southern duchy ruled by the only person he could consider his ally. The scales were balanced with only Duke Einbore not picking a side. "Einbore wants to focus on the north, so if we act rashly and move aggressively first then he''ll join the royals to keep the peace." Richard chuckled to himself, "What an annoying bastard." He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds in silence before finally giving his verdict, "Looks like I''ll be heading to the capital with my daughter."

    ***

    "Are you sure you''ll be alright!?" I asked while holding Olivia''s hand. It was the following day and we were standing outside Wortrest Keep where a carriage was getting loaded with supplies for her and her father''s departure to Gorinville.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine," Olivia tried to lie but her hands weren''t trembling from the cold.

    "But, the prophecies-"

    "I know," Olivia cut me off and squeezed my hands. "¡­But who knows?" she attempted to reason, "Maybe I can befriend the crown prince and he won''t kill me?" She tried to make it sound like a joke, but her voice shook when she mentioned him killing her. "Maybe I can quietly step down when the Saintess appears and let them live happily ever after? Maybe¡­" Her words trailed off.

    "If you need anything, send me a letter and I''ll do what I can!" I had to lift her spirits, I wouldn''t send her off to the man who could kill her one day without a word of relief. "Or Margaret! We''re here for you. Also, Cassandra will definitely be at a lot of events in the capital so you can look forward to seeing her!"

    "¡­Yeah." She didn''t sound convinced but at least her hands stopped shaking.

    "Olivia?" the Duke called from the carriage which had finished loading. "We need to set out to make it to our first stop before nightfall."

    "Coming!" Olivia called back. She gave me one last hopeful look and smiled. "I''ll see you later, Lucina." She let go of my hand and headed to the carriage.

    "¡­See you later, Olivia." My words were carried away by a cold wind that blew through the castle. The Duchess, my mother, Vivian, and a few servants stood outside with me to watch the carriage disappear beyond the castle gates and into the wintery horizon. I wasn''t sure when I would be able to see Olivia again, but I prayed with all my heart that things would be okay.

 The Lion and the Briar

    Things were not okay. Not even a month had passed before I received my first letter from Olivia, and she wasn''t doing well. According to the letter, the selection process was a scam since it was obvious that Olivia was the one who was supposed to be selected and the royal family was only doing things like this to make it uncomfortable for everyone involved. They tried to turn the other candidates against her, but Olivia was able to smooth things over with everyone so nothing escalated beyond some harsh words said in the heat of the moment. Since it was obvious that their plan wasn''t working, they gave up the farce, Olivia was selected, and she was forced to live in the capital under watch. The worst part, though, was that the crown prince barely paid attention to her! "She''s your fianc¨¦, you damned-"

    "Language," Adam idly chastised from his seat next to me in the carriage. I managed to convince the Count to take me with him to the capital since he was called to attend a meeting there; it was about grain prices, I think. Adam was here because the Count wanted him to get used to the capital since Adam was the heir to the county and would need to get used to coming here.

    "I won''t say it out loud, once we get there," I replied and stared out the window. Because our county was a major food provider, we had enough money to own a mansion in the capital that we were currently staying at. The mansion wasn''t nearly as big as the one back in Gauldrin, but it still held an air of noble elegance, and the servants there avoided me so things were peaceful. Aside from that, the capital itself was a bustling metropolis of brick, stone, and marble that put even Wortrest to shame. The style was similar to Wortrest, Renaissance Era as Olivia called it, but there were considerably more buildings made of marble. Metal poles caped with diamond-shaped crystals that glowed a gentle white light lined the streets and kept them lit day and night; crystals that were denied to those holdings who didn''t endorse the wizard''s tower.

    "When we arrive," the Count said after clearing his throat to get our attention, "I''ll need to go directly to the meeting. I don''t imagine it will take too long since the nobles who spend all their time in the capital try to do this every year before the solstice." The Count sounded annoyed and Adam looked completely disinterested; he wasn''t looking forward to inheriting this headache. "Lucina, since Adam is my heir he is allowed to wander the exterior of the main palace as well as some of the interior, to an extent, so stay with him or else the servants will harass you." Not a ''might'', but a ''will''.

    "Very well, Count." Getting kicked out too early would ruin my plan of finding Olivia. "I won''t¡­?" My words trailed off as a bright light started to shine through the carriage''s window, forcing me to shield my eyes. Looking outside, our carriage was approaching a massive building made of polished marble and decorated with reliefs made of gold; the royal palace. The palace looked to be four stories tall with an addition in the back that was six stories, and the road leading from the front gate to the entrance stairs was lined with marble pillars that were just as tall. The gold reliefs held by the approach pillars depicted famous victories of Urldrusk''s past, the previous kings surrounded by their wife or wives, and a few were dedicated to wizards holding their staves and orbs high as if banishing something that was above them. Because of the freshly fallen snow and the beating sun, the palace was like a beacon of light that shined so brightly that my eyes hurt just looking at it.

    "It''s best not to look directly at the palace." Adam seemed to read my mind as he adjusted himself in his seat to not have the glare hit him in the face. As we finished our approach, a lion made of marble with a golden mane stood majestically atop an ornate fountain that we had to ride around to reach the entrance. Despite being the dead of winter, the fountain was still spewing water that steamed when it hit the cold air; another gift from the wizard''s tower. "Let''s go," Adam said as we exited the carriage and he held out a hand to help me down.

    "Thank you." It was hard to move properly in my winter coat and dress, so I appreciated the help. The air bit our faces as a gust of wind howled through the palace courtyard we had to cross to enter the main building. Adam didn''t let go of my hand, and even through our gloves, I could tell he was tense about being here. Servants and officials occasionally passed us by as we approached the building and I could feel curious stares from the windows on the upper floors.

    "Count Felswore!" When we entered the massive entrance hall of the palace whose ceiling was four stories above us, a woman in her late fifties with long, wavy black hair and dull blue eyes approached us. Instead of a dress, she wore thick black dress pants and looked to be in a formal military uniform with a fur-lined cape trailing behind her. A neutral smile played on her lips as she saw us.

    "Greetings, Duke Mordrist," the Count said and gave a bow, followed by Adam and myself. "Has the meeting started already?"

    "No, they''re still bickering about the military''s budget, so you''re plenty early," the Duke answered and waved her hand dismissively in the air. "We''re at peace, but some of those old snakes are still demanding increases to the budget." Her eyes moved from the Count to my brother and I. "I recognize the young Lord, but the one next to him?"

    "Lucina Felswore greets the Duke of Sevette," I said and gave a curtsy.

    "So, the rumored daughter makes her appearance." There was a playfulness in the Duke''s voice and her expression was unreadable with her neutral smile unchanging. The Count looked like he was about to say something, but I wanted to show that such statements didn''t bother me.

    "I''m glad I''m already famous despite not having debuted, yet." I gave her the practiced smile I used whenever I ignored the badmouthing I would hear at Wortrest during gatherings from the other nobles.

    "They aren''t good rumors." She cocked an eyebrow at me and looked amused.

    "Then, I won''t have to deal with annoying suitors when I come of age and can find someone who truly loves me despite the rumors."

    "¡­Haha!" The Duke let out a laugh and her expression softened into an openly friendly one. "Your daughter''s already got a good head on her shoulders, Count," she laughed and looked to the Count who was sighing into his hand. "You know, I''ve got a grandson who''s unmarried, Lady Lucina," the Duke said while giving me a sly smile.

    "Lord Harold is already eighteen, Duke," the Count cleared his throat to interrupt the Duke''s flow.

    "And he''s still single!" the Duke exasperated before jokingly adding, "If I don''t do something, he''ll stay that way for the rest of his life since my son seems to be content with letting him be. Besides, their age gap wouldn''t be the biggest in the kingdom." She seemed to be on good terms with the Count to openly joke about such topics, so I didn''t mind.

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    "Count Felswore!" A servant ran up to our group and bowed before continuing, "The meeting is about to begin, please follow me!"

    "It seems I''ve kept you too long," the Duke chuckled as she turned to leave. "Please, send my regards to the Countess."

    "Thank you, Duke." My father gave a bow before turning to us and saying, "This shouldn''t take long, so don''t wander too far."

    "We won''t," Adam replied and the Count headed off with the servant. As Adam led me down a separate corridor I felt a pair of eyes watching me from behind, and when I turned I saw Duke Mordrist meandering in the opposite direction while watching me from the corner of her eye. She gave me a confident smile before Adam and I disappeared down the hall from her sight, but I couldn''t shake the feeling of her eyes watching me.

    "Is the Duke usually this friendly?" I asked Adam to pass the silence we found ourselves in. The servants were giving hushed glances in my direction.

    "Only if she likes you," Adam replied. "Duke Mordrist is friendly with the Ordrins, so we should mind ourselves with anyone from the Sevette duchy to not sour the relationship. Luckily, she likes spunky kids."

    "How could you call your own sister spunky?"

    "Because I don''t want to lie to you." Even though his tone was dry, I knew Adam was joking. After all these years I finally got a read on and figured him out, and Adam just sucks at being expressive. It''s not that he doesn''t feel emotions, his face and voice just naturally remain neutral with only minor deviations. "I believe Lady Olivia is staying in the east wing, so just keep holding my hand and I''ll take you there." I know he cares, and that''s enough.

    "You there, halt and show reverence!" Adam and I were interrupted going to the east wing of the palace by a boy who was my age defiantly standing in the middle of the hall. His clothes looked to be made of the most expensive fabrics and were a brilliant pure white accented with golden trim. He was about as tall as Olivia, so almost a full head taller than me, and the smugness of his expression could be smelled from where I was despite him being over twenty feet away. Both his hair and eyes glistened and shimmered a brilliant gold; the mark of the royal family. He approached Adam and I and stood a few feet away.

    "Adam Felswore greets Urldrusk''s Little Lion, Your Highness James Arlexton." Adam let go of my hand and gave a deep bow. So, this was the worthless fianc¨¦ who was ignoring Olivia. His face looks really punchable, but I can''t openly attack a member of the royal family so let''s see how good you are with your head, James.

    "Lucina Felswore greets Urldrusk''s Little Cub, Your Highness James Arlexton."

    "!?!" James'' face went from a smug smile to a confused frown, and I felt my brother flinch from fear while still bowing next to me. There were some servants in the hall with us and they all froze when I gave my greeting.

    "How dare you!?" Suddenly, Derik Ordrin stepped out from behind James and took an aggressive step towards me.

    "Greetings, Lord Derik," I kept my smile and showed no fear, "I didn''t see you there, you were hiding behind the crown prince so well. Shouldn''t his escorts be more proactive?" He had a shortsword sheathed on his belt.

    "Wha-!?"

    "Correct yourself!" James, seeming to not want the stupidity limelight taken from him, stepped forward and crossed his arms across his chest.

    "Correct myself?" I said in as innocent a voice as I could. "I am sorry, Your Highness, but I don''t know what I need to correct."

    "Don''t waste your time on a bastard, Your Highness," Derik spat in my direction and tried to distract James so he wouldn''t pay me any mind.

    "No!" But, James wasn''t having it. "You called me a ''cub'' when I''m a lion!" He puffed out his chest and proudly declared for all to hear, "I am the Little Lion of Urldrusk!"

    "¡­But, Your Highness, that''s what I said." Will he say the right thing, or blunder into an obvious trap? Even if we''re both eight, he''s the crown prince so he must have some semblance of a brain to not fall for such a simple wordplay.

    "How are ''cub'' and ''lion'' the same!?"

    "They''re not!" Derik chimed in.

    "¡­" Ah, I almost revealed my real smile for a second there. To think, these boys might one day take Olivia''s life¡­ How disgusting. At least I also get to embarrass Derik, too, in front of the watching servants. I gave a slight gasp and covered my mouth while looking at Derik and proclaimed, "Lord Derik! How could you lie to His Highness like that!?" Adam had risen from his bow and was giving me a cautious look out of the corner of his eye, but he wasn''t stopping me.

    "Lie? I have not lied to His Highness!" Derik growled and clenched his fist to appear intimidating. "Bastards like you are always playing tricks, it seems."

    "Then, you''re that ignorant at your age!?" I gasped.

    "Wh-!?" Before he could try and refute me, I bowed deeply to James.

    "Your Highness, I ask that you please be merciful as Lord Derik did not mean to lie to you. I just believed it was common knowledge that a young lion is called a cub." Both James and Derik had a dumbfounded expression on their faces. Come on, Derik, let your anger get the better of you like you usually do.

    "O-Of course I know what a cub is!" James said before Derik could defend himself.

    "Ah, I''m glad," I said with a warm smile. "I''m glad Urldrusk''s Little Cub is so wise."

    "Wait, no! You did it again!" James said while raising his voice even louder. More servants and even some officials were now taking notice of what was happening. "That''s not right!"

    "What''s not right?" I tilted my head in confusion.

    "I''m a little lion!"

    "Yes, you are, Your Highness."

    "Then call me properly!"

    "But, a cub is a young lion."

    "I know that!"

    "That a cub is a little lion?"

    "Yes!"

    "So, you''re Urldrusk''s Little Cub?"

    "Yes!...?" When James realized what he agreed to, his cheeks went red as it seemed like he finally understood his situation. If he continued to make a fuss while so many people were watching then it would only make him look na?ve to lose such a simple wordplay to a young lady, but if he let it go then he would look weak for letting me openly call him a cub. He was a lot more gullible than I thought. I don''t think Olivia would have trouble with someone of James'' standards, so why was she having such a hard time wi-?

    "Lucina!?" Ah, right, who needs brains when you have brawn. By the time I heard Adam''s cry, I was already on the floor from Derik slapping me across the face with all his strength. It took him long enough to lose his cool.

    "A lowly bastard child dares speak to His Highness like this!?" Derik stood over me with a murderous look in his eyes. Nervous whispering danced along the halls of the palace, whispers Derik seemed oblivious to as he remained where he was. Also, while I couldn''t see my own face, I could tell he left a big mark on my cheek.

    "Lord Derik, please, calm yourself!" Adam knelt down and started helping me to my feet. As I rose, I looked down the hall from where Adam and I came from and noticed some familiar figures rushing toward us. One more push should do it.

    "!?!" I angled myself so that only Derik could see my face and I gave him a cocky smile. "Bastard!" Derik reached for his sword.

    "Derik Ordrin!" Richard Ordrin''s voice boomed through the hall as he, Duke Mordrist, and a few officials came to investigate the commotion. Judging by Duke Mordrist''s smile, I guess she was the one who tipped off Duke Ordrin that something was happening.

    "F-Father?" Derik''s hand froze on the hilt of his sword as he finally realized the amount of eyes that were staring into him. His hand dropped to his side, but the damage was done. "I-"

    "For what reason were you about to draw your sword on a mere child!?" the Duke''s anger made Derik take a step back; even I had never seen him so angry before. "Is your skin so soft!?"

    "S-She insulted His Highness!" Derik attempted to justify himself by hiding behind James. Everyone turned to James who looked like he had a frog in his throat. Too bad for Derik, but it seems like James is also a coward who dislikes unwanted attention from an angry Duke.

    "¡­There was a slight misunderstanding, but it wasn''t anything major," James said to the dismay of Derik. "Stand down, Derik."

    "¡­" Derik grit his teeth in frustration and embarrassment before stepping behind James.

    "It seems we''ve created a commotion, Duke Ordrin, and I was unable to properly teach your son the dignity befitting of a royal guard." Wow, the coward could be diplomatic, after all. "Please accept my apology, and allow me to summon the royal physician to check on the young Lady''s wound. You there," he addressed one of the servants, "Escort the young Lady and Lord to a side room while they wait."

    "At once, Your Highness," the servant gave a bow and hurried over to Adam and I. "Please, follow me."

    "¡­Thank you." I wanted to say more, but I already achieved more than enough so I held my tongue and accepted the escort and physician. Since things seemed to have been solved, many of the gawkers started to disperse to begin spreading rumors around the palace which, while not originally in my plan, was a good thing since I knew these rumors would reach Olivia''s ears. She would definitely find me.

    "¡­I appreciate your maturity and grace, Your Highness," the Duke controlled himself and addressed James. He still looked heated and a little of it came out as he turned to Derik, "Derik, I would like to remind you that you not only represent the royal family as His Highness'' guard, but you also represent the Holst duchy as my heir." The Duke''s eyes burned with anger. "Lady Lucina is no bastard, she is a legitimate Felswore and this fact has been proven by Elder Arkin. This ends here."

    "¡­" Derik didn''t respond, but his knuckles were probably turning white under his gloves from how clenched his fists were. I couldn''t help but smile to myself because of how well that went. Luckily, Adam didn''t seem to notice my smile, or if he did then he didn''t say anything, and just silently escorted me with the servant to the room.

 Spite in False Love

    "Please wait here for the physician," the servant said before giving a bow and leaving the room. Adam and I were left alone in the room so I walked over and sat down on one of the sofas. My cheek still stung, which was annoying, but it was a small price to pay to get some brownie points with Olivia when she comes to find me.

    "Doesn''t it hurt?" Adam walked over and cupped my cheek in his hand to begin examining it.

    "Of course it does," I replied while adjusting my head to give him a better look. "I just got slapped by a future royal guard."

    "Then why are you so happy about it?"

    "¡­" I guess I was smiling too much to the point Adam couldn''t ignore it. I turned my head back to face Adam to see there was an apprehensive look in his eyes as he looked down at me and I could detect some dissatisfaction from how gently he was rubbing my cheek. "Because a slap to the face is nothing compared to what comes next." I gave him a warm smile to try and alleviate his concerns.

    "What comes-?" As Adam tried to ask his question, we both heard a commotion start to approach our room from outside the doors. "So," Adam realized when the voices got close enough for us to recognize, "This was your plan."

    "Lucina!?" Olivia threw open the doors to our room and rushed inside while being flanked by Mary who had joined Olivia a few days after her arrival at the capital, another maid I didn''t recognize, and a man who was holding a doctor''s bag. The news certainly traveled fast in the royal palace. As soon as she saw me, Olivia hyper-focused on my red cheek and hurried to my side. "Check her!" Olivia shot a glare back to the physician.

    "O-Of course, Crown Princess," the physician stammered before quickly giving me a check-up. I knew it wasn''t that bad and wouldn¡¯t take long, but a simple check took ten minutes because the physician couldn''t concentrate while Olivia stared holes into the back of his head. "While it will sting for a while, her jaw is perfectly fine and there isn''t any danger," he tried to placate Olivia.

    "¡­Thank you, you may leave."

    "At once, Crown Princess." The physician happily accepted the out and quickly left the room.

    "Fucking brute," Olivia muttered as she inspected my cheek with great care to not touch me so it wouldn''t hurt.

    "Crown Princess!?" the unknown maid exclaimed as she moved to chastise Olivia. "Please hold your demeanor to a higher degree, especially in front of your subjects!" She sent an uneasy look to Adam as if she were looking down on him for being here to hear Olivia''s vulgarity. Mary looked like she was holding herself back from reprimanding the maid.

    "Adam Felswore greets the Crown Princess, Her Highness Olivia Ordrin," Adam gave a perfectly practiced greeting.

    "Did you come with the Count?" Olivia asked while looking over her shoulder at my brother.

    "Yes, my father is currently in a meeting about next year''s harvest prices and distribution."

    "Then you may return and wait for him, I will stay with Lucina."

    "Thank you for your generosity, Her Highness." Adam trusted Olivia to keep her word and felt safe leaving me with her, so he exited the room to return to the main hall and wait for the Count to finish his meeting.

    "Crown Princess?" This unknown maid seemed to be full of hot air and was desperate to make it known. "You have etiquette lessons this afternoon that we must get you ready for. I will ask a servant to stay with the young Lady in your stead, so please-"

    "Then perhaps we should also schedule some etiquette lessons for my brother, as well," Olivia cut off the maid and sent her a glare that forced her mouth shut. "After all, how can the royal family possibly rest easy knowing their guards go around attacking children? Unless you''re saying it''s proper etiquette to allow my subordinates to harass and assault people as if I were the boss of a slum gang?"

    "Crown Princess!?" I guess this maid was part parrot. "All I do is to help you rise to the position you were granted with as much grace as possible!"

    "Position I was granted? Correct yourself." The air in the room took on a chill and I watched Olivia''s face lose its patience. In a cold voice, Olivia addressed her unruly maid, "I was not granted the position of crown princess, I earned it after being chosen directly by His Majesty after reviewing my achievements and upon witnessing me during the selection process. You speak as if I am in a place I shouldn''t be. Was the selection process a scam that put someone unworthy next to His Highness?"

    "N-No!" the maid stammered out. "How could I call you unworthy after you''ve already proven yourself!?"

    "Then are you, some maid whose name I don''t even remember, questioning His Majesty''s judgment?"

    "!?!" The maid fell to her hands and knees and pleaded with Olivia, "I would never! Please, Crown Princess, forgive me for my words! I-"

    "Enough." Olivia refused to give this maid any more of her time and looked to Mary, "Take her out, I wish to be alone with Lucina."

    "At once, Her Highness," Mary happily complied and grabbed the maid by the back of her uniform before dragging her out of the room. Was Mary always strong enough to manhandle another person?

    "¡­Ugh, that''s the second one already." Olivia finally relaxed once everyone was gone and it was just the two of us.

    "They just don''t know how amazing you are," I offered my words to lighten her mood. "It''s their own fault for not having good eyes for people and getting themselves in trouble."

    "I don''t want to hear that from you!" Olivia said and started pinching the cheek Derik slapped.

    "Owowowow!"

    "Don''t think I don''t know what you did." She sounded like a mother disciplining her child. "Why did you intentionally antagonize James?"

    "B-Because he was neglecting you!" I expected this response from her and accepted my fate.

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    "And that''s something I need to deal with on my own," Olivia said and released my cheek. "There''s no use crying over spilled milk, so I''ve already come to terms with the fact that getting James to like me is an uphill battle and that it''s something I need to do, regardless." She softly rustled my hair and gave me an affectionate smile. "I don''t want you to get dragged into my mess, you deserve better."

    "Tha-" As I tried to thank her, a knock came from the door and a moment later James entered the room. I saw Derik outside the door when it opened, but he stayed outside while only sending me a glare before the door closed.

    "¡­You''re here, Crown Princess?" James seemed to be controlling his tone since Olivia was here, but I could tell he was uncomfortable about what happened earlier.

    "It would be irresponsible of me to ignore the misdeeds of my brother as that would reflect poorly on both the royal family and the Ordrins." There was no hostility in Olivia''s voice since she didn''t want things to escalate further. "I''ve also known Lucina for a long time, so I thought it right to see her, anyway, since she''s traveled so far."  Taking the opportunity to rub it in, I nestled myself against Olivia''s hand which was still on my head while giving James a cocky look.

    "¡­I see." A weird smile played across James'' face. What was he-? "I''m glad to know my fianc¨¦ has such a close friend, though it saddens me that she was hurt by my own guard." His tone was strangely friendly and sincere, his posture was relaxed, and his face was one of pity and comfort!?

    "O-Oh?" Olivia also wasn''t expecting this kind of talk from James, so she also was su-¡­ Wait, is Olivia blushing? "It''s not something you should feel guilty about, Your Highness, this is my brother''s fault!" Why was she taking his side!? Don''t fall for some average-looking face and some nice words, Olivia!

    ***

    "I''m glad you''re so understanding, Crown Princess." When James first entered the room, he was still upset that Lucina had gotten one over on him in front of so many people with her little word game. Derik said she was stupid and easy to deal with which was why he even confronted her in the first place. He was going to make some veiled threats to kick her back down to her place, but he stopped when he saw Olivia patting Lucina''s head. Originally, he didn''t really care much for Olivia since his father said she was only here to keep the Holst duchy in check. They had already gotten Derik under their thumb and willingly following James ever since the incident involving the Felswore daughter''s legitimacy. All James had to do was give some understanding words and a few promises for Derik to become one of his lackeys; so he wasn''t too concerned with dealing with Olivia. However, something about seeing Olivia give so much care to Lucina, the one who insulted him, didn''t sit right with James. So, he tried something to see if Lucina would bite. "Though, this incident has made me realize something."

    "¡­?" Olivia looked genuinely curious about what James would say, while Lucina narrowed her eyes cautiously.

    "Perhaps Derik is on edge since you and I aren''t very close despite being fianc¨¦s; he is your brother after all. And, admittedly, this distance between us is my own fault." Olivia already responded positively to some honeyed words, so a few more should do well to test his hypothesis. "If it''s alright with you, I would like to work on improving our relationship. To start with, could I call you by your name?" James gave his warmest smile and even bowed slightly when making his request.

    "I-I¡­" Olivia wasn''t sure how to respond to James'' sudden attitude shift. A part of her mind was telling her to proceed with caution since this was weird coming from someone who ignored her for a month, while another part was telling her to grab on as quickly as possible to work on avoiding her death. Plus, now that she was looking at him up close, James was already very handsome despite being only eight and she recalled what he looked like in his adult artwork from the game and blushed. "Then, could I also call you by your name, Your Highness?" She was pensive but hopeful.

    "Of course, you can," James reached down, took Olivia''s right hand, and gently kissed the back of it, "Olivia." James played his test.

    "¡­" And it worked perfectly. While Olivia was developing an even deeper blush, the death glare from Lucina confirmed everything James needed to know. The best way to put Lucina in her place wasn''t to confront her directly, it was to go after and win favor with Olivia. James chuckled to himself as he was looking forward to their continued relationship.

    ***

    "My apologies for ruining your good day, Duke Ordrin," Duke Mordrist said while accompanying Richard Ordrin through the royal palace. They moved to the second floor and were on the balcony overlooking the entrance hall. "But, it seemed like your son was about to make a very big mistake, so I hope you can understand."

    "I''m in the palace, Kyrie, it already wasn''t a good day," Richard replied half-heartedly and leaned against the railing. Officials and servants bustled about below them as peak work hours hit the palace.

    "True," Kyrie laughed before letting her eyes wander aimlessly over the people below them. "Though, I must say I''m impressed you''ve raised a son so willing to draw his sword on an unarmed lady."

    "I could do without the sarcasm."

    "Unfortunately for you, this is how I deal with headaches and my head hurts quite a bit." Kyrie looked like she was about to spit over the railings when a particular official passed under them, but decided against it at the last second.

    "They''re still pushing for increased military spending?" Richard asked while raising an eyebrow at Kyrie.

    "And they did it before you arrived as if to exclude you," Kyrie answered with a sly smile. "It''s the same as last year, and the years before that; despite being at peace they want to increase the budget for the royal knights and the wizard''s tower. The amount isn''t even that much, I''m more annoyed that they seem to want to keep doing this every year as if it will accomplish something." For the past eight years, the officials in the palace have been pushing for small increases to the military''s budget during the end-of-year meetings. It wasn''t big, only a one percent increase in spending, but what had Richard worried was that it was increasing by one percent every year. "If they want to prepare for a war, then they should just do it all at once so we can properly prepare for it."

    "Preparing for war is messy," Richard remarked as he spoke his thoughts aloud, "If you''re too blatant, then we''ll receive international ire from Yulash and Peltaira who will increase their spending in turn. They''re probably doing it this way to try and throw any foreign diplomats off the scent until it''s too late."

    "Then, you also think Marcus is preparing for war?" Kyrie lowered her voice to be drowned out by the people below. She leaned against the railing to face away from the hall and faced the closed door to their balcony.

    "Without a doubt," Richard admitted as he followed Kyrie''s lead. "Since there haven''t been any new warship projects put forth in the meetings, the target is probably the kingdom of Peltaira."

    "A unification war, then?" Peltaira was a kingdom that bordered Urldrusk to the east and was the only other kingdom on the continent since Urldrusk absorbed the southern kingdom of Sevette centuries ago. The conquered land became the Sevette duchy with small pieces being split off and given to the Holst and Relsh duchies. Peltaira''s size was comparable to Urldrusk, as were their militaries so the king was most likely preparing all he could to finally unify the continent under one banner. "My ancestors fought and died to resist the old Arlexton''s greed, and now it seems the Children of the Twins will be next." Peltaira''s state religion was an offshoot of the pantheon that Urldrusk worshiped with only Nuz and Muz being allowed within their borders. "Perhaps it will also be their turn to send their family to that hyena."

    "¡­" The current queen, Stephany Arlexton, was actually the second queen and mother of the second prince Terence Arlexton; she was also Kyrie Mordrist''s niece. However, despite Stephany''s son being the second prince, Terence was older than his half-brother James by four years since Stephany was Marcus'' concubine and gave birth before James'' mother. After the first queen died under ''mysterious circumstances'' three years ago Stephany was made queen, but her son was still regulated to being the second prince. "Stephany was too eager and ruined the chance she had."

    "I''ve already had a few words with her about it, and she''s been better at keeping her head down."

    "She''s lucky my knights found the surviving coachman before the royal knights, otherwise things today would be very different." Richard glanced over to Kyrie who was giving him a devil''s smile while softly chuckling to herself.

    "And I''m eternally grateful that our houses are good friends, it would be a shame to pluck such a beautiful hawk''s feathers," Kyrie joked.

    "You speak as if snakes could ever reach the hawk," Richard refuted while ignoring Kyrie''s laugh.

    "You''re more of a snake than me, Richard." Kyrie changed the subject and started to probe Richard for answers, "How could you hide such a useful card like the Felswore''s daughter from me? She''s got such a nice tongue on her that I''m half tempted to send them a marriage request on behalf of my grandson."

    "¡­Your jokes need work."

    "Who said I was joking?" Kyrie put her hands on her hips. "You don''t find a kid like her just anywhere, she''d do my Harold some good."

    "Ugh."

    "Plus, I''d always welcome such a talented Magister into my house." Kyrie''s devilish smile broadened when Richard glared at her. "Don''t look at me in that tone of voice. You seem to forget who owns the Silk Sparrows, and that your daughter just launched the most sought-after product in high society in decades; even I ordered some of her teapots."

    "Has anyone bought this information?"

    "That''s classified."

    "Then give me good friend privileges."

    "¡­No one''s paid me enough to burn my bridge with you," Kyrie admitted and gave a shrug. "We''ve certainly been flooded with requests, but as soon as I learned who the Magister was and how connected she was with your daughter I backed off and put a gag order on it. I can''t speak for the other guilds, though."

    "So long as yours is silent, then that''s fine." Richard was starting to get a headache now that he confirmed Kyrie knew Lucina was the one who made the teapots.

    "She could be a useful piece against Marcus," Kyrie stated seeing how annoyed Richard was getting.

    "I''d rather not use an eight-year-old girl to fight a king."

    "Even when said king is using your own son against you, and holding a leash around your daughter''s neck?" Kyrie countered.

    "Derik¡­is someone I will speak with later." Richard was always hesitant when it came to pushing back against what Derik wanted since he knew how fragile Derik''s self-worth was; he wasn''t an Aurister. While he struggled to become a knight worthy of the Azure Hawks, his sister who was five years younger than him was already a prodigy Aurister and launched a successful product to high society. He was being overshadowed so thoroughly that Richard had even caught some of the servants in Wortrest whispering about Olivia possibly being named heir instead of Derik. He did his best to quell such rumors, but not fast enough to not reached Derik''s ears which was why he wanted to join the royal guard so that he could make some achievements for himself while away from his sister.

    "¡­" Kyrie gave Richard a pitiful look since she knew all this and that Richard genuinely loved both his children. "It''s not easy being a parent."

    "No," Richard somberly replied before getting up from the railing and moving to leave, "It''s not." The two dukes parted ways and their conversation was buried along with all the other whispers and schemes of the royal palace.

 War Upon the Horizon

    For the next two years, there was relative peace within the royal palace as Olivia underwent her education to become the next queen of Urldrusk. Thanks to her low tolerance for being talked down to, the servants within the palace all quickly changed how they interacted with Olivia by showing her the proper respect she deserved as Crown Princess, or else they would be dismissed. The king and queen let Olivia do as she pleased with the servants so long as she didn''t touch anyone blatantly protected by one of them, and James was always on Olivia''s side in the matter. While she disparaged about having to kick out a few maids who didn''t fall in line, Olivia was glad that she was finally able to start enjoying her time in peace now that things had settled down.

    "Oh my, Crown Prince, don''t you know that women hate overly clingy men? You should allow your fianc¨¦ to enjoy herself while with friends, by herself," Lucina said while cuddling up to Olivia''s left arm.

    "Why, what kind of man would I be if I didn''t know my fianc¨¦''s preferences? I''m simply doing my best to show interest in Olivia, my fianc¨¦, by wanting to spend time with and know her and her closest friend," James replied while taking Olivia''s right hand and gently kissing the back of it.

    "If you keep doing the same gesture over and over it loses its meaning, Crown Prince. Are you sure you''re not just giving empty compliments?" Lucina''s warm smile didn''t match the venom in her words.

    "How could anyone give empty compliments to a fianc¨¦ they genuinely enjoy spending time with? Perhaps your view of people has become unnecessarily skewed, Lady Lucina." James gave a laugh that sounded joyful but hid a scoff. "If you''d like, I could introduce you to some good friends of mine? Perhaps one of them would even find the spark in their heart and fall in love with you? That way you could feel just as I do with Olivia."

    "I couldn''t dare trouble the Crown Prince, who''s usually so busy, with such a trivial matter. Speaking of, are you sure it''s alright to be here when there''s so much work to be done?" Lucina gave James a look telling him to fuck off.

    "It''s quite alright, I always have time for Olivia." James returned the look with one of his own.

    "¡­Peace truly is a lie," Olivia dejectedly mumbled as she was caught in the crossfire, once again. It was a bright summer day and the flowers in the royal palace''s garden were swaying in a gentle breeze. Olivia was sitting on a bench with a small table in front of her that Mary brought out so she could enjoy tea while the weather was so nice. She looked at the teacup on the table in front of her but couldn''t even take a sip since both her hands were preoccupied with the two uninvited guests. Despite her best efforts, the relationship between Lucina and James was like oil and water. Thankfully their encounters never escalated to physical violence like they did for their first meeting, but these word wars they kept doing were possibly even worse since they never ended. "Lucina," Olivia kindly asked while turning to her friend, "Are you sure it''s okay to keep pestering your father to come see me? Don''t you want to go back to Gauldrin?"

    "Am¡­I a burden?" Lucina deliberately made her voice quiver, her hands started to tremble, and she began to back off in an attempt to stir Olivia''s heart.

    "N-No!" Even after all this time, Olivia kept falling for it. "I''m just worried because I don''t want you to strain your relationship with your family by being here too much. Your mother always stays home back in the Gauldrin and you keep visiting so I''m just thinking how sad she must be."

    "¡­It''s fine." Lucina knew where Olivia was coming from since she lost her previous life''s mother and her duties as a Crown Princess kept her in the capital away from Alice. "I always make sure to spend plenty of time with her when I''m home and she understands why I keep coming here."

    "You make it sound like I''m keeping Olivia hostage," James chimed in.

    "Of course, you are, just look how frail she''s become!" Lucina declared and squeezed Olivia''s biceps.

    "Lucina!?" Olivia felt weird having Lucina squish her arms.

    "These arms look more like some posh noblewoman instead of the arms of an Aurister!" Lucina ignored the irony of calling the crown princess who was the daughter of a duke anything other than a posh noblewoman.

    "What''s wrong with her arms?" James asked and also started squishing Olivia''s biceps.

    "!?!" Olivia''s face was turning red but she didn''t know how to respond so she stayed still.

    "There''s no muscle! It''s all squishy fat!" Lucina retorted despite Olivia not being overweight in the slightest. "All the work she put in is wasting away because her schedule is so full she can''t even find time to train!"

    "So? Why would the crown princess need muscles when she''ll have the royal guard protecting her? Muscles aren''t even that great."

    "¡­What?" A chill went through the garden and a smile crept across Lucina''s face as a coldness entered Olivia''s voice. A lump formed in James'' throat as he felt Olivia''s eyes stare into him.

    "My Lady!" Mary quickly tried to intervene as she had done her best to keep Olivia''s weird tastes in check while in the palace these past two years. "Would you lik-" But it was too late.

    "Muscles are the cornerstone of society!" Olivia bolted up from her seat, slammed her hand on the table, and stood proudly before James who was in complete shock. "From the contractors who build our homes with their very hands! From the knights who guard our lives with sword and shield! From the gardeners who toil away to bless our eyes with beauty! Even the maids who serve us by lugging around bins filled with laundry and water! As the future king, to not know the necessity of muscles is to not know your very subjects!" James had never seen Olivia so passionate about anything in the two years she''d been in the palace; it kind of scared him.  Should a ten-year-old talk like this?

    "That''s right!" Lucina jumped in and gave James an innocent smile that held daggers. "To think, even after all this time together and you still didn''t know your fianc¨¦''s deepest passion?"

    "¡­" James recovered from his shock and cleared his throat; he wouldn''t lose this fight. Even if it embarrassed him to do so, he wouldn''t dare let Lucina get one over on him. "I believe you''ve misunderstood me." James stood up, took Olivia''s right hand, and placed it on his chest. "I don''t see how great it is since I already have perfect muscles."

    "!!!" Olivia lost her composure and her face became red as James held her hand on his chest. Even for a ten-year-old, James had a great physique that was hidden underneath his ornate clothing.

    "Well?" James leaned in and put on the charm while looking past Olivia at the death glare Lucina was giving him.

    "I-I-¡­I see, James," was all Olivia could stammer out as she desperately fought to restrain her mind. She shouldn''t be ogling the body of a ten-year-old when she was, technically speaking, twenty-six! Tanaka had a good build in her previous life, but James was raised in a world of knights and swords so he was already leagues better.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Hmm, but alas," James said while letting go of Olivia''s hand, "While it would be nice to enjoy the weather some more, I do believe we should return to the palace."

    "Why?" Lucina wanted to spend more time with Olivia outside.

    "Because my father will be making an important announcement today," James replied with a rather unnerving smile on his face. "Olivia and I must attend since he will be making an official address before the nobles."

    "Is that why the palace is so crowded?" Olivia asked. She had seen her father walking through the halls earlier along with counts, and even a few barons, she didn''t recognize from the other territories.

    "Yes. You should also attend, Lady Lucina," James deliberately called out Lucina who was still fuming about having her time with Olivia cut short. "Since I was told your father will be receiving a special mention, I believe you would do well to join us."

    "¡­Very well, Crown Prince." Lucina felt uneasy about this and judging by Olivia''s concerned face she also had no clue what was going on. With a gesture from James, everyone returned to the palace and headed for the throne room. James chuckled silently to himself as he recalled what happened just a few weeks prior that he waited to see the fruits of with bated breath.

    ***

    "Let us begin," Marcus Arlexton, the king of Urldrusk, addressed his faithful followers. Despite not being an Aurister or a Magister, Marcus held an imposing stature that bordered on divine with all the shining gold he accented his clothes with. His golden hair was cut short as well as the beard that filled his chin, and his eyes were like portals of gold as they scanned the room. Marcus sat at the head of a long table that had every seat filled with nobles who sided with him. He turned to the man sitting to his right and asked, "Duke Hoffman, where do we stand?"

    "At once, Your Majesty," Hoffman replied and stood up to begin addressing the room. "Using the Crown Princess''s birthday celebration last month as a distraction, we were able to move more weapons and armor from the capital across my territory near the border, and have accelerated our timetables." Hoffman slicked back his greasy brown hair and gave a broad smile. "This month''s shipment will be the last and once my men finish distributing that we will be fully prepared for war. And, according to our intelligence, Peltaira is none the wiser as their troop movements do not indicate them preparing for a fight." The gathered nobles started nodding to one another and giving themselves pats on the backs for a job well done.

    "So, we''re ready to begin?" Marcus asked while leaning back in his chair.

    "You may declare war immediately, or wait until we''ve finished distributing my troops so we may launch an immediate offensive, Your Majesty."

    "Then we wait," Marcus didn''t give it a second thought and nodded to Hoffman. "This plan took years and I will not jeopardize it by getting ahead of myself. We wait for word that your men are fully prepared, only then will I make the declaration." Marcus always dreamed of one day ruling the entire continent; it was a dream he inherited from his father while on his deathbed from disease. It was his goal, his passion, and he would see it done right. He looked down the table at another noble, "Count Barrington, any news of Einbore''s movements?"

    "None, Your Majesty," Barrington replied. "The Duke of Lorn is still locking himself away in the north. I do not believe we can count on him to send troops unless it is with a royal decree." The gathered nobles started bickering about Einbore. While they could force him, that would tip the scales of power in the Duke of Holst''s favor as taking Einbore''s troops would obviously enrage the northern duke. Others also argued that Einbore should be left alone since he was using his men to combat the increased demons in the north that, if left unchecked, could spill out into the other territories and the capital.

    "No," again, Marcus answered without a second thought. "Einbore will be exempt from having to send troops to Peltaira; that might tickle his fancy enough to not side with Ordrin in the meantime."

    "But if we exempt an entire duchy, how will we combat Peltaira?" a nobleman voiced his concern. "We would be down around a fourth of our expected military strength, plus the men of the north are battle-hardened with their constant subjugations against demons so their strength is invaluable."

    "If I may?" Hoffman asked while looking to Marcus for permission to speak.

    "Speak," Marcus answered.

    "In order to launch a successful first offensive, I''ve been preparing the troops of my vassals more so than any other time before. The Relsh duchy will be dedicating more troops to this war so why not have Sevette and Holst do the same to pick up the slack?" Hoffman proposed. The other nobles whispered skeptically amongst themselves.

    "Even if we get the numbers," a noble complained, "that wouldn''t make up for the experience Einbore would bring. All we would be doing is sending more men to their deaths."

    "It sounds to me," Hoffman bickered with a scowl on his face, "like you have no faith in all the planning we''ve done for the past ten years! Do you doubt His Majesty?"

    "What!?!" the nobleman scoffed at such a claim. "I would never doubt His Majesty! I doubt you, Duke!"

    "Listen here-"

    "Enough!" Marcus intervened with a shout that silenced the room. His fingers tapped on his chair in annoyance at all the noise. He addressed the man sitting to his left, "What do you make of this, Archmage Mystyr?"

    "If I had to critique," Mystyr began while adjusting himself in his seat. Mystyr was a spindly-looking man with lanky limbs and shallow cheeks that he hid beneath his flowing yellow robe; the yellow robe was his show of rank as the owner of the wizard''s tower and a sign of his closeness with the royal family. "We can easily make up for Einbore''s men if we send more Wizards to the front."

    "Did the Wizard''s Tower enroll more promising individuals to warrant such an idea?" Marcus asked since the wizard''s tower was the only source of magic support for the military.

    "There are quite a few promising pupils we''ve had the grace of bringing into the fold, Your Majesty," Mystyr replied while giving a confident smile. "The Wizard''s Tower will be able to provide more Wizards to this campaign."

    "Good."

    "That being said," a slyness entered Mystyr''s voice as he cautiously spoke. "Since we will be sending more Wizards to the front, I would like to ask your permission to begin a Calling." A Calling is an event where the masters of the wizard''s tower travel across the kingdom to find and recruit any promising wizards to join the tower. Since wizards only used a staff or orb to harness magic the requirements for a potential wizard were rather lax, some might say too lax. While this event was presented as noble by allowing children from noble families to join, in truth the masters of the tower would send men into the various slums around the kingdom to gather orphans to be raised as wizards. Since the children would be given room, board, and could learn magic they rarely complained and often went willingly.

    "The temples will push back." The religious fanatics within his kingdom always made a fuss whenever the wizard''s tower did a Calling, saying they were kidnapping and brainwashing innocent children away from the Violet King. "Their hypocrisies get rather tiring to listen to, especially when they sing the praises of that Thing."

    "Very true, Your Majesty, but they can be easily silenced." Mystyr gave a dismissive wave at the thought of the temples trying to stop him. "It will be done during a time of war, so it is a matter of the kingdom''s security and prosperity that we seek to use the Calling to replenish our numbers. Any oppositions from the temples can be quelled with this logic, and if they continue to push then they can be branded as traitors during a time of war and you may seize their holds and begin purging those zealots from your lands."

    "¡­True," Marcus pondered aloud as he went over the idea before making his decision. "Once the war begins, see to the Calling, Archmage."

    "Thank you for this opportunity to strengthen Urldrusk, Your Majesty," Mystyr said while giving a deep bow.

    "Do you think you could focus the Calling on Holst?" Marcus asked as an idea came to him.

    "Unfortunately," Mystyr sheepishly replied, "Duke Ordrin has his lands infested with the Violet King''s roots. We''ve already had many ''accidents'' during previous Callings while in Holst, and even if we do manage to reach his cities there aren''t many impoverished. I''m told the Duke''s daughter, Lady Olivia, has a soft spot for the poor which has led to the Duke funding the temples to shelter and even educate many of them into more mindless zealots." The room grumbled as the nobles offhandedly gave their thoughts on the matter.

    "Hmm." Marcus stared off into space as he pondered how best to mess with the Duke of Holst while he would be away for the war. Marcus hated the Ordrins since he knew, deep down, that they had something to do with the death of his first love, the first queen who died in a carriage accident. However, assassinated would be the more accurate term since there were too many coincidences for it to be a simple accident, especially with how quickly the Azure Hawk knights responded despite the first queen not announcing her visit to the Holst duchy. But, any evidence Marcus had was all circumstantial, and the matter was dropped with the second queen quickly stepping up to take the position; which was why Marcus never fully trusted Stephany and refused to allow her or her son to ever enter his heart.

    "Your Majesty?" As Marcus was lost in thought, one of the servants spoke up and bowed before the table of nobles. "The Crown Prince wishes to enter."

    "James does?" Marcus refocused and seemed intrigued since James rarely took an interest in the meetings regarding Peltaira. "Send him in."

    "At once, Your Majesty." The servant bowed and returned to the door to open it for James. Derik wasn''t with him as he was busy attending the royal academy, so James was with a different guard.

    "Greetings, Father. Thank you for allowing me to join you," James said while walking around the table to approach Marcus. All the nobles stood and bowed as James passed.

    "You''ve piqued my curiosity. Since you only entered now, I assume you have something to say regarding the current matter we were discussing?" Even if James never participated much, Marcus knew he would often times hang around outside the door and listen in on what they were discussing.

    "I do, Father." James held a stack of papers in his hand and offered them to Marcus. "I recently¡­acquired some rather interesting information that I believe would be of interest to you; the name of the Magister that helped my fianc¨¦ shake up the social world with her teapots two years ago and who gave Wortrest street lamps." The gathered nobles started whispering again, and Mystyr''s eyes glinted with interest. Around a year ago, Lucina found a way to replicate the capital''s street lamps by enchanting a piece of melzquartz, a light orange mineral originally mined for jewelry, encased in glass to glow using fire magic. Upon her success, the Trent company began working with Duke Ordrin to distribute and set up the lamps across Wortrest with plans to light up his other cities in the future.

    "Really? If it''s a Magister then the temples will already¡­" As Marcus skimmed through the documents, his voice trailed off and the gears in his mind started to turn.

    "With Duke Einbore''s men preoccupied, I believe the other duchies should step up to fill the gap, as you''ve already wisely decided," James said confidently to the gathered nobles. "I believe all with talent should fight for their beloved kingdom as it is the most noble of pursuits, wouldn''t you agree, Father?"

    "Yes, a most noble pursuit." Marcus smiled as he read the stolen Silk Sparrows report on Lucina Felswore before passing it to Mystyr. "Truly, such a young woman would make for an excellent Wizard wouldn''t you say, Archmage?"

    "The Wizard''s Tower accepts all those who wish to study and learn magic, Your Majesty," Mystyr replied as he read the documents with extreme interest. "We would love to take her."

 Birth of a Hellhound

    The royal palace''s throne room was packed to the brim with nobles and high-ranking royal knights as everyone gathered to hear the king''s announcement. It was easily the largest room in the palace and the domed ceiling that was painted with a mural of the kingdom''s founding loomed six stories above the gathered people. Marcus sat on a throne that was elevated upon twelve steps so that he could survey his people with ease. Stephany sat next to him, her black hair flowed freely down to her shoulders, she wore a white dress with gold trim to match Marcus, and her warm blue eyes looked cautiously around the room. Terence, the second prince, sat beside his mother; his short black hair was neatly combed down and his gold eyes wandered the room. Unlike his mother, Terence wore black clothes with gold trim; a sign he was royalty but not the same as his brother. Richard Ordrin stood near the front of the crowd and felt uneasy with how happy Marcus seemed to be.

    "Duke Ordrin?" Charles Felswore, followed by Lucina, pushed their way through the gathered people to stand with the Duke. "Were there any agendas requiring us to gather, today?"

    "No, I was only made aware to gather here a few hours ago." Richard gave a nod of greeting to Lucina who bowed in return. "What brings you so close to the throne, though?" While the dukes of the kingdom were required to stand at the front of any gathering, that wasn''t so with counts.

    "I''m not sure," Charles admitted. "When I arrived, I was told by a servant to stand near the front as His Majesty would require something of me."

    "¡­Really?" The unease in Richard''s heart grew and he turned his eyes back to the throne. In a hushed tone to be drowned out by the crowd, Richard muttered, "I don''t like thi-"

    "Now entering, the Crown Prince and Princess!" a servant announced the entrance of James and Olivia. All the people gathered gave a respectful bow as they walked up the center aisle toward their seats next to Marcus. James confidently led Olivia, who held a perfect mask of elegance, to her seat before taking his own and giving a nod to his father. Now that everyone had gathered, Marcus raised his hand and the room fell silent.

    "I thank you all for gathering on such short notice to be here this day. This day that will go down in history across Pianeta," Marcus declared in a booming voice filled with confidence that echoed throughout the throne room. "As you all know, we have held an uneasy peace with our eastern neighbors of Peltaira; a peace forged from the blood of our forefather''s fallen bodies! Eighty years ago, our great kingdom was invaded by Peltaira in a petty land grab that saw the Duchy of Relsh lose a large swath of its farmlands. While our ancestors halted Peltaira at the city of Mursk and forced the invaders into a peace treaty, Peltaira kept the lands they stole from us. And for eighty years since, we have lived with that blight on our kingdom''s glory. No more!" Marcus stood up and all who saw him felt an awe sweep over them. "On this day I, Marcus Veldmark Arlexton, declare a new age for Urldrusk and the entire continent of North Kelica! I call upon the dukes of Relsh, Sevette, and Holst to raise your banners alongside my own and answer my call to arms!" He outstretched his arms and gestured to the dukes who stood before him.

    "Relsh hears you, Your Majesty!" Duke Hoffman proudly declared and took a knee.

    "Sevette hears you, Your Majesty," Duke Mordrist took a knee while hiding her annoyance.

    "Holst hears you, Your Majesty," Duke Ordrin reluctantly took a knee.

    "Duke Einbore," Marcus addressed the last of his dukes who was standing by with an uneasy look on his face at the thought of war. Einbore was the shortest of the dukes, but his muscles and powerful status as an Aurister were unrivaled. His red armor was accented by the black fur of various demons, and his long red hair and piercing orange eyes gave him the nickname ''Flame of the North''. "As your lands are still beset by demons, you will be exempt from my call as the security of the north is your top priority."

    "¡­Lorn hears you, Your Majesty." Einbore was surprised by Marcus not forcing him to send troops but wouldn''t question the leniency he had received and he took a knee.

    "Your Majesty?" Richard spoke up while still kneeling. "While I understand the necessity for Duke Einbore to remain in the north, that means we will not have the Celeste Giant knights during this campaign!"

    "You are correct, Duke Ordrin, which is why we will need to think of a solution to our manpower shortage," Marcus answered while a sly smile played across his face.

    "The Duchy of Relsh," Duke Hoffman shouted for all to hear, "hereby declares it will raise all who can fight! Ours were the lands stolen eighty years ago, so we will give our all for this campaign!" The gathered people started whispering and praising Hoffman for stepping up without being called.

    "Your drive is admirable, Duke Hoffman, and I am humbled as your king that you would show such support in our time of need." While he didn''t speak further, Marcus looked to Duke Mordrist and Ordrin expectantly. Now that Hoffman had made a show of willingly sending more men, and the gathered people were on his side, the expectation was upon the two remaining dukes to make a decision. Olivia felt that something was wrong and started to dig through her memories of the game to recall anything she could about this war. Though, she couldn''t recall the game mentioning anything specific as the classes the Saintess took would often be only a blurb of information for the player as background text.

    "As one of the largest duchies," Duke Mordrist spoke while doing her best to not clench her teeth, "the Duchy of Sevette declares it will raise all who can fight for our kingdom." More whispers danced through the throne room praising Duke Mordrist for stepping up.

    "¡­" Richard felt the eyes of everyone upon him and he gave a soft disparaged sigh before speaking, "The Duchy of Holst holds our kingdom close to our hearts and will raise all who can fight."

    "I applaud you, my dukes, for standing together at the cornerstone of greatness for Urldrusk! Applause!" Marcus gave his cry and the room erupted into a thunderous applause that cemented the future of Urldrusk. Yet no matter how loudly the people cheered, Richard''s fists still clenched in apprehension at the thought of a war without Einbore''s troops. "Through your combined arms alongside the brave Wizards of the Tower, we will not only reclaim what was once ours but also show Peltaira who rules this continent."

    From the crowd, Archmage Mystyr approached the throne and bowed, "The Wizard''s Tower will also provide all who are able for your campaign, Your Majesty. The victory of Urldrusk is the victory of all."

    "Truly, our kingdom is blessed with such great individuals," Marcus embellished his praise and looked to Mystyr. "You have my thanks, Archmage."

    "That being said, I would like to make a proposal, Your Majesty." Mystyr''s words weaved their way through the room and he smiled up at Marcus. "While I do not doubt our victory, all wars are costly and both sides must pay with blood. For the security of our future, and the future of the Wizard''s Tower, I ask you to allow us to conduct a Calling!" Whispers danced around the room as both those who were opposed to and those who condoned the request talked amongst themselves, but none dared raise their voice. "And, similar to the apprentice knights of the orders, I ask that you allow our newest initiates to join this campaign to gain experience and fight for their kingdom!"

    "Hmm," Marcus feigned being deep in thought about the idea, to act like this all wasn''t planned out from the beginning. "Very well, we should not waste such talent and should do what we can to see them prosper. Conduct the Calling, and prepare initiates with sufficient talent to be ready to deploy and do their part for Urldrusk."

    "I shall begin making preparations at once, Your Majesty," Mystyr said while giving a deep bow.

    "And, speaking of doing their part," Marcus mused and turned his gaze to Charles. "Count Felswore, I''m glad you were able to receive the summons in time."

    "¡­It is an honor, Your Majesty." Charles, upon being called, stepped forward and took a knee. "Was there something you required of Gauldrin for your campaign?"

    "Indeed there is," Marcus answered as an unreadable smile played across his lips. "This will be the largest campaign in Urldrusk''s history, and even though you are one of our nation''s bread baskets I would trouble you with providing more to the war effort."

    "Of course, Your Majesty," Charles replied a bit confused at what Marcus was getting at. "As you say, it is my duty to provide what I can during a time of war. Gauldrin''s silos are yours as always, Your Majesty."

    "I wasn''t just talking about food rations, Count Felswore." While Marcus held a joyful expression, Charles felt a weight being pressed upon him from the king''s stare alone.

    "Not just¡­? But, Your Majesty," Charles tried to keep himself composed as he continued, "Gauldrin does not have a knight order of our own as we rely on the Azure Hawk knights of Duke Ordrin. While we could raise our farmers as soldiers, that would halt food production! If it is not food, then I am not sure what Gauldrin could still provide."

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    "The Gauldrin county has, in the past, been exempt from sending troops so that, as you''ve said, your people can focus on food production," Marcus agreed and gave an understanding nod. "However, the scale of this campaign is unprecedented so I ask that even the bread baskets of Urldrusk provide at least one from their household to join the fight as a sign of loyalty in these uncertain yet great times." Whispers of understanding were exchanged between the gathered people as they all thought sending only a single person sounded reasonable.

    "But, my son Adam is my heir!" If a noble house of Urldrusk was asked to send one of their own it would almost never be the heir for fear of something happening to them on the battlefield and the noble''s lineage ending.

    "Indeed he is, he is also currently studying at the royal academy, is he not?" Marcus easily agreed.

    "Yes, Your Majesty. Adam is progressing at a wonderful pace into becoming a worthy heir to Gauldrin, so I cannot-"

    "But, what about your daughter?"

    "!?!" At the mention of Lucina, Charles tensed up and all the whispering nobles stopped. Olivia, who had been lost in thought about the game, instantly snapped back to reality when she heard Marcus'' suggestion and she remembered a key piece of information she had previously ignored. Countess Lucina Sanguine was a war hero despite being only fourteen at the start of the reverse harem route. "M-My daughter?"

    "While I will ask this of all the others, as I''ve said, I called you out specifically today since you are in a unique situation." Marcus slowly stepped forward and his imposing presence made it impossible for Charles to dare raise his head. "You are needed to manage the food supplies, the Countess is needed in Gauldrin to manage your house, and your son Adam is in the academy preparing to take over the county¡­ But, you also have a daughter who is free of such responsibilities."

    "She is only ten years old, Your Majesty!" Charles dared to speak out and his voice shook with anxiety as he continued, "Even apprentice knights must be at least fourteen before they are even considered to join expeditions and subjugations; let alone a war!"

    "You are correct," Marcus agreed while ignoring Charles'' disrespectful outburst. "But, your daughter isn''t normal. After all, she was the Magister who has helped the Crown Princess over the years shake up Urldrusk''s social world with those self-heating teapots, and by bringing light to the streets of Wortrest." The gathered people all began whispering anew, and this time their eyes were fixated on Lucina who stood alone behind her kneeling father.

    "!?!" Richard shot a glare at Duke Mordrist, but stopped when he saw her shocked expression; she didn''t know the information had leaked to the king.

    Marcus continued, "She held such talent since at least two years ago and has only shown improvement ever since, so I can only imagine what she will do in the future. And, if she were to receive the experience of seeing Wizards in action, even if I would have her stationed in the rear to keep her safe, then I believe she will only continue to grow as someone who will bring a new light to Urldrusk."

    "B-But she isn''t a wizard!" Charles grasped at whatever he could to stop this madness. "Only wizards are allowed to serve in the military, and she has not joined the tower!"

    "She has not joined the Tower, yet," Marcus corrected with a stern tone. "And while the Wizard''s Tower is by no means easy to enter," Marcus deliberately ignored the fact that wizards didn''t need preexisting talent since they drew their powers from their staff or orb, "I believe they would welcome someone like your daughter. What say you, Archmage?" Marcus turned to Mystyr expectantly. This point was moot since upon entering the tower even those who could harness magic without a staff or orb would find their innate talent taken away as the gods forsook them, but his phrasing managed to convince some of the onlookers just enough to begin gossiping in his favor.

    "Of course, Your Majesty," Mystyr agreed. "We would be honored if Lucina Felswore, the daughter of the noble Count Felswore, was the first to answer the Calling."

    "¡­" Lucina felt the stares burning into her with greater intensity and her heart was racing in her chest. Her throat felt dry and words were failing her, all she could do was stand near the front of the crowd with what felt like the entire kingdom staring into her soul. She looked to Olivia whose face was stricken with horror at the events that were unfolding, but what truly stuck with Lucina was catching the look on James'' face. While James was doing his best to keep his expression under control, he couldn''t hide the joy in his smile. At that moment, Lucina knew that James had found out about her talent and told the king so that she would be sent off to die under the pretext of fighting for the kingdom. He was giving her some honor among the royal family by naming her a wizard, which was more than she expected from him, but that paled to the danger of asking her to fight in a war.

    "Y-Your Maje-" As Charles dared to speak out again, his words caught in his throat when he noticed someone start kneeling beside him.

    "Lucina Felswore accepts His Majesty''s charge," Lucina found her courage, knelt by her father''s side, and looked up to meet James'' gaze; he looked surprised she had willingly accepted. But, if she hadn''t stepped up now, Lucina knew that Marcus would only continue to push and push until he got what he and James wanted. If Charles kept refusing while Marcus held the support of the gathered nobles, she dared not think about how they could harm Gauldrin for the ''disrespect'' he was showing. What was one alleged bastard to the battlefield for the Count to show such disrespect? Charles also knew how pointless it was to resist, but still wanted to try for her; which was enough in Lucina''s mind. "May I dare ask, Your Majesty, if I may be sent with Duke Ordrin and the Azure Hawks?" Having Marcus'' gaze upon her froze Lucina''s racing heart and she found it suffocating to be near him.

    "Since you''ve willingly come forward, of course, I will grant such a simple request," Marcus happily declared and clapped his hands. "I assume this is acceptable by you as well, Duke Ordrin?" Marcus wasn''t genuinely asking, but he did so to keep up appearances.

    "¡­I will see her safe, Your Majesty." Richard dreaded thinking about taking Lucina to war, but if he had to then he would make sure she didn''t come to any harm by keeping her close to his side.

    "Then it is agreed!" Marcus outstretched his hands to Lucina. "May you bring glory to Gauldrin, and to Urldrusk, Initiate Lucina!" Another applause rang out, though this one was more subdued as not everyone agreed with this outcome.

    ***

    "No! I refuse to allow this!" One such person who didn''t agree with Marcus was Elizabeth Felswore. Upon hearing the news, Elizabeth traveled to Wortrest to wait with Alice for everyone to return; except Derik and Adam who had to stay in the capital to continue attending the academy. Inside the castle walls of Wortrest was crowded with knights, carts, and horses as everyone was getting ready to march to the east. Elizabeth was holding Lucina tightly to her chest while tears ran down her face and she continued to cry, "Why?! Why do you have to go!?"

    "¡­It''s okay, Mother," Lucina put on a brave front for her mother. "I''ll be with the Duke, so I''ll be fine." Lucina looked to Richard to help her get out of her mother''s embrace; she was hugging so tightly that it was getting hard to breathe.

    "She will be stationed at the rear with the catapults like the rest of the initiates," Richard explained. "So long as she''s with me, I will see her safely returned home once the war is over."

    "¡­" Elizabeth knew Richard meant well and that this situation wasn''t his fault, but that didn''t help her weeping heart come to terms with potentially receiving a letter reporting Lucina''s death in battle.

    "Come, Elizabeth," Charles put a hand on his wife''s shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "As parents, we should be brave for her."

    "¡­I know," Elizabeth reluctantly replied and let go of Lucina. She tried to say something encouraging to her daughter, but nothing came out and her mouth only opened and closed as she failed to find her voice.

    "Lucina¡­" Charles knelt down in front of his daughter and fixed her clothes that had become disheveled from Elizabeth''s crying. Since she was now a wizard, Lucina was given a white robe with a hood that signified the lowest rank in the tower. The ends of the robe dragged on the ground and the sleeves went past her hands as wizards were only supposed to receive a robe when they passed a test at the age of fourteen; this was their smallest size. Beneath the robe Lucina wore sturdy light brown pants and a matching brown shirt; since she was a wizard that would be in the rear she wasn''t allocated armor as a way to save costs. She was also given a staff with a crystal embedded into the top, but the staff was double her height standing at two hundred and fifty-four centimeters in length making it awkward to hold. Lucina was fearful at first of losing her magic as soon as she took hold of the staff but found she was still able to cast spells after she had let go so it seemed the gods hadn''t abandoned her just yet. Thankfully, at least, her leather boots fit just fine so she wouldn''t develop any foot pains. Charles finished adjusting her clothes and looked Lucina in the eyes. "Be safe; that is your top priority. I know you''re talented, but your survival is paramount before everything else. Understood?"

    "I understand, Count." Lucina still didn''t call him her father despite being grateful for his words; calling him such still felt alien to Lucina. It also felt like, if she said it, she would be saying her final goodbye.

    "¡­Good." Charles didn''t push for it. "I leave her in your hands, Duke."

    "I will do all I can so that this war doesn''t drag on," Richard said not only for the Felswores but also for his wife who was refusing to give him his great helm. "Alice."

    "¡­If you don''t come back I won''t forgive you," Alice finally relented. She kissed the helmet before handing it to Richard who held the helmet to his forehead for a brief moment before tying it to his belt.

    "I''ll be back," Richard comforted Alice with one last hug before departing with Lucina to return to the capital. As a show of unity, Marcus wanted the three participating dukes to gather at the capital with their respective knight orders so they could parade through the streets before leaving. The cheers of the people as the knights rode by didn''t match the dread in Richard and Lucina''s hearts.

    "Father¡­" After Marcus gave a speech to boost his ego, Olivia approached her family''s knights to wish them well and see them off. She walked up to her father while holding a handkerchief she knitted herself that depicted a blue hawk.

    "I''ll be back, Olivia," Richard softly kissed Olivia''s forehead before stepping away toward his horse and Olivia walked over to Lucina.

    "¡­" The two stood silently as Olivia produced a second handkerchief; this one was embroidered with a blooming lily. "I know you like how my aura manifests¡­so¡­" Her words caught in her throat.

    "Thank you, Olivia." Lucina took the handkerchief and, with Olivia''s help, tied it around her right wrist underneath her robe''s sleeves. When she finished, Olivia''s hands lingered on Lucina''s as if not wanting to let go. "Oli-?"

    "You''ll make it back," Olivia whispered in a shaky voice. In the routes Olivia remembered from the game, Lucina was alive and present in the reverse harem route so she knew there was a chance she would live, but that didn''t stop Olivia''s heart from racing at the thought of Lucina going off to war when she was only ten. Since she didn''t show up in the other routes, did that mean Lucina died during this war? For the first time since she reincarnated, Olivia wished for the reverse harem route to be true so that Lucina would definitely return alive. "Don''t¡­you dare prove me wrong¡­ We''ll drink tea and enjoy sweets when you get back, okay?"

    "¡­Okay," Lucina replied and gave a soft smile. Despite wanting Olivia to keep holding her hand, Lucina pulled herself away and walked over to Richard; the knights were ready.

    "Azure Hawk knights!" Richard roared out as he hoisted Lucina onto his horse so she was sitting in his lap. "We fly!" The courtyard of the palace was filled with the thunderous hooves of countless horses and the rattling of supply-filled carts as the various knight orders set out for the border. The knights rode through the streets of Gorinville to the cheers of its citizens who wished to show their support for the departing knights. As they traveled under a bridge, Lucina noticed Adam standing atop the bridge with other students of the academy. Adam''s face was distraught at watching her leave, but he still waved and gave her a cheer as she passed which put a smile on Lucina''s face.

    "Lucina," Richard spoke once they exited the walls of the capital and were in open plains. "You should cry, now."

    "I should cry?"

    "Our travels to Peltaira will be the only time you have to cry because there''s no room for that during war. Even in the rear, the threat of death will become your closest companion and it will strike if you let your guard down." Holding the reins of his horse in one hand, Richard put his now free hand on and gently stroked Lucina''s back. "You did great facing Marcus, and holding yourself together in front of so many people."

    "¡­"

    "You put on a brave front for your family, and for my daughter. Your companionship has been an invaluable source of happiness for Olivia, and you have my eternal gratitude for that." Richard felt Lucina start to tremble. "You will live, Lucina."

    "!?!" Richard''s kind words tore down Lucina''s last pillar of strength and she started wailing into his breastplate. Even if she knew about Olivia''s prophecies, she didn''t want to go to war; especially not because James was using this as an excuse to get rid of her. Even if she survived, would she be the same? There were tales of knights who, upon returning from the battlefield, were like completely different people because of what they had to go through. Would Lucina be like them? She thought she had suffered enough while growing up but the world wouldn''t allow her peace, so she accepted Richard''s offer and cried her eyes out while she still could. Richard gave a nod to the knights around him and they slowed down to give him and Lucina some privacy; only Richard and the gods should witness her wails.

    Later on in his life, Magister Lucus would contribute to a history book that would circulate across North Kelica and beyond. In this book, Lucus would pen that the day Marcus Arlexton declared the Unification War of the North Kelica continent marked the beginning of Lucina Felswore''s final downfall and ushered in the rise of Lucina Sanguine: the Butcher of Toldrin.

 Shell-Shocked Reality

    "Come on, are the catapults not ready, yet? The enemy is already in formation on the opposing hill!"

    "Archers, spread out! Spread out! We have the whole hill, not just a single patch of dirt!"

    "Move those boulders! Get a move on, Wizards!" The shouts of soldiers filled the air as the first battle of the war dawned just over three weeks since we left the capital. We traveled for two weeks to reach the border of Peltaira and spent another week practicing drills, maintaining equipment, and mentally preparing ourselves for the battle. The Duke was right, there was no time for me to cry as I quickly found myself being instructed on how I would be contributing to the battle as a wizard. My days were packed with morning exercises to help me build my stamina and strength, afternoon drills going over tactics with instructors and my fellow initiates, and it would end with restless nights in a tent sleeping on a bed of straw with a single blanket. I don''t know how the others get used to this. According to Urldrusk''s standard doctrine, wizards would be deployed in either one of two positions in an army. Siege wizards would be with helsgar siege engines, an oversized onager catapult, near the rear and work to soften up the enemy lines. Using gravity magic, siege wizards would lessen the gravity of boulders the size of fully grown men so they could be loaded onto the catapult''s bowl where it would be launched into the air, and the wizard would then intensify the gravity magic all at once so the boulder would crash into the enemy from directly above them. While this seemed simple, I quickly found out how hard it was to keep such a heavy boulder light enough to move, and then correctly judge how far out the boulders were to get a hit. Some boulders were smaller, others were larger, and depending on if the sun was out there wouldn''t even be a shadow on the ground to gauge where it was in the sky; assuming the sun was directly overhead, to begin with. There was also the concern that if you brought the boulder down too early you might hit friendly troops.

    "Shields up!" Vanguard wizards would be put on the frontlines but behind a wall of shields, swords, and spears. These wizards would use elemental magic to support breakthroughs or stop enemy pushes assuming the enemy didn''t have a powerful Aurister since Auristers who were properly trained could use an advanced technique to negate magic attacks. Thankfully, said technique was hard to master so it was rare to see; though I know Duke Ordrin mastered the technique.

    "¡­" My hands were sweaty as they tightly gripped my wizard''s staff. I didn''t need a staff to use magic, but my instructors would give me an ear full if I left it in my tent and this was the first battle so I didn''t want to be the cause of any mistakes.

    "Hey, chin up!" a nineteen-year-old knight initiate stood next to me and tried to calm my obvious nerves. All wizards who would be with the catapults were assigned a spotter to try and help the wizard not pull the boulder too early or too late. "Just take some deep breaths. We''ll go for the very back of their lines for our first pull so you don''t have to worry about hitting any of our own."

    "Right¡­ Okay." At least he was considerate to me being so young; I''m glad I was able to be with the Azure Hawks. I did what he said and controlled my breathing while leaning on my staff for support. Even if I didn''t use the staff to cast spells, I could use it as a walking stick to give me something to lean on and steady myself if I ever felt uneasy.

    "Looks like we''re ready," my spotter said while looking to the front of our line. I followed his gaze and saw Duke Ordrin giving a rousing speech to the men while he rode his horse back and forth so all could hear him. The other knight orders had spread out to sweep through Peltaira''s territory so this battle would only include the Azure Hawks, some of the conscripted troops from Holst, and any accompanying wizards. The Duke drew his sword and held it to the sky as it was bathed in lightning when he activated his aura. "Remember, our boulders will fly on the third sounding of the horns."

    "Righ-!" When I tried to answer, war horns echoed across the valley and cut me off, and I watched Duke Ordrin lead a cavalry charge. Not wanting to lose the initiative, the Peltairan army sent out their own cavalry to intercept. The ground was shaking and I could feel the galloping hooves of the warhorses in my chest as I watched them descend the hill. When the enemy was almost halfway down their hill, our horns blew a second time signaling the archers to let loose a volley of arrows, and the infantry started moving up behind the cavalry. A few of the enemy''s soldiers fell to our arrows, but they didn''t lose their momentum. Then, a third horn blew.

    "Loose!" the knight in charge of the siege engines roared, and the catapults hurled their boulders into the air. Since Peltaira only worshiped Lady Muz and Lord Nuz they didn''t have any Magisters, and those who could use gravity magic were relegated to civil jobs like contractors and laborers, so they didn''t use catapults against armies unless it was a siege battle. Instead of Magisters, Peltaira relied on the Bloodied Sister to bless them with more Auristers; a blessing, I was told, Lady Muz was more than happy to deliver on. Almost a tenth of Peltaira''s military was comprised of Auristers, which was in stark contrast to Urldrusk''s which was roughly only a hundredth.  As the boulders started flying I looked for where in the rear I would bring it down and-¡­wait.

    "That''s¡­?" Glimmers of light caught my attention and I looked to the charging enemy cavalry to see the man leading the charge being surrounded by glowing orange maple leaves. And judging by the man''s lack of armor I instantly recognized him as a powerful Aurister! Another advanced technique an Aurister could master was an ability that could solidify the aura around their body to be stronger than any steel armor while giving no encumbrance to the Aurister''s limbs. Not even Duke Ordrin had mastered that technique, but the enemy leader had!?  Judging by the man''s charge, he was heading directly for the Duke! An image of Olivia crying at the funeral of her father flashed through my mind, and I knew what I had to do.

    "Almost there!" my spotter was giving me updates as he watched our boulder fly. "Get ready to-¡­ Initiate?" I stepped forward, stretched out my hand to the boulder which was only now passing over our troops, and activated my gravity magic. "Wait!?"

    "NGH!" Even if the boulder was airborne, it still took me a great effort to alter the gravity of such a large object.

    "Don''t! It''s too early!" the spotter screamed to stop me, but that was because he didn''t know how my gravity magic could be used. As I learned from Magister Lucus, it was a commonly accepted fact that gravity magic could only move objects up and down; it would change the gravity''s intensity. That said, I had seemingly been granted a special ability by Lord Zulm that other Magisters, and even wizards, found impossible to do after much trial and error practicing with Magister Lucus: I could change the ''point'' of gravity. Since everyone and everything''s point of gravity was the center of our planet, gravity magic could only make things go up and down relative to the planet. So, what if that point changed? What if, instead of the point of gravity for the boulder being the center of our planet, it was the center of the charging Aurister''s horse? Since he was powerful enough to solidify his aura as armor, he might also have mastered the technique to nullify magic attacks so I didn''t try and make him the center point since he might negate it. I changed the point to his horse and intensified the gravity! My boulder ripped diagonally through the sky and even started to spin because of its imperfect shape. If it hit, I could save Duke Ordrin from having to fight someone strong! I could help him get home safe and sound just like how he''s helping me, and Olivia wouldn''t cry! I-!

    ***

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    When the boulder Lucina ripped from the sky impacted its target, many things happened the Lucina hadn''t considered. Lucina successfully managed to hit the lead Aurister''s horse, but she forgot to factor in how large the boulder was and how her sudden change to its gravity caused it to start spinning. The boulder, which was one hundred and eighty-two centimeters in diameter, came at the center of the horse''s body diagonally from above meaning that the Aurister''s lower torso would also be hit. The horse was crushed into a bloody pulp by the boulder with its head being completely destroyed and its now severed front legs flopping forward as the main body was crushed beyond recognition. From the waist up, the Aurister''s body flew forward trailing his intestines behind him before plopping dead into the dirt. Because of the spin and the angle of impact, the boulder skipped off the ground and bounced into the cavalry that was following the lead Aurister. The ninety miles per hour boulder easily plowed through the cavalry, and it quickly made its way into the lines of following infantrymen. Severed limbs, mangled bodies of man and horse, pulped blobs of flesh and bone, pulverized organs, and a rain of blood fell upon Peltaira''s lines as the spinning boulder kicked them up into the air when it passed through them. Those in the furthest back lines were able to see the boulder coming and some managed to get out of the way, but not before it claimed its final victim of an archer who was too slow to dodge. The man was crushed as the boulder finally came to rest on top of him.

    "AGH!?!"

    "It hurts!!! Fuck, it hurts!!!"

    "P-Please!?! H-Help me!!!" The screams of dying horses and of men missing their limbs ground Peltaira''s charge to a complete halt as they lost all momentum because the chaos the boulder caused startled even their warhorses. While Peltaira wasn''t completely caught unaware when Marcus declared war, they were still mustering all their proper soldiers so the first line of defense they had to stop Urldrusk''s initial push into their lands were a few properly trained knights, but most of the defending army consisted of conscripted men who had never seen combat. When Lucina''s boulder tore through their lines, followed by the boulders of the other wizards raining down directly on top of them, the conscripts broke.

    "E-Every man for themselves!" The conscripts threw down their weapons and started to flee the battlefield. The knights and commander tried to regain control, but the panic spread too quickly for them to contain and they were faced with a mass rout.

    "Forward!" Richard, though he didn''t fully understand what happened, rallied his men and continued the charge. The lances and swords of the Azure Hawk knights smashed into Peltaira''s halted cavalry and the bloodshed started anew with Richard slicing the first man he faced in two with his aura-infused sword while his horse kicked a Peltairan off their horse so it could stomp and crush the man''s head. It was clear for all to see that the first battle of the war was a resounding victory for Urldrusk.

    "By the gods¡­" The spotter who was next to Lucina stood in awe at what had just happened. "A-Another!" Even if their victory was secured, they still had a job to do and should keep hitting the enemy''s rear lines. "Load another boulder! Quickly, Luci-!" As the man excitedly turned to start encouraging Lucina to help them load another boulder, his words caught in his throat as reality slapped him across the face.

    "!!!" When her boulder hit, Lucina''s mind went blank as she watched it plow through the enemy. She watched their limbs fly off, their flesh and bones ground to a paste and thrown into the air, and she heard their screams of agony echoing from across the valley. A strong gust of wind blew through the battlefield and carried the stench of blood and death directly into Lucina''s nose. The weight of her actions, of what it meant to ''save'' someone during war, punched Lucina in the gut and she keeled over onto her hands and knees. Vomit soaked the ground as Lucina threw up her breakfast, and it was at that moment that the spotter remembered Lucina was only a ten-year-old girl; a ten-year-old girl who had just brutalized an entire line of men.

    "¡­Just let it out," he somberly said while kneeling down next to Lucina and held her long hair back in a ponytail so it wouldn''t get stained with vomit like the oversized sleeves of her robe were. "¡­Just¡­" The man wasn''t well versed in comforting a child, especially one who was in this kind of situation, so he fell silent and decided to stay next to Lucina until she was finished emptying her stomach, and even after as she aimlessly dry heaved when there was nothing left.

    ***

    "We lost four knights, nine conscripts, and twenty-eight more are wounded, my Lord," Thomas reported to Richard as the two men returned to camp to begin preparations to continue the march. "Their wounds aren''t severe and we don''t expect them to slow us down."

    "It seems Lady Muz favored us," Richard commented as he watched a few knights take down their tents while laughing with one another. "This will do wonders for morale. See to it the thirteen who died make it home."

    "Already taken care of, my Lord," Thomas replied and gave a satisfied smile. "I must say," Thomas began when he saw a group of wizards arguing about something in the distance, "I never liked having wizards around, initially, but that first catapult volley practically let us win the day! Maybe they aren''t all tha-"

    "That was Lucina''s work," Richard interrupted Thomas and gave him a displeased look over his shoulder. The two men continued through the camp as Richard started leading Thomas in a certain direction.

    "Really?" Thomas was astonished at the thought. "Does she know a spell that the wizards don''t? I know she helped Joseph and Liam kill a hellhound with her magic a few years ago, but I''d never personally seen gravity magic used like that! She''s a natural!" Thomas'' excitement put a bitter taste in Richard''s mouth and he picked up his pace. "I''m glad we have her if she''s able to do magic like that! I guess it wasn''t so bad that she was consc-" Thomas'' words immediately caught in his throat when he and Richard rounded a group of tents to find where Richard was taking them; Lucina''s tent. The spotter knight had helped her back to camp and even took down her tent for her since Lucina was still in a daze from what happened. When he saw Richard approach, he gave a respectful bow and returned to taking down his own tent and packing his things. The ends of Lucina''s robe''s sleeves were a sickly yellow-green even after being rinsed with water multiple times. Her body was trembling and she looked exhausted as she stood vacantly staring at nothing. "¡­" Thomas bit his tongue and regretted having such thoughts like it was a good thing she was here.

    "A-Ah? Duke Ordrin," Lucina spoke in a shaking voice that was barely holding together when she finally noticed Richard and Thomas were standing directly in front of her. She gave a clumsy bow and almost fell over from how out of it she was but managed to catch herself just in time.  "Greetings."

    "I was told you were the one who defied logic with your boulder pull." Richard watched Lucina''s eyes wander and lose focus before diverting back to him. "You saved a lot of lives by routing the enemy so early, Lucina, and for that, you have my thanks and the thanks of my knights."

    "I-I''m glad I could help¡­Duke." Lucina seemed out of breath and took a moment to breathe before continuing, "When¡­will we be moving out?"

    "¡­You-"

    "Duke Ordrin?!" a man wearing a rugged cloak, but whose clothing underneath was pristine and clean, called out to the Duke as he and another man wearing plate armor approached the group. "I bring a message for you from His Majesty," the messenger said while giving a salute to the Duke.

    "The King?" The war had only just begun, so what could Marcus possibly want that he had to send a royal messenger to the frontlines? "Speak, messenger."

    "By order of His Majesty, upon further consideration the Wizard Lucina Felswore is to be transferred from the Azure Hawk knights to the Hellhound knights, effective immediately upon receiving this message."

    "!?!" Lucina''s entire body froze and her breath caught in her throat.

    "What!?" Richard couldn''t hide his surprise and dissatisfaction, and roared at the messenger, "What do you mean she''s to be sent to the Hellhounds!?" In Urldrusk, knight orders typically followed a certain naming scheme that started with a color followed by an animal or thing; like the Ordrin''s Azure Hawk knights, or Einbore''s Celeste Giant knights. Any order that doesn''t follow this scheme is seen in a disdainful light as being lesser than their peers, and the most infamous of them all was the Hellhounds. The Hellhound knights are where the nobility send their undesirables to die if they can''t, or don''t want to, fabricate a convincing enough crime to execute them since the Hellhounds are a special operations knight order whose casualty rate was the highest of all orders. They had no siege engines to make them more mobile, meaning that any wizard assigned to the Hellhounds would be a vanguard wizard fighting directly at the front. And, the Hellhound knights were managed directly by the royal family. Richard couldn''t believe what he was hearing and shouted, "Lucina Felswore was entrusted to me by His Majesty when this war began! Why should she be transferred!?"

    "Those were the orders I was sent to deliver," the messenger stood his ground in the face of Richard''s anger. While it was true that Marcus agreed to send Lucina to war under Richard, he never said anything about not having her deployment changed at a later time. "His Majesty said that this was to help Lucina Felswore feel more comfortable by being with someone from her family."

    "Her family!?" Richard was flabbergasted at such a claim. "Who among her family is in the Hellhounds?!"

    "That would be me, Duke Ordrin," said the armored man who had come with the messenger and looked to be in his mid-twenties. He removed his helmet to reveal light brown hair, similar to Lucina''s, that went down to just below his shoulders. His hazel eyes glinted in an unnerving way as he met Lucina''s frightened gaze. "I apologize for the belated introduction. I am the current commander of the Hellhound knights, Timothy Braxton."

    "!!!" Lucina''s heart rate spiked when she heard the man''s name, and Richard looked like he was about to cut the man down on the spot but only held back since a royal messenger was present.

    Timothy smiled at Lucina and he greeted her loud enough for all who were around to hear, "I''m truly glad His Majesty was kind enough to finally introduce me to my dear step-sister."

 Gathering the Faithful Flock

    "Brace!" a Hellhound knight shouted as Peltairan troops crashed into the Hellhound''s lines. It had only been three days since Lucina was transferred to the Hellhound knights and she was already taking part in battle as a vanguard wizard. She stood alone in a sea of giants on the frontlines since everyone was taller than her so she couldn''t see very well and was getting pushed and shoved into by other knights. The ground was slick with mud from the downpour that hit the battlefield the previous night which stained and splattered Lucina''s white robe as the fighting raged on.

    "Guh! Damned Peltai-!" another knight cursed before having his head caved in by a Peltairan Aurister who was making their way through the Hellhounds. Originally, the Hellhounds were sent to ambush an enemy camp so that Duke Hoffman''s Olive Lynx knights wouldn''t have to fight as strong of a foe during next week''s battle.

    "Urldrusk dogs have no place in our lands!" the Aurister shouted as he swung his morning star to bash another enemy and leave a crater through their breastplate.  A sickly green mist trailed behind the Aurister as his aura seemed to hate the very air it wafted through. Through the sea of bodies, his gaze found Lucina''s, and the man changed course. "A child!? Does your king have no shame?"

    "!!!" Lucina tried to run as fear gripped her heart, but there was no way to go amidst the torrent of battle that surrounded her.

    "Peace child," the Aurister said while raising his morning star high. "I will send you on your way with one strike; such is the only mercy I can offer you."

    "N-No¡­!" Lucina felt death approach with every step the Aurister took. The green mist reached out toward her.

    "Be stil-"

    "No!" Acting on instinct and what little training she was given, Lucina pointed her staff at the Aurister and cast a fireball spell. But, her mind was in too much of a panic to properly cast the spell so the fire magic instead exploded out of the staff in a wave of flame that washed over Peltaira''s troops.

    "!?!" The Aurister''s incomprehensible screams mixed and contorted with the roaring flames that engulfed his body, along with the screams of the Peltairan troops that were behind him who also were caught in the blast. The smell of burnt meat assaulted Lucina''s nose causing her to gag, but she managed to not vomit this time.

    "Yeah!" a Hellhound knight cheered at the sight of the burning enemy and pressed the initiative. "Cut''em down!" The knight stepped in front of Lucina and cleaved the screaming Aurister''s head from his shoulders with his great sword. The decapitated head plopped and rolled on the ground before coming to a rest at Lucina''s feet.  Flesh sizzled as the enemy troops were cooked inside their plate armor and Lucina heard the occasional popping sound of burning fat from the ones who were sliced or beaten open.  She stared down at the still burning head and watched as the skin charred and started to peel off the skull.

    "Hey?" Someone tried to get Lucina''s attention, but her eyes remained fixated on the severed head. One of the eyes fell out of its socket. "Hey,-"

    ***

    "-Lucina!" Timothy excitedly greeted Lucina as the detachment of Hellhounds returned to camp. Forty knights were sent, and only twenty-one made it back. "The Hellhounds never had Wizards before, so I''m glad you were able to adjust so quickly and make it back. It''s good to see you back!" his words betrayed the look of disdain in his eyes.

    "¡­" Lucina wanted to return to her tent and start trying to wash off the mud and blood that speckled her robe. "I-I''m sorry, Sir, but I-"

    "Sir?" Timothy spoke loudly to draw the attention of all the Hellhounds nearby. "Please, Lucina, we''re far too close for that kind of formality! At least call me step-brother." His hands rested on Lucina''s shoulders with a weight that refused to let her leave. Timothy''s thumbs lightly traced and pressed on Lucina''s collarbones with the silent threat to snap them at a moment''s notice.

    "¡­M-May I r-return to my t-tent now¡­s-step-brother?" Lucina''s stomach churned with disgust and her vision was starting to blur. Countless eyes observed her, judged her, and bore their way into her back as the other knights watched them.

    "L..ina~?" A false whisper on the wind tickled Lucina''s ears and seemed to sap her strength with its loving-kindness. The voice sounded familiar and drew Lucina''s attention but she couldn''t find the source.

    "Of course," Timothy said while releasing Lucina from his grip. He watched her sway unconsciously in her daze and asked, "Hey, are you all there?" When she didn''t respond, he reached out his hand toward her. "Are you there-"

    ***

    "-kid?"

    "Huh?" I snapped out of my daze to find myself sitting around a campfire as the sun was disappearing behind the horizon. I¡­don''t remember how I got back to camp. I should try¡­to¡­

    "Drink." A man in his late thirties with short brown hair and warm green eyes offered me his canteen. He and three other people were sitting with me beside the fire. Had I had anything to drink today? Did I eat?

    "Th-Thank yo-" As I went to accept the drink, the person sitting to my left reached over and snatched it away.

    "Are you seriously giving a child alcohol!?" she chastised. I¡­should focus on them. The woman next to me looked to be in her mid-twenties with dark red hair held in a low ponytail, and her scarlet eyes shimmered in the light of the campfire as she glared at the man.

    "I''m trying to help the kid calm down," the man replied in a somber tone as he watched my trembling hands out of the corner of his eye. He took his canteen back from her and added, "Besides, I wouldn''t even consider what we have as ''alcohol'' with how watered down it is."

    "It''s still not something you should give a child. Here," she said and handed me the canteen from her belt. "Since I''m not much of a drinker, this is just water."

    "A-Ah¡­ Thank you." The water was cool as it went down my parched throat, but I made sure to only drink a little since this was being shared with me.

    "You''re rather polite for a wizard," the woman commented as she took the canteen back. "I guess you''re still too young for them to have turned you all snobby, yet." Even though her words were a jab at me, it sounded more like a joke so it didn''t bother me too much.

    "I''m¡­not a wizard," I sheepishly corrected. My staff was laying in the dirt at my feet, and without picking it up I conjured a small flame in my hands to show I could use magic without it.

    "¡­!?" The woman, along with the others, all seemed shocked that I could still use magic. Her expression toward me noticeably softened and she asked, "How¡­ Then why do you have a staff and initiate''s robe?"

    "Because only wizards are allowed to use magic in the army, the king made me one." It was getting easier for me to talk as the conversation went on and I was able to stop stuttering over my words. My mind also calmed and was able to focus. Something about being with these people was putting me at ease.

    "Ha!" a man who was in his early twenties with black hair that rested on his shoulders, and whose dull green eyes watched me with an amused look, laughed to himself. "Our king''s sending kids that piss him off to die, now?" The woman next to me gave him a glare, but he ignored her.

    "Well, it was the Crown Prince who wanted to send me here, but he used the king to pressure my family into doing it," I corrected. The mood around the campfire was oddly¡­calm. I thought the Hellhound knights were all bitter criminals, based on what I''d heard about them, but the people here seemed rather normal. "The Crown Prince and I don''t get along very well, but we keep seeing each other when I visit the Crown Princess so our relationship''s been getting worse over the years until¡­here I am." I tried to sound upbeat about it, but my fingers wouldn''t stop fidgeting with themselves.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "You''re the Felswore''s daughter?" the last person who was with us, a man in his early thirties with short curly blonde hair and clear blue eyes, finally spoke up from his daze staring at the fire.

    "Yes, I''m Lucina Felswore." I had a bad feeling about him recognizing my na-

    "You''re the Magister who helped the Crown Princess make those teapots. You were the talk of the capital while I was still there." Oh yeah, the king announced that to everyone when he declared war. Would that overtake the rumors of my legitimacy, eventually? The man brushed himself off and gave a seated bow toward me. "Apologies for the belated introduction, Lady Lucina. I am Jeremy of Mornhold, a former aide to the mayor of the city of Mornhold." His demeanor was professional and his greeting sounded practiced, though that was probably the case since he was a former aide.

    "You''re that Magister!?" the woman next to me became excited and looked at me with an expression of admiration. "I always wanted to know who you were and meet you ever since Elder Arkin spoke of you during his stays in R''eldrun!"

    "You''re from R''eldrun?" R''eldrun was the seat of power for the temples and was a massive cathedral located at the base of the mountains that ran through the Sevette duchy. It was a holy place for all the gods that Elder Arkin would frequent, and Magister Lucus would set out on a yearly pilgrimage there during early spring when the first flowers bloomed.

    "Yes, I was studying to become an Elder in R''eldrun very halls," the woman gave a sad and bitter reply as her face darkened. But, she quickly recomposed herself and bowed to me while introducing herself, "I am Daughter Elise, faithful follower of our Hearth Mother." Daughter and Son were titles given to Magisters who were directly under an Elder to undergo training and study to become Elders themselves. "Should you ever find yourself hurt, I hope you come find me as I was blessed by our Hearth Mother with earth and a little life magic." She gave me a warm smile that only seemed all the warmer from the gentle glow of the fire.

    "But, aren''t only wizards allowed to use magic here?"

    The man who originally offered me alcohol spoke up to answer, "That implies anyone cares enough about us to reprimand her." He stoked the fire with a long stick before continuing, "You''re in the Hellhounds, now, which means no one cares what you do since we''re all expected to die, anyway." His explanation was rather blunt, but it made sense; I was in the trash and no one really cares about trash so long as it doesn''t smell. "So, since you can use your magic without it, feel free to get rid of that staff, if you want."

    "That''s right!" Elise jumped back in and looked at me expectantly. "Someone who''s blessed by the gods shouldn''t sully themselves with profane wizard tools!"

    "¡­" I looked from Elise to the staff at my feet. Whenever I held my staff something would always feel wrong with my body like a churning in my gut and a tingling in the back of my mind that wouldn''t go away. It was wrong to exist. Picking up the staff, I gripped it tightly in my hands one last time before throwing it into the campfire. "Wha-!?" When the staff hit the flames, the campfire exploded up to fully engulf the staff. The wood burned to ash in a matter of moments leaving only the crystal that was embedded into the top. The crystal floated in the air as the flames stabbed and burned its surface as if they were trying to pierce it. Then, one of the flames made a crack and the crystal exploded into dust that was eaten by the fire.

    "Blessed be!" Elise clasped her hands together and happily chanted as the campfire subsided and returned to normal. A noticeable calm and a soothing warmth descended over us and I felt more at ease; my fingers even stopped trembling.

    "¡­Daughter Elise?" Now that my mind was calmer, I wanted to know more about the people I shared a fire with. "If you''re a Daughter of Alm, then why are you in the Hellhounds?"

    "¡­Why, indeed," she replied while letting her hands rest in her lap.

    "If it''s uncomfortable, you don''t have to-"

    "No no, it''s fine. Also, feel free to just call me Elise," she reassured me before continuing, "While I''m not proud to say it, it''s because I was tricked by my fellow, Son Solomon Kor." Her eyes returned to the fire and took on a dull tone as her story unfolded, "When I met him, Solomon was an ambitious man who aimed for the position of Elder. Such ambition would have been fine if it had just stayed as a source of motivation for him, but things started taking a turn for the worse when he became a Son of Alm. Other Sons and Daughters started disappearing whenever they went out on quests and it became quite an embarrassing scandal for us all. Taking the initiative, I started looking into and collecting evidence on what had happened to the lost members¡­but that was just a trap." Elise bitterly chuckled to herself. "Solomon and a group of his lackeys framed me for everything with the very evidence I had collected and I was excommunicated from the order with the final insult being Solomon pleading to have me sent to the Hellhounds so I may ''amend and repent'' for my crimes." The campfire flickered and seemed to reach out to Elise and brush her hair with a gust of warm air. "Still, I am forever grateful that our Hearth Mother still holds me within her grace and believes in my innocence; that alone is enough for me."

    "¡­I''m sorry," was all I could think to say after hearing her tale.

    "It''s fine, it''s fine," Elise patted my head affectionately. "I was able to meet the one blessed by both our Hearth Mother and the Storm Father. I should count myself lucky." She was like a big sister and a smile played across my face. I turned and looked at the three men with excited eyes; I wanted to know my new companions!

    "That''s quite a look in your eyes," the alcohol man said as he gave a chuckle. "Fine, telling tales around a fire is as good a way to pass the time as any other." He stretched his back and took a swig of his canteen before beginning, "Mine isn''t as exciting as Elise''s tale. I wasn''t betrayed as I never belonged to begin with. I am Peter the Great."

    "Isn''t ''the Great'' a good name?"

    "It would be, yes, if it wasn''t given with bitter sarcasm," Peter replied while removing his metal gauntlets to rub his wrists. "I am a commoner who was granted aura by Lady Muz. Seeing my talent, the chief of my village offered me to his lord as a potential knight. I was grateful since most knights had to come from noble lines, so a commoner like me being a knight was rare¡­and I can see why." He snapped his fingers and a heatless blue flame started pouring out of him as his aura activated, "Nobles don''t like being outshined by commoners, especially knights. With my aura, I was able to surpass most of them with ease and only a little bit of training. They took their jealousy to the lord who agreed with their views and I was sent here. As I was sent away they gossiped about how Great I was." He bitterly sighed and the flames dissipated as he deactivated his aura. "Not to say I despise all nobles," he added while looking at me. "You''re far too young to be receiving my ire, kid." He put his hand on my head and rustled my hair into a mess.

    "My name''s Lucina!" I defiantly stated and started fixing my hair. It was already hard enough keeping it under control, I didn''t need his help messing it up!

    "Of course it is, kid," he still refused to use my name. His eyes took on a sadness to them as he muttered bitterly, "Someone the same age as my daughter shouldn''t be here."

    "¡­" I guess he could rustle my head, every once in a while.

    Jeremy then spoke up, "Yes, such is the whims of nobles." He brushed his hair behind his ear. "While not to be a slight against your family, Lady Lucina, I also am here because of the nobility. As I said earlier, I was once an aide of Mornhold, a town in the Relsh duchy''s north. I was assisting the mayor with overseeing the development of a new watermill when I noticed there were differences between the proposed budget and the actual work orders. I brought this up to the mayor, but he only denied it and told me to ignore such a small clerical error." He paused and thought to himself in silence. "If I had done as he asked I would still be in Mornhold, but my conscience got the better of me and I reported the case to the lord, Count Kellson, but as it would turn out the Count was in league with the mayor. This was around the time His Majesty declared this war, so I was sent to the Hellhounds to die while out of their hair." Jeremy sounded neither bitter nor sad about what happened which was weird. He seemed to catch my unasked intent from my staring so he explained, "Before I was sent off, I gave copies of my findings to all the major gossip criers in the county and anyone who would listen as I traveled to the capital. Last I heard, Duke Hoffman himself sent officials to investigate before joining the war so it seems like Count Kellson forgot to include the Duke in on his scheme."

    "A truly vindictive statesman," the last man who hadn''t introduced himself said.

    "It is my policy to return what I am given in kind," Jeremy replied before going back to staring at the campfire.

    "¡­" The last man met my gaze but diverted his attention and ignored me.

    "Carl!" Elise chastised.

    "Why should she care!?" Carl snapped back. "I''m sure some noble child like her doesn''t have time for a bastard like me!" Even without his full story, I knew how Carl ended up here.

    "¡­According to society I''m also a bastard, so I''d like to hear about you if you want." While he was rude, I would never fault him for it knowing what I do about how bastards are treated.

    "¡­Huh?" Carl seemed confused.

    "My mother¡­was raped nine months before my birth," I explained and I watched the disdain and annoyance instantly leave Carl''s face. "While my legitimacy was cleared up thanks to Elder Arkin, the Crown Prince and his followers still spread rumors about me throughout high society. I can''t attend gatherings unless I''m with the Crown Princess, who believes the truth, but otherwise, I''m an outcast."

    "So, that explains Timothy''s actions," Jeremy mused.

    "He hates you that much?" Carl asked.

    "Well, I''m quite the annoying bastard," I joked.

    "¡­Haha!" Carl laughed and slapped his knee. "I''m sorry for being harsh with you, Lucina. You''re alright." With Carl''s apology, the entire mood of the campfire brightened and everyone started bantering freely. Being in the middle with everyone was oddly comforting. I guess I finally understood how the Azure Hawks could laugh and smile despite being at war if they could return to camp with companions. "Actually, thinking about it," Carl spoke up as the sun finished setting and the sky became dark. "Why don''t you join our share tent?"

    "Share tent?" I had only been given a small personal tent, but what was a share tent?

    "You should!" Elise got excited at the thought. "Since our tents are so small, some people group up to combine their tent materials to form a larger tent; our gear is just tarps, ropes, and wooden rods anyway so it''s rather easy. We call doing that a share tent. Us four are already in one but we''d more than welcome you as our fifth."

    Jeremy looked over at me and added, "Because of your age, you''re smaller than anyone else but your tent is still the same size so we''d be getting a lot more room because it''s you." While this was sounding nice¡­

    "You¡­sleep together?" I looked from Elise to the three men.

    "I''m a bastard, not a horny bastard!" Carl retorted my unspoken criticism. "Besides, who would go after a kid whose chest is as flat as a barn door?"

    "I''m still growing!" First, my height is smaller than most, and now I have to worry about my chest?

    "Don''t listen to him, Lucina," Elise said and hugged me close. "For the sake of every occupant, we only sleep in the share tent. And, I''ll keep an eye out for you just in case."

    "¡­Thank you for having me." Did people prefer bigger chests like Elise''s?

    "Well, if that''s settled?" Peter said and stood up, "While the night is still young, let''s work on incorporating the kid''s tent into our share tent."

    "Excuse me?" But as we were getting ready to start, a messenger approached our group. "Are you Lucina Felswore?" he asked me.

    "Yes," I answered and watched the man fish through a sack he took off his back.

    "Ah, I''m Hopper, messenger for the Hellhound knights. If you need letters sent then just leave them with me! I''m more than happy to deliver letters across the kingdom than fight on the front."

    "Brave as ever, Hopper," Peter commented.

    "It''s what keeps me alive." He gave me a nod in greeting before taking a rather fancy-looking letter out of his sack. "And, Lucina Felswore has a letter from our esteemed Crown Princess."

    "From Olivia!?" I took the letter and instantly recognized Olivia''s handwriting on the outside.

    "Take your time," Peter said while giving me a pat on the shoulder.

    "Thank you!" I returned to my spot at the campfire and happily opened Olivia''s first letter.

 Your Light in the Dark

    ***One month into the war.***

    Dear Lucina,

    I hope this letter finds you well. I''ve never written to someone at war and the amount of drafts I''ve thrown away only seems to increase as I fail to find the right words to use. Mary''s told me to just start writing and not overthink it, though I''m pretty sure she''s just tired of throwing away the failed drafts.

    To start this off, I''ll tell you what I''ve been up to since you and my father left. With most of the kingdom''s knights and a large number of conscripted soldiers off to war, it seems that quite a few criminals have gotten the idea in their heads to start causing issues. Roadside bandit attacks have increased across Holst, Sevette, and Relsh, and Margaret tells me they''re even starting to use boats to attack merchant ships traveling along the Helker. Where did bandits get boats!? Just outfitting the Trent merchant fleet was costly enough but now I have to worry about all that investment being stolen for piracy? Not to mention the lives of the crew lost during these attacks! There are also reports of increased demon incursions that the local militias are struggling to repel.  To counter the increased bandit and demon activity, and to increase my reputation among the nobles who are still neutral toward me I''ve decided to personally intervene.

    While there are a lot of people here in the capital who don''t seem to care what happens outside Gorinville''s walls, I''ve managed to find a few among the royal knights who agree with me that something needs to be done. James tried talking me out of it saying I should just send the knights out alone and worry about my own safety, but how am I supposed to look myself in the mirror knowing I didn''t do all I could? I''m an Ordrin and an Aurister! Plus, if I''m to be the next queen then I want to be a queen that the people can rely on! As I send this letter, I''ve received permission from His Majesty to take the knights I recruited and begin traveling across the kingdom to secure Urldrusk''s safety. We plan on traveling along the Helker into Relsh to secure the supply routes east for the war effort first before moving down into Sevette and finally swinging up into Holst. I don''t know how long it will take so I might not receive your reply to this letter in a timely manner, but I''ve hired plenty of logistics runners for this trip and I''ve told Mary to send any letters addressed to me with them when they make their rounds. There are also a few Wizards in our group under James'' suggestion. While I don''t mind the extra firepower, I hope no incidents occur because of their presence in Holst since our duchy isn''t friendly with the Wizard''s Tower.

    I plan on sending you plenty of letters while on my journey. Even if you don''t or can''t reply to each one I''ll still send them so that you know I''m praying for your safety, but I hope you can let me know how you''re doing, too. I never knew how quiet the palace was without you around. That''s not to say James doesn''t keep me company, but I feel uncomfortable with him. His smiles always look forced and his sincerity toward me no longer seems real ever since you left. Looking back, he was probably just doing it to ''steal'' me from you, and now that you''re not here he doesn''t need to try as hard. Once again hindsight shows me my terrible luck with guys and my own blind foolishness only after it causes an incident. They say one who chases two rabbits catches neither, so I''m also going to use my travels to distance myself from James for a while and focus solely on my reputation among the people and nobility.

    I underestimated how much our casual talks meant to me so I hope to hear from you soon.

    Please return safely,

    Olivia

    ***

    Dear Olivia,

    Your letter made my night and I''m glad to hear you''re doing well. I''ve also never written to someone waiting back home for me from the front so this will be a first for both of us. I also wish you the best in your upcoming campaign around Urldrusk! Clearing out the lands will definitely strengthen your position among the nobles already on your side, the neutral nobles will be in your debt, and this might even convince some of the ones hostile to you to have a change of mind. The wizards shouldn''t cause you much trouble, but I''d recommend keeping an eye on them just to be safe. As you''ve probably already figured out, they are there to watch you while lending a hand. I wish I could give you nothing but good news from my end, but that isn''t the case.

    I experienced my first battle a few days ago. Your father made sure I was deployed in the back with the catapults as a siege wizard but that¡­

    Sorry about the ink splotches, I figured it would be hard to write about what happened but even now when I''m back at camp my hand still shakes. I killed people. The boulder I pulled turned¡­ Their bodies were¡­

    Sorry¡­

    I''m not sure if you were told, but under new orders from the king, I was permanently transferred to the Hellhound knights. At the time of writing back to you, I''ve gone through another battle but this time with the Hellhounds and as a vanguard wizard. I¡­

    I''m sorry. They''re good people. When I first heard about them I thought the Hellhounds would be criminals that were hard to get along with but I managed to find a group among them that are really nice. There''s even a Daughter of Alm here, Elise!  I won''t go into her personal life or reasons why she''s in the Hellhounds, but she feels like a big sister. There''s an Aurister in our group, Peter, who acts like an uncle and he tried to give me alcohol before Elise stopped him. Jeremy''s a bit stiff but he used to be the aide of a city mayor so I can get why he''s like that. Then, there''s Carl who''s dealing with family issues; he won''t say who and I don''t want to pry.

    Unfortunately, not everyone here is someone I can get along with, like the leader of the Hellhound knights Timothy Braxton; the son of the old baron who¡­raped my mother and is my supposed ''father'' according to the capital''s rumors. He''s been going around making sure that everyone hears I''m his step-sister and he''s making me call him step-brother whenever we meet. He¡­

    I''m sorry. Now that I found a group of companions I hope things improve, and I pray for your success in helping the people!

    Best wishes,

    Lucina

    ***Two and a half months into the war.***

    Dear Lucina,

    This is the first letter I''m sending after finally receiving your first reply. Who the fuck does the king think he is!?! As soon as I received your letter I sent a message to the king asking for his reasons and he told me it was to help you be at ease with a family member! No matter how many letters I sent explaining to him what happened with Arkin, he refused to change your deployment back to the Azure Hawks. I also sent a letter to James, but he says he hasn''t had any success trying to convince his father either; though now that my head is clearer I doubt he tried very hard. I don''t understand why the king has such animosity toward you, and I wish I could do more than just speculate and send pointless letters asking for him to change his mind.

    At the very least, I''m glad you were able to find people you can feel comfortable with. I asked around my accompanying knights about the Hellhounds and they filled me in on who gets sent there. Stick with them, Lucina. I know I don''t need to tell you this, but now that my father can''t protect you, you''ll need all the allies you can get; even better if you can hit it off with them. As for Braxton, try to never be alone with him. Our fathers put his in prison where he eventually died so Timothy most likely holds a grudge against you and will take any opportunity he can to hurt you. Stay safe!

    Some good news on my end, we''re almost done with our march through Relsh. Even though my group is small compared to a proper subjugation force, that makes us more mobile and we''ve been able to make good time on our campaign. Most of the nobles here don''t like me and were more than happy to make it known, but after a few days of cleaning up for them, they''ve fallen mostly silent. However, they''re mostly silent because the commoners have welcomed me and the knights with such open arms. Bandit activity is noticeably down, and we closed two infernal gates so I''ve got most streets in the cities and villages of Relsh singing our praises! We''re moving south toward the border with Sevette and will probably get there by the middle of next month.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Also, you have nothing to apologize for, Lucina. You''re a ten-year-old child, you shouldn''t be off on the frontlines of a war! I still remember the first time I took a bandit''s life so I know the weight of what you mean. If you don''t feel comfortable writing something then don''t write it, but I remember learning that a good way to cope with trauma is to write it down. Even if you don''t end up sending me those letters, just writing it down so that it''s out on a page can help. If anything, I''m sorry I''m not able to do more to help you. The declaration of war and your deployment stunned me into silence during the announcement so I wasn''t able to speak up and refute the king, and even after when we were behind closed doors I wasn''t able to convince him to take back his decree to send you.

    Praying for your safety,

    Olivia

    P.S. Why do you and my father not capitalize Wizard and Wizard''s Tower? I noticed in both your and my father''s letters that you use lowercase while official palace documents capitalize it.

    ***

    Dear Olivia,

    To answer your P.S. first, I don''t capitalize wizard and wizard''s tower because that''s how Magister Lucus taught me. According to him, the faithful don''t capitalize those words as a show of protest against the tower. While petty in hindsight, it''s how I was taught so it''s stuck with me like that. I also have no reason to be kind to the tower since they branded me a wizard so I could be sent off to war.

    I''m glad you''re understanding of my messy letters, and hope you''re able to leave Relsh quickly and make it to Sevette. Duke Mordrist is friends with your father, so you shouldn''t face as much hostility while there from the local lords.

    Your advice on writing out my thoughts into letters is a nice distraction, but not something I can do consistently. Timothy keeps sending me out on missions or making me busy with ''special'' one-on-one training which barely leaves me time to even sleep. The training is just an excuse for him to beat me with a wooden sword, but thanks to Elise I don''t have any permanent scars¡­

    I''m really tired and it''s hard to write. I''ll try to send you a better letter later.

    Be well,

    Lucina.

    ***Four months into the war.***

    Dear Lucina,

    While I don''t know what the weather is like in Peltaira, here in Sevette, Autumn is in full swing with chilly air and trees that are just starting to lose their brightly colored leaves. The nobles here are mostly neutral toward me with a few trying to win my favor. I met one who was sincere in their generosity while the others I met I could tell only wanted to get in good with me since I''m the Crown Princess. While not a bad thing, I wouldn''t exactly call them ''loyal'' to me, either. But, with every bandit camp destroyed and every demon slain Sevette is one step closer to finding relative peace. I also managed to solo a hellhound and finally redeemed myself for being so cowardly when we were younger! Even though we''re almost done here, I plan on dragging my feet as much as possible so that when we hit Holst I can use the winter weather as an excuse to stay in Wortrest and spend time with my mother. You''re also sending letters home, I hope?

    I''ve sent you a package along with this letter with some new gloves, thick pants, and a coat that I hope will keep you warm as the temperature keeps dropping. I wish this war would end so you could come home before winter instead of me having to send you these things. My father mentioned in his recent letter that the push into Peltaira has ground to a halt now that their proper forces are deployed and there''s very little headway being made. I''m worried about you, Lucina.

    Hope to hear from you,

    Olivia

    ***

    Dear Olivia,

    I do send letters home when I have time. The weather is similar here, probably just as cold, though the leaves aren''t changing colors or falling off their branches since they remain a bright red all year round in the region we''re currently in. Thank you for the clothes, they''re really nice. You don''t need to worry about me that much, I''ve been getting stronger every day and have almost gotten used to four hours of sleep each night. The others are doing what they can to help, so you don''t need to be concerned. I''ll be fine so long as I can keep reading your letters. Sometimes, it''s like I can hear your voice reading them to me and they help me through this.

    I wish you well,

    Lucina

    ***Six months into the war.***

    Happy birthday, Lucina!

    I don''t know exactly when this letter will reach you, but it should land at least in the right month so it''s good enough for a birthday letter! Any food I send worthy of a birthday meal would spoil before getting to you, so instead you can consider this letter as a voucher for a free meal when the war ends and you come home. No matter where we go and no matter how much you order, the meal bill is on me. But, I can''t leave you empty-handed for your birthday so I sent more winter clothes for you. No matter where you are on the continent, January is a cold month so make sure to stay warm!

    I managed to coincide my arrival to Wortrest with a snowstorm so now my party and I are ''stuck'' here until the weather clears up. Your mother is also here and I''m sending the scarf she knit for you along with my presents so make sure to send her a thank you letter!

    I miss you, Lucina.

    Praying this ends soon,

    Olivia

    ***

    "¡­Hmm." Lucina smiled to herself as she finished reading Olivia''s letter and lightly traced her fingers over the words. Even though it was short, the letter was obviously filled with care for her and she was glad to receive a birthday wish even though the letter arrived three days before her actual birthday. Her calloused hands had trouble feeling the paper due to the cold, though there wasn''t much she could do about it since all she had to keep warm were some old worn-out gloves. Just like all the other times, Olivia''s gifts never reached Lucina. She asked Hopper about it and he told her that he never got any packages for her when he would go on his runs for the mail. James was probably intercepting them before they left. Lucina tried reaching out to Olivia about it, but she never made any mention of Lucina''s pleas in her letters so it was obvious that James was going through the letters she and Olivia exchanged to make sure Olivia never learned the truth. Olivia was sending so many letters that James probably got curious about what she was saying and started doing this when the first gift would have been sent. While Lucina thought about sending a letter to Richard about it, she never had the energy or drive to do it as every passing day made her more and more tired. She barely got four hours of sleep a night, and the constant battles were taking their toll on her body and mind. Luckily, Timothy had gotten bored of beating her which freed up enough time for Lucina to ask Peter for sword lessons. It was a good workout to continue building her physique and the repetitive nature of sword practice helped distract her mind from¡­ Her eyes wandered over to the shortsword that was lying on the straw mat next to her in the share tent. The sharp metal blade glinted in the setting sunlight that peaked in through the tent''s flap. Cold air hung around her face and entered her lungs with every shallow breath she took. She was so tired.  Her hand reached for the sword to-

    "I miss you, Lucina~." The ethereal voice that always stopped her caressed Lucina''s ears and made her pause. She turned her head and, once again, found herself alone in the tent. Over the months, the voice had gotten more and more clear until it was unmistakable. Lucina knew better than to listen to the voice, this was obviously what Magister Lucus talked about during their magic lessons about the side effects of magic exhaustion. She was constantly draining her magic reserves to survive the battles and to save her new companions, so this was to be expected. The voice obviously wasn''t real. Olivia couldn''t be here. "Lucina~?"

    "¡­" But that voice always stopped her whenever her hand would move toward her sword or other weapons when her thoughts were dark. Her fingers clenched into a shaky fist and she returned her arm to her side. As barely a whisper, Lucina dejectedly muttered, "I''m tired."

    "Do you want me to carry you?" Carl appeared at the entrance to the tent and looked down at her reading the letter. He was fully dressed in his mismatched plate armor that was missing the right arm and both thigh guards; though he still had the shin guards that also protected his knees from the leg pieces he lost. The Hellhounds were never the priority when it came to gear, so if a piece of armor was broken beyond repair then they would throw it away and make do without.

    "What''s the mission?" Lucina asked as she stuffed Olivia''s latest letter into the sack she had that contained all of Olivia''s previous letters.

    "The Azure Hawks will be pushing the fort on the southern hill tomorrow morning," Carl explained as he turned around and knelt down. "Braxton wants us to poke the fort from the north throughout the night so they lose sleep which will give the Azure Hawks an easier win."

    "¡­Alright," Lucina replied as she fastened her shortsword to her belt. Lucina hadn''t seen Richard since she joined the Hellhounds and wanted to go talk to him at least once, but she knew Braxton would punish her for it if she did so she dropped the thought entirely. She paused as she adjusted the sleeves of her robe to take a look at herself. A chainmail shirt that didn''t fit her went down to below her waist because of the number of close calls Lucina found herself in as a vanguard wizard. Her robe, once a beautiful clean white, was now a dull light grey that was covered in spots and patches of a sickly dark reddish-brown from old blood splatter that would never wash out, and the end of the robe was torn and tattered from being dragged across the ground for so long. The robe was in no condition to keep being worn yet Lucina still wore it since it helped surprisingly well against the cold. Walking over to Carl, Lucina wrapped her arms around his neck and let herself get hoisted up as she piggybacked him.

    "It''ll be about an hour''s walk, so get some shut-eye," Carl said as his feet crunched through the freshly fallen snow. As the months passed, Lucina had deepened her bonds with everyone in the share tent to the point they considered each other as a second family. With the amount of pyrrhic victories they obtained and the amount of blood they spilled together, this feeling was only natural to bloom in their hearts. Carl was actually the first to fully embrace this feeling and would let Lucina get some much-needed sleep while he carried her to whatever battlefield they were sent to.

    "Thanks," Lucina said and happily accepted Carl''s kindness. Her eyes closed and her consciousness faded while Carl walked over and joined the others to begin their march. Elise pulled Lucina''s hood up over her head while tucking her hair inside to keep Lucina a little warmer.

    "Hm?" As the group of Hellhounds left camp, Richard Ordrin was standing outside his order''s camp to help clear his thoughts when he noticed the Hellhounds leaving. "Lucina?" Focusing his attention, Richard saw the battered state Lucina''s clothes were in; he knew Olivia had sent Lucina winter gear as gifts multiple times but none of what Lucina was wearing looked remotely new. With a new bitter thought plaguing his mind, Richard searched through the Hellhound''s camp until he found their messenger, Hopper. After a brief chat, Richard returned to his tent to write a letter to his daughter that he would entrust to one of his knights, not a normal messenger, to find and hand deliver to Olivia personally. There was an unnatural coldness in the air as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and Sailest''s light broke through the clouds to bathe the snow-covered land in its soft light. The snow glistened to create a surreal landscape with the scarlet red leaves of the forest gently swaying in the cold breeze. Tonight would be the longest night of the war with Sailest silently watching from on high as the massacre in The Crimson Forest began to unfold.

 Hell Mired by Those on High

    "This way, stay close together!" the lead Hellhound knight called as he led the forty knights through the thick forest. This was supposed to be a stealth mission so only half the Hellhound knights were being sent on this mission and no one was allowed to light a torch or lantern. Everyone was packed close together to not get lost since all they had to help them was Sailest''s soft light peeking through the trees. Mountains towered to their northeast which was their only landmark in the otherwise featureless forest of crimson. The lead knight took out his map and stopped in a spot where Sailest''s light could let him roughly see and said, "We should be twenty minutes out, so in about ten minutes we''ll start spreading out into our groups."

    "Are you sure we''re close?" Peter asked as his group was closest to the front.

    "That''s what the map says," the lead knight replied while waving the map in the air. "Though, I''m only guessing since this damned forest makes it near impossible to know for sure." The red leaves rustled above them as a gust of wind swooped through the forest and sent a chill down the Hellhound knight''s spines.

    "Still¡­" Peter felt uneasy, for some reason. His gut was telling him to be careful and that something didn''t feel right despite the forest being peaceful.

    "Tell you what," the lead Hellhound said and halted the knights. "Leon, climb that tree to the top and see if you can spot the glow of the fort''s torches; we''ll know we''re on the right track and adjust for that since it''s on a hill." The wind stopped blowing and the rustling trees fell silent.

    "On it," Leon replied and started climbing.

    "Kid''s like a monkey," another Hellhound commented which caused a few of the other knights to laugh. Their laughter echoed through the forest and a patch of snow fell off a tree branch. It didn''t hit the ground.

    "¡­" Peter tried scanning the forest but a cloud moved in front of Sailest and blocked the light. "Carl, wake up the kid."

    "Aren''t we still a few minutes out?" Carl wanted to give Lucina more time. "Shouldn''t she get some mor-"

    "Wake her up!" Peter hissed through his teeth. His eyes never left the dark forest that surrounded them.

    "Lucina~?"

    "¡­I''m already up," Lucina said from her place on Carl''s back.

    "Did I jostle you too much?" Carl asked as he let her down and she got off his back. Lucina''s boots crunched into the snow as she got her bearings and stretched to wake up.

    "No," she replied with a lie, "I just felt like I should wake up." Lucina also scanned the forest for any signs of the voice despite knowing it was pointless.

    "Hey, Captain?" Leon finally reached the top of the tree and called down to the gathered knights.

    "What do you see?" the captain called back.

    "I don''t see anything!"

    "What?" The trees around them rustled without wind.

    "¡­Call him down," Peter said with a hint of concern in his voice.

    "There''s nothing!" Leon called again. "I''m looking in every direction, but I don''t see the glow of torchlight from the fort. I can''t even tell where the fort is it''s so dark. Did we go in the wrong direction?"

    "Captain, call hi-" Peter''s words caught in his throat as the cloud that blocked Sailest''s light moved on and the forest was illuminated once more. Down the forest, in the direction of the fort, were footprints in the snow on ground they hadn''t walked yet. "Leon, come down!"

    "Wha-" Leon''s words were cut short as something zipped through the air. The tree''s branches shook and one cracked as Leon''s body tumbled and fell to the ground where it crunched into the snow with an arrow pierced through his left eye. The massacre began.

    "Ambush!" the captain cried as arrows shot out of the dark forest and pelted their position. The less armored Hellhounds were pelted and collapsed dead while those with armor, or with better reflexes, got down to the ground to avoid being hit. Nine of the forty Hellhounds were already dead. "Close ranks! Elise!?"

    "On it!" Elise slammed both her hands onto the ground and the earth started to shake. A long wall of stone erupted out of the earth which blocked off their eastern side from attack. Trees groaned as they were hoisted into the air on top of the wall and their roots desperately tried to keep them tethered to the ground. The rest of the Hellhounds huddled around the wall with what shields they had raised as another volley of arrows pelted them through the trees. Fifteen of the forty Hellhounds were now dead.

    "Keep a wall around Elise and Lucina!" the captain called while attempting to regain control of the situation. "Elise, focus on healing! Lucina, give us a light!"

    "R-Right!" While she was flustered from the panic, Lucina got a hold of herself and shot a fireball into the air. The spell exploded above the tree line and bathed the forest in light as the fire lingered and hung in the air, revealing their attackers.

    "W-What the!?!" Peter and the rest of the Hellhounds couldn''t believe their eyes as they found themselves completely surrounded by Peltairan soldiers. No longer needing to hide, the enemy knights emerged from the trees and rose out of the snow banks with swords and spears drawn. It looked like the entire fort''s army was waiting for them. "How did-"

    "Urldrusk dogs!" From the sea of knights that surrounded them, a man who looked to be in his late forties stepped forward. His bald head glinted in the light of Lucina''s flare and his long black beard flowed like a river in the wind. A tabard with a white crane adorned him and his knights. "I am Ming Fatecaller, Grand Master of the Heavenly Crane knight sect, and Lord of the lands you currently trespass." His voice burned with authority as he addressed the Hellhounds, "Lay down your arms. The night is still young and I do not wish to waste any more of it here. If you surrender, then I guarantee your deaths will be swift and painless."

    "If our only option is death," the captain replied, "Then we''ll gladly take down as many of you as we can!"

    Ming gave a pitiful sigh and bargained, "Do not waste your efforts on a kingdom who betrayed you, Hellhound."

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "!?!" Even if he didn''t elaborate, the meaning of Ming''s words was instantly recognized by the Hellhounds. While they didn''t know if they could trust Ming, Lucina had a sneaking suspicion that he spoke the truth and knew who it was that betrayed them which caused her fists to clench in anger.

    "Once again, I offer you the chance to surrender and die peacefully."

    "¡­" None of the Hellhounds stepped forward. Even if they were abandoned by their kingdom that only fueled their spite to survive. They readied their weapons against the Heavenly Cranes.

    "I see," Ming gave an understanding nod and rubbed his beard. "Then with our Bloodied Sister as witness, I shall grant you all a warrior''s death!" With a snap of his fingers, the Heavenly Crane knights charged forth in a tidal wave of sword and spear.

    "Die well, Hellhounds!" the captain called as he readied his two-handed war hammer to strike.

    "Urldrusk do-!" the lead Heavenly Crane knight charged but was impaled through his helmet''s visor by a shard of ice the size of a shortsword. Lucina conjured orbs of water and formed them into long, thin ''blades'' before the extreme cold around her froze them solid and she launched them at great speeds amplified by her gravity magic. She never got used to killing, it still left a disgusting taste in her mouth, but that didn''t mean she would lie down and die.

    "Lucina, focus on the left!" Peter called back to her as he stepped forward to meet the charging knights. "Carl, Jeremy, with me!" Peter''s body erupted into heatless blue flames that helped light up the battlefield. Two Heavenly Crane knights charged the Aurister but were instantly cut in half with one swing of Peter''s great sword that sliced through their armor like it was made of paper. A spear lunged at him, but Peter deflected it down the length of his blade into the snow and he backhanded the spearman whose head shot back into an unnatural position as Peter''s aura-infused fist broke the spearman''s neck. Dodging to his right, Peter spun his body into an overhead swing and vertically bisected another enemy knight while shattering the blade he used to try and deflect Peter''s strike. The impact of Peter''s sword sent a plume of snow into the air and forced the charging enemy to hesitate as they tried to see through the cloud. Movement in the snow cloud caught one of their eyes and the knight swung his sword.

    "An arrogant swing!" Jeremy parried the sword with his rapier before retaliating with repeated stabs to the knight''s armpit with his needlelike dagger that slipped through the chainmail. The knight shoved Jeremy away and stumbled back as pain coursed through his body and he lost the function of his left arm.

    "Y-You¡­!" He tried to attack again but Jeremy''s stabs had pierced into his lungs and heart, and the man fell over dead after drowning on his own blood.

    "Bastard!" Another Heavenly Crane knight charged at Jeremy to avenge his fallen comrade. As he went to strike, Jeremy jumped out of the way and the knight''s sword instead came into contact with Carl''s heater shield. "Out of my way, Dog!"

    "Fuck off!" Carl swung his shield arm to the side which threw the knight off balance and allowed Carl to gain the initiative. With a devastating horizontal swing, Carl''s battleaxe chopped into the knight''s neck but didn''t manage to completely sever the man''s head from his shoulders because of the chainmail hood. Blood gushed out of the knight''s neck and Carl gave the half-decapitated knight a swift kick to send him to the ground and free his axe. Two more knights approached Carl with spears at the ready. "Just how many of them are there!?" he angrily shouted as he charged the two knights. Carl deflected the first knight''s spear with his shield and used his axe to parry away the second spear before driving the spike at the tip of his axe into one of the knight''s helmet.

    "Plenty for all!" the Hellhound captain roared as he crushed a Heavenly Crane knight''s helmet with his war hammer causing brain matter to shoot out of the helmet''s visor. "Ahahaha!" Another knight charged him and subsequently had his breastplate caved in from the captain''s war hammer. The corpse was hoisted into the air and thrown into the advancing enemies to disrupt their charge. "You''re no better than sparrows, let alone cranes!"

    "Hmm," Ming stood back and watched the Hellhounds desperately trying to repel his forces. Despite their valiant efforts, twenty-three of the forty Hellhounds were now dead as the Heavenly Cranes continued to pour into them. The information he received from Timothy Braxton turned out to be true, but that only put a bitter taste in his mouth as he watched another Hellhound be cut down. While he wasn''t a fool who would turn away such a tactical opportunity to thwart an ambush and kill enemy troops, Ming believed that betraying one''s nation was the greatest sin a warrior could commit. The fact that this opportunity came about because of a traitor disgusted the Grand Master. "Oh captain of my enemy," Ming silently recited to himself as he drew an arrow into his bow and aimed at the Hellhound captain. White crane feathers fluttered around Ming as his aura enhanced his arrow. "To you who did not buckle under the weight of betrayal, and whose weapon shines with the blood of your foe, let me offer you swiftly into our Bloodied Sister''s embrace."

    "Come on, Hellhounds! Push the-!" An arrow flew out of the forest and pierced the captain''s great helm, silencing him.

    "Captain!?" Elise cried out as she watched the captain''s body fall lifeless into the snow. She finished healing the current Hellhound she was helping before ducking out of the way as a spear nearly missed her.

    "Be careful, Elise!" Lucina called out as she shot a jet of fire into the attacking knight and cooked him inside his armor. The orange light of the fire danced across the snow to contrast Sailest''s soft purple glow and the horrific scene as the man screamed and burned to death reflected itself in Lucina''s eyes.

    "¡­Oh child of my enemy," Ming silently recited to himself as he drew an arrow into his bow and aimed it at Lucina. "To you who fights a war that is not yours so desperately, and whose innocence was stolen by your foolish king, let me offer you swiftly into our Bloodied Sister''s embrace."

    "Let''s go!" Lucina sent another ice blade into an enemy knight''s helmet as she tried to cover Elise. "There''s more wounded over-!" It was as if all the air in Lucina''s lungs was punched out of her as she felt something impact her chest. Her legs were rapidly losing strength and she stumbled backwards through the snow. When she looked down, Lucina saw an arrow sticking into the right side of her chest. She could feel it piercing out of her back with not even the chainmail shirt she was wearing being able to stop it as the arrow seemed to rip cleanly through it.

    "Lucina!?!" Elise cried and reached out to Lucina who tripped backwards and fell to the ground. Lucina''s eyes helplessly stared up at Sailest. There was a massive ''spot'' on Sailest that Olivia said was a superstorm raging in the planet''s clouds; it made the gas giant look like a massive eye with the storm as its pupil. Lucina locked eyes with Sailest, the adrenaline was instantly drained from her body, and the pain hit.

    ***

    "Agh!?" Julie cried out as the self-heating teapot she was using suddenly exploded in her hands.

    "Are you okay, Julie!?" Olivia jumped out of her seat and rushed to the maid''s side. She and her mother were enjoying some late-night tea together in Wortrest when the teapot suddenly exploded.

    "A-Ah, please d-don''t worry, my Lady." Luckily none of the shards cut Julie''s skin, but the palm of her left hand was burned from the hot tea.

    "Becky, get Nancy!" Alice ordered once she saw the burn. "Penny, get a broom and clean up the pieces."

    "At once, Duchess!"

    "¡­What happened?" Alice asked as she looked down at the broken shards of the teapot.

    "I¡­don''t know," Olivia admitted as she followed her mother''s gaze to the shards. Picking up one of the pieces, Olivia saw that the magic runes on it were fluctuating wildly before falling dormant and she activated one of her skills. A pink semi-transparent square appeared over the shard in her hand.

    (Examine Item: Broken Shard)

    (A shard from a broken teapot. The magic runes fluctuate as they struggle to retain their threatened existence despite not needing to rely on their original caster for such things. An ill omen to some, while an inevitable fate to others.)

    Olivia wasn''t able to glean anything from the skill''s odd output so she closed the skill window and asked, "Is the other one broken, too?"

    "No, my Lady," another maid responded as she looked over at their second self-heating teapot which was sitting silently on a tea cart. Cautiously, she activated it and poured some tea but nothing unexpected happened. "This one still works."

    "Was that one faulty?" Alice asked as she eyed the shard in Olivia''s hand.

    "It shouldn''t have been," Olivia said while putting the shard she held into the trash with the others that Penny cleaned up. "That was one of the later ones Lucina made, so it shouldn''t have any defects. Also, that one was the one made directly before this one," Olivia said and motioned to the second teapot. "I don''t think we overused it¡­"

    "Well, perhaps it''s a sign for us to stop delaying and head to bed," Alice said to try and lift her daughter''s mood. "While I also don''t want to send you back to the capital tomorrow, you can''t delay any longer since you said you have some business with Margaret Trent in the capital that you''ve been putting off."

    "Yes, Mother," Olivia gave a bittersweet chuckle at the thought of leaving, but her excuse for staying had passed and it was time to return.

    "Now, off to bed!" Alice bid Olivia goodnight once Nancy arrived to take care of Julie''s hand and Olivia left the room. The halls of Wortrest were silent on this winter night and Olivia found her mind wandering back to try and figure out why the teapot suddenly exploded. It had been working without issue ever since Lucina had made it years ago so what went wrong? She gave an annoyed sigh as she softly smacked the side of her head to bat away such busy thoughts when she should be winding down and preparing to go to bed.

    "I''m back," Olivia whispered as she entered her old room. Despite its owner being away for so long, when she first arrived she found her room completely free of dust and with everything freshly washed. It was like nothing had changed during her years away in the capital. Leisurely, Olivia walked into her room and over to the windows that overlooked the town of Wortrest just down the hill. Her window was just above the surrounding wall so she was able to enjoy the view. Even though it was late at night, the street lights Olivia and Lucina had installed bathed the city in a soft orange glow that contrasted against the rich purple of Sailest hanging in the sky beyond. The orange and purple lights mixed and danced across the snow-filled plains that surrounded them and created a beautiful scene that reflected itself in Olivia''s eyes. "I wish you were here to see this." Olivia turned away from the window and crawled into her bed. After pulling the covers over herself, she reached over and grabbed the doll Lucina made of her and the doll she made of Lucina. She didn''t want to be seen with dolls while in the palace to show how ''mature'' she was, so Olivia left the doll Lucina made of her at home, and Lucina said she wanted Olivia to have the other doll so ''they could be together''. She chuckled as she remembered how desperate and adorable Lucina looked when wanting the dolls to be together as if separating them was the end of the world for her. Truly, Olivia''s childhood in this world was much brighter because of Lucina. But just as quickly as she remembered Lucina''s young innocence, she remembered the day she saw Lucina off to war. Lucina had done her best to hide it for the sake of her parents, but Olivia easily saw through her friend''s fa?ade and how scared she was. "¡­Please, come home soon, Lucina." Olivia hugged both dolls to her chest as she fell asleep not knowing the letter that would eventually arrive for her at the royal palace, and the implications it would bring.

 We Who Wait at Home

    To My Dearest Olivia,

    While I understand that I have not given you enough time to send your reply to my previous letter, I am writing to you now about a different matter. As you''ve probably guessed by the fact that one of our knights is handing you this letter personally, the news I bring is dire. How have your correspondences with Lucina Felswore gone?

    At the time of writing, I am receiving assistance from the Hellhounds in taking a fort and was able to catch a glimpse of Lady Lucina before she and the other knights went off on their mission, but what I saw shocked me. Lady Lucina''s clothes appeared ragged and not fit for a winter campaign which was a surprise as I recall you mentioning sending her winter clothing in a previous letter. It was too late to ask her about this, and for all I knew she might have made up an excuse to not worry me, so I instead visited the Hellhound''s courier, a man named Hopper, and inquired about any packages. Hopper told me that during his runs he never received any packages for Lady Lucina. I doubt she would have stayed completely quiet about this in her letters to you, and you''ve made no mentions of any difficulties while sending your gifts, so this leads me to believe that your packages and letters are being intercepted before delivery. Any packages seem to be taken and I''m guessing your letters are being searched which is why I''m having an Azure Hawk deliver this to you instead of going through the normal procedures.

    I have my assumptions on who is doing this, as I''m sure you do as well, but I will not write those thoughts down. However, I believe you should know what is happening here. Be careful going forward, Olivia.

    -Richard

    ***

    "¡­" Olivia''s hands shook as she clenched her father''s letter in her fists. Her teeth began grinding against each other as her anger started to boil and her mind churned through how long this could have been going on.

    "Olivia?" Cassandra asked upon seeing her friend''s expression continue to darken after reading the letter. Olivia, Cassandra, and Margaret were enjoying tea by the fire in Olivia''s room inside the royal palace. Margaret was here on business with Olivia, and Cassandra was visiting since her father was attending a meeting in the palace since her mother, the Baron, was off fighting in the war. The mood was originally cheerful until the Azure Hawk knight arrived bearing a letter from Olivia''s father that he refused to hand over to anyone except Olivia. He had apparently been traveling nonstop for almost an entire week by horseback. "What''s wrong?" With a wave of Olivia''s hand, all the maids in the room left.

    "I knew he was petty," Olivia spat once the maids all left, and she tossed the letter onto the table for Cassandra and Margaret to read, "But even pettiness should have its limits!"

