ã€ŠMissing Worldã€‹


 Prologue: No

    Deception is not the only option

    Unveiling the truth requires caution

    WHO ARE YOU WHO Are you who are you who are you who are you, who are you?

    I am.

    No, I¡¯m not.

    Who are you?

    I¡¯m Niu.

    I¡¯ve always lived in a world of sounds while soundless¡ªno, voiceless. And, as the saying goes, a word is worth a hundred sounds. However, a single sound can be worth a hundred words, too.

    Regardless of this sophistry, I¡¯ve lived my whole life without my own sounds except for the sounds of my aching heart. Not just its beating, but its whispers as well. It allowed me to live.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Despite my obvious limits, I always thought I could be in control. Unfortunately, I was so very wrong about that. Yes, I¡¯ve had control of many things¡ªpeople, relations, even countries¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t enough. Because there was one thing I couldn¡¯t fully control: myself.

    I never really listened to myself, after all. I could hear the sounds of my own heart, but I almost never followed its advice. Arrogantly. Foolishly. Desperately! I was unable to keep my emotions in check in spite of my best efforts, or perhaps because of them? Well, it is too late either way.

    Still, I was able to reach this place. With all this pain, with all these sacrifices, with all of my sins and my virtues. With everything I¡¯ve changed about my life and my world. So if at least I¡ª

    No.

    In the end all of this is my fault. Sure, I wasn¡¯t responsible for everything, and not everything was my own choice¡­ but that¡¯s an excuse. I don''t think I¡¯ll ever overcome my guilt and shame. No matter how much I wanted to shout, they wouldn¡¯t listen. They couldn¡¯t hear it. I didn¡¯t listen to myself! So it¡¯s all my fault.

    The world is going to end because of me.

    However, I somehow feel good. For some reason, I feel bright and warm. I¡¯m happy.

    This warmth feels so nostalgic. Is this place always this sunny and bright?

 Chapter 1: Bright Light

    Had it always been this sunny and bright? It was nearly one o¡¯clock, so the sun started channeling far enough above the mountain range to the east to cast its light on the western frontier.

    Even so, Niu felt that the weather somehow differed from the usual. Simply put it was a beautiful day. Summer was imminent, so the sun being this bright was natural, and yet it was not too warm and not too cold, but just perfect. The chirping birds and buzzing insects around her all seemed to agree. Niu almost felt like humming a song if she could, though that would be childish.

    She could imagine how her hair hovering above her shoulder line, usually appearing as a deep shade of brown, revealed its reddish tint under the pleasant sun¡¯s rays. Her eyes focused on the bright sky and her small mouth consequently eased into a soft smile. She had been striding on top of the soft grass with confident steps until she noticed the sun.

    The sun: at a glance, it seemed like a great wheel of fire providing infinite heat and light throughout the hours of daytime, serving as one of the great constants of the world. If one examined it intently, however, during cloudier days perhaps, they would be able to faintly notice that it wasn¡¯t actually a colossal sphere, but in fact a collection of many, many much smaller circles. A cluster of hundreds of millions of channels of light and heat all working in tandem to create this divine phenomenon.

    Niu realized with a slight start that she¡¯d been staring at the blue sky for a bit too long. She once again set out at a brisk pace, following the road to her destination¡ªthe town of Hayden, visible ahead.

    At this time of the day not many people were taking the same road, at least not from her village; she¡¯d viewed from afar some farmers driving their wagons on their way to sell their milk, eggs, crops or such in town, but they¡¯d obviously set out much earlier than she did. Some of their farms were visible on all sides not long ago, but gradually vanished from view the closer she got to town.

    It was not a trifling distance to walk by foot every day, but Niu had been doing it for a couple of years now. At first this daily hike was tiring and difficult, but she increasingly found it more pleasant and it¡¯d become an important part of her routine. Moving her feet and seeing the nature around her served as an excellent distraction to take her mind off of her worries and calm her mind during the beginning and end of the day.

    Already the town was so near that its various buildings and establishments began poking the sky. Niu entered the final stretch of the road, but once again stopped unexpectedly.

    This time, the distraction came not from above, but from below. There was a flower on the ground near a young tree. It had soft-looking, gently curving orange petals with little spots of vivid white. Small reddish thorns were visible on its thin stem. As far as Niu could remember, she¡¯d never seen this kind of flower.

    Curious, she furrowed her eyebrows as she pondered. It most definitely wasn¡¯t a rose, despite the similarity. It was also not a marigold. While by no means an expert, Niu did have a liking for flowers and knew a bit about them, but this was her first time seeing this particular one. Also, when had it shown up anyway?

    Then again, while there was sort of a road, dirty and worn-out, Niu would often stray from it, taking a slightly different path to town every day¡ªmostly avoiding the nearby forest, since there¡¯d been cases of wild wolves even near the edge of it¡ªso it was entirely possible she¡¯d overlooked this flower blooming. An unknown solitary flower suddenly appearing like that was still quite mysterious, however.

    Now Niu hesitated. She carried a notebook inside the small, tattered bag hanging from her arm. She wasn¡¯t going to pick up the poor flower, but she could at least sketch it. Never mind her being curious about identifying it, she wanted to do it even for the mere fact it was so eye-catching.

    However, she was almost about to run late as-is. She knew herself well enough to realize how much precious time would be lost if she gave in to her urges. Eventually Niu sighed and clenched her hands as if to prevent herself from reaching to her bag. After a moment she relaxed herself, smiled brightly and shortly waved her hand at the flower, as if saying she¡¯d be back for it.

    And so Niu finally reached the town of Hayden.

    Despite its proximity to the Edge, and in complete contrast to the roads leading to it, Hayden was buzzing with activity at every corner. There were merchants yelling the names of their wares or else carrying them around in preparation for that, children running about in delight, and the occasional carriage, all heading somewhere in town.

    Niu finally managed to reach Hayden, but the town itself was obviously not her goal¡ªso she had to hurry. Any minute now the small bell tower in the center of town might announce the passing of another hour. She couldn¡¯t be late for school.

    After her physical exertion, the sun that had felt so comforting before now started making Niu sweat. She passed swiftly and quietly through the crowds and the shadows of buildings.

    ¡°Hey, look at that defect.¡±

    Niu stopped her legs. Just as she passed a certain intersection, she heard this small whisper nearby. Immediately she saw two unfamiliar boys giggling together while they gazed at an old man walking on the other side of the road. Well, rather than walking, he was actually limping¡ªhe transported himself quite awkwardly with the assistance of a cane. Quiet anger bubbled inside Niu. She swiftly approached the boys and tapped their shoulders.

    ¡°What do you¡ª"

    ¡°¡­!¡±

    With her eyebrows lowered and her mouth curved to form a scowl, Niu exposed her teeth and put a single finger to her mouth vertically. She figured her intent was been clear enough. Normally she would have gone a bit further and tried to explain why they did a bad thing, but she simply hadn¡¯t the time.

    She departed as suddenly as she came, leaving the two boys probably very confused. ¡°Who was that weirdo?¡± she thought she heard one of them mumble from behind, but she hoped they¡¯d get the message.

    Now she wore a smile again, hopeful that her thousandth distraction wouldn¡¯t make her late. Before long she could finally, finally see the small building that served as her school. The place was a bit run-down, but compared to when it had been first opened it was actually in a great shape. For one, back then it didn¡¯t even have doors, let alone windows. Now it had all those and more, and it was steadily improving.

    Also, the clock tower hadn¡¯t struck its bells yet, which meant she just barely made it there on time. That was good.

    The bells rang twice just as she entered the classroom. It truly was a close call. She waved her hand around, receiving some murmured greetings from the other boys and girls inside.

    ¡°Started wondering if you''re gonna be late,¡± a familiar voice called to her. She smiled and nodded cheerfully at the boy talking, going to her assigned seat which was directly next to him. Niu took out her notebooks and pen while the boy kept talking. ¡°Oh, and good morning.¡±

    Being amongst the tallest in the class, Gen always stood out. He had short, light-brown hair and at least for today the fuzz of a mustache with the same color; he started letting it grow a bit from time to time. He was smartly dressed in summer-use clothes with short sleeves that exposed the muscles of his arm. He was pretty popular and was thought of as quite handsome, but would probably be even more so if not for a certain lack.

    ¡°By the way,¡± Gen added, ¡°d¡¯you remember what were we doing last time? She¡¯s definitely gonna quiz me again, I just know it.¡± He glanced nervously at the door.

    Niu sighed. At times her friend would even fail to remember their weekly schedule, so it was no wonder he¡¯d forgotten even the contents of the actual lesson as well. She opened her notebook and flipped through it, but another voice replied instead.

    ¡°Umm, we talked about the Lastian revolution,¡± said the girl sitting at the table one row ahead of Gen and to the right, Shaya. It was less visible when she was sitting like this, but she was also taller than the rest of the class. Her dirty blond hair was braided.

    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±

    Niu erased her expression for an instant and let the pen fall onto a half-formed word, but almost immediately wore a small smile again.

    ¡°¡ªAll right class, sit down.¡± The voices flying around the classroom ceased once a woman entered the room: Mrs. Tammy, their teacher for this period, in charge of History class. She looked around, her glance hovering over an empty seat only for a moment before she addressed everyone. ¡°Now then, today we will continue discussing the Lastian revolution.¡±

    Gen leaned toward Niu and whispered, ¡°Wanna bet when he¡¯s coming this time? I say he only comes for second period.¡± He also eyed the same vacant seat as Mrs. Tammy. Niu shook her head just as their teacher also spoke.

    ¡°Genro, please focus; surely you want to achieve better scores on your next test?¡± she asked him to some laughs from the other students.

    Mrs. Tammy started talking about this and that while the students wrote her words down. Niu honestly hadn¡¯t much interest in history, but since it mostly took writing down dates and names, she managed to be decent in it.

    As the lesson and the lecture continued, she found her attention drifting away. Now that she was comfortable and calm in class, she recalled the warm sun she¡¯d experienced on the way, as well as the unique flower she witnessed. What was it, anyway? Perhaps she could ask Mr. Norzen, their Nature teacher, but his class was two days away. There was also a small library in town, but its selection was very limited.

    Her pen started sliding on top of the paper. She still remembered it almost perfectly: the flower¡¯s proud shape, its gentle petals, and the hint of danger from its thorns. If not by speech, then she was at least adept at passing information by other means, like drawing.

    However, Niu¡¯s line of thought and her work were cut off by the sound of the classroom door opening. She almost felt like she could also hear everyone¡¯s heads turning to look at the expected late student. If she took the earlier bet with Gen, he would¡¯ve lost.

    ¡°Roah¡­ when will you stop arriving so late?¡± Mrs. Tammy said with a sigh.

    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± was the boy¡¯s nonchalant reply as he closed the door behind him. Nothing about his voice sounded truly regretful, though. Roah brushed his dark, rough hair so that it would cover the cloth on his right eye, while his other eye surveyed the class. The combination of the eyepatch and his piercing, metallic-blue eye often lent him an air of cold aloofness, as if he was not really looking at people, but through them.

    Niu caught his eye and flashed a smile as if to welcome him despite being late. This made his eye flicker momentarily, and he then averted his gaze and went to sit in the back of the class as usual.

    ¡°Now then,¡± started Mrs. Tammy with a small pout, ¡°since you came so late, I am sure you can tell us which king proposed the Three-way Resolution?¡±

    ¡°Manosus-T,¡± Roah replied, almost sounding bored.

    The teacher sighed. ¡°It¡¯s Manosus-R. I don¡¯t know how you always do it¡­ but even if you do know the material¡ªor most of it, anyway¡ªplease do come on time, Roah.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry again,¡± he mumbled back. Niu could see Gen shaking his head in the corner of her eyes. It was always like this; no one could understand Roah at all, and most people kept their distance from him. It seemed that only a miracle led to his continued enrolment there. That, and his excellent grades despite of his usual behavior.

    Regardless, the class continued without interruptions after Roah¡¯s arrival, so after a short while Niu¡¯s thoughts drifted yet again and she resumed her drawing.

    ¡°Now, who can tell me what major historical event occurs this weekend?¡± Niu heard this just as she was putting the finishing touches on the flower. ¡°How about¡­ Niu?¡±

    It took her a moment to realize she was being spoken to. Her head jolted upward in surprise to see Mrs. Tammy looking straight at her. Small giggles echoed around and Niu wore an abashed smile.

    Despite being caught by surprise, Niu did know the answer. She took a small breath and rose to her feet, walking to the blackboard. Mrs. Tammy handed her a piece of chalk and she began writing with her back to the class. Finally, she moved to the side to reveal her answer.

    This very weekend is the 399th¡ªthe penultimate day of the year¡ªwhich is the annual founding day of Rumdon.

    Mrs. Tammy nodded approvingly. ¡°Indeed. This was one of the results of the Lastian revolution, after all. Do remember we will have a modest fair at school that day, too. And now, you¡¯re all dismissed.¡±

    The bell struck thrice moments later, as if she timed it perfectly. The next lesson would begin shortly so there was no need for anyone to rise from their seats, but the classroom began filling with chatter.

    ¡°Man, she was really sharp today,¡± said Gen, stretching his left arm. ¡°Think something¡¯s bothering her?¡±

    Niu shrugged in response. She hadn¡¯t noticed any particular change to Mrs. Tammy¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°Oh, I heard she got in a huge argument with her husband lately,¡± whispered Shaya from the front, slightly turning around with her pen still in hand. ¡°So that might be¡­ ah.¡± She suddenly lost the grip on the pen, which sent it rolling on the floor toward Gen''s seat from the right side.

    He leaned forward as if to pick it up, a seemingly natural action. However, what wasn¡¯t natural was that the pen suddenly started floating in the air as he approached it. No, if one saw it from nearby, as Niu did, they¡¯d notice a shimmering, faint silhouette in the shape of an arm that picked up the pen and then handed it back to its owner. From afar, though, it would seem as if the pen simply floated on its own, as Gen had no right arm with which to hold it.

    ¡°Gods, that¡¯s always so creepy,¡± a low whisper came from one of the onlookers nearby. Niu softly bit her lips and looked aside, but if Gen heard that remark then he made no sign of it.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Shaya flashed a smile and accepted the returned item. There was no time for further talking, though, as a bearded man entered the classroom.

    ¡°Get ready, we have a lot to cover today,¡± called Mr. Laniel, their Poetry teacher.

    When the town bell struck seven times school was finally over. As usual the students rose together, slowly evacuating the classroom in groups or by themselves. Niu, too, stretched her tired body and started packing her small bag.

    ¡°See you tomorrow,¡± said Shaya, waving her hand.

    "See ya," said Gen while Niu could only smile and nod. Soon only the two of them and Roah remained in class. Roah, as usual, seemed to be almost ignoring their existence except for the fact he would glance at them from time to time.

    ¡°Well, we should go too, I guess.¡± Gen finally rose from his seat.

    ¡°I wish he¡¯d just start using this classroom instead,¡± suddenly Roah joined in a grumble. ¡°It¡¯s a pain walking all the way to the other side.¡±

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to come, then,¡± was Gen¡¯s cynical reply adorned by a smile, earning him a cold glare from Roah¡¯s uncovered eye.

    The awkward atmosphere was broken some seconds later by Niu waving a small paper she¡¯d just written on. It¡¯s just in case we damage the classroom or whatnot, you know.

    ¡°Like someone burning up the place by accident,¡± Gen said, again shooting another glance at Roah.

    ¡°Oh, shut up about that already.¡± For the first time some anger seeped into Roah¡¯s tone.

    Gen was about to reply something back but felt a soft tap on his shoulder and turned his head around. Niu gave him a chastising look and then pointed at the door.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess we shouldn¡¯t keep Mr. Saburn waiting,¡± he mumbled, turning away from Roah and heading to the door.

    Happy at her (relatively) successful peacemaking attempt, Niu also followed him, with Roah lagging slightly behind. As Gen had previously complained, the classroom they were heading for their special lesson was located on the other side of the building that served as their school. It wasn¡¯t a big building at all, but it spread over a relatively wide area and corridors were rather narrow.

    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Gen suddenly said. ¡°I completely forgot to tell you. Guess who¡¯s in town?¡±

    Niu only tilted her head quizzically, allowing him to continue the conversation he was planning. Roah, however, inserted a comment. ¡°Your brother?¡± Niu also knew that one of Gen¡¯s older brothers served as a soldier in the capital, though she¡¯d never met him. It was a good guess.

    ¡°I do hope Rev comes to visit soon, but nah. Well, it¡¯s close.¡± He stopped in place momentarily and wore a mischievous smile as if victorious in some competition they weren¡¯t even having. ¡°It¡¯s Stard Molton!¡±

    Niu widened her eyes in surprise while Roah just looked more dubious. He asked with a raised brow, ¡°Really? Have you seen him?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to, but no," Gen admitted. ¡°I just heard he¡¯s coming here today.¡± Meanwhile, as he reached the classroom first, Gen opened the door and they all entered. The room was smaller than all the other classrooms, and in fact used to be a cupboard of some sort.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s just a rumor? I should have guessed,¡± Roah said, sighing.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that!¡± Gen insisted. ¡°I heard my parents talking about it when they thought I couldn¡¯t hear them.¡± He smirked again. ¡°So it¡¯s obviously not just a rumor. They always know what¡¯s going on around here.¡±

    Gen¡¯s parents were well-known figures in town, being the wealthiest family around. Their ancestors were among the founders of town, a fact which was reflected in their very family name¡ªHydeen. If anyone knew about some important person coming there, it would surely be them. They had many connections and ways to gather information.

    Meanwhile, Niu flashed yet another note: You really admire Molton, don¡¯t you?

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Obviously,¡± said Gen, sitting down at his preferred seat in the middle table. ¡°I wish I could see him fight¡­ no, I wish he¡¯d teach me how to fight. Oh, but I¡¯d even give anything even just to see him soar through the air¡­ incredible.¡± His eyes almost seemed to sparkle as he probably imagined the battling figure of the man known as the strongest in Rumdon. ¡°And he¡¯s one of us.¡±

    A short silence flowed as they probably all thought about the common point they shared. Eventually Roah broke it.

    ¡°Why would Molton come to this shithole anyway?¡±

    ¡°Hey, our town is great!¡± Gen sounded hurt.

    ¡°Yeah, whatever.¡±

    ¡°Oh? How do you know about Stard being here?¡± a third voice sounded from behind. The three all turned to the door at the same time, where they saw a man sitting on chair. More accurately it was a wheelchair, and it was just barely able to pass the threshold.

    Normally, Salom Saburn was their Math teacher, but he also conducted special lessons for Niu, Gen and Roah. Even without regarding his obviously unused legs, his entire body was slim, on the verge of being sickly thin. He often wore a calm smile, and small wrinkles converged around his gentle eyes covered by glasses. His face was covered in uneven, short stubble as if he only lazily shaved, while his brown hair was mottled with many lines of gray and white. He looked both old and young at once.

    ¡°Well, I just heard my parents speaking about it, is all¡­¡± Gen said, and then realized with a start, ¡°wait, so it¡¯s true!¡±

    Roah was even sharper on the uptake. ¡°And you called him Stard, did you? Are you two perhaps on familiar terms?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well,¡± Saburn muttered a bit awkwardly with a strained smile, ¡°you could say that, yes.¡±

    Gen also grew suspicious. ¡°Now that I think about, you also came here from the capital¡­ do you know Molton?¡±

    ¡°As much as any of you, really¡­¡±

    ¡°Liar,¡± said Roah, his eye locking onto Saburn¡¯s expression, ¡°I can tell from your face you know him a bit more than that.¡±

    Fortunately, Saburn was saved from the interrogation by the sound of a stomp, with Niu providing a written commentary as usual: May we please just start the lesson?

    ¡°Ah, so glad that Niu¡¯s got my back,¡± said Saburn with a wide smile. ¡°Take your seats, please. It is time for a quiz.¡±

    Saburn placed an old-looking bucket on his table and a small sheet of paper on each of their desks. Niu had several ideas about what was going to happen here, but merely waited for Saburn¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°Now, I want all of you to draw a water icon,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of what kind?¡± Roah¡¯s question was lightning-quick.

    ¡°A good question," Saburn praised him, nodding. ¡°But do as you please. That is also part of the quiz.¡± He smiled mysteriously.

    ¡°I mean, I guess we¡¯re going to fill the bucket or something,¡± mumbled Gen, ¡°finally some practical channeling again!¡± Saburn¡¯s smile and silence neither confirmed nor denied his words as Gen looked at him, so the boy frowned and simply set out to work.

    Niu¡¯s pen was already running on the piece of paper. Her hand moved delicately and accurately. Depending on how one would write it, a water icon usually consisted of curving lines, so it was a bit harder than most icons. Even so she worked elegantly, perfectly drawing the base. Next were the functions. What did Saburn expect of them, exactly?

    ¡°You made a mistake there,¡± Niu jumped when she heard Saburn¡¯s admonishing voice, but his wheelchair passed next to Gen.

    ¡°I-I know,¡± hissed the other boy, clicking his tongue. Niu returned to her own work.

    She still had no concrete idea what Saburn was aiming for, so she decided on doing it as simple as possible. While he valued innovation, he also appreciated an apt execution of the basics rather than aiming for something too complicated and failing.

    Icons were, after all, nothing but a tool to focus the mind. They were made by standards, so the only ones those standards affected were those who set them in the first place, or something like that. That was one of their very first lessons.

    After a short while Saburn clapped his hands. ¡°Alright, I will give you just another minute.¡±

    ¡°D-don¡¯t rush me,¡± grumbled Gen, his head lowering further and further to the piece of paper in front of him. Roah, on the other hand, seemingly already finished and was watching the others. Niu herself was putting the finishing touches.

    ¡°And¡­ time¡¯s over.¡±

    Niu was pretty sure it was actually less than a minute¡ªat times Saburn could be a bit mean¡ªbut none of them complained. Saburn extended his hand, gesturing them to pass their papers to him, which they did. He glanced at each of them, nodding a bit before handing them back.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll see the issues soon enough,¡± he said, smirking. Gen made a small groan and even Niu pouted; she actually thought her icon was more or less perfect. But Saburn gave no explanation yet. ¡°Now I need you all of you come here.¡± He rolled his chair to the teacher''s desk. The three joined him.

    Niu took a peek inside the bucket placed there, but at a glance it seemed completely normal. She looked at Saburn instead, again waiting for further instructions.

    ¡°Taking turns, you will each use icons to fill the bucket with water,¡± he explained, his face wearing the usual gentle smile. That much was to be expected. ¡°Now, who¡¯s going to go first?¡±

    The two boys and one girl barely managed to glance at one another.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± called Gen, raising his hand. ¡°You know what they say, morning only comes after the sunrise.¡±

    Saburn chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t know if that''s a real saying, but you are right. You hesitated too much, you two.¡± He smiled at Roah and Niu. Roah grumbled something under his breath. Niu just shrugged and resigned to watching Gen¡¯s attempt.

    ¡°¡­Fine, here we go,¡± mumbled Gen, taking his piece of paper and carefully putting it inside the bucket. This was perhaps an advantage of his going first, since he could simply place the icon inside¡ªthe next attempts would possibly be harder after the bucket started filling. Gen¡¯s face stiffened as he concentrated¡ªand flinched as a splash of liquid hit his face. Roah snickered from behind, causing Gen to shoot an angry glance at him.

    ¡°Yes, I figured something of the sort would happen,¡± said Saburn. ¡°Your icon was quite¡­ sloppy, I¡¯m afraid to say.¡±

    ¡°Crap... sorry.¡± Since Gen had stopped almost immediately, the bucket was only damp. The paper inside was covered in spots of moisture. He frowned and went in for another try. A small spray of water leapt at him again, but this time he managed to preserve the channel properly.

    Not much of the bucket was filled by water before the paper melted too much to be readable. Gen huffed as if he was after a marathon.

    ¡°Decent,¡± Saburn concluded, obviously to Gen¡¯s dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Then I''ll go next,¡± Roah announced without waiting. Niu frowned but couldn¡¯t really do anything to stop him as he snatched his piece of paper and held it inside the bucket, above the water surface.

    As before, the channel opened and water started pouring out of it. However, it quickly covered and ripped the paper that Roah tried holding delicately. He clicked his tongue. The bucket wasn¡¯t even half-full yet.

    ¡°Yes, I imagined that would happen,¡± Saburn said nonchalantly. ¡°Also, the channeling itself seemed quite weak, Roah. It seems that your skills are often in extremes to either side¡­ we¡¯ll work on that.¡± Roah didn¡¯t reply; he merely scowled and appeared to retreat into his own thoughts, perhaps reflecting on his work.

    It was finally Niu¡¯s turn. She felt a bit nervous as everyone¡¯s eyes focused on her, but took her piece of paper and held it inside the bucket. Then she gritted her teeth and concentrated.

    Channeling was much like trying to control nature itself. The sky would naturally channel light, heat and wind, and at times water. There were also the other less common channels, but all of them operated under the same principle. Then there were the very few people that could do even better¡ªmeaning that they could willfully and purposely open these channels.

    However, even just trying to imagine controlling channels was very mentally taxing. And so a mental aid was born: the icon.

    Niu focused on the symbol she herself had drawn. All of its intricacies, shapes and curves consolidated into the act of opening the channel of water. She was prepared and she was in control. It happened as smooth as flowing water, to use a suitable simile. It was as if the piece of paper was leaking water, since there was no sign as to where all the liquid came from; it was just there.

    However, in the end, just like before, the paper got wet, the ink became smudged and the icon lost its effectiveness. The channel of water closed and Niu was left holding a sodden, mostly-torn paper. She hung her head in disappointment. Although she was careful and deliberate, her attempt had actually lasted for much less time than those of her peers.

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel down, Niu. Your icon was wonderful.¡± Saburn¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t as comforting as it should have been due to the implicit statement that everything else was less than wonderful, but she still nodded and tried wearing a smile.

    The quiz finally ended.

    ¡°Now, your results were mixed,¡± their teacher said, ¡°but I¡¯m sorry to say that you have all failed.¡±

    ¡°Failed?¡± Gen¡¯s confused voice was the first to break the somewhat tense silence. ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Saburn, it wasn¡¯t that bad¡­ sure, we could¡¯ve done a lot better, but we did manage to do exactly what you told us to.¡±

    Saburn shook his head. ¡°No, I am sorry to say that you completely failed. And I have to say that I expected more from you. Especially from Roah.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± the boy asked in disbelief, eye widening. Based on his expression it was obvious that he actually thought he was pretty good, if not the best among them.

    ¡°Yes. For example, I fully expected you to take Niu¡¯s paper for your turn,¡± Saburn said nonchalantly and to their utter surprise.

    ¡°Taker her¡­? But I thought we had to¡ª" Roah stopped in the middle of the sentence, his mouth hanging open.

    ¡°Yes? Had to what?¡± Saburn asked back with a gentle smile.

    Roah snapped his fingers. ¡°Right, you didn¡¯t actually tell us to use our own paper.¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡± Gen still didn''t seem to understand. ¡°But I thought we had to¡­¡±

    ¡°Again, had to what?¡±

    Niu now realized; Saburn¡¯s only instruction was to open a channel of water inside the bucket. Nothing more, nothing less. Of course, since it was preceded by the instruction to draw an icon, perhaps it was inevitable to think like that. It was sort of cheating, but that was probably the point behind this whole quiz. Wait, but if so, then¡­

    ¡°Crap, you really got us this time,¡± Gen sighed and smiled wryly, scratching his head.

    Saburn nodded. ¡°Yes. I have already practiced small tricks like these on you before, but let this serve as your first lesson to expect things to get much trickier indeed,¡± his smile seemed almost one of great anticipation. ¡°Also, what I said just now was only one of the possible tricks. Can you think of any other?¡±

    Even Roah looked stumped for a change. As Niu already pondered this before he asked, she immediately reached an answer. She hurriedly turned toward her desk, grabbed a paper and a pen and started writing. The other three all watched over her in silence, probably curious at her answer. Finally, she presented them with her idea.

    We could simply write¡ªor etch, even¡ªour own icons into the bucket, could we not? Just like you didn¡¯t tell us to use our own papers, you actually haven''t told us to use them at all. Is that another trick, Mr. Saburn?

    ¡°Yes!¡± Saburn sounded jubilant, ¡°yes, excellent. Well-reasoned, Niu.¡±

    Niu nearly blushed from being praised like that and couldn¡¯t help but smile from ear to ear.

    ¡°In the ideal scenario, one of you who isn¡¯t confident in their iconwork was going to steal the work of their friend. Then perhaps another would realize that using the bucket directly as a medium is for the best. And there¡¯s another final trick that relates to that. Come here.¡±

    Once again, they all gathered around the half-full bucket. Smiling, Saburn pointed at a certain spot in the interior of the bucket, right above the slightly-rippling water surface.

    ¡°Wait,¡± This time Roah was the first to understand, his lone eye widening. ¡°That¡¯s an icon?¡±

    It was hard to see, since at a glance it only seemed like one of the many scratches already covering the bucket all over, but now that their attention was fully brought to it, it was indeed an obvious icon. It was somewhat crude and simple due to its size, yet still recognizable enough to probably work.

    ¡°Just like this,¡± Saburn mumbled as he looked inside the bucket. A thin stream poured down the icon and then ceased. He opened the channel almost lazily and closed it just as casually. To him it was as simple as snapping his finger. This wasn¡¯t the first time Saburn showed them his channeling prowess, but it was still just as impressive even when on such a small scale. He turned back to the trio with a smile.

    Gen leaked a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think this whole channeling business is meaningless,¡± he grumbled. ¡°We''ll never reach that kind of level, and besides, why bother with that when I already have something like this?¡± He lightly raised his shoulder and with it a silhouette of an arm faintly shone for a split second.

    ¡°As useful and incredible as your ability is, possessing more skills is never bad. In time we will work on that, as well, but for now channeling is just as important. Imagine yourself getting stuck out in the desert, dying of thirst. A simple icon on a rock could save your life.¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any deserts in Rumdon anyway,¡± was Gen¡¯s response.

    ¡°It was just an example, idiot,¡± spat Roah.

    Gen was about to say something but his shoulder was grabbed by Saburn. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gen. You have your own valuable skills. All I¡¯m doing is trying to teach you enough so that your talents do not go to waste. That is part of why this school was founded, after all.¡± He smiled. ¡°Keep your mind open and persevere. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°More like keep your eye open for nasty tricks,¡± mumbled Roah.

    ¡°Sure, that too,¡± Saburn said. ¡°At times lying is even more important than telling the truth. But that is a lesson for another time, perhaps.¡±

    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Gen, ¡°I get it. I wasn¡¯t going to give up, you can be sure of that.¡± He flashed their teacher a smile. Roah, meanwhile, seemed somewhat resigned.

    ¡°I think we will finish with this for today, even if the lesson seems a bit short. Which reminds me, we will not be meeting tomorrow. Take some time off and think about what we¡¯ve done today and prepare yourself mentally for more to come.¡±

    ¡°Why is there no lesson?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I have some business in town,¡± Saburn replied with a mysterious smile.

    ¡°Is that related to Molton?¡± Roah asked again, but Saburn merely shrugged. Which was as good as a confirmation, really, but Roah pursued it no further. Even Gen knew that Saburn would not budge in situations like this. Instead, he went to get his bag.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± said Gen, stretching. ¡°Should I escort you to the edge of town, Niu?¡±

    In response the girl shook her head, which made Gen puzzled. She smiled, pointed at Saburn and then waved with her other hand. He knew her well and long enough to understand even such simplistic gestures.

    ¡°Sure. See you tomorrow, then!¡±

    Roah had already left the classroom, and soon also Gen was out.

    ¡°Yes? You wanted to ask me something?¡± Saburn spoke quietly. Niu nodded and began writing on a piece of paper. She softly bit her lips and averted her gaze while presenting the text to her teacher.

    Is it really fine for me to be here? My icons are fine but my channeling is horrible. And unlike the other two, I don¡¯t have any compensation.

    She heard Saburn take a long breath and then he started speaking. ¡°So that¡¯s what you were worried about... Niu, you¡¯re doing great, I promise you that. As for your compensation, it¡¯s probably your ability to express yourself in drawing and writing instead of verbally. Perhaps not flashy, but it is very useful still.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d heard this, and she still felt it was dubious. Then again, according to Saburn, he himself had researched this phenomenon back when he was in the capital of Copius. Even if he was saying this just to make her feel better, it had some persuasiveness.

    ¡°Also, I don¡¯t have any compensation either, you remember? You and I are completely different from someone like Stard, but that¡¯s fine. You¡¯ve got something great waiting for you¡ªI know it. You just need to persevere and control your life.¡±

    Still not quite convinced but a bit encouraged by his choice of words, she nodded and smiled at him.

    ¡°Go along then,¡± he said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stay outside too late.¡±

    Niu smiled somewhat shyly, took her bag and went. Saburn was left sitting alone inside the desolate classroom.

    Niu¡¯s way back home was much less eventful than that morning. By the time she had left town, descended down the hills and reached the outskirts of her village, the light in the sky was already starting to tilt toward the west. It was already past 8 o¡¯clock, so soon the sun would start sinking behind the trees growing at the very edge and vanish entirely.

    The surroundings were quiet. Most of the day¡¯s work was done and the various field workers returned to their homes and families for the night, just as Niu did. Presently she reached her place of residence, a rickety wooden building. It looked like a joke when compared to even the poorest in Hayden, but for Niu it was home.

    She entered, making the door creak. This sound caused the head of a woman sitting at a table with pieces of cloth and needle in hand to raise her face. She was Niu''s mother, Naria.

    If described in a single word, that word could probably be "haggard". Even at the best of times (not that Niu could remember any) Naria¡¯s eyes were always narrowed as if carrying her wrinkled brow. Her once-brown hair had already faded to gray despite being only around Saburn¡¯s age. When she looked at Niu her green eyes seemed to look past her and into empty air.

    Only when Niu waved with a plastered, stiff smile did she respond.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± Naria spoke dryly. ¡°I will make some dinner soon.¡± And she returned her gaze to the needlework, working sluggishly.

    That was the sum of their interaction. Niu¡¯s mom asked nothing about her day. Nothing about school or friends or even the small packed lunch that she made for Niu. It was a dry greeting, only going through the motions without any thought behind it.

    Niu erased her smile and headed to the other part of the house, where her ¡°room¡± was located. It was only about big enough to have a dingy mattress and a small desk, yet it never felt truly cramped. Not physically, anyway.

    Switching into her second pair of clothes, drawn from the small chest under her desk, she checked her notes from the day. As she did, she found her sketch of the flower from this morning, realizing with a start she¡¯d completely forgotten to try looking for it on her way back home.

    Oh well; that could wait for tomorrow. Instead, she began doing her homework from the day. The setting sun provided her with barely enough light to solve some equations, recount the names of metals and analyze a piece of silly poetry from a hundred years back.

    Soon after this Niu heard her mother call to her. Dinner was so mundane that there was no need to describe it; it was simple eating, and Naria wasn¡¯t even in the room with her, probably gone to take care of some other chore. Niu knew that her father probably wouldn¡¯t return home tonight either. She merely left the dishes behind and returned to her room.

    Next Niu opened her notebook yet again. This time what she wrote had nothing to do with schoolwork, though.

    She wrote solemnly and carefully yet also powerfully, packing every single word and letter with her emotions, her face stiffening as though in effort. This process filled a page and then it was all over as suddenly as it began. Following this she methodically plucked the page out of her notebook, took a firm hold of it, and ripped it into two. She stacked both halves, ripped them together yet again, and repeated the process multiple times until nothing remained but shreds.

    Her grim mask vanished, all tension left her body, and the thin line of her mouth broke into a wide grin.

    Now that she felt somewhat calmer, and in order to take advantage of the last rays of the sun, Niu lay her stomach on the bed and reached under it to pull out a tattered book. This was one of the very few things she owned.

    The cover was already faded and half the pages seemed likely to fall down at any moment. Half of it was due to the age of the book, and the other half was due to how frequently Niu leafed through it. She opened it pretty much at random and found the title of a story.

    "The Soft Rose"

    Long ago, when fairies were still in this world (which was a very common sort of introduction in these types of stories), there was a certain forest. A farmer¡¯s boy lived nearby, spending his days helping his father in the field or his mother in the house while longing for the forest.

    Whenever he had the time¡ªor whenever he¡¯d sneak away from his duties¡ªhe would go and gaze at the beautiful flowers growing between the tall trees. And the most beautiful of all were the roses, red and pure as blood and life. However, whenever the boy tried plucking a rose, their thorns pricked his fingers, deterring him.

    He wished no harm for the roses, merely to admire their beauty and perhaps show it to others, but they refused him nonetheless. Day after day he tried devising new ways to reach out to his treasure, but it would always end with bleeding fingers and a broken heart.

    One of those days, a fairy happened to pass nearby, observing the boy¡¯s daily ritual. The fairy fluttered its wings around, sinking between blades of grass, mixing with swarms of butterflies and hiding behind flower petals to silently watch the boy¡¯s silly yet charming endeavor.

    Filled with a bit of kindness and more than a little mischievousness, the fairy decided it would help the boy gain his wishes, albeit at a price. And so, the next day, when the boy came to attempt to take a rose yet again, the fairy suddenly

    At this point Niu had to stop, however, for it was getting too dark outside to read. She closed the book along with a soft sigh. Well, by now she knew the entire story almost word for word, anyway.

    While the fairy was going to play a trick on the unsuspecting child, it would serve to teach him a valuable lesson. For although they were capricious, fairies always helped humans¡ªthis was why Niu loved their stories so much.

    She wanted to be like that, too. Likely the only way for her to make that dream come true was to excel in her studies, which had been granted to her like a present from the heavens (or from a fairy?), and move to the capital. Perhaps there she could follow in Saburn¡¯s footsteps¡­

    That was a still faraway dream, though. She still had a lot of work left before she could move in that direction.

    Not wanting to go to sleep just yet, Niu once again reached beneath her bed and pulled out a small object. At a glance it looked like a glass orb with a handle, but there was a large icon engraved on its surface. It was drawn such that it would be prominent and clear even in the dark, so Niu immediately focused in it.

    Unlike her attempt this afternoon, this time her channeling was perfect. The orb started emitting light: this item was known as a channeling lamp. Light was known to be among the easier¡ªif not easiest¡ªto channel, at least in its most basic form, so it was perfectly suited even for beginners; Saburn had given each of the kids one such lamp as a gift after their first successful practical lesson.

    Apparently, it was created with some sort of gem that stored light in it for a short while, meaning that one had to reactivate it only after a short while, and it was designed to be easily usable even in darkness by its simple icon design. Even this, of course, was difficult to operate at first¡ªbut after a long time of usage, Niu managed to master at least that.

    She placed the small source of light on her windowsill and gazed outside. While the usual hours of darkness began descending on their world, it was actually not completely pitch-dark. Viewed just above the horizon was another source of light.

    It was known as Fairland, world of the fair folk.

    Fairies, while a subject of many legends, actually existed in this world¡ªor so ancient history told. No person in many centuries had seen them, and yet it was common knowledge that they continued to exist in the other world viewed in the sky.

    Just like on Plainland¡ªtheir own world¡ªthe fairies¡¯ world also seemed to channel light for half of the day, yet their daily cycle was different. Here it was night, but on Fairland it should be midday.

    On the opposite side of Plainland there were also the lights of Blissland¡ªthe holy domain of the Gods. However, they couldn¡¯t be seen from Hayden due to the mountain range to the east. Niu was more interested in fairies anyway, so she never thought much of Blissland. She heard that the channeling of light there was chaotic and unreliable, anyhow.

    Looking for a while, Niu suddenly felt as if she could see another light in the dark sky. She furrowed her brows and squinted, but wasn¡¯t sure. Perhaps Roah would be able to tell, but for a moment she was sure she could see some small glint¡ªno, several small light sources, even.

    The only things in the sky should be the two worlds, so was it just her imagination? Niu rubbed her eyes and gazed at the sky again, but still she felt like she could see small lights hanging there. It was truly bizarre, but also somewhat pretty¡ªit almost seemed as if there were even more worlds out there.

    Niu kept pondering this for a while until the lamp went dark. She took that as a sign to finally conclude her activities for that day. Tomorrow would be a better day, she felt. She returned the lamp to its place under the bed, got on top of it and crawled into the thin sheets.

    The darkness closed its curtains on another normal day, perhaps her last.

    Above the spheres a bright light

    Shows that something isn¡¯t right

 Chapter 2: Shadow Blight

    It was yet another beautiful and sunny morning. The only thing that got on Niu¡¯s nerves as she made her way to school as usual was realizing¡ªonly when she nearly already reached Hayden¡ªthat she¡¯d forgotten all about the flower again. Despite her curiosity, it still managed to completely slip her mind.

    She gazed longingly at the fields stretching behind her, but it was already too late to turn back. She just hoped the flower would stay put and wait for her¡ªwell, not like it could do anything else.

    This time, though, she arrived with quite a bit of time to spare. She saw that Gen and Shaya were engaged in conversation just as she entered the classroom.

    ¡°So let¡¯s wait for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, there she is! Good morning.¡± Shaya waved at her when she saw Niu enter. Hearing that, Gen turned around to her as well.

    ¡°Good morning, and nice timing,¡± he also greeted her.

    She nodded back with a smile, and then tilted her head as if to say, what were you talking about?

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that, umm,¡± for some reason he stumbled with the words, ¡°since we don¡¯t have our special lesson today, I thought it¡¯d be a good chance to go hang out around town. I even asked my parents for a little spending money. Whaddya say?¡±

    Originally Niu would have probably used the spare time to look for the flower again, but that sounded better. She nodded enthusiastically. It had been a while since their last outing.

    ¡°Then maybe I should leave you two alone, then?¡± wondered Shaya. It wasn¡¯t clear from her tone whether or not she was making a joke.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Of course not,¡± Gen said with a raised brow. ¡°And I¡¯ve already invited you.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll come too, then.¡± Only then did they notice Roah also standing nearby; he probably arrived just after Niu, arriving early for a change.

    ¡°Uh, no one invited you,¡± said Gen.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. We need to get along,¡± Roah said with a sly smile. ¡°Mr. Saburn said so, too. So don¡¯t exclude me like that.¡±

    ¡°But why do I even have to¡­¡± Gen¡¯s mumble was cut off by a small tap on his shoulder. Niu merely smiled at him, but that said enough. ¡°Fine. Whatever. If you want to tag along, I can¡¯t really stop you, even if I don¡¯t like this at all. Just don¡¯t expect anything from me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I never expected anything out of you¡ªrelated to this or otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You s¡­¡± Gen got angry again, but bit off the rest of his words, probably for Niu¡¯s sake.

    Yes, these two never got along, but Niu knew Roah wasn¡¯t as bad as he seemed, all things considered; he was just a bit rough on the edges. She smiled at him now, but not only did he not return that smile, he even looked away from her. Well, there were still plenty of things she didn¡¯t understand about him, so this was nothing new.

    ¡°It¡¯s settled then, I guess.¡± Gen finally sat down.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shaya said with a smile.

    Although the day started well enough, the first period was yet another History lesson, so it was long and painful.

    Finally late noon arrived and school was over. Students began dispersing and heading back home, and normally Shaya would be among them, but today she went along with the other three just like they planned.

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s only 6 o¡¯clock so we have plenty of time to spare,¡± Gen pumped his fist. ¡°Man, I wonder if we somehow end up seeing Molton today.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about that?¡± mumbled Roah.

    ¡°Molton?¡± Shaya asked.

    ¡°Oh right, I didn¡¯t tell you. I heard from my parents that Stard Molton¡¯s in town right now. Mr. Saburn also practically confirmed it. If I could just see him, even once¡­ no, but I¡¯d really like to talk to him, or¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stard Molton, umm, he¡¯s that soldier guy, right?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Yeah, the best there is,¡± Gen started getting excited.

    ¡°He¡¯ll talk about him until the sun sinks if you don¡¯t stop him,¡± warned Roah.

    Gen was about to respond to that, but Niu tugged on his shirt. She looked at all of them and pointed to a certain street corner. A small crowd was standing around a man who seemed to be a street performer.

    ¡°Ooh,¡± sounded Shaya, ¡°he¡¯s probably practicing for the fair.¡±

    The man held a few balls made of cloth, alternating between throwing and catching them. At times he even spun around or threw a ball behind his back, yet not a single one of them fell to the ground.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯re plenty of those guys every year,¡± said Gen. ¡°Wait till you see the fireworks though! My parents told me they brought some real amazing ones this year.¡±

    Niu smiled in satisfaction; everyone was enraptured enough by the performance they completely forgot the small fight that nearly happened just now.

    Soon the performance was over. The man grabbed all his balls and bowed deeply to the crowd¡¯s cheers. Niu and the rest also joined the clapping, except for Roah who seemed unimpressed through this whole ordeal.

    After his many bows, the performer placed a tattered hat at his feet. Many such people used the annual fair as leverage to make some money, since everyone was allowed to open stalls or shows as they pleased. Gen, too, stepped ahead to insert a small coin, ignoring the fact that some people distanced themselves from him as he did so.

    When he came back to the other three a voice suddenly called to him.

    ¡°Hey, watcha doing here?¡± This cheerful voice belonged to a young man who was apparently part of the crowd. He was tall and lean, sporting a clean-shaven face and light brown hair. He looked like an older version of Gen¡ªand for a reason. Niu remembered having seen Gen¡¯s older brother a couple of times before; if memory served, his name was Karson.

    ¡°Huh, that''s what I ought to be asking you,¡± Gen retorted, ¡°don¡¯t you have work, Kar?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m working. Just running some errands when I suddenly see you with your girlfriend,¡± said Kar, smiling at Niu. She averted her gaze.

    ¡°Wha¡ªwill you stop saying that?¡± Gen protested.

    ¡°Yeah, I see you¡¯re actually just hanging out with your friends so I guess it¡¯s not a date,¡± his brother said, shrugging. ¡°Too bad.¡±

    ¡°Shut up already.¡± Hearing a snicker from behind him, Gen then turned and added, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing,¡± replied Roah. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice seeing you siblings get along so well?¡±

    ¡°S-stop that,¡± Shaya mumbled weakly. Niu also nodded next to her.

    Gen gritted his teeth. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going,¡± and was the first to rush away.

    ¡°See you later!¡± Kar called after him, waving his arm. Niu only looked at him for a moment and then hurried to join the others.

    ¡°Moving on,¡± Gen huffed, ¡°I found something I think you¡¯ll like, Niu.¡±

    With eyebrows raised in curiosity, she followed him along with the others.

    After a few minutes¡¯ walk, they all came to the front of a small antique shop. They didn¡¯t even have to go inside and Gen didn¡¯t need to explain anything, as it was soon obvious why he took her there.

    Niu¡¯s mouth hung open in the shape of a wow. Standing in the display window was a wooden statue nearly as large as a toddler. It depicted the figure of a fairy. With large eyes, a small frame, delicate wings and curly hair it was somewhat of a clich¨¦, but that was exactly what Niu liked about it. Even when obviously made of wood it looked so lifelike that Niu felt almost as if the fairy was actually smiling at her.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± said Shaya.

    ¡°Hehe, I saw it the other day and knew immediately she¡¯d like it.¡±

    Niu took a step closer, almost bumping into the window. It was somewhat embarrassing, but she really did like stories about fairies and her friends knew that. Oh, what she would give to add that to her very small collection of treasures¡­

    ¡°Too bad it¡¯s pretty pricy,¡± said Gen, ¡°otherwise maybe I coulda¡­¡±

    But Niu shook her head with vigor. She couldn¡¯t let Gen of all people waste money on her for such a silly thing.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll just steal it for you then.¡± Roah¡¯s words were so nonchalant that he caused everyone to stare at him. He scowled and mumbled, ¡°It was just a joke, Gods.¡±

    Yet another example of the mysterious ways of Roah. Was this his attempt at being nice to her or something? She honestly couldn¡¯t tell. Instead she turned to look at the fairy statue again. Now she noticed there was another wooden statue next to it. At first it seemed bland and plain, but now she realized that it was actually a God.

    In art, the Gods were commonly depicted as vague humanoid figures surrounded in light, possibly with long hair. Since it was a statue, however, it looked like a simple puppet. It was way less of an impressive work than the fairy, but the Gods weren¡¯t as popular in the Western Kingdom of Rumdon as elsewhere.

    ¡°Hey, Roah!¡±

    A new voice caught Niu¡¯s attention. When she turned, she saw the named boy clicking his tongue. The one speaking to him wasn''t Gen or Shaya, but one of two boys in dirty clothing standing in the street.

    ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m busy,¡± he spat.

    ¡°What about the money you owe us, eh?¡± asked one of the boys.

    ¡°I told you I¡¯ll get it next week. Now get lost,¡± Roah tried speaking quietly but everyone could obviously hear him. Niu couldn¡¯t see his face, but whatever expression he made seemed to have made the two boys just leave without adding anything.

    ¡°¡­Huh, what was that?¡± asked Gen with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Personal business.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I know one of them, actually.¡± Gen directed a suspicious look at the other boy. ¡°That boy with the hat. Didn¡¯t he steal some school equipment once?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just forget about it,¡± Roah mumbled, averting his gaze.

    ¡°Why do you have business with them?¡± Without Niu even noticing Gen drew closer to the other boy. Even the sharp look in Roah¡¯s lone eye didn¡¯t deter him.

    ¡°I told you to forget it,¡± he hissed.

    ¡°Look,¡± Gen said, ¡°I don¡¯t give a crap what you involve yourself in, but if your friends do anything to¡ª¡±

    Roah¡¯s eye widened. ¡°They¡¯re not my friends¡ª¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re not either, so why are you here anyway? You haven¡¯t even¡­ even¡­¡±

    ¡°Even what?¡± Roah snorted. ¡°Invited you all on a stroll around town? Showed Niu something she likes? Wow, that¡¯s so impressive.¡±

    Gen¡¯s response was to clench his fist while Roah¡¯s collar was suddenly rising, no, was being pulled by an invisible arm. Gen looked ready to hit Roah right in the face and so the other boy¡¯s hand reached for his pocket¡ª

    ¡°S-stop it!¡±

    Concurrently with Shaya¡¯s shout, Gen¡¯s shirt was pulled from behind. Niu bit her lips; she¡¯d been frozen for far too long, just watching them, before she moved toward Gen. This was actually much worse than the usual. They started drawing the attention of passersby.

    Even the door of the shop they were standing in front of opened and a man came out with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°Is something the matter? Don¡¯t cause a ruckus right in front of my shop.¡± The owner¡¯s expression seemed to be a mix of surprise, worry and perhaps even some disgust.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s in order, sir,¡± Roah spoke calmly and stepped away; the other boy had already separated from him. Gen himself was far from being calm, though.

    ¡°Umm, we¡¯ll¡­ we¡¯ll just be going,¡± mumbled Shaya. Niu also lowered her head apologetically in front of the shop owner and made a strained smile. The man merely stood in place, arms folded, and watched them leave.

    ¡°Crap,¡± Gen cursed under his breath.

    It¡¯s fine. Nothing happened, Niu wrote hurriedly.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡±

    Roah was curiously silent. Perhaps even he was surprised at Gen¡¯s reaction and didn¡¯t want to set it off again with one of his usual quips. Gen still sent venomous looks at him from time to time, though.

    ¡°So, where should we go next?¡± asked Shaya, trying to remain cheerful.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you,¡± said Gen somewhat dryly, ¡°but I¡¯m getting hungry. Let¡¯s go get something.¡±

    Several minutes later, each of them held a sweet bun in hand. It wasn¡¯t much more than a piece of bread with plenty of sugar and other minor ingredients but it was a popular snack in their town. It was cheap, tasty and easy to make.

    Despite the girls¡¯ initial refusal Gen treated them both. Niu nibbled guiltily as she couldn¡¯t spare the money to get one herself, or rather she owned no money in the first place. Roah, meanwhile, bought one on his own despite his apparent debt from before, but Gen seemed intent on ignoring his existence for now.

    ¡°¡­so I¡¯m really looking forward to it,¡± concluded Shaya. While finishing off her sweet bun she told them about some dance show set to appear in the fair. There was apparently some wandering troupe of performers who¡¯d never been in Hayden before.

    ¡°Oh, I think I heard about them,¡± Gen snapped his fingers in recognition. ¡°Their name was, uh¡­ Green Gale?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that!¡± Shaya sounded excited. ¡°I heard their main stars are this married couple, and they''re supposed to be incredibly well-coordinated.¡±

    ¡°I heard they¡¯re channelers, too,¡± Roah unexpectedly joined the conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t know how educational it could be, but maybe we¡¯ll learn something.¡±

    Niu raised her brows in wonder. She didn¡¯t like dance shows as much as Shaya, but this somewhat increased her interest in the event. She was the weakest in channeling among their group, after all.

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re channelers¡­¡± mumbled Shaya in a sort of raspy voice. There was some emotion that was possibly a tinge of jealousy mixed in with her voice. Perhaps she felt left out of the group when such topics arose. ¡°Oh, and they¡¯ll probably be wearing something like this.¡±

    She stopped in front of a clothing shop. As Niu wore pretty much barely-functional clothes she¡¯d never been to such shops, nor did she really have any sense of fashion. What Shaya seemed to be focusing on was a turquoise, close-fitting short dress. It actually looked much fancier than the rest of the shop, and its price tag indicated that, too.

    Shaya sighed softly. It was obvious this was something she wanted to try wearing, too.

    ¡°Well, not like it¡¯ll even fit you,¡± came Roah¡¯s curt reply. Shaya just lowered her gaze dejectedly, but Niu frowned; Roah could be really rude at times.

    And, as expected her reaction was mild when compared to Gen¡¯s.

    ¡°Alright, go the fuck away.¡± Gen was somewhat hot-headed and brash, but it was rare hearing him swear like this. Even Roah looked a bit disturbed.

    ¡°Stop being so¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, shut up,¡± Gen interjected. ¡°This entire day¡ªor maybe ever since we¡¯ve known¡ªyou¡¯ve been nothing but a jerk. Never mind that fire back then, but I can¡¯t stand you speaking like¡­ like that.¡±

    Roah rolled his eyes with a small groan. This made Gen even angrier, though he seemed to be resisting a more violent gesture like before.

    ¡°Fine, I apologize for my words,¡± Roah spat in exasperation between clenched teeth, ¡°just let it go.¡±

    ¡°¡­No. I¡¯ve had enough of it.¡±

    ¡°G-Gen¡­¡± mumbled Shaya weakly, biting her lips. Niu herself also went to tap on his shoulder. She couldn¡¯t let it all break apart like this. She needed to put a stop to this. She slightly tilted her head with downturned brows as if to say, Won¡¯t you let it go?

    ¡°No¡­¡± said Gen, glancing at the girls, ¡°not anymore. I just can¡¯t stand this guy.¡±

    ¡°Not like I can stand you, either.¡±

    Niu had to physically stop Gen in place. For a moment he looked angry even at her, which caused her to flinch in horror.

    ¡°Fine, I get it,¡± Roah hissed. ¡°I¡¯d hate to cause you to become so violent.¡±

    ¡±Good!¡± Gen called after him, but just as the other boy turned around Niu suddenly rushed to him. All parties were surprised at this, possibly even Niu herself.

    Niu shook her head and pulled the hem of his shirt. His single eye cast a confused glance at her actions.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°¡­You¡¯re taking his side?¡± Gen asked in shock.

    I¡¯m not taking anyone¡¯s side, Niu thought desperately. She frantically shook her head. But how could she explain it? This was a situation where her gestures alone wouldn¡¯t suffice. She needed to use her notebook for that.

    ¡°You¡¯re really kind,¡± Roah said softly, some subtle emotion sneaking into his voice. Judging from his eye it was either scorn or sadness or some strange mix thereof, but she couldn¡¯t really tell.

    ¡°Umm¡­ I-I think that Niu¡¯s just trying to¡­¡± Shaya started talking, but she probably couldn¡¯t actually tell what Niu was trying to do at all.

    Niu didn¡¯t want to see everything fall apart like this. True, most of the fault lay with Roah; but she still couldn¡¯t bear to see them fighting like this. More importantly, she couldn¡¯t bear being unable to do anything about it.

    This was the worst.

    Niu started running away before she even realized she was doing it. She thought she could hear her friends calling after her, but their voices became as blurred as her vision that was warped by tears.

    The realization she was so pathetic and that her first instinct was to run away from it all only made her feel worse. She was completely powerless. All three of her friends went through harsher lives, yet they could keep going. They were worth something.

    Niu was pathetic.

    Her eyes red and swollen, Niu found herself outside town. Her route there was almost automatic. Seeing her clearly agitated demeanor, a few people tried to speak with her, but she simply ignored them; well, she wasn¡¯t calm enough to communicate with anyone right now anyway.

    She also wondered about her friends. Have they even tried chasing her and simply lost her? Or what if they didn¡¯t care at all and let her go away in relief?

    She tried shaking these dark thoughts from her head. And what now? After everything that happened, she didn¡¯t feel like going back there. Also, it wasn¡¯t like Gen and Roah were going to make up even if she returned.

    She should simply go back home and calm down. Maybe she¡¯d even go to sleep early. Come tomorrow, she would have to apologize to all of them, of course. She couldn¡¯t ruin everything like that.

    She gritted her teeth and wiped her face. At the very least she didn¡¯t want her parents to see she had been crying, even if they didn¡¯t care anyway. Not everything was lost. She could just fix it tomorrow. She would seize it all back. She just had to believe in it.

    Despite all this self-encouragement, however, the black emotions still weighed deeply on her heart. She felt as if her entire body was plunged into darkness, as if a shadow had swallowed her whole¡ª

    No, wait. Niu stopped when she realized that she wasn''t imagining anything: she was inside a shadow.

    Although she was out of town and near the forest, it was still a clear plain. Certainly no tree around cast such a large shadow. Perhaps a cloud covered the sky as if to mock her? But the sky was clear not too long ago.

    Finally, she raised her face. And then felt a chill.

    How could she even begin to describe it? What looked like a wriggling, serpentine mass of darkness flew way, way above her. But despite it being dark, it also shone in an ominous light. That contradictory makeup almost made her miss the fact that there was not only one such thing, but a multitude of them. There weren¡¯t quite enough to literally cover the skies, but apparently she¡¯d ended up right beneath one such shadow.

    If the eerie phenomenon itself wasn''t enough, there was still more. She could see other masses starting to fall from the sky like black hail, or perhaps an avalanche of shadows.

    Niu simply stood in complete shock at this otherworldly scene. What else could she do? Her mind barely even registered the faint screams carried on the wind from the direction of Hayden. The beating of her own heart seemed to be much louder.

    Her vision momentarily darkened, her knees shook and her face blanched. All in time to face the greatest disaster. A nearby thud startled Niu so much that she fell on her rear.

    She saw a monster.

    That seemed like the only accurate word. The thing looked like a cross between a scorpion and a lizard, with perhaps some other things in the mix. Not even in her worst nightmares had she seen anything like it. It had multiple legs, sharp claws and pincers and compound eyes. And it was all colored in what seemed to be a deep color of black¡ªyet it was also very blurry. Whether it was due to Niu¡¯s extreme fear or some other reason, the creature almost looked like some sort of mirage, faintly fading in and out of view. Even its steps on the ground were seemingly soundless despite the earlier crash.

    A scream of terror wanted to escape from her mouth, but the only thing that came out was a stupid-sounding leakage of air from her throat, not even a sigh or a squeak.

    The creature itself emitted no sound, but Niu then heard a high-pitched scream coming from afar, probably from town. It woke her as if from a trance. There was a monster in front of her. There was only one course of action available to her: she had to run!

    She got up on her shaky legs, turned away and began running. The monster had been facing her just now but she dared not to check if it really was coming after her. All of her instincts were focused on survival. Perhaps too much, as she didn¡¯t look at the ground, stumbled on something hard, and fell.

    Thankfully she didn¡¯t seem to have hurt anything, but the impact caused her to momentarily roll and see the large, black mass of the approaching monster. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw it moving. Rather than walking, it almost appeared to be gliding on the soft grass. But such details didn¡¯t really interest Niu for now; she just had to keep running away.

    Where to? She hadn¡¯t thought about that either. Maybe back home, but it wasn¡¯t like it would be especially safe, either, and she was too disoriented to understand her exact location right now anyway. Niu couldn¡¯t settle her panicked thoughts, and while she tried rousing her body she slipped and fell again. There was still almost no sound but she could imagine the monster closing in on her, which made it even harder to recover.

    Why was this happening to her? Or at all? She couldn¡¯t understand it. Would she wake up in her bed, frightened and shaken but secure, in just a few moments? Yet it all seemed awfully real, the monster¡¯s strange nature notwithstanding. Was it some sort of punishment?

    Niu couldn¡¯t handle this situation at all. It was like terror somehow made her forget how her body worked. She lamely rose to her feet then fell again. She had to get help. She had to. But how? She couldn¡¯t see anyone around. She was a bit far from the farmlands. Besides, no one would probably come help her anyway. Not against this kind of monster.

    Gen¡­

    The first name that came to mind was his. If nothing else, she could count on him.

    Gen, help me!

    Even if she wasn¡¯t worthy, he was the only one she could depend on.

    She wanted to shout for help, and shout his name. But she couldn¡¯t. She never could have, from the very moment she was born and up to her upcoming certain death. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn¡¯t.

    This was the second time in her life that she truly and desperately cursed her destiny of lacking a voice. Even if it was in vain, even if no one could hear her anyway, the possibility alone would ease her heart, however slightly.

    But she was missing that basic function, so no one was coming to save her.

    However, even in the midst of darkness there could be light. A lone thought claimed that she couldn¡¯t let herself drown in this negativity. Was she really going to let herself die just like this? Hadn¡¯t she sworn not long ago that she would get everything under control with her own powers? She was still alive. And while she couldn¡¯t speak, it didn¡¯t mean her options were that limited.

    For example, if she calmed down a bit, she could still try and run away. The monster didn¡¯t appear to be extraordinarily fast; otherwise she would¡¯ve been dead by now. For example, she could even try to use her channeling on it, somehow. Although she hadn¡¯t been present for the incident that brought this thought, what if she set fire to it, for example?

    However, for all that and more she needed to stand up. How curious that a moment ago she sank to the depths of despair but that very thought of losing everything allowed her to somehow recover. She had to make use of that renewed energy as soon as she could.

    Finally rising to her feet¡ªalthough still shaking¡ªNiu took a glance behind her. As scared as she was, she had to know where she stood right now. The monster was still heading toward her, but it almost seemed to move at a leisurely pace. Its figure was still flickering and ephemeral, but the way it soundlessly crushed the grass underneath its legs was horribly real. After sparing this glance, Niu gritted her teeth and resumed running.

    Only now she realized with a start that she must have dropped her bag at some point in her mad escape without noticing, since it wasn¡¯t on her anymore. But that wasn¡¯t the time to worry about that; she first had to survive. Though actually, now that she thought about it, her notebook and supplies would¡¯ve been a huge source for inscribing icons. Biting her lips, Niu scanned the monster¡¯s immediate surroundings, but saw nothing. She had to give up on that.

    Instead she moved toward a small grove of trees. They weren¡¯t tightly packed together, but perhaps these would be enough to delay the monster, or in the best-case scenario stop it in its tracks. She also knew she needed at least a short breather; she was quite physically (but mostly mentally) tired.

    Niu rushed into the grove, passing by several trees before she finally turned back to look at her pursuer. And then paled.

    Not only did the monster seem unfazed by the change in scenery, it didn¡¯t even seem to be affected by the presence of trees. It wasn¡¯t quite weaving its way between the thick trunks but brushing by and them almost seemed to be sliding through them.

    This overturned her entire reason for coming here. She was supposed to have been more maneuverable than the large monster in such an area, but now she was more enclosed by the grove than it was. Should she try setting up the icons anyway? Where? Doing so on the tree trunks or the grassy ground would probably be too difficult and time-consuming. She started losing confidence in the whole idea. If the monster ignored the trees, would it even be affected by channeling?

    Her newfound confidence was starting to crumble. Perhaps that was why when, as she decided to continue fleeing, her foot bumped against a tree root and caused her to fall down.

    That wasn¡¯t the end of her misfortune, either. She was a few steps away from a small hill and that misstep caused her to roll down it, landing on yet another root. Painfully. Her ankle was flooded with pain. She didn¡¯t think it was broken, but when she tried rising again the sharp sensation just caused her to fall again. Even trying to drag her leg produced similar results.

    Niu was grounded, surrounded by greenery and with nowhere to go. No one was there to save her. Just when she thought she¡¯d overcome despair, she sank even deeper into it.

    Was it fine to give up already? She smiled bitterly while thinking of this; she couldn¡¯t even cry anymore. She could barely move and she couldn¡¯t call for help. Would she be able to draw an icon on the ground with her fingers in time? And if she did, would it even help her or just hurt her as well?

    Then again, what if she was scared for no reason and the monster would simply pass through her as it did to the trees? She had the feeling reality wasn¡¯t as kind as that, though.

    Niu decided to give up. There was nothing she could do except stare at the grass around her. Thinking about it, she never did see that peculiar flower again, nor find out what it was. Too bad she hadn¡¯t ended up in front of it now by chance¡ªit would have made for a lovely final view, like something out of a fairytale.

    Niu closed her eyes and said her farewells to the world.

    ¡°NIU!!!¡±

    This sudden shout instantly pulled her away from the void. She opened her eyes and turned her head just in time to see the monster receiving a heavy blow. There was an audible crack as its skin fissured, and its large body was thrown to the side.

    She stared in disbelief at her savior¡ªGen. She wasn¡¯t able to see it, but he¡¯d obviously used his ethereal arm to slam the monster with surprising success. He stopped only for another second, panting and sweating, and then rushed for her.

    ¡°Niu! Are you alright?¡±

    She was too shocked to do anything but stare at him as he leaned toward her, grabbing her. He tried to help her getting up, but she winced in pain.

    ¡°Her leg¡¯s probably hurt,¡± surmised another familiar voice, Roah¡¯s.

    ¡°N-Niu¡­ I¡¯m so¡­¡± That teary voice obviously belonged to Shaya.

    Why are you all here? was obviously the question that popped into Niu¡¯s head, but she was unable to express it in any other way than staring at them wide-eyed.

    ¡°¡­We couldn¡¯t leave you alone,¡± Gen responded, whether he knew what she wanted to ask or not. He looked somewhat apologetic. ¡°We, we tried finding you, but¡ª"

    ¡°We have bigger problems right now," Roah cut him off. ¡°We got out of town just as this¡­ thing started, but we need to do something about that.¡± He stared directly at the monster.

    Niu almost forgot about its existence due to her miraculous save, but the horrible beast was still there, hurt but still very much alive. One side of its carapace was caved in and shattered, but looking at it, it seemed to be changing, and quite rapidly. The cracks and missing parts seemingly started melding together.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Niu, you did good. We¡¯ll handle that thing now.¡± Roah didn¡¯t even look at her direction as he said this.

    Niu¡¯s eyes teared and her heart started pounding. Why would he say that? She was pathetic and powerless; she hadn¡¯t done anything at all, much less ¡°doing good¡±. But perhaps he was right after all. Perhaps even surviving so far was a sort of an achievement¡­ as lame as it sounded.

    ¡°What¡¯re you trying to¡­¡± mumbled Gen, breathing heavily. The earlier attack of his seemed to have somewhat drained him.

    ¡°You come as well,¡± said Roah. ¡°Can you crush that thing¡¯s head? Or at least immobilize it.¡± While speaking he drew a sharp object from his pocket.

    ¡°Why do you¡ª" Gen asked in shock after seeing the knife. Roah was full of surprises today.

    ¡°For situations like this! Now enough with the questions, help me here!¡±

    Roah fearlessly leapt ahead. Niu wanted to close her eyes but instead stared in fear. Now that she thought of it, however¡ªand perhaps Roah himself realized this as well¡ªthe creature itself was not actually very agile, a fact that she perhaps owed her life to. Roah managed to clumsily danced around the monster, slashing his knife with every move.

    ¡°Niu, can you walk?¡± Shaya crouched near her, lending a hand. Niu shook her head and pointed at her leg. Their attention was pulled back to the battle when they heard another loud crack; Gen had once again pummeled the insect-reptile-like being with his invisible fist.

    ¡°Shit,¡± huffed Roah. Despite him scoring plenty of direct hits, he was only able to inflict a few scratches that already started vanishing.

    Also, while Gen had indeed crushed what appeared to be the monster¡¯s head (although it had nothing that resembled eyes), this did nothing to stop its movements. It definitely wasn¡¯t a normal animal.

    Skittering around in fury, the dark monster lashed with its pincers, scoring the first hit on its opponent.

    ¡°Roah!¡± Gen cried as there was a small spurt of blood.

    Roah collapsed to the ground, clutching his side as his hand was covered in warm crimson. Even grimacing he still managed to roll away, evading the monster¡¯s next attack. He then quickly rose to his feet, gritting his teeth and panting.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± he spat, despite his face contorted in pain indicating otherwise. ¡°Shit, we need to¡­ can you keep destroying it? My knife¡¯s not doing much.¡± He eyed the metallic object he had dropped near the monster.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s my first time using this so many times in succession like this. I don¡¯t think I can do it much longer, and it doesn¡¯t seem to do much anyway," Gen admitted. Just like he said, even the very first blow was by now nearly completely healed.

    Niu could feel Shaya shaking while the girl supported her. In contrast with the other three, Shaya was completely powerless, so it was natural for her to be scared. Niu bit her lips wondering what was going to happen. Niu herself was also a burden, so they couldn¡¯t run away while supporting her. She doubted even the athletic Gen could carry her for a long time.

    If so, were they going to give up fighting? And if so, were they going to leave her behind, prioritizing their own lives? She started shaking as well.

    At the very least, Roah wasn¡¯t going to give up yet. ¡°Fine. Then can you at least try and hold it in place for a while? We might have only one chance.¡±

    For just an instant Roah looked back, and for some reason his lone eye seemed to be full of anger. Niu shuddered, but that gaze soon returned to the beast instead.

    ¡°But what will you¡ªah, whatever!¡± As the wounded Roah rushed at the monster yet again Gen had no choice but to act. Another powerful blow pressed the monster against the ground. Its pincers clacked but it wasn¡¯t in the right angle to attack either Gen or Roah.

    Roah himself snatched the knife from the ground where it¡¯d fallen and then brandished it yet again. Niu was confused; that had already been proven to be ineffective, so what was he trying to do? But after a few strokes she realized. Roah wasn¡¯t attacking the monster, but scribing on it.

    He was etching an icon.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold it for much longer!¡± spoke Gen from between clenched teeth. He was pale and sweaty, his invisible arm slightly shimmering. Then he groaned and took a step back, nearly stumbling, before the monster could retaliate.

    ¡°That¡¯s good enough!¡± called Roah. ¡°Now we just need to channel! All of you work together with me!¡±

    Niu immediately recognized the kind of icon it was, of course¡ªone meant for the channel of heat. She didn¡¯t know if that would be enough to bring that monster down, but it was perhaps the most logical choice, one that she considered herself before.

    ¡°But Mr. Saburn said¡ª"

    ¡°Fuck what he said! We have to do this! If we make it go out of control it¡¯s even better! Do it, ALL OF YOU!¡±

    The icon was imprecise but was still recognizable, so it could probably work. However, it would be unstable and would probably sizzle down immediately¡ªunless several people channeled it at the same time.

    Saburn had called it the multiple observers/readers method... or something like that. He¡¯d explained to them that, if the same icon was used concurrently by multiple people, it could augment its channeling, on the other hand becoming even more unstable, and much more liable to let loose an excess of power. That was apparently what Roah was counting on; since localized blows didn¡¯t finish the job, he hoped that swallowing the monster in flames would finish it off for good.

    There were quite a lot of reasons why that was extremely dangerous, but perhaps they really had no other choice. Niu gulped and focused on the icon as well. The icon for the channel of heat, in its most basic form, was made of simple lines. For that reason it was one of the easiest to channel, but also one of the most dangerous.

    The icon started emitting an orange glow, and then a pillar of flames burst forth. Roah widened his eye and glanced behind for a moment, but the fire kept growing even after losing a single observer/reader. Niu heard Shaya raise a small shriek; it was probably her first time to see such powerful channeling, but that was true for Niu and company as well.

    The monster didn¡¯t writhe or try to put off the flames like any living being; it simply started melting into air, almost literally. As if it was nothing more than an illusion, it melted along with the blaze, leaving behind only a mass of smoldering ashes.

    It almost felt like it ended too quickly and easily. In fact, Niu even expected the whole grove to catch fire after such intense flames.

    Taking a few moments to catch their breath, they saw that the monster was finally and truly gone; none of its remains appeared to be regenerating. On the contrary, they were slowly vanishing. Gen slumped to the ground and Roah also nearly collapsed, clutching at his bleeding wound again.

    ¡°W-we did it?¡± Shaya mumbled weakly. Niu could still feel her slightly shuddering, so she patted her shoulder. When Shaya turned to her she smiled and nodded.

    The monster had been vanquished. Some of them were hurt and spent, but they managed to somehow clutch victory. Yet even that was just one step. That small comfort did almost nothing to lift the sense of dread hiding beneath the surface¡ªthey finished one battle inside a small, secluded part of the world, but what awaited them outside?

    The answer was hell.

    At the very least, it was a ghastly sight. Glowing masses wriggled in the skies like dark tentacles, with other dark shapes still dropping from above. They appeared all the more unsettling since the sun was already setting down. Luckily, these seemed to be concentrated in the area of town rather than the fields and villages around it, but was that actually lucky? It only meant that their most obvious shelter was not safe at all.

    ¡°What¡­ what are we¡­¡± Gen was almost speechless. He took one step forward but then stopped. ¡°We have to¡­¡±

    ¡°Go help them?¡± spat Roah. ¡°We¡¯ll just die there.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re telling us to just let everyone else die?¡± Gen said angrily.

    ¡°Do you have any other suggestions? You saw how well we fared against a single one of these monsters. Also, I guess you¡¯re fine with leaving Niu behind?¡±

    Gen clicked his tongue, casting a glance toward the hurt girl still supported by Shaya, but made no further objection.

    ¡°The village might be a bit safer,¡± said Roah just in time to hear a scream riding on the wind from that very direction. However, they were too far away to even see any houses. ¡°Well, my point still stands.¡±

    ¡°Maybe staying here would be safer¡­?¡± suggested Shaya. ¡°Oh, but Niu¡¯s parents¡­¡±

    Niu felt a sudden sense of dread. Her mom should be home, and her dad was probably out working¡­ they were both in danger. No matter what problems she had with them, she definitely didn¡¯t want them to die.

    ¡°Staying here¡¯s not good, either. There might be other monsters right around the corner. Also, in order to survive this, we need as many people as possible,¡± Roah explained. While on the surface he seemed calm, Niu could clearly see that his sweaty hands were shaking. He was also still bleeding, a thought that made her nudge Shaya and point at him.

    ¡°What? Oh, Roah, you¡¯re bleeding!¡±

    ¡°¡­Ah, right,¡± he said as if it was nothing more than a small nuisance. He pulled up his knife again, stuck it inside his sleeve and started ripping it, making the others gasp.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s better than nothing, I guess," mumbled Gen in understanding as the other boy made a makeshift bandage.

    ¡°We need to keep moving, though. Let¡¯s circle around this grove and try to see the village. Then we¡¯ll decide whether to try heading there.¡±

    They all nodded and began following Roah, albeit slowly. Niu bit her lips; there was a significant chance that being forced to carry her would cause their deaths. But now that they¡¯d saved her at the last second, risking their lives, they probably wouldn¡¯t leave her behind. She was still awfully slow because of her hurt leg, though.

    Roah hastily wrapped the cut sleeve around his wound so it was now completely drenched in his blood. He still looked pale and tired but made no complaint as they slowly moved around the woods, wary of any small sound. From time to time they were frightened by the sound of birds flying around or small animals scampering about, but for now there were no monsters.

    However, after a short while they noticed something different in the sky.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Gen was the first to notice and pointed up. The shimmering tentacles still floated there like wicked clouds, but now another form was flying between them. It didn¡¯t look like another monster, but it was hard to see from that distance.

    ¡°No way,¡± mumbled Roah in shock, his eye opened wide. Just like Gen¡¯s compensation was an invisible arm in place of his lost one, Roah had a visual compensation. ¡°Is that¡­ Molton?¡±

    ¡°Molton?¡± echoed Gen, looking at Roah and then at the sky again.

    Stard Molton, the legendary warrior. It was said that despite the lack of his legs¡ªor perhaps because of it¡ªhe was able to soar in the skies like a bird. Even from afar one could just barely see the flashes of his weapon as it tore through the writhing masses around.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re saved?¡± Shaya mumbled in disbelief.

    Even Niu couldn¡¯t help but feel that way. Apparently what Gen told them was true and the strongest soldier had indeed come to Hayden. However, even he was only a single person. It was better than nothing, but even while he was flying and slashing there were probably other monsters on the loose.

    ¡°No, we have to keep going,¡± Roah said finally, tearing his eye away from the fantastical scene unfolding above. ¡°Even if we¡ª"

    But a tremor shook the ground and cut his words short. An earthquake? No, that was unlikely. However, they had seen the severed tentacles falling down. Depending on their size and proximity, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for them to cause the earth to shake.

    ¡°¡­Or maybe we should try to take some shelter,¡± said Gen gloomily.

    They were still inside the grove, minutes away from the village in Niu¡¯s estimation. She wasn¡¯t sure¡ªwould it be safer taking cover there and risk the trees around collapse from an attack, or move to an open spot where they might be targeted by other wandering monsters?

    The situation only grew worse and worse while they couldn¡¯t decide. Another tremor came and with it alarmingly close sounds of crunching and breaking. They all saw dust rising from nearby, along with some startled birds flying away.

    ¡°A-another monster?¡± asked Shaya, shaking again.

    ¡°No¡­ they weren¡¯t quite so violent, I think,¡± pointed Roah. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡±

    A dark flash came from the woods and the world seemed to explode. For a few seconds Niu didn¡¯t even realize she fell down. Something¡ªperhaps torn tentacle¡ªstarted whipping at the trees around, ripping them in half and throwing them around.

    ¡°Shit, what¡¯s¡ª" she barely heard Roah before another loud crack filled the air.

    The next moments felt like they were in slow motion. Niu saw Gen barely rising up, panting, and holding his hand aloft as if to shield them. But the glowing, dark thing lashed at them mercilessly and instantaneously. There was no pain, really; just a sudden feeling of pulling, of movement, that caught her breath. Her body felt like it was being squeezed from all directions. Sound and colors twisted around her.

    Niu fell inside the darkness, saying her farewell to Plainland.

    The skies were filled with shadow blight

    Hurled them all through endless night

 Chapter 3: New Night

    Niu felt a dull twinge of pain.

    That was the very first sign that she had regained her consciousness. She let the feeling dwell for a moment before her muddled mind realized that she was alive and awake.

    ¡°¡­iu? Niu?¡±

    Now she could even hear voices and feel someone shaking her. The cold and hard sensation beneath her body probably meant that she was lying on the ground. She opened her eyes with a small effort and saw Gen.

    ¡°¡­Thank the Gods,¡± he mumbled in apparent relief.

    ¡°Are you fine?¡± asked Shaya, also standing nearby. She could also see Roah, but he only gave her a passing glance. Niu roused her aching body, but softly nodded. She then finally realized something about their surroundings was strange.

    Her last memory was the small grove near the village, being surrounded by soft grass and low trees. However, now they were all standing on rough, dirty brown soil, with great, thick trees towering around them. This unfamiliar scenery brought a single question to her mind: where were they?

    The strong light spilling from between the high leaves illuminated their bizarre surroundings. The attack came during the evening as the sun was beginning to set, but was it now morning already? Had they been knocked out for that long?

    Also, it was deathly quiet. Much too quiet for Niu¡¯s liking.

    ¡°Is all this for real?¡± Gen asked aloud. ¡°I¡­ where are we?¡± Judging from his words, it didn¡¯t seem like everyone woke up much earlier than her.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like any place I know,¡± Roah agreed, his eye scanning the strange trees around them. ¡°Might we have been taken to a different country?¡±

    ¡°A-a different country?¡± echoed Shaya, a hint of panic in her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure only Sacrona has huge forests like this,¡± Roah said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°I mean, maybe, but¡­ how did we get here in the first place?¡± Gen asked. ¡°We, weren¡¯t we just attacked by something? Then why¡ª"

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s most likely that tentacle thing that took us here,¡± Roah casually pointed ahead. When everyone¡¯s gaze followed him, Gen gasped and Shaya gave a small shriek. Niu also shuddered.

    Lying on the ground like some discarded, festering fruit was the black¡­ thing. It reminded Niu of some sea food she¡¯d seen once. It looked almost artificial and it was no longer glowing. Its skin was ripped apart at many places, oozing out some sort of dark liquid to the ground. Whatever it was, it seemed dead.

    ¡°So you think this thing just, I dunno, picked us up?¡± asked Gen after these few seconds of revulsion and surprise.

    Roah shrugged. ¡°It seems like a logical conclusion. Well, I guess you couldn¡¯t quite see it, but these flying tentacles were carrying those monsters along with them.¡±

    Niu nodded; his explanation made sense. She herself had seen the multitude of monsters falling from the skies after the tentacles appeared.

    ¡°The only thing I don¡¯t understand is how we¡¯re still alive and well after being supposedly violently taken away by this thing,¡± Roah continued. ¡°And it seems like some time passed as well.¡±

    ¡°This is so weird,¡± agreed Gen, glancing around.

    ¡°What are we, what do we even¡­¡± mumbled Shaya, her lips shaking, ¡°are we just¡­ stuck here?¡±

    Wherever this was, it surely wasn¡¯t anywhere near Hayden. Even Niu, who was pretty bad at geography and never went any further than her village or the town could tell that. And in the case that Roah¡¯s first hypothesis was correct, the situation was even worse¡ªfor they were stranded in an enemy country.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± said Gen, probably noticing Shaya was on the verge of panic. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure something out.¡± He lightly bit his lips, brows furrowed.

    Roah still scanned around them silently. Niu could barely stand on her own but she tried grabbing Shaya¡¯s hand to reassure her. The other girl broke down anyway.

    ¡°N-no, we¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± her last words were choked into a sob, and then she just started crying. The surroundings were so quiet that Shaya sounded awfully loud, much like a baby crying in the middle of town.

    ¡°Shaya, I¡ª"

    Gen was only a few steps away, yet he froze in place as he stared at her breaking down. Instead, Niu knew that she was the one who needed to act. Niu knew how Shaya felt, being thrown into this bizarre situation right after their horrible experience. Niu herself also felt like crying like that, and it took all of her efforts to stop herself from doing so. But now she had another reason to stay strong.

    As Niu wrapped her arms around her friend, Shaya choked in surprise to sudden silence. Niu held her softly yet firmly.

    It¡¯s all going to be fine. Stay calm. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be alright. We¡¯ll figure something out. Just stay positive and you¡¯ll see.

    Niu mouthed these words despite being unable to voice them. She moved her lips as if in a lullaby. Since Shaya couldn¡¯t hear it or even see Niu doing this, this action by itself shouldn¡¯t have had any effect on her. And yet her tense body loosened more and more. Her breathing calmed down and her sobs were gone.

    Even Roah was now watching, Niu could see. The boys looked at them awestruck.

    ¡°T-thanks,¡± Shaya finally mumbled, breaking the magical scene and the complete stillness once again. ¡°I¡¯m fine for now.¡± Niu smiled and separated her body from Shaya¡¯s. The other girl sniffled for a second and wiped her eyes, but she was also smiling faintly.

    Niu tried rising up after Shaya, but a sharp pain from her leg served as a reminder to her current condition. Gen also recovered from his earlier paralysis and stepped to assist.

    ¡°Maybe we should just walk around or something. We might find people who can help us,¡± he suggested, glancing around. Other than the dead tentacle there were no signs of any living being around.

    ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous proposition. If we really are in one of Sacrona¡¯s forests, we could get lost pretty easily,¡± said Roah, also scanning the surroundings. ¡°Not to mention there could be bears¡­ or worse, not-so-nice humans.¡±

    ¡°Crap¡­ we need to at least find some sort of shelter,¡± mumbled Gen. ¡°Or maybe we could¡ª"

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Roah suddenly hissed, lifting a hand. He slightly lowered his body as if ready to spring away at any second. ¡°I think that someone¡¯s coming.¡±

    It took Niu a moment to register the meaning of Roah¡¯s words. She immediately started looking around fearfully, but the forest was too thick to see anything clearly. Roah probably noticed it with his superior vision.

    ¡°¡­We¡¯re surrounded,¡± spat Roah from between clenched teeth.

    When he spoke this, Niu could finally notice a certain presence all around them.

    These were probably human and not monsters, but that didn¡¯t make her feel better; perhaps it made her feel even worse. Were they actually thrown, somehow, to a foreign country? Were they going to be attacked, or just captured? Whatever happened, Niu doubted it would end well. She could see Shaya shaking yet again, but all of them stayed silent.

    "¡ª?"

    A yell resounded from nearby. Niu felt a chill run through her spine when she realized it probably contained words she didn¡¯t understand. Also, she could finally see the faces of the people surrounding them as they approached.

    First of all, most of them didn¡¯t look much older than them, but also obviously weren¡¯t children, through mixed in with them there were also a couple that looked very bulky. Most of the dozen or so people sported all sorts of weaponry, ranging from swords to spears, so they were definitely not mere civilians.

    And they were most definitely foreign. Whether it was due to the strange atmosphere or not, they just seemed different. Was it their relatively large eyes? Their very pale, almost greyish skin? Or perhaps it was the unknown language that they were still using to yell at Niu and the rest in slightly shrill yet firm voices.

    Were they really in Sacrona? Niu never would have imagined it to be anything like this.

    One person stepped toward them, blade raised. Shaking too, Gen stepped in front of the girls as if to shield them. The man (was it even a man? It actually wasn¡¯t quite clear) spoke some further words.

    ¡°We don¡¯t understand you,¡± Roah shook his head, hands raised. ¡°We¡¯re from Rumdon¡­ is this Sacrona?¡± He stressed the words to catch their attention. Even he looked visibly anxious for a change, despite his usual cold demeanor, though probably still better than the rest of them.

    Looking at the person¡¯s face, Niu thought to herself. If they weren¡¯t in a gloomy forest surrounded by foreign, weapon-wielding soldiers, would they have even been scared? The person in front of them was only slightly taller than Gen and had a soft and round face which made it hard to know if it belonged to a man or woman. They wore their hair short and their leather armor hid their body shape. Even the voice didn¡¯t seem to indicate anything decisive.

    Eventually the person shouted something to their comrades, still keeping watch on the four. Others also approached with their weapons raised, but for now they seemed to be waiting. Waiting for what, exactly? The answer actually came soon after they started wondering this.

    ¡°Do you¡­ understand me?¡± There was a new, hesitant voice. Niu gasped as she realized that she did understand.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Gen called back in happy surprise. Well, since they were neighbors with Sacrona, it wasn¡¯t a stretch to think that someone would know their language, after all.

    The new person came into the light. Niu¡¯s first thought was wondering whether they were a child since they seemed rather short even when compared to their companions. A girl? The face was as androgynous as the rest, but something about the soft voice and features gave a feminine impression above all else. With bright eyes and curly, golden hair, she (?) looked very charming. She even smiled at them in contrast to all the other armed soldiers. She wasn¡¯t carrying any weapons either.

    Yet that image caused Niu some confusion. She felt as if she was missing something. She¡¯d never seen any Sacronian before (though many immigrants lived in Rumdon), so why did the girl in front of them look so strange yet so familiar?

    ¡°You really surprised us,¡± said the girl to them, ¡°you are lucky that I can, ah, talk like you.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Roah interjected, sounding impatient. ¡°Is this Sacrona?¡±

    The girl furrowed her brows in clear confusion. As if she didn¡¯t even know that name. ¡°Ah, this is Karmil, near Kalden,¡± she replied. None of those were names Niu had ever heard before, and judging from Roah¡¯s expression, he probably hadn¡¯t, either. ¡°But never mind. I think there¡¯s more important thing to ask.¡±

    Under the sunlight filtered by the trees around, the girl¡¯s face seemed a mix of fantastical and eerie. And that was when Niu finally understood. She realized the answer, as ridiculous as it was, and would have blurted it out if she could. Instead, it was the girl who did it: confusingly, she asked the very same question that Niu also had in mind.

    ¡°Are you really faeries?¡±

    All of them were probably shocked, but Niu was perhaps even more so.

    Fairies were the stuff of legends¡ªNiu liked to believe in them, but there was almost no historical evidence left of their existence since long, long ago. Also, she obviously wouldn¡¯t think of those soldiers surrounding them as fairies. They seemed relatively small, for sure, but not as small as most accounts of fairies. Not to mention they didn¡¯t have wings or other common features found in tales.

    On the other hand, the girl that could speak their language did somewhat resemble the archetypical depiction of a fairy¡ªand yet she then turned the question back to them. So was Niu completely wrong? No, in the first place, why would that girl think that they were fairies?

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± asked the befuddled Gen.

    ¡°Are you not?¡± she asked back, surprised.

    ¡°Err, no, why would we¡­¡±

    At that point Niu grabbed Shaya¡¯s sleeve and gestured at the girl ahead. Unfortunately, she had no way to write down her thoughts, but her friend seemed to understand her. It¡¯s her, Niu mouthed desperately.

    ¡°Umm¡­ I think she¡¯s the fairy, maybe?¡± she spoke hesitatingly.

    ¡°What?¡± Roah looked back toward them, seeing Niu nod her head. He then turned his head back to the girl. ¡°Of course¡­ you¡¯re fairies! But how is that possible?¡±

    The girl tilted her head, ¡°Why do you think that? It¡¯s not¡ª¡±

    At that point, the nearest person spoke to her in their own language. Presumably to understand the situation, the girl started conversing with them. All the others were still standing with their weapons readied.

    ¡°Wait,¡± said Gen, turning to his friends, ¡°what¡¯s going on here? T-they can¡¯t be fairies, fairies are, I mean¡­ where are we?¡±

    ¡°¡­We might have gone farther than even I anticipated,¡± said Roah with a scowl.

    ¡°No, but¡­ this can¡¯t be¡­ there¡¯s no way this is Fairland!¡±

    ¡°I find that hard to believe, too,¡± mumbled Shaya.

    Niu felt the same. Not to mention that they still couldn¡¯t understand why the girl had referred to them as fairies. They had so many questions and so little information. The situation was a complete mess.

    ¡°Did you just say Fairland?¡± the girl interjected again. ¡°That sounds familiar.¡±

    ¡°It is how, faeries refer to our world.¡± A deep voice emerged from right behind her.

    Niu had noticed that person before; she thought before that these so-called fairies were small, but this was the exact opposite¡ªa tall man (?) that towered couple of heads even above Gen. His huge body was covered by a dark, tattered mantle with a hood, concealing both his figure and his face. When he¡¯d spoken just now, his voice was hoarse and jittery as if he was not used to the act of conversing.

    Also, he spoke their language, too. Was it so they could understand him too?

    The girl asked him something in surprise, to which the tall man merely nodded. ¡°So you really are faeries,¡± she said, turning toward them again.

    ¡°No, b-but¡­ we¡¯re humans,¡± insisted Gen, sounding more and more confused.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind now,¡± she replied, ¡°did you really come from there?¡± and she pointed up to the sky without looking.

    The sky wasn¡¯t fully visible through the mass of treetops, but the gesture itself was clear enough to all of them¡ªjust as they did themselves many times in the past while pointing toward the fantastical Fairland hanging in the sky.

    ¡°That seems like it for now,¡± said Roah, relatively mellow in contrast to the bewildering situations. Niu still had problems accepting this, and Gen couldn¡¯t accept it at all.

    ¡°This is crazy, we couldn¡¯t have just¡­ It¡¯s impossible¡­ argh!¡± Gen held his head.

    ¡°Is it, though? We¡¯ve been attacked by monsters that are obviously from another world. Is it really that surprising, then?¡± Roah asked.

    This silenced Gen. Niu glanced again toward the remains of the dark, oozing tentacle nearby, also noticed by the surrounding soldiers. If Roah¡¯s reasoning was correct, that thing had brought the monsters along with it, and then seemed to have done the same to them. Could it really have travelled such an unfathomable distance, though?

    Meanwhile, the native girl once again conversed with the other soldiers for a while. Niu could imagine that this situation was as confusing to them as it was to her and her friends.

    ¡°So, ah,¡± the fairy started addressing them again, ¡°you¡¯re all coming with us. We need to ask you much, but this is not a good place. Especially not if those things show up again.¡±

    Those things? She seemed to glance at the tentacle remains as she said this, so she was probably referring the to the mysterious monsters. Meaning, this place was attacked as well.

    ¡°U-umm, we¡¯re not, like, hostages or anything, right?¡± Shaya asked with a shaky voice.

    ¡°Hos¡­tages?¡± the girl echoed, furrowing her thin brows. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know that word, but we¡¯re going to keep you safe. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    There was still so much to ask, but apparently this was not the right time and place. The girl assured their safety, for now, but if there was another attack the situation could grow worse. They didn¡¯t seem to have any choice in the matter, however.

    ¡°Come now,¡± said the girl, turning her back to them.

    ¡°Wait!¡± called Shaya. ¡°She¡­ Niu can¡¯t walk, she¡¯s hurt her leg.¡±

    The girl turned yet again, furrowing her brows for a moment before realizing the situation as Niu flashed her a shy smile.

    ¡°Right. So better if¡­ TriX, take them.¡± The last line she spoke toward the large man at her side, then said something to the other soldiers nearby. Hearing her order, the one apparently called TriX approached Shaya and Niu, spreading his large arms.

    ¡°I will take you, hold on to me,¡± he spoke in an uninflected voice, his face hidden by the shadows of his hood, though Niu noticed some strange glints from within. His arms, covered by sleeves and gloves, were large and thick. This made Shaya flinch for a second.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Just do it,¡± Roah spurred them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push them,¡± said Gen to that. Niu sighed; this wasn¡¯t the time for that nonsense. Fortunately, they were shut up by the appearance of yet another giant beckoning them to come.

    Niu took Shaya¡¯s hand and squeezed it reassuringly, slightly nodding.

    ¡°Fine, but how do we¡­ w-wha¡ª¡±

    The moment she stepped forward TriX lifted her lightly, causing her to shriek. ¡°Hold,¡± he curtly explained, then did the same to Niu. Somehow they ended up hanging from his back, each on a shoulder. He moved his arms behind to support their legs with his palms, then leaned slightly forward. Niu grimaced momentarily as she put a bit of pressure on her wounded leg, but soon had no time to even feel that.

    They started flying ahead.

    Not actually flying, obviously; but TriX was moving with such flowing and elegant movements that it nearly seemed that way. Trees and plants flared by Niu¡¯s vision not covered by the man¡¯s huge back and arms. They were rushing forward quite silently, except for Shaya giving a small shriek or gasp at times. Niu thought she also heard Gen groan something from nearby.

    ¡°Stay quiet!¡± came the hushed voice of the girl that spoke their language from somewhere. ¡°No talking! No sound!¡±

    The dash continued. Despite Niu¡¯s constant need to firmly grab TriX lest she fall off, it actually became surprisingly relaxing after a while. His body felt quite warm, too, and she was also feeling the rays of the sun sneaking between treetops. In the relative silence she thought.

    Was this truly Fairland? The residents weren¡¯t the fairies she¡¯d come to expect, but the world itself was enchanting enough. It was green, vibrant and yet peaceful; even the pitter-patter of the fairies moving on the ground seemed to be swallowed by the grass. They were all taken to an unknown place for an unknown purpose and had so many questions, doubts and worries on their mind, yet Niu somehow felt calmer by the second.

    She was just about to fall asleep (she wasn¡¯t sure if due to this calmness or general fatigue) when they stopped in front of a web of green; a tangle of wild, messy vines stood in their path.

    Niu wondered if this was some unexpected obstacle for the party, but after a few moments they kept lunging straight ahead toward the vines. She cringed in surprise, preparing herself to be cut or worse, or at least try and use TriX¡¯s body as a cover¡ªbut then the sea of vines parted.

    In front of them was nothing but darkness and it swallowed them whole.

    The air immediately turned stagnant and musty, a great change from the fresh, fragrant air outside. The temperature plunged, too, and they were obviously heading down. Meaning, they were underground: apparently the vines were hiding an entrance to a cave system of sorts.

    Niu also realized that the place wasn¡¯t pitch-black after all, as there were several sources of light twinkling all around them. She could see many small circles of light emanating from the ground, walls and ceiling, providing some visibility. As TriX started moving again¡ªthis time slower than before, thankfully¡ªshe saw roots, mushrooms and weeds growing in the cavern all around them, some of them glowing.

    Niu¡¯s pulse quickened. Coming from the magnificent forest into an underground dwelling¡­ now it truly felt like a fairytale, despite their predicament. Ironically not sleepy anymore in the dark, she kept her eyes peeled open to see even the smallest of details.

    Unfortunately, besides the various glowing plants and fairies walking nearby there was nothing but the cold, dark ground. Within a short time they entered a certain small cavern, upon which TriX lowered Niu and Shaya back to the ground. Niu nearby stumbled and fell, wobbling; it was weird standing once again on solid ground after being carried like that. The other large man, who had carried Roah and Gen, unloaded them as well. The four were finally reunited.

    In the entrance stood the girl from earlier, smiling at them. Her face was lit gloomily by a radiant flower she was holding.

    ¡°So¡­ welcome to our base,¡± she said.

    By itself, the word ¡°base¡± already told them a lot about the place, assuming its usage was correct¡ªit was apparently a place used by soldiers, and was not a normal dwelling. That made sense to Niu. Fairies wouldn¡¯t really live inside a damp cave, as magical as it seemed. Probably. Maybe.

    ¡°Also, I didn¡¯t tell my name, right?¡± the fairy continued. ¡°I¡¯m Seele.¡±

    ¡°Seele,¡± Gen echoed that one syllable, ¡°uh, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Gen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Shaya.¡±

    ¡°Roah.¡±

    Seele¡¯s eyes obviously moved over to Niu next, waiting for her answer. But she just shook her head¡ªshe currently had no way to express herself, which quite annoyed her, now that she thought about it.

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s mute,¡± explained Shaya.

    ¡°Mute?¡± Seele repeated. This was apparently another word that she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°It means she can¡¯t speak,¡± explained Roah.

    Seele¡¯s eye momentarily widened. ¡°Ah, I understand,¡± she replied, nodding.

    ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s Niu,¡± Gen took the chance to introduce her. Niu waved her hand, wearing a thin smile. She wasn¡¯t even sure if Seele could see her expression in the scarce light, though.

    ¡°Niu, right. So you¡¯re Shaya, Gen, and uh¡­ Roah, is that right? Good. I think I¡¯m going to see you a lot from now, since I can talk to you,¡± Seele spoke slowly, making sure every word of hers was heard. ¡°Do you need anything?¡±

    ¡°An explanation of this whole situation would be nice,¡± said Gen.

    This troubled Seele, however. ¡°I want to if I could. But we are confused just as well.¡±

    ¡°You were attacked as well, right?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°Yes, a while ago,¡± said Seele. ¡°Do you know anything about it?

    As expected, it appeared that even the residents of Fairland were caught by complete surprise. Roah shook his head, and then said, ¡°So you don¡¯t know either. But you¡¯ve seen those dark tentacles, right?¡±

    ¡°Ten¡­tacles?¡±

    When Seele furrowed her brows, he lightly wriggled his hand. That actually made Niu smile; Roah was usually so serious, and he was still just as serious when he used that ridiculous motion to illustrate the meaning of the unknown word.

    ¡°Ah! Yes.¡±

    ¡°Well, we were probably brought here by that. At the very least, I can¡¯t think of any other explanation for now,¡± said Roah.

    ¡°By this¡­ tentacles? Hmm¡­¡± Seele sank into silence. ¡°Well, this is weird. We¡¯re already trying to find out what¡¯s happening. I¡¯m sorry¡­ I don¡¯t know what to tell you except wait.¡± She flashed a weak-looking smile. ¡°But like I said, we will keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Gen, sounding a bit relieved. ¡°We appreciate that. Really.¡± Niu bit her lips but nodded weakly.

    Roah spoke again. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s another important question I¡¯d like to ask¡ªhow, exactly, do you know our language?¡±

    With everything that happened so far it was perhaps on a lower priority, but still a very interesting question, Niu felt. It seemed as if most of the fairies couldn¡¯t understand them, so how come Seele and TriX could?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Seele said after a short while of clear hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can tell you right now.¡±

    This caused the issue to be all the more mysterious. Roah merely looked at her without saying anything else; he probably realized there was no sense in pushing for an answer right now if she wasn¡¯t willing. He seemed to sink back into his thoughts.

    ¡°So, ah,¡± Seele said after a short bout of silence, ¡°is there anything you need right now? You must be¡­ hungry, is that the word?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± mumbled Shaya.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, for sure,¡± Gen agreed as well.

    Niu had no clue how much time passed for them, but it felt as if she¡¯d eaten those delicious sweet buns ages ago. Now that she was less frightened and anxious, she could definitely go for some rest and sustenance.

    However, there was something even more urgent. Niu waved her hand to grab everyone¡¯s attention and then pointed at her leg.

    ¡°Right, you said the leg was hurt,¡± Seele said slowly.

    Something about this annoyed Niu but she nodded. Roah also added, ¡°I¡¯m hurt as well, while we¡¯re on the subject.¡± The makeshift bandage was by now completely dark, though at least outwardly Roah didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by it too much.

    ¡°Ah! Right. Anything else?¡±

    Niu started a new gesture¡ªshe closed her fingers as if holding something between them and shook it over the air.

    ¡°Ah¡­ sorry, I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°She wants something to write with,¡± explained Shaya. ¡°Because¡­ well, you know.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± now Seele nodded in understanding. ¡°That may be¡­ I will try. I¡¯ll ask for what you wanted.¡± She turned around to go. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t leave here. TriX is outside if you need something but for now stay inside. I¡¯ll come back!¡±

    And with that she broke into a run and vanished out of the cavern¡¯s exit, leaving behind a solitary glowing flower on the ground.

    ¡°That went better than expected, I guess,¡± concluded Gen.

    ¡°Except for the fact we know practically nothing,¡± noted Roah.

    Niu lightly slapped his arm, but then froze. She wanted to say that this wasn¡¯t the time to be negative and dwell too much about their situation, but she couldn¡¯t really do that with only gestures.

    Roah surprised her by more or less understanding what she wanted to say. ¡°I know,¡± he said, ¡°we¡¯re safe for now, and that¡¯s the most important thing.¡± There was something peculiar about the way he said this, however; not like he was being sarcastic, but more like an undertone that indicated he wasn¡¯t completely serious. Like always, Niu was completely unable to decipher his feelings and intentions.

    Despite their safety and small reassurance, for a while there was an awkward silence.

    Perhaps an hour or so passed without Seele coming back. This led to a gloomy atmosphere. Could they do anything but wait? Perhaps TriX could be asked some questions as well, but for now they simply discussed the situation among themselves.

    ¡°I keep wondering about these monsters,¡± Roah said. ¡°What were they?¡±

    Niu didn¡¯t even want to think about it. She¡¯d never heard of such beings even in the darkest of fairy tales. Fairies seemed to actually exist, but what about those dark beasts? Had any of them ever heard about such things? The answer was apparently no.

    ¡°I have no clue,¡± said Gen, frowning. ¡°I¡¯d never seen anything like that¡­ and they fell from the sky¡­¡±

    ¡°Reminds me of that meteorite a few years ago,¡± Roah said, rubbing his chin. ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s related.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that just a rumor?" wondered Shaya. ¡°They didn¡¯t find anything in the sea, right?¡±

    This was way before Niu started going to school, so she didn¡¯t know about it from that time, but apparently one night, something fell from the sky and into the sea that separated Rumdon and Sacrona. There were some eyewitnesses but nothing was ever found, at least on Rumdon¡¯s side.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really think that has anything to do with it¡­ probably just a coincidence,¡± said Gen.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Perhaps it didn''t matter at all, but even if they weren¡¯t related, where had these monsters come from? If they came from outer space as well, there was only one possible conclusion¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± A familiar voice echoed and Seele appeared at the entrance of the small space, smiling. Accompanying her were two fairies with long hair. ¡°They came for you.¡± Apparently they brought people to take care of them, so Niu and Roah complied.

    Only now that her leg was being examined did Niu notice that her shoes, already worn-out and tattered in the first place, were now almost completely ruined. Her socks were also ripped as well as drenched in sweat and even some blood; apparently her leg suffered minor lacerations at some point. The sudden pain made her grimace.

    The other fairy checked her leg and spoke to Seele in their language. Niu was slightly worried about how she¡¯d be able to communicate if they asked her about her injuries, but that appeared to be unnecessary. Seele spoke to her while the other reached for some supplies.

    ¡°Good, so he says that you just¡­ hmm. I don¡¯t know the right words, but your leg will be fine. Just try not to use it too much for a few days.¡±

    Niu nodded. Meanwhile, the other fairy took some elastic band and wrapped it around Niu¡¯s leg, also inserting a small pack of ice into it. She flinched at the sudden cold but it also somewhat eased the pain of her swollen ankle. Next to her Roah was also being treated.

    ¡°Oh, and this isn¡¯t much, but I also got this,¡± said Seele slowly. She handed Niu a small rectangular stone slate and what looked like another piece of rock, perhaps some sort of chalk.

    That was a bit disappointing, but then again, even back in their world paper was uncommon; Niu only had her notebook in the first place because the school provided it to her. Still, it was much better than nothing, so she nodded with a smile.

    Thinking of something, she also grabbed the chalk and started writing, which was quite hard with the tools she¡¯d been provided. She tried writing in small letters to preserve space but then recalled something. Grabbing Seele¡¯s attention, she pointed at her and then at the slate, moving her head as if to look down at it, and then tilted her head.

    ¡°Ah, are you asking if I can¡­ yes, I can read a bit.¡±

    Niu nodded and turned the slate toward her.

    Thank you for everything. Also, there is no need to speak so slowly to me; I am mute, but I can hear you just fine.

    She could see Seele¡¯s eyes widen in understanding. For some reason, many people did this upon first learning of her condition. She¡¯d grown annoyed by it, but at least outwardly she gently corrected them.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Seele with what looked like an abashed smile. Niu just returned her smile.

    ¡°So she¡¯s fine, yeah?¡± asked Gen, glancing at Niu¡¯s now-wrapped leg. The other fairy had already left after finishing this treatment. He didn¡¯t even look at Roah.

    ¡°Yes. Anyway, I¡¯m going again! Don¡¯t worry, food is on its way!¡± Seele announced, then waved at them and dashed away.

    There was another somewhat awkward stretch of silence. Niu lowered her eyes to her slate, thinking of a way to break the ice. This, however, only served to focus her attention yet again on how limited her ability to communicate now was. Would she ever be able to see her notebooks again? There were many memories, drawings and even completely meaningless chatter contained within them, all perhaps lost forever.

    Despair and anxiousness tugged at her softly until a voice pulled her back.

    ¡°So,¡± mumbled Gen, ¡°those fairies sure were weird, huh?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not quite what I imagined,¡± admitted Shaya.

    ¡°Niu seemed pretty excited, though,¡± now said Roah, turning his eye to her.

    Well, there were many moments of shock and uncertainty, including right now, but perhaps she was rather excited about this whole thing. She¡¯d spent so long daydreaming about these fantastical beings that it was unbelievable to think she actually met them. She almost felt as if this was fate¡ªas clich¨¦d as that sounded. Regardless, focusing on these positive new experiences caused her to smile.

    ¡°Also, was the one taking care of you actually a man?¡± Gen asked. ¡°Seele said ¡®he¡¯, so I just wondered.¡±

    ¡°That fairy looked rather feminine, but I saw no breasts,¡± Roah said nonchalantly.

    ¡°¡­Pervert,¡± said Gen, to which Roah merely shrugged.

    Shaya added, ¡°Seele doesn¡¯t speak too fluently, so maybe it¡¯s just a mistake. Or maybe it¡¯s just how fairies are. Actually, isn¡¯t it usually like this even with our version of fairies?¡±

    Shaya turned to Niu, who nodded in confirmation; fairies were depicted as beautiful children without any clear gender. She was surprised that real fairies were both like and unlike those depictions. There was also another major exception, though; Niu quickly wrote it down.

    What about the big one?

    ¡°That tall guy? Right,¡± Roah said. ¡°Definitely wouldn¡¯t have called him a fairy.¡±

    ¡°TriX¡­ was it? Seele pronounced it somewhat strangely,¡± said Shaya.

    Gen looked toward the cave¡¯s entrance. It was too dark to see, but Seele had told them before that TriX was standing watch there. ¡°Should we call him?¡± the boy asked.

    But just as they wondered what to do, the person himself stepped inside, followed by Seele.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to eat!¡± she announced happily.

    With his large arms TriX carried a tray loaded with wooden bowls and cups of all kinds. A sweet smell tickled Niu¡¯s nose and she could see that some of the dishes were steaming.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize how hungry I was until now¡­¡± Gen said, eyes wide. TriX lowered the tray and the four of them huddled around it.

    There were what appeared to be fruits and vegetables, grains, a soup and more¡ªall of it looking similar to, and yet slightly different from, Plainland cuisine.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t know what you like, so we got different things,¡± Seele explained. She then watched them all expectantly.

    Roah took the first move. He grabbed a fork (pretty much the same as any fork back home) and stabbed a slice of what looked like some sort of pastry, inserting it in his mouth. He was always rather indifferent so it was hard to gauge his impression until he spoke.

    ¡°Nice,¡± he concluded, and so the rest also joined him.

    There were juicy, delicious fruits, a soup with a nice mix of sweetness and saltiness, pieces of fresh bread and other baked foods; pretty much the only thing missing was meat. Some of it did taste somewhat strange and novel, for sure, but most was just the way Roah had described it. Not that Niu was a picky eater anyway, and especially not when she felt so hungry.

    Seele giggled. ¡°Good, I was worried faerie food would be too different from our, but you seem to like it.¡±

    ¡°It is actually a bit surprising you¡¯re eating so well¡­ this is some sort of base, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Seele replied to Roah¡¯s question. ¡°We just grow many good things here, so we know how to make the best of them. But in Kalden it¡¯s much better!¡±

    ¡°Kalden?¡± asked Shaya. That name sounded a bit familiar to Niu; she was pretty sure that Seele had mentioned it before.

    ¡°That¡¯s our, how do I explain it¡­ our main city? I don¡¯t know how to say it in fairy language¡­¡±

    ¡°Capital?¡± Gen suggested.

    Seele looked unsure, but TriX spoke for the first time in a while. ¡°That is the word.¡±

    ¡°If he says he knows,¡± concluded Seele with a smile.

    ¡°By the way,¡± said Gen, putting down his cutlery, ¡°I¡¯m still really confused by you calling us fairies.¡±

    ¡°What is there to be confused about?¡± spat Roah.

    Gen furrowed his brows. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Seele interjected, probably unsure how to respond to their sudden bickering. ¡°Is that a problem? According to our stories we all lived together in your world until we were cast out. And you do seem to know us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re the fairies here¡­ or so I thought.¡±

    Seele was just as confused. ¡°Maybe a problem with the language?¡±

    ¡°It definitely is just a matter of semantics. Not that complicated,¡± said Roah, earning him another angry look from Gen. ¡°It¡¯s just a word. Meanings change with the years and different contexts.¡±

    Niu could more or less understand what he was saying. She didn¡¯t even know the etymology of the word ¡°fairy¡±, after all. As far as she knew, in the ancient past it might have been used to simply mean ¡°the other kind of people¡± or something of the sort and that was why Seele used it like that.

    ¡°Incidentally,¡± added Roah, ¡°how do you refer to yourselves?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Seele, as if surprised by the question. ¡°We¡¯re humans, of course.¡±

    Now that they were well-fed and somewhat rested, a certain gloom settled once again on the four friends, and perhaps the gloomiest of all was Niu. There was so much she wanted to say and ask, but almost every time it rose to her mind, she realized that it would be too troublesome to bother. Using the faint chalk on the rough, small slate took too much time and effort.

    They were again left alone after their brief conversation with Seele. More importantly, however, they were tired.

    The fateful attack had occurred somewhere near evening, so time-wise it was surely at least the middle of the night in Plainland, if not the following morning. Despite being on a different world, where it was perhaps midday, their bodies were still adjusted to their home. The earlier excitement and anxiousness kept them awake, but now they felt it in full.

    Roah was lying down with his hands crossed behind his head, but the others sat close together. After all, this was a cave with hard, cold ground; not exactly a perfect place to sleep in, no matter how tired they were.

    They¡¯d mentioned this to Seele, but she was gone again. They were even too tired to try speaking with TriX who¡¯d returned to his post at the entrance, and they¡¯d been forbidden from leaving the place anyway.

    On the one hand they were safe, but they were also trapped. They were completely at the mercy of this newfound world and its inhabitants, and lacked so much information. They dreamed of going back home, but was there still a home to be back to? And how, exactly, would they do so? Niu was sure that all of them thought of this, yet none of them dared to voice it out loud.

    In the end time merely passed. They couldn¡¯t even gather the energy to hold a proper conversation anymore.

    Niu realized she¡¯d somehow nodded off to shallow sleep when she suddenly awoke with a start and noticed movement around her. A few fairies were running around and carrying a bundle of¡­ Niu wasn¡¯t sure what. When these things were rolled on the ground, they resembled carpets made out of grass.

    However, none of the workers spoke to them. Gen tried inquiring one of them but was met with a shaking of the head. Seele or TriX were nowhere to be seen. At length the fairies left the room.

    ¡°These might be¡­ some sort of bedrolls?¡± said Roah.

    Niu patted one of the thick ¡°carpets¡±. Its surface was soft to the touch, mostly smooth and smelled somehow fresh. She tentatively set her body down and found it quite comfortable and not as scratchy as she imagined.

    ¡°I think that¡ª¡± started Gen, but had to stifle a huge yawn, ¡°that you¡¯re right.¡±

    Shaya giggled. It was a bit of a strained laugh, but perhaps their first one ever since coming there. She then said, ¡°Good night,¡± and just lay down.

    ¡°Good night. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure out something tomorrow,¡± said Gen.

    Roah said nothing and Niu couldn¡¯t say anything, so she simply lay down as well, putting her precious slate and chalk next to her so-called bed. There were no blankets or pillows, but the underground wasn¡¯t cold. The small lights around were also faint enough to not cause any issue.

    Most of all, she was simply dead tired¡ªand so quickly sank into sleep.

    Seele had just returned from scouting duty. It was still late afternoon, so while the faeries were sleeping, the others were still at work all around the base and outside of it. The faeries might have not noticed it, but there was still much chaos and disorder over the recent and unexpected attack. There had been some casualties, too. Yet Seele¡¯s heart was pounding for a different reason altogether.

    While wondering whether to check on how the faeries were doing, TriX appeared. They were longtime partners, but TriX also had much work to do in the current state. Most of it was standing guard over the kids¡ªwhich was why Seele was surprised to see TriX there.

    ¡°Is something the matter? Some news, perhaps?¡± In contrast to Seele¡¯s somewhat apprehensive tone while speaking the faeries¡¯ language, each and every word was clear and purposeful now.

    ¡°I just wanted, to speak to you.¡± TriX, on the other hand, spoke just as stilted no matter the language used.

    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± They were alone in the dark corridor lit only by the occasional glowing mushroom. TriX cast a faint shadow on the nearby earthen wall, the already-large frame magnified even further.

    ¡°Do you believe, all the legends?¡±

    Seele¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°About the faeries, you mean to say?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Naturally, this wasn¡¯t a subject often breached in conversations with TriX.

    ¡°Well¡­ honestly, I have no idea. It was surprising, or rather shocking, to find them. I still wonder if I¡¯m dreaming right now. We¡¯re so lucky to be here right now.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be, enjoying this,¡± said TriX. The monotonous voice made it hard to discern whether TriX was posing a question, an assertion or an accusation about the matter.

    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t deny that.¡± Seele¡¯s smile widened. ¡°But why wouldn¡¯t I? There¡¯s finally some sort of change. The Stroba are definitely not going to stay silent about this, but something¡¯s finally starting to move, after all these years.¡±

    Perhaps having lost its radiant properties, the next flower on the wall was not emitting light and so the pair entered a small patch of darkness. Seele giggled.

    ¡°So, one could say I expect some great things from them. Things are bound to be interesting!¡±

    The sun will sink as we unite

    A brand new world as of tonight

 Chapter 4: Secrets in the Dark

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    I¡¯m Niu.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    I said I¡¯m Niu. Can¡¯t you hear me?

    Well, of course they couldn¡¯t. Nothing but empty air came out of her mouth. Her words were crystal-clear in her mind, yet invisible smoke on the outside. Speaking was just as worthless as she was.

    No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m not!

    Wasn¡¯t she, though? She couldn¡¯t do anything in this unknown world by herself. The dark tentacles sneered at her. Ridiculed her. Because she was nothing¡ªnothing at all. A powerless girl, just another defect.

    I-I¡¯m not!

    She had to shout this again and again. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t understand. Otherwise she would be useless, worthless. And she couldn¡¯t allow that, no matter what. She couldn¡¯t allow those writhing tentacles to grab hold of her heart like that.

    I¡¯m Niu¡­

    Then the tentacles tore her toAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    ¡°¡­ah?!¡±

    Niu awoke with a start. The tentacles grabbed her inside absolute darkness¡ªno, it was simply that way around her naturally. They were sleeping inside a cavern, after all. Although it wasn¡¯t completely dark with the small sources of light all around.

    Niu also realized that she hadn¡¯t been the one to raise a shriek. It was actually Shaya who lay near her, with a large shape looming nearby, a dark menace.

    ¡°What¡¯s going¡­?¡± mumbled Gen¡¯s voice, apparently woken up as well.

    ¡°I am sorry,¡± uttered the large figure standing there, ¡°I did not mean, to wake you.¡±

    With her heart still beating rapidly from both nightmare and reality, Niu finally realized that it was TriX standing there. His body still seemed just as large and his face was still covered by the old cloak covering his bulky frame.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry for waking you all up¡­¡± Shaya apologized as well.

    ¡°What time is it?¡± groaned Roah, rubbing his eyes.

    ¡°It should be around, 1 o¡¯clock,¡± TriX replied.

    So it was night time already¡ªuseful to know in this constant darkness. Judging by her heavy eyelids and body, Niu concluded that they hadn¡¯t been sleeping for very long. It would probably take some time to adjust to the time difference, especially if it was just the beginning of night¡ªbut actually, was it really?

    Roah then mouthed the very question she thought about, ¡°1 o¡¯clock, meaning out of 10? Do you keep time the same way here?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± said TriX, ¡°Day and night are, ten hours each.¡±

    ¡°Huh, so it is exactly like ours. Well, I suppose the channeling cycle is the same,¡± concluded Gen. It seemed that way from Plainland too, but it was good to know regardless.

    ¡°I suppose I will, let you all go back to sleep,¡± said TriX, turning around.

    ¡°No, wait.¡± Roah stopped him, glaring at the large man. ¡°Why were you here in the first place?¡±

    ¡°To watch you,¡± he readily admitted, making all of them exchange glances with furrowed brows.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you stand guard outside before¡­?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Yes. I meant I wanted, to watch you directly.¡± Since they couldn¡¯t see his face and his voice was monotone it was hard to judge his feelings. ¡°I am sorry if, it offends you.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t exactly offend us, it¡¯s just¡­" Gen struggled with his words.

    ¡°Very disturbing,¡± Roah completed the sentence for him with a faint smile. ¡°But never mind that. I have another question for you¡ª" his lone eye almost seemed to glint in the dark. ¡°What are you?¡±

    There was a bout of silence. Once again, they couldn¡¯t tell whether TriX was confused by his question or anything else. But the meaning of Roah¡¯s inquiry was clear.

    ¡°I am TriX,¡± he finally replied.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my question,¡± said Roah, a tinge of annoyance sneaking to his voice. ¡°Are you a fairy? Because you sure don¡¯t look like it.¡±

    It took a few more seconds for TriX to answer this time as well. ¡°If by the word fairy you, refer to those like, my partner Seele,¡± he started, ¡°then the answer is, no¡ªI am not.¡±

    Roah seemed to have expected this answer, but Niu was caught by surprise. Sure, TriX looked plenty different from the others in this land, but Seele didn¡¯t completely fit her perception of fairies in the first place. TriX¡¯s large body and hidden face were also curious, but Niu figured there was a reason for that and that he was just an unusual fairy. However, that was seemingly wrong¡ªTriX had affirmed that he was, in fact, not a fairy. At the same time, he was definitely not like Niu or the rest either, so what did that mean?

    ¡°Then what are you, exactly?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°If I were to put the, term in your language¡­ it would perhaps be, something like a ¡®laborer¡¯.¡± This word by itself was not enough, but his explanation continued. ¡°I am a being created by, humans to conduct work.¡±

    Gen let out a small voice and even Roah looked bewildered. Niu blinked in confusion, not quite understanding the meaning of his words.

    ¡°What do you mean by created? Surely you can¡¯t mean that you¡¯re artificial?¡± mumbled the still-shocked Roah.

    ¡°Unfamiliar word. I was built, and then given life.¡±

    Once again, so much confusion and so many questions sprouted in Niu¡¯s mind that she wanted to write them all down and reached for her notebook¡ªexcept she didn¡¯t have one. Her hand stopped and her gaze dropped toward the stupid slate she had been given.

    ¡°Are you serious¡­?¡± asked Shaya dubiously.

    In response TriX raised his large hands, grabbed his hood and pulled it back. He finally revealed his face¡ªif it could be called a face. Shaya gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Things just got more and more shocking.

    It did resemble the shape of a head, just like TriX¡¯s entire body was similar to a (large) human, but that was where the similarities ended. Perhaps the scarce light was also to blame, but he seemed to have nothing you would expect of a face. No eyes, no ears, no nose and no mouth. A few holes were located in various areas, but there was another distinctive feature that set him apart from a mere statue¡ªa geometric pattern was inscribed on the surface, faintly glowing.

    ¡°An icon,¡± mumbled Roah in understanding and shock.

    Niu had seen such a complicated icon only during their theoretical lessons. She was even more surprised, however, to realize that she understood parts of the formula, though most of it was completely foreign to her as well. Light, movement, heat¡­? There seemed to be many channels in use here.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand this sort of thing,¡± said Shaya, ¡°but this is¡­ something very complex, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ve seen our lamps before¡­ if what he says is true, then it¡¯s much more amazing than that,¡± Gen explained to her. He then turned to TriX. ¡°How does it work, exactly? I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that. Is your whole body operated like that?¡±

    TriX¡¯s response was once again unexpected. ¡°I do not know.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t know?¡± Gen asked, blinking. TriX seemed unsure how to respond to this, merely nodding. But Gen was still unconvinced.

    ¡°Do you know how your body works?¡± Roah asked him back.

    ¡°Well¡­ sorta?¡±

    But Niu shook her head. Understanding exactly how humans ¡°worked¡±¡ªsoul, mind and body¡ªwas unthinkable. At the very least, they only learned very basic physiology at school. However, she couldn¡¯t really explain that to Gen right now. She bit her lips hard.

    ¡°Not really,¡± said Roah. ¡°For most things, you operate on instinct and things you became used to. Can you give me a detailed explanation of how your organs or muscles work? What makes you breath, how you convert food to energy? No, you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hmm, sure.¡± Gen seemed to concede this point.

    ¡°I am sorry,¡± TriX repeated for some reason.

    ¡°What are you made of, anyhow? Surely that¡¯s not flesh. When the¡­ other laborer carried us their body felt really hard, but I didn¡¯t realize why until just now."

    ¡°There is a certain plant,¡± TriX explained, ¡°that grows what, they use to make us. Shamra. If I were to translate, to your language¡­ perhaps it would be, fungus metal.¡±

    ¡°Fungus metal?¡± Gen echoed the term. ¡°Err¡­ like a mushroom?¡±

    Roah added, ¡°There does seem to be plenty of unique flora on this world.¡± Like the glowing mushrooms and flowers, probably. ¡°Hmm, so does that mean¡­¡± the last part broke into a mumble as he suddenly stood up from the bedroll. With everyone watching him in confusion, he approached TriX¡ªand threw a punch.

    ¡°R-Roah?!¡± Gen yelped, half-rising. TriX had immediately moved his hands to stop him, causing Roah to hit them.

    Roah shook his hand, grimacing. ¡°Yeah, that''s some hard material¡­ since his body moves so well, I just wondered how it works.¡±

    ¡°Are you fine?¡± asked TriX. He was probably surprised as well but his voice was as monotonous as ever¡ªthis, too, was perhaps due to being an artificial being.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Roah replied curtly, turning back around. His testing had apparently been concluded with just this.

    ¡°You should go back to sleep,¡± suggested TriX, turning around. ¡°I am sorry, for waking you up.¡± He left them no chance for any retort as he simply left.

    ¡°There¡¯s so much we still don¡¯t know yet, huh?¡± Gen mused aloud. A completely new world, completely new experiences and completely new beings¡­ it was all overwhelming.

    For Niu, it was overwhelming for another reason as well. She reached for her slate and chalk, but after a few seconds of holding them, she knew she couldn¡¯t do it. Not right now. Not here in this condition, with these people, and with these materials.

    ¡°Niu? Is everything alright?¡± asked her Shaya. Niu twitched; she didn¡¯t think anyone had been watching her. She simply turned her body and wore a tired smile, nodding. I''m just tired, she indicated by putting her hands together and leaning her cheek on them.

    ¡°Right¡­ good night again,¡± Shaya greeted and Niu nodded again, turning around.

    ¡°Good night,¡± mumbled Gen, too. Roah said nothing.

    Niu could feel something simmering inside her. It was even more obvious with her eyes closed and with the surroundings silent.

    So much has happened during these last 20 hours. A few nice things, too, but mostly bad, to put it lightly. Her friends arguing during their hangout in town. Her running away and getting attacked by a monster. Her friends rescuing her, but all of them getting whisked off to another world. Being taken by the fairies here¡­ It was too much to process, and perhaps that fact alone allowed her to not panic, but how long would that hold?

    She could already feel the cracks, but she couldn¡¯t cry right now. She simply had to grit her teeth. She had to control herself like always.

    Niu somehow fell asleep at some point.

    The next time she woke up naturally. Whether it was morning or not, she couldn¡¯t tell, but she could see the others were already up and about.

    Taking a deep breath, she formed a smile and, catching Gen¡¯s attention, waved at him.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± he replied with a somewhat tired smile of his own, causing Shaya and Roah who seemed to be sitting silently to turn toward her as well. Niu tilted her head and spun her fingers. What time is it?

    ¡°We don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s apparently daytime,¡± Roah replied instead. ¡°The fairies outside started moving, you see. A guard or two also peeked inside but couldn¡¯t speak with us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wonder where TriX and Seele are,¡± said Gen.

    This turned out to be great timing, as a familiar voice called out to them. ¡°Good morning!¡±

    Just like she did yesterday, Seele came into the cavern followed by food. As far as Niu could see these were pretty much the same dishes they¡¯d been given out before. Well, they couldn¡¯t really complain about it repeating since this was their only source of food. It was also relatively diverse anyway.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°How are you all feeling?¡± Seele asked while the plates were being set on the ground.

    ¡°Fine, I think,¡± Gen replied, looking around as if seeking the others¡¯ approval.

    ¡°We have food and a place to sleep; that¡¯s good enough for now,¡± Roah said dryly.

    Seele looked like she didn''t know how to reply to that, so she merely smiled. ¡°Well, message from Kalden should probably come soon and then we¡¯ll know what to do with you.¡±

    Kalden¡ªif Niu remembered correctly it was the fairies¡¯ capital city. For them it was just as foreign as any other place on Fairland, but would that place help them get back home? Or at least get a better grasp on their situation?

    ¡°Your capital¡­ is it fine, by the way?¡± Roah suddenly asked. ¡°You know, with the attack and all that.¡±

    Seele momentarily widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Oh, no worry! Even here we were fine¡­ and at Kalden we have the strongest person!¡±

    As expected from their capital. Niu wasn¡¯t sure whether she should feel impressed that they had managed to defeat one monster in utter desperation or else find it an embarrassing struggle.

    ¡°The strongest person, huh?¡± asked Gen with a smile. ¡°So you have a Molton too?¡±

    ¡°A¡­ what?¡± Seele asked in confusion, but Gen shook his head.

    ¡°Haha, never mind.¡± He resumed eating the mushroom stew he was holding. ¡°By the way, umm¡­ it might be rude of me to ask this, after everything you¡¯ve done for us¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve given us some good food, to be sure, but what about some meat?¡±

    Niu noticed it as well; despite the large variety of dishes none of them had meat, or at least not that they could recognize. Niu herself was too poor to eat meat regularly, but it could be a nice addition.

    Seele¡¯s smile vanished. For some reason she looked disturbed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry if it¡¯s asking for too much, but¡­ or wait, maybe you don¡¯t understand the meaning of that word?" Gen suddenly realized. ¡°Umm, I¡¯m speaking about, well, dead animals like cows and¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh!¡± Seele sighed in apparent relief. ¡°I thought you meant people¡­ y-you faeries don¡¯t eat each other, right?¡± she furrowed her brows, glancing between them.

    ¡°Wha¡ªof course not,¡± Gen hurriedly answered.

    ¡°Well, I heard that certain tribes in the north used to¡ª¡± started Roah.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t talk about stuff like that while we¡¯re eating,¡± Shaya stopped him with a shrill voice.

    Seele looked at them. ¡°Ah¡­ so dead animals, you say? I don¡¯t know what a cow is, but I heard stories about faeries eating things that were living¡­¡±

    ¡°Stories?¡± Gen repeated, blinking. ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡±

    Seele smiled apologetically. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything like that here,¡± she explained.

    Niu would have thought that by now she¡¯d be used to the constant surprises of Fairland, but she really wasn¡¯t. The fairies truly led completely different lives. At the same time, she also had the feeling that this wasn¡¯t going to be the last time she felt this way.

    ¡°No animals at all¡­?¡± mumbled Roah, furrowing his brows, ¡°what about birds? Insects? Fish?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what those are,¡± said Seele, ¡°but the only ones living here are us humans and robots.¡± An unfamiliar word snuck at the end there.

    ¡°Robots¡­ is that like TriX?" asked Roah.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t explained? He¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he told us,¡± Gen interjected. ¡°He called it a ¡®laborer¡¯, though.¡±

    ¡°Laborer, hmm¡­ a bit long but sounds nice,¡± Seele concluded, lightly nodding. ¡°We can use that.¡±

    Shaya returned to the previous topic. ¡°So there really aren¡¯t any other animals? It¡¯s weird, but I guess it makes sense. We haven¡¯t seen anything so far after all.¡±

    Thinking about it, Niu recalled how utterly quiet and still the forest seemed to be when they¡¯d all woken up there. Since she walked to and from town every day, she grew used to the sounds of nature, but there really was nothing like that here. Not even insects or burrowing animals in these caverns. No other animals or living beings¡­ it felt somewhat lonely.

    ¡°Well, now we also have faeries here!¡± Seele said with a wide grin.

    ¡°And there were those monsters, too,¡± Roah reminded them. Seele¡¯s smile immediately vanished and her expression darkened. ¡°Have they appeared again, by the way?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. Not here, at least. Well¡­ I¡¯m sorry there¡¯s no meat, but you¡¯ve got some really good stuff there, so eat! Goodbye for now!¡±

    ¡°¡­Now look what you¡¯ve done, you scared her away,¡± grumbled Gen once Seele was gone out of sight.

    The other boy shrugged. ¡°I was just confirming our safety here. Besides, Seele seems to be always busy anyway.¡±

    Finally, after finishing their breakfast¡ªand after Niu stuffing herself full perhaps more than she¡¯d ever had¡ªthey were left alone in the darkness yet again.

    Overall, the four of them somehow started adjusting to their new life. It was hard to tell the time inside the caverns and they were too anxious about their future to speak seriously about it, so they mostly sank into their own private thoughts or else chatted about completely trivial things such as the food they were served.

    Niu¡¯s leg was recovering well. She could already walk by herself. It was still somewhat uncomfortable but there was no longer any sharp pain, so it was a real improvement. At least there was one positive thing right now. Roah was also recovering nicely from his wounds.

    From time to time all sorts of fairies (and the occasional laborer) would come and check their situation, though none engaged them in conversation. This left them further in isolation and put a strain on their already weakened mental state, but it also made Seele¡¯s presence all the more precious every time she appeared.

    And so she finally came to visit them again come noon.

    ¡°Sorry, no news yet,¡± she immediately apologized as their meals were brought again. At first these seemed luxurious and varied, but now the novelty was starting to wear off and Niu realized that most likely, all of it was grown inside these caves. Even if it was still good food.

    Taking advantage of Seele¡¯s presence, Niu beckoned her and showed her what she wrote on the slate beforehand.

    Is there perhaps some place here we can use to bathe?

    This question had been suggested by Niu herself. Well, back in Plainland she only went to the town¡¯s bathhouse rarely, but still endeavored to keep clean as much as possible. The first days were overwhelming and stressful, but by now they desperately needed something like that. They had been given simple clothes to wear in exchange for their sweaty and ripped ones, but Niu¡¯s hair was dry and scruffy so that was uncomfortable too.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Seele exclaimed in her usual surprised and excited manner. ¡°Ah, yes! There is.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good. I miss my daily bath,¡± said Gen.

    ¡°Rich boys,¡± mumbled Roah disapprovingly in a low voice.

    Seele seemed to think of something, for she suddenly widened her eyes and spoke. ¡°Would you want hot water too?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Is that an option?¡± asked the surprised Shaya.

    ¡°Maybe. Faeries can use magic, right?¡±

    Niu frowned; that was yet another unfamiliar word to them. ¡°Magic¡­ do you mean channeling?¡± Roah surmised.

    ¡°Channeling¡­¡± Seele tried the new word, seemingly unsure.

    ¡°You know, when you use icons to¡­¡± Gen drew random lines on the ground.

    ¡°Runes!¡± Seele sounded excited for some reason. ¡°Yes, exactly that!¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Gen. ¡°So yeah, all of us can¡­ except for Shaya.¡± At his words the girl averted her gaze, perhaps feeling left out.

    ¡°I see¡­ faeries are amazing!¡± Seele burst. ¡°I actually can¡¯t use magic. Well, many of us can, though.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s rare for us,¡± noted Roah.

    ¡°Really? Then you¡¯re even amazinger than I thought! Wow!¡±

    Niu giggled. It was quite comical to see a real fairy of all things getting so excited hearing about their abilities, when by all accounts it should have been the other way around. Well, Niu already figured out that most of the legends were likely exaggerated, though.

    ¡°Anyway, I have to go! Enjoy your food!¡± Just like always, Seele rushed away and disappeared.

    Gen sighed. ¡°She¡¯s always like that, huh?¡± Although it sounded like a complaint, he was smiling as he said this.

    ¡°Annoyingly so,¡± Roah grumbled.

    ¡°She¡¯s being very kind to us; don¡¯t be mean,¡± Shaya said with furrowed brows. Roah made no reply to that.

    This time Seele wasn¡¯t gone for long. She returned along with TriX who was holding a few bags. Since they were talking about a bath, perhaps he was carrying some more changes of clothes?

    ¡°It''s ready,¡± she announced, sounding pleased with herself. Niu was surprised; she wasn¡¯t expecting it to happen so quickly after just presenting the question. ¡°It¡¯s not too far, so¡­ can you be able to walk, Niu? Or should TriX carry you? Good. Then, let¡¯s go, all of you!¡± But none of the four moved. "Hmm?"

    ¡°Well, umm¡­ fine,¡± Gen cleared his throat. ¡°You can go first, girls.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Shaya weakly.

    But Seele sounded confused. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all go in together?¡±

    Niu felt herself flush. Communal bathing wasn¡¯t unheard of, but at least in Hayden, and especially at their ages, it was always divided by gender. The very thought was way too embarrassing.

    ¡°Errm¡­¡± Gen stammered, embarrassed as well, ¡°y-you know, at least for us¡­ usually we¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about your society, but usually boys and girls don¡¯t bathe together,¡± Roah coolly explained. This explanation, however, didn¡¯t satisfy Seele at all: instead, she hit them with yet another astonishing question.

    ¡°What are boys and girls?¡±

    At this point, perhaps Niu should have started to expect the unexpected. And thinking back, there were some signs of this before, as slight as they were. They had already discussed the apparent androgyny of the fairies. Now it all made sense.

    Even so it was a great shock. Sure, their languages were different, there were physical differences, there was the whole thing about there being no animals, but this¡­ this was something else entirely.

    Where could they even start? The three all tried explaining it in their own words but even Roah was having difficulties. Perhaps it was a bit like explaining color to a blind person, and there was also some embarrassment involved with it all. Seele was patient, however, and very curious.

    ¡°So basically, there are boys and girls,¡± Gen somehow concluded, folding his arms. ¡°As for, err, more concrete differences¡­ I guess boys are strong and girls are pretty?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a bit too simplistic?¡± Shaya said in a displeased tone and with a raised brow. ¡°There¡¯s the Queen, for example.¡± Niu nodded as well.

    ¡°Yeah, but I was talking about physical strength.¡± He made a fist.

    ¡°There are female knights too,¡± added Roah. ¡°Well, not many, though.¡±

    Seele pondered this haphazard explanation. ¡°I still don¡¯t really understand. For us, many are strong or pretty. Some are even both, like Aisbroom.¡±

    ¡°Aisbroom?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°Ah, Aisbroom is the strongest fighter in Kalden!¡± Seele sounded very pleased while saying this, wearing a wide and bright smile.

    ¡°Oh, so like Molton!¡± Gen sounded just as excited.

    Meanwhile Niu was thinking¡ªall of them thought of Seele as female until then, but what about now? Technically, Seele was neither. How should they even refer to Seele¡ªit? Them? Their language was not equipped to handle this sort of situation at all.

    ¡°Ah, you said that name before. Is that one your soldiers, then?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s the strongest.¡±

    ¡°Really? I¡¯m sure Aisbroom is stronger, though!¡±

    ¡°What? No way!¡±

    Shaya laughed, which caused them to stop talking. Niu also found herself quite amused in the midst of her ponderings. Seele seemed to be lighthearted and kind, but she never expected them to have a childish argument like that with Gen.

    Roah took advantage of this short lull. ¡°Can we get to the point?¡± He sighed. ¡°If the girls aren¡¯t going, then I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°O-oh, sorry for taking time!¡± Seele hurriedly apologized.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, he¡¯s just¡­¡± Gen mumbled but shook his head. ¡°You girls should go first.¡± He nodded at Shaya.

    Shaya nodded back. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She looked at Niu and added, ¡°do you need help?¡± Niu shook her head; the leg still hurt just a little bit but she could probably walk by herself unaided. She only slightly limped toward the exit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not far,¡± said Seele with a smile, coming along with TriX who was still carrying the bags.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Shaya, still somewhat nervous.

    They have gone before to a nearby room that was used as a toilet so it wasn¡¯t the first time they actually left their small cavern but this time they went even further. Niu couldn¡¯t really recall their way inside with detail, so now she took this chance to look around her.

    As before, flowers and mushrooms decorated the walls, some of them glowing. Soon Niu noticed she could see patterns; flora arranged in certain ways which were not quite letters but not random, either. Were these some sort of directions? She could see Seele glance at the walls from time to time.

    Also, they passed next to quite a few fairies, all hurriedly walking around. When they would notice the two girls, most of them stopped to stare and then whispered amongst themselves. This made Niu fairly conscious of herself, so from a certain point she spent the walk with her eyes on the ground.

    But just like Seele had said it was not too long of a walk. Soon the pair was led into a small entrance in the ground that expanded to a larger cavern, much wider than their ¡°room¡±. The glowing mushrooms sent their faint lights on a surface of rippling water. It was an underground pool¡ªwhether it was natural or artificial Niu couldn¡¯t tell.

    ¡°And now,¡± mumbled Seele, reaching into one of the bags they were holding, ¡°this.¡± Seele was holding some sort of rough object hanging from a string. ¡°You can use magic, right Niu?¡±

    She nodded, examining the object that looked like some sort of rock. She soon realized it had symbols engraved on it¡ªicons.

    ¡°I, ah¡­ don¡¯t really know how it works, but some use it to make water hot.¡±

    Niu had heard during their lessons about similar contraptions used to produce such things as heat or wind for different uses, but never in the shape of a simple rock. Was it some sort of special mineral, perhaps?

    ¡°Can you do it?¡± whispered Shaya worriedly.

    Glaring at the stone from up close, Niu was surprised to find out that she probably could. Even TriX¡¯s icons were just slightly familiar, but this time the icons were mostly standard¡ªjust like Seele had explained, the stone¡¯s functions appeared to be the simple act of opening the channel of heat in all directions.

    The two worlds had been living apart for so long, with even their languages being different, so was the system of channeling¡ªor magic, as the fairies apparently called it¡ªthe only thing to stay constant? Since it was a standardized system it made sense, but still curious. If only she could speak to Mr. Saburn about it¡­

    Unfortunately, Seele had no knowledge of channeling, according to them. Perhaps sometime later Niu could find another fairy for these sorts of inquiries.

    ¡°Niu?¡± Shaya snapped her out of her rumination, upon which Niu nodded in swift succession.

    ¡°Great, then enjoy it!¡± said Seele with a smile. And simply stood there. Watching them.

    ¡°U-umm,¡± Shaya finally spoke, ¡°could you please¡­¡± she wasn¡¯t sure how to complete that sentence without sounding rude.

    ¡°Oh,¡± said Seele. ¡°Yes, I mean¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I was just curious about what you told me and¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Seele wore an abashed smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like we go around without clothes, too.¡±

    Shaya made an awkward giggle. Niu could understand Seele; she herself was also somewhat curious about¡­ this sort of thing about fairies. But there was a time and place for everything.

    ¡°Good,¡± Seele said, lightly nodding, ¡°then I¡¯ll have TriX stand outside. Don¡¯t worry.¡± And finally they left.

    After disrobing and putting their clothing near the bags, the two girls slowly got into the water. Niu, meanwhile, was carrying the heating stone (so she named it in her mind) by its string. It had been a while¡ªwell, a couple of days after some very eventful happenings, at any rate¡ªsince she¡¯d done any channeling, so she was actually somewhat excited, a fact that surprised even herself.

    ¡°Can you handle it?¡± Shaya asked again. Niu nodded and started focusing. The stone surprisingly floated in the water, so she stabilized it and gazed at the icons.

    The goal was to create heat that would spread throughout the pool, keeping the water warm. Upon opening the channel, it should stay open for a while¡ªor so she so understood from the icon¡¯s functions. And if so, she had to be careful to not channel too much heat.

    She was hesitating and even Shaya was watching the stone nervously, but soon she could feel the water becoming warmer and warmer. Making sure that the water wasn¡¯t too hot, Niu nodded at her success.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± Shaya suddenly muttered after they sat back and enjoyed the warm water for a short while. Niu tilted her head as if to say, what is? and Shaya replied, ¡°Well¡­ everything, honestly. But what I meant is being here like this... I can almost forget we¡¯re in some other world and just enjoy it.¡±

    Niu smiled. They¡¯d gone to the public bathhouse a few times before, but she knew it was a tough experience for Shaya. Even now she sank most of her body under the water despite it being relatively dark. And although it was also a bit eerie, the peace and quiet was very relaxing.

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll¡­?¡± Shaya started another question but then shook her head. ¡°No, never mind. Anyway, we shouldn¡¯t keep Gen and Roah waiting for too long.¡±

    Niu nodded. Along with the stone Seele had also brought them what appeared to some sort of soap.

    ¡°So, how was it?¡± asked Shaya when the boys returned.

    About an hour passed. The two girls finished their bath so the boys went after them¡ªand now they also finished.

    ¡°Fine,¡± responded Roah.

    ¡°Great,¡± said Gen. ¡°The heating stone was a bit hard to use, though.¡±

    "Really¡­?" wondered Shaya. Niu had expected it to be somewhat complicated, but she seemed to have gotten the hang of it quite easily. ¡°We had no problem.¡±

    ¡°Figures,¡± muttered Roah for some reason, narrowing his eye.

    ¡°And these clothes are a bit¡­¡± grumbled Gen, pinching them with his fingers. The four of them had all been given the same kind¡ªgrey working clothes which were quite a bit baggy. Seele and the other fairies were clothed similarly.

    ¡°Not like there¡¯s a need for fashion in this darkness,¡± Roah noted.

    ¡°¡­It''s not that,¡± Gen said, ¡°it¡¯s just a bit¡­ ugh, never mind,¡± Gen said, making Shaya giggle. ¡°Funny, is it?¡±

    "What,¡± Shaya hurriedly blurted, ¡°no, I-I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± He smiled apologetically. ¡°I was just kidding, I¡¯m sorry. Anyway, these clothes are better than nothing.¡±

    Now clean and fresh, Niu also felt her mind was the same¡ªand so it unfortunately meant that the usual worries crept up inside it. She knew she should simply trust the fairies to avoid being crushed by their new reality, but it was far easier said than done. Having limited means of communication also meant she had to mostly rely on other people for pretty much anything.

    Some time passed and they started wondering when their next meal would come when it happened.

    ¡°Ah! Big new!¡± a voice echoed from nearby. This exuberant voice announced Seele¡¯s presence. They ran inside the room, short of breath, but smiling. ¡°We¡¯re going!¡±

    ¡°Going?¡± repeated Gen, wearing a confused expression. ¡°Going where?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that we¡¯re¡­¡± started Shaya.

    ¡°Kalden!¡± Seele blurted after catching their breath. ¡°We finally got a message. They said it¡¯s good. We¡¯re all going to Kalden!¡±

    Hidden secrets in the dark

    Trapped within the oaken bark

 Chapter 5: Between the Green

    Niu squinted, blinded by the light. She shielded her face using a hand. It had been only a couple of days since she¡¯d last seen the sun, so why did it feel so intimidating and foreign all of a sudden?

    It was the following day after being told about the oncoming expedition to Kalden. They hadn¡¯t yet set out, but were preparing for the trip. One such preparation was acclimating themselves to sunlight again after staying underground for a while. Although Seele had said that on the way to the capital they¡¯d move mostly by night, Kalden itself would be another story. They shouldn¡¯t get too used to the darkness.

    Seele had taken them to what they called a ¡°sun room¡±. Despite being partly covered by a few towering trees and other plants on the outside, it was something like a large, deep hole that connected to the surface, so sunlight poured right in.

    ¡°We come here every day,¡± Seele had explained. ¡°Now you need too.¡±

    Niu half-closed her eyes and took another step into the large circle of light. It was still too blinding, but she did feel the heat somewhat invigorating her.

    ¡°When are we expected to head out?¡± Roah asked. His exposed eye perhaps more sensitive than the others¡¯, he was still mostly in the shadow of the room, squinting.

    ¡°Oh, it shouldn¡¯t be too long,¡± Seele replied. ¡°But there¡¯s a lot to prepare¡­ well, this is probably the most important mission we ever do.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ we haven¡¯t really talked about it before, but you¡¯re part of the army, right?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re a support part¡­ we mostly handle storing things and watching out around.¡± Seele¡¯s words were a bit awkward but the meaning was clear¡ªthey were no fighters.

    ¡°Then how¡¯d you manage against¡­?¡± asked Gen. It wasn¡¯t a topic they¡¯d breached much since it brought uncertainties and some dark thoughts, which was probably why he bit his words short. Seele answered anyway.

    ¡°Not many came here,¡± they replied, ¡°it seems that most attacked Kalden.¡± Seele smiled as always.

    ¡°H-Hayden is surely fine as well, right¡­?¡± asked Shaya weakly.

    Niu lowered her glance. The four of them had only just barely defeated one monster and while they were no warriors, they at least had the ability to channel. Most townsfolk weren¡¯t like that. There were the town¡¯s guards, to be sure, and even Molton had apparently been there and fought, but Niu still couldn¡¯t help but worry, and she was sure that the others felt the same.

    ¡°I hope,¡± mumbled Gen, clenching his fist. ¡°Gods, please let everyone be safe¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­What do you mean by that?¡± For some reason Seele erased their smile.

    Gen was confused. ¡°Huh? What do I mean by what?¡±

    Niu had a hunch she knew what was wrong, and it seemed that Roah was sharp enough to voice it as well. ¡°It¡¯s only a figure of speech, but he was basically praying to the Gods¡­ you know the word?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ but we have other names for them,¡± Seele continued. They wore a somewhat strained smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t mention them in front of others, next time.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± Gen still couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°I think that the legends say that the Gods banished fairies to this world¡­ right?¡± Shaya glanced at Niu, seeking confirmation. She nodded.

    There were many versions to how this all went, but most stories simply agreed that the fairies had done something to anger the Gods. Consequently, the Gods had decided to separate fairies from humans, thus leading to the present state of their worlds. Since there were actually fairies here in Fairland, it was perhaps true to an extent.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Gen rounded his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m, err, sorry.¡±

    Seele shook their head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Most of us don¡¯t really think about it anymore, but we don¡¯t like hearing about that. The real problem is that now they started attacking us for some reason.¡±

    Everyone stared at Seele.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± they asked when faced with their expression.

    ¡°¡­We simply hadn¡¯t really thought about that option,¡± Roah explained to the confused Seele.

    It was understandable. Rather than ponder the origin of the horrible monster they¡¯d desperately fought against, they were currently more focused on acclimating to their situation in a foreign world. Recalling the alien threat only brought back the pain and uncertainly about what happened back home, so instead they focused on the marvels of the new world they¡¯d found themselves in.

    Niu actually had considered this. Could there be another explanation? It was said that not all Gods were benevolent, but would they really send entire armies of these beasts to attack them all of sudden? And it apparently happened on both worlds at about the same time. Why would this happen?

    ¡°Yeah, that makes sense,¡± admitted Gen, furrowing his brows.

    ¡°It does, but there¡¯s another option¡ªwhat if these came from the underside of the world?¡± Roah suddenly suggested.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± asked Gen, raising an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s the sort of nonsense parents use to shut up their kids at night with.¡±

    In a complete reversal of their usual dynamic, it was Roah¡¯s turn to receive a blow. He seemed so stung from Gen¡¯s comment that he couldn¡¯t even retort, instead mumbling something under his breath and directing an angry gaze at the other boy.

    Well, it didn¡¯t make sense anyway, seeing how the monsters dropped from the sky¡ªbut then again, if they were carried there by the tentacles, perhaps that didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°So, never mind that for now,¡± said Seele, probably trying to steer the topic to a more positive direction, ¡°you¡¯ve been staying in the dark for too long! Go ahead!¡±

    Now that Niu thought about it, the sun wasn¡¯t as blinding as it felt a few minutes before. She was getting used to it again. She took another step forward, gazing upwards. The thick foliage visible from the top swayed in the gentle wind, causing both light and shadow to dance over her body.

    She spread her arms and smiled. Even if only for a brief moment, standing under the warm sunlight made her feel calm and content.

    While they went to the sun room from time to time, most of their time was still spent in the darkness. Roah once theorized that they were keeping them secluded on purpose, even if possibly for their own good, but the other side (mostly Seele and TriX, the only ones that could communicate with them) seemed nice and welcoming enough.

    Not wishing to speak too much about the current situation, Niu and the others instead decided to inquire a bit about this new world and their near future.

    ¡°Say, how¡¯s Kalden anyway?¡± asked Gen. ¡°Like, what kind of a city is it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Kalden is great!¡± said Seele happily as if waiting for that very question all along. ¡°Kalden is actually a big tree but around it there are many other trees, and together we call them our capital.¡±

    ¡°A city of trees?¡± asked Gen with a raised brow. ¡°Well, I mean, is that like one house per a tree, or¡­?¡±

    Seele chuckled. ¡°Sorry,¡± they hurriedly apologized, ¡°I just forgot you didn¡¯t see our Trees. They¡¯re really big! Some even bigger than this base!¡± They raised their arms to the air.

    Even larger than the base? Although Niu had only seen little of it and thus couldn¡¯t truly gauge its size, it sounded astounding still. There were a few old trees near Hayden and Niu heard that there were massive trees in Sacrona, but surely none of them would be that big.

    ¡°That sounds incredible,¡± Gen concluded. The girls nodded.

    ¡°Huh. I¡¯m not sure if it makes more or less sense than building a city on a mountain,¡± mused Roah, obviously referring to Rumdon¡¯s capital of Copius.

    ¡°Wait, thinking about it, do you also have a king or a queen?¡± asked Shaya next.

    Seele looked a bit confused. Luckily, there was also someone else there to help. ¡°They probably mean Ruler,¡± TriX suggested.

    Seeing that TriX was not even human or fairy, perhaps its lack of gender was even more prominent than that of Seele. However, the four of them still had a hard time not to think of Seele as female and of TriX as male. It was something completely foreign to them.

    ¡°Ruler¡­ yeah, we have one. Acrus Kalden, that¡¯s his name.¡± It was very subtle, but Seele¡¯s voice seemed to lower for an instant as they mentioned that name. Niu wasn¡¯t quite sure what this meant.

    ¡°Kalden¡­¡± echoed Roah, ¡°are they called after the capital or is it the other way around?¡±

    ¡°What you said first,¡± Seele said. ¡°We normally call ourselves after the origin, but the Ruler takes the name of the capital.¡±

    ¡°The¡­ origin?¡± asked Gen with a raised brow.

    ¡°Oh, ah,¡± Seele scrambled for words, thinking hard. ¡°How faeries call it, I wonder¡­ TriX?¡±

    TriX replied after a short delay. ¡°I am unsure. The meaning is, someone who created you.¡±

    ¡°You mean like¡­ parents, maybe?¡± Gen suggested. ¡°The ones that gave birth to you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes!¡±

    ¡°Origin,¡± mumbled Roah. ¡°Is it called like that because of how you reproduce?¡± That of course raised all sorts of questions, including ones that they were too shy to ask about before.

    Seele nodded. ¡°Anyway¡ªmy origin was named Sowng. So my name is Seele Sowng.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ so if you had a child, will they have Seele as their last name?¡± asked Roah.

    Niu thought she noticed some subtle change in Seele¡¯s expression, but perhaps she just imagined it for their answer was calm. No, maybe even unnaturally calm. ¡°Yes. How are you named, then?¡±

    ¡°Err, we have this thing called a family name,¡± explained Gen. ¡°You see, we tend to have many children, so we assign a collective name for all of them.¡±

    ¡°Not all of us, though,¡± said Roah, eyeing him.

    ¡°Right. A family name is usually only used for big families that made a name for themselves¡ªwhether it¡¯s through their rank or their profession. So common people don¡¯t tend to have a family name.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ that was very interesting to learn!¡± Seele sounded excited. ¡°What are your full names, then?¡±

    ¡°Gen Hydeen.¡±

    ¡°Shaya Wolster,¡± mumbled Shaya.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one; I¡¯m just Roah,¡± Roah said when Seele¡¯s asking gaze turned to him. Niu shook her head as well.

    ¡°Hydeen, Wolster¡­ and these are not the names of your orig¡ªI mean, parents, right? Well, I guess they are, but you know what I mean¡­ Yes, I think I understand. Interesting, no?¡± Seele turned to TriX.

    ¡°We laborers lack these, so-called family names too,¡± it said instead of directly replying. ¡°Our names are actually, not really names. TriX for example, is a code. It means three X¡¯s¡ªone of our letters."

    So they¡¯re cataloguing them, thought Niu.

    ¡°In the end, we¡¯re different but also similar. It is really interesting, learning about fairies, right?¡± Gen finally said, smiling at Niu. Was he looking at her because she found so many things about her childhood obsession? Well, that was true. She dreamt of meeting them ever since she was a little girl, but never thought it¡¯d actually happen.

    ¡°How far is Kalden, anyway?¡± Roah suddenly breached a completely new topic, sending a side glance at Gen. Had he annoyed him somehow?

    ¡°Normally a day or two,¡± Seele replied, ¡°but for us it will take more. Maybe three or so.¡±

    ¡°Why so much?¡± asked Shaya.

    Seele smiled somewhat bitterly. ¡°We will need to move slow and silent. We don¡¯t want to get attacked.¡±

    Niu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. For a moment the image of some ferocious wolves living in the forest rose to her mind, but she recalled there were no such things here. Were they referring to the unknown monsters dropping from the sky, then?

    But then it hit her. Of course¡­ right now they were inside an actual military base. The conclusion was so simple she felt stupid for not even considering it so far.

    ¡°By Kalden¡¯s enemies?¡± asked Gen, similarly shocked.

    ¡°Yes. Oh, but don¡¯t worry!¡± Seele hurriedly said. ¡°This area isn¡¯t really dangerous. But they do attack sometimes. We just need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re always fighting, then?¡± Gen asked. ¡°I always thought fairies were nice creatures that lived in harmony with one another¡­ even back in Plainland we don¡¯t fight much.¡±

    Roah raised a brow. ¡°Are you pretending or really that stupid?¡± he took a harsh jab at him, perhaps as a revenge for before. ¡°I skipped most of the lessons and even I know our history better. Sacrona mean anything to you?¡±

    ¡°B-but we haven¡¯t had any wars in a long while!¡± Gen retorted, his face reddening a bit. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not exactly peace, but still.¡±

    Roah sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time until they cross the sea again,¡± he said.

    ¡°Sea?¡± asked Seele, seemingly interested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have that?¡± asked Gen, perhaps happy to use this chance to escape another argument with Roah.

    ¡°It¡¯s a large place of water, right? We have it, but it¡¯s really far from Kalden. Do you live near sea?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s far for us too,¡± answered Roah.

    ¡°Our family went to a nearby fishing town once, but that was the only time I¡¯d seen it,¡± added Gen thoughtfully.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The sea, huh? Niu too would have liked to visit it someday. Thought now it seemed like even more of a faint dream than before.

    ¡°Ah, and what about¡ª¡±

    But Seele¡¯s next question was cut short by a voice coming from nearby; apparently one of the fairies was calling out to them. After a short exchange Seele smiled bashfully and stood up.

    ¡°Sorry, I think I wasted too much time here¡­ see you later.¡± Seele and TriX both left in a hurry. The quartet saw them off while sinking into another silence.

    Things were about to change. Soon, they would head into the outside world. From an unknown but relatively peaceful place, they would head out to an unknown danger. Toward Kalden, the next phase of their uncertain future.

    Seele could see that the faeries were anxious, and they also felt this way to an extent¡ªbut they were also very excited. The days passed surprisingly quickly, and for the first time in a while they finally stepped outside the cavern system along with the faeries. The cool nighttime wind washed over their bodies.

    Of course, they were not alone. Leaving aside their permanent partner, TriX, here were about half a dozen other fairies as well as another robot. A small party, all things considered, but this was a small base; they needed to leave most of the personnel behind.

    ¡°Soon,¡± Seele spoke the faeries in their native tongue, ¡°we will set out for Kalden. You just need to follow us and be quiet. Questions?¡±

    The four faeries were clad with new clothes made of greenish material¡ªpartly to serve as camouflage¡ªand each carried a small bag. These all contained various food items, mostly dry foods that were meant to last for most of the journey. Seele hoped that these would be enough. They also saw Niu packing her slate, but had the feeling she wouldn¡¯t be able to use it much.

    ¡°I have one,¡± Roah volunteered. ¡°Are we all going together?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Seele replied, a bit confused by the question.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we split up?¡± he kept asking, his face a grim mask. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be safer that way?¡±

    ¡°Split up¡­¡± Seele pondered aloud. If they weren¡¯t mistaken, the word meant something like breaking into multiple parts. ¡°You mean go in different groups? Why?¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re attacked then it¡¯s over for all of us. But splitting up gives us better odds. Just in case, so some of us can get to our destination safely.¡±

    ¡°You can go alone if that¡¯s what you want to,¡± Gen interjected angrily. Roah only shot him an exasperated glance with his eye. The two of them seemed to constantly bicker like this, so Seele wondered what happened between them to make it this way, but felt it would be rude to ask. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving the girls alone. ¡­No offense, Seele.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Seele mumbled in response, unsure how to reply. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that idea¡­ this is our plan for now.¡± These were the orders from above. They could try to talk with the officer in charge of the expedition, but since everything was already on the move it would probably be futile.

    ¡°I was just trying to be logical about it,¡± said Roah as if to justify himself.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Seele said. ¡°Well, we should probably start going now.¡± They smiled and turned toward the other fairies¡ªbut then froze in place, their eyes widening. ¡°Kalden, I almost forget¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh? Forgot something about Kalden?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no, it was just a phrase,¡± Seele giggled. They didn¡¯t know how to translate ¡°a figure of speech¡±, but that was probably good enough. They then turned to TriX, their smile gone. ¡°Code 010. You must make sure the faeries reach Kalden and protect them from harm at all costs. Maximum priority.¡±

    The aforementioned four only looked at them in confusion; they could obviously not understand anything about Seele¡¯s order just now, especially since they used their native language for it. And, well, it was better that way.

    Seele turned back to them with a smile. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re all set! Wait here while I go check¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡­What did you just do?¡± Roah interjected.

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, I just told TriX to protect you... Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± There wasn¡¯t any specific need to hide it from them, but no real need to explain it either.

    Roah still looked suspicious but said nothing, so Seele stepped away to consult with their superiors. They were told that it was time to go. Seele was cautious but excited. It was time to head back to the homeland of Kalden, filled with both sweet and bitter memories.

    When they¡¯d first arrived in Fairland it was noon, and now it was the middle of the night. Niu found that it was less dark than expected. There was obviously the sun that was now channeling over Plainland¡ªbringing her a pang of pain and worry she hurriedly cast aside¡ªbut it was mostly hidden by the many treetops around, only allowing its feeble and distant rays intermittently.

    Other than that, all of the fairies, laborers and even the four humans all wore a very small light in the form of a glowing mushroom. According to what Seele had told them, each mushroom would not hold for long, but they preserved a few of them to be handed out when necessary. It apparently somehow converted humidity to light and so would die out in the fresh air before long.

    Even that wasn¡¯t the only source of light around. Here and there twinkling flowers were peeking from between the blades of grass. At times Niu could even see some sort of light flakes twirling in the winds; was this some sort of pollen or spore, perhaps? But as they kept walking silently, Niu had to keep these thoughts to herself.

    Their pace was obviously slow, not to mention that the fairies were purposely leading them around and inside massive bushes or patches of grass, probably to obfuscate their potential enemies. Now Niu understood why the trip would take that long.

    At first, being finally outside felt fresh, but the more time passed, it became simply tiring and dull. Niu herself could walk long distances just fine¡ªeven if this was way over her usual daily walk¡ªbut she could see Shaya and Roah in particular were struggling despite not voicing any complaints.

    The wind too felt cool and refreshing at first but was now just cold as the night deepened. The clothes they¡¯d been given were relatively warm, but the wind still bit the exposed parts like her face. She wished she could frolic under the warm sun just as she did before this whole mess started.

    It was a long, tiring and boring night.

    When daytime came and the sun rose, the group finally took a break. The fairies led them into a small pit in the ground that was unrecognizable at first due to the cover of many bushes around it. Niu wondered whether this hiding spot had been prepared in advance but was too tired to ponder or ask about it. For now, she simply sat down with the others on the hard ground at the bottom of the pit. Not very comfortable, but the days spent in the underground base prepared her for it.

    Seele quietly told them to take their first meal since heading out, so they did. It consisted of some hard nuts and a couple of dry fruits; not the relative luxury they had been given recently, but enough to satiate their hunger and allow them to recover their strength after the strenuous march. Shaya in particular seemed to be suffering: she massaged her legs and groaned from time to time.

    ¡°Are you fine?¡± whispered Gen in worry, Niu also watching her.

    ¡°I¡¯m just not used to this,¡± she mumbled softly in response. ¡°I just need to rest. I¡¯ll probably be fine.¡± So they left her at it. Now that they finished eating, they needed to go to sleep anyway.

    Just like Seele had told them, the plan was to move mostly during nighttime. However, they didn¡¯t have their soft and pleasant grassy beds (Niu had learned to quite enjoy them by now) anymore and they had to lie down on the cold ground. Obviously not all of them would be sleeping, but at the very least none of the quartet had been asked to stand guard, and they were thankful for that.

    Sleeping out in nature was much quieter than Niu had expected due to the lack of anything buzzing or prowling around, so the only issue was letting her fatigue overcome her anxiety so she could fall asleep. Coupled with the fact they were sleeping in daylight, albeit in deep shadow, it made for very shallow sleep. She felt as if her consciousness flickered on and off, strange thoughts and half-dreams mixing in her head.

    Niu wondered why they were in Fairland anyway. Why couldn¡¯t they have gone to Blissland instead? No, that was silly. Humans like them, and especially someone like Shaya, couldn¡¯t walk amongst the Gods. Not to mention that they had sent the monsters to devour them. The monsters that crawled all over her body at that instant and bit into her¡ª

    Niu woke with a small start, blinking. These thoughts still bothered her, but they soon withered away like any dream, especially since they were replaced by a slight headache and dullness from the lack of proper sleep. She sighed softly. Looking around her, she could see forms moving in the darkness. One of those leaned near her.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± said Shaya in a hushed voice. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not morning, but you know what I mean.¡±

    Niu rubbed her eyes, rousing her body and smiling at her friend. At times half-sleeping really was worse than not sleeping at all. She hoped that the cool wind getting through the cover would serve to fully wake up her. She could see that the sun was still channeling but the light reaching them was dim even regardless of their cover, so it was definitely evening now. Despite barely sleeping, these 10 odd hours really did pass quickly.

    ¡°Hey Niu, how are you doing?¡± Seele asked her next. Unsure how to reply, she simply shrugged with a smile and a small huff. Whether or not Seele understood this as could be better, they simply smiled back at her and nodded. ¡°Eat, we¡¯ll be going out soon.¡±

    This meal was no different than the previous one. After finishing eating and taking care of other business they once again set on foot. Another tiring march started.

    Soon the never-ending trek almost became instinctive. Since a large stretch of every night was spent simply walking carefully and stealthily among the greenery, Niu just dragged her feet ahead and looked around.

    Despite the tedium there was also something refreshing about the situation; it was Niu¡¯s first time to have everyone around her be so quiet for hours and hours. Just like she lived her entire life.

    On the other hand, it also felt lonely. Whether it was Shaya talking about her worries, or even Gen and Roah¡¯s usual silly bickering, it was odd to be without all that. Not to mention things like Saburn¡¯s lessons or even her mother¡¯s curt comments, as unsubstantial as they were.

    So naturally, never mind dull or tiring, this whole experience ended up quite unpleasant.

    Even the novelty of the magnificent forest around them was wearing off quickly. While the various kinds of trees, flowers, bushes, bushes and whatnot seemed much more varied and exotic than those back in Plainland, after a while everything started blending together. Or at least so it felt to Niu when she couldn¡¯t take the time to examine each and every one of them. She felt the itch to once again sketch some flowers like she used to.

    At least she did learn some valuable information about the local flora, like the time Shaya had reached out to a shockingly beautiful pink and delicate flower only to have been deterred by TriX in the last moment, explaining that it was actually poisonous to the touch.

    Another thing Niu learned was that the day cycle really was the same as on their world. They¡¯d already been told so by Seele, but now she fully ascertained it after getting out of the underground base.

    This fact also made her wonder about something: according to legends and some accounts of old history, the sun was actually being channeled by one of the Gods, so what did the fairies think about that? Unfortunately, this was apparently a touchy subject so perhaps it¡¯d be difficult to ask. At least such thoughts served to pass her time, even if only for a little while.

    The monotonous cycle was slightly broken by an unexpected occurrence one night; the line suddenly stopped and a new fairy appeared from within the darkness.

    At first Niu was scared: were they discovered by the enemy? But she soon realized it was a needless worry. For one, the other fairies didn¡¯t seem tense or hostile, only surprised. Also, she soon saw that the fairy was dressed much like they all were. Were they some scout, then? After spending these last few days with a limited number of fairies she more or less could recognize them by sight and the newcomer wasn¡¯t anyone she knew.

    It all became apparent when Seele came to speak with them in a hushed voice.

    ¡°¡­Apparently there are some Stroba near,¡± they said, clear but subdued anxiousness in their voice. ¡°We need to change our path.¡±

    In a sense Niu¡¯s worries were true after all. As Seele had explained to them sometime during the preparations to set out, the Stroba were a clan that stood in opposition to Kalden and were their longtime enemies.

    According to Seele, they were a ruthless bunch and tried taking control of Kalden many times. They were also adept in the usage of plants and various concoctions to poison and to befuddle the senses and it was rumored that they conducted horrible experiments on both enemies and allies.

    Niu realized that all these stories might have been exaggerated, but she still didn¡¯t want to meet up with the Stroba if she could help it. She grew tense; the quiet and empty dark forest around them now seemed much more menacing than dreary.

    ¡°Where did they come from?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°There are other groups,¡± mumbled Seele hurriedly in response, looking behind. ¡°We need to go, no speaking.¡±

    Ah, so they weren¡¯t actually trekking in the forest alone? Perhaps there were other groups scouting ahead for them just for cases like these, or else they came from other places¡ªpossibly there were other bases or settlements in the area. If that was the case Niu felt a bit better.

    But now she had to focus on walking again since the group seemed to pass through the rows of trees and shrubbery more aggressively than before, probably due to having to suddenly change their route. She was anxious and jumpy; one time Gen stepped on a twig or something of the sort and it caused her heart to race and everyone stopped for a moment, but as the hours kept passing with no evidence of any attack, they all gradually calmed down.

    On the sunset of the third day since setting out, when they once again hid inside a well-placed pit to rest, eat and sleep, Seele spoke to the quartet happily.

    ¡°We¡¯re really close,¡± they announced, excitement dripping from their voice. ¡°We¡¯ll get there tomorrow¡­ ah, I mean this night¡­ you understand.¡±

    ¡°Will we be able to see those giant trees you told us about?¡± asked Gen, sounding somewhat excited as well. ¡°We should see them from afar, no?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± said Seele, ¡°the area right around Kalden is really dense, so it might be hard¡­ we¡¯re also arriving at night. Though there are many lights. We¡¯ll see."

    ¡°¡­What¡¯s going to happen to us once we reach Kalden?¡± Roah suddenly asked, sending a piercing gaze at the fairy. Whether due to that gaze or that question, Seele fell silent.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± they finally answered. ¡°We were only told to bring you there.¡± Seele hung their head but then immediately raised it. ¡°But I¡­ I won¡¯t let them do anything bad to you.¡± For a moment there was something fierce in their gaze, but soon Seele¡¯s expression eased into a smile like usual.

    Niu had similar worries. The fact that Seele answered like this brought a faint smile to her lips. Even if she knew that Seele probably had only a very limited effect on what their superiors would do.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± said Gen, while Roah made no further response. ¡°I don¡¯t know what we would have done without you all this time... Oh, and TriX as well,¡± he gestured toward the tall figure. In contrast to Seele, TriX was practically glued to the four of them during this entire excursion.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the laborer replied curtly.

    Seele nodded. ¡°We should go to sleep. Just a bit more,¡± they said and left them at their corner.

    ¡°I wonder if this is smart,¡± mumbled Roah softly once Seele was far enough.

    ¡°Smart? What are you talking about?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°Us just¡­ going along with them.¡±

    ¡°What else could we do?¡± now asked Shaya.

    Gen sighed and scratched his head. ¡°You¡¯re never satisfied with anything, are you?¡±

    ¡°It''s not that,¡± the other boy hissed, ¡°I just wonder if we¡¯re really¡ª¡± but he froze mid-sentence, casting a sidelong glance at TriX. It somewhat looked menacing in the darkness, but said nothing, like most of the time. In fact, Niu completely forgot about its presence. Roah shook his head. ¡°Never mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking about,¡± said Gen, ¡°but we definitely wouldn¡¯t have survived here without their help. Don¡¯t try any funny business, alright?¡±

    ¡°I said never mind.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    And they turned their backs to each other, each determined to go to sleep. Niu sighed but then smiled; at least it didn¡¯t escalate any further. They were quite childish at times. Shaya also seemed tired from their usual exchange, but she said nothing.

    Finally, Niu also lay down on the ground and tried succumbing to the clutches of her fatigue again.

    The next sunset started as any other during this trip. Niu was finally getting used to sleep during the day on the cold ground, so it somewhat felt like a pity it was going to end soon¡ªno, not really. She could hardly wait for them to finally reach Kalden, even if to just sleep comfortably and eat more. Sure, she was still anxious just like Roah about their future here, but surely it couldn¡¯t be that bad.

    ¡°You look excited,¡± Shaya pointed out to Seele. Sure enough, in contrast with the tense situation, they seemed to be quite energetic. Possibly more than usual.

    ¡°Oh?¡± said Seele, perhaps surprised at that indication. ¡°Ah, maybe. I haven¡¯t been in Kalden for a long, long time.¡±

    So that was why. From the way Seele had described to them the towering trees and the magnificent view of the capital it was obvious that they really loved Kalden. Perhaps Seele was homesick, but did this they mean they had been situated in the base for a long time?

    Niu didn¡¯t have the impression there was an actual ongoing war or anything of the sort, though bases surely had to be maintained at all times. However, all of her thoughts were cut short by the next exchange.

    ¡°How much time was it?¡± Seele wondered aloud, turning to look at their partner.

    ¡°Almost 30 years,¡± TriX replied.

    Gen perfectly encapsulated Niu¡¯s thoughts with his next confused line. ¡°No, what?¡±

    Seele seemed to find it odd everyone was staring at them so incredulously. ¡°Is there something strange about this?¡± they asked innocently.

    Gen hesitated. ¡°Well, err,¡± he said, ¡°you just don¡¯t¡­ look that old, I guess.¡±

    Niu nodded. Even taking into account fairies looking different than humans, and even if it was obvious Seele was older than them, they couldn¡¯t have been that much older, right?

    Seele giggled. ¡°You flatter me. But I¡¯m honestly quite old. I¡¯m already 407, way past my prime.¡±

    Niu felt numb after being surprised like that for what seemed like the hundredth time in a row. Of course there were still many things to find out about the world of the fairies and their many secrets.

    ¡°No way,¡± breathed Gen.

    ¡°H-how¡­¡± mumbled Shaya.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Seele mumbled uncomfortably, ¡°so that is a lot more than you thought?¡± Their shocked silence affirmed it. ¡°I thought faeries lived for really long.¡±

    Not that long! But once again, there were precedents in legends¡ªfairies really were supposed to be extremely long-lived, or rather didn¡¯t have the concept of aging in the first place. Perhaps the residents of Fairland had the same sorts of legends about Plainland, or else just assumed they were the same in this respect.

    ¡°Not even close,¡± said Roah, shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯d be lucky to live even to a hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± asked Seele in surprise. ¡°Then how old are you?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all fourteen, give or take.¡±

    ¡°Fourteen!¡± Seele gaped at them. ¡°Do faeries really grow up that fast? Amazing!¡±

    Niu sighed but smiled. Yes, they definitely had their understanding of each other completely reversed. It was very surprising. Both the fact that Seele was that old and that they looked like that despite being so old. What was the average lifespan of fairies? She hoped someone would ask for her, but unfortunately the entire conversation had to end anyway. One of the other fairies came to briefly speak with Seele.

    ¡°Ah¡­ get ready, we¡¯ll be going now,¡± Seele explained, smiling.

    Perhaps still somewhat numb from the incredible revelation just moments before, Niu even barely noticed how her feet hurt when she resumed walking. Or was she already growing used to it? There were also the anticipation and worry of finally approaching their destination.

    Niu found herself being filled with more and more curiosity about the new world around her. She was actually in the world of fairies and they were so different from humans. It was still a frightening situation, but the sense of living inside a fairy tale also excited her. She spent her time walking while fantasizing and theorizing about this and that in her mind.

    That was why, for about a few moments, even the sudden shouts from around seemed inconsequential. Only for a short while, though. Soon fear took hold of Niu¡¯s heart as there was a flurry of movement in the darkness.

    ¡°Run!¡± It was probably Seele who shouted this. ¡°TriX! DuA!¡±

    Just a short while before finally reaching their goal, they were being attacked.

    Between tall trees and fields of green

    Behold, now comes our splendid queen

 Chapter 6: Run to the One

    The word ¡°Kalden¡± had three distinct meanings.

    First and foremost, it referred to the capital of the central continent, the majestic forest-city Kalden. Outsiders such as the arriving faeries obviously had no way of knowing, but the etymology of the name was exceedingly simple: kal meant ¡°big¡± and den meant ¡°tree¡±.

    The second Kalden was the name bestowed to the royal family in control of Kalden. Whenever a new Ruler took the throne, they discarded the name of their progenitor. It symbolized them dedicating their very life and soul to their land. There were very few Rulers actually born to a line that ruled Kalden anyway.

    The third Kalden was perhaps the most important but the least referred to; rather than signifying the actual Capital or its Ruler, it was actually the name of the tree. That is, the most ancient and largest tree in the entire continent: Kalden the Magnificent. Among the twenty-odd Trees comprising the forest-city, it alone bore the pedigree of an Evergreen Solar, over ten thousand years old. Only two such trees were confirmed to have still been active in present times, and the Capital was proud to be located around one of them.

    Whether it was the Capital, the Ruler or the central Tree, all of them were now engulfed in a tense atmosphere. Receiving the news that actual faeries had arrived to a nearby outer base, the upper echelons were shocked. Shocked and intrigued. This opportunity would invite both danger and potential¡­ the question was which of those was dominant. For now, at least, it was decided that the faeries would be brought to them.

    ¡°Are they not here yet, Aisbroom?¡±

    Sitting on their wooden, garnished throne, Ruler Acrus Kalden crossed their legs with a hint of boredom in their eyes. In spite of Acrus¡¯s rank they wore casual, almost slovenly clothing, with the only royal thing about them being their quality and making. Not even the traditional wreath decorated their head. There were a few guards and other attendants scattered nearby, but Acrus was addressing another figure standing on the carpet in front of them.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± answered Aisbroom. ¡°If all goes well, they should arrive this very night.¡±

    If Acrus¡¯s clothing was bland and uninspired, then Aisbroom¡¯s was anything but. On the one hand they wore pure white¡ªeven the cape fluttering at their back that symbolized their rank as a general¡ªbut that purity was also covered in multitudes of colors in the form of flowers of all shapes and forms, like a canvas covered in vivid drawings.

    Acrus hummed impatiently. ¡°Will those faeries truly be worth our time?¡± they asked Aisbroom. If Aisbroom was bothered by the Ruler¡¯s haughty tone and mannerisms, they showed no sign of it. Or rather they were already used to it. ¡°Foolish as it may seem to ask at this stage, after I had already ordered them brought to us.¡±

    ¡°I do not know,¡± said Aisbroom. ¡°There are, of course, the many legends about them. There are already hushed whispers amongst our people, and many seem excited. However, we will need to examine them closely to confirm whether they are the seeds of blessing or of disaster. As I fully intend on doing.¡±

    ¡°Well said.¡± Acrus snorted. ¡°Bring them to me.¡± They spoke as if Aisbroom was in charge of the expedition and not simply waiting for it, but the general made no direct reply.

    As their response, Aisbroom bowed. ¡°I shall,¡± they promised.

    Mere hours after this exchange, the group leading the four young faeries was attacked not far from Kalden.

    Niu had never seen¡ªor been through¡ªanything so chaotic.

    It was even worse than expected due to the darkness. There was shouting, grunting, cries of pain and the swinging of weapons, but how could she even tell what was going on? All of them¡ªprobably their enemies included¡ªwore small sources of light, but that wasn¡¯t enough. She couldn''t even differentiate between friend and foe, and where would she run away to?

    Luckily, she didn¡¯t have to act alone. A huge figure immediately swooped in front of her, and while she was at first startled, she realized it was TriX. Just like during their first meeting, TriX grabbed her and started running.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± TriX said and Niu grasped its arm even harder.

    ¡°N-Niu, is that you?¡± she heard Gen¡¯s voice from nearby. He seemed to be dangling from TriX¡¯s other arm. She nodded desperately, but he obviously couldn¡¯t see her.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him,¡± TriX replied instead. She found herself bothered by the incorrect grammar in spite of her current predicament.

    ¡°What about the others, they¡ª¡±

    ¡°DuA should have them.¡±

    Right¡ªmoments before, Seele had also shouted out this name. Perhaps that was the one other laborer in their group; Niu never inquired about its identity, but it made sense. She couldn¡¯t really look around her, and couldn¡¯t see well in the darkness anyway, but she hoped with all of her heart that Roah and Shaya were indeed safe right now.

    Unfortunately, they had other worries at the moment, as several figures appeared around them. Judging from how they leapt toward TriX they were unlikely to be friendly. Within moments Niu felt her body being pulled; a fairy nearly wrenched her from TriX¡¯s grasp. The next moment, though, the large laborer sent a kick at the attacker and the grip on Niu was released.

    Niu was trembling so hard in fear she thought she would fall by herself. In a way, being pursued in near total darkness by shadowy figures was even worse than being attacked by a nightmarish monster in the open. At least in the latter case she knew what she was going against; here there were only darkness, shouts, and the lone anchor of TriX¡¯s body which symbolized imperfect safety.

    However, even that small safety was soon taken away. She could feel something hit TriX, and she was thrown ahead. Landing on the hard, cold ground, leaves and small rocks scratched her skin. A nearby grunt of pain also informed her that Gen probably went through the same thing.

    She hurriedly got up and looked behind. She couldn¡¯t see TriX, however, for a figure about her own size appeared and took hold of her. Fear and the loud beating of her heart shocked her into paralysis. She couldn¡¯t even resist. She couldn¡¯t even scream regardless.

    Luckily, the next moment the fairy was swept away by a large hand, collapsing to the ground. Niu flinched yet again before realizing it was TriX.

    ¡°N-Niu,¡± mumbled Gen, also appearing near him. ¡°Are you fine?¡±

    She tried nodding, but she honestly wasn¡¯t sure if she was alright and if Gen could even see her doing it. Regardless, TriX spoke again.

    ¡°Grab¡­ me,¡± it ordered. Around them were still sounds of fighting. Some of those had to be on their side, right? Also, it was hard to tell in the darkness, but she didn¡¯t seem to see or hear Seele anywhere. She hoped they were fine, too.

    Right now it was better to worry about herself, though. Just as she reached toward TriX a new figure appeared to flank them.

    ¡°Crap!¡± Gen yelled and leapt. An invisible arm pounded into the body of their new attacker, throwing them back. TriX took advantage of the opening given to it by the boy and managed to grab him and Niu. TriX resumed its dash.

    Obviously this wasn¡¯t the end. There were only so many fairies TriX could repel by itself. Gen used his invisible arm a few more times, but he was clearly getting more and more tired. Their pursuers were still stubbornly tailing them as they ran into the night.

    How close were they to Kalden? Did they have any hope of reaching it? What was happening to their friends and allies? Niu¡¯s head was swimming with unanswerable questions and worries. There was no doubt that the situation was bad. Bad enough to make her want to cry and give up.

    But she couldn¡¯t. She couldn''t allow herself to be so helpless. Not after everything that happened. After her inability to defeat the monster, being confined underground with almost no way to communicate¡­ she couldn¡¯t keep living like that.

    What could she do? While she didn¡¯t have a useful power like Gen, she was mostly better than him at pure channeling. The main problem was that she was obviously unable to use icons in her present state, hanging on for dear life.

    However, this didn¡¯t make her idea impossible.

    ¡°In a way,¡± Mr. Saburn had said during one of their lessons, ¡°icons actually limit the usage of channeling, rather than enhancing it like it seems to. Can any of you tell me why?¡± He shot a smile at Niu, Gen and Roah while waiting their answer.

    Niu thought about it for a while, but Roah was the one to raise his hand first.

    ¡°You associate the channeling with the icon and vice-versa,¡± he said, ¡°which means you lose true, free channeling in favor of more focused channeling. You become dependent on the use of icons.¡±

    Saburn nodded. ¡°Exactly so. Look at this.¡±

    He picked up a sheet of paper, held it aloft, and after a moment of silence it was blown into the air. The windows were open but there was no wind, so the cause had been obviously his channeling. The channel of air.

    ¡°The concept of iconless channeling is by no means new to you. For example, Gen, you can use your ethereal arm just by willing it, right?¡±

    Gen arched his eyebrows and looked down at this stump, thoughtful. ¡°Well, yeah, but does that really count?¡±

    Meanwhile, Niu scribbled a question and then held it up. Since doing iconless channeling is much harder, is it really necessary?

    However, she realized the folly of her own words near instantly after presenting her note. Luckily, Saburn wasn¡¯t the sort of teacher who would berate her even for a stupid question like that.

    ¡°It is mostly hard because we¡¯re not used to it,¡± he explained. ¡°Rather than saying that throughout history we¡¯ve ended up requiring the usage of icons, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we forced ourselves to do so. We have turned talent into an art. Today, among those who can channel, iconless channeling is a matter of innate ability more than training. Not to mention it being unreliable even at the best of times. Still, it is perhaps something to think about. Even if you will probably never use it, knowing about it is just as important.¡±

    Niu folded her piece of paper, nodding. The remainder of the lesson was spent on them performing iconless channeling, just to show them how it worked. Niu wasn¡¯t successful at all, but at least the others found it just as difficult.

    Iconless channeling would allow Niu to strike back at their pursuers without any need for writing or even any surface; she knew that someone skilled enough could open channels even in empty air.

    She wasn¡¯t even close to that level¡ªor any level of truly competent iconless channeling, for that matter¡ªbut she also had nothing to lose. It could at least serve as a distraction. Even in the worst-case scenario, she could try to purposely botch her channeling to make it go out of control and use the backlash against their enemies. It was risky but perhaps doable.

    With that in mind, Niu tried more or less focusing on the fairies surrounding them despite the darkness and their ever-shifting positions. The channel of heat would be one of most suited offensively, but even its successful usage would incur great danger to them; they were in a forest, after all. Instead Niu opted to use the channel of air. The channel of movement might also work, but it was trickier to employ.

    Niu focused on controlling nature¡ªdoing this without any icons felt as though she was trying to grasp the wind with her fingers, but even so she attempted it. The channel was opened for a split second, yet nothing happened, or at least nothing that Niu could see. She focused and tried again, but to no avail. Not even a small puff of wind. Nothing.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Well, that was that. Her plan failed so easily and quickly; she simply couldn¡¯t use iconless channeling no matter how much she tried. She couldn¡¯t even cause it to overload.

    As if drawn by her despair, another hit shook TriX and the three of them all tumbled to the ground yet again. This time, however, she¡¯d noticed something. There was something stuck inside the large body.

    TriX¡¯s arms shook as it tried to rouse itself from the ground. A long shaft jutted out of its back. There wasn¡¯t any visible blood (if laborers even had anything like that), but it was obviously pierced by some sort of weapon.

    A moment later, when TriX was barely able to rise to its knees, it was struck by yet another weapon and collapsed.

    ¡°I, must¡­¡± TriX mumbled in a broken voice.

    ¡°TriX!¡± shouted Gen, but the next moment he was grabbed from behind. It was a fairy holding some sort of pole; probably a weapon of the same sort that hit TriX a moment ago.

    No! Niu shouted in her heart.

    She saw the boy squirming in the enemy¡¯s arms, wide-eyed, so she desperately attempted to open yet another channel. She couldn¡¯t lose Gen. She couldn¡¯t watch something like this happening right in front of her. She just had to blow their enemies away and show that even she could do something!

    Unfortunately, reality wasn¡¯t that kind; her attempt was once again fruitless.

    Fortunately, they weren¡¯t alone. Another large figure appeared from behind the fairy and struck them with a mighty blow. It was another laborer, but not just it.

    ¡°Are you fine?!¡± came Shaya¡¯s panicked voice. Roah¡¯s figure also appeared from nearby.

    There was no time to stand around talking, however; another lance-like weapon flew toward the laborer. It, however, smacked the weapon away with a flick of its arm, whereupon it landed in the nearby ground.

    ¡°Follow DuA¡­¡± groaned TriX, still groveling. It then added something else.

    While Niu couldn¡¯t understand the language of its second utterance, she was pretty sure she heard the word ¡°Kalden¡±. Was TriX telling them to run away? She hesitated only for another moment; TriX was clearly badly wounded and if they left it there, it was obvious what would happen. It felt bad to do so, but on the other hand, she also couldn¡¯t offer any help at the moment. She didn¡¯t even know if TriX¡¯s sacrifice would be enough to bring them to safety, but they had to try. So she turned with a grimace toward the others.

    ¡°How¡­ how did you even¡­¡± huffed Gen. DuA was apparently unable to carry all four of them, or at least that would weigh it down considerably, so the laborer just marched besides them despite being much superior in speed.

    ¡°Well, this guy here took us away,¡± explained Roah, gesturing at DuA, ¡°but I¡¯ve kept my eye on the surrounding. I found you and you seemed to be doing worse than us, so I somehow got him¡­ err it¡­ whatever to come here.¡±

    Niu felt somewhat jealous of Roah¡¯s compensation at times. It would have been quite useful to be able to see around in the dark.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re all fine,¡± said Shaya, half-sighing.

    ¡°We¡¯re glad too, but we¡¯re not out of the woods yet," mumbled Gen. ¡°Err, pun unintended.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, keep going in this direction¡ªwe¡¯re going for the lights," said Roah.

    ¡°¡­Lights? What lights?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but there are lights somewhere ahead. I can¡¯t see the details because of the distance and all those trees, but I assume that¡¯s Kalden."

    Squinting ahead, Niu thought she could barely see some sources of light ahead just like he said. Kalden was supposed to be a large capital and they were supposed to reach it that very night, so they had to be close. The only question was how far it actually was¡ªand if they could get there in one piece.

    The last question was challenged a mere few moments later when the ground in front of them burst open and something shot at Niu, knocking her down.

    With a start she realized that something wound itself around her ankle. It felt like some sort of metallic chain, and it began pulling on her. At a glance it actually looked like a vine, albeit a very sturdy one. She nervously tried pulling out her leg, but it didn¡¯t budge. How did something like this ensnare her anyway? Was this some sort of trap, perhaps?

    ¡°From under the ground?! Shit!¡± she heard Roah swear. A quick glance to the side revealed to her that all of them seemed to have been caught in exactly the same way. Also, other figures were closing in on them from between the surrounding trees.

    ¡°Grrraah!¡± Gen¡¯s roar was accompanied by the sound of bursting as he used his invisible arm to snap the chains holding him. Fortunately, it appeared that DuA was also free, and so could assist fending off the attackers. However, the other three were still ensnared, and as their goal wasn¡¯t to fight but to run away, it was a losing situation overall.

    ¡°Dammit!¡± Roah grunted again, but he stopped trying to free himself and instead reached for his bag. He pulled out some object, planted his foot firmly in the ground to stop getting dragged as much as he could, aimed and threw it at their attackers.

    The next instant there was a bright, orange flash and some cries of pain. Niu was momentarily very confused. The next instant DuA reached to her and ripped the chains away from her. Gen seemed to do the same for Shaya.

    But what was that attack just now? Niu soon realized that Roah probably threw a familiar rock¡ªnamely the one they¡¯d used to heat their water. It was somewhat crude, but he probably overloaded it with the channels of heat or light (or both) to stun and assault their enemies. More astonishingly, he apparently did all this while the rock was hurtling through air; could he have possibly used iconless channeling?

    With each passing second she only felt more pitiful. Shaya at least had the excuse that she lacked any sort of power, but Niu¡­ she couldn¡¯t do anything to stop them from killing her¡­

    The next moment she flinched as something¡ªor a few of them¡ªrushed above her head. These were arrows. She momentarily ducked down in fear but then Gen called out to her.

    ¡°I think they¡¯re on our side! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    When she listened to him and started running away she could see why; there were definitely two groups of fairies on opposite sides, fighting each other. Thinking about it, some of the fairies that accompanied them had bows as well. Her suspicions were confirmed when several of them nodded and said something she couldn¡¯t understand as Niu and the rest passed by them.

    More vines shot from the ground, but either Niu was ready for it this time or the aim itself was off, for she was able to somehow sidestep them and the next ones entirely, thankfully allowing her to keep running.

    There was still a problem, though. She was near her limits. After running around here and there while under enormous pressure, surrounded by enemies, Niu approached both mental and physical fatigue. Only the athletic Gen and DuA seemed unfazed; compared to them, Shaya¡¯s ragged breaths were so loud that she seemed likely to collapse at any moment now.

    ¡°This is only a suggestion,¡± huffed Roah, ¡°but maybe we should just surrender.¡±

    ¡°We should just what?¡± Gen¡¯s reply was as expected.

    ¡°They¡¯re obviously not trying to kill us, is what I¡¯m saying,¡± Roah clarified.

    Niu wrinkled her brows. Was that true? They had assaulted them while brandishing weapons. Then again, it was true that they also took actions that made it seem like they were perhaps not trying to actually hurt them but only seize them.

    ¡°For example,¡± Roah continued, ¡°notice how they¡¯re not using any arrows, only spears from short range. And those vines¡­ I think they¡¯re trying to capture us.¡±

    ¡°That does make sense,¡± admitted Gen.

    Capture them, but for what? The Stroba¡¯s infamous experiments? Then again, they had no idea what Kalden was planning to do with them, either. Whatever it was, both sides seemed bent on trying to have them, which could have worrying consequences.

    ¡°I personally don¡¯t like the idea, but maybe getting caught wouldn¡¯t be so bad? It¡¯s not like I fully trust those guys who took us here in the first place,¡± said Roah.

    ¡°But¡­ Seele was always so nice,¡± mumbled Shaya from behind.

    ¡°Seele¡¯s also a low-ranked soldier whose only use is probably the ability to communicate with us. And we still don¡¯t know why or how she¡­ err, they know our language, by the way.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m still not giving up,¡± said Gen.

    Roah shrugged. ¡°Whatever. Just keep what I said in mind.¡±

    The conversation came to a stop as a few figures jumped down from nearby trees, raising their weapons. The quartet stopped but before they could do anything DuA leapt ahead, its mantle fluttering behind it.

    ¡°This guy¡¯s useful, huh?¡± mused Roah, catching his breath while DuA fought.

    It really was a large difference from TriX; DuA seemed to be much nimbler and stronger. It parried the spears¡¯ attacks using its bare fists, stepping here and there. At times weaving through each thrust and at times simply knocking the weapons aside, DuA overcame the attackers in a matter of seconds, allowing them to keep going ahead.

    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t¡­¡± Shaya could barely even utter these words. She then collapsed to the ground.

    ¡°Shaya!¡± called Gen, rushing to her.

    ¡°Let DuA carry her,¡± suggested Roah. ¡°Although it wouldn¡¯t be able to fight like that¡­¡± It was still probably their best option, though. Niu and Gen helped her get up and somehow conveyed their meaning to the laborer. Also, despite being the one to suggest this Roah was glaring at her, as if mad she became such a nuisance.

    The surroundings were still. Have they really managed to get away from their attackers? It somehow felt wrong and they could still hear the sounds of battle here and there, but no enemies appeared. Roah scanned the area while running and said nothing, so there probably were no nearby fairies for now.

    At this point Niu¡¯s legs felt as if they moved by themselves. She simply advanced by striking the ground and trying to ignore the pain that was starting to build up along with her ragged breath. While her ankle was already healed, she still felt some dull ache from it.

    Concurrently another sliver of hope appeared as their surroundings grew less and less dark. Now even Niu could see bright dots of light somewhere ahead. The rows of trees, until now dense and thick, grew both wider and taller but less numerous. Also, she was quite sure that she could spot gigantic samples peeking from here and there. Kalden was surely close.

    At the same time there was something worrying¡ªDuA was visibly slowing down. It couldn¡¯t communicate with them like TriX, but was it growing tired? Never mind running and carrying both of them, DuA had also fought valiantly and intensely against their enemies. Laborers probably had their limits as well.

    Another attack began. It came from below ground yet again. The familiar chain-vines shot from within a dark patch of grass and grabbed Niu, causing her another painful fall.

    At the same time fairies also gathered around them above ground, causing Shaya to shriek as they focused their attacks on DuA. It wasn''t Niu¡¯s imagination; DuA¡¯s movements have indeed grown duller, and it showed. Soon it was overwhelmed and fell, also throwing Shaya to the ground.

    Gen had avoided a chain aimed for him, but Niu was being dragged away helplessly and just as Roah reached into his bag, perhaps to launch another attack similar to what he¡¯d done before, he was also yanked by his leg. Slowly but surely they were taken toward the holes in the ground¡­

    The relentless attacks on DuA prevented it from rising up again and it had to spend most of its efforts fending off the attackers, so it was a matter of time before Niu and the rest were completely beaten.

    ¡°Shaya!¡± Gen alone seemed to have retained his fighting spirit even in front of this overwhelming despair. With his fist clenched and his other, ethereal arm momentarily shimmering in the darkness, he charged ahead¡ªat the worst possible timing.

    Time seemed to slow down. Niu¡¯s mouth opened in a voiceless scream. Desperate to fend off the hostile fairies, DuA punched the weapon aiming to plunge inside its chest, thereby diverting it. However, that happened at exactly the same time as Gen¡¯s charge.

    A wet sound followed by an ear-splitting scream echoed as the boy collapsed to the ground.

    Niu felt her head swimming, her pulse stopping and her vision darkening. She froze and stopped resisting the chain pulling at her. She couldn¡¯t even feel her body being dragged anymore. She couldn¡¯t even process the scene in front of her.

    Only one thought dominated her mind: she was, once again, useless. She was unable to do anything in either past or present. And it would probably be so in the future, too.

    The world around her was rapidly vanishing. Had she possibly been hurt as well? She couldn¡¯t feel anything. Then again, she could feel nothing except soul-crushing despair anyway. There were probably still shouts and fighting around her but she couldn¡¯t even focus on them. Shadows moved in and out of her sight; whether these were friends or foes, she couldn¡¯t tell.

    There was something small she did notice even with her diminishing consciousness. With her head on the ground, she found a small plant. An orange flower with white dots.

    She sank to the darkness with that image burned into her mind.

    It was late at night, yet Aisbroom felt as sharp as ever. As a matter of fact, they hadn¡¯t even gone to sleep. How could they, when the mysterious and possibly dangerous faeries were finally being brought to them? At the very least Aisbroom wanted to see them with their own eyes.

    So obviously, when news about a Stroba attack came from the scouts, Aisbroom was among the first both to know of it and to take action.

    ¡°Spread out east to west! Do not engage in battle unless threatened, but don¡¯t let them into our territory either! If you see any of them wielding flowers of any kind avoid them! If at all possible, find and secure the faeries!¡±

    There were about two dozen other soldiers with them as well. All cheered in response of Aisbroom¡¯s orders and immediately set out. Aisbroom stepped off the branch they were standing on and into empty air, falling with their cape wildly fluttering behind them.

    Moments before they had been standing on top of the tree known as Kordem, or the Eastern Pillar, named so because it was perfectly situated to allow one to scan the immediate area despite the abundance of trees and despite being relatively short. This didn¡¯t mean it was safe, though; falling from such height would still result in instantaneous death for any normal person.

    Fortunately, Aisbroom wasn¡¯t normal.

    Glancing at their sleeve, Aisbroom focused their eyes on a certain flower attached to it. It was small and pink with unassuming plume-like petals. However, it was connected to a green, somewhat thick vine that was also wrapped around Aisbroom''s sleeve. Their eyes passed over the flower only for a split second; the next moment, they completed the channeling and threw their hand aside. The vine shot ahead, wrapping itself against a nearby tree¡¯s branch and thus slowed down Aisbroom¡¯s fall. Repeating the exact same action but with their other arm, Aisbroom shot yet another vine. Three more times of this and they finally landed safely on the ground and kept running without slowing in the least.

    Some of the soldiers only jumped from tree to tree and some also spread on the ground, but Aisbroom was on the front as always. They rushed through the dark forest, straining their ears and eyes for any signs of battle. There was no actual indication of Kalden¡¯s borders from the normal forest surrounding it, but Aisbroom soon went past the accepted area.

    Within a few moments they finally found a source of disturbance¡ªin the form of a scream. A scream unlike anything Aisbroom had ever heard before. They zoomed ahead, readying their weapon.

    Niu found herself waking up with a start.

    She felt as if this wasn¡¯t her first time waking up, since she had some foggy memories of being moved around, but perhaps those were only dreams. Now she was truly awake and conscious.

    Her body ached, her head hurt and her mind was fuzzy. She could feel that she was lying on some soft material; perhaps another grassy bed. Was it possible that her last memories were also part of a dream? Just a horrible nightmare? Well, she was pretty sure that their presence on Fairland was real, but as for the battle¡ª

    Niu blinked and shut her eyes in pain when she turned her head. There was blinding light. She then realized that near her was a window. Also, she was inside some wooden structure. Where was she? This was definitely not the underground base. But this was definitely not her village, either. Then could it possibly be¡­

    ¡°N-Niu!¡± a voice came from the other side. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±

    It was Shaya, sitting next to her and suddenly pulling her into a hug. She seemed unhurt apart from some scratches and bruises but her eyes were red and puffy.

    ¡°I almost thought you were also hurt¡­ thank the Gods,¡± she mumbled weakly. ¡°I tried waking you up a bit, but you slept pretty strongly.¡±

    Niu had a feeling there was something important she needed to know, but first she glanced around and spread her hands. Where are we?

    ¡°Oh, we made it, Niu. We¡¯re in Kalden.¡±

    Run, don¡¯t hide; enjoy the flow

    The one awaits, don¡¯t think just go

 Chapter 7: Rest and Rise

    This is just... wow.

    Niu stood awestruck in front of the window. Even in her mind she couldn¡¯t think of any eloquent way to describe the scenery. Majestic, divine, marvelous, overwhelming, sublime, magnificent¡­ only such trite adjectives rose to her mind as she observed Kalden.

    There were, obviously, many trees. And just like they¡¯ve been told before, these trees were much larger than anything Niu had ever seen, but it wasn¡¯t just that; the trees themselves looked different than what she expected. In her mind Kalden was going to be a city ruled by the colors of green and brown, but it was so much more than that. There were trees loaded with fruits and flowers of all colors, and their trunks exhibited even such colors as crimson and gold.

    They really were huge, though. Extremely and unbelievably so. And the largest of them all was the tree in the dead center, towering toward the heavens and over most of Kalden¡ªwhich was apparently also the tree¡¯s name.

    Niu doubted even Queen Levia¡¯s spires back in her world were so tall, despite having never seen them. Another amazing trait was that despite seemingly blocking the sun, many of Kalden¡¯s green leaves radiated faint light instead of casting a shadow, so that the surroundings were never truly dark.

    It was much too unreal. Especially since she could also view the Ruler of Kalden¡¯s castle from afar as well. Was it built on or in the colossal tree? It was hard to tell because it blended perfectly with the trunk. She was too far to fully appreciate the architecture, regardless, but she could notice certain windows and hatches or doors.

    Niu sighed. The scenery was truly breathtaking, but this only served as a temporary distraction from her worries¡ªtheir worries, since Shaya was also standing near the window. During the last couple of hours, she was gloomy and untalkative, and for a good reason: they knew nothing about what was going on.

    Niu had been shocked to hear of their safe arrival to Kalden, but that only brought to mind other questions¡ªwhat exactly happened ever since she lost consciousness? She hurriedly looked around the room but only Shaya was there with her; there was no sign of the boys.

    She cast a questioning glance at the other girl.

    ¡°We¡­ umm,¡± she spoke hesitatingly, ¡°they saved us and then took us here.¡±

    But what about Gen? And Roah? Niu¡¯s gaze implored her to answer, but there were certain things that mere gestures couldn¡¯t convey. Even so, Shaya looked like she knew her friend¡¯s questions but hesitated to answer.

    Did that mean what she thought it did?

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± Shaya¡¯s eyes turned misty and she hung her head. ¡°I saw them take Gen away but he¡­ and¡­ I don¡¯t,¡± At this point it turned into an incoherent mumble, then into sobbing, and finally she started crying. The shocked Niu embraced her into a hug, feeling tears stream down her face as well.

    Once Shaya calmed down a bit, Niu got a few more details: apparently reinforcements from Kalden appeared immediately after Gen was injured. Niu had lost her consciousness and was taken away with Shaya. In all the chaos and turmoil, she didn¡¯t get to see where the others went to; everything in those moments was a blur for her. Finally, she found herself inside this room along with Niu, leading them to the present.

    There were guards stationed outside the small shack, but none of them were able to converse with the girls and indicated for them to stay inside. They were left with nothing to do but think, worry and stare outside the window.

    Gen and Roah¡¯s states were unknown, but there were also Seele and TriX. Seele might have possibly gotten away¡ªthey hadn¡¯t seen them since the very start of the attack¡ªbut TriX seemed to fall right in front of them. Not to mention DuA who¡¯d fought against their assailants until the very end. Niu clasped her shaking hands and prayed for all of them to have survived, somehow.

    If only she could have done something at the time.

    It was still light outside when something finally happened. Both girls jumped when the shack¡¯s door creaked open and they saw two familiar faces.

    ¡°Roah! Seele!¡± Shaya yelped.

    Roah wore his usual aloof expression. There were a few bandages wrapped around his arm but he seemed otherwise unhurt. Seele, meanwhile, smiled as always, yet that smile also looked strained. Of course, Niu noticed a certain missing person and bit her lips. She cast eager and fearful eyes at the pair.

    ¡°How are you two?¡± Seele asked them.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Shaya answered and Niu nodded as well. ¡°What about you? And¡­ and w-what about Gen¡­?¡± she shook while asking this.

    Seele hesitated for a moment, but then spoke. ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡±

    Niu and Shaya both breathed in relief¡ªalthough she realized that the situation wasn¡¯t as simple as that, her worst fears had not been realized. For now, at least.

    ¡°And what about you?¡± Shaya turned to Roah. ¡°Where were you?¡±

    ¡°They treated me as well,¡± he explained, sitting on the grassy bed nearby. ¡°When they¡¯d rescued me there was a bit of a struggle and I was hurt. Nothing serious, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good,¡± said Shaya. ¡°Did you, umm, did you see¡­¡±

    ¡°Gen?¡± Roah guessed. ¡°Yeah, briefly. He¡¯s still there. It¡¯s¡­ not good.¡±

    A heavy silence followed this exchange. While the worst had yet to happen, Gen wasn¡¯t out of danger yet. This new information melted their anxiety only for a brief moment, but transformed it into another kind of tension.

    ¡°D-don¡¯t worry!¡± Seele finally broke the silence. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of him really good!¡±

    Niu forced a smile and nodded. Thinking negatively wouldn¡¯t help and she had no control over the matter anyway. She should simply trust them and hope.

    ¡°Well, ah," Seele continued, ¡°I just bring Roah here, but there¡¯s actually much to do¡­ I believe we¡¯ll do something with you soon. Just wait here, right?¡±

    Niu nodded listlessly, softly biting her lip.

    ¡°Where are we now, anyway?¡± Roah asked, his eye darting around the small and nearly empty shack. ¡°I thought we¡¯d be taken straight to the palace.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re on Sorben, which is, ah¡­ I think there was a plan to build houses here but it didn¡¯t happen,¡± Seele explained hesitatingly. Niu recalled that it had been a long time since Seele was in Kalden, so it made sense for them to not know the exact details.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Roah made a noncommittal comment.

    ¡°So, sorry but I have to go,¡± Seele said and flashed an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely see you soon, though! I think they¡¯re making me your guide for all time! Good bye!¡± And just like that they left all of them behind.

    Thinking back, it was both like and unlike their time in the underground base. Once again they spent all of their time waiting fruitlessly. However, now they were not in the darkness under the ground, but in the light and way above the surface.

    A crucial difference, though, was the absence of Gen.

    In a sense he could be called their little group¡¯s pillar. He was rash and honest to a fault but also positive and energetic. Since Niu was silent, Shaya was meek and Roah was cold, they all obviously sank into a depressing atmosphere. Worrying and fretting.

    At times Niu even felt somewhat angry at Roah. He was the one who¡¯d said their enemies probably intended to capture them and not hurt them, so why did this thing happen? But it was silly; none of it was his fault and he couldn¡¯t do anything either. If nothing else he was actually extremely helpful that night. Without him they might have been taken away, or worse. At the very least, he was much more useful than Niu was, and that was perhaps another source of anguish for her.

    Several other dangerously dark emotions threatened to rear their heads like the flying tentacles that took them there, so Niu held them down as best as she could. She couldn¡¯t allow herself to break down, especially not now.

    Seele never came back that day, but they were delivered two meals. Surprisingly they were much humbler (and less tasty) than what they¡¯d eaten until now with the exception of the recent trip. Just when they started getting used to the different world¡¯s cuisine, yet another style of food was presented to them.

    When sunset came it felt hard to believe that almost a full day passed since that horrible night, yet Niu welcomed it; it was very mentally exhausting, so despite all of her anxiety she fell asleep quite easily and had a surprisingly pleasant sleep.

    With their first daily meal the next day came a message in form of a piece of paper.

    ¡°¡¯You will be picked up later¡¯, huh.¡± Roah immediately snatched the scrap and read it.

    Niu also glanced at it. It was a bit of a clumsy handwriting and unfamiliar to her, so was it perhaps Seele¡¯s? Were they that busy that they had to leave them such a short message like this?

    The three looked at the fairy serving their meal, but they made no comment, probably due to their inability to speak their language. Rather inconvenient, that. If they didn¡¯t have Seele they would have been in a lot of trouble. She also recalled Roah¡¯s observation that they still had no idea why Seele could talk to them.

    A few hours later, just like the note said, several weapon-carrying fairies came to the shack and gestured for the trio to follow them.

    ¡°Are we going to the palace?¡± asked Roah. However, the fairies merely furrowed their brows, so it was another case of impossible communication. They had only one choice; follow them and find out.

    Finally exiting the small shack, they could see it was placed on top of an extremely thick branch, and similar to the palace, it wasn¡¯t obvious at a glance whether the shack was built there or engraved from the tree itself somehow. There were similar branches and houses all around them, which they had also been able to view from the windows. All of those seemed to be empty.

    They were then taken across a short bridge that led to the branch of another, slightly shorter tree. Near it was also a wooden, hollow cube hanging from a complex assortment of ropes; Niu herself hadn¡¯t been conscious to experience this, but Shaya and Roah had already told her about this system used in conjunction with the bridges, ropes and ladders to transverse across the forest city.

    Going down, up and around, they finally reached the largest tree of all. Its trunk was golden-brown and its person-sized leaves, a fact which both amazed and somewhat scared her, were so vividly and radiantly green that it made the other trees looks gray and sickly. Heading up a set of stairs carefully engraved into the extremely wide branch, they reached what appeared to be the entrance to the palace.

    Niu, who had only heard about such places in stories, again wondered how it compared to the Queen¡¯s castle, also supposedly impressive. At the very least the castle was probably less majestic; even the scenery of the great mountains couldn¡¯t compare, in her opinion, to being awestruck by the sheer magnitude of the tree itself, let alone the palace installed on it.

    A pair of guards opened the large, ornate double doors with the image of a spindling tree carved on them, leading them inside.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± Shaya softly admired as they stepped inside. Niu had to agree with that simple yet understandable reaction.

    The walls and floor were obviously wooden, yet they were so polished and smooth that they almost looked like they were made of marble. Stepping into the bright golden corridor felt like they ended up directly under the sun. There were no carpets, paintings, statues or other such items that would indicate wealth back on their world, but that only made the pure, empty corridor look much longer and dignified.

    The only sounds around came from their soft steps on the floor, so Niu felt as if she could almost hear the beatings of her heart. Step by step they approached yet another double door, much greater in size and more elaborate in design than those outside. Those surely led into some crucial place, such as the throne room. First, however, the corridor opened into two separate wings, and glancing around them they could suddenly see¡ª

    ¡°G-Gen!¡± Shaya yelped.

    Yes¡ªthe boy standing there, being led by other guards, was none other than Gen. His face was pale and his expression was weak, but he was there.

    ¡°Uh, hey,¡± he said somewhat awkwardly.

    ¡°Surprise! Or something like that,¡± said Seele who was also standing next to him. On the other side was yet another figure, taller and thicker than all the rest there, wearing a cloak¡ªTriX.

    ¡°How¡­ how are you¡­?¡± Shaya mumbled, glancing from Gen to TriX and back to him.

    ¡°Haha¡­ honestly, I still feel pretty horrible, but¡­ I¡¯ll probably be fine,¡± he replied, grinning in front of Shaya¡¯s smile.

    Niu couldn¡¯t help but smile from ear to ear as well. Everything was bound to improve now that Gen had been saved and would hopefully make a full recovery. TriX also seemed well despite the horrid state it had been left in the last time they saw it. She hoped DuA was fine as well, but for now she was ecstatic.

    Roah, however, was as cold as ever. ¡°I think we should save this talk for later,¡± he said, gesturing with his chin at their impatient guards. They did suddenly stop in the middle of the corridor, after all.

    ¡°Yes, we need to get to the Ruler,¡± Seele agreed, still smiling. ¡°I¡¯m going to be your translator. Exciting!¡±

    Niu, however, was less excited. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say she was extremely tense; meeting royalty was exciting in a way, but it was a completely foreign one, and this meeting might set their entire future there. There were still so many uncertainties and questions and not many answers. They were completely at the mercy of Kalden and its Ruler now.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    And the worst of all was that Niu herself couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    Finally, the quartet of humans¡ªor faeries, depending on who you asked¡ªreached the throne room. At first, however, it almost seemed as though they stepped outside by accident.

    The place was well-illuminated through the use of strategically-placed windows from all angles so it was brimming with light, but that wasn¡¯t the main reason for this impression; it was the fact that several trees were growing in the room. Trees growing inside a tree¡ªwhat a bizarre thing to observe. They grew straight out of the wooden floor, so if there was any soil there, it had to be underneath it. The trees surrounded the throne, not tall enough to reach the ceiling but short enough to seem about half as tall as the average tree in Plainland. The trees were all of different kinds, much like a microcosm of Kalden.

    And the one who symbolized Kalden in various senses sat in the midst of it all.

    Acrus Kalden, the Ruler of Kalden, looked quite¡­ bored. If it weren¡¯t for them sitting on the throne, perhaps Niu wouldn¡¯t have recognized them as royalty in the first place. Acrus wore completely plain clothes; they seemed of good quality, but were dull in color and with barely any decoration or flourish whatsoever. There was no cape, scepter or crown, though there were some colored rings holding the Ruler¡¯s wispy, yellow hair at several points on their head. Was that simply fashion or traditional wear on Fairland? Niu expected something much more majestic, but perhaps this was another one of the differences in culture.

    In spite of the mundane-looking Ruler and the several uniformed guards there was someone else who was extremely distinctive. Perhaps they would have fit the image of a monarch. The only reason the visitors hadn¡¯t noticed this fairy¡¯s figure was due to them mixing among the soldiers and focusing on the center of the room at first, but now whoever it was now revealed themselves and came to scrutinize them.

    Clad in a clash of purity and color, the fairy looked like a walking garden. Their white robe (or dress?) was tight on their lithe figure but much of it was hidden by an assortment of flowers either growing through the fabric or woven into it. Even their short, dirty-brown hair was covered haphazardly with flowers.

    In contrast to the fairy¡¯s vivid appearance, their eyes were a deep and cold color of blue. When these eyes suddenly focused on Niu she felt a chill pass through her body. Most fairies at least felt somewhat humanoid, but this one¡¯s unique appearance somehow felt deeply unsettling.

    Seele, on the other hand, seemed happy upon seeing the other fairy. Were the two friends, perhaps? Seele¡¯s expression was much more jovial than usual, though there was also still some anxiousness as they turned back toward the Ruler.

    The Ruler then started speaking¡ªnot that Niu could understand. Although their voice was loud enough to be heard even from the small distance they stood from the throne, the language was as comprehensible as ever.

    Niu had the feeling that this was going to be tricky.

    ¡°Ah, finally my eyes feast upon the fabled faeries,¡± said Acrus. Their voice was loud enough to be carried throughout the entire room. ¡°And our interpreter¡­ Seele Sowng, if I am not mistaken?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes!¡± Seele hurriedly replied. They balled their right arm into a fist and placed it near their chest. ¡°It is my honor to serve you, Kalden.¡±

    Acrus made a small, disinterested nod. ¡°You came here all the way from the Karmil base, am I right? You have done well to bring them all here in one piece. Or so I would have liked to say, but some of these faeries seem to have been injured quite grievously¡­ losing an arm and an eye is a pity, is it not?¡±

    ¡°That is not the case, Kalden," said Seele somewhat hesitatingly after a small pause. ¡°Some have been wounded in the fights, yes, but the injuries you have mentioned were, err, there in the first place.¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Acrus raised a brow. ¡°They came here already in that condition? How peculiar. Then I rescind my previous comment and do congratulate you on bringing them here alive. But enough of that. Look at those poor faeries, staring at us as if we were foreign creatures from an entirely different world¡ªwhich we are, to them, of course, but that is beside the point.¡± They broadened their smile as if their joke was particularly funny. ¡°Pass to them my greetings as the Ruler. Make it sound more dignified, though.¡± Acrus waved their hand in the air.

    Seele furrowed their brows a bit at the last request, but made no comment; they simply turned around to the four faeries and started speaking.

    ¡°The Ruler welcomes you all to his kingdom and is happy to see you all managed to arrive safe,¡± Seele said briefly. The four quietly exchanged glances.

    ¡°And now for our real business,¡± Acrus continued, raising an arm. ¡°Surely the faeries themselves realize they are nothing more than currency for us. The only question is whether we have any use for them; anything that would give them true value.¡± Once again Seele frowned yet said nothing, waiting for the Ruler to continue. ¡°Ask them this: what can they bring forth to the table? Let them ponder this for a while. And do not play with my words; I want them to fully understand the situation.¡±

    Despite not understanding the language and being unfamiliar with the slight nuances of the fairy culture, Niu did understand something was amiss, whether it was by the tone of Acrus¡¯s voice or the way subtly Seele changed their expression while listening.

    ¡°The¡­ the Ruler now asks you what you can be worth to us,¡± Seele translated weakly.

    ¡°Our worth?¡± Roah repeated, then snorted. ¡°Yeah, I figured as much¡­ we¡¯re only tools for you, right?" Seele seemed surprised at his response.

    ¡°¡­Is that what the king said?¡± Gen asked.

    ¡°Uh¡­ more or less,¡± Seele confirmed, biting their lips.

    ¡°Then tell them that we have no¡ª¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Gen,¡± Roah interjected at the other boy raising his voice. ¡°Do you really want to lash out at the monarch of this place? Do you want us to get executed?¡±

    ¡°I just want to be treated fairly,¡± Gen replied angrily. ¡°If they''re not going to take us seriously, then we might as well¡­¡±

    ¡°Why would they take us seriously?¡± Roah countered yet again. ¡°We¡¯re just¡­ well, kids. Remember that these guys live for hundreds of years. That¡¯s what this is about; they want to know if they¡¯d get anything out of helping us. Did you expect them to act due to kindness? Not everyone¡¯s as silly as you.¡±

    Gen nearly snapped right there and then. Perhaps the only reason he couldn¡¯t rush at the other boy was due his injuries; he looked like he was about to do something, but then winced and stopped.

    ¡°Stop this!¡± Shaya admonished them. ¡°Do you think this is the time?¡±

    Gen averted his gaze. ¡°I guess not. I was just¡­ you know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m shocked too,¡± said Shaya, ¡°b-but we can¡¯t get angry right now. We have a lot at stake here.¡±

    Like our very lives, thought Niu. She glanced at Acrus; the Ruler didn¡¯t seem very pleased with them talking and arguing like this. They probably expected some answer already and were growing impatient.

    But what could Niu do? She currently had no slate or any way to write. Much like the four of them were at the mercy of the fairies, she herself was at the mercy of her friends as she couldn¡¯t even help them. She hated that.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Roah said with a completely calm tone, ¡°what they¡¯re saying is that we have to be somehow useful. It doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we have to directly do something for them; it¡¯s about what we can get for them.¡±

    ¡°Like, umm, from our town?¡± suggested Shaya. Roah nodded.

    ¡°Well, I guess my parents are worried sick about me right now,¡± said Gen, ¡°so they¡¯d definitely agree to some sort of deal.¡±

    Yes, it was best to leave all the politicking to the adults; they couldn¡¯t do anything like that by themselves.

    ¡°¡­If they can afford to, right now,¡± said Shaya weakly, biting her lips.

    Niu knew that all of them had been suppressing their thoughts about this, but they¡¯d have to confront the matter at some point. They were, after all, still completely in the dark about what happened to their town. Their parents might have bigger problems than worrying about their missing children¡ªsuch as their own wellbeing. Isolated as they were from Plainland, the situation there was unknown.

    ¡°Also, you¡¯re assuming we can get in contact with them in the first place,¡± Roah added grimly.

    Niu thought about this as well¡ªthey have assumed this premise as if it was natural, but perhaps it wasn¡¯t really so. This impression was likely based on the fact that there were people here who could speak their language and Seele kept the reason for that a secret, so it was easy to suspect or at least hope that there was some method of communication.

    ¡°Seele,¡± Roah turned toward the fairy who was patiently watching them argue without saying a word, ¡°ask your king this¡ªif we prove ourselves worthy, what can you do for us? Is it even possible to bring us back home?¡±

    Seele seemed somewhat hesitant at that, but nodded and turned toward Acrus. Their smile widened, probably glad to finally have the conversation advance, though not by much. The Ruler spoke for a while.

    ¡°Well,¡± Seele said as they turned back to the four of them and spoke, ¡°I have received permission to finally reveal this to you. If we can get you back we don¡¯t know, but we can get in contact with your world.¡±

    Niu was surprised to hear this despite her suspicions, but Roah only mumbled a low I knew it with a smile.

    ¡°Is that how you can talk with us?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Yes. We learned your language to speak with your world. It was a big thing; there were many of us working there, including me and TriX.¡± Seele glanced at the silent laborer. ¡°We communicated for a while, but it¡­ stopped at some point.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯d it stop?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°There were, ah¡­¡± Seele paused for a while. ¡°Problems with managing the project. We had a new Ruler then. But that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± This vague explanation caught Niu¡¯s interest, but apparently Seele wasn¡¯t willing to talk about it any further. Perhaps the aforementioned new Ruler was the one right in front of them now?

    ¡°Anyway, we have a way to pass messages. If the other side still has their, we should be able to contact them again¡­ probably,¡± Seele added with a hint of uncertainty.

    ¡°Are you sure you could set that up again?¡± asked Roah.

    Once again Seele hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t actually know how it works. It¡¯s been long. Maybe we can. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You don''t need to apologize," said Shaya. ¡°There¡¯s a chance, right?¡±

    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s another important thing we need to know,¡± Roah interjected. ¡°You say that you have been in communication with Plainland. The question is: with whom? Or where?¡±

    Oh, Niu realized with a start. Right¡ªif it was, for example, the Eastern Frontier of Sacrona, that wouldn¡¯t help them at all, as they were enemy countries. There was also the fact that they¡¯d never heard of anyone getting in contact with Fairland, but that was likely a secret just as it seemed to be for the fairies. Niu wanted to cling to the thread of hope so much that she didn¡¯t realize how close they were standing to the edge.

    ¡°It was the, ah¡­ what was the name?¡± Seele said. ¡°Do you remember, TriX?¡±

    ¡°If I am not mistaken,¡± said the laborer, ¡°it was the King of Rumdon.¡±

    Rumdon! There was no mistake; this was the very same monarchy that ruled over their area of the Western Frontier. Right now their monarch was Queen Levia-O, but it was obviously one of the previous generations. Their hope was not yet lost, and in fact encouraged.

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s good, then,¡± said Roah.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t solve any of the other problems, though,¡± said Shaya, hanging her head.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ we might not really have anything to offer them, but if our very presence here causes them to reestablish communications with our world, then maybe that¡¯s good enough?¡± Gen suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened before, exactly, but it sounds like this side cut it off a long time ago, right? So maybe we can still salvage this.¡±

    ¡°Huh. You do have some good ideas once in a while,¡± said Roah in a deadpan voice.

    Gen shot an angry glance at him but no more than that. ¡°Anyway, my parents do have some connections in the capital¡­ I dunno, I think it¡¯s at least worth a try.¡±

    Niu nodded. They were still starved for information about their old world, which they might get even in the worst-case scenario. Whatever that monster attack had been, it had yet to make a reappearance in Fairland, but what about Plainland? Reaching out to the Queen would be a good idea.

    ¡°But¡­ can we even, you know,¡± Shaya hesitated for a second, ¡°go back?¡± she looked as if she wanted to take back her words, but since she already said them, she decided to go with it. ¡°Talking with the Queen or whatever is fine, but in the end, we want to return home, right?¡±

    ¡°There should be a way,¡± answered Roah.

    ¡°Huh? Rare of you to be so optimistic,¡± said Gen in surprise.

    No, thought Niu, it¡¯s just obvious. We¡¯re living proof that it''s possible, after all.

    ¡°We somehow came here, so we should be able to somehow get back,¡± he replied, to which Niu strongly nodded. ¡°Well, it¡¯s extremely vague, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ I almost forgot about that.¡± Gen held his head against his palm and shook it. ¡°There¡¯s too much stuff to think about, lately.¡±

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Roah turned to Seele. ¡°Tell your Ruler the truth. We can¡¯t promise anything, but we might have some connections on the other side. I don¡¯t know what made you cut off contact the last time, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be something worthwhile for you."

    Seele nodded and spoke with Acrus yet again. The Ruler¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem like a positive sign, though.

    ¡°The faeries are speaking only of uncertainties and possibilities,¡± said Acrus, shaking their head, ¡°I am almost tempted to simply order them thrown out of the window. How utterly disgraceful, an absolute waste of my time¡­ so that is what we get after going through the trouble of bringing them all the way to Kalden?¡±

    Acrus glanced at the quartet staring back. Their fear and apprehension were understandable; they didn¡¯t need to understand the language to realize how foreign they were here. Their very lives were in the hand of Acrus.

    Acrus also glanced at Aisbroom, their trusty General, looming nearby. Their expression was as neutral as ever. What did they think of these faeries? Acrus had no idea. They never could read that cold, calculated face. Perhaps Acrus could do something to shock them. Perhaps Acrus could do something with the faeries.

    Although their first instincts were to get rid of these children, perhaps they could also be used for something after all. It would be far too hasty to dispose of them so.

    Suddenly a smile rose to their lips. They had an idea. Would the faeries agree to such a ludicrous deal? Would they endanger themselves this much for their hosts? It would raise Kalden¡¯s morale for sure. Well, they had the advantage regardless¡ªso the faeries would have to agree.

    And so Acrus began to talk.

    Almost immediately there was a small stir around the room. Fairies widened their eyes or raised a brow in disbelief, with even Seele muttering something in shock with a low voice that Niu could hear only since she was nearby. What had Ruler Acrus Kalden just said that was so earth-shattering even to their subordinates?

    Niu had a bad feeling about this. She momentarily glanced at another fairy¡ªthe one dressed in white¡ªand saw their expression was completely blank. Then at least for them it wasn¡¯t a surprise at all. They simply gazed up the Ruler; not even bored-looking, just attentive.

    ¡°The, ah,¡± Seele stuttered, attempting to organize their words, ¡°the Ruler said he¡¯s willing to try to contact your kingdom.¡± And there came a pause.

    Surely that couldn¡¯t be everything, right? Not with that reaction? However, Seele seemed very hesitant on continuing to talk. They glanced at the Ruler again and then back at Niu and the rest.

    ¡°But there¡¯s one condition. You need to help us against the¡­ against the second time of the monsters,¡± Seele spat out, sounding mildly horrified.

    Now the scene from before was perfectly clear, and Niu and the rest¡¯s reaction were pretty much a repeat of the fairies¡¯.

    ¡°What, what did you just¡­?¡± Roah sputtered. ¡°Second time¡­ second coming? You mean, they¡¯re going to attack again?¡±

    The image of the nightmarish scorpion-lizard-thing flashed through Niu¡¯s mind, causing a shudder. She also recalled the dark tentacles dropping them from the skies. She remembered her soul-crushing despair when she¡¯d been cornered by one, helpless and alone¡ªand then the desperate struggle as her friends protected her.

    Was all that about to repeat itself now?

    Kalden itself seemed intact, but who could tell what had happened there the first time around? Also, since the attack was apparently simultaneous in both Fairland and Plainland, would it still be so? They have yet to find out what happened to Hayden and its surroundings. If it still stood it was going to be attacked yet again¡­ and they couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it?

    ¡°No way,¡± mumbled Gen in disbelief.

    ¡°How does,¡± started Roah, ¡°how do they know this?¡± He glanced between Seele and Acrus.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m surprised like you,¡± said Seele, voice slightly shaking, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But the Ruler wouldn¡¯t just say that. We were caught by complete surprise, and¡­¡±

    ¡°Perhaps they were able, to see their path in the sky,¡± suggested TriX.

    The shining tentacles did appear in the heavens, dropping those monsters like twisted storm clouds. Those words also sparked a lone memory in Niu¡¯s mind¡ªa memory of a dark sky littered with faint, shining lights. Could it be? She completely forgot about it, but had she seen some omen signifying the incoming attack?

    ¡°What is your response, faeries from another world?¡± Acrus suddenly bellowed. All gazes in the throne room immediately focused on them. Their voice grew louder and louder still. ¡°There have been many legends foretelling your arrival in this world¡ªwhich will herald the reunification of our worlds and everlasting peace. Although banished by vile beings, we shall be restored to our former glory! Yet none of the legends spoke of this situation. Is it not likely, then, that it is the handiwork of those very Demons themselves? Unsatisfied with our exile and fearing our rise in power, they now seek to eradicate us! By unleashing their monstrosities upon us they think they will vanquish us¡ªbut they are wrong, for Kalden is the strongest!¡±

    Acrus rose from their seat, spreading their arms. This whole course of action was not quite planned, yet the Ruler of Kalden was skilled in such performances. Once they got the idea, it was easy to sway the entire audience.

    ¡°Kalden!¡± the guards¡¯ voices echoed. The four faeries stood confused in place, obviously unable to understand the speech and sudden fervor. Acrus continued still.

    ¡°I am now convinced; it is no mere chance that brought you here, but destiny itself. Surely you have a role to fulfill here among us. And so, faeries, I ask of you¡ªsubmit to me! You have to make the choice: perish, or stand up against Kalden¡¯s enemies!¡±

    ¡°KALDEN!¡± the room was shaken with sound once more.

    ¡°This is an ultimatum. I am not a kind Ruler, as you all know, but a fair one. Seele Sowng, you must get an answer out of them! I order you!¡±

    Niu felt a bit better, seeing that even Seele was pretty flustered at this whole situation, even after Acrus seemingly riled everyone up. Seele then started speaking to them again. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how to say this. But I guess you¡­ you have to help us. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the one who needs to apologize here,¡± spat Gen, glaring at Acrus.

    Roah clicked his tongue. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice, do we?¡±

    ¡°Gods¡­¡± Shaya whispered, shaking. She looked like she was about to cry any second now.

    Niu herself was in no better condition. She held no high hopes for this meeting in the first place, but it went both much better and much worse than expected. They found a sliver of hope¡ªand a bottomless abyss of danger. And the worst part? They had to agree to the deal.

    Rise today, but be prepared

    Tomorrow rest, for you have erred

 Chapter 8: Hanging Shade

    A cold and gloomy night fell on Kalden.

    The trio¡ªonly three, because Gen had not fully recovered yet, so he went to receive further treatment¡ªhad been led back to the treetop shack. Understandably, they were grim and silent. They had just agreed to fight for Kalden against an army of monsters sent by the Gods, after all.

    It seemed like suicide, but refusing it would be suicide as well. At least they had some shelter in the meanwhile and a potential to turn it all for the better, if they survived. In a way this result was not as worse as they feared, but that didn¡¯t serve to cheer them up too much.

    ¡°Are you actually going to do this?¡± asked Shaya, a mix of worry and anger in her voice.

    Roah looked back at her, surprised, as if he was confused it took her so long to say that. ¡°Did you see any other choice there?¡± he said coldly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know," Shaya said, ¡°it¡¯s just that¡­ what are you scheming, Roah?¡±

    ¡°How to keep us alive here,¡± Roah replied curtly. Shaya looked like she wanted to say more but ended up closing her mouth and hanging her head.

    Instead, Niu was the one who gazed at Roah, but after seeing her do that he merely averted his eyes. At times he was brutally direct, and at times he was mysteriously evasive just like this. If she could, she would continue to question him, but she didn¡¯t have her slate right now.

    So she couldn¡¯t help but keep wondering: why had Roah done that?

    A mere hour before, there was tense silence in the throne room.

    Hearing about the situation, the quartet was obviously distressed and distraught. Roah, however, was the first to calm down. He took a deep breath. As expected, he remained the most rational of the group.

    ¡°I want to ask¡ªwhat does Acrus expect us to do, exactly?¡± he turned to ask Seele. ¡°Surely he¡­ they know we¡¯re no warriors.¡±

    Seele briefly posed this question to the Ruler, and received an answer which they promptly translated back.

    ¡°You are not going to fight on the front,¡± said Seele. A huge wave of relief washed over Niu, and even Seele seemed happy. Opposing the monsters again was definitely not something they wanted to do. ¡°But for what you will do¡­ the Ruler didn¡¯t decide yet.¡±

    Roah nodded. ¡°Glad they''re being fair. If you¡¯re expecting us to help and you¡¯re going to ¡®repay¡¯ us by getting in touch with Plainland¡­ then sure, we¡¯ll do that. Now for my next question. You have an army. Surely you conduct meeting to discuss strategy and whatnot? Especially when you know that there¡¯s a definite threat coming? If so, I want to participate in that meeting.¡±

    ¡°¡­You what?¡± Gen spat in disbelief.

    Roah wants to be part of their planning? Niu was confused as well. Yes, he was that type of boy¡ªalways thinking, scheming and using his brain¡ªbut wasn¡¯t that a bit too much to ask of them?

    ¡°You really think they¡¯d let someone like you into their¡ª"

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Roah interjected, much to Gen¡¯s annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can do something. If nothing else, I¡¯ll bring them a fresh perspective. And unlike you, I do know a bit about wars from our lessons.¡±

    Gen mumbled something under his breath and winced; once again, it was probably mainly his pain right now that prevented him from lashing out at Roah.

    ¡°Seele?¡± Roah turned to them again. ¡°Ask them, please.¡± Seele themselves also seemed hesitant about this idea, but did as they were told.

    Acrus let leak a laugh. What a joke. And not a very good one at that. ¡°Did that insolent faerie actually say that?¡± Acrus focused their gaze on Roah, who returned a one-eyed gaze of his own. ¡°A mere child thinking they can hang with adults¡­? How presumptuous. I will¡ª¡±

    But at that point something that neither side expected happened; probably sensing the derision from Acrus and the incoming rejection, Roah decided to take a completely different approach.

    ¡°I do help! Please.¡±

    Acrus widened their eyes. The other faeries were also completely stunned. Both sides were surprised senseless for different reasons: Acrus¡¯s guards and attendants were probably shocked because the faerie directly addressed the Ruler like that, while his friends were probably shocked because they couldn¡¯t understand his words.

    Yes. Roah had spoken in Acrus¡¯s native language.

    The boy gritted his teeth, still glaring at Acrus. It was clear that he was unsure if he used the right words, and indeed it was not grammatically correct. Perhaps he meant to say ¡°I can help you¡± or something of the sort. The faerie was an alien, but even so he managed to learn some of this foreign vocabulary. The general meaning of his words passed. Yes, he definitely showed that he was willing to make, and was making, an effort.

    Acrus wore a strange expression that combined their conflicted feelings of rage, shock, or both. At length they spoke again.

    ¡°Such sheer cheek,¡± Acrus mumbled incredulously, perhaps showing that their expression held more of the latter than the former. ¡°Can you understand my words, insolent faerie? No, obviously not. And yet¡­ how very interesting.¡± They turned to Seele. ¡°What is the meaning of this? I¡¯d have asked the child, but they don''t seem to actually speak our language.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± said Seele, ¡°the Ruler wants to know how you learned to use our words.¡±

    ¡°As do we,¡± said Gen, raising a brow. ¡°When¡¯d you learn that?¡±

    "I, for one, pay close attention to my surroundings,¡± Roah replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing too complicated¡­ I just listened and made some connections. Obviously I only understand a few words here and there, mostly by context. However, with time I noticed that our languages are actually very much alike.¡±

    ¡°They are?¡± asked Shaya.

    Roah nodded. Most people would probably dismiss it since it was just a language they couldn¡¯t understand, but Roah listened. He found patterns, links and surprising similarities. The fairy language at times sounded like an old dialect or perhaps an offshoot of their own language. And so he was able to decode it ever so slightly.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± he said to Seele, ¡°tell them I also have other surprises in store.¡± He smiled and pointed his eye at Acrus again while hearing Seele translate the gist of his words. Acrus returned that glare, their expression severe, and finally they sighed and replied something. Roah recognized a handful of words, but not enough to fully understand the intent.

    ¡°The Ruler allows it,¡± Seele translated, sounding surprised themselves. ¡°For now, at least.¡±

    Roah clenched his fist. So far so good. ¡°Thank you, Ruler,¡± Roah spoke to the Ruler directly¡ªand in Fairland language yet again.

    Not much was added after this. Since the exact details of their arrangements would need some considering, they were told that for now they¡¯d be taken care of and were sent on their way.

    ¡°That was a near disaster,¡± Aisbroom said quietly, their back to the throne.

    This happened not long after the faeries had left the palace. A few guards remained stationed near the doors, but the room was empty except for Acrus and their head knight. It was finally time to discuss the meeting that took place there.

    ¡°Oh? Is that what you think?¡± Acrus asked disinterestedly. They were probably not even looking at Aisbroom as they said this.

    Aisbroom turned around. ¡°You know fully well how fast rumors travel through Kalden,¡± they said. ¡°Rumors that you do not have full control on. You should have waited with the news about the incoming wave, like we have already discussed.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. It was the perfect moment to reveal it. It shocked the faeries into helping us and riled up the populace.¡±

    Aisbroom furrowed their brows. ¡°The populace?¡± They spat. "These are only guards and servants. Who knows what sort of twisted story the actual populace is going to hear?¡±

    ¡°One that is exaggerated to a great extent, of course.¡± Acrus wore a wide grin. ¡°About me securing our victory against our nemesis. Was it not perfect, my improvised speech there? I think I really outdid myself.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Aisbroom said, not a speck of emotion in their voice. Such a response, if uttered by almost any other person, would possibly grant its speaker a swift and painful execution. In this case, however, Acrus merely looked bored. ¡°You have given them hope¡­ and hope is dangerous. You cannot even get rid of the faeries now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there are always ways,¡± said Acrus.

    ¡°Well, never mind that; what¡¯s done is done. However, your acceptance of the faerie child is incomprehensible to me. Do you really intend to let them participate in our strategy meetings? Was that another part of your improvisation?¡±

    ¡°I liked the child¡¯s attitude; that is all,¡± Acrus replied. ¡°And who knows? Perhaps something good can come out of it. You always bemoan that I never take enough risks, do you not?¡±

    No, thought Aisbroom, the problem is that you take too many risks, and never act decisively enough with them even when you do. Just like back then. Just like right now. However, they kept this inside their heart.

    ¡°Well, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t really cause any issues for us¡­ even if I still do not like it,¡± they finally said. ¡°But if you are intent on doing it, may I offer something?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Assign Seele as an interpreter for this meeting. It has to be someone, right? They are already familiar with the faeries and in fact seem quite fond of them. Not to mention that Seele had been part of the project at the time¡ªand obviously admires me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. They seem somewhat dull, but are they trustworthy?¡± wondered Acrus.

    Aisbroom nodded, ¡°Very much so. We even threw them to that dingy old base with nary a complaint. I think that employing them during the meeting could be useful. They are a pawn with many possible uses.¡±

    ¡°Now that, I like.¡± Acrus smiled again. ¡°A useful tool is one that can be used for different purposes. Much like you.¡±

    A tool that you don¡¯t know how to use, thought Aisbroom glumly while suppressing a scowl. You delude yourself into thinking it¡¯s merely ¡°useful¡± without ever finding its proper usage and functions.

    ¡°Anyway," Acrus continued, ¡°did those faeries say anything interesting? They seemed to debate a lot between themselves.¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. They mostly bickered, conversing on nonsense. The two ''males'' seemed antagonistic toward one another,¡± Aisbroom replied.

    ¡°Males, huh¡­ I still do not understand that,¡± mused Acrus.

    ¡°There is no need to understand.¡±

    ¡°Hah. Let faeries retain their mysterious charm, you say? Very well. Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Aisbroom muttered. There was a certain detail they had noticed during these talks, or rather noticed the lack of. ¡°One of the faeries never spoke a single word. Well, I did hear from the reports that they are mute, but still. I have to wonder if that is true.¡±

    Aisbroom remembered how that very faerie looked at them, terrified. Yes, Aisbroom had that effect on people many times, but something about this time seemed much more¡­ genuine. And different.

    What was the faerie hiding beneath ''her'' silence? Aisbroom had actually set up their sights on Roah as a problematic element, but could it be this Niu, instead?

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Acrus leaned back on the throne and closed their eyes as if about to fall asleep. ¡°Not very interesting, I have to admit. Actions speak louder than words, but this also means that inaction never speaks. If so, it is as though they don¡¯t exist at all.¡±

    Or they¡¯re hiding something, thought Aisbroom. Just as expected, the new visitors caused nothing but troubles and worries. Yet it was Aisbroom¡¯s job¡ªand hope¡ªto take care of those.

    The next morning came with some pleasant surprises.

    First of all, the trio were led by Seele back to Kalden, the largest tree¡ªexcept not to the throne room they had seen the day before, but a few floors down. It was still located inside the same colossal trunk, only much lower. According to Seele, these were the guest quarters for important people of all kinds, now arranged for their use. Seele seemed excited as well, as they had never been there.

    The place was just as ornate as the main palace, with polished wooden floors and a faint sweet smell constantly wafting in the air. If that wasn¡¯t luxurious enough, apparently the four of them all received a room of their own. It was actually a bit weird for them to sleep together since coming to this world, but they¡¯d already gotten used to it, and now they had their separate rooms again.

    Each room wasn¡¯t actually that large, by royal standards, but at least for Niu it was about three times larger than her room back home. Almost as large as the classrooms in their school.

    Seele even handed Niu another surprise: a new writing slate. The previous one had practically been a random stone picked from the ground compared to this one. It was smooth and compact, made of thin, clean stone with a wooden frame; perfect for writing purposes. Well, Niu would have preferred paper, but she assumed that the people of Kalden, spending their lives on trees, would spare its usage. Nevertheless, it was finally a way for Niu to express herself again, so she hugged it with joy and scribbled a quick Thank you.

    A bit later Gen appeared again. He was already looking much better, physically. He walked straighter and his complexion was warmer. In fact, if not for some bandages he almost looked completely healed, if a bit tired.

    ¡°Hehe, I told you not to worry,¡± said Seele, ¡°luckily seems that our herbs work on faeries too. We can¡¯t use it on really bad conditions, but once that¡¯s stable it makes all the difference.¡±

    Seele worded it a bit poorly, but apparently those healing herbs of theirs accelerated the body¡¯s natural healing. They also fatigued it, however, so they couldn¡¯t be used on those who were dying or in grievous condition as it would likely just cause them to die. Gen was apparently on the way to make a full recovery.

    ¡°Anyway, starting now I¡¯m officially your amb¡­ amba, ah¡­ what was it?¡±

    ¡°Ambassador,¡± TriX assisted.

    ¡°Yes, that! I¡¯m so excited. I never thought I will come back to Kalden like this,¡± said Seele, smiling.

    Meanwhile, now that Niu could express herself she decided to ask something she¡¯d been wondering about. By the way, she wrote, are you alright after what happened that night, TriX?

    ¡°Oh¡­ that was pretty bad, wasn¡¯t it,¡± said Seele, slightly nodding.

    ¡°I am fine,¡± TriX replied, ¡°I was found and fixed. My body is less, vulnerable than yours.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ were you fixed using that fungus whatever?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°Yes. My body absorbed the material to fix itself,¡± the laborer explained. Sounded like quite the incredible process.

    What about DuA, then? Niu asked.

    But at that point the smile on Seele¡¯s face went off. ¡°From what I heard, he was destroyed in the battle. It was very rough¡­ I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t there with you.¡± According to Seele, they¡¯d gotten lost in the chaos and just barely avoided the fight, opting to get help from Kalden instead.

    ¡°DuA¡­¡± mumbled Shaya weakly. Niu realized her sadness; DuA did so much to help them right to the very end. ¡°So it can¡¯t be fixed?¡±

    Seele shook her head. ¡°And he was one of our battle models too. It¡¯s bad,¡± they said sadly.

    Thinking about it, TriX was felled pretty easily, but DuA not only survived until the very end but even managed to successfully fend off many attackers. Being a ¡°battle model¡± probably meant that it was trained to fight. This probably also led to it taking more damage, however.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Battle model¡­ like a soldier?¡± Roah asked.

    ¡°Yes. Every laborer was builded different. TriX is for information gathering. That¡¯s why he knows how to speak with you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, about that,¡± said Gen, ¡°I forgot to ask, but what exactly were you doing during that project of yours?¡±

    Seele thought in silence for a while. ¡°Hmm¡­ it was a lot. I mean, most of it we just learned how to speak and read. I actually didn¡¯t really participate too much¡­ and everything shut down soon after we talked to your side.¡±

    ¡°Kind of hard to imagine that sort of system, even with the channel of communication,¡± said Roah. ¡°Then again, the fact that we¡¯re here is proof enough that it¡¯s possible, I guess. Sending messages should be easier than transporting people.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they say it¡¯s really amazing magic! I hope we¡¯ll be able to fix that.¡±

    Niu sank into her own thoughts. This mystery was pushed aside during everything that happened since then, but how exactly had they been transported to this world? The dark tentacles apparently brought monsters from Blissland, so had it just swept the four of them along with it all the way to Fairland?

    Something still felt missing, but Niu wasn¡¯t sure what. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t like they could use it to go back home. If another attack came, perhaps another clue would show itself. So for now, Niu decided to forget about it. They had other worries now anyway.

    Their conversation was cut short when a fairy arrived to the room and spoke shortly. ¡°Oh, lunch is ready!¡± Seele explained to them.

    Another privilege of living in these quarters was not only being served food yet again, but eating it in a designated dining room as well. Perhaps as part of their new role, Seele also sat down to eat with them, which was another new change.

    After serving the dishes, the servants left them alone as Niu and the rest sat around the table. All of the plates were made from wood, but surprisingly the eating utensils here were metal.

    ¡°By the way,¡± Gen suddenly interjected, ¡°when we were at your base there was this really good mushroom stew¡­ honestly, I didn¡¯t even notice how fantastic it is until we stopped eating it every day. Is it possible to get it here?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ you mean the Lompha mushroom, I think? Unfortunately, no,¡± Seele replied with an apologetic smile. ¡°Kalden grows some mushrooms, but less. It was actually something like our secret, haha.¡±

    ¡°Oh man,¡± Gen mumbled in disappointment, but Niu smiled a bit. In the start he would complain a lot about the lack of meat, but now he¡¯d gotten himself addicted to mushrooms.

    After a short while they finished their meal and servants arrived again to clear away their dishes. Gen probably felt right at home, but this lifestyle was completely foreign for Niu¡ªbut honestly, she could get used to it. At the very least she intended to enjoy it as long as she could, considering their circumstances.

    ¡°Well.¡± Seele was the first to rise from their seat. ¡°Get ready, Roah¡ªwe will go out soon.¡±

    ¡°¡­Understood,¡± the boy replied after a short pause, ignoring Gen scowling at him. They were talking, of course, about the approaching strategy meeting that Roah had somehow finagled his way into. What was he planning on doing there? Nobody knew, and he wasn¡¯t sharing.

    ¡°Umm, good luck,¡± Shaya said quietly. Roah slightly raised a brow, perhaps surprised at this gesture, but mumbled a soft Thanks.

    ¡°Alright, girls,¡± Gen said, passing his gaze between Shaya and Niu after Seele and Roah left, ¡°let¡¯s have a strategy meeting of our own now.¡±

    Niu and Shaya exchanged puzzled glances.

    The strategy meeting was being held in one of the palace¡¯s side rooms, a few floors above the guest wing but still below the throne room. It was a circular room very likely located exactly in the middle of the gigantic tree. There were no adornments there; only a clean room with windows that let in whatever light they could, and a long, rectangular table with chairs around it.

    Seated inside were about a dozen fairies. Roah would have expected to see such a meeting room filled with sly old men, but these faeries of course all looked extremely young¡ªa fact which he was not yet used to. Still, even if their general appearance belied their true age, their expressions were rough and full of experience, with a few of them even sporting some scars. These were definitely not children like him.

    Among these, Aisbroom¡¯s outfit was of course the most conspicuous, with the others wearing more practical clothes and capes in dull colors. Aisbroom also sat at head of the table. Apparently Acrus themselves were not participating in the meeting.

    Even Roah found himself somewhat nervous, especially now that the fairies¡¯ venomous gazes bore through him. But he steeled his emotions; a mere nasty look would never be enough to make him lose heart. Never again.

    After the slightest of pauses, he came to an empty seat, with Seele following him. At least she¡ªthey, he had to remind himself¡ªalso felt out of place there. They fidgeted around, themselves also subjected to the gazes of not very nice eyes.

    ¡°Let us begin,¡± Aisbroom announced after a bout of silence. Immediately all gazes focused on them instead. ¡°You have all been made aware of the circumstances¡­ most of you, at any rate.¡± Aisbroom cast a momentary glance at Roah and Seele. ¡°We will not linger on that. Well, we can go over the information gathered about the monsters from their previous attack, but first I would like to hear your questions and suggestions, if you have any.¡±

    Immediately and without a sliver of hesitation, Roah raised his hand to the air. Everyone including Seele was baffled by this. Roah, of course, had yet to learn the language. He had, however, made some very small practice with Seele, as he needed every advantage he could muster. ¡°Suggestion¡± was one of the few words he¡¯d learned already. He had actually planned on shouting this at some point to indicate he had something to say, but this opportunity was good enough if he understood it right.

    Let them stare at him. Let them look down on him. His first move was everything¡ªit would dictate everything from now on. And so he gambled on being bold and taking the initiative. This would either greatly reward him or blow up in his face, but he had to try.

    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± said Aisbroom after a pregnant pause. ¡°Let us see what the faerie has to say.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you can speak,¡± Seele whispered from the side. Roah nodded and began. Seeing as Seele would have to translate his words anyway, he had no need to address the others, but he still did so. Again, it was all a matter of the impression he created. He had to be as assertive as he could.

    ¡°The approaching monsters are a threat, no doubt about that,¡± he said, ¡°but I believe that they are not the real problem. After all, you have already made it through the first wave. I have no doubt that Kalden¡¯s armies are strong enough to weather the assault.¡± He wasn¡¯t actually completely certain about this, but after seeing a bit of the Capital, he came to the reasonable conclusion that there was no substantial damage done to their city or to their people. The next part was trickier, though. ¡°However, I believe there is another threat that you need to take in mind¡ªthe presence of your enemies, the Stroba, nearby. They are sure to attack as well once we are occupied in battle. ¡ªSeele, pass this over.¡±

    This was his major gamble. He only had tenuous information with which to arrive at that conclusion, yet he could feel he wasn¡¯t wrong. The only question was their response. Seele looked surprised at his words, but started promptly translating. Roah was attentive to their words¡ªthey were obviously summarizing and rephrasing what he said, but it still served as a valuable reference for learning the language.

    ¡°That stupid child,¡± spat one of the fairies around as Seele finished speaking. They had a gruff face and somewhat of a darker complexion than most. ¡°Do they really think we are not aware of that? Is this why they were brought here?¡±

    Another fairy softly chuckled. Their eyes were large and blue and their smile generous. ¡°Come now, Ariboh. You were surprised the most of all of us to learn of the Stroba presence the other night.¡±

    Ariboh spoke angrily, ¡°Which is why I¡¯m mad about this faerie acting all high and mighty about it!¡±

    ¡°Ariboh, Sqore,¡± Aisbroom interjected. ¡°Do no squabble. We are meant to have a civil, productive discussion here. The faerie probably does not understand most of your words, but they can surely surmise your intent.¡±

    They all glanced at Roah, who scowled. As they said, he could understand their general sentiments about his suggestion just now. At least in that aspect both humans and fairies were not much different.

    ¡°Remember, friend,¡± added Sqore thoughtfully, ¡°that they might be the faeries of legend.¡±

    Ariboh clicked their tongue, yet said nothing. Instead, they glanced around to see if anyone had anything else to say.

    Aisbroom spoke next. ¡°Anyway, Seele¡ªtell them we are already aware of that. However, judging from their words¡­ I have the feeling that they have something else to say. Be patient,¡± the last words he directed at the rest of the crowd.

    ¡°¡­They already know what you¡¯ve told them. Is there anything more?¡± Seele asked Roah.

    As expected, Roah had to take it one step further. He was taking a gamble yet again. However, it was yet another gamble based on what he¡¯d seen from the difference in their cultures, and especially the way of living on Kalden.

    ¡°First I would like to ask you a question¡ªyou, Seele. Has your base ever been attacked by the Stroba?¡±

    Seele furrowed their brows, probably surprised by being asked a question instead of any of the more qualified fairies around. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And did they attack from below ground or from above ground?¡±

    ¡°Above.¡±

    Roah nodded. ¡°Then I believe that this time they¡¯d aim to attack from below.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡± Seele said, confused.

    ¡°Seele,¡± called Aisbroom, ¡°please translate to the crowd.¡±

    Hesitating a bit, Seele did as they said. Almost all of them, except Aisbroom, looked just as shocked. Roah smiled seeing this; this time he apparently hit the nail on its head.

    ¡°Anyway, this is about Roah.¡±

    The moment the three of them gathered inside Gen¡¯s room, this was what he said to the two girls. He was greeted with awkward silence; Shaya slightly furrowed her brows, while Niu sighed.

    ¡°W-what?¡± he asked, his voice rising.

    ¡°I guess we expected something more serious,¡± said Shaya. She exchanged a glance with the other girl, who proceeded to nod.

    ¡°This is serious. What that guy¡¯s trying to do?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to help us,¡± said Shaya.

    Yet Gen shook his head while frowning. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that. I never understand what he¡¯s thinking about. I dunno, I just have a bad feeling about this.¡±

    Are you jealous? Niu wrote.

    ¡°What? No!¡± he burst. ¡°This has nothing to do with¡ªoh, forget it then. I can see you don¡¯t agree with me, so just¡­ just watch yourself around him, okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s fine not to like someone," said Shaya weakly. ¡°I often find him rude as well, but maybe you should¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Gen cut her short. ¡°This has nothing to do with that! Crap. I just feel like he¡¯s going to end up burning all of Kalden or something. I don¡¯t know. Maybe we should have gone to that meeting too, but I was too surprised to say anything back then.¡±

    Gen, it¡¯s been a year already¡ªwill you stop grudging him for what happened?

    ¡°No, Niu, I won¡¯t.¡± Gen looked serious. ¡°He could have badly hurt Shaya back then when he tried to channel a fucking fire¡ªhe¡¯s crazy, I¡¯m telling you. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s suggesting there, but it¡¯s definitely nothing good."

    ¡°Gen, that¡¯s enough!¡± Shaya begged, averting her gaze. ¡°I told you to let what happened go already¡­ please.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Gen fell silent. He groaned. ¡°Alright. I guess I¡¯m only now realizing how powerless we all are here, and it seems like that guy¡¯s one step ahead of anyone¡­ so maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m so annoyed."

    He wouldn¡¯t do anything to hurt us, Niu added.

    Gen shrugged and rose from his bed. ¡°Whatever. Don¡¯t worry¡ªeven if something does happen, I¡¯m here for you.¡± He looked straight at the girls, smiling. ¡°So I¡¯ll let this go for now.¡±

    As they dispersed and chatted about how to keep spending their time until Roah returned, Niu bit her lips and focused her eyes on the floor. Gen was here for her, he said, but why? Did she even deserve it?

    Everyone in the meeting room fell momentarily silent.

    ¡°That¡­ is a worrying proposition,¡± Sqore said, scratching their cheek.

    ¡°¡­Is that possible?¡± even Ariboh lost some of their usual vigor.

    ¡°That would explain the attack the other night,¡± mumbled yet another fairy.

    ¡°Just so we are clear,¡± Aisbroom said coolly, ¡°I have already considered this possibility. It does seem likely. I would have raised this topic myself soon¡­ perhaps I underestimated the faerie child. Never thought they would bring that up right at the beginning.¡± Their eyes focused on Roah.

    ¡°Honestly, with all the preparations for the wave I haven¡¯t really spared those damn Stroba much thought,¡± admitted Ariboh. ¡°But what is the basis for that theory?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we let the faerie explain it to us?¡± suggested Sqore with a smile.

    ¡°Let us see if they truly are that competent,¡± spat another person.

    ¡°At this point, I suppose we might as well. Perhaps there will be other surprises in store, though I doubt it,¡± said Aisbroom, then gestured at Seele. ¡°Seele.¡±

    ¡°Ah, they want to hear why you think that,¡± they told the boy.

    He was already prepared for this question. ¡°First there¡¯s Kalden itself. I couldn''t rule out there being any facilities underground, but since there¡¯s almost nothing on ground¡­ it seemed reasonable to assume everything here is located on the trees. This is in contrast to your other bases¡ªor at least the one Seele here came from¡ªwhere they not only live underground but even have certain other uses for this environment. Such as growing mushrooms. Well, but I actually came upon this idea during the night we came here, when the Stroba tried to restrain and capture us. You surely know that they attacked us from underground. That¡¯s when I had my first suspicions. I assume that might be a blind spot for you and why they chose it in the first place,¡± he explained, then took a breath. ¡°Well, that¡¯s pretty much it.¡±

    ¡°Wah,¡± Seele mumbled in a low voice, laughing awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how to start summarizing that¡­¡± But after a while of thinking they started speaking. Aisbroom¡¯s eyes grew dangerously narrow.

    ¡°Really?¡± said Sqore. ¡°They figured out all of this after spending so short a time here? Are we sure they are not some sort of spy?¡±

    ¡°A faerie spy? I doubt that,¡± said Ariboh, scowling. ¡°Too bold for one. And I hate to admit it, but everything they said is correct. Aisbroom? What d¡¯you think?¡±

    Aisbroom was calm and collected as always in their response. ¡°A mere conjecture,¡± they concluded. ¡°A good one, but only a guess. By combining several small pieces, they seem to have assembled the entire puzzle, but that faerie merely leapt to several conclusions as if jumping from a treetop. Although they have landed on a cover of soft leaves, it is not as though they placed them there in the first place.¡± Aisbroom paused, letting their words sink. ¡°Besides, like I said before¡ªI have already figured out this much. This child gave no new information here; nothing at all. I shall now demonstrate to you that while clever, the child¡¯s game isn¡¯t worth that much. Seele! Ask them what they suggest to do about everything they¡¯ve told us of.¡±

    When he heard the question translated back at him, Roah scowled as well. From the beginning to the end, Aisbroom was, perhaps, a bit surprised¡ªbut not impressed. Honestly, Roah didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to impress them in the first place, but he had to at least try.

    ¡°Locate and attack their underground paths, of course. Otherwise it¡¯s a disaster waiting to happen right under our noses. There should be some time to spare before the next wave. Also, it has to be done as soon as possible, because I believe there are spies among you. The fact that the Stroba knew of our arrival indicates that clearly.¡± That was another card he¡¯d held in reserve, but he felt like it was perhaps the time to use it. Even if it did feel somewhat clumsy, he couldn¡¯t let Aisbroom undermine his initiative.

    For some reason, Aisbroom wore a faint smile during this explanation. Seele hadn¡¯t even started translating yet; what did that mean? But Aisbroom made no further comment until after Seele¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°You see? My suspicions were right: that child knows nothing. They assume that the Stroba are lurking underground, but then think that they have spies among us? Of course they have, as they always did! However, them lying underground would mean that they¡¯d have known of the faeries¡¯ approach regardless. These might be related, but might not. Next, about their suggested course of action¡ªsimply attacking them is short-sighted. In the first place we have no guarantee they¡¯d get involved in the fighting during the wave. In fact, it could be suicidal. Yes, they could take advantage of the chaos, but then they¡¯d also have to deal with the monsters. If anything, we should lull them into a false sense of security; perhaps they have yet to realize we know about their tunnels, though I doubt it. Regardless, wasting our manpower on purging the Stroba is foolish at the moment.¡±

    Roah could only understand a few words of what Aisbroom said, but one thing was clear: the fairy general has regained control of the meeting¡¯s atmosphere. They¡¯ve managed to turn Roah¡¯s words against him. It was clear judging from the looks the other faeries were giving him.

    ¡°My, how harsh,¡± said Sqore with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s lucky they don¡¯t understand you.¡±

    ¡°Well, they are a child and a faerie, after all. It¡¯s obvious they lack experience,¡± added Ariboh. ¡°So in conclusion, they added literally nothing to our meeting¡­ right?¡±

    ¡°Practically,¡± said Aisbroom.

    ¡°Is it really different from your contributions, then?¡± Sqore asked with a mischievous smile, making Ariboh scowl. ¡°Besides, it was still very interesting. You can¡¯t say this child is dumb¡­ and they have some room to grow still. Especially if the legends about humans being long-lived are true.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not, as a matter of fact. Right, Seele?¡± Aisbroom said.

    ¡°M-me?¡± Seele mumbled. Besides translating they hadn¡¯t contributed anything to the discussion so far, as everything there was probably way out of their comfort zone. ¡°Umm, it seems that the legends were mistaken, at least on that. According to what the faeries told me, they only live for a hundred years or so.¡±

    ¡°So little? What a pity,¡± mumbled Sqore.

    ¡°Which means we should squeeze out everything we can out of them¡­ just like the Ruler wants,¡± said another fairy.

    Aisbroom clapped their hands. ¡°Well, let us continue. I believe we¡¯ve had quite enough of wasting our efforts on theoretical nonsense; it is high time we proceed to more practical discussions. Friends, how will we be able to best defend against the incoming attack?¡±

    From there on, and to Roah¡¯s increasing frustration, he was barely allowed to speak.

    Roah left the meeting with mixed feelings, but mostly bad ones.

    On one hand, he did appear to leave some lasting impression. On the other hand, he¡¯d apparently made no obvious contribution and had been shut out from most of the talks. He also obviously couldn¡¯t understand the vast majority of their discussion; Seele only barely summarized some things when they were given the time.

    Perhaps he¡¯d underestimated these fairies. Their lives looked so outwardly primitive that he thought his knowledge from Plainland would make some difference, but that was probably too na?ve of him. Their cultures were simply different and everyone in that room was more than ten times older than he was.

    Still, it wasn¡¯t a complete waste. Surprisingly, there was an implication that he would still be invited to further meetings. Which was good enough for now. He wasn¡¯t going to give up so easily.

    ¡°Well¡­ they spoke a bit harshly about you, but I think it was not that bad, actually,¡± said Seele on the way back.

    ¡°Was it, now?¡± he asked back, his voice a bit more bitter than he¡¯d have liked to. That was bad; he had to keep his cool. It wasn¡¯t like he expected immediate success. Or did he? Perhaps a part of him did.

    ¡°Yes. I think Sqore for example liked you¡ªthat¡¯s the tall one with the brown hair.¡± Seele smiled. ¡°Oh, and you really impressed me, too!¡±

    Hmm. I guess a little good attention is better than none, Roah thought grimly, smiling at her. He then spoke aloud, ¡°Anyway, thank you. I know this must be hard for you.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± said Seele, beaming. To his surprise, it was almost a Niu-like smile. He hadn¡¯t seen one of those much lately. Unfortunately, a few moments later he saw something quite common and quite unpleasant.

    ¡°So you¡¯re back,¡± mumbled Gen. He was leaning against the wall of the corridor leading to the personal rooms. He was probably trying to appear imposing and stoic but as always, his emotions were laid bare on his expression and entire body.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± said Roah without stopping. However, Gen separated himself from the wall and stood to block his way. Roah scowled. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I just want to speak with you. In private,¡± he said, gesturing at Seele.

    Seele looked at them both with a cocked head, but Roah nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± He steeled himself for an unpleasant situation, but knew he couldn¡¯t run away from it for long.

    Finally they were left alone in the corridor. Except for during baths at the underground base, this was the only time in Roah¡¯s recent memory that the two of them were alone. What were the girls doing right now? Gen probably didn¡¯t want them to be around.

    ¡°Say,¡± Gen opened, ¡°haven¡¯t you been getting way too friendly with the fairies lately?¡±

    ¡°Friendly? Hardly. Besides, we need them right now.¡±

    Gen didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°To me, it looks more like you¡¯re trying to¡­ become one of them.¡± Roah urged the need to groan; what was this nonsense Gen was spewing? ¡°Remember, Roah¡ªour goal is going back home.¡±

    At that word Roah couldn¡¯t help but snicker. Home? That was the word he chose to use?

    ¡°What''s so funny?¡± Gen asked angrily, taking a step forward.

    Roah hesitated only for a moment. Nothing good would come out of teasing Gen, and he fully knew it. Yet in the end he was quite tired and frustrated so he wasn¡¯t thinking straight.

    ¡°Going back home?¡± he snickered. ¡°Maybe you have your doting parents and brothers¡ªif they¡¯re even still alive¡ªbut I¡¯ve got¡ª¡±

    Nothing. His final word never left his mouth because Gen¡¯s fist hit it. Roah crumpled to the floor, tasting blood. He was barely able to get up when a kick also hit his side, making him groan in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you¡­ fucking dare,¡± Gen¡¯s voice was shaking. Roah turned an indignant eye upward at Gen¡¯s enraged face while wiping the trail of blood off of his lips. He gritted his teeth and the pair simply stared at each other for a few more moments.

    The tension was finally broken by someone unexpected.

    ¡°That was a good blow,¡± the white figure said, appearing behind Roah. ¡°You look like the strongest in your little group¡­ is that correct?¡±

    Gen had been so focused on his hated rival that he failed to notice the arrival of Aisbroom.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Roah mumbled in a low voice, forgetting all about the humiliation, anger and pain as he turned his head around. Gen was obviously shocked as well; Aisbroom had just spoken to them in words they could understand.

    Despite seeming so cold most of the time, Aisbroom now wore a thin smile. ¡°Well? I can understand you just fine, you know.¡±

    Could they, though? Until that very moment there had been no indication of this fact. Even during the meeting, Aisbroom always spoke in¡­ no, wait. Roah realized that this fairy had understood him all along. They¡¯d always had subtle reactions to Roah¡¯s words. He felt like an absolute moron.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Gen mumbled. Whether or not he was thinking similar to Roah, he looked still half in shock. ¡°Err, I wouldn¡¯t call myself really strong, but when compared to the others, probably? Well, I can¡¯t channel very well, but I can definitely fight with¡ª¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Aisbroom interjected forcefully, still smiling. ¡°That is good enough. Then I shall come to pick you up tomorrow so we can work on that. Good night to you.¡±

    Without letting them say anything, Aisbroom turned around and left as readily as they appeared, leaving the two bewildered boys behind.

    Hanging high, the looming sun

    Leaves behind no shade undone

 Chapter 9: Breaking Down

    Roah sat on his soft, luxurious bed, thinking about everything that happened.

    His face still hurt (it was probably going to swell by the next morning), but he had other things to worry about right now. Seriously, what just happened? He still couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. During the entire strategy meeting Aisbroom had sought to bring Roah down and disparage each and every suggestion of his; that much was clear. Yet just now they appeared¡ªhaving followed not far behind Roah, apparently¡ªto make an offer to Gen of all people?

    That was just too bizarre. It couldn¡¯t possibly be that Aisbroom only respected physical power or some foolish rationale like that. No, Aisbroom seemed to be cautious and calculated, as evidenced even by the fact they¡¯d concealed their knowledge of the language.

    Then why? What did Gen possess that Roah lacked?

    He knew he was being silly. He had no reason to be jealous of him. Roah wasn¡¯t a fighter. He could perhaps channel slightly better than Gen, but he was much weaker in all other aspects. Perhaps it was the fact that Roah worked so hard, gambled on conclusion after hypothesis to try and gain some traction while Gen managed to do so without even trying, that irked him so much.

    Yes, that sounded more logical. It was perfectly reasonable to be frustrated over that. Roah took a deep breath, focusing his thoughts. As long as he was calm and rational, he would figure out what to do next.

    His thoughts were cut short by a knocking sound coming from his door. It was already dark, so who¡¯d come to visit him at such an hour? Surely Gen wouldn¡¯t come for a round two. Curious, he got off the bed and opened the door, revealing Niu standing there.

    As soon as he opened the door, she flashed a smile and held up her small slate. Good evening. Can you help me with something?

    Roah raised a brow; Niu never came to him like this. At times they studied for tests together, but Gen would usually veto that. What a strange day this was turning into.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked her. He was genuinely interested, but perhaps he sounded slightly annoyed. Niu didn¡¯t seem affected by this regardless.

    She took back the slate, wiped it clean and wrote again. Even such small conversations with Niu were often time-consuming, but he didn¡¯t mind it in the least. She was much better than someone like Gen, who would blurt out everything he thought. Roah waited patiently until she finished writing and showed him again.

    First, something unrelated. What happened to your face?

    Ah, so it really was visible. If Gen hadn¡¯t told her, though, he wasn¡¯t going to either. ¡°Just bumped against something,¡± he said vaguely, shrugging. A lousy excuse, he knew. Niu frowned, but apparently decided to not pry any further and wrote something else entirely.

    There''s something I¡¯d like to check outside. Could you come with me to the veranda?

    Outside¡­ meaning in Kalden? The fact she¡¯d come to him for help meant she was probably relying on his compensation. If so, it was probably something on the ground or on some neighboring tree, but what could it be? As this served to take his mind off his worries for a while and made him curious to boot, he decided to go along with her.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he said. He thought about asking her what she wanted to check, but it would probably be faster to just go there and find out.

    With Roah hoping they didn¡¯t bump into Gen en route to the veranda, they made their way through the long corridors, turning right near the dining room and opening the double doors that led outside.

    It was a wide, circular structure installed jutting out of the trunk of the tree. A chilly wind immediately hit Roah¡¯s face, making him cringe for a second. The veranda was empty except for the both of them, and was littered with enormous leaves. They were very high above ground, but the veranda was actually located right above a platform connected to one of the staircases spiraling around the tree.

    It was dark, but there was enough visibility due to the lights of the many other trees surrounding them in all directions. They were mostly the watch towers who used some kind of lighting system¡ªnot torches, most likely, as the residents of Kalden seemed to hesitate to use fire; Roah assumed it was either some sort of plant life, like the mushrooms in the underground base, or else channeling.

    Roah had yet to get used to this view. He was not much for appreciating art, yet had to admit it was a beautiful city, especially when viewed from this height. Meanwhile, Niu wrote him another message.

    Can you see the sky?

    He raised his head. Since they were located in the mid-high section of the palace, the many branches and abundant leaves blocked almost all of the view, yet not all of it. This veranda was purposely located in a spot with a small gap allowing one to view the night sky.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he answered curtly. The sky? Was that all she wanted? For a few brief moments he wondered if she him to check on Plainland, but they weren¡¯t in the right angle for that. Or did Niu not realize this? Besides, even his powers wouldn¡¯t be enough to actually see the surface on their old world. However, she asked him for something different.

    Can you see any shining lights out there in space?

    Now Roah was confused. What shining lights could she be talking about? For now he didn¡¯t question her and merely focused his lone eye on the great darkness above.

    According to Mr. Saburn, this ability of his, much like Gen¡¯s, was a form of channeling. In his case it probably involved the channels of light and communication, the teacher had said. By focusing, Roah could sharpen the eyesight of his lone eye far beyond the limits of any normal person.

    However, space was the land of eternal darkness. It was known, or at least estimated, that the three Lands were surrounded by empty space and nothing more. No matter how much Roah focused he couldn¡¯t see anything else.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything, sorry,¡± he finally announced. Niu¡¯s smile somewhat slackened. She gazed up herself, as if she wanted to try seeing something he couldn¡¯t. ¡°What were you expecting me to find?¡±

    Niu stopped, looking at his face, and smiled apologetically. She then wrote again.

    No, maybe it was my mistake. I¡¯m sorry for taking your time. Good night.

    Then, without even bothering to make sure that he finished reading, Niu simply turned on her heels and fled, leaving the confused Roah behind. He reached out his hand in vain, but then lowered it. He saw no real need to follow or call out to her.

    As always, I can¡¯t seem to figure her out, he thought gloomily. Oh well. That¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to be.

    He gazed at the sky once again, as if it would help him gain some new insight. But there was nothing at all. Niu searched for something in the darkness of space¡ªbut what could that mean? Being in space meant being in the boundary between worlds. Which they themselves managed to somehow overcome. And just like¡­

    The wave? He thought with a start. Yes, that would explain it. The fairies claimed to know when the attack was coming, so there had to be some way to see or anticipate it. That was probably Niu¡¯s goal, then.

    Left alone, Roah spent longer than he expected simply staring at the sky and thinking.

    Gen yawned as he took unsteady steps down the stairs leading to a wide, open space covered in green and brown. The green was that of grass, verdant as in the rest of Kalden or even the entirety of Fairland, and the brown was the bald patches of earth here and there, with one relatively large area of plain ground surrounded by a fence. Aisbroom was leaning on that fence, surveying the boy. As always, the clash of the pure white and many colors of Aisbroom¡¯s getup clashed even harder with their surroundings.

    Also, the fairy commander¡¯s eyes were cold, yet they still wore that same bizarre smile as when they had invited Gen there in the first place. Gen wasn¡¯t sure what this smile meant; it didn¡¯t look like a derisive sneer, but neither was it a warm, welcoming grin. If it was an act then it was perhaps a good act, but a confusing one.

    ¡°You are late,¡± Aisbroom accused while still wearing that smile.

    Gen scowled. ¡°Sorry for not being familiar with this area.¡±

    It had been less than an hour ago when Gen had been woken up rather violently by fairy envoys. When Aisbroom had told him that he would be picked up come morning, he hadn¡¯t quite expected it to refer to the literal sunrise. Even now the sun¡¯s rays barely even reached Kalden, only slightly poking from between the treetops. Not to mention his body still ached from the last remains of the grievous injury he¡¯d received quite recently.

    Gen had been led out of the palace, down a few floors and then to a neighboring tree¡ªor rather a neighboring stump. However, seeing the size of the trees in this world, even this hollowed-out remnant was about as large as Gen¡¯s home. He was left alone by the stairs, finally coming down to meet Aisbroom.

    ¡°Just remember it for the next time.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sure. What is this place? Some sort of training ground?¡± Gen mumbled, looking around. It was much too spacious and empty for the both of them, yet there was no one else there. Not even guards or anything like they were used to. Aisbroom detached from the fence and took a few steps forward.

    ¡°Yes. I want to see what you¡¯re capable of.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± asked Gen.

    Now the pair¡ªboy and fairy¡ªstood face to face. Gen was taller than average for his age and Aisbroom seemed about average, so they were almost exactly the same height. They were wildly different in every other way, but at least in this they were the same.

    ¡°To see how useful you are, of course,¡± Aisbroom answered nonchalantly, still smiling. ¡°Not much time is left until the next attack. I have to make sure you¡¯re strong enough.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re getting out of here, you know,¡± said Gen, ¡°even if we help you, it will only be temporary. Then why test me? Why train me? In fact, it would be more beneficial for you to let us all die.¡±

    ¡°Let you all die? Don¡¯t be silly. You are all precious faeries from the world of light. There are legends, you know? Legends that you will save us from the darkness.¡±

    Gen furrowed his brows. He didn¡¯t expect Aisbroom to start spouting such nonsense about legends. With no offense to Niu, he felt these sorts of things were just childish ideals. As long as they served for entertainment it was fine, but referring to them so seriously? Then again, he couldn¡¯t really tell if Aisbroom was serious at all.

    ¡°Anyway, getting you over to the other side will not be easy. We currently have no such means. You barely understand how you got here yourselves, right?¡± asked Aisbroom. ¡°In the meanwhile, there will definitely be more attacks. So I will make sure you will survive.¡±

    Meaning, it was a long-term investment. While Gen didn¡¯t have much interest in economics and the like¡ªhonestly, despite his parents¡¯ vocation, most of their children ended up as the brawnier sort¡ªhe could still understand such concepts. He decided he would accept that explanation, for now.

    ¡°So¡­ how about you show me some of your magic?¡± said Aisbroom.

    ¡°Magic?¡± blurted Gen without thinking. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you call channeling, right. Well, I already told you I¡¯m pretty bad at it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Never mind that. Show me,¡± Aisbroom interjected.

    ¡°Err, fine,¡± Gen mumbled then looked around. ¡°I need some sort of medium, though. Or something to write with.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so you faeries require runes as well, then. Would writing on the ground be enough?¡±

    Gen scowled and answered, ¡°Just barely, but it¡¯ll be even harder.¡±

    ¡°Well, try it anyway. It does not matter for our purposes right now.¡±

    Still not quite sure what to think about the whole business, Gen got on his knees and stuck the fingers of his left hand into the ground. This wasn¡¯t conventional at all, but they had undergone a lesson of this sort under Mr. Saburn. Gen obviously wasn¡¯t going to use the channel of heat like that idiot Roah, but he could do other things.

    He started with the channel of water. Aisbroom watched in interest as a trickle of liquid bubbled on the hard ground, soon vanishing.

    ¡°Interesting. How about another one?¡±

    Following Aisbroom¡¯s command, Gen tried the channels of light and of air next. The former¡¯s glow barely lasted for a second, and the second just caused Gen¡¯s face to be covered in particles of dirt.

    ¡°I see¡­ so that is what you can do,¡± Aisbroom said. Gen was starting to get really sick of their plastered smile when they spoke like that. Suddenly, Aisbroom plucked a flower with deep-blue petals from their sleeve, directing it toward the ground. The next instant, a clear, strong stream of water erupted from the flower¡¯s exact center, splashing on the ground.

    Gen widened his eyes in confusion; how had Aisbroom accomplished such powerful channeling without using any icon? Was it somehow related to the flower?

    Next, Aisbroom rotated their arm to reveal a white flower with long petals on their wrist. Immediately it started glowing with such blinding light that Gen had to cover his eyes. When he opened them again, Aisbroom readied yet another flower¡ªadorned in yellow and blue¡ªthat let out a gust of wind.

    ¡°Would you be able to do this with a proper medium?¡± Aisbroom asked him after the demonstration.

    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± the boy asked angrily. ¡°Not even close. How do you even do that? What are these flowers?¡±

    ¡°These function like runes,¡± Aisbroom explained, stretching their arms as if to show the vast collection attached to their sleeves. They didn¡¯t have just flowers, either; there were vines, leaves and some mushrooms as well. ¡°Each of them produces¡ªor allows me to produce¡ªa different effect of magic.¡±

    So it really was like icons after all. It made sense, after a bit of thought. One could say that flowers were too different from one another to function like the highly systemized icons, but then again, even icons were written slightly differently by different people. Gen could only assume that it was an amazing accomplishment.

    ¡°Wow¡­ I hope you¡¯re not trying to teach me that. I¡¯ll never be able to do that.¡±

    For the first time, Aisbroom¡¯s smile vanished for a moment. Had Gen said something he shouldn¡¯t have? Regardless, Aisbroom smiled again and said, ¡°Of course not. This is the secret of my family, passed through many generations¡­ and I am the only one able to use it to this extent either way.¡±

    Gen now recalled another fact¡ªhe had wondered before if this Aisbroom person was to the fairies what Molton was to him; meaning, an elite soldier worthy of admiration. According to the demonstration and Aisbroom¡¯s explanation, and of course previous talks with Seele, that was probably the case. If they could use channeling to this extent so casually, then they were definitely top-tier.

    He still wasn¡¯t planning on submitting to the fairies like Roah did, but he also couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.

    ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡± Gen asked.

    ¡°First I want to understand your strengths,¡± Aisbroom explained. ¡°Let us keep going. Show me all the channels you can muster.¡±

    ¡°¡­So that fairy really took him,¡± mumbled Roah, biting his lips.

    He spent so much time gazing at the sky last night that he overslept¡ªnot that he had anything to attend to, since the next strategy meeting had not been set yet. Still, he had to be awoken for breakfast, where he soon realized Gen wasn¡¯t around. Seele had answered his question about the other boy just moments ago.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s alright,¡± said Shaya, not touching her food. Niu poked her arm to get her attention and then nodded and smiled, as if saying Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be fine.

    ¡°He¡¯s actually training with Aisbroom¡­ I wish I could too,¡± Seele said, sighing. ¡°Not that I can even fight, but still.¡±

    ¡°How is he¡­ they anyway?¡± asked Shaya. ¡°Aisbroom, I mean. You worked under them, right?¡±

    Seele immediately cheered up. ¡°Oh, Aisbroom¡¯s amazing! He¡¯s not only the strongest but he even learned the faerie language the fastest. After all he was the¡ªah, never mind, anyway, he can do anything.¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    They had already questioned Seele about this, but apparently in their study of Plainland¡¯s language they still couldn¡¯t wrap their heads around the concept of gender, especially since their communication with ¡°faeries¡± was in so limited of a fashion. As consequence, they simply defaulted to male pronouns. They apparently didn¡¯t have this difficulty in their native tongue.

    ¡°I¡¯m still worried about Gen, though,¡± said Shaya. ¡°I just hope he¡¯s not going to fight¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, this whole training business is rather strange,¡± added Roah.

    Seele¡¯s smile slackened. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you need to worry, but¡­ maybe we expect you all to do something.¡±

    Niu pointed at herself and at the others, tilting her head. Us?

    ¡°Never mind that stupid muscle head, but none of us are fighters," said Roah.

    ¡°Yes, but still¡­¡± Seele paused, unsure whether to continue. ¡°There are, ah, legends. Other people are going to expect some things from you.¡±

    ¡°Legends?¡± asked Roah. That was the first he¡¯d heard about it. Although it was possible, and extremely likely, that the many fairies around them have discussed it around them while they couldn¡¯t understand. Yes, that explained many things.

    Tell us about those legends, please! Niu wrote excitedly.

    Seele still seemed to be hesitating, but finally gave up. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really remember all the stories, and there are much versions of it, but well¡­ your Gods put us in this world, right? So they say that one day, the faeries will come here too in order to save us. To bring us back,¡± Seele explained.

    Roah¡¯s eye widened. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why¡­¡±

    ¡°B-but then,¡± said Shaya, ¡°wouldn¡¯t you want to connect with our world as soon as possible?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± said Seele, shaking their head. ¡°Not all believes. Most of Kalden does, I think. But¡­ the Ruler doesn¡¯t.¡± they then glanced around as if afraid Acrus themselves could hear their words. ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated.¡±

    Meanwhile, Roah thought of something else. ¡°About these legends of yours¡­ do they mention those monsters?¡±

    ¡°No. Some say we will fight the Gods, but I don¡¯t know any legend about those things falling from the sky. I think that also makes it more complicated.¡±

    Do you believe the legends? Niu asked.

    ¡°Haa¡­ that¡¯s hard. I really don¡¯t know. Even if they¡¯re real, they¡¯re still just legends¡­ we need to work to make them true,¡± Seele said, a warm smile once more blooming on their face. ¡°But I¡¯m glad I met you all, legends or no.¡±

    The girls seemed happy at this response, but Roah zoned out. He needed to find out more about those so-called legends, but he also started pondering on how to use them. If most of Kalden believed them, it could be used as a very powerful weapon indeed.

    Roah could see his ideal shining in the distance¡ªbut knew not how to grasp it yet.

    Movement, weight, metal, growth, and even some heat at the end¡ªGen used everything that he learned. According to Mr. Saburn there were theoretically other channels, but either the knowledge about them had been lost to the sands of time or they were difficult to access, so only the basic eight were currently being taught.

    Naturally, Gen wasn¡¯t proficient in any of them, but he simply followed Aisbroom¡¯s instructions to demonstrate his usage of the Eight Channels. After each one Aisbroom plucked a flower from their suit to produce the same effect. Gen wasn¡¯t sure what they meant to convey by this; was Aisbroom merely showing off or trying to compare their abilities? Either way, coupled with Aisbroom¡¯s mysterious smile it made him pretty pissed off.

    ¡°And that¡¯s it,¡± Gen finally said, ¡°unless you fairies have another channel we don¡¯t know of, that¡¯s everything.¡±

    ¡°No, those are also all the elements to our knowledge. Well, they say the Gods have hundreds of them¡­ but never mind that. It appears that you are weak at magic just like you said.¡±

    ¡°¡­Then was there a need for me to do all this, or did you just enjoy watching me humiliate myself?¡± spat Gen. He rubbed his dirty fingers, letting crumbs of dirt fall off to the ground. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would be rude to wipe his hand on his pants.

    ¡°Relax,¡± was all that Aisbroom offered on the matter. ¡°Let us move on. I have heard that you can do something else.¡± Their eyes moved downward and to the left, the sort of look that Gen knew very well. ¡°Regardless of the strength of your magic, you are still like me.¡±

    ¡°Like you?¡± asked Gen, confused. ¡°Do you mean you¡¯re also¡­?¡±

    As far as Gen could see Aisbroom had two pairs of limbs, eyes, ears, and all their senses seemed to be in working order. Did Gen simply misunderstand them, or was it something rarer and unseen?

    Aisbroom, however, offered no explanation. ¡°Here, we are called something like¡­ the missing. Those who have something missing. Is ¡®lack¡¯ the right word? It does not translate very well, but you surely understand what I mean. What can you do, then?¡±

    Missing¡ªwas an awkward yet perhaps strangely apt way of putting it. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was better or worse than being called a ¡°defect¡± like back in Plainland. Shaking off these thoughts, Gen focused and operated his invisible arm; in comparison to his channeling, Gen could do this instantaneously and effortlessly, pretty much the only benefit of his condition. His right arm dug out a hefty piece of ground and threw it away.