    "!?!" Cassandra and Margaret''s expressions darkened as they read Richard''s letter and Olivia''s fingers started to meticulously tap against the wooden arm of her chair. In a hushed voice, since the walls of the royal palace had ears of their own, Cassandra whispered, "Do you think it was His Majesty?"

    "No," Olivia flatly answered, not caring who heard her. "I''m sure this is James'' doing." After her long campaign around Urldrusk, Olivia''s mind felt clearer than ever when it came to how she saw James; he was a spoiled child with too much power. Even though Marcus was the one who declared Lucina a wizard and pressured the Felswores into sending her to war, Olivia now held suspicions that it was James who incited his father into doing so. "Thinking back, there were sometimes long pauses between Lucina''s letters. Those times were probably when Lucina tried reaching out to me about the gifts but the letters were intercepted by James'' people." She gave an annoyed sigh and rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Even if I''m the crown princess, James is the king''s son and the current heir to the throne so I doubt any of the servants would go against him if he asked them to look through my letters. Since Mary also hasn''t said anything about this, even now that I''m back, I''m guessing the intercept is happening somewhere outside the palace." Olivia brought her teacup up to her lips but stopped before taking a sip. She looked down at the warm tea she was drinking along with the sweet snacks on a nearby plate to go with it in a cozy room with her friends she would talk the day away with; luxuries that were being actively denied to Lucina who was fighting for her life in a war without even a proper winter coat. Bitterly, Olivia set down the cup as she lost her appetite.

    After rereading the letter, Margaret asked, "But, why would His Highness go this far against Lady Lucina?"

    "They¡­have a history," Olivia admitted with a groan more directed at herself than the grudge between Lucina and James.

    "Hmph, even still," Cassandra, emboldened by Olivia''s blatant disrespect for James, said, "He''s the crown prince of our kingdom, so shouldn''t he hold himself to a higher standard of elegance? It''s rather uncivilized!" Cassandra puffed out her chest as she used the big words she learned at the various gatherings she frequented. "¡­So, what do we do?" she asked while Margaret adjusted her reading glasses and started going through some work papers she brought. "We''re not just going to ignore this¡­right?" While Cassandra had no personal stake in this, and to work against the Crown Prince''s will was dangerous, it still bothered her that someone she considered to be her friend was suffering from such abuse.

    "Well said, Cassandra," Olivia replied as a dangerous smile played across her lips and she shot to her feet. "We''re not going to ignore this. Wait here for me, I''ll be back in a bit."

    "Of course, Lady Olivia," Margaret responded, and Cassandra enthusiastically nodded in agreement.

    As she hurried through the halls of the palace while Mary tried to keep pace with her, Olivia muttered to herself, "If you wanna play it like this then fine!" Her eyes burned with a renewed conviction as she marched toward the throne room. "I''ll show you how I play your shitty games!"

    ***

    "Her Highness Olivia Ordrin greets Urldrusk''s Pride, Your Majesty Marcus Arlexton." I made sure to show full reverence as I entered the throne room and greeted the king with a deep curtsy. The king was holding a small meeting in the throne room with a few vassals along with James who was sitting next to his father which meant this would be the perfect time to play my hand!

    "Please, Olivia, even if the wedding will only take place once you come of age, I still already consider you family. Raise your head." Luckily, the king likes being shown obedience so my show of a formal greeting in front of his subjects should let me off the hook for practically barging in on a meeting. Plus, this lets him show how ''kind'' he is by bestowing me such forgiveness and emphasizing that I will be marrying his son. "What can I do for you, this day?"

    "Thank you, Your Majesty." I straightened myself up and gave the king a warm smile to ''return'' his affection. But I had to make a convincing argument, so I made my smile droop and put some hesitance in my voice as I spoke, "In truth,  this war has been weighing heavily on my mind since I have both family and friends fighting for our kingdom''s future. I do not doubt our eventual victory, but as time goes on the fear of hearing news of their deaths¡­plagues me; especially after facing danger head-on during my campaign around the kingdom." My flowery words seemed to resonate with the gathered nobles who started to give me looks of sympathy and whispers danced among them. I saw a few of them I recognized as being people who normally would have tried to get the king to brush me off, but after saving their territories from bandits and demons they were keeping their mouths shut.

    "It is an understandable feeling," the king, sensing the vibe in the room, played along with my words. James was watching me curiously while trying to get a read on what I was doing. "War is never a matter to be thought of lightly, but it is something that can easily enter one''s thoughts; especially someone so young." He rubbed his beard and looked at me expectantly. "But I know you are one who works to get through such thoughts, and that you would not carelessly seek such an audience lightly, Olivia. What is on your mind?"

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "I¡­would like to personally sponsor one of our brave knight orders who are fighting on the front line!"

    "A sponsorship?" The king, and the other nobles, seemed curious enough to let me continue and he cocked an eyebrow at me.

    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Time to cast the bait. "While the knights of our kingdom are already well prepared for by their lords, war is a costly ordeal beyond the norm. With the fierce fighting they undergo, their equipment gets beaten and battered, their tents get assaulted by the elements, and their rations get stretched as we push further into Peltaira!" I made sure to add that we were ''pushing'' to show my belief that we would win the war and further get everyone in my favor. "Receiving a sponsorship of aid from me, a member of the royal family, would only boost their morale as it would show that the rulers of their kingdom stand directly at their back!"

    "¡­Hmm," the king hummed as he seemed interested in my idea. "Certainly, to receive the grace of the royal family is one of the greatest honors a knight could be bestowed."

    "If I may, Crown Princess?" one of the nobles who was still against me spoke and I gave him a nod to speak his thoughts since I already knew what he was going to bring up.  "To properly reinforce a knight order is a costly ordeal, not to mention the increased logistics cost it would take. While you could cut down on the aid sent to save these costs, that would be like insulting our knights with such minuscule aid, wouldn''t it? The kingdom''s treasury isn''t something you can play with."

    "You are correct, Baron," I answered while hiding my annoyance behind a confident smile. "But if you recall, that''s why I said I would be the one to personally sponsor this aid. I have plenty of money as both the daughter of Duke Ordrin, and as a business partner with the Trent Merchant group so Urldrusk''s treasury would not be touched." This is free positive publicity for the throne, can''t you people even see that much!? He had the audacity to glare at me which only made me smile brighter.

    The king refocused us by clearing his throat and asked, "Do you have a particular order in mind, Olivia?"

    "I would like to sponsor the Hellhounds, Your Majesty."

    "What!?" James momentarily lost his composure and stood up from his seat, but a quick glare from the king sent him back down. The whispering nobles were cautious, but I didn''t overhear anyone outright stopping me.

    "Olivia¡­" The king adjusted himself on his throne and he narrowed his eyes, but his voice wasn''t dismissive as he spoke, "The Hellhounds are a¡­unique order." Yeah, I already know it''s where you send people to die. "They are an unruly lot who the royal family keeps in check to send on our most dangerous missions to allow other orders to obtain victories." And you sent a ten-year-old child there! "Are you sure you''re not saying this after being swayed by your emotions?" You''re even admitting it!

    "¡­It is as you say, Your Majesty." I need to keep myself in check just a little longer; I shouldn''t forget why I''m here. While I hated the route I would be taking to do this, I would make sure to see this aid reach Lucina! I pressed my hand over my heart and confidently looked the king in the eyes as I declared, "However, even without my emotions, I see the Hellhounds as an opportunity to spread the prestige and might of the crown!"

    "¡­Go on." He''s thinking about it!

    "Fa-" James tried to intervene, but I wouldn''t let him!

    "As you''ve rightly said, Your Majesty, the Hellhound knights are directly under the royal family to be controlled due to their nature. But what if we didn''t need to ''control'' them, and instead have them ''serve'' us willingly?" The nobles around me stopped whispering and I had the full attention of the throne room. The pressure I felt from their stares was immense, but I wouldn''t let that stop me and I stepped forward in a show of confidence and pressed on, "The Hellhounds are filled with the lessers of our kingdom whom society has abandoned, with their only way forward being to serve Urldrusk as only the downtrodden can. They are the last to receive rearmament and supplies, yet they undergo our most dangerous and vital of missions! I''m sure most Hellhound knights are at their lowest low. They are starving beasts, like their name would suggest. Yet an abandoned, starved beast is one that can be the most easily tamed by being the one that offers a hand in their hour of need! In the name of the royal family, and as the future queen of Urldrusk, I would like to tame that beast for you, Your Majesty!" I took another step toward the throne and I could tell by the look in the king''s eyes that I had him hooked as he watched my every move with an almost giddy intent. "Allow me to offer food to the starved beast, a sturdy tent to rest its weary body, and a fresh suit of armor and sharpened blade to hunt and repay the kindness it has received! Allow me to have the Hellhounds fight not out of forced obedience, but out of a desperate loyalty to the crown!"

    "¡­A desperate loyalty?" the king mused to himself as he was getting completely swayed by my honeyed words. Everything was going according to plan as those loyal to the king picked up on his mood and started whispering in favor of my idea which only continued to push the situation in my favor, and the displeased look on James'' face made this more than worth it. A wide smile swept across the king''s face as he looked back to me and gave his decision, "You truly are a wise woman worthy to one day wear the queen''s crown, Olivia." I could see James digging his fingernails into and scratching the gold arm of his throne out of the corner of my eye. "Since you seem to have a plan, go with my blessing and bring the Hellhounds to heel!"

    "Her Highness Olivia Ordrin hears you, Your Majesty!" I gave a deep curtsy before turning and walking out of the throne room. While leaving, I heard the gathered nobles start speaking out loud about what I said and none of them seemed to dare bad mouth me since I managed to gain the king''s favor.

    "Olivia!?" As I walked down the hall, James came out of the throne room just after me and caught up. "What are you doing? The Hellhounds are criminals, and you want to give them such grace!?"

    "¡­" He was completely ignoring the fact that Lucina was forcefully sent to become one of those ''criminals''. I did my best to hide my bitterness but I couldn''t stop all of it from leaking through as I replied, "I believe that even those at the bottom can work for the betterment of society as a whole, James. They are still our citizens, and they are also our knights laying down their lives for our kingdom. As their future queen, I won''t ignore them."

    "Do you really think those lowlifes will fall in line just because you give them some supplies?" James gently held my hands and gave me his fake smile of comfort. "Why not send your sponsorship to your father? I''m sure it would move not only the heart of the Duke but also the hearts of your house''s knights to know that you''re doing all you can to help them. If you don''t, that might cause a rift between you and your family once they learn who you actually sent the supplies to, and I don''t want to see your kindness misunderstood. Won''t you think it over, for me?" He held both my hands to his body to feel his well-built chest through his shirt. Normally I would have gotten flustered and might have fallen into his words, but the anger I felt from reading my father''s letter and the thought of Lucina freezing in the cold without proper clothes kept me focused.

    "No, James." I pulled my hands away and matched his gaze. "I publicly offered my support in front of your father and a bunch of nobles so I can''t, and won''t, take back my words. I was even given His Majesty''s blessing." You dare pull these tricks on me, insinuate it will cause a rift in my family, and then try to brush it aside by appealing to my fetish? "My decision to help the Hellhounds is final."

    "¡­" James seemed surprised that I wasn''t falling in line like usual and he didn''t say anything, so I turned and left him in silence. It felt like he gave up too willingly, but I had more important things to focus on so I paid him no more mind.

    ***

    "Margaret!?" Olivia burst through the door to her room with Mary in tow which caused both Cassandra and Margaret to jump in surprise. She snapped her fingers and Mary brought out fresh parchment and ink, and Olivia began writing a letter to Lucina. "Move up all timetables, I just received the king''s endorsement! I want everything on the move by the day''s end!"

    "At once, Lady Olivia!" Margaret hurriedly gathered her things and rushed out of the room to set things in motion. In truth, during Olivia''s time in Sevette and Holst, she had been secretly recruiting blacksmiths and artisans to begin making arms, armor, supplies, and rations to start sending to Lucina and the Hellhounds. It wasn''t easy to hide since she knew James had his people embedded into her retinue''s ranks during her campaign around Urldrusk, but she managed to gather a small army of tradesmen during the months she helped save their lands without James noticing. Originally the supplies would be trickled down to the Hellhounds via independent caravans to not catch James'' attention as Olivia didn''t want to butt heads with him directly, but now that she learned what he was doing behind her back Olivia was more than willing to throw her all into this and publicly use the Trent Merchant Company. Even if she still had to worry about how Timothy Braxton might use her supplies, she would make sure her eyes and ears kept vigil over the knight order through the Trent laborers that would be constantly delivering everything. Despite it being winter, the temperature was above freezing which meant the Helker was usable by Trent''s fleet of ships to hasten the journey east.

    "Cassandra, even if it''s not the social season, start fanning rumors that I''m sponsoring knight orders to help our kingdom win this war under the blessing of the king and that Trent is also pledging itself to support our troops!"

    "I''ll have the masses in the capital singing your and the king''s praises by dinner!" Cassandra confidently said and swished her hand through her hair causing her pink springs of hair to bounce excitedly. While it might have been good to only mention Olivia in this rumor to help her reputation reach greater heights, the king wouldn''t look kindly on his name not being praised as well since this was being done under his blessing. "Remember to come to my party tomorrow as a thank you~!" Even though she hadn''t officially made her debut, Cassandra already held enough influence in high society to host her own ''unofficial'' gatherings. Cassandra and her maid quickly left to begin spreading the word at a small local Lady''s gathering Cassandra knew was currently happening at a restaurant in the city. Olivia''s face was smiling with satisfaction as she excitedly wrote the news to Lucina that she would send with the first shipment of supplies. Since only Trent employees would be handling things, she would start sending her letters through them and ask Lucina to do the same so that James couldn''t go through them anymore and they could truly speak freely.

    "Ah, Mary, could you also-"

    "Your Highness Olivia!?" As Olivia was in the middle of asking Mary for something, an Azure Hawk knight appeared at the door flanked by two maids and a royal knight.

    "What''s happening?" This man was looked to be in just as bad a condition as the first knight who delivered her father''s previous letter.

    "I bring urgent news from the front, Your Highness!" The knight knelt down and held out a letter that Olivia recognized as being from her father which meant that this man must have been almost immediately dispatched after the first letter was sent to be able to arrive the same day as the first.

    "What could possibly warrant¡­!?!" As Olivia read the latest letter, she felt her heart sink into the deepest pit of her chest.

    "My Lady!?!" Mary rushed to Olivia''s side as Olivia''s legs gave out from under her after being overcome with horror, and tears started pouring down her face to stain the letter in her shaking hands.

 Blood Upon the Briar

    "-!?!?!" It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! I tried to scream but couldn''t because of the arrow piercing my lung so all that came out was a gargled wail. Blood started leaking into my now collapsed lung, forcing me to cough up blood as I desperately tried to gasp for air.

    "Lucina, hold on!" Elise rushed over to me and forced me to lie on my side. "Agh, damn it! I need to break the arrow, just hold on!" I watched her snap the feathered end off the arrow and she pulled the rest of it out of my back. Now that the arrow was out, blood freely started to flood into my lung and it felt like I was drowning! I frantically grasped Elise''s arm as it got harder and harder to breathe. I didn''t want to die! "It''s okay! It''s okay, Lucina!" Elise was doing her best to comfort me as I felt the warmth of her healing magic close my wounds.

    "!?!" But even if the wounds were now closed with only a scar remaining my collapsed lung was still filled with blood that I had to keep coughing up if I didn''t want to die.

    "Elise, how''s the kid!?" Peter called over as he impaled a Heavenly Crane knight on his great sword before slicing upward to partially slice the man in half. I saw his body fall and his internal organs gushed out onto the snow. Including myself, only ten Hellhound knights remained standing.

    "She''ll make it!" Elise called back as she smacked my back to help me cough up the rest of the blood. My vision was blurry from the tears that froze in my eyes, but I was starting to be able to breathe again. "We-AAGH!" I watched a spear fall from above and impale Elise through her stomach; pinning her to the ground.

    "Enough stalling!" A Heavenly Crane knight managed to climb the stone wall Elise had made at the start of the battle and his shadow now loomed over us.

    "Eli- Damn it!" Carl tried to disengage and rush to Elise''s side but he was stopped by two more enemy knights. "Outta my way!"

    "Hmph, you only delay your deaths," the knight who climbed the wall chastised as he jumped down and landed a few feet away from me. I desperately started to crawl away. My gloved fingers dug through the snow and into the dirt as I dragged my body along the ground.

    "You monst-!" a Hellhound knight charged the Heavenly Crane knight that was approaching me, but his sword was easily batted aside and the enemy knight ripped the head off the Hellhound. A miasma of red swirled around the enemy knight''s hands; this man was an Aurister!

    "Do not blame the strong for your own inadequacies, Urldrusk dog."

    "That''s enough games, Zhao," I heard Ming Fatecaller address the enemy knight who was still holding the severed Hellhound knight''s head. "I wish to return to bed and allow our warriors a night''s rest before tomorrow''s battle."

    "At once, Grand Master!" Zhao tossed the head aside and started approaching me once again. I couldn''t crawl fast enough and his shadow soon engulfed me.

    "L-Lucina!?" Elise managed to rip the spear out of the ground and slide it out of her gut to begin using her healing magic, but there were clear signs of magic exhaustion on her face.

    "Damn it!" Carl and the others were also suffering from fatigue as they continued to fight off the seemingly endless wave of Heavenly Crane knights.  The other Hellhound knights were now all dead leaving only myself, Peter, Elise, Carl, and Jeremy. I tried to keep crawling, but Zhao used his foot to flip me over onto my back and he pressed his foot down on my chest.

    "AGH!" He was going to crush me!?

    "The Grand Master gave you a chance for a clean death," Zhao taunted as he put more pressure on my chest. "You suffer what you sow."

    "¡­!?!" Pain shot through my body as one of my ribs cracked. Stop! Please stop! I started bashing my fist against his leg to try and get him off but there was no way I could move this man with my strength alone. Peltairan Auristers were powerful, but maybe he hasn''t mastered the technique that nullifies magic? I had to try! Another rib broke! I want to live! I have to stop him! I have to get away from him! I don''t want to die here! I won''t-!

    ***

    Sailest hung above The Crimson Forest without a cloud in the sky to block its light from gracing the battle that ground to a halt below. The air sparkled and shimmered with reflected light not from falling snowflakes, but from the droplets of blood that rained down upon the combatants. All fighting stopped as the most disgusting sound anyone had ever heard echoed through the forest; the sound of screaming metal and the liquefying of flesh.

    "¡­" Lucina was lying in a daze as the blood rained down on her face. The Aurister Zhao was, luckily for Lucina, not immune to magic attacks which allowed her to bear witness to Zulm''s final gift in all its glory. Her desperate contradicting thoughts activated the gift that was laying dormant all these years waiting to be unleashed. She wanted to get away from him, so Lucina''s gravity magic changed the point of gravity of Zhao''s breastplate to a distant tree and intensified it to send him flying backward. However, she also wanted to stop him, so her gravity magic changed the point of gravity of Zhao''s backplate to itself and intensified it to the point it wouldn''t move. The backplate held firm while the breastplate crushed and flattened Zhao''s torso into a fleshy soup that exploded out of the gaps in the crumbling cuirass. Zhao''s head soared into the air before hitting and splattering against the ground next to Lucina, his severed arms fell onto the snow, and his lower body fell over to free Lucina from being crushed.

    "?!?" Ming was rendered speechless as he witnessed his captain get liquidated by impossible magic. Gravity magic, as was well documented in both Urldrusk and Peltaira, wasn''t potent enough to affect worn items in a meaningful way as the magic seemingly lost most of its strength when doing so. And even if it didn''t, Magisters weren''t taught to target worn items since it had a chance of not working if the opponent was an Aurister who could nullify magic attacks. So if that was the case, then what had he just witnessed?

    "¡­?" Lucina slowly sat up while ignoring the pain of her broken ribs. Her robe felt heavy and wet as it absorbed the blood that washed over her turning its color into a rich crimson. She was covered in blood, bile, and liquefied organs, and the air around her was rich with the stench of iron that put Lucina into a trance-like state as her mind recoiled at the horror. Her green eyes dulled and a trembling hand rubbed against her face, but that only succeeded in smearing Zhao''s blood onto her glove. Every breath she took was laborious and strained. All eyes, both friend and foe, watched the ten-year-old girl stumble to her feet.

    "¡­" One of the Heavenly Crane knights found his courage, or his foolishness, and stepped toward Lucina while readying his spear. The crunch of the knight''s boot in the snow drew Lucina''s gaze and, recognizing an enemy, she reached out her hand toward him.

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    "!!!" With a flick of her fingers, she changed the point of gravity on just the man''s breastplate to a distant tree behind him and the intensity of the shift ripped his torso out of his body. The other Heavenly Crane knights, as well as the surrounding tree trunks, were blasted with blood as their comrade was butchered before them. They stumbled back as their brains struggled to register what happened.

    "¡­" Ming dropped his bow, drew his sword, and started to slowly approach Lucina. His subordinates followed suit as all the Heavenly Crane knights began to creep toward Lucina. Their first steps were hesitant due to fear, then they started going faster as that fear infected their hearts with anxiety until, finally, they started sprinting. This was unnatural. She was unnatural. Hers was a power that shouldn''t exist. Every Heavenly Crane knight felt it in their very souls: this girl couldn''t be allowed to live.

    "¡­!" Lucina reached out her arms to the charging knights and, within her fugue-like trance, Lucina lost her inhibition and freely began killing her enemy. A man''s arms were torn off as his pauldrons crashed onto the ground. Another man''s head flew from his shoulders as his helmet rocketed into the sky. More and more men were ripped apart until Lucina felt herself start to lose focus as her magic reserves were drained and she was hit with magic exhaustion. No, this wouldn''t do. If she stopped then she would die. If she died then she couldn''t go home. If she couldn''t go home she would never be able to see Olivia again!

    "I miss you, Lucina~." Lucina reached down to the small bag on her belt and took out a magic potion that would restore her reserves. Seeing what she was doing, the Heavenly Crane knights rushed her to stop her from regaining her magic.

    "¡­!" However, the closest knight was vertically bisected as Peter''s great sword came crashing down upon him. But, no one cared. Not a single enemy knight paid any attention to Peter or their fallen comrade as all eyes were fixated on Lucina; on the monster they had to stop. So, Peter and the surviving Hellhounds began killing. Peter swung his flaming great sword in wide arcs to cleave multiple enemies with every swing, but for every knight he cut down another would take their place in the horde. The blade of his sword was caked in blood and bits of flesh that started to weigh him down, but he refused to falter and focused his aura into his sword. Blue flames, once heatless, now burned the grime off his sword and scorched the flesh of the enemies that continued to assail them. Peter stood his ground as an immovable wall that rended all who dared approach so that Lucina would have enough time to replenish her magic reserves.

    "!!!" Carl embedded his heater shield into the neck of an enemy knight before ripping the shield''s straps off his arm to free himself from the corpse that crumpled around his shield. The blood and panic in the air whipped every combatant into a bloodlust frenzy, and Carl reached down to pick up a fallen enemy''s sword and began dual-wielding weapons. His axe chopped through Heavenly Crane knights like tree logs, and his new sword slashed and pierced the rest. Mad swings and desperate thrusts turned Carl into a whirlwind of blade and blood as he began tearing his way through the enemy''s lines.

    "¡­" Jeremy thrust his rapier into the visor of an enemy knight''s helmet and almost fell over when it became stuck in the enemy''s head. Throwing elegance and caution to the wind, he released his rapier, drew a backup dagger, and followed both Peter and Carl''s example. No one was paying them any mind as they all seemed hypnotized on killing Lucina, so Jeremy began stabbing and slicing any who approached him like Carl while assisting Peter in keeping a perimeter around Lucina. Even if he didn''t understand what was happening, he knew that Lucina''s strange magic could turn the tide of this hopeless battle.

    "¡­!" Elise felt something within her soul soar when she witnessed Lucina use her gravity magic to compress a man within his suit of armor, it was as if she were looking upon a holy being. She could not fall here, or allow such divine might to be quelled by these Peltairans! After she finished closing the hole in her gut from the spear she ripped out, Elise slammed her hands onto the ground and poured all her remaining magic into the earth. Like sharpened spears emerging from the depths of the five hells, spikes of stone erupted from beneath the snow and impaled the charging enemy knights. She focused her stone spikes in the north and south which created a makeshift wall that funneled the Heavenly Crane knights into the meat grinder that was Peter, Carl, and Jeremy. Some of the enemy, despite the obvious danger, still charged into the spikes to allow their fellow knights to safely climb over their impaled corpses. The first of these knights made it over the corpse wall and leaped into the air with his spear trained on Lucina.

    "¡­" But he was unceremoniously splattered against the ground as Lucina finished drinking the magic potion and with a surge of strength flattened the knight into a bloody smear on the ground.  Blood flowed like water across the forest floor as this pattern repeated over and over again until the mangled enemy bodies began to completely cover even the snow on the ground. "!?!" After downing her fourth magic potion, Lucina felt like she was going to throw up from the overindulgence of potions and her body jerked unnaturally as the vomit forced its way up her throat.

    "!!!" Elise, seeing Lucina''s condition, rushed over and covered Lucina''s mouth with her hands to stop her from throwing up. If Lucina threw up the potion then she would be hit with the full brunt of built-up magic exhaustion and be knocked out which in this situation would mean death. Lucina knew this too, but that didn''t stop the tears from welling up in her eyes as the vomit burned her throat and cheeks. The taste was disgusting and she couldn''t breathe. Another Heavenly Crane knight climbed over his fallen comrade''s corpse and made it past the meat grinder. Elise was out of magic and wasn''t able to drink a potion before stopping Lucina from throwing up, so the only one left to stop him was Lucina. Using all her willpower, Lucina swallowed the vomit and forced it back down into her stomach. When it hit, she felt her magic surge back to life and she tore the charging enemy in half by changing the point of gravity of his cuirass to Elise''s spikes. His upper torso was impaled onto the spikes with one piercing his head, drenching the spike in blood and brain matter. Elise remained by Lucina''s side to help her take potions and keep her vomit down. Every sword swing found a body to slice. Every magic attack found an enemy to butcher. Every drop of blood flooded their world and drowned the Hellhounds. It was a slog of blood and guts that seemed to be without end.

    "¡­" Yet end it did. Peter was blindly swinging his great sword only to eventually find that he didn''t hit anyone anymore. His chest was burning as his exhausted muscles ached and his lungs gasped for air with hollow breaths. The visor on his helmet was clogged with too much blood, so Peter quickly ripped the helmet off his head and threw it aside to get ready to keep swinging but paused when he saw what was before him. Carl was aimlessly stumbling around without focus while his right arm was at the ready with his axe despite his other arm being broken and hanging limply at his side; though his left hand still clutched his sword. Jeremy was beside Peter and was barely standing because his legs desperately wanted to give out and collapse. The three men were coated in blood and stood in a sea of mangled corpses whose red waters rivaled even the crimson leaves of the surrounding trees in color. Peter had no idea how much time had passed since he was only now regaining his reason and composure from his battle trance. The sky was still dark, Sailest still hung overhead watching them, and he couldn''t see any signs of sunrise so it couldn''t have been too long. "¡­?" As his mind returned to him, Peter recalled there were enemies who managed to slip past them and he turned around to check on the others. Another sea of corpses met his eyes, but this one parted as it went further back leaving an almost perfect circle of clearing around the two women at the center. Bodies hung from the stone spikes that reached to the treetops like slabs of meat on hooks in a butchery with their organs and limbs swaying like chimes in the wind and their blood slowly dripped down to the ground. On legs that held no strength, Peter hobbled through the corpses as he made his way toward Lucina and Elise. His feet no longer crunched in snow, but splashed in the shallow pool of blood that had become trapped from all the raised earth and stone. Lucina was still standing while Elise was on her knees and hugging Lucina from behind as her head rested on Lucina''s shoulder; both had their heads hung low but he saw puffs of air exhaling out of their mouths which told him they were still alive. Peter practically collapsed as he tried to take a knee and inspect the women and his hand flinched back when it drew close to Lucina''s face.

    "¡­" From beneath her long brown hair that was caked in blood, Lucina''s eyes anxiously watched Peter''s hand with a killing edge when it drew close. Upon seeing who it was that was in front of her, however, all hostility drained from her gaze and she looked up at Peter through her blood-stained locks of hair. She jostled the shoulder Elise was resting on to wake her up, and the Magister slowly came to despite how much she wanted to slip into unconsciousness. Elise slowly lifted her head to survey the area and eventually turned her gaze to Peter. Using his great sword as a crutch, Peter rose to his feet and offered a hand to Elise who begrudgingly took it. She almost fell over, but Elise eventually got to her feet while she fought off the daze she was still in.

    "¡­?" Sensing movement, Peter turned his head and saw Carl and Jeremy had hobbled over to them. Jeremy looked the most together and gave Peter a nod, while Carl was still stumbling and barely coherent. Peter breathed in a deep breath but started coughing from how heavy the air was with the taint of death. Words were impossible with how dry his throat was and how exhausted everyone was, so Peter motioned with his hands for them to return to camp. Everyone gave a nod of agreement and Peter extended his hand to Lucina as an offer to carry her since Carl''s arm was broken, Elise was out of magic so she couldn''t heal it, and they had no more potions.

    "¡­" But Lucina shook her head and, through great effort, unplanted her feet from the ground to start walking. Even if she wanted to rest, that would come at the expense of someone having to carry her and no one was in any condition to do that, so she marched alongside them. The others fell in line and began trudging through the forest back the way they came; thankfully, they marked their journey here by notching tree trunks with their swords so they wouldn''t get lost on the return trip, since none of them had the map which was lost in the sea of bodies. One of them would occasionally stumble, or fall to the ground, but the other four would always stop and help them back onto their feet. The massacre in The Crimson Forest ended with only five survivors out of the forty Hellhound knights, and three survivors out of the one hundred and fifty Heavenly Crane knights. Said surviving Heavenly Crane knights had managed to fight off the bloodlust and fled the carnage to retreat and spread the word of what happened and of the monster that was born this night who would soon come to haunt Peltaira.

 You Cant Wash Away Sin

    "You should get some rest, my Lord," Thomas advised as he approached Richard Ordrin who was standing by a small fire in the Azure Hawk''s camp. Richard''s eyes blankly stared into the fire and watched the flames dance back and forth as if they were joyfully dancing. "Even with the Hellhounds disturbing them through the night, it will still be a tough battle tomorrow."

    "I''m too restless to sleep," Richard answered and broke his gaze away from the fire to begin looking up at Sailest and its rings that filled the night sky.

    "Is it about Lady Lucina?"

    "¡­Yes." Richard was no stranger to battle, and having grown up in a family of knights it only felt natural to hold a sword and be strong, but everything had its limits. "At most, a ten-year-old child should be practicing swordplay at home, or in her case studying magic under a Magister. Even though Olivia was younger when I allowed her to be part of the Holst subjugation a few years ago she was accompanied by my best knights."

    "I remember," Thomas chuckled and joined Richard in staring at Sailest. "We had a hard time keeping her under control with how much fire was burning in her heart to make our lands safe."

    "And yet, Lucina is out here on the frontline of a war with not even a fraction of the training or experience Olivia has, because of the words of a single man." Bitter resentment bled into Richard''s voice as he recalled that day in the throne room. "¡­And I can''t even do anything to protect her anymore."

    "¡­" A heavy silence fell over the two men. Richard couldn''t get the image of a battered and worn-out Lucina in clothes that looked like they would barely protect her from the elements while sleeping on that man''s back out of his mind. The warm puffs of his breath that wafted in front of his face only seemed to make the cold that much harsher.

    "You should get some sleep, Thomas," Richard absentmindedly said.

    "Not until you do, my Lord," Thomas countered.

    "That''s-¡­ Hm?" As Richard went to respond, something caught his eye; a large number of the remaining Hellhound knights were gathering near the edge of their camp.

    "What are those punks doing?" Thomas spat but a glare from Richard shut him up. Since there was not much else to do this late at night, the two men crossed their camp and headed toward the crowd of people to see what was going on. Despite the large amount of people gathered, the crowd was eerily quiet with not a single person speaking. They pushed their way through the crowd to eventually find what everyone was staring at and Richard felt like someone punched him in the gut.

    "¡­" Slowly, painfully slowly, five people covered in blood made their way out of The Crimson Forest and back to camp. Because of the temperature, the blood that bathed them had frozen and dried with it occasionally cracking and flaking off like red snowflakes. It was impossible to tell how injured they were because no one knew whose blood was whose.

    "What''s going on here!?" Timothy Braxton finally emerged from his tent since his sleep was being disturbed by people still being awake and he angrily marched over to the crowd. "The fuck are you all-!?" But his words were halted at the sight of the five surviving Hellhounds and, although it only appeared for the briefest moment, Richard saw annoyed disgust flash across Timothy''s face before he hid it under a mask of concern. "Sister!" he called out as Lucina led her companions into camp. Lucina didn''t even flinch or respond as if she couldn''t hear him and only stopped walking when reaching the edge of the crowd. Annoyed that she was ignoring him, Timothy approached her and reached out to grab Lucina''s shoulder while saying, "My dear sister, tell me what-!?!"

    "¡­" Timothy jerked his hand back as he felt a wave of killing intent slam into him as he found Lucina''s empty glare from beneath her blood-drenched locks of hair. Despite her exhaustion, her hands trembled as her hate reignited upon seeing Timothy. Should she kill him? Right now? It would be so easy. She-

    "Lucina~?" White hair like a waterfall of diamonds shimmered in Sailest''s light and banished all other thoughts from Lucina''s mind. It was an unmistakable sight in the crowd of knights and Lucina took a step toward it only for the hair to disappear into the crowd.

    "Are yo-!?" Timothy once again tried to touch Lucina but she burst into a sprint and ran past him into the camp.

    "Luc-!" Richard thought she was running toward him and tried to get her attention but she ignored him like he wasn''t there and continued to run.

    "!!!" Her steps were hasty and her broken balance made her trip and tumble multiple times, but Lucina continued to chase that white hair that fluttered in the wind only to disappear behind another obstacle. She didn''t care. There was only a single person Lucina knew with such long white hair! The hair disappeared into her share tent and Lucina practically fell into the tent to finally meet her.

    ***

    "Olivia!?" I cried out her name as I picked myself up off the ground from my fall.

    "Welcome back, Lucina~." There she was, sitting on her knees on top of my sleeping mat. She wore the same ornate white and gold dress she had on when seeing me off, her beautiful shimmering hair spilled over her body like a cloak, her soft white skin seemed to glow in Sailest''s light which came in from the now open tent flap, and her blue eyes¡­were dull?

    "O-Olivia?" Was she alright? Did something happen to her for her to lose her light? I stumbled toward her while ignoring the burning pain in my muscles and the aching of my broken ribs, and reached out my hand to touch her.

    "You should wash up, Lucina~," she chuckled and evaded my hand which was covered in blood.

    "I''m s-sorry!" How could I touch her when I was covered in blood!? I was lucky she didn''t berate me and curse me out of the tent for appearing like this and attempting to touch her. I''m so stupid!

    "It''s okay~. I would never hate you, Lucina~." Right, Olivia is so kind and forgiving that something like this is nothing! She gestured to a bucket that was sitting in the corner, "Here, you should wash yourself~."

    "I should w-wash myself." I peeled my blood-caked wizard''s robe off my body and let it fall to the ground as I grabbed the bucket and returned to my sleeping mat. Olivia knelt down in front of me and moved my hands over the bucket. She felt so cold¡­wait¡­ "You''re n-not wearing g-gloves!? Or a c-coat! A-And the blood wil-!"

    "We can talk about that later~." Right¡­later¡­ I had to fill the bucket? "You need water to wash yourself, silly~," she said with a laugh that wrapped itself around my aching heart.

    "S-Sorry."

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    "You have nothing to apologize for~." Her dull blue eyes watched the bucket as I used what little magic I managed to recover to conjure water and fill the bucket before using fire magic to warm it up without burning the wood. "My little Lucina''s such a talented Magister~."

    "It''s n-nothing much." This was taking too long. If I wasn''t recovering from magic exhaustion then I could have easily done this in a snap! Why can''t I be cool in front of Olivia? Why does she always see my bad si-

    "Do I need to personally wash you, now~?" Olivia''s words interrupted my dark thoughts and I looked into her eyes. Her blue¡­cold¡­ "Such a greedy girl, you''ve become~." She reached down for the cloth I would use to wash with.

    "I-I can d-do it!" I grabbed it before she could and splashed it into the water. Even now she kept teasing me and had that calm smile on her face. I had to focus! I could do something as simple as washing myself! Ripping my gloves off, tossing my chainmail shirt aside, and rolling up the sleeves of my ruined shirt I started to wash off the blood that had soaked through my robe and dried to my skin.

    "Hmm~," Olivia hummed to herself as I washed¡­I washed¡­

    "W-Why isn''t it co-coming off?" The blood was still on my arm despite me dunking the cloth back into the water bucket and scrubbing! Was it my finger''s fault? The cold had made me lose most feeling in my fingers a while ago, but did it get so bad now that I can''t even wash myself correctly!?

    "Because you need to scrub harder~."

    "I n-need to scrub harder!" I had to get it off!

    "Lucina?" I heard Elise enter the tent, but I had to focus!

    "Harder~."

    "Harder!" I need to be clean!

    "Lucina!?" Elise rushed to my side. Could she help me scrub the blood off?

    "You''ll never be clean~."

    "I''ll never be clean!"

    "Lucina, you''re scratching your skin off!"

    ***

    "!?!" Lucina finally stopped scrubbing when Elise grabbed her arm and forced her to stop. Elise''s eyes were filled with panic and only when Lucina looked back down at her arm did she figure out why. Lucina had been scrubbing so hard that she scratched the top layer of her skin off and was actively bleeding onto her straw sleeping mat. She desperately looked around but Olivia was nowhere to be seen. "W-Wha-¡­ Why¡­?" Lucina''s breathing was unstable and her eyes darted around the tent in a panic.

    "Here, let me help you." Elise took the cloth from Lucina''s trembling hands and cleaned it off in the water. She knew what was happening and had to get Lucina to come back to reality with her words, "It''s okay, Lucina. You''re back in our tent."

    "Tent?" Lucina''s fearful eyes fixated on Elise.

    "Yes, our share tent." Elise recovered just enough magic to regrow Lucina''s skin and did her best to clean the blood off. However, as she looked at the water that was quickly turning a dark red, she knew they would need more buckets. "We made it back to camp, remember?"

    "Camp¡­ Yes." The wildness never left Lucina''s eyes as she continued to reorganize her scattered thoughts, "We''re back¡­at camp."

    "Yes. You, me, Peter, Jeremy, and Carl all made it back; they''re waiting outside so that no one disturbs us and I can help clean you."

    "And Olivia¡­is here too?"

    "¡­Her Highness-"

    "Is always with you~," the hallucination of Olivia reappeared and spoke over Elise so that Lucina couldn''t hear Elise''s words. The hallucination knelt down next to her and leaned on Lucina''s shoulder causing a coldness to seep into Lucina''s soul. "I miss you, Lucina~."

    "Yeah¡­ You m-miss me," Lucina unconsciously repeated the words aloud and smiled to herself. "Y-You''ll be here, O-Olivia."

    "¡­" A stuttering cadence that came and went, speaking to someone who wasn''t there; Elise had seen this behavior before during her time in R''eldrun from the most devout of worshippers who rarely saw the light of day. She had always tried to be careful and help Lucina not overdo it with her magic during battles in an attempt to try and stave off the consequences of continuously subjecting one''s self to magic exhaustion, but Timothy''s endless missions and the recent battle in the forest seemed to have pushed Lucina over the edge. Now she could only helplessly watch as Lucina would continue to slip further and further into her madness as time went on. Elise was conflicted about this since on one hand, this meant Lucina was getting closer to the gods which was something to be praised, but on the other, this only happened because of Timothy''s treachery which tainted the occasion since this wasn''t something Lucina did willingly. All the people Elise met in R''eldrun who were like this all walked that path based on their own free will, so to have such a sacred act be forced upon someone left a bitter taste in her mouth.

    "Is s-something wrong, Elise?" Lucina asked when Elise stopped washing as she lost herself in thought.

    "Oh, nothing," she lied. Once a Magister went down this path there was no way back, as far as Elise knew, so she could only do her best to be there for Lucina while ignoring her own hallucinations whispering to her from the corner of the tent. These past few months had taken their toll on all of them but Elise had to hold firm. No one was there. Her family died years ago. She had a self-imposed duty to Lucina as her senior, so she would force herself to ignore the talking corpse of her older brother in the corner.

    "¡­Say, Lucina~?" the fake Olivia asked as she continued to watch Elise clean.

    "Hmm?"

    "You shouldn''t be so forgiving~." Her words dripped like poison into Lucina''s ears and began infecting her heart.

    "I should-dn''t f-forgive?" Lucina repeated which caused Elise to glance at her worriedly.

    "It hurts to see you like this~," the fake whispered while her fingers danced along Lucina''s blood-stained arm.

    "Like this...I-I shouldn''t be l-like this!"

    "Lucina!?" Elise stopped washing as Lucina suddenly grabbed her arms and the wildness flared up in Lucina''s eyes as she stared at Elise.

    "You know who did this to you~. You shouldn''t forgive someone who betrayed you~."

    "T-Timothy! He¡­ He b-betrayed-!" Lucina was having difficulty speaking as her heart rate spiked and she struggled to breathe.

    "Lucina, you need to breathe!" Elise dropped the cloth and brought Lucina into a hug to try and calm her down from her manic state. The corpse in the corner grew louder.

    "You should fucking kill him~!"

    "I''m g-gonna fucking kill him!" Lucina''s entire body was violently shaking and tears parted the blood that stained her face. She began wheezing and failed to speak further despite trying which only made her shake that much harder, and she wrapped her arms around Elise in a desperate plea for comfort.

    "We will!" Suddenly, Elise grabbed Lucina''s face and forced her to look up at her. The same madness in Lucina''s eyes was now reflected in Elise''s as she succumbed and listened to the whispers of her dead brother, "We will, but not now." She and Lucina stared into each other''s souls as an oppressive darkness overcame the two of them. Even in her maddened state, Elise wanted to set an example for Lucina so she spoke slowly to not stutter or slur her speech, "Killing him now would be murder. The only one who had proof of Timothy''s deeds was Ming, but he''s dead. We can''t go forward without proof. We can''t be sloppy."

    "But-!"

    "If it''s murder," Elise cut Lucina off and her eyes burned with conviction, "then we will be imprisoned or killed, which means you won''t be able to see Her Highness again!"

    "!!!" Lucina''s mind reeled at the thought of not being with Olivia.

    "¡­Patience is a virtue~," the fake Olivia whispered into Lucina''s ear with new insight. "You need to come home to me, Lucina~."

    "P-Patience¡­" Lucina idly nodded in agreement with Elise and Olivia''s words.

    "Yes, patience. Don''t worry, patience doesn''t mean we''ll sit and do nothing." A smile played across Elise''s face as she returned to washing Lucina''s body. For the rest of the night, no one was allowed to enter the share tent other than Peter, Jeremy, and Carl once it was time for them to clean up. And, as they cleaned themselves, Elise explained her plan to everyone under Sailest''s divine light.

    ***

    "Such a difficult woman!" James complained as he plopped down in a chair in his room. It had been three days since Olivia suddenly collapsed after reading a letter sent by her father that he was hoping said Lucina was dead, but instead, Olivia seemed even more determined with her goal of sending aid to the Hellhounds which only meant one thing. "Braxton failed! How hard is it to kill a kid on a battlefield!?"

    "Everything needs to be done with care, Your Highness," Count Barrington replied as he and a few other of the Crown Prince''s closest supporters were also in the room. "If Braxton acts too hastily then the Ordrins won''t sit quietly."

    "Tch," James clicked his tongue in annoyance at the thought. "It''s always the Ordrins, isn''t it?"

    "Unfortunately so, Your Highness," another of his supporters spoke up. "They wouldn''t hesitate to act against the crown even during a war! Their brazenness knows no bounds, just like when they killed your-"

    "Enough!" James'' shout silenced the room, and the man who was speaking quickly sealed his lips as his brownnosing crossed the line. James'' next words were slow and laced with ice, "Let my mother rest, and do not speak of that incident again."

    "M-My deepest apologies, Your Highness!" The loss of his mother was a huge blow to James and he still remembered the weeks of grief he witnessed his father go through as he wept at her casket''s side. James and everyone in the palace knew the second queen was the one behind the ''accident'' that happened that day, but thanks to the intervention of the Azure Hawk knights there was no evidence linking her to the crime which meant his mother''s death was never truly solved.

    "It''s already bad enough I have to live under the same roof as that bitch who stole my mother''s life, but I also have to deal with my fianc¨¦ being the daughter of the man who helped protect her! I know father wants her here to keep the Duke in check but that doesn''t make it any less annoying to play house with her." James clenched his fists and spat, "And now she''s acting out because of some ''friend'' who was sent to die in the Hellhounds? It''s like she knows just how to get on my nerves and is doing everything she can to do it."

    Barrington found his voice and spoke after clearing his throat, "But this also means you found the right way to tame the Crown Princess. It''s obvious how much the Felswore''s daughter means to her, so when she finally receives the news of her death then the Crown Princess will fall into such despair that she will be able to be easily controlled by you."

    "Assuming Braxton does his job," James scoffed and picked up a cup of tea to calm his nerves. "If I can break that spirit of hers and she becomes a pretty-looking toy then this will be worth it to see the look on the Duke''s face. How dare he act so arrogantly when he was the one who drew blood first!"

    "It is as you say, Your-"

    "Your Highness!?!" A woman in a fancy dress burst into the room with a panicked look on her face.

    Barrington chastised the woman, "Control yourself in His Highness'' presence, Count Aubrey!"

    "¡­What is it?" James was feeling his headache worsen but allowed the Count to continue.

    "It''s terrible!" the Count said and delivered the last news anyone in the room was expecting, or wanting to hear. "News from R''eldrun states that, under the witness of Daughter Elise, Lucina Felswore has laid claim to be The Harbinger of Zulm!"

 Voices Arguing in Unison

    R''eldrun, the seat of power for the temples, sat as a monolith in grassy plains backdropped by the jagged mountains that bordered it. Though its history is shrouded in mystery, many believe R''eldrun was personally crafted by the gods themselves since its architecture didn''t match any known civilization. The building was a massive complex with five wings that were each dedicated to one of the gods and housed its most senior worshippers. Impossible spires curved into and pierced the sky in ways and at angles that no normal building material should be able to hold, yet the cold gray stones held. Those who called its halls home lived like ants as the hallways, rooms, and doors of R''eldrun were normally nine meters tall with the central chamber of worship being over fifty meters in height.

    "Greetings, Arbiter." The clergy in R''eldrun took no issue with this, quite the opposite in fact, they felt humbled to be in such massive halls. To live in a structure crafted by the very gods you worshipped was one of the greatest blessings they could receive.

    "Good morning, Arbiter." One downside of living in such a large structure was that voices often echoed further than you would think. A letter had arrived a day prior from a knight whose horse collapsed from exhaustion when it arrived, and the contents were revealed in front of a large gathering of followers.

    "G-Greetings, Arbit-ter." In hindsight, allowing one of the clergy to read it in front of others was a mistake as the news the letter bore flooded across R''eldrun in a matter of hours and caused a massive uproar that needed to be quelled.

    "¡­With every greeting, I feel another one of my hairs turning grey," Arbiter Hoxton quietly complained and ran a hand through his short black and grey hair. Despite being in his early forties, Hoxton almost had a head of completely grey hair from the responsibilities he shouldered every day as Arbiter. His flowing violet robes and golden stole shimmered under the light that spilled from towering stained-glass windows into the massive hallway Hoxton was hurrying through. As his title would imply, the Arbiter acted as a mediator between the temples and his words were final within R''eldrun''s halls.

    "The assembly hasn''t even started yet, Arbiter," his assistant reminded him. The assistant was a man in his late thirties whose bald head glinted in the sunlight. "Though, given the context, I doubt it will take very long."

    "True, at a glance today''s topic is one that can easily be dismissed." Only two positions in the temples were above Hoxton as Arbiter: Saints of each god, and The Harbinger of Zulm. Saints were rare to grace the world which gave them an alluring mystique as they executed their god''s will, but they weren''t so uncommon to cause this level of bustle. The Harbinger of Zulm, on the other hand, was closer to being a myth or legend as the last time someone claimed to be Harbinger was during Urldrusk''s founding when the first king of Urldrusk was said to have been guided to the site that would one day become the capital city of Gorinville by a man claiming to be The Harbinger of Zulm before he disappeared from history. The fact a new Harbinger had supposedly appeared during a war and that they were an eleven-year-old wizard was more than enough to be skeptical of the claim, but the claim still required an official assembly due to the witness.

    "Greetings, Arbiter!" Two clergy in flowing light grey robes greeted Hoxton as they stood outside the massive wooden doors to the central chamber of worship where the assembly would be held. Upon giving them a nod, the two men pushed open the doors and Hoxton was met with a tidal wave of deafening voices. Due to the room''s massive size and mostly empty interior, voices bounced and echoed no matter where you were which on a normal occasion wouldn''t be that bad; but today it was like the entire chamber was screaming. Shouts came from all angles as everyone voiced their opinions and it was a wonder how things didn''t turn into a brawl.

    "!!!" But as soon as Hoxton took a single step into the chamber, silence snuffed out all sound. As if by instinct, Hoxton''s very presence regained control over all those gathered, cleared their minds, and brought them back to reason. Hoxton and his assistant walked up the aisle toward the center of the chamber where a raised platform of black stone waited for them. The central chamber of worship was a massive circle with each quadrant being divided for each of Zulm''s children while the center, marked by the black stone, was where the Arbiter would stand and mediate the gathered flock. The stained glass windows depicting previous, and future, saints bathed the room in a myriad of colors adding a surreal atmosphere to the gathering. Watching silently from the ceiling was a mosaic depicting a massive eye surrounded by letters from an unspeakable language; the letters looked like they were shifting due to the light. When Hoxton reached and climbed up the black stone he adjusted his stole, took a deep breath, and gave a wave of his hand to start the assembly.

    "Under normal times I would begin today with a sermon to our divine shepherds," Hoxton''s voice boomed throughout the chamber for all to bear witness. "But as I''m sure all you gathered today are aware: this is not a normal time. I ask of you, Voices of The Divine, to please forgive my hubris in this act." Hoxton bowed his head and four cloaked figures from each of the four quadrants of the room stepped forward.

    "Our Hearth Mother understands so please raise your head, Arbiter," The Voice of Alm spoke in a soothing voice from beneath the hood of her reddish-brown robes.

    "Our Storm Father agrees with the brevity, Arbiter," The Voice of Sen answered in a gruff yet flowing tone as he gave a nod to Hoxton while adjusting the sleeves of his dark grey hooded robes.

    "Our Bloodied Sister also wishes for a swift proceeding, Arbiter," The Voice of Muz gave her piece in a curt voice while standing at attention in her shimmering silver hooded robe.

    "Our Enlightened Brother hopes today will quell this chaos that distracts so many, that we may return to calm, Arbiter," The Voice of Nuz waxed on beneath his hood as his dark brown robes swayed with his steps and he hugged a thick tome to his chest that he wished he was reading instead of being here.

    "I thank you for your understanding," Hoxton said and straightened himself upright to begin addressing everyone. "Brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters of the divine, yesterday we received word that the young wizard Lucina Felswore, under the witness of Daughter Elise, claims the status of The Harbinger of Zulm! I ask of you, gathered flock, what say you to these claims?"

    "Heresy!" Someone cried out and the room quickly followed suit.

    "How dare some wizard lay claim to be The Violet King''s chosen!"

    "This is blasphemy!"

    "By whose right does this child speak!?"

    "¡­" After hearing the unanimous decision, Hoxton raised his hand and the room fell silent. "I have heard you, gathered flock." From beneath his robes, Hoxton took out the letter and read it over once more. "I ask of you, Elders of Alm, what say you to the witness of Daughter Elise?"

    "Ex-Daughter, Arbiter," a man in his mid-twenties corrected and stepped forward. Long blonde hair draped his toned body down to his knees, his reddish-brown robes were perfectly clean as if brand new, and his shimmering purple eyes and light caramel-colored skin betrayed his Yulash heritage.

    "Watch your tone, Solomon!" an Elder of Sen shouted in defiance. "You dare speak to the Arbiter in such a-!?" The man''s voice was silenced by a glare from The Voice of Sen beneath his hood.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "My words were meant to give no offense," Solomon Kor gave an apologetic bow toward Hoxton. "I only wished to remind that Elise was excommunicated due to her terrible crimes and is unworthy of the title of Daughter. If I have made offense, then I ask for your forgiveness, Arbiter."

    "¡­So long as you are aware, Elder Solomon." While it might be unbecoming of him as Arbiter, Hoxton disliked Solomon. This wasn''t the first time the newly appointed Elder had spoken out of turn and with such blatant disrespect that he then backpedaled with submissive words of appeasement. Hoxton waited for The Voice of Alm to say something, but she remained silent so he continued, "I kept her former title of Daughter to remind those gathered that Elise is not a normal person but was once almost seated amongst our Hearth Mother''s most faithful; had it not been for her unforeseen fall from grace. Her words should carry the weight of such history."

    "I completely agree, Arbiter," Solomon took control of the conversation, "The words of a heretic should be weighed differently than those of the truly faithful." He spread out his arms and addressed the assembly, "We Elders of Alm decry the claims of the heretic Elise!"

    "Here here!"

    "Throw away her words!"

    "She is unworthy to claim such honor!" Solomon''s faithful filled the chamber with agreement and pushed his words as truth despite Hoxton noticing some Elders of Alm looking uncomfortable at their decision; though they didn''t speak up.

    "I have heard you, Elders of Alm." Hoxton couldn''t let his personal feelings cloud his judgment as he was meant to be a mediator for all. Finally, he addressed the last four people, "I ask of you, Voices of The Divine, what say you to this letter''s claim?" It was time to wrap up this foolish gathering.

    "¡­" Yet, the Voices of The Divine remained silent. All four Voices stood silently at the head of their gathered faithful without so much as moving a muscle.

    "¡­?" Hoxton looked around at the Voices for clarification yet found nothing and some of the gathered also started fidgeting uncomfortably at the length of silence they found themselves in. Why weren''t they denouncing the claim?

    "Arbiter?" The Voice of Alm finally broke the silence.

    "Yes, most honored Voice of Alm?"

    "Accept the letter." Those three words caused the room to erupt once more into chaos.

    "What!?!" Solomon cried out in disbelief and took a step toward the Voice of Alm. "Elise is nothing more than a heretic and the claimant is an eleven-year-old Wizard! How can such absurdity and blatant disrespect to our Violet King stand!?" he begged The Voice of Alm for an answer but she remained silent. "Answer now for your wor-"

    "Silence, Solomon!" Hoxton''s enraged voice cracked like thunder and silenced the room. "You dare make demands to a Voice of The Divine!?" Solomon retreated a few steps back, but even Hoxton couldn''t fully fault their outcry. He turned back to The Voice of Alm and asked, "You wish for the contents of the letter to be accepted as truth despite the cries of your flock, Voice of Alm?"

    "It is our Hearth Mother''s will," The Voice of Alm replied as an unsettlingly coy smile crept across her face which was barely visible beneath her hood.

    "It is our Storm Father''s will," The Voice of Sen suddenly spoke bringing even more disbelief to the gathered faithful.

    "It is our Bloodied Sister''s will." More words stoked the chamber''s unrest.

    "It is our Enlightened Brother''s will." More fuel was added to the pyre.

    "It is our Violet King''s will," the four Voices of The Divine spoke in unison with a declaration that stunned the assembly.

    "¡­" While Hoxton''s position did allow him to overrule the Voices of The Divine''s decision to accept Lucina Felswore''s claim, he found he couldn''t bring himself to utter those words. Hoxton tilted his head back and stared up at the ceiling meeting the gaze of Zulm''s all-seeing eye. Within the abyssal pupil of the eye, and the shifting letters that skittered into his mind, Hoxton was bestowed answer without reason, effect without cause, and he made his decision, "¡­I have heard you, Voices of The Divine." He took a long, deep breath before raising his hands into the air. "By the will of Zulm and his children, Lucina Felswore shall be known from this day forth as The Harbinger of Zulm!" No applause followed the decree as the assembly was reeling from the decisions of the Voices. "The Harbinger of Zulm is a sacred existence, one who brings us closer to our Violet King and is an extension of his will! Upon the wings of the faithful, I will pen a message to the king of Urldrusk so that our Harbinger may join us here in-"

    "No," The Voice of Alm interrupted Hoxton and further shocked the room.

    "¡­No?"

    "The Harbinger is exactly where she needs to be," The Voice of Sen answered while nodding his head.

    "Words alone will not grant her position, action is required the convince our people!" The Voice of Muz affirmed.

    "Through experience and hardships shall our Harbinger be formed, and through newfound understandings will she lay claim to that which our Violet King wishes," The Voice of Nuz mused while tapping their fingers against their book.

    "¡­So it shall be." Hoxton could feel his remaining black hairs turning grey with every word the Voices spoke. "Send word across Pianeta, to all corners of her globe, that I, Arbiter Hoxton, declare Lucina Felswore''s claims to The Harbinger of Zulm as valid and that she is to continue her journey as she sees fit! Blessed be, our Violet King!"

    "Blessed be, our Violet King!" echoed the clergy before everyone started filing out of the chamber to return to their respective wings and gossip in private about what transpired that day. Hoxton noted Solomon''s unusually hostile glare toward The Voice of Alm as he left and felt uneasy, but nothing was certain so he turned and walked down the black stone without confrontation.

    "I¡­shall begin drafting up an official statement," his assistant said hesitantly. He didn''t want to openly defy a decree agreed upon by the Voices of The Divine and Arbiter Hoxton, but this situation didn''t sit right as it went against the will of the faithful. "We should return, Arbiter."

    "¡­Thank you." Hoxton''s mind churned through what little information he had to go on to figure out the Voices'' intentions. The Harbinger of Zulm wasn''t something that should be given to one who held the title of wizard, yet Elise''s letter stated that Lucina could still use her magic without a staff or orb. But could the words of a branded heretic who killed her own fellows be taken seriously? It was The Voice of Alm herself that excommunicated Elise and allowed her to be sent to Urldrusk''s Hellhound knight order to begin with, so why was she now siding with Elise? Then there was the presence Hoxton felt before he made his final decision when he looked to Zulm for guidance and was only given what he should say without being given the reasons why. Hoxton muttered to himself, "To try and understand Lord Zulm''s ways is a fool''s folly."

    "Arbiter?" his assistant asked since he couldn''t hear Hoxton''s muttering clearly.

    "It''s nothing," Hoxton deflected. "Just me airing my thoughts."

    "Understood." The two men walked up the hall that led to the smallest wing of R''eldrun; the home of Zulm''s faithful. That said, it wasn''t much of a home for anyone since Zulm wanted his followers to focus on his children rather than himself so Zulm''s wing in R''eldrun served a different purpose.

    "¡­" As Hoxton approached the doors leading into the only chamber in the wing, the doors opened automatically and a warm breeze kissed Hoxton''s cheeks. Beyond the door was a magnificent garden filled with a variety of plants and flowers that swayed in an impossible breeze. The ceiling to the massive chamber was made of clear glass which allowed natural sunlight to shine down on the flowers helping them grow. A simple brick path wove its way through the field to a central plaza area where Hoxton and his assistant''s wood desks were located along with some shelves for books and papers. Of those who resided in R''eldrun, only three people were allowed to freely enter this chamber. One was Hoxton''s assistant who quickly made his way to his desk to begin drafting up their official statement on the Harbinger matter. The second was Hoxton himself who didn''t immediately return to his desk like his assistant and instead walked down a branching brick path through the garden toward the final occupant who was busy weeding a patch of flowers.

    "¡­" The third and final occupant of the chamber was an androgynous human whose features Hoxton could never remember no matter how many times they had met over the years. They wore sturdy boots that were covered in dirt and mud, thick brown overalls that looked old and worn but didn''t have a single hole in them, a plain white shirt that had permanent sweat stains despite the temperature being comfortably cool, light-brown leather gloves caked in dirt, a straw hat with shoulder-length blonde hair sticking out of it, and a violet cloth rag tied over the lower half of their face.

    "You''re blonde, today," Hoxton idly remarked as he approached them. While he could never fully remember The Tender in The Grove''s appearance, Hoxton knew their hair was different every time he saw them and would comment on it so that the memory would more easily remain in his mind.

    "¡­" The Tender in The Grove gave a silent nod of greeting before going back to their work keeping the flowerbeds pristine and free of weeds. A bucket sat next to them that was filled with pulled weeds but would never overflow no matter how many were thrown in.

    "The beds are as beautiful as ever. I appreciate your hard work despite only myself and my assistant being witness to it." Hoxton stood next to one of the flowerbeds as he continued to talk, "Though you''ve been here longer than I, at this point, so remember to get some rest when needed."

    "¡­" The Tender in The Grove gave an appreciative nod but motioned with their hand to the weeds that still needed plucking.

    "Such a passionate fellow," Hoxton laughed as he breathed in the breeze that carried the scent of countless different flowers. "You make me feel inadequate since I can already feel my bones ache just by watching you, so I''ll¡­?" Hoxton''s words trailed off as a strange sight caught his eye. In one of the flowerbeds that had already been weeded stood a white lily with an almost broken stem held up only by a briar thicket that had grown around it. The lily should have died from such damage to its stem, but it seemed that the briar was forcefully holding it up by stabbing its thorns into the lily''s petals which was stopping the stem from snapping completely in two. A patch of pink hibiscus and a patch of rare green peonies were also growing nearby and they seemed to be trying to grow toward the broken lily. Thinking it odd that The Tender in The Grove let a practically dead flower and a thicket of briar diminish the beauty of the garden, Hoxton walked over and reached down to pluck the lily.

    "¡­!" But a swift outstretched hand from The Tender in The Grove stopped Hoxton, and they shook their head indicating that the briar and lily were to be left alone.

    "¡­My apologies," Hoxton relented, and The Tender in The Grove gave a satisfied nod before returning to weeding. While it was a strange sight, perhaps it was their personal taste they wanted to express in the garden that they never left so Hoxton decided to leave it alone and headed to his desk. However one thing he couldn''t explain that bugged him was why the briar smelled so heavily of iron.

 Vultures Strangled in Thorns

    "-Which is why, Harbinger, it is important to be able to tell reality from fantasy," Elise lectured as she and Lucina sat in their share tent. It had been four days since Lucina claimed the title of The Harbinger of Zulm which allowed the news to spread throughout the Hellhounds and other knight orders on the frontline. Even if they were still waiting to hear back from R''eldrun for their official response that didn''t stop Elise from referring to Lucina as ''Harbinger'' in their day-to-day life. Like today where Elise was teaching Lucina more about what it means to be ''closer to the gods'' and about the hallucinations they keep seeing as a result. "Especially now while at war, you must be able to clear your mind of doubts about if the enemy or ally in front of you is real; this is why those closest to the gods usually don''t leave R''eldrun."

    "But¡­" Lucina was still skeptical about this, despite being told otherwise, because of how vivid the Olivia sitting in the corner of the tent humming to herself was. "If she''s not Olivia, then who is she?"

    "No one," Elise answered before chuckling to herself as her dead brother complained about her not thinking he was real. "The reason the gods live in Sailest is because their very presence distorts and bends reality creating an environment that normal humans can''t exist in. Since magic is a gift from the gods, the more you tap into their gift and the more magic you can store within yourself as you increase your magic reserves means you become a conduit for their presence here on Pianeta. You become ''closer'' to the gods." Elise picked up a brush and gently started brushing Lucina''s hair.

    "If we''re distorting reality, then why can''t you see her? Wouldn''t that make her real?"

    "That¡­ I don''t have an answer for," Elise dejectedly replied. "All I know is that these apparitions aren''t real and can''t affect reality; they''re all in our heads.  Those who become closer to the gods usually aren''t in a mind to politely speak to others about them and even if they are they willingly choose not to so I don''t know much. Some say they''re tricksters trying to bring about misfortune while others believe them to be messengers of the gods leading people to their destinies in mysterious ways. I''m sorry I can''t give definitive answers to all of your questions, Harbinger."

    "It''s fine, Elise." Lucina was thankful enough to have Elise by her side to help her through this so she couldn''t put any blame on her for not knowing every detail. "¡­Does that mean we''ll both end up like the people you''ve met in R''eldrun?"

    "Even if you do, I''ll always be here for you, Lucina~," the fake Olivia comforted.

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t know how to feel about the warmth she felt in her heart whenever the fake spoke such kind words using Olivia''s face.

    "Eventually," Elise admitted but made sure to add, "But I believe you may not."

    "Because you believe I''m The Harbinger of Zulm?"

    "Yes." Elise ran her fingers through Lucina''s unkempt hair with reverence. "Your mastery of magic, and your aptitude with gravity magic especially, led me to believe you are His Harbinger. After witnessing you that night, I feel myself being drawn to you in the same way I felt myself being led to our Hearth Mother back when I was a little girl and first joined Lady Alm''s flock. The Harbinger of Zulm is a special existence whose full extent of abilities and influence aren''t documented so you may be able to keep yourself as you are if you try. Plus you can''t bring about the Violet King''s will if you lock yourself in R''eldrun, now can you?"

    "¡­I see." Lucina relaxed as Elise continued to brush her hair and the two sat in silence. When Elise first told Lucina about her thoughts on being Harbinger, Lucina was conflicted. To claim such a title was not something to do lightly as it could get the entire temple to turn their backs on you, and Lucina didn''t want to imagine what her mother would think about her getting excommunicated at best or executed as a heretic at worst. But whenever Lucina heard Elise call her The Harbinger of Zulm something inside her felt¡­right. She couldn''t place why but the title of Harbinger felt right to her, and it would explain why her magic was so powerful even though she was still young. There was also a vague memory that calmed Lucina''s nerves about the ordeal but whenever she tried to focus and fully recall the memory it would vanish back into her mind as if it was never there. Either way, nothing could be done until R''eldrun gave their reply so Lucina pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind and focused on relaxing with Elise brushing her hair.

    "Lucina Felswore?" Relaxing that was quickly ended. A tall man with extremely short brown hair and wearing full plate armor appeared at the entrance to the tent; he was one of Timothy''s lackeys. "Let''s go, you''re on scouting duty with us." Timothy had been oddly quiet the past four days and didn''t send them out on any missions as everyone was holding their breath for R''eldrun''s response. It seemed the pressure finally got to him.

    "I''ll also get re-" Elise moved to get up, too, but the knight held up his hand to stop her.

    "Only Lucina was called." He sent a glare at Elise who answered in kind. He motioned with his head to follow him and said, "Let''s go, Wizard."

    "¡­Okay," Lucina answered, got up, and grabbed her wizard''s robe which was still a deep crimson color that refused to wash out. "I''ll be back, Elise. Could you replace the lace in my other pair of boots since I won''t have time to?"

    "Of course, Harbinger," Elise picked up on Lucina''s verbal signal and gave a nod of understanding; Lucina didn''t own a second pair of boots.

    "Then, I''m ready." Lucina followed the man out of the tent and across the Hellhound''s camp. Wandering eyes stared at her and probing whispers danced around her as she passed her fellow Hellhounds who couldn''t contain their curiosity at the little girl who claimed the place of Harbinger. A cold wind blew through the rolling plains they set up their camp in with the rustling trees of The Crimson Forest lying just down the hill that Lucina and the group of Hellhounds marched into for their mission.

    ***

    "Keep up!" the man who called me barked as he led me and two other Hellhounds into the forest. They were making this rather obvious since this ''scouting'' mission wasn''t even going in the direction of Peltaira''s forces, but they also weren''t making any moves yet so I''ll see where this goes.

    "How much further? We''ve been walking for what feels like half an hour and I don''t see our objective." I wonder if they''d even answer.

    "We''re almost there." Vague. Thanks.

    "¡­?" But I guess I asked at just the right time as we soon came into a clearing in the forest to meet up with Timothy and two more knights who were waiting for us. Timothy looked anxious and was chewing on his fingernails, but when he saw us a smile swept across his face.

    "Ah, sister! You''re finally here!" Should I kill him now? Everyone here was wearing plate armor so I could just do what I did that night. I should-

    "Not yet~," the fake Olivia appeared behind me and draped her arms over my shoulders while whispering into my ear, "You need proof so it''s not murder~. I want to see you again, Lucina~."

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "¡­" Even if she wasn''t real, she made sense; I should wait until they act first and only then retaliate. Just keep it in a little longer and I''ll be able to pay him back for that night.

    "Hey!?" Timothy shouted and his smile was gone. I guess I was spacing out listening to the fake Olivia that I didn''t hear what he was saying. "Are you listening to me?" Let''s poke him and make him snap.

    "Did you need something for the mission?" I asked innocently and tilted my head to the side.

    "¡­" I think I can hear his teeth grinding in his mouth from here even though he was standing quite a ways away. "Yes," he seethed, "I need you to pay attention because even I feel sorry for you, sister. After all, this will be your final mission. You''ve served Urldrusk faithfully these past six months and I''m proud to call you my family, but that doesn''t always mean we-"

    "Can we get on with it?" Honestly, it had only been four days since I''d last run into him but I forgot how much he liked to hear himself talk. My time with Elise was interrupted for this? "I''d like to finish this mission and catch up on some more rest."

    "You¡­!" His face was getting redder so he must be close to losing it. "Are you looking down on me!?"

    "I was afraid of this?" I muttered to myself loud enough for everyone to hear. After that night in the forest, everything I had been through up until now seemed so much more insignificant. Once, I trembled beneath Timothy''s gaze. Now, I find him pathetic.

    "Just who do yo-?"

    "Why couldn''t you inherit your mother''s quiet demeanor instead of loving to hear yourself speak? Was she so quiet all the time because you also aren''t her child?" Snap already!

    "Fine! Fuck it! You wanna die so bad!?" Timothy snapped his fingers and I heard the two men behind me draw their swords while the one in front drew his morning star, and the two men by Timothy stood by watching. "Kill her slowly!"

    "¡­Finally." Now it wouldn''t be murder!

    "Let''s start with your ar-!" the man with the morning star raised it into the air as he approached me only to have it come crashing down into his head. With a quick flick of my wrist, I changed the point of gravity for the morning star''s striking ball to be the man''s head and intensified the gravity. The spiked metal ball caved in the man''s skull and his lifeless corpse flopped to the ground spilling his brain matter onto the dirt.

    "W-What!?" one of the men behind me stuttered and I heard him take a step away from me.

    "Huh." Looks like I needed to taunt them some more. "I guess he dropped it on himself."

    "The fuck did you do!?" the man behind me to my left yelled and the two men ran at me with their swords raised. They were wearing helmets meaning I couldn''t use the same trick, so I guess it was time to stop playing around. "You-!" I raised my left hand to my shoulder and clenched my fist causing the two men''s cuirass'' to be each other''s point of gravity. I couldn''t see what happened, but I heard the familiar sound of screaming metal and liquefying flesh, and I felt something wet pelt the back of my robe and hair. The horrified expressions on the last three men''s faces were also familiar.

    "Wh-What¡­?" Timothy stumbled away from me so I took a step toward him. "What are you!?"

    "What''s wrong, step-brother~?" I had to suffer under you for six months! I had to experience what it was like to be in the five pits of Hell that night! "You look pale." I deserved my dues!

    "¡­Well!? Get her!" Timothy yelled at the two men beside him who were trembling with fear as I kept walking toward them. "Just what do I pay you for!?"

    "W-We-!" He was wearing a helmet with a raiseable visor so I altered the visor''s gravity and used it to crush his head into a paste that squirted out of the crumpling eye slits.

    "!?!" The last knight seemed to be the only smart one and started to run away, for all the good it would do him.

    "Coward!" Timothy called after him despite the irony of calling five fully grown men to gang up on and kill an eleven-year-old girl. He turned back to me with the panicked look of an animal being cornered by a predator and drew his shortsword. "Y-You can''t do this!" Oh? Bargaining now that he''s lost the obvious advantage? "I was personally appointed as the commander of the Hellhounds by His Highness! I have the royal family at my back! If you so much as touch me you''ll regret it! This is murder!"

    "¡­" That''s it? I''ll regret it? "You never cease to disappoint, though I guess you inherited that from your father. I''m glad I don''t have that issue as mine is at least doing his best at making amends."

    "You-!?" Timothy tried to move but found himself stuck in place as I outstretched my hand to him. "W-What is this!?!" He flailed his arms and stomped his feet but no matter how hard he tried he couldn''t move since his cuirass'' gravity was set to itself and I intensified it to the point it wouldn''t budge.

    "Haven''t you heard?" I taunted and stopped a few feet away from him. "I''m The Harbinger of Zulm, so this level of gravity magic is nothing for me." I played up my strength despite only being able to alter two object''s gravity at a time, but that would increase over time with training and there was no need for him to know that.

    "That''s bullshit! You being Harbinger is just a trick you made up to get protection from the temples!"

    "You''re half right, but also half wrong." Seeing him continue to struggle under my grasp felt¡­exhilarating! He was like a bug being pinned down without a single hope of escape. "Claiming to be the Harbinger was a trick, but it wasn''t to get the temple''s protection; it was to make you crack."

    "!?!"

    "After that night you betrayed us to Peltaira I''ve wanted to kill you! The people that died that night, the horror I had to go through! For what!?" I had to control myself to not accidentally crush him with my magic as I still needed him alive for just a bit longer.

    "Break him like a brittle wooden doll~." The fake Olivia''s words weren''t helping me control myself.

    "¡­"

    "No more talk?" I needed him to say it willingly, so I kept pressing. "Ming spilled the secret before his attack. It turns out even the enemy leader cared more about us than you did since he gave us a chance to surrender because he felt bad."

    "Then you should have accepted it and died!" Seems like he''s getting delirious from how hard it looks like his heart''s beating and all the sweating he''s doing; he can feel death approaching.

    "You spent six months trying and failing to kill me only to end up betraying your own kingdom''s troops to the enemy and even that failed!" Say it! "You can''t even be a traitor without messing it up like the failure you are! Another trait you and your father share!"

    "Bitch! I''m not a failure! Everything would have gone fine if Ming had done his part and killed you like I told him to! But you had to turn out to be some monster!"

    "¡­" And there it is. "Did you get that?" I asked while looking over my shoulder.

    "Who the fuck are yo-!?!" Timothy cursed but his words caught in his throat as Peter, Jeremy, Carl, and Elise emerged from their hiding places behind some nearby trees. Carl was dragging the corpse of the knight who tried to flee earlier.

    "Loud and clear, kid," Peter answered and gave me a nod.

    "Why are you all here!?"

    Since he was being slow I gave him an explanation, "I said this was all to make you crack, remember? I needed a confession from you about your betrayal so that I wouldn''t be charged with murder. You''ve taken six months so James is probably not too pleased with you, right?" I saw Timothy flinch but he kept his mouth shut; he must be learning. "And if I''m named Harbinger then that will make it that much harder to kill me since the temples will be watching me and notice any foul play. You couldn''t wait any longer so you had to act before an official statement was made because of even the slightest possibility that they would name me Harbinger." Peter and Carl approached Timothy, bound his wrists and ankles with rope, and put a gag over his mouth. "Now, there''s just one last thing to do."

    ***

    The camp was bustling with activity as all the Hellhounds gathered around the center clearing of camp where Timothy was being dragged. Even if Timothy still had supporters in the ranks, no one dared step forward as an ominous air clung to Lucina who led her companions to the center of camp. Peter held Timothy still while Carl fetched a suitably thick log. Lucina stood in front of Timothy and stared into his eyes with her hollow gaze while Jeremy stood to Lucina''s right and just behind her. Elise took her place next to Timothy and began silently reciting a last rites prayer which further spread the unease of the gathered knights.

    "Hellhounds!" Lucina''s voice echoed across the camp with an unheard-of level of authority as she addressed the knight order. She began reciting the speech Jeremy had prepared for her just for this moment, "We have been betrayed! Under multiple witnesses, Timothy Braxton has admitted to committing treason against Urldrusk!" Gasps and uneasy mutterings circulated the crowd and all eyes were fixated on Timothy. "As many of you know, four nights ago I and my comrades were the only survivors of a terrible massacre where we fought off the Heavenly Crane knights of Peltaira. But what you do not know is that the massacre that night was orchestrated by our very commander, Timothy Braxton!" Lucina spoke with such conviction and certainty that many overlooked her age and became swayed by her words. "Those who were sent to their deaths that night were brave knights who fought with all they had, many of you even fought beside them yourselves over the past six months of this war, but what was their reward? Betrayal from their commanding officer who sold out our mission to the enemy so they could ambush us! Only recently, after attempting to murder me just a while ago, did Braxton admit to his crimes as witnessed by my comrades!" Timothy''s supporters were few, and five were killed earlier, which meant the rest of the Hellhounds looked at Timothy as nothing more than a traitor. After all, if he was willing to sell out his country once who knows when he would do it again; and if any of them would also become his victims. Lucina gestured to her companions and Peter forced Timothy to his knees with his head resting on the log. Carl brought out his battleaxe which glinted in the sun''s light and reflected in Timothy''s eyes who made pitiful muffled noises to try and speak. "Jeremy, as a former statesman, what is the punishment for treason?"

    "Under Urldrusk''s laws," Jeremy spoke loud and clear for all to hear, "Timothy Braxton is charged with attempted murder, and treason while under war! Under normal circumstances, treason would be punished with the accused being brought before the royal family and having the king decide their fate. But if treason is committed during a time of war by a member of the military then the accused is to be dealt a summary execution."

    "!!!" Timothy again tried to speak, but his muffles fell on deaf ears.

    "Timothy Braxton!" Lucina continued her memorized speech. "With the testimonies of multiple witnesses, you are found guilty of treason during a time of war and are sentenced to death!" Lucina raised her hand into the air which hushed the crowd save Elise who continued praying. When Elise finished her prayer and stepped back, Lucina brought down her hand signaling Carl who chopped Timothy''s head off with his axe. Timothy''s head tumbled and rolled across the ground, and Peter pushed the headless corpse into the dirt. Lucina let the scene sink in for a few moments before continuing, "Under Urldrusk''s law, a knight order may only be led by a nobleman who still holds claim to their lineage." Since everyone in the Hellhounds were the undesirables of society, any disgraced noble here was stripped of their surname except for the person sent by the royal family to be in charge; all that is except for one. "From this day forth, I, Lucina Felswore of Gauldrin, will be the new commander of the Hellhounds! By our infernal flames will the enemies of Urldrusk be purged!"

 Pack Loyalty

    ***Three days after Timothy''s execution***

    "Get back! Get back!" a Hellhound knight yelled as he and his comrades dodged a massive foot that was as big as a horse. Towering over twelve meters above them with a dilapidated human form whose lanky arms swung in wide arcs like whips and whose hands grasped the knights it struck to shove into the maw that opened from its bulging stomach was a demon known as a cyclops. The cyclops'' face was human but split open vertically down the middle to make way for a massive black eye with a single small infernal red light as its pupil that stared at the knights at its feet. Its ashy white skin flaked off like snow that dusted the battlefield with every step it took. During times of war, it was not uncommon for an infernal gate to appear and spew forth demons that threatened both sides of the conflict. In response to this threat it was a commonly agreed upon accord that should a demon be sighted near a battlefield all sides cease fighting until the demons are subjugated and any infernal gates sighted are closed. And since Duke Hoffman didn''t want to waste his own knight order to deal with the cleanup, it fell to the Hellhounds to take down the cyclops demons that were showing up.

    "Watch the arms! Don''t let it gra-AGH!" The Hellhound knight was picked up by the cyclops'' massive hand and shoved into the maw in its stomach. Five layers of razor-sharp teeth that oscillated back and forth tore the man to shreds and sprayed the battlefield with his blood and minced flesh.

    "Damn it! We''re not equipped for this!" Standard Urldrusk doctrine for dealing with cyclops demons was to pelt them with helsgar catapults until they fell over where knights would then swarm on top of it and hack through its neck and eye to kill it. But the Hellhounds didn''t have helsgar catapults, they barely managed to obtain six horses for their sixty remaining knights and those were being used for pulling supply wagons. "What are we supposed to-"

    "!?!" A deafening screech shocked the knights as the cyclops was hit in the head by a large boulder causing it to stumble back. While it didn''t fall over, the cyclops was forced to move away from the knights which gave them some much-needed breathing room.

    "Who-?" The knights turned around to see Elise, Peter, and Lucina rushing toward the battle after finishing dealing with their cyclops.

    "Get ready!" Lucina shouted as Elise used her earth magic to rip another boulder out of the ground. With a wave of her arm, Lucina used her gravity magic to hurl the boulder directly at the cyclops'' disoriented head for a second headshot. This time there was no screech as the second boulder knocked the demon unconscious, but it still didn''t fall. In a flash of blue flames, Peter rushed forward and sliced the demon''s ankles forcing it to finally collapse to the ground. The knights present were stunned so Lucina barked an order to get them moving, "Hurry up and kill it before it wakes up!"

    "R-Right!" Now that the demon was down, the Hellhounds charged forth and worked to hack away and sever the huge demon''s head from its body. As they did, and once it was clear that the cyclops wasn''t waking up, Lucina, Peter, and Elise ran toward the next group of knights that needed assistance.

    "¡­Hey?" one of the Hellhounds turned to his comrades as they finished decapitating the cyclops. "Do you guys¡­believe that whole ''Harbinger'' business?"

    "Can''t say that I do," another knight admitted as he sat down to catch his breath. "But I''ll admit that kids got something others don¡¯t. Whether that makes her The Harbinger of Zulm or not is something I won''t mess with. We''ve got enough to deal with as is just trying to survive."

    "Even if she''s our new boss?" the first knight asked.

    "That''s a load of horseshit and you know it," a third knight joined the conversation with his remark. "Everyone knows Peter''s the one doing the actual leading and the kid''s just a puppet since she''s the only one here with a surname that still means something."

    "That ''puppet'' also just saved our lives and looks like she''s off to save more, too," the first knight countered.

    "Yeah yeah," the third sarcastically agreed with the first and the three men continued to argue until the day ended and they could finally return to camp. This marked the first battle of the war where the Hellhound knight order sustained only minor losses.

    ***Seven days after Timothy''s execution***

    "We need more bandages over here!"

    "Just hold still, I need to clean the wound."

    "All critical patients go to the west side! If your bones are still inside your body then you''re not critical!" Carl yelled over the crowd to bring some order to the chaos. The Hellhound camp was in disarray as the knights returned after a hard-fought battle alongside Duke Hoffman''s Olive Lynx knights against a Peltairan fort. Though ''alongside'' wouldn''t be the right word as Hoffman ordered the Hellhounds to spearhead the attack and forced them to take the brunt of the defender''s fury while his knights pressed up from behind. Hoffman didn''t even offer any of his order''s medical supplies so the Hellhounds were forced to make do with what they had as Jeremy distributed what little supplies they had left.

    "Fucking shit!" a knight cursed as he leaned heavily against a log to support him. A deep gash ran down his leg that was getting dirt in it since there was no designated place for patients so they were using the clearing in the center of their camp.

    "Hey, easy! Easy!" another knight tried to calm the first one. "Quit squirming so I can at least bandage the wound shut!" Disinfectant was a luxury they didn''t have.

    "You try having a fucking gash in your leg the-!"

    "Step aside!" Lucina suddenly appeared and knelt down next to the injured knight. "Is this your only injury?"

    The first knight was surprised by Lucina''s presence but answered her, "¡­Yeah."

    "Then clench your teeth," Lucina said and conjured water that she manipulated to clean out the wound the best she could.

    "!!!" Although it was painful, the injured knight refused to cry out.

    "There." Lucina threw the water into a nearby fire where it evaporated away. She turned to the second knight and said, "Now you can bandage him."

    "A-Ah¡­Right." Now that the wound was at least somewhat clean the chance of infection was greatly reduced and the second knight quickly bandaged the first.

    "¡­Don''t you need rest, kid?" the bewildered first knight asked as he watched Lucina stand up on shaky legs and down a magic potion.

    "Once I finish my rounds, I''ll take a break," Lucina replied and moved on to clean the next patient''s wounds while on the other side of the camp, Elise exhausted herself using her healing magic on the critically wounded.

    The two knights Lucina just helped looked at each other for a brief moment before the second one mentioned, "Well, at least she''s putting in more effort than Timothy ever did as leader." No matter how badly the knights got hurt, Timothy would always prioritize using their medical supplies on his own injuries first even if it was just a minor cut. One of the ways he would ensure loyalty in his followers was giving them first pick at supplies, too, so to see Lucina actively helping out instead of relaxing in the commander''s tent she inherited with the position was unusual for the Hellhounds.

    "Yeah¡­" the first replied as his eyes moved to his bandaged leg. "Here I am bitching about my leg when she''s able to hold it in and keep working."

    "Huh?" the second asked and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Their leg''s injured?"

    "Look at how she''s walking," the first said and pointed to Lucina. As Lucina got up from helping another knight she was noticeably limping on her right leg despite trying to hide it, and a blood stain was running down her pants from the wound. "Probably took a graze from a sword, or something. Crazy kid''s fighting on the frontline even though she could just hang back."

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "¡­" The second knight watched Lucina continue to hobble around camp cleaning out wounds and assisting in bandaging the knights all while not getting her own wounds treated. "Aw Hells," he cursed and headed over to Lucina. "Hey! Don''t forget to clean your own wounds!"

    "Huh?" Lucina was actively sweating from how hard she was pushing her body despite the cold air around them. She followed the knight''s gaze to her leg before saying, "Ah, I''ll deal with it in a-"

    "Clean it," the second knight knelt down next to her and took out the last of his bandages. "Elise won''t have enough magic left to heal you once she finishes her rounds."

    "It''s not that bad," Lucina tried to deflect.

    "What''s the point of you taking charge if you''re just going to collapse from infection, Boss?"

    "¡­" Lucina was shocked that one of the Hellhounds actually called her something other than ''kid'' like they usually did, but to also be called Boss? "Okay," Lucina relented, took a pained seat by the fire, and took off her pants so the knight could bandage her wound after using water magic to clean it. Once he finished, Lucina put her pants back on and stood back up with the knight''s help. "¡­Thanks."

    "Of course, Boss." The second knight stayed with Lucina for the rest of her rounds to help patch up the knights. Lucina pushing herself despite being injured didn''t go unnoticed by the Hellhounds and the whispers around camp were blowing in a new, more favorable, direction.

    ***Fourteen days after Timothy''s execution***

    "That''s the last of them!" a Hellhound called out as she flicked the blood off her sword. Currently, the Hellhounds were tasked with assisting Duke Mordrist in pushing the southern front by delving deep into enemy territory to intercept and destroy supply caravans.

    "Good work!" Lucina complimented once they fully secured the area. This was her first time being on a mission without one of her usual companions so she wanted to do her best in front of the Hellhounds. "Gather everything together so we can finish up and leave before they notice we''re here."

    "Got it!" Despite her being a child, the Hellhounds had recently started listening to her as more than just a ''puppet'' for Peter. The knights quickly went to work moving supply wagons into a central spot and throwing Peltairan bodies off the dirt road. "Man," one of the Hellhounds complained as he dejectedly looked at one of the wagons they were about to burn filled with food, "It''s such a waste." He patted his stomach which growled at the sight of all the food.

    "We can''t help it," the first knight dejectedly sighed and held her torch high. "We don''t have horses to pull these back, and they''d only slow us down if we tried pulling them. Gotta burn them."

    "Ugh!" the second knight grumbled in annoyance but held his tongue.

    "¡­Yeah, it is a shame," Lucina idly commented as she watched the Hellhounds bring their torches near the supplies. Then she got an idea and cried out, "Stop!"

    "Huh?" The knights brought their torches away from the supply wagons and turned toward Lucina.

    "Search the crates for magic potions!" Even if the Peltairans didn''t use Magisters, they still relied on gravity magic to help quickly build their forts, so it was right to assume they''d need those builders supplied with potions.

    After a minute of searching one of the knights waved and said, "I''ve got a crate over here, but it''s not like we can take it back." The crate of potions was large and cumbersome to handle with only people which would delay their escape back to friendly territory.

    "Actually, we can!" Lucina excitedly ran over to the wagon with the crate of magic potions, opened it up, and drank one. The knights watched her with confused looks on their faces before Lucina ordered the first knight, "Get in front of the wagon and pick up the tongue."

    "¡­Okay?" While she wasn''t sure what Lucina was trying to do, she went along with it since Lucina seemed like she knew what she was doing. The knight walked over and picked up the long wooden tongue that steered the front axle of the wagon. "What now?"

    "Start pulling." Lucina''s answer made the first knight raise an eyebrow at her. "Trust me," Lucina said and lifted her hand to activate her gravity magic.

    "Alri-Oh!" The first knight didn''t think she would be able to make the wagon budge, but when she pulled she found the wagon easily started to follow her. All the surrounding knights gasped as the first knight, by herself, was pulling the wagon filled with supplies.

    "I want one knight on each wagon!" Lucina ordered. "The rest of you scout our way back so we don''t run into any of Peltaira''s forces!"

    "Got it, Boss!" Seeing that it was possible to steal instead of destroy the supplies, the Hellhounds all happily complied with Lucina''s orders. They were the worst-supplied knight order of the kingdom so to get eight whole wagons of supplies was a gift from the gods for them. As the knights picked up the tongues of the wagons, Lucina used her gravity magic to change the wagon''s gravity point to the pulling knight and intensified it just enough so that the wagon would easily follow the knight that steered it with the tongue. And thanks to the crate of magic potions she could easily maintain this for all eight wagons. While their journey back took a bit longer than they originally planned, no one complained about the results of their raid and the Hellhounds feasted that night while giving a toast to Lucina.

    ***One month after Timothy''s execution***

    "We''re back, Boss!" A group of Hellhounds entered the large commander''s tent in their camp to report their return.

    "How''d it go?" Lucina asked as she and Peter were standing around a table in the center of the large tent looking at a map of the area. Small wooden blocks of different colors were placed around the map signifying the various forces on the frontline that Peter was using to help teach Lucina what he could about conducting warfare.

    "The ambush was a success!" the knight proudly declared and plopped down a bag on the table next to the map. "Here''s everything we got from the messenger as well as a captain who was escorting them."

    "Did we lose anyone?" Lucina asked as she poured the bag out onto the table so she and Peter could start sifting through all the letters and documents it contained.

    "Just a couple scratches, but we all made it back."

    "I''m glad. Still, see Elise about those scratches since we''re going to be moving camp tomorrow and I don''t want anyone still injured when we do."

    "Got it, Boss!" the knights gave casual salutes and left the tent.

    "You should really let me discipline them some more," Peter commented as he organized a stack of letters from the bag. He thumbed through the reports and added, "Being friendly with them is fine, but you need to make sure they know who''s in charge."

    "I know," Lucina replied and knocked over one of the red blocks on the map. "You can start pushing them a bit more next week, but we''re still building morale with what we have left of the raided supply wagons. I want them to know I''m on their side and they can actually trust me as a commander."

    "That comes naturally with time," Peter commented and moved two red blocks across the map to reinforce a lone red block in the north. "While we are still gaining ground, we''re not pushing nearly as quickly as when the war started. This won''t end soon so I believe it would be a good idea to start reining them in and turning this group into a proper knight''s order so they can survive the long haul."

    "Hmm," Lucina hummed to herself as she surveyed the map before giving a tired yawn.

    "We should probably end here," Peter said and set the stolen letters down. "You''ve only gotten busier since taking charge so you need sleep, kid."

    "Not yet." Lucina rubbed her eyes and started to move a blue block. "I need to be better, and I still need to write that report for the capital; to think Timothy was actually busy in here and not just being lazy," she gave a tired sigh and tossed the documents she was holding back onto the table. She didn''t have time to sleep, no matter how tired she was, with how much they were getting yanked around the frontline, or how she was now in charge of eighty-six people she had to manage, train, and send out on missions. While she did send a report back informing the capital of Timothy''s death it was still too early for a reply, but that didn''t stop Marcus'' loyalists from yanking her and the Hellhounds around. Even if they did get an occasional reprieve from the royal family''s loyalists like now with them following Duke Mordrist none of them knew how long that would last and Duke Hoffman was already calling for them. "We''re still tied to Duke Mordrist, for now, so we''ll have to follow her push out of The Crimson Forest and into The Tangzu Foothills before we head for Duke Hoffman. If we do that, then Peltaira will probably-"

    "Lucina?" Interrupting the strategy lesson, Carl poked his head into the tent.

    "What is it?" Lucina answered and saw confusion clearly evident on Carl''s face.

    "You''re gonna need to see this; there''s a caravan here for you."

    "¡­A what?" Lucina and Peter looked at each other dumbfounded since the supplies they received from the royal family shouldn''t be here until next month. "Lead the way." Lucina donned her blood-red wizard''s robe and quickly followed after Carl who led her through their camp, which was bathed in the last light of the setting sun, and out to the western edge where Lucina was met with a baffling sight. A caravan of at least thirty wagons wove through the forest and approached the Hellhound''s camp. While the caravan had armed guards they didn''t seem like knights and looked more like hired mercenaries.

    "Ah, good, you''re here," Jeremy greeted Lucina and motioned to a man in his mid-thirties who wore a sturdy pair of boots, thick hide pants, and had a thick overcoat that was wrapped tightly around them who Jeremy was speaking to. "Lady Felswore, this is Joseph of the Trent Merchant Group."

    "Trent?" Lucina''s face lit up with surprise and she studied Joseph''s clothes before her eyes landed on the Trent group''s logo sewn onto the upper left side of his overcoat. "Were you sent by Ol-¡­by Her Highness?"

    "That is correct, Lady Felswore," Joseph replied and gave a bow. More Hellhound knights started gathering around to see what was happening. "Under the blessing of His Majesty, Trent will be working directly with Her Highness, Olivia Ordrin, to personally supply the Hellhound knight order." Joseph gave a wave of his hand and the Trent workers started unloading the wagons for the Hellhounds to take. "While I was originally sent to meet with Timothy Braxton, I was informed by Jeremy here about the ordeal that took place last month." Joseph gave Lucina a pitiful look and bowed again. "I greet the new commander of the Hellhounds as your personal liaison to Trent and hope we can have a long, and prosperous, relationship!"

    "There''s real armor, here!?" a Hellhound shouted as he opened one of the crates to find newly crafted pieces of plate armor.

    "There''s chainmail in this one!"

    "I''ve got herbs and bandages over here!" Like children opening presents, the Hellhound knights were overwhelmed with emotions as they went through the crates of supplies. "Did the Crown Princess really send all this?"

    "Correct!" Joseph happily replied. "As I said, Her Highness has decided to personally give sponsorship to the Hellhounds so this will be the first of many such caravans to bring you supplies. I would also like to take some of your time, Lady Felswore, to go over anything you need that isn''t in this first delivery so that we may address it immediately." Glee swept over the Hellhounds as they started rummaging through the crates.

    But such gifts also brought skepticism as another knight spoke up, "Is this a bribe? Why would Her Highness go so far just for us?"

    "¡­" The knights exchanged uneasy whispers and just as Lucina was about to speak another knight reprimanded the first, "So what if it''s a bribe? If she''s going to feed and give us real equipment then I''ll gladly wag my tail to Her Highness'' tune."

    "Yeah, I can''t remember the last time I felt a coat as nice as this! It''s so warm!"

    "If you wanna complain then that means you''re fine not getting any of this, right?"

    "I-I never said I wouldn''t accept it!" While embarrassed, the skeptical knight quickly changed their stance as they wrapped a new coat around their shivering body. "Glory to Her Highness!" a cheer was picked up and roared across the Hellhounds from the gratitude for the gifts they received.

    With a smile on her face, Lucina turned to Peter and gave her orders, " Peter, Carl, organize everyone and start handing out the supplies! We''re delaying tomorrow''s departure so take your time and make sure it''s done right. Jeremy, go over the stock with me and start making a list of things we still need."

    "Understood!" the three men replied and got to work.

    "Ah, Lady Felswore, one more thing!" Joseph called out before Lucina had a chance to leave and he rummaged through his coat to pull out a sealed letter. "I was tasked with also delivering to you this letter from Her Highness."

    "¡­From Olivia?" It had been over a month since she''d gotten in touch with Olivia because she had been moving around so much and barely found time to check for mail after taking over the Hellhounds. Even through her gloves, Lucina could feel a warmth from the letter that soothed her heart.

    "Come on, let''s hurry back to your tent and I''ll read it for you~," the fake Olivia draped her arms over Lucina''s shoulders as she looked at the letter. Both she and Lucina smiled as the fake''s words accented the letter''s warmth with her unnatural chill, "My little Lucina~."

 For You, My Dearest Friend

    ***Seven months into the war***

    Dear Lucina,

    Surprise! I present to you the fruits of my hard-earned labor; a proper coat and food! There''s a lot I want to say so I''m going to start by apologizing for not finding out about our letters getting intercepted and all your presents being stolen. My father sent me a letter letting me know of your current condition, so I''m righting my wrongs by bypassing the royal palace, and James, completely with Trent. As I''m sure Joseph will have told you, I managed to convince the king to let me sponsor the Hellhounds with supplies in exchange for acting as your order''s ''leash'', though I don''t plan on doing much other than helping you out. I''ve also told Joseph about how Timothy Braxton isn''t to be trusted so give Joseph any letters going forward.

    As for th-

    Forget everything else, are you okay? I just got a second letter from my father about you returning to camp covered in blood. His letter was hasty and didn''t delve into details but Timothy tried something, right? Please send me a reply as soon as you get this letter. Please tell me you''re alright.

    -Olivia

    ***

    To Her Highness Olivia Ordrin,

    First, allow me to introduce myself; I am Jeremy of Mornhold, and am acting as the aide for Lady Lucina Felswore. To alleviate your concerns immediately, Lady Felswore is alive and ''alright'' though I am writing the reply to your previous correspondence as Lady Felswore is on the verge of passing out next to me as I pen this letter. She isn''t injured, but she has been very busy after taking over as commander of the Hellhounds knight order.

    Roughly one month ago, Timothy Braxton and his followers admitted to committing treason against Urldrusk by staging the ambush and orchestrating the deaths of our knights that your father wrote about with us returning covered in blood. This admission was revealed after he also tried to assassinate Lady Felswore for reasons I dare not write down for fear of the consequence, no matter how securely this letter is delivered to you. After Timothy''s execution, Lady Felswore was declared our acting commander as only an active noble may lead a knight order, and I''m sure you''re aware of the status of our order''s average knights.

    Because of these new duties, Lady Felswore has been exerting herself far more than usual and is thus unable to properly reply to your letter. If you have any concerns or questions then please reach out to me and I will do my best to convey Lady Felswore''s words with my utmost urgency. She wishes you to know she is okay.

    -Jeremy

    P.S. I am adding this additional letter into the reply now that Lady Felswore has finally passed out and I would dare ask for your discrepancy in keeping this addition a secret. There were topics I wished to disclose to you that Lady Felswore ordered me to omit, so I will be adding them here without her knowledge.

    Lady Felswore will be unable to reply to any letter you send from here on not just due to her increased duties but also because of her growing inability to use her hands. It started when winter hit, and her worn-out gloves couldn''t protect her small hands from the cold which caused her to lose some of the feeling in her fingers. I''ve witnessed her drop things as she seems to randomly lose her grip strength and she''s complained to Daughter Elise, our priestess of Lady Alm, about pain in her finger joints and the palms of her hands that healing magic doesn''t relieve. Originally, she wanted to write the response to your letter but was unable to hold the quill properly which is why I took over.

    There is also the matter of her deteriorating mental state. Ever since taking command, Lady Felswore barely gets two hours of meaningful bed rest each day. I''ve witnessed her mumbling to herself and spacing out during her duties only to snap back to reality with a dazed look in her eyes she thinks no one notices. Her constant exhausting of her magic has brought her closer to the gods, though I do not believe that to be a good thing for an active military commander. This is where I, a civil servant and Hellhound knight, will cross a line by making a request of you; please keep sending her letters even if you don''t get a reply.

    When Joseph revealed your letter I saw Lady Felswore''s face brighten with genuine joy for the first time in over a month. While reading the letter she smiled like an eleven-year-old child and not the placating smile she''s grown accustomed to forcing. Your Highness is a special existence for Lady Felswore and judging by your letters I feel as if she''s the same for you. I will send you reports on our movements and anything relating to Lady Felswore to ease your mind to know how she''s doing. If you need something then please let me know, but I ask that you please keep writing to Lady Felswore even knowing you won''t get a reply from her.

    ***Ten months into the war***

    Dear Lucina,

    No longer are you older as we''re now both eleven and this will be the first letter since my birthday which should have passed by the time you get this! I don''t care if that''s not how age works since if we''re going to get technical then I''m sixteen years older than you. With the certainty of Trent''s security I know no one else will read this but you so I can say everything I want to! It''s honestly kind of freeing being able to openly discuss my previous life with you again as it makes it feel like you''re not as far away, even if I''m just one-sidedly throwing letters at you. I do apologize for that but I won''t be stopping any time soon.

    It''s raining a lot over here and the worst part is that it''s cold rain. If it''s going to be cold and wet then at least be cold enough to snow so the landscape looks pretty instead of everything being grey and brown with mud everywhere. Preferably, I''d like it to be summer so we can have some nice weather for a change. That being said, don''t you dare think that you''re allowed to stop wearing those special gloves I sent you! I knew people from my previous life that wore coats even during the height of summer, so if you''re cold then bundle up no matter the time of year. Don''t think for a second I won''t know, either, since I''ve bribed your whole order to be on my side. I might even have a spy in your closest circle reporting to me on if my little Lucina''s keeping her promise to take care of herself.

    Also, R''eldrun announced you as The Harbinger of Zulm. I tried looking into what that means but it''s practically impossible to find information on what a Harbinger even does and there was no mention of it in my prophecies. Does Zulm talk to you? Could you directly lodge a complaint for me about him throwing me into this world as the villain? Those were jokes, please don''t complain to the gods about me!

    I overheard that a renewed offensive will begin once summer hits. I hope this war ends soon and you can come home.

    Praying for your safety,

    Olivia

    ***One year & three months into the war***

    Dear Lucina,

    The social season''s finally ending and I still have no idea how Cassandra does it. No matter how many parties she goes to she''s still full of energy and wants to go to another, meanwhile, I''m worn out and want to go to sleep after maybe three. I know it''s the queen''s responsibility to be a pillar of the social world, and that I''ll need to become that pillar when James ascends the throne, but it''s exhausting wearing the mask of a ''perfect princess'' so much. I miss the times when it was just us hanging out without a care in the world and without having to worry about who saw if we placed down our tea cups without making a sound. Seriously, who made that part of the social norms? It''s made of porcelain so of course it''s going to make a clink sound when we set it down on the little plate!

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    On a better note, I''ve caught up on enough of my studies that I''m able to start fitting in swordsmanship training! After my little trip around the kingdom, I had a lot of catching up to do on my studies so I had to cut out my exercise routine, and the social season didn''t help, but now I''m finally able to get back into shape. The maids in the palace started lamenting since I apparently lost enough muscle to start fitting into tighter dresses that they said James liked and they tried to stop me but Mary had my back and now I''m once again wielding my sword. I got a report from Jeremy that you''re also keeping up with your sword training so when you get back let''s have a spar to see who''s better!

    I heard from my father that Peltaira is holding firm, and with fall starting then it won''t be long before things grind to a halt for winter, again.

    Stay strong,

    Olivia

    ***One year & six months into the war***

    Happy twelfth birthday, Lucina!

    Another birthday means another meal voucher for me to treat you out when you come back! This time, however, I''ve made sure to get you a present and that it actually reaches you. I heard you''ve been growing so I got your new measurements and had a set of winter gear customized for you! I know it''s not much in the grand scheme of things but I hope it helps keep the cold at bay even just a little bit.

    This letter will be a bit shorter than my others since I wanted to give you time to read the other letter I''m passing along from your family.

    Stay warm,

    Olivia

    ***

    To Lucina,

    Your mother, Adam, and I wish you a happy birthday from all of us waiting for you here at home. Even though he''s only halfway through the current school year it looks like Adam will once again be at the top of his class at the academy. He''s leaving quite the shoes for you to fill once you come back and eventually start attending the academy yourself, but always remember that your mother and I hold you only to yourself; Adam just wants to show off for his sister. Your mother''s been frequenting Ertrum and Lady Alm''s temple even more these days as the war keeps dragging on. Even if you''re officially recognized as The Harbinger of Zulm, Elizabeth will always worry for you.  As for me¡­

    I still find trouble expressing my words to you as I know how much they''ve hurt you even when I believe I''m being careful. There''s still a long way for me to go as your father, but I wanted to give you a gift for your birthday that I''ve asked Her Highness to pass on to you; a pair of reading glasses. While you are still young, I know how tiring it is to be buried in documents so I always keep a pair of reading glasses handy and these have a small chain so you can wear them around your neck until needed. They took longer to make than expected due to the delicate nature of the glass blowing and the crafting of the frames, but I hope they can ease at least a little of your burdens. Stay safe, Lucina.

    -Charles

    ***One year & nine months into the war***

    Dear Lucina,

    Are you intentionally trying to make things harder for me by being a hero? While not officially started, some Ladies are already hosting tea parties for the season and I''m getting bombarded with questions about you and the Hellhounds! Your victory at Yangzho Crossing is particularly hot since it''s said that the Yangzho Dam burst and washed Peltaira''s forces away, and everyone''s claiming you did that Mrs. Harbinger. It''s kind of scary hearing about all the achievements you''re getting.

    I mostly kid, but you are all most people talk about; I just wish everything they said was good. There was a particularly nasty rumor going around that you regularly bathe in blood to fuel your magic and that you''re some kind of monster. Augustus, Cassandra, and I silence those people whenever we can but they''re annoyingly persistent. You remember Augustus, right? He''s Baron Rolf''s son who''s two years older than us whom I befriended last month. We''ve sparred a few times and he''s a nice guy, though Margaret seems to dislike him from some past dealing, I think. But I can already hear your thoughts! Olivia, this is the third guy you''ve shown interest in; why can''t you learn? And to that, I say that I don''t even like his muscles! He''s actually weaker than me which means my vision isn''t being blinded by my bias. There are so many cases where kings have mistresses so I should be allowed to look for love too, even if I''ll be a queen, since James seems like he''s going to keep being a jerk! I at least want options, damn it!

    Either way, I look forward to finally seeing you again, soon. I got a report that our forces are converging on Peltaira''s capital after you and the Hellhounds broke Count Cloudwatcher''s forces which should finally end this war! Don''t steal the show too much and remember to come back to me alive and well.

    Always believing in you,

    Olivia

    ***

    "¡­" Lucina put down Olivia''s latest letter while a tense smile forced its way across her face. She was glad Olivia was doing well, but she hated it when she talked about Augustus. Her hand clenched into a fist and she unconsciously grit her teeth in annoyance. Picking up a quill and parchment, Lucina attempted to finally write a reply to one of Olivia''s letters. "¡­Damn it."  Without even finishing the first sentence, her hand began cramping up and a sharp pain stabbed through her palm until Lucina finally dropped the quill and gave up.

    "Don''t worry~," the fake Olivia soothed as she appeared next to Lucina and cupped her cheeks in her hands sending a biting cold down Lucina''s spine. "I''m just lonely since you''re not here~. He''s someone I''ve known for just over a month and will be a passing fling~. Once you return to me, everything will sort itself out~."

    "¡­Right." Lucina managed to stop stuttering when talking to the fake with months of practice and was less freaked out about the fake than she knew she should be. "I''ll come back. Everything will be fine." With a shaky hand, Lucina took off her reading glasses and set them down on the table so she could run her hand through her hair. "Everything¡­will be fine."

    "Don''t you trust me~?"

    "¡­You''re just borrowing her face." Lucina''s eyes were cold as she stared at the fake and her voice went low, "You''re also a temporary existence. Once I go home everything will sort itself out."

    "Hmm~," the fake hummed to herself before materializing in the blink of an eye directly in front of Lucina''s face. Her cold, dead blue eyes were like suffocating pits of darkness as she stared into Lucina''s soul. A devil''s smile warped across her face as she laughed, "Of course it will, my little Lucina~."

    "Be quiet!" Lucina shouted and tried to push the fake away but her hands hit only air, and the fake was gone. Lucina swallowed a lump in her throat and leaned on the table with her hands grabbing her hair. "Just be quiet! It will pass! Just be quiet!"

    "Commander?" Peter called as he entered the tent. He was wearing his full suit of plate armor and chainmail that was accented with crimson red cloth which the order adopted as its official color. "Is everything alright?"

    "¡­Are they ready?" Lucina ignored Peter''s question as she didn''t want to talk about the fake and she let go of her hair.

    "They gathered all the leaders in His Highness'' tent." Peter didn''t push to know what Lucina was yelling at since it had become a common occurrence for Lucina and Elise to be found talking to themselves. "It seems the messenger who was supposed to get you got lost."

    "How convenient," Lucina joked as she got up from her seat and walked over to put on her wizard''s robe. No matter how much time had passed, the robe was still a sickly blood red and the stench of iron clung to it like a murky cloud. Perhaps it had bathed in so much blood and been used by Lucina for so long that her magic had residually rubbed off onto it and inadvertently enchanted the robe; the color and smell never faded. "It''s almost like he doesn''t want me involved despite wanting me dead and this being the perfect opportunity to make it happen." Lucina exited the tent with Peter following close behind her as they made their way through camp. "Should I thank him?"

    "He''s not worth a sarcastic thanks," Peter scoffed.

    "Careful," Lucina teased and chuckled to herself, "His Highness has seen fit to grace us with his presence directly for the upcoming battle which means his leeches are crawling all over the place. All the major knight orders have gathered here, mind your tongue." Tents stretched into the horizon as Urldrusk''s knights gathered in the plains just out of sight of Peltaira''s capital city whose walls rose into the sky daring them to attack.

    "I''m the last of us you should worry about not knowing the time or place, Commander."

    "Is Carl tied up in the share tent?"

    "It''ll rile him up for the battle," Peter justified.

    "Assuming we''ll even get to do anything," Lucina mused as they crossed the threshold into the camp of the Golden Lion knight order. As Lucina and Peter continued their walk they received disgusted glances from those around them and belittling whispers stabbed at them from unseen places. Despite the ornately decorated plate armor with golden accents and etchings, the Lions were more like hyenas. "It''s kind of funny, don''t you think, Peter?"

    "What is?"

    "The fact that the Golden Lions are acting all superior despite only coming out of the capital after the war''s basically been won just to steal the credit," Lucina intentionally goaded the knights around her as a dangerous smile played across her lips.

    "What was that!?" one of the Lions took the bait and got in Lucina''s way to make her stop. Peter moved to step up but a quick hand from Lucina told him to stand down. It had been far too long since she let off some steam this way. "We of the Golden Lions are His Highness'' personal knights! Watch your tongue, Hellhound."

    "Really?" Lucina''s voice dripped with innocent poison as she continued, "Then why are you making your master look bad?"

    "We have done no such thing, so stop spouting your delusional nonsense."

    "But you are, Little Lion. Why else were you all hiding in the capital with your tails tucked between your legs while we Hellhounds brought true glory to Her Highness?"

    "W-?" the Lion knight''s words caught in his throat as he met Lucina''s unhinged gaze and felt his nerves leave him. Something in the young girl''s eyes made the fully grown man unable to speak as she stared at him with a playful smile on her face.

    "What''s wrong? Hound got your tongue?" Lucina''s words egged on some of the other Golden Lion knights into standing up and they began walking over to her.

    Seeing his comrades back him up, the Lion found his flimsy courage and countered, "You Hellhounds seem to think you''re something after a few victories! I don''t know why Her Highness bothered putting a leash around a mutt, but all you''re doing is lowering her into the dirt with your attitude. Though, perhaps that''s where she likes to b-!!!" The Lion knight speaking and all twelve of his comrades suddenly found themselves thrown to the ground. "W-What the!?" None of them could get up as their cuirasses refused to leave the ground. "Relea-!"

    "Hmm?" Lucina''s innocent tone didn''t match to look of twisted satisfaction on her face. "I''m sorry, I can''t hear you down there in the dirt you all love to eat so much. Could you speak up, Little Lion?" She was reveling in how helpless they looked struggling on the ground trying to get up; like pinning down a bug that knew it was about to be squished.

    "¡­Commander?" Peter intervened when he noticed one of the Golden Lion''s back plates start to buckle. "We shouldn''t be late."

    "¡­Right." With a flick of her wrist, Lucina dismissed her gravity magic and allowed the Lion knights to get up. The knights gasped for air and scrambled away in a panic. "I swear, I could actually see their tails tucking," Lucina laughed before continuing through the camp.

    "Is this your plan to get us sent to the front?" Peter asked.

    "No, that was just putting myself in a good mood before I have to meet His Highness," Lucina clarified. "Now then," she said as James'' massive tent came into view, "Let''s see how James plans to take Toldrin."

 Hounds Guided by Fools

    "-Which is why we must press with the helsgar first before moving in our forces!" Richard Ordrin argued as he gestured to the map of the battlefield their scouts had drawn up. The leaders of the major knight orders were discussing a strategy to claim Toldrin while standing around a large table in James'' massive tent. Richard continued while motioning to the map, "The northwestern hill would give us a perfect staging ground for the catapults to pelt their walls and draw out their forces. We ca-"

    "That will take too long!" Duke Hoffman countered. "The Crown Prince was sent here to deliver us a decisive victory, not continue to draw out this conflict. A frontal assault from the west with helsgar support in the rear will be more than enough to break the main gate and allow the Golden Lions the opportunity to flood into the city and force the Peltairans to surrender!"

    "And how many knights will die charging up to that gate, Hoffman?" It was a battle of strategy versus ego. "Archers line their battlements and man the arrow slits in the wall, any assault without bringing down the walls first will be met with a mountain of death that our knights will have to pay for!" Those loyal to Richard started raising their voices and agreeing with the Duke, including Duke Mordrist who was allowing Richard to take the lead in the meeting.

    "You sound like you fear Toldrin''s walls, Duke!" Hoffman countered and his loyalists started badgering Richard''s. "Or are your knights so inept that they can''t take a single gate?"

    "That has nothing to do with-"

    "Enough!" James sat at the head of the table in a comfortable plush chair. He was wearing plate armor that was a glimmering white with gold etched into it in the pattern of a lion''s head on his chestpiece. A white silk cloak with golden frills hung from his back that further cemented his look as a shining white knight in a sea of otherwise grey armor. "I agree with Duke Hoffman; we assault the main gate."

    "Your Highness!?" Duke Mordrist finally spoke up and tried to object but a glare from James silenced her.

    "It sounds like you''re volunteering to lead the charge, Duke Mordrist?" James'' voice dripped with superiority since all the leaders had to listen to the twelve-year-old prince as if he were his father because he was representing the royal family in this battle. "If you want the honor then I''ll happily give it to you despite my initial thoughts about giving it to Prince Terence," James taunted while motioning to the second prince who stood in black plate armor next to Mordrist. Terence had been sent by James to die with a pitiful retinue a year prior but proved difficult to kill as he always managed to survive and turn the tide of any battle he took part in.

    Terence held in his disgust as he spoke, "If that is what yo-"

    "I apologize for being late!" Lucina burst through the tent flaps and approached the table so that she was standing at the opposite end of James.

    "Lucina," James muttered and scrunched up his nose as the smell of blood flooded the tent due to Lucina''s robe which caused all those present to move away from the small girl. "I should have expected the leader of the Hellhounds to show up not only last but also late."

    "You have my deepest apologies, Your Highness," Lucina sarcastically apologized and gave a subtle bow. "I was waiting for the messenger to come get me but they never showed so I made my way here on my own. If you''d like, I could let you borrow my second, Peter, to whip your lazy knights into shape." Her eyes were alight and her voice dripped venom, "We can''t have our Crown Prince look bad during the final battle of the war, can we?"

    "You still speak well for a mutt, haven''t you resorted to barking?" James insulted back.

    "¡­" Richard felt uneasy seeing Lucina as every time he did the image in his mind of the innocent girl who played with his daughter died a little more. He had only been assisted by the Hellhounds a few times in the past couple of months and the amount of bloodshed they brought with them, and how little it phased them, made him worry. He couldn''t let Lucina, no matter how far she''d fallen, die here so he moved to redirect James'' ire, "Your H-"

    "I didn''t know you were into that, Your Highness," Lucina crossed a line, "I''ll have to warn Olivia about your preferences!"

    Duke Hoffman tried to reprimand Lucina to gain points with James, "How da-"

    But James was louder, "You will show respect to your betters, Hellhound!" He shot up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table. "Or, are you volunteering to lead the assault against the main gate!?"

    "She is but a child!" Richard argued to try and save Lucina.

    "Be silent, Duke Ordrin, or I''ll send you both against the Peltairans by yourselves!" James was no longer in any mood to play nice and allowed his true colors to show. While no one dared whisper in such a small space, the knights present all exchanged worried glances at one another about their prince''s temper.

    "You can''t-"

    "Very well," Lucina interrupted and agreed with James. "We Hellhounds will take the gate for you, Your Highness."

    "What!?" Richard couldn''t control his voice from coming out and he turned to Lucina to see her smiling from ear to ear.

    "¡­You''re mad," James laughed at Lucina''s declaration. "You''ve truly lost it, haven''t you?" James erupted into laughter which further set the gathered knights on edge while Lucina silently smiled to herself and waited for James to finish. "Alright then, if you''re so eager for it then I''ll grant your death wish." James made a show to swoosh his arm so that his cloak would flap and flutter giving him a graceful and grand appearance. "The Hellhounds will lead the charge against the main gate and buy time for our helsgar to get close enough to begin bringing down the walls!"

    "Thank you, Your Highness," Lucina said and gave a curtsy with her robe. "Since that is the case, I will take my leave to begin preparing my knights for tomorrow''s battle."

    "You won''t even pretend to care about the rest of the plan?" James mocked and got a laugh out of his loyalists.

    "The tip of the spear doesn''t need to know what the swordsmen behind it are doing," Lucina said as she moved to leave the tent. "So long as I pierce my mark, everything will be fine." Richard watched Lucina leave with a distraught expression but he couldn''t call out to the girl he now believed was out of his reach to save. Terence, too, watched Lucina leave and his apprehension grew as, despite her obvious mockery, Lucina still listened to James which he believed meant that James had control over the Hellhounds; a dangerous variable to look out for in his future plans.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Peter was waiting for Lucina outside the tent and fell in line when she exited and asked, "What are your orders, Commander?"

    "Gather the men and all our horses," Lucina replied as they hurried back to camp to begin preparations. "We will be the vanguard that meets Peltaira''s final stand and delay until the helsgar get into range to bring down the walls."

    "The helsgar?" Peter was confused and wanted clarification, "But can''t you break open the gates with your magic?"

    "Those were the orders from His Highness," Lucina brushed it off with a wave of her hand. "He wants his people to break the gates and claim victory even at the cost of more lives being lost from both sides. As loyal subjects, who are we to go against the orders of the royal family?"

    "¡­" Peter held his tongue in thought and waited for them to return to their camp before speaking again, "So, shall we just delay?"

    "Of course not!" Lucina leaped up on a crate in the center of their camp so that she could be just above everyone''s eye level and the Hellhounds gathered around her. Their bodies were donned with chainmail and plate accented by red cloth, their arms were guarded by sturdy shields with a hellhound demon etched into its face, and they armed themselves with blade, spear, and mace without a hint of rust or decay. Warhorses who were being fitted with chainmail and plate armor stamped their feet in anticipation as all the Hellhounds gathered around Lucina. Thanks to all the practicing she did with Jeremy, Lucina was getting better at making impromptu speeches and addressed her knights, "Hellhounds, we have been ordered by His Highness to be the vanguard for the siege of Toldrin! We will be without helsgar support as we are meant to distract the Peltairans so that our catapults may approach, and we will be the only members of the vanguard while the other orders bring up our rear! Do you know what this means, Hellhounds?"

    "The glory is ours to take for the Princess!" a shout came from one of the knights and they all roared in agreement. The Hellhound knight order was no longer the ragged group of castaways that were barely clinging to life, they were a threat.

    "The Crown Prince wishes to claim the gate, but the glory of getting there belongs to the Hellhounds! We are not the distraction, we are the maw that will devour the Peltairans whole!" Lucina shouted, drew her shortsword from its scabbard on her belt, and raised it into the air. "Sharpen your blades, feed the stomachs of you and your horses, and rest well this night because tomorrow we ride into the arms of our enemy! Die well, Hellhounds, because tomorrow we end this war!"

    ***

    "My Lord, they are advancing toward the gate!" a Peltairan watchman reported as Urldrusk''s troops began their advance across the plains when the sun was at its peak in the sky. The walls of Toldrin were bustling with archers all checking their bows and distributing arrows to one another in preparation to repel the invaders. Engineers manned catapults that were installed into the tops of the towers that dotted the wall and they began loading boulders into the cups of the siege engines.

    "Hold the catapults until you''re sure you can hit their helsgars!" barked the leader of Peltaira''s defense forces, Bo Breezeson. Breezeson ran his fingers through his long black hair as he stood atop the tower that flanked the main gate into the city and observed his forces that were outside the walls setting up their battle lines to repel any forces that tried to get close and scale their walls.

    "My Lord?" one of his subordinates raised his concern, "But our catapults could easily break their cavalry charges, why must we hold?"

    "Because Urldrusk is a kingdom of wizards," Breezeson answered while turning his gaze to the horizon where Urldrusk''s forces could be seen slowly advancing toward them. "Any boulder we throw has just as much a chance to hit our forces as it does our enemy''s. To ensure our hits we must wait for them to be in range and fire first so that their wizards will be too busy ensuring their own boulders hit so that ours may find their marks."

    "Well said, Breezeson," a deep, jolly voice echoed from behind them and Breezeson turned to see a giant of a man approach him. The man in his mid-thirties was two and a half meters tall and the air seemed to bend under the weight of his bulging muscles that he freely showed off since he only wore simple white pants and thick black boots. His long black hair and beard flowed in the wind like flags of victory, and his sharp green eyes shimmered behind his face whose beauty rivaled even the most well-defined of statues. With a voice deeper than any other, the man continued, "They hold the initiative as the attackers so we must play our hands sparingly."

    Breezeson and all those on the tower immediately bowed in reverence and greeted the man, "We greet The Auspicious Star Born From Our Bloodied Sister''s Crimson Lance! Hail, Saint Tao Chadman!"

    "Rise, my comrades!" Chadman said with a smile that put those around him at ease. "I no longer feel right hearing your reverence when our enemies are barking at our gates."

    "Please, do not say such things, Saint!" an archer said and put a hand to his chest. "Your presence alone is enough to win the day! None here cast blame upon you for being forced to remain by our cowardly king''s side!" Nods and shouts of agreement followed the archer''s pleas as all those present were on Chadman''s side.

    "While your words give me solace, that does not excuse my actions in staying trapped within Toldrin''s walls." Chadman solemnly gazed into the horizon as a gust of wind danced through his hair.

    "The men speak true, Saint," Breezeson said as he stood next to Chadman and gestured back toward Toldrin which was a sprawling metropolis that sat upon the shores of the eastern ocean. The wood used in Toldrin''s construction was a brilliant red, even without paint, that reflected the sun''s warmth throughout the city, and the special stone many of the roads were built from shined a brilliant green which gave rise to the city''s other name: The Jade Jewel of the East. "None can go against our king who holds the old blood of Toldrin in their veins, so do not take any of the blame for our enemies reaching our walls!"

    "No," Chadman wouldn''t relent and argued, "I and the Heavenly Dragon sect have remained within our capital''s walls throughout the war because our king demanded the best protection against potential assassins from Urldrusk. While we have sent many an assassin to their next life, what has that decree cost us?" Chadman raised his hand to his face and clenched his fist in anguish. "Urldrusk has spearheaded through our territory and pushed all the way to the coast and our Jade. They do not care if our forces eventually surround and cut them off since they know all they have to do for this war to be won is take Toldrin."

    "We will not let that happen!" another archer shouted.

    "The dogs of Urldrusk will never breach our glorious walls!" a siege engineer agreed.

    "¡­Our kingdom is truly blessed with those of good spirit," Chadman chuckled and released his tense shoulders to appear calm for the troops. "However, even when their helsgar get into range I would ask that you not throw your boulders right away."

    "Why not?" an archer asked as she finished checking her arrows.

    "Because," Chadman answered while turning his gaze back to Urldrusk''s forces, "We must first distract their Hellhound if our catapults are to ever hit their targets."

    "You¡­speak of that monster that claims to be The Harbinger of Zulm?" Breezeson asked, and an unease swept across the troops at the mention of the title. "The monster that tore down Yangzho Dam with their magic alone and who drowned Featherspeaker''s sect in an instant?"

    "Yes," Chadman''s voice was distant as his eyes seemed to focus on something in the distance. "The Hellhound of the West will most certainly join today''s battle, despite the oddness of Urldrusk''s forces."

    "While I dare not think of the monster, I do agree, Saint, that the deployment of Urldrusk''s forces is most peculiar." Breezeson motioned toward the northwest and mentioned, "We thought for sure they would take the hill and made sure our forces were prepared accordingly, but they seemingly wish to charge our main gate across the flat plains. This goes against all previously known strategies they''ve employed thus far and I worry that there is trickery afoot!"

    "Trickery, or incompetence," Chadman mused.

    "I would sooner believe this to be a trick over incompetence, Saint, as only the arrival of a powerful fool could bring such incompetence to their perceived final battle." Breezeson tried to see what Chadman was looking at, but Urldrusk''s forces were still too far away for his eyes to focus. "Their second prince has been on the battlefield, before, and has proven to learn the lessons of war quite quickly, and The Hellhound of the West is brutal but would never waste her forces like this, so that means someone above both of them would need to have arrived to take command."

    "Indeed, perhaps a child seeking to claim that which he has no right," Chadman remarked and smiled. "The king of Urldrusk was said to be a vain man with a cavern instead of a mine for a head, and it appears that his youngest takes after him in that way."

    "The Crown Prince of Urldrusk is also here!?" Breezeson gasped and desperately strained his eyes to try and see him.

    "Even if he is," Chadman laughed and patted Breezeson on the back, "Urldrusk''s beloved Crown Prince would never stand with his troops like a true warrior. You''d be lucky to see him behind even their helsgar, I''d wager."

    "Is he truly such a coward?" Breezeson asked. While he was aware of the king of Urldrusk and his children to some extent, he never paid much mind to politics so he didn''t know if what Chadman was saying was truth or speculation.

    "Only a fool would purposely ignore an advantage and send his troops to their deaths to claim a ''swift'' victory," Chadman said while rubbing his beard expectantly. "Besides, it appears we have other matters to worry about as it appears my other guess was correct."

    "Other guess?"

    "My Lords!" the watchman shouted as he stared through his spyglass at the horizon. "Urldrusk has begun their attack!"

    "What!?" Breezeson turned back to the horizon and Urldrusk''s helsgar catapults were nowhere close to being in position to begin launching boulders. "Why would they attack without their catapults!? Where are they attacking from?" Breezeson looked to the flanks to try and see any sneak attacks attempting to scale their walls.

    "The front, headed directly for the gate!" the watchman called and everyone on the wall, except Chadman, ran to the edge of the wall to see an insane sight. While the rest of Urldrusk''s forces were continuing a steady march, the center column of knights kicked their horses into a fast gallop and started to charge Toldrin''s wall and the lines of spearmen waiting down below. "By the iconography on their shields¡­ It''s the Hellhounds!"

    "HAHAHAHA!" Chadman burst out into a laugh that shook the stones of the wall and he clapped his hands. "A fool whose crown doesn''t fit, a son scorned from his birthright, and a monster bathed in blood come knocking at our gates! This will be a story for generations!" Chadman approached the edge of the wall and propped up his right foot atop the edge of the battlements. "Come then, Hellhound of the West! Loose yourself from the chains of the fool and bare your teeth against the Dragon!"

 Make Merry and Slaughter

    Thunder echoed across the open plains outside Toldrin''s walls as the Hellhounds charged forth in a mad sprint toward the city''s gate. Olivia''s time in the southern duchy allowed her to befriend and accrue debts from a few horse breeders which allowed her to purchase enough horses for the entire one hundred man knight order. The warhorses they rode upon were Sevette Stampedes; black horses with white stripes along their ribcage whose great muscles were bred for being able to carry and pull heavy loads while maximizing speed. Their name wasn''t meant to mock them as cowards but was given since the sound of their thundering hooves caused lesser animals to stampede away from them in fear. Special plate armor hung from chainmail that adorned the horses with spikes fashioned atop the shin and knee guards of the horse''s front legs and a long metal spike was fixed atop the horse''s helmet giving it the appearance of a unicorn demon. Even weighed down by such heavy armor, the Sevette Stampedes continued their fifty-kilometer-per-hour charge.

    "Form up!" Lucina cried over the deafening sounds of hooves from her place at the front of the charge and raised her sword into the air while giving it a twirl. The Hellhounds maneuvered themselves into a thin line that was five knights wide and twenty knights deep as they neared the enemy. Peltaira''s outer troops were positioned into three lines along the walls near the gate: the first line was spearmen who were bracing themselves for the coming cavalry charge, and the second and third were a mix of swords, maces, and axes. Archers from atop the walls loosed a volley of arrows that descended upon the Hellhounds like rain, but the arrows deflected off their plate armor or embedded themselves into the shields the knights were holding high. "Swords!" Lucina barked when they were close and the four knights next to her, including Peter, all threw their shields to the side and held their great swords ready to strike. Seeing that they were charging without lances, the Peltairan spearmen started getting nervous at the strange behavior the Hellhounds were showing as they seemingly were going to crash directly into the waiting spears without faltering.

    "Hold!" the leader of the group of spearmen the Hellhounds were charging toward called out to his men to try and keep them calm. He positioned his spear to strike at the gap in the armor around the lead horse''s neck and he tightened his grip. "Hold!" The Hellhounds weren''t deviating their course and their horses lowered their heads so that their helmet spikes faced forward. "Hol-!?!" As they braced for impact, the closest spearmen to the Hellhounds had their spears ripped from their hands as Lucina used her gravity magic on them. The spears impacted and dug into the dirt at their feet causing a brief moment of confusion that didn''t even last long enough for them to register as the Hellhounds finally met the Peltairan''s now weaponless line.

    "No-!?!" A man tried to scream but was impaled by the lead horse''s helmet spike and he was thrown into the air as the horse raised its head and threw the man aside. The spikes on the shin and knee guards dug and ripped into the defenders as the horses continued their charge seemingly unimpeded by running through the defenders. Men and women were trampled from the crash and had their bodies thrown to the ground so the following horses could crush them into broken, unrecognizable corpses. The knights wielding great swords swung their blades and cleaved through those they passed who were lucky enough not to be flattened under hoof. Blood sprayed upon the Hellhounds and they broke through Peltaira''s first line where they began sewing chaos within the defenders.

    "Spread!" Lucina cried as her knights began fanning out in the middle of Peltaira''s forces. "No quarter!" To accent her point, Lucina sent a gale force wind through a group of Peltaira''s second line of defenders causing them to lose their balance and stumble while her knights began the slaughter. Peter''s blade erupted in an inferno of blue flames as he rode along the rear of the spearmen while taking long arcing swings that cut down multiple men with every pass. Carl was itching for a fight and led a group of knights directly into Peltaira''s second line where he cut down the defenders he came across with his axe while his horse stomped, head-butted, and kicked the rest. Jeremy followed Carl''s group since everyone''s focus would be on the lunatic with an axe rather than him which allowed Jeremy to safely start picking off the archers on the wall with his bow while he steered his horse with his legs. Elise brought up the rear of the cavalry charge as she had a different task to accomplish. When she met the shattering line of spearmen, Elise stopped and jumped off her horse since earth magic could only be used while directly touching the ground. Spikes of stone erupted from the ground and impaled Peltaira''s troops, hoisting their bodies into the air and dangling them like meat on hooks, creating a permanent gap in the first defensive line. Chaos reigned as the Hellhounds began their feast.

    ***

    At the rear of Urldrusk''s forces, even further than the catapults, was James and his retinue of knights and companions who were watching how the Hellhounds were doing through a spyglass. When he watched Lucina begin her mad dash toward Toldrin''s walls he had a smile on his face and held a laugh in his chest as he believed he would bear witness to her embarrassing death. But his smile quickly faded as the Hellhounds not only didn''t immediately die, they broke through the first line and were causing havoc to Peltaira''s forces.

    "By the gods¡­" a Golden Lion knight muttered as he couldn''t believe his eyes.

    "Annoying to the last," James bitterly spat.

    "Was this not to plan, brother?" Terence rode his horse up to James to gauge his younger brother''s reaction. "I thought you sent the Hellhounds ahead because you knew this would happen which would allow our helsgar to get close enough to begin pelting their walls."

    "How many times must I tell you not to call me ''brother''!? And also, how am I supposed to predict a monster?" James shot back and scowled at his brother.

    "¡­" Terence gave a sad sigh before speaking, "Because that ''monster'' is supposedly our royal family''s dog. She''s been creating absurd situations like this ever since she took command of the Hellhounds which everyone on the front, and anyone paying attention back home, knows about." He kicked his horse into a trot and left James behind while giving one final thought, "As a member of the royal family, your lack of knowledge about our conquest is embarrassing, Crown Prince."

    "You-!?" James'' pride took the hit and his fists clenched around the reins of his horse.

    "Pay him no mind, Crown Prince!" one of the Golden Lions tried to win some points with James. "He throws empty insults at you since he knows the throne will never be his, so it''s all he can do to keep up appearances as a prince."

    "That''s right! You are the future king of Urldrusk, Your Highness James!"

    "¡­Of course." James continued to hide in the rear while his followers endlessly praised him, fueling his fragile ego to remain forever arrogant.

    "¡­" Terence felt a bitter sting in his heart as he rode away from his brother. Their relationship wasn''t always like this and he remembered a time he could openly call James his brother without the fear of being reprimanded. Those peaceful days were long gone, killed by his mother''s ambition for the throne that saw the assassination of the former queen. Stephany being the culprit was the worst kept secret of the kingdom but without any concrete evidence, thanks to the intervention of Duke Ordrin, meant that she couldn''t be convicted or dethroned. The snakes in the nobility and bootlickers looking for a position of power used this opportunity and poisoned James'' innocence into bitter spite, turning him into the foolish prince he is today; all while their father turned a blind eye because he missed his first love. "This is far too rotten to save," Terence mumbled as he rode through his kingdom''s forces to reach the cavalry at the front. "Duke Ordrin?"

    "Prince Terence?" Richard was leading the Azure Hawks in a steady trot to keep pace with the rest of their forces, under the orders of James.

    "Since I am without a retinue, may I borrow the Azure Hawks?" Terence rode up next to Richard and kept pace with him. "We are more than close enough that our escort mission is fulfilled as the helsgar will begin assailing the walls any second. We should not leave fate up to the Hellhounds alone!"

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Well said, Prince Terence," Richard agreed with the sixteen-year-old prince and took the war horn off his belt. The bellow of his horn was picked up by the other cavalry divisions who all began picking up the pace to crash against the disorganized defenders. "Azure Hawks knights! We fly!" The open plains around Toldrin were met with a tidal wave of horses that raced toward the city''s gates to catch up to the Hellhounds.

    "¡­" If James ascended the throne then he would be a puppet for the loyalists, and if Terence ascended the throne he would be a puppet for Duke Ordrin and Mordrist. Terence bit his lip in apprehension as he prayed he could salvage enough power so that the Arlexton royal family wouldn''t be completely wiped out at the end of this power struggle.

    ***

    "What''s the matter? Why aren''t you attacking them!?" Breezeson questioned some of the archers atop the wall who had stopped shooting arrows.

    "My Lord, they''re too close! We''re just as likely to hit our comrades as we are the Hellhounds!" the archer explained.

    "And if you don''t attack then only our comrades will die!" Breezeson barked back. There was a massive hole in their line of spearmen after Lucina ripped their weapons from their hands and broke through to the second line. The Hellhounds also weren''t shy about rushing headlong into the thick of things as, even on horseback, they charged themselves into the waiting defenders seemingly without a care in the world. Even though his troops were managing to cut down a few of them, the Hellhounds were dealing far greater damage than the losses they were taking. "We must focus down-"

    "My Lord!?" the watchman suddenly cried to grab Breezeson''s attention. "The rest of Urldrusk''s forces have begun their attack!"

    "Already!?" Breezeson thought he would have more time to deal with the Hellhounds, but the sight of Urldrusk''s cavalry charge sent fear down his spine. "Sound the horn for our spearmen to focus on the coming charge!"

    "But they''re being cut down by the Hellhounds!" the watchman reported as he watched Peter cleave through four men as he rode past them atop his horse.

    "Then we must focus the Hellhounds on a different target," Chadman proclaimed and stepped forward while snapping his fingers.

    "Do you mean¡­!?" Breezeson tried to ask a question but was interrupted as twenty-five soldiers appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The new troops were adorned with white and black robes that flapped in the wind and on the backs of their robes was sewn a long, serpentine dragon with a white bushy beard that flowed like a river.

    "While half our order is forced to remain by the king''s side, I shall personally lead the remaining Heavenly Dragon sect into battle." Chadman''s proclamation was met with cheers from the archers on the wall. "See to our defenses, Breezeson. Do not allow our Jade to be tarnished."

    "We will lay down our lives for Peltaira!" Breezeson shouted as he watched Chadman and the knight sect leap off the wall.

    ***

    "Die, monst-!?" a Peltairan knight roared as he charged Lucina only to be compacted within his armor. The sight of his blood and guts shooting out of the armor''s gaps demoralized the current group Lucina was dealing with after she abandoned her horse. The horse wasn''t dead, but Lucina couldn''t use all her magic while riding it so she let it go off and fight on its own since it was well-trained; it was currently helping Carl tear into a group of swordsmen. While many would think this made Lucina a sitting duck for the archers to pick off, Lucina was using her wind magic to make a constant stream of wind follow her that knocked away any arrows that flew her way. She wasn''t feeling the least bit tired after using so much magic thanks to her increased magic reserves.

    "Hmm," Lucina hummed to herself as she slowly walked through the carnage. The sounds of weapons clashing against shields and armor, horses neighing and whining as they trampled men under hoof, and the screams of the dying were all Lucina could hear. Her boots splashed in a puddle of blood and the stench of iron assaulted her nostrils as Lady Muz blessed the carnage. It was a world Lucina had grown both familiar and numb to. She turned around to see if the attack had begun and felt a smile play across her lips as she saw Urldrusk''s cavalry join the fray. "Took you long enough."

    "Now!" Thinking she was distracted, four knights jumped Lucina with their weapons raised for the kill.

    "¡­" Blood splattered Lucina''s back as she caused the four men''s armor to implode on them spraying the area in a red mist. Without acknowledging the existence of her would-be killers, Lucina returned her gaze to the looks of fear plastered on the third line of defenders'' faces as she and the Hellhounds had ripped a hole through the second line. "Hurry up and launch the helsgars, I want this to be over with." Lucina saw the fake Olivia standing in front of Toldrin''s gates with a welcoming smile on her face. "¡­I want to go home."

    "Indeed, soon this will be over!" A shout from above drew Lucina''s gaze to the sky and she saw a giant of a man leap off the wall followed by twenty-five others. All twenty-six combatants landed on their feet as if unfazed by jumping from such a height and they stood tall and proud. "Though it will be the forces of Urldrusk that fall this day, Hellhound of the West!"

    "The Saint! It''s Saint Chadman!" the fear-filled faces of the third-line infantry all changed to those of excitement and relief as Chadman entered the battle.

    "The Heavenly Dragon is here!"

    "Our Bloodied Sister has not abandoned us!" The once shattered morale was reformed.

    "Hear me, defenders of Peltaira! I have arrived!" Chadman''s voice echoed across the battlefield demanding attention. "We, the Heavenly Dragon sect, will not see you crumble this day for you have all shown the hearts of warriors! Though you are tired, stand tall and proud as defenders of our home in the faces of our arrogant foes! Though you are distraught, steel yourselves as the day is far from over and we may grasp victory from the jaws of the invaders. Though-!" Interrupting his speech came a massive boulder which was launched from Urldrusk''s catapults that Lucina yanked out of the sky with her magic and sent directly at Chadman. "HA!" White and black energy swirled and flowed like water around Chadman''s hands as he struck the incoming boulder with his palm. The strike shattered the massive boulder sending its debris harmlessly into the dirt. Breathing out a sigh, Chadman''s aura deactivated and he straightened himself up to stand as tall as he could while the dust settled around him. "It is rude to interrupt your senior, Hellhound," he chastised.

    "You were putting me to sleep, despite being so loud," Lucina taunted back as she allowed the other boulders to fly unimpeded. Toldrin''s wall shook from the impacts but remained standing and didn''t appear to take much damage. "They aren''t even using big enough boulders," Lucina complained when she noticed the sizes of the boulders James was having the catapults use.

    "You come to our walls with such insignificant toys?" Chadman bellowed and brushed some debris off his shoulders. "I will have words with your king by this war''s end for daring to send children while he hides himself away."

    "Stop assuming you''ll live," Lucina flatly stated as she was getting a headache from how loud Chadman was being. Stamping her foot, Lucina caused stone spikes to erupt out of the ground beneath the Heavenly Dragons to impale them.

    "Foolish!" Chadman yelled as he and his twenty-five knights all leaped into the air and landed on the tips of the spikes completely unharmed. With his hands behind his back, Chadman continued to chastise Lucina, "You lack patience and underestimate your opponent! Even though you are a child, I would have expected you to be on the battlefield long enough to have heard stories of the Heavenly Dragons. Your ignorance disturbs me."

    "Are you trying to teach me, now?" Lucina was getting annoyed.

    "While we are enemies, it is the duty of the old to teach the young so that they may grow into better individuals. And you, Hellhound, are in dire need of teaching."

    "I don''t need your lessons, Heavenly Dragon." Lucina noticed that no one was attacking her anymore and all of Peltaira''s defenders were giving her a wide berth; it was as if they were leaving her to Chadman. "And I do know who you are, I just don''t take the time to learn more about cowards who hide in their capital while their kingdom burns."

    "You da-!" One of the Heavenly Dragons tried to object but was swiftly silenced by a raised hand from Chadman.

    "Unfortunately, being a coward was not by choice as my king ordered me to remain and protect him from the assassins your king loves to send," Chadman poked. "You also speak highly for someone who serves a ''coward who hid in their capital'' as I don''t recall your Crown Prince ever taking part in the war prior to today."

    "That''s because he''s here to steal the credit," Lucina stated matter-of-factly which caused Chadman to burst out laughing. "¡­?"

    "It seems we are both cursed with servitude to incompetent crowns," Chadman continued to laugh whole-heartedly much to the chagrin of his companions.

    "¡­Shut up." Lucina felt her nerves start to fray as she was getting a worse and worse headache from Chadman''s voice.

    "Though it is late, I, Tao Chadman, greet you, Hellhound of the West! Know that this day you will fall and become another page in my legend for future generations to study from."

    "Shut up!" The pounding in her head worsened.

    "Are you losing your nerves when faced with-"

    "Shut the fuck up!" Lucina lifted her left hand and created a tornado of dust and debris around the Heavenly Dragon knights.

    "Such wind?" While Chadman knew of Lucina''s exploits, seeing it was far different from reading a report. "But magic won''t-" Chadman''s words were drowned out as Lucina snapped the fingers of her right hand and ignited the tornado with her fire magic. The whirlwind of flames reached above Toldrin''s walls as the fire burned to match Lucina''s rage. Nearby Peltairan troops ran away from the flames that threatened to consume them, and the remaining Hellhound knights began gathering at Lucina''s side upon seeing the fire tornado.

    "¡­So annoying," Lucina spat to the side as her head continued to throb.

    "Commander!? Are you alright?" Peter rode his horse next to Lucina and called down to the girl.

    "Hah, so much for the Heavenly Dragon Saint!" Carl laughed as the fire tornado continued to burn.

    "He''s not dead," Lucina bitterly stated as she drank a magic potion.

    "What do yo-!?"

    "!!!" The fire tornado erupted and dispersed as the deafening roar of a monster shook the battlefield. From beyond the red-hot flames came waves of white and black energy that snuffed them away before coiling up into the air. The energy transformed and morphed its form into a long, serpentine body covered in luminescent scales with a spine of spikes. A long snout filled with razor-sharp teeth and whose long beard flowed like a river extended from a reptilian head that had the antlers of a deer extending out its back. Chadman''s aura shaped itself into the terrifying visage of a member of the long-extinct dragon species, and it banished Lucina''s magic since Chadman had mastered the technique to make himself immune to magic attacks.

    "Your arrogance is beyond measure, and your power without check!" Chadman''s voice dripped with anger as he stood at the head of his knight sect. Six Heavenly Dragon knights had been burnt to a crisp in Lucina''s attack as they had yet to master the immunity technique, but that revealed the remaining nineteen members standing to be formidable Auristers. Chadman shed a single tear for his fallen comrades who had to die to such reckless hate and his body rippled with his aura that wafted off him in waves as he jumped off the stone spike and landed on the ground. "Hellhound, you are courting death!"

 The Butcher of Toldrin

    "What is that!?" Thomas gasped as Chadman''s aura dragon loomed over the battlefield and stared down at Lucina. The Azure Hawks were fighting their way through the first line of spearmen when Lucina''s fire tornado and Chadman''s dragon seemed to put a trance over the battle which caused all the combatants to stop fighting and forced them to bear witness to the confrontation between the Hellhounds and Heavenly Dragon knights.

    "Saint Chadman," Richard muttered under his breath. He had heard of the legendary Saint of Lady Muz from prisoners of war he captured but this was his first time seeing the power a Saint of the Bloodied Sister wielded. An overwhelming pressure suffocated the battlefield as the dragon''s thundering roar shook their very bones. "What''s go- Prince Terence!?" Richard''s thoughts were interrupted as Terence veered his horse and started riding toward the hole in the first line the Hellhounds had made.

    "¡­Damn it!" Terence spat as he rode. While he was weary of Lucina, she was also their best bet at winning this war so he couldn''t let her, a Magister, face Chadman since she would be at a clear disadvantage against the Aurister. They were on the cusp of victory so he couldn''t allow her to fall. He rounded the corner of the stone spike wall that Elise had made to keep the hole open and kicked his horse into a fast gallop. "Don''t you dare die, Hellhound!"

    ***

    "¡­Hmm," I hummed to myself as I stared up at the aura dragon. It was certainly an imposing sight since dragons have been extinct for hundreds of years so to see such a lifelike rendition of one would probably have shaken most people. But, we''re Hellhounds.

    "Do you think we can harvest it?" Carl asked while his grip tightened around his axe, proving my point.

    "It''s made of aura, it will disappear once the Saint dies," Peter brought reason to Carl''s bullshit.

    "But it looks pretty solid, and can''t powerful Auristers solidify their aura?" Carl justified. "Since he''s a Saint that must mean he''s powerful, so who says we can''t harvest it for materials?"

    "If we can kill him and it remains, I''ll let you try," I decided to humor Carl since it would do us good to be in high spirits. "First, we need to-"

    "Hear me, defenders of Peltaira!" Chadman''s annoyingly loud voice interrupted me and drew my attention with another one of his indulgent speeches. "You are to stand back!" Oh? I looked around and saw Peltaira''s troops back further away from us. "I do not wish for your lives to be snuffed out by such reckless hate! The Heavenly Dragon sect shall personally deal with the Hellhounds!"

    "..." So, he has a bleeding heart for his troops¡­I can use that.

    "None may interfere with this duel between orders; only those of the Hellhounds or the Heavenly Dragons may participate! Is that satisfactory for you, Hellhound of the West?" Chadman addressed me with a composed voice but his eyes were clearly filled with anger at the loss of his six knights. This is probably a way for him to try and focus me on only his order and allow the rest of Peltaira''s troops some breathing room.

    "That sounds fine. We will abide by that rule," I lied. This man is far too obsessed with appearing honorable in war even though all that matters is who''s left standing. "Hellhounds, dismount!"

    "You would give up your mounted advantage?" Chadman asked while watching my knights get off their horses. "Do you now insult me and my order, Hellhound?"

    "Yes." The best thing to do is rile him up so that he stops critically thinking. "We do not need our horses to beat you. Carl?" I motioned with my hand to the members of the Heavenly Dragons. "Lead the men in dealing with them. Peter? Test how far you''ve grown against the Saint."

    "Tch, Peter gets to have all the fun," Carl spat but didn''t go against my order and he motioned for the other Hellhounds to follow him.

    "It takes an Aurister to match an Aurister Saint," Peter replied dryly but I caught a hint of pride in his tone at being allowed to go against Chadman. "Will you be alright?" he asked and turned back to me.

    "I''m completely useless in this duel," I lied to further throw Chadman off my intentions so that he would hopefully start to ignore me and I gave a shrug. "I''ll be here drinking in peace since I''m still thirsty." I pulled another magic potion off my belt and started to drink it.

    "As you say, Commander." Peter understood my intentions and readied himself.

    "¡­Very well." Chadman was doing a good job hiding how he felt about my insult and I saw him get into a martial arts stance as he faced Peter. "We shall show you the folly of your actions and shallowness of your thought. Deal with them, Heavenly Dragons!"

    "Yes, Saint!" the nineteen surviving Heavenly Dragons spoke in unison, leaped down from the stone spikes they stood on, and charged us.

    "Rip them apart, Hellhounds!" I shouted.

    "Got it!" they responded and followed Carl to meet the Heavenly Dragons. Even though they were wearing only robes, the Heavenly Dragons all were powerful Auristers who were using the technique to wear their aura like armor tougher than steel.

    "Die, Hellhounds!" one of them shouted and thrust their sword through the stomach of one of my knights, not even the knight''s armor could stop the aura-infused blade. Judging by their cocky smile, they figured this would be a cakewalk since very few of the Hellhounds were Auristers. "Just like your hubris, you-!?!" When they tried to retrieve their sword from the man''s gut, the impaled Hellhound knight grabbed the arm of the Heavenly Dragon with a grip so tight they couldn''t shake them off. Despite calling us overconfident and arrogant, the Heavenly Dragons seem to be forgetting something very important; the numbers advantage. "What are yo-!?" While there were nineteen remaining Heavenly Dragon knights, there were seventy-three remaining Hellhounds. The Heavenly Dragon knight tried again to pull their arm away only to be attacked by a second Hellhound knight whose mace deflected off their aura. "Filthy Hellho-!?!" A third knight attacked from the rear with a sword that was also deflected. A fourth started frantically slamming their shield into the Heavenly Dragon in a series of continuous blows that the others copied and they all started hammering their weapons against the enemy''s aura armor. And finally, a fifth dropped their weapon and grappled the Heavenly Dragon knight''s free arm leaving them open to Carl who taught our enemy the other important thing they seemed to have forgotten; even if their aura is as strong as steel, steel eventually breaks.

    "Die!" Carl yelled and brought his axe down on the Heavenly Dragon knight''s left shoulder with enough force to shatter the aura armor and cleave through their collar bone, down their ribcage, and stopping in their stomach leaving the corpse nearly bisected.

    "What is this!?" Chadman exclaimed as he watched my Hellhounds throw themselves against his Heavenly Dragons with reckless abandon. "That man isn''t even an Aurister!"

    "You see, Saint," I decided to humor him after finishing the current potion, "While solidifying your aura to use as armor is certainly a powerful technique it comes with a major flaw; it wraps around the whole Aurister as a single piece." I smiled as understanding dawned on Chadman''s face. "If a piece of conventional armor breaks under duress then you are still left with the remaining pieces of plate, but if armor made from aura ''breaks'' then you lose all protection. And since you Peltairans love to fill your ranks with Auristers, we Hellhounds have had more than enough practice to perfect killing Auristers!" I laughed as the Heavenly Dragons were being swarmed and cut down by my knights even if we were also quickly losing numbers. For every Hellhound they managed to kill another three would take their place in the swarm and keep up the assault until the Heavenly Dragon''s aura collapsed and they were torn apart since all they were left with was flimsy cloth robes. "Death by a thousand cuts, to put it simply," I laughed before drinking another magic potion.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Is that how you justify throwing away the lives of your men?"

    "Most of my men don''t even have a home to return to, Saint," I corrected. "Killing as many of you as we can is our purpose; making it back is a bonus."

    "Mere hounds think themselves worthy of killing the dragon!?" Chadman yelled and he charged a group of Hellhound knights with his fist raised to strike. "Perish!"

    "I''m your opponent!" Peter intercepted Chadman''s charge and blocked the strike with his great sword.

    "Move!" Chadman''s dragon descended onto the battlefield, snaked behind him, and fused itself with his fist in the strike against Peter''s blade.

    "NGH!" Peter''s knees threatened to buckle but did not break and he held firm as his feet dug into the dirt from the immense pressure of stopping Chadman''s blow. His great sword exploded in blue flames as he poured all his aura into countering Chadman''s strike. Jets of blue fire and waves of black and white aura erupted from the point of impact as both Auristers refused to relent.

    "Oh? You hold yourself well against my strike," Chadman complimented Peter as he broke off the clash by sending Peter skidding away, and he surrounded himself with his black-and-white aura. "But dragons were the originators of aura; Lady Muz''s chosen teachers for humanity! Do not think a mere hound can match such sovereign authority!" The aura dragon materialized behind Chadman and followed his fist as he charged Peter.

    "¡­!" Peter matched Chadman''s fist with a horizontal sword strike that Chadman blocked with his punch. Thanks to his aura technique, Chadman''s fist was completely unharmed from blocking the great sword. Their auras exploded against each other as Chadman continued to block and deflect Peter''s strikes while Peter put everything he had into just trying to land a proper hit against Chadman. Did Chadman forget he was originally angry that my knights were cutting down his in favor of testing Peter? Maybe he was a battle pervert. If he wanted to test Peter''s mettle then that''s fine, so long as he continues to ignore me and lets me drink more potions.

    "Your name was Peter, was it not?" Chadman asked as he batted away another of Peter''s strikes. "Though we are enemies, allow me to acknowledge your strength. Had you been born in Peltaira, I would have done all I could to bring you into the Heavenly Dragons. But alas," he said and brought his fist back for a proper attack, "I shall not offer the same fortune to my enemies! Now, di-!?" A hint of movement caught Chadman''s eyes and he diverted his fist to a palm strike that blocked a longsword attack aimed at his neck. "Who dares interfere!?" Aura as dark as night descended upon Chadman like the maw of a starved beast.

    "You fall this day, Saint!" Terence cried out as he assaulted Chadman with his aura that warped around his sword. I was wondering what he was doing riding toward us and it turns out he was trying to assassinate Chadman. Was stealing credit some kind of quirk in the Arlexton bloodline? I drank another magic potion. "Fall!" Terence bounced his blade off Chadman''s palm, spun to the right, and thrust his sword in an attempt to stab the Saint''s stomach. "Tch!?" But Terence''s sword, even when infused with his black aura, bounced off Chadman''s aura armor.

    "HA!" An explosion of black and white aura erupted from Chadman sending both Peter and Terence flying back as the aura dragon reemerged and loomed over the battlefield. Chadman straightened himself up to glare at Terence and chastised the prince, "Panther of Urldrusk, you interfere in matters you have no right in!" He turned to me and spoke, "You sully yourself by allowing an outsider into our duel, Hellhound of the West!"

    "Actually¡­" Let''s stoke his anger some more. "Prince Terence has been without official retinue for quite some time. I cannot allow one of my kingdom''s princes to be left alone in a war so as the acting commander of the Hellhound knight order I appoint His Highness Prince Terence Arlexton as a temporary member of the Hellhounds," I announced and gave Chadman an innocent smile.

    "Those who bend the rules are doomed to be broken by them!" Chadman tried to give more sage advice but I ignored him and drank another magic potion. I was starting to feel queasy with how many potions I had already drank but I needed more. The dragon swooped down and fused with Chadman as he charged me and I threw my sword in front of me. "You have breathed long enough! I shall cleanse the world of your evil once and for-!?!"

    "S-Saint!?!" Chadman''s fist instantly stopped as it was about to impact the chest of a Peltairan swordsman who I yanked with my gravity magic to the sword that I threw between us; just like I thought he would.

    "Hellhound of the West¡­" Chadman sounded very mad and his eyes were burning with hate. "You dare use human shields!?" I smiled innocently at him in response. "I demand an answer, Hel-!?!"

    "Woah!?!" Altering the gravity magic, I sent the swordsman flying toward Chadman.

    "What are yo-OH!?" When Chadman tried to safely catch the swordsman, he was hit in the back by a different Peltairan swordsman. Two Peltairans were now stuck to Chadman; one to his front and one to his back. "¡­This is-?"

    "Impossible?" I finished his question and gave him the answer he sought, "Normally you''d be right, if I was using you as the point of gravity then it would instantly fail since you''re immune to magic attacks while your aura is active. But, Saint, what if you''re not the target of the attack? What if I set their points of gravity to each other and you just happen to be in between them?"

    "!?!" Chadman''s face flashed with panic but it was too late to stop me. Thanks to all the magic potions I drank earlier my magic reserves were overflowing and I could execute my plan on how to deal with the Saint if Peter wasn''t strong enough to kill him on his own; even with Terence''s help it was safer to go with this plan.

    "W-W-What''s going-!?!" We were surrounded by Peltaira''s forces which meant I had plenty of bodies to choose from to bury Chadman! I threw my arms out to the side and began altering the gravity of multiple Peltairan''s cuirasses so that they would fly toward and begin covering Chadman who couldn''t break free unless he used his aura and attacked the point of my magic; his fellow Peltairans. It was a cruel strategy but it seems to be working since he isn''t breaking free and I don''t have the time or patience to ''honorably'' deal with a Saint.

    "N-N-No! No! No!!!"

    "What is this!?!"

    "S-Save me!!!"

    "Saint Chadman!!! Please!?!" More men continued to fly through the air as I grabbed more and more people to bury the Saint. Once one of them was buried, I let them go from my magic so I could refocus my magic on additional Peltairans. He hesitated too long and it was now too late for him to break my magic since none of the people directly touching him were being influenced by my magic meaning he would need to use his aura and cut his way through his still-living troops.

    "!!!" The aura dragon materialized and roared in anguish, but it was still there which meant Chadman hadn''t been crushed to death yet, but he also refused to strike his comrades. Was he willing to let himself die before being forced to ''dishonorably'' kill his allies?

    "¡­Stubborn bastard," I cursed under my breath. My head started pounding as the dragon continued to roar. "Will you shut up!?" Using the sword I threw earlier, I cast wind magic to send it flying into the air, thrust my right hand into the air aimed at the sword, and altered the gravity of the pile of people to the sword so they would fly up and begin condensing in the air around the sword. I had to crush him from all angles so he couldn''t escape. I had to crush him so this throbbing in my head would stop! "Be quiet!"

    "¡­Commander?" I couldn''t see his face but Peter sounded both astonished and afraid. I needed more bodies to add to the pile so I started altering the gravity of Peltairan corpses to send as well as their living troops. My once overflowing magic reserves now burned and were rapidly depleting to the point I could only continue doing this for a few more seconds before I was completely burnt out and would suffer magic exhaustion.

    "!!!" The dragon gave a pained cry as I intensified the gravity of the ball of bodies whose screams of pain from being compacted mixed with the dragon''s. But it still screamed. The dragon still lived.

    "Shut up!" My head felt like it was going to split open and I could feel the blood vessels in my eyes bursting! "Shut up! Shut up! Shut the fuck up and die!" Blood began trickling out of my ears and nose as my body recoiled from how rapidly my magic was draining.

    "More~!" The fake Olivia materialized in front of me and was floating in the air just under the ball. "More, Lucina~!" No, she wasn''t floating, she was standing on a mountain of thorns that was bursting out of my chest; my soul''s garden of briars.

    "!?!" More bodies flew into the ball and were crushed. Geysers of blood exploded out of the ball because of how much pressure it was under only for the blood to circle back around and return as if the ball was creating its own gravitational pull. The sound it was making was impossible to forget: it was like the crinkling and dissolving of bone mixed with the sizzling of blood against molten metal and accented by the wails of the damned. There must be something wrong with my eyes since I couldn''t see the ball of bodies clearly anymore as a weird heat haze was warping my vision and it looked like the ball was starting to glow.

    "More~! Kill the Saint and end this war~!" But the dragon was still there.

    "!?!" The dragon kept roaring.

    "Commander!?!" My head was splitting open.

    "Save¡­us!?!" I want to go home.

    "Lucina!?!" I¡­

    "I want to see Olivia."

    ***

    A sound that would later be described as a mix of shattering glass and fracturing ice demanded the world into silence. There was not a hint of wind to blow through the grass, an animal to cry out for attention, or even a demon to roar and cause chaos as the world would not allow anything to disturb this moment. Floating above Toldrin''s wall for all to see, both within and without the city, was a massive ''hole'' in the sky itself. The hole was a horizontally elongated rhombus shape with its corners slightly rounded and its edges made of cracks as if it was a hole punched into a pane of glass that refused to fully shatter. Beyond the hole was a sight that captivated, intrigued, and frightened those gathered to see it as it was an impossible sight; beyond the hole in the sky was Gorinville, the capital of Urldrusk. Those closest to the hole could see the citizens of Gorinville going about their lives even though the hole looked like it was also high above the capital''s streets. And obstructing the hole, at its very center, was the ball of corpses that Lucina had created using her gravity magic. The ball wasn''t a perfect sphere and appeared lumpy with odd ''growths'' sticking off it. In the official reports written by survivors of the battle: the hole and ball looked like a massive eye whose pupil was an unknowable obelisk.

 A Long Wars End

    "Ah~, there''s nothing like a delicious cup of tea with baked treats to pass the time," Cassandra said before munching on a freshly baked cookie. "Plenty of sugar to keep us going on our busy schedule!"

    "Ugh," Olivia groaned and leaned back in her chair already exhausted and wanting nothing more than to go to sleep despite it only being noon. She and Cassandra were eating snacks while overlooking the main market street of Gorinville from a private terrace on the third floor of a restaurant. Cassandra was wearing a surprisingly simple light pink dress with very few frills or accessories; she said it was to make her like a flower that would later ''bloom'' when the social season officially began. Olivia was taking the opportunity to wear something other than gold since it was almost standardized into her wardrobe thanks to James, and she was enjoying the warm weather in a sky blue dress that was accented with loose-fitting, short, sleeves that transitioned like a gradient into pure white. "We already went to two breakfast gatherings, how much more is there to do today?"

    "Well¡­" Cassandra mused and snapped her fingers.

    "You called, my Lady?" A sixteen-year-old boy wearing a simple knight''s outfit of sturdy leather boots, simple brown pants, a white shirt covered in a chainmail shirt, and a tabard with the Lyllium family crest of a pink hummingbird embroidered onto it entered the terrace. His short hair was a light brown that glowed in the sunlight, and his soft green eyes sparkled under his bangs.

    "What''s left on our agenda, Kent?"

    "After a short break for tea and snacks," Kent began after pulling out a notebook, "Countess Barrington is hosting a luncheon at her mansion, Lady Isore''s salon begins shortly after at her boutique, there''s a gathering at the park to enjoy the returning swans which many noble daughters will be attending, then-"

    "Agh!" Olivia''s head hit the table as she was losing the strength to keep going. "Why is every day so packed when the season hasn''t even officially started? Can''t we cut some things out?"

    "This is the cut-down schedule, though," Cassandra answered matter-of-factly causing Olivia''s head to hit the table once again. "Be lucky we rented out the whole floor, our future queen shouldn''t be seen by the masses sulking like this."

    "¡­Why, whatever do you mean, Lady Lyllium?" In an instant, Olivia straightened her posture, gently brushed her hair off her face so the sun would shimmer as her hair fluttered to her side, and she smiled an elegantly refined smile. Her voice was calm and friendly, but held authority as she spoke, "Please don''t take my earlier misgivings as offense to the efforts you put into our outing today. Spending time with you is always so enjoyable that I sometimes forget to pace myself so that we may enjoy ourselves for the whole day. I hope a momentary slip of decorum doesn''t cause you to think less of me." There was an unseen pressure in the air as Olivia''s eyes dug into Cassandra, and Kent fidgeted with unease.

    "How could I ever think lesser of Her Highness?" Cassandra responded with her head held high and her voice filled with bravado. Her pink fan covered her catlike smile but allowed her haughty gaze to meet Olivia''s stare as she added, "I would never dare look down on the Crown Princess for so elegantly bearing the weight you carry and spending your precious time with me. I just wished to make it certain that since we''re so close you know you can always lean on me for reprieve."

    "¡­"

    "¡­"

    "¡­Pfft!" Olivia and Cassandra both laughed at their little ''prim and proper'' exchange of verbal daggers. While Olivia did tire of having to be seen as perfect at all times while integrating in the social world of the aristocrats it was thanks to Cassandra that she had been able to refine her mask of being a perfect princess. Both girls relaxed their postures as the mood returned to normal and Kent felt relieved that they kept it brief; he still remembered and dreaded the time they went at it for over an hour. "I exaggerate, but it''s regretful that I couldn''t even do my morning practice since we started so early," Olivia bemoaned.

    "That''s why this considerate friend of yours made sure to leave time at the end," Cassandra proudly declared as she waved her pink fan and caused her hair drills to jostle in the breeze. "I know you''re doing your best, so I made sure to leave plenty of time before dinner so you could relax with your sword."

    "Will you be joining me, this time?" Olivia asked excitedly. In order for Cassandra to ''sweep her future husband off his feet'' she was doing some training with Olivia whenever time allowed.

    "Unfortunately, I cannot as I have to prepare to leave for home tonight," Cassandra dejectedly replied. "I received a letter saying my father''s gotten quite sick so I want to return to the barony to help him so he can focus on recovering."

    "Your family''s health takes precedent," Olivia agreed and took a sip of her tea. "I hope it''s nothing too serious and he makes a swift recovery."

    "¡­I think he just misses Mom," Cassandra''s voice was low and her eyes fell to her fan that she now held haphazardly in her hands. "I heard that my mom was injured in a battle so I think the stress finally got to him since that happened just before I received the letter about his sickness."

    "I see¡­" A somber air surrounded the girls as a cool breeze danced through the terrace.

    "¡­" Kent took a slice of lemon tart from the dessert cart next to the table and put it in front of Cassandra.

    "¡­Thank you, Kent," Cassandra gave a nervous laugh and did her best to smile at her escort knight.

    "Of course, my Lady." Kent was from a commoner background and was often looked down on by other knights when he was in the capital, but Cassandra refused to allow anyone besides him to be her escort knight. He was personally picked out by Cassandra to join her family''s knights which allowed Kent to help pay for his family''s living expenses since they were quite poor, so Kent felt a strong sense of duty to Cassandra. His talent with a sword was remarkable for someone without training or a proper background, and Olivia saw him as a gentle giant since he was also taller than his peers.

    "Then I guess I should stop complaining," Olivia joked and stretched her arms to wake herself up. "You said Countess Barrington''s luncheon wa-"

    "!?!" A sound like shattering glass and fracturing ice destroyed the once peaceful day and echoed across the capital. Kent immediately rushed to Cassandra''s side and Mary entered the terrace to cover Olivia as no one knew what was happening.

    "Are you alright, my Lady!?" Mary asked as she checked to see if Olivia was hurt.

    "I''m fine," Olivia controlled her racing heart and looked around the terrace and street below to try and find what could have made such a loud noise. "Cassandra, are you¡­?" When Olivia looked over to check on her friend she saw Cassandra and Kent with looks of horror staring off into the sky. Following their fearful gazes, Olivia turned to the sky to witness an impossible sight; there was a massive hole in the sky. There was a strange object at the center of the hole that was too far away for Olivia to make out what it was, but for some reason, the hole and object reminded her of an eye. And the eye was looking directly at her.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "W-What¡­is that?" Cassandra managed to bring out her trembling voice as she grabbed Kent''s arm for safety. All the citizens of Gorinville turned their attention to the sky and the hole that looked down upon them. From what she could see, Olivia swore she saw a battlefield on the other side of the hole and a city of red and jade.

    "¡­?" She swore something called out to her from the hole and Olivia outstretched her arm toward it only for the hole to shut a few moments later; the eye closed and left the capital stunned. The strange phenomenon would become the talk of the nobility and commoners alike for the next few days until word reached them from the frontline about a startling declaration from the royal family.

    ***

    When the hole in the sky shut over Toldrin it left the ball of bodies suspended in the air as if held up by an unseen hand, but that hand didn''t last long. The ball plummeted to the ground and created a small crater with its impact because of how solid and dense it was. When it hit the ground, all the grass and plant life in a twenty-meter radius burst into flame from the intense heat the ball gave off. Waves of heat and haze obscured the ball that sizzled and boiled in the crater. Then the ball began to bleed.

    "¡­What¡­is this?" As the haze around the ball began dissipating, those around could finally see the surface of the ball in all its horror. The metal armor of the corpses had melted and mixed with the blood and flesh under the heat and pressure forming a cast around the ball. Faces of agony and anguish, horror and pain were forever captured in the cast that had since solidified. The ''growths'' on the ball were the crispy arms and legs of those who tried to break free only to have their limbs burnt to a crisp since they were not covered by the cast.

    "M-Monster¡­Monster!!!" a Peltairan soldier screamed and backed away from the ball and burning grass as molten blood began oozing out of the holes in the cast. The boiling blood was as thick as tar as it oozed down the surface of the ball giving it a disgusting sheen in the sun.

    "¡­" Peter slowly got to his feet and could feel his throat drying out from the intense heat. "¡­Commander?" He turned to Lucina who was standing completely still just out of the ball''s fire circle; the flames licked at Lucina''s ankles but never advanced toward her.

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t speak and the wind whipped her disheveled brown hair over her face.

    "Comma-"

    "Peter¡­" Lucina''s voice was barely a whisper, but the battlefield was so silent that Peter could still hear her from where he was. It sounded like she was in immense pain and was speaking through grit teeth, "Horse." Her body started to wobble and sway.

    "¡­!" Peter immediately ran over to his horse which was nearby, mounted and rode it over to Lucina, and scooped her into his arm before sitting her down in front of him in the saddle and pulled her hood over her head. "Hear me, defenders of Peltaira!" Peter shouted with his voice echoing across the silent plains outside the city walls and drew upon the fear of the horror that everyone had just witnessed. "Your saint lies dead in a batter of corpses! Your lines are shattered with no hope of repair! Lay down your arms! Lay down your arms or Toldrin will become nothing more than a sea of crimson monuments!" Peter gestured with his great sword toward the ball of corpses with one arm while the other did its best to keep the now unconscious Lucina upright in the saddle. They held the advantage of fear on their side but only if the Peltairans believed Lucina was still combat ready so Peter was doing his best to speed things along and force a decision before they were found out. Seconds of silence passed as both the Peltairan and Urldrusk forces didn''t know what to do after what they had just experienced.

    "I¡­surrender." Then the first Peltairan threw down their weapon and raised his hands. His whole body was visibly shaking beneath his armor and his eyes kept glancing between the ball of corpses and Peter atop his horse with Lucina whose face was covered in the shadow of her hood.

    "M-Mercy!" A domino effect started as another soldier threw down their axe and shield, and got down on their hands and knees to begin begging.

    "Mercy, please!"

    "I-I also surrender!"

    "Spare the citizens! They have done no wrong!"

    "¡­" Breezeson watched from atop his tower while all his forces began throwing their weapons aside as their morale was completely shattered; though he couldn''t really blame them as he, too, felt his will to keep fighting break. He spoke to his watchman without looking at them, "Sound the horn for our surrender¡­and open the gates." His fists clenched with apprehension and worry. "Immediately send word back to the palace of our defeat and of the death of Saint Chadman¡­to our king."

    "A-At once, my Lord!" the watchman replied and blew into his horn the signal to surrender which was picked up by all the horns along Toldrin''s wall.

    "¡­" Terence got to his feet in a daze and tried to make sense of what was happening. He had been completely useless against Chadman, even with Peter''s support, yet Lucina was able to beat an Aurister who had mastered the magic nullification technique with her magic. Dread and anxiety started infecting his heart as the weight of what The Harbinger of Zulm truly was pressed down on his mind. The corpse ball before him sizzled in a pool of boiling blood. A monster at the age of twelve that defied all Terence thought he knew, and his brother held her leash. He turned his gaze to Peter and Lucina and swallowed the lump in his throat. Her face wasn''t visible but Terence could tell that Lucina wasn''t conscious from how her body was swaying in the saddle. He had wanted to increase his fame by saving the renowned Harbinger and defeating Chadman, but Lucina never needed saving and her victory would be spun to increase James'' fame instead. Terence had lost.

    "Make way! Make way!" a commanding cry echoed out, and Terence turned to see a precession of white and golden armored knights on horseback riding toward Toldrin''s gates; the Golden Lions arrived to steal the show with James at the head. "The Little Lion of Urldrusk, Crown Prince James Arlexton has arrived to discuss the terms of Peltaira''s surrender! Open the gates now or you forfeit the lives of all those who dwell within your walls!" Even though they hated her, the Golden Lions were now changing their tune and using Lucina as if she were their trump card. Terence couldn''t help but bitterly chuckle at how well the Golden Lions were acting since he saw them taking worried glances at the corpse ball and Lucina. James was doing his best to not look but his face was paler than it should be for someone who ''won'' the day.

    "Stand clear! We''re opening the gates!" The massive gates of Toldrin swung open with the help of massive chains revealing the Jade Jewel of the East.

    "And thus the east falls to me," James laughed as he led his knights into the streets of Toldrin. But before he did, James turned to his brother and barked, "Stay here with the others and see to the prisoners! I assume you can do that much?"

    "¡­I will see it done." Terence bit his lip as James and the Golden Lion knights rode off to make history without him. He turned his attention to the remaining Peltairans who were being detained by Urldrusk''s forces. Richard Ordrin was doing his best to keep order along his front while Kyrie Mordrist worked to maintain order on hers, and both dukes did their best to make up for the fact that Duke Hoffman and his Olive Lynx knights were deciding to man the perimeter and not help out with the prisoners. The Hellhounds were licking their wounds and counting their living; of the one hundred knights that rode into the battle with Lucina only forty-three still stood. Lucina was still sitting in Peter''s saddle but Elise had rushed over and was doing all she could to heal Lucina''s wounds and try to help her regain consciousness. She was both the crux and poison to James'' fame. Terence sheathed his sword and deactivated his aura; he needed a new plan if he was to claim the throne and he would pour all his resources into finding out Lucina''s weaknesses to make it happen.

    ***

    Women and children huddled in their homes, closed their windows, and silently prayed as the Golden Lion knights rode through Toldrin''s streets while being escorted by Breezeson. The city, usually filled with life and the sounds of people, was deathly quiet and bare with only the clopping of hooves on stone reverberating through the streets and alleyways. The royal palace of Toldrin rose tall above all other buildings which caused James to laugh, "They live in a tower of houses?" James had never seen a pagoda before despite them being common in Peltaira. The deep red wood and black tile of the palace contrasted the green stone that led up to it and the Golden Lions were led to the palace gates where a large group of people, along with the rest of the Heavenly Dragon sect, waited for them.

    "Your Majesty!" Breezeson got off his horse and got down on his hands and knees to prostrate himself before the king of Peltaira.

    "Breezeson¡­" The king was an wrinkly, elderly man whose face was covered in a white bushy beard and whose scalp was as barren as his honor. The king looked over to the Golden Lions before addressing Breezeson once more, "You have allowed our Jade to be tarnished, led your men to a humiliating defeat, and even cost us the life of a Saint due to your incompetence." The king pushed all blame onto Breezeson despite James noticing quite a few Heavenly Dragons glaring at the king''s back.

    "I am sorry, Your Majesty!"

    "You and your family will be disemboweled and fed to the seagulls along the piers, and all those within three generations of you will be sent to the mines in Myu for such a disgrace to our kingdom."

    "Your Maje-!"

    "Little Lion of Urldrusk," the king ignored Breezeson''s pleas as he was dragged off by palace guards, and addressed James. "Have you come to see me grovel? Come to make the last king of Peltaira, as appointed by the heavens, show shame?" While it was true that the first king of Peltaira, Ji Toldrin, was chosen by Lady Muz to lead the Peltairan people, the current king and royal family was actually a branch family that staged a coup to claim the throne and barely held any claim to Toldrin''s legacy; but they held just enough blood to be considered legitimate.

    "You almost sound like you''d enjoy it, King Pi¨¤nzi." James deliberately didn''t address the king by his last name of Toldrin to drive home that the current royalty didn''t deserve the name.

    "Though you may have bested my kingdom, I am still a king!" Pi¨¤nzi demanded respect when not even his retinue would show him any. Without being prompted as if to show some kind of resolve, Pi¨¤nzi took the ornate crown he wore off his head and offered it to James. "Go ahead then, Little Lion, claim your feast."

    "No."

    "¡­What?" Pi¨¤nzi and all his attendants looked confused at James'' refusal to take Peltaira''s crown which was how nations showed their defeat. "Is this some new insult? The Crown of Divine Heaven''s Credence and Splendor is not good enough for you?"

    "You keep jumping to conclusions without even listening to a word I have to say," James said and gave an annoyed sigh which got a laugh out of his knights. The tension in the air was mounting as James gave Pi¨¤nzi a smile and said, "I''m saying you may keep your crown because you will still be king of Peltaira."

    "Still¡­king?"

    "Give me your ears, nobles, attendants, knights, and all those who preside over Peltaira! I, Crown Prince James Arlexton, bring the conditions of your surrender as decreed by my father, King Marcus Arlexton!" James took a scroll out of a pouch around his waist and unfurled it. "With the fall of Peltaira, the entire North Kelica continent is now under rightful rulership of the Arlexton bloodline! Such a vast swath of land is ours by right but such vastness requires more than a kingdom may provide! Henceforth from this day, April twentieth of the five-hundredth year since the Last Dragon''s Fall, the kingdoms of Urldrusk and Peltaira shall be unified under the banner of an empire whose reach governs from coast to coast! From this day forth, the Empire of Arlexia is born!"

 Praise Laced with Malice

    "The knights have returned! Make way! Make way!" The citizens of Gorinville lined the boulevard to cheer and get a chance to watch the triumphant return of the knight orders as they paraded through the capital. Since they didn''t need to worry about stopping to fight, it took the knights just over two months to march from Toldrin back to Gorinville. James and the Golden Lions led the parade to be the first to bask in their citizens'' praises. Children threw yellow and white flower petals from the upper floors of the taller buildings that got swept along by a gentle summer breeze adding a majestic air to the parade. All the participating knights had made sure their armor was polished and not a speck of dirt was on their clothes to show the people a beautiful sight upon their return; all save one. Bringing up the rear of the parade were the Hellhound knights led by a young girl in a robe that refused to wash clean. Even if the Hellhounds had an infamous reputation, the people were so swept up in the joyous occasion that they kept cheering even for them.

    "¡­" A white flower petal fluttered in front of Lucina who caught it between her gloved fingers. Despite the gloves, Lucina felt a warmth from the white petal which caused her to smile.

    "Who would''ve thought," Carl joked from beneath his helmet, "They''re actually cheering for us? You think they even know who we are?"

    "The Hellhounds are too well known for them not to," Jeremy replied and gave a wave to some of the onlookers.

    "Sinicism has no place in a parade, Carl," Elise teased as she smiled at a group of children who waved at her.

    "It''s not my fault I dislike it that they''re only happy to see us since we won a war," Carl complained. "Any other day and they''d be avoiding us like a plague. Right, Lucina?"

    "¡­" Lucina remained silent as she allowed the white flower petal to be picked up by the breeze and fly away.

    "Lucina?" Carl called out again but Lucina still didn''t respond or even motion to show she heard him. The others exchanged worried glances as Lucina started acting strange as soon as they made it to the capital. "Lu-"

    "We''re almost at the palace," Lucina finally spoke but didn''t turn around or acknowledge Carl''s previous statements. "Peter, get everyone situated so they can enjoy the festival but make sure they don''t get too rowdy."

    "Yes, Commander." Peter waited for her to keep speaking, but Lucina once more fell silent. The Hellhounds quietly brought up the rear of the parade all the way to the palace and to the royal family who waited for them.

    ***

    "Now entering! Crown Prince James Arlexton and Second Prince Terence Arlexton!" James and Terence entered the grand throne room with their heads held high as a servant announced their entrance. They wore matching outfits that displayed the grandeur and wealth of the royal family, but Terence''s was black and gold while James wore white and gold. The throne room was filled with nobles from across Urldrusk who were dressed in their finest clothes to match the triumphant and festive occasion. Banners of all the participating knight orders hung from the stone pillars that lined the room, and a rich red carpet was rolled out that led from the entrance to the steps just below the throne. A few of the nobles were already well into their drinks but were still sober enough to not cause a scene as the leaders of the knights began coming in one at a time to receive a congratulation from Marcus. When the princes were at the foot of the steps leading to the throne they both took a knee and bowed their heads.

    "Welcome, my triumphant sons!" Marcus exclaimed loudly to bring everyone''s attention to him as he rose from his throne. Since this day would be written about extensively in their history books, Marcus wore his finest white and gold suit, the most expensive golden jewelry he owned, and the most luscious golden silk cape the tailors in the capital could make. Stephany remained seated but gave a relieved smile as she saw Terence walking up the aisle of people unharmed. Her white dress and black hair were adorned with gold jewelry that glinted in the light; a pretty doll sitting silently in its place. "It fills my heart with pride seeing you both return after having both braved war for our kingdom¡­no¡­for our empire!" Marcus raised his hand into the air and the nobles applauded the declaration and the two princes. With a motion from his un-raised hand, Olivia stood up from her throne and walked toward the princes. She wore a gold and white dress whose style didn''t really match her and looked a bit too garish on the twelve-year-old girl, but it was picked out by James so she had to wear it for the occasion.

    With a practiced voice that was regal yet soothing, Olivia addressed the princes as she placed a laurel wreath atop each of their heads, "May glory follow your footsteps and wisdom guide your hands as you both continue to give your all for our empire." She offered her hands which both princes took so they may rise, though Terence had to let go as he went to sit next to his mother while James was escorted by Olivia to his throne next to hers. Everyone gave a cheer as the royal family was once more reunited.

    "Now entering! Commander of the Azure Hawks, Duke Richard Ordrin!" After the princes came the leaders of the knight orders to receive their congratulations starting with the dukes and going down by ranks as the precession went on. Richard wore a white and azure blue knight commander''s uniform with a blue and yellow cape fluttering behind him as he ascended the aisle. Mordrist proudly entered in her black knight commander''s uniform with her fur-lined cape trailing behind her, and Hoffman wore an olive green business-style suit with a brown shoulder cape that had golden frills along its edges. Olivia was also surprised and relieved to see Count Lyllium standing tall and proud in her black and pink knight''s uniform as she strode with dignity toward the throne and didn''t let the cast and sling her left arm was in bother her. One by one the leaders of the knight orders entered until there was only one remaining. "Now entering! Commander of the Hellhounds¡­Lucina Felswore!"

    "¡­" All eyes turned to the entrance as a young girl walked alone up the aisle. Despite it being summer, Lucina wore brown, fur-lined winter boots and a pair of thick, dark brown pants. Her white shirt which was barely visible underneath her robe looked to be the cleanest piece of clothing she was wearing since it didn''t have old stains of dirt or blood on it. Thick leather gloves covered her hands which were just poking out of the torn sleeves of her robe. The once pristine, white wizard''s robe was torn and tattered and was a sickly crimson red that brought more unease to her appearance. As she walked past, the nobles closest tried to back away as the stench of rotting iron infected the air around the young girl like a looming shadow. Elise had done her best to brush Lucina''s hair down before she came but it still looked like a thicket of thorns cascading down her back. When she reached the foot of the steps, she took a knee and bowed her head.

    "The prodigal Wizard returns!" Marcus bellowed as he addressed Lucina. He seemed to be ignoring the smell coming off her and continued, "Words of you and your Hellhound''s exploits have reached far and wide, Wizard Felswore. As the youngest of your line, you''ve brought considerable honor to the Felswore house by your actions." Charles, Elizabeth, and Adam were all in attendance and held looks of relief and shock at Lucina''s appearance. "The hardships you faced and the battles you fought for the glory of our newly formed Arlexia were many, and will not go unnoticed." Marcus clapped his hands together before extending them out to the kneeling girl. "Wizard Lucina Felswore, Commander of the Hellhound knights, for your actions in securing our ultimate victory I wish to reward you; more so than any other! Ask and I shall grant you a prize worthy of your deeds!"

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    "¡­!" The nobles started whispering about what a twelve-year-old girl could possibly wish for with many already criticizing her wish despite Lucina not even speaking.

    After a brief silence, Lucina asked, "Are there any restrictions to this prize, Your Majesty?"

    "So long as it is within the realm of possibility for me to grant, I don''t see many," Marcus replied and rubbed his chin, intrigued by the purpose of Lucina''s question. Olivia was tense as she watched Lucina''s unflinching figure and silently cursed Marcus for what he was doing; he was testing her. Marcus offered Lucina a seemingly unconditional wish for her deeds but this was a test of Lucina''s greed and allegiance. The Hellhounds were supposed to be on the royal family''s leash so how greedy was their favored dog, and did it know who its owner was? If Lucina overstepped herself then it could not only affect her but also her family.

    "Then¡­" Lucina said and raised her head to match Marcus'' gaze. Olivia felt her chest tighten in fright as she finally got a good look at Lucina''s face and her broken eyes. Lucina''s gaze was distant and without much focus, and there was a hollowness to her eyes that sent a chill down Olivia''s back as it reminded her of the artwork for the Lucina she knew from the otome game; as did the fake smile she held on her face. But what caused an even greater pain were the next words Lucina spoke, "I would like to ask for the County of Solfin." The nobles threw a fit.

    "Such arrogance!"

    "That is too much!"

    "A child dares-"

    "Silence!" Marcus'' voice echoed throughout the throne room and silenced it. His gaze returned to Lucina and the two stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Marcus asked, "While not the most difficult of wishes for me to grant, I am left with questions as to the why. Solfin is far away not only from the capital, but also your home of Gauldrin as Solfin sits along the western coastline. Not to mention, by seeking to claim the County of Solfin you would need to leave your family as there cannot be two Felswore lines holding equal titles. I ask of you your reasons before giving my decision, Wizard Lucina Felswore." Marcus gestured for Lucina to rise so she may speak while standing, and everyone''s attention was fixated on Lucina. Elizabeth looked like she was about to faint at the thought of Lucina leaving the family after she had just come back from two years at war, and both Charles and Adam had to help keep her steady.

    "Of course, Your Majesty," Lucina said and got to her feet. The unnervingly calm look on her face never left as she explained her actions to Marcus, "I ask for Solfin because it is one of the easier pieces of land for you to grant since Your Majesty is the one who currently holds the title so there won''t be any messy disputes on de jure ownership from other nobles." Marcus mostly held land at the center of Urldrusk while the four dukes were given ownership of their respective lands with few exceptions; one such exception was Solfin. Solfin was a county that consisted of a single city and some surrounding farmland that was currently under the ownership of Baron Rolf who answered directly to Marcus instead of Richard despite Solfin being within Holst''s borders. These land exceptions were done by the first king of Urldrusk to assert his dominion more clearly over the three founding dukes by holding onto key pieces of land in their duchies and Solfin was chosen since it sat at the mouth of the Helker River which was the main trade route to the west. By holding both ends of the river that went into and out of Holst, the king held strength over the Duke. "Since I am the leader of the Hellhound knight order, an order that answers solely to the imperial family, by granting me the County of Solfin I could continue my duties as Commander since I would be directly answering to you, Your Majesty." Lucina deliberately changed ''royal family'' to ''imperial family'' to stroke Marcus'' ego over forming Arlexia; a tactic Olivia had told her about in her letters.

    "Indeed, I certainly cannot allow someone under one of the dukes to hold power in my Hellhounds," Marcus joyfully laughed as Lucina''s praise worked. "And you are correct in that Solfin answers to me so it would be the perfect place for you Hellhounds to make roots." While Marcus continued to ponder over his thoughts on the matter, Lucina sent a smug grin over to James who cocked an eyebrow at her in bemusement. Even if Lucina was given Solfin, James didn''t see how that would affect him in any way so he wasn''t sure why she was so smug about it, but Terence knew the reason. Terence understood that if Lucina was granted Solfin then she would hold real power within the nobility as well as a key strategic location within Holst; her home duchy. Solfin was the gateway to the west so whoever owned it would hold considerable sway over trade as Lucina could use her position to impose taxes and fees on merchants she didn''t align with; while this practice was officially frowned upon it wasn''t illegal so long as it didn''t go too far. Marcus also understood this fact and brought up his concern, "But even if Solfin is a good fit for the Hellhounds that doesn''t solve the issue of there being two Felswore lines holding the same rank. Was there a Baron family you sought to marry into and wish for them to be elevated to Count? Are you interested in Baron Rolf''s son?"

    "No, Your Majesty, I would like to create a new house," Lucina clarified.

    "A new noble house?" Marcus was getting more and more amused by Lucina''s words and the gathered nobles were getting restless.

    "Yes, and I could think of no greater honor than for my new house to be given our name by Your Majesty the Emperor." Another stroke to Marcus'' ego.

    "Hahaha!" Marcus laughed and patted his stomach with his hand. "I didn''t realize you learned to sharpen your tongue as well as your magic on the battlefield!"

    "My time with the Hellhounds has been a most enlightening experience," Lucina spoke with an elegance that she had Jeremy help her refine so she wouldn''t be looked down on for her speech.

    "Indeed, it seems the hound is grateful for the leash," Marcus laughed and got a rise out of some of the nobles. Olivia grit her teeth at Marcus'' jab at Lucina, but Lucina didn''t show any indication of even hearing the joke and kept silently staring at Marcus. "I am satisfied with your words, Wizard Lucina, so I shall bestow upon you the honor you seek!" Marcus contemplated for a few moments on what to name Lucina''s new house and his eyes were invariably drawn to her red robe. "Sanguine." The words reverberated around the throne room and caused Olivia to flinch. "From this day forth you shall be the first of the Sanguine line! A fitting name for the Butcher of Toldrin who brought Peltaira to her knees!" Marcus was getting a kick out of seeing how far he could go since Lucina wasn''t showing any reactions to his goading. Some of the nobles laughed along with Marcus while others held their tongues, and the Felswores grit their teeth and clenched their fists in silence. Marcus walked down the stairs and stood directly in front of Lucina as he drew his ceremonial sword and Lucina took a knee in preparation for receiving her title. "For your service to Arlexia, and your commitment and loyalty to the throne, I, Emperor Marcus Arlexton, grant to Lucina Sanguine the title of Countess of Solfin!"

    "!!!" Olivia''s eyes widened and her fists clenched not from shock, but anger. While she was certainly uneasy about Lucina becoming more and more like the person from the reverse harem ending, Olivia was more upset over what Marcus had done since she now knew what it meant. Noble titles were not tied to gender so by all right Lucina should have been given the title of Count but by naming her Countess instead of Count, Marcus was deliberately saying that Solfin still belonged to him.

    "Rise, Countess Lucina Sanguine!" It was the most backhanded reward Marcus could give.

    "I am honored, Your Majesty." Yet Lucina still showed no sign of annoyance or displeasure. Giving a curtsy with her robe, Lucina continued, "I, Countess Lucina Sanguine, from this day forth, will faithfully serve the Empire of Arlexia as befitting my stature."

    "It pleases me to no end to gain such a noble and powerful vassal, Countess!" Marcus put his hand on Lucina''s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Now you are both a Wizard and a true noble of this empire!" He was deliberately dancing around addressing Lucina being named The Harbinger of Zulm, and kept calling her a wizard. "And, now that I''m able to get a good look at you, you''ve appeared to have grown since I last saw you almost two years ago."

    "Indeed I have, Your Majesty," Lucina responded and gave a slight bow. During her time with the Hellhounds, she had grown to be one hundred and forty-five centimeters tall, though she was still shorter than Olivia who was now one hundred and fifty-seven centimeters tall.

    "In that case, please allow me to gift you a gown for the coming ball celebrating the founding of Arlexia! I cannot possibly have one of the guests of honor, and a Countess at that, wear non-formal attire." Marcus retracted his hand from Lucina''s shoulder and looked it over to make sure no blood had gotten on him. It was also clearly evident on his face that the smell was starting to get to him.

    "I would graciously accept your additional gift, Your Majesty," Lucina replied and gave another curtsy with her robe.

    "Good!" Marcus motioned for one of his retainers to approach and he addressed the man, "Escort the Countess to Madam Doris'' boutique and make it known that price is not an issue so long as the gown can be prepared by tomorrow''s ball."

    "At once, Your Majesty!" the retainer bowed before turning to Lucina, "Please follow me, Countess."

    "Of course," Lucina replied and gave a departing bow to Marcus before following the retainer out of the throne room.

    "¡­" Olivia''s heart and mind raced as she now felt like she was one step closer to her terrible ending. But what hurt her heart the most was that Lucina didn''t look her way or acknowledge her even once.

 Welcome Home

    The main hall of the imperial palace was so awash with light that the air itself glittered like it was made of jewels as chandeliers of the same stones as the ones used in the capital''s street lights twinkled from the ceiling. An orchestra played on a raised platform so their music could reach the entire hall for all the gathered nobles to dance to. Refreshments and snacks packed multiple tables that were along one of the far walls with a few couches and chairs placed so that the nobles could comfortably gather in their cliques. Banners of the imperial family were hung from all the balconies that overlooked the hall and fluttered in a wind that was created by strategically placed stones that were enchanted with wind magic by wizards.

    "I wonder if we could sell air conditioning units?" Olivia pondered aloud as she watched the fluttering banners while sipping on a glass of water. Her gaudy gold dress sparkled almost as much as the chandeliers, and it was so heavy that Olivia had to constantly drink water not to overheat while wearing it since summer was at its peak.

    "The wizard''s tower would most likely stop us," Margaret said as she brushed some stray confetti that was thrown from the balconies earlier off her rich green dress that was adorned with sparkling emeralds and bright yellow silk accents. Normally such a ball would be only open to nobles but since Trent had played such a key role in supplying the Hellhounds, Margaret and her father were specially invited to participate in the festivities within the palace. While her father was doing his best to mingle with various nobles, Margaret was sticking close to Olivia to show the strong bond between the company and the Crown Princess. "We were barely able to get Wortrest street lights with how much pushback the tower was giving so I have no doubt they''ll do all they can to stop ''air conditioning'' units." Margaret didn''t know what an air conditioning unit was, but she had a good guess after noticing what Olivia was looking at and how uncomfortable she was in her dress.

    Cassandra continued to fan her face and said, "For so-called ''researchers'' and ''scientists'', the wizards are awfully quick to smother any kind of useful advancements." She was also regretting wearing such an extravagant pink dress because of how many layers it had. The three of them were standing next to one of the pillars that held up a balcony as they watched the dancing nobles with indifference. "Just because they''re stuck in their ways of using those magic crystals for everything doesn''t mean the rest of us have to be." Despite creating their staffs and orbs from pieces of the meteor that fell over three hundred years ago, the wizard''s tower seemed to have a limitless amount of magic crystals no matter how much they used yet they also acted like they could run out at any time.

    "That''s because the decisions of the tower are made by the eldest members," a fourteen-year-old boy who was as tall as Olivia approached the three ladies with two glasses of water in his hands. His blonde hair was extremely short and a little spiky, and he wore a scarlet red suit with a white undershirt, and his light red eyes sparkled in the light.

    "That doesn''t excuse the wizards for blatantly messing with us, Lord Augustus," Margaret flatly stated as she averted her gaze from the boy.

    "True," Augustus agreed while brushing off Margaret''s rudeness, and offered Olivia a fresh glass of water since hers was now empty. "But I''ve heard that some of the younger Wizards are getting fed up with that and are trying to change things from the inside. So who knows what the future will bring for the Wizard''s Tower."

    "Hopefully a future with fewer restrictions on my business," Olivia replied and accepted the new glass while setting the empty one down on a nearby table. "Are you not dancing, Augustus?"

    "I think I''ll take a hint from others and just enjoy mingling," Augustus said while looking over to the nobles who were dancing to see them almost as shiny as the jewels they wore since the dry heat of the day had persisted into the night. "That is, unless you would like to dance with me, Your Highness?" Augustus turned and gave a slight bow to Olivia while showing a playful smile. Cassandra looked a little uncomfortable though that was probably just due to the heat, but Olivia heard Margaret click her tongue in annoyance at Augustus'' brazen advance.

    "Not today. Though, since you''re here," Olivia turned to Augustus and asked, "Have you seen Lucina anywhere?"

    "Countess Sanguine?" Augustus straightened himself up, tilted his head and pondered for a moment before replying, "I haven''t seen her yet, though I also just arrived so I imagine I haven''t had the chance to run into her. Did you need something from her?"

    "No, I was just curious," Olivia lied as she took a sip of water. In truth, Olivia wanted to properly greet and see her friend after they''d been gone for so long but what she felt in the throne room yesterday still plagued her mind. Lucina''s gaze never wavered from Marcus as if she were an actor performing her lines before promptly leaving the stage. Unanswered questions and future worries darkened Olivia''s mood on the otherwise joyous night of festivities. "I haven''t seen her since yesterday''s ceremony. Not even Countess Felswore has seen her¡­ I should ask one of the servants."

    "If you''re looking for our Harbinger, then perhaps we could be of some assistance," a feminine voice came from behind the group and everyone turned to see a woman and man in knight''s uniforms approach them. "Daughter Elise of the Hellhounds greets Arlexia''s Little Lioness, Crown Princess Olivia Ordrin," Elise said and gave a respectful bow.

    "Jeremy of the Hellhounds greets Arlexia''s Little Lioness, Crown Princess Olivia Ordrin," Jeremy followed Elise''s lead and also bowed with his greeting.

    "Jeremy? You''re the one I corresponded with during the past few months in Lucina''s stead, correct?" Olivia perked up as she finally met two of the people Lucina had written to her about back during the beginning of the war.

    "I am one and the same, Your Highness," Jeremy replied and raised his head. "It is an honor to finally meet our benefactor in person."

    "I only did what I should as a crown princess," Olivia had to watch her words since they were in the middle of a ball where not everyone supported her decision in sponsoring the Hellhounds. But she could allow a little of her true thoughts to show, "I would like to thank you both for being there for Lucina and for all you''ve done during the past two years in the Hellhounds."

    "It was our pleasure, Your Highness."

    "Indeed," Elise added, "To be able to serve alongside The Harbinger of Zulm is a blessing in and of itself so we should be the ones thanking you for all the support you''ve given us."

    "I''m glad." While Olivia put on a happy front, looking at Elise reminded her of Lucina''s appearance yesterday; mainly in how Elise held the same broken gaze. "But did you mention something about assisting in finding Lucina?"

    "Yes, Your Highness." Elise held a knowing smile as she said, "And in exchange for telling you where our Harbinger is, I would like to ask a favor of you, Crown Princess."

    "A favor?"

    Cassandra butted in the conversation, "You''re asking the Crown Princess for a favor in exchange for telling us where the Countess is? If you know where she is then you should speak when asked."

    Elise showed no annoyance or fear at Cassandra''s outburst and just calmly smiled and clarified, "This is by no means a hard favor, and based on what I know it is something the Crown Princess would be more than willing to help out with since it will help our Harbinger, too."

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "¡­Tell me what you want." Olivia felt uneasy with Elise, but she didn''t sense any hostility from the woman so she would at least hear her out before deciding on what to do.

    Elise''s face took on a pained expression as she explained, "Well¡­"

    ***

    Even though the sun had already set and the night sky was filled with stars, the outside air still held its dry heat. Just beyond the east wing of the palace was a magnificent garden filled with flowers and tall hedges that rustled in the gentle night breeze. Stone paths wove through the garden and were wide enough for carriages to pass through despite none being allowed this far into the palace.

    "¡­" Lucina stood alone on a second-floor balcony that overlooked the garden. A glass of water slowly twirled in her hand as she absentmindedly stared off into the distance. The night was far too quiet for Lucina to feel comfortable and her mind began to wander. Banners were hung from her balcony''s stone railing that flapped-

    ***

    -in the harsh wind that whipped the battlefield. The standard bearer had died in such a way that their body propped up Urldrusk''s flag which inspired the surrounding soldiers to fight harder. No matter how hard the wind blew, the flag remained standing as she and her knights fought to take the hill. Peltaira''s army felt endless as-

    ***

    -Lucina''s eyes remained fixated on the night''s horizon. The breeze danced through her balcony and jostled her long hair as if playfully tugging at her. Clopping hooves drew her attention to the stone paths and she saw a few nobles racing each other on horseback while laughing amongst themselves. The sounds of horse hooves clacking against the stones-

    ***

    -echoed as the earth trembled beneath the cavalry charge. The Hellhounds charged downhill into the rear of an unsuspecting Peltairan convoy as the raid began and their spearmen desperately tried to get into position and their own horsemen rushed to meet the Hellhounds. Lucina''s hands tightened around the reins of her horse when she locked eyes with one of the enemy knights on horseback and her horse-

    ***

    -quickly disappeared around the corner of the palace''s east wing. Her eyes kept staring at the building''s corner before drifting back to the garden as movement caught her attention.

    "Come on~!" An obviously drunk couple were merrily stumbling their way out of the hall and into the garden. They were laughing and giggling as they tried their best to remain standing despite being intoxicated and they couldn''t keep their hands off each other.

    "Couldn''t we just find a room? It would''ve been faster~." Lucina could practically smell the alcohol from where she was.

    "But this is more exciting~!" The woman laughed as she dragged the man behind a hedge and gave an aroused shout. "Now~, come on! Come-

    ***

    -on! Forward!" the Peltairan commander screamed over the chaos as he cut down one of the Hellhounds. "No mercy for these dogs!"

    "Commander!?" Peter cried out as he cut down a charging horseman. The air was filled with the screams of soldiers fighting for their lives, the earth trembled and shook under man and horse as they broke against each other, and the sky was filled with burning banners as hell descended upon the battlefield. Lucina-

    ***

    -shattered her glass of water against the stone railing to force her mind to snap out of her delusions. She looked at the shattered glass that her trembling hand was barely holding onto with a curious indifference. The lace black gloves she wore didn''t provide any warmth to her numb fingers and Lucina allowed the glass to fall out of her hand and fully shatter against the ground. Her eyes lingered on the broken shards at her feet for a few moments before returning to the horizon.

    "Despite how they look, that glass was quite expensive."

    "¡­?" Lucina turned around and saw Olivia standing in the doorway to the balcony. Sailest''s light bathed Olivia in its gentle glow and almost made her gaudy dress look appealing. Almost. "That dress looks terrible," Lucina flatly stated and didn''t even bother offering a fake smile. "Change."

    "You make it sound like I have a choice," Olivia joked as she approached and stood next to Lucina on the balcony. While it was difficult to stomach, she intentionally ignored the harshness of Lucina''s words and continued, "James wanted me to wear this so I have to suffer through the ball like this. But at least it''s cooler out here than inside." The stone railing felt refreshingly cool to her hands as Olivia leaned against it and took in a deep breath of fresh air. "Also, you''re one to talk considering your dress is very¡­stylish." Olivia looked over the gown Lucina was wearing with a bemused and disturbed wonder.

    "Is it?" Lucina''s gown was a dark red that almost matched her wizard robe in color which was probably why it was chosen; another reminder of her new namesake. Unlike Olivia''s ball gown, Lucina''s dress evenly flowed down and hugged her body in an attempt to look seductive and the low off-shoulder neckline tried to be provocative despite Lucina only being twelve. Long, baggy sleeves covered her arms and danced in the breeze while giving glimpses of her silhouette depending on how the wind blew. It was a gown that Olivia knew was completely inappropriate for a young girl to wear.

    "We should go shopping for some new clothes tomorrow." Olivia had no idea how Lucina''s dress was even staying on her body because how low the neckline was, but what really drew her eyes were the scars that were visible because of how low it was. Lucina''s shoulders and upper chest were covered in nicks and scratches that the dress made no attempt to hide, and there was a rather large-looking scar on her upper right chest that looked like an arrow wound.

    "I''ll make sure to complain in the next one," Lucina replied and turned back to the night sky.

    "Next one?" Olivia knew what was coming and kept her calm mask up. "Next what?"

    "The next dream." Lucina gave an annoyed sigh and glanced at Olivia out of the corner of her eyes, "Honestly, you get more talkative each time that I''m already dreading the next one."

    "You think you''re in a dream?"

    "I know I''m in a dream," Lucina replied. "This is the fifth time I''ve come back to the capital, marched in the parade, spoken to the Emperor, and finally met you only to wake up still marching back from the front." The breeze blew some of Lucina''s hair in her face that she half-heartedly brushed away. "At this point, I''d prefer it if you stopped stealing her face and voice. I''m losing my patience."

    "¡­I see." Lucina fully believed she was hallucinating which was why she was acting so distant. Olivia gave a bitter chuckle before probing for some answers, "Is that why you asked the Emperor for Solfin? Even for a dream that feels like a bit much."

    "It''s just practice," Lucina answered. "Olivia''s letters said Margaret was having trouble in Solfin, and controlling that place would make it easier for her to do more trading in the long run. Since none of this is real I can practice what I''m gonna say when we finally meet so that I don''t mess up and embarrass Olivia."

    "Don''t you mean yourself?"

    "Why would I care about myself?" Lucina''s words were spoken so matter-of-factly that Olivia couldn''t help but feel her heartache.

    "Because I''ll be sad if you get in trouble because of it. Since you''re doing this for me then that makes me feel responsible for your actions." Olivia desperately tried to find some semblance of her old friend in the Countess'' stare. "And even if you weren''t doing it for me, I don''t want to see the Emperor giving you a hard time since you''ve been through enough. I''m quite selfish like that."

    "¡­Ah," Lucina nodded and pondered Olivia''s words. "I should probably change my speech for next time, then."

    "You should also think about how your family will feel."

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t answer right away and remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, "I''d rather they not see me like this."

    "¡­That would make them sadder."

    "I''d rather they be sad than scared." Lucina''s fingers lightly tapped against her sides and her eyes fell. "Even I realize how ugly I look."

    "You''re not ugly," Olivia declared which got a flinch out of Lucina. "You''re not ugly, and you hold no blame for anything that''s happened. If anyone holds blame it would be me since I couldn''t stop you from being sent to war despite saying I know the future¡­ You did your best, Lucina."

    "¡­Stop using her face and voice." Lucina turned and faced away from Olivia as she didn''t want to be moved by a ''fake''.

    "I can''t help my face and voice," Olivia playfully replied. "They were what I was born with so you''ll have to get used to them. Besides, you always complimented me on my looks so I see no need to change them." Olivia waited for Lucina to start talking again, but when she didn''t Olivia decided it was time to end this charade. "How does it end?"

    "Hmm?" Lucina turned back to Olivia and held her neutral expression and empty gaze once more.

    "The dream, how does it end?" Olivia matched Lucina''s gaze and the two girls stood in silence.

    "¡­You end it." Lucina gave a tired smile.

    "¡­How?" Olivia watched as Lucina gave a heavy sigh and turned her body to fully face her.

    "By denying me what I want the most." Lucina''s hand hesitantly tried to rise but quickly fell back to her side. "To hold you."

    "So, you wake up from your dream when you try to touch me?" Olivia took a step closer to Lucina and gave her a gentle smile.

    "¡­Yes." Lucina started feeling uncomfortable as the ''fake'' approached her and she felt her heart stir.

    "Then you should stop hanging around here and wake up so I can see you." Sailest''s light swept across Olivia''s face giving off a soft shimmer on her light skin. Her snow-white hair glittered like a waterfall of diamonds as it swayed in the breeze and fell over her body, and her deep blue eyes reflected Lucina''s face back at her. The cool light from Sailest was offset by the gentle warm light that leaked in from the doorway which mesmerized Lucina as light and shadow danced across Olivia''s figure.

    "¡­Fine!" Lucina resolved herself and forced her left hand to reach up. "You keep getting ahead of yourself so I''m done¡­here?" Her hand cupped Olivia''s cheek.

    "Hmm," Olivia hummed to herself as she reached up and held Lucina''s hand against her cheek.

    "I¡­ You¡­" Lucina''s right hand immediately shot up and touched Olivia''s other cheek. The fake Olivia always felt ice cold or Lucina couldn''t touch her at all and the dream would immediately end, but the warmth her hands felt was too vivid to be in her head. The bitter numbness that had always plagued her subsided to the point that Lucina could properly feel and move her fingers without issue. "O-¡­Oliv-¡­!" Her fake smile was completely gone and tears started pouring down her face.

    "Welcome home, Lucina." Olivia braced herself as Lucina threw herself into Olivia''s arms and practically tackled her to the floor. The young girl had completely broken down and was incoherently babbling through her tears trying to get words to come out while failing miserably. Lucina''s arms desperately wrapped around and clung to Olivia as if letting go would be the death of her; as if she would never see Olivia again if this moment ended. It was getting hard to stand so Olivia helped Lucina kneel down so they wouldn''t fall over and Lucina continued to wail into Olivia''s shoulder. The clacking of heels was all the warning Olivia had as Cassandra dragged Margaret over and forced all four of them into a massive hug as she was also moved to tears by Lucina''s reaction. Olivia couldn''t help but laugh as all four of them tumbled to the ground because of their surprise group hug, and she gently stroked Lucina''s hair to comfort her trembling friend. Elise, Jeremy, and Augustus stood just outside the doorway as they didn''t want to intrude on the reunion. And for the first time in almost two years, Lucina felt genuine happiness.

 Well Deserved Reprieve

    "Here, there''s plenty of steak so make sure to eat your fill!" Elizabeth moved two cuts of steak onto Lucina''s plate.

    "¡­Mother?"

    "And salad! I made sure they put in plenty of fresh fruits that are good for you!" The other half of Lucina''s plate was filled with salad that threatened to spill off onto the table.

    "Mother?"

    "I had Chris go downtown to Franklin''s Confectionery, so these deserts were all baked this morning! You should start with the macarons since they''re small and easy to eat!" A second plate was put in front of Lucina filled with macarons of various colors. "Oh! We also have some nice cheeses that-"

    "Mother, I can''t eat all this!" Lucina put her hands up and tried to stop her mother from putting down a third plate that was filled with various kinds of cheeses and crackers. After her tearful reunion with Olivia and her friends, Olivia led Lucina to her family and made her go with them no matter how much Lucina begged to stay. It was a late dinner, but Elizabeth forced the family to have it as soon as they returned to their mansion in the capital and she learned that Lucina hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday.

    "Just eat what you can!" Elizabeth''s blonde hair had grown down to her ankles and Lucina saw a noticeable amount of grey hairs on her mother''s head. "Even if you don''t finish your plate, at least try a sampling of each?" The past two years filled with worry weren''t kind to her yet her eyes still twinkled with joy as she looked at Lucina sitting next to her in the mansion''s dining room.

    "¡­Okay." Their reunion didn''t start out the best as Lucina watched her mother''s heart break when they first met; she didn''t wear much makeup so her scars were fully visible. Lucina was sure she would frighten her parents but those thoughts were instantly banished when her mother scooped her up into her arms and hugged her just like she used to. "I''ll finish what I can so make sure you eat plenty too." She wanted her mother to keep smiling.

    "¡­Thank you," Elizabeth''s voice was tired and her body looked like it would fall over at any second. Lucina figured her mother had skipped multiple meals over the years because of her anxiety.

    "Even if you are a Countess now," Charles spoke up when Elizabeth finally started eating, "know that you have a home in Gauldrin. Our doors are always open whether it''s for a short visit or an extended stay." The years also seemed to have affected him harshly with new wrinkles clearly evident on his forehead.

    "Thank you, Count." Lucina still didn''t call him Father; she was far too tired to change the habit.

    "¡­" Charles didn''t push since Lucina was safe home once again and the family silently ate their meals while enjoying the company of each other.

    "So¡­" Until Adam brought up the question their parents were dreading to ask, "When do you plan on heading to Solfin?"

    "Adam!?" Elizabeth instantly became defensive at the thought.

    "It''s fine, Mother," Lucina placated her mother who was clenching her fork so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. "I know Adam doesn''t mean any harm by it, it''s something that I need to figure out eventually." While the capital was still going to host festivities for the rest of the week, Lucina was now in charge of an entire county; even if it was on the smaller side. "I can''t spend too much time here since I now have official duties to do."

    "But that doesn''t mean you have to leave right away!" Elizabeth grabbed Lucina''s left hand and Lucina could feel her mother trembling through their touch. She desperately looked at her daughter with pleading eyes and asked, "At least a month? You''ve been gone for so long surely you can stay with us for a month! July''s the height of the social season so no one would fault you for staying with us in the capital!"

    "I wouldn''t want to burden yo-"

    "You aren''t a burden," Charles declared in a firm yet affectionate voice as he stared at Lucina.

    Lucina looked from Charles to Elizabeth before giving a sigh and agreeing, "If you''ll have me, I''ll stay for a month."

    "Of course!" Elizabeth looked ecstatic and her shoulders slumped down as the tension left them.

    "Father?" Adam spoke up once more to push things in motion to help his sister, "Since she''ll be here for a month, you should get her acquainted with the Silk Sparrows."

    "Ah! You make a fair point," Charles agreed and turned to Lucina with a gentle smile. "Since you''ll be managing your own domain it would be wise to get to know the ins and outs of contacting the Sparrows; and how the intelligence world works. Adam was taught as part of his heir training but we''ll have to do a crash course for you since we might only have a month."

    "Aren''t the Sparrows loyal to Duke Mordrist?" Lucina asked while doing her best to eat with only one hand since her mother refused to let go of her left hand.

    "They are, and it would be good to eventually form your own intelligence guild based in Solfin, but until then you can use the Sparrows." Charles ate another piece of steak and drank some wine before continuing, "Holst and Sevette are allies, but that doesn''t mean we should overly rely on their services. I use the Silk Sparrows since my father built a rapport with them when he was Count and I merely kept up tradition. Your situation, however, warrants something different." Charles scratched his chin and pondered his thoughts.

    "Because I''m directly under the Emperor?"

    "Yes," Charles nodded his head in agreement and set down his wine glass. "Solfin was always a sensitive topic between Duke Ordrin and Emperor Marcus, and your acquisition of it will undoubtedly draw more eyes from both the Duke''s and Emperor''s sides. The imperial family knows who the Silk Sparrows belong to so associating with them too much will bring you the Emperor''s ire. Using them right now would probably be fine since you''re still here in the capital but once you reach Solfin you shouldn''t hire them unless absolutely necessary."

    "I''ll remember your advice, Count." Lucina was grateful for her father''s help since she didn''t know much about the intelligence world. She was hoping to rely on Jeremy to get her started overseeing Solfin since he had experience helping run a city, but as far as she knew none of the Hellhounds had skills in the intelligence field; she would need to check later. Her thoughts continued to churn in her head as she started idly picking at a slice of tomato with her fork.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "¡­It looks like someone needs to go to bed," Elizabeth sweetly teased when Lucina started having trouble keeping her eyes open after eating her fill of dinner. "You''ll be sleeping with Mom today, right~?"

    "I don''t think tha-!?!" Lucina was about to protest but Elizabeth scooped her up in her arms and started walking out of the dining room much to Charles'' and Adam''s amusement. "I-I really don-!" When Lucina hugged her mother for support to not fall she truly felt how abnormally thin her mother had become. "¡­I need a bath first."

    "Then we can take one together; it''s been years since we last did that," Elizabeth hummed and gently started stroking Lucina''s back. "We should also get rid of that horrible dress. Let''s go shopping tomorrow; we can even invite Her Highness if she''s free."

    "¡­That sounds nice." Lucina was losing herself in the warmth of her mother''s arms and didn''t make it through the bath before falling asleep.

    ***

    Is it already morning? I remember Mother helping me get ready for a bath but everything after is a blur, and now I''m alone in bed as the sun''s coming in through the windows. We slept in my bedroom in the mansion and it doesn''t look like a day has passed since I left. Our mansion in Gorinville was considered a ''rustic'' mansion since most of the floors were hardwood instead of stone tile and the wallpaper in my room was a simple solid light beige without any patterns. With how cozy the room was, I''m surprised I was able to sleep with how bad my sleeping habits have become. Mother must have already gotten up since she''s not here, though I wish she would have gotten some more sleep because I feel like she''s going to get sick without proper care. The last thing I remember is her crying after helping me take the dress off.

    "Speaking of¡­" I hopped out of bed, took off and tossed my mother''s old nightgown that was too big for me onto the bed, and went over to the tall wardrobe that was across the room. All my old dresses were neatly hung and didn''t have a speck of dust on them, but they were all too small for me to wear. I found the red dress I wore yesterday tossed on the floor of the wardrobe haphazardly; I guess Mother hasn''t thrown it out yet. But it might be the only thing that will fit me other than my uniform so I decided to take it and flatten it out on the bed. As I finished, a knock came from the door.

    "Are you awake?" It was Adam.

    "Come in." I''m surprised he came since I didn''t think we discussed anything about us having plans for today other than Mother and I going shopping later. Adam opened the door and entered my room with what I assumed were some of his old clothes folded over one of his arms.

    "I brou-!?" His voice caught in his throat as he turned away from the door and looked at me standing in my underwear next to the bed; my scars fully visible. It seemed like he was getting better at showing emotions since both shock and discomfort were clearly evident on his normally neutral face. I''d rather us keep our normal relationship like in the old days, though, so teasing him after all this time would be a good way to go about it.

    "Stop looking at your sister''s body with dirty thoughts," I said and covered my chest with my arms. It took him a moment to refocus, but he quickly controlled himself.

    "That would imply you have anything worth looking at." ¡­I take it back, his dry snark is annoying. "I''m not into ironing boards."

    "Well, I''m sorry I''m not Cassandra." I was closer to Cassandra in height now than I was before I left, but it seems like all her growth has gone from her height to her chest which was starting to develop faster than either Olivia''s or mine.

    "Be lucky you''re not or else my old clothes probably wouldn''t work for you," he said and made a gesture with the arm that held his old clothes. "Don''t tell me you''re planning on wearing that dress or your wizard''s robe." The dress, now that I''m looking at it with a discerning eye, was terrible and not something I would willingly wear ever again. As for my robe¡­ I think I smell it coming from my bag in the corner. There never really was an option.

    "I''m not, but why are you here and not one of the maids?"

    "The servants are all busy this morning since we received a surprise guest that we can''t ignore, so they''re rushing around getting things in order." As if to illustrate his point I heard hurried footsteps pass my room as a few maids ran past. "Father''s at the palace right now, so Mother''s currently entertaining them in the drawing room."

    "Who''s here?" I asked as I walked over to him to take the clothes.

    "Her Highness, Olivia."

    "What!?!" I rushed over and yanked the clothes out of his arms. "Why didn''t you start with that!?" What do you mean Olivia''s here and I wasn''t immediately told about it!?!

    "Because you started talking about your tower shield." If I wasn''t in a rush I''d hit him! I yanked the socks onto my feet, pulled up the pants that needed a belt to fit around my waist without falling down, and threw on the baggy shirt that I hastily buttoned up before running out of the room and heading downstairs.

    ***

    "Ah, Lucina, you''re awake!" Elizabeth happily called out when Lucina appeared in the doorway to the drawing room.

    "Good morning, sleepy head," Olivia chuckled after setting down the cup of tea she was drinking from her place on one of the sofas. Lucina scurried into the room and took a seat next to Olivia.

    "Why didn''t you wake me up earlier!?" Lucina complained to her mother.

    "But you were sleeping so soundly," Elizabeth explained with a worried expression. "I wanted to make sure you got enough sleep so I decided to let you be while Her Highness and I began choosing~!"

    "Choosing?" Lucina asked before finally realizing that the drawing room was filled with dresses and that there were more people there than just them.

    "To make things more convenient for you," Olivia began and started patting Lucina''s head, "I reserved Madam Herriot for today so we could buy you some new clothes from the comfort of home."

    "Greetings, Countess Sanguine." Herriot was an elderly woman whose grey hair was neatly tied up in a reserved bun yet her clothes were brilliant and exuded the latest trends in the capital. "I am honored to be chosen to create the first real dresses of our empire''s hero." It was clearly evident that she too didn''t like the crimson dress Marcus had given to Lucina and was determined to prove her boutique''s worth.

    "¡­I see." While Lucina would have enjoyed to stay sitting next to Olivia and keep receiving head pats, Olivia had taken the liberty to set this all up so it would be rude not to indulge. Lucina reluctantly got up from the sofa and started looking at the dresses for any designs that remotely caught her interest; which wasn''t many since she never really cared much for fashion. "Are these the only colors?"

    "No, we can make any of the designs here in any color you''d like; though it will take extra time to make them." Herriot was both professional and kind while interacting with Lucina which helped put Lucina at ease. "Though if I could make a suggestion?" She waited and continued when Lucina nodded to her, "The official colors of Solfin are pure white and a scarlet red so having at least one formal dress made in those colors would help show your new title while at any official events."

    "Hmm." Lucina looked at a few of the more fancy dresses meant for official gatherings and thought about the colors. "I''d like black instead of white."

    "Black?"

    "White and red are the Baron''s colors, so I''d like to use black and red instead." It held the striking scarlet red to show her title while differentiating with black to stand out and not blend in with the Baron''s family.

    "Of course!" Herriot quickly agreed and motioned for one of her aides to jot down the color preference in their notes. "Darker colors look very good on you and we actually just got in some¡­"

    ***

    "I forgot how much work went into buying clothes," Lucina idly complained as she and Olivia entered Lucina''s room. After ordering a bunch of dresses, and letting Elizabeth have her fill of playing dress-up with her daughter, Olivia wanted to spend some time with Lucina since she had nothing scheduled for the day.

    "Welcome back to normal life," Olivia joked as she kicked her high heels off and plopped down on Lucina''s bed. The sun had been shining in through the window during the morning which heated up the sheets with a pleasant warmth.

    "Are you sure it''s okay to spend the day here?" Lucina wasn''t complaining, she just knew how busy Olivia always used to be with her classes and preparations to be queen; now empress.

    "It''s fine," Olivia replied and gave a casually dismissive wave of her hand in the air. "The week of celebration extends to my tutors so my schedule is finally free for me to do what I want." She rolled over onto the bed and smiled up at Lucina who had walked over. "And I''d like to spend today with you if I''m not intruding too much."

    "You''re not!" Lucina hastily assured Olivia and climbed onto the bed to lay next to her.

    "I''m glad to hear that." Olivia''s back was to the windows which allowed the daylight to gently silhouette her form as the light did its best to wash over her. Lucina felt a feeling she hadn''t felt in years; the familiar ache in her heart. Even when interacting with the fake Olivia, her heart never ached like it was doing now. What was this feeling? "You know, this reminds me of lazing around on futons in my past life."

    "Futons?" Lucina nestled closer to Olivia who draped one of her arms over her small friend and started stroking Lucina''s hair.

    "It''s a quilted mattress you roll out on the floor to sleep on," Olivia explained while twirling one of Lucina''s hair ''spikes'' around her finger. "Before moving in with my friend after my mom''s death, I lived in a more traditional style house and mostly grew up sleeping on futons. There was this tradition we would do where, on a really nice day like this, we would lay out the futons on the back deck to soak in the sun and fresh air. Technically, I wasn''t supposed to sleep on them while they were outside, but that never stopped me and I only got an earful about it a few times."

    "Mmm." Lucina felt her mind start to slip as she relaxed under Olivia''s gentle gaze. "But, don''t you want to go out and enjoy the festival?"

    "Do you?" Olivia chuckled when she saw the tired confusion on Lucina''s face, so she clarified, "I want to spend today doing things you like. You never liked crowded places and always seemed happiest when it was only our friend group hanging out or just you and me. If that''s changed, let me know, and we can head into the city and enjoy ourselves at the festival. Otherwise¡­ Hm?" Olivia stopped talking when she heard soft snoring and looked down to see Lucina cuddled up next to her fast asleep. "I guess I asked something silly," Olivia quietly laughed and continued to play with Lucina''s hair until she also drifted off to sleep as a gentle summer breeze danced in from the open windows and washed over them.

 Countess of Solfin

    "Is this the report from the Silk Sparrows?" Jeremy asked when I handed him the stack of papers. He, Elise, and I were sitting in a carriage that was being escorted by the Hellhounds across the Holst duchy to Solfin now that my month stay in the capital with my parents ended. A warm summer wind blew like waves through the tall grassy plains that surrounded us while we made our way along the cobblestone road. The plains were mostly flat with only a few hills, and a distant forest to our south breaking the horizon.

    "Yeah, I picked it up when we were in town." I closed my window so the wind wouldn''t blow the papers around. "It''s a lot different from what I was imagining the famed Gateway to the West would be like."

    "Hmm," Jeremy hummed as he thumbed through the reports scanning each page with an intense glare that only grew more annoyed as he kept reading. I couldn''t blame him as even I asked the Silk Sparrow agent who I met if what was written was correct only for him to confirm and wish me luck. "We''ll have our work cut out for us if even half of this is true." Jeremy set the papers down on his lap and drummed his fingers over them while deep in thought. "Do you believe we have enough men to handle things smoothly, Countess?"

    "We''ll make due." Even though forty-three Hellhounds made it back from the final battle, only fifteen of them were currently riding with us to Solfin. After meeting Olivia and clearing my head by spending time with my family, I gave everyone in the Hellhounds a choice about their futures. Putting our roots down in Solfin and living in a relative peace wasn''t something everyone wanted so I decided to split off those who still wanted to fight into a warband that would be sent off north into Lorn to assist Duke Einbore in battling the demon threat. It was a way to gain some favor with the Duke and would keep the more battle-crazed members busy and out of trouble since twenty-three volunteered for it. Many members didn''t have homes to return to and didn''t want to return to a life of ''peace'' since they knew they couldn''t do it. The remaining twenty all agreed to settle down in Solfin, and the five not currently traveling with us all had some form of family they went off to gather and move; like Peter who would be bringing his wife and daughter all the way from a small village in Relsh. Though, knowing what I do now about Solfin, I''m starting to feel bad about doing that.

    "We always do," Elise agreed with me and looked out her window with a smile. "While we may be few, we''re still more than enough for a single city. Plus, both Peter and Carl decided not to go to the north and they alone more than make up for our limited numbers." Surprisingly, Carl didn''t want to head north and instead agreed to come to Solfin. He seemed hesitant to fully share his reasons but I was more than happy to have him since, like Elise said, he was an exceptional fighter.

    "If only it were so easy." Jeremy, like my brother, was a man of few expressions, though unlike my brother his reasons were very evident now that he was my official aide in running Solfin; Jeremy had dreaded working in Mornhold. Olivia told me that Jeremy reminded her of a ''black company'' employee and refused to elaborate on what that meant so I can only assume it''s something I should work to avoid inflicting on my people. "It takes more than a few knights to-Woah!?!" Our carriage violently shook so I opened my window and peered my head out.

    "What''s going on?" Why was our otherwise smooth ride suddenly so bumpy?

    "Apologies, Countess," the coachman said while tipping his hat in embarrassment. "But I think we''ve officially entered the county."

    "¡­?" I looked at the road we were on and saw it was almost completely overgrown with grass and weeds, and potholes littered the path ahead. Looking back, I saw the road was perfectly paved before abruptly ending in this terribly conditioned one. "So we have." Looks like the report we got from the Sparrows would be, unfortunately, correct. There were dirt paths along the sides of the road that I guess carts had been using with how bad the official road got. "Take us off to the side for the rest of the way."

    "Yes, Countess," the coachman replied before steering the horses to leave the road and start trotting on the dirt path that ran parallel to it. The headache was already beginning and I wasn''t even at the city proper. As we continued our journey we eventually crested a hill and saw our destination.

    "Solfin¡­" Farms filled the open plains around the city and all along the Helker that popped out of the forest to our left. Large stone walls loomed in the distance that surrounded the city with a few groups of houses huddled up against them. But the magnificence quickly wore off once we rode closer and saw Solfin for what it had become; destitute. The fields were being worked by only a handful of people who all looked overworked as they sweated away under the harsh sun. The houses along the walls were cobbled together from old or rotting wood planks and cracked stones that looked like one good storm would make them collapse. I saw a few people in ragged clothes huddling together near the doors and windows; a slum for the poor, outside the wall and out of sight. The wall also looked like it could use some repairs as sections were starting to crumble; except for the Helker gates. Docks lined special stone buildings that looked pristine at the ends of the walls that met the Helker where I watched guards on boats take a toll from a merchant ship that was trying to head inland.

    "The Baron seems to have his priorities," Elise mused as she saw what I was looking at.

    "It''s not a rare sight," Jeremy commented as he glanced outside. I guess this place was already reminding him of Mornhold. "¡­Just like what''s coming next." Elise and I looked ahead to see what Jeremy was talking about and saw a few city guards stop us at the gates.

    "State your business and prepare to pay the toll!" ¡­Were we getting mugged as soon as we arrived? And by the guards?

    Fortunately, or unfortunately, Carl was leading our group and got in the guard''s face, "Toll? Since when did the lord of this city need to pay a toll?"

    "Lord?" the guard exclaimed and looked at my carriage and the Hellhounds in confusion. "That carriage doesn''t belong to the Baron, I''d know, and you lot don''t look like one of us. Now you can pay the toll or I can bring you in for impersonating my Lord!" Wow, his bravado is kind of commendable.

    "If only you had the brains to back it up," I said while leaning out the window.

    "Wha-?" While I was wearing a more humble green dress it was still luxurious enough to make me recognizable as a noble. "Unfortunately, my Lady, rules are rules so-"

    "And since when did Solfin''s ''rules'' overturn the Emperor''s decree?" I asked which got a rise out of all the gathered guards. Thankfully I brought with me the official document that stated my status and I showed it to the guard and introduced myself, "I am Lucina Sanguine, the new Countess of Solfin."

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "!?!" As soon as they saw the Emperor''s wax seal on my document and heard my name, a wave of unease swept over the guards. "A-Ah, my apologies for the rudeness, Countess." Even though he was apologizing to us, something felt¡­off. "I will send word to the Baron of your arrival and will have one of my men escort you to his mansion at once."

    "The escort won''t be necessary," I replied and felt some unfriendly gazes from the guards in the back. "I''d like to look around the city first before meeting the Baron."

    "I insist you should meet the Baron first, Countess." He calls me my title yet shows blatant disrespect to it by giving me orders? He''s making it sound like a baron outranks a countess. Maybe they were nervous that a new lord would mean their little operation would be getting scrutinized and punishments doled out. I could probably use that to my advantage but for now, I should keep my head down to see firsthand what''s going on.

    "¡­Very well, lead the way." Nothing is ever easy, though I''m thankful that Carl was controlling himself and not cutting the man down where he stood. A messenger was sent ahead and one of the guards started leading us through Solfin and toward a large, and very extravagant-looking, mansion that sat atop the tallest hill inside the city''s walls. The hill was filled with trees as if to create a natural wall between the mansion and the rest of the city; a city that was almost as bad as the slums outside. The roads we were on were barely better than the ones leading up to the city though at least the potholes were filled in with gravel. Buildings weren''t rotting away but many looked abandoned or barely held any customers once we went beyond the main street. People on the streets were scarce and those we did see gave us a wide berth; or to be more precise they gave the guard leading us a wide berth. Since Solfin was built on an incline I could see the piers along the ocean and all the ships that occupied them as we ascended toward the Baron''s mansion; it was like the only life in the city was along the water and main street before gradually fading away.

    "How dare they¡­!" Elise was doing her best but her clenched fists and soured expression showed how upset she was. "They dare treat The Harbinger of Zulm, and their new lord, with such disrespect!? If I didn''t see the temple to the Storm Father in the distance I would think this a city of heathens!" Since Solfin was a coastal city it held a temple to Lord Sen as a way for sailors to pray for good fortunes and calm waters. That being said, even from how far away we were I could see at least one of the temple''s windows boarded up. I knew the Emperor wasn''t a fan of the gods but it looked like his follower vassals were also the same.

    "Don''t make your conclusion just yet," I said and motioned toward the door closest to Elise. "There''s only one guide so slip out and make your way to the temple unnoticed. If the report''s correct there should be an Elder Philip there, get in contact with him and try and figure out what he knows." Even if they weren''t from the same flock, the people in the temple should be more receiving of Elise than one of the other Hellhounds.

    "At once, Harbinger!" Elise waited until the guide went around a corner before quickly leaving the carriage and disappearing into an alley.

    "Will she be alright by herself?" Jeremy asked as he watched her go.

    "She''s capable of handling herself." I gave Jeremy a knowing smile as I knew what he really meant, "I wouldn''t send your~ Elise on an impossible task."

    "¡­" He didn''t respond to me, but his blushing cheeks told me more than any words he could have spoken. Considering we lived in a share tent for almost two years I''m not sure how they expected it to be a secret; even I knew about it and I was in my commander''s tent by that point.

    "That said, make sure to remind me about that guard we spoke to at the gate, later. Once Peter gets here I''m going to have him whip the watch into shape."

    "Will you be purging them?" Jeremy asked as he refocused on the task at hand.

    "I''ll just be following some advice my brother gave me before coming here." I couldn''t help but laugh as I thought about what Adam said to me which made Jeremy raise an eyebrow in confusion. "My name is both an insult and a badge of honor so I might as well get the most out of it by leaning into it." I can''t wait to show them how a Sanguine deals with things.

    ***

    "We''re here, Countess!" After climbing a steep path through the miniature forest that surrounded it, Lucina and her party finally reached the gates to the Baron''s mansion. Stone walls topped with black iron spikes formed a perimeter around the mansion''s grounds with a large iron gate blocking the way inside with two guards dressed in leather armor adorned with tabards depicting the Baron''s family crest: a red catfish on a white background. The guide approached the guards first and briefly talked with them before turning back to the carriage and calling out, "I''ll lead your knights to lodgings in the city while you go on ahead, Countess."

    "What?" Carl barked which made the gate guards tense up.

    Even if she was calmer, an underlying anger bled into Lucina''s voice as she asked, "Are you telling me my knights can''t enter the estate I''ll be staying at?"

    "Yes, Countess," one of the guards spoke up and glanced at the Hellhound knights. "For the safety of the Baron and Baroness, we ask that you leave your¡­knights behind." The disrespect was so blatant that Lucina had to stop herself from laughing and making the situation worse.

    "You make it sound like my knights will go out of their way to harm the Baron''s family." Even if she wouldn''t escalate just yet, Lucina wouldn''t take the insult lying down.

    "While you are of noble birth, Countess, rabble are still rabble and we cannot allow their ignorance to bring harm to the Baron or his wife."

    "Are you sure it''s my knights you fear and not your own citizens?" Lucina mused which got her a glare from the gate guard. "Am I at least allowed to bring in my aide?"

    "That-"

    "He was the former aide to Mornhold''s mayor and I can vouch for his credibility." Lucina gave the guard a sly smile and added, "You wouldn''t force a noblewoman to be without even a single servant, would you?" While her mother tried to send some maids with her, Lucina denied taking anyone from the Felswore house with her to Solfin since she wanted to start fresh with her own people; and she still held an old grudge against their servants.

    "We will provide you with adequate servants from the mansion''s staff." The guard was getting annoyed with this back-and-forth Lucina was doing, but Lucina was having fun so she kept pushing.

    "But this will be my first time living in another''s home so it would ease my mind greatly to have at least one person I knew by my side. He was also approved by my father, Count Felswore, so if you have any complaints about him then feel free to send a letter to Gauldrin." She deliberately brought up her father''s name to put more pressure on the guard as continuing to push back would be going against the requests of two people who held ranks above the Baron''s. Lucina''s innocent smile didn''t match the daggers in her eyes as she stared down at the gate guard who started feeling a cold sweat run down the back of his neck.

    "¡­Please wait a moment, Countess," the guard pleaded before giving a bow and rushing into the estate and toward the mansion.

    "Honestly, who do they think they are?" Carl complained while not caring that their guide and the second guard were still here to listen to him.

    "It''s their home, so for now we''ll play by their rules," Lucina said while leaning back into the carriage and resting against her seat.

    "¡­Lucina?" Carl rode up next to the window and whispered inside so as not to be overheard. "Can I take some of the men and¡­look around the city after we get lodgings?"

    "¡­For fun or business?" Lucina curiously watched as Carl pulled his cloak''s hood over his head to block his mouth from being seen and lips from being read.

    "I know it''s not good to just confront a noble without anything to back up our words, so I''d like to do some digging while you''re dealing with the Baron."

    "Do you know people in Solfin?" Lucina wasn''t sure how Carl, a man she only knew as a fighter, would ''dig up'' things without help.

    "No, but you don''t need to since the best source of information''s only a single coin away," Carl said while patting his coin purse.

    "You mean street urchins?"

    Carl gave a nod and explained, "Growing up I would often go days without food so I''d sneak out to steal from the trash." It was clear that he was uncomfortable sharing, but Carl pressed on and continued, "I know how to sweet talk them, and kids on the street see and hear a lot more than you''d think. This city looks rife with them, so it probably won''t even take a day before I find something interesting to hold against the Baron."

    "¡­Well isn''t this a surprise," Lucina quietly chuckled as she just found the person she was looking for to help build her information network. "Will you need more money than what you have?"

    "No, but do you have any change?" Carl took out two gold coins and held them out to Lucina. "Kids can''t use gold since it''ll likely get stolen by adults, or no vendor will accept it since they''ll think the kid stole it; copper coins are better."

    "Sure." Lucina took the gold and exchanged it with Carl for some copper and silver coins. "If you find any kids with potential then give them a silver and remember their names."

    "Got it," Carl said and gave a nod before putting the coins away in his pouch.

    "Countess!" And just in time for the first guard to return with news. "Your aide may join you, but only him."

    "Excellent," Lucina sarcastically exclaimed and smiled at the returning guard. She turned to their guide and said, "Then I trust you to lead my men to some lodgings."

    "Of course, Countess," the guide said and gave a small bow before heading off back down the hill with the Hellhounds following close behind.

    "This way, Countess. The Baron wishes to speak with you." The guards opened the iron gates and motioned for the carriage to head inside. Jeremy made sure he had all his things ready to go and looked at Lucina one last time before they stepped out of the carriage only to see a familiar-looking smile playing across Lucina''s face. Lucina was getting excited at how things would turn out.

 The Briar Takes Root

    "We''ve finished the consecration of the new vessel, Elder," the priest of Sen said as he bowed his head to an elderly man in dark grey and blue robes. The priests were standing in the main chapel of their temple which sat upon the shoreline of the ocean. Areas of worship within temples of Sen only had three sides to them as the fourth was left completely open and faced the body of water the temple was built next to.

    "And the guard''s ''protection'' cost?" Elder Philip''s voice was low and haggard as he stood facing the ocean while addressing the priest.

    "Ten gold," the priest replied in a sheepish tone. "One of them slipped on the wet pier and raised the price as compensation."

    "¡­" Philip narrowed his eyes and muttered under his breath, "The waves are awfully calm." Sen was never a forgiving god, so to see the ocean calm and the skies clear after the priests were extorted so harshly made Philip uneasy.

    "Have we done something to warrant our Storm Father''s anger, Elder?" The priest was desperate for answers, "We barely have enough money to maintain the temple and even that is running dry!" He motioned to the boarded-up window. "We can''t last much longer!"

    "And, as I offered to the others, if you wish to leave for bluer waters then you may. I will remain here as custodian, until the end." Philip breathed in the salty air as a gust of wind swept through the chapel. Even if their situation was dire, Philip''s faith still held firm and he would remain in Solfin. "Till my bones are washed away in waters cold."

    "Your bones are still needed on land, Elder," a voice called out as a new person entered the chapel.

    "You¡­are Daughter Elise," Philip said as he looked over his shoulder at Elise who walked up the aisle to stand a few feet behind him.

    "It is an honor to be called Daughter still, even though I''m sure you know I no longer hold claim to it." Elise gave a respectful bow to Philip and the other priest.

    "That implies I agreed with the decision to banish you," Philip countered and motioned for Elise to join him at the edge next to the ocean. "The day Solomon sailed to our shores from Yulash, a storm crashed against Solfin with a fierceness I had not seen in ages. What your Hearth Mother''s Voice saw in him that she kept him around, I will never know."

    "Thank you for your kind words, Elder," Elise said with a smile as she walked over and stared out at the ocean. "It makes me feel at ease to know you are the Elder here since that will make working here much nicer."

    "Has she arrived?"

    "We passed through the gates roughly half an hour ago." Elise gave an annoyed sigh and spat into the ocean.

    "I see you''ve received Solfin''s hospitality," Philip joked and spat into the ocean too; a gesture between worshippers of Sen wishing to bond while sharing a common grievance that Elise used to get closer to the Elder.

    "If we received hospitality, then are you receiving spite?" Elise asked as she looked around at the run-down state the temple was in. Aside from one of the large windows being boarded up, there was an old hole in the roof, the floors and pews were barren, and places that looked like they should hold and display artworks and crafts to Sen were empty.

    "When the war began two years ago," Philip started and his eyes waxed over as they stared out at the ocean''s calm waves, "Baron Rolf raised the taxes. ''We must show our support for our kingdom'', or so he justified. Life became harder and harder to maintain as money started drying up; for everyone."

    "But the war''s over."

    "And yet the taxes remain raised." Merchant ships sailed by as they made their way into the Helker and through Solfin. "The guards also started extorting the people by not solving crimes unless the victims directly paid them for their services, tolls were set up at the gates, and¡­well¡­ I''m sure you saw how it went for those who couldn''t afford it anymore."

    "Then why do they still cling to Solfin''s walls?" Elise asked. "If they fled into Holst then they would definitely find better lives; better than the shacks they''re wallowing in."

    "Stubbornness, perhaps?" Philip mused as a particularly harsh wave crashed against the shore. "Many families have lived here for generations and refuse to leave for that reason alone. The guards also leave anyone on the outside of the walls alone so they can survive there without extortion."

    "Until some gang starts running their own racket," Elise corrected.

    "¡­" Philip didn''t deny it. They stood in silence for a few minutes before Philip spoke up, "For the past two years, we''ve been having constant storms along the whole coast. They were infrequent and struck without warning, yet they never relented or gave us enough time to rest. That is, until last July when the clouds parted and allowed us a reprieve under the sun''s warmth¡­"

    "¡­" July was when Lucina was given her title of Countess.

    "Can she bring change?"

    "Yes."

    "¡­I see." Philip turned to Elise and gave her a deep bow. "Then if there is anything I can do to help, please call upon me."

    "Thank you, Elder," Elise put her hand on Philip''s shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze, and the two began discussing in detail all that had happened in Solfin the past two years.

    ***

    "We''ve arrived, Countess." Jeremy held out his hand for Lucina as she got out of the carriage that was parked in front of the Baron''s mansion. The top of the hill was mostly flattened out so that the mansion sat on flat land with a large yard and beautiful garden that surrounded it, though a stone path led to stairs that wove down a slope and into the garden. The main building was three stories tall and made of stones with a tiled roof that had multiple chimneys poking out of it. Much of the first floor had large windows to let in plenty of natural light, the second had a few large windows but most were smaller, and the third floor was mostly solid walls with only a single room on the end having large windows and a massive balcony.

    "Welcome, Countess Sanguine," a maid with long, curly brown hair and dark brown eyes greeted Lucina and Jeremy at the front door.  Lucina noticed the maid''s skin was a bit pale and her cheeks were a little shallow. The maid''s tone was controlled but Lucina could hear some dismissiveness in it, "Please follow me to the drawing room." The entrance hall was large and decorated with richly colored rugs, silk curtains hung from the windows, and tacky wallpaper was plastered all over the walls. The drawing room wasn''t much better as the stuffed heads of both animals and demons adorned the walls along with one that Lucina couldn''t help but laugh at.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "The Baron has such wonderful hospitality," she joked as she stared at the stuffed hellhound demon head above the fireplace. It looked relatively new.

    "¡­" The maid didn''t respond to the joke. "It may be a few minutes before the Baron can see you, so please wait here."

    "I have to wait?"

    "Yes," while the maid''s tone was annoyed, Lucina couldn''t help be feel like the maid was forcing it to be. "Please be patient, Countess."

    "And if I''m not, and order you to tell him to hurry up?" Lucina wanted to push the maid a little.

    "I am a maid of the Baron, not you, so I would ignore your order." Again, she seemed annoyed but she was also hamming it up. "No one would listen to an upstart child."

    "¡­Is that so?" Lucina was intrigued about how blatant the hostility was but knew she probably wouldn''t get any answers from this maid that weren''t deflective or sarcastic. "Then may I at least have some tea while I wait?"

    "Yes, Countess," the maid answered and wheeled in a cart with tea. She poured two cups for Lucina and Jeremy before excusing herself and leaving the room.

    "¡­Is this fun for you?" Jeremy asked once they were alone.

    "Very much so," Lucina answered as she sipped the cold tea. "I''m actually a little disappointed that the tea isn''t poisoned."

    "While you are powerful, you aren''t immune to poisons so please don''t joke about that; especially when Elise isn''t here to save you." Jeremy ignored the tea and started looking around the room to internally calculate how much the furnishings and decorations would cost. "The heads alone would be worth a small fortune to the right buyer."

    "We''ll sell all except the hellhound one," Lucina mentioned and set down the teacup. "I like the irony."

    "I wouldn''t call ''blatant hostility'' as ''irony'', Countess."

    "True, but it is something worth noting." Lucina crossed her legs and tapped her head against the back of the sofa she was sitting on. "While she was looking down on me, that maid was being a bit too eager about it."

    "When she left, I saw quite a few other maids scatter away from the door," Jeremy remarked and rubbed his chin in thought. "Do you think she was putting on a show for them?"

    "She looked a little malnourished¡­ They all did." Lucina''s fingers tapped against the arm of the sofa as she continued her line of thought, "The Baron and guards are hoarding the wealth and power so it makes sense that the servants would do what they could to beg for scraps. Since the Baron doesn''t like me then the servants will follow suit." Lucina laughed and added, "They might even get bonuses for ratting on their fellow servants which would explain why there were so many at the door earlier and why that one maid was acting like that."

    "¡­" Jeremy silently seethed to himself.

    "I was going to let things play out a little longer, but we''ll be moving our plan ahead once we get Elise''s and Carl''s reports. I''ll send you into town tomorrow to ''check-up'' on Carl and the rest; use that time to also meet Elise at the temple."

    "It will be done, Countess," Jeremy answered and gave a bow.

    "Good. Now, we wait."

    ***

    But why are we waiting for three hours!? The sun''s already setting and we''re still waiting for the Baron. "¡­Should I cause a ruckus?"

    "Countess!" As the thought crossed my mind, the Baron burst through the door and entered the drawing room with his wife. The Baron was practically a mirror image of his son, Augustus, as the two had the same short blonde hair and light red eyes. The Baroness on the other hand had long blonde hair that was held up in two large buns and had soft blue eyes. I couldn''t tell if her skin was actually that white or if it was just all the makeup she was wearing but she looked like a porcelain doll. They also wore matching outfits of a brilliant scarlet red and pure white. I should have worn my red and black outfit to this meeting. "Apologies for the delay. We have a saying around here: Solfin never sleeps, so neither do I!" His voice sounded like sandpaper.

    "Oh, dear~! Stop it! The Countess doesn''t want to hear such silly things." The Baroness'' sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

    "¡­" I really want to move up the plan as quickly as possible, now. "It''s alright, Baron. You''ve been managing Solfin for years but everyone slows down with age so I understand the delay."

    "Ah, to be so young!" the Baron exclaimed and gave a laugh as he sat down across from me and Jeremy. He seemed to be taking my insult rather well. "Make sure you cherish your youth, Countess, because it will be gone in a flash! My wife''s been redecorating the mansion over the past year and the garden is magnificent; so I''m sure you''ll also love spending your time there." Oh?

    "While I would love to spend time with the Baroness in the garden, I fear I''ve spent enough time resting and should start fulfilling my duties as Countess."

    "See, this is exactly what I was talking about!" the Baron made exaggerated gestures with his hands toward me. "Children shouldn''t worry about the complicated world of adult affairs; you should be enjoying your youth at gatherings and with friends!"

    The Baroness joined in, "My husband''s right, you know? You should join me for some tea in the garden tomorrow; I can help you get accustomed to your new life here at our mansion. I so rarely get a chance to enjoy our garden with others. It will be so much fun~!"

    "¡­" On the outside, their words sound genuine and nice, but even a newborn noble could understand their meaning. The Baron''s telling me to not get involved in the affairs of Solfin and instead live a life of ignorance under his thumb. That said, while her voice is annoying, the Baroness'' tone doesn''t sound insulting; she sounds completely genuine in her request for us to spend time together. Does she actually think I should spend my time having tea parties with her in the garden? She''s either extremely good at masking her intentions or bafflingly innocent. Now I see why Margaret doesn''t like these people. "But if I do, then His Majesty will not be pleased since he bestowed me this title as a show of faith and loyalty to the crown!" I can also play word games! "I don''t want to see you and the Baroness punished for being seen as lazy and ungrateful for His Majesty''s gift!"

    The Baron showed a hint of discomfort and tried to deflect, "Oh, perish the thought! His Majesty is a magnanimous man who would never hold such a thing against you, child!" Ah, and that''s where that maid from earlier got the idea to call me an ''upstart child''. "You just let me worry about that while you enjoy yourself!" He makes it sound like the Emperor is guaranteed to listen to him which I''m pretty sure is a slight against the imperial family.

    "Ah, thank you, Baron." But I''ll just add that to the list for later.

    "Of course, child!" The Baron gave a hearty laugh and waved his hand toward the maids at the door. "Now, it''s getting late and you must be hungry!" The maid from earlier wheeled in a cart with food on it and started putting it down in front of me. Was I supposed to eat dinner in the drawing room? "I made sure that the chef used the finest cuts of meat for your first night here, so I hope you enjoy!" When the maid lifted the lid off the serving plate I was met with meat that I had never seen before; though that might be just the sauce it was cooked in changing the color.

    "What is it?" It looked like mutton.

    "Hellhound." ¡­What? "Actually, this meat came from that boy right over there," the Baron said and pointed to the stuffed hellhound''s head. "We hunted it during an infernal gate subjugation and I couldn''t just let them throw away all that food!"

    "¡­Thank you for the hospitality, but I can''t eat this." It was sacrilegious to consume demon flesh, and the fact that it''s hellhound makes his intentions all the clearer. "If it''s alright with you, could I have a simple soup before bed?"

    "Are you sure?" the Baroness asked and gave me a concerned look. Does she¡­really not understand what''s happening?

    "Oh, of course!" The Baron made an exaggerated gesture of apology and snapped his fingers at the maid with curly brown hair. "Tress, lead our guests to their rooms and make sure some soup gets delivered to the Countess."

    "At once, my Lord," Tress responded and gave a bow before leading Jeremy and I out of the drawing room. We were led up the stairs to the second floor and down one of the halls. "The master''s room is on the third floor so make sure you stay on the first two floors." Eyes and ears down the hall watched and listened to us as Tress continued to act annoyed with me. "Since you want special soup, it will take a while to bother the chef to make it. I''ll bring it up when it''s done and leave it at your door."

    "Mm."

    "¡­?" My curt response probably wasn''t what she was hoping for, but it was getting late and I was done with today.

    Jeremy waited until Tress left before speaking to me, "If you need anything, Countess, just come to my room."

    "I''ll be fine, Jeremy. Do your best to get some sleep since you''re going to start getting busy come tomorrow."

    "Of course, Countess." Jeremy bid me goodnight and we both entered our separate rooms. I guess the Baron was showing off by giving Jeremy, my aide, a guest room instead of making him sleep with the servants.

    "¡­" The room was dark and the smell of dust clung in the air. A few pieces of furniture were clean but most still held at least a thin layer of dust on them. Three large window doors led to a balcony that overlooked the back garden and Solfin''s stone wall. "At least the bed''s clean." The sheets were in good condition, though they definitely needed to be aired out with how flat and stale they had become. This would be my room for the time being. "¡­Then let''s begin." I made sure to lock two of the window doors, the ones closest to the bed, but left the third unlocked and slightly askew. While closing the curtains I stopped and stared at the trees and bushes of the garden.

    "¡­" And the brush stared back with eyes that only I could see. With eyes that followed me all the way from Gorinville. With eyes all the way from the forests of Peltaira. When I told my mother about them she looked concerned so I never brought them up again, but I knew they were there.

    "Hmm." I moved a carpet to the foot of the askew door and put some hollowed-out small stones under it. I made them back when the eyes first started following me in the capital and they made a loud crunching noise when stepped on. With the curtains fully closed, I moved a chair into the corner of the room next to the balcony door and set down a dagger I had hidden away under my dress on the seat with the blade pointed toward the side of my bed facing the windows. There was a nightstand next to the bed that was already on that side too so I could use it as well as the dagger if the eyes break in. I''m glad there was a dresser on the other side of the room which I could use if the eyes came in through the door to the hall; for all I knew the Baron might work with them. All the furniture around the room would do well, and with my preparations done I changed into my nightgown and climbed into bed; after checking under it just in case. I brought my second dagger with me under the covers and stared at the ceiling waiting for the night to pass.

 Ignorance Was Bliss

    "Are you alright, Countess?" the Baroness asked the following morning as she and Lucina enjoyed some tea in the mansion''s garden. The sun was shining down and bathed the garden in its bright light while the two ladies sat at their table under a large umbrella. Four maids were silently standing off to the side waiting for orders, and Lucina noticed that two of the four had the same slightly shallow cheeks and paler than normal skin that Tress had while the other two looked perfectly healthy. "You look tired. Were you not able to get enough sleep last night?"

    "¡­" Now that she was alone with the Baroness, the maids seemed less eager to insult and annoy Lucina and they barely paid any attention to her. This confirmed Lucina''s theory that the Baron held the power, but didn''t explain the Baroness'' strange demeanor. "I''ve always had trouble sleeping since my time in the war, please don''t trouble yourself over it, Baroness."

    "How could you say that?" the Baroness asked and sounded insulted by Lucina''s dismissive remark. "Getting enough sleep is important to growing up!" She had a determined look on her face as she offered, "If you''d like, I often drink a special tea that helps me fall asleep and I''d be more than happy to share some with you."

    "You have trouble sleeping, Baroness?" Lucina inquired as she wanted to learn all she could about the Baron''s family for her upcoming plan.

    "¡­Yes," the Baroness somberly replied and her normally happy face drooped with a deep sadness.

    One of the healthy-looking maids tried to step in, "Madam, you shouldn''t-"

    "It''s alright," the Baroness reassured her maid before falling silent in thought. After taking a few moments to collect herself she continued, "My son, Augustus, was a¡­difficult birth. My dream was to have a large family with our mansion filled with the cries and laughter of multiple children¡­" Her hands idly traced the rim of her teacup and her eyes lost focus. "But it seems that was never meant to be. I barely managed to survive having our first son so my husband refused to have any more children since my body can''t handle going through childbirth a second time¡­ Even after all these years I still sometimes feel the pain from that day in my dreams and it makes me lose sleep. My husband found a reliable alchemist and the special tea they prepare helps calm my mind and I never have those nightmares when I take it."

    "I''m sorry," Lucina gave an apology as a basic courtesy.

    "It''s alright," the Baroness justified to herself. "Even if that initial dream didn''t come true, we were still blessed with Augustus who makes me so proud with how far he''s come." The light of joy returned to the Baroness'' face as she chuckled, "To think, my son became friends with the Crown Princess? He keeps surprising me all the time."

    "Hopefully, he grows up to be a better baron than his father," Lucina cast out some bait to see the Baroness'' response. The maids, who Lucina thought would glare at her for the remark, all stared intently out of the corners of their eyes at the Baroness with looks of unease.

    "Of course, he will," the pride in the Baroness'' voice proved that Lucina''s insult went over her head. "He''s made both of us so proud, so I have no doubt he''ll surpass his father when he takes over the barony." The maids partially relaxed, though they kept a close eye on the Baroness.

    "I, too, look forward to working with him to help Solfin prosper." Lucina needed a new, more direct approach if she was going to get anything more out of the Baroness. "The slum problem is something that desperately needs addressing, after all."

    "The slums?" the Baroness asked while tilting her head to the side in confusion. "Why would you need to do anything about that?"

    "Because I''m the Countess of Solfin," Lucina explained and was getting a strange feeling from the Baroness. "It''s important that I do what I can for my county, and the slums are the most noticeable problem that needs fixing."

    "Is it?"

    "¡­" The genuine curiosity in the Baroness'' question stunned Lucina into silence. The maids looked nervous and the less healthy ones had hints of anger in their eyes. "While I''ve only been here for a day, there was such a large slum outside the walls that it''s impossible not to notice."

    "But those people are choosing to live like that," the Baroness justified, completely serious.

    "¡­They''re homeless."

    "That''s because they don''t want to buy a house."

    "!?!" Lucina had no idea how to respond and her mouth opened and closed as it tried to find the right words to use. Another glance at the maids showed how obviously uncomfortable they were, though the healthy two were doing a better job at hiding it than their peers. "¡­I see." Lucina finally understood what was going on. Yesterday when she met the Baron, the Baroness mentioned how she rarely got to enjoy tea with anyone which was strange for someone who appeared so friendly. The Baroness wore a loose-fitting dress that was adorned in jewelry and lace accents while drinking tea from the finest tea sets Lucina had ever seen. Deserts made from the finest ingredients, topped with cream and freshly cut fruits, filled the table along with the tea which left nothing lacking. When the Baron wasn''t personally around, four maids were to wait upon the Baroness for all her needs which was excessive for someone of her status. The city was in decline but the Baron''s wealth and opulence increased with a direction focused on his wife. His wife who almost died in childbirth and whose body was too weak for more children despite once dreaming of a large family. "That''s one way to look at it." The Baroness was a beautiful, wounded bird that the Baron kept in the most expensive birdcage.

    "If they don''t want to help themselves, then why should we force change on them?" A beautiful, wounded bird that no longer dreamed of the sky and was content with the bars that surrounded her. "Besides, we let them live against our walls free of charge while most other lords would have driven them out completely. I''m sure they''ll come around, eventually." She had completely diluted herself to the world around her to cope with her life and the Baron''s extravagance only fueled that dissolution. This had obviously been going on for quite some time and Lucina guessed that the war only exasperated the issue to what it was now.

    "¡­Let''s hope so." This conversation was making Lucina uncomfortable and she learned all she needed to from it. Seeing the maid''s reactions also revealed another important piece of information Lucina would be able to use later; the servants weren''t loyal to the Baron, they were only doing what they needed to survive. Servants who served the master''s of the house of high-ranking nobles were usually selected from lower-ranking families or distinguished non-noble families, but barons were at the bottom of the hierarchy and would usually only employ from the commoners who lived in their lands. Every servant in this mansion knew that there was nothing left for them or their family if they were let go so they worked tirelessly to appease the Baron and suck up to the Baroness. "Perhaps it will happen sooner rather than later?" Lucina teased as she sipped her tea and kept the Baroness company for the afternoon.

    ***

    "How exhausting." When the Baroness gets going, she doesn''t stop talking. I''m going to have to be more careful when I have tea time with her if I don''t want my ears falling off. At least now that I''m back in my room I won''t be disturbed since the maids seem to ignore me if I don''t leave my room. I might keep a few of them when I take over this place¡­ "It''s quiet." The sun was setting and Jeremy was still out in town so I had nothing to do but sit in this silent room by myself and wait.

    "How rude~. I''m here too~!" With only one annoyance.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Go away," I told the fake Olivia who was sitting on my bed as if she owned it.

    "You used to cuddle up in my arms during the war~," they teased to get a rise out of me. "What happened to my adorable little Lucina to make her this cold to me~?"

    "¡­" If I ignore it, it might go away.

    "No, I won''t~."

    "¡­Then just don''t talk." It was tiring dealing with the fake when the feeling of being with the real Olivia was still fresh in my mind. The brilliance of her figure. The glow of her smile. The warmth of her arms around me.

    "Please, you''ll make me blush~." None of that is with this one. Their arms are cold and send shivers down my spine when they wrap around me. Their smile is a poisoned blade that tricks me into surrendering to it. Their figure is a mockery of Olivia''s that makes me want to grab it and-¡­ What?

    "!?!" What was I just thinking about doing!?

    "Oh my~! To think you see me like that~?" The fake blushed and held up a hand to their mouth to hide the smile I knew was under it. "But, we''re still both too young~! If you can wait until we''re both older-"

    "Shut up!" I had to get them to shut up so I could think rationally! What did I want to do to their¡­to Olivia''s body? I just¡­wanted to see it! That''s right! Before the war, we would sometimes bathe together whenever I stayed in Wortrest so it''s normal for me to want to see her body since I always did in the past. It''s been years since we last did that so I was just curious to see how she''s grown! There''s no other¡­reason. "¡­" The tightness in my chest returned and my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand. Why?

    "If all you wanted to do was see, then why didn''t you ask~?" Huh? What was the fake do-!?!

    "Stop it!" Why were they untying the back of their dress!?

    "But you said you wanted to see~," it teased and took a few steps toward me. "I''m all the way back in Gorinville but that doesn''t mean you can''t use your imagination~." It flicked one of the dress'' shoulder straps off its shoulder making the sleeve hang down their arm. The sleeve was so low that their chest was partially¡­!?!

    "¡­Stop." This is confusing. Why am I feeling this way? It''s just a fake Olivia¡­but¡­

    "Why~?" They moved to flick the other strap.

    "Stop." It''s just a fake that was all in my head¡­but it felt wrong to do this!

    "Then why are you getting excited~?"

    "¡­" My heart is only beating fast because I''m uncomfortable with this!

    "Uncomfortable~? Because we''re both girls~?" Both girls? Why would- "I''m engaged to the Crown Prince, had a boyfriend in my past life, and even when mentioning other candidates for lovers I only mentioned men~. Right~?"

    "Y-Yeah? So what?" Why would I care about who Olivia''s lover was, or why she only talks romantically about boys?

    "Because it will never be you~!" ¡­Huh? My heart¡­? "No matter how special you are to me, all you''ll ever be is my childhood friend~."

    "W-¡­What''s wrong with that?" Why does my heart feel like it''s being stabbed with a knife?

    "Plus, now that you''re a countess you won''t have as much time to visit me since you''re so far away, so it''s obvious I''ll start getting closer to other people~." Their¡­Her eyes¡­ "With other boys~."

    "Sh-Shut up!" Olivia would never leave m-

    "But I already am~!" Her hands reached up and cupped my cheeks. They were freezing cold. "Augustus is a definite candidate since he''s such a gentleman~. He also spends most of the year in the capital which makes it easy to see him~."

    "Because he''s going to start attending the royal academy this year!" Why am I making excuses for him?

    "Then why was I with him so much last year, too~? I mentioned him in my letters, remember~?"

    "¡­" I hate this. Why do I hate this?

    "Since we''ll have to have this talk someday, why not now~?" She¡­pulled her sleeve back up and retied her dress? Wasn''t she going to show me- "We should stop seeing each other as much as possible~."

    "What!?!" Why!?! I reached out to her but she¡­pulled away from me!?

    "Because I''m going to be a married woman~." I already knew she would get married, so why does hearing it hurt my chest? "We''ll drift apart anyway once I start a family with James~."

    "¡­Family?"

    "Of course, silly~." I heard her heels clack against the floor as she approached me. Her voice trickled into my ear like a poison, "I need to give James at least one heir to the throne~. And after that, who knows what will happen~? What if I have the same kind of dream as the Baroness and want loads of kids~?"

    "¡­Stop it." Why is hearing this disgusting me?

    "I wonder what my child with Augustus will look like~?"

    "Stop it!" I put my hands over my ears! I don''t want to hear this! Even though it''s obvious, why does it hurt!?

    "Say~? Since you''re my childhood friend, will you be their godmother~?"

    "Shut up!" My ears were plugged but her words kept ringing in my head! I had to make her stop! If I look at the floor she''ll go away, right!? Why does it hurt!?

    "You know, Jeremy and Elise are quite vocal when they go at it~. I wonder if James will make me scream like that~?"

    "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Why!? Why!? Why!? Why!? Why am I reacting like this to the obvious future!? She must be doing something to me! She has to stop! I''ll make her stop! My thorns! During Toldrin she was standing on my soul reflection! It interacts with her! I can make her shut up!

    "Oh~!?" The briars work! They weave and coil around her! "Luci¡­na~!?" Around her neck! "Lu-" Tighter around-

    ***

    A loud cracking sound snapped Lucina out of the trance she had put herself in. She swallowed a lump in her throat and was desperately gasping for air as she realized she had forgotten to breathe. The thorny vines of her soul were pouring out of her chest and completely enveloped the room and furniture. But, what made the cracking noise? Looking up from the floor, Lucina saw the fake Olivia bound in her briar and strung up like a puppet on strings. Unlike with the real Olivia, Lucina''s briars dug deep into the fake''s skin and were yanking her limbs as if trying to rip the fake apart. There was also a rather strong-looking vine around the fake''s neck.

    "¡­Hey?" The vine around her neck was the tightest and its thorns dug deep into the fake''s flesh causing blood to trickle down her body.

    "¡­"

    "H-Hey?" Lucina took a hesitant step toward the fake.

    "¡­" Why were they so unnaturally quiet?

    "S-Stop trying to-" Lucina retracted her soul reflection and the fake''s body lifelessly fell to the floor with a heavy thud. "¡­O-¡­Olivia?" All understanding of this being a fake quickly evaporated from Lucina''s mind as she rushed over to the fake''s side. "O-Olivia!?!"

    "¡­" The fake''s head slumped back and their lifeless eyes stared blankly ahead. The coldness Lucina usually felt was far harsher than before and seeped into Lucina''s bones as she grabbed the fake and started shaking them.

    "W-Wake up! Please, wake-!" The bruising from Lucina''s briars around the fake''s neck showed why there wasn''t a response. "I-¡­I''m sorry!" Lucina pleaded with the fake''s ''corpse''; with Olivia''s ''corpse''. "I''m sorry! I''m sorry!"

    "¡­"

    "N-No!" Lucina bolted away from the fake and ran to the wardrobe. She threw open the doors and yanked out the sack she had stuffed inside and poured the contents out onto the floor; Olivia''s letters from the war. Olivia''s handwriting adorned each letter with love and care, and Lucina scooped them into her arms as if hugging them would fix everything. "I''m sorry! I''m sorry!" She started rocking back and forth while she clutched the letters to her chest. "I-"

    "Shhhh~. It''s okay~." The fake rematerialized behind Lucina and draped her arms over Lucina''s shoulders so she could hold Lucina''s trembling hands. The cold seeped through Lucina''s whole body and calmed her down. "It''s okay~."

    "O-Olivia!" Lucina breathed a sigh of relief as tears flooded down her face and stained the letters in her arms.

    "That''s right, I''m right here~," the fake soothed as she whispered into Lucina''s ear. "It''s not your fault~. You were just angry at the world we live in so how could I ever blame you~? It''s not your fault, my Lucina~."

    "Y-Yes!" Lucina accepted the flimsy justifications and allowed herself to bask in the cold of the fake''s embrace. She swore she could smell Olivia''s sweet scent as the fake comforted her which further dulled Lucina''s mind. "I''m sorry¡­I''m sorry¡­"

    "I was too harsh~. It''s my fault for saying such hurtful things~. You don''t hate me, right~?" Sailest''s light poured in through the windows as the planet peeked over Solfin''s wall.

    "Yes¡­"

    "You still love me, right~? My Lucina~?" The super storm, Sailest''s ''pupil'', stared down from the sky at Lucina.

    "Yes¡­my Olivia~."

    "Countess?" Jeremy called and knocked on Lucina''s door.

    "¡­" In a daze, Lucina got to her feet while letting the letters fall to the floor and walked over to answer the door.

    "¡­Countess?" Jeremy was immediately concerned by the face Lucina was making when he saw her because it felt like a sword being pressed against his throat. He glanced inside the dark room and saw Olivia''s letters strewn across the floor. "Are¡­you alri-"

    "Come in and report." Lucina''s eyes could barely focus, yet her voice still held its authority.

    "At once, Countess." It was obvious Lucina was getting closer to the gods, but at least now her life wasn''t in any immediate danger like it was on the battlefield so Jeremy felt relieved she could safely continue her holy journey. He just wished it didn''t make it harder to talk to her. "Elise has made contact with the temple of Lord Sen and secured cooperation from Elder Philip. I''ve written his testimony for you to look over, here." Jeremy entered the room and handed Lucina a stack of papers that she started thumbing through.

    "Hmm," she hummed to herself as she read over the document. "This is a good start. Is that other stack of papers you have the report on Carl''s findings?"

    "Yes, Countess." Jeremy held out the other report he brought with him which was much thicker than Elise''s. "The children Carl found were very talkative and surprisingly knowledgeable on the goings on of Solfin. I wanted to inform you as soon as I could so I''m still waiting on the knights to verify all the claims, but with what material we currently have we can expect everything to go in your favor. Once I meet with them tomorrow and gather everything together, we''ll be ready to move on to the next step."

    "Good." Lucina looked through the report while the fake Olivia was still leaning on her shoulders.

    "Oh my~! To think such things were going on in our empire~?" They nestled their face closer to Lucina''s and added, "I would never stand for this if I knew~. I might even throw Augustus away after learning about what his family''s been up to~."

    "We''ll proceed tomorrow!" Lucina''s heart skipped a beat at the thought of Olivia getting rid of Augustus. She spread out the documents on a table and motioned for Jeremy to stand next to her as she ordered, "Begin surgical strikes on these three locations at high noon tomorrow. After the knights finish their assignments, have them all gather here at the mansion at two o''clock."

    "And the mansion''s gate guards?"

    "Kill them," Lucina replied matter-of-factly. "Also, don''t expect any sleep tonight since I''m going to need your help writing a speech to ease the commoners."

    "Then, if I may, we should start with¡­" Jeremy and Lucina got to work sorting through the documents and drafting a speech as Lucina was no longer willing to lay low. She didn''t want to disappoint Olivia by allowing such blatant corruption to continue to exist. She would never do that to her Olivia.

 Hellhounds Barbed With Thorns

    "Hurry it up, we need to get this ship out before the sun sets! Stop dragging your feet!" Shouts filled Baron Rolf''s private dockyard as workers moved tirelessly to keep up with the day''s busy schedule while under the watch of the guards. A massive boat was currently docked and its precious cargo was being hauled, or sometimes dragged, onboard. "Hey! Any price loss from damaged goods comes outta your pay!" the leader of the dock guards barked to two workers who were dragging some cargo toward the boat ramp.

    "Sorry, sir, but this one''s still so feisty." The cargo kicked at the workers who were doing their best to keep hold of the chains around the cargo''s neck and arms.

    "The nobles of Itrecha like them lively, that''s why they pay good money!" The guard grimaced at the cargo before adding, "And that good money comes with the condition that they receive the goods in as pristine condition as possible! Move it!"

    "Yes, sir!" The workers quickly rushed the cargo onto the ship while doing their best to not damage it.

    "What a waste," another guard commented as she watched more cargo get loaded onto the ship with a listless look in her eyes. "Some of them are rather good-looking. The fields need more hands so why doesn''t the Baron keep a few?"