    ¡°Aha, now that is quite something,¡± Aisbroom said, sounding pleased. ¡°So this is your¡­ compensation, is that the word? Good. As I thought, someone like you would have a compensation based on force magic. Movement, you called it before?¡±

    Gen¡¯s brows lowered together at these last words. ¡°I¡­ what? Movement? But this isn¡¯t channeling¡­¡±

    ¡°It is not magic as it is usually used, no. But the basics are the same. As instinctual as that action is to you, surely you understand it uses the same methods?¡±

    The same methods? Gen wasn¡¯t sure about it. He could form an arm made of, well, nothing. It was force without a form. In that sense, perhaps it really was somehow related to the channel of movement? Or ¡°force¡±, as the fairies called it?

    Ah, right. Now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure that Mr. Saburn also mentioned something of the sort before. Too bad he couldn¡¯t ask him about it right now.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about it like that,¡± Gen finally mumbled.

    ¡°Then start to, right now. That will be the basis of everything,¡± said Aisbroom. The basis of what, exactly? Their training? Gen was starting to get somewhat intrigued. ¡°Now, go run a few rounds.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡± Gen was baffled.

    ¡°Was I not clear?¡± asked Aisbroom, their voice impatient. ¡°Start running. Around this fence right here. Go. Now!¡±

    ¡°I hate Aisbroom¡­¡± Gen mumbled listlessly, lying on his back on the bed. At least in the palace guesthouse the beds were made of something resembling cotton, so they weren¡¯t as itchy as the grassy beds they¡¯d used before.

    ¡°Did they go that hard on you?¡± asked Shaya worriedly. It was already late afternoon; Gen had just returned to his room and practically collapsed on his bed, causing the others to follow and question him. ¡°Not to mention you¡¯re not fully healed yet¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that, too, but I¡¯m fine, I think. Those herbs¡ªwhich tasted horrible, by the way, not that I¡¯m complaining¡ªdid their job well. Nah, it¡¯s just that Aisbroom made me run around the whole stupid training grounds again and again. I thought they were going to train me on using my arm¡­¡±

    ¡°So now you¡¯re the one fraternizing with the fairies, huh?¡± asked Roah from the room¡¯s corner, sounding clearly smug.

    Despite his apparent fatigue, he felt like he couldn¡¯t let the other¡¯s boy comment fully pass. ¡°Unlike you, I didn¡¯t choose it. Also, how does me being tortured count as ¡®fraternizing¡¯?¡±

    Shaya giggled and Niu smiled. The two boys didn¡¯t find this amusing, of course, but for the girls this was the sort of banter that they¡¯d grown used to. As long as it was just talking and not fighting.

    ¡°And they want me to do it tomorrow as well,¡± Gen kept complaining. ¡°Crap.¡±

    You can do it, Gen! We believe in you, Niu wrote cheerfully.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± he replied to that, smiling somewhat wryly.

    Why was it that always at times like these, time began to pass much faster than normal? The remaining days until the wave went frighteningly fast. Gen spent some hours of every day under Aisbroom¡¯s tutelage, complaining to the girls about it every time, while Roah came to a few more strategy meetings. Despite his complaints Gen seemed to be doing well, while for Roah it was apparently the complete opposite.

    And throughout all this there was one person suffering quietly. She would spend much time on the balcony at night, looking at the dark skies in search for a sign. Even Niu herself didn¡¯t know why; it wasn¡¯t like it would change anything. The fairies surely knew of this already, though she hadn¡¯t mustered up the courage to ask Seele about it.

    Yet her heart ached. If, on that day, she¡¯d realized something was wrong, would have anything changed? Surely not¡ªno one in their wildest dreams would think that lights in the sky were the omen of an incoming monster invasion. Then why did she feel so guilty?

    Perhaps it was actually due to her incompetence. She never thought of herself as truly capable, but lately she came to be aware of just how worthless she was. She could write and draw well¡­ so what? Such skills made no difference in their current situation. When she¡¯d been attacked by the monster for the first time, she couldn¡¯t do anything. When she and her friends were attacked by the Stroba, she couldn¡¯t do anything. She couldn¡¯t protect either herself or those she cared about.

    Was she right to blame herself for it? She obviously wasn¡¯t a warrior. She hadn¡¯t Gen¡¯s power or Roah¡¯s smarts. Yes, Shaya was also in a comparable situation, but at least she was normal. It hurt Niu to think like that when her friends and people like Saburn taught her to embrace her uniqueness, but it was true; she was abnormal. Despite her lack she could only channel decently and had no compensation.

    Niu bit her lips hard. She knew she¡¯d end up thinking like that, but she couldn¡¯t allow herself to cry. Not right here, at least. Not where people might see her, even if it was unlikely. She could do it in her room, but it was better to just take a deep breath, stop thinking and go to sleep.

    Calming down a bit, Niu turned around intending to do just that. She returned to the wide corridor lit by glowing flowers hanging from the ceilings and headed for her room. But when she passed next to one of the doors, she could hear voices.

    ¡°¡­this forever.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    The first voice was somewhat muffled, but Niu was sure that the second one belonged to Shaya. It came from the girl¡¯s room, anyway. Niu¡¯s heart started beating fast; she had a bad feeling about this.

    ¡°Then what¡¯re you going to do? Just stand there and hope that¡ª¡± this time Niu could clearly identify Roah¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Shaya begged.

    Hearing this, Niu couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. She simply reached for the door handle and swung it open. Both girl and boy froze in place, turning their gazes toward her. Shaya was sitting on the bed, a mix of worry and surprise on her face, while Roah stood nearby, frowning.

    Niu glared at Roah as if to say, what in the name of the Gods is going on here?

    Roah clicked his tongue and started simply walking away, offering no explanation. However, Niu grabbed his arm, still glaring at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s fine, Niu,¡± Shaya said weakly, looking at an empty space of the room. ¡°It was nothing, really.¡±

    Niu was still unconvinced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± mumbled Roah, also averting his gaze. It didn¡¯t sound like a genuine apology to her, and they didn¡¯t even explain what happened, but she let go of his arm. Without missing a beat, he marched out of the room.

    Niu hesitated but went to sit next to Shaya. What happened? She hurriedly wrote on her slate.

    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Niu shook her head decisively. She¡¯d clearly heard the distress in Shaya¡¯s voice and Roah¡¯s insistence. At times he was cold and hurt people, whether on purpose or not. But for now she focused on her friend; she could reprimand the boy later.

    And so she pointed at her written sentence again.

    Shaya shook her head once but then started to stammer. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I¡­ he was just blaming me for not trying to do not anything,¡± she finally explained. Niu lightly bit her lips but waited for her to keep speaking. ¡°He said that I¡¯m¡­ I feel so useless, you know?¡±

    Yes, Niu knew. She knew that feeling well. However, there was no reason for Shaya to feel that way; of course she wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything in this situation. What did Roah want of her? She was just a normal girl swept into something completely incomprehensible. Monsters, fairies, fighting¡­ none of this had anything to do with her. Niu was about to write something of the sort until Shaya spoke again.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡­ really admire you,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can stay calm and proper with this sense of powerlessness¡­ and all this fear.¡±

    Niu¡¯s hand froze. Was that actually what Shaya felt? Did she really think that Niu was ¡°calm¡± and ¡°proper¡± while withstanding all that crushing despair? And she even admired her for that? What?

    That made no sense at all. Surely Niu¡¯s inner turmoil was apparent? Surely it was obvious that she wasn¡¯t fine with any of this? Then again, they¡¯d barely spoken during these last days even when they were alone. Was that the reason? Did Shaya simply not notice it?

    It made no sense.

    ¡°N-Niu?¡± asked Shaya, flinching as Niu suddenly stood up.

    She herself wasn¡¯t sure how to express what she felt. Would she be able to summarize it into a few sentences? Surely not; she felt so much. There were anger and sadness and loneliness and self-loathing and many others things that she couldn¡¯t put into words. But if she could, she felt like writing it, slamming the slate into Shaya¡¯s face and leave the place storming.

    She even felt disgust at herself for this impulse. So instead she simply ran away.

    ¡°Niu? Niu, wait!¡±

    She didn¡¯t wait. Her vision turning blurry due to tears, she still managed to run into her room and slam the door behind her. Then she turned her back to it, slid down on the floor and began to sob, tears streaming down her face.

    Whether Niu simply couldn¡¯t hear Shaya through the door or if the other girl hadn¡¯t pursued her in the first place, Niu sat there crying for a long time without any disturbances.

    Gen grunted as he fell, his weapon slipping and stabbing the hard ground. Above him towered Aisbroom, their expression relaxed into their usual incomprehensible smile. Aisbroom¡¯s spear, obviously, stayed firmly in their hands.

    ¡°Get up,¡± they ordered.

    Gen groaned again, rising to sitting position and using the spear jutting from the ground as a crutch. He leaked ragged breaths, trying to ignore the dull pain transmitted to his entire body. Finally he fully rose and glared into Aisbroom¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Your stance is still bad,¡± Aisbroom informed him matter-of-factly. ¡°You lean your weight too much to your left.¡±

    ¡°I wonder why,¡± Gen hissed sarcastically in annoyance, raising his lone arm.

    Aisbroom''s smile was undeterred. ¡°You don¡¯t need to wonder about anything. Just focus on overcoming your weaknesses.¡±

    ¡°Easier said than done,¡± said Gen. He was starting to feel like Roah when responding like that.

    ¡°Come at me again,¡± Aisbroom said, readying again the spear in their hand.

    Gen clicked his tongue but did as he was told. He wasn¡¯t quite sure that spear was the right choice¡ªhe¡¯d always wanted to wield a grand sword like Molton¡ªbut Aisbroom had insisted on training with it. During such spars Aisbroom never channeled, yet they still beat Gen down again and again.

    For some reason it really made him angry; perhaps it was due to the fact the Aisbroom was about his size. Though obviously Gen himself was still a boy and Aisbroom possibly hundreds of years old, this apparent discrepancy made him angry. He¡¯d heard that Molton was tall and imposing; Aisbroom was spindly and dressed bizarrely, unlike a real warrior.

    Also, no matter how much they beat him down or derided him, Aisbroom always wore that smile. Perhaps that was the most aggravating fact of all.

    Not waiting for any signal, Gen lunged at his opponent, twirling the spear. It was only a wooden one for training use¡ªthough he¡¯d tried a real spear before that, when Aisbroom wanted to test something¡ªso it was rather light, but Gen was still unused to its handling. He was getting better with time, though.

    A thrust from Gen¡¯s spear was blocked by Aisbroom¡¯s, who easily brushed off the attack and then sent a short flurry of thrusts of their own. In a real battle Gen would probably already be dead, but he managed to barely parry off Aisbroom¡¯s attacks and stand his ground.

    Usually the next step would have Aisbroom being more forceful as they went on the offensive, but Gen decided to try something different. For a moment it looked like he was throwing the spear to the side, but a moment after it left his hand it stopped in place and was then thrust powerfully ahead. Aisbroom¡¯s intercepting spear cracked, then broke.

    Gen smiled, but the next instant Aisbroom used his momentary gloating to sweep the spear out of Gen¡¯s hands using the broken shaft, and then pounced on him. As always, this caused Gen to tumble down, defeated.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± said Aisbroom. ¡°Suddenly switching to your other ¡®arm¡¯ like that¡­ but when will you stop thinking of it as an arm?¡±

    ¡°I told you already, that¡¯s how it works,¡± grumbled Gen.

    Aisbroom shook their head, but returned to the previous topic. ¡°Anyway, it was a nice try, but remember that this sort of thing is not going to work in an actual fight.¡±

    Gen scowled. ¡°Why not? If I was trying to kill you then you¡¯d be dead. I broke through your spear because you were surprised.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s not it¡ªperhaps you would have won the battle and slain your enemy, but that is only one battle, and only one enemy. You need to hone your innate technique and not count on such improvisation unless you have no other choice.¡±

    Gen thought he did well, but Aisbroom criticized him as usual. Was there just no pleasing them?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to be fighting monsters, though? At the least the one I personally fought didn¡¯t look all that smart anyway.¡±

    Once again Aisbroom shook their head. ¡°Even if not this time, the Stroba will someday come to attack again. Regardless, I¡¯m training you for battle, not battle against a certain enemy. You need to know everything and be always prepared.¡±

    ¡°Whatever,¡± mumbled Gen dismissively, rising again.

    Yet surprisingly, Aisbroom raised an arm to stop him. ¡±Let us take a break.¡±

    Gen was confused but needed no further prompting; he plopped back onto the ground. They had been doing this back and forth sparring for the better part of an hour, so did Aisbroom think that was enough for now, or was that the reward for Gen¡¯s progress despite their criticism? Whatever the reason was, the boy was thankful for it.

    Aisbroom crouched as well, sitting opposite of Gen. ¡°I wonder,¡± they said, smiling, ¡°if you really think you can protect her like this.¡±

    Gen furrowed his brows. It was hard to gauge Aisbroom¡¯s tone as they said this, especially with how sudden it was. They would, from time to time, throw seemingly random taunting remarks like that. With a smile to boot.

    ¡°I¡­ I can,¡± Gen stammered, instantly regretting his falling for that bait in the first place. How did Aisbroom even know? They¡¯d only visited their quarters the one time they¡¯d invited Gen for training. So they shouldn¡¯t understand this. Unless someone was spying on them? Like Seele, perhaps?

    Aisbroom shook their head. ¡°No¡­ you lack that power. For now, at least. As you are now, you will most definitely fail.¡±

    Gen bit his lips and thought for a moment, but decided he couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. He instantly sprung on his legs, directing an ethereal punch ahead.

    ¡°It¡¯s still an arm, huh?¡± Aisbroom said, sighing. They moved their head lazily to the side, completely avoiding the blow. At almost the same time they pounded their own fist into Gen¡¯s stomach, sending him tumbling down again.

    There should have been no preliminary signs to be warned by, but Aisbroom handled the attack perfectly. No, Gen was wrong¡ªhe¡¯d obviously lost his nerve at Aisbroom¡¯s calculated words. That was the sign. He should be more careful next time.

    Still, Aisbroom didn¡¯t reprimand him¡ªin fact, they looked pleased every time Gen pulled such a stunt. Perhaps it was finally time to ask.

    ¡°Why¡­ why are you even training me?¡± he asked slowly, rising to a sitting position again and rubbing his aching abdomen after coughing once. Quite a punch for such thin hands, that was. ¡°And don¡¯t say it¡¯s because I¡¯m the only one who can fight. We both know that¡¯s an excuse.¡±

    Aisbroom chuckled. ¡°You are right. It is an excuse.¡± They looked happy at this question for some reason. ¡°Your friend Roah, for instance, seems much more talented than you.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not my friend,¡± Gen spat angrily. ¡°Now answer the question.¡±

    ¡°You want to know why I chose you? Fine.¡± Aisbroom rose from the ground, looking down at the boy, still smiling. ¡°It¡¯s because I hate those who hide things in the roots of trees. Those who conceal everything, including themselves, behind masks and lies.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡± Gen furrowed his brows. He honestly wasn¡¯t expecting that kind of answer at all, and wasn¡¯t sure how to interpret it.

    ¡°What I like,¡± Aisbroom continued, ¡°are those people who keep moving forward openly. They lay themselves bare for everyone to see and follow their hearts. I admire that. I admire that sort of power and grace. And that is why I chose you.¡±

    Roah made his way to the balcony, feeling as gloomy as he always was lately. Seeing that the monster invasion was close, there were a few more strategy meetings these last few days, but those went about as expected.

    Only Seele, serving as his interpreter, really saw how much Roah struggled during these meetings. Each flimsy idea he raised was shot down mercilessly, mostly by Aisbroom. He couldn¡¯t even follow the conversation in the first place, so it was torture. Perhaps they only let him come there at all because they figured he would retire of his own accord out of frustration at some point.

    But he couldn¡¯t let them have that satisfaction. Especially not Aisbroom, that smug bastard. Still, it made Roah feel extremely useless¡ªa sentiment which seemed to be shared by most of their little group as of late.

    He knew that Niu and Shaya had had some sort of falling ever since that night when Niu had caught them arguing¡ªthey only interacted rarely and awkwardly since then¡ªand thus all of them were caught in a gloomy atmosphere. All of them except for Gen, anyway. He kept grumbling about Aisbroom¡¯s training, but the very fact he complained so honestly showed enough about his situation.

    All of that had nothing to do with Roah right now, though. If anything at all had to do with him. His plans, already vague and malleable in the first place, seemed like they would fall apart too easily. At this point he might as well simply hope for a miracle¡­ no, that wasn¡¯t his way. He still had some time, so he had to improvise something.

    Meanwhile, though, he wanted to stop thinking and worrying. And so he exited to the balcony, watching the night sky. He actually hadn¡¯t been there ever since that night along with Niu. But now even sky-gazing seemed more pleasant than anything else. Not like he expected to actually see¡ª

    He was wrong.

    The moment he activated his compensation, allowing him to look far out into the dark space, he could finally see it. It was still too far for him to actually make out any details, but the shining silhouettes were unmistakable. Countless strings of darkness floated there, only visible due to the inexplicable glimmer they emanated. They were also covered in many other dark, unidentifiable shapes. These were probably the Gods¡¯ monsters, coming to claim ruin yet again.

    There was now no doubt that the second wave was coming.

    While breaking down, my mind

    Never spares a glance behind

 Chapter 10: Above and Beyond

    Niu watched the ground beneath her, her heart beating so loudly she was surprised it didn¡¯t burst out of her chest.

    It was a beautiful morning; the sun was shining brightly, just as Niu liked it. How she longed to go for a walk underneath its warm, protecting rays¡­ but she couldn¡¯t. There weren¡¯t even the natural sounds of birds and other small animals she was used to. Instead, the whole area was wrapped in a heavy silence, only disturbed at times by the clinking of weapons, heavy steps or distant shouts.

    Also, no matter how much she wanted to feel and see the sun, she had to force herself to keep her head down right now¡ªafter all, dozens of tentacles were floating in the vast sky.

    As part of their deal with the Ruler, she had to ¡°participate¡± in the battle, but the day before, they¡¯d been told that most of them would simply stand side by side with some scouts and archers. Niu herself was situated on a tree she¡¯d been told was called Kordin, supposedly one of the three great trees directly surrounding the palace.

    She was situated on one of Kordin¡¯s lower branches; presumably it was one of the safer places to be in, owing to the fact that the monsters would fall from above to the higher branches and a hypothetical Stroba attack should happen mostly on ground.

    Niu was completely isolated. She was surrounded by countless fairy soldiers to protect her, but she knew none of them and couldn¡¯t communicate anyway, so it only served to make her more anxious. Shaya and Roah had been stationed elsewhere so she couldn¡¯t see them. However, she was surprised at being able to see Gen. She was on a branch high enough from the ground that people seemed almost as small as insects, but not high enough to mistake the boy¡¯s form among the many fairies. Not only his silhouette, but even his simple clothes were different from the rest, so he was conspicuous enough.

    Unlike the others, he was situated among the warriors¡ªat the rear, though, since he was obviously not trained enough. He moved with the platoon protecting the perimeter of the Tree Kalden, where they gathered all supplies and the strategic headquarters. They couldn¡¯t really tell where the monsters or the Stroba were going to strike, but it should be a relatively safe spot. In a way, he and Niu were in the same position with a different elevation, so his presence there made her smile.

    Of course, she also feared seeing him get hurt. That thought immediately erased her faint smile, and she simply waited, body slightly shaking.

    A furious shout then erupted on the battlefield.

    Perhaps there was some sign of it, but she desperately focused her gaze on the ground so she hadn¡¯t seen anything. She only heard this shout echoing around. Even without understanding the language, its ferocity told her everything that she needed to know. The second wave was now officially underway.

    The first line of defense waited among the treetops.

    They stood above the multicolored capes covering the entirety of Kalden, watching the skies. Once the shining tentacles slithered close enough, the countless monsters began dropping down. Most of the soldiers had never seen this process¡ªowing to the fact the previous wave appeared by a complete surprise¡ªbut this time they were ready. It was a disturbing sight, but they knew they had to fight.

    Soon, the air was filled with dark shapes both large and small: the former being the monsters dropping all around, the latter being the defenders¡¯ volleys of arrows or throwing lances.

    Felling the beasts before they could even attack was the best course of action, but of course they weren¡¯t expecting it to fully work. The monsters¡¯ bodies were mostly covered by hard hides, and they were large enough that small arrows stuck in them didn¡¯t cause much harm. Even so the fairies kept their assault, if only to keep them back for another second, if only to shave a little of their life.

    The monsters were largely undeterred, however. Once landing on the treetops, they immediately crawled, skittered, or leapt¡ªsome of them even hovered or flew without landing at all¡ªat the soldiers. Shooting a few more arrows and then finally abandoning their bows for swords or spears, the fairies fought back.

    Soon the air of Kalden was filled with screams. There seemed to be almost as many monsters as fairies, and most fairies couldn¡¯t handle a monster alone. Most of the monsters were relatively slow, but direct wounds didn¡¯t accomplish much and they healed themselves with time. Soon many fairies were overwhelmed, their bodies devoured by the monstrous beasts.

    Most of the monsters, of course, fell toward the ground below.

    ¡°You seem very worried,¡± noted TriX in its usual uninflected voice.

    Seele smiled; how could they not be worried? The attack had just begun, with those demonic tentacles dropping monsters down on their heads once again. At least back during the previous wave Seele was relatively well-protected underground, even if they did end up coming out to scout and sweep the area later, but now¡ªno, Seele couldn¡¯t think like this. This was the proud Capital of Kalden, with the finest army in all the land. Whether they had to fight these wicked spawns or the ignoble Stroba, they would always emerge victorious.

    That was the theory, anyway, so still worrying despite it all was natural. Seele had been taken, along with most robots and their handlers, to one of the high branches of Kalden, serving as the second line of ¡°aerial¡± defense. The idea was that after passing through the first line of defense the monsters would most likely drop directly to the ground, judging by past behavior, so the handlers, who were mostly not warriors, shouldn¡¯t be in too much danger.

    TriX itself was no fighter either, yet Seele trusted it for protection.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t every day that we fight against such things, after all,¡± Seele said somewhat wryly.

    ¡°We have managed last time. Then there is probably, no need for concern.¡±

    ¡°I wish it was that simple.¡±

    For instance, losing DuA in the previous skirmish was a major blow. Still, there were plenty of other robots left. Seele could see many strong warrior-models or weapon-models such as NaN, BooM, RoX and UwU spread on the branches around them.

    Seele smiled. They had been with TriX for a long while in that remote base, so seeing these many familiar faces was very nostalgic. They had already chatted with most of the handlers, but now that the real deal was starting, they spread into their pairs and positions almost automatically.

    Suddenly there was movement. TriX had started acting much earlier than Seele¡¯s senses could perceive. A black mass landed on the branch, leaping at them. There wasn¡¯t even time to raise a shriek; TriX had already landed a punch, stopping the monster in place.

    Seele took a few steps back as their partner handled the attack. Soon there were other such instances around and Seele dared to peek: they could see RoX launching a projectile from its hollow head to send another monster flying, while others fought with their bodies or installed weapons. Still, they weren¡¯t expected to actually defeat their enemies; just stall them or shake them off of Kalden¡¯s branches.

    With that in mind, Seele called: ¡°TriX! Throw it off!¡±

    According to what Roah heard from Seele, the densest part of the city was known as the Twintree because, as the name suggested, its center was made of two adjacent trees. Actually, it was a lone tree that, by some bizarre mutation during its ancient past, had split into two different trunks. Above the ground they seemed to be separate trees, but they came from the same roots. The trees were known by the names of Den and Rok, or collectively Denrok.

    And while Denrok was massive and thick, the countless smaller trees surrounding it made the area even more so. By itself, the Twintree Block was about a fifth of the entirety of Kalden, making it a large obstacle for both insiders and outsiders. It was hard seeing the ground from above, but even so Roah and Shaya stood on one of Den¡¯s lower branches.

    Roah was, of course, a perfect fit for scouting. Shaya was decidedly less so, so she stood there as frightened and anxious as Niu was on the other side of Kalden. For the moment, though, Roah paid her no heed.

    Despite having been denied the chance for serious contributions in the strategy meetings, it didn¡¯t mean that Roah came out completely empty-handed. At the very least he had some understanding of Kalden¡¯s structure and tactics, aided by Seele. He also knew that the Twintree was considered Kalden¡¯s best fortification¡ªand that they also considered it the safest area.

    There would be monsters there as well, of course, but they seemed to attack more or less randomly anyway. The thing was that the fairies¡¯ secondary concern, the Stroba, were the least likely to make an appearance there due to the natural ramifications. Attacks both above and below ground would be troublesome there. Consequently, it was both the safest spot as well as ironically the least guarded one.

    However, Roah had a hunch that this was not quite right. And so he¡¯d requested being stationed there, hoping that they would merely think him cowardly.

    Meanwhile, he watched the wave unfold. Dark shapes began falling through the trees around. Shaya yelped in fright while Roah scanned his surroundings, calm as ever. As part of the strategy meetings, he also learned a bit about these monsters. For the fairies, who knew no animals, they were completely alien beings, but Roah found them more of a haphazard mishmash of several pests. Still horrifying and otherworldly, but perhaps a bit more understandable. Since he¡¯d only faced one of them from up close, it was useful information.

    The beasts were resilient against physical attacks and could even regenerate their bodies over time to boot. On the other hand, they were apparently extremely vulnerable to channeling. Perhaps it hadn¡¯t been just mere luck that allowed Roah and the other three to defeat one such monster like that at the time; this was quite possibly their weakness.

    Unfortunately, channeling seemed to be only slightly more common in Fairland than it was in Plainland, meaning that most of the fairies could only fight with weapons. It was hard but doable, and luckily many of the monsters were slow as well.

    Anyway, that was more or less the gist of it, but Roah immediately saw something wrong.

    ¡°They¡¯re not supposed to be like that¡­¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°What?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Those monsters¡­ they¡¯re different than the last time!¡±

    Engaged in battle, Aisbroom had the exact same thought. In front of them stood a dark, large creature covered in fur. Aisbroom did not know much about the creatures of the other world, but it was probably a cross between some of them. The beast used its powerful body, sharp claws and fangs to swipe and tear at its enemies, but Aisbroom was able to keep it at bay, fighting atop a branch. An almost invisible purple mist swirled around the two.

    Aisbroom took a glance at one flower on their forearm, extending a vine to stop the beast from slashing their body apart and leaping back to gain a bit of a distance. Aisbroom¡¯s short sword also flashed, cutting the monster¡¯s face.

    Well, despite the difference in appearance, the way of fighting it seemed about the same. But why did it look different?

    Yet these questions would have to be asked later. Right now Aisbroom had to focus on fighting. Their enemy¡¯s form itself changed nothing¡ªthe fact they had to defeat them remained as is.

    The beast tried to pull its vine-covered arm and Aisbroom along with it, but a quick slash solved that problem. It leapt ahead for another attack, and missed. Aisbroom was starting to feel anxious, however; their strategy was taking longer than they¡¯d expected. They admittedly hadn¡¯t tried it during the previous wave, but¡­ ah! The beast suddenly froze, letting a low growl, and fell from the branch.

    Aisbroom could hear a nasty crashing sound, but wasn¡¯t able to see the monster anymore. They could only hope falling from such a height killed it, or that the soldiers below would finish the job.

    Strictly speaking, Aisbroom could have probably incinerated it using fire magic, but seeing how dangerous it was inside Kalden, they forbade all usage of this magic except for the most critical of situations. Instead, Aisbroom employed a deep purple flower tinged with yellow spots that rested below their left wrist. Using it to invoke wind magic, they spread the flower¡¯s poisonous pollen around. A little of it was usually harmless, but breathing in large amounts could be fatal. Aisbroom was immune, but the monsters shouldn¡¯t be¡ªas was demonstrated in the end when the symptomatic paralysis and pain set in.

    However, that was only one monster. The previous time there were hundreds in Kalden, and who could tell about this time? The Stroba might also appear at any time. So Aisbroom couldn¡¯t rest for even a second; they sent a vine at the nearest branch and swung away, launching at another monster they noticed nearby.

    ¡°Stay away!¡± Aisbroom warned the other soldiers, intending to use the same poison strategy again. As the other fairies scrambled, the monster¡ªa winged hybrid of some sort¡ªlurched at Aisbroom with flapping wings.

    Although Gen was placed on the ground along with the other soldiers, he was much less prepared for it than Roah, for example. He knew basically nothing about the monsters or the strategic placements in the battlefield or anything else, really.

    Aisbroom had assured him that his position was one of the safest, meant as pretty much the last line defense. Not to mention that every soldier there had supposedly been instructed to guard him with their lives. He did catch them sneaking glances at him from time to time¡ªand surprisingly, most of these glances seemed positive. Some even smiled and nodded at him.

    This made him feel conflicted. He could somewhat fight now, especially after Aisbroom¡¯s intensive training, but he was still a weakling. He doubted he could even beat his older brother, a military junior with little more than a year of experience under his belt. He wouldn¡¯t be able to truly help the fighting cause at all. In fact, he would probably just hinder them.

    Even so they fought for him. Even so they protected him. If what he heard was true, then as a ¡°human¡±¡ªor more precisely ¡°faerie¡±¡ªhe was a symbol of hopes and legends. He still couldn¡¯t really wrap his head about the concept, but¡­ he couldn¡¯t just deny it either. He hated being used by all these people (Aisbroom included), but if it all led to him and his friends getting back home somehow, then perhaps he didn¡¯t mind it.

    That being said, he froze in place when the battles actually started.

    He thought he was mentally prepared for it, but it really was sudden. The crying voices of the soldiers flew around a bit before then, causing him to tense up, and then the monsters started falling from the sky. Seeing he was surrounded by trees in all directions, especially underneath Kalden, he couldn¡¯t see most of their descent, only their landing. The ground was now swarming with these creatures.

    Memories of not too many days ago resurfaced. Gen recalled the day where they made Niu upset, ran after her, then saw something fantastic yet eerie in the sky¡ªand then somehow knew that Niu was in great danger. Thankfully, they managed to arrive just in time to save her. Their lame struggle was able to somehow fell one monster¡­ and now dozens of them appeared all around him.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    He¡¯d never been in an actual fight of this scale, and now he knew how laughable his previous skirmish had been. The fairies swung their weapons, ran and leapt around, striking and slicing and pushing away their fearsome opponents, black chimeric beasts that looked like the stuff of nightmares. Meanwhile Gen¡¯s heart pounded hard. He felt chills while hearing cries of pain and anguish.

    None of the monsters managed to even get close to him, yet he could still clearly see the carnage around him. Most of it was the beasts being stabbed and ripped apart, as they were heavily outnumbered, but there were also fairy victims as well¡ªhe saw a spurt of blood and heard a horrifying howl, but thankfully couldn¡¯t see the details.

    Gen felt his hand getting sweaty and he nearly lost the grip on his spear. Focus! He told himself.  He wasn¡¯t a coward. It was nothing like what he imagined, but he knew that being in a battlefield wouldn¡¯t be all fun and games.

    Besides, his friends were all around him somewhere he couldn¡¯t see. And for him, one of them was¡ªwell, regardless of that, he simply had to return to them in one piece.

    And so, despite being shaken at first, he gradually calmed down. The fairies were powerful and experienced; it was soon evident that they had the situation perfectly under control. It was only a matter of time until the fight would be over. Probably. Gen couldn¡¯t see the skies, but the trickle of monsters from trees noticeably lessened. Perhaps the wave was drawing to a close?

    As time passed, this seemed to be the case. It didn¡¯t mean that the battle was actually ending, though. Soon the sounds of fighting restarted again, and this time with more vigor. Gen was at first confused since he could see the fairies around him fighting but couldn¡¯t see any monsters, but he soon realized.

    They were now fighting other fairies.

    ¡°They WHAT?!¡±

    Ariboh, clad in his formal armor emblazoned with many different symbols, was one of those stationed on the treetops. Their unit had been defending the skies about Morsheen, one of the tallest trees in Kalden. There were still shining tentacles in the skies¡ªthough some had been shot down¡ªbut most of them were no longer carrying any monsters. Judging from the intermittent reports, Kalden¡¯s army had already defeated the vast majority of them.

    However, just then shocking news reached Ariboh. Their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and their wide mouth hung open. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen like this. They had it all planned¡­ so why?

    Apparently, hostile soldiers started to appear all around Kalden. That part was understandable¡ªthey¡¯d already surmised the Stroba were possibly going to take advantage of the chaos of the second wave to launch their own attack. However, they¡¯d guarded against and were prepared to immediately intercept the attacks from all known locations.

    It was impossible for one of those to be right under Ariboh¡¯s feet!

    ¡°Go warn the other units!¡± Ariboh spat. They froze only for a moment; this was the time to act. ¡°Find out if there any similar things are happening around! We¡¯ll contain ¡®em!¡±

    The messenger nodded and ran off. Ariboh started running after them, too. According to the reports, battles with the Stroba were happening inside Morsheen right now. They had apparently breached the tree from below and were making their way up. It was a strategically important place, but they couldn¡¯t afford to lose it even if it weren¡¯t.

    Ariboh shouted at a few soldiers to keep watch for further monster attacks. Most of them, however, were headed down. Ariboh leapt from the branch, catching the nearest rope ladder and sliding down it. Immediately they could hear sounds of battle from the branch directly below.

    Ariboh didn¡¯t hesitate for even a second before attacking; the Stroba members were instantly recognizable in their different uniforms. So Ariboh immediately sank their blade into the neck of the nearest foe, spun around to stab another one in the gut and pushed on ahead.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± called one of those soldiers they just saved from combat.

    ¡°Don''t talk! Fight!¡± was Ariboh¡¯s reply. They leapt onto another enemy, yet this time the other party was ready; they parried Ariboh¡¯s attack with a blade of their own.

    The pair of warriors was locked in a stalemate only for a few moments until Ariboh glanced at the runes covering their sword. Invoking gravity magic, the sword immediately became twice as heavier, causing the Stroba member to lose balance and tumble down, upon which Ariboh¡¯s blade pierced their chest. Ariboh immediately kicked the corpse toward another charging enemy and swung their weapon again, claiming yet another life.

    However, the enemies just kept on coming and coming. Ariboh could do nothing but swear under their breath and keep fighting the Stroba wave.

    No one would spare even a moment to explain the situation to Gen even if they could, but he soon realized that this was an attack made by the Stroba. The already long-healed wound at his flank ached. That night they were almost completely helpless, and even DuA had perished, but this time they were inside Kalden¡¯s territory. Gen never thought that Kalden¡¯s enemies would be able to reach that far inside. Let alone right in front of him.

    The circle of fights was starting to close in on him, and even the soldiers directly next to him lunged ahead to repel the attacks. He no longer felt safe.

    Why was this making him feel more nervous than fighting monsters? Perhaps it was because, after all, fairies resembled humans. Wild beasts were scary, but much less common than wars between actual soldiers. Also, he would have no problems attacking a monster with intent to kill, terrifying as it were, but if it was someone like him¡­

    All these thoughts were mere attempts to calm down his beating heart and shaking body, but they had the opposite effect. He couldn¡¯t even think to run away to safety, not just because it would make him a coward but because he had nowhere to run to; he was surrounded by battles on all sides, and the number of fairies protecting him dwindled by the minute.

    He almost didn¡¯t even notice the fairy running toward him, weapon in hand. They were obviously not from his side; Gen could already recognize Kalden¡¯s insignia, considering it was even embroidered on his own clothes. Meaning, this was an enemy.

    Gen immediately tensed up and froze. Would they really try to capture him, just like Roah claimed they did that night? However, the look in his opponent¡¯s eyes made him not so sure of that. The enemy simply rushed at him. There didn¡¯t seem to be any fairies available to intercept them.

    Whether or not they meant Gen true harm, he knew he couldn¡¯t just stand there. He forced his body to move, gritting his teeth.

    A metallic clang resounded as Gen¡¯s spearhead clashed against the opposing sword¡ªwhich caused the weapon to get blown away from Gen¡¯s grasp, almost making him stumble. His heart skipped a beat. He was unprepared and paid for it by being disarmed. His opponent didn¡¯t falter at all and went in for another attack, so Gen desperately launched his ethereal arm to parry it.

    Aisbroom would¡¯ve probably chastised him for using the shape of a hand again, but the invisible blow was able to stop his opponent. A major advantage of Gen¡¯s ability was that despite serving as replacement for his hand, he couldn¡¯t directly feel anything through it; therefore, even punching a sword would inflict no physical or mental harm to him.

    With the split second of an opening created by this, Gen glanced toward the fallen spear. He focused on the icons etched on the blade, channeling them. The weapon leapt off the ground. It nearly pierced Gen except that he materialized a new invisible arm, grabbed it¡ªand thrust it into his confused opponent without even thinking.

    Senselessly sparring with Aisbroom and getting defeated again and again was not the entirety of Gen¡¯s training; he¡¯d also been handed a special spear at an early stage.

    ¡°You¡¯re letting me train for real?¡± he asked the fairy, gripping the unfamiliar weapon. The sunlight filling the giant stump that served as their training ground made the metallic blade shine. It looked sharp and deadly.

    ¡°Yes, but first I want you to practice your magic. I believe this spear will suit you,¡± said Aisbroom.

    Gen furrowed his brows in confusion until he noticed the small signs decorating the shaft. Once again he was surprised to see the familiar icons¡ªor runes, as the fairies called them¡ªin this alien world. He even more or less understood their meaning.

    ¡°A spear that¡­ err, comes back after you throw it?¡±

    Aisbroom nodded. ¡°Precisely. Using your ability, you should be able to launch powerful attacks¡ªand then use magic to retrieve your weapon for further attacks. Like I said, I believe that force magic suits you the most.¡±

    Gen was doubtful. He already more or less understood the explanation about his compensation, but he never really felt that his movement channeling was all that impressive. Still, he had to admit the whole concept just sounded¡­ well, cool.

    ¡°Give it a try, then. I would have demonstrated, except that I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t?¡± asked Gen, wrenched away from his reverie.

    ¡°My magic is too specialized,¡± Aisbroom explained. ¡°I never learned the standard runes. This has both good and bad points, as you might assume.¡±

    Gen slowly nodded, a bit curious but looking back at his new weapon. Well, it was worth a try. He let the spear go and it rolled on the grass below. Next, he glanced down at it, focusing on the icons. He thought of the meaning¡ªthe function with which the spear should spring back toward him.

    Instead, the shaft immediately flew to the side.

    Gen cursed under his breath and ran toward it. The icon wasn¡¯t very complex¡ªin fact it was rather straightforward¡ªbut still a bit difficult for him to handle. The image of the spear flying at him wasn¡¯t too pleasant, so perhaps he also unconsciously misinterpreted it.

    Following many failed tries, he finally managed to work the channeling properly, after a fashion. The spear did fly in generally toward him, even if at a slightly different angle than intended. The problem was that it launched itself blade-first, nearly lodging into his stretched arm. Gen recoiled and the spear shot past him, stabbing the ground.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ pretty good,¡± noted Aisbroom.

    ¡°I¡­ what?¡± Gen stammered in confusion. ¡°That was awful. I don¡¯t think this is for me.¡±

    ¡°No, that was much better than I expected¡ªit usually takes our new recruits at least a few days to produce even these results.¡±

    Gen was wide-eyed. Aisbroom smiled in response to that.

    ¡°You see? I told you you¡¯d be good with force magic.¡±

    During the next few days, Gen didn¡¯t quite perfect his technique, but he did manage to consistently get the spear back to his hands, even if he had to grab it mid-flight as not to let it gouge his eyes.

    In the second it took for the spear to launch back to him, Gen grabbed it with his invisible hand, and without letting any of the momentum go to waste, rotated it to meet his opponent.

    There was a sickly wet sound as the blade pierced the fairy¡¯s neck. Gen actually tried aiming it lower, so he stared in shock. His enemy ceased all movements, dropped their weapon, gurgled blood from their mouth, and collapsed. A short gush of blood erupted from where the spear had stabbed their neck when it was pulled out of the wound.

    The spear¡¯s edge was dyed in crimson and some of it sprayed on Gen¡¯s clothes as well. He stood in place, shocked. Sick and nauseous.

    I killed them.

    The black nightmarish monster had simply evaporated into thin air as it burned, but this was a flesh and blood human¡ªno, fairy. No, there wasn¡¯t any difference at all. Their blood was just as red and their life was just as fragile.

    I killed them.

    Had Revol ever killed someone and felt this way too? Gen wished he could speak with his brother right now. In fact, he wanted to see his whole family; how he longed to be back home... Not here, fighting to the death against fairies, but back in his safe town. Never mind the fact that he didn¡¯t know if it was safe or if it still existed.

    For now, only the thoughts of blood and death and the desire to escape from it dominated his mind.

    So when another fairy came rushing at him he ran around and dashed. Unfortunately, yet another enemy waited for him right there, weapon held aloft. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to fully dodge the slash in time¡­ so what else could he do? Gen¡¯s body moved almost automatically, thrusting the spear ahead.

    Normally his attack wouldn¡¯t have succeeded, except that without any of them noticing, an arrow was shot from nearby, probably from one of Kalden¡¯s archers. It hit the fairy¡¯s shoulder, stopping them just enough for Gen¡¯s attack to pass through. There was once again a splash of blood and the fairy fell to the grass.

    ¡­I killed them.

    Niu was just as shocked if not more to be watching the carnage unfold across the forest. Luckily, staying mid-branch really was the safe choice, since it seemed none of the enemy fairies reached there yet, but all of Kalden¡¯s fairies around her were still frantic. Shouts and arrows all flew around, only serving to magnify Niu¡¯s already present fears.

    Yet for now she was apparently safe and the soldiers sort of huddled around her, ready to protect her. Her eyes were unwillingly drawn down below, where Gen was fighting.

    Yes, he was fighting, no longer just standing guard; the lines of soldiers crumbled around him in the ensuing chaos. Whether or not they intended to capture him or slay him, the opposing fairies wielded their weapons.

    In a sense, that was much more shocking for Niu to see than the other bloody battles. She could imagine faceless fairies fighting each other to the death, as horrifying as even that was, but Gen was another story. Watching her longtime friend get involved in war was not something she thought she¡¯d ever see, nor did she want to.

    Even so, her eyes were glued to the horrifying scene. She saw Gen brandishing his spear, letting it fall, and calling it back using channeling. She didn¡¯t even know he could do that¡ªwas that the result of his training sessions? His movements seemed clumsy and amateurish even to her own amateur eyes, but he managed to somehow defeat one fairy, and then another. All the while getting covered in blood.

    Sudden nausea welled up inside Niu. Visions from the past floated to her mind. Gen was currently unharmed, yet his past self overlapped with his current self in her mind. All sorts of feelings exploded inside her for the first time in a while.

    She felt dizzy, tightening her grip on the branch¡¯s railing as not to fall down. Her whole body shook and became covered in cold sweat.

    Gen was fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, fighting, and killing. He was getting overwhelmed. It was surely only a matter of time. A mere child couldn¡¯t stand up to an army! How could they let him get in the front lines? Why didn¡¯t they¡ªno, she stop him?

    Yet Niu knew the answer¡ªshe couldn¡¯t. Not only did the Ruler not leave them any choice, and not only did Gen himself agree to this, but Niu herself couldn¡¯t do anything regardless. Nothing at all. You could replace her with a log and nothing would change.

    She felt like she wanted to be a log right now.

    The ridiculousness of that thought almost caused her to laugh in spite of the situation and shut down, but it wasn¡¯t enough, being haunted by the past and the present as she was.

    Please, someone save him¡ªtake him away¡ª

    Right now she could only pray. Even if she couldn¡¯t physically act, she could think. It frustrated her, but she still did it. There were countless soldiers all around them. Someone would surely come to his rescue¡­ surely. As the seconds trickled by, however, it was apparent that she was mistaken. Gen was locked in battle with a fierce fairy slashing their blade again and again. Niu could only barely see their movements but it was obvious that Gen was being pushed back helplessly.

    If that wasn¡¯t enough, yet another enemy was sneaking from behind. Perhaps not even the fairy engaged with Gen had noticed their ally coming, but they were there. Weapon raised and ready to strike at Gen¡¯s exposed back. He was probably too focused on defense to even notice.

    No¡­

    Step after step the enemy advanced. Gen was barely holding out anyhow; he would either be slashed from behind or his defense would crumble. The only thing that waited him was death. Niu could vividly picture the scene of his spraying blood. Gushing out of him¡­

    NO!

    She wanted to scream, but she couldn¡¯t. And even if she could, would he even hear her in the ruckus and tumult of the chaotic battle? She cursed both herself and the world. Yet she still shouted in her heart.

    GEN! BEHIND YOU!

    The earth-shattering cry erupted within, echoing inside her mind¡ª

    However, Niu¡¯s words did reach him.

    I was right!

    Despite the chaos spreading all around Kalden, there was a single gloating person¡ªRoah. After the monster wave had died out, a new enemy had appeared, just as expected. That wasn¡¯t the cause for the boy¡¯s celebration, though.

    The fact that hundreds of Strobans were storming the Twintree was.

    ¡°This is¡­ isn¡¯t this really bad¡­?¡± muttered Shaya. She was way out of her element. Luckily, they were surrounded by soldiers and none of the enemies reached their position just yet. In fact, most of them simply charged ahead in the confusion, entering Kalden.

    The reason for that was simple: no one had expected such a large assault on this area. Owing to Denrok¡¯s natural bulk, the people of Kalden trusted it to provide the defensive edge needed in case of an invasion, and accordingly it was the least stationed tree in all of Kalden.

    However, Roah gambled. He had bet that the very fact Denrok was so naturally well-protected would actually bring them to attack it. Never mind if the Stroba really had intel from the inside or not, normally attacking such a position would be foolhardy. However, they were clearly desperate. Otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have burrowed underground and waited for an opportunity when their enemies were already engaged in another battle. Not to mention the fact that they surely knew that most of their underground tunnels were already exposed.

    Roah had read about such cases. At times, desperate armies would use such risky methods. Even so, due to lack of information he couldn¡¯t be sure. He wouldn¡¯t have estimated his chances of success to be more than 50%.

    Yet in the end, he won that bet.

    Obviously, having a large bulk of Stroba¡¯s warriors march right to his position was dangerous, and he naturally couldn¡¯t fight them. He purposely didn¡¯t even warn anyone¡ªhe wanted to imagine Aisbroom¡¯s face when he realized what happened¡ªto increase the likelihood of this attack happening. Not that anyone would¡¯ve taken him seriously anyhow. Now that it happened, he had no direct way to fight against it, but he did have a plan.

    ¡°It is bad,¡± he agreed, ¡°but we¡¯re going to do what we¡¯ve discussed. It¡¯s time, Shaya.¡±

    ¡°¡­N-no¡­¡± she mumbled weakly, frightful eyes watching the running fairies, hissing arrows and swinging weapons. Her whole body was shaking.

    Roah grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. Perhaps intimidated by his lone eye, she instantly froze.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to do much. Just work with me here,¡± he whispered, and then glanced around. ¡°Quickly, while they¡¯re not focused on us. Even if we''re caught, they¡¯ll blame me anyway.¡±

    ¡°But I¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Roah practically dragged her all the way to the edge, pulling out some small stones from his pocket. He had accumulated these from a while back, ever since they were in the underground base, just in case. They were stones with heat icons etched onto them.

    Without saying anything else he let some of them go, watching them fall down to the ground. Of course, he didn¡¯t think these would constitute any sort of meaningful attack against the Stroba swarms; not even if he activated them. He focused his lone eye, zooming in to the ground and searching for the stones that remained visible and legible. This was an unexpected side-benefit of his compensation that he¡¯d noticed long ago¡ªhe could channel from long range, something impossible for the average person.

    Soon there were small spots of heat and light. It took Roah everything he had, both focus-wise and skill-wise, but he managed to channel heat from the distant stones. Now anyone could notice even from this height, if they looked hard enough, even if the icons wouldn¡¯t be readable. So it was finally time.

    ¡°Do it,¡± he grunted. ¡°Do it!¡±

    Shaya made no reply, but he was pretty sure he could hear her gulp or make some soft sort of whine. Regardless, she was standing right near him, peeking down as well.

    Moments later, a crimson blaze burst below, licking the forest floor. Roah¡¯s plan to make use of Shaya''s channeling prowess¡ªwas a success.

    Above the spheres disaster struck

    Beyond all hope the battles stuck

 Chapter 11: Whispers Behind

    Aisbroom swiped their sword horizontally, cutting the throat of the nearest fairy. Glancing at the flower on their arm, they blew away another approaching enemy with a gust of wind, leapt aside, glanced to their other arm and shot a vine to trip the leg of another enemy. Aisbroom used yet another flower to throw the caught fairy in air, pounding them against another foe.

    Finally Aisbroom breathed, the three defeated enemies lying at their feet. They finished the work with another quick slash of the sword, and then sniffed the air.

    There was something¡­ strange. A familiar yet unfamiliar scent riding on the wind, mixing with the smell of tears, sweat and blood wafting through the battlefield. Yet it was decidedly different. Glancing upwards, Aisbroom saw other suspicious signs. Billowing, stinky smoke.

    It was fire. Aisbroom¡¯s eyes widened.

    The invasion attempt itself had been obvious, but the Stroba seemed to have penetrated Kalden far more efficiently than expected. In fact, despite Kalden¡¯s army keeping watch on what they assumed to be most of their tunnels, these barely got used. Instead Aisbroom had received just a short while ago news about the Stroba appearing from within several unexpected locations, such as Morsheen. It was unbelievable, but they had no leisure to investigate the cause for it; that would come later, after they exterminated the enemies.

    Now, however¡­ had the Stroba dared to break one of Kalden¡¯s greatest taboos? Would they really go to such lengths to acquire what they believed was theirs? Aisbroom was shocked. There was still the chance they were somehow mistaken, but even the slightest of such suspicions couldn¡¯t be left alone.

    ¡°Take care of the area!¡± Aisbroom shouted at the soldiers around. ¡°I¡¯m going to check what happened!¡±

    That would be much faster than waiting for other messengers in this chaotic battlefield. Aisbroom launched a vine at the nearest branch, shooting away.

    Roah¡¯s discovery was on an innocuous-seeming day. Shortly after the usual special lesson by Mr. Saburn, Roah still loitered around the school. He usually only went back to his lodging¡ªa shack shared by many orphans¡ªwhen it got dark. Usually he¡¯d hang around town, but this time he stayed near the school. Consequently, he heard the small shriek coming from the back.

    Curious, he ran to take a glance and was shocked to smell and see fire. A patch of grass was burning and a panicked Shaya was staring at it. No, she wasn¡¯t just staring; she seemed to be concentrating. A sudden splash of water appeared amidst the flames, causing them to flicker, yet they soon raged with renewed power.

    Roah couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. As far as he could see, Shaya was¡­ channeling water? But that was impossible. Or it at least it should have been impossible, for Shaya was a normal girl. She wasn¡¯t in their special class meant to nurture their channeling talent, after all.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he finally asked.

    Shaya, having been completely oblivious to his presence up to that point, freaked out even further. The fire flared for a moment, causing him to flinch.

    ¡°H-help me!¡± she blurted. ¡°Please¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°How did you even¡ª¡±

    ¡°T-there¡¯s no time!¡±

    Roah gritted his teeth and approached the fire. He glanced around; how was he going to handle this? There wasn¡¯t any water source nearby and he really didn¡¯t want to use his clothes as a makeshift tool to smother the flames.

    Should he just run away and leave Shaya to her fate? This had nothing to do with him. Or he could just run and call for help. The only issue was that he wanted to know what exactly was going with her.

    ¡°Shaya? Roah?!¡± they suddenly heard a nearby voice. A man rolled into the scene¡ªMr. Saburn on his wheelchair. Roah clicked his tongue; he wasn¡¯t sure if this was incredible or horrible timing. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?!¡±

    ¡°M-Mr. Saburn! I-I¡­ we have to get help!¡± Shaya called.

    ¡°You heard her,¡± Saburn spoke to a person nearby¡ªRoah recognized him as one of the school¡¯s teachers. The man rushed off immediately. ¡°You two, get away from the flames and explain what happened here.¡±

    Roah shot a glance at Shaya and she averted her eyes with a frightened look.

    ¡°Sorry, professor¡ªit was my fault,¡± Roah said calmly after a short while.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Shaya mumbled in surprise.

    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Saburn asked, his brows arched low. It was an expression he didn¡¯t show much; he was only rarely angry.

    Roah himself also wondered the same. However, he had a certain hunch, and so he acted almost instinctively. In the worst-case scenario, he could always tell the truth again. But by taking the blame for Shaya perhaps he could have something over her.

    ¡°You see, I was just trying to do a bit of channeling and Shaya surprised me, so I accidentally¡­¡±

    Taking the blame also meant that Roah received a stern lecture and the entire class suffered for it, with their practical channeling lessons being delayed. Roah had the feeling that the special lesson itself had only barely kept from being cancelled, perhaps owing to the fact there was no permanent damage done.

    Gen had been both shocked and jubilant at once, teasing and criticizing Roah with it for many days to come. Well, Roah himself got off easily, so he couldn¡¯t really complain.

    So was it worth it? Perhaps. Confronting Shaya after the matter settled down, he heard her amazing story.

    During her childhood, Shaya was able to sporadically manifest a strange power¡ªthe power of channeling, as she¡¯d come to know much, much later. Yet this caused some harsh comments and actions from her family, so she ended up repressing it to the best of her ability.

    Finally, when the school project had started and she met Niu and the rest, she came to know the identity of her mysterious powers, albeit only second-handed. From thereon she had an internal fight on whether or not to come out with them. If she did her family would be furious¡ªbut she also felt guilty for keeping it a secret.

    She¡¯d made a third choice instead. From time to time she would eavesdrop on Mr. Saburn¡¯s special lessons and try to learn from them. Roah had actually seen her around the school a few times after lessons, but he (and she) always attributed that to waiting for Gen and Niu. He never could have imagined the truth.

    Unfortunately, Shaya¡¯s channeling was still as unstable as ever. And of all foolish things she decided to try a heat icon on the grass that day, for some reason. According to her the channeling ended up far stronger than it should have been, making her panic and lose control of it even further.

    ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t tell anyone,¡± she implore him.

    Roah crossed his arms and narrowed his eye. ¡°What are you planning to do with this?¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°And what will you give me for staying silent about this?¡±

    Now Shaya was silent. Her eyes darted around the place, unable to stare directly at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she repeated.

    Roah sighed. Her family was fairly wealthy so he wondered if he could probably get away with blackmailing her for money. But that would be silly and shortsighted.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know either¡­ so for now, just remember what I did for you. You owe me,¡± he summarized.

    In time Roah also realized just how preposterous Shaya¡¯s ability really was. Trained channelers themselves were rare, but those who naturally possessed the talent from a young age without any formal training whatsoever? Virtually nonexistent.

    He came to the conclusion that Shaya probably was part of some lineage, perhaps one whose talents bloomed once every few generations or so. He¡¯d even read about such people being revered as Saints in the land of Sacrona.

    However, his investigation hadn¡¯t come too far before the literally world-changing event. He and the three others were all thrown to another world, to mythical Fairland.

    He kept silent about her ability as always, though he¡¯d noticed her using it a few times. For all her talk about how scared she was about using her powers, it seemed like there were moments she couldn¡¯t help but do so.

    For example, the three of them alone would have never been able to defeat the first monster they faced without Shaya¡¯s help. During their mad rush to Kalden she also attempted to deter their attackers with a few ill-aimed channeling attempts, and that did help them and DuA get away to their friends. Less impressive but just as useful was her ability to amplify existing channeling, which seemed to carry quite a punch, as evident by the fire created at the time.

    Roah finally decided to enlist her help. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish his plan alone and that he could use her. Despite Niu¡¯s interruption that one evening, he finally managed to convince the reluctant Shaya, and now the land around Twintree was burning.

    However, what would this lead to?

    Gen breathed heavily¡ªhe was being pushed back by the enemy¡¯s assaults.

    There were no more lucky breaks or surprise attacks. His enemy seemed about as strong as Aisbroom¡ªno, that wasn¡¯t true. Aisbroom would have killed him in less than a second. Still, he was directly fighting an actual warrior fully intent on hurting him. Only the sense of danger made his body keep moving despite the fear.

    However, his movements were clumsy and sluggish. He was only holding out due to using his invisible arm to attack from time to time. That, too, began to take its toll on him. With every ethereal blow he felt himself squeeze out more and more of his power. He felt as if he¡¯d used his compensation more in this single fight that he did his entire life.

    He fought desperately. He couldn¡¯t even call for help. He didn¡¯t have the mental leeway to even wish for it. However, something did arrive¡ªdirectly into his mind.

    GEN! BEHIND YOU!

    For a moment Gen was very confused. Yet he clearly heard this. Rather than a voice, it was more like¡­ an intent. It wasn¡¯t an actual person talking to him, yet he had the feeling he knew who addressed him. He was confused, but moved almost automatically.

    Turning back, he saw another fairy rushing from behind, striking with their sword.

    Even Gen wasn¡¯t sure how he made it. The thrust missed by a hairsbreadth, instead landing on his other, confused opponent. There was a groan and a splash of blood while Gen fell to the ground. The shocked fairy also collapsed, slain. This seemed to piss off the other one, who, after recovering from their own shock, immediately turned to strike Gen again.

    Only for something to hit their own head multiple times and send them flying.

    Gen turned to the side, where he saw a familiar fairy rushing toward him. Aisbroom was closing in, their left arm directed toward the now defeated Stroba. Moments before, Aisbroom had launched a volley of sharp thorns from one of the flowers on their sleeve.

    Aisbroom¡¯s combination of purity and color lost its precarious balance. Their clothes were torn here and there and covered in mud or blood¡ªthe latter probably not their own. Many flowers covering them were crushed, ripped, or battered, yet Aisbroom seemed as calm and triumphant as always.

    Aisbroom finished off their fallen opponent with a sword, and then glanced at Gen.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re doing well. Keep strong,¡± they said, and ran off.

    Gen wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was supposed to be sarcastic remark or a genuine compliment, especially not with Aisbroom¡¯s regular smile. Regardless, he rose up to his feet and prepared himself for another attack.

    Luckily, it seemed that the area had turned somewhat safer; Aisbroom was still slaying many other enemies while moving ahead, and Gen had the feeling that more soldiers arrived in the meantime. He caught his breath while remaining vigilant.

    And, since the string of action was over for now, his mind went back to the previous moment¡ªwhen he¡¯d heard a warning inside his head. He also recalled that it wasn¡¯t the first time where he felt this way. The previous occasion was followed by a lot of events, some of them quite shocking, so he gradually forgot to even address it¡ªbut now it returned. And it made him wonder.

    Could it be?

    ¡°Oh Gods¡­¡± Shaya mumbled, holding her mouth in horror. Despite being part of the cause for it, even she seemed shocked seeing the flames. The blaze started licking the base of the Twintree. Around and below them were shouts not only of battle, but of fairies burning as well.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Roah, meanwhile, completely ignored her presence. Instead, he rushed toward the nearest fairy¡ªa young-looking soldier who appeared to be just as dumbfounded at the situation.

    ¡°Going to do something?¡± Roah asked them with his limited language skills, gesturing at the ground.

    ¡°I¡­¡± the fairy mumbled.

    ¡°A plan,¡± Roah added, pointing at himself. The fairy seemed confused despite apparently understanding his intention. Perhaps they wondered what a mere boy could do in that situation.

    ¡°Have a plan?¡± came another reply from nearby. ¡°Explain. I understand little,¡± another fairy said, speaking in Roah¡¯s native language.

    Roah nodded. It was unexpected, but it would also make things easier with his limited vocabulary.

    ¡°How many channelers does this unit have?¡± Roah asked.

    ¡°Channelers?¡± the fairy asked, furrowing their brows.

    ¡°Those who use, uh, magic.¡±

    ¡°Ah. We have some, but not enough water magic for¡­ that,¡± the fairy bit their lips. Despite appearing professional, they also were obviously shaken by the sudden fire.

    As Roah surmised, they were shocked at seeing fire there. He would have imagined that living in such an environment would conversely mean they¡¯d be more prepared for it, but apparently not. It would actually be the greatest weapon to use against a tree-residing society, but it seemed like even the enemy Stroba never went so far. No, that was wrong¡ªthey¡¯d done it just now. Or at the very least, Roah had to convince them that this was what happened.

    ¡°Yeah, I figured as much. But what we need is not water¡ªbut weight. Gravity, I think you call it.¡± The fairy arched their brows, so Roah continued. ¡°This is a messy method, but if you quickly sink the ground¡­ we should be able to smother the fire.¡± The fairy froze for a second, so Roah added, ¡°Quickly!¡±

    ¡°¡­How will we¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way. Gather some men¡ªerr, your soldiers and come down with me,¡± Roah commanded authoritatively. He was afraid that the fairy would begrudge him for stepping out of line like this, but they actually seemed somewhat desperate.

    ¡°¡­All right,¡± and they hurriedly shouted something to the soldiers around.

    ¡°You¡¯re coming too,¡± Roah said to Shaya.

    ¡°W-what? But d-down there is¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be safer there surrounded by soldiers. Come on already!¡±

    Ariboh momentarily held their left shoulder; blood seeped from between their fingers, trickling down. Yet they gritted their teeth to withstand the pain, still hacking with their sword. The flood of Stroba seemed endless, but it was lessening. Ariboh and their soldiers fought their way down the bottom floor, where the mystery was solved. Apparently, one of the tunnels opened up directly into Morsheen from below.

    Preposterous and unimaginable. Reports here and there claimed that such things also happened in other trees, but Ariboh obviously focused on the one they were commanding.

    ¡°GRAAAH!¡± they roared while using yet another gravity-enhancing magic on their sword. The enemy in front screamed, their bones smashed.

    Ariboh, however, almost felt as if every bone in their own body was creaking as well. They were already way past their limits. They estimated that they could probably defeat another one or two¡ªnot more.

    But they didn¡¯t intend to retreat. Ariboh would fight until the bitter end.

    ¡°¡ªNeed some help?¡±

    It happened suddenly.

    Another Stroba lunged toward the exhausted Ariboh until a barrage of small objects hit them from the side. That in itself caused no real damage; the next larger launched object, however, did audibly crack the enemy¡¯s skull.

    Ariboh recognized that voice and that attack. ¡°What are you¡­?¡±

    Turning aside, they could see Sqore and their trusty longtime partner, RoX.

    ¡°We have been dispatched, to help defend Kalden,¡± explained the robot. In contrast to the more humanoid robots like TriX or DuA, RoX was four-legged and most of its head was a hollow cavity that could contract or open at will. Sqore, wearing a smug smile, was riding on its back.

    ¡°Tch. Didn¡¯t need it!¡± Ariboh spat, turning around to swipe their sword at another attacker.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be like that. Actually, the situation seems to be pretty bad,¡± explained Sqore as they loaded another stone into a small hatch. ¡°I¡¯ve heard people say that the Twintree is burning.¡±

    Ariboh¡¯s eyes widened and they turned around again. ¡°The Twintree is what?!¡±

    ¡°Focus!¡± called Sqore. RoX launched the projectile at a Stroba sneaking toward the baffled Ariboh, sending them crashing to the floor with a bleeding head. ¡°Oh, you needn¡¯t worry. I also saw Aisbroom heading there right now¡ªI¡¯m sure they¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    Aisbroom was regarded among the fastest in all of Kalden, owing to both actual, physical speed and the use of their abilities. So despite being quite far from the Twintree when they first heard the news, Aisbroom reached it without wasting much time. That also included the time they helped, however briefly, in the war efforts, felling dozens of Stroba en route.

    Finally the flames were revealed. A crimson wave that tried to devour anything in its path was spreading around the Twintree. Luckily there wasn¡¯t much wind and the soldiers were actively fighting it, otherwise the result would¡¯ve probably been much worse.

    Aisbroom wasn¡¯t quite sure how they could stop it, however. Among their arsenal of abilities, they also controlled water magic, but if Aisbroom had one weakness, it was that they traded direct power for versatility and skillful manipulation. A mere flower or two could never eject enough water to smother a conflagration of that size.

    This didn¡¯t mean that Aisbroom was giving up, obviously. For now, they simply hurried to the site to gauge the situation and then think up of a solution.

    The fighting continued even with the chaos caused to both groups among the flames. Yet Aisbroom noticed a small group approaching the fire with two unusual participants¡ªthe child faeries.

    Narrowing their eyes, Aisbroom shouted toward that group. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    The soldiers seemed thunderstruck, perhaps surprised to see Aisbroom there. ¡°We were¡­ going to put out the flames,¡± replied one of them.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°The faerie said that¡ª¡± the soldier managed to respond before Aisbroom sent a cold glare at the nearby Roah. It was to his credit that the boy did not flinch at all from that.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Aisbroom immediately accused, speaking in the boy¡¯s own language.

    ¡°Me? I saw a disaster happening right under my eye and offered my help,¡± Roah said.

    ¡°Is that true, Shaya?¡± Aisbroom asked.

    Shaya''s shoulders twitched; she was probably surprised at Aisbroom not only knowing her name but so suddenly and nonchalantly addressing her like that.

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± she replied, nodding.

    Aisbroom turned back to Roah. ¡°And you¡¯re going to risk my soldiers for that?¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you suggest we let it burn down the whole damn forest?¡± Roah asked, arching his eyebrows. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m here with them, too.¡±

    Something was strange. Roah didn¡¯t seem to be the kind of person who would risk himself like that. Thinking about it, wasn¡¯t it odd that this sort of thing happened exactly at his assigned location? There were currently no signs of any other fires in Kalden. Aisbroom¡¯s mind started going places, but unfortunately, they hadn¡¯t the time for these idle thoughts.

    ¡°We¡¯re wasting time,¡± mumbled Roah and kept walking. The other soldiers all stopped in place, torn between Roah and Aisbroom.

    ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Aisbroom finally asked, signaling the others to keep following them.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to¡ª¡± started Roah, but the next instant Aisbroom leapt upon him. An arrow flew directly where his head was located a moment ago. The bewildered Roah widened his eyes and Shaya shrieked, with the warriors surrounding them.

    ¡°Whatever, we don¡¯t have time for this! Do your thing. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just let them kill you instead of protecting you,¡± spat Aisbroom, preparing for battle. Another volley of arrows zoomed and Roah cringed, but Aisbroom deflected some with a flick of their hands and the others either missed or were stopped by the other soldiers.

    Roah rose up. Now that even Aisbroom was there, he had to prove himself.

    Luckily, the fire hadn¡¯t spread too much. Roah¡¯s plan should still be effective, he felt. He trusted in the defending soldiers¡ªat the very least Aisbroom alone should be able to keep the attackers at bay¡ªand started working.

    ¡°There might be some of Stroba¡¯s tunnels around here,¡± he explained to the lone soldier who could more or less communicate with him. ¡°If so, we can cause this area to collapse inwards. Then we cover up the fire.¡±

    ¡°Will this really be so simple¡­?¡± mumbled Shaya guiltily.

    Roah ignored her. He had some other ideas as well, but for now he bet on that possibility. The Stroba probably wouldn¡¯t build tunnels under the Twintree¡ªdue to its thick roots¡ªbut perhaps there were some near it. They had appeared there suddenly and without any warning, after all.

    He started etching icons on the ground. Since he only needed the action of endlessly adding weight to it, it wasn¡¯t too complicated. Luckily, as he¡¯d already known, the fairies used a very similar system of symbols that were compatible with theirs.

    The only problem was that they had to do it as close to the fires as possible, and the flames kept spreading. Roah ordered for a few soldiers to try to halt the flames¡¯ advance as much as they could. They were surprisingly obedient.

    Finally Roah felt that there were more or less enough icons around.

    ¡°Get back and activate the icon¡ªthe runes!¡± he shouted. The one who understood him relayed his words to the others. Meanwhile Roah glanced back at Aisbroom¡¯s group; as expected, they were able to successfully handle the attackers around. Now it was showtime.

    Roah slightly nudged Shaya and began concentrating. The channel of weight was only rarely used, not because it was necessarily difficult to control, but because it was very situational and could be dangerous. That meant that Roah hadn¡¯t much experience with it, but he hoped that their collective powers would be enough for the job. Especially with Shaya¡¯s amplification.

    Soon the ground began to shift. There was a low rumble¡ªand it all collapsed at once. A large part of the ground in front of them caved in, opening large holes. Dust rose around and mixed with the smoke, causing them to cough.

    Unfortunately, a few sparks were also thrown around, beginning new, smaller fires. Still, it was by large a success; the flaming area mostly collapsed inwards, though it was still burning.

    ¡°Take care of the small ones! Now we¡¯re going to cover this up!¡±

    There wasn¡¯t enough water to use but there was quite enough ground, especially once the flames got it almost bare. Roah hurriedly scribbled some more icons, with some of the other faeries following suit. It was a crude rush-job, but probably good enough for the purpose.

    ¡°Now!¡± Roah called, focusing on the icons. It wasn¡¯t smooth, but ground and sand moved ahead, spraying onto the flames. The main problem was that the icons were completely gone with every attempt.

    After what seemed like an eternity, the fire was contained to a few burning cinders. The same went for the Stroba attackers; at some point Aisbroom even came to help them, blowing in some sand and spreading a strange powder that suffocated the smaller flames.

    Roah breathed in relief and held his head; the constant usage of channeling in so short of a period led to mental fatigue. Most of the soldiers and Aisbroom didn¡¯t seem to be affected by this problem. More annoyingly, Shaya didn¡¯t, either. He actually wasn¡¯t entirely sure whether she¡¯d actively helped them, but still.

    ¡°Anyway¡­ I think this tree is now secure,¡± Roah told the scrutinizing Aisbroom.

    ¡°We''ll see about that," the fairy muttered in response, their voice cold. ¡°For now go back to your post and don¡¯t do anything strange.¡± Without even waiting for a response, Aisbroom went off.

    Roah watched their back growing distant for a few seconds. He felt both physically and mentally exhausted¡ªeven if it was to be expected¡ªbut Aisbroom could still run around even after everything that happened today. Well, that was a super soldier for you. The important part was that Aisbroom hadn¡¯t seen through Roah¡¯s plan. Right?

    Could it be? Did what Niu think just happened actually happened?

    She stood at her post, dazed. The battle was still ongoing, but she had the distinct feeling that things were going to the advantage of Kalden. Gen seemed to be safe, too.

    And so she got thinking¡ªhad she actually spoken to him just a bit earlier?

    Well, perhaps ¡°speak¡± was not the right word for it. She mentally shouted for him to dodge the enemy from behind, and he did just that. It could have been a coincidence, but Niu actually felt her words¡­ leaving her body, if that description made any sense.

    Could it be? Could this be her long wished-for compensation? That was her first conclusion. It would fit perfectly. Mr. Saburn had taught them that compensations were directly affected by what the person lacked. For Roah, the lack of an eye strengthened his other eye. Gen could manifest a special arm in place of his lost one. Niu heard from Gen that the legendary Stard Molton could fly in the sky because he couldn¡¯t walk.

    So it made sense that she¡¯d develop another way to communicate when she couldn¡¯t do so with her own mouth. Thinking back, perhaps it even happened before? She recalled her encounter with the first monster. Back then she felt just as desperate and even called out to Gen just like now.

    It should be easy to check. Now that she realized she possessed that ability she should be able to activate it at will¡­ right? But something stopped her. Something held her back. She tried analyzing what she was being so scared of, but couldn¡¯t. Her mind was in disarray. She was still anxious about the ongoing battle and her friends¡¯¡ªas well as her own¡ªsafety, so perhaps this wasn¡¯t the time for this.

    She decided to postpone thinking about this for now. Things seemed well, but it was a battle so it could turn around at any moment and require her attention. For now she simply gazed downwards. She no longer saw Gen down there, but she didn¡¯t see many soldiers either.

    The last hour of the wave and the invasion passed rather quietly.

    The last rays of the sun illuminated Kalden, dyeing it orange. It seemed gloomier of a light than usual¡ªperhaps owing to the damage Kalden sustained during this long day of fighting. There was still a bit of smoke hanging in the air around the Twintree, though all the flames had already been extinguished. The bottom of the double trunk was still singed black, a hefty scar left by the fire. The injured and dead¡ªincluding those from Stroba¡ªwere being carried around, while there were obviously still soldiers roaming about in search of any enemies. For the most part, however, the fighting was over.

    Finally reunited, the boys and girls sat in the ¡°living room¡± of their quarters. Among them only Gen had been injured and so about half his body was bandaged, but none of his wounds were life-threatening this time around. Niu felt relieved.

    ¡°It feels so¡­ surreal, sitting here like that, after everything¡¯s that happened,¡± noted Shaya. Her voice sounded much more tired than her actions for the day would indicate. Then again, Niu felt the same.

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± grumbled Gen, leaning back on his chair. ¡°I thought I was gonna die so many times.¡± He snuck a look at Niu, but she hurriedly averted her eyes.

    ¡°We don¡¯t really know if it¡¯s over, you know. They might keep attacking,¡± pointed Roah, ever the realist.

    ¡°¡­Whatever. It¡¯s over for us, at least.¡±

    A soft giggle came from the doorway as a figure entered. Niu smiled and waved her hand.

    ¡°Sorry for laughing,¡± said Seele, a hand to their chest. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ seeing everyone like this really made me feel better.¡±

    Niu felt like she could more or less understand what they meant. It wasn¡¯t a bloodless battle. Tentatively everything seemed to end in Kalden¡¯s victory, but there were many casualties. Not to mention damage incurred to the city itself during the battle, especially by the great fire, however quickly and efficiently it had been contained. Even so, the four of them survived yet again.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re safe as well,¡± said Shaya, smiling.

    Seele smiled back. ¡°Anyway,¡± they continued, ¡°I¡¯m actually here for a message. Maybe it¡¯s sudden, but you¡¯re all called to the palace tomorrow.¡±

    Silence. It had been some days since their last (and first) visit to the Ruler. They left that place with a promise to participate in the incoming wave, and their duty was fulfilled. If so, what awaited them next?

    Would they really get one step closer to getting back home?

    ¡°It took you long.¡±

    Acrus¡¯s voice echoed in the mostly-empty throne room. Moments ago, the still-battered and dirty Aisbroom arrived there after receiving the Ruler¡¯s third consecutive summons.

    ¡°There was a lot to take care of. I was also gathering up the reports about the faeries, just like you wanted.¡± Aisbroom didn¡¯t word it as an excuse or as a reproach; they merely stated facts. It was skirting a fine line, but apparently it was good enough in Acrus¡¯s eyes, for they said nothing.

    ¡°So how were they?¡±

    ¡°Satisfactory. Each did their part. Some did even a bit more.¡±

    Aisbroom proceeded to summarize. During this entire long battle, Acrus barricaded themselves in a safe room surrounded by guards. Not even a single Stroba came anywhere close. Acrus practically lounged around lazily. So they obviously wouldn''t know what happened in the battlefield, were it not for the reports.

    Aisbroom told them all about it¡ªmainly about Roah¡¯s plan and Gen¡¯s efforts. The two girls practically did nothing, according to the reports, but that was fine and well. They weren¡¯t expected to actually take any actions, but simply to show their resolve and willingness to involve themselves with Kalden. Supposedly.

    The only question was if that was enough for Acrus.

    ¡°How¡¯s the interrogation going?¡± the Ruler suddenly changed the topic.

    ¡°We have yet to find out anything substantial. Most of the soldiers we caught alive were mere saplings following orders,¡± replied Aisbroom. ¡°They seem to know almost nothing about anything, including the fires.¡± Aisbroom had his own suspicions about that, however.

    ¡°Very well. Keep torturing them to see if they spit out something interesting, just in case.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    There was a short and somewhat awkward silence, as if Acrus was daring Aisbroom to leave despite not being dismissed. The loyal general simply stood in place, waiting, however.

    ¡°Oh, and I have already summoned the faeries for tomorrow,¡± Acrus suddenly said nonchalantly. ¡°And ordered our technicians to start working on the contraptions.¡±

    ¡°The contraptions¡­?¡± mumbled Aisbroom, their eyes widening, ¡°you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Acrus replied with a cocky smile. ¡°I believe it is time to try and make contact with the faerie kingdom again.¡±

    They hide behind both light and shade

    Truth and lies from whispers made

 Chapter 12: Pale Sky

    The boy first set foot inside the King¡¯s castle when he was 12 years old, accompanied by his parents. He was impressed¡ªhe¡¯d heard stories, but seeing the magnificent architecture of the place with his own two eyes was something else entirely. He heard that a famous architect had been responsible for it. The ballroom was also vast and well-furnished beyond anything he could imagine. The chatter made by many people was carried across in the air along with light music.

    His eyes scanned the surroundings, so he barely paid attention while his father explained various things and introduced him to various people. Of course he wasn¡¯t about to meet King Mekuriel-N himself or anything like that, but he still needed to know the various aristocrats and nobles that came there.

    After all, their family had just become minor nobles themselves.

    As the oldest¡ªwell, only¡ªson of his family, he had been sternly warned that he had to make a good impression, but the young boy wasn¡¯t quite sure he understood such concepts yet. He was naturally meek and polite, so they thought that he wouldn¡¯t cause any major troubles anyhow.

    After a few hours of this he felt weary. He couldn¡¯t count the times he had been forced to introduce himself to people when he knew he would either forget or never meet again the vast majority of them. Still, he was a diligent child, so he endured and showed no signs of his boredom on the outside.

    Halfway through the evening, he perked up when he heard a harsh whisper coming from nearby. "Princess, get back here!"

    Practically everyone turned their heads to the scene. A girl¡ªprobably about his own age, perhaps a little less¡ªpitter-pattered toward one the tables loaded with food. An exasperated-looking maid or caretaker of some sort followed her.

    ¡°Nooo! I want to have some fun too!¡±

    Adorned in a beautiful, white dress, the girl was elegant and graceful. Her sleek brown hair was wrapped and gathered behind her head and her blue-greyish eyes sparkled under the hall¡¯s chandeliers. Her lips wore a generous, playful smile. Her form almost seemed like it had been taken from some classic fairytale.

    Based on her outfit, demeanor, and the title, there was no doubt that this was the royal heir, Princess Levia. It was the boy¡¯s first time seeing her, and he would have never imagined it wouldn¡¯t be the last.

    Yet what passed through his mind at this first meeting was not her radiant beauty, her soft skin, her ringing giggle or even the fact of her breaching the social etiquette so hard that she had to be dragged away by her maid, who would surely be punished when all was said and done. None of those.

    At the time he hadn¡¯t been able to put it into words, but thinking back on it, when he saw her expression, her attitude and the atmosphere around her, all he could think about¡ªwas that he had never seen someone so masterfully fake their emotions.

    Salom Saburn groaned quietly, his entire body aching with dull pain.

    That was to be expected, perhaps. He hadn¡¯t slept through the previous night and nearly half of it was spent flying, an action which left him an extremely bad aftertaste. Now he was being brought to the castle immediately after arriving in Copius. They also gave him a new chair, but it wasn¡¯t as comfortable as the one left behind in Hayden.

    Seeing that he survived that horrible, horrible attack, perhaps he should feel happy. He just wasn¡¯t sure if he was going to survive his meeting with the Queen. Jokes aside, he really didn¡¯t feel like seeing her right now, but he had do.

    Salom¡¯s wheelchair lightly creaked as it was being pushed ahead by a soldier through the spotless marble floor. The servants probably worked through the entire night as well for it to be so clean. He almost pitied them.

    There were surprisingly few people around. Perhaps most of the soldiers and attendants had other business elsewhere. Salom also wondered where Stard went after having ¡°delivered¡± him, but decided to focus on the task at hand.

    ¡°I beg your pardon, but can you just let me do it myself?¡± Salom suddenly vocalized.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± was all that the surprised soldier managed to say, stopping in place.

    ¡°It¡¯d be faster that way,¡± Salom explained. ¡°Her Majesty wishes to see me as quickly as possible, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can run away or anything,¡± said Salom, smiling politely despite being with his back to the man. ¡°And of course, I will take full responsibility if anyone asks.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I haven¡¯t been exactly ordered to¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Salom interjected, grabbing the wheels and pushing them.

    Yes, he wasn¡¯t used to this chair but he could work it out just fine. He almost felt young again, back when he¡¯d roll through the corridors of this very castle on his first chair. He thought he heard the guard behind him groan, but the man didn¡¯t move to intercept him. The guards stationed near the tall double door leading to the throne room said nothing as well. They only moved to open the door when they saw Salom approaching.

    He took a long breath, closed his eyes momentarily and rolled himself inside.

    The past day and a half were a horrifying time. If Salom hadn¡¯t met with Stard in town then he surely wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape the monster attack. Not on his wheelchair, at any rate.

    He considered himself a rational, cool man, but even he almost felt his heart stop when he¡¯d first laid eyes on the horrible beasts. They were completely black and their figure slightly wavered as if they were some optical illusion, but the destruction they caused was very real. As a scholar he¡¯d only seen very few of the atrocities of war, but this time he watched people get eaten whole or even worse, piece by piece. It would surely haunt his nightmares for months to come.

    Fortunately, Stard Molton¡ªknown as the strongest man in Rumdon¡ªhad been there to help. He fought valiantly, even intercepting the ominous tentacles hanging in the sky as they seemed to carry these dark monstrosities.

    Yet he was still a lone man, even accompanied by some other soldiers and the city guard, so the town ended up half-destroyed. Perhaps Stard had been able to save hundreds of potential victims, but there were dead people regardless.

    Worst of all, the entire reason for Salom to have stayed there in the first place was utterly demolished. When the dust settled and everything and everyone was accounted for, he discovered that several students were dead and another few missing, presumed dead¡ªincluding his three finest, his channeling students.

    Gen, who was young and brash but also strong-minded. Roah, who was cynical but a great thinker. And Niu, poor Niu who had so much potential¡­ They were probably all eaten alive.

    For some reason it seemed to him like he should feel guilty, as if he hadn¡¯t taught them enough to survive¡­ but that was silly. He wasn¡¯t a combatant. And they were so young. The unexpected attack was certainly not his fault. However, he couldn¡¯t shake off this feeling.

    Anyway, once most things were sorted out, Stard had received contact from the Queen telling him to come back as soon as possible along with Salom. Despite everything that just happened, Salom still managed to marvel at the new experimental communication apparatus that Stard brought along. He¡¯d even thought about showing it to the kids¡ªbefore recalling that he couldn¡¯t.

    A bit later, he had been strapped to Stard¡¯s back (not his first time, but still as uncomfortable as ever) and they flew back to Rumdon¡¯s capital city of Copius.

    Truth be told, Salom hadn¡¯t missed the castle at all in the two years since he¡¯d left the capital. The halls were so wide they were ironically suffocating. Perhaps it was due to being bound to the Queen, and perhaps a combination of many different reasons, but he could never feel at ease there. Opening the school in the town of Hayden let him feel almost free from all worries.

    But now he was back in that dreary castle, facing the even drearier Queen.

    Levia-O, Queen of the West and Northwest, Duchess of the Mountains, wore as haughty an expression as ever. Her eyes, colored like cold steel, were directed at Salom¡ªor were even looking beyond him. She smiled, but as usual her expression only looked like some superficial etching on a block of ice, lacking any and all warmth and emotion.

    At the very least, it looked like that to him. Most people would probably praise her beauty and the nobility of her features and expressions.

    ¡°Leave us alone,¡± Levia-O ordered, her voice like a bell with a hint of impurity in it.

    For a moment Salom was confused¡ªshe was looking straight into his eyes so he wondered if she was speaking to him¡ªbut he realized his mistake from the guard¡¯s response.

    ¡°Your Majesty, we cannot leave you alone here with¡ª¡±

    ¡°With what? A cripple? A defect?¡± she spat. ¡°Do you really think that man could endanger me? Besides, this is Professor Saburn, a man I trust.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    Salom slightly narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He simply waited for the guards to leave. Finally the door closed behind the two and the Queen opened her mouth again.

    ¡°I finally have you back here, Salom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you have, you cold bitch,¡± he replied dully.

    Anyone back in town who heard Salom that moment would have been shocked beyond belief. Not only by his language itself, but the fact he spoke this way to none other than the Queen¡ªan action which, ordinarily, would end with him getting hanged at best.

    However, since they were alone it didn¡¯t matter. And it wasn¡¯t like he could hide his feelings from her either.

    ¡°As if you''re one to talk, you liar,¡± she took it in stride, widening her vain smile. ¡°Anyway, how does it feel like having your hopes and dreams crushed?¡±

    ¡°¡­Not very good,¡± he admitted, clenching the fists on top of his knees.

    ¡°Well, I always told you it was useless effort, so let us regard this as a blessing in disguise. I do wonder what passed through my mind when I gave the permission for that silly project of yours.¡±

    ¡°Because you did see the potential in my plan,¡± he said. ¡°You knew I could actually educate common children into becoming the next generation of leaders and scholars. Not to mention channelers¡­¡± He lightly bit his lips with these last few words.

    ¡°Ah, yes. That was your real goal there, after all. Raising those defect children. But now they are gone, huh?¡±

    He knew he shouldn¡¯t give in to Levia¡¯s provocations, but the emotions he felt were still raw and fresh. His despair definitely showed up on his face, let alone in his mind. Yet immediately after that he chose to attack.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you weren¡¯t interested as well. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have taken people like Stard under your service in the first place.¡±

    Levia sighed. ¡°Fine, perhaps I was interested, or rather aware of the chances. Yes, there always was true potential to us defects¡­ not that you count.¡± She giggled. Her voice was pleasant yet mechanical¡ªor did Salom think so only because he knew her so well? ¡°I even remember you mentioning something quite amusing, one time. What was it about some kid reminding you of me?¡±

    Salom recalled that with another small sting. Yes, he had told her something of the sort. He¡¯d always felt that Niu had the potential to be something really great once she got past her issues. While she would obviously never be as cold as Levia, he somehow had the feeling that she¡¯d make a great Queen.

    But that would never happen anyway. Not just because Niu was now dead, but because it was impossible in the first place. Even his so-called project would never change that; most of the nobles scoffed at such ideas despite the Queen¡¯s (admittedly reluctant) approval to get the common people more involved in the kingdom¡¯s management.

    ¡°Anyway¡­ why did you let them die?¡± Levia questioned next.

    ¡°Let them die? As if I had a¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I do not know what you had or did not have. Please tell me exactly what happened,¡± she ordered. ¡°To be honest, I did not see anything. The attack on the castle was very minimal, you know.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know, but that made no difference. Just like she asked him to, he started sharing his tale.

    It had all started with Stard¡¯s sudden visit. The official reason was him going to the Western Frontier¡¯s perimeter on a routine review of the parts of the army stationed there, but he¡¯d also come there to visit his old friend Salom. He had wanted to check on the man¡¯s pet project, as well as try to persuade him to drop it already. No doubt on the Queen¡¯s orders, though his own personal opinion was also involved.

    Ironically it was that very day that led to the project¡¯s termination, but he obviously couldn¡¯t blame either his friend or Levia for that.

    Salom glossed over that part and went straight to the attack. It had all happened so suddenly. The sky had suddenly darkened but there were no clouds, only tentacles. And then bizarre monsters started dropping down from above. He was only barely able to describe what happened, the horror of it all still so fresh in his mind.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    While he was telling this story, Levia¡¯s characteristic smile vanished. Now her expression was simply blank. Knowing her well, Salom realized that this was more or less the equivalent of a light frown for her.

    ¡°You¡¯re not lying,¡± she finally mumbled. ¡°You really are shocked at this.¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not lying. What did you expect?¡±

    Levia shook her head. She then tapped her fingers on her throne. Salom nearly smiled, seeing that silly habit of hers. Yet he kept himself composed.

    ¡°I of course already heard many reports. Even so I wanted to hear it from your mouth as well,¡± she finally explained. ¡°Now, can you please explain why this attack occurred 20 years before it was supposed to?¡±

    When Salom came out of the castle again a sudden gale hit his face. He shielded his glasses lest they fly away. Since the castle was located so high up the mountain these sorts of things were common, but Salom hadn¡¯t been there for a long time.

    Removing his hand, he then noticed a familiar man standing in front of him.

    ¡°I will escort you home,¡± Stard said bluntly.

    His square, smooth face was as stern and serene as always, but his fatigue was evident; Salom could complain all he wanted, but Stard worked ten times as hard. And he would probably keep working for the rest of this day as well, while Salom was finally free to rest.

    ¡°Thank you, but you really don¡¯t have to if you¡¯re still¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am taking this as a breather,¡± the man explained, cracking a faint smile.

    ¡°Understood. Then I¡¯ll be in your care,¡± Salom said.

    Stard moved his legs¡ªor rather, the cylindrical, metal contraptions attached to his calves¡ªand transported himself to behind Salom¡¯s back. Transported, not walked; for Stard had no feet with which to do so. Instead, the flat ends of his prosthetics hovered ever so slightly above the ground.

    Despite knowing the man for more than two decades already, as well as helping him achieve the deed, Salom couldn¡¯t help but still marvel over Stard¡¯s fine control. Having lost his legs in an accident, Stard had been compensated with the ability to move himself in many other ways. It was chiefly this ability that led to him rising through ranks and achieving fame as a warrior.

    For just a moment Salom thought of Gen, who also possessed a promising ability, but hurriedly shut it out. He had enough on his plate even without constantly recalling his failures.

    Meanwhile, Stard grabbed hold of Salom¡¯s wheelchair and guided him down the road from the castle. The road was mostly taken by feet or large carriages, so it was quite a bumpy ride, but at least he knew he was in good hands.

    From the high vantage point of the swirling road one could see the entire capital and even some of the distant surrounding towns and villages. Enclosed by the mountains, it was breathtaking scenery¡ªor so it normally would have been. However, even from afar Salom could faintly see the various small scars left on the land. The cause was obviously that horrible attack.

    ¡°How did it go with Her Majesty?¡± Stard asked conversationally.

    ¡°As well as you can expect,¡± answered Salom, lightly sighing. ¡°She thought I¡¯d be able to supply her with answers, but I¡¯m just as clueless.¡±

    ¡°This happened much too early,¡± he heard Stard¡¯s voice from behind him. ¡°It is a complete blunder. No wonder she¡¯s so distraught and furious.¡±

    Not that she¡¯s even capable of feeling fury, thought Salom wryly. Perhaps fear, at best, but possibly not even that.

    Black monsters dropping from the skies to wreak havoc all over the land¡ªsuch a fantastical description was the stuff of fairy tales, so if one heard of such an event, they would surely laugh it off. They had enough other problems to concern themselves with rather than think of pure fiction.

    However, the attack itself came as no surprise; only its timing did. Very few people knew of it, of course, but the kingdom was already halfway through the preparations for that fated time. Perhaps the only reason why Salom had been able to get the approval for his plan was for that. If he could actually produce results, it would benefit them greatly for years to come.

    And yet the disaster happened much, much earlier than foretold. But why? That was what both Levia and Salom were wondering.

    ¡°¡­You know I have no idea, either.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I do,¡± Levia mumbled quietly. She then gazed up at the ceiling as if in deep thought. Salom knew she was just trying to annoy him, however.

    ¡°How come you didn¡¯t know about it, though?¡± he asked, a hint of anger entering his voice. ¡°Surely the Observatory would have seen it?¡±

    She brought her gaze back to him, once again wearing her equivalent of a frown. She then clicked her tongue.

    ¡°It¡¯s such a foolish story that I am tempted to hang everyone involved.¡±

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°For the last few weeks, the place was being renovated, you see. It is the kingdom''s 400<sup>th</sup> anniversary and all that,¡± Levia explained, ¡°so it was utterly deserted. Our people were nowhere to be found and no one even thought of checking the skies. Complete morons. Of course, I had known nothing of this,¡± she added, tapping her fingers on her throne again.

    Salom knit his brows. Even in the best of times the Observatory operated only very rarely, so apparently it was mostly a bout of bad luck. An attack was coming, but they just so happened to not check for it during that period. Otherwise, they could have prepared for it. They could have saved the people.

    Levia looked as calm as always, but Salom was shocked. All of the senseless victims¡­ especially the children¡­ these happened because of negligence. He didn¡¯t wish death by hanging on anyone, but perhaps the ones responsible for this deserved it.

    Salom took a deep breath, calming his nerves. Rage and blaming people would not reverse time or bring back the dead. He had to remain rational and look ahead, instead of behind. Unneeded emotions would only impede him. He then recalled an urgent question.

    ¡°What about now, then?¡± he asked with a bit of a difficulty, fearing the answer, ¡°surely such a small attack can¡¯t be¡­¡± He left the rest unsaid, but Levia obviously understood his intent.

    ¡°¡ªAnother wave is coming,¡± she informed him matter-of-factly. ¡°Apparently in about ten days, more or less.¡±

    Ten days. Hearing this frame of time, Salom wasn¡¯t sure if it was less or more than what he expected. At the very least this time they weren¡¯t going to be caught with their pants down. They should be able to at least prepare themselves. So he hoped.

    Of course, ten days were nothing when compared to 20 years. They had already projected so many plans to the future that they would never be able to make come true. Not just Salom¡¯s project, either. Their entire strategy was in disarray¡­ so perhaps a measly ten days weren¡¯t enough time at all.

    There was a sudden knock and a voice called out. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± It came not from the main door, where Salom entered, but from a side door neatly hidden behind the throne, the one that led to the royal bedchambers.

    ¡°You may enter,¡± said Levia.

    A tall man walked in. He seemed to be in his early forties, yet already balding. Even so, his green eyes and serious expression punctuated his position as the Lord Chamberlain.

    ¡°Ah, Lord Swen. A pleasure to see you again,¡± Salom greeted.

    ¡°¡­So you are indeed back,¡± replied Swen, only very slightly masking the displeasure on his face. He responded to his greeting in no other way.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± asked Levia after a short bout of silence.

    ¡°Ah, right, Your Majesty. It is just that an urgent message has arrived from the gates. Apparently, a group of refugees seeks shelter within our walls. They claim to come from a nearby village, down the mountain.¡±

    The Queen furrowed her brows ever so slightly. ¡°How quickly do the desperate make their move,¡± she mused. ¡°Their village has been ravaged by the attack, I presume?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    She took a long, deep sigh. ¡°We cannot turn them back, yet we also cannot simply take any and all riffraff inside¡­ what a troubling situation. Have you any suggestions, Lord Saburn?¡±

    He slightly winced at being called that; he was only a very minor noble and never really felt like it. He still replied to her question. ¡°We are in times of need. The populace needs to know they can count on their rulers¡ªand I¡¯m actually talking about Copius, not about the refugees. We will have to evacuate or secure some settlements anyway; it¡¯s better to get used to it.¡±

    ¡°Well said,¡± said Levia with a smile, turning to the side. ¡°What do you think, Swen?¡±

    ¡°A perfectly reasonable suggestion,¡± he said bluntly.

    I never did understand why this man hates me so much, Salom thought glumly. And if I didn¡¯t know better, I would¡¯ve thought that the Queen¡¯s enjoying this situation too much.

    ¡°I shall need to think for a bit. Those poor people are there outside right now¡­ we shall have to let them in before it turns dark,¡± she said. ¡°Well, our discussion is concluded now, Lord Saburn. You sound and look very tired; get some rest, and we shall resume tomorrow. You are dismissed.¡± She waved with her hand as if shooing a stray cat from scraps of food.

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty,¡± he replied as formally as she had spoken to him. ¡°Then I shall take my leave.¡±

    He could practically feel Swen¡¯s eyes burrowing into his back from how intensely the man was gazing at him. And Salom hadn¡¯t been offered to receive any escort, either; not that he wanted it. He still had to get used to his current wheelchair anyway.

    Salom left the throne room, and soon exited the castle where Stard was waiting for him.

    By the time they got down the mountain, Salom had summarized his conversation with Levia and the current situation to his old friend. Since Stard¡¯s only communication with the Queen had been directly after the attack¡ªshe¡¯d told him to hurry back and bring also Salom with him, were he alive¡ªand he had plenty of business to take care of once back, he wasn¡¯t completely updated. That was probably another reason he¡¯d come to pick up Salom like that.

    ¡°Ten days¡­ it seems like a lot of time, but it will still prove to be quite the challenge,¡± Stard said.

    ¡°I concur,¡± said Salom, ¡°but at the very least, preparing for it would help us in the long term as well. The first wave might have been a complete blunder, but we are far from losing this war.¡±

    ¡°Yet the attacks will simply keep growing in scale¡ªand continue for a long time to come.¡±

    ¡°Nice to see that you are being positive about it.¡±

    Salom couldn¡¯t view Stard¡¯s face, but he had the feeling the man was wearing a faint smile in response. Both men were realists, but they were neither optimists nor pessimists. They simply knew that they had to do everything in their power to take hold of the situation.

    Meanwhile, the pair entered town. In contrast to the high castle, where traffic was low, the town was still lively despite having gone through a monster attack. Huge swarms of people passed through the streets, each on their own urgent business, whether it was carrying bags of food, carting boxes on wheelbarrows, parents walking surrounded by their younger children, and in one case, something that was probably a body stuffed into a bag being carried away. Here and there they could spot ruined houses or stalls, all serving as vestiges of the horrible attack.

    Salom clenched his fists and averted his gaze from such sights. He would have to think and work hard in order to help defend against the upcoming waves and prevent future tragedies¡ªbut not right now. He was just too tired both physically and mentally for that.

    Every once in a while, some people would call out to them; since Salom had been a shut-in, toiling on his research and plans or reading from dusty books, he didn¡¯t know a lot of the townspeople, but it was different with Stard; well, the man also didn¡¯t know everyone, but everyone knew him. He was their hero, their savior, the man who overcame all odds to protect their kingdom. Even when they didn¡¯t greet him directly, people still gazed at him admiringly and whispered in excitement.

    Which was why when a young man approached the pair, Salom never would have expected that he was the target and not Stard.

    ¡°Are you, perhaps, Salom Saburn¡­ sir?¡±

    He was a soldier, wearing the same uniform as Stard but was obviously of a lower rank¡ªonly slightly above a new recruit. He was probably around twenty years old, his face smooth and his brown hair cut short. Something about him seemed familiar to Saburn, but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. He definitely hadn¡¯t met this man before.

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± he said, ¡°and you are¡­?¡±

    ¡°My brother,¡± the young man said, his voice shaking, ¡°Genro Hydeen¡­ you know him, right?¡±

    It then hit Salom all at once: of course! He remembered hearing that Gen¡¯s brother served as a soldier in the capital. Yes, he could definitely see the resemblance. But that also caused his expression to darken. He had a feeling he knew what this young man sought from him.

    ¡°¡­I do. I taught him,¡± Salom answered bluntly. He used the past tense without hesitating.

    ¡°Watch your manners, boy,¡± barked Stard from behind. ¡°He asked for your name.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m,¡± the young man stammered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ General Molton, Saburn, sir. My name is Revol Hydeen, sir. I heard that you came here today¡­ and, well¡­ m-my family¡­¡± at this point his lips simply quivered, as if he couldn¡¯t voice his intention any further.

    Salom knew why. Of course he had to ask about his family¡¯s wellbeing. He could easily imagine the young man¡¯s emotions and thoughts: he turned into a soldier to help protect the kingdom he was part of, but then wasn¡¯t there for his family when they needed him the most. He was likely even blaming himself.

    It was a very sensitive topic, and Salom didn¡¯t want to be the bearer of bad news, but since it came to this, he had no choice in the matter.

    ¡°Most of your family is fine,¡± he prefaced (and immediately regretted the way he worded that, born only out of the need to save the hard-hitting news for last), ¡°but your brother¡­ Gen is¡­ missing.¡±

    A dark shadow instantly befell Revol¡¯s face. Obviously. Salom himself was distraught enough so he couldn¡¯t imagine what the young man was feeling right then. If he hadn¡¯t felt that the world was ending when he saw those monsters falling from the sky, then he surely thought it now.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Salom added, dropping his gaze. ¡°They didn¡¯t find¡­ find¡­ any trace of Gen, so at least for now he¡¯s missing.¡±

    ¡°S-so that means that maybe¡­¡± Revol muttered, but then bit his lips hard. Salom also almost clung to this hope despite knowing it was futile. Apparently the boy¡¯s brother felt the same.

    ¡°Soldier.¡± At some point Stard must have moved, for he was now not behind Salom but next to Revol. ¡°This will not be the first time for you to bear a loss. But you cannot allow yourself to break right now.¡±

    Revol was bewildered. ¡°How can I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am not finished,¡± Stard interjected. ¡°We are now in public. Look all around us¡ªlook at the expectant eyes of the people. We are both part of this kingdom. We all share the burden. Do you understand me?¡±

    Revol gulped. ¡°Not really.¡± He glanced around; there weren¡¯t a lot of people looking at them, but some were.

    ¡°We must protect that which we have sworn to protect. We must fight that which we have promised to fight. We have undertaken this mission while knowing fully well the suffering that awaits us. Whether we are injured or killed¡­ or lose our loved ones. But all of us are like this, not just soldiers. There is just one main difference: those who are soldiers are counted upon by the population.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying I can¡¯t show my emotions,¡± Revol muttered painfully. Yet Stard shook his head.

    ¡°You can cry and howl if you want to. That right is yours. However, while you''re a soldier, you should bear your head high with pride. The pain will come later. This is not the time and place for it. Do you understand?¡± asked Stard.

    ¡°I¡­ yes. I think I understand¡­ sir,¡± Revol replied. He now wore a complex expression. He seemed ready to burst into tears at any time, yet there was also something thoughtful about his expression.

    ¡°Return to your duties,¡± Stard said simply.

    Without missing a beat, Revol saluted. ¡°Sir, yes sir!¡±

    And he simply ran away. Salom was pretty certain he heard a soft sob as the young man passed next to him. The sounds of his boots clacking against the stone pavement soon vanished.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it,¡± said Salom wryly. ¡°You both hurt him and encouraged him. You really have a way with words.¡±

    ¡°I simply say what I feel¡­ and what I feel to be necessary,¡± Stard replied as he glided back to take hold of the wheelchair. ¡°People were listening to our conversation, after all. The common man has a certain conceit, you know¡ªthey always think that they¡¯re the only ones to suffer. But that is not true. The more responsibility one bears, the worse they suffer.¡±

    Salom wasn¡¯t quite sure he agreed with this assessment, but he let it go unchallenged. ¡°Then does this mean our Queen suffers the most?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. But you know what I meant.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You are a natural-born philosopher as always, Stard.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense.¡±

    Once they were out of the street, the people who¡¯d seen the earlier scene weren¡¯t there to ogle them anymore, making Salom feel relieved. He really disliked being the center of attention like that, even if he felt¡ªor trusted¡ªthat Stard did the right thing for poor Revol.

    Stard even bore Salom¡¯s burden instead; he had the feeling that if he¡¯d been the one talking to the man, it would have ended very poorly. It was better that someone from his immediate surroundings, or rather profession, could serve that role.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he mumbled softly upon reaching this conclusion.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what for, but you¡¯re welcome.¡±

    Soon after, they reached a certain house in the center of town. Despite being a so-called Lord, Salom¡¯s residence was quite humble, though obviously still a level beyond the house of the average man. Even after these long years the place looked the same, if a bit dusty from the lack of maintenance.

    ¡°Well, I have taken adequate rest. I will take my leave, then,¡± said Stard after reaching the front door.

    ¡°Take care, friend,¡± Salom said with a smile. He wasn¡¯t sure if it even qualified as rest.

    ¡°You as well,¡± Stard nodded. He then took a ¡°step¡± forward¡ªand shot into the air. There were a few cries of surprise from the street nearby as the man launched himself toward the sky. He probably still had many errands to run and so he hurried away.

    Salom was left alone with his thoughts. He brought out his key¡ªhe¡¯d received it back earlier before he came to the castle¡ªand opened the door. There was a moldy smell in the air and it felt stuffy, but the place still also brought nostalgia. After locking the door behind him, he rolled through the corridor that led to the living room and connected to the library by going straight ahead, but took the turn that led to the bedroom instead.

    At the moment he felt two major things: one was hunger, which he unfortunately couldn¡¯t satiate at the moment, since he obviously possessed no food items, but that was fine because the second one¡ªfatigue¡ªwas overbearing.

    His bed was as dusty as the rest of the house, but for the moment he didn¡¯t care at all. He should probably get people to clean up the place at some point. He lifted his body from the wheelchair, and no sooner had he lay down on the bed that he fell asleep.

    Below the spheres a pale sky

    Permeates our souls as we soar high

 Chapter 13: Before the Dawn

    With time Salom grew used to the various social gatherings in the capital. At first he was a bit stiff and quiet, but as years went by he learned to be sociable and charming enough. His parents were so pleased they even let him indulge in his efforts to study the art of channeling at the Royal University.

    At one such party he stood with one of his professors¡ªalso a minor noble just like him¡ªand they were both drinking wine while discussing their work.

    ¡°I must say, my dear Salom,¡± said the professor, an elderly, stout man, ¡°I have the feeling that you will one day revolutionize channeling. Oh, I really mean that.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, professor.¡± Salom smiled amiably. He was eighteen years old at the time, young and handsome. Many a young woman had been charmed by this very smile, but Salom himself was in no pursuit of romance. ¡°Channeling cannot be truly revolutionized. Not anymore, at least¡ªthe icons are too well rooted, at this point.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but you speak of icons; I refer to your other areas of research. Besides, there are many ways to use even those seemingly-stagnant icons in new ways¡­¡±

    ¡°I have heard that you patented some of the more obscure icon combinations used by the military,¡± Salom said, widening his smile. ¡°Perhaps you could teach me some? Classes seem so slow as of late.¡±

    Salom was excited; now he finally got him where he wanted to. He was still a bit too young to take the advanced courses, but perhaps he could get private lessons, or simply a recommendation from¡ª

    ¡°Are you talking about channeling? My, how interesting,¡± interrupted a nearby voice. Both men turned in shock to see its owner¡ªPrincess Levia, who was standing right beside them.

    ¡°Y-Your Highness!¡± sputtered the professor, instantly dropping to his knees. Salom followed suit, but only bowed.

    The Princess was as dazzling as always, wearing a bright cream-colored dress that matched her hair and a gem necklace. Two years Salom¡¯s junior, Levia was still in the boundary between being a child and an adult, yet her gracious smile was not inferior to any of his, he felt. Both of them were fake, anyhow.

    ¡°This is a party. No need to be too formal,¡± she said, smirking. The two men straightened up. ¡°You are¡­ Professor Belington, if I am not mistaken?¡± the man bowed yet again and mumbled something, yet she ignored him to turn to the younger man, ¡°and you are¡­?¡±

    ¡°Salom Saburn, Your Highness,¡± he replied, wearing the most charming smile he could muster.

    ¡°Ah, right. Lord Saburn¡¯s son¡­ so, do you go to the Royal University, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    ¡°You were just discussing icons, I believe?¡± she asked. ¡°For channeling use?¡±

    ¡°Are you perhaps interested, Your Highness?¡± the professor asked back, seemingly excited. Salom was sure that the man would give anything for the privilege of teaching her.

    Levia widened her smile. ¡°Why, yes. You see, I have a bit of a channeling talent, myself. Father even brought me a private tutor.¡±

    This shocked the both of them. Especially with the nonchalant way she spoke of it. Truth be told, channeling was somewhat of a double-edged sword, since most of the populace viewed it badly. Yes, it helped them in many areas of life, including war, but they were still somewhat suspicious toward it in Rumdon, even in the mighty capital with its Royal University that had actual classes for it.

    What would they think if they knew that even the royal heir possessed this ability?

    ¡°How¡­ how splendid to hear, Your Highness! I myself would also be honored to¡­¡±

    Levia practically ignored the professor. ¡°I¡¯m rather good with the sound channel, you know. That is my specialty, apparently.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the communication channel,¡± Salom said. A moment later he hurriedly added, ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡±

    The professor stared at him, wide-eyed. Salom himself also realized his blunder¡ªeven if the Princess was talking to them and they were responding to her, actually correcting her was a grave sin. People of a superior rank were always right; that was one of the first lessons instilled into Salom when he¡¯d first set foot in Copius.

    ¡°Oh? What do you mean by that?¡± she asked him, seemingly unbothered. Or at the very least, she still wore her fake smile just like before.

    ¡°It¡¯s, well¡­¡± he hesitated for a moment, ¡°sound is just the simplest medium of this channel. But strictly speaking it can manifest in many, other ways. There were some who could even form letters, or just broadcast their very thoughts and ideas¡ªso that is why we call it the communication channel rather than its more common name. Your Highness.¡±

    Salom slightly flushed. He loved explaining these sorts of things so he once again forgot that he was speaking to royalty. The professor still seemed shocked and Levia still seemed fine, but it was hard to judge if he¡¯d truly made a great breach of etiquette and whether or not he would end up paying for it later.

    ¡°I see,¡± Levia said, nodding. ¡°Tell me more about that. It sounds positively fascinating.¡±

    That was only the beginning of one of Salom¡¯s most stressful evenings.

    ¡°Remember our first conversation?¡± asked Levia, a mischievous smile plastered on her lips along with her usual lipstick. ¡°It was a couple of years before my marriage, if I recall correctly? My, my, what a delightful brat you were.¡±

    Salom slightly scowled. ¡°That description suited you, Your Majesty. I thought I¡¯d be hanged the day tomorrow.¡±

    This time¡ªthe next morning after Salom¡¯s arrival back in the capital¡ªthey met not in the throne room, but inside a spacious meeting room located in the northern wing of the palace. They were also not alone, though the vast majority of the ten-odd chairs still stayed unoccupied. Salom was in his wheelchair, obviously.

    ¡°Haha. Father was furious at the time, true. But mostly regarding me,¡± said Levia.

    ¡°Still, you enjoyed watching me squirm, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°My, whatever gave you that impression? You know I can¡¯t enjoy anything at all.¡±

    Even if he knew that, there were times he wasn¡¯t so sure; she seemed to prod his feelings in order to read them way too often.

    There was a small cough. ¡°I believe this is not the right time to reminiscence, Your Majesty,¡± said Stard, crossing his arms and looking as austere as always. He sat somewhere between the two.

    ¡°Yes, yes, you are right,¡± Levia admitted. ¡°Fine, I was just trying to get you in the right mood.¡±

    ¡°Just hearing your lies takes me out of the mood.¡±

    This time Levia simply ignored him. ¡°I wanted to ask for your cooperation, Salom. Now that the attack has begun, although ahead of schedule, we have a need of your services.¡±

    ¡°I figured something of the sort,¡± said Salom. ¡°I just hope you don¡¯t try to enlist me as some sort of strategist.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I was trying to get you into the mood, I said¡­ so this is related to research.¡±

    ¡°Research, you say?" He was so annoyed at the memories she brought back that he hadn¡¯t considered her actual reason for bringing that up.

    ¡°Yes. I want to you to dissect one of the monsters,¡± said Levia plainly.

    ¡°I¡­ what?¡± Salom couldn¡¯t hide his befuddlement.

    ¡°Her Majesty wishes to capture one of our enemies,¡± explained Stard, ¡°in order to better understand their workings. Think of it like taking a hostage and torturing them.¡±

    ¡°Not really something I¡¯d like to imagine,¡± said Salom, sighing. ¡°But anyway, I don¡¯t see how I¡¯m related to this. I¡¯m no zoologist.¡±

    ¡°It is not like these are actual animals. You saw them yourself, right? Stard, at least, described them as somewhat¡­ unreal. Blurry. As if coming straight from a dream¡ªor more precisely, a nightmare. Not to mention,¡± she added, ¡°we think they are somehow related to channeling.¡±

    Related to channeling? Salom raised an eyebrow. He hadn¡¯t seen them channel anything; no animal ever exhibited the ability to do so, but were these any different? Salom mostly watched soldiers fighting against it, as well as Stard zooming around the sky to get both the monsters and the strange tentacles that seemed to transport them. But wait, perhaps what she meant was actually¡ª

    ¡°Are you suggesting that these might be channeled beings?¡±

    That would be unprecedented. One could channel various sorts of energy, compounds and some harder-to-understand phenomena, but life? It was thought to be impossible. Oh, there were countless attempts, of course, but these never led to anything. Even legends barely spoke of such things.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Levia put a hand to her cheek. ¡°That is also possible, but I was referring to something else entirely. Stard, do explain your findings.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± he said, lightly bowing while still seated. ¡°Salom, while the monsters are moderately resistant to any physical attacks¡ªand their bodies seem to regenerate quickly, as well¡ªthey are apparently weak against channeling. I experienced this myself, and gathered some few other testimonies of the sort. For example, using the heat channel will burn them much easier and faster than anticipated judging from their size and apparent grit.¡±

    ¡°I assume they¡¯re not simply weak against fire, right?¡± said Salom, more wondering aloud than asking.

    ¡°This was merely the most visible phenomenon, but I myself have tried some few other methods and achieved great success. For example, the channel of weight made them much heavier, and the channel of movement dislocated them much more efficiently than under normal conditions.¡±

    Salom stroked his chin. That was an interesting feature, to be sure. Based on their characteristics, the monsters seemed not quite¡­ real, for lack of a better word. Whether they were actually channeled beings or otherwise, their makeup apparently interacted poorly¡ªor greatly, depending on one¡¯s point of view¡ªwith channeling.

    ¡°Now I see why you want me to look into this. It does sound fascinating. However, that is not still a conclusive fact, correct? Returning to my previous question, I assume you have seen no monster struck by actual fire?¡±

    Stard shook his head. ¡°Like you said, this is only based on very scarce observations. That is one of the reasons we wish to acquire one of the creatures and study them, so we can ascertain such things, and hopefully find out how they work, their weaknesses and the like.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about those tentacles,¡± said Salom. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m interested in those much more than the monsters¡ªwell, they might be the same. In any case, they are probably what carried those monsters all the way here¡­ and that might also prove to be valuable information.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± For some reason Levia started clapping her hands. ¡°I am so glad to see you getting excited like that, after everything you have been through. Oh, stop sulking,¡± she added, despite him not even changing his facial expression, ¡°I honestly and truly mean this from the bottom of my heart.¡±

    Yeah, right. Still, he was happy that there¡¯d at least be something to take his mind off of his troubles while simultaneously helping against this crisis.

    ¡°I would have believed you if you had a heart in the first place,¡± he answered simply. ¡°Regardless, I accept the job. Get me as many specimens as you can.¡±

    Levia¡¯s smiled widened ever so slightly. ¡°I knew I could count on you. Of course, there are many other jobs for you; we have been developing many new ideas with our army, after all. We can even revive some old projects¡ªthe lass will be thrilled, will she not?¡± The last sentence she directed at Stard, who then sighed.

    ¡°¡­Hah. I suppose so, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± asked Salom, raising a brow.

    ¡°You will find out soon, I believe,¡± was all that Stard said at the time.

    Salom found the answer to that question much sooner than anticipated.

    ¡°General! They said you were at the palace so I¡¯ve been waiting here for about two hours¡ªno, no, it was more like one hour, don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ve been thinking of some various things to¡ªwait a moment, is that Professor Saburn?!¡±

    The moment the pair exited the castle, there were immediately assaulted by a flurry of words, first directed at Stard and finally at the very confused Salom. The speaker was a young woman with short-cropped dark hair and eyes that were just as dark, clad in the standard army uniform. Meaning she was a soldier? There weren¡¯t many women in the army, so it was a surprise to see her.

    ¡°¡­I, uh, yes,¡± Salom finally responded, his eyebrows still pressed together.

    ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve heard so much about you!¡± the woman grabbed his hand and started shaking it vigorously. ¡°Well, more like I read everything you wrote! Your paper about icon configuration was really¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mallew.¡± Stard¡¯s voice was sharp and curt. ¡°Slow down.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± she instantly straightened up and saluted. ¡°I was rude, and I apologize! My name is Mallew Mordack, engineer of the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mallew,¡± Stard said again. ¡°I have not finished talking.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡± she saluted yet again. Salom was still rather stunned by this whole affair.

    ¡°To cut a long story short, she is a new recruit of ours¡ªnew in this case being more than a year ago, but still,¡± Stard explained. ¡°She has certain¡­ talents. She even went to the Royal University, but I scouted her to join our little engineering unit.¡±

    A woman in the Royal University was yet another rarity. Leaving her quirks and young age aside, the very fact she had been scouted and praised by Stard (in his own way) meant she was worthy of attention.

    ¡°Mordack, was it? Like the architect?¡± Salom suddenly recalled.

    ¡°Yes sir! I hail from the great family that planned most of the capital, the castle and¡ª¡± she stopped just as Stard was about to open his mouth¡ª¡±and I wasn''t allowed to speak, I am sorry!¡± She saluted again for no reason.

    ¡°For example, our new communication tool is part of her efforts,¡± Stard said, glancing at the woman as if daring her to speak out of turn again. Yet she smiled and persevered.

    ¡°Right¡­ I completely forgot about that,¡± Salom said. ¡°I¡¯d love to hear exactly how it works if the opportunity arises.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve just made a huge mistake. You¡¯ll be hearing every last detail for hours and hours, since you asked that.¡±

    ¡°I-I won¡¯t really¡­¡± Mallew mumbled embarrassedly.

    ¡°Well then¡­ Miss Mordack,¡± Salom said, smiling amicably. ¡°I assume we¡¯ll be working together in the days to come. So it is a pleasure meeting you.¡± He held out his hand and made another, more relaxed handshake.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Mallew¡¯s innocent-looking eyes almost seemed to sparkle; she acted much like as if the Queen herself pronounced her the ruler of the kingdom. She must have truly idolized him to that extent.

    ¡°She must be quite a handful,¡± mumbled Salom wryly a while later.

    ¡°¡­Well, she makes up for it with her work.¡±

    Just like the other day, Stard accompanied him back to his house. Mallew had apparently come to discuss her multitudes of new ideas, but the man was already used to deflecting her. It wasn¡¯t his job anyway, Stard had added; yet the actual person in charge of the engineering unit was also weary of the woman, so she went to Stard often.

    ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve been missing a lot here, these couple of years,¡± Salom said.

    ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Stard asked.

    That question gave Salom pause. His project was finished. Strictly speaking, he hadn¡¯t even spoken with the school about it, but it was clear as day. At any rate, Levia would definitely stop funding it. Well, right now the town needed to recover, anyway.

    This all meant that in a sense Salom wasted two years on nothing. Especially given that all of his special students were dead. He tried not to think of them too much, but it was hard¡­ it would probably become easier once he sank himself into his new work. Perhaps someone as bubbly as Mallew wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing for him, all things considered.

    But that did nothing to answer Stard¡¯s question¡ªso did he regret it?

    ¡°¡­No,¡± he finally replied. ¡°I feel pain, but not regret. I tried to do the right thing. I don¡¯t believe I made any mistake; it was just that the circumstances were unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. Yes, that is the proper way for you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°You never get stuck in the past. You always move forward¡­ that¡¯s a good thing,¡± Stard explained.

    ¡°Even if it makes me heartless?¡± he asked weakly, more to himself than to Stard.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t feel so conflicted, if that was the case,¡± Stard said, and left it at that. Salom felt he was still wrong, but said nothing more.

    Embarrassment, tension, loyalty.

    ¡°I¡­ came to get you, Your Majesty.¡± Swen entered the bedroom almost sheepishly. He was averting his eyes as if Levia was indecent. She was merely sitting on the bed and biting into a grape she took from a bowl.

    ¡°Ah, have they gathered already? I thought I had a bit more time,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    A pity. She felt a bit light-headed, so she wanted to have something sweet. She wasn¡¯t allowed to have any actual condiments, so the best she could do was eat some delicious fruits. However, barely a moment after she sat down in relief, dear old Swen appeared.

    ¡°Is it not possible for me to give up on this meeting?¡± she asked with a smile.

    Confusion, anger, anxiety.

    ¡°I am kidding, of course.¡± Levia rose up from the bed. She checked her dress and her hair; she should still be presentable enough. Taking her time for another stop with her personal maids would surely annoy the gentlemen waiting for her so eagerly. Like a flock of vultures circling a not-quite-dead person from above.

    Relief, acceptance, satisfaction.

    ¡°Let us go, then.¡± She went with Swen, with the guards waiting just outside the chambers joining them from both sides.

    In truth, Levia hated these sorts of social gatherings¡ªno, hate was too strong of a word. Not even dislike. If anything, she found them dull. She fully understood their importance, and knew how to utilize it, yet she always found them extremely tedious and boring. At least she could feign interest.

    Soon the small group reached the door of the palace¡¯s meeting room. It was the very same room she had sat in along with Stard and Salom the other day, yet she knew it was now filled with mostly old men and women. Again, it wasn¡¯t that she found this exactly unpleasant; merely dull.

    Bowing, her Lord Chamberlain and her guards left her behind. This wasn¡¯t their domain, after all (other than the few guards inside). Levia stepped into the room alone.

    Anger joy confidence discontent hope frustration lust sadness doubt impatience wonder¡ª

    The deluge of emotions permeating Levia¡¯s mind like a splitting headache almost caused her to grit her teeth, yet she endured it. Perhaps such meetings were not just wearisome, but at times uncomfortable as well. She still wore her most experienced, dazzling smile and welcomed the audience.

    ¡°Dear friends and family, I do welcome you.¡± She turned her head around and quickly counted¡ªfifteen people in all. ¡°Some of you I have not seen in quite a while¡­ especially you, Lord Qumisson. How have you arrived so quickly, anyway?¡± she inquired conversationally.

    Hatred, fear, disgust.

    The man radiating these very strong feelings¡ªdespite appearing perfectly composed and cool on the surface¡ªwas an old, dignified man.

    Although he had supposedly travelled from afar, his suit, already on par with the royal closet, was spotless as though new, and fit his skinny frame perfectly. He was perfectly shaven and his grey, fine hair covered every contour of his head, not allowing even a hint of balding despite his age. He was the very image of royalty¡ªjust as he wished to be.

    ¡°I had to come over as soon as I could after the attack, Your Majesty,¡± said Qumisson, with even such a simple answer sounding as if he had weighed each and every word inside his head for hours.

    To check if I¡¯m still alive, thought Levia to herself.

    ¡°It was inevitable for something like this to happen,¡± he added.

    Levia was not shaken at all. He shouldn¡¯t know the truth, as far as she knew. She had the feeling he was testing her regardless. But it was a long time since such tricks worked on her.

    ¡°An inevitable sudden war, you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°The Northern Frontier did seem too quiet as of the last few years.¡±

    Amusement, gloating, annoyance.

    ¡°No, that was not what I meant. I was referring to the arrival of such a precious chance to depose you, Your Majesty.¡±

    Levia was surprised, but she still wasn¡¯t shaken. Her smile didn¡¯t even quiver. Depose her? Lord Qumisson had some guts, openly stating it like that. It was both like and unlike him. It felt too direct of an approach, but it must hold some meaning, then.

    ¡°Lord Qumisson!¡± a pudgy man sitting in the table sounded devastated. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±

    Several faces around the table seemed equally shocked¡ªsome feigned, some for real¡ªbut others looked agreeing, even slightly nodded. Of course, almost everyone here was united against Levia. She¡¯d already known that.

    ¡°That is quite alright, Lord Shammings,¡± Levia pacified the man that honestly came to her defense. At least she could always trust that old family friend to have her back. She turned back to her current opponent. ¡°Depose me, you say? For what cause?¡±

    Resolve, anger, hesitation.

    ¡°For putting our country¡ªand perhaps the entirety of Plainland¡ªat risk, Your Majesty,¡± he calmly answered. ¡°For invoking the wrath of the Gods upon us.¡±

    This time Levia couldn¡¯t help but let her mouth hang open. She noted his hesitation the moment before he said it, but then he actually went and did it. He was trying to pin that on her that? Really? This was once again an atypical move.

    ¡°Come now, Lord Qumisson. Do not be ridiculous. Have you joined Sacrona¡¯s Church of the Saints since the last time we¡¯ve met?¡±

    A person in the crowd snickered. Qumisson even looked somewhat insulted by her invoking the name of their enemy country. It was true that in Rumdon the Gods were not often mentioned so solemnly, though. Levia continued speaking.

    ¡°Even if we presume me to be such a horrible Queen¡ª¡± she widened her smile, ¡°¡ªsurely it would not require involvement all the way from Blissland.¡± This caused a few murmurs around the table.

    ¡°So you admit to it being the source for these attacks,¡± Qumisson said plainly.

    ¡°Of course.¡± If he thought he¡¯d caught her with a slip of the tongue, he was wrong. ¡°But you do not really believe what you said, right?¡± Yes, she could feel that he really did not.

    Qumisson dodged the question entirely. ¡°Of course, deposing you is only a final measure,¡± he admitted. ¡°It would be far more prudent for you to finally remarry and have children¡ªa King and future Kings to lead us in these troubled times.¡±

    Suspicion, doubt, bitterness. ¡°It has been more than a decade since your husband¡¯s rather mysterious death,¡± noted a wrinkled woman in the crowd, Lady Sacrum. Her weak-looking husband sitting near her also nodded meekly.

    ¡°Indeed so.¡± Qumisson nodded solemnly as well. ¡°You cannot dodge this issue forever, Levia-O. We cannot leave this nation in the hands of a woman in such a state. You really must find a husband.¡±

    The most annoying thing was that he wasn¡¯t saying that in an attempt to anger her¡ªhe knew that wouldn¡¯t work¡ªbut because he actually believed it. Levia was rather tired of these games with him.

    ¡°And I suppose you will offer yourself, Lord Qumisson?¡± she asked brazenly.

    Trepidation, ambition, ferocity. Yes, he would absolutely loathe the act of marrying someone like her, but he would also do it anyway¡ªand then probably have her perish just as mysteriously as her father or her husband. It was almost enough to make even her disgusted.

    ¡°It is an option. Though, I am rather old, so I would rather think of the next generation. One of my sons would fit better for the role. Callun, perhaps.¡± His emotions, however, practically shouted his desire to be king, and his sons were all pampered idiots at best.

    ¡°Well, regardless of all of this,¡± said Levia, waving her hand, ¡°your worries are unneeded. In case you have forgotten, it was chiefly I¡ªand not my husband¡ªwho assembled an army that is probably the strongest of the last century.¡± She wore a victorious smile.

    ¡°An army full of defects,¡± someone mumbled.

    ¡°An army which is protecting you most splendidly and will keep doing so,¡± Levia stressed. ¡°Yes, we have been caught unawares¡ª¡± technically the truth, ¡°but now we are ready.¡±

    ¡°Ready to face the Gods?¡± asked Qumisson in disbelief.

    ¡°Ready to face anything. Even the Gods are not absolute, or you would simply cower in fear instead of reaching for my crown. Or do you simply wish to feel content before our apparently inevitable demise?¡±

    Perhaps she shouldn¡¯t have gone so far. Not a single muscle on Qumisson¡¯s face moved, but she could feel he was simmering on the inside. However, even if she had to watch out for his machinations, she also had to assert her dominance over him. Some of the people there were on her side, after all. Or at the very least, most of them were wise enough to pretend so.

    The trifling discussion continued for a while without reaching any proper conclusion.

    It was already night, which meant that the Observatory officially started its work for the day. It worked fine even while the sun was channeling, but it was still best to gaze into space during night. Of course, the structure was also built on the other end of the mountain for that reason, making it a bit tricky to reach even without taking in account the facility was heavily guarded.

    The Observatory was actually regarded to be a massive drain on the kingdom¡¯s resources, another source of contention against the Queen. After all, the newly developed telescopes could merely ¡°watch¡± things. There were cries to adapt them into spying machines on the other countries around, but they were best used to pierce through the vast distances of space. The problem was that seeing Blissland and Fairland accomplished nothing. The pretty, evergreen Fairland was a feast for the eyes and the chaotic Blissland was in a way a work of art, but they gained nothing from it.

    Yet now the Observatory finally had an official purpose¡ªwatching the approach of the incoming monsters. Of course, it was created for that purpose in the first place, but now it could be flaunted for it publicly. Even if it would not help against the Queen¡¯s major detractors, it should at least help morale.

    And tonight, two outsiders were granted entrance into the facility.

    ¡°This is my first time here¡­ I¡¯m so excited!¡±

    Since Mallew was pushing his chair he couldn¡¯t see her expression, but Salom could imagine her usual merry smile already. She was a bit hard to contain at times, but she was a good kid after all. ¡ªNo, she was a woman; despite her somewhat child demeanor, he had to remind himself of that often. He was no longer handing teenagers.

    Even if she did sometimes remind him of those four.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here a few times, but not in recent years,¡± said Salom. ¡°So I¡¯d forgotten how tough it was getting here¡­¡± he sighed. In truth, Stard had offered to take him there personally, but Salom had declined, saying that he couldn¡¯t take more of the man¡¯s precious time.

    After several hours of a rocky carriage ride followed by being pushed up a slope, he deeply regretted it. Perhaps he was starting to feel the extent of his age, considering it hadn¡¯t been that bad several years ago. Or maybe he was extra tired lately, compared to back then.

    At least Mallew kept her spirits high and never complained even once, so there was that.

    ¡°Wait, you helped them create the telescope?!¡± the woman asked excitedly. ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard anything about that!¡±

    Salom chuckled and said, ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Actually, I¡¯m rather weak with the channel of light, so those icons aren¡¯t my work.¡±

    ¡°Aww¡­¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done every piece of channeling-related work here, you know,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°Let others have their credit as well.¡±

    Mallew opened her mouth to reply, but another person appeared before them.

    ¡°Ah, hello there!¡± He was an elderly man with a bald head, a white moustache and thick glasses. He paced toward them uncertainly, as if he couldn¡¯t quite master walking, and had a bit of a hunchback.

    ¡°Professor Rastee, it has been years,¡± Salom greeted him. The man was the Director of the Observatory, chosen for the job by Levia herself all those years ago, a position he was glad to serve. Salom¡¯s feelings were a bit complex given the Observatory¡¯s recent failure, but the man was still an old friend.

    ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Mallew Mordack and I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Haha, I have already heard about you, of course,¡± said the professor, smiling wide. ¡°And yes, it truly has been a long time, master Saburn. I am glad to have you back in the capital.¡±

    Salom smiled wryly. ¡°Not for good reasons, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Anything can turn into a good reason, Professor Saburn!¡± said Mallew.

    ¡°Miss Mordack is right,¡± said Rastee, chuckling. ¡°It is a rather trying time for us here, so we are glad to see old¡ªand new¡ªfriends visit.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ it must¡¯ve been a shock to have these monsters suddenly appear like that,¡± mumbled Mallew, slightly losing her cheer.

    Rastee gave a knowing look to Salom who returned his gaze. This fact went unnoticed by Mallew. Instead Rastee simply nodded gravely.

    ¡°Well, moving to business¡­ is there any specific purpose to your visit here today?¡±

    ¡°Not really. Well, I thought I¡¯d have Mallew look over your instruments a bit¡­ if anyone could think how to make them even better, it¡¯s her,¡± said Salom.

    ¡°Not you?¡± asked the older man with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s already too late for me¡ªoh, not that I¡¯m criticizing your ability, of course,¡± said Salom, returning the smile. Meanwhile, the trio moved into one of the Observatory¡¯s main rooms and Mallew voiced an incomprehensible sound that probably indicated surprise, amazement, or both.

    In front of them were very large pipes that extended into the ceiling and outside¡ªor at least, that was what they looked like. Each pipe was about as thick as a person and tall as three, with specially designed platforms and chairs beneath them. There were five such instruments in all, arranged in equal distances across the chamber.

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d actually see them¡­ wow.¡±

    ¡°Impressive, eh? I felt like you the first time, don¡¯t worry,¡± said Rastee. ¡°And I was one of the people who helped design this, haha.¡±

    There were very few people around¡ªbut the issue was more a lack of ability rather than manpower. Most people who could channel were already part of the military, which couldn¡¯t spare its personnel for such a ¡°lowly¡± job. Instead, almost everyone who worked in the Observatory was administrative or maintenance personnel, things that didn¡¯t require much work even during these times.

    ¡°Well then¡­ I would like to see the monsters,¡± said Salom in a stern voice. He did want to check the facility, but that wasn¡¯t his main goal coming there. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe the reports, but merely wanted to judge for himself.

    ¡°You can¡¯t trust anything that you don¡¯t confirm with your very own eyes, eh? A man of learning through and through,¡± Rastee said amiably, but wore a somewhat strained smile. Even the ever-excited Mallew was a bit somber. ¡°Use that one.¡± He gestured at the northernmost tube.

    Salom nodded and rolled himself toward it. There was a designated chair for the telescope users attached to the floor, so the pair helped him sit in it. He then brought his eyes to the glass at the bottom of the pipe.

    The inside was completely pitch-dark, but there were a few icons etched on the surface of the glass such that they were legible from up close. Salom focused and activated them, allowing him to channel light inside the complex apparatus. There was an overlay of mirrors and even more icons etched on the inside.

    The channel of light worked not only by emitting light, but also absorbing it. Actually, this was true of all channels, but harder to accomplish with some of them. What the Observatory¡¯s telescope did was basically amplify light using mirrors and then ¡°draw¡± it back along with any distant images that might be reflected on their surface. Not just anyone would be able to operate these complex icons, but Salom was prepared despite his self-proclaimed lack of affinity to the channel.

    Glum, he briefly wondered if someone like Roah could use such a device even more efficiently, considering his ability. Perhaps they could have also used him to develop even better devices of the sort in the future. But that possibility had already been lost, so he focused on the task at hand.

    Instantly Salom could see space¡ªthe great, unfathomable and vast unknown realm that separated the worlds.

    The people on Plainland knew only of two other worlds since times immemorial, but there were always people thinking that there might be countless other worlds out there¡­

    Salom saw something different. At first it was a bit difficult to discern, but once the image stabilized, he realized he was seeing something glowing in the surrounding blackness. It was long and dark and squirmed continuously. It also had other silhouettes clinging to it.

    And there were at least hundreds of them around.

    Salom nearly physically flinched at the sight despite knowing they were at an absurd distance right now. The shining tentacle carrying a new army of monsters on it was approaching Plainland, just like he¡¯d already known. He recognized it from the last time, too.

    According to the Observatory¡¯s estimations, it would be around four to five days before the tentacles reached Plainland again. The next wave was already imminent. This time, however, they wouldn¡¯t be caught by surprise. They were ready for the assault, and as far as they could tell, the numbers of monsters were increased, but not unbearably so. Salom trusted Stard and everyone who¡¯d worked to support the army whether directly or indirectly, even himself. Even Levia.

    He got away from the telescope, only now noticing that he¡¯d held his breath without thinking. He sighed.

    ¡°¡­Well, seeing those things, even from so far away, is a bit unsettling,¡± he admitted with a wry smile. He then turned toward Mallew, ¡°You want to have a look as well? Well, a bit of a strange question after just admitting it was unpleasant, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯d love to have a look!¡± she hurriedly said. ¡°The iconwork is really impressive here. But¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± Her smiled waned.

    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Salom asked, confused. ¡°Oh, it is a bit hard, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I mean I literally can¡¯t. I cannot channel.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡± Salom said after a rather substantial pause.

    A few days passed since he had been introduced to this woman. They conversed about many things both professionally and casually, including about channeling and icons. She had always exhibited knowledge about on par with his own.

    Yet now that he thought about it, it was true that she had never indicated she possessed the ability to channel.

    ¡°I thought you¡­ but that¡¯s,¡± he mumbled. He was usually calm and collected, but having one of his unspoken assumptions overturned so suddenly was quite the sucker punch. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry to have assumed otherwise.¡±

    ¡°N-no¡­ it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Mallew hurriedly said, shaking her hands. ¡°I just didn¡¯t have, err, an opportunity to call that fact into attention.¡±

    ¡°Curious indeed,¡± noted Rastee from the side. ¡°I have heard about you too, miss¡ªare you not an icon specialist? And yet you cannot channel yourself? That is both peculiar and astounding.¡±

    ¡°¡­I get that a lot,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop bothering her over this,¡± suggested Salom.

    Mallew hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like I¡­ feel bad about it, or have some complex toward it. That¡¯s just how it is.¡±

    ¡°Besides, it means you¡¯re much more amazing than someone like old Salom here,¡± Rastee said and chuckled.

    ¡°I just obsess over patterns, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Could she really sum it up using mere obsession? Not to mention iconology had a lot more other than patterns. She was still extremely young, yet not only had she gone to the University, she had even been scouted by the military. And she was already working and producing new patents.

    True, technically one did not need the ability to channel in order to understand and design icons, but it definitely helped. Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be able to even check your ideas¡ªno, you probably wouldn¡¯t become interested in icons in the first place.

    Learning to use icons was an arduous journey. To embed the patterns into your mind so perfectly despite being unable to use them was practically unheard of.

    Salom was still relatively young, but he was getting older and older. He had no idea how long this new war would go on for and what would happen to them. And so he was happy to see that there was still talent in the new generation. He was probably already past his peak, but there were others ready to take his place, and he wasn¡¯t envious, but glad for that.

    Gods know they needed every bit of help.

    When does the flower bloom?

    Before the dawn it signals doom

 Chapter 14: Rain of Wrath

    Revol panted hard as he ran through the streets.

    He had lived in Copius for the better part of almost two years, but this was his first time seeing it like that. The capital was completely different from good old Hayden, but nice in its own way. The bustling streets were the same, as were the myriad of merchants and vendors occupying each and every street corner. The main difference was the sheer quantity of people and their general quality of life, though there were proportionally more slums as well.

    Now, however, in preparation for the upcoming attack, everyone had vacated these streets. the first, unexpected wave, the citizens had been under strict orders to hole up in their homes, block every entrance and even ready up some arms if they could.

    A few shops even prepared makeshift shelters for those who needed them. The army would do their best to protect the capital, but they were already spread extremely thin as is. Not to mention the delegates sent to other towns and villages around the whole mountain and beyond.

    Now Revol was running through this ghost town, making sure that no civilian strayed outside for any reason. He felt a shiver as he imagined this emptiness turning into reality if the wave wiped them all¡ªno, it would actually be way worse. If that sort of thing occurred, the streets would be filled with corpses and blood.

    He gritted his teeth. That wouldn¡¯t happen, or at least not while Stard Molton was there, as that man would never lose. Revol himself of course also vowed to do the best he could.

    All so there wouldn¡¯t be other victims like his little brother.

    Poor Genro. He¡¯d always been rasher and more reckless than either of his brothers, and then there was that horrible incident that cost him his arm¡­ yet the boy always persisted and never lost hope. He even dreamt of becoming a soldier just like his older brother. Even so, Revol felt that Gen had been much stronger than he himself was right now.

    Revol had cried and cried and cried, but he knew that Molton was right. He couldn¡¯t do anything for his brother anymore, so he worked for the future instead. He¡¯d actually asked his superiors to send him back to Hayden, so he could unite and grieve with the family and fight to protect them directly, but he¡¯d been refused. Since the second wave had been identified so quickly, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to make the journey in time anyhow.

    Not to mention that Revol barely even finished his training. He no longer shook while holding a weapon, but he¡¯d also never been in an actual fight against someone trying to kill him.

    He¡¯d found out fairly recently he could actually channel a little¡ªand had been excited for exchanging tips with Gen, which would now never come to pass¡ªbut that was also very new. He was not yet quite a frontline fighter, which was one of the reasons he¡¯d been sent running around the city like that.

    If the empty streets weren¡¯t eerie enough, there was also the fact that the sky got darker and darker. Before long the city would be plunged into complete darkness. The previous wave had come around the same time, but it had been concluded not long after nightfall. This would probably turn out to be a difficult fight.

    Revol found even this darkness almost comforting compared to the other thing visible in the sky¡ªthe serpentine shadows floating in the distance. He¡¯d only glimpsed them for a few moments during the other wave before he and the rest of his troop had barricaded themselves, so it was even worse than he imagined. Even when he didn¡¯t look up some of those cast their squirming shadows on the ground he was running on, causing him goosebumps.

    The attack would surely begin any moment now. His orders were not to make a thorough search but simply sweep through a few main streets of his assigned sector. It was time to go back to his unit.

    ¡°Good luck, Stard,¡± mumbled Salom into a metallic rectangle.

    Its surface was etched with many complex icons; even Salom needed a bit of time to be able to use it properly. But it worked. Salom almost couldn¡¯t believe something so small could work. As proof, a voice came out of the rectangle a few moments later.

    ¡°Take care as well.¡± A bit distorted and muffled, but it was unmistakably Stard¡¯s voice.

    ¡°This is revolutionary¡­ I wish I was the one to think of that,¡± he said jokingly to Mallew with a wide smile.

    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ll make me blush, Professor. I didn¡¯t do this alone, obviously. Besides, some of the iconography here is your own work.¡±

    It was a piece of art. The way the lines intersected one another and yet created meaning and function was truly astounding. If not for Mallew¡¯s ideas the device would probably be several times larger and clumsier.

    Despite being completely unrelated, it actually operated under similar principles to the telescope; the device could embed the ¡°sounds¡± of anyone speaking into it, and then broadcast them into a paired device. They were essentially part of the same whole, connected by the channel of communication which largely ignored the limits of distance.

    That was also how Stard had kept in contact with the Queen back when he¡¯d visited Hayden, but Salom hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to check this technological marvel firsthand until just now.

    ¡°Now we just sit back and let the fighters do their job,¡± said Salom.

    He, Mallew, and about a dozen other people were all holed inside a sturdy structure located underneath the University. He felt bad for the normal civilians that had to hole up in their brittle houses made of wood, but there wasn¡¯t anything he could do about it. Besides, even this shelter wasn¡¯t even half as safe as the ones given to the nobles and of course to Levia.

    ¡°I wish I could help, though,¡± mumbled Mallew.

    ¡°What do you mean? You are helping. Well, this communication device is not yet widely used, but with all the weapons and other things we started developing¡­¡±

    Yet Mallew shook her head. ¡°No, I really wanted to fight.¡±

    Salom furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Haha, not something you¡¯d hear a lady say, right?¡± she asked with a wry smile.

    ¡°Well, there are a few female knights and more than a few channelers,¡± noted Salom, ¡°but generally speaking, yes, it¡¯s a bit odd. And forgive me for saying this, but you don¡¯t look like the fighting type.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just a stupid dream¡­ I should be satisfied with what I can do, I guess. The General didn¡¯t even let me go through basic training.¡±

    Well, that was obvious; there was need to waste that on such a talent as hers and risk her getting hurt. Salom could agree with Stard¡¯s judgment, but he was polite enough not to say it to her face.

    ¡°We¡¯d much rather have you here with us, Mallew,¡± said one of the nearby professors in an amiable tone. He was one of the faculty members and apparently knew her.

    Soon, however, the shelter sank into tense silence. An air of dread drifted around while the second wave began.

    Floating in the darkening sky, Stard could see everything. The almost empty city, the distant castle, the sun that nearly ceased its channeling¡ªand most of all, the hundreds of tentacles squirming even higher.

    His gaze was stern and calm. Even facing such abnormal monsters would not sway his heart and allow fear and anxiety to encroach it. He¡¯d long gone past that, at least when so many people depended on him. Those dreadful days in the hospital¡­ they were far worse than any war.

    Stard floated downward, to where a great many people waited for him. He was one of the generals in command of the entire army, but this was his personal unit¡ªthe channeler corps. They were a strange bunch; it was not even twenty years ago when people like Stard would be scorned, let alone get anywhere near the army. But once his prowess, and that of others, had been proven, many such people ended up joining. Most of society referred to them as defects, but they simply thought themselves Special.

    Of course, not everyone in the unit was Special, but each and every one of them looked up to Stard as a symbol of power and authority.