    "You know how pointless that''d be," the leader remarked and started crossing things off on his checklist. "With the money earned from those slaves, we can just buy food. Haven''t you tried those delicacies from Yulash, yet?"

    "No, I haven''t had time," the second guard complained and she leaned against a wood piling. "Is that place at the end of Chester Street still around?"

    "Yeah, one of the ships this morning had some ingredients for them so you should head down and try it when you change shifts."

    "Maybe tomorrow," the second guard said while wiping some sweat off her brow. "It''s too hot and I just want to head home when we''re done."

    "Suit yourself," the leader said as he understood her discomfort. While it wasn''t particularly hot in terms of temperature, the sun was beating down extremely harshly today which made the docks, which had little to no shade, an uncomfortable place to stand for hours on end. "Make sure you drink some water, your face is awfully re-"

    "Captain!?" a guard came running and drew the attention of the two conversing guards.

    "Now what?" the captain was already annoyed which was only made worse by the sunburn he was starting to experience.

    "Trouble at the gate! Those new knights the kid brought are demanding to speak with you."

    "¡­Ugh," the captain groaned and motioned for the two guards to follow him. "Let''s go deal with it." The three guards made their way across the docks and past a warehouse toward the iron gates that marked the perimeter of the private docks. A group of guards were tensely standing around the open gates while the Hellhounds patiently waited just outside. Every Hellhound knight was in their full suit of plate armor which covered their faces; except for Carl who stood at the head of the knights without a helmet. A cloud sat in the sky at just the right position to provide shade for the Hellhounds and shield them from the sun''s harsh light. There was something uneasy in the air as the captain addressed Carl, "What business have you in the Baron''s private property?"

    Carl took out a piece of paper Jeremy had given him that morning, and declared, "By order of the Countess: this dock is to be closed and searched as part of an investigation into the allegations against Baron Rolf being complicit in embezzlement, tax fraud, and negligence of duty! We ask for your cooperation during this investigation and to surrender your weapons until we are finished."

    "What!?!" the captain shouted as anger overcame him. "What absurdity are you spouting against our Lord!?"

    "Your Lord is Countess Lucina Sanguine," Carl corrected and stuffed the paper into one of his belt pouches.

    "Enough bullshit!" the captain continued to shout and got up in Carl''s face. The intense heat was making him act rashly. "That child has no sway in this city! So take that paper of yours and go back to your ''Countess'' a failure!"

    "You won''t comply?" Carl asked calmly.

    "No! And neither will any of my me-!" The captain''s head was severed from his shoulders with one swipe of Carl''s axe.

    "C-Captain!?" one of the guards cried out and the guards drew their weapons.

    "Then you are all accomplices to the Baron''s crimes and will be dealt with accordingly!" Carl was hoping for this outcome and the Hellhounds all drew their weapons.

    "You damned-!?" One of the guards charged the Hellhounds but was swiftly cut down. Because of the intense sun, the guards were only wearing cloth gambesons which allowed the Hellhounds to more easily cut them down.

    "Honestly," Carl joked as he put on his helmet before joining the fray, "I don''t get why they''re wearing such light armor when they''re supposed to be guards."

    "They probably got complacent," a Hellhound reasoned as they retrieved their sword from the corpse of a guard.

    "While that makes this easier, it''s not nearly as fun," Carl complained as he led the Hellhounds into the docks. "Hopefully the next place puts up more of a fight." None could say for certain why, but that day Solfin experienced sporadic winds that moved the clouds in the sky in strange directions; as if guided by some unseen force. The Hellhounds, unaware of this fact, continued on with their duties. As the day went on and the knights continued to hit their targets, dark clouds surrounded Solfin and began converging on the Baron''s mansion.

    ***

    "What do you mean the docks were raided!?!" Baron Rolf exploded at the servant who brought news of the Hellhound''s attack. The Baron''s cheeks were almost as red as his jacket as he continued, "The royal family never cared what I did so long as I paid them their dues! Butler, get me a pen and parchment! I pay the imperial family good money and I won''t let some upstart child go unpunished!"

    "Right away, my Lord!" the butler replied and turned to leave but was stopped as a second servant burst into the room.

    "My Lord, the gambling house was raided by a group of knights!"

    "What!?" The gambling house was one of the Baron''s key facilities in creating new slaves by making people lose it all and be forced into debt where the debtor would, ideally, then be put into slavery to sell off what they owe with their body. "Was it those Hellhounds?"

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    "Yes, my Lord!"

    "That''s impossible! How could they raid both the docks and the gambling house at the same time!?" the Baron roared and slammed his hands on his desk.

    "M-My apologies, my Lord!" the servant stammered out and kept his head hung low. "I tried to report earlier, but I kept getting harassed by street urchins so I was delayed!"

    "You let children keep you from your duties!?" The Baron looked at his butler and ordered, "Send out Max to round up any kids on the streets and put them in chains! It seems I''ve been too lenient on those beggars and now they''re biting the hand that allows them to stay safe within my walls!"

    "At once, my-"

    "Baron!?" a third servant rushed into the office. "The guard''s headquarters was raided by knights! I saw them carrying boxes filled with documents out of the building!"

    "¡­" The Baron was so angry that his rage became cold and he spoke to the servant in a low, threatening voice, "Let me guess: it was the Hellhounds and when you came to report it you were held up dealing with beggars?"

    "Y-Yes, my Lord. How did you-?" the servant''s voice caught in their throat as he looked up and met eyes with the Baron only to see how dangerous the Baron''s gaze had become.

    "¡­Everyone with me!" The Baron led the four men out of his office and he stormed down the hall. "Butler, gather the guards and detain that child. If she resists then tell them to use force! I need to head out and personally see what''s happening out there! You three, make sure you¡­?" As the group of men got to the stairs in the entrance hall they were met with an odd sight; all the servants had gathered at the bottom of the stairs. "What''s going on here?"

    "!!!" Upon hearing the Baron''s voice, all the servants shut their mouths and bowed their heads.

    "Didn''t any of you hear me? What''s going-"

    "Dear?" The Baroness walked into the entrance hall with her four maids and looked curiously at the Baron. "What''s going on? Why is your face so red?"

    "It''s¡­just some rabble making noise," he answered and started to calm down when the Baroness rushed over to him and cupped his face in her hands. "But why is everyone gathered here? I don''t remember needing to make an announcement."

    "Oh, that''s because the Countess asked me to," the Baroness cheerfully replied with a bright smile on her face.

    "¡­The Countess?"

    "Yes, she said she had something to announce to the servants and asked if I could help her gather everyone since she''s still new here," the Baroness happily explained.

    "And I thank you for that, Baroness," Lucina''s voice came from the top of the stairs that led to the third floor.

    "What are you doing there!?" the Baron demanded. "Only my wife and I are allowed on the third floor!"

    "Dear?" While the Baroness could understand being upset with Lucina for invading their private floor, she didn''t know why her husband was so angry.

    "While rude, it was necessary for my investigation," Lucina''s voice was calm yet coated in venom as she slowly started to descend the stairs; the clacking of her heels on the steps echoed throughout the hall. "After all, as you''ve pointed out before, I''m still a child. And the more you tell a child not to do something, the more they want to do it; so I just had to see what you were hiding up there." She reached the second floor and walked down the last flight of stairs only to stop halfway down. "But to think there was a room quite literally filled with gold!" The third floor of the Baron''s mansion was the smallest and contained only five rooms; the master bedroom, a master bathroom, two rooms for children with one filled with Augustus'' things, and what could only be described as a vault. The fifth room on the third floor had metal lined within its walls, no windows, and only a single reinforced door leading inside. Gold, silver, gems, jewelry, works of art, and all other manners of wealth filled the vault which used magic crystals created by wizards to regulate the temperature so none of its contents would get damaged from excessive heat or cold. "There was even a pile of gold coins in the shape of a throne. Do you spend your time in there acting like a king?"

    "¡­Listen here, Countess." The Baron was doing his best to control his voice so he wouldn''t scare his wife. "While I can let you off with a light scolding for trespassing on the third floor, there are other matters that need addressing." The gathered servants all fidgeted uncomfortably as they weren''t sure they should be listening to this, but also didn''t know if they were allowed to leave without anyone saying so. "I recently heard that your ''knights'' attacked my businesses; unprovoked."

    "They what!?" the Baroness exclaimed and looked to Lucina for answers.

    "¡­" Lucina held a calm smile on her face which only ticked off the Baron.

    "Countess?" the Baron waited for a reply but Lucina seemed to be ignoring him as she was too busy looking at a longcase clock as if waiting for something. "Cou-!" as the Baron tried to once more demand an answer from Lucina, the front doors were thrown open. "What is this!?" The Hellhound knights marched into the hall and moved to form a perimeter around the hall so that all exits were blocked.

    "You''re a minute late," Lucina joked as she turned her eyes to Carl.

    "Apologies, we had to deal with something before we were allowed inside," Carl replied and tossed the severed heads of the gate guards on the ground.

    "AH!?!" a few of the maids shrieked in fear at the sight of the heads, and the Hellhounds all drew their weapons that were still dyed in blood. The servants huddled closer together and fearfully looked around at the Hellhounds who were all wearing their helmets to mask their faces.

    "W-¡­What''s going on?" The Baroness couldn''t comprehend what was happening as her eyes were fixated on the severed heads. "I¡­I¡­"

    "What is the meaning of this!?" the Baron yelled and hugged his wife close to his chest. "Do not think you can get away with such transgressions! I''ll see you hanged for this!"

    "Oh there will definitely be a hanging, Baron, but it will be you who swings from the gallows," Lucina corrected and pulled out the reports Jeremy had given her the night prior. "With all the evidence I have, and that my knights just collected, I can do whatever I want with you."

    "The imperial family-"

    "Won''t do a thing." Lucina''s gaze was like a hungry beast as she stared down at the Baron and she explained, "Just because you send them money to look the other way doesn''t mean they''ll come to your rescue when you get caught. Plus, I also plan on keeping up the bribe payments to them so the Emperor won''t lose a single coin. And actually, now that I think about it, saying the imperial family will bail you out when I have all this evidence is the same as incriminating them with your crimes." Her smile curled up and her eyes narrowed. "If anything, the Emperor will probably side with me and help bury you for slandering him like that."

    "Tha-¡­I¡­!?" The Baron was at a loss for words. He assumed Lucina was just some upstart child who managed to survive the war and earn achievements thanks to the people around her pulling strings. But now that he was before her and on the receiving end of her blade, the Baron couldn''t help but think back to all the acts accredited to Lucina; the amount of blood she shed. She wasn''t an upstart child, Lucina was a monster disguised as a young girl. "We¡­can talk about this." And he had earned that monster''s ire.

    "Can we?" Lucina mocked and turned to leave back up the stairs. "We can talk later when you''re in the dungeon; which I also found while exploring your¡­my mansion."

    "Name your price!" the Baron pleaded. "If it''s gold-"

    "Then I already own it."

    "B-But I have connections with those closest to His Majesty! Connections in our world are worth more than gold! I-"

    "Will be abandoned by those same connections once I make everything come to light." Lucina was getting tired of hearing the Baron''s pleas and she addressed Carl while she continued to walk up the stairs, "Take the Baron and Baroness away."

    "Got it!" Carl and three other Hellhounds started to approach the Baron and his wife.

    "G-Get away!" the Baroness cried and tried to back away from the knights but had nowhere to go.

    "I¡­I!?!" The Baron tried to think of something else as a bargaining chip until his brain landed on the one piece he had that he should never have used. "My son is a future concubine to the next Empress! Think of the possibilities!"

    "¡­" Lucina halted on the stairs as if her entire body was frozen.

    The Baron, mistaking her reaction in a positive light, continued to dig his own grave, "Augustus often sends us letters of his time with the Crown Princess and she seems receptive to his advances! Just give me a little time, just a few years, and once she''s crowned and takes in Augustus, our family will be one of the leaders in the elite!"

    "¡­Is that so?" A dark, foreboding pressure strangled the room as Lucina turned and slowly descended back down the stairs.

    "Yes!" The Baron was getting so caught up in his delusions of survival that he ignored the obvious signs to stop. "While their child will be low in succession, they will still be a direct force in the palace!" A stupid thought crossed the Baron''s mind that sealed his fate. "You were also close with Her Highness, right Countess? I could easily give you excuses to travel to Gorinville and spend time with her! Or, if you''re more of a traditionalist, I could ask Augustus to help ease her into the idea and share her with yo-"

    "On second thought, cancel that order, Carl." With a flick of Lucina''s wrist, a shield depicting the Rolf family''s crest that was hung on the wall above the front doors ripped itself off the wall mounting and sliced through the Baron''s neck as Lucina changed and intensified its point of gravity to the gold necklace the Baron wore. "I will be executing them now."

    "NO!!!" the Baroness cried out and fell to her knees from the shock of seeing her husband decapitated.

    "...Right." Carl was apprehensive as there was an unhinged glint in Lucina''s eyes and her smile was completely gone. Lucina finished descending the stairs and took one of her Hellhound''s swords before approaching the kneeling Baroness.

    "¡­P-Please¡­" Tears poured down her face as she looked up at Lucina. And her next words weren''t what Lucina was expecting, "Please, spare my son! He¡­He has nothing to do with this!" Instead of groveling to spare her life, the Baroness prioritized her child.

    "Ignorance isn''t innocence," Lucina justified to the Baroness despite acknowledging that her real reason for doing this was nowhere close to being noble. This was no longer being done to show her worth as a noble or to clean up Solfin to impress Olivia. This was an excuse to remove someone Lucina deemed a nuisance from her Olivia''s side.

    "Ple-!" Blood spurted onto Lucina and stained her red and black dress when she sliced the Baroness'' neck with her sword. The Baroness'' corpse joined her husband''s on the floor with a cold thump.

    "Load their bodies and heads onto a cart," Lucina ordered while her eyes stared down at the corpses. "I''ll be making a speech in the square on Worchester Boulevard."

    "Got it," the Hellhounds responded and two of them picked up the corpses to haul away.

    "¡­" The gathered servants were trembling in fear and did not dare speak.

    "Now then." But Lucina would force them to as she addressed them, "Who is the master of Solfin?"

    "...W-We greet the Countess of Solfin," the head maid stammered out before going down to her hands and knees with the other servants quickly following suit. "We await your orders, Madam."

    "Good." Lucina''s broken eyes scanned the room as she looked over the servants. Not a sound could be heard other than the occasional dripping of blood from Lucina''s sword. A smile returned to Lucina''s lips that sent shivers down everyone''s spines. "Let''s all get along and make Solfin a place worth living. Alright?"

 Mutual Understanding

    "I''m scared! What are we supposed to do!?" It was the morning following the Baron and Baroness'' death, and it was time to wake up the Countess.

    "Don''t panic! Take deep breaths, dear." The head maid was doing her best to keep everyone''s nerves in check so that no one would act out. "So long as you serve her properly, no harm will come to you."

    "But, yesterday¡­ All that blood and-"

    "Focus!" The head maid clapped her hands to draw our attention. "I''m sending you three because you all proved the best at adapting to the Baroness'' whims and the Baron''s mood. Rely on each other and make sure to cover for any faults so as not to incur the Countess'' wrath. Not just your futures, but potentially the lives of all of us depend on how you three do. There is no second chance. Understood?"

    "Yes, head maid!"

    "Good. Now, it''s time to wake the Countess. Compose yourselves before departing." She looked at me and gave a nod, "Lead them well, Tress."

    "I will, head maid," I answered through the lump in my throat. I was being forced to lead the others since I was the best at reading the Baron and Baroness. It wasn''t something I was particularly proud of since it didn''t do much to get me extra pay like the other maids who were far better at sweet-talking. All I did was get in trouble the least. As I led the other two to the third floor I stopped them just outside the door to the master bedroom to give one last piece of advice before we started. "Even if she''s just a child, she''s from a noble upbringing. If you think something isn''t right with her words or actions it''s the safest bet to just agree with her. Nobles like it when they''re fawned over and validated."

    "But, what happened yesterday-"

    "Was because the Baron overstepped himself!" These two were still too nervous but I didn''t have enough time to properly calm them down. "The higher their rank, the more the noble hates when lesser people talk back to them. Find a flow that makes her happy and ride it as far as you can!"

    "O-Okay!"

    "¡­Okay." I turned back toward the door, tried to swallow despite my mouth being completely dry, and knocked. "Madam, we''re here to help you prepare for the day. May we come in?"

    "Enter." Her voice sounded upbeat which was a good sign that we might make it through the first day. But when I opened the door and entered the room¡­I had no idea what I was looking at. There was nothing wrong with the room, I''d seen it quite a few times when I served the Baroness. The master bedroom was built with a very open design with most furniture pushed as far back against the walls as they could go so that the large middle of the room was completely open. White tiles spotlessly glinted in the sunlight that peaked in from the eastern side of the room as both the east and west sides were primarily window doors that led to large balconies; the east enjoyed a view of the garden while the west overlooked Solfin and the ocean. Marble columns lined the doorways to the balconies with arches going over the room''s curved ceiling to provide support. The bed was large and covered in scarlet bedding that glowed in the sunlight. All the drapes, carpets, sheets, and anything else possible were the same scarlet red. Because of this, the Countess stood out even more against the starch white and scarlet red of the room in her¡­unusual attire. Why was she wearing a pink dress? "I hope everyone got enough rest last night?"

    "Of course, Madam." I gave a bow with my greeting and¡­wait¡­ She''s already dressed? "Was someone here before us who helped you dress?" As far as I knew, the head maid only sent us three! Was someone already pulling underhanded tricks?

    "Ah, right." She sounded amused as she looked down at herself. "I usually get up earlier than most." Her eyes flicked up to us and I felt a chill run down my spine. "I got bored of waiting so I dressed myself. I guess I should have told you that earlier."

    "Not at all, Madam!" Shit! Shit! Of course she''d wake up earlier than normal nobles; she fought in the war! Knights are known for waking up extremely early in the morning so it''s obvious she''d have that habit too! "We should have been more attentive. I apologize for our shortcomings." I sent a stern look to the other two and we all bowed our heads low.

    "¡­" Why was she being so silent? I can feel drops of sweat trickling down my forehead. Please let this pass. Please let this- "It''s alright." Those two words felt like salvation. "I''ll be sure to mention my usual sleeping routine to the head maid and have her adjust your times accordingly. Rise."

    "Thank you for your generosity, Madam." She didn''t sound mad, but then again that just made things even scarier. Her mood flipped faster than a thief''s fingers yesterday so this could just be a calm before the storm. "May we help you finish preparing for the day?"

    "Of course," she said and motioned toward the Barone-¡­to her jewelry cabinet. Never let that kind of slip out! Never! "You all served the previous Baroness for years, right? So, I''d like to see what would go well on me." There was a playful innocence in her voice that¡­felt weird.

    "Right away, Madam." This was our first test. Up until now, the Countess had always worn dresses that looked good on her but now was different. Her dress was puffy and filled with frills and lace accents that gave off a cutesy feel despite the Countess'' face and hair being of a more mature nature. The clash was terrible, but what was even worse was the color of the dress itself. Where on Pianeta did she find a dress so garishly pink? None of that mattered, though, since the Countess decided on the dress it was our job as her maids to match what she wanted. The three of us went over to the jewelry cabinet and started looking through it while the Countess walked over to a tall mirror to look at herself. I dared to take a glance at her while looking through the cabinet and her eyes were staring at us from the reflection in the mirror. "¡­" I don''t think she caught me looking back. She didn''t say anything.

    "What about this one, Madam?" The older maid pulled out a shimmering pearl necklace that had a pink diamond as its centerpiece set into a silver pendant. It certainly matched the dress, but again, it looked terrible on the Countess. But if the Countess liked it then it must be correct.

    "Oh my~.  It looks so pretty!" She sounded happy and her smile brightened when the maid brought it over¡­ But why was I still so uneasy? My instincts as a maid helped me get this far when serving the Baron and Baroness, and they were telling me this wasn''t right. But the Countess seemed extremely satisfied with the necklace so why did I feel like something was amiss?

    "These too, Madam!" The other maid took out some earrings that somehow perfectly matched the dress'' pink color.

    "Those are also very beautiful~." She was pleased¡­

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Then for your makeup-"

    "No." The Countess'' words halted the room. They were said with an upbeat tone but something underneath made us freeze. "I don''t want any makeup, today."

    "But, you would look so beau-" No, you idiot! Did you not listen to me, earlier!?

    "Indeed, you look so pretty that you don''t need makeup, Madam!" I butted in between the Countess and the maid. I sent a warning glare to the maid which made her realize her mistake and she instantly shirked away. Luckily, I found some pink shoes that might fit the Countess and brought them out to distract her, "These are the same color as your necklace and would match perfectly."

    "Yes, they would." She sat down on a plush chair and extended one of her feet out to me. I knelt down and slipped the shoes on and luckily I was able to fasten the strap tight enough that it would just barely fit her feet. Now we cou-

    "!?!" I looked up and felt like a knife was stabbing me through the throat. The Countess'' face was calm with a bright smile, but her eyes¡­

    "Is something wrong?" Her eyes were like shards of glass being forced back into place; like something fake pretending to be whole. There was an expectation staring down at me but I had no idea what it wanted.

    "¡­N-No, Madam." Control yourself, Tress! She''s probably just trying to test your nerves! Don''t panic. Panicking means you''ve lost and I can''t afford to lose! My little brother won''t last another winter outside the walls and the increased pay of being the Countess'' personal maid will be enough for me to rent a room in the city for him. "I was just lost in thought over how beautiful you are." I won''t let her shake me.

    "¡­" She''s silent again. I can''t read her expression at all; it just looks like she''s pleased with our work so why does it feel like I have a knife to my throat? "Then, let us prepare to depart." Suddenly, she stood up and walked toward the door. "By the time we arrive, there should be a large enough crowd for me to give my speech regarding the city''s change in leadership, and denouncing the Baron for his crimes." She did a twirl when she got to the door and looked back at us. "I can''t wait to make my first impression on my people."

    "I''m¡­sure they will love you, Madam." My gut churned at her words. She looked so terrible that anyone with common sense would realize it, but that''s what the Countess wanted and it was our job as maids to follow her wishes. I motioned to the other two and we quickly fell in line with the Countess as she made her way to the stairs and entrance hall. Along the way, waiting on the first floor, was that man from yesterday; Carl I think his name was.

    "Are yo-¡­?" Why are you showing such a dumbfounded expression so openly? I know she looks bad, but it''s what she wanted! So can''t you just- "Did you fall in pink paint or something?" What are you doing!?! Are you trying to get us killed!?!

    "I asked the maids to help me out earlier. Doesn''t everything look beautiful?" She says she likes it¡­ She says she likes it, so why do I feel like I want to throw up? Everything points to her being satisfied yet my instincts are telling me that I need to speak up and stop her. I can''t!

    "¡­Uh-huh." Carl''s expression changed? He looks resigned for some¡­reason? Why did two Hellhound knights start walking behind us? "Be safe on your outing then." His nonchalant manner of speaking would have gotten him slapped by any other noble.

    "Thanks, I''ll be back soon." But the Countess let him go. She was fine being nonchalant with her knights¡­with her people? Now that I think about it, I saw her talking with that aide, Jeremy, yesterday and she also talked informally with him. Did she like that kind of speech? She didn''t say anything about it to us.

    "Got it." Carl gave a nod to the knights and they started following us even closer!? Why!? The Countess was pleased that we matched her outfit so why am I sweating so much!? Why are the knight''s hands resting on the hilts of their blades as if ready to draw!? Do the other two not notice what''s happening!? This is wrong! We did something wrong and I don''t know what!

    "Goodbye." Why did she say that!? Was that directed at us? We didn''t do anything wrong! We just matched her dress like she asked!... Like she asked? The Countess¡­never asked us to match the dress, she asked us to match her. Even though she motioned to the jewelry cabinet, she never said to find jewelry that matched the dress! When we brought out pieces that matched the dress she only commented on how pretty they looked but never on if she personally liked them! She said to find things that go well with her! Her!

    "¡­Ma-" But what if I was wrong? The Baron and all of the nobles he mingled with hated it when a servant spoke out of line so I quickly got used to keeping my thoughts to myself. How dare a commoner think they know better than a noble. But the way she interacts with her people speaks otherwise to what I''m used to.

    "¡­" The knights behind us got closer as the Countess neared the front door and I felt in my soul that I wouldn''t live if she stepped outside looking like that.

    "M-Madam!?" my voice came out in a shriek as I struggled to control my racing heart. The other two maids looked at me in horror; like I was crazy.

    "¡­What is it?" the Countess asked with one foot hovering out the door but not touching the ground.

    "I¡­believe I need glasses!" If I was wrong then I would probably lose my life for daring to speak against her, but if I was right and did nothing then I would die for not speaking out which it seems like she wants!

    "Glasses?" Her face is unreadable. That smile is unreadable! If I''m damned either way then at least I''ll pick the option that gives me the best chance at surviving! I won''t abandon my little brother to die alone in the slums outside the walls!

    "Y-Yes...because¡­that dress looks hideous on you!"

    "!?!" The faces of the other two maids went white and they started shaking in fear. They probably wanted to reprimand me to win points with the Countess but were too afraid to even speak. I heard Carl stifle a laugh. Was that a good thing? Nobles like amusing things, so if I was at least amusing I would be kept alive.

    "¡­" Her silence is like a noose around my neck. If I chose wrong¡­ "Really?"

    "¡­?" She¡­didn''t sound mad? She sounded curious! Curious is good! "Yes, Madam. I think my eyes are going bad because now that I see you under a different light I can see that your dress doesn''t match you." The lump in my throat never left but I wouldn''t let it stop me from continuing, "I b-believe we should choose something else."

    "Hmm." Her smile¡­softened? It can do that? "Then, what would you suggest?" As she brought her foot back inside, I felt the knights that were behind us start to move away! I guessed right!

    "Since you will be addressing the common folk, your red and black dress would be perfect to show your status as owner of Solfin while setting yourself apart from the previous Baron." There were still hurdles to climb, but it finally felt like I could breathe. "Though, that would mean you would be wearing the same dress two days in a row."

    "I don''t mind," the Countess said and gave a casual shrug before heading back toward the stairs. The other two maids looked completely stunned by what just happened so I cleared my throat to draw their attention since the Countess was about to leave us behind.

    "T-Then we''ll get the dress prepared!" Luckily they were quick to recompose themselves and followed my lead. "T-Though it may delay your departure s-since it''s stained in¡­" No! Don''t lose your voice now when we''re this close!

    "Oh, you don''t need to worry about that." We don''t? The Countess explained when we reached the third floor and reentered the master bedroom, "I''m used to washing blood out of clothes so it was easy to clean it just enough to not be noticeable."

    "¡­A-Ah." She really isn''t like other nobles. "That''s¡­wonderful?"

    "Indeed it is." The Countess looked to the other two maids and ordered, "Tell the coachman we''ll be a bit late, and see to it that Carl has made all the proper preparations with the guards."

    "At once, Madam!" the two spoke in unison before hurriedly leaving the room. Now, I was alone with the Countess.

    "Will you help me get changed, Tress?" She used my name.

    "At once, Madam." It''s obvious she sent the other two out because she has something to say to me privately.

    "You know," she began as I started untying the back of her dress. Even the strings were pink. "I''m actually borrowing this dress from a friend. I wanted to see how it looked on someone like me, but¡­" My breath caught in my throat as I finished untying the dress and it fell to the floor revealing her scared body. "I guess I can''t pull off the cutesy look."

    "¡­While you might be able to pull off this kind of dress, I''d advise anything other than pink as the color." For the first time in years, I allowed my personal thoughts to come out as I brought out the red and black dress. Scarlet really is a nice color to hide blood.

    "Fair, though I think I''ll stick to the styles I already own." The air in the room was no longer suffocating. As I helped her put on her elbow-length black lace gloves, she asked, "Can you pick out some jewelry that would go well with me, Tress?"

    "¡­" I should do as she says¡­but¡­ "I would advise against wearing jewelry for your speech, Madam."

    "Really?"

    "The Baron strangled the wealth out of the people¡­out of us." The Countess doesn''t want lapdogs licking her feet, she wants competent people offering legitimate help. "If you appear before them covered in jewelry then it will leave the impression you are no different from the Baron. Your dress is fancy enough to be recognized as a noble while appearing with little to no jewelry and makeup will show you aren''t obsessed with wealth."

    "Very good." She gave a satisfied nod and added, "I''m glad you''re a fast learner, Tress. I look forward to you taking care of me as my lady-in-waiting."

    "¡­!" Me!? While I was already leading the other two, this would solidify my position at the top of the maids who directly served the Countess. The position of lady-in-waiting had always been left vacant as the Baron didn''t want to give a commoner that title since no higher-ranked noble would ever send their daughter to be a Baroness'' lady-in-waiting despite how much he wanted them to. He also felt extreme jealousy whenever someone got too close to the Baroness; even if they were just maids which was why he often rotated us around. While my duties would increase, my pay would more than double and I''d be above even the head maid in power! "I would be honored, Madam!"

    "You''re resourceful and are the only one who figured out what I really wanted which means you''re also quick. Don''t disappoint me, Tress."

    "Of co-¡­ Got it."

    "You''re learning~." The amused laugh the Countess gave didn''t match how frightening she was, but dealing with that was part of my job. While I don''t think there will ever come a time when I''m not afraid of her, at least now I can interact with her in a way that won''t get my head immediately chopped off. Her reign definitely won''t be clean, but I can at least save myself and my brother. We will survive the Countess'' new Solfin.

 Sowing Seeds

    Margaret gazed out the carriage window and complimented, "I know I''ve said this before, but it''s truly amazing what you''ve managed to do in such a short amount of time, Countess." Lucina and Margaret were riding in a carriage that was making its way through the renewed streets of Solfin on a warm spring day. Fall and winter came and went with spring bringing new life and a new beginning for the city as the once worn-out cobblestone streets littered with potholes were being steadily redone, starting with the main streets before branching out into the side streets that wove through Solfin. Wooden scaffolding surrounded the various crumbling sections of the city''s outer wall as it underwent repairs. And the waterway that allowed the Helker to weave through the city was getting the first proper maintenance it had received in years.

    "There''s still a lot to do," Lucina admitted as she too looked out at her city. Immediately after taking control of Solfin, Lucina got to work revitalizing the city by hiring up any able-bodied person who didn''t have a job with her priority being those in the slums outside the walls. Money wasn''t a concern since she had plenty from the work she did with Olivia years ago, the reward money for fighting in the war, and all the assets Baron Rolf had been extorting out of merchants over the years. "Thankfully, I was able to start Chimera Public Works before winter hit so a good groundwork could be made. Now, we''ll need to see how things go as the weather warms up." Chimera Public Works was a business directly controlled by Lucina that she was using to not only rebuild but also invest in Solfin. All the poor and destitute she hired were given proper jobs and wages which allowed them to integrate back into the economy and help start bringing life back to Solfin.

    "You''re already meeting the schedule we talked about last time, so this summer should be a bright one." Using Margaret''s upbringing and years of experience as a merchant, Lucina hired her as an advisor to help her navigate handling Chimera Public Works. Margaret and Jeremy''s combined knowledge and guidance were able to help things run smoothly through the winter to the point that the people didn''t look miserable while walking the streets. Lucina also ended the unfairly hiked taxes and fees on the merchants Baron Rolf didn''t like which started to bring them back to Solfin once word spread of his death. This would cause her profits to take an immediate hit but was essential to the long-term growth Solfin needed to get back on its feet. "Food imports will still cut into the budget until the farms get back into shape but I''ll be sure to apply a generous discount until they do."

    "How kind." The catch for getting Margaret on board was to make Trent the sole merchant group tied to Chimera Public Works and to prioritize them for any trade deals going forward for the next five years. Even though she was only seventeen, Margaret already had the guile of a true merchant. "Even without that clause, I still would have used Trent since I''m used to working with your group."

    "A guaranteed deal in writing is much better than one based on emotion," Margaret explained with a businessman''s smile. "That''s not to say I doubt you, Countess, it''s just that I can''t let my personal feelings ''guarantee'' business dealings."

    "I feel bad for your husband, then," Lucina joked. It was a year ago while Lucina was still at war when Margaret''s father married her to the son of another rising merchant group to merge them into Trent. "Even if it''s not much different for arranged noble marriages, I don''t think I''d like my wife talking about me like a trade deal."

    "It''s just a part of being an heir," Margaret said while giving a shrug. "It''s better to marry like this so that hormones don''t get in the way of business later."

    "Hormones?" Lucina asked while tilting her head to the side.

    "¡­Oh." Margaret realized that Lucina had no idea what she was talking about since most noble children already knew about hormones, but Lucina was fighting a war when she normally would have learned about them. She did the best she could to recall what her tutor told her about the topic, "Hormones are cracks in our souls that make us act in ways that can be counterintuitive to what we want."

    "Cracks in our souls?"

    "Yes. As our bodies grow, our souls also grow to fill in the new space. But unlike our bodies, souls grow sporadically which causes cracks to form along their surface that make our emotions unstable. For merchants, this is bad since these emotions are often those of the heart and have caused people to give biased deals to those they find attractive. Arranged marriages are used as legal deterrents to remind us not to be swayed by the heart since we already have a spouse."

    "Of the heart¡­" Lucina thought about all the times her heart ached when thinking about Olivia, and what she thought about ''doing'' to her before she pushed ahead and took over Solfin. "Do those emotions become unstable to just anyone?"

    "No, from what I learned they only cause trouble when dealing with someone you find attractive." Margaret thought about it for a moment before continuing, "For example: you can''t stop thinking about the person, and when you do think about them you feel tingly in your stomach, and your heart flutters. Jealousy also comes in a lot if they''re acting close with someone other than you, and you feel like you want to give that person your everything. Those kind of thoughts have no place at the business¡­table?" Margaret trailed off as she watched Lucina''s face become redder and redder, and she slightly squirmed in her seat. Hesitantly, she asked, "Do you¡­feel that way about someone?"

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t reply, but her uncomfortable expression was all the answer Margaret needed.

    "I mean, it''s not always a bad thing; we merchants have different values than nobles. You only answer to the Emperor so if you work towards it, you might be able to marry out of lov-"

    "It can''t happen." Lucina''s voice was firm with an underlying hint of pain that Margaret picked up on.

    "¡­Ah." Even without further elaboration, Margaret had a pretty good idea of who was in Lucina''s heart from having known her all these years and watching her and Olivia''s interactions. An awkward silence filled the carriage that lasted until they reached their destination; a restaurant that sat just along the ocean''s edge.

    ***

    I shouldn''t have snapped at Margaret like that, she was just explaining things I didn''t know. She''s also helped me so much with Solfin and so many other things over the years that I''m immensely grateful to her. Getting an arranged marriage would probably be the best thing for me to get over these thoughts, like Margaret said. James would never allow me to be by Olivia''s side in that way, plus Olivia''s never shown interest in girls. I need to give up¡­ But I¡­ "Hormones are dangerous."

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "Hormones?" Ah, I said that out loud. To show the close ties I have to Trent, and to show off how much their help has already paid off, I invited Margaret and her husband out to lunch at the best restaurant Solfin has. I shouldn''t get distracted like this, especially since this is my first time meeting Margaret''s husband. "Indeed, hormones are quite the fickle thing, if I do say." Todd Horcholf is someone I''d describe as a marble; he''s quite round. Apparently, the Horcholfs are known for their large figures since they hold the largest control on food trading in the empire and it''s their way of showing off that control; which was one of the reasons Margaret had to marry him. He had a few black strands of hair he kept in a comb-over, his beard is like a hedgehog''s back, and I''m pretty sure he''s turning thirty this year. "Are you experiencing the throngs of the heart, Countess? To be in love is one of the great joys of life! And I''m speaking from experience, here." At least he has a sunny disposition and a tolerable voice. That said, I feel a little bad for Margaret since she was forced to¡­?

    "¡­" Why is she blushing? And what''s with that silly smile on her face? "Please don''t put weird thoughts into the Countess'' head, Dear. We''re here on business."

    "Business can also be a pleasure when done over a meal! If anything, a meal is the perfect place to mix both together! Besides, what better way is there to show a bond than for it to be real in the first place?" He put his arm around Margaret''s shoulder and she looked¡­happy?

    "¡­Then let''s feel free to talk more openly, Todd." Looks like Margaret managed to beat the system. To each their own, I guess.

    "That''s the spirit!" Todd clapped his hands together and a waiter came over and poured him and Margaret fresh glasses of wine.

    "Make sure not to drink too much, we have a meeting later tonight that you need to be sober for."

    "Yes, Dear," Todd reluctantly agreed. Even though she was younger, it looked like Margaret was the one in charge of things; which makes sense since technically Todd married into Trent. "But I just can''t help it when the food is so easy to keep eating! Countess, you must tell me who you got the idea from for this ''sushi''! I must invest in whoever made such a brilliant yet simple idea!" He picked up another helping of sushi and ate the whole thing in one bite.

    "Then you would need to invest in the imperial family since Crown Princess Olivia was the one who came up with the idea." Sushi was a dish from Olivia''s original world that she would sometimes complain about not being able to eat since Urldrusk didn''t natively grow rice; that was Peltaira''s specialty and they weren''t keen on sharing with us. And even if they did trade us rice, the Peltairans just used rice as a way to preserve fish so I didn''t know why she wanted it so badly. After the war ended, however, Olivia set out to start importing rice and remake her old life''s food which became a big hit among the nobility because of its novelty. But I guess the fish up the Helker aren''t as good as the ones caught in the ocean since everyone who''s tried some says the sushi in Solfin tastes better than the ones in the capital. This is a fact that has caused Olivia much grief since she can''t visit Solfin. Well, ''can''t'' is the wrong word; it''s more like ''won''t''. It''s understandable, though, since the only experience Olivia has with Solfin is it being the place where she ends up enslaved in her prophecies. I''ll need to work harder to make Solfin a place Olivia wants to visit; enough to overcome her fear from the past.

    "Ah, another one of Her Highness'' ideas? She''s such a brilliant mind for someone so young." Todd also sees Olivia''s brilliance, so he gets a pass. "If only she wasn''t surrounded by leeches, she could properly extend her wings!"

    "¡­" Margaret looked a little annoyed about what Todd loudly declared but didn''t move to stop him.

    "Yes," I agreed with Todd, "I too wish she wasn''t surrounded by¡­leeches." We were on a patio overlooking the ocean and I made sure to rent the whole patio so that we could have some privacy for our conversations. I looked over to Margaret and asked, "Is she still set on her decision?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

    "¡­Unfortunately, yes." Margaret reluctantly gave in and fully joined in on the conversation. "Augustus will remain in Gorinville a free man."

    "I see." When news of me executing the Baron and Baroness hit the empire there was quite a stir in the noble world. While many wanted to denounce my actions as a child overstepping themselves, and some did behind closed doors, no one officially said anything since the Emperor let it go without retaliation. I made sure to send him his bribes to let him know they would still continue even with Solfin under new ownership. I also sent a letter asking for Augustus'' return so that he could face the consequences of his family''s actions, but Olivia stepped in and stopped me. "He''s still pulling on her heartstrings, then." According to the rumors, Augustus threw himself to his hands and knees at Olivia''s feet and pleaded for her to pardon him. He claimed he never knew of his parent''s wrongdoings, but that he wished to work to right the wrongs they had committed after finishing his time at the academy and joining the government as an official. Olivia was always weak to those in need and it clouded her judgment; even though that''s also why she gave me a chance in the first place.

    "He''s also been getting bolder, as of late," Margaret went on as she downed her glass of wine. Todd gave me a worried look, but I''m sure she''ll be fine. "He''s been using the loss of his family as a pretext to spend time with Her Highness and seek her counsel! Lady Cassandra tries to shoo him away whenever she can, but she isn''t always in the capital and he''s been making sure to visit her whenever Lady Cassandra''s not there. He''s also intruded on business meetings I''ve had with Her Highness!" She snapped her fingers and another glass was poured. "He acts like a royal concubine despite never receiving the title! It''s disgusting!" Margaret was a venomous drunk.

    "H-Honey? We have a meeting la-" Todd did his best to console his wife.

    "And worse yet!" It didn''t work. "He calls her ''Olivia'' when in public! Not even I do that and I''ve known Her Highness since before she was even a princess! It''s like he''s declaring his ''place'' in the imperial palace despite being a fallen baron''s son! His Highness James also doesn''t do anything about it!"

    "He probably doesn''t care." James might actually like what''s happening and find a way to use Augustus against Olivia. He''s making that fool into a weakness for Olivia. "Just another reason for me to get rid of him."

    "But Her Highness is protecting Augustus," Todd rightfully interjected. "While I know you two go way back, I don''t see how you''ll be able to finish what you started against the Rolfs with Her Highness actively defending him."

    "I''ll think of something." I spent the entire fall and winter in Solfin, and this coming social season will be the first one where I attend as Countess Sanguine. There will definitely be a chance to ''meet'' Augustus while I''m there and I doubt any noble will stop me. Anyone with a son around Olivia''s age will want Augustus gone to give their sons a chance at being her ''favored'' concubine which means I''ll also have potential allies. He should also be on edge when it''s known I''ll be in the capital so I might be able to push him into doing something stupid to ruin his image in Olivia''s eyes without having to openly act. It''s for her own good to get rid of him now when he''s still just a manageable problem. "Speaking of Her Highness, her birthday is coming up." An invitation came a few days ago which gives me some ideas.

    "I''m reluctant to go since I know Augustus will be there." Margaret was also an honest drunk. "I want to not go as a protest against what she''s doing, even if Trent''s reputation will take a hit." Margaret annoyedly tapped her empty glass against the table and scowled at it.

    "While Her Highness may be doing something you don''t like, you shouldn''t sour a friendship over it!" Todd took the glass from Margaret''s hands since she was tapping so hard it might break it. Whether he meant that as someone who cares about his wife''s friends or as a business partner worrying over an extremely important connection, I don''t know.

    "I agree with Todd," I said with a knowing smile on my face. "You should make sure to attend since I''ll be sure to make it quite a show." Since it seemed like the three of us agreed, I wanted to make sure both Cassandra and Margaret were there to watch Augustus squirm. Hopefully, he''s better at it than his father.

    "¡­You realize you''re talking about deliberately causing a scene at Her Highness'' birthday party?" Margaret was right to be skeptical since under normal circumstances I would never do that to Olivia on her special day.

    "Yes." But these aren''t normal circumstances. Olivia is terrible when it comes to romance and even though she acknowledges that fact she still falls for it. Perhaps she''s also experiencing hormones that are causing her to act in ways that are bad for her? If that''s the case then I need to help her see that Augustus isn''t worth it and that she should give him up to me. "My attendance will already cause a scene, so why not take things a bit further and remove one of the leeches that have latched onto her." I gave his parents quick deaths but I''m going to make sure he suffers. How dare he cling to my Olivia like that?

    "If you need any help, let me know." Margaret munched on some sushi since Todd wouldn''t give her the wine glass back. "I''ll gladly throw in my help for free."

    "While I appreciate it, I''ve got things covered." Margaret and Trent should stay clean since their reputation is closely tied with Olivia''s. If I''m going to take care of Augustus, then I''m going to do so with my own assets. "Hellhounds are excellent hunters, after all."

 Dance With the Butcher

    The banquet hall of the imperial palace was bathed with light and bursting with activity as the night''s festivities fully kicked off for Olivia''s birthday. To begin the night, James and Olivia danced together in the center of the hall to show the nobility how good of a relationship the two had. Their performance captivated many of the nobles watching with a few commenting, "They truly look lovely together."

    "Their movements are completely in sync. That silly rumor of their relationship being strained was nothing but hearsay."

    "I know. Neither of them have taken their gaze off the other! How romantic!"

    "Arlexia has a bright future ahead of us once they ascend to the thrones."

    "¡­" The gossiping nobles could be heard by the two stars even over the orchestra, and Olivia gave James a curt smile. "I told you this would work."

    "While you may be getting lucky, Princess, it''s dangerous to keep relying on luck alone," James retorted and pulled on Olivia''s arm just a little too hard when spinning her around.

    "That ''luck'' just silenced the entire capital''s social scene," Olivia replied while attempting to step on James'' foot with her heel only for James to shift out of the way at the last second. "Besides, it wouldn''t hurt for us to at least pretend like things are going well so that the people feel at ease. People are still tired from the war so let''s give them a distraction." Olivia took an extra step forward to make James fall but caught him right before he lost balance.

    "You''re saying to pretend, but you''re also the one being suspiciously aggressive right now," James commented as he picked up his pace to try and make Olivia fall behind since she was in high heels.

    "Aggressive? I think I''m being quite passive, Your Highness," Olivia dryly joked as she perfectly matched James'' increased pace thanks to all her training giving her near-perfect control over her body. The two continued their subtle attempts to embarrass the other until the song came to an end and a round of applause was given. "I''m feeling far too good to be aggressive since it''s my birthday," Olivia said after rising from her curtsy.

    "Is that so?" James held an amused smirk on his face that appeared friendly but Olivia knew it was only filled with snark.

    The nobles started to gather to give their compliments, "That was a wonderful dance!"

    "You look stunning, Your Highness! That''s such a beautiful dress!" While a few sounded genuine, it was obvious why they were here as the many sons of nobles tried to vie for Olivia''s attention.

    "Your Highness! Do you remember me?" It appeared that leeches liked diamonds. "I would be honored if I could have your seco-"

    "Olivia!" Spreading the sea of suitors, Augustus pushed his way through to stand before Olivia. "Happy birthday."

    "I''m glad you could make it, Augustus. How''re your studies coming along?" Thanks to his presence, the many suitors aiming for a concubine position were shut out and forced to back away sulking; which Olivia was quite thankful for. Even though she''d been living in this world for thirteen years, the concept of concubines still made her feel uneasy since she saw it as no different from having an affair which already broke apart her first family. Her current father, Richard, also didn''t take any concubines and stayed dedicated to Alice which only further fueled Olivia''s mindset.

    "I''m doing really well, thanks to you." Olivia knew what Augustus wanted, and what her friends were worried about, but she always made sure to keep him at a reasonable distance; or at least she thought so. Augustus'' cheeks slightly flushed as he hesitantly offered his hand to Olivia and slightly bowed. "May I have this next dance?" He looked like a shy puppy trying to get attention.

    But before Olivia could give her answer, a voice broke through the crowd, "Unfortunately, Her Highness has a prior engagement for her second dance partner."

    "!!!" Augustus'' hair stood on end and his face instantly darkened as he turned to see Lucina emerge from the crowd in a newly tailored scarlet red and black dress that matched the style of the previous Baroness Rolf''s favorite design. Small, crushed-up pieces of red rubies were sewn into the dress causing Lucina to sparkle in the light and added a surreal air to her figure. A smile adorned her face while her eyes held daggers. "C-Countess?" To Lucina''s amusement, Augustus didn''t immediately run away and instead looked like he was standing his ground before her. The eyes of the would-be suitors were fixated on them as they felt like their chance at beating out Augustus was coming.

    "Lucina¡­" Olivia silently muttered as she was having a hard time recognizing her friend''s more twisted expression.

    "¡­" James silently stood to the side so he could watch the show he knew was coming.

    "While you may be Olivia''s childhood friend," Augustus began as he felt braver since Olivia was present which meant that Lucina, probably, wouldn''t do anything drastic. "That doesn''t excuse being rude, Countess Sanguine. I asked Olivia first. It''s not very eloquent to force your way between us like this."

    "You''re the one lacking eloquence, Augustus." Lucina hated every time the word ''Olivia'' came out of Augustus'' mouth. "As a loyal subject to the crown, I''m simply doing my part to help the imperial family save face."

    "Save face?" Augustus cocked an eyebrow at Lucina and asked, "How is not dancing with me saving face?"

    "Because what would people say seeing Her Highness dance with a known criminal?" Lucina''s voice was innocent while dripping with an obvious venom.

    "I am no criminal!" Augustus found some sense of pride and loudly declared for all to hear, "Olivia accepted my plea of innocence, Countess, meaning I hold no fault for what my parents did! How dare you say such lies during Olivia''s birthday!"

    "Lies?" Lucina innocently tilted her head to the side in mock confusion. "But those are your own words, Augustus." Even though Augustus was addressing Lucina by her title of ''Countess'', Lucina deliberately only called him ''Augustus'' without using the last name Rolf as a jab that his house was completely ruined. Some of the surrounding nobles whispered their confusion at Lucina''s claim loud enough for her to hear so Lucina clarified what she meant, "You threw yourself at Her Highness'' feet and begged for forgiveness based on ignorance. And because Her Highness is so kind-hearted she granted it¡­after you finish your schooling and become a government official. So until you graduate, you''re a criminal."

    "That''s semantics!" Augustus argued.

    "But that''s what you promised." Lucina pressed the point, "You would make up for your parents'' crimes and your family''s tarnished name by graduating and becoming a government official to faithfully serve Arlexia." She took a step forward and Augustus took a step back. "So until the day you do those things, you''re still guilty of holding the Rolf name. Everyone knows this, Augustus, so why don''t you?"

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "B-But it''s impossible to graduate so early when I''m not even halfway through the academy! Holding me to those words now-"

    "So did you lie to the imperial family?" Lucina cut him off and something unnerving danced in her eyes as her gaze was fixated on Augustus. "Are you demanding your reward before even completing the minimum amount of work? That''s quite bold to do, Augustus. Not even I would sully the imperial family like that and then demand their affection." Another step forward. "For a criminal like you, just standing in Olivia''s presence is a gift. Stop wasting it." She took another step forward.

    "I would love to dance with you, Lucina," only for Olivia to speak up and step in between the two. She held out her hand to Lucina expectantly. "Shall we?"

    "¡­Of course!" Lucina''s face instantly softened as she took Olivia''s hand and was led to the dance floor.

    "I can dance with you later, Augustus," Olivia promised as she did her best to separate him from Lucina.

    "¡­Of course, Olivia." Augustus lost all momentum and backed away. The jeering gazes of the other noble sons dug into him as he left to find someplace quiet to collect his thoughts. James had an amused grin on his face and found that he quite enjoyed Lucina''s antics when he wasn''t the one on the receiving end.

    "¡­" Olivia was silent as Lucina started leading her through the next dance. She held a complicated expression and couldn''t find the right words to say.

    So Lucina helped her by speaking first, "Did I go too far?"

    "¡­A bit," Olivia admitted when she found her voice. "I let you go at him for a while since only keeping you two apart wouldn''t solve anything. I hoped you could find some understanding since he''s trying to make up for his parent''s mistakes." Olivia hesitated to go further but ultimately decided to add, "Though he is going a bit far with how close he thinks he is to me, so I''m glad you called him out on that."

    "If you know, then why not let me take him?" A dangerous glint flashed across Lucina''s eyes.

    "I already told you in-"

    "I want to hear it from you."

    "¡­" The determined look on Lucina''s face told Olivia she couldn''t brush this aside and would have to have this conversation. "Because I want to give him a chance. I believe in the benefit of the doubt."

    "Was it like that in your previous life?" Lucina asked while gently spinning Olivia around.

    "In some places, but not my home country," Olivia admitted. "I lived in a ''guilty until proven innocent'' kind of land."

    "And you don''t share those views?"

    "No." Now it was Olivia''s turn to be determined in her ways. "Because I know what it''s like to be on the receiving end of that kind of world." Many rumors spread after Ayaka''s father cheated on her mother with some saying it was her mother''s fault for not living up to her husband''s standards. Her mind flashed back to the days she would sit silently by her mother''s side as she wept herself to sleep after coming home from an office filled with accusatory whispers and glances. Ayaka herself also received her fair share of bullying since ''not even her father wanted her'', though those bullies were silenced when Ayaka finally stood up for herself and fought back. Olivia apprehensively bit her lip before continuing, "I know you''re all concerned for me, but I want to give him a chance to not be shackled by his parent''s wrongdoings."

    "¡­" Lucina silently stared into Olivia''s unwavering gaze before giving a soft sigh and saying, "If that''s what you want, then I''ll drop it¡­for now."

    "Thank you," Olivia said and warmly smiled at Lucina. The magic lights that lit up the hall made Olivia''s white dress and hair glitter as if made of jewels, and her eyes sparkled like a lake reflecting the sun.

    "¡­" Lucina''s heart throbbed and longed to wrap her arms around Olivia. "That''s what friends do." But she banished those thoughts since now wasn''t the time for such things. Olivia was already dealing with annoying suitors which meant it could backfire if she made her feelings known; she didn''t want to be rejected because Olivia is tired of dealing with people aiming for her heart. To distract herself, Lucina changed the mood by humorously mentioning, "You must have practiced quite a lot with His Highness since you''re much better at dancing than I remember."

    "That was over two years ago!" Olivia didn''t want to remember the days when she first practiced ballroom dancing and how stiff and awkward she was with the movements. "I''m a master when it comes to moving my body, now! I could even out-dance you here and now, but I wouldn''t want to embarrass our newest countess."

    "Oh?" Lucina matched Olivia''s sly smile and the two quickly tried to make the other mess up in a playful battle of pride that had both of them laughing by the end of the song. Lucina gave a respectful bow once the song was done and stated, "It appears your dancing is quite refined, Your Highness Olivia."

    Olivia gave a curtsy and playfully replied, "And you obviously haven''t been skipping your dance lessons, Countess Lucina." The two girls giggled at their mock speech and the previously dark mood was completely forgotten. "I''m surprised you know the lead moves since I only see guys dancing it."

    "I thought it would be worth learning," Lucina answered while only revealing part of her reason. "Are the others here, yet?"

    "Margaret and Cassandra are taking a break at that table over there, let''s grab some snacks and-"

    "Could I have a word, sister?" Interrupting the good mood came Derik who gave an annoyed glance to Lucina which only made Lucina silently chuckle.

    "Derik?" Olivia briefly looked around before asking, "Where''s Vivian?"

    "Over there," Derik replied and motioned to another part of the dance floor where Vivian was dancing with Adam. "Now, can I have a word with you?" He sent a glare at Lucina and added, "Privately."

    Lucina kept her laugh to herself and nonchalantly said, "I think I''ll go over and try the cake before heading over to the others. Happy birthday, Olivia."

    "See you in a bit," Olivia gave Lucina a nod and watched her friend leave before turning to Derik. "What''s up?"

    "What''s up is the fact that you seem to be ignoring my warnings," Derik complained and ran an annoyed hand through his hair. "Countess Sanguine isn''t someone you should casually associate with. She''s dangerous."

    "This, again?" Olivia complained and let out a frustrated sigh. "Why does everyone I know keep telling me who I should and shouldn''t associate with? I''m not that bad with people."

    "Yes, you are." Derik''s brutal honesty stung but Olivia also couldn''t wholly refute it.

    "Well, thank you again for the advice but I''ll stick with my gut when it comes to Lucina." Olivia stood up for her friend to her brother and justified, "Even if she''s¡­changed¡­ That''s because of James and the Emperor sending her to war despite her only being ten. I''m not going to turn my back on her just because she''s a little dangerous."

    "You make it sound like His Highness and His Majesty specifically targeted the Countess, but from what I know their reasons were perfectly valid." Derik ignored the scowl his sister was giving him and continued, "She wields magic on a scale like no one else, has the entire temple claiming she''s some ''Harbinger of Zulm'', and she''s shown herself to be unstable. I wouldn''t be surprised if she''s some temple experiment they''re using to weaken the crown''s authority."

    "You''re the one sounding crazy," Olivia countered and continued to argue, "A temple experiment? You and I both know that''s not true and is just a conspiracy you''re telling yourself to justify your dislike of her."

    "Is it a conspiracy?" Derik scoffed as his eyes followed Lucina who was hurriedly leaving the banquet as if following someone. "I''d sooner believe she was purposefully created by someone than believe someone like the Butcher of Toldrin just so happened to be born."

    "Derik!" Olivia''s voice held the authority of a crown princess as she glared at her brother who felt his throat seize shut. "I''ve warned you against speaking that terrible nickname, and now you do it during my birthday party after chasing Lucina away? As someone who will soon be part of the royal guard, fix that mouth of yours or I will ask you to leave."

    "Again, you side with her over your own flesh and blood," Derik bitterly complained and shook his head.

    "I''ll side with you when you start talking sense," Olivia corrected. "Also, you''re getting married next month so you should at least dance one song with Vivian." Olivia looked over to Vivian and Adam and caught Vivian stealing expectant glances at Derik.

    "Unfortunately, this ''soon-to-be royal guard'' doesn''t have much free time and I just wanted to have a talk with my sister briefly on her birthday before leaving." Derik bowed and turned to leave. "Enjoy the rest of your birthday, sister."

    "¡­" Olivia''s good mood was thoroughly ruined and she took a deep breath to calm herself down. She was trying to be on at least friendly terms with her brother but they butted heads on too many issues to have such a harmonious relationship. Was this differing of opinions on so many things also what drove the original Olivia and Derik apart in the game? Also, while Derik''s reasons were nonsense, Olivia couldn''t deny the fact that Lucina was becoming dangerous. It was extremely admirable that she was able to turn Solfin around the way she did in such a short time, but the hasty execution of the Baron and Baroness, and her blatant hostility toward Augustus who was trying to make amends didn''t sit right with Olivia. "¡­That''s the world you live in, Olivia," she muttered to herself. The morals from her life as Ayaka constantly came into conflict with her current life''s world of swords, magic, nobility, and demons. It was silly to hold onto such morality, but Olivia also didn''t want to let it go as it was a piece of what made her who she was. With more and more complicated thoughts swirling in her head, Olivia headed over to the table Margaret and Cassandra were waiting at to try and distract herself from her dour thoughts.

    ***

    "¡­" When Derik left the party early, many eyes were watching the interaction between the two Ordrin siblings. One such pair of eyes was Vivian''s which now fell to the floor as she turned her head away.

    "Would you like to take a break?" Adam asked as they continued to dance and he noticed Vivian''s movements started getting sluggish. He knew she wasn''t slowing down from being physically tired, but he also didn''t want to say the real reason out loud.

    "No." Vivian silently appreciated Adam''s discretion on the matter. "I can dance one more song if you''re willing?" Vivian''s blue hair poured down her back and shoulders like a waterfall that glinted in the magic lights, and her yellow eyes glimmered like gold jewels despite the apathy they held. She made sure her dress was Holst''s shade of blue and only wore gold jewelry to completely match Holst''s colors, yet Derik never spoke a word to her.

    "¡­" Adam held his tongue as the words he wanted to speak should be forever locked in his heart. Instead, he readjusted his hold on Vivian''s hand and waist and said, "It would be my honor to continue our dance."

    "¡­Mmm." Vivian''s stubborn pride would never allow her to openly admit how grateful she was to Adam. If it hadn''t been for him coming up to her asking for a dance, Vivian would have remained a wallflower at the Crown Princess'' birthday party. Derik either didn''t realize or didn''t care that having the future duchess be in such a state would be an embarrassment for the Holst duchy. Since Adam was the heir to Gauldrin and a future vassal to Derik, it was socially acceptable for him to dance with Vivian; though not for the first dance which was typically reserved for spouses or direct family.

    "¡­" But the two silently ignored that social rule as they continued to slowly dance while losing themselves to the melody on the air and their own troubled minds.

 Worthless Upstart

    The setting sun bathed the balcony in a warm glow to contrast the cool breeze that began to blow through the capital as Augustus collected his thoughts. Ever since they first met, he was captivated by Olivia''s beauty and had aimed to try and win her heart and a place by her side as her first concubine. Following proper etiquette, Augustus first requested a meeting with James and asked if he would allow Olivia to take concubines. When he received a positive response to proceed it got his hopes up. "But that girl¡­" Countess Lucina Sanguine, Olivia''s childhood friend who was rumored to be the rape child of Countess Felswore and Baron Braxton, seemed determined to meddle and stop him. This went beyond what his parents had done, "¡­What does she have against me?"

    "Don''t think you''re special," a voice called as the doors opened and Lucina entered the balcony.

    "Countess!?" Augustus looked past Lucina into the hall but saw no one around. He instinctively backed up to the railing and kept his eyes focused on the young countess.

    "You look like you''re thinking about weird things, Augustus," Lucina teased as she closed the doors and walked over to the railing next to Augustus. "I already promised Olivia that I would drop the issue of your innocence, for now. So lighten up, you look too pale to be celebrating a birthday." Lucina lazily leaned against the stone railing and let the breeze dance through her hair. Her smile was friendly and warm while her eyes were frigid cold as she matched his gaze. "Look, I even brought you a drink as a peace offering!" Lucina held out a glass of liquid.

    "¡­Are you trying to poison me?" Augustus felt a little calmer since he knew Lucina would keep her promise to Olivia, but by her own words, she never promised not to hurt him.

    "Do you get off thinking you''re special, or something?" Lucina asked and set down the glass on the railing. "I honestly don''t really care that much about you."

    "Then why are you tormenting me!?" Augustus demanded and batted the glass off the railing where it fell and smashed to the ground below. "My parents are dead! My name is spat on! You''ve taken my family''s lands! And now you come to Olivia''s birthday party to pick a fight with me! If you''re not tormenting me, then what ''are'' you doing!?"

    "¡­" Lucina''s eyes lazily looked at the shattered glass before slowly turning to Augustus. "You''re misunderstanding something, Augustus: I didn''t kill your parents because they were yours, I killed your parents because they thought they could dictate Olivia''s life." The air around Lucina shifted and became more unnerving as she continued, "I didn''t ruin your name because it''s yours, I ruined it because it stained Olivia''s purity." She slowly got up from leaning against the railing, straightened herself upright, and started waltzing over to Augustus. "I didn''t take your family''s lands because I dislike you, I took them because Olivia would hate what was happening there if she found out." She stopped with only a foot of space between them and looked up into Augustus'' eyes with a look of complete indifference. "I don''t hate ''you'', Augustus, I hate that you''re trying to claim Olivia."

    "¡­What?" Lucina''s words sounded like nonsense yet her tone was completely serious.

    "If you had nothing to do with Olivia, if you weren''t trying to worm your way into her heart, I would have mostly left your family alone." Lucina gave a shrug and added, "There would have been a few changes, but for the most part I would have left your parent''s business and Solfin alone. I''m only doing this because you dare to sully Olivia with your weak love."

    "Weak love!?" Augustus stood firm, put a hand over his heart, and declared, "My love for Olivia is true and pure! She''s a beautiful woman who''s turned the heads of many noble sons and is someone who any of us would dream of taking as a wife; or in my case being her concubine! Besides, it''s not like His Highness will fill her heart. They may have fooled the nobles, but I can see how lonely Olivia is and how negligent His Highness will be once they''re married." Now it was Augustus'' turn to be accusatory with Lucina as he asked, "Would you have Olivia live a loveless marriage without anyone by her side to comfort her?"

    "Of course not," Lucina immediately answered and stated, "But you aren''t worthy enough to take that place."

    "Why no-"

    "What would you do for her?" Lucina cut Augustus off with her question. "How deep does your love go?"

    "I could do anything for her!" Augustus proudly declared.

    "Really?" Lucina innocently asked while tilting her head to the side. "Even kill?"

    "!?!" Augustus felt his throat seize shut and his breath get stolen from his chest. The setting sun''s light caused Lucina''s dress to shimmer and shine a brilliant red, but all Augustus could see was a waterfall of blood running down Lucina''s body.

    "Could you kill for her? Could you go to war for her?" Lucina reached up a black-gloved hand and gently touched Augustus'' cheek causing him to shudder at how cold her body was. "What would you give up for her? Because I can guarantee you that I''ve already given more than you ever could."

    "¡­His Highness will never accept you." Augustus knew of Lucina''s and James'' hostile relationship; many whispered it was why she was sent to war. "Even if you could convince Olivia, you''ll never convince His Highness."

    "Nor do I want to," Lucina turned away and leisurely started walking around the balcony with her hands behind her back. "Why would I need to ask James for Olivia''s love?" Lucina jabbed at the fact Augustus told James of his intentions with Olivia before even Olivia herself. She also intentionally called James by his name to rub in the fact that she''s personally known the crown prince longer than Augustus. "All I need to do is wait and I''ll get my chance at her heart. After all," she added while slyly looking over her shoulder at Augustus, "It''s not like you''re going to make any progress at the rate you''re going."

    "You make it sound like I don''t even have a chance."

    "Because you don''t," Lucina stated matter-of-factly which caused Augustus to flinch. "All your ''romantic'' gestures won''t work on Olivia. If anything, they''re making things worse for you since Olivia still doesn''t see you like you see her." Lucina tapped her chin in mock thought before commenting, "Olivia was always one to swoon over the strong so you should at least show her you can hold your own and be there for her. I''d start there."

    "Are you¡­helping me?" Augustus was completely confused by Lucina''s intentions. While he could handle himself in the social world when talking to normal noble daughters, Lucina was an enigma at times that stumped him.

    "Yes."

    "Why?"

    "Because I know you''ll fail," Lucina giggled while a cruel smile played across her face. "I could give you all the advice in the world and you''d still fail to capture Olivia''s heart, so why not?" She went back to leaning against the railing and rested her chin on her hands. "Even if you orchestrated something to look like the hero, you''d probably find a way to mess it up. Plus, I want to see you squirm."

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    "You''re sick!" Augustus wrinkled his nose in disgust at how happy Lucina sounded.

    "And you''re on borrowed time," Lucina reminded. "While I won''t do anything since we''re at Olivia''s party, that doesn''t mean you''re safe."

    "!?!" Augustus felt a chill run down his spine as unseen eyes stared oppressively into his very soul. Something moved in the shadows.

    "If you don''t capture Olivia''s heart¡­" Lucina once again waltzed over to Augustus and put a hand on his shoulder. "Then you''ll be seeing your parents very soon." She continued past Augustus and let her hand brush off his shoulder. Augustus'' heart was beating so fast he thought it might explode and his mind was racing with reckless, stupid thoughts that Lucina had planted. "Tick-tock. Tick-tock," Lucina laughed as she exited the balcony since her work with Augustus was finished. Now it was time to enjoy being in the capital, and she knew just the way to do it.

    ***

    "Olivia, you really don''t have to," Lucina said in a faked meek voice. It had been a week since Olivia''s birthday and now Lucina found herself sitting in Olivia''s bedroom in the imperial palace. Over the week she had played up how much her hands bothered her and deliberately stopped taking care of them to win sympathy points with Olivia. But, she appeared to have gone too far as it got to the point she could barely hold a cup of tea and dropped one during their tea party earlier that day.

    "The patient has no right to talk back! Now quiet, you!" Olivia ordered as she had Mary bring over a bowl of hot water.

    "My Lady, I can do this," Mary explained as she knew what Olivia was going to do.

    "No, Mary, it''s fine." Olivia brushed Mary''s concerns away as she sat down in a chair across from Lucina with the bowl in between them. "Could you give us some privacy?"

    "Of course, my Lady. Please call if you need anything," Mary replied and gave a bow before exiting the room.

    "¡­Is this a punishment?" Lucina asked as she looked at the steaming hot water.

    "That depends," Olivia replied in an unamused tone. "Do you know what you did wrong?" She tested the temperature of the water to make sure it was still hot, but not too hot since she didn''t actually want to hurt Lucina.

    "I neglected myself?"

    "Is that a question?" Olivia sounded like a mother disciplining their child.

    "Because I was neglecting myself," Lucina corrected her previous statement.

    "Yes¡­ You were." Olivia helped Lucina take her gloves off and rolled the sleeves of her red dress up to her forearms before gently taking Lucina''s hands and putting them in the water. It was hot, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable and Lucina felt her fingers relax as the warmth of the water seeped into her joints. Olivia still held Lucina''s hands under the water and bitterly muttered, "Even now they''re still cold."

    "It''s fine."

    "It''s not fine!" Olivia angrily rejected Lucina''s attempt to brush off what she''d been doing to herself. "And I feel bad since I know the reason why you did it." She looked into Lucina''s eyes with an accusatory stare. "I grew wise to your antics years ago, Lucina, so don''t do them anymore; especially if it involves harming yourself!"

    "¡­Okay." Even though she was getting reprimanded, Lucina couldn''t help but smile as Olivia kept holding her hands under the water.

    "¡­Honestly," Olivia mumbled as she started to gently massage Lucina''s hands to try and loosen up her muscles. Her fingers traced the scars and scratches that littered Lucina''s hand and told the stories of her experiences during the war which put a bad taste in Olivia''s mouth. "I can get you some ointment from the royal doctor that''s good for hiding scars."

    "I''m fine." Lucina felt another lecture coming on so she quickly clarified, "They don''t bother me that much and aren''t the cause of my aches, so I''m fine with leaving them alone."

    "But people will badmouth you for them." Many nobles, at least in the capital, believed that unblemished skin was the basis of beauty and that rough hands were a sign of the common folk; unless you were a knight. While Lucina was the leader of the Hellhound knight order, the nobles didn''t like them to begin with so they wouldn''t let Lucina''s rough skin slide.

    "Will you badmouth me?"

    "Of course not!"

    "Then I don''t care." Lucina leaned forward and rested her head against Olivia''s shoulder. "So long as you don''t hate me, then I don''t care what the other nobles say behind my back."

    "¡­Why would I hate you?" Olivia leaned her head against Lucina''s and continued to massage her hands. "Did someone put weird thoughts in your head?"

    "No¡­ Just my own worries, I guess," Lucina admitted as she enjoyed the warmth that radiated from Olivia''s touch. She was glad Olivia couldn''t hear her fluttering heart.

    "Despite being three months older than me, you sure enjoy acting like a baby," Olivia joked.

    "But we both know you''re older than me," Lucina joked back and chuckled to herself. A long silence filled the air as Olivia continued her massage while Lucina kept her head buried in Olivia''s shoulder. After much hesitation, Lucina mustered up the courage to ask, "Are you afraid of me?"

    "No." It didn''t sound like Olivia was lying.

    "Then, will you visit me in Solfin?"

    "¡­One day." Olivia obviously hesitated. She knew she was being unreasonable by avoiding Solfin, but it was a city that held significant meaning to ''Olivia'' and her fate, and the thought of going made her uneasy. "Once we graduate from the academy, and the prophecies are all behind us, I''d love to take a vacation and stay with you in Solfin." Olivia felt Lucina''s head nestle closer to her which caused her to laugh. "It''s been far too long since I saw an ocean. Margaret tells me there''s a restaurant you took her to that''s right on the water and sells really good sushi."

    "I''ll make sure to reserve the best table," Lucina affirmed as her mind daydreamed about that far-off day. At times, Lucina wished that Olivia was never burdened with the prophecies she carried since that meant she would visit Solfin without issue. But that also meant that their first meeting, and subsequently becoming friends, wouldn''t have happened since it was only because of the prophecies that Olivia acted the way she did. Would she have fallen in love with that Olivia? "¡­" Probably not. Lucina admitted that an Olivia without the knowledge of her past life would most likely be a completely different person to the one gently massaging her hands today. They might have still become friends, but Lucina''s heart would never hold these same emotions for anyone other than her Olivia. "It''s a promise."

    "Yeah¡­" Silence once more fell upon the room, but this time it was a calming quiet as the girls passed the time in each other''s company. Eventually, the water started cooling down, and Olivia asked, "Are you sure you won''t stay the night? It''s been a while since we last had a sleepover."

    "I still have lots to do, even here in the capital," Lucina partially lied. While it was true that she was busy with her domain and reorganizing the mansion she confiscated from the Rolfs here in Gorinville, she also had a different reason for not wanting to stick to Olivia''s side. "But when I get some free time, I''ll let you know." She reluctantly pulled her hands away from Olivia and dried them off with a nearby towel before putting her gloves back on.

    "Fine, then don''t expect me to walk you out," Olivia joked while pretending to be hurt by Lucina''s words.

    "Of course, Your Highness," Lucina gave an exaggerated curtsy before leaving the room.

    "Ah!?" And almost ran into a maid who was wheeling a cart with tea to Olivia''s room. "M-My apologies, Countess," the maid stammered out before giving a bow.

    "¡­It''s alright." Lucina eyed the maid up and down suspiciously. Mary wasn''t around despite it being about time to help Olivia get ready for bed. The maid in front of her was one of the newer maids assigned to Olivia and was unusually nervous; and not just because of Lucina. The oddly large cart had only a single tea cup despite it being known Lucina would be here, plus the maid looked like she was standing outside the door for quite some time as if waiting for Lucina to leave. Lucina gave the maid a smile before continuing down the hall toward the stairs.

    "¡­" When Lucina got to the stairs, and was out of sight of any people, a large shadow moved outside the window to make its presence known.

    "Is it tonight?" Lucina asked after stopping in front of the window but didn''t turn to face the shadow.

    "¡­" The shadow slipped a piece of paper through the seam of the windows that Lucina took and started reading.

    "Pfft!" Bringing her free hand to her mouth to stifle her laugh, Lucina let out an amused sigh at the note''s contents. "He''s making this far too easy for me." The paper burst into flames and burned until not even ash was left as Lucina used her fire magic to destroy the note.

    "¡­?" The shadow tilted its head to the side as they expectantly awaited their orders.

    "Have someone keep an eye on the maid that just went in Olivia''s room; have them grab her if she runs. You keep an eye on Olivia but don''t intervene unless absolutely necessary. I''ll join you after picking up some things from the mansion," Lucina ordered and continued her walk to the stairs.

    "¡­" The shadow nodded before disappearing.

    ***

    "I''ve brought some tea, Your Highness," the maid called as she knocked on Olivia''s door.

    "Come in," Olivia answered as she finished drying off her hands from the water. She glanced over at the tea cart and asked, "Is this a new one? I don''t recognize the smell."

    "Yes." Now that Lucina was gone, the maid was doing a better job at hiding her nerves. "This was a gift from one of your potential suitors, and I''m told it will help give a restful sleep."

    "Really?" Olivia tossed the towel down on the table and took a seat on one of the couches by the windows. "No matter how many times I reject their gifts, they always find a way to get them to me. But, at least this one''s useful."

    "The many jewelry and paintings you''ve received previously are also useful, Your Highness," the maid commented to try and make casual conversation as she poured some tea into the cup.

    "I meant in a more practical way," Olivia clarified as she enjoyed the aroma of the new tea. "Getting a good night''s sleep is more useful to me than another necklace, or pair of earrings I''ll probably never wear."

    "They would be heartbroken to hear that." The maid watched as Olivia picked up the tea cup, and hid her sweating hands behind her back.

    "The sooner they can get over it, the better off they''ll be since I have no intention of taking a concubine," Olivia flatly stated before taking a sip. "¡­?" She looked down at the tea and cocked an eyebrow.

    "Is¡­something wrong, Your Highness?" the maid asked. It was getting harder to hide her nerves.

    "It''s not bad, but oddly salty," Olivia commented before continuing to drink. "Though, I''ll admit¡­" Olivia gave a yawn. "This is some...really fast¡­acting¡­" The teacup crashed to the floor as Olivia''s whole body went limp and fell onto the couch, completely unconscious.

    "¡­I''m sorry, Your Highness," the maid justified to herself as she took a large sack out from under the cart''s cloth covering that was large enough to fit a young girl''s body. As the maid quickly went to work kidnapping Olivia, a large shadow watched everything from the window. Dark clouds rolled in over Gorinville as it was the perfect night for a rainstorm.

 The Lily Stands Tall

    "Don''t tie the ropes too tight! Bruises''ll ruin her value, remember?" A strange man''s voice echoed in Olivia''s mind and stirred her from her forced slumber. Olivia remembered drinking tea in the palace that was supposed to help her sleep only to instantly pass out.

    "But she''s an Aurister! Do you want her breaking free and getting no money?" Arguing voices penetrated the darkness as Olivia started to open her eyes. "We should-¡­ Oh? I think she''s waking up." The world was blurry and took a few seconds to come into focus as the drug still persisted in Olivia''s body.

    "Where¡­am I?" Candles lit an otherwise dark room and the figures of four men who stood before Olivia. The room was mostly barren with only a small table and a few chairs that the candles rested on, and a window on the far wall let what little outside light there was from Gorinville''s street lamps. Rain pounded against the glass of the window and thunder rumbled in the distance as the sky grew impatient for the night''s events to unfold. "How did I-!?!" Olivia tried to stand but found she couldn''t move as her ankles and wrists were bound with ropes.

    "Finally awake, Princess?" a gruff voice asked that drew Olivia''s attention to the people standing before her. Their clothes held little adornments and were rather rugged and sturdy looking similar to the leathers a hunter would wear. The man closest to her ran a hand over his bald head before continuing to speak, "Apologies about our lack of hospitality to a member of the imperial family. We''re a bit tight on money right now so I hope you''ll understand." The other three men jeered at Olivia while the closest, probably their boss, slyly smiled at her.

    "¡­What do you want?" Olivia was oddly calm about her situation which made the leader of the group upset.

    "What''s with that attitude?" he asked and drew his dagger to gently press against Olivia''s throat. The others silently flinched at the thought of any damage coming to Olivia and their pay decreasing, but no one voiced their discontent. "In case you hadn''t noticed, you''re at our mercy, Princess. Your precious royal guards won''t be coming for you since we''ll all be long gone before they even notice you''re missing." The man did his best to sound threatening and put Olivia in a state of fear. He needed to get her off balance if he wanted control over the situation since she wasn''t supposed to wake up until morning. Did the maid not use enough of the drug, or was the drug itself not as strong as their client said it was?

    "¡­I was kidnapped?" but Olivia, again, sounded oddly calm as she seemingly ignored the man and was lost in her own thoughts.

    "Yes!" This annoyed the leader greatly and he reached out to grab Olivia by the hair. "So you''d better-"

    "It finally happened!" Olivia suddenly shouted, excitedly, and a large smile overtook her face causing the leader to flinch backward in shock. "The event''s here!"

    "¡­Huh?" The kidnappers all raised eyebrows at Olivia and a few of them thought they used too much of the sleeping drug to the point it caused a problem with her head.

    "I was wondering when it would trigger!" Olivia''s entire demeanor shifted from unease to completely calm and expectant. "This is a staple in isekai otome stories and it''s finally my turn!"

    "¡­?" The men looked at one another as Olivia started speaking weird words they didn''t understand.

    "At first, I was worried it might trigger too early when I wouldn''t be ready for it. But this is perfect, so thanks!" Olivia smiled up at the leader.

    "¡­Do you realize where you are, Princess?" The leader''s voice was low and filled with a growing anger at Olivia''s seeming joy to her situation. "You''ll be lucky to ever see the imperial palace again, not to mention any friends and family you have!" He kicked a nearby chair over to try and startle Olivia. "Don''t think that just because we haven''t hurt you that we won''t. I''m willing to take on the cost of damaged goods!" Thinking of a different tactic to make Olivia uneasy, the man gently pressed the blade of his dagger against the collar of her dress so it would leave a small tear and threatened, "I''d hate for a pretty girl like you to get soiled so soon."

    "¡­" Olivia''s smile faded and her face took on a resigned look. She gave a sigh and mumbled, "Can''t even enjoy myself."

    "You''re not supposed to!" the leader shouted. He turned his head toward his lackeys and ordered, "Hey! Get a gag, I can''t stand her spouting nonsense any-" The leader''s voice cut off as he turned back to Olivia only to see white flower petals flutter past his eyes.

    "¡­" With a stoic expression, Olivia activated her aura and used her enhanced strength to rip herself free of the ropes. In one swift motion, Olivia stood up, grabbed the back of the chair she was just sitting on, swung it in a large arc over her head, and smashed it over the leader''s head. "Don''t get me wrong," Olivia spoke in a calm and collected voice that sent a chill down the three remaining men''s spines while their leader writhed on the floor with blood gushing out of his head. "My excitement earlier wasn''t meant to be taken as me being okay with what was happening. I was just lost in my own childish thoughts." Olivia lifted the broken remains of the chair she still held and slammed it down on the leader to cave his head in. Blood, brain matter, and bits of bone splattered across the floor while the three remaining men looked on in horror while Olivia wiped some blood off her cheek. Her once pure white dress was stained red, and her eyes shimmered a cold blue in the candlelight. "I know that this world is real and cruel; it''s something I had to learn years ago." Killing and the sight of blood used to make Olivia recoil in disgust, but that was a weakness she couldn''t afford in this life. The fear and disgust she held almost cost Lucina her life when fighting the hellhound demon years ago, and when Olivia went on her small crusade around the kingdom during the war she had to get over her own feelings when taking a human life. "¡­Even now, I still don''t like how cold it is." Olivia tossed the broken bits of wood she held aside and picked up the leader''s dropped dagger. "But, those feelings aren''t something I should give people like you."

    "!?!" The three men all took a step back and drew their weapons as they met Olivia''s gaze. Her normally beautiful and calm eyes now held the glint of a predator as she took a ready stance with her dagger.

    "It was a foolish hope to think I got you all back then." Olivia wasn''t really talking to the three men, she just wanted to air her thoughts to help her mind focus on what she needed to do. "Don''t expect any mercy. Not only did you kidnap the next empress of Arlexia¡­you kidnapped a child," Olivia''s voice bled with hatred as her hand tightened around the dagger. If these men had just been kidnappers, Olivia would have considered apprehending them to serve their sentences in the dungeons. But the fact that they kidnapped her, a thirteen-year-old child, banished any thoughts of leniency as she had no patience for child traffickers. Plus, the leader''s last threat disgusted Olivia beyond measure. "Are there more of you? I''ll let you call for backup."

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "G-Get up here!" one of the men yelled and stamped his foot on the floor. Olivia heard chairs scratch against the floor as the people on the lower floor started scrambling. "Even if you are an Aurister, there''s more of us tha-" A flurry of flower petals whooshed past the man as Olivia leaped forward and slit his throat.

    "Y-You bitch!" the third yelled and went to stab Olivia with his shortsword. Metal clashed against metal as Olivia parried the attack, slid her dagger up the length of the sword, and slit the man''s wrist. "AGH!" the man screamed and dropped his sword as he clutched his bleeding wrist. "Yo-" Olivia grabbed the falling sword with her free hand and spun around into a horizontal slash that cleaved the man''s head from his shoulders.

    "What''s going on!?!" The door to the room burst open as the other kidnappers arrived to see their comrades getting cut down by a single young girl. White flower petals danced in the air while Olivia adjusted her stance and swapped the sword to her right hand and the dagger to her left.

    "Don''t just stand there!" the last of the original men shouted. "Get he-GAH!" Olivia dealt a swift, aura-enhanced kick to the man''s stomach that sent him flying across the room. His body, along with some white flower petals, smashed through the window and the man plummeted three stories to land on his neck; killing him.

    "¡­" Staring down at the corpse that just fell in front of him was Augustus who was wearing some basic plate armor with a cloak over it and was holding his sword at the ready to rush in and save Olivia.  Now, however, he was at a complete loss on what to do. The sounds of battle continued from the smashed window and it was clear that Olivia was winning. Rain pelted Augustus as if to feed his growing anger at how badly the men he hired messed up.

    "And, just like that, I was right." Emerging from an alleyway came Lucina dressed in an all-black dress and holding a black umbrella. She cast an amused glance at the corpse in the street before turning her gaze to Augustus and stopping just a few feet away from him.

    "¡­Are you here to stop me?" Augustus'' hand tightened around his sword. Because of how she was holding the umbrella, Augustus couldn''t see Lucina''s eyes as her face was covered in shadow from the street lamp behind her, silhouetting her form.

    "I''m here to laugh at you," Lucina mocked and gave her umbrella a twirl so that the water on it would get thrown onto Augustus'' already-soaked boots. She giggled while saying, "When I said you would mess it up I honestly didn''t expect this to be what went wrong. You''ve known and trained with Olivia for over a year now, so why did you underestimate her abilities as an Aurister?" As if on cue, one of the second-floor windows of the kidnapper''s building shattered as a second kidnapper was thrown out, but this one was cut in half.

    "She never showed it off!" Augustus defended while doing his best to avoid the new corpse. "Plus, no one believed the Crown Princess actually went out and cleared the kingdom during the war; it was her knights who did all the work and she took the credit as their leader."

    "No one? Or just no one associated with James'' faction?" Lucina pointed out. "There were plenty of witnesses to Olivia''s deeds, so it''s your fault for not believing them." She pondered her thoughts for a moment before asking, "But even if that was true, didn''t you ever pay attention when Olivia used her aura before? You can get a rough guess at an Aurister''s power based on their aura''s appearance." A white flower petal fluttered down in front of Lucina who caught it with her free hand. Warmth resonated from the petal as Lucina brought it up to her lips and gave it a soft kiss before releasing it. "Olivia''s aura is unforgettable."

    "¡­" Augustus was hesitant to answer and the look on his face was one of embarrassment.

    "Did she¡­never use her aura while training with you?" A massive smug smile took over Lucina''s face as she laughed, "You were never able to push her to even use her aura?"

    "She said she wanted to train without relying on it!" Augustus justified to defend his ego, despite knowing the truth.

    "I''ll admit she''s strong, but to never even show it?" Lucina gave a content sigh and added, "No wonder she''s never glanced your way: you''re weaker than I thought."

    "Is strength all that matters!?" Augustus demanded. "I''m attending the royal academy! I had a noble title to my name! I always did my best to be kind and courteous to her! But all she cares about is physical strength!?"

    "¡­You still don''t get it," Lucina gave an annoyed groan and brushed some of her hair off her ear.

    "What don''t I get!?"

    "That you keep trying to capture her heart when she will never give it away, even to her husband." Lucina''s words confused Augustus who tilted his head to the side, so Lucina elaborated, "Olivia doesn''t want concubines, so all your efforts to win her heart are meaningless. You could be the perfect groom and she still wouldn''t accept you because she would be married to James. Even if they don''t love each other, Olivia doesn''t want to ''betray'' her marriage. At best you could capture her interest by appealing to her muscle fetish but you don''t even have that good of muscles, so there was never much of a chance for you to begin with." Lucina tilted her umbrella so she could stare directly into Augustus'' eyes. "From the moment Olivia decided not to use her aura against you was the moment you lost your chance to have her even look your way."

    "¡­That''s absurd." Augustus refused to accept the truth and reasoned, "What kind of person has those kinds of standards? It''s her duty as the future empress to produce heirs, so taking in concubines is the best way to guarantee that!"

    "Her duty?" Lucina scoffed and gave a bitter laugh, "That kind of thinking is exactly why you''re in this situation, Augustus. You''re not thinking about your future life with her, you''re thinking about your future lust with her." Ever since learning about hormones, Lucina looked into books about the subject, and of sex in general. It was enlightening and having Elise, a priestess of Alm who was the goddess of family, explain things in more detail was quite helpful in her studies.

    "Because that''s a concubine''s duty!"

    "Again with the ''duty'' talk," Lucina groaned and rolled her eyes in frustration. "Is Olivia a slab of meat at the butcher you''re trying to buy?"

    "Stop twisting my words!" Augustus demanded.

    "No," Lucina flatly replied.

    "¡­We''ll see how long you can stay smug," Augustus sheathed his sword and pulled the hood of his cloak further over his head. "Once I''m recognized as Olivia''s concubine, I''ll make sure that you never set foot in the palace, again!"

    "You''re going to try again?" Lucina asked while tapping her fingers against her umbrella''s handle in thought.

    "I still have sources, and connections to use!" Lucina had confiscated much of the Rolf''s wealth but there were still blind spots that only someone like Augustus would know where to look and connections that he would know to use from his father''s time. "I''ll train even harder so that she looks at me and uses her aura! Now that I know not to underestimate her, I''ll also get one of those slave collars that negate aura. And when I''m the one who saves her at her lowest point, she''ll willingly run into my arms and-" The sound of crumpling metal and liquidating flesh was barely contained by the pouring rain as Augustus'' plate armor compacted in on itself. His head flew into the air before landing a few feet away from the pile of flesh that used to be his body. The pelting rain did its best to wash away the blood that now stained the street.

    "¡­" Lucina was as still as a statue except for her left hand which was shaking in a tight fist after using her gravity magic on Augustus'' armor. Her eyes were fixated on the flesh pile to the point she didn''t notice the three large shadows that emerged from the alley and approached her. The largest shadow, a man in a black cloak, approached Lucina and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe off some blood that splattered onto her shoes.

    "What should we do now?" Carl asked when he finished cleaning off the blood.

    "¡­Load the body into a carriage." It took a while for Lucina to refocus on the world around her and escape her racing thoughts. "Send it into the forests east to look like he was running to Relsh. When you''re far enough away, corral some wolves into attacking the carriage and let them eat just enough of the flesh so it''s recognizable while hiding the true cause of death." Only Augustus'' limbs and head were recognizable.

    "Got it," Carl replied and motioned to the two shadows to get to work. They did their best, but it was rather difficult to get all the flesh into a sack without spilling out. "The rain will wash any remaining blood away, and anything left will be attributed to those guys." Carl glanced at the dead kidnappers Olivia had thrown out of the building. "We should get going, your carriage is waiting and the rain doesn''t look like it''ll let up."

    "¡­" Lucina silently watched Carl''s two underlings continue to scoop Augustus'' remains into the sack for a while longer before turning to leave. "And the maid who poisoned Olivia?"

    "She tried to run after handing the Crown Princess off to the kidnappers," Carl explained as he kept pace with Lucina. "We have her tied up in the-"

    "Put her in the carriage with Augustus." Lucina''s intentions were clear with her order.

    "¡­Got it." Carl knew better than to start questioning Lucina when her mood was this bad. She wouldn''t attack or hurt him, but being on the receiving end of her death glares wasn''t something Carl wanted. He silently followed Lucina into a nearby alley to stealthily make their way back to the carriage, and the two underlings finally finished packing the sack and dashed off toward their objective.

    "¡­" Having overheard most of the conversation thanks to her sharp senses, Olivia held a trembling hand over her heart as she processed what Lucina and Augustus talked about. The corpses of the kidnappers that littered the floor offered no answers or solace to her racing mind which started to fill with dark thoughts. Rain continued to pour over Gorinville, washing away the blood of a failed kidnapping, and began the erosion of trust that would one day come to landslide itself across the empire.

 What Was Lost Cannot Return

    The sun shined brightly in the afternoon sky while a peaceful breeze danced through the garden of the imperial palace. Two days had passed since the failed kidnapping which threw the palace into an uproar. Marcus was furious that something like that had happened and personally punished the guards who were supposed to be protecting Olivia that night. It was only after two days of placating that Olivia was finally allowed to receive guests, though she had her number of guards at all times increased. The guards formed a perimeter around the pavilion where Olivia was enjoying some tea with her guest.

    "I''m glad you''re not hurt," Lucina innocently said while sitting across the table from Olivia. "How could the royal guards be so sloppy to allow this to happen?" she jabbed at the knights who were standing guard and a few of them flinched at her insult.

    "¡­" The distance Olivia felt between her and Lucina went far beyond the table that divided them. There wasn''t a single hint of shame on her face or in her voice as Lucina acted like she knew nothing about what really happened that night. Olivia believed that there were no secrets between them, so seeing Lucina act this way made her uneasy. Derik''s words to her on her birthday about how dangerous Lucina had become echoed in her mind which further soured Olivia''s mood. She needed to know how far Lucina would go with her farce so she mentioned, "The guards already received their punishment from the Emperor. Besides, the fault of that night lies with the one who orchestrated it."

    "True," Lucina agreed and took a sip of tea. "It''s terrible that Augustus would do something like that and then run like a coward." Upon further investigation from the Emperor''s information network, Augustus was revealed to have been the mastermind who hired the men and paid off the maid who did the kidnapping. The official story was that he did it because he was fed up with Olivia constantly turning him down, and he tried to escape with the maid when his plan failed, only to be beset and eaten by wolves. "I never liked him. If he had been in Solfin when I took over, none of this would have happened."

    "¡­" If Olivia didn''t know what she did, she would have believed Lucina''s act. Thinking back, the Countess Sanguine from the otome game also had a chance to give players false information that would get them in trouble. Was she always this good at lying, or was this how it started? Olivia swallowed a lump in her throat and gestured for the maids and guards to leave them. "I''d like some privacy."

    The leader of the guards spoke up, "But our orders from the Emperor state-"

    "Nothing will happen in broad daylight. I''m not asking you to go too far, I just want to speak with the Countess about some private affairs."

    "¡­?" Lucina flinched at Olivia calling her by her title, which she never did outside of official occurrences, and she started fidgeting uncomfortably.

    "Very well, Your Highness," the guard relented since Olivia''s words made sense and the knights all moved further away along with the maids. Mary gave a worried glance at Olivia and the troubled face she wore, but silently obeyed the order and stepped back. With the pavilion empty, an oppressive silence fell upon the two girls while Olivia mustered up her courage. A part of her wanted to use the Examine Ally skill to know what Lucina was thinking, but she also wanted to give Lucina a chance to be honest with her before she resorted to her system skills.

    "Olivia?" Lucina was still fidgeting in her seat as she worriedly stared at Olivia. Was the worry her face wore genuine?

    After taking a deep breath, Olivia matched Lucina''s gaze and asked, "Did you kill Augustus?"

    "¡­" Lucina hesitated in answering and that hesitation sent an ache through Olivia''s heart as she watched her closest friend briefly deliberate on continuing the lie. Ultimately, however, Lucina told the truth, "Yes." She stopped fidgeting and sat still in her chair. The calm mask was adorned.

    "Did you¡­goad Augustus into kidnapping me?" Olivia''s hands clenched tightly on her dress as she dreaded the answer to her question.

    "While I didn''t know he would go with that kind of plan, yes I did." Lucina''s voice was eerily calm as she spoke unthinkable things to Olivia.

    "You''re not going to lie anymore?" Olivia''s voice slightly shook with both anger and sadness as she pressed on.

    "Lying to you about something you already know is bad," Lucina justified.

    "And lying in the first place isn''t!?" Olivia''s body trembled with a slurry of emotions as she continued, "Were you just going to keep pretending you had nothing to do with it? Is it fun for you to manipulate people like that?"

    "That wasn''t my intention."

    "Then what was!?" Olivia slammed her fist on the table, causing the teacups to spill over.

    Lucina hesitated and a crack in her calm mask showed itself as discomfort crept through, "Augustus would have done something like that eventually, anyway. I just pushed him to do it sooner so I could get rid of him for you."

    "For me? So it''s my fault all this happened?"

    "No!" Lucina''s mind raced to find the right words to explain herself while also hiding her feelings for Olivia. "Augustus was dangerous because of me after I dealt with his parents in Solfin, so I was cleaning up my mess because it affected you!"

    "That doesn''t justify what happened!" Olivia argued. "The ends don''t justify the means!"

    "But it solved the problem!" Lucina''s face was distorting from discomfort and anxiety. She had never fought with Olivia and it pained her to do so. She felt like she was going to throw up.

    "Just because it''s solved doesn''t mean it''s right!" Tears started to well up in Olivia''s eyes as she pleaded with her friend, "Murder!? Kidnapping!? Why do you think stuff like that is okay so long as it ''ends well''!? Why are you okay with resorting to-"

    "Because that''s what it took to survive!" Lucina screamed and shot up from her seat. Her emotions were a mess and the pavilion''s wooden beams groaned as Lucina''s gravity magic reacted to her unstable state and started putting pressure on the roof. The guards and maids all turned when they heard the scream and the knights looked ready to jump Lucina.

    "¡­!" A swiftly raised hand from Olivia stopped them as she signaled it was alright. The knights reluctantly sheathed their weapons but always made sure to glance over their shoulders to check, just in case.

    "I just wanted to help!" Lucina clenched her hands into fists to try and stop her magic from going any further. She didn''t want to yell at Olivia. "Everyone knew he was scum!" She didn''t want to continue fighting. "I know you don''t think it''s right, but it works!" This wasn''t what she planned. "I know¡­ I¡­" Her mind was a mess and her calm mask was completely shattered to reveal how scared and tired she was. "I''m not¡­ I can''t be who I used to be."

    "¡­" The weight of Lucina''s words crushed Olivia as she immediately recognized what they meant. Olivia considered being stunned into silence when Lucina was sent to war as her greatest failure, and she was once more reminded of the consequences of her cowardice that day. She plopped back down in her chair with Lucina following suit and the two girls sat in silence as they both pondered on what to say while an oppressively awkward atmosphere suffocated them. "¡­I''m sorry."

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    "You don''t need to-"

    "I do!" Olivia was disgusted with herself and ran a hand through her hair to rub her aching head. "I''m the reason you''re like¡­this." It felt weird to talk about Lucina''s unstable mental state so openly, but putting it off any further would only lead to more arguments like this so it had to be said. "I was so scared of the prophecies that I couldn''t¡­that I didn''t help my friend when she needed me the most."

    "¡­Nothing would have changed even if you did speak up," Lucina reasoned and started to also calm down. "James already leaked my magic abilities to the wizards and the Emperor''s actions were obviously preplanned to force me into going."

    "That doesn''t excuse my inaction."

    "But it does make it easier to understand," Lucina reasoned and gave a pained smile.

    "¡­Why are you making excuses for me?" Olivia wanted Lucina to blame her for what she did, but Lucina seemed to refuse to do so.

    "Because that''s what friends do."

    "¡­" The smile Lucina was giving her stabbed Olivia in the chest and she felt even more disgusted with herself. Olivia hesitated to speak her thoughts, but pushed forward to try and understand, "Was it¡­really like that out there?" Lucina never mentioned much in her letters during the war, and when Jeremy took over, Lucina had already taken over the Hellhounds. Olivia wanted to understand her friend.

    "When Timothy was around it was," Lucina admitted. She fiddled with the spilled teacup to distract herself as she continued, "No one cared what happened to the Hellhounds so every mission felt like the world wanted us dead. In some cases, it was true since Timothy deliberately sent us on obvious suicide missions and was pissed when we came back alive." Lucina gave a bitter laugh as she recalled those times and mused, "Killing him was¡­nice."

    "¡­" A chill ran down Olivia''s spine hearing Lucina talk about killing as being ''nice'', but held her tongue on the matter.

    "Time went on and James took Timothy''s place as the one trying to kill us. There were a few ''accidents'' that I had to deal with before getting things under control. And eventually¡­here we are." Lucina awkwardly knocked over the empty teacup and dryly chuckled, "Along the way, I guess I stopped putting much value on other people''s lives because of how easy it was to take them."

    "Did you always do it like¡­that?" Olivia hesitantly asked.

    "Like what?"

    "By¡­crushing people in their armor?" The image and sound of Augustus being crumpled inside his plate armor would haunt Olivia''s dreams and remain ever vivid in her mind.

    "You saw that?" Lucina gave a tired smile and explained, "While it''s effective, doing that takes more out of my magic reserves than other methods so I would mix it in while also using other magic to kill. Though, it''s my go-to for dealing with¡­pests." Lucina looked up from blankly staring at the cup and stared into Olivia''s eyes before asking the same question she did just days earlier, "Are you afraid of me?"

    "¡­" Olivia couldn''t answer as immediately as she did last time. "I''ll admit, your recent actions do frighten me." Olivia watched Lucina''s face droop with resignation. "But no, I''m not afraid of you."

    "¡­You''re not?" Lucina was hopeful but also hesitant to believe those words.

    "While I think your actions are extreme, I can see why you did them and know you don''t mean to hurt me." Olivia realized she was being hypocritical since she just said that the ends don''t justify the means, but she also admitted that this world was one where that kind of thinking was commonplace and that she was the odd one out.

    "..Mmm." Lucina felt her heart and mind relax as the fear of Olivia turning away from her had passed. She could still stay by her side.

    "But," Olivia went on and tried to lighten the mood by joking, "I would like to ask that you don''t entice people to kidnap me anymore."

    "Technically, I never told him to kidnap you," Lucina awkwardly joked along. The air was becoming less intense and peace started to return to the palace garden. "Besides, I knew you could handle it."

    "That doesn''t change the fact that it still happened. It took me so long to convince the Emperor to let me entertain guests in the garden, and I''m still barred from leaving the palace for another week while they tighten security." Olivia chuckled and poked, "Since you caused this mess, I''ll leave calming Cassandra down to you, Countess." As soon as the news broke, Cassandra sent multiple letters a day trying to request an audience with Olivia. Even Margaret pulled strings to see Olivia on a technicality of her entry to the palace being for business.

    "I''m still not good at dealing with her," Lucina bemoaned.

    "I know, this supposed to be your punishment," Olivia laughed before adding in a mock weak voice, "I''m still experiencing shock from my sudden kidnapping, so I won''t be able to console her for the time being."

    "Like she would believe that," Lucina mumbled her complaint to herself.

    "You make me sound like some kind of superhero," Olivia commented. "Even if I''m an Aurister, I''m not invincible. Besides, my aura still has a long way to go." Her stat growth was slowing down and she still wasn''t at where she wanted to be before entering the royal academy next year.

    "What do you mean?" Lucina asked and cocked an eyebrow. She let some of her inner feelings accidentally slip out as she complimented, "I saw plenty of Auristers during the war and your aura is already more brilliant and beautiful than pretty much all of theirs. It''s as radiant as you are."

    "!?!" The genuine sincerity of Lucina''s compliment and the matter-of-fact look on her face made Olivia slightly blush from embarrassment. While she received compliments from the knights in the palace when training, many of them felt hollow and were only said since she was the Crown Princess. Hearing Lucina''s honest praise took Olivia off guard and she cleared her throat before saying, "While I appreciate the compliment, you should be careful with your wording if you ever say that to a boy." Giving such genuine praise was something Lucina had done plenty of times in the past, but perhaps it was only affecting Olivia like this now because of the awkward conversation they had been having which was making her emotions more unstable.

    "Why with boys?" Lucina had no idea where Olivia was going with this.

    "Because they might misunderstand your intention as flirting with them." Lucina was getting to the age where she would start looking at boys in a new light so Olivia wanted to make sure to give some advice to her friend before any misunderstandings happened. Olivia averted her gaze away from Lucina because she felt embarrassed to be giving such advice as she added, "Especially if you praise them so genuinely like that. Even my heart fluttered for a moment."

    "¡­I made your heart flutter?" Lucina spoke in a whisper as if she were hit by a sudden realization.

    "Anyone''s would at those cheesy lines you used," Olivia reasoned. She heard Lucina get up from her chair so she turned back to face her while saying, "So you shoul-" Olivia''s words halted in her throat as she turned to find Lucina standing directly next to her. Because Olivia was still sitting down, Lucina loomed over her by more than a full head height. They were enjoying tea near the edge of the pavilion which allowed the sun to silhouette Lucina in its light that wasn''t blocked by the roof. A shadow that snuffed out the light.

    "But¡­" Lucina''s long hair was like a curtain of thorns that further hid her face in shadow and seemed to reach out and envelop Olivia. Her broken eyes held a longing that Olivia had once dismissed as innocent admiration. Lucina reached down with her free hand, took a lock of Olivia''s hair, and gently kissed it which was the most common display of courtship toward a woman. "What if the misunderstanding is only on your end?"

    "!?!" Olivia''s face turned a bright red as she was stunned into silence. She had always viewed Lucina and her actions as an innocent child who clung to Olivia for affection and attention because she had helped Lucina who was at her lowest point. Olivia believed they would always be best friends and never considered that those feelings Lucina felt might one day grow into something more. After all, Finding Arlexia''s Light wasn''t a Boy''s Love or Girl''s Love game and only had routes for the heroine to be with male leads. Even experiencing it herself growing up, Olivia had never seen or heard of any same-sex couples in the kingdom and her sexual education course from the palace only mentioned heterosexual relationships. Normally, in that kind of world, someone with these kinds of leanings would try to hide their feelings, but Lucina was being extremely direct to the point Olivia couldn''t brush it aside. "I-I¡­" Was this some grand secret Lucina had been hiding and revealed now because of the weird mood? Was she joking around? It didn''t look like it, but Lucina had become adept at hiding her intentions so Olivia couldn''t fully trust what she saw. Despite playing Boy''s Love and Girl''s Love games, Olivia never seriously considered if she liked girls in that way because, at the time, she was with Tanaka. But Olivia couldn''t ignore how fast her heart was beating seeing Lucina kiss her hair. Was it the weird mood or a genuine reaction? Even though she didn''t like it, Olivia was too flustered to think straight and activated the Examine Ally skill to help her figure out what to do. The semitransparent pink results box appeared in front of Olivia''s vision. "¡­!?!" And Olivia''s entire body froze from fright.

    "Olivia?" Lucina couldn''t see Olivia''s face since her head was now hanging low. Did she reveal her feelings too soon and it grossed Olivia out? "Oli-¡­Hm?" An angrily approaching figure caught Lucina''s eye and caused her to stop leaning over Olivia. "¡­I''ll see you later, Olivia." While she didn''t want to leave with Olivia acting so weirdly, Lucina decided to go willingly before a scene was made. As she left the pavilion and approached the angry figure, Lucina gave a fake smile and greeted, "It''s been a while, Derik."

    "The royal palace isn''t accepting uninvited guests, Countess," Derik stood a mere foot away from Lucina so he could tower over her. Despite being in the palace, Derik wore a breastplate, metal gauntlets, and armored boots as a minimum form of protection over his pristine white and gold uniform.

    Lucina wasn''t the least bit intimidated and mocked, "Oh? But His Majesty personally allowed Olivia to meet with me. Surely you, her brother and future royal guard, would know about that?"

    "The Emperor allowed for certain guests to reenter the palace," Derik clarified as he twisted the Emperor''s meaning. "I will not allow a dangerous individual like you to wander around unsupervised in this delicate time."

    "Dangerous? Me?" Lucina put a hand on her chest and said, "I''d be the first to Olivia''s defense." She wasn''t pleased with having her time with Olivia ruined by Derik''s presence. "At least Olivia willingly lets me stay by her side."

    "Watch your mouth, Countess." Derik''s hands tightened into fists.

    "But isn''t it true that you practically forced your way into becoming one of Olivia''s guards, despite her saying it wasn''t necessary?"

    "If you won''t leave quietly, then I''ll be forced to-!?!" Derik reached for his sword but quickly found himself unable to move.

    "Forced to¡­what, exactly?" Lucina had a sly smile on her face as she used her gravity magic to set all the points of gravity of the pieces of plate armor Derik wore to themselves and intensified their gravity to the point Derik couldn''t move. He was trapped within his own armor. "You know, asking nicely also works."

    "¡­" Derik silently seethed as he tried to calm his nerves. It was frightening to have his one line of defense used against him like this.

    "I was done, anyway," Lucina nonchalantly yawned as she walked past Derik. "I''ll leave her to you, Guard." When she left, Lucina snapped her fingers and released Derik from her gravity magic.

    "!?!" Derik lurched forward as he was suddenly back in control of his movement. His teeth grinded against each other and he stormed his way over to Olivia who hadn''t moved a single inch. "Sister, what have I told you¡­about¡­?" As he went to voice his opinion, Derik saw that Olivia was turning pale and he rushed to her side. "Hey, what''s wrong? Did the Countess do something to you!?"

    "¡­" There was no response.

    "Olivia!?" Derik shook his sister but was unable to stir her from her stupor. Olivia''s eyes stared at the pink box that displayed the results of her skill and she had never felt so afraid in her life.

    (Examine Ally: Lucina Sanguine)

    (Failure: Invalid Target)

    (Lucina Sanguine is not your Ally.)

 Twisting the Knife of Misunderstanding

    "The weather is simply perfect for a hunt," a noblewoman exclaimed as she fanned herself while sitting at a table filled with tea and snacks. Despite being late July, the weather wasn''t too hot and held a pleasant warmth for the day''s activities. Every year around this time, a grand hunt was held by the imperial family to bring the nobility together for the height of the social season. Those who wished to prove themselves would join the hunt to compete for the biggest game which they would dedicate to either their family or, more romantically, a future spouse they were interested in. A perfect time for young loves to start blooming.

    "Truly," another agreed as she stole glances over her shoulder. "This year''s should be an exciting one since so many new faces are joining the game. I wonder what Her Highness will bring back?" One of the festival''s rules was that hunting competitors had to be at least thirteen years old which prevented Olivia from joining the previous years. While this meant she would be competing against James, it was viewed as nothing more than the future rulers having a bit of fun at a social event and wouldn''t be taken too seriously no matter who won.

    "I''m more curious about the second prince." Another new face was the second prince Terence who normally stayed out of the limelight, but for some reason decided to join this year''s hunt. "Surly he wouldn''t go after something to try and beat His Highness, right?" The Emperor''s favor rested solely with James, so if Terence beat James then the nobles feared what might happen. "What do you think, Lady Vivian?"

    "¡­" Vivian was silently sipping tea with a neutral expression on her face while looking over the competitors. Her large-brimmed hat cast a gentle shadow over her face as she did her best to enjoy the day''s festive atmosphere despite her dour mood. She was now officially the wife of the future Duke of Holst which put a new weight on her shoulders as she sat with the older women of the empire. There was no room for the bitterness in her heart to show, so she gave a simple answer, "Some competitiveness is good since it will push both princes to rise above each other."

    "Lady Vivian''s right," the first noblewoman agreed. "Even if His Highness has the throne secured, having a rival will only do to help His Highness rise further." The other ladies started agreeing with one another as if they were all already thinking the same thing.

    "¡­" Vivian''s eyes once more wandered over to the competitors as Derik emerged from his tent. Thankfully, he tied the blue ribbon Vivian gave him to his sword''s hilt. The ribbon was used both by couples to show their support for one another, as well as by single hunters to show who they would dedicate their game to. Derik seemed to still hold some sense for such an occasion, but Vivian knew the real reason he remembered to tie it on was because his mother reminded him just a few minutes ago. Vivian''s eyes continued to scan the hunters until they rested on Adam who also emerged from his tent.

    "The Felswore''s son has a ribbon!?" one of the noblewomen exclaimed and drew all of the gathered women''s eyes to Adam''s sword which had a yellow ribbon tied to the hilt. "I thought he wasn''t interested in marrying since he''d never shown any interest in finding a partner!"

    "It''s a yellow ribbon, but I can''t see any distinguishing feature to tell who it''s from." The sight of Adam''s ribbon sent the noblewomen into a spiral of gossip.

    "¡­"  A spiral that Vivian kept out of since she already knew who gave Adam the ribbon; it took her quite some time to make, after all. It was nothing more than a whim while she was making Derik''s and she didn''t expect Adam to actually accept it; at least that''s what she told herself. Duke Richard and Duchess Alice were one of the few nobles who didn''t have concubines or known secret relationships, and Vivian knew Olivia also valued that kind of dedication so she wanted to live up to their expectations by staying true to Derik. But the coldness Derik showed her and seeing Adam wear her ribbon¡­ She needed to distract herself and started looking for Olivia. "Has anyone seen Her Highness?" But Olivia was nowhere to be seen.

    "I saw her earlier going off to the hills," a noblewoman answered while gesturing to some forested hills that were nearby.

    "Hmm." Olivia had been acting strange for a while now, but Vivian chalked it up to her trying to deal with the shock of the kidnapping. A harsh breeze blew through the hunting grounds as if to counter Vivian''s thoughts and she felt an unease in her chest as the hunt was about to begin.

    ***

    The harsh breeze blew over Olivia''s hair which was tied up in a ponytail, and rustled her white and gold hunting uniform which consisted of a sturdy pair of boots, long pants, and a shirt and vest with gold trimmings. A rather gaudy outfit unfit to stalk and hunt game in a green and brown forest. But her outfit was the last thing on Olivia''s mind as she was still shaken because of why her Examine Ally skill failed on Lucina. Even after two months of thinking it over, Olivia was still unsure how to view Lucina and it got to the point that she was overthinking every little detail which brought her to worse and worse conclusions. Did Lucina actually hold a deep-seated grudge and hatred toward Olivia for failing to stop her from being sent off to war? Was her current kindness an act? But why was she so shaken when Olivia confronted her about the kidnapping? Was that also fake? Was it real? Was that pass Lucina made at her an attempt to further throw Olivia off of how she really viewed her?

    "¡­" Ever since that day, Olivia mostly avoided Lucina and only interacted with her when other people were present. And every time they met, Olivia would use the Examine Ally skill in the vain hope that something had just gone wrong during the previous attempt. Olivia also used it on other people, like Cassandra and Margaret, but it worked perfectly and successfully displayed their information. The skill was seemingly omniscient since it revealed the inner thoughts and feelings of the target which included information that Olivia couldn''t have known otherwise. Information given by Examine Ally was always correct. Olivia bit her bottom lip as her nerves were gnawing away at her without reprieve.

    "You look troubled, Princess," a voice came from behind that brought Olivia out of her thoughts.

    "¡­Greetings, Prince Terence." Olivia knew Terence would be participating in the hunt too, but was confused about why he would come see her. Out of reflex, Olivia used her skill on Terence and a semitransparent pink box appeared in front of her vision.

    (Examine Ally: Terence Arlexton)

    (Success)

    (Your Ally appears healthy.)

    (Your Ally''s affection is Friendly Acquaintance.)

    (While unorthodox for his position, your Ally wishes you a better life than living under the thumb of his brother.)

    "Was there something you wanted to say?" Olivia asked after making sure Terence wasn''t a threat.

    "Originally, I wanted to give you some advice as your future in-law for your first hunt," Terence answered with carefully picked words to try and bring down Olivia''s guard. "But you seem deeply troubled about something."

    "¡­" Olivia slightly flinched at Terence''s comment and tried to get a read on him since Examine Ally wouldn''t display much due to his low affection level. Terence''s short black hair softly blew in the wind and his golden eyes held a warmth that James'' didn''t as he looked at her. "It''s not something you should trouble yourself with."

    "Sometimes, speaking your troubles out loud to someone can help alleviate your mind," Terence reasoned and readjusted his black and gold cloak over his shoulder. "Though I might not be as good of a conversation partner as Countess Sanguine," using a leading phrase, Terence poked Olivia about her currently strained relationship with Lucina even though he already knew all about it from the spies he planted around Lucina. He finally found the Butcher of Toldrin''s weakness.

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    "¡­I''m just overthinking things I shouldn''t," Olivia tried to deflect Terence''s request despite wanting to open up and talk to someone about her thoughts. Lucina was the only one Olivia ever fully opened up to, but with her being unable to trust her, Olivia discovered how lonely it was without Lucina by her side. There was a void in her heart she didn''t realize had formed. "Won''t your supporters not like seeing you be friendly with me?" Olivia wanted to change the topic.

    "While my brother may be my rival for the throne, that doesn''t immediately make you my enemy," Terence explained. "You¡¯re a rational person. Plus, even if you have the nobility fooled, I hear what goes on in the palace so I know how you and James really think of each other." He put a finger to his lips and added, "I won''t tell anyone, so don''t let me knowing trouble you."

    "¡­Even still, why are you being so friendly to me?" These kinds of actions aren''t something Olivia believed a ''Friendly Acquaintance'' would do without some ulterior motive. "At the end of the day, I''m your brother''s fianc¨¦ and an obstacle to the throne."

    "Because my path to the throne will be one not many would want to travel," Terence admitted while giving a soft smile. "I''ll be provoking powerful enemies by doing what I''m planning, so making you at least neutral toward me would help alleviate the pressure; even just slightly." Reaching down, Terence gently lifted Olivia''s left hand and softly kissed the back of her middle finger; a common sign of respect toward a woman of higher noble rank. "I''m not asking you to side with me over James. I just hope you don''t aim your sword at me, and in turn, I will do my best to not touch your allies."

    "¡­" Terence was overtly stating he would challenge James for the throne which would normally be a terrible thing to admit to James'' fianc¨¦. "Very well." But Olivia wasn''t a loving fianc¨¦ for James. Since Terence didn''t appear in Finding Arlexia''s Light, outside of a few blurbs of dialogue and lore texts, Olivia only had the knowledge she attained from her current life to understand the second prince. But even with what little information she had, Olivia already believed Terence would be a better fit for the throne than James. Terence was someone who didn¡¯t let their emotions drive their actions, unlike James, and would look at the whole situation rather than blindly rushing forward. Even if she wouldn''t openly support him for fear of James'' retribution being aimed at her family and friends, Olivia also wouldn''t stop Terence from opposing James. "It would be bad if we were seen talking for too long, Prince Terence, so I hope you enjoy your hunt," Olivia mentioned before realizing that Terence hadn''t let go of her hand yet.

    "Indeed," Terence chuckled as he saw Olivia glancing at his hand that still held hers. He took a peek over his shoulder as if looking for someone, and when he confirmed they were there he added, "The hunt is also about to start so we should get going on our separate ways. But before I leave, I''d like to give you some new advice."

    "What is-!?!" Olivia was quickly pulled toward Terence and, from a very particular angle, an onlooker might mistake it that he was kissing her cheek.

    Terence''s voice was hushed and completely serious as he whispered, "After I leave, secretly follow me into the woods to learn more about what troubles you." Just as abruptly as he pulled her close, Terence backed away from Olivia and gave a respectful bow before leaving.

    "¡­?" Olivia was momentarily stunned by his rude gesture, but his words wormed their way into her mind and she found herself stealthily following Terence into the forest even after the horn to start the hunt blew.

    "How did your conversation go with Her Highness?" Eventually, Terence met up with a few of his followers who would be joining him to hunt.

    "I''d say it went well," Terence answered while glancing over his shoulder to where Olivia was hiding. "Are the preparations for our hunt complete?"

    "Yes, my Prince," one of his retainers answered. "We found a large bear and tracked it to a cave by the waterfall. If we move quickly, we can-!?!" As he gave his report, an arrow flew out of the trees and narrowly missed Terence''s neck. "Assassin!?"

    "Who dares attack the second prince!?" The retainers formed a circle around Terence who was standing almost completely unphased by the attack. Some bushes rustled nearby which drew everyone''s attention.

    "!?!" Olivia''s heart stopped when she saw who the would-be assassin was when they stepped out of the bush.

    "Oh my, Prince Terence?" Lucina innocently exclaimed as she emerged from the brush. Her dark brown boots and pants worked with her dark green vest to help her camouflage with the underbrush, and she held a bow in her hands.

    "You dare try and assassinate a member of the imperial family!?" one of the retainers yelled as they pointed their blades at Lucina.

    "Assassinate?" Lucina mockingly tilted her head to the side in thought before explaining, "Oh no! My deepest apologies, Prince Terence! I heard  noises and thought there was a beast nearby so I loosed my arrow without thinking since I didn''t want to startle it and let it get the chance to flee."

    "You expect us to believe that, Countess!?"

    "I really was tracking a beast just earlier and it went this way," Lucina said while glaring daggers directly into Terence''s eyes. "It was a rather horny beast that was trying to encroach where it shouldn''t."

    "¡­Everyone put your blades down," Terence calmly began his play. "The Countess said it was a mistake."

    "A mistake!? How could anyone mistake you for-"

    "I said to drop it," Terence gave a stern warning to his retainers and they all reluctantly lowered their blades. Turning his attention toward Lucina, Terence said, "Luckily there were no injuries, this time. In the future, I''d advise you to more carefully check your target, Countess." He smiled and added the insult, "Thankfully, you''re shot was off its mark."

    "Well, one of the rules of the hunt is that magic and aura can''t be used," Lucina justified to deflect the insult. "I''m not used to handling a bow, so I thank you for forgiving my blunder. Next time, I''ll be sure not to miss."

    "Why, if I didn''t know any better," Terence began after making sure Olivia was still listening, "I''d think you intentionally tried to hit me, from your harsh words. Have I done something to earn your ire, Countess?"

    "Hmm, I don''t think so," Lucina lied through a forced smile while her eyes betrayed her anger. "After all, it''s not like you''re making passes at someone else''s fianc¨¦ during a hunting festival, right?"

    "!!!" Olivia flinched as her heart rate spiked. Lucina saw that? But Olivia didn''t even sense Lucina''s presence which meant that she was secretly watching her. Why?

    "Making a pass?" Terence kept up his calm mask despite the unease and fear he felt. He wanted to push Lucina into a blunder in front of Olivia, but he knew that if he pushed too far then Lucina could easily kill him and his entire retinue. "I didn''t realize my brother had you so tightly bound on his leash to the point you dislike anyone even speaking with his fianc¨¦."

    "Hellhounds are territorial by nature, Prince Terence," Lucina didn''t deflect the insult since she knew James had his shadow knights, knights trained in espionage and stealth, watching her during the hunt. James wasn''t taking action against her, with him mostly leaving her alone to govern Solfin as she saw fit, and Lucina didn''t want to provoke him into acting. Even if she didn''t like James, she also didn''t like Terence; none of the princes were in Lucina''s good graces. So, to blow off some steam and have some fun, Lucina decided to play along to make Terence think she was James'' ally to try and throw Terence off, "A good dog bites when it''s supposed to, even when its owner doesn''t command it to."

    "¡­" Completely misunderstanding Lucina''s actions and words, Olivia was becoming more and more certain that Lucina held a secret grudge against her. Was she willingly helping James? They fought together in the final battle of the war, or at least that''s what Olivia was told, so could they have grown closer during that time? Olivia''s trust in Lucina was continuing to dwindle.

    "Owner? You refer to yourself as his dog¡­" All according to Terence''s plan. "And here I thought Hellhounds disliked being confined by a leash."

    "If the leash is comfortable enough, anyone would wear one." Lucina twirled the bow in her hand and gestured to her neck. "I think you''d look good with one, you could start a new fashion trend in high society."

    "Why you!?!" Terence''s retainers were getting sick of Lucina''s arrogance as they were in the dark about Terence''s plan since he needed them to act as realistically as possible. "The Crown Prince''s dog should mind its bark before it gets muzzled!"

    "Woof woof~," Lucina teased before giving a laugh.

    "I think I''ll ignore the fashion advice, Countess." Terence had done what he wanted and still had a hunt to complete. He motioned to his retainers and started to leave toward the waterfall in the far distance before saying, "I wish you better luck on catching your game, Countess."

    "And to you as well, Prince," Lucina gave a slight bow of respect and saw him off with a smile. Once Terence left, however, Lucina''s face took on a look of disgust. Not only did he not show any discomfort to her words, Terence seemed rather pleased with himself. Angrily, she spat, "Cheeky prick." Lucina made a gesture with her hand as she activated her wind magic.

    "Agh!?" A man in a black cloak was thrown out of a nearby tree as the wind slammed him down to the ground.

    "I don''t recognize you," Lucina idly stated as she slowly approached the man. "You''re one of the second prince''s shadows, right?" She needed to let off more steam. Since she didn''t want to go after James'' shadows, she decided to settle with Terence''s.

    "¡­" The shadow didn''t speak and tried to get to his feet, but another strong gust of wind slammed him back down to the ground.

    "He''s smart to make sure you''re only wearing cloth armor; no hard surfaces for my gravity magic to use." She had once tried to use her gravity magic on cloth, but it didn''t work well since the cloth ripped before it could be used to hurt her target and took a much larger amount of magic than if used on a hard surface like metal. Lucina stood over the shadow and looked down on him like a bug. "But gravity magic isn''t all I''m good at."

    "GAH!!!" A spike of stone shot up out of the earth and pierced the shadow''s shoulder.

    "Since you''re a shadow you don''t officially exist; which means no one will look for you if you disappear." Lucina grabbed the man''s face and forced him to look up at her. Lucina''s broken eyes stared into the man''s soul as she ordered, "This is the only warning I''m willing to offer: the next time I find one of you skulking around Olivia, I''m just gonna kill them. Got it?"

    "¡­"

    "Got. It?" Lucina forced the stone spike to dig deeper into the man.

    "Y-Yes!" the man was forced to speak.

    "Good." Lucina straightened herself upright and started to leave before she dismissed the spike and allowed the stone to retreat back into the earth.

    "¡­" Olivia softly trembled from her hiding place as Lucina left and Terence''s shadow went off to relay Lucina''s warning. There was a lump in her throat that refused to leave and Olivia felt like she was suffocating as her world started crumbling.

 Before the Title Screen

    "As per your request, our agents have been keeping tabs on the missives between Solfin and the capital, Crown Princess." It was a cold summer night with an unnatural chill running through the imperial palace. One year had passed since the hunting festival and so much had changed while remaining the same. The Silk Sparrow agent continued his report to Olivia, "Once October began, there was an increase in correspondences being sent out to Solfin with many going unanswered. This changed after December with nearly all letters receiving answers."

    "And the contents?" Olivia silently stood looking out her bedroom window at the garden that was bathed in Sailest''s soft violet light. An ominous haze obscured the garden as if not wanting the flowers to detract from Sailest''s splendor.

    "Those from the palace were escorted by imperial knights so we were unable to confirm, and those from Solfin were sent with Hellhound knights." The agent seemed embarrassed as he added, "We attempted to steal from the Hellhounds as we thought they would be easier targets but that only led to the deaths of our agents, so we gave up on learning the contents. We do not know the contents but whatever they were required the protection of elite knights so as not to be discovered."

    "I see¡­ Did anything noteworthy happen in spring?" Olivia didn''t want sporadic reports filled with speculations, she wanted definitive answers so she asked that the Sparrows only give one final report once the contract ended.

    "Once winter ended, and the Helker''s waters were free of ice, Solfin began sending larger and larger tithes to the capital. Watching Solfin''s docks, we discovered the tithe increase was supposed to be a secret since they disguised many of the offerings in containers meant for commercial goods that never saw their way to the ''intended'' destinations. These offerings were never loaded onto Trent ships and instead were vessels of lesser-known merchants. We tried approaching a few of the sailors but they were strangely tight-lipped so we ceased attempting contact to not arouse any suspicion. None but the palace and Solfin likely know of the increase."

    "I see." Olivia thought back over the year and, with this new information, realized that James had been spending larger and larger sums on vanity items than he had previously. His room was practically bursting with works of art, furniture of intricate designs, and oddities that would all fetch a high price to the right buyer. "This isn''t much information for an entire year of observation."

    "¡­We apologize for our unsatisfactory results, Your Highness." The agent bowed his head lower out of shame. "Infiltrating Solfin has proved nearly an impossible task as all our attempts are swiftly rooted out. The information about the docks was only obtained by observers using spyglasses who were outside the city''s walls, or who were out at sea and could see the coastal dockyards." Lucina''s shadow knights were so effective at rooting out foreign influences within Solfin that many in the information business believed that Zulm himself was guiding their hands. Considering they served the Harbinger of Zulm, such a claim wasn''t as far-fetched as many would like to think. "However, we can say with the utmost certainty that Countess Sanguine is financing the Crown Prince in secret, and has joined his faction."

    "¡­" The agent''s words made sense, but Olivia still took them with a grain of salt. The Silk Sparrows were controlled by Duke Mordrist who was the aunt of Empress Stephany, so their reports could be deliberately skewed against James and Lucina to try and endear her to Terence. She would accept undeniable facts like Lucina sending increased tithes to James, but she didn''t want to speculate on the reasons without any solid proof. Olivia was exhausted from the conclusions her mind was already coming up with, she didn''t need the speculations of others. "What about the other contract?"

    "We found a few leads, but they all turned out to be nonsense." The agent shifted uncomfortably as he had to deliver more lackluster news, "The temples have been on the move over something, and anyone who knows anything about why is remaining tight-lipped. Infiltrating R''eldrun is impossible."

    "Then our business is concluded."

    "Once again, I apologize for the lack of re-" A bag of gold was placed on the table in front of the agent. He looked up at Olivia with a confused expression and asked, "But, we failed the contract and have not fulfilled the second. Would you still pay us?"

    "I''m not so petty that I wouldn''t pay you for the work I hired you for," Olivia answered before moving back to look out the window. "Though, if I can put a stipulation on it, please make sure the distribution is prioritized to anyone who was close to the agents that died."

    "¡­I will convey your words, Crown Princess," the agent was humbled as he accepted the bag. It wasn''t unheard of for nobles to cheat out information guilds when the results were so unsatisfactory, and the agent fully expected Olivia not to pay considering how little they were able to obtain over an entire year about either contract. He wouldn''t question such generosity and quickly made his exit to return to the guild, leaving Olivia alone to her thoughts.

    "¡­" Olivia continued to stare in silence out the window with her eyes continuously being drawn to Sailest as it loomed over her. She had always thought the gas giant was beautiful with its soft light gently bathing the night in its glow, but as she spent more time in the palace, Olivia was growing uncomfortable with the planet. No longer did its light bring a calming aura, but one of apprehension. Its constant presence in the night sky which Olivia had always taken for granted now seemed more¡­threatening. "It''s just a planet¡­" The imperial palace was surrounded and protected by magic crystals from the wizard''s tower that deterred demons from approaching which made it one of the safest places in the capital, so why would a planet in the sky make her feel threatened? "I should get some sleep." There was too much on her mind to focus on, so Olivia decided to go to bed so she could approach her problems tomorrow with a refreshed mind. And as she drifted off to sleep to once more dream of things she wouldn''t remember the next morning, Sailest silently watched her through the window; its gaze unwavering upon the sacrilege Olivia lived in.

    ***

    "It''s far too cold for July!" Cassandra complained as she hugged her fluffy pink scarf tighter around her neck. Clouds blanketed the capital to block the afternoon sun and keep the previous night''s chill lingering while the group of girls enjoyed tea in the imperial palace''s garden. Cassandra sipped some more tea before mumbling, "Honestly, this past week has been nothing but gloomy weather."

    Margaret shuffled through some work papers as she commented, "Luckily, at least, it hasn''t been raining. Peltaira has been hit with three days of rain and it''s caused major flooding in their farmlands."

    "¡­" Olivia idly traced her finger around the handle of her teacup, completely lost in thought. She was still weary of Lucina but was trying, and failing, to not let it show.

    "¡­" Lucina also silently sat without touching her drink. Since Olivia''s odd behavior started the day she revealed her inner feelings, Lucina believed Olivia was uncomfortable with her for liking girls so she gave Olivia plenty of space so as not to make her any more uncomfortable. Both girls were misunderstanding each other, and the awkward atmosphere it created at the tea party was putting Cassandra and Margaret in a delicate spot.

    Cassandra cleared her throat to try and get them talking by changing the conversation, "I just hope that the weather clears up soon so our first day attending the academy can be a bright one, don''t you think?"

    Stolen story; please report.

    Olivia was the first to break her silence, "Classes start mid-August, right?" She remembered that that''s when the game started.

    "Yes! I already have my uniform perfectly tailored so my academic d¨¦but will be flawless!" Cassandra proudly declared before giving a confident laugh that jostled her hair drills. One of her silent friends was talking, so now it was time to hook in the other one. "What about you, Lucina? Is our Countess ready for the royal academy?"

    "¡­I''d say so," Lucina said while giving a nod to herself. "There were more classes than I thought there''d be, but I managed to pick ones that would be the most useful to help me govern Solfin."

    "Classes¡­" Olivia muttered as she too had to pick her courses for the first year. While many were already determined for her as the crown princess, Olivia still held some control over the electives she would be taking. "It honestly feels a little strange." She felt like she was back on earth choosing high school electives. There were clubs and sports teams students could join that further cemented the ''fantasy high school'' trope; even if normal things like baseball were replaced by things like jousting.

    "It does?" Cassandra tilted her head to the side, egging Olivia on to keep talking.

    "I''m surprised an institution like the academy exists instead of nobles opting for hiring private tutors for their children." She''d never given it much thought as an otome game enjoyer, but now that she was living it Olivia realized how strange the royal academy was as a part of the setting.

    Margaret spoke up to clarify, "That''s because the academy''s creation was ordained by Lord Zulm."

    "¡­It was?" None of the in-game lore books ever mentioned that fact, and her history lessons avoided mentioning the gods as much as they could. "I thought the gods didn''t get too involved in the running of the kingdom." While the gods did manifest their presence and granted boons and banes to the people, they rarely interfered with the ruling of nations outside of a few rare exceptions.

    "It was what he wished for," Lucina clarified and finally spoke to Olivia directly. Recalling what she learned from Elise''s lessons, Lucina continued, "Lord Zulm didn''t want the nobility of his people to hide themselves away with private tutors. The royal academy serves as both a place to learn as well as an opportunity to mingle with our peers for when we graduate." Lucina gave a chuckle as she added, "Though, in recent years, it''s more leaned toward being a social gathering place than an academic one."

    "¡­Right." Olivia''s awkwardness still shined through, much to Cassandra''s chagrin.

    This time, Margaret tried to help Cassandra out, "Speaking of, I''ve been meaning to confirm something with you, Countess."

    "Hm?" Lucina glanced over to Margaret while Cassandra and Olivia sipped their tea.

    "Rumors have been coming in from my merchants in Relsh about the temples making hasty movements in the duchy. It''s said that paladins were seen despite them never leaving R''eldrun." The paladins of R''eldrun were the military arm of the temples who only moved when Arbiter Hoxton commanded it. While they were small in number, their skill in battle and mastery of magic were legendary among the populous. "It''s making them nervous and disrupting their work. Have you heard anything about why they''re there?"

    "I heard about that, too!" Cassandra joined in and expectantly looked at Lucina. "The temple''s being quiet about it, despite how many people saw them. Since you''re the Harbinger of Zulm, you must know what''s going on, right!?"

    "¡­" Lucina swore she could see Cassandra''s hair drills jingling in anticipation. "I mostly stay in Solfin, but Elise goes to R''eldrun often and told me something interesting¡­" Her words trailed off as she realized what she was about to say and stopped herself.

    "¡­Well?" Cassandra''s drills demanded an answer.

    Lucina gave a sigh as she figured what was about to happen, and she answered, "She said it was because a potential Saintess of Alm was discovered."

    "!?!" Olivia spat out her tea and started violently coughing.

    "O-Olivia!?" Cassandra quickly went to Olivia''s side to help her control her coughing while Margaret motioned for the maids to approach.

    "My Lady!?" Mary rushed to Olivia and moved the spilled cup away while handing Olivia a handkerchief to cough into. "You mu-"

    "I-Is it¡­confirmed?" Olivia forced herself to speak through her coughs. Her eyes held a hint of fear as they stared at Lucina awaiting an answer.

    "¡­No," Lucina admitted before adding, "But I also don''t think the paladins would move without evidence."

    "¡­" Olivia clenched her teeth. The fact that the Saintess was appearing during this year was the clearest indication of what route Olivia was currently on, and she could already feel the weight of the slave collar clasping around her neck.

    ***

    "Hmm¡­ Another dreary day?" an elderly woman mumbled as she swept the stone steps of an old church while the many orphans played in the yard. She was thankful that it wasn''t raining since that would mean cooping up the children inside and would make them even rowdier than they already were. A cold wind blew across the plains of Relsh and smacked against the old church with an almost expectant vigor. "May we be relieved of the Storm''s cloak soon."

    "Matron!?" a younger woman came running up the dirt path toward the church. "Matron!?"

    "I''m old, not deaf!" the elderly matron yelled as she set her broom aside and walked around the side of the building to where her young apprentice was. "What''s got you so¡­?" As she rounded the corner, the matron was met with knights armored in ornate steel and flowing cloaks that rippled like flags in the wind. A large carriage also accompanied them, but there was no one inside. The knights'' tabards were adorned with Alm''s flame insignia making them instantly recognizable to the elderly matron.

    "Greetings, Matron," one of the knights said as he dismounted his horse and approached the church. "I am Andre, Paladin of Hearth."

    "I-I greet you, Paladin!" the matron gave a bow of respect. She turned to her apprentice and ordered, "Take the children inside, we shouldn''t trouble the paladins who-"

    "Please, Matron, it is quite alright," Andre reassured while giving a kind laugh. "We won''t be long as we are only here to check on someone for our Arbiter, and potentially bring back said someone to R''eldrun."

    "Check someone?" At first, the matron wasn''t sure what Andre was talking about, but then a thought came to her mind and she asked, "Are you here for-"

    "Beatrice!?" the young apprentice called out as a fourteen-year-old girl confidently walked out of the church wearing her cleanest clothes and holding a small bag filled with her belongings. Beatrice''s hair flowed freely to her lower back and was a gentle green like the grass-filled plains that surrounded their church, and her irises were a shimmering mixture of reds, oranges, and yellows as if a setting sun was trapped within her eyes. With confidence unbefitting such a young girl, Beatrice walked up to Andre and gave a respectful bow.

    "Hello, Sir Andre." Her voice was like a gentle breeze on a summer''s day and she gave a smile filled with the warmth of the sun to the paladins.

    "You are as our Arbiter described you," Andre admitted while taken aback by how beautiful Beatrice looked. "If it doesn''t trouble you, may we see your gift?"

    "Of course," Beatrice answered with a nod.

    "Then¡­" Andre drew his sword and cut his own hand to the point it was bleeding profusely.

    "P-P-Paladin!?!" the elderly matron was completely distraught at the sight of Andre''s actions.

    "¡­" Beatrice, however, was eerily calm as she reached out her hand to gently hold Andre''s wound. With a soft prayer spoken under her breath, a dazzling light engulfed Andre''s hand and the sword wound instantly closed shut without leaving so much as a scar behind. Beatrice looked up at Andre and gave him a sad smile before saying, "Even if you have to test me, please don''t hurt yourself in the future, Sir Andre."

    "Very well¡­Saintess." Andre and all the paladins present instantly dropped to one knee as they prostrated themselves before Beatrice. "By the decree of our Arbiter and the wishes of the Voice of Alm, we are here to escort Saintess Beatrice to R''eldrun." Andre rose and offered a hand to Beatrice. "Your new life awaits you, Saintess."

    "Really?" Beatrice looked up at Andre with childlike wonder as she gently took his hand. "Oh!" Quickly remembering something, Beatrice turned and bowed to the matron and apprentice. "Thank you for all the years you looked after me. May our Hearth Mother''s warmth never leave you."

    "¡­And you as well, child," the matron replied before returning the bow.

    The apprentice silently watched Beatrice enter the carriage and only spoke after it was riding off into the distance, "I always knew she was a special child."

    "Indeed," the matron laughed. "She was always mature for her age and never fussed over peeling potatoes like the other children. To think, she was our Hearth Mother''s chosen?"

    "It must be a blessing of changing times!" the apprentice excitedly declared.

    "True¡­ Though how it will change remains to be seen." The matron silently let the wind blow over her as she continued to watch the carriage disappear into the horizon. Then, a thought crossed her mind, "By the way, how did you know to tell Beatrice to get ready to leave?"

    "Huh?" The apprentice tilted their head to the side in confusion and clarified, "I didn''t. I called out to her since I saw her heading for the door with her bag already packed."

    "Already packed?" A cold breeze whipped the side of the old church.

    "Yes, almost like she already knew the paladins were coming for her."

    ***

    "¡­" Beatrice sat silently and stared out the window of the carriage as it made its way across the Relsh duchy and toward R''eldrun; though she knew the grand temple wouldn''t be her final destination. She opened her bag and took out an old, worn-out journal that was little more than loose pieces of paper she''d collected over the past year that was filled with strange writings in the same unknowable language that adorned the various temples of worship that she had bound together with string. Each page was written by her hand about events that never happened. She was thankful that she only had to send a few of them to R''eldrun to get Hoxton''s attention so he would send the paladins for her earlier than he normally would have. She needed all the time she could if she wanted things to change. "¡­?" A light caught her eye, and Beatrice looked away from the window to see a familiar semitransparent blue square hovering in front of her eyes.

    (Despite suffering four terrible fates, you once more brave the world in the search for love!)

    (There will be no more tutorials going forward, so use all you''ve learned and confidently blaze your path!)

    (Since you will be starting your academy life earlier than before, why not try new things?)

    (Find love, overcome adversity, and enjoy the world with a new perspective!)

    (May you be blessed on your journey in Finding Arlexia''s Light!)

 Start New Game+

    The royal academy was a massive stone building whose entrance was adorned with a clock tower that loomed over the prospective students as they made their way across the courtyard. Similarly to the imperial palace, the outside marble walls were adorned with reliefs of famous figures who graduated from the academy that all culminated in the clock tower where a massive eye that was surrounded with an unknowable language was etched into the stone right above the entrance doors.

    "It''s a lot more imposing in real life," Olivia mumbled as her gaze kept getting drawn to the eye upon the wall that stared at her. "¡­Even the morning bell is the same."

    "The same as your past life''s school?" Lucina asked.

    "Yeah." Olivia and Lucina were waiting in the front courtyard for Cassandra so they could all enter their first day together. While she wasn''t completely comfortable with Lucina, Olivia was much more composed than before and didn''t show any discomfort; if there was any. "And even if the style''s different, these uniforms also make me feel nostalgic." The academy''s uniform for girls consisted of a long, dark blue pleated skirt that went just past brown, laced knee-high boots. A fitted white, button-down shirt was neatly covered with a dark blue blazer that had the noble''s family crest embroidered on the chest just above the heart. "They''re still just as restrictive," Olivia complained as she adjusted her tie. To visibly differentiate the years, neckties of different colors were rotated around with the current freshmen receiving red ones, but with enough influence, or money, a student could get whatever color tie they wanted which was why Olivia''s was a golden yellow to match the imperial family.

    "At least we aren''t required to wear corsets," Lucina commented as she made sure her own red tie was on right.

    "Speak for yourself," Olivia complained. "As the next empress, I have to always  look my best, so the maids made sure I wore one." She tried to stretch but stopped when she felt the corset beneath her clothes start to constrict her movements. "I''m already thin enough. Let me go through my second high school life comfortably."

    "Tha-"

    "Sorry for the wait!" Cassandra came hurriedly waltzing through the gates trying her best not to show how tired she was from rushing to not be late. Her necktie was, obviously, a rich pink. Swishing her hand through her hair drills, she glanced around excitedly before asking, "Did I miss it?"

    "No," Lucina answered while also looking around at how crowded the courtyard was. "The Saintess hasn''t arrived yet." The young nobles of the empire were all mingling around the front courtyard as it was announced last week that a Saintess of Alm had been found and that she would be joining the royal academy with the first years. No one had even seen her, yet the rumors were already infecting the students.

    "Did you hear? Apparently, she''s a commoner!"

    "They''re letting commoners in, now? My parents paid good money to get me in and she can just enter because she was chosen by Lady Alm?"

    "They apparently gave her an entrance exam and she aced it!"

    "So the church pulled strings and passed her."

    "Hopefully she doesn''t smell bad. Commoners know how to take bathes, right?"

    Lucina hummed to herself as she listened to the whispers before saying, "No one knows what she looks like, but it seems everyone''s already determined the kind of person she''ll be."

    "Have you met her?" Cassandra asked as she ensured her uniform was perfect despite how rushed she was.

    "No," Lucina admitted, "She was in R''eldrun until now so this will also be my first time seeing her."

    "¡­" Olivia was oddly quiet and calm despite Lucina thinking she would be panicking over the appearance of the Saintess from her prophecies.

    Just then, someone cried out and drew everyone''s attention to the front gates, "They''re here!" An ornate carriage flanked by the Paladins of Alm made its way to the gates before coming to a halt. The closest paladin dismounted, opened the carriage door, and held out his hand for the occupant to help them down.

    "That''s¡­the Saintess?" Astonished whispers and mumblings flooded the nobles as Beatrice elegantly stepped down from the carriage with all the dignity of a noblewoman. There was no fault in her movements, her clothing, or her expression as she held a warm smile on her face while the sun caused her multi-colored eyes to shimmer in its light granting her a surreal grace.

    "Breathtaking, like a true heroine¡­" Olivia silently muttered to herself as she instantly recognized the player character from Finding Arlexia''s Light.

    Cassandra took out her fan to hide her expression before noting, "They probably spent weeks before the announcement teaching her to walk like that so as not to embarrass herself."

    Lucina added, "Even priests know how important first impressions are with us nobles. And judging by all the stares she''s getting, I''d say it worked." While there were a few students who were looking at Beatrice with disdain, most were seemingly captivated by her beauty for being ''just'' a commoner. Some of the gentlemen were staring a bit too longingly, though, causing their fianc¨¦s to start sending angry glares toward Beatrice. "Though, it might have been a bit much. What do you think, Oli-" As Lucina turned to address her friend, Olivia started walking toward the Saintess. "Olivia?"

    "Oli- Your Highness!?" Cassandra caught herself and fixed how she addressed Olivia while also rushing after her with Lucina. Since they were the only students moving toward Beatrice, everyone started getting on edge.

    "She''s so-¡­ Huh? Is that Her Highness?"

    "Why''s she approaching the Saintess? Did she find a fault?"

    "Do you think they''ll fight?"

    "On the first day? Her Highness wouldn''t do that."

    "The commoner should be lucky Her Highness even notices her."

    "¡­" Lucina was also feeling uncomfortable with how eerie the situation was becoming as Olivia still refused to say a word.

    "I''ll be fine, Andre. Please head ba-!?" Beatrice was talking with one of the paladins before her voice caught in her throat upon seeing Olivia approach her. There was a flash of recognition on her face that Lucina picked up on despite the Saintess never having met Olivia. "G-Greetings!" Beatrice quickly gave a respectful curtsy as she greeted, "Saintess Beatrice greets Arlexia''s Little Lioness, Her Highness Olivia Ordrin." It was clear that she was caught off guard, but Beatrice quickly recovered and gave a near-perfect greeting; if only her hands weren''t slightly trembling.

    Andre stepped forward and put an arm in front of Beatrice as if shielding her from Olivia, "Andre of R''eldrun greets Arlexia''s Little Lioness, Her Highness Olivia Ordrin. Was there something you required, Crown Princess?"

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "How rude!" Cassandra snapped her fan closed as she chastised the paladin, "Your actions imply Her Highness was planning to hurt the Saintess, Paladin."

    "Such is the preciousness of her existence, my Lady," Andre didn''t back down. He glanced toward Lucina for help since he knew she was the Harbinger of Zulm, but Lucina only replied with a silent glare as Andre dared to insult Olivia so openly like this.

    "¡­" Things were already turning out badly, so Olivia put her plan into action. "You''re the Saintess?" Her voice was cool and gentle, like a fluttering snowflake on a winter''s day.

    "Yes, Your Highness," Beatrice answered while straightening herself up but keeping her head bowed.

    "Then, allow me to be the first to welcome you to the royal academy," Olivia greeted while giving a friendly smile.

    "!?!" Everyone who heard Olivia was shocked by her actions. The imperial family and the temples were in a strained relationship at best with the Emperor openly mocking religion at worst. The fact that the crown princess was being so friendly with the Saintess was baffling with even Beatrice being taken aback and unsure how to respond. "Th-Thank¡­you?"

    "I heard you got near-perfect marks on the entrance exam, you''re quite the diligent student even before your first day. Please, raise your head, Saintess."

    "A-Ah! Thank you, Your Highness," Beatrice was unsure what to do but didn''t seem to dislike what was happening. "It was tough, but with everyone''s help studying, I was able to pass and enter the academy." If anything, Lucina swore the Saintess was a bit¡­sad. Her apprehension was turning to a sorrow that she was hiding behind her radiant smile.

    "I''m glad you can come and broaden your horizons, Saintess. Even though we''ve only just met, if you need any help in your studies feel free to come see me." Olivia was finding herself being pushed more and more into the direction of the game so she decided to throw the biggest wrench into the story she could think of that was within her power: she would befriend the Saintess. If her bad end was tied to her bullying Beatrice then all she had to do was be her friend and show the student body that there was nothing bad going on between them that would make Olivia do such terrible things. "You''re the first commoner to enter the academy''s halls, so I''d love to hear your thoughts about it."

    "Y-You''re too kind, Your Highness!" Beatrice was becoming more at ease with Olivia but her earlier apprehension and sorrow still hid under the surface.

    "¡­" And that ticked Lucina off. Olivia was going out of her way to speak and be nice to her, yet the Saintess was getting distracted by some unknown thoughts that made her look at Olivia with¡­pity? The Saintess pitied Olivia? Lucina desperately wanted to let off some steam, but knew she had to behave herself within the academy since she didn''t want to scare Olivia. So, she decided to try and separate Olivia and Beatrice, "We should get moving so we''re not late for class, Your Highness." She used honorifics since she was in a bad mood.

    "Ah, you''re right," Olivia looked at the clock tower before turning back to Beatrice. "Have a pleasant first day, Saintess Beatrice."

    "And you as well, Your Highness," Beatrice gave a bow as Olivia and her friends left.

    "¡­" Lucina glanced one last time over her shoulder at Beatrice and saw the same expression of pity as she watched Olivia leave.

    ***

    "Just who does she think she is?" She gets Olivia''s attention and kindness but feels sad about it!? I would hang on to Olivia''s every word if I were in her position! Even if she''s a Saintess of Alm, there are limits to how absurd you can be! "¡­How annoying." Our first class ended and it was just past lunch, but I had nothing to do since Olivia had to speak with the teacher about something that she said would take a while. Now, I''m in my dorm room despite owning a mansion in the capital since it''s a rule that students have to live in the campus dorms so we''re practically forced to see and interact with each other. "At least they''re nice." The room was a decent size and was filled with the essentials for a noble child: a large wooden desk surrounded by bookshelves, a massive bed with a fluffy mattress and plenty of pillows, multiple wardrobes for any outfits, a private bathroom, and an adjoined room for one servant we were allowed to bring. I considered taking Tress, but she''s needed back in Solfin to help Jeremy run the mansion, plus I can take care of myself fine without a maid. Olivia brought Mary, and I have no clue who Cassandra brought. Surely she wouldn''t have found a way to bring Kent in as her servant, right? She plays favorites with him a lot, but even that would be a bit much. "Come to think of it¡­ The Saintess probably doesn''t have anyone, either." None of the paladins joined her beyond the gate and I didn''t see any priests of Lady Alm enter the academy with her. Did they send her here alone?

    "It''s almost like they''re asking her to get bullied~." My Olivia appeared on the bed and was testing how bouncy it was. "Not a single knight to protect her~. Perhaps they think you''ll come to her aid~?"

    "I''ll do what I can within reason." While I wouldn''t outright ignore the Saintess of Lady Alm if she were in trouble, that doesn''t mean I have to go out of my way for her. My first priority is and always will be Olivia. "Besides, Olivia''s already protecting her," I bitterly remarked as I tossed down my school books on my desk.

    "You don''t sound happy~? All I''m trying to do is survive my terrible fate, you know~," my Olivia cooed from her spot on the bed.

    "Just because she''s the Saintess doesn''t mean she''s the only one Olivia should focus on." My mood was worsening so I took some marbles out of my bag I started getting in the habit of using to distract myself with by shifting their gravity so they would spin around each other. "¡­I''m special, too."

    "It sounds like someone''s jealous~."

    "¡­Yeah," I couldn''t argue with that, "I am jealous."

    "Hmm~. Then doesn''t that mean all you have to do is make yourself even more special than the Saintess~?" More special than the Saintess? What could be more useful than the chosen of one of the gods who''s directly tied to the prophecies in such a major way? "You seem to be forgetting something very important, my dear Lucina~."

    "¡­?" I turned toward the bed and saw my Olivia was now standing directly in front of me. She made no sounds as she moved and her cold eyes pierced through me like daggers of ice.

    She pressed a cold finger to my chest and said, "You''ve killed a Saint before~. You defeated a Saint of Lady Muz at Toldrin~."

    "Chadman?" It''s true that I beat a Saint of the Bloodied Sister, but how does that¡­wait. "That hole in the sky¡­ The eye¡­" I went through my things and pulled out a map of Arlexia.

    "You ripped a hole in the sky all the way to Gorinville with your magic~. Doesn''t that sound like it would be useful to someone trying to escape their fate~?" I felt her icy breath on the back of my neck as she leaned over my shoulder to look at the map with me.

    "I did¡­but how?" I started tapping a pen against the map as I shuffled through my memories of that day. Honestly, I have no idea how I created that hole or why it formed. There was so much to do and take care of when I returned that I never really thought about what ''exactly'' I did that day.

    "Think~. Think~. Think~." My Olivia''s words weren''t helping and only caused my pen to tap harder against the map and I picked it up with my free hand to get a better look.

    "¡­Damn it," I clicked my tongue in annoyance as I accidentally pierced the map with the pen at Toldrin. Now I have no answers and a ruined map. "Just how does my magic work¡­with¡­?" My words trailed off as a fly flew across my face and distracted me. The bug flew onto the map I haphazardly folded in my hands that I was about to put away. "Go away." I moved to flick the fly off but it sensed my movements and quickly scurried through the hole I pierced through the map to the other side. "¡­To the other side?" I flipped over the folded map and saw the fly cleaning itself while standing over the map label for Solfin. The fly went from Toldrin to Solfin through a hole because the map was folded. "Folded¡­ Two sides folded¡­!!!" I flicked the map so the fly would go away, poked a second hole through the map''s Gorinville, and folded the map in half so that the blank back side would be folded together and the holes overlapped. If a fly landed in Gorinville it could walk through the hole and be in Toldrin instantly. And the map was two sides coming together¡­ "As if pulled by gravity?"

    "Hmm~." My Olivia hummed to herself as I clarified my thoughts. Was that how it worked? Magic could do all sorts of things, so could I use gravity magic to ''pull'' two points together and rip a hole in the air to connect them despite the distance? I had to test this theory! If this worked, then Olivia would have to look at me again!

    "¡­Does size matter?" When I created the hole, I was compacting the corpses of tons of soldiers, so would I need corpses to do this? "No! No, Olivia would hate that. No corpses." Technically, I was using my magic on their armor. Was all I needed just something solid? "Marbles?" Would my marbles work? I tossed four marbles into the air and set them to compact into each other, but when they collided they shattered like glass which caused my magic to falter and dissipate. The shattered pieces fell to the floor and broke further. "¡­Needs metal." Metal doesn''t shatter like this. Plus, there was a lot of heat being released and the air was burning because of how compact I was forcing the ball to be. I need metal! Luckily, I always carry two daggers on me at all times. "Focus on the blades¡­coming together!" I tossed the daggers into the air and forced them together. The blades clashed and were suspended in midair as I forced their points of gravity to be each other and intensified them. "¡­More." This wasn''t enough. The hole I made in Toldrin felt like it was draining my magic reserves, so if I''m going to replicate that day then I need to intensify it more! "More!" I poured more magic to further intensify the gravity and the daggers began to bend and glow as they heated up. Good! I remember that happening! I''m on the right track! The air started popping and sizzling, too! The heat''s rising! But¡­why wasn''t anything happening? Was it not enough metal?

    "Something''s missing~." My Olivia was right. Magic is both abstract and rigid so I need to think about what else I need. As the molten daggers continued to burn in front of me I let my mind drift back to that day. The smell of blood and iron. The cries of knights being cut down left and right. What was I doing? What did I want to do? As I stared into the glow, I¡­

    "I want to see Olivia." As soon as I spoke the words, the sound of shattering glass and fracturing ice pierced my ears as a hole in the shape of an eye that was the size of a small dinner plate ripped through the air. And beyond the hole was Olivia walking down a hallway toward a classroom. "Ol-!?!" I reached for her but the hole closed in an instant; much faster than the one I made at Toldrin. The two daggers had fused into a ball of iron that was smaller than my marbles but still had the weight of the original daggers and fell to the floor with a thud.

    "Still think you''re not as special~?" My Olivia''s words danced through my mind as a triumphant smile overtook my face. "My Lucina~."

    "¡­I need more metal." Two daggers made a hole the size of a small dinner plate that only lasted for a fraction of a moment while the corpse ball made a hole larger than a line of carriages and lasted a few seconds. The amount of material I used clearly influenced how big the hole was and how long it lasted, and it was activated by my desires. Even if it wasn''t convenient magic to use since I would need pounds upon pounds of metal to make it useful, the fact I could rip holes across the continent just by wanting to see or go somewhere was invaluable! If it worked like that...but I could do testing to figure out what it can and can''t do later! "This will surely make Olivia happy!" I have to tell her! I have to go to her and tell her I can help her no matter what happens with those prophecies! I bolted out the door with the small metal ball in my hand and rushed through the halls of the academy with such enthusiasm. If only that feeling could have lasted forever instead of being immediately trampled on when I passed the student council''s meeting room and overheard James talking to one of his followers.

    "How much do you think the guilds charge for the murder of a crown princess?"

 Loyalty Through Betrayal

    I think I misheard because I''m in such a rush to see Olivia that¡­ That couldn''t have been right. I made sure no one was around before moving toward the cracked open door to the student council''s room and listened in on the conversation. The student in the room with him wore an orange wizard''s robe, a fire wizard from the tower, and he rightfully asked, "¡­Please tell me that was a rhetorical question, Your Highness."

    "Don''t be such a coward, Andrew," James chastised. "The next Archmage of the Wizard Tower should have at least some backbone." So, that boy was Andrew Mystyr. He was a first-year as well and was attending the royal academy as an envoy for the tower so they could try and convince foolish young nobles to become wizards. His short orange hair matched his bright orange eyes that¡­ Why is he just as color-coordinated as Cassandra?

    "I simply don''t think here is the best place to discuss such dealings. If anyone should overhear, then a scandal would follow that would put a blemish on your reputation." That''s what you''re worried about!?

    "I''m the Crown Prince, no one would dare spread such ''rumors'' about me." That''s not how rumors work!

    "Either way, why the sudden curiosity?" That''s what I want to know! "Has Her Highness done something to warrant assassination?"

    "Aside from existing?" James scoffed¡­ I need to calm down, I really want to throw open this door and compact that arrogant ass into a flesh ball with all the furniture in the room but that would only make things complicated. "It''s already insulting enough that I have to be married to the daughter of the man who helped kill my mother, but she''s also not even trying to hide her smug sense of superiority. She thinks she''s above me? Me!?" ¡­What? As far as I know, Olivia would be considered a rather tame crown princess; at least compared to princesses from history.

    "I''ll admit, she is rather smug." You''re just saying that to get a taste of James'' boot! "Any particular incidents stand out?" You don''t even know what James is talking about and are just trying to find out what to agree with him on!

    "That little ''campaign'' she did during the war made her arrogant. She won lots of praise from the nobility and sympathy from the commoners, so she thinks she can rise above me." She was helping her kingdom in a time of war, how is that arrogant? "Then she goes behind my back and tricks Father into helping those Hellhounds despite them being nothing more than criminals purposely sent off to die." Because you were the one trying to kill us! "She''s also overly worked on her image by hosting and attending so many tea parties that it makes my head spin. Her position in the social world is even more connected than mine!" Because the empress is supposed to be a pillar of high society''s social world! Doing that is part of her normal duties! "Her ambition is growing too large to the point she''s becoming a threat. I won''t be a puppet emperor." What kind of logic is that!?

    "¡­So it has." I heard that hesitation! You also know James is in the wrong! "But if you have Her Highness killed, then who will you replace her with? None of the current dukes have a daughter of marriageable age aside from Olivia Ordrin so you would need to marry someone of the lower classes." Andrew took a few steps toward James and added, "If you would like, there are a few female prodigies currently in the Tower I could pull some strings to introduce to you. We Wizards have always been allies of the imperial family, so it wouldn''t be strange to consider a marriage."

    "You''re intentions are as subtle as a maul." James started tapping his desk in thought before saying, "No, I won''t marry a Wizard¡­but a Saintess?"

    "What!?!" What!?! "The Saintess!? Surely you jest, Your Highness!"

    "Why would I joke about something this serious?" Because it''s absurd!

    "The temples would never agree to such a union! Plus, she''s a commoner who doesn''t know the first thing about being an empress! The Saintess was most likely brainwashed by those fanatics to be wary of you and the imperial family since you rightfully reject their so-called ''gods''!" Andrew was shouting a lot of heresy for someone who was concerned about discussing killing Olivia. These were the men who led Olivia to her death in the prophecies? These¡­heathens? "Approaching her first would never work!"

    "But I''m not approaching her first." I could hear a smugness in James'' voice as he explained, "This morning, Olivia approached the Saintess and extended an olive branch. Moved by my fianc¨¦''s actions, I will also approach the Saintess with the purpose of peace within my empire between the strained temples and imperial family. She''s a country bumpkin so the sight and privilege of gaining the attention of the Crown Prince would woo her heart." Awfully full of yourself considering your looks aren''t even that great. "Olivia takes the suspicion while I take the rewards. Plus¡­" Does he sound¡­whimsical? "I saw her out the window this morning and she''s quite the beauty. I''m starting to understand what my father always meant when he said he was captivated by my mother at first sight."

    "Your Highness¡­"

    "Saintess Beatrice will be my empress. So, again, how much do you think the guilds charge for the murder of a crown princess? I''d like to bring her to my side as quickly as possible. Also¡­"

    "¡­" Why?... Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why!? Why!?! Why!?! Why does Olivia have to die because of some stupid reason like that!? She didn''t do anything wrong! She played her role as Crown Princess perfectly, but that was a bad thing!? Does all James want is a doll, like Stephany? Someone to sit on the throne looking pretty while contributing nothing of value?

    "Such is my fate~." My Olivia stood before me with a sad expression on her face. "From the start, it was my destiny to lose~. To die~. My prophecies demand it, after all~."

    "!?!" No! I won''t let her die! Just because her prophecies say she''ll die doesn''t mean I can''t try to find a way out of this! I want to kill James but can''t since that would create too much chaos! Plus, Terence would likely take Olivia as his empress which means I would be trading one prince I hate for another. The way he approached her at the hunting competition last year¡­ That kiss he stole!?! So how do¡­I¡­

    "Oh~? Did you remember something~?" She doesn''t have to die. "Something important~?" Because of the five prophecies¡­ "There''s one where I live~. History tells us that the prophecies of Lord Zulm always come to pass: the founding of Urldrusk, the rise and fall of dragons, the sundering that split the continent of Kelica in two~. Since He has blessed us with the knowledge of five possible outcomes, why not rig things to go toward the one you want~? But can you live with that~?" I looked up at my Olivia and noticed she was wearing something new. "Can you live with me never forgiving you for damning me~?" Something metal and cold. "Can you stab me in the back~?" The chain of a slave collar jingled from its place around her neck.

    "¡­" I¡­

    ***

    "Who dares-!?!" the door to the student council room was thrown open and caused Andrew to shout in panic. He knew their conversation was dangerous and couldn''t afford for the wrong person to hear it. Unfortunately for Andrew, though, the worst person possible had caught them.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    James hid his growing apprehension as he addressed the uninvited guest, "¡­Countess Sanguine?"

    "¡­" Lucina stood in the doorway in an almost trancelike daze as her eyes seemed fixated on something that wasn''t there. She gave a curtsy and greeted, "Countess Lucina Sanguine greets Arlexia''s Little Cub, His Highness James Arlexton. I hope I''m not interrupting anything with my presence, I just couldn''t wait any longer to discuss something with you, Your Highness." The air in the student council room was suffocating as Lucina raised her shattered eyes to match James'' nervous glare. A darkness seemed to follow her and made the fourteen-year-old girl feel like a monster that was ready to strike.

    "Still as rude as ever, Countess." Even if he knew Lucina and Olivia''s relationship had become strange of late, there was no telling what Lucina would do if she had heard his whole conversation with Andrew. James motioned to an open seat at the other end of the long table he sat at and said, "Since I know you''ll say your piece anyway, go ahead and get it over with."

    "How very kind, Your Highness." Lucina''s words held no sincerity as she entered the room and took a seat across from James. "Since I know you''re so busy, I''ll skip the pleasantries and go right to what I want." Saying words that made her sick to her stomach, Lucina asked, "I would like you to change how you deal with Olivia, Your Highness."

    "¡­" James didn''t immediately respond as he knew he needed to choose his words carefully. Lucina was a dangerous freak that wasn''t against going straight to bloodshed to get her way. He tried to divert the conversation, "Are you admitting to spying on a member of the imperial family?"

    But Lucina kept on point, "You''re the one who left the door open while having such a conversation, you can''t blame me for overhearing." James couldn''t get a read on Lucina''s expression.

    "And if I''m set on getting rid of Olivia?" Lucina wouldn''t kill him immediately. Doing so in the middle of the academy, especially while Andrew was here, was an absurd thing to consider. Even though he was caught, he wouldn''t let Lucina control the situation, "I''m quite smitten with the Saintess and want her by my side as empress. As a loyal vassal, I''m sure you understand, Countess."

    "Of course I do," Lucina agreed and gave a nod.

    "¡­You do?" James hesitated as he was caught completely off guard. He expected Lucina to threaten him to leave Olivia alone, but to have her agree with him?

    "As the future ruler, it''s only right you be able to decide who stands by your side." There was an unnerving calmness in Lucina''s voice that made James feel like he was on the edge of a cliff and about to fall in. "All I ask is that you change how you go about doing it." Lucina tapped her chin in thought before continuing, "Don''t you want to return the humiliation you''ve felt? Granting Olivia death isn''t what I consider humiliation since it''s over quickly. Certainly, there must be other ways to achieve what you want, right?" She hummed to herself before suggesting, "What about enslavement?"

    "¡­What''s your aim, Countess?" James couldn''t believe that Lucina of all people was telling him to humiliate Olivia, and with enslavement? Where was the catch to this devil''s bargain?

    "Aim? My aim has been and always will be the same, Your Highness." Lucina tilted her head to the side as if reminiscing on a past memory. "I want to be by Olivia''s side."

    "You expect me to believe that after what you just suggested?" James retorted.

    "You misunderstand, Your Highness." Lucina put a hand over her heart and reiterated while altering her words, "I want Olivia by my side."

    "You¡­? Ha," James gave a small chuckle before eventually throwing his head back in a roar of laughter as it finally clicked in his head.

    "!?!" Andrew was completely lost on what James found so funny, and Lucina silently waited for James to finish.

    "Hahaha! I knew you liked Olivia, but to think you want her like ''that''!?" James took a deep breath to calm down and he felt much more at ease with Lucina than before since he now figured he wasn''t about to die. "I didn''t realize you held such traditionalist values, Countess."

    "You''ll have to blame my upbringing, Your Highness," Lucina joked. "I''m not too fond of men so my desires naturally leaned this way."

    "Hmm," James hummed to himself as he thought through Lucina''s suggestion. "Enslaving her and tossing her to you for ''that'' kind of reason would certainly drag Olivia down to the mud. Does your love run so shallow that you''re okay with that?"

    "Would a shallow love ask the Crown Prince to spare the one they love?" Lucina countered.

    "You''re asking me to destroy her."

    "You were already going to destroy her, I''m just asking to be given what''s left," Lucina clarified. "She''s the only thing I truly want in this world. Plus, if you give her to me then Duke Ordrin''s wrath will be aimed at me rather than you since I''ll be the one holding his daughter''s leash." She had to make sure to mention that Richard and the entire Ordrin house would be insulted by this plan to entice James into acting. "Though, I don''t know how Derik will react to such a plan."

    "Leave Derik to me, I''ll be sure to convince him. He''s currently worried Olivia might steal his spot as heir, for some reason, so it''ll be easy to convince him with the right nudge¡­ What are your thoughts on this, Andrew?" James turned to his follower with an expectant grin on his face.

    "If you wish to put Her Highness in her place, then enslaving and giving her to the Countess as a sex slave would certainly do that." As a wizard, Andrew was instinctively put off by Lucina''s presence as the Harbinger of Zulm, but James was in a good mood now so he had to put up with his discomfort. "However, you''ll need a strong justification to enslave the Crown Princess since, as far as I know, there''s no precedent for doing such an act." He adjusted his round glasses to hide his discomfort and give him something to fidget with.

    "Then why not make one?" Lucina put the final part of her plan into motion.

    "Oh?" James was having fun seeing Lucina like this and wanted her to continue, "Do you have a suggestion?"

    "If you want to get rid of Olivia and also marry the Saintess then why not combine the two into one plan?" Lucina gestured a hand toward James and started speaking with her knowledge of Olivia''s prophecies, "Get close to the Saintess as you were already planning and rumors will naturally start spreading about how kind you act toward her compared to Olivia. Spurred by being ''beaten'' by a commoner she approached first with friendly intentions, Olivia will start to bully the Saintess only to be thwarted by Your Highness who will come in to save the Saintess. Even if she was taken in by the temples, they only spent a few weeks at most with her so being saved by the Crown Prince will win you her heart. Since the Saintess will be favored by you, you can use Olivia''s bullying over the course of our four years of schooling to punish her with enslavement for trying to harm a Saintess of Lady Alm and the Prince''s consort."

    "And I can always bribe students to say Olivia was the one to get them to harass the Saintess¡­" James sat silently as he went over Lucina''s idea, and the more he thought it over the more he liked it. He was always meant to be a male lead, after all. "She''ll definitely hate you when it''s revealed."

    "Oh my, I didn''t realize you cared so much about my love life, Your Highness?" Lucina teased to get James to drop it so he would hurry up and accept the plan. "You already toll me for existing, so at least grant me this small gift." James started making ruling Solfin difficult with surprise inspections and absurd tax changes, and the only way to placate him was by sending him more bribes. While it was annoying, Solfin made enough of an income that Lucina didn''t think much of it.

    "¡­Very well," James said and waved his hand regally at Lucina from his seat. "So long as you don''t interfere, I will make sure Olivia is at your feet by graduation. I''ll even give you the honor of putting the slave collar around her neck yourself since this was all your idea."

    Lucina rose and gave a bow, "This loyal vassal thanks you for such a wonderful gift, Your Highness."

    "¡­Are you sure about this, Your Highness?" Andrew asked once Lucina left the room and closed the door. "This might be a trap by the Countess and Her Highness."

    "No, I don''t think so," James said with a chuckle. "That look in her eyes was far too genuine to be fake. She''s just that much of a freak that she''d be willing to ruin her weird love just so she could have Olivia; even if there''s nothing left but a broken doll."

    "¡­" Lucina stood outside the door in complete silence. Slowly, delicately, afraid one wrong step would crumble her, she turned down the hall to return to her room. Every step was a stumble as Lucina was losing her balance as if drunk. A slow walk turned into a brisk one, that turned into a fast jog, that eventually became a sprint through the halls. Lucina practically ripped her dorm room''s door off its hinges before slamming it shut and making sure to lock it. She was hyperventilating and her hands wouldn''t stop shaking.

    "Congratulations~." The fake Olivia stood in the center of the room with the slave collar around her neck. "You''re one step closer to saving me~. I knew I could count on you, my Lucina~." Every move she made caused the chain from the collar to jingle which pierced Lucina''s mind like a knife.

    "Y-Yeah! I saved her!" Lucina justified to herself as she stumbled into her room and tightly gripped her chest as her heart felt like it was going to explode from how fast it was beating. "I saved her! This is all for her!" Passing by a mirror, Lucina saw how pale her face was becoming and how badly she was sweating.

    "Even if I''ll never forgive you, I''ll be alive to hate you~," the fake cooed into Lucina''s ear. "I''ll hate you with every fiber of my being~."

    "H-Hate me! Stay alive and hate me!" Lucina collapsed to her knees as she lost all her strength. Conflicting emotions churned through her whole body that threatened to overwhelm her. Fear. Hate. Joy. Resignation. Hope. Love. Lust. Lucina couldn''t stop herself from laughing at what she just did while tears started pouring down her cheeks. "She can live!"

    "Yes, I''ll live~." The fake Olivia stood over Lucina while the briars of Lucina''s soul reflection crept out of Lucina''s heart and started ensnaring themselves around the fake. The fake continued to drill into Lucina''s fracturing mind and dissolving self-worth, "I''ll live as a mockery to who I was~. To everything I believe in~. Chained and broken by your side, forever~."

    "F-Forever!" Lucina hugged herself to try and stop shaking but no matter how hard she tried, nothing calmed her down. Why did she do that? Was she truly that crazy? Surly there was a better way? She tried to get up only to trip and fall to the floor. Giving up on moving, Lucina laid on her back as she kept laughing to the point she started gagging. She was disgusted with what she had done, and what she would do, but the thought that Olivia would live filled her with glee. While there was still much to do, Lucina had a clear path forward to save Olivia; even if Olivia ended up killing her for it. "Live! She''ll live! Kill me and live!" Her body wretched as her stomach couldn''t contain itself from all the stress and anxiety that had built up and came cascading down on her. "I''ll save her! I-!!!" Lucina vomited up her lunch and started to cry while the fake Olivia silently stood over her with the briars of Lucina''s soul refusing to let ''Olivia'' go.

 Preparing for the Route

    The afternoon sun shined down on Lucina''s mansion in Solfin and a warm breeze danced through its garden. Maids hung laundry out to dry as they idly chatted amongst themselves to pass the time, gardeners trimmed bushes and started laying out plans for the coming fall, and the sounds of swords clashing from the newly finished barracks as Hellhound knights trained echoed on the wind. Tress took a moment to look out a window from the second floor before continuing on her way to the stairs that led up to the third floor. Even if Lucina would be in the capital for most of the year, she didn''t want to become lax in her duties and kept up her routine of keeping the third floor clean and ready for its master''s return. A part of her was sad that Lucina didn''t take her to the capital since students were allowed one servant to attend with them, but she also was glad to be in Solfin since dealing with the previous Rolf family was tiring enough. "A whole school of young nobles¡­" Lucina wasn''t well received in the nobility which meant that, as her maid, Tress would be an easy target for any of her potential enemies; or just any bored noble with an attitude. The safety and comfort of Solfin suited Tress just fine. "I prefer my head on my shoulders¡­ It''s Monday so I should air out the bed linens." Tress continued to talk to herself about what still needed doing today as she ascended the stairs. "The carpets should also get cleaned¡­I''ll get the other two on it. Then there''s the-!?!" But, Tress'' day was immediately halted as she reached the third floor and saw a sight she never expected. "M-My Lady!?!" Tress quickly greeted as she bowed to Lucina who was standing in the middle of the hallway and staring at the door that led to the fortified vault room. Why was Lucina back? How was Lucina back? "I didn''t hear of your return! Shouldn''t yo-!?!" As Tress approached, she saw Lucina''s school uniform was stained in vomit, and a strange ball of metal the size of a human head was sitting in a bucket of water at her feet. The bucket looked like it had burn marks despite the water it carried, and steam was coming off the metal ball. "Are you alright, my La-"

    "This room," Lucina''s voice was distant as she cut off Tress. Her eyes were fixated on the door to the room but held little focus as if staring directly through it. "It''s safe, right?"

    "The vault?" Tress felt a chill run through the hall. Was she nervous from the fear of death, or the fear of the unknown? Was there a difference, currently? Tress pressed on and said, "The Baron had the walls, ceiling, and floors fortified with metal when the third floor was added. There''s no windows so the only way in or out is this door. Your wealth is safe inside." She didn''t know why Lucina was asking about the vault, but she felt uneasy because of it.

    "Even if it''s on the third floor?" Lucina slowly approached the door and held out her hand toward Tress.

    "There was gossip that, even if the mansion burned down and collapsed, the vault would remain," Tress answered as she handed Lucina the key to the vault that she kept as Lucina''s closest servant.

    "I see." Lucina unlocked and opened the door. While she had used much of the wealth stored within during her restoration of Solfin, the vault still held a considerable amount of valuables and gold that would last Lucina for years to come. A metal box with enchanted runes sat in the corner, an ''air conditioner'' prototype Lucina made based on Olivia''s suggestion that Lucina was using to replace the magic crystals from the wizards to keep the room''s temperature in check. Any and all traces of wizard heresy were erased from her mansion. "Good."

    "¡­Was there something you wanted to change about the vault?" Tress asked.

    "No¡­" Lucina listlessly replied as she walked around the vault and inspected it with a lazy gaze. "Or¡­well¡­ Yes, there is." Her hand flicked a stack of gold coins across the floor. "This would be a good spot for a bathtub."

    "A¡­bathtub?"

    "And we could put a divider here for privacy¡­ A bed could be put there¡­ A dresser here¡­" Lucina continued thinking out loud as she paced around the vault.

    Tress cautiously raised an eyebrow and asked, "Will you be turning this room into a safe room?" While strange that Lucina was planning it now, the vault was easily the most fortified room in the mansion so it would make sense to be a safe room in case of attack. But an attack from what?

    "Yes," Lucina responded and stopped her pacing. "Though, I''ll need to do something about the light." The only light in the room came from the open door that let in the sunlight from the hallway''s windows, which wouldn''t do for her plans. "I should enchant something to make light¡­as bright as the sun." She reached up toward the ceiling and smiled. "A flower can''t grow without the sun."

    "A flower?" Tress felt a lump forming in her throat as an implication started creeping into her mind. "You''ll be¡­keeping flowers here?" She hoped she was wrong.

    "No, just one." When Lucina turned to face Tress, Tress had to bow her head as the face Lucina was making was too horrifying to look at. Lucina''s voice dripped with an expectant yet twisted love as she affirmed Tress'' fears, "A beautiful white lily."

    "A white lily¡­ Her Highness?" Tress was able to glean Lucina''s desire for Olivia while working for her with how much she openly cared for Olivia. But why would she turn the vault into a safe room for Olivia when she''s already in the imperial palace which should be the safest place in the empire?

    "Yes¡­Olivia." Lucina flicked another pile of gold onto the floor and watched the coins roll around. "She''s¡­not the brightest, you see."

    "¡­?" Lucina would never badmouth Olivia, so her master''s words caught Tress off guard. "¡­She''s not?"

    "She''s made and saved more gold than she could reasonably spend in a lifetime, her contributions and dealings in high society cemented her position for years to come with the tools she''s founded and the social connections she''s formed, and she''s self-righteous to a fault which has made the commoners, and myself, love her¡­ But it wasn''t enough." Another pile of gold was flicked to the floor but this time with more force and the coins ricocheted across the floor, forcing Tress to take a step back. "Gold is useless without the freedom to spend it, position is worthless if someone else can easily topple it, and self-righteousness needs a sharp mind to not be self-destructive." One of the coins rolled back and tapped against Lucina''s boot before landing with the ''head'' side facing up. Marcus'' face proudly looked up at her from the floor. "It isn''t enough and she doesn''t even realize it because she''s deluding herself into thinking she can change things. She''s really quite foolish¡­but isn''t that, in itself, endearing?"

    "¡­" Even though Lucina encouraged Tress to speak her mind, this was one of those times when Tress knew she should keep her mouth shut.

    "She''s so sure that she can change fate despite our Lord Zulm already declaring the ending, and it is as clear as day, that I can''t help but admire her for it! To spite fate so openly even though everything is happening as prophesized!? She''s an idiot, but that''s okay¡­" Lucina picked up the coin and sickly smiled as she used fire magic to melt Marcus'' face and turn the coin blank. "After all, she has me: the only one who can help her. The only one who can save her! No matter how foolish she becomes, I''ll love her all the same!"

    "¡­Shouldn''t you warn Her Highness?" Tress couldn''t understand what Lucina was talking about, but this seemed like the wrong approach to whatever was happening.

    "No," Lucina firmly answered and dropped the melted coin. "If she knew, then she would hastily act to try and ''fix'' things which would only push James to do what he originally wanted¡­ She can''t know¡­" Lucina cocked her head to the side as she listened to whispers that weren''t there before smiling a devil''s smile. "So, Tress, you''ll help me, right?" Lucina turned her frightful gaze to Tress who still refused to raise her head and look Lucina in the eyes. "You''ll help me make the most comfortable flowerpot for my lily, right?"

    ***

    Two weeks passed since I visited Solfin to have Tress start working on the vault and things are fairly quiet at school. Olivia''s made a few ''coincidences'' to meet the Saintess and they seem to be slowly getting along. As for me, my theory on how the holes my gravity magic creates was right: the more material I use to create the ball, the larger the hole will be and the longer it will last. Creating a metal ball the size of a human head makes a portal large enough for a person to walk through and lasts for a second which is just enough time to pass through before it closes. However, the ball will be molten which means I need a bucket that I have to continuously fill with water magic, or else it will burn a hole right through the floor. I should make a designated spot in the mansion that has a special floor to resist the heat, later. But, for now, I have other things to worry about. "It should be¡­around here?" After bribing some of the more shady upperclassmen, I narrowed down where this ''black market'' from Olivia''s prophecies was located and went to deal with it. Since ''Countess Sanguine'' was the shopkeeper in her fifth prophecy, then I need to make sure I''m in charge before the Saintess discovers it. The royal academy was a massive campus that had multiple, smaller buildings that weren''t directly connected to the main hall. While most were used for either dorms or sectioned off for specific classes that held overlapping topics, there was one that was left abandoned in the furthest corner of the academy''s grounds.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "The prayer hall~," my Olivia chimed in as we made our way toward the old building. Her slave collar''s chain leash jingled a dirge as she recited what I learned after some digging in the library, "Ever since the wizards first appeared, the royal academy slowly cut the funding for the building until it was left a hollow shell of its former self~. Now, no one goes there as it''s forbidden by the staff, and many claim it''s haunted~."

    "The perfect hiding spot for illegal deals." The old prayer hall was a two-story, wooden building covered in vines, a few of its windows were shattered, and the path leading to it was overgrown with weeds. They probably never tore the building down so it could remain as an insult to the gods: their once bustling halls of prayer and reverence were left to rot and be forgotten by the next generations of nobility. It was disgusting. I adjusted the black robe I wore to hide my identity and entered the building to find myself in a large entrance hall that was covered in dust; though a trodden path through the dust led deeper into the building. All the furniture and decorations remained as if everyone had left without taking a single thing when the building was finally abandoned. The ceiling held a painting of Lord Zulm''s eye that was surrounded by the unreadable language of the gods. His eye watched me, almost expectantly, as I followed the path through the dust and deeper into the building. Eventually, in the room that used to house the priests who took care of this place, and through the secret door I was told about, I found who I was looking for.

    "Greetings," a hooded man sat behind a large desk that was filled with trinkets, jewelry, and other oddities. Shelves covered the walls that were filled with books and bottles of strange liquids. There were even weapons stacked neatly in the far corner. "Tell me, dear customer, what is it you desire?" The man''s voice sounded as if a rat could talk and he gestured toward the shelves around him. "Forbidden or rare texts? Poisons and antidotes? Jewelry from lost kingdoms? Everything has a price."

    "¡­What about those weapons?" I motioned toward the swords he had on display and started walking toward them.

    "Oh? An eye for the blade?" It was obvious by his tone that he didn''t care what I picked so long as I made a purchase. He moved ahead of me and opened the display case for me to get a better look at them. "Relics from tombs, famous general''s personal weapons, or subtle blades forged by master smiths!" He picked up a shortsword that had a golden guard with red rubies embedded into it. "All treasures, yet still just as deadly as their more mundane brethren! And all at a fair price for a dear customer!"

    "It cuts as well as normal blades?" The sword he held looked more like a ceremonial blade than one you would take into battle.

    "Of course! It is my shop''s guarantee!" He smiled beneath his hood and I saw a few of his teeth were missing and replaced with gold ones.

    "May I test it?"

    "Of course!" He motioned to a door behind his desk and said, "I always keep training dummies on hand for customers who wish for a demonstration!"

    "No need for those," I said and held out my hand.

    "Why, of cour-!?!" The man finally shut up when I used my gravity magic to yank the sword out of his hand. I was wearing custom-made leather gloves that had small metal rings sewn into the palms that I used as the point of gravity for the sword''s hilt and used my gravity magic to pull it out of his hand. "W-What are-!!!" I grabbed and ran the blade through his chest to pierce his heart.

    "You''re right, the blade is just as sharp as a mundane one." I shoved the merchant''s body back and he fell to the floor with a thud. His eyes stared up at me in shock before fading away as the last of his life flickered out. "¡­Now for the cleanup." I put the sword leaning against the desk and dragged the corpse to the door to hide him in the back room until I could have Carl properly dispose of it. Actually, why would I have Carl do it when I can send his body anywhere I want with my portals? However, I should still have Carl look into the suppliers of this place to keep it running since I needed to sell the Saintess things and would need to keep the stock full. I plopped the corpse down and wiped the blood off my hands. "Now, I should look over the inventory he had to-"

    "Hello?" A voice from the shop called out as a customer arrived. But that voice¡­it couldn''t be¡­ "Is the shop open?" Saintess Beatrice called out again from the main room.

    "¡­" How did she figure out the location of the black market shop? There''s no way she has an information network when she just arrived at the academy. Actually, more importantly, how did she know this was a shop? She sounded oddly calm being here. "¡­Guess it''s time to begin." I lightly slapped my cheeks to focus my mind and tossed my black robe on a crate since it was supposed to be known to the Saintess that ''Countess Sanguine'' was the shopkeeper. I walked through the door and greeted my first patron, "Welcome, dear customer."

    "!?!" The Saintess'' face was rightfully shocked since it must be weird that a fellow first-year is the shopkeeper in a black market shop, but there was also something else¡­confusion. She looked like she was expecting someone else and was confused as to why I was here instead. "Y-You''re¡­?" Her eyes caught the bloody blade that was still leaning against the desk and the trail of blood that led to the back room.

    "Just a small altercation with a rude customer who didn''t want to pay for my wares." I should test her. "So long as you have the coin, anything''s for sale, Saintess."

    "¡­" The Saintess hesitated before quietly mumbling, "It''s different." If I hadn''t trained my senses during the war to be as sharp as they were, I would have missed it. Just what do you know, Saintess?

    "I-" I was about to speak, but felt my body freeze when I saw what the Saintess did next: she started to subtly tap the air. Any normal person would dismiss such gestures, but I knew better! Those were the same gestures Olivia made when she interacted with her ''menu''! Was she the same as Olivia? Did she come from the same world? Did she know about the prophecies? I need to know and there was one way I knew how to get my answer. I cleared my throat so she would pay attention to me and said, "While I have many things for sale, some of them require your stats to be a certain level. Make sure you can use my items before purchase, Saintess." I cast the bait.

    "Ah?" Understanding flashed across her face and she mumbled the words I was waiting to hear, "Status."

    "¡­" Caught you. Now it made sense how she knew the location of the shop: she knew about the prophecies just like Olivia. The fact she was here during our first year and that she was immediately visiting the shop also told me what her aim was: the reverse harem ending, as Olivia called it. If that was the case, then she also knows what that means for Olivia. To think that Olivia offered you an olive branch and this is how you repay her?

    "I''ll take the first volume of Nyrub''s Tome," the Saintess eventually made her choice despite not even looking at any of the shelves of items.

    "An rare book detailing the unique necromancies of Yulash?" Of the four people the Saintess would go after, according to Olivia, this would only be useful to Andrew Mystyr since wizards are desperate to figure out the secrets to obtaining life and death magic. "An exotic choice." I used my gravity magic to pull the book off the shelf and into my hand which startled the Saintess. Without me even telling her the price, the Saintess produced the exact amount of gold the previous merchant had the book on sale for listed in his notebook that I glanced at behind the desk. Did the prophecies mention exact gold amounts for the items the Saintess would buy? How did she even have this much gold? Wasn''t she an orphan? This was¡­odd. Also, now that I think about it, Olivia said she knew of the black market shop but not its location since the ''menu'' was vague on where its exact location was. I handed her the book after accepting the coin and asked, "Anything else?" There was more to the Saintess than just knowing about the prophecies, but what?

    "¡­" The Saintess hesitated for a moment before looking at her ''menu'' and asking, "What are the current rumors around the school?"

    "¡­?" That was an¡­odd question. It was so straightforward, and asked so awkwardly, that it felt like it wasn''t what she wanted to say but did anyway. I might as well humor her, "It''s said that, because of your arrival, the temples are sending Elder Solomon Kor to be a theology teacher and he should arrive some time next week. It''s unknown why the imperial family agreed, but His Highness the Crown Prince pushed for it to be allowed." I watched her hand slightly flinch at the mention of Solomon''s name. Looks like she already knows all her soon-to-be suitors, then. "The Crown Prince has taken an interest in you, Saintess."

    "¡­" The Saintess, again, hesitated before looking at her ''menu'' and asking, "Any item recommendations?"

    "¡­" Another odd question asked in an awkward tone. She wasn''t like this during the first day when speaking to Olivia, so was there something special about being in the black market shop that changed how she talked? No¡­ She was speaking fine earlier when she first entered, this awkwardness only started when she bought something. Why? "Nyrub''s Tome is quite thick, even if it''s just the first volume, so it will take a while to read through. Perhaps a gift for someone else would be more appropriate as your next purchase."

    "¡­!" Her face looked surprised that I knew the book was a gift, but she didn''t press on how. The Saintess stood in front of the desk silently going through her ''menu'' before finally saying, "That is all." An abrupt goodbye.

    "Then I wish you a good day, Saintess." I gave a slight bow of my head as I added, "Should you ever need anything, you know when my shop is open."

    "¡­" The Saintess didn''t say anything and turned to leave with her gift for Andrew.

    "Oh, and a word of advice." I stopped her once she was physically outside the door to the shop''s room. "I''d appreciate your discretion on my ownership of this establishment. After all¡­" I picked up the bloody sword and let the blood glisten in the candlelight, "We must all properly play our parts."

    "¡­" Even though my words were an obvious threat, the Saintess turned to me and had a¡­resigned look on her face. Her eyes looked tired and her smile was even more so. She gave a curtsy but made sure to take a step back so she wouldn''t bow her head into the doorway. Did she not want to re-enter the room? Her next words also confused me, "Zulm''s will be done."

    "¡­" I watched her rise and walk away, leaving me to my confused thoughts. The Saintess both was and wasn''t like Olivia. She had a ''menu'' so that meant she was reincarnated from another world like Olivia was¡­right? Just who are you, Saintess?

    ***

    Beatrice exited the abandoned prayer hall and quickly made her way across the school grounds back toward the dorms while making sure no one saw her. It was forbidden to go near the prayer hall and she knew from experience that they would be extra harsh on her since she was a Saintess. "The shop was also different¡­" she mumbled to herself as she clutched the tome to her chest. "It was different!" Her voice went from apprehensive to excited as she was filled with hope. With a renewed vigor she proclaimed to herself, "Then this time¡­ This time I can do it!" Beatrice happily made her way to where she knew Andrew would be spending his free time despite never having met him; at least, in this life. "This time, the empire doesn''t have to fall!"

 You Can (Not) Change Fate

    The library at the royal academy was considered on par with the one in the palace as holding any and all information a student could ask for. Rows upon rows of shelves filled to the brim with books and scrolls created a labyrinth of knowledge that took even the librarians months to master where everything was. In the center of the great room were lines of tables with plush chairs and couches for students to silently study in, and the scritching of pens on paper subtly danced through the air as reports were being written. The far wall was made entirely of windows that opened to a terrace which, on nice days, was open and more seats were added to create a truly peaceful environment. "¡­Hmm." Like today where Olivia and Lucina found themselves on the terrace borrowing books to complete their history assignments. Olivia flipped through her book and sighed, "This is annoying¡­"

    "What is?" Lucina looked up from writing her report and gave her hand a rest.

    "I thought I was done writing essays, but here I am doing it all over again." She put down her pen and flexed her fingers while massaging her palm. "It wasn''t as bad when I had a computer. How does everyone not have arthritis?" Not many people were using the library, and even fewer were on the terrace which let Olivia speak freely of her past life.

    "As long as we work in moderation, our hands will be fine," Lucina tried to reason despite her report already being four pages long and not even halfway done. "Thankfully the assignment is easy since it''s just about the North Kelica Unification war."

    "But it''s not easy."

    "We lived through it."

    "Yeah, but the books changed what happened!" Olivia complained while pointing to the page she was reading. "These new history books act like Arlexia was always an empire that was supposed to rule the continent and barely even mention Urldrusk! There are so many embellishments and rewrites that it''s no wonder I didn''t know what was going on when I was younger; history was altered before we entered the academy."

    "Did history books from your past life not do this?" Lucina and Olivia rarely talked about Olivia''s past life anymore, and Lucina was greedy to relive even a brief moment from those days.

    "¡­I guess," Olivia admitted as she thought back to her studies of the Second World War on Earth and the disparities of information depending on where she looked. "But it feels different since we lived through it, like you said." Olivia leaned back in her chair and let the gentle breeze rustle through her hair. "It feels more¡­disingenuous, I guess." She twirled her pen between her fingers as her mind wandered to her past.

    "¡­" Disingenuous: a word that cut at Lucina''s heart despite her bandaging over it with justifications she had to repeat to herself to believe. She wanted to agree with Olivia, but her churning stomach wouldn''t let her.

    "Are you alright?" Olivia noticed Lucina''s apprehension and was giving her a concerned look. The sun lit up her hair like a sparkling waterfall of light, her eyes shimmered as they held worry, and she slightly cocked her head to the side which allowed the shadows from her hair to dance across her face. "Lucina?"

    "¡­Yeah." Lucina wasn''t alright but forced herself to lie. Greedy for a moment of the old days? How dare she long for that when she would deliver the ultimate betrayal to Olivia while still pretending like everything could change. "I guess I''m more tired than I thought with all the assignments we have to do even though we just started." Disingenuous was a word that Lucina felt described her at that moment.

    "If you want, feel free to catch up on some sleep," Olivia said and motioned with her head to a group of students across the terrace who were fast asleep on their couches. "Everyone else also seems to have the same idea, so the librarians can''t yell at you for it."

    "No," Lucina refused and picked her pen back up. She joked while forcing a smile onto her face, "If I fall asleep, then who would you complain to? You''d be driven mad."

    "Very funny," Olivia sarcastically commented before also getting back to work on her report. Time continued to pass as the two girls wrote their reports in silence. After a while, Olivia asked, "Thank you."

    "For what?" Lucina was caught off guard by the sudden thanks and had to do her best to hide her discomfort.

    "Just¡­for putting up with me," Olivia gave a laugh and brushed some hair out of her face. "I probably would have gone mad without you to confide in. This life is so¡­different from my previous one that I sometimes think it''s all nothing more than a dream I''ll one day wake up from to find myself in a hospital bed. That everything is a hallucination while I''m in a coma waiting to wake up, or something."

    "¡­" Lucina''s heart started to race and her stomach churned with anxiety. Did Olivia want to wake up from her current life?

    "You''ve helped ground me that this is real, so thank you." Olivia gave a kind smile that stabbed Lucina''s conscience with guilt and, for a brief moment, she considered telling Olivia everything about James and her plan.

    "I''m¡­glad I could help." But she decided against it and banished that train of thought. For the plan to work, Olivia needed to show genuine reactions to whatever James would do. There needed to be genuine fear. She had to force the words out as the guilt tried to keep her quiet, "That''s what friends are for."

    "Friends¡­" Olivia repeated the word and looked listlessly at Lucina, though her eyes acted like they were reading something. "You really are my closest friend, right?"

    "Of course." Another wound to Lucina''s heart.

    "I can always count on you for help?" Olivia gave a leading question.

    "Any time." Lucina''s happy mask cracked.

    "You''re my Ally?"

    "I''m your ally."

    (Lucina Sanguine is not your Ally.)

    "¡­" Olivia hid her mixed emotions behind a practiced smile, just like Lucina, as she read the pink box''s results. There were times Olivia felt completely at ease with Lucina, and others where she felt like Lucina would take her head. She''d catch Lucina watching her only to divert her gaze when caught. It was also obvious that Lucina was uncomfortable, her perfect mask was cracking when talking about being close to Olivia as if Lucina had a reason to feel uneasy. Was it unease from what she was doing, or that Olivia was still daring to call them close? Her mind would continue to overthink everything as the world continued to move toward the reverse harem ending she wanted to avoid. While it wasn''t the worst ending for her, Olivia didn''t want to be enslaved¡­ No¡­ What Olivia truly didn''t want was to be confronted with the fact that Lucina would betray her. Her father and boyfriend taught her the sting of betrayal in her past life, would Lucina teach her that same sting in this one? Both girls sat in silence with not even the sunlight offering a reprieve from the shadows that were cast over their hearts.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ***

    It was a rough week, going behind Olivia''s back like this is more draining than I thought¡­but¡­ "It''s all for her." I have four more years of doing this so I have to stay strong! I can''t get discouraged during the first month! Snapping the old shopkeeper''s journal shut, I tucked it back behind the counter in the shop as I waited for the Saintess. There was no way for me to know when she would visit the shop so I''ve gotten in the habit of using a portal to come here after class. I''ll be here if she comes, and I can get used to the magic drain my portals require. Thankfully I didn''t have any other customers which would''ve made it hard to prevent rumors of me being here from reaching Olivia. "I''ll need to do something about it¡­eventually." I already finished my homework, sorted the inventory, and even had time to sweep the floor with how quiet it was here. "¡­It''s oddly peaceful." Too peaceful. My restlessness got the better of me so I decided to walk around the old prayer hall and do some exploring. Dust and cobwebs adorned every corner of every room and hall, and the wooden floors creaked under my boots as I made my way through the abandoned building. The second floor was just as dusty but with a little cleaning this place wo-!?!

    "This is the place." I ducked out of view of the shattered window and managed to spot the people outside before they saw me! Four black-robed adults accompanied a student wearing a similar robe as they stood in front of the old prayer hall.

    "So, it was here." Why is Olivia here!? She pulled down her hood and looked over the building with an apprehensive gaze. I don''t think Olivia would deal with those shady seniors, so who were those adults? Luckily I was hidden in shadows thanks to the angle the sun was shining which let me peak out to watch them.

    "Our information was verified right before the school year started, Your Highness. The keeper of this place is a rather shady person with a reputation. We''ll make up for our past failings." An information guild? Probably the Silk Sparrows since they don''t look like the imperial family''s shadow knights. I''ve never heard her mention looking for the shop which means she''s already going behind James'' back¡­and mine.

    "¡­?" Hah, did I just feel sad that Olivia went behind my back when I''m doing things like this? Get a grip, Lucina, I have no right to feel that way.

    "Then, lead the way," Olivia motioned for the men to move. They obviously knew where the secret room was and there was too much there to hide before they reached it and act like they were mistaken! I need to distract them someho-

    "Stop!" Saintess Beatrice? The Saintess appeared out of some bushes and ran to stand between Olivia''s group and the old prayer hall. Was she¡­lying in wait? Did she know this would happen?

    "Beatrice?" ¡­Why are you calling her by her name, Olivia? "What are you doing here?"

    "As a Saintess to our Hearth Mother, I wanted to see this old hall at least once and offer my prayers in this once holy place." You''re a surprisingly natural liar, Saintess. "But, then I saw you heading here with a group of strange men¡­and¡­" Did she collapse to her knees?

    "B-Beatrice!?" Olivia took a hesitant step toward the Saintess and extended her hand to her. "What are you-?"

    "What''s going on?" Huh!? Why are students gathering here? The old prayer hall is out of the way from regular paths so why is there a crowd starting to form?

    "Is that the Saintess? What''s she doing kneeling in the dirt?" All these witnesses¡­

    "Why''s Her Highness here?" It''s almost as if¡­

    "Is she making the Saintess kneel?" They were gathered here on purpose.

    "?!?" The Silk Sparrows were obviously uncomfortable being the center of attention and they pulled their hoods further over their faces as more and more students gathered around. How were there so many? Isn''t this place¡­ah. There you are.

    "¡­" Since I was on the second floor I could see over the crowd and saw James standing in the back of the crowd as if waiting for his ''turn'' to appear. He probably knew the moment the Silk Sparrows entered the academy and put this little plan into motion. It was time to start painting Olivia as a villain.

    "Please, Your Highness!" Beatrice spoke words that would set the event in motion as if she had practiced them. "Spare this empty hall! So much has already been taken, please allow what little remains to be left in peace!" Those were some nice tears in her eyes, if I held any pity for her I might have felt bad for the Saintess.

    "I-I-¡­" Olivia was getting flustered and I could see her mind racing and paralyzing her with pointless thoughts instead of trying to resolve the issue in front of her which let the students fill in their own blanks.

    "What''s the Saintess talking about?"

    "Spare the hall? Was Her Highness going to do something to the old hall?"

    "Who are those cloaked men with her? They don''t look like knights."

    "Was she¡­going to sell the things left behind in the hall to those thugs?" One of the students I recognized as one of James'' boot lickers spoke up causing a narrative to construct itself from the whispers which further panicked Olivia. Even though the Saintess never said anything about stealing, the students let their imaginations do the work. I guess it was time for James to make his-

    "What is happening here!?" Elder Solomon Kor? What was he doing here? Wasn''t this James'' time to shine? I looked over to James and saw him with a dumbstruck face so this wasn''t part of his plan. Four paladins followed Elder Solomon as they made their way to the head of the crowd. They sent paladins with Elder Solomon but not the Saintess? Why would the temples allow this? All this chaos¡­

    "¡­Like providence." Lord Zulm was practically outright declaring his intention by having an Elder and paladins get this directly involved. The fifth prophecy was to be our future.

    "Elder Solomon?" Beatrice raised her head and looked to Elder Solomon and the clouds seemed to part in just the right way so that the sunlight could sparkle in the tears that ran down the Saintess'' face.

    "Saintess!? Are you alright? Why are you kneeling!?" Elder Solomon rushed to the Saintess'' side and put a comforting arm around her. He turned to Olivia and angrily chastised, "While we may not be on the best terms with the imperial family, that is no excuse to so blatantly harass the Saintess of Lady Alm, Your Highness!"

    "I-I wasn''t-" Olivia found her voice and tried to explain.

    "Do you take me for a fool!?" But Elder Solomon wouldn''t let her get a word in. From his perspective, Olivia did look like the perpetrator against the Saintess. But from what I know about Elder Solomon from what Elise has told me, this is probably a power play to get himself close to the Saintess. "Your actions today are an insult to both the temples, and the dignity of the imperial family!" Dignity? So he''s trying to dig at Olivia''s pride, I see.

    "That''s not what happened! I wasn''t-" Olivia took another step toward the Saintess.

    "Enough!" What!?! Why are you using magic against Olivia!?! Elder Solomon used his magic to conjure a wall of fire to stop Olivia from getting closer! Are you insane!? Look, even the Saintess dropped her act and is looking shocked at what you''re doing! Elise was right, he''s a dangerous person. "While I may be new to this academy, I will not stand idle while our Saintess is so blatantly abused! I will be filing a formal complaint against you through the temple, Your Highness!" Elder Solomon retracted the fire wall and sucked the flames into one of his jeweled rings; snuffing it out. He helped the Saintess to her feet and said, "Come, Saintess, let us return to your room."

    "But-"

    "I will leave the paladins here." He wouldn''t even let the Saintess speak? Looks like he wants things wrapped up in the exact way to benefit himself. "From now on, the paladins will watch over this prayer hall so that no one may enter¡­and steal from it," he added while sending an accusatory glare at Olivia. This¡­does solve one of my problems. While they would turn away other students, there''s no way the paladins would stop the Saintess from coming to the prayer hall, and I can use my portals so now the Saintess will be the only one using the shop. But the fact he insinuated Olivia, the next empress of Arlexia, would stoop so low as to steal from an abandoned prayer hall irked me to no end. I was thinking about sparing his life since he''s an Elder of Lady Alm, but perhaps the Hearth Mother will forgive me for committing such a sin against one of her flock.

    "¡­We should go, Your Highness." The Silk Sparrow agents obviously wanted to leave since they were at a clear disadvantage.

    "¡­" Olivia watched the Saintess and Elder Solomon leave with a face filled with mixed emotions. The gazes of the students weren''t helping Olivia''s mounting anxiety. "Very well," she reluctantly said and they quickly left the scene. Even James left since his plan failed to an unlikely variable which left the crowd of students to gossip amongst themselves.

    "I think Her Highness¡­" Now, they would probably exaggerate what happened to ruin Olivia''s reputa- "Was set up."

    "¡­?" Huh?

    "Yeah, isn''t it weird that the new teacher just happened to be passing by with his retinue of paladins? That seems too convenient." What?!

    "Her Highness wasn''t even allowed a single word in once he showed up. That teacher even used magic to silence her! Such disrespect!" The students were¡­defending Olivia? While that makes me happy, didn''t Olivia get condemned in the prophecy? Did I miss something?

    "I never liked that teacher. Even if his lessons are easy to follow, he talks down to us if anyone has a question because of it. He''s not even from our empire and has the gall to look down on us!"

    "Her Highness never talked to me like that. I once sat with her at lunch and she was so kind and well-spoken, even though I''m just the daughter of a baron."

    "Isn''t it rumored this place is haunted? She probably hired those adults since this building is dangerous. I even heard there are criminals making deals in the basement! Maybe she was going to check and clear out any criminals if they were there."

    "Did you see the Saintess, too? When the teacher summoned that wall of fire, she looked like she was about to faint. Even that commoner knew the teacher went too far."

    "But he''s a teacher and an Elder of Lady Alm. I don''t want to risk angering the Hearth Mother by going against him¡­but¡­"

    "¡­" Olivia¡­ It wasn''t in vain. You said you were condemned by the Saintess'' suitors, but that doesn''t mean the rest of the students turned their backs on you. They''re only silent because of who they''d be up against; an Elder of Lady Alm, the next head of the wizard''s tower, a royal knight and the heir to Holst, and finally the Crown Prince. Once this is over and I find a way to free you from the collar I''ll clasp around your neck, you shouldn''t have much issue reintegrating into high society¡­even if I''m not alive to see it. When that day comes, I''ll gladly offer you my head.

 Heresy of Wizards

    Solomon stood in the doorway of Beatrice''s dorm room and asked, "Are you sure you don''t need anything else, Saintess?" His eyes scanned the plain room with dissatisfaction. A rugged wood table with a common dining chair sat against one wall with a bookshelf that held only a few books next to it. A bed with clean linens but only two pillows was in the corner so as not to be in the light that was let in from the window and was far enough away from the fireplace to not accidentally catch fire.

    "I''m sure." Beatrice could easily see what Solomon was thinking, but her room didn''t bother her in the slightest. To a noble, this room would be subpar, but to a commoner who grew up in an orphanage, this was already luxurious. "Thank you for seeing me back."

    "Of course, Saintess." Solomon gave an exaggerated bow and added, "If you ever need any help, I am both your teacher and fellow faithful so my door is always open to you. May your soul remain forever kindled." After giving a goodbye, Solomon exited the room and closed the door behind him.

    "¡­" Once he left, Beatrice''s kind smile faded to one of indifference as she went to her desk to organize her things. She held no affection for Solomon despite what she knew she had to do, and would at times wish she was allowed to hate him. Why would Alm allow him to continue existing while falsely claiming the title of Elder? But those thoughts would need to wait as she had more pressing things to worry about. Olivia was the next empress of Arlexia and wouldn''t sit idle after being insulted in front of everyone like tha- "She''s not like that!" ¡­Beatrice chastised the air while denying the truth. "If it were the past me, I would''ve believed that. But now I know better!" She stood up from her desk and looked out the window of her room as if looking at something. "Her Highness is different, she''s not as¡­broken as she used to be. It''s because of the Harbinger, right?" ¡­A blue square appeared in front of Beatrice''s face.

    (With more time comes events new and old!)

    (Strings of fate were pulled to weave a new tapestry out of familiar threads!)

    (Not everything is as it was, but that''s part of the challenge!)

    (Navigate new dynamics and achieve your goal!)

    "¡­" Beatrice read over the message and gave a tired sigh. "She''s not a bad person," she justified to herself to try and feel bad for the antagonist of her story. "An antagonist doesn''t mean she''s evil, just that she''s trying to stop the story from reaching your desired end." Beatrice was, technically, correct. "Yes¡­ So please don''t insult Her Highness like that. She''s a kind person who is being forced to be on the wrong side of history¡­which I feel bad for." Beatrice remembered her brief interactions with Olivia in this life fondly. Olivia was always the one to approach first and never seemed to hold ill intentions with them often just chatting about school or daily life in the academy. They even had lunch together a few times, but that would probably not happen anymore. Beatrice once more gave a tired sigh as she resolved herself to see this through and save her homeland, no matter the cost. "¡­Zulm''s will be done." My will be done.

    ***

    Time passed once more and the chill of winter arrived with a biting cold and blankets of snow that covered the academy where groundskeepers desperately tried their best to keep clear so the students would have paths to walk on. A curtain of gray clouds blocked the sun while a light snow flurry danced through the air over the academy. Many students were bundled tightly in their winter coats as they meandered to and from their classes.

    "Achoo!" Like Cassandra who tightened the pink and white striped scarf around her neck to hide how miserable her expression was and to protect against the frigid air. "The capital''s always had mild winters, so why is our first school year''s so harsh?" She rubbed her pink-gloved hands together to try and stave off the chill that was managing to seep through.

    "Lord Sen''s probably upset about something," Lucina mused while adjusting her own red scarf and kicking a ball of snow off the path. The snowball exploded into a puff of powdery snow that covered and stuck to her boot. As she tried to shake the snow off, a sharp breeze loosened her scarf and chilled her already red cheeks.

    "Then he should take it out on the ones involved," Olivia said while stopping to properly tie Lucina''s scarf around her so that it wouldn''t fall off. Her eyes lingered on Lucina''s red cheeks and she asked, "How''re your hands?"

    "They''re fine," Lucina answered while enjoying having Olivia fuss over her.

    Olivia, not believing her, muttered to herself, "Maybe we should find a way to make self-warming mittens."

    "Yes! Please!" Cassandra immediately jumped into the moment at the thought of toasty mittens.

    Lucina considered it for a moment before saying, "But it would burn through the material."

    "Not necessarily," Olivia said as she finished adjusting Lucina''s scarf. "According to Margaret, Itrecha discovered a way to cure a beast''s hide to make it resistant to burning and they''re starting to sell it. If we add a layer of that material then we might be able to find a way to make self-warming gloves."

    "Well," Lucina was sad that Olivia finished but stayed on topic, "If you can get me some of that leather, then I''ll see what I can do."

    "I''ll send her a letter telling her to start purchasing some." The past few months were tense between Olivia and Lucina, but Olivia ultimately decided to believe in Lucina despite the evidence gathered by the Silk Sparrows and her own experiences. As a variable in the original game, Lucina played a very minor part and only made a major appearance at the end of one route which led Olivia to believe Lucina wasn''t a key player in the original Olivia''s downfall. She didn''t want to spend her time looking over her shoulder at what Lucina was doing when she wanted to focus her attention on the capture targets and how to maintain a good relationship with the Saintess. Perhaps the Olivia from the game gave up on her Lucina which sealed the enslavement ending? But, was that her only reason for not giving up on Lucina? "Either way, we should hurry to the dining hall since I''m also starting to feel the cold." Olivia knew better. While she wanted to avoid the enslavement ending, she also wanted to remain Lucina''s friend. She enjoyed Lucina''s company and her, while sometimes a bit extreme, sense of snarky humor. They had spent years together and it was hard for Olivia to imagine her life without Lucina. Perhaps, if Lucina had died during the war, she would have gone mad from guilt in her early years and fallen to become the heinous villainess from Finding Arlexia''s Light? "Pfft!" She recalled the memory of Lucina''s scrunched up face while making the doll of Olivia and couldn''t help but laugh.

    "What is it?" Lucina asked.

    "Just remembering how cute you used to be," Olivia playfully answered.

    "¡­" Lucina averted her face and was glad her cheeks were hidden behind her scarf. "I still am cute."

    "Nonsense!" Cassandra jumped in front of Lucina, causing her to halt in her tracks. "Even if you used to be cute, you shouldn''t use that to deny your growing femme fatal figure!"

    "¡­Who''s teaching you these words?" Lucina asked as she took a step back from Cassandra''s intense stare.

    "Back then!" Cassandra completely ignored Lucina''s question and continued, "You used to be so small and adorable like I was! But while I still hold my slightly round cuteness from those days, you''ve begun to grow into a leaner, mature sexiness! Which is why," Cassandra took an aggressive step toward Lucina who took another step back, "You should join Olivia and I on our shopping trip next week!" Cassandra''s true intentions were revealed.

    "¡­Slightly round?" Lucina repeated with disbelief. Cassandra was a bit taller than Lucina and she still held the same round face she always had that gave her a cutesy aesthetic, but Lucina didn''t believe the ''slightly'' part when Cassandra had the largest chest out of all of them.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    "Give me just one day and I''ll make you the talk of the academy," Cassandra was oddly adamant about this, and a fire burned in her eyes.

    "¡­" Lucina looked to Olivia for help but Olivia was too busy trying and failing to hide her amused smile at their conversation beneath her yellow scarf while silently giggling to herself.

    Sensing Lucina''s hesitance, Cassandra threw out the bait she knew would work to convince Lucina and whispered into her ear, "Since it''ll be all three of us, even Olivia will be dressing up. She would wear whatever you picked out for her. Maybe something matching?"

    "¡­!" Lucina flinched as her mind imagined Olivia wearing a dress that she specifically picked out and the radiant smile she''d give her while wearing it to match her own. "¡­I suppose I could make time," Lucina mumbled while trying to ignore Cassandra''s knowing gaze and cat-like smile.

    "Then, it''s decided!" Cassandra happily declared much to Lucina''s chagrin. "Come Wednesday, we''ll meet at Madam Herriot''s boutique and-"

    "Pardon me, Your Highness." Interrupting the conversation, Andrew Mystyr and a few wizard students approached Olivia with determined, yet uneasy expressions on their faces. "But, I need a word."

    "Hmph!" Cassandra puffed out her chest and raised her nose at the wizards before chastising, "Making demands of Her Highness? I thought wizards were at least taught basic manners." Cassandra, like the rest of the nobility of Holst, was hostile with wizards as they were firmly faithful to the gods.

    "Unfortunately," Andrew countered with a neutral tone that felt indifferent toward Cassandra''s remark, "It was Her Highness who showed rudeness first, so I''m returning it in kind."

    "My rudeness?" Olivia couldn''t recall any recent event that had her insult the wizards, so she was genuinely confused as to what Andrew was talking about. "Have I done something to insult the tower?"

    "Aside from your inventions?" Andrew dryly remarked. Wizards had created a monopoly over magic items, but every time Olivia came out with a new product it weakened their hold and inspired Magisters to take up the craft of enchanting items. The items would never be as good as what Lucina could make, but every new item cut into the tower''s profits. "But I''m not here for that. This time I''m returning a favor for someone."

    "A favor?" Olivia scoffed and cocked an eyebrow at Andrew''s reason.

    "I would ask that you stop having the Saintess bullied."

    "!?!" Andrew''s words stunned the three girls for different reasons: Cassandra felt annoyed that a wizard was using the Saintess as an excuse, Olivia was nervous that a capture target was close enough to the Saintess to start confronting her, and Lucina was amused since the original plan was that James would be with the Saintess and not Andrew. With both Lucina and Cassandra physically with her, Olivia felt more in control and argued back, "Since when have I bullied the Saintess?"

    "You''re denying it?" Andrew raised an eyebrow.

    "Of course I am!" Olivia declared and matched Andrew''s accusatory gaze. "I don''t know what kind of nonsense you''ve heard, but I have never bullied the Saintess." She needed to speak clearly and concisely so that her words couldn''t be misconstrued in some way to turn her into the villain. Seeing that Olivia was arguing with a group of wizards, students started to gather around and watch the show. "You said you were returning a favor, did the Saintess ask you to confront me?"

    "No."

    "¡­Then why are you here?" Olivia already figured out what the answer was but still wanted to make sure.

    "She''s too kind to ask which means I have to trouble myself by taking the initiative despite having better things to do. I''d rather not be here, either." Andrew Mystyr was the tsundere capture target of the game. "The Saintess'' textbooks were thrown and buried in the snow by a group of your lackeys. They confessed when confronted that you asked them to do it, so it''s pointless to argue," Andrew''s tone was neutral but there was a clear hint of annoyance in his voice. Whether it was annoyance at having to do this or annoyance that Olivia would bully the Saintess was hard to say.

    "I don''t have ''lackeys''," Olivia argued. "And even if I did, I wouldn''t send them to bully the Saintess since I''m quite fond of her for making it to the academy despite her upbringing."

    "So, you''re looking down on her for being a commoner?" Andrew changed the point to try and throw Olivia off.

    "I''m looking up to her for having such a sharp and inquisitive mind," but Olivia didn''t flinch. She wasn''t caught off guard by a slew of constant surprises like what happened in front of the prayer hall which allowed her to think and act clearly.

    "It doesn''t matter." Once again, Andrew changed topics and ignored Olivia''s words. "Call off your lackeys and leave the Saintess alone. I''d like to believe Her Highness is above such petty bullying."

    Lucina had enough and interjected, "If anyone''s bullying anyone it would be you, wizard." She raised her hand and pointed to her ear, "Unless you''re actually just deaf and can''t hear clearly?"

    "¡­This doesn''t concern you, Butcher," Andrew''s voice shifted to one of disdain as he spat out Lucina''s vulgar nickname. "Besides, it''s the words of multiple people versus Her Highness'' so I''m inclined to believe the many over the one."

    "Exactly," Lucina agreed. "It''s the words of some nobodies versus Her Highness Olivia''s. Speaking of, where are these ''lackeys'' who ''confessed'' anyway? Shouldn''t you have brought them so we can hear them say it?" Lucina cocked her head to the side and rubbed her chin in thought while asking, "How do we know you''re not just making this up to make Her Highness look bad?" She said she would help James get with the Saintess which meant Andrew was still fair game to mess with.

    "To protect them from Her Highness'' retaliation, they will remain anonymous," Andrew threw out a justification off the top of his head.

    "Anonymous?" Cassandra scoffed and swished a hand through her hair. "If they really were ordered to bully the Saintess by Her Highness then wouldn''t Her Highness already know who they are?"

    The surrounding students started whispering, "Lady Cassandra has a point."

    "But, it is true that the Saintess'' books were thrown into the snow; I saw it this morning."

    "Who''s to say that was because of Her Highness?"

    "What if they were just blaming Her Highness to get out of trouble?"

    "¡­" Andrew wasn''t very good at playing the word games of high society and could only double down on his flawed reasons, "All I''m asking is that you promise not to bully the Saintess anymore."

    "I never bullied her to begin with," but Olivia wouldn''t let him. She folded her arms across her chest and stood her ground, "I will not apologize for something I never did. If anything, I''d like an apology from you for slandering me so brazenly."

    "¡­That pride of yours is why this is happening," Andrew let his inner thoughts slip out as he gave an annoyed groan.

    "¡­What?" Olivia fixated on his words and asked, "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    Andrew also didn''t want to be here doing this so he decided to let off some steam and explained, "If you could have just contained your ego, none of this would have to-!?!" A leather glove smacked against Andrew''s face and, because of the metal rings in the palm, left a bruise on his cheek.

    "Ah, looks like my hand slipped and used too much force," Lucina sarcastically apologized as she glared at Andrew. She was tired of his attitude toward Olivia and demanded, "Pick it up."

    "¡­" Andrew, and everyone watching, was stunned by the slap and by what it meant if he picked up the glove. Lucina was challenging him to a duel. "I''ll pretend you didn''t do that, for your sake, Butcher." Andrew picked up the glove and offered it back to Lucina as a courtesy rather than a duel acceptance. "Stop involving yourself in-!?!" Lucina took the glove and threw it at his face again, this time bruising the other cheek.

    "¡­" Lucina silently smiled at Andrew before repeating herself, "Pick it up, properly this time."

    "Luci-!?" Olivia was about to stop Lucina but Cassandra outstretched a hand in front of Olivia to stop her. Cassandra''s glare was unlike any Olivia had ever seen and held an anger that she didn''t know Cassandra could express. Cassandra was also done dealing with Andrew''s attitude, and Olivia couldn''t help but feel a tinge of relief that her friends so openly had her back; especially Lucina.

    "¡­Just because you think you''re special," Andrew was doing his best to control his anger but it was bleeding through, "Don''t think that means you can do whatever you want."

    "I could say the same to you, little stripeless." Even though Andrew was a full head taller than Lucina, the insult still cut at Andrew''s pride as the next archmage of the wizard''s tower.

    "As the next Archmage, I won''t hold back against you," Andrew declared and picked up Lucina''s glove before throwing it at her feet; an acceptance of the duel.

    "Whatever you say, little stripeless," Lucina chuckled as she used her gravity magic to bring up the glove on the ground to her still-gloved hand so she wouldn''t have to bend down in front of Andrew.

    "Stripeless?" Olivia knew that ''little'' was an insult, but she didn''t know how ''stripeless'' fit in.

    "It''s part of the tower''s ranking system," Lucina explained while putting her glove back on. "A wizard''s robe either signifies the magic they specialize in with blue for water, gray for wind, green for earth, and orange for fire, or it''s white for entry-level initiates and yellow for the archmage. But, then there''s the stripes."

    Andrew, seeing a way to try and salvage his position in the conversation, tried to explain further, "A stripe signi-"

    But Lucina ignored and spoke over him, "The amount of yellow stripes a wizard has on their robe''s right sleeve signifies their mastery of their element with none being a novice and three being a master at their chosen element." She looked at Andrew''s blank sleeve and added, "Which is why it''s weird that the next archmage is stripeless. Are you sure you''re not putting off your studies for useless endeavors?" Lucina called out Andrew''s actions.

    "¡­!" Olivia thought back to the game and remembered that Andrew''s art in the normal routes showed him with two stripes on his sleeve while the reverse harem route started with no stripes and ended the final year with three. It was never properly explained in the game so Olivia always assumed it was an aesthetic choice to visually show how close he was to the player since he gained stripes as the player interacted and advanced his plotline.

    "¡­If you wish to lose so badly, then I don''t see an issue with proceeding with the duel immediately." Andrew couldn''t stand Lucina insulting him and spoke loudly for all the gathered students to hear, "I''ll get the magic instructor to oversee the duel. Meet us in the courtyard outside the dining hall after lunch."

    "Don''t be late," Lucina joked while mockingly waving her hand goodbye.

    "¡­Damned Butcher," Andrew mumbled as he and his fellow wizards left to start preparing for the duel. Even if he and Lucina ''should'' be working together, that didn''t mean he would accept being looked down on so blatantly by some upstart. The Butcher of Toldrin? The Harbinger of Zulm? Some girl who had no formal training and relied on self-proclaimed gods for her powers wasn''t suited to look down on him or hold such titles. He couldn''t believe the wizards who returned from the frontlines and told stories about Lucina''s abilities since they were absurd to even consider. The unfairness of it burned a fire in his heart. Wizards spent years mastering their crystals to harness magic while Magisters were just born with it without effort so long as they prayed hard enough? This was more than just defending his honor, but the honor of all wizards. If only such honor wasn''t built on stolen power and hypocrisies.

    "¡­Will you be alright?" Olivia asked once the wizards had left. She knew Lucina was powerful, but she also knew how powerful Andrew could get. Even if they were still at the beginning when he was stripeless, he was still the next archmage.

    "There''s nothing to worry about," Lucina reasoned while watching the wizards leave. "If he were an Aurister, I would possibly have trouble. But a wizard?" She laughed, "It''s impossible for a wizard to beat me." Olivia was still giving her a look of worry, so Lucina smiled and added, "Just sit back and enjoy the show, I promise I''ll make it quick while making sure to teach them just how large the gap between us is."

 Raising Flags

    The courtyard outside the dining hall still held a blanket of untouched snow that Andrew and the magic instructor trudged through so they would be far enough away to not hit any bystanders. There was still some time before the duel started but students were already gathering to watch the show. On one side of the courtyard was the dining hall which was already packed with bystanders, and on the opposite side was the library with the balcony facing the courtyard. Students crammed themselves atop the balcony to get the best view as they eagerly awaited the duel between the next archmage and the Butcher of Toldrin. Andrew checked over his orange robe to make sure there wasn''t a single wrinkle so that he looked his best while representing the wizards, and he proudly planted his magic staff in the snow. The magic instructor tightened his blue robe around his body as a gust of cold wind blew across the snow and he mumbled, "Crazy kids."

    Cassandra scanned the crowd before idly saying, "I made sure the news spread as fast as possible, everyone in the academy knows about this duel."

    Olivia nervously laughed, "You seem more excited about this than Lucina."

    "Because those wizards need to be taught a lesson!" Cassandra reasoned as she adjusted her scarf to hide her mouth. "They always act so high and mighty, even to us nobles. They''re nothing but thieves wearing stolen crowns."

    "¡­" Olivia turned her gaze to Andrew and the instructor as they idly chatted in the yard while waiting for Lucina who left saying she had to go get something before the duel started.

    Then, Lucina''s voice called out from behind Olivia, "Sorry, I''m late."

    "Luci-!?!" Before Olivia even had a chance to turn around, her nose was assaulted by the foulest stench she''d ever experienced. Cassandra and the other nearby students also visibly recoiled and held their noses in shock and horror. It was an unmistakable smell that no one, especially not Olivia, could ever forget. The air was filled with the stench of rotting iron.

    "I just had to change into something more appropriate," Lucina explained as she walked past Olivia and Cassandra while wearing her old wizard''s robe that was over her uniform, though she took off the skirt and opted to wear a pair of thick pants. The wind caught her robe that she left untied at the front making it flutter and flow behind her like a cape. A tattered and blood-drenched cape whose crimson color never seemed to fade.

    "I-I heard stories from my father¡­" The students anxiously whispered.

    "Then, my family''s knights were telling the truth!"

    "That smell¡­it''s so awful!"

    "A Hellhound wrapped in blood."

    "¡­" Olivia''s nails apprehensively dug into the sleeve of her coat as she watched Lucina march through the snow; a speck of blood against an otherwise white canvas.

    Andrew scrunched up his nose as Lucina made her way into the courtyard and asked, "What are you wearing?"

    "Do your eyes also not work?" Lucina playfully responded. "An archmage should be able to tell their fellow wizards by their robes, no?"

    "¡­Why are you wearing that?"

    "To insult you," Lucina answered truthfully while adding, "You kept calling me Butcher so I figured I''d oblige your request." Lucina extended her arms out and looked over her robe that finally almost fit her because of how much she''d grown over the years since she last wore it. "Luckily, this old thing still fits. Could you give my thanks to your father for giving me such an oversized robe? I''d do it myself but that would require me to go to the tower and I''d rather go to war than step foot there."

    "Do you talk more when you get nervous?" Andrew mocked to try and distract himself from the stench.

    "No, I just like hearing my own voice." Lucina smiled warmly as she stared at Andrew. "It''s much more pleasant than yours."

    "Ahem!" the magic instructor cleared his throat to stop the bickering. "As this is a magic duel, you will only be allowed to fight with magic. No physical weapons of any kind are allowed aside from a Wizard''s staff. Medical staff are on standby, and remember that you are not allowed to kill each other. Before we begin, are there any special rules either participant wishes to include?"

    Lucina answered first, "I''d like this to be a ''best of three'' duel."

    "I''m fine thrashing you two times," Andrew confidently said and gave his approval. "I have nothing to add."

    "Then, this will be the first of today''s duels." The instructor waited for Andrew and Lucina to walk an appropriate distance away from each other before calling out, "Are both participants ready?"

    "I''m ready," Andrew confidently declared.

    "Yes," Lucina casually answered.

    "Then I announce that this duel¡­" The instructor raised his hand into the air before swiftly bringing it down. "Begin!"

    Andrew held out his staff to start conjuring fire around the crystal head and taunted, "Now, let''s put you in your-!?!" Only for his staff to be yanked out of his hand as Lucina used her gravity magic to set the staff''s point of gravity to the metal ring in her glove and intensified it so it would fly into her grasp.

    "I win," Lucina happily called as she held Andrew''s staff in her hand.

    "¡­?" All the gathered students were dumbstruck and the courtyard was filled with silence. They started looking at each other with confused expressions as no one quite knew what to say, or what just happened. Since wizards needed their staff or orb to cast magic, then taking those tools away made them powerless. Normal gravity magic would''ve been too weak to disarm someone, but Lucina didn''t wield normal gravity magic. So long as she knew they were there, a wizard could never beat Lucina.

    "¡­Pfft!" The first to break the silence was Cassandra who couldn''t contain her laugh. "That''s it?"

    "¡­That''s it?" Olivia breathlessly repeated. She''d seen Andrew fight in-game and he was a powerhouse when leveled properly, so to see him instantly lose was stunning.

    "Wh-? Y-You-?" Andrew was still wrapping his head around how quickly it happened that he was stuttering his words. He looked down at his empty hand as if to find an answer.

    "Instructor," Lucina called out. "Please announce the results."

    "¡­" The instructor, a wizard, was reluctant to do so.

    "We''re only allowed to use magic in this duel," Lucina pressed her point as she held an innocent smile while glaring at the instructor. "Since my opponent is no longer able to cast magic and doesn''t have his staff to use as a weapon, I win by default."

    "Tha-!?! That''s not fair!" Andrew shouted.

    "Fair?" Lucina tilted her head to the side and curiously asked, "I used gravity magic, a type of magic, to take away your staff. You had your chance to set a rule excluding gravity magic but didn''t take it, so how''s it not fair?"

    "¡­She''s right." The whispers started, again. "Gravity magic''s a universal magic for Magisters, and even wizards can freely use it."

    "He looked so confident, but now he''s whining since he lost?"

    "Even I know about the Countess'' gravity magic. Did he not know something so basic before accepting the duel?"

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "He probably ignored it since he thinks he''s above her, despite him not holding a noble title."

    Cassandra smiled beneath her scarf and repeated her earlier words, "Nothing but thieves wearing stolen crowns."

    "¡­The first duel has concluded!" The instructor finally spoke up once the students all began voicing their opinions, "The winner is Countess Sanguine!"

    "Don''t worry, little stripeless," Lucina spoke loudly so that her words echoed across the courtyard. "For our next duel, I won''t use gravity magic. What do you say?" She gave him an insult that was impossible to avoid: accept and admit he can''t beat her normally, or deny and get humiliated in an instant again.

    "¡­I accept that term." Andrew took the former as he could at least have a chance at claiming a victory.

    "Good." Lucina used her gravity magic to send Andrew''s staff flying back to him as she set its point of gravity to a spot at his feet. The staff fell into and was covered in snow. "Oops, I guess I didn''t aim high enough."

    "¡­" Andrew silently picked up his staff and used fire magic to melt the snow off. He took a deep breath to center himself and blocked out all the nobles whispering around him.

    "Are both participants ready?" the instructor called.

    "Ready," Lucina once more calmly answered.

    "¡­I''m ready," Andrew held a sharp edge in his voice as he prepared himself to regain some dignity.

    "I announce that the second duel¡­" The instructor once more raised his hand before bringing it down and shouted, "Begin!"

    "¡­!" Without hesitation, Andrew extended his staff toward Lucina and conjured a jet of fire that leaped toward her with an almost starved vigor.

    "¡­" Lucina flicked her hand up and conjured an angled wall of stone that split the stream of fire in two. The flames licked around the rock as they shot past and threatened to engulf her but never reached far enough.

    "Now!" Andrew twirled and yanked his staff back causing the two split streams of fire to turn and double back toward Lucina around her stone wall.

    "Hm?" Lucina outstretched her hand toward the flames and conjured a wall of water. Steam hissed and burned the air as the flames continued to assail the water wall into a raging boil. This time, the fire refused to die down and instead completely trapped Lucina in a sphere of flames as Andrew poured more magic into his attack. The sphere acted like a dome and engulfed Lucina but didn''t shrink at all as Andrew had a different plan of attack.

    Olivia started getting nervous, "¡­He''s trying to burn all the air around her away."

    "She''ll die without air!" Cassandra yelled at the instructor but was ignored as they silently watched the sphere of fire continue to swirl and burn.

    "¡­" Inside the flames, Lucina was starting to feel an odd, yet familiar sensation. She wanted to counter Andrew''s flames but found herself unable to move as her mind was lurched from reality. It was hard to breathe as the air grew thin and her vision distorted from the heat haze. Her robe felt heavy and the flames only accentuated the stench of iron and burned it into her nostrils. Through the flames that surrounded her, Lucina swore she could see shapes dancing in the colors. Knights on horseback galloping past to impale one another. Swords clashing against shields in a brawl of bodies. Men and women being cut down only to get trampled on by comrades and foes alike. Within the royal academy and after two years of a relatively peaceful life, the flames of war found Lucina once more. Her mind, so suddenly assaulted by all the false stimuli, acted accordingly.

    "Now do you see, Butcher!?" Andrew shouted as he kept pouring more and more magic into the flames so they wouldn''t die down. The intense heat melted all the snow around the ball and students were forced to retreat so as not to get burned. "Without your precious abomination''s blessing, you''re nothing, just like the rest of us! That''s the only reason you''re not dead yet, monster!" Something moved within the ball of fire. "You''re-!?!" Andrew''s words cut out as a tornado of wind ripped apart the flames of his magic. Fire, snow, and dirt were thrown into the air and a few students screamed as they ran for cover from the falling debris. The tornado dispersed just as quickly as it appeared leaving the courtyard free of Andrew''s flames.

    "¡­!" Lucina sprinted toward Andrew with an almost animal-like obsession; a hunter closing in on its prey. Despite her state, the rule to not use her gravity magic still found footing which caused Lucina''s panicking mind to go for a different strategy. Using all her experience fighting in the frigid winters of Peltaira, Lucina was effortlessly running through the snow as if it weren''t there and closing the distance. While Peltaira didn''t employ many wizards or Magisters in their army, that didn''t mean they didn''t exist. Auristers were best dealt with at range, but wizards and Magisters were at their weakest when in melee and flustered.

    "Stay back!" Andrew shot a fireball at Lucina to try and stop her, but a pillar of earth shot up under Lucina''s feet allowing her to jump over the attack. The fireball exploded against the stone pillar Lucina jumped from and the shockwave sent her further through the air.

    "¡­" Lucina rolled in the snow and landed on her feet to continue her sprint, and she shot her own fireball to distract Andrew.

    "You dare!?!" Andrew used his fire magic to shoot another fireball to snuff out Lucina''s flames and negate her attack. The opposing fireballs collided and fused together before exploding into a flurry of embers. "My specialty is fire! Don''t think you can-!?" But it served its purpose and distracted Andrew''s attention long enough that he momentarily lost where Lucina was in the confusion as the embers fell around him.

    "¡­!" Lucina closed the gap, drew the dagger that was hidden in her sleeve, and tackled Andrew to the ground with the dagger raised in the air ready to strike.

    "Enough!" the instructor yelled which caused Lucina to flinch and miss her attack right before she was about to impale her dagger through Andrew''s eye. "This is a magic duel! Countess Sanguine is disqualified from the second duel for using a dagger! The winner of the second duel is Andrew Mystyr!"

    "¡­" Andrew was lying motionless beneath Lucina as the dagger was stabbed in the snow and dirt barely a hair''s length away from his ear. But Andrew wasn''t looking at the dagger that almost took his sight, he was staring up at Lucina''s broken eyes that looked down at him from the darkness that engulfed her. Lucina''s long hair spilled over her and draped itself around Andrew to seemingly block out the world and cast a hungry shadow. All he could see were Lucina''s eyes filled with killing intent staring at him out of the dark. The monster hidden in the briar.

    "I said you were disqualified, Sanguine!" The instructor once more tried to use words to get the situation under control. "Return to your starting position or I will forfeit you from the final duel!"

    "¡­" Lucina retracted her dagger and put it back in the sheathe beneath her sleeve. Her sense of reason and calm was returning as the high from her bitter memories started to leave her. She looked down at Andrew who was just starting to pick himself up and mentioned, "I''ve killed you twice, now." A stoic coldness plastered her face as she turned away and walked back to her original starting point.

    "¡­" Andrew clasped a hand to his chest as he finally realized how hard his heart was beating. He swallowed the lump that was blocking his throat and stood up, but his stance was noticeably more timid with both his hands holding his staff. When Lucina turned around to face him, Andrew had to divert his gaze or else he felt like he couldn''t breathe.

    "¡­Are both participants ready?" Even the instructor could feel the shift in the air as Andrew looked like he held no confidence to continue the duels while Lucina stood tall with an imposing coldness to her gaze.

    "Yes," Lucina curtly answered.

    "¡­I¡­I''m ready." Andrew wasn''t sure he was but he still answered.

    "Then I announce the final duel¡­" The instructor looked to Andrew one last time to see if he wanted out, but when Andrew didn''t respond the instructor brought his hand down and declared, "Begin!"

    "¡­I-!?!" Andrew tried to say something but his words halted in his throat as a stone spike erupted from the earth and grazed his cheek. Blood started trickling down his face from the scratch and Andrew lost all feeling in his legs from the shock and he fell to his knees. All the students were quiet once more as an oppressive atmosphere smothered out their voices.

    "¡­" Lucina slowly walked across the courtyard and stood directly in front of Andrew. She watched him tremble as he finally met her shattered gaze. Reaching down, Lucina grabbed and yanked Andrew''s staff from his hands and tossed it aside before turning to the instructor and declaring, "I win." The eyes of the students dug into Lucina with looks of curiosity and fear.

    "¡­The final duel, and this contest, is concluded," the instructor sheepishly said as he was also afraid to look Lucina in the eyes. "The winner is Countess Sanguine."

    "¡­" There was no fanfare for Lucina''s victory, gossip for Andrew''s defeat, or even discourse over the whole ordeal. Only silence prevailed at the end of the duels. Lucina left Andrew kneeling in the snow as his blood dripped off his face to dye the white snow canvas a deep crimson; as deep as Lucina''s robe.

    "I''ll head back first," Lucina quickly brushed past Cassandra and Olivia as she hurriedly made her way away from the courtyard, away from the silent stares. She didn''t mean to lose control like that and still felt her heart racing in her chest while her mind refused to fully calm down.

    "L-Lucina?" Olivia felt stunned by the duel, and the rotting stench of iron filled her with the same fear as the day Lucina first returned from the war. She watched Lucina hurry away from her, from everyone, but refused to let her fear hurt her friend anymore. "Lucina!" Olivia chased after her with Cassandra close behind.

    "¡­" Andrew was left kneeling in the snow while his mind still reeled from what had just happened, and how close to death he had come. Had this not been a duel overseen by an academy instructor, he would have died three times over.

    "Andrew!?" until Beatrice''s cries brought him out of his stupor. She rushed across the courtyard with her green hair dancing behind her as she ran and her sunset eyes glistening against the white canvas of the world.

    "¡­Saintess?" Andrew watched Beatrice rush to his side and her kneel down in the snow with him.

    "You''re hurt!? What happened to you!?" Beatrice asked despite having watched the duels and deliberately waited for Lucina and Olivia to leave before making her appearance.

    "¡­It''s nothing." Andrew felt oddly embarrassed by letting Beatrice see him like this, though he didn''t quite understand why. "You shouldn''t concern yourself with us Wizards, Saintess."

    "How could you say that!?" Beatrice cried as she brought her hand up to his bleeding cheek. A soft yellow and white light danced across Andrew''s cheek as his wound was healed to not even leave a scar behind. "Just because you''re a wizard doesn''t mean you''re not a person first and foremost!"

    "¡­" The certainty and kindness in Beatrice''s voice battled against Andrew''s perceived prejudice against those faithful to the gods. A calming warmth spread through his body and eased his heart. "It''s just a minor scratch." He refused the feelings stirring in his heart, for now.

    "Even a minor scratch can be painful," Beatrice reasoned while giving him a friendly smile. "¡­Oh!?" Beatrice ''suddenly'' realized she was still holding his cheek in her hand and quickly pulled her hand away. "I-I''m sorry about touching your face without asking for your permission!" She bowed her head and squirmed awkwardly in the snow.

    "¡­As long as you know." Andrew couldn''t bring himself to be too harsh, so he let it slide.

    (Event: A Wizard''s Pride)

    (Cleared!)

    (Andrew Mystyr Affection: +5)

    (You are no longer Disliked by the Capture Target and may now passively trigger conversation events around the academy to further increase affection.)

    ***

    "I need to change." Lucina picked up her pace through the halls as she tried to escape Olivia.

    "Wait!" Olivia kept up.

    "I''m not clean¡­ It''s not fair¡­" Lucina started digging into her arm with her fingers.

    "Lucina!" Olivia grabbed her friend by the arm and yanked her to turn around. Lucina''s cheeks were flushed from the cold and her eyes held little focus while her face was filled with distraught and bitterness.

    "¡­It''s not fair." Lucina couldn''t bear to look Olivia in the eyes and averted her gaze.

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t know what to say, so instead of saying something that might make things worse she decided to silently stay by Lucina''s side and give her a shoulder to lean on. Cassandra stayed a short distance back to give the two some time and made sure that no one was around so they could have some privacy.

    "I did¡­my time," Lucina reasoned against her anxiety. "Why do they get to dig it back up like it''s nothing?" The images she saw in the flames danced behind her eyes and her lungs still felt clogged with the soot that had infected the air just like it did on the battlefields of Peltaira years ago.

    "¡­" Olivia loosened her grip on Lucina''s arm and brought her hand up to Lucina''s ice-cold cheek.

    "I fought¡­I bled!" Having Olivia''s warmth against her face was making Lucina lax with her guard and she let out her inner frustrations, "Just so people like him could dismiss what I did? What we did!?" Countless unmarked graves dotted Peltaira where the worthless bodies of the Hellhound knights were buried since there was no one waiting for them back home who would want them. "It''s not¡­" Lucina always laughed away being called a monster or brushed it off since it never bothered her that much, but that attitude could only extend so far. It had been a long time since she''d experienced one of her battlefield hallucinations, her self-perceived disgusting flaw and weakness, but for it to happen in front of Olivia and almost cost her the contest? "It''s not fair!"

    "¡­" Olivia gently brought Lucina into a hug while making sure to let go if Lucina tried to get away in case she didn''t want it. But she never did. Lucina wrapped her arms around Olivia and accepted the overwhelming warmth and comfort greedily as she softly trembled in Olivia''s embrace. Lucina allowed herself this moment of weakness as it would probably be the last she believed she''d get in the days to come. And time, as always, marched forward without a care as the months quickly started to pass them by toward their inevitable destiny.

 Times Uncaring March

    ***Fall, Second Year of School***

    "Is everything alright, Honey?" Todd asked as he entered Margaret''s office in the Trent group''s Wortrest headquarters to find his wife buried in stacks of papers that overtook her desk. There wasn''t even space on the desk to set down the cup of tea he brought for her. "You''re looking rather haggard." Despite being a cool fall day, the windows were closed so that the wind wouldn''t blow the papers around which made the air in the room rather stale.

    "Hm?" Margaret didn''t notice Todd enter until he spoke and moved her tired eyes to look at her husband. Her vision was starting to blur from reading documents all day without rest. "Ah, sorry." Deciding to take a short break to distract her mind, Margaret took off her reading glasses and rubbed her eyes. "I''ve just been overwhelmed with the sudden losses we''ll be incurring."

    "Losses?" Todd asked as he picked up a stack of papers to look through and set down the tea in the newly created free space. "Isn''t Trent dominating most trade?"

    "We still are," Margaret admitted while taking a sip of tea, "But quite a few customers aren''t renewing their contracts with our group despite us anticipating their renewal and already purchasing the items."

    "Really?" Todd thumbed through the stack of papers he held which were a few of the expired contracts. Glancing at the desk, Todd saw Margaret was writing down and focusing on the expenses and expected losses they''d incur due to this odd behavior. "Hmm¡­Hm?" He went back over the contracts a second time.

    "What is it?" Margaret asked after finishing her tea.

    "Oh, it''s just¡­" Todd once more went over the expired contracts before voicing his thoughts, "I know most of these fellows and they''re tied to the imperial family."

    "What!?" Margaret had been so focused on the numbers that she only skimmed over the names of the individuals they belonged to. She grabbed a stack of contracts and went over the names only to realize Todd was right¡­partially. While the customers were indeed people tied to the imperial family, they were all only those who were associated with James. "¡­The Crown Prince''s faction is cutting trade ties with us?"

    "But Her Highness is our most well-known backer," Todd exclaimed as he rubbed his mustache while deep in thought. "I can''t recall us ever crossing the Crown Prince to lead him to do this."

    "Neither can I¡­" While it wasn''t everyone from James'' faction, the fact that every expired contract was tied to someone from the faction rubbed Margaret the wrong way and put a bad feeling in the back of her mind. "I need to write a letter."

    ***

    "Why are you having your people cut ties with Trent?" Olivia asked James after finding him in the student council room. As soon as she received Margaret''s letter, Olivia rushed over for an explanation, and the other members of the council quickly vacated the room as their slacking-off time was interrupted.

    "It''s just business," James brushed her off. "I was told they could procure the items cheaper than going through Trent, so I gave the go-ahead to proceed." Olivia knew this was a lie as she couldn''t believe that every single merchant under James could possibly find every single item cheaper and more efficiently than going through Trent who was well-rooted throughout the empire.

    "Despite knowing the consequences? Once this becomes known, rumors will crop up like wildfires about how the Crown Prince is turning his back on the Crown Princess. Both of our reputations will take a hit from this."

    "You certainly do love to speculate about things that haven''t happened," James groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Your position as the future empress isn''t so fragile that something like this will affect it."

    "¡­" James was objectively wrong about that but Olivia''s only reason for knowing that was her knowledge of the game. A few of the bullies the player had to deal with would sometimes mention how Olivia sent them because of the player''s existence threatening Olivia''s position and costing her money. It was later revealed through rumors the player could collect that, once James'' route was triggered, James would pull his support for Trent which caused a rift in high society. "If it''s about price, then I''m sure I can talk to Margaret about negotiating something to-"

    "Enough!" James bemoaned and raised his hand for Olivia to stop talking. "Must you always force your way on trivial things?"

    "This isn''t trivial!"

    "It is to me," James reprimanded and leaned back in his chair. "Honestly, can''t you learn to be more open-minded, like the Saintess?" The atmosphere in the room shifted as a bitter cold seeped into the air.

    "¡­Why are you mentioning the Saintess?" Olivia''s voice was low and she was visibly taken aback by what James had said.

    "Because she''s a shining example of what you should be doing," James reasoned to get under Olivia''s skin and make her uncomfortable. "Despite all the bad rumors going around about her, she still holds herself high and is managing to make friends among the nobility. She even openly talks with the Wizards, I don''t think there''s a single bad bone in her body." James watched Olivia''s expression darken and he gave one final insult that he muttered under his breath loud enough for her to hear, "If only you were more like her, in that regard."

    "¡­" Dark thoughts wormed their way into Olivia''s mind that she had to quickly banish before they could take root. Her voice was still low and muddled with doubt as she mentioned, "You could have at least told me beforehand, I''m your fianc¨¦."

    "Yes, you are, now act like it and respect my decision." James gave no comfort or room for negotiation. "If that''s all you came here for, then you can leave. The student council still has work to do and we can''t do it with you barging in here for personal matters."

    "¡­" An obvious lie. Olivia barged in only to find the council members lounging around drinking tea and enjoying snacks without a single document in sight. "I will excuse myself, Your Highness."

    "¡­" James watched Olivia go with a satisfied smile on his face. Using the Saintess as a weapon against Olivia was working wonders, James had to hand it to Lucina. He tapped his fingers against the desk as his mind wandered to Beatrice and the few interactions they''d had over the past year at the academy. Coming on too quickly would likely scare the country bumpkin so he made sure to make their meetings as coincidental as possible. She always agreed with what he said during their conversations and would show him the brightest smiles. James couldn''t help but chuckle as his thoughts leaked out, "She''s quite cute."

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    "You mean Her Highness?" The other members of the student council returned to the room after Olivia left.

    "¡­No, the Saintess." James'' words sent uneasy looks throughout the council. He smiled as he knew what would happen since his answer would soon circulate to the rest of the school and reach Olivia''s ears. Perhaps he would bribe some foolish noble girls to bully the Saintess in Olivia''s name, again? There was nothing more romantic than a prince coming to a damsel''s rescue, after all.

    ***Winter, Third Year of School***

    "Do you even hear yourself!?" That sounds like Olivia''s voice coming from outside. I left my dorm room, went downstairs, and hugged the corner of the building as I listened in on what was going on. It was winter, once again, and things were getting tense around the academy because of the Saintess. While the plan James and I made was for him to go after the Saintess, Andrew and Elder Solomon were also showing obvious interest in her too and making their own moves toward her. I don''t know how she''s managing it, but none of them have come to blows over the Saintess as if she''s able to perfectly manage their hearts. Three of the four ''male leads'' were in place which only left the last idiot.

    "I should be asking you that!" Derik shouted back. The relationship between Olivia and her brother had been going down over the years but it took a sharp dive this past year once Derik entered the academy. Even though he already graduated years ago, Derik was permitted to enter the grounds on James'' recommendation to begin his work as his personal bodyguard¡­ Which led to scenes like this becoming more and more frequent. Olivia and Derik were behind one of the dorm buildings for privacy, but with how loud both of them were shouting it was no wonder everyone in the academy knew how bad things were between them. "Your position as the crown princess is being threatened by a countryside Saintess and all you''re doing is sending underlings after her to bully her? It''s like you''re not even trying to hold onto your position!"

    "I''ve never sent anyone after her! I''ve been telling you that over and over!" At first, Olivia tried to control herself when dealing with Derik, but that fell apart as time eroded her patience. "Stop getting swayed by rumors and listen to me!"

    "Like how you''ve listened to me over the years?" It''s not Olivia''s fault you kept spouting bullshit whenever you tried to give her advice. "Either start making a real effort to secure your position or I will! As the rightful heir, I won''t watch you throw this away!" Then there was this stupid reason. I think James was the one who put it in his head.

    "For the last time, Derik, I''m not aiming for Father''s title!"

    "My title!" Derik corrected. As empress, Olivia couldn''t hold any other noble titles which would ''solidify'' Derik''s position as the next Duke of Holst; as if it were ever in question. But if Olivia lost her position as empress and became, say, a mistress, then she could potentially inherit the duchy despite never showing interest in the title. "Now call off the bullying and secure your position!"

    "Why are you contradicting yourself?" Olivia pointed a finger at her brother and shouted, "You want me to deal with the Saintess but also leave her alone?"

    "It''s not a contradiction, you just refuse to learn from and be like her! All you have to do is bend the knee and be more subm-¡­more gentle with His Highness." Here we go, again.

    "You were about to say submissive! How could you say that to your own sister? Am I a dog that''s supposed to sit and stay when commanded? Should I roll over, too?"

    "The Saintess isn''t a dog!" Derik exploded at Olivia. If I didn''t know he was married, I''d think he was a single man with unrequited love. I feel bad for Vivian because of the rumors this will create that she''ll have to deal with.

    "I never said she was!" Olivia exploded back. "You''re the one who said to be like her and was going to use the word submissive to describe it!" I need to step in or they might both end up drawing swords.

    "That wasn''t-!?" When he tried to take a step toward Olivia, I momentarily used my gravity magic to force his armored boots to be unable to move which revealed my presence to him. "¡­Just do your duties!" Dealing with both Olivia and I was too much for Derik to handle so he would retreat whenever I did this.

    "Derik!?" Olivia angrily called after him but he ignored her and stormed off. "¡­Damn it!" Olivia started gnawing on her fingernails; a habit she picked up last spring. A habit I wished she''d stop, but I understood why she had it.

    "Olivia?" I stepped out from behind the corner of the building so she could see me and I saw her flinch at my presence.

    "¡­Sorry for the noise," she apologized while running a hand through her hair in frustration.

    "I''m not that bothered by it." This was becoming a common occurrence. "But, we should head inside. It''s getting colder." A light snow began to fall as if to accentuate my words.

    "¡­Alright," reluctance and resignation filled her voice as we headed inside and I escorted her back to her dorm room. The students we passed all fell silent and gave us a wide berth, but we could hear them start to whisper after passing.

    "Did Her Highness and Lord Derik have another fight?"

    "It happens almost once a week, now."

    "First His Highness starts distancing himself from her and now even her own brother?"

    "It''s rather sad to-!?" They quickly silenced themselves after Olivia sent them a stern look.

    "¡­" There were plenty of negative rumors about her going around because of what James was allowing the Saintess to get away with, but there were also equally positive and sympathetic ones toward Olivia mixed in. The students, young nobles who would one day fully join high society, were split on what to do.

    "Olivia?" When we reached Olivia''s room I spoke up. After what I helped put in motion I had no room to speak, but I still asked, "Should I take care of things?"

    "¡­" Olivia remained silent with her hand resting on the door handle. She knew what I meant and the weight in blood that my words carried. Whether it was Derik, James, or even the Saintess, Lady Alm forgive me, I could kill them¡­but only with Olivia''s permission. I already knew what her answer was before she even spoke, "No¡­ I don''t want to solve this with bloodshed."

    "¡­Okay." Even with everything falling apart around you, you still refused to snap. You refuse to bully the Saintess despite it being obvious that she''s reciprocating James'' advances, and you refuse to do the most obvious option to alter your fate by just killing those involved. Whether it was out of a misplaced kindness or a stubborn pride, you''re taking the harder path. "I''ll see you in class tomorrow," I said and started to leave.

    "¡­Lucina?" But Olivia called after me causing me to stop and turn around. Her face was mixed with sadness and apprehension as her thoughts weighed heavily upon her and she hesitantly asked, "I can make it through this, right?"

    "Yes," I answered. Though not in the way you want.

    ***Spring, Fourth Year of School***

    "Honestly, the nerve of His Highness!" Cassandra angrily spat as she, Olivia, and Lucina moved toward the academy''s dance hall for their graduation dance. It was a cool spring night with a gentle breeze dancing through the air while Sailest loomed over them in the sky. "Fianc¨¦s have a duty to escort each other for this ball, but he sends a servant at the last second to say he''ll meet you there!?" Her pink hair springs angrily jostled and shook to match Cassandra''s mood. She wore an extravagant and puffy pink and white dress that swayed with every step she took while her heels clacked against the stone path.

    "It''s not like he hasn''t been this shameless, before," Lucina pointed out while brushing a leaf off her red and black dress that hugged her body before freely flowing down her legs. It took until her eighteenth birthday last January, but Lucina was finally getting comfortable wearing the more mature style of dresses that Cassandra said she''d look good in. Though she wished she were a bit taller since she was still the shortest in the group standing at only one hundred and fifty-seven centimeters tall compared to Cassandra''s one hundred sixty-five, and Olivia''s one hundred seventy-seven heights. Lucina used one of her black lace-gloved hands to brush some of her hair over her shoulder before continuing, "Though he should''ve still sent at least one escort knight to keep up appearances."

    "It doesn''t matter," Olivia remarked as she led the three of them toward the dance hall. Her white and golden dress sparkled like stars under Sailest''s light while her hair was kept up in a braided bun. Her back was completely exposed because of how far down the dress'' back was open that she tried to minimize with a white shawl. It was a beautiful and terrifying dress that Olivia recognized as the one the original Olivia wore during her condemnation events. She tried refusing the dress when James first presented it to her, and she even secretly ruined it with scissors just one week prior, but James had the dress replaced as if he expected her to ruin it and even had servants take away all her other clothes so that she was forced to wear the dress he picked. "Is what I asked for ready, Cassandra?" Olivia''s voice was surprisingly calm for someone approaching their bad ending.

    "Yes, the villa in my barony is fully stocked and has soldiers guarding it." She tilted her head to the side and asked, "Are you sure about this?" At the beginning of their fourth year, Olivia asked Cassandra to start preparing a place for her to stay as secretly as possible. When pressed on why, Olivia revealed she believed that James would try and nullify their engagement because of how he was acting with the Saintess, and wanted a place to lay low. She didn''t want to return home as she would have to live with Derik if she did and it would put her parents in danger, and Solfin was under the crown''s watchful eye, so she asked if Cassandra could let her stay in one of her family''s villas for a while to ''repent''. "Even if it''s him, I don''t think His Highness would stoop so low as to imprison and enslave you."

    "I''m sure," Olivia answered while doing her best to calm her nerves as they approached the massive doors to the dance hall. That was one preparation down which only left one more. She looked over her shoulder at Lucina and asked, "Are the Hellhounds ready?"

    "Peter''s group arrived this afternoon and we have a carriage waiting just outside the academy''s gates," Lucina explained and gave Olivia a nod. The plan was: once the engagement was broken and Olivia was about to be taken away by the royal guards, she would ''confess'' to all the wrongdoings against Beatrice and exile herself to the furthest reaches of her family''s duchy to repent in solitude; never to appear in high society again. A social suicide no sane noble lady would ever willingly do. Cassandra couldn''t move her family''s knights out of the barony, and the Azure Hawks were now under Derik''s command and he wouldn''t help her, which only left Lucina''s Hellhounds to secretly enter the capital and quickly whisk Olivia away to her exile before anyone could stop her.

    "Good." The plan was inspired by similar ones she''d seen in otome game isekai media she''d read and played that she decided to borrow to get out of her bad end, and with Lucina on her side she would also avoid the enslavement ending. Voices filled the hall in front of them and Olivia took one last deep breath before proceeding. "Then¡­let''s go."

    "¡­" Lucina silently followed behind as they entered the hall. The Hellhounds would certainly whisk Olivia away, but not to Cassandra''s villa. It was time for destiny to take its final turn on stage.

 The Reverse Harem Ending

    The dance hall was filled with magic crystals that dazzled the air with wisps of light to make this year''s dance unforgettable since James would be graduating with this dance. Royal knights stood at strategic locations around the venue which further added to the air of splendor as they were dressed up in their best, and most expensive, uniforms. Music from the live orchestra softly hummed through the air awaiting the time to liven up and the proper dances to begin. When we entered the hall, it was like watching a sea part before us as everyone cleared the way to the center of the room. I couldn''t see her face but I could easily assume by how desperately she was clenching her fists that Olivia was nervous.

    "¡­Are we a show to them?" Cassandra whispered after taking out her fan to cover her mouth and hide her lips from being read.

    "Everyone could tell that something was going to happen tonight," I whispered back. I scanned the room briefly before mentioning, "Though, I don''t see James anywhere." I also couldn''t spot Derik, Elder Solomon, Andrew, or the Saintess.

    "Because the event hasn''t triggered yet," Olivia muttered before proceeding up the clearing toward the center of the hall. Students watched us while using the music to hide their whispering as we walked. Before we entered the large clearing in the center of the hall, Olivia turned to us and said, "You two should wait here."

    "Are you sure?" Cassandra asked. She could tell that whatever was going to happen tonight would likely begin as soon as Olivia entered the center of the hall; as if waiting for her. James really likes his theatrics, just like his father.

    "You should remain on the sidelines and stay as quiet as possible, Cassandra, I don''t want you getting caught up in James'' mood and possibly getting in trouble," Olivia reassured Cassandra and forced herself to smile. "Once I accept the condemnation, Lucina and her knights will come up and take me away and secretly travel to the villa¡­ So please stay safe."

    "¡­You be safe too," Cassandra still didn''t like the plan since Olivia would have to throw away all her hard work in high society and go into exile, but she calmly accepted Olivia''s words.

    "¡­" Olivia turned away from us and marched with her head held high into the center clearing of the hall and, as if on cue from a play director, James entered the dance hall from the opposite end along with Derik, Andrew, Elder Solomon, and the Saintess. The Saintess was wearing the exact yellow dress that Olivia had described to me the night prior.

    "Olivia Ordrin!" James'' voice silenced the orchestra and drew all remaining eyes to him. "Tonight, I will have you answer for your crimes!"

    "Crimes?" the students around Cassandra and I started whispering and I could hear them now that the music stopped.

    "Did Her Highness commit a crime?"

    "I haven''t heard anything about it. What''s going on?" They were rightfully confused to have their graduation ball interrupted by such a terrible play.

    Olivia stood tall and asked, "And what crimes are those?"

    "Don''t play dumb!" James barked and held the Saintess closer to his side. "Your wicked deeds are known all over the academy and even beyond! As the crown prince, I cannot allow someone like you to become empress when you so openly wrong the innocent of our empire!" He gave an exaggerated wave of his hand toward the Saintess and explained, "Beatrice, a Saintess of Alm, was getting bullied by your underlings from the first year she entered the academy! From the very first day, you were jealous of Beatrice and how effortlessly she did what you couldn''t! To think you held such cruelty behind your ''perfect'' mask. I tried to let things go as your fianc¨¦, but no more! Your evil ends here, Olivia!" Wow, he must have spent all year thinking up this speech.

    "Her evil deeds?" the students whispered.

    "Didn''t Her Highness try and befriend the Saintess, though?" Yes, she did.

    "Plus, those early bullying incidents were caused by other people who were jealous and just blaming Her Highness. That was proven years ago." Yes, it was.

    Cassandra muttered, "¡­This is absurd." Yes, it is.

    Not to be outdone in stupidity, Elder Solomon stepped forward and started making his own short speech, "While the imperial family and the temples have had strained relations these past generations, I could not ignore when His Highness came to me with the Saintess covered in bruises!" He threw himself to the Saintess'' feet and proclaimed like any professional theater actor, "If you had only confided in me the treatment you had been going through sooner, I would have done all I could to stop it as an instructor at this academy!" He rose to his feet and turned to Olivia with an accusatory point of his finger. "To think you would try to have our Hearth Mother''s Saintess killed! Lady Olivia, by what confidence do you still draw breath!? By what conscience can you condemn our Saintess to being thrown down a flight of stairs!? Don''t even think about denying it as there were witnesses who saw you push her!"

    "What!?!" the students gossiped like any theater crowd, but not the kind of gossip I''m sure James would have wanted.

    "What is he talking about? Did she really do that?" Some people didn''t know, but others would quickly fill them in.

    "Of course not. I remember when that happened last week, but Her Highness was practicing her swordsmanship alone in the forest when it happened."

    "The forest? But we have a training ground for practice."

    "Don''t you know? Whenever Her Highness went to the training ground, Lord Derik would pick a fight with her, or His Highness'' servants would fetch her for something. She could never get any meaningful practice in."

    "That''s right. She talked about it at lunch one time, but Her Highness started practicing in the forest just outside the academy to avoid her brother and the imperial family''s servants."

    "A few of us secretly sneak out to watch her since she has such beautiful form, and her aura is so stunning! She was there the whole day!"

    "So, then why is the teacher claiming they have witnesses?" Because this is a terrible plan that would''ve fallen apart if James or any of these people paid even the slightest bit of attention to what Olivia was doing. The only reason no one''s speaking up about this misinformation is because of who''s saying it and who''s backing them up.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I guess it''s Andrew''s turn to recite his speech since he piped up, "While I may not have a right to say anything as a Wizard, but as a person I can''t stand by and let you get away with this!" What a tragic way to start. "Saintess Beatrice loves and cares for all lives, even yours which was why I never acted before. I didn''t want to put that pressure on her, feeling that she was the reason for our quarrels, but that was before you crossed the line!" So you were okay with her getting bullied before, but when it almost ends her life you step up? What terrible logic, like a true wizard. "I¡­I won''t remain silent!" His voice just quivered with resentment and sorrow. So far, James is the worst actor here but I''d hire the other two if I owned a theater. "The Wizard''s Tower stands behind Saintess Beatrice!"

    "Even the tower''s getting involved!?" The students were dumbfounded by Andrew''s claim.

    "But wizards hate the temples!"

    "To so openly come out in support for a Saintess¡­ What''s he planning?" Noble children lived and breathed rumors and plots and weren''t so easily convinced about Andrew''s ''sincerity''.

    "Look at the Saintess. Even though this is all about her, she''s not getting a chance to speak."

    "I saw her try a few times when teacher Solomon was talking, but he spoke over her. And now even the next archmage is doing it."

    "I wonder what kind of deal they made to come together like this?"

    "I think it''s worse than that. Look at Andrew''s face!"

    "Is he¡­blushing while taking glances at the Saintess!?"

    "It''s like that!? Is that allowed!?" No, it''s not. The temples would never willingly work with the wizard''s tower to engage one of their own to a wizard, especially in regards to a Saintess like Beatrice. The only reason this is even a possibility is because Elder Solomon is in their group. Since Elder Solomon is the messenger for the temples here in the academy, I''m fairly certain he''s kept them in the dark about all this. I won''t ruin the fun, so I''ll let the temples figure this out from all the rumors that will flood the empire once this dance is over.

    "¡­Hm?" I heard something snap next to me and I turned to see Cassandra''s fan crumbling to dust in her fist that was clenching with strength unbefitting of her cutesy appearance.

    "You know," she said in a voice laced with poison, "I get it now."

    "Get what?"

    "The desire to squash a bug beneath my heel and watch it squirm." She held out her hand to the side and¡­Kent handed her a new fan!? When did Kent get here? Cassandra''s date to the dance was Kent!? Her commoner knight?... He does look sharp when cleaned up in his suit, though. Cassandra flicked open the new fan to hide her mouth and started muttering in an almost chant-like reverence, "You think you can get away with this farce like it''s nothing? Vermin? Like you? Do you know how many connections I have? There isn''t a noble in this empire I haven''t shared tea with. I will end your social life. I''ll send that sniveling wizard back to his tower out of shame with his tail tucked so far between his legs people will mistake it as a second groin."

    "¡­" I took a step away from Cassandra.

    Annoyingly, I was drawn back to the farce by Derik''s voice as he said, "Sister, when I asked you to handle your own affairs it was to do so with the grace of a noble. To see you-" And I can''t listen to this drivel anymore so I''m going to focus on blocking out his voice. Derik, out of all four of these idiots, even more than James, is the one I can''t forgive the most. The asshole''s married and he''s doing things like this? To his own flesh and blood sister? While I wouldn''t call Vivian my friend, I would never wish anything like having Derik as her lawful husband on her. I''d heard she wasn''t attending many social events with every passing year making scarcer and scarcer appearances. Once this news reaches Wortrest, she¡­

    "Countess?" a gruff voice spoke up to bring me out of my thoughts and I turned to see two of my Hellhounds standing behind me. Their plate armor was covered in scarlet red robes with the hoods pulled up over their great helms.

    "Ready?" Guess it was time for my turn to act in this awful play I had helped write.

    "We''re ready."

    "Finally, this is almost over," Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief¡­if only she knew.

    "Let''s begin." I started walking toward Olivia with my knights in tow and soon the whispers diverged to us, but I ignored them. I met eyes with James and saw him fail at hiding a smile. I glanced at the knight to my left and whispered, "Do you have it?"

    "One of His Highness'' servants gave it to me while we were waiting outside," he replied and took out the slave collar from underneath his cloak.

    "Give it to me," I ordered and held out my hand. "I need to be the one to do this."

    "Got it," he replied and handed me the collar. It was heavier than I expected and the heretical runes along its length hummed with magic. According to history books, generations of kings struggled to deal with Magister and Aurister criminals. Oftentimes, the guilty would be immediately executed since it was almost impossible to jail them without filling the ranks of the guards with even more powerful Magisters and Auristers. But what if those same powerful people were the criminals? This problem wasn''t solved until the wizards came and eventually invented their own unique magic: enslavement magic. This metal collar and chain leash could seal a Magister''s magic or an Aurister''s aura while also forcing the wearer to obey the command of whoever was imprinted as the ''owner'' of the slave. They were expensive to make so they were only used on special slaves¡­like Olivia.

    "So now, Olivia Ordrin!" James was wrapping up his final speech. "I will officially announce that I, James Arlexton, hereby annul my engagement with you and will instead be married to Beatrice!" It was time to play my part.

    Olivia attempted to play her card, "I acce-"

    But James'' words made her hesitate, "Countess Sanguine, I leave the enslavement to you!"

    "Luci-!?!" I''m sorry, Olivia.

    ***

    Cold iron clasped around Olivia''s neck when she turned around to face Lucina. Olivia felt a part of her, deep within the core of her being, get wrenched away leaving only an emptiness in her chest; her aura had been sealed. The wind was knocked out of her lungs and she stumbled back a few steps while her hands shot up to her neck to grasp the slave collar. The chain that connected to her collar magically lengthened itself and snaked over to touch the back of Lucina''s right hand where it left a magic sigil to signify her as Olivia''s owner. This wasn''t part of the plan. Hesitantly, like a frightened animal daring to peek at the predator in front of it, Olivia looked over to Lucina.

    "Caught you~," Lucina cooed and made her voice sound both whimsical and desperate while giving her best smile. She needed to keep James thinking that she was still on his side, so Lucina played up her unstable mind to lower James'' guard.

    "L-¡­Lucina?" Olivia started trembling as realization hit her and the betrayal sank in. "W-Why ar-!?"

    "Silence," Lucina spoke with authority that activated the magic sigil on her hand. The runes along the slave collar glowed and Olivia fell silent. The less Olivia spoke out of fear, the easier Lucina could handle the situation.

    "!?!" Olivia couldn''t speak or even make the slightest sound as her voice refused to listen. The sudden loss of her free will was making her panic and she started to claw at the slave collar with her fingernails digging through her white gloves and into the flesh of her neck.

    "Calm down," Lucina ordered while grabbing Olivia''s hands to stop her.

    "¡­" The order activated and Olivia stopped struggling, though she continued to tremble in fear and tears started pouring down her cheeks.

    "¡­" Lucina had to hold herself back from ruining her plan and just slaughtering the male leads right here and now. She needed to move quickly.

    "Such is your punishment!" James'' voice echoed throughout the hall which only fueled Lucina''s desire to kill. "Repent your deeds under the watchful eyes of my Hellhound!" He gave a dismissive gesture toward Olivia and added, "I fulfill my end of our bargain, Countess."

    "¡­?" Olivia flinched at James'' words and her heart was ripped in half. Bargain. Lucina had planned this with James and acted like she was on Olivia''s side. The James from the game also mentioned a ''bargain'' but Olivia thought she avoided that by having Lucina be on her side; a desperate lie to herself. If it wasn''t for the order to ''calm down'', Olivia would have collapsed to the floor.

    "I thank you for the gift, Your Highness," Lucina replied and snapped her fingers to cause the collar''s chain to magically shorten to only a few lengths. "I''ve¡­always wanted my Olivia to be by my side~." She gave a bow toward the male leads. "Thank you for helping me fulfill my love~."

    "Love¡­right," James chuckled as he was basking in the glory that was Olivia breaking down.

    "¡­" Love? Olivia couldn''t see how anything that was happening could be considered love.

    "Which is why¡­" Lucina desperately wanted to leave; to get Olivia out of this terrible place and back to Solfin. Her desire to kill kept rising. She needed to move. "I would like to beg your forgiveness for me asking to be excused from this dance. Now that I have her¡­well¡­" She deliberately stopped talking to allow James'' mind to fill in the blanks himself.

    "Feel free, Countess." James gave his permission and gestured toward the main door. "Having a criminal here would only spoil the occasion as our empire must celebrate its next empress!" His hand wrapped around Beatrice''s waist and she shyly looked away.

    "¡­" But what James and the male leads missed, that Lucina caught, was the flash of sorrow on Beatrice''s face as if she were resigning herself to her fate. "¡­Then, it''s fate," Lucina happily said before turning around toward the exit. She gestured to Olivia and ordered, "Let''s go, Olivia."

    "¡­!" Olivia''s legs jerked forward as the magic compelled her to walk just a few feet behind Lucina, and the knights fell in behind her. Her tear-filled eyes were fixated on Lucina''s back that was obscured by her hair; a mass of thorns that now held her freedom in its prickly vines. Despite how hard her heart was racing in her chest she couldn''t show an inkling of it, and that only frightened Olivia further.

    "¡­" Lucina moved quickly while ignoring the stares she received from the students so she could get Olivia to a private place to properly calm down or else she might have a heart attack. She saw Cassandra drop her fan out of shock from the corner of her eye but ignored her and quickly moved past. There would be time for explanations and venom-filled words of hatred later, once Olivia was safe. The shadows that danced along the walls kept pace with Lucina and their gazes were fixated on Olivia. Lucina needed to move. As the main doors to the dance hall opened to allow Lucina''s group to leave, Sailest''s light poured into the hall. The cool spring air blew over them to contrast the warmth of the hall and to snuff out whatever remained of youthful innocence. And as the large doors swung shut, the male leads swooned over Beatrice as they each took a turn to dance with her. But there was no fade to black. No splash screen popped up. No credits rolled. Time would march on and life would move forward, only now they would do so without the bindings of fate.

 After the Credits

    Heels clacking against stone and metal shuffling underneath robes echoed across the otherwise empty path leading out of the academy as Lucina''s group hurriedly made their exit. Even if Olivia was now wearing the slave collar, that didn''t mean she was safe from James'' whims or other people''s schemes. "Where''s the carriage?" Lucina felt tense with how easily they were able to leave without issue.