    ¡°I am not going to address you all with any grand speech,¡± bellowed Stard, straining his voice to be carried with the wind. ¡°You all know what to do. We are simply going to fight. And I shall be the first to do so. That is all. For Rumdon!¡±

    ¡°For Rumdon!¡±

    Stard was barely able to hear this uproar from the surface since he¡¯d launched himself to the heavens immediately after his final word, his heavy body cutting through the wind. He gritted his teeth; the resulting speed shook his inner organs and his eardrums pounded. He even had to wear goggles to protect his eyes while flying like this. He pushed himself to the very limits of his safe speed, rushing toward the enemy.

    As the lone flying soldier in the entire kingdom, and most likely in the whole world, Stard took on himself the responsibility of launching the preemptive strike. Last time they¡¯d been caught by surprise, but now they knew about the incoming wave. And as long as they had Stard, they could start attacking before those monsters even landed.

    The sky became a sea of tentacles. Every tentacle was about twice as thick as Stard and ten times longer than he was tall. Clinging to them were the somewhat blurry, dark beasts, about four or five per tentacle.

    Hmm? They look somewhat different¡­

    Stard had slain dozens of these monsters, so their form was already familiar to him; a horrific cross between some kinds of insects and lizards. However, it was not so this time¡ªhe could see that their forms were more varied.

    He hesitated only for a moment. It was the second wave, after all, so it wasn¡¯t strange for their enemies to try something new. This army was both more numerous and more varied. This didn¡¯t change anything about his mission.

    Giving himself one last push in the air, Stard drew a sword¡ªone of three¡ªfrom its scabbard. It slightly shone as it reflected the very last rays of the sun, enough to allow him to gaze at the icons on the blade¡¯s surface before swinging it.

    There was a simmer and the sword glowed red-hot, clad in an outline that expanded forward. The nearest tentacle was evaporated rather than cut, causing it and the monsters on board to simply fall down. Without missing a beat, Stard swung and burst ahead, slicing apart the bodies of two other monsters that tried leaping toward him, then finishing off the tentacle that they came from. It seemed that channeling really was especially effective against these monsters, and he was thankful for that.

    Many of his soldiers called this weapon ¡°Windburner¡±. Stard himself found that ridiculous and so never referred to it with any name at all. It was actually lackluster as a sword, on account of it being forged from a certain kind of metal inscribed with icons. Instead it was made to amplify and direct the generated heat for offensive purposes. It could even cut through steel as if it was flesh.

    Normally, using this sword in the urban area was dangerous, but that didn¡¯t apply to the skies where he didn¡¯t have to worry as much about collateral damage and could focus on the incineration of his enemies. Well, there was the danger of the crashing monsters, but that couldn¡¯t be helped and was still preferable to them reaching the ground unscathed.

    Stard had the initiative, but perhaps the monsters were a little smarter than he¡¯d given them credit for. Instead of simply attacking him, many tried to overwhelm him. Several even sacrificed themselves to let others assault him from behind. Even if he could kill every one of them with a single swing, he still had a limited range and was surrounded by enemies.

    Even so he wasn¡¯t about to go down so easily. Part of his fame came from being able to handle hordes of enemies even by his lonesome. He whirled through air, diving and rising up again to avoid the dark beasts. Some of them actually had wings and could fly toward him, but many had to rely on the tentacles, so it was easy to avoid them and let them fall down.

    The only problem was his stamina; Stard was not quite in his peak anymore and he was fighting in the skies, where the air was very thin. He got a good number of the enemy forces, but had to take a short rest before he got overwhelmed.

    He was lucky to have the mobility that allowed him this. He swiped at one last monster and then let himself fall to the ground, using his ability to slow down and float before impact.

    ¡°Get them!¡± he simply shouted, flying ahead. Beneath him erupted a cheer as the first monsters started to land and the soldiers spread and charged ahead, weapons raised.

    While Stard had managed to dilute the wave before many of the monsters managed to land, there was still the vast majority left. These leapt off the tentacles, flew or floated or simply got down to the ground and spread around in all directions. The soldiers also ran in all directions to intercept them.

    Soon everything fell to complete chaos.

    Wooden stalls and barrels were crushed by the monsters¡¯ weight as they leapt on anything around, living or not. Sword and spears slashed, arrows and stones flew around, but the monsters were mostly tougher or faster or stronger. It took no time for the streets to start filling with a few dark corpses that began melting into thin air and many human corpses that stayed there, bleeding on the ground.

    Worst of all was the fact that the sun had already sunk, leaving only torches prepared beforehand as the sole illumination. The dark beasts, unfortunately, seemed unimpeded by the night now swallowing the world.

    Among the fighting soldiers, there were also those who did not attempt to defeat their enemies¡ªfor their mission was not to slaughter the strange beasts, but to contain them.

    ¡°Maneuver A, keep going!¡± shouted one such soldier.

    About three soldiers were engaged in careful combat against a beast that looked like a cross between a bat, a tiger and a boar. It thrust its tusks and slashed with its claws, but the soldiers employed quick footwork and well-timed jabs of their spears to avoid getting hit, keep the monster at bay and draw it toward them.

    ¡°Just a bit further!¡± called another one.

    They were advancing to the very edge of the city, toward the main road that split and spiraled around the entire mountain region. Other soldiers already stood at the ready there, some of them keeping other monsters from approaching.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Now! Jump away!¡±

    Hearing this order, the three soldiers leapt just as the monster followed them, stepping on a suspiciously roughened patch of grass¡ªthat proceeded to cave under its feet.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The beast fell into a hole about twice its size that housed a metal-made container. Howling in anger, it attempted to jump out of the cage but another mechanism caused a heavy lid to slide over, trapping it inside.

    The rest of the unit was still fighting a few other beasts nearby, but they were happy at having their mission accomplished. Now all they had to do was watch over the cage until the wave was over¡ªit would obviously be foolish carrying that sort of thing through monster-infested streets and into the university¡¯s laboratories right now. For now, it was going to stay safe inside both ground and metal.

    Or so they thought.

    There was a huge rattle and pieces of metal came flying out of the hole, accompanied by a ferocious shriek. The soldiers around all immediately flinched.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get away!¡± shouted the commander. But by the time they began to move, the monster had already climbed out and charged into the nearest soldier, cracking a few of their bones in the process.

    Everyone was in shock¡ªthe cage was built to be as sturdy as possible, even taking into account the strength of a large beast. How had it broken free so easily?

    ¡°Shit! Kill it! If we can''t capture it then¡ªAHHHH!!!¡±

    They had been ordered to bring a live monster back, if possible, but also return alive themselves. Having no choice, the trap unit engaged the monster in battle.

    Revol could only barely stop himself from shaking as he fought.

    His hand on the weapon must be true and steady¡ªthis had been drilled into him countless times by his instructors. He also learned how to calm his heart and sharpen his nerves. He did quite well against human opponents, and could imagine himself fighting properly against actual enemies, too, instead of sparring partners.

    But fighting these¡­ monsters was another thing entirely. Another human you could understand. You could hate. You could swing your sword and watch their blood flow out, knowing that you help protect a life.

    The monsters, however, looked like someone stitched together a few foul beasts and set them loose. They shed no blood and barely flinched at any damage they received. Even knowing these beings were responsible for the death of his little brother, he could feel no murderous impulse; only fear.

    Their aura of wickedness was only increased by the darkness, which in turn increased the soldiers¡¯ fear. They were difficult to handle even in daylight, so this was a problem, especially when the chaotic battles at times overturned their sources of light.

    Right now, probably the only thing that kept Revol from losing heart and running away screaming was the fact that he was not fighting alone. There were many monsters, but there were more soldiers. He and some other people, many of whom he knew by name, were all sharing the burden together.

    If he was alone then perhaps he would have given up and got eaten. But as long as he could join forces with others who wanted to protect the kingdom as much as he did¡ªno, they surely weren¡¯t thinking about that right now; they were just trying to kill their enemy while staying alive. Meaning, plain survival. And survival was often enough of a motivator to fight.

    People around were shouting and swinging their weapons, but Revol couldn¡¯t allow himself to lose focus. Swing, hit, parry, leap back, and attack again. Once or twice he saw another soldier getting bitten and trampled under a beast¡¯s powerful legs, but he just screamed in horror and thrust his sword yet again. Finally, he and a few others managed to hurt the beast in front of him enough that it stopped moving, hacked it some more and caused it to slowly vaporize.

    But Revol couldn¡¯t even stop to catch his breath. Once they felled a monster, they had to move on to the next one. They were surprisingly coordinated, given the situation; the soldiers moved in a straight line to fill whatever vacancies they could find in the surrounding battles.

    Revol felt they were winning. That the monsters weren¡¯t unlimited and everlasting. Perhaps he only wanted to think so, or perhaps it was only true for their current battlefield, but he hung on to that belief for it brought him power.

    Just one more swing. And then another. And another. He knew that every swing would lead to him surviving just a bit longer and bring the opposing creature just a bit closer to death. For now, that was enough.

    Suddenly there were multiple loud crashes and despite it being a bad idea, Revol instinctively glanced in their direction. Objects were falling from the sky¡ªno, they were further monsters. Even now the full ¡°delivery¡± was not completed, yet the monsters weren¡¯t landing, but falling; apparently Stard had flown up for a second round.

    Revol had seen him from afar, the first time¡ªthat was before the battle started in full¡ªand marveled at his distant form annihilating the countless dark worms and their minions. Even now he could barely see the orange flicker that came from the legendary Windburner.

    He realized with a start that even an instant of looking away could be fatal, but something suddenly rammed into the beast and sent it flying. Literally.

    It took him a few moments to realize he¡¯d just seen one of the tentacles launch itself along with the beast at incredible speeds. He heard shouts and then something else crashed into the building right next to him.

    ¡ªThe predominant colors of this scene were red and black.

    Revol put a hand over his mouth when he realized that he gazed at what used to be a human being. Their¡­ remains were also entangled with those of a severed tentacle, which seemed much less hurt. In fact, it was not only still squirming, but even immediately zoomed out of sight.

    How odd. He knew that these tentacles served as ¡°vehicles¡±, so was it something that related to the channel of movement? He was not yet good enough of a channeler to know, but several others monsters, men and other things were thrown around, both hindering and helping their battle.

    Revol gritted his teeth and stepped ahead to continue helping his comrades.

    Being a shelter that had been made expressly for the possibility of having the University getting attacked by a foreign army, the underground space was built with sturdy walls and a thick door. For that reason, hearing that door rustle and being pounded was quite worrying.

    ¡°¡­What are they doing out there?¡± mumbled Salom, clicking his tongue.

    The University had, of course, not remained unprotected. After all it was located in the very center of the town, almost directly below the slope that led up to the castle. So there should have been plenty of soldiers situated outside its gates¡ªor was that the problem? Could some of the monsters have landed directly in the University, where they could head down to them?

    It was more likely, or at least more optimistic, than thinking they were losing heavily right now. It was also extremely foolish of them to not have thought of this in advance. Either way, they were in trouble.

    ¡°I knew we should have brought a few soldiers inside¡­!¡± called an aged professor on the verge of panic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, they all need to be fighting out there,¡± noted a woman researcher.

    ¡°Wait¡­ you have a direct line with the military, don¡¯t you?¡± a young man turned to Salom.

    He did consider contacting them, but he couldn¡¯t really bother Stard with such small matters. Or would danger to one of his closest friends (and the Queen¡¯s trusty aide) consist as a huge matter? Still, he was surely busy fighting even as they spoke. Even the other few possessors of the communication device were probably occupied.

    ¡°I have an idea,¡± mumbled Mallew. Despite the situation, she actually looked determined. Her clenched fist was somewhat shaking, yes, but her expression was fierce. ¡°Being closed here might actually be to our advantage. We could use metal icons on the door, but maybe we just need to¡ª¡±

    But then there was a loud crash and a beast came in through the door, causing a few horrified screams. Should they feel happy it was apparently only one monster, or be scared because none of them could fight back?

    ¡°Someone do something!¡± shouted Salom. ¡°I¡¯ll try to hold it back!¡±

    Before he could explain himself any further the monster leapt further inside and he unleashed the channel of wind. He created a momentary fierce gale, most of it uncontrolled¡ªeven in the best conditions he wouldn¡¯t be able to use an overly powerful iconless channeling, but that was enough to stop the black crocodile-bull-beetle for a moment or two.

    ¡°Shit!¡± called one of the younger men and threw a nearby chair at the beast. It barely even scratched it, but once again it managed to delay their deaths by a second.

    ¡°Everyone come here!¡± came a shout from an unexpected person¡ªMallew.

    Most of those present were almost frozen in place, but Salom saw with a glance what she was attempting to do and hurried to take action. He rolled as quickly as he could¡ªtoo quickly, in fact, causing him to lose control over the wheelchair and throw himself to the cold floor.

    ¡°P-Professor¡­!¡±

    His body ached and he couldn¡¯t get up, but that didn¡¯t matter right now since the beast moved yet again, almost like it directly went to the most vulnerable of them, which was Salom.

    However, Salom focused on the floor beneath the monster¡¯s legs and there was suddenly a great conflagration. Moments before, Mallew had drawn a piece of chalk and scribbled a hasty icon on top of the floor. Salom didn¡¯t even have enough time to marvel how precise and effective that icon was even when she had to draw it under duress and so quickly.

    Even with its whole body burning, the monster wasn¡¯t killed that easily, but it was incapacitated enough to let the other people around take action. One of the young men smashed a table on top of it and caused the monster to stumble, whereupon it finally began crumbling to ashes.

    ¡°That was¡­ way too close,¡± mumbled Salom, breathing heavily. His face was flushed and sweaty. If he¡¯d been late even slightly with the channeling it never would have worked and they all would have died.

    ¡°Thank the Gods¡­ there doesn¡¯t seem to be any other beasts,¡± said someone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank the ones who sent them after us in the first place, idiot,¡± said another.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Mallew ran ahead, running her chalk on the floor near the door. ¡°If one could go in, so can others. And since the door¡¯s ruined, we can¡¯t count on anyone else right now¡­ so we¡¯ll have to fortify the place. Like this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try calling some help after all,¡± said Salom as he was being raised back to his wheelchair by two helpful people, his feet dragging on the ground.

    ¡°We can also barricade the entrance¡­ yeah, that thing could tear a metal door, but surely it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±

    Only black ashes remained from what used to be such a fearsome beast. Salom noted that their current theory seemed to hold. He could only hope that they would manage to capture some of those beasts¡ªand keep them safe and locked¡ªand study them to find even further weaknesses, or some way of stopping this whole mess.

    But first, he had to survive this current wave, which was far from over.

    Stard soared through the cold air, heading to the edge of the mountain, not too far from the building that served as the Observatory. There were obviously no people inside right now, but the very edge of the mountain housed a small town that also included most of the Observatory¡¯s workers. A unit had been stationed there to protect the area, but owing to the difficult landscape they¡¯d found themselves in a pickle and so had called for Stard¡¯s help. Judging it to be the currently weakest defensible area, he prioritized it.

    He¡¯d also received some brief contact from Salom, but told him to try and get hold of the city¡¯s guardians. It might have seemed cold, treating his old friend like this, but both men knew that Stard wanted to act as efficiently as possible during war.

    Battles around the edge of the mountain also presented the problem of potential avalanches that could affect many inhabitants all around, so they had to fight very prudently, limiting them further.

    Closing in on a group fighting atop a wide cliff, Stard drew his second sword, the thin saber commonly called Windbreaker. A trite name, yet again, but Stard cared not how the people called it as long as the weapon could serve to protect them.

    ¡°Stand back!¡± he called to the soldiers, holding the sword under his body with both hands. They all sent final slashes or stabs at the enemies to keep them away, retreating to allow Stard to act.

    He glanced at the body of the blade¡ªobviously inscribed with a line of complex yet very tiny icons¡ªfor a brief moment, then swung it upwards and to the right.

    What followed was a blast of wind so powerful it blew away the monster standing immediately in front of him in accordance with the movements of his blade, knocked off another one and momentarily stunned a third. The weapon named Windbreaker actually used the channel of movement¡ªStard¡¯s specialty¡ªmore than the channel of wind, but it combined both of them for a powerful kinetic assault.

    Such heavy targets wouldn¡¯t be blown away in such an exaggerated manner, but this was once again an example of the monsters¡¯ weakness. The one to have received the full brunt of the attack soared up and above, vanishing behind the other side of the mountain. It would probably be smashed at the bottom or fall into the sea below¡ªwhich should be enough to kill it.

    By the time the other beasts recovered for another attack Stard completed another swing. Windbreaker was powerful, but quite slow; he would have opted to use Windburner again if not for the presence of other soldiers and houses nearby.

    Even so, with the help from the nation¡¯s most powerful warrior, the unit finally managed to mostly repel and contain the current area safely. Receiving contact of another area in danger, Stard bid them farewell and yet again got into the sky.

    He was growing tired, but Stard already knew¡ªthey were headed for victory.

    Levia found herself extremely bored.

    Sure, she knew she shouldn¡¯t feel like that, but she couldn¡¯t control it, either. It was hard enough acting emotions, so stopping those that actually existed? Thinking of it, though, boredom was less of an emotion and more a state of being¡­ she was so bored she was even beginning to consider such philosophical arguments in her own mind.

    As the one and only Queen, she was obviously housed in the best of shelters¡ªthe not-so-secret underground area beneath the castle that also led to the base of the mountain and contained a few heavily barred rooms. With three brawny soldiers inside and a dozen outside, there could be no safer place in the entire kingdom; not even the other nobles currently residing underground received this sort of protection for a single person, much to Lord Qumisson¡¯s chagrin.

    She wanted Saburn to also come to one of those shelters, but he¡¯d refused. Apparently, he preferred going to the shelter in the University. Foolish man. He was a noble, so he was entitled to better protection, but oh well.

    Anyway, this isolation also resulted in extreme boredom. She obviously couldn¡¯t talk to her bodyguards and not even her Chamberlain was allowed in there. To say nothing of Salom and Stard, the only two people she could openly mess around with.

    How childish I am, she mused. But she couldn¡¯t help it. When she was an actual child, she acted rebelliously to elicit a response from her father and other people around her¡­ and it became a habit. Of course, even by her teens she learned how to hide it, but people like her late husband had always been able to see through her, once they knew what to look for.

    Almost all of the emotions from the people underground were anxiety and tension. Uninteresting and uninstructive, so this too got her bored. She almost wished she could be outside, watching the fighting, all those soldiers fighting for her sake¡ªor for the kingdom¡¯s sake. But, well, she couldn¡¯t protect herself from anything. She was perhaps childish and indulgent, but not quite that stupid.

    She would receive some reports from her communication device, from time to time, but that wasn¡¯t the same at all. And they hadn¡¯t told her anything interesting, either, simply announcing the situation of such and such sector. At the very least she was able to understand that things were going quite well.

    Levia was almost about to drift off to sleep (it was nighttime, after all) when the rectangular piece of metal started glowing again. That was a sign that a message had been sent.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said Stard¡¯s voice, ¡°we have won.¡±

    Oh? She focused on the interweaved icons again, then spoke. ¡°Is the wave truly over, Stard?¡±

    It was actually much faster than expected¡ªthe evening of that first wave, when she¡¯d been taken away to safety during supper, felt especially long, but the hourglass standing nearby in the room indicated that only a few hours passed into the night.

    ¡°More or less, Your Majesty,¡± said Stard¡¯s voice after a short delay, ¡°we contained the assault and most of the fighting ended.¡±

    ¡°Good work. Clean up everything and report to me as soon as you can,¡± Levia instructed.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    The soldiers behind her had definitely heard this conversation; she could feel their relief clearly. However, she knew she wouldn¡¯t be allowed out yet¡ªthey would wait for a messenger to confirm that the wave was over, then carefully check the area around the castle, then check the underground area, and only once everything had been deemed safe she would finally escape this boredom.

    Being the one and only ruler of the state had many advantages, but it also had at least as many inconveniences.

    After an hour or so, Levia was finally released. Still accompanied by many guards just in case, she made her way above ground. Of course, even though the wave was over there would be no rest for her just yet (ironically, now she really wanted to sleep); she would still need to hear the military reports, ascertain the damages and convey further orders. Meaning, a few more hours of a complete pain, but at least not spent in utter boredom.

    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±

    Turning around, she saw Swen running toward her, panting. She could feel confusion and urgency from him.

    ¡°Have you been worried?¡± she asked him gently, smiling. ¡°I have been completely safe, of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I was worried for you, Your Majesty, but I knew that you were fully protected.¡± He paused for second, catching his breath. ¡°But there was an urgent message, directed for your ears only¡ª¡±

    Levia raised a brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. She glanced down at the communication device she was holding, just in case; if Stard wanted to send a message for her he would have used that. Saburn would, too. All others messages shouldn¡¯t be urgent enough to reach her so quickly. Unless it was something to do with the nobles¡­ some move of Lord Qumisson, perhaps?

    But her guess proved to be dead wrong.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ Your Majesty, the¡­¡± Swen mumbled, but then looked around. The guards appeared nervous at his demeanor, standing near their queen. ¡°This is important. I must speak to you alone.¡±

    There were only two matters relating to the kingdom secretive enough to elicit such a response, and her Chamberlain knew about only one of them, but that one was¡­ odd. She could understand his emotions, but not read his thoughts.

    ¡°Leave us for a bit,¡± she ordered the guards behind.

    ¡°But¡­ Your Majesty, the time right after the attack is the most¡ª¡±

    ¡°I trust Swen completely,¡± Levia barked. She was impatient, and that came out in a suitable tone of annoyance. ¡°I just need you far enough to not hear us, do not worry. Get on with it, now.¡±

    There was silence except for the clutter of the guards¡¯ armor as they stepped ahead in the gloomy corridor. Still anxious, Swen pressed closer to her¡ªhe was a tall man, so he towered over her as he did so. Of course, he kept the proper, polite distance from her, but he needed to get close enough to speak.

    ¡°We have received a message,¡± he proclaimed very softly, ¡°on the Heavenly Board.¡±

    Her eyes widened. Even knowing it was the only possible subject he could have alluded to, it still came as a shock. Not even once during her reign as a Queen had such a thing happened; it was always there, active, and messages were periodically sent from it, though less in recent times, but never to it. It was sensational. Revolutionary, even. Possibly a historical moment.

    For it meant that Plainland was, after all these years, once again in contact with the phantasmal and legendary Fairland.

    Clouds spill the rain of wrath

    A foul day to choose a path

 Chapter 15: Through Fire

    The two boys and two girls once again paced toward the throne, facing the Ruler¡¯s vain gaze.

    Acrus was, of course, unchanged. The coldness in their eyes and the aloofness of their posture were all the same as when they¡¯d last met. Their kingdom and capital have all gone through a terrible battle, but they alone were unaffected¡ªas if they were above everything.

    Niu gulped without thinking. After the first impression of beauty, she started liking this extravagant wooden palace less and less. Even living in its chambers for quite a few days now, she was still unaccustomed to their grandness. She had been living in a very small room for years, after all.

    But most of all she was afraid of their summoning. All things considered, they made a job well done¡ªor so she thought, even if she knew she herself had nothing to do with it. Gen, however, nearly paid for it with his life. She¡¯d also heard that Shaya and Roah had their own difficulties.

    She, alone, did nothing¡­ and would the Ruler of Kalden hold that against her? She could almost imagine, with great horror, Acrus ordering the return to Plainland of all her friends except for her. Would she be thrown into the dungeon, worked again to prove herself worthy, or simply executed on the spot?

    No, that was silly. What was it about the Ruler that led to her having such dark thoughts? She had to believe that somehow everything was going to turn out alright. She just prayed for them to get it over with, whatever it was.

    It was then that Acrus finally began to speak. Still unable to understand the language, Niu could do nothing but wait, clenching her fists. Only once Acrus finished talking would Seele translate any relevant thing to them. And they spoke a lot, glancing from time to time at their audience, as if daring anyone to contradict them.

    Niu snuck just a quick glance at her companions. Even Roah, who¡¯d already demonstrated a basic understanding of the language, showed no signs other than impatience. Was the Ruler simply making some eloquent speech? It certainly sounded that way from their tone.

    Acrus suddenly raised a finger toward the ceiling and there was a sudden general murmur of surprise. Even Aisbroom, ever calm and collected, cast a somewhat confused glance at their leader. Seele looked positively shocked, and then the Ruler said something while looking at them.

    Seele froze for a while, but then turned to Niu and the rest and began to talk. ¡°The Ruler, ah, thanks you for your service. He heard about everything you did, and is grateful for it, so¡­ apparently, he already sent a message to the land of light. Uh, that¡¯s your world.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Roah was the first to blurt out.

    ¡°Message to our¡­ they actually¡­?¡± mumbled Gen in disbelief.

    Niu and Shaya exchanged equally shocked glances for a split moment, but then hurriedly averted them; they still weren¡¯t quite back on speaking terms.

    A message had already been sent? Niu was sure that the Ruler of Kalden was merely playing with them, ready to engage in countless conditions and negotiations¡ªwith success in the second wave being one of them¡ªbut it had already been done? Perhaps they weren¡¯t as cruel as Niu thought they were. Seele never seemed happy when talking about Acrus, but perhaps they were a fair Ruler after all.

    Acrus then shouted something. All of them flinched, looking back at Acrus¡¯s furious blue eyes staring at them as they began to speak. Seele immediately bowed their head, their lips mumbling a voiceless apology, perhaps.

    Acrus waited for a few moments and then continued for a while, finally letting Seele translate it again.

    ¡°Ah, he says that a message was sent, but the thing used to send it was a bit, ah, what¡¯s the word? Defective? Anyway, it is something very old, but we did manage to get in contact with your side. He wants to¡­ well, use you to get their cooperation, I¡¯m sorry¡­ but the other side¡¯s interested in you! There¡¯s talks right now, so you don¡¯t need to worry. Just stay quiet, this time.¡±

    They were, again, quite surprised by this speech¡¯s contents, but heeded to Seele¡¯s warning to not make the Ruler angry again.

    Niu knew that the Ruler was still treating them as pawns for whatever they had in mind. All previous positive thoughts were gone from her at that point. Were all these politics simply way over her head, was the fairies¡¯ thinking too alien to hers, or was Acrus just a bad person? She definitely couldn¡¯t reach an answer. She could only lightly bite her lips while waiting for them to resume.

    Seemingly pleased with their response, the Ruler started speaking again and then waved a hand. ¡°We¡¯ve been dismissed,¡± explained Seele and turned away, starting to walk. Niu followed them toward the exit. Only Roah turned back for a moment, perhaps to gaze at the king, but quickly came as well. ¡°Acrus said that you have, ah, you are worthy of rest, and¡­¡±

    ¡°Be blunt, now that Aisbroom isn¡¯t with us,¡± muttered Roah.

    Seele hesitated for a second. ¡°Well, he just said to wait until he summons us again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still using ¡®he¡¯ for everyone, huh?¡± Roah asked.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not her native language,¡± said Gen, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s already strange that¡ª¡±

    ¡°You just made the same mistake,¡± Roah quickly interjected. ¡°Remember, they¡¯re not like us. You should treat them differently, because they are different. ¡­No offense, Seele.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, I suppose,¡± answered Seele hesitatingly. They seemed to be unable to follow the flow of the conversation. ¡°Oh, and I forgot to mention you¡¯re summoned to tonight¡¯s planting¡­ party? No, I don¡¯t think that''s the right word¡­¡±

    ¡°Planting party?¡± asked Shaya, contemplative. ¡°Is that for, I don¡¯t know, planting new trees after the battle or something?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you understand. But that¡¯s not all.¡± Seele¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°It¡¯s more a¡­ event meant to honor the dead. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    As usual, after everyone left the throne room, only a few guards and Aisbroom remained behind. Acrus turned their head, a smug smile on their face. ¡°Were you upset to hear about the message I have sent without consulting you?¡± they asked.

    ¡°Upset?¡± replied Aisbroom, their face unyielding, as they paced in front of the throne. ¡°No. Surprised, yes. Also confused as to why this was kept a secret from me. Was there any particular reason?¡±

    ¡°Not really," Acrus readily admitted, lazily waving a hand. ¡°I just wanted to see your face during the announcement. Your reaction was too subdued, though. I was disappointed. Oh well, perhaps next time.¡±

    ¡°And was what you told them was the truth?¡± Aisbroom asked, completely ignoring the Ruler¡¯s provocations.

    ¡°Oh, so you dare suggest I would lie?¡± Acrus asked back, yet his tone contained no indignation or anger, merely amusement. ¡°But yes, I was truthful. I have indeed sent a message, and I have received a reply, and we are working on fixing that old Faerie Transmitter. Never thought I¡¯d use that piece of junk, but we have come to this. And, speaking of the truth¡­¡± Acrus paused for a moment, surveying the surroundings as if to ascertain no guard was listening in on their conversation. Acrus then asked softly. ¡°Any reports about the fairies?¡±

    ¡°You mean the ones who just left?¡± Aisbroom replied just as softly, drawing closer.

    ¡°No, I am referring to the new faeries found.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. There were less, this time, but some were indeed found again¡ªall of them as mangled corpses, just like last time.¡±

    The relevant mechanism was still under investigation, but there was one thing for certain. The four faerie children coming to this world was no fluke; only their survival itself was, perhaps, miraculous. Once they were found, Kalden also received reports from all over the kingdom about other such fairies found, albeit dead.

    And that was just as well. Four was enough as is. They were creating enough of a stir by their mere existence, let alone if one took in account some of them, such as Roah.

    Aisbroom heard even Ariboh, of all people, praising the boy¡¯s actions during the wave. Aisbroom had obviously also spoken with the people that helped him back then, and most of them were just as impressed. They felt that Roah¡¯s actions were praiseworthy and that he¡¯d truly helped protect Kalden.

    That child definitely had a hand in the fire¡­ but why? Aisbroom sought answers fervently, combing through all possible sources that weren¡¯t asking Roah himself. They simply had to know what that faerie was scheming.

    Even so, Aisbroom did not share any of their suspicions with the Ruler.

    While the great fire had been extinguished rather quickly, it still led to some damage. The great old Twintree with its sturdy, thick trunk was mostly unaffected, but there were many bald patches of ground all around it, with the remains of smaller trees having already been cleared away. Around each area was a small gathering of perhaps a couple dozen fairies¡ªand some others among them, as well.

    ¡°So this is war,¡± Gen mumbled dejectedly, looking more at the ground below his feet than at the coffins laid on the ground in the center of each circle.

    His hand was slightly shaking. He hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about it, but Niu assumed that the situation had been quite traumatic for him. He¡¯d not only seen the death of fairies right in front of his eyes, but even caused the death of a few of his enemies. That was probably weighing on his mind.

    ¡°But what are they going to¡­¡± started Shaya, but Seele tapped on her shoulder.

    ¡°I will explain later. Just watch for now,¡± they instructed.

    Niu could almost feel tears rising to her eyes, too. She¡¯d probably seen at least a few of these people during the battle, after all. Watching from above as they all died, and being able to save only one of them¡­ even if this wasn¡¯t her world or her people, death was still sad.

    Back home, they would sometimes pray for the soul of the deceased to be accepted by the Gods; here, though, the fairies abhorred the Gods, so what would they do? As if to answer the question, a tall fairy clad in a brilliant white dress went to the center of the gathering.

    They began a speech, and Niu was surprised to find herself already somewhat recognizing some words here and there, though of course even its general meaning still alluded her. It was not hard to guess, however, based on the solemn tone and the stern expression of everyone around, that this was more or less the sort of speech expected for the occasion. And completely different from Acrus¡¯s long-winded provocations.

    Next, the dress-wearing fairy held up what appeared to be a rock. Or so Niu thought, but she realized with a start that it was actually a seed. Seele had called it (after a quick consulting to find the proper vocabulary) a Planting Ceremony, after all¡­ the fairy lowered to the ground gently, covering the seed with ground and patting it flat. They then nodded, rose to their feet and began talking again with hands raised in the air. Upon being finished they lowered their hands again, and, as if taking it as a signal, a few fairies stepped forward from the crowd, armed with shovels. They began piling dirt on top of the wooden coffins.

    Niu turned around to check her friends¡¯ reaction to all this, when she noticed someone unexpected¡ªAisbroom had snuck behind them at some point. Specifically, they were behind Roah at the moment, and Niu could hear a sudden whisper.

    ¡°I know you did it.¡±

    Roah startled and turned around, but by that time Aisbroom had already turned back, slipping into the crowd. Niu approached him, tilting her head as she caught his eye.

    ¡°What was that about? I have no idea,¡± he said plainly. The fact that he was slightly averting his eyes was suspicious, but other than that he seemed only confused.

    ¡°Yeah right,¡± interjected Gen. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you, anyway?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no deal whatsoever.¡±

    ¡°Ah, let¡¯s move¡­¡± whispered Seele, seeing that a few eyes were focusing on their small conversation. The two boys said nothing more and went away with the rest of the crowd.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± said Shaya, ¡°wasn¡¯t that touching? Well, not the speech, I didn''t understand it of course,¡± she hurriedly said, ¡°but it feels¡­ right for them to bury the dead like this.¡±

    Gen scratched his head. ¡°I guess so. It is a nice ceremony¡­ er, not that I mean to diminish the meaning of all this, or anything.¡± He glanced at Seele, who was smiling.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand what you mean,¡± they said. ¡°We focus on the trees and plants that come from¡­ ah, you know, death creates life, and all that. So don¡¯t feel bad. How do you fairies do it, then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not too different, actually. We also bury them in the ground like this. We have graveyards and sometimes even tombstones¡­ err, it¡¯s a piece of stone with some written description of the person buried inside,¡± explained Gen.

    ¡°There are also places where they burn the dead and put their ashes inside boxes,¡± added Roah. If Niu remembered correctly, those were the customs of Sacrona.

    ¡°Ah, I see. Different customs in different places.¡±

    ¡°Do you always bury your dead like this, then?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Most of the time. But sometime we do other¡­ like creating laborers, for example.¡±

    Hearing that, everyone stopped in place, shocked. They glanced first at Seele, and then sent apprehensive gazes at the silent TriX who stood nearby. Seele raised their eyebrows.

    ¡°Oh, did I not explain this before?¡±

    ¡°Nope, you haven¡¯t,¡± said Gen, furrowing his brows.

    ¡°TriX only told us a bit about laborers,¡± added Roah. With everything they had on their minds ever since coming to Kalden, it was no wonder that some information about this culture was still missing. Perhaps they were never going to find out everything.

    ¡°Do you actually¡­ I mean¡­¡± Shaya stared a bit frightfully at TriX. ¡°You¡¯re not actually a-a corpse, are you?¡±

    ¡°A corpse? Oh, no,¡± said Seele, shaking their head.

    ¡°I was created using, organic remnants,¡± TriX itself explained in response. ¡°I was told that this, is the only way to create, life such as myself.¡±

    ¡°Creating artificial life¡­ using the dead?¡± said Roah, widening his eye. ¡°How interesting.¡±

    ¡°I-I think it¡¯s kinda¡­¡± Gen started, but bit back his words with a pause. ¡°Hmm, no, I guess I shouldn¡¯t judge a different culture too harshly.¡±

    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re finally learning something,¡± quipped Roah.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear that from you.¡±

    Meanwhile, Niu pulled out her slate and scribbled a question, jutting it out just in time to stop one of the boys¡¯ usual squabbles with great timing as usual. How do laborers produce energy, then? Do they need food or anything like that? She asked that while recalling that TriX had never actually eaten with them.

    Seele smiled. ¡°Oh, yes. They get everything they need from there,¡± they then pointed upwards to the treetops.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°The trees?¡± asked Gen, confused.

    ¡°Seele probably means the sky¡ªmore precisely, the sun,¡± explained Roah.

    Niu naturally looked up the sky as well. While the luscious forest hid most of the rays of the sun, plenty of sunlight still came through, otherwise Kalden would be under constant darkness. In fact, it was much brighter than she would have expected it to be.

    ¡°We have places to charge,¡± explained TriX. ¡°They absorb the powers, of the sun and feed, them to us.¡±

    Thinking about it, plants harnessed the energy of the sun as well, and they¡¯d already known that TriX¡¯s body was made of some sort of unique fungus. There was some sort of process¡ªNiu forgot the name¡ªwith which plants converted sunlight to energy, so it was probably related to that.

    ¡°Photosynthesis? Pretty useful,¡± said Roah, complementing her thoughts.

    ¡°Fotosin¡­¡± mumbled Seele. ¡°Is that what it is?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what our people call it,¡± said Roah with a shrug. ¡°Anyway, so was that the purpose of the sun room back in your base?¡±

    ¡°Oh right, I forgot about that,¡± said Gen. Despite his obvious dislike of the other boy, he seemed impressed at that conclusion.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± said Seele, impressed as well. ¡°Nothing escapes you, huh?¡± they giggled. "But now, I think we should go back¡ªor maybe you can watch them cover the ground. I think that would be fine.¡±

    For a while all of them stood there, almost in silence, watching as all the coffins were buried and the ground flattened. The blood of the fallen would serve to sprout new seeds¡ªseeing that felt sad, but also full of strange hope, Niu felt.

    Far, far away¡ªliterally a world apart¡ªthe Queen of Rumdon and two other men sat for yet another meeting. They had come to the palace as soon as they heard the news; Salom had retired to his house to rest immediately after the wave had been confirmed over, while Stard had obviously been busy with finishing up some army business. Now it was the following late afternoon, and while the both of them were still fatigued and lacked sleep, it was an urgent summon.

    Keeping everything as confidential as possible, Levia had only just then told them the nature of the meeting. This elicited the expected response.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe,¡± muttered Salom, his eyes wide, ¡°that this is actually happening.¡±

    ¡°I would have asked why that message came just now¡­ but the answer should be obvious,¡± said Stard, crossing his arms. ¡°Just like us, they are faced with an unprecedented crisis, after all.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Such a crisis that, after all these years, they yet again reach out to us,¡± added Levia. ¡°Not to forget their claim that they have some of our countrymen in custody, to boot.¡±

    ¡°¡­That is the part I find difficult to believe, truth be told,¡± admitted Salom. ¡°It simply does not sound possible. How could they have gone all the way over there?¡± he raised an arm as if to point at the great distances through the ceiling. ¡°Have they provided any proof?¡±

    ¡°Not yet¡ªthey claim that they wish to prepare for a full conversation, first. But would they use such a method, abandoned for a long time, and seek us, just to throw an easily discernible lie at us?¡± Levia asked back. ¡°Furthermore, is that really as impossible as it sounds? These monsters also came here from far, far away.¡±

    ¡°The tentacles,¡± Salom said in sudden understanding, nodding, ¡°but is it really possible? The journey should be too long, judging by our observations.¡±

    Stard¡¯s forehead creased as he began to speak. ¡°Actually, I have seen some things. When I struck the tentacles down, they would sometimes squirm, taking people along with them¡­ I have watched my soldiers get thrown into the skies, or into a¡­¡± at this he stopped, lowering his face with visible regret and frustration and shook his head.

    ¡°That still does not explain much. I mean, in that situation they wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Salom trailed off, but then shook his head as well. ¡°I suppose there is still much we don¡¯t know about these monsters, so perhaps it is too early to say what¡¯s impossible or not.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of monsters,¡± said Levia, ¡°I have heard that only one has been successfully caught alive¡­ what a pity. I expected more.¡± There was the tone of a well-calculated disappointment in her voice, but both men already knew her too much to be affected by that.

    ¡°I have not gone through all the reports, yet, but it was apparently a very difficult capture indeed. It seems like regular cages don¡¯t work well on these monsters; only one icon-enhanced trap was able to do the trick, and it was still very risky.¡±

    Salom recalled, then, how easily the monster had broken into the shelter¡¯s reinforced doors; that matter would have to be checked as part of this investigation as well. Already a few hypotheses simmered in his mind.

    Levia started drumming with her fingers on the table before speaking again. ¡°Well, better one than none. To be honest, Saburn, I am unsure where to send you first¡ªto study that dreadful beast, or work on establishing communication with the old equipment.¡±

    ¡°If I may,¡± he said in reply, ¡°I suggest we get Miss Mallew to work on the latter. True, it means getting another person into our conspiracy, but she will definitely be able to handle it.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Quite the big compliment coming from someone who knew her only very recently,¡± said Levia with a smile.

    ¡°Then take that as a sign of her competency and trustworthiness.¡±

    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about her,¡± added Stard. ¡°She is a tad overexcited, perhaps, but not the sort to spill state secrets. I guarantee this. She¡¯s been working with the military for a while now, after all.¡±

    ¡°Ah, how rare to hear such words of praise from you, and for a woman as well,¡± said Levia, snickering. ¡°Very well, then; if you believe she is both reliable and mission-critical, I shall add her to our plan. Which brings us to another point.¡± Levia straightened her back and leaned back in her chair, as if mulling over something unpleasant. ¡°Assuming those fairies are telling are the truth¡­ do we really need our alleged citizens back?¡±

    These were cold words, but not unexpected ones. In fact, Salom himself wondered about the same issue and had the feeling that the Queen would raise it at some point.

    ¡°That depends on their identity,¡± Salom said carefully.

    ¡°True. But they are probably no one truly important. For example, there aren¡¯t any missing people among the nobles¡ªelse dear Lord Qumisson would have rubbed it in my face.¡±

    ¡°They might be soldiers, then,¡± said Stard. ¡°There were many missing in action, so if what we hypothesized just now is true¡ªsome of them might have been whisked away during the first wave.¡±

    ¡°Could be citizens as well. It is hard to say what happened in all of the countless villages and towns around.¡± Salom slightly winced.

    ¡°Well, never mind their identity, this whole business is suspicious; those fairies intend to dangle them in front of us as bait, I am sure. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have made contact with us at such timing. Especially not when they¡¯d ended it so suddenly before¡ªbut, well, none of us had been part of this project at the time, so let us not judge that based on second-hand details. Still. If nothing else, they are scheming something¡­ so we need to be prepared for that.¡± Levia moved her eyes from Salom to Stard and back. Both were clearly anxious.

    ¡°Yes. Now that you mention it, I cannot shake the feeling that something bad is going on,¡± Salom said. ¡°But first, we need more information. Only then will we be able to ascertain what they need from us.¡±

    Salom clenched his fists. As if an otherworldly invasion wasn¡¯t trouble enough, there were still more to come. This really shouldn¡¯t have happened like this.

    ¡°Now, explain¡ªhow, exactly, does the Faerie Transmitter work?¡±

    The third greatest tree of Kalden, Armonia¡ªalso known as the Beacon. It was given that name because, despite not being quite as tall as the other great trees, it was much more conspicuous. The reason being that it was the most suitable for gathering solar energy from the sun during the day, which it then used to cast a guiding light at night. Losing sight of the capital of Kalden was impossible as long as Armonia operated.

    This gathering of solar energy had, of course, many other uses, including a charging station for the city¡¯s robots, as well as some secret ones, such as the room Aisbroom was now scrutinizing.

    Aisbroom had actually never been there; they were still too young and inexperienced during the time it was used, but now Acrus decided to restart the project. It was finally time for Aisbroom to check this place.

    ¡°I-it, umm,¡± said the person sitting in front of what looked like a large bulb, twice their size, and quite obviously nervous at the presence of Aisbroom, ¡°both receives¡ªand sends¡ªsignals of light. There is a certain, code, shall we call it¡ª¡±

    ¡°How does it send it?¡± Aisbroom interjected.

    ¡°There are light runes.¡± The person pointed to a series of complex runes tattooed to the surface of the pulsating, green bulb. ¡°They¡¯re connected to the solar leaves so that we can control¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do they see this all the way from the other world?¡± Aisbroom demanded.

    ¡°They¡­ yes, they do. Of course, that only works during certain hours of the day, and¡­ and as for receiving their correspondence, they apparently use some sort of message magic to transmit it directly to¡­ here.¡± They pointed at yet another bulb pulsating nearby, this one green and with a different set of runes on it. ¡°They can apparently, uh, transmit messages to this approximate location, and we use this to capture them¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem very confident about the workings of this,¡± noted Aisbroom.

    The other person gulped. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ none of us have ever used this before. We¡¯re still learning, so¡­ the messages are still a bit lacking¡­¡±

    Aisbroom sighed. Perhaps they were expecting too much from a device that hadn¡¯t been used for so long. Looking at it like that, it was actually admirable that they managed to get it to work at all. No use being so stingy about it.

    ¡°Keep up the good work,¡± said Aisbroom with a smile to the complete bafflement and shock of the other person.

    In one of the secret rooms beneath the castle, a certain young woman was speaking to a small team of researchers, Salom being among them.

    ¡°The Queen should be here any minute, right?¡± asked Mallew. Her voice was both excited and anxious. There were dark circles under her eyes¡ªthose had developed even before the second wave, but with her current work they grew even deeper¡ªbut she still seemed peppy and full of energy.

    In fact, she still seemed just as thrilled as when she had been first been brought to work on this communication device. There was really nothing that slowed Mallew down.

    ¡°Yes. And thanks to you everything seems to be in order,¡± said Salom, still gazing at the apparatus known as the Heavenly Board, or Boards rather. The pair looked very much like ancient stone tablets, except that they were made of metal and raised on a pedestal. As expected, there were many icons etched all over their length¡ªall of them new, in fact. These last few days were hectic as Salom, Mallew and a handful of other people all worked around the clock to renew the equipment based on old records and new innovations.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do much,¡± Mallew said while smiling.

    It was then that a voice came from the door. ¡°Announcing the arrival of Her Majesty!¡±

    All the people present except for Salom stood up and straightened their backs. Inside came Levia, accompanied by Stard. Usually, she would have been with several guards at her side, but since the entire room was heavily classified, they settled for the General¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Greeting,¡± said the Queen, lightly smiling. ¡°Be at ease.¡± She then scanned the Heavenly Boards with her eyes. ¡°My, these look interesting. Yes, I can even understand some of the icons, there¡­ superb work.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you, Your Majesty!¡± blurted Mallew without thinking. It took everything Salom had to not sigh at that moment.

    Levia stepped forward toward the dais, with Stard gliding after her.

    ¡°How does this system work, exactly?¡± she asked. ¡°How about you explain it, young lady?¡± Her lips curled. She definitely did this on purpose.

    ¡°Gladly, Your Majesty,¡± said Mallew, a bit more subdued this time. She wet her lips with her tongue. ¡°The right Board is the sender¡ªit is connected to a certain tablet embedded in one of the castle¡¯s top spires, made to launch signals to above the sphere, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I wonder, does it not take too long?¡± the Queen interrupted her. ¡°If those monsters take many days to reach here, then how can we communicate like that?¡±

    ¡°There is a trick to that¡­ Your Majesty,¡± now said Salom. ¡°You see, the information we send doesn¡¯t get sent all the way over there, but lingers in the edge of the world. However, the technology on their side¡ªtheir Heavenly Board, so to speak¡ªcan perceive these signals and translate them.¡±

    Levia seemed to consider this. ¡°Huh. Very interesting¡ªbut I have not asked you to explain, Lord Saburn.¡±

    ¡°¡­My apologizes, Your Majesty,¡± he said, slightly lowering his head.

    At this point the conversation was put on hold due to what happened next. One of the Boards began faintly glowing.

    ¡°Aah, they''re sending a message!¡± called someone. ¡°Copy it down!¡±

    A rather complex array of intermittent yellow lights began appearing and vanishing all over the right Board. Mallew followed them with her eyes while two other researchers frantically scribbled on pieces of paper.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ how was that code developed, by the way?¡± wondered Levia aloud.

    ¡°I hear it had been created during your father¡¯s time, Your Majesty.¡± This time the one to address her was Stard. ¡°It is a military cipher of some sort; I also have rudimentary knowledge of it.¡±

    The lightshow finally stopped and all personnel poured into the gathered notes, comparing and mumbling among themselves in an attempt to decipher it. The Queen watched them expressionlessly, neither curious nor impatient. As long as they were not looking at her, she didn¡¯t have to act any part. So she merely waited.

    At length Salom turned to face her, upon which she wore a slightly expectant smile. ¡°¡­I shall now read the message, Your Majesty. Well, there were a few blanks and possible errors, but the main gist of the message should be intact. The information, as shocking as it is, seems to be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get on with it,¡± she ordered him lazily. She could sense that he was greatly disturbed by something¡ªbut what could it be?

    ¡°Very well: ¡®To negotiate, we first send the names of the persons in our possession: N-I-U. R-O-A-H. G-E-N-R-O. S-H-A-Y-A. They claim to be citizens of your kingdom¡¯.¡± Finishing his report, Salom gulped.

    ¡°Who are they, Lord Saburn?¡± asked Levia.

    ¡°They are¡­ they were¡­ my students,¡± he said, unable to keep his voice and hands from shaking.

    In the other world, Niu was currently wrapped in total darkness.

    She couldn¡¯t see anything and couldn¡¯t even yell for help¡­ but it was probably unneeded. It was just that her and the other three all wore blindfolds and were led around Kalden.

    According to what Seele had explained to them before they underwent this bizarre outing, this was just a precaution. As they were being taken to a classified place under heavy guard, they weren¡¯t allowed to even know where it was. Even so, as someone who lived in Kalden for so little and almost never went around, Niu wouldn¡¯t ever be able to trace her way there, so was that really necessary?

    This being early nighttime, she was already tired, and then she had been made to walk for what seemed like hours, led by an invisible hand in an invisible world. TriX was there at least when they left, so couldn¡¯t they let it carry them? Unfortunately it was too late by the time she thought of that question, and the others were silenced whenever they attempted to speak.

    This unique form of torture ended quite abruptly. They all stopped in place for longer than before, and then a voice spoke.

    ¡°You can take them off,¡± said Aisbroom.

    When Niu timidly reached for her blindfold and finally removed it, she thought she turned blind for a moment, but then realized they were simply inside a dark room and their eyes still needed to adjust. It was a wide, circular room with a small dais at the center. Surrounding this dais were about half a dozen fairies.

    ¡°Although I¡¯ve allowed you to remove your blindfold, you must not look at our technology. Am I clear?¡±

    ¡°Are you that afraid we¡¯ll steal it?¡± asked Roah, gazing directly at Aisbroom.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the fairy answered plainly. They then ordered a few of the guards to huddle around them, probably to restrict their view even further. ¡°You are here just in case we will need you to provide some information. We have actually already started the correspondence for today.¡±

    ¡°The correspondence¡­ with our Queen, that is?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°We shall shortly see if they really have a need for you,¡± said Aisbroom, causing Gen to frown.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine,¡± added Seele from the side.

    Meanwhile, Niu noticed a flash coming from the direction of the dais. She couldn¡¯t see what was going there due to the obstructing guards and hurriedly averted her gaze anyway, recalling that they were forbidden looking there.

    There was a rustle of papers and Aisbroom stepped forward, making their way from between the guards.

    ¡°Feels like we¡¯re being put up on auction or something¡­¡± mumbled Gen indignantly.

    ¡°¡­I just hope they¡¯ll work out something,¡± said Shaya, looking at the floor with her fingers intertwined.

    Niu could somewhat hear the hushed discussion among the fairies, but couldn¡¯t really understand it. Instead she looked at Roah who seemed just as focused on it as she were; perhaps he did understand something? He was already actually learning the language.

    In a short while Aisbroom came back, an undecipherable expression on their face. ¡°Congratulations; it seems you are wanted over there.¡±

    Niu widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± asked Gen, confused.

    ¡°Just what you think I mean. Well, first they are inquiring after a certain detail, just to know if it¡¯s really you. Would you mind answering it?¡±

    ¡°What did they ask?¡± Roah said.

    ¡°Ask for the name of their teacher?¡± Salom mumbled in confusion.

    ¡°Indeed. And why not? That should be easy enough to confirm, right? I doubt these fairies could somehow fake exactly four names of people you know¡­ but even so. Also, wouldn¡¯t hearing this question put your dear students at ease?¡± Levia explained her choice, wearing her usual smile.

    ¡°I¡­ suppose so. I still find this hard to believe, but if it¡¯s really them¡­¡±

    As rational and professional Salom usually was, even he had his limits; hearing that his missing students, whose death he had already accepted, were not just alive but had been somehow transported into another world was obviously quite a shock for him. He even forgot to properly address the Queen, not that she minded.

    ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m sending that question,¡± Mallew took command in the meanwhile.

    It didn¡¯t take long before the Board started flashing again with an answer.

    Mallew smiled and turned to Salom. ¡°Some letters are missing, but it seems to be your name, Professor.¡±

    ¡°Superb,¡± said the Queen, lightly clasping her hands. ¡°Now, we do not have a lot of time¡­ let us see what their demands are. Ask them what they want in return for our citizens. It is important to first find out what the other side wants, before we make any offers of our own.¡±

    ¡°We should be careful not to be too brash, Your Majesty. Remember that, strictly speaking, they have hostages,¡± said Stard from the side.

    Levia sighed. ¡°True. It is a pity we cannot negotiate face to face.¡± Because then I could read their intentions, she thought before continuing. ¡°However, those children appear, currently, to be their one and only card¡ªso I assume they will not throw it away so readily.¡±

    ¡°¡­This still feels like a dream,¡± mumbled Salom with a strange smile as they finished configuring the latest message. ¡°The very fact they somehow arrived there proves that there¡¯s actually a way to pass between the worlds. This is, perhaps, the single greatest discovery in history. I can only hope they respond in kind.¡±

    The color of hope was apparent on the faces of the four faeries; while they were different from humans in many other ways, of that Aisbroom was sure. And it was natural. They have, after all, taken a huge step toward returning to their distant homeland. Even if they were still only negotiating, it was better than doing and knowing nothing at all.

    But that negotiation was the exact problem. The next message that came from Plainland asked for their demands.

    Acrus knew it was likely that the faeries would ask this, but I¡¯d still rather let them handle this negotiation directly, thought Aisbroom. The Ruler relegated this very important task to Aisbroom, for some reason.

    Was it a test? Acrus was surprisingly a charismatic leader, but one that often took some incomprehensible actions as if they treated their status like some sort of a game. Perhaps Acrus just didn¡¯t want to bother with it.

    It wasn¡¯t that Aisbroom came there unprepared, though. They had actually received a precise list of demands to be made to the other world. These were only preliminary, of course, but Acrus¡¯s orders were still utterly ridiculous. Aisbroom simply relayed them.

    ¡°Write back the following message. And the wording must be precise on that, no matter how long it takes you to send it,¡± Aisbroom ordered the researchers gathered around the bulb.

    While they all waited, Aisbroom glanced for just a moment at the other group on the other side of the room. What would the faeries think of such a ridiculous offer?

    ¡°Our demands in exchange for your citizens are the following,¡± Aisbroom finally began to dictate, reading from a page. ¡°First, reveal any and all information you possess about the attacks by the Beasts. Second, you must promise to work on better methods of communication, and to work on a theoretical method of transportation. Third, you must pass us such quantities of materials that we see fit, including, but not limited to, wood, stone, and especially metal. Fourth¡­¡±

    At this point Aisbroom paused for a moment. None of them would say anything, but even those measly conditions already caused all the people to look at Aisbroom, eyes wide. Aisbroom couldn¡¯t even imagine their reaction to the one, final request.

    ¡°You must offer us half of your kingdom. The last item is non-negotiable.¡±

    We fly, though unaware

    Through the fire waiting there

 Chapter 16: Coldest Ice

    Even Levia felt simply shocked. Levia, the one who could smile elegantly even in front of her bitter enemies who would use any and all means to kick her off the throne, was utterly befuddled. She was speechless once they read out the new message to her, and that was despite her having already read the extremely confused and disturbed minds of Salom and the rest while they had deciphered it. Even that hadn¡¯t prepared her enough for this.

    ¡°¡­Is this some sort of joke, Lord Saburn?¡± she asked in monotone after a short, heavy silence.

    ¡°I wish it was, Your Majesty.¡±

    Levia frowned then turned her head upwards, as if something to help her would be written on the room¡¯s dreary ceiling. At length she sighed. ¡°What a shock.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re insane,¡± pointed Stard.

    ¡°Perhaps so¡­ but we might need to consider this.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± this time Stard was the one in shock.

    ¡°Do not misunderstand me¡ªof course I am not going to agree to the conditions stated as they are,¡± she explained, waving her hand. ¡°However, there is something important to keep in mind in any negotiation¡­ what, exactly, do we stand to lose if we surrender everything that they asked us to?¡±

    ¡°Way too much¡­ Your Majesty,¡± said Salom.

    ¡°I shall go over it in detail and perhaps you will understand,¡± said Levia while lightly shaking her head. ¡°The first condition is the simplest one. Since we¡¯re both fighting against the same enemy, then perhaps sharing information isn¡¯t so bad; most of it they could find out on their own even without us.¡±

    ¡°But there could be sensitive information, there, too,¡± said Stard.

    ¡°Yes, now you understand what I am talking about. We cannot simply reveal information willy-nilly¡ªwe will have to carefully consider what we share with them, and they know it. Moving on for now, though. The second condition is working on methods of communication and transportation. Both we intended on doing anyhow, and they¡¯re not asking for any sharing this time¡­ I wonder why.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± suggested Salom, ¡°they thought it would soften the blow of the other clauses, Your Majesty. Then again, notice them stressing that we have to do all this¡­ meaning, they¡¯re not expecting to do any work of their own?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll gladly work on it, but that¡¯s quite impertinent of them,¡± grumbled Mallew, then hurriedly added, ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    Levia regained her usual composure and wore a wide smile. ¡°Yes, so as I said, that condition is inconsequential. The next, however, is quite tricky; they¡¯re asking for materials and they actually don¡¯t fully state what they¡¯re after¡­ this is a condition that, if we agree to it verbatim, would mean they can request whatever they please at that moment. No sane person would overlook that, including them. That is another one we mustn¡¯t agree to.¡±

    ¡°But the final one, Your Majesty, is the most preposterous of all.¡±

    ¡°Half the kingdom, was it?¡± said Levia, placing a finger on her chin. ¡°I do wonder what they mean by this. Is it authority, land, or both? Something else? They want information, resources, and even land¡­ these insolent fairies are rather greedy indeed.¡±

    ¡°Not to mention this is the one they labeled as non-negotiable¡­ They really are out of their minds, Your Majesty,¡± said Salom.

    ¡°True, on the surface it sounds that way. But is it really so? If they realize how utterly ridiculous each and every condition of theirs is, and yet they still present them to us before hearing our conditions, they¡¯re probably playing some sort of dangerous game. Right now, they have a resource that we want and cannot get without their cooperation. But are the lives of four children worth more than all those materials, half the kingdom, et cetera et cetera?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± admitted Salom. It was definitely a pleasant surprise and a genuine shock for him to hear his students were actually alive (and presumably well), but the conditions were clearly, right now, too steep to even consider.

    Levia knew it hurt him, but also knew that Salom was no stranger to painful choices. Still, despite the fairies¡¯ insistence, perhaps it was still salvageable. The negotiations have only just begun.

    ¡°Like I thought, they dangle hostages in front of us to make crazy demands. If so, we have no choice but to even the playing field¡­ if only we had a fairy or two,¡± said the Queen, smirking.

    ¡°Your Majesty, may I speak?¡± Mallew raised her slightly shaking hand as if she was in the classroom. This made Stard slowly shake his head but he said nothing.

    Levia nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Mallew nodded back, taking a deep breath and then clearing her throat. ¡°If several of our citizens somehow managed to arrive at Fairland, it stands to reason that perhaps the opposite also happened¡­ does it not, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Levia agreed. ¡°Has something of the sort happened?¡± she turned her head to Stard.

    ¡°I, at least, have received no such reports, Your Majesty¡­ though I will try and be on the lookout for such information, now that we know its significance,¡± he answered solemnly.

    ¡°Good idea, but don¡¯t count on it. We¡¯ll just have to discuss the terms with them,¡± said Salom.

    ¡°True. I shall have to ponder this for a while, but for now I will devise a small response¡­ Hmm, how shall I word it¡­?¡±

    ¡°Actually, Your Majesty,¡± Salom interjected, ¡°you can no longer do that, right now. We have lost the window already.¡±

    ¡°¡­Meaning?¡±

    ¡°It has grown too dark, Your Majesty,¡± said Salom with an apologetic smile. ¡°We can no longer operate the Heavenly Board with our current method.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the Queen said emotionlessly, then sighed. ¡°How annoying, dealing with them at such a tight window¡ªeven if it gives me more time to think. Well then, I shall have to hope that Miss Mordack here upgrades the system soon.¡± She gave the young woman a knowing smile.

    ¡°Y-yes, Your Majesty! I will do my best!¡± she answered excitedly. The plan was to convert the Heavenly Board to be just like the small communication device that Mallew had helped create, though that would take some time. And the fairies¡¯ cooperation, as well.

    ¡°Well then,¡± said the Queen, rising from her seat. Stard stayed standing (or rather balancing on his prosthetics) but he turned to go to the door, realizing her intentions. ¡°Great work, all of you. Let us meet here tomorrow again.¡± She showed the team a beautiful smile.

    ¡°What have you asked of them?¡±

    It had been several minutes with seemingly nothing happening; the two bulbs on the mysterious dais were completely motionless. Time merely passed and soon went past the deadline¡ªwhere they could no longer receive any messages from the other world. And so, Aisbroom went back to the group of faeries, intending to order the guards to send them back.

    However, when Aisbroom approached, that question was thrust at them. It came from Roah, a fact that surprised even his friends.

    ¡°¡­Do you expect to receive an answer?¡± Aisbroom asked back after a short delay, their eyes set to a fierce gaze directed exclusively at the boy¡¯s single eye, no less fierce.

    ¡°You¡¯re discussing our future here. If we¡¯re the cards you plan on dealing¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be fair to know, at least, what¡¯s at stake here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should argue this¡ª¡± argued Gen in a whisper from behind. Yet both Aisbroom and Roah ignored him.

    ¡°I am unsure what cards are,¡± said Aisbroom, ¡°but you think you have the right to know just because we are using you for negotiation? Ridiculous. Stop with this nonsense.¡± Or I¡¯ll make you stop it myself, their expression seemed to say. They had the kind of gaze that seemed to dare him to do it anyway.

    ¡°I could understand some of it, you know,¡± retorted Roah. ¡°Not enough to really get what you were saying, but there were¡ª¡± he stopped in the middle due to the set of actions that took place then.

    Aisbroom suddenly paced ahead, reaching out with their arm¡ªonly to be met with someone else who suddenly moved to the front as if to shield Roah.

    ¡°T-TriX!¡± Seele shrieked from behind. The blocky laborer stood between the confused Roah and Aisbroom, towering over both of them. ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Seele hurriedly said. ¡°I, I must have forgotten to¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡­No, that is fine,¡± Aisbroom interjected. They took a step back. ¡°It is good that the faeries are well-defended. Now, please take them back.¡± Aisbroom turned away, not responding even when Roah audibly clicked his tongue.

    Without any time to argue, all of them were once again blindfolded and taken outside.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± mumbled Seele. Aisbroom, who wasn¡¯t watching, wondered who that was directed to, but turned around only after they heard them all leave.

    Have I gone too far? They wondered, clenching their teeth. What am I even doing¡­?

    ¡°What were you even doing?¡± asked Gen indignantly.

    As expected, he came down on Roah pretty much as soon as their blindfolds were removed when they finally reached their usual lodgings.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he trying to help us?¡± said Shaya from the side.

    ¡°Yeah, right, he probably had some ulterior motive¡ª¡±

    ¡°I was just making¡ª¡±

    The two boys stopped as they heard Niu¡¯s loud steps growing further. Had she already grown tired of these sorts of arguments between them? ¡°N-Niu, wait¡­!¡± Shaya called out weakly, but that didn¡¯t make the other girl stop. Shaya bit her lips and a moment later, there was a loud thud as Niu slammed her room¡¯s door behind her.

    Roah sighed. ¡°We¡¯re all a mess lately.¡±

    ¡°As if you¡¯re one to¡ªokay, I guess we are,¡± Gen reluctantly admitted, crossing his arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± added Seele. ¡°I wish I knew what I can do for you. I thought t-that at least Aisbroom would treat you fairly, but¡­ no, but I guess that¡¯s the fault of¡­ no, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself!¡± pleaded Shaya, ¡°you¡¯re the one least responsible for this situation, honestly. You know this. You¡¯ve been nothing but kind and helpful.¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Seele replied with a weak smile. They looked toward the corridor, as if still thinking about Niu.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s mostly Roah¡¯s fault,¡± said Gen, his smile exposing that he was mostly just trying to annoy the other boy. So, as typical for him, Roah completely ignored him. He usually only answered to real provocations.

    ¡°More importantly, I have a question.¡± Roah spoke to Seele, who turned back to him. ¡°What was that with TriX earlier? I doubt Aisbroom was really going to do anything to me, but TriX¡¯s actions there¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, that,¡± mumbled Seele. ¡°Well, he¡¯s been, uh, told to behave that way.¡±

    ¡°Is this really the time to discuss this?¡± Gen interrupted.

    Roah didn¡¯t even look at Gen as he answered. ¡°Is there anything else to do? Niu clearly wants to be alone right now and I don¡¯t see any of us solving anything currently. So I¡¯d rather ask about this before I forget.¡±

    Gen said nothing.

    ¡°So, what did you mean by that?¡± Roah returned to the matter at hand.

    ¡°Currently, your safety is my highest priority code,¡± TriX explained itself.

    ¡°Code?¡± Roah raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s a bit difficult to explain, but I can set TriX¡¯s¡­ priority? Is that the word like you said? We call that a code. I did that when we left our base, and kinda forgot about it,¡± Seele explained, wearing an embarrassed smile.

    ¡°So is that like preparing TriX for different roles?¡± asked Gen.

    ¡°What can you order it to do?¡± added Roah.

    ¡°Something like that. I can tell TriX to priority your safety, or I can tell him to priority attacking the enemy instead¡­ or even just run away. Well, I can put pretty much any code, but I have to keep track of everything and it¡¯s a bit hard.¡± Seele giggled. ¡°Of course, TriX¡¯s the one who decides how to act out on that code.¡±

    ¡°Are you the only one who can control it?¡± Shaya joined the conversation. She glanced at the apathetic-looking laborer.

    ¡°Well, I¡­ what¡¯s the word¡­ never mind, the answer is yes and no. We were assigned as partners so I know the code, but anyone could use it.¡±

    ¡°And what''s that code, exactly?¡± Roah asked.

    ¡°I-I can''t tell you that!¡± answered Seele, flustered. ¡°It¡¯s, well, secret.¡±

    ¡°Then I hope you...¡± started Roah, but then closed his mouth, furrowing his brows as he looked at TriX¡¯s imposing and silent form.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Roah shook his head. ¡°No, just don¡¯t tell anyone that code. It could be dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I know that, silly!¡± Seele said with a smile.

    ¡°Is TriX¡­ fine with all that?¡± Shaya asked suddenly. ¡°I mean,¡± she said when several questioning looks were aimed at her, ¡°with being, um, controlled¡­ like that.¡±

    ¡°I am not sure what, you are trying to say,¡± said TriX.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Leave it, Shaya. TriX¡¯s been made that way. Don¡¯t think of it like a normal living creature.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true! TriX can speak and think¡­ what¡¯s the difference from us?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Shaya.¡± The one who said this was, surprisingly, Seele. ¡°It¡¯s true, TriX might not be exactly like us, but he¡¯s¡­ similar enough. I said we¡¯re partners, right? I can¡¯t speak for everyone¡­ but I believe many treat our partners good, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°But what do you think?¡± Shaya asked again, looking directly upward at the laborer.

    TriX slightly craned its head. It was a rather human-like gesture, but was it really the same? ¡°I think of nothing, in particular. This is how I live. I have certain likes, and dislikes, but I work to help, my people."

    ¡°See? TriX is fine with that,¡± said Gen.

    ¡°Well¡­ if that¡¯s what TriX says, I¡¯ll accept it, then,¡± Shaya concluded, puckering her lips.

    ¡°Now, Shaya¡ªI need to discuss something with you, so can you come with me?¡± Gen asked suddenly.

    ¡°W-what?¡± she retorted in surprise and confusion. ¡°Umm, sure.¡± Within seconds the two of them were gone, leaving behind only the boy, the fairy and the laborer.

    ¡°Good night to you,¡± Roah greeted softly and went on his way. He had some thinking to do as well.

    ¡°Well, that was over quickly. Good night,¡± Seele greeted back.

    Niu was slowly sinking into the darkness.

    She could clearly feel it. It was as if her body, mind and soul were all submerged in a deep, pitch-black swamp. She could freely walk and breathe inside, yet at the same time she was shackled and choked, living in a contradiction.

    She had felt the same after Gen¡¯s incident. If she could scream, she would have probably screamed until her throat bled. But instead, all she could do was bear it on the inside, just like always. During that awful time, she couldn''t even look at his face without wanting to cry.

    Yet that, too, came to pass. If nothing else, Niu was adaptable. There were limits, however, and being sent to an alien land was probably one of them. Just like when she lived with her parents without interacting without anyone else. Before she¡¯d been invited to school. Before she met Gen and the others¡­ yes, her friends were with her, but that wasn¡¯t good enough.

    There was Gen, much too sturdy for his young years. Niu aspired to be like him.

    There was Shaya, kind yet frail, smart yet also ignorant. She suffered enough, but also unknowingly made Niu suffer.

    And there was Roah, whom she never managed to fully understand.

    She thought of all of them as her friends, and was almost sure they thought the same, but what if she was wrong?

    A voiceless scream reverberated in her mind again. Perhaps she could send it to them, using her newfound powers¡ªbut she was scared of that, too. If Niu¡¯s condition had any advantages at all, it was that she could compose herself and think properly before expressing herself since she could only do it by writing.

    Otherwise, she would simply shout and cry.

    If she could really send her thoughts to people, wouldn¡¯t that only serve to expose her ugly, true self?

    It was a foolish worry, but at that moment she couldn¡¯t shake it off. She felt so useless that even the possibility of something good reversed itself in her mind.

    This was probably going to be a long, hard night.

    A couple of days passed. There were still no signs of any new waves approaching, though Niu couldn¡¯t help but feel it was only a matter of time. The negotiations between the worlds supposedly continue, but they weren¡¯t taken again to any of them, and weren¡¯t updated about the details.

    Therefore, when they were invited to the palace to see the Ruler once again, Niu thought that some agreement had been reached.

    As usual, Acrus began with some grand-sounding speech and then waited for Seele to translate it. Apparently, they talked very vaguely about the waves and the negotiations alike.

    The four of them exchanged glances; it didn¡¯t seem like Acrus was planning to share any concrete details. Also, it was clear that there was still no news of another wave. But if both these reasons were excluded, then why had Acrus called them there?

    Acrus continued talking with a radiant smile.

    Even without understanding Acrus¡¯s words, it was obvious that what they said was extremely surprising, judging from the atmosphere and a few hushed voices from the audience, as well as Acrus¡¯s peculiar expression. It wasn¡¯t the first time that the Ruler employed these theatrics. After a while they spoke again and raised their hands to general applause.

    ¡°The Ruler is apparently¡­¡± Seele explained after a small gesture from Acrus, ¡°what¡¯s the word for going to have a child?¡±

    ¡°Expecting? Pregnant?¡± Shaya asked. So that was the cause for the surprise earlier, then.

    While fairies didn¡¯t have genders, strictly speaking Niu usually did think of those fairies she knew as having one gender or the other. Based on Acrus¡¯s demeanor and atmosphere, she mostly viewed them as ¡°masculine¡±, so hearing that Acrus was pregnant was quite odd, even if she knew all fairies could do so.

    ¡°Thinking about it, we really don¡¯t know too much about your reproduction system yet,¡± said Roah, probably wondering aloud more than to be heard.

    ¡°Pervert,¡± said Gen.

    Usually, Niu would have probably at least giggled at this point, but she felt so subdued that it took her several seconds to even register Gen¡¯s comment. She thought she noticed Gen eyeing her as he said that, but averted her gaze.

    ¡°Silence!¡± Acrus called from the throne, apparently having judged the clamor about the new revelation to have gone for long enough. That, at least, was a word that Niu had already learned to recognize. She picked up a few other words here and there as Acrus continued speaking, but once again couldn¡¯t understand what sent another wave of surprise through the audience.

    ¡°A Grand Feast?¡± mumbled Seele, their eyes wide.

    ¡°A feast, you say?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°It is a kind of a traditional¡­ party. Meant to, ah, celebrate a great event.¡±

    ¡°A party? What for?¡± said Gen.

    ¡°The baby?¡± suggested Shaya.

    ¡°That, too. But I think the Ruler is trying to make everyone calm in face of this war. Though usually, this kind of party would better serve after victory¡­¡± Seele explained.

    A baby? A party? Who cares, Niu thought bitterly. Currently all she wanted to do was go back home. She certainly was in no mood to party. If only she could go back to Plainland¡ªno, go back to school, everything would go back to how it was.

    Unfortunately, things were constantly changing. And she knew that even if some miracle occurred and allowed them to go back, it would never be the same.

    She hated it so, so much.

    Levia had a rare moment to herself, but that didn¡¯t mean she could simply lounge around; she had plenty to think hard about.

    Simply put, the negotiations were not going well. Due to technological limitations, they were only able to converse very slowly with the other party. It would be quite a while before they managed to establish true long-range communications, especially since even the prototype they had already developed had its issues.

    Even without all that, the fairies were obviously determined to squeeze out as much value out of Plainland as possible. They were asking for vast, nearly impossible amounts of resources and information and barely agreed to budge over that.

    Levia couldn¡¯t really feel what was known as anger, but if one thing truly upset her, it was not being able to directly face the other party. Her compensation allowed her to ascertain the true intentions of anyone in front of her, smoothly cutting deals and gaining advantage. But since the negotiations from Fairland came in the form of a faceless correspondence, there wasn¡¯t much she could do.

    Were they really expecting to get this much from them? What were they planning to do with the citizens in their hands? Why have they suddenly reopened contact after all these years? What was their current condition in face of the incoming crisis?

    Levia didn¡¯t like not knowing the answer to any of these questions.

    It also didn¡¯t help that they were dealing with a completely alien culture, which might values completely different to theirs; that was something rather hard to determine from the short messages they have exchanged thus far, and past records didn¡¯t help much, either.

    There was also the problem that the longer these negotiations took, the more likely it became that information about it would leak outside. Outside meaning mostly the nobles, of course. She¡¯d planned on revealing everything to Lord Qumisson and the rest only after the details had been decided; otherwise, things might turn very ugly.

    Fortunately, she¡¯d chosen only trustworthy people to have anything to do with the project and kept a close eye (or mind, rather) on them, so there was no real fear of spies for now. It was certainly not perfect and there were countless ways for the information to leak or otherwise reach Lord Qumisson, but it would hold for a while.

    All this hassle for a few children¡­ even if they are Saburn¡¯s disciples.

    The fairies couldn¡¯t have possibly faked their identities, so it had to be them¡ªbut wasn¡¯t it too much of a coincidence? Well, destiny worked in strange ways, sometimes. Levia knew that even firsthand.

    Out of personal curiosity, Levia had once requested Saburn to compile reports about who he thought were his most promising students. This whole plan was meant for raising people fit to serve important offices in service of the country, up to and including the military or even the royal court. Levia thought it was a foolish endeavor, but also knew that there could be some benefits gleaned from it.

    Saburn had thus sent her the profiles of about ten or so children from his school. Of those, only three he noted as having real potential, due to their channeling abilities¡ªor, rather, due to them being so-called defects.

    There was Genro, the youngest son of a merchant family who¡¯d lost his arm in a horrible incident. There was Roah, a cunning orphan that Saburn had only found by chance.

    And there was Niu¡ªseemingly a normal village girl, if not for her inability to speak. Yet, according to Saburn, she had the most potential of all of them. What was it that he said? That he felt like she could be a queen? How laughable.

    Even so, since the fairies had them in their possession, then they surely knew about their abilities and skills. It was possible that they discovered something that even Saburn didn¡¯t know, or else wanted to use them for their own purposes¡­ no, but then they wouldn¡¯t negotiate at all. Even after all that, Levia still had no idea what those fairies were thinking.

    What a headache, she thought. If only all of this didn¡¯t happen so early.

    ¡°¡­Do we really still need to do this?¡±

    Once again, student and master met inside the giant, hollow stump of a tree. Aisbroom stood not far from Gen, who already assumed a defensive position. Aisbroom¡¯s cold eyes focused on the empty area beneath Gen¡¯s right shoulder.

    ¡°But of course. How can we get you even stronger if we don¡¯t keep up your training?¡±

    ¡°No, but I mean¡­ maybe we¡¯ll go back home soon,¡± said Gen.

    Aisbroom snorted derisively. ¡°You know perfectly well it isn¡¯t going to be ¡®soon¡¯. We still have plenty of time. Probably plenty of waves, too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, how things are going, actually?¡±

    Aisbroom smiled. ¡°Nice try. Your prodding about the negotiations just now, as well. We¡¯re not here to discuss information I¡¯m not at liberty to give; but to temper your body and your techniques.¡±

    Gen clicked his tongue. It was worth a try. He wondered for a second if Roah could have said something to make Aisbroom spill the beans¡ªand was angry at himself for even thinking of relying on him¡ªbut recalled their last interaction. Whatever cunning Roah had, it didn¡¯t really work on Aisbroom, so he shouldn¡¯t feel inferior to him.

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s just that¡­ I feel distracted, as of late.¡±

    ¡°You still feel guilty for killing your enemies,¡± pointed Aisbroom. This caused Gen to freeze and stare at them. ¡°It is obvious. You do not have to worry; every soldier experiences this.¡±

    Gen knew that. He knew that, but¡­ that alone couldn¡¯t help his feelings, so he didn¡¯t want to confront them at all. He gritted his teeth and felt himself starting to shake.

    ¡°Become stronger,¡± Aisbroom said, ignoring the boy¡¯s reaction. ¡°Become strong enough so that you can hold your head high and know you¡¯re doing the right thing. Cowardice does not fit you.¡±

    Gen raised his head. He saw Aisbroom wearing a smile that was both like and unlike their normal one. Was that their way of trying to cheer him up? Even so, Gen didn¡¯t want to have this conversation.

    ¡°Never mind that for now,¡± he mumbled. ¡°There are things more important for me to do, right now¡­¡±

    ¡°Like helping that girl out of his depression?¡±

    Gen was too surprised to even notice the grammatical error there. ¡°How¡¯d you even¡­ no, you¡¯re not going to answer this, but surely you have spies.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not much of a secret¡­ it¡¯s only logical, right? It¡¯s for your sakes, as well,¡± explained Aisbroom. ¡°If it makes you feel any better about it, Seele isn¡¯t one of them.¡± That was his first thought, but Seele had always been so kind to them and seemed to truly sympathize with them. Of course, he shouldn¡¯t necessarily trust Aisbroom¡¯s word on it, either. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t the incoming Feast provide enough of an opportunity for you?¡±

    Gen also thought about that during his planning sessions with Shaya. But they haven¡¯t concocted any concrete plan just yet.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Aisbroom said, ¡°get ready. Try doing what we¡¯ve discussed.¡±

    ¡°¡­Whatever.¡±

    As long as they were there, perhaps it would be a good idea to keep training under Aisbroom. Even if he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what the fairy general was trying to accomplish with that.

    Aisbroom lunged forward, flashing their sword. Gen had seen them fighting with a sword even during the wave, but seeing that they mostly relied on their various channeling flowers, he was still somewhat surprised by Aisbroom¡¯s skills. Their movements flowed well and the sword in their hand appeared less of an instrument and more like an extension of their body, much like their vine whip.

    Gen made no attempts to evade, or to parry; the exercise, this time, was of a different kind. There was a very faint shimmer in the air and the sword clanged against something hard. Gen grunted, more out of exertion than out of pain, taking a step back. His invisible appendage, having assumed a flat shape for an instant, now vanished.

    Aisbroom didn¡¯t slow down. As they swung again, Gen hurriedly tried materializing the shield yet again but was too late, the sword passing in vain through air. The reflexive step back also caused Gen to fall on his hind. Aisbroom looked down at him.

    ¡°Catch your breath, get up and try again.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard, you know,¡± Gen replied. Ever since he¡¯d first discovered that power, he almost exclusively used it in place of his lost arm. That became second nature to him. He hadn¡¯t even thought about trying anything else until instructed so by Aisbroom.

    ¡°Yes, living is hard,¡± said Aisbroom. Their tone made it hard to understand whether they meant it as a joke or not. ¡°But we all have to keep going.¡± Aisbroom raised the sword again and thrusted at Gen.

    This time, he felt real danger; Aisbroom didn¡¯t even give him enough time to stand up yet, so he hurriedly projected another shield that stopped the blade.

    ¡°Are you trying to actually kill me?¡± said Gen, panting with his eyes wide.

    ¡°I would have stopped just before hitting,¡± Aisbroom coldly replied, then readied his sword again. Gen clicked his tongue and put his hand to the ground in order to rise and continue the battle.

    Even after staying for quite a while at Fairland already, Niu learned new things every single day. That was to be expected of such a different place. Foods, clothes, social etiquette, the language itself and many more things became apparent to her as time went on, but there was plenty left to learn.

    However, she thought that everything truly shocking was already out of the way. Discovering that fairies (and laborers) were the only living beings in the entire world and that they had no gender was quite earth-shattering enough.

    In a sense, it could be said that Niu and her friends lowered their guard. So when that morning, Seele came along for breakfast, as chipper as ever, none of them ever suspected a thing.

    Since Seele lived in the same quarters, they would often come to dine along with them when time allowed. Seele would gladly explain about the foods or culture or simply have small talk with them, which tended to be mostly with Roah or Gen, especially during the last few days.

    Today, however, Seele also came to convey some news. They began speaking as everyone was eating their salads from an assortment of vegetables, most of them quite similar to those found on Plainland.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re getting you, uh, how do I call it¡­ clothes for the party, later today,¡± Seele started.

    ¡°Formal wear, then,¡± mumbled Gen after swallowing, ¡°or dress clothes. Oh man. I went to some parties before and I can¡¯t stand those kinds of clothes, though¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure you can pick something light and easy.¡±

    ¡°Will we get dresses?¡± asked Shaya, her voice tinged with excitement. They had seen some fairies wearing similar clothing, but most wore plain, unisex (in Plainland standards, at least) garments.

    ¡°Of course, if you want to!¡± replied Seele with a wide smile.

    ¡°Right, it¡¯s just like the year¡¯s end festival we¡¯ve missed,¡± Gen suddenly said, swallowing his salad again. ¡°Well, maybe having just a little bit of fun won¡¯t be too bad¡­ right Niu?¡±

    With her face directed at her plate, Niu jerked up at the mention of her name, glancing at Gen. After a short delay she nodded weakly.

    ¡°Do we really have to go through that?¡± wondered Roah aloud.

    ¡°I¡¯ll beat you up if you don¡¯t come with us,¡± threatened Gen.

    ¡°Oh, no. I guess I have no choice, then,¡± Roah replied in an exaggerated, sarcastic manner.

    Seele giggled, perhaps in attempt to ease the tension and stop Gen from replying. ¡°Roah, don¡¯t be like that. Well, I¡¯m pretty sure you must come, yes. You see, you¡¯re also acting as emba¡ªambassadors. Kinda. I¡¯m sure people from other clans will also want to see you.¡±

    ¡°Other clans?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°Ah, yes. We have some of their ambassadors here anyway, so the Ruler gave some invitations to them, as well. The Stroba are our enemies, but we do have some allies. There¡¯s the Makin from the northern plains, there¡¯s the¡­¡± Seele stopped. ¡°Oh, sorry, I won¡¯t bore you right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not boring¡­ in fact, it¡¯s something I have neglected to study about this place,¡± said Roah, his expression severe.

    ¡°Our goal¡¯s getting out of here, you know,¡± said Gen.

    ¡°Which is why we need to understand the local politics. But let¡¯s not have this conversation again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain to you later if you want, fine?¡± Seele asked Roah, who nodded in response. ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re all done eating¡­ I have a surprise for all of you.¡± They all looked curiously at Seele, hearing that.

    ¡°Even more surprises?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Make some room here,¡± said Seele, ¡°and bring you know what, TriX!¡±

    Moments later TriX entered through the door, carrying a large tray in its hands. It contained what appeared to be a puffy, circular pastry, covered in frosting. It looked exactly like a¡­

    ¡°Cake?¡± said Gen, surprised.

    ¡°Hmm, but they don¡¯t have eggs here,¡± Roah analyzed.

    ¡°This is sweet fungus bread,¡± TriX said. The name made it sound somewhat disgusting, but it both looked and smelled good¡ªtrue to its description, it emitted a sweet fragrance.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t had one of these before, right?¡± asked Seele with a wide smile. Once TriX put the tray on the table, they started cutting it to pieces together.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± said Gen, watching them. ¡°But to what occasion do we owe this for? This isn¡¯t your Grand Feast yet.¡±

    ¡°Like I thought you don¡¯t know, huh?¡± said Seele mischievously. ¡°Well, I guess you lost track of time, it¡¯s understandable¡­ but I remember. Or at least, TriX remembered when I asked him.¡±

    ¡°Keeping time is simple, with how my mind is built.¡±

    Seele continued before anyone could ask them what they meant. ¡°Happy occasion! It¡¯s been exactly half a year since you arrived here!¡±

    There was a short silence and four very confused faces looking at Seele. Surely it hadn¡¯t been that long, right? Did the time in Fairland flow differently? No, it was probably something much more basic than that.

    ¡°Now, when you say half a year,¡± Roah asked, being the first one to recover, ¡°how many days is a year, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Oh? A year is 40 days, of course!¡±

    The future etched in coldest ice:

    With every error comes a price

 Chapter 17: All of the Flowers

    There was another stunned, yet shorter, silence.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe we haven¡¯t asked all this time,¡± said Roah with a half-sigh, half-groan, shaking his head.

    That more or less summed up Niu¡¯s thoughts on the matter as well. The days seemed to be the same and there wasn¡¯t any particular need to refer to months or years until now¡ªno, actually, they have referred to it, one time.

    Niu was the first to raise this question by raising her slate.

    Then does that count for your age, too?

    It had happened not too long after they arrived. They were still distraught and confused about many things, not to mention being in the midst of the tense trek to Kalden. Perhaps that was why they hadn¡¯t thought of delving into it ever since and merely accepted it as fact. It had seemed at first as a source of major shock¡ªthat the fairies lived up to be hundreds of years old. However, everything was now overturned with that new piece of information.

    Seele kept smiling, though their smile transformed into a more solemn one. ¡°It does.¡±

    ¡°Seele¡­ do you know what we refer to as a ¡®year¡¯?¡± asked Roah.

    ¡°No, but I can guess from your reactions it¡¯s much longer than us, right?¡±

    Roah nodded. ¡°Forty days in a month, ten months in a year.¡±

    ¡°Month,¡± said Seele, as if to taste the word, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that term.¡±

    ¡°If my very rough calculations are correct,¡± said Roah, furrowing his brows, ¡°then you should be about 40 years old in Plainland years.¡±

    Niu gazed at Seele. Never mind the originally claimed 407, they sure didn¡¯t look like they were 40, either. It was abnormal either way.

    ¡°I see. Actually, I thought you sounded a bit too small, when you all told me you were fourteen¡­ but then again, we also develop fast, so I just thought faeries developed even faster,¡± said Seele, still with that same kind of slightly sad smile.

    Does that mean that fairies only live to around 50, then? Niu asked.

    ¡°By your reckoning, it seems that way,¡± replied TriX.

    ¡°This is¡­ so messed up,¡± mumbled Gen, fist clenched, then hurriedly added, ¡°err, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine, I understand. I guess we should have had this conversation earlier.¡±

    Niu further considered the implications of this in the ensuing lull. In the past, humans too lived up to only their fifties or so, but with advancements in medicine and farming leading to better care and nutrition, lifespans went up as well. Currently people could live well into their seventies or even eighties.

    On the other hand, the society of fairies seemed much more advanced, at least in certain areas, but they only lived up to their fifties or so? Was the classification of ¡°months¡± as ¡°years¡± a simple mistranslation, or perhaps an attempt to make their life seem longer that it was?

    ¡°Please don¡¯t look so sad,¡± Seele asked. ¡°In the past apparently we used to live far longer, but things changed with time. We also started giving birth less and less¡­ but you know what?¡± they widened their smile. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to change it.¡±

    ¡°U-us?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the contact with your world will change things. And anyway, we¡¯re already used to this¡ªso you don¡¯t need to worry at all!¡± Seele said. However, that was easier said than done. ¡°Oh¡­ so is it not a good time for the sweet, then?¡± they added with an awkward laugh.

    ¡°Do you derive enjoyment of doing such things without first consulting with me?¡± asked Aisbroom¡¯s flat voice. As usual, they were standing¡ªnever invited to sit down, of course¡ªnear the throne for a discussion with the Ruler. And as usual, Acrus wore an expression that was a mix of amusement and gloating.

    ¡°Is that a complaint, my general?¡± Acrus asked back.

    ¡°It is a question. I merely believe it is prudent to let me know of such things in advance,¡± said Aisbroom, their expression not faltering in the least.

    ¡°You see, there is a reason why I haven¡¯t told you.¡± Acrus shifted their legs on the throne. It was made from lacquered, crimson-colored wood that was almost as soft as rubber, so it was probably the most comfortable seat in all of Kalden. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t have agreed to it. Worse, you may have tried to stop it.¡±

    ¡°I would have done no such thing,¡± Aisbroom calmly replied. ¡°Your will is the will of the kingdom. I just like to know what is happening. Especially when it regards such underhanded dealings in the party.¡±

    ¡°And allow you the chance to plan your eventual revenge more efficiently? I do not think so,¡± said Acrus with a flippant smile. If they were trying to elicit some response from Aisbroom, however, they failed in doing so, for Aisbroom¡¯s expression was as unreadable as ever.

    ¡°I do, however,¡± Aisbroom finally spoke, ¡°wonder if that course of action is wise. And during the Grand Feast, no less?¡±

    Acrus¡¯s smile lessened. ¡°I will generously ignore your doubts about my wisdom. But you do not have to worry, my loyal general; everything was taken under consideration. Besides, we do not stand to lose anything.¡±

    ¡°What about the possible loss of life? And we might also lose a valuable resource, namely the faeries,¡± said Aisbroom.

    The Ruler snorted. ¡°Even one is as good as four. Should I favor your disciple, while we¡¯re on the subject?¡±

    ¡°They are no disciple of mine.¡±

    ¡°Riiight,¡± Acrus said. ¡°Aisbroom, you should simply lean back and enjoy the festivities. Well, and serve your role as my bodyguard, but that goes without saying.¡±

    Goes without saying, does it? Not only do you disregard the fact we are currently at war and hold this Feast in the first place, but you even hinder my security arrangements for said Feast with some idiotic plan. No matter how many years I serve at your side, I will never understand your true aims, thought Aisbroom. Outwardly, however, they only said, ¡°Understood.¡±

    After a short pause Acrus spoke again as if just recalling something. ¡°By the way, you didn¡¯t seem that surprised about me being Seeded.¡±

    ¡°I was surprised, trust me,¡± said Aisbroom emotionlessly. ¡°Though I know you were probably planning it for a long time. It was a bold move, but an effective one; already there are talks of the continued prosperity of the kingdom. That, combined with the Feast, should secure the cooperation of both citizens and allies.¡±

    Acrus sighed. ¡°Of course, of course, I know all about that. But what I am wondering is something else entirely. At first I wondered whether you are so grumpy because you will not get to enjoy the Feast itself.¡± There they paused, leaning a bit forward and smiling mysteriously. ¡°Or else¡­ are you perhaps jealous, with you being, unlike me, barren?¡±

    There was only the slightest of changes to Aisbroom¡¯s expression. Their eyebrows lowered almost imperceptibly.

    ¡°I guess not,¡± finally said Acrus after a strained silence. ¡°I apologize for having misjudged you. Now, I am sure you have plenty of matters to attend to.¡±

    With nothing on their face to indicate their inner tumult, Aisbroom bowed elegantly and left. There were, indeed, matters to attend to¡ªincluding the preparations for the next battle. For although Acrus told nothing about it to the populace, not wanting to ruin their morale and keep their attention on the Grand Feast, it had been confirmed not long ago.

    A third wave was currently on its way.

    ¡°No.¡± Gen¡¯s voice was harsh and resolute. ¡°No. There is no way in this side of the world that I¡¯m wearing that. Never.¡±

    Even Niu couldn¡¯t help but suppress a smile. Roah, too, looked like he was about to burst laughing, a nasty smile spreading on his face. He was probably lucky that Gen was too occupied to notice his expression.

    ¡°Aww, why not? It¡¯s very cute.¡± Seele sounded disappointed.

    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the exact problem!¡±

    Come noon, the four had been taken to one of the shortest trees in Kalden in a district known for its textile work. This was, apparently, a clothes shop that served even the Ruler. They had been sent there to acquire their formal wear, but encountered a problem almost immediately: all clothes offered to them were dresses.

    Currently, Seele was holding out a cream-colored, flowing garment toward Gen, claiming that it fit the color of his eyes. However, he was having none of it. He was even blushing in embarrassment at the mere thought.

    Seele sighed. ¡°Are you sure? Maybe another color, then?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± he immediately replied. ¡°I-I¡­ we don¡¯t wear things for girls¡­ right, Roah?¡± Despite their usual rivalry, he looked for help from the other boy.

    ¡°Huh, don¡¯t we?¡± Roah said. ¡°I think it¡¯d look good on you,¡± he added with a smile.

    ¡°Y-you traitor!¡± Gen raised a fist.

    Shaya giggled but said, ¡°Come on, stop teasing him. Um, Seele, are there really no other kinds of clothes?¡±

    She herself was clad in a violet-colored dress. She lacked a unified elegance¡ªSeele had claimed that before the party they¡¯d be able to get makeup, have their hair done and such¡ªbut still looked fancy enough. As the average fairy was much slimmer the dress was a bit tight for her, but not suffocating. In fact, she seemed to enjoy wearing it.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sure that can be arranged,¡± Seele conceded, seemingly disappointed. They started talking to the attendants around, all of them silent thus far due to the language barrier.

    Gen sighed and walked away gingerly as if to distance himself from the cursed clothes. He then cleared his throat. ¡°Err¡­ looking good, Shaya. You too, Niu.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!¡± Shaya said, beaming.

    Niu smiled awkwardly. In contrast to Shaya, she was extremely uncomfortable. Her entire life was spent in the cheapest possible sorts of clothes, mostly ones that had been patched many times over, so she felt unworthy for this kind of clothing. Some of it was also a bit revealing. Right now, however, she wore what was not much more than a long blouse. It was, at least, breezy and non-gaudy, unlike what Shaya was wearing.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited, Niu?¡± Shaya asked her. Then, perhaps finally realizing that she was several magnitudes more enthusiastic than her friend, she bashfully averted her gaze.

    Niu merely shrugged; she didn¡¯t feel like having a party at all, especially not while dolled up like this. Even if there was also a part of her that wished she could fully enjoy it and take her mind off of things.

    ¡°How come you¡¯re the only one not dressed?¡± Gen asked Roah angrily.

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, that¡¯s thanks to you. I told them I¡¯d wear whatever you¡¯ll choose,¡± he answered calmly.

    ¡°Why you little¡­¡±

    ¡°Gen, Gen!¡± Seele called from behind, holding out another piece of cloth. ¡°How about this one?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a skirt! Ughhh¡­¡±

    While about three layers of bars separated Salom from the beast, he didn¡¯t feel safe at all.

    That was to be expected; he¡¯d seen with his very eyes that even steel doors wouldn¡¯t be able to keep these monsters at check. He was pretty sure the main reason the dark creature hadn¡¯t managed to escape was because it was weakened.

    Although this one¡ªa beast that looked to be a cross between a spider, a bear and a rat¡ªwas the only living specimen they managed to procure during the last wave, they have been learning quite a bit about it.

    First of all, as had been already surmised, it was extremely weak against any form of channeling. Conversely, anything purely physical didn¡¯t affect it as much as expected. Currently it was wrapped in chains, but it had already displayed the ability to break them easily; plates inscribed with weight icons served to keep it in place.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Everything seemed to point to the beast being somehow channeling-related. They were unable to get samples of its flesh, since every cut was healed and whatever had been cut off completely, promptly vanished into thin air. It was extremely aggressive toward humans, but had no interest in any meat that was presented to it; furthermore, it didn¡¯t seem to require any food at all, though it was visibly weakening as time went on, with its already-blurry outlines becoming even fainter.

    Salom finished reading the latest reports¡ªthough they found nothing new, so it was mostly reporting on the monster¡¯s current condition¡ªand once again glanced at the subject.

    The beast snarled weakly, looking like it was ready to pounce on Salom at any moment. But of course, even without the bars there were half a dozen guards pacing around the rooms and another half a dozen outside at all times. The University wasn¡¯t pleased that one of its rooms was being used this way, but the Queen overruled their objections immediately, as it was felt that this was the place best suited for this kind of research.

    Salom sighed quietly. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said to the personnel that brought him in, ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡±

    ¡°Need any help, Professor?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but there¡¯s no need,¡± he replied with a smile, nodding slightly and starting to roll himself toward the exit. The guard nearest the steel door opened it for him. Salom thought he heard a low growl from the beast behind, but didn¡¯t turn back, and left.

    Well, that burned an hour or so. It wasn¡¯t that Salom actually was that interested in the black monsters¡ªhe was, but they¡¯d already squeezed out pretty much every drop of information they could from that one single specimen¡ªbut he used that more as a distraction. This current month was understandably very hectic and it only grew worse, so that was almost equivalent to a break. He started understanding how Stard usually handled this.

    He passed through the streets of Copius. They used to be boisterous and full of people, but lately it had become almost a ghost town. The number of people itself hadn¡¯t changed; after all, with the damage incurred by the waves many people have lost their homes. This included both those who lived in the city as well as fugitive from other nearby towns. Salom was glad that the Queen was the one who needed to take care of that and not him, but that was small comfort.

    Normal life there was hurt by the circumstances and crime was on the rise, so perhaps it wasn¡¯t wise of Salom to loiter around by himself, but he felt that at least the University district was safe enough still. Besides, rolling himself allowed him to prolong a little the time until his next task.

    With an apparent new wave approaching as well, work would never stop. They were all still toiling on the communication system as well as many other small projects to aid them in their time of need.

    Begrudgingly, he had to admit that he was finally starting to feel his age. He was constantly tired in ways he¡¯d never felt before.

    ¡°Professor Saburn.¡± A sudden voice came from nearby. As he turned his head around, he saw a young soldier standing there. It was Gen¡¯s brother Revol.

    ¡°Ah, hello,¡± Salom greeted him with a tired smile. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been hurt during the wave, but I see you¡¯re up and running again.¡±

    Revol returned a similarly tired smile. ¡°Well, I lived. Unlike other people.¡± Once saying that, both men cast their glances down.

    Saburn had wanted to tell the young man about his brother¡¯s survival very, very much, but that was not possible. He¡¯d suggested that they could at least release that information to the children¡¯s relatives, but the Queen immediately denied it.

    He understood the rationale, of course. The more people that knew about it, the harder it was to prevent leaks. Even so, he felt like he wanted to at least put some people at ease.

    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet, and we both have our jobs to do¡­ so I pray for you stay strong,¡± Salom finally said. He wasn¡¯t Stard, so that was the extent of what he could do for the young man.

    Revol nodded. ¡°Thank you. I hope so as well,¡± he said with only a faint smile. ¡°Well then¡­ where are you going, Professor? Need a hand?¡±

    ¡°To the palace,¡± he replied. ¡°Thank you, but that will not necessary. I¡¯m sure you are busy as well.¡±

    Revol laughed awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, just trying to take my mind off of things.¡±

    ¡°All of us.¡±

    As they parted and took on their separate ways, Salom couldn¡¯t help but think how Revol was both like and unlike his younger brother. And he hoped that he could unite them soon.

    Come evening, the clothes fiasco had yet to be solved; with Gen¡¯s rejection of anything that was even a slight bit girly, he wasn''t left with many options. Seele had concluded that they simply ought to order something custom-made, and so Gen¡¯s measurements had been taken. The same went for Roah as well, after he¡¯d finished gloating and laughing from the side. The two girls, meanwhile, have already made their decision.

    After going back and having dinner, it just so happened that Roah and Seele were left alone in the dining room.

    ¡°It really was a shock, you know,¡± he suddenly said.

    ¡°Hmm? What was? ¡ªOh, you mean this morning.¡±

    Roah nodded. ¡°I felt pretty stupid just taking for granted that we¡­¡± he shook his head, ¡°well, never mind that. It¡¯s just like we feel with our measly several decades when you thought that you had way more than that.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you be disturbed by that, actually.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m just a bit overwhelmed at the moment,¡± he said, shrugging.

    ¡°What does that word mean? Over¡­thing.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it means being affected by something very strongly, whether physically or emotionally.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I think I understand. So it''s like¡­¡± Seele said a word in their language, thus teaching him another new word.

    ¡°Thanks, noted. By the way, this is a complete change in subject, but¡­ do you believe that we¡¯ll ever get home?¡±

    Seele was silent for a few moments. Their expression twitched for a bit and they bit their lips. ¡°Well, I hope so for you.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making this hard for me,¡± Seele said with a smile.

    Roah kept his face emotionless. ¡°I just want the truth.¡± He knew fully well that Seele preferred to act bubbly and optimistic and not to dwell on any negatives. However, he wanted his information to be as accurate as possible, and Seele was currently the best source for it.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Seele hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. The situation is complicated as it is. And it¡¯s not like they tell me everything. But I don¡¯t think we have any way to get you back right now.¡±

    ¡°And what do you think about the Ruler?¡± Roah suddenly attacked a completely different topic, purposely catching Seele by surprise.

    ¡°I-I don''t really¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like them. In fact, I wonder if anyone in this entire city does.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡¯s not true!¡± Seele hurriedly replied. ¡°The people¡­ respect the Ruler¡ª¡±

    ¡°Respect is not love,¡± Roah interjected, leaning forward on the table. ¡°And I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s even respect, or just fear. Seele¡­ you¡¯ve told us that the Plainland project stopped about 200 years ago. But now that I know it¡¯s much less than that¡­ does it have anything to do with Acrus?¡±

    Once again Seele seemed hesitant, but at last spoke. ¡°Yes, that was when Acrus came to rule.¡±

    ¡°And under what circumstances did that happen?¡± he kept investigating. Seele glanced around sheepishly, as if to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them.

    ¡°He killed the previous Ruler,¡± they said quietly.

    A coup d''¨¦tat, then? So that was probably why they didn¡¯t like the current Ruler, Roah imagined. Especially if the previous Ruler was well-liked. It also meant that Acrus probably disposed of any opposition; Roah wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find out if there were numerous other failed attempts of coup d''¨¦tat later.

    Well, that was nothing but speculation, though. He had a lot to ask, but knew that prying too much would cause even Seele to close up. He now realized the source of their fears to speak ill of their Ruler.

    ¡°Did the Ruler also stop the development of laborers?¡± he asked instead.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Seele mumbled. ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    So he was right. ¡°It was just a guess, actually,¡± Roah replied. ¡°I just imagined that a nation that started using this kind of invention hundreds of years ago¡ªwell, now I know it¡¯s not true, but still¡ªwould have many more laborers by now. But even here in the capital I¡¯d seen only a handful. Consequently, I had the feeling that all development had been stopped along with the attempts at communication, and I don¡¯t know what else.¡±

    Seele sighed. ¡°You really notice everything. Even without me telling you things.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I was always like that.¡±

    ¡°You were, huh.¡± Suddenly Seele furrowed their brows and lowered their gaze, sinking into their thoughts. Had Roah gone too far? This should probably conclude his round of questioning, then. But just as he thought this, he was surprised by Seele¡¯s next words. ¡°Roah¡­ you''re not planning to become the next Ruler, right?¡±

    ¡°What¡ª¡± he uttered, caught unprepared. Then he laughed. ¡°Is that what you think?¡±

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. With all the questions¡­¡± they looked worriedly at him.

    Roah shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not fit to be a king at all. They¡¯d all hate me just the same. Besides, I have no way of doing¡­ that.¡± Not now, at least. ¡°It would be suicidal, considering my position.¡±

    Seele sighed in relief, wearing a smile. ¡°Good, I was worried for a second you¡¯d try something stupid.¡±

    But Seele¡¯s worries were justified, even if they didn¡¯t know it, for Roah did have a plan. He couldn¡¯t just sit there and wait for a miracle or pray for things to go well, but he was also just as powerless as he said. He did, however, have his cunning.

    Even the fire was only a small part of it. He both gained a bit of a name for himself as well as managed to ascertain a threat he could use over the kingdom if he ever needed to. It had been quite the big risk for a very small result, but he felt that it would be worth it.

    There were many factors he had to take into account, and some things he had yet to test, but he thought that his plan was worth a chance¡­ the only trouble was that he still lacked something.

    His plan was currently nearly impossible with the resources and information that he had. However, he had the feeling that there was something nearby he was missing, something that would help him take that next step. Would he find it in time, though?

    Rumdon¡¯s capital of Copius housed many of the kingdom¡¯s nobles. Their position had somewhat been weakened following the loss of the previous King, Mekuriel-N, but none of them were going down without a fight. Most banded together to make as much trouble as possible for Levia, headed by one Lord Qumisson.

    The Marstens were one such family. They owned the ground on the outskirts of the city, a location that also helped them avoid most of the damages incurred by the waves. The Marstens were in charge of textile work and the wineries of Rumdon, the former of which also served well in these hard times. Lord Qumisson, who usually resided in a town way further down the mountain, was currently lodging in the Marsten mansion.

    He was drinking fine tea in his chambers, served to him by one of the Marsten household servants, when there was a knock on the door.

    ¡°You may enter,¡± Qumisson said.

    Opening the door was a short, bald man. He was dressed smartly and elegantly, yet seemed too jittery and nervous to be an actual noble. His name was Moger, and he was one of Lord Qumisson¡¯s stewards.

    ¡°Pardon my lateness, milord,¡± the man greeted him, using a handkerchief to wipe some sweat off his brows.

    Qumisson faintly nodded. ¡°Come and have a seat, my friend. Shall I have them bring out another cup?¡±

    Moger shook his head and did as he was told while still slightly fidgeting. He then cleared his throat and wet his lips. ¡°I apologize, milord; I have disappointed you,¡± he finally said. There was no change to Qumisson¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Have you found out nothing?¡±

    ¡°Nary a clue, milord. The Queen¡¯s defenses against information leakage are, as of now, yet too thick to penetrate.¡±

    ¡°I do know how careful that smug snake is,¡± said Qumisson.

    ¡°And yet, I do apologize again,¡± said Moger, bowing.

    ¡°Come now, friend.¡± Qumisson put his hand on the smaller man¡¯s shoulder, smiling. "It is but a mere setback; do not act as if you''ve let me down."

    Lord Qumisson was known as cold, calculating and strict, and that reputation helped carry him through power, with the Queen being almost the only person who wasn¡¯t intimidated of him. If she could even be intimidated by anything at all. However, there was still a reason for the fierce, warm loyalty of all his servants and subjects.

    ¡°¡­Thank you, milord,¡± said Moger, bowing once again.

    ¡°Our battle has only just begun, Moger,¡± Qumisson announced, grabbing the decorated stick near his chair. He rose from his seat, his stick used more for fashion rather than a genuine need. He paced toward the window, glancing at the almost empty streets. ¡°That woman has many secrets, so we will definitely pluck out some of them before long.¡±

    It had been so much easier with the previous king, her father, and the (very) temporary king, her husband. However, both were dead¡ªand he still suspected that at least one of them had been made so by the Queen¡¯s own hands¡ªand the country had been subsequently led to deteriorate. He couldn¡¯t forgive this.

    He, who had served as the King¡¯s close aide and confidant, had been cast aside. Actually, since he was the King¡¯s cousin, he was the one most suitable to replace him, but instead that wretched woman took control.

    Being in the King¡¯s confidence he knew some state secrets, and so he could suspect how Levia was using some of them. However, her security was extremely tight, and he couldn¡¯t act based on mere suppositions and guesses. Especially not when she could read his heart with her cursed ability, while on the other hand he never could understand what was going through that head of hers no matter how much he tried.

    ¡°Actually, milord,¡± Moger said suddenly, cutting the thread of Qumisson¡¯s thought. ¡°I¡¯ve just recalled. Although it is not, in and of itself, worthy of attention¡­ perhaps there is something deeper going there.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? What is it? Even if irrelevant, I assume it¡¯s of some interest, since you have pointed that out.¡±

    Moger nodded. ¡°You do remember Professor Saburn, of course.¡±

    ¡°That mock-noble¡­ indeed. Yes, he has apparently been involved in current matters.¡±

    ¡°Not only that, but he has apparently taken a prot¨¦g¨¦; the young daughter of the Mordack family.¡±

    Qumisson thought for a while. ¡°Yes, she also is part of the army, if I recall. Is there something happening with the two of them? An affair, perhaps?¡± His mind instantly wandered to whatever would offer him an advantage. Well, both of them were unmarried so it wouldn¡¯t be such a big scandal, but still.

    ¡°Not quite, milord¡ªor at least, it does not appear so,¡± Moger replied. ¡°However, both were seen regularly coming to the palace as of late. Lord Saburn is perhaps to be expected¡­ but the Mordack girl, not so much.¡±

    ¡°So there might be something going there, then.¡± Qumisson¡¯s mind accelerated further. ¡°And the girl might be the key to getting that information.¡±

    ¡°Exactly so, milord.¡±

    Qumisson thought for a while, then nodded. ¡°Good work. I have heard that she is young, impressionable and inexperienced. If she is involved, then it might greatly benefit us. We can try and pursue that avenue.¡± He patted Moger on the shoulder again. ¡°I am pleased. Keep me informed about this matter, if you will.¡±

    ¡°Gladly, milord.¡±

    Oobab¡ªthat was the name of one of Kalden¡¯s most peculiar trees. The name meant ¡°barrel-like¡±, and it came from the fact that while the tree was short, relatively speaking, it was extremely thick. Each floor could hold about 500 people. For this reason and others, it was used to house all sorts of great events.

    The second floor of Oobab served as the largest hall. Its northern edge was raised into a platform that overlooked the entire hall. Acrus Kalden stood on that stage, solemnly gazing on the vast audience. In contrast to the usual, the Ruler wore an extravagant outfit; a dress made of the finest cotton, billowing waves of cold colors that accentuated Acrus¡¯s relatively pale complexion. Their hair was styled with many rings and curls with warm colors to contrast that.

    Not far from them also stood Aisbroom, surprisingly in their regular outfit¡ªwhite clothes with a wild assortment of plants on clothes and hair. While Acrus seemed to be sneering over the audience, Aisbroom instead scanned them, wary and alert for anything that might endanger the Ruler. Other attendants and guards waited to the sides of the stages, far from the glowing bulbs suspended from the ceiling.

    Acrus clapped their hands, causing the low murmur of the crowd to gradually settle down into silence. Nodding after perhaps finding it satisfactory, Acrus began to speak.

    ¡°Welcome, everyone,¡± their voice echoed. ¡°Many people have been invited here tonight by me. I do thank you all for coming.¡± They smiled and spread their arms. ¡°We are at war, but like I have said before, there is also much to celebrate. Other than me and my future scion, I also dedicate this Feast to some particular, unique guests: our very own faeries.¡±

    Immediately the entire hall focused their eyes on the four faeries sitting near the front of the stage in the table especially reserved to them. Their presence wasn¡¯t a state secret or anything like that, what with them even taking part in the fight against the wave, but most citizens only heard the rumors, even among those of high society who were invited to the Feast.

    There were once again waves of muttering in the crowd, so Acrus clapped once again to silence them.

    ¡°You will have plenty of time to interact with them or whisper about them, so do not worry,¡± they said with a smile. ¡°Well, there will be some language difficulties, but do as you will. Now then¡­¡± Acrus paused, glancing all over the audience. Everyone¡¯s positions were clear from the stage. The faeries, the ambassadors, the royal court and so on and so on¡­ but there were also some enemies afoot, even if he couldn¡¯t directly see them. ¡°I will not tire you out with my speech any longer. You will have music, and you will have food. Let the Grand Feast begin!¡±

    All of the flowers falling by

    The spring reflected in my eye

 Chapter 18: Silent Time

    Bye for now, Niu mouthed with her lips.

    Her mother made no signs of even seeing this; she only glanced at her once then went back to her sewing. Empty smile still plastered on her face, Niu left the house.

    It was always like this for as long as Niu could remember in her twelve years of life. Her father would leave to work in the fields, first thing in the morning, and would return late at night; Niu barely saw him. Her mother stayed home, but she would practically ignore her daughter¡¯s presence, only reluctantly presenting her with meals, and very rarely fixing her clothes.

    Normally she would probably be tutored by her mother in sewing, learning her craft. If she was a boy, she¡¯d probably be taken by her father to work with him. But she did neither. Once, when she was very young, she had simply been told to get out of the house and return later. And so that was what she did.

    As always, she headed to the nearby forest, situated not far from the edge of the world. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t a safe area, especially not for children, but nothing ever happened with wildlife at the area she used to frequent.

    It was another lovely summer day, with the sun shimmering in the sky, casting its channeled golden rays on the road to town as Niu strayed from it. Although her goal was the forest, she took that path leisurely, stopping at times to appreciate some flower or try to approach a small squirrel without scaring it.

    There were only the sounds of nature around. Her village was also just as silent and the bustling town too far away, so she could simply bask in the sun and the stillness. There were also moments where she felt lonely, like this, especially when she thought that if something happened, she couldn¡¯t even shout for help. On the other hand, she pretty much felt just as alone even in the presence of people.

    Niu kneeled over a small blue flower when she heard a crunching sound behind her, probably some small twig being stepped on. That caused her to startle and look back, whereupon she found a boy standing there.

    ¡°Oh¡­ err, hi,¡± the boy greeted her. He had short, light brown hair, and although the clothes he wore were simple, they were also clearly well-tailored.

    Niu slightly frowned; she knew all children from the village and this wasn¡¯t one of them. Well, all of them stopped playing with her ages ago, and none of them would have greeted her like that, with a slightly anxious yet confident smile.

    She waved back hesitatingly and stood up as the boy approached.

    ¡°Are you from around here?¡± he asked her. Niu nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    She sighed internally at reaching the part that she hated the most. She pointed at her mouth and then shook her head.

    The boy raised an eyebrow. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me?¡±

    She shook her head again. She pointed at her mouth again and then opened and closed it a few times. Since it seemed like he didn¡¯t understand even that, she tried to mouth very slowly the words I can¡¯t speak.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ mute?¡± he asked her, surprise coloring his face.

    Now that she thought about it, that was the word for it, right. She hadn¡¯t heard it used a lot, as people mostly called her ¡°dumb¡± or ¡°defect¡±, so she¡¯d forgotten. Niu nodded sadly.

    ¡°I see,¡± said the boy, seemingly somewhat troubled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Ni, Ooh, she mouthed.

    ¡°New¡­ no, Niu?¡± he tried pronouncing it, leading to her nodding. He then smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you, Niu. I¡¯m Gen.¡±

    Niu felt like she was some exhibit at a museum. Well, not like there was a museum back in town, but she¡¯d learned a bit about them at school. Anyway, the fact that nearly everyone around looked at her and the rest with curious eyes made it extremely uncomfortable. It might not have been as large as a crowd as during that burial ceremony, but it was much tighter.

    Currently they¡ªNiu, Gen, Roah, Shaya, as well as Seele and TriX¡ªwere all seated around one of the front-end tables, an assortment of dishes laid before them.

    ¡°Not hungry, Niu?¡± Gen asked her from the side. He was dressed with what would barely count as a suit. It was a bit long and unwieldy, but he had apparently given up on looking decent as long as it wasn¡¯t an actual dress.

    Niu shook her head. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything since noon, but she currently had no appetite.

    There was a sudden sound and everyone turned their heads to one of the sides of the stage. A few fairies were sitting there, all with some sort of musical instrument in their hands. Thinking about it, it was perhaps Niu¡¯s first time seeing and hearing music in this world. They mostly resembled what she knew from Plainland, as she could see what appeared to be a harp and a violin.

    Calm, uplifting music started drifting through the hall. It seemed that at least music wasn¡¯t much different between cultures. The melody was pleasant, and the fairies around started dancing to the music.

    ¡°How about a dance?¡± Seele extended their hand toward Roah, who glanced at them for a moment.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he relented. ¡°But I¡¯m going to be bad.¡±

    ¡°It is unfortunate we didn¡¯t have time for dance lessons,¡± said Seele with a smile, ¡°but it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m also pretty bad.¡± They pulled Roah out of the seat.

    Much like Gen, he also wore a dark-colored uniform that fit him surprisingly well. Perhaps it mixed better with his darker hair and gloomy atmosphere. With Seele clad in a light dress, they almost looked like two nobles.

    ¡°Do you¡­ no, never mind,¡± mumbled Shaya, looking at the floor.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Gen. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure dancing¡¯s for me.¡±

    Niu glanced at him, once, at this implication, but hurriedly averted her gaze.

    ¡°I can dance, if you¡¯d like,¡± offered TriX from the side.

    Thinking about it, perhaps it stuck out just as much in this crowd; Niu was pretty sure she¡¯d seen another laborer at some point, but now TriX was the only one around. It wore a grey garment of some sort, more functional than ornamental.

    ¡°What? Oh, no, that¡¯s fine¡­¡±

    Niu looked away, watching the people around. At least now with the music there was less attention focused on them. Many couples were dancing around the hall. She¡¯d never been to any sort of dance party, but aside from the fact that it was being done inside a gigantic tree and with fairies, it was more or less exactly like she imagined those to be.

    Niu felt uncomfortable in lavish clothes, but it didn¡¯t mean that she didn¡¯t appreciate them; the multitudes of colors and styles in the audience did enchant her. It was like a work of art and it fit her sense of aesthetics.

    It had been quite a while since she¡¯d last sketched anything. Ever since she started going to school and received supplies she would draw every day, but that routine came to an abrupt end without her noticing. She suddenly felt bad for all the dozens of drawings she¡¯d lost, and then felt bad for feeling bad about it.

    Trying to shake off that downward spiral, Niu recalled one of her last drawings, the unique flower she¡¯d seen on her way to school. It was already a long time ago¡ªhalf a year ago, by Fairland standards¡ªbut she still remembered it quite vividly. In fact, that wasn¡¯t the last time she¡¯d seen it; Niu had also chanced upon a similar flower on the outskirts of Kalden. How curious.

    ¡°Will you dance with me?¡±

    A sudden voice cut her line of thought. She turned, but those words weren¡¯t directed to her; a familiar fairy dressed in white covered in multicolor approached the table, standing near Gen.

    ¡°Dance?¡± Gen asked back, visible confusion on his face. ¡°But I can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°It will be but for a short while. Come now,¡± said Aisbroom.

    ¡°But I¡­ err, fine, I guess,¡± Gen mumbled. He glanced at Shaya and Niu for a moment, but they were just as confused. Eventually he rose from his seat and, dragged by Aisbroom, disappeared into the crowd.

    ¡°Umm.¡± Except for TriX, she and Shaya were left alone, perhaps for the first time in quite a while. It was quite awkward. ¡°Do you¡­ do you want to dance?¡±

    Niu tilted her head.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Niu¡¯s meetings with Gen in the woods to turn into a habit.

    He¡¯d usually come there once a week or so, whenever he found the time. They would walk around the forest together. At times Niu would stop and pluck some wild berries for them to eat, and at times Gen would stop her when he heard some noise, and then come to the conclusion it was only his imagination or just an errant bird.

    These were fun times indeed. Perhaps the most fun Niu ever had.

    They also spent a lot of time chatting¡ªwell, Gen was the one who chatted and Niu only listened and nodded and laughed, but that was fine for her. He seemed to be enjoying speaking to her about this and that. He told her of Hayden, a place that she had been to only a handful of times, and promised to take her on a tour there some time. He told her of his brothers; one of them was training to become a soldier and the other apprenticing under his parents¡¯ business, so they didn¡¯t have a lot of time to hang out with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m the only one talking,¡± he apologized one day.

    Niu shook her head. He couldn¡¯t do anything about it, after all. And she did enjoy listening to him. It was a pity she couldn¡¯t really communicate back, though. He had questioned her about this, but Niu didn¡¯t even know how to read and write, so he¡¯d kindly offered to teach her. They¡¯d made little progress on that, but she at least reached the point where she could write her own name.

    ¡°This might sound a bit rude,¡± he said, ¡°but I like it like this. Sorry, I mean¡­ I wish you could talk back, of course¡­ but no one ever takes me seriously. They always compare me to my brothers and all that. Even other kids. You actually listen to me, though.¡±

    Niu smiled and nodded. It¡¯s the same for me, she thought. No one pays me any attention. No one even tries to talk to me anymore; they all gave up at some point, since I can¡¯t even reply. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t convey all that to him.

    ¡°Anyway.¡± Gen hurriedly switched the subject, as he often did. ¡°How about we keep going? Maybe we¡¯ll find that soft rose today? ¡­Just kidding.¡±

    It started during one of their very first meetings¡ªthey found a rose on the side of the road and Niu accidentally pricked her finger. It was actually a bit embarrassing; she of course knew the danger and usually handled roses carefully, but it somehow happened anyway. Ow, she¡¯d thought and sucked her finger.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Gen had asked worryingly. Niu nodded. ¡°Too bad this isn¡¯t a soft rose, huh?¡±

    Soft rose¡ªthe term tickled her mind, for some reason, but she couldn¡¯t quite recall it. Although they hadn¡¯t known each other for long, Gen already started interpreting her facial expressions, so he more or less understood her at that moment.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± he¡¯d asked her. As a response, she¡¯d merely tilted her head, furrowed her brows and put a finger on her cheek. Gen had probably realized it was more than a simple ¡°no¡± so he thought for a bit. ¡°Not sure, then? I mean, it¡¯s a somewhat well-known fairytale.¡±

    Niu¡¯s eyes had widened in surprise. She could dimly recall something of the sort. She moved her mouth and motioned toward Gen.

    ¡°Err, do you want me to¡­ tell you the story?¡± he¡¯d guessed, to which she replied with a vigorous nod of her head. ¡°Sure, why not. Sit down, my child, and I shall tell you the story of the fairy and the soft rose¡­¡±

    You jerk, she thought while softly punching his arm and smiling.

    The story was rather standard stuff; it told of a boy wishing to pick roses in the forest, yet unable to do so due to their thorns. A mischievous fairy then helped him by making roses smooth, only for their thorns to reappear at inopportune times¡­ the moral of the story being that everything had its purpose the way it was, or something of the sort.

    Even so Niu was charmed by it. It brought back distant memories, of a time where her mother did such things as tell her such stories before bedtime, times when she hadn¡¯t been so cold. Thinking back, perhaps this was also an indirect cause for her daily adventures¡ªshe always dreamt of meeting fairies in the forest and play with them, since humans ignored her.

    ¡°Err, the end, I guess,¡± Gen had said as he wrapped up the story. ¡°Sorry for not being much of a storyteller¡­¡±

    But Niu shook her head vehemently at these final words, beaming at him.

    ¡°Well, if you enjoyed it then I¡¯m glad.¡± He smiled back at her. ¡°Wanna look for that soft rose, then?¡±

    She chuckled soundlessly as they got up and ran into the forest.

    ¡°I¡­ I know this isn¡¯t the time for this, but¡­¡±

    Niu wasn¡¯t quite sure what made her agree, but now she was dancing with Shaya. Of course, neither of them knew how to dance so it was more like pacing while facing each other. That coupled with their status there made them stand out quite a bit.

    ¡°I just wanted to apologize,¡± Shaya continued, her gaze cast downwards and her fists clenched. ¡°I thought we might have some fun for a change. I know that I hurt you but I don¡¯t want it to stay that way¡­ because we¡¯re friends and we need each other right now.¡±

    Niu wasn¡¯t sure what to feel about that. Part of the blame lay with her and she knew it, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel that everything around her had already fallen apart. She¡¯d known Shaya for more than a year now, but Niu felt like she was only now seeing new sides of her despite having shared quite a few secrets and worries.

    ¡°I just hope I can make it up to you, somehow, and we¡¯ll¡­ we¡¯ll have a talk soon, okay? In a better time and place than this.¡±

    Niu nodded weakly, not quite looking in Shaya¡¯s eyes. As she had said, this really wasn¡¯t the time and place for it; Niu didn¡¯t want to dwell on negativity in such a public space, which left her feeling melancholic as it was.

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    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Shaya. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Before that, how a dance with me as well?¡±

    The pair was startled by an unfamiliar voice, and one that was speaking their language to boot, if a bit awkwardly. Standing there was a slender fairy with a wide, generous smile, black hair tied into a short ponytail and clad in a midnight-blue short dress. A noticeable sweet smell was emanating from them, probably some sort of perfume.

    ¡°Sorry for surprising you¡­ is that the word?¡± the stranger said, still smiling.

    ¡°W-who are you?¡± asked Shaya.

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I am Boum.¡± The fairy bowed. ¡°I was interested in you for long time, but this is first meeting. I was too part of the project, in past¡­ you know, with Seele.¡±

    Ah¡ªit was a shock to hear yet another fairy speaking their language, however faulty, but now it made further sense. Until now they had only met Seele, TriX and Aisbroom, but there were surely a few others.

    Boum once again extended their hand. ¡°Will dance with me, then?¡± they said at Niu.

    At first, she instinctively wanted to reject them, but then had a certain thought. Sitting down with Shaya (even if Roah, Seele or Gen were sure to return soon) would be even more awkward, right now. And she really was interested in fairies, never mind the fact that she couldn¡¯t communicate with them. Perhaps that would serve as a nice distraction after all. They looked pretty and smelled nice. Niu nodded and took Boum¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Are you sure¡­?¡± asked Shaya from behind.

    Niu nodded toward her as well, smiled and pointed at the table. TriX also stood conspicuously nearby, so it wouldn¡¯t be leaving her alone. She got a bit further into the hall along with Boum.

    ¡°So you are Niu, as I assumed,¡± Boum said. Seeing Niu raise her eyebrows they added, ¡°I heard little about you. There many rumors. They say you can¡¯t speak.¡± Niu once again nodded gingerly. ¡°Bad. I wish I could talk with you. But no matter; dance.¡±

    There was something quite¡­ exotic about Boum. Fairies in general felt a bit alien, but even she had grown a bit used to them, by now. However, Boum felt completely different than Seele or even Aisbroom, for example. Even the way they guided her while knowing fully well she couldn¡¯t dance.

    ¡°Is everything fine?¡± two figures appeared at the side¡ªthey were Roah and Seele. The boy looked at her questioningly, and then his eye settled on Boum, slightly narrowing.

    ¡°Hello, Seele,¡± Boum greeted the other fairy.

    ¡°Oh! A long time, Boum,¡± Seele replied with a smile.

    ¡°I happened to be in party and thought of meeting the faeries,¡± Boum gestured toward both Roah and Niu. ¡°You really lucky.¡±

    ¡°Haha, maybe. They¡¯re very interesting, are they not?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Roah asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Oh? I am just making fun,¡± Boum said, smiling. Niu suddenly grabbed their sleeve. ¡°Sorry, I ignored my dance partner. Don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    ¡°Is that fine with you?¡± Roah asked her.

    Niu thought for a bit, and then nodded. She felt awfully comfortable with Boum, for some reason. Dancing with them for a bit longer wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. And there was also that very sweet smell. Seeing her response, Roah still eyed her for a moment, but then went along with Seele.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Boum, a faint smile on their lips, ¡°it will be over soon.¡±

    ¡°Niu, Niu!¡±

    The pair hadn¡¯t ever truly planned their meetings; usually Gen would just appear one day in the whereabouts of the forest, looking for her. But this time it had been almost an entire week without seeing him, so Niu started to worry a bit. That day, however, he finally came to look for her.

    ¡°Sorry I haven¡¯t been here for a while,¡± said Gen.

    It¡¯s fine, she smiled. How do you do?

    After having spent time together, Gen learned how to correctly interpret her gestures and expressions. She wished she would have a better way to express herself, but she was still a bit struggling with learning how to write, and she had no proper way of practicing.

    ¡°I¡¯m good¡­ great, actually, you¡¯re not going to believe it,¡± he said excitedly. ¡°I wanted to tell you the news¡ªthey¡¯re opening a school in town!¡±

    Niu tilted her head. A school? She knew there were such facilities in some major cities, like the University in the Capital.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s some sort of project or something¡­ They¡¯re recruiting students right now and¡ªand I¡¯m to be one of them, apparently.¡±

    Caught in surprise for a second, she then clapped her hands briefly. The son of a merchant family would surely benefit from receiving some formal education. But then she also realized¡ªhad he come to say goodbye? If he was going to start school, he would surely have less time to come and play with her. Her smile vanished.

    ¡°But that was obvious, so never mind that,¡± Gen continued as he approached her. ¡°Come with me to town.¡±

    What?

    ¡°Maybe we can get you into school, too!¡±

    ¡­Again, what?

    Seeing the absolutely befuddled look on her face, Gen chuckled. ¡°See, from what I understand they¡¯re looking for students from both town and the surrounding area. You don¡¯t even have to pay or anything! Like I said, it¡¯s some new project or something, apparently there¡¯s a noble funding the whole deal. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be a perfect fit there!¡±

    Niu¡¯s mouth slackened open as her mind processed what she''d just been told. Her? Become a student in the new school? Gen said she wouldn¡¯t have to pay anything, but was that true? No, even if it was true, why would they want a mute, ignorant girl as a student? That made no sense.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he promised her. ¡°I¡¯ll recommend you! I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll want you. Please trust me.¡±

    Niu in a school¡­ the very thought of it was bizarre. She¡¯d been shunned by both her parents and the other villagers, but perhaps the town was different. It had Gen in it, after all. Maybe she¡¯d even be able to make more friends.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, then!¡± he grabbed her hand and pulled, but she resisted.

    She looked at him, puzzled: Right this instant? Shouldn¡¯t we speak to anyone first? She wasn¡¯t confident her gestures would convey that, but he apparently got the general gist.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess it might be a bit rash.¡± He stopped in place and let go of her. He seemed to be thinking of something. ¡°But I¡¯ll be coming to take you soon, okay?¡±

    His promise came true; it took only a couple of days for him to appear again, the shortest amount of time between any of their meetings. He sounded excited, telling her that one of the teachers not only wanted to but had insisted on meeting her. This puzzled her a great deal, but he offered no explanations and just dragged her to town.

    Seeing Hayden for the first time in a long time was a shock. People roamed through the streets at all times. Men and women talking loudly, children running here and there for errands or just playtime, and the shouting voices of vendors handling all sorts of stalls scattered around. It was noisy and boisterous, but not necessarily in a bad way.

    Niu would have loved to soak in this new scenery, but Gen hurried her up on the way to school. There was a loud ringing that came from nearby and Niu noticed a clock tower, itself not very tall, but perhaps the tallest building in town, announcing that it was already five o¡¯clock. She had heard it faintly from afar many times, but it sounded completely different when she was so close.

    Finally, the pair reached a building that looked like it could serve as some sort of office. It was about three times bigger than Niu¡¯s home but even more desolate.

    ¡°This is it!¡± Gen told her, excitement clear in his voice. ¡°Well, I heard they''re going to renovate a bit before starting¡­ anyway, let¡¯s get inside.¡±

    Like Gen said, the inside was in definite need of repairs, but it actually was a bit better than her own house back in the village. The walls were cracked but the floor, at least, appeared to have been cleaned recently.

    After leading her through a corridor and passing by some doors, Gen stopped in front of a particular room. A wooden plate attached to it said something, but Niu couldn¡¯t read it.

    ¡°Wait here just a second,¡± he instructed her. He went to knock on the door and then opened it, entered, and closed it behind him. It took only a few seconds for him to reemerge, smiling. ¡°The Professor wants to talk to you. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s a really nice guy.¡±

    It was only at that point that Niu began to feel slightly anxious. Until then there were only wonder and confusion at the new environment, but now she recalled why they came there. Gen called him the Professor¡­ meaning, was he in charge of the school?

    She gulped. Nodding, she entered the room with slow, deliberate steps.

    ¡°Hello,¡± greeted a voice from the inside. ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything about you, Niu. Please have a seat. My name is Salom Saburn and I¡¯m one of the teachers of this soon to be opened school.¡±

    Gen ignored the few fairies around that mumbled and pointed at the pair as he glared at Aisbroom. It was time to get to the bottom of this.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked bluntly.

    ¡°Not a dance, obviously. I just wanted to talk with you a little,¡± Aisbroom replied, returning the boy¡¯s stare.

    ¡°Here? Where everyone¡¯s looking at us?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s actually safer this way. No one in their right mind would think of us doing anything suspicious right in the midst of this crowd, right?¡± Aisbroom asked, smiling and glancing to the side. ¡°So, on that note, I have a question for you. Do you have any plans to act against the Ruler?¡±

    Gen doubted his own ears for a second. He just stood there, blinking, before his brain caught up.

    ¡°Are you¡­ are you seriously asking this?¡± he stammered. He looked around as if expecting to see Acrus themselves eavesdropping nearby.

    Aisbroom chuckled. ¡°I already told you¡ªyou have nothing to fear. There are less than a dozen people in the entire venue that understand you, anyway.¡±

    ¡°¡­I still don¡¯t get it.¡± Gen shook his head. ¡°But as for your question, no. Even if I¡¯d been planning something I obviously wouldn¡¯t say it out in the open like this, right? That¡¯s insane.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is insane,¡± Aisbroom agreed, nodding, ¡°which is why I had to make sure you were not considering anything of the sort. And you seem truthful. Good.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you¡ª¡±

    Aisbroom interjected, ¡°What about Roah, then?¡±

    Gen recovered faster this time. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s kinda weird, and a jerk, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s insane. Maybe. Probably. Anyway, I don¡¯t know what that guy¡¯s thinking. Never could understand that prat.¡±

    Aisbroom smiled a little, then went silent as if considering the information they¡¯d just received.

    ¡°Is that really what you wanted from me? Just a random interrogation? And before you ask, there¡¯s no way Shaya and Niu would ever do anything.¡± After uttering this he noticed that it was a pretty harsh way of phrasing things, and it bothered him a bit.

    Meanwhile Aisbroom made no answer, but merely glanced around the hall. The music kept going, but less and less people were dancing. All around, servants started clearing the tables of empty bowls and plates and getting fresh food out.

    Aisbroom finally spoke just as Gen was starting to lose his patience. ¡°I just want you to be on your guard. Especially if you want to protect that girl.¡±

    ¡°¡­Not that again¡­¡±

    ¡°You get back to your table,¡± Aisbroom instructed him as he started walking ahead. ¡°Be on alert¡­ something is going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Gen mumbled as Aisbroom disappeared into the crowd. ¡°Wait! What do you mean by¡­ shit.¡± He thought Aisbroom would be easy to spot even here, but there were simply too many fairies around.

    Gen clicked his tongue and decided to go back to the table¡ªthough unfortunately Aisbroom had taken him to the opposite side of the hall. He had a very bad feeling about the fairy¡¯s last words.

    That bad feeling soon came true.

    The man on the other side of the desk was already seated¡ªand Niu then noticed that it was a peculiar chair, one equipped with wheels. She¡¯d never seen or heard about something like this before, but she could guess its purpose.

    ¡°Please seat down,¡± Saburn repeated. She twitched in surprise, realizing that she was staring too much. Embarrassed, she took the chair right in front of him.

    The so-called office was as barebones as the rest of the building. Currently there were only a single chair (and a wheelchair), a desk and a small shelf with some documents. There were also some papers and a pen on the desk.

    ¡°Now, I hope you don¡¯t mind if we get down to business,¡± Saburn said, smiling. ¡°As I am sure you are aware, we are here to discuss the prospect of you joining our school. How much do you know about it?¡±

    Almost nothing. But how was she going to reply to that question? Hadn¡¯t the Professor told her that he already heard everything about her?

    ¡°I have prepared a way for you to communicate,¡± he said after her short, puzzled silence. He tapped the paper on the desk.

    Oh, she thought. But that still wasn¡¯t enough. She shook her head.

    That caused the man to slightly widen his bespectacled eyes. ¡°So you can¡¯t¡ªah, I see. Apparently, I was less informed than I have thought¡­ I apologize,¡± he said with a wry smile. ¡°Hmm, that is a bit of a trouble, then. Well, we¡¯ll figure something out. For now, I will tell you about the school in brief.¡±

    Gen had also told her a bit about it, but Saburn went into a few more details. The school was part of a project to educate children from all around the country in an attempt to elevate citizens in the future. By receiving a varied education, they would be able to serve both themselves and the kingdom better. It was currently on trial, but it was being fully sponsored, so there would not be any tuition fees of any kind.

    ¡°The curriculum has not yet been finalized, but it should include such things as geography, history, math, and, of course, reading and writing for those who need it¡­ more artistic pursuits as well, most likely. Are you interested?¡±

    Niu couldn¡¯t help but nod strongly. Reading and writing by themselves fascinated her, as it would help her immensely in finally communicating with people, however slightly. But she also knew how narrow her world was, until now. Even the small town of Hayden was a marvel to her, and now she was being offered to partake in this school, cared for by the kingdom? It was almost too good to be true.

    Saburn seemed pleased. ¡°Great. We will have to register you formally and talk with your parents as well, then.¡±

    At those words Niu¡¯s face fell. She hadn¡¯t even considered that until now. While they never even bothered to monitor her daily activities, Niu somehow had the feeling that her mom and dad wouldn¡¯t easily agree to such a deal, even if it cost them nothing. It would mean acknowledging her presence, something they weren¡¯t prone to do.

    Whether he understood her expression or not, Saburn said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Niu. We will do our best to persuade them to allow you to participate, if there is some problem. And in case you¡¯re just nervous about it all, you do not have to be; your friend Genro has told me you¡¯re a smart girl, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage."

    Niu felt herself blushing. Had Gen really said this? But all she did was listen to his stories¡­ she didn¡¯t think herself stupid, but calling her smart?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± Saburn continued, ¡°there is another thing I would like to check. You were mute your entire life, is that correct?¡±

    Niu nodded, inadvertently eyeing the man¡¯s chair and then noticing herself and hoping he hadn¡¯t noticed. If he did, he said nothing, but after her response he reached into his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a small ball made of cotton or some soft material. He placed it on the desk.

    ¡°I want you to focus on this,¡± he said. Niu raised an eyebrow and looked up from the ball to the Professor. ¡°This is something simple and will not take much of your time. I will explain later. Will you cooperate?¡±

    Niu nodded. She lowered her gaze to the ball once again and¡­ focused on it. It looked like plain, white cotton. Nothing special to it.

    ¡°Take your chair just a little bit back, now. Yes, like that. But keep focusing on that ball. I want you to try and feel it with your mind. Imagine yourself holding it and take deep breaths. The ball, the ball, the ball¡ªjust focus on that ball and follow my voice.¡±

    Niu was still quite confused and felt weird doing this, but as she focused on the ball, she actually became somewhat relaxed. She never lacked patience; one time she¡¯d stared at one flower for nearly half an hour. So having a staring contest against a ball was easy.

    ¡°Now, don¡¯t move your body, hold your breath for a moment, but move the ball. Just move it. Think about moving it, and do it.¡±

    She was so focused on the ball and on Saburn¡¯s words that she didn¡¯t even raise her brow at the instructions. She merely did as she was told. And the ball moved.

    ¡­Wait, it moved?

    ¡°Excellent!¡± exclaimed Saburn, stopping the ball with his finger as it lazily rolled toward him. Raising her face, she saw he was looking at her with a truly satisfied expression. ¡°I want to try it again just to be sure, but now we really must have you in this school no matter what¡ªto nurture your channeling talent.¡±

    This meeting signaled the start of Niu¡¯s best and worst time of her life.

    ¡°Did you enjoy?¡± asked Boum.

    Surprisingly, Niu felt that the answer was yes. She felt so gloomy throughout the whole evening, but suddenly meeting a complete stranger allowed her to feel more¡­ free. Perhaps it was similar to her first meeting with Gen. A stranger that she ended up meeting by chance but grew to be an important existence to her. They also smelled very sweet.

    So Niu smiled and nodded. Boum smiled back at her.

    ¡°You are quite lovely faerie. Yes¡­ you remind me of someone I know,¡± said Boum. ¡°You are like a¡­ princess, is that the word? We heard stories of princess in castle, that thing.¡±

    Niu tilted her head. Her? A princess? She was dressed quite fancy tonight, but that would be quite the exaggeration. Also, did the fairies have their own fairy tales? Boum seemed to note her confusion.

    ¡°Yes, that pure is also like a princess. Very cute.¡±

    Niu blushed at this compliment. Then, she suddenly found herself yawning.

    ¡°Tired?¡± the fairy asked her. ¡°Want to go back to your friends?¡±

    She really did feel tired, all of a sudden. Lately she hadn¡¯t been sleeping very well, and perhaps something about the rhythmic dance and music calmed her beyond what she expected. As for going back to her friends¡­ she knew she had to, as some point, but it didn¡¯t have to be necessarily right now.

    Niu regretted that she hadn¡¯t brought her slate along; she would have loved to try talking with Boum a bit. Since they could speak the language, they could probably also read it, just like Seele.

    Well, why not do both? She could simply take Boum back to the table. They also said they were interested in the others, so they could all have a fun discussion together. Niu turned around to look for their table.

    Only then did she notice that she was currently situated at almost the other side of the hall. The stage where the Ruler sat and the table for important guests were distant. Have they really gone this far, while dancing?

    ¡°Well, too bad,¡± mumbled Boum in a low voice.

    Just as Niu turned around to face them, and before she could question those words, the fairy took a quick succession of actions.

    One hand reached out toward Niu and she felt a small prick on her arm, but simultaneously she could see something being thrown into the air. Her body jolted as her arm was grabbed, and then there were sounds of glass breaking followed by a sudden puff of thick smoke completely enveloping the area.

    Niu found that her body didn¡¯t obey her commands, and she was pretty sure that this wasn¡¯t merely due to surprise or fear at the sudden situation. She could faintly hear screams about and echoing footsteps while she was being dragged, no, carried away. Her eyes watered and were clouded by the smoke as her mind felt sluggish and could barely interpret the events of these moments.

    It happened so quickly, but there was no doubt that Boum was taking her away. She didn¡¯t know how or why, but that was the only possible conclusion. Thinking back, why had she gone with them? It felt perfectly natural and fun at the time, but that was strange.

    Her mind was still hazy and her body felt numb. She didn¡¯t even know how much time passed, especially not with the cacophony and disorder around. But there was darkness and she felt Boum huffing and puffing as they carried her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this,¡± they spoke, sounding a bit distorted to her ears. ¡°I promise you will not hurt. But we need you¡ªa princess like you¡­ and you¡¯re the easiest target.¡±

    Niu wanted to cry. So she really was kidnapped, for whatever reason. And thinking about it, if this wasn¡¯t any sort of internal conflict she had no idea about, there was perhaps only one group who¡¯d want to accomplish something like this. Yes, just like they¡¯d tried to before.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If it goes good, we have your friends too. And then you all come to Stroba.¡±

    Silent through the rapid stream

    Will time stop if I could scream?

 Chapter 19: Shackles Past

    The first few months of school were exciting.

    Niu could never thank Saburn enough for allowing her this opportunity. As a matter of fact, she never found out how he managed to do it. Some people (actually not including Mr. Saburn himself) once came to her house, but she was asked not to be present during the talks.