    "Just outside the gate," one of her knights answered. "Peter''s waiting there for us."

    "We move to the first location as soon as Olivia and I are inside," Lucina ordered as her eyes fixated on the academy''s iron gates. "It will be a long night, so make sure you-!?" Her words caught in her throat as a group of three knights emerged from the shadows to block their path. Their plate armor completely covered them and they didn''t wear any crests signifying who they belonged to.

    "Countess Sanguine," the knight in the middle spoke while drawing his longsword. "Hand over Lady Olivia and we will let you pass in peace. Failure to heed our words will result in death."

    "Be quiet," Lucina annoyedly muttered as she used earth magic to cause stone spikes to erupt from the ground under the three knights. "¡­Hm?" But upon contact with the knights'' armor, the stone spikes crumbled into dust and pebbles that harmlessly fell to the ground.

    "Auristers," one of the Hellhounds muttered as he clenched his sword in a ready stance.

    The leader of the three unknown knights brushed the dust off his shoulder and asked, "Is that your final answer?"

    "¡­" Lucina ground her teeth together with how annoying things were becoming. She knew James'' shadow knights were watching this whole ordeal, but the fact they weren''t doing anything was cluing her in on who the knights belonged to. "It seems Prince Terence finally found useful shadows since he got tired of me roasting the others."

    "¡­!" Lucina''s probing guess worked as one of the knights flinched when Terence''s name was mentioned.

    "No wonder they aren''t acting," Lucina sighed and rubbed her temples. If Terence''s elite shadow knights beat Lucina then James wouldn''t have to deal with her anymore and he could go after Terence for stealing Olivia. If Lucina beat the shadows then Terence would have three less Aurister shadow knights that were capable of dealing with wizards. It was a win-win for James so his shadows remained where they were and didn''t interfere. Lucina noticed movement by the gate, past the knights, and she loudly ordered, "I don''t have time for this. Deal with them, Peter."

    "That man''s preoccupied wit-!?!" the leader of the shadows tried to sound in control but his head was swiftly cut from his shoulders as a greatsword bathed in blue fire decapitated him. Peter stood tall while his aura''s flames danced across his armor. He wasn''t wearing his helmet which showed off a new short brown beard he was sporting.

    "What!?!" The other two knights lunged at Peter to pincer attack him. Since he didn''t have a helmet, the closest knight aimed a thrust at Peter''s head to quickly take him out, but Peter deflected the blade with his own and stepped into the knight while sweeping his leg so the knight would stumble past and into his friend. "Woah!?" The second knight had to stop his arcing swing to catch his comrade or else they would have both fallen over.

    "¡­" Now that both knights were directly next to each other, Peter continued his spin and stepped toward them, poured his aura into his greatsword, and bisected both men at their waists with a devastating horizontal slash. Their plate armor offered no resistance to Peter''s blade which also ripped through their aura to end their lives. Blood painted the stone path and the knights'' intestines poured out of their bodies when they hit the ground. "Apologies for the mess, Countess," Peter apologized while swishing his sword in a large arc to throw the blood off the blade before sheathing it.

    "Are there any more?" Lucina asked as she continued her march toward the gate.

    "There were a few who tried to attack us before your arrival, but we dealt with them," Peter responded after falling in line.

    "Let His Highness deal with cleaning the mess, since all his people are doing is watching."

    "¡­" Olivia was forced to follow but her eyes were fixated on the dead knights. Powerful Aurister knights trained enough to negate magic attacks, the perfect counter to Lucina, and they were dead within seconds. Even if there was a twinge of relief hearing that Terence had sent elite knights to rescue her, did it matter in the face of such power? What kind of life awaited her now? The slave collar weighed heavily on her neck as her thoughts darkened and she didn''t even notice when they arrived at the carriage.

    "¡­" Lucina waited a few moments for Olivia to get in, but when she didn''t Lucina clenched her fists and reluctantly ordered, "Get in."

    "¡­" Olivia entered the carriage and sat down next to Lucina. As soon as the door shut, the carriage rode off and made its way through the capital''s streets. Olivia''s body was still trembling and the tears stained her cheeks while her eyes stared blankly at the floor.

    "¡­Here," Lucina said before getting up and sitting on the opposite side of the carriage and as far away from Olivia as she could. "I relinquish all active orders."

    "!?!" Olivia gasped as her voice listened to her and her body was once again hers to control. Her hands shot up to the collar and she tried to rip it off, but the magic collar was too strong for just her physical strength alone to break. "S-Sta-Status!" Olivia stammered out in her panic and breathed a slight sigh of relief once her stats page displayed in its usual pink semitransparent square. There was an effect on her stat page next to her aura.

    (Aura: A- [Sealed])

    (Sealed: The user is unable to use their aura because of a magic slave collar and a minor penalty will be applied to all physical stats. This effect and its penalties will be removed once the magic slave collar is taken off.)

    "¡­" It was some comfort that she could still use her menus, and that the Sealed effect was straightforward without any surprises, but Olivia also found her situation strange. It would''ve made things easier if Lucina had kept the active orders going, or even given her more orders since she was forced to obey, but she didn''t. Lucina removed the orders and was even sitting at the opposite end of the carriage as if to give Olivia some space to be more comfortable. "¡­What''s¡­going on?" Olivia''s voice was a shaky whisper as she pushed herself further into the corner of her seat.

    "I''ll tell you later," Lucina replied without looking at Olivia as Lucina''s eyes were scanning the capital''s streets outside the carriage''s windows as if watching for something. Light would wash over them in waves as they rode past streetlights which were the only sources of illumination inside the carriage.

    "Now!" Olivia demanded and raised her voice. "Tell me now!"

    "¡­" Lucina turned toward Olivia and watched her flinch under her gaze. "Would you believe me?"

    "¡­" Defeat infected Lucina''s voice that sent an unease creeping through Olivia''s spine. Why did she sound hurt? The more time went on the more this ''betrayal'' wasn''t feeling like one. "Then¡­are we going straight to Solfin?"

    "Not yet," Lucina answered before looking back out the window. "We need to stop at my parent''s mansion to pick up someone, first."

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t ask further as she wasn''t sure she would get an answer to any of her remaining questions, so she decided to try and calm down her racing heart. So far, Lucina hadn''t done anything to her and wasn''t using the collar''s orders to do anything other than get her out of the academy as quickly as possible. Lucina obviously had a plan, but it was one that Olivia couldn''t even think of trying to figure out.

    (Countess Lucina Sanguine is not your Ally.)

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    The same results box appeared, so what was Lucina doing? Olivia''s mind raced and distracted her so much that the next time she looked up they were at the Felswore''s mansion.

    "Lucina?" Elizabeth was wearing a coat over a casual dress as she called out to the carriage that stopped in front of the mansion''s gates. "Is everything alright? We did what you asked, but what''s going on?" She watched as the Hellhound knights rode their horses and circled around to ride past Elizabeth. Charles was standing beside his wife and brought her closer to him as the atmosphere around the knights made him nervous.

    "Is she here?" Lucina asked as she opened the carriage door and got out.

    "Y-Yes," Elizabeth responded uneasily. "We invited her like you asked, but why did you want to see her at this time of night when you should be at your graduation dance?" Olivia took a peek outside the open door and was stunned by who she saw with the Felswores.

    "M-Mary?" Her personal maid, Mary, was standing behind Elizabeth.

    "My La-!?!" Mary saw the slave collar around Olivia''s neck and immediately rushed to the carriage. "My Lady!? What''s going on!? Why do you have that terrible thing around your neck!?"

    "Mary¡­" Olivia felt fresh tears start falling down her cheeks as Mary started fussing over her. "I-"

    "Mary," Lucina''s voice pierced the moment and redirected everyone''s attention to the fact that the Hellhounds had their swords drawn and surrounded Mary with their horses. "While this may be rather sudden, I''ll be kidnapping you."

    "¡­What?" Mary took a step back and pressed her back against the carriage.

    "Lucina!?" Elizabeth shouted in shock as Lucina hadn''t told them why they were supposed to wait with Mary at their mansion''s gates.

    "¡­What''s going on?" Charles asked as he kept a firm grasp on his wife''s shoulders to stop her from running to Lucina and possibly escalating this unknown situation.

    Lucina recited for her parents and Mary, "As per His Highness'' decree: Olivia Ordrin is stripped of her place as his fianc¨¦ for the act of bullying Saintess Beatrice and is to serve repentance as my slave." She gestured to Mary and added, "Since you''ve served Olivia since she was born, I''ll be using my authority in this matter to take you as well to continue caring for her. You won''t be able to stay at the palace now, anyway, so get in the carriage." Even though she was speaking to Mary, Lucina''s eyes kept glancing at the shadows that loomed in the trees around the mansion; their eyes always watching.

    "¡­If this is an imperial decree, then I shall follow," Mary''s voice was surprisingly composed as she did her best to not show how afraid she was at having heavily armored knights leveling their swords at her. She quickly got in the carriage, took a seat next to Olivia, and sat in a position to use her body as a shield from where Lucina would be sitting.

    "¡­Lucina?" Elizabeth, for the first time, was frightened of her daughter.

    "When the Duke comes, make sure to tell him everything and that if he wants to talk he should come to Solfin," Lucina explained while holding back the urge to run into her mother''s arms. It wasn''t safe.

    "¡­If that''s what you want," Charles solemnly replied as he noticed what Lucina was constantly glancing at.

    "Charles!?" Elizabeth was irate, but Charles quickly hugged her close to secretly whisper in her ear.

    "I''ll explain inside. Trust me." He realized what Lucina was doing: she was giving them deniability. As soon as Richard was made aware of what was going on, he would either storm directly to Solfin or he would come to the Felswores for answers. By using her Hellhounds to ''threaten'' them into giving over Mary, Lucina ensured that her parents were also ''victims'' and that the full blame would lie with her.

    "Then, I bid you goodnight," Lucina gave a bow to her parents before quickly boarding the carriage and having it set off on their journey to Solfin. For a long time, the inside of the carriage was completely silent. Olivia was huddled in the corner with Mary''s arms wrapped around her while Mary glared daggers at Lucina who silently waited for Olivia to muster up the courage to speak.

    Eventually, once they were out of the city and Sailest''s light was able to softly illuminate the inside of the carriage, Olivia found her voice and asked, "Now¡­can you tell me what''s going on? That''s the reason why you brought Mary, right?"

    "¡­Right." Lucina took a deep breath before she started to explain, "As you''ve probably guessed, I made a deal with James that he would enslave and give you to me while he chases the skirt of the Saintess."

    "Why?" Olivia felt a knife twist in her heart upon hearing her fears directly from Lucina''s mouth.

    "Because that''s the only prophecy where you live, so I suggested it to him."

    "What!?" Olivia''s voice was filled with anger and she fought against Mary who tried to keep Olivia as far away from Lucina as possible; despite not knowing what Lucina meant or why Olivia was so particularly angry about it. "We were supposed to change that! Together! That was the whole point!"

    "And it was impossible from the start!" Lucina''s voice was raised, but not in anger. There was a depressed resignation and bitterness that gave Olivia pause as she watched Lucina rub her forehead and scratch her cheek in discomfort.

    "¡­What do you mean?" Olivia was still angry, but also curious as to what Lucina would say.

    "I only suggested the idea of enslavement to James because I overheard him and Andrew Mystyr talking alone in the student council room¡­" The memory was bitter, but Lucina forced herself to continue since Olivia deserved a proper explanation, "They¡­ James was planning on hiring an assassin to kill you so he could marry the Saintess and was asking Andrew how much he believed it would cost."

    "¡­" Olivia opened her mouth to speak but couldn''t think of any words. Had it not been for Mary''s arms around her, and her hands shakily holding her own, Olivia didn''t think she would have the soundness of mind to keep pushing for answers. She tightened her grip on Mary''s hand and asked the question she was dreading the answer to, "When?"

    "..." Lucina hesitated and debated on giving a lie to make it hurt less, but decided that now was time for the truth, "The first day of school, after you introduced yourself to the Saintess and after we separated when class ended. James saw her out a window and was smitten by her looks."

    "M-My Lady!?" Mary panicked because as soon as Olivia heard the answer she lost all her strength and went limp in Mary''s arms. "Please, are you-?"

    "Never¡­I¡­" Olivia was forced to come to terms with reality. "As soon as he saw her?... I never had a chance¡­did I?"

    Lucina elaborated, "If I didn''t step in and put the idea in his head, James would have gone through with trying to assassinate you; probably throughout the entire school year depending on if the first attempt failed and he could get away with it."

    "¡­Why didn''t you tell me?" There were so many conflicting emotions and feelings in Olivia''s heart that she felt like she was about to throw up. "If you had told me¡­I-"

    "Would have confronted James about it," Lucina interrupted and her words cut to the point and caused Olivia to fall silent. "You''re¡­very direct about things that should be handled delicately. If I had told you the plan, you would have started acting differently to work around it or just asked James if he was planning to kill you, or for an annulment which would have hurt his ego if you were the one to suggest it and tipped him off. James has known you for years so I didn''t want him picking up on any changes to how he thinks you would act¡­ So I didn''t say anything." Lucina''s hands uncomfortably fidgeted as she forced herself to come clean and found it was surprisingly easy to do so as if some weight had lifted off her that normally would have kept her silent, "To trick James, I needed to trick you, too¡­I¡­" But the feeling was short-lived as Lucina''s stomach churned to stop her from talking. Her mind was a mess.

    "¡­What happens now?" Olivia forced the silence to break because she didn''t want to be alone in her thoughts.

    "First, we''ll head to Solfin," Lucina explained while her fingernails dug into her arm. "We''ll be swapping carriages at certain checkpoints so we''ll always be on the move to try and outrun any more assassins; I can more easily protect you in Solfin. I have a safe room in my mansion you''ll stay in. There''s plenty of-"

    "I meant¡­about me." Olivia hesitantly clarified, "What are you going to do to me?" She still believed Lucina held some hatred in her because of the war and was curious as to what Lucina would make her do now that she was enslaved.

    "¡­Nothing?" Lucina was taken aback by Olivia''s question and stopped digging into her arm. "I''m not going to force you to do anything, other than stay inside where it''s safe since James'' shadows are on us like leaches and I don''t want him taking you away with his Royal Grace authority."

    "Royal Grace authority?"

    Lucina nodded and explained, "Since you''re a¡­special slave that requires a magic collar, the imperial family has the right to revoke my ownership of you during the first year of ownership if a valid reason is put forward; Royal Grace. I don''t want James to be able to make up an excuse to use it and hurt you, so we''ll be laying low in Solfin for the next year. B-But after the Grace is over, we can-!"

    "Don''t you hate me?"

    "¡­Why would I hate you?" Lucina sounded desperate as she pleaded, "I''ve never hated you! I-¡­" The words caught in her throat and her stomach continued to churn. This was the worst possible time to say it, but Lucina wanted to make everything as clear as possible moving forward, "I meant what I said in the dance hall¡­" She forced herself to look Olivia in the eyes as she confessed, "I''m doing this because I love you."

    "¡­Love?" Olivia''s confusion and misunderstandings were catching up to her in her brain as she tried to make sense of what was going on, only to overthink things and end up back where she started. "You''re¡­doing this because you love me?"

    "¡­Yes," Lucina lowered her gaze and added, "I¡­tried confessing to you a few years ago, if you remember? Before the hunting competition that one year?"

    "¡­!" Olivia recalled the memory of Lucina implying her feelings while kissing a lock of Olivia''s hair, but she also remembered the results box that halted those thoughts. "¡­But¡­you¡­"

    "I stopped pursuing you and held back after that because you seemed disgusted by the idea," that same somber resignation and bitterness reentered Lucina''s voice. "I didn''t want our friendship to end¡­so I brushed it off like a passing joke to not make you uncomfortable...which didn''t work."

    "¡­" Olivia couldn''t believe what she was hearing, but also couldn''t refute that the only reason she acted differently toward Lucina was because of the result box¡­the result box? "¡­Wait." Normally, in the game, status boxes would automatically appear during quests, when stats changed, or when capture targets affection changed, but Olivia always had to manually summon her menus. She assumed automatic boxes were a privilege of the main character that she didn''t get since she was the villainess which meant she had to actively think about and manually check if something was different. She always believed herself confined to the same restrictions as the game since she had a system that was the exact same as the game''s, but she also experienced that this world was real through her interactions with everyone; two conflicting ideologies that, looking back, would be the root cause of many misunderstandings. Even if she had a system, that didn''t mean she was forced to follow the original game''s rules. The original game didn''t have homosexual relationship options, or allow Ally characters to become capture targets since the capture targets were fixed so she dismissed the idea of Lucina loving her in a romantic way. But this wasn''t a game and, even if it was, the original plot was already over. If that was true, then¡­

    "I know these feelings¡­this whole situation¡­will make you uncomfortable, so I''ll do my best to interact with you as little as possible once we''re in Solfin." Lucina resigned herself and forced a smile as she said, "You won''t lack anything, and Mary will be taking care of you so you have someone you can trust by your side, but I will have to restrict your movements to throw James off. We''ll also have to put on a few acts, now and again, so¡­ It''s fine if you hate me, I don''t expect you to ever return my feelings after doing this to you but know that I''ll do everything I can to keep you safe." Olivia noticed that, despite her face holding concern and hesitation, Lucina kept her eyes completely fixated on Olivia; eyes filled with a festering longing. "No matter what¡­"

    (Display Capture Target: Countess Lucina Sanguine)

    (Success)

    (Name: Lucina Sanguine [Formerly: Felswore])

    (Titles: Countess of Solfin, Harbinger of Zulm, Commander of the Hellhounds, Butcher of Toldrin)

    (Health: 1000/1000)

    (Magic Reserve: 9,993/10,000)

    (Strength: C+)

    (Agility: C)

    (Stamina: B)

    (Aura: N/A)

    (Magic: S)

    (Status Effects: War Exhaustion [Minor], Passive Magic Recovery)

    (Unique Traits: Gravity Magic Specialization [Portal Master])

    (Affection: [ERROR])

    (ERROR: The Capture Target''s affection for you is beyond the normal scope of this system and cannot be properly measured. Caution is advised as this level of affection is considered dangerous for you since the Capture Target may act in ways that are counterintuitive to your well-being while justifying the necessity. Using common terminology, examples of this level of affection may include but are not limited to: Stalkers, Stans, and Yanderes.)

    "I love you, Olivia."

 Four Walls and a Door

    The journey to Solfin went by far quicker than normal thanks to carriage hopping, and the towering walls soon dwarfed themselves over the group as they finally reached the city. Aside from being a coastal city, Solfin didn''t have much description in the game so Olivia was seeing the city for the first time. Farm fields were receiving their last-minute sewing before the summer growth season hit while a bright atmosphere surrounded the workers. There were a handful of cobbled-together shanty houses along the outside of the wall, but they looked completely abandoned and there were workers doing their best to safely tear them down. Despite her unease, Olivia couldn''t help but marvel at how much the city she''d read about in reports and Lucina''s letters had changed, especially once they passed the gates and entered the city proper. Roads with freshly paved stones snaked through the city with the main street being packed with people going about their afternoons. Shops were bustling, restaurants were filled with lunch crowds, and quite a few citizens gave a friendly wave or other gesture to the Hellhounds as the carriage rode past. Thanks to Solfin''s natural incline, Olivia was able to stare out her window at the endless ocean that lay beyond with ships dotting the horizon that made their way to and from the city. Olivia couldn''t help but whisper to herself, "It''s so peaceful."

    "It took a few years, but it''s finally getting there," Lucina replied. "There are still a few issues that need sorting, but otherwise, Solfin is a jewel of a city." She opened her window and a warm breeze danced into the carriage carrying with it the smell of lunch and the sounds of a city filled with life. For a brief moment, Olivia forgot about the collar around her neck and enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere. The carriage eventually made its way to the dense wall of trees that marked the beginning of the hill that would take them to Lucina''s mansion and gate guards gave a salute as the carriage approached before opening the black iron gate. Rolling green grass stretched out before them toward the mansion and garden that surrounded it with its flowers still in full bloom. It was a cozy mansion tucked away in the trees atop its solitary hill. "We should head inside before speaking further," Lucina said as the carriage trotted up to the front door. "His Highness'' shadows are in the trees surrounding us."

    "¡­" Olivia was brought back to the weight of her collar and she gave a meek nod.

    As they exited the carriage, a maid with long, curly brown hair and dark brown eyes greeted them, "Welcome back, Madam."

    "Is everything ready, Tress?" Lucina asked as she led Olivia and Mary into the mansion with Tress falling in line next to Lucina.

    "All the laundry was freshly done, everything is dusted, and lunch will be ready in roughly ten minutes," Tress replied before giving a nod to another maid who quickly rushed to the kitchen to check on lunch.

    "Good," Lucina breathed a small sigh of relief as she led the group up the stairs all the way to the third floor. She mumbled to herself, "At least we can start the first day without issue."

    Tress ruined Lucina''s mood by reporting, "We did catch another ''burglar'' before your arrival. The knights were able to stop them before they reached the vault."

    "Let me guess, he''s dead?" Lucina annoyedly asked while rolling her eyes.

    "He bit off his own tongue, like the others," Tress reported as the group reached the door to the vault-turned-safe room on the third floor.

    "Great," Lucina sarcastically remarked while standing in front of the door. "Once lunch is ready, bring it up. I''ll be eating with Olivia today to put on an act for those leaches to give them something to report back on the first day." While there wasn''t a window directly in front of the safe room''s door, there were others on the third floor that someone hidden in the tree line could, potentially, see a little bit inside from. They couldn''t see into the safe room, but they could see who entered and exited.

    "Got it," Tress replied before giving a bow and heading back down the stairs.

    "Tress is my lady-in-waiting," Lucina turned to Olivia and Mary to explain, "If you need anything, ask her, and she''ll do her best to help. While Olivia will have to stay in the safe room, Mary, you can wander the mansion''s grounds but I wouldn''t suggest going into the city."

    Mary was openly hostile toward Lucina as she asked, "Is that an order?"

    "¡­Mary?" Olivia was still unsure how to act around Lucina, but she figured open hostility wasn''t the way to go.

    "I''m saying this for your safety." Lucina didn''t let Mary''s tone bother her since she knew it was out of concern for Olivia, so she explained, "We need to lay low which means I can only deal with His Highness'' shadows if they enter my estate as I''ll have undeniable cause. I won''t protect you if you get snatched away in the city''s streets. Olivia comes first."

    "¡­" Mary lowered her gaze and fidgeted uncomfortably as she couldn''t deny her helplessness in this situation.

    "If you need anything, talk to Tress, whether it''s extra clothes, a specific kind of food you''d like prepared, or even a letter sent."

    Olivia perked up and she asked, "I can send letters?"

    "So long as you make sure to tell the recipient to burn them after reading, then we can try," Lucina replied. "We can''t let His Highness know I''m letting you send them, so give any letters to Tress and I''ll make sure they get delivered without notice."

    "But, aren''t James'' shadows surrounding the estate?" Olivia asked. "How will you trick them?"

    "I have a way," Lucina replied but didn''t elaborate further. "We''ve delayed in the hall long enough, if you want to talk more we should head inside your room."

    "My room¡­" Olivia hesitantly stepped toward the door. She knew the safe room was originally a vault that Lucina had converted, but other than that Olivia had no idea what to expect. Lucina unlocked the door and stepped aside to allow Olivia to open it and enter first. And when she did, Olivia was bewildered at what was inside. "¡­My room?" Olivia had to blink and rub her eyes a few times because the safe room was a near-perfect one-to-one replica of her room back in Wortrest. Every piece of furniture that was custom-made for her, the carpet that was partially under the bed at a slightly off angle, and even the curtains that hung from the walls were the exact same. The only thing that broke the perfection was a bath that was installed in the far corner with a divider, that was currently folded, to block the view from the doorway. There were also no windows with the curtains being hung up against solid walls, and the only other source of light aside from the open door was a replica chandelier that used the same enchantment as the streetlights to light up the room in a soft orange light. It was eerie how close yet off it felt to be in the room.

    Lucina stood back in the doorway while Olivia and Mary slowly entered the room, and said, "I wanted to give a sense of familiarity to help you during the next year, so I made sure to get everything as close as possible. We can always change it to something else if you''d like, but it will take time to hide the renovations from the shadows."

    "It''s¡­" Olivia opened the wardrobe to find it filled with dresses of various colors and designs that Olivia liked, and the jewelry on the dresser all complemented the dresses and matched Olivia''s taste. If she wasn''t being weighed down by the slave collar, Olivia would have found the room charming even if the preparation that went into this room was frightening. "It''s all-!?!" Anxiety gripped Olivia as her eyes went to the bed and were drawn to the pillows. Silently sitting against the pillows were the two dolls Olivia and Lucina had made when they were kids; dolls that should still be back in Wortrest. She rushed over and picked up the dolls that had the same worn stitching, the same awkwardly made clothing, and the same wear from being hugged to sleep over the years. "How¡­did you get these?"

    "I stopped by Wortrest to pick them up beforehand," Lucina replied without going into any detail. Her eyes watched Olivia with an intensity that didn''t match her slightly awkward body language.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Did you¡­" Olivia hesitated, but not asking questions or pressing for answers was what led her to her misunderstandings, so she pushed forward, "Use your portals to get them without anyone knowing?"

    (Unique Traits: Gravity Magic Specialization [Portal Master])

    "¡­Portals?" Lucina visibly flinched and her smile slowly faded into a frown. Her eyes drilled into Olivia as Lucina asked, "What portals?"

    "¡­" Olivia was feeling afraid but also conflicted since Lucina wasn''t using an order to force Olivia to answer. Perhaps the unease and hints of anger Olivia felt from Lucina weren''t being directed at her, but at someone else? "I learned about it from one of my skills, like Status," she explained to test Lucina.

    "Your skill?" Lucina repeated and cautiously asked, "Not something someone said to you?"

    "No." There it was. "I saw you had the ability to make portals thanks to another skill I have, so I assumed that''s how you got them." Lucina wasn''t upset that Olivia knew her ability, Lucina was worried that someone else knew about it and was leaking it around. To further alleviate Lucina''s worry since it seemed like she wanted her portals to remain a secret, Olivia turned to Mary and ordered, "Not a word of what we''re saying gets out, even to Father."

    "¡­I shall keep my silence, my Lady." Mary had no idea what they were talking about with ''skill'' or ''Status'' but could tell by the tense atmosphere it was something she shouldn''t delve into. Her priority was Olivia''s immediate safety, not prying into secrets between her and Lucina.

    "¡­Your soul reflection really is unique." Lucina relaxed her shoulders and took a deep breath to calm down, and she remained in the doorway as if fearful of entering the room. Awkwardly, she asked, "Do you¡­have any questions about it?"

    "A few, but I don''t want to have a conversation across the room with you." Olivia put down the dolls and motioned to a table with chairs that were against the far wall, which was supposed to be a window, and said, "Let''s sit down." Her fear of Lucina was still there, but she accepted that Lucina wouldn''t hurt her which got one of the many weights off her shoulders.

    "Okay!" Lucina''s whole demeanor brightened when she was allowed inside, despite this being her mansion, and she closed the door before quickly crossing the room to sit down in one of the chairs.

    "Mary," Olivia asked as she sat across from Lucina, "Can you wait outside for lunch to arrive?"

    Mary was taken aback and tried to refute leaving Olivia alone with Lucina, "But, my La-"

    "It''s fine, Mary." Olivia did her best to give Mary a confident smile to ease her maid''s heart. "Nothing will happen, I just don''t want you getting dragged into more than you already are."

    "With all due respect, my Lady¡­" Mary began and didn''t budge from her spot while putting a hand on her chest over her heart. "I will be ignoring that order, and will remain by your side."

    "Mary, I-"

    "I refuse!" Mary''s voice cracked as she fought to control her emotions. Her hands trembled as they gripped her maid uniform and she said, "I was with you from the moment of your birth and, while it may be unbecoming of me as a mere maid to think this, I see you as my own daughter, at times. The Duchess entrusted you to me when we entered the palace and I did what I could to help you be comfortable with what little sway I had with the imperial servants¡­but¡­" Her eyes were fixed on the metal collar around Olivia''s neck. "No matter what is said or done, I will take it all to my grave, for you." Mary got down on one knee and bowed her head low to Olivia.

    "Mary¡­" The staunchness of Mary''s resolve and the steadfastness in her voice touched Olivia to the point she couldn''t refuse. "Please, continue to look after me."

    "Of course, my Lady," Mary replied, stood up, and took her place standing just behind Olivia.

    Lucina gave a disgruntled sigh and reasoned, "If that is Olivia''s wish, then I''ll accept it." She sat up straight in her chair and asked, "What would you like to know?"

    Olivia was determined to get answers and started broadly with, "While I can see that you can make portals, I don''t know the specifics. What can your portals do and what are their limits?"

    Lucina paused for a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking, "From what I understand, I''m able to use gravity magic to¡­pull two places together."

    "You''re pulling places?"

    "Yes. I got the idea to try it when I was looking at a map with two holes in it." Lucina pulled out an old, blood-stained handkerchief from a hidden pocket in her dress'' sleeve and folded it in half. "If I set the points of gravity for two ''places'' and bring them together then the two holes overlap and become one, connecting the two places on the map. In practice, pulling the two places together makes a hole to allow the connection. I accidentally did this during the final battle of the war, at Toldrin, and opened a portal all the way back to the capital."

    "¡­Huh." Olivia immediately recognized the handkerchief as the one she gave Lucina back when she first went off to war. Lucina still kept it all this time. "¡­" Something stirred in her heart but now wasn''t the time for that so she brushed the feeling aside and asked, "Can you make a portal to anywhere?"

    "No. I''ve done some testing and found I can only make portals to places I''ve been to before or have at least seen in real life. I tried going somewhere just from a picture I saw in a book, but wasn''t able to do it." Lucina gently folded the handkerchief and put it back in her sleeve pocket. "The portal also needs a lot of material to use since I need to create a ball of metal out of various objects to open one."

    "Like the eye that appeared in the capital," Olivia muttered as she thought back to the day the massive eye opened over Gorinville. She had wondered what the pupil of that eye had been, and Lucina''s explanation gave Olivia a few morbid ideas. "Then, with your portals, I can secretly go-"

    "No," Lucina abruptly cut Olivia off with a friendly, yet stern tone of voice.

    "B-But since no one knows about your portals we can keep it a secret," Olivia tried to reason.

    "Until they find out," Lucina was being firm. "I know I can''t keep my ability a secret forever, but I''ll keep it as long as I can. All it takes is one person to gossip for a rumor to spread. Plus, I can''t guarantee your safety if you leave this room." The replica room was feeling less and less charming.

    "¡­Not even my family?" Olivia''s hands tightly gripped her dress under the table as she worked to keep her composure under Lucina''s oppressive gaze.

    "Not even them," Lucina flatly answered. The rot behind her eyes was on full display as she stared into Olivia''s eyes.

    "¡­" Olivia wanted to keep pushing for it but felt that it was pointless. This was probably what her system meant when it said Lucina would act in ways that were counterintuitive to what Olivia wanted out of ''love''. Olivia being ''safe'' was more important than her freedom. She dropped the topic and went back to her other line of questions, "Does the amount of material change the portal?"

    Lucina seemed happy that they had moved on and answered, "The more metal I use, the larger the portal becomes and the longer it lasts. I can make one fairly easily that''s large enough for a person to walk through and it lasts for roughly two seconds."

    "Does it have to be metal?" A compacted ball of metal must be cumbersome to use because of the weight which limits the feasibility of using the portals as you would need enough metal on hand to make a large enough portal to travel through.

    "Metal''s the only material I''ve found that can withstand the pressure and heat my magic creates to do it." Lucina fell silent as she thought about alternative materials but had her thoughts interrupted by a knock from the door.

    "It''s Tress, Madam," Tress called from beyond the closed door. "I''ve brought lunch."

    "Enter." Lucina turned her attention back to Olivia and said, "We can continue our conversation after lunch, and after we both change." Both Olivia and Lucina were still wearing their dresses from the graduation ball despite it already being two days later. The journey to Solfin was considerably shortened by always being on the move, constantly changing carriages to have fresh horses, and keeping the horses at a gallop or fast trot.

    "A-Ah, right." Now that she was allowing herself to start to relax, Olivia realized she was wearing the same clothes and that she hadn''t bathed for two days straight; thankfully, at least, Mary had removed her makeup in the carriage their first night. They had only eaten light food that wouldn''t force them to stop so the thought of a proper bath and meal made Olivia''s stomach growl. "What''s for-!" Once Tress entered the room, a distinct smell of fresh fish filled Olivia''s nose along with another scent that tickled her nostalgia despite her not being able to put her finger on why. Once Mary helped Tress set the table and present the food, though, Olivia felt herself freeze.

    Lucina explained, "Since you always complained about the taste back in the capital, I had the chefs prepare sushi for the first meal we''d have here so you can get a taste of what Solfin has to offer over the capital." Between Olivia and Lucina sat a large platter that was filled with a variety of sushi types topped with different fish, and a set of silverware was put next to her plate along with traditional Peltairan chopsticks. Small silver bowls containing various sauces were also placed down on the table with one in particular that contained a green paste that looked a little rough and Olivia immediately realized what was tickling her nostalgia. "I don''t know what your favorite might be, so I had them prepare a variety to start off. I also brought all the most popular condiments that people have been using¡­so¡­" Lucina nervously looked at Olivia who was silently staring at the platter with an unreadable expression on her face.

    "¡­Let''s eat," Olivia unconsciously mumbled before picking up the chopsticks and effortlessly using them to grab a nigirizushi. Lucina, who was terrible at using chopsticks, picked up some sushi with her fork while keeping a watchful eye on Olivia. With her free hand, Olivia reached over and grabbed the bowl of green paste to dab her sushi in before putting the whole thing in her mouth.

    ***

    "I''m home~!" A memory buried beneath a thick layer of time.

    "Welcome back, Ayaka." A person stolen too soon.

    "What''s for dinner?" A time of innocence.

    "Oh!? Don''t run in the house, and take your shoes off at the door, you''re not in kindergarten anymore."

    "Ok~."

    "There was a sale so I bought some fish and even found fresh wasabi. I''ll be making sushi with the leftover rice."

    "Yay!"

    "Would you like to help mom prepare it?"

    "Yes!"

    "Then, go wash your hands and I''ll bring out the grater."

    "Is Dad joining us, today?"

    "Your father¡­is working overtime. The company called him last-minute so he won''t be back until late tonight. But Sato-chan and her parents will be coming over, so I''ll need your help to get everything ready by then. Okay?"

    "You can count on me!"

    "That''s my girl~."

    ***

    "¡­" Olivia started to cry.

    "O-Olivia!?" Lucina shot up from her seat as soon as she saw the tears and started fearing that something was wrong with the food. Did James manage to poison the fish while it was being transported to the mansion? Would she need to crack down on every piece of food that came in, now? Tress and Mary also immediately started reaching for the food to take it away, fearing the worst. "Are you-?" Olivia swallowed, grabbed another piece of nigirizushi, dipped it in the green paste, and stuffed her mouth once again. "¡­Olivia?"

    "¡­" The stickiness of the white rice, the freshness of the fish, and the clean spiciness of the gritty paste that nearly perfectly mimicked wasabi cascaded Olivia with nostalgia. This long-forgotten taste and texture in her mouth, with every chew, pulled at her heartstrings to the point her tears refused to relent. Her time spent filled with worry, fear, and anxiety seemed to melt away as the feeling of a long-lost home filled Olivia''s soul. "It''s¡­ It''s really¡­really good," Olivia managed to speak through her tears as she stuffed another piece of sushi into her mouth.

    "¡­I''m glad," Lucina said with a relieved smile and fell back into her chair as her racing heart calmed down. Using her fork to help guide her terrible chopstick technique, Lucina joined Olivia in enjoying their meal together, and even though not a word was said, a gentle calm filled the air. For the moment, the two girls found peace in each other''s company.

 Inklings of Humanity

    "Are you uncomfortable at all, my Lady?" Mary asked as she started washing Olivia''s hair while Olivia soaked in the bathtub. It had been almost a week since Olivia arrived in Solfin where things were unnervingly quiet. They had just finished enjoying omelets stuffed with crab meat for breakfast before taking a bath to start the day.

    "No, the water''s fine," Olivia replied as she blankly stared at the ceiling of her prison. "What have you found out?"

    "I''m sorry to say, not much," Mary somberly admitted as she rinsed Olivia''s hair with a bucket of water.

    "Are you being ignored?"

    "No, far from it, the other servants openly talk with me and are more than happy to show me around if I ask. But there''s a hesitance whenever I bring up the Countess." To not stir up trouble, Olivia obediently stayed silent in her room while having Mary integrate herself with the mansion''s staff to try and get a feel of the situation. "It''s an open secret that the Crown Prince is having people watch the mansion, as well as the hostility between him and the Countess. A few even badmouthed the Crown Prince in hushed whispers, but no one ever spoke about the Countess."

    "At all? Not even idle remarks?"

    "None." Mary helped finish washing Olivia off and grabbed a fresh towel to hand to her. "Even the imperial palace''s maids would occasionally gossip about the princes, but I''ve never heard a single word regarding the Countess, and if I bring it up first then the mood quickly sours. But what''s stranger is that none of them seem openly afraid of her, only when I try to ask about her does the mood shift."

    "The mansion''s smaller than the palace so getting caught for gossiping is probably easier, here," Olivia reasoned as she finished drying off, tossed the towel aside, and put on a bathrobe. She led Mary over to the dresser that had a large mirror attached to it where she took a seat and Mary started brushing Olivia''s hair. "Considering how Lucina handled the Rolfs, the servants probably have an unspoken rule to never talk about Lucina''s¡­behavior. But you said they aren''t openly afraid of her?"

    "They all greet the Countess respectfully and she''s never been hostile toward anyone, from what I''ve seen. Some even speak casually with her." Mary finished untangling Olivia''s hair, which was naturally silky smooth so she didn''t have to do much, and grabbed some hair ties. "Would you like your hair styled?"

    "No, just leave it." Olivia stared into the mirror at her reflection and lightly traced the slave collar with her fingers. So far, Lucina would only visit her during dinner where she would ask about any inconveniences Olivia might have while eating with her. She would stay for around half an hour after they finished their meal before intentionally messing up her hair a little and leaving to make it seem like she was doing more than just visiting. "¡­" Olivia tapped her fingers against the dresser in thought about what to do going forward. She didn''t want to spend an entire year trapped in this single room; she''d go stir-crazy.

    "Olivia?" Bringing Olivia out of her thoughts, Lucina knocked on the door. "I need your help with something."

    "Come in," Olivia called and a moment later the door opened with Lucina leading Tress and two other maids inside. "¡­What''s going on?"

    "Time is of the essence," Lucina replied and the three maids approached Olivia while holding some clothes in their arms. "But I need your help to stop your father from putting my city to the torch."

    ***

    "We''re approaching the gates!" Thomas cried out from where he rode alongside Richard as they led the Azure Hawk knights to Solfin. As soon as word reached Wortrest of what happened during the academy''s graduation dance, Richard mobilized the entire knight order to march on Solfin as quickly as they could. He remembered receiving a report that Lucina''s carriage had rushed through Wortrest but didn''t think anything of it at the time. Now, he regretted not stopping that carriage. "My Lord?" Thomas tried to get Richard''s attention. "While I agree that rescuing Lady Olivia is paramount, we can''t just invade-"

    "That bitch stole my daughter!" Richard barked back and the fury in his eyes burned brighter than any flame. "It was not enough that the crown tossed her aside like some old toy they no longer desired, but to also make her a slave because she was ''bullying'' someone!? Derik is also, somehow, involved in this mess, and then Olivia''s also stabbed in the back by a so-called friend!?" As soon as Olivia entered the academy, demons started appearing more frequently all over the empire which gave Richard little time to keep up to date with what was happening in the capital. He left things alone to focus on the subjugations since he received letters from both Derik and Olivia saying that everything was fine with Olivia''s even saying her school life was uneventful and that he didn''t need to worry. But knowing what little he did from the sparse rumors that were now bleeding to Wortrest, and this strange outcome, Richard now doubted if Olivia really was the one writing to him for the past four years. Even his son was, supposedly, in on it. "Marcus be damned, I will see heads roll for this!"

    "And I agree with you, my Lord! But we aren''t prepared for this fight!" Thomas had been trying to reason with Richard the entire march to no avail, and now that Solfin was upon them he tried one last time before any blood was shed. "The Emperor and Duke Hoffman will be at our throats if we take Solfin, which the Emperor personally gave to the Countess. We only recently managed to deal with the recent infernal gates, but Duke Einbore is still dealing with demons in the north so he will likely join their side if we start this!"

    "¡­" Richard remained silent and kept his horse at a gallop.

    "My Lord! Please think about-¡­?" As Thomas tried to reason more with Richard, the sight of knights at Solfin''s gate silenced him. The Hellhound knights were waiting on horseback at the gates, fully armed and armored. A single knight broke off from the Hellhound''s formation and rode up to the approaching Azure Hawks and Richard brought his knights to a stop.

    "Duke Richard Ordrin of Holst?" Peter called out as he stopped a few paces away from the Azure Hawks. "The Countess is expecting you and would like to invite you for tea."

    "Tea!?" Richard scoffed. "Your treacherous master thinks this can be resolved with tea!?" Richard''s horse whined and stamped its foot from how agitated it was getting because of its rider''s blatant hostility.

    "She and Lady Olivia are waiting for you at the mansion." Peter figured Richard''s response so he used Olivia''s name to try and bait him into accepting.

    "¡­" Richard''s gloved hands tightened around the reins of his horse as he fought back his anger from Peter daring to use Olivia''s name.

    "My Lord," Thomas, seeing a way forward without bloodshed, intervened and reminded, "Ensuring the Lady''s safety should be our first priority."

    "¡­I know," Richard said and took a deep breath to calm down. Thomas was right, seeing if Olivia was alright was why he was here, so if he was being invited in to see her then all the better. "Lead us inside then, Hellhound."

    "I''ll lead you to the mansion, the rest of your men will have to wait here."

    "You dare give me orders?" Richard demanded and maneuvered his horse to approach Peter''s. The two men were only a few feet apart and Richard growled, "My men and I will be seeing the Countess, now lead on."

    "Only the Duke is invited," Peter stood firm and matched Richard''s hateful glare. He reminded Richard, "Your daughter''s safety is not up to the Countess, alone." Peter made a subtle motion toward the wall behind him.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Hm?" Richard looked at the top of the wall and caught the movement of shadow knights trying to scurry out of sight before they could be seen. "¡­Thomas?"

    "Yes, my Lord?"

    "Wait here with the men, I will be meeting with the Countess." Richard''s voice was low and bled with anger that he did his best to keep at bay for the sake of his daughter.

    "We will await your return!" Thomas gave a salute before having the knights make camp.

    "Now, lead," Richard ordered.

    "This way, Duke," Peter said as he led Richard back to the Hellhounds. None of them made any move toward him as they passed and they all remained where they were with complete professional discipline. While the marvel of Solfin''s revitalization was great, Richard paid it no mind as he followed Peter through the streets and up to the mansion atop the hill. They were quickly let through the gates and approached the large mansion where Lucina was waiting by the front door with a few maids. The windows looking into the entrance hall all had their curtains closed. "Countess, I''ve brought Duke Ordrin."

    "And neither of you is covered in blood," Lucina joked from her place by the door. "What do you think of Solfin, Duke?"

    "I am not here for games, Countess," Richard spat as he dismounted his horse to stand a few feet away from Lucina. "Where is my daughter?"

    "My, it hasn''t been ''that'' long since you last saw her, Duke." Lucina gave a wicked smile as she leaned against the maid to her left and teased, "Don''t tell me you''ve already forgotten what your own daughter looks like?"

    "What are yo-!?" Richard''s words caught in his throat as his rage spiked. At first, he had completely ignored the maids Lucina was with, but now that he looked at the one Lucina was leaning against he immediately recognized the maid''s distinct white hair and clear blue eyes. "¡­Olivia?"

    "G-Greetings¡­Duke," Olivia awkwardly greeted her father while giving a curtsy in her maid uniform. The chain leash from her slave collar jingled when she bowed her head.

    "¡­What is this, Countess?" Richard''s anger boiled and raged beneath the surface.

    "Exactly what it looks like, Duke," Lucina playfully replied. "Olivia''s service is truly one of a kind¡­in more ways than one," she said and wrapped an arm around Olivia''s waist to caress the outside of her thigh.

    "!!!" Richard''s hand grabbed his sword''s hilt, but Peter''s blade was already drawn and poised to strike.

    "Now now, Duke," Lucina remained calm and kept her hand on Olivia''s thigh. "Let''s at least have some tea before the bloodshed." She released Olivia and turned to walk back inside the mansion.

    "¡­" Richard''s hand remained on his sword as he followed Lucina and the maids inside. Once he entered the hall, the doors closed behind him and his instincts instantly started drawing his sword. "Counte-"

    "Father!" As soon as the doors were closed, and the coast was clear, Olivia ran into her father and wrapped her arms around him.

    "O-Olivia!?" All pretense of violence instantly vanished as Richard wrapped his arms around his daughter and brought her into a deep hug. "Oh, my dear!"

    "Father!" Olivia cried into her father''s armored shoulder and she began apologizing, "I''m sorry. I''m sorry I-"

    "You have nothing to be sorry for!" Richard''s arms tightened around his daughter as if to squeeze the nonsense out of her. "Nothing at all!" He did his best to wipe Olivia''s tears away with his gloves and gave her a sympathetic smile that kept breaking under the sight of Olivia''s collar.

    Lucina called from the base of the stairs, "We don''t have much time, we should move to the office so those leaches outside don''t get suspicious."

    "¡­Countess." Richard refocused his mind on the task at hand. "I will be taking my daughter back with me to Wortrest."

    "No, you won''t," Lucina flatly responded.

    "You think you can stop me?" With one arm still around Olivia, Richard drew his shortsword and pointed it at Lucina. "I am immune to magic attacks, Countess. Even that Aurister outside won''t be able to stop me."

    "Then you''ll be signing Olivia''s death warrant." Lucina no longer held her feigned joyfulness and was completely cold when addressing Richard. "She''s a slave with Royal Grace. All it would take is a single written letter signed by the Crown Prince that she accidentally, or is forced to read for the collar to activate." So long as a letter bore the official signature of James or Marcus, the magic engraved on the slave collar around Olivia''s neck would activate and she would be forced to follow whatever order was written.

    "I don''t want to hear such words from you, Countess," Richard spat, venom lacing his voice. "Of all people, you have no right to-!"

    "Father!" Olivia pushed herself out of Richard''s grasp and took a step back. "That''s enough. We''ll explain in the office."

    "¡­Olivia?" Richard was visibly shaken by his daughter''s actions. "Are you¡­being forced to do this under an order!?" His eyes turned back to Lucina and he took a step toward her.

    "No!" Olivia blocked her father and tried to calm him down, "I''m not under any orders, right now! Lucina''s¡­helping me."

    "Helping!?" Richard had an exasperated laugh at how absurd that sounded.

    "We''re out of time to be here," Lucina complained and started up the stairs to the second floor. "Either follow us to the office for an explanation or leave. I don''t want to tip off the shadows about my true intentions just yet."

    "¡­" Richard held his tongue and looked one more time at Olivia who was lightly pulling his hand to follow. Silently, they made their way through the mansion and into Lucina''s office which had a large window overlooking the garden. There was subtle movement in the trees beyond.

    "Now then," Lucina sat down in her chair with her back to the window and motioned for a tea cart to be brought in. "I''m going to do a few things to make you angry as a show for the shadows outside. So long as James thinks I''m playing with Olivia, he''ll leave her alone, so we''re going to put on a bit of a show for them." Despite Tress being the one to bring in the tea cart, Olivia was the one to set and serve the tea before standing next to Lucina, also with her back to the window.

    "¡­Explain," Richard kept his request vague yet plausible since he noticed the shadows watching them through the window from a tree. He didn''t know if they could read lips so he couldn''t outright ask what he wanted, but he would steer things in the right direction for Lucina to answer.

    Lucina explained, "James was planning on having Olivia killed so he could take the newly discovered Saintess as his empress. She''s docile and her looks are to his liking so she would make the perfect puppet empress to keep his ego high. To counter this, I convinced him to instead enslave Olivia and give her to me so she could live in embarrassment after having everything taken from her." Richard crushed the arm of the chair he sat in with his clenched fist. Lucina ignored the property damage, leaned back in her chair, and sipped her tea before continuing, "Since she''s an Aurister slave, Royal Grace applies to her for the next year so we plan on laying low until that time passes and I''m able to grant Olivia some more freedom without the imperial family being able to get involved. I don''t have an answer to removing the collar without James intervening just yet, but I''m still looking into that."

    "¡­" Hearing Lucina openly admit that she intends to remove the collar to return her freedom made Olivia feel a little better about her situation, despite having to wear a maid outfit and put on an act¡­ It was an act, right?

    "¡­" Richard sighed heavily into his hands as he rubbed his face. With his face still hidden in his hands, he asked, "Are you alright, Olivia?" His anger had subsided and he sounded desperate, like a man on the verge of tears.

    "¡­Yes." ''Alright'' was a subjective term in this case, but Olivia felt that it was the right way to describe things as they currently were. She wanted to reassure her father, so she explained, "Lucina hasn''t used the collar to order me to do anything, and Mary''s also here to help take care of me."

    "Mary''s here?" Richard looked up and slowly removed his hands from his face but kept his mouth hidden long enough to ask his question.

    "I kidnapped her before coming here," Lucina admitted.

    "¡­" Richard wasn''t sure how to respond to Lucina''s matter-of-fact statement so he chose not to speak.

    "Olivia?" Lucina motioned with her hand for Olivia to get closer to her.

    "¡­?" Olivia silently obeyed. "Oh!?" Only to find herself pulled down to be forced to sit in Lucina''s lap.

    "Countess!?" Richard shot up from his chair in protest at seeing his daughter treated like that.

    "We have to put on a proper show, Duke," Lucina replied while giving a sly smile and holding Olivia in her lap. It was clear that she was doing this for reasons other than just putting on an act. "As compensation, I''ll help you exchange letters with Olivia."

    "You will?" Richard was skeptical.

    "Yes, and I also won''t look at them to give you some privacy with your daughter," Lucina promised. She gave a silent scoff at Richard and said, "Every Sunday, put any letters you want to send to Olivia in the top right-hand drawer of her room''s dresser. I have ways of getting them, and I''ll put any letters she sends in the top left-hand drawer. The letters will be delivered after twelve o''clock."

    "How?" He was sure of Wortrest''s security and that no Hellhound could infiltrate it.

    "I have my ways." Lucina wouldn''t give a straight answer. "Now, if you want Olivia to stop having to wear a maid uniform, storm out of the mansion in disgust so she can return to her room. You two can talk all you want in your letters later." She chuckled and added, "I''m sure it won''t be too hard for you, Duke~."

    "¡­This isn''t over, Countess." At the very least, he confirmed Olivia was alive and, relatively speaking, safe, so he was willing to back off for now. If Olivia had been under a constant order then the collar''s runes would be constantly glowing, but they were silent and dull. Richard turned and walked to the door before saying, "I''ll be back for you, Olivia. Just¡­please hold on." Desperation and sorrow filled his voice at having to leave his daughter here.

    "I will," Olivia tried to sound as brave as she could for her father despite how much she hated seeing him leave. But this was for the best. She knew that her father couldn''t win a civil war against the crown as things stood, so things needed to change if she wanted to ensure her freedom. She needed to start putting things in motion. "¡­Lucina?"

    "Hm?"

    "I want you to send two letters for me." The main story was over and she had no idea what to expect, so why not light some fires with her future that hadn''t been written yet. "I''ll give them to you at dinner."

    "Okay..." Lucina agreed before falling silent and chuckling to herself.

    "What?"

    "Nothing," Lucina teased before looking down at Olivia. "Just that you look cute in a maid uniform while sitting in my lap." Lucina''s hand gently cupped Olivia''s cheek and offered a tender warmth that her eyes didn''t match.

    "!?!" Olivia''s body tensed up as she had time to think about her position now that her father was gone. She was sitting in Lucina''s lap with her legs dangling over the arm of the chair and had her head pulled close and resting against Lucina''s shoulder.

    Sensing Olivia''s unease, Lucina softly pleaded, "I''ll take you back to the safe room in a little bit, or now if you''d prefer¡­but¡­ Could we stay like this for a while?"

    "Is this part of the act?" Olivia hesitantly asked.

    "No¡­ This is me wanting to be greedy," Lucina admitted and she released Olivia''s cheek while lowering her head to rest against Olivia''s. Tender, desperate words whispered into Olivia''s ear, "Please, Olivia?"

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t respond, but she also didn''t pull away or ask to leave, so Lucina continued to hold her without a word. As the two sat in silence, Olivia was left to her conflicting thoughts. She was grateful that Lucina let her see her father and would allow them to exchange secret letters, and that she was allowed out of her stifling room for a while even if it was just for a show. She was grateful to Lucina, and that scared her. The one who went behind her back and clasped the slave collar around her neck was also the one who saved her life and protected her. A twisted love infected Lucina''s heart that Olivia didn''t know how to properly handle. Lucina was terrifying, yet endearing. She put Olivia first, while at the same time locking her down. Olivia''s mind was becoming a mess, and the warmth she was feeling from Lucina holding her offered conflicting advice from the heavy collar around her neck that spoke volumes. Volumes about what, though, was becoming muddled.

 Old Habits

    "We''re finally back," Thomas said and sighed in relief when they entered Wortrest keep. The Azure Hawk knights were home, and since the demon subjugations were subsiding then perhaps they could also take a proper break.

    "For now," Richard mumbled as he led the knights to the stables to drop off their horses.

    "Even so, it''s nice to not have to worry about those pesky shadows," Thomas reasoned. Once Richard returned from his meeting with Lucina and Olivia, he and the rest of his knights started noticing the presence of shadow knights keeping tabs on them throughout their journey back. Only now, within Wortrest''s walls, did the constant feeling of being watched subside. "I can''t wait to have a proper dinner."

    "To be on the safe side, take a few knights and scour the keep before turning in," Richard ordered as he got off his horse and started leading it into the stables. "Wortrest should remain pest-free."

    "I''ll see it done, my Lord. I''ll¡­?" Thomas trailed off as he noticed one of the stablehands waiting outside the stables perk up when he saw the knights approach.

    "You''re back, my Lord!" the stablehand greeted while appearing nervous about something.

    "What''s wrong?" Richard asked.

    "Well, my Lord, it''s just that there''s a¡­guest waiting inside the stables."

    "A guest?" Richard raised an eyebrow and felt an unnerving presence coming from the stables.

    "Yes. She wouldn''t give her name, but mentioned something about ''letters'' she would be exchanging?"

    "!!!" Richard let go of his horse''s reins and bolted into the stables. Had Lucina''s Hellhounds actually infiltrated Wortrest? Thomas and the other knights quickly followed Richard as they stormed into the stables to find the last person any of them expected.

    "Ah, Duke! Welcome back," Lucina happily greeted while feeding a carrot to one of the horses that usually pulled the family''s carriages. She wore discreet commoner clothing and had a dark brown cloak wrapped around her with the hood pulled up as if to hide who she was. "I forgot how well-behaved your horses were. This fellow actually remembers me!" The horse Lucina was next to happily ate the carrot and was allowing Lucina to pet him.

    "¡­?" Richard was dumbstruck seeing Lucina here. He was certain no one had passed him on his way to Wortrest, and he and his knights took the most direct route back. How was Lucina here before them? "¡­Thomas?"

    "Y-Yes?" There was a thick pressure in the air.

    "Leave the horses here and take the knights to the yard for training," Richard''s voice was oddly low and completely calm as he stared Lucina down.

    "At once, my Lord." Thomas knew better than to argue about this, so he quietly accepted the command and led the knights away. The stablehands, taking the unspoken hint, also vacated the stables in a rush to not be left between Richard and Lucina. Horses stamped their feet at the growing tension and started the whine.

    "Aw, hush now," Lucina half-heartedly tried to calm down the horse she was feeding. "Don''t let the big scary Duke fright-Ack!?" Richard closed the distance between them and his gloved hand clamped around Lucina''s neck. With ease, he lifted Lucina into the air by her neck with one hand.

    "How are you here?" Confusion fueled Richard''s anger at Lucina''s presence. "Speak!"

    "Yo-Ugh! You''re¡­just like¡­your son," Lucina managed to choke out. A scornful smile lit up her face as she taunted, "No wonder¡­Olivia¡­!"

    "!?!" Richard released Lucina.

    "!!!" Lucina hit the ground and started violently coughing as she gasped for air.

    "¡­What do you mean?" Richard was whiplashed with emotions as the implication of Lucina''s unfinished words sank in. "Derik¡­hit Olivia?"

    "W-Who knows~?" Lucina couldn''t help herself and taunted.

    "Speak plainly, Countess!?"

    "The fact you don''t know if I''m lying¡­says a lot, Duke," Lucina laughed as she rose to her feet on shaky legs. Taking out a dagger, Lucina looked in the reflection on the blade at the fresh bruises around her neck. "Did you really trust the Emperor and Crown Prince to not mess with Olivia at the academy?"

    "Of course not, that''s why I allowed Derik to go," Richard argued. "Even if he''s His Highness'' guard, he''s still an Ordrin. I trusted him to protect her, as her older brother, and inform me of anything major."

    "And look how that turned out," Lucina jabbed. "What is it with fathers abandoning their daughters in their time of need, anyway?"

    "¡­" Richard desperately wanted to strangle Lucina, again, but kept his cool. Even though he was loathe to admit it, he took ''Olivia''s'' letters at face value to put his focus on dealing with the demon subjugations. Lucina was, unfortunately, right. "I''ll drop how you''re here for now¡­ What happened at the academy?"

    "I''m sure you already heard a bunch of rumors," Lucina idly replied without answering his question and took one of the apples meant for the horses to start snacking on. With a mouthful of apple, Lucina added, "You can probably figure it out yourself."

    "I''d rather hear a firsthand account over rumors."

    "Would you even believe me?" Lucina eyed Richard and, despite her relaxed body language, her gaze was cold and intense. "I''m the one who betrayed your ''precious'' daughter, after all. You''ll likely end up dismissing all I have to say."

    "¡­Please." Richard''s fists were clenched with frustration but he swallowed his pride, and asked, "Was Derik truly part of the plan to enslave Olivia?"

    "¡­" Lucina took another bite of the apple and only answered once she swallowed, "Not originally."

    "Then¡­?"

    "I don''t know what James specifically said," Lucina admitted, "But he was the one who convinced Derik to not help Olivia  and instead help him to enslave her."

    "¡­" Richard felt like someone punched him in the gut as his fear was confirmed.

    "Though, I do have a fairly certain guess about what he received for it." Lucina took another bite of the apple.

    "Received?" Richard sounded astonished and asked for clarification, "He was bribed!?"

    "In a piece of the Saintess, yes." Lucina had no concrete evidence to support this, but Olivia''s prophecy mentioned that the four male leads would fall in love during the reverse harem ending. Considering how they all acted so close to Beatrice at the ball, then it was safe to assume the worst.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "¡­Derik is already married to Vivian," Richard argued.

    "Mistresses and concubines are quite common," Lucina countered.

    "We instilled in him our values of-!"

    "He helped sell his own sister into slavery," Lucina interrupted and took another bite of her apple. "You think he''s not above chasing the Saintess'' skirt?"

    "¡­Damn it!" Richard spat and leaned against one of the stable gates. While he knew he wasn''t the greatest father, he didn''t think he was so bad that this would happen. Not even Alice had seen something like this coming. He rubbed his temples in frustration while Lucina continued to enjoy her apple. After a few moments of silence, Richard dangerously muttered, "I should just march on Gorinville."

    "Then Holst is wiped out, and Olivia is killed for being part of a family that committed treason," Lucina idly countered as she finished her apple.

    "You seem so sure of Holst''s loss, Countess," Richard angrily spat. "We haven''t even started the-"

    "It was foretold by prophecy." Lucina stared at the apple core in her hand and started picking out the seeds.

    "¡­Prophecy?" Richard hadn''t heard of the temples revealing any prophecies that had to do with Holst or his family.

    "While I shouldn''t be the one telling you this, I feel we''ve come too far not to share," Lucina admitted. She flicked the apple seeds at Richard and explained, "I''ll convince Olivia to tell you in her first letter, but I''ll also give you a heads-up to prepare. Your daughter received five prophecies from Lord Zulm."

    "!?!" Normally, only the clergy received prophecies, so to hear his daughter was given five stunned Richard. Connecting the dots, Richard asked, "And these prophecies have to do with the fall of Holst and what happened at the academy?"

    "Specifically, Holst''s fall after you try to avenge Olivia''s death." Lucina tossed the empty apple core at Richard''s feet before continuing, "The four fools that are clinging to the Saintess could have individually gone after her, and each time they did resulted in Olivia''s death. Enraged by this, you led a coup against the Emperor and were crushed each time."

    "But not in the fifth?"

    "The fifth¡­ended with me enslaving Olivia and taking her away while the four fools shared the Saintess; which is why I say Derik was paid in the Saintess'' skirt for betraying his sister."

    "¡­You orchestrated things so that the fifth prophecy would become truth." Richard''s anger was subsiding as he partially accepted Lucina''s explanation. Lucina was recognized by the temples as the Harbinger of Zulm, and prophecies were delicate matters that the gods took very seriously. There had been cases in the past of false prophecies spread by people for their own gain only to end up killed in natural disasters that were suspiciously localized entirely around the person responsible. The weight Lucina''s words carried as Harbinger validated the prophecies his daughter received and was enough to at least placate Richard''s anger.

    "It''s the only one where Olivia lives." Lucina lost her smile and openly showed how upset she was about the situation. "Unlike the others, though, it didn''t go into what happened to Holst as it seems Lord Zulm wants us to make what happens next by ourselves. Hold off on your coup, Duke, at least until you''re certain you can win. Olivia will be safe in Solfin."

    "Safe in Solfin, or safe in your bed?" Just because Richard accepted the prophecies didn''t mean he accepted Lucina.

    "I haven''t crossed that line, yet," Lucina sadly admitted.

    "Yet?" Richard scoffed. "You clasp a slave collar around her neck and think she''ll be willing to give you her heart!?" Standing up straight from the gate, Richard scorned, "I knew you were mad, Countess, but this is beyond my expectations."

    "Our future is no longer written, Duke. The prophecies are over." An unnerving smile played across Lucina''s face as she pondered, "I have an entire year to wrap myself around Olivia''s heart. You should have seen her after you left." Her arms reached up and Lucina hugged herself. "She let me hold her in my arms despite me letting her know I would immediately stop and take her back to her room! She chose to stay with me~!" Looking up from her delirium, Lucina knowingly taunted, "Should I start calling you father-in-law now or-?" Richard''s fist collided with Lucina''s face and she was sent sprawling to the ground.

    "You always did know how to dig under people''s skin, Countess," Richard spat as he flexed his fingers.

    "Because it always gets me what I want!" Lucina laughed as she clutched her new black eye. After calming down and getting to her feet, she said, "Oh, I almost forgot the other reason I came here."

    "Other than to taunt me?"

    "Yes." Lucina''s blunt response made Richard want to give her a second black eye. "I was delivering some things to the capital on Olivia''s request when I started hearing the most interesting of things."

    "¡­" Richard still had no idea how Lucina got here before him, but now she was also supposedly in the capital? He knew he wouldn''t get an answer from her so he decided to ask Olivia about it in their letters. Even if Lucina peaked at their letters and went against her word, that would only work against her if Olivia ever found out so he was betting on Lucina keeping her promise.

    "The Crown Prince and Saintess'' wedding will be held next month!" Lucina declared and clapped her hands together.

    "¡­And?" While not surprising, Richard didn''t see what this had to do with him.

    "And Derik is officially recognized as a concubine of the Saintess!"

    "!?!" Richard''s whole body flinched as his anger returned. "¡­What?"

    "Invitations had already gone out when I was there, so I''m sure there''s one waiting for you inside." Lucina started walking away while twirling the dagger in her hands. She went deeper into the stables and turned the corner to disappear behind a wall. "Remember, I''ll drop off any letters by noon and will pick up any responses by three."

    "Countess?" Richard followed after Lucina. The sound of shattering glass beyond the wall made Richard sprint over and turn the corner, "Count¡­ess?" Only to find no one. The small room had no windows or doors to leave from, and there was nothing to hide behind, yet Lucina was gone. "¡­What did-"

    "My Lord!?" Thomas came sprinting completely out of breath into the stables. His face was distorted in worry and fear. "You must return to the keep at once!"

    "What''s going on? Is Alice alright!?" Richard''s mind instantly refocused and he left the stables to approach the main building.

    "The Duchess is fine. While we were out, a letter arrived from the imperial family," Thomas explained as the two men made their way inside. The servants were all whispering nervously, and a bleak air permeated the halls as Richard saw Alice sitting on the stairs in the main hall weeping into her hands. Vivian was beside her with an unreadable expression, but her hands were tightly gripping Alice''s shoulders.

    "Alice!?"

    "Richard!" Alice stood up and nearly collapsed into Richard''s arms as the tears wouldn''t stop flowing.

    "Alice?" Richard tried to comfort his wife but her tears wouldn''t stop. "What happened?!"

    "Duke?" Vivian slowly stood up and picked up a piece of paper that had been sitting beside her. Somberly, she offered it to Richard who took it and felt Lucina''s words ring through his head. In Richard''s hand was a wedding invitation for the Crown Prince and the Saintess'' wedding, and written in was the ''glorious'' news that the Saintess, as Empress, would take in Solomon Kor, Andrew Mystyr, and Derik Ordrin as her concubines.

    ***

    "L-Lucina!?" Olivia was in the middle of exercising, one of the few things she was able to do in her room to pass the time, when Lucina arrived with dinner along with a black eye and bruises around her neck. Her old habit of worrying about Lucina came back in force and Olivia immediately got up from her pushups and ran over to check on Lucina''s injuries. "What happened!?"

    "¡­" Lucina enjoyed Olivia fussing over her, again, and answered, "I just dropped by to talk with your father and I let him vent for a bit on me."

    Olivia''s hands froze as she brushed the hair off Lucina''s black eye, and asked, "Did you taunt him into doing this?"

    "Will you still fuss over me if I did?"

    "¡­" Just as Olivia''s habit returned, so too did Lucina''s to intentionally start trouble to get hurt and pull at Olivia''s heartstrings. "Take a seat." And it always worked.

    "Mm." Lucina walked over to the table they usually ate at and took her seat while Olivia brought over the bucket of cold water she used to rinse her sweat off.

    "Could you get a fresh towel?" Olivia asked Mary since the only hand towel she had was full of her sweat.

    "I''m fine if you use that one," Lucina playfully mentioned.

    Olivia muttered, "That boldness of yours is what got you that black eye."

    "I''ll fetch one, my Lady," Mary quickly left and brought back a fresh hand towel to not give Lucina the satisfaction of using one of Olivia''s. "This one is clean."

    "Thank you, Mary." Olivia dunked the towel in the frigid water and pressed it against Lucina''s face.

    "C-Cold!?"

    "That''s how you stop the swelling," Olivia dryly stated as she kept pressing the towel over Lucina''s whole face.

    "¡­" Tress blankly watched as Lucina was getting smothered by a towel while the other two maids were starting to get nervous.

    The atmosphere in the room took a sharp dive as Olivia removed the towel, and dryly stated, "I could have suffocated you to death with that."

    "¡­!?" The maids all took a nervous step away, except for Mary and Tress.

    "True," Lucina agreed while wiping some water out of her eye with her hand.

    "You wouldn''t stop me?"

    "If that''s what you want to do, then I won''t." Lucina gave a neutral smile to Olivia, and added, "I already gave orders to everyone that they are to follow you if you do end up killing me so that you''ll have some support going forward."

    "¡­"

    "My accounts also have your name on them, so you''ll also have my money to-!?" The towel was once more pressed against Lucina''s face, but this time more gently and only over her bruised eye.

    "You really¡­confuse me," Olivia said as she gently wiped Lucina''s face.

    "About what?" Lucina asked as she ignored how cold the towel was to not ruin the moment.

    "¡­Everything." Olivia watched Lucina lightly squirm under her hand as it was clear that the bruises still hurt.

    "I thought I was pretty forward with my thoughts since bringing you here." Lucina looked up at Olivia with her one good eye and leaned her head into Olivia''s hand.

    "That''s exactly what''s confusing me¡­" She moved the towel down to Lucina''s neck and Olivia''s hand gently pressed against Lucina''s throat. "Why do you love me?"

    "Well¡­" Lucina waved her hand to dismiss the maids who were still waiting to set the table. Tress and Lucina''s maids left without question, but it took a look from Olivia before Mary also left the room. "Why did you love that boy from your past life?"

    "Tanak-?"

    "Boy," Lucina interrupted and the disgust on her face caused Olivia to flinch. "He doesn''t deserve to have his name said by you."

    "¡­" Olivia thought back to her life as Ayaka and answered, "I¡­started liking him when I saw him playing for our school''s baseball team. It was love at first sight."

    "So, his muscles?" Lucina had no idea what baseball was but didn''t want to divert the conversation since she had a point to make so she didn''t delve into it.

    "¡­At first," Olivia reluctantly admitted. "But once we got to know each other I also liked his personality! He was kind, always helping other students, and he made time out of his busy day to hang out with me and eventually go on dates with me. I felt¡­at ease when I was with him. He didn''t talk down to me about my family''s situation, and he genuinely cared for me."

    "Which is why he cheated?" Lucina jabbed.

    "That''s¡­" Olivia didn''t have a comeback for that.

    "It''s the same for me." Lucina brought Olivia out of her thoughts about Tanaka. "You accepted me despite my questionable legitimacy. You were kind to me and would make time out of your days to play with me, even when you were busy. You even shared your deepest secrets with me that not even your parents know. I feel at ease when I''m with you." Lucina chuckled as Olivia''s grip around her neck loosened, and she joked, "The only thing I can''t relate to is loving you at first sight simply because of your muscles."

    "¡­I guess I have terrible taste," Olivia quietly admitted as she gently pressed on Lucina''s neck bruises to bring down any swelling.

    "I''m sure you''ll be fine." Lucina dropped her gaze and said, "Once you''re out of that collar, I''ll respect whatever you want to do and wherever you want to go. Even if it''s leaving me here buried in the dirt."

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t respond. Lucina misunderstood Olivia''s last muttering as having to do with Tanaka, and while it partially did, there was a second person that she was referring to. A person who no longer had any business being as deep in Olivia''s heart as she was. The room''s walls felt suffocating as she silently washed Lucina''s bruises in the empty room. Her eyes kept lingering on the bruises, and Lucina''s exposed neck that was visible due to the low cut collar of her blouse. Had the room always felt so small?

 A Matter of Business and Resignation

    ***Two weeks before the imperial wedding***

    "What do you mean the decorations aren''t ready?" James angrily barked at the servant who was bowing their head in fear. The imperial palace was abuzz with activity to prepare for James and Beatrice''s wedding which included adorning the main hall with golden silk banners etched with the imperial family''s crest that would weave across the upper balconies like a canopy of gold above the hall. "Didn''t I say to have them ready by today?"

    "Y-Yes, Your Highness!" the servant stammered out while keeping his head hung low and following James through the hall.

    "Then why do I not see them?"

    "B-Because, Your Highness, we aren''t able to get a hold of the silk!"

    "What?" James stopped storming across the hall and turned to give the servant a baffled look of confusion. "How is there no golden silk?"

    "It''s all silk, Your Highness!" the servant reported. "All the boutiques and tailors in the capital are having a hard time importing silk which is causing a shortage."

    "What are the merchants doing!?" James demanded which caused the servant to flinch. "I pay them good money and they don''t deliver!? Do they take the imperial family as a joke?"

    "When it comes to the palace''s specific supplies they always deliver, but the capital''s silk supply has always been handled by the merchants from Trent. Since the wedding is a large event we''ve had to look for help preparing for it, Your Highness."

    "¡­Ha!" James laugh was like the bark of a dog and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Even after she''s gone, Olivia is still finding ways to annoy me!" James blamed Olivia for this situation and, despite having no way of knowing it, he was actually correct about this. After receiving a letter from Olivia, Margaret had Trent deprioritize the capital and put economic pressure on key industries to slowly cause unrest. Unrest that was about to be accentuated by James'' next command, "We have no use for merchants that refuse to do business. They''re intentionally causing trouble for my wedding which is nothing short of a slight against the crown! Let it be known that the Trent group is banned from doing business in Gorinville!"

    "B-Banned!?"

    "I want their warehouses emptied, their ships sailed from our ports, and their merchants gone from my city!" James held a confident grin as he believed he was getting one over on Olivia''s plan. "She and her followers think they can stop my wedding with such a cheap trick? Hah!"

    Hesitantly, the servant asked, "B-But Trent is deeply rooted in many businesses across the capital! Wouldn''t banning them outright have a terrible impact on-?"

    "Olivia''s been running that company since she was a young kid," James wrongly assumed. "If even a child can do it, then surely the brightest minds in the empire can! We''re just bringing in some silk! How hard could that be?" He sent an expectant glare to the servant as he added, "So, ban Trent and get our merchants to pick up the slack!"

    "At once¡­Your Highness!" the servant replied and quickly scurried away. Even though he had his orders, the servant was hesitant to execute them as he could not predict what would happen if Trent was gone. But James had spoken, so he had to obey. He hoped things wouldn''t turn out too badly.

    ***One week before the imperial wedding***

    "It''s such a lovely day. And the refreshments are¡­quite nice!" a noblewoman exclaimed as she sipped her fruit drink while sitting around a table with other noblewomen in the dining room of a noble''s mansion. Sofas and tables were brought in to accommodate all the guests turning the room into a nest for rumors. The social season was in full swing and with the imperial wedding close at hand many noblewomen were frequenting parties and salons to keep up to date with the latest gossip. However, over the past few days, the mood at most gatherings was becoming more and more tense as time went on due to an ever-growing shortage of a variety of items. While the cool, fruity drinks they sipped tasted good, it was obvious that the ingredients weren''t the freshest. "The servants certainly know how to make oranges into lemonade~," the woman teased as she set down her glass.

    "I''m surprised you can taste the difference, Baroness~," the host of the salon bit back. "Considering this is the third time you''ve worn that dress in a row, I thought your sense of taste would be as bad as your style."

    "I just have an eye for good clothing, why wouldn''t I wear it?" Venom was filling the air.

    "Because I can practically see the seams wearing out~. I worry you''ll have an accident one of these days." The two women''s bickering was quickly souring everyone else''s moods and murmurs were bubbling to the surface. "If you want, I have an old-"

    "I find the Baroness'' dress quite lovely," Cassandra interrupted the two women and brought all eyes to herself. "And the drinks are a wonderful reprieve from the day''s heat. Wouldn''t you say?"

    "¡­" The bickering stopped but the murmurings continued. Cassandra had kept an eye on how cracks were starting to form in the nobility due to the supply shortages that were cropping up, and things were proceeding exactly as planned. "¡­The drinks are, indeed, quite refreshing."

    Cassandra led the conversation toward her goal, "Even if the fruits aren''t the freshest, I''m sure we''ll all be able to enjoy the richness we''ve come to expect once the imperial wedding starts!"

    "Really?" one of the women who was originally staying silent took Cassandra''s bait. "But, the prices¡­"

    "Aren''t an issue for the imperial family," Cassandra finished the woman''s thought. "Besides, they would know best how to navigate this shortage since they''re the ones who created it~."

    "¡­!?" All eyes and every ear in the room were immediately focused on Cassandra who spoke loud enough to be heard through the whole salon. "They did!?" The nobles who weren''t as in tune with the happenings of merchants were practically left in the dark about what was going on and were like hungry beasts waiting for a scrap of information.

    "Of course~." Cassandra remembered what Olivia''s letter asked her to spread, so she got to work, "I''m good friends with Margaret Trent, so I have some insider information~." The room was dead quiet except for Cassandra. "After Lady Olivia''s enslavement, the imperial family started attacking the Trent group with fines, taxes, and tariffs. I recently spoke with Margaret and it turns out that, just last week, the imperial family outright banned Trent from even entering the city!"

    "Oh my!?" Disparaging whispers danced through the salon as the nobles started gossiping.

    "Did they have to go that far?"

    "The bakery I loved is practically out of business since they can''t get any sugar. Was that why?!"

    "But sugar is different from fabrics, and my favorite dress designer said he was running out of materials! Was that Trent, too?"

    "Hmm~." Cassandra softly hummed to herself and covered her mouth with her fan as she let the rolling rumors pick up speed. Not many nobles gave much thought to where the materials their favorite products were made of came from, so none of them realized how much they inadvertently relied on Trent''s merchants.

    "Lady Cassandra?" Eventually, the gossiping nobles turned back to Cassandra. "If the Trent group is gone, why do you think the wedding will be different?"

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Because His Highness started a merchant group a while back that supplies the palace," Cassandra happily explained. Twisting truths with speculations, she said, "With Trent gone, I''m sure this is His Highness'' way of fully cutting off Lady Olivia. Once the wedding is over, I''m sure a magnanimous ruler like His Highness will turn his merchants to solving the capital''s issues."

    "Ah¡­ You must be right." Enthusiasm was mixed with slighted apprehension as the nobles'' slowly building ire was turned to a new target.

    "His Highness won''t let us down," Cassandra calmly said and took another sip of her drink. The expectations would now firmly be placed at James'' feet once the salon ended and the ladies dispersed to spread the word of what happened with Trent. Cassandra was under no illusion that James would actually solve the supply problems in the capital because of one key difference between how James and Olivia ran their merchant groups; Olivia was never the boss of Trent. James was the official head of the imperial family''s newly created merchant group, Brilliant Dawn, and took an active role in running and directing the merchants which was why his wedding was getting the priority of what few goods managed to get to the capital. His merchants had to follow his orders to the letter and needed to receive explicit approval from James if they wanted to do anything outside of his orders. Olivia, on the other hand, was just Trent''s largest sponsor and a friend of the owner. She would provide capital and the occasional product idea to distribute through them and would use her pull to get them to expand in certain directions, but she left the managing and running of the group to Margaret and her father. She left the profession to the professionals since she knew her limits. Cassandra set down her drink and gently fanned herself while whispering, "I can''t wait for the after-party."

    ***Day of the imperial wedding***

    "You look amazing, Saintess!" a palace maid complimented as she and the rest of the maids took a few steps back to admire Beatrice in her wedding gown.

    "You really think so?" Beatrice idly played along as she once more found herself in the all too familiar dress that still haunted her. Intricate lace patterns adorned the dress and matched the flower designs that lined her veil. Beatrice was glad the veil was covering her face since she felt sick.

    "The dress was finished just yesterday!" one of the maids happily explained to try and show off James'' wealth. "His Highness made sure to use only the finest materials so that you would shine like no other!"

    "How romantic~!" the other maids all giggled as they took in Beatrice''s beauty.

    "It really-?" A strange sound from her room''s bathroom caught Beatrice''s attention. It sounded like a mix of glass breaking and ice cracking.

    "What wa-?"

    "Could you all leave me for a moment?" Beatrice distracted the maids with her request. "I''d like to spend some time admiring James'' gift in private~."

    "Of course, Saintess! But we need to get you to the hall, and that sou-"

    "It was probably just a bottle falling over," Beatrice deflected the maid''s worries. "I''ll take a look inside and let you know if we need a broom. I won''t be long."

    "Very well, Saintess." The maids all gave a respectful bow before leaving the room.

    Once Beatrice was sure the maids were no longer right next to the door, she walked over to the bathroom, opened the door, and bowed her head in greeting, "Saintess Beatrice of our Hearth Mother greets you, our Harbinger."

    "You don''t seem surprised to see me," Lucina said while idly sitting on the edge of the bathtub.  She was wearing her commoner disguise since she had been running errands, but there was still an air of nobility in how Lucina carried herself. "Shouldn''t you be calling for the guards?"

    "I would never do such a thing to our Violet King''s Harbinger," Beatrice replied and kept her head bowed.

    "¡­Raise your head, Saintess," Lucina sounded annoyed. "Seeing you bow to me isn''t pleasant if you do it yourself." She originally stopped by to scare Beatrice, but was finding her behavior strange. Why was she showing respect for Lucina when Lucina was actively trying to be hostile?

    "As a Saintess, it is only right I show my respect for our Harbinger," Beatrice answered Lucina''s unspoken thoughts which caused her to slightly flinch. Could Saintesses read minds too? "While I cannot read minds, I am granted a degree of insight by our Hearth Mother. Your intentions are also written all over your face."

    "¡­Cheeky," Lucina dryly stated as her eyes took in Beatrice''s dress. "That''s quite a provocative dress you''re wearing." The thin, lace designs that adorned most of Beatrice''s dress allowed her skin to show through since she wasn''t wearing anything underneath it, especially around her chest and stomach.

    "I''m told James had it personally designed for me," Beatrice explained and seemed to show no shame.

    "There will be a lot of people fantasizing about you in that," Lucina tried to get a rise out of Beatrice.

    "If that is what James and the others want, then I don''t see a problem with it," but Beatrice kept her composure.

    "I''m not just talking about men," Lucina tried a new tactic, closed the distance between them, and wrapped an arm around Beatrice to pull her close. "As you know from graduation, I prefer women, and you just sent all the servants away."

    Their eyes were locked with one another, Beatrice''s sunsets gazed into Lucina''s briar, and Beatrice calmly replied, "But I know you won''t do anything since that would betray Lady Olivia."

    "¡­Tch," Lucina clicked her tongue in annoyance at not being able to throw Beatrice off. She quickly let go, went over to the bathtub, turned on the hot water, and started to wash the hand that touched Beatrice as if to wash away the ''stain'' left when Lucina touched her.

    "I took a bath before putting on the dress, which was also freshly cleaned," Beatrice joked since she knew the real reason Lucina was acting this way.

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t respond and went over to a cabinet to fetch a clean towel to dry her hand.

    "You seem to know your way around here," Beatrice mentioned as she watched Lucina effortlessly move around the room.

    "That''s because this used to be Olivia''s room."

    "¡­" Lucina''s words dug at Beatrice as a reminder of what happened just over a month ago. In a somber voice, as if filled with regret, Beatrice asked, "Is Lady Olivia doing alright?"

    "¡­?" Lucina paused. She looked over at Beatrice with a neutral expression that hid malice and replied, "What does it matter to you if she is?"

    "Even though we were at odds, I never hated Lady Olivia," Beatrice explained and held a hand over her heart. "No matter what she did to me, I understood."

    "Olivia never did anything to you," Lucina bitterly clarified.

    "Correct, not in this life," Beatrice softly chuckled.

    "¡­Explain." Lucina set down the towel and studied Beatrice, waiting to analyze every move and word she would make.

    Beatrice walked over to a closed window and said, "Even if I did, Harbinger, I don''t think you would belie-"

    "Did she hurt you in the life where you only stole James from her? Or the one where you ended up with Derik?" Lucina played her card.

    "!?!" Beatrice instantly spun around after hearing Lucina''s words. "Wh-¡­ You¡­know about that?"

    Lucina''s expression softened slightly and was no longer filled with as much malice as she went on, "Or the one where you sided with Andrew and the tower? Or trying to flee with Solomon?"

    "You do kno-!"

    "The one where you threw Olivia to a pack of demons?" Lucina''s tone took a sharp dive as her eyes drilled into Beatrice.

    "I-¡­I never wanted to do that!" Beatrice''s calm demeanor broke and she started frantically explaining, "I just wanted to save Arlexia! I only went with that heretic since he had connections the others didn''t, so I thought I could change things with him! Just like the square promised!"

    "Heretic?" Lucina cocked an eyebrow at Beatrice calling Solomon a heretic. Wasn''t he an Elder of Alm? And what did she mean by square?

    "¡­Harbinger!" Beatrice got down on her knees, clasped her hands together in prayer, and bowed her head to Lucina. "As our Violet King''s chosen, please help me save Arlexia!"

    "¡­You''re speaking of the prophecies?" Lucina became intrigued and got closer to Beatrice, and now that she wasn''t staring only at her eyes, Lucina noticed something underneath Beatrice''s dress.

    "To you, they may be prophecies, but to me, they were my past lives!" Beatrice explained and revealed her greatest secret to Lucina. "I was a foolish girl who grew up in a distant orphanage that was blinded by the dazzling wonder of nobility and the allure of a prince who would take me away! Even my soul reflection was unique as a square with words that guided me to a path of love; our Hearth Mother''s favored outcome!" Lucina moved closer to Beatrice and reached for the strings on the back of her dress. "Yet that love only led to death and destruction! A death and destruction that was not my end as our Hearth Mother and Storm Father would not give me peace. My sin for blindly following my soul reflection damned Arlexia, our Violet King''s favored land, so I was sent back to find a way to stop it! And that was when I realized my mission!" The strings easily came undone and the dress hung down Beatrice''s arms that were still clasped in prayer. "My soul reflection changed from leading me to James to a destiny with Derik Ordrin! Each time I tried something different, yet the ending always stayed the same. Only with this life was I given the true purpose of my punishment! Arlexia is doomed so long as those four remain! So even if I was still to be sent to that academy and have those four lust after me, I would see it through for an Arlexia that would still stand! I used all I learned about them to bring them together with me as their focal point!" Beatrice was starting to hyperventilate, but continued to force herself to confess, "This time, Olivia Ordrin lived and the Duke of Holst didn''t rebel! I reached a future I didn''t ruin! I¡­" Lucina eyed the fingernail scratches that lined Beatrice''s back and the various kiss marks that dotted her skin where the dress would normally cover. "¡­I''m tired, Harbinger." Beatrice''s normally gentle voice that was like a summer''s breeze was now as somber as a winter''s rain. "You didn''t exist in my past lives and Olivia Ordrin is not the villainess she was who tormented me every chance she got because of it¡­so¡­ I want to rest." Tears streamed down Beatrice''s face and lightly crashed against the tile floor. "You are his chosen. His voice to us. Harbinger¡­when does it end?"

    "¡­" Lucina silently contemplated Beatrice''s words. She had her suspicions of Beatrice back at the academy, but they were of her knowing the prophecies and aiming for a specific one, not her having lived through the previous four only to end up in the fifth. Beatrice was not Lucina''s, or Olivia''s, enemy. "It ends with this life." Lucina retied Beatrice''s dress.

    "¡­?" Beatrice raised her head and once more locked eyes with Lucina. "It does?"

    "Olivia was granted five prophecies foretelling of the past lives you lived, but also of this one." Lucina gently grabbed Beatrice''s hands and helped her to her feet. "You getting together with those four fools, my existence, and even me enslaving Olivia were all foretold¡­but not anything that happened after."

    "Nothing after? But if a prophecy doesn''t say what happens after¡­" Beatrice''s face started lighting up with hope as she exclaimed, "Then, our Violet King has granted us freedom!"

    "While there is still unrest from Duke Ordrin and Duke Mordrist, it is contained. It is also clear that James is not fit for rule if he allowed Arlexia to fall four times already." Lucina held Beatrice''s hands until she was stable enough to stand on her own. "The prophecies are over, so now our actions can truly shape the future."

    "Blessed be! Oh, blessed be!" Beatrice continued to cry with her hands firmly clasped together as a weight was lifted off her shoulders.

    "Saintess," Lucina spoke to bring Beatrice out of her prayers, "¡­I need your help to bring about the future we both want."

    "Of course, Harbinger!" Beatrice happily replied as a joyful smile parted her tears. "I will continue to faithfully play my part!"

    "You will?" Lucina cocked her head to the side and asked, "Even if you have to be married to all four of them? Your body-"

    "Is the price I pay for my sin." Beatrice gave Lucina a reassuring nod and explained, "Please, Harbinger, let my fifth death be the last, and let it bring a new day to Arlexia."

    "¡­" There was not a single hint of hesitation in Beatrice''s eyes as she was already at terms with her future death. Perhaps it was passing pity, or maybe Lucina did care about Beatrice, but she asked, "You don''t want to live in that new Arlexia?"

    "Great change requires a great catalyst, Harbinger," Beatrice explained in a motherly voice that even eased Lucina''s heart. "Allow me to be the tinder that ignites that change and finally atone for my sin."

    "¡­Okay." Lucina walked around the bathtub and used her gravity magic to bring the ball of metal she was hiding into the air as she tossed a dagger to the side. The two objects were suspended in bright light as Lucina didn''t activate her portal quite yet. "I will return later when I have a more in-depth plan on what to do. I don''t know when that will be."

    "I will hang on as long as needed and await your next visit with bated breath, Harbinger." Beatrice once more gave a bow and said, "Zulm''s will be done!"

    Lucina activated her portal and returned to Solfin while replying, "Zulm''s will be done."

 Restlessness of a Still Mind

    "So, you wish to air your thoughts about our Harbinger?" Elise asked as she sat across from Olivia at the table in Olivia''s room while Mary served tea, and Olivia fought to control her nerves. The weeks spent in the room were wearing Olivia down and she desperately wanted someone to talk to about her worries. She had spoken with Mary plenty during her stay, and she conversed with Lucina during dinners, but the gnawing of the seemingly shrinking walls made Olivia restless and craved for others to talk to. Since the other maids acted cautious when interacting with her, Olivia decided to seek the help of a priest who might show some neutrality.

    "Yes." Lucina had gone out to check the situation in the capital for James'' wedding so she wouldn''t be able to interrupt Olivia and Elise''s conversation. Olivia''s hands trembled as she picked up her cup and tried to drink as calmly as she could. "I''m¡­hoping you could help me with some troubles and offer advice."

    Elise kept a relaxed and friendly demeanor as she made sure to clarify, "While I will certainly do my best to help and am more than willing to listen, I hope you can understand my position as I won''t stand against our Harbinger."

    "That''s fine," Olivia agreed with a nod. "You don''t have to go against her¡­just¡­"

    "Please, feel free to speak openly, Lady Olivia," Elise chuckled to lighten the mood. "I will not attack you for saying bad things about our Harbinger, or by thinking poorly of her."

    "¡­I wasn''t going to go that far," Olivia nervously mumbled. Everyone in the mansion was Lucina''s person, but Olivia couldn''t handle the lack of human interactions so she was willing to take the risk.

    "Really?" Elise sounded genuinely confused and asked for clarification, "I was under the impression you hated our Harbinger." There was no malice in Elise''s voice, just curiosity.

    "I don''t hate her," Olivia flatly clarified.

    "Hmm." Elise stayed silent for a few moments as she thought over her next words carefully, before asking, "Then, what do you think of our Harbinger?"

    "¡­" Olivia opened her mouth to respond but words failed to come out. How did she feel about Lucina? "I¡­don''t hate her." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "Even though she enslaved me¡­and went behind my back¡­ I can kind of see why she did it."

    "¡­" Mary fidgeted uncomfortably at Olivia''s admission but stayed respectfully quiet.

    Elise noticed Mary''s discomfort, but ignored it and pressed, "Even if you see her reasons, that doesn''t mean you agree with them and don''t feel hurt."

    "¡­" Olivia stayed silent.

    "As a Daughter of our Hearth Mother, matters of the heart and navigating them are part of my sacred duties." Elise sipped some of her tea and tried to show as relaxed body language as she could to put Olivia at ease. "It''s perfectly normal to dislike someone who betrayed you."

    "Exactly!" Olivia agreed while subconsciously scratching at the arms of her chair because of her mounting anxiety.

    "But you don''t hate her?"

    "Lucina''s¡­troubled." Olivia paused, expecting to get rebuked, but Elise remained quiet to let Olivia continue. "She was forced into war as a kid¡­and it''s my fault even though she says it isn''t."

    Elise had an inkling of where this was going so she asked a probing question, "Do you think she''s lying to you?"

    "She has every right to hate me," Olivia justified.

    "So, she''s lying to you and secretly hates you?"

    "¡­I failed her." Olivia avoided giving a direct answer.

    "If our Harbinger truly hated you, then she has a very strange way of showing it," Elise said as a memory crossed her mind and caused her to chuckle. Olivia was giving her a confused look, so Elise explained, "As you know, I served with our Harbinger during the war. I was the one who vouched for her being the Harbinger of Zulm. And speaking from personal experience, our Harbinger never once hated you."

    "How could you tell?" Olivia was unconvinced but was curious about what Elise had to say.

    "Because the closer she got to the gods, the more she saw you," Elise said and gave Olivia a warm smile.

    "¡­What does that mean?" Olivia had heard that expression used before, ''closer to the gods'', but didn''t know what that entailed.

    Elise took a moment to think about her explanation and tapped her chin in thought, then said, "There''s a phenomenon that happens to Magisters that open themselves to the power of the gods that we call getting closer to them. When a Magister gets closer to the gods they are granted boons that usually take the form of increased magic reserves, knowledge of powerful spells, or some other insights into the world. Just as the gods shape our world with magic, so too do Magisters. As a Magister''s power and faith increase, they become closer to the gods." Elise took a long sip of tea after her explanation to allow Olivia to take in her words.

    "But, what does that have to do with ''seeing me''?" Olivia''s original curiosity wasn''t sated.

    "It''s a quite literal statement," Elise said. She gestured to Olivia and said, "The gods experience our world differently than you or I, so when we get closer to them, our world starts to shift and break. The most common form of break is seeing and hearing things that aren''t there."

    "¡­What?"

    "It''s hotly debated on whether or not the ones we see are guides sent by the gods to help us on our path to enlightenment or demons meant to act as a test to try and steer us down the wrong path. Personally, I feel they are guides trying to help us achieve our heart''s desires and they take the form of those we know to do it with a familiar face."

    "¡­" That just sounded like schizophrenia to Olivia. And, thinking back to how Lucina started behaving after the war, new guilt stuck itself into Olivia''s heart. "And Lucina''s guide¡­was me?"

    "Yes," Elise happily declared which made Olivia want to puke. "After her awakening as our Harbinger, she was often seen conversing with the air and would say your name, so I can safely assume her guide took your form¡­ Is something wrong?" Elise saw how pale Olivia''s face was becoming but didn''t understand why.

    "Are you alright, my Lady?" Mary also took note and moved to comfort Olivia. "Are you sick?"

    "Mary?" Olivia turned to Mary and asked, "How common is schizophrenia? Is there some cure for it, like with herbs or magic!?"

    "Schizo¡­what?" Mary put her hand on Olivia''s forehead to check her temperature, and asked, "Is that some disease? Are you sick with a new disease!?"

    "Let me check," Elise became serious at Olivia''s deteriorating state and gently grasped one of Olivia''s hands. A soft white light enveloped their hands that provided a calming warmth as Elise sent her life magic through Olivia to try and see what was wrong. "I can''t feel any illnesses." The walls of the room started shrinking.

    "N-No!" Olivia tried to clarify, "I mean Lucina! Lucina''s the one who''s sick!" The room felt smaller and it was getting hard to breathe.

    "Our Harbinger is in perfect health," Elise said to try and calm Olivia down. "I''ve checked her myself."

    "¡­" Olivia was once more hit with the reality of living in a medieval fantasy world; mental health was a pseudoscience at best or a religious phenomenon at worst. These people had no idea about brain chemistry and were seemingly chalking up a serious problem as a boon granted by the gods.

    "If you''re worried about her guide steering her down the wrong path, then you have nothing to worry about!" Elise tried a different approach to help Olivia. "Our Harbinger has already reached her enlightenment and no longer needs her guide!"

    "What does that mean!?" Olivia wanted to get out of the room.

    "I haven''t heard her speak with her guide in years!" Elise kept holding Olivia''s hands and Mary kept hers on Olivia''s shoulders. "While many clergy never reach true enlightenment, there are cases where a Magister reaches enlightenment and stops seeing their guide as they are no longer necessary! The Voices are the leaders of our temples living in R''eldrun who have reached this state of mind, so this shows how blessed our Harbinger is."

    "I broke her!" Why was the room so small? Would it crush her?

    "You saved her!" Elise shouted to snap Olivia out of her deteriorating thoughts. Her brilliant red eyes stared with an intense warmth into Olivia''s fracturing blue pools as Elise poured her life magic into Olivia to force her heart to slow down. Olivia''s panic attack was ''healed'' as a warm embrace constricted and controlled her heartbeat that forced her to breathe slower; a skill Elise picked up to treat her fellow Hellhound''s panic attacks during the war. "Throughout the war, our Harbinger was like a dog being yanked around by its leash without a care in the world. Our world was nothing but blood and battle, and she had nothing to live for; except for one thing!" Elise''s grip loosened around Olivia''s hands and she lowered her voice to a more gentle, kind tone. "Your letters."

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    "¡­My letters?" The walls seemed to recede as Olivia''s mind was distracted, and her heart was brought to rest and calmed down. She was lost in Elise''s scarlet eyes that seemed to be putting her mind at ease.

    "Whenever Hopper, our mail boy, brought a letter from you, our Harbinger''s face lit up like the stars in the sky. She smiled! Even when she lost her ability to write, she still smiled an innocent smile whenever your letters came, and I can still remember the absolute joy in her voice when she learned you would still send her letters even without receiving a reply. Her guide took your form because that is how deeply embedded you are in her heart." Elise spoke with complete confidence and certainty as she told Olivia, "You are the reason she made it back."

    "¡­" Olivia''s heart conflicted with her mind, once again. Her voice quivered as she spoke, "But¡­I-"

    "Lady Olivia," Elise interrupted as she saw the circle Olivia was stuck in. "While I won''t force you, or even try to convince you, to accept our Harbinger''s feelings for you as that is solely your right¡­ I will ask that you please don''t deny their existence."

    "Deny¡­their existence?" Olivia''s hands trembled as she tried to comprehend what Elise was asking.

    "No matter what is said or done, you seem set on believing that our Harbinger holds some kind of hatred toward you; that it is impossible for her to love you. And while I admit that her display of courtship is rather lacking," her eyes moved to the collar around Olivia''s neck, "I don''t think her words are completely lost upon you, right?"

    "¡­" Olivia pursed her lips at her conflicting thoughts but didn''t deny Elise''s words.

    "Even if you don''t accept it, denying the existence of love is a spit in the face of our Hearth Mother." Elise let her words hang in the air for a few moments, before continuing, "Our Harbinger, someone whom all in the land should look up to and revere, is most commonly known across the empire as the imperial family''s dog that betrayed her closest friend because she couldn''t contain her lust. Her reputation, outside of Solfin, is in the dirt because of her actions at her graduation¡­and she helped stomp it down so that you could live. Those are not the actions of someone who hates you."

    "¡­" Olivia''s head hung low as her mind went over Elise''s words.

    "But, again, just because someone loves you and acts for you without your knowledge doesn''t mean you are required to return it." Elise let go of Olivia''s hands and returned to her seat. "Returning love because you feel ''responsible to'' will only lead to suffering." She gave Olivia a smile and finished with, "It''s your life, after all."

    "¡­Thank you, Elise," Olivia finally spoke as she wanted to properly convey her feelings. Everything Elise said made sense and Olivia being alone with her own thoughts only led to her going in circles. Mary was outright against Lucina, and Lucina kept herself in check to not cross any more lines, so to hear a neutral explanation from Elise was a welcome reprieve.

    "As a faithful Daughter of our Hearth Mother, I am more than happy to lend an ear and voice to your worries."

    "Honestly, I''m a bit surprised you''re so open about this," Olivia admitted while nervously scratching the back of her head. "I thought you would try to lynch me for being Lucina''s gay love interest."

    Elise flinched and her smile faded to a confused frown, and she asked, "Why would you think that?"

    "I mean, Lady Alm is the patron of families, right?" Olivia was also getting confused by Elise''s confusion. "Lineages and births? A gay couple can''t give birth so their lineage can''t continue."

    "¡­Oh!" Elise suddenly had a realization and started to laugh.

    "¡­?" Olivia looked questioningly at Mary, who returned Olivia''s puzzled look with one of her own.

    "It seems our Harbinger truly is a terrible romantic for not telling you," Elise laughed. "Perhaps she didn''t want to pressure you with the knowledge as well as her feelings at the same time, or she completely forgot about your incomplete schooling."

    "Incomplete?"

    Mary spoke up to clarify to Elise, "My Lady received the best tutors the imperial family could find. What could be incomplete about her upbringing?"

    Elise smiled, and answered, "Because the imperial family would never teach that homosexuality was, at one point in history, a commonly accepted and open concept before it was banned by the royal family at the time."

    "!?!" Olivia and Mary both looked bewildered, and Olivia asked, "It¡­was?"

    "Yes." Elise took on the tone and posture of a teacher giving a lecture. "It was¡­I think just over two hundred years ago now that the king at the time, Liandra Arlexton II, was looking for a queen. Liandra was an ambitious woman who beat out her two older brothers for the throne and would eventually go on to be a great king loved by the masses, but where the history books differ from the texts stored in R''eldrun is about Liandra''s queen." Elise placed a hand on her chest and proudly stated, "As someone who once aspired to be an Elder of Alm, I had to pour over many texts, rites, and rituals which is when I learned of this story and the buried history of homosexuality of Urldrusk. Liandra didn''t want to marry her husband, she had a one-sided love with her maid."

    "¡­!" Olivia and Mary''s cheeks flushed at the risqu¨¦ story, but they both looked captivated; Olivia openly so while Mary pretended to not find it interesting. Olivia was also reminded that noble titles, including the imperial family''s, weren''t tied to a specific gender.

    Elise chuckled at their responses before continuing her story, "While Liandra was open about her love, the maid was only from a baron''s family that wouldn''t bring much benefit to the royal family which is why it was rejected by many nobles. The bickering of the nobles was already putting Liandra on edge, but what finally pushed her into action was learning that her maid was actually being courted by a female knight! And what made it worse was that the maid was reciprocating the knight''s feelings, both families agreed to their love, and they were planning an engagement between them." Elise took another sip of tea to wet her throat. "Enraged, Liandra couldn''t stand being rebuked like that, so she used her authority to ban same-sex marriage."

    "She what!?" Olivia was stunned by the pettiness and wondered if this kind of brash behavior was genetic.

    "If she couldn''t be her maid''s lover, then she would make sure no woman could and even forced the maid to marry a man," Elise playfully said with a smile. "While no one looks for it since no one has a reason to, you can find the law and the date it was put into place by checking with the palace''s administration staff. R''eldrun also has copies of the letters of discontent they sent to Liandra about the law, as well as all the letters she sent back telling them she wouldn''t repeal it. This act of ''defiance'' by the temples also angered Liandra to start burying all mention of homosexuality from history books, which is why you won''t learn about it unless you receive an upbringing by a follower of our Hearth Mother. And even then, the follower in question would need to have learned about the old ways, and see signs of their pupil''s sexual preference as they grew up before even thinking about broaching the subject. Our Harbinger only knows about it since Jeremy and I did our best to help our Harbinger make up for the two years of tutoring she lost at war. I had already noticed the signs of her love for you which is why I told her this story."

    "So¡­it''s not that it''s a sin to be gay, but that it''s against the law?"

    "Only marriage," Elise clarified. "The law specifically calls out marriage. You''re free to love whoever you want, but nothing can ever legally become of it with children being relegated to the birth parent''s family line as a bastard. This stipulation led people to not pursue their love over their family''s well-being, and eventually, the concept faded into obscurity with the help of censoring the history books."

    Still unconvinced, Olivia asked, "Then, what about children?"

    "That is where our Hearth Mother shows her affection for all humanity!" Elise excitedly proclaimed like a true preacher. "In the old days, followers of our Hearth Mother could perform a ritual that would allow same-sex couples to produce offspring. With the decline of same-sex relations, the ritual became obscure and is now only taught to Elder initiates, like me, so that we may keep all our traditions alive even if they are shunned by the crown. Some still hold same-sex lovers, but those traditionalists are few and far between."

    "¡­How would that work?" Olivia tried to wrap her head around the concept.

    "It''s quite simple," Elise said while giving a dismissive wave of her hand. "During sex, the ritual takes a part of one partner''s life essence and gives it to the other. The ''mother'' is decided when the ritual is first performed before the act takes place and it is a guaranteed impregnation. Women have it easy since the baby is born like any other birth, but for men, I read it was quite painful and often ended in death with a mortality rate of about forty percent."

    "¡­Huh?" Olivia''s mind blanked.

    "It was written that a child birthed to two gay men would be raised in a home filled with boundless love because of the increased struggles and risks during birth compared to two women. Even if the ''mother'' died during birth due to complications, the remaining father was commonly recorded as becoming an overly dotting parent." Elise pondered the texts she read and tried to explain, "Since a man gives birth through their pe-"

    "Stop!" Olivia''s face couldn''t get any more red, and she desperately didn''t want to hear the end of Elise''s explanation.

    "¡­I digress," Elise, thankfully for Olivia, dropped the explanation. "Now, since you''re more informed about how the world works; what will you do?"

    "A-About?" Olivia was still distracted by their previous conversation that she completely forgot why it was originally brought up.

    "About denying the existence of our Harbinger''s feelings for you?"

    "¡­Ah." Olivia''s face returned to a normal color as she refocused her mind on what had been troubling her all this time. What did she feel about Lucina and her love?

    After a few moments of silence that didn''t seem like they would end, Elise spoke up, "If I may offer a suggestion?"

    "¡­What is it?"

    "While this may¡­is cruel, why not test both your feelings?"

    "Test?" Olivia cocked an eyebrow at the suggestion.

    Elise elaborated, "It''s clear that you still hold doubts about your heart, and our Harbinger''s, so why not test them yourself to find where your feelings lie?"

    "¡­What kind of test did you have in mind?" Olivia felt a little nervous but also wanted a genuine suggestion.

    "It is, without a doubt, a fact that our Harbinger will listen to you," Elise began and gestured to Olivia. "If you tell her to do something that won''t put you in danger, she will do it, and the same can be said if you tell her not to do something¡­ So why not try seducing her?"

    "What!?" both Olivia and Mary screamed in unison. Mary argued, "That''s no different from telling her to accept those advances!"

    "Unless Lady Olivia tells her to stop," Elise calmly clarified. She looked Olivia dead in the eyes and stated, "Words alone won''t solve your heart, and neither will remaining silent in your own head, only action will be able to bring you the closure you seem to want. If you try to seduce our Harbinger only to find your heart rejecting it, then you will have clear proof of your feelings. At that point, you can firmly reject our Harbinger who, I fully believe, will respect the decision and back off. And if you don''t feel disgust in your heart¡­then you can go from there."

    "¡­Why are you suggesting that?" Olivia''s voice was oddly cold as she stared down Elise. "You''re asking me to play with her feelings, to get her hopes up like that only to possibly tear them down?"

    "Aren''t you already doing that?" Elise pushed.

    "That-!?" Olivia tried to explain.

    But Elise cut her off, and offered, "The fact you''re so unwilling to play with her like that while also not wanting to outright reject her feelings is also a kind of answer." Elise calmly sat in her seat and drank her tea while Olivia calmed down and sorted through her muddled mind and heart. There was fear, but also a kind of longing. Olivia couldn''t deny that Lucina had thrown away so much for her¡­but as Elise said: returning love just because of feeling ''responsible'' wouldn''t lead to either of them finding happiness.

    "¡­" Either. Even now with a metal slave collar around her neck, Olivia wanted Lucina to also find happiness. Despite the differences of thought and the constant misunderstandings on Olivia''s part, Lucina never gave up on her even when Olivia pushed her away. Lucina could easily use the slave collar to order her to do all sorts of acts, but she never did because she respected Olivia and refused to do so just to sate her own desires. Even if there was hate for what happened in the past, it was being overwritten by the love she had for Olivia. And now that Olivia was truly searching through her feelings, she came to an understanding. She wanted to see Lucina smile and she wanted that smile...to be for her. Falling asleep in each other''s arms as kids, sharing their deepest secrets, offering a shoulder to lean on and a gentle word when distressed; through it all, Lucina was always by her side. But was this feeling romantic love? If it was, then was it genuine, or just the room getting to her and twisting her feelings? "¡­I-"

    "Olivia!?" Suddenly, Lucina burst into the room while still wearing her commoner disguise and she ran over to Olivia. "Are you okay?"

    "!!!" Startled, Olivia looked up at Lucina and saw the panic etched into Lucina''s face as she desperately looked over Olivia. "I-I''m fine?!"

    "Were you injured!? Did one of those fucks get into the mansion while I was gone!?" Lucina wasn''t calming down, but she also was obviously holding back. She wanted to check on Olivia but didn''t want to touch her and make her uncomfortable.

    "I''m fine!" Olivia realized why Lucina was panicking. "I just asked Elise to talk since I was bored!" Elise was a follower of Alm who possessed healing magic, so the thought of Olivia specifically calling for the mansion''s only healer made Lucina think the worst.

    "¡­You did?" Lucina stopped panicking and looked over to Elise for confirmation.

    "It''s true," Elise playfully chuckled as she watched Lucina''s reactions. "Staying cooped up with only two people to talk to was getting dull, so Lady Olivia asked if I could spare her some time to keep her company over tea."

    "Tea¡­" Lucina finally noticed the tea set on the table. "Just tea¡­"

    "Lucina!?" Olivia got up when Lucina suddenly collapsed to her knees.

    "It was just tea." Lucina''s voice was filled with relief and her body trembled as her anxiety dissipated, and she whispered, "Just tea."

    "¡­"

    Collecting herself, Lucina stood up and said, "I''m sorry for the scare and barging into the room." She completely hid her feelings behind a calm mask. "I''ll go get changed and get out of your way." Lucina turned to leave the room as fast as she could without looking panicked.

    "¡­Lucina?" Olivia wanted to know what the feelings in her heart were.

    "Yes?" Lucina stopped in the doorway and turned around.

    "I''d¡­like to have dinner separately, tonight." Before Lucina''s face could break, Olivia clarified, "But after¡­I''d like you to come to the room to¡­talk about something."

    "¡­Okay." Lucina had no idea what had happened while she was gone, but the concerned look on Mary''s face and the calm look on Elise''s made Lucina feel uneasy.

    ***

    "Just what did they talk about?" I walked through the hall leading to Olivia''s room and couldn''t get the question out of my head. Once Elise was done, I immediately started asking her about what she discussed with Olivia but she didn''t budge and just told me to wait until after dinner. I couldn''t even force anything down since it would just come right back up¡­my nerves are killing me, but I have to hold them in. Tonight might be the night I finally get rejected¡­

    "¡­" A soft wind blew against the windows as I continued down the hall. I waited until Olivia called for me before coming, and it was rather late with Sailest''s light softly illuminating the hall as the night sky was completely clear. Even those annoying shadows James sent could be seen skulking in the trees. Their eyes always watching me. Waiting for me to slip up¡­ I reached the door¡­ Can I contain myself if she rejects me? I wish she would wait until the Royal Grace was up so I could give her more freedom to move around and get away from me. Can we continue like this if she does this now? Can I keep my promise to stop myself? I knocked.

    "It''s me." I''m scared.

    "¡­Come in." I don''t want to. My hand trembled on the handle. I don''t want to open the door¡­but¡­

    "What did you want to talk abo-¡­!?!" !?!

    "Don''t just stand there¡­come in and close the door." A single candle sitting on the nightstand barely lit the corner of the room and only partially illuminated Olivia who was standing by a tall mirror that she moved next to it. She was¡­wearing her nightgown and standing by the candle¡­ Her body''s silhouette¡­through the gown¡­ "Could you¡­please come in and shut the door?" What did you and Elise talk about!?!?

 Sink Deep and Fall In Love

    When Lucina shut the door, she was completely enveloped by darkness as the only light in the room now came from the candle on the nightstand. Olivia didn''t turn around and seemed to wait for Lucina to approach her first. The silence in the room was deafening and was only interrupted by the occasional clack of Lucina''s high heels against the marble floor when she dared to take another step. Eventually, Lucina stopped approaching Olivia and stood just outside the candle''s light. Her white blouse was barely visible while her long, dark green skirt disappeared in the dark, and the small flame danced in the reflection of her eyes.

    "¡­You can come closer, you know?" Olivia was extremely self-conscious as she stood in front of the mirror and watched Lucina through the reflection. She intentionally wore a thin nightgown as part of her plan to try and seduce Lucina, but now that she was actually doing it, Olivia couldn''t stop her cheeks from blushing in embarrassment.

    "We can talk from here." Lucina''s voice was completely flat and Olivia could see from Lucina''s stiff posture and trembling hands that she was doing her best not to cross the line she had previously set for them.

    "¡­I''d like you to be closer," Olivia said in a low, almost sad voice that tugged on Lucina''s heartstrings.

    "¡­" After swallowing a lump in her throat, and taking a moment to center herself, Lucina walked fully into the light and stood a mere three feet away from Olivia. Her mind was desperately trying to stay calm. Still, her eyes betrayed her interest as they kept glancing over the silhouette of Olivia''s body through her gown. "You¡­wanted to talk?" There was a slight tremor in her voice that betrayed her thoughts.

    "Yes¡­" Words kept failing Olivia as they refused to form in her mouth. Her heart was racing in her chest and she prayed Lucina couldn''t hear it. This feeling definitely wasn''t one of fear but of conscious embarrassment around someone you find attractive. Olivia licked her dry lips, and finally mustered out, "It''s¡­kinda hot in here?" She didn''t mean to make it a question.

    "I can adjust the air conditioner for you." Lucina was feeling herself start to slip so she took the chance to get away from Olivia and began to turn away.

    "N-Not in that way!" With shaky hands, Olivia reached up and pulled one of the sleeves of her nightgown so that it would come off of her shoulder and hang low. "I mean¡­ The weather''s s-so nice that¡­you know?" While she did flirt with Tanaka in her past life, they never went beyond a light tease so this kind of flirting was completely uncharted territory for Olivia, and she was dropping the ball rather hard.

    "Olivia¡­ Did Elise talk you into this?" Lucina''s voice was devoid of emotions.

    "Eh?" Olivia felt Lucina gently grab her sleeve and bring it back up to properly cover her shoulder. "N-No, she-"

    "I''ll talk to her about this, so don''t worry." No, her voice wasn¡¯t devoid of emotion, it was just burying it down so that her feelings wouldn''t show. "I''ll get going." Feelings of longing that bled through even the thickest of walls.

    "Don''t go!" Olivia spun around and grabbed Lucina''s wrist to stop her from leaving, and in doing so, she finally got a good look at Lucina''s face. While she was watching Lucina through the mirror''s reflection, only now that she was physically looking at her did Olivia see how red Lucina''s cheeks were.

    "!?!" Lucina''s calm mask shattered when Olivia grabbed her wrist and her face was filled with longing, embarrassment, and discomfort.

    "It''s¡­ We did talk, but not completely about this¡­ I¡­" Seeing Lucina be embarrassed made Olivia more embarrassed. "I''m not¡­good at this kind of thing¡­so¡­" She took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be losing her voice, she needed to say what needed to be said. "I''m¡­having trouble figuring out how I feel about you¡­and just sitting here in my own head won''t do anything¡­so I¡­wanted to¡­try this¡­"

    "You''re¡­really cruel, Olivia," Lucina said in a voice that failed at being neutral as it was being flooded with conflicting feelings. "I''m trying really¡­really hard here." Lucina attempted to pull her wrist away but Olivia held firm. "You don''t even like girls."

    "¡­Do you remember the stories I told you about from my past life?" Olivia suddenly asked. Her face was cast in shadow now that she had her back to the candle, but her glistening eyes still shimmered through with the reflected light. "How I loved reading trashy romance?"

    "¡­Yes?" Lucina lowered her head since she didn''t want Olivia to see her face.

    "I only told you¡­one part of that since I thought it was a sin in this world," Olivia admitted as her voice went low and started becoming a whisper.

    "A sin?" Lucina still refused to raise her head, but she stopped struggling to get away.

    "Like in my past life, there were laws and taboos about¡­certain relationships."

    "¡­!" Lucina flinched as she had an inkling of where Olivia was going with this, but didn''t want to jump to a conclusion.

    "Things were similar enough here that I projected my past knowledge as truth in this world without really knowing anything," Olivia admitted and she let go of Lucina''s wrist. Her hand hovered in the air, grasping at nothing and not quite sure what to do. It was embarrassing beyond measure, but Olivia forced the words out, "I really love trashy romance¡­of all kinds." She watched Lucina''s body start to tremble as it was clearly getting harder and harder for her to control herself, but Olivia pressed on. "When I ran out of romances between men and women I¡­explored." Olivia''s hand started to rise and traced up Lucina''s arm with her fingers tenderly dancing along Lucina''s sleeve.

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t say a word but also didn''t pull away.

    "The country I was born in also had laws against same-sex marriage, and it was taboo to be gay so I never let my curiosity go beyond just being part of my hobby¡­ I never really gave the idea much thought." Her hand reached Lucina''s shoulder, and Olivia gently cupped Lucina''s lowered face. Her cheek was warm. "I also eventually found Tanaka-kun, which further made me believe it was just part of my hobby¡­ But now?" Olivia raised Lucina''s flushed face and stared into her hungry, dark green eyes. A starving darkness writhed behind Lucina''s eyes that was barely being contained.

    "I¡­enslaved you." Lucina felt herself losing control and was gripping her skirt with all her strength to keep her hands in check.

    "Yes, you did," Olivia agreed in a whisper but didn''t remove her hand from Lucina''s cheek. "Do you know what a yandere is?"

    "¡­No."

    "It''s a trope I came across in a few stories that I¡­came to enjoy." Olivia held Lucina''s stare and noticed her blouse was softly rustling from how hard Lucina''s heart was beating. "It''s something some people consider romantic in a story, but scary if it were real. It''s a character trope where one character is obsessed with another to an unhealthy degree with them being a kind, loving puppy to their love, but a violent and cruel hound to others. Oftentimes, the yandere would end up kidnapping the other lead, their love interest, and lock them away out of their deep, twisted love."

    "¡­!" Lucina felt a lump return to her throat and couldn''t speak.

    "It was always just a story¡­but now it''s not." Olivia''s thumb lightly started to trace Lucina''s lips. "Do I like girls? Am I alright with a yandere?... I won''t lie to you, I don''t know for certain if the reason my heart''s beating so fast right now is genuine or just this room getting to me¡­but I have a pretty good idea what the answer is." Olivia felt Lucina''s warm breaths against her thumb as she parted Lucina''s lips while continuing to trace them. "Can I kiss you?"

    "¡­We¡­shouldn''t." Lucina grasped at her last fringes of reason, and argued, "I¡­won''t let you go if you do." Her festering eyes drilled into Olivia with longing and obsession that would have previously frightened Olivia and made her back away. "If you cross the line first¡­I¡­"Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "¡­" Fear pulsed through Olivia''s heart upon hearing Lucina''s words, but now that only seemed to make her¡­excited. "You won''t let me go?"

    "¡­Never."

    "You''ll jump me and mark me as yours?" Olivia mixed in alluring words as she came to terms with her heart.

    "¡­Yes!" Excitement and anxiety overflowed from Lucina''s heart as she desperately wanted to give in, but had to hold on. Just a little longer, hold on.

    "You''ll¡­never look at anyone else?" A vision of Tanaka and Suzuki kissing across the street from the fast-food restaurant flashed through her mind. "You''ll only love me?"

    "Only you!" Lucina was begging. Her face was distorted with longing and her eyes were filled with want.

    "Then¡­" Olivia''s words trailed off as she leaned down and tenderly kissed Lucina on the lips. It was a soft peck on the lips, a test to see what would happen, an affirmation of her feelings. She watched as Lucina''s face looked disappointed with just a light kiss, and Olivia softly giggled, "You''re so cute."

    "¡­I''m not cute," Lucina responded with a trembling voice that was one push away from breaking.

    "You are," Olivia teased and gave another light kiss. "You''re my cute, lovely Lucina that wormed her way into my heart¡­to the point that I can''t help but love you-Mmph!" Olivia was silenced as Lucina finally snapped, grabbed her nightgown by the collar, yanked her down, and smashed their lips together. It was a sudden, sloppy kiss that had no technique but was filled with love and lust. Tripping over herself, Olivia fell onto the bed with Lucina on top of her as they continued their deep kiss with reckless abandon. Lucina successfully managed to get her tongue into Olivia''s mouth and their tongues soon danced together as one as they both gave in to their desires. "Mmm¡­Mmph!" Olivia pushed Lucina away so she could finally breathe, and gasped for air as if she had been drowning. "Lu-Mmph!?" Lucina came crashing back down and continued the kiss while grinding her body against Olivia''s. Olivia started feeling light-headed and once more pushed Lucina away. A strand of saliva connected their tongues and glistened in the candlelight. "Ah!?" The sound of tearing fabric filled the air as Lucina ripped open Olivia''s nightgown to expose her chest, and reveal that Olivia wasn''t wearing anything underneath.

    "¡­" Lucina''s eyes took in the view of Olivia''s large, supple breasts while she also gasped for air. She licked her lips and swallowed the spit in her mouth; it tasted like Olivia.

    "¡­Well?" Olivia''s voice came out as a tender whimper. "It''s really embarrassing if you just stare, you know?"

    "¡­Sorry," Lucina unconsciously apologized before lowering herself down and starting to play with Olivia''s breasts. She had no idea what she was doing but figured it would probably be similar to masturbation, so Lucina began by gently kneading Olivia''s breasts to see what reactions she got.

    "Mmm." A pleasant, but weak response.

    "Hm," Lucina grumbled to herself and started trying a new tactic.

    Seeing how focused, and determined Lucina looked made Olivia laugh, and mention, "Mmm, you''re really cute when yo-Oh~!?" Olivia''s voice pitched up as she reflexively moaned when Lucina pinched her nipples.

    "¡­Oh?" Lucina''s eyes shot up and stared at Olivia''s face that was desperately trying to hide the fact she just moaned. "So, that''s where you like it~."

    "Th-That''s-Ah~!" Olivia''s voice shook as Lucina started playing with her nipples and even took one in her mouth to softly grind between her teeth. "Ah~¡­S-Sto-Ah~!" No matter her protests, Lucina kept playing to her heart''s content until Olivia said, "I-It''s not-Mm~!... Not fair that¡­I''m the only one naked!" She just wanted a break because she was feeling a heat start to burn between her thighs.

    "¡­" Lucina relented. Slowly, hesitantly, she got up and off Olivia, and turned around so Olivia could only see her back. Reluctance filled Lucina''s voice as she said, "If¡­that¡¯s what you want," and she started to strip. Lucina always wore long-sleeved dresses, blouses, shirts, and coats since she knew her body wasn''t the typical standard for beauty. The war left her skin filled with nicks and scars that she was always self-conscious about when in front of Olivia and Lucina feared it would ruin the mood, but she wanted to oblige Olivia. First, Lucina unclamped the belt that held up her skirt and let them fall to the ground with a light thud, revealing the plain beige loincloth she wore underneath that also soon fell to the floor. Lucina hesitated again, but mustered the courage to untie and take off her blouse, revealing her bare body; she wasn''t wearing a corset since she didn''t think she would need to for the rest of the day, and now she was feeling self-conscious. "¡­" Lucina stood silently awaiting some kind of response or reaction, but the room was quiet aside from a strange, wet sound coming from behind her. "¡­Olivia?" She turned around and was stunned by what she saw.

    "¡­" Olivia was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring intensely at Lucina''s body, and was unconsciously masturbating as she watched Lucina strip. The poor circulation in the otherwise sealed room combined with how turned on she was put Olivia in a trance-like state.

    Lucina followed Olivia''s gaze before realizing how silly she had been to worry, and she muttered, "How could I forget?" Olivia was staring intently at Lucina''s body which, while covered in scars, had defined muscles. Lucina wasn''t buff, but her time in the war taught her the importance of a healthy body and she kept up her standard physical training routine with her knights even after the war ended. Thanks to her training, there wasn''t a single ounce of excess fat on her body and her muscles were lean and toned. In the orange-yellow light of the single candle that flickered next to her, harsh shadows cascaded across Lucina''s body that accentuated her otherwise subtle muscles. Her scars, too, were casting subtle shadows that further seemed to infatuate Olivia. "You really are a pervert~." Lucina''s body was exactly Olivia''s type.

    "Uh¡­Huh?!" Olivia snapped out of her trance and realized what she was doing. "O-Oh!?! I-I didn-"

    "Keep going," Lucina''s voice was low and sultry as she stared at Olivia like a beast watching its prey. "It¡­makes me happy that you like my body that much."

    "¡­" Olivia swallowed despite how dry her mouth was. It was like an incredible thirst was overcoming her that she desperately wanted to sate. Her hand started to move and gently rubbed against her clit while her eyes stared at Lucina''s abs.

    "Do you want to touch them~?" Lucina beckoned and got closer.

    "¡­I can?" Olivia spoke in barely a whisper.

    "Of course~." Gently, Lucina took Olivia''s free hand and placed it against her stomach. "I''m all yours, Olivia~."

    "Mine¡­ All mine¡­" Olivia''s hand picked up its pace and her panting quickly turned into moans of pleasure as Lucina loomed over her, and her other hand traced along Lucina''s body. "A-All¡­Ah~¡­"

    "Yes, just like that." Lucina''s hair hung over Olivia like a curtain of thorns. Leaning down, Lucina whispered as seductively as she could, "O~li~vi~a~!"

    "!?!" Lucina''s words tickled their way through Olivia''s head, sending her over the edge and into her first orgasm. Her body was thrown back and she arched her back as waves of pleasure coursed through her and a wordless scream escaped her parched throat. Olivia''s eyes fluttered and she could barely see as she slowly came down from her high, and let her body relax and collapse onto the bed. "¡­Ah?" Olivia''s legs were picked up and she was pivoted so she was fully lying on the bed as Lucina kicked her heels off, crawled on top of her, and straddled her. "Lu¡­cina?"

    "Not yet~," Lucina cooed and licked her fingers. "We''ve got the whole~ night ahead of us."

    "Huh? W-Wait¡­" Olivia watched as Lucina''s fingers traced down her body before resting against her vagina. "I¡­I just ca-Ah~!?!"

    "Too bad~." Lucina inserted two fingers into Olivia and started exploring. "I was told that you never forget your first time¡­so I''m going to make sure yours is truly unforgettable~."

    "Ah~!...W-Wai-Mm~!?...S-Slow do-down¡­!" Olivia was still reeling from her first orgasm and was already feeling the stirrings of the next as Lucina''s fingers touched and probed everything they could. "¡­H-Huh?" Then, Olivia felt Lucina''s fingers hit a wall. Despite being as physically active as she was, and even being trained and enjoying horseback riding, Olivia''s hymen was intact. "H-How¡­?" She swore it had broken years ago.

    "Well well~. Looks like I''ll need to thank Elise," Lucina chuckled as she traced her fingers against the thin layer of skin that separated her from Olivia''s deepest depths. She saw the adorably confused look Olivia was giving her, so Lucina explained, "It''s well-known how fragile a hymen is and that it easily breaks, especially for female knights. But a newly-wed couple must be consummated with proof, so there''s a tradition of having a priest of Lady Alm that knows healing magic make sure the bride is ready." Lucina lowered herself down to press her body against Olivia''s, and she whispered up into Olivia''s ear, "I heard you gave Elise and Mary a scare earlier today and Elise used her healing magic on you."

    "!!!"

    "It looks like she healed you in a panic to make sure you were alright and accidentally healed your hymen back." Lucina''s fingers pressed against the wall. "Even if this is your second life¡­I can be your first in this one~!" A warped smile overtook Lucina''s face that hovered right above Olivia''s, and she stared down into Olivia''s eyes with glee.

    "¡­" But Olivia didn''t feel fear as she stared into Lucina''s broken gaze. The lust that infected her, the longing that broke her, and the love that bound her were all for Olivia. There was nothing to fear so she innocently smiled back up at Lucina, and said, "I never went this far with Tanaka-kun."

    "¡­" Lucina flinched as the meaning of Olivia''s words sank in. "Then¡­I''m¡­?"

    "You''re the first¡­and the only one I''ve ever done anything like this with, no matter which life."

    "!!!" Lucina wasted no time and pierced Olivia''s hymen with her fingers.

    "Ah!?" Olivia let out a cry of pain, wrapped her arms around Lucina, and dug her nails into Lucina''s back.

    "That''s right," Lucina soothed as she started moving her fingers to fully break the thin layer of skin. "It''ll feel good soon, so just dig your fingers into me. Don''t bite your tongue, bite down on my shoulder."

    "Mmm!?" Olivia bit Lucina''s shoulder as her virginity was taken and blood trickled down Lucina''s hand and onto the bed. Tears rolled down Olivia''s cheeks, but the pain eventually subsided and gave way to a new feeling of pleasure as Lucina was now even deeper inside her. "Mm¡­ Ah~¡­" Olivia unconsciously started arching her back to push Lucina''s fingers deeper inside.

    "Hm~? Not here." Lucina sounded inquisitive and playful as her fingers seemed to be exploring for something.

    "Wha-..What are yo-AH~!?!" Olivia yelped out a scream of pleasure that she didn''t know she was capable of and the room fell silent.

    "¡­Found~ it~," Lucina''s words danced through Olivia''s ears as she began ruthlessly attacking Olivia''s weak spot.

    "Ah~!?! Lu-Lucin-Ah~?!" Olivia couldn''t get any words out as her mind started fading away and falling into lust.

    "More~," Lucina kissed Olivia deeply and breathed into her, "Show me more~." The world was spinning and Olivia couldn''t think straight. The candle''s flame happily danced alongside the two women lost to lust. "My Olivia~!"

    ***

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­What¡­happened? All I hear is a pounding sound and my chest is killing me¡­ Is that my heart? My legs feel soaked¡­ Why is it still- "Agh~!?" Another¡­orgasm?

    "Oiva~!" Lucina? "Oiva~! Oiva~!" She''s slurring my name and sounds really distant¡­ Where is¡­ah?

    "Agh~!" My body shook as I was brought to another orgasm¡­I lost count of how many I''ve had up to this point, but judging by how small the candle is on the nightstand I can safely assume too many.

    "Oiva~!" She''s still going? I turned my tired eyes up to see Lucina straddling me. She''s humping my thighs¡­it looks like she''s using them to get off which explains why my legs are so wet. There''s no focus in her eyes, just a primal lust to keep going despite how exhausted she looks. I wonder if she''s even still conscious, or just moving on instinct? I shou-

    "Agh~!?!" Damn it¡­why is she so good at this even while unconscious? I should stop her before she gets seriously hurt¡­I¡­ "¡­I''m tired."

    "¡­"

    "¡­?" Lucina¡­collapsed on top of me? Did she hear me?

    "O¡­livi¡­a~." Before I could ask, Lucina wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close. My face was buried in her neck and collar, and her chin rested on top of my head¡­ Her boobs rested on mine and I could feel her rapid heartbeat. "O¡­livia~¡­ Olivia~¡­" It was like she was chanting my name with desperation, like if she stopped I would disappear.

    "Lu¡­cina~." My throat was dry and probably cracked from how heavily I was breathing through my mouth, but I couldn''t feel anything¡­ Lucina''s really warm.

    "Olivia~¡­ Sleep~¡­" Sleep?

    "¡­" Yeah, sleep sounds really nice right now. I should sleep. "Sleep¡­" I wrapped my arms around her to pull her closer¡­ I want to feel her warmth. "¡­Lucina~¡­" The dwindling light of the candle was barely breaking through the blanket of Lucina''s hair that covered me. It was like the sun trying to break through a canopy of thorns¡­ But¡­I''m fine down here¡­

    "Olivia~¡­" Down here, she whispers my name with such a loving voice¡­I don''t want to get up. I don''t want my heart to break again¡­so¡­

    "Lucina~¡­" I''ll gladly sink into the briar.

 The Comfort of Thorns

    The warmth that surrounded Olivia was unlike any she had felt before. It was calming and more comforting than anything she could think of, and her tired mind hoped it would last forever.

    "Such soft hair~." Lucina softly whispered to herself and Olivia felt something lightly tug at her hair. Her eyelids were heavy with a want to keep sleeping but she couldn''t resist her curiosity, so she cracked open one eye and looked up. "Ah, did I wake you?" Lucina was lying beside Olivia while holding her close and playing with her hair. Lucina gave a soft, sincere smile that felt just as warm as the embrace that surrounded Olivia.

    "Wake?" Olivia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with arms that barely listened to her due to how tired she felt. The chandelier emitted a faint light so that the room wasn''t completely pitch-black but wasn''t too bright to disrupt sleep.

    "You can sleep some more if you want," Lucina cooed before glancing at the clock across the room. "Though, it''s already past eight."

    "¡­" Olivia lazily watched Lucina''s face before nuzzling herself back into Lucina''s chest. "Sleep."

    "Hm~," Lucina happily hummed to herself and started tenderly stroking Olivia''s hair.

    Seconds passed in silence before Olivia asked, "Are you¡­okay?" Her throat was dry and her voice was hoarse.

    "Why wouldn''t I be?" Lucina chuckled. With her other hand, Lucina started to gently rub Olivia''s back to help her fall back asleep.

    But Olivia fought through her exhaustion, and clarified, "Last night¡­you were out of it¡­and¡­"

    "Hm? Oh, that?" Lucina paused for a moment and adjusted her legs which were intertwined with Olivia''s beneath the blanket that Lucina had pulled over them a while ago. "I''m perfectly fine, that was just me letting out all my pent-up feelings." While her voice sounded gentle and kind, there was a sharpness to her words that dug into Olivia, "I let myself go a bit too much, but that won''t be an issue now that you''re mine~." The arm rubbing Olivia''s back pulled her closer, and Lucina lowered her head to whisper in Olivia''s ear, "Now, I''ll spend every night with you, Olivia~. Whether we''re falling into lust, or just holding each other as we drift off to sleep. I won''t let anyone take you from me~."

    "¡­Mm." Olivia felt relief from Lucina''s twisted words that comforted the hole still left in her heart despite how many years had gone by since her reincarnation. It had always been there, silently gapping in the back of her heart, but now the hole was being filled with a thicket of thorns that moved to infect every part of her being.

    "That''s it~," Lucina softly sang into Olivia''s ear, "Drift back to-"

    "It''s time to wake up!" The door to the room was thrown open and Tress stepped inside, followed by Mary and two other maids. Cloth rags covered their mouths and noses like makeshift masks, and the two extra maids held bundles of bed linens.

    Lucina shot a glare at Tress, and gave an annoyed groan, "You really know how to kill the mood, Tress."

    "Considering how late it is and you haven''t even started the day''s work? I''m here on behalf of Jeremy who''s currently waiting in your office," Tress replied, completely unfazed by Lucina''s glare. "Also, there''s a certain smell hanging in the entire third floor that we need to take care of." Tress adjusted her mask as she looked at the clothes strewn across the floor and the obviously soiled and sweat-filled bed sheets. The room smelled like sex and it had gotten so bad that it managed to leak through the cracks under the door and into the hallway. The two other maids kept looking away due to embarrassment, and Mary held an unreadable expression under her mask.

    "Tsk," Lucina clicked her tongue in annoyance but reluctantly let go of Olivia and sat up.

    "¡­?" Olivia was now waking up because of the noise and tried to get up only to feel a dull pain shoot up through her waist.

    "I guess I went a little too hard on you," Lucina said and brushed some hair off of Olivia''s face. "I''ll try and be gentle next time~."

    Tress interrupted the tender moment with a dry, unamused voice, "Please don''t make this a daily occurrence, we don''t have enough spare bed sheets."

    "Then we can just buy more," Lucina replied as she finally got off the bed and accepted the robe Tress handed to her.

    "We had to open the windows to help air out the smell," Tress countered which caused Lucina to pause and think.

    "¡­Who''s outside?" Lucina asked in a low, measured voice.

    "Me and Gregory," Carl called from the hall as he and another Hellhound shadow knight kept watch. "They aren''t approaching further, but their eyes are all watching the open windows like starved beasts. Once the smell''s gone, they should be shut tight."