    Whatever they did there¡ªshe was pretty sure there was some money involved, based on later talks about the subject with Gen and Shaya¡ªNiu¡¯s family seemed to accept the fact but without ever acknowledging it. They let Niu have a free reign as is, so this was just a new part of her routine.

    Seemingly the only downside was that she¡¯d see people of the village murmur among themselves on rare occasions she passed by them. She was apparently the only one from the entire village invited to school, and she was notorious as is, so it probably brought plenty of new rumors.

    However, school was way too interesting to seriously think about such things.

    Learning how to read and write came to her so easily and readily, once she had the proper environment and materials, that even her teachers were astonished. She had even been gifted several notebooks that would allow her to write. She could finally, finally express herself in a way that other people wouldn¡¯t find hard to understand. Finally!

    Discovering that she also had the potential to channel was also shocking. Apparently, people that were lacking in certain physical or mental areas were more attuned to the art of channeling, according to Mr. Saburn. He himself was also seemingly a case of that, though of course there were also many ¡°normal¡± people with such abilities.

    Accordingly, in addition to her regular lessons she also attended special lessons with him. Along with her was also a surly boy called Roah that didn¡¯t interact much with the others even in normal classes, so it was a bit tense sharing an entire class with him.

    Class itself, however, was pretty boring. Niu felt excited about her newly discovered powers, but the first lessons consisted only of drawing complex symbols and staring at them again, and again, and again, so much that she would sometimes dream of them. Mr. Saburn claimed that icons were an important part of channeling so she obediently followed the lessons, but she wished to make some sort of progress besides memorizing patterns.

    School was fun, but if there was one thing she felt discontent about, it was about Gen.

    Since she only knew him from their excursions, she¡¯d never seen him act around other children. Although he wasn¡¯t quite excelling in class, he still rose to a somewhat leader-like role. He was the most vocal of them all (often causing the teachers to scold him) but also the friendliest.

    This meant that everyone shared him, or at least wanted to. He would still happily greet Niu every morning and talk with her excitedly about this and that, but he¡¯d do the same with every other student. Niu even once heard some of the girls whisper about how charming he was.

    There was also the fact that Niu herself was still somewhat isolated from the rest of the class. Most people didn¡¯t have the patience to hold conversations with her due to how much time it would take her to reply. Despite this, she still managed to make a friend, a girl called Shaya.

    She wasn¡¯t shy (as many of the children would often tease her, based on her name), but she did lack self-confidence. Much like Niu she had her troubles at home, and it just so happened that the two of them hit if off pretty quickly.

    Niu had lost some things, and gained others. Of course, she never expected the further loss waiting in the future.

    Acrus never actually enjoyed these sorts of parties. They had conducted only two other Grand Feasts in their time, with one of them being their own crowning, but no matter how much they disliked these events, they knew they were necessary. And while the events themselves were unpleasant, there was other fun to be had.

    It was all a game. Both being a Ruler and actually ruling. Acrus had already proven that by deposing of the previous Ruler after metaphorically and literally stabbing them in the back. The populace soon bowed in front of them. There had been few assassination attempts, but these had all ended in failure.

    And now Acrus decided that it was the right time to get Planted. They chose it specifically because it was such a precocious time. Since Acrus¡¯s enemies were unable to get rid of them both internally and externally, they now had to deal with another factor, an heir. It was laughable how easy it was used to both improve morale and rile up their enemies to action.

    Acrus had already known there was a devious plan. They had already known that there were traitors in their midst. Just as the Stroba had infiltrated during the wave, they planned another similar assault.

    So Acrus gave them the perfect opportunity for it.

    Gathering most of Kalden¡¯s important people together in a small space should serve as good bait. Would they attempt to go after the Ruler, or, more likely, after easier prey, such as the faeries?

    Acrus would lose nothing in this scenario. As a matter of fact, they found the faeries a bit of a thorn in their side¡­ Acrus ruled with power and authority, so they were cautious that the nature of legends and the unknown could sway their subjects to unwanted deeds. That was why they meticulously juggled both getting on the faeries¡¯ good terms and holding them back.

    But there were limits to everything. Also, Acrus knew that the negotiations with the world of light were not going well, on account of them demanding too much, albeit purposely. This game was dangerous, but enjoyable.

    That was why letting the Stroba do as they pleased would serve to benefit them. Using them, Acrus might both get rid of some or all faeries, as well as unite the citizens of Kalden against them.

    The plan was not perfect, Acrus knew, but they liked it. Nearly all of the party thus far had been spent in blissful tension as to when it would happen. From time to time, after drinking and chatting with various people, Acrus would glance at the faeries strewn around the hall. As expected, they all attracted plenty of attention. Not many directly approached them (owing chiefly to communication issues) but many watched them from afar and whispered amongst themselves.

    This meant that, as soon as the actual attack began, Acrus was watching it happen.

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    There was an eruption of white clouds all around the hall. This was followed by screams, shouts, and flickering of the countless phosphorescent plants illuminating the hall.

    Acrus raised their brows. They¡¯d never have imagined that this would come so soon into the evening, when everyone was still alert¡ªthey honestly expected that attack to take place much, much later, perhaps around the closing of the Feast. Perhaps those nasty Stroba chose to act precisely because of that. The very fact they dared attacking so openly was also remarkable.

    ¡°Aisbroom!¡± Acrus shouted. Their trusty general appeared within moments, weapon drawn, as if they were waiting for exactly that call. Well, they¡¯d probably rushed to Acrus as soon as it all happened, but still.

    ¡°We are under attack¡­ should I intercept them?¡± Aisbroom asked.

    ¡°No. Stay here to protect me.¡±

    Looking at Aisbroom¡¯s face, it was completely devoid of any emotion, but Acrus liked to imagine that it was filled with simmering rage beneath the surface. Honestly, it was quite annoying how resistant Aisbroom was to taunting, so Acrus had to fill the gaps themselves.

    Surely Aisbroom wanted to protect the faerie children? They even took one of them under their wing. However, Aisbroom functioned as the perfect general¡ªa perfection that also made Aisbroom wary.

    ¡°Understood,¡± was Aisbroom¡¯s immediate response. They and a couple of other guards who¡¯d already been stationed nearby made a perimeter around their Ruler, ready for any attack to come out of the smoke.

    ¡°Did you understand that lesson just now¡­?¡± Shaya asked one day during lunch break. This was after a particularly baffling math class, so it was a warranted question.

    Honestly, no, Niu wrote back, smiling faintly.

    Shaya sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure Roah did, but I¡¯m too scared to ask him for anything.¡±

    The boy in question was already gone from the class. In fact, he would come late to most lessons, so it was great wonder he was still allowed to enroll in the project¡ªthen again, his grades were among the highest in the entire class, so there was that. If anyone could understand how these stupid numbers and letters worked, thought Niu, it would definitely be him.

    ¡°Need something, girls?¡± the smiling figure of Gen appeared.

    ¡°Um, we were just wondering about this lesson just now,¡± replied Shaya. Niu nodded. ¡°Have you possibly managed to understand any of it?¡±

    Gen chuckled nervously. ¡°That was probably the most confusing nonsense I had ever seen.¡±

    ¡°I know right¡­¡±

    I know right¡­

    The three of them sighed together.

    ¡°Let¡¯s all ask Mr. Saburn to do a review next class, yeah?¡± Gen suggested. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going¡­ see you after break!¡± He strode outside the class, joining his friends.

    Niu felt sad while she waved him off, but never let it show on her face.

    ¡°Today¡¯s your special class, right?¡± Shaya broke into a new topic. Neither she nor Niu were prone to play with the others outside, and they didn¡¯t have many friends anyway. They would spend many of their breaks simply chatting. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    Hmm¡­ Niu wondered how to answer that. She then finally wrote, Not much is going, really. We¡¯re still in the really early stages, Mr. Saburn said. We haven¡¯t been doing any real channeling anyway.

    ¡°Do you think channeling is¡­ scary?¡± Shaya asked suddenly.

    Niu tilted her head and then started writing. I wouldn¡¯t call it scary. I mean, it can be used for scary things, I suppose. But that¡¯s why we are being taught to control it, so it can be helpful for us and for others, she summarized with a smile.

    Shaya smiled weakly at that but she still looked hesitant. ¡°My¡­ my family says it¡¯s like a curse.¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°I hope that¡¯s not true.¡±

    It¡¯s not! Niu insisted, adding an exclamation mark for emphasis. If anything, it helped me feel like I¡¯m actually worth something.

    ¡°You¡¯re worth a lot,¡± Shaya hurriedly said, ¡°I mean, you get better grades than me, and all that.¡±

    There was a lot Niu could say as a counterpoint, but she knew there was no need for that. Instead, she just smiled and nodded, mouthing a Thanks.

    ¡°¡­I have a question, but it¡¯s a bit personal,¡± Shaya said after a short pause. She glanced around as if to check no one was eavesdropping.

    Go ahead.

    ¡°Alright, here I go. Do you like Gen?¡±

    Niu¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. She never expected Shaya to ask that sort of question; she herself seemed embarrassed about that even as she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I knew I shouldn¡¯t have¡ª¡±

    Niu raised a hand to stop her. Then she quickly jotted down her answer.

    Yes, I do like him. As a friend. You know he¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m here in the first place. We used to meet up and play in the forest before all this happened, but I guess those days are gone.

    ¡°It is hard being Mr. Popular,¡± Shaya agreed, wearing a faint smile. ¡°Have you tried just¡­ inviting him, though? I¡¯m sure he has some time for you.¡±

    Niu was again caught with surprise at this suggestion. Ask him out? But now with school and everything he was surely busy¡­

    ¡°You know how nice he is¡ªI¡¯m sure he''ll say yes. We have our day off for that, you know.¡±

    Maybe it wasn¡¯t as farfetched as it seemed. Why had Niu neglected to even consider this option? Perhaps she was too used to giving up on things she knew that she¡¯d never get. But now things were different. She could properly express herself now. And Gen was her friend, after all.

    Thanks, Shaya! she wrote.

    Even understanding the meaning of Boum¡¯s words, Niu¡¯s sluggish mind still struggled to make sense of them. Before what felt like moments ago, she¡¯d been dancing and having fun, but all that was now replaced with mind-numbing fear. There was now no doubt that she¡¯d been kidnapped by the Stroba, and it was very probable that her friends were in danger as well.

    How could she have been so stupid?

    She tried struggling even though she knew it was futile. First of all, her body was still half-paralyzed, and secondly, she was clearly surrounded by at least three people including Boum carrying her, based on what she could see. Maybe Gen or Roah would¡¯ve been able to do something, but she was too weak.

    ¡°Shhh. Relax,¡± said Boum¡¯s calm voice. Following this there was another whisper from nearby, but Niu couldn¡¯t understand the language. Boum then became engaged in a short conversation.

    Was the surprise attack really that successful? Niu hadn¡¯t felt any struggle, just them running away. Boum seemed to be moving at a decent pace, not hurrying. She didn¡¯t know if any help would be coming.

    She recalled the other times she¡¯d been in danger. There was that fateful day with the black monster. She had been rescued back then, and during the mad rush toward Kalden as well. Yes, she couldn¡¯t do anything on her own. Not even going to school changed that.

    Perhaps that was fine, though. They weren¡¯t going to kill her, and so far, it didn¡¯t really seem like Kalden was going to actually help them. Maybe the Stroba would somehow actually find a way for her to get back home¡­ or they would simply lock her there forever and conduct experiments on her. She didn¡¯t even know what the Stroba wanted from them, after all. Thinking about it, the state of her mind and body might have been due to one of their infamous products.

    Even if her other friends had also been targeted, she was definitely the best target¡ªeven Shaya could at least scream for help. Yes, perhaps it was Niu¡¯s fate to be taken away like this. Her just desserts for that horrible day when she could do nothing to help her friend. Nothing changed since then.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Gen¡­

    Wait. There was something that did change, after all. She purposely avoided thinking about it so she¡¯d forgotten about it, but there was her newfound ability.

    This, however, also brought a pang of guilt to her heart. Why had she awoken it only so recently? And would it even help her, if the others were at a similar situation?

    I¡¯m so pathetic, she thought. She was once again going to be a burden, just as she was to her parents. She was going to be selfish and beg anyone who could hear her for help. That was who she was, and there was nothing she could do about it.

    Gen¡­ help me! she shouted in her heart.

    Niu had been extremely nervous, asking Gen out. However, just like Shaya told her, he agreed almost immediately. It was just going to be a nice stroll near the forest for a some time, like they used to, but it made her very happy.

    Thinking about it, was that sort of what people would call¡­ a date? She only really learned about the concept recently, when she started interacting with other girls her age, mainly Shaya. But no, they were just friends having fun together. And besides from Gen being a little bit protective, there weren¡¯t ever any signs that he viewed her as anything more than a friend.

    Finally, the day came¡ªit was the only free day from school. Of course, there was still homework and some assignments to do, but Niu usually spent it the way she used to. She also had a few excursions to town with Shaya, but never with Gen. This time, however, they went to the forest just like the good old days.

    ¡°Channeling sounds amazing,¡± said Gen in the middle of that. Now that they were going to school and Niu could finally write, they were finally able to have a decent conversation, and about multitudes of topics¡ªso naturally they arrived at school subjects, especially the one that Gen himself wasn¡¯t taking.

    Niu shrugged. They only barely started practicing actual channeling instead of mindlessly memorizing and drawing icons over and over again. However, she was still unable to do much more than blow a small ball of cloth like in her first meeting with Saburn.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of Stard Molton?¡± Gen asked.

    Upon shaking her head, she was immediately bombarded with a passionate lecture about the entire history of Stard Molton, national hero. Not that she minded it; she liked listening to Gen and he of course emphasized the man¡¯s more interesting exploits. Having lost his legs in an accident while at war, he discovered his hidden talent as a channeler. He went and rose to fame¡ªboth metaphorically through the ranks and literally through the air¡ªand ended up becoming a legend.

    ¡°He even has legendary swords!¡± Gen kept going excitedly. ¡°They¡¯re called Windbreaker, Windburner, and, uh, I forgot the third one¡­¡±

    Niu giggled voicelessly.

    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Gen asked, though he was smiling as well.

    Those are some really silly names, she wrote.

    ¡°What¡­ no, they¡¯re really cool!¡±

    They¡¯re too blunt! They need to be a bit more poetic.

    ¡°Oh yeah? Then you come up with something.¡±

    Challenge accepted. After thinking for a while, tip of pencil on her lips, she wrote, How about ¡°Silverwind, Breath of the Fairies¡±?

    Upon seeing that name, Gen burst laughing. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s up with that name¡­¡± he erupted into another laughing fit.

    Hey! That''s rude! she wrote down, but he was too busy laughing. After glancing at that name again and seeing how Gen reacted, however, she also started laughing herself. Maybe it was even sillier than the actual name.

    After calming down, the pair lay down on the grass, watching the blue sky. They were on a small hill overlooking the nearby forest. The sun was only starting to channel toward east, but it was obscured by the clouds just enough for it to not be too warm.

    There was a short while of silence. These were nice too, at times. Niu liked writing, but it was also tiresome. Just letting the presence of nature wash over them while thinking of this and that was just as well. She peeked at Gen next to her, and found him peeking back. They smiled at the same time and laughed.

    ¡°You know, I really want to be like Molton,¡± Gen suddenly said. Niu raised an eyebrow questioningly, but signaled him to continue. ¡°What I mean is, err¡­ he started small, then nearly lost it all, but managed to become a hero despite everything. I also want to be like that. I¡¯m just a merchant¡¯s son in a nice town, but¡­ well, I don¡¯t know. Going to school is a start, though. I¡¯m not sure what I want to do yet, but I wanna do something meaningful. Do you understand?¡±

    Niu considered this. It was only less than a year ago that she had lived meaninglessly and aimlessly. It was a wonder that her family hadn¡¯t thrown her away, being their useless child. She started with almost less than nothing and continually gained more and more.

    Even so, she knew there was still a long way to go. Saburn had told her he saw potential in her, but potential for what? Sure, she could write, and she could draw pretty well, too, but no more than that.

    She wanted to do something. Help people. Be of use, just like Gen said.

    Finally, she nodded. She understood his feelings perfectly. The moment she did so, however, there was a sudden strange sound from nearby. A growl, and then a large shape that appeared in the edge of her vision.

    ¡°Niu!¡± She could see Gen¡¯s eyes widening as he barely leapt ahead, pushing her away and allowing the grey shape to hit him directly.

    Niu¡¯s mind was paralyzed even as a sharp scream erupted from Gen¡¯s mouth. Right in front of her eyes, Gen¡¯s form was being attacked by a wolf, spraying fresh blood.

    Right in front of Gen¡¯s eyes, there were several explosions of smoke around the party hall.

    ¡°Wha¡­?!¡±

    There was immediate chaos and shouting, but Gen managed to identify a high-pitched shriek as one who belonged to Shaya. The hair on his nape standing on end and his eyes widening, he broke into a run.

    He didn¡¯t have an eyesight as good as Roah¡¯s, but he noticed a certain shape leaping from the smoke and was shocked to catch a glimpse of Shaya¡¯s violet dress. A burly-looking, tall fairy was carrying her, pushing the crowd away in the confusion.

    There was no time to think. There was no time to check what Aisbroom or any of the other fairies stationed as guards were doing, nor check on his other friends. Gen leapt into action.

    ¡°Shit!¡± he grunted as he climbed on a table and then smashed his ethereal arm underneath him, using the momentum to launch himself forward.

    It was a technique he hadn¡¯t the time to refine, but it allowed Gen to propel himself forward. He nearly crashed into yet another table, but used another blow of his ¡°arm¡± to land safely and keep running. This maneuver allowed him to close the distance with the fairy holding Shaya just as they approached a nearby staircase.

    Recalling the tree from outside, it probably had about three floors. They all entered through the topmost floor and went down one floor, so there was probably only the ground floor left. Gen rushed down the stairs, barely able to avoid tumbling down them as he kept pursuing his target.

    As he did, he saw that the Kaldenian fairies had, actually, taken faster action. The fairy holding Shaya was surrounded by a few guards, but threw something to the floor. This time Gen could see it¡ªsome sort of sphere made of glass-like material that, upon being smashed on the ground, unleashed a concentrated cloud of smoke. In addition to that, he also saw a few other fairies running inside the smoke from the other side. Perhaps they were enemies.

    Gen ignored them all and continued pursuing Shaya. The fairy was taking her inside what appeared to be a hole opened in the ground¡ªthere was an earthen hatch smashed there among many crates, so perhaps it had been hidden there.

    However, as he approached it another fairy came to intercept him. At this point Gen assumed that they were facing the Stroba again. Also, since they took Shaya, then they would possibly also try to snatch him along as well. The fairy wielded a set of vines.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stand in my way!¡± he shouted to pump himself, materializing a shield that deflected the slithering vines aimed at him. The surprised fairy flinched for just enough to allow Gen to also punch them aside.

    He continued mindlessly forward, which was probably a mistake. Something captured his lone arm from the back, making him stumble. He skidded on the floor only for a second before the vines started pulling him back.

    Glancing behind, another vine-wielding fairy stood there. Just how many Stroba infiltrated this place, anyway? What were Aisbroom and the rest doing?

    Filled with anger, Gen used his other arm to yank on the chains as hard as he could, pulling the surprised fairy into the air and making them crash against the ground. Gen was released.

    Clicking his tongue, he scanned the surroundings. There were a few other fairies fighting and some running toward him, so he hurried toward the hole, leaping inside without even pausing to check it. A stupid move, but fortunately the drop was short.

    The narrow, twisting tunnel was only lit very slightly by mushrooms jutting out of the ground here or there.

    ¡°Shaya! Shaya, I¡¯m coming to get you!¡± he shouted toward the cave. There was no response. Was he mistaken? Or was she simply too far away or else incapacitated? Regardless, he could do nothing but move along.

    Suddenly, something echoed in his mind. It wasn¡¯t a voice, per se, but more like the words directly embedded themselves into his brain.

    Gen¡­ help me!

    Hearing that, he froze.

    Gen had his doubts, the previous times; once or twice could be chalked up being just his imagination, but in the current state there was no way he could hear Niu, of all people, calling for him, unless he was crazy. The very fact that he knew it was Niu made it all the weirder.

    Please¡­ help me¡­

    It was as if he only just now realized the situation they were in. Shaya was kidnapped right before his eyes and he¡¯d dashed to rescue her, so did the same thing happen to Niu? If so, where was she?

    Gen gritted his teeth and kept running. He couldn¡¯t just stop in place like that. His body was shaking and his heart pounding so hard he felt it would burst. He wanted to help Niu. He really did. Her voice urged him so desperately. However¡­

    He¡¯d made his decision. He couldn¡¯t be in two places at once.

    I¡¯m sorry, Niu, he thought. Maybe I can¡¯t save you this time¡­

    It all happened much too quickly for Niu to follow.

    Where did that wolf come from? And why? She¡¯d spent so much time right around this area before and nothing of the sort ever happened. Niu felt stuck in a nightmare while she was watching the events in front of her unfold.

    Screaming and snarling turned into one as the boy and wolf struggled. Gen tried pounding and kicking his adversary but wasn¡¯t powerful enough to do any real damage; this, however, then led to the both of them losing their balance and tumbling down the hill.

    There was a thud, a scream and a howl of pain.

    Only then was Niu¡¯s mind released from the spell restraining it. She had been struck with such fear that she couldn''t even move a muscle, either to run away or to help Gen. Yet now she carefully made her way down the hill, nearly slipping down as she did.

    There were two unmoving shapes lying at the base of a large tree.

    Gen! she thought desperately, feeling the blood drain from her face.

    ¡°N-Niu¡­¡±

    Gen looked terrible. His whole body was covered in scratch marks and blood, but the most dreadful of all was his right arm. It didn¡¯t even look like an arm anymore, but a bloodied, long piece of meat hanging from his shoulder.

    She didn¡¯t even look at the wolf, slightly twitching next to him. Its jaw was wide open but it seemed stuck in place and there was blood oozing from its head. She startled for a second but then pulled her teary eyes away back to Gen.

    ¡°I think I-I killed it¡­ maybe,¡± Gen spoke, every word in agony.

    Niu would only find this out much later, but Gen had apparently managed, by a stroke of luck, to bash the wolf¡¯s head against the tree as they rolled, cracking its skull by the impact.

    ¡°Help me, get¡­¡± he groaned.

    A wave of nausea passed through her as she touched his bloody clothes and tried lifting him. He also grasped her with his unhurt arm and tried straightening his body. However, the moment he tried to stand up he shouted in such pain that it caused Niu to drop him.

    Only then did both of them notice that one of his legs was twisted at an unnatural angle.

    ¡°Shit,¡± he cursed under his breath. If this was any normal situation perhaps Niu would¡¯ve been startled at his sudden cussing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I don¡¯t think I can¡­¡±

    Niu was internally panicking. Gen needed extreme medical attention. There might also be other wolves nearby, for all she knew. They had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

    She tried pulling his arm again and lifting his body, but that was obviously doomed from the start. She was a small girl; she would never be able to carry him using her own power. What was she supposed to do, then? Why did she have no idea how to help him? Why was she even going to school if she didn¡¯t learn anything really important?

    ¡°Get¡­ help, Niu,¡± he finally spoke, ¡°go to town¡­ no, maybe the village is closer¡­¡±

    But¡ª

    ¡°Please, go¡­¡± Gen begged her. He grunted as he clutched his bloody right shoulder. This sight nearly caused Niu to faint right there and then. ¡°Go!¡±

    She turned on her heels and broke into a run. There wasn¡¯t even a second to spare. She had to find someone to help Gen. She still wasn¡¯t sure if just leaving him like that was the right option, but she had to try to save him somehow.

    Running up the hill, she nearly stumbled and fell, but managed to get onto the road, whereupon she actually did fall and scraped her knee so hard it started bleeding. But that was nothing; certainly when compared to Gen¡¯s wounds. She had to keep running and she had to do it as quickly as possible.

    If she was lucky, perhaps she¡¯d find someone passing by on the road, though it was unlikely at this hour of early noon. But Niu couldn¡¯t give up hope. She had to stay positive and make the world accept her will.

    She couldn¡¯t lose her very first and only friend.

    Thinking back to this moment, perhaps going to the village was a mistake; most people there were working through the day. Also, most of them knew her by face. Reaching town would have taken longer, but getting help probably would have been easier.

    The moment she reached the first house she saw a woman tending to some hen. Niu knew her by name, but had never interacted with her.

    I-I need help! My friend is hurt and¡ª

    Once she caught the woman¡¯s attention, she mouthed these words desperately. Obviously, no sound came out of her throat. Even more obviously, the woman couldn¡¯t understand a thing.

    ¡°¡­What do you want from me, defect?¡± the woman spat in discomfort.

    Shit, now she cursed as well in her mind.

    Then she finally recalled: she had no need for mouthing or pantomiming anything anymore. Now Niu had a method to communicate with people. Thinking this she reached for her bag¡ª

    Niu froze. Her bag wasn¡¯t there, of course. She¡¯d left it on that hill back near the forest. Such an idiot! She panicked so hard over Gen¡¯s condition that she forgot something that became so essential and important to her. She wanted to hit herself.

    Thinking more about it, though, the woman probably didn¡¯t know how to read anyway. Then again, even drawing the situation would probably work.

    Cursing again in her heart, she ran off; this woman probably wouldn¡¯t be able to help her. Next, she tried a man walking on the road with a wheelbarrow, but he was too busy and shouted at her to leave him.

    Next came a few children, who knew her and simply laughed and mocked her despite her shedding tears. Next a few chatting older women that regarded her with a hostile stare. And so forth.

    This nightmarish situation just continued on and on. Time was ticking, Gen¡¯s life was running out, and Niu found herself powerless to help him in any way. She wanted to shout at herself, shout at the world, but mostly shout at people to get their help.

    Unfortunately, she could only shout at the void, her nonexistent voice unable to reach anyone in this world¡ª

    The worst part was that this was all her fault. If she hadn¡¯t invited Gen none of this would have ever happened. Most importantly, if she was normal, she could have simply talked and solved the situation easily. Despair and guilt weighed her down with every step that she took.

    It took many minutes until she finally managed to get help.

    Why is this happening? Shaya thought miserably.

    One moment she was simply sitting at the table, waiting for her friends to return, when there was suddenly a puff of smoke and someone grabbed her. She managed to shriek but then felt something prick her, and her body went numb.

    She thought she could see TriX trying to help her, but it was stopped¡ªor something of the sort. Shaya couldn¡¯t really make out the whirl of activity with her body and mind both paralyzed. She only knew that she was being carried away.

    When she came to, she was inside some sort murky tunnel. Whatever it was that seemed to affect her mind was slowly wearing off, and she started feeling fear in earnest.

    Not again, she thought. It was just like that night, when they first came to Kalden¡ªexcept that this time she¡¯d been clutched right from the midst of the party. How could something like that happen? And would anyone save her?

    This was supposed to be a nice, pleasant evening. A time where they could momentarily forget about their worries and just have some fun. Even Niu seemed to be enjoying herself for a change, though it was a bit strange. Was she fine, right now? And what about the others?

    Tears started streaming down Shaya¡¯s eyes. She was going to be taken away and never see any of them. And that was if they were even going to let her live.

    Only then she noticed that the fairies were talking around her in hushed voices. She couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying, but they seemed tense. Actually, she hadn¡¯t noticed until now that there were several fairies there, including the one carrying her.

    Could she hope for someone to come rescue her? The moment she thought this, she bit her lips. She hated relying on others all the time. She hated being manipulated and used by anyone and everyone around her. She wanted to be able to do things for herself.

    Just like Gen. And even like Roah. She now knew that Niu felt the same as her, but did it have anything to do with them being girls? No, that wasn¡¯t it at all.

    Shaya was sick of waiting and complaining. She¡¯d even hurt Niu by being that way. Yes, she was unworthy of her cursed powers, and was punished whenever she had used them¡­ but surely this was different. She wasn¡¯t actually helpless. Also, there was no one watching her, anyway, besides her enemies.

    Her heart began pounding when she reached this resolution. She turned her gaze toward the larger-than average fairy that was holding her.

    I¡¯m sorry, she still apologized in her heart. This time, however, it wasn¡¯t play or some part of Roah¡¯s bizarre schemes. It was self-defense.

    ¡°Raaaah?!¡±

    It happened instantly. There was a sizzle on the fairy¡¯s skin and they shouted in agony, dropping Shaya. She landed with a (somewhat painful) thud on the hard ground, but she wasn¡¯t actually free; at some point she had been bound by sturdy vines and the other end of it was still wrapped around the fairy.

    The other fairies shouted something and she could hear their footsteps, but right now she focused on her fetters. Invoking the channel of heat, the vines briefly glowed red and burnt to ashes. Shaya winced, as this action singed her as well. Stupid, but serviceable. The large fairy extended their hand to her, but suddenly fell to their knees as she looked at them, overwhelmed by the channel of weight.

    This was quite weird. Shaya was filled by a sense of exhilaration that she¡¯d never felt before. She was filled with power and with purpose. She rose to her feet.

    Turning back, she saw three others fairies rushing at her, weapons drawn. Were they going to restrain her or just kill her, now that they¡¯d seen her powers? She didn¡¯t know nor care. One she threw to the ground using weight, another she felled using heat, and yet another she smashed against the wall using movement.

    During this time, as Shaya relaxed her attention on the larger fairy they rose to their feet, mumbling something under their breath. The remnants of vines in their hands started dancing in air, assaulting Shaya from all directions.

    Had she really been completely helpless, a few moments before?

    She flung the vines back. They struck the fairy in the face and then wrapped around their head. It was too dark to see, but had they been controlling these vines using icons? Shaya only tried using icons once and it was disastrous, so she never fully grasped their usage.

    Her channeling, however, was as free as the wind. And so was she, now that she realized it. She only needed a few more blows to knock out her captors; there was no need to kill them outright if she could help it. She wasn¡¯t quite that drunk with her own power.

    Now to get out of here, thought the newly-born channeler.

    Shadow fetters bind my past

    Shackles leaving me aghast

 Chapter 20: Call of the Abyss

    Niu sat down in a daze. The entire world seemed to be crumbling around her. She could barely even register she was sitting inside the town physician¡¯s office.

    Her memories of the last hour or so were vague, as if everything happened many, many years ago, or else as if it all just exploded in her face moments ago.

    Gen had been attacked; that horrible fact she could remember much too vividly. The very thought nearly made her puke. She also remembered herself running back to the village. But starting there everything seemed to happen too slowly and too quickly at the same time.

    She eventually somehow managed to get someone¡¯s help. They found Gen barely holding onto his life. Someone ran to town ahead while they applied some basic treatment, and eventually carried him off to town, since they were better equipped to take care of him there despite the village being closer.

    Niu couldn¡¯t even remember the people involved in this, although she surely knew most of them. She herself just followed them, as if she was a simple observer of some event that had nothing to do with her. Except, that was wrong. It had too much to do with her, so she was overwhelmed. Since she was no longer crying, she must have run out of liquids in her body at some point.

    She simply sat there, both head and heart throbbing in pain. Many people were shouting or running about into and out of the office. She hadn¡¯t seen Gen ever since he was carried inside.

    ¡°¡­alright?¡±

    Niu suddenly noticed someone was talking to her. Her head jumped to meet the gaze of Mr. Saburn.

    ¡°Niu?¡± he asked again, his expression wrought with worry.

    She just nodded, not looking him in the eyes. Had he been there before, or had he just arrived? She had no idea. Still, his presence there did come as a relief to temporarily dim her sensory and emotional overload.

    ¡°I heard about what happened,¡± he spoke grimly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± he stopped for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°no, there¡¯s no need to talk too much about that. I am sure you¡¯re still in shock.¡±

    Once again, Niu just nodded lazily. Even if she had her notebook, she didn¡¯t feel like conversing right now.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, though,¡± Saburn continued. ¡°Genro¡¯s going to be fine, the doctor said. Apparently, he even managed to stop his bleeding by using a makeshift bandage. Both of you were¡­ very brave.¡±

    Niu knew that she should feel relief. Even after something so horrible happened, Gen was going to make it out alright¡ªmost likely. However, even if that was true, it did nothing to erase what already happened. Also, Niu could feel something lurking there. Something still left unsaid.

    Saburn sighed softly. ¡°However, they are not quite certain how things will be, err, moving forward.¡± Niu gulped; she knew something was coming. ¡°His broken leg will probably heal up just fine. But his arm¡­¡± Saburn¡¯s face scrunched up in pain.

    Niu had only taken brief glances at it, but Gen¡¯s right arm was in a horrible state, having suffered most of the wolf¡¯s wrath.

    ¡°¡­They¡¯re probably going to have to cut it off,¡± Saburn finished.

    Something cracked inside Niu¡¯s heart.

    Yet again she was being crushed by the immense guilt and sense of helplessness. In a way, that was even worse than him dying. The very thought was so unbearable that she started crying again. Ah, so some liquids still remained.

    Saburn patted her shoulder for a while. At length he spoke again. ¡°You should probably go home. I¡¯ll have someone escort you back to the village.¡±

    Go home? What for?

    ¡°Your parents will be worried, I¡¯m sure,¡± he continued.

    That was a lie; they would never be worried. Maybe they¡¯d even be disappointed to hear that Niu wasn¡¯t the victim of this incident. The only thing they¡¯d be missing would be the money they received for letting Niu go to school.

    Niu sank into the vicious whirlpool inside her mind yet again.

    Gen, help me¡­ please!

    Niu begged in her heart, again and again. She needed someone to help her, just as it was during that awful day. She knew how horrible she was, asking Gen to be hurt for her sake again¡ªshe wasn¡¯t worthy of any of it and yet he kept being friends with her. Even so she was still selfish to this day.

    Yet nothing changed. She was still being taken away.

    Of course. Gen was obviously not going to be able to save her, both physically and emotionally. She should¡¯ve known that. This didn¡¯t mean that she gave up, however. If she was going to be so selfish, she intended on seeing it through to the very end.

    Roah¡­ save me! She begged in her heart. Seele¡­ TriX¡­ please!

    By now she could sense the way her ability activated. It most likely used the channel of communication to dispatch these messages. The fact she could seemingly connect to people who were far away was probably extraordinary, but that didn¡¯t matter at all at the moment.

    She repeated this process once more. But, as expected, nothing happened still.

    The fairies were walking so leisurely it seemed like they weren¡¯t even worried about getting caught. Was it completely hopeless, then? Were they taking such a secret underground path that no one would be even able to find?

    If so, then Niu¡¯s efforts were meaningless in the first place. Whether anyone received her messages or not, they wouldn¡¯t know how to help her. There were no landmarks or ways to tell where she was headed. Why did she realize this only now?

    Niu turned increasingly desperate. So desperate, in fact, that she next sent her message to an unexpected recipient.

    Just let me go¡­ please¡­

    Boum twitched and stopped in place. It was hard judging by the faint light, but they seemed to be looking down at her limp form. Apparently they realized where that message came from.

    ¡°¡­Did you just talk me?¡± Boum asked silently.

    Yes.

    ¡°This is incredible,¡± they continued, awestruck. ¡°I thought that you¡­¡±

    Let me go¡­ I beg you¡­

    Boum froze again until a few of the other fairies started talking and they engaged in a short conversation.

    Boum chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will take good care of you.¡±

    No¡­

    Boum made no further response. In fact, they took out something¡ªnow she could see it was some sort of thorny flower¡ªand pricked her skin again. Niu¡¯s mind grew muddled, and the voice in her head was muffled.

    It took a couple of months for Gen to come back to school.

    Niu smiled very awkwardly as the entire class greeted him back. Truth be told, she went to visit him only once after what happened. He was nice to her and seemed to accept his condition, but seeing him like that crushed her and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to come again.

    She was still happy that he was alive and that he came back to school. He still had a cast on his leg and used a crutch but seemed otherwise healthy¡ªexcept, of course, for the obvious empty space where his arm should have been.

    Seeing that made her feel as if her heart was similarly ripped off. It took everything she had to feign calmness while she started sweating all over. Luckily, Gen¡¯s seat was situated at such an angle that she didn¡¯t have to look at him during the lessons.

    ¡°Now, settle down. You can talk to Genro after class,¡± said Mrs. Tammy, stopping the chatter around.

    Niu tried focusing on the lesson, but found it increasingly difficult. When break came, she actually just rushed out of the class without even looking at Gen. She breathed slowly and deeply, glancing ever so often to see if Gen was coming out. At least he couldn¡¯t run around with his classmates in his current condition.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    She was startled by a voice coming from behind. Glaring at her was the gloomy visage of Roah. Thinking about it, he wasn¡¯t there for first period. He probably came late, as he often did.

    Niu shook her head, straining a smile. This, however, only caused Roah to narrow his eye.

    ¡°¡­Well, I guess there¡¯s no reason for you to open up to me,¡± he said in a tone as if he was speaking more to himself than to her. ¡°See you in the special class.¡± Without waiting for any response, he simply walked toward the school.

    A chill momentarily assaulted Niu; she¡¯d always felt as if Roah¡¯s lone eye could somehow read her mind. Realistically, though, she was simply being that obvious. She thought she was fairly good at hiding her feelings, but she had been rather rattled by seeing Gen.

    Thinking about it, did Roah understand Gen¡¯s situation better? She didn¡¯t know what happened to Roah''s covered eye¡ªshe never spoke to him much, and that definitely wouldn¡¯t rise up as a subject¡ªbut now she became more conscious of it.

    While she was thinking the town¡¯s bell rang thrice, indicating the end of the break. She rushed back into class.

    Lessons continued like that for all day long. She avoided looking at Gen or interacting with him, though she saw Shaya talking to him quite a bit. On the other hand, he didn¡¯t come to greet her either.

    And so the day¡¯s final lesson arrived. Just like she did the entire day, Niu immediately leapt out of class and ran toward the (former) supplies room used for her special lesson with Mr. Saburn. They were making progress on real channeling, so at least there was that to occupy her mind. Gen wouldn¡¯t be there, either, which was also a plus.

    Or so she thought.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Niu, Roah,¡± Saburn greeted them as he rolled inside, smiling as always. ¡°Before we begin, I have an announcement to make¡ªstarting today, we will be having a new student in our special course. You may enter,¡± he said, turning to the side.

    The boy entered the class as instructed. ¡°Hi,¡± said Gen, waving his hand.

    ¡°Code 001! Code 002! Code 003! Damn, this is hopeless.¡±

    Roah was in as much of a predicament as the others. He had been just returning to the table along with Seele when there was a sudden movement nearby and the area was covered in smoke.

    Coughing, he had felt something large grab hold of him and rush away. His limbs had been restrained with strength he¡¯d never felt before, not allowing him any movement. Even with all the chaos around he had managed to realize that a laborer was carrying him and that it wasn¡¯t TriX.

    Then there had been a bit of a panic as that laborer dashed toward the nearest window and jumped out of it. A sense of weightlessness was soon replaced with a heavy thud that had shaken his body to the core. The laborer had seemed unaffected and continued running.

    Roah had recalled the likely culprit, having seen it during the Feast. While TriX looked humanoid, this particular laborer walked on two sets of legs and its body was stooped, much like some beast. That was probably what allowed it to dash so quickly away from the tree.

    The presence of fairies was thin around the ground of Kalden, and it would probably take a bit of time for news of the attack to spread. Based on the fact he had been restrained Roah could more or less guess the goal of the attack, and he wasn¡¯t going down without a fight.

    Roah had actually taken along with him a few tools just in case something like this happened. Unfortunately, they were out of reach while he was being held like that, so he had to try something else.

    ¡°Code 005! Code 100! Code 101! Drop me!¡± he tried ordering but clicked his tongue, ¡°¡­there are too many numbers to consider¡­¡±

    It was relatively recently that Roah had discovered all laborers were governed by such codes. He even retroactively realized the very first instance where Seele had demonstrated this in front of them, back when he didn¡¯t know the language well.

    He thought he¡¯d just try to give it a shot, but that was doomed to fail. There were too many different combinations and no guarantee as to the number of digits or even that this particular laborer worked this way. Though there was likely a standard system in place.

    Just as Roah started to think of his next move, there were words in his head.

    Roah¡­ save me!

    He was so shocked his mouth hung open. What he ¡°heard¡± was not a ¡°voice¡±, but it was something similar to it. Someone had just spoken directly to his mind. Even crazier than that was the fact that he knew who it was.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Niu¡­?¡± he mumbled aloud. He tried craning his head, but there was only the background of trees and leaves flowing by quickly.

    Roah¡­ please¡­

    How come he could tell it was Niu, anyway? That fact nearly baffled him more than the actual action itself. Then everything clicked inside him.

    The rare phenomenon called compensation usually worked like this: it covered up for whatever was missing in a person. For Roah, it strengthened his single remaining eye. For Gen, it supplied him with a replacement arm. Niu had so far exhibited no such ability, but it made sense that it would give her the ability to communicate.

    The timing was perhaps not that strange either. Roah himself took about a year to receive his compensation, while for Gen it only took about a month. He knew Niu was self-conscious about this, but perhaps she was simply a late bloomer.

    Roah then started thinking. Consequently, he started laughing.

    This was simply too good. Too damn good. The solution to so many of his troubles was lying under his nose all this time without his knowledge. It wasn¡¯t direct, but everything immediately connected in his mind. How lucky was he to find the perfect answer like that?

    However, right now the important thing was their current predicament. If he or Niu were taken away or killed it wouldn¡¯t amount to anything. Regarding Niu he could probably do nothing but hope for the best, as much as it pained him. Instead, he focused on himself¡ªwhat could he do?

    ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± asked Roah. His voice was calm but there was no mistaking the intense gaze that focused on Gen. Niu had actually never seen the two of them interact, but based on Gen¡¯s expression at this remark perhaps they had some sort of bad history.

    ¡°Mr. Saburn has finally discovered my talent,¡± Gen explained, sounding excited. ¡°I can channel too, now!¡±

    Niu sat in a daze, wide-eyed. She had heard about this before from Mr. Saburn¡ªobviously, since that was the reason for her and Roah being in the class in the first place. However, she never imagined that even Gen would be the same.

    Because of her.

    A wave of nausea and vertigo assaulted her and it took everything she had to remain calm.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll help me catch up on the material,¡± Gen said to Niu as he sat in the one chair next to her. She nodded mechanically, barely registering her own actions.

    Saburn nodded, rolled to the teacher¡¯s desk and started the lesson as if everything was normal.

    Niu was too conscious of Gen besides her to pay any attention to class. His figure was now perpetually in the corner of her eyes and he was as vocal in the special lesson as he was during normal class. Niu¡¯s heart and mind ached.

    ¡°¡­explain to us why icons can be combined together, then?¡± she faintly heard Mr. Saburn¡¯s voice. She was staring directly at him but seeing or hearing nothing, so she didn¡¯t even realize he was addressing her until he directly said her name. ¡°Niu?¡±

    She snapped out of her reverie abashedly. Her mouth flapped open a few times, though of course she couldn¡¯t say anything. Eventually she shook her head.

    ¡°¡­Please pay more attention in class, Niu,¡± Saburn said, scolding her. ¡°What about you, Roah?¡±

    ¡°Our mind learns to recognize patterns, even complex ones, with sufficient exposure,¡± the boy replied, sounding bored. ¡°Just like writing letters.¡±

    ¡°While that is true,¡± said Saburn, ¡°it is the same way for lone icons that have complex functions. Just like how in ancient times our language was written with meaning-based symbols. Well, that¡¯s a subject for your History classes, though. What about you, Gen? Have any idea?¡±

    Niu¡¯s faded attention pricked again as she heard the boy¡¯s name.

    ¡°Err,¡± Gen was clearly flustered, this being his first class in the subject. ¡°Because some things¡­ make sense together?¡±

    Saburn¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Great, Gen.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s clearly what I was¡ª¡° Roah interjected.

    ¡°Roah, don¡¯t interrupt,¡± Saburn scolded him and the boy closed his mouth, glaring at Gen who seemed smug about this result. ¡°You were both correct but also wrong. The thing is that¡­¡±

    Niu zoned out of the explanation again. Strangely, something about this situation eased her anxiety. Seeing Gen smile like that despite what happened to him was encouraging, perhaps. It didn¡¯t serve to take her awful feelings away, but it might have lightened up the load ever so slightly.

    Eventually the lesson ended.

    ¡°Should I escort you home?¡± Gen immediately came to ask Niu. She gazed at him, her body slightly shaking, and unsure how to react. She actually intended to run away once again, but Gen had gotten the jump on her.

    I¡­ Gen, I¡­ I can¡¯t, she thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Niu,¡± he told her. His smile seemed to slightly change its essence as he did. ¡°Please, I just want to¡­ I want everything to be the same as it was."

    Nothing would ever be the same as it was. Niu knew that, and she was sure that Gen knew that as well. However, she also knew fully well that she couldn¡¯t keep living like this.

    Niu took a deep breath, and then nodded with tears in her eyes.

    Gen was breathing hard as he ran through the dark tunnel. He stopped with a start as he came to the end of it, or rather to a crossroads. There were two new tunnels extending in front of him¡ªto the right and to the left.

    He clicked his tongue in anger. Of course there was an entire system like this under Kalden¡ªwhat else? If everything just went in a straight line, they would risk their pursuers simply catching up to them.

    Was he really going to need to bet like this in order to rescue Shaya?

    ¡°Shaya? Shaya!¡± he shouted in another vain attempt. He knew that even in the best case it would alert the enemies to his location, but he was desperate anyway.

    Surprisingly, though, he heard a distant yet clear echo.

    ¡°¡­en!¡±

    Gen widened his eyes. Unless he was mistaken that was someone calling his name. He broke into a run, dashing into the right tunnel; he was pretty sure that voice came from there. Soon he could see a figure walking toward him, a relatively tall silhouette only barely visible in the limited lighting.

    ¡°Gen!¡± Shaya called again.

    Her dress was in shambles and she was covered in scratches and bruises all over, but otherwise seemed fine. The moment she saw him she ran as hard as she could, finally throwing her body around him.

    ¡°Thank the Gods¡­¡± she mumbled quietly.

    Gen was paralyzed for a moment, but then stroked her hair. ¡°Yes¡­ thank them,¡± he said as well, relief flooding his body. They stayed like that for a moment, and then separated. ¡°Wait¡­ what about those fairies?¡± There didn¡¯t seem to be anyone behind Shaya.

    ¡°O-oh, I¡­ it¡¯s a long story,¡± she replied, her eyes darting all over the place. ¡°Never mind that now! We have to¡­ we need to go back and help the others!¡±

    ¡°¡­Right. I think I, err, heard Niu just before.¡± Seeing Shaya¡¯s understandable confusion at this he added, ¡°never mind that, let¡¯s go back, yeah!¡±

    They weren¡¯t exactly safe themselves, either, but Gen clenched his fist. Even if they ran into other fairies, he would pound them and protect Shaya. He wasn¡¯t about to give up so easily. He pulled her along.

    ¡°Slow down a bit,¡± she said quietly after a short while.

    ¡°O-oh. Sorry,¡± he apologized, letting go of her hand. He was so focused on getting out of there that he almost forgot about his very goal.

    Suddenly shadows approached from ahead in the tunnel. Gen tensed up and readied to employ his ethereal arm just as a small group of fairies emerged. The fact that they wielded what looked to be chain-vines and kept charging at them indicated their goal.

    ¡°Stay behind me!¡± Gen yelled as he went on the offensive.

    He evaded the chain launched by a fairy and punched them in the face. Without even watching them collapse he turned his arm to shield himself from another chain, but this allowed the third fairy to sneak nearby¡ªuntil something bright appeared on their body and they raised a blood-curdling scream. They fell to the ground, raising faint smoke.

    ¡°What was¡­?¡± Gen stood there, wide-eyed. This nearly allowed the remaining fairy to grab him, except that they were suddenly flung forcefully against the nearby wall.

    ¡°A-are you okay?¡± asked Shaya, stepping ahead.

    ¡°Shaya, what¡­?¡± he looked at her questioningly and then behind her. Who had been helping them just now?

    ¡°Oh¡­ umm. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, her strained smile barely visible in the dark. ¡°I¡¯ve been hiding something from you. But I won''t do it any longer.¡±

    After Gen asked it of Niu, everything went back to¡­ well, not quite normal, but close to normal enough. As she often did with many other things, Niu simply learned to bottle her feelings and keep going.

    If there was one good thing that came out of that nightmare, it was that she ended up spending a lot more time with Gen as a result. She wondered if that his way of showing her that everything was alright between them, but never had the courage to ask.

    Looking back, it was also probably a consequence of the class¡¯s general attitude. She¡¯d seen herself how people started talking about Gen behind his back¡ªreferring to him as a defect, now, as some of them did to Niu as well. Despite him having been so well-liked before, most of the students now turned their backs on him¡­ These moments were also hard to bear.

    He was quite a bit less involved with the rest of class than he¡¯d used to be and it ironically pained her. Niu always thought of him an honest person who wore his heart on the sleeve, and yet she never heard him complain even once.

    Still, Niu found some limited satisfaction in the new state of affairs. She hung out a lot with Gen and Shaya, and even Roah tagged along at times (to Gen¡¯s obvious annoyance). There was the fire incident, but generally she found the gloomy boy less and less disturbing as time passed. She even thought that he might be a bit similar to her, after a certain event¡ªbut that was another story.

    Even with all of the imperfections and so many things that Niu wished she could change, either in the future or in the past, life was once again sunny and bright. She¡­ adapted.

    If only it stayed that way.

    Niu just closed her eyes and waited. She wasn¡¯t strong like Gen or smart like Roah; she wasn¡¯t even as kind as Shaya. She knew when there was nothing she could do. So she decided to yield herself to the flow.

    If the Stroba wanted her, then let them have her. She was tired of resisting, of crying, of caring. Even if she discovered a new power, that power was not enough to bring true change. She was powerless.

    The sounds of shouting woke her up from her self-pity. It was difficult seeing what was happening, but there were the unmistakable sounds of battle. Boum suddenly let her go and she fell to the ground. Her body aching, she squinted to try and see the action ahead.

    There were cries of pain and at times dark liquid would splash on the ground. Niu shuddered and tried rising to her feet. Even if some forces from Kalden were fighting against the invaders, she didn¡¯t want to stay anywhere near them.

    Just as she tried getting up something shot at her. She thought it was a chain, but it was actually a vine that wrapped itself around her neck. Her breathing stopped¡­ and then the vine slackened its grasp. She coughed.

    ¡°¡­So it was you,¡± said the familiar voice of Aisbroom. Their looming figure appeared nearby, the vine extending from their hand. After glancing at Niu they turned their head and shouted something. She could hear the sounds of hurried footsteps on the hard ground.

    Aisbroom extended a hand to her. She was at first confused, but after a small hesitation reached her shaking hand as well. Aisbroom pulled and helped her stand up.

    She felt a little dizzy and more than a little scared. Glancing around, she saw a few bodies strewn around and shuddered.

    Had they killed all of them? Including Boum? Although they were enemies who tried capturing her, although she was scared to death while it was happening, she couldn¡¯t feel happy at that.

    Could she have somehow prevented this result? Could she have transmitted something to Boum to make them let her go and end this peacefully? Or thinking even further back¡ªcould she have done something, anything at all, to prevent this situation from happening in the first place?

    Everything would have fine were she able to answer a firm ¡°no¡± to herself. However, she felt that it wasn¡¯t true. If she hadn''t been scared of her own powers, for example, she might have asked for help at a much earlier stage. And there were undoubtedly countless other avenues of action that she wasn¡¯t rational or calm enough to think about.

    Niu was no stranger to regrets and thoughts about changing the past. Those were a constant part of her life. Now that the crisis was seemingly over and the numbing, mysterious substances coursing through her body were fading, she felt completely overwhelmed.

    ¡°¡­I will have some people take you back,¡± Aisbroom told her and immediately vanished into the darkness. She didn¡¯t even have time to respond before a couple of armed fairies stood around her and pointed to the direction Niu had come from.

    Wrapped up in her worries and insecurities, the walk back felt like it took many hours.

    I really could have used Shaya''s help right about now, Roah thought grimly.

    With his heat stones out of reach there wasn''t much he could do. Focus as he might, his efforts at iconless channeling weren''t enough to even put a dent on the laborer carrying him, never mind making it stop.

    He also shouted for help a couple of times, but the laborer, for now, simply rushed past any of the scarce fairies on the ground. It really was stupid, but the fact it chose to travel on ground instead of above or below it seemed to have made a huge difference. It was different during the wave, but in normal times only very few fairies did anything on the surface. Even the poorest of citizens all lived at some elevation.

    But there was no sense bemoaning this when instead Roah should think of a plan. Only at times like this he wished he had something like Gen¡¯s compensation, since his own was useless during such situations¡­

    Or was it, actually?

    An idea struck him. This might be dangerous, but it might also be his one and only chance. He chuckled to himself; he knew he was the only one stupid enough to even attempt this sort of technique.

    Although his limbs were bound securely, with barely even any space to wriggle, his head was free to look around as he wished. Even the darkness of the forest didn¡¯t hamper the superiority of his eyesight too much. He turned both head and eye toward his left pants pocket. The white cloth was made of soft and not very thick material; not quite transparent, but if one strained their eyes, perhaps they would be able to see through it.

    Roah, of course, could strain his eyes beyond the capability of ordinary people. The contents of his pocket became crystal clear to him.

    He mentally sighed in relief. This part of his ability he hadn¡¯t experimented much with¡ªhe couldn¡¯t see through walls, for example, no matter how hard he tried¡ªbut the conditions were suitable. Now came the other problem: the stone was not in any condition to be activated.

    He was fortunate enough that the heat stone hadn¡¯t fallen out of his pocket in all this mess, but its icon was mostly facing away from him. Even if he could complete it in his mind¡¯s eye, it wouldn¡¯t work as well as when he had visual. That was one of the major weaknesses of modern channeling, according to Professor Saburn.

    Grunting, Roah tried to move his body. He was being held very tightly so it was difficult. He desperately rubbed against the soft-yet-hard metallic body holding him in attempt to shift the position of the stone ever so slightly¡ª

    And finally succeeded.

    Eye focusing on the now fully visible icon and gritting his teeth, he began channeling. There was a jolt of searing pain that struck his thigh and a spark of flame. He tried diverting the channel of heat so it¡¯d affect only the opposite side, but since the stone had been created to radiate heat equally from all directions the effect was minimal.

    It did, however, cause enough damage to make the laborer carrying him flinch. Just enough for Roah to wriggle his aching body free and fall to the ground. His leg still hurt a lot but he put the searing pain aside as he commanded his body to rise.

    The moment the laborer recovered and attempted to grab him again Roah had already managed to pull out another small, misshapen stone from his pocket. It had been inscribed, by his own hands, with an extremely simplistic icon, but related to his best channel.

    A flash of blinding light erupted from the stone. Laborers had no eyes per se, but he knew from TriX that they still relied on light to see. This allowed Roah to momentarily stun his opponent.

    He broke into a mad dash, but only mere moments passed before he heard movement on the grass. Taking another stone from his pocket, he activated the icon just as he threw it backward; this was obviously not as effective an attack as the first time, but still managed to buy a few more precious seconds.

    He ran and ran, and blinded it again, and ducked behind a tree, desperately struggling against the superior being, barely avoiding capture again while withstanding the still-painful burn.

    He knew he was only buying time, but that was good enough, as victory arrived soon after. Just as the laborer managed to grab him again, there was a sound and a large pole pierced its side. Following that came an arrow that pierced its head and the slash of a sword.

    This wasn¡¯t enough to bring a laborer down, of course, so it tried running away with Roah again, but by now it was surrounded by fairies on all sides.

    Roah was successfully rescued.

    Saying that Acrus was displeased would be an understatement.

    Not even an hour passed into the attack and everything had already been settled. Acrus at least waited for a while before declaring it safe enough to send Aisbroom away, but apparently even that was too little.

    Were the Stroba simply this bad? Or were Acrus¡¯s own forces that good?

    Perhaps the fault lay with the faeries, after all.

    A mere hour passed before the first two faeries returned¡ªapparently having beaten their captors by themselves, incredulously enough. The boy and girl had been found a bit battered yet otherwise unharmed in one of the tunnels, and were escorted back to the surface.

    The second report came from Aisbroom in the flesh. There was not even a trace of any smugness or gloating in either their voice or expression as they announced the safe retrieval of the other faerie girl, yet Acrus was just as annoyed, perhaps more.

    When the report that confirmed the final faerie¡¯s safety arrived, Acrus nearly exploded.

    Yes, it was a win-win situation no matter the result¡ªit would sway public opinion against the Stroba even more than it already was. On the other hand, perhaps it also strengthened the position of the faeries too much.

    Acrus had meticulously and carefully both relaxed security and let some information leak without anyone getting suspicious, but was even that not enough? They truly had overestimated the Stroba if they were unable to get away with even a single faerie. Acrus couldn¡¯t even blame Aisbroom for this.

    Acrus, too, had been careless. They should have anticipated this worst-case scenario and perhaps order a small ¡°accident¡± if it was needed. Now, however, it was too late for that. There was no fear, but mere annoyance. Acrus had still hesitated between using their new pawns and expending them, and so paid for it.

    That made then wonder¡ªdid they have no choice but directly get rid of them?

    It always hides inside all bliss:

    The ghastly call of the abyss

 Chapter 21: Final Piece

    Chapter 21: Final Piece

    Roah thought deeply.

    He thought of fairies¡ªtheir legends, their culture and their customs. Of the Ruler¡¯s stance and position. Of laborers and their mechanisms. Of Kalden¡¯s structure and management. And he thought of many other details as well.

    He also thought of his own abilities, as well as those of Niu. Possibly even Shaya, but Gen would definitely have to be excluded; he couldn¡¯t trust him to not ruin it, somehow.

    Roah ran countless simulations in his mind. There were about hundreds of ways everything could go wrong, to say the least, but also a handful of ways everything could go right¡ªor even better than that.

    In order to change things, he knew that he would have to risk even his life in the process. He was already prepared for that. As long as it would bring him to his ultimate goal, he was ready to make any number of sacrifices.

    All he had to do was take the first step.

    Shaya was surprised to notice that she was still awake.

    One thing she hadn¡¯t taken into account, during her earlier rampage, was just how mentally exhausting channeling was. Or rather, this was her first time to use that power for so long, so she didn¡¯t know this in the first place.

    When she¡¯d run back to look for Gen the anxiety and fear helped her shrug off the fatigue gnawing at the back of her mind, but after some of the guards found them and escorted them back to safety, all tension was cut loose and she nearly collapsed to the floor.

    So tired, she thought vaguely while walking. There was a strange, almost imperceptible buzzing in her ears, as if it was filled with whispers. She barely even registered Gen¡¯s questioning looks at her. Luckily, she¡¯d been able to avoid most of his questions for now but she dreaded the moment they got back.

    Maybe exposing herself wasn¡¯t such a good idea, after all? Well, at least Roah couldn¡¯t hold that threat over her, any longer¡­

    Being so tired meant that even these worries were being numbed, at least. Her legs seemed to move on their own such that she had to be physically stopped by Gen when they¡¯d reached the surface again. There were a lot of shouts and people moving around them at all times, but this was all in the background.

    I hope he doesn¡¯t end up hating me, she thought.

    But that was ridiculous; he might be angry, but Gen would never actually hate her. Surely he would understand her. He would treat her the same way. She knew he would.

    Some time passed and Shaya found herself back in their lodgings beneath the castle, as if she¡¯d been transported directly there with nothing in between. She wasn¡¯t quite sure if she¡¯d been conscious this whole time¡ªperhaps she¡¯d fainted for a while or just kept half-awake, half-asleep.

    The moment she felt relief at this, however, she certainly and most definitely felt herself faint.

    The long, long evening was over. Surprisingly, the incident itself barely took a fraction of it. It was mostly the chaos immediately following after it that stretched through the night. The four had been assembled right before the sun started channeling over the horizon.

    It was then that Shaya suddenly collapsed.

    This, obviously, caused quite a shock; she was promptly being taken away, along with Roah who seemed to have been the most injured of them all. Gen tried going as well, but was denied; Seele explained that they were to be kept inside for their own protection. Niu wondered if she should be taken for a checkup as well due to the Stroba¡¯s substances that had affected her, but couldn¡¯t muster the energy to ask about it.

    This heavily awkward and tense atmosphere dominated the small dining room where Seele, TriX, Gen and Niu all sat together.

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on anymore.¡± Gen placed one hand balled to a fist on the table.

    Just a short time before they all thought they could finally relax, but everything flipped over yet again. Niu was also dazed and quite tired, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d be able to sleep in this situation.

    ¡°Shaya¡­ Shaya did¡ª¡± Gen started speaking, but then shook his head as if thinking of something completely different. ¡°Niu, you¡­ did you talk to me, earlier this evening?¡±

    Startled, she raised her face. Ironically, she¡¯d almost completely forgotten about that, but it was obvious he would ask her about this. It was the second time already. She was unsure how to reply; denying it at this stage wouldn¡¯t work, but what could she say about that?

    ¡°¡­I also heard you,¡± said Seele from the side. It was unlike them to have an expression so full of worry and anxiety.

    Niu gulped, and then slowly nodded. If so, then Roah probably figured it out as well.

    ¡°Since when can you¡­?¡± Gen asked.

    Since when, indeed? Niu herself wasn¡¯t sure of it. Even so, she answered¡ªusing that very same ability.

    I think it was during the wave here, she replied directly into his mind. When I saw you getting attacked.

    It apparently worked from a distance as well, but being directly in front of him, it somehow felt a lot easier. Or was she simply growing accustomed to the power¡¯s usage?

    To her surprise, Gen shook his head. ¡°No, I think it was before that. You also called me when we were¡­ the day we were transported.¡±

    Niu widened her eyes. Along with the sense of horror and fear she felt that day, the memories of her screaming for Gen in her mind also revived in her mind.

    Really?

    ¡°Yeah. It was really weak so I wasn¡¯t sure¡­ but then I felt drawn to a certain direction and saw you getting attacked by that monster.¡±

    Niu covered her mouth. Apparently even back then she¡¯d used her compensation without even noticing. Perhaps there were even such other cases. If only she¡¯d noticed it sooner, many things would have been different¡ªshe was about to be consumed by the despair of these thoughts, for the hundredth time, but then Seele spoke.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Niu,¡± they said with a smile.

    Is it? she sent back, causing Seele to raise their eyebrows in wonder. She then realized that her previous words had been sent only to Gen.

    ¡°Don¡¯t speak to anyone about this,¡± Gen said, his voice suddenly low.

    Why? Niu asked, tilting her head.

    ¡°I hate to sound like that jerk,¡± he spat, ¡°but maybe it''s too dangerous. They might want to¡­ use you, or something.¡±

    Niu had completely different misgivings about her ability, but it was possible that Gen was right. His own abilities made the fairies include him in battle. Niu didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near the battlefield if she could help it.

    ¡°Can you promise not to say anything?¡± Gen turned to Seele.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Gen said, gritting his teeth.

    Seele seemed to be hesitating. They turned to TriX. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°We shouldn''t hide this,¡± was all that it said.

    Please, Niu repeated, now directly into Seele¡¯s mind.

    Finally, Seele relented and nodded. ¡°Fine. TriX, don¡¯t say anything about it. But you need to be careful, too,¡± she turned to the boy and the girl.

    ¡°Have you told anyone else?¡± Gen asked.

    Niu thought back¡ªother than Boum, who was probably already dead, she hadn¡¯t contacted anyone else.

    Only you three and Roah, she said.

    Gen clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, whatever. He understands, I guess¡ªbut we¡¯ll talk to him too when he comes back.¡± Groaning quietly, he placed his head on the table, a grimace on his face.

    ¡°¡­Perhaps we should all eat something, if we¡¯re not going to sleep?¡± asked Seele, wearing a thin smile. There was no response, so Seele took that as affirmation.

    Shaya nearly cried in horror when she awoke to see an eye the color of cold steel glaring at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± Roah said casually.

    ¡°I-I¡­¡± Shaya rose from the soft bed she had apparently been lying on. The small room around her was unfamiliar. She then recalled that she had probably lost consciousness at some point.

    ¡°You fainted when we got back,¡± Roah explained as if he read her mind.

    ¡°I¡­ see,¡± she replied. ¡°Where are¡­?¡±

    ¡°This is Kalden¡¯s hospital tree called Karnana.¡±

    Shaya looked around; currently, only she and Roah were inside the room. Roah seemed to have once again sensed her thoughts.

    ¡°They¡¯re all fine, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here because I¡¯m also a bit hurt,¡± he said calmly. Now she noticed that he was wearing some sort of white gown. ¡°So once they treated me, I told them I¡¯d watch over you.¡±

    ¡°What time is it?¡± she asked. There was a nearby window through which some filtered sunlight streamed into the room. It had to have been at least a couple of hours, then.

    ¡°Morning.¡±

    Hearing his response, Shaya merely nodded. She got off the bed before Roah spoke to her again.

    ¡°Wait.¡± She turned to him. ¡°They will want to check you again. But I¡¯m here because I want to discuss something with you, first.¡±

    Shaya furrowed her brows. What now? She said nothing, simply waiting for him to keep talking. It was better to get it over with.

    ¡°Last night¡­ has anything out of the ordinary happened to you?¡± Roah asked. ¡°I mean, other than us being kidnapped, and all that.¡±

    ¡°Out of¡­ the ordinary?¡± she repeated his words. There was something strange about these words, as if he wanted to ask something more specific and refrained from it. Well, there certainly was something, and probably not a lot of sense to hide it. Gen himself must have already spilled it. She now realized that properly facing him had once again been postponed.

    ¡°Well?¡± Roah prodded her.

    ¡°I¡­ I used my powers,¡± she finally spoke quietly. Judging by the movement of Roah¡¯s brows, though, it appeared that he wasn¡¯t expecting that answer.

    ¡°Your channeling?¡± he hissed.

    Shaya nodded. ¡°That¡¯s how I got free, a-and¡­ I also helped Gen later.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°S-so you can¡¯t blackmail me anymore.¡±

    Roah still looked surprised, but once she said those final words he snorted in amusement, wearing a twisted smile.

    ¡°Are you really calling that blackmail?¡± he sneered. ¡°Especially after I took the blame for you?¡±

    Shaya lowered her gaze. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°And now you¡¯re apologizing?¡± Roah sighed and shook his head. ¡°Never mind that. I don¡¯t care about that anymore, and if Gen knows¡­ well, that¡¯s your problem. Is that everything, though? What about¡­¡± he paused for a second, ¡°voices?¡±

    ¡°V-voices¡­?¡± For some reason, her mind was drawn to the strange buzzing in her ears before she fainted, but she doubted that was what his meant.

    Roah said nothing. Instead, despite him still technically looking at Shaya, she could see that he was not really there. It looked like he was pondering over something. In fact, he seemed to completely forget about his own question.

    ¡°Look,¡± he suddenly said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to demand you help me. But there might be something you could help with. This is just in case¡­ but we could use your powers, if the chance arises.¡±

    ¡°We?¡±

    Roah ignored her question. ¡°I will let you decide for yourself, when the time comes. If it comes. After all, just like you said, I can¡¯t blackmail you anymore.¡±

    ¡°¡­What are you even talking about?¡± Shaya started getting scared; she had a bad feeling about his cryptic words.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want, or need, to know,¡± he answered her, then got up and out of the door before she could even say anything.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Shaya just watched him go away, her worries growing by the second. What did he mean by, well, all of that? These weird questions and insinuations¡­ it was almost as if he was some lunatic seer, declaring his newest prophecy.

    Still feeling a bit dizzy, Shaya leaned back on the bed and sighed.

    ¡°Congratulations¡ªyour plan was a success,¡± said Aisbroom, not even a hint of venom in their voice. ¡°We have found about two dozen people who have been leaking information to or have otherwise assisted the Stroba. Not to mention their new¡­ toys we have procured.¡±

    ¡°I suppose all of that is the silver lining, yes,¡± Acrus said, leaning their head on their hand in a bored manner.

    Yes, I know how disappointed you are about the faeries, thought Aisbroom without letting anything show on their face.

    The night was quite harsh for Aisbroom as well, although they were used for it. They led a couple of assaults down known tunnels (most of them had been left purposely unguarded by Acrus), including the one that Niu had gone through. They managed to capture or kill most of the Stroba, further leading them to other collaborators.

    ¡°Anyway, hang all of them after you squeeze them thoroughly,¡± Acrus said casually.

    Aisbroom bowed. ¡°I will send a message to the dungeons, then. However, I think we should continue preparations for the next wave.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ right. The Grand Feast was a failure, but we still have that as well... yes, you take care of that.¡± Acrus waved their hand in dismissal.

    Aisbroom bowed again and left the throne room at a brisk pace. There would be no time for rest the entire day, most likely. Acrus just kept piling more and more work for them, possibly intending to finally see Aisbroom complain.

    They wouldn¡¯t give Acrus the satisfaction, however.

    ¡°General.¡± A voice from the side cut in as Aisbroom passed a corridor on their way out. It was Sqore. ¡°Is it true? Have they really betrayed us?¡±

    Slightly grimacing and not slowing down in the least, Aisbroom said: ¡°They?¡±

    ¡°¡­I mean Fillian and QuaD,¡± said Sqore, clearing their throat. ¡°I only just heard about what happened last night.¡±

    Sqore technically served as the captain of the laborer unit; perhaps they felt personally responsible for this incident. Aisbroom just hoped that Sqore wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to discuss the topic with Acrus¡­ but that might be why Sqore came to them right now.

    ¡°Fillian is currently detained and questioned. The robot had been destroyed in battle,¡± Aisbroom replied. Sqore grimaced, biting their lips. From how Aisbroom knew them, Sqore was probably anguished at both these conclusions.

    ¡°If only I was on duty that night,¡± Sqore lamented. ¡°I knew the passcode, so I could have¡ª¡°

    ¡°They specifically chose that method because you weren''t there,¡± Aisbroom interjected. ¡°Relax. You shouldn¡¯t worry about that. ¡­Just don¡¯t be surprised if the Ruler decides to dispose of all robots after this.¡±

    Sqore froze in place for a few moments, then caught up to Aisbroom who was just passing the bridge to another tree.

    ¡°T-this¡­ is this something that the Ruler is actually¡­?¡± they asked in a low voice.

    ¡°I do not know.¡± Aisbroom¡¯s reply was sharp and immediate. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t put something like that past them.¡±

    It was actually a well-known fact that Acrus scorned robots. They were willing to employ them, as long as there were uses for them, but ever since ascending to the throne no new robots had been made and all research about the technique was put on hold. A hundred years back there were about a thousand models, and now they have dwindled to a mere 100 or so through wear and war.

    Aisbroom sighed inwardly; talking about such topics made it really hard for them to suppress their true feelings. Acrus¡¯s little games proved more and more dangerous with time, and Aisbroom had their hands full just trying to keep Kalden operative and safe.

    They had no time for this nonsense about faeries or robots. Yet they couldn¡¯t do anything by themselves, either.

    Aisbroom could only keep moving forward and wait for something to change¡ª

    ¡°We need to talk¡±¡ªwas there any other scarier sentence in existence?

    After determining Shaya had suffered nothing more than fatigue, she had been released from the hospital wing and returned to the guest wing. The moment she entered, however, she had been told these dreadful words by Gen.

    That was obvious, though. She knew this time would come. With a heavy heart (which was also beating like crazy) she accompanied him to his room.

    ¡°How long?¡± he immediately asked her, sitting on the bed. Shaya still stood near the door, as if ready to run away if anything happened.

    ¡°H-how long¡­?¡± she repeated.

    ¡°How long have you been able to do that?¡±

    Shaya was tempted to ask him what he meant, but there was no more escaping that. She didn¡¯t want to see Gen angry at her, either.

    ¡°¡­Since¡­ forever. For as long as I can remember,¡± she answered truthfully, avoiding his eyes. Even so she thought she saw them widen. He stayed silent for a while.

    ¡°So before any of us knew each other¡­ I see. That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    She was confused by his words. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Because it means you weren¡¯t just afraid to tell us,¡± Gen said. ¡°It¡¯s not because you don¡¯t consider us your friends. It¡¯s something that runs deeper than that, I guess. If it¡¯s that, then I can understand why you hid it.¡± Gen smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pry too much, okay? I just wanted to understand your motives.¡±

    Shaya¡¯s mouth hung open. She definitely wasn¡¯t expecting Gen to take the matter so lightly. In fact, she thought he would be hurt about her hiding such a crucial detail all these years. Especially when it was something very relevant to her small group of friends.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she mumbled.

    Gen shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. You just need to know that¡­ we¡¯re here for you, alright? Niu¡¯s still feeling down and Roah is Roah, but still.¡±

    Shaya smiled faintly. This whole exchange went much better than she¡¯d anticipated.

    ¡°Also¡­¡± Gen¡¯s smile widened.

    ¡°Also¡­?¡±

    ¡°You were really cool, Shaya!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You just¡­ looked at them and opened all these channels!¡± he sounded excited. ¡°That was pretty amazing. I can¡¯t do it, you know?¡± Roah had indeed mentioned that fact to her, begrudgingly, a couple of times. ¡°Were you hiding it because you were afraid of fighting? Can you show me some? O-only if it¡¯s alright with you, I mean,¡± he added hurriedly.

    Shaya started shaking; not out of fear, but out of confusion and perhaps a bit of happiness. Was she really so afraid of nothing? She almost felt like crying.

    She came to sit next to Gen and began to talk.

    ¡°We need to talk¡±¡ªthis was definitely something Niu hadn¡¯t expected to hear.

    Especially not when, moments before, Gen had said the same to Shaya and took her away. Before Niu could even start thinking about what that meant, Roah whispered the same to her ears.

    Of course, she could guess what he wanted from her¡ªhaving just returned from the hospital wing along with Shaya, he was probably going to ask Niu about her ability. She was prepared for that.

    Roah led her to his room, closed the door behind him and glared at it, as if expecting someone to be standing behind it and eavesdropping. Seele and TriX were actually already gone and Niu was pretty sure there were some guards stationed outside the wing, but not inside.

    ¡°Let me just cut to the chase,¡± Roah said. ¡°Last night, you have discovered your compensation¡ªis my assumption correct?¡±

    Thinking that actions spoke louder than words¡ªwell, in this case the idiom was not quite fitting, but still¡ªshe replied with a resounding Yes into his mind. He looked momentarily surprised.

    ¡°How did that happen? Explain,¡± he demanded.

    Niu wasn¡¯t quite used to ¡°speak¡± at length, yet, so she used her slate instead. This also allowed her to express everything more coherently. She briefly explained everything that happened to her, mainly how she came to use her power, up to and including how she¡¯d sent messages to Gen.

    Roah furrowed his brows. His eye was trained on her but she could see he was staring at empty air, lost in his thoughts for a while.

    ¡°I understand. And how does that work, exactly?¡± he finally asked. ¡°Range? Conditions? Limitations? Tell me everything about it.¡±

    ¡­Why are you asking?

    ¡°I will explain shortly.¡±

    Niu sighed and began writing. She had the feeling Roah was up to no good, but also wanted to understand her own ability better.

    Well, I just think of someone and send the words to them. I assume it works through the channel of communication. The range seems to be pretty far, though I imagine it¡¯s not limitless. Since I managed to contact you and Gen from afar, I apparently don¡¯t even need to see my target. Maybe it is limited to only people I know or something of the sort.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve loved to test that,¡± Roah mumbled after reading her explanation. ¡°For example, if you could send a message to Saburn¡­ unfortunately, we have no way of verifying that sort of thing right now.¡±

    I¡¯m not your guinea pig, Roah, she transmitted to him.

    He smiled. ¡°Of course not. However, you are part of my plan. A plan to make everything better again.¡±

    Niu glared at him suspiciously. Roah always seemed to be brewing something in that overactive mind of his. Even back in Plainland he had many shady dealings. She was pretty sure that he wasn¡¯t a bad guy, overall, but she¡¯d never been able to really judge his motives.

    What are you planning?

    Roah extended his arm toward her. When she stared at it with visible confusion, he said, ¡°The slate, please.¡± Still quite confused, she handed over both slate and chalk. ¡°This is just in case.¡± His voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to hear us, after all.¡±

    Niu felt a chill as Roah started writing. Every once in a while, he would show her what he¡¯d written, ignore her bewildered face and, once confirming she finished reading that part, he erased it all and wrote anew.

    While reading one part after another, there was only one thought running through Niu¡¯s mind.

    You¡¯re crazy.

    After hearing those words being transmitted directly inside his mind, Roah started laughing. He was the one who claimed to not want anyone to hear their discussion, yet he started almost rolling with laughter.

    What¡¯s so funny? Niu asked, pouting.

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± He instantly composed himself. ¡°I just thought how right you are. Yes, of course I am¡ªbut so what?¡±

    ¡®So what¡¯? After showing her all those crazy ideas of his, that was all he had to say? How had he managed to even concoct this sort of plan? No normal person would think of attempting something like that. Even simply trying to assassinate Acrus seemed like a safer deal.

    Also, since he didn¡¯t even know about her ability until the previous night, how could he have put up this scheme so quickly? Did that mean that he already had the foundations of his plan for a long time?

    ¡°So what do you say?¡± Roah asked nonchalantly.

    Niu wasn''t even sure how to start to reply. Everything he explained to her still overwhelmed her. This was way, way too big for her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer straight away. You can think about it for a while,¡± said Roah, ¡°but I must have your answer soon. Of course, don¡¯t worry¡ªfor now, this plan can¡¯t function without you¡­ this means that if you¡¯re too scared, I won¡¯t do anything.¡±

    Somehow Niu doubted that. Though it did seem unlikely he could do something like that completely on his own.

    ¡°The first phase should be relatively risk-free, though,¡± Roah continued. ¡°At least give that a shot.¡±

    I¡¯ll¡­ think about it, she said. But I really don¡¯t like any of this.

    ¡°Oh? But you do like being stuck here and being used as a pawn in some game with rules that you don¡¯t even understand? It¡¯s obvious that whatever¡¯s going to happen, we¡¯ll not be getting out of here anytime soon. And that we are in great danger anyhow.¡±

    Niu bit her lips. She knew he was right. She knew it, but his methods were too extreme and too dangerous. They had plenty to gain but much more to lose. And the trouble was that time was ticking and their situation didn¡¯t seem to be improving in the least. This time they¡¯d been saved¡­ but what about the next time? Or the one after it? Not to mention the otherworldly invasion that still hung over their heads.

    ¡°Or are you, perhaps¡­ thinking about rattling on me?¡± he asked her next, smiling. His expression scared her, the more she thought about it; it was almost as if he was gleeful at this option.

    She momentarily imagined herself telling Gen or Seele or someone else about Roah¡¯s plan, and it reaching all the way to Aisbroom or Acrus. What would be done then? Would he be taken away from them? Locked away? Or something even worse?

    The truly worst part was that she could somehow still picture him smiling even throughout all that. No, she couldn¡¯t do it to him. She wouldn¡¯t.

    What should she do, then?

    ¡°Come on, Niu.¡± Roah¡¯s voice was low yet sharp, his lone eye gazing directly through her soul¡ªor so she felt. ¡°I can¡¯t do it without you. I¡¯ve made sure we don¡¯t have to hurt anyone. Let¡¯s do it¡ªlet¡¯s take control of our destiny.¡±

    Faced with these words, Niu made her decision.

    Now that the Grand Feast was over and the time until the third wave was ticking down, preparations were at full swing. It was at the end of one such tiring day that Seele plunked down on their bed.

    Seele was going to serve the exact same duty that they served the previous wave, but this didn¡¯t mean they sat down doing nothing. First of all, following recent events, Seele was asked to supervise their partner TriX at almost all times.

    Since Seele served in logistics management even originally, both of them were in charge of handling and moving equipment and supplies, a physical job that wasn¡¯t quite suitable for Seele and so made them very tired.

    Well, at least now their lodgings were located in Kalden¡¯s important guests wing, just like the faeries. That was one advantage of serving as the so-called ambassador between the two worlds¡ªthough of course Seele knew nothing about the Ruler¡¯s communication with the other land. At the very least, they didn¡¯t hear any news, good or otherwise.

    ¡°I am very worried about them,¡± Seele confided in TriX. ¡°What will the Ruler do next?¡±

    ¡°They will not fall in battle,¡± said TriX. ¡°They are stronger, than they seem. They even managed to, fight against the Stroba. Even I did nothing that night.¡±

    Despite being on site and under strict commands to protect them, TriX failed to save even a single one of them during the Grand Feast. That was probably its way to feel bad about the case.

    Yet Seele shook their head. ¡°No¡­ I know they¡¯re going to be fine in the coming battle. We¡¯re also much better prepared against the waves, now. But I¡¯m still scared. Roah¡¯s right. The Ruler isn¡¯t really interested in them. I feel like something¡¯s going to happen sooner or later¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what do you¡­¡± TriX started saying, then trailed off.

    ¡°T-TriX¡­?¡± asked Seele, worry coloring their voice.

    A few seconds passed with nothing happening. TriX was completely frozen. Seele rose from the bed, heading toward their trusted partner with widened eyes¡ª

    ¡°¡ªI am fine,¡± TriX finally said.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I am getting old,¡± it replied. Relatively speaking, TriX was indeed old; only about half of Seele¡¯s age, but it still belonged to the first generation of robots.

    Thinking about it, Seele had heard about many other robots that simply malfunctioned and ceased operations. This worried them greatly.

    ¡°¡­We also have no one who would look at you right now, huh?¡± Seele mumbled weakly. ¡°Maybe if I ask Sqore for a favor, but even they¡­¡±

    The Ruler had forbidden any and all research or tinkering with existing robots. The fact that still many of them survived to this day was a testament to the superior making of this technology.

    ¡°I should go get charged,¡± TriX said.

    ¡°Yes¡­ you go do that, please.¡± Seele¡¯s voice was weak; something that they would not normally show. Only around TriX did they feel comfortable enough to completely drop their mask of positivity. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you too¡­¡±

    ¡°I will try to hold up.¡±

    Leaving these words behind, TriX exited the room with heavy steps.

    Seele went back to sit on their bed. ¡°Will we really be fine during this wave¡­?¡± they said, sighing. They still couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen.

    Despite all the tension and worries, the day of the wave went and passed without incident.

    It almost felt bizarre to say that they were getting used to this. They still knew nothing about the origins of the dark beasts or the motives of the attack, but they already gathered valuable combat experience against them.

    In fact, for some reason it seemed as if the wave was more subdued than the previous times. Even during the second one, most of the fighting had actually involved the Stroba and not the monsters, but this went even smoother than that, and speaking of the Stroba, none of them appeared. Apparently two consecutive failed attempts were enough for them. For now, at least.

    Gen was positioned the same as last time, but saw no action whatsoever. Neither did Niu and Roah, who were stationed together, nor Shaya who was on her own. To the surprise of everyone, the monsters were easily defeated, and the wave concluded in a mere two hours or so with minimal casualties.

    The day of the third wave went and passed without major incident¡ªbut the night introduced something that would change the course of history.

    ¡°I have gathered you here today,¡± said Acrus, ¡°to congratulate you on another mission well done. You have all proved yourself, once again, to be above and beyond contributing members to our society.¡±

    The quartet of faeries was summoned to the palace the day after the third wave. Following its resounding success, nearly all citizens were in extremely high spirits¡ªpretty much everyone except the faeries.

    They were probably apprehensive of what they were going to be asked this time.

    ¡°And so¡ªI decided to ask for your help. You have proven yourself worthy not only in two waves, but during the night of the Grand Feast as well. I want all of you to join our army for a special mission.¡±

    Acrus paused, scanning the hall. Most of them looked confused, still not being familiar with the language, but one of them stared directly at the Ruler, his lone eye narrowing. Seele, their trusty ambassador, couldn¡¯t hide the worry and confusion in their expression. Aisbroom, standing at Acrus¡¯s side, was as apathetic as ever.

    ¡°¡ªNamely, the destruction of the Stroba!¡± Acrus announced after this short, dramatic pause.

    Acrus always loved seeing the expressions and hearing the hushed whispers of their subjects after making such big announcements. It made everything much more exciting. This time didn¡¯t disappoint as well.

    ¡°Translate everything to them, Seele,¡± they ordered, their smile widening. Now, how were the faeries going to respond to this news? The insolent-looking one probably already understood the gist of it, but how about the others?

    As it turned out, the response was definitely not what Acrus had anticipated. After hearing the explanation, one of them suddenly spoke aloud.

    ¡°That is enough.¡±

    It was the one called Roah. All eyes immediately turned to him. The other confused boy said something to him, but Acrus couldn¡¯t understand him. Regardless, Roah ignored him and spoke again before Acrus could say anything.

    ¡°We have had enough of your scheming and playing with our lives!¡± he announced. ¡°We will no longer be bound to you, Ruler of Kalden. Starting now¡­ we will be taking the throne for ourselves!¡±

    Although the puzzles never cease

    I have obtained the final piece

 Chapter 22: Sweet Release

    ¡°You will pay for this, make no mistake!¡±

    Delicate arms grabbed the bars, shaking them violently. If rage and shame could become a physical force, they would have blown the cell apart with their vigor.

    ¡°Get me out of here this instant!¡±

    However, all threats or pleas fell on deaf ears. The two hulking laborers standing in front of the cell said and did nothing. They simply kept watching their prisoner. With the way things were, perhaps there wasn¡¯t an actual point in keeping them locked, but it served as a symbol and a lesson.

    ¡°I will murder you¡­ I will beat you at your own game! Do not forget this!¡±

    But no matter how much they shouted or raged, no one was coming to save them. Although once the Ruler, Acrus had now been dethroned and imprisoned.

    How could something like that have happened? What sort of circumstances occurred right under their nose and led to this nightmare?!

    The day of the third wave went and passed without major incident, and now it was night.

    Under the cover of darkness two figures were walking on the ground. One of them was holding the other¡¯s hand and led them through the forest. They were Roah and Niu.

    I still can¡¯t believe I agreed to this, thought Niu gloomily. She had called Roah crazy, but perhaps she was also just as crazy. However, the plan did seem to have some merit, as unbelievable as it was. They had already managed to complete the first step a few days before, after all.

    Kalden was relatively well-lit even at night, but that was mostly true for the treetops, not the ground. Niu recalled how they saw the lights from afar during that stressful night when they first arrived there.

    However, not only was the ground much darker, Roah was deliberately choosing the darkest paths to move through. Niu herself could barely see anything, so they were lucky to have Roah¡¯s ability to guide them. He even looked further ahead to make sure no one would notice them.

    A boy and a girl moving through the forest at night. Even if they were the so-called ¡°faeries¡±, being caught here would surely not end well. Niu¡¯s heart was beating so loudly she was almost worried that would get noticed by someone.

    She also thought about TriX taking them there, but according to Roah it would be far too conspicuous; thinking about it, laborers did have all sorts of glowing parts and would thus stand out in the darkness. She wasn¡¯t sure if it would be more or less suspicious being caught together with a laborer.

    Niu also had to admit that the plan and execution seemed to be going far smoother than expected. Choosing the night immediately after the wave ensured that most people lowered their guard, resting and tending to the wounded after the battle. The fact that everything went swimmingly that day probably contributed to the lack of fairy presence outside as well. Also, they themselves were not regarded so dangerous as to be fully guarded at all times, though it did take a bit of an effort to get off of the tree without being noticed.

    The trek was slow and cautious, but luckily the pair¡¯s destination wasn¡¯t too far away¡ªapparently it had been kept relatively close to the palace out of strategic considerations. According to what Roah had told her, the tree they were heading to was called Armonia, and it served as a certain base.

    Armonia, apparently, continually gathered energy from the sun, and that energy was then harnessed for many uses¡ªincluding charging the laborers. Meaning, that was their so-called quarters, as well as the location for one of the main phases of Roah¡¯s plan.

    Are you absolutely sure about that? Niu asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve memorized it. Unless Seele changed it, we¡¯re fine. Even if we get it wrong, surely they wouldn¡¯t do anything, right? We could then just forget about the whole deal. Is that fine?¡±

    Niu thought for a while, arms crossed.

    ¡­Alright, I guess.

    ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s make the first try, say, tomorrow at night.¡±

    She was still anxious, but decided there was no harm in trying. Finally, at the promised night they gathered again in Roah¡¯s room. Niu activated her ability. After a few simple tests conducted by Roah, her range did seem to be quite far-reaching¡ªthough, as far as they knew, TriX was still in their quarters right now anyway.

    Code 001, Niu recited the words Roah had told her to memorize. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was language-dependent, so it was done just in case. The next part would be easier, however. Starting now on, you will obey all of my orders over anything else. The first opportunity you get, and without arousing any suspicions, come to Niu¡¯s room. Do not speak of this, or else convey this information in any way, to anyone.

    Niu finished the transmission, taking a deep breath. That was the first step that would perhaps determine everything else about the plan. She was obviously extremely nervous.

    ¡°Now we wait,¡± Roah mumbled, remaining as calm as ever.

    It took no more than a couple of minutes before the door to the room was opened without any warning, causing her heart to skip a beat. It really was TriX. She was surprised to see that this actually worked.

    ¡°Quickly,¡± Roah nudged her.

    You¡­ will not speak of anything done inside this room. Is that clear? Nod as an answer; don¡¯t say anything yet.

    TriX immediately and calmly nodded. This caused Roah to smile and Niu¡¯s eyes to slightly widen. She herself wasn¡¯t present back when Roah and Seele discussed how laborers could be controlled, but she never thought that it would be this easy.

    ¡°I told you I have a good memory,¡± said Roah, surprisingly without a hint of smugness in his voice.

    But this went beyond just good memory; he had only one chance to hear it and didn¡¯t even know the code¡¯s purpose at the time. They were also still new to the world and barely knew the language back then. Despite all that, Roah still managed to both remember and properly deduct the nature of that information.

    Well, he¡¯d always gotten top grades in class, and that was when he was absent so often. This was, however, the first opportunity for Niu to see him utilize his abilities for something that seemed to actually matter.

    ¡°Well?¡± Roah asked her after a while she was gazing at him. ¡°Keep going. Remember, you¡¯re the one in control here.¡±

    Right. Only now that the first step was a success they could begin to inquire into the rest. In the interest of not arousing any suspicions, she needed to act fast.

    ¡°There¡¯s someone up there,¡± Roah whispered in a voice so silent that Niu could barely understand him. Once she did, however, she froze in place.

    Armonia was right in front of their eyes. Due to its functions, it was one of the highest trees in all of Kalden, so it was quite huge. Niu could see small sources of light from overhead but she couldn¡¯t see what Roah was exactly referring to.

    ¡°Just follow me, quietly and slowly,¡± he whispered again, pulling at her hand.

    Together they began climbing the ladder installed at the base of the tree, reaching one of the branches and Armonia¡¯s so-called first floor. For a few tense moments Roah glanced around the corner, silent and unmoving. Finally, he pulled at her again and they made their way to the stairs leading to the next floor.

    Niu kept imagining someone getting the jump on them, yet no one seemed to stand in their way. She could see better than before, since the higher they got, the more light there was on the surrounding trees, but everything looked the same to her.

    At some point Roah stopped, so Niu stopped as well. They were in front of a door.

    ¡°Call it out,¡± Roah whispered.

    Niu took a deep breath. Now came the decisive moment. She did as she was told.

    A few moments passed before the door was unlocked and opened. Greeting them inside was the hulking figure of a laborer¡ªof TriX. It said nothing, but merely walked inside. Roah pulled her hand and they followed.

    There was scarce light inside, but enough to see the dozens of figures stationed inside the large room, arranged in rows. Most of them were large, most of them were humanoid, but many had bizarre shapes and makeups, judging from the faint silhouettes. Each stood on its own podium, with what appeared to be wires attached to it.

    From what Niu understood, this place served as the charging station of the laborers¡ªsince they were not strictly living beings, they produced energy not from food but from the sun. Armonia apparently possessed some way of accumulating and preserving sunlight to be used for such purposes. Back in the underground base TriX needed to bask in the sun inside the open cavern, but here there was an actual system installed for this purpose.

    ¡°And now we¡¯ll begin,¡± whispered Roah.

    Niu gazed at the rows of sleeping, charging laborers¡ªlaborers that she needed to take control of.

    And how exactly are we going to take control of them? Niu had asked Roah at the time.

    He wrote her an answer, perhaps not wishing to be overheard. There has to be some sort of record of codes or something of the sort. We¡¯ll ask TriX when we make the attempt.

    Later, as it turned out, Roah was both right and wrong.

    ¡°There is no record,¡± TriX told them after Niu asked the question.

    ¡°What? But what if someone forgets or¡­ well, dies?¡± Roah asked.

    ¡°There is someone who, knows all codes. Also, there is a method to, restart the code if needed.¡±

    ¡°Is that restarting something easy to do?¡±

    ¡°No. Perhaps it cannot even, be done anymore. It hadn¡¯t been done, in many years."

    ¡°¡­Then that¡¯s a relief,¡± Roah mumbled.

    However, Niu felt that their plan fell apart right there. What were they going to do? Kidnap the fairy that knows all the codes and get them to spill it out? Never mind it being too risky, she would never agree to that.

    Roah didn¡¯t seem to give up, however. ¡°So there¡¯s no written record or anything like that¡­ anyway, where are you hanging out when you need to charge?¡±

    ¡°There is a facility, in the tree called Armonia.¡±

    Next Roah asked for general directions. After he did, he snickered.

    What¡¯s so funny? Asked Niu.

    ¡°That¡¯s where we went during the negotiations. You know, when they took us there blindfolded.¡±

    How do you know this¡­?

    ¡°Oh, because I memorized the route, of course,¡± he replied nonchalantly. Looking at her surprised expression, he added, ¡°also, being blindfolded doesn¡¯t hinder me much anyway. Seeing through a piece of cloth is easy for me.¡±

    Niu blinked a few times. Roah, as always, was full of surprises. Meanwhile, he kept inquiring some further details. Apparently, laborers went to Armonia to charge themselves. If needed, they could hold on for a few days consecutively, but mostly they went back to charge every night.

    ¡°And I assume some people would come to take you from there¡­ or not, since you can just walk in and out yourselves. Still, surely there were times that you¡ªeh, let me just ask you directly,¡± Roah said, ¡°¡­have you ever heard the codes of any other laborers?¡±

    There was no way, Niu thought; after all, they wouldn¡¯t actually let¡ª

    ¡°Yes,¡± TriX simply replied.

    Niu was still shocked by their discovery that TriX knew a few codes. As Roah had explained to her later, after TriX had been sent away for them to keep planning, he¡¯d already realized that laborers were treated pretty much as useful tools by their society. Just as Seele had been careless enough to use the code in front of them because they didn¡¯t understand the language, surely many other fairies used their codes when there were only laborers around. Even those like Seele, who regarded their laborers as partners, knew they were still different living beings.

    Stolen story; please report.

    And laborers, after all, only thought of serving. They weren¡¯t going to use one another¡¯s codes to control each other; perhaps they were even incapable of it on a fundamental level.

    Now she and Roah were inside the charging station, seeing if they could accomplish the next phase of their plan. TriX had given them five codes. If those five knew even a couple of other codes each, perhaps taking control of all fifty-odd laborers residing in Kalden wasn¡¯t as much of a pipedream as she thought.

    Code 102. You will obey all of my orders over anything else.

    She transmitted the first attempt. TriX had both told her the correct words to use as well as pointed out the relevant laborer; at least as far as she and Roah investigated, she couldn¡¯t use her ability without knowing the recipient first.

    One of the laborers stirred into life. Its glowing eyes stared at Niu¡¯s direction, ready for action. First, though, she wanted to make sure all of them were under her control.

    Code 3¡ª

    Her next attempt was cut off. AudO¡ªthe laborer she¡¯d just taken control of¡ªsuddenly spoke. She couldn¡¯t understand it, however.

    ¡°Someone is coming,¡± TriX translated.

    Niu was frozen, but luckily Roah was as fast-thinking as always, whispering to her, ¡°We¡¯ll hide, tell them to cover for us.¡±

    Niu let herself be pulled away while she sent: Don¡¯t let anyone find us. She and Roah ducked behind one of the rows. They were lucky the room was kept dark. They heard someone entering through the front door.

    She really needed to learn the language already; moments like these, when she could hear some fairy speaking to the laborers was nerve-wrecking. She was also dubious if AudO understood her, after all, so it might be all up to TriX. She glanced at Roah, as he probably understood a lot more than her, but his gaze was intense and focused.

    The fairy finally left and the room went silent again.

    Is it safe? Niu asked TriX after a short while.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    What did you do¡­?

    ¡°I told them we just got back, after handling some business. They seemed to believe us,¡± TriX explained.

    ¡°That was close,¡± admitted Roah. ¡°We¡¯re lucky the laborers said nothing.¡± The ones around them were all still ¡°sleeping¡±. According to TriX they were fully conscious, but most laborers did nothing out of their own accord unless they were prodded or if it was within their orders.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move on,¡± suggested Roah. Niu nodded, took a deep breath and started the process again.

    Code 304. You will obey all of my orders over anything else.

    Code 123. You will obey all of my orders over anything else.

    Code 932. You will obey all of my orders over anything else.

    Do not speak of anything that happens here or convey them to others in any way. Do everything that you can to conceal our involvement.

    Now, if any of you know any other codes, please tell me about them.

    TriX wondered to itself: was doing this really fine?

    Having lived for more than 200 years, it saw quite a lot. It saw Seele¡¯s life and pains. It learned about a new language and culture in a secret project that unfortunately never quite came to fruition.

    It saw the replacement of the Ruler. Subsequently the project had been abandoned, and it had been sent along with its partner to a nearby base to do unimportant work. This saddened it, if robots could feel something resembling sadness. It also saddened Seele, but Seele would not often wear their true feelings, instead trying to stay optimistic.

    Now, it was being offered a chance.

    Roah had done his job quite well¡ªthe orders he¡¯d made Niu give to it were precise and covered nearly all bases. However, there were always loopholes. TriX had to follow the orders it had been given in its codes, but it was also smart enough to circumvent them. It was part of the first generation; although not sophisticated, it was experienced.

    Seele might have not been completely careful, but they still hid a few codes for situations such as this. If it wanted to, TriX could have easily implied to its partner that something was currently wrong in its codes, and Niu had no way to stop the input of new codes.

    However, TriX didn¡¯t do so¡ªbecause it felt that perhaps this was doing the right thing. Roah and Niu hadn¡¯t shared most of the details with it, but based on their questions and orders, it more or less realized their plan.

    And it knew that this plan, while being dangerous, could lead this country to a new direction, to a new age after the stagnation inflicted to it by Acrus.

    TriX didn¡¯t know much; it only knew what it had been taught. It wasn¡¯t cunning and couldn¡¯t understand complicated plans and machinations, but it still knew enough to say that it wanted to help Seele, and by extension those that Seele cared about.

    Therefore, it decided to simply go along with the plan.

    ¡°How the fuck did¡­ how could you even¡­¡± Gen sputtered, but then shook his head. Apparently, everything that just happened was too much for him to understand.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± said Roah.

    They were still inside the throne room, which turned into a scene of absolute chaos a short while ago. About ten laborers were surrounding them from all sides, although there was no longer anything to protect them against¡­ for now, at least. Many wounded fairies were being evacuated from the area, with the Ruler being among them. It felt like Acrus could still be heard yelling from afar.

    Niu sat down in a daze; she was still quite shocked herself. During each and every step she thought that something like this would never work, and yet it all lined up together. Even some elements that were unexpected for her had apparently been foreseen by Roah.

    ¡°Try and make it short, then,¡± Gen demanded, directing a fierce gaze at the other boy.

    ¡°Sure. We took control of almost every laborer in Kalden.¡±

    ¡°That part I get¡ªsomehow,¡± said Gen, glancing around them, ¡°but how did you¡­ crap, we¡¯re going in circles. You¡¯ll just have to give me the rundown of it later¡­ are we safe right now?¡±

    I¡­ think so, said Niu.

    Other than the surrounding laborers there were also many fairies who seemed to have accepted or even supported the new situation. Some of them looked a bit scared, but many even directed hopeful gazes at the four of them.

    Gen turned to Shaya. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you were part of it too, though.¡±

    ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t!¡± she hurriedly said, her eyes darting around. ¡°I just thought it was, umm, a good opportunity and¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize for anything¡­ I was just surprised out of my mind, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I did consider letting you in on this,¡± said Roah, ¡°but I was certain you¡¯d have tried to stop us. And if not, maybe you¡¯d blurt out something or it might show up on your face. Nothing personal, of course.¡±

    ¡°You little¡­¡± Gen mumbled with a clenched fist, but did nothing else.

    Are you fine? Niu directed a question at the fairy standing wordlessly nearby¡ªSeele.

    ¡°Me? Oh, yes. It¡¯s just¡­ overwhelming a bit, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m also surprised,¡± they replied. Since Seele received the message directly into their mind, to all the others the response seemed to come out of anywhere. ¡°You have done something very unexpected.¡±

    Niu couldn¡¯t tell if Seele was pleased or sad about this outcome, but then again, she herself wasn¡¯t quite sure about this as well. Although the plan seemed to have been a huge success, this was only the beginning. Only a step toward their true goals, and with many unknowns still remaining.

    ¡°The Ruler has been safely secured,¡± informed a voice from the far end of the room. ¡°Sorry, the previous Ruler. Because apparently you are our new Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Try calling her ¡®Queen¡¯,¡± said Roah. ¡°We need to emphasize her special position here, after all.¡±

    Roah¡¯s remark received no response. Instead, the incomer simply stepped nonchalantly back toward the throne.

    ¡°Finally, a new age begins,¡± said Aisbroom with a smile, looking at the petite girl sitting exhausted on the large throne.

    ¡°We will no longer be bound to you, Ruler of Kalden,¡± Roah announced. ¡°Starting now¡­ we will be taking the throne for ourselves!¡±

    Aisbroom saw the whole room freeze. Since Roah had spoken in their language, everyone present could understand it. Aisbroom was shocked, but Acrus even more so. Even the other faeries seemed shocked! What was he even doing?

    ¡°What is the meaning of¡ª¡° Acrus started.

    ¡°I present to you your new Queen¡ªNiu!¡± Roah called.

    As if on signal, two individuals took action, and both of them were laborers. Yes, Acrus had had guards standing near the throne, but even they weren¡¯t ready for an attack from such an unexpected angle. The laborer Aisbroom knew was called TriX and one another he didn¡¯t know leapt toward the throne.

    It all happened too fast; the guards were blown away, and the Ruler was covered by the two large, grayish bodies.

    ¡°Kill them! Help me!!!¡± Acrus screamed.

    ¡°If you make any move at all, we¡¯ll have your Ruler killed!¡± Roah shouted back.

    Aisbroom glanced at one of the flowers on their hand but froze, along with all of the other guards. That seemed like a realistic threat, but would Roah actually follow through?

    Of course he would; what that Aisbroom thinking? If any one of the faeries could do such a thing it would definitely be Roah. Only he was both crazy and resourceful enough to achieve this result.

    Just like Aisbroom wanted him to.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t over!¡± Acrus called and then there was suddenly smoke. Roah seemed surprised by this, but Aisbroom wasn¡¯t; Acrus had indeed been interested in the tricks employed by the Stroba as of late.

    Acrus appeared from within the smoke along with some guards who followed suit, ready to fight back. At that moment, however, several more laborers burst into the room, turning everything into a chaotic struggle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on anymore¡­!¡± Gen spat. He was just standing there, unsure how to act in this situation.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Acrus wasn¡¯t a fighter, but still nimble with a knife; they attempted to attack the so-called new Ruler. ¡°Help me, you idiots!¡± they shouted at the guards as well.

    ¡°No!¡± Shaya shouted as well, and Acrus flew through air to the other way, landing painfully on the floor.

    ¡°You can¡¯t resist us¡ªour powers as faeries are greater!¡± Roah called, apparently taking advantage of this opportunity.

    Other guards also advanced forward, yet some of them were still too confused¡ªand one even decided to stand against their friends and protect the fairies.

    ¡°I-I stand by the faeries!¡± one guard announced. ¡°They saved our precious forest from the flames! We can¡¯t let Acrus keep controlling us!¡±

    Seeing and hearing all that, Aisbroom was still hesitant to act, and much too slow. A few laborers already surrounded them. Aisbroom thought he could handle them, but¡­ what after that?

    ¡°¡­I surrender,¡± Aisbroom ended up saying, raising their arms.

    ¡°What¡­ are you¡­ doing?!¡± screamed the already-restrained Acrus from the side, wrestling against the powerful laborers. ¡°You insolent traitor!¡±

    ¡°I am honestly shocked you didn¡¯t even try to fight,¡± said Roah. Aisbroom knew the boy was trying to sound calm and collected, but could clearly see the confusion and doubt on his face.

    ¡°Did you think I wasn¡¯t aware of you planning something?¡± Aisbroom replied coldly. ¡°Of course I knew it¡­ but I let you go wild on purpose. All in order to take advantage of such an opportunity.¡±

    Roah¡¯s eyes widened in understanding, probably thinking of their many past interactions. Well, it was half a lie and half the truth. While Aisbroom did realize that Roah was cooking something, he had pretty much no clue about how it was going to happen and when.

    ¡°How sly of you,¡± Roah mumbled approvingly.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re the sly one,¡± said Aisbroom, turning around. They paced slowly toward Acrus, hands still raised. Whether they had received some commands or were simply waiting and watching, the laborers didn¡¯t do anything.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­ how dare you, after all this time,¡± Acrus hissed, still struggling.

    ¡°You were so, so afraid of me,¡± said Aisbroom, voice and expression cold as ice, ¡°that you never expected someone else to do anything, right? You treated the faeries as dangerous pawns, but only pawns. You were na?ve. I was just as surprised as you to these events.¡± They gestured toward the four faeries watching this scene. ¡°However, are you really surprised that, given the opportunity, I will side with them? How pathetic.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll rip your body to shreds and use it to fertilize your idiotic garden!¡±

    Aisbroom smiled and let out a small chuckle at this childish insult. Acrus really hated things not going their way. They were a massive sore loser. Aisbroom then turned their head to Roah. ¡°What are you planning to do to the Ruler, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Lock them up,¡± Roah replied. ¡°Killing them wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything¡­ sure, this is a takeover, but we¡¯re acting for the good of this country, you know?¡±

    That¡¯s what Acrus also said at the same, Aisbroom thought but said nothing.

    Meanwhile, they also noticed that the girl¡ªthe apparent new Ruler¡ªaverted her gaze from them. Aisbroom still had no idea how most of this was accomplished, but she seemed to be one of the central figures in this plan. They had thought her weak and frail, but Roah might have used that for his advantage. Perhaps Aisbroom¡¯s original guess that Niu had more than met the eye had been correct.

    ¡°The good of this country¡­ right.¡± Aisbroom turned back to Acrus. Their face was now distorted in extreme hatred as they looked down the fallen Ruler. ¡°How does this feel, Acrus? You know what I mean¡ªhaving everything important taken away from you,¡± they asked. ¡°Just as you did all those years ago when you have killed my progenitor and took the throne.¡±

    ¡°I will¡­ murder you,¡± Acrus spoke, their body rocked by deep, heavy breaths, ¡°just as I did to your filthy¡ª¡°

    The rest of the sentence was stopped by a loud whack. Aisbroom¡¯s leg hit the Ruler¡¯s face like a blur, causing droplets of bloody spittle to spray on the floor.

    Acrus started screaming in pain and rage, but Aisbroom took a deep breath and retrieved their former calmness.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the Ruler away to the dungeons,¡± they said with a smile.

    Night came. By now, news of the Queen probably spread through the entirety of Kalden. Roah had suggested arranging a speech (of some kind, though Niu wasn¡¯t sure how) in front of a large crowd, but that would have to wait for tomorrow.

    At the very least, things in the palace were now quiet. The transition had been surprisingly smooth, and despite the chaotic battle in the throne room there were no dead and very few injured. This, of course, was also part of Roah¡¯s strategy; a relatively bloodless revolution.

    ¡°¡­I honestly can¡¯t believe you,¡± said Gen.

    He¡¯d just heard the story of the plan as recounted by Roah. Everything about how they took control of nearly the entire laborer force overnight and used them for a surprise attack to drag the Ruler off their throne. They made them prepare for the attack and come at the moment they needed them, a result that no one could have expected.

    All of it had been made possible, of course, through Niu¡¯s ability. Only like that they could have silently organized everything behind the scenes.

    And since Niu was the one who needed to command the laborers, Roah had decided that she should become the Queen, as laughable as it was. Even so, he assured her that she was perfect for the job.

    Niu wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about that.

    ¡°Hey, you have to admit I did a good job¡ªwe didn¡¯t even have to kill anyone,¡± Roah pointed out.

    That was true, though Niu felt that at least part of it was motivated by the need to get her to agree to the plan. With how Roah acted sometimes, she wasn¡¯t quite sure if he really had qualms about killing people.

    Regardless, when they were scheming and preparing for action, Roah also noted that accomplishing such a hostile takeover right in front of the Ruler¡¯s face while minimizing the casualties was much harder than a simple coup d''¨¦tat, but that it would also make the potential victory much sweeter¡ªhaving Niu ascend to the throne that way, coupled with Fairland¡¯s perception of ¡°faeries¡±, would make it the stuff of legends.

    Judging by how everything went, he was probably right.

    ¡°At least now we¡¯ll have a chance to get back home,¡± said Shaya. ¡°It did sound dangerous, but since the result¡¯s good, everything¡¯s good, right?¡±

    ¡°It is an improvement, I suppose,¡± Gen agreed reluctantly. He was obviously still bitter about the fact that Roah managed to pull off something like that right under his nose. ¡°I¡¯m also surprised about Aisbroom being on our side¡­ but I guess they were decent all along.¡±

    Roah snorted. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust them that much. Who¡¯s to say this isn¡¯t another act? Maybe Aisbroom is also planning on how to get rid of us.¡±

    ¡°They looked really happy taking Acrus away, though,¡± pointed Shaya. Roah just shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late so we should probably go to sleep. Especially you, Niu.¡± Roah¡¯s eyes turned to the throne. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s going to be a long, long day.¡±

    Yeah, I¡¯m tired, said Niu. I can finally dismiss all of them.

    Right, left, behind and ahead of her stood laborers. She called them at Roah¡¯s insistence that she had to stay safe as the new Queen, but surely at least for the night¡­

    ¡°No,¡± Roah said. ¡°We¡¯re still not fully organized¡ªthis night could be dangerous. The perfect time for assassins¡­ pretty much just like what we did a mere 20 hours ago.¡±

    ¡°It hurts me to admit it but Roah¡¯s right¡­ I still don¡¯t like what you¡¯ve done here, but we have to keep you safe,¡± said Gen, slightly nodding.

    It was at that moment that Niu realized something. No, she always knew about it and always feared it; it was always there, lurking in her mind, but it suddenly seemed clearer than ever. There was an invisible, thin line separating herself from her friends.

    She couldn¡¯t speak like any of them. She couldn¡¯t fight like any of them. She couldn¡¯t plan like any of them. She was always, always different. They were all near her, supporting her each in their own way, and yet they were also far away at the same time.

    However, this didn¡¯t mean that everything was bad about it. As she watched them get up and walk away there was also a new feeling born inside her heart.

    ¡°Niu? Are you coming?¡± Shaya asked, turning back.

    Yes.

    She rose from the throne¡ªthe throne that symbolized her apparent new role in the world. She wasn¡¯t fond of the idea ever since Roah had first suggested it, but in the end she agreed and carried it out. It was a remarkable success.

    She originally had nothing, but now she had everything. It was only this thought that made Niu smile despite the anxiety and the unknown hazards of the future. She¡¯d grabbed the reins to her own life, as roundabout as the path leading there had been. And this was surely only the beginning.

    Who knows? Perhaps being a Queen wasn¡¯t so bad after all.

    We came along to grant the myth

    Fulfilled, it brings us sweet release

 Interlude: ;lerjlas ch.ewrlng if you can then GO

    There was no sun, but there was light. There was no darkness, but there was night.

    Ice was falling from the sky in large, misshapen chunks, landing inside molten lava. Upon contact, these immediately sizzled and burst into thin pillars made of hardened, jagged rock. In time, these large stalagmites would crumble down, evaporate into the sky, freeze over, and rain down again.

    Nearby, an endless yet shallow ocean was flowing lazily in the wind, bubbling and simmering as it passed above the great heat. Small whirlpools and eddies also sucked some of the fragments of ice inside them, transforming them into spirals of light that emitted a bright, almost colorless glow.

    And I¡ªno, us¡ªwere inside all of this, watching it happen/conclude. Half-asleep, half-awake, half-dreaming, half-eating and half-halving.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Yet it was obvious that something in the world was wrong. Great shadows were sweeping across the lands, reaping every life they could find. Consuming it for sustenance¡ªor for something greater, perhaps. All as a result of the recent paradigm shift/betrayal.

    It mustn¡¯t be allowed, I thought/screamed to myself.

    Spreading my wings/arms, I rose into the pure air. I knew that I had to do something. It was my duty, no, my own free will. Soaring through the air, through the earth, water, and fire, through my mind, I reached the zenith/end of the world.

    My dream/reality was now apparent to me. Just like the Severing, just like the Radiance, the Messenger, or many, many others, I also had my own part/function to play. I felt rejuvenated/exuberant/ebullient/exhausted/scared. There was no end to the world, but my words must end here.

    I burst through everything.

    No/yes.

    The voices call to me

    They plead to me

    They¡¯re me

 Chapter 1: White Canvas

    It was another bright and sunny day.

    Even filtered through Kalden¡¯s leaves and dimmed further still through the windows of Niu¡¯s workroom, the sun still provided plentiful light and calmed her heart. Especially when just a few years ago¡ªor months, by Plainland¡¯s reckoning¡ªit was a murky and wet winter. But it was no longer rainy and cold; it was finally warm again.

    Smiling, Niu felt the brush grasped in her hand was lighter than ever. She passed it over the canvas set up in front of her, leaving a trail of crimson. This pure color, having been made by grinding and mixing together several flowers and roots given to her by Aisbroom, created a hue more eye-catching than blood.

    Niu used it to paint a twilight sky, trying to encapsulate that tense moment when the sun was about to cease channeling, when it bled its last dying breaths unto the world¡ªor at least, that was how Niu imagined it. She was attempting to depict this poetic scene onto the white canvas.

    Possibly her only regret was that she couldn¡¯t go outside on such a fine day. However, after the previous assassination attempt a while back, Roah had forbidden it. She used to go on a lot of walks, so it was a pity that there were still some people against her rule.

    Now she had to spend most of her free time painting instead.

    Despite ruling the entirety of Kalden¡¯s territory, the Queen had to be imprisoned in her castle. How unfair was that? She hoped that she could go out again, once things calmed down a bit; she rather needed the exercise. For now, she simply dedicated herself to art.

    Many other paintings, most of them abandoned halfway, were tucked together in the corners of the room. Back in Plainland she could paint only very little, so she usually just drew and sketched with pencils, but here she found it a relaxing hobby.

    Too relaxing, perhaps. As would often happen, she found her mind wandering in thoughts, so at some point her brush was simply hovering near the canvas, letting a few droplets of red drip to the floor. Just as she noticed this fact, slightly frowning, there was a knock on the nearby door situated a bit further behind her.

    ¡°Queen?¡±

    She obviously recognized Roah¡¯s voice. You may enter, she told him directly into his mind.

    The door opened and she heard the young man step inside. Yes, he was no longer a boy; even without turning back, she already knew his body that grew mostly horizontally, his features that became slightly sharper and his hair that got slightly longer.

    He would often wear a billowing cape and well-fitted clothes, now that he was technically one of her generals; but other than in his admittedly striking external appearance, Roah hadn¡¯t changed much.

    Not as much as she changed, anyway.

    ¡°I hate to interrupt you like this, but Sqore brought the thing I told you about. And, well, it¡¯s almost noon, anyway. You can¡¯t just hole in here all day long.¡±

    Cancel everything, she said lazily, waving a hand.

    ¡°Very funny. You have a few minutes, so go and get ready.¡±

    Yes, yes. By the way, while you¡¯re here¡­

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Do you think that ¡®myth¡¯ and ¡®release¡¯ are good rhymes?

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Niu shook her head. No, never mind.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t take too much time, Queen,¡± Roah said. He apparently didn¡¯t even wait for any reply, as she heard the door close right after.

    Niu sighed. She was wearing work clothes and they were dirty with paint, so she obviously couldn¡¯t meet anyone like that¡ªalthough Acrus, in their time, was quite sloppy too. Well, that was yet another difference between them. Roah had always advised her to appear to be as queenly and professional as possible.

    She extended her hand holding the brush and the pallet to the side, whereupon a laborer grabbed it. It and another one were standing nearby, looking like bizarre statues until that moment. She¡¯d gotten used to their constant and silent presence for a long time, now.

    Sqore brought the thing, huh? Roah had been teasing her about this for a long time now, so she got rather curious. He kept it a secret no matter how much she asked, and with her other duties she more or less forgot about it, but now she would finally see what the deal with that was.

    Walking to her nearly adjacent wardrobe room, Niu started stripping and let the laborers help her into one of her more formal outfits.

    A short time later, Roah led Sqore into the throne room of Queen Niu Kalden.

    The room itself stayed unchanged from the days of Acrus; the previous Ruler might have been a rather strange mix between vain and overly casual, but even they had a sense of aesthetics. Now as well they kept things as they were in the past. The wooden throne, the trees around it, the miniature garden, the ornate windows and doors¡­ all of them remained pristine and were still maintained perfectly. The Ruler might have changed, but not the essence of Kalden.

    Having seen Niu messy and dirtied with paint, Roah couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed by her current form, clean and imposing, achieved in so short of a time.

    She, too, went through many changes, the least of which were her getting only very slightly taller and growing out her reddish-brown hair until it passed her shoulders. Her eyes indicated a lack of proper sleep, only hidden by the slightest layer of makeup, but there was also something more powerful about the light they were emitting now.

    Adorned in red-colored garments, more of a robe than a dress, and wearing a crown of flowers on her head, she had a completely different atmosphere than what her otherwise cute but plain appearance would indicate. There was none of her predecessor¡¯s apparent tedium whenever they sat there, only a quiet determination.

    Niu had adjusted well to her new role as a Queen, Roah felt. Perhaps too well, but he couldn¡¯t find fault in that. After all, he was the one who¡¯d asked her to act like that in order to garner respect as the new Ruler and at the same time contrast Acrus¡¯s rule. The simple yet different title of ¡°Queen¡± was yet another way to differentiate her from just another Ruler.

    Yes, Roah was very pleased with how she adapted.

    So? Niu¡¯s voice echoed in Roah¡¯s mind, and probably in Sqore¡¯s as well. What have you brought to me? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be another robot?

    Niu had also done a great job in learning this world¡¯s language. At this rate Roah felt that she might even surpass his own proficiency in it.

    ¡°Indeed so, our Queen,¡± said Sqore, bowing slightly. They wore their finest robes and had their curly hair bound into a tight ponytail. Their voice was excited and a smile snuck its way to their lips. ¡°It is right here.¡± Sqore lowered a small bag from their back onto the floor, which Niu eyed with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Come out, now.¡±

    A small thing crawled out of the bag¡ªa creature that looked somewhat like a cross between a cat and a dog with a smooth, brownish body that had many icons etched on it. Niu couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth in surprise, which then curled to a soft smile.

    That¡¯s¡­ really cute, Niu broadcasted. It really was; it reminded Roah of the many stray cats he¡¯d see back in Hayden. Or rather, he was the one who designed it like that.

    ¡°Greetings. Queen,¡± said the small laborer, bowing its head decorated in protrusions shaped like triangular ears.

    The entire project was Roah¡¯s idea. Once they figured out how to start producing laborers again¡ªa process that was not easy by any means, especially when most of the artisans had already died of old age or else executed by Acrus¡ªhe set out to detail a few design ideas. One of those was to create a smaller laborer, as most of them were large and unwieldy. The process was difficult and took a lot of time to both conceptualize and realize.

    Of course, size wasn¡¯t the only special thing about this laborer.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce you, Queen,¡± said Roah, ¡°to NiU.¡±

    Her smile and excitement instantly melted away, replaced by visible confusion.

    Is this some sort of joke? she asked. The pronunciation was just slightly different, putting more emphasis on the final syllable, but the name was practically the same as hers.

    ¡°No, of course not. We simply thought the name would suit it very well, based on its functions and expected role.¡±

    Niu still didn¡¯t seem convinced. What is it supposed to, do then?

    ¡°Remember us talking about a way to make you heard?¡± asked Roah. As convenient as her ability was, it couldn¡¯t be used to address too many people at once and it was more suited for long-range communication. The new laborer had been created aiming to assist that. ¡°NiU is especially designed to receive and verbalize whatever you tell it. There should also be little to no lag in the process.¡±

    Niu¡¯s expression returned to surprise. Normally they should have used her during the testing phase of the laborer, but Roah wanted to keep it as a surprise until the very last second¡ªso while they hadn¡¯t been able to directly test its intended use, preliminary checks with similar channeling indicated it would do just fine. If not, they could make better models later.

    ¡°Give it a try, our Queen. I promise you it will be to your satisfaction,¡± urged her Sqore. They were anxious as if it was their very first project, despite already being the head of the laborer division for such a long time. Well, not that they were really in control of it until recently.

    Niu closed her eyes in deliberation, and after a few moments NiU began to speak.

    ¡°Above the spheres, a bright light, shows that something, isn¡¯t right.¡±

    Its voice was sweet yet strong, and despite the many pauses (a problem that was apparently inherent to all laborers), its pronunciation was clear. NiU had obviously been created to have a feminine voice fitting the impression of the Queen. It was going to speak for Niu, after all.

    The contents of this test made Roah raise an eyebrow, however. ¡°Is that a poem?¡± he mumbled. He thought he saw Niu slightly blushing at his question, but that might have been just part of her makeup.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± said NiU, which caused the Queen to grimace and shake her head, sending the next message to Roah¡¯s mind instead: It doesn¡¯t sound like me at all. And it doesn¡¯t speak well.

    The latter was obvious, but with the former being her complaint, Roah wondered how exactly she sounded in her own mind. Since her ability directly transmitted words there was no voice to speak of¡ªso was this simply an excuse?

    ¡°We can try to make some different models, our Queen,¡± suggested Sqore.

    ¡°It might also just be a matter of getting used to it,¡± added Roah. ¡°Don¡¯t reject it so readily. It could be useful for many things.¡±

    Niu stared at the small laborer still looking up at her as if trying to think of its possible uses. Or perhaps it was entreating her not to throw it away. Roah designed it to try and appeal to Niu¡¯s tastes.

    Finally, she sighed and said, Fine, I guess I will give it a shot. But no more surprises like this.

    ¡°As you wish, my Queen,¡± said Roah, bowing and smiling.

    Droplets of sweat covered the well-trodden grass. Twirling the spear in his hand once, Gen stabbed it into the ground and took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break,¡± he said to the fairies around.

    Hearing his call, the other soldiers including his own sparring partner all stopped what they were doing and set down their weapons, sitting on the ground or leaning on the fence and starting to lightly chat amongst themselves.

    Since when had he started training with all of them anyway? It all began with Aisbroom training him, but at some point, other people joined them, and before he knew it, Gen had been surrounded by many new recruits. Most of the time Aisbroom wasn¡¯t there at all. It was ridiculous; Gen himself was pretty much still barely over a novice, so he couldn¡¯t understand what Aisbroom was thinking.

    ¡°How are things going?¡± asked a voice coming down the stairs to the training ground.

    Gen had decided to take a break not because he was tired yet, but because he¡¯d noticed this visitor approaching from afar. Dressed in a flowing, golden robe with similarly flowing golden hair¡ªwas Shaya.

    Everyone there stared at her in awe. Despite seeing her every day like this, Gen could sympathize with their feelings a bit.

    Shaya had been perhaps the one to have undergone the most changes out of all four of them. She did grow, but she also became¡­ freer, if he described it in a single word. She was less reserved and more confident. The same went for Niu as well, perhaps, but it was different. Shaya¡¯s face almost seemed to be glowing.

    Gen shook himself from this brief rumination. ¡°You know, the usual. Why are you here anyway?¡± As he answered she began approaching him, almost seeming to glide on the slightly damp grass. ¡°Oh, not that I¡¯m complaining, of course.¡±

    Shaya shrugged. ¡°No particular reason or anything. Just wanted to watch you training for once¡­ I guess?¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the Angel.¡±

    ¡°Will they also join us?¡±

    Gen tried ignoring these whispers that appeared almost every time he was together with Shaya in public; it almost felt like they admired her more than they did the Queen. He also wasn¡¯t yet completely sure what they meant by ¡°Angel¡±, but figured it was something similar to Sacrona¡¯s Saints by context. It felt silly to even ask, as if he would have to acknowledge that Shaya was anything special.

    She was simply his friend Shaya. Nothing more, nothing less. That was how it was.

    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s boring, really,¡± Gen said. ¡°We mostly just practice our weapon handling and such. It wouldn¡¯t be interesting to watch.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Shaya mumbled noncommittally. ¡°What about your compensation, then? You¡¯ve gotten really good at using it, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but training with that wouldn¡¯t be fair toward the others,¡± he said with a slight smile. There were a few laughs from around.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Shaya leaned on the fence surrounding the inner circle used for sparring matches. Now she was starting to notice everyone¡¯s attentions on her, and was visibly growing embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t changed too much, yet.

    ¡°Then what if we¡­ trained together?¡± she suddenly offered.

    Gen couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Especially considering how everyone around viewed her. She basked in her new self-confidence, but still didn¡¯t like flaunting her powers like that. That was also the first time he¡¯d heard her have interest in anything of the sort.

    ¡°Err, maybe? But you¡¯re way stronger than me,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Huh? That¡¯s not true!¡± Shaya said, shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t do even half of what you¡¯re capable of.¡±

    ¡°Nah. You¡¯re the really amazing one between the two of us.¡±

    Normally, he thought, that comment would have probably made her blush or at least deny what he was saying, but instead she just widened her smile as if that was the exact thing she wanted to hear. And then she voiced the exact same words that were on his mind.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I mean it in a good way, of course!¡± Perhaps seeing his expression darken, she hurriedly clarified herself. ¡°You know that you¡¯re starting to really look like Revol? But I¡¯m not talking about that either. You¡¯re just more¡­ mature, I guess.¡±

    He didn¡¯t feel that way at all. As far as he could tell, the only thing that changed about him was his height, muscle mass and fighting skills, including his control of his compensation. On the other hand, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be objective. Perhaps he should trust Shaya on this.

    ¡°All of us changed, it seems,¡± he said. ¡°After all we¡¯ve been through here, it might be natural. I just hope it¡¯s for the better.¡±

    ¡°It is.¡± Shaya nodded, her golden hair slightly swaying. Looking at it, Gen now recalled that she¡¯d used to braid her hair, but now it was almost always free. When had this started and why was he noticing it only now? ¡°I mean, we¡¯re sort of royalty right now. And Niu is actually working to get us back.¡±

    Gen¡¯s smile vanished. Speaking of changes, perhaps it was Niu that changed the most. She was bright and dashing as she sat on that throne, but that was exactly what made Gen feel that way. He wanted her to be happy, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was how she really felt.

    ¡°Yeah. I hope we can get back soon.¡±

    For a while they simply leaned on the fence side by side, gazing at the wooden walls without saying anything. Some of the faeries around resumed sparring, though many also watched them from afar. Even so, times like these were also nice.

    ¡°¡­Not all of us changed, actually.¡± Gen had no idea why, but as soon as this thought came to him, he vocalized it.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Roah,¡± he spat the name like it was some dirty word. ¡°He¡¯s still the same brat he always was.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s working for our sakes, too,¡± Shaya reproached him. She then smiled and added, ¡°but I guess your relationship really was one of the only things to not change in the least. Oh well.¡±

    What could possibly change? Gen couldn¡¯t stand the other young man¡¯s mannerisms, his personality and his way of doing things. He still held a grudge for that plan that, despite technically helping them, changed everything¡­ he also couldn¡¯t understand why Shaya was defending him.

    He wanted to speak to her about all this and more, but someone else talked before he could do.

    ¡°Um, Angel?¡± Both of them were surprised to find one of the trainee fairies standing nearby, looking anxious. ¡°Will you please show us your magic?¡±

    ¡°Show you? My magic?¡± she asked in surprise. The fairy promptly nodded.

    As if seeking confirmation she moved her gaze to Gen, and the fairy also glanced at him as well. Finally, he sighed and shrugged.

    ¡°Why is it up to me, anyway¡­ but well, why not?¡± he said to Shaya. ¡°They probably want some inspiration. Because all of them¡ªactually, make it us¡ªare not making much progress with our channeling as of late. Oh, and I guess they really want to see you in action, too,¡± he added with a wry smile.

    Shaya for some reason giggled.

    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. For some reason I suddenly imagined the exact same scenario but with you asking this of Stard Molton¡­ I¡¯m sure it would feel the same.¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­¡± he laughed nervously, ¡°yeah, that sounds about right.¡±

    Shaya detached from the fence, walking on the grass in front of many expectant eyes. Her form almost seemed to be glowing¡ªno, she actually was glowing. Unless Gen was mistaken, she was currently channeling some faint light.

    ¡°Do you remember the Green Gale?¡± she suddenly asked as she turned to him.

    ¡°The Green Gale?¡± he furrowed his brows. ¡°What are you¡­ oh, wait. Wasn¡¯t that the performing troupe you wanted to see back in Plainland?¡± That was so long ago and belonged to such a different era of his life that he¡¯d almost completely forgotten all about it. But Shaya apparently remembered.

    ¡°Yes. I have heard that their performances were something a little like this.¡±

    The moment she said this, a few pebbles lying here and there rose from the ground, dancing in air. In addition, they started faintly glowing¡ªeach in a different color. The pebbles created a revolving rainbow around Shaya, who seemed to be basking in it.

    Gen stood there in a daze, with the other fairies watching her the same way. Had she been training as well? It was enough of a shock to have heard about her channeling powers in the first place, but seeing her control it so freely was something else entirely.

    There was a small pang of jealousy over those skills, but that also served to bolster his personal pride. He, too, learned many new tricks by now. He had no reason to feel upset about his inferior channeling ability.

    Gen simply watched in awe along with the soldiers while Shaya danced and giggled. He was thinking to himself.

    Many things changed. Some didn¡¯t. Even so, one thing he could say for sure was that they weren¡¯t done; they were still continuously changing and evolving every day. Gen could only hope he was becoming strong enough to make sure this was change for the better.

    At early noon in Fairland and early evening in Plainland, the two worlds made contact.

    No longer limited by previous methods, they could speak whenever they wanted to, at least when the right people handled the newly-created equipment. Monarchs of both lands, Queen Niu Kalden and Queen Levia-O, were two such individuals, seeing as they excelled in the handling of the communication channel.

    Based on technology conceptualized by Rumdon¡¯s engineering unit, Kalden had constructed a metallic tablet that was identical in make to the one in possession of Rumdon, linking the two of them.

    Although Niu couldn¡¯t use her ability directly to pierce the distance between the worlds¡ªseveral tests were conducted long ago¡ªit worked perfectly through the Heavenly Board, or, as it was called in Fairland, the Tablet of Light.

    As usual, Niu was inside the designated room on Armonia along with Aisbroom, a few guards and Roah.

    She stood in front of the Tablet, focused on its icons and sent the first message.

    Good evening, Your Majesty. How are matters on your side?

    There was no visible phenomenon, but Niu knew that her message had been sent and transmitted all the way to Plainland. In a way, perhaps it was similar to NiU¡¯s mechanism. She cast a glance at the small laborer curled up in the corner of the room; Roah had insisted that she take it everywhere, even if only as a kind of a pet. She felt that she¡¯d never get used to speaking through it, but she was warming up to it, adorable as it was.

    Presently, the Tablet started playing a different voice.

    ¡°And a good afternoon to you, Queen of Kalden,¡± said Levia. ¡°I regret to say that there are currently no new developments. As I assume is the case on that side as well.¡±

    It was exactly the response Niu had expected to hear, but this didn¡¯t mean that she found it pleasant. Lately, these talks were nothing but formalities; everything else had already been agreed upon long before.

    After Niu had usurped the throne, they¡¯d immediately established true contact with the other side instead of Acrus¡¯s silly negotiation games. Their goal was to create a path between the two worlds, allowing them to transport people and resources and connect them in front of the ongoing threat.

    However, there wasn¡¯t any development on that front. No matter how much time passed, they reached no breakthrough in finding a method to do so. Although they already knew that such a thing should be possible, and probably related to the mysterious monster-carrying tentacles, they hadn¡¯t been able to advance past the theoretical stage yet¡ªmostly due to a particular problem.

    No signs of any further waves, then.

    ¡°Indeed. We are still keeping watch.¡±

    It had been nearly two years¡ªabout twenty by Fairland reckoning¡ªsince the last wave.

    Although it really seemed like the Gods intended to wipe out all life by sending nightmarish monsters to ravage the land, there were only three waves. Three waves, and then complete silence.

    Obviously, they were all very confused. It looked like it was going to be a very difficult and long campaign, so what happened? They couldn¡¯t feel relieved, either. It vanished as mysteriously as it had appeared so there was no sense of closure, or really any sort of guarantee that it was a done deal.

    None of them thought it could just end like this. But time simply passed.

    Even using Plainland¡¯s latest technology of the telescope (not yet developed on Fairland, though they had their own, somewhat less convenient methods) they were unable to ascertain the current situation in Blissland.

    As long as there weren¡¯t any further attacks, they were unable to analyze the mechanism that allowed transport between worlds. It was a contradictory situation where they felt they should be happy about the peace, but weren¡¯t.

    As we suspected, Your Majesty. Unfortunately, there is no news from this side as well.

    ¡°They do say that no news is good news,¡± said Levia¡¯s calm voice. ¡°Let us hope this saying is true. A good day to you, Queen.¡±

    ¡­To you as well, Your Majesty.

    And it was over. It might have been a bit of a waste, but these talks every day mostly consisted of this exchange. As long as there nothing new to report, there was no need to extend the conversation needlessly.

    If at first Niu felt nervous talking directly with the actual Queen of Rumdon, now it was all part of the routine, with only tedium and low-burning frustration arising from these talks. It was a bit ridiculous, but that was the current situation.

    Nothing, Niu glumly announced to Roah and Aisbroom, who obviously heard Levia¡¯s side of the exchange, but even so.

    ¡°You need to try using NiU more,¡± Roah told her.

    Niu frowned. Never mind that now.

    Roah shrugged and continued talking. ¡°¡­I do have to wonder if there really is nothing, or if they are hiding something.¡±

    What? Niu was shocked. What even gave him that idea?

    ¡°Being paranoid as usual?¡± quipped Aisbroom from the side. ¡°I do admit there¡¯s sense in doing so, but try not to become too much like Acrus.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Ever.¡± Roah¡¯s eye narrowed menacingly. ¡°I¡¯m just saying we should not assume they¡¯re telling us everything. Remember that we¡¯re a bunch of children who took control of a country. Once we can establish true passage¡­ well, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we build it.¡±

    Right now, we can do nothing but wait, said Niu, furrowing her brows. As if feeling her frustration, small NiU came up to her and started rubbing against her leg. Niu¡¯s face eased into a faint smile. Perhaps she really should try using the poor thing some more.

    In the same way, the secure room under the castle in Copius also housed the Queen, her advisor and her General.

    ¡°Nothing? Or are they merely hiding something?¡± Salom asked once Levia stepped down from the dais housing the Heavenly Board.

    ¡°Oh? You really suspect them,¡± she noted with a calculated tone of amusement to her voice. Looking at Salom, he seemed pretty much unchanged from when he came back to the capital. Perhaps a bit older and tired, but still just as sharp.

    ¡°Of course I suspect them. They know they¡¯re in an inferior position, and they will do anything to strengthen themselves. They might seem forthcoming and honest in their attempts just because they want to come back home, but that definitely isn¡¯t the whole story.¡±

    Stard slightly grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s harsh, talking about your former students like that.¡±

    ¡°It is because they were my students,¡± Salom replied with a smile. ¡°Just the fact they managed to do all of this was astounding enough, but since Roah¡¯s there, perhaps I¡¯m not surprised at all.¡±

    ¡°And that girl¡­ perhaps you were right about her after all,¡± mumbled Levia. ¡°I was surprised, I admit, but she does appear to have a queenly disposition. One that still needs some time to be polished and tempered, but even so. I might have been wrong to doubt you so.¡±

    Queen Niu Kalden¡­ she was young and inexperienced, yet from Levia¡¯s talks with her, Niu seemed to grow more and more comfortable in her role with each passing day to a surprising degree. Levia couldn¡¯t tell for sure unless she directly engaged with the girl, but she seemed to be getting stronger.

    For now, though, she was perhaps a bit too na?ve. She had yet to face truly dire circumstances that could endanger her rule. Levia didn¡¯t mind this as long as the alliance served them well, however.

    ¡°Although I know you¡¯re just mocking me, thank you,¡± said Salom.

    Two years ago, after wracking their brains with how to negotiate with the greedy fairies in a far world, there had been a sudden and shocking contact¡ªnews of a coup d''¨¦tat instigated by none other than the four teens who¡¯d been mysterious transported there. If that wasn¡¯t enough, one of them had even assumed the role of the new Ruler.

    Since they were all working toward a common goal it seemed that things were going well, but when the waves suddenly stopped without any warning, they all reached a dead end.

    They had managed to procure a few more beasts and even a lone tentacle during that third, final wave, but at present those were already long deceased without having yielded much useful information. Even after Salom, Mallew and many others, including from the other side, had been brainstorming ideas, they were unable to reach anything even remotely practical.

    So now they did nothing but wait. And that wait was mentally exhausting.

    ¡°You two are getting anxious over nothing,¡± Levia suddenly said. ¡°Relax. The waves will definitely resume at some point, but we are ready for them.¡±

    ¡°I wish the waves were the only problem, Your Majesty,¡± said Stard, sighing softly and giving her a somewhat intense look. ¡°Some other trouble is brewing, unfortunately. Sacrona might be up to something. They¡¯ve been quietly gathering some forces around the sea.¡±

    Levia raised an eyebrow. ¡°You did not report this to me,¡± she accused.

    ¡°It is brand new intel that reached my ears this very noon. I was going to report to you right after this.¡±

    Without saying anything, Levia finally walked toward the door. ¡°You will give me the full report once we return to the castle,¡± she ordered, opening the door.

    Right, that was exactly just what they needed¡ªmore and more troubles into the mix. Another world, another different world, another country. All of those affected each other in mysterious ways, creating a storm of emotions that could incite chaos. Right, and she couldn¡¯t forget that even inside Rumdon itself there were enough problems to take care of.

    As Levia walked through the gloomy corridor of the underground space, with Salom and Stard following her from behind, she felt that they were her only allies in the world. Even if one added the ever-loyal Swen to the list, they were simply faced against too many enemies.

    However, Levia did not despair. She simply was unable to feel that way. Instead, she thought of how to get prepared as much as possible during this apparent calm before the storm.

    ¡°As you said, Niu didn¡¯t like it¡­¡± said Roah.

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    In Kalden¡¯s ground level (or the thing closest to it, anyway) below the castle, there were the dungeons. It was a bit odd for the dungeon to be located there, but was apparently seen as symbolic. These cells, imprisoning mostly hostages and dissenters, were some of the few things in Kalden built of metal.

    Separated by thick bars were one human and one fairy.

    ¡°I have told you again and again that they are an impertinent child unfit to be Ruler, afraid of their own shadow, power, and authority. If I was still in control, I would have¡ª¡°

    ¡°But you¡¯re not, so shut up,¡± Roah spat.

    Inside their cell, Acrus looked at him, displeased. However, it had been a while since they resorted to overt anger and violence like during the first days of their imprisonment. Now they merely watched the situation outside as if waiting for someone to finally get the good sense to set them free and put them on the throne again. And they were surprisingly very patient.

    ¡°You disgusting, ungrateful brat,¡± Acrus mumbled with a faint yet malicious smile. ¡°You dare come to me for advice and then throw prune those parts you find uncomfortable? Believe me, I¡¯ll have you murdered one day.¡±

    Roah snorted. Unlike their advice, Acrus¡¯s threats weren¡¯t worth his time.

    Roah wasn¡¯t quite arrogant enough to think that four teenagers (or more like two, really; it wasn¡¯t as though Gen and Shaya helped them directly) could effectively rule over an entire kingdom. It was one thing when he was secretly planning a revolution, where there was a need to work out everything on his own, but quite another when he needed to secure and bolster an existing rule.

    Aisbroom and the other generals and advisors had also been very helpful, of course, but even so Roah sought the help of someone more experienced at ruling. Yes, no matter how much of a hated Ruler Acrus had been, the populace still respected them, be it out of fear or otherwise.

    However, he did hold these meetings in secret, since he had the hunch that neither Aisbroom nor Niu would approve. Sly Acrus also realized that and was taking advantage of these meeting in limited ways.

    ¡°Never mind that child,¡± Acrus kept speaking, ignoring Roah¡¯s derisive laugh. ¡°As silly and immature as the Queen is, they are doing a decent enough job, or so I hear from you. Your plan was surprisingly solid. The real problem right now is your subjects¡¯ state of being.¡±

    ¡°Our subjects¡¯¡­ you mean the fact that it¡¯s gotten too quiet?¡±

    Acrus nodded, looking pleased. ¡°Exactly. A tree that doesn¡¯t shed its leaves¡­ have you heard that idiom already? It means that something is unnatural. Yes, just like the present situation. In times of peace people always grow too relaxed and complacent. This can hurt Kalden both in the short and long term. I do not know if the foul Demons truly stopped their attacks on us, or if they are biding their time and preparing something on a larger scale, but we have other enemies, like the Stroba, who will strike at some opportunity.¡±

    ¡°We are prepared for it,¡± Roah said. ¡°You know yourself how good Aisbroom is.¡±

    ¡°That piece of manure has nothing to do with it. I am not talking about physical, but mental preparedness. You can¡¯t have anyone relax; you must keep them on constant edge.¡±

    ¡°And how do you expect us to do that?¡± asked Roah with furrowed eyebrows, but he then realized, ¡°you want us to manufacture a happening.¡±

    Acrus¡¯s smile widened as their eyes shone under the dungeon¡¯s limited lighting.

    ¡°Indeed. That is my method. Keep everyone as tense and strung-up as possible, before they get¡­ ideas. Both allies and enemies, I mean. In the Stroba¡¯s case, provoking them requires but a small push.¡±

    Roah narrowed his eye. There was sense to what Acrus was saying, but it was also dangerously stupid and yet another indication of the former Ruler¡¯s warped nature. They couldn¡¯t go out picking wars on purpose when they had enough enemies and issues to worry about. Also, getting Niu to act just like her predecessor would nullify almost everything they¡¯d achieved thus far.

    ¡°I will keep that in mind,¡± he said eventually. He didn¡¯t have to follow Acrus¡¯s advice to the letter, after all; he never did. Just like Acrus complained, he simply took the parts that he thought would work best and implemented them.

    Roah turned his back and headed to the exit without even saying his thanks or a farewell. However, Acrus stopped him as he did so.

    ¡°Wait. How¡¯s Orin doing?¡± Acrus asked.

    Roah turned around. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re fine. Actually, I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯ve been asking about you lately.¡±

    Acrus¡¯s face seemed to lighten up. Roah found it bizarre how usually Acrus had only two modes¡ªpompous and haughty or derisive and angry¡ªand yet this one thing made them feel normal. Parental, even. It almost made him jealous.

    ¡°Bring them here,¡± Acrus ordered.

    ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that,¡± Roah answered softly. ¡°Also, is that really something you want to show your child? How their miserable progenitor is locked up like a common criminal?¡±

    Fairies were odd. Not only did they have no genders and could impregnate themselves with some biological function Roah didn¡¯t understand well, they delivered their babies much more quickly than humans, and these babies also grew up much faster. Small Orin was a little less than two years old but more similar to a four, five-year-old human child.

    Of course, the baby bore no sin for their progenitor¡¯s crimes, so they let them grow up normally¡ªnot that they would actually be normal. Especially now when they were beginning to understand the circumstances about their birth and origin.

    ¡°You can. Find a way to let me see them,¡± Acrus simply repeated.

    Roah sighed. Even if Acrus was locked down here, there were still some limited ways he could cause problems and sow some seeds of trouble. Perhaps Roah should think of a way to assuage this situation after all, even if it seemed like more trouble than it was worth.

    ¡°Understood. It might take a while, though,¡± he said, turning his back yet again. This time Acrus did nothing to stop him.

    Nodding at the guards standing outside Acrus¡¯s section of the dungeon, Roah carried on toward the exit with his cape fluttering behind. He had the feeling that this strained peace would not last soon¡ªbut he also felt ready for whatever it was that came.

    Without any advance warning there was a loud crash in the forest.

    Sounds of destruction and havoc reverberated for a few moments as branches broke and leaves were crushed when something hit the ground, creating a small earthquake. Soon silence resumed, but it was an eerie silence. And even that didn¡¯t last long, for it was replaced by a voice.

    ¡°Sensing the displeasure of the sky/confirming the will of the abyss/recognizing the sin of our makers.¡±

    As a kingdom, Kalden consisted mostly of the Tree City, but there were other many settlements around it. While most were under Kalden¡¯s rule, some had been overtaken by the Stroba.

    The crash of this foreign object happened not far from Somalir, a small town practically in the middle between Kalden and Stroba territory. This location caused many a battle, but never from the sky. Well, the waves were an exception, obviously. But even those never brought along a being like this.

    ¡°I announce: I am here/I deplore: my existence/I regret: our belatedness,¡± the being said.

    None were there to hear it, but it still spoke. It spoke and it spoke and it spoke¡ªand finally, it was silent.

    Not for long.

    ¡°No/no?/no,/no;/no./no¡­/no!/no!!!¡±

    There was a flash and a slash, and the nearest tree was cut down. Trunks crashed down, leaves scattered around, and a small storm disturbing the forest was born. As if this being was trying to make itself known. As if it was trying to call for help. As if it was trying to let people become aware of a simple yet important fact.

    At the start of summer, one of the Gods descended down to earth.

    ---

    I¡¯m not quite sure about Plainland, but there are some white roses here.

    They really are beautiful. They produce a bright color that stands out even on a canvas. They look so pure and virginal, and they don¡¯t even have thorns, as if they have no care in the world. For a moment I thought I found the soft rose from that old children¡¯s story.

    However, that whiteness and softness is a mere diversion, for that flower is actually one of the most poisonous of all.

    Am I to learn something about myself from that metaphor?

 Chapter 2: Black Heart

    Sankow City, the City of Flowing Fortune.

    This relatively small yet bustling city located at the base of the Eastern Mountain watching over the Kingdom of Rumdon. It was incomparable to the capital of Copius, but had its unique and cozy charm and was nearly as successful regardless. Being right in the spot that meant one had to go through it to reach the capital and other places on the mountain, they had a thriving commerce industry.

    Also, it was effectively ruled by Lord Canum Qumisson, the charismatic noble who nearly became a king and possessed many loyal followers. Sankow could almost be said to be a second kingdom all on its own.

    Of course, this didn¡¯t mean that everyone in the city liked him.

    ¡°Father! Why was Annli fired?!¡±

    Completely unannounced, a young man barged into Qumisson¡¯s study. The older man raised an indignant look toward the invader.

    It was almost like looking into a mirror¡ªif not for the color of his eyes and the fact that he was much younger. Callun Qumisson had piercing blue eyes and light brown hair which he wore slightly long in some silly youngster fashion. He was always dressed smartly, even now when he obviously came to do nothing other than harass his father for no reason.

    Qumisson¡¯s youngest son. Almost the spitting image of himself in his youth, as well as his biggest shame.

    ¡°Because you were seducing her, obviously,¡± Qumisson replied matter-of-factly, returning his eyes to the papers he was currently perusing. The country being in the state that it was, even nobles had a lot of things to take care of. Right now, he was viewing some data related to various of the enterprises under his control.

    Callun clicked his tongue. ¡°I was just having some fun! Don¡¯t be such a dolt, Father.¡±

    Unfortunately, it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t be able to concentrate now. The mere sound of his son¡¯s stupid voice grated on his nerves. Did that impudent youth really think his father would allow him to play with the maid like that?

    ¡°No. She deserves better than a cesspool of vanity like you.¡± Qumisson put the papers aside, grabbed the cane lying next to his seat and rose from it. His son didn¡¯t quite inherit his height, so Qumisson still towered half a head over him. ¡°I¡¯d sent her out for own good. She is a good servant.¡±

    ¡°Why you¡­¡± Callun looked about to snap.

    Qumisson knew that his son had been having a fling with one of the maids for quite some time now, so he finally nipped it in the bud. Never mind how unprofessional it was, he knew this would only end up badly for her. He¡¯d given her glowing recommendations and sent her to another noblewoman¡¯s house, where she wouldn¡¯t be harassed by Callun any longer. The girl had a sickly mother, so she had enough troubles as is.

    ¡°Why are you always like this?¡± Callun shouted. ¡°I¡¯m your actual son and yet you always treat the damn servants like they¡¯re your children instead!¡±

    Qumisson¡¯s frown set even deeper. Right, his imbecile son wouldn¡¯t be able to understand anything as complicated as that. Had he truly never thought of it? Had he never thought of the common people and their struggles? It wasn¡¯t like they actually aspired to be servants, like it was the job they really desired.

    All it took was one mistake for a servant to be blamed or else take the fall of their master. They were always liable to abuse and mishandling. Serving someone of a higher station was no easy task¡ªso they needed all the support they could get.

    And what did Callun even know? He was a good-for-nothing boy who thought only of nothing but pleasure his entire life. Any responsibility or serious thought were beyond him. And that was why Qumisson wouldn¡¯t even explain his reasoning. If his son couldn¡¯t even understand something so simple like why his father was such a well-liked man among the populace, he would never succeed in life.

    Qumisson hated most nobles, even those who were on his side, and most of all he hated the Queen. Even so, there was no actual hatred for his son. Anger and trepidation, obviously; but only that. If nothing else, Qumisson had to be this harsh for him¡ªotherwise, how would he be able to improve?

    ¡°I¡¯m sick of this,¡± Callun spat after not receiving any reply other than his father¡¯s stern gaze. He really lacked patience, that boy. ¡°Fine! It¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t any other maids.¡± He stormed out of the room, closing the door behind him with a slam.

    Qumisson took a deep breath. That was a complete waste of time for all parties involved.

    What could he do to make that son understand? He was his only hope, yet also his biggest despair. His youngest son, when all others managed to grow beyond the haughtiness induced by the noble way of life.

    Perhaps giving Callun an actual role would help set him straight.

    Indeed¡­ it is probably about time to set off my plans, Qumisson thought darkly.

    After standing for a few more moments his legs began to shake. How absurd. He had been using the very same fashionable stick for more than a decade, but only now he was starting to actually require it. Age was finally catching up to him.

    He would not be king anymore. That much was for certain, and he had accepted this fact for some years already. Young Callun, however, still had a chance. Qumisson wanted to give him that opportunity, if at all possible, and to see him finally fulfill his potential.

    Yes, the time was probably ripe to finally set his plan in motion. Especially now when the situation was so volatile and tense, when the kingdom faced a plethora of issues, it might actually succeed.

    It was time to get rid of Queen Levia-O.

    Gen was shocked at this urgent news. Well, everyone was, for obvious reasons.

    The message that an unidentified being was found near the town of Somalir came that morning. As a result of Kalden¡¯s exchanges with Rumdon, they also manufactured some of the communication equipment, that their side had named Talismans; if not for that, this news would have taken longer to reach them.

    At first Gen shuddered, thinking that another wave snuck up on them. However, that was apparently not the case. They were checking the skies regularly, after all, and according to Niu, Rumdon could find no signs of any incoming attack either.

    Also, whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t one of the black beasts. If anything, according to the scarce descriptions given from the hasty reports, it resembled a ¡°faerie¡±. Meaning, an inhabitant of Plainland.

    ¡°And that is why I, have gathered all, of you here,¡± said a soft voice emanating from Niu¡¯s lap.

    Lately, Niu had been using this strange kind of laborer apparently called NiU to communicate, as it allowed her to directly cast her voice to the surroundings. Gen was understandably still unused to it; after all, he knew Niu as a mute girl for some years now. Even when she spoke into his mind, following the discovery of her ability, there was no actual voice.

    It was still a bit weird, but not entirely unpleasant. He wasn¡¯t sure what Niu herself felt about this, but he thought that this might be like a dream come true for her.

    Anyway, it was an unusual assortment of individuals to have come in the throne room¡ªnot the people themselves, but the fact that they hadn¡¯t been there all together for a long time now. After receiving the news, Niu hurriedly gathered her three friends and Aisbroom and Seele as well to inform them of it.

    Half of them had apparently already been made aware of the circumstances, but the other half that included Gen was shocked.

    ¡°A God, here? No way,¡± muttered Shaya.

    ¡°That is the most logical explanation for this,¡± said Roah.

    Legends spoke of Gods as higher beings who possessed powerful and inexplicable abilities. They could rend the heavens and tear the ground asunder with a mere flick of their fingers. They were supposedly even stronger than someone like Molton. Luckily, all of them had long ago migrated to create Blissland, the chaotic land always ablaze and glowing with many different channeling effects. Some were said to have stayed behind, but there was no sign of their presence in recent times.

    Two years ago, it was presumed that these Gods took a drastic step with an unknown motive and sent armies of black, chimeric beasts to hunt on both Plainland and Fairland. These, however, vanished just as readily as they appeared, leading to this temporary peace. A peace which was now apparently over.

    ¡°But a God couldn¡¯t¡ªI mean, why would they even¡­¡± Gen tried speaking, but couldn¡¯t form his sentences very well. It was a habit he had while overloaded with thoughts and information, and he disliked it.

    ¡°They¡¯re trying to finally finish the job¡­ perhaps?¡± suggested Roah, an unfitting smile on his lips.

    ¡°Also,¡± said NiU, ¡°this isn¡¯t the first, time the Gods have, descended.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± asked Aisbroom, raising a brow. They were the one looking surprised at something for once.

    Roah nodded and began explaining. ¡°According to our history, about a century ago¡ªthis should be a little more than a millennium by your reckoning¡ªthere was a God that landed in the mountain and led to a war between Rumdon and Sacrona. We have then slain that God, a fact which led to Sacrona being our mortal enemies up to this very day.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right¡­ now that you mention it, I remember something of the sort from our lessons,¡± Gen said while scratching his small beard.

    ¡°How have they killed it?¡± Aisbroom asked.

    Niu shook her head. ¡°We¡¯d have to ask, the Queen, I suppose,¡± she said through the small laborer. ¡°But we have to, do something in, the meanwhile.¡±

    ¡°Then again, according to our reports, that God or whatever that thing is doesn¡¯t move at all. It is violent and seemingly hostile to any approach, but immobile,¡± noted Roah. ¡°We should be in no rush.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we are in no, rush but we have to, ascertain the situation. There is also another, matter¡ªit might serve as, a clue to finally, find out how to, connect the worlds.¡± Niu¡¯s face turned fiercer while she broadcast her voice. ¡°Aisbroom. Gen. I would like for you, to head to Somalir.¡±

    Gen raised his brows. ¡°And what will we do there?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you can. Try and neutralize, or pacify it, so we can study it. If you can¡¯t, then kill it.¡±

    Gen found himself exchanging glances with Shaya. He also saw Roah smile to himself and Seele looking confused. Niu was apparently distraught by this, as she frowned and her next words came directly into Gen¡¯s mind rather than through the laborer.

    What is it?

    ¡°I believe, Queen,¡± said Roah, barely suppressing a grin, ¡°that they are merely surprised to see you acting so assertively and decisively.¡±

    This only deepened her frown, but Gen had to agree. He didn¡¯t exactly like what became of Niu, but he was also somewhat glad to see her become more proactive like this. Judging from Roah¡¯s response, this wasn¡¯t something that he pushed her toward, so that was also good.

    Anyway, Niu continued, get going. I want you ready by sunset.

    Gen wasn¡¯t sure about the whole business, but he felt that Niu left no room to argue, and everyone was leaving, so he did as well. He went directly to his room to start packing for the imminent trip¡ªit would take a couple of days to reach Somalir, from what he understood¡ªand almost finished when a figure peeked inside and spoke to him.

    ¡°Are you sure about this¡­?¡±

    Putting a small bundle of clothes on his bed, Gen turned toward Shaya. She was standing at the door while wearing a complex expression he couldn¡¯t quite decipher. There was worry for sure, but also something else.

    ¡°You know how important this is,¡± he told her.

    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to personally go there,¡± she said in an almost pleading tone. ¡°You might get hurt. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    Gen shook his head. ¡°The same goes for anyone we¡¯d sent. Or do you just want others to get hurt instead of me?¡± he hurriedly interjected as she opened her mouth to reply, ¡°no, I know what you meant, don¡¯t worry. Still, it¡¯s important.¡±

    Shaya puckered her lips, then spoke after a brief pause. ¡°Then I¡¯ll come as well.¡±

    ¡°W-what? No!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Her response was immediate, as if she¡¯d been expecting it all along.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s too¡ª¡° Gen started saying, and then realized he was about to repeat Shaya¡¯s word nearly verbatim. He sighed and frowned. ¡°Look, Shaya. You¡¯re not a fighter. You¡¯re not trained. I understand your point, but I¡¯ll be very careful. I promise you.¡±

    She bit her lips and opened her mouth again. And then closed it. And opened it again, finally to speak. ¡°Do you have to go?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he answered directly, ¡°but I want to. Not because Niu ordered me or whatever. Shaya, there might really be some clue there. There might be some meaning in me specifically going there¡ªwe¡¯ve been speaking about this as some sort of threat, but they say that the Gods used to help humans, right? I want to go back. I want us to go back to Plainland and have our old lives back.¡±

    Even while saying this, he knew this wish of his would never come true. Not getting back¡ªthat should be possible, and he believed it¡ªbut their lives would never return being how they were. Things changed too much for that. Even so, he could never throw away that hope that he harbored these two long years.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Shaya smiled. It was a sad and somewhat resigned expression, but she smiled. ¡°So, since we¡¯re talking about Gods, then¡­¡±

    It was then that Shaya did something strange. She intertwined her fingers, clenched them tightly and held them in front of her mouth.

    ¡°I pray for your safety,¡± she said, hiding most of her expression.

    While many people were getting prepared for the excursion to Somalir, others had different business to take care of. Roah used this opportunity to go along with Seele and TriX to the tree called Jenlab. It was a tree both wide and tall and contained one of the most unique facilities of Kalden.

    Namely, the space used for child-raising.

    ¡°Rowa! Seele!¡± said a high-shrilled and excited voice as its owner ran toward them.

    Roah wasn¡¯t sure how Seele felt about it, but he was pretty sure that, had Aisbroom been the one to accompany him, they would have felt a wave of disgust upon seeing Orin¡¯s face. Then again, Aisbroom was more used to this concept, so perhaps not. He¡¯d have to ask them sometime.

    Anyway, the point was that Orin looked identical to Acrus.

    There were obviously some differences, and these included not just the fact that one was a child and the other an adult. Acrus¡¯s hair was much longer and they usually wore it in braids held by colorful rings, unlike Orin, though now that Acrus was locked the dungeon, that no longer applied anyway. In general, though, Orin was exactly what Roah would have expected Acrus to look like as a child. Pudgier features, innocent eyes, but still Acrus in miniature.

    ¡°You did not say anything to TriX,¡± Seele reproached them, finger raised.

    The child¡¯s eyes darted to the figure looming behind the pair. ¡°But it¡¯s a robo.¡±

    ¡°So? It¡¯s my partner, you know! You shouldn¡¯t be rude.¡±

    ¡°¡­Hello, TriX,¡± Orin said timidly.

    ¡°Hello, Orin,¡± TriX greeted back, bowing slightly.

    Seele broke into a smile and approached the child after this, squatting to meet their eyes. ¡°Anyway, how¡¯s it going?¡± they asked while petting Orin¡¯s head.

    ¡°M¡¯fine,¡± they replied.

    ¡°Do the other kids give you any trouble?¡± Roah asked. After all, they only very recently started understanding the circumstances of their lineage, and he knew firsthand how cruel kids could be.

    Having been asked that, Orin lowered their head slightly. ¡°Dunno,¡± they mumbled.

    ¡°Come on, answer properly,¡± Seele asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±

    ¡°Orin¡­ if anything troubles you, you have to tell us,¡± Seele pressured them, wagging a finger. ¡°You know we worry about you.¡±

    Roah mostly worried about avoiding any troubles with Acrus, but he had realized long ago that Seele genuinely liked Orin. Since he knew Seele disliked Acrus like most of the populace, it came as a surprise for him. If not for Seele¡¯s lack of gender, he might have even thought of them as ¡°motherly¡±. They just seemed to have a natural affinity with children.

    ¡°¡­They say my pro-gee is bad,¡± Orin finally mumbled, eyes lowered. Yes, it was exactly as Roah thought.

    Seele¡¯s smile turned somewhat sadder. ¡°They did some bad things, yeah,¡± they admitted. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean anything about you, you know?¡± Orin just shrugged.

    ¡°Orin,¡± Roah interjected, ¡°would you like to meet your progenitor?¡±

    The child¡¯s eyes immediately lit up as he said this and they looked up at him. Until now they interacted rather awkwardly with Roah¡ªeven someone this young probably realized the difference between themselves and the ¡°faeries¡±, to say nothing of Roah¡¯s gloomy nature and possibly scary visage¡ªbut now they seemed truly excited.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Can I¡­?¡± Orin asked. Even Seele pointed a questioning gaze at him. He thought it was fine to let at least Seele know about this.

    ¡°I might be able to arrange something like that,¡± he said. ¡°And then you could judge your progenitor for yourself.¡± As long as they don¡¯t put any strange ideas in your mind and they keep giving me advice, that¡¯s all I need, he added in his heart.

    ¡°Yay! Thanks, Rowa!¡± Orin ran over to him and, surprisingly, hugged him.

    Roah twitched. It was an unfamiliar sensation that left him somewhat disturbed. Especially when Seele giggled and he gave them a bitter smile while exhaling from his nose.

    ¡°Can it be today? Or tomorrow? Or¡ª¡°

    ¡°Slow down, Orin,¡± Seele admonished them. ¡°That would take a bit longer than that. Sorry, but it¡¯s not that easy.¡± She glanced at Roah, who nodded as well.

    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s how it is. It might take a while.¡±

    Orin obviously looked disappointed. Seele again approached to ruffle their soft hair, adding, ¡°Be a good kid and wait. Now you can tell the other children you¡¯re going to see the previous Ruler! Isn¡¯t that cool?¡±

    It was actually a bad suggestion, Roah felt, but that seemed to do the trick. After a few more minutes of some idle talk and making sure that Orin was fine, the child was sent back to the caretakers and so Roah, Seele and TriX were on their way out. Now this entire place was going to know what he was planning? He couldn¡¯t be angry at Seele, but still.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they the cutest thing?¡± they asked him conversationally, a big smile on their face.

    ¡°I guess,¡± Roah gave a half-hearted response.

    ¡°You sound just like Orin did before! But oh, I know you like them. No need to be shy.¡±

    Roah made no response to that. Now that he took care of some minor inconveniencies, his mind was drawn back to the real problem at hand¡ªwaiting for the dispatched unit to reach Somalir and get in contact with the mysterious being that was possibly a God.

    ¡°A God¡­?¡± Even Levia couldn¡¯t help but be shocked.

    Proper emotions like happiness or sadness were beyond her, but when a preposterous declaration like that hit her, she was still dazzled. Behind her, Salom and Stard were confused as well, but only about the Queen¡¯s response, because they couldn¡¯t hear Niu.

    It is still unconfirmed. Or rather, I wanted to confirm it with you. After all, according to history, your ancestors have had contact with at least one God.

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± said Levia, nodding, ¡°the old story about King Samlee-S during the Great Invasion. I am sorry to say that no proper records remain of that day.¡±

    ¡­No records at all, Your Majesty? Queen Niu asked back.

    ¡°They say that the God had directly landed inside the castle. It caused some terrible mayhem until our knights slew it¡­ and then, after hearing about the deed, Sacrona declared us as blasphemous killers, of course. Led by their Saints, they reached all the way here¡ªI mean the castle¡ªand razed it to the ground¡­ meaning, almost everyone involved in what happened back then died there.¡± She sighed. ¡°What a terrible tragedy that was.¡±

    She didn¡¯t even need to glance back to know how the pair behind her were still utterly confused that she would talk at length about something like that. They really have no patience, she ruminated.

    I¡­ see. That is very disappointing to hear, Your Majesty. We would still appreciate it if you could try asking some of your historians or archivists to scour for even the slightest shred of information about the matter; this might prove essential. I will keep you updated about the situation as it unfolds here, of course, Your Majesty.

    Levia found herself smiling out of force of habit. It simply felt like the right time for a smile in this conversation, despite not actually facing the other girl. The so-called Queen of Kalden¡­ how innocuous she was. And yet, at the same time, perhaps that innocence also hid something else underneath. It was impossible for her to tell, when the two only spoke from afar.

    Anyway, the news that Queen Niu brought her was astounding. However, she knew very well that it was not impossible, and in fact quite likely probable.

    ¡°Of course, Queen of Kalden. This entire incident sounds like an important development in current affairs. I will have my men work to squeeze out even the smallest of potentially relevant information for you,¡± said Levia. ¡°We will also keep our surveillance on the skies as always. Good luck to us both.¡±

    Wrapping up the correspondence, the Queen turned to the two very confused men and proceeded to briefly explain the situation.

    ¡°Incredible, if true,¡± said Salom, his eyes widening behind his glasses. ¡°This might prove valuable, but¡­ also extremely dangerous. I do hope they are careful enough in dealing with this¡­¡±

    In contrast to his excitement, Stard was much more disturbed. ¡°This is not a good situation at all. We do not want any Gods falling on our heads as well when we aren¡¯t even used to those beasts,¡± he said grimly.

    ¡°But if they do, will you defeat them?¡± the Queen asked sweetly.

    ¡°¡­Having never fought a God, I cannot say for sure.¡±

    His doubt was clear. Even Stard Molton, known as the strongest warrior in Rumdon and perhaps beyond it, feared the power of the Gods. Naturally, perhaps. Even if Rumdon was far less religious than its neighbors and didn¡¯t believe all of the stories, the unknown domain of the divine was still cause for enough worries.

    However, the Gods were not almighty. If anything, they were like wild, unpredictable animals¡ªdepending on their nature and their usage, they could prove either very useful or lead to utter catastrophe. To both sides.

    Which of the two would it be for the children playing as royalty? Only time would tell.

    It was Gen¡¯s first proper trip outside Kalden ever since he¡¯d gotten there. Unlike their trek from Seele¡¯s original base, when they¡¯d needed to move very slowly and stealthily, their small group, consisting of about two dozen fairies and a few laborers, moved openly and quickly. Time was of the essence and they specifically took along with them some of the strongest warriors about, so they had no need to fear the Stroba.

    Ironically, though, Gen found it a much more stressful trip than the previous one.

    Perhaps it was because he was, in a sense, in charge of all these people. Technically Aisbroom was their supreme commander, and Ariboh who joined as well was also above him in rank, but still most of the accompanying soldiers looked up to him as the legendary faerie warrior. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint them, but more than that, he didn¡¯t want to let any of them come to harm.

    More likely, however, it was because of what awaited them at their destination. If the mysterious being lying near Somalir actually was a God¡­ well, Gen was afraid, and rightly so, he felt. These Gods were the ones who sent the horrible beasts after them, and were infinitely more powerful.

    Even so he tried to stay positive. That was what kept him going through all this time in Fairland, when everything around him was new and everything old was changing slowly but surely.

    He spent this trip so worried that it came as a surprise when the two-day trek suddenly ended and they reached the town of Somalir.

    It was much less impressive and grandiose than Kalden, but there were still houses installed on tall, vast trees. They were simply ¡°less¡± in any aspect imaginable, be it size, color or variety. It looked much more similar to the forest near Hayden than the fantastical land he¡¯d somewhat grown used to with time; though it could simply be that his standards were raised after seeing Kalden¡¯s splendor.

    Either way, they reached their goal, where a small group of soldiers was waiting for their arrival.

    ¡°We are glad to see you have arrived safely,¡± greeted them a tall fairy wearing an earth-colored armor. ¡°I am Captain Alsore, in charge of the forces stationed in Somalir. And I assume that you must be the faerie, Lieutenant Genro?¡± They spoke mostly to Aisbroom, but turned their head to Gen upon mentioning his name.

    ¡°Err, yes, Captain. Nice to meet you,¡± he replied, slightly bowing. Although he still had a lot to learn and he was currently the weakest in the language among the four, Gen could still hold proper, more than basic conversations.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Aisbroom asked.

    ¡°Straight to business? Do you not want to rest first? As you wish, General Aisbroom,¡± said Alsore stiffly. ¡°There are no changes with the Demon. Just like we were told, we simply observed it without any provocation.¡±

    Gen furrowed his brows when he heard the unfamiliar word mixed in there; based on the context, it had to refer to the being they assumed was a God.

    ¡°Take us to see it,¡± Aisbroom ordered. Gen nodded as well; knowing they were so close to their objective, he wouldn¡¯t be able to rest properly. Besides, the trip hadn¡¯t been too physically exhausting.

    ¡°Understood,¡± said Alsore plainly. They signaled something with their hand and the soldiers behind them set out. ¡°Follow us.¡±

    The Area the so-called God inhabited became clear long before they saw the God itself; there were many collapsed trees, flattened bushes and torn flora around a perimeter of bald, gouged ground.

    And there in the center of that newly-formed crater, a figure was lying. It was¡­

    ¡°A woman?¡± Gen couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in shock.

    The destruction caused by the God actually seemed to form a depression in the earth, almost a crater, so Gen and the rest were all watching from above, just near the seemingly safe range. There was no question about it: this was no beast, but it also wasn¡¯t one of the fairies.

    In all possible ways it looked like a beautiful woman, fast asleep. Her hair was a long, long mess the color of bronze, spread all around and beneath her body, almost as if it was a twisted aura of light, or perhaps like a pool of blood. Her eyes were closed and her hands were clenched atop her chest. She was wearing a lavish dress colored a deep brown. Her skin was dirtied with soil and crushed leaves, but this did nothing to tarnish her appearance. It even made Gen think of Shaya for a second. But there was also something rather ominous about her figure. Perhaps it was the way she looked so tranquil among the destruction she had apparently caused.

    ¡°Do you know anything about that?¡± asked Aisbroom from the side.

    Gen shook his head after thinking briefly. ¡°I was just surprised that Gods looks like¡­ well, us.¡±

    Nodding, Aisbroom then turned to Alsore. ¡°Is it dormant right now?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the Demon¡¯s apparent state of sleep, it always looks like that, even when active. We still do not know what triggers it to attack¡­ at times it simply rampages without any reason, although it always responds to our attacks and easily deflects them. We have been unable to inflict even a single cut on its body. That thing appears to attack and defend using its hair.¡±

    The hair? Gen gazed again at the Goddess¡¯s lush tresses spread like a fan. It was extraordinarily long, but he couldn¡¯t imagine how it¡¯d become a weapon. Then again, even his own abilities had some unexpected variance to them, and this was one of the Gods. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t be so surprised.

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Alsore cut off his line of thought, ¡°I forgot to mention that this thing makes us hear and see things at times. You don¡¯t want to get too close to it.¡±

    ¡°I assume communication has been attempted?¡± Aisbroom asked.

    ¡°Yes. Neither threats nor pleading led to any visible change in the Demon¡¯s conduct.¡±

    ¡°They probably don¡¯t understand you,¡± mumbled Gen and all eyes turned to him.

    ¡°Do you believe that it will understand you, then?¡±

    Gen thought for a while. ¡°The chances are probably low,¡± he finally replied. ¡°The Gods are supposed to be very old. I doubt they¡¯d understand modern language, and that¡¯s if they¡¯re even from my homeland in the first place¡­ but maybe it¡¯s still worth a try.¡±

    Aisbroom nodded. ¡°Try it.¡±

    Having said that, Gen wasn¡¯t quite sure what to try, exactly. He¡¯d have to play it by ear. He peeked just slightly into the pit of destruction and raised his voice, speaking in his native tongue. ¡°Hello! Are you a Goddess? I came here from Plainland! Do you understand me?¡±

    His voice echoed in the tense silence. Some heavy moments passed, and there was nothing. Until a response came without any warning.

    ¡ªA claw, a howl, a spray of blood, flames, a sharp blade, blood, blood, blood¡ª

    ¡°You seize cannot threads/disaster hold you the/and extremely will.¡±

    Gen¡¯s eyes blared with strange visions and he had to fight the urge to vomit right here and then, holding his aching head. It was a bit like and unlike when Niu talked to him using her compensation. In a way, she could transmit intention and meaning rather than pure words, but here his mind was also flooded with strange visions imposed by the Goddess.

    ¡°Hey! Are you alright?¡± He suddenly noticed Alsore calling to him and came back to reality.

    Taking rapid breaths and feeling cold sweat pouring from his forehead, Gen tried talking. There was still a faint buzz in his head and floaters in the edges of his vision. ¡°It was¡­ she spoke to me, I think¡­ though the words sounded all mixed up,¡± he weakly mumbled at Aisbroom.

    ¡°He said the Demon talked to him. Would these be the visions and voices you have spoken of?¡± Aisbroom directed the question at Alsore.

    ¡°I¡­ that sounds right, but none of us reacted quite so strongly to that,¡± the other fairy replied with visible worry. ¡°Shit¡­ it¡¯s moving!¡±

    Gen turned to the crater with a start. He could see strands of hair rising like snakes¡ªthe Goddess herself still looked like she was asleep, but her hair alone was moving. There were a few flashes of light and fierce wind assaulted the surroundings.

    ¡°What is she¡­!¡± Gen mumbled as he felt even his body shaking from the mighty force being produced.

    There was a crunch as one of the surviving trees nearby split in half. The rising hairs were no longer visible, simply becoming a blur in the air. And Gen heard further voices in his head, a bit more coherent this time.

    ¡°Do you loathe the state of the world?/Can you not forgive my earnest wish?/Will you accept your desire?¡±

    He felt like he both could and couldn¡¯t understand what she was telling him. The more he heard her, the clearer the words themselves seemed, but the meaning continued to elude him. For some reason, he recalled his long-gone poetry lessons. Yes, this feeling of incomprehensibility was pretty much the same.

    ¡°Genro, let¡¯s try restraining this thing!¡± Aisbroom called suddenly, glancing at their sleeves.

    A pair of vines entwined around their sleeves burst in length and launched at the rampaging Goddess. However, just as they had been told, it was futile; the vines were almost instantly hacked to pieces.

    Recovering from the first shock, Gen also materialized his invisible appendage. He had long since moved on from his thinking of it as an arm¡ªnow it could be pretty much whatever he wanted. The ethereal tentacle shot ahead.

    The strangely powerful hairs moved again to intercept it, however, since it wasn¡¯t strictly physical but more like force itself being channeled, the Goddess¡¯s attack couldn¡¯t break through it. It did cause Gen to nearly tumble down from the recoil, though.

    Gritting his teeth, he kept pushing past the hairs that attempted to thwart him. As he did, the voice in his head got louder.

    ¡°Help me before it becomes too late/Bind me after the deed has been done/Give me life if you can still think.¡±

    Splitting his ¡°arm¡± into countless smaller tentacles of pure, unrelenting power he attempted to weave through the defense of her hairs, but to no avail. The more he split it, the less he could fine-control it, while his opponent appeared to be able to control every strand of hair individually and with the same strength. He could never win a direct competition of power.

    ¡°Fine, then how about this!¡±

    Grunting with exertion, he instead gathered his appendage into a veil of power hovering over the crater and then attempted to cover the Goddess with it. Immediately the veil began rippling and undulating with the Goddess¡¯s counterattack.

    Even while doing this, Gen wondered if there was any point to it. The Goddess was probably unbeatable, and even if she was technically hostile, she didn¡¯t seem to pose any immediate danger. As long as they couldn¡¯t understand her, there was no need to even attack or restrain her. Niu thought to use her as some clue regarding the situation and a method of travelling between the worlds, but Gen thought it was unlikely to work.

    So he let go. He simply dematerialized the entire ethereal construct at once. He was getting pretty tired anyway. A strong gust of wind passed around as the hairs now competed against empty air.

    ¡°So you do not reach out your hand?/So you do not feel the wave?/So you do not deny the carnage?¡±

    The Goddess¡¯s voice also weakened little by little. Soon, Gen was left with nothing more than a dull headache and the feeling of sweat all over his body. The Goddess¡¯s hairs all fell down to the ground, lifeless.

    Only now he noticed that all eyes were on him. Eyes full of shock and wonder. Even Aisbroom had stopped with their attempts at attack long ago.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can do anything right now,¡± he said as it appeared that everyone was waiting for him to say something.

    ¡°¡­Even so, this was more of a response than everything we¡¯ve tried this far,¡± said Alsore. ¡°Interesting. I suggest we go back to town for now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I could definitely use some rest now,¡± Gen admitted, breathing hard.

    A while later, Gen sent a message back to Kalden.

    He wasn¡¯t quite proficient with the usage of the strange rectangular device they had built based on instructions from Plainland, but he could handle this so-called Talisman with a bit of an effort just fine. He simply summarized to Niu his experience with the Goddess.

    So it really is a God, then, said Niu in response. Her words were slightly muffled, due to the distance in using her ability, but still understandable enough. Or, as it turns out, a Goddess. While obviously not someone from Plainland, she also does not quite conform to our impressions of Gods¡­ hmm.

    That was true. Gods were usually depicted as featureless or androgynous beings in art, from what he recalled. This latter attribute turned out to describe the fairies instead. There were also stories about the Gods possessing human form, though, which might be the case here. Furthermore, there was also the strangeness of the Goddess not moving any part of her body other than her hair.

    There were still many mysteries and they weren¡¯t even close to solving them, unfortunately.

    Anyhow, after viewing her firsthand, how dangerous would you say she is?

    Gen thought for a while before he focused on the complex icons and spoke to the small tablet again. ¡°Strictly speaking, not very much. At least for now, she doesn¡¯t seem to move at all and only destroys things around her over a certain range. As long as nothing changes, she shouldn¡¯t pose direct danger to anyone who doesn¡¯t approach her.¡±

    Due to the nature of channeling versus Niu¡¯s compensation, he had to wait for a while as the message was sent to her.

    ¡°We will still need to keep an eye on it,¡± Aisbroom noted from the side after hearing Gen¡¯s response.

    ¡°Ah, of course,¡± said Gen. ¡°But don¡¯t you agree with my assessment?¡±

    Aisbroom narrowed their eyes. ¡°Demons¡ªor Gods, as you call them¡ªare dangerous and cannot be trusted.¡± Before Gen could ask them to clarify their opinions on the matter, however, Niu spoke into his mind again.

    If possible, she said, I would like for you to try approaching her again. Of course, you need to stay safe, but¡ªthere might be valuable information hidden in these visions and voices you spoke of. You don¡¯t have to do it straight away, of course. But at least try. If it really is too much for you after a couple of tries, you can leave it alone.

    ¡°¡­Understood,¡± he mumbled a curt response.

    To be honest, he never wanted to get near that thing again¡ªbut he himself was still curious and he knew that Niu was right; they might find out something crucially important. He only tried it once and there was a little bit of progress. As long as it was relatively risk-free, he didn¡¯t mind attempting this communication a little more.

    ¡°She says to watch over the Goddess and that I should keep trying to approach her,¡± he explained to Aisbroom.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel that even this is too dangerous¡­ but if that is the Queen¡¯s command, so it shall be.¡±

    For some reason, Gen found their comment much more disturbing than he thought.

    Sitting in her throne room, Niu mulled over this new information. A sleeping Goddess in the forest. At times lying completely still, at times rampaging without any clear reason or goal. It was interesting; very much so. Although Niu had been vastly more interested in stories about fairies throughout her childhood, she still recalled plenty of stories about the Gods as well.

    The Gods gave humans the ability to channel. They created the world and the sun illuminating it. They tore away the fairies and isolated them in an entirely different world. There were many, many legends, and the only historical accounts she knew of were the fragmentary, unconfirmed tale from a century ago.

    The Goddess arising from Gen¡¯s report seemed to fit some of the stories while contradicting others. Then again, the fairies did the same. They couldn¡¯t take anything for granted.

    Unfortunately, investigation on the side had yet to achieve any result. The fairies themselves had no records about Gods, which they abhorred as wretched ¡°Demons¡±, and even Queen Levia-O was still reporting having trouble finding any further information. During their last correspondence, Levia had regretfully informed her that most of the real lore about the Gods could probably only be found in their enemy country of Sacrona.

    In conclusion, Niu was quite pessimistic about her two sources of information. That made the need for Gen¡¯s investigation even greater. Gaining new information about the Goddess and using her for whatever purpose could serve as an incredible benefit.

    What do you think, Roah? Do you have any ideas how we can use the Goddess?

    Since Aisbroom was part of the expedition, Roah was currently the only one with her in the throne room other than guards. She didn¡¯t feel like using NiU right now, though it was still resting in her lap.

    ¡°Well, ideally, we could use it to cross the borders between the worlds, Queen. Though we¡¯re still not sure how it arrived like this without us noticing in the first place.¡±

    Their most likely hypothesis regarding that was that unlike the hordes of beasts riding shiny tentacles, a lone body travelling through space would be much harder than spot. Either that, or the Goddess arrived in an entirely different way. That was another mystery that they hoped to solve.

    ¡°But,¡± Roah continued, ¡°perhaps it can be used as a weapon as well.¡±

    Against what?

    He smiled. ¡°Against the beasts, for example. It¡¯s possible that this Goddess rebelled against her brethren and came here to help us¡­ although I find it quite unlikely, personally,¡± he explained, shrugging. ¡°Other than that, it isn¡¯t like we are lacking in enemies. The Stroba, for one. And one day, perhaps even Rumdon might turn against us. Or, if nothing else, we can deter them from making that choice.¡±

    You really are a pessimist, Roah, said Niu, scowling.

    ¡°No, Queen, if anything I¡¯m an optimist. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t even consider using such a feral and unstable being as one of the Gods,¡± he countered.

    Point taken. Although he¡¯d served as her close aide for almost two years now, Niu still was unable to fully understand Roah. He still addressed her as ¡°Queen¡± even when they were alone, for Gods¡¯ sake.

    There is, however, one possibility that you have either missed or ignored.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Niu smiled and continued. What if she came here to try and talk to us? Perhaps even threaten us, or else ask for our help!

    Roah arched his eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    I am saying that the Goddess appears to be attempting some sort of communication. You will note that she didn¡¯t seem to directly attack anyone. Almost as if she was waiting. Waiting for what, though? When she¡¯s agitated, she defends herself. When someone approaches, they see strange visions. What if that is actually a God¡¯s way to talk?

    She saw Roah¡¯s eyes widen with understanding. Of course it would take him a bit of time to understand¡ªafter all, he¡¯d never been in a situation where he couldn¡¯t convey himself. He¡¯d never writhed with pain and guilt at lacking the ability to speak. He probably had his own share of problems, to be sure, but he wasn¡¯t Niu.

    Gods are mysterious beings, and do not seem to be able to speak properly. But, if she is trying to pass us a message, it could be something of critical importance.

    ¡°Yes, I understand now.¡± He nodded, smiling. ¡°I should have thought of that myself. But how will we understand her? Just let Gen get used to her and he might grow to understand her over time?¡±

    Niu took a long breath and replied to his question. No, I thought of something much more direct and immediate, she said, bracing herself. I want to go to Somalir and try to talk to the Goddess myself.

    Until now just resting and inmoving, NiU suddenly raised its small body, tilting its head as if in wonder.

    My eye sees nothing but the color black.

    My future is probably just as black as my past, or perhaps even more. Even the present is obviously pitch-dark.

    The world is dominated by this single color; everything is in different shades of black. There are no grays or whites whatsoever.

    Even when I¡¯m being abused, even when I¡¯m being complimented, there is still nothing but darkness gently choking me.

    This is not a complaint, by the way. If it gives that impression, then allow me to explain: that blackness doesn¡¯t hurt me, rather it empowers me.

    After all, my disgusting heart can only bleed dark blood.

 Chapter 3: Blue Eyes

    Near a small, calm river there was a small and calm chapel. Well, normally it was calm; however, it was currently packed full of people that came all the way from nearby villages and even some people of further villages and towns. It was amazing how fast rumors spread to have led to this.

    The reason for this explosion of attendance was simple: the Saintess had come for a visit.

    ¡°You all know: they gave us life and they gave us light. More importantly, they gave us belief and miracles,¡± echoed a clear voice.

    The only spot in the chapel that had any space in it was the stage at the center, where a woman in her late thirties was standing imposingly¡ªmostly due to the object she was holding. She herself was also built tall and muscular, but both her toned body and her blue eyes paled in front of the power and color of the metallic shield she held in front of her body.

    Engraved with the symbol of a human silhouette emitting a halo¡ªa motif extremely common in all of Sacrona¡ªit was the legendary relic, the shield that she had never named but was known throughout the land as the Omnibreaker.

    ¡°I have accepted their wills and their voices,¡± the woman continued her sermon. Everyone there listened to her with bated breaths. ¡°Remember: you, too, can accept them. As long as you do not abandon your inner light and your love, you will all be blessed as well. ¡ªFor the light!¡±

    As she raised her mighty shield aloft as easily as if it was made of paper, a perfectly harmonious chorus rose from the crowd as well, rocking the entire chapel: ¡°For the light!¡±

    Then there was silence. Although there were so many people inside the chapel, although they made such powerful noise a moment before, it went eerily silent all at once. That, however, only indicated their admiration and fervor for the person they were all focusing on, the great Saint Vianna.

    Some of the children gathered inside ran ahead, huddling around Vianna and her shield. There were a few hushed whispers of admonition coming from their parents, but the woman wore a warm, motherly smile.

    ¡°You may touch it if you wish to,¡± she said, fully knowing their intentions.

    The kids all excitedly started putting their hands on the shield, feelings its masterfully-crafted grooves. What they couldn¡¯t see from their position were the complex geometrical patterns etched on its other side, which Vianna lazily glanced toward.

    The children all squealed when the shield began emitting soft, multicolored light, dyeing the engraved figure with a rainbow. ¡°Rejoice: hold these lights in your heart,¡± Vianna told them with a gentle yet firm smile.

    After the children had enough, she could finally step outside. It wasn¡¯t like she disliked those moments; she loved guiding the people and how they relied on her. However, there was no denying that it was also very tiring. She carried not only her mighty shield, but the people¡¯s hopes and dreams as well.

    ¡°¡­Stop wasting so much time,¡± grumbled a uniformed man waiting for her near the chapel. He still looked rather displeased at the fact that she hadn¡¯t allowed him to accompany her into the chapel. But how could she? It was a place of light, not of war.

    Now that she finally finished her business there, the pair began walking away. Even now she could hear the stream of people still coming out of the chapel, whispering and talking excitedly. This short hour was probably the highlight of their month, if not year.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t come by the sea without spreading the light,¡± Vianna explained calmly.

    ¡°Santa Vianna,¡± the man said, ¡°matters of the military come before religion, no matter what Archbishop Raowey may think. If nothing else, then for the sake of protecting those people.¡± He pointed his chin behind them.

    She simply ignored his assertion and glanced back at the chapel. Yes, many people were still standing there, watching her with great wonder in their eyes. However, the soldier¡¯s words made her think. Those expectant eyes of theirs¡­ did they really view her, or only what she represented? The shield in her hands started feeling heavier, all of a sudden.

    Vianna turned her eyes back to the road. ¡°How are things?¡± she finally asked curtly.

    ¡°No change. They are waiting for your arrival, just in case, before we start moving,¡± the soldier explained. ¡°There are also seemingly no responses from Rumdon yet, but they have certainly noticed our movements already.¡±

    Rumdon, their enemy situated across the sea. The land of the blasphemous deicides. And, of course, it was also the country of Vianna¡¯s greatest rival¡ªStard Molton. She gazed at the horizon mostly hidden by trees as if she would be able to see him flying there even now.

    ¡°Let us hurry there,¡± she said softly. ¡°Before the Behemoths are unleashed yet again.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually came here too,¡± mumbled Gen, greeting the new expedition.

    After two days of a journey with a relatively small company, Niu managed to arrive at Somalir without any issues. It felt good being in the fresh air and trekking through the forest, although she found herself unused to this. Her muscles ached and she was very weary, but anxious to find some answers.

    ¡°I have to agree, Queen. To me it seems a foolish move,¡± Aisbroom joined. She smiled at his response; she wasn¡¯t quite sure how he felt about her, in comparison to Acrus, but at least he seemed honest in his reactions.

    Time will tell, she said to them into their minds. She had decided to not take NiU for the trip, just in case anything happened. Which was rather ironic, considering she risked herself on this. Now, take me to her. While being accompanied by the scowling Gen and the scrutinizing Aisbroom, Niu recalled the circumstances that had brought her there a couple of days prior.

    ¡°Go to talk to the¡ª¡° Roah had spat in pure astonishment, his eye widening. ¡°Have you lost your mind, Queen? That is much too dangerous.¡±

    We have already discussed this, she had responded. The risks currently seem low, and we need this information.

    ¡°True, but going there yourself is a bit¡­¡±

    I will go there, Roah. I was not seeking advice. I merely stated my intentions to you.

    She¡¯d thought he would continue to challenge her, but to her great surprise, all traces of doubt and anxiety had immediately vanished from his face and he¡¯d worn a satisfied smile. ¡°If that is what you say, Queen, I have no choice but to accept it. We have sent quite a few forces with Gen, though¡­ who will be accompanying us?¡±

    There are still people enough. And we can spare some laborers as well. By the way, this is not ¡°us¡±, but ¡°me¡±. You will not be joining.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Roah had asked, narrowing his eye.

    I need someone to take care of business here during my absence.

    ¡°¡­Will you really be fine going by yourself?¡±

    I will not be by myself. And I can handle myself perfectly well even without you, thank you very much.

    Roah had then smiled. ¡°How about we put Shaya in charge, then?¡± She had had the distinct feeling that the change in her expression was exactly what he had been hoping for.

    Things were still strained between the two girls. It really was surprising, seeing how close they were during their school days, when they found their comfort in each other. The fact that their entire dynamic here in Fairland went an upheaval probably contributed to that as well; Niu became the one and only Queen, while Shaya was the admired Angel. Similar yet dissimilar roles.

    Niu also still had very complex emotions about the fact that her friend had concealed her channeling abilities from them all this time.

    Enough with the jokes, Niu had finally said. And start the preparations.

    ¡°Yes, my Queen,¡± he had said, bowed with a flourish and turned to leave.

    Resolving herself to that decision, Niu had left that very night.

    Now she arrived safely in Somalir, and was taken to the crater in the midst of the forest. Despite having already heard the reports, she too was fascinated by the unmistakable human appearance of the so-called Goddess.

    Now, what should I try saying to her? she wondered just as something went wrong. Her head was assaulted by a splitting headache and the figure in front of her was rising¡ªthe Goddess was rising to her legs.

    No, it wasn¡¯t the Goddess. Standing inside that crater was a woman with a tired expression and hair the color of rusty bronze.

    She was Naria, Niu¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± - ¡°How could I have given birth to a defect?¡± - ¡°Just¡­ go outside. I might not be able to hear you, but I don¡¯t want to see you either.¡± - ¡°Why do we have to send you to that stupid school?¡± - ¡°What have you done to that merchants¡¯ son!?¡± - ¡°What if they exile us, stupid girl?¡±

    Niu saw scenes that actually existed and scenes that did not. She heard a whirlpool of shouts¡ªmostly those from her mother; saw a storm of colors¡ªmostly those from Gen''s wound; felt a deluge of emotions¡ªmostly those of pain and suffering¡­

    No no no no no STOP!

    ¡°I have been waiting for the DANGER/Your DANGER is calling to me/I will have the DANGER do the unthinkable.¡±

    STOP!

    The world around her shook and Niu found herself back in reality, feeling unstable. She somehow resisted the impulse to vomit and stared at her mother¡ªno, at the Goddess. She was not standing at all. She was just lying there as if asleep. Niu breathed in relief.

    ¡°Niu!¡± called Gen, a hint of panic in his voice. ¡°Have you¡­ have you seen something?¡±

    Rather than seeing visions, it felt more as if the visions were violently jammed into her mind. It was a surreal experience, and one she didn¡¯t want to repeat again, but she also couldn¡¯t give up so easily.

    Yes, but I¡¯m fine, she told Gen while breathing heavily and waving him off, then focused on the Goddess again, gritting her teeth. Who are you? Why are you here? What is it that you wanted to tell me, to tell us? Answer!

    The reply came instantly. Niu¡¯s head ached again, but this time she still kept her grasp on reality.

    ¡°Danger/danger?/danger,/danger;/danger./danger¡­/danger!/danger!!!¡±

    Niu grimaced. Danger? What sort of danger? The beasts? The Stroba? There were too many dangerous things around her. If the Goddess came here just to say that, it was a waste of everyone¡¯s time. Or perhaps she had asked her too many questions at once.

    Answer me! Niu called. Who are you?

    Hair knife scream push snow dress hands blood gore pain¡ªshort flashes came flooding into her mind again.

    W-w-who are you?! Niu insisted, fighting against the current.

    ¡°Al/Al/Al/Al/Alllllllllllllllllll/Sa/sa/sa/sa/saaaaaaaa/Al/sa/Al/sa/Al/sa¡­¡±

    Alsa? It sounded a bit fragmentary, but could that be a name? Not that it told Niu too much. At the very least it sounded like a series of sounds that lacked any meaning. Never mind that. The Goddess¡¯s name had no bearing on the situation. She asked further.

    Why are you here?

    There was another cacophony of images in her head that made her step back. If that wasn¡¯t enough, Alsa (Niu decided she might as well use it as a name for now) started rampaging inside her crater, pounding her hairs against the ground and destroying it even further.

    ¡°Enough,¡± said Aisbroom, pulling Niu backwards. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be getting anywhere.¡±

    Niu thought she had made a little bit of progress, but it was also true that she still couldn¡¯t understand anything. Her head still ached and her heart was beating loudly, so it was as good a time as any to take a break.

    Fine, she told them. We will retreat for now.

    During the Queen¡¯s absence, Roah fulfilled most of her duties¡ªand was pleasantly surprised to find out just how much she had been doing. Of course, she hadn¡¯t really been making any major political or governmental decisions on her own, as she and Roah mostly made suggestions and inquiries to the other, more competent and experienced people running the city state, but he could actually feel that a certain something was missing when she wasn¡¯t there.

    When had she found the time to approve the construction of a new hospital when she¡¯d spent so much of her time holed up in her art room? Roah hadn¡¯t even heard about it, but now he was receiving reports about the beginning stages of that project.

    They were young and inexperienced, yes, but this didn¡¯t mean they were completely useless. Roah couldn¡¯t help but smile at that. It was all going so well. So well, indeed, that he drew a blank on what they could even do better. He knew it was an arrogant and stupid thought, but he still felt like that.

    Well, there was the whole thing about connecting the worlds, for one. Or trying to do something about the Stroba. But he knew that solving such complex issues wasn¡¯t easily achievable, and he was fully confident that they were advancing toward some solutions with each passing day.

    Queen Niu Kalden. Since he was the one who helped put her on the throne, he knew that she could change the world.

    When that evening¡¯s reports were finally over and Roah was about to finally leave the small meeting room and finally eat some supper, someone unexpected appeared at the door after almost everyone had left.

    ¡°Good evening,¡± said Shaya, her voice a bit dry.

    Roah narrowed his eye and rose from his seat while carrying his papers. The remaining fairies present merely walked away, though some eyed her on the way to the door. The older ones were less inclined to admire her, but many still respected her.

    ¡°Hello, Shaya. Do you need anything?¡± he asked.

    He and Shaya weren¡¯t interacting much these days. After she had revealed her secret, it pretty much ended their involvement with one another. He could no longer use her¡ªand to be honest, didn¡¯t have any further interest in her, either. Her abilities were useful, but that was it.

    In fact, now Shaya was the one mostly left out. Niu was the Queen, Roah her advisor, and Gen was a respectable soldier. Where had that left Shaya? Yes, she was the so-called ¡°Angel¡±, a possessor of great power, sure, but she didn¡¯t actually do anything. She was basically living the good life, mooching off of the others¡¯ hard work.

    Which was why her reason for appearing there surprised him. ¡°I wanted to talk to you,¡± she told him, glancing about as the room emptied out.

    Roah had a certain guess. ¡°You didn¡¯t want Niu to be around when you did this, right?¡±

    She seemed surprised, but nodded, confirming his suspicions. ¡°I¡­ would be glad for some advice on that, too.¡± She momentarily averted her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m here, though.¡±

    ¡°Walk with me,¡± he told her as he went toward the door, and both exited into the corridor. ¡°Well, what is it that you need?¡±

    ¡°I want to do something.¡±

    ¡°¡­How terribly specific. What sort of thing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± she said, knitting her brows, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Gen doesn¡¯t want to let me fight¡­ and I-I¡¯m not smart like you or Niu, so I can¡¯t really help with what you¡¯re doing. But I¡¯ve had enough of sitting back and letting others do everything.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    They arrived at the corridor leading to their chambers¡ªnow, each of them had a new room much better than their previous ones in the guest floor below.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you with that,¡± Roah said after thinking for a while.

    ¡°What? Why not?¡± She sounded devastated.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s something that you have to find out for yourself. If you want to do something, then you have to just do it. And if you don¡¯t know what to do, you need to find it. I know it sounds incredibly vague, but that¡¯s how it is. I can perhaps help you once you¡¯ve figured out what it is that you¡¯re after.¡±

    Although she had vastly improved from how she was in the past, he still couldn¡¯t see any interesting future for her. She said that Gen didn¡¯t want to let her fight, but did she want to? And why did she let Gen decide that for her, anyway? She was probably hoping for some magic answer, but Roah had none to give her.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s not fair,¡± Shaya complained, pouting. ¡°You¡¯ve helped Niu a lot¡­ do you really hate me so much?¡±

    ¡°I have no ill feelings toward you at all,¡± he replied coldly, his mouth a thin line.

    ¡°Then is it because you¡¯re in love with her?¡±

    That caused Roah to stop his legs. But after he stopped in place, he started laughing. He immediately turned around, paced toward Shaya in such a way that made her flinch, and widened his dark eye.

    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m capable of feeling something as cute as that?¡± he whispered in a low voice that made her take another step back.

    Shaya looked scared. Or was she actually hurt? Her expression crumbled, and then became that of anger. ¡°Right. I guess I have overestimated you¡­ in a lot of different ways.¡± Without waiting for his response, she turned around and left in a fast pace, fuming. He thought he might have heard her sob, but that might have been his imagination.

    Roah¡¯s smile vanished and he gazed at her back growing distant until she was finally gone from his sight. Only then he started to regain his calm and realized he was holding his breath for some reason.

    The once-weak girl now sought to do something with her newly found strength¡ªhow utterly ridiculous. She was even afraid of Niu, so how could she accomplish anything at all? She lacked the power to crawl from out of the abyss by herself, so what could that stupid girl even do?

    Roah was mad. He was also mad at himself for feeling so mad about this nonsense. He should just forget about Shaya. After all, she would never become as great as Niu.

    Back in Somalir, Niu was growing increasingly frustrated. It seemed like they were making some breakthrough, with how much Alsa had been responding to her, but none of it amounted to anything substantial. Despite trying a few times after that, she received nothing more than a sense of ¡°danger¡± and headaches while the Goddess kept on rampaging.

    Of course, she had no idea about any concrete dangers. The skies were clear of monsters and the Stroba still seemed to be lying low. No matter how much she asked Alsa, she wouldn¡¯t say anything new¡ªor at least nothing that Niu could actually understand.

    It was probably about time to give up. Even during all this time, the Goddess hadn¡¯t moved at all from her current position. They could simply watch over her for now.

    She was so sure that she¡¯d find the solution. She was so sure that Alsa was like her¡­ and perhaps she was, but her mind was far too alien for Niu to understand even so. She had to have patience. She couldn¡¯t stay away from Kalden any longer.

    Resolved, she stepped toward the clearing in the middle of the forest for one final attempt.

    ¡°Is there any need to try this again? Not like anything would change this time,¡± Gen said to her.

    You never know, she replied. I just want another go. Not like we would lose anything.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous,¡± was all that Gen mumbled, but didn¡¯t try to stop her as she peeked between the trees. She was willing to take the risk. She had to, as the new Queen.

    The sleeping Goddess did not have especially beautiful features, but there was still something striking and sublime about her motionless figure with her closed eyes, mouth almost slacked into a grin and hands clutched as if in prayer.

    She was attempting to communicate. Niu was sure of it, she could feel it. Most of the interactions with her, Alsa seemed to have drawn from Niu¡¯s experiences and memories, fears and imagination¡ªbut for what purpose? Was she trying to frighten her, or was that her way of finding a common language?

    The sparse words she would receive also felt like some sort of puzzle. At times they would even resemble poems, but Niu couldn¡¯t make head or tails of them.

    Why are you here? Niu asked for the thousandth time. What is your purpose?

    ¡°A thousand questions with a single answer/Millions of answers to a single inquiry/Only emptiness remains after the chaos,¡± Alsa broadcasted.

    Niu grunted with the sudden headache. Yes, no real progress there. She attempted a few more directed questions, but received only more of the same. Perhaps we should have someone write down all this, she thought to herself in boredom. They needed to figure out how to study this Goddess.

    ¡°Had enough?¡± asked her Gen.

    She nodded and turned back, intending to go to Somalir and start the preparations for heading back to Kalden, when there was a sudden crunching sound nearby. For a moment she thought the Goddess started another one of her incomprehensible rampages, but by the following shouts she realized it was something different.

    ¡°The Stroba!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    There was a flurry of activity around her, Gen grew tense and a few laborers came to surround Niu¡ªshe could barely see a few figures within the foliage. Did the Stroba use this very moment to attack? Were they here because of Niu? More surprising than that, however, was the next shout.

    ¡°W-wait! We are only here to talk to the Queen!¡±

    Niu turned around in astonishment. There were already the sounds of flying arrows, but all attacks seemed to have come from their side, and not from the Stroba.

    ¡°Please! We need to talk about something important!¡±

    And then: ¡°Queen, tell them to stop!¡±

    The last one had been said in Niu¡¯s native tongue.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Aisbroom reacted even before her, their face stern. All sounds of battle immediately vanished and there was a tense silence.

    What is the meaning of this? Niu sent her voice towards the one she thought had been speaking. It was exactly the kind of situation that called for the usage of NiU, so maybe she should have taken it after all.

    The fairy seemed surprised hearing her voice in their head. ¡°W-we have some important news for the Queen!¡± they called, raising their arms in the air. Interestingly, they were both unarmed and shaking. Were they not a combatant?

    Niu raised her hand to signal to everyone that she was taking care of it.

    What news are you talking about?

    ¡°We wish to conduct a certain negotiation¡­¡±

    Niu¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion. Negotiation? You¡¯re not in the state to ask for anything, but¡­ speak up. Negotiation, meaning you have something to offer?

    The startled fairy glanced at their few companions uncertainly, and then spoke again. ¡°We¡­ we cannot do this here. We need to go back to Kalden.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you still think you are in a position to make demands?¡± asked Aisbroom, their voice as cold as ice.

    The fairy licked their lips in nervousness and nodded. ¡°We are not combatants. You may as well take us as hostages¡­ but we beg you. We can¡¯t speak here...¡±

    This whole situation was simply too strange. Was this some sort of trap? But none of them even held any weapons. Perhaps these were sent as bait? Niu saw Aisbroom send a few soldiers to look around.

    But what if¡ªwhat if there really was something important that they wanted to discuss and that it was their way of showing it?

    We will take them, Niu finally said to Aisbroom and Gen, much to their visible surprise. Of course, keep them secured, and if you can, get the information out of them on the way, but I want to get back already, so we have no time to waste. They seem harmless enough.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Gen asked her, glancing at the fairies who still kept their hands raised.

    That is an order.

    ¡°Keep scanning the surroundings,¡± Aisbroom instructed Captain Alsore next to him. ¡°Make sure we¡¯re not being watched or ambushed by other Stroba before we tie them up.¡±

    Thinking for a while, Niu had the feeling that she understood something about this situation. And if she was right, then it could prove very interesting indeed. Only time would tell, so she couldn¡¯t wait to get back already.

    ¡°You are an idiot,¡± said Acrus, shaking their head theatrically.

    Roah was ready for this kind of response, so he didn¡¯t let it bother him. Acrus criticized most of his decisions, anyhow, even when their basis came from Acrus themselves. But this time he knew in advance that Acrus was going to reprimand him for that.

    ¡°I simply can¡¯t believe you let that girl leave to face the Demon. Why haven¡¯t you consulted me about it before making this stupid decision?¡±

    Within the relative darkness separating the two, Roah just shrugged. ¡°There wasn¡¯t time.¡±

    ¡°¡­And so you come to me not only after they¡¯d already left, but even after they¡¯d concluded their business there,¡± mumbled Acrus indignantly. ¡°And with some Stroba hostages in tow as well. I¡¯m not sure which of you is the bigger idiot.¡±

    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± wondered Roah.

    Acrus¡¯s hands grasped the bars and gave them a rattle. ¡°Of course it is! The Ruler cannot leave their domain for such silly reasons, dangerous and uncertain. And I am not even going to talk about the obvious Stroban trap, whatever it¡¯s going to be. Do you think this is the first time we¡¯ve tried talking to the Stroba? Why haven¡¯t you stopped her?¡±

    Roah smiled at this. Each and every one of Acrus¡¯s arguments was already one he thought of himself. It was useless to him; he only sought advice from Acrus to hear what he couldn¡¯t reach alone.

    ¡°You are making a mistake here, Acrus,¡± he said, his voice calm. ¡°You keep referring to it to my stupid decision and saying I should¡¯ve stopped her, but¡­ it¡¯s not for me to decide. I will not interfere with what Niu is doing. I will help her, and I will give her advice, even one that goes against what she wants, but I will never stop her.¡± He sent a one-eyed glare. Even Acrus looked somewhat disturbed.

    ¡°I am aware that I am somewhat abnormal, relatively speaking, but you¡¯re a real piece of work, are you not?¡± Acrus spat after a momentary pause. ¡°What do you find in that childish Ruler anyway?¡±

    Roah tensed. Was the former Ruler about to throw the same accusation at him as Shaya had, the other day? If so, it would really piss him off. To the extent he might just storm out of the dungeon right away.

    ¡°Why are you so dependent on them?¡± they continued.

    Roah let out his anticipated anger in the form of a small laugh instead. ¡°Is that what you think?¡±

    ¡°Remember that it was you who bested me, and not them,¡± replied Acrus, a dangerous glint in their eyes. ¡°You were the one who was supposed to become Ruler. Note, however, that this is not meant as a compliment, so drop that infuriating smile of yours. Anyway, yes, you are Ruler material. Aisbroom, for example, as devious as they are, would never make a good Ruler, as proved by their lineage.¡± Acrus snickered, then stiffened again. ¡°You need to stop trusting that child.¡±

    Love, dependency, trust¡­ why did all of them get it all so wrong? Was it really not obvious? Was he the only one who could understand it? Well, he probably was, but still. Roah merely shook his head without replying. Instead, he moved to a different topic.

    ¡°Never mind all that. I will bring you Orin soon,¡± he said.

    Acrus¡¯s expression instantly lightened up, seemingly forgetting all their grievances from moments ago. ¡°Ah. Splendid! That is some great news to hear. If I had to imagine, you plan on asking the Ruler once they return from their idiotic expedition?¡±

    ¡°¡­Almost as if you are reading my mind,¡± mumbled Roah. He could have done it during her absence, but, if possible, he didn¡¯t want to hide it from her. He had the feeling that Niu wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with Acrus, so she might permit it in a hurry if prodded during her current, more important business.

    Yes. Like he said, he would never stop Niu¡¯s will, but it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t manipulate it a little.

    ¡°Until next time,¡± said Roah and turned to leave.

    The trip back to Kalden went smoothly. Whether or not the Stroba were planning anything, Niu felt safer than safe since she was accompanied by so many soldiers and laborers, including Gen and Aisbroom. Regardless, nothing like an attack ever came.

    Coming back, of course there were plenty of business she had to take care of¡ªeven after a mere few days¡ªbut she decided to prioritize the Stroba. She was just getting seated in the throne room after a short rest and about to call their ¡°hostages¡± in when someone unexpected entered.

    ¡°Niu, please, you can¡¯t do it!¡± they pleaded.

    What are you talking about? Niu asked the newcomer¡ªwho was Seele.

    ¡°T-the Stroba,¡± they explained, clear worry and agitation on their face. ¡°I heard you¡¯d brought them here to talk¡­ you c-can¡¯t agree to any of their deals.¡±

    Niu was surprised. Seele was always the very definition of mild-mannered and gentle. There were times when they were flustered or sad, as any person would, but Niu had never heard them so desperate. And she could also tell there was something else hiding within that.

    ¡°Seele, what is this about?¡± asked Roah, standing by Niu¡¯s side as always. A few moments before he¡¯d asked her for a strange favor which she promptly authorized, but it wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking about that now.

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not going to make peace with them or anything, right¡­?¡± Rather than sadness or confusion, there was another emotion lying in their words¡ªdisgust. Since Niu hadn¡¯t ever expected it from Seele, it took her a bit of time to recognize it.

    Even Roah sounded somewhat disturbed by that. He too had probably never seen Seele make that expression and that tone. What was going on with them?

    ¡°Seele, what is that silly question?¡± Roah asked, brow raised.

    ¡°¡­Huh? U-um, well¡­¡±

    We merely took them as hostages and in order to listen to what they want to tell us. That doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re considering any such deals, Niu added.

    To be honest, there were times when she did consider it. However, Kalden and the Stroba had a long and bloody history. Niu definitely wished to stop this senseless bloodshed, if she could, but she also wasn¡¯t stupid enough to think she could so easily find a solution for such a longstanding conflict. If it was so simple then perhaps even Rumdon and Sacrona would have also been at peace long ago.

    Niu wasn¡¯t yet strong enough to pursue such idealistic dreams. First, she had to ensure their survival and, if possible, their connection back to Plainland. She had decided this when she first became the Queen.

    Seele¡¯s face slackened with relief. ¡°Thank you, Niu. I was just worried you¡¯d do something silly, is all.¡± They lowered their head but then it jerked up as they hurriedly said, ¡°n-not that I¡¯m complaining or suggesting that you¡¯re¡ª¡°

    Roah raised an arm. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Seele. Now, can you come with me for a second?¡±

    Seele became their usual innocent-seeming self. ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±

    ¡°I just want to check something,¡± he explained, then turned to Niu, ¡°will you be fine here on your own?¡±

    Niu raised a brow but said, I guess.

    ¡°TriX, you come as well,¡± ordered Roah as he started walking, grabbed the very confused Seele¡¯s arm, and dragged them outside the throne room.

    What¡¯s this all about? Niu briefly thought, but her mind soon went to other, more pressing issues.

    ¡°Seele, you have been very unprofessional,¡± Roah turned toward the fairy and scolded them the moment he closed the door to his bedroom.

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡° They sounded shocked. ¡°Did you drag me away just for that?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Roah, giving a small shake of his head, ¡°I just wanted to start with this. Please remember that you are our ambassador, Seele. Luckily the throne room was rather empty during that scene you¡¯ve caused.¡±

    Despite being scolded, Seele smiled abashedly, their tension eased. ¡°Of course, oh great general! I will refrain from doing so in the future, you can count upon it,¡± they called in an exaggerated manner, raising their hand in salute.

    Even Roah couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I just want to understand you.¡±

    ¡°Understand me?¡± they parroted.

    Roah sighed. He wasn¡¯t sure how to be delicate about this, so he decided that he wouldn¡¯t be. ¡°I¡¯ll just get straight to business, if you don¡¯t mind. What have the Stroba done to you?¡±

    The somewhat lightened atmosphere sank down yet again along with Seele¡¯s expression. ¡°¡­I see, so that¡¯s what you realized,¡± they mumbled in a voice that was almost a whisper.

    ¡°TriX, will you tell me?¡± Roah asked, turning to the large laborer, but Seele interjected before it could reply.

    ¡°Why do you want to know about it that much?¡± they asked.

    How could he answer something so complicated? There was the fact that he¡¯d never seen Seele react like that to anything, not even during previous interactions with the Stroba. He didn¡¯t have even an inkling of what they felt.

    Perhaps he had taken them for granted.

    Good old Seele, who was always kind and optimistic and willing to assist¡ªalso had such a side to them. They were the first to help Roah and the others in this bizarre and alien world. They were always at their side, providing support, even if what they could do was extremely limited. Seele knew a lot about them, but how much did they actually know about Seele?

    ¡°Because we care about you, of course,¡± he finally replied.

    Seele wore a grin. ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you. I suppose that¡­¡± their smile vanished, ¡°it is fair for you to know. Even if I don¡¯t like speaking about it. You see, I had a child.¡±

    Roah slightly narrowed his eye. Even with that single sentence, it didn¡¯t take much to guess where that story led, now that all the pieces were gathered.

    ¡°That was about¡­ do you remember how long it was?¡± Seele asked TriX without turning to it.

    ¡°252 years ago,¡± the laborer replied almost instantly. ¡°15 years after we had first, started working together.¡±

    While he calculated the exact period of time in his mind, Roah kept listening to their story.

    ¡°Yes, while we were working on the project, the Stroba launched a large-scale offensive. Thinking back, perhaps it was exactly due to Ruler Ashwok Kalden starting this project in the first place. Well, anyway, one of the most horrible attacks was on Jenlab.¡±

    Roah cringed just imagining it. It was one thing to attack enemy soldiers, perhaps even normal civilians to conquer them, but another thing entirely to attack a facility like that. Having gone there a few times already, he started imagining the many fairy children running all over the place. And how fragile they were.

    ¡°¡­And¡­ my little Suan was also there at the time,¡± Seele concluded in a choked voice, a lone tear escaping their eye.

    Roah nodded gravely. ¡°So that¡¯s why you hate them. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the pain of losing your own child like that. Seele¡¯s hostility towards the Stroba was now completely understandable. Not to mention that in the fairies¡¯ case, a child was much more than a simple child¡ªit was more like a reproduced part of themselves.

    All sorts of things now clicked into place, up to and including Seele¡¯s attitude toward Orin.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± they said, wiping their eyes. ¡°After what happened, I couldn¡¯t bear to have another child¡­ and so time passed, and now I¡¯m too old for it. But in a way I have taken care of some other children lately.¡± They looked at Roah, wearing a slightly mischievous grin.

    Roah thought for a moment they were talking about Acrus¡¯s child, because his thoughts were still on that, but he soon realized Seele¡¯s real meaning. ¡°You mean us?¡± he asked, surprised.

    ¡°Yup!¡± they said, giggling. ¡°And you¡¯ve all grown up splendidly, so I think you have me to thank for.¡±

    Roah snorted and smiled. Was Seele just being nice, or did they really think so? Whatever the case was, he wasn¡¯t about to give any retort. However, it seemed like Seele hadn¡¯t expected him to, either.

    ¡°When we first met, I just felt that all of you were like¡­¡± Seele started, but then paused and shook their head. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t mean to belittle you. But you know what I mean. I try to look at things positively.¡±

    Seele always felt somewhat¡­ motherly, for a lack of a better word, so had they seen Roah and the others as their children all this time? It was hopelessly silly, yet it was also heartwarming. He felt a small pang of guilt in his heart. As well as another emotion that surprised even him.

    ¡°¡­Maybe I was wrong,¡± he mumbled to himself.

    ¡°Hmm? Wrong about what?¡± said Seele, wiping their slightly puffy eyes.

    ¡°Never mind that, just talking to myself,¡± Roah said. ¡°I should go back already. Sorry for asking you about this, and thanks for everything, Seele. And I do mean everything.¡±

    Seele¡¯s only response was a faint smile and a nod.

    The four Stroba hostages were brought in front of the throne, their limbs still restrained. After waiting a while for Roah to return, the only ones that remained there were him, Niu, Gen and Aisbroom, as well as two laborers.

    ¡°Is this company enough for you?¡± said NiU¡¯s voice. Now that she was back at the familiar spot on her throne, NiU also came back to her lap. It seemed to be happy at her return.

    ¡°Y-yes,¡± said the hostage that appeared to be sort of the small group¡¯s leader, since they were the one who spoke the most. Apparently, their name was Sorch. ¡°I thank you for agreeing to our selfish request¡­¡±

    ¡°¡ªYou did it because, you were acting, independently, right?¡±

    The Strobans weren¡¯t the only one surprised; Aisbroom and the two boys were the same.

    It only took Niu a bit of thinking. Why would they want to be taken to Kalden as hostages? To stay safe. After all, it would be way easier for the Stroba to attack Somalir rather than Kalden. That was the reason for the secretiveness and haste. They first wanted to make sure they were in a safe place.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sorch finally admitted, ¡°to be honest, we¡¯re probably dead if we return¡­ so we¡¯d rather be your hostages.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t like Kalden had been very kind to its hostages, either, so were the Stroba even worse against traitors and deserters? Had they counted on Kalden being nice to them if they delivered something good? That seemed overly foolish.

    Regardless, this meant that it really had to be some major news. She would be disappointed if they were some average informers.

    ¡°We will decide your, destiny,¡± Niu finally informed them through the small laborer. ¡°Now, what exactly is it, that you wish to, convey to us? It had better be, important.¡±

    Body slightly shaking, Sorch took a deep breath and then directed pleading eyes at Niu. She thought they were going to beg her, but the meaning of their expression was something that none of them could have expected.

    ¡°Queen of Kalden¡­ no, of all faeries, we beg you, you have to save them!¡± Sorch passed their gaze around the room¡ªfrom Niu to Gen and to Roah. ¡°We have been keeping them imprisoned for many years now. Another faerie, just like you!¡±

    Her eyes were a powerful blue, like a whirlpool of destruction. It was the kind of color one could possibly find at the deepest abyss.

    The more she stared, the more you were sucked in¡ªand the more the world around her grew distorted, twisted and ugly.

    At times her eyes seemed like the sky, vast and free, but she was always seeing the time of dusk. Yes, especially since that day. That awful, awful day when the sky was not blue.

    Her tears ravaged the earth and the heavens.

 Chapter 4: Green Gale

    Zade woke up with tears in his eyes. Groaning hard, he wondered what his dream was about, but those thoughts were disturbed by the haze dominating his mind and the feeling of the soft bed under his body.

    ¡°Good morning, love,¡± said a gentle, sweet voice beside him. He startled for a moment before recalling who she was. Had she been watching him sleeping all this time? He was just barely able to raise a smile to his lips. ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°¡­Terrible,¡± he admitted. ¡°Well, a bit less now, since you¡¯re here¡­¡±

    A small giggle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make it better. Wait a bit.¡±

    Long, flowing hair adorned with an orange flower and a lithe body clad in a simple gown rose from the bed. That was the figure of the woman he loved¡ªor at least, it was supposed to be. Recently, he wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. He was living in constant contradictions and doubts.

    Zade grunted, raising his upper body from the bed as well. He still felt so, so tired. He was painfully aware of how his formerly well-sculpted body had withered away. He definitely wasn¡¯t as active as he used to be, stuck in the current predicament as he was.

    Even now he was in the bedroom of what he knew to be a massive, hollowed-out mushroom growing under the ground. It was messed up and more than a bit confusing, but he¡¯d already grown used to it, more or less.

    At least he still had his wife Alima at his side.

    Or did he?

    ¡°Here you go.¡± This soft voice drifting along with a sweet smell cut off his line of thought and almost seemed to cure his fatigue as well.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he mumbled sleepily and took the warm cup to his hands. He put it to his lips, tilted it and felt the hot liquid filling his mouth. He relished the taste and swallowed.

    It was a strange sensation. His head was drowned by something, but then immediately cleared up. His lips naturally formed a smile.

    ¡°Now come on, sleepyhead,¡± told him the giggling Alima while pulling on his hand. ¡°We have to see the Ruler today.¡±

    Right¡­ they had to see them again. His headache lessened, Zade ruminated for the thousandth time on how he¡¯d gotten there in the first place.

    It all began during the 400<sup>th</sup> year of Rumdon, or more precisely a bit before it. Zade, his wife Alima and their comrades all arrived at a bustling town called Hayden that was close to the world¡¯s edge.

    ¡°It¡¯s really pretty here,¡± said Alima, looking around her. Surprisingly, it was greener there than it was near the mountain; the town was surrounded by forests and quite a few farming villages.

    ¡°Not as pretty as you,¡± he said to her nonchalantly.

    ¡°Stop, you idiot. How can you say those cliches with a straight face?¡± she said, giggling and punching his shoulder playfully. Oh, how he loved her smile. How he loved the way her body moved when she made the juggling performance that she was somewhat famous for.

    How he loved her.

    The pair then took a stroll around town. They¡¯d usually spend their entire time with the other members of the troupe and had almost no privacy, so when they reached towns, it was a nice change of pace. Walking hand in hand and chatting about the surroundings and their plans for the upcoming show, they had no idea what was about to transpire.

    ¡°Gods, what is going on?!¡±

    ¡°RUN!¡±

    As the sun began to vanish from the sky, Hayden was in chaos all of a sudden. Dozens of large, phantasmal beasts poured from dark tentacles hanging in the skies. It felt as if the end of the world was coming. People ran around the streets and there was no safe place to hide.

    Zade and Alima collapsed to the ground after a man bumped into them while running. Zade groaned in pain, immediately rising to his wobbling feet, but one of the monsters had already appeared behind his wife.

    ¡°Alima!¡± he screamed, instinctively activating his sparse channeling ability to try and push the monster back.

    Usually, his channeling was just good enough to make some little tricks, and even those he had to supplement with icons. He wasn¡¯t even as talented as his wife. Still, the effect was somewhat more than he expected and it helped stun the monster while Alima got to her legs.

    ¡°Zade¡­ what are we going to¡­?¡± she mumbled, breathing rapidly with tears of fear streaming down her eyes.

    He bit his lips hard. He had no idea what was going on and where they could be safe. How could something like this even happen? For now, they had to get back to their lodging, find the others and then perhaps escape town. Securing a weapon could also be useful, though they were no fighters.

    Unfortunately, he spent too much time thinking about it, and so paid no heed to the horrible reptile-insect that snuck up behind him.

    ¡°Zade!¡±

    His body lurched and he was flung some distance away. He realized far too late that his wife had used her channeling to throw him away.

    Why? Why had she done this? Why had she not done the same to the beast itself?

    No matter how many times he asked himself that question, the result remained unchanged. He got up just as he heard as his wife¡¯s scream of agony and a wet crunch.

    He nearly fainted on the spot. Perhaps it was only pure shock that kept him conscious. No words could describe how he felt when he saw what happened where he stood just a moment ago. He froze, emitting a scream full of primal horror, anger and grief out of his throat a moment later.

    ¡°AlimaaaaAAAAHHHHHH?!¡±

    There was no time to cry or even run away, for at that moment the world around Zade sprang into action, although seeming terribly slow. Something landed nearby with a great tremor, a black object flashed in front of his eyes and the horrible scene he had been witness to completely vanished out of sight, leaving only a red blotch on the ground.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Zade could only make that stupid-sounding sound before he felt something impact with his body.

    As he groaned and reflexively closed his eyes, upon opening them he found himself in air. Literally in the sky, looking above the town, while his body was wrapped around something black and rubbery.

    ¡°Aaaahhhh?!!¡±

    Without understanding anything that was happening to him, he then felt as if his body was being squeezed from all directions¡ªas if he was being pushed into an extremely narrow tunnel, as the world around him spun with colors and sounds.

    This sensation, wrought with pain and fear, was the last thing he felt in Plainland before losing his consciousness.

    What¡­ did you just say?

    Niu widened her eyes and let her mouth hang open, a decidedly non-queenly expression, but for a good reason. Everyone present was also similarly stunned at what they just heard.

    There was no way to misinterpret what the Stroban hostage had just told them: that their tribe had another person from Plainland, just like them. Niu and the rest had of course already been informed about the many dead people that crossed between the worlds. These corpses, unfortunately, told no additional clues about the method of travel, except that it was possibly extremely dangerous.

    If there really was a human kept by the Stroba, however, it was possible they would be able to provide them with more information. More important, of course, was the fact that they¡¯d found another comrade.

    Recovering from this shock, Niu made her next question through the small laborer: ¡°Is that really true? Tell us everything, about it.¡±

    Hesitating for a bit, Sorch began talking. Apparently, all those years ago, when the waves first began, a living ¡°faerie¡± had been found in Stroban territory. They, of course, had also received reports that a similar thing happened in Kalden from their own spies.

    ¡°So there was someone else, all this time,¡± mumbled Gen in disbelief, his eyes wide. That might serve to explain some things about the Stroba¡¯s behavior so far. For two long, long years, with their many turns and upheavals, it was surprising to find out something like that so nearby.

    ¡°Do you feel bad for them, then?¡± Roah asked coldly.

    ¡°Of course I do¡ª¡° Gen started.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± Roah interjected angrily. He gestured at the still-bound fairy standing in front of the throne, focusing his eye on them. ¡°Why have you come here?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes, we could no longer keep seeing them like that,¡± Sorch said softly, glancing at their comrades also standing nearby. ¡°The Ruler had been drugging them from the very beginning so they¡¯d follow their orders¡­¡±

    Niu winced. She herself had experienced one of the Stroba¡¯s concoctions. Albeit temporarily, it altered her way of thinking and feeling. Afterwards she felt not only disgusted with herself, but completely helpless. This brought some very unpleasant memories that made her clench her fists and her teeth.

    If the Stroba really were keeping the other human on similar drugs for this long, how horrible was his condition by now?

    ¡°We thought you¡¯d be our saviors, that you will help us defeat the Demons,¡± said the fairy, seemingly holding back tears, ¡°we didn¡¯t want to use you like that¡­! At least not us, the saplings who followed orders¡­¡±

    ¡°Only following orders, huh?¡± chided Roah. ¡°A convenient excuse.¡±

    But as far as Niu could judge, their plea sounded genuine. She could clearly picture the situation in her mind, judging by the reaction of her own subjects. Her grip on the throne tightened. She knew what they had to do.

    The moment she was about to broadcast her intentions to NiU to announce them to everyone, a voice came from the throne room¡¯s door.

    ¡°An urgent message arrived, for the Queen,¡± bellowed the uninflected voice of a laborer. Since everyone had been ordered to stay away unless there was an emergency, it had to be something urgent indeed.

    Bring it, she ordered. Rushing toward her and under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the laborer handed out a small paper note.

    What? Niu exclaimed in her mind upon reading it. The Goddess is under attack?!

    ¡°¡­Was this just a diversion, then?¡± Gen said after Niu told them of the report.

    ¡°What?¡± Sorch and their comrades all looked confused.

    Lured away by the strange hostages, they left the Goddess behind¡­ so that the Stroba could attack it? Even Niu found it unlikely. The timing was also rather weird for that. Why would it happen right now and not, for example, a day after they¡¯d left?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± said Roah, looking contemplative. ¡°But, well, I can¡¯t deny this might be some part of their plan.¡±

    ¡°We did know about the Demon,¡± Sorch admitted, ¡°but we haven¡¯t heard anything about a planned attack.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they were also, trying to find you,¡± said NiU¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes, if what you¡¯ve told us is the truth¡ªthey already know you¡¯ve been gone for some time now,¡± said Roah.

    ¡°That sounds likely,¡± the fairy said, licking their lips nervously.

    Neither option changed what they had to do. If those stupid Stroba actually attacked the Goddess herself they stood no chance, but even the limited forces at Somalir should be able to handle them. The question was how to treat the earlier discovery.

    Niu¡¯s rumination was stopped short by another interruption. ¡°Another message has, arrived,¡± a laborer arrived and informed them again.

    Thinking that it was just an update on the situation over at Somalir, Niu read the text and then furrowed her brows.

    ¡°The attack was not, made by the, Stroba¡¯s hands,¡± NiU announced, to everyone¡¯s surprise. ¡°It was actually the, Makin.¡±

    The Makin were a tribe of fairies living in the vast plains to the north of Kalden. Originally, they were Kalden¡¯s allies, but the situation had changed in recent years.

    ¡°What do these traitors want now¡­?¡± Aisbroom wondered aloud.

    At first it appeared that the Makin were pleased at the changes brought to Kalden, but then they conducted a large-scale assassination attempt. As it turned out, the Makin didn¡¯t revere the ¡°faeries¡± as the other tribes; they apparently believed that outsiders shouldn¡¯t take control like that.

    The assassination attempt had been foiled, and Kalden treated the Makin as their enemies ever since then, although they made no further bold actions until now.

    ¡°If the Stroba heard about the Goddess, then obviously the Makin have, too. Have they started cooperating?¡± Roah turned this last question to the hostages.

    The two tribes were not known to have any ties, but it was possible that they got in contact once the Makin turned hostile, cooperating against their shared enemy.

    ¡°N-not that I know of¡­¡± one hostage mumbled worriedly. Once again, their response sounded genuine.

    Oh well. Then perhaps it really was an unrelated incident with suspicious timing. The situation was unchanged; the Goddess and the Somalir forces should be enough against the Makin. If so, then they had to return to the real matter at hand.

    ¡°Now, what shall we do, about you¡­?¡± Niu asked through her small laborer. ¡°I know. Since you are, already our hostages, we can suggest, a trade.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    A great, great distance away, there was the sea, with its fierce waves hitting the craggy area surrounding the great Eastern Mountains. Near it was a small beach, and a unit of a couple dozen soldiers set up their makeshift base there.

    The place was understandably uncomfortable, but there was something refreshing about the breeze and the view, he felt. Waking up at sunrise to hear the seagulls screeching and head out to the beach for a light workout was a new, interesting experience.

    Presently it was early noon so temperature was rising. There were barely any places to take shade, so the soldiers walked toward the village for a small break, preferring that to their cramped, sandy tents.

    ¡°Think we can go for a swim soon?¡±

    ¡°The Lieutenant¡¯s never gonna agree¡­¡± quipped another.

    ¡°And you¡¯re only saying that because you want to frolic on the beach with Sattha, you perve¡ª¡°

    ¡°S-shut up, dumbass, she¡¯s right over there!¡±

    Revol heard these voices at the edge of his hearing range and sighed. Were his soldiers really treating this as a vacation? Even if they were currently on break, he felt that they needed to serve as a better example.

    Even this far out into the very edge of Rumdon, they had to remember their position. That was what it meant to belong to the army.

    Many things changed for Revol during these last two years. Although there was barely any fighting to be done after the third and final (thus far) wave, he¡¯d somehow found himself in charge of a small unit of channelers that went around the kingdom, training in various environments. Even he wasn¡¯t quite sure how it ended up like this.

    He and his comrades now set up their camp near Abran, a small fishing village at the bottom of the mountain that faced the sea¡ªmeaning, more than an entire mountain separated him from his hometown of Hayden, and on the other side of the sea was their enemy, Sacrona.

    There were of course the recent escalating tensions, although they had already been there for about a month. Now Revol¡¯s unit was being told to look out for any sign of the Sacronian navy or any other threat from that direction.

    He felt like that was too heavy of a burden for such a small and experimental unit, but he obviously couldn¡¯t argue against his superiors.

    How could the others act so carefree in that situation? Revol simply couldn¡¯t understand them, but that was perhaps due to his role and responsibility as their commander. Well, since things were so peaceful and dull here, they were bound to lose their focus and motivation. Especially when spending so much time out in the salty air. Having come from a small but heavily populated town, he still found this a novel experience.

    Gazing at the ocean as if seeing all the way to their enemies, Revol noticed something.

    A few boats were apparent on the horizon, coming back to shore. However, that was odd; the village¡¯s fishermen would usually not come back this early in the day. If it had been only one boat, then perhaps, but there were several of them.

    ¡°That was one giant freaking crab.¡±

    ¡°Think we can eat it?¡±

    ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re saying that after that tuna made you puke so hard?¡±

    ¡°All of you, shut up now,¡± Revol cried, silencing his soldiers¡¯ chattering, ¡°and watch the sea.¡±

    He obviously tensed up. Even from afar he could tell these were definitely not enemy boats, but what if that was what they wanted them to think? An attack force disguised as civilians was not unheard of. Even if unlikely to come from Sacrona.

    Finally, a single boat reached the shore and Revol moved to intercept it, hand on his weapon. Just like he thought, the boat contained nothing but a single, aged man, his fishing tools and a bucket of fish. The man did, however, look extremely pale and upon noticing the soldiers, called out toward them.

    ¡°Help! Help! We¡¯re under attack!¡± he croaked.

    With Revol¡¯s suspicions turning out to be true, the tension around grew even further. He heard some of the other soldiers shout toward those who lingered behind.

    ¡°A Sacronian attack?!¡± one soldier spat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go inform the others!¡± another said, breaking into a run.

    ¡°No, no,¡± the old man barely mumbled, slightly wheezing, his eyes wide as he looked around, ¡°it¡¯s, it¡¯s monsters!¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡± spat Revol after a short but very shocked silence.

    Glancing at the sea, so calm and reassuring mere minutes ago, he felt like he could see it¡ªjust behind the fleeing boats, there were large, black shapes moving on the sea surface, riding the waves.

    Creatures of darkness were coming.

    As always, Zade was taken by Alima to the small room with the moldy smell. He didn¡¯t like it there. She acted so used to all of this, but even after all this time it felt as strange and alien as it did the first time.

    Unlike the rest of Marmony¡ªthe capital and main base of the Stroba¡ªit was made of mostly rock rather than ground. A patch of luminescent mushrooms grew from the carved table at the center, casting a ghastly but powerful light on the surroundings.

    ¡°Ah, Zade and my dear Monan,¡± a soft voice welcomed them. It belonged to an already seated fairy who had a thick, wide barrel-like body and a smile even wider than that, their hair a mess of dirty golden locks.

    ¡°Moanin, you can¡¯t keep calling¡ª¡° Alima argued.

    ¡°Enough. They won¡¯t notice anyway,¡± Moanin, the Ruler of the Stroba, said with a smile.

    Zade scowled while thinking to himself. Were they talking about him¡­? He felt like he both could and couldn¡¯t understand the implications of their conversation. It was giving him a slight headache, so he lightly shook his head and just stopped thinking about it.

    ¡°¡­Why have you called us here today?¡± Zade found himself asking instead.

    Moanin wore one of their creepily wide smiles. Zade found them very disturbing, like they were some kind of hungry toad. ¡°It appears that the deserters have made contact with Kalden.¡±

    ¡°Those guys,¡± Alima muttered sadly.

    ¡°Kalden¡­ that was the place with the other people like me, right?¡± Zade asked, immediately feeling a spark of rage flickering inside him. He clenched his shaking fists and set his jaw.

    Moanin nodded gravely. ¡°Such foolish children they are. What do they hope to achieve by that, I wonder? Do they really wish to set the wrath of Kalden upon us?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t our spies do anything?¡± asked Alima, something pained in her expression.

    ¡°They are currently extremely limited. Boum and their unit were our best, and since the Ruler changed, they cracked down hard on any Stroban involvement¡­ only very few still remain. Not to mention that nearly all of our tunnels had already been closed off.¡±

    Zade noticed that for some reason Alima flinched at those words. She was always a kind and caring woman, so perhaps she sympathized with the spies¡¯ plight.

    ¡°What can we do?¡± he then asked desperately. He couldn¡¯t really understand all this complicated talk, but the conclusion was obvious enough¡ªthey were still powerless against Kalden. His head was hurting him again.

    ¡°Indeed, about that.¡± After their solemn talk, Moanin¡¯s mouth widened yet again. ¡°How much do you know about Demons?¡±

    ¡°Demons¡­?¡± It was an unfamiliar term.

    ¡°I think they call them Gods,¡± said Alima. Something was strange about the way she phrased this, but that made him understand.

    ¡°Oh, the Gods. There are many stories about them. Like how they created the sun, and all that¡­ and how they exiled all of you to another world.¡±

    Moanin leaned forward and whispered, ¡°One of your so-called Gods is now here.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    Even after delivering such a shocking announcement, Moanin kept smiling. Alima was just as speechless as Zade, though. Perhaps even more.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Is it, now? Well, perhaps it is. However, whatever it is, a foreign, powerful being now resides near Somalir, a town not far from here. That is a fact. And it doesn¡¯t seem that Kalden knows what to do with it, either, if it really is a God¡­ how about you?¡±

    Zade never really believed in the Gods. Perhaps he even disdained them, considering what happened to him. He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what could be done with them or how they operated.

    ¡°Sorry. I wasn¡¯t big on religion, really.¡± However, he then recalled another fact and spoke. ¡°But Alima actually came from Sacrona, a country where they worship the Gods. Maybe you know something?¡± He turned to her.

    Alima blinked in confusion for a second. ¡°What? Oh, um¡­ yes, you¡¯re right, of course. But, err, those things never really interested me¡­ haha. Sorry, Zade.¡± Zade couldn¡¯t understand why she was suddenly so flustered while answering that, but apparently she didn¡¯t know much about the Gods, either. Right, that hardly ever came up in their conversations. They both wanted to forget about their pasts.

    ¡°No matter, no matter,¡± Moanin said cheerfully. ¡°I am sure we will find something eventually. I have a good feeling about this¡­ Demons, wretched as they are, seem to be connected to you faeries. If the Ruler of Kalden was unable to find rapport with it, perhaps you will¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Alima also sounded happy. ¡°I know you¡¯d be able to do something, Zade. You¡¯re so strong and determined, after all.¡±

    Faced with a distorted, creepy smile on one side and a lovely smile that had something vaguely wrong with it on the other side, Zade felt a chill rock his body and mind.

    ¡°Are you sure about this¡­?¡± Gen asked her. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little cruel?¡±

    What was even the point of asking about it now, minutes after Niu had already settled their plan and launched it? It made her a bit angry to hear that from Gen, really.

    ¡°Are you feeling sorry for them?¡± asked Roah. ¡°They¡¯re our enemies, you know.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± Gen grunted. ¡°But there¡¯s still time to overturn that decision. Don¡¯t you think the Stroba¡¯ll kill them?¡±

    Not if they convey our message properly, Niu said. We have made the Stroba an offering they cannot refuse.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure about that,¡± mumbled Aisbroom, crossing their arms. ¡°Historically, they have had no interest in any talks or negotiations with us. Lying to them wouldn¡¯t accomplish much.¡±

    After hearing the news about the Makin attack and deciding to let Captain Alsore handle it, they had returned to the main topic at hand¡ªand so decided to work up toward freeing their fellow countryman. The Strobans had already confirmed that it was a man who came from Rumdon, much like themselves. And so Niu had decided to send a message to the Stroba. It was a bit more verbose, but went something like this:

    We have some of your tribe members in our possession. We will return all of them safely if you hand over the faerie you currently imprison.

    It was quite rude of Aisbroom to call that lying. Niu really would return the hostages in exchange for the captive human. Even when she knew the Stroba would never agree to that deal. Their hostages had been reluctant, but finally Sorch decided on volunteering themselves.

    ¡°We can¡¯t just attack them either,¡± said Roah. ¡°There are so many uncertainties, whether they¡¯re the Goddess or the waves that might restart at any moment.¡±

    ¡°Still,¡± said Gen, ¡°couldn¡¯t we have found another way to send the message, at least¡­?¡±

    Would you have rather sent out one of our people instead? Niu asked him. You know they would have killed them on sight. Besides, that fairy volunteered.

    Gen opened his mouth to reply but then quickly closed it. He was apparently conflicted between his dislike of the methods employed by her and this complex situation regarding their enemies.

    Regardless of initial misgivings, the plan apparently succeeded, for a day later a small Stroba group approached one of Kalden¡¯s military posts, left a message behind, and fled.

    ¡°They have some nerve,¡± NiU¡¯s voice said. ¡°Do they really think, we¡¯ll give up, something so important?¡±

    The Stroba¡¯s reply was both surprising and cheeky. The surprising part was that they agreed to engage in negotiations regarding the subject, unlike most estimations. The cheeky part was that they demanded to be given a safe and direct method to conduct these talks¡ªnamely, the newly developed communication device, the Talisman.

    ¡°That was Acrus¡¯s favorite technique as well,¡± noted Aisbroom somewhat bitterly. ¡°Pushing their luck as far as they could and thereby draw the opponent¡¯s ire. So we mustn¡¯t fall to their provocations.¡±

    ¡°And yet we can¡¯t agree as well,¡± said Roah. ¡°Who knows what they¡¯d do with the technology? They might even find some way to reach out to Plainland¡ªhighly improbable and of dubious utility, but still.¡±

    Niu thought similarly. The Stroba were probably intending to get out as much as they could out of such talk. After all, they knew that now that their secret had been revealed, it was only a matter of time before Kalden took action. Perhaps they even wanted them to act hastily.

    ¡°It is true, but they probably also want us to agree since sending messages back and forth like that is so troublesome,¡± added Aisbroom with a slight smile.

    Niu smiled too. ¡°Oh, but that is no, problem at all. From our side, at least. Why, I can respond right, here and now.¡±

    She focused on the figure of Sorch, the so-called leader of the hostages. Marmony should be within her possible range. As long as they were still alive, she could talk directly to them.

    Tell them we do not agree to the deal. I can speak to you just fine, so there is no need for any other way of communication. We will have your faerie, and that¡¯s it.

    She felt her message go through¡ªit was a sense difficult to describe in words¡ªwhich proved that Gen¡¯s worries about the fairy¡¯s wellbeing were needless. For now, at least.

    She was quite certain that the Stroba knew about her abilities, but this individual might have not, and so they¡¯d be surprised beyond words. If Sorch passed this message with a shocked expression on their face it would be quite good.

    They did need to wait for the Stroban response, though.

    Niu immediately stopped smiling. There was no real reason to feel joyed, after all. The attack on the Goddess had been thwarted, but the Stroba brought new challenges. If that wasn¡¯t enough, a shocking correspondence from Queen Levia-O announced a new sighting of beasts as well.

    After a long period of two years, it felt like everything was moving at once, and Niu didn¡¯t like it at all. Her entire body itched for some decisive action, like the one that made her Queen¡ªshe had to take control of the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible.

    ¡°Why¡­?! Why aren¡¯t they agreeing to meet us¡­?!¡±

    Acting in rage, Zade¡¯s hand flung a glass off of the table. It shattered, sending sickly sweet-smelling liquid all over the floor. Moanin seemed unperturbed, but Alima grabbed at his arm.

    ¡°C-calm down, please¡­¡±

    ¡°How can I calm down when I¡¯ve been abandoned like this?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not alone, I¡¯m here for you!¡±

    Smile unwavering, Moanin spoke. ¡°We knew that Kalden likes to monopolize everything they have gotten their hands on. Just like they did with Kalden itself. They probably brainwashed those poor faeries,¡± they said, shaking their head. ¡°It is a pity that we cannot solve this easily.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a pity, it was a travesty. This blinding so-called pity assaulted Zade, incurring further rage. Nothing went right during these who knows how many years. It sickened him. It infuriated him. It killed him from the inside.

    First he lost Alima right in front of his eyes¡ªhis head hurt a bit¡ªand then he went to a whole new and unknown world. It took him a while to acclimate, and by that time he¡¯d heard that there were others like him there.

    Zade had, of course, wanted to see them. He wanted to be united with people like him and handle this crazy world together. And the King¡­ no, they weren¡¯t either a king or a queen, since they were apparently neither male nor female¡ªthe Ruler of Stroba had promised they would help him.

    At first they¡¯d sent an attack just as the humans were being moved to Kalden. Unfortunately, that had ended in complete failure.

    ¡°Useless¡­ why are you so useless? Haven¡¯t you promised to help me?!¡± he¡¯d screamed back then, but despite his abrasive words, Moanin had promised to do better. ¡°Get them here¡­ dead or alive, it doesn¡¯t matter!¡±

    And so, during the wave, as the Stroba had pushed for a full-blown invasion using the tunnels, they also attempted to attack the other humans. Unfortunately, most of them had been out of their reach during the attempt, and so they failed again.

    ¡°What are you even doing?!¡± Zade had exploded after hearing about this, nearly crying. ¡°I need them¡­ I need them!¡±

    Even if he had Alima by his side, something was wrong about her¡ªor so he felt. He needed another piece of stability. He was already losing his mind.

    ¡°It is fine,¡± Moanin had said, ¡°Kalden is apparently planning a Great Feast. If we gather some of our agents, we can surely make something work. I believe that the Ruler also wishes to get rid of the faeries, even if they will not publicly admit it.¡±

    ¡°Please¡­ bring them to me¡­¡±

    But that too had been yet another failure. Not much later, as if to add salt to injury, the four humans had somehow seized control of Kalden itself, and there were no further chances.

    ¡°Should I just go to speak with them regardless¡­?¡± Zade wondered aloud in the present. He was already out of options.

    ¡°That¡­ that would be too dangerous,¡± Alima said with uncharacteristic meekness. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about them or their goals. As long as our stances aren¡¯t at least relatively equal¡­¡±

    Zade knew she was right. As part of a travelling troupe of performers, they both knew what being weak meant. Most of them were runaways of sorts, and they never fit anywhere, causing many people, especially those of a higher position, to sneer and berate them. They always had to look out for themselves.

    While Zade had a Ruler at his side, the two tribes were not at peace. If so, did that mean that war was really the only option?

    ¡°¡­I see. Thank you for the report, and keep watching over things,¡± Levia said dully, putting down the rectangular device.

    War was looming on the horizon.

    This was no mere hunch; Levia would not often rely on just her intuition. It was merely all of the things happening around them that brought her to this almost forgone conclusion. Everything added up brought them to the edge of ruin.

    Just now, she had received contact from Molton, who himself had gotten contact from the other side of the mountain with unimaginable news¡ªof another beast attack. Luckily, it had been only a small cluster of those black monsters, and casualties were kept to a minimum. Even so, it was both shocking and incomprehensible.

    This obviously called for urgent action. Following this short correspondence, she immediately sent messengers both to Salom and to the Observatory.

    Within a day the details were clear, at least superficially. The very same black beasts they came to know had attacked the fishing village of Abran. There was no mistake about this. This was no illusion nor exaggeration, as all eyewitness reports confirmed it unequivocally, including the soldiers stationed there.

    Those were definitely not normal marine animals, nor were they disguised enemy soldiers. Not even the most skillful application of channels such as light and weight would be able to feign something like that.

    However¡ªno matter how many times they checked the skies, checked space itself, investigated and surveyed every possible angle, there had been and there were still no signs of any new waves.

    And yet the beasts appeared. How could that be?

    Had they been part of the initial waves, lying in slumber for two long years, hiding and biding their time for an attack? Quite unlikely. The beasts never seemed to have any will or intellect of their own, acting only on instincts of destruction.

    Had the beasts originated from Plainland in the first place? Still unlikely. Had they found another way into Plainland, then, other than travelling between the worlds? This possibility couldn¡¯t be denied, but that also seemed unlikely.

    What did this mean, then? Never mind Levia, but even Salom was completely lost.

    The reemergence of the black beasts that might signal the renewal of the cycle. The Sacronian armies, including their three Saints, making suspicious movements. The rampaging and incomprehensible Goddess at the other world. And, if that wasn¡¯t enough, Levia even heard that Lord Qumisson was visiting the capital, yet another ill omen. If she could feel anguish and anger, perhaps she would have felt it now. She was tense, though.

    However, she was not completely powerless. She had an entire kingdom under her control, allies from yet another kingdom, and, of course, other secrets in her possession.

    Perhaps it is due time, she thought to herself that tense morning, that I visit the Prophet again.

    His smile is like a warm spring day.

    He¡¯s always full of vitality, a so-called Green Gale. Not quite like a lush forest or a verdant field, but more like the raw force of nature itself, creeping and growing splendidly without anyone noticing.

    He makes up for his lack of talent with work. He loves and hates with great passion.

    That is why I fell in love. Perhaps that is also why I have hurt him.

    And that is also why this world will be ours.

 Chapter 5: Yellow Sun

    ¡°Oh, what are we going to do with her?¡± Levia heard her father say and then add a heavy sigh.

    How ironic it was that she heard that phrase at the exact moment she started eavesdropping on their conversation. While there were obviously guards stationed all around the meeting room, there weren¡¯t any above it¡ªmeaning, in one of the many closet rooms of the castle.

    It was only about a year ago that Levia had discovered this spot and the small hole that just so happened to carry the wind and voices coming from the room below it. Perhaps it was an old spyhole, created in the days of some past king? Whatever the case, she used it many times before.

    Hearing that her father was about to have an important-seeming meeting, thirteen-years-old Levia knew she had to find out they were talking about. Of course, there were many meeting rooms and not all of them could be eavesdropped on like this, but this time she was lucky.

    It was incredibly easy to get rid of her tutor; she simply lied that another tutor had come earlier while she¡¯d postponed that other tutor¡¯s lesson in advance. Her prank would come to light soon enough and she would pay for it, but that would be hours from now. It was a simple yet effective plan, all so she could spy on her dear father, King Mekuriel-N.

    ¡°You simply must wed her already, Your Majesty,¡± said a stern voice.

    Levia recognized it as belonging to Lord Qumisson, her father¡¯s cousin and close advisor. Yes, she had the feeling that he would be part of that meeting. She could feel he was full of an emotion she could only describe as greed, so he was probably trying to hint at his own son, as usual.

    ¡°You know well,¡± said Mekuriel, ¡°that I was referring to her unruly behavior.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I was suggesting a reme¡ª¡°

    ¡°She is not unlike you at that age, if I may say, Your Majesty.¡± This interjecting voice, then, belonged to Lord Ranker Shammings. He was radiating amusement, so Levia could imagine a mischievous smile under that characteristic frazzled mustache of his.

    ¡°Enough with the jokes, my friend. This is supposed to be a serious talk,¡± her father said.

    Levia wondered about that conversation. Had her father really gathered two of his most trusted allies just to discuss her current behavior? That was bizarre, to say the least.

    ¡°She will grow out of it. She is still a child,¡± said Shammings.

    ¡°She does need to be put in her place, though,¡± said Qumisson as if spitting. ¡°A shrew cannot become a queen.¡±

    Levia took a short while to recall the definition of that word, since he obviously didn¡¯t mean it in the zoological sense. She didn¡¯t really think that word suited her, though.

    ¡°Dear cousin,¡± Mekuriel said with great impatience and trepidation that almost seemed to stab at Levia¡¯s young mind, ¡°I can handle my own child fine, thank you very much. And, if you must know¡­¡± He paused for a second, as if scanning the area for any eavesdroppers. Levia held her breath; he shouldn¡¯t be able to notice her, but still. ¡°I have begun talks with the King of Lastia.¡±

    Really? This was also the first time Levia heard anything about this. She could feel the other men were positively shocked. How had her father accomplished this without any of them knowing?

    ¡°That is¡­ quite bold of you,¡± noted Shammings.

    ¡°And foolish to the extreme,¡± added Qumisson. ¡°What are you planning? Do not say that you intend to marry her off to one of the princes¡­?¡±

    Now that was surprising. Levia knew that her father was tired of wars. Judging by his feelings at the moment, Qumisson had apparently hit the mark. Was the King planning a political marriage? Levia couldn¡¯t care any less about that, but it could have great implications to her life¡ª

    The men kept speaking, but unfortunately at that moment she felt a tired mind approach the closet. It was probably one of the maids. Levia shouldn¡¯t be found eavesdropping like that.

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± said Levia, popping out from the closet to the maid¡¯s surprised Eeep! which then transformed to her growing stiff and formally greeting the Princess.

    Levia hadn¡¯t known it at the time, but that was the first time she¡¯d heard about her future husband.

    There was a vast space underneath the Royal Castle of Copius.

    Everyone knew about the royal dungeons, although they hadn¡¯t been used for that purpose in half a century. Supposedly. At the very least, no people had been taken there to be confined during either Mekuriel-N or Levia-O¡¯s times. Not including the shelters used for the waves, of course. Anyway, that place held other secrets.

    One was the room used for inter-world communications, housing the Heavenly Board. Developed during her father¡¯s time, it had allowed them to contact Fairland, although that communication persisted only for a brief period. Even so, it had been recently restored again.

    Another secret slumbered within, and that one was possibly even more outrageous¡ª

    Levia¡¯s shoes tip-tapped the hard stone floor stretching within the underground space. It was cold and dark, understandably so because of the whole space was technically located inside of the mountain the castle resided on. Apparently, everything there had been planned and built by the great architect Dervis Mordack.

    Unusually, she was completely alone. Well, technically she¡¯d come there accompanied with some guards, but she entered the room alone. The pretext was that this was an archive containing documents of sensitive information, and some were actually there, but her true purpose coming there was different¡ªonce she¡¯d touched a certain groove on the wall, it slowly slid aside, revealing a narrow opening in the stonework.

    This, too, was the making of the famous Mordack. Levia couldn¡¯t allow the guards to have even an inkling of a hint about what lay within. From the secret passage there was a short flight of stairs, and finally another door. She opened it softly while focusing her mind.

    Emptiness, emptiness, emptiness, emptiness, emptiness, emptiness¡ª

    The first time Levia had come there, she had been really surprised to have felt this. Her compensation allowed her to sense people¡¯s emotions, but what was it that she felt from the room? It wasn¡¯t really a lack of emotion, but it wasn¡¯t anything discernible either; almost as if it was a projection of the emotion of nonemotion, contradictory as that sounded.

    Perhaps it resembled what she herself was feeling all of the time?

    ¡°Good morning, Halmer.¡±

    Inside the room there was a man.

    At the very least, so his physical appearance indicated. Lying upright and restrained in an apparatus that resembled a lidless coffin was someone who looked to be a man in his late twenties. He had bright and curly hair that actually emanated a soft glow¡ªthe room¡¯s only light source¡ªand a soft, smooth face.

    He almost looked like an overgrown innocent child, especially with the mischievous-seeming grin visible on his mouth. Levia often wondered what color his eyes were, but his pose was such that he always used both hands to cover them.

    Halmer the Prophet, as he was named throughout the years, was, as expected¡ªa God.

    Immediately after Levia¡¯s voice echoed in the secret chamber, although not even a single muscle twitched on his body, Halmer replied.

    ¡°Painting (of a cloudless sky), I beseech you(r great wisdom of the unknown) and gaze (upon the blinding light).¡±

    After having had some experience with this, Levia was pretty sure that was his way of saying ¡°hello¡± or ¡°good morning¡± of sorts. At the very least he seemed friendly and cordial, although she couldn¡¯t really appreciate the usual headache associated with this sort of mental contact.

    ¡°We are in a time of great need,¡± said Levia. ¡°I will be glad if you could confer me another vision of things to come, o great seer, loyal servant of the kingdom.¡±

    For a moment she thought she saw Halmer¡¯s smile widen, but it was probably just a trick of the light; he never moved any part of his body at all. Would her plea work, this time?

    The answer came in the form of a vision being jammed into her mind. A quick succession of images and feelings that passed through her like a blur. She didn¡¯t have any time to process any of it before Halmer spoke.

    ¡°I see (the path carved through your eyes), (cannot) change (the puppets behind the screen) and warn you (of your imminent, dirty demise).¡±

    Were all Gods as mysterious as this? It really was difficult to work out what Halmer was trying to say. However, judging from his tone and the feelings of despair, grief, and lethargy broadcast from him, as well as her general experience with the Prophet thus far¡ª

    Levia knew that she was in grave danger.

    She made her way back to the castle, her face a calm mask. Since she wasn¡¯t gone for long, the guards accompanying her obviously suspected nothing. She simply came back upstairs and then had someone send for Salom. She wanted Stard as well, but he was probably too busy at the moment.

    There was no mistake. As cryptic as the Prophet usually was, his message had been clear enough, this time. Something was threatening her. Of course, this usually was the case, but this time, he had foretold her death. Any images she might have seen were erased from her mind, leaving only a lingering impression, just like waking up from a dream, but she felt as if she saw something like that.

    Levia felt oddly calm about this. Well, she already logically knew that Halmer¡¯s predictions could be overcome, after all. Just like when he¡¯d told them about the incoming waves that were supposed to be way, way further in the future.

    He was completely wrong, and they came much earlier, instead.

    Unfortunately, once Halmer gave one of his ¡°prophecies¡±, he became dormant again, usually for a period of some months at the very least. Even today Levia hadn¡¯t been sure the God would respond to her; there was no way to tell his condition without checking regularly, and she herself had the best affinity with him as well.

    In her worries time seemed to pass quickly, as someone finally approached the room she had been waiting in. She herself thought it was remarkably quick of Salom to arrive there.

    Worry impatience agitation¡ªshe felt as the door opened.

    ¡°Ah, Lord Saburn, finally. I have something very¡­¡± She froze mid-sentence when she noticed that it was actually Swen.

    How curious. She was usually able to recognize the so-called ¡°colors¡± of people¡¯s emotions when she knew them long enough, but still made that mistake. Had she really been that tired or worried about the current circumstances to cause this? But true anxiety was beyond her.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± spoke her Lord Chamberlain, ¡°there has been contact from Lord Shammings. He wishes to meet with you urgently in his estate.¡±

    ¡°¡­What happened?¡± Levia asked, although she already had a guess judging from Swen¡¯s emotions at the moment, which were evident in his expression as well.

    ¡°He is apparently dying,¡± he said.

    Saburn had been poring over some iconology papers and diagrams when a messenger arrived to summon him to the castle.

    Well, he hadn¡¯t been making any progress anyhow. Ever since the waves stopped and they had no breakthrough, he thought of going back to the basics and trying to construct some method to travel between the worlds by himself from scratch.

    The obvious foundation should be the channel of movement, but that usually worked more for bursts of movements or force rather than prolonged travel. Then again, there were outlier cases such as Stard¡¯s or Gen¡¯s compensations¡­ he would have asked for their help, but Stard was too busy and Gen was too far away.

    There was also the new emergence of beasts, the origin of which was currently unknown. Perhaps these also contained some sort of hint, though all of them had been annihilated during their assault, and no new ones appeared since.

    At least these thoughts served to pass his time during the carriage ride up the mountain. He really ought to make Levia come to him sometime¡ªeven though he knew it to be a futile attempt.

    At length he reached the main gates, getting off the carriage with some help and rolling his chair forward. The guards already knew him, of course.

    ¡°If you¡¯re here to see the Queen¡ªthen don¡¯t bother,¡± said a voice from the small courtyard directly adjacent to the gates. ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s left a short while ago, apparently.¡±

    Turning to the side, Salom saw an unfamiliar youngster standing there, leaning against a tree. He was dressed garishly, clad in a colorful suit with a neat tie, so he was probably some noble¡¯s son. He looked vaguely familiar, but Salom was out of touch with high society for many years now.

    ¡°And you are¡­?¡± Salom inquired.

    ¡°Ah, how rude of me,¡± the man smiled somewhat derisively as he approached. ¡°I am Callun Qumisson. And you are, of course, the famous Professor Saburn.¡±

    Salom was surprised. Not at this young man knowing him, but him being the son of old Lord Qumisson, known to be Levia¡¯s greatest rival. He¡¯d only met Qumisson himself a couple of times, so this was obviously his first time to meet Callun.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Callun,¡± Salom said after a brief spell, extending a hand. Callun gazed it for a few moments before relenting and grabbing it back for a handshake. ¡°Then, were you here to see the Queen as well? Are you here with your father, by any chance?¡±

    His son was one thing, but Salom wanted nothing to do with Qumisson, if he could at all help it.

    ¡°I am here alone,¡± said Callun, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, as if he was insulted by the mere suggestion.

    ¡°¡­I see. And where has the Queen gone to?¡± After all, she had specifically and urgently summoned him, so it was quite rude of her to not be present for his arrival. Then again, she usually didn¡¯t mess with him to quite that degree, so there had to be some reason.

    Callun shrugged. ¡°Beats me. The guards just say she came out in a hurry,¡± he explained. ¡°I thought I¡¯d wait for a while. But, since both of us ended up here by coincidence¡­¡± He wore a haughty smile. ¡°How about a small talk while we wait for Her Majesty to come back?¡±

    Salom had a bad feeling about this, but he never let his smile crumble even for a moment. ¡°I might as well kill some time, then,¡± he said, letting the young man assume control of his wheelchair.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be direct with you, Professor,¡± Callun told Salom the moment they were finally alone behind some bush full of blood-red flowers. ¡°Will you betray the Queen and help me instead?¡±

    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±

    Just outside the castle¡¯s gate there was a garden. Filled with a great variety of flowers taken from all over Rumdon and some other places as well, it was a joy for the eyes and nose. Such was the scene where Callun had decided to ask him this.

    The young man told him he would be direct, but that was a bit too blunt even so. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Salom said without a shred of hesitation.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s a preposterous suggestion. Still, will you not consider it seriously, Professor? Staying with Levia-O at the current state will lead to nothing but your downfall.¡±

    There was something ominous hidden in his words. Salom narrowed his eyes in both suspicion and puzzlement.

    ¡°I will say this; you have some guts, asking me that question here,¡± Salom finally said. ¡°Especially considering your father¡¯s attitude toward people like me.¡± He wore a bitter smile. ¡°Or, what, do you think that mere money could serve to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Allow me to correct a certain misunderstanding, Professor.¡± As Callun cut off Salom¡¯s words with a lightly raised hand, his voice turned colder and his smile was gone. ¡°I am not acting under Father¡¯s orders or machinations. If anything, I¡¯m acting against him. I have nothing against you; why, I admire you. And I truly, truly wish for your support.¡±

    That was unexpected. Salom was completely convinced that old fox was once again up to no good. Of course, he shouldn¡¯t just take Callun¡¯s word for it, but the young man did seem to hold some hostility regarding his father. Salom did hear that he was a rebellious son, so perhaps he was being genuine.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°And what, exactly, do you intend to offer me?¡±

    ¡°Well, for you, everything will be the same¡ªor better, I suppose, but that is beside the point; you must help me with the Queen for the good of all of us,¡± Callun explained. ¡°I must either marry her, or else we¡­ depose her.¡±

    Was Callun an idiot? Current circumstances were not perfect, to be sure, but Salom had to be content with them. Levia had many faults, but she was a respectable ruler. Perhaps she lacked kindness and charity, but that also meant that she lacked greed and cruelty.

    Salom had nothing to gain from deposing her. In fact, both he and Rumdon would only serve to lose from the Queen¡¯s absence, whether or not Callun was cooperating with his father.

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re really¡ª¡°

    ¡°Ah, Professor! What are you doing here?¡± A cheerful voice suddenly came from the side. Salom heard Callun clicking his tongue while he turned to see the new arrival.

    ¡°Hello, Mallew. Actually, I¡¯m the one surprised to see you here,¡± he greeted the familiar woman. Not much changed about her since he first met her¡ªshe grew her hair a tad longer, but it was still quite short. Her bubbly personality was the same.

    ¡°Haha, well, you know, I was checking some¡­¡± she started, then trailed off as she noticed Salom¡¯s company, ending lamely with a mumble, ¡°you know, some business here and there.¡±

    For his part, Callun seemed to be scrutinizing her with cold eyes. He was probably mad at the uncalled-for disruption to their conversation.

    ¡°A soldier in the castle, huh¡­?¡± he said, eyeing her uniform. ¡°And a woman, to boot¡­ are you under Molton?¡±

    ¡°And you are¡­?¡± Mallew asked with a friendly, naive smile.

    ¡°¡­Mallew, this is the young Lord Callun Qumisson. I was called here by the Queen, but she is currently absent, so we were having a small chat,¡± Salom explained, passing his eyes between them.

    ¡°O-oh!¡± It seemed that Mallew only now realized the position of the person standing in front of her. She straightened herself. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, err¡­ Lord Qumisson.¡±

    He probably didn¡¯t like being addressed the same as his father, judging from the faint change in his expression, but his reply was different. ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced yourself,¡± Callun noted.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right, I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m¡ª¡°

    While she introduced herself properly, Salom thought quickly and decided to take advantage of the situation.

    ¡°That reminds me, Mallew. There was something urgent I wanted to discuss with you,¡± he lied, ¡°do you have some free time?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, um, I was just on my way back, actually, but never mind that, sure, Professor, I¡¯d love to help!¡±

    ¡°Well, then.¡± Salom started rolling his chair and directed a smile at the evidently displeased Callun. ¡°I apologize, but I will be taking my leave. It was nice meeting you.¡±

    ¡°We will talk again, come the opportunity,¡± the young man announced grimly as the pair went off and left him back at the garden.

    Salom indeed had the feeling that this wasn¡¯t going to be the least he would see of him.

    Shammings was in a horrible state. Pale and sweaty, he looked as if even just lying in the bed took everything that he had. True, he was quite old and overweight, but Levia had never seen him so weak before.

    ¡°Lord Shammings¡­!¡± she exclaimed, mustering as much anguish into her voice as she could. Considering the deluge of pain and suffering he was transmitting to her, perhaps it wasn¡¯t only acting, either. ¡°I came as soon as I heard¡­¡±

    The man smiled weakly when he saw her. Lord Shammings was always there for her ever since the very moment she was born¡ªwhen had he managed to grow so old and frail, when she herself was also so near the age of forty?

    ¡°Thank you so much for coming. I¡¯m glad you made it in time¡­¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± she barked at the man standing near the bed. Based on his attire he was probably some physician. All around her she was flooded with feelings of despair and sadness that caused her head to ache constantly.

    ¡°Y-Your Majesty,¡± the elderly doctor lightly bowed, ¡°we believe his Lordship had been poisoned¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she barked again, feeling the man fear her response. ¡°How could¡ª¡°

    ¡°¡­Levia, please do calm down,¡± Shammings muttered, his voice hoarse. It was a complete breach of etiquette for him to use her name like that, but he was very ill and it wasn¡¯t like she actually cared either way.

    ¡°This is horrible,¡± mumbled Swen at her side, the first words he¡¯d gotten out of his mouth ever since arriving with her. He was almost as pale as Shammings himself.

    ¡°I will probably¡­ not make it,¡± Shammings said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that,¡± Levia immediately snapped because she felt that it was expected of her. She wore a heavy frown.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t¡­ the time,¡± he breathed, ¡°everyone here, please¡­ leave us for a short while.¡±

    Although he said this, the physician and guards around didn¡¯t seem to understand this request at first.

    ¡°Well? What are you waiting for?¡± Levia asked coldly.

    ¡°B-but, Your Majesty,¡± Swen stuttered, ¡°we can¡¯t leave you here alone with a¡ª¡±

    ¡°With a dying man?¡± she interjected, even allowing a tear to show in her eye. ¡°Give us some privacy. Now.¡±

    There was no arguing against that tone. Everyone immediately left. She could feel a mix of relief and sadness emanating from Shammings.

    ¡°¡­Dear Levia. You have always been such a peculiar, special girl.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± she mumbled, dropping all emotion from her face. ¡°Is that what you wanted to say on your deathbed? Admonish me for the past?¡±

    He smiled and softly shook his head. ¡°I just wanted to let you know that¡­ although your father was strict, in the end we have both accepted you for who you were¡­ in fact, I have had almost the same conversation with him when he...¡±

    Ah, so they had been gossiping about her like this even at the very end? How very much like her father.

    ¡°¡­And Mayer, as well,¡± he added.

    ¡°Let us stop speaking of dead people,¡± said Levia. ¡°I assume you also have another reason for wanting to talk to me¡ªyou have some suspicions, do you not? I will make sure to investigate everything and deliver justice even if we can¡¯t save you, but surely it wasn¡¯t Qumisson, right?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t completely out of the question. Killing one of the Lords that directly supported Levia would serve to greatly weaken her. Even so, he too was Qumisson¡¯s old friend. She doubted he would kill Shammings; it made much more sense to assassinate her directly rather than that.

    ¡°Even he probably isn¡¯t¡­ as heartless as that,¡± mumbled Shammings.

    At the very least, not as heartless as me, Levia mused to herself.

    ¡°I have no obvious suspects, but this is not his work. There is some¡­ foreign scent in all of this. It is almost definitely¡­ the work of either Sacrona or Lastia.¡±

    Meaning, he suspected that it was not an attack from within, but from without. Were Sacrona preparing to start a war after inducing a major blow on Rumdon? But it was odd; Shammings himself wasn¡¯t quite as important as that. And would Lastia of all places take advantage of the current chaos to strike? They seemed to gain even less from this.

    Their longtime enemy and their ally-turned-neutral. As if there wasn¡¯t more than enough to worry about already, it was now possible that one of those two¡ªwhy, even both of them¡ªtook further action still.

    Despite his gentle demeanor, Shammings was an excellent businessman and in the past had sniffed out many schemes from his rivals. His intuition, while obviously not anything on the level of Halmer¡¯s prophecies, was still quite trustworthy.

    ¡°I will get to the heart of the matter,¡± Levia declared. Even having a dying old friend¡ªnearly family¡ªin front of her, she only thought about the country¡¯s stability. It would be better if Shammings survived this, but that part was completely out of her hands, and so she considered the dark future ahead, instead.

    The strangest thing was that he himself didn¡¯t seem to mind this. He surely realized by now, but he still kept smiling.

    ¡°Good luck, Levia,¡± he said in a hoarse voice. ¡°I pray that you will find¡­ happiness.¡± He closed his eyes. She tensed for half a second, but she could still feel him, and he continued speaking. ¡°I don¡¯t feel well¡­ so if you could please call the doctor back¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she muttered and turned her back to him. She could directly feel his suffering so much that it made her scowl.

    The physician and servants hurried inside to keep taking care of their Lord. As Swen shot her a dubious look, she simply shook her head and motioned for him to leave. There was no use staying there now. She could only wait and see what happened.

    Lord Ranker Shammings died within the hour.

    The Middle Sea, as it was known, literally served as the dividing line between two countries. One side a tall mountain, the other a shore adjacent to lush forests. On the side of the latter, hidden by a small cliff, there was a secret military base surrounded by sharp rocks and water.

    To reach it, one had to wade into the water and brave the haphazard rock formations to reach into a damp cave. Vianna walked through these rocks carefully as she carried her large shield on her back. She had the sort of look on her face that would make anyone who knew her want to avoid her¡ªa calm fury, cold and tempered just like the steel currently tied to her.

    ¡°Rane!¡±

    Her voice, often compared to a church bell, now rang through the cavern. Hearing this voice, surprised soldiers hurried out to the torch-lit corridors, standing rigid when they realized who came to their base.

    Many of them just stared at her as she passed, while others made a short bow or even mumbled a short word of prayer. None of them directly spoke to her until a certain man appeared, however.

    ¡°Welcome back, Santa Vianna,¡± said a rugged voice, echoing around. Stepping ahead to welcome the woman was a tall, well-built man in uniform. Although already middle-aged, his sunburnt body still looked sturdy and muscular, as tough as the rocky walls that surrounded them. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Waited so long that you have gone insane?¡± she spat at him indignantly. ¡°What possessed you to attack an entire village?¡±

    Rane¡¯s brow twitched only slightly, showing no agitation other than that. ¡°So you¡¯ve heard the news. Was afraid of that. Of your unneeded reaction, that is.¡±

    Despite being nearly a head shorter than him, Vianna still stepped up directly to face him without any fear, anger flaring in her eyes that she was sure burned even brighter than the many torches serving as the cave¡¯s source of illumination.

    ¡°I have asked you a question,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°Relax. First of all, it wasn¡¯t an entire village¡ª¡°

    ¡°Not the point!¡±

    ¡°¡ªBut it had two purposes,¡± Rane continued, unperturbed. He raised a hand. ¡°First, it¡¯s a small threat and a deterrent to Rumdon, making sure they¡¯re not gonna make any moves yet. Second, you know we needed to test our army of Behemoths.¡±

    Yes. A few days ago, a small fishing village on the other side of the sea had been attacked by a band of black monsters¡ªthe very same type as those that had appeared to ravage Plainland a couple of years ago.

    That attack had not come from the skies likes before, but had been sent from Sacrona. More specifically, it had been sent by none other than Santa Rane himself.

    ¡°It was extremely foolish,¡± Vianna said. ¡°You have both alerted our enemies to our capabilities as well as brought needless damage to innocent lives. The people do call you the Blessed Fisherman¡­ will you not sympathize with similar men and women?¡±

    Santa Rane the Fisherman, the one who Reeled Divine Favor¡ªbefore being Chosen, he was a simple, hard-working man. Was there really any difference between him and the so-called heretics on the other side of the sea?

    At least, that was how Vianna herself felt.

    ¡°Ah, but are there true innocents when it comes to war?¡± Rane replied, half-shrugging with his arms thrown to the side. ¡°Rumdon¡¯s a country of heretics, the ones who¡¯ve killed a God. Then surely this¡¯ll be divine punishment?¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you truly believe this?¡±

    ¡°¡¯Course. After all, I myself have been touched by that divine.¡±

    His expression changed not in the slightest, even with Vianna¡¯s fierce gaze against it. This bout of tense silence kept for some long seconds.

    ¡°Considering your piety, I will leave the matter alone for now,¡± Vianna finally relented, having no choice. ¡°Now, I would like you to give me the full report. Since I have insisted on coming here, they want me to serve that job as well. Silly bureaucracy.¡±

    ¡°Ah, these foolish soldier higher-ups. Of course, Santa Vianna. Let¡¯s go to the war room,¡± said Rane, as calm as the summertime sea, turning around and gesturing her to follow him.

    ¡°Get back to work,¡± Vianna hissed at the curious soldiers peeking at them, whose presence she had only then really noticed. They all dispersed without any reply.

    Rane had said that the attack served to deter Rumdon, but would it not actually do the opposite? Wouldn¡¯t it incite them to strike back instead? Unless they had yet to realize that Sacrona was the source of the attack. Which was a definite possibility, all things considered.

    Nevertheless, the time for war was approaching. It might take weeks or it might take years, but Vianna knew that many sorts of plans were unfolding. The time for her to face Stard Molton yet again would surely come.

    She took a deep breath, letting the lingering scent of the sea calm her.

    According to his physician, Shammings had started feeling ill just a few days ago. He only had mild symptoms of nausea and indigestion, so he was being treated normally. And for a time, everything seemed fine. Unfortunately, his condition suffered a rapid deterioration to the extent it was a miracle he had survived for so long. Although way past his physical prime, he was still a sturdy, stout man. He was able to hold out splendidly thus far.

    Although Levia couldn¡¯t really feel fear, she was indeed worried. The ride back to the castle was engulfed in a pensive, gloomy atmosphere. Swen especially was on the verge of tears the entire time. Or rather, he¡¯d already cried once and tried not to do so again in front of her. Poor, poor Swen; she knew he was very fond of Shammings, as he was one of his very few allies during his first days in court.

    There would be a great funeral, of course. His relatives would come, and give a show of crying despite none of them having cared about him in the least all these recent years. Not that Levia was one to judge, considering she never cared for anyone.

    She was mostly worried about herself, though.

    Investigation was still ongoing, but there was almost no doubt that Shamming¡¯s death was foul play, a calculated act and no accident; no simple food poisoning or bad luck would cause this. Coupled with that morning¡¯s ominous prophecy, Levia couldn¡¯t help but feel some creeping threat.

    She meticulously scanned the minds of everyone near her. There were minds full of worry and sadness, but no hostility or plotting. It would be a very bad joke if she got herself assassinated on her way back, and as much as she put her trust in her guards, one could never be too careful. She scanned further and further still to the very ends of her effective range¡ªnot that far, to be honest¡ªwhich caused a mild wave of headache and fatigue to wash over her.

    Nothing. There weren¡¯t any potential assassins around her.

    The sun started approaching the edge of the world by the time she got to the castle. As she got off the carriage inside the gates, a lone guard came running to her.

    ¡°Professor Saburn is waiting for you in the dungeons, Your Majesty,¡± he informed her.

    Oh, right. She completely forgot she¡¯d summoned him. Had he been waiting there all this time? The poor man. Well, he had to hear the news as well, assuming it hadn¡¯t reached the castle yet. While she came straight after the fact, bad news had a strange habit to spread extraordinarily fast.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Levia nodded and the guard ran off. She turned to Swen. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading downstairs for a bit. Take care of business in the meantime.¡±

    Swen was displeased, though Levia knew it was only at the mention of Salom and not at the work awaiting him. Regardless, the ever-professional man only said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± after bowing and went on.

    It was unusual for Levia to head down to the dungeons more than once in one day. As she reached the communications room, she felt two pensive minds inside.

    ¡°Even if we were able to sustain such movements, space will¡ªoh, Your Majesty.¡±

    Salom and Mallew were apparently in the midst of conversation when she arrived, sitting around a table with some schematics paper on it. Mallew immediately rose from her seat as if she had been struck by lightning to bow.

    ¡°Greetings,¡± said Levia. ¡°I am sorry to have kept you waiting like this. You see, the thing is that Lord Shammings has passed away.¡±

    She could feel Salom was a bit annoyed by her late arrival, but his feelings now transformed into pure shock by that nonchalant announcement. The young woman was mostly confused, probably because she didn¡¯t know Shammings.

    ¡°That is¡­ most unfortunate, Your Majesty,¡± Salom finally said. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°He was very ill, it seems. However, there are also some suspicions of poisoning,¡± Levia stated plainly, watching Salom¡¯s eyes narrow.

    ¡°A-a poisoning of one of the Lords, Y-Your Majesty?¡± Mallew mumbled. ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not good at all, is it?¡±

    That was quite the understatement.

    ¡°Miss Mordack, if you do not mind, will you leave me alone with Lord Saburn for a while?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± she replied instantly despite her puzzlement, then turned to Salom. ¡°Actually, since our business is mostly finished¡­ will I see you tomorrow at the University?¡±

    ¡°¡­We will have to see. Regardless, good evening to you.¡±

    ¡°Good evening, Professor.¡± She nodded. ¡°To you as well, Your Majesty,¡± she added, bowing yet again, as she headed for the door.

    ¡°I am afraid,¡± said Levia after the door had been closed behind the other woman, ¡°that I have some more bad news.¡±

    ¡°How unfortunate,¡± said Salom, ¡°that I have some worrying things to share with you, as well.¡±

    What followed next were them sharing their experiences of the day with each other. Although Salom¡¯s news weren¡¯t as dire, they only added further oil to the fire.

    ¡°This is not good. To say the least.¡±

    The quick rundown of the past hours¡¯ events was punctuated by Levia¡¯s finger tapping on the table.

    ¡°Quite the understatement,¡± said Levia, a smile on her face. ¡°There is no need for you to pretend you are not greatly worried by this.¡±

    ¡°I am merely trying to stay calm, as you very well know, thank you very much,¡± Salom said bitterly in response, and then leaned ahead. ¡°I will ask this just in case¡ªbut are you sure that the prophecy said what you think it did?¡±

    ¡°He most definitely warned me of my demise,¡± she stressed. ¡°And, given the timing, I doubt this is unconnected. Quite unfortunate, really, because I was hoping to learn more about the waves.¡±

    The Prophet¡¯s words were often not quite clear. Even so, they could be deciphered¡ªas proven during that fateful day, shortly after Levia had first become Queen. During her visit to Halmer, she had received the following declaration:

    ¡°The king (revolving four hundred and twenty more) will (not) rule (the endless abyss above, where) the beasts (come raining down havoc and blessings).¡±

    Of course, that cryptic message alone did not yet serve to inform them of the incoming crisis. It took quite a lot of effort to analyze this prophecy, to separate speculation and facts and then to ascertain certain possibilities that led to the discovery of the imminent waves, further aided by yet another prophecy that came a year following that.

    They had been preparing for some grand-scale attack to come two decades ahead, but later, the prophecy had seemingly been partially upturned either by reasons unknown or else by some misinterpretation of the Prophet¡¯s ambiguous and bizarre words. And yet it still did happen, albeit earlier.

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t just jump at our own shadows like your great-grandfather Artinos-H. With this much information, I find it hard to do anything except for you to simply keep vigilant, which you should be regardless.¡±

    ¡°You forget the poisoning,¡± said Levia, narrowing her eyes. ¡°It might be that Shammings was killed as a warning, or else as a way to test their method of killing. This is all very fishy. Never mind Qumisson, but even his son seems to be prowling around¡­ Saburn, I would like for you to thoroughly investigate the matter.¡± Her eyes bore into him with the look that indicated that this was not a request, but an order.

    Salom sighed. ¡°With all due respect, I am a scientist, not a detective.¡± He frowned. ¡°Not to mention I am busy enough as is.¡±

    ¡°Busy, are you?¡± she snickered. ¡°As long as there¡¯s nothing going on, you simply sit around spinning ideals and dreams in your mind. Please do not say such rubbish.¡± She erased her smile. ¡°Molton is much busier than you, so you are the only one I can count on, Saburn.¡±

    She could tell how much he didn¡¯t like it, how much she was annoying him, as well as the fact that he was genuinely worried, if not about her, then at least about the current state of affairs.

    ¡°Of course, you are free to request help. I am sure Swen will be glad to work with you.¡±

    The last part was a bold-faced lie, but Salom ignored it. ¡°I shall try,¡± he finally mumbled.

    Levia wore her fake smile again. ¡°Thank you. You are the only one who really knows how to use your mind, here¡­ I am not a smart woman. At the very least, not as smart as you. I will have all the relevant details of the matter and the personnel involved sent to you tomorrow. And I wish you the best of luck.¡±

    Without giving him any time to respond, Levia rose from her seat and strode to the door. Only at that moment she realized she¡¯d barely eaten anything at all that entire day.

    That would have to be amended, and then she would go to bed. Having a night¡¯s sleep without getting assassinated would be favorable.

    As the sun vanished over the eastern edge, night dominated Copius.

    Some of the city was still alive even during night, but the castle was almost always silent, removed from everything as it was on the mountaintop. Guards were patrolling around, roaming through the grounds to protect the royal family, or rather the Queen, who was its sole current member.

    However, there was a certain area of the castle that was less guarded, namely the northern wall, the back of the castle. After all, who would possibly be able to climb the nearly sheer face of the mountain?

    And yet¡ªthere was, apparently, one such person.

    As they were dressed in dark colors, even people peering out the window wouldn¡¯t have noticed this camouflaged figure as they climbed the mountain. No, they weren¡¯t really climbing; they were leaping. One moment this person walked on the craggy, uneven ground, the next they moved far into the air as if thrown there, landing again, and as lightly and silently as a feather.

    It was a beautiful, elegant and superhuman sight that no one bore witness to.

    In fact, the figure wasn¡¯t merely jumping, but flinging something in the air and then following it as if being dragged ahead by it. Repeating this strange action again and again, they were able to climb ever higher.

    Finally, the black figure reached the back of the castle. Surrounded by near complete darkness, they gazed up the mighty wall¡ªtall, but not impregnable. Not for them, at least.

    Their real job would not come tonight. However, this was the first step they took in order to fulfill their contrast to try and assassinate the Queen.

    The yellow sun burns bright, but will it last forever?

    He wondered this as he gazed up at the sky. It was apparently made by the Gods, but whoever said that Gods would last forever, too?

    He asked, he inquired, he investigated and he thought and mulled over it, but found no concrete answer. Although he worried about tomorrow, he found that the sun has, indeed, kept rising.

    Even if people died, even if the ground itself burst apart, the sun would probably keep rising. At least for a long, long while.

    That raised another question, however: how could he ensure everything else lasted as long as the sun?

 Chapter 6: Brown Abyss

    Monan Moanin yawned, greeting the start of another day.

    The human body really was mysterious. Although they spent almost all of their time underground, their body still roughly remembered when the sun rose and sank. Since both the sun and them were created by the same beings, were they simply made this way? Seeing as these same Demons cast them away, though, perhaps this was not something positive.

    Turning to the side, Monan could see Zade¡¯s sleeping face, his chest rising and falling with every breath. It really stunned them, the first time seeing him, how faeries were both like and unlike humans. There was the facial hair, for one. Zade usually kept a thin beard that was fuzzy to the touch and tingling when they kissed.

    Monan simply lay there, watching their beloved float in the realm of dreams. Before long, he too would wake. He would probably ache and hurt, so Monan would have to give him the regular potion to drink.

    This gave them many complex feelings.

    They knew it was wrong to keep him here like that, obviously. It was wrong to obfuscate the situation he found himself in. They secluded him and shackled his body, his memories and his emotions. However, it was the only way to keep him relatively happy and safe. Monan knew that, too. They didn¡¯t want him to hurt. Even if they were tricking them, as long as it was for his sake¡­ it was fine, right?

    At the very least, their progenitor, Moanin, had told them so.

    They needed Zade. The Stroba needed him. He was the legendary faerie, their savior who was going to free them from the banishment inflicted to them by the Demons¡ªor so it was supposed to be, but then Kalden managed to get some faeries of their own.

    It wasn¡¯t fair. Kalden always had everything more. After losing in the war between the tribes, the Stroba had been exiled from the city around the Evergreen Solar, needing to fend for themselves in the less fertile parts of the land.

    Oh, they managed it well enough. In fact, the underground area they had founded for themselves was much more suitable for growing all sorts of unique fungus and herbs, but it just wasn¡¯t the same.

    All of them yearned for the Great Tree Kalden their entire lives.

    That was why they needed Zane. That was why Monan had to keep him safe. Filled with guilt, happiness, pain, and love, they watched him until he woke up. As they did, they recalled how this all started.

    It was a humid day and Moanin Anomia wore a wide, full smile from ear to ear.

    Right, of course their progenitor would be happy, Monan thought glumly to themselves. After the miracle that befell them, it was obvious. It was just a few days ago that they were attacked by mysterious monsters sent by the Demons, but then also found someone unexpected, one of the legendary faeries.

    The news was a bit soured by all the losses and the intel that even Kalden found some faeries of their own, but not all hope was yet lost.

    ¡°My lovely Monan, it is time for you to prove yourself worthy,¡± Moanin prefaced. Huh? What? Monan had a bad feeling about this, but let nothing show on their face. ¡°I want you to be in charge of the faerie.¡±

    They had expected something troublesome, but definitely not this.

    ¡°R-really? Me?¡±

    At a mere 230 years old, Monan was still very young and inexperienced. Being the scion of the Stroban Ruler, Moanin, they always felt that a great responsibility was lurking somewhere behind them, or perhaps pressing down on them, but never quite thought of how to prove themselves worthy for it. Apparently, their progenitor was about to give them that opportunity now.