    "¡­I''ll try to control myself," Lucina relented as she finished putting on the robe and tying it shut. The morning was starting off annoying. "Tress, draw a bath in my room so I can-!?" Lucina was interrupted as she felt a tug on her sleeve.

    Olivia was sitting on the bed and holding Lucina''s sleeve as if afraid to let her go, and her still mostly asleep brain made her ask, "You''ll¡­be back, right?" While the blanket still hid her lower half, Olivia''s body was exposed and littered with kiss marks, and her hair was unkempt giving her a tired, yet seductive look.

    "¡­Of course." It took all Lucina had to not jump Olivia and make even more marks, she needed to get to work and let Olivia rest. She leaned down, softly kissed Olivia''s forehead, and reassured her, "I''ll try to get my work done as soon as I can. I probably won''t be able to join you for lunch, but I''ll definitely be back before dinner."

    "¡­Okay," Olivia sounded sad, but understanding as she let go of Lucina''s sleeve and watched her leave with Tress.

    In the hallway, Lucina ran a hand through her hair and licked her lips, before muttering, "We really should buy more sheets."

    "Please don''t," Tress flatly stated.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Carl perked up and joked, "I don''t see anything wrong with it. If they''re in love, then why not?"

    "Says the man who''s still single," Tress shot back under her breath as she followed Lucina toward her room.

    "If only your bite were as sharp as your bark," Carl retorted as he followed after them, leaving Gregory to guard Olivia''s room. "Isn''t it a maid''s job to ensure her master is comfortable? I didn''t realize washing a few sheets was so challenging for you?"

    "Considering you spend all day swinging your sword around, it doesn''t surprise me you don''t know how long chores take to complete, or how hard we servants work to keep this house clean." Tress glanced over to Carl before sarcastically stifling a laugh, averting her gaze, and saying, "Personally, I think a maid''s outfit would suit you, Sir Carl."

    "Why a maid!? We have butlers!" Carl snapped and opened the doors into Lucina''s bedroom for them to enter. "Maybe you were right, back then? Maybe our Tress does need glasses," he laughed.

    Tress looked Carl up and down, before snorting, "Ah, yes, of course. I''ll see if we have any extra-thin butler uniforms."

    Lucina idly smiled as she sat in a chair by the bath, and offered, "If you two would like, I can always give you a shared room?"

    "Why would I want that!?" Carl and Tress yelled in unison. They both glared at each other before Carl stomped out of the room, and Tress quickly prepared a bath.

    Lucina leaned back in her chair, and chuckled, "Another lively morning."

    ***

    "¡­My Lady?" Mary hesitantly spoke once Lucina was gone. Her eyes kept looking at the kiss marks that littered Olivia''s body, and her hands were fidgeting uncomfortably as she stood by.

    "Could you start the bath¡­Mary?" Olivia was still exhausted but knew she needed to move so the two maids could change the sheets. The blanket was tossed aside revealing the red stain on the sheet and what little dried blood remained between her legs that hadn''t been washed away by the sweat. "I shou-!?" When she tried to stand, Olivia''s legs felt like they were wet noodles and she fell to the floor. "¡­" Her cheeks started blushing as her mind fully woke up and she realized what she was doing while completely naked, other than the torn nightgown that still hung from her arms.

    "¡­Allow me to help you, my Lady," Mary said and helped Olivia to her feet. She walked them over to a chair next to the room''s bathtub and set Olivia down so she could get to work running the bath. The maids also took this chance to begin quickly changing the bed sheets.

    "..." Silence prevailed between the two of them; it was awkward and uncomfortable. Olivia knew what was on Mary''s mind, so after she was wiped down with a wet rag and she got into the tub of warm water, she mentioned, "I didn''t ignore your words, Mary. I just¡­" Olivia''s words trailed off as a bucket of warm water was poured over her hair and she felt Mary start to lather soap into it.

    "Did you find your answer?" Mary''s voice was quiet as she kept working, and Olivia couldn''t tell what her maid was feeling.

    "¡­Yes," Olivia answered, confidently. "I love her."

    "Then, that''s all that matters," Mary''s voice softened into a motherly tone and she continued to work the soap through Olivia''s hair.

    "But, aren''t you against Lucina?" Olivia asked. The two maids, who were still changing the sheets, both flinched at Olivia''s question and hurriedly left with the old sheets.

    "I was against her because you were hesitating," Mary clarified. "Ever since we came here, it always felt like you were walking on eggshells around the Countess; and for good reason." Her hands stopped and she gently played with a lock of Olivia''s white hair. "I wanted you to know I was on your side and wouldn''t just start appealing to the Countess."

    "¡­" Olivia lowered herself so her mouth was underwater and she blew some bubbles.

    "No matter what you choose to do, I will follow and support you." Mary rinsed the soap out with a bucket of water before moving to the side of the bath to give Olivia a bright smile. "Just as I always have, my Lady."

    "¡­Thank you," Olivia breathed a sigh of relief as she sat up and brought one arm out of the water so Mary could scrub it down.

    "That being said," a sinister undertone infected Mary''s voice and, despite her smile, her eyes darkened which caused Olivia to flinch. "I will never agree with the Countess treating you so roughly!" Using a washcloth, Mary appeared to be attempting to scrub away the kiss marks that dotted Olivia''s arm. "She dares to enslave you, steal your heart, and now abuse your body like this? The nerve!" It was clear Mary still didn''t like Lucina, but she would put up with it so long as it was what Olivia wanted.

    "It''s just a few hickies, Mary," Olivia laughed as she watched Mary continue to scrub her down with renewed vigor. "Besides, It''s not like I''m going out anytime soon."

    "Nonsense! Maintaining one''s appearance is a key part of a healthy mind!" Mary justified as she continued to wipe Olivia down. "If you don''t look your best, then how are you supposed to feel your best? As your personal maid, I will not stand for it!"

    "Yes, yes~," Olivia sarcastically agreed as she let Mary continue fussing over her. After weeks of anxiety and worry, the room seemed brighter to Olivia than before. The soap smelled fresher, the water felt warmer, and her heart felt lighter. While the room still gave her pause, Olivia felt like she could take it now that she had Lucina fully in her heart.

    ***

    "Sorry for the wait," Lucina said as she entered her office. She was wearing a comfortable blouse with a long, brown skirt since she didn''t have any plans to leave the mansion.

    "Welcome, Countess," Jeremy greeted from behind his desk which was stacked with piles of papers. "I take it something good happened?" Jeremy noticed that Lucina''s smile was bright and vibrant, like the smiles she used to get reading Olivia''s letters during the war.

    "Olivia accepted me!" Lucina happily declared as she plopped down in her chair and hummed a happy tune. She desperately wanted to jump for joy and spin around in her chair, but the knowledge of James'' shadows watching her allowed her mind to keep her body in check. "We even sealed our love last night so we''re basically married, at this point! I should look into wedding dresses. There''s that boutique on Winchester, I should get in touch with them about a custom order for¡­ I think Olivia would look better in a wedding dress, so do I need to wear the suit?" Lucina started tapping her fingers against her desk as she was completely lost in thought. "Could we both wear dresses?"

    While Jeremy didn''t want to ruin Lucina''s mood, he reminded her, "Countess, while I''m happy that your love has borne fruit¡­ It''s illegal for two women to marry each other."

    "Then we''ll change that," Lucina countered with a dangerous look on her face. Her fingers stopped tapping, and her eyes darkened despite the smile that broadened across her face. "I was holding back before out of consideration for Olivia, but she came to me first. Now, I''ll do everything I can to keep her by my side, even if it means the crown needs to get a little bloody."

    "Didn''t you want to remain passive and out of the succession race?" Jeremy tried to reason as he felt uncomfortable about his liege openly talking about treason. "The Royal Grace is still-"

    "Jeremy," Lucina cut Jeremy off and her eyes moved over to him. She motioned to his desk and said, "I''ll deal with the day-to-day paperwork from now on, you have another task to complete." Lucina stood up from her desk, walked over to one of the bookshelves that were in her office, and took out a history book of Arlexia. She placed the book into Jeremy''s hands, and ordered, "Comb through every book, every scroll, every loose scrap of paper you can find, and look for any precedent I can use to shorten the Royal Grace." Olivia being under Royal Grace was one of the biggest leashes around Lucina''s neck that kept her as passive and uninterested in getting into politics as she was. "Urldrusk was around for hundreds of years, and royal slaves were around for around just as long; even if the magic collars are relatively new. Find me an excuse I can take to the Emperor and snub James with to solidify my ownership of Olivia. Once James can no longer use Royal Grace to take her from me¡­" Lucina chuckled and gingerly waltzed back to her desk after taking a stack of Jeremy''s papers. "I can focus on dealing with the collar." She happily gnawed on her thumb. "That collar is the last wall between us. If I could just get rid of it, Olivia would truly, wholly be mine~!"

    "¡­Got it, Countess." Treason wasn''t something to be taken lightly, and even if Lucina never specifically mentioned it, Jeremy knew that''s where her mind went. "Then, if I may, I would like to visit the temple of Lord Sen by the harbor. Now that their finances have improved, Elise and Elder Philip have reclaimed many texts and artifacts that were previously sold off. One of the temple''s texts might have an uncensored history I can draw from to find you a justification."

    "Good idea," Lucina replied and stopped gnawing on her nail. She thought for a moment and stopped Jeremy as he was standing up to leave, "Oh, by the way?"

    "Yes, Countess?"

    "It''s a lovely day, so feel free to take Elise out on a date, while you''re out," Lucina teased with a sly smile on her face.

    "¡­I feel you''re talking through your hat, Countess," Jeremy retorted despite his cheeks softly blushing, and his eyes that were avoiding Lucina''s knowing stare. "You''re mood is getting to you."

    "It''s a mood I feel like sharing," Lucina laughed as she picked up her pen to start working on the various documents. "I''m sure Elder Philip wouldn''t mind you taking Elise into town. Pore over things together? Grab a meal? Enjoy the sights?" Her eyes flicked back over to Jeremy. "Take her to a secluded place to-"

    "I''ll be heading out now, Countess!" Jeremy took the history book and dashed out of the room.

    "Hm~, and here I''m just worried about their future," Lucina idly remarked to no one as she watched Jeremy slam the door shut. She tapped her pen against the document in front of her and mused, "Though, they probably don''t want to raise a child in a city crawling with James'' men. Who knows what that fool would do if there were a newborn in my ranks?" The thought of James targeting Elise and Jeremy''s newborn child so he could get to her soured Lucina''s mood. She didn''t put it past him to commit such an act. "¡­I need to solve this." The pen continued tapping against the documents. "Once they''re gone, things will improve¡­for everyone." Lucina''s blissful mind wandered to imagine the eventual time when she could free Olivia and not worry about James taking her away. She imagined the sun shining on an open field as its light bathed Olivia wearing a beautiful white wedding dress that gently blew in the breeze. There wasn''t a metal collar around her neck anymore. She imagined Olivia turning to face her with a bright smile that rivaled even the sun in its brilliance. And, from the depths of her mind, she imagined a small child poking out from behind the wedding dress. They were holding Olivia''s hand. They shared Olivia''s white hair but their eyes were as green as Lucina''s. Their mouth was open as if speaking. What were they saying? "¡­?" Lucina was brought back to reality when her hand suddenly felt wet and she noticed that her pen was making a puddle of ink, ruining the document, and staining her hand. Her cheeks were flushed. "¡­Please find it quickly, Jeremy."

 Price of Greed

    "The nobles are restless, my Prince," one of Terence''s allies reported. Terence and a few of his noble allies were walking through the palace after returning from holding a secret meeting in the city. James controlled most of the palace which meant it wasn''t safe to discuss their plans there anymore. "It''s only the end of July, yet many are already returning to their territories due to lack of supplies. This is the shortest social season in recent history."

    "Has there been any word back from Trent?" Terence asked despite already anticipating the answer.

    "None, my Prince," another noble said, annoyedly. She gave a sigh, and explained, "Trent is deflecting any talks about returning to the capital, even secretly. They intend to fully comply with the Crown Prince''s orders."

    The first noble spoke up, "Even the commoners are getting restless. If you could be the one to bring Trent back and solve this crisis, I''m certain-"

    "Careful, Count," Terence warned and shot a glare at the man beside him. "Remember where we are."

    "¡­Apologies, my Prince." The Count coughed and stopped talking. The walls of the palace had ears that remained unfriendly to them.

    "Just remember for next¡­time?" Terence''s words trailed off as he was distracted by something out the windows they were passing. He and his posse stopped to look out the window, and Terence asked, "Was there an order to redecorate the gardens?" The gardens surrounding the palace were normally quite beautiful this time of year. They only required the gardeners to tend to it sparingly. So Terence was quite confused as to why there were so many workers outside pulling up all the flowers. "Hmm," Terence hummed to himself as he made his way through the palace and outside to the workers.

    One of them saw Terence approaching, and greeted, "Greetings, Prince Terence!" The gardener hastily bowed and appeared very uncomfortable with what they were doing.

    "What''s going on here?" Terence asked, becoming more and more skeptical as he watched the sad workers continue their work. "Was there a blight infecting the flowers?"

    "No, Prince, all the flowers here are perfectly healthy." The gardener sadly watched as another handful of perfectly fine flowers were torn up from the soil and tossed into a bucket. "The Emperor has ordered that all flowers are to be removed from the palace grounds."

    "What?" Terence and his allies all looked at the gardener with bewildered expressions. "My father ordered this?"

    "Yes. The chamberlain told us the news this morning, though the palace gardens are quite large which is why we''re still working on this one despite being past noon." The gardener bowed their head apologetically as if embarrassed by their slow pace.

    "Did the chamberlain give a reason for the order?" Terence quite liked the gardens of the palace and felt it was one of the only beautiful places left in this otherwise horrid place.

    "None, we are just workers who follow orders," the gardener replied and gave another bow.

    The Count spoke up, "Surely these flowers could be planted elsewhere?" His eyes were drawn to the buckets filled with pulled flowers that were haphazardly thrown in.

    "We were told to burn them once finished," the gardener answered, sadly.

    "Burn!?" Terence couldn''t believe his ears.

    "Yes, once we finish pulling all the flowers from the gardens we are to bring them to the center courtyard and burn them in a massive pile." The gardener pulled down their straw hat and wiped the sweat from their brow with a light-brown leather gloved hand that was caked with dirt. "Supposedly, wizards will be the ones to light the fire, and there''re whispers of some kind of ritual that will take place."

    "A ritual?" Terence had no idea what his father was thinking, but he was getting a bad feeling it couldn''t be good. Ever since his brother married the Saintess, and she started living in the palace, Marcus had started acting strangely. He was becoming paranoid about ''something'' but refused to answer when Terence brought it up.

    Unnaturally shifting the tone of their voice, the gardener said, "If you''d like, you could probably ask the Emperor yourselves for more information." They adjusted their thick brown overalls, and mentioned, "He''ll be in the throne room as an important guest has arrived."

    "Hm, keep up the good work," Terence nodded and turned to leave with his allies.

    "What could the Emperor be thinking?" The Count pondered aloud. "The gardens have always been one of the key features of the palace. That girl also seemed to really love flowers to the point I feel bad that they have to ruin the gardens."

    "Girl?" the other noble asked with a cocked eyebrow. "That was clearly an elderly man who grew up tending to the palace gardens. He even had wispy grey hair."

    "You should get your eyes checked, Baron," the Count retorted, "Clearly, they had long black hair."

    "What are you two talking about?" Terence was already getting a headache trying to keep track of James and Marcus, but now his allies were bickering over nonsense? "That person was bald. Look, they¡­?" When Terence turned around to point them out, the gardener they had just been talking to was nowhere to be seen.

    "Huh? Where''d they run off to?" the Baron wondered as she looked around.

    "¡­It''s quite strange," Terence muttered as a thought crossed his mind.

    "My Prince?"

    "When we arrived, there were no carriages outside the palace indicating a guest, so how would they know the Emperor is in the throne room with one?" An eerie wind blew through the garden and rustled Terence''s cloak as if beckoning him back to the palace. "Who was-"

    "Prince Terence?" Interrupting Terence''s thoughts, the chamberlain emerged from the palace and bowed as he greeted Terence. "Welcome back. How was your outing in the city?"

    "Fine¡­ Where''s my father." Something tickled the back of Terence''s neck.

    "The Emperor is in the throne room attending to Countess Sanguine," the chamberlain replied.

    "Countess Sanguine is here?!" An important guest had arrived.

    "Yes, her carriage just arrived a moment ago and I led her to the throne room myself."

    "¡­There''s no way a gardener would know this," Terence muttered to himself.

    "Prince Terence?" the chamberlain asked and gave Terence a confused look.

    "Take me to the throne room!" Terence had a bad feeling about this as the wind laughed at him. "I must speak with the Countess at once!"If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ***

    "Countess Lucina Sanguine greets Arlexia''s Brilliant Sun that shines over the empire, and the Great Lion that all show reverence, Emperor Marcus Arlexton." Lucina was wearing a pristine Hellhound knight''s uniform of sturdy boots, black pants, and a white shirt covered by an ornately decorated red gambeson with her wizard''s robe on top as she took a knee and bowed to Marcus. Aside from herself, Marcus sat on his throne with James sitting next to him, and a few nobles were gathered by the entrance discussing various matters while failing to hide their interest in Lucina''s presence. James arrived in the throne room as soon as Lucina entered the palace to know what she was up to, and why he never received a report on her coming to the capital. Did she outride his shadows? How was she here so fast?

    "Countess¡­" Marcus'' voice was weary and gruff, and his eyes had bags under them as if he wasn''t getting enough sleep. He sat on his throne with a tense posture that was ready to rise at a moment''s notice. "To what do I owe your presence without prior notice?"

    "Of course, Your Majesty." Lucina didn''t know what was happening but pressed forward with her plan. "I''ve come to offer myself to solving an issue that has been plaguing-"

    "Speak plainly, Countess," Marcus said in a low voice that held no joy at Lucina''s embellishments.

    "¡­I''ve come to inform you I will be heading north to Lorn to aid Duke Einbore in repelling the demons on our northern borders." Flattery was one thing, but overly embellishing her words seemed to make Marcus annoyed. Lucina needed to tread carefully.

    "North?" Marcus repeated to himself before falling silent. Lucina stole a glance at James, but even he was looking worriedly at his father which meant he also didn''t know what was wrong. Marcus slowly stood up from his throne and asked, "You seek to solve Einbore''s troubles that even years of his efforts could not?"

    "Yes, Your Majesty." Lucina heard Marcus'' footsteps descend the stairs and approach her. "I will aid the Duke in pushing the demons back so that he may once more rejoin society without worry for his duchy."

    "And what would you ask in return for this effort?" Marcus stopped once he was standing directly in front of Lucina. His eyes drilled down into her, analyzing her, scrutinizing even her slightest movements.

    Lucina kept her cool, and answered, "Serving Your Majesty is-!?!" A large hand grabbed Lucina by the hair and hoisted her to her feet.

    "Do not take me the fool, Countess." Marcus'' eyes were filled with anxiety as he held Lucina by her hair and brought his face mere inches away from hers. James rose to his feet upon seeing his father''s strange actions, and the nobles near the entrance all silenced their whispering. "A dog does not whine without cause. I asked you to speak plainly before, and now I am ordering you to get to the point. What do you want?" Something wasn''t right in the imperial palace.

    Lucina held in her urges to kill the Emperor and paint the palace red, and replied, "¡­If I solve Duke Einbore''s issues then I would like the Royal Grace on Olivia to be lifted early, Your Majesty."

    "What!?" James shouted and started approaching Lucina. "You dare come here and ask for-"

    "Silence!" Marcus bellowed and shot an angered glare at James to shut him up. Even Lucina flinched under the thunderous voice Marcus held as he forced order in the room. Slowly, he turned his gaze back to Lucina, and asked, "And why should I grant your request, Countess?"

    Lucina recited the information Jeremy had found, and told Marcus, "In the past, one of the Dukes of Relsh had a royal slave; during Your Majesty''s grandfather''s rule. After putting down orcs that sought to take root in Urldrusk, the king at the time lifted the Royal Grace as a reward. If I aid Duke Einbore in pushing back the demons of the north, I would ask the same so that I may fully own Olivia." She was getting uncomfortable being held by her hair but kept her thoughts down. Olivia was still too kind and wouldn''t like a bloodbath, Lucina still had to worm the idea into Olivia''s head before she could do that. "I already have some Hellhound knights in the north as a warband helping the Duke, so I will be traveling by myself."

    "¡­" Marcus silently watched Lucina struggle in his hand. The Harbinger of Zulm was begging in his grasp. "I see." He was in control of Zulm''s chosen. "Very well, I will grant your request, should you prove successful in alleviating Einbore''s troubles." He released Lucina''s hair and watched her fall to her knees with a sick, satisfied smile on his face. "My hound is asking for it, so who am I to deny a good hound its treat?" After pondering for a moment, Marcus added, "Take Solomon Kor with you."

    "¡­Elder Solomon?" Lucina raised her gaze to see Marcus pleasantly smiling to himself as he had just found a way to get rid of an annoying pest.

    "He is a powerful member of the clergy, and Alm''s cult, so he will prove useful to you in combating the demons." Marcus leaned down to speak directly into Lucina''s ear. "And should anything befall the ''Elder'' then it would be seen as an unavoidable part of securing the north. Understand, Countess?"

    "¡­All for the glory of Arlexia, Your Majesty!" Lucina had no idea why Marcus was so blatantly inferring that she should take this opportunity to kill Solomon, but she wouldn''t object to it. "I will depart once Elder Solomon is ready!"

    "Then leave us, and return with glory, Countess," Marcus commanded and waved his hand to dismiss Lucina.

    "Father?" James spoke up once Lucina had left the throne room. "The Royal Grace is a major leash around that dog''s neck! Getting rid of it would only lead to trouble!" Why was his father acting like this?

    "The only trouble I''m worried about is the infestation that has befallen my palace," Marcus retorted without turning to look at James. His eyes watched the doors Lucina left from. "An infestation you brought and I have to cleanse."

    "Does this have to do with the changes in the gardens?" James asked, trying to figure out what Marcus meant. "I haven''t touched them in years, the gardeners are doing just fine managing them. What kind of-"

    "The Saintess planted flowers last week," Marcus spoke in a distant voice as his mind wandered elsewhere.

    "¡­Yes? She was always cooped up in her room, so when she asked about the garden I let her plant a few things to make her happy." Why was Beatrice being mentioned?

    "That woman is a conduit for all this!" Marcus barked at his son for being so foolish. "I originally let you marry her as a way to control the temples and snub Duke Ordrin, but now I''d rather have Olivia in these halls than that¡­thing!" What did Marcus see Beatrice as? The anxiety crawled behind Marcus'' eyes like a cancer.

    "Thing!? She''s the woman I love!" James shouted back. The nobles who were originally talking at the entrance all left upon seeing Marcus and James start to argue.

    "She''s the reason the wards around the palace have weakened!" Marcus turned to James and explained, "This palace is a place free of that monster''s influence thanks to the wards and abundance of magic items prepared and maintained by the Wizards. They have stood the test of time for centuries, but now falter with the presence of that Saintess living within our walls."

    "¡­What are you talking about, Father?" James knew the imperial family had always been at odds with the temples and didn''t revere the gods that their people did. It''s not that they thought the gods didn''t exist, there was plenty of proof of their power, but they refused to bend the knee to them as the temples do.

    "Something you will come to understand once you take the throne," Marcus replied. "It is something that only the ruler may know so that information does not leak out of these walls and make its way to the temples. A guarded secret between an Emperor and the Wizards." Marcus put his hands on James'' shoulders, and advised his son, "For now, simply do as you have been and keep working on producing an heir with her to completely solidify your position and our line''s future."

    "Of course, Father." While he was unnerved by the look in Marcus'' eyes, James remained complacent since his future as Emperor was secure. The fact that his father revealed the existence of a secret that only the current ruler knows about ''proved'' his worth for the throne. All he had to do was make sure Beatrice''s child was his, and thanks to him bribing the maids to mix contraceptives into her tea, James would make sure his was the only child to be born. If anything, he held a small semblance of thanks for Lucina since she would be taking care of Solomon for him. All that was left was Derik and Andrew, and Andrew was sorting himself out as he had to return to the wizard''s tower to help with some kind of ''breakthrough'' they recently discovered. For now, though, he had to send new orders to his shadow knights in Solfin.

    ***

    "Countess!?" Terence arrived at the throne room just in time to catch Lucina leaving it and heading for the palace entrance.

    "Hm?" Lucina looked back over her shoulder before turning to partially face Terence, and greeted, "Hello there, Little Panther. What can I do for you?" She was blatantly showing disrespect by not properly greeting him.

    Terence raised a hand to stop his allies from voicing their dissatisfaction at Lucina''s greeting, and asked, "You usually remain in Solfin, so I was curious as to what brought you to the palace."

    "Just some business with His Majesty." Lucina wanted to quickly return to her mansion in the capital so she could teleport back to Olivia and share the good news, so she was trying to brush Terence off.

    "Is it related to Lady Olivia?" But Terence walked up to her and refused to relent. "I pray she''s in good health, despite all that''s happened to her."

    "She tried to kill the Saintess, Prince," Lucina dryly pointed out.

    "Indeed, and it must not be easy for her to live with the one who betrayed her, as well." Terence matched Lucina''s glare. "Who knows how long she''ll have to suffer?"

    "Oh, you don''t have to worry about that," Lucina playfully replied and gave Terence an unnervingly blissful smile. "She''s already wrapped around my fingers~. So, unfortunately, you won''t be able to play the knight in shining armor that comes to a fair maiden''s rescue." She chuckled, and muttered loud enough for him to hear, "If anything, she might even try to kill you if you did~."

    "¡­You truly are sick, Countess."

    "Thank you~, it''s one of the things Olivia said she loves about me~!" Lucina giggled like a school girl which made everyone uncomfortable. "I just hope she can understand my absence for a while so I can take care of some things," she said in a sarcastically sad tone.

    "Your absence?" Terence asked and looked over Lucina''s knight uniform. "Did my father deploy the Hellhounds somewhere?"

    "No, I just asked to play in the north for a bit to help Duke Einbore." Lucina gave a dismissive wave of her hand, and mentioned, "I''m even taking Elder Solomon so that we can play together." Her eyes flicked up to Terence. "Would you like to come, too? I''m sure it would be a fun time for everyone if you did." Lucina''s words bled hostile intent that wasn''t lost on Terence.

    "I will pass and let you have your fun, Countess." Terence made a motion with his hand and one of his allies scurried off to do something. "I hope you have safe travels to Lorn. Will you be taking the Hellhounds?"

    "No, I''ll be traveling alone with Solomon." Lucina knew what Terence was planning so she deliberately mentioned she would be alone with only Solomon, and looked forward to the trip.

    "I see." Terence gave a practiced smile. "So, your Hellhounds will be in Solfin."

    "That''s correct, good job listening!" Lucina teased.

    But Terence paid it no mind, and moved to end the conversation, "Well, since you have much to do, I won''t hold yo-"

    Lucina suddenly closed the small gap between them and pretended to adjust Terence''s cloak, but whispered, "Feel free to send some people to play in Solfin, Little Panther. I''m more than willing to clip what claws you have left~."

    "¡­You''re being rather blunt, Countess." Terence stood firm as he watched Lucina pretend to mess with his cloak. A few onlookers whispered amongst themselves at the scene. "Just because your people are in the palace, don''t believe you can speak how you wish here."

    "You sound overly paranoid about something, Little Panther. I''m just letting you know that you should pick your battles better and you insult me," Lucina sarcastically advised. "My Hellhounds are no pushovers, even without me around."

    "¡­Lady Olivia will be freed." Once Lucina was done, Terence also pretended to find and fix something wrong with Lucina''s uniform. "I can promise you that, Countess."

    "Then we have the same goal," Lucina agreed despite Terence not believing her. "But~¡­" She looked up at him with eyes drowned by obsession. "I''ll be the one whose arms she runs into when that happens. The look on your face will be priceless when that happens, too!" She gently pushed herself away from Terence and waltzed toward the exit, before calling over her shoulder, "I can promise you that, Little Panther~."

    "¡­My Prince?" Terence''s allies were still with him and were hesitant to speak.

    "Count?" Terence spoke to the Count while his eyes still watched Lucina leave. "Send new orders to the shadows." His fists clenched as he couldn''t get Lucina''s cocky smile out of his head. "We''re moving up the timetable. The Lily must be plucked before the Hound returns."

 Something Wicked Comes

    "So, you''ll be traveling to Lorn tomorrow?" Olivia asked as she laid in bed with Lucina.

    "Yeah," Lucina replied while snuggling closer into Olivia''s arms and burying her head in Olivia''s neck. As soon as she returned to her mansion in the capital, Lucina locked herself in her bedroom and teleported back to Olivia''s room in Solfin to spend the night with her. "I''ll try to be as quick as possible, but I have no idea how long it will take with Elder Solomon coming along¡­ And because he''ll probably be annoying, along with some shadows, I won''t be able to come see you while traveling," she bemoaned.

    "Well, consider it an excuse to mess with him," Olivia chuckled. She stroked Lucina''s hair and twirled it through her fingers, comforting, "As the leader of your ''expedition'', you set the pace, and I''m fairly certain Solomon''s never been on a proper march before."

    "¡­I also won''t be able to deliver letters between you and your family."

    "I know, which is why I made sure to tell my father to not expect letters for the foreseeable future. Once he hears you''ll be heading north, he''ll fully know why." Olivia adjusted the blanket to cover more of Lucina without burying her under it. "I''ll be fine. Besides, the roads to Lorn are surprisingly well kept so I''m pretty sure it won''t take you too long to get there and back once you finish your duties."

    "Why wouldn''t they be?" Lucina asked. "Lorn is always fighting back demons and constantly needs supplies so keeping their roads clear and maintained is a priority for the Duke."

    "I suppose," Olivia agreed. She thought back to all the stories and games where the ''Duke of the North'' would be the only line of defense against an invading force but still be mistreated by the nobility and crown. A sour thought crossed her mind and made her hug Lucina closer, and Olivia muttered, "You''ll be okay, right?"

    "I''ll be fine." Lucina enjoyed the warmth she felt from Olivia''s worried hug.

    "¡­I hate when you say that." Olivia moved her head back and looked down at Lucina. "Don''t say you''ll be ''fine'' because you never are when you say that."

    "Then, I''ll be careful," Lucina corrected and leaned up to softly kiss Olivia. Lucina felt Olivia''s tension fade as the kiss dragged on and, when they separated, Lucina playfully asked, "Better~?"

    "¡­More." Olivia brought one of her arms up and cupped the back of Lucina''s head to pull her close. "I don''t know when I''ll be able to see you again," she muttered.

    Lucina dodged the kiss, and giggled, "Didn''t you say you would be ''fine'' while I''m gone, earlier?"

    "¡­I picked up your bad habit," Olivia justified, and pouted that Lucina evaded her.

    "Don''t worry," Lucina whispered as her lips hovered against Olivia''s. "I''ll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

    ***

    I said that, but at times like this, my patience is truly tested. A man outside yelled, "Th-There''s more of them coming! Stay in the carriage, Elder!" Zulm, grant me strength.

    "Why are there so many bandits in these lands?" Elder Solomon complained from his seat across from me in our carriage. Originally, I wanted to take just horses up to Lorn to speed things along so I could get back to Olivia, but I forgot that Elder Solomon doesn''t do things lightly. When I woke up and returned to the capital, I found a carriage escorted by knights waiting outside my mansion. There was also a wagon filled with supplies for a journey that has taken us two weeks despite only needing one. Thanks to that, we''ve been constantly beset by ''bandits'' who keep attacking us during our prolonged travel; like right now. We were currently stopped in the middle of a forest of pine trees when two groups of ''bandits'' attacked us. "Despite their lands being filled with demons, the people here continue to squabble and resort to brigand behavior. Truly, the gods disfavor the north."

    "That''s why we''re here to lend our aid, Elder." The fact that you can''t figure out these men were sent by James and Terence is rather telling. Even if they look the part with their scrappy leathers, their swordsmanship is too refined for bandits. Even if they were former knights or men-at-arms, there are too many of them in a land that''s always looking for swords to fight demons. The princes aren''t even being subtle about it.

    "Look, they even attack each other!" That''s because they aren''t working together and this whole situation is a mess of people trying to kill us and each other. I watched a ''bandit'' decapitate one of Elder Solomon''s guards only for him to be stabbed in the back by another ''bandit''. In a way, it was like watching a bad play where no one knew the script and everyone was improvising. "Such heinous behavi-OH!?" An arrow plunked into the side of the carriage and, unfortunately, missed the Elder''s head by inches. He quickly pulled the curtain of his window shut despite trying to look brave and attempted to reassure me, "Have no fear, Harbinger. As a devout of our Hearth Mother, those I brought are strong in both body and mind and won''t be bested by thugs." Try saying that without chattering teeth, next time. "If you would like, Harbinger, I can lend you a shoulder to-"

    "That won''t be necessary." Despite being the Saintess'' concubine, Elder Solomon kept trying to get closer to me this whole trip.

    "Of course, Harbinger." He would always back off, but the fact he never stopped trying was getting annoying. The Saintess really lives up to her title by being able to deal with him.

    "Mm¡­?" As I continued to watch the battle, movement in the distance caught my eye. "Looks like things are about to be wrapped up."

    "As I told you, our safety is-!?!" A war horn bellowed in the wind to announce the arrival of a group of knights on horseback. From over a hill up the road, knights in full plate armor rode toward us with lances lowered in a charge. Celeste blue cloaks flapped in the wind like banners of war as they charged into the ''bandits'', crushing bodies under the hooves of their horses or impaling them on lances. The arrival of the knights quickly ended the battle as the remaining attackers fled into the woods. "A-Ahaha! Lady Alm blesses us!" Stop talking.

    One of the knights steered his horse over to the carriage, and greeted when I opened the window, "Darby, Captain of the Celeste Giants, greets the envoys of His Majesty." With a wave of his arm, Darby unceremoniously flung the lifeless body that was impaled on his lance aside. "I apologize for the mess upon your arrival. Lorn is not usually a home for brigands, and the demons don''t often make it south so we became lax."

    Darby seemed alright, so I replied, "No need, Captain. If anything, we''re the ones who should apologize for bringing them into your home."

    "¡­I thank you for your understanding, Countess." Judging by his measured tone, Darby quickly picked up what I meant.

    "W-What?" Elder Solomon, on the other hand, remained ignorant.

    "In either case¡­" I wanted to move on so I could start working. "Could we trouble you to lead and protect us the rest of the way, Captain?"

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    "Of course, Countess. We were actually just dispatched because you were taking an unusually long time reaching Wyrm Rock and we were concerned something had happened." Darby''s great helm swiveled as he surveyed the aftermath of the attack, and added, "I suppose Lady Muz boiled our blood today for this reason."

    "Is it much further to Wyrm Rock?" I asked. Please don''t let it be much further.

    "You''ll be able to see the keep once we crest the hill," Darby replied and pointed to the hill they had just ridden down. Thankfully, I wouldn''t have to share a carriage with Elder Solomon for much longer. Darby turned to his men, and ordered, "Assist the wounded and bring them to the keep! You four with me, we''ll personally escort the envoys!"

    "At once!" The Celeste Giant knights replied in perfectly practiced unison before performing their designated tasks. And, just as Darby had said, once the carriage crested the hill we could see our destination; Wyrm Rock. Wyrm Rock was a keep similar to Wortrest but was far larger and with much thicker walls than normal that were said to be able to withstand even a cyclops'' fury. As for how it got its name, it was rather obvious with how the skeletal remains of a massive dragon wrapped around the entire perimeter of the keep like a second wall. The beast''s horned-skull was as large as a mansion.

    I leaned out the window of the carriage, squinted my eyes, and asked, "Are those fires?" I could see light coming from the eye sockets of the skull.

    Darby nodded, and answered, "You can''t see it from here, but the skull is our outer barracks we use so we don''t have to enter the keep while out on patrol. Inside the mouth is where we built stables to rest our horses and there are towers leading up into the skull where we''ve constructed lodgings."

    Elder Solomon spoke up, "A rather¡­morbid use of a monster''s skull."

    "Monster?" Darby sounded insulted, and retorted, "While it''s true we hunted the dragons to extinction, they were still children of Lady Muz, and the ones who taught our ancestors aura! To refer to them as just ''monsters'' is rather belittling, Elder."

    "I meant no offense, Captain! You''ll have to forgive my wording as I am still shaken from the earlier attack." Elder Solomon quickly tried to placate Darby, though judging by Darby''s annoyed grunt he didn''t do a good job. Thankfully, Elder Solomon seemed to pick up on that and remained silent for the rest of the journey, but the air was tense.

    To change the subject, I asked Darby, "Have my Hellhounds caused any trouble?"

    "No, Countess, your warband has been most helpful. They await you inside Wyrm Rock. The Duke is also out with a subjugation force so he will not be available to greet you." Darby didn''t sound as welcoming as before and seemed reluctant to speak further.

    "¡­I see." The north had been under siege by constant demon attacks for years and was a place steeped in reverence for Lady Muz as it was often Aurister knights who led the defense of their homes. For Elder Solomon to insult them, even accidentally, made a terrible first impression. I''m starting to see why the Saintess disliked him the most.

    After passing under the looming gates and weaving through the sprawling buildings, we finally made it to the main building where we were greeted by a group of gathered knights I was quite familiar with, "It''s been a while, Commander!" My warband greeted me with sloppy salutes.

    "I can hear Peter crying from here, you lot," I joked as I ignored Elder Solomon''s hand to help me down and jumped out of the carriage myself. "Don''t tell me you talk to the Duke like that?"

    "Nah, Darby would have our heads if we did," the knight, a rough young man named Henry, joked. I heard Darby groan beneath his helmet before taking his knights and leaving. "¡­What''s got the Captain in a mood?"

    "I''ll-"

    "Please, show proper respect for Zulm''s Harbinger!" Before I could explain, Elder Solomon revealed himself as the reason for Darby''s bad mood by confronting my knights. "Your actions reflect themselves upon our Harbinger, and I find them rather lacking. I cannot allow her to be so haphazardly protected by a group of ruffians like yourselves."

    "¡­?" My knights, rightfully, started getting annoyed and I saw a few of them not so subtly reach for their weapons.

    "Yo-"

    "Enough." While I was more than happy to let him kill himself, I didn''t want it to so blatantly happen in front of the Duke''s house in the middle of the day. As a guest, I should at least show some tact. "I''ll handle my knights, Elder Solomon. I''m sure you and your retinue are tired from the journey, especially after what happened, so why don''t you head inside first?" I needed to separate them.

    "¡­As you say, Harbinger," Elder Solomon finally agreed with me and gave an exaggerated bow before walking inside.

    "I realize we haven''t seen you in years, Commander¡­but¡­" Henry scratched the back of his head and spat on the ground where Elder Solomon had been standing. "Please tell me you aren''t keeping guys like him company?"

    "I''m into women, Henry."

    "¡­That just makes it worse."

    "Enough joking." It felt reassuring to be with my old comrades I hadn''t seen since the war. "I hope you''re all ready for a death march since I don''t plan on staying for long. I want to get back to Solfin as soon as possible."

    "Got someone waiting for you, Commander?" Henry playfully asked.

    "¡­" I didn''t respond, and only smiled at him.

    "¡­Wait, seriously?" Henry asked which got the whole group rowdy.

    "The Commander''s got a husband?"

    "Wife, John, didn''t you hear her earlier?"

    "Why didn''t you invite us to your wedding?!"

    To control them, I brought up, "You''re all the ones who wanted to keep fighting and not settle down in Solfin. Don''t blame me for not sending you wedding invitations."

    "That''s too much, Commander!" Henry whined. "We all wanted to see you get married and be happy!"

    "Yeah!" They were like a group of children who were just told they missed out on snacks.

    "Well, when I finally do marry her, I''ll consider sending you invitations." I watched realization dawn on them. "Gay marriage is illegal, so we aren''t officially married, but I''m working on it." Not many of them received a proper education so it was understandable that they didn''t know the law.

    "Is that why you''re here?" Henry asked after clearing his throat.

    "Partially," I admitted. "I need to take care of a few things to get what I want, and helping the Duke will achieve one of my goals." Despite being summer, the north held a chill in its air as the wind blew through the keep. "I''ll be heading inside. Be ready to ride into hell tomorrow so you don''t make me look bad in front of the Duke."

    "Got it!" Henry laughed and my Hellhounds saluted me before going off to get their gear. It was only a little past noon, and while I would love to start the subjugation now I knew Elder Solomon would throw a fit if he wasn''t allowed to rest in a proper bed.

    "Countess Sanguine?" A maid emerged from the main building once my knights left. "Your room is prepared."

    "Lead the way." I hope today ends without anything else happening.

    ***

    Thankfully for Lucina, night fell over Wyrm Rock with no incidents caused by Solomon. Sailest loomed in the sky as it bathed the pine forest in its violet light and watched over the north with an expectant gaze. Lucina was going over a map of the region to pass the time in her room when she heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

    "Duchess Isabelle would like to speak with you," a maid called from the other side of the door. "I am here to bring you to her."

    "¡­Really?" Lucina was still in her uniform but had thrown her robe and gambeson on a chair. She opened the door, and answered the maid, "It''s rather strange for a married woman to call a guest to her room so late at night."

    "¡­" The maid didn''t respond to Lucina''s taunt and simply waited for her to follow.

    "You''re no fun. Take me to her."

    "Right this way, Countess." The maid led Lucina through the keep''s stone halls, their footsteps echoing against the emptiness that accompanied them. Two knights stood guard outside a door and gave a nod when Lucina and the maid approached. "I''ve brought the Countess," the maid relayed once she approached the door.

    "Send her in," a voice both frail and firm answered from the other side.

    The maid opened the door and allowed Lucina to enter the bedroom where she bowed, and greeted, "Countess Lucina Felswore greets the Duchess of Lorn, Isabelle Einbore."

    "Countess¡­" Isabelle was sitting in her bed with a book resting on her lap, and her long brown hair was left down and free. Brown eyes that held a frightening fire stared at Lucina as Isabelle sized her up. "First, I would like to apologize for failing to properly greet you earlier, as the lady of this house," she said and rested a hand on her heavily pregnant stomach.

    "The fact you''re greeting me at all makes me grateful enough, Duchess," Lucina replied.

    "Please," Isabelle said and raised her hand to stop Lucina, "I''ve heard enough long-winded words from that Elder you brought."

    "¡­Are you not worried about insulting an Elder in front of Zulm''s Harbinger?" Lucina relaxed her stance while keeping an edge to her tone of voice.

    "Judging by what Captain Darby reported to me about your brief encounter, and that letter you sent my husband, I feel perfectly secure with my safety." Isabelle appeared calm but made sure to hold an air of authority. She controlled the room despite her never having left her bed.

    "The Duke shared my letter?" Disguising it as an act of courtesy, Lucina sent a letter to Duke Einbore that went over what she wanted to ''do'' in the north. She sent the letter with a merchant from Trent she ''happened'' to run into in a town on their way north.

    "It concerned the safety of this house, and his heir, so of course he did," Isabelle flatly replied. "And while I have my own thoughts on the matter, I will trust my husband''s judgment." She opened the book in her lap and produced a piece of paper that she held out toward Lucina. On the paper was a simple message that held no pleasantries and only got to the point while holding the Duke''s official seal.

    ***

    So long as it does not bring harm to Lorn, you are free to do as you wish. Be sure to pay your dues.

    ***

    "My dues," Lucina chuckled at the choice wording and pocketed the letter.

    "I reluctantly agreed to my husband''s decision out of respect for your title, Harbinger, though I still hold my doubts." It was clear what worried Isabelle, especially with both princes being seemingly so active in trying to get rid of Lucina. "Should your actions bring ire to Lorn, we will act accordingly for our survival."

    "As you should, Duchess," Lucina agreed which made Isabelle narrow her eyes in suspicion. "I never asked for protection, just a quiet corner to take care of some business." She gave a bow and turned to leave.

    "Where are you going?" Isabelle felt a dark air hovering over Lucina.

    "To take care of some business," Lucina happily replied. "After all, it''s a lovely night to go for a walk." Lucina gave Isabelle a confident smile and left the room.

    After a few moments, the maid entered the room with some calming tea, and asked, "Are you alright, Madam?"

    "¡­Yes." Isabelle leaned back into her pillows and gave a sigh. One of her hands idly traced her stomach. While she put on a brave front, she feared Lucina because of all the rumors and stories that followed in her wake. With a child finally on the way, the last thing Isabelle wanted was trouble with the crown or the Harbinger of Zulm. Her finger tapped against her book, and she ordered, "Make sure all the servants are inside, and avoid being near windows." She needed to minimize any potential damage. "Any sounds heard outside are to be regarded as noisy animals."

    "At once, Madam!" The maid quickly left the room to make sure all the staff were accounted for and inside.

    "¡­" Isabelle gave another sigh and turned her head to stare out the window of her room. Sailest stared back. "It''s a terrible night for a walk."

 Barking an Ironic Tune

    Thanks to Sailest''s light, Lucina was able to navigate around the keep without a torch and minimize her presence. After briefly visiting her knights in the barracks, she found her way into one of the towers and up the spiral stairs that led to the top of the walls around Wyrm Rock. Despite how heavily guarded the keep was, there were no guards along this stretch of wall that allowed an eerie calm to fill the air. Lucina softly hummed to herself as she waltzed along the wall before stopping to admire the view of the north. Thick forests of pine stretched into the distant horizon with dots of light in the distance that marked the various camps of knights who patrolled the woods for demons. Wind whispered through the trees as insects sang songs in the cool night air. Had she not known better, Lucina would have thought the north was a beautiful and peaceful place. As she admired the view, a small flame danced in front of her like a firefly wishing to be admired.

    "It''s dangerous without a torch, Harbinger," Solomon sarcastically lectured in a soothing voice as he walked over to join Lucina. He was surrounded by small flames that danced in the air with a single gesture of his hand.

    "Sailest''s light guides me well enough." Lucina already knew he was following her since she entered the tower; it''s why she wandered the keep for so long. "Couldn''t sleep, Elder?"

    "While I would occasionally accompany Saintess Beatrice to handle demons, the night before a subjugation is still a restless one for me." Solomon gestured toward himself and the flames that danced around him widened their dance to encompass both himself and Lucina. His long blonde hair fluttered in the wind and seemed to sparkle in Sailest''s light, and his purple eyes shimmered as they reflected the light of the flames that danced around them. Solomon was also wearing his shirt halfway unbuttoned to allow his toned chest to be fully on display. "May I ask for your company, this night?" His voice was like a cool river that effortlessly flowed through the air and into Lucina''s ears.

    "¡­Very well." A river that immediately hit a dam and had no real effect on Lucina, but she did her best to play along. There was a large cloud in the distance that was slowly making its way across the sky and would soon blot out Sailest''s light. "Though, Elder, your actions make me feel sorry for the Saintess back in Gorinville." Just play along a little longer.

    "If that is the case, then you are not fluent in the customs of Auntie Yulash," Solomon playfully laughed as he got closer to Lucina. The small flames that danced around them tightened their dance as Solomon drew closer, and Lucina noticed that they would occasionally stop to land on one of Solomon''s rings before taking flight once more.

    "Auntie?" Lucina asked despite wanting to throw up at how comfortable Solomon was getting with her.

    "The deserts of Yulash can be both lovingly kind and sadistically harsh, like an annoyed auntie. It''s just a little title we''ve given our home as it often seems like the desert itself is alive, at times," Solomon explained. He chuckled to himself, and continued, "In such a lively place, our ways of love, too, are lively. We do recognize marriage and our children are born from our wives, but¡­" Solomon draped an arm over Lucina and let it gently rest on her shoulder. "Should love exist, why not enjoy its bliss so long as everyone agrees?"

    "¡­" Lucina held back her urges as the cloud was still making its way across the sky. The eyes in the trees could still see her under Sailest''s light. "That''s a very lively custom, is that also why you wear so much jewelry?" She watched another flame wisp land on one of Solomon''s rings and grow brighter as if it was recharging from the ring''s jewel.

    "It''s a similar case," Solomon happily explained as his hand went from Lucina''s shoulder to her back since she wasn''t pulling away. "What''s the point of owning wealth if we don''t show it? A jewel kept in a box is only worth the box, as our Sultan would say."

    "I guess I''m so used to the clergy of Arlexia that it''s strange to see one so covered in jewelry," Lucina stated while doing her best to keep her tone of voice upbeat despite feeling Solomon''s hand trace down her back. The cloud crept closer to Sailest. "Your Sultan sounds rather unique."

    "It''s probably the animali blood in them," Solomon said indifferently as he was more focused on Lucina''s body than their conversation.

    "Animali?" Lucina wanted to keep their talk going to hopefully slow Solomon down enough for the cloud to get where she needed it to be. "The half-animal species of humans native to Yulash? I''ve only read about them in books, but they''re real?"

    "They are, though ''half'' is a generous wording." Solomon obviously wanted to move on but didn''t want to push too hard since he was getting further with Lucina than ever, so he humored her and explained, "Animali only share a handful of features with animals, at most. Our Sultan has the ears, eyes, and tail of a cat while otherwise looking completely human."

    "That''s very generous of your people." The cloud was almost in place. "I''m surprised the animali are accepted enough to become Sultan."

    "They are a people blessed by Lord Nuz, so what could we do other than treat them like real people?" Solomon offhandedly said as his hand reached Lucina''s butt. "But, Harbinger, while I''m touched you''re so interested in my home, I''d much rather hear about you." The large cloud rolled across the sky and blotted out Sailest''s light, enveloping Wyrm Rock in darkness and making it impossible for the eyes in the trees to see what was going on. Solomon softly squeezed Lucina''s butt and whispered in her ear, "Like-!?!" Only for a gust of wind to extinguish the small flames dancing around them and punching Solomon in the stomach, sending him sprawling to the floor.

    "¡­I need a bath," Lucina muttered in disgust as she turned to face Solomon who was keeled over on the ground. Despite the darkness, Lucina''s eyes had adjusted enough to see Solomon, but everything beyond the wall was pitch black. "Let''s get this over with." The perfect cover to take care of business without being ''directly'' held responsible; it was too dark to tell what was happening from an onlooker''s perspective.

    "H-Harbinger!?" Solomon was taken completely by surprise and unconsciously raised his hand toward Lucina. "I-If you didn''t like-" With a single slash of her shortsword, Lucina cut off Solomon''s fingers and most of his raised hand. "A-AGH!?!?!" Confused and terrified, Solomon began crawling to his feet in an attempt to flee. If he could escape back to his followers and the Duchess, he would be safe, right? However, when he reached the door to the tower, Solomon ran into three armored figures in red cloaks. "P-Please!" Solomon pleaded to the figures. "The Harbinger''s been driven mad! You must help me!"

    "¡­" The three figures stood stoically in place without answering.

    Lucina spoke up as she started walking toward Solomon, "Take his right hand, and any jewelry you can find."

    "Got it, Commander," the Hellhound knights obeyed.

    "W-Wha-!?!" Solomon tried to back away, but a metal gauntlet grasped his wrist so a battleaxe could come down and chop off his right hand. The figures pounced on Solomon, slammed his head into the floor to further daze him, and their cold hands scoured his body to tear off any and all of his jewelry. The screams Solomon cried were lost as a harsh wind howled across the forest.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    "On his feet," Lucina ordered as she picked up one of Solomon''s sliced-off fingers to further inspect the finger''s ring.

    "Got it!" the knights replied and hoisted Solomon to his feet after they were done taking all of his jewelry.

    "¡­" Solomon was slowly coming out of his daze and blankly stared at the floor. "H-¡­Harbinger?" His voice was distant and he sounded out of breath. "If I was¡­to far¡­then please forgive-"

    "You''re surprisingly clever, for a fool," Lucina interrupted Solomon''s wallowing as she inspected the ring she pulled off the finger. "I''ve never seen a wizard think to cover themselves in jewelry made of magic stones to disguise himself as a priest." She felt the same disgust in her gut she felt when wielding her wizard''s staff during the war, solidifying her suspicion.

    "¡­!" Solomon''s voice caught in his throat. Seeing no point in lying, given his current predicament, Solomon decided to ask, "H-How did you¡­know?"

    "The Saintess tipped me off," Lucina answered and could feel Solomon''s expression drop in horror.

    "B-¡­Beatri-!?!" Lucina punched Solomon''s face to shut him up.

    "A heretic like you should know better than to speak the name of a Saintess." Lucina had wondered why Beatrice called Solomon a heretic during their last talk which first sparked her suspicion. "But, yes, the Saintess knew you were a heretic. And you also confirmed it earlier with those little ''fireflies''." Lucina held the ring in front of Solomon''s face. "They kept landing on your ring to keep themselves going. A Magister''s magic can be formed and sustained anywhere near them so they shouldn''t be doing that, but a wizard''s must form near their magic stone." Lucina tossed the ring aside to fall off the wall and into the sea of darkness below. "If I hadn''t been looking for it, I would have glossed over it. Too bad, heretic." Lucina gestured with her head to the edge of the wall and her knights hoisted Solomon up to dangle him over the side.

    "H-H-Harbinger!?!" Solomon cried as he felt the ground leave him and his hands desperately grasped at the knight''s hands that were the only thing suspending him in the air. "I admit it! I have committed a grave sin! A sin I will gladly testify to committing before the Voices in R''eldrun!" Solomon clamored for anything to save himself, believing that if he could just survive this encounter he could get help from his fellow wizard allies he snuck into the clergy.

    "Why would I waste their time?" Lucina asked matter-of-factly, much to Solomon''s horror. "I am Zulm''s Harbinger, so my word alone will easily convince them; plus the jewelry made of magic stones I''ll send to them so they can thoroughly rout out any other wizards skulking about our ranks." Lucina nodded to one of her knights and they started gathering all the remaining jewelry in a sack. "So, I don''t see the need to¡­?" Lucina''s words trailed off as, surprisingly, movement below the wall caught her eye. It was far too dark to properly see anything, but unmistakable red lights made themselves known.

    "!!!" From out of the forest, a pack of hellhound demons emerged. The red pricks of light in their eyes glowed softly in the darkness to betray their presence along with the howls that reached the top of the wall. How they had managed to slip past all of Einbore''s knights during an active subjugation was unknown but the pack ran up to and started clawing at the wall beneath where Solomon was being dangled from. "!!!" They started barking, asking for food.

    "¡­Pfft!" The tense air chilled as Lucina couldn''t stop herself from laughing. "Ahaha!"

    "¡­H-Harbinger?" Solomon could hear the hounds beneath him snapping their jaws, and Lucina''s laugh was putting a bad thought in his head.

    "I guess it''s true what they say!" Lucina laughed as she leaned over the wall to get a good look at the hellhound demons. "The gods love irony!" Demons were, at the end of the day, servants created by the gods. Though they sought and killed humans, that was just their nature, their reason for existence. To see demons that had no right to be here snapping their jaws so hungrily filled Lucina with joy. Solomon''s route ended with him feeding Olivia to a pack of demons with the help of his followers, so Lucina happily cried, "Just as you did to Olivia, so shall be done to you!"

    "What are you saying!?!" Solomon desperately asked as he had no idea what Lucina was talking about.

    "Zulm''s will be done!" Lucina declared and, after giving a wave of her hand, had her knights drop Solomon off the wall.

    "NO!?!" Solomon''s voice fell on the howling wind as he plummeted to the ground. The fall, unfortunately for him, didn''t kill Solomon but instead broke his back, shattered his legs, and left him completely helpless as the maws closed in around him. "!!!" Incoherent screams echoed back up the wall as the hellhound demons tore into Solomon and ripped him limb from limb. At a certain point, it almost seemed as if the demons were intentionally avoiding outright killing Solomon as they slowly tore at his non-vital organs. One even tore open Solomon''s stomach to bury its snout into his guts and gnaw on his heart without piercing it. And while the shadows in the trees couldn''t see what happened atop the wall, they could easily make out and watch Solomon''s final moments.

    "Blessed be!" Lucina declared with a smile on her face.

    "Blessed be!" her knights replied. They were all people who had fought and bled alongside Lucina during the war and whose faith was fully in the gods that granted them the blessing of returning alive to fight another day. To help their Commander, their Harbinger, rout out vile wizards who pretended and insulted their gods was the greatest gift they could ask for.

    "¡­Henry?" After calming down, Lucina called to her knights in a sing-song voice.

    "Yes, Commander?"

    "I take back what I said earlier¡­" Lucina stopped leaning over the wall and headed for the tower and stairs down. "We''re not waiting for tomorrow. Demons have reached the walls, so how could we possibly sit by and let them be?" She spoke through laughs as her knights kept pace. "Awaken the others! We push back the demons starting now!"

    "Got it!" her knights all shouted as they fell in behind her. That night, as the large cloud finally left the sky and allowed Sailest to once more bathe the world in light, the Hellhound knights rode forth with a strange vigor. After cleaning up the demons who had approached the walls and dealing with those still loyal to Solomon, they rode their horses into the dark forest to begin a subjugation the likes of which Lorn had never seen before.

    ***

    "How goes the experiment, Andrew?" a wizard asked as he entered the wizard''s tower''s innermost chamber. The wizard''s tower was a massive spire that pierced the distant skyline of Gorinville and housed the most powerful wizards in the empire, as well as the meteor that provided them with their magic stones. In the innermost chambers of the tower, guarded by countless layers of wards and spells, was a laboratory where the wizards would conduct experiments on the meteor to further their understanding and control over its gifts. Vials filled with strange liquids, test tubes circulating concoctions, and strange devices powered by magic stones littered the room as wizards went about their work. It was a place for only the most trusted and high-ranking of wizards which is why Andrew, as the next archmage, was allowed inside to further his studies.

    "It''s everything we''ve been hoping for!" Andrew proudly declared as he looked up from the table he was working at to address the other wizard. "Look, Spencer!" Andrew excitedly called as he repeated the experiment for his colleague. With a strange contraption, Andrew sliced off a piece of the meteor''s crystal-like body to use and happily watched as the meteor regenerated the missing piece. Placing the piece into a box that had tubes going into it, the box hummed and churned, injecting the strange clouds of dust that filled the tubes as it worked, until it gave a soft ''ding'' sound. Andrew opened the box to reveal that the piece of magic stone was now in a powdered form. "I finally got the right ratio for the solute! Once added to the solvent¡­" Andrew brought the powder over to a different circular device and poured the powder into a tray in the center of the device. After placing a glass lid over the tray, the device started spinning and spreading the powder evenly throughout the vials that lined its exterior which all contained a strange liquid. The device spun for a minute before coming to a stop with a lurch to release the vials. Andrew took one of the vials, held it up to the light emanating from the meteor, and announced, "A potion that temporarily grants the consumer aura!" The liquid pulsed a gentle pale-blue light in the vial.

    "Amazing, Andrew!" Spencer and some nearby wizards who had overheard everything all started clapping at the achievement. "All those sleepless nights finally paid off!"

    "Of course they did!" Andrew felt pride swell through his chest at the recognition of his peers. "Once we run a few tests to find out how long it lasts, and any side effects, we can present it to the Emperor. Years of research, and we''ve finally cracked another of the god''s mysteries!"

    "Those monsters won''t keep humanity under their thumbs for much longer," Spencer felt joy in his heart as he breathed a sigh of relief. "Once we crack the mystery of life and death magic, we will officially have no need for them and can begin a revolution of scientific reform!" A sad air overtook their conversation as Spencer comforted Andrew with, "Your father would be proud, Andrew."

    "¡­I know." The current archmage, Andrew''s father, had fallen ill after using his own body as a conduit for another experiment that would revolutionize the world. While the experiment had left him bedridden and unconscious, the data the wizards were able to gain gave them the edge they needed to push for another breakthrough in their research. "Once we finish this, I plan on picking up where my father left off."

    "You can''t!" Spencer tried to dissuade Andrew. "We have plenty of test subjects for that research, Andrew! We cannot lose you, too!"

    "My father isn''t lost!" Andrew shouted and drew everyone''s attention. "And when he wakes up, I want to show him a son that boldly followed in his footsteps of greatness! I want to show him a world free of those monsters and their cults! A world not of predeterminism, but of free will!" And, unsaid, Andrew wanted to create a world so Beatrice could be ''free'' of her ties to the gods. As it stood, the title of Saintess and wizard would always be a wall between them; a wall Andrew fully intended to tear down and bring Beatrice over to his side. While it pained him to leave her in the palace with James and Derik, he had bribed the kitchen staff to put contraceptives in her food so that he wouldn''t have to worry about a child stealing her away from him when he finally returned.

    "Hear hear!" one of the wizards shouted, and the room exploded in applause as the wizards all agreed with Andrew''s determination.

    "¡­Fine," Spencer laughed as he was caught up in Andrew''s mood. "But I want to be present when you do. Don''t think you can hog all the glory." He gave a friendly pat on Andrew''s shoulder that Andrew returned in kind.

    "Of course, Spencer." Andrew smiled at his colleague and friend as he imagined the world they would create. The wizards all congratulated themselves on the achievement and the lab was filled with the sounds of laughter as the meteor silently floated in the center of the room. Its crystal body softly hummed a tune no one understood in a language no one could comprehend.

 Stockholms Cabin

    ***Six days after Lucina left***

    A knock came from the door, and Mary called, "It''s me, my Lady."

    "Come in," Olivia answered as she finished her morning stretches. The enchanted chandelier shined brightly as she had Lucina change it to automatically adjust its brightness depending on the time of day. Thanks to her new light ''clock'', combined with her normal standing clock, Olivia was easily able to keep a daily routine despite never leaving the room. After giving a yawn, Olivia walked over and sat down in front of a mirror.

    "Good morning, my Lady," Mary greeted when she entered the room and joined Olivia by the mirror. She grabbed a brush and gently started to fix Olivia''s bed head, and told her, "Breakfast is almost ready, Tress will bring it up shortly." There were a few stubborn knots that Mary did her best to untangle without hurting Olivia. "Would you like your hair in a ponytail, this morning?"

    "Yes, I plan to start training after breakfast." A wooden target dummy silently sat against the far wall that Olivia had asked Lucina to bring to her room so she could continue practicing her swordsmanship. Her metal longsword leaned against the dresser in its scabbard, awaiting its owner. It was a request Lucina was originally hesitant to fulfill, but after Olivia accepted her feelings she quickly granted it. "Oh, could you get a new whetstone from the knights for me? I need a coarser one." Sword maintenance was a crucial part of training and Olivia also found the act of sharpening her blade to be a relaxing pastime.

    "Of course, my Lady," Mary agreed as she finished bringing Olivia''s hair into a high ponytail and taking a step back to check over her work.

    "Thanks." Olivia smiled to herself in the mirror before taking a deep breath to center herself. With Lucina gone and unable to visit her, the hole in Olivia''s heart ached once again. But Olivia had to be strong since she knew this was a step in the right direction. Once Lucina came back victorious, she would be able to go outside not only the room but also the mansion. Her activities would be limited to Solfin but that was still better than a single room. "Hm~." Olivia happily hummed to herself as she imagined where Lucina would take her on their first outing.

    ***Thirteen days after Lucina left***

    A knock came from the door, and Mary called, "It''s me, my Lady."

    "Come in," Olivia answered and set down the history book she was reading to pass the time. She stretched and checked the clock: it was time for dinner. When the doors opened, Mary and Tress wheeled in a cart of food with a pitcher of water.

    "A hunter caught a stag in the southern forest and the chefs couldn''t wait," Mary happily relayed as she set a large tray down in the center of the table and removed the lid to reveal a steaming tenderloin. A smaller tray was placed next to it that carried a loaf of white bread, another with roasted parsnips, and a final bowl that was filled with onion soup.

    "It smells delicious," Olivia admired as she sat at the table while trying to control her watering mouth. Most of her days were spent doing physical exercises as it was the most helpful in distracting Olivia. As a consequence of her pushing her body, she was eating larger portions to keep up with all the calories she burned throughout the day. After enjoying a piece of tenderloin melting in her mouth, Olivia asked, "Is there enough for the servants?"

    "¡­The stag was larger than a horse, so there is plenty of meat," Mary replied as a soft smile played across her face. "With your permission, I can tell the chefs to prepare more of the meat for the servant dinners."

    "Please do." Since she decided to stay with Lucina, Olivia wanted to win some points with the servants wherever she could, despite her circumstances. Food was the quickest and easiest way to win someone''s favor. Once Mary left to go spread the word, Olivia asked Tress, "The crab fishermen are supposed to dock tomorrow, right?"

    "Correct," Tress said with a nod, "Would you like me to make sure we procure crab for tomorrow''s dinner?"

    "Yes." Olivia dipped a slice of bread in her soup as she added, "Do we still have some garlic butter leftover?" Butter was a common staple in Arlexian cuisine, but was often used plain to not ''take away'' from the main dish''s flavor or was just lightly salted for taste. Olivia was glad she remembered the simple garlic butter recipe Sato''s mother taught her back in Japan.

    "¡­Unfortunately, the last of it was used yesterday." Tress'' obvious hesitance and embarrassed discomfort told Olivia all she needed to know and she couldn''t help but chuckle.

    "I''m glad everyone enjoys it," Olivia teased. "If we''re out of anything, add it to the list for tomorrow."

    "¡­Thank you, Lady Olivia."

    ***Fourteen? days after Lucina left***

    A knock came from the door, and Mary called, "It''s me, my Lady."

    "Come in," Olivia answered as she set down the whetstone she was using to sharpen her sword. She sheathed the sword and checked the clock: it was time for dinner. When the doors opened, Mary and Tress wheeled in a cart of food with a pitcher of water.

    "Another hunter caught a stag in the southern forest," Mary happily relayed as she set a large tray down in the center of the table and she removed the lid to reveal a steaming steak topped with melting butter. A smaller tray was placed next to it that carried a loaf of white bread, another with roasted cabbage, and a final bowl that was filled with salted peas and carrots.

    "¡­It can''t be helped, it would be a waste to let the meat spoil," Olivia gave a resigned sigh as she took her seat. "I just hope the crabs can last until tomorrow."

    "Crabs?" Mary asked as she looked at Tress, but Tress gave a shrug in response.

    "The fishermen docked today and I asked Tress to make sure we got crab for dinner,"

    Olivia idly responded as she cut into her steak.

    "¡­My Lady," Mary couldn''t hide the worry in her voice as she clarified, "The crab fishermen docked yesterday."

    "¡­?" Olivia stopped chewing the steak in her mouth. The room''s normal silence started to feel heavy.

    Tress also spoke up, "And, as you asked, I made sure to get some." Her eyes watched Olivia''s fork slowly lower onto the plate. "You enjoyed steamed crab legs with garlic butter yesterday. The butter on the steak is also from yesterday''s batch." The walls leaned in accusingly.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "¡­" Olivia stared at the steak. Streams of butter flowed over the steak''s surface and wafts of garlic filled her nose. "Ah, you''re right." Olivia tried to laugh it away. "I guess I still have that crab on my mind from how good it was," she lied. "Anyway, make sure the servants also get some of the meat for dinner tonight." Why couldn''t she remember eating crab?

    "¡­Of course, my Lady." Mary was hesitant to speak up. It was only relatively recently that Olivia had started genuinely smiling again so she didn''t want to jump to any conclusions just yet. Perhaps it was just a lapse in memory. "I''ll go let the chefs know." If only it were so.

    ***Seventeen? days? after Lucina left?***

    A knock came from the door. "¡­" There was no call from the other side.

    "Hm?" Olivia looked up from her novel and stared at the door. She put down her book and checked the clock: it was mid-afternoon. "Who is it?"

    "Apologies for the interruption, Lady Olivia." It was a female voice Olivia didn''t recognize. "I''m one of the laundry maids and was sent to inform you that Mary had an accident."

    "An accident!?" Olivia shot up from her seat and started walking toward the door to better communicate with the maid. "What happened?"

    "One of the maids was washing the stairs and Mary slipped and fell," the voice answered.

    "Is she alright!?" Olivia reached the door.

    "Daughter Elise managed to stabilize her." The sound of the door''s key entering the lock clicked through the room. "I was sent to inform and keep you company while-!?!" Before the key could turn, a loud thud shook the door as if someone was tackled against it and a woman''s voice screamed.

    "H-Hey!?" Olivia heard fighting on the other side of the door. The unmistakable sound of blades clashing against each other shattered through her ears. "What''s going on!?"

    "!?!" A cry was silenced, and Olivia heard something heavy hit the floor. "¡­" Silence returned.

    "¡­H-Hello?" Olivia backed away from the door and grabbed her sword with trembling hands. "Is¡­anyone out there?" The ceiling lowered to oppress Olivia''s mind and the walls inched closer.

    "¡­I apologize for the scare, Lady Olivia," Peter''s voice answered from beyond the door.

    "Peter?" Peter never came to her room unless summoned since he was usually busy with the knights. "What''s going on?" She heard the key leave the door''s lock.

    "Some spies managed to infiltrate the staff," Peter responded. "Luckily, Tress noticed this person''s strange behavior and that the key to your room was missing, and she informed me in time." Metal footsteps softly splashed in something wet.

    "Is¡­everyone alright?" Olivia''s teeth were clenched as she faced the looming door. "Is Mary okay?" The stench of iron leaked through the cracks.

    "Mary and the rest of the staff are unharmed," Peter answered while sounding like he was lifting something heavy over his shoulder. "Once we''ve fully secured the premises, I''ll send her up to you."

    "P-Please do!" The walls leaned over her. Something moved out of the corner of her eyes. "Hurry!" There was nothing there.

    "I will leave some knights outside the door, Lady Olivia. Should you need anything, just call for them." The sound of Peter''s heavy footsteps grew distant, and Olivia heard the shifting of plate armor outside the door.

    "¡­" Olivia rushed over to her bed, sword still in hand, and clutched the Lucina doll to her chest as she pressed her back against the wall. Her eyes kept scanning the room with the tip of her sword keeping pace with her gaze. The air was dry, making it hard for Olivia to swallow, and the only sound to accompany her was the ticking of the clock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

    ***Twenty? days? a?ter Lucina? le??***

    A knock came from the door, and Mary called, "It''s me, my Lady."

    "¡­Come in," Olivia answered while sitting on her bed, trying her best to keep a calm tone of voice. Her eyes stared at the clock: it was early morning. Tick. Tock.

    "Good morning, my Lady," Mary did her best to sound cheerful in an attempt to lift Olivia''s mood which was clearly plastered on her face. She walked over to the mirror and gestured to the wardrobe. "Would you like help getting dressed first?"

    "¡­" Olivia looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a white nightgown, her hair was messy from tossing and turning all night, there were bags under her eyes, and she clutched the Lucina doll to her stomach. "Just my hair, for now." Her voice was hollow as she took a seat in front of the mirror and idly started playing with the doll.

    "¡­Of course, my Lady." Mary did her best to control her expressions as she got to work untangling Olivia''s hair. Trying to make small talk, Mary asked, "Would you like to make some clothes for the doll?"

    "¡­Clothes?" Olivia slightly perked up at Mary''s suggestion. She happily waved the doll''s arms as if it was accepting the idea, and Olivia decided, "Sure. Could you bring some suitable cloth to use?"

    "Of course, my Lady!" Bringing up the doll was the right decision, and Mary quickly asked, "Was there a particular color or pattern you would like to try sewing?"

    "¡­" Olivia stared at the doll in silence as she thought to herself. Her fingers tipped the doll''s head to the side like a confused puppy''s before she responded, "A bright yellow would be nice¡­maybe with a flower design?"

    "I''ll bring plenty of colored-threads to embroider with, once we finish your hair." Mary was pleased with the soft smile on Olivia''s face and started thinking of different ways to spend time with Olivia. She needed social interactions the most, but the increased threats of the shadows were making it difficult. Once she finished straightening Olivia''s hair, Mary said, "I''ll be right back with the supplies."

    "Okay," Olivia happily said as she used her fingers to have the doll wave goodbye to Mary as she left. However, after the oppressive door closed, Mary wouldn''t return until dinner. The sounds of fighting bled through Olivia''s door. The stench of iron choked Olivia''s air. The ticking of the clock filled Olivia''s head. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

    ***Th???y-t?? d?y?? a?t?r? L??ina? ?e??***

    A knock came from the door, and Peter called, "It''s Peter, Lady Olivia."

    "¡­Again?" Olivia answered from her bed as she stared at the ceiling. She didn''t know what time it was.

    "Their attacks are getting bolder." Peter''s voice wove between the clock''s ticking as it worked its way through Olivia''s brain. "We''re still routing them out, so Mary and the staff are being protected in the kitchen, for now¡­ I apologize." Tick. Tock.

    "¡­It''s fine." The ceiling was slowly spinning as Olivia tried to focus on it. The walls were also annoyingly close which was distracting her.

    "¡­" Peter''s heavy footsteps disappeared down the hall. Step. Step. Tick. Tock.

    "¡­" Olivia couldn''t bring herself to sit up despite her wanting to tell the walls off for being so close while she tried to relax. Her trembling hand reached up to try and stop the ceiling from spinning, but they were shaking too hard to be of any help.

    "I''ll have to have a talk with Peter, when I get back," an impossible voice broke the suffocating silence.

    "¡­It''s fine." Olivia turned her head to the side to stare at the Lucina doll that was sitting across her bed.

    "It''s not," the doll countered with Lucina''s voice despite not having a mouth to speak with. The doll stood up, walked over to Olivia, and reasoned, "He can''t even handle a few vermin trying to break in? I guess I''ve been too soft on the Hellhound''s training since you arrived." A soft arm tapped its chest as it declared, "I''ll work them harder than I did during the war to make it up to you!"

    "¡­Pfft," Olivia chuckled at the doll''s declaration and turned onto her side to face it. "Just promise me you won''t kill them, they''re doing their best."

    "I''ll make death a preferred alternative." The doll walked over and placed one of its soft arms on Olivia''s forehead. "¡­Seeing you this stressed makes me sad, after all." Strands of brown yarn fluttered in front of Olivia''s eyes as the doll''s hair brushed against her face.

    "¡­Mmm." Olivia enjoyed the doll fussing over her. The doll''s arm moved in sync with the clock. Stroke. Stroke. Tick. Tock.

    "You should work out," the doll suggested as it tilted its head to the side. "You skipped your morning exercises and even ate breakfast in bed. You''re getting lazy."

    "¡­I don''t want to leave the bed," Olivia moaned. The days were blurring as time went on to the point even Mary and the other maids visiting her didn''t help Olivia keep track. Since the chandelier was still bright, it must be day. Since the clock still sounds, time must be moving on. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

    "There are¡­other~ ways to work out," the doll cooed and it brushed some hair off Olivia''s face.

    "¡­Other?" Olivia''s eyes locked with the doll''s. Green button eyes blankly stared into Olivia as the doll loomed over her.

    "I can''t do it for you since I''m not there, but¡­" The doll''s voice trailed off into a whisper, and Olivia''s hand moved down to her waist which was becoming ticklish. "If you say my name, it will be like I''m actually there~."

    "Actually¡­here~¡­" Olivia pulled up her nightgown and her fingers slid into her underwear. "You''re¡­he-¡­here~¡­Lucina~."

    "When I come back, we can go see all sorts of places~," the doll promised as it stood over Olivia, its blank, expressionless face not even an inch away from Olivia''s. Its unsettling stare pierced through Olivia''s heart that craved relief. "Right, Olivia~?"

    "Ah¡­Ah~¡­" Olivia''s addled mind hovered at the edge of consciousness as her fingers worked themselves against her clit in a rhythmic beat. Rub. Rub.

    "Any day, I''ll be back for you~." The doll wasn''t moving, nor was it speaking, yet the words still filled Olivia''s head. "O~li~vi~a~!"

    "Lu~¡­ci~¡­n-Agh~!" Rub. Rub.

    "Olivia~." Tick. Tock.

    ***F????y? ??y?? ?????? L???n?? ?????***

    A knock came from the door. "¡­" There was no call from the other side.

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t say anything. Her eyes blankly stared at the Lucina doll next to her.

    "¡­!" The knocking grew louder. Bang. Bang. Tick. Tock.

    "¡­" Slowly, Olivia got out of bed and walked over to the table with all the things Mary used to make her pretty: nail files, brushes, hair bands, makeup, jewelry. She stood in her nightgown staring at her reflection. The reflection turned its head and stared at the door. In a raspy voice, Olivia called out, "Who is it?" Her eyes never left the mirror.

    "¡­" The knocking stopped once Olivia answered. A clicking sound echoed with the clock''s ticking as something entered the lock of her door, but it wasn''t the key. Click. Click. Tick. Tock.

    "¡­?" Olivia finally turned to look at the door and noticed the handle occasionally jostle as if someone was testing it. The clicking noise got faster.

    "They''re here." Someone was picking the lock to her door.

    "¡­!" Olivia''s eyes widened as, with a final loud click, the door handle fully turned. The oppressive door that confined her opened and daylight spilled in from the windows in the hall to silhouette two cloaked men. One was rising from his knees and was the closest to the door while the other was further back keeping a lookout. Their cloaks reeked of blood. Their drawn shortswords held a miasma of death. Their footfalls broke the prison that kept Olivia safe. Thump. Thump. Tick. Tock.

 Break the Leash

    "About time," the shadow knight that was on the lookout said as he entered Olivia''s room.

    "The lock was trickier than expected," the other justified as he got to his feet and fell in behind his companion. "Be lucky the others are managing to hold off the rest of the Hellhounds as long as they are."

    "Right." The shadow knights looked around Olivia''s lavishly decorated prison with bemused eyes that eventually fell onto Olivia. "Let''s just get the job done."

    "¡­" Olivia''s eyes watched the men approach her while her body remained motionless, though her ears were perked up as if listening to something that wasn''t there.

    "I guess she''s stunned," the lookout said as he approached Olivia. "Even with all these luxuries, being trapped in a box for so long''s probably ruined her head." He raised his sword to deliver a clean strike to Olivia''s neck. "Guess I''ll put you out of your-!?!"

    "¡­"  With a swift motion that defied her haggard appearance, Olivia grabbed a metal nail file and stabbed it into the knight''s right eye.

    "Gah!?!" The man stumbled back and reached up to his face as blood started pouring out of his stabbed eye. "You bitch! I''ll-" But the man wouldn''t finish his last words as Olivia punched the nail file embedded in the knight''s eye with all her strength, piercing it through the man''s skull and sending it flying out the back of his head. Blood, brain matter, and bits of skull splattered against the other shadow.

    "¡­Huh?" The remaining shadow knight was temporarily stunned by what he witnessed as he watched his companion''s body hit the floor with a thud. His eyes hesitantly rose from the corpse back to his target. Olivia''s dilated pupils stared at, into, and through the man. "Y-You-" Olivia grabbed her longsword. "Fuck!" Most knew of Olivia''s prowess as a swordsman and the shadows had hoped that wasting away in a room for months would have robbed Olivia of her strength. "Stay back!" They were wrong.

    "¡­" Olivia lunged at the knight. The shadow tried to counter with a thrust, but Olivia easily evaded the flustered strike and drove her sword into the man''s stomach. Since they were meant to be stealthy while in Solfin, the shadow knights only wore leather armor at most, but most of them were only wearing heavy cloth that Olivia''s extremely sharp blade easily pierced.

    "!?!" The man coughed, the air forcefully leaving his lungs, as Olivia didn''t stop her momentum and tackled the man to the ground while driving her sword deeper into his stomach. They fell into the hallway and Olivia noticed daggers strapped to the knight''s thigh. "Y-Yo-!" Olivia stole one of the daggers, raised it into the air, and started repeatedly stabbing the knight''s chest. Rib bones broke under the strength of Olivia''s blows, lungs were pierced and flooded with blood, and the life soon flickered out from the knight''s eyes and his body went limp. Stab. Stab. Tick. Tock.

    "¡­" Olivia stabbed the dagger one final time into the man''s heart before stopping. Her eyes were still dilated, adrenaline coursed through her veins, and she was hyperventilating as she stared at the corpse under her. "¡­?" Then she realized where she was.

    "You''re out of the room," the Lucina doll called from its place on the bed.

    "¡­" Slowly, on legs that felt like wet noodles, Olivia stood up. She left the dagger in the knight''s chest and pulled her longsword out of his stomach before walking to the middle of the hallway. It was mid-afternoon and the sun was shining in through the windows to fill the hall with warmth. Olivia''s bare feet squished against the carpet that was stained red from the blood that was leaking out of three Hellhound knight corpses that littered the hall; her room''s former guards. Were they killed here? Olivia didn''t remember hearing any combat outside her door earlier, but she also knew that her mind was unstable. Was she that out of it? Think. Think. Tick. Tock.

    "They''re in the mansion." The metallic clashing of blades echoed from down the hall and drew Olivia out of her thoughts. "The fact they''re doing such a desperate assault to get you can only mean one thing¡­"

    "¡­Lucina''s coming back." There had been plenty of attacks over the past few weeks, but none were as large as this one. They must be on a time limit as the master of the house was returning, Olivia concluded. "Lucina-"

    "Hey, what''s taking so long?" a woman''s voice shouted from down the hall. A shadow knight was constantly checking over her shoulder as she ran up the hall, and asked, "How hard is it to kill one-!?!" She finally looked where she was going and halted in her tracks. Olivia stood, covered in blood, in the middle of the hall with a shadow knight''s brutalized corpse on the ground behind her. "¡­!?" Shadow knights were trained to give their lives to complete the mission, should it be required. But as the knight stared at Olivia, all her instincts screamed at her to run. She turned to bolt back down the hall.

    "¡­!" Olivia lunged after her. Thump. Thump. Drip. Drip. Tick. Tock.

    ***

    "Just how many of them are there!?" Carl complained as he chopped his axe into the shoulder of a shadow knight to split their torso but not fully cut it in half. He kicked the corpse back to throw other shadows off balance and yelled, "This seems like a bit much!"

    "Focus!" Peter barked as he swung his greatsword to shatter the sword of another shadow and slice them in half. His aura raged along his blade as its blue flames fed on the blood that stained it. The Hellhounds battled the shadow knights in the main hall of the mansion as they desperately tried to push back the intruders. "Are you sure none got past?" An arrow was deflected by Peter''s aura.

    "Like I can keep track!?" Carl barked back as he threw one of his axes across the hall and nailed the archer in the head. Corpses littered the hall yet there was no end to the shadows.

    "Damn it!" Peter cursed as he tried to assess the situation. Carl was right, there were far too many of them for this to be just James'' shadows. He knew that James wasn''t the only one sending shadows to Solfin, but he didn''t think they would potentially team up to attack the mansion in full force. Peter turned to one of the Hellhounds and ordered, "Break off and head upstairs to-"

    "Boss!?" But, interrupting the battle, was a cry from the third floor. A female shadow rushed to the third-floor railing and desperately called down, "We need to pull back!"

    "What!?" a shadow shouted up at the woman. "How could three of you fail at killing one weak woman!?"

    "The target''s not weak, she-!?!" Before she could finish her report, a blade pierced through the woman''s chest as Olivia caught up. The impact of Olivia crashing into her sent both the shadow knight and Olivia smashing through the wood railing and falling down to the ground floor. Using her flexibility to adjust herself midair, Olivia positioned herself in such a way that the woman under her would take the brunt of the impact and cushion Olivia''s fall. They crashed onto the floor, leaving a small crater in the hardwood and splattering the shadow''s head.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "¡­" The battle was silenced as all eyes turned to Olivia who stumbled to her feet. Olivia''s left arm hung limp at her side as it was dislocated from the fall. The longsword was ripped out of the corpse. Drip. Drip. The grandfather clock in the hall marched in kind. Tick. Tock.

    "¡­Lady Olivia?" Peter managed to find his voice and called out to Olivia. The fact she was out of her room meant the shadows managed to break the lock and the fact she was here meant they were all dead.

    "¡­Where''s Elise?" Olivia''s rough voice answered back. She didn''t turn to face Peter and instead kept her gaze forward on the shadows that infested the mansion.

    "She and Jeremy are helping guard the staff in the kitchen," Peter answered. "Since you''re out, you should head there too and-!?" With a sickening pop, Olivia forced her shoulder back in place. She didn''t make a single noise, as if she didn''t even feel the pain. Olivia slightly turned her head so that her eyes could meet Peter''s. Her blue eyes were like frozen lakes.

    "There''s work to be done here, Peter." And there were cracks along the surface. "Since I''m their target, then I''ll stay here so they don''t go after the servants." Olivia''s nightgown was ruined from the blood and her unruly hair gave her a maddening appearance as she turned to the intruders.

    "D-¡­Don''t just stand there!" the leader of the shadow knights yelled despite his hands shaking. "The target''s right there! Get-" An axe flew across the room and embedded itself in the leader''s shoulder.

    Carl turned to Olivia and asked, "Kill''em all?"

    "Kill them all," Olivia answered, and the battle resumed. At first, the Hellhound knights tried to form a perimeter around Olivia to protect her since she was the target, but their efforts were quickly made irrelevant. "¡­" With a cold, brutal efficiency, Olivia cut her way into the enemy''s line. She perceived the world like it was in slow motion as her dilated eyes took in all they could while her adrenaline-filled mind processed everything faster than normal. Sword strikes were parried, arrows were dodged, and bodies were cut down. Warm blood splashed against Olivia''s face to remind her that she was out of the room; that this was no trick of her strained mind. Every kill a reminder. Every drop of blood a confirmation. Slice. Slice. Drip. Drip. Tick. Tock.

    "D-Damn it! Retreat!" The call was given as the tide of battle was rapidly turning against the shadows. Even if they failed at killing Olivia, they had to report back to James about their situation.

    "After them!" Olivia ordered.

    "Got it!" the Hellhounds answered and fell in with Olivia. Despite her being someone they were supposed to protect, the sight of Olivia covered in blood and chasing the enemy inspired them to run ahead. It was a feeling that hadn''t infected their hearts in years yet they all still vividly remembered.

    "Lady Olivia!" Peter did his best to not get swept up in the feeling and tried to remember their real goal. "We should stay back and-"

    "Didn''t you hear me?" Olivia halted her charge in front of the main entrance. While the knights rushed past her, Olivia turned her head to stare back at Peter. "Are the servants safe?"

    It was a stare Peter was familiar with, yet was completely alien, and he answered, "Yes." Elise, Jeremy, and the detachment of knights would easily be able to hold off the few shadows that went after the servants.

    "Then what are you waiting for?" Olivia turned and took a step onto the stairs outside the doors. She continued to speak, and the Hellhounds around her listened, "They''re doing this because Lucina is on her way back."

    "She is?" one of the knights asked.

    "Why else would they go all out?" Olivia didn''t know if it was true, but it felt correct and would give the Hellhounds the drive to continue. She called back to Peter, "It''s too late, now, as they already broke open my door. They broke the stalemate so it''s time to answer in kind!" She watched the shadow knights scurry away from the mansion and into the trees. She raised her sword and rallied the Hellhounds, "If they''re tired of this game, then we should be the ones to finish it! They struck first, so do your duty as knights of Solfin and defend your home! Drive them from our streets! Rout them from our city! Make Lucina proud and water the fields outside Solfin with their blood!"

    "Got it!" the Hellhounds shouted and gave chase. Even Peter, who was doing his best to keep calm, found himself running with his knights in a mad sprint after their enemies. The leash was released and it was now impossible to stop the hounds that sprinted through the woods and into the city after their prey. Maws of steel gnashed the fleeing heels of the shadow knights whose bodies were torn apart in the alleys of Solfin.

    "¡­" Olivia, on the other hand, did not follow the Hellhounds. She stood motionless on the dirt path between the mansion and the iron fence that surrounded it. A part of her wanted to rush back into the mansion to check on the servants, but a calm, warm wind whistled across the yard as if to reassure Olivia that everything was fine. Her toes wiggled against the dirt that radiated the warmth of the sun it baked under, and the salty air of the ocean filled her lungs. The sun peaked through Sailest''s rings that sliced across the sky and kissed Olivia''s cheeks as she raised her face to bask in the outdoors. Crashing waves echoed in the distance which made the world still and calm. Everything was fine. The world was calm. The ticking of the clock no longer broke against her mind. "¡­Come out." Now it was time to deal with the last remaining onlookers.

    "¡­" While they had evaded the mad Hellhound knights, five remaining shadow knights emerged from the forest when Olivia called them out. They stopped a few yards away from Olivia and made no moves against her.

    "Which of you serve my father?" Olivia knew that her father would send people to keep tabs on things but she had a gut feeling that there were more people interested in her than just James and her father.

    "¡­" Two of the five shadows stepped forward and bowed to Olivia. "We are glad to see you unharmed, my Lady."

    Olivia looked over the two knights before ordering, "Return to Wortrest and inform my father that he no longer needs to worry about me. We''ll have this cleaned up by the end of the day." She wiped her longsword against her nightgown to get the blood off, but the gown was so soaked in blood that it didn''t do much to clean the blade.

    The shadow seemed surprised by Olivia''s words, and asked, "But, my Lady, you should also return to Wortrest with us! With the Hellhounds distracted, and the Countess away, we can-"

    "Enough." Olivia''s voice was cold as she cut off the shadow knight. Her pupils were still dilated, her mind was not fully well, and she continued, "Return to my father. I''ll be sending a letter explaining myself, once Lucina returns and we finish cleaning up Solfin." She saw hesitance in the shadow''s body language. "One day, I will return to Wortrest, but now isn''t the time."

    "¡­Very well, my Lady." While not fully satisfied with the answer, the shadows saw the reason behind it and decided to back off. They had to inform the Duke, so they would leave this to another''s servants. The two shadows gave a glance to the three other shadows and gave a nod before sneaking their way out of Solfin without being killed by the Hellhound knights, leaving Olivia alone with the three remaining shadows.

    "¡­" The three shadows silently watched Olivia.

    "So, who do you belong to?" Olivia asked as she lightly tapped the tip of her sword against the ground.

    The knight in the center stepped forward and introduced himself, "We were sent by Prince Terence to look for an opening to rescue you, Lady Olivia." He gave a respectful bow to Olivia. "Please come with us to one of the Prince''s safe houses in a neighboring county."

    "I already said I won''t be leaving," Olivia flatly replied. She watched the two shadows in the back exchange glances, and the air took an apprehensive turn.

    "I apologize for us not being able to rescue you sooner, Lady Olivia." The leader of the three didn''t back down, and justified, "Though your mind is being controlled by the slave collar, know that we only wish for your safety."

    "Controlled?" Olivia raised an eyebrow at the shadow, and scoffed, "Lucina hasn''t used my collar since arriving in Solfin. I am fully in control of my actions."

    "¡­It''s worse than we feared," one of the shadows muttered.

    "Lady Olivia," the leader tried to explain himself to Olivia, "Your unwillingness to leave your captor is clearly forced. Please listen: that collar can control not only your actions but has also been known to mess with the wearer''s mind. What you feel for Countess Sanguine is a forced emotion that you were ordered to feel by the Countess and then forced to forget." He took a step toward Olivia and reached out a hand in a gesture of peace. "It has been months since your capture which is more than enough time for your mind to be tainted by the Countess'' order to submit. Prince Terence has bid us to bring you to a safe house so we can find a way to remove the collar while evading the Countess'' wrath. We wish to help you."

    "¡­" Olivia''s sword continued to tap against the ground. "Are you done?" She wasn''t lost in thought over the shadow''s words, she was annoyed by them.

    "Lady Olivia?"

    "While you may be correct that I''m not in my right mind, that has nothing to do with any ''orders'' from the collar." She started swishing her sword back and forth along the ground. "Mary would have kicked up a fuss to me every day if Lucina had used such an order¡­but she hasn''t. So¡­" She stopped swinging her sword. "Return to Prince Terence and tell him I will be staying in Solfin until a method to remove my collar is found."

    "¡­" The shadow knight fell silent for a long time. A sharp breeze cut through the yard. "Her mind is clearly too far gone." The shadows reached for their swords. "Subdue her, and return to the safe house. Try not to harm her as much as possible, her actions aren''t her own."

    "Understood," the two subordinates replied and drew their shortswords.

    "¡­It''s like talking to a brick wall," Olivia muttered and raised her longsword. "Then again, you probably never intended on believing me to begin with." Her eyes drilled into the leader as she mentioned, "There were far too many shadows to just belong to James. Did you think you could trick them into an alliance and then backstab them once I was out? Or was the plan to trick my father''s shadows and just have me killed by James'' so my father would be enraged and help the second prince? Are you that stupid?"

    "Please, try to remain calm, Lady Olivia," the leader didn''t answer Olivia''s words, though Olivia did notice him slightly flinch from her accusation. Blue wisps of energy started wafting off his blade with similar wisps, though of different colors, also leaking out of the other shadow''s swords. "We will do our best to make this painless." The Auristers activated their auras and readied their swords.

    "¡­Fine." Olivia took a deep breath to center herself, and her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword. "If you''re that desperate to die, then be my guest." Olivia felt a hollowness in her soul as her aura bashed against the slave collar''s magic, trying to break free. While she didn''t know if she could beat three Auristers without her aura, Olivia refused to go down quietly. The kitchen where the servants and remaining Hellhounds were was on the other side of the mansion so she doubted any help would arrive to save her. She bent her knees into a ready stance, pointed the tip of her sword at the lead shadow, and declared the start of the fight, "Let''s go!"

 Blood Upon the Lily

    Blades clashed under the scorching sun yet not a single drop of blood was spilled as Olivia desperately fought against two of the three Auristers. "What are you two doing?" the leader asked while hanging back to watch. "Stop playing around."

    "It''s¡­harder than it looks, Captain!" one of the knights complained as he deflected a thrust from Olivia and tried to counter her only to have his blade parried. "She''s actually trying to kill us!" The Aurister''s aura sparked as Olivia''s blade made contact and was deflected off.

    "Tch," Olivia clicked her tongue in annoyance and continued her assault against the two shadow knights. Her speed was noticeably lacking without her aura to boost her abilities, and any attack she did manage to land was deflected by the Auristers concentrating their aura into armor. Another thrust to one of the knight''s stomachs led to another deflection, but Olivia''s eyes caught the knight lurching back from the blow.

    "Settle down, Lady!" The second Aurister complained as he went to use the pommel of his sword to bash Olivia''s head and potentially knock her out. "We''re trying to help-!?" Olivia spun her body to dodge the strike and used the opening to test a theory that crept into her mind. She knew the attack would be deflected, but when she struck the man''s elbow she watched his arm recoil from the strike despite not being cut.

    "Right¡­ Flexible armor," Olivia mumbled to herself as she suddenly backed off from the fight and kept her distance from the Auristers. The tip of her blade was aimed at the men as she started sizing up her opponents.

    "Had enough?" The first knight she was facing was still in good condition and had a relaxed posture.

    "Stop wasting time." The leader was hanging back and in perfect health.

    "Right, Captain." The second knight she was facing was subtly panting and kept his ready stance since he was the one Olivia had attacked the most. At a glance, he was the easiest target to execute her plan against, but Olivia had a different idea.

    "Again?" the first knight muttered as Olivia charged him. "All your doing is delaying your-" He blocked Olivia''s strike and watched, confused, as Olivia dropped her sword. "Wha-?" Olivia suddenly grabbed the man''s shoulder and started wrestling him. Since he was so relaxed against her, Olivia could exploit his lowered guard while leaving the tired one for later. "Hey! Get off me!" He swung his arm to bash her off but Olivia used the swinging arm to bring her body around to the man''s back. Once behind him, Olivia wrapped her legs around his stomach to keep her balance and stop him from throwing her off. "Get her off!" he yelled to his partner as he started elbowing Olivia''s sides. "Get her-" Olivia reached across the knight''s face with her right hand and dug her fingers into his left cheek and jaw while her left hand reached across the knight''s chest and firmly grabbed his right shoulder. Despite being locked in a room for weeks, Olivia still held deceptively strong muscles from training for endless hours to pass and keep track of time. With a sickening cracking and popping sound, Olivia broke the shadow knight''s neck.

    "¡­" Olivia released her hold on the corpse as it limply fell to the ground.

    "¡­Huh?" The two remaining shadow knights took a moment to register what Olivia had done. When Auristers solidified their aura into armor, they were still able to move their body completely unimpeded since nothing was physically restraining them. This freedom, as Olivia discovered, was a liability if the Aurister''s opponent didn''t try to attack with a weapon. Freedom of movement meant the freedom to bend limbs the wrong way, and the freedom to snap the neck. "¡­You!?"

    "¡­" Olivia knew this trick would only work once and she watched the two remaining knights fully raise their guard against her. One was still showing fatigue, but now the leader was getting involved, and he was still fresh. Olivia picked up her dropped sword and readied herself for the tough battle ahead.

    "Don''t blame us for no longer showing restraint, Lady Olivia!" the Captain spat and charged Olivia. Their blades clashed and Olivia''s knees almost buckled under the force of the leader''s aura-infused strike. Even if she could out-rank him in raw strength, aura could close and surpass any gaps in physical prowess.

    "¡­?" Olivia''s eyes shifted as the second shadow knight moved behind her with his sword raised to slash her back. Shifting her weight, Olivia deflected the Captain''s sword down her blade and into the dirt, spun around with the deflection, and fell into the second knight''s legs.

    "Agh!" the knight screamed as Olivia intentionally fell in a way to put all the weight of her fall onto the man''s knee. Olivia grabbed the man''s ankle, pressed forward, and hyperextended the man''s knee to bend the leg in the wrong direction.

    "Damn it!" the Captain shouted as he yanked Olivia off his subordinate and finally delivered a swift punch to the side of Olivia''s head. However, in his anger, the man''s aura was infused into the punch and Olivia was sent flying across the yard.

    "???" Olivia tasted dirt but swore she was looking at the sky, and a high-pitched ringing sound ripped through her ears that blocked out the world. She tried to get up but had no strength in her arms that uselessly flopped against the ground. The vision in her left eye was blurry beyond comprehension and the vision from her right was spinning and made her want to vomit. Her sword was still clutched in her hand via a death grip that refused to let go.

    "Damn, can you get up?" the Captain''s voice sounded further away than it should but Olivia couldn''t turn her head to check.

    "No," the other shadow responded with a pained gasp. "Just take the girl and go. I''ll try to get out, but we have to complete our objective, Captain!"

    "¡­Right." Olivia felt the tremors of the Captain''s footsteps on the earth and once more tried to lift herself up. "You¡­just had to make things difficult!"

    "!?!" Olivia was sent flying as an aura-infused kick slammed into her stomach.

    "Captain, there''s no time!"

    "Damn it, I know!" the Captain shouted back as he watched Olivia''s body tumble away. "I''m just¡­?" The Captain''s words trailed off as he watched Olivia struggle to her feet. With shaky hands, she raised her sword at the Captain despite her eyes holding little focus. "You should really quit now, Lady Olivia, because I''m no longer going to treat you nicely!"Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    "¡­" Olivia stumbled as she tried to stand still and did her best to breathe despite her lungs never being satisfied with her gasps for air. The vision in her right eye was no longer spinning, but her left was still blurry and would be useless in a fight. Her mouth was dry as she tried to swallow anything to parch her throat. She knew she had no chance of winning and could feel the fractured segments of her skull from the Captain''s punch, now she was just trying to piss off the Captain in an attempt to have him accidentally kill her. If Terence got a hold of her, he would most likely use her as a hostage to control Lucina and the Duke in his bid for the throne. But if Olivia died, then her father and Lucina would go on a rampage, just like the other endings. "¡­" It was a morbid plan that didn''t seem to faze Olivia as much as she knew it should have, but she hated the alternative even more. She was already the leash around Lucina''s neck for James to yank around, she refused to be the one for Terence next. Defiantly, tauntingly, Olivia raised her trembling sword to a ready position with the point aimed at the Captain.

    "¡­You." The plan to have James'' shadows kill Olivia in the raid to pit Richard against James failed. The plan to ''rescue'' Olivia and whisk her away to be used as a bargaining chip with Countess Sanguine and Richard was closing in on failure. And now, one of the Captain''s subordinates was dead while the other would likely die from his injury slowing him down enough for the Hellhounds to find him. Terence wanted Olivia, but he never specified she had to be all together. "Will you calm down if I cut off your legs, I wonder?"

    "¡­" Olivia kept her sword raised and glared at the Captain. When the Captain attacked, Olivia planned to intentionally lean into the attack to maximized the damage. She readied her heart for one last attack and made an uneasy peace with her death. "Come o-¡­?" But as she prepared for her last stand, a semi-transparent pink square appeared in front of her vision.

    (Muz''s Bargain)

    (Impressed by your resolve and tenacity, the Bloodied Sister wishes to offer you a boon. However, you must always remember: there is no such thing as a free lunch.)

    (Challenge: Don''t get hit.)

    (Effect 01: The slave collar''s seal on your aura will be broken by the goddess Muz. This will not remove the collar and you will still be forced to follow commands when ordered by appropriate parties.)

    (Effect 02: You will immediately receive enough damage to drop your Health to ''1'' and will be unable to heal for the next ''2'' minutes.)

    (Accept) (Decline)

    "¡­" Olivia stared at the window with a bewildered expression. "¡­A deus ex machina?" she couldn''t help but bitterly chuckle despite how much it hurt. It seemed that Lady Muz had a terrible sense of taste if she was only offering this when she knew Olivia had no other alternatives. "You couldn''t¡­have offered sooner?" Olivia spat. Even if the second effect was terrifying and she had already resigned herself to death¡­she wanted to live. Olivia wanted to feel the warmth of Lucina holding her at least one more time, to be lost in a happy bliss in the arms of a lover. And the gods knew this, just like how they knew Olivia would tap the ''Accept'' button. "What petty gods."

    "What are you mumbling¡­about?" The Captain stopped in his tracks a few yards away from Olivia when a white flower petal fluttered across his vision. Then another. Then another. "What¡­is¡­?" In the blink of an eye, the front yard of the mansion was filled with white lily flowers that softly swayed in the wind. A sweet and subtle floral scent wafted through the air as the wind created a rippling wave effect in the sea of flowers. A sea of flowers that was bursting forth from being trapped in a bottle for so long.

    "C-Captain?" the injured shadow knight was awestruck as he was surrounded by flowers made of white aura. White petals danced happily as freedom was once more theirs and they excitedly explored the yard.

    "This is¡­impossible." The Captain''s gaze returned to Olivia who was no longer trembling on her feet. An expression of calm was on her face as she stared up at the sky, looking at something that wasn''t there. There was now a glowing crack that ran across her slave collar that the flower petals were leaking out of. Slowly, calmly, Olivia lowered her gaze to meet the Captain''s. As the Captain tried to speak, blood started pouring out of Olivia''s ears and out of her nose.

    "!?!" The aura lilies turned a sickly yellowish-brown as they wilted along with their creator and the petals in the air shriveled up, turning into dust on the wind. Olivia stabbed her longsword in the dirt to use as a crutch to steady herself as she was met with the most intense pain she had ever felt in her entire life. It felt like someone was taking a blender to her organs and even her bones ached to send more pain coursing through her body. Her skin started to itch and invisible bugs crawled underneath it, making Olivia want to tear her skin off. The whites of her eyes were flooded red as her blood vessels burst, her stomach churned, her eyes shed tears of blood, and her lungs burned desperately for air."!!!" Olivia tried to scream, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was a torrent of vomit and blood. As Olivia''s blood hit the ground, the wilted lilies exploded into bloom as lycoris radiatas.

    "Huh?!" The shadow knights were now in a glowing scarlet sea as Olivia continued vomiting. "What''s-!?!" A sharp pain ran up the side of the Captain''s leg and he looked down to see that his pant leg had a perfectly clean cut through it. He felt blood trickling down his leg and he was about to panic but stopped as he watched one of the aura flowers gently brush against his leg from the wind. The flower''s stamens sliced through his aura, clothing, and skin with seemingly no resistance as it idly swayed. "Don¡¯t move!" he shouted back to his injured subordinate as realization dawned on him.

    "Capta-"

    "I said, don''t move!" These aura flowers could cut through their aura armor just by brushing against it. "¡­This is bad," he cursed under his breath as he looked back to Olivia.

    "¡­" Olivia had stopped vomiting and was now standing completely still. Her white hair fluttered in the wind yet her face remained obscured in shadow. A statue overflowing with rot.

    "¡­" The Captain swallowed a lump in his throat as he adjusted his grip on his sword into a throwing position. He had no idea how Olivia was using her aura, if these flowers were even her aura since he''d never seen an aura affect an area as large as the entire yard, but he had a feeling that it would go away if he killed her. Doing his best to not move his legs, the Captain drew his arm back and aimed his sword at Olivia like a javelin. His heart raced in his chest as he did his best to keep it under control so he could concentrate. Olivia remained unmoving. The Captain quietly counted himself down, "Three¡­ Two¡­ One!" He threw his sword, point perfectly aimed at Olivia''s heart, and the blade sailed through the air.

    "¡­!" Only to be deflected by Olivia using her own sword to bat the Captain''s aside. A raspy, wet sigh escaped her throat and Olivia raised her head. Completely bloodshot eyes stared at the Captain with disdain and sent a freezing chill down his spine. Remembering that powerful Auristers could create ranged attacks with their auras, Olivia raised her sword into the air and the lycoris radiata danced in kind.

    "Focus your aura!" the Captain shouted to his subordinate as he concentrated his aura fully into armor. "Don''t relax! Not even for a second!" Horror clawed its way onto his face as he watched red flower petals fall off the flowers to flutter up and around Olivia''s raised sword.

    "Die." It was a command coldly spoken with unmatched authority as Olivia brought down her sword in a vertical slash through the air.  A tidal wave of red flower petals erupted from her blade and flooded across the yard.

    "!!!" The Captain had no time to scream as a wall of red engulfed him. For the briefest of moments, his aura held. Or, perhaps, that was just how delayed his brain was in registering that he had died. As his life left him, the Captain swore he heard an unknown woman''s laughter echo in his head.

    "¡­" Olivia somberly watched the wave of flower petals flow out and crash against an invisible wall at the edge of the flower field; the maximum range of this ability. As the petals scattered and dissolved away, the only thing left in place of Terence''s three shadow knights were three piles of unrecognizable meat. There was no trace of clothing or weapons, just a pile of red mush that nurtured the flowers. A gust of wind kicked through the yard and caused Olivia''s flowers to brush against her bare legs and they harmlessly tickled her skin. Once more, the world was calm. Once more, there was peace. "¡­?" A semi-transparent pink square appeared in front of her.

    (Achievement Unlocked!)

    (True Aurister)

    (After experiencing life at the brink of death, your soul resonates with the unwavering flame of defiance and grants you new wells of potential. While it is up to you to nurture and cultivate this power, know that the road to the apex of martial prowess is open before you.)

    (Unlock the full potential of your aura by raising the Aura stat to rank: ''S'')

    "¡­Ha," Olivia dryly laughed at the notification. Did Muz enjoy the performance enough to leave a tip? "I''m not some¡­circus¡­monkey¡­" Exhaustion overcame Olivia and caused her to start stumbling forward in an attempt to stay awake. Now that the shadows were taken care of she had much to do. Were the servants truly alright? Did the Hellhounds manage to catch all the fleeing shadows, or did some manage to escape? "¡­" Was Lucina almost home? "¡­Lu¡­" The lycoris radiatas started dissolving away with the wind and the air was filled with red flower petals. Olivia finally dropped her sword as her hands went numb. "Lu¡­" Her failing mind and exhausted body tripped over itself and she started falling. Sounds were muffled as her concussion also caught up to her. Everything started to blur. Everything started to fade. "Lu¡­ci¡­na?" The silent world that was growing more and more distant rumbled as the sound of shattering glass and cracking ice tried to call to Olivia''s slipping consciousness. Something soft and warm enveloped Olivia, and it no longer felt like she was falling. A voice that was impossibly far away yet right next to her echoed in her head with both love and fear.

    "Olivia!?" The world went black.

 A Modicum of Freedom

    "Is this the budget for the harvest festival next month?" Muffled voices echoed across the black void Olivia was in when she regained herself. It felt like she was floating on a soft cloud with a warm blanket wrapped around her.

    "Yes, if it''s approved now we can start spreading the word and get the people excited. Considering the rumors running rampant due to the knights butchering those shadows in the alleys, it would be a good idea to divert attention to something more light-hearted." The voices were both clear and unclear. Olivia tried to open her eyes, but her body refused. "You should take a break after-"

    "I want to get ahead of work for when Olivia wakes up." She heard her name. Her arm refused to move.

    "It would worry her to see you like this, Countess." There was only one Countess of Solfin. Olivia bashed and screamed against the darkness that suffocated her.

    "I''ll get some sleep when-" Her arm finally twitched.

    And Olivia found her voice, "¡­Lu¡­cina?"

    "Olivia!?" Someone pressed down on the cloud next to her and Olivia felt her head roll to the side. She tried to open her eyes.

    "¡­?" The light of the world was blinding after floating in darkness, causing Olivia to wince and keep her eyes shut.

    "Draw the curtains!" Lucina snapped, and Olivia heard shoes clacking against tile before the blinding light was softened.

    "¡­Lucina?" Olivia''s raspy voice fought through her completely dry throat as she finally managed to open her eyes. She found herself lying on a large bed with scarlet beddings that sat against the far wall of a large, open room. Along the wall Olivia''s head was turned toward, thin white curtains softened the setting sunlight that was doing its best to pour in through the open doors that led to a balcony. The white marble of the room softly glowed a subtle orange from the setting sun that made the room feel cozy and silhouetted the person leaning on the bed next to her.

    "Ah~, you''re awake!" Lucina excitedly exclaimed as she reached over and brushed some hair off Olivia''s face. Lucina''s eyes were drooped and had dark circles underneath them from a clear lack of sleep.

    "Lucina!" Olivia desperately fought her body to move and managed to fully turn over onto her side. Arms without strength reached out and wrapped themselves around Lucina''s waist to pull Olivia closer to her. Her muscles screamed in protest but Olivia ignored the pains of her body. "Lucina!" All she wanted was to be close to Lucina.

    "I''m here. I''m here," Lucina softly cooed and started stroking Olivia''s hair to try and calm her down. "Everything''s going to be alright, now."

    "¡­" This was real. The warmth she felt through her arms told her that Lucina was truly here. Olivia looked up at Lucina''s exhausted face. "¡­Are you¡­okay?"

    "I''m fi-" Lucina tried to deflect Olivia''s worry.

    But Jeremy, who was also in the room, wouldn''t allow it, and interrupted with, "The Countess hasn''t slept in two days and is suffering from exhaustion." He ignored the glare Lucina shot him.

    "Two¡­days?" Olivia started looking around as her body was beginning to listen to her again. There was a desk behind Lucina that looked out of place and must have been brought in so Lucina could work while being by Olivia''s side. "Was I¡­?" Her eyes wandered the room before landing on the other side of the bed where she saw another familiar face.

    "¡­" Mary was passed out while sitting in a chair and had the same dark circles under her eyes that Lucina did. A bowl of water and a clean rag sat on the nightstand next to her that she had been using to keep Olivia''s temperature down, and Olivia realized there was another rag that fell onto the bed when she turned over.

    "Mary¡­"

    "She refused to leave your side," Lucina cheerfully explained as she picked up the rag and put it back on Olivia''s forehead while forcing her back down onto the bed. "You were unconscious for two days, even with Elise''s magic healing your wounds." The hands that held Olivia down were trembling, betraying Lucina''s inner worry that she hid behind a comforting smile.

    "¡­Luci-"

    "I''m sorry," Lucina''s voice was a whisper being strangled with guilt. Her long brown hair hung in front of her face, masking it in shadow, as she continued, "I should have been faster. I rode multiple horses at full gallop to return to the Emperor, and even all the way across Holst before using a portal to reach the mansion when I entered Solfin¡­ But I should have been faster¡­ I should have just killed my watchers and teleported immediately." Lucina''s hands tightened their grip on Olivia''s shoulders. "I first went to your room¡­and saw the bodies¡­and you weren''t there!" Her body started slumping over, and her voice was breaking down. "I looked out the window in the hall and saw you outside¡­covered in blood¡­ Your wounds-!?" A gentle, warm hand reached through her curtain of hair and cupped her cheek. Lucina raised her head and saw Olivia smiling up at her.

    "¡­" Olivia didn''t say anything, she just kept smiling. Her thumb felt tears start falling down Lucina''s cheeks and Olivia gently brushed them away.

    "¡­They''re gone now," Lucina''s voice was still broken, yet held enough confidence to make her sound in control of her emotions. "Peter and the others routed them all out¡­ Solfin is free of anyone''s shadow knights and I''ve ordered Carl to have my shadows increase their surveillance of the city so they don''t come back. No one can get you, now." Through the briars of her unkempt hair, Lucina''s festering gaze fixated on Olivia. "No one can take you from me~."

    "¡­" Words that once filled Olivia with unease now sounded like the most enticing lullaby. "Mm," she gave a nod which seemed to somewhat placate Lucina''s worries.

    "Now, even though you just woke up, you should get some more rest." Lucina finally released Olivia''s shoulders and moved to get up from the bed. "Jeremy, can you call Elise and have her-?" But she was stopped as a desperate hand grabbed her wrist.

    "No¡­" Even though Olivia was still out of it and her mind begged for sleep, she fought to stay awake. "You¡­need rest, too."

    "I''m fine, and I still have work to-"

    The door to the master bedroom opened as Tress and Elise entered, and Elise interrupted, "Work that Jeremy can easily handle while you get some sleep." She looked over and gave Olivia a wink. "Doctor''s orders."

    "Doctor''s orders," Olivia repeated and excitedly started patting the empty space next to her on the bed. There was a fierce determination in her eyes, despite how haggard she looked.

    "¡­Fine," Lucina eventually relented after letting out a long sigh. She turned to Jeremy and ordered, "Just finish the last few documents on the desk, we can do the rest later."

    "Got it, Countess," Jeremy replied and took his place at the desk to get started.

    "Tress?" Lucina continued as she climbed into bed next to Olivia. "Inform Mary, when she wakes up, of Olivia''s condition and have her get some proper sleep in her bed. Get the other maids to force her if you have to."

    "Got it," Tress replied and gave a bow before moving next to Mary to drape a blanket over the sleeping maid.

    "Elise? Make-!?" Lucina was silenced as a fed-up Olivia reached up and forced her down on the bed next to her.

    "¡­" Olivia was pouting as she forcefully held Lucina close.

    Elise happily giggled to herself, and reassured, "All of Lady Olivia''s wounds are healed, now she just needs some proper rest. So¡­" Elise walked over and brought her hand over the two girls. A gentle light radiated out of Elise''s hand and enveloped the two patients to fill them with a calming warmth. "You should also get some rest, Harbinger."

    "¡­Fine," Lucina mumbled as she relented against her exhaustion and nestled herself deeper into Olivia''s embrace.

    "¡­" Olivia smiled as a warm hand soothed her soul. Lucina''s soft breaths tickled her neck as a reminder she was there and that Olivia was safe. The subtle scritching of Jeremy''s pen as he worked on various documents and the occasional rustle of paper as he finished them worked to dull Olivia''s mind and helped her slip into a restful sleep.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ***

    "The sun''s quite bright today, so a hat is essential!" Mary brought out a wide-brimmed hat and tied it onto Olivia''s head.

    "It''s not as warm as yesterday, so make sure to pick out a coat," Lucina ordered from a chair as she watched Mary and other maids pick out clothing for Olivia to wear.

    "A pair of gloves would look lovely and protect against the wind. Do we have any white ones?" Mary looked over to another maid, expectantly.

    "Right here!" the maid replied and handed Mary a pair of thin, white gloves.

    "Perfect." Mary put them on Olivia''s hands as another maid approached with a long-sleeved, yellow jacket.

    Olivia, who had been silent this whole time, muttered in annoyance, "You two¡­ It''s not like I''m going off to battle!" Olivia was standing in the middle of the master bedroom as maids bustled around her with various pieces of clothing that were either approved or denied by Lucina and Mary. It was the following day after Olivia regained consciousness, and she was currently getting ready to go on her first outing in months. Now that the shadows were taken care of and the Royal Grace was sorted, Olivia could finally go outside and explore Solfin.

    Lucina spoke up, "Cassandra always says that fashion is a war."

    "Says the person who only has a single closet worth of dresses," Olivia retorted.

    "I never said it was a war I was aiming to win," Lucina joked as she was wearing her usual black and red dress.

    "You''re not even aiming to try," Olivia said with a resigned sigh and looked at herself in the mirror. Her white blouse with subtle, white floral embroidery was neatly covered with a yellow jacket that was left open down the middle and matched her long, yellow skirt. The hat on her head was also white but had a blue ribbon tied around it that matched her eyes. "It feels like my clothes take up more space in this room than yours. We should stop at a boutique while we''re out."

    "Perfect," Lucina agreed while having a sly smile on her face. "We can pick out some new fall and winter clothes for you~."

    "Denied," Olivia flatly stated as she tipped the brim of her hat so it didn''t obstruct her sight. The maids had done an excellent job picking out the clothes and Olivia couldn''t help but smile at herself in the mirror. "¡­" A smile that faltered as her hand went from her hat to the slave collar around her neck. Using the seal on her hand, Lucina had shortened the metal leash to only a single chain-link to try and keep it as out of the way as possible but that wouldn''t erase the weight that constantly pressed against Olivia''s neck. Her fingers softly traced the large crack that ran across the collar.

    "It will be fine." Lucina appeared behind Olivia and put her hands on Olivia''s shoulders. She gave a reassuring smile, and said, "If it bothers you, we can cover it with a scarf?" Lucina glanced over to one of the maids who quickly brought out a light scarf and offered it to Olivia.

    "¡­No." Olivia''s hands returned to her side and she took a deep breath to center herself. "Covering it up won''t make it go away. If anything, it will make me more conscious of it if I think the scarf is coming loose." She turned and gave Lucina a confident smile. "I''ll trust you."

    "¡­Mm." Lucina gave a nod before grabbing Olivia by the hand and leading her out of the room. "Then let''s go! I booked us the best restaurant on the shore for dinner; Margaret and Todd both loved it."

    "I''m looking forward to it," Olivia laughed at how excited Lucina was to be taking her outside and the joy she felt was reflected throughout the mansion. While repairs from the attack were still ongoing, the blood and bodies had been cleaned away and there was a cheerful atmosphere among the staff as they rushed past. Olivia and Lucina boarded the carriage that was waiting for them outside and they began their journey into town. "¡­Hm?" As the carriage approached the iron gates that led out of the estate, a striking sight caught Olivia''s eye. "Are those¡­?"

    "A warning to any potential onlookers still skulking around," Lucina finished Olivia''s thought as she smiled out the window at the gruesome display. The severed heads of all the shadow knights who took part in the attack were mounted on the tips of the iron fence that surrounded the estate. Their gazes were frozen in horror, sorrow, anger, or a mix of all three as they faced outward at the small forest that filled the hill the mansion sat on. Dried blood coated the iron beneath the heads, indicating that they had been there for quite some time. "I want to make it clear that you''re safe here." Lucina''s smile was filled with happiness while her unwavering gaze remained on Olivia. "Since I knew we were going out today, I told Peter to keep them up so you could see! It''s my little gift to you~." Writhing rot broiled behind her eyes.

    "Ah¡­ Thank you, Lucina~." A rot that was reflected and matched in Olivia''s frozen lakes that were strewn with cracks. She felt no disgust or unease from Lucina''s actions, only a deep love that stirred her heart. "But, what if a child who''s playing in the woods sees them?" While she didn''t want the heads taken down just yet, Olivia was genuinely concerned about a child seeing the morbid display.

    "Don''t worry," Lucina happily placated. "Most parents have taught their kids to stay away from the mansion ever since the Rolf family ruled, so it''s become a custom to leave the estate alone. I also have a few knights patrolling the woods who were told to turn away any commoners who get too close." A twisted joy filled the carriage.

    "That''s good," Olivia breathed a sigh of relief and looked back out the window at the mounted heads as they rode past. There wasn''t a cloud in the sky as the carriage gingerly rode through the streets of Solfin to allow Olivia her first real look at the city. It was mid-afternoon so the main streets were bustling with people going about their lives with people out shopping, workers unloading carts, and tourists enjoying one of the many cafes that offered outdoor seating. Squads of Hellhound knights walked the streets, their scarlet robes covering their plate armor, and they saluted the carriage as it passed. Eventually, the carriage stopped in front of a store whose windows were filled with various dresses and hats.

    "Shall we?" Lucina got off first and extended a hand to help Olivia out.

    "¡­Yes." Olivia took a deep breath and swallowed a lump in her throat that almost got stuck on the cold metal of the collar. She put on a confident expression, took Lucina''s hand, and stepped outside. "¡­?" And nothing happened. "¡­Ah." No one called out about her collar. No fingers were pointed at her with disgust at her slave status. It was just another summer''s day in the city of Solfin. There were quite a few eyes on them but that was primarily because of Lucina since everyone recognized the lord of their city after all she''d done to solidify her position and image to them. Olivia''s heart felt at peace as she followed Lucina into the boutique. Since Solfin was a port city, despite being a county with no lower nobles under Lucina, there were quite a few nobles from other territories who were either passing through or enjoying their vacation in the revitalized tourist districts. These visiting nobles allowed boutiques that catered to the nobility to stay in business despite Solfin''s population being primarily commoners.

    "Welcome~!" A woman who looked to be in her early forties with curly, short brown hair, and who was wearing an extravagant purple gown immediately greeted them as soon as Lucina stepped through the door. "Greetings, Countess! Your current order is still being made, but I''m happy to say we should be able to finish it a bit earlier than scheduled; my passion''s been burning brighter than usual so we''re ahead of the game!" The eyes of the customers and staff stole glances at the newest customers who garnered the attention of the boutique''s owner.

    "That''s good to hear, Madam Francesca, but I''m actually here for a different reason, today." Lucina motioned to Olivia and tried to explain, "I''m hoping to get some clothes fitted for-"

    But Olivia intervened before Lucina could get her more clothes, "We''re here to buy more clothes for Lucina; preferably some dresses."

    "¡­" Madam Francesca''s face never broke from her businessman''s smile as her eyes flashed over to Olivia. Even though her gaze briefly rested on the slave collar, she didn''t speak of it as a hunch formed in her mind. She waited for Lucina''s response before proceeding with her thoughts and would adjust her behavior accordingly.

    "I told you, I have enough clothes." Lucina''s tone wasn''t that of a master reprimanding a slave, but of a friend who was just called out for a silly dispute. "Besides, I''m getting two more dresses done here, so I''ll have more than enough."

    "So, you''ll be able to finally fill your first wardrobe?"

    "¡­" Lucina''s silence and averted gaze told Olivia all she needed to know.

    "Having dresses adjusted and spruced up doesn''t count as a new dress."

    "¡­One of them will be new," Lucina muttered.

    "Overruled." Olivia brushed some hair over her ear and turned to Madam Francesca. "Could you show me the catalog for your latest pieces? Also, I''d like to see samples of your fabrics with earthy tones." Olivia did her best to sound natural and had to stop her hand from brushing the slave collar out of habit.

    "¡­Of course, dear customer~!" Madam Francesca immediately picked up on the dynamic and hierarchy between Lucina and Olivia and adjusted her plans. "We''ve actually just gotten a new shipment of fabrics from my homeland of Itrecha that I think will perfectly match what you''re looking for!" Completely ignoring the slave collar, she showed Olivia to a comfortable seat before having refreshments brought out and multiple catalogs at the ready.

    "Olivia?" Lucina felt a dangerous shift in the air. "Wouldn''t you like to buy some clothes for yourself?"

    "I have plenty of clothes," Olivia firmly responded as she flipped through the first catalog. "You on the other hand¡­" A few designs caught her eye that she felt would look good on Lucina, and she declared, "We aren''t leaving until we''ve ordered you at least ten new dresses."

    "¡­Ten?" The danger was closing in as nearby staff who weren''t attending to anyone immediately turned their attention towards Olivia. "We don''t really need to-"

    "I have show pieces we can easily adjust to the Countess'' size for most designs, to show you what they would look like to wear!" Madam Francesca smelled gold and immediately dove in on helping Olivia. "Though, I have this catalog that has designs that are still in the works, if you''d like. Aria, bring fabrics!"

    "¡­" Lucina was too late as she watched Madam Francesca and her workers swarm around Olivia to push for more pieces. "I''m already feeling exhausted."

    ***

    "And I was right." Lucina leaned back in her chair as she was still thinking about what happened at the boutique, and the number of dresses Olivia forced her to try on.

    "Madam Francesca has such a wonderful eye," Olivia playfully teased as she picked up her chopsticks and scooped up a piece of grilled salmon. After spending most of the day at the boutique, Lucina finally managed to convince Olivia to leave so they could go eat at the restaurant on the shore. Like when she ate with Margaret and Todd, Lucina reserved the whole patio so she could enjoy a private meal with Olivia while looking out over the ocean. "I can''t wait to see her again when everything''s ready!"

    "¡­" Lucina silently grumbled as she awkwardly held her chopsticks in one hand and used a fork in the other to try and pick up her crab cake. Unfortunately, she squeezed too hard and split the crab cake in two with the chopsticks. "¡­How do you use these things so effortlessly?"

    "It''s all in the technique," Olivia laughed before an idea wormed its way into her mind. "Like this," she said as she reached over the table to pick up one of the crab cake halves with her chopsticks and held it up to Lucina. "Aaa~."

    "!?!" The gesture caught Lucina off-guard and her cheeks slightly reddened. She was thankful that the setting sun was bathing them in a gentle orange light to hide her surprise. "¡­Aaa." Lucina didn''t refuse the offer and ate the food. "¡­Hmm~." But not before fighting back and making sure to seductively wrap her tongue around one of the chopsticks while looking Olivia dead in the eyes. A strand of saliva connected her tongue and the chopstick as Olivia pulled away. Now it was Olivia''s turn to blush as Lucina triumphantly smiled at her. She wanted to see Olivia''s embarrassed expression, but Lucina''s smile quickly fell as her plan to embarrass Olivia backfired, leaving Lucina awestruck.

    "¡­" A gentle smile bursting with happiness played across Olivia''s lips as she basked in the moment of them playfully enjoying a date on the water. A salty ocean breeze blew by with just enough force to rustle Olivia''s long hair but was calm enough that it didn''t blow her hat away. The setting sun''s orange light glittered through Olivia''s platinum white hair and sparkled through her deep blue eyes as it did its best to peer through the loose locks of hair that freely hung around her face. A warm giggle escaped Olivia''s mouth as she couldn''t help herself from laughing at what they were doing, which only made her glow even brighter in Lucina''s eyes.

    "¡­" Lucina stood up from her chair and walked around the table to stand next to Olivia.

    "Luci-!?" A hand cupped Olivia''s cheek to raise it up, and Lucina kissed Olivia''s lips. It started tender with only the lips, but Olivia felt Lucina''s tongue press for entry. Olivia gently pushed away and looked up at Lucina.

    "¡­" Lucina was standing on the side away from the sun so Olivia wouldn''t have to look directly at it, and that gave Olivia a clear view of Lucina''s desperate features. Her black and red dress was oddly warm and inviting under the sun''s light, and the red jewels she used to accent her dress shinned under the orange glow. Lucina''s hair freely hung down her head but left her unobscured so Olivia could see the longing on her face. Green eyes, filled with rot and obsession, reflected the rolling ocean''s waves as they looked down at her. Her soft lips were parted, waiting for the chance to come back down and meet Olivia''s. "No?" Lucina''s quiet plea was almost lost against the crashing waves, but it found its way into Olivia''s ears.

    "¡­It''s unfair if you look at me like that." Olivia pushed her seat out from the table so she could properly lean back into it while facing Lucina. She gently took hold of Lucina''s hands and pulled her down so that she was straddling Olivia''s lap. The thought of someone seeing them didn''t cross either of their minds as they were completely lost in the moment. "My Lucina''s become quite greedy~."

    "You''re the one taunting me," Lucina mumbled as her lips hovered against Olivia''s. Her eyes were half closed as she painstakingly waited for Olivia to make the final move.

    "Then, I''d better take responsibility~." Olivia leaned forward and pressed her lips against Lucina''s. This time, when Lucina''s tongue asked to enter, Olivia obediently opened her mouth so their tongues could dance together. Olivia''s hands firmly grasped Lucina''s waist as a reminder that, even though her eyes were closed, this was no illusion. After months of hiding followed by weeks of endless anxiety, Olivia could enjoy a day out with Lucina. There was still much to do, and the slave collar still weighed down on Olivia''s neck, but this moment of bliss under the setting sun belonged solely to them.

 Summers Jealous Breeze

    "¡­" Leaves rustled to greet the rising sun that crept over Solfin''s walls and into Lucina''s bedroom to wake her from a restful sleep. Now that the shadow knights were gone, the mansion''s windows could be freely left open without worry of an intruder. Thin white curtains softly danced as the wind wove its way through the bedroom and out the other side. The clock on her nightstand said it was almost seven in the morning and continued to softly tick along. "¡­Mmm," Lucina grumbled as she sat up in bed and stared down at the sheets in a slight daze of not wanting to fully wake up yet. Her eyes glanced over to the empty space beside her; she was alone in the room. "¡­" Kicking her feet off the side of the bed, Lucina got up and stretched her arms high while lazily walking over to and brushing aside the curtain to the west balcony. As Sailest retreated beneath the western horizon, the sun''s light crept over the eastern walls to bring light to Solfin. Lucina watched the sun slowly banish the wall''s shadow as it climbed higher into the sky.

    "That''s it! Now, step into the strike!" Loud voices echoed across the yard and made their way into Lucina''s ears.

    "¡­?" Across the yard was a barracks that Lucina had constructed to house the Hellhound knights and a sizable open field was given to them for training. The knights'' day started even before the sun rose and today was no different as Lucina watched a group of knights running laps, another group practicing sword drills, and a final small group doing some one-on-one sparring.

    "Just like that!" Leading the sparring was Olivia who was taking full advantage of being allowed outside and was wearing a loose-fitting white shirt, long brown pants, and thick brown boots while her hair was in a high ponytail. Peter was off to the side watching as Olivia was sparring with a girl that looked their age and had her short brown hair also up in a ponytail.

    "¡­" Lucina''s finger tapped against the marble railing as she watched Olivia''s face light up with excitement as she continued to spar with the girl. Abruptly, Lucina turned away from the scene and returned to the bedroom to quickly get changed.

    ***

    "Ha!" the brown-haired girl shouted as she swung her wooden sword in a horizontal strike. The wood blade made a satisfying crack sound as the strike was deflected away by Olivia.

    "Don''t swing with your wrists!" Olivia chastised as she took a step back to wind up her own swing. "Twist your body and use your arms!" The wood blades clashed again but this time Olivia didn''t follow through with the strike and allowed the blades to rest against each other. "Now, what should you do?"

    "Deflect!" the girl replied and twisted her wood sword so that Olivia''s would be pushed aside.

    "And, now that you''ve negated my guard, step forward and press the opening." Olivia took one hand off her sword and helped the girl aim the pommel of her sword toward Olivia''s head.

    "Wouldn''t a slash be better?"

    "A slash would take too much time, what you want is to put your opponent further off balance." Olivia lightly tapped her face against the girl''s sword''s pommel. "Even if I was wearing a helmet, a strike to the head would still disorient me enough to grant you more time to attack or to take a step back and re-center yourself while I stumble away."

    "Ah, I see!" The girl enthusiastically nodded her head as she took Olivia''s words to heart. "Then, when I-"

    "Having fun so early in the morning?" Lucina approached the group with a calm smile on her face. Since she didn''t have any plans to go out, Lucina was wearing a simple green and yellow robe that was comfortable to move in.

    "Greetings, Countess," Peter gave a salute and bow.

    "Greetings, C-Countess!" the girl stuttered her greeting but held a confident salute.

    "Good morning, Lucina," Olivia happily said and walked over to give Lucina a hug. "¡­!" But she quickly stopped herself when she realized how sweaty she was.

    "Here you go," Lucina laughed and presented Olivia with a wet towel. "Mary and a few other maids will be out shortly with jugs of water for everyone."

    "Ah~!" Olivia draped the towel over her face and wiped it clean while squeezing out some cool water to run down her neck.

    "So, how was your spar with her?" Lucina appeared friendly and her tone was upbeat, but Olivia felt something off about it. "Is she up to your standards?"

    "¡­" Olivia watched Lucina''s eyes flick over with an analytical scrutiny toward the girl. The gaze was almost¡­hostile? "She¡­handles a blade quite well." Was Olivia just imagining it? "A little more refinement of her form and she''d make a good addition to the knights."

    "I see." Lucina walked over to the girl who was still keeping her salute. "If you''ve managed to impress Olivia¡­ Then I see no reason why you can''t begin knight training, Sophie." All the tension that Olivia thought was in the air vanished without a trace. Lucina looked over to Peter, and mentioned, "I guess swordplay is in your blood, Peter."

    "My wife would hate to hear that, Countess," Peter replied but couldn''t hide the proud smile he had at hearing Lucina praise his daughter.

    "Really?" The girl, Sophie, looked at Lucina with eyes filled with hope and joy. "I can be a knight like my dad?"

    "If your mother agrees, then yes."

    "¡­Ah." An uneasy smile and a dubious look crossed Sophie''s face as she avoided eye contact with Lucina, and Peter flinched.

    "After all," Lucina hummed as she walked past Sophie and explained, "You wouldn''t hide something as big as becoming one of my Hellhounds from your mother, right?" Both Sophie and Peter had the exact same nervous look on their faces. "You wouldn''t embarrass me by having your mother storm into my estate and throw a fit because you tried to keep this hidden, right?"

    "¡­I just remembered, I need to head home! Let''s go, dad!" Sophie abruptly declared. Before leaving, she bowed to Olivia and said, "Thank you for your time, Lady Olivia!"

    "Right," Olivia replied as she watched both Peter and Sophie hurry away. Once they were gone, Olivia turned to Lucina to find her staring at her.

    "Would you like to go for a walk in the garden to wind down?" Her eyes never left Olivia.

    "¡­Sure." Olivia didn''t feel nervous, but something did stir in her heart. The feeling didn''t go away and instead continued to mull over itself as the two walked along a stone path through the mansion''s garden. Thick bushes and neatly cut-back trees lined the path while beds of flowers gingerly swayed in the distance. Lucina led the way while shadows glided across her figure as the sun tried to peak through the trees. Neither said a word and Olivia felt the stirring in her heart turn into a churning that forced her to speak up, "Lucina?"

    "Hm?" Lucina looked over her shoulder. Everything was normal.

    "Are¡­you alright?" So what was bugging Olivia?

    "¡­Yes?" Lucina stopped walking, turned around, and cocked her head to the side as she stared at Olivia. "Do I not look alright?" She gave herself a once over to see if something was wrong with her clothes or if she had a wound that she hadn''t noticed beforehand.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "Ah, no, it''s not that." Now Olivia was feeling embarrassed for bringing up her uncertain feelings. "It''s just¡­"

    (Affection: [ERROR])

    "You won''t¡­hurt Sophie, right?"

    "¡­" A brisk wind cut through the trees and rustled Lucina''s hair so that Olivia couldn''t see her face. What expression was she making?

    "F-Forget it, I-"

    "Why would I hurt her?" The breeze died down and Olivia could see how confused Lucina looked as she tried to comprehend Olivia''s meaning.

    "Well¡­" Olivia dug this hole, and now she had to deal with it. "¡­I guess I was concerned that you wouldn''t like me¡­getting close to other girls¡­and¡­" Olivia couldn''t keep going as she realized how embarrassing she was sounding now that she was speaking the words out loud.

    "Did you¡­think I would get jealous of Sophie because you were having fun sparring with her?" A coy grin crept along Lucina''s face and she took a step toward Olivia.

    "¡­" Olivia''s cheeks softly blushed and she avoided Lucina''s gaze.