    ¡°Yes. You will be with them at all times¡­ you see, they have apparently gone through the trauma of losing a loved one. A replacement will be necessary to stabilize their heart and¡­ encourage them to help us.¡±

    ¡°A replacement?¡± Monan mumbled in response, not yet realizing the implications.

    ¡°We will use a mixture of Mi-150 and Cf-233. It should make them mistake you for their loved one and adequately fill the gaps in their memories,¡± Moanin explained, fingers interlaced.

    ¡°Wha¡­ you mean, we will use potions on them¡­?¡±

    ¡°It is for their own good, my dear. They are currently traumatized and broken. We need their power, so we have to fix them. It is as simple as that.¡±

    How was it that, despite them being the scion of Moanin, the two of them were so different? Moanin was large and portly, so that every movement, every word of theirs was always overbearing and overwhelming. The small, slender and meek Monan could never disagree or go against them.

    This time was no different.

    ¡°¡­Understood, Ruler,¡± Monan finally mumbled. ¡°But¡­ how will we communicate? We speak different languages, after all¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah, that is also simple. You will be getting lessons, of course. Boum is currently in Kalden, but I believe Samer should still be around. Oh, and both you and the faerie will be administered Le-909. That should do the trick.¡±

    I hope Boum comes back soon, they thought for a second, but then returned to the main topic at hand.

    Monan had never really dabbled in potion-making, so they didn¡¯t know what any of those, including the ones mentioned before, did. However, they knew that the Stroba mixtures could accomplish pretty much anything. It was probably some potion meant to aid study, based on the name.

    ¡°Got it.¡± They nodded weakly.

    ¡°Excellent, my flower.¡± Moanin rubbed their hands, seemingly pleased. ¡°Now, there is another matter. We are going to get all the faeries, of course, but¡­¡± Moanin leaned forward, widening their smile further still. ¡°Have you heard about how faeries reproduce? It is said that two people are required, and instead of their child being a copy, they are a mix between the two.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? How odd,¡± Monan said. They had a bad feeling about what Moanin was getting at.

    ¡°Since we wish to harness the power of the faeries, well¡­ I shall be blunt. Monan, I want you to bear that faerie¡¯s child.¡±

    From what Salom heard, Doctor Jinbel was normally a calm man, able to fulfill his duty professionally even under immense pressure and personal danger¡ªhe had served in the army, long ago¡ªbut even he apparently found himself jittery and anxious in the current circumstances.

    He was, after all, being investigated for a possible connection to the murder of a noble.

    ¡°So you were called to his household on the 10<sup>th</sup>, right? This was the first time Lord Shammings complained about being sick,¡± Salom asked, not a hint of emotion in his voice. A notebook was laid out in front of him and he would jot down some words from time to time.

    ¡°Yes, that is right,¡± the older man responded, licking his lips nervously.

    ¡°When have you started poisoning him, then?¡± Salom asked with a completely straight face.

    ¡°¡­I beg your pardon, Professor?¡±

    Judging by the fact that his expression and reply seemed genuinely confused, Salom came to the conclusion he wasn¡¯t related to the case. Well, it was a really cheap trick and would never work most of the time, but it was worth a try. If nothing else, it would allow him to gauge the man¡¯s reactions.

    ¡°I am sorry, you¡¯re the most obvious suspect, so I¡¯m simply making sure I have everything covered,¡± Salom told him, smiling apologetically. ¡°I don¡¯t really suspect you, though. No offense was intended.¡± Also, if he actually was the culprit, then this pressure might possibly cause him to slip up, further down the line.

    Jinbel blinked once as he processed Salom¡¯s words. ¡°Hrrm¡­ good,¡± he finally said, scratching at his thin beard. ¡°I would like to add that I have been doing some research on what happened. I hope that doesn¡¯t make me sound more suspicious, but I obviously wanted to know what caused this catastrophic failure of mine.¡±

    Salom nodded. He needed all the information he could have. ¡°What have you found?¡±

    ¡°There is a certain herb that, when consumed over a long span of time, may cause similar symptoms to what Lord Shammings suffered from,¡± Jinbel explained. ¡°High fever, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, paralysis, and finally, the breakdown of body systems¡­ the man has suffered from most of these. Of course, I am not saying this randomly, since traces of that herb were indeed found in the man¡¯s pantry.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Salom hadn¡¯t heard about that. Well, since his investigation started with the doctor, he had yet to reach out to Lord Shammings¡¯ servants and other related people. ¡°And what is that herb, exactly?¡±

    ¡°A leaf known colloquially as bittergrass. Apparently, it can be used for seasoning in very small quantities, but is usually used as a deterrent for wild animals or such¡­ well, the study of herbs is not quite my forte¡­ the truly interesting thing, however, is that this herb cannot be naturally found anywhere in all of Rumdon.¡± He leaned forward, a determined expression on his face. ¡°Almost all of it comes from Sacrona.¡±

    Salom showed no agitation at this revelation. Since the man was not yet cleared of all suspicions, it was possible that he was trying to mislead him¡ªwell, Salom was perhaps being a tad too paranoid, but still. Even so, he also knew from Levia that Lord Shammings himself had suspected something like this as well.

    Later, Salom would have to conduct some research about this herb himself. If it wasn¡¯t Jinbel¡¯s forte, then perhaps there was another expert somewhere in Copius.

    ¡°An interesting piece of information indeed,¡± he said. ¡°I do thank you for your time, and¡ª¡°

    ¡°Y-you don¡¯t suspect me still, right?¡± the doctor interjected.

    Of course I do. ¡°No, of course not. You have been most helpful. I am unsure if I will require questioning you again, so tell me just this¡ªwere you the one to find this herb?¡± That would also add suspicion onto him, after all.

    ¡°Oh, no. It was one of the maids who showed it to me, when we were trying to figure out the source of his Lordship¡¯s illness,¡± Jinbel replied.

    A new line of investigation, then. ¡°I see. Then will you be able to point me to her, Doctor?¡±

    ¡°Gladly, Professor.¡±

    The man rose from his chair and Salom rolled to escort him. Later, Salom would also ask Levia, who was currently waiting in a nearby room, if she found something interesting from the man¡¯s mind as well.

    ¡°Your hair¡­¡± mumbled Zade one day. It was probably about five or six years since the Stroba had first taken him.

    ¡°Hmm? W-what about it?¡± Monan asked nervously. That morning Monan sat in front of a mirror and brushed their long, silky hair. They hadn¡¯t even noticed Zade getting out of bed until they saw him in the mirror just as they were about to put their favorite orange flower in their hair.

    Was he starting to realize the truth again? Should they give him another dose of the potion?

    ¡°I forgot it smelled so good.¡± Saying this, he grabbed a handful of Monan¡¯s hair and brought it to his nose. Monan blushed. They hadn¡¯t expected him to do something so brazen. ¡°And that flower is so pretty¡­ yes, it really fits you¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­ t-thank you,¡± they mumbled hurriedly in response.

    It was true that Monan took good care of their hair. And since they lived in this moldy, musty cavern their entire life, they made good use of various perfumes and oils as a matter of course.

    The other surprising thing was Zade¡¯s demeanor¡ªusually upon waking up he would be groggy and anxious, and then become mostly meek but prone to anger and violence upon consuming the potion as a side effect. His eyes did look somewhat glazed, but he also wore a radiant smile.

    ¡°What are we doing today?¡± Zade asked, putting his chin on Monan¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°W-we¡­ I do not believe we have any particular plans.¡±

    ¡°Then we should train,¡± he mumbled softly.

    ¡°Train? Oh, you mean for the¡­ yeah.¡± It took Monan a few seconds to recall that, back in the world of light, Zade had been a performer. He was part of a travelling troupe along with his partner.

    The partner which they were now impersonating.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I still can¡¯t quite¡­¡± Monan said awkwardly, averting their gaze. They had the (quite poor, to honest) excuse that their magic ability was currently inactive. A complete lie, of course, but one that Zade shouldn¡¯t doubt due to all the potions. It was made because Monan themselves couldn¡¯t use magic.

    ¡°That is a pity,¡± Zade breathed next to their ear. ¡°Then you can watch me. I wish we could show it to all those fairies, though¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll allow us, one day,¡± said Monan. Moanin heavily forbade any interaction with the other Strobans, even their guards and other servants. Despite this, Monan could see that some sympathized with Zade while doing their jobs. But Moanin wanted Zade to be completely reliant on Monan. ¡°Eep.¡± That last sound was made because the man suddenly wrapped his arms around Monan¡¯s lithe form, embracing them. They could feel his body heat.

    ¡°Are you in the mood?¡±

    Monan felt their face heat up. ¡°U-uh, y-yeah,¡± they replied with a choked voice, to which Zade laughed then simply lifted them in both arms. ¡°Ah!¡± Monan shrieked as they both fell on the bed.

    What went after that was something that remained very mysterious for Monan even after all these years. They never quite imagined that faerie reproduction would be quite like¡­ well, that. It involved many strange things, and despite some initial hurdles and issues, it was actually quite enjoyable.

    On the other hand, it also brought Monan immense guilt and pain.

    The concepts of love and intimacy seemed to somewhat differ between the two worlds. Based on what they learned from Zade, Monan was pretty sure that only people who were extremely close and comfortable with each other would do something like that, most of the time.

    This meant that Zade¡¯s actions came from his deepest, strongest feelings for Alima. Alima, his partner, who had most likely been killed during the first wave. Even if she was being replaced by Monan, Monan themselves still knew the truth, and it hurt. They felt that they were taking something important away from Zade.

    Also, the plan failed regardless. Monan remained unseeded.

    Lord Shammings¡¯ funeral was held a full five days following his death.

    Many people were gathered in the large chapel located at the outskirts of Copius. Although Rumdon normally wasn¡¯t quite that religious, at least the nobles liked playing with formal ceremonies like that.

    Levia lazily scanned the attendees¡¯ minds. Some felt grief and shock, but many were indifferent, and some twisted few were even happy. A normal person would have probably been disgusted, but Levia wasn¡¯t one.

    Right, there was Lady Farrenback, saddened on the outside but simply bored on the inside. And Lord Sacrum was both seeming and feeling quite shocked, as if he was surprised that someone like Shammings could even die. Him being there without his wife was also surprising.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Wearing a black, modest dress for mourning, Levia stood on top of the podium that also held Lord Shammings¡¯ coffin on it. As she kept glancing at the crowd, trying to pick an errant mind here and there, she found a certain prominent absence: that of Lord Qumisson.

    Even without the delay allowing for most people to reach the Capital in time for the ceremony, Levia knew that Qumisson was already in town since a while ago. It was rather strange of him not to attend this funeral. Suspicious, even.

    ¡°Your Majesty, you may begin,¡± a whisper from a man nearby, the priest in charge of the chapel, cut off her line of thought. Apparently, they were done waiting for any more people. She nodded and stepped ahead, her heels clacking on the podium, loud even among the chatter of the huge crowd.

    ¡°We are all gathered here,¡± Levia started speaking loudly, pausing just enough to allow the background noise to settle down once they noticed her starting, ¡°to mourn for our beloved friend, partner, fellow noble, and, for a few of you, parent or grandparent. For me, he was like an uncle, although unrelated by blood. Most of those here should remember the turbulent times that preceded my coronation, but perhaps I am the only one to have truly seen how much he supported me when I had almost no one to turn to¡­¡±

    She did spend a couple of hours writing that speech, and felt that it turned out nicely. At the very least, the emotional responses of the crowd were as she expected. Swen was already crying again, the poor man.

    Allowing a hint of tears to rise up to her eyes as well, she wrapped up the speech and stepped away from the podium.

    ¡°Splendid, Your Majesty, thank you. I am sure that Lord Shammings, wherever he is, is happy,¡± the priest said, his chubby face grim. ¡°Now then, let us carry him to his final resting place. From radiant light to blissful darkness.¡±

    The back of the chapel spread into the city¡¯s biggest graveyard, usually preserved for the high-class citizens. It was surrounded by a neat, tranquil garden that was often compared to the one up in the castle.

    As they made their way to this graveyard, Levia noticed something, or rather someone, surprising. When had he arrived there? During her speech? Had he perhaps been there since the start and she simply missed him?

    Perhaps somewhat annoying her guards, she made her way to Lord Qumisson.

    ¡°Lord Qumisson! I must have missed you in the crowd. I was sure you hadn¡¯t been here, for whatever reason.¡±

    Outwardly he was unperturbed, but she could sense he didn¡¯t want to talk to her. That was the normal state of affairs, though.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he mumbled, bowing slightly. ¡°I would of course attend the funeral of a dear old friend, blessed be his soul. I do admit, however, of arriving later than I anticipated. I regret it deeply.¡±

    ¡°A pity, but being late is better than not being at all.¡± She made a small smile, then erased it as if only now recalling the circumstances of their meeting. ¡°It really was a shock, was it not? Hearing Lord Shammings had been poisoned.¡±

    She was obviously fishing for a response. She wanted to do this for a while now, and this was a good excuse for it. Although even Shammings himself and various other sources of information seemed to find it likely that it was interference from their enemies, she couldn¡¯t help but suspect Qumisson. She could feel he was very anxious and distraught¡ªhowever, there was no guilt to be found.

    Of course, that by itself meant nothing. She was sure that he could be a remorseless killer if the need called for it.

    Qumisson sighed painfully, and she felt that some part of him was indeed pained at this. ¡°It was a shock and a sad day. I do hope we will be able to find the one responsible for this and conduct proper justice. Moreso if it comes from Sacrona or thereabouts.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem to believe what he just said¡ªbut, once again, that could be interpreted any number of different ways.

    Levia was always quite convinced that Qumisson knew about her compensation for a long, long time, although he never uttered a word about it. She could read his feelings, but there were still plenty of possible ways for him to conceal information and even mislead her. Not to mention that she couldn¡¯t use his feelings as proof to indict him, either way.

    ¡°I have my best men on the case,¡± Levia said. Thinking of it, Saburn hadn¡¯t come there either; she could use the downtime after the funeral to contact him. ¡°Rest assured we will deal both with them and with the current threat on our country.¡±

    ¡°Good luck, Your Majesty,¡± said Qumisson, although his emotions were pretty much screaming the equivalent of die, wench. He bowed again and mixed among the crowd going outside, which Levia obviously avoided while surrounded by guards.

    Levia sighed softly. She gained no valuable information whatsoever. A part of her also wondered if there would be some attempt on her life during the funeral, but she¡¯d sense it instantly and they probably wouldn¡¯t dare try anything in this big of a crowd.

    She entered the graveyard, wondering when she was going to be buried there as well.

    Mallew sighed as she exited the University, feeling gloomy. Lately she was feeling herself getting in a rut. None of her plans or schematics were coming together at all. It was all because of that stupid transporter¡­ no, she couldn¡¯t even call it that, there weren¡¯t even any proper designs or anything, it was nothing more than theoretical drivel¡ª

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± a sudden voice cut off her spiral of depression. It sounded somewhat familiar, but when she turned around and saw a handsome, young man, she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    ¡°Ah? L-Lord Qumisson, good afternoon to you as well.¡± She attempted to wear a shaky smile, and flinched a bit as she noticed him scowl.

    ¡°If you will, Lord Qumisson is my father,¡± he said bitterly, ¡°You may simply call me Lord Callun. Or even just Callun, yeah, that¡¯d be much better.¡± He wore his haughty smile again.

    ¡°Understood,¡± she said, and only then noticed that the young man was gradually getting closer and closer to her. Almost as if he was aiming to corner her against the University wall at the exit. ¡°So, u-umm¡­ what brings you here, Lord Callun?¡±

    To those who knew Mallew, it would seem utterly ridiculous how anxiously she was acting in front of Callun, considering she was usually a chatterbox. Even with those in a higher position than her, such as Saburn, Molton or the Queen she wasn¡¯t quite as nervous as that.

    The reason for that was simple: she simply hadn¡¯t had much experience with men around her age.

    ¡°Actually,¡± said Callun, widening his smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been hoping to speak with you, Mallew.¡±

    With me¡­? she wondered as her heart skipped a beat. What would the son of one of the most influential Lords this side of Rumdon ever want with her? But she soon realized. Actually, based on Saburn¡¯s reactions toward this man, she could guess. He was probably after intel. Her mind was simply a bit overwhelmed, and so this conclusion was delayed.

    As easily excitable as she was, Mallew still knew the importance of secret-keeping. If she wasn¡¯t able to keep sensitive information secured, they wouldn¡¯t let her work on anything interesting at all.

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t!¡± she asserted. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything about the Queen¡¯s projects!¡±

    When Callun chuckled, she felt extremely stupid. He hadn¡¯t said anything about that, after all. She¡¯d inadvertently revealed that she knew something important. She hurriedly covered her mouth but it was too late. How could this have happened to her?

    ¡°The Queen¡¯s projects, you say? My, how interesting. I¡¯d heard you were a smart girl, but what exactly are you doing?¡±

    ¡°L-like I said, I¡­ meep?!¡± That last part she leaked involuntarily due to Callun having taken such a large step ahead that their heads were nearly touching. He was slightly taller than her and his eyes were gazing directly into hers and¡ªshe tried retreating but there was only a solid wall behind her.

    ¡°No need to be shy. I¡¯m not asking you for intimate details, you know? I¡¯m just interested in everything going on in this country of ours, for its betterment. Why don¡¯t we just go for a nice walk, then? Or I could take you to a fancy restaurant. My treat, of course.¡±

    ¡°I-I¡­ I¡­¡± Mallew could practically feel her brain fry, as if she just activated some heat icons. Was there no one around who could help her? She did leave the University somewhat early, but there should be some people around. She knew what he was trying to do, but was powerless to stand against him.

    ¡°¡ªLeave her alone.¡±

    An unexpected but wished for savior appeared. His voice sounded somewhat familiar, but she couldn¡¯t see his figure due to Callun blocking almost her entire view. The young Lord¡¯s head turned around to the newcomer.

    ¡°And you are?¡± he spat.

    ¡°Just a lowly soldier, sir,¡± the other man said. ¡°But I cannot have you harass a colleague. You¡¯re in public space, you know.¡±

    ¡°¡­Do you have any idea who you¡¯re talking to?¡± His voice growing angry, Callun separated from Mallew, finally allowing her to see the one that came to her rescue. ¡°And who are you, anyway?¡±

    The young man was clad in the uniform of Rumdon¡¯s army just like her, although his insignia indicated a slightly inferior rank¡ªhowever, unlike her, he was a combatant.

    ¡°I know you perfectly well, Lord Callun Qumisson, sir,¡± said the youth, his sharp eyes focused on his opponent. ¡°And I am Sergeant Revol Hydeen, nice to meet you.¡±

    The two brown-haired men were similar yet completely different as they faced each other in front of the University. Watching them somewhat nervously, Mallew couldn¡¯t help but think something quite silly.

    Oh no, could it be? Is this the start of my romance, just like in all those stories?!

    ¡°I can¡¯t live like this anymore¡­!¡±

    Not all days with his beloved were full of bliss and affection. That morning was a rough one. Zade woke up with an immense headache, not to mention the anger and sadness welling inside him in a painful vortex. He wanted to find a sharp object and jab it as far inside him as possible.

    Everything overwhelmed him. Alima was at his side, but he had lost Alima. He was stranded in a strange, foreign world with no one at his side except for Alima. Even fellow humans didn¡¯t want him. He wanted to die, just like Alima died but she lived.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, love¡­?¡± asked him the bewildered Alima-not-Alima.

    ¡°Everything!¡± he screamed. ¡°It¡¯s all wrong!¡±

    ¡°C-calm down,¡± she continued, going to the nearest table and lifting a cup of sweet-smelling liquid, ¡°here, h-have a sip and it¡¯ll make you feel be¡ª¡°

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of that, too!¡± he raged, swinging his arm. Alima cried in pain and the cup fell and shattered, spreading liquid sweetness all over the floor. The moment he saw her fall, though, something inside him broke and his rage melted away as if it hadn¡¯t been there in the first place. He started crying instead.

    ¡°This is who I really am¡­ I can only hurt and destroy¡­¡± His voice turned lower, he grabbed his head and began wailing.

    Various memories and visions swam in his head, mixing incoherently. He couldn¡¯t tell what was real and wasn¡¯t real anymore. Perhaps it was all a nightmare. Or perhaps it was a good dream, and reality itself was the nightmare.

    He started getting dizzy as felt soft arms wrapping around him. ¡°P-please calm down¡­¡± Alima¡¯s voice whispered to him. No, it wasn¡¯t her voice. It wasn¡¯t her voice, but it was her voice. Wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Do I have to¡­?¡± he asked weakly, still half-sobbing.

    ¡°¡­War is coming,¡± Alima whispered to him, her face twisted in pain. ¡°We might be able to defeat them, b-but we need you to¡­ to¡­¡±

    Zade shook his head violently, hands trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t want this anymore¡­ I don¡¯t want to fight. I don¡¯t want to live. I don¡¯t want to die¡­ what do I even want¡­?¡±

    ¡°You want to¡­ stay with me, right?¡± she asked, her eyes sparkling with tears.

    Stay with Alima? Yes, that was his wish. He desperately wanted to live with her forever. Performing together, travelling together¡­ one day, perhaps, they would settle down and start a family. That was the plan. At least, until everything changed.

    Zade¡¯s head exploded.

    ¡°Ye¡­es¡­¡± he heard himself say through the pain.

    ¡°I will never, ever leave you.¡± The thin arms hugged him even tighter. ¡°I promise you that whatever happens, I won¡¯t leave you. In fact, if you wish for it, the two of us¡ª¡°

    There was a knock on the door and the startled Alima let go of him. He watched her, dazed.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she called to the door.

    A fairy entered the room. They briefly scanned the room and furrowed their brows, probably at the mess around and the state of the pair, but then spoke. ¡°The Ruler wants to see you as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll be coming shortly,¡± said Alima. The messenger nodded and left. Alima turned back to Zade, tears still in her eyes. ¡°Have you calmed down?¡±

    ¡°Dunno¡­¡± he mumbled. He was already too tired and he wanted to sleep again. Not to mention how his head felt like a hammer crushed his skull. However, it seemed like they were summoned. He wanted to shout again, but simply lacked the power. The scent from the spilled drink tickled his nose. ¡°Give me, something to drink¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course!¡± Alima rushed to the nearby cabinet, procuring another bottle of drink. He actually wasn¡¯t sure about the function of this medicine and for some reason never thought to ask, but it made him feel good. So he drank it.

    While waiting for the pair in their usual meeting room carved of stone, Moanin glared at the table expressionlessly.

    Everyone knew their penchant for wide smiles; creepily wide smiles, in fact. However, Moanin never smiled when alone. What was the use of it? Smiles existed only to be shown to other people. To influence them. To manipulate them. There was no need for them, otherwise.

    There was no doubt that a confrontation against Kalden was approaching, in one form or another. It could be a skirmish, an operation, or an all-out war. Kalden wasn¡¯t relenting to their demands.

    Well, of course they wouldn¡¯t. Ashwok and Acrus both weren¡¯t stupid, and doubtlessly the new Ruler wasn¡¯t, either, despite being inexperienced. Still, Moanin hoped that the faerie in their custody would have some effect on the other side.

    That hope proved to be false. Not to mention their hopes about the legends of yore. Moanin, especially, was a true believer.

    Meaning, they believed they could manipulate them for their own benefit.

    At first the faerie seemed promising¡ªhe even possessed the power of magic. However, his soul was mostly broken, and to add dirt to wound, Kalden managed to acquire not just one, but four faeries.

    Even using potions to manipulate the man¡¯s memories and feelings didn¡¯t bring a satisfactory result. Not to mention that Moanin¡¯s own scion hadn¡¯t managed to accomplish anything, either.

    Was the time for sneaky plans over? Would they just have to fight and win? But how? If push came to shove, perhaps they would have to form an alliance with the Makin as well. Sure, they were technically the Stroba¡¯s enemies since they allied with Kalden in the past, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

    The pair of faerie and human finally arrived while Moanin was still deep in thought. The very moment they entered, Moanin¡¯s face naturally distorted into their familiar, well-used smile. A smile that looked like it was supposed to be welcoming yet was purposely off-putting.

    ¡°Good morning, you two.¡± From what Moanin could judge of the pair¡¯s complexion and expressions, their morning was the complete opposite, though.

    ¡°¡­Is there some new development?¡± Monan asked timidly.

    ¡°Not as such, no,¡± Moanin replied, trying to keep their smile going, ¡°but things are tense. We keep going back and forth with Kalden, but they will not accede to us.¡±

    ¡°Why do they not want me¡­?¡± mumbled Zade, scrunching up his face. He looked even more haggard than usual.

    ¡°It¡¯s not you,¡± Monan hurriedly said. ¡°They are simply¡­ too comfortable in their position, and they think that we¡¯re their enemies. Like I explained to you, we¡ª¡°

    ¡°Enough,¡± Zade hissed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of that.¡± Monan bit their lips and fell silent.

    Moanin took this opportunity to resume speaking. ¡°Unfortunately, this situation is quite complex. We have no real way of making them agree to our deals, nor can we fight against them. We are greatly disadvantaged¡­ We have very few plans of actual attacks against them, so we have only two hopes. Either the Demon or you.¡±

    Zade¡¯s glazed over eyes indicated that he couldn¡¯t understand what they were talking about. Well, that was no matter.

    ¡°We can either try and take over the Demon,¡± Moanin explained, ¡°or we can send you to Kalden.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡° Monan was, perhaps understandably, shocked. ¡°You mean, just surrender?¡±

    Of course, Moanin didn¡¯t like that option at all, either. However, since they¡¯d thoroughly brainwashed Zade, not even Kalden should be able to lift the potion¡¯s effects¡­ meaning, he¡¯d still be the Stroba¡¯s pawn.

    ¡°No, not surrender. But by giving him up, we might be able to use him to manipulate them from the inside.¡± They found their smile lessening, evidence of how shaky they knew this idea was.

    ¡°Going¡­ to those who abandoned me?¡± Zade asked, mouth hanging open and then closing as he clenched his teeth. ¡°Those pieces of shit¡­ I will never surrender to them!¡±

    Moanin had the feeling he would say that. ¡°That leaves us with the other option, then¡­ as expected,¡± they said.

    ¡°Will the Dem¡­God really help us?¡± wondered Monan. ¡°If there was a way to control it, wouldn¡¯t have Kalden already done something with it?¡±

    Monan was right. Even Moanin had no clue about this. However, they had the feeling that there was something they were all missing. They were sure that Kalden was still investigating the matter and that they knew a lot more about the Demon, but even so they couldn¡¯t help but feel that they were closer to solving it, for some reason. Nothing more than an intuition, but Moanin tended to trust their gut.

    ¡°¡­We will leave that aside for now. Even approaching the Demon is much too dangerous as of present,¡± said Moanin. ¡°Perhaps when Kalden starts something, their attention in that direction will dull.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, then?!¡± Zade said, on the verge of tears, shouting, and perhaps violence. Monan even had to hold his shaking arm. ¡°That we¡¯re going to do nothing¡­ but wait?¡±

    Moanin found their smile diminishing further still, a fact which annoyed them, so they hurriedly widened it. ¡°Yes, my dear. We will have to trust in our fate¡­ and in your powers as our savior.¡±

    How silly. Niu noticed that she was so out of it that she had been holding her brush in front of an empty canvas without moving for at least a few minutes. This happened to her from time to time, perhaps more so lately. She glanced at the laborers around as if surprised they hadn¡¯t said anything to her. But they obviously wouldn¡¯t.

    Perhaps it was natural for her mind to wander like that, with everything going on. There had been absolutely no solid progress on anything in this complex web of circumstances, and it always felt as if a single overly-taut thread was about to snap off at any given moment, breaking the whole thing apart.

    Would it be war with the Stroba or with the Makin? The Goddess making some move? Would the waves resume? Perhaps other disasters were also lurking under the surface, unseen, ready to burst and strike when they least expected it.

    There were simply too many moving parts. Even now when she wasn¡¯t just a dumb girl but the Queen, she still couldn¡¯t quite control anything.

    Even so, she did her best to think.

    The blank canvas in front of her was the world. All she had to do was reach a decision, wield the paintbrush, and dye everything in her own colors. Thinking in that metaphor actually made her smile. As well as gave her an idea.

    Roah had advised her against taking any hasty actions, but she couldn¡¯t wait forever. If she had to prioritize something¡­ that would have to be the other human, for sure. The Goddess was also of immense interest to her, but that one seemed unreachable, for now. She definitely was the more important one, as she likely held clues about the waves. The problem was that they found no way to control her or hold a true conversation with her no matter what they tried.

    I wish we could understand you, thought Niu to herself as she pictured the distant Goddess¡ªand found herself inadvertently activating her ability.

    This sort of thing happened to her, from time to time. Although she had already felt like she mastered her compensation in these two years, the fact that she used it to ¡°speak¡± all of the time meant that sometimes the lines between her own thoughts and the thoughts she sent out were blurred.

    ¡°Danger!/Calamity!/Ruin!¡± Alsa¡¯s so-called voice echoed in Niu¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t as intense as usual, but still felt as if something alien was forcing its way into her mind. ¡°The obstacles that lie ahead/The annihilation often wished for/Enemies and friends, engaged in tedium.¡±

    Niu grimaced, shaking off Alsa¡¯s response. She obviously knew she could contact her from afar, but she never expected the Goddess to be actually able to reply to her like this, when no one else could. Not that it really helped her. What did she mean, anyway? Obstacles, annihilation, enemies¡­ she always spoke as if there was some incoming danger, which was perhaps the most obvious thing in the world.

    Niu needed to clear all these obstacles one by one. She would apply the first stroke to make her strike. A silly little wordplay that made her smile again.

    Moving her hand, she drew a brown line on the canvas and grinned at it. Yes, exactly so. She finally reached a decision.

    Recalling that this was actually Acrus¡¯s plan before being overthrown, Niu felt both amused and bitter. How ironic that she would end up following their plan so easily just because of a small change in circumstances.

    But that was fine. There was no need to hesitate anymore. She couldn¡¯t play around with the Stroba any longer.

    She would attack and regain what was theirs in the first place.

    The soil¡¯s scent was always overbearing.

    Even so, having spent all of our lives there, we grew used to it.

    What we couldn¡¯t grow used to, however, where the circumstances of our lives. Why did it have to be this way? Our history was already buried in the ground. Although we knew the reasons for it, did we really understand them?

    Instead of doing anything meaningful, we were simply stuck in this prison, no, tomb made of brown. The earth gave us life, but it also gave us death.

    We wished to see the sun among the green, but evil drove us into the abyss.

    So we have no choice but take it all back. No matter what it takes.

 Chapter 7: Grey Evening

    ¡°Have you gone insane?¡± Gen asked, nearly shouting.

    Niu had to stop herself from smiling at the thought that in recent times it was something like Gen¡¯s catchphrase. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d really made that many crazy suggestions, but he was always like this. Although he seemed brash and direct, he still was rather down-to-earth.

    She also wondered what his soldier admirers would think if they saw him treating their Queen like that.

    In the end, Niu simply sighed and sent her thoughts to small NiU curling on her lap. ¡°Will you stop, saying that? I believe what I, suggested is the most, pragmatic solution.¡±

    ¡°It sounds more suitable to your way of doing things, if anything,¡± noted Roah.

    Gen shot him a brief glare before he turned to face Niu again. ¡°Yes, it looks like fighting with the Stroba is going to be inevitable, but¡­ a full-on raid? That¡¯s a bit too much.¡±

    It was a mere hour ago that Niu had reached the conclusion that simple was best¡ªif they wanted to get the captive human to their side and kick the Stroba down a notch, then they would simply go and do it. There was no sense agonizing over it too much.

    ¡°Negotiation¡¯s going nowhere,¡± Niu replied. ¡°Unless you can suggest, a better course of action, you will follow the plan.¡±

    Niu knew fully well that if he had a better idea, he would have said it long ago. And it wasn¡¯t for lack of trying; every time she saw him, he was extremely worried about the situation and he always complained. However, he never was much of a thinker. Even more ironically, while he was undoubtedly the strongest of them, he never wanted to really fight unless there was no other choice.

    Everything lay on her shoulders. She would not postpone the proper plan just because Gen was opposed to it.

    As much as it hurt her.

    ¡°If I may, Queen,¡± said Aisbroom. Starting from the moment of the gathering and until now, they said nothing, merely nodding at times. Unlike Gen, they were never much in conflict with Niu, so perhaps they now sought some peacemaking.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Niu asked.

    ¡°Ashwok¡ªmy progenitor and past Ruler¡ªonce said that we were perhaps overestimating the Stroba.¡±

    ¡°Overestimating them?¡± Roah immediately interjected with a raised brow.

    ¡°Perhaps I have used the wrong word, judging from your expressions. What I mean is¡­ Ashwok once said that we view the Stroba as evil and beyond reproach, but it might not be so. They, too, think they are in the right. Each side acts for their own good. I too only act because I belong to one side. If I were on their side, I would have done the same. I believe that is true of all wars, but still¡­¡±

    ¡°What is all that, sophistry, all of a sudden? What are you, trying to say?¡± said NiU, although it couldn¡¯t quite replicate Niu¡¯s annoyance in its voice.

    ¡°That perhaps there is still room to do something before going to war.¡±

    That seemed to be even more surprising than Niu¡¯s declaration for everyone there. Aisbroom had always been very belligerent toward the Stroba.

    ¡°They ask for too much in the negotiations,¡± noted Roah.

    ¡°And we ask for much as well,¡± Aisbroom replied calmly. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re doing to your fellow faerie, they too believe them to be their savior. And we haven¡¯t been seriously trying to barter for information, either. It was always all or nothing. In a sense, Acrus was even a bigger enemy to us than them.¡±

    Fair enough, thought Niu to herself. Though they haven¡¯t given us reason to keep negotiating, either.

    Vocally through NiU she said, ¡°That is wasting, precious time. We can¡¯t just hope for, them to start being, fair with us¡­ and we need to rescue, our fellow, Plainlander.¡±

    ¡°Then,¡± said Gen, sounding desperate, ¡°why don¡¯t we¡­ organize some sort of operation to rescue that person? We don¡¯t need to start a full war. We can hit the Stroba with their own medicine, like they tried doing to us.¡±

    ¡°Snatching them from right under the Stroba¡¯s noses?¡± Roah snorted. ¡°We do have a few spies, but none of them are fit for that sort of drastic action. I mean, the only reason the Stroba were able to do the reverse was mostly because Acrus had let them.¡±

    Gen looked both confused and shock. Don¡¯t tell me that he hadn¡¯t realized we have spies there? Niu thought with amusement. That was kind of funny. Had he really not considered this? But she simply kept talking.

    ¡°Right, I am not going to go, easy on them like, Acrus. That will only cause further, troubles down the line.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ if we attack the Stroba, isn¡¯t there a chance that they¡¯ll, err, kill their hostage or something?¡±

    ¡°Unlikely.¡± Roah shook his head. ¡°They need them¡ªotherwise they wouldn¡¯t have kept them like this¡ªand it¡¯s not like getting that person would be such a major advantage for us. They will more likely try to smuggle them away, if anything.¡±

    ¡°You dare speak about him as if he¡¯s some sort of object that we¡¯re trying to trade for? And besides¡ª¡°

    Enough, Niu directly spoke to his mind on an impulse. Gen widened his eyes and she continued through NiU. ¡°I have made my decision. I was not asking for your, opinion but stating what, was about to happen. You have a couple of days. If you can¡¯t think of, anything better in, that time, the plan will commence. Is that clear?¡±

    Hearing that, Gen not only frowned but directed her a look the likes of which she only saw him giving to Roah. Perhaps even stronger than that. There was fury, and sadness, and helplessness all combined in it.

    It made her heart ache so much that she almost immediately broke down and apologized. However, she knew she couldn¡¯t show such weakness. Nor the tears that were about to well up in her eyes. Instead, she very subtly clenched her fists.

    ¡°Understood, Queen,¡± he spat the last word bitterly, as if it was a dirty swear word, turned tail and stormed out of the room without giving anyone time to say anything.

    Niu closed her eyes and took a deep sigh, feeling her hands shaking. NiU rubbed its head against that hand. She started absently stroking it; at least someone there was on her side.

    Well, there was also Roah. He was smiling victoriously, probably pleased at Gen¡¯s reaction to all of this, if she knew him well enough. Aisbroom, on the other hand, looked as calm as ever.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Niu finally said with an effort, ¡°we¡¯re not discussing, it any further. Start the, preparations, for a full-on assault.¡±

    ¡°Report,¡± Levia ordered lazily.

    The day after the funeral, she and Salom gathered at the usual meeting room. Judging by the feelings he was radiating, though, there hadn¡¯t been any significant progress. Still, she wanted to be as up-to-date as possible.

    ¡°I am going through several leads,¡± Salom started speaking, ¡°but I have already reached some dead ends. I will start with the conclusion. As of yet, it is unknown how the poison had been brought into Shammings¡¯ household.¡±

    ¡°Unknown? Surely there was some trail. Things do not appear from thin air.¡±

    ¡°The man loved collecting that sort of stuff, you see. Tea leaves, medicinal herbs, spices¡­ there was practically an entire pantry full of those. Somewhat similar to how you eat fish and seafood all the time. Anyway, unless we wish to inspect each and every shop or vendor in the city¡ªand beyond it, since Shammings imported from all around Rumdon, sometimes even from Lastia¡ªtracing it back will be very difficult indeed.¡±

    She could see the conundrum. Yes, the poisoner had obviously been very, very careful. They had to be, if they did something as outrageous as poisoning a noble.

    ¡°Wait,¡± said Levia, suddenly thinking. ¡°Have you not told me that this was some sort of rare herb from Sacrona? Then wouldn¡¯t that narrow the options quite considerably?¡±

    ¡°Already thought of it, of course. As well as some other methods. However, it doesn¡¯t appear that anyone has the sort of connection to allow for importing from our enemy¡­ at least, not publicly. It could also have been by proxy through Lastia, but that¡¯s once again too wide of a net. This sort of intricate investigation could take months or years.¡±

    Levia drummed her fingers on the table while thinking. There had to be a way to sniff out the culprit, no matter how careful and deliberate they were¡­ however, she currently couldn¡¯t think of one. She would leave that to Salom. There were still some specific suspects to discuss, though.

    ¡°What about Qumisson, then?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Which Qumisson?¡± he asked back with the hint of a smile.

    ¡°Both. Or all, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Lord Qumisson does not seem to be doing much nowadays. In fact, I hear that he might be leaving town, soon,¡± Salom said. ¡°And as for his youngest son¡­ I have my own man on the case.¡±

    ¡°You say your own man, but you mean Molton¡¯s, right?¡± Levia smiled. Or did Salom refer to the young soldier like that because he was his student¡¯s brother? How adorable and unlike the cunning bastard that he was.

    ¡°Semantics. I was the one who asked young Revol to keep an eye om Callun.¡± Salom sighed. ¡°He seems to be aiming to incite people against you, Levia. Are you sure it¡¯s fine to let him do as he pleases? Even if he couldn¡¯t possibly be the mastermind behind the poisoning.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let his appearance fool you. Since he¡¯s Qumisson¡¯s son, I¡¯m sure he is at least as cunning as him, albeit perhaps immature¡­ and, well, even if he¡¯s not the culprit, keeping an eye on him is wise.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡­ what he¡¯s doing is bordering on treason. Surely it would be better to have him arrested, or at least warn him of the possibility?¡± asked Salom.

    ¡°And have dear old Qumisson raise a storm about it? No,¡± said Levia as she shook her head. ¡°Whether or not he¡¯s related to the incident, we can use him to draw some fire.¡±

    ¡°¡­As you wish.¡± Salom looked and felt resigned. ¡°While we¡¯re on the subject of a report, might I ask you a question of my own?¡± Levia nodded, and Salom¡¯s eyes seemed to sharpen as he continued. ¡°What is going on in Fairland right now?¡±

    It took Kalden¡¯s new Queen a while, but she had informed them of the new developments. It had been miraculous enough for Niu and the three others to have been safely transported there, but now there was apparently yet another human¡ªand in enemy hands, to boot.

    Even if they didn¡¯t care all that much about one extra citizen, it was still possible that the man possessed some clues. Also, and perhaps more importantly, it would mean that Rumdon¡¯s distant ally would be heading into some sort of conflict.

    ¡°Is this really the time to think about them?¡± mumbled Levia, but relented, ¡°according to the Queen, they are preparing for an operation in enemy lands. Why the sudden question, though? Surely you don¡¯t think it has anything to do with our current predicament.¡±

    ¡°Well, it might have an indirect connection. Err, what I mean by that,¡± he added when he saw Levia¡¯s brow rising, ¡°is that we are both facing various problems from within and without. And in times of need, shouldn¡¯t we seek some new sources of knowledge?¡±

    ¡°¡­Get to the point.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that I would like to talk to them. Which I haven¡¯t done in a long time, you know. Don¡¯t give me that fake look. You know fully well I¡¯m not sentimental enough to deceive you for something like that. I am simply stuck, so I decided to look for new sources of inspiration.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± muttered Levia. One could never know with him, but at least his feelings seemed to indicate the truth. ¡°Very well. You may use the Heavenly Board at your discretion. However, if you don¡¯t achieve any results, I will be very disappointed.¡±

    And possibly dead, she added dully in her heart. No, I have to stop thinking about that all of the time, it doesn¡¯t fit me, she chided herself.

    Mallew still felt quite dazed.

    In the end, while the two guys faced each other menacingly, she ended up being so anxious that she simply ran away with the opening given to her. Perhaps being a popular lady was less romantic and much scarier than she had expected.

    She thought of telling the Professor or the General about what happened, but eventually was too embarrassed to do either. She felt pathetic that she would need their help, anyway. And well, surely both of them had better things to do rather than cover for her.

    Feeling gloomy the next day, she sat in her room¡ªa comfy apartment that her parents had rented for her so that she wouldn¡¯t need to stay at the army¡¯s lodgings, which were full of men¡ªand started preparing for the day ahead. Especially with the weird thoughts swirling around in her head, she knew that it wasn¡¯t going to be a productive day.

    Her depressive thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking coming from her door.

    Who could it be so early in the morning? Mallew wondered as the tottered over to the entrance, peeking through the peephole. And gasped in surprise.

    There was another knock that made Mallew¡¯s heart leap, and she finally turned the lock and opened it, slightly nervous.

    ¡°Err, hello, good morning,¡± she greeted the young man standing there, with an awkward smile.

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Mallew,¡± Revol greeted her back. Sure, it was better than having Callun come to her house, but¡­ why was this man here? ¡°I just¡­¡± he mumbled, scratching his head, ¡°I just wanted to see if you were alright, after yesterday. You know.¡±

    Mallew¡¯s smile eased a bit. It seemed that she wasn¡¯t the only one that found this whole business awkward, and that helped her feel a lot better.

    ¡°Oh, I am perfectly fine, thank you,¡± she said.

    ¡°So he didn¡¯t come to harass you later, or anything like that? Good. We nearly had a fight back there.¡± Revol smiled. ¡°If he gives you any more trouble, you can call me. You see, I¡¯ve been told to keep wat¡ªah.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Forget what I¡¯ve just said,¡± he said, biting his lips and glancing away momentarily. ¡°I am sorry for bothering you, so I will be on my way. Have a good day.¡± He bowed slightly and turned.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Wait,¡± said Mallew.

    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ Sergeant Revol Hydeen, was it?¡± she asked, upon which he nodded stiffly. She tilted her head. ¡°Why does that name sound so familiar to me¡­?¡±

    His face stiffened even further. ¡°You¡¯re Professor Saburn¡¯s disciple, right?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she replied, although confused as to how that was relevant.

    ¡°My brother¡­ was his disciple, too.¡±

    ¡°Your brother? Wait, you mean the boy who¡ª¡°

    Now she remembered. Yes, Saburn once mentioned to her something of the sort¡­ and she recalled that one of the Plainlanders transported to Fairland was a Hydeen as well. She didn¡¯t know the boy, obviously, but she knew of him, being part of the secret communication project. He was currently acting as a soldier just like his brother, if she remembered correctly.

    She clamped a hand over her mouth. She had already said too much. Even if Revol was part of the army and even if he was Genro¡¯s brother, he probably wasn¡¯t yet aware of the truth.

    Revol¡¯s smile hardened and his eyes slightly dropped. ¡°¡­Yes, he was killed during the first wave,¡± he said solemnly.

    That was most definitely not what she was about to blurt. She felt bad, but also felt lucky he didn¡¯t suspect anything about her reaction. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said meekly.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± he replied, although he stopped wearing any sort of smile by now. ¡°It¡¯s been two years already¡­ I just need to work hard to make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±

    From awkwardness to somberness to determination¡ªhaving seen this range of emotions from the young man, Mallew couldn¡¯t help but nod at him. She, too, needed to work hard in her own part. Both would help protect their world in different ways.

    ¡°Let¡¯s both do our best. Don¡¯t hesitate to come to me if anything happens, alright? Have a good day,¡± he said and the two parted.

    Mallew closed the door. Maybe she should have invited him inside for a drink? Well, it was too late anyway. Leaning against the door, she found herself thinking, not even noticing that she was starting to run late.

    Four of her countrymen¡ªno, it was actually five, as it turned out¡ªwere stranded in a foreign, distant land. Since they reached that place, there also had to be a way to get them back, with or without the mysterious dark tentacles. And if there was, it was very likely that Mallew would have to be the one to discover or invent it.

    Gen was supposed to be preparing for the so-called operation, but he currently just sat in his room and held his head in his hands. He obviously couldn¡¯t show himself like that to anyone. Not to Aisbroom, obviously not to Roah, definitely not to the many soldiers that trained together with him, and most of all, not to Niu.

    Niu¡­ there was no doubt that she no longer was the girl he knew. She used to be simple and meek yet filled with a quiet determination and infinite potential. At least that was how seemed. Had he been wrong, then?

    No, he hadn¡¯t. He knew how devastated she¡¯d been after the incident. He knew what efforts she had made, what trials and tribulations she had gone through¡ªso that was why he was so surprised at how different she was now.

    Was it Roah¡¯s fault? Perhaps. Thinking back, their course of action by itself hadn¡¯t been wrong; if not for their plan, no one could tell what Acrus would have done with them in the end. However, new problems started once Niu became Queen. That might have been the first mistake.

    Gen shook his head. He couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on that right now. Even if he didn¡¯t want to go to an all-out war against the Stroba, at least their cause itself was just¡ªhe did want to rescue the other human that was being imprisoned and drugged.

    So he had to take hold of himself. Solving other problems had to wait for later. He needed to gather himself and show a face proper for his position. He couldn¡¯t stay as this broken, self-hating boy.

    But what if there was someone else he could allow seeing him like that?

    There was a sudden knock on the door. ¡°Gen?¡± He startled out of his depressing line of thought, glancing toward the door as he recognized the voice.

    ¡°Shaya¡­? Err, you may enter,¡± he said, although he immediately regretted it. He composed his expression as much as he could while the door opened and she appeared.

    In contrast to Gen¡¯s practical wear, Shaya wore a long, elegant skirt and her hair was tied to a ponytail. Thinking about it, he hadn¡¯t seen her all day¡­ although it felt much longer than that.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Her brows were wrought in worry. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the¡­ operation. I guessed you wouldn¡¯t like it,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, then found something strange. ¡°Wait, how¡¯d you hear this so quickly?¡± The meeting was less than an hour ago. Did news of it spread so far in such short a time? Or was Shaya eavesdropping them, perhaps? No, but then she would¡¯ve come straight to him, right?

    ¡°Oh, Rinda told me,¡± she said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Rinda¡­?¡± Gen mumbled in response. It was an unfamiliar name.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know them? They trained with you a couple of times. They¡¯re a sergeant, I think. We speak from time to time, and they asked me if I¡¯m going to participate, too.¡±

    Gen frowned. The name still told him nothing; he still had a hard time differentiating between most fairies, let alone remembering their names. What he found more surprising, however, was the fact that Shaya had a friend he didn¡¯t know about.

    What was this strange feeling, anyway? Yes, back in Plainland she didn¡¯t have many friends, but since then she changed plenty. He shouldn¡¯t feel bothered by that, but he was¡­

    ¡°Err.¡± He realized his thoughts had been drifting away while Shaya was waiting for a reply. ¡°I don¡¯t think they shoulda told you, it wasn¡¯t really their place to¡­ no, never mind. I guess you¡¯d better know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because I¡­¡± she stopped for a second. He raised a brow before she took a deep breath and continued, ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    She wet her lips. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± she repeated, more resolutely this time.

    ¡°You¡¯re coming with¡­ with me? With us? To the assault?¡± Gen could barely register what she was telling him in the current state of his mind. It took him way too many moments to realize her intention. ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± she repeated for the third time.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous,¡± he said.

    ¡°Gen. Do you remember our last talk about this?¡± she asked, arms folded and her eyes slightly sparkling. ¡°I already told you. I don¡¯t want you to shoulder all this danger by yourselves¡ªno, let me speak,¡± she added with a raised finger when she saw him open his mouth to retort. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing a lot of thinking. And even some training, too. Rinda helped me. Please, Gen. I want to share the burden. I need to.¡±

    Gen was speechless. He didn¡¯t know what to do. His first instinct was of course to reject her. To say that she needed to stay behind where she would be safe.

    On the other hand, he knew that she found it annoying. Maybe even insulting. Two different emotions were in conflict inside him. He gripped the sheets of his bed tightly as he grimaced in thought.

    ¡°¡­Why do you want to do it?¡± he finally managed to blurt out.

    Shaya frowned. ¡°Because I want to do something. I want to be useful, and I want to use my s-skills for some good cause. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± she asked. ¡°I was¡­ born with these powers. For better or worse.¡± Her expression looked pained.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean you have to fight, though.¡±

    ¡°But I can,¡± she stressed.

    He found himself smiling. ¡°You¡¯re really serious about this, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Gen had never seen her be so adamant about something. That was good, perhaps, but it was also scary. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her only because he agreed to her determination.

    On the other hand, she would never forgive him if something happened to him because he didn¡¯t. Finally, he took a deep, long sigh.

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s no stopping you,¡± he said. ¡°However, there¡¯s one condition.¡±

    ¡°A condition¡­?¡± Shaya was puzzled.

    Something cut through the air, followed by a dull clap. It all ended within a moment.

    Without giving any preliminary signs in the least, Gen used his ¡°other arm¡± to form a fist and launched it at Shaya¡¯s side. Not as fast as he could have, but still quite fast. The moment she noticed this, she instantly channeled at the direction of the attack. Perhaps even instinctively.

    Invisible force clashed with invisible force.

    Both boy and girl seemed equally surprised¡ªShaya at being attacked like that, and Gen at her perfectly she¡¯d repelled that. Of course, he hadn¡¯t intended to hurt her; he wanted to stop his blow right before hitting her just so he could see her reaction. Something quite Aisbroom-ish, perhaps.

    Even so, Shaya still shrieked and flinched back, so Gen felt bad.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± he blurted. He felt like a total jerk, but after recovering from the initial shock, Shaya actually smiled.

    ¡°I guess I should have expected something like that.¡± She sighed and approached the bed again, this time sitting next to Gen. ¡°Does that satisfy you?¡±

    Why was it that having Shaya sit next to him like that caused his heart to race? After everything they¡¯ve gone through together, it shouldn¡¯t have felt so embarrassing anymore.

    ¡°If you¡¯re both determined and strong enough¡­ then I have no right to stop you.¡±

    She breathed a half-giggle. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    However, he turned a very serious expression toward her. ¡°You know why we¡¯re doing this, right?¡± he suddenly asked.

    ¡°Y-you mean the operation?¡± she slightly stammered. ¡°It¡¯s to save the captive, right?¡±

    Gen nodded, satisfied. As long as she understood that, everything was fine. ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s not to fight or conquer the Stroba or anything like that. We need to always¡­ remember that.¡± Otherwise, this battle wouldn¡¯t have any meaning. Otherwise, he¡¯d be dancing on smug Roah¡¯s palms. Gen jerked up, rising from the bed. ¡°Now come with me.¡±

    Shaya tilted her head in surprise. ¡°Where to?¡±

    ¡°To the training grounds, of course,¡± he told her with a smile. ¡°We need to work on our teamwork. We¡¯re doing this together, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes!¡±

    For Linza, night was the only time she ever felt truly free. Of course, she was trained to move in darkness, silently and stealthily, to accomplish her missions¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t why. It was much more than that. Under the moonlight and starlight, she somehow felt lighter. Everything somehow worked smoother for her, like that.

    She was surprised, therefore, to find out that the nights in Copius felt especially liberating.

    Spinning a small ball made of cloth attached to a string, she focused on the faint icons formed in the air by the rapid movements of the pattern on the ball. She had to be patient to get it just right, especially in the dark. But it was made for this purpose.

    Finally the moment came. She channeled weight and let go of the string.

    Linza¡¯s petite body was thrown through the night air noiselessly. It was pulled along by the launched ball, the end of its string attached to her waist, allowing her to clear a huge distance with a single leap. She climbed up the mountain yet again.

    The principle was not too hard in theory, but it took some years to put into practice until her usage of the weight channel reached its current mastery. While throwing the ball, she embedded her body mass inside it so that she became as light as a feather, basically throwing herself over large distances.

    Of course, if she activated this ability too early or too late it could end in disaster. The shift in mass did not hold for long and it could easily ruin the ball¡¯s planned trajectory, but Linza already did it almost instinctually, not even worrying about all those delicate calculations.

    Anyway, after a few nights of trying this, she finally managed to find the optimal route to reach the castle. Guards weren¡¯t an issue because it would be too hard both for them and for any potential intruders to scale the area around, so they never patrolled there. Civilians weren¡¯t looking there, either.

    Walking carefully alongside the wall¡ªit was a rather craggy and unstable area¡ªshe finally reached a position from where she could see a certain window. This part didn¡¯t even require usage of her ability; she simply climbed a few errant bricks and chips in the wall, reaching the windowsill easily.

    She silently hung there for a while, listening carefully. After confirming there was no presence nearby, she slowly clambered up the window and inside.

    Linza¡¯s scouting and other information gathering now allowed her to know more or less the schedule and route of the patrolling guards. She was also wearing very light clothes and shoes that, aside from aiding in the usage of her abilities, also allowed her to move silently.

    Even while sneaking in this dangerous environment where she¡¯d likely be killed on the spot if discovered, Linza couldn¡¯t help but feel as comfortable and easy as if she was taking a nice stroll. The castle was very nicely built. She would have liked to live there, if she could.

    Nights weren¡¯t too cold despite the city being located on a mountain. And they were silent there¡­ perhaps it was due to it being tense times, but back home they were always rowdy and active even after dark. Yes, Rumdon was very different from Lastia indeed.

    Drifting through the corridors like some dark ghost, she finally reached her destination. Just like how the soldiers wouldn¡¯t patrol the outside wall, they also had almost no presence near the kitchen and pantry. Linza already knew that most forces were concentrated around the gates, the entrance to the castle and the royal bedchambers.

    Linza opened the door carefully. It was well-oiled, so there were no issues of sound. It was finally time to do her job as an assassin.

    ¡°It has been a long time, Professor,¡± Roah greeted.

    He stood at the top floor of Armonia, inside the top-secret room containing the Tablet of Light that allowed long-distance communication. During the last talks, Niu had been requested to allow for this particular conversation, and she relented.

    ¡°It really has. I will not ask you how things are over there, because I am sure your circumstances are at least as complicated as ours,¡± Salom responded through the Tablet, his voice sounding tired but focused. ¡°Instead, I will broach the main topic. How would you have gone about killing the Queen?¡±

    ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± Roah couldn¡¯t help but be perplexed and astonished at Salom¡¯s sudden question.

    Roah almost felt like he could hear a sigh from the other side, although it hadn¡¯t been transmitted. ¡°We fear a plot. I will explain it to you in brief,¡± said Salom. He told Roah all about the assassinated lord and the tensions at the border, as well as the current findings of his investigation. A lot more information than Roah had expected, actually.

    ¡°Are you sure you should be telling me about all this? And what do you want me to do, exactly?¡± Roah broadcasted back.

    ¡°I want your thinking. That¡¯s all.¡±

    My thinking, huh? Roah thought. Did Salom realize what kind of twisted thinking he was asking him for? He probably did. He already knew all about Roah¡¯s plan two years ago that got Niu on the throne.

    That was a bloodless revolution, though. Given how haughty and lenient Acrus had been, killing them would have been easier, but that would not apply to Queen Levia-O if Salom was on her side.

    ¡°Killing the Lord is probably a diversion,¡± Roah finally concluded. ¡°They might be trying to gauge your response or confuse you.¡±

    ¡°We have considered this already. What would be the next step, though?¡±

    Roah kept turning it in his mind. ¡°An attack from an unexpected angle, then. If you¡¯re expecting them to come from the back door, they would strut in from the front gate. Something bold and dangerous. For example, sending an assassin to launch a suicidal attack during an important meeting¡­ no, but guards could probably put a stop to that. Then how about making someone close to the Queen kill her? For example¡ªblackmailing you into action.¡±

    Roah never thought of himself as smart¡ªin fact, he knew he was reckless and had mostly crazy ideas. He was both like and unlike the scientifically-oriented Salom. This meant that most of his plans would never realistically work, but it didn¡¯t mean that none of them would work. Of course, he doubted that the mind planning the Queen¡¯s demise was as deranged as his, but he merely did what Salom asked him to.

    There was a short silence as Salom seemed to process this information.

    ¡°¡­No, that would not work,¡± said Salom in a tone of voice that sounded as if he¡¯d been considering many things that he wasn¡¯t going to share.

    Roah shrugged, and then smiled at realizing it was a stupid gesture when talking like this. He wasn¡¯t use to this. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll have to keep thinking about it. Not really something that I can scheme in a moment¡­ but keep what I¡¯ve said in mind.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± said Salom¡¯s tired voice. ¡°One final thing, then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Professor?¡±

    Salom paused for just a moment. ¡°Whatever it is you are trying to do over there, don¡¯t drag Niu down with you. Have a good evening.¡±

    Roah narrowed his eyes. There were a few guards in the room, but all of them were laborers. Not that it really mattered; perhaps Seele and Niu were the only people to not regard him with some suspicion. Still, he wondered what Salom was trying to insinuate with that claim. It was quite rude of him, to be honest.

    In the end he simply sighed. There was nothing to worry about right now. Rather than that, he had to go handle the preparations for the attack. He wouldn¡¯t be personally participating in it, obviously, but was still one of the people in charge of the plan.

    And, of course, remaining behind would lend him an opportunity to do something that people like Aisbroom shouldn¡¯t know about. It was finally time for Acrus to meet their child.

    Swen was determined to keep the Queen safe, no matter what it took.

    As shocked as he was after Lord Shammings¡¯ death, he knew fully well that something was wrong. Queen Levia-O didn¡¯t even have to ask him to keep watch. He was in charge of protecting her life in a slightly different way than the many armored guards patrolling the castle at all times.

    In a sense, the Lord Chamberlain could be said to control the Queen¡¯s life. Not that he would ever think of it that way.

    Even so, he felt so powerless. He knew that the Queen asked Saburn to investigate things for her, and yet the wretched man didn¡¯t seem to make any progress whatsoever. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be smart? How dare he come back after all these years he played at school without producing any result?

    If he couldn¡¯t trust Saburn to protect Her Majesty, then perhaps Swen himself needed to take action as well. For now, however, he decided to focus on protecting her. Danger could be lurking anywhere.

    Since Shammings had been poisoned, Swen obviously took special notice of the kitchen. Each and every material brought into the castle was inspected and an inventory was held every day. It was a tiring but necessary work. Herbs, especially, were not allowed at all; luckily the Queen was not too much of a tea person.

    Sometimes he would even personally stand guard over the food making process itself, hopeful that his watchful eyes would deter or detect any wrongdoing. He could tell his presence there pressured the staff, who were not used to it, but drastic times called for drastic measures. He decided in his heart that he would somehow make it up to them later.

    Finally, the food was obviously not carried directly to the Queen, but first went through several food tasters. This arduous process meant that Levia would have to wait for a quite a while every time she wanted to eat, but she dully accepted it when Swen had explained it to her.

    He was proud to be doing his duty¡ªand keeping his promise from all those years ago.

    Things were going smoothly and he expected no change this morning, either, but he was wrong. He was currently watching today¡¯s food tasters sampling the Queen¡¯s breakfast in a small room¡ªthey obviously wouldn¡¯t be dining anywhere near Levia herself¡ªwhen there was an incident.

    It happened just as one of them finished eating a rather light salad.

    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s something a bit odd¡­ this taste is,¡± the taster man mumbled, putting a hand on his throat. Watching the man¡¯s face grow pale, Swen furrowed his brows.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± groaned another taster, nearly falling from his chair, foaming at the mouth.

    Swen¡¯s mouth hung open at this development and he felt the blood draining from his face. It seemed impossible, but what he feared did happen. It took a few moments for his mouth to catch up with his mind.

    ¡°S-someone call a doctor! They¡¯ve been poisoned!!!¡±

    While the distant Fairland prepared for a grand battle, the capital of Copius was getting ready for a small battle of its own: facing off against an assassin aiming at the Queen¡¯s life.

    I do not know a lot.

    Most of the words that come out of my mouth are difficult for me. Some are completely unknown, even.

    However, I have the feeling that I know something else: emotions.

    They are somewhat like colors. Well, I do not actually see color, but I can see hues. In the world made of ¡°black¡± and ¡°white¡±, everything around me is firmly ¡°grey¡±.

    So I call tell. I can tell all the difficulties they are going through. I can tell when they are happy and when they are hurting. I feel that along with them.

    I cannot do much. However, if I support them even if only a little¡­ then perhaps I will feel the grey hue they call ¡°happiness¡±.

 Chapter 8: Golden Maiden

    There was obviously no way for Kalden to launch a surprise attack on the Stroba. Even splitting their forces would do them no good. Although the Stroba had been banished from Kalden generations ago, they still took control of quite the vast area, smaller as it was.

    However, this didn¡¯t mean that their attack had to be straightforward from the get-go. Their strategy would still probably catch the enemies at least in partial surprise and allow them to get a head start.

    Many units were walking through dark, musty tunnels.

    I really hope it¡¯s going to work, thought Shaya to herself, trying to steel herself for the upcoming battle. She, Gen and many other fairies and some laborers were also going through one such tunnel. She found herself glancing at Gen from time to time, finding to her relief that he looked almost as tense as she was.

    There was a time when she fought for the first time, in tunnels exactly like these ones, when she decided to cast away her shackles and freely used her powers, a fact that still shocked her to this day, thinking back on it. However, it was a completely different situation. Back then, she had attacked small groups by surprise, and quickly exhausted herself.

    This, however, was going to be an actual battle. War. It didn¡¯t feel real at all.

    She was even wearing practical and sturdy clothes meant for battle and tied her hair into a tight bundle. This was¡­ most unusual for her. She¡¯d actually never worn pants before, and she could tell that even Gen was surprised at seeing her like this.

    Gen¡­ she felt much more assured when she was together with him, even if they couldn¡¯t currently talk. They were sharing this nervousness, this burden, and this fight. At first Aisbroom suggested for them to split, but Gen insisted that he needed her by his side. She knew he just wanted to be able to protect her if push came to shove, but that still made her incredibly happy. They trained so much for this day. Shaya was no fighter, not in the least, either physically or mentally, but she made up for it with her skills. At least she hoped so. Gen had told her that he was going to cover whatever she lacked. That they should be an invincible combo.

    Anyway, their plan boiled down to two distinct avenues of attacks. One would be a head-on assault against Marmony, the underground dwelling of the Stroba, handled from the surface above. Led by Aisbroom, those forces would announce their presence and incite the Stroba to defend and intercept them.

    The real brunt of the attack, however, would come from the underground.

    Many of the tunnels leading from the area and inside Kalden were already sealed or destroyed, but many had been kept intact, even after overthrowing Acrus. They were obviously guarded from Marmony¡¯s side, but it didn¡¯t seem like the Stroba were planning any new assaults in recent times.

    This made them, therefore, a tool that the Stroba would likely not anticipate their enemies using. While their attention would be focused on the primary forces above, the secondary forces would strike at them from within. They would use the Stroba¡¯s own strategy against them.

    Shaya wasn¡¯t sure who came up with this plan¡ªRoah? Aisbroom? Well, she only knew these two, so it could have been any of the other generals¡ªbut it sounded pretty good to her, admittedly inexperienced as she was. As long as it allowed them to quickly attack, find the human and get away, they had no real need to fight any further. They would probably still have to fight many Stroba on the way to do so, though.

    ¡°We are almost, there,¡± announced GiP, a slick laborer that Shaya heard had been chosen mostly due to its abilities of navigation. It walked at the front all this time, leading them through the maze of tunnels and darkness.

    Shaya¡¯s heart started hammering even harder. She then heard a whisper from nearby.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Whether to pump himself, her or the entire group, he said this softly and then clenched his fist. He didn¡¯t look at her, but she nodded at his words.

    Shaya was about to face her first real battle, and she was plenty anxious and on edge, but for some reason, she didn¡¯t really feel scared, oddly enough. She couldn¡¯t fully trust Niu¡¯s rule or Roah¡¯s plans, but as long as Gen was by her side, she had nothing to be afraid of.

    Shaya spent most of her life alone. That is, her family never really supported her.

    The Wolsters had run away from Sacrona and went all the way to the other side of Rumdon, although that was quite some time before she was born. Mother had brought with her enough money to start a new life and settled down in the small town of Hayden where she finally had Shaya.

    Being the youngest child out of four by a large margin, Shaya was always measured up against extremely strict standards. She would be compared to and contrasted against not just her siblings, but even her parents, to say nothing of other people in town. However, it was obvious she failed her family right from the very beginning. She turned out to be clumsy, not pretty, inelegant, and, worst of all¡­ she could channel.

    At first it wasn¡¯t quite noticeable, but the older Shaya grew, the better her control of it had been¡ªand the easier it was noticed by her family. Mother, especially, lashed out at her, both verbally and physically; although she came from a country that revered those with such abilities, or perhaps because of it, she would have none of it in her house.

    This led to a lot of pain for Shaya, growing up. Because of this, she repressed her abilities, ignored the voices that whispered for her to use them, and ended up more introverted as a result.

    Not to mention that the first time she really interacted with children her age came only when the school was opened up. Although until now having forbidden Shaya to interact with the town¡¯s ¡°riffraff brats¡± and ¡°uncultured Edgers¡±, Mother surprisingly viewed it as a great opportunity: Shaya could perhaps finally find something she was able to do and stop being so useless. It was something that her siblings hadn¡¯t had the chance to try in their time. Even Shaya found herself strangely optimistic.

    However, since her nature didn¡¯t change, only her environment, she ended up staying alone as always¡­ no, that was wrong. Sure, it had started this way and even Shaya despaired about it, but she soon found a new friend. A mute girl called Niu.

    Although the two girls came from completely different backgrounds, although Niu was much more skilled than her in schoolwork and pretty much anything she tried despite being so new to all of this, the two of them were still also very similar.

    Both lacked self-confidence. Both were lonely. Both were shunned by their surroundings, and both were different. They naturally became friends.

    School wasn¡¯t so bad. She still wasn¡¯t living up to the standards of her family, or rather Mother¡¯s standards, but even so she did relatively well and had plenty of fun.

    Some subjects were interesting and others less. Most of it she couldn¡¯t see helping her life in any way, but still found it had some value. She only had one close friend, but even that was much more than she had before.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just Niu. Enrolling in school also helped her find yet another new connection and a new experience¡ªnamely, her first love.

    Shaya knew it was nothing more than a crush and that nothing would come out of it, but so what? Even something so normal and plain was new for her. She never before knew the feeling of her heart fluttering like this. She was glad to have this opportunity, no matter what would come out of it. So she wanted to believe.

    Also, there wasn¡¯t even any deep reason behind it: yes, Gen was nice, but he was nice to everyone. Meaning, that for him, Shaya was just the same as everyone else. Well, he had good looks, but that was another shallow reason. She cherished those feelings, but realized they would remain as mere feelings.

    On the other hand, she knew he had a special relationship with Niu. Shaya had obviously learned a lot about the other girl since they became fast friends. That also included the details about how she ended up being invited to school in the first place.

    A fateful meeting in the forest that led to a great change¡­ Shaya had heard many stories of the sort.

    When she was very young and hadn¡¯t yet been so clumsy or cursed or useless, even Mother used to tell her of such things. There were some even in Niu¡¯s book of fairy tales that she loved so much. And so, Shaya was convinced that the two of them were made for each other. A prince and a princess. That was their fate.

    It felt bitter and sad, but she wished for both of them to be happy, and so she subtly tried encouraging them to get together. Not that she really managed anything substantial; she clearly lacked the confidence and the skills needed to be a matchmaker.

    Actually, one time, Mother had asked her about ¡°the Hydeen boy¡± in her class, mentioning that he could be a good match for her while trying to sound casual about it. What she meant, of course, was that having such a match could benefit the Wolsters socially and economically. Never mind not wanting to play along with Mother¡¯s plans, Shaya knew that she had no chance in the first place. She just mumbled something in response, ignoring the way Mother shook her head.

    Why would she force herself on someone as nice as Gen? Niu was much more worthy of him, anyway. No matter how much Shaya suffered, it couldn¡¯t hold a candle when compared to the other girl. Niu deserved it much more.

    Yes, Niu really was just like the main character of a fairytale, with her patched clothing and gaunt appearance. Having suffered greatly in life thus far, she was finally going to take definite steps toward her happy ending. Shaya had no doubts about that. Niu was even blessed with the power to channel while Shaya was cursed with it.

    Thinking like this, Shaya kept spending her days in introversion, knowing that she would never find her place. Even so, since there were some changes, small as they were, she was still optimistic. Perhaps, if she persisted long enough, a happy ending would come for her as well, one day.

    And then came another huge change to her life. It was the day of Gen¡¯s horrible accident.

    ¡°So it¡¯s really happening,¡± mumbled Monan, shuddering as the messenger that came to their small room left and they closed the door behind them. They tried to suppress the panic welling up inside them.

    It was hard to imagine, with them being in their safe chambers as usual. The room was completely silent and in a deep area, but it was possible that enemies could reach there at any moment. This had never happened before, at least not in Monan¡¯s life.

    Since they couldn¡¯t hear or see anything, it felt like the fighting was happening in another world. It didn¡¯t feel real, but they knew that it was.

    The Stroba all knew this attack was only a matter of time. It was an unavoidable fact that they would never be able to reconcile their differences and that everything would end in bloodshed. That also meant that they were ready for it, though. If Kalden attacked, they were going to fight under the Stroba¡¯s terms, and that gave them an advantage.

    Even so Monan wished that there would be no need for that. For they knew that one way or another, they were going to lose Zade, if not their life. They turned toward him with a shaking lip.

    ¡°¡­ So they¡¯re here?¡± Zade asked them in a tired and surprisingly calm voice.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Monan replied, feeling their heart beat wildly. ¡°But we don¡¯t have anything to fear yet. We¡¯ll beat them¡­¡± I hope. I have to.

    ¡°Do you really believe that¡­?¡±

    Monan¡¯s face twitched and then they grimaced. ¡°No, I don''t.¡± Despite telling themselves otherwise, they readily but bitterly admitted this. It took everything for Monan to stop themselves from crying. They were desperate. They couldn¡¯t see even a single thread of hope. They felt dizzy.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± said Zade as he approached, his voice a bit scratchy. ¡°As long as the two of us stay together, I don¡¯t mind even dying¡­¡±

    Monan froze as the man embraced them, shocked. They couldn¡¯t believe their eyes and ears. They felt happy, sad, guilty and pleased at the same time. Did they deserve all this?

    ¡°I don¡¯t want them to take me,¡± Zade softly whispered in Monan¡¯s ears. ¡°I¡¯m so scared¡­ Monan.¡±

    Hearing his last words, Monan¡¯s eyes widened and they felt an overwhelming chill¡ªa sensation caused mostly from shock, but also from the metallic object now touching their neck. Zade¡¯s strong arm also clamped down on Monan¡¯s dainty shoulder.

    ¡°W¡­what do you¡­ how¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been lying to me,¡± Zade hissed coldly.

    Monan nearly fell to panic for a different reason than before. They were being gripped tightly and with a knife pressed against them, so it was hard to think. ¡°I-I, I¡­¡± What just happened? They made sure he was drinking his potion regularly. How could he have noticed? ¡°I-I didn¡¯t w-want to¡ª¡°

    ¡°Liar,¡± Zade hissed. ¡°I¡­ I thought you were¡­¡± but then he stopped, gritting his teeth. Monan knew what he was trying to say, and it hurt them. ¡°You will get me out of here.¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°Get me out of here,¡± Zade repeated, pressing the body of the knife just slightly harder. Monan didn¡¯t think it pierced their skin, but it was still scary.

    Monan started shedding tears. Was this not the worst possible timing? It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen like this. It wasn¡¯t, but even so, his request itself was not impossible. In fact¡­

    ¡°¡­You just want to leave this place?¡± they asked.

    ¡°Yes. As far away as possible. I can¡¯t trust you, but it looks like I can¡¯t trust other people, either.¡±

    That didn¡¯t leave them much of a choice. However, it wasn¡¯t something that Monan had neglected to think about.

    ¡°My love¡­¡±

    ¡°Don''t call me THAT!¡± he spat, his hand shaking so hard that Monan thought for sure they were about to get stabbed. They could feel that Zade¡¯s rage, this time, was something much more dangerous, and much more personal than it normally was. They really blew it up.

    Body shaking all over and their mouth going dry, Monan continued. ¡°W-we will escape. I h-have been preparing for it in the first place.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°I, I wanted to do it anyway,¡± Monan asserted, closing their eyes as more tears streaked down their cheeks. ¡°When the fighting was going to start, I wanted to take you and run away, just the two of us.¡±

    The plan of attack seemed to be a success, because upon finally encroaching on what they thought to be a part of Stroban territory, the guards stationed there were definitely unprepared for the attack. Most were easily dispatched before they could even raise the alarm.

    The surprise attack was accomplished, but that was the easy part.

    ¡°Find the faerie!¡± Gen shouted to the other soldiers as they began splitting up, brandishing their weapons. He glanced at them worriedly only for a second; he didn¡¯t know most of them by names and this this was their first time actually fighting together. He could only hope for the best, but it was almost sure that not all of them would survive this ordeal. This pained him.

    Meanwhile, he of course kept Shaya close to him. Or maybe it was the other way, rather.

    Using his invisible appendage, Gen gripped a nearby enemy soldier, smacked them against the wall and held them tightly.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the faerie?¡± he asked the captured enemy as they gritted their teeth and groaned in pain. Upon receiving no answer, he simply threw them aside so hard they didn¡¯t get up. Gen still struggled with the idea of killing enemies, so he opted to simply neutralize them and not think about it too much, unless there was no other choice.

    As he turned around to fight others, the already dark cavern was suddenly filled with thick, white smoke. It was a tool of the Stroba that he already knew about, having encountered it two years prior.

    This also meant that they were ready for it.

    ¡°Gen!¡± he heard Shaya shout and a blast of wind instantly cleared the smoke. She used the channel of air in a wide radius, just like they trained for. That action also revealed a Stroba attacker that was trying to use the smokescreen to attack him. Gen promptly neutralized them as well.

    ¡°Thanks!¡± he called back, whipping his invisible arm to fend off a fairy sneaking from behind Shaya. Now he returned the favor, and smiled at her.

    ¡°¡­We¡¯re not going to get them to spill anything, huh?¡± mumbled Shaya as she ran off next to him.

    ¡°We¡¯ll probably have to find him on our own,¡± Gen agreed. ¡°Well, at least we know the general area. That¡¯s still something.¡±

    They hadn¡¯t gone on this mission completely blind, of course. Kalden had done some spy work¡ªalthough not too much, since the Stroba had extraordinary ways to determine traitors using their concoctions¡ªso they generally knew Marmony¡¯s structure, both geographically and socially. Adding to that, the captive Strobans that came to Kalden from Somalir had also provided some intel, including the approximate location of the prisoner.

    This thought led to a small prick of pain, as one of those captives had been sent back here¡ªand Gen could only hope that they weren¡¯t killed or tortured for that. He had no way to know, unfortunately, and he likely couldn¡¯t do anything for them.

    At the center of Marmony was an area called the Mushroom Chambers. It housed the most important of the Stroba, including their Ruler, so it seemed obvious that they would also keep the human there.

    Obviously, reaching the very heart of Marmony would be no easy matter, but they came fully prepared for that, too.

    ¡°Look, it''s the Blue Corridor,¡± pointed Gen, glancing at a certain passage. They knew that Marmony was divided to several sectors, one of which had the distinguishing characteristic of most of it being planted with luminescent mushrooms emitting blue light, hence the name. Of course, they were only interested in it because the Blue Corridor was one of the sectors directly connected to the Mushroom Chambers.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Shaya and they rushed ahead while still repelling and defeating enemies from all around. Many fairies seemed to shout and run away from them or hide¡ªthese were probably noncombatants and normal civilians, so they didn¡¯t bother with them.

    They continued running for a while, but upon stepping onto a certain patch of ground, the earth below them suddenly crumbled and vanished. The center of the passage was a large hole, and so dark its bottom couldn¡¯t be seen in the blue light around.

    ¡°Crap!¡± swore Gen as he hurriedly activated his ability in a split second. His invisible hand split into dozens of ¡°threads¡±, some stabbing into the walls around and others tied to Shaya and other fairies he could find.

    They apparently fell into a trap, and Gen was unfortunately unable to save all of them. Still, he was thankful for his intense training with Aisbroom that allowed him to do such things; otherwise, he¡¯d still be stuck with just pure force in the shape of an arm. Strong, but not much else.

    ¡°Are you fine¡­?¡± he asked Shaya.

    ¡°Yeah, but we need to get out of here!¡± she exclaimed, hanging over the edge while being held by invisible force that Gen knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold like this for long.

    Another problem was that several Strobans gathered around the edges, holding bows and spears. They needed to act, and fast.

    ¡°¡­Shaya, let¡¯s do this together!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± For some reason, her voice sounded a bit too happy for the occasion.

    Once the fighting started, Moanin was escorted into a deep, deep underground chamber preserved for the sole usage of the Ruler. As for their generals and other important people governing Marmony¡­ to be frank, Moanin did not care in the least.

    They had feared this moment.

    As of now, the Stroba had no way to win against a direct assault by Kalden. There were a few forces on standby to try and take control of the Demon near Somalir, but that was probably doomed to fail as well. The plan of simply handing their precious faerie to Kalden was also unthinkable.

    The only remaining path, then, was to simply make sure Kalden couldn¡¯t get the faerie and inflict as much damage as possible, hoping to cause a stalemate.

    Moanin had no doubt that this was going to be the worst day in Stroban history. Possibly even worse than the time they were exiled from Kalden all these hundreds of years ago. Acrus had left them alone for their own reasons, but now the new monarch was different.

    This was most definitely an important turning point.

    After waiting for a while, a lone soldier came to report to them. ¡°Kalden¡¯s also attacking from below¡­ they¡¯ve used our own tunnels to infiltrate Marmony!¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Moanin¡¯s eyes widened with shock. They were sure that Kalden had long since destroyed all the tunnels; foolish, in retrospect. Using the Stroba¡¯s own weapon against them really was an effective strategy. Moanin was too used to Acrus¡¯s ways of doing things. A careless mistake indeed, indicating to them that they were perhaps behind the times.

    However, there were still many ways to take advantage of that. ¡°Use the nerve bombs,¡± Moanin finally ordered, their smile wide.

    The soldier didn¡¯t seem surprised or shocked by this extreme measure; this was a tactic specifically prepared to be used once an enemy army invaded Marmony. It simply happened earlier than expected.

    ¡°Understood, Ruler,¡± they simply said and ran away. That should slow and wear down the enemies enough. Moanin could only hope that it was not too late.

    The fighting continued without pause. Moanin relayed further orders and strategies even from within their shelter through messengers running across all shelters to the various generals and other people of Moanin¡¯s court.

    However, they knew that even all of this wasn¡¯t quite enough. Tense moments kept passing as Moanin wracked their brains, trying to think of some solution that would allow them to both get back at Kalden and save their own clan¡ªbut such a way did not exist.

    They already knew this for a long, long time.

    It was time to admit that this was the end of the Stroba, one way or another. And it was time to think of how to move forward as well. Moanin knew that history would not remember them fondly, but they were prepared for that as well.

    Another soldier started heading down the ladder. Moanin tensed; even with the constant flow of messengers, they were always scared that perhaps this time, the enemy already reached them¡­

    Unlikely, considering the lack of stealth, and even if they had, Moanin had nothing to do but accept their own fate. After trying a few tricks, anyhow.

    ¡°Why does the flower wilt?¡± the Ruler said.

    ¡°Because of Kalden¡¯s guilt,¡± the soldier mumbled in response. It was simply a code used as a precaution. Now Moanin fully relaxed. ¡°Ruler, Monan is preparing for evacuation.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Already?¡±

    The messenger nodded.

    A surprising initiative, coming from them. Moanin thought that Monan would wait for direct orders and stay put, but perhaps they too were scared¡ªor they had other plans. Moanin had suspected, or at least imagined, as such. Their very own lovely flower was perhaps finally starting to bloom.

    That was not the right time to feel proud, however. That could come later, if they all lived through this.

    Moanin¡¯s eyes narrowed and their smile widened to a frightening degree. ¡°Convey a message for team windflower. They are to leave everything and tail Monan. Tell them that I leave them to their own judgment.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Ruler,¡± the messenger exclaimed and ran off.

    With fighting both above and below, the evacuation might not proceed as smoothly as expected, though Moanin was quite confident in that plan. Now the question remained¡ªshould Monan and the faerie be allowed to escape, or killed?

    Shaya only heard about everything that happened on the following day in class. It was quite the understatement to say that she was shocked. When the teacher spoke so grimly and nearly in tears about Gen¡¯s injury, Shaya felt something inside her crack and break. Almost as if she lost one of her arms as well.

    Many different thoughts passed through her mind at that moment.

    Thank the Gods he¡¯s alright. Did that really happen? It doesn¡¯t sound real. But his arm¡­ oh Gods. How could something like that happen? This is horrible. I can¡¯t even imagine it. Oh Gods, will he be alright? How is he going to¡­? Oh, Gods.

    And then there was also that bone-chilling moment where she realized that all of this might have been her own fault.

    After all, she was the one who suggested Niu to go with him, trying to get them even closer. She wished for their happiness, and she wanted to support them. However, this horrible, horrible situation wouldn¡¯t have happened otherwise.

    A certain disgusting part of Shaya also wanted to blame Niu, but her mind knew that the other girl wasn¡¯t at fault there. She herself was just as shocked and hurt. It once again came back to Shaya herself indirectly causing this event.

    What was she going to do? How could she ever make up for it? She found herself crying in class. Many others did the same, so she didn¡¯t really stand out.

    She spent the rest of day in such a daze that she barely talked even to Niu¡ªthen again, the other girl looked to be shocked in the exact same way, if not more. Finally, the long, long school day was over, and Shaya practically ran away.

    Her destination was obviously the physician¡¯s clinic, where Gen was currently hospitalized. If not for feeling so dazed perhaps she would have even ditched school to do this. She¡¯d never been there, but she knew the way. When she entered it, she found a young man inside. For just an instant she thought he was Gen, but he was obviously too tall and old for that.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted her, ¡°are you possibly¡­ here for my brother, girl?¡±

    Oh, right. Shaya did know that Gen had two brothers¡ªso that was one of them. She¡¯d never met them before. His family would obviously be with him there; she hadn¡¯t considered this at all.

    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± she replied very weakly.

    The man smiled sadly. ¡°Well, I think Gen¡¯s a bit tired now, so you should¡ª¡°

    A slightly muffled sound came from nearby. ¡°No, let her in,¡± it said. Shaya¡¯s gaze was drawn to the nearby door. It was probably where Gen was currently being treated.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ but if we let in too many of your friends¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on.¡±

    Gen¡¯s brother sighed. ¡°Well, looks like he really wants you.¡±

    She could of course understand what he meant by this, but for a moment that phrasing made her heart race. She gingerly made her way to the door, opened it gently and entered.

    Gen opened his mouth and his eyes slightly widened. ¡°Ah, hi Shaya.¡± He seemed somewhat surprised, and she soon figured out why; she actually wasn¡¯t the visitor he was expecting. Despite realizing this, she still smiled at him.

    ¡°How are you¡­¡± she started but then stopped, ¡°no, that¡¯s a stupid question.¡±

    Only then did her gaze went to his arm¡ªand she nearly screamed right there. It was gone. It was completely gone. She already knew that he suffered a grievous injury, but that wasn¡¯t quite¡­ what she imagined.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Gen mumbled in response with a weak smile. Whether or not he noticed her gaze, he said nothing about it and so Shaya decided to do so as well. What mattered the most was that Gen was alive. Nothing else was as important.

    The rest of her visit lasted only a few minutes before Gen looked to be in pain and was clearly too embarrassed to say anything about it, so Shaya bowed out. They didn¡¯t really speak much; most of that time was spent in awkward silence and some polite small talk.

    Even so, Shaya felt better about everything. At the same time, she also felt unbearable pain.

    As time passed, she had to stop herself from visiting Gen every day during his hospitalization. She didn¡¯t want him to tire of her, after all.

    To her great surprise, however, she was one of the few people to do this in the first place. Most of their classmates came at least once, but then seemed to¡­ take their distance. She heard some nasty whispers and rumors about his present situation and if she had more confidence, she would have reproached them. But all she could do was bite her lips and ignore.

    The greatest shock for her was hearing that Niu hadn¡¯t gone there even once. To be sure, Shaya asked her about it and even suggested for them to go together, but Niu would make excuses and Shaya could see that she was greatly disturbed.

    Even so, despite feeling somewhat hurt for Gen, Shaya didn¡¯t judge her too harshly. Niu was right there when it happened, after all; it must¡¯ve been a tremendous shock and a fresh mental wound. If Shaya was so shaken by this experience, it was surely a hundred times worse for Niu. But it still made Shaya feel sad. The fairytale turned into a horror story, and how would she be able to put it back on track?

    Unfortunately, she found no way to do so and things continued as they were. And then, Gen finally came back to school. Although he now lacked an arm, everything else about him was the same¡ªwell, almost, for now instead of an arm, he possessed the ability to use an invisible limb.

    That was a surprising development, and unfortunately, this only led to his surroundings alienating him even further. How could they do so? Shaya simply couldn¡¯t understand. He was always popular and loved by everyone, but now they all turned their backs to him in the time he perhaps needed them the most. It was so unfair.

    The mere thought of it almost made her cry. Even Niu was avoiding him, for Gods¡¯ sake!

    Gen didn¡¯t let it show on his expression, but she knew how he must be feeling on the inside. She had watched him for a long, long time, after all.

    Losing an arm shouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal. And gaining further abilities because of that loss was amazing. He was unlike Shaya who was born with a curse¡ªhe managed to do the best with his situation. She admired him for it, but more than that, she simply looked at him for who he was. It wasn¡¯t like his personality changed.

    He was Gen. Nothing more, and nothing less (well, except for¡­ that). Since he treated her like a friend, she had the duty to do the same for him.

    Was that was being in love meant?

    And things actually did get a bit better with time. Gen now joined Niu¡¯s special lessons, and soon their relationship was back to normal, at least on the surface. If anything, Gen interacted with the two girls much more than before. As usual, Shaya was both happy and sad about it.

    Her daily life, once again, remained more or less the same, although with some slight differences¡ªor so she thought, but something was changing without her noticing. She started hearing whispers¡­

    The area around Marmony¡ªor more precisely above it¡ªwas a simple forest. In many ways it resembled Kalden, but the plant life had been allowed to grow wild and out of control, so it wasn¡¯t as orderly, not to mention not as grand. That was because almost all Stroba lived underground. Although there were some giant trees, the land there was much less fertile, in that sense.

    Aisbroom was the one leading the forces in the open, in charge of the direct attack against the Stroba. Although their enemies lived underground, they obviously had soldier presence on the surface as well, especially after noting Kalden¡¯s approach.

    The battles were hard and bloody. What the Strobans lacked in pure power, they made up for with trickery; they attacked with vines from below the ground, used smokescreens and even poisons, as Aisbroom just found out.

    ¡°G-General¡­!¡± a pale soldier appeared in front of them, coughing. ¡°They¡¯re using some sorta¡­ green s-smoke¡­¡± They collapsed after this warning.

    Eyeing the distance, Aisbroom could see green clouds appearing here and there between the trees. ¡°Someone, evacuate them! And call the robots!¡± Aisbroom shouted and rushed ahead. While running, they pulled a stack of herbs from their pocket and chewed on them.

    Green smoke, huh¡­ that was a new one. However, Aisbroom could estimate that it worked similarly to most other Stroban poisons, and Aisbroom¡¯s homegrown herbs should counteract their effects. In fact, some of the soldiers were given some herbs to chew on, before the battle.

    Still, a while passed since then, and they weren¡¯t going to rely just on that anyway. Aisbroom glanced at a yellow, soft flower on their sleeve and turned it ahead to cause a gust of wind to dissipate some of the dangerous smoke as they charged inside and held their breath.

    Slashing their sword, Aisbroom felled two Strobans that were about to throw even more glass balls containing the same kind of poison. A few robots rushed at their side, seemingly unaffected by the smoke since their biology operated differently.

    Aisbroom never thought it would be easy, but they also never considered how tough it would be fighting the Stroba on their home turf. They could only hope that this was being balanced by the surprise attack underground¡ª

    They narrowed their eyes upon hitting that thought. This new poison was enough of a problem even on the surface, so what was going to happen to those fighting in the enclosed spaces of the underground? Gen and his unit were in major trouble.

    Aisbroom thought quickly and reached a decision.

    ¡°MiX! RoX! TetrO! Whoever else can hear me! Go inside, find our soldiers, warn them about the smoke and save them!¡± they shouted. The robots around them that corresponded to these names sprang into action. Some were engaged in battle, with or without their handlers, but upon hearing this command they turned and began running away.

    It was probably going to be difficult, and it might have been too late already, but Aisbroom didn¡¯t want to lose either of those faeries, if they could help it. Both had great potential and, unlike the Queen and her adviser, were pure of purpose. Naturally, that made Aisbroom like them.

    They had insisted on coming to this operation of their volition, so Aisbroom wasn¡¯t about to scold them for their recklessness. Never mind Shaya, who was perhaps a little too green still, but Aisbroom had already known how Gen was, and wasn¡¯t about to deny him this decision.

    However, for Kalden¡¯s sake¡ªand Aisbroom¡¯s own sake¡ªthey wished for this pair to be safe.

    Aisbroom kept fighting. They, too, wanted to rush into the heart of the Stroba as quickly as possible, but they first had to fulfill their role and crush the vanguards.

    Despite the situation being what it was, the still and quiet near-darkness still served to calm down Monan¡¯s heart. They were raised underground, after all, and so they were used to the comforting absence of light.

    Not that it changed anything about the circumstances. Well, at least Zade wasn¡¯t pointing a knife at them any longer, but instead focusing on climbing the lengthy flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever and forever.

    ¡°¡­This¡¯d better not be a trap,¡± Zade¡¯s glum mumble broke the pleasant silence.

    ¡°I-I already explained. We should be above ground by now, but reaching the top would still take some¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, got it,¡± Zade silenced them.

    Monan still couldn¡¯t quite grasp the situation, but even so, despite the shocking development they took the same actions that they¡¯d planned anyway. Since they were under attack and the tunnels would be teeming with enemies, there was only one way to be able to escape safely: by moving upwards.

    Of course, the surface itself would also be attacked, in all likelihood, as most entrances to Marmony originated there, but there still remained a few probable blind spots. Such as, for example, the treetops.

    ¡°Going up a tree¡­?¡± Zade had sounded puzzled at this explanation about an hour ago.

    ¡°Yes. You see, Kalden only lives on trees, but we are known to only live underground¡­ so they shouldn''t expect it,¡± Monan had explained. At least while they explained this, Zade lowered his knife, so they could compose themselves better. ¡°We have an emergency tunnel that leads to one of the big trees, which then connects to several other trees and finally allows us to get down outside of Stroban territory.¡±

    ¡°And they won¡¯t notice this?¡±

    ¡°We will still have to be careful and stealthy, of course, but chances are good they won¡¯t find this out before it¡¯s too late,¡± Monan had replied. ¡°They¡¯ll be fighting down below and it would take them some time to find this tunnel¡­¡±

    Zade had seemed to be considering this, and grimaced. ¡°And then what?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What will we do after that?¡± Zade had spat. ¡°After we get away from your area?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Monan had also pondered about that as well. They could try to reach out for the Makin or any of the other smaller tribes, perhaps. Well, the Makin hated the faeries, so probably not them, but still. They could also try to flee to the Great Desert or even somehow across the ocean. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not sure?¡±

    Monan had flinched, because they knew that expression and tone of voice that indicated one of Zade¡¯s outbursts were approaching. Even so, he¡¯d gritted his teeth and seemed to be barely holding on. They¡¯d still glanced nearby where a bottle of potion was waiting, just in case.

    ¡°I-I planned on taking you away, and I just¡­ I didn¡¯t think that far, because it was so¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­So, have you planned to let me stop taking those drinks, too?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    Monan obviously couldn¡¯t brew those potions on their own, after all. Naturally, with time their effect would weaken and Zade¡¯s mind would return to its previous self. It already seemed to be happening¡ªthey still didn¡¯t know why¡ªbut it was indeed part of Monan¡¯s plans.

    They simply thought that¡­ everything would turn out alright, somehow. That Zade would retrieve his former self but still love Monan just like it was before. That he would somehow forgive them for what they¡¯d done because they¡¯d helped him.

    That would naturally never be the case. Even if Monan wasn¡¯t perhaps directly responsible for it, they still were a complicit party in Zade¡¯s treatment. They took his love for his late wife and used him. They would never be forgiven, nor did they deserve to. They were an idiot for thinking otherwise.

    Monan wanted him to be happy regardless. Nothing else mattered to them.

    ¡°Then take me out of here,¡± Zade had finally ordered after a while of thinking.

    Monan nodded. ¡°We need to ask the guards. The enemies probably haven¡¯t reached this far yet, but we need to make sure that¡ª¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything about me to the guards,¡± he¡¯d hissed at them, slightly raising the knife.

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Monan had said. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to get out otherwise¡­¡±

    Zade had eyed them, apparently accepting their words, at least tentatively.

    ¡°Do it then,¡± he¡¯d said, pocketing the knife. In retrospect, it had probably been careless of Monan to leave eating utensils just lying around and waiting for them to be taken away, but it was way too late to worry about that.

    Monan had closed their eyes and took a deep breath. Even though Zade found out the truth, although he was now hostile to them, Monan¡¯s goal remained the same. They would get them out of there and find a solution.

    They didn¡¯t even mind if Zade killed them in retaliation after that. They deserved it, after all.

    And now in the present, the long, long stairway was finally nearing an end as a faint light could be seen up above. Monan was taking ragged breaths, nearly wheezing; even they didn¡¯t realize how great of a trip it would be and they weren¡¯t used to walking, let alone climbing, for such long stretches of time. Normally they would have used some elevator system like in Kalden, but the purpose was having a stealthy getaway.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± breathed Zade, looking as exhausted as them. He was keeping Monan ahead of him, likely in case of any trouble.

    ¡°It should be the exit, yes. Let us keep quiet,¡± Monan said.

    They climbed step after step, and finally reached an actual floor with a hatch in front of it. There were faint sounds beyond it, like some distant rumble.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check,¡± Monan mumbled and opened the hatch carefully. They momentarily cringed at the flood of filtered sunlight now entering the passage¡ªthey really were completely unused to natural light¡ªand took a step ahead.

    They were on top of the tall tree, surrounded by branches with thick, large leaves. The branch right in front of the hatch extended all the way to the nearest, slightly smaller tree. So far, so good¡ªit was all according to what Monan had heard about this arrangement.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Monan turned back and said, ¡°you can come out.¡±

    Zade stepped up ahead gingerly. He looked amazed at his environment. Thinking about it, it was definitely the first time since he¡¯d been brought to this world that he saw it. More precisely, when he just arrived, he was too dazzled from the experience and so hadn¡¯t paid attention to his surroundings, and was then taken straight underground.

    ¡°Now what?¡± he asked after a short while, half-squinting.

    ¡°We continue on the path to leave Stroban territory,¡± Monan explained. ¡°Follow me, but watch your step.¡±

    They began walking and Monan looked around every few steps to make sure they were alone. There were many sounds coming from below them, and a quick glance showed them the spread of a battlefield.

    There were small figures running around and shouting, flashes of steel and clouds of smoke in different colors¡­ this was the proceedings of war. Monan froze upon having realized this.

    Obviously, they felt pain for their comrades fighting down there. They were no warrior¡ªmany would say they were being coddled by the Ruler and were nothing more than a spoiled brat¡ªbut they still felt connection to their home of Marmony and the Stroba, having spent their entire lives as part of them.

    ¡°Move,¡± ordered Zade from behind them. Monan realized they stopped in place for too long.

    ¡°R-right.¡± They stepped ahead, hoping their path did not lead to ruin.

    Now that Gen spent less time with their other classmates and more time with Niu and her, Shaya felt more conflicted than ever.

    Gen and Niu seemed to be surprisingly back on the path to their fairytale ending, what with the twists of fate that brought them even closer together. However, what did this mean for Shaya herself?

    She felt great jealousy at them going to their special lessons with Saburn. Roah too, for that matter. Why were they blessed like this, and she alone was burdened with this curse? More importantly, was she going to be left alone again after all?

    Shaya hated it. She hated everything about it¡­ and about herself. Why couldn¡¯t she be like everyone else? Neither the normal ones, nor the special ones. She was always different, no matter what angle one looked at her from. Why did she have to suffer like this?

    It was so unfair.

    There was always the option of coming out with her secrets. Cursed as she was, it was still possible that she could learn to control her powers, just like the others did. However, she knew that Mother would never let something of the sort go quietly. She might even forbid her to go to school altogether, and that was if she was in a good mood. If she wasn¡¯t¡­ well, Shaya didn¡¯t want to even think about it.

    Still conflicted and still angry at herself, Shaya decided to go for a half-measure. She knew where the special classes were held. It was a cupboard-turned-classroom and it had a window. As long as they kept it open, hearing the classes shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem.

    The first time was nerve-wracking. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like it was strictly forbidden¡ªMr. Saburn was serious but also very nice, so even if she was discovered, it wasn¡¯t like he was going to punish her; he would probably just attribute it to curiosity about her friends and nothing more. Even so she was scared. It was like hearing classified knowledge.

    Her heart raced whenever she heard Gen¡¯s voice. Roah¡¯s voice, too, but for other reasons; she had the feeling that if anyone ever found her out, that would be him. He always seemed to be glaring at people menacingly with his one eye as if he was looking to expose their secrets.

    Mostly, though, she listened to Saburn. She really did learn a lot. Such as the fact that her channeling was very different from her friends¡¯. Shaya always thought that some people just had the ability while others didn¡¯t. She knew nothing about icons and how the vast majority of channelers used them. She knew nothing about the fact that most people needed icons to channel in the first place. She always thought that it was just a matter of practice.

    Was that what made her cursed? Her mastery of these supernatural forces without the need for any study or effort? Once again, she was so different. If so, then she really couldn¡¯t reveal herself. She thought before she could possibly join her friends and have fun together like this, but now she realized that they would surely end up despising and alienating her. They would end up cursing her.

    There was another way, though. She could simply pretend she was like them. Shaya was already pretending she wasn¡¯t cursed in the first place, so why not? Maybe she could use those icons and seem like all of the others.

    The problem was that she was only listening to the lessons. She couldn¡¯t actually see what they were doing¡ªbut once or twice she peeked into the class after everyone left, and some diagrams and charts were left drawn on the blackboard.

    ¡°The channel of heat¡­¡± she mumbled. Even if it was her first time seeing those icons, she¡¯d heard some of the theory so she understood their meaning. She also understood, more or less, on how to use the icons themselves.

    Icons created an image in one¡¯s mind. It was only a tool to focus the mind and allow it to connect patterns, much like letters. In that sense, it might really serve to help Shaya control her curse.

    Or so she thought, anyway, but upon actually trying it, it only led to disaster. It was extremely dumb of her to try something like that outside, in hindsight, especially with that specific channel. Also, for reasons understood only to him, Roah covered for her and said she was under his debt. It ended up fine, but it was far too close.

    Her cursed powers nearly had the entire town go up in flames. Realizing this, she was finally able to give up¡­ At least for a while.

    Many things happened afterwards.

    They were transported to an alien world, fought to survive, risked their lives, were caught by the machinations of different factions, and were finally able to grasp the throne for themselves. Many things stayed the same, but most changed. That included Shaya herself as well.

    She exposed herself, and¡­ to her absolute shock, she was actually accepted for it. She still had many misgivings about it, but felt as if she was finally shaking free from her curse, little by little. She was growing as a person, and although she still had a long road ahead of her¡ªshe wasn¡¯t alone.

    Perhaps it was finally her chance to find happiness. That was why she promised herself that she would try and stand on the same stage as Gen, no matter what it took.

    The battle over Marmony was not proceeding well at all. Although Gen and Shaya managed to get into the Blue Corridor, starting there the fights turned much fiercer, and they were already tough even before. Perhaps growing desperate, the Stroba used every trick they could and poured many forces there.

    Normally they wouldn¡¯t have problems defeating the average soldier, but what about dozens of them working together, using all sorts of traps and schemes? Both of them were already wounded, hit by the errant attack that they couldn¡¯t manage to block. They were surrounded by dead fairies from all sides.

    ¡°Shaya¡­ maybe you should go back?¡± Gen suggested through gritted teeth. There was a small trickle of blood on his brow and he was already breathing heavily.

    ¡°D¡­don¡¯t even dare.¡± Shaya wasn¡¯t in a better shape. She had way less stamina in the first place, so her muscles were already screaming in pain for a while now, as did her lungs. Also, since she¡¯d made some heavy usage of her channeling abilities, that too was taking its toll on her. Her head was buzzing.

    An enemy charged at them, and Gen flicked them aside almost lazily.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to handle it much longer,¡± he said and coughed. Shaya was relieved that, at the very least, he wasn¡¯t coughing up blood. She lacked any medical knowledge to say whether it meant anything, but still.

    ¡°Then what about you?¡± Shaya asked back. ¡°You can barely stand as well¡­ and what if we run into that poison again?¡±

    Not long before, the tunnels had been completely filled with a greenish cloud of smoke. Shaya had a bad feeling about it and channeled wind to disperse it and protect them. The result was obvious, seeing that many of their comrades had fallen unmoving shortly afterwards.

    Not that they were safe either; Gen was already pale and sick-looking, so he¡¯d probably breathed in some of the stuff. Although Aisbroom had given all of them some special herbs to chew on before they embarked on this mission, they also warned them that it wouldn¡¯t provide them a perfect protection. Still, Shaya wished they had more of that stuff now.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find that man, and I¡¯ll bring him back,¡± he grunted. That was what he¡¯d promised, so she could understand his conviction. That was supposedly his sole reason coming here¡ªno, it wasn¡¯t just his. Hadn¡¯t Shaya come there under those very same conditions? ¡°¡­Come with me.¡±

    Surprised but happy at this conclusion of his, she nodded and stepped forward. An enemy soldier lying on the ground¡ªthat only feigned their death¡ªwas flung against the nearby wall.

    ¡°We can¡¯t waste any more time, though,¡± said Shaya. ¡°What if we¡­ prioritize finding the man over defeating the enemy?¡±

    Gen screwed his face. ¡°Sure, but we don¡¯t know where he is.¡± They couldn¡¯t scour the entirety of Marmony without fully conquering it. And by then many different things could happen. They had to finish everything as soon as possible and stop this senseless war.

    Of course, as far as they knew the Strobans might have already taken the human away; but they decided to trust over Aisbroom and the others to keep watch on all exits and entrances, preventing that option. Besides, where would they go to, anyway? They were still operating under the assumption that the human remained inside.

    ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ figure out something,¡± Shaya said. She held her head, although it bore no physical wounds.

    No, this wasn¡¯t good enough. Even while standing there and thinking about it, they were wasting precious time. Keeping on like this, they would never find the captured man, let alone leave this place alive.

    ¡°No. We need to go back,¡± mumbled Gen. When had his voice started sounding so labored?

    ¡°But¡­¡± Shaya glanced ahead and behind. They were being sandwiched by enemies all around. They quickly dispatched them seemingly without any issues, but just as Shaya considered their next move, Gen suddenly collapsed to the ground. ¡°G-Gen!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, coughing. He already looked pale before, under the blue light, but now he was deathly pale, as if all the life had been sucked out of him.

    ¡°Gen¡­ GEN!!!¡±

    Perhaps Shaya was cursed after all, and it might be just possible that her curse lay not within her powers themselves, but by what they caused.

    Shaya wailed, holding Gen¡¯s body.

    I have always watched you shining like gold.

    Some would say that I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth, as exaggerated as that may be. But I think that description fits you better.

    Err, not the spoon part, the gold part. Do you know what I mean? I guess you don¡¯t because I really fumbled up this whole thing. That¡¯s no good at all.

    Oh well, I was never too good with words, I guess. On account of doing what I felt was right and saying whatever came to mind¡ªexcept in your case, huh.

    Ah, just forget about the whole metaphor business. All I wanted to say was that you¡¯re important to me.

 Chapter 9: Silver Queen

    ¡°You really do need to relax, Swen. Everything is fine. I am alive, am I not?¡±

    The Queen¡¯s voice was as calm as a spring breeze. Although her life was in danger, she was as unperturbed and collected as always, just as he came to expect from her over the years. Nevertheless, even if she herself was unworried, his job was to worry in her stead, after all.

    ¡°I cannot, Your Majesty. You were one meal away from being poisoned,¡± he noted.

    An hour passed since the food tasting incident. They apparently acted fast enough so that the tasters¡¯ lives weren¡¯t in any immediate danger, but that did nothing to change the fundamental issue. Somehow, poison had found itself into the food. No, that was an overly indirect way of putting it¡ªsomeone had poisoned the food.

    Someone had tried to kill the Queen.

    ¡°And yet I was not poisoned. Mostly due to your excellent work, of course,¡± Levia added. There was no sense of gloating in her voice. She also didn¡¯t sound to be thrilled at her survival, either. It was a colder side of the Queen, one that she exhibited more when in private.

    Swen still paced around the room nervously. Investigation was underway and the entire inventory of the castle was undergoing a thorough check. That also meant that, of course, Levia had nothing for breakfast yet, but she made no complaints about that.

    ¡°We must fire the entire staff,¡± he mumbled, shaking his head and swinging an arm. ¡°No, we need to interrogate them first, and then¡ª¡°

    ¡°Swen.¡± Levia¡¯s interjecting voice was nearly a bark. ¡°Listen to yourself. Who will run and maintain the place if we do that? If nothing else, it will give the assassin another opening. In fact, this might as well be their aim.¡±

    Swen knew that he was being unreasonable. However, it had been a long time since the Queen was in real danger. Years passed since any genuine assassination attempt. There was the first wave of the black monsters, to be sure, but that was almost over before it began, and they had been adequately prepared and secured for the next ones.

    But now it was different. With the way poor old Shammings died, it almost seemed like an indiscriminate attack¡ªbut of course it wasn¡¯t. The circumstances were probably the most complicated they¡¯d been ever since Levia¡¯s ascension to the throne.

    There was at least an entire country against them, a dubious and extremely distant ally, an otherworldly threat that could appear at any given moment after a long lull, and even within Rumdon itself, about half of the nobles were not on their side.

    Yes, they were surrounded by enemies on all sides. The only one that Swen could trust was himself. Oh, and Queen Levia-O, obviously. Probably even Molton. Definitely not Saburn, though.

    There had to be something he could do. He had to find the culprit no matter what.

    Saburn was supposedly doing some investigation of his own, but never mind that Swen couldn¡¯t trust his sly ways, he wasn¡¯t even getting any results. Swen had offered his help many times, yet Saburn refused him, claiming that while he¡¯d appreciate any relevant information, Swen should focus on his own duties.

    But his duty was to serve the Queen! Therefore, he had to ensure her safety.

    No, now that things were so dire, he definitely couldn¡¯t let that man handle everything. Even if he did not gain his cooperation, there were still things he could do that Saburn could not. Yes, he was in a unique position in many ways.

    Swen turned toward Levia. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he opened solemnly, ¡°I have to check on something. Please stay safe here.¡±

    Levia blinked at him and then sighed. ¡°I can tell you are thinking of something quite foolish¡­ but I trust you.¡± She wore a brilliant, dazzling smile. ¡°Do whatever you believe the best.¡±

    At times she was a baffling ruler, but even so Swen wanted to do everything he could for her. He believed that no other person would be able to lead Rumdon on the right path. That was why he had to keep Levia safe, at any price possible.

    If he were to tell his past self that he would come to respect this woman so much, he probably would have scoffed at himself. And yet this was the present, and he wanted to preserve it.

    Levia had heard that she barely cried since she was born. This made sense to her; a baby would have some physical needs, to be sure, but she was probably quite the piece of work even as a toddler.

    To put it simply, Levia didn¡¯t know what emotions were.

    No, she did know what they were¡ªpeople showed them to her all of the time, after all. It would perhaps be more precise to say that she possessed none of them. With time, however, she learned to act as if she did have those emotions, little by little. If she wasn¡¯t born into the royal line, perhaps she could have pursued a career as an actress.

    It took her a great deal of effort, of course. The only guideline she had was other people, and so she worked hard to elicit any and all sorts of emotions from them.

    She didn¡¯t know this at the time, but she was blessed with the phenomenon called compensation. A supernatural ability that made up for her missing parts, and in this case allowed her to know how other people were feeling since she couldn¡¯t.

    She found no joy in behaving the part of a problem child, but she also found no sorrow in it. Whether people praised her or scolded her made no difference. She wished it had¡ªno, she thought that she should feel like that. However, even that was out of her grasp.

    ¡°One day,¡± her father, King Mekuriel-N, told her, out of nowhere, ¡°you will be Queen. You will support your future husband and maintain the kingdom. It is a heavy duty.¡±

    ¡°Must I?¡± she asked with a calculated mischievous smile. She sensed her father growing frustrated even before he frowned.

    ¡°Yes. Like I said, that is your duty, one you were born with. But never fear. There is still time for you to prepare for this, Levia. You will not forever stay a naughty child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she apologized, inserting just the slightest bit of shame in her voice. That, too, brought the result she had anticipated.

    ¡°It is fine. No matter what happens, we will always be parent and child.¡± He smiled under his moustache. Having lost her mother during childbirth, Levia knew no mother other than her maids and caretakers¡ªbut even for her, her father¡¯s existence was an irreplaceable one. ¡°I love you, my dear daughter.¡±

    Love. What a clich¨¦d word and a puzzling emotion, that one was.

    Levia spent quite a lot of time thinking about it and trying to decipher it to no success. She liked sweets, seafood and nuts, to name some examples, but that was merely her taste. If she likened it to love, people would probably laugh at her.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± she mumbled.

    Did she love her father? The answer was a definite no. She told him that she did, but didn¡¯t actually feel it. She liked his hugs, but that was again just due to the enveloping warm sensation; it just felt good. Of course, he stopped doing that sort of thing a long time ago already.

    ¡°I will try and do my best, daddy,¡± Levia added, already feeling his very slight agitation at the last word.

    ¡°It is Father, for you.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    This stately but kind father that always loved her but was never loved by her would leave the world but fifteen years after this exchange. The demise of Levia¡¯s father would prove to be quite a shocking development in her life, but before that came another different event that completely changed her world.

    As Levia grew up, there were of course countless suitors for her from all over the country. All young (and many old) noble men earnestly sought to win the delightful combo¡ªof her as a beautiful wife as well as the future crown.

    Levia couldn¡¯t understand love, but she soon realized that no love was involved in the matter anyway. It didn¡¯t mean it was pleasant, however; instead of love there was lust, whether it was a lust for power or for the flesh, and it was oftentimes both.

    She also knew that she had no choice. Women were slowly making progress in the world, but at least in Rumdon¡¯s high society, they were still mostly tools. It was all about power.

    Levia couldn¡¯t say she was happy about it, but she wasn¡¯t happy about anything in the first place. She always lived with this contradiction in her heart, although she managed to fool most people.

    She knew a day would come when she¡¯d be forced to finally have a partner. Because of that, she wasn¡¯t surprised when she turned seventeen and was told the following by her father.

    ¡°Levia, you will meet your fianc¨¦ today.¡±

    Levia¡¯s expression turned to complete surprise, although it was actually a farce. She had already known about Mekuriel¡¯s attempts to arrange for her a political marriage for years now. What she hadn¡¯t known about was its success, though.

    Long gone were the days where she would have replied to this announcement with some flippant or mischievous statement designed to annoy him; once she had mastered her act, there was no need to rile up people¡¯s emotions for no reason. And those people merely thought that she had finally matured.

    ¡°Of course, Father,¡± she replied with a smile.

    That being said, she hoped her father had at least chosen someone decent. Gods forbid it was someone like her relative Lord Qumisson, for example.

    ¡°You will meet him tonight. Dress well,¡± he asked, then wore a thin smile. ¡°I do not hand over my troublesome daughter with great pleasure, but I think the two of you will get along fine.¡±

    Now this got her wondering. Although Levia was pretty certain her father hadn¡¯t fully deciphered her true nature, he still knew she was, for lack of a batter word, unique. She had concealed her compensation but allowed him to know of her ability to channel. Judging by his feelings, he felt slight anxiety coupled with hope, so she could probably trust him.

    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± she said, only half-lying.

    Later that evening she had been waiting at the parlor, dressed in clothes that weren¡¯t too revealing but still accentuated her figure to be attractive enough. Men¡¯s lustful stares (or rather the burst of emotions she felt from them at those moments) would tingle unpleasantly in her mind, like most powerful emotions, but weren¡¯t so big of a bother.

    Prince Mayer Ashkerton¡ªthat was her fianc¨¦¡¯s name. She had obviously not intended on meeting him without knowing anything at all, so she gathered some intelligence. He was supposedly the fourth in line of the royal family of Lastia.

    She knew well that Father¡¯s plan was to make an alliance with Lastia, which, ever since the legendary Rebellion, had taken a more neutral role. Of course, it was a move that could lead to renewed war against Sacrona, but she trusted that Father was willing to take this risk and took it into his calculations. Levia herself had no particular feelings on the matter. Let there be war, or let there be peace. She would rather not die if it could be helped at all, though. Death could be messy and painful.

    She was pondering the nature of this new man about to enter her life when a few servants opened the door.

    ¡°Announcing the arrival of His Highness Prince Mayer Ashkerton, Lord of Northern Lastia and Duke of Singardia,¡± they called as a young man, only a few years her senior, stepped inside. He was dressed smartly, his dirty brown hair somewhat long but his face fully shaved. He wore an elegant, jovial smile. Noticing the princess, his fianc¨¦e, his face lightened up and he hastened his pace.

    Then, he tripped on the edge of the colorful rug covering the floor, falling on his face.

    There was a suffocating silence.

    No one dared say a thing and even Levia found herself completely dumbfounded by this course of events, not to mention the flood of confusion and embarrassment that erupted from the room¡¯s occupants at that moment. Time seemed to pass excruciatingly slow as the prince rose up from the floor, helped by his flustered attendant, a tall man who looked to be about his age.

    ¡°I¡­ err, it is nice to meet you, f-fair Princess Levia,¡± Mayer muttered and cleared his throat, extending a hand. His hair was disheveled, his nose slightly red and some lint stuck to his black suit. Even so his smile was unabashed and sincere.

    Without missing a beat, Levia said, ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Prince Mayer.¡± She offered up her gloved hand and let him plant a kiss there.

    His emotions were obviously laid bare in front of her. However, there were less embarrassment and regret than she expected, especially when compared to his shocked and distraught attendant standing behind him. How odd.

    He was attracted to her for sure, but there was also something¡­ different hidden inside there. And it would take her far even beyond Mayer¡¯s death to truly understand what it was.

    ¡°You have been quite disappointing as of late, Lord Saburn.¡±

    Salom frowned. As far as her lack of emotions went, he wasn¡¯t sure if disappointment counted as one, but even supposing that it did, he knew she only said it to annoy him. And even more annoying was the fact it worked a little.

    As always, they sat in the meeting room for him to give his report. Unfortunately, that report yet again consisted of a whole lot of nothing, which led to the Queen¡¯s exasperated response.

    ¡°I apologize for not meeting your expectations,¡± he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm in front of her smile. ¡°There is something devious going on here, and it will not be easy to find.¡±

    ¡°Will you say the same after I die?¡± Her smile was gone now.

    ¡°This won¡¯t happen,¡± Salom tried to sound confident, but couldn¡¯t. It was quite hard arguing against a prophecy, and his investigation wasn¡¯t going well, either.

    Levia sighed. ¡°Both you and Swen are so alike. A pity that you don¡¯t get along.¡± Salom ignored her pointless comment (it was Swen who didn¡¯t get along with him, while Salom had no issue with the other man).

    Right now, his only hope seemed to be that this newer incident, thankfully solved without any victims, would perhaps bring to light some new hints. If the culprit was the same, then their mode of action should be similar. Also, the more they acted, the more trails they should leave behind¡­ theoretically.

    Of course, Salom wasn¡¯t just investigating the possible origins of the poisons, but also considered the possible masterminds behind it. At the moment it seemed like external enemies were the most likely, but he didn¡¯t cross out the involvement of local dissenters such as Lord Qumisson.

    Salom also deeply tried considering Roah¡¯s suggestions. He claimed that if he was after the Queen¡¯s life, he would have tried to set attacks on her from within¡­ but how actually likely was that? Not at all. Never mind the fact that people like Molton or Swen would never be persuaded to do such a thing, Levia would sense their betrayal and ill intentions long before they even acted.

    Well, Roah couldn¡¯t have known about that last part, so perhaps his thoughts did have some merit to them. However, it was much more likely that the enemy was using some untraceable or disposable pawns.

    ¡°You think too much,¡± Levia suddenly said.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He knew she was riling him up yet again, but that specific comment still rubbed him the wrong way. ¡°Is that not why I am here? To think how to save you?¡±

    Levia widened her smile. ¡°You are here to solve my problems, not ponder endlessly.¡±

    ¡°But how am I supposed to solve them without¡ª¡°

    ¡°What I mean,¡± Levia interjected, ¡°is that you might be ironically limiting yourself by not limiting your options. Whether or not it¡¯s someone like Lord Qumisson after me, it doesn¡¯t mean their plan would necessarily be something earth-shattering. Think simpler.¡±

    Did she really think that sort of thinking was enough? Of course, there were countless ways to induce the result that happened. There were many suppliers and exporters of the poison administered to Shammings, and there were many servants or other visitors that could have placed yet another round of poison in the castle¡¯s cabinets. The fact that there were so many options was the reason it was so complicated¡ª

    Huh, or was it, actually? There were seemingly endless options, but what if there was a way to limit them after all?

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Salom suddenly said with such intensity that made even Levia raise an eyebrow. His mind was already bubbling with ideas. ¡°If you will excuse me, Your Majesty, I have to go do some thinking.¡±

    Without even waiting for her response, he steered his chair to turn around.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t I just told you not to think too much¡­?¡± Levia mumbled, sighing. ¡°However, I can sense that you are determined and that you seem to have hit on some idea¡­ well, good luck, Saburn.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I will probably require your cooperation as well, so be prepared,¡± he left these words behind as he rolled out of the room.

    ¡°Do you not find it interesting, how Rumdon differs in wedding customs from other countries?¡±

    Levia raised a brow at this question. ¡°Hmm? Well, I suppose so.¡±

    Considering the present state, where she and Mayer were alone just an hour before they were to set out for their wedding, it was perhaps natural for him to ponder this. However, she had the distinct feeling¡ªbased on his feelings¡ªthat he wasn¡¯t just presenting it as mere curious trivia.

    ¡°If this were Sacrona, we wouldn¡¯t have seen each other the entire day before, only meeting at the venue itself,¡± Mayer started explaining. ¡°They would have viewed us being together like this as quite obscene.¡±

    ¡°What about Lastia, then?¡± she asked. Even without the slight movements of his eyes, she could feel a faint sadness emanate from him at the mention of his hometown, but he kept talking cordially.

    ¡°Depends on the region. Some travel together to the wedding, some come separately. They tend to be more like Rumdon in that regard, on average. There are also some rather strange customs in other lands¡­ well, all of us are different. Just like you and I are different.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said curtly and dryly, watching him. It appeared that he was finally getting to the point.

    He smiled at her. ¡°We are from different countries, different cultures¡ªas well as different lives, and different makeups. However, you don¡¯t need to worry. I have already accepted you.¡±

    ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡±

    Mayer¡¯s so-called courting had been going for two years now. He took her for walks, to restaurants, to the theatre, on carriage-rides and to parties. And she, of course, acted the part of the perfect princess, charming and elegant.

    Mayer did suspect something, though. That much was apparent from their very first meeting. Yet he¡¯d said nothing until now.

    He was a strange man; she soon realized that the only reason Lastia agreed to the deal was more or less to get rid of him. Their new political ties to Rumdon were merely a bonus. Mayer was clumsy but kind. He was outwardly jolly but held a deep sadness within his heart. He had been denied by his surroundings and finally thrown away¡ªwhere he seemed to find a place to his liking, for some reason.

    This much Levia realized within a few months of knowing him. She perfectly sensed any and all of his emotions. It stunned her how much he seemed like a dolt, but was sharp on the inside. He was possibly the first person who saw through her acting. Then why had he stayed silent, then? Perhaps she was about to find out.

    ¡°These two years¡­ were special to me,¡± Mayer said, looking into her eyes. ¡°I will not lie. I had my doubts about you, at first.¡± She knew this, obviously. ¡°But the more we spent time together, the more I grew to understand you. To like you.¡± Levia knew this as well. ¡°You and I are completely different as human beings, but we are similar in a certain aspect.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± said Levia. Her usual dazzling smile was completely gone. Only the cold neutrality of her expression remained.

    Mayer chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t even say what it was yet!¡±

    ¡°I am a defect,¡± she stated plainly. ¡°And you are¡­ just a person. A prince, that is true, but even princes are human. You love, you hate, you fear and you smile, while I do not. ¡ªThere is nothing in common between us.¡±

    ¡°You are wrong.¡± He was, of course, not surprised to know this about Levia. Just like he implied, he already knew it.

    ¡°I am not. What are trying to say? That both of us are outcasts, different from our environment? That doesn¡¯t quite work, because¡ª¡°

    ¡°No,¡± Mayer interjected. She could feel him laughing at her in his heart¡ªno, his expression was like that as well. ¡°You said I was human? Well, you too, then. Sorry, but that¡¯s a biological fact.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    It was a completely banal and stupid answer. One that she wouldn¡¯t even have considered in the first place. She never thought of herself as smart, but she also wouldn¡¯t stoop down to such simple nonsense.

    ¡°You are an idiot,¡± she said flatly and conclusively.

    ¡°I might be.¡± He wore a smug smile as if he¡¯d devised some genius riddle and made Levia fall for it. She couldn¡¯t feel anger, but it was a bit tiring. ¡°But even so¡­ I love you.¡±

    Mayer leaned over and kissed Levia.

    She stood there bedazzled. It was an action that she had never experienced. Yes, not even during these two years, a day before their wedding. Mayer really was an old-fashioned gentleman, in that respect.

    It truly a moment out of a fairy tale. Now would be the time for Levia¡¯s heart of ice to melt down and for her body to be flooded with newfound emotions of happiness and love¡ªas if. She knew nothing of the sort would ever come true, and indeed it didn¡¯t. Even so, Mayer was radiating these feelings at her.

    But why¡­? Levia thought. Why does he love someone like me?

    She simply couldn¡¯t understand him. She could act out the emotions expected from her by the surroundings, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn¡¯t emulate the logic of a playful, clumsy idiot like him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard about it,¡± Mayer told her as he pulled his face back. He wore a satisfied smile. ¡°You¡¯re nothing like any other woman¡­ no, person I¡¯ve ever met. Is it really that weird I fell in love with you?¡±

    Yes it is, she wanted to say. No sane man would have.

    Was he a sane man, though? Levia, who had already felt through hundreds of people¡¯s minds, no longer knew the real difference. Many people were twisted while appearing normal, and many people were quite banal while appearing odd. What was sanity, anyway, if all people other than her were capable of any emotion depending on their circumstances?

    Finally, she couldn¡¯t bear to consider this foolishness anymore. She couldn¡¯t call it so far as being annoyed, but sometimes interacting with that fool sapped her energy.

    ¡°I will never understand you,¡± she mumbled, shrugging in resignation.

    There was a knock on the door just as Mayer opened his mouth to reply.

    ¡°Come in,¡± he said loudly, still smiling at Levia.

    Mayer¡¯s attendant stepped inside. Levia wasn¡¯t quite certain why, but the man never liked her, while being extremely loyal to his master. From what she understood both of them were practically exiled from Lastia together.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Everything is ready, Milord, Your Highness,¡± he announced. ¡°Please come to the hall.¡±

    Levia grabbed Mayer¡¯s hand. ¡°Let us head out, future husband of mine.¡±

    ¡°We shall, my love.¡±

    She could feel the other man growing annoyed as she smiled gently and got off the couch, walking hand in hand with Mayer.

    Perhaps one day she would be able to understand him. Spending their future together, becoming King and Queen at some point, raising children¡­ Levia had no particular desire for any of that, but it could have been much worse.

    If she couldn¡¯t choose anyway, then at least it was with a silly yet kind man who accepted her for who she was.

    Since she could feel the happiness and excitement radiating from him, she could also tell that she felt none of it. For her, even this important day was just another day, only busier than most.

    The couple entered the hall. Faced with the hundreds of guests, including King Mekuriel-N himself, always conspicuous in his formal, royal attire, Levia felt overwhelmed at the deluge of emotions now directed at her. Even so she withstood it and walked toward the main stage slowly but surely.

    And then Mayer slipped on the rug and planted his face into the floor.

    Linza sat in the shade of a short tree, relaxing under the clear weather and watching the orange-tinted clouds above. It was already seven o¡¯clock so the sun was starting to set. No one approached her this entire day, so her connection to the incident most likely remained undiscovered.

    Also, the Queen was still alive, but that was to be expected. Linza hadn¡¯t seriously thought that plan would work; she was just following her orders. Poisoning wasn¡¯t really her expertise, either.

    If the Queen was dead, her mission was done. If not, then she had to move to the next phase. Poor woman, she thought to herself, lightly juggling the cloth ball in her hands.

    Linza herself bore no ill will toward the Queen. She didn¡¯t even think of this assassination mission as revenge or anything like that. Some in Lastia would like to see the death of the one they perceived to be the killer of late Prince Mayer, but that had nothing to do with Linza herself.

    Why would she? It wasn¡¯t like she was a real part of the country as well, living her life in the shadows like this.

    Also, who even cared about the Lastian royal family anyway? Ever since the Rebellion all those years ago they merely played around, trying to appease both sides, gather minor countries as their allies and survive on the cusp of neutrality. Since they would benefit from both sides if Sacrona and Rumdon went to war, they didn¡¯t really care what happened to them.

    Lastia was at once both a free and a constrained country. They believed themselves to be unfettered, but that very belief served as kind of a shackle. They alternated between worshipping the Gods or working hard with their human power, always settling somewhere in between.

    Allegedly free from all worldly constraints, they spent much time ignoring the harsh reality and thinking up philosophy and science. That also led them to develop ¡°interesting¡± tools of all sorts.

    One of which was Linza.

    She was raised to be a weapon and someone who used channeling in an innovative, unique way. Sacrona supported the divinity of pure talent and power, Rumdon worked on technique and versatility, and just like always, Lastia was stuck between these two.

    Oh well. At least I can still take my time and enjoy this city, she thought to herself.

    She, too, was stuck in the contradictory world between freedom and restraint. She was on a mission, and yet she was enjoying the local scenery. She even gave some crackers to a cute squirrel earlier.

    Poison for the Queen and snacks for the animals. That was how the world went.

    Even now her surroundings were growing darker and darker. Once the sun completely set, it would be time for the next phase of the plan. It would be something her target would both fear and yet not expect in the least¡ªperhaps fitting as a plan coming from someone hailing from Lastia, land of contradictions.

    After their grand wedding, an event that was going to be remembered for many years to come, Levia and Mayer¡¯s life as newlyweds began.

    Although they wedded, they were obviously only Prince and Princess of Rumdon, for King Mekuriel-N still inhabited the throne. There were also some disquieting movements and threats from Sacrona, as expected, but war did not yet seem to loom in the horizon. Lastia themselves took this half-heartedly, claiming that they simply exiled an errant prince and took pity on the declining Rumdon. As part of their agreement, Prince Mayer had relinquished any claim he had on the Lastian lands or throne alike, although he did bring some riches with him.

    Levia found that the circumstances were surprisingly unchanged from what she was used to. Now that she was married, there was some pressure on her to produce an heir, but Mayer made no move.

    Sex meant nothing to Levia, as she mentioned to him again and again. Even so he still hesitated to pursue it any further, so might it have been out of a reason altogether different than consideration for her? It made her wonder some things about Mayer. Either way, it led to her father being displeased. It wasn¡¯t her fault, for a change¡­ not that he would look at it this way.

    Unfortunately, it took only a few months for another great change to rock Levia¡¯s world.

    ¡°Father!¡± Levia cried in her best imitation of worry and distraught. ¡°I-I just heard¡­ what is going on, are you fine?¡±

    It took only a glance at the pallid man lying on the bed to tell that he wasn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t quite that old, yet, but despite his age he always looked so imposing. Not now, though. Other than his ghastly white and gaunt face, he wore a look of constant anguish and his whole body was covered in sweat.

    ¡°We heard you have collapsed, Your Majesty,¡± said Mayer, holding his hat under his arm, his face looking tense but composed. Both of them came as soon as they could, or rather as soon as a messenger was sent to them to inform them of this event.

    ¡°The physicians say¡­ they are not certain what is wrong,¡± Mekuriel barely managed to utter even this sentence before he started coughing. ¡°I might not be long for this world.¡±

    ¡°Do not speak like that!¡± Levia reprimanded him, tears in her eyes. These might have not been entirely fake; the vast amounts of pain, sadness and distress he was transmitting to her were enough to cause her a sharp headache.

    ¡°This is horrible,¡± mumbled Mayer, and unlike her, his feelings were genuine. Levia never got the sense that her husband particularly liked her father, but still had plenty of respect for him. Mayer didn¡¯t want to see him suffer like this.

    ¡°Thank you, Mayer. I really appreciate you being here,¡± Mekuriel said meekly. It was an uncharacteristic tone for him, another sign that he was really sick.

    Of course, the question that stayed on everyone¡¯s minds was¡ªhad he really been inflicted with a sudden illness, or had he been poisoned? Levia knew that this was being investigated, but no answer was found yet, obviously.

    ¡°Could you¡­ leave me alone with my daughter, for a minute?¡± the king asked.

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± Mayer lightly bowed, then turned to Levia as if seeking her affirmation. She merely nodded with glistening eyes. The physicians and other attendants have also already stepped out upon hearing this request.

    ¡°¡­What is it, daddy?¡± Levia whispered as they were left alone in the room.

    ¡°I already told you what I think, right?¡± he asked weakly.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°About you. And about Mayer. And the future of the kingdom¡­¡±

    Levia¡¯s face, by now, regained its completely neutral expression. There was no longer any audience she had to perform to.

    ¡°You have told me a great many things, dad.¡±

    Mekuriel coughed. ¡°I love you, Levia.¡± This she already heard as well, many times. ¡°If I die¡­ there¡¯s a place I need you to go to¡­¡±

    Levia raised her brows. This was something new. She could sense that he was trying to reveal something very sensitive to her. Like a secret. Using her compensation, Levia could tell, most of the time, when people were lying and if they were hiding anything, but not what the truth actually was. She couldn¡¯t always spy on her father.

    She leaned forward, listening to her father¡¯s dying words¡ªnot quite, since it would actually be a bit longer before he succumbed to his illness, but still. And she was astonished about what he told her.

    ¡°I should have told Mayer, since he will be King, but you are¡­¡± Mekuriel muttered, barely audible. He reached out a cold hand and stroked her cheek. She shuddered at his touch but said nothing.

    She realized that her father was dying right in front of her eyes. Would this finally be the moment, then? She almost felt a certain¡­ eagerness. But only almost.

    Levia already knew the answer. Even when her father, possibly the most important guidepost in her life thus far, died, she would still feel nothing. She would still be an empty husk only able to crudely mimic what she could feel from others.

    Instead of dwelling on that, however, she listened to her father¡¯s secrets. She learned about the hidden history of Rumdon, and the way to carve a new path into the future.

    ¡°I understand, Father. Do not worry. I shall take care of everything.¡±

    A couple of days after this exchange, King Mekuriel-N passed away.

    ¡°What a surprising visit, my friend. Come, do sit down.¡±

    Led through the lavish halls of the Marsten mansion located in the middle of the city, Swen was finally taken to meet his quarry¡ªnone other than Lord Qumisson. The tall, solemn man greeted him surprisingly warmly, and that made Swen all the more apprehensive.

    Well, if he was so receptive to his visit there, perhaps that would help what he had in mind. Swen and Qumisson sat down in a small parlor and were served tea. Swen hesitated only for a brief moment and then drank it.

    ¡°I do thank you for agreeing to meet me, Lord Qumisson,¡± Swen spoke humbly after wetting his throat.

    ¡°As long as you are not accompanied by that wretched woman you serve, I will always welcome you.¡±

    ¡°Interesting that you should mention that. On danger of seeming rude, I will be brief and cut straight to the chase,¡± he said. ¡°I wish to help you overthrow Queen Levia-O.¡±

    Time almost seemed to go still. Even when faced with this preposterous declaration, not even a muscle twitched on Qumisson¡¯s face.

    How old he looks now, Swen found himself thinking while waiting for a reply. He remembered first meeting this man, when he¡¯d come to this distant, foreign land, and thinking how impressive he looked. Yet the years were rough on Qumisson. He was not a young man, that was true, but bitterness and regret seemed to age him much beyond his years. He feigned calmness, but underneath that mask he looked pale and weak.

    Presently, the older, refined Lord finally replied. ¡°Are you making a jest, my friend?¡± Qumisson asked coldly.

    ¡°Can you think of any reason I would joke in such circumstances?¡± Swen asked, his face an empty mask.

    Finally, he made Qumisson narrow his eyes. ¡°A decade ago, I came to you with the same offer. You have refused.¡±

    ¡°Time changes people.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Just like you. When you first came here, you loathed that woman¡­ especially when dear Mayer-G died,¡± said Qumisson, ¡°but then you suddenly began to take her side. And you rose all the way to become a lord chamberlain.¡±

    Swen grimaced. Just as Qumisson probably attempted to induce, a wave of unpleasant memories rose to the surface of his mind. Even after all this time, he obviously couldn¡¯t forget the death of his former master.

    ¡°Now, my most excellent friend, what are you playing at here?¡± Qumisson pressed.

    ¡°Like I said, time changes people. And people change the times as well,¡± Swen explained. ¡°We are in troubling times, and you are attempting to throw us into chaos.¡±

    Qumisson¡¯s face slightly stiffened, an almost imperceptible change. ¡°Are you blaming me of something?¡±

    ¡°It is quite clear that you are involved in current events. And by that, I mean the poisoning incidents, of course.¡±

    The two men stared at each other for a few moments. Again, not a single muscle twitched in their expressions. They barely even blinked. Of course, Swen wasn¡¯t expecting to get a confession out of Qumisson. He wasn¡¯t even expecting the man to show any signs of recognition. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for Swen to get thrown out, if not worse, for that outrageous remark. That was also just the beginning of his attack, though.

    ¡°All I want to do is give you suggestions¡ªfor there are ways to get Levia off the throne without killing her.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. You seem to me underestimating me, friend,¡± said Qumisson. At this a sudden glint of hostility crossed his eyes. ¡°Do you think I am not fully aware this is just a silly attempt at misdirection and information-gathering?¡±

    ¡°And what if it is not?¡± Swen posited. ¡°You might be missing out on an incredibly useful ally.¡±

    Swen was used to not being taken seriously. He had been entrusted to take care of the clumsy Fourth Prince out of spite¡ªonce, Swen¡¯s family had angered the royal family of Lastia. He¡¯d been effectively exiled along with him when Mayer had been sent to marry Levia.

    He couldn¡¯t be said to be a cunning man or a particularly skilled steward. But even so he had been acknowledged and put into the job of the lord chamberlain. He had learnt some of the secrets of the Kingdom of Rumdon.

    In response to Swen¡¯s words, Qumisson rose from his seat. ¡°Our talk is over.¡±

    Swen expected this. Without arguing against it, he rose from his seat as well. He knew it would be impossible to make someone as shrewd as Qumisson blurt out his plans out of anger or anything like that. And he knew it would be even harder to try and convince him that he would be really working with him. But that was fine.

    ¡°I am sorry for taking your time, Lord Qumisson,¡± said Swen, bowing. ¡°If you change your mind, please do send me a discreet message.¡±

    He turned and walked away. Qumisson said nothing and only watched his distancing back. Swen wasn¡¯t upset; he didn¡¯t even feel any sense of failure.

    After all, this diversion was in fact a complete success.

    Some minutes later, Swen stood waiting near one of the Marsten Mansion¡¯s walls. Lord Qumisson would definitely not expect him to still be lurking there, so he was probably safe. He hadn¡¯t even sent someone to accompany him out of the estate, as far as Swen could tell.

    After a few minutes, another figure appeared there. It was a robust man with an even more robust mustache. As he noticed Swen there, he sighed in a mix of relief and indignation and walked over to him with a fast gait.

    ¡°He will hear about this at some point,¡± the stern man warned him.

    ¡°I know. But it was needed. Thank you, Lord Stangir,¡± Swen said, lightly bowing. He was one of the minor lords, and one who hadn¡¯t particularly wanted to involve himself in the political struggle between the two main factions¡ªbut even so, he owed Levia a favor.

    Lord Stangir pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his sweaty, balding brow. ¡°The man really is meticulous about everything. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes.¡±

    He was referring not to Lord Qumisson, but rather to Lord Marsten, the former¡¯s supporter who always gave him residence during Qumisson¡¯s visits to Copius. Lord Marsten was known to hold rather overly detailed lists and ledgers at his estate. Of people coming and going, of inventory, of business¡ªanything.

    ¡°But were you suspected?¡± asked Swen.

    Lord Stangir shook his head. ¡°For being so meticulous as he is, the man has some rather lax security. I told the record keeper that I¡¯m there to consult Marsten¡¯s ledgers¡ªwhich was, in fact, agreed upon with the man himself¡ªand they let me have a free reign.¡±

    That was just as Swen expected. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even the first time he employed this strategy; Qumisson was going to be furious and insist that his host change this system of his, and Lord Marsten would do so, but only for perhaps a few months before going back to his old ways.

    Presently, Lord Stangir took a few slightly crumpled papers from his pocket and handed them to Swen. ¡°Have a good day,¡± the man greeted him and then scuttled away, constantly looking around him.

    Well, Swen would have liked to ask a few more questions, but he could understand the other party being apprehensive about being seen like that, so he let him go. Swen, however, stayed right there in that secluded corner and began scanning the documents. These were obviously not Lord Marsten¡¯s own copies but a summary made by Lord Stangir.

    During Qumisson¡¯s stay there, many nobles came to visit him. Dates and names were written down. Yes, Qumisson¡¯s entire faction arrived there. Did that mean they were, indeed, planning something? Not necessarily. But it was good to know.

    Possibly more important than that, however, was the trade of goods. House Marsten had a monopoly on the city¡¯s textile industry and wineries, so he asked Lord Stangir to exclude those. He was looking for anything peculiar, but mostly herbs.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t like he expected to find a record plainly stating that Lord Marsten had obtained the poison to use on Lord Shammings, but he hoped to at least obtain some clues.

    Swen raised a brow. Lord Marsten had gifted Lord Shammings with a new hound puppy about a week before his death? Rather odd, but probably irrelevant. He did receive some herbs from Lady Maclone, but none of those seemed suspicious at a glance. And since when did Lord Sacrum start dealing in fish, for him to send so many of them? The bouquet of flowers sent by Lord Marsten¡¯s daughter seemed like no more than a sweet gesture.

    Swen sighed. He would later scrutinize these notes in greater detail, but they were probably not as useful as he¡¯d hoped. Although this was Lord Marsten¡¯s estate, if Lord Qumisson planned anything he would surely do it from another location.

    He held his head. He really thought this was a good plan, didn¡¯t he?

    I just don¡¯t want her to end like Master Mayer, he thought bitterly. But what can I do to stop them? I¡¯m grasping in the darkness.

    He clenched his fists, stuck the papers into his pocket and started walking away. He would probably have to speak with that dreadful man again. It pained Swen that he didn¡¯t have the power to do it alone, but Salom unfortunately had the superior mind. It was possible that he would be able to find some connection or clue that Swen wouldn¡¯t.

    However, Her Majesty still trusts me more, he told himself, feeling proud at that.

    It was a hectic time after King Mekuriel¡¯s death. There was the state funeral, the constant readiness against any Sacronian activity in the wake of this news, and of course many official royal businesses to take care of.

    Levia was therefore thankful (in her own way) that Mayer was right there with her. And he was technically the King, after all. Clumsy as he was, he wasn¡¯t incompetent in most courtly matters. At least to the public he seemed reliable and trustworthy, despite his reputation. Perhaps much like Levia herself. Qumisson and the other nobles also cooperated to make sure that everything worked smoothly.

    Now the royal pair was riding a fanciful carriage down the looping road of the mountain, dressed in their finest garments. There was their festive wedding, followed by Mekuriel¡¯s grim funeral, and now it was time for the latest event¡­

    ¡°So, how are you feeling about this coronation?¡± Mayer asked her.

    Raising a brow, Levia said, ¡°Am I supposed to feel something?¡±

    The carriage was too large and luxurious to be holding only two people, not including the drivers sitting outside, but even so Mayer insisted on sitting next to his wife and soon-to-be Queen.

    ¡°Hmm, yeah, that was the wrong question,¡± Mayer said, scratching a smooth cheek. ¡°Not because of you know what, but because nothing¡¯s going to change for you.¡±

    ¡°Only when I spawn the next heir.¡±

    Mayer groaned. ¡°That again? That can wait.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind it either way,¡± Levia said. She could feel how stressed and exasperated he was, but couldn¡¯t understand why.

    ¡°You know, I have considered letting Lord Qumisson have the crown instead,¡± Mayer mentioned matter-of-factly out of the blue.

    ¡°What? Him?¡± asked Levia. ¡°Why would you want to let that pompous tyrant take over?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on, Levia. He does care about the kingdom and our subjects. He¡¯s just¡ª¡°

    ¡°No,¡± she interjected, ¡°he cares about them because he considers them inferior. Almost like how a fisherman cares about fish. Listen to me, Mayer. I¡¯m surprised he¡¯s allowing you to take over for Father in the first place. He must be planning something.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I won¡¯t deny that he¡¯s an ambitious and cunning man, but Levia, you can¡¯t be suspicious of people all the time. And you can¡¯t be too judgmental, either. ¡ªThere¡¯s no person without darkness in their heart.¡±

    That was true. Even if Levia herself had no darkness but merely an absence of light, it amounted to the same thing. But was Mayer trying to tell her something? She couldn¡¯t quite catch it from his feelings.

    Although she could read a person¡¯s emotions, she couldn¡¯t always fully understand what lay beneath them. This was one such case.

    ¡°Mayer, what are you¡ª¡°

    That question of hers was never completed. At that moment the ground started to rumble and the carriage just fell.

    Even without proper feelings, Levia could still experience pure fear. Such was the moment of completely uncertainty that passed as the world seemed to be turned literally upside down.

    Levia found herself lying on the floor¡ªno, on the wall of the carriage. She was half buried in debris made of wood and rocks and had the taste of blood in her mouth. She could also feel the pained and shocked minds of people around her, including the one nearest to her, Mayer.

    ¡°Levia¡­ are you, all right?¡± he asked her, coughing from all the dust around.

    She tried raising her body, but her legs hurt and she only now felt that there was something heavy pressing on her. She felt dizzy and hurt and faint.

    ¡°Not quite, no,¡± she said dryly. ¡°What happened?¡± Although he was in the exact same situation, she found herself seeking answers; when had she started relying on him to this extent, anyway?

    ¡°I think the¡­ ground collapsed under us.¡± Now that she looked at him, she saw a small stream of blood run down his face from his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure where we are now, but we might be separated from everyone¡­¡±

    Levia focused for a moment. She couldn¡¯t feel any other person immediately nearby, so it was very possible that the driver was unconscious or worse. Some of their other entourage she could feel, but they were seemingly above them.

    ¡°Well, this is bad,¡± she mumbled, ¡°we should hold on here and wait for¡ª¡°

    The moment she said this, there was a loud crack and the sound of something crumbling and her body slid backwards. In this frozen moment of time, she was sure she was doomed, but then a strong hand grabbed onto hers and pulled her.

    Mayer grunted with effort as he held her. She could now feel that there was nothing but air under her feet.

    The view slightly opened up and she could see that the wreckage of the carriage was strewn on an unstable-looking piece of rock. She was currently hanging from its very edge, with small pebbles and grains spilling next to her and half-blinding her.

    ¡°Well, that was close,¡± said Mayer with a strained voice. She couldn¡¯t see his face, from her position, but some blood trickled down on her as well. Now that she was free, she also felt various parts of her body aching and bleeding, although seemingly nothing truly pressing.

    ¡°Can you bring me up?¡± she asked calmly. Her heart rate was increasing and she was sweating, but that was purely a physical reaction.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ trying,¡± he grunted. She was pulled just a bit higher. ¡°I think something¡¯s wrong with my arms¡­ and this rock¡¯s not terribly stable, either.¡±

    Levia thought of the situation and quickly reached a conclusion. ¡°Let go of me,¡± she said.

    It took a few moments of shocked silence before he answered. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why? You¡¯re just risking both of us like that. I mean, if you¡ª¡°

    ¡°No.¡±

    She was about to explain everything. First of all, it would make Mayer much safer. It could mean nothing if this was some sort of assassination attempt and not a natural disaster, but he had more chances to survive if he didn¡¯t have to burden himself with her. Also, he needed to become a King because otherwise Qumisson would take the throne.

    As for a future Queen and future heir, that was no problem either. Qumisson might even decide to wed his daughter to him, so the royal lineage would not be completely lost. There was simply no reason for him to save her.

    No logical, utilitarian reason, anyhow.

    ¡°Why?¡± she simply asked, although she already knew his answer even before he opened his mouth.

    ¡°Because I love you.¡± She sensed both his love, pain and desperation.

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough. You have to think of the future,¡± she told him.

    ¡°I do. I¡¯m thinking about my future with you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Stop. I do not matter in the least.¡±

    It made no difference whether or not Levia lived. She was a defect. She didn¡¯t feel bad about it; she merely accepted the facts. She wasn¡¯t scared of death. At the same time, she also didn¡¯t care about hurting Mayer¡¯s feeling, so she was blunt.

    That was just how she was. And exactly why she ordered him to let her go.

    ¡°You matter to me, you stupid blithering idiot. Now shut up and let me pull you up!¡±

    Levia currently lacked the strength to argue. She couldn¡¯t even try to grab onto the edge to make things easier for Mayer.

    ¡°I will not¡­ give up on you! Ever!¡±

    Seeing his heartfelt efforts, it was, perhaps, another chance¡ªanother possibly momentous occasion for her feelings to finally blossom and awaken for the first time.

    Nothing like that happened, obviously.

    Instead, Mayer gathered all of his strength, shouted with effort and somehow managed to pull Levia onto the surface in one go. He started coughing and panting, his entire body shaking.

    ¡°Got you,¡± he said, a smile plastered over his dirty face. Levia¡¯s whole body convulsed with effort as well. ¡°Can you stand up?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure,¡± she replied. ¡°We should just sit down somewhere around and wait for help.¡± She found it hard to believe he managed to rescue her like this. He was still bleeding all over, but would probably be fine after receiving some medical care. She, too, sustained no small damage.

    ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re directly on the wreckage. Now stand up carefully.¡±

    Grabbing his hand once more, Levia barely managed to stand on her shaking legs. It went without saying that her magnificent dress was ruined, not that she cared about it. Her ripped stockings also felt like they were hindering her, but both mind and body were too tired to do anything else other than let Mayer guide her.

    The next moment there was a small quake.

    Levia noticed another small deluge of ground and rocks that fell from overhead only too late, unlike Mayer, who immediately leapt to shield her. However, while being pelted by this his legs wobbled, he lost his balance, and¡ªfell.

    Levia couldn¡¯t have done anything. Her own body seemed to slightly sink into the messed ground as she fell, while Mayer was swept away. She could feel everything: the horror, the anger, the fear, the sadness, the regret¡ªand the love he felt for her.

    Finally, he vanished over the edge.

    Levia just sat there, dazed. She felt his presence only for a moment before it was completely gone. It felt unreal. Levia only rarely experienced any dreams when she slept, but it was a similar sensation of something that couldn¡¯t happen in reality.

    She sat there for a long while, unable to even try and scream for help, feeling faint from all the pain and blood loss. She thought of herself and what just happened. Of Mayer¡¯s death.

    And of the fact that she felt nothing about it. Once again, she was completely devoid of any feelings.

    Revol found it surprising that the castle was so quiet that night.

    Of course, it was only the second time he¡¯d been there, but somehow he¡¯d imagined this grand place to remain tumultuous and full of activity at all times. Especially when considering the small incident that occurred there only very recently. In reality, the Queen was sleeping peacefully and guards quietly roamed the hallways. The only new difference was that they now paid more attention to the kitchen and the cellars as well.

    Although used to late-night work, Revol still found himself growing sleepy as he walked through the long corridors, hearing only his boots lightly tapping the floor.

    Revol was only there because he¡¯d been asked for a favor. ¡°I want you to join the castle guards tonight,¡± Molton had told him. ¡°Try to check every nook and cranny. Be thorough but more importantly, be alert.¡±

    It was an understatement to say that he¡¯d been confused by being summoned by Molton, let alone being handed this important mission. ¡°I will do my best, sir,¡± he had said after recovering a bit, ¡°but why?¡±

    ¡°Because I believe you¡¯re capable,¡± was all that Molton had said at the time and then discharged him. When Revol had reported to the guard barracks that evening he hadn¡¯t even been questioned, so Molton had apparently organized the entire thing very swiftly.

    And so Revol was patrolling the silent, dark castle. He couldn¡¯t even begin to think why Molton had chosen him for the job, but he was going to do his best at it. Perhaps it was a nice place to gain experience for a junior officer like him.

    It was an easy job anyway, since no one would be stupid enough to attack the place.

    Revol¡¯s feet stopped as he heard a soft rustle nearby. He grew tense, although immediately relaxed; it was probably just one of the other guards on patrol. Then again, it didn¡¯t quite sound like their rhythmical footsteps that he grew used to, these last few hours.

    Just to be safe, he walked ahead carefully. It might also just be one of the servants going for a midnight stroll, so they should be reprimanded. He was rather close to the royal bedchambers, though¡­

    And then he saw it. A dark shape was rushing through the corridor, almost invisible in the darkness and their steps very light in sound.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Revol mumbled quietly as he then noticed something small whizzing ahead, accompanied by the heavy sound of crumbling. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Weapon drawn, he too rushed ahead, cursing himself for that momentary hesitation.

    There was another crash and he could see dust rising ahead¡ªfrom the direction of the bedchambers.

    ¡°RAISE THE ALARM!¡± he screamed as he ran after the assailant.

    He still couldn¡¯t understand what was happening at all. The wall in front of him seemed to have been actually broken down as if struck by great hammers. Now all the guards around swarmed to the place of destruction, but he could see a figure rushing toward him.

    ¡°S-stop!¡± he barely shouted as he drew and threw his knife, giving it a push with the movement channel. He was still quite new with this technique, and indeed he missed his target, though he seemed to have at least grazed the figure. Then, something hard and small hit his chest. Revol did wear some protective clothing, but that blow still knocked him down on his back and expelled the air out of his lungs.

    A small figure approached him then passed above¡ªor at least attempted to, because Revol somehow managed to recover enough to grab their leg.

    The assassin was surprisingly light. No, abnormally light, so he was able to grab them easily.

    Even so, a moment later a kick was aimed at his face and blew him away with much more force than expected. He barely managed to get up, cringing at his bleeding nose, as he saw the assassin run to a window¡ªand jump outside.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Revol shouted for some reason, as if that ineffectual request would really do something, and ran to the window. It opened up above the mountain, so it was almost a direct fall as though from a sheer cliff. He thought he saw a fluttering robe in the darkness, but wasn¡¯t quite sure.

    There was no sign of anyone climbing down the walls or anything like that. He stood there, completely stumped with a hand clamped over his nose. Did this assassin just commit suicide?

    ¡°Are they gone?¡± One of the guards came running to that window, perhaps having seen the same scene from away.

    ¡°I¡­ believe so,¡± mumbled Revol in response, shuddering at the taste of blood in his mouth. ¡°Wait, what about Her Majesty?!¡± Clicking his tongue and ignoring his aches and blood-stained clothes, he separated from the wall and dashed toward the collapsed bedroom, where already there was a gathering of other guards in order to ascertain the situation.

    Even if it was foolish, he would never forgive himself¡ªMolton would never forgive him¡ªif he allowed the Queen to die under his watch.

    That night, Levia had an unpleasant dream.

    She had had similar ones throughout the years. She was walking on some sort of surface¡ªwhether it was a corridor, a bridge or a cliff¡ªand it would suddenly crumble down beneath her. Strangely, Mayer never was a part of those dreams.

    This time, however, the dream turned into reality halfway through. Just as the ground under Levia collapsed, there was an actual, physical sound accompanying it, which caused her to wake up.

    She was a rather light sleeper; if anyone approached while governed by some strong emotion, such as the hostility of the occasional assassin, it was enough to wake her up, so this great noise obviously did the same.

    There was great clamor around her, and to her utter surprise she saw that the wall and door directly in front of her bedroom were demolished. This was no mere assassination attempt. As she quickly rose from her bed, something shot near her, stuck into the wall and destroyed it as well.

    ¡°Guards!¡± she shouted despite knowing that they were already running around and that it was probably too late. Immediately a few came into the room. The attacker wasn¡¯t among them, although she could sense a person fleeing from nearby.

    ¡°Your Majesty! Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°I am startled, but otherwise unharmed,¡± she answered calmly, slightly squinting at the light of the lanterns carried by some of the guards. ¡°Some of you stay with me just in case. The others, catch the perpetrator.¡±

    Perhaps assured by the Queen¡¯s calm demeanor, everything was soon settled. It was actually a great shock, thinking about it; what sort of assassin could wreck her room like this? It had to have been someone on the level of Molton, at the very least. And if it was, wouldn¡¯t they just kill the guards and her almost immediately?

    Levia sighed. She quite enjoyed sleeping, an activity that required no effort on her part, but had the feeling that she was going to have to spend the remainder of the night without any sleep. Even so, she was alive. Unlike her father, unlike her husband, and unlike her father¡¯s old friend¡ªshe still remained alive.

    And she had to find a way to thwart every possible disaster so she could keep it that way.

    Some say that crowns should be gold, but I rather think that silver is better.

    A glint of silver might not be as luxurious, yet it somehow feels more¡­ reliable. Well, it is still pricy, so I suppose my life as royalty has dulled my senses in regards to such matters. Nevertheless.

    Perhaps I just seek its mirror-like surface. To remind me who I am. To remind me what I am feeling. Or rather, to reflect others¡¯ feelings.

    A silver queen on a silver throne, cold yet bright. Yes, that fits me best.

 Chapter 10: Red Rage

    Roah carried a talisman along with him as he walked, although he had no intentions of using it at the moment. Right now, their forces should be fighting hard against the Stroba, and he expected no crucial updates for at least the next couple of hours. He just let it hang from his waist and hoped it wouldn¡¯t disturb him.

    It was strange, staying behind in this peaceful city while knowing he was responsible for bloody war at another place entirely. Yet he pushed these thoughts out of his mind and focused on his secret mission instead.

    ¡°Are you excited?¡± asked Seele from nearby. This question was not directed at Roah, but at the small fairy walking hand in hand with Seele¡ªOrin.

    ¡°¡­Dunno,¡± they responded, their large amber eyes darting all around.

    At long last, Roah arranged this meeting between parent and child. He had to wait for an opportunity where Gen and Aisbroom wouldn¡¯t be present and for Niu to be preoccupied. He did feel bad about it, but just for once he had to take advantage of her mental state. Roah knew that Niu felt uneasy about this whole operation, despite being the one who¡¯d advocated the most for it.

    Being a queen was hard. He was the one who elevated her to that station, so perhaps he knew it more than most.

    The door behind them was closed by the guards as they were led down and down further into the dungeon. After passing through some corridors, they finally reached the solitary section of Acrus¡¯s cell. The moment they did, Orin snuck behind Seele.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be shy¡­ that¡¯s your progenitor, you know,¡± Seele said softly. The moment they did, there as a soft gasp from behind the bars.

    ¡°Ah! My child,¡± Acrus said, their voice slightly shaking. Roah really found it weird seeing this cold, cruel Ruler act so emotional when faced with their own child.

    Well, perhaps Roah too was like that, sometimes.

    ¡°Um,¡± mumbled Orin, eyes wide as they peeked from behind Seele, ¡°hi.¡±

    ¡°Please, come over,¡± said Acrus, beckoning them.

    Urged by Seele, Orin took a very hesitant step forward. They turned to look at Seele again, who then nodded and smiled. Orin gingerly came in front of the bars, their large eyes gazing within.

    Acrus smiled. ¡°Yes, you do look exactly like me. If only I could hold you¡­¡±

    Roah still couldn¡¯t quite get used to the idea that fairies¡¯ children were their exact clones, but apparently even some of the fairies found that fact fascinating. This also led him to wonder in turn if inside that timid child also lay the disposition of a tyrant.

    ¡°My¡­ progen,¡± mumbled Orin. ¡°Can I¡­ ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I will gladly answer anything you want,¡± replied Acrus, smiling.

    ¡°My¡­ you¡­¡± Orin still sounded unsure, swallowing their words. Then finally spoke. ¡°Everyone says that¡­ you¡¯re bad. Are you?¡±

    Roah furrowed his brows, and he was pretty sure he could also hear Seele leak a small sigh. He wasn¡¯t expecting Orin to be so forthright about that right on their first meeting. Then again, they must have heard many things of the sort back at the nursery. Seele told him they were pretty sure that Orin wasn¡¯t getting bullied or anything like that, but it must have been very tough regardless.

    As expected, Acrus¡¯s smile faded. They seemed unsure how to answer that question.

    ¡°I have made some mistakes,¡± said Acrus, glancing for an instant at Roah with sharp eyes. ¡°What I did wasn¡¯t wrong, but I have lost. Some people would say that means I am bad. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    Orin shook their head sideways.

    ¡°That is fine,¡± Acrus said, smile returning to their face, ¡°one day you will understand. One day we will be united. I promise you this.¡±

    Orin didn¡¯t look quite convinced¡ªor perhaps this sort of talk was too difficult for them¡ªbut they said nothing further. Following this was an ordinary exchange where Acrus merely inquired about Orin¡¯s wellbeing and environment, to which the child replied only curtly and vaguely. Even so Acrus seemed pleased at this.

    At length the conversation was over. Acrus motioned over to Roah, which he took to understand he was dismissing them¡ªas if they even had the authority.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you make some nice drawing and show it to Acrus the next time you¡¯re here?¡± Seele suggested cheerfully, patting Orin¡¯s head. The child mumbled something in response, but Roah¡¯s attention was taken elsewhere.

    ¡°Roah.¡± The ex-Ruler stopped him just as he was about to join the other two. Acrus beckoned him and Roah approached. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t sense any sort of warmth or sincerity from that smile and Acrus¡¯s eyes were as sharp as ever.

    ¡°No need to. I can¡¯t guarantee when and if it¡¯ll happen next, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I am aware,¡± said Acrus.

    The conversation seemed to end at this, so Roah once again turned, seeing that Seele was waiting for him. As he walked, though, Acrus inserted another hushed comment.

    ¡°Take care of that foolish girl of yours, now that the war¡¯s about to be over. Supposed peace will have its own price to pay.¡±

    Only grunting as a response and not even turning back to face him, Roah hurried along with the others to the surface. There was no use wondering how Acrus even got the news when they all made sure Acrus would be completely isolated. Now that Roah¡¯s sneaky business was over, it was time to inquire about the latest tidings of the ongoing operation.

    When had Zade truly noticed that something was wrong? Technically, from the very beginning, but other than that, he wasn¡¯t quite sure.

    Ever since arriving at the place that seemed to be Fairland, his sense of time (to say nothing of other senses) was extremely muddled. He might have spent only a few weeks there, or it might have been a couple of years, or even dozens of years, for all he knew.

    Zade found that he had two consciousnesses: one that saw things for how they were, and the other that saw things how the people taking care of him wanted. His beloved wife Alima had been killed during the attack that led to him being whisked off to another world, and then stayed with him to support him during this foreign experience, soothing and protecting him.

    These two contradictory realities existed at the same time, mixing together.

    The part of him that realized what was going on understood, with time, that this was caused by the strange drugs that they were giving him. But most of the time he was powerless to fight against it, mostly because he couldn¡¯t deal with the sadness and pain of admitting everything was a lie.

    Anger bubbled within him. These fairies were taking advantage of him. Even worse, his own countrymen, fellow humans from Plainland that found themselves in similar circumstances, hadn¡¯t come to his rescue.

    He felt disgust. Fear. Loathing. His mind and heart breaking down. He fought against the mind-altering drugs and fought against himself fighting against the drugs. He was a complete mess.

    But with time he found that was changing. There were times when he awoke at night and his mind was crystal-clear. That was always temporary, though. Was he developing a resistance to the drugs they were feeding him, perhaps? Regardless of the explanation, it allowed him some time¡ªafter he was done panicking¡ªto start thinking. Thinking for real.

    And he came to the conclusion that he needed to wait for a chance. A chance to escape this wretched place, and, if possible, get back at the ones who tortured him.

    Finally, the opportunity came. There was war outside and he was to be taken to be evacuated. Literally the perfect opportunity. He gathered his will and threatened his caretaker, the horrible person who pretended to be his wife.

    Now he was walking with her¡ªwell, he could understand that Monan wasn¡¯t actually a ¡°her¡±, but still¡ªin an attempt to escape this hellish battlefield.

    He was of course scared, but much more fueled by his still-sizzling anger, at least for the moment.

    ¡°¡­How long?¡± he mumbled, brandishing his knife.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Until we get out,¡± he clarified, not realizing that this still wasn¡¯t clear.

    After thinking for a while, Alima¡ªno, Monan replied. ¡°We¡¯ll soon reach the wild territory,¡± they explained. ¡°From there, we¡¯ll, er¡­ try to go toward the Makin territories, I guess¡­¡±

    Looking at Monan¡¯s petite figure, Zade was filled with complex emotions. They were at once his lover and his jailer. He could never forgive them¡­ but also felt his heart aching every time he looked at them.

    They were anxious and scared, to be sure, but why did they also seem so accepting of their fate? Zade almost felt as if he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied if Monan didn¡¯t start crying and begging to be spared.

    ¡°¡­Why are you so calm?¡± he found himself saying.

    Monan raised their brows, seemingly surprised at this question. ¡°W-what do you mean? I¡¯m really, really, not.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re helping me,¡± Zade tried to elaborate unsuccessfully.

    ¡°Oh. Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Monan wore a sad smile, giggling. That expression brought him such conflicted emotions he nearly fell from the thick branch they were walking on.

    ¡°¡­No.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m helping you,¡± they said, ¡°because I love you.¡±

    Love. They dared to claim this emotion in front of him after doing all that? This almost made him punch Monan in the face, but his residual love for Alima stopped him. This almost made him punch himself in the face, but his need to escape stopped him.

    Gods dammit, he thought, no, screamed in his mind. What am I even doing?

    ¡°Did you hear me, Mallew?¡±

    ¡°What? O-oh, sorry, Professor¡­ I was just thinking about something.¡±

    Mallew felt some embarrassment when she heard Salom¡¯s sigh following her reply. Lately, she¡¯d been finding herself spacing out more and more. It wasn¡¯t her fault, really; it was those two persistent young men¡­

    She found herself bumping into both Callun and Revol a few times these last few days. Or more precisely, they were the ones who bumped into her. But why her? Sure, she was in a unique position in the military and a confidant of the Queen¡¯s secret proceedings, but even so it felt a bit too much.

    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Salom stressed, once again pulling her back into reality, ¡°I have the sneaking suspicion that this configuration is Lastian. At the very least, I find it unlikely to have come from either Rumdon or Sacrona.¡±

    The pair was gathered around a few small rock fragments assembled together like a jigsaw puzzle. These were found among the wreckage of the Queen¡¯s bedroom following the attack last night. When it was noticed that there were faint marks resembling icons on them, Salom had immediately been called to examine them, and in turn he called Mallew over as well.

    The problem was that the rock was almost completely shattered. It was ingenious, really¡ªicons were usually inscribed on more durable materials since they were meant for consistent usage, but using them like that for an attack would erase all evidence. They only managed to gather an estimated 50% of the so-called assassination weapon, and even that was barely readable.

    ¡°Really? How can you tell?¡± Mallew mumbled, glancing at the faint icons. At their current state it was hard to even judge what their function tried to be.

    ¡°Look here.¡± Salom pointed at a certain squiggly line on the rock¡¯s surface. ¡°Proper icons don¡¯t use these sorts of confused symbols¡­ so my first thought went to Lastia. I might be mistaken, though.¡±

    Mallew leaned forward, brows furrowed, trying to decipher it as well. What Salom said was true, but she noticed something different entirely.

    ¡°Say, doesn¡¯t this line connect to the shape on the opposite side?¡±

    ¡°What¡­? Wait, you¡¯re right.¡± Salom turned the fragment. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you remembered.¡±

    ¡°Oh, because that seemed like a nonfunctional icon,¡± Mallew explained, ¡°so I thought it was just damaged. But if we connect the two¡­¡±

    ¡°Then it becomes¡­ yes, I see what you¡¯re getting at. Amazing.¡±

    To an outsider it would probably sound like they were talking about nothing at all. Mallew felt slightly happy that she was able to have such conversations with the Professor she¡¯d admired for so long.

    ¡°So it¡¯s something to do with the weight channel, then. But that sort of usage is completely non-orthodox,¡± Mallew concluded, still thinking. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ one side accumulates weight and the other side unleashes it?¡±

    ¡°That explains what happened, then,¡± Salom nodded in satisfaction. ¡°What a peculiar weapon this is. We are extremely lucky that even so many fragments remained. Otherwise, we would have never gotten it.¡±

    Weight channel was not often used. It was possibly even rarer than the growth channel which was poorly understood. Although weight channeling sounded easy in principle, it could have all sorts of devastating effects. Technically less dangerous than the volatile movement or heat channels, but less useful as well.

    ¡°Come to think of it,¡± Salom added, ¡°Revol spoke about the assailant hitting much harder than their appearance would suggest. An expert in weight channeling, then?¡±

    Revol? Mallew felt her heart flutter in surprise and confusion. What did he have to do with all of this? However, she didn¡¯t want to think about it right now, so she hurriedly kept talking.

    ¡°T-those are rare. I can¡¯t even tell if this iconography is amateurish or just beyond our knowledge.¡±

    After considering a few possibilities, they came to the conclusion that the attack was meant to kill the Queen by crushing her to death, whether by the rock¡¯s enhanced weight or the entire room collapsing on her. Well, this much was already apparent by witness accounts and the damage incurred, but still.

    One of the mysteries was the fact that the assassin leapt out of the window after failing in their attack. They had considered the possibility that they were a disposable pawn, committing suicide in order to hide their tracks, but no such corpse had been found anywhere on the mountain for now. With these new findings, it was highly likely that the assassin purposely jumped out, somehow survived using their channeling and was still out and about.

    Now they were finally starting to figure out how it was done. Which, in turn, could lead them to the culprit, or at least allow them to be prepared for another attempt.

    ¡°Is it really someone from Lastia, though?¡± wondered Mallew aloud. ¡°It could just be imported technology to fool us.¡±

    Salom sighed. ¡°The problem is we can¡¯t say for sure, right? But never mind that, Mallew. That part is not your job.¡± He sounded somewhat tired and bitter, speaking those last words. ¡°¡­Well, if you¡¯d like to, you can take this rock and see if you find more clues, or something.¡±

    ¡°C-can I? Really?¡± she asked excitedly.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to keep doing this, but unfortunately¡­ since we seem to have reached a conclusion, I have some other matters I must attend to.¡± Once again, his smiled turned bitter.

    ¡°Understood,¡± said Mallew, nodding. ¡°Good luck, Professor. I¡¯ll try looking into it for a bit longer.¡± As he greeted her back and left, she added in her thoughts, at least I¡¯ll be able to avoid my stalkers for a bit longer like this.

    Shaya coughed violently as she regained consciousness.

    She felt the cold, hard ground under her, and a giant shape was looming over her. The surroundings were mostly dark and her body ached all over. It took her a few moments to recall where she was.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ what¡­?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake,¡± said a familiar voice. She blinked, seeing a figure approach from the side. It belonged to Aisbroom. She was surprised; she hadn¡¯t expected to see them anytime soon, considering all of them were fighting in different places. ¡°Are you feeling fine?¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    She coughed again. ¡°¡­Not really¡­ what happened?¡± She then noticed that her voice was strangely muffled.

    ¡°You were poisoned.¡± This time it was an unfamiliar voice. ¡°You are recovering, but you should not, move too much.¡±

    Only then she noticed that her mouth and nose were covered by something, and realized that it was a laborer¡¯s hand, or rather a strange appendage that seemed to cup over her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s those sneaky Stroba,¡± Aisbroom mumbled. ¡°They spread some sort of toxin in the air¡­ luckily, we found you at the right time and we can take care of that, more or less. The one treating you is called ToX; it¡¯s a robot especially made for that purpose.¡±

    There were still many questions in Shaya¡¯s mind, but now that she fully recalled the circumstances, she nearly panicked.

    ¡°G-Gen?! What about Gen?¡±

    Aisbroom seemed to pause for a moment, but then wore a smile. ¡°Gen is doing fine, don¡¯t worry. He woke up before you.¡±

    She thought to try moving her head, but ToX was holding her too firmly.

    ¡°Gen?¡± she spoke, trying to move her eyes to the sides. She could barely see that other figures were lying nearby, but not much else.

    ¡°Not here,¡± said Aisbroom. ¡°Gone to help the others.¡±

    ¡°T-to fight? Then I too¡ª¡±

    ¡°Relax. There is no more fighting. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Aisbroom told her. Thinking about it, it made sense. But if so, what was Gen doing? As if reading her mind, Aisbroom continued. ¡°Well, there is still some fighting. Gen just went with a few units to check the area. Make sure there aren¡¯t any ambushes or secret cells, things like that.¡±

    ¡°But he¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, they got hit pretty badly too. I told them to wait, but they just told me to keep an eye over you¡­¡± Aisbroom sighed. ¡°I should be doing that job, not Gen.¡±

    Then why did you let him go? Shaya desperately sought inside her mind.

    ¡°Both of you were incredible today,¡± Aisbroom continued. Shaya never really was sure how to decipher Aisbroom¡¯s feelings. They seemed cold, most of the time, but even so they sounded genuine. She knew that despite Gen complaining about them a lot, he too learned to appreciate Aisbroom. And was perhaps being appreciated in turn.

    ¡°¡­We lost,¡± she responded weakly.

    ¡°No. No, you did not. Both of you managed to stay alive¡­ and if not for the Stroba¡¯s cowardly strategies, I¡¯m sure you would have held out much, much longer. I have to admit that you surprised me as well, Shaya.¡±

    She was unsure how to respond to that. Right now, she simply felt sick and dejected. And, most of all, she felt weak.

    ¡°All of you have changed since you came here¡­ but your change was perhaps the most surprising,¡± Aisbroom mused. ¡°You still have a long way to go, but you¡¯re a true warrior. Perhaps I should start training you as well.¡±

    Shaya¡¯s eyes widened. Although she didn¡¯t care about it at the current situation, it was still shocking for her to hear. Her goal had been, after all, to catch up with Gen and stand at his side. For a moment she thought such a thing was truly possible¡ªand it led her to this place.

    Even so, her conflicting emotions of this recent failure and the need to make up for it weighed on her mind.

    ¡°So¡­¡± she tried taking her mind off of the less important worries, ¡°is it really over?¡±

    ¡°¡­Most of our enemies are either dead or have surrendered,¡± said Aisbroom. ¡°Unfortunately, we have been unable to find our target. Gen was quite angry about that fact as well, which is why they went off like that, I think. The Stroba might have hidden or evacuated their captive somewhere¡­ or worse.¡±

    Shaya scowled. Their entire reason for coming here wasn¡¯t to fight. She didn¡¯t like that fact at all, although she knew that it was sometimes necessary. Still, their goal had been to save a fellow human from a horrible fate.

    If that wasn¡¯t accomplished, was this entire thing even worth it?

    The girl opened her eyes and found that everything around her was bright. The surroundings shone with brilliant colors even more vivid than the most expensive of jewels.

    ¡°The girl opened her, eyes and found that, everything around her, was bright. The surroundings, shone with brilliant, colors even more, vivid than the most, expensive of jewels.¡±

    Niu¡¯s hand holding the brush stopped. She was just adding that faint sparkle she had narrated to the canvas, but once again found the result unsatisfactory. She glanced at the small laborer that sat on her lap while she painted.

    ¡°I am sorry to, upset you again,¡± said NiU.

    You don¡¯t need to be sorry, she transmitted to it. This is my problem.

    Despite starting apprehensive to the idea, there was no doubt that having NiU with her was useful. She always imagined how it would be if she could actually speak, and now her wish came true¡­ well, partly. Never mind the slight lag between thought and speech, but the laborer¡¯s characteristic stilted way of speaking bothered her quite a bit.

    She wanted to imagine herself speaking, and NiU¡¯s voice itself was actually quite feminine and nice, but the fantasy was broken whenever it said more than a couple of words at a time.

    Even so, Niu couldn¡¯t be mad at the laborer itself. It was created especially for her and was striving hard to work with her. It wasn¡¯t its fault.

    How typical of her that, when she tried doing some paintings to take her mind off of current events, she still ended up being troubled by something else entirely. Things were apparently quite hectic over at Plainland as well, based on recent communications. Everyone had their own share of trouble.

    She turned her gaze back to the canvas. She tried recreating one of her favorite fairytales from memory, but decided she would continue that project another time instead. Perhaps she could instead paint some nice scenery, or¡ª

    A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. ¡°Queen?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said through NiU after hearing Roah¡¯s voice from the other door. It was promptly opened and the young man stepped inside.

    ¡°I have come to report, but is that fine?¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± said Niu, returning to face the canvas. She didn¡¯t feel like looking at his face while he reported this sort of thing. It was perhaps quite rude of her, but she didn¡¯t think Roah was going to complain.

    She relegated nearly all military matters to Roah and Aisbroom, but still insisted to hear each and every report. This was her duty. She hated fighting and she hated pain, but she was the Queen. Niu didn¡¯t know about Queen Levia-O¡ªthe only other royalty she knew¡ªbut she took her job very seriously.

    She wasn¡¯t very smart or resourceful and definitely had no leadership qualities, but on that day two years ago she¡¯d decided on taking this role on herself, and so became the Ruler of Kalden.

    She did it for her friends and for Kalden, and often wondered if it was the right decision, but couldn¡¯t allow herself to doubt it too much, after coming this far. Anyway, she felt that she was getting better and better at her job, at least in recent times. While she took some hard decisions, she believed that the most important part was that she took them.

    ¡°Minutes ago,¡± Roah began, ¡°I have received news that the fight against Stroba is over.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is it?¡± Niu was surprised. She knew that Kalden had every possible advantage, but still expected the operation to go for at least a couple of days.

    ¡°Well, mostly. We have taken control of most valuable positions both below ground and above it, though some resistance still remains. ¡ªThere are, however, some troubles.¡±

    ¡°Which are?¡± Niu asked. She almost felt like he was this doing this on purpose.

    ¡°The main one is that we have failed to secure the Stroba¡¯s Ruler,¡± Roah explained. ¡°They are either still hiding somewhere or have run away¡­ well, it¡¯s too early to say since the situation is still evolving even as we speak. However, the same goes for our target.¡±

    ¡°You mean the human.¡±

    ¡°Yes. He is currently missing as well, and we find it unlikely that the Stroba eliminated him. If that was the case, they would have probably tried to threaten us with that possibility before doing that.¡±

    They were afraid of that, and in fact didn¡¯t have a great plan to prevent it¡ªbut judged that it would probably not come down to that.

    ¡°They might be hiding, along with the Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is true. They are currently looking for them with that in mind. I will keep you updated, of course,¡± said Roah.

    ¡°What about¡­¡± Niu hesitated for a second, ¡°our forces?¡±

    She hoped that he would understand what she was getting it even without her explaining it directly. In all truth, that was the question she was most afraid of: how much had this operation cost in lives?

    Niu had sent all of them to a fight when she knew not all of them would make it back. That was quite a heavy responsibility. Especially when Gen and Shaya were among them¡ªsomething they had insisted upon.

    How would she feel if Roah was going to inform her that either one of them or both were dead? She nearly burst into tears just thinking about it.

    She had actually been against sending them, but they were the ones who decided to participate out of their own will. With Gen, she knew would be stubborn, but Shaya really surprised her there. Well, they wouldn¡¯t have listened to her regardless, and their relationship was pretty shaky anyway nowadays.

    One day she would patch up things with them¡ªso she swore, vague a vow as it was, and hoped against hope that Roah¡¯s report wouldn¡¯t dash that wish.

    After a second that seemed like an eternity while trapped in her thoughts, Roah finally replied.

    ¡°There were casualties, of course¡ªbut I haven¡¯t heard any specific names,¡± he said.

    That was way too ambiguous for her liking. She almost felt like he was teasing her on purpose.

    ¡°Relax,¡± Roah said next. ¡°They should be fine. That stupid boy won¡¯t go down so easily, and he won¡¯t let that silly girl get hurt either. Aisbroom will also keep watch on them.¡±

    Niu forced herself to smile. It was almost funny how childish he sounded with the way he referred to them, when they were all more-or-less adults already.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said to no particular reply.

    A few seconds passed. Roah cleared his throat, saying, ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Well, what?¡±

    ¡°Your orders,¡± Roah clarified.

    Oh, thought Niu. She wasn¡¯t even really handling the operation, but Roah always seemed to be strangely formal in these sorts of contexts.

    ¡°Fortify our position at, Marmony, while looking for, the targets. After that, we should get the, majority of our forces, back here. Well, you can adjust that, plan as you see fit.¡± She simply told him what she thought made sense.

    ¡°Understood,¡± said Roah. ¡°I will be back for another report if anything happens.¡±

    He probably bowed, but Niu still wasn¡¯t looking at him. She merely heard him closing the door behind him, and then realized that she was very tense. She loosened up, lowering her long since dry brush.

    This is such a mess, she thought glumly as she tried getting back to work. Not unlike me.

    Linza stifled a yawn as she paced around town. There were a few guards roaming around, but none of them seemed like they even glanced at her. Eventually she settled down, sitting with her back to a tree in a more natural part of the town.

    She never quite liked the fact she looked so young, but at least it helped her in situations like this. No one would even imagine a petite girl walking brazenly outside would be the one behind the assassination attempt the other night.

    On the other hand, they did see her general figure, and one of the guards even tried grabbing her¡­ still, she wasn¡¯t terribly afraid at this stage.

    Linza herself wasn¡¯t quite sure how to act from here on. She had tried subterfuge and a direct attack, so what else was left for her to satisfy her client? Back when the request came¡ªthrough a middleman, of course; almost none of her clients actually met her¡ªshe found it somewhat strange, but who was she to argue with a job that brought her so much money?

    The client¡¯s orders were simple: she was to try to assassinate the Queen but not make too much of an effort. She had been expressly told that her highest priority was to not get caught, regardless of what happened to the Queen. She was also instructed to vary her methods with each attempt, but stop after the third one.

    That request was nothing short of baffling. If her client wanted the Queen dead, why choose this bizarre method? And if the client didn¡¯t want her dead, why hire an assassin? She kept those doubts in her mind, but just acted like she was told. It wasn¡¯t her place to question a paying customer.

    Truth be told, Linza would be glad to get rid of the job without killing anyone. She felt like killing someone so high up was far more trouble than it was worth.

    First, she tried the less flashy way¡ªpoison. She was slightly shocked to have found out that a similar incident had occurred elsewhere before. She wasn¡¯t sure if that was good or bad for her, and was also pretty sure this wasn¡¯t a coincidence, but wasn¡¯t about to ask. The less she knew, she better. The faster she finished this job, the better.

    Following that she went for a direct assault, but they were obviously prepared with so much guards around, so instead of risking it she simply unleashed a few attacks and ran. Judging from how things were in town, she was unsuccessful.

    This left her with only one more attempt. Whether she failed or succeeded, that would be the end of this job.

    What should she try this time, then?

    ¡°Hey, you.¡± Linza heard a voice behind her and froze, body tensing up all over. Had she been already found? ¡°Stop avoiding me.¡±

    ¡°Um.¡± Linza turned around and saw a young man with light brown hair smiling flippantly. His expression then grew confused as he saw her face.

    ¡°Oh, sorry, I mistook you for another person,¡± the man said. Accepting this in relief, Linza merely nodded and turned back, except that the man called to her again. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re actually kinda cute, too. How about you come to get a drink with me?¡±

    Linza frowned. It happened from time to time, but she never liked men hitting on her like that. ¡°I¡¯ll have to decline,¡± she said, then rose to her legs and started walking away. She rested enough for now.

    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t be that way,¡± the man¡¯s grating voice still approached her from behind. ¡°You look like you¡¯re not from around here¡­ I¡¯ll show you to some nice place. Just one drink, come on.¡±

    Linza stopped. The man was making an awful lot of noise and some people were glancing their way. She suppressed her Lastian accent as best as she could, but just like he said she didn¡¯t look local, and didn¡¯t want any undue attention.

    ¡°Oh, alright,¡± she finally said surly. ¡°Just one drink though.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± said the youth, flashing her a haughty smile. ¡°I¡¯m Callun Qumisson. Let¡¯s have a nice time.¡±

    Gen started feeling faint and dizzy again, a fact that did not escape the attention of the other members of his unit even when their surroundings were mostly dark.

    ¡°You should go back,¡± told him one.

    Gen wasn¡¯t doing much or anything important; just a general sweep of the caverns. Traps had already been triggered or disabled, the dead gathered and the Stroba that stopped resisting apprehended. There would be a lot to do with this place moving on, and Gen was glad that he would probably not have to be a major part of it.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Gen hesitated. ¡°Ugh, all right, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Just an hour an ago he¡¯d been woken up by Aisbroom. He really thought he was a goner, but Aisbroom had explained that they¡¯d concocted a certain antidote that should have worked on most Stroban poisons, and so administered it to Gen upon reaching the scene at just the right time.

    Relieved at his own survival, Gen had nonetheless been dreading the condition of Shaya, who was still in a bad state and unconscious. One of the laborers apparently made expressly for this purpose was treating her and Aisbroom claimed she would be fine, but Gen was still horrified. He knew he had to do something so he wouldn¡¯t just stay there worried, and so he¡¯d volunteered to check the aftermath of the battle.

    Of course, he still ended up thinking about it a lot. It was quite obvious that he and Shaya both bit off more than they could chew. They thought this operation would be a rescue mission and a strike of justice, but it was simply war. Even after having fought a bit before this, Gen had never been through such a hell.

    He couldn¡¯t even count how many people he¡¯d killed, and it was weighing greatly on his mind. Not to mention the fact that he¡¯d nearly gotten Shaya killed, too.

    He regretted agreeing for her to come, then was also mad at himself for rejecting her heartfelt wishes. But how could anyone blame him?

    At first, they seemed like some sort of invincible duo, the stuff of legends. With his formless compensation and her amazing channeling, they could defeat any enemy¡ªor so he thought, but even strict power alone couldn¡¯t beat quantity, traps and tricks.

    Gen was far too conceited with his power. Not to mention that they failed to achieve any of their goals. Other than conquering Marmony, maybe, but that didn¡¯t interest him.

    It was both a victory and a loss. He knew he had to get to Shaya and apologize for involving her in this mess, but he couldn¡¯t face her like this.

    He was also scared of making his way there and finding out that she was¡­

    ¡°Ah, here you are,¡± said a nearby voice.

    Slightly panting, Gen turned to see Aisbroom. Had they come there looking for him? If so, it possibly meant something happened with¡ª

    ¡°Go to them,¡± Aisbroom simply told him.

    ¡°¡­What?¡±

    ¡°I mean Shaya.¡± Since the fairies¡¯ native language was gender-neutral, it was still a bit confusing at times. ¡°They¡¯re fine. Or they will be. They need you.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Go. I¡¯ll take care of things here; you still need to recover.¡±

    Gen was conflicted. Seeing Aisbroom like this in front of him felt complex¡ªthey were the one who managed to save him while he himself had collapsed. Gen foolishly thought he was closing the gap to both Molton and Aisbroom, but that was wrong. Deadly wrong, almost.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he mumbled, nodding slightly. Aisbroom nodded back, and the two of them crossed paths, walking in different directions. Aisbroom started conversing with the others around as Gen distanced himself.

    There were still many things he was unsure about, things he hesitated about, and things that he knew he must come to a decision about. Now that he truly realized how fleeting his life was, he couldn¡¯t wait much longer.

    Gen¡¯s body, mind and heart ached.

    The library of Copius Castle was not large¡ªat least not when compared to such places as the University¡¯s Research and Knowledge Hub or to the famous Northern Archives in Lastia¡ªbut it still contained a vast repertoire on many varied subjects, starting from medicine to biology to channeling to theology, fairy tales and even some fiction.

    Not many people were granted access and usage of the facility, obviously; outside the royal family only select nobles or people with special privileges were allowed to peruse the many dusty bookshelves.

    Naturally one of them was Lord Qumisson, allowing him to sit in the peace and quiet and read a book. As he heard incoming steps, he raised his face from page 255 of ¡°Country and State Vol II-2¡± and saw none other than Queen Levia-O herself.

    ¡°My, that is quite the door stopper you are reading there,¡± said Levia, smiling elegantly. To him it sounded very mocking, even if she hadn¡¯t intended it to be.

    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Qumisson half-rose from his seat to bow politely despite seething from the inside. ¡°Are you here for some reading, as well?¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± she said, ¡°I was looking for you. Someone told me you were seen here.¡±

    Qumisson managed to stop himself from frowning. Why exactly was she looking for him? Could she have found some direct evidence to his involvement? No, that would be completely impossible. Even if she could read his mind, she would never find any physical proof.

    ¡°You could have summoned me, Your Majesty. No need to go out of your way like this.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. Actually, this is quite urgent and I require your help.¡±

    His brows raised ever so slightly. ¡°My help¡­ Your Majesty?¡±

    Levia widened her smile. ¡°Yes. You see, I plan on holding a public speech.¡±

    The surprises just kept coming, but now Qumisson managed to compose himself¡ªnot that it would stop the vile woman from prying it from his mind, but still.

    ¡°For what purpose?¡± he merely asked.

    ¡°Morale.¡± The Queen stepped further, putting one hand on the table. ¡°Our people are scared, Lord Qumisson. And rightly so. There is possible war coming right around the corner, the attack by the Gods that vanished as readily as it appeared, with slight hints of it resurfacing¡­ and, of course, the recent attempts on my life. Try to suppress the news as I might, it still spreads around, causing worry and unrest.¡±

    ¡°And so you intend to sooth them with words? I am doubtful that would work as you intend it to. Furthermore,¡± he added, only slightly hesitating, ¡°would it not make any further assassination attempts easier?¡±

    There was no way she hadn¡¯t realized this, after all, which is why he paused only very briefly, but still cursed himself afterward. She definitely tried fishing for his response, just like always.

    ¡°There is no need to worry,¡± the Queen said calmly, ¡°I am obviously aware of that, and will be prepared accordingly.¡±

    She was planning something for sure¡ªbut currently Qumisson couldn¡¯t tell what. While pondering this, he instead raised his second doubt.

    ¡°So why do you require my help, then, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°Is it not obvious, Lord Qumisson?¡± she asked with that fake charming smile of hers which he so hated. ¡°You are a much better fit than me for handling those kinds of events. Was I not dull to the extreme, back at the funeral? I was hoping to borrow your expertise.¡±

    ¡°I will not make a speech for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course not, I did not mean that. I was hoping more for you to give me some advice and logistical management, that sort of thing.¡±

    ¡°If so, then find someone else to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Were you under the impression you can refuse me, Lord Qumisson?¡± she asked, her smile slightly faltering. ¡°No¡­ you are free to decline this offer. I will not order you in my capacity as a Queen or otherwise. However, as longtime friends and family, I insist.¡±

    Was she trying to set some sort of trap? Even if he decided to act during the event, he obviously wouldn¡¯t do anything himself. But perhaps she wanted to keep a watching eye on him anyway. Or perhaps it was insurance in case anything did happen, where she could blame him for it.

    It was risky, to be sure, but there were also many things to gain from it. Even if he wouldn¡¯t go as far as to sabotage this public address, perhaps he could manipulate it to inflict a devastating blow to her reputation among the populace. What if, for example, her assassination coincided with this event?

    ¡­And she was also reading his emotions from directly inside his mind as he was considering all this. Damn her to Blissland and back.

    ¡°I will do as you wish, Your Majesty,¡± he finally relented.

    She put her hands together. ¡°Most splendid. Let us arrange a meeting later this afternoon at your earliest convenience, then. Goodbye for now.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Your Majesty.¡± Qumisson called out just as the Queen turned to leave. She looked back at him. ¡°While you are here. I would like to apologize on the behalf on my unruly son. I heard he has been bothering your staff as of late.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. I did hear about young Callun stirring up something,¡± said Levia, the smile not leaving her lips. ¡°It is fine. All of us were once young and unruly, and no harm was done. I will not meddle in your family business; if you feel the need, you may discipline him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will.¡± For threatening my plans, that is. ¡°Please do not hold it against him.¡±

    ¡°Not to worry. I will see you later, then.¡±

    With the Queen¡¯s steps distancing themselves, Qumisson sank back into deep thought. He closed the book in his hands¡ªhe didn¡¯t even notice that he¡¯d been holding it open this entire time¡ªand ran through the information in his mind.

    A golden opportunity for assassination, manipulation, or both. Possibly even more. The Queen was likely holding a bait in front of him, but this didn¡¯t mean that this bait couldn¡¯t be used. He could outmaneuver her. And it was possible that this really wasn¡¯t some plan of hers; he might have been needlessly paranoid.

    All he needed to do was think of how to integrate this into his plans. How to get the Queen caught in her own trap.

    How to finally get rid of her.

    Whenever I see her, I see red.

    The red of her lips. At times, the red of her dress or jewelry. But most of the time, the red of my own rage. An insolent and utterly despicable woman.

    Despite being a defect and a scoundrel, she took it all.

    Status, wealth, position. There was nothing she was missing. That red only grew brighter with each passing day. As did the red of my love.

    Up until her very last day.

 Chapter 11: Orange Sunset

    Zade was definitely not used to heights. Especially not such extreme heights as the trees of Fairland reached to. Luckily, past a certain point, once they got away from the battlefield, there were no more convenient trees to walk to, so he and Monan had to get down to the grassy ground. Well, getting down was also uncomfortable, to say the least, but it was done.

    Although relieved to be on proper, stable ground again, Zade felt awfully dizzy. And he didn¡¯t think that it had to do anything with his location.

    ¡°We still need to remain cautious,¡± Monan told him. ¡°I did study this area¡¯s geography so that we wouldn¡¯t stumble on any enemy settlements¡­ but this is wild land. There are none of those strange things you call animals like in your world, but it doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s not dangerous. We can¡¯t tell what¡¯s going to happen at any given moment.¡±

    Zade ignored that entire diatribe. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty,¡± he mumbled, licking his dry lips.

    ¡°¡­Right. We couldn¡¯t bring a lot of water with us, after all. Let¡¯s look for a river.¡±

    As a matter of fact, rather than water, he actually referred to the concoction that Monan always supplied him. However, he knew that stuff was foul and that it ruined his mind. He felt disgusted with himself and said nothing further.

    As they walked through the silent woods, for a moment Zade felt as if he wasn¡¯t there¡ªas if he was taking a pleasant walk with Alima.

    Right, one time they snuck out of the town they were performing at and went into a forest just like this. She marveled at the beauty of nature while he admired her beauty. They felt the pleasant wind, then lay down on the soft grass and kissed¡­

    This dream cracked and shattered and he was brought back to reality. He didn¡¯t have Alima, only Monan. He couldn¡¯t lose his grip on those facts.

    Fresh water was found within a few minutes of careful wandering. There was a small river cutting through the forest. Without wasting a moment and ignoring Monan¡¯s yelp, Zade came and stuck his head inside. He felt his mind clear ever so slightly as he drank and let the cold wash his face.

    He could just stay like that¡­ let the water wash everything away, all of his worries, all of his life. However, this wasn¡¯t enough to extinguish the flame still smoldering deep inside him, so he finally reemerged, breathing hard and sputtering.

    With his wild beard and hair dripping all over, he turned to look at his meek companion. ¡°What now?¡± he asked gruffly.

    Monan thought for a moment. ¡°From here, I suppose we might as well try and reach Sarashin. Um, that¡¯s the nearest Makin settlement.¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    Zade raged, ¡°What are we going to do¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shh¡­!¡± Monan hurriedly silenced him, glancing around. There were absolutely no people around them, so what were they playing at, anyway? ¡°I-I¡­ ah!¡±

    With vigor that surprised even himself, Zade grabbed their shoulders, piercing them with a fearsome gaze and a snarl. ¡°You really don¡¯t have any fucking plan, do you?¡±

    Monan shuddered in his hands. When Monan looked at him like that they almost felt like Alima, which made him flinch. Especially with that pretty flower in her hair¡­ he grunted, let go of Monan and held his head.

    ¡°Are you alright¡­?¡± Alima whispered softly. No, it was Monan; he started getting mixed up again. He had to stop doing so! ¡°We¡­ we should find a place we can sleep. It will get dark soon.¡±

    As if their very words caused it to be so, Zade noticed that the surroundings were indeed growing darker and darker. It felt as if the sky was blue just a moment ago, but now orange light illuminated their patch of the forest.

    ¡°Sleep¡­¡± mumbled Zade weakly, still grimacing. Despite raging just now¡ªor perhaps because of it¡ªhe felt awfully tired, all of a sudden. Now that he realized this important fact, he nearly fell down on the spot. He cursed Monan for catching him, but also felt relieved.

    The following minutes were somewhat blurry for him. Monan helped him walk and they sat down covered by a few bushes. Although he wanted to lie down, Monan insisted that they had to eat a meal first. He missed juicy meat, but all they had there were stupid herbs, nuts and mushrooms. He couldn¡¯t even remember what he ate, but he did get something into his stomach. The ground was hard and cold and the bush was itchy, but he didn¡¯t care anymore. His life was harder and colder and itchier, anyway.

    He really was tired if he was having such silly thoughts.

    Monan lay down near to him, huddling for warmth. If he hadn¡¯t felt so fatigued, perhaps he would have pushed them away angrily. Instead, he felt his mind rapidly sinking into the darkness. Love and hate mingled within him, no longer dulled by the drugs¡ª

    That night was full of horrible nightmares, as well as a voice that whispered deep into his mind and soul.

    ¡°It has been a while since we last met like this,¡± said Levia, wearing her usual sweet and elegant smile.

    The castle¡¯s meeting room, adorned with red carpets and a crystal chandelier, was much too grand-looking for its usual purpose. Though, even her father had used it for meeting with his closest confidants, so perhaps she learned it from him. Ever since Levia scouted Salom and made Stard the General they¡¯d been through small conferences like this countless of times, for both secretive and less secretive purposes.

    They were simply the two people she could count on the most, other than Swen. Salom¡¯s rational and calculated personality supported her plans, while the loyal and pragmatic Stard supported her powers. Together they should be unbeatable.

    ¡°I am glad to be of service to you, Your Majesty,¡± said Stard, as formal as always in his meticulous uniform and shaved face. ¡°I just hope nothing happens during my absence from the frontlines.¡±

    ¡°No new beasts sighted, right?¡± asked Salom.

    Stard shook his head. ¡°Not since that first attack, no. We still suspect some connection to Sacrona, but nothing is conclusive as of yet. Regardless, their forces still seem to be moving around the borders. I would like to conclude our business here as soon as possible, lest they take advantage of my absence.¡±

    ¡°My, General Molton, some other people would have found that remark awfully conceited, as if you do not trust your army to function without you.¡±

    ¡°Do not jest, Your Majesty. You know what I meant,¡± the man said stiffly.

    ¡°Moving on,¡± said Salom, impatience clear in both voice and mind, ¡°I will now explain to you the details of my plan.¡±

    Poison and then a direct assault, incidents currently left unsolved¡ªthese attempts were obviously no small issue, given their timing. Investigation regarding the poison seemed to reach a dead end for now, as there was simply too much information to process, but the nightly assailant had left some more clues that could possibly lead to them, given enough time.

    But there was no time to waste when war could start any day now. The faster they solved this issue and found the culprit or culprits, the better. Another problem was that they could never know when the next strike occurred¡ªa problem which Salom thought to rectify.

    Right, there was a way to be prepared for another attack: by inducing it themselves.

    Salom went on to voice the details of his scheme.

    ¡°Quite convoluted, but impressive nonetheless, Salom,¡± said Stard. ¡°Yes, something like that could definitely work on the battlefield, even if not to this extent. This is not my specialty, though. Since this is not war but an assassination¡­ hmm, they might indeed take the bait. One of them, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so that was why you had asked me to arrange that speech,¡± noted Levia. ¡°Well, I did figure you were thinking something of the sort.¡±

    Although Salom had only just now conveyed to them the specifics of his plan, he¡¯d already made sure Levia lay the groundwork for that. He was even the one who¡¯d suggested bringing Qumisson into this public speech.

    Levia could feel that Salom was not quite confident in his plan, but Stard was accepting of it. As he often did with anything connected to Salom. She herself wasn¡¯t sure, but thought she should at least give it a try. The worst-case scenario was her losing her life, but that was already the case even if they did nothing.

    ¡°Then we will go on ahead with that,¡± she announced. ¡°Lord Qumisson is already on board, as well.¡±

    ¡°I assume you confirmed nothing about the matter from his mind?¡± Salom asked.

    ¡°No. There were the usual signs of surprise, worry and anxiety, but those could be attributed to the general situation just as well. Whether or not he is involved, we will never be able to catch him that way.¡±

    ¡°Whether or not he is involved, if we manage to stop the assassin, the ones behind them will not be able to act so freely anymore. And that¡¯s the important part,¡± said Salom.

    The Queen leaked a small giggle. ¡°I look forward to how your little plan bears fruit, Saburn,¡± she said, feeling his slight irritation at that. Would he ever get used to her silly teasing?

    Levia would accept death, if it came. She was prepared to die on that day, a decade ago, but lived¡ªon borrowed time, she always felt. There was no longing for life. On the other hand, there was no longing for death either.

    She was going to do whatever she could and let reality decide the rest.

    ¡°They even sent a damn soldier after me! Have they no shame?¡±

    With each passing moment of sitting in the nearly-deserted restaurant, Linza regretted her decision more and more. Even getting suspected and outed as the assassin would be preferrable to listening to this stupid man drone on and on.

    From what she managed to understand he was apparently some Lord¡¯s son, and he clearly let that fact rise to his head. A head that was full of nothing but frivolous and possibly lecherous thoughts, based on his stories. Despite supposedly being on a ¡°date¡± he still spoke to her about his attempts with other women.

    Not that Linza cared. Her life as an assassin left her no time nor desire for all this romance stuff. Well, not that the word ¡°romance¡± had anything to do with this man.

    Linza didn¡¯t know too much about the politics of Rumdon, but they sounded even more irksome than those of Lastia for sure. Callun kept talking about how he was trying to woo some girl to get her secrets¡ªwhy would he tell it to Linza of all people, she had no clue¡ªand that his father always disparaged him from trying anything despite the fact that he only had the kingdom¡¯s wellbeing in mind. She doubted he even thought about anything like that, and again, why was he telling her that?

    The sly bastard also barely touched his drink. She wasn¡¯t sure if he really was as much of an idiot as he looked and acted and allowed it to happen by coincidence, or if he really took the phrasing ¡°just one drink¡± to its logical conclusion to not let this stupid date end.

    ¡°Well, I suppose they might be suspecting me,¡± he mumbled off-handedly. ¡°What with all the assassination attempts.¡±

    ¡°¡­Assassination?¡± Linza asked innocently. She actually didn¡¯t quite know how much information reached the populace, so this could be a good opportunity.

    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s been some poisoning attempt or something,¡± he said, briefly checking his glass as if it might contain poison and then smiling and taking a small sip. ¡°After killing that old Lord they also tried poisoning the Queen. That takes some guts.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± she said noncommittally. So he didn¡¯t know about the attack, then? ¡°Never thought the Capital would be dangerous.¡±

    ¡°You said you were from Rastun, right?¡± It was a country close to the border with Lastia, and so it became her cover story just in case anyone noticed her Lastian features and accent, since there were many immigrants there. ¡°Never been there, but if everyone is cute as you are¡­¡±

    Linza groaned internally. Currently she wanted nothing more than to gut this annoying man even more than she wanted to kill the Queen.

    Surely she could find someone who¡¯d pay her to do that? An acquaintance or a woman pestered by him who¡¯d love nothing more than to see him dead? Luckily, it seemed that their awkward date was about to end, as there was a hushed call from nearby.

    ¡°Y-Young Master¡­?¡± Linza saw a small, nervous-looking man enter the establishment. Upon recognizing Callun he immediately came over.

    ¡°Moger? What is it? I¡¯m busy,¡± the young man muttered angrily.

    ¡°You told me to let you know immediately if anything happened,¡± the man spoke in a rush, ¡°apparently the Queen is about to arrange some sort of public address and your father¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Callun said, glancing at Linza for a moment. ¡°This is not the right place, Moger.¡±

    ¡°But you told me to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± shouted Callun, drawing the attention of the other customers around. He then clicked his tongue, took a final, long sip from his drink and rose from his seat. ¡°Sorry, babe. Some urgent business came up so I have to leave. Can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll find you again, but you¡¯re free to come to me, if you wish to. I currently reside in the Marsten mansion up the third street. I¡¯ll gladly take you for a tour.¡±

    Linza paid no particular attention to his stupid rambling, but instead her mind focused on the information provided to her. A public speech by the Queen? Why, how and when? That was very, very interesting. For a moment she even thought of trying to butter up to Callun to hear more about it, but decided against it, mainly because she felt disgusted with herself at the mere thought. He almost immediately left the place with his servant anyway.

    And then she realized something important with a soft gasp.

    ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t pay, you bastard,¡± she mumbled softly but angrily.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± demanded an icy-cold voice whose bearer grasped a thin sword, its tip nearly piercing the neck of a trembling person on the ground.

    ¡°I-I¡­ don¡¯t k-know, really¡­¡±

    ¡°You have to know something. Your Ruler¡¯s plans about the faerie. Some escape routes. The location of your special labs. Anything.¡± The blade pressed only very slightly against the skin, which made the one being threatened freeze in place.

    ¡°I really¡­¡± they mumbled, perhaps afraid to move their head too much, lest their throat would be pierced, ¡°I¡­ already told you everything, so¡­¡±

    The torturer¡¯s cold eyes flared up and they raised their sword, following which they simply launched a swift kick to knock out the other person immediately. And then clicked their tongue.

    ¡°Another dead end,¡± said Aisbroom, sheathing their sword as they looked ruefully down at the unconscious Stroba soldier.

    ¡°Why does no one here know anything?¡± asked the gruff-looking Ariboh, who¡¯d been standing nearby with folded arms while watching the whole process dispassionately.

    Aisbroom sighed. ¡°Most of the higher-ups probably either ran away or died already. Some even took their own lives when we captured them. I wouldn¡¯t even be surprised if people here drank potions that made them forget crucial details, as well.¡±

    The attack on Marmony ended ambivalently. Although in a broad sense it was a crushing victory, none of their real goals had been fulfilled. Even so, there was no denying this great achievement. In fact, it almost looked like it was too easy¡ªthen why did they spend all these years in fighting fruitlessly and intermittently?

    Aisbroom knew the answer. Acrus, their cunning previous Ruler, was to blame for this needless bloodshed. They had aimed to keep their rule through constant conflict. Perhaps this in turn also led to Aisbroom¡¯s own overestimation of the Stroba.

    Or were they still planning something after all? Was this not the end yet? Well, Aisbroom remained there to stop them, in that case. For that, they needed to find a certain individual.

    ¡°We¡¯ve pretty much checked any nook and cranny already¡­ so where¡¯s their bastard of a Ruler?¡± complained Ariboh.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Moanin Bromma, Ruler of the Stroba. Although Aisbroom never met them, they already knew plenty through Kalden¡¯s spies. Moanin was an imposing figure despite their roundness, ruthless and calculating. They and Acrus were pretty much branches of the same tree, and both of them Ruled for similar periods.

    In fact, Aisbroom heard some rumors that the two were actually distant relatives, though they seriously doubted it; there were too few births in the last centuries for that to really be the case.

    However, they certainly felt just as disgusted at them. Moanin was said to rule with an iron fist, conduct horrible experiments and encourage their populace to become martyrs regardless of any military advantage.

    Those were only few of the reasons Aisbroom wished to capture the Stroban Ruler. Even if they managed to subjugate Marmony, as long as they couldn¡¯t get their hands on Moanin, that victory felt hollow. Especially when added to the fact they were unable to find the captive faerie as well.

    After managing to get rid of the hated Acrus, Aisbroom felt that it was their duty, no, their pleasure to depose the Stroban tyrant as well. However, they already had the feeling that this was not going to happen. Not like they were going to give up so easily.

    After interrogating a few more captives and getting absolutely no information, Aisbroom and Ariboh tired and decided to give up for the day. They¡¯d probably need to either use their special herbs to sleep or else another kind of herb to stay awake; Aisbroom hadn¡¯t decided yet.

    ¡°Have they left yet?¡± Aisbroom asked as they exited the small underground room.

    ¡°They? Ah, you mean the faeries,¡± said Ariboh, giving a nod. ¡°Yes, a coupla hours back. They seemed pretty depressed, but I suppose they¡¯d eventually come to terms with it. Though, this bitter feeling after a battle never fades away, eh?¡±

    It really didn¡¯t. Aisbroom felt that these were unique circumstances in this case, though. ¡°Both of them are fine warriors. They will be fine.¡±

    The journey from here back to Kalden should go smoothly, especially now that they could roam relatively freely without much fear of an attack. Well, the situation with the Makin was currently unclear, but they would probably not act rashly upon hearing their new allies had been crushed and conquered like this.

    Aisbroom breathed through their nose. No, they definitely couldn¡¯t rest yet, not while they were still like this.

    ¡°Now,¡± they said, ¡°I thought of heading back, but¡­ care to join me for another stab at the tunnels? I¡¯m sure we can find at least another hiding place, and we still haven¡¯t found their truth serum stores, after all. That stuff¡¯s too useful to pass on.¡±

    ¡°Bring it on,¡± said Ariboh, smiling.

    A new day dawned out in the wilds. The moment channeled sunlight came filtering through the treetops, Monan woke with a dull, pounding headache. It was their first time to sleep like this out in the open. Their body ached all over and they missed their fluffy bed back home terribly. Their hair was a mess, though the flower they put in it somehow managed to stay on.

    No, I can¡¯t be spoiled, they told themselves. Even if I might never get a comfortable life again, I made this choice. I knew that.

    Monan came to rouse Zade and tell him that it was time to keep going. He looked horrible; his face was pale and he had large bags under his eyes, so he probably slept very badly just like them. He was jumpy and would often mumble something under his breath, his eyes darting all over.

    Seeing him like this made Monan¡¯s heart ache. Not only because it was (mostly) their fault he was like this, but also due to the fact that they couldn¡¯t help him at all. They took no potions with them, a fact which now struck Monan as odd and stupidly impulsive. What had Moanin expected to happen?

    Then again, they would have run out at some point regardless.

    Also, Monan could obviously not support Zade even emotionally. He radiated only wrath and disgust at them. For good reasons, obviously, which made it all the more painful.

    Even so they were determined to let Zade survive. They could simply run away and start a new life. Perhaps he¡¯d let Monan help him for a while before he decided to throw them away or kill them.

    If they managed to cross the Forestless Border¡ªthe single emptiest stretch of land of the continent¡ªthen Kalden, Stroba or the Makin would probably not follow them. Monan knew that many Stroba chose to escape their despairing situation through that route. Some even crossed the sea, but that would be much more difficult. Yes, that was a nice plan. Monan decided to suggest it to Zade.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± he grumbled in response after hearing that.

    ¡°W-what?¡±

    ¡°Is that really all you could think of?¡± he spat. ¡°Simply running away to another unknown? Why not send me back home?¡±

    ¡°B-but I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°I know you can¡¯t!¡± he shouted at Monan, just like always. ¡°That¡¯s why I hate you! That¡¯s why I want to die! You all should die!¡±

    Calming him down took quite a bit of effort, especially when Monan heard some sounds from not too far away. The pair hurriedly hid inside a nearby hollow trunk of a tree and waited for an hour. Luckily it seemed that they weren¡¯t found, or else it was just the rustle of the wind, and they continued on their way.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry,¡± Zade suddenly mumbled after another long walk.

    ¡°What¡­?¡± Monan exhaled in surprise. They were completely taken aback by this abrupt apology. Usually, his mood swings only went the other way. Now he looked to be nearly crying.

    ¡°I need to go,¡± he said absentmindedly, turning to the left.

    Monan stood there only for a second, blinking, before they took after Zade and grabbed his arm. ¡°W-where are you going?¡±

    He turned to them, his expression somewhat vacant. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear it?¡± Monan was becoming more and more confused at his behavior. ¡°You really don¡¯t?¡± They stood there shocked before Zade shook off their hand and continued walking ahead.

    ¡°No, stop!¡± Monan called out, pacing quickly to him yet again.

    He was definitely acting strange. They realized this even more when he turned to them again, extended his hand and a gust of wind pushed them back. Monan fell to the ground with a yelp.

    They had obviously already known that Zade was capable of using magic, but this was one of the few times they saw it in action. And he¡¯d done it so decisively and easily, too. Was this part of the faerie potential they heard so much about?

    ¡°Wait, Zade!¡± Monan hurriedly rose up, although hesitated to approach too closely again. ¡°W-what are you hearing?¡±

    ¡°A voice,¡± Zade said calmly. ¡°It tells me that all our problems can be solved¡­¡± He turned around to Monan, wearing a cold smile but with tears streaming down his cheeks, ¡°will you not come with me?¡±

    That was odd. Was he starting to hallucinate? Monan hadn¡¯t heard about this side effect, although it was true that he was probably currently on withdrawal from his usual concoction. There was also another option that rose to her mind.

    ¡°Is it their new Ruler?¡± Monan asked. ¡°Queen Niu Kalden? I heard that they possess this sort of power¡­¡±

    Hearing that, Zade¡¯s face momentarily distorted in rage. ¡°You think I would go to those traitors?¡± And without adding anything else, he again turned around and broke into a run and vanished into the lines of trees, making Monan gasp again.

    ¡°Oh, rotten mushroom¡ª¡± they briefly cussed and began following him.

    ¡°Be brief with it,¡± said Qumisson, not even bothering to mask the venom in his voice, ¡°I really do not have the time for this right now.¡±

    The place was the dining table of the Marsten Mansion. Gathered there were about ten people including Qumisson and Lord Marsten himself. According to the latter, the nobles had urged him to arrange this impromptu meeting to ¡°discuss recent developments¡±, the impudent fools.

    ¡°Because you are busy working for her Majesty?¡± suggested Lady Sacrum, putting as much venom into her voice as possible and causing her husband sitting next to her to emit a voice that was half a gasp and half a squeak.

    Qumisson glared at the woman. When she was young, she¡¯d attempted to marry his cousin to inherit the crown, but was (rightfully) rejected. Instead, she joined with the pathetic excuse of a Lord that gave her neither children nor any safety.

    ¡°I am working with Her Majesty because she asked me to,¡± he explained calmly.

    That damn woman, he thought to himself inwardly. Not only had she given him a strict and unfair deadline, but she also wanted him to oversee the entire process¡ªwhich meant that his time on his meeting was completely wasted. Levia had cited the fact that he was much more used than her to organizing such events like he often did in his territory of Sankow.

    That was undoubtedly true, and he had indeed supervised such constructions in the past as well, wishing to oversee the hard work of his own people. But this was different. This was working for the one he hated the most of all.

    And yet he simply had to do it.

    ¡°A speech in the King¡¯s Plaza?¡± offered Lord Amain, who was the youngest present there, aged thirty. ¡°A bit old-fashioned, is it not?¡±

    How ironic of him to say that, considering his family belonged to the traditionalists, who were much more religious and conservative than most modern nobles. He even wore a formal suit that went out of fashion a decade ago.

    ¡°She believes the public will receive it better like that,¡± Qumisson said. Why did it feel like he was defending that vile woman¡¯s decision?

    The King¡¯s Plaza¡ªso-called because it was the stage for the coronation of King Azamel-E at the time¡ªwas since then used for many public occasions. Consequently, Queen Levia-O also decided to hold her grand public address over here despite the difficult logistics involved. Which were all left to Qumisson.

    May she be thrown to the underside of the world, he cursed in his mind again. Were that I could install some sort of trap.

    He had entertained this thought; she left the construction work entirely up to him, so he could bring his own people and concoct something in secret. Including some sort of mechanism that could cause an unfortunately ¡°accidental¡± death would be difficult, but not impossible. The huge crowd that would gather could also perfectly mask any hostility for her to feel.

    Then again, she probably wanted him to do something like that. He could almost feel her glancing over his shoulders, waiting for him to slip up and present her undeniable proof that he was plotting against her¡­ so he couldn¡¯t let that happen.

    Just like those workers were carefully and methodically building that stage, so was he building the kingdom¡¯s future. Although his method was much messier, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to indulge and fall into her trap.

    ¡°And what exactly is she planning, anyway?¡± now asked Lady Farrenback. She was always deathly thin and gaunt and looked like she would fall over at any moment; Qumisson had heard talks of her using illicit substances, but as nothing could be gained from blackmailing her, he never inquired any further into it.

    Qumisson put a finger to his temple. ¡°Have you brought me here only to assail me with all those needless questions?¡± he spat.

    ¡°No, because we want to know what you are planning against her.¡± This came from the unexpected source of Lord Marsten himself. ¡°We are all certain you are cooking something. You¡¯ve been acting fishy lately.¡±

    ¡°F-fishy indeed¡­¡± mumbled Lord Sacrum for some reason.

    The fools! What were they even trying to do? Did they all want to cooperate and get a slice of the pie? Or were they somehow being instigated to do this by one of Levia¡¯s spies to make him admit something?

    ¡°This is absurd,¡± he said, keeping cool still. ¡°Are you suggesting that I am planning something untoward? Something that could count as treason?¡±

    Several there smiled at the comment and exchanged glances. While he knew that all of them were against Levia¡¯s rule, he knew just as well that many of them would feel no remorse if anything happened to him, even though they wouldn¡¯t move directly against him. Probably.

    ¡°My dear Lord Qumisson, you are acting way too irrationally,¡± said Lord Marsten, raising his hands as though in surrender. ¡°We are merely trying to ascertain that the country¡¯s future is going in a¡­ beneficial direction, shall we call it.¡±

    The nerve of the man. He could barely keep his own records in order to precent spying, and yet he thought he could help preserve the kingdom? He really was for nothing other than to provide him with accommodations for his stays in Copius.

    ¡°It is,¡± Qumisson said, suddenly rising from his seat. ¡°I will take care of it.¡±

    ¡°Take care of your son as well, while we¡¯re on the matter,¡± said another noble. ¡°He¡¯s treading dangerous grounds.¡±

    Qumisson narrowed his eyes, but said nothing else. He simply strode outside the room and closed the door behind him. A nearby servant stared at him in surprise, so Qumisson smiled at him apologetically. It was no fault of his that his master was an idiot.

    Really, what a waste of his time. He had so many things to take care of. If he ever was going to become King, these people would all pay. Right now, however, he pushed all these insolent nobles aside and returned his thoughts to his hated nemesis.

    Levia was planning something. If it wasn¡¯t something against him, then she simply wanted him out of the way. Considering the fact that his son was also stirring up trouble, he couldn¡¯t help but feel worried.

    No, there was no need for any worry. He still had his plans, and he knew fully well that he wasn¡¯t the only one trying to do something. Therefore, Levia would never connect any of it to him no matter how much she read his mind or manipulated him.

    Captain Alsore stood in their watch post, surveying the land that spread to the north, meaning the direction of the Stroban territories. As far as they heard, the operation was a major success, although that was exactly why they were so cautious. Somalir was known as the final frontier between Kalden and the Stroba. Either the Stroba or the Makin might try a desperate, final assault now that they were humiliated.

    They also obviously still had the demon to watch over.

    The mysteries regarding Alsa were far from being solved, but she currently seemed to be dormant¡ªor so they thought, despite some signs of faint activity that morning.

    This sort of thing would happen from time to time. Well, this part wasn¡¯t Alsore¡¯s domain, so there was no need for them to even think about it. Their only job was to keep Somalir, and Kalden by extension, safe.

    Suddenly there was the distant sound of blowing wind as if a storm was brewing. Alsore perked up, straining their ears. Another similar sound came, the ground slightly shook and a few leaves danced in the air.

    ¡°Something¡¯s going on!¡± Alsore shouted from his position high above. ¡°Someone, go check!¡±

    Immediately people began running around and shouting while in the background the same event repeated itself. Even so from their current vantage point Alsore couldn¡¯t see the scene of the event¡ªwhich was almost assuredly the demon¡¯s crater.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s moving!¡± came another shout a few moments later. ¡°The demon is moving!¡±

    Although their alertness was currently focused on any possible outside threat, this was perhaps the worst-case scenario. They could at least somewhat anticipate their enemies, not to mention fight against them, but the demon was completely incomprehensible and unbeatable.

    If it felt so inclined, it might be able to destroy the entirety of Somalir. That was what Alsore feared the most.

    They watched with great terror as a small figure rose to the air with great vigor such that even they could see its ascent. Following this, a fierce gale shook the forest around, causing Alsore¡¯s short hair to flutter despite the distance.

    ¡°Captain, your orders!¡± came a shout from nearby. The wind kept blowing and there were now also the loud cracks of broken trees added to the mix as well.

    Their orders? What could Alsore possibly do in this sort of crazy situation? There seemed to be no physical way to harm that monster. There was no way to stop it. Even so, they couldn¡¯t just watch it wreak havoc, either; it¡¯d be a disgrace to their job. They bit their lips and thought.

    ¡°Burnt and scorched forest,¡± they cussed in a hiss full of indignation and then raised their voice, ¡°Keep following the demon! If it tries anything, attack!¡±

    No matter how useless that action was, Alsore still had to do something, if only for their and their soldiers¡¯ sanity. And, of course, they also had the duty to see this attempt to the end. Alsore leapt off the tree, using the specially inscribed runes on the branch to propel themselves with a gust of wind toward the nearest tree branch.

    Along with that wind came a small, barely audible whisper¡ªone that reverberated inside their very mind.

    ¡°The catalyst of cataclysm/a stray soul in the darkness/the long-sought haven.¡±

    ¡°Well? Have you scanned the documents I have given you?¡± Swen asked, crossing his arms.

    At first Salom looked confused, and then he sighed. ¡°Well, I did go over them, but I have yet to draw any conclusions, which I assume you are seeking.¡±

    I knew I couldn¡¯t count on him, thought Swen glumly. He¡¯d come all the way down to Salom¡¯s house¡ªwhich was apparently used for nothing more than sleep and study¡ªto try and see if the supposedly smart man had managed to gleam any new information.

    Right, he should have expected this disappointment.

    ¡°Look, Swen,¡± Salom said, not a hint of any annoyance in his voice, ¡°this is not an easy thing to decipher. Our enemies are devious and calculating and would do anything in their power to reach their goals.¡±

    Why was he telling Swen this as if he was some child who understood nothing about the challenges of royalty? Although it never came to an assassination, those kinds of political machinations had led to him being sent here to Rumdon in the first place.

    ¡°I will do my best to crack this,¡± Salom said, ¡°so I want you to do your best, too.¡±

    ¡°What are you implying? I have undertaken some risks in order to bring you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, and I¡¯m thankful for that. However, coming here to pester me about this will not change anything. I am trying to consider every possibility and have given Her Majesty some tips, but my work is not done. Which means that yours isn¡¯t, either. Have you really reached the end of your abilities? Don¡¯t take this as an offense, Swen.¡±

    Swen gritted his teeth. From the very moment Her Majesty had recruited this man all those years ago, he never trusted him. And yet he knew that he had to trust him. Which was why he came there, hoping the great Lord Professor would find the required solution for everything.

    Thinking about it that way, Swen really felt pathetic.

    ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± Swen¡¯s shoulders sagged. He knew he was being rude and even childish in his treatment toward Salom, so he sought to mend it. ¡°I am simply desperate to protect her.¡±

    Salom smiled at those words, as if they were funny. ¡°I know you are. As do I, and Molton. And each of us can accomplish this in different ways. For example, you are in charge of the castle. Neither I nor Molton can breach that domain; it is wholly yours. I can give you the names of those I suspect as possible culprits, collaborators or pawns, but my reasoning won¡¯t help the actual security. That is your job.¡±

    It really was his job. And his failure, since twice now Levia had been under attack in her very own castle. Now that she was planning a public speech of all things, that was another avenue of danger. He¡¯d warned her about this, but she was adamant about performing the event.

    ¡°But this is too big for me,¡± he mumbled. ¡°This is an actual trained assassin, right? What can a simple man like me do to stop them?¡±

    ¡°With that I cannot help you,¡± admitted Saburn. ¡°If I find anything, I will send you a messenger. But even someone like you might stumble upon a new clue I hadn¡¯t considered. Two heads work better than one, and all that. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I really must get back to work.¡±

    Something about those words struck Swen as he left the house, such that he didn¡¯t even feel insulted by Saburn¡¯s dismissal. Two heads work better than one.

    He couldn¡¯t think about all the complex details; that was Saburn¡¯s job. But if he considered it too simply, it wouldn¡¯t be enough, either. Someone was trying to kill Levia. His own guts stated that Qumisson had to be involved in this, somehow.

    But what if he wasn¡¯t? Well, even if he was, there was no guarantee that Swen could find any clue. While he was in charge of the castle, just like Saburn had said, he couldn¡¯t know about every single thing that happened there. The mastermind was shrewd and careful.

    Reaching the street and waiting for a passing carriage, Swen suddenly stopped in place.

    Was the mastermind careful, though? Why would they poison Lord Shammings, then? Just to test their method? But the assassin seemed to be much more competent and careful in later incidents. Something was odd there.

    Swen spent the hour riding up the mountain in deep thought¡ªand finally understood.

    As they ran ahead to catch up to Zade, Monan noticed a disturbance in the forest around them. There were errant gusts of wind despite the sky being clear, and leaves were rustling and dancing above. This caused them to pause for a second; there was definitely something going on. It was dangerous to keep going.

    ¡°Zade! Please stop! There¡¯s something¡ª¡±

    Surprisingly, he replied to them, his bloodshot eyes wide. ¡°Yes, there is something¡ªsomething I¡¯ve been looking for all along!¡± Zade started laughing, a shaky laughter that brought a shiver to Monan. He was as unstable as ever.

    Monan was powerless and useless. They couldn¡¯t do anything¡­ they barely even functioned as Zade¡¯s illusory partner. However, they still intended on staying with him, on helping him survive. So they had to somehow stop this new madness of his.

    ¡°Zade, it¡¯s too dangerous!¡± they called.

    A moment later, the world changed.

    No, something simply assaulted their mind. Monan saw hair, blood, fire and ruins and had to gasp for breath. A buzzing not unlike a hundred voices talking at once seemed to be drilling directly into their mind. They screamed.

    ¡°An unwanted mannequin/the symbol of false fertility/a withered flower buried in the meadow.¡±

    At first Monan thought that they were so shocked and affected by this mental assault they¡¯d lost their sense of balance and direction, but then realized that some sort of impact actually resounded nearby, causing a small earthquake. It was followed by loud crackling and thuds, as well as the appearance of something unbelievable.

    ¡°No¡­ No, this can¡¯t be¡­¡± Monan mumbled, taking a step back and nearly falling.

    ¡°Finally,¡± shouted Zade, ¡°finally, someone who understands me!¡±

    This figure appeared directly in front of Zade on top of a tree split in the middle, almost as if it destroyed the forest around it purely to create a direct path to him. It was a faerie dressed in pure white, their hair a writhing sea of vines that even now made the air crackle with intensity.

    Their face was completely void of emotions, their eyes were closed and their mouth made no move, but even so the faerie spoke. A confusing mess of images and words assaulted Monan¡¯s mind yet again, but this time they had the feeling that this wasn¡¯t directed specifically to them.

    ¡°A stray child of the world below/a receptacle for urgent havoc/the one who will shatter destiny.¡±

    At that moment Monan finally understood. They recalled their relative position and everything that it entailed.

    ¡°No way¡­ i-it¡¯s the demon,¡± they called in shock.

    Every day has its night. And before every night comes a sunset.

    Kings and queens rise and fall. Sometimes naturally, sometimes by design.

    However, becoming a ruler is too great of a burden. As I have just examined, the position brings with it not only power and privilege, but also responsibility and danger.

    Yes, I wish to rule, but not to die. Therefore, it would be much better to do so from behind the screen.

    I will be the one watching the Queen¡¯s lineage bleed as an orange sunset.

 Chapter 12: Dark Pleasure

    It had happened suddenly just as Zade stepped at a certain spot in the endless forest. A leaf crunched under his foot that was already aching with the excessive walking he grew unused to, and with it something seemed to snap inside him as well.

    There wasn¡¯t pain, but there was a prick of something. A voice was calling to him. It was shouting at him¡ªno, with him.

    ¡°Accept the abyss within/deny the light without/return the world to balance.¡±

    Near him was the fake Alima, the one who served as his comfort and yet betrayed him.

    Ahead was a shadow of Alima, the one he had failed to protect and had lost.

    Zade saw the latter being crushed. Zade heard her scream of pain and the crushing horror was revived inside him¡ªonly momentarily, because the voice continued speaking.

    ¡°Avenge the fallen petals/requite their unwelcoming might/spread retribution on all that is holy.¡±

    It was both incomprehensible and perfectly understandable at once. Just as Alima was both alive and dead, he was trapped between the two impressions cast on his mind. Stuck in this whirlpool of meaningful nonsense, Zade could only look for one thing: how to break through.

    He rushed toward the voice calling his name. His soul was aching and craved release, and he felt like he finally found how to obtain it.

    Running away from Monan and pushing them aside to reach his goal as fast as possible, he finally saw her. There was no doubt that this was the figure of a genuine Goddess, sublime and brilliant and powerful. His mouth hanged open.

    For a moment he thought it was Alima, but that was obviously wrong. She was no longer in any world, and especially not in the girl¡ªnot a girl, whatever¡ªthat had brought him here.

    ¡°Finally,¡± he shouted aloud, ¡°finally someone who understands me!¡±

    He really thought so. How else could he explain those words he heard? He knew that he would now gain enough power to do whatever he pleased.

    ¡°No way¡­ it¡¯s the demon!¡± called the fake Alima.

    A demon? No, that was wrong. It was a full-fledged Goddess, directly as stated in legends, and Zade¡¯s savior. He laughed, raising his hands and waiting for the one he somehow knew was called Alsa to accept him¡ª

    ¡°Stop right there! Don¡¯t make any move!¡± a shout erupted from nearby. Zade could hear Monan gasp in horror, and he turned to the side to see a figure poking through the trees¡ªno, there were probably many figures surrounding them now.

    ¡°They¡¯re probably from Somalir,¡± mumbled Monan, ¡°this is bad¡­¡±

    Zade glanced back at Alsa, who was simply floating in air as if she was submerged in water, calm as calm could be, hair drifting behind her. She was waiting for him.

    ¡°And if we do?¡± he asked the fairy in a calm yet clear voice. There was no longer any anger or fear inside him. Those could come later, or very soon, depending on what his enemies chose.

    ¡°W-we should surrender,¡± shrieked Monan from the side, their body shaking. ¡°They¡¯re all around us, probably dozens of archers, we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Zade interjected. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡± Monan¡¯s mouth shut.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t stop,¡± repeated the nearest soldier, taking out an arrow from his back, ¡°we will shoot you dead. Although we do wish to take the faerie alive.¡±

    Faerie. Zade knew that this was how the residents of Fairland referred to the residents of Plainland. How ridiculous. Humans were fairies? Gods were demons? These people had it all twisted.

    Not that he was any better. Perhaps once he was, but that already mattered no longer.

    His only response was a single word.

    ¡°Die,¡± he said and watched as a massacre unfolded.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a tad too dangerous, Professor?¡± Mallew asked seriously, her brows furrowed. ¡°This is an open area.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen these crowds?¡± Salom asked her back.

    The two of them were currently (somehow) passing through the 2<sup>nd</sup> main street, with Mallew pushing Salom¡¯s wheelchair. Although there were still more than two hours until the event, people already swarmed the streets around the King¡¯s Plaza in excitement. Many watched from the houses surrounding the place, but most gathered around it, with the many guards barely holding them back.

    ¡°An assassin would practically be crushed long before even getting close to the Queen,¡± Salom explained. They were having problems there due to Salom¡¯s bulky wheelchair. ¡°Look at us, coming here so early to avoid this very situation, but apparently not early enough.¡± He sighed deeply.

    ¡°Still, though,¡± said Mallew, lowering her voice. ¡°Since we know they channel weight, they might even¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mallew, this isn¡¯t the place,¡± Salom cut her off gently. ¡°And there is no need to worry. Unless you think that me, the Queen and Stard are idiots?¡± He smiled at her although she couldn¡¯t see it.

    ¡°O-of course not!¡± Mallew hurriedly said. ¡°I just¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I understand,¡± Salom interjected again. Knowing her for two years now, it was best to not let her talk too much, even if it seemed rude. Otherwise, she would end up constantly meandering and repeating herself. She apparently didn¡¯t mind getting cut off like this, anyway, at least not when it came from people she respected. ¡°I do admit I¡¯m a bit apprehensive about the fact that Qumisson of all people organized this, but we should just relax and enjoy the show.¡±

    He knew that the plan was to dangle a bait, but he still hoped there would be no actual threat, or at least that everything worked as intended. They had made all the proper preparations, so he himself could do nothing but hope for it to work out. Even Swen seemed to be making his own efforts, despite not being part of the plan.

    ¡°If we survive the time until it actually happens,¡± Mallew said with an awkward laugh. ¡°People are really excited, huh?¡±

    ¡°We live in uncertain times, after all. The populace doesn¡¯t actually care for politics or war; all they want is stability and to get food on their table. And the symbol of that stability is, of course, their ruler. They probably expect Levia to bring news, to tell them that everything is under control. Even if there¡¯s an incoming war, knowing that is much better than living in ignorance. That is how¡­ the people feel.¡±

    Mallew was speechless for a few moments. ¡°That was deeper than I expected. Are you sure you¡¯re a channeling expert and not some sort of expert of the human mind?¡±

    Salom chuckled. ¡°Thank you for the compliment,¡± he replied. ¡°But I still have so much to learn. I have been mainly associating with abnormal¡ªer, extraordinary people, after all.¡± Seeing that I¡¯m one of them, he added in his mind. ¡°So don¡¯t count too much on my analysis.¡±

    As the plaza was pretty much unbreachable at that moment, they decided to give up for now. Mallew parked the wheelchair near a bench and then sat next to Salom.

    ¡°Abnormal, huh?¡± she mused on his earlier words, wearing a sad smile. ¡°My parents love using that word.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± Salom hurriedly said.

    ¡°No, it is,¡± Mallew said, turning a smile toward him. ¡°But, it¡¯s also good. You mentioned stability, right? This sort of balance is also one form of that.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± he conceded, though these were wildly different topics. Well, that was just as expected of her.

    Mallew suddenly gasped and clapped her hands. ¡°Ah, right!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I forgot to tell you about my next idea! Speaking of stability, what if we took two opposing icons and tried activating them together to freeze some sort of object in place? That way we can¡ª¡±

    He didn¡¯t really think this was the proper place for her to brainstorm with him, but Salom couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished every time by the speed with which Mallew not only spoke but switched moods completely. Perhaps just like she said, there was a balance¡ªhappy parts and sad parts of her that constantly mixed and switched, disregarding everything else.

    He felt like he should be jealous of her.

    The world almost seemed like it was falling apart. The sky was falling and the earth was crumbling beneath them. At least that was how Monan felt.

    Arrows and hairs cut through air, stabbing into the ground and the greenery around. The ground swelled here and there and trees were hacked and chopped, causing an avalanche followed by clouds of dust and leaves.

    ¡°Obstacles of the righteous path/victims in the way of nature/the dead lament the living.¡±

    It was perhaps only a miracle that Monan managed to stay alive, although most of the enemies focused on Zade and the demon anyway. Even when they tried shooting the man directly, a near-invisible strand of air always instantaneously split the arrow. Whoever approached was also immediately slashed, falling into the ground while stained with blood and gore.

    And amidst this chaos and destruction Zade was just standing there and laughing. Laughing as hard and loud as the pure demon descended toward him. Only he remained unscathed in the storm of carnage.

    ¡°Kill them!¡± shouted a soldier. ¡°Kill the¡ªargh!¡±

    ¡°Outnumber and outplay/underestimate and understand/internalize and interpret.¡±

    A lance was thrown forward, but was repelled by Alsa and its pieces ended up lodged into a near soldier¡¯s chest. Some tried using wind magic to no avail. One soldier even bore a shield, presumably enchanted with metal runes, but it managed to hold out only for a few brief seconds before it, too, was shattered and destroyed.

    It was a completely one-sided and hopeless battle. Zade seemed to be indulging in it as the Demon got closer and closer to him.

    Monan felt their whole body shaking, their entire being quaking with fear. Even so, they knew they couldn¡¯t let this happen to Zade. Whatever it was going to be, it must never be allowed to happen.

    ¡°Zade! You can¡¯t¡­ you can¡¯t let them have you!¡±

    Surprisingly, that made him turn toward her. There was a cold look on his face, yet he still seemed just as amused as when he¡¯d been laughing just now.

    ¡°What will I do, then? They¡¯re trying to kill me,¡± he said. He seemed to have misunderstood Monan.

    ¡°Not them! W-we can just run away, but you can¡¯t let this Demon possess you!¡±

    Zade laughed again. ¡°Alima¡ªno, Monan, what is your goal here?¡± he asked them. An arrow whizzed past his head and was blown to small fragments of wood.

    ¡°My goal?¡± they asked, exasperated. ¡°You know what it is.¡±

    ¡°To keep me safe?¡±

    Monan widened their eyes. ¡°Well¡­ yes. But¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is the path I chose,¡± he cut off their words, gesturing at the Demon floating next to him. He seemed to be getting slightly angry, but in a different way than it usually was with him. ¡°You can¡¯t stop or sway me¡ªyou don¡¯t have the right for that. You took away my choices before, after all.¡±

    Even now the soldiers kept attacking to no avail. That was why they could have this conversation, as the Demon protected him from all harm. In fact, it was a wonder she did nothing to Monan all this time.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ correct,¡± mumbled Monan, feeling their face heat up and tears rising to their eyes. They weren¡¯t the one to make the decision, but they upheld it and certainly acted according to it. They drugged Zade and made him think they were someone else.

    It could be argued that Moanin was the one that held the most responsibility, but for Zade it would definitely be Monan. Which was why they didn¡¯t even try to argue otherwise.

    ¡°What do you plan on doing?¡± Monan finally asked in a choked voice.

    ¡°Destroy them,¡± he stated plainly. ¡°Your people are probably already being destroyed as we speak. Instead, I¡¯ll head to the traitors¡­ to the ones who abandoned me. That is also part of her will.¡±

    Destroy. That single word was perfectly embodied by their current background, by the screams of anguish and the blood and the gouged ground and the torn trees. Monan couldn¡¯t say anything against that. They wanted to have a peaceful life, even if they knew it never was an option.

    Besides, just like Zade said, it was his choice. Even if he was being swayed by the Demon, Monan still felt that this was the rawest and truest side of him they¡¯d ever seen.

    ¡°¡­I understand,¡± Monan said. ¡°As long as you feel and act according to what you want¡­ I will not stop you. However, p-please let me go as well.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°With me?¡± he asked, sneering. ¡°Can you even do anything besides lie and cheat?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Monan repeated.

    ¡°Fine!¡± Zade exclaimed. ¡°If you want to watch the destruction I bring from the front seat¡ªit will be a show made just for you, just like when I got started. You will serve as my audience, Alima.¡± His face momentarily twisted in agony but then distorted back to a smile. ¡°We will go.¡±

    ¡°Journey beyond the end of the world/a trip from which there is no return/the final opportunity to hold hands.¡±

    As if on signal, the Demon took immediate action, launching a few strands of hair forward. Monan shrieked, feeling quite sure that their life was about to end¡ªbut they were simply constricted and lifted off the ground.

    How strange it was that these hairs, having sliced off both bark and flesh before, could be so gentle. Many of them also wrapped around Zade¡¯s body. Monan saw the Demon flying before, so was it going to take the both of them all the way to Kalden?

    There were still shouts and attacks and the echoes of annihilation from all directions, but Monan paid no more attention to those¡ªright now, all they could care about was Zade.

    ¡°Why?¡± Zade asked them suddenly. In contrast to his anger, his laughter and his elation, that question seemed somewhat lonely. ¡°Why are you just accepting all of this?¡±

    ¡°How many times do I have to keep saying this before you understand?¡± Monan asked, their voice on the verge of choking again. ¡°It¡¯s because I love you.¡±

    ¡°Let us depart, then.¡±

    Clad in a magnificent, vividly-colored dress and sparkling jewels, all perfectly calculated to stand out on the King¡¯s Plaza, Queen Levia-O stepped outside the castle¡¯s main gate. The carriage to let her ride down the mountain was obviously already waiting for her.

    ¡°How are preparations?¡± she asked, glancing at Swen who stood on one side, while Stard was on the other.

    ¡°Everything is ready, Your Majesty¡ªLord Qumisson has already sent word. The stage, the security arrangements, the crowd; all are but waiting for your arrival,¡± the lord chamberlain reported.

    ¡°Splendid,¡± Levia said, wearing a dazzling smile. ¡°Now, please stay here.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±

    Levia was actually a bit surprised. She had expected good old Swen to insist to accompany her to this grand event. In fact, she could feel him being apprehensive and fearful about the whole thing, mainly in regards to her safety.

    However, now that she dug in further, she could feel something else inside. Some sort of quiet determination. It somewhat puzzled her. She said nothing about that, however.

    ¡°Good. Currently, you are the only one with enough authority to keep this place running. In all likelihood, I will not get back until this evening, after all.¡±

    ¡°Right, I have the duty to keep this place safe until your return.¡± He bowed.

    He definitely was planning something. That was seriously untypical for him, to the extent it almost made her suspect¡ªbut no, he was the same loyal Swen. Curious, but inquiring any further about that would have to wait for now.

    ¡°Just one thing before you leave, if I may, Your Majesty,¡± he suddenly asked.

    Full of surprises today, he was. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I want you to watch out for yourself.¡±

    Levia felt that this sort of comment should make her smile, so she did. ¡°Of course, Swen. But I have nothing to be afraid of with Stard by my side,¡± she said, glancing at the tall man standing next to her, still patiently waiting for the conversation to be over.

    ¡°We need to get going, Your Majesty,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°We will be late.¡±

    Right. Just going down the mountain would take about an hour at the very least. Not to mention more time wasted if certain things happened on the way, though she hoped they didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Let us go. Swen, I am counting on you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±

    He was a good man. She had no idea what he planning, but hoped everything would go well. Without further ado Levia stepped into the carriage, closed its door and it embarked. The rough road made the entire vehicle tremble and so her body as well.

    Carriage rides always reminded her of that day. She did not know how to describe her feelings toward that memory, since they included no sadness, loneliness or even regret, or rather any feelings at all. What they did contain¡ªshe wasn¡¯t quite sure.

    This wasn¡¯t the time to sink in thoughts about the past, though, but concentrate on the present circumstances. This was the time she needed to be the most focused. The plan was ongoing. The bait was already dangled.

    The remaining question was: which of them would the assassin choose?

    The journey back to Kalden was underway. Perhaps understandably, only a few of those forces made the way back. Even more understandably, there was a gloomy atmosphere. Gen could practically feel it pierce his heart.

    Although they accomplished something, they failed their mission. Even if Kalden¡¯s long-standing enemy was finally, finally defeated, it meant nothing for Gen himself.

    What was the use of being a soldier? What was the use of being powerful?

    Those meant nothing if he ended up with this sense of loss and lack of any sense of accomplishment. He was strong but he¡¯d nearly died. He won but he¡¯d failed.

    Gen had actually insisted on being part of the group that searched for the missing human¡ªwhich was the one and only reason for him to join this operation in the first place¡ªbut Aisbroom had vehemently opposed him. They said that Kalden needed him more right now, and that he needed Kalden as well.

    Gen himself knew he needed some sort of break to process everything that happened. He thought the trip back would serve to cool off his mind, but instead it only caused him to brood further.

    He spoke only little with Shaya along the way. She, too, seemed just as disappointed and distraught as him, and this ironically created some distance between them.

    Gen never quite realized that success and failure could be so closely intertwined.

    They just stopped for a short break when something happened and a certain light caught his attention.

    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± Gen mumbled, glancing at the communication talisman hanging from his waist. It was slightly glowing, a fact which meant there was a message waiting for him.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asked Shaya, who apparently noticed this as well.

    ¡°One way to find out.¡± Gen brought the talisman to his face and focused. He wasn¡¯t quite proficient with the communication channel as the others, but got good enough to use the talisman after a while.

    ¡°Urgent message¡­ faerie found¡­ Demon took them¡­ probably, to Kalden¡­¡±

    Gen felt a chill run through his entire body. Despite some distortions from the talisman, he recognized the voice as that belonging to Captain Alsore from Somalir. And he also realized from their voice that they were probably seriously hurt.

    Only then he started deciphering the rest of the message. Faerie found? Demon took them? They were heading to Kalden?

    ¡°Demon¡­ they mean the Goddess, right?!¡± Shaya asked urgently.

    If nothing else, Gen became better at acting under duress and surprising circumstances. The details didn¡¯t matter; action was needed. He quickly calculated in his mind. Most likely the message came from Somalir. They were already more than halfway back to Kalden, so if the Demon was also headed there¡­

    ¡°Spread out!¡± he shouted to his companions. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ some sort of an attack heading to Kalden! We have to stop it!¡±

    Gen didn¡¯t wait for a response. He simply shot his invisible arm up ahead and launched himself to the air. This was a trick he¡¯d seen Aisbroom perform dozens of times and it took him a lot of practice, but it was probably much easier and much more effective for him.

    Grabbing a branch, throwing himself and catching another, he was able to move much more quickly than on foot. He knew that Shaya could more or less fly as well, but he was undoubtedly the fastest one around and they weren¡¯t going to catch up to him anytime soon.

    The question was if he¡¯d be able to catch up to the Goddess.

    Soon he could hear noises of destruction that guided his movement¡ªapparently, he¡¯d been lucky and quite close to the scene. Trees were sliced and knocked off and at times he could barely see a strange figure from between the leaves.

    Gen took a deep breath and shot himself upwards above the tree line so he could see everything.

    Way, way ahead the gigantic trees of Kalden were visible, dwarfing all others in its vicinity. But what caught Gen¡¯s attention was indeed the figure of the flying Goddess nearby. It was hard to tell, but he was pretty sure that Alsa was also carrying someone. Perhaps more than one person.

    Gen glanced down at his clothes, focused on the icons there and channeled movement. This allowed him to shoot straight ahead, giving him another burst of speed. Since he was apparently good with this channel, it gave him the ability to sustain a lot of speed and power, though too dangerous to use in an enclosed battlefield or when surrounded by enemies. But if he needed to catch up to someone in midair, for example, it was very effective.

    Of course, he managed to make it all the way here, but what was next? He sprang into action without an actual plan. Because there didn¡¯t seem to be any. They¡¯d already tried dealing with this Goddess, after all, but she seemed invulnerable.

    Just as he thought this he was suddenly hit with a minor headache and painful images flashed in his mind along with a voiceless voice.

    ¡°Mutually assured destruction/uncertain survival of the fittest/countdown to the end!¡±

    The Goddess stopped in air as suddenly as if she hadn¡¯t been moving in the first place. There were some shouts from those she carried but Gen was still too far to hear them properly.

    Was she challenging him to a fight? If so, he was going to fulfill her wish.

    Swen had been doing some thinking. Rather than a careful reasoning process, it was more like he went with the flow.

    The chain of events just didn¡¯t make sense to him. An experienced assassin wouldn¡¯t do a ¡°test run¡± before the real deal, because it might alert their enemies to their purpose. Well, disregarding the fact that they did manage to sneak poison into the castle¡¯s cabinet.

    Anyway, his mind kept repeating to the same point. It just didn¡¯t make sense for someone so skillful to work like that. And so, he thought of a different conclusion.

    There was more than one assassin!

    Was it just a coincidence? Were the two assassins working together? He couldn¡¯t tell that much, however, his guts screamed that the one who poisoned Lord Shammings was not the one who tried poisoning Levia.

    It was natural to connect the two, considering the method¡ªhowever, as the actual poison had never been determined, it was possible that not even the method was the same.

    Reaching this far, he had no evidence, but Swen was certain that he was right. Of course, since he had no evidence, it all meant nothing. And he still might be completely wrong, after all. Assuming he was right, however, what could he do?

    The second assassin, the mysterious assailant, was seemingly an expert and multitalented. If Swen¡¯s theory was correct, the first assassin did nothing other than poison Lord Shammings. So that was probably their trump card.

    Of course, there was no guarantee that this so-called ¡°first assassin¡± even aimed for Levia. Perhaps their grudge was just with Lord Shammings himself and this was nothing but suspicious timing. However, seeing as Shammings was known as a devout supporter of Levia, he was dubious about that.

    If so, that assassin was definitely going to strike again. And if they were going to strike again, it would have to be now, when the coast was clear, when most guards went to secure the venue of the speech and no one would suspect another round of poisoning.

    That was why Swen stayed behind. However, even if he did understand (or think) this much, it was only one step. Even if he did manage to find poison, it didn¡¯t mean he would catch the culprit as well.

    He was going to attempt to do so nonetheless.

    It was perhaps the strangest fight Gen had ever taken part in. To an outside observer watching from afar it would probably seem like the air just spontaneously burst while the two opponents stared at each other.

    Though that wasn¡¯t fully accurate. He could see Alsa¡¯s hairs swiftly cutting through air and intercepting the attacks made by his invisible appendage. They clashed again, and again and again to no avail. Gen wasn¡¯t sure if he was currently safe because the Goddess wasn¡¯t attacking him seriously or else because he was outside her range.

    And there was something else somewhat¡­ familiar about this fight, for lack of a better word. They weren¡¯t employing the same abilities at all, but a certain aspect of fighting this long-haired divine entity made him think that he was facing a grown-up Shaya.

    Would she someday become as powerful as that, if she kept training and fighting? It was both frightening and exciting at once. But he shook these thoughts from his mind as he needed to keep focusing on the current danger. His mind was blasted with further psychic ramblings.

    ¡°Child of the benevolent clock/the one who can catch the sun/affirmation of power supreme.¡±

    And if Alsa¡¯s incomprehensible words ringing through his mind weren¡¯t enough, the person hanging from the Goddess also spoke after a while.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked the man with a shout. ¡°Are you one of them?!¡±

    Gen¡¯s attention was more focused on the violent Goddess so he hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now he realized with a start that he¡¯d been hearing his native tongue. This moment of carelessness nearly caused a gust of wind to blow him off of the treetop he was standing on, but he managed to stay put.

    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re that guy?¡± Gen shouted back. ¡°Are you from Plainland like us?!¡±

    ¡°Kill him!¡± was the man¡¯s response, a shout of rage. Gen barely had enough time to prepare himself as the Goddess shot ahead like an arrow despite staying immobile in air all this time. A wall of invisible force stopped the attack but it still blew Gen away.

    He grunted in pain and desperately sought to protect himself from the further hair assault, instead getting scratched and beaten by the branches of the tree he¡¯d fallen into. An errant twig or two stabbed into his already-bruised body.

    ¡°Shit¡­ we¡¯re on your side!¡± he shouted, though he probably couldn¡¯t be heard over the sounds of destruction. He wrapped an appendage around the nearest branch and threw himself to the sky again.

    ¡°Kill kill kill die die die!¡± the man shouted.

    ¡°Genocide one another/a bloodshed of tragedy/consuming the flesh and mind.¡±

    Whatever this situation entailed, simply talking wasn¡¯t going to cut it, apparently. What else could he do, though? Defeating the Goddess seemed impossible. At the very least he wasn¡¯t strong enough to do it.

    But there was something different now¡ªthe Goddess was, for some reason, much more active and aggressive. She was even moving toward some goal, so he could guess what caused the change. Obviously, it was the Goddess¡¯ passenger, the long sought-after human. He wasn¡¯t quite sure about the second one, though.

    Another maelstrom obliterated the treetop Gen was standing on. Luckily he¡¯d been already prepared for this eventuality, and so he moved himself to yet another tree. He sent another flurry of tentacled strikes to keep his enemy at bay, but it did nothing.

    Then I need to take care of him, he thought. Questions could come later. Right now, that man was obviously not going to discuss anything. He wanted to rescue him, but he had to give this fight everything he had if he wanted to get past the Goddess¡¯ ultimate offense and defense.

    Gen went for the direct approach, launching his invisible arm not at the Goddess but at the man she was holding. Unfortunately, even that failed. The hairs immediately stopped it in place.

    Like he thought, that wasn¡¯t going to work either. He was going to have to find another way. The moment he thought this, his footing was gone. At times Gen would be so focused on attacking that he would forget defending, and this was a result of that.

    ¡°Shit!¡± he mouthed as he fell. He quickly caught a nearby branch and produced an invisible shield in front of him, but the Goddess was relentless¡ª

    ¡°Gen!¡±

    The moment he heard this voice from nearby, Gen couldn¡¯t help but feel warm and relieved. He was yanked to the side, making the Goddess barely miss him and crash into the nearest tree.

    ¡°Thank the Gods we caught up,¡± called Shaya from the surface, looking up at him.

    He smiled at her, although that smile was pained. Was it going to work, after what happened to them before? And yet he needed to ask, ¡°Shaya, I need your help.¡±

    ¡°Always,¡± she half-whispered with a smile of her own.

    As expected, Levia was the first to notice the attack. Clear hostility entered her range from nearby.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming, Stard!¡± she shouted urgently the moment before it happened. Something hit the carriage hard and it lurched. A wave of confusion, panic and anger assaulted her mind, but Levia tried focusing on the other, more important mind.

    The carriage broke down but Stard¡¯s large frame held her up and they both exited to the rocky mountain road, leaving the wreckage behind.

    Another small projectile was launched and crashed into the ground, with Stard barely avoiding it. The other carriages stopped and the guard entourage flooded out, searching for the attacker.

    ¡°Up there,¡± said Levia, pointing at a certain cliff where a figure could be barely seen. ¡°Our plan seemed to have been a success, Stard. Now go and take care of them.¡±

    ¡°¡­They might not be the only attacker, Your Majesty,¡± he said gravely, ¡°I cannot leave you here.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll run away, otherwise,¡± Levia insisted. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can handle fighting in this environment. Go on.¡±

    Stard needed no further prompting, and after making sure the Queen was safe as the surrounding guards rushed to her, he launched himself into the air¡ªor attempted to, but was then struck by what appeared to be a rock. Thankfully it hit only his arm, but Levia could feel some numbing pain flooding from him.

    ¡°Stard¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, grunting and rubbing his arm. ¡°It seems that Salom and Mordack were right about this assassin. We need to consider our strategy.¡±

    It seemed laughable that Stard Molton, the one known as the strongest soldier in the Kingdom of Rumdon and debatably in the entirety of Plainland, would flinch in front of a single assassin, but the situation was still complex.

    Moving would mean exposing the one he needed to protect, while staying would mean letting these attacks continue. And it was true that Stard himself was somewhat vulnerable against long-range attacks, especially when still on the ground.

    Even so, Levia wasn¡¯t worried. This result was something that she had more or less expected.

    After all, the bait had been taken.

    You can¡¯t stay in this dark realm. It has nothing but pain and despair¡­

    There is no pleasure to be found.

    No¡ªafter all, I don¡¯t have the right to tell you otherwise. Your happiness was ripped into shreds already. It wasn¡¯t my fault, yet I was the one who took the remaining fragments and mixed them together. No amount of apology will change that.

    I hate this. I hate myself. I hate this situation. Perhaps I, too, am falling into an abyss made by my own blunders. If so, then I do not have the right to stop you.

    Is it time for the world to be destroyed after all?

 Chapter 13: Pale Relief

    Monan always felt useless, no matter what their progenitor told them.

    ¡°Useless? Of course not,¡± Moanin would say, wearing their characteristic wide, unnerving smile. ¡°One day you will replace me as Ruler, after all, my beautiful child.¡±

    However, Monan couldn¡¯t readily believe it. First of all, they knew that it was the same kind of smile Moanin always used when lying or scheming something. Secondly, they knew that they¡¯d never be able to be a proper Ruler.

    ¡°Beautiful¡±, now, Monan could believe. They had little pride in it, but since they had nothing better to do most of the time they would often doll up, take care of their skin and hair and wear all sorts of clothes and accessories.

    Spoiled child, they¡¯d heard people call them. It was perhaps obvious; the Stroba spent dirty lives underground, growing mushrooms and concocting potions, planning more and more assaults against Kalden. Meanwhile, the Ruler¡¯s heir did nothing but stay in their spacious room.

    Even so, it didn¡¯t mean everyone scorned Monan. Many even regarded them favorably.

    ¡°Is it true that Kalden¡¯s really beautiful?¡± Monan asked one day.

    ¡°Oh, yes. The trees are simply outstanding. I do think our mushrooms have a unique charm of their own, though,¡± answered the tall and fair Boum. Since Boum served as one of Stroba¡¯s most long-standing spies, they¡¯d been at Kalden most of the time.

    ¡°I have been to the trees above a couple of times,¡± said Monan, ¡°but it¡¯s probably incomparable to Kalden.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­ it is.¡±

    The two were friends when they were children, playing often. In fact, Monan might have considered Boum their one and only friend. Even so, Boum had been sent to Kalden pretty early on, posing as a war orphan from a nearby Kalden settlement, building connections since then.

    Monan grew to admire them. They were actually useful to the Stroba, not only by being a spy but even in their proficiency in the usage of various potions. They were also very pretty. Naturally pretty, Monan felt, unlike them.

    ¡°If I told you to take me to Kalden¡­ would you?¡± Monan asked one day, despite knowing the answer.

    Boum wore a sad smile. ¡°I wish I could. Even if that was feasible, the Ruler would never permit it anyway.¡± Monan lowered their head. ¡°But¡­ I promise you that one day we will take them over. And then you could finally live where you belong.¡±

    ¡°Where I belong¡­¡± Monan muttered. Was Boum speaking about Kalden, the city? Or perhaps about Kalden the castle. Many faerie tales would often speak of a Ruler and their beautiful child¡­ what was the word, again? Princess?

    Monan, too, longed for such romance. If they were the Princess, then perhaps¡­ Boum could be their Prince?

    Incapacitate the human to stop the Goddess¡¯s attack¡ªalthough this plan sounded simple, it was obviously extremely difficult in practice.

    Gen wasn¡¯t sure how seriously to tackle this. The human seemed to be their enemy, but they were probably manipulated by the Stroba, by the Goddess, or both. Even if they did try to kill him, it didn¡¯t matter, because the Goddess intercepted each and every of their attacks.

    Now that Shaya joined up with Gen, the others also quickly followed. The skies above the forest soon became a mess of flying arrows and Gen¡¯s attacks snapping through the air.

    ¡°How about this!¡± called Shaya from the nearest treetop, trying to follow Alsa with her eyes. Although she had no need of icons in order to channel, she still needed to see her target.

    Finally, a small, red blaze blossomed in air. This was perhaps Shaya¡¯s deadliest technique, which made her hesitate in using it for various reasons, the environment around them included.

    However, her attempt failed. Although she¡¯d focused on the human¡¯s legs, what caught fire was a strand of hair. Curiously, it seemed like it did have some effect, as an immediate psychic scream filled everyone¡¯s minds.

    ¡°The arson¡¯s heart pains me thus/suffering from the very depths of hell/consume till naught remains but ash!¡±

    The next moment was a blur as the Goddess leapt toward the attacker. Apparently, this attempt had struck some sort of nerve. Shaya hurriedly jumped away, but was saved only by Gen¡¯s channeled arm pulling her away. Another small tentacle pounded the ground to raise dust and leaves and obscure them.

    ¡°Are you fine?¡± Gen asked her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she mumbled, although her face was pale. She coughed.

    Gen frowned; Shaya had only just recovered from the poisonous gas they both inhaled back during the raid on Marmony. Was it wise to let her fight like this? But he probably had no hope if he wanted to somehow beat the Goddess.

    Finally, he pushed those worries aside for the moment. ¡°That was weird,¡± he mumbled, launching them further away still in case of a counterattack. ¡°Could it be that she¡¯s like those beasts? Weak to channeling, I mean. ¡­No, can¡¯t be.¡± That was obviously untrue. After all, they¡¯d already tried hurling all sorts of attacks at her. Admittedly not heat, but that still ruled out his hypothesis.

    If she was an invincible God, it would be the end, for there was nothing they could do. However, as slim of a hope as it was, if she had some weakness after all, they had to figure it out right now.

    ¡°She almost seemed¡­ mad,¡± Shaya pointed out. There were sounds of the still unfolding battle ahead. They both knew that the other soldiers wouldn¡¯t be able to stand against the Goddess, so they needed to hurry back. ¡°Do you think that we can take advantage of this?¡±

    A spark of an idea. ¡°Use this to defeat... no, to neutralize that man? Could work.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s try it.¡±

    Linza looked down the cliff expressionlessly.

    When she¡¯d heard the Queen was organizing a great speech, she knew this could be her chance. Sure, Levia-O would also leave the castle at other times, but these excursions were much less predictable. She would obviously be protected, but Linza could do what no other assassin could.

    She actually hesitated between doing this and going up to the castle to install some sort of trap or hide there, but eventually settled on attacking Levia in mid-transit. Perhaps this decision was made due to Linza¡¯s immediate association with the Queen¡¯s past¡ªthe circumstances that led to Prince Mayer¡¯s death.

    Unfortunately, the first attack had ended in complete failure. She¡¯d crushed the carriage and yet Levia was rescued and brought outside. Linza was surprised, but then she finally understood¡ªthat none other than Stard Molton was in charge of guarding the Queen.

    This was an unexpected bad news, obviously.

    Linza was not a fighter but an assassin, so she¡¯d never be able to stand up against the man. However, not all was completely lost. She still had the advantage since Molton couldn¡¯t easily leave the Queen¡¯s side without exposing her to further attacks.

    Really, though¡­ Molton? Had she underestimated the Queen? Had the Queen summoned her mightiest soldier expressly for this purpose?

    Linza picked up a stone, briefly glanced at its icons, and then hurled it down with all of her might. In doing so she channeled weight, making it dozens of times heavier. It struck the rocky path below, greatly fissuring it. A few soldiers from the convoy screamed as they slipped and fell, but the Queen was again grabbed by Molton.

    Linza repeated the attack yet again, not letting them catch their breath. Molton took the Queen and evaded again.

    Linza glanced around quickly. Some of the soldiers separated from the convoy; they were probably going to try getting to her, though that would prove to be extremely difficult without using abilities like hers.

    Still, her attempt failed and Molton could simply prioritize keeping the Queen safe and getting away. She couldn¡¯t do anything about that, so she¡¯d better escape. It was a good effort, and her third and final one. All things considered, it was a job well done.

    At least she thought this, but¡­ what if she did end up finishing the job?

    What if she took out the legendary Stard Molton as well? Wouldn¡¯t that be something? She might even get a bonus. She really needed a break after this short trip to Rumdon; too much anxiety, compared to her usual jobs.

    No, that¡¯s stupid, she reprimanded herself. Potential money didn¡¯t matter if her chances of surviving this were close to nil. Instead, she retreated back on the cliff, carefully watching her environment. Which was why she saw Molton still hovering there while holding Levia in his arms.

    Is he still planning on fighting me? But why would he¡­?

    Was this due to Molton¡¯s temperament? He was not a guard, but a soldier, and the strongest one at that. She heard the tales; he probably never let any enemy get away, notwithstanding the supposed eternal draw against his archnemesis, the Saintess of Sacrona. Moreover, he probably wanted to catch the assassin, as they couldn¡¯t let her get away with it after not just one but three consecutive attempts.

    Linza gulped. She was normally confident in her ability to escape, but this was Molton¡­ having to go head-to-head with him was way outside her calculations. At best she might be able to kill the Queen but forfeit her life, not exactly a good result.

    ¡°Damn,¡± she spat, hurriedly drawing two rocks, activating and throwing them both in quick succession. Aiming at moving targets was difficult, but she knew she wasn¡¯t going to hit him anyway. It was meant as a deterrent and to give her some time to think.

    Molton still came flying there, carrying the Queen. He intended on risking her for that? Was he trying to both protect her and try to entice Linza to keep fighting in the hopes of killing her? He was insane. The Queen was insane.

    Linza had to think of something and fast.

    Joining Zade and a Demon to destroy Kalden was definitely not in any of Monan¡¯s wildest dreams. Nothing could have prepared them for this, not even the faerie tales they loved so.

    Something they were prepared for and came true was being useless. They were nothing but luggage. Why had Zade agreed to take them, anyway? Monan couldn¡¯t tell.

    At first the flight was actually surprisingly pleasant (if scary at times), but then some enemies appeared and Zade went berserk, causing the Demon to attack. Monan was also protected by it throughout all that, but being flung and carried around became even scarier. At times they were grazed by leaves and bushes.

    ¡°Z-Zade!¡± they tried shouting. ¡°We should stop, this is getting a bit too¡ªeeeep!¡± Monan shouted as they lurched to the sky, the Demon crashing into a tree.

    ¡°Kill them all!¡± Zade commanded, completely ignoring Monan.

    Monan gave up on understanding the situation, but from time to time they would see their enemies, and at least two of them were faeries. After being with Zade for so long, they were able to instantly recognize this. One was probably a man, and the other was probably a woman.

    While Zade could use magic as well, it was clear that these two were leagues above him. One used some sort of invisible force to leap in the air and throw unseen attacks, while the other controlled all sorts of magic at will.

    Now the woman tried burning the Demon again, an act that seriously enraged it.

    ¡°Falling into a bottomless pit/flying in a sky without light/the coldness of the void.¡±

    Although Monan never could understand the Demon¡¯s strange projected thoughts, the rage and fear were apparent. It once again went on a relentless attack against the faerie woman, crushing everything in its path.

    However, the faerie leapt to the side and was then carried swiftly up into the air to evade, going in complex routes around.

    ¡°I-I think they¡¯re planning something¡­!¡± Monan shrieked urgently.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± mumbled Zade who was focused on this senseless chase until now.

    Monan was perhaps incompetent and had nothing but their looks, but they were apparently the only one who could think right now. And so, they had a certain hunch.

    ¡°This is some sort of trap¡ª¡± started Monan, but it was too late. They were already led through the full circle around certain trees. Only now Monan noticed that several of them were still standing despite their trunks being cut.

    These all collapsed at once with terrible noise. With all this din, the quick movements and their panic, Monan couldn¡¯t tell what was going on except the shock of a sudden, sharp pain.

    No matter how powerful the Demon was, even it apparently had its limits. Its lethal hairs were fast enough to protect against any direct attacks, but what about indirect attacks? Monan had been scratched by the environment dozens of times until now. And now a large branch stabbed their arm.

    ¡°Ali¡­ma?¡± muttered Zade in shock. ¡°Alima!¡±

    It took Monan several seconds to even register what happened before letting out a scream of pain that was almost drowned by the sounds of the Demon crushing everything around them.

    ¡°I¡¯m, fine¡­ ah!¡± Monan screamed again upon glancing at their arm. Their vision momentarily blacked out. Pain blared in their mind. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Alima¡­ Alima!¡± Completely ignoring the destruction around him, Zade, who was himself covered in many cuts and scratches, tried reaching out toward his companion, both of them still bound by the hairs. ¡°Let me¡­ you have to do something!¡±

    ¡°Do you seek the embrace of death?/do you abhor the stench of life?/do you realize the weight of your sins?¡± asked the Demon.

    ¡°So you can¡¯t?¡± Zade asked, his face contorted in pain that almost seemed larger than Monan¡¯s. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ save her?¡±

    Now that the dust and destruction of the trap had settled, they were getting surrounded by many figures from all sides. The Goddess was still silently thrashing, but almost seemed to be having a conversation with Zade. Monan could barely focus on any of this with all the pain. They couldn¡¯t even think to pluck the offending branch out of their arm.

    They only looked at Zade and waited.

    Stard took into the air, brandishing no weapons but the one he was meant to protect, carrying her as if she was a princess from legends. Well, she really had been a princess once. He currently bore none of his legendary armaments, though he did have a plain sword hanging from his waist.

    His enemy was now visible; a figure fully clad in brown, standing on the nearby cliff, a place no ordinary hiker could have possibly reached. That was definitely the assassin as described to him by young Revol.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± he asked his query.

    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Levia, her hair fanned by the strong wind, ¡°we can¡¯t let them get away. This will make them hesitate as well.¡±

    Stard mentioned nothing about the fact that it made him hesitate in his actions just as much. Battling an enemy in order to protect the very target he was holding was absurd; he¡¯d never fought anyone like that.

    The assassin threw a few rocks into the air and Stard evaded. However, it was probably just a means of buying some time, as immediately after doing so they leapt away, jumping much higher than any normal person could. He already learned from Salom about this theoretical usage of the weight channel.

    ¡°Follow them,¡± ordered Levia, making Stard sigh. He gave an immense burst of speed, overtaking even the assassin, hoping to catch them off-guard.

    However, they used this opportunity to leap down another cliff, almost seeming to glide there. Stard swerved midair, following them again and dodging a thrown rock again.

    They were approaching a somewhat forested area of the mountain. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he might easily lose the assassin in the shade of some tree. Stard was conflicted for the umpteenth time: keeping his distance meant the assassin had more chances of getting away, while getting closer risked both him and the Queen.

    ¡°They seem to be running away, so perhaps I will lower you?¡± he suggested.

    ¡°Although I do not feel anyone else in the vicinity, we still cannot rule out the possibility they¡¯re not working alone. If I am just left to wander here, I will become an easy target. They can possibly collapse the entire cliff itself, if they¡¯re so proficient with weight channeling.¡±

    At times the Queen could be quite obstinate. He thought her worries were negligible, so it was almost as if she was risking herself on purpose¡­ but that didn¡¯t fit her, either. Stard couldn¡¯t spare the time to think about that right now as he kept his pursuit. He was already nearly losing the assassin from time to time.

    ¡°Will you allow me to try something dangerous, then?¡± he decided to ask. He couldn¡¯t see, or rather not allow himself to look at Levia¡¯s face¡ªnot that it mattered because she was probably wearing a neutral expression¡ªbut he knew she could definitely feel what he himself thought about this idea of his.

    ¡°You believe this will lead to victory, so you may go ahead,¡± she said plainly. Without making any reply, Stard gave another burst of speed, flying between two low trees.

    Perhaps surprised, the assassin stopped in place for a moment, but then flung another rock. How many of those did they even have? Surely something as complicated as a weight icon would require careful work, so they would run out of ammo at some moment. Stard didn¡¯t even need to dodge as the shot hit one of the trees.

    Or was that on purpose? The moment it was hit, the tree was shaken by a large impact, causing it to snap in half and collapse.

    And that is why I hate fighting like this, Stard thought as he pressed ahead, deciding to outrun the falling tree rather than avoid it. Although there was no doubt that the assassin aimed to use this small forested area to vanish, they had also restricted themselves and now Stard was almost upon them.

    The battle would probably be settled by their next move.

    The years following Zade¡¯s arrival were perhaps the happiest and saddest that Monan ever felt. They felt elated, even if a major part of them also felt bad for what they¡¯ve done. They were finally useful for something. They were finally loved.

    There had been a small crisis about a year after Zade¡¯s arrival, however.

    ¡°I know, my child¡­ it is a terrible loss for all of us,¡± said Moanin, embracing their scion in a hug.

    Monan wanted Moanin to let go, but they couldn¡¯t even vocalize it due how much they were crying. They didn¡¯t care that the guards outside the room could probably hear them. They didn¡¯t care about anything at all, for they lost the person most important of all.

    ¡°They will be remembered. We will not¡ª¡±

    ¡°S-shut up already!¡± Monan screamed. That seemed to wipe the grin off of Moanin¡¯s face for once.

    ¡°Such an outburst does not behoove you, my child.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t c-care!¡± How could Monan care about anything at all, after losing Boum like that? Least of all their manners or so-called station.

    After having given them a great help with learning Zade¡¯s language, Boum had left for another mission¡ªpromising that they would bring the other faeries with them and that Kalden¡¯s downfall would be closer than ever.

    Monan was thrilled, though not for those reasons, but by the fact that this would have been Boum¡¯s final mission. After executing such a plan, they¡¯d obviously be exposed as a spy once and for all. There¡¯d be no turning back, and so Boum would finally return to Marmony, to Monan¡ª

    Unfortunately, it really had been their final mission. It was a complete blunder.

    Monan would never see Boum again. Not even their body would ever find its way back to the ground of Marmony. Thinking about it hurt more than anything else before.

    ¡°I see that I cannot comfort you. Perhaps I don¡¯t possess the right,¡± said Moanin sadly. ¡°Your grief is something you¡¯ll have to deal with by yourself¡­ or perhaps not. You should go back to your rooms, now.¡±

    The way back to their chambers was blurry, mostly due to the tears. Monan hadn¡¯t even considered Zade at all during those moments until they came back and he stared at them.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Alima¡­?¡± he asked, his face a mask of shock.

    ¡°What? A-ah,¡± Monan mumbled. ¡°No, i-it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Despite being under so much grief, Monan knew they shouldn¡¯t break their role like that. If they simply ignored him then the potions would probably do the rest of the work.

    They were surprised at themselves being so level-headed about this. They really wouldn¡¯t have expected it from themselves.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s definitely something wrong.¡± Zade spoke softly as he approached Monan. He lifted a hand, touching their damp cheek. ¡°This is like¡­ when I thought I¡¯d lost you.¡±

    Monan gasped. He was obviously referring to the loss of his actual wife. They¡¯d heard that Zade was wailing and shouting as well during his first days until they gave him the potions and introduced him to Monan.

    At times, still confused by the various mixtures¡¯ effects, he would cry at night in Monan¡¯s arms. Thinking back, his form during those sleepless, lonely nights was perhaps like Monan themselves was now.

    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I¡­¡±

    Monan¡¯s words were cut short by Zade pulling them to a close hug. It was so tight that for a moment Monan couldn¡¯t breathe, and before noticing they even stopped crying.

    ¡°Please. I don¡¯t want to see you cry,¡± Zade said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you again.¡±

    It was then that Monan realized they were the same.

    Yes. Zade had lost his love, and Monan theirs. However, at this moment Monan felt that they gained each other. Losing Boum would never not hurt. Especially not when it was yet so fresh. This would never serve as a replacement either. However, it was still something new, a gain instead of a loss.

    Perhaps that was when it finally happened¡ªwhen Monan fell in love with Zade.

    Gen and Shaya¡¯s plan seemed to both work and fail. They attempted drowning the Goddess in so much debris and destruction that she would be unable to shield her queries against them all. However, the human was relatively unharmed and instead it was the fairy that received a major hit.

    But it did stop the attacks¡ªfor now. The man looked distraught at its result.

    ¡°No¡­ no¡­ do something!¡± he man shouted. ¡°Do something, you have to!¡±

    Gen decided to take advantage of this pause in the hostilities. ¡°Let¡¯s stop this!¡± he shouted back, glaring at him. That caused the man to turn toward him, tears streaming down his eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t need to fight anymore.¡±

    ¡°You hurt her!¡± the man blamed. ¡°You did this! All of you! After abandoning me¡­ no, stop this!¡±

    ¡°Please calm down,¡± Shaya tried as well, standing unsteadily on a branch. ¡°We only wanted to stop the Goddess¡­ we don¡¯t wish to fight at all!¡±

    ¡°Then why have you abandoned me?! Why have you not come to take me from those wretched caves?!¡±

    ¡°We have!¡± insisted Gen. ¡°But you ran away.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand¡­ you don¡¯t understand anything!¡±

    Gen and Shaya exchanged helpless glances. They really did not understand. Could not. The man seemed to be completely crazy. He was perhaps talking of other times, detaching himself from the conversation currently taking place. It might be that the world he was viewing was completely different from theirs, too.

    Even so, Gen wanted to help him. He believed that it could still be done. That was what he came there to do.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start over,¡± Gen suggested. ¡°It seems there¡¯s some miscommunication and a misunderstanding between us¡­ so let¡¯s turn a new leaf. We¡¯ll take you home¡ªI mean Kalden, but one day we¡¯ll get back to Plainland as well.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of that wounded fairy too!¡± added Shaya urgently.

    The man¡¯s eyes darted around. He seemed to be torn on whether he should believe in them or not.

    ¡°Zade¡­¡± squeaked the fairy. ¡°You can¡­ go with them.¡±

    ¡°But you¡ª¡± his horrified eyes were drawn to his companion.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± they said. ¡°It hurts, hurts really bad, but I¡¯ll live. I think.¡±

    Zade shook his head in disbelief¡ªand then the Goddess unleashed another mental scream at everyone around.

    ¡°You will never give up the blood and guts/watching the tree burn in a pillar of smoke/let the earth itself collapse into the abyss!¡± she said accusingly. ¡°The lion will keep hunting for all eternity/an avalanche of avarice and bloodlust never fulfilled/jumping headlong into a bottomless pit!¡±

    Alsa began thrashing, turning the crushed trees into even smaller fragments and causing the small unit surrounding her to get back.

    ¡°Stop her! Please!¡± Gen begged. Zade looked at him for a moment, but then shook his head again.

    ¡°I will finish this, once and for all,¡± he claimed, suddenly sounding surprisingly calm. He took Monan into his arms and then the woman holding them both shot into the air.

    ¡°Crap! I won¡¯t let them get away!¡± Gen leapt as well, sending tentacles to the heavens, but was immediately deflected by Alsa¡¯s hair, and then assaulted by a stab of pain. ¡°¡­Eh?¡±

    Was he so focused on the human that he really forgot to pay attention to anything else? Yet again this bad habit of his. During her ascension to the heavens, Alsa whipped up a storm of hairs that annihilated some more trees around, causing a rain of sharp wood splinters. Several of those now stabbed into Gen.

    ¡°Gen¡­? Gen!¡± Shaya shouted in horror as she saw him collapse to the ground.

    ¡°Never mind me,¡± he spat, blood dribbling from his mouth as well, ¡°we gotta¡­!¡± Gen hurriedly got up on his legs, but then nearly stumbled again. ¡°Crap¡­¡±

    ¡°This is enough, Genro,¡± said one of the fairies. ¡°You¡¯ve fought well, but you¡¯re the only one who can catch up to them and match against them, and you¡¯re in no state to do so!¡±

    Gen grunted, but had to admit that was true. Judging by the lack of nearby sounds, the Goddess had already left the scene. Thinking back, he¡¯d been lucky that they¡¯d been so close to that monster and that she engaged them in the first place. He felt angry and useless¡ªthey were so close.

    ¡°Crap¡­ no, shit!¡± Gen cursed, punching the ground in frustration. ¡°We have to let Kalden know about this!¡±

    Linza had only one icon-inscribed stone remaining and her usual cloth-ball on a string. There wasn¡¯t much else she could do to win this fight and Molton was much more persistent than she had anticipated.

    I¡¯m going to die, she became convinced. Even back in Lastia there were stories about his prowess and about how only someone like the Saints of Sacrona could ever hope to match against him. He was inhuman and superhuman.

    Linza led no honorable life. She grew rather mellow to it all throughout the years, forgetting her rough childhood and even rougher training as an assassin. When she wasn¡¯t on a mission, she just enjoyed the places her clients brought her to.

    Did she deserve to live? After taking a couple dozen of lives? Probably not.

    Even so she still wanted to live. Even if her client had no interest in whether she lived or died, in whether she succeeded or failed, she still wanted to live. As long as didn¡¯t leave any clues about her employer, she was allowed to live.

    This is a nice mountain, she found herself thinking. It was a pity that only someone with similar abilities could reach this place. What would her deceased parents have thought about this place? Or that stupid nobleman¡¯s son she met the other day?

    How silly of her to think of such things while engaged in mortal combat. Was this what it meant to have your life flash before your eyes when you were on death¡¯s door?

    As Molton grew closer, Linza turned around, glanced at the cloth ball and threw it directly ahead. Predicting its trajectory, Molton swerved to the side and so the loud thud and crack came from a tree nearby. However, having expected this as well, she pulled back the string at an angle and landed a hit.

    Molton grunted and nearly crashed into the ground as the ball hit him from the side. Unfortunately, the weight she channeled lessened with time, so on the way back it was already far less deadly.

    Well, at least it bought her some time. After all, she wasn¡¯t running around randomly, but aiming for a certain spot¡ªa nearby ravine, where she thought she could escape to and hide in while waiting for things to cool down.

    She had to time her attack perfectly because she only had a single stone. She could use her ball again, but she needed it to safely leap off of the mountain; even her earlier maneuver nearly severed the string.

    Molton was growing ever closer, so it might end up becoming a simple question of who struck first¡ªor so she thought until he did something completely unexpected and threw the Queen from his arms.

    Linza stared in shock. Was he really throwing her away while flying? Did that not defeat the entire purpose? Would she not get seriously hurt, falling from that height, with that speed?

    Using this opening, Molton closed in and landed a punch straight into her stomach.

    Yes, it really was dangerous bringing the Queen directly into the fray, because even if it technically put Stard in the perfect position to protect her, it also actively hindered him from fighting and using his full powers.

    Which was exactly why he¡¯d thrown her away.

    Many people thought that Stard¡¯s compensation was simply the ability to fly, but that was not quite true. It was actually the pure, most concentrated control of the movement channel. Salom had once explained to him that rather than controlling kinetic movement itself, it was more like he was being wrapped an invisible field of force¡ªbut Stard was less focused on the technical side of things.

    To cut a long story short, although he only excelled in moving himself, he could do the same to people and objects. Wrapping up Levia in his ¡°aura¡±, he gently let her float aside and made use of the opening brought by this surprise action.

    Wasting no time, he landed a punch in the assassin¡¯s stomach, causing them to grunt and expel all air from their lungs. Following with a kick by his prosthetic, he then drew the short sword hanging at his waist and prepared to slash his opponent down.

    At that moment something soft hit his head, causing his slash to go wide. The assassin turned their back to him, pounded a fist into the ground and it started crumbling away.

    Only then Stard realized that they¡¯d been approaching a sheer cliff that led down into a ravine; the assassin was probably aiming to fall down, aided by their weight channeling. He couldn¡¯t let them get away, so he gave himself a boost of speed and stabbed ahead. He hit.

    ¡°Guh¡­!¡± groaned the assassin, still sliding down as blood spurt from their body, but the collapsing edge of the cliff raised a cloud of dust. Stard slashed again and missed, clicked his tongue and chose to go diving straight down.

    He could hear the low rumble of the rocks tumbling down the ravine and hurriedly ran his eyes around in an attempt to see a human figure. Unfortunately, there was no such luck.

    No¡­ they¡¯re still back on the cliff, he thought and turned around immediately with a cautious slash, only to hit air. His guess had been wrong.

    His warrior¡¯s intuition was perhaps futile against someone that was not a fighter. He took a quick leap into the sky to check the immediate area, and then glanced down the ravine again.

    Stard had wounded the assassin pretty bad. It wasn¡¯t unthinkable for them to have simply fallen to their death. There was perhaps another way to know for sure, so he hurried back toward the Queen, who he couldn¡¯t leave for too long anyway.

    ¡°Have you killed them?¡± she asked him dispassionately as if it was a mere errand. She was slightly scraped and dirty as she sat on top of a fallen log, but didn¡¯t seem to mind it.

    ¡°Uncertain, Your Majesty. We fought over a cliff and I injured them, but couldn¡¯t find them.¡± While talking, he floated around and scanned the area. He still couldn¡¯t let his guard down.

    ¡°I¡¯ve felt them until a moment ago,¡± Levia said. If so, then they were likely dead. Perhaps he would come there later to check up on that? But it seemed too much of an effort to go looking for a body. Stard nodded in relief as Levia added, ¡°There is no one else around. Now, let us go.¡±

    ¡°Back to the castle, Your Majesty?¡±

    ¡°What? No,¡± said Levia, ¡°to the King¡¯s Plaza, of course.¡±

    Stard blinked and furrowed his brows. ¡°You intend on going through with this? With what just happened?¡±

    Levia smiled. ¡°Of course. I have promised to deliver a speech, and deliver a speech I shall. Can you imagine Qumisson¡¯s satisfaction if I postponed this due to a mere assassination attempt?¡±

    A mere assassination attempt? Stard thought. ¡°That was dangerously close; you should have let me settle it all earlier, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°The result is what matters, Molton.¡± She rose from the trunk, lightly brushing her half-ruined dress. ¡°The threat had been eliminated, and I¡¯m running late. We were the ones who set up this trap in the first place, and our plan was a success, all things considered. Getting back to the carriage would be too much of a hassle, so I must rely on you to get downtown.¡±

    Stard sighed. Whatever it may be that Salom would often call her, he always thought of her as a logical woman, but he apparently still sorely lacked knowledge about how she thought.

    Well, he could never understand women.

    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty. Let us go.¡±

    He leaned, picking up the Queen. It was unfortunate that he hadn¡¯t brought the usual harness, because he was still hurt and bruised after the fight. Even so, he had to follow Levia¡¯s orders. That was his way of life.

    Slowly rising into the air with Levia in his aching arms, Stard gave another cursory glance over the small forest and ravine just in case, found nothing and continued ahead.

    Niu sat in front of the canvas and sighed. She tried drawing a nice, calm forest scenery, but the image simply didn¡¯t want to come to her mind.

    More precisely, whenever she pictured that forest, it was instantly overlayed with images of destruction and ruin and death. How strange. Even seeing the second and third wave from up close all those years ago hadn¡¯t caused this kind of reaction, but somehow being responsible for an entire operation that happened so far from home did.

    Fortunately, that was already over. There would still be many difficulties ahead, but the long, long fight against the Stroba was done for now. She managed to accomplish what even Acrus couldn¡¯t, or at least wouldn¡¯t.

    She decided to give up on her painting, got dressed in her formal attire and left for the throne room¡ªshe probably had mountains of reports waiting for her by this time anyway. It was surreal how much she was getting used to this new way of life.

    The moment she left her workroom with NiU in tow, however, she immediately found a nervous-looking Roah who was seemingly just about to go fetch her. He was also accompanied by two large laborers.

    ¡°Queen,¡± he breathed, ¡°this is an emergency. We must evacuate.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Niu asked through her small laborer, feeling a chill.

    ¡°I will explain on the way,¡± he said, so Niu hastened her steps and followed him. They went through the many corridors and toward the stairs, where presumably she would be led down to the dedicated shelter on ground level. ¡°We have received a report. Apparently, the human under Stroban custody has been found, but he¡¯d taken control of the Goddess and is hostile. He¡¯s going on a rampage and is apparently heading here. Gen¡¯s group tried to intercept it, but failed. There were some injuries, but nothing more for now.¡±

    What? That was too much for Niu to take in all at once. Various unrelated things seemed to be intermingled for no reason. But she could see by Roah¡¯s expression that he was just as perplexed by this situation, if not more.

    For some reason, however, despite the initial jolt of fear, Niu suddenly found herself not worrying. Roah seemed to have noticed it, for he suddenly scowled and directed his lone eye at her.

    ¡°How are you so calm?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this an, opportunity?¡± she asked back. ¡°We wanted to bring him, here and we wanted to do, something about Alsa, right? What was that idiom, they often use here? Burning a single, branch to bring, down the tree?¡±

    ¡°¡­That is not a positive saying,¡± Roah noted. ¡°And I see what you mean, but he¡¯s apparently very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Well, then try intercepting, him, by all means. Meanwhile, I will try my own thing.¡±

    Just as she said this through NiU, the entire castle shook. Niu nearly tumbled down the stairs and was caught by one of the laborers¡¯ thick arms at the very last second. And it happened again.

    ¡°They¡¯re already here¡­?¡± Roah asked, wide-eyed.

    Niu smiled weakly. ¡°It¡¯s time to settle, everything¡ªwith our fellow human, and Goddess.¡±

    Killing people is easy. Surprisingly so.

    What may be difficult, of course, is the moments leading up to that death.

    But humans are extremely fragile. Even a weapon as crude as a stick or a shard of glass can kill.

    Since it¡¯s so easy, it¡¯s also ironically heavy. I¡¯m not talking about guilt or anything like that, I already threw that long ago, but about the knowledge that you used your two hands to rob a life.

    The moment you see their relieved pale faces, you feel the burden of your own life.