    "Pfft!" Lucina barely contained her laughter and kept it to softly chuckling. "If I couldn''t trust my own knights around you I would have already done something about it." She gave a dismissive wave of her hand at the thought. "Peter''s smart and would know to rein in his daughter if she started having feelings for you, and Sophie has enough sense to know what lines shouldn''t be crossed. Besides¡­" Lucina brushed some hair off her face and allowed the sun to twinkle in her eyes. "I trust you, Olivia."

    "¡­" Olivia couldn''t look away as she was captivated by Lucina. The Hellhounds had fought, bled, and died with Lucina so they were the most trustworthy people she had by her side. It made sense that she wouldn''t get jealous over something like Olivia sparring with one of their daughters. "¡­?" So why did that thought tug at her heart?

    "Hm?" Lucina also noticed Olivia''s hesitance and discomfort as she tried to sort her thoughts. "Olivia? Are you¡­" A strange thought crossed Lucina''s mind. "¡­sad that I''m not jealous?"

    "Huh!?" Olivia''s cheeks became even redder than before and she tried to refute Lucina''s words, "N-No, I¡­I just¡­" But the more she thought about it, the more the feeling in her heart aligned with Lucina''s question.

    "¡­Oh my~," Lucina cooed and she reached out a hand toward Olivia.

    "W-Wha-!?!" Olivia was yanked off the stone path and pulled through the bushes. "L-Luci-!" Her hands were planted against bark and Olivia found herself pinning Lucina against a tree.

    "You really are too cute for your own good, Olivia~." Lucina leaned back against the tree as her eyes looked up into Olivia''s. She brought her shoulders back to puff out her chest, and started to whisper seductively, "It''s only morning and you''re already filling my head with strange thoughts. Were you intentionally trying to be loud when you were sparring with her to wake me up so I would see?"

    "A¡­ I¡­" Olivia''s mind was blank as her heart stirred with a slurry of emotions. Her eyes were glued to Lucina as she watched Lucina loosen her robe, and Olivia felt an itch start creeping between her legs as a strange atmosphere surrounded them.

    "Did you want me to get angry? To get upset?" Lucina''s poison infected Olivia''s mind as their gazes never broke away from each other''s. "Did you want to see me push Sophie away while declaring you as mine?" She gave a devilish smile as Olivia leaned in closer. Lucina lightly put her hand on Olivia''s chest and gave a gentle push to keep her away. "Too~ bad~."

    "¡­Lucina." Olivia was trying to control herself and finally broke away from Lucina''s gaze to look around. They were behind the tree so that they would be hidden from the path and, luckily, no one was around. She looked back to Lucina and, with flushed cheeks and a longing stare, she pleaded, "Stop giving me weird kinks."

    "No~," Lucina denied the request and lifted her knee so it would press between Olivia''s legs.

    "Ngh~!" Olivia tensed up and leaned forward to stay standing.

    "The more kinks I give you, the more you become mine, right~?" Lucina reasoned while grinding her knee against Olivia, sending shivers of pleasure through Olivia''s body. "Besides, no~ one''s~ around~."

    "¡­Just remember, you asked for it," Olivia muttered before standing up and taking a step away from Lucina.

    "¡­?" Thinking she might have pushed Olivia too hard, Lucina was about to apologize when she watched Olivia get down and squat in front of her. "Olivia?"

    "You know¡­" Olivia began as she reached out a hand to softly run down Lucina''s robe. "I noticed this last night, but you only use your hands when we have sex."

    "What else would I use?" Lucina asked, confused about what Olivia was doing and what she was getting at.

    "Did the books Elise shared with you not go into it?" Olivia''s hands reached the bottom of Lucina''s robe and her fingers gripped the edge.

    "The¡­techniques those texts taught me were how intercourse would be taught for education." Lucina felt her heart rate start to speed up as she continued to watch Olivia. "How to best please a female partner without a penis."

    "Hmm, so the ''pure'' techniques were preserved and taught but nothing else?" Olivia lifted up Lucina''s robe.

    "¡­What else is there?" Now it was Lucina''s turn to blush as she found it surprisingly embarrassing to see Olivia so calmly lifting her robe and staring at her bare legs while outside. She only planned to tease Olivia and, if she wanted, continue in the bedroom; things were veering off course.

    "Well~," Olivia mused as she moved forward and ducked under Lucina''s robe. "Just something I saw online."

    "Onli-¡­Olivia!?" Lucina felt her cloth undergarment get moved to the side. But what really startled her was that Olivia was doing this completely beneath the robe. Lucina couldn''t see what was happening and that both frightened and excited her. "Isn''t it too dark to-" A tongue licked Lucina''s clit. "Agh~!?!" Lucina instantly clasped her hand over her mouth and looked around to make sure no one was nearby. Her thighs tried to clench shut but Olivia''s head was blocking them from closing. "H-Hey? Olivi-Agh~!"

    "¡­" Olivia stayed silent beneath the robe and continued to playfully lick the entrance of Lucina''s vagina. Her hot breath tickled Lucina''s bare skin and sent a shiver up her spine while Olivia''s tongue continued its diligent work.

    "I-It''s dirty!" Lucina hastily whispered as she found herself wanting to be as quiet as possible despite no one being around. The fact she could hear the distant sounds of the knights training sent a confusing excitement coursing through her brain. What if someone saw them? "Stop it! Do-Oh~!!!" Shivers wracked Lucina''s body with every lick and she was losing the strength in her legs. "Oh~¡­Mmm~!" She leaned back against the tree for support as her hand stayed clasped against her mouth. The roughness of Olivia''s tongue was a bizarre yet enticing experience that Lucina both wanted to stop and keep going. She reached down with her free hand and tried to push Olivia''s head away but that only made her inadvertently lean forward and further into Olivia.

    "¡­" Taking the initiative, Olivia inserted her tongue into Lucina and started attacking her weak spots with it.

    "Mm~¡­Ah~¡­Ah~!" Lucina''s breaths were quick and shallow as she felt the pleasure swelling up through her body. "O-¡­Oli-" Olivia gently bit Lucina''s clit with her upper teeth and pressed one of Lucina''s weak points with her tongue. "!?!" Lucina instantly lost all feeling in her legs and slammed the back of her head against the tree as she violently climaxed. Olivia wrapped her arms around Lucina''s legs to hold her up as she continued to shake and moan from the orgasm. "Aaagh~!" Only after she was thoroughly satisfied did Olivia move back and finally let Lucina slide down the tree to sit on the ground.

    "So?" Olivia asked when she emerged from under the robe. Her face was covered in ejaculate that she wiped off on the inside of Lucina''s robe. "What did you think?"

    "¡­" Lucina couldn''t respond as her mind was still reeling from the ecstasy. The occasional twitch jolted her body and her lungs were gasping for air as Lucina stared off into space with sweaty locks of hair covering her face.

    "Honestly¡­ Do you have any idea how crazy you make me feel?" Olivia grabbed Lucina''s limp body off the tree and pinned her to the ground. Being locked in the room for so long made Olivia unstable while also making her more honest. "Fine, I''ll admit, I want you to get jealous! I want you to be possessive of me! I want you to hold me and tell me I''m yours! I don''t want these feelings to be a whim or a dream, I want you to be mine! I¡­" Olivia''s words trailed off as she looked down at Lucina. The green and yellow robe was parted to reveal Lucina''s breasts that heaved up and down with her deep gasps, and her hair was a disheveled mess that partially covered her face, except for one key part.

    "¡­" A perverted smile was plastered on Lucina''s face as hungry eyes peered up at Olivia through the briars of hair.

    "¡­You really are an expert at getting under people''s skin!" Olivia grabbed and tore open the robe to fully expose Lucina''s body. She leaned down and deeply kissed Lucina while her hips started grinding against her. Olivia''s hands caressed Lucina''s body and lifted her off the ground while her nails dug into Lucina''s skin to mark her which got pleasure-filled moans out of Lucina. The grass was cool from being in the shade, away from the sun''s warmth, but a pleasantly warm breeze kissed the soon bare skin of the two women who were indulging themselves in pleasure so early in the morning.

    ***

    "It''s so refreshingly cool up here," a noblewoman sighed as she stared off at the distant pine forest that bordered the mansion to the north.

    "Indeed, I hear the capital is going through a heat wave," another exclaimed as she sipped a cup of tea. "It must be miserable down there, what with the supply shortage still affecting them."

    "Still?" another joined the conversation. "I thought it would be solved, by now. Isn''t that what you heard, Lady Cassandra?"

    "¡­" Cassandra gingerly set down her cup of tea and leaned back in her chair. She was hosting a small gathering of local nobles in her home barony since many were clamoring for gossip despite most leaving the capital''s social season early to return to their territories. She stoked the fire of rumors a bit with her words, "That''s because I assumed the Crown Prince would surely extend his hand to us in our time of need¡­ But I guess I was wrong." She intentionally made her voice sound hurt and lowered her gaze while tensing up her hands.

    "Really, what is the imperial family doing?" the first noblewoman complained. "Ever since Lady Olivia was ousted from her position as Crown Princess, things started taking a turn for the worse." The conversation was going exactly how Cassandra wanted.

    "At least back then we had a Crown Princess," the second chimed in. "Ever since the wedding, no one''s seen a single strand of hair of the Saintess. My mother is close to a nobleman in the imperial knights and not even he''s seen her."

    "Oh dear," Cassandra pretended to be worried. "I hope nothing bad has happened to-"

    "My Lady!?" a maid hurriedly approached, out of breath, and bowed to Cassandra.

    "What is it?" While the maid had been rude to interrupt her, Cassandra wanted to know why the maid was so worried so she let it slide.

    "Th-There''s an uninvited guest who-"

    But before the maid could properly explain, Lucina stepped out of the mansion and onto the patio where the tea party was being held, and greeted, "Lady Cassandra, it''s been too long." A few knights, led by Kent, were following Lucina but were hesitating to draw their weapons against her.

    "¡­Countess," Cassandra''s mood instantly shifted to cold hostility and she picked up her tea cup. "I don''t recall sending you an invitation. Why are you here?" Even if Lucina would occasionally bring letters from Olivia, she was never this bold in her approach.

    "¡­" The other noblewomen started fidgeting uncomfortably at Lucina''s suffocating presence and all conversations ceased.

    "Well, I was in the area when I remembered I had to give you something," Lucina blatantly lied while holding out a sealed letter.

    "¡­" Cassandra sipped the tea to check the temperature, stood up from the table, walked over to Lucina, and poured the tea over Lucina''s head while taking the letter.

    "!?!" The noblewomen all tensed up at Cassandra''s actions and started to sweat. Their eyes watched Lucina, waiting for the worst.

    "¡­" Lucina didn''t flinch as the lukewarm tea ran down her face and stained her black and red dress. It was obvious why Cassandra was hostile, and Lucina couldn''t blame her, so she let it go and playfully asked, "Is this a new blend? I don''t recall ever tasting this one before." Cassandra had at least been nice enough to make sure the tea wasn''t scalding hot.

    "It''s my own creation," Cassandra flatly stated as she opened the letter. And as she read, Cassandra''s expression went from one of annoyance to one of confusion and apprehension. In a low, threatening voice, she asked, "Is this some kind of joke, Countess Sanguine?"

    "You know I don''t joke when it comes to Olivia," Lucina reassured after licking her lips to taste the tea. "There isn''t a dress code since it will only be you and Margaret, so wear something comfortable. The weather in Solfin''s still quite nice." Lucina didn''t wait for Cassandra''s response and turned to leave. "I hope to be seeing you soon, Lady Cassandra."

    "¡­" Cassandra silently watched Lucina leave before her eyes fell to the letter in her hand; the invitation to a small gathering in Solfin hosted by Olivia.

 When Among Friends

    "Welcome to my humble abode~!" Lucina happily greeted when her guests arrived in their carriages at the front of her mansion. Fall''s chill was still a ways away, leaving the last warmth of summer to keep the temperature pleasant. It was a wonderful day for a tea party.

    "It has been a while, Countess," Margaret greeted with a humble bow and neutral tone of voice while Todd silently accompanied her.

    "¡­" Cassandra regarded Lucina but said nothing as she took Kent''s hand to help her out of the carriage.

    "I''m glad to see everyone so full of energy," Lucina sarcastically teased as she motioned for everyone to follow her into the mansion.

    "¡­" No one said anything.

    "¡­At least put a smile on for Olivia," Lucina made sure to mention as she led everyone through the mansion and out the back doors to the garden. Once outside, a path wove away from the mansion and split off with one trail going deeper into the garden, and the other leading to a gazebo where a table was waiting with a few chairs. Mary was finishing setting the table and, sitting in one of the chairs to enjoy the gentle breeze, was Olivia who stood up when she saw everyone approaching.

    "¡­Olivia!" Cassandra threw all decorum out the window, rushed ahead, and threw her arms around Olivia to pull her into a tight hug. The force nearly knocked Olivia over but she managed to keep her balance as she returned the hug in kind. Cassandra was trying to put on a stern expression but her tears were ruining her attempt and her hair drills jostled with joy.

    "It''s good to see you again!" Olivia laughed and gave a friendly wave to Margaret who gave a respectful nod and warmly smiled back at Olivia. "¡­Cassandra?" The sobbing pink blob wouldn''t release her. "Let''s take a seat and catch up."

    "Are you okay?" Cassandra asked when she finally released Olivia. Her eyes remained fixated on the cold, metal slave collar that clashed with Olivia''s white dress.

    "¡­Yes," Olivia replied and gave a reassuring nod. She couldn''t help but smile at her sobbing friend as she continued, "A lot''s happened since we last exchanged letters, so let''s take this time to catch up. I-?" Olivia reached over to take the teapot to serve her guests but it was snatched away by Margaret.

    "It''s certainly been a while since our last exchange, and even longer since we''ve last seen each other. I''ll get us started on the first round of tea." Margaret still held her usual professional demeanor but there were clear hints of relief and joy as she filled everyone''s cup.

    "And I can help with the second!" Cassandra proudly declared as she went over to Kent and took a small box he had been holding before returning to take her seat. "I finished my first, original blend and wanted to share it with you!" The box contained a jar of various herbs and spices that Cassandra had crushed up and dried to be used to make tea.

    Mary brought out a second teapot, and said, "I''ll begin preparing."

    "Thank you, Mary." Olivia felt a sense of calm wash over her as she watched Cassandra flick her hand through her pink hair, and Margaret finally take her seat after adjusting her glasses. It was a scene she hadn''t enjoyed in a long time.

    "Well, you three have fun enjoying tea," Lucina said to get everyone''s attention. She looked at Todd and Kent, and suggested, "My presence will only damper the mood, here, so let me take you both to the parlor. I''ve got some wine we can break open."

    "Wine?" Todd immediately perked up and he avoided the suspicious look Margaret was shooting him. "Well, if the Countess insists, I would love to share a glass or two."

    Kent gave a glance over to Cassandra, and when she gave an approving nod he agreed, "Lead the way, Countess."

    "Alright." Lucina walked over to Olivia and leaned over her. "I''ll be inside if you need anything."

    "Okay," Olivia replied before leaning up and giving Lucina a quick kiss on the lips.

    "!?!" Margaret was frozen like a statue while Cassandra almost spat out her tea in surprise before shooting death glares at Lucina.

    Lucina gave Cassandra a snarky grin before turning to leave, "Have a good time~."

    ***

    "Make yourselves comfortable," I told Todd and Kent when we entered the parlor. Comfortable couches surrounded a central table while plush chairs sat along the far wall where a large window looked out to the garden that we could see the tea party from. One of the walls was covered in bookshelves that contained books, fine dining tableware meant for display, and a few ships in bottles that the old Baron collected. The other wall had similar shelving, but in the center was a large wine cabinet that was filled with bottles and glasses ready to be enjoyed. I looked out the window and, judging by their faces, Cassandra and Margaret were most likely interrogating Olivia about the kiss.

    "Goodness," Todd muttered as he sat on one of the couches and admired the room, "You still have so many heads?" He was looking at the various animal and demon heads that were mounted around the room. The Rolfs really did have a thing for stuffed heads.

    "If I sold them all, the mansion would lose part of its charm," I answered and walked over to the wine cabinet. When I first took over the mansion, I sold various antiques through Trent to make some extra money and the stuffed heads were a popular item, but I couldn''t bring myself to sell everything. I couldn''t have Olivia live in a boring mansion. As I grabbed a bottle and three glasses, I looked up at the hellhound head I brought over from the other sitting room and used one of the teeth in its open maw to uncork the bottle. When I approached the table, a thought came to me so I asked, "Ah, I forgot to ask: do you drink, Kent?"

    "¡­I can drink a bit." He was obviously uncomfortable with me. Fair, I guess, since we never interacted much and Cassandra hates me so he''d naturally have a poor disposition toward me.

    "Oh, come now!" Todd seemed to be taking it upon himself to keep the mood light. "You should learn to appreciate a good drink! After all, you''ll be a married man, soon~!" He gave Kent a big smile as he watched Kent''s face flush red.

    I also decided to tease him a bit, and said, "That''s right, I did hear you and Cassandra were going to be getting married. How did you propose to her~?" I had to control my laugh as I poured us our drinks or else he might never tell.

    "Actually¡­ She proposed to me." Oh wow, where did Cassandra find such a puppy knight?If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Haha!" Todd clapped his hands together as he laughed which caused his stomach to happily jiggle. "If this makes you embarrassed, you''ll never make it through the actual wedding! Guests love stories like that! Hyenas jumping on a juicy story to gossip over!" He picked up the wine glass and gave it a sniff. "So, what''s today''s drink of choice?"

    I looked at the bottle, and answered, "A red from Terrtort, down in Sevette. Olivia and I aren''t drinkers, so feel free to indulge a bit since neither of us would finish this." Wine, and alcohol in general, was never my thing but it made for a good way to make conversation and entertain guests. And, now that I think about it, I''ve never seen Olivia ever drink alcohol. I know Tress once offered some to her but she told me Olivia bluntly refused and has stuck to water, tea, or non-alcoholic fruit juices. "¡­" I should ask her, later, if she wants me to get rid of all the alcohol in the mansion if it bothers her; there might be something from her past life that bothers her about it.

    "Hmm¡­ Strawberry?" Kent took a sip of the wine and seemed to be enjoying it. I should gift them a few bottles when they have their wedding as a way to start getting rid of this collection.

    "And a bit of a chalky-clay tone, too, dear boy," Todd exclaimed as he took an exaggerated sip. "A wonderful taste, I do say!"

    "¡­" Honestly, it just tastes like strawberry and raspberry fruit juice with an alcohol kick to me. But looking at Todd and Kent''s faces tells me they seem to ''get'' it, so I''ll just stay quiet and nod my head¡­ Why would anyone like a ''chalky-clay'' taste for a drink, anyway?

    "Ah~, do either of you two smoke?" Todd asked and brought out a cigar case and ashtray from his coat.

    "No, but feel free to." I got up and walked over to the large windows that looked out to the garden. After opening them, I took a look at the tea party and saw the atmosphere was bright with everyone smiling. They were far enough away that I couldn''t make out what they were talking about, but all worries seem settled so I''m glad Olivia''s able to properly enjoy herself. I plopped down in one of the chairs to enjoy the wine with the nice breeze that made its way into the room.

    "A shame, but understandable," Todd said while cutting the cap off his cigar and joining me by the window. "What about you, Lord Kent?"

    "Lord!?" Kent nearly spat out his drink and looked at us with a bewildered expression.

    Looks like we were back to teasing Kent, so I joined in, "That''s right~. Once you marry Cassandra you''ll be elevated from commoner to Baroness of Karkora. You''re going to become a noble, so it''s natural to attach the title of ''Lord'' to your name, Lord Kent."

    "That''s¡­" Look at this bashful man blushing while trying to hide his smile with his glass, no wonder Cassandra wants to keep him. "I''ve never tried smoking, so I''ll take you up if you''re offering!" He''s deflecting the conversation. Cassandra probably has a field day with this puppy.

    "That''s the spirit!" Todd lit the cigar, puffed on it a few times, and passed it to Kent. "The trick''s to not inhale into your lungs. Just keep it in your cheeks."

    "My cheeks¡­" Kent took the cigar and stared at it intently. After a few seconds of, I guess, contemplation, he smoked the cigar. "!!!" And immediately started coughing.

    "The cheeks, boy! The cheeks!" Todd reprimanded while patting Kent on the back to help him cough. Luckily, Kent wasn''t holding his wine glass, or else the carpet would''ve needed to be replaced.

    "Remember to breathe, Lord Kent." This is why I don''t smoke.

    "Bad experience yourself, Countess?" Todd asked me once Kent was able to control his cough, and took back the cigar.

    "Quite a few of my Hellhound smoke, and it was really bad during the war." I thumped my head against the back of the chair and closed my eyes. "It wasn''t bad, but¡­" The cigar''s scent filled my nose. "I¡­" Even though the smell was different, it was similar enough to the cigarettes my Hellhounds use to bring me back¡­ The burnt smell¡­ Burning leather¡­seared to flesh¡­

    "Countess?" Todd and Kent were giving me concerned looks and Todd was shaking my shoulder.

    "Huh?" When did he get so close next to me?

    "You were staring off into space with a strange look," Todd explained. "Are you alright?"

    "¡­Ah." I thought I had my eyes closed but I guess I just lost focus and thought they were closed. "It''s nothing. Either way, I don''t smoke." The smell¡­

    "I can always enjoy a cigar later." Todd pressed the cigar down on the ashtray to extinguish it. Was I ruining the mood? I didn''t want anything to ruin Olivia''s day with the others.

    "It''s really fine to-"

    "A cigar and wine are best enjoyed in joyful company." Todd put away the cigar and gave me an¡­understanding smile. "Let''s not dour this day with unneeded worry over a trivial thing."

    "¡­Very well." He was surprisingly sharp and considerate, I guess that''s another thing Margaret likes about him.

    "Even if you say that¡­" Kent spoke up before his voice fell off and he stopped to ponder if he should continue.

    "Is something wrong?" I asked and saw both Kent and Todd look concerned.

    Kent decided to continue, and answered, "Cassandra''s mother has started secretly sending our knights to the outskirts of the capital." The implication of his words wasn''t lost on me and their weight pressed down on the three of us.

    Todd swirled the wine in his glass, and added, "The Second Prince has also been reaching out to Margaret and I through proxies about striking a deal to supply his allies in the capital." Todd''s voice became low and gruff as he revealed what was happening in the Empire while I was focused on Solfin and Olivia. "The supply shortage we caused out of protest to the Crown Prince''s actions, and continued on Lady Olivia''s request, is igniting flames, Countess. They know we won''t go to the Crown Prince so they''re being rather blatant about their requests which, in itself, is an issue."

    I connected the dots and finished Todd''s line of thinking, "If you get caught discussing potentially supporting Terence, James will come down on Trent. And I''m sure the Duke is having his heartstrings pulled over Olivia''s enslavement to get him involved in this power play." I downed the rest of my wine, set down the empty glass on an end table next to my chair, and bitterly laughed, "That damned panther never ceases to get on my nerves."

    Kent tried to look on the bright side with, "There hasn''t been any indication that we''ve been caught, and the knights we''re openly bringing are being brought under the pretext of helping secure peace during the unrest caused by the supply shortage. But that excuse can only go so far before the tension breaks."

    "Hmm." My fingers tapped against my chair as I stared out the window at Olivia enjoying the tea party.

    "Will you not get involved, Countess?" Todd asked me. "You''ve more than a valid reason to go against the Crown Prince and support the Second Prince."

    "I do, but¡­" A gust of wind blew through the gazebo and ruffled Olivia''s hair. She was sparkling so brightly with her friends, safely enjoying tea and laughing after so long. Our feelings for each other are mutual and every day we''ve spent together since I returned from the north has been filled with bliss. Even if I hate James and want him dead¡­ "I want to focus on Olivia, for now." She''s my priority, so until she''s ready to let me off my leash, I''ll wait.

    "You''re surprisingly sentimental, Countess Sanguine," Kent said while following my gaze out to the party.

    "I''m full of surprises." He didn''t sound like he hated me as much. "This doesn''t mean I won''t get involved, but I''m enjoying the peace I managed to claw for myself."

    "A fair reason," Todd agreed and nodded his head. After pouring himself another glass, he asked, "So¡­ What is going on between you and Lady Olivia?" The real question comes out.

    "¡­It''s complicated," I chuckled as my eyes stayed fixated on Olivia. "To fully fool James, I went behind everyone''s back to save her. James was planning to have her killed since the first day of school, you see."

    "!!!" Yeah, those shocked expressions are exactly how I felt when I heard it from James'' mouth, too.

    "I know Margaret and Lady Cassandra can both keep secrets, but even a hint of doubt is enough for that man to give up and just order her killed. So, I became the villain who betrayed her since he thought it would be funny." It felt like I was confessing a sin, yet my conscience was never clearer than now. "Once we were in Solfin, I explained everything to her and kept her safe in my mansion while laying low so James wouldn''t go back on his word and use Royal Grace."

    "And that''s why you went to Lorn?" Kent asked.

    "That''s right. I helped Duke Einbore close a large number of gates. We closed enough so that he could participate in politics without worrying if his home would still be there when he returned from the capital every time. That put the Emperor in a good enough mood to ignore James'' protests and end the Royal Grace on Olivia so now I don''t have to put up with all the shadows spying on me." I watched Tress exit the mansion and head toward the tea party with a letter in her hand¡­ Oh, it''s probably that letter from Olivia''s family I picked up but didn''t have time to give her. That''ll put a bright smile on her face, for sure.

    "So, why didn''t you tell us about all this?" Kent''s tone shifted and the hostility returned. "Cassandra''s been rife with worry and Lady Olivia''s letters all sounded too good to be true for her to fully believe them."

    "Well, as you can see, now-"

    "Would it have been so hard to explain this months ago!?" ¡­So, the puppy has a bark? Todd''s keeping quiet, though I can imagine he''s also thinking the same thing. Margaret was blatantly closed off whenever I spoke with her about business during Olivia''s stay in the safe room.

    There''s no need for me to dress up my words, "Why should I have?"

    "¡­What?"

    "Royal Grace was still in effect, so even if I did explain things, Lady Cassandra still couldn''t have come to see her. If anything, someone might have messed up if they knew so I intentionally kept everyone in the dark." That''s a nasty glare you''re giving me, Kent. "While I do feel bad that I had to imprison Olivia, it was necessary for her survival so I see nothing to be ashamed of."

    "¡­That''s rather sick of you, Countess Sanguine."

    "Thank you." While being on Kent''s good side would be nice, it''s not necessary for Olivia to be happy.

    "Sick¡­but understandable," Todd mentioned. Did Todd understand my feelings? "As previously said: tensions are high all across Arlexia. While it is cruel to leave us out of the loop, it is also the most secure way to ensure Lady Olivia''s safety." He looked over at Kent, and said, "Lady Cassandra''s vicious hostility isn''t something that can be faked, especially when so many of the Crown Prince''s eyes are looking. Being one of her closest friends, I''m sure you had your fair share of meddling eyes watching Lady Cassandra. The Countess'' silence also allowed us to remain free of involvement in case action was taken by the Crown Prince."

    "Still¡­" Kent didn''t want to agree but held his tongue. Cassandra always looked up to Olivia so it must have been hard on her and Kent would have seen that up close. He''s a good choice, Cassandra.

    "But, as I said, that Royal Grace is now gone." I redirected the conversation to something lighter and looked down at my wine glass. "Fall is rather beautiful here in Solfin, especially the southern forest that comes alight with color, so you''re all more than welcome to-"

    "Olivia!?!" Cassandra''s terrified cry pierced the air. My gaze shot up to the party. Margaret and Cassandra looked horrified. Mary and Tress were trying to grapple Olivia. The letter from her family was on the ground. And Olivia¡­was trying to cut her stomach open with a knife!?

 Never Forget the Lion

    "Alright." Lucina walked over to Olivia and leaned over her. "I''ll be inside if you need anything."

    "Okay," Olivia replied before leaning up and giving Lucina a quick kiss on the lips.

    "!?!" Margaret was frozen like a statue while Cassandra almost spat out her tea in surprise before shooting death glares at Lucina.

    Lucina gave Cassandra a snarky grin before turning to leave, "Have a good time~."

    "¡­" Cassandra waited for Lucina to leave before speaking yet still hesitated when she saw the heartwarming smile on Olivia''s face. Olivia was completely relaxed and appeared fine with the situation. This wasn''t what she was imagining their reunion would entail. "Olivia¡­" She couldn''t just watch. "If the Countess is forcing you to accept her using the collar''s commands, blink twice!"

    "¡­Huh?" Olivia was caught off-guard by Cassandra''s sudden outburst.

    "If not, then recite Lady Alm''s five virtues!"

    "¡­What?" Olivia unconsciously blinked twice while trying to comprehend what Cassandra was saying.

    Cassandra slammed her hands on the table, stood up, and shouted, "I knew it!"

    Cassandra''s outburst brought Margaret out of her stupor, and she clarified, "What Lady Cassandra means is: now that the Countess is gone, you don''t have to force yourself to appear fine, Lady Olivia."

    "¡­But I''m not forcing myself?" Olivia said and cocked her head to the side in confusion.

    "That''s exactly what someone under the orders of a slave collar would say!" Cassandra countered. She puffed out her cheeks, and continued, "I''ve read accounts about magic slave collars and this is a textbook example of advanced coercive acceptance!"

    "Ahaha¡­" Olivia awkwardly laughed as she swore she saw fire burning behind Cassandra''s eyes. She looked to Margaret for help but found none as Margaret was giving Olivia a sympathetic look as she also believed what Cassandra was saying.

    "That traitorous vixen!" Cassandra spat off to the side in disgust.

    "Cassandra¡­" Olivia muttered as her mood started to shift while listening to her friend badmouth Lucina.

    But Cassandra was too upset to notice, and continued, "Trapping you in a room for weeks like some kind of trophy? And now she''s showing you off to us while you can''t even voice your own opinion? She''s revolting and-"

    "Enough!" Olivia shouted and brought the whole garden to silence.

    "¡­" Mary tensed up as she stood off to the side and the other maids also shifted uncomfortably as the atmosphere took a sharp dive. Margaret and Cassandra stared in disbelief at Olivia who was clenching her teacup with shaking hands.

    "That''s¡­enough." Olivia''s voice wavered between hurt and anger as she fought to control her emotions. She wasn''t foolish enough to believe her friends would accept her feelings for Lucina without question, but having to hear Cassandra badmouth Lucina pushed Olivia further than she was willing to let slide. Silence continued to suffocate the gathering, until Olivia forced out her thoughts, "I know¡­it''s hard to believe, but I really am not under any orders. Lucina''s never used the collar outside of the graduation dance when she first put it on me." Her mouth was dry and no amount of sipping her tea helped. "Lucina''s done everything she can to keep me safe and even lets me send letters to you both and my family. So¡­" Olivia trailed off when she looked up from her tea to see the horrified look Margaret and Cassandra were giving her.

    Cassandra was the first to speak, "Why¡­are you defending her?" She pressed Olivia for answers to the absurdity of her words. "She betrayed us! Betrayed you! We had a plan and she went behind our back to do¡­this!" She gestured to the slave collar, and Olivia''s somber expression only fueled Cassandra''s bewilderment. "Why would you defend her if you''re not under a command from the slave collar!?"

    "¡­Because my heart is an ugly mess," Olivia half-heartedly muttered as she forced a smile on her face.

    Cassandra was reeling from the implications of Olivia''s words, so Margaret asked, "Do you¡­ honestly love Countess Sanguine?" The air was tense enough to be cut with a knife.

    "¡­Yes," Olivia replied.

    "Oh for the love of-¡­" Cassandra collapsed into her chair and ran an annoyed hand through her hair. Margaret swallowed a lump in her throat and tried to drink some tea but couldn''t force it to go down.

    Olivia continued while a tender smile crept across her face, "I know¡­that it''s bad."

    "That''s putting it lightly," Cassandra muttered, but Olivia ignored the interruption.

    "But¡­I can''t help myself." Olivia never told Margaret or Cassandra about her past life and was finding it hard to properly explain herself. She scratched her cheek and tried, "Lucina has a strong¡­strange way of showing it, but she does love me and is doing this to help me." Before Cassandra could interject, Olivia cut her off by saying, "Aside from keeping me safe from James'' assassins, Lucina''s never forced me to do anything and has always backed off if I push her away. The fact that she was able to lift my Royal Grace so quickly shows how dedicated she is to me and that¡­makes me feel good. And now that it''s taken care of she''s even helping me meet with you both and takes me around the city¡­" Olivia reminisced about the time she''s been spending with Lucina and the lustful nights they spent together, causing her face to blush.

    "¡­" Cassandra had to look away from Olivia''s blushing face as she couldn''t stomach the sight.

    Margaret spoke up to try and further understand the situation, "His Highness sent assassins after you?"

    "Yes," Olivia admitted and did her best to control her expression. "I couldn''t leave the mansion because he had his shadow knights stationed around the city waiting for Lucina to slip up. Either I died while out in the open, or he finds some excuse to use Royal Grace and take me back to deal with me back in the capital." She looked over to Cassandra, who was pouting, and reasoned, "Even if we went through with the original plan, it wouldn''t have worked; James wanted me dead for a while¡­ The only reason he had me enslaved was because Lucina convinced him it was better to ''humiliate'' me than just kill me, otherwise¡­" Again, her words trailed off but the unspoken implication wasn''t lost on anyone.

    "¡­Agh!" Cassandra ran both her hands through her hair out of frustration and her drills shook angrily. "None of this would have happened if His Highness was even half a competent person!" She didn''t care that her words were slander against the imperial family, so she kept going, "You and I had great reputations in the social world! The biggest merchant company in Arlexia is at your beck and call! And while I''m loathe to admit it, Countess Sanguine is the Harbinger of Zulm and a national war hero who idolizes you! You had all the makings of a great empress, but that man threw it away chasing the Saintess'' skirt tails!" She downed her cup of tea with a single gulp and brought down the teacup hard on the table.

    "Speaking of¡­" Olivia wanted to move away from insulting Lucina. "I know the wedding was held for the four male le-¡­ for those four¡­but I only recently started going out around Solfin so I''m behind on the current news. How is the Saintess doing as the crown princess?"If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Your guess is as good as mine, or anyone in the Empire''s for that matter," Cassandra replied with a heavy sigh as she looked annoyed by the topic.

    Olivia turned to Margaret with a confused expression, so Margaret explained, "Saintess Beatrice hasn''t been seen since the wedding."

    "¡­At all?" Olivia cocked an eyebrow at the news as she thought Beatrice would live happily with the male leads.

    "At all," Margaret affirmed. "I dealt with some of Lady Alm''s clergy who came from the capital, a few days ago, and they mentioned that they were refused at the palace gates to meet with her despite her being a Saintess of Lady Alm."

    "The nobles haven''t fared any better," Cassandra properly joined the conversation, and relayed Olivia the news, "Tea party invitations are all being rejected, meetings that required her presence are being postponed or canceled, and no one''s seen a single strand of her green hair anywhere around the palace. The only reason we know she''s still at the palace is because no one ever saw her leave."

    "¡­Really?" The game never went into what happened after the reverse-harem ending''s art of her marrying the four male leads, but this seemed a far cry from the ''happy ending'' that was implied by the graphic.

    Cassandra offhandedly remarked, "Though, the imperial family''s most likely keeping her hidden to keep her safe what with all the unrest in the capital over the supply shortages that are still ongoing, as well as the death of Solomon Kor."

    "Solomon''s dead!?" Olivia''s eyes widened in surprise at the news of one of the male leads being dead so soon after the ending. "How did he die!?"

    "You didn''t know?" Margaret asked.

    "¡­?" Olivia gave her friends a confused look that pleaded for answers.

    Cassandra cautiously explained, "It happened up in Lorn, under Countess Sanguine''s watch. Did she not tell you?"

    "¡­" Olivia remained silent.

    "Well¡­" Cassandra hesitated for a moment before going into detail. "It turns out, Elder Solomon wasn''t even a real clergy; he was a wizard."

    "A wizard!?" That information wasn''t in the game. His profile clearly stated he was an Elder of Alm.

    "Yes, he used magic stones hidden in his jewelry to fake being blessed by Lady Alm to use magic and rose through the ranks to Elder. R''eldrun is in an uproar over finding any others using such methods and, last I heard, four people have already been executed. This was only found out after Countess Sanguine witnessed his death at the maws of demons where he couldn''t fend them off after losing his rings."

    "He was¡­killed by demons?" A thought crossed Olivia''s mind as the memory of Solomon''s ending danced through her mind.

    "The official story is that he went ahead during the expedition and was ambushed by a pack of demons." Cassandra''s eyes watched Olivia''s face start to twist. "The Countess couldn''t make it in time with her Hellhound knights but they were all there to witness-"

    "Pfft!" Olivia couldn''t contain her laugh or fully hide her smile behind her hand, and a chilling air descended on the gathering. It was obvious to Olivia what really happened and instead of being appalled by the act, she couldn''t help but find the irony of Solomon dying the exact way he killed Olivia in his ending to be funny.

    "¡­" Margaret and Cassandra were silent as they watched Olivia control herself.

    "¡­Sorry." Olivia forced out an apology.

    "Y-You don''t ha-" Margaret tried to brush it aside.

    But Olivia pressed, "I''m sorry¡­I''m not the same as I used to be." The smile wouldn''t leave her face despite knowing how morbid she appeared after hearing of someone''s death. Olivia bitterly held her cup as she stared at her reflection in the tea. Even she was having trouble recognizing the person that stared back at her.

    "¡­Of course, you''re not the same, no one would be after going through what you did," Cassandra declared after eating a strawberry jam cookie. When Olivia lifted her head, Cassandra matched her gaze and said, "I would be more concerned if everything that''s happened didn''t affect you; for better or worse. At least you''re aware of yourself." She paused to collect her thoughts and gave a frustrated sigh while shaking her head. "Even if I don''t like it, the fact that you''re alive looking as healthy as you do while having the freedom to enjoy tea with Margaret and me is a testament to Countess Sanguine''s¡­generosity." She had to force the word out of her throat and looked disgusted the whole time. "She¡­cares¡­" It was obvious Cassandra was struggling to say something nice about Lucina.

    "¡­Ahaha!" And Olivia couldn''t help but laugh. It was a heartfelt, joyful laugh that resonated through the garden and eased the mood of the gathering and its guests. "Lucina should be honored to receive such praise from you, Cassandra."

    "As she should!" Cassandra declared and nibbled on another cookie while relaxing in her chair. "Even if I''ll refuse to say so to her face!"

    "A rare occurrence, to begin with," Margaret concluded while sipping her tea.

    "I give plenty of compliments!" Cassandra countered and the atmosphere continued to brighten as the women started to banter back and forth with each other. The sun shone brightly in the sky as the three laughed and talked like they used to during simpler times. A warm breeze wove through the gazebo and rustled Olivia''s hair causing her to look around and see Tress approaching them.

    "Lady Olivia," Tress greeted and bowed when she reached the table. "While the Countess wasn''t able to deliver it to you earlier, there is a letter from Wortrest for you." She extended the letter in her hands out to Olivia.

    "There is?" Olivia happily asked and took the letter; the Ordrin seal held it closed.

    "Look at her trying to win points while you''re enjoying yourself with us," Cassandra scoffed and waved a hand through her hair to jostle her hair drills. "Cheap tricks."

    "That''s why they work," Olivia laughed as she broke the seal and opened the letter.

    "Well?" Cassandra asked as Olivia''s eyes scanned over the paper. "What news does Duke Ordrin bri-" Olivia dropped the letter and allowed it to flutter to the ground. "¡­Oli-" Olivia picked up a butter knife, turned the blade toward herself, and attempted to stab her stomach. "Olivia!?" Cassandra''s terrified cry pierced the air.

    "My Lady!?!" Mary immediately stepped forward and grabbed Olivia''s arm which held the knife to try and stop her. "What are you doing!?!"

    "Lady Olivia!?!" Tress grabbed Olivia''s other arm when Olivia reached up, brought her hands together, and continued to try and stab herself. "Drop the knife!"

    "¡­" Olivia''s face held a blank expression and there was no light in her eyes, as if in a trance.

    "O-Olivia!?" Cassandra was terrified as she watched the two maids try to manhandle the knife away from Olivia and tears started pouring down her cheeks. Margaret was speechless but managed to regain enough composure to get up from her seat and turn to go get Lucina.

    "Olivia!?!" But Lucina was already on her way. After hearing Cassandra''s cry, Lucina jumped out the window of the parlor, kicked off her high heels, and ran across the grass to the gazebo. When she was close enough, she shouted, "I rescind all active orders!" Light erupted from the magic symbol on the back of her hand as the slave collar resonated with her command.

    "!?!" The light returned to Olivia''s eyes and she immediately let go of the knife which clattered onto the ground. Olivia collapsed to the floor, Mary and Tress still holding her arms, and started hyperventilating as she was once more in control of her body. Her throat went dry and she alternated between gasping for air and swallowing her spit. The cup of tea she was drinking spilled onto the table and the tea was making its way to the edge. Rhythmically, the tea dripped off the side of the table and onto the wood floor of the gazebo. Drip. Drip.

    "What''s going on!?" Lucina shouted as she finally reached the gazebo. Todd and Kent were close behind and stared in horror at the scene. Lucina glared at Tress, demanding answers.

    "I-I don''t know, Countess!" Tress hadn''t felt death loom over her like this since Lucina butchered the Rolf family. She got on her hands and knees and bowed before Lucina who was glaring down at her. "I brought the letter from the Ordrin family to try and further brighter Lady Olivia''s spirits. I do not know what happened! I swear!"

    "¡­" Lucina''s eyes drilled into Tress for a few more seconds before finally moving over to the discarded letter that was on the ground. Slowly, she knelt down and picked it up. Normally, Lucina didn''t read the letters Olivia exchanged with her family since she wanted to respect Olivia''s privacy and believed that no harm would come of it. Now, however? "¡­This is James'' handwriting." The letter was an order for Olivia to harm herself. The magic of a slave collar was intricate enough that any order by a designated individual had to be followed; even a written one so long as it was personally penned by the individual. Lucina made sure to go through any pieces of paper that Olivia would read in case something like this happened, but she was blindsided because of the sender.

    "There''s¡­no way¡­" Cassandra found her voice. "That''s¡­the Duke''s seal, though!" The wax seal that adorned the letter was unmistakably the Ordrin''s. "The Duke would never do this to Olivia!"

    "You''re right," Lucina agreed with a low, oddly calm voice. "Duke Ordrin would never do this¡­but there is someone with access to the family''s seal that would."

    Olivia flinched at Lucina''s words, and muttered, "Derik¡­"

    "To his own sister!?" Cassandra shouted in disbelief.

    "The Duke and Duchess are the only ones I told the method for how to send Olivia letters." Lucina folded the letter and summoned a flame in her hand to burn it, but after a moment of hesitation decided against it and instead simply held onto the letter. She had other uses for such evidence. "The servants probably saw the Duke or Duchess depositing their letters, and Derik most likely found out through their gossip."

    Margaret swallowed a lump in her throat, and asked, "Would the young Duke¡­really¡­?" For Olivia''s sake, she didn''t want to think Derik would do such a thing. Even if he did turn his back on Olivia for Beatrice, she believed that some lines wouldn''t be crossed.

    "¡­" Lucina clenched her fist and started to mutter, "I need to go and-"

    "No!" But Olivia suddenly reached out and grabbed Lucina by her dress with trembling hands. "Don''t go! Don''t leave!" Her heart raced in her chest and her body was violently shaking. Her mind churned dark thoughts. The tea continued to drip off the table. Drip. Drip. "Don''t leave me!... Please!" Tick. Tock.

    "¡­I''m not going anywhere," Lucina lied and gently started patting Olivia on the back to calm her down while her other hand stroked Olivia''s cheek. She hated lying to Olivia but now was an exception. "I meant I was going to go back inside to discuss what to do next with Todd and Kent since they''re our allies."

    "R-Really?" Drip. Drip.

    "Really." Tick. Tock. "Besides, you still have a lot to do with Cassandra and Margaret so how could I leave the mansion? The top playwright at Hudson''s Theater is holding the premier of their latest work that Cassandra wanted to take you to and got Margaret to get tickets." Lucina glanced over to the two women with an expectant look in her eyes. "Right?"

    "¡­That''s right!" Cassandra played along, did her best to look upbeat, and offered her hand to help Olivia to her feet. "There''s still some time before the play, but let''s go into the city. I''ve never been to Solfin so I''ll leave it to you to show us the best spots for some quick shopping!"

    "Shopping?" Olivia took Cassandra''s hand and shakily got to her feet. "Ah¡­ Alright." Her smile was awkward and forced. She turned back to Lucina, and desperately asked, "You''ll be here when I come back?" Although it was a question, the tone of voice sounded like a command.

    "Of course," Lucina smiled and handed Olivia off to Margaret who came over to help guide the still unsteady Olivia. "I''ll have the maids clean up this mess, so go and enjoy yourself! Spend as much as you want and I''ll look forward to your review of the play at dinner. Everyone''s invited, so make sure to come back together so we can all enjoy the lavish dinner the cooks will prepare."

    "¡­Okay." Olivia was hesitant to leave, and easily saw through Lucina''s lie, but allowed herself to be tricked by it since she knew Lucina was doing it with good intentions.

    "¡­" Lucina kept the smile on her face until Olivia, Margaret, and Cassandra were out of sight. "That worthless mutt." Once they were gone, Lucina''s face instantly froze over with hatred and her eyes fell to the letter in her hand.

    "Countess?" Todd was hesitant to speak as he''d never seen Lucina''s anger before, and Kent wisely kept his mouth shut.

    "I apologize," Lucina unapologetically said, "But I''ll need to step out for a short while. Please help yourselves to any alcohol until I get back."

    "Where are you going?" Todd asked as he watched Lucina head toward the mansion.

    In a voice that overflowed with hostility, Lucina simply replied, "To go tell Duke Ordrin to control his damned dog!"

 Unruly Dog Biting the Hand

    "Any news from the north, Baron?" Richard asked as he sifted through a stack of documents on his desk. Currently, the vassal lords of Holst were in Wortrest holding a seasonal meeting in Richard''s office as fall was fast approaching.

    "None, Duke," Baron Lyllium replied and sighed half-heartedly.

    "Even after Countess Sanguine helped clear his yard, he still remains so passive?" Richard muttered. The real reason for the meeting, however, was to discuss the preparations for the upcoming coup to depose Marcus and James, and instate Terence onto the throne. The kindling of unrest in the capital was allowing them to act unseen as the crown''s eyes were preoccupied, but they still needed the right spark to ignite the flames of revolt. "For now, we assume he''s siding with the Emperor and plan accordingly." Richard crossed off something on one of the documents, tossed it into a pile, and picked up a new document. "How''s the south?"

    Another vassal spoke up, and answered, "Duke Mordrist has secretly amassed a sizable force on Relsh''s border and is ready to strike and keep Duke Hoffman occupied for as long as necessary." He flipped through his report before handing it to Richard. "Neither the crown, nor Duke Hoffman, have made any moves indicating they realize what is happening."

    "At least there''s one piece of good news," Richard joked as he thumbed through the report sent by Kyrie indicating she was ready to invade Relsh. "We still don''t have enough troops near the capital to deal with the royal guard, so make sure she waits." The royal guard was primarily made up of powerful Auristers who were fiercely loyal to the imperial family; namely Marcus and James. Though their size wasn''t as large as the full force of Holst, they held considerable strength in their Auristers and Richard couldn''t use all his forces for the initial attack. "As for-"

    "My Lord!?" Interrupting Richard, the head butler burst into the room with a panicked look on his face.

    "What is it?" Richard put down the report and looked at the butler. He swore he heard muffled voices out in the hall.

    "Countess Sanguine is here and demanding an audience," the old man replied and bowed his head low.

    "She''s what?" Richard turned to the vassal he assigned to keep an eye on Solfin and inform him whenever Lucina made a move.

    "T-That''s impossible!" the vassal countered and turned to Richard while placing a hand over his chest. "I have the Helker and all roads out of Solfin monitored! How could she be-"

    "Duke~!" As if in defiance of the vassal, Lucina burst into the office with Duchess Alice and her maids following behind. They all looked like they wanted to stop Lucina but none of them dared make the first move. Noticing the vassals, Lucina coldly ordered while still wearing a smile, "Everyone but the Duke and Duchess please leave."

    "How dare!?" one of the vassals shouted and pointed an accusatory finger at Lucina. "An outsider like you has no business being here, Countess! The County of Solfin isn''t part of Holst and this is a meeting of Holst vassals! The imperial family''s hound has no-!?!" Lucina walked past the man as if he wasn''t there and approached Richard who was sitting behind his desk. "Hey!?"

    "Speaking of mutts~¡­" Lucina sounded jovial yet there was a sinister venom laced in her voice as she stared down Richard. "I''m here about yours."

    "And what is-?" Richard paused when Lucina tossed a letter onto his desk. Inspecting it, the letter looked to be one he or Alice would send to Olivia. But when he opened the letter and read the contents, Richard''s face darkened and the pen in his hand snapped in two.

    "Duke!?" the vassals were on edge but a raised hand from Richard silenced them.

    After a long silence, Richard ordered in a low voice, "We will reconvene this meeting tomorrow."

    "¡­" There was no room for arguing with how threatening Richard looked, so the vassals all bowed before taking their leave. With a motion from his hand, the maids were also dismissed from the room.

    Richard addressed the butler before he could leave, "Has Derik left for the capital?"

    "¡­No, my Lord. According to his schedule, Lord Derik will leave for Gorinville tomorrow morning." The butler couldn''t read Richard''s expression, though he knew nothing good was about to come of it.

    "Bring him here." Richard''s tone was flat, his posture rigid, and his eyes burning with anger. "Now."

    "At once, my Lord!" the butler responded and quickly left to fetch Derik, leaving the office in a crushing silence.

    "¡­Richard?" Alice cautiously approached her husband whose face was now buried in his hands as he set the letter down on his desk. No one stopped her, so Alice picked up and read James'' letter to Olivia. "Th-¡­This¡­?" She turned over and inspected the paper multiple times. The paper came from their office, the seal was the real Ordrin family seal, yet the words the letter contained repulsed Alice to her core. "What is¡­?"

    Lucina stood firm in front of Richard, but glanced over to Alice as she answered, "Olivia almost sliced her stomach open during a tea party she was having with Lady Cassandra and Margaret Trent."

    "!?!" Alice stumbled backward and had to sit on one of the couches to not collapse to the floor. Her eyes read and re-read the letter over and over again as she tried to disbelieve its contents.

    "I suppose you were right, Duke," Lucina spat as she lost all pretense of pretending to be jovial and started to openly show her hostility. "Olivia isn''t safe in Solfin with me¡­since, apparently, I never realized I had to also protect Olivia from her own family!"

    "¡­" Richard was silent, his face still buried in his hands, and that only made Lucina angrier.

    "Nothing to say? What happened to the Duke that demanded I return his ''precious'' daughter? Huh?" Lucina put both her hands on the desk, leaned forward, and in a sickened voice said, "If Olivia had been brought back here, she''d have been dead by the end of the week!"

    "¡­" Richard remained silent. Unmoving.

    "Duke!?" Lucina was about to start shouting before she was interrupted by the doors to the office being thrown open.

    "How dare you come here, Countess!" Derik barked as he strode into the office.

    "Ah~, the mutt''s finally here." Lucina turned to face Derik, looked him over, and bitterly spat out, "And you aren''t wearing any plate armor. Here I was hoping to crush you into paste and be done with it."If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "I''m the heir to the Duchy of Holst! How dare-"

    "Derik Ordrin!?!" Richard roared with such ferocity that the entire room shook as if thunder had rocked the keep. The Duke shot up from his chair, his imposing figure silhouetted against the window behind him, and he glared hellfire at his son.

    "F-Father?" Derik had never seen his father this angry before. "W-Wh-"

    "Did you conspire with the Crown Prince to kill your sister?!" Richard didn''t beat around the bush and directly asked Derik the one question he wanted answered.

    "What do you¡­?" Derik noticed his mother hunched over on the couch and the letter that was gripped in her shaking hands. "Father¡­ That slave was-"

    "That slave!?!" Richard shouted in disbelief at Derik''s dismissive way of addressing Olivia. "She''s your sister!"

    "She''s a despicable woman who fell because of her own hubris!" Derik shouted back.

    "¡­" Despite Olivia being belittled and insulted, Lucina stayed silent as she wanted Derik to continue digging his own grave.

    "Hubris!?" Richard scoffed and slammed his hand on his desk. "The hubris of reprimanding a commoner who was openly approaching her fianc¨¦!? The hubris of following an absurd imperial decree and staying silent in Solfin!?"

    "Beatrice isn''t a commoner! She''s the Saintess and the woman I love!" Derik retaliated and looked genuinely hurt that his father would speak so harshly of Beatrice.

    "You already have a wife!"

    "And she can deal with her duties as a duchess while I deal with mine, but that doesn''t mean we care for each other!" Derik stepped forward and put a hand on his chest. "I will not apologize for defending the one I love because I know you would do the same!"

    "¡­?" Lucina caught movement in the open doorway and saw strands of blue hair hiding just beyond.

    "¡­" Vivian remained rooted in place just outside the office and behind the wall, weighed down in the muck of Derik''s uncaring neglect. She couldn''t bring herself to enter the room she never felt she had a place in.

    "How dare you compare your twisted lust to Alice and my''s love!" Richard moved out from behind his desk and started walking toward Derik. The yelling continued, "You would attach sororicide onto your actions and call it love?! Have you no shame?!"

    "Olivia isn''t even dead!" Derik countered as he didn''t back down from his father and stood firm. "The order was only to harm herself and the Countess has a priest of Alm by her side so it wouldn''t even have been fatal!"

    "¡­" The words being spat out by her son brought tears of sorrow to Alice''s eyes that cascaded down her face and crashed against the letter.

    Derik continued his delirium, "Why are you taking her side when she''s been rightfully convicted as a slave?! I''m your son! Your heir!"

    "And does that give you free rein to discard your morality?!" Richard almost slapped Derik across the face but held his temper back. His voice lowered, and Richard said through clenched teeth, "You are to remain in Wortrest."

    "Father!?"

    "You will remain here!" Richard shouted, "And you will reflect on your actions!"

    "¡­Her again?" Derik muttered under his breath.

    "What?" Richard didn''t catch what Derik said. "Who agai-"

    "What''s the point when you refuse to listen to my words?" He shot a glare at Lucina but only got a nonchalant stare in return. "I warned His Highness about you, Countess, and now it''s clear that I was right."

    Lucina dismissively scoffed, "Right, sure."

    "¡­" Derik turned and started to leave.

    "Derik!?" Richard moved to stop him.

    But Derik shot back, "I will secure the Duchy''s future, Father¡­ If you can ever believe in me, then believe that."

    "¡­" Richard stopped and silently watched Derik leave the office and storm down the hall.  "¡­Damn it," he muttered to himself and rubbed his temples.

    "Duke?" Lucina leaned against the desk.

    "Not now, Coun-"

    "When''s your next meeting with Terence?" Lucina''s words brought a heavy air to the room.

    "¡­" Richard was motionless as he let out a long sigh. Moments passed before he answered, "At the end of the month. We plan to use the setup for the capital''s harvest festival to hide our movements."

    "When you have a set date and time, let me know." Lucina got up from the desk and headed for the exit.

    "You''re getting involved?"

    "If it''s about your son, then I won''t kill him just yet as that would frighten James enough to notice the coup. Other than that¡­" Lucina''s words trailed off as she met Richard''s gaze over her shoulder. "I was willing to be a good dog, stay in Solfin, and let you all kill each other by yourselves¡­but now I can''t," Lucina answered before stopping just outside the doors.

    "¡­" Vivian''s head was hung low so Lucina couldn''t see her face.

    "¡­Is it really worth it?" Lucina''s voice was quiet so only Vivian could hear her.

    "¡­" Vivian didn''t respond.

    "¡­" So Lucina continued down the hall as she left Wortrest.

    "¡­" Lucina''s words dug into Vivian''s mind as she looked down at her dress and jewelry that were all chosen for her by Alice; not a single piece was from Derik. When was the last time Derik had gotten her anything? When was the last time they''d eaten together without the Duke or Duchess initiating it? When was the last time they talked without Derik getting frustrated and leaving first? When was the last time Vivian didn''t feel so exhausted?

    "Alice?" Richard sat down on the couch next to his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pull her close. "Are you¡­?" Silent movement in the doorway caught his eye. "¡­Vivian?"

    "Vivian!?" Alice immediately looked up and saw Vivian standing in the doorway to the office with a sullen expression on her face. It was clear she heard everything.

    Alice moved to get up, but Vivian''s voice stopped her when she said, "Duke¡­ Duchess¡­ Thank you, for all that you''ve done for me until now."

    "¡­" The Ordrin couple stayed quiet as they watched Vivian give them a deep bow.

    With a shaky, yet resolved voice, Vivian declared, "There''s¡­something you both should know regarding Derik and I''s wedding¡­and subsequent years of marriage¡­" She paused, hesitating one final time, but ultimately pushed forward and revealed a secret that had been gnawing away at her for years.

    ***

    "Again, Father takes her side again!" Derik complained as he leaned back in his seat inside the carriage that rode its way out of Wortrest keep. Before Richard could enforce his order, Derik decided to leave for the capital today instead of tomorrow. "I''m his firstborn son and heir yet he treats me like nothing when compared to Olivia! Just because I''m not an Aurister like her doesn''t mean I''m any less capable of ruling Holst! Just because she''s weird and learned to read and talk before her peers? Because she got lucky with Trent?" He tapped his head against the wall in frustration as he vented to his traveling companion. "His Highness and all the others in the knight order agree with me. Even as a slave, Olivia''s still a threat to me inheriting the duchy." Derik''s eyes looked over to his companion, and he mentioned, "I thought her being in Solfin would fix things, but your sister''s biting the wrong hand that feeds her. Can''t you talk some sense into her, Adam?"

    "Unfortunately, Lucina is also out of my control and always has been since birth." Adam Felswore was calmly listening to Derik''s rant while staring out the window back at Wortrest Keep. Adam feigned interest to keep Derik talking by speaking words he didn''t mean or care about, "But either way, isn''t your position fully secured since slaves can''t inherit titles? Why risk angering Lucina when it''s known how big of a problem she can be?"

    "His Highness pushed for it," Derik admitted with a groan. "Something happened while I was here in Wortrest and His Highness suddenly sent me the letter to send to Olivia."

    "Does it have to do with why the Saintess hasn''t made any appearances?" Adam''s eyes remained fixed on Wortrest Keep until it was out of sight and obscured by buildings as the carriage rode into town.

    "Maybe," Derik sighed. He tapped his fingers against the glass window as he guessed, "I think there might have been a breakthrough with what Andrew Mystyr was working on, so I''ll check it out when I return to Gorinville." Derik looked at Adam, and mentioned, "Thanks for helping me on such short notice, even if it''s going against my father''s wishes."

    "It''s no issue," Adam idly answered. "I was leaving, anyway, so taking you to Ertrum so you can take a carriage to the capital isn''t a difficult request."

    "I appreciate it," Derik finally smiled and gave a laugh. "Even if my family''s against me, I can still count on my trusty friend to back me up."

    "That''s what friends are for." Adam looked at Derik but his eyes didn''t focus on him; as if Derik weren''t there.

    "Yeah¡­ Say?" A thought suddenly crossed Derik''s mind, so he asked, "What were you doing in Wortrest, anyway?"

    "Hm?"

    "While there was a vassal meeting, the Felswores don''t usually attend unless it''s a state of emergency, or specifically called on, so I know your father wasn''t there." Derik seemed to have no idea what his father was planning.

    "¡­" And Adam wasn''t going to be the one to tell him.

    "So, what brought you to Wortrest?" Derik pressed his original question.

    "¡­Just some sightseeing," Adam technically told the truth while keeping his neutral expression.

    "Is your estate so boring you have to hang around mine?" Derik laughed and turned his attention to looking out the window at the city of Wortrest. "Though, I will admit, Wortrest''s a great city." He watched the citizens weave to and fro through the streets around them as commerce bustled and the city came alive. Talking about the city, Derik idly said, "She''s beautiful."

    "Yes¡­ She is," Adam replied, not talking about the city.

    "Hmm¡­Mm?" Derik looked back over to Adam and asked, "Are you still not going to cut your hair?"

    "Should I?" Adam looked at his reflection in the window and at his long brown hair that went down to his mid-back that was held in a ponytail.

    "It would be a lot cooler and easier to manage." Derik ran a hand through his short black hair to accentuate his point. "You also wouldn''t need to keep using that ribbon to keep it controlled in a ponytail." Derik gestured to the yellow ribbon that Adam used to tie his hair back.

    "True¡­but I like my long hair." Adam twirled his ponytail around his finger before moving his hand up to gently caress the ribbon.

    "One of these days, I''m going to force you to introduce me to the girl that gave you that," Derik chided with a smile. "Ever since you got that ribbon, you''d randomly get that dumb smile on your face."

    "What smile?" Adam sarcastically asked while giving Derik a dumb smile.

    "That one!" Derik groaned. "In all the years I''ve known you, you never smile! Seriously, as your friend I also want you to find the happiness of love! I want to see you walk down that aisle with the girl who can make you smile like that!"

    "¡­" Adam continued to silently smile but refused to answer.

    "Yeah yeah, keep your secrets." Derik gave a dismissive wave of his hand and went back to looking out the window to pass the time until they reached Ertrum.

    "¡­" Adam kept his gaze fixated on Derik for a few seconds as he went over what to do next before he too went back to looking out the window. While he appreciated his friend wishing for his happiness, Adam couldn''t accept it as his happiness was a forbidden hope he had to keep buried in his heart¡­at least for now. Derik and the Duke had a major falling out and Adam wasn''t blind to the coming coup that had the potential to completely erase Holst as everyone knew it. Times were changing with an uncertain horizon looming over Arlexia, and Adam couldn''t help but smile.

 The Panther of Arlexia

    The capital, Gorinville, was abuzz as people worked to clean up the streets, restock their store shelves, and hang decorations for the coming festivities. The air was optimistic, yet a dour bitterness also clung to the people. Store shelves weren''t as full as last year, and not as many decorations were being hung. A time of reverence was stained by the continued supply shortage that plagued the capital after Trent''s exile. Brilliant Dawn was filled with plenty of competent merchants who were brought in with plenty of gold, but the restrictiveness of James'' leadership didn''t allow any of them to shine which caused the problem to persist.

    "This way," a hushed voice from under a brown cloak hurried their companion through the streets. Two cloaked figures made their way through Gorinville while doing their best to avoid the increased patrols. The figures eventually reached a tavern with a sign depicting a knight beheading a gryphon demon, and they ducked inside. There weren''t many patrons and what few people were there were drowning themselves in drinks despite it still being early afternoon.

    "¡­?" The man behind the bar looked up as the cloaked figures entered and gave them an expectant look.

    "I''ll take a Gryphon''s Blood with ice," the taller figure gave their order to the barkeep.

    "¡­I''m fresh out here, try downstairs." Accepting the code phrase, the barkeep motioned for the two figures to head through a door next to the bar.

    "Mm." The taller figure gave a nod and led their compatriot through the door and down a flight of stairs. The stairwell was far longer than a normal tavern would require and eventually led to a large door that was being guarded by figures in black cloaks.

    "¡­" They briefly regarded the brown-cloaked figures before opening the door, revealing a massive underground room. A large round table was at the center of the room, and magic lanterns lined the walls to fill the chamber with light without choking them out with smoke or heat. Chairs around the table were filled with disgruntled nobles who were arguing with each other while their escort knights stood back against the walls.

    "Enough is enough, already!" one of the nobles shouted. "The Crown Prince continues to ignore the plights of the people, despite our constant council for aid! He ties the hands and feet of Brilliant Dawn with so much rope you could hang the entire populace!" He slammed his fist on the table and gestured in the general direction of Gorinville''s market district. "A single caravan of supplies for the entire month!? In this city!?"

    Another disgruntled noble spoke up about their grievances, "Not to mention the tax increases that were recently imposed. Does the Crown Prince think our money grows on trees?" He gave a disparaged sigh, and scoffed, "The people of my county are growing antsy as the news spreads, and everyone''s worried about the hike I''ll have to impose to meet the imperial family''s demands."

    "We''ve become a laughing stock among the other nations," a noblewoman piped up as she fanned herself to ease her discomfort. "I did my best, but Yulash''s envoy left in disgust after being asked to cut back on their eating habits because the palace was running out of food for other guests." She rubbed her temples as she remembered the embarrassment of that encounter. She turned and addressed the leader of the gathering, "We must act sooner rather than later, Prince Terence."

    "¡­Agreed." Terence sat at the far end of the room away from the entrance door. He had been silently listening to the noble''s complaints as he waited for the final member to arrive. "Based on the report, Duke Mordrist is ready to keep Duke Hoffman preoccupied if we fail at immediately capturing the palace. So, we need to make sure we don''t fail and prolong this into winter." His eyes looked over to the door as the two brown-cloaked figures entered, and he greeted, "I hope you bring good news, Duke Ordrin." All the nobles in the room gave a hushed bow as Richard removed his hood and took a seat in an empty chair while his companion stayed just behind him.

    "While I wish it were better, I do believe I have a way to keep Einbore out of the conflict and get him to accept your ascension to the throne," Richard reported and glanced at his companion.

    "Better?" One of the nobles excitedly exclaimed, "Being able to convince the Duke of Lorn of our cause is wonderful news!" The room quickly filled with a joyous atmosphere as now the scales were in their favor.

    Terence, however, saw Richard''s hesitation and reluctance, and asked, "Is there a catch to this, Duke?" Terence''s words brought the mood under control. "Did Duke Einbore ask for something outrageous in return for at least turning a blind eye to our dealings?"

    "No, it''s just that the source of this method will require some¡­compromising." He sent a glare at his companion.

    "You make me sound like a villain~," an overly jovial voice responded from beneath the hood which sent a chill throughout the room. As she removed her hood, Lucina mockingly greeted, "Countess Lucina Sanguine greets Arlexia''s Little Panther, Your Highness Terence Arlexton."

    "What!?" some of the nobles shouted as fear gripped the room. The escort knights who came with the nobles all drew their swords and moved to either defend their charge or attack Lucina.

    "W-Wha-!?" Only for all the drawn weapons to be ripped from their hands as an invisible force brought all of them to the center of the table. The metal weapons collided with a loud clang and started to distort as Lucina''s gravity magic forced them into a tight ball of sizzling metal.

    "Now now~, there''s no need for that~," Lucina cooed as she released her magic. The metal ball made a deep thud as it hit the center of the table. Knights eyed their now emptied hands with dumbfounded expressions, and the nobles looked ready to faint. "If anyone wants to try, I''m more than willing to continue, but let''s all do our best to keep things civil~!"

    "¡­Explain, Duke Ordrin," Terence commanded in a low, threatening voice as his hand hovered over the dagger hidden in his robe. If he managed to catch Lucina off guard he might have a chance at striking her.

    "I can explain myself, Prince Terence," Lucina interrupted before Richard could speak. "After all, I''m the one who convinced Duke Einbore to stay quietly in the north while you all commit your coup."

    "¡­!?" The nobles were apprehensive at Lucina''s words, and one of the braver ones shouted at Lucina, "As if we would believe the Crown Prince''s obedient dog!" He started looking around, thinking that they were about to be ambushed by James'' shadow knights.

    "If I wanted you all dead, you''d already be dead," Lucina mentioned as she watched the panicking man. When he reluctantly sat back down, Lucina turned her gaze to Terence, and said, "Now, as for business, I''m here to help you all start a fire that will burn away the Crown Prince and bring about a new, brighter age for our Arlexia!" She put a hand over her heart and raised the other into the air for dramatic effect.

    "¡­" Which Terence didn¡¯t find amusing. "I''d sooner believe in an orc being civil than you claiming to work for the greater good, Countess."

    "Who said anything about the greater good?" Lucina countered as she gave the most unnerving smile that sent a shiver down Terence''s spine. "I can''t have Olivia living in an Arlexia ruled by James, now can I?"This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "¡­So it''s back to her," Terence muttered. He looked to Richard, who was doing his best to control himself and keep his composure, before returning his gaze to Lucina, and asking, "I take it something''s happened in Solfin? You''ll have to forgive my arrogance, Countess, as I''m lacking in manpower to keep up to date on your city."

    "I know," Lucina cheerfully answered, "You lost quite a few of your shadows during that little raid on my mansion, after all~." She wasn''t even attempting to hide her hostility and openly called out Terence about his shadows being in the raid to ''free'' Olivia. Her smile didn''t match the festering disdain in her eyes that stared through Terence. "But don''t worry, I completely understand that it was all done with the best of intentions; just like me helping you now~."

    "¡­And what help would the Butcher of Toldrin offer us?" Terence brought up Lucina''s old nickname. "Will you be lending us your Hellhounds? Will you personally take to the field?"

    "Why would I do that?" Lucina scoffed and dismissively waved her hand at the idea. "The imperial family''s mess should be solved by the imperial family unless you also want to become a useless ruler. Also, getting directly involved would take away from my time with Olivia." She felt Richard''s urge to punch her rising, so she got to the point, "Instead, I''ll tell you how to receive the perfect justification to dethrone Marcus and oust James with the full support of the people."

    "!?!" Hushed whispers danced across the room. Lucina''s words were hard to believe, but Richard had personally brought her here and was letting her speak which lent them some credence. Even if the source was dubious at best, they could at least hear her out.

    Terence motioned for her to speak, "And, Countess, what justification is that?"

    But Lucina waged her finger, and countered, "Nothing in life is free, Prince, especially not between you and I."

    A disgruntled noble let their anger get the better of them, and yelled out, "The fate of Arlexia hangs in the balance and you speak of deals!?"

    Lucina coldly countered the man, "Should I come to the one that almost killed my Olivia with open arms, then? After what his men did?" Her glare sent the noble fidgeting back into his seat.

    "¡­What?" Richard immediately perked up as he wasn''t informed about what Terence''s shadows tried to do to Olivia during the raid as his own shadows had already left by then. Terence shifted uncomfortably in his chair and the hand resting on his dagger started to sweat. While he, too, was in the dark as to what actually ended up happening since none of his shadows made it back, the anger on Lucina''s face was most certainly real.

    "A story for another time~," Lucina teased as she created a crack in the trust between Richard and Terence as payback for what happened. Even if Terence took the throne, Lucina would make sure he never truly received Holst''s complete loyalty; there would always be a doubt. "Back to the matter at hand, there is something I want that only you can provide me, Prince Terence."

    "¡­And that would be?"

    "The title of ''Crown Prince''." Lucina''s words sent a stir in the room, so she explained, "Are you aware of the slave contract on Olivia''s collar?"

    "For the most part." Terence knew the basics but didn''t know any details of the collar''s official contract as that was something that required the magic seal which only James and Lucina had. "While the Royal Grace has ended, Lady Olivia is still co-owned by my brother which allows him to use the magic to order her around."

    "Correct, the Crown Prince is Olivia''s co-owner, can issue her orders, and is the only one who holds the authority to remove the collar, and therein lies what I''m after." She smiled brightly as she explained the loophole she wanted to exploit in the contract, "James Arlexton is never mentioned by name in our contract, only the ''Crown Prince''."

    "¡­!" Understanding dawned on Terence''s face as he followed Lucina''s line of thinking. However, there were issues, "The magic of imperial slave collars is extremely intricate. A coup might not properly transfer over the magic to me as it could view me as an illegitimate successor rather than the true ''Crown Prince'' that''s specified. In such cases, I read the slave collar then becomes a permanent fixture on the slave''s neck until death."

    "And that''s where I come in to help," Lucina nodded. She placed a hand on her heart, and proudly declared, "What more legitimacy do you need than the official endorsement of the Harbinger of Zulm given after you reveal the ugly secret that James is hiding that would discredit him in the eyes of the temple?" Even if the imperial family and temples were at odds, they still held a balance by the temples being the ones to officially endorse the next heir to the throne. While they never exercised this power and often went with what the current ruler wanted, if something significant enough happened then they would get involved.

    Terence pondered Lucina''s words before asking, "And I''m assuming this ''secret'' my brother is hiding is part of the deal you''re offering, Countess?"

    "Yes." Lucina gave a grand gesture with her arm, and proposed, "If you swear that you will remove Olivia''s slave collar when you are recognized by the gods as heir, then I will tell you the secret to discrediting James in the eyes of both the temples and the masses."

    "¡­" Lucina''s words were enticing. James was married to Alm''s Saintess, and even if they didn''t like it, that meant the temples wouldn''t move against James arbitrarily. The capital was in unrest and the nobles were antsy, but there still hadn''t been an ''incident'' that could spark the coup.

    "Will you accept, Little Panther?" And Lucina had that spark.

    "¡­I accept."

    "My Prince!?" The nobles gathered obviously weren''t happy with Lucina, even if she could offer them a solution. "While we do need to move, we are not so pressed for time that we need to so quickly accept-"

    "It''s not a hard deal to fulfill," Terence placated his allies and raised his hand to silence them. "I always intended on freeing Duke Ordrin''s daughter, one day, so if that day can come sooner along with the key to ousting my brother and father; so be it." He turned his gaze back to Lucina, and in a threatening tone, made sure, "Your source for this ''secret'' is reliable, Countess?"

    "I''ve verified it myself," Lucina confirmed. "All you have to do is follow these instructions¡­"

    ***

    Crickets chirped from the ground below the balcony of the master bedroom of Lucina''s mansion while Sailest lit up the night sky. Olivia stood in her nightgown as a cool breeze danced through the night while she looked out over Solfin. The same magic streetlights she and Lucina had invented to light up Wortrest lit the streets of Solfin with a soft orange glow that contrasted the purple-reflected light from Sailest. It was a calm, peaceful night, except for one glaring issue.

    "¡­She''s not back, yet." Lucina told Olivia about how she was going to make a deal with Terence to gain his help in removing her slave collar, but she still hadn''t returned despite the sun long having gone down. She felt nervous when Lucina wasn''t around. Even if she wasn''t in direct line of sight, knowing Lucina was in the mansion was enough to put Olivia at ease. "But she''s still not back¡­" Her fingernails dug into her crossed arms as her anxiety mounted. "She''ll be alright¡­ She''ll be fine¡­" Olivia shivered, but not for the cold air. "She''ll-"

    "¡­" The wind gently brushed against Olivia''s long white hair, and some distant wind chimes sang a song.

    "¡­" As if a warm hand was hugging her heart, Olivia felt her anxiety lessen. Her mind couldn''t help but wander as the melody of the chimes dug into her memories. With a bitter chuckle, and without fully knowing why, she did something she hadn''t done in a long time and prayed to her mother; to Ayaka Fukuda''s mother. "I''m¡­ It''s Ayaka." While there was no grave to pray to, Olivia summoned her aura to fill the balcony with softly glowing white lilies. She plucked one of the lilies, placed it on the railing as an ''offering'', and continued, "I go by Olivia Ordrin, now¡­ And I''m a bit¡­farther away than I was last time, to the point you''d probably call me crazy and take away my phone... If I still had it."

    "¡­" The wind blew through the aura flowers and made them happily sway back and forth. The plucked flower on the railing turned a gentle pink and its petals took on the look of cherry blossoms as her reminiscing mind affected her aura.

    "There''s¡­ A lot''s happened to me. To start, I''m the daughter of a duke; like in those stories I always liked sharing with you. The ones you never fully got but still followed along since I looked like I was having fun. Don¡¯t think for a second I didn''t notice that!" Despite not doing much, Olivia''s heart continued to calm. "But¡­I didn''t do a very good job since¡­ I''m a slave, now."

    "¡­" The wind stopped and the chimes fell silent.

    "Even with a second chance at life, I still messed up¡­ I''m still just as dumb as I was back then. While I didn''t end up dead, this time, I still¡­" Olivia had to pause so she wouldn''t immediately break down. "I was so caught up in the ''original plot'' that I neglected myself and the people around me. And, you know what?" Would her mother notice the tears she was fighting back? "In hindsight, I can see how completely stupid it was." Would Olivia''s words reach her even if they no longer shared the same sky? "Stupid¡­"

    "¡­" The wind picked up and blew the flowers at Olivia''s feet as if nudging her to keep going while the chimes sang a somber song.

    "¡­But it wasn''t completely bad, I guess." Olivia brushed some hair off her face as she happily reported, "In the end, I was able to find love¡­though it''s a bit twisted." She paused, laughed, and corrected herself, "Okay, it''s very twisted, but that¡­doesn''t bother me at all. I''d take Lucina''s twisted love that''s obsessed with me over Tanaka''s that¡­ Ah, damn it. Now that I''m thinking about it, I never got to punch him and Suzuki for cheating on me." Olivia lightly kicked at her flowers and watched them sway in kind. "I''m a perverted muscle-head that has the knowledge of an empress, the wisdom to use it of a baby, and romantic taste more toxic than Grandma''s cooking." She laughed at her self-deprecating joke. "You''d think I would have learned by now."

    "¡­" The wind gave a gust that rustled Olivia''s hair.

    "I suppose so." After fixing her hair, Olivia took in a deep breath to clear her thoughts. "I''ll see if I can convince Lucina to help me build a small shrine in the garden. The gods here wouldn''t mind a small shrine so I can properly pray for you, right?"

    "¡­" The wind was gentler with its gust and the chimes rang a soothing melody.

    "¡­" Sailest silently watched from the sky.

    Olivia watched the pink petals flutter away on the wind, and she whispered, "Next time¡­ I''ll try to bring better news."

    "Olivia?" Emerging from the doorway came Lucina who was still wearing her commoner disguise and brown cloak.

    "You''re back!" Olivia spun around in her flowerbed and happily pranced over to Lucina to bring her into a hug.

    "I''m sorry it took so long," Lucina apologized as she returned the hug and buried her face in Olivia''s shoulder. "That damned Prince and his people wouldn''t stop asking me questions, and bickered with each other until my ears bled." The scent of fresh flowers filled the air and put Lucina at ease.

    "Then, let''s turn in for the night." A yawn overtook Olivia and she started heavily leaning into Lucina.

    "Sounds like you''re the one that needs to turn in," Lucina chuckled as she helped Olivia back into the bedroom. "¡­?" But before she left, Lucina looked around the balcony with a confused expression as she thought she heard wind chimes when she initially approached. She would have to ask Jeremy about it tomorrow since Lucina swore there weren''t any wind chimes on the estate''s grounds.

 Goodnight, Sweet Beatrice

    "Are you sure you''ll be alright with only so little?" a maid frantically asked as she held a tray of food that was barely touched.

    "I just don''t have much of an appetite," Beatrice said with a soft smile to ease the maid''s tension. Beatrice sat in her bed within the imperial palace while placating her maids. It was a bed she hadn''t left in weeks. "The doctors say it''s nothing to worry about, so I''ll trust them since they were sent by James."

    "¡­Of course." The maids didn''t dare continue their questioning since James'' name was brought up, though they still worried about Beatrice. "Should we fetch more blankets?" Beatrice was becoming worryingly thin despite still holding a healthy color in her skin.

    "If you could, please."

    "Right away!" The maids quickly bowed and left to get more blankets which allowed Beatrice some peace and quiet.

    "¡­" Beatrice held her motherly smile despite the gnawing pain in her stomach. "Hush, now." She placed both hands over her stomach and channeled healing magic to stop the pain of her failing organs. "Not yet." But only just enough to stop the pain. Beatrice knew she was being drugged with birth control from multiple people and was more than willing to take and mix the drugs in her stomach. Since she didn''t show any outward signs of illness, aside from her skipping meals and becoming thinner, her condition was never seriously investigated. Silently, in her gilded cage, Beatrice waited.

    "Saintess?" Her wait was finally over as a shattering sound came from her bathroom and Lucina soon entered her room.

    "Welcome back, Harbinger," Beatrice warmly greeted while doing her best to bow while remaining seated in her bed. "I apologize for not properly greeting you; my body''s not what it used to be."

    "I can see that," Lucina idly spoke as she crossed the room to approach Beatrice. "Are you still on a hunger strike?"

    "Hunger strike? This is just some casual fasting," Beatrice joked. She beamed a hopeful smile to Lucina, and asked, "Now, what can I help you with, Harbinger?"

    "¡­" Despite the thick gown she wore, Lucina could see how far Beatrice''s stomach sank into her body. Her eyes rose to meet Beatrice''s sunsets which weren''t as shimmering as they once were, and said, "I have a plan."

    "¡­Really?" Relief washed over Beatrice, her shoulders relaxed, and she asked, "What do you need me to do?"

    "Honestly, I was going to ask you to play up a pathetic act to win sympathy¡­but just seeing you as you are will do the trick." Lucina turned to leave. "Prince Terence will be here soon, so I''ll-"

    "Harbinger?" Beatrice suddenly grabbed Lucina''s wrist to stop her. "A moment?" Her fingers felt like nothing but bone.

    "¡­What?" Lucina watched Beatrice open the nightstand next to her bed, pull out a sandwich she''d hidden from earlier, and take a bite before dropping it to the floor.

    "While I doubt you''ll ever need it, I''d like to give you a good piece of advice." She dragged her legs over the side of the bed and leaned forward. Green hair draped over her face to hide her expression. "You see¡­" Her voice was getting raspier. "Life magic is a wonderful thing that can heal wounds¡­large or small¡­" She was becoming short of breath. "And while it can stave off disease and poison¡­" Beatrice lifted her head. "It can''t cure them."

    "!?!" Lucina stared in shock as she watched the color fade out of Beatrice''s skin until it held a sickly grayish hue. As Beatrice released all the healing magic she was using to keep her body going, the buildup of drugs in her body was let loose all at once. "Saintess!?"

    "Like a dam¡­bursting after a storm¡­" Beatrice reached out and grabbed Lucina with her other hand. "Don''t¡­deal with drugs." Even though her body was actively dying, and the pain that wracked her was debilitating, Beatrice still smiled warmly up at Lucina.

    "What are you doing!?" Lucina angrily lectured the ailing Saintess, "Why are you letting your body get like this!? I asked you to wait so we could pull those idiots off their high horses, not so you could rot away!" She tried to push Beatrice back down into the bed but found herself hoisting Beatrice up to her feet. "I already fed Solomon to a pack of demons! Don''t you want to personally see the other three fall!?"

    "¡­Not really," Beatrice laughed as she tried to steady herself on her shaky legs.

    "Is your sickness also affecting your head?" Lucina bitterly spat as she, again, fruitlessly tried to get Beatrice to sit back down. "Don''t you hate them!?"

    "Say, Harbinger?" Until Beatrice asked the strangest question. "Do you remember Chadman?"

    "¡­What?" The odd question threw Lucina off and it took her a moment to register how to respond. "The¡­Peltairan general I fought during the war?" Lucina had no idea what prompted Beatrice to ask about him.

    "Yes¡­" Beatrice continued to smile. "The old Saint of Muz."

    "¡­" Lucina recalled her battle with the Grand Master of the Heavenly Dragons. Aura that could sunder castle walls and physical strength that could counter even Peter''s greatsword while barehanded. A monster through and through.

    "Was he an¡­odd man?" Another odd question from Beatrice.

    But Lucina still responded, "I''d say so¡­ He was obsessed with honor and pride to the point it was nauseating. He didn''t know how to back down but also couldn''t do what needed to be done to survive." She caught Beatrice as she stumbled forward. "Why? There''s no way you could have personally known him."

    "I''ve only read about him, but¡­he and I truly are similar¡­" Beatrice chuckled through lips that were turning a gentle purple.

    "What do you-"

    "Harbinger?" Beatrice''s arms shook as they gripped onto Lucina''s. "What''s it like¡­to hate?"

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "¡­Huh?" A dark air started to suffocate the room.

    "Not once in my five lives¡­have I ever hated someone¡­" Beatrice pressed her forehead against Lucina''s shoulder for support. "I''ve been saddened by people, disappointed by them, upset with them¡­but never have I come to ''hate''. Not even Solomon Kor¡­ I always felt bad for him having taken the path he did¡­so¡­" She took a few seconds to control her breathing before looking up into Lucina''s twisted briars. "What''s it like?"

    "¡­" Lucina was stunned into silence as Beatrice''s unspoken meaning dawned on her: Beatrice didn''t know how to hate because a Saintess of Alm shouldn''t hate. Alm was a goddess who sought love and the happiness of family, loyalty, and dedication to the heart. So, then, what about a Saint? Chadman was the Saint of Muz, the goddess of war and personal growth, and he sought perfection in the martial arts and in war. However, Chadman''s obsession with honorable combat made him susceptible to Lucina''s morbid tactics and ultimately led to his death. Just as the Saint of Muz should never cower in fear or act dishonorably even in the face of death, so too must a Saintess of Alm uphold love and affection even in the face of abuse. "It''s¡­a rather ugly emotion." An emotion that was unnecessary to a Saintess of Alm. "It''s like a raging fire."

    "A fire?" Beatrice shifted her gaze to the center of the room despite nothing being there.

    "Yes. It''s a fire that burns inside your gut telling you that, no matter what, you will never get along with someone. Like¡­" Lucina did her best to explain it but was finding it rather difficult. "The fire only flares up when you see or think about them and when you do it doesn''t go away for a long time. Even when you think it''s gone, it''s just simmering under the surface waiting to flare up. It''ll flare up just from them talking, even if they''re not saying anything wrong¡­ I guess."

    "Ah¡­I see¡­" Beatrice pulled on Lucina''s arms to come with her as she started shuffling toward the center of the room. "It really¡­does sound ugly." Her eyes seemed to focus on something.

    "It is." But Lucina couldn''t see anything aside from the empty floor. "It-!?" Lucina had to quickly hold Beatrice close as Beatrice suddenly started dry heaving. Her body wanted to throw up but there was nothing in her stomach to empty aside from the single bite of the sandwich she took earlier which was forced up and spat to the side.

    "It¡­sounds¡­awful¡­" Beatrice forced out through her gags. The built-up drugs in her body continued their work against Beatrice''s already weakened state, accelerating the decline. "But¡­also¡­" Beatrice continued to shuffle forward. "Makes me¡­curious¡­"

    "You want to hate?"

    "I don''t know." Beatrice once more had to pause to catch her breath, but eventually continued, "If our Hearth Mother took away my ability to hate, then there must be a reason¡­right? Yet even still¡­I''m curious."

    "¡­That''s unbecoming of you, Saintess," Lucina dryly joked.

    "Yeah¡­I guess¡­" Beatrice led Lucina to the center of the room where they stood in silence. Her eyes continued to focus on something that wasn''t there as if being beckoned by an unseen hand. "Can you¡­set me down¡­by the campfire?"

    "¡­Sure." Lucina couldn''t see any campfire, but her theology class from when she was young gave her the answer. In multiple accounts over the years, those with extreme faith would often see similar visions when on their deathbed, and those faithful to Alm were said to see a campfire that beckoned them to sit by it.

    "Thank you¡­" Beatrice continued to smile as Lucina helped her kneel and sit on the floor. Her eyes were fixated on a campfire that only she could see as she sat on an old log that wasn''t there. The white room around her faded away into a dark, star filled night in the middle of an impossible forest. The flames of the campfire crackled and popped as a tender warmth spread over Beatrice. Looking up from the fire, Beatrice saw a feminine figure in a reddish-brown robe sitting across from her on a black stone. While only darkness oozed out from the raised hood, Beatrice felt no malice from the figure, or fear to turn away, but instead felt an understanding comfort. "Is it¡­over¡­?"

    "¡­" The figure said nothing, but nodded their head and poked the fire with a stick. Embers fluttered through the air and happily danced around Beatrice''s shoulders as if welcoming an old friend.

    "Ah~¡­ At¡­" Beatrice''s sunset eyes finally disappeared beyond their horizon leaving nothing but a black, starless sky in her eyes. Her body slumped over as the last vestige of life left her and her soul was returned to Sailest by Alm.

    "¡­" Lucina stood over Beatrice''s corpse in silent contemplation. She couldn''t help but pity Beatrice''s miserable life and end. "Not even allowed to hate?" she muttered under her breath. "I suppose we''re all broken, in our own ways." Whether or not Lucina''s mental state had anything to do with being the Harbinger of Zulm was something she couldn''t say, but she did feel a connection toward Beatrice as she stared at the corpse. The gods were strange in their behaviors: at times hiding behind veils and symbolism, while at others being contradictorily straightforward. "¡­Sorry about your dignity, Saintess," Lucina said to no one as she knelt down and tore open Beatrice''s gown to expose her pale skin, malnourished form, and the marks on her back from the rough sex she''d been through. "I should charge him extra," Lucina bitterly spat as she originally only wanted Terence to meet Beatrice and have them work together to expose how poorly she was being treated. Having a Saintess being treated like a sex toy would have been enough to spark the religious folk into acting, but now? "It''s on a silver platter for him." Standing up from the corpse, Lucina walked over to the bathroom to retrieve her metal ball so she could portal home. But before she left, Lucina turned around, gave a deep bow to the corpse, and bid farewell, "May you find peace, Saintess Beatrice."

    "¡­" The corpse silently sat in the center of the room as Lucina opened her portal and left. The sun shined in through the windows with not a cloud in the sky. A calm, peaceful silence.

    "It will only be a short visit." A silence broken as Derik''s muffled voice came from beyond the door. "Beatrice hasn''t been feeling well, lately, so we''re keeping those who visit her to a minimum."

    "I understand, Sir Derik," Terence kept his cool and the discontent out of his voice. Lucina''s instructions were to personally visit Beatrice and that he would understand when he met her. Admittedly, he paid little attention to his brother''s wife as the few times they''d met she seemed quite soft-spoken, so Terence was skeptical about what help she could provide. "I just wish to say my regards and a speedy recovery."

    "¡­Then," Derik said as he opened the bedroom door, "I''m back, Bea-¡­?" Derik thought Beatrice would be in her bed, but was shocked to find the bed empty. His eyes scanned the room and eventually landed on the corpse lying in the center. "Beatrice!?!" Derik rushed to Beatrice''s side and scooped her up in his arms. She wasn''t breathing. Her skin was too pale. "No¡­No! No! No! Beatrice, wake up!" Her heart wasn''t beating. Swiveling around, Derik shouted out to the maids who accompanied them, "Call the physician! Call-!" His voice caught in his throat as he met Terence''s gaze.

    "Saintess¡­?" The provocatively placed bruises and scratches, the frail limbs, the sickly pale skin, a hint of vomit on her lips, Beatrice''s corpse looked more like a doll than a person; an old, abused doll. And, unlike his brother and father, Terence did regard the gods as ''gods'' since he was an Aurister blessed by Muz. He wasn''t the most devout but he still held religious belief in his heart, so bearing witness to the corpse of a Saintess that was so obviously sick yet still covered in lustful marks sickened Terence to his core. "What have you done!?!" Terence shouted at Derik, and partially at the absent Lucina.

    "Now''s not the time!" Derik shouted back. Getting to his feet with Beatrice''s corpse still in his arms, Derik hurried out of the room as he couldn''t wait for the doctors to arrive. The maids quickly ran after him, leaving Terence alone in Beatrice''s room.

    "¡­" Terence''s mind swirled as he went over his thoughts. The Crown Princess, the Saintess of Alm, was dead. She was so sickly, yet he''d never heard a single whisper of it through the normal gossip. Was it a sudden sickness? Then why was she so thin? The fact she still had marks from sex meant James knew, right? Or were they from Derik? Andrew? How could they have missed such obvious signs? Derik also acted surprised, but was that an act or real? "Just what is¡­ Hm?" Reflecting in the sunlight, and catching Terence''s eye, was a wet slice of tomato from the sandwich Beatrice intentionally dropped earlier. "She was eating?" The thrown up piece of sandwich was splattered on the floor nearby. Terence walked over and started inspecting the sandwich that wasn''t eaten. It looked relatively fresh and only had a single bite taken out of it. "But she was so malnourished. If she was still being fed then¡­was there something wrong with the food?" Terence peeled back each layer of the sandwich to visually inspect it and was about to put it down when something caught his eye. As the tomato slice glistened in the sun, there were small specs that dirtied its surface. "What is¡­?" He sniffed the tomato and immediately froze. Another sniff to be sure, and a third just in case. "¡­Parkcilor?" A plant that wasn''t native to Arlexia and was originally brought in from Itrecha and had a subtle sour smell. In small doses, it could be used as a contraceptive, but if used too much and too frequently then it would accumulate in the body and become toxic. "¡­It''s in the food." Was Beatrice skipping meals because her food was being tampered with? The Crown Princess'' meals were heavily regulated by the palace so there was no way this was getting through unnoticed.

    "My Prince?" Terence''s escort knight entered the room when he noticed Terence wasn''t leaving. He saw the sandwich in Terence''s hands and asked, "Is that the Saintess'' meal?"

    "¡­Yes." Terence''s voice was distant as he went over the various scenarios in his head. "Swear upon your life of what you saw today."

    "My Prince?" the escort was shocked by the request and flinched at the immediacy of Terence''s tone.

    "Swear!"

    "¡­I, Sir Bartholomew of the Onyx Drakes, swear to speak only the truth when questioned of this day''s events!"

    Satisfied with his escort''s words, Terence stuffed the sandwich into a bag he pulled off his belt, and ordered, "We must move!" He hid the bag in his coat.

    "Where to?" His knight quickly got to his feet and hurried after his charge.

    "To the alchemists! To the criers!" Terence picked up his pace. He had to get out of the palace as quickly as possible and get the sandwich examined by a trustworthy alchemist he knew. "I want every citizen of this empire to know that, on this day, Saintess Beatrice was poisoned to death!" Derik had already, inadvertently, helped Terence spread the word as his rush to bring Beatrice to the palace doctor had him pass multiple maids, butlers, and guards.

    "Did you see that?" Not all of them were blindly loyal to James.

    "Wasn''t that Her Highness, Saintess Beatrice?" Whose tongues wagged faster than a dog''s tail.

    "Why was she so pale? I heard she was sick but was it to that extent!?" Whose feet scurried across and beyond the palace.

    "Even though I shouldn''t look at a naked woman¡­wasn''t she covered in marks?" Whose speculation soared on wings from ear to ear.

    "Now that you mention it¡­I don''t think she was breathing!" Whose legitimate concerns finally sparked the tension that had the capital in a vice grip.

    "The Saintess is dead!?!"

 Theology of Tragedy

    Derik rushed through the halls of the imperial palace with reckless haste. With every step he took, Beatrice''s body grew colder. Servants and knights cleared the way and whispered in his wake, but Derik didn''t care. Kicking open the door to the physician''s room, Derik shouted, "Beatrice needs help!"

    "Wha-" Initially startled, the physician quickly regained himself when he saw the state of Beatrice''s body in Derik''s arms. "Bring her to the bed, quickly!"

    "Please¡­Please!" Derik muttered over and over after setting Beatrice down and taking a step back to let the physician work.

    "Derik!?" James appeared in the doorway, drawn by the unease of the servants from Derik''s panic. When he saw Beatrice''s pale corpse, he demanded "What''s going on here!?"

    The physician was scared to answer, but managed to say, "The Crown Princess¡­is dead."

    "Save her!" Derik shouted and grabbed the man by his shirt collar.

    "I can''t!" the physician pleaded and gestured toward the corpse. "She has no pulse, she''s malnourished, and her skin is as cold as an old corpse! I''m a doctor, not a priest of Sen!"

    "¡­Damn it!" Derik released the physician and knelt next to the bed. Tears fell down his cheeks as he stared at Beatrice''s lifeless form. Why was the expression on her face so peaceful?

    "¡­What happened?" Despite initially lusting after only her body, James quickly found himself genuinely enjoying spending time with Beatrice. She would earnestly listen to his worries and troubles, laugh at his jokes, and offer him a shoulder to lean on where he wouldn''t need to be the Crown Prince. Beatrice had wormed her way into his heart and now all he had left was her cold corpse lying on the bed.

    Derik softly spoke under his breath while his eyes remained fixated on Beatrice, "I¡­was on my way to visit Beatrice when Prince Terence asked to come with me."

    "Terence?" James felt dark thoughts infect the back of his mind and coil their fingers over his heart.

    "But when we got to the room¡­Beatrice¡­" Derik couldn''t finish his sentence and his voice fell away. He reached out and held Beatrice''s hand. It was as cold as ice.

    "Those¡­damned monsters!" James shouted and pounded his fist against the wall. The physician and servants nearby all jumped in surprise and took hesitant steps back to not get caught in James'' anger. "It wasn''t enough they used her as some idol, but now they take her from me!?"

    "¡­James?" Derik looked over at his prince, skeptically, since he couldn''t understand what James was talking about.

    "Sure, she was a little thin, but she was still healthy!" James kept shouting as he cursed the ''monsters'' for killing Beatrice.

    "What are you-"

    "The gods!" James shouted. Immediately, any servant that could, secretly started to leave once James began openly blaspheming. Not dissuaded, James continued, "I was with Beatrice this morning and she was fine! The only way she could get this bad this quickly is if those monsters that call themselves ''gods'' intervened!" Tears rolled down James'' cheeks and his fists clenched until his knuckles turned white. "This is why¡­ This is why we need to break away from them!" An unhinged glint warped James'' eyes. "Why do they get to arbitrarily decide if we live or die!? She was my princess, not their puppet!"

    "¡­" Derik was still reeling from Beatrice''s death and he couldn''t comprehend what James was spouting.

    "¡­Come with me, Derik," James'' voice lowered as he stared at his bodyguard. "We need to get ready."

    "Ready?" Derik asked as he shakily got to his feet. "For what?"

    "You said my brother was with you when you found Beatrice?" James took a deep breath to calm down, but the unhinged glint never left. "He''ll use this as an opportunity to oppose me."

    "What!?" It wasn''t that Derik didn''t believe Terence was against James, far from it, what Derik couldn''t believe was, "He¡­would use Beatrice as an excuse for that!?" He didn''t want Beatrice to become some kind of martyr for Terence''s power play as he saw it as a disgusting lack of respect for her.

    "I wouldn''t put it past him," James admitted as he longingly stared at Beatrice''s corpse. Tearing away his gaze, James mentioned, "Which is why we need to be ready. I''ll prepare an official announcement and inform my father, you begin rallying the royal guard and have them gather in the courtyard."

    "Why the courtyard?" Shouldn''t they immediately begin positioning themselves around the palace to defend against a potential attack?

    "Because Andrew finally bore us fruit." James walked over to Beatrice and softly kissed her forehead.

    "You mean¡­"

    "We will show my brother and his followers that humanity doesn''t need ''gods''." James turned and walked out of the room with Derik following close behind. "We''ll turn this into an opportunity to finally break free from the temples! Humanity''s future belongs to humanity, with the imperial family at its helm!"

    ***

    "Hear ye, hear ye! The Crown Princess is dead!" A crier rode on horseback through the streets of Solfin and rang a bell to get as much attention as he could. It had only been two days, yet the entire empire now knew of Beatrice''s death thanks to Terence doing everything he could to spread the word. Magisters who could use wind magic sailed ships at full speed across the Helker and through the empire, stopping at ports to let off a few criers to spread the word. Finally, it was Solfin''s turn. "Hear ye, hear ye! Saintess Beatrice is dead!"

    "¡­Dead?" Enjoying afternoon tea at a caf¨¦ was Olivia who looked out the window next to her when the crier passed by. She set down her tea cup and breathlessly muttered out, "She¡­died?" The protagonist was dead?

    "So that''s what the palace was hiding?" Cassandra spoke to herself from her place sitting across from Olivia. She picked at a cookie on her plate and snapped it in half. "Even though I never liked her...death is a bit much." Another crier was riding past, so Cassandra leaned out the open window of the caf¨¦ and shouted, "What news of the Crown Princess?"

    "The Crown Princess was found dead in her room two days prior!" the crier shouted back as he brought his horse over to the window. "From what I was told, she was poisoned."

    "Poison!?" Olivia gasped and the other patrons all started gossiping over the news.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "But that wasn''t all." The crier reached into his coat and pulled out a piece of paper that held his notes on the topic. "The poison was said to be an overdose of contraceptives, and her body was malnourished and covered in abuse markings." Terence sent out the criers with just enough information to not be wrong while also leaving out just enough to stir the hearts of the people.

    "¡­" Olivia was horrified and blankly stared at her tea.

    "Those pigs!" Cassandra scoffed after tossing the crier two silver coins before he left to continue spreading the word. "Four people sharing the Saintess and she''s overdosed on contraceptives? I''d put my money on at least two of those four  doing their best to make sure none of the others were her first child." Cassandra didn¡¯t hold back as bitterness infected her voice and she leaned back in her chair with an annoyed posture. Her hair drills jiggled in agreement as she muttered, "Perhaps it''s a blessing that her pain is over?"

    "¡­Why?" Olivia felt her stomach churn as she imagined the state Beatrice''s body was found in. "They said they loved her, and they push her to die like that?" From her understanding of the various endings, the male leads genuinely loved Beatrice, so to imagine them poisoning her to the point of death was absurd.

    "You can''t expect those four to know a thing about love," Cassandra dryly spat and gave a dismissive wave of her hand at the mere thought of the four male leads understanding love. "One sold his fianc¨¦ into slavery, the second turned his back on his wife to skirt chase, the third was a snake defiling the temples with his tricks, and the fourth is a wizard. Expecting anything out of them is beyond sense and shouldn''t come as a surprise¡­yet¡­" Cassandra stopped herself as she felt uneasy about how Beatrice died. "Disgusting."

    "Even though she''s a Saintess?" Olivia asked the question to no one as her fingers lightly tapped against her teacup.

    "Hm?" Cassandra looked up from her snack to see Olivia staring off into her tea. "What about her being a Saintess?"

    "I mean¡­Wouldn''t Lady Alm do something about it?" Olivia looked up from her drink and into Cassandra''s pink eyes. "She''s her Saintess, her chosen among humanity, shouldn''t that give her some kind of¡­I don''t know¡­protection?" Finding Arlexia''s Light had multiple opportunities for the main character to engage in combat against demons, and while she wasn''t on par with the male leads, Beatrice was able to hold her own; especially during the four years of the reverse harem ending. It was hard to believe that she died so ''easily''.

    "¡­Not necessarily," Cassandra admitted as she took a sip of tea. Seeing Olivia''s confused expression, Cassandra tried to explain, "While Saints and Saintesses are powerful people chosen by the gods, that doesn''t mean the gods will go out of their way for them."

    "¡­Why not?" That seemed counterintuitive.

    "You''ll get a different answer depending on who you ask since the temples have never given a definitive one." Cassandra gave a shrug. "In my opinion, it''s for the same reason that they don''t normally get involved in our affairs unless we call upon them: they just can''t."

    "¡­" Olivia remembered the past when she had Arkin perform the Ritual of Legitimacy to prove Lucina was a Felswore. Alm knew the answer and had the power to prove it but waited until the ritual was enacted before revealing the truth. "But why can''t they? There are plenty of examples of them interfering with our lives, and even the fact they grant us the use of magic and aura is an ''interference''. Why wouldn''t they protect their chosen Saint?"

    "Like I said, they most likely just can''t." Cassandra ate one of the cookies, looked up at Olivia, and muttered with a full mouth, "Even if you look at me like that, I''m not sure what else to tell you."

    "Why do you keep saying they ''can''t'', then?" Olivia pressed for an answer.

    Reluctantly, Cassandra explained, "As I said, this is just my own opinion after doing some research into the gods."

    "Research?" Olivia tilted her head to the side as she didn''t think Cassandra was a theologian.

    "I¡­may have started looking into theology for a way to¡­counter a certain Harbinger who betrayed my friend," Cassandra sheepishly replied as she revealed her reason was to find a way to go against Lucina.

    "¡­Ah." A smile played across Olivia''s lips.

    "A-Anyway!" Cassandra cleared her throat to refocus the conversation. "From what I found, the gods only rarely interfere with human affairs. Even though they granted us the potential to use magic and aura, they left it to the first users to figure out and document how it worked; the first Auristers had to learn from dragons while Magisters were completely on their own. They were very hands-off despite how important magic and aura is to our society." Cassandra picked up another cookie and bit into it. "The same can be said about Saints, just because they''re here doesn''t mean the gods will personally look out for them. Lady Alm let Beatrice look out for herself¡­and if she failed, then that would be that, as we now see."

    "And you think it''s because something is stopping them?" Olivia asked for clarification.

    "Why else wouldn''t they intervene?" Cassandra countered. She pointed the half-eaten cookie in her hand at Olivia, and asked, "The gods love us yet still allow suffering. If you had the power of the gods, wouldn''t you do everything in your power to help the one human you chose to be your Saintess? Or, another question, wouldn''t you use your power to make sure all sinners were immediately punished?"

    "¡­Solomon." Olivia still remembered when Cassandra told her about how Solomon was a wizard in disguise. Surely, Alm must have known Solomon was a fake and could have told her followers in R''eldrun before he gained so much influence and sway. But, if Alm did know, why didn''t she do anything?

    "The gods have directly killed people in the past for spreading false prophecies." Cassandra finished the cookie. "Sure, they did it in a roundabout way by using ''natural disasters'' but we all know they did it. So why not now? Why not fix everything themselves?" Cassandra picked up another cookie and studied its surface as she thought aloud, "It''s almost as if there are things stopping them from doing so. Whether it''s each other or some outside force, I don''t know, but that''s my speculation on the gods."

    "¡­" Olivia pondered Cassandra''s words as well as her own experience with the gods. As Ayake Fukuda died, she heard a voice that she believed to be the god Zulm since they referred to Arlexia as ''my'' Arlexia. A god pulled her into the world of an otome game which meant at least Zulm held considerable power, yet he still allowed things he didn''t want to happen. Why did Arlexia need saving if Zulm had the power to rip souls through dimensions? Why not just do that to the male leads and be done with it? Or, better yet, if the wizards are so opposed to the gods and temples why not just get rid of the wizards? Why were the gods contradictory in their actions and inactions? Olivia couldn''t help but chuckle, "You should become a scholar, Professor Lyllium."

    "Oh please, and wear such drab uniforms?" Cassandra mockingly joked as she flicked a hand through her hair. She rested a silk-gloved hand on her premium pink dress, and said, "It would be a crime to hide my beauty under such bland clothing." The two awkwardly laughed as they did their best to lighten the mood that was still sinking as the people around them couldn''t stop gossiping about Beatrice''s death.

    "Just what happened at the palace?" They whispered loudly.

    "Didn''t the Crown Prince oust the previous Crown Princess for her? How could he let this happen?"

    "And to a Saintess, no less!"

    "It''s an insult to the gods and our ancestors!"

    "¡­" Olivia and Cassandra silently sipped some tea. Many of the people who were gossiping looked angry, and Olivia rightly guessed that this was how Terence would start his coup. She mumbled under her breath, "Just why the hell did you bring me here, Zulm?"

    "¡­" As if answering her question, the gossiping stopped.

    "¡­?" Olivia looked up from her snack and looked around. Everyone''s head was hung low and not a word was being spoken in the once lively caf¨¦. But what truly drew Olivia''s concern was that it wasn''t just the people who were quiet. Once bustling streets halted to a standstill, trees stopped mid-sway as the very wind halted, and the dull rolling waves of the ocean were silenced. The world was quiet. "Wh¡­What?" Olivia''s voice echoed as if in a massive empty space. None of the guests were moving. "Cassandra, are you¡­?" Cassandra''s head also hung low and her face was completely obscured by her long hair. "¡­Cassandra?"

    "¡­" The world was quiet.

    Olivia stood up from her chair, walked around the table, and reached out to grasp Cassandra''s shoulder, "H-Hey, can you-"

    ***

    "-hear¡­me?" As soon as Olivia touched Cassandra''s shoulder, she blinked and found herself standing on cold rock with a black sky above. Stars twinkled in the dark sky, and in front of her loomed a large planet with blue oceans and sprawling continents. Recognizing the continent facing her from various maps as North Kelica, Olivia realized she was staring at Pianeta; the planet she lived on. "¡­Huh?" Looking around, Olivia discovered that she was standing on a small asteroid that was just on the edge of Pianeta''s gravitational pull. She was standing on Sailest''s rings. "I-¡­!?!" Seeing that she was in space, Olivia panicked before realizing that she wasn''t decompressing or turning into a human popsicle. She could breathe just fine and the temperature felt pleasantly cool against her skin. Tapping her shoe against the ground made a small dust cloud that idly fluttered as it dispersed into the vacuum of space. Every movement pushed and pulled her dress which freely flowed in the zero gravity environment. Everything was quiet. Turning to her right, Sailest loomed in the distance as it silently watched her standing on its rings. "H-How-"

    "¡­" The super storm, Sailest''s ''eye'', moved to look at Olivia. The storm dilated as it saw her and a black tendril shot out of the planet, reached out through the rings, and grasped Olivia by her waist.

    "Huh!?!" The tendril felt freezing to the touch as it wrapped around her and looked to be made of flesh as black as space and had thorns made of purple bone dotting its surface. Olivia was yanked off the asteroid with a blinding speed. Like an ice skater on the rink, Olivia skimmed across Sailest''s rings as the tendril continued to drag her closer and closer to the gas giant. "W-Wait¡­" Closer and closer. "Wait! Wait! Wait!" Olivia hit Sailest''s atmosphere and her ears erupted with a blistering cacophony of noise. Particles of dust and debris scratched and tore at her as the storms that raged across Sailest rended Olivia''s flesh, yet she never died. She couldn''t see. Did she still have eyes? She couldn''t hear. Did she still have ears? She couldn''t feel. Did she still have life? "¡­AGH!?!" Just as Olivia was about to pass out, she was dragged out of the storm clouds and into a layer of clear, calm air inside the gas giant. Above her loomed storm clouds that sparked and lit up the sky in a constant light show of lightning; yet not a single boom of thunder was heard. Thanks to the light from the constant lightning, Olivia could see what lay below her; a massive black blob the size of a small planet. Sailest''s core.

    "¡­" The black tendril that pulled Olivia kept her suspended in the air above the core and seemed to be allowing her to catch her breath.

    "¡­?" Surprisingly, Olivia could breathe inside the gas giant and quickly started easing her racing heart to not pass out. And, now that she had a moment to collect herself, Olivia saw that the core wasn''t perfectly round. The core was lumpy and had massive spires stretching off it that reached and disappeared into the storming clouds. The spires looked to be made of the same black flesh and purple bone thorns as the tendril that held her. Was it a plant made of flesh, or flesh that attempted to mimic a plant? "Where¡­!?" Olivia''s world was flooded with purple light as the core split open to reveal some kind of¡­ "Eye?" From the dark core opened a massive eye whose pupil was an unknowable obelisk made of black stone. The obelisk was covered with the shifting unknowable words that adorned the murals in the various temples across Pianeta. Despite having no way of possibly understanding the strange language, Olivia immediately knew what she was looking at as the unknowable words reached out, entered her mind, and spoke to her with innumerous chattering mouths that hid in the darkness.

    "Greetings, Stolen Soul," said Zulm; the planet-sized creature that dwelled as the living core of Sailest.

 Eldritch Affection

    "¡­Zulm?" There was no possible way for Olivia''s soft voice to travel the immense distance between her and the god yet she still spoke.

    "Correct." And Zulm still heard. "This is our first face-to-face correspondence as our previous interaction was under less than ideal conditions." The planet-sized being was gently pulsating with life that radiated up the spires and into the clouds above. Continent-sized slabs of purple bone that covered rolling plains of black flesh softly heaved up and down as the god breathed out gasses from its many mouths that rose into the sky and formed the gas giant they surrounded themselves with. Zulm''s voice was like a cool, soothing river filled with tiny pebbles that itched the skin as the water carried them along, "You have my apologies for that as I was under a time constraint until the others would notice and most likely attempt to stop my meddling."

    "Others¡­?" Olivia was trying to think straight but was coming at a loss on how to properly speak. She shifted uncomfortably in the tendril''s grasp.

    "The gods of Earth," Zulm clarified. Noticing Olivia''s discomfort, Zulm loosened its grip on her and adjusted the gravity around her to keep her from getting disoriented. "Or, at least, what is left of them." Zulm''s eye partially closed as they appeared lost in thought for a moment before refocusing on Olivia and saying, "But, that is neither here nor there. We have other matters to discuss to fulfill your prayer, Stolen Soul."

    "My prayer?¡­!" Olivia thought back to what she was doing before being brought here and remembered the last thing she said. "About why I''m here?"

    "Yes. While not done in a temple of my children, I am able to bend the requirements in your special case." Zulm''s eye dug into Olivia with both curiosity and indifference as the god watched her reactions. "Though, I am not sure why you would ask such a question as you already know the answer to it."

    "Ans-?"

    Before Olivia could respond, she heard Ayaka Fukuda''s voice ring through her head, "I could make a better ending after those credits roll, so long as I don¡¯t get left behind, anymore."

    "!?!" Olivia looked around but all she saw was the rolling darkness that threatened to suffocate her. "Th-That¡­"

    "That was the beginning of our deal. The beginning of a better future." Shapes shifted and rolled in the darkness. "And, just as I had hoped, you brought about the potential for that better future by bringing about the fifth vision." Zulm''s eye happily narrowed as their voice took on a jovial tone, "I thank you, Stolen Soul." But even though Zulm was pleased, Olivia had a dark thought enter her mind.

    Olivia swallowed a lump in her throat, and forced out her words, "You¡­wanted the reverse harem ending?"

    "Correct."

    "!?!" Zulm''s bluntness stunned Olivia into silence as she tried to comprehend what they meant. Zulm wanted the reverse harem ending? "D-Didn''t you want something different!?" she cried out.

    "Different?" Zulm''s form tilted to the side in confusion and stated, "Why would I want something that would go against our deal?"

    "Wha-¡­?" Olivia''s brain churned as it tried to reason its way through the conversation. "Didn''t you bring me here to stop it!?"

    "No, I brought you to my Arlexia to make that future happen." Zulm sounded very sure of itself and seemed to be getting confused by Olivia''s confusion. "By your own words: you would make a better ending after the credits rolled. You cannot get to the credits without seeing the ending, so I orchestrated with my children to bring about the proper ending so that you may fulfill your end of the deal."

    "Th-That was a figure of speech!" Olivia shouted at the god. Her body was trembling with fear, anxiety, and anger as she began to understand what had happened. "I said that on a whim! I was dying! I didn''t mean it literally!"

    "All deals are literal, Stolen Soul," Zulm calmly corrected.

    "But¡­" Olivia''s voice trailed off as she bit her lip in frustration.

    "And, now that the credits have passed, a new dawn for my Arlexia is made clear!" Zulm happily declared and the darkness cheered in kind. "The pretenders, the heretics, and the incompetent shall be cleansed so that my Arlexia may continue on."

    "If you¡­" Olivia''s voice trembled as she still feared the god she was in front of, but she was too angry not to yell out, "If you can see the future, then why didn''t you pick a better one!?"

    "¡­?" Zulm silently contemplated Olivia.

    "Everything we went through!? Everything Lucina suffered through!? Why not pick a different one!?" Tears streamed down her face and trickled off into the darkness.

    "Because those were the only futures I foresaw."

    "¡­?" Olivia glared at Zulm who was calmly staring back.

    Zulm explained in a matter-of-fact tone, "My foresight abilities cannot see every future. I saw five potentials with two outcomes: the destruction of my Arlexia, or an unknown. It is not that I withheld information from you about what happened after the reverse harem ending''s credits, it is that I also did not know what would happen. Such is the nature of divining the future."

    "Then why am I here?" Olivia asked through clenched teeth. "Did you foresee my death, too? Was I also part of your vision?"

    "No."

    "!?!" Olivia looked up in surprise when Zulm answered. Hesitantly, she asked for clarification, "Then¡­?"

    "You were discovered by chance and brought into the fold as you were the perfect person for the role." The darkness stirred and Olivia could see faint visions in the dark clouds around her. Visions of her past actions. "You are someone who cannot stand your friends and loved ones being bullied, yet you freeze up and do nothing when you think you''re powerless. You fill your head with ideals on how to live a better life, yet your lack of drive allows apathy to take root and bring about the opposite. You are confident in yourself, yet question everything you do. You are a hypocritical fool, Stolen Soul, and I thank you for that because it made you perfect for enacting the future I wanted."

    "¡­" Olivia''s jaw trembled as it opened and closed without any words coming out. Zulm picked her, saved her from death, because he knew she would fail at preventing the reverse harem ending and thus bring about his fifth vision of the future. She was nothing but a tool, a foolish idiot who was only good for being manipulated by a god that orchestrated everything. It was rigged from the start. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed into the darkness as the visions faded away. "¡­What''s the point?" she muttered.

    "¡­?" Zulm''s eye focused on Olivia and smothered her with its light.

    "If everything I do is predetermined¡­if nothing I did matters¡­then what''s the point?" Olivia started going limp in Zulm''s grasp as despair infected her mind.

    "You believe complete free will would have brought about a better future?" Zulm curiously asked.

    "I¡­" Olivia''s mind was breaking down as she continued conversing with the god. "At least it would be a future of our own making!"

    "And does that make it better?" Zulm''s gaze shifted to something beside Olivia and the darkness around her swirled into something new. "Did your father''s complete free will bring about a better future?"

    "!?!" Olivia turned and found her surroundings had completely changed. Zulm''s power altered the very space around Olivia to show her a terrible memory.

    "!!!" Ayaka Fukuda''s parents were yelling in the living room of their house while a young Ayaka peeked through her bedroom door. Their speech was slurred, alcohol clung to the air, and furniture was thrown until Ayaka''s father left the house for the final time. Olivia attempted to take a step out of her room only for her surroundings to shift once again.

    "Was your mother''s future brighter with the complete free will to burn herself out after her prayers fell on deaf ears?"

    "¡­" Olivia was now standing in a large, somber room. An altar was against the far wall with a picture of Ayaka''s mother, surrounded by flowers. A closed coffin suffocated the life from the room and a young Ayaka softly wept in mourning clothes for her departed mother. Olivia''s heart churned and ripped to shreds as she desperately tried to grab and hug the crying child, but the world dissipated into a cloud of black smoke before reforming into one final image.

    "Did Ayaka Fukuda enjoy the complete free will of her Tanaka?"

    "¡­" Olivia stood in an abandoned intersection of Tokyo. Despite the buildings radiating light, not a soul was around. The road was clear of all cars except for a single white truck with a red stain on its grill. Turning around and looking down, Olivia stared into the dead eyes of Ayaka Fukuda''s mangled corpse. Her arms were bent the wrong way, one of her femurs had snapped and was piercing out of her leg, and blood poured out of an open wound in her head.

    "Complete free will is a tragedy that the gods of Earth allowed to happen because of their own foolishness and their humanity suffers for it." The Tokyo sky shattered like glass as Zulm''s massive eye looked down at Olivia. "It was as a consequence of their actions, and their humanity cries out for help with nothing but crushing silence being their answer. I will not allow my humanity to suffer the same fate of abandonment. I will dictate my will when able while also allowing my humanity to make its own decisions and suffer their consequences. I will show the path while humanity decides how to walk it. Thus is my will. Thus will be done."

    "¡­Why?" Olivia''s voice whispered to Ayaka''s corpse. "Then why did Beatrice have to die?" She looked up and into Zulm''s eye. "Why didn''t you save her!? Was she not important enough anymore!?"

    "Because I did not want to intervene."

    "Why!?"

    "¡­Hm." Zulm seemed deep in thought. Eventually, they replied, "Perhaps an analogy will help you understand." The world shifted back to the core of Sailest, and Zulm explained, "If you owned a dog, would you dictate every one of its actions while it was outside in your yard?"

    "¡­What?" Olivia felt a pit form in her stomach. "A¡­dog?"

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "Yes, a pet dog." Zulm sounded very sure of themselves as they looked expectantly at Olivia.

    "But¡­we''re humans!" Olivia countered. "We''re not dogs!"

    "That is why I said I was using an analogy," Zulm clarified. "Be it a dog, a bird, or even a colony of ants makes no difference. I will not interfere with my humanity so long as it remains where I can safely see it. I will let the dog roam the yard."

    "But¡­" Olivia was having a hard time wrapping her brain around the thought of her being a dog. "An analogy only works with similar things!"

    "I know."

    "Humanity isn''t similar to dogs!"

    "Correct, but our situation is similar to how humans perceive dogs." Zulm''s words stunned Olivia, so they further elaborated, "Humans keep certain creatures as pets because they are above them. Humans perceive dogs as lesser creatures so they take them as pets; this line of logic applies here as well." Zulm''s eye, which was as large as an ocean, stared down into Olivia. "Humans are on a lower level of existence compared to me, so I keep them as pets."

    "¡­Pets?" Olivia felt sick to her stomach. "B-But you are talking to me! You and the other gods interact with the people who worship you! T-That''s not-"

    "Do humans not also talk to their pets?" Zulm asked as their eye narrowed. "Do humans not give their pets treats when they are good? Many humans interact more with their pets than their peers. But, as I said, this is only an analogy to help you understand."

    "But I don''t understand!" Olivia wanted Zulm to stop talking. To stop hurting her existence. "I can''t accept that as an excuse for what''s happened!"

    "Ah, it seems we are having a miscommunication, Stolen Soul." Zulm nodded to themselves, matched Olivia''s gaze, and said, "I am asking for your understanding, not your acceptance."

    "¡­!" After a moment of contemplation, it clicked in Olivia''s mind what Zulm was referring to. They were speaking in a literal sense. Zulm wanted Olivia to ''understand'' her situation and was doing their best to explain it to her. Her opinion never mattered. A dog can''t choose its owner. "¡­Then¡­why?" While it was a hard reality to swallow, Olivia forced her discomfort down so she could ask, "Why not just dictate everything!? Why bother with the illusion of choice if it doesn''t matter!?"

    "For the same reason humans allow dogs to freely roam their yard: love."

    "Love?" The whiplash Olivia was experiencing was visible on her face as she tried to keep track of everything.

    "I enjoy watching my humanity," Zulm began and looked past Olivia. The god''s idle thoughts altered the space around Olivia and she found herself floating in the blue skies above Arlexia. "Owning a pet is about more than just ''ownership'' of a creature, it is about watching them grow." Rolling farmlands stretched across open fields, cities, villages, and castles dotted the landscape, forest trees swayed in a harsh wind while hunters rode through them, and the gentle glow of civilization made its mark on the planet. "It is about taking care of another life as if it were your own family. About seeing what they will do, what they will become, and what they want to achieve." Olivia saw ships sailing across the Helker River as commerce boomed and trade brought distant lands closer than their borders allowed. "If I wanted to control everything, I would make a species without thought, like most demons; but that is not what I want. I want to watch my humanity grow and thrive in the world I prepared for them; in the garden I am proud of. If they stumble and make mistakes along the way then so be it for I will be here, when asked, to help them back up. There cannot be growth without failure. Sadness and tragedy have their place, even if I would like to avoid such outcomes."

    "¡­Then why don''t you?" Olivia felt the warm air brush against her cheeks and was filled with reverence at the sight of Arlexia from the sky. "You obviously have the power to get rid of the wizards, and stop the imperial family, so¡­why don''t you?"

    "Because I do not wish to incur the Last Second''s wrath." Zulm''s tone was¡­nervous? A hint of anxiety bled through Zulm''s otherwise calm demeanor and into their voice. The darkness writhed, and the chattering maws recoiled.

    "The Last Second?" Olivia turned to face Zulm and found them staring sadly at Arlexia.

    "They¡­are a being you need not concern yourself with." Zulm was attempting to brush the subject away. "So long as you remain in my yard, you will never have to worry about them." What could scare a god?

    "But I want to know!" Even if none of what she learned would matter to her life, Olivia didn''t like the idea of being a helpless dog. Even if nothing would change, "I want to understand!"

    "¡­" Zulm stared into Olivia''s eyes for a long time in complete silence as they weighed through their response. After giving a soft sigh, and with a resigned voice, Zulm answered, "The universe is measured in millennia, not minutes, Stolen Soul. Even if I tell you an extremely abridged version of events, it will never fully carry the weight of what happened."

    "That''s fine."

    "You will most likely end with more questions than you start with."

    "So be it!" Olivia put a hand on her chest and declared, "I at least want to understand why things are the way they are; even just a little!"

    "¡­Very well, Stolen Soul." The space around Olivia shifted as a new vision formed. "The Last Second''s name is very literal: they are the Last surviving member of the Second humanity. Though, calling them a ''survivor'' in their current state would be a far stretch." In a flash of light, Olivia found herself standing in a field of strange crops being cultivated by humans using strange yet similar-looking farming machines. Strange tractors plowed dirt as workers gathered bundles of crops onto weird-looking vehicles to transport away to a far-off city whose buildings pierced the horizon. Yet what drew her eye and awe were the spaceships that hovered in the sky above the planet. "To begin, the phrase ''man was made in God''s image'' holds truth as the first humans were created by a god that made them in their likeness."

    "^@$%&$$#." A strange language entered Olivia''s ear and she turned to see an androgynous human standing before her. Their face was youthful yet held a mature sharpness that both aroused and eased. They stood a full head taller than her and their hair, which shifted between multiple colors, trailed on the ground behind them without ever getting dirty. Something inside Olivia''s very soul cried out upon seeing the being, and she instinctively knew who they were. The god that first created humanity.

    Zulm continued their story, "Upon seeing humans for the first time, other gods created their own humanities and soon filled the stars with life." Children with strange hair colors ran past Olivia and into the waiting arms of the first human god. "Humanity loved one another and built civilizations to make their gods proud¡­yet therein lay a problem."

    "¡­?" A massive shadow cascaded over Olivia and the land.

    "The humanities loved themselves¡­but what about other humanities?" A spaceship, far larger than the others, blotted out the sky as it loomed over the planet. The spaceships of the first humans were falling down onto the planet as flaming wrecks crashed into cities and farmlands. "History has willfully forgotten who fired the first shot, and some delude themselves into falsehoods over their version of events, but soon the universe was engulfed in the flames of war." The massive spaceship fired beams of light onto the planet that sliced through buildings, leveled city blocks, and atomized the bodies of any humans it touched. Smaller fighter craft poured out of the spaceship''s hangar bays like a swarm of locusts and performed strafing runs as the once peaceful farmlands were turned into a burning battlefield. Soldiers fired strange rifles while tanks accompanied large, walking war machines that trampled the earth beneath their steps. "Though initially on the losing side, after being pushed to extinction the remaining survivors of the second humanity poured all their recourses into robotic technology to continue the fight even if they were all wiped out." While one side of the soldiers looked like various humans mounting a defense, the invading side that leaped out of dropships was filled with nothing but copies of the same individual. The invader''s steps were slightly mechanical instead of naturally fluid like a human''s, despite their appearance being of a young adult female with flowing purple hair and eyes that glowed a synthetic red. "Escalation after escalation eventually led to the catastrophic result none of the gods expected." Out of the invading forces came a giant. Standing over three meters tall, the looming robed humanoid reached out a mechanical arm that covered old bones and forgotten flesh with metals forged from the corpses of stars, and pierced their hand into the chest of the first human''s god. "The Last Second, a human, killed a god."

    "!?!" The Last Second tore the heart out of the god which shattered the space around Olivia and she watched as the night sky started flashing with bright lights before eventually fading out. The war the humanities waged against each other broke more than just each other. Olivia watched the very universe start to die.

    "In a last-ditch attempt, many gods rallied their remaining humanities for one last battle." The world shifted and Olivia was floating in space around a planet made of red rock, bellowing volcanoes, and skies of choking smoke. Spaceships of various designs and sizes were joined into one fleet, and spaced among them were multiple weird life forms of various shapes and sizes. Some were like Zulm and had eldritch appearances, others appeared geometric and made of shifting shapes and light, and others were like animalistic hybrids that could move through the vacuum of space. And, breaking through reality, came the massive spaceship that had killed the first humans. "In the Apocalypse system, the final battle of the War in Heaven was waged." One of the eldritch gods led the charge against the invading spaceship, only to be pierced with a strange beam and have a black hole form inside them; killing the god. Other gods focused on diffusing the black holes the Last Second''s spaceship fired while the human fleets fired their own strange weapons. Olivia''s brain could barely process all that was happening as she watched the battle that she only ever saw depicted in science fiction media. Then, a flash caught her eye. "And the winner¡­" All the energy that was being condensed and released around black holes that were being formed and torn apart was distorting space and time. Reality broke. Time shunted. "¡­was no one." And a big bang rocked the universe, engulfing Olivia in a bright light.

    "¡­?" Once her eyes adjusted themselves back to normal levels, Olivia found herself back in the grip of Zulm''s tendril and floating above the god at the core of Sailest. Zulm''s eye was partially closed as they appeared in solemn contemplation.

    Their voice was distant, yet firm, as they finished, "The Last Second''s ship was badly damaged, the gods were rife with injuries, and all the humanities were killed by the release of energy. Having little other choice, the Apocalypse Accords were soon signed between the Last Second and the gods that ultimately limited how much interference gods could have on humans with the caveat being humans were banned from intergalactic empires and technology that could lead to the death of gods."

    "¡­" Olivia silently watched Zulm, a god, appear remorseful over the past.

    "But, not everyone follows the Accords. As is the case with Pianeta, there are gods who still hold a vendetta against humanity as a whole for what happened and will actively sabotage any attempts at cultivating humans."

    "¡­The wizards!?" Wizards got their power from a strange meteor that fell centuries ago and they were vehemently opposed by the gods and their worshippers.

    "A foul play by a god who hates humans. If left unchecked, the wizards will eventually develop magic to pierce space and spread their reach across the stars; a breach of the Accords. Even my Harbinger has limits to her portals." Zulm''s voice began bleeding with anger, and the skies crackled with lightning in response. "If I intervene without following proper procedures, I will also be breaking the Accords¡­and the Last Second cares not for who is ultimately in the wrong when it comes to enforcement." Zulm looked deep into Olivia, and vowed, "I will not allow my humanity to die from the tricks of others."

    "Then¡­reverse time!" Olivia pleaded with the god, "Surely a god can do that? You brought me here! Why not reverse time and stop the meteor from falling?"

    "Taking your soul from Earth and bringing it across the universe to Pianeta is the manipulation of space, not time. You were not brought through time to a new dimension, you were brought to a different point in space." Clouds above Olivia parted and, shimmering in the distance, was a bright light that seemed to call to Olivia. The Milky Way galaxy twinkled as nothing more than another distant dot in the starry sky. "Time manipulation is not only banned by the Apocalypse Accords but is also not something to be trifled with. Even my occasional visions of the future are sporadic and only show potentials if not acted upon." Zulm sighed as they revealed, "Alm''s Beatrice was also not exempt, so I had to find another route for her ''past lives''."

    "Her¡­past lives?" Olivia perked up once Zulm mentioned Beatrice.

    "Yes, Alm''s Beatrice acted the way she did because she believed she was living her fifth life and the other visions, the other routes, were her past lives. This is not the case." The clouds above closed and returned Olivia to darkness. "I simply manipulated her dreams to make her think she had lived through the other visions. Much like how I planted my visions in the mind of the human on Earth that would make Finding Arlexia''s Light, this method matured Alm''s Beatrice at an accelerated rate and allowed her to properly fill her role as a Saintess."

    "¡­" Olivia recalled how Beatrice would seem to know where to ''trigger events'' during their academy life. Originally she thought it was the will of the story forcing the plot, but now she knew it was Beatrice attempting to change things from her ''previous'' four lives. Just another victim in a game neither of them had a way of altering. "Then¡­what happens now?"

    "Now?" Zulm''s tone returned to its usual calm. "What do you want to happen?"

    "¡­?"

    "Our deal is officially fulfilled, Stolen Soul," Zulm explained and gave a nod. "In your actions handling my Harbinger after being enslaved, and in placating your father, Terence Arlexton will have the backing and strength to properly enact his coup. My Arlexia now has the highest likelihood of surviving. You have fulfilled your end of the deal, and I have fulfilled mine. My Harbinger will never leave you behind."

    "¡­" Olivia was¡­done? If she was done, then why did she feel so incomplete? Why did she¡­ "Zulm?" Ah, that was it. "Let''s make a new deal." Olivia was angry.

    "A new deal?" Zulm seemed curious and focused on Olivia.

    "You''ve done it before, so making deals with me is still something you can do, right?" Even though Zulm seemed bound to the Apocalypse Accords, they still took Olivia''s soul from Earth and made a deal with her so there must be some leeway. "In that case¡­I want a guarantee!" Despite Zulm being a god that could wipe her away with a thought, Olivia didn''t feel as afraid of them as before. With defiance in her heart, and determination in her eyes, Olivia proposed, "Right now, Lucina is staying out of the coup for me¡­ But I will convince her to rally the Hellhounds and personally join the coup; guaranteeing its success!"

    "¡­Oh?" Zulm was intrigued. Terence''s forces were certainly strong, but there were still unknown variables at play that could pose a threat to Arlexia. "And what is it you want in exchange, Stolen Soul?"

    "In exchange¡­give my children a time of peace!"

    "¡­?" Caught off-guard, Zulm asked for clarification, "You¡­wish for your children to live in a time of peace?"

    "I¡­know it''s possible to have kids with Lucina¡­so¡­" Olivia started getting embarrassed, but she pushed through for the sake of what was to come. "No forced games. No manipulated dreams. No pitiful martyrs. I¡­I want my children to be able to grow up happy."

    "Stolen Soul¡­" Zulm''s voice trailed off into a chuckle. "You hold a deal with a god and do not use its benefits on yourself?"

    "Of course, it''s for me!" Olivia countered. "What good parent doesn''t want what''s best for their kids!" Resignation bled into her voice that mixed with acceptance as she reasoned, "Pianeta...Arlexia¡­ This is my home now. Whether I''m a dog in a yard or a human living for themselves¡­ If there''s something I can do the make sure my kids don''t suffer like I or Lucina have, then I''ll gladly take it!" Olivia matched Zulm''s eye and, for the first time, didn''t waver as she awaited the god''s response.

    "¡­It appears you two truly are similar," Zulm chuckled. Ignoring Olivia''s confused look, Zulm gave her their answer, "Very well, Stolen¡­no¡­ Olivia Ordrin. In exchange for unleashing Lucina Sanguine upon my enemies, I shall do all I can to make sure your children live in an Arlexia that holds an era of peace."

    "¡­Thank you, Zulm." Olivia still held conflicting feelings about Zulm and how they saw humans, but she knew those feelings wouldn''t do anything. So Olivia decided to focus on the things she could do and that started with ensuring the remaining male leads met their dues and Terence was crowned as Emperor. But to do that, "So¡­ How do I go ba-AAH!?!" The tendril holding Olivia yanked her away to bring her soul back to her body that Zulm had taken her from for their conversation.

    "¡­" Zulm''s eye closed for a moment, basking in the silence, before partially opening to address their other guest. "Just as you did, she used her deal to benefit her offspring rather than herself."

    "¡­" From out of the darkness waltzed a fox with pure white fur and striking yellow eyes. The fox swished its three tails which caused the wind chimes tied to them to jingle and sing.

    "As per our deal, and now that her own is done, Ayaka Fukuda will henceforth live a life filled with a loving family in my Arlexia instead of meeting her end on that street." Zulm rolled their eye, and mused, "Had you not drawn my attention, at that time, I would have passed over such a soul. I thank you, young kitsune. And as my end of the deal is concluded, now you must uphold yours."

    "¡­" The wind chimes sang a sad, yet resolved song as the fox approached Zulm.

    "You make me sound cruel, young kitsune." The fox''s form started disappearing and it closed its eyes. "While I will take your power to help strengthen my world''s defenses from further interlopers, your soul shall enter my humanity''s reincarnation cycle. Who knows? Perhaps you will even get to meet her again one day, even if neither of you will realize it."